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OUR  COUNT!  Al  ITS  PEOPLE 

A  HISTORICAL  AND  MEMORIAL  RECORD 

OF 

CRAWFORD    COUNTY 

PENNSYLVANIA 


37 
SAMUEL   P.  BATES,  LL.  D. 


''They  weakly  err,  cvho  think  there  is  no  other  use  of  government  than  correction. 
Governments,  like  clocks,  go  from  the  motion  men  give  them,  and  as  governments  are 
made  and  moved  by  men,  so  by  them  are  they  ruined  too.  That,  therefore,  which  makes 
a  good  constitution  must  keep  it,  vien  of  wisdom  and  virtue,  qualities  that,  because  they 
descend  not  with  worldly  inheritances,  must  be  carefully  propagated  by  a  virtuous  educa- 
tion of  youth,  for  which  after  ages  will  owe  more  to  the  care  and  prudence  of  founders 
and  the  successive  magistracy  than  to  their  parents  for  their  private  patrimonies."' 

— William  Penn. 


Illu* 


W.   A.  FERGUSSON    &  COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 

1899 


t^v 


253533 


i 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 

PART  I. 


PAGE 

CHAPTER    I. 


The  Physical  Features  of  Crawford  County 


I 


CHAPTER  II. 
The  Character  of  the  Aborigines 12 

CHAPTER  III. 
Attempts  at  Colonization 23 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Penn  Comes  with  His  English  Quakers 37 

CHAPTER  V. 
Controversy  Over  the  Bounds  of  the  Colony 50 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Planting  of  the  Leaden  Plates  by  Celeron ^y 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Embassage  of  Washington  to  St.  Pierre 78 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Washington's  First  Battles. 87 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Crawford  County  Shall  Be  an  English  and  Not  a  French  Speak- 
ing People 103 

CHAPTER  X.  . 
FiN.AL  Struggles  of  the  Aborigines 1 13 

CHAPTER  XI. 
Crawford  County  Settled 126 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Virginia  and  Pennsylvania  Controversy  Finally"  Settled 139 

V 


vi  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
Appeal  to  the  Continental  Congress  for  Justice 150 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Roads  and  Waterways  in  Crawford  County 168 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Crawford  County  in  Its  Multiform  Relations 178 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Crawford   County  Judiciary 193 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Crawford  County   Education 206 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Cr.\wford  County  in  War  Times 225 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
Dedication    of    the    Monument    to    Cornplanter,    the    Indian 
Sachem  of  the  Six  X^ations,  AVho  Saved  the  Early  Settlers 
FROM  Destruction 230 

PART   II. 
MEADVILLE    AND    TITUSVILLE. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Early  Settlers  of  Meadville 245 

CHAPTER  II. 
Education  in  Meadville 250 

CHAPTER  III. 
Religious  History  of  Meadville 276 

CHAPTER  IV. 

TiTUSVILLE  293 

CHAPTER  V. 
Petroleum  and  Our  Connection  Therewith 373 

CHAPTER  VI. 
TiTUSVILLE— Continued 428 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS.  vii 

PART   III. 


,  HISTORY    OF   TOWNSHIPS-ALPHABETICALLY   ARRANGED. 


CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 

Athens  Township 473 

CHAPTER  H. 
Beaver  Township 480 

CHAPTER  in. 
Bloomfield  Township 484 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Cambridge   Township 490 

CHAPTER  V. 
Conneaut  Township 499 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Cussawago  Township 503 

CHAPTER  VII. 
East  Fairfield  Township 509 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
East  Eallowfield  Township " 515 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Eai^field   Township 519 

CHAPTER  X. 
Greenwood  Township 526 

CHAPTER  XL 
Hayfield   Township 532 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Mead  Township 537 

CHAPTER  XIII. 
North  Shenango  Township 547 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Oil  Creek  Township 551 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Pine  Township 563 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Randolph  Township 567 


viii  TABLE  Of  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XVII.  PAGE 

Ivicu.MoxD  Township 575 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Rockdale  Township 581 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
Rome  Township 586 

CHAPTER  XX. 
S.\DSBURY  Township 591 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
South  Shenango  Township 596 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Sparta  Township  .' 599 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
Spring  Township 604 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
Steuben  Township 617 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
SuMiMERiiiLL  Township 622 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
Summit  Township 625 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
Troy  Township 63 1 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
Union  Township 635 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
Venango  Township 640  _ 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
Vernon  Township 645 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 
Wayne  Township 650 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 
West  Fallowfield  Township 655 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 
West  Shenango  Township 659 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
Woodcock  Township ■  ■  •  ■   662 


PART    IV. 

Biographical  Sketches 675 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 


Map  Showing  Contests  for  Boundaries  of  Pennsylvania 50 

Fac-Simile  of  the  Leaden  Plates  Buried  by  the  French  in  the 

Ohio,  1749 67 

Map  Showing  Various  Purchases  from  the  Indians 126 

Manuscript  Letter  by  Thaddeus  Stevens  in  1864 206 

Manuscript  Letter  by  David  Mead  in  1793 225 

Dedication  of  the  Cornplanter  Monument 230 

The  Edmund  Greenlee  Homestead 680 

Residence  of  Ralph  S.  Greenlee,  Chicago 682 

Residence  of  Robert  L.  Greenlee,  Chicago 683 

PORTRAITS. 


PAGE 


Caldwell,  James  H 882 

Chase,  Edward  H 929 

Curtis,  Esther   (Greenlee) 679 

Dick,  John  952 

Emery,  David 769 

Fertig,  John 818 

Greenlee,    Edmund 679 

Greenlee,  The  Family  of  Edmund. 681 

Greenlee,  Jacob 679 

Huidekoper,   Harm  J Frontispiece 

Maxwell,  Samuel  G 904 

McKiNNEY,  James  C 858 

McKiNNEY,  John  L 72 1 

Roberts,  Edward  A.  L 94^ 

Roberts,  Walter  B 937 

Stebbins,  Lucinda   (Greenlee) 679 


INDEX. 


Abbott,  William  H.,  411,  827. 
Abel,  Barnard,  Sr.,  738. 
Abel,  Barnard,  Jr.,  738. 
Abel,  William  G.,  738. 
Akin,  Aaron,  840. 
Alden,  Roger,  250. 
Aldrich,  F.  H.,  709. 
Ames,  Judson  P.,  916. 
Anderson,  Claes  J.,  872. 
Andrews,  Frank  W.,  409. 
Andrews,  William  H.,  887. 
Atherton,  Stephen,  901. 
Austin,  Hiram  A.,  744. 

B. 

Babcock,  John  W.,  893. 
Bail,  Harry  L.,  833. 
Bailey,  Francis,  817. 
Bailey,  Morris,  435,  698. 
Baker,  Frank  C,  818. 
Baldwin,  Charles  E.,  896. 
Baldwin,  Henry,  199. 
Bannister,  Lee,  873. 
Barber,  James  R.,  397,  746. 
Barker,  John,  265. 
Barnsdall,  Theodore  N.,  412. 
Barnsdall,  William,  412,  765. 
Barr,  George  W.,  433,  761. 
Barrett,  Charles  S.,  411. 
Bartle,  W.  H.,  903. 
Bartlett,  George  C,  720. 
Bates,  Arthur  L.,  684. 
Bates,  Henry  R,,  960. 
Baugher,  David  R.,  935. 
Baumgartner,  Albert,  732. 
Beers,  J.  W.,  840. 
Belknap,  Asa  N.,  812. 
Bement,  Daniel,  836. 
Bender,  Philipp,  916. 
Benedict,  Charles  W.,  429,  713. 
Benedict,  John,  814. 
Benedict,  Willis  B.,  410,  762. 


Bennett,  A.  P.,  410. 
Benson,  B.  D.,  402. 
Berly,  Joseph  J.,  927. 
Best,  Wesley  B.,  805. 
Best,  William,  873. 
Bethune,  George  H.,  845. 
Beuchat,  Louis  J.,  857. 
Bidwell,  Russell,  907. 
Binney,  John,  735. 
Bishop,  Zephaniah,  746. 
Black,  C.  A.,  440. 

Blair,  Andrew,  922. ^ 

Blatchley,  David,  921. 
Bloomfield,  Thomas,  485. 
Bloss,  Henry  C,  TJZ. 
Bloss,  William  W.,  774. 
Blum,  Benjamin,  741. 
Bohn,  J.  S.,  926. 
Bollard,  Homer  E.,  898. 
Bookhammer,  William,  803. 
Bortles,  Charles  A.,  804. 
Bowman,  Elisha  K.,  778. 
Boyd,  James  M.,  906. 
Boyd.  Miss  S.  L.,  845. 
Boyer,  Samuel  P.,  394,  817. 
Bradford.  David,  731. 
Brawley  Family.  The,  876. 
Brawley,  James,  Jr.,  568,  905. 
Braymer,  Charles,  900. 
Bresee,  George  L.,  896. 
Brittain,  William  C,  809. 
Bronson,  A.  H.,  409. 
Broughton.  Francis,  703. 
Brown,  Fisher  P.,  406. 
Brown,  George  F.,  430,  926. 
Brown,  William,  873. 
Brownson,  Marcus,  409. 
Brunson,  Oliver  L.,  735. 
Bryan,  George,  431. 
Bue,  P.  O.,  S16. 
Bugbee,  Lucius  H.,  267. 
Burchfield.  S.  N.,  437. 
Burger,  How^ard  W.,  928. 
Burgeson,  Samuel,  961. 


INDEX. 


XI 


Burgess,  Charles,  786. 
Burlingame,  Henry  H.,  797. 
Burrows,  James,  933. 
Burwell,  Findley,  705. 
Burwell,  James,  705. 
Burwell,  Oliver  E.,  705. 
Burwell,  Samuel,  705. 
Byham,  John,  Jr.,  927. 
Byles,  Julius,  428,  751. 

C. 

Cadwallader,  J,  A..  393. 
Cady,  D.  H.,  409. 
Caldwell,  James  H.,  397,  882. 
Calvin,  Abner  C,  971. 
Campbell,  Charles,  856. 
Campbell,  Charles  S.,  846. 
Campbell,  George  C,  855. 
Campbell,  Homer  H.,  849. 
Carkhuff,  Dennis,  729. 
Carr.  George  P.,  410. 
Carter,  John  J.,  403,  756. 
Gary,  George  L.,  756. 
Chapman.>  Orson  A.,  919. 
Chase,  Edward  H.,  929. 
Chase,  George  A.,  429.  841. 
Chase,  Joseph  L.,  740. 
Chase,  Joseph  T.,  741, 
Chase,  Luther,  937. 
Chess,  Mrs.  L.  I.,  852. 
Christy,   George  A.,  910. 
Church,  Gaylord,  203. 
Church,  Pearson,  876. 
Church.  Seth,  957. 
Clark.  Curtis  S.,  878. 
Clark,  Joseph  N.,  906. 
Cochran,  J.  J.,  890. 
Cogswell,  Joseph  H.,  774. 
Cole,  Henry,  913. 
Coleman,  John  F.,  8go. 
Colestock,  Daniel,  787. 
Colter,  James  P.,  749. 
Consider,  Joseph  G.,  924. 
Coombs,  W.  M.,  439. 
Cooper,  James,  900. 
Cowles,  Andre  L.,  837. 
Coyle.  Hugh,  803. 
Crawford.  Andrew  J.,  726. 
Crawford,  Robert  D.,  836. 
Crawford.  William,  178. 
Crawford,  William  H..  268. 
Crider,  John  W.,  832. 
Crocker,  Frederick,  408. 


Crossley,  James  P.,  411. 
Crowe,  John,  779. 
Croxall,  Edward,  779. 
Culbertson,  John  H.,  go8. 
Cummings,  Barry,  807. 
Cummings,  Curtis  C,  857. 
Cunningham,  Robert  A.,  848 

D. 

Daily,  Allen  E.,  948. 

Dame,  Waldron  M.,  430. 

Davenport,  William,  811. 

Davenport,  William  A.,  860. 

Davis,  William  H.,  204. 

Day,  Charles  C,  922. 

Demary,  Leonard  C,  768. 

Derickson,  David,  202. 

Dick,  John,  952. 

Dickson,  James,  533. 

Doane,  W.  A.,  842. 

Dobbs,  Michael,  477. 

Donehue,  James  J.,  411. 
Donor,  Henry,  855. 
Double,  Hannibal,  926. 
Douglass,  Joshua,  707. 
Drake,  Edwin  L.,  382. 
Drake,  James,  477. 
Drown,  John  S.,  874. 
Drury,  Judd  C,  832. 
Dubar,  Jules  A.  C,  431,  872. 
Dudenhoefifer,  G.  P.,  924. 
Dunn,  David  C,  932. 
Dunn,  James  A.,  437,  753. 
Dunn,  James  J.,  854. 
Dunn,  James  L.,  411,  436,  752. 
Dunn,  Joseph  M.,  785. 
Dutton,  William  T.,  932. 


Eason,  John,  850. 
Edson,  Eber  E.,  789. 
Edwards,  Burton  F.,  719. 
Egan,  Patrick  W.,  936. 
Eiler,  Edward,  781. 
Eiler,  Valentine  W.,  806. 
Ellicott,  Andrew,  714, 
Elston,  William  R.,  842. 
Emerson,_E.  O.,  411. 
Emery,  David,  409,  769. 
Emery,  Lewis,  Jr..  409. 

F. 
Farel,  James,  411,  6gg. 


Xll 

Farel,  Nelson,  411. 
Farner,  John  T..  918- 
Farrelly,  David  M.,  203. 
Farrelly,  Ellis  M..  932- 
Farrelly,  John  W.,  203. 
Farrelly,  Patrick,  201. 
Fertig,  John,  390.  818. 
Fetterman,  Ira,  966. 
Finney,  Darwin  A.,  204. 
First,  Joseph  T..  937- 
Fish,  Benjamin  O.,  839. 
Fisher.  Mrs.  E.  A..  852. 
Fisher,  Jacob.  891. 
Fitz  Patrick.  Hugh,  600. 
Fitz   Randolph,   Robert,   I37- 
Flood,  Theodore  L..  93°- 
Flower.  William  S..  954- 
Fogle.  Joseph  W..  945- 
Forkcr.  William  H.,  895. 
Forsbloom.  Peter  A..  C51. 
Foster.  David.  951. 
Fox.  Francis.  683. 
Free.  J.  Laverne.  853. 
Fuller,  A.  M.,  840. 
Fulir.er,  W.  C.  gcS. 

G. 

Gable,  Burt  G.,  923- 
Gardner.  Samuel  L.,  935. 
Gaston,   F.    D.,   788, 
Gates,  Luther,  696. 
Gehr,  Baltzer,  701. 
Gehr,  Josiah,  702. 
Gerlach,  Joseph.  956. 
Gibbs,  Charles  L.,  396,  783- 
Gibbs,  Francis  H.,  782. 
Gilbert.  Elisha  M..  868. 
Gill,  James  D.,  794- 
Gilson  Family,  The,  552. 
Gilson,  Richard  B.,  gu- 
Gordon,  Gilbert,  837. 
Graham.  Richard,  835. 
Graves.  Leonard  C,  768. 
Gray.  Alonzo,  874. 
Greenlee,  Michael,  679. 
Griffiths,  William  T.,  870. 
Grumbine,  Samuel.  429.  747. 
Gutman,  John  G.,  948. 

H. 

Haas,  Henry,  844. 
Hamaker,  Winters  D..  693. 
Hammon.  William  A..  909. 


INDEX. 


Hardv,  William  H.,  897. 
Harris,  Caleb  P..  718. 
Harris,  Junius,  686. 
Harrison,  Benjamin.  794- 
Hart,  Henry.  891. 
Hart.  John  M.,  9I9- 
Hart.  Samuel,  918. 
Hart.  William  A..  832. 
Harvey.  W.  C.  81.3. 
Hazen,  Jesse.  884. 
Head.  Holder  T..  831. 
Heath,  William  D..  922, 
Hecker,  George  W..  92°- 
Henderson.  John  J..  732- 
Henne,  S.  S..  411- 
Hettler.  A,  C.  958. 
Heywang,  AL  J..  429- 
Hicks.  Timothy  B..  956. 
Higgins.  C.  K..  795- 
Hill.  C.  C.  825. 
Hilton,  John  H„  900. 
Hines,  John,  896. 
Hippie,  Jacob  M.,  9I4- 
Hoag,  Evalon  C„  781- 
Hoffman,  Edwin,  922. 
Hollister,  Orrin  H.,  875. 

Holman,  David  S,.  907- 

Hopkins,  Orson,  935. 

Hopkins.  R,  E..  402. 

Hotchkiss,  H.  V..  947- 

Hotchkiss.  J.  S.,  857- 

Houser.  James  H..  715. 

Houser,  John  B.,  952. 

Houser,  John  J.,  811. 

Houtz,  Delmer,  921. 

Hughes,  Dennis  D..  685. 

Huidekoper.  Harm  J..  675. 

Hull.  Mrs.  Juvia  O..  736. 

Humes,  Homer  J..  691. 

Hummer,  Elias  W..  724- 

Hunt.  Ebenezer,  576. 

Hunt.  William,  853. 

Hunter.  A.  M.,  812. 

Hyatt,  Jerome,  717. 

Hyde,  Charles,  412,  764. 

Hyde,  Louis  K..  699. 


Jackson,  P.  S..  767. 
Jackson.  William  W,.  7iS- 
Jameson,  Hugh,  437,  727- 
Jamison,  James.  838. 
Jamison,  William  L..  809. 


INDEX. 


xm 


Jeanney.  Francois,  913. 
Jennings,  H.  M.,  710, 
Jennings,  William  iM.,  431. 
Johnson,  Mead,  889. 
Johnson,  Nels  A.,  931. 
Johnson,  Sara  JNI.,  742. 
Johnson,  William  F.,  915. 
Johnston,  William  G.,  437-  727- 
Jolly,  James  J.,  861. 
Joy,  Thaddeus  C,  719. 
Jude,  Stephen,  865. 

K. 

Kaster,  Benjamin,  811. 
Kaster,  Samuel,  811. 
Kean,  John  S.,  902. 
Kebort,  Frederick  J.,  780. 
Kellogg,  Isaac,  300. 
Kellogg,  Reuben  L.,  917.' 
Kendall,  Celestia,  852. 
Kennedy,  Joseph  C.  G.,  838. 
Kepler,  T.  D.,  759- 
Kerr,  Chester  L.,  430, 
Kerr,  James,  300. 
Kerr,  Samuel,  296. 
King,  George  D.,  914. 
King,  John  P.,  751. 
King,  Joseph  L.,  843. 
Kinney,  William,  839. 
Kirk,  M.  Ethel,  869. 
Klippel,  John,  837. 
Knntz,  George  J.,  945. 

L. 

Laffer,  Cornelius  C,  807, 
Lake,  C.  F.,  411. 
Lashells,  Theodore  B.,  944. 
Le  Conte  A.  C,  957. 
Lee,  R.  H.,  397- 
Leffingwell,  James  G.,  969. 
Lenhart,  Joseph  H.,  725. 
Lester,  Frank  B.,  894. 
Levy,  S.  S.,  784. 
Ley,  Charles  H.,  410.  772. 
Ley,  John  D.,  410. 
Lincoln,  Seth  C,  854. 
Loomis,  George,  266. 
Lord,  William,  903. 


Mandell,- Arthur,  958. 
Mantor,  Frank,  829, 
Mapes,  James  M.,  925. 
Markham,  Frank  L.,  830. 
Marshall,  Robert  P.,  885. 
Marsteller,  George  W.,  898. 
Martin,  L.  L.,  965. 
Martin,  Zadock,  964, 
Marvin,  Charles,  754. 
Mason,  E.  T.,  724. 
Mather,  John  A.,  400. 
Maxwell,  William  H,,  743. 
Maxwell,  Samuel  G.,  904. 
Maynard,  John,  y2i7- 
Maynard,  William  H.,  7^7. 
McArthur,  Emmett  W.,  902. 
McCauley,  Elmer  E.,  925. 
McCombs,  James,  920. 
McCracken,  William,  802. 
McCrea,  J.  J.,  743.  , 
McCrum,  Joseph  J.,  815. 
McDowell,  E.  Plummer,  959, 
!McFate,  Robert,  926. 
McGill,  Augustus,  689. 
McGill,  W,  R.,  813. 
McGrath,  Daniel,  713. 
McGuire,  Sylvester,  727. 
McKinney,  James  C,  407,  858, 
McKinney,  John  L.,  407,  721, 
McLachlin,  James  A.,  745. 
McLaughlin,  Lucius  F.,  851. 
Mead  Family,  The,  134, 
Medo,  Earnest,  946. 
Merrell,  Simeon,  928. 
Miller,  James  D.,  855, 
Moody,  George  O.,  432,  871. 
Moore,  Jesse,  201,  687, 
Morris,  Benjamin,  810. 
Morris,  Lucius  P.,  901. 
Morris,  Richard,  824. 
Morris,  Thomas  S.,  803. 
Morris,  William,  810. 
Morris,  William  S.,  829. 
Moulthrop,  Franklin,  742. 
Mullen,  Lawrence  E,,  892. 
Murdock,  Thomas,  912. 
Murray,  James  T.,  826. 
Murray,  Robert,  814. 

N. 


M. 

Mackey,  Eugene,  428. 
Magje,  Francis,  843. 


Nason,  William,  795. 
Nau.  Joseph  M,,  815. 
Neill,  William  T.,  411,  826. 


XIV 


INDEX. 


Nelson,  Francis,  956. 
Nelson,  Horace  F.,  725. 
Nelson,  Samuel  H.,  830. 
Netcher,  F.,  949. 
Northam,  Henry  JI.,  825. 
Norton,  Franklin  N.,  843. 
Norton,  L.  Frank,  863. 

O. 

Oakes,  Ephraim,  760. 
Oakes,  T.  F.,  432. 
O'Hare,  Hugh,  399. 
Oliver,  Moses  W.,  775- 


Roberts,  Edward  A.'  L.,  941. 
Roberts,  Henry,  900. 
Roberts,  J.  K.,  927. 
Roberts,  Samuel  W.,  868. 
Roberts,  Walter  B.,  937. 
Rogers,  Willie  E.,  797. 
Rosaback,  Benjamin,  863. 
Rose,  Susan  F.,  948. 
Roser,  Joseph  A.,  954. 
Rossiter,  Albanas,  966. 
Rouse,  Martin  R.,  723. 
Russ,  James  W.,  917. 


Parker,  M.  Jennie,  917. 
Pastorius,  J.  B.,  824. 
Patten,  Thomas  J.,  Jr.,  962. 
Patterson,  Elisha  G.,  785. 
Pease,  Henry,  864. 
Peebles,  W.  J.,  440. 
Pentz,  William,  881. 
Perrin,  A.  N.,  410. 
Peterman,  John  H.,  923. 
Pettitt,  Allen  E.,  897. 
Pettitt,  Edward,  897. 
Philley,  George  J.,  955. 
Porter,  H.  B.,  410. 
Post,  Samuel,  865. 
Potter,  Alonzo  A.,  847. 
Powell  Brothers,  609. 
Powell,  Maurice  M.,  911. 
Powell,  Z.  R.,  862. 
Pratt,  Samuel,  881. 
Proper,  James  L.,  728. 
Purdon,  Henry,  788. 

Q. 

Quick,  Miles  W.,  396,  773. 
Quigley,  Amos  C.,  863. 
Quinby,  E.  C.,  437. 

R. 

Radebush,  Harry,  897. 
Ralston,  A.  S.,  410. 
Ray,  John  T.,  894. 
Ray,  Sylvester  H.,  864. 
Reynolds,  William,  753. 
Richmond,  D.  S.,  967. 
Richmond,  Hiram  L.,  203. 
Ridgway,  Charles,  703. 
Ridgway,  Peter,  703. 


Sager,  C.  W.,  439. 
Satterfield,  John,  410. 
Schofield,  Guy  C.,  967. 
Schwartz,  Jacob,  755. 
Schwartz,  Sidney  A.,  431. 
Scott,  John  W.,  892. 
Selzer,  Lawrence,  816. 
Shafer,  Thomas,  933. 
Shaffer,  Daniel,  949. 
Shaffer,  William,  949. 
Shaffner,  Nathan,  950. 
Shamburg,  G.,  409. 
Sharpe,  John  J.,  410. 
Shauberger,  John,  475,  910. 
Sheldon,  Hiram,  834. 
Sherman,  Roger,  798. 
Sherwood,  C.  L.,  440. 
Shippen,  Evans  W.,  709. 
Shippen,  Henry,  202,  708. 
Shoffstall.  John,  889. 
Shreve,  Milo  F.,  898. 
Shreve,  Richard,  485. 
Sikes,  James  L.,  924. 
Sikes,  S.  S.,  923. 
Silliman,  Samuel,  386. 
Simons,  John  W.,  822. 
Sinning,  Francis  H.,  439,  740. 
Smith,  David  W.,  792. 
Smith,  Elbert,  878. 
Smith,  Frank  W.,  972. 
Smith,  George  T.,  950. 
Smith,  Hiram  C.,  865. 
Smith,  Jesse,  406,  710. 
Smith,  Joseph,  739. 
Smith,  William  A.,  384. 
Smith,  W.  S.,  854. 
Snodgrass,  Matthew  R.,  878. 
Sperry,  Lewis,  865. 
Spicer,  Clarence  E.,  438,  901. 


INDEX. 


XV 


Squier,  O.  O.,  771. 
Squires,  Sidney  W.,  850. 
Stebbins,  Delwin  A.,  880. 
Steele,  Preston,  439,  732. 
Stephens,  George,  736. 
Stewart,  D.  O.,  913. 
Stewart,  Lyman,  409. 
Stewart,  Milton,  401,  726. 
Stolz,  Andrew,  730. 
Stolz,  Charles,  887. 
Stranahan,  Chapman  A.,  766. 
Sturtevant,  John  C,  780. 
Sturtevant,  Luman,  852. 
Sutton,  F.  A.,  955. 
Sweetman,  Charles  H.,  967. 
Sweetman,  William  B.,  968. 


Tack  Brothers,  The,  395. 
Taft,  Reuben  E.,  870. 
Tarbell,  Franklin  S.,  407,  776. 
Tarbell,  Ida  M.,  777. 
Tarbell,  William  W.,  777. 
Tarr,  George  A.  W,  866. 
Taylor,  John,  834. 
Taylor,  Silas,  476. 
Taylor,  Sylvester,  805.     . 
Teege,  William  E.,  784. 
Tew,  Joseph  L.,  791. 
Thackara,  E.  D.,  717. 
Theobold,  John,  727. 
Thomas,  Frank  J.,  750. 
Thomas,  James  P.,  397,  807. 
Thompson,  Charles  H.,  791. 
Thompson,  Charles  W.,  949. 
Thompson,  W.  W.,  409. 
Tillotson,  O.  A.,  796. 
Titus,  Jonathan,  294. 
Todd,  J.  A.,  440. 
Townsend,  Abram  P.,  970. 
Tubbs,  Elijah  N.,  909. 
Tucker,  Homer  P.,  844. 
Tyler,  Levi  S.,  810. 


U. 


Llllman.  Jacob,  712. 


V. 

Vancise,  John,  896. 
Van  Horn,  Cornelius,  136,  540,  646. 
Van  Syckel,  Samuel,  414. 
Varian,  William,  432. 

W. 

Waggoner,  Charles  T.,  825. 
Waid,  John  M.,  436,  686. 
Walker,  Catharine,  438. 
Walker,  H.  D.,  918. 
Wallace,  John  B.,  201-2. 
Walrath,   Rensselaer,  750. 
Ward,  Mark,  823. 
Washburn,  Lorenzo,  866. 
Washburn,  Willis  O.,  797. 
Watson,  Jonathan,  408,  733. 
Wells,  Obed,  828. 
Welton,  Uri  C,  761. 
Wentworth,  George  H.,  971. 
Wesley,  George  W.,  821. 
West,  C.  C,  936. 
Westgate,  Theodore  B.,  783. 
Westheimer,  Isaac,  886. 
Wheeler,  Abraham,  475. 
Wheeler,  Abram,  866. 
Wheeler,  David  H.,  268. 
Wheeler,  James  M.,  946. 
Wheeler,  John  F.,  869. 
White,  William,  728. 
Wilcox,  George  N.,  860. 
Willson,   Cathrine,  849. 
Wilson,  J.  C,  438. 
Winter,  Franz,  906. 
Witherop,  Peter  T.,  698. 
Wood,  Charles  M.,  792. 
Wood,  Eugene,  889. 
Wood,  William  H.,  405. 
Woodward,  Amos,  830. 
Wormald,  John,  792. 
Wright,  John  W.,  970. 

Y. 

York,  Joseph,  894. 
Young,  Theodore  J.,  434,  835. 
Young,  Jennie  E.,  867. 
Youngson,  A.  B.,  912. 


PREFACE. 


No  more  interesting  subject  for  investigation  by  the  student  of  history- 
can  be  brought  to  his  attention  than  the  colonization  of  this  continent.  The 
colonization  of  a  county  was  dependent  upon  the  larger  question  of  the  success 
or  failure  of  the  three  great  nations — the  Spanish,  the  French  and  the  Eng- 
lish— which  struggled  for  the  mastery.  Over  the  whole  boundless  expanse 
were  scattered  savage  and  warlike  tribes  whose  trade  was  blood,  and  these 
had  to  be  met.  Penn  had  no  sooner  shaken  the  salt  spray  of  the  ocean  from 
his  locks,  and  set  his  foot  upon  the  domain  granted  by  royal  charter,  with 
bounds  as  fixed  and  unchanging  as  the  sun  and  stars  in  the  heavens,  than  he 
was  confronted  by  Lord  Baltimore,  who  disputed  his  occupancy,  and.  would 
be  satisfied  with  nothing  less  than  a  sixth  part  of  his  possession,  and  for  more 
than  a  century  Penn  and  his  successors  were  confronted  upon  the  south, 
the  west,  and  the  north  by  parties  claiming  generous  slices  of  his  goodly 
heritage.  To  ward  them  off  and  hold  their  just  rights,  and  to  meet  and  pacify 
the  red  men  of  the  forest,  required  the  utmost  stretch  of  the  diplomacy  of  the 
peace-loving  spirit  of  the  founder. 

We  who  occupy  in  peace  and  contentment  the  fruitful  acres  of  this  great 
Commonwealth,  brought  largely  from  trackless  forests  under  the  hand  of 
cultivation,  have  little  conception  of  the  toils  and  dangers  of  the  early  settlers 
in  holding  the  colonial  domain  in  its  entirety,  and  in  meeting  the  savages  on 
their  own  hunting  grounds,  and  braving  them  in  their  war  paint,  when  they 
spared  neither  helpless  infancy  nor  trembling  age.  It  has  been  thought  best, 
accordingly,  to  give  generous  space  in  this  volume  to  these  vital  subjects,  which 
will  ever  command  the  attention  of  the  thoughtful,  will  daily  increase  in 
interest  to  the  oncoming  generations,  and  by  means  of  which  we  trace  the 
philosophy  of  the  vital  events  of  history  that  z:'"^  really  useful. 

In  preparing  these  pages  for  publication  it  has  been  decided  not  to 
incumber  the  text  with  marginal  notes,  and  references  to  authorities ;  buv  to 
name  authors,  where  their  investigations  have  been  used,  and  to  make 
acknowledgments  in  a  general  way.     It  would  be  impossible  to  name  all ;   but 


iv  PREFACE. 

the  following  have  been  found  to  be  especially  useful  and  have  been  freely 
consulted  :  The  Histories  of  the  United  States  by  Bancroft,  Hildreth,  Spencer, 
Bryant,  and  Lossing;  Irving's  Life  of  \Vashington;  Life  and  Writings  of 
\^'illiam  Penn;  Colonial  Records,  and  Pennsylvania  Archives;  History  of 
Pennsylvania  Volunteers;  the  Western  Annals;  the  History  of  Western 
Pennsylvania  ;  the  State  Reports  of  Education  from  1834  to  1898 ;  Crumrine's 
History  of  Washington  County ;  Brown's  History  of  Crawford  County. 

The  Indians  never  made  this  section  their  home,  having  few  wigwams  or 
villages  in  all  its  limits ;  but  from  time  immemorial  they  had  kept  this  as  a  sort 
of  park  or  preserve,  for  the  breeding  of  their  game.  They  may 'have  felt  ag- 
grieved in  seeing  their  favorite  hunting  grounds  broken  in  upon,  and  the 
game  scared  away  by  the  ring  of  the  settler's  ax,  the  echo  of  his  gun,  and  his 
frequent  burnings. 

Hoping  that  this  work  will  prove  useful  to  the  citizens  of  the  county;  and 
especially  to  the  rising  generation,  and  will  serve  to  stimulate  to  further 
inquiry  into  the  subjects  which  it  touches,  it  is  respectfully  submitted  to  their 
considerate  judgment.  S.  P.  B. 

Meadville,  January  29,  1899. 


Our  County  and  Its  People. 


CHAPTER 


THE   PHYSICAL   FEATURES    OF    CRAWFORD    COUNTY. 


THE  territory  of  Crawford  County  is  most  fortunately  located  on  the 
summit  of  the  great  watershed  which  divides  the  valley  of  the 
Mississippi  from  that  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  waters  of  the  north- 
western section  are  discharged  into  Lake  Erie,  make  the  leap  at  Niagara, 
lap  the  shores  of  the  Thousand  Islands,  and  mingle  with  the  turbulent 
ocean,  as  they  round  the  stormy  Cape  Breton.  While  in  the  southern  and 
eastern  portions,  the  brooklets  shimmer  past  forest  and  dell,  orchards  and 
green  meadows,  are  gathered  in  the  Venango  and  the  Allegheny,  the  She- 
nango  and  the  Beaver,  flow  onward  by  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  find  their  rest  in  Mexico's  laughing  gulf. 

In  the  central  portion  is  that  beautiful  lake — the  largest  natural  body 
of  water  in  Pennsylvania — Conneaut,  which  discharges  its  waters  both  by 
the  Mississippi  and  the  St.  Lawrence  valleys.  This  lake  is  one  of  a  system 
which  are  spread  out  upon  the  summit  of  the  great  water-shed  be- 
tween these  two  valleys,  along  the  central  portion  of  New  York  State  and 
by  the  tier  of  states  farther  west,  the  Chicago  River  flowing  sometimes 
into  Lake  Michigan,  and  at  others  into  the  Mississippi  River. 

B}^  this  natural  location,  the  airs  are  so  tempered  that  the  extremes  of 
heat  and  cold  are  warded  ofif,  and  while  a  blizzard  is  raging  over  the  west- 
ern plains,  and  a  great  storm  is  lashing  the  ocean,  and  driving  great  ships 
in  upon  the  shores,  a  grateful  mildness  is  prevailing  here.  In  all  the  broad 
domain  of  Pennsylvania  none  is  more  grateful  for  residence  than  this  stretch 

of  country  with  its  broad  acres  and  its  crown  of  hills. 

1 


2  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  highways  wind  through  its  verdant  valleys,  or  by  the  margin  of 
its  flashing  streams,  and  everywhere  is  pleasing  variety.  The  artist  may 
find  here  worthy  subjects  for  his  pencil.  The  monotony  which  plagues  the 
dweller  in  a  prairie  land,  and  in  many  portions  of  the  Atlantic  shores,  is 
unknown  to  him  here.  Nor  is  there  the  other  extreme, — the  bald  and 
shaggy  mountain,  with  its  inaccessible  summits,  forbidding  intercourse  from 
its  opposing  sides,  given  up  to  barrenness  and  sterility. 

Scarcely  has  the  snow  and  ice  of  winter  disappeared  from  the  hillside, 
and  the  balmy  breath  of  spring  touched  the  meadow,  when  the  wheatfield 
springs  into  verdure,  and  the  rich  pasturage  cheers  the  palates  of  flocks  and 
herds. 

In  summertime  the  heat  is  tempered  by  the  dews  of  the  morning,  the 
well  ordered  shade  from  dense  foliage  at  the  noontide  gives  refreshing 
comfort,  and  at  evening  a  cooling  breeze  catches  the  moistened  brow,  and 
affords  sweet  relief. 

The  grasses,  which  yield  the  most  nourishing  pasturage,  and  the 
hays  for  the  winter  store,  take  deep  root  in  the  moist  black  mould,  and  the 
grains  which  wrap  the  well-cultured  surface  in  their  rich  folds,  with  scarcely 
the  chance  of  a  failure,  gladden  the  heart  of  the  farmer.  So  numerous  are 
the  improvements  of  late  years  in  farm  machinery,  that  what  was  once  one 
of  the  most  laborious  and  wearing  of  employments  has  been  facetiously 
designated  a  sedentary  occupation. 

Water  is  abundant.  From  the  farthest  hilltops  gush  forth  the  cooling 
springs,  at  which  man  and  beast  may  slake  their  thirst;  from  their  descend- 
ing currents  the  slopes  are  made  verdant  and  the  valleys  absorb  their  mois- 
ture the  hot  summer  long.  At  convenient  intervals  medicinal  springs  break 
forth  from  the  rock,  where  the  invalid  may  come  and  partake  of  the  health- 
giving  streams,  and  where  the  pool  is  waiting  for  the  impotent  to  be  led 
down  into  their  healing  waters. 

Nowhere  is  the  landscape  more  picturesque  and  charming.  The  dis- 
tant line  of  blue  hills  is  hardly  distinguishable  from  the  clouds  of  heaven. 
Not  infrequently  in  winding  along  the  bold  headland,  one  comes  upon  a 
hidden  cascade  as  enchanting  in  its  appointments  as  the  cunningly  devised 
imitation,  planned  with  studied  elegance  for  the  gratification  of  an  Oriental 
monarch.  A  valley  may  stretch  away  for  a  score  of  miles,  through  which 
a  stream  lazily  pursues  its  tortuous  course,  and  the  bold  hills  close  in  at  its 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  3 

mouth  almost  to  its  very  margins,  leaving  scarcely  room  to  make  its  way 
to  the  larger  body.  At  some  day  in  the  distant  past  this  vale  may  have 
been  the  bed  of  a  great  lake,  but  is  now  the  seat  of  fat  farms  and  smiling 
villages. 

The  forests,  when  in  full  leaf,  spread  an  impenetrable  shade,  and  pre- 
sent a  crown  of  foliage  to  the  eye  of  the  beholder  which,  for  grandeur  and 
magnificence,  is  scarcely  matched  by  any  other  object  in  nature.  So  com- 
mon is  forest  land,  and  so  abundant  is  it  in  our  midst,  that  we  scarcely  stop 
to  consider  its  stately  appearance  or  its  miracle  of  growth.     And  yet  that 

giant  oak, 

Which  nods  aloft  and  proudly  spreads  its  shade, 
The  sun's  defiance  and  the  flocks'  defence, 

was  but  a  span  of  years  ago  only  a  tiny  acorn;  yet  by  minute  accretions  of 
impalpable  particles  of  dust  and  moisture,  and  the  subtle  gases  which  the 
sunlight  sets  free,  it  has  gradually  clambered  up  toward  heaven,  has  spread 
out  its  tiny  sprays,  has  imperceptibly  swollen  to  rugged  branches  and  stands 
at  length  the  broad,  spreading  tree,  challenging  the  admiration  of  the 
passer-by. 

The  traveler  never  ceases  to  admire  the  varying  line  of  the  horizon,  cut 
by  the  summits  of  remote  ridges,  sometimes  jagged  by  a  relentless  peak,  at 
others  rounded  out  by  a  comely  slope,  never  without  its  attractive  features, 
and  ever  challenging  our  admiration.  Such  views  are  noted  on  any  fine 
day,  and  are  varied  at  every  turn  as  the  student  of  nature  pursues  his  way 
over  ridges  and  adown  the  valleys.  To  the  attentive  observer,  no  more 
beautiful  scenes  of  nature's  moulding  are  anywhere  to  be  found,  not  even 
by  the  classic  Tiber,  or  the  fruitful  Arno. 

We  have  thus  far  considered  only  the  general  aspects  of  the  county. 
Its  location,  extent,  and  topographical  features  can  be  briefly  recounted.  It 
is  situated  in  the  northwestern  portion  of  the  State,  immediately  south  of 
Erie  County,  which  is  the  corner  county.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by 
Erie  County,  on  the  west  by  the  State  of  Ohio,  on  the  south  by  Mercer 
and  Venango  Counties,  and  on  the  west  by  Venango  and  Warren  Counties. 
Its  eastern  boundary  is  irregular.  From  the  southwestern  junction  with 
Mercer,  it  proceeds  in  a  northeasterly  direction  by  a  series  of  nine  zigzags 
eleven  and  a  half  miles,  thence  eleven  miles  due  east,  thence  due  north  to 
the  Erie  County  line. 


4  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

It  contains  within  these  boundaries  1,005  square  miles,  equal  to  643,200 
square  acres.  With  the  exception  of  some  marsh  land,  which  is  susceptible 
of  being  reclaimed,  the  entire  surface  is  under  cultivation,  or  can  readily 
be  brought  so.  It  is  forty-six  miles  from  east  to  west  on  the  Erie  County 
line,  and  is  twenty-four  miles  along  the  Ohio  line.  The  Venango  River, 
improperly  termed  French  Creek,  drains  the  major  portion  of  its  surface. 
This  stream  is  formed  by  the  east  and  west  branches,  which  ha\-e  their  rise 
in  New  York  State,  and  form  junction  just  south  of  the  village  of  Watts- 
burg,  Erie  County.  It  enters  Crawford  County  in  Rockdale  Township, 
curves  gently  to  the  west,  passes  through  Cambridge,  leaves  Woodcock, 
Mead,  and  East  Fairfield  Towwiships  on  the  east  side,  and  Hayfield,  Vernon, 
Union  and  Fairfield  on  the  west,  and  passes  out  through  the  southwest 
corner  of  ^\'ayne.  From  the  junction  of  the  two  branches  at  Wattsburg  to 
its  junction  with  the' Allegheny  River  at  Franklin,  is  a  distance  of  some 
110  miles,  though  Washington,  in  his  journey  up  this  stream  in  December, 
1753,  judged  its  length  to  be  130  miles.  In  spring  time  and  at  flood  seasons 
it  carries  a  vast  body  of  water:  but  during  the  diw  season  it  subsides  to  an 
insignificant  stream,  easily  forded  in  many  places.  Congress  made  an 
appropriation  at  one  time  for  rendering  it  navigable  as  far  up  as  Waterford, 
and  crafts  of  twenty  tons  burden  have  navigated  its  bosom,  and,  in  the 
early  days,  rafts  of  lumber  and  flat-bottom  boats  bearing  grains,  potatoes, 
fruit  and  potash  were  often  wafted  down  its  current  to  market  at  the  great 
cities  on  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi.  Many  articles  of  heavy  merchandise 
were  brought  back  in  the  same  manner.  Washington  rode  his  horse  up 
the  valley  in  his  embassy  to  Fort  le  Boeuf.  but  sent  his  horses  back  to 
Franklin  bv  his  servant,  and.  securing  a  boat,  navigated  the  stream  on  his 
return. 

The  largest  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Venango  River  is  the  Cussawago, 
which  has  its  sources  in  Spring  and  Cussawago  Townships,  flows  in  a  mean- 
dering course  in  a  southerly  direction  through  Hayfield  and  Vernon,  and 
enters  the  Venango  just  opposite  the  city  of  Meadville.  In  regard  to  the 
name  of  this  stream,  a  weird  tradition  is  preserved.  A  strolling  band  of 
Indians,  on  approaching  the  river,  discovered  a  huge  black  snake  in  the 
branches  of  a  tree  with  a  white  ring  around  its  neck,  and  its  body  enormously 
distended,  as  though  it  had  swallowed  some  large  animal,  as  a  rabbit,  which 
caused  them  to  exclaim  Kossawausge,  which  in  their  language  meant  "big 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  5 

belly,"  and  tliat  name  has  l^een  retained.  This  stream  is  very  sluggish,  and 
runs  with  a  deep,  full  current.  Dams  have  been  built  aloug  its  course,  and 
numerous  mill-wheels  are  turned  by  its  forceful  current.  The  valley 
through  which  it  runs  is  a  very  beautiful  one,  some  twenty  or  more  miles  in 
length,  stretching  out  in  some  parts  to  two  or  three  miles  in  width,  and 
hemmed  in  on  every  side  by  heavy  swells  of  land. 

As  this  valley  is  more  elevated  than  the  summit  over  which  the  pro- 
posed ship  canal  would  pass  in  connecting  the  waters  of  the  Ohio  River 
with  those  of  Lake  Erie,  it  has  been  proposed  tO'  build  a  heavy  dam  across 
near  the  mouth  of  this  stream,  where  the  high  hills  close  in  on  either  side 
very  near  to  its  banks,  and  lay  up  in  this  valley  during  the  wet  season  a  vast 
body  to  supply  the  canal  with  water  for  the  dry. 

A  few  miles  to  the  south  of  the  Cussawago  valley  is  the  charming 
valley  of  Watson's  Run,  which  is  principally  confined  to  the  western  portion 
of  Vernon  Township.  The  \-iew  of  this  valley  from  the  headland  on  the 
lake  road  is  one  of  the  most  entrancing  in  any  land,  the  flocks  and  herds 
scattered  up  and  down  the  intervale  or  reposing  under  ample  shade,  and 
the  peaceful  dwellings  planted  along  all  the  distant  hillsides  complete  a 
picture  on  which  one  ne\'er  tires  to  gaze. 

The  outlet  of  Conneaut  Lake  receives  a  stream  which  winds  through 
a  low  stretch  of  country,  familiarly  known  as  Conneaut  ]\Iarsh,  which,  by 
the  gradual  choking  of  the  mouth,  where  it  flows  into  the  Venango,  has 
forced  the  moisture  to  spread  out  over  a  vast  tract,  and  has  caused  the 
cranberry,  flag  and  rank  meadow  grass  to  take  root,  and  Anally  alder  brush 
to  spread  over  its  entire  surface,  thus  giving  up  to  sterility  a  wide  belt 
of  fertile  soil. 

By  a  joint  resolution  of  the  Legislature  of  1868,  provision  was  made 
for  opening  the  channel  and  dredging  the  accumulations  of  years,  so  that 
the  water  is  carried  away,  and  the  rank  growth  which  has  for  msny  gen- 
erations cumbered  the  surface  can  be  cleared  away,  and  brought  under  the- 
hand  of  cultivation,  furnishing  some  of  the  most  fertile  soil  in  the  county, — 
a  tract  some  twelve  miles  long  and  one  mile  wide,  comprising  over  six 
thousand  acres. 

On  the  left  bank  of  the  Venango  River  the  drainage  is  efifected  in  the 
northern  section  through  Muddy  Creek,  which  rises  in  Richmond,  Steuben. 
Athens  and  Bloomfield  Townships,  flows  northwesterly  through  Rockdale 


6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

and  ■Cambridge,  and  enters  the  Venango  River  some  two  miles  above 
Cambridge  Springs.  The  pine  lumber  along  this  stream  was  very  valuable, 
but  it  has  all  been  swept  away,  and  its  place  has  been  assumed  by  well- 
fenced  and  tilled  farms. 

Woodcock  Creek  rises  in  the  northeastern  corner  of  Richmond  Town- 
ship, flows  south,  passes  near  Blooming  \^alley,  and  from  that  point  moves 
onward  down  a  gently  descending  valley  of  rare  beauty,  dotted  along  its 
course  by  mills,  passes  in  the  rear  of  the  County  Infirmary,  and  drops  into 
the  Venango  River  just  below  Saegertown.  In  flood  time  this  is  a  raging 
torrent,  that  carries  awav  acres  of  rich  soil  and  uproots  forest  trees  in  its 
course,  but  subsides  in  the  dr_\-  time  to  a  moderate  brooklet  that  the  bare- 
footed boy  may  safely  ford. 

]\Iill  Run  is.  for  the  most  part,  confined  to  Mead  Township,  and  is 
the  stream  which,  from  its  being  easily  controlled  for  power  purposes,  doubt- 
less influenced  the  first  settlers  to  choose  Meadville  for  their  abiding  place. 

Little  Sugar  Creek  drains  a  portion  of  Mead,  passes  through  Wayne, 
and  empties  into  Venango  River  at  Cochranton.  This  stream  carries  a  large 
body  of  water,  and  its  current  is  utilized  for  mill  purposes.  Through  most 
of  its  course  it  moves  through  wild  and  rugged  scenery. 

The  Big  Sugar  Creek  has  its  sources  in  the  eastern  portions  of  Troy, 
Wayne  and  Randolph  Townships,  yet  it  is,  for  the  most  part,  a  Venango 
County  stream. 

Oil  Creek  Lake,  which  is  fed  by  numerous  brooklets  that  fall  into  it 
from  Sparta  and  Bloomiield  Townships,  may  lie  regarded  as  the  source  of 
Oil  Creek.  It  flows  southeasterly  through  the  margins  of  Athens,  Steuben, 
Troy  and  Oil  Creek  Townships,  passes  through  Titusville  and  makes  a 
junction  with  the  Allegheny  River  at  Oil  City.  More  than  a  century  ago 
this  stream  was  noted  for  the  oil  that  was  discovered  along  its  margin  oozing 
up  out  of  the  ground,  and  was  seen  floating  away  on  its  surface.  The 
French,  in  their  passage  through  this  county,  from  Fort  le  Boeuf  to 
Franklin,  were  familiar  with  this  substance,  and  the  Indians  gathered  it  for 
medicinal  purposes.  It  was  known  in  commerce  as  Seneca  oil,  a  name  given 
it  from  the  Seneca  tribe  of  Indians. 

The  Shenango  River  has  its  sources  in  Pymatuning  Swamp,  a  vast 
tract  of  swamp  land  and  water,  once  probably  the  bed  of  a  lake.  Tributaries 
from  Conneaut  Township  flow  into  the  swamp.    The  Shenango  flows  south- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  7 

westerly  through  North  Shenango  until  it  passes  into  Ohio,  in  which  state 
it  flows  for  a  short  distance,  but  returns  and  forms  the  dividing  line  between 
South  and  West  Shenango,  passing  out  of  the  county  through  the  village 
of  Jamestown.  It  is  a  sluggish  stream  in  its  course  through  Crawford 
County,  and  in  some  seasons  of  the  year  floods  the  highways  and  bridges 
to  such  an  extent  that  they  are  rendered  impassable.  This  often  occurred 
at  the  time  of  holding  elections,  and  l^ecame  a  source  of  so  much  discjuietude 
that  it  resulted  in  a  division  of  South  Shenango  Township  and  the  erection 
of  West  Shenango. 

The  vast  area  which  is  covered  by  this  impenetrable  swamp  extends 
from  the  neighborhood  of  Linesville  in  Pine  Township  into  Ohio  and  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Espyville  in  North  Shenango,  estimated  tO'  form  a  sweep 
of  nine  thousand  acres.  Though  there  are  portions  of  the  surface  sufticiently 
elevated  to  support  forest  vegetation,  yet  it  cannot  be  entered  with  teams 
for  removing  logs,  except  in  winter  time,  when  it  is  frozen  over.  In  a  part 
of  the  swamp  is  a  growth  of  tamaracks,  where  in  the  fall  of  the  year  vast 
flocks  of  wild  pigeons  from  Canada  and  neighboring  breeding  places  made 
it  their  roosting  ground.  In  the  hot  sununer  nights  the  constant  flapping 
of  their  wings,  produced  by  being  crowded  from  their  perches,  gave  forth 
a  sound  not  unlike  the  distant  roar  of  Niagara.  Hunters  would  enter  the 
swamp  in  the  drouth  of  summer,  and,  aiming  up  at  a  limb  bending  down 
with  the  weight  of  the  birds,  would  fire,  and,  having  struck  a  light  and 
picked  up  as  many  as  could  be  discovered  in  the  tall  grass,  would  pass  on 
for  another  shot. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  this  swam])  are  the  remains  of  a  fort,  and  pits 
in  which  are  coals,  showing  that  fires  at  some  time  were  kept  in  them.  It  is 
well  known  that  the  Indians  held  their  councils  here.  Probably  game  was 
plentiful,  and  they  held  their  annual  feasts  on  this  ground. 

By  a  joint  resolution  of  the  Legislature,  passed  February  i8,  iSo8,  a 
competent  engineer  was  appointed  to  make  a  survey  of  the  Pymatuning 
Swamp,  and  report.  From  that  report  it  is  shown  that  it  has  a  fall  of  fully 
five  feet  per  mile,  and  the  wonder  is  that  such  a  fall  should  not  produce  its 
complete  drainage.  The  probability  is  that  in  many  parts  the  channels 
have  become  choked  so  that  the  water  is  held  by  miniature  dams.  Capillary 
attraction,  operating  through  the  spongy  growth  of  moss  and  rank  swamp 
grass,  would  hold  it,  thus  overcoming  gravitation.    If  a  careful  survey  were 


8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

made  and  a  wide  trench  were  opened,  giving  the  bottom  an  exact,  regular 
fall  of  five  feet  per  mile,  with  cross  ditches  at  intervals,  the  whole  swamp 
would  be  drained,  and  that  vast  area  could  l)e  transformed  into  fruitful  fields 
and  be  made  to  blossom  like  the  rose. 

Conneaut  Creek  rises  in  Summit  Township,  flows  northwesterly- 
through  Summerhill,  through  the  borough  of  Conneautville,  and  leaves  the 
county  near  the  northwest  corner  of  Spring  Township.  It  pursues  its 
course  through  Erie  County  and  empties  into  Lake  Erie,  its  mouth  forming 
Conneaut  Harbor.  By  the  \ast  shipment  of  coal  out,  and  the  bringing  in 
of  iron  ore,  this  is  made  a  point  of  much  importance. 

The  soil  of  Crawford  County  is  of  great  fertility,  and  when  stirred  by 
generous  culture  produces  abundant  crops.  Every  part  of  the  surface  is 
well  watered  by  numerous  springs  and  streams.  In  the  neighborhood  of 
Conneaut  Lake,  above  Harmonsburg,  are  vast  beds  of  marl,  suitable  for 
enriching  the  soil.  Wh.en  the  first  settlers  came  the}'  found  one  vast  forest 
of  oak,  maple,  chestnut,  black  walnut,  hickory,  cherry,  locust,  poplar,  ash, 
Ijutternut,  ironwood,  laurel  and  ba\-.  In  parts  along  the  rich  bottom  lands 
were  vast  tracts  of  pine  and  hemlock  and  spruce. 

The  observation  may  be  made  in  this  connection,  though  not  strictly 
in  ]:)lace  here,  thai  the  subject  of  forestry  has  been  overlooked  Ijy  the 
denizens  of  Crawford  Count}'.  To  the  first  settlers  the  deep,  dense  forest 
was  regarded  as  the  worst  enemy  of  the  farmer,  standing  in  the  way  of  his 
improvements,  shutting  out  the  sunlight  from  his  vegetables  and  growing 
crops.  Hence,  to  get  the  heavy  growths  out  of  his  way,  and  prevent  future 
growths,  was  his  greatest  care.  The  hardy  axmen  went  forth  at  the  first 
breaking  of  the  day,  and  attacked  the  monsters  of  the  forest,  and  until  the 
dewy  eve  the  giants  were  laid  low. 

This  is  but  the  history  of  what  was  transpiring  day  after  day,  and  year 
after  vear.  through  all  the  early  generations.  It  was  too  laborious  and 
troublesome  to  chop  the  great  trunks  into  sections  fit  for  handling,  so  fire 
was  brought  into  requisition,  and  at  convenient  interv-als  along  the  trunk, 
burnings  were  made,  when  the  dissevered  parts  could  be  swung  around 
into  piles  and  the  torch  applied.  All  through  the  dry  season  vast  volumes 
of  smoke  would  ascend  heavenward,  and  at  night  the  sky  would  be 
illumined  by  the  flames  leaping  upward,  and  appearing  like  beacon  lights 
<in  every  hill-top  and  down  every  valley.     When  the  settler  was  in  too  much 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  9 

haste  to  cut  and  Inirn  the  cumljersome  forest,  he  would  rob  the  innocent 
trees  of  their  Hfe  by  girdUng  the  sap,  thus  cutting  off  the  Hfe-giving  currents. 
By  this  process  the  fohage  was  forever  broken,  and  the  hght  and  genial 
warmth  of  the  sun  was  let  in  upon  the  virgin  mould,  which  was  quickened 
into  life  as  the  husbandman  dropped  his  cherished  seed.  But  there  stood 
the  giant  forest  still,  torn  and  wrenched  by  storm  and  lightning,  stretching 
out  its  massive  arms  to  heaven,  bleached  and  whitened  by  sun  and  shower, 
like  ghosts  of  departed  greatness,  and  as  if  imploring  mercy  still.  One  can 
scarcely  pass  one  of  these  lifeless  forests  without  a  sigh  of  pity  for  these 
decaying  monarchs. 

A  forest  thus  denuded  of  its  foliage  allows  the  sunlight  to  enter  with 
all  the  force  necessary  to  produce  luxuriant  crops,  and  the  wheat  springs 
into  life  and  makes  an  enormous  growth,  maturing  an  abundant  crop.  The 
constant  droppings  from  their  decaying  liml.is  engender  moisture,  and  give 
nourishment  to  the  rich  pasturage  that  springs  like  tufts  of  velvet  beneath 
them;  and  when  at  length  they  yield  to  the  lightning's  crash,  and  the  force 
of  the  storms,  they  are  reduced  to  ashes  and  disappear  from  sight.  Some- 
times the  torch  was  applied  while  still  standing,  and  scarcely  can  a  more 
sublime  sight  be  imagined  than  a  great  forest  of  lifeless  trees  in  full  blaze. 

^^'hat  will  be  the  consequence  of  this  relentless  war  upon  the  forests  and 
waste  of  lumber  and  fire-wood?  In  a  few  generations  the  hills,  being  en- 
tirely stripped  and  denuded  of  shade,  will  be  jiarched  by  the  burning  suns 
of  summer,  and  the  streams  will  become  less  and  less  copious  in  the  heated 
term,  until  they  become  entirely  dry.  On  the  other  hand,  in  spring  time, 
with  no  forests  to  hold  the  moisture,  and  yield  it  up  gradually  through  the 
burning  months  when  needed,  the  rains  and  melting  snows  will  descend 
in  torrents  and  Hood  the  valleys.  The  fertility  of  the  soil  will  Ije  soaked  and 
drained  out  of  it,  the  hill-sides  will  be  gashed  and  seamed  Ijy  the  descending 
torrents,  and  thus  all  the  hills,  burned  in  summer  and  flooded  in  winter, 
will  become  barren.  The  tiller  of  the  soil  will  wonder  at  the  scantiness  of 
his  crops,  and  his  flocks  and  herds  will  1)leat  and  bawl  in  hopeless  starvation. 

Of  late  years  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  excite  an  interest  in  forestry. 
The  Legislature  of  this  State  has  enacted  some  pro\-isions  providing  for 
the  planting,  and  we  have  our  forestry  day.  to  which  the  Governor  regularly 
calls  attention.  But  the  manner  in  which  it  is  acted  upon,  instead  of 
resulting  in  a  public  good,  is  likely  to  prove  an  injury.     The  planting,  for 


lo  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  most  part,  has  been  confined  to  school  grounds  and  dwellmgs.  The 
result  -will  l)e  that  in  a  few  years,  when  the  trees  have  become  grown,  there 
will  be  excessive  shade  and  moisture.  Moss  will  accumulate  upon  the 
roofs,  the  sunlight  will  be  entirely  shut  out,  and  the  children  will  be  pale 
and  sickly  in  consequence.  The  school-room  will  become  unhealthy  for 
lack  of  sunlight,  and  the  dwelling  will  be  damp  and  gloomy.  One  tree  for 
a  school  ground  of  an  acre  is  ample  shade.  Excessive  foliage  must  always 
prove  injurious  to  health,  while  sunlight  is  a  better  medicine  for  failing 
strength  than  human  ingenuity  ever  compounded. 

What  is  the  ])roper  remedy  for  the  evil  complained  of?  The  forester 
should  commence  his  work  upon  the  far-off  hill-tops,  and  with  diligent 
hand  should  crown  them  with  forests  most  useful  and  valuable  to  man, — 
the  fine  maple,  comely  in  shape,  challenging  the  painter's  most  gaudy  pig- 
ments for  color,  close  grained  and  unyielding  in  fiber  for  lumber;  the  walnut, 
cherry  and  ash,  unrivaled  for  furniture  and  finishing;  the  chestnut,  valuable 
for  its  nuts  and  for  fencing;  and  pine  and  birch  and  hemlock, — useful  all. 
For  holding  moisture  and  tempering  the  heats  of  sunmier.  none  are  more 
useful  than  the  evergreens.  All  the  waste  places,  the  ravines  and  rugged 
hill-sides,  unsuitable  for  cultivation,  should  be  planted.  The  sugar  from  a 
thousand  good  trees  W'ill  bring  to  any  farmer  a  bigger  income  than  the 
whole  produce  of  his  farm  in  other  ways,  and  the  labor  of  sugar-making 
comes  at  a  time  when  he  is  not  otherwise  employed.  The  price  of  a  good 
black  walnut  log  is  almost  fabulous.  A  white  ash  of  twentv  vears'  growth 
will  yield  a  timber  unsurpassed  for  the  wheelwright  or  the  piano  maker, 
and  pine  of  fifteen  years'  growth  will  produce  timber  which  will  be  much 
sought  for,  and  is  year  by  year  becoming  more  and  more  scarce.  A  good 
field  of  planted  trees  or  sprout  land,  should  be  fenced  and  protected  from 
the  browsing  of  cattle,  as  energetically  as  a  field  of  corn.  It  may  seem  an 
unpalatable  doctrine  to  preach,  that  the  forests,  which  our  fathers  worked 
themselves  lean  to  subdue  and  eliminate,  should  be  protected  and  matured 
and  brought  back  to  their  old  places.  But  it  is  a  true  gospel,  and  if  we  look 
carefully  at  it  in  all  its  bearings,  we  shall  receive  it  and  recognize  it  as 
possessing  saving  grace. 

Along  the  hills  of  southern  Italy  may  be  seen  to-day  an  aspect  which 
in  a  few  years  will  be  presented  in  the  now  fertile  fields  of  Crawford  County. 
The  Italian  hills,  for  centuries  have  been  swept  bare  of  forests.     As  a  con- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  il 

sequence,  the  soil  is  parched  in  summer  time,  and  has  become  bare  and 
barren.  The  streams  wliich  in  other  da\s  were  deep,  and  ran  in  full  volume 
to  the  sea,  and  were  the  theme  of  extravagant  praises  by  the  Latin  poets, 
are  now  for  months  together  entirely  dry,  not  a  gush  of  water  gladdening 
their  baked  and  parched  beds.  Of  the  innumerable  streams  which  fall  into 
the  Mediterranean  on  the  western  coast  from  Genoa  to  the  Straits  of 
Messina,  there  are  only  a  very  few  like  the  Arno  and  the  Tiber  that  do  not 
in  July  and  August  cease  to  flow,  the  husbandman  being  obliged  to  resort 
to  artesian  wells  to  feed  his  vegetables  and  growing  crops. 

We  have  thus  far  considered  the  general  features  of  the  territory  em- 
braced in  the  limits  of  Crawford  County.  Before  entering  upon  a  descrip- 
tion of  its  settlement  and  growth  of  its  institutions,  it  will  be  proper  to 
consider  some  very  interesting  questions  vitally  touching  its  early  occupa- 
tion. Who  occupied  the  country  when  first  visited  by  Europeans?  How 
were  they  dispossessed  of  their  inheritance,  and  driven  towards  the  setting 
sun?  By  what  means  was  the  territory  of  Pennsylvania  possessed,  and  its 
boundaries  finally  established?  Why  the  dwellers  in  this  valley  are  English 
rather  than  a  French-speaking  people?  These  were  living  questions  which 
plagued  our  fathers,  and  were  not  settled  without  desperate  struggles, 
which  tested  their  patriotism  and  valor. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE   CHARACTER   OF   THE    ABORIGINES. 


BELIEVING  in  the  rotundity  of  the  earth,  Cohmihus  sailed  westward 
with  the  expectation  of  reaching  India.     When  he  finahy   came  to 
the  shores  of  the  New  World,  he  believed  that  he  had  reached  the 
farthest  east.     Consequently,  when  he  beheld  the  native  inhabitants,  sup- 
posing them  to  be  the  people  of  India,  he  called  them  Indians,  a  designation 
which  has  clung  to  them  ever  since,  though  entirely  inappropriate. 

The  natives  who  occupied  that  portion  of  the  continent  which  became 
I'ennsylvania  were  known  as  the  Lcni  Lenape,  the  original  people,  or 
grandfathers.  They  were  by  nature  fierce  and  warlike,  and  there  was  a 
tradition  among  them  that  the  Lenapes,  in  ages  quite  remote,  had  emigrated 
from  beyond  the  Mississippi,  exterminating,  or  driving  out  as  they  came 
eastward,  a  race  far  more  civilized  than  themselves,  more  numerous  and 
skilled  in  the  arts  of  peace.  That  this  country  was  once  the  abode  of  a 
more  or  less  ci\'ilized  people,  accustomed  to  manv  of  the  comforts  of 
enlightened  communities,  that  they  knew  the  use  of  tools  and  were  numerous 
is  attested  by  remains,  thickly  studding  western  Pennsylvania  and  the  entire 
Ohio  Valley:  but  whether  their  extermination  was  the  work  of  fiercer  tribes 
than  themselves,  or  whether  they  were  swept  oi¥  by  epidemic  diseases,  or 
gradually  wasted  as  the  fate  of  a  decaying-  nation,  remains  an  unsolved 
problem.  The  three  principal  tribes  of  which  the  Lenapes  were  composed, 
— the  Turtles,  or  Unamis;  the  Turkeys,  or  Unalachtgos;  the  W'olfs,  or 
jMonseys, — occupied  the  eastern  part  of  Pennsylvania,  and  claimed  the 
territory  from  the  Hudson  to  the  Potomac.  The  English  gave  them  the 
name  of  the  Delawares,  after  Lord  De  la  War,  for  whom  the  river  and  the 
three  lower  counties  were  named.  The  Shawnees,  a  restless  tribe  which  had 
come  up  from  the  south,  had  been  received  and  assigned  places  of  habitation 
on  the  Susquehanna.  Ijy  the  Delawares,  and  finalh-  became  a  constituent 
part  of  their  nation. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  13 

But  the  Indian  nationality  which  more  nearly  concerns  the  section  of 
■which  we  are  treating  is  the  Six  Nations,  or,  as  they  were  designated  by 
the  French,  the  Iroquois.  They  called  themselves  Aqiranuschioni.  or 
United  Tribes,  or,  in  our  own  parlance,  the  United  States,  and  the  Lenapes 
called  them  Mingoes.  They  originally  consisted  of  five  tribes,  and  hence 
were  known  as  the  Five  Nations, — the  Senecas,  who  were  the  most  vigorous, 
stalwart  and  numerous;  the  Mohawks,  who  were  the  first  in  rank,  and  to 
whom  it  was  reserved  to  lead  in  war;  the  Onondagas,  who  guarded  the 
council  fire,  and  from  whom  the  Sachem,  or  the  civil  head  of  the  confederacy, 
was  taken:  the  Oneidas,  and  the  Cayugas.  Near  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century  the  Tuscaroras,  a  large  tribe  from  central  North  Caro- 
lina and  Virginia,  having  been  expelled  from  their  former  dwelling  place, 
were  adopted  by  the  Five  Nations,  and  this  people,  thus  augmented,  were 
thenceforward  known  as  the  Six  Nations.  They  occupied  the  country 
stretching  from  Lake  Champlain  to  Lake  Erie,  and  from  Lake  Ontario  and 
the  river  St.  Lawrence  on  the  north,  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Delaware, 
the  Susquehanna  and  Allegheny  Rivers  on  the  south,  substantially  what  is 
now  the  State  of  New  York.  It  was  a  country  well  suited  for  defence  in 
savage  warfare,  being  guarded  on  three  sides  by  great  bodies  of  water. 
They  were  quick  to  learn  the  methods  of  ci\-ilized  warfare,  and  securing  fire- 
arms from  the  Dutch  on  the  Hudson,  they  easily  overcame  neighboring 
hostile  tribes,  whom  they  held  in  a  condition  of  vassalage,  exacting  an 
annual  tribute,  but  protected  them  in  return  in  the  possession  of  their 
rightful  hunting  grounds. 

The  Lenapes,  or  Delawares,  were  held  under  subjection  in  this  manner, 
which  gave  the  Six  Nations,  or  Iroquois,  semi-authority  over  the  whole 
territory  of  Pennsylvania,  and  reaching  out  into  Ohio.  This  humiliating- 
vassalage  to  \\hich  the  Delawares  were  subjected  had  been  imposed  upon 
them  by  the  Iroqugis,  as  claimed  by  the  latter,  but  the  Delawares  asserted 
that  it  had  been  assumed  by  them  voluntarily,  that  "they  had  agreed  to 
act  as  -mediators  and  peace-makers  among  the  other  great  nations,  and  to 
this  end  they  had  consented  to  lay  aside  entirely  the  implements  of  war, 
and  to  hold  and  keep  bright  the  chain  of  peace."  It  was  the  ofifice,  when 
tribes  had  weakened  themselves  by  desperate  conflict,  for  the  women,  in 
order  to  save  their  kindred  from  utter  extermination,  to  rush  between  the 
contending  w?arriors  and  implore  a  cessation  of  slaughter.     It  became  thus 


14  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  office  of  women  to  be  peace-makers.  The  Iroquois  claimed  that  the 
Delawares  had  assumed  the  title  of  peace-makers,  not  upon  principle  but 
of  necessity,  and  hence  applied  to  them  the  title  of  "women"  as  a  stigma, 
characterizing  them  as  wanting  in  the  quality  of  "the  braves.  The  pious 
Moravian  missionary,  Heckewelder,  who  had  spent  much  time  among  them, 
and  knew  their  character  well,  believed  that  the  Delawares  were  sincere  in 
their  claims,  and  from  the  fact  that  they  had  a  great  admiration  for  William 
Penn,  with  whom  they  were  intimately  associated,  and  imbibed  his  senti- 
ments of  peace,  it  may  be  that  they  had  come  to  hold  his  principles,  even 
if  they  had  formerly  been  engaged  in  the  characteristic  warfare  of  their 
race.  General  Harrison,  who  afterwards  became  the  ninth  President  of 
the  United  States,  in  a  discourse  which  he  delivered  on  the  Aborigines  of 
the  valley  of  the  Ohio,  observes:  "I  sincerely  wish  I  could  unite  with  the 
worthy  German  in  removing  this  stigma  from  the  Delawares.  A  long  and 
intimate  knowledge  of  them  in  peace  and  war,  as  enemies  and  friends,  has 
left  upon  my  mind  the  most  favorable  impressions  of  their  character  for 
bravery,  generosity  and  fidelity  to  their  engagements."  Whatever  may 
have  been  their  original  purposes,  or  their  subsequent  convictions,  they  did 
demand  complete  independence  of  the  Iroquois  in  1756,  and  had  their 
claims  allowed. 

Of  the  origin  of  the  Indian  race,  little  is  definitely  known.  The  Indians 
themselves  had  no  traditions,  and  they  had  no  writings,  coins  or  monuments 
by  which  their  history  could  be  preserved.  Ethnologists  are,  however,  well 
assured  that  they  came  originally  from  eastern  Asia.  Without  reciting  the 
arguments  which  support  this  theory,  it  is  sufficient  for  our  present  purpose 
to  state  that  it  seems  well  attested  that  the  race  has  dwelt  upon  this  continent 
from  a  period  long  anterior  to  the  Christian  era,  obtaining  a  foothold  here 
within  five  hundred  years  from  the  dispersion  of  the  human  race,  and  that  their 
physical  and  mental  peculiarities  have  become  fixed  by  ages  of  subjection 
to  climate  and  habits  of  life.  Mr.  Schoolcraft,  a  voluminous  writer  upon 
Indian  afifairs,  adduces  the  following  considerations  as  proof  of  the  fulfill- 
ment of  that  prophecy  of  Scripture  recorded  in  the  ninth  chapter  of  Genesis: 
"And  the  sons  of  Noah  that  went  forth  of  the  Ark  were  Shem,  Ham,  and 
Japheth,  God  shall  enlarge  Japheth  [Europeans],  and  he  shall  dwell  in 
the  tents  of  Shem  [Indians],  and  Cannan  [Negro]  shall  be  his  servant." 
"Assuming  the  Indian  tribes  to  be  of  Shemitic  origin,  which  is  generally 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  15 

conceded,  they  were  met  on  this  continent  in  1492  by  the  Japhetic  race, 
after  the  two  stocks  had  passed  around  the  globe  in  opposite  directions." 
Finding  the  Indians  intractable  as  slaves,  the  Hamitic,  or  Negro,  branch 
was  brought  over  from  Africa.  The  result  of  three  centuries  of  occupancy 
on  this  continent  by  these  three  races  is,  Japheth  has  been  greatly  enlarged, 
while  the  called  and  not  voluntary  sons  of  Ham  have  endured  a  servitude 
in  the  tents  of  Shem. 

The  Indian,  as  he  was  found  upon  this  continent  when  first  visited  by 
the  European,  was  very  different  in  form,  features,  mental  constitution  and 
habits  from  the  latter,  and  apparently  unalterably  different  from  any  other 
race.  The  color  of  the  skin  was  of  a  reddish-brown;  the  hair  was  black, 
straight,  stiff,  not  plentiful,  and  the  males  had  scarcely  any  beard;  the 
jaw-bone  was  large,  the  cheek-bone  high  and  prominent,  and  the  forehead 
high,  square  and  full  over  the  eyes,  showing  a  large  development  of  the 
perceptive  faculties;  but  narrow  and  sloping  backward  at  the  top,  showing 
defective  reasoning  powers.  The  person  was  erect,  well  developed,  and  in 
movement  quick,  lithe  and  graceful. 

The  Indian  is,  by  nature  and  life-long  habit,  indolent.  To  take  up  a 
tract  of  land,  build  himself  a  house  with  the  conveniences  and  privacies  of 
civilized  home-life,  clear  away  the  heavy  forests  which  encumber  it,  plow 
and  cultivate  the  sodden  acres,  fence  in  the  many  fields,  dig  for  himself  a 
well  where  he  may  have  an  abundant  supply  of  cool  water  in  the  heats  of 
summer  and  the  colds  of  winter,  get  and  care  for  flocks  and  herds  and  beasts 
of  burden,  and  lay  up  for  himself  and  family  abundant  supplies  of  food  in 
suitable  variety,  would  have  been  to  entail  upon  him  insufferable  misery, 
and  rather  than  undertake  the  first  stroke  of  such  a  life  of  toil,  he  would 
lie  down  and  die.  They  are  a  people,  says  Dr.  Spencer,  that  "might 
be  broken,  but  could  not  be  bent."  The  early  Spanish  colonists  attempted 
to  make  slaves  of  them;  but  they  utterly  failed,  the  natives  refusing  to  take 
food,  and  actually  died  of  starvation  rather  than  be  reduced  to  a  condition 
of  servitude.  They  believed  that  the  fish  of  the  stream,  the  fowls  of  the 
air,  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and  the  land  where  they  should  stretch  their 
wigwams  were  as  free  and  open  to  appropriation  as  the  air  we  breathe  or 
the  waters  that  run  sparkling  to  the  sea.  They  ridiculed  the  idea  of  fencing 
a  field,  and  depriving  any  who  desired  the  use  of  it.  The  strong  dominated 
over  the  weak.     The  male  assumed  superiority  over  the  female,  and  made 


^^  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

her  in  reality  his  slave.  His  grunt  was  law  to  her,  and  if  he  started  upon 
a  journey  she  must  trot  after,  bearing  the  infant  if  she  have  one,  and  the 
burdens.  If  crops  were  to  be  planted,  and  cultivated  and  gathered,  it  was 
by  the  sweat  of  her  bro\\-  that  it  must  be  done.  She  must  gather  the  fuel 
for  the  ilre,  weave  the  mat  on  which  to  sit  and  sleep,  fashion  the  basket  and 
decorate  it  with  fanciful  colors.  She  was,  in  short,  little  less  than  the  abject 
and  degraded  slave. 

Their  methods  of  government  were  peculiar.     If  an  Indian  had  received 
an  injury  or  an  insult,  he  took  it  upon  himself  to  avenge  without  the  forms 
of  proof  to  tix  the  guilt,  and  if  he  was  killed  in  the  quarrel  his  nearest  relatives 
felt  themselves  obliged  to  take  up  the  avengement.     Thus  from  the  merest 
trifie  the  most  deadly  feuds  arose  by  which  the  population  was  visibly  di- 
minished.    The  warrior  chiefs  among  them  became  such  by  superior  skill  or 
cunning,  and  not  by  any  rule  of  heredity,  descent  or  majority  of  voices. 
Matters  of  public  interest  were  discussed  in  assemblies  of  the  whole  people. 
Decisions  were  generally  in  favor  of  him  who  could  work  most  powerfully 
upon  the  feelings  of  his   audience,  either  by  his  native   eloquence  or  by 
appeals   to  their  superstition,  by  which  they  were   easily   moved.     It  has 
been  obsened  above  that  the  Indian  was  naturally  lazy.     To  that  assertion 
one  exception  should  be  made.     To  carry  out  his  purpose  of  revenge,  the 
Indian  would  make  sacrifices,  endure  hardships  and  undergo  sufferings  un- 
surpassed by  the  most  daring  of  the  human  race.     To  gratify  his  thirst  for 
revenge  he  would  make  long  and  exhausting  marches  with  scant  food,  sub- 
sist upon  the  bark  of  trees,  the  roots  of  the  forest  and  such  random  game 
as  he  might  come  upon,  would  lie  in  wait  for  his  victim  for  hours  and  days 
together,  enduring  untold  sufifering. 

It  is  curious  to  observe  the  impression  -which  the  natives  made  upon 
the  first  European  visitants  to  these  shores.  Columbus,  in  his  report  to 
Ferdinand  and  Isabella  after  his  first  voyage,  said:  "I  swear  to  your 
majesties  that  there  is  not  a  better  people  in  the  world  than  these, — more 
affectionate,  afifable,  or  mild.  They  love  their  neighbors  as  themselves; 
their  language  is  the  sweetest  and  the  softest  and  the  most  cheerful,  for  they 
always  speak  smiling,  and.  although  they  go  naked,  let  your  majesties  be- 
lieve me,  their  customs  are  very  becoming,  and  their  king,  who  is  served 
with  great  majesty,  has  such  engaging  manners  that  it  gives  great  pleasure 
to  see  him,  and  also  to  consider  the  great  retentive  faculty  of  that  people. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  17 

and  their  desire  of  knowledge,  \vhich  incites  them  to  ask  the  causes  of 
things."  If  these  were  the  real  sentiments  of  the  great  navigator,  we  are 
forced  to  lielieve  that  he  had  never  seen  an  Indian  in  his  war-paint  and 
feathers. 

The  adventurers  whom  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  sent  out  for  discovery  and 
settlement,  Amidas  and  Barlow,  gave  a  graphic  report  of  their  impressions 
of  the  natives  upon  their  return,  which  Hakluyt  has  preserved  in  his  annals: 
"The  soile  is  the  most  plentiful!,  sweete,  fruitful!  and  wholesome,  of  all  the 
worlde:  there  are  above  fourteene  several!  sweete  smelling  timl^er  trees,  and 
the  most  part  of  their  underwoods  are  bayes  and  such  like;  they  have  such 
oakes  as  we  have,  but  farre  greater  and  better.  After  they  had  been  divers 
times  aboard  our  shippes,  myselfe,  with  seven  more,  went  twentie  mile  into 
the  river  that  runneth  towards  the  citie  of  Shicoak,  which  river  tliey  call 
Occam;  and  the  evening  following  we  came  to  an  island,  which  they  call 
Roanoke,  distant  from  the  harbor  by  which  we  entered  seven  leagues;  and 
at  the  north  end  thereof  was  a  village  of  nine  liouses,  built  of  cedar,  and 
fortified  round  about  with  sharpe  trees  to  keep  out  their  enemies,  and  the 
entrance  into  it  made  like  a  turnpike  very  artificially;  when  we  came  towards 
it,  standing  neere  unto  the  water's  side,  tlie  wife  of  Granganamo,  the  king's 
brother,  came  running  out  to  meete  us  very  cheerfully  and  friendly;  her 
husband  was  not  then  in  the  village:  some  of  her  people  she  commanded 
to  draw  our  boate  on  shore,  for  the  beating-  of  the  billoe;  others  she 
appointed  to  carry  us  on  their  backs  to  the  dry  ground,  and  others  to  bring 
our  oars  into  the  house  for  fear  of  stealing.  When  we  were  come  into  the 
outer  room,  having  five  rooms  in  her  house,  she  caused  us  to  sit  down  by  a 
great  fire,  and  after  took  ofl  our  cloathes,  and  washed  them  and  dried  them 
againe;  some  of  tlic  women  plucked  off  our  stockings,  and  washed  tliem, 
some  washed  our  feete  in  warm  water,  and  s!ie  lierself  took  great  jiaines  to 
see  a!!  tilings  ordered  in  tlie  best  manner  slie  could,  making  greate  haste  to 
dresse  some  meate  for  us  to  eate," 

"After  we  had  thus  dried  ourselves  she  brought  us  into  the  inner 
roome,  where  shee  set  on  the  board  standing  along  the  house  some  wheate 
like  fermentie;  sodden  \-enison  and  roasted;  fish,  sodden,  boyled  and 
roasted;  melons,  rawe  and  sodden:  rootes  of  divers  kinds,  and  divers  fruits. 
Their  drink  is  commonly  water,  but  while  the  grape  lasteth,  they  drinke 
wine,  and  for  want  of  caskes  to  keepe  it,  all  the  yere  after,  but  sodden  with 


i8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ginger  in  it,  and  black  sinnamon,  and  sometimes  sassaphras,  and  divers  other 
wholsome  and  medicinable  hearbes  and  trees.  We  were  entertained  with 
all  love  and  kindnesse,  and  with  as  much  bountie,  after  tiieir  manner,  as 
they  could  possibly  devise.  We  found  the  people  most  gentle,  loving  and 
faithfull,  voide  of  all  guile  and  treason,  and  such  as  live  after  the  manner  of 
the  golden  age.  The  people  only  care  to  defend  themselves  from  the  cold 
in  their  winter,  and  to  feed  themselves  with  such  meat  as  the  soile  affordeth; 
their  meat  is  very  well  sodden,  and  they  make  broth  very  sweet  and 
savorie;  their  vessels  are  earthen  pots,  very  large,  white,  and  sweete;  their 
dishes  are  wooden  platters  of  sweet  timber.  Within  the  place  where  they 
feede  was  their  lodging,  and  within  that  their  idoll,  which  they  worship,  of 
whom  they  speak  incredible  things.  While  we  were  at  meate,  there  came 
in  at  the  gates  two  or  three  men  with  bowes  and  arrows  from  hunting,  whom 
when  we  espied  we  began  to  look  one  towards  another,  and  offered  to  reach 
for  our  weapons;  but  as  soon  as  she  espied  our  mistrust  she  was  very  much 
moved,  and  caused  some  of  her  men  to  runne  out,  and  take  away  their  bowes 
and  arrowes  and  breake  them,  and  withall  beate  the  poor  fellowes  out  of 
the  gate  againe.  When  we  departed  in  the  evening,  and  would  not  tarry  all 
night  she  was  verry  sory,  and  gave  us  into  our  boate  our  supper,  half 
dressed  pottes,  and  all,  and  brought  us  to  our  boatside,  in  which  we  lay  all 
night,  removing  the  same  a  ])rettie  distance  from  the  shore:  she  perceiving 
our  jealousie,  was  much  grieved,  and  sent  divers  men  and  thirtie  women, 
to  sit  all  night  on  the  bankside  by  us,  and  sent  into  our  boates  five  mattes 
to  cover  us  from  the  raine,  using  very  many  wordes  to  entreate  to  rest  in 
their  houses;  but  because  we  were  fewe  men,  and  if  we  had  miscarried  the 
voyage  had  Ijeen  in  very  great  danger,  we  durst  not  adventure  anything, 
although  there  was  no  cause  of  doubt,  for  a  more  kind  and  loving  people 
there  cannot  be  found  in  the  worlde  as  far  as  we  have  hitherto  had  trial!." 

This  passage  from  Hakluyt  shows  the  disposition  of  the  Indians  to- 
wards Europeans  at  the  earliest  date  of  intercourse,  before  their  minds  had 
been  soured  by  injury  and  w  rong,  which  careless  and  brutal  colonists  subse- 
quently visited  upon  them;  and  it  may  well  be  questioned  whether  they 
would  not  have  remained  friendly  and  loving  as  here  described  had  they 
received  loving  and  Christian  treatment  in  return. 

William  Penn  thus  describes  them;  "For  their  persons,  they  are 
generally  tall,  straight,  well  built,  and  of  singular  proportion.     They  tread 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  19 

strong  and  clever,  and  mostly  walk  with  a  lofty  chin.  Their  language  is 
lofty,  yet  narrow:  but,  like  the  Hebrew,  in  signification,  full.  If  an  Euro- 
pean comes  to  see  them,  or  calls  for  lodging  at  their  house  or  wig- 
wam, they  give  him  the  best  place  and  first  cut.  If  they  come 
to  visit  us,  they  salute  us  with  an  'Itah,'  which  is  as  much  as  to  say, 
'Good  be  to  you,"  and  set  them  down,  which  is  mostly  on  the  ground,  close 
to  their  heels,  their  legs  upright.  It  may  be  they  speak  not  a  word,  but 
observe  all  passages.  If  you  give  them  anything  to  eat  or  drink,  well,  for 
they  will  not  ask;  and  be  it  little  or  much,  if  it  be  with  kindness,  they  are 
well  pleased;  else  they  go  away  sullen,  but  say  nothing.  In  liberality  they 
excel;  nothing  is  too  good  for  their  friend;  give  them  a  fine  gun,  coat  or 
other  thing,  it  may  pass  twenty  hands  before  it  sticks;  light  of  heart,  strong 
aft'ections,  but  soon  spent.  The  most  merry  creatures  that  live,  feast  and 
dance  perpetually;  they  ne\-er  have  much  nor  want  much;  wealth  circu- 
lateth  like  the  blood:  all  parts  partake:  and  though  none  shall  want  what 
another  hath,  yet  exact  observers  of  property.  Some  kings  have  sold,  others 
presented  me  with  several  parcels  of  land:  the  pay,  or  presents  I  made  them 
were  not  hoarded  by  their  particular  owners;  but  the  neighboring  kinds, 
and  their  clans  being  present  when  the  goods  were  brought  out,  the  parties 
chiefly  concerned  consulted  what  and  to  whom  thev  would  give  them." 

"To  every  king,  then.  Ijy  the  hands  of  a  person  for  that  work  appointed, 
is  a  portion  sent,  so  sorted  and  folded,  and  with  that  gravitv  that  is  admir- 
able. Then  the  king  subdivideth  it,  in  like  manner,  among  his  dependants, 
they  hardly  leaving  themselves  an  equal  share  with  one  of  their  subjects; 
the  kings  distribute  to  themselves  last.  They  care  for  little  because  they 
want  little,  and  the  reason  is  a  little  contents  them.  .  .  .  We  sweat 
and  toil  to  live:  their  pleasure  feeds  them:  I  mean  their  hunting,  fishing 
and  fowling,  and  their  table  is  spread  everywhere.  They  eat  twice  a  day, 
morning  and  evening:  their  seats  and  table  are  the  ground.  Since  the 
Europeans  came  into  these  parts,  they  are  grown  great  lovers  of  strong 
liquors,  rum  especially,  and  for  it  exchange  the  richest  skins  and  furs.  If 
they  are  heated  with  liquors,  they  are  restless  till  they  have  enough  to  sleep: 
that  is  their  cry,  'Some  more  and  I  will  go  to  sleep:'  but  when  drunk,  one 
of  the  most  wretched  spectacles  in  the  world." 

So  philosophic  and  careful  an  historian  as  Bancroft,  sifting  his  facts  with 
unerring  scrutiny,   makes  this   statement   concerning   the   Indians:     "The 


20  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

hospitality  of  the  Indian  has  rarel_v  been  questioned.  The  stranger  enters 
his  cabin,  by  day  or  by  night,  without  asking  leave,  and  is  entertained  as 
freely  as  a  thrush  or  a  blackbird  that  regales  himself  on  the  luxuries  of  the 
fruitful  grove.  He  will  take  his  own  rest  abroad,  that  he  may  give  up  his 
own  skin,  or  mat  of  sedge,  to  his  guest.  Nor  is  the  traveler  questioned  as 
to  the  purpose  of  his  visit:  he  chooses  his  own  time  freely  to  deliver  his 
message." 

The  opinions  which  we  have  thus  presented  concerning  the  real  char- 
acter and  condition  of  the  native  inhabitants  found  on  the  North  American 
continent  upon  the  arrival  of  Europeans  are  given  by  men  of  good  judgment 
and  reliability,  and  whose  writings  upon  almost  every  other  subject  are 
accepted  as  veritable.  Why,  then,  are  their  characterizations  so  different 
from  those  usually  attributed  to  Indians?  The  commonly  accepted  judgment, 
during  the  current  century,  has  been  that  the  North  American  Indian  was 
a  savage,  given  up  to  treacher\',  and  barbarity,  whom  human  sympathy 
could  not  touch,  as  expressed  by  a  recent  annalist  in  portraying  the  rela- 
tions of  the  two  nationalities:  There  was  "the  long  and  wasting  conflict  with 
the  natives  in  which  isolated  pioneers,  with  their  families,  were  exposed  in 
their  scattered  cabins  in  the  forest,  to  the  fiendish  arts  of  the  stealthy  and 
heartless  savage,  who  spared  neither  the  helpless  infant,  the  tender  female, 
nor   trembling   age." 

Has  the  character  of  the  Indian  changed  since  these  writers  noted  him. 
or  were  they  mistaken  in  their  estimate  of  him?  Both  undoubtedly  are 
true.  On  the  first  arrival  of  Europeans,  the  natives  were  seen  in  their  most 
favorable  aspects.  Penn,  for  example,  treated  them  as  brothers:  he  was 
bargaining  for  their  lands:  he  was  giving  them  "heaped  up  presents;"  they 
were  charmed  with  his  peaceful,  loving  disposition:  they  treasured  his 
words,  and  repeated  them  in  their  councils.  He,  therefore,  reported  the 
best  side  of  their  character,  and  not  their  traditional  qualities.  Besides,  it 
is  probable  that  their  characteristics  gradually  changed  after  continued 
intercourse  with  the  pale  face,  who  had  come  across  the  ocean.  The  two 
races  were  entirely  different  in  their  lives  and  occupations,  and  pursuits  of 
happiness.  Manual  labor  to  the  red  man  was  misery;  to  the  white  man  it 
was  second  nature  and  happiness.  The  one  cleared  the  forests,  scattered 
seeds,  gathered  luxurious  harvests,  nurtured  flocks  and  herds,  dammed  the 
streams;  the  other,  from  time  immemorial,  had  followed  with  noiseless  step 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  21 

the  game  of  the  unbroken  forest,  had  tempted  the  finny  tribes  by  luring 
baits,  in  streams  that  run  unvexed  to  the  sea. 

\Vhen,  therefore,  the  European  came  with  his  system  of  hfe  radically 
different  from  that  of  the  denizens  of  the  forest,  broke  up  their  game  pre- 
serves, hewed  down  their  forests,  kept  destructive  fires  raging  along  all  the 
hill-tops,  and  down  the  valleys,  scaring  away  and  driving  out  that  which 
had  been  the  support  of  their  lives,  is  it  any  wonder  that  they  became 
morose  and  vengeful,  when  they  saw  themselves  despoiled  of  the  heritage 
of  their  fathers,  of  those  sports  which  had  been  the  joy  of  their  lives,  and 
practically  driven  from  the  haunts  where  they  had  passed  their  childhood, 
and  which  had  been  rendered  dear  to  them  by  tender  associations?  It  may 
well  be  imagined  that  they  would  brood  over  their  wrongs,  as  they  gathered 
in  their  wigwams  at  nightfall  and  recounted  all  their  woes,  and  realized  that 
the  manner  of  life  which  had  come  down  to  them  from  their  ancestors  and 
of  which  they  had  known  no  other,  was  to  be  taken  from  them,  and  they 
were  to  be  compelled  to  bid  good-bye  to  them  for  ever. 

But  there  is  one  phase  of  their  lives  which  cannot  be  accounted  for  on 
any  other  principle  than  that  of  inborn  savagery.  The  victims  of  their 
revenge,  and  putting  to  the  torture  their  prisoners  of  war,  were  examples  of 
relentless  cruelty  unexampled  in  all- the  history  of  the  human  I'ace.  Brebeuf 
has  described  their  treatment  in  all  its  barbarity.  "On  the  way  to  the  cabins 
of  his  conquerors,  the  hands  of  an  Iroquois  prisoner  were  crushed  between 
stones,  his  fingers  torn  oft  or  mutilated,  the  joints  of  his  arms  scorched  and 
gashed,  while  he  himself  preserved  his  tranquillity  and  sang  the  songs  of  his 
nation.  Arriving  at  the  homes  of  his  conquerors,  all  the  cabins  regaled  him, 
and  a  young  girl  was  bestowed  upon  him,  to  be  the  wife  of  his  captivity  and 
the  companion  of  his  last  loves.  ...  To  the  crowd  of  his  guests  he 
declared:  'My  brothers,  I  am  going  to  die;  make  merry  around  me  with  a 
good  heart;  I  am  a  man;  I  fear  neither  death  nor  your  torments;'  and  he 
sang  aloud.  The  feast  being  ended,  he  was  conducted  to  the  cabin  of  blood. 
They  place  him  on  a  mat  and  bind  his  hands.  He  rises  and  dances  around 
the  cabin,  chanting  his  death  song.  At  eight  in  the  evening  eleven  fires  had 
been  kindled,  and  these  are  hedged  in  by  files  of  spectators.  The  young  men 
selected  to  be  the  actors  are  exhorted  to  do  well,  for  their  deeds  would  be 
grate  to  Areskoni,  the  powerful  war-god.  A  war  chief  strips  the  prisoner, 
shows  him  naked  to  the  people,  and  assigns  their  office  to  the  tormentors. 


22  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Then  ensued  a  scene  the  most  horrible;  torments  lasted  till  after  sunrise, 
when  the  wretched  victim,  bruised,  gashed,  half  roasted,  and  scalped,  was 
carried  out  of  the  village  and  hacked  to  pieces."  From  the  venerable  sachem 
to  the  infant  in  arms,  the  aged  mother  to  the  tender  maiden,  by  all  the  tribe 
was  this  torture  of  the  captive  beheld.  It  was  an  occasion  of  feasting  and 
rejoicing.  The  greater  the  power  of  endurance  of  the  victim  and  the  more 
fierce  and  terrible  the  torture  invented,  the  more  exquisite  the  enjoyment 
of  the  spectators.  To  add  a  pang  to  the  sufferer  was  a  subject  of  congratula- 
tion to  the  one  who  inflicted  it.  Often  the  greatest  refinement  of  cruelty  was 
devised  and  inflicted  by  the  women.  And  when  the  last  pang  had  been 
endured  and  all  was  over  they  feasted  on  the  victim's  flesh. 


CHAPTER  III. 


ATTEMPTS  AT  COLONIZATION. 


COLUMBUS,  upon  his  return  from  his  voyage  of  discovery  in  1492, 
gave  glowing  accounts  of  the  lands  he  had  reached  and  the  peoples 
whom  he  had  found  inhabiting  them;  but,  of  the  extent  of  those 
lands,  their  fertility,  their  mineral  resources,  or  with  what  grasp  they  were 
held,  none  knew.  These  lands  were  fairly  in  the  possession  of  the  native  in- 
habitants, and  we  may  rightfully  conclude  that  they  had  as  good  a  right  to 
hold  them  as  any  European  nation  had  to  possess  its  soil.  But  the  rightful- 
ness of  possession  seems  not  to  l^ave  been  taken  into  consideration,  doubtless 
believing  that  might  makes  right.  The  sovereigns  of  three  European 
nations,  at  that  time  most  puissant,  encouraged  their  subjects  to  make 
voyages  of  discovery,  and  issued  patents  empowering  them  to  take  posses- 
sion of  such  portions  of  the  mainland  in  the  new  world,  and  the  contiguous 
islands  of  the  sea,  as  they  might  visit  and  explore.  Spain,  through  Ferdinand 
and  Isabella,  having  patronized  the  great  discoverer,  took  the  lead,  assuming 
a  pre-emption  right  to  the  continent,  by  virtue  of  discovery,  and  Cortes  and 
Pizzarro  did  their  work  of  slaughter  and  extermination  upon  weaker  and 
inofi'ensive  peoples,  innocent  of  any  crimes  against  their  oppressors. 

Juan  Ponce  de  Leon,  who  had  been  a  companion  of  Columbus,  having 
heard  of  a  miraculous  fountain  upon  the  mainland,  whose  waters  could 
impart  life  and  perpetual  youth,  eager  to  bathe  in  the  healing  stream,  sailed 
on  the  third  of  March,  15 12,  in  quest  of  it.  It  was  the  season  when  in  that 
far  southern  clime  the  whole  land  was  bursting  into  blossom,  and  as  he 
coasted  along  a  great  country  presenting  one  mass  of  bloom  he  thought 
indeed  he  had  found  the  land  of  perpetual  life,  and  accordingly  named  it 
Flor-ida  or  the  land  of  flowers.  But  the  weather  was  tempestuous,  and 
returning  to  the  West  Indies  he  sought  and  obtained  from  Charles  V.,  of 
Spain,  authority  to  take  and  govern  the  country;  but  upon  his  second  expe- 
dition he  found  the  natives  hostile,  and  upon  giving  battle  was  mortally 

wounded  and  returned  to  the  islands  to  die. 

23 


24  ■    ■  OUR   COUNTY   AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Vasquez  de  Ayllon,  in  quest  of  slaves  to  work  m  the  mines  of  iA/[exico, 
came  upon  tliis  coast,  and  having  enticed  numbers  of  natives  on  board  his 
vessels,  perfidiously  sailed  away;    but  one  of  his  ships  was  lost  in  a  storm, 
and  the  natives,  who  survived,  disdaining  to  work,  refused  to  eat,  and  died 
miserably  of  starvation.     Not  satisfied  with  his  experience,  de  Ayllon  ob- 
tained authority  from  Charles  V.  to  conquer  and  govern  the  country,  and  in 
1525  again  set  sail  with  his  colonists.    But  now  he  found  his  tactics  reversed. 
for  the  natives  were  the  enticers,  and  having  invited  the  body  of  the  visitants 
to  a  feast,  gave  them  to  slaughter  and  utter  destruction.     Again  in  1528  de 
Narvaez  with  de  Vacca  and  four  hundred  colonists  sailed  for  Tampa  Bay,  the 
very  grounds  where  recently  were  gathered  the  serried  ranks  of  the  United 
States  in  preparation  for  a  descent  upon  the  descendants  of  those  same  Span- 
iards who  have  provoked  by  their  inhuman  savagery  inflicted  upon  a  depend- 
ent race  the  righteous  indignation  of  a  civiHzed  people;    but  after  fruitless 
wanderings  by  sea  and  land,  in  which  the  leader  was  lost,  de  Vacca  made  his 
escape  with  but  four  of  his  companions  alive,  having  spent  ten  years  in  fruit- 
less search  for  gold  and  booty.    In  his  adventure  he  had  traversed  the  whole 
southern  border  of  what  is  now  the  United  States,  crossed  the  Mississippi, 
bent  his  steps  onward  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  gladly  performing  the  offices 
of  a  slave  for  sustenance  and  the  poor  boon  of  life,  and  arrived  at  last  in 
Mexico,  whence  he  returned  to  Spain. 

Undismayed  by  the  ill  fortune  of  others,  and  thirsting  for  riches,  which 
he  might  have  for  the  seizing,  Hernando  de  Soto,  invested  with  the  patent 
of  power  and  the  title  of  Governor-General  of  Cuba  and  Florida,  with  some 
thousand  followers  in  ten  vessels,  set  sail  in  1539,  well  armed  and  provided 
with  the  implements  of  mining,  even  to  bloodhounds  for  capturing  slaves, 
and  chains  for  securing  them.  The  first  night  on  shore  he  was  attacked 
by  the  Indians,  lying  in  wait  for  him,  and  driven  in  disgrace  to  his  ships. 
Returning  to  the  land  he  commenced  even  wider  search  than  de  Vacca,  and 
after  three  years  of  toilsome  and  fruitless  wanderings,  and  incessant  conflicts 
with  the  Indians,  having  crossed  the  Mississippi,  and  reached  the  great  plains 
where  grazed  the  countless  herds  of  buffalo,  finally,  broken  and  dispirited 
by  finding  neither  the  wealth  of  gold  which  he  sought  nor  the  empire  which 
he  coveted,  he  died,  and  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  roll  perpetually  over  his 
bones.  Having  but  one  purpose,  that  of  escape  from  this  hated  country,  his 
surviving  followers  floated  down  the  river  and  retired  to  Spanish  settlements 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  25 

in  Mexico.  Thus  ended  miserably  tlie  greatest  expedition  hitherto  at- 
tempted upon  the  Florida  coast.  For  a  score  or  more  of  years  rehg-ionists 
from  France  and  Spain  attempted  permanent  lodgment  upon  this  territory. 
In  the  town  of  St.  Augustine  was  founded  the  oldest  town  in  the  United 
States.  But  instead  of  practicing  the  mild  and  gentle  precepts  of  their 
Master,  they  were  torn  by  mortal  feuds,  and  a  large  proportion  perished  in 
their  deadly  and  treacherous  conflicts. 

Thus,  of  the  vast  sums  of  money  expended,  and  hardships  endured,  in 
which  the  greater  part  of  the  southern  half  of  our  country  was  overrun,  and 
perpetual  and  wasting  warfare  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  was  prosecuted  with 
the  natives,  nothing  good  or  lasting  was  the  result,  though  there  was  exhib- 
ited a  resolution,  and  unconquerable  spirit  by  those  proud  cavaliers,  who 
went  forth  clad  in  their  habiliments  of  silk,  rejoicing  in  their  trailing  plumes 
and  glittering  armor,  truly  worthy  of  a  better  cause.  They  expected  to  find 
great  nations  overflowing  with  gold  and  precious  treasures,  whom  they  could 
overcome  and  despoil  where  they  might  set  up  a  kingdom.  Unhappily  for 
them  they  found  no  such  people;  the  gold  they  coveted  existed  only  in  their 
imaginations,  and  the  empire  which  they  hoped  to  found  vanished  like  the 
mists  of  the  valley.  Their  cause  was  the  cause  of  the  gambler  and  the  free- 
booter in  every  country  and  in  every  age,  and  the  lesson  is  one  which  the  race 
may  well  take  to  heart. 

Of  the  great  European  nations,  France  was  the  next  to  send  out  colo- 
nies to  take  possession  of  and  settle  the  American  continent.  Moved  by  a 
knowledge  of  the  misfortunes  which  attended  Spanish  settlement  far  to  the 
south,  the  French  sought  a  far  northern  latitude,  and  though  on  the  same 
parallel  as  Paris,  was  swept  by  blizzards  and  bound  in  icy  fetters  such  as 
were  wholly  unknown  in  sunny  France.  This  very  circumstance  may  have 
defeated  the  entire  French  plans  of  colonization,  and  changed  the  whole 
course  of  empire  upon  this  continent.  For  the  French  possessed,  in  an  emi- 
nent degree,  the  spirit  of  colonization,  and  were  eager  to  push  plans  of 
empire.  Had  the  first  adventurers  seated  themselves  upon  the  Potomac  or 
the  James,  or  along  the  shores  of  the  Carolinas,  they  would  have  found  so 
genial  a  climate,  and  so  similar  to  their  own,  that  they  would  have  gained  a 
foothold  so  firm  and  so  long  in  advance  of  the  English  that  they  probably 
would  not  have  been  supplanted. 

The  state  of  navigation  at  this  time  was  so  crude,  the  vessels  so  small 


26  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

and  imperfect  in  construction,  that  a  voyage  on  the  open  ocean  across  the 
Atlantic  was  attended  with  deathly  perils,  and  solemn  religious  services 
marked  the  departure  of  the  venturesome  voyagers  as  they  went  down  upon 
the  seas,  a  large  part  of  whom  never  emerged  from  the  waves.  Fishermen 
from  Brittany,  in  France,  as  early  as  1504,  had  discovered  the  rich  fishing 
grounds  on  the  Banks  of  Newfoundland,  and  had  visited  and  named  Cape 
Breton,  a  name  which  it  still  retains.  Francis  I.  of  France,  a  sovereign  not 
unmindful  of  the  growth  of  his  kingdom,  seeing  the  activity  of  neighboring 
nations  in  sending  out  their  subjects  on  voyages  of  discovery  and  coloniza- 
tion, dispatched  Juan  Verrazzani,  a  Florentine  navigator,  in  1524,  in  a  single 
vessel,  the  Dolphin,  to  discover  and  take  possession  in  the  name  of  France 
of  lands  in  the  famed  New  World.  After  "as  sharp  and  terrible  a  tempest 
as  ever  sailors  suffered,"  Verrazzani  arrived  upon  the  coast,  touched  at  the 
Carolinas,  at  Long  Island,  at  Newport,  and  skirted  the  coast  to  the  fiftieth 
degree  north,  wlien  he  returned  without  having  made  a  settlement.  Ten 
years  later,  in  1534,  Jaques  Cartier  was  dispatched  by  Chabot,  admiral  of 
France,  on  an  expedition  to  the  northwest,  and  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the 
St.  Lawrence.  Returning  to  France  with  extravagant  reports  of  the  excel- 
lence of  the  country  and  the  climate,  he  was  dispatched  in  the  following  year 
with  three  large  ships,  and  upon  his  arrival  on  St.  Lawrence  day  gave  that 
name  to  the  gulf  which  he  had  entered,  and  the  river  which  drains  the  great 
lakes.  Ascending  the  river,  he  visited  Hochelaza,  now  Montreal,  and  win- 
tered at  the  Isle  of  Orleans.  The  cold  was  intense,  in  marked  contrast  to 
his  former  visit,  which  was  in  the  heat  of  summer,  and  his  followers  suffering 
from  scurvy  and  the  severity  of  the  climate,  clamored  to  be  led  back  to 
France.  In  1540  Cartier  was  again  sent  out,  and  now  with  five  ships,  and 
Francis  de  la  Roque  as  Governor  of  Canada.  But  strife  ensuing,  the  attempt 
at  colonization  was  abortive.  This  put  an  end  to  further  attempts  at  settle- 
ment in  this  latitude  for  upwards  of  half  a  century. 

In  1598  the  great  Sully,  under  Henry  IV.  of  France,  dispatched  the 
Marquis  de  la  Roche  of  Brittany  to  take  possession  of  Canada  and  other 
countries  "not  possessed  by  any  other  Christian  Prince."  The  expedition, 
however,  failed  utterly,  though  the  enterprise  of  private  individuals  in  trading 
with  the  nations  for  rich  furs  had  in  the  meantime  proved  successful.  In  1603 
Samuel  Champlain  was  sent  out,  who  carefully  surveyed  the  river  St.  Law- 
rence and  selected  the  site  of  Quebec  as  a  proper  location  for  a  fort.     At 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  27 

about  the  same  time  De  Monte,  a  Huguenot  of  the  King's  household,  was 
granted  a  commission  to  assume  the  sovereignty  of  Acadie,  from  the  fortieth 
to  the  forty-sixth  degree  of  north  latitude,  which  meant  from  the  latitude 
of  Delaware  Bay  to  the  north  pole — a  glorious  empire  if  it  could  be  held  and 
peopled.  The  expedition  of  De  Monte,  consisting  of  four  ships,  sailed  in 
1604,  and  the  right  of  trade  proving  lucrative,  the  monopoly  was  revoked. 
But  Champlain  continued  his  explorations,  embracing  the  St.  John's  River, 
Bay  of  Fuuday  and  Island  of  St.  Croix.  By  the  advice  of  Champlain,  Que- 
bec was  founded  in  1608  by  a  company  of  merchants  from  Dieppe  and  St. 
Molo.  In  the  following  year  Champlain  explorei;l  the  lake  which  bears  his 
name,  and,  that  he  might  secure  the  good  will  of  the  natives  of  Canada,  he 
accompanied  the  Algonquins  in  a  hostile  campaign  against  the  Five  Nations, 
or  Iroquois.  This  proved  a  fatal  mistake,  for  it  provoked  the  implacable 
hatred  against  the  French  of  the  powerful  Indian  confederacy  which  held  in 
an  iron  grasp  the  whole  stretch  of  country  now  the  States  of  New  York  and 
Pennsyh-ania.  Thus  by  an  inscrutable  Providence  was  France  again  cut  off 
from  taking  that  course  of  empire  which  would  doubtless  have  given  that 
nation  preponderance  upon  this  continent.  Champlain  was  devoted  to  his 
religion,  regarding  "the  salvation  of  a  soul  of  more  consequence  than  the 
conquest  of  an  empire."  His  chosen  servants,  the  Franciscans,  later  the 
Jesuits,  assumed  control  of  the  missions  to  the  Indians,  and  for  a  score  of 
years  threaded  the  mazes  of  the  forests  for  new  converts,  pushing  out  along 
the  great  lakes  by  the  northern  shore,  even  to  Huron,  Michigan  and  Supe- 
rior; but  in  all  their  efforts  to  reclaim  the  Iroquois  meeting  with  little  suc- 
cess, and  suffering  at  the  hands  of  these  savages,  whippings  and  torments 
and  deatli.  With  the  tribes  of  the  north  and  west  even  to  the  Chippewas 
and  Pottawattamies,  Sacs  and  Foxes  and  Illinois,  they  had  better  fortune, 
and  with  them  made  alliances  against  the  Iroquois.  From  the  Sioux  they 
learned  that  there  was  a  great  river  to  the  south,  and  this  they  were  seized 
with  a  desire  to  explore.  e 

In  the  spring  of  1673  Jaques  Marquette  and  M.  Joliette,  with  attend- 
ants, embarked  in  two  bark  canoes  at  Mackinaw,  and  passing  down  the  lake 
to  Green  Bay,  entered  the  Fox  River.  Toilsomely  ascending  its  current  to 
its  head  waters,  they  bore  with  dif^culty  their  canoes  across  the  ridge  which 
divides  the  waters  of  the  great  lakes  from  the  gulf,  and  having  reached  the 
sources  of  the  Wisconsin  River,  launched  their  frail  boats  upon  its  turbid 


28  OUR   COUNTY   AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

waters  and  floated  onward  upon  the  current,  the  stream  studded  with  islands 
and  the  shores  adorned  with  goodly  trees  and  clustering  vines,  until  on  the 
17th  of  June,  with  "inexpressible  joy  and  thankfulness  to  God  for  His  mer- 
cies," they  entered  the  lordly  Mississippi.  Marquette  was  frequently  warned 
by  the  natives  not  to  expose  himself  to  the  dangers  of  the  voyage,  and  to 
desist  from  the  further  prosecution  of  his  journey,  but  the  reply  of  the  pious 
priest  was  characteristic:  "I  do  not  fear  death,  and  I  would  esteem  it  a  hap- 
piness to  lose  my  life  in  the  service  of  God." 

Passing  in  turn  the  Des  Moines,  the  Missouri  with  its  turbid  stream,  the 
Ohio  gently  rolling,  they  proceeded  as  far  south  as  the  Arkansas.  Here  they 
were  fiercely  attacked  by  the  natives.  But  ^Marquette  boldly  presented  the 
pipe  of  peace,  and  called  down  the  blessings  of  heaven  upon  his  enemies,  in 
return  for  which  the  old  men  received  him  and  called  off  their  braves,  who 
were  intent  upon  blood.  But  now  the  dangers  seemed  to  thicken  as  they 
descended.  Fearing  that  they  might  hazard  all  by  proceeding  further,  and 
being  now  satisfied  that  the  river  which  they  had  found  must  empty  into  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  having  made  a  complete  map  of  the  portion  thus  far  ex- 
plored, Marquette  determined  to  return  and  report  his  great  discoveries  to 
Talon,  the  intendant  of  France.  With  incredible  exertion  they  forced  their 
way  against  the  current  of  the  Mississippi,  up  the  Illinois,  across  the  Portage, 
down  the  Fox,  by  the  same  course  that  they  had  come,  and  reached  Green 
Bay  in  safety.  Though  filled  with  satisfaction  at  the  importance  of  his  dis- 
covery, and  extravagant  in  praise  of  the  country  which  he  had  seen — "such 
grounds,  meadows,  woods,  stags,  buffaloes,  deer,  wildcats,  bustards,  swans, 
ducks,  paroquetts,  and  even  beavers,"  as  he  found  on  the  Illinois  River  being 
nowhere  equaled;  yet  he  apparently  felt  a  more  serene  and  heartfelt  satis- 
faction in  the  fact  that  the  natives  had  brought  to  him  a  dying  infant  to  be 
baptized,  which  he  did  about  a  half  an  hour  before  it  died,  which  he  asserts 
God  was  thus  pleased  to  save,  than  in  all  the  far-reaching  consequences  of 
his  expedition.  On  the  i8th  of  May,  1675,  as  he  was  passing  up  Lake  Michi- 
gan with  his  boatmen  upon  the  eastern  shore,  he  proposed  to  land  and 
perform  mass.  With  pious  and  devoted  steps,  leaving  his  attendants  in  the 
boat,  he  ascended  the  banks  of  a  fast  flowing  stream  to  perform  the  rite. 
Not  returning  as  he  indicated  he  would,  his  followers,  recollecting  that  he 
had  spoken  of  his  death,  went  to  seek  for  him,  and  found  him  indeed  dead. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  29 

Hollowing  a  grave  for  him  in  the  sand,  they  buried  him  on  the  very  spot 
which  his  prayers  had  consecrated. 

The  report  of  the  discovery  of  a  great  river  to  the  west,  draining  bound- 
less territory,  and  a  highway  to  the  gulf,  aroused  cupidity,  and  the  desire  to 
enlarge  the  dominion  of  France.  Robert  Cavalier  de  La  Salle,  who  had 
already  manifested  remarkable  enterprise  in  his  explorations  along  the  shores 
of  Ontario  and  Erie,  and  in  his  mercantile  enterprises  with  the  natives,  was 
seized  with  the  desire  to  follow  the  course  of  the  Mississippi  to  its  mouth. 
Returning  to  France  he  sought  and  obtained  from  Colbert  authority  to  pro- 
ceed with  his  explorations  and  take  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name 
of  France.  Returning  to  Fort  Frontenac  with  the  Chevalier  Tonti  and  a 
picked  band,  he  ascended  to  the  rapids  of  Niagara,  passed  around  the  falls 
with  his  ec{uipment,  built  a  vessel  of  sixty  tons,  which  he  named  the  Griffin, 
and  began  the  voyage  up  the  great  lakes  now  for  the  first  time  gladdened 
by  so  portentous  a  craft,  the  forerunner  of  a  commerce  whose  white  wings 
ha\-e  come  to  enliven  all  its  ways. 

Arrived  at  Green  Bay,  he  sent  his  boat  back  for  supplies  with  which  to 
prosecute  his  voyage  down  the  broad  bosom  of  the  princely  stream.  Caught 
in  one  of  those  storms  which  lurk  in  the  secret  places  of  these  lakes,  the 
little  vessel  was  lost  on  its  return  voyage.  Waiting  in  vain  for  tidings  of  his 
supplies,  he  crossed  over  to  the  Illinois  River,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  pres- 
ent town  of  Peoria  he  erected  a  fort,  which  in  consonance  with  his  own 
disappointed  spirit,  he  named  Creve-Coeur,  the  Broken  Heart.  Leaving 
Tonti  and  the  Recollect,  Hennepin,  to  prosecute  the  explorations  of  the 
valley.  La  Salle  set  out  with  only  three  followers  to  make  his  way  back 
through  the  somber  forests  which  skirt  the  lakes,  to  Fort  Frontenac,  at  the 
mouth  of  Lake  Ontario.  In  the  meantime  Hennepin  explored  the  Illinois 
and  the  Mississippi  to  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  accounts  of  which  on  his 
return  to  France  he  published.  Gathering  fresh  supplies  and  men,  La  Salle 
started  again  upon  his  arduous  and  perilous  voyage;  but  upon  his  arrival  at 
Fort  Crevecoeur,  upon  the  Illinois,  he  found  it  deserted,  and  his  forces 
scattered,  Tonti,  whom  he  had  left  in  cliarge,  having  been  forced  to  flee. 
Not  dismayed,  he  again  returned  to  Frontenac.  having  fallen  in  with  Tonti 
at  Mackinaw.  Again  provided  with  the  necessary  supplies,  but  now  with 
less  cumbersome  outfit,  he  started ^again,  after  having  encountered  discour- 
agements that  would  have  broken  the  spirit  of  a  less  resolute  man,  in  August, 


30  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

1 68 1,  and  proceeded  on  his  devious  way.     But  now,  instead  of  the  course  he 
had  before  pursued,  he  moved  up  the  Chicag-o  River  on  sledges,  and.  having 
passed  the  portage,  found  Fort  Crevecceur  in  good  state  of  preservation. 
Having  here  constructed  a  barge  of  sufificient  dimensions  for  his  party,  he 
commenced  the  voyage  down  the  Mississippi,  and  reached  the  gulf  witliout 
serious  incident.     Overjoyed  at  having  brought  his  projects  to  a  successful 
consummation,  he  took  possession  of  the  river  and  all  the  vast  territory 
which  it  drained — large  enough  to  constitute  several  empires  like  France — 
with  a  formal  pomp  and  ceremony  which  was  sufficient,  if  it  were  to  depend 
on  pomp  and  ceremony,  to  have  insured  the  possession  of  the  country  in  all 
time  to  come.     He  thoroughly  explored  the  channels  which  form  the  delta 
of  the  mouth  of  the  stream,  and  having  selected  a  place  high  and  dry.  and  not 
liable  to  inundation,  which  they  found  by  the  elevation  of  the  north  star  to 
be  in  latitude  27°  north,  they  erected  a  column  and  a  cross  to  which  they 
affixed  a  signal  bearing  this  inscription:   "Louis  le  Grand.  Roi  de  France  et 
de  Navarre,  regne,  le  neuvieme.  Avril,  1682."    Then  chanting  the  Te  Deum 
Exaudiat,  and  the  Domine  salvam    fac    Regem.  and  shouting  Vive  le  Roi 
to  a  salvo  of  arms.  La  Salle,  in  a  loud  voice,  read  his  process  verbal,  as 
though  all  the  nations  of  the  world  were  listening:  "In  the  name  of  the  most 
high,  mighty,  invincible  and  victorious  prince,  Louis  the  Great,  by  the  grace 
of  God  King  of  France,    and   Navarre,    Fourteenth  of  the   name,    this  ninth 
day  of  April,  16S2,  L  in  virtue  of  the  commission  of  his  majesty,  which  I 
hold  in  my  hand,  and  which  may  be  seen  by  all  whom  it  may  concern,  have 
taken,  and  now  do  take,  in  the  name  of  his  majesty  and  of  his  successors  to 
the  crown,  possession  of  this  country  of  Louisiana."     Here  follows  a  de- 
scription of  the  rivers  and  countries  drained  by  them,  which  he  claims;  and 
that  all  this  is  by  the  free  consent  of  the  natives  who  inhabit  these  lands;   a 
statement  which  would  probably  have  been  difficult  of  verification,  and  in  his 
verbal  process  he  inserts  the  name  Colbert,  the  King's  minister,  for  the  name 
of  the  river,  in  place  of  ]\Iississippi.     He  claims  besides  that  he  and  his  com- 
panions are  the  first  Europeans  who  have  ascended  or  descended  the  stream, 
on  the  authority  of  the  peoples  who  dwell  there,  a  statement  which  would  be 
uncertain  of  verification,  and  thus  ends  his  process  verbal,  "hereby  protesting 
against  all  those  who  may  hereafter  undertake  to  invade  any  or  all  of  these 
countries,  people  or  lands  above  described,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  right  of 
his  majesty,  acquired  by  the  consent  of  the  nations  herein  named,  of  which. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS   PEOPLE.  31 

and  of  all  that  can  be  needed,  I  hereby  take  to  witness  those  who  hear  me, 
and  demand  an  act  of  the  notary  as  required  by  law."  In  addition  to  this,  he 
caused  to  be  buried  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  a  leaden  plate  with  this  inscription 
in  Latin:  "Ludovicus,  magnus  reget.  Nono  Aprilis  MDCLXXXII. 
Robertus  Cavellier,  cum  domino  de  Tonty  Legato  R.  P.  Zenobi  Membre 
Recollecto,  et  viginti  Gallis  primus  hoc  flumen.  inde  ab  Ilineorum  Pago. 
Enavigavit,  ejusque  ostium  fecit  pervivum,  nono  Aprilis,  Anni  MDCL- 
XXXIL" 

By  the  terms  of  international  law,  recognized  by  all  civilized  peoples, 
the  nation  whose  subjects  were  the  discoverers  of  the  mouth  of  a  river  could 
rightfully  lay  claim  to  all  the  territory  drained  by  that  river,  and  all  its  trib- 
utaries, even  to  their  remotest  limits,  provided  such  lands  had  not  been  occu- 
pied by  any  Christian  Prince.  Had  this  claim  been  successfully  vindicated 
Louisiana  would  have  been  bounded  by  the  Alleghany  Mountains  on  the 
east,  the  Rocky  Mountains  on  the  west,  and  would  ha\e  embraced  the  bulk 
of  the  territory-  now  the  United  States,  and  thus  Pennsylvania  would  have 
been  despoiled  of  a  large  proportion  of  its  proud  domain,  and  Crawford 
county  been  a  vicinage  of  France.  But  the  claim  of  La  Salle  was  not  well 
founded,  he  not  having  been  the  original  discoverer.  For  de  Soto  a  hundred 
and  forty  years  before  had  discovered  the  river,  and.  through  his  followers, 
had  traced  it  to  its  mouth,  and  had  taken  possession  of  the  river  in  the  name 
of  the  King  of  Spain,  with  even  greater  pomp  and  ceremony  than  La  Salle, 
setting  up  the  cross  and  performing  religious  rites  which  the  well-known 
painting  repeated  on  the  greenbacks  of  our  national  currency  has  commem- 
orated. Had  this  claim  of  Spain  been  maintained  by  force  and  followed  by 
settlement,  the  people  of  Crawford  county  would  to-day  be  under  the 
dominion  of  Spain,  or  of  a  Spanish  speaking  people..  But  if  by  the  failure 
of  Spain  the  French  had  been  successful  in  establishing  their  claims,  then 
the  Bourbon  lilies  would  have  succeeded  to  power  here,  and  French  would 
have  been  the  language.  As  we  shall  soon  see,  the  chances  by  which  it 
escaped  that  sway  were  for  a  time  quite  evenly  balanced  between  the  French 
and  the  English. 

La  Salle  returned  to  France  with  great  expectations  of  empire  for  his 
country.  With  a  fleet  of  thirty  vessels,  and  people  for  a  large  colony,  he  set 
sail  for  the  new  possessions,  four  of  which  under  his  immediate  command 
steered  direct  for  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  with  the  intention  of  entering  the 


32  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

mouth  of  the  ?ilississippi  River;  but  he  failed  to  find  the  entrance,  and,  after 
sufifisring  untold  hardships  and  privations  on  the  coast  of  Texas  by  ship- 
wreck, dissensions  among  his  followers  and  the  tireless  hostility  of  the  sav- 
ages, his  expedition  came  to  an  ignoble  enW,  he  himself  fortunate  in  escaping 
with  his  life.  ]\Iay  we  not  believe  that  Providence  had  other  designs  for  this 
continent? 

The  third  and  last  of  the  great  European  nations  to  engage  in  active 
colonization  on  the  Xorth  American  coast  was  England.  For,  though  Hol- 
land and  other  European  nations  sent  out  colonies,  they  all  became  subject 
to  the  English.  Henry  VH..  who  had  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the  appeals  of 
Columbus,  saw  with  envy  what  he  thought  were  great  advantages  being 
secured  to  neighboring  nations  through  the  discoveries  of  the  great  navi- 
gator. He  accordingly  lent  a  ready  ear  to  the  Cabots,  of  Bristol,  his  chief 
port.  As  early  as  1497  they  set  out  to  share  in  New  World  enterprise,  and 
in  their  voyages  explored  the  coast  from  Labrador  to  the  Carolinas,  and 
subsequently  South  America,  giving  name  to  the  great  river  of  the  south, 
Rio  de  la  Plata.  Frobisher  followed,  and  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  half- 
brother  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  who  aided  Gilbert  with  his  fortune,  and  his 
powerful  influence  at  court,  Init  perished  by  shipwreck  without  efifecting  a 
foothold  upon  the  virgin  soil.  I 'nder  the  patronage  of  Raleigh,  Amidas  and 
Barlow,  in  1584,  were  sent,  who  made  a  lodgment  on  the  Carolinas;  but 
instead  of  observing  seedtime  and  harvest,  they  wasted  their  energies  in 
the  vain  search  for  gold,  which  they  probably  hoped  to  pick  up  in  great  nug- 
gets all  along  the  shore,  and  their  attempt  at  settlement  came  to  naught. 
Not  discouraged  Raleigh  fitted  out  another  expedition  which  sailed  under 
Sir  Richard  Grenville,  and  exhausted  his  great  fortune  in  the  enterprise.  A. 
lodgment  was  made  at  Roanoke,  but  the  colony  planted  held  a  sickly  exist- 
ence for  a  short  time,  when,  after  vast  expenditures,  it  was  forever  aban- 
doned. Hendrick  Hudson,  under  the  patronage  of  London  merchants,  and 
subsequently  of  the  Dutch,  made  voyages  of  discovery,  and  in  1609  entered 
Delaware  Bay  and  made  a  landing  on  the  soil  of  what  is  Pennsylvania,  en- 
tered New  York  Bay  and  ascended  the  Hudson  River,  to  which  he  gave  his 
name,  and  took  possession  of  all  this  country  in  the  name  of  the  Dutch,  in 
whose  employ  he  was  then  sailing.  As  yet  nothing  permanent  by  way  of 
settlement  had  been  achieved. 

But  the  English,  having  explored  most  of  the  coast  from  Halifax  in 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  33 

Nova  Scotia  to  Cape  Fear  in  North  Carolina,  laid  claim  to  all  this  stretch 
of  the  coast,  and  indefinitely  westward.  In  the  reign  of  the  feeble  and  timid 
James  I.  this  immense  country  was  divided  into  two  parts,  the  one  extend- 
ing from  New  York  Bay  to  Canada,  known  as  North  Virginia,  which  was 
granted  for  settlement  to  the  Plymouth  Company,  organized  in  the  west 
of  England,  and  the  other  reaching  from  the  mouth  of  the  Potomac  south- 
ward to  Cape  Fear,  was  called  South  Virginia,  and  was  bestowed  upon  the 
London  Company,  composed  of  residents  of  that  city.  It  will  thus  be  seen 
that  a  belt  of  some  two  hundred  miles  was  left  between  the  two  grants  so 
that  they  should  have  no  liability  to  encroach  upon  each  other's  settlements. 
The  language  of  these  grants  by  James  was  remarkable  for  every  quality 
of  style  but  perspicuity.  The  London  Company  were  to  be  limited  between 
the  thirty-fourth  and  forty-first  degrees  of  north  latitude,  and  the  Plymouth 
Company  between  the  thirty-eighth  and  forty-fifth  degrees.  It  will  thus 
be  seen  that  the  two  grants  overlap  each  other  by  three  degrees;  but  as 
neither  company  was  to  begin  settlements  within  a  hundred  miles  of  the 
territory  of  the  other  it  practically  left  the  limits  unconflicting.  Previous 
to  the  active  operations  inaugurated  by  these  companies  frequent  attempts 
had  been  made  by  the  English  at  colonization;  but  hitherto,  beyond  a  few 
fishing  stations,  and  the  fort  which  the  Spanish  continued  to  maintain  at 
St.  Augustine,  no  foothold  had  been  gained  by  them  along  the  whole  stretch 
of  the  Atlantic,  now  occupied  by  the  States  of  the  Union.  Tlie  London 
Company  in  1607  sent  one  hundred  and  five  colonists  in  three  small  ships 
under  command  of  Christopher  Newport,  to  make  a  settlement  in  South 
Virginia.  Among  the  number  was  Bartholomew  Gosnold,  who  was  the  real 
organizer  of  the  company,  and  the  renowned  Captain  John  Smith,  by  far 
the  ablest.  They  entered  Chesapeake  Bay,  giving  the  names  Charles  and 
Henry,  the  names  of  King  James'  two  sons,  to  the  opposite  capes  at  the 
entrance,  and  having  moved  up  the  James  River  selected  a  spot  upon  its 
banks  for  a  capital  of  the  future  empire,  which,  in  honor  of  the  King,  they 
called  Jamestown.  The  seat  here  chosen  became  the  seed  of  a  new  nation.' 
The  encounter  with  the  powerful  war  chief,  Powhatan,  and  the  romantic 
story  of  his  gentle  and  lovely  daughter,  Pocahontas,  will  ever  lend  a  charm 
to  the  early  history  of  Virginia. 

The  Plymouth  Company  having  made  fruitless  attempts  to  get  a  foot- 
3 


34  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

hold  upon  their  territory,  apphed  to  the  King  for  a  new  and  more  definite 
charter.  Forty  of  "the  wealthiest  and  most  powerful  men  in  the  realm  asso- 
ciated themselves  together  under  the  name  of  the  council  of  Plymouth 
Company,  and  to  them  James  granted  a  new  charter,  embracing  all  the 
territory  lying  between  the  fortieth  and  forty-eighth  degree  of  north  latitude, 
and  stretching  away  to  the  Pacific — a  boundless  grant,  little  comprehended 
by  the  King  and  his  ministers,  they  believing  that  the  South  Sea,  as  the 
Pacific  was  designated,  which  had  been  seen  by  Balboa  from  a  high  moun- 
tain in  the  isthmus,  was  close  at  hand.  In  1620  a  band  of  English  Puritans, 
who  had  been  persecuted  and  harried  for  non-conformity  to  the  English 
church,  having  escaped  to  Holland,  and  there  heard  flattering  accounts  of 
the  New  World,  conceived  the  idea  of  setting  up  in  the  new  country  a  hom.e 
for  freedom.  Having  obtained  from  the  Council  of  Plymouth  authority  to 
make  a  settlement  upon  their  grant,  and  having  received  assurance  that 
their  non-conformity  would  be  winked  at,  a  company  of  forty-one  men,  with 
their  families,  one  hundred  and  one  in  all,  "the  winnowed  remnants  of  the 
Pilgrims,"  embarked  in  the  Mayflower,  and  after  a  perilous  voyage  of  sixty- 
three  days,  landed  on  the  shores  of  Massachusetts,  at  Plymouth  Rock,  and 
made  a  settlement  which  they  called  New  Plymouth.  Before  leaving  the 
ship  they  drew  up,  and  the  whole  colony  signed,  a  form  of  government,  and 
elected  John  Carver  Governor.  The  elder  Brewster  had  accompanied  them 
as  their  spiritual  guide.  And  here  in  a  mid-winter  of  almost  Arctic  fierce- 
ness, they  suffered  and  endured :  but  sang  the  songs  of  freedom.  By  spring 
the  Governor  and  his  wife,  and  forty-one  of  their  number,  were  in  their 
graves;  but  not  dismayed  they  observed  seed  time,  and  gathered  in  harvest; 
other  pilgrims  joined  them;   it  also  became  the  seed  of  a  State. 

In  the  meantime  the  Dutch  had  planted  upon  the  Hudson  and  the  Dela- 
ware by  virtue  of  the  discoveries  of  Hudson  in  1609.  And  now  in  succession 
followed  the  planting  ofMaryland,  1634-5, Connecticut  in  1632, Rhode  Island 
in  1636,  New  Hampshire  in  1631.  Pennsylvania  in  1682,  the  Carohnas  in 
1680  and  Georgia  in  1733. 

But  has  it  ever  occurred  to  the  reader  when  unfolding  the  charters  con- 
veying unlimited  possession  of  vast  stretches  of  the  new  found  continent,  by 
ihe  great  sovereigns  of  Europe,  to  ask  by  what  authority,  or  by  what  legal 
right  they  assumed  to  apportion  out,  and  give  away,  and  set  up  bounds  in 
this  land?    Here  was  a  people  in  possession  of  this  country,  whose  right  to 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  35 

the  soil  could  not  be  questioned.  True  it  was  not  so  densely  peopled  as  the 
continent  of  Europe;  but  the  population  was  quite  generally  distributed, 
and  they  were  organized  into  tribes  and  confederacies,  and  were  in  actual 
possession — a  claim  fortified  by  long  occupancy.  The  European  sovereigns 
were  careful  to  insert  in  theiir  charters,  "not  heretofore  occupied  by  any 
Christian  Prince."  But  the  Indians  believed  in  a  Great  Spirit  whom  they 
worshiped. 

The  answer  to  this  question,  whether  satisfactory  or  not,  has  been  that 
the  civilized  nations  of  Europe,  on  crossing  the  ocean,  found  here  a  vast 
country  of  untold  resources  lying  untouched  and  unstirred,  the  natives 
subsisting  almost  exclusively  by  hunting  and  fishing,  the  few  spots  used  for 
cultivation  being  very  small  in  proportion  to  the  whole,  and  consequently 
their  right  to  the  soil  as  being  unworthy  of  consideration.  They  found  a 
people  grossly  ignorant,  superstitious,  idle,  exhibiting  the  fiercest  and  most 
inhuman  passions  that  vex  the  human  breast,  their  greatest  enjoyment,  their 
supreme  delight  being  the  infliction  upon  their  victims  such  refinements  of 
torment  and  perpetrations  of  savagery  as  makes  the  heart  sick  to  contem- 
plate. Europeans  have,  therefore,  held  that  they  were  justified  in  entering 
upon  this  practically  unused  soil  and  dispossessing  this  scattered,  barbaric 
people. 

Justice  Story,  in  his  familiar  exposition  of  the  constitution,  in  com- 
menting upon  this  subject,  says :  "As  to  countries  in  the  possession  of  native 
inhabitants  and  tribes,  at  the  time  of  the  discovery,  it  seems  difficult  to 
perceive  what  ground  of  right  any  discovery  could  confer.  It  would  seem 
strange  to  us  if,  in  the  present  times,  the  natives  of  the  South  Sea  Islands,  or 
of  Cochin  China,  should,  by  making  voyages  to,  and  discovery  of,  the  United 
States,  on  that  account  set  up  the  right  to  the  soil  within  our  boundaries. 
The  truth  is,  that  the  European  nations  paid  not  the  slightest  regard  to  the 
rights  of  the  native  tribes.  They  treated  them  as  mere  barbarians  and  heath- 
ens, whom,  if  they  were  not  at  liberty  to  exterminate,  they  were  entitled  to  deem 
mere  temporary  occupants  of  the  soil.  They  might  convert  them  to  Chris- 
tianity; and  if  they  refused  conversion  they  might  drive  them  from  the  soil  as 
unworthy  to  inhabit  it.  They  affected  to  be  governed  by  the  desire  to  pro- 
mote the  cause  of  Christianity,  and  were  aided  in  this  ostensible  object  by  the 
whole  influence  of  the  papal  power.  But  their  real  object  was  to  extend 
their  own  power  and  increase  their  own  wealth  by  acquiring  the  treasures, 


36  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

as  well  :vj,  territory,  of  the  New  World.     Avarice  and  ambition  were  at  the 
):)ottom  of  their  original  enterprises." 

This  may  be  a  just  view  of  the  moral  and  primary  estimate  of  the  case, 
yet  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  passed  upon  the  question.  Chief 
Justice  Marshall  deHvering  the  opinion,  holding  that  "the  Indian  title  to  the 
soil  is  not  of  such  a  character  or  validity  to  interfere  with  the  possession  in 
fee  and  disposal  of  the  land  as  the  State  may  see  fit."  In  point  of  fact,  ever)' 
European  nation  has,  by  its  conduct,  shown  that  it  had  a  perfect  right  to 
seize  any  part  of  the  continent,  and  as  much  as  it  could  by  any  possibility  get 
its  hands  upon,  could  with  perfect  impunity  steal  and  sell  into  slavery  the 
natives,  drive  them  out  from  their  hunting  grounds,  burn  and  destroy  their 
wigwams  and  scanty  crops  on  the  slightest  pretext,  inflict  upon  them  every 
species  of  injury  which  caprice  or  lust  suggested.  It  is  no  wonder,  therefore, 
tlial  the  Indians  felt  aggrieved,  and  that  their  savage  instincts  were  whetted 
for  their  fell  work  of  blood,  and  many  of  the  massacres  which  were  perpe- 
trated may  be  traced  to  a  bitterness  thus  engendered.  Generations  of  ill 
usage  could  scarcely  be  expected  to  bear  other  fruitage. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


PENN    COMES    WITH    HIS    ENGLISH    QUAKERS. 

PENNSYLVANIA  was  later  in  being  settled  as  a  distinct  colony  than 
most  of  the  others  upon  the  seaboard.  The  Dutch,  who  originally 
settled  New  York,  had  effected  a  lodgment  upon  the  Delaware,  and 
maintained  a  fort  there  for  trading  purposes.  They  eventually  sent  out  Gov- 
ernors to  rule  there,  with  justices  of  the  peace,  constables  and  all  the  appur- 
tenances of  civil  government.  In  1638  came  the  Swedes,  the  representatives 
of  the  great  monarch,  Gustavus  Adolphus,  and  for  several  years  there  was 
divided  authority  upon  the  Delaware,  the  Dutch  and  the  Swedes  contending 
for  the  mastery.  In  1664,  upon  the  accession  of  Charles  II.  to  the  English 
throne,  came  the  English  with  a  patent  from  the  King  covering  all  the  terri- 
tory between  the  Connecticut  and  Delaware  Rivers;  in  short,  all  the  territory- 
occupied  by  the  Dutch.  Seeing  themselves  likely  to  be  overcome  bv  force, 
the  Dutch  quietl)-  surrendered,  and  the  colony  upon  the  Delaware  passed 
under  English  rule.  In  1677  came  three  shiploads  of  emigrants,  for  the  most 
English  Quakers,  who  settled  on  either  side  of  the  Delaware,  but  the  greater 
part  in  West  Jersey.  Some  of  this  religious  sect  had  preceded  them,  and 
in  1672  George  Fox,  the  founder,  had  traveled  through  the  Delaware  coun- 
try, "fording  streams  in  his  course,  camping  out  nights  and  visiting  and 
counselling  with  his  followers  on  the  way."  In  1664  Lord  Berkeley  and 
Sir  George  Carteret  received  from  the  Duke  of  York  a  grant  of  territory 
between  the  Delaware  and  the  ocean,  including  the  entire  southern  portion 
of  New  Jersey.  After  ten  years  of  troublesome  attempts  to  settle  their  coun- 
try, with  little  profit  or  satisfaction,  Berkeley  and  Carteret  sold  New  Jersey 
for  a  thodsand  pounds  to  John  Fenwick,  in  trust  for  Edward  Billinge,  both 
Quakers.  The  affairs  of  Billinge  were  in  confusion,  and  upon  making  an 
assignment  Gawin  Lawrie,  William  Penn  and  Nicholas  Lucas  became  his 
assignees.  In  the  discharge  of  his  duty  as  trustee  for  Billinge,  William 
Penn.  who  was  himself  a  convert  to  the  doctrines  of  Fox,  became  greatly 
interested  in  the  colonization  of  the  Quakers  in  the  New  World,  they  having 

suffered  grievous  persecution  for  religious  opinion's  sake.     In  his  devotion 

37 


38  OUR   COUNTY   AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

to  their  interests  he  spent  much  time  and  labor  in  drawing  up  a  body  of 
laws  for  the  government  of  the  colony,  devised  in  a  spirit  of  unexampled  lib- 
erality anil  freedom  for  the  colonists. 

We,  who  are  accustomed  to  entire  freedom  in  our  modes  of  worship, 
can  have  little  idea  of  the  bitterness  and  deadly  animosity  of  the  persecu- 
tions for  religious  opinion's  sake  which  prevailed  in  the  reigns  of  bloody 
Mary  and  her  successors.  Even  as  late  as  the  accession  of  James  II.  to 
the  English  throne,  over  fourteen  hundred  Quakers,  the  most  learned  and 
intelligent  of  that  faith,  mild  and  inoffensive,  were  languishing  in  the  pris- 
ons of  England,  for  no  other  crime  than  a  sincere  attempt  to  follow  in  the 
footsteps  of  their  Divine  ]\Iaster,  for  Theeing  and  Thouing  as  they  con- 
ceived He  had  done.  To  escape  this  hated  and  harassing  persecution  first 
turned  the  mind  of  Pcnn  to  the  Xew  World.  If,  thought  he,  I  can  secure  a 
tract  of  a  new  counlr_\"  where  my  people  can  begin  life  anew,  and  have  per- 
fect freedom  of  worship,  with  no  one  to  molest  or  make  us  afraid,  it  will  be 
lik'e  a  heaven  on  earth.  Penn  had  reason  to  expect  favor  at  the  hands  of 
James  II.  His  father,  who  was  a  true  born  Englishman,  was  an  eminent 
Admiral  in  the  British  Na\'y,  and  had  won  great  honors  upon  the  seas  for  his 
country's  flag.  He  had  commanded  the  expedition  which  was  sent  to  the 
West  Indies  by  Cromwell,  and  had  reduced  the  island  of  Jamaica  to  English 
rule.  When  James,  then  Duke  of  York,  made  his  expedition  against  the 
Dutch,  Admiral  Penn  commanded  the  fleet  which  descended  upon  the  Dutch 
coast,  and  gained  a  great  naval  victory  over  the  combined  forces  led  by  Van 
Opdam.  For  his  gallantry  in  this  campaign  "he  was  knighted,  and  became  a 
favorite  at  court,  the  King  and  his  brother,  the  Duke,  holding  him  in  cher- 
ished remembrance."  It  was  natural,  therefore,  that  the  son  should  seek 
favors  at  court  for  his  distressed  religious  associates. 

Upon  the  death  of  Admiral  Penn  the  British  government  was  indebted 
to  him  in  the  sum  of  sixteen  thousand  pounds,  a  part  of  it  money  actually 
advanced  by  the  Admiral  in  fitting  out  the  fleet  which  had  gained  the  great 
victory.  In  lieu  of  this  sum  of  money,  which  in  those  days  was  looked 
upon  as  a  great  fortune,  the  son,  \\'illiam,  proposed  to  the  King,  Charles 
II.,  who  was  now  upon  the  English  throne,  that  he  should  grant  him  a  prov- 
ince in  America,  "a  tract  of  land  in  America  lying  north  of  Maryland, 
bounded  east  by  the  Delaware  River,  on  the  west  limited  as  Maryland  and 
northward  to  extend  as  far  as  plantable."    These  expressions  "as  far  as  plant- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  39 

able,"  as  far  upward  and  northward  as  convenient,  and  the  like,  were  ta\-orite 
forms  of  expression  in  cases  where  the  country  had  been  unex])Iored,  and  no 
maps  existed  for  the  guidance  of  the  royal  secretaries,  and  were  the  cause 
of  much  uncertainty  in  interpreting  the  royal  patents  and  of  long  and  wast- 
ing controversies  over  the  just  boundaries  of  the  colonies. 

King  Charles,  who  had  trouble  enough  in  meeting  the  ordinary  ex- 
penses of  his  throne  without  proxiding  for  an  old  score,  lent  a  read}'  ear  to 
the  application  of  the  son  and  heir  of  the  oUl  Admiral,  antl  the  idea  of  paying 
off  a  just  debt  with  a  slice  of  that  country,  which  had  cost  him  nothing, 
induced  him  to  be  lil^eral,  and  he  gave  Penn  more  than  he  had  asked  for. 
Already  there  were  conflicting  claims.  The  Duke  of  York  held  the  grant  of 
the  three  counties  which  now  constitute  the  present  State  of  Delaware,  and 
Lord  Baltimore  held  a  patent,  the  northern  limit  of  which  was  left  indefinite. 
The  Is^ing  himself  manifested  miusual  solicitude  in  perfecting  the  title  to 
his  grant,  and  in  many  ways  showed  that  he  had  at  heart  great  friendship  for 
Penn.  All  conflicting  claims  were  patiently  heard  by  the  Lords,  and  that  the 
best  legal  and  judicial  light  upon  the  subject  might  be  had,  the  Attorney- 
General,  Jones,  and  Chief  Justice  North  were  called  in.  Finally,  after  careful 
deliberation,  the  Great  Charter  of  Pennsylvania,  conveying  territory  ample 
for  an  empire,  holding  unexamjded  resources  upon  its  surface,  and  within 
its  bosom,  gladdened  on  every  hand  by  lordly  streams,  and  so  diversified  in 
surface  as  to  present  a  scene  of  matchless  beauty,  was  conveyed  to^  Penn 
in  liberal,  almost  loving,  words:  "Charles  IL,  by  the  grace  of  God,  King  of 
England,  Scotland,  France  and  Ireland,  defender  of  the  faith,  etc..  To  afl 
to  whom  these  presents  shall  come,  greeting." 

"Whereas,  our  trustie  and  well  beloved  subject,  \\'illiam  I^enn.  sonn 
and  heire  of  Sir  William  Penn,  deceased,  out  of  a  commendable  desire  to 
enlarge  our  English  Empire  and  promote  such  useful  commodities  as  may 
bee  of  benefitt  to  us  and  our  dominions,  as  alsoe  to  reduce  the  Savage  Na- 
tives by  gentle  and  just  manners  to  the  love  of  civill  Societie  and  Christian 
ReHgion,  hath  humbly  besought  leave  of  us  to  transport  an  ample  colonie 
unto  a  certain  countrey  hereinafter  described  in  the  partes  of  America  not  yet 
cultivated  and  planted.  And  hath  likewise  humbly  besought  our  Royal! 
majestie  to  give,  grant  and  confirm  all  the  said  countrey  with  certaine  privi- 
leges and  jurisdiccons  requisite  for  the  good  Government  and  saftie  of  the 
said  Countrey  and  Colonie,  to  him  and  his  heires  forever.     Know  yee,  there- 


40  OUR   COUNTY   AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

fore,  that  wee,  favoring  the  petition  and  good  purpose  of  the  said  Wilham 
Penn,  and  having  regard  to  the  memorie  and  merits  of  his  late  father,  in 
divers  services  and  particulerly  to  his  conduct,  courage  and  discretion  under 
our  dearest  brother,  James,  Duke  of  Yorke,  in  the  signall  battell  and  victorie 
fought  and  obteyned  againste,  the  Dutch  fleete,  commanded  by  Her  Van 
Opdam,  in  the  year  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  sixty-five,  in  considera- 
tion thereof  of  our  special  grace,  certain  knowledge  and  meere  motion,  Have 
given  and  granted,  and  by  this  our  present  Charter,  for  ws,  our  heires  and 
successors  Doe  give  and  grant  unto  the  said  \\'illiam  Pen,  his  heires  and 
assigns,  all  that  tract  and  parte  of  land  in  America,  with  all  the  islands  therein 
conteyned,  as  the  same  is  bounded  on  the  east  by  Delawar  River,  from 
twelve  miles  distance  Northward  of  New-Castle  Towne  unto  the  three  and 
fortieth  degree  of  northern  latitude,  the  said  lands  to  extend  westwards  five 
degrees  in  longitude  to  bee  computed  from  the  said  Eastern  Bounds,  and 
the  said  lands  to  be  bounded  on  the  North  by  the  jjeginning'  of  the  three 
and  fortieth  degree  of  Northern  latitude,  and  on  the  south  by  a  circle  drawn 
at  twelve  miles,  distance  from  New  Castle  northwards  and  westwards  unto 
the  beginning  of  the  fortieth  degree  of  Northern  Latitude,  and  then  by  a 
straight  line  Westwards  to  the  limit  of  longitude  above  menconed." 

Such  is  the  introduction  and  deed  of  conveyance  of  the  great  charter  by 
which  Penn  came  into  possession  of  that  royal  domain,  Pennsylvania.  But 
it  was  to  be  in  the  nature  of  a  sale.  To  make  this  deed  of  transfer  binding 
according  to  the  forms  of  law,  there  must  be  a  consideration,  the  payment 
of  which  could  be  acknowledged  or  enforced;  so  the  King,  in  a  merry  mood, 
exacted  the  payment  thus:  "Yielding  and  paying  therefore  to  us,  our  heires 
and  successors,  two  Beaver  Skins  to  be  delivered  att  our  said  Castle  of  Wind- 
sor, on  the  first  day  of  January,  in  every  yeare."  The  King  also  added  a 
fifth  of  all  gold  and  silver  v.diich  might  he  found.  But  as  none  was  ever 
discovered  the  sale  of  this  great  State  was  made,  so  far  as  this  instrument 
shows,  for  two  beaver  skins,  to  be  annually  paid  to  the  King.  Penn  had 
asked  that  his  western  boundary  should  be  commensurate  with'  the  western 
boundary  of  Maryland,  but  the  King  gave  him  a  full  degree  of  longitude 
more  than  he  asked  for.  Had  Penn  recei\-ed  only  what  he  asked  for,  then 
Crawford,  Mercer  and  Venango,  indeed,  the  whole  block  of  counties  on  this 
western  border,  embracing  Pittsburg  and  Allegheny,  would  have  fallen  out- 
side of  Pennsvlvania. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  41 

Penn  had  proposed  that  his  province  should  be  called  New  Wales,  but 
the  King  objected  to  this.  Penn  then  proposed  Sylvania,  as  the  country 
was  reputed  to  be  overshadowed  by  goodly  forests.  To  this  the  King 
assented,  provided  the  prefix  Penn  should  be  given  it.  Penn  vigorously 
opposed  this,  as  savoring  of  personal  vanity.  But  the  King  was  inflexible, 
claiming  this  as  an  opportunity  to  honor  his  great  father's  name.  Accord- 
ingly, when  the  charter  was  drawn,  that  name  was  inserted.  Following 
the  introduction  are  twenty-three  sections  providing  for  the  government 
and  internal  regulation  of  the  proposed  colony,  and  adjusting  with  great 
particularity  and  much  tedious  circumlocution  th.e  relations  of  the  colonv 
to  the  home  government.  It  is  not  on  this  account  thought  best  to  quote 
the  entire  matter  of  the  charter  here,  but  any  who  may  be  curious  to  consult 
the  document  in  its  entirety  will  find  the  original,  engrossed  on  parchment 
with  an  illuminated  border,  in  the  executive  office  at  Harrisburg.  If  any- 
thing is  wanting  to  show  the  heartfelt  consideration  of  the  King  for  Penn 
it  is  found  in  the  twenty-third  and  last  section:  "And  if,  perchance,  it  should 
happen  hereafter,  any  doubts  or  questions  should  arise  concerning  the  true 
sense  and  meaning  of  any  word,  clause  or  sentence  contained  in  this,  om- 
present  charter.  We  will  ordain,  and  command  that  att  all  times  and  in  all 
things,  such  interpretacon  be  made  thereof,  and  allowed  in  any  of  our  Courts 
whatsoever,  as  shall  be  adjudged  most  advantageous  and  favorable  unto 
the  said  William  Penn.  his  heires  and  assignes." 

It  was  a  joyful  day  for  Penn  when  he  received  at  the  hands  of  the  King 
the  great  charter,  conferring  almost  unlimited  power,  and  with  so  many 
marks  of  the  kindness  of  heart  and  personal  favor  of  his  sovereign.  He  had 
long  meditated  of  a  free  commonwealth  where  it  should  be  the  study  of  the 
law-giver  to  form  his  codes  with  an  eye  to  the  greatest  good  and  happmess 
of  his  subjects,  and  where  tlie  supreme  delight  of  the  subject  would  l)e  to 
render  impHcit  obedience  to  its  requirements.  Plato's  dream  of  an  ideal 
republic,  a  land  of  just  laws  and  happy  men— "the  dream  of  that  city  where 
all  goodness  should  dwell,  whether  such  has  ever  existed  in  the  infinity  of 
4ays  gone  by.  or  even  now  exists  in  the  gardens  of  the  Hesperides,  far  from 
our  sight  and  knowledge,  or  will  perchance  hereafter,  which,  though  it  be 
not  on  earth,  must  have  a  pattern  of  it  laid  up  in  heaven"— such  a  dream 
was  ever  in  the  mind  of  Penn.  The  thought  that  he  now  had  a  new  country, 
an  almost  unlimited  stretch  of  land,  where  he  could  go  and  set  up  his  repub- 


42  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE.     ' 

lie  and  form  and  govern  to  his  own  sweet  will,  and  in  conformitv  to  his 
cherished  ideal,  thrilled  his  soul  and  filled  him  with  unspeakable  delight.  But 
he  was  not  puffed  up  with  vain-glory.  To  his  friend  Turner  he  writes:  "My 
true  love  in  the  Lord  salutes  thee,  and  dear  friends  that  love  the  Lord's 
precious  truth  in  those  parts.  Thine  epistle  I  have,  and  for  my  business 
here,  know,  that  after  many  waitings,  solicitings  in  council,  this  day  my 
country  was  confirmed  to  me  under  the  great  seal  of  England,  with  large 
powers  and  privileges,  by  the  name  of  Pennsylvania,  a  name  the  King  would 
give  in  honor  of  my  father.  Thou  mayest  communicate  my  grant  to  Friends, 
and  expect  shortly  my  proposals.  It  is  a  clear  and  just  thing,  and  my  God, 
that  has  given  it  to  me  through  many  difficulties,  will.  I  believe,  bless  and 
make  it  the  seed  of  a  nation."  And  may  we  not  cherish  the  belief  that  the 
man}-  and  signal  1)lessings  which  have  come  to  this  Commonwealth  in 
succeeding  years,  have  come  through  the  devout  and  pious  spirit  of  the 
founder? 

He  had  seen  the  companions  of  his  religious  faith  sorely  treated 
throughout  all  England,  and  for  them  he  now  saw  the  prospect  of  a  release 
from  their  tribulations.  Penn  himself  had  come  up  through  bitter  perse- 
cution and  scorn  on  account  of  his  religion.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered 
Oxford  University,  and  for  the  reason  that  he  and  some  of  his  fellow- 
students  practiced  the  faith  of  the  Friends,  they  were  admonished  and  finally 
expelled.  Returning  to  his  home  in  Ireland,  where  his  father  had  large 
estates,  his  serious  deportment  gave  great  offence,  the  father  fearing  that 
his  advancement  at  court  would  thereby  be  marred.  Thinking  to  break 
the  spirit  of  the  son,  the  boy  was  whipped,  and  finally  expelled  from  the 
family  home.  At  Cork,  where  he  was  employed  in  the  service  of  the  Lord 
Lieutenant,  he.  in  company  with  others,  was  apprehended  at  a  religious 
meeting  of  Friends,  and  cast  into  prison.  While  thus  incarcerated,  he  wrote 
to  the  Lord  President  of  Munster.  pleading  for  liberty  of  conscience.  On 
being  liberated,  he  became  more  devoted  than  before,  and  so  impressed  was 
he  with  a  sense  of  religious  duty  that  he  became  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 
Religious  controversy  at  this  time,  was  sharp,  and  a  pamphlet  which  he  wrote 
gave  so  luuch  offence  to  the  Bishop  of  London  that  Penn  was  thrown  into 
the  Tower,  where  he  languished  for  eight  and  a  half  months.  But  he  was 
not  idle,  and  one  of  the  books  which  he  composed  during  his  imprisonment, 
— "No  Cross,  Xo  Crown," — attained  a  wide  circulation,  and  is  still  read 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  43 

with  satisfaction  by  the  faithful  in  all  lands.  Fearing  that  his  motives  mig-ht 
be  misconceived,  he  made  tliis  distinct  statement  of  his  beHef,  "Let  all 
know  this,  that  I  pretend  to  know  no  other  name  by  which  remission,  atone- 
ment and  salvation  can  be  obtained  bnt  Jesus  Christ,  the  Savior,  who  is 
the  power  and  wisdom  of  God,"  Upon  his  release,  he  continued  to  preach 
and  exhort,  was  arrested  with  his  associate  Mead,  and  was  tried  at  the  Old 
Bailey.  Penn  plead  his  own  cause  with  great  boldness  and  power,  and 
W'as  acquitted;  but  the  court  imposed  a  fine  for  contempt  in  wearing  his 
hat,  and,  for  non-payment,  he  was  cast  into  Newgate  with  common  felons. 
At  this  time,  1670,  the  father,  feeling"  his  end  approaching,  sent  money 
privately  to  pay  the  fine,  and  summoned  the  son  to  his  bedside.  The  meet- 
ing was  deeply  affecting.  The  father's  heart  was  softened,  and  completely 
broken,  and,  as  would  seem  from  his  words,  had  become  converted  to  the 
doctrines  of  the  son,  for  he  said  to  him  with  his  parting  breath,  "Son 
William,  I  am  weary  of  the  world.  I  would  not  live  over  again  my  days,  if 
I  could  command  it  with  a  wish,  for  the  snares  of  life  are  greater  than  the 
fears  of  death.  This  troubles  me,  that  I  have  offended  a  gracious  God.  The 
thought  of  that  has  followed  me  to  this  day.  Oh!  have  a  care  of  sin!  It 
is  that  which  is  the  sting  both  of  life  and  death.  Let  nothing  in  this  life 
tempt  you  to  wrong  your  conscience;  so  will  you  keep  peace  at  home,  which 
will  lie  a  feast  to  yon  in  the  day  of  trouble."  Before  his  death  he  sent  a 
friend  to  the  Duke  of  York  with  a  dying  request,  that  the  Duke  would 
endeavor  to  protect  his  son  from  persecution,  and  would  use  his  influence 
with  the  King  to  the  same  end. 

The  King  had  previously  given  James,  Duke  of  York,  a  charter  for 
Long  Island,  with  an  indefinite  western  boundary,  and,  lest  this  might  at 
some  future  day  compromise  his  right  to  some  portion  of  his  territory,  Penn 
induced  the  Duke  to  execute  a  deed  for  the  same  territory  covered  by  the 
royal  charter,  and  substantially  in  the  same  words  used  in  describing  its 
limits.  But  he  was  still  not  satisfied  to  leave  the  shores  of  the  only  navigable 
river  communicating  with  the  ocean,  under  the  dominion  of  others,  who 
might  in  time  become  hostile,  and  interfere  with  the  free  navigation  of  the 
stream.  He  accordingly  induced  the  Duke  to  make  a  grant  to  him  of  New 
Castle  and  New  Castle  County,  and  on  the  same  day  a  grant  of  the  territory 
stretching  onward  to  the  sea  covering  the  two  counties  of  Kent  and  Sussex, 
the  two  grants  together  embracing  what  were  designated  the  territories,  or 


44  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  three  lower  counties,  what  in  after  years  became  the  State  of  Delaware, 
but  by  which  acts  became  and  long  remained  component  parts  of  Pennsyl- 
■  vania.  This  gave  Penn  a  considerable  population,  as  in  these  three  counties 
the  Dutch  and  Swedes,  since  1609,  had  been  settling. 

Penn  was  now  ready  to  settle  his  own  colony,  and  try  his  own  schemes 
of  government.  Lest  there  might  be  misapprehension  respecting  his  pur- 
pose in  obtaining  his  charter,  and  unworthy  persons  with  unworthy  motives 
might  be  induced  to  emigrate,  he  declares  repeatedly  his  own  sentiments. 
"For  my  country,"  he  says,  "I  eyed  the  Lord  in  obtaining  it,  and  more  was 
I  drawn  inwards  to  look  to  Him  and  to  owe  to  His  hand  and  power  than  to 
any  other  way.  I  have  so  obtained  and  desire  to  keep  it,  that  I  may  not 
be  unworthy  of  His  love,  but  do  that  which  may  answer  His  kind  provi- 
dence and  people." 

In  choosing  a  form  of  government,  he  was  much  perplexed.  He  had 
thought  the  government  of  England  all  wrong,  when  it  bore  so  heavily 
upon  him  and  his  friends,  and  he  doubtless  thought  in  his  earlier  years  that 
he  could  order  one  in  righteousness;  l)ut  when  it  was  given  him  to  dravv' 
a  form  that  should  regulate  the  affairs  of  the  future  State,  he  hesitated. 
"For  particular  frames  and  models,  it  will  become  me  to  say  little.  'Tis 
true,  men  seem  to  agree  in  the  end,  to  wit,  happiness;  but  in  the  means  they 
differ,  as  to  divine,  as  to  this  human  felicity ;  and  the  cause  is  much  the 
same,  not  alwavs  want  of  light  and  knowledge,  but  want  of  using  them 
rightly.  Men  side  with  their  passions  against  their  reason,  and  their  sinister 
interests  have  so  strong  a  bias  upon  their  minds  that  they  lean  to  them 
against  the  things  they  knovv .  I  do  not  find  a  model  in  the  world  that  time, 
place  and  some  singular  emergencies  have  not  necessarily  altered;  nor  is 
it  easy  to  frame  a  civil  government  that  shall  serve  all  places  alike.  I 
know  what  is  said  of  the  several  admirers  of  [Monarchy,  Aristocracy  and 
Democracy,  which  are  the  rule  of  one.  of  a  few,  and  of  many,  and  are  the 
three  common  ideas  of  government,  when  men  discourse  of  that  subject. 
But  I  propose  to  solve  the  controversy  with  this  small  distinction,  and  it 
belongs  to  all  three;  any  government  is  free  to  the  people  under  it,  wliat- 
ever  be  the  frame,  where  the  laws  rule  and  the  people  are  a  party  to  those 
laws,  and  more  than  this  is  tyranny,  oligarchy,  and  confusion." 

"But  when  all  is  said,  there  is  hardly  one  frame  of  government  in  the 
world  so  ill  designed  by  its  first  founders  that  in  good  hands  would  not  do 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  45 

well  enough;  and  story  tells  us,  the  hest  in  ill  hands  can  do  nothing  that  is 
great  and  good:  witness  the  Jewish  and  the  Roman  States.  Governments, 
like  clocks,  go  from  the  motion  men  give  them,  and  as  governments  are 
made  and  moved  by  men,  so  by  them  are  they  ruined,  too.  Wherefore  gov- 
ernments rather  depend  upon  men  than  men  upon  governments.  Let  men 
be  good,  and  the  government  cannot  be  bad;  if  it  be  ill,  they  will  cure  it. 
But  if  men  be  bad,  let  the  government  be  never  so  good,  they  will  endeavor 
to  warp  and  spoil  to  their  turn." 

"I  know  some  say,  let  us  have  good  laws,  and  no  matter  for  the  men 
that  execute  them;  but  let  them  consider  that  though  good  laws  do  well, 
good  men  do  better;  for  good  laws  may  want  good  men,  and  be  abolished 
or  invaded  by  ill  men;  l)ut  good  men  will  never  want  for  good  laws,  nor 
suffer  ill  ones.  "Tis  true,  good  laws  have  some  awe  upon  ill  ministers;  but 
that  is  where  they  have  not  power  to'escape  or  abolish  them,  and  the  people 
are  generally  wise  and  good;  but  a  loose  and  depraved  people,  which  is  to 
the  question,  love  laws  and  an  administration  like  themselves.  That,  there- 
fore, which  makes  a  good  constitution  must  keep  it,  viz.;  men  of  wisdom 
and  virtue,  qualities  that,  because  they  descend  not  with  worldly  inheritances, 
must  be  carefully  propagated  by  a  virtuous  education  of  youth,  for  which 
after  ages  will  owe  more  to  the  care  and  prudence  of  founders,  and  the 
successive  magistracy,  than  to  their  parents  for  their  private  patrimonies." 

These  considerations,  which  stand  as  a  preface  to  his  frame  of  gov- 
ernment, are  given  to  show  the  temper  of  mind  and  heart  of  Penn,  as  he 
entered  upon  his  great  work.  He  seems  like  one  who  stands  before  the 
door  of  a  royal  palace,  and  is  loth  to  lay  his  hand  upon  the  knob,  whose 
turn  shall  give  him  entrance,  for  fear  his  tread  should  be  unsanctitied  by 
the  grace  of  Heaven,  or  lack  favor  in  the  eyes  of  his  subjects.  For  he  says 
in  closing  his  disquisition;  "These  considerations  of  the  weight  of  govern- 
ment, and  the  nice  and  varied  opinions  about  it,  made  it  uneasy  to  me  to 
think  of  publishing  the  ensuing  frame  and  conditional  laws,  foreseeing  both 
the  censures  they  will  meet  with  from  men  of  differing  humors  and  engage- 
ments, and  the  occasion  they  may  give  of  discourse  beyond  design.  But 
next  to  the  power  of  necessity,  this  induced  me  to  a  compliance  that  we 
have  (with  reverence  to  God,  and  good  conscience  to  men),  to  the  best  of 
our  skill  contrived  and  composed  the  frame  and  laws  of  this  government, 
to  the  great  end  of  all  government,  viz.:   To  support  in  reverence  with  the 


46  OUR   COUNTY   AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

people  from  the  abuse  of  power;  that  they  may  ht  free  by  their  just  obedi- 
ence, and  the  magistrates  honorable  for  their  just  administration;  for  liberty 
without  obedience  is  confusion,  and  obedience  without  liberty  is  slavery. 
To  carry  this  evenness  is  partly  owing  to  the  constitution,  and  partly  to  the 
magistracy;  where  either  of  these  fail,  government  will  be  subject  to  con- 
fusion; but  when  both  are  wanting,  it  must  be  totally  subverted;  then 
where  both  meet,  the  government  is  like  to  endure.  Which  I  humbly  pray 
and  hope  God  will  please  to  make  the  lot  of  this  of  Pennsylvania." 

In  such  a  temper,  and  with  such  a  spirit  did  our  great  founder  approach 
the  work  of  drawing  a  frame  of  government  and  laws  for  his  proposed 
community,  insignificant  in  numbers  at  first,  but  destined  at  no  distant  day 
to  embrace  millions.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  he  felt  great  solicitude, 
in  view  of  the  future  possibilities.  With  great  care  and  tenderness  for  the 
rights  and  privileges  of  the  individual,  he  drew  the  frame  or  constitution 
in  twenty-four  sections,  and  the  body  of  laws  in  forty.  And  who  can  esti- 
mate the  power  for  good  to  this  people  of  the  system  of  government  set 
up  by  this  pious,  God-fearing  man,  e^ery  provision  of  which  was  a  subject 
of  his  prayers  and  tears,  and  the  deep  yearnings  of  a  sanctified  heart. 

The  town  meeting  works  the  destruction  of  thrones.  Penn's  system 
was  in  eft'ect  a  free  Democracy,  where  the  individual  was  supreme.  Had 
King  Charles  foreseen,  when  he  gave  his  charter,  what  principles  of  freedom 
to  the  individual  would  be  embodied  in  the  government  of  the  new  colony, 
and  would  be  nurtured  in  the  hearts  of  the  oncoming  generations,  if  he  had 
held  the  purpose  of  keeping  this  an  obedient  and  constituent  part  of  his 
kingdom,  he  would  have  withheld  his  assent  to  it,  as  elements  were  im- 
planted therein  antagonistic  to  arbitrary,  kingly  rule.  But  men  sometimes 
contrive  better  than  they  know,  and  so  did  Charles. 

When  finished,  the  frame  of  government  was  published,  and  was  sent 
out  accompanied  with  a  description  of  the  countr}-,  and  special  care  was 
taken  that  these  should  reach  the  members  of  the  society  of  Friends.  Many 
of  the  letters  w-ritten  home  to  friends  in  England,  by  those  who  had  settled 
in  the  country  years  before,  were  curious  and  amusing,  and  well  calculated 
to  excite  a  desire  to  emigrate.  Two  years  before  this,  Mahlon  Stacy  wrote 
an  account  of  the  country,  which  the  people  of  our  day  would  scarcely  be 
able  to  match.  "I  have  seen,"'  he  says,  '"orchards  laden  with  fruit  to  admir- 
ation; their  very  limbs  torn  to  pieces  with  weight,  most  delicious  to  the  taste. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  47 

and  lovely  to  behold.  I  have  seen  an  apple  tree,  from  a  pippm-kernel,  yield 
a  barrel  of  curious  cider,  and  peaches  in  such  plenty  that  some  people  took 
their  carts  a-peach  gathering.  1  could  not  but  smile  at  the  conceit  of  it; 
they  are  very  delicious  fruit,  and  hang  almost  like  our  onions  that  are  tied 
on  ropes.  I  have  seen  and  know  this  summer  forty  bushels  of  bold  wheat 
from  one  bushel  sown.  From  May  to  Michaelmas  great  store  of  very  good 
wild  fruit,  as  strawberries,  cranberries  and  hurtleberries,  which  are  like  our 
bilberries  in  England,  only  far  sweeter;  the  cranberries,  much  like  cherries 
for  color  and  bigness,  which  may  be  kept  till  fruit  comes  again;  an  excellent 
sauce  is  made  of  them  for  venison,  turkeys  and  other  great  fowl,  and  they 
are  better  to  make  tarts  of  than  either  gooseberries  or  cherries;  we  have 
them  brought  to  our  houses  by  the  Indians  in  great  plenty.  My  brother, 
Robert,  had  as  many  cherries  this  year  as  would  have  loaded  several  carts. 
As  for  venison  and  fowls,  we  have  great  plenty;  we  have  brought  home  to 
our  countries  by  the  Indians  seven  or  eight  fat  bucks  in  a'  day.  We  went 
into  the  river  to  catch  herrings,  after  the  Indian  fashion.  We  could  have 
filled  a  three-bushel  sack  of  as  good  large  herrings  as  I  ever  saw.  And  as 
to  beef  and  pork,  here  is  a  great  plenty  of  it,  and  good  sheep.  The  common 
grass  of  the  country  feeds  beef  very  fat.  Indeed,  the  country,  take  it  as  a 
wilderness,  is  a  brave  country." 

If  the  denizens  of  England  were  to  accept  this  description  as  a  true 
picture  of  the  productions  and  possibilities  of  the  New  World,  they  might 
well  conclude  with  this  writer  that,  "for  a  wilderness,"  it  was  a  "brave 
country,"  and  we  can  well  understand  why  they  flocked  to  the  new  El 
Dorado.  But  lest  any  might  be  tempted  to  go  without  sufficient  consider- 
ation, Penn  issued  a  pronunciamento,  urging  every  one  who  contemplated 
going  thither  to  consider  well  the  inconveniences  of  the  voyage,  and  the 
labor  and  privation  required  of  emigrants  to  a  wilderness  country,  "that  so 
none  may  move  rashly,  or  from  a  fickle,  but  from  a  solid  mind,  having  above 
all  things  an  eye  to  the  providence  of  God  in  the  disposing  of  themselves." 

And  that  there  should  be  no  misunderstanding  in  regard  to  the  rights 
of  property,  Penn  drew  up  "Certain  Conditions  and  Concessions,"  before 
leaving  England,  which  he  circulated  freely,  touching  the  laying  out  of  roads 
and  highways,  the  plats  of  towns,  the  settling  communities  on  ten-thousand- 
acre  tracts,  so  that  friends  and  relatives  might  be  together;  declaring  that 
the  woods,  rivers,  quarries  and  mines  are  the  exclusive  property  of  those  on 


48  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS   FEOPLI.l. 

whose  purchases  they  are  found;  for  the  allotments  of  servants;  that  the 
Indians  shall  be  treated  justly;  the  Indian's  fur  shall  be  sold  in  open 
market;  that  the  Indian  shall  be  treated  as  a  citizen,  and  that  no  man  shall 
leave  the  province  without  gix'ing  three  weeks'  public  notice,  posted  in  the 
market  place,  that  all  claims  for  indebtedness  might  be  liquidated.  These 
and  many  other  matters  of  like  tenor  form  the  subject  of  these  remarkable 
concessions,  all  tending  to  show  the  solicitude  of  Penn  for  the  interests  of 
his  colonists,  and  that  none  should  say  that  he  deceived  or  overreached 
them  in  the  sale  of  his  lands.  He  foresaw  the  liability  that  the  natives 
would  be  under  to  be  deceived  and  cheated  by  the  crafty  and  designing, 
being  entirely  unskilled  in  judging  of  the  values  of  things.  He  accordingly 
devotes  a  large  proportion  of  the  matter  of  these  concessions  to  secure  and 
defend  the  rights  of  the  ignorant  natives. 

If  it  was  possible  to  make  a  human  being  conform  to  the  rights  and 
privileges  of  civilized  society,  and  make  him  truly  an  enlightened  citizen, 
Penn's  treatment  of  the  Indian  was  calculated  to  make  him  so.  He  accepted 
the  natives  as  his  own  people,  as  citizens  in  every  important  particular,  and 
as  destined  to  an  immortal  inheritance.  He  wrote  to  them,  "There  is  a  great 
God  and  power  that  hath  made  the  world  and  all  things  therein,  to  whom 
you,  and  I.  and  all  people  owe  their  being  and  well-being;  and  to  whom 
you  and  I  must  one  day  give  an  account  for  all  that  we  do  in  the  workl. 
This  great  God  hath  written  His  law  in  our  hearts  by  which  we  are  taught 
and  commanded  to  love  and  help  and  do  good  to  one  another.  Now  the 
great  God  hath  been  pleased  to  make  me  concerned  in  your  part  of  the 
world,  and  the  king  of  the  countrj-  where  I  live  hath  given  me  a  great 
province  therein;  but  I  desire  to  enjoy  it  with  your  love  and  consent  that 
we  may  always  live  together  as  neighbors  and  friends;  else  what  would  the 
great  God  do  to  us,  who  hath  made  us  not  to  devour  and  destroy  one 
another,  Init  to  live  soberly  and  kindly  together  in  the  world?  Now,  I 
would  have  you  well  observe  that  1  am  very  sensible  of  the  unkindness 
and  injustice  that  have  been  too  much  exercised  towards  you  by  the  people 
of  these  parts  of  the  world,  who  sought  themselves,  and  to  make  great 
advantages  by  you  rather  than  to  be  examples  of  goodness  and  patience 
unto  you,  which  I  hear  hath  been  a  matter  of  trouble  to  you,  and  caused 
great  grudges  and  animosities,  sometimes  to  the  shedding  of  blood,  which 
hath  made  the  great  God  angry.    But  I  am  not  such  a  man,  as  is  well  known 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  49 

in  my  country.  I  have  great  love  and  regard  toward  you,  and  desire  to  gain 
your  love  and  friendship  by  a  kind,  just  and  peaceable  life,  and  the  people  I 
send  are  of  the  same  mind  and  shall  in  all  things  behave  themselves 
accordingly;  and  if  in  anything  any  shall  offend  you,  or  your  people,  you 
shall  have  a  full  .and  speedy  satisfaction  for  the  same  by  an  equal  number 
of  just  men  on  both  sides,  that  l)y  no  means  you  may  have  just  occasion 
of  being  offended  against  them.  I  shall  shortly  come  to  you  myself,  at 
which  time  we  may  more  largely  and  freely  confer  and  discourse  of  these 
matters.  In  the  meantime.  I  have  sent  my  commissioners  to  treat  with  you 
about  land,  and  form  a  league  of  peace.  Let  me  desire  you  to  be  kind  to 
them  and  their  people,  and  receive  these  tokens  and  presents  which  I  have 
sent  you,  as  a  testimon\-  of  my  good  will  to  }-ou,  and  my  resolution  to  live 
justly,  peaceably,  and  friendly  with  you." 

Such  was  the  mild  and  gentle  attitude  in  which  Penn  came  to  the 
natives.  Had  the  Indian  character  l)een  capable  of  being  broken  and 
changed,  so  as  to  have  adopted  the  careful  and  laborious  habits  which 
Europeans  possess,  the  aborigines  might  have  been  assimilated,  and  become 
a  constituent  part  of  the  population.  Such  was  the  expectation  of  Penn. 
They  could  have  1)ecome  citizens,  as  every  other  foreign  race  have.  But 
the  Indian  could  no  more  be  tamed  than  the  wild  partridge  of  the  woods. 
Fishing  and  hunting  were  his  occupation,  and  if  any  work  or  drudgery 
was  to  be  done,  it  was  shifted  to  women,  as  being  beneath  the  dignity  of 
the  free  savage  of  the  forest.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  intercourse 
with  European  civilization  and  customs  have  not  in  the  least  changed  his 
nature.  He  is  essentially  the  savage  still,  as  he  was  on  the  day  when 
Columbus  first  met  him  four  hundred  years  ago. 

•  But  this  fact  does  not  change  the  aspect  in  which  we  should  view 
the  pious  and  noble  intents  of  Penn,  and  they  must  ever  be  regarded  with 
admiration  as  indicative  of  his  loving  and  merciful  purposes.  He  not  only 
provided  that  they  should  be  treated  as  human  beings,  on  principles  of 
justice  and  mercy,  but  he  was  particular  to  point  out  to  his  commissioners 
the  manners  which  should  be  preserved  in  their  jjresence.  "Be  tender  of 
offending  the  Indians,  and  let  them  know  that  you  come  to  sit  down  lovingly 
among  them.  Let  my  letter  and  conditions  be  read  in. their  own  tongue, 
that  they  may  see  we  have  their  good  in  our  eye.  Be  grave.  They  love 
not  to  be  smiled  on." 


CHAPTER  V. 


CONTROVERSY  OVER  THE  BOUNDS  OF  THE  COLONY. 


THE  Colony  of  Pennsyh'ania  was  one  of  the  last  to  be  settled,  yet 
scarcely  had  a  century  elapsed  before  it  had  outstripped  in  popula- 
tion all  the  others,  and  stood  at  the  head  of  the  thirteen  which  linked 
together  in  the  patriotic  struggle  for  independence.  The  census  of  i8o(j 
shows  a  white  population  for  Pennsylvania  of  586,095;  New  York,  557,731; 
\'irginia,  514,280:  Massachusetts,  416,393;  North  Carolina,  337,764;  Con- 
necticut. 244,721;  Maryland,  216,326;  South  Carolina,  196,255;  New 
Jersey.  194,325;  New  Hampshire,  182,998;  Kentucky,  179,873;  Vermont, 
153,908;  Maine,  150.901;  Georgia.  102.261;  Tennessee,  91,709;  Rhode 
Island,  65,438;  Delaware.  49,852;  Ohio.  48.028:  Indiana,  5.343;  Missis- 
sippi, 5,179. 

The  growth  of  the  province  was  something  remarkable,  and  caused 
Penn  to  say.  in  a  s|)irit  of  exultation  unusual  to  him,  "I  must,  without 
•\-anity  say.  I  have  led  the  greatest  colony  in  America  that  ever  any  man 
did  upon  a  private  credit."  Bancroft  very  justly  observes.  "There  is  noth- 
ing in  the  history  of  the  human  race  like  the  confidence  which  the  simple 
virtues  and  institutions  of  William  Penn  inspired.  The  progress  of  his 
province  was  more  rapid  than  that  of  New  England.  In  August,  1683, 
Philadelphia  consisted  of  three  or  four  little  cottages.  The  conies  were  yet 
undisturbed  in  their  hereditary  burrows.  The  deer  fearlessly  bounded  past 
blazed  trees,  unconscious  of  foreboded  streets;  the  stranger  that  wandered 
from  the  river  bank  was  lost  in  thickets  of  interminable  forests;  and  two 
years  afterwartl  the  place  contained  about  six  hundred  houses,  and  the 
school-master  and  the  printing  press  had  begun  their  work.  In  three  years 
from  its  foundation  Philadelphia  had  gained  more  than  New  York  had 
done  in  half  a  century.  It  was  not  long  till  Philadelphia  led  all  the  cities 
of  America  in  population." 

Though  Penn  felt  a  just  pride  in  the  growth  of  his  colony,  the  fertihty 

of  the  soil,  and  the  mild  and  salubrious  nature  of  the  climate,  yet  he  was 

50 


Ore, 
*-  E  An 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  51 

not  without  deep  anxiety  about  the  estal)lishment  of  the  boundaries  of  his 
province.  Language  could  not  l)y  any  possiI)ility  l)e  made  more  exact  and 
definite  than  that  employed  by  Charles  II.  in  perfecting  the  great  charter. 
That  there  might  be  no  question  as  to  its  place  on  the  face  of  the  earth, 
lines  of  latitude  and  longitude  from  which  there  could  be  no  variableness 
nor  shadow  of  changing,  were  made  to  encompass  it.  The  sun  in  his  course, 
and  the  stars  themselves  were  made  to  stand  sentinels.  Commencing  at  the 
beginning  of  the  40th  parallel  of  north  latitude,  it  was  to  extend  to  the 
beginnin.o;  of  the  43rd,  and  from  the  Delaware  River,  which  was  to  form  the 
eastern  boundary,  westward  along  these  parallels  five  degrees  of  longitude, 
the  western  bound  being  such  a  meridian  when  ascertained  by  actual  surve\ . 
It  would  seem  that  nothing  could  be  more  distinct  and  definite,  absolutely 
incapable  of  varying,  not  dependent  upon  a  monument  subject  to  removal, 
or  disintegration  by  time,  but  dependent  ui)on  the  heavenly  bodies,  whose 
places  change  not  from  generation  to  generation,  and  from  age  to  age. 

Penn  was  undoubtedly  solicitous  to  have  the  southern  boundary  of  his 
province  the  beginning  of  the  40th  parallel,  in  order  that  he  might  have  free 
access  to  the  ocean  by  the  Delaware  Bay  and  River,  as  this  would  give 
him  his  only  port  of  entry,  which  he  could  not  be  sure  of  if  the  two  shores 
of  this  river  were  in  the  absolute  possession  of  others.  Besides,  considerable 
settlements  had  already  been  made  along  the  south  bank,  which  were  known 
as  the  three  lower  counties  originally  a  part  of  Pennsylvania,  now  the  State 
of  Delaware.  These  three  counties  had  been  granted  by  King  Charles  to 
his  brother  James,  Duke  of  York.  Intent  upon  having  an  open  waterwav 
to  the  ocean,  Penn  bought  these  three  counties  from  the  Duke,  and  secured 
a  firm  title  duly  recorded  in  the  English  office. 

Believing  now  that  he  had  his  title  as  secure  as  human  foresight  and 
legal  forms  could  make  it,  he  sent  his  cousin,  ^^'illiam  Markham,  with  three 
ship-loads,  to  take  possession  of  his  province.  But  the  ink  was  scarcely 
dry  upon  the  parchment  which  recorded  the  gift  before  the  whisperings  if 
counter  claims  were  heard,  and  harl  all  the  claims  that  were  subsequently 
made  been  \erified  he  would  have  had  scarcely  a  moiety  left  on  which  to 
have  planted  his  own  family.  Markham,  who,  as  Lieutenant  Governor,  was 
to  take  possession  and  commence  surveys,  had  hardly  shaken  the  salt  spray 
from  his  locks  before  he  was  visited  at  Chester  by  Lord  Baltimore,  from 
jNIaryland,  who  presented  his  claim  to  all  that  country. 


52  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  royal  .gifts  of  land  in  the  New  World  in  the  early  days  of  settle- 
ment were  lavish  beyond  comparison,  the  one  overlapping  another  in  the 
most  lawless  manner,  the  object  seemingly  being  to  secure  the  settlement 
of  the  country.  There  were  no  reliable  maps  of  the  continent,  and  the  royal 
secretaries  had  little  conception  of  the  lands  they  were  describing  when 
they  drew  the  royal  charters. 

No  one  in  England  at  this  time  seemed  to  have  any  conception  of 
the  width  or  extent  of  the  continent.  The  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
had  been  observed,  and  Balboa,  ascending  the  mountain  chain  which  skirts 
the  narrow  neck  of  land  that  joins  North  with  South  America,  had  beheld 
the  vast  expanse  of  peaceful  waters  which  he  named  the  Pacific,  and  it 
would  seem  that  the  popular  belief  was  that  the  continent  as  it  extended 
northward  was  comparatively  narrow,  and  that  when  the  royal  gifts  were 
made  to  extend  from  ocean  to  ocean,  there  was  no  conception  that  they 
stretched  away  three  thousand  miles. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  1632,  just  fifty  years  before  Penn  had  received 
the  charter  for  his  province,  the  King  had  granted  to  Lord  Baltimore  a 
charter  for  Maryland,  named  for  Henrietta  Maria,  daughter  of  Henry  IV., 
and  wife  of  Charles  L,  bounded  by  the  ocean,  the  40°  of  north  latitude,  the 
meridian  of  the  western  fountain  of  the  Potomac,  the  river  Potomac  from 
its  source  to  its  mouth,  and  a  line  drawn  east  from  Watkin's  Point  to  the 
ocean,  the  place  of  beginning,  on  the  thirty-eighth  parallel.  This  territory 
was  given  to  him,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  on  the  payment  of  a  yearly  rental 
of  two  Indian  arrows. 

Lord  Baltimore  exhibited  to  Governor  Markham  his  claim,  and  to 
convince  the  Governor  that  his  claim  was  valid,  he  made  an  observation  of 
the  heavens,  which  showed  the  latitude  of  Chester  to  be  twelve  miles  south 
of  the  41°  north  to  which  he  claimed.  Should  this  claim  be  allowed,  the 
whole  of  the  south  shore  of  Delaware  Bay  and  River,  and  hence  the  entire 
control  of  the  navigation  to  the  ocean  bed,  the  three  lower  counties  which 
Penn  had  bought  from  the  Duke  of  York,  now  the  State  of  Delaware,  the 
sites  of  the  cities  of  Philadelphia,  York,  Chambersburg,  Gettysburg,  indeed 
the  whole  tier  of  southern  counties  would  have  been  cut  off  from  Pennsyl- 
vania. As  it  will  be  seen,  the  allowance  of  this  claim  would  have  swallowed 
all  the  settlements  that  had  been  made  for  three-quarters  of  a  century,  all 
the  wonderful  emigration  and  growth  which  had  now  set  in,  including  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  53 

great  city  which  Penn  had  projected  with  so  much  satisfaction  and  cherished 
with  his  pains  and  prayers,  the  fairest  section  of  his  territory,  and  more 
than  all.  the  way  of  navigation  to  the  sea. 

Markham,  on  his  part,  exhibited  the  great  charter  of  Penn,  which  ex- 
plicitly provides  that  the  southern  boundary  shall  be  "the  beginning  of 
the  40th  degree  of  north  latitude.  But  this  would  have  included  the  city 
of  Baltimore,  and  even  as  far  south  as  the  District  of  Columbia,  embracing 
all  the  growth  of  Maryland  for  half  a  century,  and  would  have  left  for  Mary- 
land a  modicum  of  land  east  of  the  Potomac  and  south  of  the  39th  degree 
north  along  either  shore  of  the  lower  Chesapeake,  an  area  about  equal  to 
the  present  State  of  Delaware.  This  Lord  Baltimore  regarded  as  an  un- 
endurable hardship,  and  as  his  charter  antedated  that  of  Penn  by  fifty  years, 
he  held  that  the  charter  of  the  latter  was  invalidated,  and  that  his  own 
claim  could  be  maintained. 

It  was  evident  that  neither  of  these  claims  could  be  justly  vindicated 
in  its  integrity,  as,  if  either  were  allowed,  the  other  was  virtually  destroyed. 
In  this  condition,  things  rested  until  the  coming  of  Penn.  The  new  pro- 
prietary, soon  after  his  arrival,  learning  of  the!  claims  put  forth  by  his 
neighbor  at  the  head  of  the  Chesapeake,  determined  to  visit  him,  and  for 
two  days  the  clashing  demands  of  the  two  Governors  were  talked  over  and 
canvassed.  But,  as  the  weather  became  cold,  so  as  to  preclude  the  possi- 
bility of  taking  observations  to  fix  accurately  the  latitude,  it  was  agreed  to 
postpone  further  consideration  of  the  question  for  the  present.  A  picture 
of  these  two  eminent  men  in  this  opening  controversy  would  be  one  of 
great  historical  interest.  We  can  well  imagine  that,  while  the  representative 
of  Pennsylvania  presented  throughout  the  conference  a  demeanor  that  was 
"child-like  and  bland,"  there  was  in  the  brain  which  the  broad-brim  sheltered, 
and  in  the  heart  which  the  shad-bellied  coat  kept  warm,  an  unalterable  pur- 
pose not  to  yield  the  best  portion  of  his  heritage. 

Early  in  the  spring  Penn  invited  Lord  Baltimore  to  come  to  the 
Delaware  for  the  settlement  of  their  differences,  but  it  was  late  in  the  season 
before  he  arrived.  Penn  proposed  that  the  hearing  be  had  before  them  in 
the  nature  of  a  legal  investigation,  with  the  aid  of  council  and  in  writing. 
But  this  was  not  agreeable  to  Baltimore,  and  now  he  complained  of  the 
sultriness  of  the  weather.  Before  it  was  too  cold,  and  now  it  was  too  hot. 
Accordingly,  the  conference  again  broke  up  without  anything  being  accom- 


54  OUR   COUNTY    AXD   ITS  PEOPLE. 

plished.  It  was  now  plainly  evident  that  Baltimore  did  not  intend  to  come 
to  any  agreement  with  Penn,  but  would  carry  his  cause  before  the  royal 
tribunal  in  London. 

Penn  now  understood  all  the  conditions  of  the  controversy,  and  that 
there  were  grave  difficulties  to  be  encountered.  In  the  first  place,  his  own 
charter  was  explicit,  and  would  give  him,  if  allowed,  three  full  degrees  of 
latitude  and  five  of  longitude.  On  the  other  hand,  the  charter  of  Baltimore 
made  his  northern  boundary  the  40th  degree,  but  whether  the  beginning  or 
the  ending  was  not  provided.  If  the  beginning,  then  Maryland  would  l^e 
crowded  down  nearly  to  the  northern  limits  of  the  city  of  ^^'asllington,  and 
Pennsylvania  would  embrace  the  city  of  Baltimore  and  the  greater  portion 
of  what  is  now  Maryland,  and  westerly  beyond  Maryland  a  solid  portion  of 
Virginia,  now  West  Virginia.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  ending,  then 
Philadelphia  and  all  its  southern  tier  of  counties  would  have  to  be  given 
up.  By  the  usual  interpretation  of  language,  the  charter  of  Lord  Baltimore 
would  only  gi\'e  him  to  the  beginning  of  the  fortieth  degree.  But  he  had 
boldly  assumed  the  other  interpretation,  and  hatl  made  nearly  all  his 
settlements  abo\e  that  line.  Again,  it  was  provided  in  his  charter  that  the 
boundaries  prescribed  should  not  include  any  territory  already  settled  by 
any  Christian  prince.  But  it  was  well  known  that  the  settlements  along  the 
right  bank  of  the  Delaware,  from  the  first  visit  of  Hudson,  in  1609,  long 
before  the  charter  of  Lord  Baltimore  was  given,  had  been  made  on  the 
territory  now  claimed  by  him,  settlements  in  which  he  had  no  interest,  which 
he  had  done  nothing  to  promote,  and  over  which  he  had  exercised  no 
go\'ernmental    control. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  were  difficulties  in  construing  one  portion 
of  the  charter  of  Penn,  doubtless  caused  by  the  ignorance  of  the  royal  sec- 
retaries of  the  geography  of  the  country,  there  having  been  no  accurate 
maps  made  at  this  time.  Consequently,  when  they  commenced  to  describe 
the  southern  boundary  of  Pennsylvania  they  said,  "and  on  the  south  by  a 
circle  drawn  at  twelve  miles  distance  from  New  Castle,  northwards  and  west- 
wards unto  the  beginning  of  the  fortieth  degree  of  northern  latitude,  and 
then  by  a  straight  line  westwards  to  the  limit  of  longitude  above  men- 
tioned," that  is,  to  the  panhandle  line,  as  now  ascertained. 

But  this  circle,  which  is  here  described  at  twelve  miles  distant  "from 
New   Castle  northwards   and   westwards,"  to   reach  the  beginning  of  the 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 


55 


fortieth  parallel,  would  not  only  have  to  be  extended  northward  and  west- 
ward but  southward,  and  the  radius  of  twelve  miles  southward  would  by  no 
means  reach  the  beginning  of  the  fortieth  degree,  and  hence  would  have 
to  be  extended  from  an  indefinite  point  and  in  an  arbitrary  direction  un- 
provided for  in  the  charter.  The  royal  secretaries  seemed  to  have  labored 
under  the  impression  that  "New  Castle  town,"  named  in  the  charter,  was 
about  on  the  beginning  of  the  fortieth  ])arallel.  whereas  it  was  nearly  two- 
thirds  of  a  degree  to  the  north  of  that  line. 

Tt  must  be  confessed  that  there  were  many  grave  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  a  satisfactory  adjustment  of  these  counter  claims,  and  it  is  reported 
that  Lord  Baltimore,  on  his  first  visit  to  Markham,  after  having  found  by 
stellar  observation  the  true  latitude  of  New  Castle,  and  heard  the  provisions 
of  Penn's  charter  read,  dolefully  but  very  pertinently  asked:  "If  this  be 
allowed,  where  then  is  my  province?'"  Baltimore,  from  the  ver\-  moment 
that  he  discovered  what  the  claims  of  Penn  were,  had  evidently  resolved 
not  to  make  any  ettort  to  come  to  an  agreement  with  Penn,  which  is 
abundantly  shown  by  his  frivolous  excuses  for  not  proceeding  to  business 
in  their  several  interviews,  but  had  determined  to  pursue  a  bold  policy  in 
]nishing  the  sale  of  lands  on  the  disputed  tract,  constantly  assuming  that 
his  interpretation  was  the  true  one.  and  even  opening  an  aggressive  policy, 
trusting  to  the  maintenance  of  his  claims  before  the  officers  of  the  crown 
in    England. 

Accordingly.  Baltimore  issued  proposals  for  the  sale  of  lands  in  the 
lower  counties,  now  the  State  of  Delaware  Territory,  which  Penn  had 
secured  by  deed  from  the  Duke  of  York,  after  receiving  his  charter  from 
the  King,  offering  cheaper  rates  for  land  than  Penn  had  done.  Penn  also 
learned  that  Baltimore  had  sent  a  surveyor  to  take  an  observation  and  find 
the  latitude  of  New  Castle,  had  prepared  an  ex  parte  statement  of  his  case, 
and  was  actually,  by  his  agents,  pressing  the  case  to  a  decision  before  the 
Lords  of  the  Committee  of  Plantations  in  England,  without  giving  any 
notice  to  Penn.  Believing  in  the  strong  point  of  possession,  Baltimore 
determined  to  pursue  a  vigorous  policy.  He  accordingly  drew  up  a  sum- 
mons to  quit,  and  sent  a  messenger.  Colonel  Talbot,  to  Philadelphia  to 
"demand  of  William  Penn  all  that  part  of  the  land  on  the  west  side  of  said 
river  that  lieth  to  the  southward  of  the  fortieth  degree  of  north  latitude." 
Penn  was  absent  at  the  time,  and  the  summons  was  delivered  to  the  acting 


56  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

Governor,  Nicholas  Moore.  But  upon  his  return,  the  Proprietary  made 
answer  in  strong  but  earnest  terms,  showing  the  grounds  of  his  own  claim, 
and  repelling  any  counter  claim.  The  conduct  of  Baltimore  alarmed  him, 
for  he  saw  plainly  that  if  settlers  from  Maryland  entered  his  province  under 
claim  of  protection  from  its  Governor,  it  would  soon  lead  to  actual  conflict 
for  possession.  What  he  feared  came  to  pass  sooner  than  he  anticipated, 
for  in  the  spring  of  1684,  in  time  to  ])ut  in  their  crops,  a  company  from 
Maryland  came  in  force  into  the  lower  counties,  drove  off  the  peaceable 
Pennsylvania  settlers,  and  took  possession  of  their  farms.  Taking  the 
advice  of  his  council,  Penn  sent  a  copy  of  his  reply  to  the  demand  that 
Talbot  had  brought,  which  he  ordered  to  be  read  to  the  intruders,  and 
directed  William  Welch,  Sheriff  of  the  county,  to  reinstate  the  lawful 
owners.  He  then  issued  his  proclamation  reiterating  and  defending  his 
claims,  and  warning  all  intruders  to  desist  in  ftiture  from  such  unlawful 
acts. 

To  the  peaceful  and  loving  disposition  of  Penn,  this  contention  was 
exceedingly  distasteful.  As  for  quantity  of  land,  he  freely  declared  that  he 
would  have  had  enough  if  he  had  retained  only  the  two  degrees  which  would 
have  remained  after  allowing  Baltimore  all  that  he  claimed.  But  he  was 
unwilling  to  give  up  the  rapidly  growing  city  which  he  had  founded  and 
colonies  which  he  had  rightfully  acquired,  and,  more  than  all,  to  yield  pos- 
session of  Delaware  Bay  and  River,  the  only  means  of  communication  with 
the  ocean.  He  foresaw  that  if  the  two  shores  of  this  noble  stream  were  in 
the  possession  of  hostile  States,  how  easy  it  would  be  for  them  to  make 
harassing  regulations  governing  its  navigation.  But  Penn  was  a  man  of 
just  and  benevolent  instincts,  and  he  was  willing  to  make  reasonable  con- 
cessions and  compromises  to  secure  peace  and  satisfy  his  neighbor  in  Mary- 
land. Accordingly,  at  one  of  their  interviews,  Penn  asked  Baltimore  what 
he  would  ask  per  square  mile  for  the  territory  south  of  the  Delaware  and 
reaching  to  the  ocean,  though  he  already  had  the  deed  for  this  same  land 
from  the  Duke  of  York,  secured  by  patent  from  the  King,  and  Baltimore's 
own  patent  expressly  provided  that  he  could  not  claim  territory  already 
settled  by  any  Christian  prince.  But  this  generous  ofifer  to  purchase  what 
he  already  owned  was  rejected  by  the  proprietor  of  Maryland. 

Penn  now  saw  but  too  plainly  that  there  was  no  hope  of  coming  to  a 
peaceful  and  equitable  composition  of  their  differences  in  this  country,  and 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  57 

that  if  he  would  secure  a  decision  in  his  interests  he  had  no  time  to  lose  in 
repairing  to  London,  and  personally  defending  his  rights  before  the  royal 
commission.  There  is  no  question  but  that  he  came  to  this  decision  with 
unfeigned  regret.  His  colony  was  prosperous,  the  settlers  were  contented 
and  happy  in  their  new  homes,  the  country  itself  was  all  that  he  could 
wish,  and  he  no  doubt  fondly  hoped  to  live  and  die  in  the  midst  of  his 
people.  But  the  demand  for  his  return  to  England  was  imperative,  and  he 
prepared  to  obey  it.  He  accordingly  empowered  the  Provincial  Council,  of 
which  Thomas  Lloyd  was  President,  to  act  in  his  stead,  and  on  the  6th  of 
June,  1684,  sailed  for  England. 

From  on  board  the  vessel  before  leaving  the  Delaware,  he  sent  back 
an  address  to  the  Council,  in  which  he  expressed  his  regret  at  being  com- 
pelled to  leave  them,  and  pointed  out  to  them  the  only  true  source  of  light 
in  the  management  of  the  affairs  of  the  colony:  "Dear  Friends,"  he  said, 
"my  love  and  my  life  is  to  you  and  with  you,  and  no  water  can  quench  it 
nor  distance  wear  it  out,  nor  bring  it  to  an  end.  I  have  been  with  you,  cared 
over  you,  and  served  you  with  unfeigned  love,  and  you  are  beloved  of  me 
and  near  to  me  beyond  utterance.  .  .  .  Oh  that  you  would  eye  Him 
in  all,  through  all,  and  above  all  the  works  of  your  hands,  for  to  a  blessed  end 
are  you  brought  hither.  .  .  .  You  are  now  come  to  a  quiet  land;  pro- 
voke not  the  Lord  to  trouble  it,  and  now  that  liberty  and  authority  are  with 
you  and  in  your  hands,  let  the  government  be  upon  His  shoulders,  in  all 
your  spirits,  that  you  may  rule  for  Him,  under  whom  the  princes  of  this 
world  will  one  day  esteem  it  their  honor  to  govern  and  serve  in  their  places. 
.  .  .  And  thou,  Philadelphia,  the  virgin  settlement  of  this  province, 
named  before  thou  wert  born,  what  love,  what  service  and  what  travail  has 
there  been  to  bring  thee  forth,  and  preserve  thee  from  such  as  would  abuse 
and  defile  thee!" 

Upon  his  arrival  in  England,  on  the  6th  of  October,  he  took  an  early 
opportunity  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  King,  and  the  Duke  of  York,  "who 
received  me  very  graciously,  as  did  the  ministers  very  civilly.  Yet  I  found 
things  in  general  with  another  face  than  I  left  them— sour  and  stern,  and 
resolved  to  hold  the  reins  of  power  with  a  stiffer  hand  than  before."  In  a 
letter  to  Lloyd  in  America,  of  the  i6th  of  March,  1685,  he  says:  "The  King 
(Charles  H.)  is  dead,  and  the  Duke  (James  II.)  succeeds  peaceably.  He 
was  well  on  the   First-day  night,  being  the  first  of  February,  so  called. 


58  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

About  eight  next  morning,  as  he  sat  down  to  shave,  his  head  twitched  both 
ways  or  sides,  and  he  gave  a  shriek  and  fell  as  dead,  and  so  remained  some 
hours.  They  opportunely  blooded  and  cupped  him,  and  plied  his  head  with 
red  hot  frying  pans.  He  returned  and  continued  till  Sixth-day  noon,  but 
mostly  in  great  tortures.  He  seemed  very  penitent,  asking  pardon  of  all, 
even  the  poorest  subject  he  had  wronged.  ...  He  was  an  able  man 
for  a  divided  and  troubled  kingdom.  The  present  King  was  proclaimed 
about  three  o'clock  that  day." 

The  new  King,  being  a  personal  friend  of  Penn,  he  had  hopes  of  favor 
at  court,  and  did  secure  many  indulgences  for  his  oppressed  Friends  in  the 
kingdom,  but  the  ministry  was  bitterly  hostile  to  dissenters,  and  he  found 
his  controversy  with  Lord  Baltimore  very  difficult  of  adjustment.  He  con- 
cluded that  the  longer  it  was  allow^ed  to  run  the  less  likely  he  would  be  to 
secure  justice,  and  accordingly  pressed  for  a  final  settlement,  and  in  Novem- 
ber, 1685,  a  decision  was  made  in  the  English  court  compromising  the 
claims  of  the  two  Governors,  and  providing  that  the  territory  between  the 
Delaware  and  the  Chesapeake  should  be  divided  by  a  line  through  the 
center,  and  that  the  portion  bordering  upon  the  Delaware  should  belong 
to  Penn,  and  that  upon  the  Chesapeake  to  Lord  Baltimore. 

This  settled  the  dispute  in  theory  for  the  time,  but  upon  attempting  to 
measure  and  run  a  dividing  line,  the  language  of  the  act  was  so  indefinite 
that  the  attempt  was  abandoned,  and  the  old  controversy  was  again  renewed, 
for  farmers  on  either  side  found  portions  of  their  farms  lying  upon  either 
side  of  the  line,  and  the  act  made  no  provision  for  running  the  line  west- 
ward. Not  wishing  to  press  his  suit  at  once  while  the  memory  of  the 
decision  already  made  was  green.  Lord  Baltimore  sufifered  the  controversy  to 
rest,  and  each  party  laid  claim  to  the  territorj'  adjudged  to  him  by  the  royal 
decree,  but  without  any  division  line. 

This  was  unsatisfactory  to  the  inhabitants,  and  on  the  28th  of  April, 
1707,  the  government  of  IMaryland  presented  to  the  Queen  an  address  ask- 
ing that  an  order  should  be  made  requiring  the  authorities  of  the  two 
colonies,  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  "to  run  the  division  lines,  and  ascer- 
tain the  boundaries  between  them,  for  the  ease  of  the  inhabitants,  who  have 
been  much  distressed  by  their  itlicertainty."  It  would  appear  that  the  con- 
troversy,— after  \\'illiani  Penn,  in  1685,  had  secured  the  lands  upon  the  right 
bank  of  the  Delaware, — was  left  to  work  out  its  own  cure,  as  a  definite 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  59 

agreement  was  entered  into  in  the  life  time  of  the  founder  that  the  author- 
ities in  neither  colony  should  disturb  the  settlers  already  located  in  the 
other,  Penn  no  doubt  believing  that  in  the  race  for  settlers  he  could  dis- 
tance his  antagonist.  Repeated  conferences  were  held  and  lines  run,  but 
nothing  satisfactory  was  accomplished  during  the  lives  of  the  founders.  But 
on  the  4th  of  July,  1760,  Frederick,  Lord  Baron  Baltimore,  and  Thomas, 
and  Richard  Penn,  sons  of  William  Penn,  entered  into  an  elaborate  and 
formal  treaty  by  which  the  limits  of  the  two  provinces  were  finally  settled, 
so  far  as  these  two  provinces  were  concerned.  The  boundar\'  lines  were 
made  mathematically  exact,  so  that  there  could  by  no  possibilitv  be  further 
controversy,  provided  surveyors  could  be  found  who  had  the  skill  and  the 
instruments  necessary  for  determining  them. 

The  line  was  to  commence  at  Cape  Henlopen,  on  the  Atlantic  coast. 
This  cape,  as  originally  located,  was  placed  on  the  point  opposite  Cape 
]vlav,  at  the  entrance  to  Delaware  FJay.  and  Cape  Henrietta  was  fifteen  miles 
down  the  coast.  By  an  error  in  the  maj)  used  by  the  parties,  the  names  of  these 
two  capes  had  been  interchanged,  and  Henlopen  was  placed  fifteen  miles  be- 
low Henrietta.  At  this  mistaken  point,  therefore,  the  division  commenced. 
WliL-n  this  was  discovered,  a  complaint  was  made  before  Lord  Hardwick. 
but  in  a  formal  decree,  promulgated  in  1750,  it  was  declared  "that  Cape 
Henlopen  ought  to  be  declared  and  taken  to  be  situated  at  the  place  where 
the  same  is  laid  down  and  described  in  the  maps  or  plans  annexed  to  the 
said  articles,  to  be  situated." 

The  point  of  beginning  having  been  settled,  the  dividing  lines  were  to 
be  as  follows:  Commencing  at  Cape  Henlopen  on  the  Atlantic,  a  due  west 
line  was  to  be  run  to  the  shore  of  Chesapeake  Bay,  found  to  be  sixty-nine 
miles,  298  perches.  At  the  middle  point  of  this  line,  a  line  was  to  be 
run  northwardly  till  it  should  form  a  tangent  to  the  w'est  side  of  a  circle 
draw  n  with  a  radius  of  twelve  miles  from  the  spire  of  the  New  Castle  court 
house  as  a  center.  From  this  tangent  point  a  line  was  to  be  run  due  north 
to  a  parallel  drawn  from  a  point  fifteen  miles  south  of  the  most  southern 
extremity  of  the  boundary  line  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  the  point 
thus  reached  should  be  the  northeast  corner  of  Maryland,  and  was  m  fact 
five  miles,  one  chain  and  fifty  links  due  north  from  the  tangent  point.  If 
the  due  north  line  from  the  tangent  point  should  cut  off  the  segment  of  a 
circle  from   the  twelve-mile  circuit,  then  the  slice  thus  cut  oft'  should  be 


6o  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

adjudged  a  part  of  New  Castle  County,  and  consequently  should  belong  to 
Pennsylvania.  The  corner-stone  at  the  extremity  of  the  due  north  Hne  from 
the  tangent  point  was  to  be  the  beginning  of  the  now  famous  Mason  and 
Dixon  line,  and  was  to  extend  due  west  to  the  western  limit  of  Maryland. 

This  settled  the  long  dispute  so  far  as  it  could  be  on  paper,  but  to  execute 
its  provisions  in  practice  was  more  diiificult.  The  primeval  forest  covered 
the  greater  part  of  the  line,  stubborn  mountains  stood  in  the  way,  and 
instruments  were  imperfect  and  liable  to  variation.  Commissioners  were 
appointed  to  survey  and  establish  the  lines  in  1739,  but  a  controversy  having 
arisen  whether  the  measurement  should  be  horizontal  or  superficial,  the 
commission  broke  up  and  nothing  more  was  done  until  1760,  when  the  fol- 
iowing-named  surveyors  were  appointed:  John  Lukens  and  Archibald 
McLean  on  the  part  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Thomas  Garnett  and  Jonathan 
Hall  for  Maryland,  who  commenced  to  lay  off  the  lines  as  provided  in  the 
indenture  of  agreement  entered  into  by  the  proprietaries.  Their  first  care 
was  to  clear  away  the  vistas,  or  narrow  openings,  twenty-four  feet  wide 
through  the  forest.  Having  ascertained  the  middle  point  of  the  Henlopen 
line,  as  required,  they  ran  an  experimental  line  north  until  opposite  New 
Castle,  when  they  measured  the  radius  of  twelve  miles  and  fixed  the  tangent 
point.  There  were  so  many  perplexing  conditions,  that  it  required  much 
time  to  perfect  their  calculations  and  plant  their  bounds. 

After  these  surveyors  had  been  three  years  at  their  work,  the  proprie- 
taries in  England,  thinking  the  reason  of  their  long  protracted  labors  in- 
dicative of  a  lack  of  scientific  knowledge  on  their  part,  or  lack  of  suitable 
instruments,  employed,  on  the  4th  of  August,  1763,  two  surveyors  and 
mathematicians  to  go  to  America  and  conduct  the  work.  They  brought 
with  them  the  best  instruments  procurable,  an  excellent  sector  "six  feet 
radius,  which  magnified  twenty-five  times,  the  property  of  the  Hon.  Mr. 
Penn,  the  first  which  ever  had  the  plumb  line  passing  over  and  bisecting 
a  point  at  the  center  of  the  instrument."  They  obtained  from  the  Royal 
Society  a  brass  standard  measure,  and  standard  chains.  These  surveyors 
were  none  other  than  Charles  Mason  and  Jeremiah  Dixon,  names  forever 
blazoned  upon  the  political  history  of  the  United  States,  magnates  at  home, 
but  no  more  skilled  nor  more  accurate  in  their  work,  over  mountains  and 
valleys,  through  the  tangled  and  interminable  forests  of  the  American  con- 


OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  6i 

tinent,  than  our  own  fellow  citizens.  McLean  and  Lukens,  and  Garnett  and 
Hall,  who  had  preceded  them. 

The  daily  notes  of  Mason  and  Dixon  commence  November  15th,  1763, 
and  the  first  entry  is:  "Arrived  at  Philadelphia;"  "i6th,  attended  meeting 
of  the  commissioners  appointed  to  settle  the  bounds  of  Pennsylvania;" 
"22d  to  28th.  landed  and  set  up  instruments,  and  found  they  had  received 
no  damage."  "December  5th,  directed  carpenter  to  build  an  observatory 
near  the  point  settled  by  the  commissioners  to  l)e  the  south  point  of  the 
city  of  Philadelphia."  which  was  to  be  one  of  the  initial  points  of  the  line. 
\\  hen  the  obser\atory  was  finished,  the  instruments  were  mounted  and 
otiservations  taken  to  fix  the  latitude  of  the  place. 

Nearl}'  one  whole,  year  was  spent  in  ascertaining  the  middle  point  of 
the  clue  east  and  west  line  across  the  peninsula  from  Cape  Henlopen  on  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  running  the  line  northward  to  find  the 
tangent  point  on  the  twelve-mile  periphery  of  a  circle  measured  from  the 
center  of  the  Court  Plouse  at  New  Castle  as  a  center,  and  on  the  13th  of 
November.  1764,  they  make  the  following  entry  in  their  notes:  "From 
data  in  minute  of  ye  27th  of  August,  we  computed  how  far  the  true  tangent 
would  Ije  distant  from  the  post  (show  us  to  be  the  tangent  point  as  ascer- 
tained bv  the  home  surveyors.  McLean,  etc.),  and  found  it  would  not  pass 
one  inch  to  the  eastward  or  westward.  On  measuring  the  angle  of  our  last 
line,  with  the  direction  from  New  Castle,  it  was  so  near  a  right  angle  that 
on  a  mean  from  our  lines  the  above-mentioned  post  is  the  true  tangent  point. 
Thus  It  was  shown  that  notwithstanding  all  the  difficulties  encountered  by 
.  the  original  appointees,  the  English  surveyors  found,  after  a  year's  careful 
labor,  that  the  work  of  their  predecessors  was  correct. 

On  the  18th  of  June.  1765.  Mason  and  Dixon  made  this  entry  in  their 
notes:  "We  set  seven  stones,  viz.:  one  at  the  tangent  point,  four  iif  the 
periffery  of  the  circle  round  New  Castle,  one  in  the  north  line  from  the 
tangent  point,  and  one  at  the  intersection  of  the  north  line  (from  ye  tangent 
point),  and  the  parallel  fifteen  miles  south  of  the  southermost  point  of  the 
city  of  Philadelphia,  The  Gent.  Commissioners  of  both  provinces  present." 
Having  now  ascertained  the  exact  location  of  the  northeast  corner  of 
Maryland,  which  was  to  be  the  beginning  of  the  dividing  line  between 
Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  which  was  found  to  be  39°  43'  26",  these  sur- 
veyors,   Mason    and    Dixon,    commenced    running    the    line    due    west    on 


62 


OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 


this  parallel.  Along  a  portion  of  this  line  were  clearings  and  cultivated 
fields,  hut  for  the  most  part  the  dense  forest  was  unbroken,  necessitating  the 
employment  of  a  considerable  company  of  axmen  to  open  a  vista  and  clear 
away  the  cuttings.  This  line  thus  formally  determined  extended  o\-er  hill 
and  dale,  across  streams,  everywhere  rugged,  and  up  the  precipitous  sides 
of  the  mountains.  To  keep  on  a  due  west  line,  observations  had  to  be  made 
nightly  of  the  stars. 

That  the  reader  may  observe  the  methods  by  which  these  surveyors 
conducted  their  work,  there  is  subjoined  a  table  of  one  night's  observations : 


PLANE   OF   THE  SECTOR   FACING  THE   EAST. 


3 


^  :->() 


^  O 

CO 

h.     ' 

<r  Lyrre    18  29 

y  Androniedre.  .  i  49 

ft  Persei     2  53 

5    Persei     ,!  26 

Capella   4  59 

cl  Aurig;e 5  42 


03    0 


3 


O 
5i 


> 
•o 

O.'O 


05 

W 

C 

[U 

3- 

■  t/i 

0 

-1 

0 

V- 

-1 

n> 

N 

n 

w 

3 

i-+ 

a. 

I  20+ 

\    9 
1  II 

29^ 
47 

2 

17-5 

I 

22 

1-5 

S 

I  15— 

J     7 
/    7 

32 
41 

0 

9.0 

I 

14 

51.0 

N 

0      5+ 

jio 

/     9 

16H 
43K- 

0 

25.0 

0 

5 

25.0 

N 

7       5— 

S    8 
I    9 

43 

34K^ 

0 

43.5 

7 

4 

ib.5 

N 

5     50— 

/    9 

24 

24^-: 

3 

0.0 

5 

47 

24.0 

N 

4     55  + 

n 

40^ 

2 

29.  S 

5 

57 

13.5 

N 

II 

CHA:    MASON. 
JERE:   DIXON. 

On  the  -'jth  of  October,  1765,  the  following  entry  was  made:  "Captain 
Shelby  again  went  with  us  to  the  summit  of  the  mountain  (when  the  air 
was  very  clear)  and  showed  us  the  northermost  bend  of  the  Potowmack 
at  the  Conoloways;  from  which  we  judge  the  line  will  jiass  about  two  miles 
to  the  north  of  the  said  river.  From  hence  we  could  see  the  Alleghany 
Mountains  for  many  miles,  and  judge  it  by  its  appearance  to  be  about  fifty 
miles  distance  in  the  direction  of  the  line." 

On  the  2(ith  of  September,  1766,  the  following  important  entry  was 
made:  "From  an  eminence  in  the  line  where  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  of  the 
visto  can  be  seen  (of  which  there  are  manv).  the  said  line,  or  visto,  verv 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  63 

apparently  shows  itself  to  form  a  parallel  of  northern  latitncle.  The  line  is 
measured  horizontal  (that  is  as  though  the  surface  was  one  dead  level  and 
not  over  hill  and  through  valley)  the  hills  and  mountains  with  a  i64-feet 
level,  and  heside  the  mile  posts  we  ha\-e  set  posts  in  the  true  line  (marked 
W  on  the  west  side)  all  along  the  line  opposite  the  stationary  points,  where 
the  Sector  and  Transit  instruments  stood.  The  said  posts  stand  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  Visto,  which  in  general  is  ahout  eight  yards  wide.  The  numher 
of  posts  in  the  west  line  is  303."' 

It  will  he  understood  that  this  "visto,"  or  vista,  projjerly,  was  a 
straight  east  and  west  helt  of  some  twenty-five  feet  wide,  cleared  hy  the 
axmen  through  the  dense  forest  for  the  purpose  of  the  survey.  The  view 
from  these  eminences  to  which  they  refer  must  have  heen  grand,  the  forest 
for  the  most  part  resting  undisturbed,  as  it  had  been  for  ages,  the  two  sides 
of  the  clearing  seeming  in  the  distance  to  approach  each  other  and  join, 
the  silver  current  of  the  ri\er  showing  here  and  there,  and  the  noisy  brook 
tumbling  down  the  mountain  side.  In  the  spring  time  the  surveyors  were 
often  awakened  in  the  morning  by  the  gobbling  of  the  wild  turkeys,  and 
the  rattle  of  their  chains  chimed  melodiousl}'  with  the  distant  drumming  of 
the  partridge. 

On  the  14th  to  i8th  of  July,  1767,  they  make  the  following  entries: 
"Xx  if:8  miles  7S  chains  is  the  top  of  the  great  dividing  ridge  of  the  AUe- 
ghanv  ^Mountains.  At  l(^g  m.  60  ch.  crossed  a  small  branch  of  the  little 
Yochio  Geni.  The  head  of  Savage  River,  distant  about  a  mile.  This  day 
(1 6th)  we  "were  joined  by  fourteen  Indians  deputized  by  the  chiefs  of  the 
Six  Nations  to  go  with  us  on  the  line.  With  them  came  Mr.  Hugh  Craw- 
ford, interpreter."  August  17th:  "At  this  station  Mr.  John  Greene,  one  of 
the  Chiefs  of  the  Mohock  Nation,  and  his  neiiliew  left  us  in  order  to  return, 
to  their  own  country."  September  27th  are  the  following  notes:  "About 
a  mile  and  a  half  north  of  where  the  Sector  stands  the  rivers  Cheat  and 
?ilanaungahela  joyn.  The  mouth  of  Redstone  Creek,  by  information,  bears 
due  north  from  this  station,  distant  25  miles.  Fort  Pit  is  supposed  to  be 
due  north,  distant  al)Out  50  miles."  September  30th:  "At  222  miles  34  • 
chains  50  links  the  cast  bank  of  ye  River  Manaungahela,  breadth  about  5 
chains." 

It  was  deemed  necessary  to  have  delegations  from  the  Six  Nations, 
and  from  other  tribes  which  had  an  interest  in  these  lands,  to  accompany  the 


64  OUR   COUNTY   AND  ITS   PEOPLE. 

surveyors,  as  they  would  doubtless  have  taken  offense  at  what  they  might 
have  conceived  this  clearing  the  forest  from  a  track  over  mountain  and 
through  valley  by  this  long  vista  to  be  an  inexcusable  interference  with 
their  rights  of  soil,  and  would  doubtless  have  had  recourse  to  the  scalping 
knife  before  many  monuments  had  been  planted,  or  the  gobble  of  many 
turkeys  had  been  disturbed.  In  securing  the  co-operation  of  the  Indians, 
Sir  \\'illiam  Johnson  of  New  York,  who  had  much  influence  with  the  Six 
Nations,  was  of  great  advantage. 

In  all  the  work  of  the  surveyors  the  Indians  had  preserved  an  attitude 
of  awe  and  superstitious  dread.  They  could  not  understand  what  all  this 
peering  into  the  heavens,  and  always  in  the  dead  of  the  night,  portended  (as 
all  astronomical  observations  must  be  made  at  that  time  of  night  when  the 
particular  star  desired  came  into  view).  They  looked  with  special  distrust 
on  those  curious  little  tubes  provided  with  glass  windows  at  each  end, 
through  which  the  surveyors  stood,  patiently  watching  somebody  away  in 
the  far-off  heavens.  The  Six  Nations,  who  were  supreme  in  those  parts,  had 
given  permission  by  treaty  to  run  this  line;  but  when  they  heard  of  the 
methods  adopted  we  may  well  imagine  their  speculations  in  their  far-away 
council  chambers,  in  the  deep  shadows  of  the  wood,  touching  the  purpose 
of  these  nightly  vigils.  They  entertained  a  suspicion  that  the  surveyors 
were  holding  communication  with  spirits  in  the  skies,  who  were  pointing 
out  the  track  of  their  line.  So  much  had  their  fears  become  wrought  upon 
that  when  ]\Iason  and  Dixon  had  reached  the  summit  of  the  Little  Alle- 
ghany, the  Six  Nations  gave  notice  upon  the  departure  of  their  agents 
that  the  survey  must  cease  at  that  point.  But  by  the  adroit  representations 
of  Sir  William  Johnson  they  were  induced  to  allow  the  survey  to  proceed. 

No  further  interruption  was  experienced  until  they  reached  the  bottom 
of  a  deep  dark  valley  on  the  border  of  a  stream,  marked  Dunkard  Creek, 
on  their  map,  where  they  came  upon  an  ancient  Indian  warpath  winding 
through  the  dense  forest.  Here  the  representatives  of  the  Six  Nations  de- 
clared was  the  limit  of  the  ground  which  their  commission  covered,  and 
refused  to  proceed  further.  In  the  language  of  the  field  notes,  "This  day 
the  Chief  of  the  Indians,  which  joined  us  on  the  i6th  of  July,  informed  us 
that  the  above'mentioned  War  Path  was  the  extent  of  his  commission  from 
the  Chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations,  that  he  should  go  with  us  to  the  line,  and 
that  he  would  not  proceed  one  step  further." 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  65 

For  some  days  previous  the  Indians  had  been  giving  intimations  of 
trouble,  and  when  arrived  at  the  banks  of  the  Manaungahela  "twenty-six  of 
our  men  left  us,"  say  the  notes.  "They  would  not  pass  the  river  for  fear  of 
ihe  Shawnees  and  Delaware  Indians.  But  we  prevailed  upon  fifteen  ax-men 
to  proceed  with  us:  and  with  them  w^e  continued  the  line  westward."  There 
would  have  been  no  safety  to  the  surveyors  without  the  Indian  escort,  as 
they  would  have  been  at  the  mercy  of  wandering  bands  of  savages  who 
knew  not  the  meaning  of  the  word  compassion  or  mercy,  but  who  would 
dash  the  brains  out  of  a  helpless  infant  and  tear  the  scalp  from  the  head  of 
a  trembling  and  defenseless  female  with  as  keen  a  relish  as  they  ever  sat 
down  to  a  breakfast  of  hot  turtle  soup.  Therefore  there  was  no  alterna- 
tive, and  though  they  were  now  within  thirty-six  miles  of  the  end  of  the 
line,  and  in  a  few  days  more  would  have  reached  the  limit,  they  were  forced 
to  desist;  and  here  on  the  margin  of  Dunkard  Creek,  on  the  line  of  the 
famous  Indian  war-path,  in  Greene  County,  Mason  and  Dixon  set  up  their 
last  monumental  stone  233  m.  13  ch.  68  links  from  the  initial  point  of  this 
now  famous  line  which  bears  their  name,  and  ended  the  survey.  Returning 
to  Philadelphia  they  made  their  final  report  to  the  commissioners  of  the 
two  States,  and  received  their  final  discharge  on  the  26th  of  December,  1767. 

The  work  of  these  surveyors  was  tedious  and  toilsome,  being  conducted 
in  the  primeval  forest  through  which  a  continuous  vista  had  to  be  cleared 
as  they  went,  and  in  which  they  were  obliged  to  camp  out  in  all  weathers 
of  a  changeable  climate.  To  keep  on  a  due  east  and  west  line  they  were 
exclusively  guided  by  the  stars,  and  their  rest  had  to  be  constantly  broken 
by  these  necessary  vigils. 

By  the  terms  of  the  agreement  of  1732,  and  the  order  of  the  Lord  High 
Chancellor  Hardwick,  every  fifth  mile  of  this  line  was  to  be  marked  by  a 
stone  monument  engraved  with  arms  of  the  Proprietaries,  and  the  interme- 
diate miles  by  sipiilar  stones  marked  by  a  P  on  the  side  facing  Pennsylvania, 
and  an  M  on  the  side  facing  Maryland.  These  stones  were  some  twelve 
inches  square,  and  four  feet  long,  and  were  cut  and  engraved  in  England 
ready  for  setting.  The  fixing  the  exact  location  of  these  stones  gave  no 
little  vexation  to  the  surveyors.  This  formal  marking,  as  directed,  was  ob- 
served till  the  line  reached  Sidelong  Hill;  but  all  wheel  transportation  ceas- 
ing for  lack  of  roads,  the  further  marking  was  by  the  "  'visto,'  eight  or  nine 
yards  wide,"  "and  marks  were  set  up  on  the  tops  of  the  high  hills  and  moun- 


66  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

tains.  Their  entry  on  the  19th  of  November,  1767,  was:  "Snow  twelve  or 
fourteen  inches  deep:  made  a  pile  of  stones  on  the  top  of  Savage  Moun- 
tain, or  the  great  dividing  ridge  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains."  Mason  and 
Dixon  were  paid  twenty-one  shillings  a  day  for  their  labor,  the  entire  expense 
to  Pennsylvania  being  £34,  200,  or  $171,  000. 

It  should  here  be  observed  that  so  far  as  Maryland  was  concerned  the 
Avork  of  the  survey  should  have  ended  where  the  western  boundary  of  that 
State  meets  the  southern  boundary  of  Pennsylvania,  though  Maryland 
paid  its  share  of  the  expense  of  the  survey  as  long  as  Mason  and  Dixon  were 
employed.  Why  the  authorities  continued  the  survey  beyond  the  limits  of 
their  State  is  not  evident,  though  it  is  probable  that  the  western  bound  of 
the  State  had  not  yet  been  surveyed  and  determined,  as  it  was  to  be  depend- 
ent upon  the  most  western  source  of  the  Potomac  River,  which  had  not 
probably  been  definitely  ascertained,  and  they  may  have  hoped  that  a  more 
western  spring  than  any  then  known  would  be  found  which  might  possibly 
carry  them  as  far  west  as  Pennsylvania.  It  is  not  clear  either  why  the  au- 
thorities of  Pennsylvania  proceeded  further  with  the  survey  than  the  ending 
of  Maryland;  for  their  charter  would  give  them  to  the  beginning  of  the  40th 
degree  for  all  territory  beyond  the  limits  of  Maryland. 


o 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE    PLANTING    OF    THE    LEADEN  PLATES    BY    CELERON. 


AS  HAS  been  previously  observed,  it  was  held  as  a  principk  of  the  law 
of  nations  that  the  discovery  and  occupancy  of  the  mouth  of  a  river 
entitles  the  discoverer  to  all  the  land  drained  by  that  river,  and  its 
tributaries,  even  to  their  remotest  sources.  By  reason  of  the  discoveries 
of  Marquette  and  La  Salle,  and  the  formal  possession  taken  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River  by  them  under  the  French  Flag,  France  now  laid  claim  to  all 
the  territory  drained  by  this  river.  Had  this  claim  been  enforced  all  that 
portion  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  lying  to  the  westward  of 
the  watershed  formed  by  the  Alleghany  Mountains  would  have  been  in  the 
possession  of  the  French,  and  Crawford  County  would  have  been  settled 
by  a  French-speaking  people,  subjects  of  the  French  King. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  the  North  American  Continent  by  Europeans, 
the  French  showed  the  greater  spirit  and  enterprise,  the  propagators  of  the 
Catholic  religion  manifesting  a  zeal  rarely  equaled  in  any  land.  In  1688 
France  commenced  a  wasting  war  against  England,  its  allies,  which  was 
finally  conckided  by  the  treaty  of  Ryswick,  by  which  France  was  confirmed 
in  possession  of  Hudson  Bay,  Canada,  and  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi: 
but  it  was  provided  that  neither  party  should  interfere  with  the  Indian  allies 
of  the  other.  Both  parties  laid  claim  to  the  Six  Nations  as  allies.  Jesuit 
priests  were  active  in  endeavoring  to  win  these  Indians  over  to  the  French 
which  induced  the  New  York  Legislature,  in  1700,  to  pass  an  act  "to  hang 
every  popish  priest  that  should  come  voluntarily  into  the  province."  In 
1698,  through  the  offices  of  Count  Pontchartrain,  DTberville  was  appointed 
Governor,  and  his  brother,  De  Bienville,  intendant  of  Louisiana,  and  were 
sent  with  a  colony  direct  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  to  make  a  settle- 
ment there. 

Peace  between  France  and  England  was  of  short  duration,  and  in  1701 
war  broke  out  again  between  them,  which  was  waged  along  the  border  m 

67 


68  OUR   COUNTY   AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

America  with  sanguinarv"  ferocity  and  crueltv'.  It  was  concluded  by  the 
peace  of  Utrecht  in  1713,  by  which  England  obtaiaed  control  of  the  fish- 
eries. Hudson  Bay,  and  its  borders,  Newrfoundland  and  Nova  Scotia,  or 
-Vcadie,  and  it  was  expressly  stipulated  that  "France  should  not  molest 
the  Five  Nations,  subject  to  the  dominion  of  Great  Britain,  whose  posses- 
sions embraced  the  whole  of  Xew  York  and  Pennsylvania,  though  the 
French  did  not  allow  them  that  much  territo^\^  But  the  valley  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi still  remained  to  the  French,  the  English  Ambassadors  not  being 
ahve  to  the  importance  of  this  magnificent  stretch  of  countrv'.  Williain 
Perm  had  ad\-ised  that  the  St.  Lawrence  River  should  be  made  the  boundar\- 
line  on  the  north," and  that  the  EngHsh  claim  should  include  the  great  valley 
of  the  continent.  It  "will  make  a  glorious  countrv',"  said  Penn.  This 
advice  was  given  by  Penn  when  he  had  the  ear  of  the  English  Monarch, 
and  when  he  was  much  relied  upon  for  private  counsel.  The  failure  to  fix 
definitely  the  bounds  caused  another  half  century-  of  bitter  contention  and 
bloody  strife,  in  which  the  ignorant  savages  were  used  as  agents  by  either 
party.  In  1748  a  four  years'  war  was  concluded  between  the  old  enemies. 
French  and  Enghsh.  by  the  peace  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  by  which  England 
was  confirmed  in  her  possessions  in  North  America.  But  the  boundaries 
v>-erc  still  indefinite. 

France  claimed  the  Mississippi  Valley  in  its  entirety:  that  is.  all  the 
land  drained  by  the  tributaries  of  the  great  river.  The  British  crown 
claimed  the  territory  on  the  upper  Ohio  on  the  ground  of  a  treaty  executed 
at  Lancaster.  Pa.,  in  1744.  at  which  the  share  paid  by  Virginia  was  £220  in 
goods,  and  that  paid  by  Marydand  £200  in  gold.  On  this  purchase  the 
claim  of  the  Iroquois  as  allies,  and  the  claim  of  the  settlements  on  the  .At- 
lantic coast  of  territory  westward  from  ocean  to  ocean,  rested  the  right  of 
the  Enghsh  in  this  imperial  valley.  The  fact  is,  however,  that  the  part}." 
which  could  show  most  strength  in  men  and  money  was  destined  to  hold 
it.  By  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  English,  in  respect  to  force, 
had  greatly  the  advantage.  As  early  as  1688  a  census  of  French  North 
America  showed  a  population  of  11.249.  while  the  English  pop-alation  at 
this  time  was  estimated  at  a  quarter  of  a  miUion.  During  the  next  half  cen- 
tury both  nationalities  increased  rapidly,  but  the  English  much  the  more 
rapidly. 

Previous  to  the  execution  of  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle  adventurous 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  69 

traders  from  Pennsylvania  had  explored  the  passes  of  the  Alleghany  Moun- 
tains and  pushed  out  to  the  borders  of  the  Monongahela  and  the  Ohio.  Bv 
the  good  offices  of  the  colonial  Governors  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania. 
the  Six  Nations  had  been  kept  in  firm  alliance  with  the  English.  The  French 
had  sought  to  win  them  over  to  their  power,  and  had  distributed  many 
showy  presents.  Thinking  that  the  simple  natives  would  never  know  the 
difference,  the  French  had  made  a  large  gift  of  bright  looking  hatchets,  but 
which,  instead  of  being  made  of  fine  steel,  were  only  soft  iron.  The  Indians 
soon  discovered  the  difference,  and  were  more  incensed  than  ever  against  the 
French.  Lest  the  latter,  who  were  active  and  vigilant,  might  gain  an  ad- 
vantage on  the  Ohio.  Conrad  Weiser  was  sent  to  Logstown.  a  few  miles 
below  Pittsburg,  on  the  Ohio,  in  1748,  with  valuable  and  useful  presents  to 
win  the  favor  of  the  natives.  It  was  seen,  however,  that  the  valuable  trade 
with  the  Indians  at  this  time  was  in  the  hands  "of  unprincipled  men.  half- 
civilized,  half-savage,  who.  through  the  Iroquois,  had  from  the  earliest  pe- 
riod penetrated  to  the  lakes  of  Canada  and  competed  ever\^where  with  the 
French  for  skins  and  furs."  ^lore  with  the  purpose  of  controlling  and  legiti- 
mizing this  trade  than  of  effecting  permanent  settlements,  it  was  proposed 
in  the  \'irginia  colony  to  form  a  great  company  which  should  hold  the  lands 
on  the  Ohio,  build  forts  for  trading  posts,  import  English  goods  and  estab- 
lish regular  traffic  with  the  Indians.  Accordingly,  Thomas  Lee.  President 
of  the  Council  of  \'irginia,  and  twelve  other  Virginians,  among  whom  was 
John  Hanbury,  a  wealthy  London  merchant,  formed  in  1749  what  was 
known  as  the  "Ohio  Company."'  and  applied  to  the  English  government  for 
a  grant  of  land  for  this  purpose.  The  request  was  favorably  received,  and 
the  Legislature  of  Virginia  was  authorized  to  grant  to  the  petitioners  a  half 
million  acres  within  the  bounds  of  that  colony,  "west  of  the  Alleghenies, 
between  the  :Monongahela  and  Kanawha  Rivers;  though  part  of  the  land 
might  be  taken  up  north  of  the  Ohio  should  it  be  deemed  expedient."  As 
it  will  be  seen  this  act  of  the  Virginia  Legislature  gave  away  this  vast  body 
of  land,  the  most  of  which  was  within  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  the 
beginning  of  bitter  contention  between  the  two  colonies  for  many  years. 

It  was  about  this  period,  in  March,  1748,  that  a  boy  of  sixteen  years 
set  out  from  the  abodes  of  civilization  with  his  theodolite  to  survey  wild 
lands  in  the  mountains  and  valleys  of  the  Virginia  colony.  In  a  letter  to 
one  of  his  voung  friends  he  savs:  "T  have  not  slept  above  three  or  four  nights 


70  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

in  a  bed,  I)ut  after  walking  a  good  deal  all  day  I  have  lain  down  before  the 
lire  upon  a  little  straw,  or  fodder,  or  a  liear  skin,  which  ever  was  to  be  had, 
with  man,  wife  and  children,  like  dogs  and  cats;  and  happy  is  he  who  gets 
the  berth  nearest  the  fire."  The  youth  thus  early  inured  to  hardship  and 
toil  was  none  other  than  George  Washington,  destined  to  great  labors  for 
his  country,  and  a  life  of  patriotism  and  unbending  devotion  scarcely 
matched  in  the  annals  of  mankind. 

A  condition  of  the  grant  of  the  "Ohio  Company"  was  that  two  hundred 
thousand  acres  should  be  located  at  once.  This  was  to  be  held  ten  years 
free  of  rent,  provided  the  company  would  put  there  one  hundred  families 
within  seven  years,  and  build  a  fort  sufificient  to  protect  the  settlement.  This 
the  company  prepared  to  do,  and  sent  a  ship  to  London  for  a  cargo  of  goods 
suited  to  the  Indian  trade.  L'pon  the  death  of  Thomas  Lee,  the  President 
of  the  Ohio  Company,  which  soon  took  place,  Lawrence  Washington,  a 
brother  of  George,  was  given  the  "chief  management"  of  the  company,  a 
man  of  enlightened  views  and  generous  spirit. 

But  the  organization  of  this  company,  and  the  jjreparations  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  Ohio  country,  did  not  escape  the  vigilant  eye  of  the  French, 
and  if  they  would  hold  the  territory  claimed  b}'  them  tliey  must  move  at 
once,  or  the  enterprising  English  would  be  there,  and  would  have  such  a 
foothold  as  would  render  it  impossible  to  rout  them. 

Accordingly,  early  in  1749,  the  Marquis  de  la  Galisonniere,  Governor- 
General  of  Canada,  dispatched  Celeron  de  Bienville  with  a  party  of  some  two 
hundred  French  and  fifty  Indians  to  take  formal  possession  of  the  Ohio 
country,  the  Allegheny  River  being  designated  by  the  French  by  that 
name.  Father  Bonnecamps  acted  as  chaplain,  mathematician  and  historian 
of  the  party.  The  expedition  started  on  the  15th  of  June,  1749,  from  La 
Chine,  on  the  St.  Lawrence.  Passing  up  the  river  through  the  network  of 
islands  and  along  the  shore  of  Ontario  to  Niagara  Falls,  they  commenced 
the  labor  of  debarking  and  transporting  their  entire  outfit  around  the  cata- 
ract. In  this  work  they  were  engaged  for  nearly  a  week:  by  the  13th  of 
July  they  were  again  afloat;  but  now  on  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie.  At  a 
point  nearest  to  Chautauqua  Lake  they  landed  and  commenced  transport- 
ing their  boats  and  stores  overland  a  distance  of  eight  miles,  and  over  a 
water  shed  more  than  eight  hundred  feet  above  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie. 
The  party  was  accompanied  by  the  two  sons  of  Joncaire  (Jean  Coeur)  who 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  71 

had  lived  with  the  Indians  in  this  locality,  and  knew  every  path  and  water 
course.  To  them  Celeron  looked  for  guidance  in  this  novel  voyage  over- 
land. When  surveyors  had  marked  the  track,  pioneers  cut  and  cleared  a 
road,  over  which  the  whole  was  transported  to  the  shores  of  Chautauqua, 
where  they  again  embarked,  and  passing  down  the  Conewango  Creek,  the 
outlet  of  the  lake,  made  their  way  to  the  confluence  with  the  Allegheny 
River,  near  the  town  of  \\'arren.  Here  they  paused  to  commence  the  work 
of  possessing  the  country. 

It  may  l)e  i:)roper  to  observe  in  this  connection  that  this  experience  in 
reaching  Chautauqua  Lake,  with  all  their  impedimenta,  over  the  high  ridge 
was  so  toilsome  that  in  future  expeditions  they  abandoned  this  route  and 
went  by  the  wav  of  Presque  Isle  (Erie)  and  W'aterford.  wliere  they  struck 
French  Creek,  or  the  \'enango  River,  ilown  which  they  floated  to  the  Alle- 
gheny, at  Franklin.  In  the  deposition  of  one  Stephen  Coffin  before  Colonel 
Johnson  of  New  York,  he  says:  "From  Niagara  Fort  we  set  off  by  water, 
being  April,  and  arrived  at  Chadakoin  (Chautauqua)  on  Lake  Erie,  "where 
they  were  ordered  to  fell  timber  and  prepare  it  for  building  a  fort  there,  ac- 
cording to  the  Governor's  instructions:  1)ut  ]\l.  ]\loraug,  coming  up  with 
five  hundred  men  and  twenty  Indians,  put  a  stop  to  erecting  a  fort  at  that 
place,  by  reason  of  his  not  liking  the  situation,  and  the  river  Chadakoins 
l)eing  too  shallow  to  carry  any  craft  with  provisions  to  Belle  Riviere.  The 
deponent  says  there  arose  a  warm  debate  between  Messieurs  Babeer  and 
Moraug  thereon,  the  first  insisting  on  building  the  fort  there  agreeable  to 
his  instructions,  otherwise  on  Moraug's  giving  him  an  instrument  in  writing 
to  satisfy  the  Governor  on  that  jioint,  which  :Moraug  did,  and  then  Mon- 
sieur :\Iercie,  who  was  both  commissary  and  engineer,  to  go  along  said  lake 
and  look  for  a  good  situation,  which  he  found  in  three  days.  They  were 
then  all  ordered  thither:  they  fell  to  work,  and  built  a  square  fort  of  chest- 
nut logs  and  called  it  Fort  le  Presque  Isle.  ...  As  soon  as  the  fort 
was  finished  they  marched  southward,  cutting  a  wagon  road  through  a 
fine  level  country  twenty-one  miles  [15]  to  the  river  aux  Bceufs  [Water- 
ford] .  Thus,  though  the  distance  to  Chautauqua  Lake  was  not  so  great 
as  to  Waterford,  the  road  to  the  latter  was  "through  a  fine  level  country," 
and  not  over  a  rugged  ridge,  as  at  the  former.  Thus  it  was  settled  that  the 
great  traveled  route  to  Fort  du  Quesne  should  l)e  by  Presque  Isle  and  Ve- 
nango River,  rather  than  by  Chautauqua  and  the  Conewango. 


72  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

Celeron  and  his  party  had  not  left  the  shores  of  Chautauqua,  where  he 
had  encamped,  probably  in  the  neighborhood  of  Lakewood,  before  he  dis- 
covered that  his  movements  were  being  watched  by  the  natives.  Parties 
were  sent  out  by  Celeron  to  intercept  the  dusky  warriors,  but  were  unsuc- 
cessful. Having  reached  the  Allegheny  River  at  or  near  Warren,  as  we 
have  seen,  Celeron,  with  religious  ceremon}',  took  possession  of  the  river 
country  and  buried  a  leaden  plate  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Allegheny 
River,  opposite  a  little  island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Conewango,  in  token  of 
French  possession.  Upon  the  plate  was  the  following  inscription  in  French; 
we  give  the  English  translation:  "In  the  year  1749,  of  the  reign  of  Louis 
XIV.,  King  of  France,  We  Celeron,  commander  of  a  detachment  sent  by 
Monsieur  the  Marquis  de  la  Galissoniere,  Governor-General  of  New  France, 
to  re-establish  tranquillity  in  some  Indian  villages  of  these  cantons,  have 
buried  this  plate  of  lead  at  the  confluence  of  the  Ohio  with  Chautauqua 
the  29th  day  of  July,  near  the  river  Ohio,  otherwise  Belle  Riviere,  as  a 
monument  of  the  renewal  of  the  possession  we  have  taken  of  the  said 
ri\-er  Ohio,  and  of  all  those  wdiich  empty  into  it,  and  of  all  the  lands  on 
both  sides  as  far  as  the  sources  of  the  said  river,  as  enjoyed,  or  ought  to 
have  been  enjoyed,  by  the  King  of  France  preceding,  and  as  they  have 
there  maintained  themselves,  by  arms  and  treaties,  especially  those  of  Rys- 
wick,  Utrecht  and  Aix  la  Chapelle." 

All  the  men  and  ofificers  were  drawn  up  in  military  order  when  the 
plate  was  buried,  and  Celeron  proclaimed  in  a  strong  tone,  "Vive  le  Roi!" 
and  declared  that  possession  was  now  taken  of  the  country  in  behalf  of  the 
French.  A  plate  with  the  lilies  of  France  inscribed  thereon  was  nailed  to  a 
tree  near  b}'.  All  of  this  officious  ceremony  did  not  escape  the  keen  eyes  of 
the  ever  \igilant  and  superstitious  natives,  and  scarcely  were  Celeron  and  his 
party  well  out  of  sight  in  their  course  down  the  Allegheny  before  the  leaden 
missive  with  the  mysterious  characters  engraved  thereon  was  pulled  from 
its  place  of  concealment,  and  fast  runners  were  on  their  way  to  the  home 
of  the  Iroquois  chiefs,  who  immediately  dispatched  one  of  their  number 
to  take  it  to  Sir  William  Johnson,  at  Albany.  ^Ir.  O.  H.  Marshall,  in  his 
admirable  historical  address  on  this  subject,  says:  "The  first  of  the  leaden 
plates  was  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  public  by  Governor  George  Clin- 
ton to  the  lords  of  trade  in  London,  dated  New  York,  Dec.  19th,  1750, 
in  which  he    states  that  he  would  send  to  their  lordships  in  two  or  three 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  y^ 

weeks  a  plate  of  lead  full  of  writing,  which  some  of  the  upper  nations  of 
Indians  stole  from  Jean  Coeur,  the  French  interpreter  at  Niagara,  on  his 
way  to  the  river  Ohio,  which  river  and  all  the  lands  thereabouts,  the  French 
claim,  as  will  appear  by  said  writing.  He  further  states  that  the  lead  plates 
gave  the  Indians  so  much  uneasiness  that  they  immediately  dispatched  some 
of  the  Cayuga  chiefs  to  him  with  it,  saying  their  only  reliance  was  on  him, 
and  earnestly  begged  he  would  communicate  the  contents  to  them,  which 
he  had  done,  much  to  their  satisfaction,  and  the  interests  of  the  English. 
The  Governor  concludes  by  saying  that  the  contents  of  the  plates  may  be 
of  great  importance  in  clearing  up  the  encroachments  which  the  French 
have  made  on  the  British  Empire  in  America.  The  plate  was  delivered  to 
Colonel,  afterward  Sir  William  Johnson,  on  the  4th  of  December,  175c 
[49] ,  at  his  residence  on  the  Mohawk  by  a  Cayuga  sachem. 

Governor  Clinton  also  wrote  to  Go\'ernor  Hamilton  of  Pennsylvania: 
"I  send  you  a  copy  of  an  inscription  on  a  leaden  plate  stolen  from  Jean  Coeur 
some  months  since,  in  the  Seneca's  countr)-,  as  he  was  going  to  the  Ohio 
River,  which  plainly  demonstrates  the  French  scheme  by  the  exorbitant 
claims  therein  mentioned;  also  a  copy  of  a  Cayuga  Sachem's  speech  to 
Colonel  Johnson,  v>ith  his  reply."  The  Sachem's  speech  was  as  follows: 
"Brother  Corlear  and  War-ragh-i-ya-ghey!  I  am  sent  here  by  the  Five 
Nations  with  a  piece  of  writing  which  the  Senecas,  our  brethren,  got  by 
some  artifice  from  Jean  Coeur,  earnestly  beseeching  you  will  let  us  know 
what  it  means,  and  as  we  put  all  our  confidence  in  you,  our  brother,  we 
hope  you  will  explain  it  to  us  ingeniously."  (The  speaker  here  delivered 
the  square  leaden  plate  and  a  wampum  belt,  and  proceeded):  'T  am  ordered 
further  to  acquaint  you  that  Jean  Coeur,  the  French  interpreter,  when  on 
his  journey  this  last  summer  to  Ohio  River,  spoke  thus  to  the  Five  Nations, 
and  others  in  our  alliance:  'Children — Your  Father,  having,  out  of  a  ten- 
der regard  for  you,  considered  the  great  difiiculties  you  labor  under  by 
carrying  your  goods,  canoes,  etc.,  over  the  great  carrying  place  of  Niagara, 
has  desired  me  to  acquaint  you  that,  in  order  to  ease  you  all  of  so  much 
trouble  for  the  future,  he  is  resolved  to  build  a  house  at  the  other  end  of 
said  carrying  place,  which  he  will  furnish  with  all  necessaries  requisite  for 
your  use!'  He  also  told  us  that  he  was  on  his  way  to  the  Ohio  River,  where 
he  intended  to  stay  three  years;  ....  that  he  was  sent  thither  to 
build  a  house  there;  also  at  the  carrying  place  between  said  river  Ohio  and 


74  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

Lake  Erie  (Presque  Isle  and  Waterford),  where  all  the  western  Indians 
should  be  supplied  with  whatever  goods  they  may  have  occasion  for,  and 
not  be  at  the  trouljle  and  loss  of  time  of  going  so  far  to  market  as  usual 
(meaning  Oswego).  After  this  he  desired  to  know  our  opinion  of  the  affair, 
and  begged  our  consent  to  build  in  said  places.  He  gave  us  a  large  belt 
of  wampum,  thereon  desiring  our  answer,  which  we  told  him  we  would  take 
some  time  to  consider  of." 

Assuring  the  Indian  chieftains  of  the  unalterable  friendship  of  the  Eng- 
lish towards  their  people,  and  the  enmity  and  duplicity  of  the  French,  of' 
which  many  exam])les  were  cited.  Sir  A\'illiam  Johnson  said:  "Their  scheme 
now  laid  against  you  and  yours,  at  a  time  when  the\'  are  feeding  you  u])  with 
line  promises  of  serving  you  several  shapes,  is  worse  than  all  the  rest,  as 
will  appear  by  their  own  writing  on  this  plate."  Here  Johnson  translated 
the  French  writing  on  the  plate,  commenting  as  he  proceeded  on  the  force 
and  intent  of  the  several  parts,  and  explaining  the  purpose  of  the  French 
in  burying  the  plate.  Proceeding,  he  said:  "This  is  an  af¥air  of  the  greatest 
importance  to  you,  as  nothing  less  than  all  your  lands  and  best  hunting 
places  are  aimed  at,  with  a  view  of  secluding  you  entirely  from  us  and  the 
rest  of  your  brethren,  viz:  the  Philadelphians.  the  Virginians,  who  can 
always  supply  you  with  the  necessaries  of  life  at  a  much  lower  rate  than  the 
French  ever  did  or  could,  and  under  whose  protection  you  are  and  ever  will 
be  safer  and  better  served  in  every  respect  than  under  the  French.  These 
and  a  hundred  other  substantial  reasons  I  could  give  you  to  convince  you 
that  the  French  are  your  implacable  enemies;  but  as  I  told  you  before, 
the  very  instrument  you  now  brought  me  of  their  own  writing  is  sufficient 
of  itself  to  convince  the  world  of  their  villainous  designs;  therefore,  I  need 
not  be  to  the  trouble,  so  shall  only  desire  that  you  and  all  the  nations  in 
alliance  with  you  seriously  consider  your  own  interest,  and  by  no  means 
submit  to  the  impending  danger  which  now  threatens  you,  the  only  way 
to  prevent  which  is  to  turn  Jean  Coeur  away  immediately  from  Ohio,  and 
tell  him  that  the  French  shall  neither  build  there,  nor  at  the  carrying  place 
of  Niagara,  nor  have  a  foot  of  land  more  from  you.  Brethren,  what  I  now 
say  I  expect  and  insist  it  being  taken  notice  of  and  sent  to  the  Indians  on 
the  Ohio,  that  they  may  know  immediately  of  the  vile  designs  of  the 
French." 

Having  presented  a  belt  of  wampum,  by  way  of  emphasis,  and  to  con- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PE'OTLE.  75 

vince  the  natives  of  the  honesty  and  fidehty  with  which  he  spoke,  the 
sachem  rephed:  "Brother  Corlear  and  \\'ar-ragh-i-ya-ghey,  I  have  with 
great  attention  and  surprise  heard  you  repeat  the  substance  of  the  devilish 
writing  whicli  I  brought  you.  and  also  with  pleasure  noticed  your  just  re- 
marks thereon,  which  really  agree  with  m)-  own  sentiments  on  it.  I  return 
you  my  most  hearty  thanks  in  the  name  of  all  the  nations  for  your  brotherly 
love  and  cordial  advice,  which  I  promise  you  sincerely,  Ijy  this  belt  of  wam- 
pum, shall  be  conununicated  inuucdiately  and  verbatim  to  the  Five  Nation? 
by  myself,  and,  moreover,  shall  see  it  forwarded  from  the  Seneca's  castle 
with  belts  from  each  of  our  own  nations  to  the  Indians  at  Ohio,  to  strengthen 
vour  desire,  as  I  am  thoroughly  satisfied  you  have  our  interest  at  heart." 

This  incident  of  the  planting  of  the  first  leaden  plate,  and  its  possession 
*iy  the  Indians,  and  bringing  it  to  the  attention  of  the  English  government, 
-hrows  a  Hood  of  light  upon  the  struggle  for  the  possession  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi \'alley  between  the  English  and  the  French,  and  shows  the  temper 
of  the  Six  Nations.  Better  than  whole  chapters  of  description  of  the  atti- 
tude of  the  two  nations  is  th.e  translation  of  the  inscription,  and  the  speech 
of  this  native  orator  of  the  forest.  From  this  scene  of  the  first  planting- 
Celeron  floated  on  down  the  Allegheny  till  he  reached  the  Indian  God,  sotrie 
nine  miles  below  Franklin  (Venango),  an  immense  boulder,  on  which  liad 
Iieen  cut  rude  figures  held  in  superstitious  awe  by  the  natives,  and  here  he 
planted  the  second  of  his  plates  with  the  same  formal  ceremonies,  which 
were  continued  at  each  burial.  At  Logstown,  some  twelve  miles  below  the 
confluence  of  the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela  (Pittsburg),  the  third  was 
planted.  This  had  become  a  place  of  some  importance.  Here  the  agents 
of  the  English  colonies  upon  the  Atlantic  were  accustomed  to  meet  the 
sachems  of  the  surrounding  tribes,  and  make  their  formal  talks,  smoke  the 
pipe  of  peace,  distribute  the  high  piled  presents  and  ratify  solemn  treaties. 
Here,  too,  the  traders  brought  their  goods  and  bartered  them  for  valuable 
skins  and  furs,  and,  shame  to  say  it,  here  these  conscienceless  traders 
brought  kegs  of  fire-water,  and  when  the  poor  Indians  were  made  drunken 
were  cheated  and  abused.  Discovering  a  number  of  the  English  trading 
with  the  Indians  Celeron's  wrath  was  kindled.  He  expelled  these  "intru- 
ders," as  he  termed  them,  and  made  a  speech  to  the  assembled  Indians  of 
many  tribes,  telling  them  that  all  the  country  along  the  "Beautiful  River" 
belonged  to  the  French,  and  that  they  would  supply  the  Indians  with  all  the 


76  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

goods  they  needed.  He  forbade  Ihem  to  trade  with  the  English,  and  sent 
a  curt  letter  to  Governor  Hamilton,  of  Pennsylvania,  informing  him  that  he 
was  here  by  authority  of  the  Marquis  de  la  Galissioniere,  Commandant  Gen- 
eral of  New  France,  warning  him  against  allowing  English  traders  to  tres- 
pass upon  this  country,  which  was  clearly  the  rightful  possessions  of  France, 
and  threatening  force  if  this  notice  was  not  heeded. 

Continuing  his  journey  down  the  Ohio,  Celeron  and  his  party  took 
formal  possession  of  the  country  by  bur>'ing  plates  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mus- 
kingum River,  another  at  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha,  and  the  sixth 
and  last  at  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami.  Believing  that  he  had  now  cov- 
ered all  the  territory  that  was  likely,  for  the  present,  to  be  claimed  by  the 
English.  Celeron  paused  in  his  course,  and  toilsomely  ascended  the  Miami 
River  till  he  reached  the  portage,  where  he  burned  his  boats,  and,  procur- 
ing ponies,  crossed  over  to  the  Maumee,  down  which  he  moved  to  Lake 
Erie,  b}'  which  and  Ontario  he  returned  to  F"ort  Frontenac,  arriving  on  the 
t)th  of  November. 

These  metal  plates,  planted  with  so  much  formality,  regarded  as  sym- 
bols of  French  power,  which  they  were  to  defend  by  force  of  arms,  remained 
for  a  long  time  where  they  were  originally  planted,  with  the  exception  of 
the  first,  which,  as  we  have  seen,  was  immediately  disinterred  and  sent  to 
Sir  William  Johnson.  That  buried  at  the  mouth  of  the  Muskingum  was 
washed  out  b)'  the  changing  of  the  banks  in  the  floodtides.  and  was  dis- 
co\-ered  in  1798  by  some  Ijoys  who  were  bathing  at  low  water  in  summer 
time,  and  having  no  idea  of  its  value,  or  the  purjiort  of  the  characters  cut 
on  its  surface,  they  cut  off  a  portion  of  it,  and  run  it  into  bullets.  The  re- 
maining portion  was  sent  to  Governor  De  \\'itt  Clinton,  of  New  York,  and 
is  still  preserved  at  Boston,  Mass.  That  which  was  buried  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Kanawha  was  found  in  1846  by  a  son  of  J-  ^^  ■  Beale,  of  Point  Pleasant, 
\'a.  In  playing  along  the  river  bank  he  saw  the  edge  of  it  protruding 
from  the  sand  a  little  below  the  surface,  where  it  had  been  carried  bv  the 
current.    It  was  dug  out,  and  has  been  preserved  in  its  original  foran. 

The  intelligence  of  this  expedition  of  Celeron,  with  the  purpose  of 
taking  possession  on  this  whole  Ohio  country  for  the  French,  aroused  the 
attention  of  the  proprietary  of  Pennsylvania,  who  at  once  brought  it  to  the 
attention  of  the  Duke  of  Bedford  and  Lord  Halifax  in  London,  and  wrote 
to  Governor  Hamilton  in  Pennsylvania  that  if  a  house  with  thick  walls  of 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  yj 

stone  w  itli  small  bastions  could  he  built  at  Logstown  or  vicinity  he  would 
be  willing  to  contribute  four  hundred  pounds  for  the  l)uilding,  and  one  hun- 
dred pounds  toward  the  expense  of  keeping  up  a  small  force  and  providing 
arms  and  ammunition. 

This  recommendation  looked  to  the  building  a  fort  on  the  Ohio,  is 
was  afterward  done  at  Fort  Pitt.  Governor  Hamilton  conferred  with  his 
council:  but  the  legislative  body  was  at  this  period  swayed  by  the  Quaker 
element,  which  was  opposed  to  spending  any  money  which  looked  to  the 
use  of  carnal  weapons,  and  the  Governor  found  himself  powerless  to  accom- 
j.Iish  the  purpose  of  the  recommendation.  It  will  be  observed  that  the 
proprietary  himself  had  no  scruples  against  the  employment  of  force  in 
maintaining  his  just  rights,  the  sons  of  Penn  having  forsaken  the  religion 
of  their  father,  John  Penn,  the  grandson  of  the  founder,  showing  a  vigorous 
war  spirit  against  the  Indians,  even  going  so  far  as  to  offer,  without  scruple, 
graduated  bounties  for  their  capture,  scalping  or  death. 

It  was  ascertained  through  traders  and  scouts  that  the  French  had 
built  forts  at  Presque  Isle,  at  Aux  Boeuf  (Waterford),  at  Venango  (Frank- 
lin), and  that  in  the  following  spring  they  were  intending  to  come  in  force 
to  build  a  strong  fort  on  the  Ohio.    Jean  Coeur,  who  labored  in  the  interest 
of  the  French,  made  a  journey  to  Logstown,  and  after  laboring  with  the 
Indians  sent  the  following  missive  to  Governor  Hamilton:   "Sir — Monsieur, 
the  :\larquis  de  la  Galissonier,  Governor  of  the  whole  of  New  France,  hav- 
ing honored  me  with  his  orders  to  watch  that  English  make  no  treaty  in 
the  country  of  the  Ohio,  I  have  directed  the  traders  of  your  government 
to  withdraw.     You  cannot  be  ignorant,  sir,  that  all  the  lands  of  this  region 
have  always  belonged  to  the  King  of  France,  and  that  the  English  have 
no  right  to  come  here  to  trade.     My  superior  has  commanded  me  to  ap- 
prise you  of  what  I  have  done,  in  order  that  you  may  not  affect  ignorance 
of  the  reasons  of  it,  and  he  has  given  me  this  order,  with  so  much  the 
greater  reason  because  it  is  now  two  years  since  Monsieur  Celeron,  by  order 
of  the  Marquis  de  la  Galissoniere,  then  Commandant  General,  warned  many 
English  who  were  trading  with  the  Indians  along  the  Ohio  against  so  doing, 
and  they  promised  him  not  to  return  to  trade  on  the  lands,  as  Monsieur 
Celeron  wrote  vou." 


CHAPTER  VII 


THE  EMBASSAGE   OF  WASHINGTON  TO   ST.   PIERRE. 


THE  goodly  lands  along  the  "Beautiful  River,"  and  its  many  tribu- 
taries, seemed  now  more  attractive  than  ever,  and  the  next  few 
years  succeeding  the  planting  of  the  plates  by  Celeron  witnessed  a 
vigorous  and  sanguinary  struggle  for  their  occupancy.  And  now  com- 
mences the  active  operations  of  the  Ohio  Company,  chartered  by  the  Vir- 
ginia Legislature,  by  authority  of  the  English  government,  previously  de- 
tailed, for  the  settlement  and  permanent  occupancy  of  this  coveted  country. 
How  Virginia  could  lay  claim  to  this  section,  so  clearly  embraced  in  the 
charter  of  Penn,  is  difficult  to  comprehend. 

Boldly  assuming  the  right,  the  company  sent  out  from  Virginia,  in  1750, 
as  its  agent,  Christopher  Gist,  with  instructions  to  explore  the  territory 
and  sound  the  temper  of  the  Indians  towards  its  settlement  by  the  whites. 
During  this  and  the  following  year  he  traversed  the  country  on  either  bank 
of  the  Ohio,  as  far  down  as  the  present  site  of  city  of  Louisville,  going  even 
further  than  Celeron  had  done  with  his  pewter  plates,  and  making  a  far  more 
extensive  and  thorough  exploration  of  the  country.  In  1752  he  was  pres- 
ent at  Logstown  as  commissioner,  with  Colonel  Fry,  in  concluding  the  treaty 
with  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations,  which  secured  rights  of  settlement  in 
this  country.  The  French  were  ever  watchful  and  the  provisions  of  the 
treaty  were  not  unknown  to  them,  as  well  as  the  explorations  of  Gist. 

The  English  commanding  officer  at  Oswego  sent  a  missive  to  Sir  Wil- 
liam Johnson  in  these  words:  "Yesterday. passed  by  here  thirty  odd  French 
canoes,  part  of  an  army  going  to  Belle  Riviere  to  make  good  their  claim 
there.  The  army  is  reported  to  consist  of  six  thousand  French."  This  intel- 
ligence was  communicated  to  the  Governors  of  Virginia,  Maryland  and 
Pennsylvania.  It  was  found  later  that  as  to  the  numbers  it  was  incorrect,  as 
there  were  but  twenty-four  hundred,  and  eight  pieces  of  brass  cannon.  This 
force  was  intended  for  manning  the  works  at  Presque  Isle,  Le  Bceuf  and 

78 


OUR   COUNTY  AND    ITS   PEOPLE.  79 

Venango,  and  it  was  tlie  intent  to  go  in  the  following  spring  with  a  large 
force  to  build  a  fort  on  the  Ohio. 

The  systematic  operations  of  the  French  in  building  a  line  of  forts  and 
providing  cannon  and  a  strong  military  force  at  each,  substantially  on  the 
same  line  as  Celeron  had  taken  possession  of  with  his  plates,  finally  aroused 
the  attention  of  the  British  government,  and  the  Secretary  of  State,  Earl 
Holderness,  addressed  the  Governors  of  the  several  colonies  urging  that 
they  be  put  in  a  state  of  defense.  The  communication  to  the  Governor  of 
Virginia  was  considered  of  so  much  importance  as  to  be  sent  by  a  govern- 
ment vessel.  It  reached  its  destination  in  October,  1853,  and  was  regarded 
of  such  pressing  import  as  to  require  the  sending  of  a  special  messenger  to 
the  French  commandant,  on  this  side  of  the  great  lakes,  to  remonstrate 
with  him  in  an  official  capacity  for  intruding  upon  English  territory,  but 
probably  more  especially  to  ascertain  precisely  what  had  been  done,  and 
with  what  forces  the  French  were  preparing  to  contest  their  claims. 

Robert  Dinwiddie,  then  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Virginia,  made  no 
delay  in  selecting  a  suitable  person  for  this  embassage,  and  his  choice  fell 
upon  George  Washington,  then  Adjutant-General  of  the  Northern  Division 
of  the  Virginia  militia,  and  only  twenty-one  years  of  age.  It  should  here 
be  obser\ed  that  Lawrence  Washington,  the  brother  of  George,  who  was 
President,  and  a  leader  in  the  Ohio  company,  had  died  July  26,  1752,  and 
that  by  his  will  a  large  share  of  his  estates  and  interests  had  fallen  to  George. 
He,  consequently,  had  a  pecuniary  interest  in  holding  the  lands  of  the  Ohio  • 
Company,  in  addition  to  the  patriotic  one  of  discharging  a  public  trust.  It 
should  also  be  observed  that  Dinwiddie  was  a  large  stockholder  in  the  Ohio 
Company. 

The  youthful  Washington  made  no  delay  in  accepting  the  trust  imposed 
on  him,  and  though  now  the  inclement  season  of  the  year,  he  quickly  had 
his  preparations  completed  for  his  departure.  It  appears  from  the  follow- 
ing note  to  the  Lords  of  Trade  that  the  Governor  had  previously  sent  a 
messenger  on  a  similar  errand:  "The  person  [Captain  William  Trent]  sent 
as  a  commissioner  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  fifty  miles  up  the  river,  and  I  believe 
was  afraid  to  go  to  them."  But  there  was  no  fear  on  the  part  of  George 
Washington,  though  then  but  a  mere  boy,  and  he  was  soon  on  his  way. 


8o  OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

That  we  may  understand  precisely  the  nature  of  his  mission,  we  present 
the  commission' and  instructions  which  he  received:  "Whereas,  I  have  tc- 
ceived  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  said  river  within  the  territory,  and  contrary  to  the  dignity  and  peace 
of  our  sovereign,  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  informed  yourself  where 
the  French  forces  have  posted  themselves,  thereupon  to  proceed  to  such 
place,  and  being  there  arrived  to  present  your  credentials,  together  with 
my  letter,  to  the  chief  commanding  ofificer,  and  in  the  name  of  his  Britannic 
IMajesty  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  French  commanding  officer,  and  desiring  the 
said  chiefs  to  appoint  you  a  sufficient  number  of  their  warriors  to  be  your 
safeguard  as  near  the  French  as  you  may  desire,  and  to  await  your  further 
direction.  You  are  diligently  to  inquire  into  the  numbers  and  force  of  the 
P  rench  on  the  Ohio,  and  adjacent  country,  how  they  are  likely  to  be  assisted 
from  Canada,  and  what  are  the  difficulties  and  conveniences  of  the  com- 
munication, 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  \\hat  is  their  distance  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,  how  they  are 
likely  to  be  supported,  and  what  their  pretensions  are.  When  the  com- 
mandant 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 
mav  be  ignorant  of  your  character  and  molest  you." 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  ship  bearing  the  royal  dispatch  reached 
\'irginia  in  October.  This  letter  of  instructions  was  dated  October  30, 
1753,  and  on  the  same  day  the  youthful  envoy  left  Williamsburg,  reaching 
Fredericksburg  on  the  31st,  Here  he  engaged  his  "old  master  of  fence,'' 
one  Jacob  Van  Braum,  a  soldier  of  fortune,  as  interpreter,  though,  as  Irving 
observes  "the  veteran  swordsman  was  but  indifferently  versed  in  the  French 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  8i 

or  English."  Purchasing  horses  and  tents  at  Winchester,  he  bade  good- 
Ine  to  the  abodes  of  civilization,  and  ])ushed  on  over  mountain  and  across 
stream,  through  the  wilderness,  on  his  important  and  perilous  mission. 
At  Will's  Creek,  now  Cumberland,  he  engaged  ;\Ir.  Gist,  who  had  been 
the  agent  of  the  Ohio  Company  in  exploring  all  that  region  and  negotiating 
with  the  natives,  to  pilot  him  on,  and  secured  the  services  of  John  Davidson 
as  Indian  inter]jreter,  and  four  frontiersmen.  With  this  escort  he  set  out 
on  the  15th  of  November,  but  found  his  way  impeded  bv  storms  of  rain 
and  snow.  Passing  Gist's  cabin,  now  Mount  Braddock,  and  John  Frazier's 
place  at  the  mouth  of  Turtle  Creek  on  the  Monongahela  River,  and  finding 
the  river  swollen  by  recent  rains,  he  placed  his  luggage  in  a  canoe,  thus 
relieving  the  horses,  and  himself  rode  on  to  the  confluence  of  the  Monon- 
gahela with  the  Allegheny.  "As  I  got  down  before  the  canoe."  he  writes 
in  his  journal,  "I  spent  some  time  in  view  ing  the  rivers  and  the  land  at  th.c 
fork  [now  Pittsburg],  which  I  think  extremely  well  suited  for  a  fort,  as  it 
has  the  absolute  command  of  both  rivers.  The  land  at  the  point  is  twenty 
to  twenty-five  feet  above  the  common  surface  of  the  water,  and  a  con- 
siderable bottom  of  flat,  well-timbered  land  all  around  it,  very  convenient 
for  building.  The  rivers  are  each  a  quarter  of  a  mile  or  more  across,  and 
run  here  nearly  at  right  angles,  .Mlegheny  bearing  northeast,  and  ]\Ionon- 
gahela  southwest.  The  former  of  these  two  is  a  very  rapid  and  swift-running 
water,  the  other  deep  and  still,  without  any  perceptible  fall," 

It  had  been  proposed,  l)y  the  agents  of  the  Ohio  Company,  to  build 
a  fort  two  miles  below  the  forks  on  the  south  side,  where  lived  Shingiss, 
chief  Sachem  of  the  Delawares.  But  ^Vashington  says  in  his  journal,  "As 
I  had  taken  a  gootl  deal  of  notice  yesterday  of  the  situation  at  the  fork, 
my  curiosity  led  me  to  examine  this  at  Shingiss  more  particularly,  and  I 
think  it  greatly  inferior,  either  for  defence  or  advantages."  The  good 
judgment  of  Washington  in  preferring  the  forks  for  a  fort  was  subsequently 
confirmed  by  the  French  engineers,  who  adopted  the  site  at  the  forks.  At 
Logstown,  which  was  twelve  miles  below  the  forks,  Washington  met  ten 
Frenchmen,  deserters  from  a  party  of  one  hundred,  who  had  been  sent  up 
from  New  Orleans,  with  eight  canoe-loads  of  provisions,  to  this  place, 
where  they  expected  to  meet  a  force  from  Lake  Erie.  This  showed  un- 
mistakable evidence  that  the  French  were  determined  to  take  forcible  pos- 
session of  the   country.     The   wily   chieftains  asked  Washington  why  he 


82  OUR   COUNTY   AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

wanted  to  communicate  with  the  French  commandant,  and  being  naturally 
suspicious  that  they  had  not  fathomed  all  the  purposes  and  bearings  of 
this  mission  the}-  delayed  him  by  their  maneuvers.  Indeed,  an  old  Indian 
Sachem  had  previously  propounded  to  Mr.  Gist,  while  surveying  the  lands 
south  of  the  Ohio,  this  question:  "The  French  claim  all  the  land  on  one 
side  of  the  Ohio,  the  English  claim  all  the  land  on  the  other  side. — now, 
where  does  the  Indian's  land  lie?"  There  was,  undoubtedly,  a  suspicion 
in  the  minds  of  these  dusky  kings  that  the  English  as  well  as  the  French 
were  preparing  to  occupy  this  delectable  country.  "Poor  savages!"  ex- 
claims ]\Ir.  Irving.  "Between  their  'fathers,'  the  French,  and  their  'brothers,' 
the  English,  they  were  in  a  fair  way  of  being  most  lovingly  shared  out  of 
the  whole   country." 

Finally,  after  having  been  detained  about  a  week  by  Indian  diplomacy, 
Washington  set  out  on  the  30th  of  November  with  an  additional  escort  of 
three  of  the  Indian  chiefs, — Half  King,  Jeskakake.  and  White  Thunder, — 
and  one  of  their  l)est  hunters.  A  toilsome  journey  of  five  days  brought  the 
,  party  to  Venango,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Venango  River,  or  French  Creek. 
where  the  French  flag  was  floating  upon  a  cabin  which  had  been  occupied 
by  the  same  John  Frazier  visited  on  the  Monongahela.  where  he  had  plied 
the  trade  of  a  gunsmith,  Init  from  which  he  had  l)een  driven  by  the  French. 
Captain  Jean  Coeur  was  in  command  here,  who  said  he  was  also  in  com- 
mand on  the  Ohio,  but  he  advised  Washington  to  present  his  credentials 
for  an  answer  to  a  general  ofhcer.  who  had  his  headquarters  at  "a  near  fort." 
"He  invited  me  to  sup  with  them,"  the  journal  proceeds,  "and  treated  us 
with  the  greatest  complaisance.  The  wine,  as  they  dosed  themselves  pretty 
plentifully  with  it,  soon  banished  the  restraint  which  at  first  appeared  in 
their  conversation,  and  gave  a  license  to  their  tongues  to  reveal  their  senti- 
ments more  freely.  They  told  me  that  it  was  their  absolute  design  to  take 
possession  of  the  Ohio,  and  by  G — d  they  would  do  it,  for  that,  though 
they  were  sensible  the  English  had  two  men  to  their  one,  yet  they  knew 
their  motions  \vere  too  slow  and  dilatory  to  prevent  any  undertaking  of 
theirs."  But  the  French  had  yet  something  to  learn  of  the  temper  and 
steady  endurance  of  the  English  in  America.  Washington  ascertained  that 
there  had  been  some  "fifteen  hundred  men  on  this  side  of  Ontario  Lake, 
l.)ut.  upon  the  deatli  of  the  General,  all  were  recalled  to  about  six  or  se\"eii 
hundred,   who  were  left  to  garrison  four  forts,  one  on  a  little  lake  at  the 


OUR   COUNTY  AND    ITS   PEOPLE.  83 

headwaters  of  French  Creek,  now  W'aterford,  another  at  Presque  Isle,  or 
Erie,  fifteen  miles  away.  Jean  Coeiir  was  adroit  in  his  influence  over  the 
Indians,  and  used  his  best  arts  to  win  the  chiefs,  who  had  accompanied 
Washington,  from  their  allegiance  to  them,  plying  them  with  liquor,  anci 
refusing  to  receive  back  the  wampum  belt  which  the  Half  King  offered 
as  a  token  of  his  tribe's  allegiance  to  the  French.  But,  after  long  parleying, 
they  finally  got  off  on  the  7th.  Washington  records  in  his  journal:  "We 
passed  over  nuich  good  land  since  we  left  Venango,  and  through  several 
very  extensive  and  rich  meadows,  one  of  which  I  believe  was  nearly  four 
miles  in  length  and  considerably  wide  in  some  places."  This  passage  un- 
doubtedly refers  to  the  valley  where  is  now  spread  out  the  city  of  Mead- 
ville. 

At  the  fort  at  Le  Boeuf,  now  Waterford,  Washington  was  courteously 
received  by  the  general  in  command  of  all  the  forces  south  of  the  lakes. 
"The  Commander,"  proceeds  the  journal,  under  date  of  December  12,  "is 
a  knight  of  the  military  order  of  St.  Louis,  and  named  Legardeur  de  St. 
Pierre.  He  is  an  elderly  gentleman,  and  has  much  the  air  of  a  soldier.  He 
was  sent  over  to  take  the  command  immediately  upon  the  death  of  the 
late  General,  and  arrived  here  about  seven  days  before  me."  In  the  letter 
w-hich  Dinwiddie  had  entrusted  to  Washington  the  claim  of  the  English  to 
all  this  Ohio  territory  was  reiterated,  and  a  demand  made  that  the  French 
should  depart  from  it,  and  no  more  molest  its  peaceful  occupancy.  The 
answer  of  the  Chevalier  was  courteous,  but  firm.  He  said  that  the  ques- 
tion of  the  rightful  occupancy  of  this  territory  was  not  one  which  he  could 
properly  argue,- that  he  was  an  officer  commanding  a  detachment  of  the 
French  armv  in  America,  but  that  lie  would  transmit  the  letter  of  the 
Governor  of  Virginia  to  his  general,  the  3.1arquis  Du  Ouesne,  "to  whom 
it  better  belongs  than  to  me  to  set  forth  the  evidence  and  reality  of  the 
rights  of  the  King,  my  master,  upon  the  lands  situated  along  the  river  Ohio, 
and  to  contest  the  pretensions  of  the  King  of  Great  Britain  thereto.  His 
answer  shall  be  law  to  me.  .  .  .  As  to  the  summons  you  send  me 
to  retire,  I  do  not  think  myself  obliged  to  obey  it.  Whatever  may  have 
been  your  instructions,  I  am  here  by  virtue  of  the  orders  of  my  general, 
and  I  entreat  you,  sir,  not  to  doubt  one  moment  but  that  I  am  determined 
to  conform  myself  to  them  with  all  the  exactness  and  resolution  which  can 
be  expected  from  the  best  officer." 


84  OUR   COUNTY   AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Governor  Dinwiddie  liad  added  to  the  business  part  of  his  commu- 
nication the  following  request:  "I  persuade  myself  you  will  receive  and 
entertain  Major  Washington  with  the  candor  and  politeness  natural  to  your 
nation,  and  it  will  give  me  the  greatest  satisfaction  if  you  can  return  him 
with  an  answer  suitable  to  my  wishes  for  a  long  and  lasting  peace  between 
us."  In  his  response,  the  Chevalier  added  in  reply  to  this  clause:  "I  made 
it  my  particular  care  to  receive  Mr.  Washington  with  a  distinction  suitable 
to  your  dignity,  as  well  as  his  own  quality  and  great  merit.  I  flatter  myself 
that  he  will  do  me  this  justice  before  you,  sir,  and  that  he  will  signify  to 
you,  in  the  manner  I  do  myself,  the  profound  respect  with  which  I  am,  sir," 
etc. 

His  mission  over,  he  sent  his  horses  on  in  advance,  and  himself  and 
party  took  to  canoes,  in  which  they  floated  down  French  Creek  to  Fort 
Venango,  now  Franklin.  It  may  be  ol)served,  in  passing,  that  Washington, 
in  going  upwards  from  Fort  Venango,  followed  the  Indian  path,  which 
crossed  the  river  at  a  ford  near  the  Mercer  Street  bridge  in  the  city  of 
Meadville.  But  finding  the  stream  swollen  by  recent  storms,  he  decided  not 
to  cross,  but  kept  on  up  on  the  Meadville  side,  and  a  spring  within  the 
northern  limits  of  the  city  is  pointed  out  where  he  stopped  to  lunch  and 
take  a  draft  of  the  pure  water,  and  a  little  hillock  on  the  turnpike  which 
overlooks  Woodcock  Creek  as  the  place  where  he  encamped  for  a  night. 
In  returning  he  took  the  more  comfortable  way  by  floating  down  in  canoes, 
while  the  horses  returned  by  the  path  over  which  they  had  come. 

On  arriving  at  Fort  Venango,  finding  his  horses  jaded  and  reduced, 
he  gave  up  his  own  saddle  horse  for  transporting  the  baggage.  Equipped 
in  an  Indian  hunting  dress,  he  accompanied  the  train  for  three  davs.  Finding 
the  progress  very  slow,  and  the  cold  becoming  every  day  more  intense,  he 
placed  the  train  in  charge  of  Van  Braam,  and,  taking  his  necessary  papers, 
pulled  off  his  clothes  and  tied  himself  up  in  a  watch  coat.  Then,  with  gun 
in  hand  and  pack  on  his  back,  he  set  out  with  Islr.  Gist  to  make  his  way 
back  on  foot  to  the  Ohio.  Falling  in  with  a  party  of  French  and  Indians, 
lie  engaged  one  of  them  for  a  guide,  who  proved  treacherous,  leading  them 
out  of  their  way,  and  finally  turned  upon  and  fired  at  Washington,  "net 
fifteen  steps  otT."  But  he  missed,  or  the  Great  Spirit  guided  the  bullet 
aside. 

Ridding  themselves  of  him,  they  traveled  all  night  to  escape  pursuit. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  85 

Being  obliged  to  cross  the  Allegheny  River,  with  "one  poor  hatchet"  they 
toilsomely  made  a  raft.  "Before  we  were  half  way  over,"  proceeds  the 
journal,  "we  were  jammed  in  the  ice  in  such  a  manner  that  we  expected 
every  moment  our  raft  to  sink  and  ourselves  to  perish.  I  put  out  my  setting 
pole  to  try  to  stop  the  raft  that  the  ice  might  pass  by,  when  the  rapidity  of 
the  stream  threw  it  with  so  much  violence  against  the  pole  that  it  jerked  me 
out  into  ten  feet  of  water.  Notwithstanding  all  our  efforts,  we  could  not 
get  to  either  shore,  but  were  obliged,  as  we  were  near  an  island,  to  quit  our 
raft  and  make  to  it.  The  cold  was  so  extremely  severe  that  Mr.  Gist  had 
all  his  fingers  and  some  of  his  toes  frozen,  and  the  water  was  shut  up  so 
hard  that  we  found  no  difficulty  in  getting  ofif  the  island  on  the  ice  in  the 
morning." 

Arrived  at  the  Gist  settlement,  \\'ashington  bought  a  horse  and  saddle, 
and  on  the  i6th  of  January,  1754,  he  records,  "We  met  seventeen  horses 
loaded  with  materials  and  stores  for  a  fort  at  the  fork  of  the  Ohio,  and  the 
day  following  some  famiHes  going  out  to  settle.  This  day  we  arrived  at 
Will's  Creek,  after  as  fatiguing  a  journey  as  it  is  possible  to  conceive,  ren- 
dered so,  by  excessive  bad  weather.  From  the  first  day  of  December  to  the 
fifteenth,  there  was  but  one  day  on  which  it  did  not  rain  or  snow  incessantly, 
and  throughout  the  whole  journey  we  met  with  nothing  but  one  continued 
series  of  cold,  wet  weather,  which  occasioned  very  uncomfortable  lodgings, 
especially  after  we  had  left  behind  us  our  tent,  which  had  been  some  screen 
from  the  inclemency  of  it.  .  .  .  I  arrived  at  Williamsburg  on  the  i6th, 
when  I  waited  upon  his  Honor,  the  Governor,  with  the  letter  I  had  brought 
from  the  French  commandant,  and  to  give  an  account  of  the  success  of  my 
proceedings.  This  I  beg  leave  to  do  by  ofifering  the  foregoing  narrative, 
as  it  contains  the  most  remarkable  occurrences  which  happened  in  my 
journey.  I  hope  what  has  been  said  will  be  sufficient  to  make  your  Honor 
satisfied  with  my  conduct,  for  that  was  my  aim  in  undertaking  the  journey 
and  chief  study  throughout  the  prosecution  of  it." 

It  must  be  confessed  that  this  embassage,  undertaken  in  the  dead  of 
winter,  through  an  almost  trackless  wilderness,  infested  by  hostile  savages, 
by  a  boy  of  twenty-one,  was  not  only  romantic,  but  arduous  and  dangerous 
in  the  extreme,  and  in  its  execution  showed  a  discretion  and  persistent 
resolution  remarkable  for  so  youthful  a  person,  giving  promise  of  great 
future   usefulness.     The  information  which   he   obtained,   and   which   was 


R6  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

embodied  in  a  modest  way  in  his  journal,  was  of  great  importance.  The 
journal  was  published  and  widely  circulated  in  this  country  and  in  England. 
It  plainly  disclosed  the  fact  that  the  French,  in  building  strong  forts  and 
providing  cannon  and  a  military  force  for  garrisoning  them,  meant  to  hold 
this  whole  Ohio  country  by  force  of  arms,  and  that  if  the  English  would 
foil  them  in  this  design  they  must  lose  no  time  in  preparation  to  oppose 
force  to  force.  The  lateness  of  the  season  and  the  coming  on  of  severe 
weather  alone  prevented  the  French  from  proceeding  down  the  Allegheny 
and  taking  post  on  the  Ohio  in  the  fall  of  1753.  The  following  spring 
would  doubtless  witness  such  a  hostile  movement.  Here  is  the  opening 
of  one  of  the  most  interesting  chapters  in  the  history  of  the  North  American 
continent.  Here  are  two  great,  proud  European  nations  standing  face  to 
face,  preparing  to  contend  for  the  possession  of  the  great  Mississippi  valley, 
well  apprised  that  before  the  blossoms  of  another  spring  shall  come  will  be 
heard  the  clash  of  arms.  Thus  far,  the  French  had  shown  much  the  greater 
military  activity,  and  their  strong  positions  had  been  selected  by  competent 
engineers  detailed  from  the  French  army,  who  had  superintended  the  erec- 
tion of  their  strong  forts.  Arrived  at  the  threshold  of  a  great  era,  the  near 
future  will  witness  the  decision  whether  this  fair  land,  in  the  midst  of  which 
is  what  is  now  the  County  of  Crawford,  shall  be  peopled  by  the  French,  and 
be  under  the  control  of  the  lilies  of  France,  or  an  English-speaking  people 
shall  spread  over  this  broad  domain,  the  whole  Mississippi  valley,  the  pride 
of  the  continent. 


CHAPTER  Vlll. 


WASHINGTON'S    FIRST   BATTLES. 


AS  WE  have  seen,  Washington  met  a  train  on  its  way  to  commence 
the  bnilding  of  a  fort  at  the  present  site  of  Pittsburg.  After  his 
return,  orders  were  given  by  the  Governor  of  Virginia  to  enHst  a 
company  of  a  lumdred  men  and  proceed  without  delay  to  the  forks  of  Ohio 
and  complete  the  fort  there  begun.  Washington  was  empowered  to  raise 
another  company  of  hke  numJjer  with  which  to  coHect  supplies  and  forward 
to  the  working  party  at  the  fort.  In  the  meantime,  Governor  Dinwiddie 
convened  the  Virginia  Legislature,  asked  for  money  with  which  to  conduct 
the  military  operations,  and  called  upon  the  other  colonies  to  join  him.  Lack 
of  funds,  want  of  royal  authority  to  enter  upon  this  warfare  and  other  excuses 
kept  the  other  colonists  from  engaging  innnediately,  but  the  Virginia  Legis- 
lature voted  money,  and  the  number  of  troops  authorized  was  increased  to 
300,  to  be  divided  into  six  companies,  of  which  Washington  was  offered 
the  command.  But,  on  account  of  his  youth,  he  declined  it,  and  Joshua  Fry 
was  made  Colonel,  and  Washington  Lieutenant-Colonel.  On  the  2d  of 
April,  1754,  Washington  set  out  with  two  companies  of  150  men  for  the 
fort  on  the  Ohio,  Colonel  Fry  with  the  artiller}-.  which  had  just  arrived  from 
England,  to  follow.  But  before  Washington  had  arrived  at  Will's  Creek 
intelligence  was  received  that  Captain  Contracoeur,  acting  under  authority 
of  the  Governor  General  of  New  France,  having  embarked  a  thousand  men 
with  field  pieces  upon  sixty  batteaux  and  three  hundred  canoes  at  the  flood- 
tide  in  the  Allegheny  River,  had  dropped  down  and  captured  the  meager 
force  working  upon  the  fort  at  the  forks,  both  Trent  and  Frazier,  the  two 
liighest  in  command,  being  at  the  time  absent.  The  garrison,  of  about  fifty 
men,  were  allowed  to  depart  with  their  working  tools. 

Though  bloodless,  this  was  an  act  of  hostility.  The  war  was  begun 
which  was  greatly  to  modify  the  map  of  this  continent.  "The  seven  years' 
war"  says  Albach,  "arose  at  the  forks  of  the  Ohio;    it  was  waged  in  all 

87 


•8S  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS   PEOPLE. 

quarters  of  the  world;  it  made  Eng-land  a  great  imperial  power;  it  drove 
the  French  from  Asia  and  America  and  dissipated  their  scheme  of  empire." 
Contracoeur  immediately  proceeded  with  the  building  of  the  fort  which 
the  Virginians  had  begun.  He  had  issued  before  the  surrender  what  he 
was  pleased  to  denominate  a  summons,  in  which  he  "sirs"  every  sentence, 
and  orders  the  English  out  of  the  Ohio  country  in  the  most  absolute  and 
authoritative  way.  "Nothing,"  he  says,  "can  surprise  me  more  than  to  see 
you  attempt  a  settlement  upon  the  lands  of  the  King,  my  master,  which 
obliges  me  now,  sir,  to  send  you  this  gentleman,  Chevalier  Le  Mercier, 
captain  of  the  artillery  of  Canada,  to  know  of  you,  sir,  by  virtue  of  what 
authority  you  are  come  to  fortify  yourself  within  the  dominions  of  the 
King,  my  master.  .  .  .  Let  it  be  as  it  will,  sir,  if  you  come  out  into 
this  place  charged  with  orders,  I  summon  you  in  the  name  of  the  King, 
my  master,  by  virtue  of  orders  which  I  got  from  my  general,  to  retreat 
peaceably  with  your  troops  from  off  the  lands  of  the  King  and  not  to  return, 
or  else  I  will  find  myself  obliged  to  fulfill  my  duty  and  compel  you  to  it. 
.     .     .     I  prevent  you,  sir,  from  asking  one  hour  of  delay." 

Washington,  though  but  a  stripling,  determined  to  move  Ijoldly  for- 
ward, although  his  force  was  but  a  moiety  of  that  of  the  French,  and  intrench 
upon  the  Redstone.  To  add  to  his  perplexity,  he  received  intelligence  that 
a  reinforcement  of  800  men  was  on  its  way  up  the  Mississippi  to  join  Con- 
tracoeur at  the  forks.  Sending  out  messengers  to  the  Governors  of  Penn- 
sylvania, Virginia  and  Maryland  to  ask  for  reinforcements,  he  pushed  on 
to  the  Great  Meadows,  arriving  on  the  27th.  Here  he  learned  that  a  scout- 
ing party  of  the  French  was  already  in  this  neighborhood.  Not  delaying  a 
moment,  he  started  with  forty  picked  men,  and  though  the  night  was  dark 
and  the  rain  fell  in  torrents,  he  came  up  with  the  French  before  morning, 
encamped  in  a  retreat  shielded  by  rocks  and  a  broken  country.  Order  of 
attack  was  immediately  formed,  the  English  on  the  right  and  the  friendly 
Indians  on  the  left.  The  French  aroused,  flew  to  arms,  when  a  brisk  firing 
commenced,  which  lasted  for  some  time,  and  the  French,  seeing  no  way  of 
escape,  surrendered.  In  this  spirited  skirmish,  Jumonville,  the  commander, 
and  ten  of  his  men  were  slain,  and  twenty-two  were  taken  prisoners.  Wash- 
ington's loss  was  one  killed  and  two  wounded.  This  was  the  young  com- 
mander's first  battle,  and,  if  we  may  judge  of  it  by  the  measure  of  success, 
it  was  the  presage  of  a  brilliant  career.     He  naturally  felt  a  degree  of  pride 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  89 

and  exultation.  In  a  letter  to  his  iirother,  he  added  a  postscript  in  these 
words:  "I  fortunately  escaped  without  any  wounds,  for  the  right  wing, 
where  I  stood,  was  exposed  to  and  received  all  the  enemy's  fire,  and  it  was 
the  part  where  the  man  was  killed  and  the  rest  wounded.  I  heard  the 
bullets  whistle,  and,  believe  me,  there  is  something  charming  in  the  sound." 
When  this  was  reported  to  the  English  King,  George  II.,  he  dryly  remarked, 
"He  would  not  say  so  if  he  had  been  used  to  hear  many." 

At  the  Great  Meadows  a  fort  was  marked  out  and  partially  fortified, 
which  was  designated  Fort  Necessity.  Supplies  were  scarce,  and  could  be 
brought  up  with  difficulty.  Not  satisfied  to  stop  here,  Washington  pushed 
on  to  Gist's,  at  the  headwaters  of  the  Redstone,  where  some  entrenchments 
were  thrown  up.  But  learning  that  the  French  were  approaching  in  force, 
and  seeing  that  no  sufficient  supply  of  provisions  could  be  had,  he  was 
obliged  to  return  to  Fort  Necessity,  which  he  proceeded  to  strengthen.  On 
the  morning  of  the  third  of  July,  the  French,  under  Captain  de  Villiers,  a 
brother-in-law  of  Jumonville,  with  a  force  900  strong,  commenced  an  attack 
upon  the  fort.  Outnumbered  nearly  three  to  one,  Washington  boldly  ac- 
cepted the  wager  of  battle,  and  all  day  long  and  until  late  at  night  made 
a  gallant  fight,  when  the  French  commander  asked  for  a  parley  and  de- 
manded a  surrender,  which  was  refused.  Again  the  demand  was  made  and 
again  refused.  Exhausted  by  the  fatigues  of  the  day  and  suffering  for  lack 
of  provisions,  Washington,  on  being  offered  the  privilege  of  marching  out 
with  honors  of  war,  decided  to  accept  the  terms,  and  on  the  4th  of  July,  a 
day  memorable  in  the  future  annals  of  the  country,  though  of  humiliation 
now,  departed  with  drums  beating  and  colors  tiying.  In  this  engagement 
of  300  under  Washington's  command,  twelve  had  been  killed  and  forty-three 
wounded.  The  loss  in  Captain  Mackay's  independent  company  of  South 
Carolinians  was  not  known,  nor  the  loss  of  the  French,  which  was  believed 
to  have  been  much  more  serious. 

Returning  to  Will's  Creek,  a  strong  work,  designated  Fort  Cumber- 
land, was  constructed,  which  should  be  a  rallying  point.  In  the  meantime, 
Colonel  Fry  had  died,  and  Colonel  Innes,  of  North  Carolina,  had  been 
promoted  to  the  chief  command.  The  army  which  came  under  his  orders 
was  composed  of  the  Virginia,  North  Carolina  and  Maryland  Militia,  and 
independent  companies  of  South  Carolina,  New  York  and  Virginia,  under 
the  pay  of  the  King,  and  officered  by  soldiers  bearing  his  commission.    And 


90  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

now  succeeded  months  of  negotiation  carried  on  between  London  and 
Paris;  but  nothing  was  definitely  settled,  and  in  the  early  spring  of  1755 
it  was  decided  in  the  British  Cabinet  to  prosecute  an  active  campaign  against 
the  French  in  America,  with  four  objects  in  view:  To  eject  the  French  from 
Nova  Scotia,  to  drive  them  from  Crown  Point,  on  Lake  Champlain;  to 
gain  possession  of  Fort  \iagara,  and  to  recover  the  Ohio  country.  For 
the  accomplishment  of  these  purposes  Major  General  Edward  Braddock 
was  dispatched  to  America,  with  two  regiments  of  the  line,  the  Forty-fourth 
and  Forty-eighth,  commanded  by  Sir  Peter  Halket  and  Colonel  Dunbar, 
with  directions  to  take  the  supreme  command  of  all  the  forces.  Two  ships 
of  war  and  several  transports  were  in  the  Chesapeake.  Alexandria  was 
made  the  rallying  point,  and  here  the  regulars  encamped.  Commodore 
Keppel  furnished  four  heavy  pieces  of  ordnance,  with  a  detail  of  tars  to 
man  the  prolongs  in  passing  the  streams  and  mountains.  Before  starting 
on  his  campaign,  the  General  held  a  conference  at  Alexandria  with  the 
Governors  of  the  several  colonies, — Shirley,  of  Massachusetts;  Delaney,  of 
New  York;  Sharpe,  of  Maryland;  Dinwiddle,  of  Virginia;  Dobbs,  of  North 
Carolina,  and  Morris  of  Pennsylvania.  This  conference  considered  little 
more  than  the  question  of  furnishing  troops  and  supplies  for  the  expe- 
ditions. 

The  force  against  Nova  Scotia  was  earliest  in  the  field,  and  was 
entirely  successful,  the  country  being  reduced  and  placed  under  martial  law, 
and  two  French  men-of-war  were  captured  by  the  English  admiral, 
Boscawen.  The  force  destined  against  the  French  on  the  Ohio,  to  be 
commanded  by  General  Braddock  in  person,  was  slow  in  moving.  Wagons 
and  horses  were  not  in  readiness,  and  could  not  be  procured.  Two  hundred 
wagons  and  two  thousand  horses  must  be  had,  or  the  General  would  not 
move;  and  when  the  expedition  was  on  the  point  of  failure  for  lack  of  them, 
Benjamin  Franklin,  then  postmaster  of  Pennsylvania,  appeare(5  and  assured 
the  General  that  he  would  provide  the  desired  transportation  if  authorized 
to  do  so.  That  authority  was  quickly  and  joyfully  given,  and  the  desired 
horses  and  wagons  were  soon  forthcoming.  It  should  be  observed  that 
Braddock  had  studied  the  military  art  as  practiced  in  the  open  countries  of 
Europe,  where  smooth,  hard  roads  everywhere  checkered  the  landscape, 
and  he  made  his  requisitions  for  baggage,  artillery  and  ammunition  as 
though  his  expedition  was  to  be  made  over  such  a  country,  instead  of  over 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  91 

one  bristling  with  mountains  and  torrent  streams  through  a  trackless  wilder- 
ness. Had  he  gone  in  light  marching  order,  with  ammunition  and  pro- 
visions on  pack-horses,  he  would  have  been  better  prepared  to  meet  the 
obstacles  which  impeded  his  way.  But  instead  of  this,  the  impedimenta  of 
his  little  force  of  less  than  3,000  men  was  greater  than  was  taken  by  a  full 
army  corps  of  20,000  men  in  many  of  the  campaigns  of  the  late  War  of  the 
Rebellion. 

Before  starting,  Braddock  organized  his  force  in  two  divisions.  The 
lirst,  under  Sir  Peter  Halket.  was  composed  of  the  Forty-fourth  regulars. 
Peyronie's  and  ^^"aggoner's  \'irginia  companies,  Dagworthie's  ^Maryland 
company,  Rutherford's  and  Gate's  New  York  companies,  and  Poison's 
pioneers.  The  second,  under  Colonel  Thomas  Dunbar,  consisted  of  the 
Forty-eighth  regulars,  and  the  balance  of  the  force.  General  William  Shirley 
acted  as  secretary  to  the  General,  and  Orme,  Washington  and  Morris  as 
aids-de-camp. 

On  the  9th  of  April,  Sir  Peter  Halket,  with  six  companies  of  the  Forty- 
fourth,  moved  by  way  of  \Mnchester  for  Fort  Cumberland,  at  Will's  Creek, 
leaving  Lieutenant  Gage  with  four  companies  to  escort  the  artillery.  By 
the  advice  of  Sir  John  Sinclair,  who  had  been  sent  forward  in  advance  to 
Winchester  and  Fort  Cumberland  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  march,  the 
second  division,  under  Colonel  Dunbar,  accompanied  with  the  artillery  and 
heavv  trains,  moved  by  way  of  Frederick,  ]\Iaryland.  But  though  the  roads 
were  better  approaching  Frederick  than  by  \Mnchester,  there  were  abso- 
lutely none  beyond  there  crossing  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  and  accord- 
ingly this  wing  was  obliged  to  recross  the  Potomac  and  gain  the  Winchester 
road.  Thev  now  marched  on  with  all  the  "pride  and  circumstance"  of 
S'lorious  war.  "At  high  noon,"  savs  the  chronicler,  "on  the  loth  of  May. 
while  Halket's  command  was  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,  one  galloping  each  side  of  his  travel- 
ing chariot,  in  haste  to  reach  Fort  Cumberland.  The  troops  saluted,  the 
drums  rolled  out  the  Grenadier's  March,  and  the  cortege  passed.  An  hour 
later  these  troops  heard  the  booming  of  artillery  which  welcomed  the 
General's  arrival  at  Fort  Cumberland,  and  a  little  later  themselves  encamped 
on  the  hill  sides  about  the  post.  In  place  of  this  vain  display,  Braddock 
should  bv  this  time  have  been  knocking  at  the  gates  of  Fort  Du  Quesne. 


92  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

But  arrived  at  Fort  Cumberland,  he  sat  down  one  whole  month  of 
the  very  best  campaigning  season,  preparing  for  the  execution  of  his  plans 
after  the  methods  of  European  warfare.  His  utter  lack -of  appreciation  of 
the  kind  of  warfare  he  was  to  wage  is  given  in  that  delightful  piece  of  auto- 
biography left  us  by  Dr.  Franklin:  "In  conversation  with  him  one  day,  he 
was  giving  me  some  account  of  his  intended  progress.  'After  taking  Fort 
Du  Ouesne,"  said  he,  'I  am  to  proceed  to  Niagara;  and,  having  taken  that, 
to  Frontenac  if  the  season  will  allow  time;  and  I  suppose  it  will,  for  Du 
Quesne  can  hardly  detain  m'e  above  three  or  four  days,  and  then  I  can  see 
nothing  that  can  obstruct  my  march  to  Niagara.'  Having  before  resolved 
in  my  mind,"  continues  Franklin,  "the  long  line  the  army  must  make  in 
their  march  by  a  very  narrow  road,  to  be  cut  for  them  through  the  woods 
and  bushes,  and  also  of  what  I  had  heard  of  a  former  defeat  of  fifteen  hun- 
dred French,  who  invaded  the  Illinois  countr)',  I  had  conceived  some  doubts 
and  some  fears  for  the  event  of  the  campaign;  but  I  ventured  only  to  sa)-, 
'To  be  sure,  sir,  if  you  arrive  well  before  Du  Quesne  with  these  fine  troops, 
so  well  provided  with  artillery,  the  fort,  though  completely'fortified  and 
assisted  with  a  very  strong  garrison,  can  probably  make  but  a  short  resist- 
ance. The  only  danger  I  apprehend  of  obstruction  to  your  march  is  from 
the  ambuscades  of  the  Indians,  who,  by  constant  practice,  are  dextrous  in 
laying  and  executing  them;  and  the  slender  line,  nearly  four  miles  long, 
which  your  army  must  make,  expose  it  to  be  attacked  by  surprise  on  its 
flanks,  and  to  be  cut  like  thread  into  several  pieces,  which,  from  their  dis- 
tance, cannot  come  up  in  time  to  support  one  another."  He  smiled  at  my 
ignorance,  and  replied:  'These  savages  may  indeed  be  a  formidable  enemy 
to  raw  American  Militia,  but  upon  the  King's  regular  and  disciplined  troops, 
sir,  it  is  impossible  they  should  make  an  impression!'  I  was  conscious  of 
an  impropriety  in  my  disputing  with  a  military  man  in  matters  of  his 
profession." 

It  was  June  before  the  army  was  ready  to  set  forward.  The  wagons 
and  artillery  were  a  great  hindrance  in  crossing  the  mountains,  and  it  was 
soon  found  necessary  to  send  them  back,  especially  the  King's  wagons,  which 
were  very  heavy.  The  horses  became  weakened  by  incessant  pulling  over 
rough  and  untraveled  roads,  and  many  died.  The  Little  Meadows  was  not 
reached  until  the  i8th  of  the  month.  Through  the  advice  of  Washington 
the  General  decided  to  change  the  order  of  march,  and  with  a  force  of  his 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  93 

picked  men,  witli  as  little  incumbrance  of  trains  as  possible,  to  push  forward. 
According-ly,  with  a  force  of  1.200  men.  Braddock  set  out,  leaving  Colonel 
Dunbar  with  the  balance  of  the  command  to  bring  on  the  heavy  artillery 
and  trains.  At  the  camp  near  the  crossing  of  Castleman's  River,  on  the 
19th,  \Yashington  was  taken  violently  ill.  "Braddock,"  said  Washington, 
in  relating  the  circumstance  afterward,  "was  both  my  general  and  my 
physician.  I  was  attacked  with  a  dangerous  fever  on  the  march,  and  he  left 
a  sergeant  to  take  care  of  me,  and  James'  fever  powders,  with  the  directions 
how  to  give  them,  and  a  wagon  to  bring  me  on  when  I  would  be  able,  whicli 
was  only  the  day  before  the  battle." 

The  army  was  attended  on  its  march  by  a  small  body  of  Indians  under 
command  of  Croghan.  They  had  come  into  camp  at  Fort  Cumberland 
attended  hy  their  squaws.  "These,"  says  Irving,  "were  even  fonder  of  loit- 
ering than  the  men  about  the  British  camp.  They  were  not  destitute  of 
attractions,  for  the  young  squaws  resemble  the  gypsies,  having  seductive 
forms,  small  hands  and  feet,  and  soft  voices.  Among  those  who  visited 
the  camp  was  one  who,  no  doubt,  passed  as  an  Indian  princess.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  the  Sachem,  White  Thunder,  and  bore  the  dazzling  name 
of  Bright  L-ightning.  The  charms  of  these  wild-wood  beauties  were  so<3n 
acknowledged."  "The  squaws,"  writes  Secretary  Peters,  "bring  in  money 
plenty;  the  oflTcers  are  scandalously  fond  of  them!  The  jealousy  of 
warriors  was  aroused;  some  of  them  became  furious.  To  prevent  discord, 
the  squaws  were  forbidden  to  come  into  the  British  camp.  Finally,  it  be- 
came necessary  to  send  Bright  Lightning,  with  all  the  women  and  children, 
back  to  Aughquick." 

Washington  was  disappointed  by  the  manner  in  which  Braddock  acted 
upon  his  advice  to  move  i-apidly  with  his  best  troops,  and  leave  the  heavy 
portion  of  his  impedimenta  to  be  moved  more  leisurely.  Washington  had 
given  up  his  own  horse  for  the  use  of  the  trains,  and  traveled  with  his  bag- 
gage, half  filling  a  portmanteau.  But  the  officers  of  the  line  could  not  bring 
themselves  to  this  simplicity.  "Brought  up,"  says  Irving,  "many  of  them 
in  fashionable  and  luxurious  life,  or  the  loitering  indulgence  of  country 
quarters,  they  were  so  encumbered  with  what  they  considered  indispensable 
necessaries  that  out  of  two  hundred  and  twelve  horses  generally  appro- 
priated to  their  use,  not  more  than  a  dozen  could  be  spared  by  them  for 
the  public  service."     Nor  was  the  progress  even  with  these  drawbacks  at 


94  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

all  in  consonance  with  the  wishes  of  Washington.  "I  found,"  he  says,  "that 
instead  of  pushing  on  with  vigor,  without  regarding  a  little  rough  road,  they 
were  halting  to  level  every  mole-hill  and  to  erect  bridges  over  every  brook, 
by  which  means  we  were  four  days  in  getting  twelve  miles."  He  had  been 
about  a  month  marching  a  hundred  miles.  Indeed,  his  movements  were  so 
sluggish  as  to  cause  impatience  by  his  friends  in  Europe.  "The  Duke  of 
Brunswick,"  who  had  planned  the  campaign,  writes  Horace  Walpole,  "is 
much  dissatisfied  at  the  slowness  of  Braddock,  who  does  not  march  as  if 
he  \\as  at  all  impatient  to  l)e  scaljied." 

Though  still  weak,  \A'ashington  had  come  up  with  the  advance;  but 
on  the  23d  of  June,  at  the  great  crossing  of  the  Youghicjgheny,  he  was 
unable  to  proceed.  Here  General  Braddock  interposed  his  authority,  and 
forbade  his  young  aid  to  go  further,  assigned  him  a  guard,  placed  him  under 
the  care  of  his  surgeon.  Dr.  Craig,  with  directions  not  to  move  until  the 
surgeon  should  consider  him  sufficiently  recovered  to  resume  the  march 
with  safety,  at  the  same  time  assuring  him  that  he  should  be  kept  informed 
of  the  progress  of  the  column  and  the  portents  of  a  battle.  He  was,  how- 
ever, impatient  at  the  restraint,  and  regarded  with  distress  the  departure  of 
the  army,  leaving  him  behind,  fearful  lest  he  might  not  be  up  in  time  for 
the  impending  battle,  which,  he  assured  his  brother  aid-de-camp,  he  would 
not  miss  for  five  hundred  pounds." 

Indications  of  the  presence  of  a  hostile  force  of  French  and  Indians, 
hovering  upon  the  tianks  of  the  column,  hourly  multiplied.  On  the  24th, 
a  deserted  Indian  camp  of  170  braves  was  passed,  where  the  trees  had  been 
stripped  of  bark,  and  taunting  words  in  the  French  language  and  scurrilous 
figures  were  paintetl  thereon.  On  the  following  morning* three  men,  ven- 
turing beyond  the  sentinels,  were  shot  and  scalped.  These  hostile  ])arties 
were  often  seen,  but  they  always  managed  to  elude  the  parties  sent  out  to 
capture  them.  In  passing  over  a  mountain  cpiite  steep  and  precipitous,  the- 
carriages  had  to  be  raised  and  lowered  by  means  of  halyards  and  pulleys  by 
the  assistance  of  the  sailors.  Such  was  the  nature  of  the  hurried  march 
with  his  best  troops  which  Braddock  had  consented  to  make.  On  the  26th, 
only  four  miles  were  marched,  and  the  halt  was  at  another  Indian  camp, 
wliicli  the  warriors  had  but  just  left,  the  brands  of  their  camp-fire  still  Ijurn- 
ing.  "It  had  a  spring  in  the  middle,  and  stood  at  the  termination  of  the 
Indian  path  to  the  Monongahela.     .     .     .     The  French  had  inscribed  their 


OUR  COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  95 

names  on  some  of  the  trees  witli  insulting  l)ravadoes,  and  the  Indians  liail 
designated  in  triumpli  tlie  scalps  they  had  taken  two  days  previously.  A 
party  was  sent  out,  with  guides,  to  follow  their  tracks  and  fall  on  them  in 
the  night,  but  without  success.  In  fact,  it  was  the  Indian  boast  that 
throughout  this  march  of  Braddock  they  saw  him  every  day  from  the 
mountains,  and  expected  to  be  able  to  .shoot  down  his  soldiers  'like 
pigeons.'  " 

Still  the  colunm  went  toiling  on,  in  one  whole  day  making  barely  two 
miles,  men  and  officers  alike  all  unconscious  of  the  fact  that  a  pitfall  was 
being  prepared  for  them  into  which  they  would  plunge  to  destruction,  and 
laying  no  adequate  plans  to  guard  and  shield  themselves  from  such  a  fate. 

On  the  8th  of  July,  \\'ashington  found  himself  sufficiently  recovered 
to  join  the  advance  of  the  army,  at  its  camp  about  two  miles  from  the 
Monongahela,  and  fifteen  from  Fort  Du  Quesne.  Though  they  were  now 
on  the  same  side  of  the  river  as  the  fort,  yet  not  far  in  advance,  a  precipitou.s^ 
bluff  extended  down  close  in  upon  the  river  bank,  leaving  little  room  for 
the  march,  and  where  a  column  would  be  exposed  for  a  distance  of  two 
miles  to  a  sudden  attack  from  the  heights.  Accordingly,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  cross  to  tlie  left  bank  of  the  river  by  a  ford,  move  down  five  miles, 
recross  to  the  right  1)ank.  and  then  move  on  to  the  attack  of  the  fort. 
According  to  orders.  Gage,  with  two  comijanies  of  Grenadiers,  the  company 
of  Captain  Gates,  and  two  six-pounders,  before  daylight  on  the  morning 
of  the  9th,  crossed  and  recrossed  the  river  as  planned,  and  took  up  a  position 
favorable  for  covering  the  moving  the  remainder  of  the  column.  .\  party 
of  some  fifty  Indians  rushed  out  upon  them,  but  were  .soon  put  to  flight. 
Knowing  now  the  nature  of  the  ground  uixm  which  they  had  come, 
and  realizing  the  hazards  from  a  covert  attack  to  which  they  were  exposed, 
having  come  in  such  close  proximity  to  the  enemy,  and  doubtless  recalling 
the  buzz  of  the  bullets  and  buck-shot  about  his  ears  in  his  fight  at  Fort 
Necessity,  Washington  ventured  to  suggest  that  as  the  Virginia  rangers 
were  accustomed  to  Indian  warfare,  they  be  given  the  advance.  But 
the  proposition  was  received  with  a  sharp  rebuke  by  the  General,  believmg, 
no  doubt,  that  the  young  provincial  aid  was  ignorant  of  the  principles  of 
high  art  in  warfare,  and  indignant  that  any  subordinate  should  pretend  to 
advise   him. 

Braddock  was  now  near  enough  to  the  fort  to  anticipate  the  l)attle  at 


96  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

any  moment.  He  accordingly  prepared  to  make  a  fine  show.  At  sunrise 
the  main  body,  all  under  his  immediate  command,  turned  out  in  full  uniform. 
Their  arms  hafl  loeen  brightened  the  night  before,  and  at  the  beating  of  the 
general,  were  charged  with  fresh  cartridges.  At  the  crossings  of  the  stream, 
where  it  was  supposed  that  the  enemy  would  be  on  the  watch  to  observe 
them,  in  order  that  they  might  make  the  greatest  show  of  power  and 
strength,  they  moved  with  fixed  bayonets,  colors  gayly  given  to  the  breeze, 
the  trumpet  sounding  and  the  fife  and  drum  marking  the  measured  tread. 
"Washington."  says  Irving,  "with  his  keen  and  youthful  relish  for  military 
afifairs,  was  delighted  with  their  perfect  order  and  equipment,  so  different 
from  the  rough  bush-fighters  to  which  he  had  been  accustomed.  Roused 
to  new  life,  he  forgot  his  recent  ailments,  and  broke  forth  in  expressions  of 
enjoyment  and  admiration,  as  he  rode  in  company  with  his  fellow  aids-de- 
camp, Orme  and  Morris.  Often  in  after  life  he  used  to  speak  of  the  effect 
ppon  him  of  the  first  sight  of  a  well-disciplined  European  army  marching 
in  high  confidence  and  bright  array  on  the  eve  of  a  battle." 

Having  now  all  crossed  to  the  right  bank,  as  was  supposed  within  nine 
miles  of  the  fort,  the  column  was  in  battle  order,  Gage  with  his  force  pre- 
ceded by  the  engineers  and  guides,  and  six  light  horsemen  leading;  St. 
Clair,  with  the  working  party  flanked  with  soldiers,  and  the  wagons  and 
two  six-pounders  following:  then  the  General,  with  the  main  body,  and 
the  provincial  troops  bringing  up  the  rear.  Along  the  track  they  were  to 
pursue  was  a  plain  for  some  distance,  then  rising  ground  flanked  on  either 
side  by  wooded  ravines.  At  two  o'clock  the  advance  under  Gage,  having 
crossed  this  plain,  was  ascending  the  rise,  the  General  himself  having  given 
the  order  to  the  main  body  to  march,  and  being  now  under  way,  suddenly 
a  heavy  firing  was  heard  at  the  head  of  the  column,  accompanied  by  un- 
earthly yells.  Colonel  Burton  was  immediately  ordered  forward  to  the 
support  of  Gage,  who  had  been  attacked  by  an  unseen  foe  lurking  in 
ambush,  but  drawn  out  in  most  advantageous  order  for  extending  their 
attack  upon  the  flanks  of  the  advancing  English.  They  were  commanded 
by  a  Frenchman,  Beaujeu,  attired  in  a  "gayly-fringed  hunting  shirt,"  who 
led  them  on  and  directed  the  fight.  The  Indians  observed  no  order,  but, 
extending  rapidly  down  the  ravines  on  the  flank  of  the  column,  poured  in 
a  murderous  fire  upon  the  regulars  and  pioneers,  who  stood  out  boldly, 
presenting  themselves  as  targets  for  the  concealed  foe,  who  used  their  rifles 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  97 

with  deadly  effect.  The  firing  on  both  sides  was  brisk.  The  Indian  was 
accustomed  to  see  his  foe  dodge  behind  trees  and  seek  cover  wherever  he 
could.  He  had  never  seen  such  fine  sport  before,  where  the  victim  stood 
up  boldly,  giving  a  fair  chance  to  shoot  him  down.  The  Indian  war-whoop 
was  something  appalling,  and  the  regulars  seemed  to  dread  it  more  than 
the  bullets.  Gage  ordered  his  men  to  fix  bayonets,  and  form  for  a  charge 
up  a  hill  whence  was  the  heaviest  fire;  but  all  to  no  purpose.  They  were 
being  surrounded  by  an  unseen  foe,  which  crept  stealthily  along  the  hills 
and  ravines,  keeping  up  a  most  deadly  fire.  A  panic  seized  the  pioneers, 
and  many  of  the  soldiers.  Braddock  and  his  officers  behaved  in  the  most 
gallant  manner,  exposing  themselves  to  the  fire  of  their  dusky  foes  in  their 
attempts  to  reform  the  shattered  ranks  and  advance  them  to  the  attack. 
Washington  suggested  that  the  Indian  mode  of  skulking  be  resorted  to. 
But  Braddock  would  listen  to  no  advice,  being  reported  to  have  said  upon 
this  occasion,  "What!  a  Virginia  colonel  teach  a  British  general  how  to 
fight!"  But  that  young  Virginian  counseled  wisely  in  this  dire  necessity. 
For  three  long  hours  Braddock  saw  the  work  of  slaughter  go  on,  while  he 
attempted  to  form  his  troops  in  platoons,  in  the  open  ground,  and  advance 
them  upon  the  concealed  foe.  The  provincial  troops,  in  spite  of  the  General, 
shielded  themselves  behind  trees  and  did  greater  execution  upon  the  foe 
than  all  the  firing  of  the  regulars.  The  latter  were  thrown  into  great  con- 
fusion by  this  sav.age  style  of  warfare,  where  no  foe  could  be  seen,  and 
where  thev  were  only  guided  in  directing  their  fire  by  the  flashes  and  smoke 
from  the  rifles  of  the  skulking  enemy.  The  EngHsh  soldiers  huddled  to- 
gether and  fired  at  random,  sometimes  shooting  down  their  own  friends. 
The  carnage  of  the  regulars  was  terrible.  Nearly  one-half  of  all  those  who 
had  marched  forth  in  faultless  uniforms,  and  whose  bright  armor  had  re- 
flected the  morning  sunlight,  before  nightfall  lay  stark  and  stiff  in  death, 
or  were  suffering  from  ghastly  wounds.  The  foe  was  largely  made  up  of 
Indians,  and  only  about  half  of  the  number  of  the  English,  who  were  utterly 
defeated.  Finally,  General  Braddock  himself  was  mortally  wounded,  and 
immediately  gave  orders  for  the  troops  to  fall  back.  Fortunately,  the  Indians 
fell  to  plundering  the  dead,  and  neglected  to  pursue  the  retreating  army. 

General  Braddock  had  five  horses  shot  under  him  before  receiving  his 
death  wound.  It  has  been  currently  reported  that  he  was  shot  by  Thomas 
Faucett,  one  of  the  independent  rangers.     Braddock  had  given  orders  that 


98  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

none  of  his  soldiers  should  take  shelter  behind  trees  or  cover.  Faucett's 
brother  had  sheltered  himself,  when  Braddock,  to  enforce  his  order,  struck 
the  refractory  soldier  to  the  earth  with  his  sword.  Seeing  his  brother  fall, 
Faucett  shot  the  General  in  the  back,  and  thereafter  the  provincials  fought 
as  they  pleased,  and  did  good  execution.  Sir  Peter  Halket  was  instantly 
killed,  Shirley  was  shot  through  the  head;  Colonel  Burton,  Sir  John  St. 
Clair,  Colonel  Gage,  Colonel  Orme.  Major  Sparks  and  Major  Halket  were 
wounded.  Five  captains  were  killed,  and  five  wounded;  fifteen  lieutenants 
were  killed,  and  twenty-two  wounded.  The  killed  and  wounded  of  the 
privates  amounted  to  seven  hundred  and  fifteen.  Over  four  hundred  were 
supposed  to  ha\e  been  killed.  The  very  large  and  unusual  number  killed 
outright  can  only  be  accounted  for  on  the  supposition  that  the  badly 
wounded,  who  were  unable  to  get  away,  were  murdered  by  the  Indians  when 
they  came  upon  the  field,  as  all  were  stripped  and  scalped. 

When  the  two  aids,  Orme  and  Sparks,  were  wounded,  all  orders  upon 
the  field  had  to  be  carried  by  Washington,  who  was  conspicuous  upon 
every  part,  behaving  in  the  most  gallant  manner.  He  had  two  horses  shot 
under  him,  and  four  bullet-holes  through  his  coat.  In  a  letter  to  his  brother 
he  wrote:  "As  I  have  heard,  since  my  arrival  at  this  place,  a  circumstantial 
account  of  my  death  and  dying  speech,  I  take  this  opportunity  of  contra- 
dicting the  first,  and  of  assuring  you  that  I  have  not  composed  the  latter. 
By  the  all-powerful  dispensations  of  Providence,  I  have  been  protected  be- 
yond all  human  probability  or  expectation,  for  I  had  four  bullets  through 
my  coat  and  two  horses  shot  under  me,  and  escaped  unhurt,  though  death 
was  levelling  my  companions  on  ever\'  side  of  me."  Many  of  the  remarkable 
stories  told  of  eminent  men  are  of  doubtful  authenticity,  but  the  following 
is  unquestionably  true.  Dr.  Craig,  the  intimate  friend  of  Washington,  who 
had  attended  him  in  his  sickness  on  the  march,  and  was  present  in  this 
battle,  relates  that  some  fifteen  years  afterward,  while  traveling  with 
Washington  near  the  junction  of  the  Great  Kanawha  and  Ohio  Rivers  in 
exploring  wild  lands,  they  were  met  by  a  party  of  Indians  with  an  interpreter, 
headed  by  a  venerable  chief.  The  old  Sachem  said  he  had  come  a  long  way 
to  see  Colonel  Washington,  for  in  the  battle  of  the  Monongahela  he  had 
singled  him  out  as  a  conspicuous  object,  had  fired  his  rifle  at  him  fifteen  times 
and  directed  his  young  warriors  to  do  the  same,  but  not  one  could  hit  him. 
A  superstitious  dread  seized  him,  and  he  was  satisfied  that  the  Great  Spirit 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  99 

protected  the  young  hero,  and  ceased  tiring  at  him.     It  is  a  singular  cir- 
cumstance that  in  ah  his  campaignings  Washington  was  never  wounded. 

Of  the  conduct  of  the  regulars  in  this  battle  some  diversity  of  opinion 
exists.  Washington,  in  a  letter  to  his  mother,  which  he  never  suspected 
would  be  made  public,  and  in  which  he  would  be  expected  to  tell  his  real 
sentiments,  writes:  "In  short,  the  dastardly  behavior  of  those  they  call 
regulars  exposed  all  others  wdio  were  inclined  tO'  do  their  duty  to  almost 
certain  death;  and  at  last,  in  despite  of  all  the  efforts  of  the  officers  to  the 
contrar}',  they  ran  as  sheep  pursued  by  dogs,  and  it  was  impossible  to 
rally    them." 

Braddock,  though  mortally  wounded,  was  still  able  to  give  orders. 
After  having  brought  off  the  remnant  of  his  force  and  recrossed  the  river, 
he  posted  his  command  in  an  advantageous  position,  and  put  out  sentinels 
in  the  hope  of  still  making  a  successful  advance  when  his  reinforcements, 
under  Dunbar,  should  come  up;  but  before  an  hour  had  elapsed  most  of  his 
men  had  stolen  away,  and  tied  towards  Fort  Cumberland.  Indeed,  the 
teamsters  had,  from  the  beginning  of  the  battle,  taken  out  the  best  horses 
from  their  teams  and  rode  away.  Seeing  that  no  stand  could  be  made,  the 
retreat  was  continued,  and  Colonel  Gage  coming  up  with  eighty  men,  whom 
he  had  rallied,  gave  some  show  of  order.  Washington  was  directed  to  pro- 
ceed to  Dunbar's  camp,  forty  miles  away,  and  order  forward  trains  and  sup- 
plies for  bringing  off  the  wounded.  This  was  executed.  At  Gist's  plan- 
tation he  met  Gage  escorting  Braddock  and  a  portion  of  the  wounded.  At 
Dunbar's  Camp  a  halt  of  one  day  was  made,  when  the  retreat  was  resumed, 
and  at  the  Great  Meadows,  on  the  night  of  the  13th,  Braddock  breathed 
his  last.  He  had  been  heard  to  mutter:  "Who  would  have  thought  it?"  and 
"We  shall  better  know  how  to  deal  with  them  another  time,"  as  if  he  still 
hoped  to  rally  and  to  fight.  Lest  the  Indians  should  be  watching  and  know 
of  his  death  and  burial  place,  the  ceremony  of  his  interment  took  place  just 
before  dawn  in  the  morning.  The  chaplain  had  been  wounded,  and  Wash- 
ington read  the  burial  service  over  his  grave.  He  was  buried  in  the  road- 
way, and  the  trains  were  driven  over  the  grave,  so  that  the  savages  should 
not  discover  his  last  resting  place.  The  grave  is  a  few  yards  north  of  the 
present  National  road,  between  the  fifty-third  and  i^fty-fourth  mile  stone 
from  Cumberland,  and  about  a  mile  west  of  Fort  Necessity  at  the  Great 
Meadows.     "Whatever  may  have  been  his  [Braddock's]  faults  and  errors," 


100  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

says  Irving,  "he  in  a  manner  expiated  them  by  the  hardest  lot  that  can 
befall  a  brave  soldier,  ambitious  of  renown — an  iinhonored  grave  in  a  strange 
land." 

Dunbar  seems  to  have  been  completely  cowed  by  the  misfortunes  of 
the  day  and  the  death  of  his  general.  He  hastily  burst  all  the  cannon, 
burned  the  baggage  and  gun-carriages,  destroyed  the  ammunition  and 
stores,  and  made  a  hasty  retreat  to  Fort  Cumberland.  When  all  were  got 
together  he  found  he  had  fifteen  hundred  troops,  a  sufficient  number  to 
have  gone  forward  and  taken  the  fort.  But  the  war-whoop  of  the  savage 
seemed  to  be  still  ringing  in  his  ears,  and  the  fear  of  losing  his  scalp  over- 
shadowed all.  He  continued  to  fall  back,  and  did  not  seem  quite  at  ease  till 
he  had  reached  Philadelphia,  where  the  population  could  afford  him  entire 
security.  The  result  of  the  campaign  was  humiliating  to  British  arms,  and 
Franklin  observed  in  his  biography,  "The  whole  transaction  gave  us  the 
first  suspicion  that  our  exalted  ideas  of  British  regular  troops  had  not  been 
well  founded."  Had  Braddock  moved  in  light  marching  order,  using  pack 
horses  for  transportation,  and  taken  only  so  much  baggage  as  was  neces- 
sary for  a  short  campaign,  or,  had  he,  when  attacked,  taken  shelter  and 
raked  the  ravines  with  his  artillery,  the  fort  would  have  been  his  with 
scarcely  a  struggle. 

It  has  since  been  disclosed  with  how  slender  a  force  Braddock  was 
defeated.  "The  true  reason,"  says  Irving,  "why  the  enemy  did  not  pursue 
the  retreating  army,  was  not  known  until  sometime  afterwards,  and  added 
to  the  disgrace  of  the  defeat.  They  were  not  the  main  force  of  the  French, 
but  a  mere  detachment,  72  regulars,  146  Canadians,  and  637  Indians,  855  in 
all,  led  by  Captain  de  Beaujeu.  De  Contrecoeur,  the  commander  of  Fort 
Du  Quesne,  had  received  information  through  his  scouts  that  the  English, 
three  thousand  strong,  were  within  six  leagues  of  his  fort.  Despairing  of 
making  any  effectual  defense  against  such  a  superior  force,  he  was  balanc- 
ing in  his  mind  whether  to  abandon  his  fort  without  awaiting  their  arrival 
or  to  capitulate  on  honorable  terms.  In  this  dilemma  Beaujeu  prevailed 
upon  him  to  let  him  sally  forth  with  a  detachment  to  form  an  ambush  and 
give  check  to  the  enemy.  De  Beaujeu  was  to  have  taken  post  at  the  river, 
and  have  disputed  the  passage  at  the  ford.  For  that  purpose  he  was  hur- 
rying forward,  when  discovered  by  the  pioneers  of  Gage's  advance  party. 
Gage  was  a  gallant  officer,  and  fell  at  the  beginning  of  the  fight.    The  whole 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  loi 

number  of  killed  and  wounded  of  French  and  Indians  did  not  exceed 
seventy.  Such  was  the  scanty  force  which  the  imagination  of  the  panic- 
stricken  army  had  magnified  into  a  great  host,  and  from  which  thev  had 
fled  in  breathless  terror,  abandoning  the  whole  frontier.  No  one  could  have 
been  more  surprised  than  the  French  commander  himself,  when  the  ambus- 
cading party  returned  in  triumph  with  a  long  train  of  pack  horses  laden 
with  booty,  the  savages  uncouthly  clad  in  the  garments  of  the  slain — grena- 
dier caps,  officers'  gold-laced  coats  and  glittering  epaulettes — flourishing 
swords  and  sabres,  or  firing  ofl:'  muskets  and  uttering  fiend-like  yells  of  vic- 
tory. But  when  De  Contrecceur  was  informed  of  the  utter  rout  and  de- 
struction of  the  much  dreaded  British  army,  his  joy  was  complete.  He 
ordered  the  guns  of  the  fort  to  be  fired  in  triumph,  and  sent  out  troops  in 
pursuit  of  the  fugitives. 

Braddock  lost  all  of  his  papers,  orders  and  correspondence,  even  to  his 
own  commission,  his  military  chest  containing  £25,000  in  money,  and  one 
hundred  beeves.  Washington  lost  his  journal  and  the  notes  of  his  cam- 
paign to  Fort  Necessity  of  the  year  before.  Indeed,  with  the  exception  of 
Orme's  journal,  and  a  seaman's  diary,  no  papers  were  saved.  In  a  letter 
to  his  brother,  Augustine,  Washington  recounted  his  losses  and  privations 
in  his  several  public  services,  in  a  repining  strain:  "I  was  employed  to  go 
a  journey  in  the  winter,  \vhen  I  believe  few  or  none  would  have  undertaken 
it,  and  what  did  I  get  Iiy  it?  My  expenses  borne.  I  was  then  appointed 
with  trifling  pay  to  conduct  a  handful  of  men  to  the  Ohio.  What  did  I 
get  by  that?  Why,  after  putting  myself  to  a  considerable  expense  in  equip- 
ping and  providing  necessaries  for  the  campaign,  I  went  out,  was  soundly 
beaten,  and  lost  all!  Came  in  and  had  my  commission  taken  from  me;  or, 
in  other  words,  my  command  reduced,  under  pretense  of  an  order  from 
home  (England).  I  then  went  out  a  volunteer  with  General  Braddock,  and 
lost  all  my  horses  and  many  other  things.  But  this  being  a  voluntary  act,  [ 
ought  not  to  mention  it;  nor  should  I  have  done  it  were  it  not  to  show  that 
I  have  been  on  the  losing  order  ever  since  I  entered  the  service,  which  is 
now  nearly  two  years." 

Ah!  George,  this  does  look  like  a  sad  case  to  you  now!  You  did  lose 
a  few  horses  and  their  trappings;  you  did  suffer  on  a  winter  tramp  through 
the  forest,  and  were  fired  on  by  the  savage,  and  hurled  into  the  icy  cur- 
rent of  the  deep  flowing  river.     You  did  get  entrapped  at  Fort  Necessity. 


I02  OUR   COUNTY   AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

and  on  Braddock's  field  innumerable  bullets  were  aimed  at  you.  when,  pale 
with  sickness,  you  rode  up  and  down  that  bloody  ground.  But,  my  young 
friend,  did  you  ever  cast  up  your  gains  in  these  campaignings?  You  did 
suffer  some  losses  in  horses  and  bridles  and  the  like.  But  there  was  not  a 
true  breast  in  all  America  that  did  not  swell  with  pride  when  it  knew  the 
fidelity  and  resolution  you  displayed  in  the  trusts  imposed  upon  you.  and 
the  gallant  manner  in  which  you  acted  on  that  fatal  field,  when  all  around 
were  stricken  with  terror  and  dismay,  and  your  General  was  bleeding  with 
a  mortal  hurt.  You  did,  indeed,  lose  some  sleep,  and  disease  preyed  upon 
your  system  in  consequence  of  exposure:  but  there  was  not  an  English- 
man in  all  the  civilized  world  who  was  not  touched  with  some  share  of 
your  anguish  when  the  story  of  your  heroism  was  rehearsed:  not  a  Chris- 
tian in  all  the  land  who  could  not  join  with  the  President  of  Princeton  Col- 
lege, the  Rev.  Samuel  Davis,  who  referred  in  a  sermon  preached  not  long 
after  the  event,  to  "that  heroic  youth.  Colonel  Washington,  whom  I  cannot 
but  hope  Providence  has  hitherto  preserved  in  so  signal  a  manner  for  some 
important  service  to  his  country." 


CHAPTER  IX. 


CRAWFORD   COUNTY  SHALL  BE  AN   ENGLISH   AND   NOT  A 
FRENCH  SPEAKING  PEOPLE. 


THE  disaster  to  Braddock  touched  the  ])ride  of  the  British  nation, 
and  war  was  promptly  declared  against  France  on  the  17th  of  May, 
1756.  Preparations  were  made  to  conduct  a  vigorous  campaign. 
Ten  thousand  men  were  to  attack  Crown  Point,  six  tliousand  to  advance 
upon  Niagara,  three  thousand  to  move  against  Fort  Du  Ouesne,  and  two 
thousand  were  to  descend  from  Kennehec  u]3on  tlie  French  upon  tlie  Cliau- 
diere  River.  But  l)efore  any  movement  could  be  made,  the  French,  under 
Montcalm,  crossed  Lake  Ontario,  captured  Fort  Ontario,  killing  the  com- 
mander. Colonel  Mercer,  took  fourteen  hundred  prisoners,  a  c|uantity  of 
arms  and  stores,  and  several  vessels,  and  having  destroyed  the  forts,  re- 
turned to  Canada  without  serious  loss.  This  threw  the  whole  frontier  of 
New  York  and  the  Six  Nations,  who  had  remained  loyal  to  the  English,  open 
to  the  French. 

The  English  army,  upon  the  death  of  Braddock.  having  completely 
retired  from  the  field,  the  whole  frontier  of  Pennsylvania  was  open  to  the 
savages,  who.  having  had  the  taste  of  blood,  like  wild  beasts,  would  not  be 
satisfied  till  they  were  gorged.  The  chieftain,  Shingiss,  with  his  braves,  in 
their  war  paint,  crossed  the  summits  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains  and  de- 
scended upon  the  defenseless  pioneers.  Being  now  upon  the  warpath,  with 
stealthy  step,  the  savage  came  upon  the  unsuspecting  settler,  and  his  stony 
heart  was  untouched  by  the  cries  for  pity.  The  tender  infant  and  trembling 
aged  were  mercilessly  tomahawked  and  scalped,  and  their  cabins  burned. 
Manv  women  and  children  were  borne  away  into  savage  captivity,  and  never 
returned  to  know  home  or  friends  again.  The  torch  of  savage  warfare 
lighted  up  all  the  border,  and  even  penetrated  far  into  the  settled  portions 
of  the  country.     An  express  to  Governor  Sharpe  of  Maryland  says:    "The 

103 


I04  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

Indians  destroy  all  before  them,  firing  houses,  barns,  stock  yards,  and 
everything  that  will  burn."  "The  people,"  says  Governor  Morris  of  Penn- 
sylvania, in  a  communication  to  the  Governor  of  Virginia,  "are  mostly  with- 
out arms,  and  struck  with  such  a  panic  that  they  flee  as  fast  as  they  can 
from  their  habitations." 

Pushing  forward  at  every  point,  they  finally  compassed  the  whole  fron- 
tier east  of  the  mountains,  stretching  from  the  Delaware  Water  Gap  to  the 
Potomac  waters,  a  distance  of  150  miles,  and  a  breadth  of  20  to  30  miles. 
So  deadly  had  the  Indian  incursions  become,  and  so  threatening  to  the  peace 
and  safety  of  the  colony,  that  the  Governor,  on  the  14th  of  April,  issued  his 
proclamation  declaring  war  against  the  Delawares,  and  ofifering  a  reward  for 
Indian  scalps  and  prisoners.  Troops  were  raised,  through  the  influence  of 
Franklin,  and  a  line  of  forts  was  erected  along  the  Kittatiny  Hills,  extending 
from  the  Delaware  to  the  Potomac,  at  a  cost  of  £85,000,  those  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Susquehanna  being  Depui,  Lehigh,  Allen,  Everitt,  Williams, 
Henry,  Swatara,  Hunter,  Halifax  and  Augusta,  and  those  on  the  west 
bank  Louther,  Morris,  Franklin,  Granville,  Shirley  Lyttleton  and  Loudoun. 
]\Iuch  dif^culty  was  experienced  in  overcoming  the  scruples  of  the  Qua- 
kers; but  Franklin  issued  and  circulated  a  dialogue  answering  the  objec- 
tions to  a  legalized  militia,  and  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  the  Governor 
he  was  put  in  command  of  the  troops  raised.  Colonel  John  .Armstrong, 
who  was  in  conmiand  of  the  second  regiment,  stationed  west  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna, was  ordered  to  proceed  against  King  Shingiss,  who  had  his  home 
at  Kittanning,  on  the  banks  of  Allegheny  River.  Here  he  had  quite  a  town, 
and  here  dwelt  Captain  Jacobs,  chief  of  the  Delawares.  The  French  sup- 
plied them  plentifully  with  arms  and  ammunition.  The  march  was  a  toil- 
some one  over  mountains  and  unbridged  streams.  Armstrong's  advance 
reached  the  Allegheny  River  "about  one  hundred  perches  below  the  main 
body  of  the  town,  a  little  before  the  setting  of  the  moon,  to  which,  rather 
than  by  pilots,  we  were  guided  by  the  beating  of  the  drum,  and  the  whoop- 
ing of  the  warriors  at  their  dances.  It  then  became  us  to  make  the  best 
use  of  our  moonlight;  but  we  were  aware  that  an  Indian  whistled  in  a  very 
singular-  manner,  about  thirty  perches  from  our  front,  in  the  foot  of  a  corn- 
field, upon  which  we  immediately  sat  down,  and,  after  passing  silence  to 
the  rear,  I  asked  one  Baker,  a  soldier,  who  was  our  Ijest  assistant,  whether 
that  was  not  a  signal  to  their  warriors  of  our  approach.    He  answered,  'No;' 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  105 

and  said  it  was  the  manner  of  a  young  fellow  calling  a  squaw,  after  he  had 
done  his  dance,  who,  accordingly,  kindled  a  fire,  cleaned  his  gun,  and  shot 
it  ofif  before  he  went  to  sleep."  The  night  was  warm,  and  the  Indians  pre- 
pared to  sleep  in  different  parts  of  the  cornfield,  building  some  light  fires 
to  drive  away  gnats.  Sending  a  part  of  his  force  along  the  hills  to  the  right 
to  cut  off  retreat  in  that  direction,  Armstrong  himself  led  the  larger  part 
below  and  opposite  the  cornfield,  where  he  supposed  the  warriors  lay.  At 
the  break  of  day  the  attack  was  made,  advancing  rapidly  through  the  corn 
and  sending  a  detachment  to  advance  upon  the  houses.  Captain  Jacobs 
then  gave  the  warwhoop,  and,  with  other  Indians,  cried,  "The  white  men 
have  at  last  come;  we  will  have  scalps  enough,"  but  at  the  same  time  ordered 
the  squaws  and  children  to  flee  to  the  woods.  The  fire  in  the  cornfield  was 
brisk,  and  from  the  houses,  which  were  built  of  logs  and  loopholed,  the  In- 
dians did  some  execution  without  exposing  themselves.  Accordingly,  tht 
order  was  given  to  fire  the  houses,  and  as  the  flames  spread  the  Indians  were 
summoned  to  surrender,  but  one  of  them  made  answer,  "T  am  a  man,  and 
will  not  be  a  prisoner."  He  was  told  that  he  would  be  burned.  To  this 
he  replied  "that  he  did  not  care,  for  he  would  kill  four  or  five  before  he  died." 
As  the  fire  began  to  approach,  and  the  smoke  grew  thick,  one  of  the  Indian 
fellows,  to  show  his  manhood,  began  to  sing.  A  squaw  in  the  same  house, 
and  at  the  same  time,  was  heard  to  cry  and  make  a  noise;  but  for  so  doing 
was  severely  rebuked  by  the  men;  but  by  and  by.  the  fire  being  too  hot  for 
them,  two  Indian  fellows  and  a  squaw  sprang  out  and  made  for  the  corn- 
field, ^yho  were  immediately  shot  down;  then,  surrounding  the  houses,  it 
was  thought  Captain  Jacobs  tumbled  himself  out  at  the  garret  or  cockloft 
window,  at  which  he  was  shot — our  prisoners  offering  to  be  qualified  to  the 
powder-horn  and  pouch,  there  taken  off  him.  which  they  say  he  had  lately 
got  from  a  French  officer.  "During  the  burning  of  the  houses,"  says  Colonel 
Armstrong,  "which  were  nearly  thirty  in  number,  we  were  agreeably  enU-s- 
tained  with  a  quick  succession  of  charged  guns  gradually  firing  off  as  they 
were  reached  by  the  fire;  but  more  so  with  the  vast  explosion  of  sundry 
bags  and  large  kegs  of  gun  powder,  wherewith  almost  every  house  abounded. 
The  prisoners  afterward  informed  us  that  the  Indians  had  frequently  said 
they  had  a  sufficient  stock  of  ammunition  for  ten  years  to  war  with  the 
English." 

Great  was  the  rejoicing  at  Philadelphia  at  the  result  of  this  expedition; 


io6  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

the  councils  voted  thanks  for  the  success  attending-  the  enterprise,  and  the 
sum  of  £150  for  the  purchase  of  presents  for  the  officers,  and  for  the  relief 
of  the  families  of  the  killed.  On  the  commander  was  bestowed  a  medal 
bearing  on  one  side  the  words,  "Kittanning  destroyed  by  Colonel  Arm- 
strong, September,  1756,"  and  on  the  other.  "The  gift  of  the  corporation  of 
Philadelphia." 

On  the  29th  of  June,  1757,  William  Pitt  was  called  to  the  head  of  the 
British  ministry,  and  the  inefficiency  which  had  marked  the  management  of 
the  war  in  America  was  at  an  end.  Twelve  thousand  additional  regulars  were 
dispatched  to  America,  and  the  colonies  were  asked  to  raise  twenty  thou- 
sand more,  Pitt  promising,  in  the  name  of  Parliament,  to  furnish  arms  and 
provisions,  and  to  reimburse  all  the  money  expended  in  raising  and  clothing 
them.  The  word  of  Pitt  was  magical,  fifteen  thousand  volunteering  from 
New  England  alone.  Louisburg,  Ticonderoga  and  Fort  Du  Quesne  were 
to  be  the  points  of  attack  in  the  campaign  of  1758.  Admiral  Boscawen 
arrived  at  Halifax  in  }ilay  with  forty  vessels  of  war  and  twelve  thousand  men. 
Louisburg  was  invested,  and  though  a  vigorous  defense  of  fifty  davs  was 
maintained  by  the  French,  it  was  compelled  to  surrender  with  a  loss  of  five 
thousand  prisoners,  a  large  quantity  of  munitions  of  war  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  all  the  shipping  in  the  harbor.  But  not  so  well  fared  the  advance 
upon  Ticonderoga,  which  was  made  by  General  Abercrombie  and  the  young- 
Lord  Howe,  ^^'ith  seven  thousand  regulars,  nine  thousand  provincials  and 
a  heavy  artillery  train,  an  advance  was  made  upon  the  fort  defended  by 
Montcalm,  with  scarcely  four  thousand  French.  The  attack  was  vigorously 
made,  but  Lord  Flowe  was  killed  in  a  skirmish  with  a  scouting  party,  and 
after  four  hours  of  severe  fighting,  and  the  loss  of  two  thousand  men,  Aber- 
crombie, finding  the  work  stronger  than  he  had  anticipated,  fell  back  dis- 
comforted, and  after  sending  out  a  force  under  Colonel  Bradstreet,  who 
captured  Fort  Frontenac,  and  subsequently  built  Fort  Stanwix,  and  gar- 
risoned Fort  George,  he  retired  with  the  main  body  to  Albany.  The  fall  of 
FVontenac,  with  the  loss  of  a  thousand  prisoners,  ten  armed  vessels,  fifty 
serviceable  cannon,  sixteen  mortars,  a  large  quantity  of  ammunition  and 
stores,  and  valuable  magazines  of  goods  designed  for  trade  with  the  Indians, 
was  a  heavy  blow  to  the  French,  as  it  deprived  them  of  their  great  store- 
house for  supplies. 

The  campaign  against  Fort  Du  Quesne  was  entrusted  to  General  John 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  107 

Forbes,  with  about  nine  thousand  men.  inchuhng  the  Virginia  militia,  under 
Washington.     Forbes  was  a  sick  man,  and  was  detained  on  that  account  in 
Philadelphia,  while  Boquet,  who  was  second,  moved  forward  with  his  forces. 
Washington  ia\ored  an  advance  by  the  Braddock  road,  but  Boquet  chose  a 
line  more  direct,  further  north.     The  labor  of  cutting  an  entirely  new  road 
through  tlie  trackless  forest,  and  over  craggy  steeps,  was  toilsome.     Colonel 
Boquet,  who  had  prevailed  upon  General  Forbes  to  allow  him  to  cut  a  new 
road  over  the  mountains,  wholly  in  Pennsylvania,  had  made  so  slow  prog- 
ress that  so  late  as  September  he  was  still,  with  six  thousand  men,  not  over 
the   Alleghanv   Mountains.     At    Raystown.   now    Bedford.   General    Forbes, 
alreadv  stricken  with  a  mortal  sickness,  led  by  relentless  resolution,  came 
up  with  the  column,  and  was  joined  by  Washington  from  Fort  Cumberland. 
To  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  country  in  front,  and  the  temper  of  the 
foe,  jMajor  Grant,  accompanied  by  T^Iajor  Andrew  Lewis  of  the  Virgin.ia 
forces,  with  a  detachment  of  eight  hundred  men.  was  sent  forward  on  the 
nth  of  September  to  reconnoiter.    On  the  third  day  out  Grant  arrived  close 
in  upon  the  fort  without  meeting  any  foe.     \\\i\\  his  main  force  Grant  ap- 
proached under  cover  of  darkness  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  overlooking 
the  fort.     Earlv  in  the  morning  Major  Lewis  was  sent,  with  four  hundred 
men,  to  lay  in  ambush  along  the  path  by  which  they  had  come,  and  the  re- 
maining force,  with  Grant,  was  formed  along  the  hill  facing  the  fort.    Then, 
sending  out  a  company  under  Captain  McDonald,  with  drums  beating,  in  the 
hope  of  drawing  on  the  enemy,  he  awaited  the  result,  hoping  that  the  garrison 
was  weak.    But  in  this  he  was  mistaken :  for  they  followed  the  decoy  in  great 
numbers,  and  boldly  attacked.     The  regulars  stood  up  boldly  and  were  shot 
down  from  the  coverts.     The  Americans  took  to  the  woods  and  fought  In- 
dian style.     Major  Lewis  joined  in  the  i^ght.    :\[ajor  Grant  showed  the  most 
intrepid  bravery,  exposing  himself  to  the  enemy's  fire,  but  to  no  purpose. 
Manv  were  drowned  in  attempting  to  cross  the  river.     Seeing  that  he  was 
outnumbered   and   hemmed   in    by   the  enemy    standing   on   commanding 
ground,  Grant  retired  to  the  baggage,  where  Captain  Bullet  had  held  his  com- 
pany, and  as  the  French  came  on  with  assurance,  his  little  force  made  a  deter- 
mined stand,  doing  good  execution.     Here  Grant  endeavored  to  rally  his 
broken  columns,  Init  the  terror  of  the  scalping  knife  had  seized  his  men.  and 
one  by  one  they  slipped  away.     Bullet,  finding  his  force  dwindling,  finally 
o-ave  the  order  to  retire:    the  resolute  stand  he  had  made  enabled  the  main 


io8  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

body  to  move  without  molestation,  and  the  hail  of  bullets  he  had  poured  into 
the  faces  of  the  foe  left  them  no  stomach  to  pursue.  The  loss  in  this  ens"ap-e- 
ment  was  two  hundred  and  seventy-two  killed,  forty-two  wounded,  and 
many,  including  Grant,  taken  prisoners.  The  loss  in  killed  was  out  of  all 
proportion  to  the  wounded  and  the  number  engaged. 

Gathering  confidence  by  the  great  slaughter  and  rout  which  thev  had 
inflicted,  the  PVench  determined  to  follow  up  their  advantage,  hoping  to 
find  the  main  body  thrown  into  confusion  and  ready  to  retreat,  as  the  Brad- 
dock  army  had  done  under  the  timid  Dunbar.  Accordingly,  they  came  on, 
rejoicing  in  their  strength,  twelve  hundred  French  and  two  hundred  Indians, 
led  by  De  Vetri,  and  boldly  attacked  the  camp  of  Boquet,  on  the  12th  of 
October.  From  eleven  in  the  morning  until  three  in  the  afternoon  the 
battle  was  maintained  with  great  fury,  when  the  French,  finding  that  the 
English  were  not  likely  to  run,  withdrew,  but  at  night  renewed  the  attack, 
hoping,  between  the  terrors  of  the  night  and  the  wild  whoop  of  the  Indian 
brandishing  his  scalping  knife,  to  start  a  stampede.  But  Boquet  was  pre- 
pared, and,  "when,  in  return  for  their  melodious  music,"  says  the  chron- 
icler, "we  gave  them  some  shells  from  our  mortars,  it  soon  made  them 
retreat."  The  loss  in  this  engagement  was  twelve  killed,  seventeen  wounded 
and  thirty-one  prisoners. 

General  Forbes  now  pushed  forward  with  the  main  body  of  the  army 
from  Bedford  to  Loyalhanna,  where  he  arrived  about  the  first  of  November. 
Here  the  wintry  weather  set  in  unusually  early,  and  the  summits  were 
already  white  with  snow.  A  council  of  war  was  held,  and  it  was  decided 
that  it  was  impracticable  to  prosecute  the  campaign  further  before  the  open- 
ing of  spring.  But  it  having  been  learned  from  captives  that  the  garrison 
at  Fort  Du  Ouesne  was  weak,  the  Indians  having  mostly  gone  olif  on  their 
autumn  hunt,  preparatory  for  the  winter,  the  decision  of  the  council  was 
reversed,  and  Forbes  gave  orders  to  push  on  with  all  possible  dispatch. 
Colonel  Washington  was  sent  forward  with  a  detachment  to  open  the  road. 
When  arrived  within  twelve  miles  of  the  fort  a  rumor  was  current  that  the 
French,  either  by  accident  or  design,  had  blown  up  the  fort,  and  all  had 
been  burned.  This  was  soon  confirmed  by  the  arrival  of  Indian  scouts  who 
had  been  near  enough  to  see  the  ruins.  A  company  of  cavalry  was  dispatched 
with  instructions  to  extinguish  the  flames  and  save  all  the  propert}'  possible. 
The  whole  army  now  pushed  forward  with  joyous  step,  and  arrived  on  the 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  109 

29th  of  Xovember:  l)ut  only  the  blackened  chimneys  of  the  quarters  and 
the  walls  of  the  fort  remained.  It  was  found  that  a  strong-  work  had  been 
built  at  the  point  between  the  two  rivers,  and  a  much  larger  one  apparently 
unfinished,  some  distance  up  the  Allegheny  River.  There  were  two  maga- 
zines, one  of  which  had  been  blown  up,  and  in  the  other  were  found  sixteen 
barrels  of  ammunition,  gun-barrels,  a  quantity  of  carriage  iron  and  a  wagon 
of  scalping  knives.  The  cannon  had  all  been  removed,  probably  taken 
down  the  Ohio  to  New  Orleans.  The  garrison,  which  consisted  of  some 
live  hundred  French,  had  separated,  a  part  having  gone  down  the  Ohio, 
a  hundred  had  gone  to  Presque  Isle  b}'  an  Indian  path,  and  the  remainder, 
with  the  Governor,  de  Lignery,  had  moved  up  the  Allegheny  to  Fort  Ve- 
nango. 

A  somewhat  more  spirited  account  of  this  important  event  is  given 
bv  Mr.  Ormsbv,  as  quoted  in  the  ^^'estern  Annals.  "At  Turtle  Creek  a  coun- 
cil of  war  was  held,  the  result  of  which  was  that  it  was  impractical)le  to 
proceed,  all  the  provisions  and  forage  being  exhausted.  The  General, 
being  told  of  this,  he  swore  a  furious  oath  that  he  would  sleep  in  the  fort 
or  in  a  worse  place  the  next  night.  It  was  a  matter  of  indifference  to  him 
where  he  died,  as  he  was  carried  the  whole  distance  from  Philadelphia  and 
back  on  a  litter.  About  midnight  a  tremendous  explosion  was  heard  from  the 
westward,  on  which  Forbes  swore  that  the  French  magazine  was  blown 
up,  which  revived  our  spirits.  This  conjecture  of  the  'Head  of  Iron'  was 
soon  confirmed  by  a  deserter  from  Fort  Du  Ouesne,  who  said  that  the 
Indians,  who  had  watched  the  English  army,  reported  that  they  were  as 
numerous  as  the  trees  in  the  woods.  This  so  terrified  the  French  that  they 
set  fire  to  their  magazine  and  barracks,  and  pushed  off,  some  up  and  some 
down,  the  Ohio." 

Forbes  now  saw  himself  in  possession  of  the  fort  and  the  commanding 
ground,  which,  for  four  long  years,  the  English  had  been  struggling  for. 
Knowing  that  he  could  not  subsist  his  army  here,  he  rapidly  threw  up  an 
earthwork  on  the  Monongahela  bank,  and  leaving  Colonel  Mercer  in  com- 
mand, with  two  hundred  men,  he  retired  with  the  army  to  Loyalhanna, 
where  he  built  a  block  house,  which  he  stocked  with  stores  and  manned 
with  a  garrison,  and  then  moved  back  across  the  mountains.  General  Forbes 
died  in  the  following  March.  The  Gazette  said  of  him:  "His  services  in 
America  are  well  known.     By  a  steady  pursuit  of  well  concerted  measures, 


no  ■     OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

in  defiance  of  disease  and  numberless  obstructions,  he  brought  to  a  happy 
issue  a  most  extraordinary  campaign,  and  made  a  wilHng  sacrifice  of  his 
own  Hfe  to  what  he  vahied  more — the  interests  of  his  King  and  country." 

The  campaign  of  the  Enghsh,  in  1758,  had  proved  very  successful. 
L-ouisburg,  Frontenac  and  Du  Quesne  were  in  their  hands.  Pitt  liad  now 
become  master  of  Pariiament  and  the  nation.  Elated  by  his  successes  in 
America,  he  formed  the  bold  plan  of  not  only  holding  the  Ohio  Valley, 
but  of  conquering  and  possessing  the  whole  of  Canada.  His  plan  was  a 
bold  one.  Twenty  thousand  provincials  and  a  strong  detachment  of  land 
and  na\al  forces  of  regulars,  under  command  of  General  Amherst,  stood 
ready  to  execute  his  orders.  Amherst  took  the  field,  and  with  11,000  men 
moved  upon  Fort  Ticonderoga,  which  the  French  abandoned  without  a 
struggle.  Amherst  pursued  to  Crown  Point,  which  the  French  likewise 
aliandoned.  Deterred  from  pursuing  further  by  the  heavy  storms  that  now, 
October  nth,  began  to  prevail,  he  retired  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  built 
a  fortress  and  placed  his  army  in  winter  quarters. 

General  Prideaux,  with  Sir  William  Johnson  second  in  command, 
moved  by  transport  from  Oswego,  by  Lake  Ontario,  to  Niagara,  and  laid 
siege  to  the  fort.  Prideaux  was  almost  immediately  killed  by  the  bursting 
of  a  gun,  and  the  command  devolved  upon  Johnson.  For  three  weeks  the 
closely  beleaguered  garrison  of  French  held  out,  when,  on  the  24th  of  July, 
a  force  of  3,000  French  came  to  their  relief.  But  Johnson  so  met  them  that 
they  \\ere  put  to  rout  after  a  desperate  and  sanguinary  engagement,  and  on 
the  following  day  the  garrison,  some  seven  hundred  men,  surrendered. 
General  Wolfe,  with  8,000  troops,  and  a  fleet  under  Holmes  and  Saunders, 
moved  up  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  landed  on  Orleans  Island,  a  little  below 
Quebec,  on  the  27th  of  June.  Montcalm,  with  a  strong  body  of  French 
regulars,  held  the  town,  which,  in  the  upper  part,  comprising  a  local  plateau 
300  feet  above  the  water,  known  as  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  was  fortified. 
By  throwing  hot  shot  from  Point  Levi,  opposite  the  town,  the  English  nearly 
destroyed  the  lower  town,  but  could  not  reach  the  upper  portion.  An  at- 
tempt to  force  the  passage  of  the  Montmorenci  failed,  with  a  loss  of  500  men. 
For  eight  weeks  all  attempts  to  take  the  city  proved  fruitless.  Finally,  by 
the  advice  of  General  Tonsend,  his  faithful  lieutenant,  he  determined  to 
scale  the  rugged  bluff  which  hems  in  the  river,  by  secret  paths.  Accordingly, 
on  the  evening  of  the  12th  of  September,  ascending  the  river  with  muffled 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  '     m 

oars  to  the  mouth  of  a  ravine,  and  following  trusty  guides,  Wolfe  brought 
his  whole  army,  with  artillery,  by  sunrise,  upon  the  plains  of  Abraham,  much 
to  the  surprise  and  discomfiture  of  the  French,  whose  attention  had  been 
diverted  by  a  noisy  demonstration  where  a  previous  attempt  had  been  made. 
Montcalm  immediately  drew  up  his  entire  force  to  meet  the  offered  wager 
of  battle.  Long  and  fiercely  the  contest  raged,  but  everj'where  the  French 
were  worsted.  Both  generals  w-ere  mortally  wounded.  When,  at  length, 
Wolfe  heard  the  glad  accents  of  victory,  he  asked  to  have  his  head  raised, 
and  when  he  beheld  the  French  fleeing  on  all  sides,  he  exclaimed,  with  his 
failing  breath,  "I  die  content." 

The  campaign  of  1759,  like  the  preceding,  ended  gloriously  for  the 
combined  English  and  American  arms,  yet  the  French  were  not  entirely 
dispossessed  of  power  in  Canada.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1760  Vaudreuil, 
Governor-General,  sent  General  Levi,  successor  to  Montcalm,  with  six 
frigates  and  a  strong  force,  to  retake  Quebec.  He  was  met  three  miles 
from  the  city  by  General  Murray,  and  a  sanguinary  Ijattle  was  fought  on 
April  28th,  in  which  the  English  were  defeated,  Murray  losing  a  thousand 
men  and  all  his  artillery.  Levi  now  laid  siege  to  the  city,  and  just  when 
its  condition  was  becoming  perilous,  from  the  lack  of  supplies,  a  British 
squadron  with  reinforcements  and  supplies  appeared  in  the  St.  Lawrence. 
Whereupon  Levi  hastily  raised  the  siege,  and  losing  most  of  his  shipping 
fled  to  Montreal.  Vaudreuil  now  had  but  one  stronghold  left,  that  of  Mon- 
treal, and  here  he  gathered  in  all  his  forces  and  prepared  to  defend  his  "last 
ditch."  Early  in  September  three  English  armies  met  before  the  city.  First 
came  Amherst,  on  the  6th,  with  10,000,  accompanied  by  Johnson,  with  a 
thousand  of  the  Six  Nations,  and  on  the  same  day  came  Murray,  with  4,000 
from  Quebec,  and  on  the  following  day  Colonel  Haviland,  with  3,000,  from 
Crown  Point.  Seeing  that  it  would  be  useless  to  hold  out  against  such  a 
force,  Vaudreuil  capitulated,  surrendering  Montreal  and  the  entire  Domin- 
ion of  Canada,  into  the  hands  of  the  English.  Thus  ended  the  war  upon 
the  land.  But  upon  the  ocean,  and  among  the  West  India  Islands  it  was 
prosecuted  until  1763,  when  a  treaty  of  peace  was  signed  at  Paris  on  Feb- 
ruarj-  loth,  whereby  France  surrendered  all  her  possessions  in  America  east 
of  the  Mississippi  and  north  of  the  latitude  of  the  Iberville  River,  and  Spain 
at  the  same  time  ceded  to  the  English  East  and  West  Florida.  Thus  was 
the  Indian  war,  virtually  commenced  by  planting  the  leaden  plates  by  the 


112  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

French  along  the  Allegheny  and  Ohio  Rivers,  and  commonly  designated 
in  history  as  the  Seven  Years'  War,  brought  to  a  close,  by  the  vast  plans 
of  empire  formed  by  the  comprehensive  mind  of  Pitt,  though  at  a  cost  to 
the  British  nation  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  millions  of  dollars.  And  now 
was  forever  settled  the  question  whether  the  population  about  to  spread 
over  the  beautiful  valleys  bordering  upon  the  Allegheny  and  Monongahela 
Rivers — La  Belle  Riviere — should  be  an  English  or  a  French  speaking 
people. 


CHAPTER  X. 


FINAL   STRUGGLES   OF  THE   ABORIGINES. 


THE  treaty  of  Paris  put  a  period  to  the  sanguinary  campaigns  of  tlie 
Seven  Years'  War,  so  far  as  treaty  stipulations  could.  But  the  In- 
dians, who  had  confederated  with  the  French,  could  not  be  reached 
nor  bound  by  stipulations  made  3,000  miles  away  across  the  ocean,  in  which 
they  had  no  voice.  Though  some  of  the  tribes  assembled  and  smoked  the 
pipe  of  peace  with  the  English,  yet  they  had  grown  suspicious.  The  French 
had  poisoned  the  minds  of  the  savages  against  the  English,  telling  them 
that  the  desire  to  obtain  the  fine  lands  was  the  motive  which  incited  this 
deadly  warfare,  and  that  if  the  French  were  finally  beaten,  then  the  English 
would  turn  upon  the  natives  and  drive  them  from  all  their  pleasant  hunting 
grounds.  Though  the  French  in  America  had  accepted  the  conditions  of 
the  treaty,  and  were,  as  a  nation,  willing  to  be  bound  by  it,  yet  there  were 
individuals  in  whose  breasts  the  recollection  of  sore  defeats  still  rankled, 
and  who  saw  in  the  hostility  of  the  red  men  a  means  of  wreaking  their  ven- 
geance. 

The  thoughtful  Indians  saw,  or  fancied  they  saw,  that  daily  coming 
to  pass  which  the  French  had  told  them.  They  asked  themselves,  not  with- 
out reason,  why  the  English  were  so  intent  to  drive  the  French  from  the 
Ohio  Valley,  spending  freely  hundreds  of  millions  of  money  and  sacrificing 
countless  hves,  if  they  did  not  expect  to  occupy  these  luxuriant  valleys 
themselves;  and  when  they  saw  the  surveyor  with  his  Jacob  staff  and  chain 
advancing  as  the  armies  retired,  blazing  his  way  through  the  forests,  and 
setting  up  his  monuments  to  mark  the  limits  of  tracts,  they  were  strongly 
confirmed  in  their  suspicions.  The  English  contemplated  doing,  so  far  as 
reclaiming  the  forests  and  settling  the  country,  what  was  eventually  done; 
but  they  indulged  the  hope  that  the  red  man  and  the  pale-face  could  dwell 
together  in  peace  and  unity.  But  that  dream  had  a  baseless  faliric.  Hunt- 
8  '113 


114  OUR   COUNTY  ASD   ITS   PEOPLE. 

ing,  fishing  and  war  were  the  occupations  of  the  one.  while  the  arts  of  peace 
on  farm,  in  workshop  and  mill,  were  the  delight  of  the  other. 

The  mutterings  of  discontent  were  heard  among  the  Indians  during 
the  seasons  of  1 760-1-2.  and  secret  enterprises  of  dangerous  consequence 
had  been  detected  and  broken  up.  Major  Rogers,  who,  with  a  small  de- 
tachment, had  been  sent  to  receive  the  surrender  of  the  French  posts  along 
the  great  lakes  of  the  Northwest,  and  raise  the  English  colors,  had  met  on 
his  way  the  chief  of  the  Ottawas,  Pontiac,  who  dwelt  on  the  Michigan  Pe- 
ninsula, who  demanded  from  Rogers  why  he  was  entering  upon  the  land  of 
the  Ottawas  with  a  hostile  band  without  his  permission.  Explanations  en- 
sued, the  pipe  of  peace  was  smoked,  and  Rogers  was  permitted  to  proceed 
on  his  w-ay. 

But  ill  concealed  disaffection  existed  among  all  the  tribes  as  they  saw  the 
emblem  of  the  power  of  Britain  floating  from  posts  along  all  the  lakes  and  the 
great  river  courses.  Even  the  Six  Nations,  who  had  always  remained  the 
fast  friends  of  the  English,  especially  the  Senecas,  showed  signs  of  hostility. 
These,  with  the  Delawares  and  Shawnees,  for  two  years  had  been  holding 
secret  communications  with  the  tribes  of  the  great  Northwest,  laljoring  to 
induce  them  to  join  in  a  war  of  extermination  upon  the  English.  "So  spoke 
the  Senecas,"  says  Bancroft,  "to  the  Delawares,  and  they  to  the  Shawnees, 
and  the  Shawnees  to  the  Miamis  and  \\'yandots,  whose  chiefs,  slain  in  battle 
by  the  English,  were  still  una\enged,  until  everywhere,  from  the  falls  of 
Niagara,  and  the  ]iiny  declivities  of  the  Alleghanies  to  the  whitewood  forests 
of  the  Mississippi  and  the  borders  of  Lake  Superior,  all  the  nations  con- 
certed to  rise  and  put  the  English  to  death," 

It  was  not  easy  to  rouse  the  tribes  to  united  action,  many  feeling  them- 
selves bound  to  the  English  by  treaties,  and  some  by  real  friendship.  It  was 
necessar}-  to  work  upon  their  superstition.  A  chief  of  the  Abenakis  declared 
that  the  great  Manitou  had  shown  himself  to  him  in  a  dream,  saying:  "I  am 
the  Lord  of  Life;  it  is  I  who  made  all  men.  I  wake  for  their  safety.  There- 
fore, I  give  you  warning  that  if  you  suffer  the  Englishmen  to  dwell  among 
yon,  their  diseases  and  their  poisons  will  destroy  you  utterly  and  you  shall 
all  die." 

The  leader  in  all  these  discontents  was  Pontiac.  He  was  now  about 
fifty  }ears  old.  He  had  been  taken  a  prisoner  from  the  Catawbas,  and  had 
been  adojited  into  the  tribe  of  the  Ottawas.  instead  of  being  tortured  and 


OUR   COUNTY   AXD   ITS   PEOPLE.  115 

burned,  and  had.  by  his  cunning  and  skill,  risen  to  be  chief,  and  was  now 
asserting  his  authority  over  all  the  tribes  of  the  North.  Pontiac  had  been  a 
leading  warrior,  a  sort  of  lieutenant-general,  in  the  battle  of  the  Monon- 
gahela,  in  which  General  Braddock  had  been  worsted  and  mortally  wounded. 
Seeing  what  slaughter  his  people  had  then  wrought  he  doubtless  thought 
that  it  would  be  easy,  if  all  the  Indians  could  be  united,  to  utterly  exter- 
minate the  English  and  reclaim  their  country.  Accordingly,  he  sent  out  his 
runners  to  all  the  tribes  in  the  Northwest,  wnth  the  black  wampum,  the 
signal  for  war,  and  the  red  tomahawk,  directing  to  prepare  for  war,  and  on 
a  day  agreed  upon  they  were  to  rise,  overpower  the  garrisons,  and  then  lay 
waste  and  utterly  exterminate  the  English  settlers.  That  he  might  rouse 
the  entire  people  he  summoned  the  chiefs  to  a  council,  which  was  held  at 
the  river  Ecorces  on  the  27th  of  April,  1763.  Pontiac  met  them  with  the 
war-belt  in  his  hand,  and  spoke  in  his  native  and  fierj'  eloquence.  He  pointed 
to  the  British  flags  floating  everywhere,  to  the  chieftains  slain  unavenged. 
He  said  the  blow  must  now  be  struck,  or  their  hunting  grounds  would  be 
forever  lost.  The  chiefs  received  his  words  with  accents  of  approval,  and 
separated  to  arouse  their  people  and  engage  in  the  great  conspiracy.  The 
plan  was  skillfully  laid.  They  were  to  fall  upon  the  frontiers  along  all  the 
settlements  during  the  harvest  time,  and  destroy  the  corn  and  cattle,  when 
thev  could  fall  upon  all  the  outposts  which  should  hold  out  and  reduce 
them,  pinched  with  hunger.  The  blow  fell  at  a  concerted  signal,  and  blood 
and  devastation  marked  the  course  of  the  conspirators.  So  sudden  and 
unexpected  was  the  attack  that  of  eleven  forts  only  three  of  them  were  suc- 
cessfully defended— Venango,  Le  Boeuf,  Presque  Isle,  Le  Bay,  St.  Joseph's, 
Miamis,  Ouachtunon,  Sandusky  and  Michilimackinac,  falling  into  their 
hands,  the  garrisons  being  mercilessly  slaughtered.  Detroit,  Niagara  and 
Fort  Pitt  alone  holding  out. 

Among  the  iirst  to  feel  the  blow  was  Michilimackinac.  Major  Ether- 
ington,  who  was  in  command,  felt  no  alarm  at  the  assembling  of  an  unusual 
number  of  the  tribes  under  their  chief,  Menchwehna,  though  he  had  been 
warned  of  their  hostility.  But,  so  confident  was  the  }*Iajor  of  their  pacific 
intentions,  that  he  threatened  to  send  any  one  who  should  express  a  doubt 
of  their  friendly  purposes  a  prisoner  to  Detroit.  On  the  4th  of  June,  the 
Indians,  to  the  number  of  about  four  hundred,  began,  as  if  in  sport,  to 
play  a  game  of  ball,  called  baggatiway.     Two  stakes  are  driven  into  the 


Ii6  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

earth  something  like  a  mile  apart,  and  the  ball  is  placed  on  the  ground 
midway  between  them.  Dividing  their  party  into  two  sides,  each  strives 
to  drive  the  ball,  by  means  of  bats,  to  the  stake  of  the  other.  This  game 
they  commenced,  and  the  strife  became  fierce  and  noisy.  Presently  the  ball 
was  sent,  as  if  by  accident,  over  the  stockade  into  the  fort,  when  the  whole 
company  rushed  pell-mell  into  the  fort.  This  maneuver  was  repeated  sev- 
eral times  without  exciting  anv  suspicion.  Finally,  having  discovered  all  of 
the  interior  desired,  they  again  sent  the  ball  within,  and  when  all  had  gained 
admission,  suddenly  turned  upon  the  garrison,  ninety  in  number,  and  mur- 
dered all  but  twenty,  whom  they  led  away  to  be  made  subjects  of  torture 
or  servitude. 

For  several  reasons  the  fort  at  what  is  now  Detroit  was  among  the  most 
important  of  all  the  fortified  posts.  Its  location  on  the  river,  which  connects 
the  upper  with  the  lower  lakes,  gives  it  the  command  of  these  great  water- 
ways, and  along  its  margin  ran  the  chief  Indian  warpath  into  the  great 
Northwest.  Attracted  by  the  fertility  of  the  soil  and  the  mildness  of  the 
climate,  the  French  farmers  had  early  settled  here.  '"The  lovely  and  cheer- 
ful region  attracted  settlers,  alike  \vhite  men  and  savages;  and  the  French 
had  so  occupied  the  two  banks  of  "the  river  that  their  numbers  were  rated 
so  high  as  twenty-fi\-e  hundred  souls.  .  .  .  The  French  dwelt  upon 
farms,  which  were  about  three  or  four  acres  wide,  upon  the  river,  and  eighty 
acres  deep:  indolent  in  the  midst  of  plenty,  graziers,  as  well  as  tillers  of  the 
soil,  and  enriched  by  Indian  traffic." 

All  this  happiness  and  prosperity  Pontiac  regarded  with  an  evil  eye.  To 
his  mind  all  this  country  of  right  belonged  to  the  red  man.  By  the  cutting 
down  of  the  forests,  and  multiplying  the  sounds  of  husbandry,  the  game, 
which  was  their  chief  resource  for  living,  was  frightened  away.  The  favored 
spots  by  the  living  springs  and  the  fountains  of  sweet  waters  were  grasped 
by  the  white  man  to  make  his  continual  abiding  place,  and  would  conse- 
quently be  forever  lost  to  the  red  man.  If,  by  deep-laid  strategy  and  un- 
blushing deception,  they  could  once  seize  upon  all  the  strongholds  and  put 
the  defenders  to  the  slaughter,  they  could  then  pursue  their  trade  of  blood 
upon  the  defenseless  frontiers  until  the  whole  land  would  be  cleared  of  the 
pale-face,  and  his  race  exterminated. 

The  old  fort  was  situated  upon  the  banks  of  the  river  within  the  limits 
of  the  present  city  of  Detroit.     It  consisted  of  a  stockade  twenty  feet  high, 


OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  117 

'  some  two  hundred  yards  in  circumference,  and  inclosing  seventy  or  more 
houses.  The  garrison,  under  command  of  Colonel  Gladwin,  was  composed 
of  the  remains  of  the  eightieth  regiment  of  the  line,  reduced  now  to  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty  men  and  eight  ofHcers.  Two  six-pounder  and 
one  three-pounder  guns,  and  three  useless  mortars  constituted  the  arma- 
ment of  the  fort,  and  two  gunboats  lay  in  the  stream.  Against  this,  Pon- 
tiac,  with  a  smile  on  his  face,  but  treachery  in  his  black  heart,  came  in  per- 
son with  fifty  of  his  warriors  on  the  first  of  May.  He  announced  his  pur- 
pose to  come  in  a  more  formal  manner  in  a  few  days  for  the  purpose  of 
brightening  the  chain  of  Friendship — which  usually  meant  that  the  chiefs 
were  ready  to  receive  high  piled  up  presents,  and  to  renew  pledges  of  lasting 
peace.  As  this  was  a  ceremony  of  frequent  occurrence  Gladwin  had  no  sus- 
picion of  treachery.  Tribes  of  the  Pottawattamies  and  Wyandots  dwelt  a 
few  miles  below  the  fort,  and  at  a  short  distance  above,  on  the  western  side, 
the  Ottawas,  Pontiac's  own  tribe.  The  day  was  drawing  near  when  the 
universal  uprising,  which  had  been  agreed  upon  in  council,  should  take  place. 
Pontiac  had  laid  his  scheme  skillfully,  and  as  he  thought  there  could  be  no 
possibility  of  failure.  He  had  already  been  admitted  to  the  fort,  and  had 
spied  out  its  strength  and  appointments  and  had  bespoken  admittance  with 
his  warriors.  He  had  agreed  with  his  confederates  that  when  he  should 
rise  to  speak  he  would  hold  in  his  hands  a  belt  of  wampum,  white  on  one 
side  and  green  on  the  other,  and  when  he  should  turn  the  green  side  upper- 
most that  should  be  the  signal  for  the  massacre  of  the  garrison.  But,  in 
savage  as  in  civilized  diplomacy, 

The  best  laid. schemes  of  mice  and  men 
Gang  aft  a-gley. 

A  dusky  maiden  of  the  forest  had  formed  an  abiding  friendship  for  Colo- 
nel Gladwin.  She  had  often  visited  the  fort,  and  had,  with  native  art,  executed 
pieces  of  her  handiwork  for  the  use  of  the  Colonel.  She  had  received  from 
his  hands  a  curious  elk  skin,  from  which  she  had  wrought  with  her  cunning 
art  a  pair  of  moccasins,  and  on  the  night  previous  to  the  contemplated  mas- 
sacre she  had  visited  the  fort  to  carry  the  work  and  return  the  unused  portion 
of  the  skin.  So  pleased  was  Gladwin  with  her  skill  that  he  asked  her  to 
take  the  skin  and  make  him  another  pair,  and  if  any  were  then  left  she  might 
appropriate  it  to  her  own  use.    Having  paid  her  for  her  work,  she  was  sup- 


ii8  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

posed  to  have  gone  to  her  wig^vam.  But  when  the  watchmen,  whose  duty 
it  was  to  clear  the  fort  and  shut  the  gates,  went  at  the  evening  signal  gun, 
they  found  this  maiden  lingering  in  the  enclosure,  and  unwilling  to  depart. 
On  being  informed  of  this  Galdwin  ordered  her  to  be  led  to  his  presence, 
and,  in  answer  to  the  inquiry  why  she  did  not  go  away,  as  had  been  her 
custom,  she  made  the  lame  excuse  that  she  did  not  like  to  take  away  the 
skin  which  the  Colonel  seemed  to  set  so  high  a  value  on,  lest  some  injury 
or  destruction  might  come  to  it.  When  asked  why  she  had  not  made  that 
objection  before,  seeing  that  she  must  now  disclose  her  trouble,  she  in- 
genuously declared,  "If  I  take  it  away  I  shall  never  be  able  to  return  it  to 
you."  Inferring  that  something  unusual  was  foretold  in  this  answer,  she 
was  urged  to  explain  her  meaning.  \\'hereu])on  she  revealed  the  whole  se- 
cret; that  Pontiac  and  his  chiefs  were  to  come  to  the  fort  on  the  morrow, 
and  while  the  dusky  warrior  was  delivering  his  pretended  speech  of  peace 
he  was  to  present  a  white  and  green  belt  which,  on  being  turned  in  a  peculiar 
wav,  was  to  be  the  signal  for  the  murder  of  the  commandant  and  all  the 
garrison.  That  the  hostile  intent  might  be  entirely  hidden  beneath  the  garb 
of  peace  the  ingenious  savages  had  cut  off  a  piece  from  the  barrels  of  their 
guns,  so  that  they  could  carry  them  concealed  beneath  their  blankets.  Hav- 
ing given  the  particulars  of  the  conspiracy  she  departed. 

Having  been  thus  put  in  possession  of  the  horrible  purpose,  Gladwin 
communicated  the  intelligence  to  his  men,  and  sent  word  to  all  the  traders 
to  be  on  their  guard.  At  night  a  cry,  as  of  defiance,  was  heard,  and  the  gar- 
rison anticipated  an  immediate  attack.  The  fires  were  extinguished,  and 
the  men  silently  sought  their  places  in  readiness  to  meet  the  onset.  But 
none  came,  and  it  was  supposed  that  the  chiefs  were  acting  their  parts  by 
their  camp  fires,  which  they  were  to  play  on  the  morrow. 

At  the  appointed  hour  Pontiac  came,  accompanied  by  thirty-six  chiefs 
and  a  cloud  of  dusky  warriors  bearing  his  speech  belt  and  the  pipe  of  peace. 
Gladwin  was  prepared  to  receive  him,  his  men  all  under  arms,  guns  cleaned 
and  freshly  loaded,  and  officers  with  their  swords.  On  entering  the  fort  Pon- 
tiac started  back  uttering  a  cry  of  anguish,  convinced  that  he  had  been  be- 
trayed by  the  evidences  of  preparation  about  him;  but  there  was  no  way  of 
retreat  now.  \\\\tn  the  number  agreed  upon  had  been  admitted  the  gates 
were  closed.  When  arrived  at  the  council  chamber  Pontiac  complained  that 
the  garrison  was  all  under  arms,  a  thing  unusual  in  an  embassage  of  peace. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  iig 

Gladwin  explained  that  the  garrison  was  that  morning  holding  a  regimental 
drill.  But  Pontiac  knew  better  than  that.  He  commenced  his  speech  with 
that  air  of  dissimulation  which  he  had  the  ability  to  command,  and  expressed 
the  desire  for  peace  and  friendship  with  the  English,  which  he  hoped  would 
be  as  lasting  as  the  coming  and  going  of  the  night  and  morning.  But  when 
he  advanced  to  present  the  belt  the  officers  grasped  their  swords  and  drew 
them  partially  from  their  scabbards.  Seeing  that  his  treachery  was  known, 
l)ut  not  in  the  least  disconcerted,  he  did  not  give  the  signal  that  he  had 
agreed  u])on,  and  closed  his  speech  in  the  most  friendly  and  pacific  tone. 

When  Colonel  Gladwin  came  to  reply  he  boldly  charged  the  chieftain 
with  his  black-hearted  perfidy.  But  the  latter  protested  his  innocence,  and 
expressed  a  sense  of  injury  that  he  should  be  suspected  of  so  base  a  crime: 
but  when  Gladwin  advanced  to  the  nearest  chieftain,  and,  pulling  aside  his 
blanket,  disclosed  his  shortened  gun  with  which  each  of  them  w^as  secretly 
armed,  his  discomfiture  was  complete.  He  was  suiTered  to  depart:  but 
unwisely  has  been  the  unanimous  judgment  of  historians.  Indeed,  so  little 
reliance  has  come  to  be  placed  on  the  word  of  an  Indian,  that  it  has  been 
declared  that  "the  only  good  Indian  is  a  dead  Indian."  Hoping  still  to  dis- 
arm the  suspicions  of  the  commandant,  and  gain  admission  to  the  fort 
through  treachery,  Pontiac  came  again  on  the  following  morning  accom- 
panied by  only  three  of  his  chiefs,  and  smoked  the  pipe  of  peace  in  the  most 
innocent  garb,  and  declared  that  his  whole  Ottawa  nation  desired  to  come 
on  the  follow-ing  morning  to  smoke.  But  Gladwin  declared  that  this  was 
unnecessary,  as  he  was  willing  to  accept  the  word  of  the  chiefs,  and  if  they 
were  so  anxious  to  be  at  peace  their  own  conduct  would  be  the  best  pledge 
of  their  pacific  intentions. 

Seeing  that  his  treacherous  purposes  were  understood,  and  that  he 
could  not  gain  admission  to  the  fort  by  any  professions  of  friendship,  he 
threw  off  the  cloak  of  deceit,  under  which  he  had  intended  to  slaughter  the 
garrison  and  possess  the  post,  and  attacked  the  fort  with  all  his  warriors. 
The  few  English  who  were  outside  were  murdered,  all  communication  was 
cut  off.  death  was  threatened  to  any  W'ho  should  attempt  to  carry  supplies 
to  the  garrison,  and  the  keenest  strategy  was  employed  to  tempt  the  troops 
to  open  combat.  Carts  loaded  with  comlntstibles  were  pushed  up  to  the 
palisades  in  the  attempt  to  burn  them;  but  all  to  no  purpose.  Gladwin  was 
wan-,  and  met  every  artifice  of  the  wily  foe  with  a  counter  check.     In  one 


& 


120  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

part  the  savages  attempted  to  gain  entrance  by  chopping  down  the  picket 
posts.  In  this  Gladwin  ordered  his  men  to  assist  them  by  cutting  on  the  in- 
side. When  these  fell  a  rush  was  made  by  the  Indians  to  enter;  but  a  brass 
four-pounder,  which  had  been  charged  with  grape  and  canister,  and  so 
planted  as  to  command  the  breach,  was  discharged  at  the  opportune  mo- 
ment, which  efifected  great  slaughter.  Pontiac  now  settled  down  to  a  close 
siege.  Unfortunately  Gladwin  had  only  supplies  for  three  weeks.  The  sav- 
age chieftain,  believing  that  he  had  learned  something  of  civilized  warfare, 
on  the  loth  of  May  summoned  the  garrison  to  surrender.  Gladwin  asked  for 
a  parley,  intimating,  through  the  offices  of  a  French  emissary,  that  he  was 
willing  to  redress  any  grievances  of  the  Indians,  not  suspecting  that  the 
attack  on  him  was  a  part  of  a  deep-laid  conspiracy  reaching  all  the  posts  of 
the  frontier.  Pontiac  consented,  and  Major  Campbell  and  Lieutenant  Mc- 
Dougal  were  sent.  Hostilities  were  suspended  and  Gladwin  improved  the 
opportunity  to  lay  in  ample  supplies  for  the  siege,  when  he  ended  the  confer- 
ence. 

Embittered  by  the  utter  failure  of  his  deep-laid  schemes,  Pontiac,  who 
was  the  head  and  front  of  this  far-reaching  conspiracy,  drew  in  from  his 
tribe  a  heavy  force  of  his  best  young  braves,  and  watched  closely  for  every 
opportunity  to  harass  and  compass  the  destruction  of  the  garrison.  On  the 
29th  of  July  Captain  Dalzell,  with  200  men,  marched  to  the  relief  of  the 
garrison,  and,  taking  advantage  of  the  darkness  of  the  night,  succeeded  in 
eluding  the  vigilance  of  the  dusky  warriors,  and  entered  the  fort.  Over- 
confident, he  marched  boldly  out  and  offered  battle.  He  was  defeated,  los- 
ing fifty-nine  of  his  men,  including  the  bold  leader. 

The  peace  of  Paris  had  been  concluded  in  April,  yet  the  French,  on 
account  of  their  hatred  of  the  English,  had  still  hope  of  driving  them  away 
through  Indian  warfare,  which  was  still  kept  alive.  But  the  stubborn  de- 
fense of  Detroit  convinced  the  more  considerate  of  the  French  that  it  was 
their  best  policy  to  submit.  Accordingly,  the  French  messenger,  Neyon, 
informed  Pontiac  that  no  further  assistance  could  be  expected  from  the 
King  of  France,  a  tale  of  whose  coming  with  a  great  army  to  annihilate  the 
English  having  been  persistently  dinned  into  his  ears,  that  peace  had  been 
concluded,  that  France  had  surrendered  everything  in  America,  and  that  the 
English  were  now  the  only  rightful  rulers.  The  sullen  Pontiac  received  the 
tidings  with  disgust,  broke  the  siege  in  no  spirit  of  submission,  and  de- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE 


121 


Glared  that   he  would  return  again  in   the  spring  and   renew  his   warfare. 

The  settlers,  supposing  that  the  French,  having  surrendered  in  good 
faith,  and  that  the  Indians  would  not  dare  to  continue  the  war  on  their 
own  account,  hastened  back  in  fancied  security  to  their  cabins.  But  the 
decree  of  Pontiac  disappointed  all  their  hopes  and  made  the  summer  of  1763 
the  most  bloody  of  all  the  seven.  The  whole  country  in  Pennsylvania  west 
of  Shippensburg  became  the  prey  of  the  fierce  barbarians.  They  set  fire  to 
houses,  barns,  corn,  hay  and  everything  combustible.  The  wretched  inhab- 
itants whom  they  surprised  at  night,  at  their  meals  or  in  the  labors  of  the 
fields,  were  massacred  with  the  utmost  cruelty  and  barbarity,  and  those  who 
fled  were  scarce  more  happy.  Overwhelmed  by  sorrow,  without  shelter  or 
means  of  transportation,  their  tardy  flight  was  impeded  by  fainting  women 
and  weeping  children.  Shippensburg  and  Carlisle  became  the  barrier  towns. 
On  the  25th  of  July,  1763,  there  were  in  Shippensburg  1,384  of  poor,  dis- 
tressed, fleeing  inhabitants,  viz.:  men,  301;  women,  345;  children,  738. 
many  of  whom  were  obliged  to  lie  in  barns,  stables,  cellars  and  under  old, 
leaky  sheds,  the  dwelling  houses  being  all  crowded. 

A  concerted  attack  was  arranged  by  the  Indians  on  the  22d  of  June. 
Presque  Isle,  Le  Boeuf  and  Venango  fell.  At  Fort  Pitt  the  demand  for 
surrender  was  boldly  made  by  the  dusky  warriors.  But  the  commandant, 
Ecuyer,  was  of  sterner  stuff,  and  he  made  answer:  "I  will  not  abandon  this 
post;  I  have  warriors,  provisions-  and  ammunition  in  plenty  to  defend  it 
three  years  against  all  the  Indians  in  the  woods.  Go  home  to  your  towns 
and  take  care  of  your  women  and  children." 

The  siege  was  now  pushed  with  redoubled  vigor,  digging  holes  by 
night  and  running  their  trenches  close  up  to  the  walls  of  the  fort,  and  keep- 
ing up  a  galling  fire  of  musketry  and  fiery  arrows  from  their  safe  hiding 
places.  For  the  relief  of  the  fort.  Colonel  Boquet  was  dispatched  with  frag- 
ments of  Forty-seventh  and  Seventy-seventh  regiments  of  Highlanders. 
At  Bushy  Run,  twenty-one  miles  from  Fort  Pitt,  he  was  suddenly  attacked 
by  an  unseen  foe.  A  charge  upon  the  attacking  party  sent  them  fleeing,  but 
when  pushed  in  one  direction  they  appeared  in  another,  until  they  had  the 
little  force  of  Boquet  completely  surrounded.  He  accordingly  formed  his 
forces  in  a  circle  facing  outward,  and  drew  up  his  trains  in  the  center.  Seeing 
that  the  savages  were  eager  to  rush  forward  whenever  they  saw  the  least 
disposition  of  the  troops  to  yield,  he  determined  to  feign  a  retreat.     He 


122  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

accordingly  ordered, the  two  companies  occupying  the  advance  to  retire 
within  the  circle,  and  the  lines  again  to  close  up,  as  if  the  whole  force  was 
commencing  the  retreat.  But  he  posted  a  force  of  light  infantry  in  ambus- 
cade, who,  if  the  Indians  should  follow  the  retreating  troops,  would  have 
them  at  their  mercy.  The  Indians,  seeing  the  troops  retreating  and  the 
feeble  lines  closing  in  behind  them,  as  if  covering  the  retirement,  rushed 
forward  in  wildest  confusion  and  in  great  numbers.  But  when  the  Grena- 
diers, who  had  been  posted  on  either  side,  saw  their  opportunity  they  ad- 
vanced from  their  concealment  and  charged  with  the  greatest  steadiness, 
shooting  down  the  savages  in  great  numbers,  who  soon  broke  in  confusion 
and  disorderly  flight.  But  now  the  companies  of  light  infantry,  which  had 
been  posted  on  the  opposite  side,  rose  up  from  their  ambush  and  received 
the  flying  mass  with  fresh  volleys.  Seized  with  terror  at  this  unexpected 
disaster,  and  having  lost  many  of  their  best  fighting  men  and  war  chiefs, 
they  became  disheartened,  and  seeing  the  regulars  giving  close  pursuit,  they 
broke  and  fled  in  all  directions.  All  efforts  of  their  surviving  chiefs  to  rally 
and  form  them  were  unavailing.  They  could  no  longer  be  controlled,  but 
breaking  up  they  fled  singly  and  in  parties  to  their  homes,  many  of  them 
not  pausing  till  they  had  reached  the  country  of  the  Muskingum. 

General  Gage,  who  had  succeeded  General  Amherst  in  supreme  com- 
mand of  the  English  in  America,  sent  two  expeditions  in  1764,  one  under 
command  of  Colonel  Bradstreet  to  advance  by  Niagara,  Presque  Isle  and 
Sandusky;  and  another  under  Colonel  Boquet,  by  way  of  Fort  Pitt  and 
the  country  of  the  Muskingum.  At  Detroit,  Bradstreet  was  met  by  the 
Ottawas,  Ojibwas,  Pottawattamies,  Sacs  and  Wyandots,  who  made  treaties 
of  peace:  but  they  were  either  unable  to  control  their  young  warriors, 
or  they  never  meant  to  comply  with  the  terms  they  had  agreed  to, 
and  the  whole  campaign  proved  fruitless,  Bradstreet  returning  to  Niagara 
and  Gage  issuing  orders  to  annul  all  his  treaties. 

Not  so  with  Boquet,  who  knew  the  Indian  tactics  better.  At  Fort 
Pitt  he  had  received  a  message  from  Bradstreet  informing  him  that  treaties 
of  peace  had  been  concluded  with  all  the  western  tribes,  and  that  it  would  be 
unnecessary  to  proceed  further.  But  Boquet  knew  that  the  colonel  had 
been  duped,  and  pushed  forward  with  his  army.  He  here  learned  that  the 
messenger  whom  he  had  sent  to  Bradstreet  had  been  murdered,  and  his 
head  had  been  set  up  upon  a  pole  in  the  road.    The  chiefs  of  the  Delawares, 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  123 

Senecas  and  Shawnees  waited  upon  him  and  advised  peace,  and  that  he 
proceed  no  further,  alleging  that  their  young  men  had  committed  the  out- 
rages charged  without  authority.  Boquet  boldly  charged  faithlessness,  and 
asked  why  they  did  not  punish  their  young  men  if  they  disobeyed.  Disre- 
garding their  entreaties,  he  marched  boldly  on  down  the  Ohio  into  the  very 
heart  of  the  Indian  country,  and  so  stern  were  his  words  and  so  summary  his 
threats,  and  the  taste  of  his  fighting  had  inspired  such  dread,  that  the  tribes 
sent  their  chiefs  to  sue  for  peace.  Boquet  met  them  in  the  midst  of  his  army. 
He  charged  them  with  constantly  breaking  their  promises.  "I  give  you," 
was  his  demand,  "twelve  days  to  deliver  into  my  hands  all  the  prisoners  in 
your  possession  without  any  exception:  Englishmen,  Frenchmen,  women 
and  children,  whether  adopted  in  your  tribes,  married  or  living  amongst 
you  under  an}-  denomination  or  pretense  whatsoever."  The  stern  tone  of 
the  brave  colonel  had  the  desired  effect.  By  the  9th  of  X'ovember,  all  the 
captives  had  been  brought  and  delivered  up,-»— Virginians,  thirty-two  males 
and  fifty-eight  females;  Pennsylvanians,  forty-nine  males  and  sixty-seven 
females. 

The  long  captivity  of  many  of  those  who  were  brought  in  had  effaced 
from  their  minds  recollection  of  former  relati\es  and  friends,  and  they  pre- 
ferred to  remain  with  the  savages,  having  now  come  to  know  no  other  way 
of  life.  The  savages  religiously  observed  their  promises,  bringing  in  all 
their  captives,  even  to  the  children  who  had  been  born  to  the  women  during 
their  captivitv.  So  wedded  were  many  of  the  captives  to  the  Indians,  that 
the  Shawnees  were  obliged  to  bind  many  of  them  in  order  to  bring  them 
in.  Some,  after  being  delivered  up.  escaped  and  returned  to  their  life  in 
the  woods.  The  Indians  parted  with  their  adopted  families  not  without 
manv  tears.  Manv  affecting  scenes  transpired  when  the  captives  were 
brought,  and  those  who  had  lost  friends  and  relatives  recognized  their  own 
after  long  separation.  The  children  who  had  been  carried  away  in  tender 
years  and  had  grown  up  in  savage  life,  knowing  no  other,  could  not  recog- 
nize their  own  parents,  and  timidly  approached  them.  The  Shawnee's  chief 
gave  those  who  had  recovered  children  some  good  advice:  "Father,  we  have 
brought  your  flesh  and  blood  to  you;  they  have  all  l)een  united  to  us  by 
adoption,  and,  although  we  now  deliver  them  up  to  you,  w^e  will  always 
look  upon  them  as  our  relatives  whenever  the  Great  Spirit  is  pleased  that 
we  may  visit  them.     We  have  taken  as  much  care  of  them  as  if  they  were 


124  OUR   COUXTY  AXD   ITS   PEOPLE. 

our  own  flesh  and  blood.  They  are  now  become  unacquainted  with  your 
customs  and  manners,  and  therefore  we  request  that  you  wiU  use  them 
tenderly  and  kindly,  which  will  induce  them  to  hve  contentedly  with  you." 

Many  of  the  Indians  who  had  given  up  captives  whom  they  loved  fol- 
lowed the  army  back,  that  they  might  be  with  them  as  long  as  possible, 
bringing  them  com,  skins,  horses  and  articles  which  the  captives  had  re- 
garded as  their  own,  hunting  and  bringing  in  game  for  them.  A  young 
Mingo  had  loved  a  young  Virginia  woman  and  made  her  his  wife.  In 
defiance  of  the  dangers  to  life  which  he  submitted  himself  to  in  going  among 
the  exasperated  settlers,  he  persisted  in  follotving  her  back. 

"A  number  of  the  restored  prisoners  were  brought  to  Carlisle,  and 
Colonel  Boquet  advertised  for  those  who  had  lost  children  to  come  to  this 
place  to  look  for  them.  Among  those  that  came  was  a  German  woman,  a 
native  of  Reutlingen,  in  Wittemburg,  Germany,  who  with  her  husband 
had  emigrated  to  America,  where  two  of  her  daughters,  Barbara  and  Regina, 
were  abducted  by  the  Indians.  The  mother  was  now  unable  to  designate 
her  children,  even  if  they  should  be  among  the  number  of  the  recaptured. 
With  her  brother,  the  distressed,  aged  woman  lamented  to  Colonel  Boquet 
her  hopeless  case,  telling  him  she  used,  years  ago,  to  sing  to  her  little 
daughters  hymns  of  which  they  were  fond.  The  colonel  requested  her  to 
sing  one  of  the  hymns,  which  she  did  in  these  words: 

Allein,  iind  doch  iiicht  ganz  alleine 

Bin  ich  in  meiner  Einsamkeit; 
Dann  wann  ich  gleich  veriassen  scheine, 

Vertreibt  mir  Jesus  selbst  die  zeit: 
Ich  bin  bei  ihm  und  er  bei  mir, 

So  hommt  mir  gar  nichts  einsam  fiir. 

Alone  yet  not  alone  am  I, 

Though  in  this  solitude  so  drear; 
I  feel  my  Savior  always  nigh, 

He  comes  my  dreary  hours  to  cheer — 
I'm  with  Him  and  He  with  me 

Thus  I  cannot  solitary  be. 

And  Regina,  the  only  daughter  present,  rushed  into  the  arms  of  the  mother. 
Barbara,  the  other  daughter,  was  never  restored." 

Though  Pontiac  still  persisted  in  his  hostility  in  the  Detroit  country, 
yet  he  could  have  no  prospect  of  success.  Official  notice  by  the  French 
court  was  given  of  relinquishment  of  all  power  in  Canada.     De  Noyen,  the 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  125 

commandant  at  Fort  Chartres,  "sent  belts,"  says  Bancroft,  "and  peace  pipes 
to  all  parts  of  the  continent,  exhorting'  the  many  nations  of  savages  to  bui"y 
the  hatchet,  and  take  the  English  by  the  hand,  for  they  would  never  see  him 
more.  .  .  .  The  courier,  who  took  the  belt  to  the  north,  offered  peace 
to  all  the  tribes  wherever  he  passed:  and  to  Detroit,  where  he  arrived  on 
the  last  day  of  October,  1764,  he  bore  a  letter  of  the  nature  of  a  proclama- 
tion, informing  the  inhabitants  of  the  cession  of  Canada  to  England; 
another,  addressed  to  twenty-five  nations  by  name,  to  all  the  red  men,  and 
particularly  to  Pontiac,  chief  of  the  Ottawas;  a  third  to  the  commander, 
expressing  a  readiness  to  surrender  to  the  English  all  the  forts  on  the  Ohio 
and  west  of  the  Mississippi.  The  next  morning,  Pontiac  sent  to  Gladwin 
that  he  accepted  the  peace,  which  his  father,  the  French  had  sent  him.  and 
desired  all  that  had  passed  might  be  forgotten  on  both  sides. 

Thus  ended  the  conspiracy  of  Pontiac,  a  warrior  unexcelled  by  any 
of  his  race  for  vigor  of  intellect  and  dauntless  courage.  His  end  was  ignol)le. 
An  English  trader  hired  a  Peoria  Indian,  for  a  barrel  of  rum,  to  murder  him. 
The  place  of  his  death  was  Cahokia.  a  small  village  a  little  below  St.  Louis. 
He  had  been  a  chief  leader  in  the  army  of  the  French  in  the  battle  against 
Braddock  at  Monongahela,  and  he  was  held  in  high  repute  by  the  French 
general,  Montcalm,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  Pontiac  was  dressed  in  a 
French  uniform  presented  to  him  b\-  that  commander. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


CRAWFORD    COUNTY    SETTLED. 


NO  PERMANENT  settlements  had  been  made  west  of  the  Alleghany 
Mountains  previous  to  1768.  The  colonial  governments  held  that 
settlers  had  no  right  to  occupy  any  lands  that  had  not  been  formally 
purchased  of  the  Indians,  and  the  purchase  been  confirmed  by  treatv  stipu- 
lations. During  the  pendency  of  the  operations  under  Colonel  Boquet 
against  the  Indians  in  the  Pontiac  war,  the  King  of  Great  Britain  had  issued 
his  proclamation,  in  the  hope  of  pacifying  the  Indians,  forbidding  settle- 
ments, in  these  words:  '■^^d^ereas,  It  is  just  and  reasonable,  and  essential 
to  our  interest,  and  the  security  of  our  colonies,  that  the  several  nations  or 
tribes  of  Indians  with  whom  we  are  connected,  and  who  live  under  our 
protection,  should  not  be  molested  or  disturbed  in  the  possession  of  such 
jiarts  of  our  dominions  and  territories  as  not  having  been  ceded  to,  or  pur- 
chased by  us,  are  preserved  to  them,  or  any  of  them,  as  their  hunting 
grounds:  we  do,  therefore,  with  the  advice  of  our  pri\-y  council,  declare  it 
to  be  our  royal  will  and  pleasure  .  .  .  that  no  Governor  nor  Com- 
mander-in-chief of  our  other  colonies  or  plantations  in  America  do  presume 
for  the  present,  and  until  our  further  pleasure  be  known,  to  grant  warrants 
of  survey  or  pass  patents  for  any  lands  beyond  the  heads  or  sources  of  any 
of  the  rivers  which  fall  into  the  Atlantic  ocean  from  the  west  or  northwest, 
or  upon  any  lands  whatever,  which,  never  having  been  ceded  to  or  purchased 
by  us,  are  reserved  to  the  said  Indians  .  .  .  and  we  do  hereby  strictly 
forbid,  on  pain  of  our  displeasure,  all  our  loving  subjects  from  making  any- 
purchases  or  settlements  whatever  or  taking  possession  of  any  of  the  lands 
above  reseiwed  without  our  special  leave  and  license  for  that  purpose  first 
obtained.  And  we  do  further  strictly  enjoin  and  require  all  persons  what- 
ever who  ha\-e  either  wilfully  or  inadvertently  seated  themselves  upon  any 

lands  within  the  countries  above  described,  or  upon  any  other  lands     .     .     . 

126 


OUR   COUNTY   AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  127 

which  arc  still  reserved  to  the  said  Indians,  forthwith  to  remo\-e  themselves 
from  such  settlements."  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  settlement  on  any  land 
west  of  the  summits  of  the  Alleghany  range  was  forbidden  by  royal  proclam- 
ation. But  so  tempting  were  the  fine  lands  about  the  tributaries  of  the 
Ohio  that  venturesome  frontiersmen  were  willing  to  brave  the  displeasure 
of  the  King  on  his  throne  and  the  savage  arts  of  the  roving  red  men  of  the 
forest  that  they  might  possess  their  pick  of  the  fat  acres  along  the  margins 
of  these  beautiful  streams.  At  the  opening  of  the  legislative  session  of 
1768  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  called  attention  to  these  irregularities,  and 
called  upon  the  assenil)!}-  to  pass  such  a  law  as  would  efifectually  remedy  these 
provocations,  and  the  first  law  of  the  session  was  one  providing  that  if  any 
person  settled  upon  lands  not  purchased  of  the  Indians  by  the  Proprietaries, 
shall  refuse  to  remove  for  the  space  of  thirty  days  after  having  been  re- 
quested so  to  do,  or  if  any  person  shall  remove  and  then  return,  or  shall 
settle  on  such  lands  after  the  notice  of  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall  ha\-e 
been  dul\-  proclaimed,  any  such  persons  on  being  duly  convicted  shall  Ije 
put  to  death  without  benefit  of  clergy. 

But  the  threat  of  death  without  benefit  of  clergy  made  by  colonial 
enactment  did  not  deter  clouds  of  settlers  from  returning,  who  clung  to 
their  chosen  homes,  fast  by  some  crystal  fountain  or  quick-flowing  stream. 
The  English  secretary  was  moreover  jealous  of  the  encroachments  of  the 
Spanish  at  St.  Louis  and  Xew  Orleans,  who  were  bidding  for  the  fur  trade 
of  the  lakes  and  the  western  settlers.  By  establishing  the  native  tribes  in 
their  rights  he  thought  to  cut  ofif  this  trade  through  their  country,  and 
not  only  stop  emigration  to  these  western  lands  but  clear  off  the  few  who 
had  already  made  improvements.  Hence,  this  savage  act  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Legislature,  imposing  death  on  these  settlers  if  they  did  not  leave,  was  well- 
pleasing  to  the  English  secretary. 

There  was  much  contention  at  this  time,  both  in  the  colonies  and  at  the 
English  court,  to  obtain  grants  of  these  western  lands.  The  Ohio  Company, 
Mississippi  Company,  and  Walpole's  grants,  were  specimens  of  this  grasping 
spirit.  Franklin  was  in  England  urging  these  grants,  and  was  in  corres- 
pondence with  his  compeers  in  this  country.  Sir  \\'illiam  Johnson  was  not 
without  amliitious  designs,  and  he  had  accordingly  made  arrangements  for 
a  grand  conclave  of  Indians  from  far  and  near  to  be  held  at  Fort  Stanwix. 
now  Rome,  New  York,  in  the  mild  October  days  of  1768.    Thomas  Walker 


128  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

represented  Virginia;  Governor  William  Franklin,  New  Jersey;  Governor 
Penn  was  present  from  Pennsylvania,  but  was  obliged  to  retire  before  the 
business  was  completed.  Sir  \\'illiam  Johnson  represented  New  York,  and 
also  the  English  government,  orders  having  been  transmitted  to  him  early 
in  the  spring  to  make  the  proposed  purchase  of  lands  and  settle  all  difficulties 
with  the  Indians.  The  numl)er  of  savages  present  was  extraordinary,  being, 
according  to  Bancroft,  a  little  short  of  three  thousand.  "Every  art,"  he  says, 
"was  used  to  conciliate  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations,  and  gifts  were  lavished 
on  them  with  unusual  generosity.  They,  in  turn,  complied  with  the  solici- 
tations of  the  several  agents.  The  line  that  was  established  began  at  the 
north,  where  Canada  Creek  joins  Wood  Creek:  on  leaving  New  York  it 
passed  from  the  nearest  fork  of  the  west  branch  of  the  Susquehanna  to 
Kittanning,  on  the  Allegheny  River,  whence  it  followed  that  river  and  the 
Ohio.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Kanawha  it  met  the  line  of  Stewart's  treaty. 
Had  it  stopped  here,  the  Indian  frontier  would  have  been  inarked  all  the 
way  from  northern  New  York  to  Elorida.  But  instead  of  following  his 
instructions.  Sir, William  Johnson  pretended  to  recognize  a  right  of  the 
Six  Nations  to  the  largest  part  of  Kentucky,  and  continued  the  line  down 
the  Ohio  to  the  Tennessee  River,  which  was  thus  constituted  the  western 
boundary  of  Virginia."  This  was  in  contravention  of  Secretary  Hills- 
borough, and  again  opened  the  extravagant  claims  of  Virginia. 

Thus  was  acquired  by  the  transactions  of  one  day,  the  5th  of  Novem- 
ber, 1768,  a  day  ever  memorable  in  the  annals  of  western  Pennsylvania, 
this  hilarious  carnival  day  of  the  Indians,  a  vast  tract  stretching  away  a 
thousand  miles  or  more,  enough  for  an  empire  of  the  largest  proportions. 
Still,  all  territory  to  the  north  of  the  line  of  the  treaty  of  1768  remained  in 
possession  of  the  Indians,  and  continued  so  until  after  the  conclusion  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  so  that  during  all  these  years  it  was  at  the  peril  of  life 
that  any  settlement  could  be  made  in  any  part  of  what  is  now  Crawford 
County.  But  on  the  22d  of  October,  1784,  another  great  concourse  of 
Indians  was  assembled  at  Fort  Stanwix,  and  a  treaty  was  consummated 
whereby  the  Six  Nations  relinquished  all  claim  to  lands  in  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania  up  to  the  southern  boundarj-  of  New  York.  This  treaty  was 
ratified  in  January,  1785,  at  Fort  Mcintosh,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Beaver 
River,  by  the  southern  Indians  not  present  at  the  assembly  at  Fort  Stanwix. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  triangle  in  Erie  County  was  not  included 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  129 

in  the  lands  given  up  by.  the  treaties  of  1784-5  at  Stanwix  and  Mcintosh. 
Massachusetts  laid  claim  to  this  territory  by  virtue  of  her  grant  westward 
to  the  Pacific.  But  this  State,  as  well  as  New  York,  yielded  their  claims 
to  the  United  States  government.  By  a  treaty  made  on  the  9th  of  January, 
1789,  with  the  Six  Nations,  they  acknowledged  the  right  of  soil  and  juris- 
diction to  and  over  the  triangle  to  be  vested  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 
Some  question  having  been  raised  as  to  the  legality  of  this  grant,  the  Legis- 
lature empowered  the  Governor  to  draw  a  wan-ant  for  $800  in  favor  of 
Complanter,  Halftown  and  Big  Tree,  in  trust  for  the  use  of  the  tribe  and 
in  full  satisfaction  of  all  demands,  in  consideration  of  which  the  said  chiefs, 
on  the  3d  of  January,  1791,  signed  a  release  of  all  claims  against  the  State 
for  themselves  and  their  people  forever.  On  the  3d  of  March,  1792,  the 
triangle  was  purchased  from  the  United  States  by  the  Commonwealth  for 
the  sum  of  $151,640.25,  and  a  month  later  an  act  of  Assembly  was  passed 
to  encourage  its  settlement  by  white  people. 

The  Indians  having  now  been  placated,  and  all  legal  enactments 
against  settlement  having  been  annulled  by  the  terms  of  purchase  from 
the  natives,  enterprising  frontiersmen  began  to  turn  their  faces  towards 
these  delectable  regions.  As  we  have  observed,  when  Washington,  in  1753, 
had  passed  up  the  valley,  he  noted  in  his  journal,  "We  passed  over  nuich 
good  land  since  we  left  Venango,  and  through  several  extensive  and  very 
rich  meadows,  one  of  which  I  believe  was  nearly  four  miles  in  length,  and 
considerably  wide  in  some  places.""  This  journal  was  published  in  England 
and  widely  circulated  in  this  countr}-.  portions  fnuling  their  way  into  the 
newspapers. 

In  1787,  the  very  year  in  which  ihc  coiucntion  mel  which  framed  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  David  and  John  Mead,  who  had  been 
inhabitants  of  the  beautiful  Wyoming  Valley,  but  at  this  time  and  for  two 
years  previous  had  been  living  in  the  town  of  Sunbur}-,  attracted  by  the 
reports  of  a  goodly  country  on  the  borders  of  the  Venango  River,  bidding 
adieu  to  their  families  and  turning  their  backs  upon  civilization,  plunged 
into  the  then  mibroken  wilderness  west  of  the  Susquehanna,  and,  after  a 
wearisome  journey  of  many  days  over  rugge<l  mountains  and  across  turbu- 
lent streams,  following  Indian  trails  and  guided  by  that  changeless  star 
which  glittered  in  the  firmament  then  as  now,  finally  reached  that  goodly 

valley,  where  since  has  grown  the  now  busy  city  which  bears  their  name. 
9 


I30  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

It  was  then  covered  by  one  dense  forest;  l)ut  fortunately  the  flats,  now 
known  as  Dunham  flats,  to  the  west  of  the  stream  and  above  the  confluence 
of  the  Cussawago  with  the  Venango,  had  been  cleared  and  cultivated  by 
some  unknown  hand,  perhaps  by  the  French  or  the  natives,  and  was  now 
covered  by  luxurious  prairie  grass,  above  which  the  brilliant  wild  flowers 
nodded  a  salutation  to  these  lonel}^  visitants  from  the  abodes  of  civilization. 
For  many  days  they  moved  up  and  down  the  valley,  examining  and  spying 
out  the  land,  but  no  place  seemed  so  inviting  for  habitation  as  these  fat 
acres  on  Dunham  flats,  and  here  they  determined  to  fix  their  homes. 

They  returned  to  Northumberland,  and  so  attractive  and  roseate  was 
the  picture  which  they  drew  of  this  country  that  several  sturdy  pioneers 
determined  to  join  them  in  the  following  spring,  in  returning  to  the  new 
country  to  strengthen  their  foothold  and  secure  a  permanent  settlement. 
And  now,  the  way  being  once  trod  and  the  paths  beaten,  the  tide  of  emigra- 
tion began  to  set  towards  this  land,  whose  praises  were  justly  heralded,  and 
in  a  little  time  nearly  every  section  of  the  broad,  rolling  territon,^  known  as 
Crawford  County  resounded  with  the  ring  of  the  settler's  ax,  and  the  blue 
smoke  from  the  mud-chimney  of  his  modest  cabin  curled  among  the  trees. 

But  for  several  years  the  settlements  about  Meadville  and  the  river 
valley  were  much  disturbed  by  Indian  hostilities.  The  theories  which  had 
been  entertained  by  Pontiac,  that  if  the  savages  held  out  in  their  war  upon 
the  English  they  would  eventually  be  driven  away,  and  the  natives  would 
retain  their  favorite  hunting  grounds,  were  still  rife.  After  the  Revolution, 
the  Indians  still  had  hopes  that  the  Enghsh  would  come  with  great  armies 
and  conquer  the  colonists.  So  troublesome  had  the  tribes  become  during 
the  ten  years  succeeding  the  close  of  the  American  war  of  1783  that  the 
o-overnment  was  obliged  to  send  armed  forces  to  hold  them  in  check. 
Expeditions  were  sent  out  under  Mcintosh  in  1778,  by  Broadhead  in  1780, 
by  Crawford  in  1782,  by  Harmer  in  1789,  by  St.  Clair  in  1791,  and  by  Wayne 
in  1792,  which  resulted  with  varying  fortune.  During  all  this  time  the 
frontier  was  lit  up  by  the  blaze  of  savage  warfare,  and  the  tomahawk  and 
scalping  knife  were  busy  with  their  fell  work.  Finally,  the  campaign,  con- 
ducted by  General  Anthony  Wayne,  with  his  characteristic  energy  and  skill, 
ended  in  triumph  in  1795,  and  the  treaty  by  him  concluded  forever  put  an 
end  to  this  sanguinary  struggle,  wherein  neither  helpless  infancy  nor  trem- 
bling age  was  exempt,  and  was  accompanied  by  every  crime  which  debases 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  131 

manhood  and  effaces  from  the  human  character  every  trace  of  its  heaven- 
born  attributes. 

Hence,  though  the  purchase  was  fairly  made  in  1785,  it  was  ten  years 
later  before  the  territory  could  be  said  to  be  fairly  open  to  settlement.  It 
was  well  known,  however,  that  the  lands  west  of  the  Allegheny  were  of 
excellent  quality,  and  naturally  tempted  the  cupidity  of  the  adventurous, 
though  still  subject  to  savage  sway.  Three  separate  companies,  with  large 
capital,  each  sought  to  secure  vast  stretches  of  this  territory.  They  were 
the  Holland  Land  Company,  the  Population  Company,  and  the  North 
American  Land  Company.  By  the  act  of  1792,  titles  to  lands  could  only 
be  perfected  by  actual  settlement  for  the  space  of  five  years,  which  must  be 
begun  within  two  years  from  the  date  of  its  location.  But  an  important 
proviso  was  attached,  that  if  settlers  were  prevented  by  armed  enemies  of 
the  United  States  from  settlement,  the  title  was  to  become  valid  the  same 
as  if  settled.  This  left  the  question  open  and  indefinite,  and  gave  rise  to 
endless  litigation,  the  Holland  Company  contending  that  Indian  hostilities 
having  prevented  actual  settlement  for  the  space  of  two  years  they  could 
then  perfect  their  titles  without  actual  settlement,  and  without  waiting  for 
the  end  of  the  five  years.  It  may  be  observed  here  that  bona:  fid6  settlers 
had  little  to  complain  of,  and  that  it  was  the  speculating  class,  who'  wfere 
endeavoring-  to  gain  titles  to  lands  by  bogxis  settlement,  who  were  loudest 
in  their  complaints.  The  question  was  decided  pro  and  con  in  the'  lower 
courts  repeatedly,  and  taken  up  on  appeal,  until  it  finally  reached' the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  when  Chief  Justice  Marshall  delivered 
an  opinion  of  the  company,  Mr.  Justice  Washington  declaring:  "Thbugh 
the  great  theater  of  the  war  lies  far  to  the  northwest  of  the  land  in  dispute, 
yet  it  is  clearly  proved  that  this  country  during  this  period  was  exposed 
to  the  repeated  eruptions  of  the  enemy,  killing  and  plundering'  such  of 
the  whites  as  they  met  with  in  defenceless  situations.  We  find  the  settlers 
sometimes  working  out  in  the  day  time  in  the  neighborhood  of  forts  and 
returning  at  night  within  their  walls  for  protection;  Sometimes  giving  up 
the  pursuit  in  despair  and  returning  to  the  settled  part  of  the  country,  then 
returning  to  this  country  and  again  abandoning  it.  We  sometimes' meet  with 
a  few  men  daring  and  hardy  enough  to  attempt  the  cultivation  of  their  lands, 
associating  implements  of  husbandly  with  the  instruments  of  war— the 
character  of  the  husbandman  with  that  of  the  soldier— and  yet   I  flo  not 


132  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

recollect  any  instance  in  which,  with  the  enterprising  daring  spirit,  a  single 
individual  was  able  to  make  such  a  settlement  as  the  law  required." 

Such  "daring  and  hardy"  men  as  are  here  referred  to  by  Judge  Wash- 
ington were  those  who  first  settled  Crawford  County.  Upon  the  return 
of  David  and  John  Mead,  in  the  spring  of  1788,  came  Thomas  Martin,  John 
Watson,  James  F.  Randolph,  Thomas  Grant,  Cornelius  Van  Horn,  and 
Christopher  Snyder.  With  the  exception  of  Grant,  they  all  selected  lands 
on  the  western  side  of  the  river,  now  Valonia,  and  the  tracts  above.  Grant 
chose  the  section  on  which  is  now  Meadville,  and  made  his  home  at  the 
head  of  Water  Street.  Soon  tiring  of  the  frontier,  he  transferred  his  tract 
to  David  Mead,  who  thus  became  the  proprietor  and  real  founder  of  the 
city  which  took  his  name.  In  the  spring  of  the  following  year  came  the 
families  of  some  of  these  men.  Sarah  ]\Iead,  daughter  of  David,  was  the 
first  child  born  within  the  new  settlement.  Subsequently  came  Samuel 
Lord,  John  Wentworth,  Frederick  Haymaker,  Frederick  Baum,  Robert  Fitz 
Randolph,  and  Darius  Mead.  There  were  a  few  families  of  Indians  inhabit- 
,ing  the  neighborhood,  who  became  the  fast  friends  of  the  white  men,  prom- 
inent among  whom  were  Canadachta  and  his  three  sons.  Flying  Cloud. 
Standing  Stone  and  Big  Sun,  and  Halftown,  a  half-brother  of  Complanter. 
Strike  Neck  and  Wire  Ears. 

To  the  beginning  of  1791  few  disturbances  from  hostile  Indians 
occurred,  and  little  danger  was  apprehended;  but  the  defeat  of  the  army 
under  General  Harmer,  and  subsequently  that  led  by  St.  Clair,  left  the 
hostile  tribes  of  Ohio  and  western  Pennsylvania  free  to  prosecute  their 
nefarious  schemes  of  murder,  arson  and  fiendish  torture  upon  the  defence- 
less frontiersmen.  Early  in  this  year,  Flying  Cloud,  the  ever-faithful  friend 
of  the  whites,  gave  notice  that  the  savages  were  upon  the  war-path.  For 
safety,  the  settlers  repaired  to  the  stockade  fort  at  Franklin.  It  was  seed 
time,  and  these  provident  men  were  loath  to  let  the  time  pass  for  planting, 
and  thus  fail  of  a  crop  for  the  sustenance  of  their  families.  Accordingly, 
four  of  them, — Cornelius  Van  liorn,  William  Gregg,  Thomas  Ray  and 
Christopher, — returned  with  their  horses  and  commenced  ploughing.  Venge- 
ful Indians  came  skulking  upon  their  track,  and,  singling  out  Van  Hom 
when  the  others  were  away  at  the  dinner  hour,  seized  him  and  his  horses, 
and  commenced  the  march  westward.  Eight  miles  away,  near  Conneaut 
Lake,  thev  stopped  for  the  night,  when  ^^an  Horn  managed  to  elude  them. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  133 

and  made  his  way  liack.  \vlien  he  foutul  that  (iregg  had  been  killed  and 
Kay  was  made  captive  and  led  away  to  Detroit. 

The  party,  which  had  come  with  the  design  of  making  a  permanent 
settlement,  had  followed  the  Bald  Eagle  and  the  Chinklacamoose  path,  and 
arrived  at  Meadville  on  the  12th  of  May,  1788,  and  passed  the  first  night 
under  the  broad  spreading  branches  of  an  old  cherry  tree,  which  stood  near 
the  western  entrance  to  the  Mercer  Street  bridge.  They  had  come  in  ample 
season  to  plant  and  raise  crops,  and  had  brought  with  them  the  usual  im- 
plements of  husbandry,  and  withal  four  horses.  Scarcely  had  they  made  a 
permanent  camp  before  tliey  commenced  plowing  on  the  flats  which  they 
foimd  cleared  and  ready  for  cultivation.  The  four  horses  were  brought  into 
service,  and  David  I\'Iead  held  the  plow  while  Van  Horn  rode  one  of  the 
horses  and  guided  the  team.  In  this  way  some  eight  or  ten  acres  were 
broken  up  and  planted  to  corn.  It  was  up,  and  there  was  a  fair  prospect  of 
a  bountiful  harvest,  when  a  great  June  freshet  came  on,  which  washed  out 
the  entire  planting.  Nothing  daunted,  they  replanted,  and,  favored  by  the 
golden  autumn  flays,  the  favored  of  the  whole  earth,  they  harvested  a  ^ 
good    crop. 

David  Mead.  James  Fitz  Randolph  and  Cornelius  Van  Horn  selected 
tracts  that  best  suited  their  fancies,  and  prepared  to  make  for  themselves 
homes  in  the  wilds  of  this  then  continuous  forest.  David  Mead  chose  a 
stretch  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Venango  River.  James  Fitz  Randolph 
selected  a  site  two  miles  south  of  Meadville  on  the  upland  east  of  the  river, 
w-ell  suited  to  agriculture  or  fruit  and  landscape  gardening.  Thomas  Grant 
took  the  tract  on  which  now  Meadville  is  spread  out.  Thomas  Van  Horn 
preferred  a  location  nearly  two  miles  south  and  west  of  the  river,  where  the 
morning  sunlight  looks  in  with  cheerful  ray,  and  where  a  herd  of  fine  cows 
then  as  now  would  fiu-nish  milk  for  the  city  yet  to  be.  Early  in  the  fall  of 
this  year,  Thomas  Grant,  tiring  of  the  hardship  of  clearing  the  giant  forest 
trees  that  covered  all  these  acres,  where  now  is  the  busy  city,  abandoned 
his  claim  and  returned  to  Northumberiand.  Fearing  that  the  freshets  in 
the  river  might  give  him  trouble  in  the  future  as  his  experience  had  already 
been,  David  Mead,  as  we  have  shown,  took  up  the  tract  that  Grant 
had  left,  and  built  a  substantial  log-house  on  the  bank  ovedooking  the 
river,  near  the  site  of  James  E.  McFariand's  present  home.  It  was  known 
as  the  block  house,   and  became  a  place  of  refuge  when  threatened  by 


134  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

Indian  hostilities.  In  the  autumn  of  1788,  David  and  John  Mead  returned 
to  Northumberland  for  their  families,  and  broug-ht  them  to  their  new  homes 
on  the  Venango.  In  the  following  year,  1789,  Darius  Mead,  the  father 
of  John  and  David,  Robert  Filz  Randolph  and  Frederick  Baum  brought 
out  their  families.  In  this  year  occurred  the  first  birth  in  the  settlement. 
Sarah,  daughter  of  David  and  Agnes  (Wilson)  Mead.  She  grew  to  woman- 
hood, and  in  1816  was  married  to  Re\-.  James  Satterfield,  of  Mercer 
County. 

In  deciding  upon  this  location  for  settlement,  the  Meads  were  influenced 
by  several  distinct  considerations.  In  the  first  place,  a  fine  valley  some  five 
miles  long  and  "considerably  wide  in  some  places,"  says  Washington  in  his 
journal.  Here,  then,  was  ample  room  for  a  great  city.  Then,  there  were 
three  considerable  streams  here  flowing  into  the  Venango  River  that  could 
be  easily  dammed  and  used  for  mill  privileges, — Mill  Run,  Cussawago  Creek, 
and  Van  Horn  Run, — each  of  which  have  been  extensively  employed  for 
mill  purposes.  The  river  itself  could  in  time  lie  used,  but  a  vast  expense 
would  have  to  be  incurred  to  build  a  dam  to  hold  a  stream  so  strong  and 
turbulent  as  it  is  at  some  seasons  of  the  year.  By  a  very  simple  and  inex- 
pensive device.  Mill  Run  was  harnessed  to  yield  power.  By  placing  a  log- 
so  as  to  turn  most  of  the  water  into  a  race,  and  in  times  of  flood  allow  the 
great  body  to  escape,  with  scarcely  any  expense  the  water  was  held  in  a 
pojid,  where  Park  Avenue  cuts  through  it  between  Randolph  and  North 
Street,s,  and  the  necessary  power  was  secured.  David  Mead  built  a  saw-mill 
just  below  the  intersection  of  Water  and  Randolph  Streets  very  shortly  after 
arriving,  which  was  a  great  convenience  to  the  early  settlers  for  a  wide 
circuit.  .  The  saw-mill  was  standing  and  in  use  as  late  as  i860.  He  also 
built  a  grist-mill,  using  the  same  power. 

l^-he  question  was  early  agitated  what  should  l)e  the  name  of  the  new 
town?  David  Mead  had  given  it  the  name  of  Cussawago,  which  was  quite 
appropriate.  But  here  was  Mead  saw-mill,  and  Mead  grist-mill;  why  should 
not  the  new  town  be  Mead-ville?  So  thought  the  new  settlers,  and  so  it 
was,  and  has  been  to  this  day. 

The  Mead  familv  came  originally  from  Devonshire  to  the  County  of 
Esspx,  England,  during  the  reign  of  Henry  VI.,  A.  D.  1422,  and  first 
settled  in  Elmdon.  There  appears  to  have  been  eight  distinguished  fami- 
lies of  the  name  in  England,  known  by  their  respective  coats-of-arms.  four 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  135 

bearing  the  pelican  and  four  the  trefoil  as  their  heraldic  designs.  Of  the 
distinguished  individuals  who  appeared  among  these  English  families  were 
Rev.  Matthew  Mead,  a  celebrated  divine  in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  and 
his  son,  Dr.  Richard  Mead,  who  was  appointed  Physician  in  Ordinary  by 
King  George  II.,  and  who  first  practiced  inocculation  in  England.  The 
name  is  spelled  with  and  without  the  final  "e."  The  descendants  of  the 
Irish  branch  of  the  family,  from  whom  the  Meads  of  Virginia  are  derived, 
always  used  the  final  "e."  The  first  record  of  any  of  the  name  in  this 
country  is  the  following,  among  the  Stamford,  Connecticut,  town  records: 
"December  7th,  1641,  William  Mayd  received  from  the  town  of  Stamford 
a  house  lot  and  five  acres  of  land."  This  William  Mead,  in  company  with 
his  brother,  John  Mead,  emigrated  from  England  about  the  year  1640. 
William  Mead  settled  in  Stamford,  where  he  died  about  1670.  His  wife  was 
Ruth  Hardy,  who  died  September  19th,  1657.  John  Mead,  the  brother,  in 
1650  removed  to  Greenwich,  Fairfield  County,  Connecticut. 

I.  John  Mead,  son  of  William,  born  about  1616;  died  in  1696.  His 
wife  was  Hannah  Potter,  daughter  of  William  Potter  of  Stamford.  They 
had  issue,— I,  John;  2,  Joseph;  3,  Hannah;  4,  Ebenezer;  5,  Jonathan; 
6,  David;  7,  Benjamin;  9,  Samuel;  10,  Abigail;  1 1,  Elizabeth;  12,  Mary, 
— all  Scripture  names,  a  family  no  doubt  of  devout  Christians. 

JI.     David  Mead,  of  this  family,  born  1666,  settled  in  Bedford,  West- 
%amtcr  County,  in  the  colony  of  New  York.     Of  his  children  we  have  the 
names  of  William,  David,  Ebenezer. 

HI.     Ebenezer  was  in  the  direct  line  the  father  of  David,  born  1702. 

IV.  '"baivH-Mead  married  and  had  issue:  1,  Darius,  born  March  25, 
1728,  and  married  Ruth 'Curtis;  2,  Ebenezer;  3,  John;  4,  William:  5,  Eli, 
born    1740. 

V.  Darius  Mead,  sixth  in  descent,  born  March  28,  1728,  hi  Stamford. 
Connecticut.  In  the  year  1750  he  settled  in  Hudson,  New  York.  About 
1770  he  removed  with  his  children  to  the  Wyoming  settlement,  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  subsequently  followed  his  sons,  David  and  John,  to  the  new  lands 
on  the  Venango  River,  where  he  was  killed  by  the  Indians  in  1791.  His 
wife,  Ruth  Curtis,  born  May  27,  1734.  in  Connecticut,  and  died  at  Mead- 
ville  in  the  summer  of  1794,  being  the  first  death  which  occurred  from 
natural  causes  among  the  white  settlers  of  Crawford  County.  They  had 
a  larse  familv  of  children,  of  whom  we  have  only  the  names  of  the  follow- 


136  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

ing:  David,  l)orn  January  17,  1752:  Jeanette  Finney;  Agnes  Wilson; 
Asahel.  born  August  9,  1754,  killed  at  Wyoming,  July  3,  1778;  John, 
born  July  22,  1756,  married  Katharine  Forster;  Ruth,  born  April  16,  1761; 
Darius,  born  December  9,  1764;   Elizabeth,  born  June  i,  1769. 

David,  eldest  son  of  Darius,  removed  to  \\'yoming  Valley  in  1770, 
and  obtained  a  tract  of  land  under  the  Pennsylvania  title,  from  which  he 
was  subsequently  evicted  by  the  "Connecticut  Intruders."  He  then  took 
up  his  residence  on  the  west  bank  of  the  north  branch  of  the  Susquehanna 
River,  six  miles  north  of  the  town  of  Northumberland.  He  served  in  the 
Revolutionar}-  War  as  an  of^cer,  and  was  a  justice  of  the  peace.  In  1795, 
General  Mead's  wife  died,  and  in  the  following  year  he  was  luarried  to 
Jeanette,  a  daughter  of  Robert  Finne}-,  to  whom  were  born  six  children,  five 
— Robert,  Alexander,  Catherine,  Jane  and  Maria — growing  to  maturity.  On 
the  31st  of  March,  1796,  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Mififlin  justice  of 
the  peace  for  the  township  of  ]\Iead  for  a  term  "so  long  as  he  shall  live  and 
behave  himself  well."  Mead  Township  at  that  time  embraced  the  whole 
of  Crawford  and  Erie  Counties.  The  block  house  erected  by  Mead  was 
designated  as  the  place  for  holding  elections.  Upon  the  organization  of 
Crawford  County,  in  1800,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  associate  judges, 
an  oiSce  which  he  held,  with  the  exception  of  a  brief  period,  continuously 
initil  his  death.  He  was  appointed  major-general  of  the  Fourteenth,  and 
afterward  of  the- Sixteenth  Division  of  the  Pennsylvania  Militia  by  Governor 
McKean,  and  was  reappointed  by  Governor  Snyder.  During  the  war  of 
1 812-15,  he  rendered  important  services  to  Commodore  Perr\',  in  promptly 
marching-  with  his  command  to  the  defence  of  Erie  in  the  summer  of  1813, 
when  the  fleet  in  process  of  construction  in  Presque  Isle  Bay  was  threatened 
with  destruction  by  the  enemy.  In  1797,  General  Mead  built  a  spacious 
and  substantial  residence  on  the  commanding  ground  at  the  head  of  Water 
Street,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  on  the  23d  of  August,  1816,  in  the 
sixty-fifth  year  of  his  age.  His  appearance  was  striking,  being  six  feet 
three  and  a  half  inches  in  height,  well  proportioned,  and  possessed  of  great 
bodily    strength. 

Cornelius  Van  Horn,  one  of  the  most  enterprising  and  active  in  the 
new  settlement,  was  born  in  Huntington  County,  New  Jersey,  December 
1 6th,  1750,  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Jane  (Ten  Eyck)  Van  Home.  He  served 
in   the   Revolutionary'  War,   and   upon    the   death   of   his   father  inherited 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  137 

several  hundred  acres  of  land  in  the  Wyoming  Valley.  This  land  was 
located  in  Northampton  County,  and  was  held  under  Pennsylvania  title, 
being  ^  tract  over  which  so  much  trouhle  arose  between  Pennsylvania  and 
Connecticut  claimants.  In  1784.  he  removed  from  Sussex  County,  New- 
Jersey,  to  his  land  in  the  Wyoming  Valley;  ])ut  in  the  fall  of  that  year  he. 
with  other  Pennsylvanians,  was  driven  off  their  lands  by  the  claimants  from 
Connecticut.  In  the  fall  of  1793,  the  Indians  being  troublesome  in  the 
Venango  settlement,  General  Wilkins  wrote  to  Van  Home,  asking  him  to 
raise  a  sergeant's  command  of  fifteen  men  for  guard  duty,  which  he  did,  and 
continued  in  seiwice  to  the  close  of  the  year.  In  the  summer  of  1794, 
General  Gibson  sent  him  an  ensign's  commission,  with  instructions  to  enlist 
forty  or  fifty  men  for  frontier  duty.  This  company,  to  which  nearly  all  the 
settlers  on  the  Venango  belonged,  finding  that  the  stockade  and  log-house 
which  General  Mead  had  erected  on  the  west  side  of  Water  Street  on  the 
river  bank  was  insecure,  as  the  Indians  might  undermine  it,  erected  a  more 
substantial  and  secure  log  block-house  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Water 
Street  and  Steer's  Alle}-.  It  was  two  stories,  the  second  projecting  over  the 
first,  and  supplied  with  a  small  cannon  capable  of  being  moved  to  either  cor- 
ner for  service.  This  command  was  in  active  service  from  August  4  to  Decem- 
ber 31,  1794,  scouting  through  the  surrounding  forests  and  guarding  against 
Indian  surprises.  In  1795,  General  Gil)son  forwarded  to  him  a  captain's 
commission,  with  orders  to  raise  a  company  which  was  to  assist  in  i)ro- 
tecting  surveyors  and  workmen  then  engaged  in  laying  out  and  building 
a  road  from  Waterford  to  Erie.  Upon  the  expiration  of  this  term  of  service 
he  settled  permanently  on  his  farm  of  over  400  acres  below  Meadville,  where 
he  spent  the  remaining  years  of  his  life.  He  was  married  September  27, 
1798,  to  Sarah  Dunn,  daughter  of  James  and  Priscilla  Dmin,  and  they  had 
issue  Jane,  James,  Priscilla,  Harriet,  Thomas  and  Comehus.  He  lived  to 
nearly  ninety-six  years,  and  died  July  24,  1846. 

Robert  Fitz  Randolph  was  born  in  Essex  County,  New  Jersey,  in  1741, 
of  Scotch  ancestry.  He  removed  with  his  family  to  Northampton  County 
in  1 77 1,  and  two  years  later  to  Northumberland  County.  Driven  from  his 
home  by  Indian  hostilities,  he  fled,  in  1776,  to  Berks  County,  but  returned 
in  the  following  year,  and  joined  the  regiment  of  Colonel  William  Cook, 
and  with  it  fought  in  the  battle  of  Germantown,  October  3d,  1777.  Having 
been  dischargetl  soon  afterwards,  he  returned  to  his  home;   but  the  savages 


138  '    OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

having  made  another  fierce  attack  upon  the  settlement,  he  returned  with 
his  family  to  his  native  State,  where  he  again  enlisted  in  the  Continental 
army,  with  which  he  ser\-ed  to  the  end  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  /i.t  the 
return  of  peace,  he  returned  to  Northumberland  County,  and  settled  on 
Shamokin  Creek,  where  he  resided  until  1789,  when  he  removed  to  the 
Venango  Valley  with  his  family,  and  settled  upon  the  tract  which  had  been 
patented  by  his  son  James,  one  of  the  party  of  nine  who  were  the  original 
settlers.  He  was  in  his  seventy-second  year  when  the  war  of  1812  broke 
out.  The  blood  of  his  younger  days  was  stirred,  and  at  the  first  call  for 
troops  he  started  for  Erie,  with  four  of  his  sons  and  two  grandsons,  to 
ofifer  his  services  to  his  country.  Upon  his  arrival  at  Lake  Conneauttee,  near 
Edinboro,  he  was  persuaded  by  some  of  his  friends  to  return  home  on 
account  of  his  age.  He  died  on  the  i6th  of  July,  1830,  in  the  eighty-ninth 
year  of  his  age. 

Of  Robert  Fitz  Randolph's  children,  Edward  took  a  prominent  pai-t 
in  the  early  settlement  of  the  county.  He  was  born  in  Lehigh  County, 
March  i,  1772,  and  was  in  his  eighteenth  year  when  the  family  removed 
to  this  county.  '  He  served  as  a  volunteer  in  1791.  In  1792,  he  went  to 
Pittsburg  in  the  government  employ,  in  transporting  provisions  to  Fort 
Venango,  near  Franklin.  In  September  of  1793,  he  was  engaged  to  go 
down  the  Ohio,  with  Colonel  Clark,  in  charge  of  a  boat-load  of  ammunition 
for  General  Wayne's  army,  then  organizing  at  Fort  Washington,  now  Cin- 
cinnati. In  the  spring  of  1795,  Captain  Russell  Bissell  commenced  the 
erection  of  a  fort  at  Erie,  and  in  August,  Edward  and  Taylor  Fitz  Randolph 
were  employed  as  teamsters  to  go  to  Erie  to  assist  in  the  construction  of 
the  fort.  Their  father  furnished  three  yokes  of  oxen,  and  Cornelius  Van 
Horn  one  yoke,  for  this  purpose.  Mr.  Fitz  Randolph  was  married,  in  1797, 
to  Elizabeth  Wilson,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Wilson,  and  settled  on  a  farm 
in  Vernon  Township,  where  he  lived  until  his  removal  to  the  west,  where 
he    died. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


VIRGINIA    AND   PENNSYLVANIA    CONTROVERSY    FINALLY 

SETTLED. 


"\  T  ^  HEN  THE  Virginia  convention,  on  tiie  escape  of  Lord  Dun- 
Y  y  more,  the  Royal  Governor,  took  the  supreme  authority  of  the 
V^irginia  colony  in  its  own  hands,  measures  were  adopted  for  re- 
taining the  district  of  Pittsburg  west  of  the  Laurel  Hills  in  its  control,  as 
though  the  matter  of  jurisdiction  was  already  settled  in  favor  of  Virginia. 
Captain  John  Neville  was  authorized  to  raise  a  company  of  one  hundred 
men  and  march  to  and  take  possession  of  Pittsburg.  Another  company 
was  summoned  from  the  Monongahela  country.  The  colony  of  Virginia 
was  divided  into  sixteen  districts,  of  which  West  Augusta  was  one,  com- 
prising all  the  territory  drained  by  the  Monongahela,  Youghioghenv  and 
Kiskiminitas  and  streams  falling  into  the  Ohio.  A  proposition  w^as  made 
by  certain  commissioners  sent  out  by  the  Continental  Congress, — Joseph 
Yates  and  John  Montgomery  for  Pennsylvania,  and  Dr.  Thomas  Walker 
and  John  Harvey  for  Virginia, — to  Pittsburg  to  treat  with  the  Indians,  that 
in  order  to  settle  the  disputed  authority  temporarily,  county  courts  should 
be  held  under  the  authority  of  Pennsylvania  north  of  the  Youghiogheny 
River,  and  of  Virginia  south  of  that  stream;  but  no  attention  was  paid 
to  this  advice,  probably  l:)eing  ecpially  distasteful  to  each  party. 

At  the  session  of  the  Virginia  Assembly,  held  in  1776,  the  western  por- 
tion of  what  is  now  Pennsylvania  was  divided  into  three  counties,  viz.: 
Yohigania,  Ohio,  and  Mononghalia,  and  courts  were  established  to  be  held 
monthly  under  justices  of  Virginia  appointment. 

The  Revolutionary  War  was  now  fairly  inaugurated,  and  as  the  British 
were  using  every  endeavor  to  enlist  the  Indians  in  their  cause  against  the 
colonists,  issuing  commissions  freely  to  disaffected  Americans  to  lead  them, 
and  to  fit  out  expeditions  from  Canada  to  attack  the  settlers  from  llic  rear, 

139 


I40  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

it  became  evident  near  the  close  of  1776  tliat  the  Indians  were  standing  in 
hostile  attitude.  Accordingly,  Patrick  Henry,  then  Governor  of  ^^irginia, 
wrote,  under  date  of  December  13th,  to  Lieutenant  Dorsey  Pentecost, 
advising  him  of  the  hostile  temper  of  the  savages,  and  that  he  had  ordered 
six  tons  of  lead  for  the  West  Augusta  district,  and  counseling  that  he  call 
a  meeting-  of  the  militia  officers  of  the  district  to  determine  on  safe  places 
of  deposit.  "I  am  of  opinion,"  he  says,  "that  unless  your  people  wisely 
improve  this  winter  you  may  probably  be  destroyed.  Prepare,  then,  to 
make  resistance  while  you  have  time." 

According  to  the  request  of  Governor  Henry  the  militia  officers  desig- 
nated the  points  suitable  for  magazines,  and  called  for  three  tons  of  gun- 
powder, ten  thousand  flints  and  one  thousand  rifles. 

On  the  28th  of  February,  1777,  Governor  Henry  again  wrote,  request- 
ing that  a  detail  be  made  of  a  hundred  men  "to  escort  safely  to  Pittsburg 
the  powder  purchased  b}"  Captain  Gibson.  I  suppose  it  is  at  Fort  Louis, 
on  the  Mississippi,  under  the  protection  of  the  Spanish  government.  I  have 
ordered  four  four-pound  cannons  to  be  cast  for  strengthening  Fort  Pitt, 
as  I  believe  an  attack  will  be  made  there  ere  long.  Let  the  provisions  be 
stored  there,  and  consider  it  ns  the  bulwark  of  your  coun.try."  It  will  be 
observed  that  all  this  legislation  and  military  preparation  is  had  under  the 
authority  of  the  assembly  and  the  Governor  of  Virginia,  for  the  govern- 
ment and  protection  of  territory  rightfully  belonging  to  Pennsylvania,  which 
was  at  this  time,  and  remained  until  1780,  a  part  of  Virginia,  which  the 
authorities  of  Pennsylvania  determined  not  to  quarrel  about  until  such  time 
as  its  charter  limits  could  be  fixed  and  vindicated  by  competent  authority. 

We  come  now  to  a  passage  in  this  early  history  which  shows  a  phase 
that  might  have  been  realized,  which  would  have  changed  the  whole  future 
of  western  Pennsylvania, — no  less  than  the  project  for  a  new  State,  which 
was  to  be  designated  by  the  euphonious  title  of  Westsylvania.  A  very 
elaborate  petition  was  drawn,  which  recited  the  inconveniences  on  account 
of  distance  from  the  seats  of  government  of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  of  the 
necessity  of  having  to  cross  lofty  and  interminable  ranges  of  mountains,  of 
claims  and  counter  claims  to  land,  and  the  unsettled  boundaries  between 
the  two  States.  This  petition  was  presented  to  the  Continental  Congress, 
was  received  and  ordered  filed,  but  was  never  acted  on,  probably  because 
a  life  and  death  struggle  for  existence  with  the  mother  country  demanded 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  141 

all  the  attention  of  that  body,  and  for  the  reason  that  the  Congress  had  no 
jurisdiction  as  yet  over  territory  beyond  the  united  colonies. 

The    language   of   this   petition   is   unique,   and,   in   detailing  wrongs, 
cumulative.     In  reciting  the  effect  of  the  authority  of  the  two  colonies,  it 
proceeds  to  point  out  "the  pernicious  effects  of  discordant  and  contending 
jurisdictions,  innumerable  frauds,  impositions,  violences,  depredations,  feuds, 
animosities,  divisions,  litigations,  disoi'ders,  and  even  with  the  effusion  of 
human  blood  to  the  utter  subversion  of  all  laws — human  and  divine — of 
justice,  order,  regularity,  and  in  a  great  measure  even  of  liberty  itself."     It 
details  "'the  fallacies,  violences  and  fraudulent  impositions  of  land  jobbers, 
pretended  officers  aiid  partisans  of  both  land  offices  and  others  under  the 
sanction  of  the  jurisdiction  of  their  respective  provinces,  the  Earl  of  Dun- 
more's  warrants,  ofBcers'  and  soldiers'  rights,  and  an  infinity  of  other  pre- 
texts."    It  gives  the  details  of  claims  of  private  parties  and  companies  to 
fabulous  tracts  of  land,  the  titles  to  which  rest  on  the  pretended  purchase 
of  the  Indians.     "This  is  a  country,"  it  proceeds,  "of  at  least  of  240  miles 
in  length,  from  the  Kittany  to  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  seventy  or 
eighty  miles  in  breadth  from  the  Alleghany  Mountains  to  the  Ohio,  rich, 
fertile  and  healthy  even  beyond  credibility,  and  peopled  by  at  least  25,000 
families  since  1768."     It  concludes  by  asking  that  "the  territon.'  embraced 
in  the  limits  set  below  be  known  as  the  province  and  government  of  West- 
sylvania     .     .     .     the  inhabitants  be  invested  with  evei-y  other  power,  right, 
privilege  and  immunity  vested,  or  to  be  vested,   in  the  other  American 
colonies;    be  considered  as  a  sister  colony,  and  the  fourteenth  province  of 
the  American   Confederacy:    beginning  at   the  eastern  bank  of  the  Ohio, 
opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  and  running  thence  to  the  top  of  the 
Alleghany   Mountains,   thence  with   the  top  of  the   said  mountains   to  the 
north  limits  of  the  purchase  made  from  the  Indians  in  1768  at  the  treaty  of 
Fort  Stanwix  aforesaid;    thence  with  the  said  limits  to  the  Allegheny,  or 
Ohio  River,  and  thence  down  the  said  river  as  purchased  from  the  said 
Indians  at  the  aforesaid  treaty  of  Fort  Stauwix  to  the  beginning."     There 
was  another  project  for  a  new  State  to  be  known  as  Vandalia  or  Walpole, 
but  none  so  formal  or  enforced  with  such  elaborate  argimients  as  in  this 
petition  for  Westsylvania,   though  many  members  of  the  Walpole   Com- 
pany were  influential  and  possessed  of  wealth,  both  in  England  and  the 
colonies. 


142  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  interest  which  Virginia  manifested  for  this  Monongaheia  and 
Ohio  country  was  first  aroused  by  the  reports  of  the  l:)eauty  of  the  scenery, 
the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  the  salubrity  of  the  climate.  The  desire;  to 
obtain  vast  tracts  of  this  country  led  to  the  formation  of  the  Ohio  Company 
with  a  grant  of  a  half-million  acres,  which  was  s'.ibsequently  swallowed  up 
in  Walpole's  grant,  of  fabulous  extent.  To  defend  these  grants  against  the 
French,  Washington's  embassy  to  Le  Boeuf  was  authorized,  and  military 
expeditions  of  Washington,  Braddock,  Forbes,  Boquet  and  Stanwix  were 
undertaken.  After  the  French  had  been  finally  expelled,  Virginia  was 
more  eager  than  ever  to  hold  these  claims,  to  justify  them,  and  to  establish 
Virginia  civil  polity.  But  the  failure  of  the  British  government  to  vindicate 
its  authority  broke  the  validity  of  the  claims  of  these  companies,  and  for 
eight  years,  while  the  Revolutionary  ^^"ar  lasted,  it  was  left  in  doubt,  whether 
these  titles  would  eventually  be  established  or  lost.  During  that  period, 
therefore,  Virginia  continued  anxious  to  assert  its  authority.  But  w  hen 
the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  and  the  breaking  of  the  military  force  of  Britain 
upon  this  continent  led  to  a  treaty  of  peace,  which  left  the  Continental 
Congress  in  supreme  authority,  then  the  titles  of  the  Ohio  and  Walpole 
Companies,  which  claimed  their  legal  status  from  the  British  government, 
were  left  without  validity,  and  were  valueless. 

When  Lord  Dunmore  assumed  the  Governorship  of  Virginia,  he  pro- 
posed to  assert  his  authority  with  a  high  hand,  regardless  of  the  rights  of 
other  parties,  and  Patrick  Henry,  who  succeeded  to  the  gubernatorial 
power,  seemed  disposed  to  take  up  the  cudgels  which  Dunmore  had 
dropped.  But  when  the  delegates  from  Virginia  to  the  Continental  Con- 
gress met  those  from  Pennsylvania,  the  whole  subject  of  disputed  authority 
and  mutual  boundary  seems  to  have  been  fairly  and  candidly  canvassed  and 
more  moderate  views  entertained.  And,  as  we  have  seen,  the  paper  drawn  up 
by  the  combined  wisdom  of  these  delegates  was  the  first  word  that  had  a 
quieting  effect.  There  were  very  able  men  in  those  delegations.  John  Dick- 
inson, the  author  of  the  Farmer's  Letters,  was  an  accomplished  scholar 
and  statesman,  and  Benjamin  FrankHn  was  possessed  of  practical  sense 
amounting  to  genius.  Besides,  the  congress  sat  at  Philadelphia,  where  a 
strong  influence  centered  favorable  to  the  claims  of  Pennsylvania.  A  senti- 
ment was  early  manifested  on  the  part  of  both  colonies  to  have  commission- 
ers appointed  to  settle  the  dispute. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  143 

The  terms  of  the  settlement  between  Pennsylvania  and  Maiyland  were 
very  explicit,  with  one  exception.  The  terms  proceeded  upon  the  supposi- 
tion that  the  perimeter  of  the  circle  drawn  with  a  radius  of  twelve  miles 
from  New  Castle  would  at  some  point  cut  the  beginning  of  the  40°  of  north 
latitude;  whereas,  this  parallel  fell  far  to  the  south  of  it.  This  left  the  be- 
ginning of  the  boundary  unfixed  and  uncertain,  and  was  the  cause  of  much 
wrangling  and  contention,  not  only  on  the  part  of  Virginia,  but  also  of 
Maryland.  But  the  matter  of  five  degrees  of  longitude  and  three  of  latitude 
was  as  definite  and  unchangeable  as  the  places  of  the  stars  in  the  heavens. 
Earthquakes  might  change  the  surface,  and  the  subsidence  of  the  land  might 
yield  the  place  to  the  empire  of  the  waves,  yet  the  boundaries  unchanged 
could  be  easily  identified.  Some  observations  had  been  made  at  Logs- 
town,  a  few  miles  below  Pittsburg,  on  the  Ohio,  by  which  it  was  evident 
that  this  place  w-as  considerably  within  the  boundaries  of  Pennsylvania,  both 
from  the  west  and  south.  On  any  clear  night  the  altitude  of  certain  stars 
would  give  the  latitude  of  the  place,  and  a  good  chronometer  would  show 
by  difference  in  time  the  longitude.  The  Virginia  delegates  in  Congress 
were  scholars  enough  to  itnderstand  that.  It  is  probable  that  they  saw  at 
the  outset  that  the  Pennsylvania  title  was  good,  and  would  eventually  pre- 
vail. This  accounts  for  the  conciliatory  temper  manifested  in  that  com- 
munication quoted  above. 

During  the  past  few  years  the  government  of  Pennsylvania  have  had 
commissioners  engaged  in  rectifying  the  boundary  lines  of  the  State  and 
planting  monuments  to  mark  them.  By  an  act  approved  on  the  7th  day  of 
May,  1885,  the  reports  and  maps  of  these  commissioners,  together  with  the 
complete  journal  of  Mason  and  Dixon,  from  December  7,  1763,  to  January 
29,  1768,  have  been  published.  From  that  volume  many  facts  upon  this 
subject  have  been  drawn. 

It  appears  that  as  early  as  the  i8th  of  December,  1776,  the  assembly 
of  Virginia  passed  a  resolution  agreeing  to  fix  the  southern  boundary  of 
Pennsylvania  from  the  western  limit  of  Maryland  due  north  to  the  begin- 
ning of  the  41st  parallel,  and  thence  due  west  to  the  western  limit  of  the 
State.  This  was  a  concession  on  the  part  of  Virginia,  as  it  had  previously 
claimed  all  west  of  the  summits  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains  to  the  New 
York  line.  This  would  have  made  a  break  northward  from  the  western 
boundary  of  Maryland,  and  would  have  left  the  counties  of  Fayette  and 


144  OUR   COUXTV  AND   ITS   PEOPLE. 

Greene,  and  a  portion  of  Washington,  in  Virginia.  The  Pennsylvania  au- 
thorities would  not  agree  to  this.  Propositions  and  counter  propositions 
continued  to  pass  between  the  assemblies  of  the  two  colonies,  resulting  in 
nothing  until  the  sessions  of  1779,  when  it  was  determined  to  submit  the 
whole  matter  in  controversy  to  the  arbitrament  of  commissioners.  In  a 
letter  of  27th  of  May,  1779,  Patrick  Henry,  Governor  of  Virginia,  com- 
municated to  the  council  of  Pennsylvania  the  intelligence  that  commission- 
ers had  been  appointed.  On  the  27th  of  August,  1779,  the  commissioners 
of  the  two  States  met  at  Baltimore — James  Madison  and  Robert  Andrews 
on  the  part  of  Virginia,  and  George  Bryan,  John  Ewing  and  David  Ritten- 
house  for  Pennsylvania.    Their  proceedings  were  in  writing. 

The  first  paper  was  drawn  by  the  Pennsylvania  delegates,  in  which  the 
points  in  controversy  were  fully  argued,  and  this  demand  made:  "For  the 
sake  of  peace  and  to  manifest  our  earnest  desire  of  adjusting  the  dispute  on 
amicable  terms,  we  are  willing  to  recede  from  our  just  rights  [the  beginning 
of  the  40°  north]  and  therefore  propose  that  a  meridian  I)e  drawn  from  the 
head  springs  of  the  north  branch  of  the  Potomac  to  the  beginning  of  the 
40°  of  north  latitude,  and  from  thence  that  a  parallel  be  drawn  to  the  west- 
ern extremity  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  to  continue  forever  the  boundary 
of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia."  This  would  have  made  a  break 
southward  at  the  western  extremity  of  Maryland  and  would  have  carried 
into  Pennsylvania  a  large  tract  of  what  is  now  West  Virginia,  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  territory  drained  by  the  Monougahela  and  its  tributaries,  a 
tract  equal  to  four  counties  of  the  size  of  Crawford. 

This  proposition  the  Virginia  commissioners  rejected  in  an  elaborate 
argument,  in  which  all  the  points  made  by  the  Pennsylvanians  were  consid- 
ered, and  they  close  with  the  following  counter  proposition:  "But  we  trust, 
on  a  further  consideration  of  the  objections  of  Virginia  to  your  claim,  that 
you  will  think  it  advantageous  to  your  State  to  continue  ]\Iason  and  Dixon's 
line  to  your  western  lim.its,  which  we  are  willing  to  establish  as  a  perpetual 
boundary  between  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania  on  the  south  side  of  the  last 
mentioned  State.  We  are  induced  to  make  this  proposal,  as  we  think  that 
the  same  principle  which  effected  the  compromise  between  Pennsylvania 
and  Maryland  should  operate  equally  as  strong  in  the  present  case."  This 
proposition  was  the  line  which  eventually  prevailed  and  is  the  present 
boundary. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  145 

But  the  Pennsylvania  commissioners  were  unwilling  to  give  up  the  ter- 
ritory reaching  down  to  the  beginning  of  the  40°.  They,  accordingly,  made 
this  compensator}'  proposition:  "That  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  should  be 
extended  so  far  beyond  the  western  limits  of  Pennsylvania  as  that  a  meridian 
drawn  from  the  western  extremity  of  it  to  the  beginning  of  the  43°  of  north 
latitude  shall  include  so  much  land  as  will  make  the  State  of  Pennsylvania 
what  it  was  originally  intended  to  be,  viz:  three  degrees  in  breadth  and  five 
degrees  in  length,  excepting  so  much  as  has  been  heretofore  relinquished  to 
Maryland."  This  would  have  put  on  to  the  western  end  of  the  State  a  nar- 
row patch  embracing  the  Panhandle  and  a  part  of  Ohio,  stretching  up  to 
the  lake,  which  should  be  equal  in  area  to  the  block  of  West  Virginia,  which 
Pennsylvania  would  give  up  if  Mason  and  Dixon's  line  should  be  adopted. 

This  proposition  was  promptly  rejected,  and  the  following  substituted: 
"Considering  how  much  importance  it  may  be  to  the  future  happiness  of 
the  United  States  that  every  cause  of  discord  be  now  removed  we  will  agree 
to  relinquish  even  a  part  of  that  territoiy  which  you  before  claimed  but 
which  we  still  think  is  not  included  in  the  charter  of  Pennsylvania.  We, 
therefore,  propose  that  a  line  nm  due  west  from  that  point  where  the  merid- 
ian of  the  first  fountain  of  the  north  branch  of  the  Potomac  meets  the  end 
of  the  30'  of  the  39°  of  northern  latitude,  five  degrees  of  longitude  to  be 
computed  from  that  part  of  the  river  Delaware  which  lies  in  the  same  par- 
allel, shall  forever  be  the  boundaiy  of  Pennsylvania  arid  Virginia  on  the 
southeni  [northern]  part  of  the  last  mentio^ned  State."  This  gave  Penn- 
sylvania a  break  into  West  Virginia  not  to  the  amount  of  four  counties,  but 
less  than  two;  but  it  also  provided  that  the  western  boundary  of  Penn- 
sylvania should,  instead  of  being  a  due  north  and 'south  line,  confonn  to  the 
meanderings  of  the  Delaware,  being  at  all  points  just  five  degrees  from  the 
right  bank  of  that  stream. 

To  this  the  Pennsylvania  commissioners  made  the  following  reply:  "We 
will  agree  to  your  proposal  of  the  30th  of  August  of  1779  for  rtmning  and 
forever  establishing  the  southeni  boundar}'  of  Pennsylvania  in  the  latitude 
of  thirty-nine  degrees  thirty  minutes  westward  of  the  meridian  of  the  source 
of  the  north  branch  of  the  Potomac  River,  uiion  condition  that  )'ou  con- 
sent to  allow  a  meridian  line  drawn  northward  from  the  western  extremity 
thereof  as  far  as  Virginia  extends,  to  be  the  western  boundary  of  Pennsyl- 
10 


146  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

vania."  Tliis  wmild  have  g'iven  a  narrow  slrip  of  Virginia  westward  of  Mary- 
land and  a  due  north  and  south  line  for  the  western  Iwundan'  as  at  present. 

This  proposition  was  rejected  b_\-  the  Virginia  commissioners;  but  they 
submitted  in  lieu  thereof  the  following:  "We  will  continue  Mason  and  Dix- 
on's line  due  west  five  degrees  of  longitude,  to  be  computed  to  the  river 
Delaware,  for  your  southern  boundary,  and  will  agree  that  a  meridian  drawn 
from  the  western  extremity  thereof  to  the  northern  limit  of  the  State  be 
the  western  boundary  of  Pennsylvania  forever."  This  ended  the  conference 
and  forever  settled  the  southwestern  boundary  of  our  good  old  common- 
wealth, and  brought  to  an  end  a  controversy  that  at  one  time  threatened  to 
result  in  internecine  war. 

So  far  as  it  could  Ijc  dcjne  in  theory  the  contrcn-ers}-  was  now  at  an  end, 
though  the  appro\-al  of  the  two  State  governments  was  yet  to  be  had,  and 
when  that  was  secured  the  actual  running  of  the  lines  and  marking  the 
boundaries,  which,  as  the  secjuel  proves,  were  subject  to  delays  and  irritating 
contentions.  The  la1)ors  of  the  commissioners,  who  held  their  sittings  in 
Baltimore,  were  concluded  on  the  31st  of  August,  1779.  The  Assembly  of 
Pennsylvania,  at  the  sitting  of  November  19th,  1779,  promptly  passed  a 
resolution  "to  ratify  and  tinall}-  confirm  tlie  agreement  entered  into  between 
the  commissioners  from  the  State  of  A'irginia  and  the  commissioners  from 
this  State."  In  good  failli  Pennsylvania  promptly  acted.  But  the  Virginia 
Assembly  delayed,  and  in  the  meantime  commissioners  had  been  appointed 
to  adjust  and  settle  titles  of  claimants  to  unpatented  lands.  Although  the 
commissioners  had  come  to  settlement  of  difYerences  on  the  last  day  of 
August,  as  late  as  December  of  this  year  Francis  Peyton,  Phillip  Pendleton, 
Joseph  Holmes  and  George  Merryweather,  land  commissioners  from  Vir- 
ginia for  the  West  Augusta  district,  embracing  the  counties  of  Yohogania, 
Ohio  and  Monongahela,  \^irginia  counties,  but  Westmoreland  County,  under 
Pennsylvania  authority,  came  to  Redstone,  on  the  JNIonongahela,  and  held 
a  court  at  which  a  large  number  of  patents  were  granted  to  Virginia  claim- 
ants to  vast  tracts  of  the  choice  lands  along  the  Monongahela  Valley  to  the 
prejudice  of  Pennsylvania  claimants,  though  it  was  now  known  that  all  this 
country,  by  the  award  of  the  Baltimore  conference,  was  within  the  limits  of 
Pennsylvania.  Though  \'irginia  could  claim  that  the  award  had  not  been 
ratified  by  the  Virginia  Assembly,  yet  high-minded  statesmanship  would 
have  held  that  all  questions  of  the  nature  of  actual  sale  of  lands  should  have 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  147 

been  held  in  abeyance  at  this  stage  of  the  settlement.  The  survey  of  lands 
thus  adjudicated  averaged  in  quantity  from  400  to  800  acres  to  eacii  claim- 
ant, and  the  number  of  claims  passed  upon  was  almost  fabulous. 

Seeing  that  the  Virginia  parties  were  intent  on  pushing  their  claims. 
Joseph  Reed,  President  of  the  Pennsylvania  Council,  addressed  a  letter  to 
Continental  Congress  in  these  uncompromising-  terms:  "We  shall  make 
such  remonstrance  to  the  State  of  Virginia  as  the  interest  and  honor  of  this 
State  require:  if  these  should  be  ineffectual  we  trust  we  shall  stand  justified 
in  the  eyes  of  God  and  man,  if,  availing  ourselves  of  the  means  we  possess 
we  afford  that  support  and  aid  to  the  much  injured  and  distressed  inhabit- 
ants of  the  frontier  counties,  which  their  situation  and  our  duty  require^" 
This  was  a  liroad  hint  coming  from  the  highest  authority  in  the  conunonr 
wealth,  that  the  time  might  come  when  force  would  be  necessary  to  enforce 
just  rights.  On  receipt  of  this  notice  the  Congress  passed  a  resolution' rec- 
ommending that  neither  party  dispose  of  any  more  of  the  disputed  lands. 
But  the  Virginia  commissioners,  sitting  at  Redstone,  refused  to  be  .gov- 
erned by  the  recoinmeudation  of  Congress.  .Vgain  was  Congress  addressed 
on  the  24th  of  March,  1780,  in  more  forceful  language  by  the  Pennsylvania 
authorities.  "If  Pennsylvania  must  arm  for  her  internal  defense,  instead: of 
recruiting  her  continental  line,  if  the  common  enemy,  encouraged  by:Our 
divisions,  should  prolong  the  war,  interests  of  our  sister  States  and  the  com- 
mon cause  be  injured  or  distressed,  we  trust  we  shall  stand  acquitted  before 
them  and  the  whole  world;  and  if  the  effusion  of  human  blood  is  to  be  the 
result  of  this  unhappy  dispute  we  humbly  trust  the  great  Governor  of  the 
universe,  who  delights  in  peace,  equity  and  justice,  will  not  impute  it  to  us." 
But  still  Virginia  authorities  would  not  desist.  Finally  Pennsylvania  au- 
thorities, having  promptly  ratified  the  agreement  of,  the  joint  commission- 
ers to  run  out  the  Mason  and  Dixon  line,  the  Virginia  Assembly  agreed  to  the 
provision  if  all  the  lands  in  possession  of  Virginia  settlers  should  remain  firm 
in  their  possession,  on  whichever  side  of  the  line  their  claims  should  be  found. 

This,  though  unjust  on  the  part  of  Virginia,  was  agreed  to  for  the  sake 
of  peace,  and  on  the  21st  of  February,  1781,  John  Lukens  and  Archibald 
McLean  were  appointed  on  the  part  of  Pennsylvania,  and  on  the  17th,  of 
April  James  Madison  and  Robert  Andrews,  on  the  part  of  Virginia,  to  make 
the  surveys.     Thomas  Jefferson  was  at  this  time  Governor  of  Virginia,  and 


148  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

he  recommended  that  the  five  degrees  of  longitude  be  determined  by  astro- 
nomical observation,  as'  being  the  most  accurate,  though  Mason  and  Dixon 
had  measured  actual  distance  and  reduced  to  horizontal  distance.  This,  if 
it  had  been  continued,  would  have  resulted  the  same.  Governor  Jefferson 
proposed  that  a  temporary  line  be  run,  and  Mr.  McLean  for  Pennsylvania 
and  the  surveyor-general  of  Yohogania  County  for  Virginia.  But  now  a  new 
difficulty  arose.  Some  of  the  settlers  were  opposed  to  having  any  line  run  at 
all,  preferring  to  remain  under  Virginia  government.  Mr.  McLean  writes  to 
Governor  Moore  of  Pennsylvania :  "We  proceeded  to  the  mouth  of  Dunkard 
Creek,  where  our  stores  were  laid  in  on  the  loth  day  of  Jiine,  and  were  pre- 
paring to  cross  the  river  that  night,  when  a  party  of  about  thirty  horsemen, 
armed,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  appeared,  damning  us  to  come  over." 
Not  being  provided  with  the  implements  of  carnal  warfare  they  were  obliged 
to  withdraw. 

Finally  Jolin  Dickinson,  having  become  Governor  of  Pennsylvania, 
issued  his  proclamation  forbidding  any  interference  %vith  the  duly  apf>ointed 
surveyors  for  completing  the  Mason  and  Dixon  line.  To  strengthen  his 
hands,  on  the  nth  of  September,  1783,  John  Ewing,  David  Rittenhouse, 
John  Lukens  and  Thomas  Hutchins,  for  Pennsylvania,  and  on  August 
31  James  Madison,  Robert  Andrews,  John  Page  and  Andrew  Ellicott,  for 
Virginia,  were  duly  designated  to  make  a  final  settlement  of  the  bounds.  At 
the  Wilmington  observatory  the  commissioners  commenced  their  observa- 
tions at  the  beginning  of  July  and  continued  observing  the  eclipses  of  Ju- 
piter's satelites  till  the  20th  of  September.  At  the  other  extremity  of  the 
line  the  observations  were  conimenced  about  the  middle  of  July,  and  between 
forty  and  fifty  notes  of  the  eclipses  of  Jupiter's  satelites,  besides  innumer- 
able observations  of  the  sun  and  stars,  were  made,  and  thereby  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  State,  five  degrees  from  the  point  assumed  on  the  Dela- 
ware, was  determined  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt. 

But  the  western  boundary  was  still  unmarked,  though  this,  bemg  a 
simple  meridian  line,  was  not  difficult  of  adjustment.  Accordingly,  a  com- 
mission, consisting  of  David  Rittenhouse  and  Andrew  Porter,  in  behalf  of 
Pennsylvania,  Andrew  Ellicott  of  Maryland  and  Joseph  Neville  of  Virginia 
was  constituted  for  this  purpose,  and  on  the  23d  of  August,  1785,  made  their 
report:    "We  have  carried  on  a  meridian  line  fro4n  the  southwest  corner  of 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  149 

Pennsylvania  northward  to  the  river  Ohio,  and  we  have  Hkewise  placed 
stones  duly  marked  on  most  of  the  principal  hills.  From  the  Ohio  River 
northward  the  line  was  surveyed  by  Alexander  McLean  and  Andrew  Porter. 
Rittenhouse  and  Ellicott  were  put  upon  the  northern  line,  between  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania,  who  made  theirreport  on  the  4th  of  October,  1786. 
Thus  was  finally  settled  amicably  the  question  of  boundary,  which,  for  the 
full  space  of  a  hundred  years,  had  vexed  the  inhabitants  of  the  border  and 
the  governments  of  three  of  the  original  colonies,  and  which  had  repeatedly 
been  carried  up  to  the  place  of  last  resort,  the  King  in  council. 


CHAPTER  Xlll 


APPEAL   TO    CONTINENTAL   CONGRESS   FOR  JUSTICE. 


THE  authorities  of  Pennsylvania  scarcely  had  the  subject  of  contention 
with  Lord  Baltimore  settled  before  another  arose  which  threatened 
to  be  more  troublesome  and  dangerous  than  the  first.  Aside  from 
the  great  impediments  to  settlement  encountered  in  the  rugged  and  moun- 
tainous country  which  had  to  be  passed  in  reaching  the  western  section  of 
the  State,  and  its  great  distance  from  the  abodes  of  civilization,  the  emi- 
grants had  to  meet  the  counter-claims  of  the  English  and  the  French  to 
this  whole  Mississippi  Valley,  which  were  fought  out  on  this  ground;  then 
the  hostility  of  the  Indians  in  asserting  their  claims  to  this  territory,  which 
resulted  in  the  conspiracy  of  Pontiac,  likewise  contended  for  with  great  bit- 
terness on  this  western  ground,  and  finally  settled  by  victories  gained  here. 
Scarcely  had  the  Revolutionary  war  been  fought  out,  and  the  inhab- 
itants of  Pennsylvania  knew  that  they  had  a  country  and  felt  the  thrill  of 
patriotism  warming  their  l)osoms,  than  they  were  confronted  in  all  this 
western  section  by  the  problem  whether  they  owed  allegiance  to  Pennsyl- 
vania or  to  Virginia,  whether  they  should  secure  the  patents  to  their  lands 
and  pay  for  them  at  the  capital  on  the  Delaware  or  on  the  James.  It  may 
seem  strange  to  the  present  generation,  when  the  well-defined  limits  of  our 
good  old  Commonwealth  are  examined,  as  shown  by  any  well-drawn  map 
of  the  State,  how  any  such  controversy  could  have  arisen.  And  it  will  seem 
even  more  wonderful  when  the  precise  and  explicit  words  of  King  Charles' 
charter  to  William  Penn  are  carefully  read.  But  such  a  controversy  did 
actually  occur,  which  threatened  at  one  time  the  pacific  and  friendly  rela- 
tions of  the  two  great  Commonwealths. 

There  can  be  no  question  but  that  the  southern  portion  of  this  whole 
western  half  of  Pennsylvania  was  originally  largely  settled  by  emigrants 

from  Virginia  and  Maryland.     Nor  can  there  be  any  doubt  but  that  the 

150 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  151 

authorities  uf  Virginia  entertained  the  l^ehef  that  this  country  was  em- 
braced in  the  hmits  of  that  colon}'.  When,  in  T749,  the  "Ohio  Cornpany" 
was  chartered  and  authorized  to  take  up  a  half  million  acres  of  choice  land 
it  was  in  the  western  section  of  Pennsylvania  that  these  lands  were  located. 
Hence  the  original  settlers  could  have  had  no  question  but  their  true  alle- 
giance was  due  to  Virginia,  from  whose  constituted  authorities  they  re- 
ceived their  conveyances  and  paid  their  fees. 

But  by  what  right  did  Virginia  claim  this  territory?  As  we  have  al- 
ready seen,  Queen  Elizabeth  in  1583,  a  hundred  years  before  the  time  of 
Penn,  granted  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  an  indefinite  stretch  of  country  in 
America  which  practically  embraced  the  whole  boundless  continent,  to 
_which  he  gave  the  name  of  Virginia,  in  honor  of  the  Virgin  Queen,  that 
portion  to  the  south  of  the  mouth  of  the  Chesapeake  receiving  the  title  of 
South  Virginia  and  that  to  the  north  of  it  North  Virginia.  Raleigh  spent  a 
vast  fortune  and  impoverished  himself  in  attempts  to  colonize  the  county, 
but  all  in  vain,  and  the  title  lapsed.  In  1606  James  I.,  who  had  succeeded 
Elizabeth,  granted  charters  to  the  Plymouth  Company,  who  were  to  have 
the  territory  to  the  north,  and  the  Virginia  or  London  Company  to  the 
south;  but  the  boundaries  seem  to  have  been  drawn  indefinitely,  the  two 
grants  overlapping  each  other  by  three  degrees  of  latitude.  In  1609  the 
London  Company  secured  from  the  King  a  new  grant  in  this  most  remark- 
able language,  probably  never  before  nor  since  equaled  for  indefiniteness: 
"All  those  lands,  countries  and  territories  situate,  lying  and  being  in  that 
part  of  America  called  Virginia,  from  the  point  of  land  called  Cape  or  Point 
of  Comfort  all  along  the  sea  coast  northward  two  hundred  miles,  and  from 
the  same  Point  or  Cape  Comfort  all  along  the  sea  coast  to  the  southward 
two  hundred  miles;  and  all  that  space  and  circuit  of  lands  lying  from  the  sea 
coast  of  the  precinct  aforesaid  up  into  the  land  tln-oughout  from  sea  to  sea 
west  and  northwest;  and  also  the  islands  lying  within  one  hundred  miles 
along  the  coast  of  both  seas  of  the  precinct  aforesaid." 

On  this  wonderful  piece  of  scrivener  work,  which  no  doubt  taxed  the 
best  legal  acumen  of  all  England  in  its  composition,  the  authorities  of  Vir- 
ginia hung  all  their  claims  to  western  Pennsylvania  and  the  entire  North- 
west territory — on  that  fatal  expression,  "all  that  space  and  ciixuit  of  lands 
lying  from  the  sea  coast  of  the  precinct  aforesaid  up  into  the  land  through- 
out from  sea  to  sea,  west  and  northwest."     It  does  not  say  due  west  from 


152  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  extremities  of  the  four  hundregL  hne  coast,  which  would  have  been  in- 
telHgible,  though  preposterous,  but  it  was  to  be  "from  sea  to  sea,  west  and 
northwest."  This  word  northwest  could  not  have  meant  to  apply  to  the 
two  extremities  of  the  coast  line,  for  in  that  case  it  would  have  formed  a 
parallelogram  having  the  coast  line  fixed  on  the  Atlantic  and  an  equal  coast 
line  somewhere  in  Alaska  on  the  Pacific  and  the  frozen  ocean.  If  it  meant 
that  the  southern  boundary  should  be  a  due  west  line  from  the  southern  ex- 
tremity, and  the  northern  boundary  should  be  a  line  drawn  due  northwest 
from  the  northern  extremity  of  the  Atlantic  coast  line,  then  the  limits  of 
Virginia  would  have  embraced  all  but  a  moiety  of  all  the  North  American 
continent,  as  the  coast  line  of  four  hundred  miles  would  have  embraced 
more  than  six  degrees  of  latitude,  from  the  34°  to  the  40°, 
reaching  from  some  point  in  South  Carolina  to  the  central  part 
of  the  shore  of  New  Jersey,  and  the  due  northwest  line  would  have 
swallowed  Philadelphia,  two-thirds  of  Pennsylvania,  a  part  of  New  York, 
all  the  great  lakes  except  Ontario,  and  would  have  emerged  somewhere  in 
the  North  Pacific  or  the  Arctic  Ocean.  It  may  seem  strange  that  the 
sober-minded  men  who  held  the  reins  of  government  in  Virginia  should 
have  set  up  so  preposterous  a  claim.  But  if  this  claim  was  good  for  any- 
thing, and  there  seems  to  be  no  other  authority  upon  which  it  was  based, 
save  the  above  recited  grant  of  1609,  why  were  not  Maryland,  Delaware,  the 
half  of  New  Jersey  and  nearly  the  whole  of  Pennsylvania  claimed  at  once? 
For  this  grant  of  1609  antedated  that  of  Maryland  and  was  made  before  the 
foot  of  a  white  man  had  ever  pressed  Pennsylvania  soil.  This  extravagant 
claim  was  not  vindicated  when  the  colonies  to  the  north  of  it  had  become 
seated.  But  now,  after  it  had  been  pushed  down  on  the  seashore  from 
more  than  two-thirds  of  its  northern  claim — having  left  scarcely  fifty  miles 
above  Point  Comfort  instead  of  two  hundred — by  the  grants  to  Maryland 
and  Pennsylvania,  and  been  limited  to  the  right  bank  of  the  Potomac,  it 
now  proposes  to  commence  that  northwest  line  at  the  headwaters  of  the 
Potomac  instead  of  at  the  coast  line. 

But  this  whole  extravagant  claim  was  settled  before  either  Lord  Balti- 
more or  Penn  had  received  their  charters.  On  the  loth  of  November, 
1623,  a  writ  of  quo  warranto  was  begun  against  the  treasurer  of  the  London 
Company.  The  grounds  for  this  action  were  the  irregularities  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  colony,  which  had  invited  the  hostility  of  the  Indians,  re- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  153 

suiting  in  massacres  and  burnings,  which  came  near  the  utter  destruction 
of  the  settlement,  \vherel3y  the  stockholders  of  the  Company  in  London 
saw  their  investments  being  annihilated.  The  party  of  Virginia  made  de- 
fense; but  upon  the  report  of  a  committee  sent  out  by  the  King  to  make 
examination  of  the  Company's  affairs  the  King's  resolution  was  taken,  and 
at  the  Trinity  term  of  1624,  June,  "judgment  was  given  against  the  Com- 
pany and  the  patents  were  canceled."  "Before  the  end  of  the  same  term," 
says  the  record,  "a  judgment  was  declared  by  the  Lord  Chief  Justice  Ley, 
against  the  Company  and  their  charter,  only  upon  a  failure  or  a  mistake  in 
pleading."  The  decree  may  not  have  been  just,  as  disturbing  vested  rights, 
yet  it  was  nevertheless  law,  and  the  Company  was  obliged  to  bow.  The 
matter  was  brought  before  Parliament;  but  public  sentiment  was  against 
the  Company,  and  the  application  came  to  nothing.  Henceforward  the 
Virginia  settlement  became  a  royal  colony,  subject  to  the  will  of  the 
monarch. 

Soon  after  the  conclusion  of  the  war  with  France,  by  which  that  nation 
was  dispossessed  of  the  Mississippi  Valley  and  of  Canada,  the  King  issued 
his  royal  proclamation,  in  which,  after  making  some  restrictions  regarding 
the  newly  acquired  territories  of  Quebec  and  East  and  West  Florida,  he 
says:  "We  do,  therefore,  with  the  advice  of  our  privy  council,  declare  it  to 
be  our  royal  will  and  pleasure  that  no  governor  nor  commander  in  chief  of 
our  colonies  or  plantations  in  America  do  presume,  for  the  present  and  until 
our  further  pleasure  be  known,  to  grant  warrants  of  survey  or  pass  patents 
for  any  lands  beyond  the  heads  or  sources  of  any  of  the  rivers  which  fall 
into  the  Atlantic  Ocean  from  the  west  or  northwest,  or  upon  any  land  what- 
soever which,  not  having  been  ceded  to  or  purchased  by  us,  as  aforesaid,  are 
reserved  unto  the  said  Indians,  or  any  of  them." 

But  it  may  be  said  that  this  order  would  have  applied  to  Pennsylvania 
as  well  as  Virginia,  and  would  then  have  confined  the  former  to  the  eastern 
slopes  of  the  Alleghanies.  But  there  was  this  difference:  Virginia,  being 
now  only  a  royal  colony,  was  subject  to  the  absolute  will  of  the  monarch, 
while  Pennsylvania,  having  been*  purchased  for  a  price  and  confirmed  under 
Proprietary  government,  was  placed  beyond  the  King's  power  to  alter  or 
annul.  It  will  be  observed  that  by  the  cutting  off  of  West  Virginia,  which 
occurred  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  Virginia  is  now  substantially 
confined  to  limits  fixed  by  this  royal  proclamation. 


154  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

But  the  authorities  of  Virginia  seem  not  to  have  been  disposed  to  give 
heed  to  this  royal  decree,  and  continued  to  send  out  settlers  to  occupy  the 
rich  lands  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Ohio.  Thomas  Lee,  who  was  the  first 
president  of  I  he  Ohio  Company,  who  seems  to  have  been  a  fair-minded 
man,  entertained  doubts  of  the  rights  of  his  company  to  lands  as  far  north 
as  Fort  Du  Ouesne,  where  his  company  was  preparing  to  build  a  fort,  wrote 
to  Governor  Hamilton  of  Pennsylvania  touching  the  Ijoundaries  of  his 
province.  The  Governor  answered  under  date  of  Jan.  _',  1749,  proposing 
to  run  the  State  line.  -Vfter  the  death,  which  occurred  not  long  afterward, 
of  Mr.  Lee,  Lawrence  Washington,  tlie  elder  brother  of  George,  was 
elected  president,  and  the  Washingtons  became  largely  interested  in  the 
lands  of  this  company.  \\'hen  Governor  Hamilton  learned  that  it  was  the 
intention  of  the  Ohio  Company  to  erect  a  fort  at  the  forks  of  the  Ohio  for 
protection  against  the  Indians  he  again  wrote,  but  now  to  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor Dinwiddle,  declaring  that  he  had  received  instructions  from  the  pro- 
prietaries to  join  in  the  work  of  surveying  and  establishing  the  line  of  sepa- 
ration of  the  two  States  "only  taking  your  acknowledgment  that  the  settle- 
ment shall  not  prejudice  their  right  to  that  country." 

Without  alluding  to  the  matter  of  boundary,  Dinwiddle  wrote  that  he 
had  already  dispatched  a  person  of  distinction,  none  other  than  young 
George  Washington,  to  the  commander  of  the  French  to  know  upon  what 
Wounds  he  was  invading  the  lands  of  the  English,  and  that  he  had  sent 
working  parties  to  erect  a  fort  at  the  forks  of  the  Ohio.  When  at  Logs- 
town,  as  agent  of  Virginia,  securing  a  treaty  with  the  Lidians,  Colonel 
Joshua  Fry,  who  was  accounted  a  good  mathematician  and  geographer, 
had  taken  an  observation  by  which  it  was  found  that  the  Indian  village, 
which  is  nine  miles  below  Pittsburg,  was  in  latitude  40°  29',  which  showed 
that  this  was  far  to  the  north  of  the  southern  line  of  Pennsylvania.  From 
calculations  made  it  was  evident  to  the  mind  of  Governor  Hamilton  that 
the  forks  of  the  Ohio,  as  well  as  the  French  fort  at  Venango  (Franklin), 
were  far  within  the  boundaries  of  Pennsylvania,  and  this  conclusion  he 
communicated  to  the  Pennsylvania  assembly  and  also  to  Governor  Din- 
widdle. The  latter  subsequently  responded:  "I  am  much  misled  by  our 
surveyors  if  the  forks  of  the  Mohongiale  be  within  the  limits  of  your  pro- 
prietary's grant.  I  have  for  some  time  wrote  home  to  have  the  line  run, 
to  have  the  boundaries  properly  known,  that  I  may  be  able  to  keep  magis- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  155 

trates  if  in  this  government  .  .  .  and  I  presnme  there  wili  be  commis- 
sioners appointed  for  that  service.  .  .  .  But  surely  from  all  hands  as- 
sured that  I.ogstown  is  far  to  the  west  of  Mr.  Penn's  grant." 

It  would  seem  from  this  letter  that  the  Governor  of  Virginia  was  con- 
templating the  establishment  of  local  government  in  this  portion  of  Penn- 
sylvania. It  would  appear  also  that  after  the  organization  of  Bedford 
County,  which  was  made  to  extend  over  all  the  western  part  of  the  State, 
and  immediately  after  the  purchase  of  these  grounds  from  the  Indians  by  the 
treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix  in  1768,  the  settlers  were  called  upon  to  pay  taxes 
for  the  support  of  the  Bedford  County  court.  Bedford  being  a  hundred 
miles  away,  they  did  not  relish  paying  of  taxes  for  the  support  of  a  court 
which  afforded  them  so  little  convenience.  Besides,  being  natives  of  Vir- 
ginia and  having  originally  been  led  to  suppose  that  this  was  a  part  of  Vir- 
ginia, thev  petitioned  that  colony  for  the  organization  of  county  govern- 
ments. 

Early  in  this  controversy  over  jurisdiction  Col.  George  Wilson,  a  jus- 
tice of  the  peace  of  Bedford  County,  wrote  a  letter  to  Arthur  St.  Claire,  of 
Bedford,  in  which  he  says:  "1  no  sooner  returned  home  from  court  than 
I  found  papers  containing  resolves,  as  they  call  them,  were  handing  fast 
about  amongst  the  people,  in  which,  amongst  the  rest,  was  one  that  they 
were  resolved  to  oppose  every  of  Penn's  laws,  as  they  called  them,  except 
felonious  actions,  at  the  rist|ue  of  life,  and  under  the  penalty  of  fifty  pounds, 
to  be  recovered  oti'  the  estates  of  the  failure.  The  first  of  them  I  found 
hardy  enough,  to  oi¥er  it  in  public,  I  immediately  ordered  into  custody,  on 
which  a  large  number  were  assembled,  as  was  supposed,  to  rescue  the  pris- 
oner. I  endeavored  by  all  the  rea.'^on  I  was  capable  of  to  convince  them 
of  the  ill  consequences  that  would  attend  such  a  rebellion,  and  happdy 
gained  on  the  people  to  consent  to  relinquish  their  resolves  and  to  burn  the 
paper  they  signed.  When  their  foreman  saw  that  the  arms  of  his  country, 
that  as  he  said  he  had  thrown  himself  into,  would  not  rescue  him  by  force, 
he  catched  up  his  gun,  which  was  well  loaded,  jumped  out  of  doors,  and 
swore  if  any  man  came  nigh  him  he  would  put  what  was  in  his  gun  through 
him.  The  person  that  had  him  in  custody  called  for  assistance  in  ye  King's 
name,  and  in  particular  commanded  myself.  I  told  him  I  was  a  subject,  and 
was  not  fit  to  command,  if  not  willing  to  obey,  on  which  I  watched  his  eye 
and  held  him,  so  as  he  could  not  shoot  me,  until  more  help  got  into  my 


156  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

assistance,  on  which  I  disarmed  him,  and  broke  his  rifle  to  pieces.  I  n 
ceived  a  sore  bruise  on  one  of  my  arms  by  a  punch  of  the  gun  in  the  stru^ 
gle.  Then  I  put  him  under  strong  guard  and  told  them  the  laws  of  the 
country  were  stronger  than  the  hardest  rifle  among  them."  After  convim 
ing  the  discontented  party  of  their  error  and  inducing  them  to  burn  the  n 
solves  they  had  signed,  the  prisoner  was  discharged  on  his  good  behavio 
Wilson  closes  his  letter  in  these  words:  "I  understand  great  threats  ai 
made  against  me  in  particular,  if  possible  to  intimidate  me  with  fear,  an 
also  against  the  sheriffs  and  constables  and  all  ministers  of  justice.  But 
hope  the  laws,  the  bulwarks  of  our  nation,  will  be  supported  in  spite  of  tho; 
low-lived,  trifling  rascals." 

From  this  letter  we  can  gather  the  spirit  which  actuated  the  parties  1 
the  controversy  and  see  the  beginning  of  a  bitter  contention  which  vexed  tl 
people  of  this  section  for  many  years.  The  idea  that  Pennsylvania  did  n( 
extend  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains  was  studiously  circulated.  Micha 
Cressap  and  George  Croghan,  who  were  interested  in  land  speculations  her 
were  suspected  of  being  privy  to  these  rumors.  A  petition  signed  by  ov 
two  hundred  citizens  was  presented  to  the  court  at  Bedford  under  date  ' 
the  l8th  of  July,  1772,  charging  the  government  and  ofiflcers  with  great  i: 
justice  and  oppression,  and  praying  that  directions  might  be  given  to  tl 
sheriffs  to  serve  no  more  processes  in  that  country,  as  they  apprehend* 
it  was  not  in  Pennsylvania."  Mr.  Wilson  answered  the  allegations  of  tl 
petition  before  the  court,  and  showed  by  documentary  evidence  that  tl 
grounds  on  which  petition  rested  were  unstable,  which  had  a  very  quieti'r 
effect  upon  the  settlers  and  induced  the  court  to  reject  the  petition. 

Fort  Pitt,  which  had  been  garrisoned  by  a  detachment  of  British  sc 
diers  from  the  time  of  its  erection  in  1759  by  General  Stanwix,  was,  by  ord 
of  General  Gage,  in  October,  1772,  evacuated  and  "all  the  pickets,  bricl 
stones,  timber  and  iron  which  are  now  in  the  building  or  walls  of  the  sa 
fort"  were  sold  for  the  sum  of  fifty  pounds.  At  about  this  time,  upon  tl 
death  of  Lord  Bottetourt,  Governor  of  Virginia,  a  new  Governor  was  a 
pointed  in  the  person  of  the  Earl  of  Dunmore,  a  man  of  meddlesome  disp 
sition  and  disposed  to  exercise  the  functions  of  his  office  with  a  high  han 
In  1773,  the  year  following  the  erection  of  Westmorela-nd  County,  wi 
capital  at  Hannastown,  Dunmore  made  a  visit  to  Fort  Pitt,  where  he  m 
Dr.  John  Connolly,  a  nephew  of  Colonel  Croghan.     It  appears  that  the  n( 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  157 

Goveriiur  was  determined  to  act  upon  the  assumption,  whatever  may  have 
been  liis  motive  therefor,  that  all  west  of  the  Alleghanies  and  the  whole 
boundless  northwest  belonged  to  Virginia.  In  Connolly  he  found  a  willing- 
tool  for  asserting  his  claims;  for,  soon  after  the  departure  of  the  Governor. 
Connolly  issued  a  high-sounding  proclamation  assuming  command  under  the 
appointment  of  Dunmore  as  Captain  and  Commandant  of  the  militia  of 
Pittsburg,  proposing  to  move  the  House  of  Burgesses  of  Virginia  for  the 
necessity  of  erecting  a  Virginia  County  embracing  Pittsburg  and  all  this 
western  country. 

A  copv  of  this  high-handed  proceeding  was  immediately  communi- 
cated to  the  court  at  Hannastown  and  to  Governor  Penn  at  Philadelphia. 
Before  receiving  instructions  from  the  Governor,  Arthur  St.  Clair,  in  his 
capacity  as  a  justice  under  Pennsylvania  authority,  deeming  that  he  was 
authorized  by  his  commission  to  put  a  stop  to  such  a  procedure  as  was  in- 
dicated in  this  proclamation,  issued  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  Connolly, 
who  was  apprehended  and  placed  in  confinement.  Governor  Penn  wrote 
immediately  to  Lord  Dunmore,  informing  him  of  his  advices,  quoted  lan- 
guage of  the  charter  which  gave  five  full  degrees  of  longitude  for  the  east 
and  west  extent  of  the  State,  which  would  carry  the  western  limit  far  beyond 
Pittsburg,  and  expressed  the  belief  that  the  Governor  could  not  have  au- 
thorized the  proclamation  of  Connolly. 

Connollv  had  been  released  from  jail  on  his  promise  to  return  and  de- 
liver himself  up  at  the  time  set  for  his  trial.  But  instead  of  observing  in 
good  faith  the  terms  of  his  parole,  he  returned  to  Pittsburg  and  called  out 
the  militia  and  proceeded  to  drill  them  and  put  arms  in  their  hands,  and  on 
the  (lav  of  his  trial  appeared  with  180  of  his  followers,  fully  armed  and 
ec|uipped,  daring  the  court  to  proceed  against  him.  He  had  returned  as  he 
agreed,  but  not  to  put  himself  in  the  power  of  the  court.  Arrests  and 
counter-arrests  followed  in  rapid  succession  and  prisoners  were  hurried  away 
for  trial  at  Staunton,  Va.,  and  to  local  courts.  In  the  meantime  a  war  of 
proclamations  between  Dunmore  and  Penn  was  hurled  forth  with  all  the 
forceful  epithets  of  which  language  is  capable. 

Seeing  that  the  difficulties  were  thickening,  and  that  a  resort  to  arms 
was  likely  to  follow.  Penn  sent  judicious  representatives,  James  Tiighman 
and  Andrev,-  Allen,  members  of  the  Council,  to  confer  with  Dunmore,  in 
the  h.ope  of  securing  a  temporary  adjustment  until  agents  of  the  Crown 


158  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

could  he  secured  to  make  a  final  settlement.  They  were  cordially  received 
b\-  Lord  Dunmore,  who  agreed  to  unite  in  a  petition  to  the  King"  for 
the  appointment  of  a  commission  to  establish  the  boundaries,  but  would 
not  agree  that  Virginia  should  bear  half  the  expense.  The  commissioners 
then  pro])osed  that  a  temporar}-  line  be  fixed  at  five  degrees  of  longitude 
from  the  Delaware  and  that  the  western  line  of  Pennsylvania  should  follov. 
the  meanderings  of  that  stream.  T^uimiore  would  not  agree  to  that,  but 
contended  that  the  charter  of  Penn  authorized  five  degrees  to  be  computed 
from  a  point  on  the  42'  parallel  where  the  Delaware  River  cuts  it,  he  believ- 
ing that  the  Delaware  ran  from  northeast  to  southwest,  which  would  carry 
the  western  boundary  as  far  east  as  the  Vlleghany  Mountains,  much  to  the 
advantage  of  Virginia  claims.  The  commissioners  promptly  rejected  this 
interpretation,  but  in  the  interest  of  jjeacc  they  offered  that  a  temporary 
boundary  might  be  settled  to  follow  the  Monongahela  River  down  to  its 
mouth.  This  would  have  left  all  west  of  that  stream  to  Virginia.  Dun- 
more  now  became  arbitrary  in  his  manner,  charging  the  commissioners  with 
unwillingness  to  make  any  concessions,  and  ended  by  declaring  his  unal- 
terable purpose  to  hold  jurisdiction  over  Pittsburg  and  surrounding  terri- 
tor}-  until  His  Majesty  should  otherwise  order. 

Until  competent  authority  should  establish  the  boundaries  of  the  two 
colonies  there  was  no  hope  of  temporary  agreement,  as  Lord  Dunmore  wa; 
dictatorial.  Governor  Penn  saw  l)ut  too  plainly  that  civil  strife  in  the  dis- 
puted district  would  unavoidably  lead  to  a  trial  of  force  for  the  mastery. 
Dunmore  was  destined  in  a  short  time  to  quarrel  with  the  Legislature  ol 
Virginia,  and  for  safety  betook  himself  to  a  British  man-of-war.  Desiring 
to  avoid  a  conflict  over  a  dispute  which  charter  stipulations  would  eventually 
settle.  Governor  Penn  decided  to  bide  his  time,  and  according!}-  wrote  to 
William  Crawford,  the  presiding  justice  of  Westmoreland  County,  as  fol- 
lows: "The  present  alarming  situation  of  our  afTairs  in  Westmoreland 
County,  occasioned  by  the  vevy  imaccountable  conduct  of  the  government 
of  Virginia,  requires  the  utmost  attention  of  this  government,  and  there- 
fore I  intend,  with  all  possible  expedition,  to  send  commissioners  to  expostu- 
late with  my  Lord  Dunmore  upon  the  beha\ior  of  those  he  has  thought 
proper  to  invest  with  such  power  as  hath  greatly  disturbed  the  peace  of  that 
count}'.  As  the  government  of  Virginia  hath  the  power  of  raising  militia, 
and  there  is  not  any  such  in  this  province,  it  will  be  in  vain  to  contend  with 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  159 

them,  in  the  way  of  force.  The  magistrates,  therefore,  at  the  same  time 
that  they  continue  with  steadiness  to  exercise  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsyl- 
vania with  respect  to  the  distributions  of  justice  and  the  punishment  of 
vice,  must  lie  cautious  of  entering  into  any  such  contests  with  tlie  officers 
of  my  Lord  Dunmore  as  may  tend  to  widen  tlie  present  unhappy  breach; 
and,  therefore,  as  things  are  at  present  circumstanced.  I  would  not  advise 
the  magistracy  of  Westmoreland  County  to  proceed  by  way  of  criminal 
prosecution  against  them  for  exercising  the  government  of  Virginia." 

Though  it  was  humiliating  for  the  legally  constituted  authorities  of 
Westmoreland  to  ha\'e  their  authorit}-  delied  by  a  set  of  officers  who  received 
their  orders  to  act  from  \'irginia,  backed  Ijy  a  lawless  military  force  called 
out  by  direction  of  another  colony,  yet  it  was  for  the  time  being  judicious 
not  to  provoke  a  contest.  As  we  view  it  now,  with  State  lines  all  fixed  and 
all  county  governments  crystallized,  it  seems  strange  that  any  such  con- 
flict should  have  arisen.  But  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  matter  of 
priority  of  charter,  the  impossibility  of  making  the  actual  surveys  conform 
to  the  language  of  the  royal  grants,  and  the  fact  that  no  accurate  astronom- 
ical observations  had  been  taken,  left  this  whole  subject  of  western  boundary 
at  loose  ends.  Until  something  detinite  was  settled,  it  was  better,  as  Penn 
advised,  that  force  be  not  resorted  to,  as  the  hot-headed  Virginia  Governor 
had  done.  This  policy  thus  recommended,  while  it  left  the  court  at  Hannas- 
town  in  operation,  practically  yielded  all  this  jMonongahela  country  to  the 
authority  of  the  Virginian. 

The  result  of  Dunmore"s  dii)lomac}'  was,  of  course,  communicated  to 
Connolly,  and  he  was  strengthened  in  asserting  his  authority  He  discarded 
the  name  "Fort  Pitt"  and  gave  the  fort  the  name  "Fort  Dunmore,"  in 
honor  of  his  chief.  On  the  21st  of  April,  1774,  Connolly  notified  the  set- 
tlers along  the  Ohio  that  the  Shawnees  were  not  to  be  trusted,  and  that  the 
whites  ought  to  be  prepared  to  avenge  the  wrong  done  them  by  this  tribe. 
This  gave  authority  to  the  settlers  for  the  taking  of  the  right  of  punish- 
ment into  their  own  hands  and  lighted  anew  the  fires  of  Indian  w^arfare.  It 
was  known  as  Dumnore's  war.  A  boat  containing  goods  was  attacked 
while  going  down  the  Ohio  by  a  party  of  Cherokees  and  one  white  man  was 
killed.  In  retaliation,  two  friendly  Indians  of  another  tribe,  in  no  way  re- 
sponsible for  the  crime,  were  murdered.  This  was  cause  enough  for  the 
Indians  to  take  up  the  hatchet,  and  terrible  was  the  penalty  paid.     On  the 


i6o  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

evening  of  the  same  day  Captain  Cressap,  who  had  led  in  the  affair,  learning 
that  a  party  of  Indians  were  encamped  at  the  mouth  of  Captina  Creek,  went 
stealthily  and  attacked  it,  kilHng  several  of  them  and  having  one  of  his  own 
party  wounded.  A  few  days  afterward  Daniel  Greathouse,  with  a  band  of 
thirty-two  followers,  attacked  the  natives  at  Baker's,  and  by  stratagem,  in 
the  most  dishonorable  manner,  killed  twelve  and  wounded  others.  The 
murdered  Indians  were  all  scalped.  Of  the  number  of  the  slain  was  the 
entire  family  of  the  noted  Indian  chief  Logan. 

The  savage  instinct  of  revenge  was  now  aroused.  Logan  had  been  the 
firm  friend  of  the  white  man  and  had  done  him  many  services;  but  left  alone, 
all  his  family  slain,  he  thirsted  for  blood.  His  vengeance  was  wreaked  upon 
the  inhabitants  west  of  the  Monongahela,  along  Ten  Mile  Creek,  and  he 
rested  not  until  he  had  taken  thirteen  scalps,  the  number  of  his  own  family 
who  had  been  slain,  when  he  declared  himself  satisfied  and  ready  for  peace. 
The  tidings  of  the  hostile  acts  Cressap  and  Greathouse  and  the  stealthy 
and  midnight  deeds  of  savagery  by  the  red  men  spread  terror  and  con- 
sternation on  all  sides,  and  the  inhabitants  west  of  the  Monongahela  fled, 
driving  before  them  their  flocks  and  herds,  and  bearing  away  their  most 
easily  transportable  valuables.  "There  were  more  than  a  thousand  people 
who,"  writes  Crawford  to  Washington,  "crossed  the  Monongahela  in  one 
day  at  three  ferries  that  are  not  one  mile  apart."  "Upon  a  fresh  report  of 
Indians,  I  immediately  took  horse,"  wrote  St.  Clair  to  Governor  Penn,  "and 
rode  up  to  inquire,  and  found  it,  if  not  totally  groundless,  at  least  ver>'  im- 
probable; but  it  was  impossible  to  persuade  the  people  so,  and  I  am  certain 
I  did  not  meet  less  than  one  hundred  families  and,  I  think,  two  thousand 
head  of  cattle,  in  twenty  miles  riding," 

The  Virginia  authorities  immediatel)'  called  out  the  militia.  A  force 
under  Colonel  McDonald  assembled  at  Wheeling  and  marched  against 
Wapatomica,  on  the  Muskingum,  The  Indians,  being  unprepared  for 
war,  feigned  submission,  and  gave  five  of  their  chiefs  as  hostages.  But  the 
troops  destroyed  their  towns  and  crops  and  retreated.  Sir  William  John- 
son counseled  the  Indians  to  keep  peace.  In  the  meantime  Andrew  Lewis 
had  organized  a  force  of  1,100  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  since  famed  White 
Sulphur  Springs  and  was  marching  for  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha, 
where  he  was  to  meet  the  force  gathered  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State 
under  Dunmore  in  person.     Before  the  arrival  of  the  latter  the  Indians — 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


ibi 


Delawares,  Iroquois,  Wyandots,  Shawnees — under  Cornstalk,  Logan  and 
all  their  most  noted  chiefs,  gathered  in  upon  Lewis  and  attacked  him  with 
great  furj-,  the  battle  raging  the  entire  day;  but  in  the  end  the  Indians  were 
driven  across  the  Ohio,  though  with  a  loss  of  Colonels  Lewis  (brother  of  the 
commander)  and  Field  killed,  Colonel  Fleming  wounded  and  seventy-five 
men  killed  and  140  wounded — a  fifth  of  the  entire  force.  The  loss  of  the 
Indians  could  not  be  ascertained,  though  thirty-three  dead  were  left  behind 
them.  Lewis  was  determined  to  follow  up  his  advantage  which  had  been 
gained  at  so  grievous  a  loss;  but  Dunmore,  who  was  now  approaching  with 
his  division  of  the  army,  having  been  visited  by  the  chiefs  who  offered 
peace,  and  himself  having  little  stomach  for  fighting,  accepted  their  terms 
and  ordered  Lewis  to  desist  in  his  pursuit.  Lewis  refused  to  obey,  and 
pushed  on,  determined  to  avenge  the  slaughter  of  his  brave  men,  and  it  was 
not  until  Dunmore  came  up  with  him  could  he  be  prevailed  upon  to  give  up 
an  attack  which  he  had  planned  upon  the  Indian  town  of  Old  Chillicothe. 

The  army  now  retired,  though  a  detachment  of  one  hundred  men  was 
left  at  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha  and  small  detachments  at  Wheeling 
and  at  Pittsburg.  Thus  ended  as  causeless  a  war,  known  as  Dunmore's 
w-ar,  as  was  ever  undertaken,  all  induced  by  the  meddling  policy  of  Dun- 
more in  a  matter  in  which  the  Crown  alone  had  the  authority  at  that  time 
to  decide,  and  the  ON-erofficiousness  of  Connolly,  who,  "dressed  in  a  little 
brief  authorit}',"  exercised  it  in  an  arbitrarj-  and  anger-provoking  way.  The 
wrong,  as  the  simple  natives  regarded  it,  rankled  long  in  their  breasts  and 
was  undoubtedly  the  cause  of  many  acts  of  savagery  on  their  part  in  later 
days.  It  was  undertaken  in  the  mistaken  belief  that  all  this  beautiful  coun- 
try west  of  Laurel  Hill  jjelonged  to  Virginia  and,  whether  rightfully  or 
wrongfully,  the  determination  was  to  hold  it.  It  was  provoked  by  the 
Virginians,  and  was  prosecuted  wholly  by  Virginians,  designated  b}'  the 
Indians  as  "Long-Knives." 

Having  thus  cut  a  large  figure  in  a  military  way,  Dunmore  issued  his 
proclamation  denouncing  the  claims  of  the  Pennsylvanians  and  says:  "I 
do  hereby  in  His  Majesty's  name  require  and  command  all  His  Majesty's 
subjects  west  of  the  Laurel  Hill  to  pay  a  due  respect  to  this  my  proclama- 
tion, strictly  prohibiting  the  execution  of  any  act  of  authority  on  behalf  of 
the  province  of  Pennsylvania  at  their  peril  in  this  country." 

Quite  ready  to  join  in  this  war  of  proclamations  and  not  unprepared  to 
11 


i62  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

wield  the  ponderous  words  of  authority,  Governor  John  Penn  caught  up 
the  cudgel  and  hurled  back  his  claims  in  a  brave  pronunciamento. 

After  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  Dunmore's  shrill  blast,  Penn  re- 
cites the  claims  of  the  province  as  set  forth  in  the  great  charter,  shows  that 
the  settlers  all  over  the  western  portion  of  the  State  have  taken  up  their 
lands  under  Pennsylvania  titles  in  good  faith,  and  concludes  thus:  "In 
justice,  therefore,  to  the  Proprietaries  of  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  who 
are  only  desirous  to  secure  their  own  undoubted  property  from  the  en- 
croachments of  others,  I  have  thought  fit,  with  the  advice  of  the  Council,  to 
issue  this,  my  proclamation,  hereby  requiring  all  persons  west  of  the  Laurel 
Hill  to  retain  their  settlements  as  aforesaid  made  under  this  pi-ovince,  and 
to  pay  due  obedience  to  the  laws  of  this  government ;  and  all  magistrates  and 
other  officers  who  hold  commissions  or  offices  vmder  this  government  tc 
proceed  as  usual  in  the  administration  of  justice  without  paying  the  least 
regard  to  the  said  recited  proclamation,  until  His  Majesty's  pleasure  shal 
be  known  in  the  premises;  at  the  same  time  strictly  charging  and  enjoining 
the  said  inhabitants  and  magistrates  to  use  their  utmost  endeavors  to  pre- 
serve peace  and  good  order." 

It  will  be  noticed  that  in  the  matter  of  thundering  with  his  wherease; 
and  wherefores  Penn  is  quite  equal  to  Dunmore,  and  in  that  part  where 
some  doubt  is  thrown  upon  the  statement  of  the  latter,  that  he  is  acting 
under  the  instructions  of  the  Crown,  Penn  has  decidedly  the  advantage 
It  had  been  the  intention  of  Dunmore  to  open  .a  court  at  Pittsburg  wit! 
Virginia  magistrates  and  by  Virginia  authority.  But  the  counter-proclama- 
tion of  Penn  had  somewhat  cooled  his  controversy,  as  he  might  be  com- 
pelled to  defend  his  usurpations  by  force.  But  when  he  discovered  that  th« 
Pennsylvania  authorities  were  disposed  to  have  their  differences  submittec 
to  peaceful  arbitrament  he  concluded  that  he  might  venture  a  little  furthei 
on  the  scheme  of  holding  possession  of  this  fine  country.  He,  accordingly 
had  the  court  of  Augusta  County,  which  had  formerly  been  held  at  Staun 
ton,  adjourn  to  open  its  next  term  on  the  2ist  of  February  at  Pittsburg 
Augusta  County  being  made  to  embrace  all  the  western  part  of  Virginia  anc 
Pennsylvania.  On  the  day  appointed  the  following  named  persons  ap 
peared,  took  the  oath  of  office  and  sat  as  justices  of  the  Virginia  court 
George  Croghan,  John  Connolly,  Thomas  Smallman,  John  Cambell,  Dorse: 
Pentecost,  William  Goe,  John  Gibson  and  George  Vallandingham.     Ther( 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  163 

were  now  two  organized  courts,  assessors,  tax  gatherers,  sheriffs  and  all  the 
machinery  for  conducting  a  county  government  over  the  same  territory, 
Virginia  calling  it  Augusta  and  Pennsylvania  Westmoreland. 

Having  succeeded  in  setting  up  their  court,  the  new  officials  bethought 
them  that  they  must  break  up  any  vestiges  of  a  rival  court,  and  accordingly 
issued  warrants  for  the  arrest  of  Robert  Hanna  and  James  Caveat,  which 
were  served  by  the  Augusta  sheriff,  and  the  two  Pennsylvania  officials  were 
brought  in  and  incarcerated  in  the  Fort  Dunmore  jail,  where  they  lan- 
guished for  three  months,  in  vain  seeking  for  release.  Finally  the  sheriff 
of  Westmoreland  County,  assisted  by  a  strong  posse,  proceeded  to  Fort 
Dunmore  (Pittsburg)  and  released  the  prisoners  and  arrested  John  Con- 
nolly at  the  suit  of  Robert  Hanna,  who  claimed  damages  for  unlawful  impris- 
onment. Incensed  by  this  treatment  of  their  leader,  his  adherents  from 
Chartiers  came  in  force  a4id  seized  three  of  the  party  who  had  been  engaged 
in  the  arrest  of  Connolly — George  Wilson,  Joseph  Spear  and  Devereaux 
Smith. 

It  was  probably  some  time  in  June  or  July  before  Hanna  and  Caveat 
were  set  at  liberty,  as  the  records  show  that  they  were  constantly  entering 
complaints  of  their  hardships  and  petitioning  for  relief.  In  the  meantime  an 
event  had  transpired  which  overshadowed  all  the  petty  strife  of  contending 
factions  and  united  all  hearts  in  a  common  cause.  On  the  19th  of  April  of 
this  year,  1775,  the  battles  of  Lexington  and  Concord  had  been  fought, 
which  aroused  all  hearts  with  singular  unanimity  to  resistance  to  the  British 
Crown  all  over  the  habitable  portion  of  this  broad  land,  even  to  the  cabins 
of  the  frontiersman,  far  remote  from  towns  or  cities.  The  news  of  these 
bloody  frays  had  no  sooner  reached  Hannastown  and  Pittsburg  than  public 
meetings  were  held  at  both  those  places,  at  which  Virginians  and  Pennsyl- 
vanians  united  in  their  approval  of  resistance  and  pledging  support.  These 
resolves  are  important  and  curious  as  showing  the  unanimity  which  they, 
laying  aside  domestic  troubles,  united  in  a  common  cause.  The  meet- 
ings were  held  on  the  same  day,  the  i6th  of  May,  1775.  The  resolves  of 
that  at  Hannastown,  representing  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsylvania, 
were  conceived  in  these  temperate  words:  "Resolved,  unanimously,  That 
the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain,  by  several  late  acts,  have  declared  the  in- 
habitants of  Massachusetts  Bay  to  be  in  rebellion,  and  the  ministry,  by  en- 
deavoring to  enforce   those  acts,   have  attempted   to  reduce  the  said  in- 


i64  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

habitants  to  a  more  wretched  state  of  slavery  than  ever  l)efore  existed  in  any 
State  or  country;  not  content  with  violating  the  constitutional  and  char- 
tered rights  of  humanity,  exposing  their  lives  to  the  licentious  soldiery  and 
depriving  them  of  the  very  means  of  subsistence.  Resolved,  unanimously, 
Tiiat  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  but  the  same  system  of  tyranny  and  oppres- 
sion will  (should  it  meet  with  success  in  Massachusetts  Bay)  be  extended  to 
other  parts  of  America:  it  is,  therefore,  become  the  indispensalde  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  God  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  and  fortunes.  And  the  better  to  enable  us 
to  accomplish  this  we  will  immediately  form  ourselves  into  a  military  body, 
to  consist  of  military  companies  to  be  made  up  of  the  several  townships 
under  the  following  association,  which  is  declared  to  he  the  association  of 
Westmoreland  County." 

At  Fort  Dunmore  (Pittsburg)  not  only  the  adherents  of  the  Virginia, 
but  the  men  acknowledging  no  government  but  that  of  Pennsylvania, 
joined  in  expressing  the  sentiment  of  firm  resistance.  A  committee  of  some 
thirty  members  was  appointed,  in  which  not  only  the  names  of  Connolly 
and  Vallandingham,  but  also  those  of  Devereaux  Smith  and  George  Wilson, 
appear,  and  they  unanimously  declare  "that  they  have  the  highest  sense  of 
the  spirited  l^ehavior  of  their  brethren  in  New  England,  and  do  most  cor- 
dially approve  of  their  opposing  the  invaders  of  American  rights  and  priv- 
ileges to  the  utmost  extreme."  And  they  proceed  to  pledge  themselves  to 
assist  by  personal  service,  to  contribute  of  their  means  and  use  their  best 
endeavors  to  influence  their  neighbors  to  resist  this  attempt  at  subjugation. 
As  an  earnest  of  their  determination  they  proposed  to  contribute  half  a 
pound  of  powder  and  a  pound  of  lead,  flints  and  cartridge  paper,  which  they 
estimate  will  cost  two  shillings  and  sixpence,  and  accordingly  advise  the 
collection  of  this  amount  from  each  tithable  person.  It  is  indeed  surprising 
that  a  little  skirmish  away  in  a  distant  part  of  New  England  should  arouse 
a  sentiment  so  strong  and  unwavering,  and  prompt  them,  laving  aside  col- 
onial quarrels,  to  unite  as  one  man  in  aid  of  the  struggle  soon  to  open,  even 
though  they  had  scarcely  a  cabin  to  shelter  their  defenseless  heads  and  were 
exposed  on  this  distant  frontier  to  the  sudden  incursions  of  the  savages. 

In  the  meantime,  in  order  to  quiet  any  further  local  contention,  in 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  165 

presence  of  the  great  peril  that  now  confronted  the  United  Colonies,  the 
following  named  gentlemen,  members  of  the  Continental  Congress  from 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  viz..  John  Dickinson.  George  Ross,  Benjamin 
Franklin,  James  Wilson.  Charles  Humphreys,  Patrick  Henry,  Richard 
Hcriry  Lee.  Benjamin  Harrison  and  Thomas  Jefferson,  united  in  the  follow- 
ing pacific  advice  addressed  to  the  inhabitants  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia 
on  the  west  side  of  the  Laurel  Hill:  "Friends  and  Countrymen — It  gives 
us  much  concern  to  find  that  disturbances  have  arisen  and  still  continue 
among  you  concerning  the  boundaries  of  our  colonies.  In  the  character  in 
which  \\c  now  advise  you  it  is  unnecessary  that  we  incjuire  into  the  origin  of 
these  unhappy  disputes,  and  it  would  be  improper  for  us  to  express  our  ap- 
probation or  censure  on  either  side;  but  as  representatives  of  two  of  the 
colonies  united  among  many  others  for  the  defence  of  the  liberties  of  Amer- 
ica \\c  think  it  our  duty  to  remove,  as  far  as  lies  in  our  power,  every  obstacle 
that  may  prevent  her  sons  from  co-operating  as  x'igorously  as  they  \vould 
wish  to  do  towards  the  attainment  of  this  great  and  important  end.  In- 
fluenced solely  b}-  this  motive,  our  joint  antl  earnest  request  to  you  is  that  all 
animosities  which  have  heretofore  subsisted  among  you  as  inhabitants  of 
distinct  colonies  may  now  give  place  to  generous  and  concurring  efforts  for 
the  ]ire\ention  of  everything  that  can  make  our  common  country  dear  to 
us.  \\'c  are  fully  persuaded  that  you,  as  well  as  we.  wish  to  see  your  diiYer- 
ences  terminate  in  this  happy  issue.  For  this  desirable  use  we  recommend 
it  tc  you  that  all  bodies  of  armed  men  kejjt  up  under  either  province  be  dis- 
missed, that  all  those  on  either  side  who  are  in  confinement  or  under  Isail 
for  taking  part  in  the  contests  be  discharged,  and  that  until  the  dispute  be 
decided  every  person  be  permitted  to  retain  his  possessions  unmolested. 
By  observing  these  directions  the  pul)lic  tran(|uillity  will  be  secured  with- 
out injury  to  the  titles  on  either  side;  the  ])criod.  we  flatter  ourselves,  will 
soon  arrive  when  this  unfortunate  dispute,  which  has  produced  much  mis- 
chief and.  as  far  as  we  can  learn,  no  good,  will  be  peaceably  and  constitu- 
tionally determined." 

This  document  has  been  quoted  here  in  its  entirety,  not  only  because 
of  the  aliility  and  commanding  influence  of  its  authors — such  as  Franklin 
and  Dickinson,  and  Henry  and  JetYerson — the  very  master  spirits  of  this 
age.  but  on  account  of  its  timely  wisdom  and  authoritative  suggestions.  If 
the  title  to  their  lands  were  to  be  valid  and  secure,  as  here  intimated,  from 


i66  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

wJiichever  colony  secured,  a  great  motive  for  keeping  up  the  controversy 
would  be  removed.  The  assurance  coming  from  such  eminent  men,  mem- 
bers of  the  Congress  that  was  likely  to  be  supreme  over  all  the  colonies,  had 
almost  the  deciding  influence  over  the  minds  of  the  settlers  that  a  legal  en- 
actment would  have  had  and  must  be  regarded  as  a  turning  point  in  this 
heated  controversy  that  was  likely  at  any  moment  to  have  broken  out  into 
acts  of  sanguinary  conflict.  It  should  therefore  be  considered  as  a  vital 
morsel  in  the  history  of  these  western  counties. 

Dunmore  had  betaken  himself  on  board  a  British  man-of-war,  Fowey, 
lying  in  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  had  taken  with  him  the  powder  from  the  Vir- 
ginia arsenal.  This  Patrick  Henry,  at  the  head  of  the  militia,  just  before 
setting  out  to  take  his  seat  in  Congress,  had  compelled  Dunmore  to  settle 
for,  by  the  payment  of  £330  by  the  hand  of  Corbin,  His  Majesty's  receiver 
general. 

As  the  war  cloud  of  the  Revolution  thickened  and  the  V'irginians  had 
broken  with  their  Governor,  Connolly,  probably  listening  to  the  suggestions 
of  Dunmore,  fancied  he  saw  an  opportunity  of  cutting  a  larger  figure  than 
contending  for  the  right  to  act  as  a  justice  of  the  peace  Avliere  his  authority 
was  in  ciuestion  and  might  be  successfully  controverted.  He  accordingly 
abandoned  his  throne  at  Pittsburg",  and  having  received  instructions  from 
Dunmore,  who,  as  one  of  the  royal  Governors,  represented  the  King,  to 
repair  to  General  Gage  at  Boston,  commander  in  chief  of  His  Majesty's 
forces  in  America,  he  was  to  make  application  for  authority  to  raise  "an 
army  to  the  westward,"  in  the  name  of  the  King,  to  fight  against  the  col- 
onies. He  fancied  that  he  could  induce  a  large  force  to  join  him  from  the 
neighborhood  of  Pittsburg,  and  southward,  to  espouse  the  Royal  cause,  and 
by  making  his  headquarters  at  Detroit  or  in  Canada,  he  could  raise  an  army 
of  disaffected  whites  and  Indians  with  which  to  make  war  from  the  rear  upon 
the  colonies,  and  "obstruct  communication  between  the  Southern  and 
Northern  governments." 

Could  anything  evince  the  character  of  a  black-hearted  traitor  more 
conspicuously  than  this?  He  received  authority  as  desired,  and  was  fur- 
nished with  blank  commissions,  which  he  was  to  execute  and  bestow  at 
his  own  discretion.  But  on  the  way  to  the  field  of  his  exploits,  when  ar- 
rived at  Hagerstown,  Maryland,  he  was  captured,  and,  skilfully  concealed 
]:)eneath  his  saddle,  a  paper  was  found  disclosing  all  the  details  of  his  traitor- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  167 

ous  scheme.  He  was  held  as  a  prisoner  of  war  until  1 780-1,  together  with 
his  associates,  when  he  was  exchanged.  In  1782  he  was  at  the  head  of  a 
force  of  British  and  Indians  in  the  neighborhood  of  Chautauqua  Lake  on 
his  way  to  reduce  Fort  Pitt,  and  establish  himself  there.  But,  probably 
finding  his  force  too  feeble  for  such  an  enterprise,  he  abandoned  it.  To  the 
honor  of  the  friends  and  relatives  of  Connolly  it  should  be  stated  that  while 
he  was  concerting  measures  for  the  destruction  of  his  country,  they  were 
equally  earnest  in  patriotic  designs. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


ROADS  AND  WATERWAYS  IN  CRAWFORD  COUNTY. 


WHEN  the  first  settlers  entered  the  domain  of  Crawford  County 
there  was  not  a  road  nor  a  bridge  in  its  wide  expanse  with  perhaps 
one  exception.  The  French,  in  their  attempts  to  hold  the  en- 
tire Mississippi  Valley,  had  passed  up  the  Chautauqua  Creek  to  Chautauqua 
Lake,  thence  on  down  the  outlet  to  Warren,  where  they  struck  the 
Allegheny  River,  and  there  planted  the  first  of  their  leaden  plates  of  occu- 
pancy, and  then  passed  on  down  the  river  to  Franklin.  This  was  a  vei-y 
toilsome  way,  inasmuch  as  the  summit  of  the  land  between  Lake  Erie  and 
Lake  Chautauqua  was  some  800  feet  above  the  former.  In  their  campaigns 
against  the  English  thej^  expected  to  make  Fort  Pitt  their  main  point  of 
possession,  and  hence  would  require  much  heavy  transportation  from  their 
headquarters  in  Canada  through  western  Pennsylvania.  They  accordingly 
abandoned  the  Chautauqua  route  and  opened  a  road  from  Erie  to  Water- 
ford,  where  they  struck  the  headwaters  of  the  Venango  River,  down  which 
they  were  expecting  to  float  their  heavy  freight  to  the  Allegheny,  and 
then  on  down  its  current.  But  the  Venango,  except  at  flood  stage,  did  not 
carry  enough  water  for  heavy  transportation.  The  French  were  obliged, 
therefore,  to  seek  some  overland  route.  The  Indians  had  a  path  along  the 
\'enango  Valley,  but  this  was  very  circuitous,  which  Washington,  in  his 
journey  to  W'aterforcl  in  1753  estimated  at  130  miles,  whereas  in  a  direct 
line  it  was  less  than  90.  The  French  engineers,  accordingly,  laid  out  a 
road  substantially  on  a  direct  line  from  Waterford  to  Franklin,  which  was 
cut  out  corduroid  and  bridged  the  whole  distance.  If  any  one  will  draw 
a  straight  line  on  any  map  of  Pennsylvania  reaching  from  Waterford  to 
Franklin,  it  will  show  the  course  which  this  French  road  followed.  When 
the  French  gave  up  the  contest,  and  abandoned  the  country,  this  side  the 
Great  Lakes,  the  bridges  on  this  French  road  rotted  down,  trees  grew  up  in 
its  course, _  the  floods  in  springtime  tore  up  and  carried  away  the  road-bed, 

and  when  the  surveyors  and  the  new  settlers  came,  thirty  years  later,  scarcely 

168 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  169 

any  trace  of  this  old  road  remained  to  tell  the  tale  of  its  once  brave  existence. 

When  the  new  settlers  came  and  established  themselves  in  the  wilder- 
ness they  were  obliged  to  commence  road-making  and  bridge-building  de 
novo,  just  as  though  no  French  engineer  had  ever  set  his  Jacob  staff  in 
these  parts.  But  still  the  Venango  River  proved  useful  for  heavy  transpor- 
tation. It  seems  that  every  human  being  craves  salt.  Indeed,  every  ani- 
mal, of  whatever  species,  seeks  it,  as  the  salt  licks  of  the  deer  testify.  The 
most  convenient  salt  springs  of  consequence  for  the  supply  of  settlers  in 
the  Mississippi  Valley  were  at  Salina,  N.  Y.  In  the  then  state  of  transporta- 
tion, the  best  means  of  supplying  Pittsburg  was  to  move  it  bv  ox  team  from 
Salina  to  Buffalo,  thence  to  Erie  by  sailboat,  thence  to  Waterford  by  team. 
At  Waterford  it  was  loaded  upon  flat  boats  and  taken  by  the  Venango  River 
to  Franklin,  and  thence  to  Pittsburg  and  points  below  without  breaking 
bulk.  Gen.  James  O'Hara  was  engaged  in  this  bu.siness  from  1800  to  1819. 
The  Crawford  Messenger  of  December  12,  1805,  says:  "Eleven  flat-bot- 
tomed and  six  keel-boats  passed  by  this  place  (Meadville)  during  the  last 
freshet  in  French  Creek,  th.e  former  carrying  on  an  average  170,  and  the  lat- 
ter 60  barrels  of  salt  each,  making  in  the  whole  2,230  barrels.  This,  com- 
puted at  $11  per  barrel  at  this  place,  amounts  to  $24,530.  The  selling  price 
at  Pittsburg-  is  now  $13  per  barrel,  which  will  make  it  amount  to  $28,900. 
During  the  preceding  s]iring  and  winter  more  than  double  the  foregoing 
quantitv  has  been  brought  across  the  carrying  place  between  Erie  and 
\A'aterford,  which  was  either  consumed  in  the  county  bordering  on  the 
the  Allegheny  and  Ohio  Rivers  or  in  this  and  neighboring  counties,  amount- 
ing in  the  whole  to  upward  of  $80,000."  In  its  issue  of  January  i.  1807,  the 
Messenger  says:  "During  the  late  rise  in  French  Creek  (Venango  River) 
we  had  the  pleasing  sight  of  witnessing  twenty-two  Kentucky  boats,  or  arks, 
pass  by  this  place  loaded  with  salt  for  Pittsburg,  carrying  in  the  whole  be- 
tween 4,000  and  5,000  barrels."  The  same  paper,  in  its  issue  of  November 
22,  1809,  says:  "There  are  at  present  at  Waterford  upward  of  14,000  bar- 
rels of  salt,  containing  5  bushels  each,  or  70,000  bushels,  awaiting  for  the 
rise  of  the  waters,  in  order  to  descend  to  Pittsburg,  Wheeling  and  Marietta." 

In  1815  a  salt  well  was  .struck  in  Beaver  Township,  and  a  good  quality  of 
salt  was  obtained.  Hoping  to  strike  a  more  powerful  vein,  the  well  was 
deepened  to  300  feet,  when,  instead  of  salt,  a  current  of  petroleum  was 
tapped  and  the  salt  business  was  at  an  end.     Magaw  and  Clark  were  the 


I70  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

original  proprietors  and  subsequently  Daniel  Shryock  became  a  partner. 
Salt  was  so  much  of  cash  value  that  it  became  a  medium  of  exchange.  Ham- 
lin Russell,  of  Belle  Valley,  Erie  County,  sold  a  yoke  of  oxen  for  eight  barrels 
of  salt,  and  Rufus  S.  Reed  bought  of  General  Kelso  one  colored  boy,  who 
was  to  Ije  held  to  service  until  he  was  twenty-eight  years  old,  for  loo  barrels 
of  salt. 

The  roads,  in  the  early  days  of  Crawford,  were  simply  no  roads  at  all, 
but  the  settlers  would  pick  their  way  through  the  woods  as  best  they  could. 
In  transporting  the  salt  from  Erie  to  Waterford  the  old  French  road  was 
followed,  but  ha\"ing  had  no  repairs  for  thirty  3-ears,  in  many  seasons  of  the 
year  it  was  next  to  impassable.  The  Erie  and  Waterford  Turnpike  Com- 
pany was  chartered  in  1805,  with  the  intention  of  making  it  a  link  in  the 
great  thoroughfare  contemplated  from  Erie  to  Philadelphia  by  the  Venango, 
Juniatta  and  Susquehanna  Valleys.  Work  was  commenced  in  1806,  and 
the  road  was  completed  in  1809.  In  laying  it  out  a  circuitous  route  was 
followed  to  accommodate  the  settlers,  many  of  whom  were  stockholders. 
In  1811-12  the  Susquehanna  and  ^^'aterford  Turnpike  Company  was  incor- 
porated. The  State  agreed  to  appropriate  $125,000,  provided  citizens 
would  subscribe  for  2,oco  shares  of  the  stock.  The  war  which  broke  out 
caused  delay.  The  stock  was  finally  secured,  and  in  Nos'ember,  1818,  the 
several  sections  were  offered  for  construction.  In  1820  the  road  was  com- 
pleted from  \\"aterford  to  Bellefont,  and  in  1824  was  completed  through 
to  Philadelphia,  making  a  continuous  turnpike  from  Erie,  through  Water- 
ford, JMeadville,  Franklin,  Bellefont  and  Harrisburg  to  Philadelphia.  As  it 
was  a  toll  road  the  companies  were  obliged  to  keep  it  in  repair,  and  it  proved 
remunerative  to  the  owners;  but  the  tolls  finally  dropped  ofif  to  such  an  ex- 
tent, as  other  roads  were  laid  out  and  constructed,  that  it  proved  unprofitable 
and  was  abandoned,  the  gates  were  removed  and  the  road  was  assumed  by  the 
townships  through  which  it  ran.  The  INIercer  and  Meadville  Turnpike 
Company  was  incorporated  in  181 7,  and  in  1821  was  completed  and  opened, 
connecting  at  Mercer  with  a  pike  that  had  been  constructed  from  Mercer 
to  Pittsburg. ' 

As  early  as  1790  the  Legislature  had  appropriated  $400  for  the  im- 
provement of  the  navigation  of  the  Venango  River  and  Le  Boeuf  Creek, 
and  in  1807,  $3,000  more  for  improvement  of  the  roads  and  streams  west 
of  the  Allegheny.     Of  this  latter  amount  $500  was  used  for  improving  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  171 

navigation  of  these  streams,  $450  for  the  pike  from  Meadville  to  Waterford, 
$400  from  Meadville  to  Mercer  and  $400  from  Meadville  to  Franklin.  In 
iSio  an  appropriation  of  $2,000  was  made,  of  which  Crawford  got  $900, 
Erie  $800,  and  \'enango  S300.  In  these  later  days  when  the  whole  country 
is  gridironed  with  railroads,  and  the  steam  whistle  is  heard  in  every  hour  of 
the  day  and  night,  we  are  disposed  to  smile  at  the  simplicity  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Legislature  in  voting  money  for  the  improvement  of  the  Venango 
River,  a  stream  that  in  a  dry  time  a  barefoot  boy  could  cross  without  wet- 
ting his  knee-breeches.  But,  in  reality,  it  was  no  simple  thing  to  do,  and 
if  to-day  the  railroads  and  canals  of  the  country  should  be  swept  from  its 
surface,  and  it  be  again  returned  to  the  condition  of  the  county  in  that  early 
day,  it  would  not  be  twenty-four  hours  before  that  despised  stream  would 
be  appealed  to  for  the  means  of  heavy  transportation.  Nor  would  it  be  in 
vain,  for  if  that  channel  were  properly  slackwatered  and  reservoirs  were  laid 
up  for  feeding,  it  would  become  a  waterway  on  which  great  navies  might  ride, 
and  a  mighty  commerce  might  be  carried  on  its  bosom. 

By  act  of  Assembly  of  March  13th,  1817,  commissioners  were  appointed 
to  lay  out  a  road  from  the  northeastern  limit  of  Crawford  County  on  the 
Warren  County  border  to  Meadville.  fifty  feet  in  width,  the  survey  to  be 
made  between  April  and  November,  1817,  and  $3,000  was  appropriated 
towards  its  construction.  James  Miles,  John  Brooks  and  Major  McGrady 
were  appointed  to  locate  it. ,  Through  the  ignorance  or  pig-headedness  of 
these  men,  forgetting  the  familiar  principle  that  the  bail  of  a  kettle  is  no 
longer  when  lying  down  than  when  standing  up,  they  struck  an  almost 
absolutely  straight  line,  over  precipitous  hills,  turning  neither  to  the  right 
hand  nor  to  the  left,  and  the  penalty  has  been  that  generations  have  clambered 
up  and  down  over  those  hills  during  all  the  succeeding  years  and  will  prob- 
ably to  the  end  of  time,  some  of  the  climbs  being  known  as  dead-horse  hills. 

Though  roads  had  been  laid  out  from  :\Ieadville  to  almost  every  point 
of  the  compass,  and  considerable  amount  of  work  had  been  expended  upon 
them,  yet  in  the  spring  of  the  year,  when  the  frost  was  leaving  the  clay  sub- 
soil which  underlies  the  greater  part  of  the  county,  they  became  almost  im- 
passable. To  remedy  this  difficulty  resort  was  had  to  plank  roads.  Accord- 
ingly, the  Meadville,  Allegheny  and  Brokenstraw  Plank  Road  Company 
was  chartered  in  1849,  and  the  company  was  organized  by  electing  John 
Stuart  Riddle  president,  John  Dick,  AVilliam   Sharp,   Alfred  Huidekoper, 


172  0[JR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

John  M.  Osburn,  John  McFarland  and  Wilham  Reynolds,  managers.  A 
sawmih  was  estabHshed  on  the  hne  of  the  road,  and  the  lumber  for  its  con- 
struction was  taken  from  the  forest,  and  cut  as  required.  It  was  finally  com- 
pleted as  far  as  Gay's  Mills  and  was  open  to  travel,  but  was  not  a  profitable 
enterprise  and  was  shortly  abandoned. 

In  the  session  of  1849-50  the  Meadville,  Klecknerville  and  Edinboro 
Plank  Road  Compan}-  was  chartered.  Gaylord  Church  was  elected  presi- 
dent and  Edward  and  Isaac  Saeger  and  William  Reynolds  were  directors. 
It  was  rapidly  constructed,  and  at  Edinboro  connected  with  the  Erie  and 
Edinboro  Plank  Road.  The  grade  was  easy.  The  great  omnibus,  capable 
of  carrying  twenty  persons,  would  start  from  Meadville  at  early  dawn, 
drawn  by  four  beautiful  white  horses,  and  make  the  run  to  Siverlings,  where 
a  relay  of  horses  was  in  readiness,  then  to  EdinJDoro,  where  another  relay  of 
horses  was  in  waiting,  and  would  run  ])roudly  into  Erie  in  time  tor  the  mid- 
day trains  on  the  Lake  Shore  Road.  When  first  constructed,  a  ride  over 
the  "Plank"  was  delightful.  But  when  the  fall  rains  came  and  the  great 
Conestoga  wagons,  with  their  five  or  six  tons  of  freight,  began  to  roll  over 
it  with  their  narrow  tires  they  very  soon  began  to  feel  for  the  defective 
planks,  which  were  quickly  crushed  to  splinters,  and  were  thrown  out  by 
the  side  of  the  road.  This  process  was  continued  until  finally  there  was 
but  an  occasional  whole  plank  left,  when  it  was  abandoned  to  the  townships 
through  which  it  passed,  and  defects  were  mended  with  gravel,  resulting  in 
an  easy  grade  highway  between  the  two  cities. 

The  first  bridge  which  spanned  the  Venango  River  was  Iniilt  by  Thomas 
R.  Kennedy  in  iSio-ii  at  the  Mercer  Street  crossing,  and  was  for  toh.  In 
1828  a  free  bridge  was  thrown  across  the  river  at  the  Dock  Street  crossing. 
In  1815  two  more  bridges  were  constructed,  one  at  Broadford  and  the  other 
at  Cambridge,  known  as  Deadwater.  These  have  all  been  replaced  by  iron 
structures  except  the  one  at  McGuffintown  and  that  at  Sagertown,  which 
are  of  the  old  covered  wooden  patterns.  Indeed,  there  is  scarcely  a  stream 
of  any  account  in  the  whole  domain  of  the  county  that  is  not  spanned  by  a 
substantial  steel  structure. 

A  weekly  mail  route  was  established  between  Erie  and  Pittsburg  by 
way  of  Meadville  and  Franklin,  in  1801.  In  1806  the  route  was  changed 
to  Mead\-ille  and  Mercer.  The  mail  \\as  carried  on  horseback,  and  when 
it  increased  in  size,  two  horses  were  employed,  one  to  carry  the  driver  and 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  173 

the  other  tlie  niail-l)ag'.  -V  semi-weekly  mail  was  established  through  Mead- 
ville  from  Erie  to  Pittslnirg-,  Harrisbiirg  and  Philadelphia  in  1818,  a  tri- 
weekly in  i8_'4  and  a  daily  in  1827.  The  introdnction  of  stage  coaches  was 
a  great  advance  in  travel.  The  turnpikes  became  great  thoroughfares  of 
travel  for  emigrants  working  their  way  west,  and  hotels  were  opened  along 
the  route,  until  there  was  scarcely  a  mile  without  a  place  of  entertainment 
for  man  and  beast. 

Mr.  Brown,  in  his  history  of  Crawford  County,  quotes  the  following 
extract  from  the  Crawford  Messenger  of  December  4,  182S:  "Cleared 
from  the  port  of  Meadville,  the  fast  floating  boat  Ann  Eliza:  all  the  ma- 
terials of  which  this  boat  was  built  were  growing  on  the  banks  of  French 
Creek  on  the  27th  ult.  On  the  28th  she  was  launched  and  piloted  to  this 
place  before  sunset,  by  her  expert  builders,  Messrs.  Mattox  and  Towne. 
Her  cargo  consisted,  among  other  things,  of  300  reams  of  crown,  medium 
and  roval  patent  straw  paper,  with  patent  books  and  pasteboards.  She  left 
Meadville  early  on  the  30th  for  Pittsburg,  wi-th  about  twenty  passengers  on 
board."  And  in  the  issue  of  April  ist,  1830,  is  the  following:  "We  are  in- 
formed on  good  authority  that  lietween  Woodcock  and  Bemus'  Mills,  on 
Venango  River,  a  distance  of  twenty-two  miles,  from  ninety  to  one  hun- 
dred flat-l)ottomed  boats  have  started  or  are  about  to  start  for  Pittsburg. 
These  boats  are  built  principally  by  individual  farmers,  and  are  freighted  with 
hay,  oats,  potatoes  and  various  other  kinds  of  produce;  also  salt,  staves, 
bark,  shingles,  cherry  and  walnut  timber.  The  average  capacity  of  these 
boats  is  twenty-seven  tons,  and  the  average  value  of  boat  and  cargo  at  Pitts- 
burg is  estimated  at  $500.  Calculating  the  number  of  boats  at  one  hundred 
the  total  tonnage  would  be  2,700  tons,  and  the  product  at  Pittsburg  $50,000. 
From  Bemus  Mills  to  the  mouth  of  Venango  River  the  number  of  boats  of 
the  above  description  is  ecjual,  if  not  greater,  exclusive  of  rafts,  which  make 
a  considerable,  item,  so  that  the  trade  of  the  Venango  River  this  season  may 
be  safely  estimated  at  $100,000." 

During  the  second  quarter  of  the  century  heavy  freightage  by  canal 
was  the  favorite  sul)ject  of  enterprise  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of 
the  land.  In  August,  1824,  General  Barnard,  Colonel  Totten,  Major  Doug- 
lass and  Captain  Poussin,  United  States  Engineers,  under  authority  of  the 
Government,  while  engaged  in  surveying  the  route  for  a  canal  between  the 
Ohio  River  and  Lake  Erie,  encamped  on  the  west  bank  of  French  Creek, 


174  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

near  the  site  of  the  Mercer  Street  bridge,  opposite  Meadville.  General  Bar- 
nard and  Captain  Poussin  had  been  officers  of  distinction  in  the  armies  of  the 
great  Napoleon.  In  1827  an  act  of  the  Legislature  provided  for  the  con- 
struction of  a  canal  from  the  Ohio  River,  by  the  Beaver  and  Shenango 
Rivers,  to  the  city  of  Erie,  and  sections  were  let  during  that  year.  The 
chief  difficulty  in  operating  the  canal  was  in  securing  a  sufficient  supply  of 
water  to  feed  the  locks.  It  Avas  found  that  Conneaut  Lake  was  on  the  sum- 
mit of  the  watershed  between  the  Mississippi  and  the  Saint  Lawrence  Val- 
leys, and  that  the  Venango  River  at  Bemus  Mills  was  higher  than  Conneaut 
Lake.  It  was  accordingly  decided  to  build  a  substantial  dam  across  the 
river  at  this  point,  which  is  two  miles  above  Meadville,  and  carry  the  water 
by  a  canal  seven  miles  below  Meadville,  build  there  an  aqueduct  across  the 
river  high  above  its  current,  and  thence  to  the  lake  and  pour  its  current  into 
this  great  natural  reservoir,  for  the  steady  feeding  of  the  canal  in  both  direc- 
tions, towards  the  river  Ohio  and  the  lake  Erie.  In  order  to  make  sure  of 
abundant  supply  of  water,  an  embankment  was  built  across  the  outlet  of  the 
lake  Conneaut,  so  that  the  surface  was  raised  nine  feet  and  thus  nearly 
doubled  its  area. 

It  was  a  joyous  day  for  Crawford  County  when  it  became  assured  that 
the  canal  was  to  be  a  reality,  and  the  breaking  the  ground,  as  it  was 
celebrated  at  Meadville,  was  an  event  of  a  lifetime.  The  line  of  march  was 
formed  at  the  Diamond.  The  formation  was  announced  by  the  booming  of 
cannon  and  the  clangor  of  bells.  The  procession  was  led  by  Captain  Tor- 
bett's  company  of  artillery.  Captain  Berlin's  company  of  light  infantry  and 
a  band  of  music,  followed  by  a  long  array  of  teams,  laborers  and  civilians. 
Arrived  at  the  point  of  operations,  which  was  in  front  of  the  residence  of 
James  White,  now  of  A.  C.  Huidekoper,  on  the  Terrace,  the  exercises  were 
opened  by  prayer  offered  by  the  Rev.  Timothy  Alden,  president  of  Allegheny 
College,  who  also  delivered  an  address,  which  was  succeeded  by  the  event  of 
the  day,  "the  breaking  ground."  This  was  assigned  to  two  aged  pioneers, 
Robert  Fitz  Randolph,  nearly  ninety  years  old,  and  Cornelius  Van  Horn, 
who  was  eighty.  The  plow  was  drawn  by  seven  pairs  of  oxen,  and  when 
the  earth  had  been  thus  loosened  eight  laborers  with  their  wheel-barrows 
appeared  and  removed  a  portion  of  the  earth.  The  artillery  was  brought 
into  play,  and  delivered  thirteen  rounds,  which  echoed  along  all  the  hills. 
Re-forming,  the  procession  moved  to  Lord's  spring,  where  a  cold  collation 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  175 

was  served,  and,  in  accordance  with  the  customs  of  the  times,  the  head  of  a 
barrel  of  fine  old  whiskey  was  staved,  and  the  tin  cups  were  merrily  passed. 
Returning  to  the  Diamond,  the  procession  broke  ranks,  and  the  work  of 
building  the  canal  was  fairly  inaugurated. 

The  work  proved  to  be  one  of  immense  proportions.  The  Governor 
in  his  message  to  the  Legislature  of  1842-3',  showed  that  97f  miles  had  been 
finished,  from  Rochester,  on  the  Ohio,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Venango  River 
feeder,  and  49|-  miles,  including  the  feeder  and  the  Franklin  Division,  leav- 
ing in  progress  and  nearly  completed  the  38-J-  miles.  Up  to  that  date  the 
State  had  expended  more  than  $4,000,000,  and  it  was  calculated  that  but 
$211,000  more  would  be  needed  to  make  the  canal  ready  for  boats.  At  the 
session  of  the  Legislature  of  1843  an  act  was  passed  incorporating  the  Erie 
Canal  Company,  and  ceding  to  it  all  the  work  that  had  been  done,  on  con- 
dition that  the  company  would  finish  and  operate  the  property.  The  first 
boats  to  reach  Erie  were  the  "Queen  of  the  West,"  crowded  with  passen- 
gers, and  the  "R.  S.  Reed,"  loaded  with  Mercer  County  coal,  which  came 
in  on  the  Sth  of  December,  1844.  The  canal  did  a  profitable  business  until 
the  completion  of  the  Erie  and  Pittsburg  Railroad,  when  the  competition  be- 
came too  strong  for  a  waterway  of  so  light  tonnage.  It  was  proposed  to 
deepen  and  enlarge  it,  but  the  expense  was  too  great,  and  the  promise  of 
success  too  uncertain  to  warrant  the  undertaking,  and  the  property  was 
finally  acquired  by  the  railroad  company.  It  was  operated  for  awhile  suc- 
cessfully; but  finally  the  fall  of  the  Elk  Creek  aqueduct,  in  Erie  County, 
gave  excuse  for  abandoning  the  entire  property,  and  thus  the  enterprise 
which  was  rung  in  with  so  much  enthusiasm  and  the  booming  of  cannon 
came  to  an  inglorious  end. 

The  attempt  to  secure  the  charter  for  and  the  construction  of  a  railroad 
from  Erie  to  Pittsburg,  by  the  way  of  Meadville,  was  so  far  successful  as  to 
secure  a  charter,  obtain  subscriptions  from  individuals  and  from  the  county 
of  $200,000.  Contracts  were  let  and  some  ten  miles  graded;  but  the  pros- 
pect of  success  becoming  dubious,  the  county  authorities,  after  having  ex- 
pended $30,000  of  its  subscription,  applied  to  court  for  an  injunction  to  re- 
strain them  from  issuing  any  further  amounts  of  the  subscription,  and  the 
cancellation  of  the  agreement,  which  was  granted.  By  act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  March  10,  1859,  the  Atlantic  and  Great  Western  Railroad  of  Penn- 
sylvania was  incoi-porated,  which,  with  the  section  in  New  York  and  Ohio, 


1/6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

made  a  continuous  line  from  Salamanca,  on  the  Erie  Road,  to  Dayton,  Ohio, 
virtually  Cincinnati,  as  a  connection  was  there  made  with  a  local  road  be- 
tween Dayton  and  Cincinnati.  Gen.  C.  L.  Ward  and  William  Reynolds 
visited  Europe  and  it  was  largely  by  their  personal  influence  that  funds  were 
secured  from  Spanish  and  English  capitalists  for  the  building  this  gigantic 
work.  \\'ith  such  energy  was  the  work  pushed  that  by  October  22,  1862, 
the  road  was  completed  to  Meadville,  and  to  the  Ohio  State  line  by  January, 
1863.  The  road  was  originally  six  feet  wide  to  conform  to  the  track  of  the 
Erie  Road,  with  which  it  connected  Salamanca,  but  was  subsequently 
changed  to  the  standard  gauge  of  the  United  States,  as  was  the  Erie,  on 
January  6,  1880,  and  the  name  changed  to  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and 
Ohio  Railroad  Company,  and  in  March,  1883,  it  was  leased  to  the  New 
York,  Lake  Erie  and  Western  Company  for  ninety-nine  years.  By  its  con- 
nection with  the  Chicago  and  Atlantic  Railroad,  at  Marion,  which  was  also 
leased  by  the  Erie,  it  gives  the  Erie  a  through  run  from  New  York  to  Chi- 
cago and  it  constitutes  a  trunk  line. 

As  early  as  1845  the  Pittsburg  and  Erie  Railroad  Company  was  char- 
tered, but  nothing  was  accomplished  until  1856,  when  a  new  charter  was  ob- 
tained, and  as  it  failed  to  designate  definitely  the  course  it  was  to  follow,  a 
sharp  rivalry  arose  between  the  Conneautville  and  Meadville  routes.  It  was 
finally  decided  in  favor  of  the  former,  and  not  until  1864  was  the  track  com- 
pleted to  New  Castle,  where  it  connects  with  the  New  Castle  and  Beaver 
\^alley  Road,  which  connects  with  the  Pittsburg,  Fort  Wayne  and  Chicago 
at  Homewood.  This  gave  a  continuous  route  from  Pittsburg  to  Miles 
Grove,  and  by  running  on  the  Lake  Shore  to  Erie,  a  continuous  road  be- 
tween the  two  cities.  This  road  is  now  owned  and  controlled  by  the  Penn- 
sylvania company. 

That  portion  of  the  Buffalo,  New  York  and  Philadelphia  Railroad  which 
extends  from  Corry  to  Titusville,  or  the  Miller  farm,  Venango  County,  was 
completed  in  1862.  This  road  extends  through  the  eastern  tier  of  town- 
ships, following  for  the  most  part  the  valley  of  Oil  Creek.  The  Union  and 
Titusville  Road  extends  from  Titusville- to  Union  City,  where  it  connects 
with  the  Philadelphia  and  Erie  Road.  It  was  begun  in  1865  and  was  com- 
pleted in  1871.  It  crosses  the  townships  of  Bloomfield,  Steuben,  Troy  and 
Oil  Creek,  running  o^-er  the  track  of  the  Oil  Creek  Road  from  Tryonville  to 
Titusville.  and  is  also  a  part  of  the  Buffalo,  New  York  and  Philadelphia  line. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  177 

The  Meadville  and  Lines\ille  Railroad  was  built  to  secure  a  second  connec- 
tion with  a  trunk  line,  and  thus  secure  competition  in  rates  of  transporta- 
tion. The  road  was  built  by  the  canal  tow-jiath  and  Conneaut  Lake  to 
Linesville,  to  connect  there  with  the  Pennsylvania  system,  a  distance  of 
twenty  and  one-half  miles.  The  road  was  finished  in  1881.  On  the  3d  of 
January  the  road  was  sold  to  the  Meadville  Railroad  Company  for  $150,000, 
by  whom  it  has  been  successfully  operated.  The  Dunkirk,  Allegheny  Val- 
ley and  Pittsburg  Railroad  enters  Titusville,  crossing  the  southwest  corner 
of  Oil  Creek  Township,  and  a  branch  of  the  Lake  Shore  Railroad  crosses  the 
southwest  corner  of  ^Vest  Shenango  Township  in  its  entr\'  into  Jamestown, 
Pennsylvania. 

The  Shenango  and  Allegheny  Valley  Railroad  was  originally  a  coal 
road,  extending  from  tlie  mines  in  Mercer  and  Butler  Counties  to  the  She- 
nango Junction,  where  it  connected  with  the  Erie,  and  also  with  the  Erie 
and  Pittsburg.  Subsequently  it  was  continued  to  Green\-ille  and  still  later 
to  the  Exposition  grounds  at  Conneaut  Lake  and  to  Conneaut  Harbor,  on 
Lake  Erie.  Here  it  delivered  coal  from  the  mines  ami  received  rich  iron 
ore  from  Superior  mines.  Andrew  Carnegie,  principal  owner  of  the  great 
steel  works  at  Homestead,  was  in  need  of  this  ore,  and  cast  longing  eyes  on 
this  road,  the  shortest  cut  from  his  works  to  lake  navigation  at  Conneaut 
Harbor.  He  secured  a  controlling  interest  in  the  road,  spent  vast  sums  of 
money  in  tumieling,  bridging  and  extending  the  road  to  his  works,  renewed 
the  track  with  extra  heavy  steel  rails,  enlarged  the  harbor  at  Conneaut, 
built  a  breakwater  at  its  mouth,  enlarged  and  improved  the  machinery  for  dis- 
charging the  ore  from  shipboard,  and  loading  on  cars,  making  the  road  one 
of  the  most  substantial  and  valuable  properties  in  the  world,  giving  it  the 
name  of  the  Pittsburg,  Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie  Railroad,  characteristic  of 
the  business  which  it  does,  and  the  places  it  connects. 

This  record  in  railroad  construction  is  remarkable.     In  1S60  there  was 

not  a  mile  of  finished  railway  in  the  county.     Li  less  than  six  years'  time 

it  was  gridironed  with  tracks,  and  at  present,  with  one  exception,  has  more 

miles  of  railroad  than  any  county  in  the  State. 
12 


CHAPTER  XV. 
CRAWFORD  COUNTY  IN  ITS  MULTIFORM  RELATIONS. 

NO  COUNTY  organization  could  have  been  legally  attempted  in  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  State  until  after  the  purchase  made  of  the 
Indians  at  Forts  Stanwix  and  Mcintosh,  in  1784.  But  on  the  24th 
of  September,  1788,  Allegheny  County  was  erected,  which  was  made  to  em- 
l3race  all  the  land  north  and  west  of  the  Allegheny  River.  Thus  it  remained 
until  the  12th  of  March,  1800,  when  the  Legislature  passed  an  act  erecting 
the  counties  of  Beaver,  Butler,  Mercer,  Crawford,  Erie,  Warren  and  Arm- 
strong from  a  portion  of  the  county  of  Allegheny.  By  the  same  act,  Arm- 
strong County  for  judicial  purposes  was  provisionally  attached  to  Westmore- 
land County;  Butler  and  Beaver  were  joined  with  Allegheny,  and  the  coun- 
ties of  Crawford,  Mercer,  Venango,  Warren  and  Erie,  "shall  form  one 
county,"  was  the  language  of  the  act,  "under  the  name  of  Crawford."  Three 
trustees  were  appointed  by  the  act  for  each  of  the  newly  elected  counties, 
those  for  Crawford  being  David  Mead,  Frederick  Haymaker  and  James 
Gibson.  On  the  2d  of  April,  1803,  Erie  and  Mercer  were  organized  as  sep- 
arate and  distinct  counties,  Venango,  April  i,  1S05,  and  Warren,  March  16, 
1819. 

It  was  fitting  that  Crawford,  the  friend  and  companion  of  Washington, 
and  the  successful  Indian  fighter,  should  have  his  name  given  to  one  of  the 
largest  and  most  important  counties  in  the  State.  His  fate  was  peculiar  and 
a  sad  one.  William  Crawford  was  born  in  Orange,  now  Berkeley  County, 
Virginia,  of  Irish  lineage.  In  1749  the  youthful  George  Washington  be- 
came acquainted  with  the  family,  and  it  \vas  from  him  that  William  Craw- 
ford learned  the  art  of  surveying,  which,  in  connection  with  farming,  he 
followed  until  1755,  when  he  received  an  ensign's  commission  in  a  company 
of  Virginia  riflemen,  and  served  with  Washington,  under  General  Braddock, 
in  the  ill-fated  and  disastrous  battle  of  the  Monongahela.  For  gallantry  in 
this  battle  he  was  promoted  to  be  a  lieutenant.     In  1758  Washington,  then 

178 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  179 

commander-in-chief  of  the  Virginia  forces,  obtained  a  captain's  commission 
for  Crawford,  who  immediately  recruited  a  company  of  hardy  frontiers- 
men for  \\"ashington's  regiment,  and  was,  with  his  command,  at  the  occupa- 
tion of  Fort  Du  Ouesne,  November  25th,  1758,  the  French  having  evacu- 
ated the  post  on  the  approach  of  the  army  under  General  Forbes. 

Early  in  1767  he  removed  to  a  new  location  on  the  Youghiogheny, 
Pennsylvania,  in  the  northern  part  of  Fayette  County,  where  he  resided  when 
not  in  the  service  of  his  country.  He  had  previously  married  Sarah  Vance, 
and  they  had  issue  of  three  cliildren — Sarah,  John  and  Efifie.  At  the  re- 
quest of  Washington  he  selected  and  surveyed  a  tract  of  land  for  him,  some 
twelve  miles  from  his  own,  and  on  the  13th  of  October  Washington  visited 
him.  and  remained  three  days  exploring  the  surrounding  country.  In  com- 
pany with  a  party  of  friends  they  went  to  Fort  Pitt,  and,  securing  a  large 
canoe,  they  descended  the  Ohio  as  far  as  tlie  Great  Kanawha  River,  visiting- 
the  Indian  village  at  ]\Iingo  Bottom,  on  the  route,  going  and  coming.  Horses 
having  been  Ijrought  from  Captain  Crawford's  home  to  Mingo  Bottom,  the 
party  returned  by  land  from  that  point.  During  the  whole  journey  Wash- 
ington and  Crawford  were  boon  companions.  On  the  12th  of  January, 
1776,  Crawford  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Fifth  Virginia 
Regiment,  and,  on  the  nth  of  October  following,  colonel  of  the  Seventh 
'Regiment  of  the  Virginia  Battalion.  He  participated  in  the  Long  Island 
campaign,  and  the  famous  retreat  through  New  Jersey;  crossed  the  Dela- 
ware with  Washington,  and  commanded  his  own  at  the  battles  of  Trenton 
and  Princeton.  He  served  continuously  under  Washington  up  to  the  fall 
of  1777,  rendering  important  services  while  in  command  of  a  picked  detach- 
ment of  scouts,  detailed  to  watch  the  movements  of  the  enemy  during 
Howe's  advance  upon  Philadelphia. 

In  November,  1777,  Colonel  Crawford  was  placed  on  detached  service 
on  the  frontier  and  served  in  various  capacities  for  the  space  of  three  years 
under  Mcintosh,  and  was  engaged  in  constructing  Forts  Mcintosh  and 
Laurens.  Hostilities  still  continuing,  in  the  spring  of  1782,  Colonel  Craw- 
ford, who  yet  held  his  commission  in  the  regular  army,  was  earnestly  urged 
by  many  leading  men  to  take  command  of  the  expedition,  then  organizing, 
against  Sandusky,  and,  together  with  his  son  John  and  son-in-law,  Major 
Harrison,  volunteered  to  go.  He  left  his  house  on  the  i8th  of  May,  and 
after  a  consultation  with  General  Irvine  at  Pittsburg,  proceeded  down  the  river 


i8o  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

to  Mingo  Bottom,  the  place  of  rendezvous.  On  the  24th  of  Alav  Colonel 
Crawford  was  chosen  by  the  volunteers  as  the  commander-in-chief  of  the 
expedition,  and  on  the  following  morning  the  whole  command,  consisting 
of  480  mounted  men,  began  its  march  from  the  Mingo  Bottom.  Passing 
through  the  territory  now  embraced  in  the  counties  of  Jefferson,  Harrison, 
Tuscarawas,  Holmes.  Ashland,  Richland  and  Crawford  to  the  center  of 
^^'yandot,  the  conmiand  reached  a  point  on  the  Sanduskv  plains,  some  three 
miles  and  a  half  northeast  of  the  present  town  of  Upper  Sandusky,  where,  in 
and  around  a  grove,  since  well  known  as  Battle  Island,  Colonel  Crawford 
was  furiously  attacked  by  the  Indians  on  the  afternoon  of  June  4th,  1782. 
As  night  came  on  the  advantage  remained  with  the  Americans,  the  Indians 
being  beaten  at  every  point.  The  next  day  desultory  firing  was  indulged 
in  by  both  sides,  but  no  gerjeral  engagement  ensued.  As  the  afternoon  ad- 
vanced the  Indians  were  reinforced  by  a  detachment  of  an  English  mounted 
regiment  called  "Butler's  Rangers."  while  bands  of  savages  were  constantly 
arriving  to  swell  the  numbers  of  the  enemy. 

Upon  discovering  that  his  small  force  was  greatly  outnumbered.  Colonel 
Crawford  called  a  council  of  his  officers,  which  decided  to  retreat  during 
the  night,  but  no  sooner  had  the  retrograde  movement  commenced  than  it 
was  discovered  by  the  Indians,  who  at  once  opened  a  hot  fire.  The  retreat, 
however,  continued,  with  the  enemy  in  close  pursuit,  and  on  the  afternoon 
of  June  6th  another  battle  was  fought,  which  again  resulted  in  favor  of  the 
Americans.  The  British  Light  Horse  and  mounted  Indians  hung  on  the 
rear  of  the  little  squadron,  firing  occasionally,  until  the  morning  of  the  7th, 
when  the  pursuit  was  abandoned,  the  last  hostile  shot  being  fired  near  the 
town  of  Crestline.  The  remnant  of  the  little  force  made  its  way  to  Mingo 
Bottom  without  further  molestation.  It  immediately  crossed  the  Ohio 
River,  where  the  tired  troops  went  into  camp,  and  on  the  following  day  were 
discharged.  In  the  darkness  and  confusion  attending  the  beginning  of  the 
retreat,  several  small  parties  liecame  separated  from  the  main  body  of  the 
troops,  and  the  soldiers  composing  these  were,  with  rare  exceptions,  killed 
or  captured  by  the  savages,  who  scattered  through  the  forest  for  the  pur- 
pose of  cutting  olif  stragglers.  All  of  the  captured  were  put  to  death  except 
Dr.  John  Knight  and  John  Slover,  the  guide,  both  of  whom  escaped,  after 
being  condemned  to  be  burned  at  the  stake.  Among  the  many  who  thus 
fell  into  tlie  hands  of  the  savages  were  Colonel  Crawford,  his  son-in-law, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  i8i 

Major  Harrison,  and  liis  nephew,  William  Crawford.  Colonel  Crawford  was 
captured  by  the  Delawares,  whose  principal  chiefs,  Captain  Pipe  and  Winge- 
nnnd,  decided  to  burn  him  at  the  stake.  He  was  taken  to  a  spot  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  Delaware  village,  on  the  ea.st  bank  of  Tymochtee 
Creek,  some  eight  miles  northwest  of  the  county  seat  of  Wyandot  County, 
Ohio.  Here,  on  the  nth  of  Jtine,  1782,  the  victim  was  stripped  naked,  his 
hands  bound  behind  his  back,  and  a  rope  fastened — one  end  to  the  ligature 
between  his  wrist  and  the  other  to  the  foot  of  a  post  about  fifteen  feet  high. 
The  rope  was  long  enough  to  allow  him  to  walk  twice  around  the  post  and 
back  again,  the  fire  being  built  in  a  circle  around  the  post.  .According  to 
the  testimony  of  Dr.  Knight,  who  was  an  unwilling  spectator  of  the  terrible 
scene,  the  Indians  began  the  torture  about  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  first 
discharging  about  seventy  loads  of  powder  into  the  victim's  body,  and  then 
cutting  off  his  ears.  .After  tliis  the  faggots  were  lighted,  and  for  more  than 
three  hours  the  unfortunate  man  walked  around  within  the  circle  of  fire. 
Burning  sticks  were  continually  applied  to  his  naked  tiesh,  alread_\-  burned 
black  with  powder,  and,  whichever  way  he  turned  the  same  fate  met  him. 
Live  coals  were  thrown  upon  him  by  the  squaws,  until  the  space  in  which  he 
walked  was  one  Ijed  of  tire  and  scorching  ashes.  In  the  inidst  nf  his  awful 
sufferings,  Colonel  Crawford  begged  of  Simon  Girty,  the  Tory  renegade, 
who  was  present  at  the  execution,  to  shoot  him,  but  the  white  savage  laughed 
at  Crawford's  misery.  At  last  the  victim's  strength  gave  out  and  he  lay 
down,  when  an  Indian  ran  in  and  scalped  him,  and  an  old  squaw  threw  coals 
of  fire  upon  his  bleeding  head.  After  the  victim  expired  the  burning  faggots 
were  piled  together  and  his  body  placed  upon  them,  and  around  his  charred 
remains  danced  the  delighted  savages  for  hours. 

No  event  in  the  Colonial  history  of  this  country  more  signally  illustrates 
the  barbaric  and  fiendish  nature  of  the  American  Indian  than  this  death 
meted  out  to  Colonel  Crawford.  It  would  not  seem  possible  for  any  human 
being  to  be  so  utterly  lost  -to  every  touch  of  kindly  sympathy,  as  is  evi- 
denced in  tlijs  sad,  this  distressing  death.  Even  the  women,  who  are  sup- 
posed to  have  a  preponderating  possession  of  the  milk  of  human  kindness, 
were  even  more  l)rutal  and  devilish  than  the  men.  When  the  distressing 
intelligence  reached  General  Washington,  he  immediately  addressed  a  note 
to  Governor  Moore,  of  Pennsylvania,  which  evinces  the  depth  of  the  anguish 
which  he  felt.      "It  is  with  the  greatest  sorrow  and  concern  that  I  have 


i82  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

learned  the  melanchol)'  tidings  of  Colonel  Crawford's  death.  He  was  known 
to  me  as  an  ofBcer  of  much  care  and  prndence,  brave,  experienced  and  active. 
The  manner  of  his  death  was  shocking  to  me,  and  I  have  this  day  communi- 
cated to'  the  Honorable,  the  Congress,  such  papers  as  I  have  regarding  it." 
It  is  a  matter  of  pride  that  our  fathers  chose  a  name  for  their  county  so 
worthily,  and  we,  who  live  in  peaceful  times,  and  enjoy  the  fruits  of  such 
sufiferings  and  hardships,  should  regard  with  reverence  the  bright  examples 
of  heroism  which  they  have  ever  before  them. 

It  is  needless  to  observe  that  the  colonies  during  the  period  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary war  were  very  poor,  and  that  when  the  authorities  had  not  money 
to  pay  the  soldiers  they  issued  certificates  of  indebtedness,  which,  on  being 
passed  for  money,  depreciated,  and  in  time  from  i  to  lOO  per  cent.  In  1781, 
April  3d,  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  passed  a  law  defining  the  degree  of 
depreciation  from  one  to  seventy-five  per  cent,  and  accorded  certain  lands 
for  their  redemption.     They  were  known  as  "Depreciation  Lands." 

The  State  of  Pennsylvania  enacted  other  laws  to  pay  its  troops  serving 
in  the  Continental  army,  and,  at  the  end  of  the  war,  soldiers  were  allowed  to 
draw  by  lot  surveys  of  lands  from  200  to  500  acres  each,  according  to  rank. 
A  major-general  was  entitled  to  draw  four  tickets  of  500  acres  each,  a  briga- 
dier-general three,  and  so  on  down  to  privates,  who  were  entitled  to  200 
acres.  These  were  called  "Donation  Lands,"  and  tract  number  2  as  "Struck 
District,"  having  been  reported  as  worthless. 

At  the  close  of  the  Revolution  several  wealthy  gentlemen  of  Holland, 
who  had  loaned  money  to  the  Government  to  carry  on  the  war,  desiring  to 
keep  their  money  invested  in  this  country,  accepted  lands  in  payment.  The 
company  holding  these  lands  was  known  as  the  Holland  Land  Company, 
and  their  holdings  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  Pennsylvania  were  about 
900,000  acres. 

An  association  of  capitalists,  under  the  title  of  the  Pennsylvania  Popu- 
lation Company,  took  up  a  vast  tract  of  land  in  the  Erie  Triangle,  and  on 
Beaver  and  Shenango  Creeks  in  the  western  part  of  Crawford  County. 
Lands  were  taken  by  citizens  of  Crawford  in  these  several  companies.  Mr. 
John  Reynolds,  in  No.  20  of  his  "Reminiscences  of  the  Olden  Time,"  says: 
"The  prevention  clause  in  the  Act  of  Assembly  of  1792  was  productive  of 
much  dissension  in  the  first  years  of  the  century.  The  opinion  was  indus- 
triously circulated  by  deputy-surveyors,  and  other  interested  persons,  that 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  183 

every  tract  of  400  acres  without  a  settlement  commenced  and  continued, 
was  open  to  the  entry  and  occupancy  of  the  first  bona  fide  settler,  without 
regard  to  the  previous  warrant.  Settlers  who  had  entered  into  contract  with 
the  several  land  companies  to  fulfill  the  terms  of  settlement  for  a  part  of  the 
land  were  disposed  to  claim  the  wdiole,  under  the  plea  that  the  companies 
had  incurred  forfeiture  of  the  land,  and  therefore  the  contract  was  obtained 
by  misrepresentation,  and  was  void.  The  warrantee  was  thus  brought  into 
conflict  with  the  intruder  upon  his  land.  The  latter,  relying  on  the  legal 
correctness  of  the  opinion  so  universally  promulgated,  took  possession  of  the 
first  and  best  vacant  tract  he  could  find,  built  his  cabin  and  commenced  to 
clear  and  cultivate  his  farm;  thus  speedily  the  county  was  filled  with  a  pop- 
ulation known  as  'actual  settlers.'  The  companies  that  claimed  the  land 
by  warrant,  purchased  from  the  State,  were  not  disposed  to  submit  quietly 
to  the  intrusion.  They  appealed  to  the  courts  of  law,  and  many  writs  of 
ejectment  were  served:  the  settlers  held  conventions,  employed  counsel,  and 
prepared  for  a  stubborn  contest.  Lawful  and  unlawful  measures  were  can- 
vassed and  approved  by  many  during  the  excitement  of  the  time;  unscrupu- 
lous and  desperate  men  were  leaders  in  the  controversy,  who  contended  that 
.all  means  were  morally  right  which  would  protect  them  in  the  possession  of 
their  land.  Hence,  in  the  heat  of  the  excitement,  a  plot  was  formed  to 
destroy  evidence  in  the  county  records,  and  the  offices  of  the  land  com- 
panies. A  veritable  gunpowder  plot  was  projected  to  blow  up  the  prothon- 
otary's  office,  and  the  several  land  offices  in  Meadville  and  Erie,  when,  on 
the  eve  of  accomplishment,  one  of  the  conspirators  relented,  and  with  praise- 
worthy energy  prevented  the  catastrophe  by  visiting  and  remonstrating  with 
the  leaders.  By  agreement  a  case  stated  was  put  at  issue  and  argued  before 
Judge  Washington,  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court,  at  Sunbury,  Pa., 
and  a  decision  made  in  favor  of  the  warrantee,"  as  stated  on  a  previous  page. 
"Subordinate  questions  continued  to  agitate  and  produce  discord,  and 
conflicts  between  settlers,  arising  from  an  entry  upon  an  improved  tract  dur- 
ing a  temporary  absence  of  the  first  occupants,  were  frequent.  Such  a  case 
is  the  following:  A  man  without  a  family  would  select  his  tract,  build  his 
cabin,  and  make  some  improvements,  and,  in  the  autumn,  revisit  the  settle- 
ments to  find  winter  employment,  and  upon  his  return  in  the  spring,  find  an- 
other in  possession.  Personal  conflicts  sometimes  decided  the  question  of 
ownership  rather  than  await  expensive  litigation  in  court,  while  some  more 


i84  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

wisely  canvassed  the  matter  and  settled  by  an  amicable  adjustment  and  pay- 
ment of  a  reasonable  compensation  by  one  party  to  the  other.  That  a  wide- 
spread excitement,  involving  vested  rights  so  dear  to  the  claimants,  and  in- 
tensified in  asperity  by  a  commingling  therewith  the  partisan  politics  of  the 
dav,  should  have  been  settled  and  finally  disappeared  with  so  little  actual 
conflict,  is,  in  the  review,  very  wonderful,  and  may,  I  think,  be  largely  at- 
tributed to  the  overpowering  religious  sentiment  concurrent  therewith, 
which  tended  to  restrain  and  moderate  the  angry  passions."  The  decision 
in  the  case  submitted  to  the  Supreme  Court  is  doubtless  a  correct  decision 
under  the  several  enactments  upon  which  it  was  based;  but  it  resulted,  in 
its  operations,  in  securing  the  demands  of  the  companies  at  the  sacrifice  of 
the  dearest  rights  of  many  a  poor  pioneer. 

As  all  things  have  an  end,  so  had  the  terrors  inspired  by  the  blood- 
thirsty savages,  and  the  trouble  in  securing  patents  for  their  lands;  but  the 
mighty  labors  were  now  to  begin.  The  hardy  pioneer  may  have  been  suc- 
cessful in  securing  a  well  situated  tract  fast  by  some  shaded  fountain  of  pure 
water  or  at  the  margin  of  some  fast-flowing  stream,  but  the  whole  land  was 
encumbered  with  one  vast  forest  of  heavy  timber,  through  which  not  a  ray 
of  sunlight  could  peer.  Wild  animals  ranged  unchecked,  and  dangerous 
reptiles  were  peering  out  from  every  hiding  place.  Not  a  traveled  road  had 
been  opened,  nor  a  bridge  built  for  crossing  the  numerous  streams.  The 
nearest  neighbor  was  perhaps  miles  away,  and  a  physician,  if  there  were  one 
at  all,  a  Sabbath  day's  journey.  The  simplest  food,  during  the  first  year  or 
two,  was  difficult  to  command,  and  if  he  was  fortunate  enough  to  have  a 
cow  he  had  nothing  with  which  to  feed  her.  It  would  scarcely  be  thought 
that  salt  is  the  article  of  all  others  for  which  the  frontiersman  feels  the  most 
pressing  need,  and  will  make  a  journey  by  devious  paths  for  a  hundred  miles 
on  foot  to  secure  a  small  sack  full  that  he  can  carry  on  his  back  to  his  lonely 
cabin.  The  long  winter's  night  is  only  cheered  by  the  kindly  blaze  of  a  pine 
knot,  while  the  howl  of  the  hungry  pack  outside  chimes  angrily  with  the 
storm  and  the  sullen  bear  thunders  at  the  door  for  entrance. 

Having  constructed  a  temporary  shelter,  much  after  the  fashion 
of  the  Indians,  by  setting  poles  around  a  contracted  space  and  joining  them 
at  the  top,  he  covers  them  with  bark,  so  as  to  shut  out  the  rain,  and  commences 
preparation  for  a  spring  crop.  But  he  cannot  wait  to  clear  a  field  of  the 
heavy  timber,  as  the  family  may  starve  for  want  of  food.     He,  accordingly. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  185 

resorts  to  the  makeshift  of  girdling,  cutting  deep  enough  around  the  trunk 
to  shut  ofif  the  sap  from  rising.  By  ordinary  diligence  he  can  in  a  few- 
days  girdle  five  or  six  acres,  and  after  grubbing  and  clearing  up  the  under- 
brush, he  fires  the  dry  leaves  and  other  incumbrances,  the  accumulations 
of  centuries,  and  the  warm  sunlight  being  now  admitted  he  drops  his  seeds 
in  the  black  mould,  and,  by  ordinar}-  care,  and  the  blessing  of  heaven  in 
sending  the  early  and  the  later  rain,  he  is  tolerably  sure  pf  a  crop.  And  now, 
having  made  provision  for  his  sustenance,  he  begins  to  look  about  him  for 
neighbors;  for  he  must  build  a  substantial  cabin  for  protection  and  a  home 
during  the  long  and  dreary  winter.  For  this  he  must  have  other  hands  than 
his  own.  He  accordingly  goes  forth,  and,  selecting  a  tall,  substantial  tree 
standing  close  in  upon  the  bank  of  the  stream,  with  woodman's  skill  he  fells 
it  across  the  deep  current,  and  thus  provides  the  crossing  that  shall  link 
him  to  a  neighbor  and  give  his  longing  for  human  sympathy  a  way  to  satisfy 
itself. 

To  build  a  good  log  cabin  in  any  reasonable  time  requires  the  services 
of  at  least  half  a  dozen  strong  men,  and  it  is  not  difificult  for  the  frontiersman 
to  gather  that  number  when  ready  to  build.  The  morning  is  ushered  in 
by  the  felling  of  a  half-dozen  tall,  straight  trees  of  ten  to  twelve  inches  in 
diameter,  and  cutting  them  into  lengths  of  twenty  feet.  These  logs  are 
moved  with  cant-hooks.  Two  are  laid  parallel,  twenty  feet  apart  and  the 
ends  halved  a  thickness  of  six  inches,  a  foot  long  at  each  end.  Two  logs 
similarly  halved  are  matched  and  the  first  square  is  formed.  By  a  similar 
process  tier  after  tier  is  laid  up,  long  skids  being  used  as  the  walls  rise.  An 
auger  is  used  to  bore  holes,  and  strong  inch  pins  are  driven  at  the  splicings 
in  the  corners.  The  gables  are  more  easily  fitted,  as  the  logs  required  are 
constantly  growing  shorter.  Rafters  are  set  at  convenient  distances,  long 
poles  are  laid  upon  these,  held  in  place  by  well-heated  withes,  and  shingles 
for  the  roof  are  rived  from  the  substantial  oak,  and  poles  are  fastened  upon 
the  shingles,  for  nails  are  not  obtainable  and  none  are  used.  W'hen  all  is 
done  the  logs,  which  have  been  partially  cut  for  the  door  and  window,  are 
finished.  With  some  clay,  found  usually  not  far  below  the  soil,  a  mortar 
is  stirred,  the  interstices  between  the  logs  are  pasted  in  and  smoothed  oi¥,  a 
chimney  is  built  of  sticks  and  mortar  on  the  outside  up  the  gable,  and  a  big 
opening  is  made  for  the  fire-place;  oiled  paper  suffices  to  admit  light  at  the 
window;  a  strong  door  from  rived  oak  swings  on  wooden  hinges,  and    a 


i86  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

wooden  latch  with  a  string  that  hangs  outside,  and  the  cabin  is  complete 
and  ready  for  occupancy.  Many  a  young  wife  views  with  complacency  and 
pride  such  a  home,  and  her  step  is  light  as  she  plans  the  conveniences  and 
adornments.  Should  she  be  ambitious  of  a  floor  to  her  proud  dwelling,  in  the 
long  winter  evenings,  when  the  crops  have  been  gathered,  and  the  farm  work 
completed,  the  opportunity  will  be  afforded,  and  it  will  be  the  supreme  de- 
light of  the  young  farmer  to  rive  the  oak  that  shall  form  a  substantial  floor 
which  will  excite  the  pride  and  the  satisfaction  of  his  young  helpmate,  and 
where  his  offspring  may  creep  and  prattle  in  childish  glee.  Such  was  the 
history  of  the  home  life  of  the  early  settlers  in  Crawford  County  during  the 
first  quarter  of  a  century,  and  in  many  such  cabins  was  there  cheerfulness  and 
happiness.  The  labor  of  clearing  the  forests,  building  secure  inclosures, 
breaking  up  the  stubborn  soil,  and  raising  crops,  securing  flocks  and  herds 
was  intense,  for  the  improvements  in  farm  machinery  were  then  unknown; 
but  the  triumphs  of  his  labor  and  skill  were  incentives  to  renewed  exertions, 
his  property  was  daily  increasing  in  value,  and  he  could  point  with  pride  to  the 
changes  which  his  own  hands  had  wrought. 

The  furniture  of  the  cabin  was  simple  and  home-made,  as  none  other 
could  be  had  if  the  money  was  possessed  to  secure  it.  A  simple  made 
frame  hung  to  the  side  of  the  cabin,  and,  arranged  with  slats,  formed  the 
bedstead;  three-legged  stools  answered  for  chairs.  A  log  split  in  halves  and 
hewn  smooth,  into  which  holes  were  bored  for  legs,  answered  for  table,  and 
rude  boxes  were  employed  for  storing  the  various  articles  of  housekeeping,  and 
for  a  seat  as  well. 

The  utensils  lor  cooking  were  also  simple  and  inexpensive — a  kettle  for 
boiling,  a  board  for  corn-cake,  propped  up  with  a  stone  before  the  embers, 
were  the  principal.  The  forest  was  ranged  for  game,  and  the  streams  were 
lashed  for  fish.  Corn  was  eaten  from  the  cob,  as  long  as  it  was  in  milk,  was 
grated  when  glazed,  and  pounded  to  meal  when  ripe.  When  mills  were 
erected  the  housewife  was  relieved  of  the  labor  of  pounding.  Spinning  and 
weaving  and  fashioning  into  clothing  for  the  family,  as  in  the  primitive  days 
of  the  race,  were  the  occupations  of  the  women.  The  men  usually  were  clad 
in  a  simple  hunting  shirt,  made  of  coarse  linen,  or  dressed  deer-skin,  with 
the  hair  left  on,  and  breeches  of  similar  material. 

Cornelius  Van  Home  planted  some  apple  seeds  in  1789,  which  made 
rapid  growth,  and  from  this  little  nursery  orchards  were  planted.     The  po- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEO-PLE.  187 

tato  was  introduced  in  1791.  Dr.  Thomas  R.  Kennedy  brought  two  quarts 
of  wheat  in  his  saddle-bags,  which  he  distributed  among  the  settlers,  and 
from  this  moderate  supply  in  a  few  years  rich  harvests  were  gathered.  Rye 
came  next,  and  was  soon  in  great  demand  for  the  manufacture  of  whiskey, 
which  became  of  prime  necessity.  Buckwheat,  and  the  flour  from  this 
grain,  commanded  better  market  than  any  other  grain,  and  grew  in  great 
luxuriance.  Horses  and  cattle  were  brought  in  with  the  first  settlers,  but 
they  were  in  general  of  a  very  common  breed,  as  were  the  sheep  and  swine. 
By  the  census  of  1810,  Crawford  County  was  credited  with  2,142  horses,  5,389 
head  of  cattle,  and  4,120  sheep.  In  1817  Mr.  H.  J.  Huidekoper,  with  Judge 
Griffith,  of  New  Jersey,  brought  a  flock  of  fine  Merino  wooled  sheep,  which 
proved  a  most  fortunate  venture  for  the  settlers,  as  the  produce  of  wool  soon 
became  very  valuable.  Of  swine  the  razor-back  was  the  principal  stock  in 
trade.  They  were  marked,  and  suffered  to  run  at  large,  subsisting  on  nuts 
as  they  could  forage  for  them,  and  were  herded  in  winter  and  fed  on  milk 
and  corn.  Their  color  was  of  yellowish  red,  and  they  were  often  dangerous 
to  meet.  In  strong  contrast  to  these  are  the  Chester  Whites  and  the  Berk- 
shires,  and  the  China  breeds  of  a  later  day.  In  1820  the  census  showed  2,970 
horses,  18,081  cattle,  18,999  sheep  and  of  swine  the  woods  were  full,  too  un- 
certain to  enumerate.  Of  land  under  cultivation  in  that  year  there  were 
51,322  acres.  In  1850  the  county  produced  1,000,000  pounds,  and  had 
acquired  a  wide  reputation  for  fine  wool.  Since  that  day  the  product  fell  off, 
until  in  1875  the  product  did  not  exceed  200,000  pounds,  and  that  of  an 
inferior  grade.  Logan  Brothers,  of  South  Shenango,  established  a  high 
reputation  for  importing  and  breeding  draft  horses;  C.  G.  Dempsey,  of  Con- 
neautville,  thoroughbred  racers;  Denny  Brothers  and  Ambro  Whipple,  of 
Hayfield,  roadsters  and  draft  horses,  and  R.  A.  Stratton  trotting  stock,  the 
latter's  pacer  Crawford  attaining  a  wide  reputation. 

"Shadeland,  the  great  stock  farm  of  the  Powell  Brothers,  is  located 
about  one  mile  north  of  Springboro,  in  Spring  Township.  The  estate  com- 
prises over  one  thousand  acres  of  choice  land,  improved  by  a  handsome  resi- 
dence and  half  a  hundred  capacious  barns,  stables  and  outbuildings,  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  the  various  uses  and  purposes  of  the  business,  the 
whole,  with  its  magnificent  aggregation  of  stock,  representing  an  invest- 
ment of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  milHon  of  dollars.  The  business  embraces 
the  extensive  importation  and  breeding  of  pure  bred  live  stock  of  various 


1 88 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


classes,  notably  the  celebrated  Clydesdale  draft  horses  from  Scotland,  the 
English  draft  horses,   the   Percheron-Norman   draft   horses   from  the  best 
breeding  districts  of  France,   American  trotting  bred  roadsters,  imported 
coachers,  and  Shetland  ponies;  also  Holstein  and  Devon  cattle,  and  High-' 
land  black-faced  sheep,  said  to  be  the  finest  mutton  sheep  known.     The 
Clydesdale  stud  book  of  Great  Britain  shows  more  animals  registered  byl 
•  Powell  Brothers  than  any  other  five  firms  in  the  world  combined.     This! 
book  is  published  under  the  direction  of  the  Clydesdale  Horse  Society  ofl 
Great   Britain  and  Ireland,  and  hence  is  absolutely  authentic,  and  indeed! 
the  ultimate  authority  on  this  subject.     The  sales  of  this  firm  often  aggre- 
gate several  thousand  dollars  a  day,  the  purchasers  representing  nearly  every 
State  and  territory  in  the  Union,  sometimes  a  score  or  more  of  them  being 
there  at  once.     They  have  also  made  various  shipments  of  the  trotting-bredl 
roadsters  to  Europe.     As  an  evidence  of  the  national  repute  of  the  establish- 
ment it  may  be  mentioned  that  not  long  since  the  firm  received  a  communi- 
cation from  Dr.  Loring,  then  United  States  Commissioner  of  Agriculture! 
at  Washington,  stating  that  a  citizen  of  Japan  was  visiting  this  country  fori 
the  purpose  of  collecting  for  his  government  information  concerning  oufl 
agricultural  and  other  industrial  methods,  and  asking  that  he  might  be  per- 
mitted to  spend  a  few  days  at  Shadeland  as  a  means  of  informing  himself  as ' 
to  American  stock  breeding.  While  draft  horses  are  the  special  features  thereJ 
all  classes  of  their  stock  receive  equal  attention  and  only  the  very  finest  are] 
imported   and  bred."     The  gentlemen  composing  the  firm  are  Watlun   G., 
Will  B.,  and  James  Uintner  Powell,  all  of  whom  are  natives  of  Shadeland, 
having  been  born  on  the  estate,  wliich  they  have  always  occupied  and  with 
which  their  names  are  indissolubly  linked.     Their  father,  the  Hon.  Howell 
Powell,  occupied  the  place  before  them,  and  illustrated  his  love  of  good  stock 
bv  always  keeping  fine  flocks  and  herds. 

In  1878  Mr.  Edgar  Huidekoper  commenced  the  importation  of  Hol- 
stein choice  breeds  of  cattle  from  Holland,  and  has  increased  his  importa- 
tions from  time  to  time  since.  His  extensive  stock  farm  is  situated  just 
across  Venango  River,  opposite  Meadville.  A  herd  of  some  two  to  three 
hundred  Holsteins  is  constantly  found  in  stock  and  his  sales  reach  to  nearly  | 
every  part  of  the  United  States.  William  Skelton,  of  Mead  Township,  has , 
been  a  successful  breeder  of  shorthorn  cattle  of  the  best  type.  J.  W.  Cut- 
shall,  of  Randolph  Township,  has  also  bred  shorthorn  stock  with  much 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  189 

credit,  his  cattle  usually  commanding  tirst  prizes  at  stock  fairs.  John  Bell 
and  David  Gill,  of  Woodcock  Township,  have  bred  shorthorn  stock  of  fine 
quahty  for  several  years.  G.  W.  Watson,  of  Hayfield  Township,  has  bred 
high-grade  jNferino  sheep. 

The  first  fair  association  in  Crawford  County  was  organized  at  Conneaut- 
ville  in  1852,  and  held  its  first  meeting  in  that  year,  has  proved  the  most  suc- 
cessful of  any  since  organized  and  has  held  annual  fairs  from  that  day  to  this 
with  ever-increasing  interest.  The  business  management  has  been  conducted 
with  the  strictest  integrity,  which  has  been  the  means  of  perpetuating  it 
with  success  for  nearh'  a  half  a  century.  The  celelirated  stock  of  the  Powell 
Brothers  at  Shadeland,  only  four  miles  away,  which  has  been  exhibited,  has 
served  to  keep  up  a  strong  interest  in  attendance.  The  Crawford  County 
Central  Agricultural  Association  was  organized  in  1856.  Its  exhibitions 
were  held  on  the  island  where  now  are  the  station  and  the  shops  of  the  Erie 
Railroad  Company.  When  the  railroad  was  located  the  fair  grounds  were 
sold  and  ground  was  acquired  in  Kerrtown,  subsequently  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  A'alonia,  and  fairs  were  held  for  a  ]:)eriod  of  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
century  with  varying  success,  but  ne\er  with  the  distinction  which  it  ac- 
quired during  the  first  five  years  on  the  original  grounds.  The  Oil  Creek 
Valley  Agricultural  Association  was  organized  in  1875  and  spacious  grounds 
were  acquired  in  the  southwestern  suburbs  of  the  city  of  Titusville,  where 
successful  exhibitions  have  annually  been  held  to  the  present  time.  A  fair 
was  held  in  Grange  Hall  in  Woodcockboro,  1876,  and  subsequently  the 
\\'oodcock  Fair  .Association  was  formed,  suitable  grounds  were-  acquired, 
and  for  several  years  stock,  farm  products  and  farm  machinery  were  shown; 
but  the  expense  exceeded  income  and  the  enterprise  was  finally  abandoned. 

The  Camljridge  Agricultural  Association  in  18 —  was  organized  and  a 
tract  of  fine  land  was  acquired  along  the  shady  bank  of  the  Venango  River, 
where  well-managed  exhibitions  have  been  given  annually  ever  since.  The 
French  Creek  Valley  Agricultural  Society  was  organized  in  the  summer  of 
1877  and  the  first  fair  was  held  on  excellent  grounds  acquired  along  the 
banks  of  Little  Sugar  Creek  at  Cochranton.  The  exhibition  of  cattle,  sheep, 
swine  and  draft  horses  has  been  highly  creditable. 

The  agricultural  implements  of  those  early  days  were  rude,  and  the 
labor  required  to  use  them  intense.  The  plow  was  a  wooden  mould  strapped 
with  steel  and  required  heavy  draft,  the  grain  was  gathered  with  the  sickle— 


I90  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  back  aches  at  the  remembrance — the  grass  was  cut  with  a  scythe  chim- 
sily  attached  to  the  stick  with  a  wedge,  and  a  number  of  hands  followed  each 
other,  keeping  time  in  steady  rhythm  to  the  swing.  The  hay  was  dried  by 
frequent  turnings,  gathered  with  small  short-toothed  rakes  and  pitched  on 
and  off  the  hay  rack  with  a  hand  fork.  The  grain  was  separated  from  the 
straw  with  the  flail,  and  as  the  two  stalwart  men  faced  each  other  with  their 
well-worn  implements  and  pounded  with  rhythmic  measure  the  well-sunned 
sheaves  arranged  along  the  barn  floor  the  grain  rattled  merrily  and  barn 
echoed  to  barn  along  the  whole  county. 

But  how  changed  is  the  labor  of  farming  now!  The  farmer  mounts  his 
sulky  plow,  takes  his  seat  upon  the  easy  cushion,  with  comfortably  fitting 
back,  and  drives  merrily  away,  the  polished  steel  implement  laying  the  fur- 
rows over  as  smooth  and  level  as  a  house  floor.  With  a  gig  ecpially  easy 
in  motion  the  seeds  are  dropped  and  covered,  and  when  the  grain  has  grown 
and  ripened  the  reaper  and  binder,  with  almost  human  intelligence,  gathers 
and  binds  and  delivers  in  shocks,  and  the  thresher  separates  the  grain,  win- 
nows  it,  measures  it  and  deli\-ers  it  in  bags  ready  for  the  merchant.  The 
power  fork  raises  the  hay  upon  the  rack  and,  in  turn,  raises  in  mass  to  the 
scaft'old,  so  that  the  entire  work  of  harvesting  is  almost  a  holiday  af¥air. 

Crawford  was  originally  regarded  as  a  grazing  rather  than  a  grain- 
growing  county,  on  account  of  the  abundance  of  the  rich  grasses  which  it 
produces  and  the  pure  water  from  the  gushing  fountains  that  pour  down  all 
the  hills  and  water  all  the  valleys.  But  of  late  years  the  more  intelligent 
and  thorough  culture  has  given  a  rich  return  of  grain.  It  still  holds  its  place 
as  one  of  the  best  butter  and  cheese  producing  counties  in  the  Keystone 
State.  One  of  the  first  cheese  factories  in  the  county  was  established  by 
Clark  &  Stebbins  at  Mosiertown  in  1849.  Another  factory  in  the  same 
village  was  built  in  1850  by  Mosier  &  McFarland.  The  first  factory  under 
the  new  and  more  systematic  system  of  cheese  making  was  established  at 
Cambridgeboro  in  1867,  and  received  the  milk  from  250  cows  the  first  year, 
6co  the  third  and  820  the  sixth,  the  average  price  of  cheese  being  some 
twelve  cents.  As  late  as  1870  there  were  only  twenty-seven  cheese  factories 
in  the  whole  State  of  Pennsylvania,  eight  of  which  were  in  Crawford  County. 
In  1875  there  were  sixty-eight  of  these  factories  in  Crawford  Count}'  alone, 
and  there  were  made  during  that  year  6,310,000  pounds  of  cheese.  Through 
the  influence  of  the  State  Dairymen's  Association  and  the  intelligent  exer- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  191 

tions  of  Messrs.  A.  M.  Fuller  and  Leon  C.  Magaw  and  their  associates  the 
quality  of  the  cheese  product  has  been  so  improved  that  it  is  known  and 
sought  for  throughout  the  length  and  lireadth  of  the  land  and  commands 
the  best  prices.  The  quantity  in  later  years  has  fallen,  but  the  quality  has 
correspondingly  improved.  Less  attention  has  been  devoted  to  butter 
making  than  to  cheese,  though  of  late  years  the  patent  "separators"  have 
been  largely  introduced  and  much  butter  of  excellent  quality  made.  This 
will  probably  become  the  most  popular  method  of  butter  making  and  will  be 
one  of  the  most  prolific  sources  of  wealth  to  the  county  yet  devised. 

Mr.  Alfred  Huidekoper,  in  his  lecture  on  Crawford  County,  mentions 
the  following  animals  found  here  in  the  early  day:  "The  elk,  deer,  panther, 
wolf,  bear,  wildcat,  fox,  marten,  otter,  polecat,  beaver,  ground-hog,  opossum, 
raccoon,  hare,  rabbit;  black,  gray,  red  or  pine,  flying,  chippy  squirrels; 
nuiskrat,  mink,  weasel,  porcupine,  field  mouse,  deer  mouse,  common  rat  and 
mouse."  The  bear  was  specially  fond  of  young  pigs  and  strawberries.  In 
the  season  the  bear  would  steal  out  in  the  meadows  where  were  the  patches 
of  wild  strawberries  and  pick  them  by  the  hour  together.  He  mentions  of 
birds,  "the  bald  and  gray  eagle,  the  hen  hawk,  fish  hawk,  pigeon  hawk,  night 
hawk,  the  Avhite,  screech  and  cat  owl;  swan,  wild  goose,  black  duck,  mallard, 
wood  duck,  sheldrake,  teal,  butter-bolt,  loon,  dipper,  water  hen  or  coot, 
plover,  jacksnipe,  sand  snipe,  kingfisher,  turkey,  pheasant,  partridge,  quail, 
woodcock,  rail,  pigeon,  dove,  w'hippoorwill,  robin,  thrush,  catbird,  cuckoo, 
lark,  oriole,  blue  jay,  fieldfare  or  red-breasted  grostieak,  martin,  the  barn 
swallow,  bank  swallow,  chimney  sw^allow,  bluebird,  wren,  cowbird,  bobo- 
link or  reed  bird,  yellow  bird,  redbird,  blackbird,  redwing,  starling,  black  or 
large  woodpecker,  red-headed  woodpecker,  gray  woodpecker,  flicker,  cedar- 
bird  or  toppy,  crookbill,  green  bird,  humming  bird,  and  a  variety  of  small 
birds."  The  snakes  which  he  mentions  "are  the  black  and  yellow  rattle- 
snake, the  water  snake,  a  large  black  snake,  the  small  black  snake  wath  a 
white  ring  about  its  neck,  the  garter  snake,  the  green  snake  and  the  adder." 

"The  gnat  was  the  most  troublesome  pest  to  the  first  settlers;  so  small 
as  to  be  almost  invisible,  yet  so  tormenting  by  its  sting  as  to  render  it  nearly 
impossible  during  morning  and  evening  hours  or  cloudy  days^  in  the  sum- 
mer season,  to  do  an}-  such  work  as  hoeing,  weeding  or  milking  without 
suffering  great  agony.  In  vain  were  attempts  to  sleep  unless  close  to  the 
entrance  of  the  cabin  the  customary  protection  of  a  smouldering  fire  of  chips 


192  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

was  provided  ere  retiring.  The  wood-tick  was  another  of  these  insect 
nuisances  with  which  the  pioneers  had  to  contend.  Although  these  insects 
were  troublesome  to  horses  and  cattle,  their  chief  plague  was  the  large  horse 
fly,  which  drove  them  in  from  the  woods  every  clear  day  about  eight  or 
nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  either  smoke  or  stable  were  necessary  to 
protect  them  until  evening.  Exposed  horses  died  under  the  infliction 
through  pain  and  loss  of  l)lood.  Fires  were  made  of  rotten  wood  and  chips 
and  the  cattle  would  run  in  as  the  morning  advanced  and  hold  their  heads 
and  necks  in  the  smoke  with  self-protecting  instinct.  But  as  the  forest  was 
cut  down  and  clearings  became  larger  these  insect  pests  disappeared." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


THE  JUDICIARY. 


THROUGHOUT  the  counties  of  western  Pennsylvania  the  court- 
house was  the  first  and  often  the  only  pul^hc  building  erected  in  the 
county.  These  first  courthouses  were  not,  it  is  true,  very  elaborate 
buildings,  but  they  are  enshrined  in  memories  that  the  present  can  never 
know.  They  were  not  confined  alone  to  the  special  business  of  the  courts,  but 
were  made  general  use  of  l^y  the  community.  They  were  so  constantly  in 
use,  day  and  night,  when  the  court  was  in  session  and  when  it  was  not  in 
session,  for  judicial,  religious,  poHtical  and  social  purposes,  that  the  doors 
of  the  pioneer  courthouses  stood  open  constantly  and  the  amount  in- 
vested- in  those  old  hewn  logs  and  rough  benches  returned  a  much  better 
.  rate  of  interest  on  the  investment  than  do  those  stately  piles  of  brick  and 
granite  that  have  taken  their  places.  School  was  taught,  the  gospel  was 
preached  and  justice  was  dispensed  within  the  rough-hewn  walls  of  the  early 
courthouse,  and  as  it  was  a  building  adapted  to  a  multitude  of  purposes,  it 
had  a  career  of  great  usefulness.  Frequently  it  served  as  the  resting  place 
of  wearied  travelers,  and  the  old  people  of  the  settlement  went  there  to  dis- 
cuss their  own  affairs  and  hear  the  news  of  the  outside  world  from  the  visit- 
ing attorneys.  The  courtroom,  in  addition  to  its  regular  uses  as  courtroom, 
schoolroom,  church  and  town  hall,  became  a  sort  of  forum  where  all  classes 
of  citizens  went  for  the  purpose  of  gossiping  and  hearing  and  telling  the 
news. 

During  the  first  years  of  the  settlement  of  the  valley  of  French 
Creek,  before  the  enforcement  of  the  law  had  begun,  the  settlers  did  not  al- 
ways live  with  one  another  in  all  the  peace  and  harmony  of  the  golden  age. 
Fierce  disputes  and  bitter  differences  of  opinion  often  occurred,  and  these 
were  settled  sometimes  by  the  first  method  of  determining  contests  known 
to  the  common  law— that  is  to  say,  by  physical  trial  of  strength— and  some- 
times by  referring  the  question  under  discussion  to  the  judgment  of  the  first 
13  193 


194  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

person  who  might  pass  Ijy  for  arbitration.  William  Miles,  of  Union  City, 
often  related  during  his  lifetime  an  instance  of  this  kind  of  arbitration,  which 
was  then  in  practice.  He  stated  that  the  first  time  he  visited  Meadville  he 
was  traveling  with  a  companion  on  foot,  each  wearing  a  heavy  knapsack. 
Near  the  upper  end  of  Water  Street  they  came  upon  two  men  in  hot  conten- 
tion about  a  corn  field  which  one  had  agreed  to  cultivate  for  the  other. 
They  were  David  ]Mead  and  John  Wentworth,  and,  being  unable  to  agree, 
they  immediately  referred  the  case  to  the  two  travelers  for  their  decision. 
They  unslung  their  knapsacks,  upon  which  they  seated  themselves,  and 
having  thus  improvised  a  bench  of  justice  they  heard  the  statement  of  each 
of  the  parties.  After  a  short  deliljeration  they  rendered  a  judgment,  put  on 
their  knapsacks  and  continued  their  journey.  Mr.  Miles  concluded  his 
narrative  by  saying  that  "both  the  litigants  were  perfectly  satisfied,"  a  state 
of  affairs  not  always  arrived  at  by  the  more  complicated  trials  of  to-day. 

One  of  the  first  two  commissioned  justices  of  the  peace  in  northwestern 
Pennsylvania  was  David  Mead,  and  therefore  to  him  was  committed,  as  sole 
magistrate  of  what  is  now  Crawford  County,  the  enforcement  of  the  laws  of 
the  Commonwealth.  One  of  the  first  cases  on  his  docket  was  an  action  of 
debt,  in  which  he  himself  was  plaintiff  and  Robert  Fitz  Randolph  defendant. 
Very  unfortunately,  however,  it  happened  that  when  the  Governor  gave  the 
people  a  justice  he  forgot  to  give  the  justice  a  constable,  and  thereby  arose 
a  difficulty  which  would  have  puzzled  one  of  our  modern  conservators  of  the 
peace  and  collectors  of  debts.  Not  to  be  deterred  by  such  a  difficulty.  Jus- 
tice :\Iead  issued  the  summons  and  served  it  on  the  defendant  himself. 
When  the  day  of  hearing  came  a  trial  was  had  and  judgment  rendered  for 
the  plaintiff  for  the  amount  of  his  claim.  Determined  that  no  mere. tech- 
nicality should  defeat  the  ends  of  justice,  he  then  issued  an  execution  and 
served  it  himself  by  levying  on  one  of  the  horses  of  the  defendant.  He  then 
advertised  the  property  for  sale,  posted  the  notices  himself,  and  when  the  day 
of  sale  came  put  up  the  horse  and  bought  it  in  himself  and  paid  the  surplus 
money  over  to  the  defendant. 

This  multiplicity  of  duties  was  not  unusual  in  the  newly  settled  coun- 
ties of  the  west,  and  the  officials  looked  more  to  the  enforcement  of  the 
law  than  the  particular  forms  by  which  it  was  executed.  The  scales  were 
usually  held  with  an  even  hand.  Those  who  presided  often  knew  every  man 
in  the  countv,  and  they  dealt  out  substantial  justice,  and  the  broad  prin- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  195 

ciples  of  natural  equity  were  followed  as  closely  as  their  powers  of  discern- 
ment would  allow. 

Until  the  erection  of  the  old  log  courthouse  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Diamond,  in  1804,  the  sessions  of  the  courts  of  Crawford  County  were  held 
in  the  upper  story  of  the  residence  of  William  Dick,  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  Water  Street  and  Cherry  Alley.  This  building  was  erected  by  Mr.  Dick 
in  1798  and  stood  until  recently.  The  prothonotary's  of^ce  was  in  the 
second  story  of  a  Iniilding  which  stood  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Water 
and  Center  Streets,  and  the  postoffice  was  on  the  first  floor  of  the  same 
structure.  The  jail  was  located  in  the  rear  room  of  a  log  house  on  the  south- 
west corner  of  Water  Street  and  Steer's  Alley,  then  owned  by  Henry  Rich- 
ard. In  1 80 1  a  high  post  fence  was  built  by  the  county  around  the  rear  of  the 
structures  to  inclose  a  jail  yard,  and  the  building  itself  somewhat  repaired 
and  strengthened.  The  front  part  of  the  building  was  occupied  by  a  tavern, 
where  those  attending  court  could  find  refreshment  for  man  and  beast. 

The  first  session  of  the  court  in  ]\Ieadville  was  held  by  David  Mead  in 
1800.  Its  jurisdiction  extended  over  the  newly  erected  counties  of  Craw- 
ford, Erie,  Warren,  Venango  and  Mercer,  all  of  which  were  organized  for 
judicial  purposes  under  the  name  of  Crawford  County.  Five  attorneys  were 
at  this  session  of  the  court  admitted  to  practice — Edward  Work,  Henry 
Baldwin.  Steele  Semple,  George  Armstrong  and  Thomas  Collins.  The  time 
of  the  court  during  this  session  was  principally  devoted  to  the  work  of  erect- 
ing townships,  issuing  licenses  and  appointing  justices  of  the  peace,  con- 
stables, supervisors  and  overseers  of  the  poor.  Following  is  the  record  of 
this  session:  "At  a  Court  of  Common  Pleas  held  and  kept  at  Meadville,  for 
the  county  of  Crawford,  the  seventh  day  of  July,  Anno  Domini,  one  thou- 
sand eight  hundred,  before  David  Mead  and  John  Kelso,  judges  present,  and 
from  thence  continued  by  adjournment  until  the  ninth  day  of  the  same 
month,  inclusive." 

William  H.  Davis,  in  a  lecture  on  the  history  of  Crawford  County,  de- 
livered in  1848,  tells  the  following  anecdote  of  an  event  which  occurred  at 
this  first  session:  "The  first- court  ever  held  in  the  county  of  Crawford  was 
in  the  year  1800,  Judges  Mead  and  Kelso  presiding.  Having  a  court,  it  was 
also  necessary  that  they  should  have  a  jail.  The  building  used  for  that  pur- 
pose was  somewhat  better  than  the  one  proposed  for  the  same  purpose  at 
the  first  court  held  in  Butler  County,  as  reported  by  Breckenridge  in  his 


196  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

'Recollections  of  the  ^^'est,'  although  perhaps  it  was  not  any  more  safe.  It 
was  a  log  cabin  which  stood  where  the  back  part  of  the  present  residence  of 
Michael  H.  Bagley  now  is  [southwest  corner  of  Water  Street  and  Steer's 
Alley].  The  first  prisoner  who  was  its  occupant  was  put  in  for  contempt 
of  court.  He  was  trolling  forth  some  ditty  in  the  true  spirit  of  frontier 
liberty  immediately  in  front  of  the  room  occupied  by  the  court,  to  the  great 
annoyance  of  judges,  lawyers  and  suitors.  The  court  sent  the  sheriff  to 
silence  him.  The  person  requested  the  sheriff  to  take  a  trip  to  pandemon- 
ium, using  those  three  short  monosyllables  so  exj^ressive  of  a  direction  to 
visit  that  place,  and  kept  on  with  his  song.  For  this  contempt  the  court 
ordered  him  to  be  committed  to  jail.  He  was  accordingly  taken  by  the 
sheriff  and  placed  in  the  log  cabin,  Avhich  was  very  securely  locked.  But, 
unfortunately  for  the  court,  it  was  found  that  the  jail  'leaked.'  The  chim- 
ney to  this  cabin  was  an  old-fashioned  one,  built  of  sticks,  and  large  enough 
to  have  admitted  a  pair  of  horses.  The  prisoner  clambered  up  the  chimney 
on  the  inside  and  down  on  the  outside,  almost  as  easily  as  he  could  have  as- 
cended and  descended  a  ladder,  and  actually  marched  down  the  street  a  short 
distance  in  the  rear  of  the  sheriff  caroling  forth  his  song." 

Tlie  second  session  of  the  courts  of  Crawford  County  was  held  in  Oc- 
tober, 1800,  Hon.  Alexander  Addison  on  the  bench,  when  the  first  grand 
jury  of  Crawford  County  met.  being  composed  of  the  following  citizens: 
William  Hammond,  John  Williamson,  Aaron  Wright,  John  Little,  John 
Walker,  John  Davis,  Lewis  Dunn,  Abraham  W^illiams,  Archibald  Davidson, 
Jabez  Colt,  James  Herrington,  William  Clark,  James  Fitz  Randolph,  Nathan 
Williams,  Thomas  Campbell,  James  Ouigley,  William  Armstrong  and  John 
Patterson.  Seven  indictments  were  found  by  this  graixl  jury — one  for 
larceny,  two  for  assault  and  battery,  one  for  forcible  entry  and  detainer,  and 
three  for  riot — which  fairly  demonstrates  that  the  pioneer  fathers  readily 
took  the  law  into  their  own  hands.  In  fact,  the  large  majority  of  the  cases 
jjrought  before  the  courts  during  the  early  years  of  the  settlement  were 
those  necessary  to  restrain  the  rougher  element,  a  state  of  affairs  not  un- 
common in  a  newly  settled  country.  The  second  grand  jury,  composed  of 
nineteen  representative  citizens,  met  on  Jan.  5,  1801. 

On  the  6th  of  January,  1801,  the  first  trial  by  jury  in  Crawford  County 
took  place.  The  case  was  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  vs.  Hugh 
Johnston,  indicted  by  the  inquest  of  October,  1800,  for  assault  and  battery 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  197 

on  the  body  of  John  Sherman.  Hon.  Alexander  Addison  presided  dnring 
the  trial,  the  jury  being  composed  of  Robert  Stitt,  James  Dickon,  Alexander 
McNair,  William  Herriott,  Theodorus  Scowden,  Joshua  Hale,  Alexander 
Dunn,  Lawrence  Clancy,  Hugh  Montgomery,  George  McGunnigle.  Robert 
Bailey  and  Robert  Kilpatrick,  who  returned  a  verdict  of  not  guilty. 

The  bench  and  bar  contained  many  men  of  eloquence  and  learning 
when  the  settlement  was  young  and  isolated,  and  legal  science  flourished 
with  a  \-igor  unusual  in  rude  societies.  Many  curious  incidents  are  still  re- 
lated, produced  by  the  collision  of  such  opposite  characters  and  the  gen- 
erally unsettled  state  of  the  country.  In  those  days — when  the  country 
was  thinly  settled,  the  people  poor  and  the  fees  correspondingly  small — the 
practice  of  the  law  was  a  very  different  business  from  what  it  is  now.  The 
lawyers  were  obliged  to  practice  in  a  dozen  different  counties  in  order  to 
gain  a  livelihood,  and  some  of  them  were  away  from  their  homes  and  offices 
more  than  half  the  time.  They  traveled  on  borseliack  from  one  county  seat 
to  another,  carrying  their  legal  papers  and  a  few  law  books  in  their  saddle 
bags.  A  number  of  lawyers  usually  rode  the  circuit  together  and  had  their 
regular  stopping  places.  Here  they  were  usually  expected  and  on  their  ar- 
rival they  made  havoc  with  the  chickens,  dried  apples,  maple  sugar,  corn 
dodgers  and  old  whisky,  while  the  story  tellers  of  the  company  regaled  them 
with  their  choicest  humor  and  anecdotes. 

The  Court  of  Common  Pleas  was  held  by  the  president  judge,  aided 
by  two  associate  judges — usually  farmers  of  good  standing — until  May,  1839, 
when  the  accumulated  business  in  Crawford,  Erie,  Mercer  and  Venango 
Counties  led  to  the  erection  of  a  District  Court.  Hon.  James  Thompson,  of 
Venango,  was  appointed  to  the  District  judgeship,  and  filled  the  position 
until  :\Iay,  1845.  The  term,  which  at  first  was  for  five  years,  was  extended 
one  year  at  the  request  of  the  bar.  Before  the  constitution  of  1838  all  judges 
were  commissioned  to  serve  for  life,  but  that  instrument  limited  the  terms 
of  president  judges  to  ten  years  and  of  associate  judges  to  five  years.  The 
first  election  of  judicial  officers  by  the  people  occurred  in  October,  1851, 
previous  to  which  time  l)Oth  president  judges  and  associate  judges  were  ap- 
pointed by  the  Governor.  The  office  of  additional  law  judge  was  created 
in  1856  and  expired  by  the  operation  of  the  constitution  of  1873.  Hon. 
David  Derickson,  of  Crawford  County,  was  the  first  to  hold  this  office.  The 
associate  judgeship  was  abolished  by  the  same  instrument,  and  since  that 


198  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

time  the  entire  duties  of  the  court  have  been  performed  by  the  president 
judge.  All  district  judges  in  the  Commonwealth  are  elected  for  a  term  of 
ten  years. 

The  sixth  judicial  district  was  composed  of  Crawford  and  Erie  Counties 
until  1870,,  when  they  were  separated,  and  Crawford  was  created  as  the 
thirtieth.  Walter  H.  Lowrie  was  elected  the  same  year  as  the  first  president 
judge  of  the  new  district.  The  following  have  served  as  presiding  judges 
over  the  several  districts  in  which  Crawford  County  has  been  incorporated: 
Alexander  Addison,  1791-1803;  Jesse  Moore,  1803-1825;  Henry  Shippen, 
1825-1839;  Nathaniel  B.'^Eldred,  1839-1843;  Gaylord  Church,  1843-1851; 
John  Galbraith,  1851-1860;  Rasselas  Brown,  appointed  to  fill  a  vacancy 
caused  by  the  death  of  Judge  Galbraith,  i860;  Samuel  P.  Johnson,  1860- 
1870;  Walter  H.  Lowrie,  1870-1876;  S.  N.  Pettis,  appointed  to  fill  a  vacancy 
caused  by  the  death  of  Judge  Lowrie,  1876- 1878;  Pearson  Church,  1878- 
1888;  John  J.  Henderson,  1888- 1898;  Frank  J.  Thomas,  1898. 

David  Derickson  served  as  additional  law  judge  from  1856  to  1866, 
being  succeeded  b\'  John  P.  ^'incent.  who  filled  the  office  until  it  was  abol- 
ished by  the  constitution  of  1873.  James  Thompson  was  the  onlj'  District 
judge,  serving  six  years.  Four  president  judges,  Jesse  IMoore,  Henry 
Shippen.  John  Galbraith  and  Walter  H.  Lowrie,  have  died  in 
office.  One  president  judge,  Hon.  Alexander  Addison,  wa§  im- 
peached and  removed  from  office  on  account  of  his  absolute  refusal 
to  allow  one  of  the  associate  judges  to  charge  the  jury  after  his 
own  charge  had  been  delivered.  "Judge  Addison,"  says  Mr.  Hall,  of 
Pittsburg,  in  writing  of  our  first  president  judge,  '"possessed  a  fine  mind  and 
great  attainments.  He  was  an  accomplished  scholar,  deeply  versed  in  every 
branch  of  classical  learning.  In  law  and  theology  he  was  great;  but,  al- 
though he  explored  the  depths  of  science  with  unwearied  assiduity,  he  could 
sport  in  the  sunbeams  of  literature  and  cull  with  nice  discrimination  the 
gems  of  poetry." 

Two  of  the  judges  of  Crawford  County  have  been  promoted  to  seats  on 
the  Supreme  bench  of  the  State.  James  Thompson  was  in  1856  elected  one 
of  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  held  the  position  the  full  term  of 
fifteen  years,  the  last  five  years  presiding  as  chief  justice.  In  1858  Gaylord 
Church  was  appointed  a  Supreme  judge  to  fill  a  vacancy  caused  by  the 
resignation  of  one  of  the  members  of  the  court,  but  he  retained  the  place 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  199 

for  a  brief  period  only.  Nathaniel  B.  Eldred,  who  resigned  the  judgeship 
in  1843,  was  appointed  naval  appraiser  of  Philadelphia  and  was  afterward 
appointed  judge  of  the  Dauphin  district. 

From  the  organization  of  the  county  until  the  office  was  abolished  by 
the  constitution  of  1873  there  were  two  associate  judges  to  assist  the  presi- 
dent judge.  These  were  appointed  by  the  Governor  until  1851,  when  the 
oflfice  was  made  elective.  The  men  who  filled  these  positions  were  in  every 
instance  either  substantial  farmers  or  intelligent  business  men.  as  it  was  not 
necessary  for  them  to  be  learned  in  the  law.  ^^'illiam  Davis  and  Edward  H. 
Chase  were  the  last  to  hold  the  office  of  associate  judge,  being  elected  in 
1873.  The  latter  died  before  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office,  the  former 
serving  until  1878.  The  office  now  known  as  district  attorney  was  until 
1850  known  by  the  title  of  deputy  attorney  general,  and  the  incumbents 
were  appointed  by  the  attorney-general  of  the  Commonwealth.  In  1850 
the  office  was  made  elective  and  the  title  changed  to  district  attorne}-. 
Phili])  \Mllett  is  the  present  incumbent. 

A  history  of  the  judiciary  of  Crawford  Count}-  would  be  incomplete 
without  a  short  sketch  of  those  who  were  prominent  in  organizing  the  first 
court.  Hon.  David  Ivlead,  one  of  the  associate  judges  of  the  court  held  in 
July,  1800,  and  the  leading  sjiirit  in  the  pioneer  settlement  on  French  Creek, 
will  be  found  fully  spoken  of  in  another  chapter.  Hon.  John  Kelso,  the 
other  associate  judge,  was  a  pioneer  settler  in  Erie  County  and  was  thor- 
oughly identified  with  its  early  settlement.  He  occupied  a  prominent  place 
in  its  civil  and  military  history,  being  a  brigadier-general  of  militia  in  the 
war  of  1812. 

Hon.  Henry  Baldwin  was  a  native  of  Connecticut  and  graduated  at 
Yale  College  in  1797.  He  read  law  in  Philadelphia,  but  came  to  Meadville 
in  1800  and  assisted  in  organizing  the  first  court,  being  one  of  the  first  to  be 
admitted  to  practice  before  it.  About  1804  Judge  Baldwin  removed  to 
Pittsburg,  and  in  1816  was  elected  to  Congress,  serving  continuously  in  that 
body  until  1828,  where  he  signalized  himself  as  a  champion  of  domestic 
manufactures,  being  conspicuous  as  the  chairman  of  that  committee.  In 
1830  President  Jackson,  with  whom  he  was  on  the  closest  terms  of  friend- 
ship, appointed  him  a  Supreme  judge  of  the  United  States,  which  position  he 
occupied  until  his  death.  He  returned  to  Meadville  in  1842  and  erected  the 
residence  on  the  Terrace  now  the  home  of  Hon.  William  Reynolds.  He  died 


200  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

while  at  court  in  Philadelphia,  in  1845.  Judge  Baldwin  was  a  jovial,  gen- 
erous and  high-minded  gentleman;  an  eminent  lawyer,  a  rough  but  powerful 
and  acute  speaker,  and  was  recognized  as  one  of  the  greatest  legal  lights  of 
his  day. 

Of  the  other  four  attorneys  admitted  at  the  first  session  of  the  court 
Steele  Semple,  Thomas  Collins  and  George  Armstrong  were  members  of  the 
Pittsburg  bar  who  rode  the  circuit  in  early  times.  jNIr.  Semple  was  a  man 
of  great  genius  and  was  regarded  by  his  contemporaries  as  a  prodigy  of 
eloquence  and  learning.  Edward  Work  was  for  many  years  a  resident  of 
Meadville  and  the  second  postmaster  of  the  village.  His  law  practice  here 
was  not  extensive,  and  he  removed  to  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  where  he  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  life. 

The  first  prothonotary  and  clerk  of  court  in  Crawford  County,  Dr. 
Thomas  Ruston  Kennedy,  deserves  mention  in  this  connection.  In  1794 
he  was  appointed  surgeon  of  Captain  Denny's  command  at  Fort  Le  Boeuf, 
and  located  at  ]\Ieadville  the  following  year,  being  doubtless  the  first  physi- 
cian to  settle  in  northwestern  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  great 
energy,  being-  identified  with  all  of  the  leading  enterprises  of  his  day  in  this 
portion  of  the  State.  He  died  at  Meadville  in  March.  1813.  Alexander 
Stewart,  of  Meadville,  was  the  first  sherift". 

The  bar  of  Crawford  County  gradually  increased  in  numbers  and  al- 
ways contained  some  members  who  stood  among  the  eminent  lawyers  of 
northwestern  Pennsylvania.  Alexander  \^^  Foster  was  a  prominent  and 
aljle  lawyer  who  came  to  Meadville  in  the  summer  of  1800  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  Octol:)er  of  that  year.  In  1804  he  ind  Roger  Alden  were  the 
principals  in  the  only  duel  ever  fought  in  Crawford  County.  The  meeting 
took  place  about  a  mile  and  a  half  below  Meadville,  on  the  banks  of  French 
Creek,  and  Major  Alden  was  wounded  in  the  encounter.  Mr.  Foster  after- 
ward removed  to  Pittsburg,  where  he  attained  a  high  standing  in  the  legal 
profession.  Col.  Ralph  Marlin  came  to  ]\Ieadville  in  1801,  having  been 
a  practicing  attorney  before  coming  here.  \\'hen  the  war  of  181 2  broke 
out  he  received  a  major's  commission  in  the  regular  army,  and  was  at  Erie 
during  the  building  of  Perry's  fleet  in  1813.  When  the  war  ended  he  re- 
signed his  commission  and  returned  to  Meadville.  was  a  member  of  the 
Legislature  from  1815  to  1818.  but  with  the  passing  years  became  somewhat 
dissipated  and  aljout  1826  removed  to  one  of  the  eastern  counties. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  201 

Hon.  Patrick  Farrelly  was  born  in  Ireland,  where  he  received  his  edu- 
cation. In  1798  he  came  to  America  and  settled  at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  where  he 
teg'an  the  stud}'  of  the  law.  In  1802  he  came  to  Meadville  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  law  the  next  year.  In  1805  he  was  appointed  register 
and  recorder  of  Crawford  County  and  afterward  clerk  of  the  Orphan's  Court. 
He  was  married  twice,  his  first  wife  being  a  daughter  of  General  David  Mead 
and  the  second  a  daughter  of  Timothy  Alden,  the  founder  and  first  president 
of  Allegheny  College.  He  was  chosen  as  a  member  of  the  Legislature  hi 
181 1,  served  as  major  of  militia  during  the  war  of  1812,  and  was  elected  to 
Congress  in  1820.  He  was  twice  re-elected,  and  died  at  Pittsburg  Feb. 
12,  1826,  while  on  his  way  to  ^^'ashington.  He  was  buried  in  the  Catholic 
cemetery  at  Pittsburg,  of  which  church  he  had  been  a  consistent  member 
throughout  life.  He  built  up  a  large  law  practice  in  Crawford  and  the  sur- 
rounding counties,  probably  the  largest  in  this  portion  of  the  Common- 
wealth. Probably  no  man  in  northwestern  Pennsylvania  at  the  time  of  his 
death  wielded  a  more  powerful  influence  in  the  political  affairs  of  the  State 
than  Patrick  Farrelly.  Possessing  a  brilliant  mind,  a  fine  classical  educa- 
tion and  high  legal  abilities,  and  being  a  clear,  graceful,  fluent  writer  and  a 
good,  forcible  speaker,  having  always  at  his  tongue's  end  an  abundance  of 
Irish  wit,  he  was  regarded  during  his  Congressional  career  as  one  of  the 
leading  members  of  the  United  States  House  of  Representatives. 

Hon.  Jesse  Moore  was  a  practicing  attorney  at  Sunbury,  Pa.,  when,  in 
1803,  he  was  appointed  president  judge  of  the  sixth  judicial  district.  He  re- 
moved to  Meadville  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office,  which  he  filled 
until  his  death  in  1824.  He  was  a  well-educated  man,  and  by  the  upright- 
ness and  impartiality  of  his  judicial  decisions  at  all  times  sustained  the  honor 
and  dignity  of  his  profession.  Col.' Richard  Bean  was  a  leading  member 
of  the  bar  at  this  time,  and  died  about  the  same  time  as  Judge  Moore.  R.  L. 
Potter  was  a  pioneer  lawyer  and  justice  of  the  peace  in  ]\Ieadville  and  was 
prominently  identified  with  the  early  improvements  of  the  town.  George 
Selden  came  to  Meadville  in  1819,  having  been  admitted  to  the  practice  of 
the  law  in  Philadelphia  two  years  before.  He  ranked  high  as  a  lawyer, 
but  devoted  so  much  of  his  attention  to  other  business  that  his  law  practice 
was  not  extensive.  He  removed  to  Pittsburg  in  1830.  returning  to  Mead- 
ville a  few  weeks  before  his  death  in  1835. 

John  B.  Wallace  was  l)orn  in  New  Jersey  anfl  read  law  with  his  uncle. 


202  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Hon.  John  Bradford,  at  one  time  attorney-general  of  the  United  States. 
Removing  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  married  a  sister  of  Hon.  Horace  Bin- 
ney,  he  practiced  law  there  until  1821,  when  he  came  to  Meadville.  He 
was  a  very  able  lawyer  and  became  eminent  in  the  profession,  acting  as  at- 
torney for  the  Holland  Land  Company  for  several  years.  Mr.  Wallace 
served  in  the  Legislature  from  183 1  to  1834.  He  took  a  deep  interest  in 
public  affairs  and  greatly  beautified  the  town  by  planting  a  row  of  trees 
around  the  Diamond. 

Hon.  David  Derickson,  born  in  Cumberland  County,  Pennsylvania, 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1823.  He  was  soon  afterward  appointed  deputy 
attorney  general,  which  office  he  filled  five  or  six  years.  In  1824  President 
Monroe  appointed  him  collector  of  internal  revenue  for  this  district,  and 
he  rapidly  established  a  remunerative  law  practice.  He  was  diligently  en- 
gaged in  the  successful  prosecution  of  his  profession  when  in  1856  he  was 
elected  additional  law  judge  for  the  district  composed  of  Crawford,  Erie 
and  ^^'arren  Counties,  and  served  on  the  bench  the  full  term  of  ten  years. 
Few  members  of  the  bar  could  boast  of  a  more  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
law  than  Judge  Derickson.  He  possessed  a  well-balanced,  judicial  mind, 
was  a  deep  student  and  logical  reasoner.  He  was  recognized  as  an  efficient 
judge  whose  charges  were  noted  for  impartiality.  In  1878  he  retired  from 
active  practice.  In  1884  the  degree  of  LL.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him 
by  Allegheny  College,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1821.  He  died  Aug.  13, 
1884,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six.  John  Stuart  Riddle  read  law  in 
Chambersburg  and  came  to  Meadville  about  1824.  He  was  a  successful 
lawyer  and  also  accumulated  considerable  wealth  as  a  land  speculator.  He 
died  while  on  a  visit  in  Philadelphia  about  1850. 

Hon.  Henry  Shippen  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Pa.,  where  he  read  law 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  had  graduated  from  Dickinson  College 
in  1808,  and  was  a  captain  in  the  war  of  1812,  James  Buchanan,  afterward 
President  of  the  United  States,  being  a  private  soldier  in  his  company.  He 
built  up  a  successful  practice  at  Lancaster,  afterwards  removing  to  Hunting- 
ton, where  he  followed  his  profession  until  1825,  when  he  was  appointed 
president  judge  of  the  district  composed  of  Crawford,  Erie,  Venango  and 
JNIercer  Counties.  He  presided  over  the  courts  of  this  district  until  his 
death  in  1839.  Judge  Shippen  was  recognized  as  a  man  of  good  mind  and 
strong  common  sense.     While  on  the  bench  he  displayed  those  legal  qual- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  203 

ities  which  distinguisli  the  tliorough  lawyer  and  able  jurist,  and  his  charges 
and  decisions  are  said  to  have  been  remarkable  for  their  justness  and  integ- 
rity. Samuel  Miles  Green  read  la\\'  in  Bellefonte,  Pa.,  where  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice,  removing  to  JMeadville  about  1825.  He  was  a  fair  lawver 
and  good  speaker,  but  did  not  make  a  success  in  his  Aleadville  practice. 

Hon.  John  W.  Farrelly,  son  of  Hon.  Patrick  Farrelly,  was  a  native  of 
]\Ieadville  and  a  graduate  of  Allegheny  College.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  1828  and  soon  took  a  leading  position  in  the  profession  and  obtained, 
a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  In  1837  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature, 
in  1842  to  the  State  Senate,  and  in  1846  to.  Congress,  serving  one  term  in 
each.  In  1849  President  Taylor  appointed  him  sixth  auditor  of  the  Treas- 
ury, which  office  he  filled  four  years.  Mr.  Farrelly,  like  his  father,  was  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  eminent  lawyers  of  Pennsylvania,  possessed  a  discrim- 
inating, technical  mind,  was  clear  in  his  ideas  and  correct  and  logical  in  his 
conclusions.  His  brother,  David  ^I.  Farrelly,  was  admitted  to  the  practice 
of  the  law  in  1830,  having  the  year  before  been  elected  register  and  re- 
corder of  Crawford  County.  He  was  a  member  of  the  constitutional  con- 
vention of  1837-38  and  ranked  high  in  his  profession. 

Hon.  Gaylord  Church,  born  in  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  in  181 1,  removed  with 
his  parents  to  Mercer  County  in  1816.  He  was  educated  in  Mercer,  where 
he  studied  law,  being  admitted  to  practice  la^w  in  1834.  The  same  year  he 
came  to  IMeadville,  where  he  opened  an  office.  In  1837  he  was  appointed 
deputy  attorney-general  for  the  Crawford  County  district,  and  in  1840  was 
elected  to  the  Legislature.  He  was  appointed  president  judge  of  the  sixth 
judicial  district  in  1843  and  served  until  the  ofifice  was  made  elective,  in 
185 1.  Judge  Church  returned  to  the  practice  of  the  law,  to  which  he  ap- 
plied himself  with  diligence,  but  was  in  1858  appointed  to  fill  a  vacancy  on 
the  Supreme  bench  of  the  State,  which  he  occupied  only  a  short  time. 
Judge  Church  was  thoroughly  versed  in  the  law,  was  an  excellent  lawyer 
and  an  efficient  judge.     His  death  occurred  in  1869. 

Hon.  Hiram  L.  Richmond  was  born  in  Chautauqua  County,  New  York, 
and  came  to  Meadville  in  1834.  He  spent  two  years  at  Allegheny  College, 
after  which  he  read  law  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1838.  He  opened 
an  office  in  Meadville  and  gradually  gained  an  extensive  and  lucrative 
practice  which  with  the  passing  years  increased  with  the  growth  and  pros- 
perity of  the  county.      In  1872  he  was  elected  to  Congress.     Mr.  Richmond 


204 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


was  known  tliroughout  the  district  as  a  fluent  talker,  a  hard  student  and  a 
good  lawyer.  William  H.  Davis,  a  native  of  Meadville.  was  admitted  to 
practice  law  in  1838.  He  was  a  man  of  determined  character  and  great 
tenacity  of  purpose,  of  fine  education  and  a  good  law-yer.  Mr.  Davis  was 
of  a  literary  turn  of  mind,  and  in  1848  gave  a  lecture  on  the  history  of 
Cra\\'ford  County  which  was  replete  with  information  of  early  events  of  this 
locality.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion  he  entered  the  army,  and  at 
the  close  of  his  service  removed  to  Illinois. 

Hon.  Darwin  A.  Finney  was  another  prominent  attorney  of  the  Craw- 
ford County  bar.  He  was  born  in  Vermont  in  1814  and  came  to  Meadville 
about  1840.  He  was  graduated  at  Allegheny  College,  and  read  law  in  the 
office  of  Hon.  H.  L.  Richmond.  He  served  in  the  State  Senate  from  1856 
to  1861,  and  in  1866  was  elected  to  Congress.  Before  the  expiration  of 
his  term  in  Congress  he  went  to  Europe  to  try  to  recuperate  his  health, 
where  he  died  in  1868.  He  was  a  very  able  lawyer  and  had  a  fine  analytical 
mind  and  was  regarded  by  his  brother  attorneys  as  an  ornament  to  the  pro- 
fession. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  attorneys  of  Crawford  County  now  in  active 
practice,  with  the  date  of  their  admission  to  the  bar: 


G.  W.  Hecker.  Feb.  13,  1845. 

A.  B.  Richmond,  Apr.  5,  1848. 

S.  Newton  Pettis.  Nov.  I4,   1848. 
D.  C.  McCoy.  Aug.  9.  1853- 
Joshua  Douglass.  Apr.  4,  1854. 

B.  B.  Pickett,  Feb.  14,  1855. 
Myron  Park  Davis,  Nov.  23,  1859. 
James  W.  Smith,  Apr.  9,   1862. 
Frank  P.  Ray,  Aug.  11,  1862. 

D.  T.  McKay.  Sr..  Aug.  11,  1862. 
J.  N.   McCloskey.  Aug.   17,   1866. 
Geo.  W.  Haskins,  Aug.  22,  1867. 
Jolm  J.  Henderson,  Aug.  22,  1867. 

C.  M.  Boush,  June  11,  1868. 
Geo.  A.  Chase,  June  13,  1S68. 
C.  W.  Tyler,  June  23,  1868. 
Julius  Byles,  June  14,  1869. 
Thomas  Roddy,  July  6,   1870. 
James  P.  Colter,  Aug.  14,  1871. 
H.  J.  Humes,  Nov.  11,  1871. 
Geo.  F.  Davenport,  Apr.  17,  1872. 


Jas.  R.  Andrews.  May  16.  1884. 
W.  W.  Henderson.  Sept.  28,  1885. 
Otto  Kohler,  Sept.  28.  1885. 
Wesley  B.  Best,  May  11.  1886. 
John  A.  Northam.  May   11,  1886. 
Charles  K.   Richmond.  May  11.   18 
Sidney  R.   Miller.  Nov.  30,   1886. 
C.  W.  Benedict,  Jan.  10,  1887. 
Isaac  Monderau,  May  20,  1887. 
Eugene  Mackey,  March  19,  1889. 
Sion  B.  Smith,  May  16,  1889. 
Otto  A.  Stolz,  Nov.  18,  1889. 
John  E.  Reynolds,  Nov.  21.  1890. 
B.  B.  Pickett.  Jr..  May  20,  1891. 
Jules  A.  C.  Dubar.  Sept.  22,  1891. 
Willis  R.  Vance,  May  20,  1892. 
P.  C.  Sheehan,  Dec.   14.   1892. 
Philip  Willett,  Dec.  14.  1892. 
John  L.  Emerson,  Dec.  14.  1892. 
Terrence  Henratta,  Sept.   10,  1894. 
Curtis  L.  Webb,  Sept.  ic,  1894. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  205 

M.  C.  Powers,  June  ii,  1872.  Geo.  Frank  Brown.  Feb,  25,  1S95. 

A,  G.  Richmond,  Aug.  6,  1873.  Manley  O.  Brown,  Feb.  25,   1895, 

Alfred  G.  Church,  Aug.  16,  1875.  Geo.  W.  Porter,  Oct,  14,  1895. 

John  O.  AlcChntock,  Sept.  18,  1875.  Walter  Irving  Bates,  Nov.  25,  1895. 

M.  J.  Heywang,  Nov.  17,  1875.  John  Schuler,  Nov.  25,  1895. 

Samuel  Grumbine,  Nov.   17,  1875.  Chester  L.  Kerr,  June  2,   1896.                  , 

James  D.  Roberts,  Aug.  14,  1876.  A.  M.  Fenner.  June  2,  i8g6. 

F.   H.  Davis,  Feb,  24,  1881.  Thos.  A.   Prather,  June  2,   1896. 

R.  G.  Graham,  July  14,  1881.  George  Bryan,  Sept.  14,  i8g6. 

L.   H.   Landerbaugh,  Sept.  27,   1881,  Sidney  A.  Schwartz.  Sept.  28,  1896. 

Arthur  L.  Bates,  Sept,  25,  1882.  Hugh  G.  McKay,  May  26,  1897. 

Gilbert  .A.  Nodine,  Nov.  26,  1883.  Clinton  M.  Dickey,  May  31,  1898, 

E.  W.   McArthur.  Feb.  25,   1884, 


CHAPTER  XVII 


CRAWFORD    COUNTY    EDUCATION. 


M 


R.  JUSTICE  WASHINGTON,  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States,  in  an  opinion  dehvered  upon  settlers' 
titles  in  Crawford  County,  uses  the  following  language:  "It  is 
clearly  proved  that  this  country  during  this  period  was  exposed  to  the  re- 
peated eruptions  of  the  enemy  [Indians],  killing  and  plundering  such  of  the 
whites  as  they  met  with  in  defenseless  situations.  We  find  the  settlers 
sometimes  working  out  in  the  daytime  in  the  neighborhood  of  forts  and 
returning  at  night  within  their  walls  for  protection;  sometimes  giving  up  the 
pursuit  in  despair,  and  returning  to  the  settled  parts  of  the  country;  then 
returning  to  this  country,  and  again  abandoning  it.  We  sometimes  meet 
\\ith  a  few  men  daring  and  hardy  enough  to  attempt  the  cultivation  of  their 
lands;  associating  implements  of  husbandry  with  the  instruments  of  war — 
the  character  of  the  husbandman  with  that  of  the  soldier." 

In  this  picture,  drawn  by  the  skillful  hand  of  Judge  Washington,  from 
indubitable  testimony  in  the  case  before  him,  we  perceive  the  difSculties  and 
hardships  and  dangers  under  which  the  early  settlers  labored  to  establish 
themselves  in  this  then  wilderness,  and  may  fairly  infer  the  resolute  purpose 
with  which  they  were  inspired.  From  the  summer  of  1787,  when  John 
and  David  Mead  first  visited  this  section,  the  very  period  when  the  conven- 
tion met  which  framed  the  constitution  of  the  United  States,  to  the  spring  of 
1 791,  there  was  comparative  quiet  among  the  Indians,  the  chiefs  Cone- 
daughta  and  Half  Town  and  their  followers  being  friendly  to  the  whites. 
In  the  year  1791  two  armies  of  the  United  States,  the  one  under  Harmer  and 
the  second  under  St.  Clair,  were  in  succession  defeated  by  the  Indians,  and, 
being  whetted  in  their  trade  of  blood  by  their  success,  white  settlements 
were  everywhere  menaced  by  their  dusky  foes.  In  this  and  the  two  following 
years  several  cold-blooded  murders  were  perpetrated.     It  was  with  the  fore- 

206 


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Manuscript  Letter  by  Thaddeus  Stevens,  in  1864. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  207 

horling-s  of  evil  that  the  settler  went  to  the  field  and  along  with  the  ax,  the 
hoe  or  the  scythe  was  carried  the  musket  and  the  powder  horn,  and  eager 
glances  were  often  cast  towards  the  humble  cottage,  where  were  the  busy 
feet  of  the  young  wife  and  the  cradle  of  the  sweet-lipped  babe. 

For  protection  David  Mead  erected  on  the  site  of  the  present  residence 
of  James  E.  McFarland  a  double  log  house,  the  first  building  in  the  limits 
of  Meadville,  which  was  so  built  as  to  be  capable  of  defense  against  small 
arms.  This  house  was  occupied  by  the  company  of  twenty-four  men  sent 
under  Ensign  Bond,  in  the  spring  of  1793,  by  Gen.  Anthony  Wayne,  who 
had  succeeded  to  the  command  of  the  army  sent  against  the  Indians.  But 
Wayne,  contemplating  active  operations,  soon  ordered  this  detachment 
away.  Early  in  the  following  year,  being  unable  to  secure  any  military 
force  for  their  protection,  the  settlers  determined  to  unite  for  their  own 
safety,  and  organized  themselves  into  a  militia  company,  choosing  Cornelius 
Van  Home  their  captain,  and  built  a  blockhouse  for  rendezvous  and  de- 
fense just  north  of  the  Eagle  Hotel.  It  was  two  stories  in  height,  the  second 
l)rojecting  over  the  first,  was  surmounted  by  a  watch  tower,  was  loopholed 
for  musketrj'  and  provided  with  a  small  cannon.  It  served  as  a  rallying 
point  in  times  of  danger,  and  here,  as  was  natural,  being  the  most  secure 
place,  was  the  first  school — this  the  fountain  head  of  instruction  in  Crawford 
County.  The  signal  victory  of  General  Wayne  over  the  Indians  on  the  20th 
of  August,  1794,  quieted  apprehension  and,  though  two  settlers  were  in- 
humanly murdered  and  scalped  in  June  of  the  following  year  within  six 
miles  of  Meadville,  yet  the  hostile  natives  rapidly  disappeared,  and  hence- 
forward'a  feeling  of  security  more  and  more  prevailed,  buildings  were  better 
and  erected  with  an  eye  to  permanence,  and  the  foresight  to  make  substan- 
tial provision  for  the  education  of  the  oncoming  generation  now  began  to  be 
manifest. 

By  the  wise  foresight  of  some  Meadville  Solon,  by  whom  the  scheme 
was  doubtless  framed,  when  the  Legislature  passed  the  act  of  the  12th  of 
March,  1800,  providing  for  the  erection  of  the  counties  of  Beaver,  Butler, 
Crawford,  Mercer,  Venango,  Warren  and  Erie  out  of  portions  of  Westmore- 
land, Washington  and  Lycoming,  a  proviso  was  attached  to  that  portion  of 
the  act  defining  the  limits  of  Crawford,  which  fixed  the  county  seat  at  Mead- 
ville if  the  inhabitants  would  contribute  $4,000,  either  in  money  or  land,  to- 
wards the  founding  of  a  seminary  of  learning  in  the  county,  and  authority 


2o8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

was  given  to  locate  the  county  seat  within  four  miles  of  Meadville  if  the 
condition  was  not  complied  -with.  It  was  doubtless  difficult  to  raise  money 
for  institutions  of  learning  then  as  now,  but  the  man  who  conceived  that 
proviso  understood  human  nature  and  plainly  foresa^v  that  by  bringing  a 
pressure  to  bear  which  would  come  of  seeing  the  county  seat  liable  to  be  car- 
ried four  miles  away  he  would  surely  fetch  out  the  needed  resources.  It  was  a 
condition  intended  to  confer  lasting  benefit  and  secure  that  virtue  and  intelli- 
gence in  the  population  which  should  make  the  town  a  fit  place  for  the 
habitation  of  justice,  and  its  conception  evinced  a  foresight  and  pohtical 
wisdom  worthy  of  imitation  b}-  the  founders  of  States. 

David  I\Iead.  Frederick  Hamaker  and  James  Gibson  were  constituted 
trustees  for  the  county  and  empowered  to  receive  and  hold  in  trust  for  the 
benefit  of  the  contemplated  institution  property  of  any  description,  and  to 
sell  and  reinvest  in  such  manner  as  to  them  should  seem  judicious.  Gen- 
eral Mead  donated  to  the  town  for  educational  purposes  the  triangular  piece 
of  land  bounded  by  Water  and  Second  Streets  and  Steer's  Alley,  on  which 
-the  blockhouse  stood.  At  a  subsequent  period,  however,  this  ground  was 
transferred  to  the  female  seminary,  with  power  to  sell,  and  it  was  conveyed 
to  Thomas  Wilson.  It  may  be  observed",  in  passing,  that  this  blockhouse 
stood  until  1828,  when,  with  its  memories  of  Indian  warfare,  of  early  strug- 
gles and  the  initial  of  school  instruction,  it  vanished  before  the  hand  of  im- 
provement and  a  rickety  blacksmith  shop  took  its  place. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  passed  on  the  2d  of  April,  1802,  the  num- 
ber of  trustees  was  increased  and  more  ample  powers  w-ere  conferred  for  ac- 
quiring property  and  establishing  a  school,  and  by  the  act  of  April  4,  1805, 
their  numbers,  powers  and  duties  were  still  further  enlarged,  the  provision 
requiring  them  to  give  bonds  being  repealed.  In  the  meantime  ground  had 
been  acquired  at  the  corner  of  Chestnut  and  Liberty  Streets,  where  is  now 
the  residence  of  James  Davis,  occupied  by  the  Conservator}-  of  Music,  and 
in  the  fall  of  that  year  a  one-story  brick  building,  with  two  rooms,  was 
erected  thereon,  in  which  a  school  was  opened,  presided  over  by  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Stockton,  a  man  of  varied  accomplishments,  who  taught  the  ancient 
languages  and  purposed  maintaining  a  school  of  a  high  grade.  By  the  act 
authorizing  its  establishment  it  was  designated  the  Meadville  Academy. 
But,  in  that  early  day,  there  was  greater  demand  for  primary  than  for  sec- 
ondary or  higher  instruction.     It  soon  became  overcrowded  with  pupils  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  209 

all  grades,  those  who  had  contributed  towards  the  building  claiming  the 
right  to  send  their  children  of  every  degree  of  advancement.  Some  who  had 
thus  contributed  were  unable  to  gain  admission  on  account  of  its  crowded 
state,  and  after  the  exhibition  of  some  temper  withdrew  and  established  a 
school  for  themselves  in  Kerrtown.  As  population  gathered  in  different 
sections  of  the  county,  contiguous  families  employed  teachers  to  instruct 
their  children  for  a  few  months  in  the  year  in  such  rooms  as  could  be  se- 
cured, and  in  some  sections  small  schoolhouses  were  erected.  By  the  act  of 
the  24th  of  March,  1807,  Meadville  Acadeniy  ^vas  formally  incorporated, 
and  fifteen  trustees  were  constituted  a  quorum.  A  year  later,  28th  of 
March,  1808,  the  numljer  constituting  a  quorum  was  reduced  to  eleven,  and 
the  act  of  incorporation  was  re\-i\-ed,-  from  whicli  we  may  infer  that  it  had 
been  suffered  to  lapse. 

During  the  first  thirty-four  years  of  the  present  century,  the  means  of 
education  throughout  the  county  were  such  as  the  enterprise  and  foresight 
of  the  settlers,  burdened  with  ceaseless  toil,  and  beset  with  poverty,  prompted 
them  voluntarily  to  provide.  The  forest  had  to  be  leveled,  the  stubborn 
glebe  broken,  the  rough  places  made  even,  and  the  crooked  made  straight. 
The  family  had  to  be  clothed  and  fed.  and  provision  made  in  the  years  of 
plenty  for  the  years  of  famine ;  and  it  is  a  wonder,  amid  trials  so  great,  that 
the  subject  of  the  education  of  their  children  arrested  the  thought  of  the 
settler,  and  a  matter  of  pride  and  congratulation  that  the  generation  which 
grew  up  in  this  se\'ere  school  attained  to  so  good  a  degree  of  instruction 
knd  training  as  they  did.  It  was  the  good  seed  that  fell  on  good  ground, 
;\vhich  sprang  up  and  in  these  later  years  has  brought  forth  some  thirty, 
some  sixty,  and  some  an  hundred  fold. 

A  general  law  was  enacted  in  1809,  which  provided  for  the  education 

of  the  poor  gratis,  and  the  assessors  in  their  annual  levies  were  enjoined 

to  enroll  the  names   of  all  indigent  parents,   and   the  tuition   of  children 

of    such    parents  in  the  most  convenient  schools  was  provided  for  out  of 

the  county  treasury.     Under  this  law  the  Meadville  Academy  was  rechar- 

tered  by  act  of  March  20,  181.1,  and  $1,000  appropriated  on  condition  that 

It  should  instruct  five  indigent  pupils.     But  there  were  few  families  who 

were  willing  to  have  it  blazoned  upon  the  records  of  the  county  that  they 

were  too  poor  to  pay  the  tuition  of  their  children.     The  native  pride  and 
14 


210  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

self  respect  inherent  in  all  noble  souls  revolted  at  such  a  declaration,  and 
Thaddeus  Stevens  in  his  great  speech  in  the  House  of  Representatives  said 
that  such  a  law  as  that  instead  of  being  called  a  public  school  law  ought 
to  be  entitled:  "An  act  for  branding  and  marking  the  poor,  so  that  they 
may  be  known  from  the  rich  and  proud." 

Mr.  Stevens  was  greatly  excited  in  the  delivery  of  this  speech.  It  was 
a  trying  moment  for  the  interests  of  common  school  education.  The  battle 
cry  in  the  recent  election  had  been  opposition  to  tine  common  school  law 
which  had  been  passed  the  ye^r  before.  1834,  and  an  overwhelming  majority 
had  been  elected  in  opposition  to  it.  He  left  his  seat  and  descended  into 
the  open  arena  in  front  of  the  speaker's  desk,  and  in  the  freedom  of  action 
which  he  there  had  he  poured  forth  such  burning  elocjuence  as  was  never 
heard  in  that  chamber  Ijefore.  Air.  Stevens  was  a  Whig,  and  Governor 
Wolf  was  a  Democrat,  but  was  in  favor  of  the  school  law.  In  the  course 
of  his  speech  Mr.  Stevens  said.  "I  have  seeii  the  present  chief  magistrate 
of  this  commonwealth  violently  assailed  as  the  projector  and  father  of 
this  law.  I  am  not  the  eulogist  of  that  gentleman:  he  has  been  guilty 
of  many  deep  political  sins:  but  he  deserves  the  undying  gratitude  of  the 
people  for  the  steady,  untiring  zeal  which  he  has  manifested  in  favor  of 
common  schools.  I  will  not  say  that  his  exertions  in  that  cause  have  cov- 
ered all,  but  they  have  atoned  for  many  of  his  errors.  I  trust  that  the  people 
of  this  State  will  never  be  called  on  to  choose  between  a  supporter  and  an 
opposer  of  free  schools.  But  if  it  should  come  to  that:  if  that  should  be 
the  turning  point  on  which  we  are  to  cast  our  suffrages;  if  the  opponent  of 
education  were  my  most  intimate  ]iersonal  and  political  friend,  and  the  free 
school  candidate  my  most  obnoxious  enemy.  I  should  deem  it  my  duty  as 
a  patriot,  at  this  moment  of  our  intellectual  crisis,  to  forget  all  other  con- 
siderations, AND  I  SHOULD  PLACE  MYSELF  UNHESITATINGLY 
AND  CORDIALLY  IN  THE  RANKS  OF  HIM  WHOSE  BANNER 
STREAMS  IN  LIGHT." 

I  have  been  informed  by  one  who  was  present  in  the  chamber  when 
this  impassioned  speech  was  delivered,  that  when  Mr.  Stevens,  with  all  the 
force  of  eloquence  of  which  he  was  capable,  uttered  the  words.  "I  should 
place  mvself  in  the  ranks  of  him  whose  banner  streams  in  light,"  the  whole 
vast  audience  was  moved  as  by  an  unseen  power,  and  burst  into  a  perfect 
storm  of  approval.     That  speech  saved  the  school  law,  and  that  burst  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  211 

eloquence  was  really  the  initial  point  from  which  our  school  law,  of  unex- 
ampled excellence,  had  its  origin. 

This  Act  of  1809  was  perhaps  the  best  that  could  be  done  for  the  time,  as 
population  was  too  sparse,  and  the  resources  too  slender  to  think  of  estab- 
lishing a  general  sj'steni  with  any  prospect  of  success.  In  many  parts  of 
the  State  it  was  taken  ad\'antage  of,  and  I  find  on  an  examination  of  the 
records  there  were  a  few  in  almost  all  the  old  townships  who  were  educated 
under  its  provisions.  But  as  population  and  wealth  increased,  and  there 
was  a  gradual  approach  to  the  possibility  of  a  public  system,  the  deleterious 
influence  of  this  system  was  more  and  more  apparent,  and  was  becoming 
day  by  day  stronger.  It  exerted  a  deadening  influence  upon  the  sensibili- 
ties of  the  people  as  to  the  \'alue  of  education,  and  during  the  progress  of 
the  quarter  of  a  centur\-  that  it  was  in  operation  a  lethargy  gradually  settled 
down  upon  them  that  required  a  herculean  effort  to  throw  off. 

But  in  1834.  through  the  firmness  and  resolution  of  Governors  Wolf 
and  Ritner,  and  the  sturdy  \-irtue  and  powerful  appeals  of  such  men  as 
Stevens  and  Breck  and  Dr.  Smith  and  Burrowes,  the  common  school  system 
• — free  alike  to  rich  and  poor,  the  high  and  the  low — was  firmly  established, 
and  from  that  day  to  this  has  been  increasing  in  strength,  and  power,  and 
perfection.  But  the  law  was  not  absolutely  imposed.  Its  acceptance  was 
left  to  a  vote  of  the  people.  That  first  vote  of  tlie  people  in  November, 
1834,  disclosed  singular  results.  There  were  in  the  State  987  districts,  and 
of  these  only  742,  but  a  trifle  more  than  three-fourths,  accepted  its  provi- 
sions. It  is  a  matter  of  pride  to  reflect  upon  that  not  one  of  the  twenty- 
seven  districts  of  Crawford  Count)'  rejected  the  free  school  system  when 
offered.     The  citizen  of  to-day  may  throw  up  his  hat  for  that. 

But  the  population  was  still  sparse,  the  people  for  the  most  part  very 
poor,  and  the  schools  at  first  had  to  ho.  economically  conducted.  It  was 
the  period  of  the  little  red  school  house  with  two  diminutive  windows  on  a 
side,  surmounted  by  a  little  cob  of  a  chimne}-.  Within  was  a  fire  upon  the 
hearth,  or  a  box  stove  in  the  center;  but,  there  are  many  who  have  become 
good  men  and  women,  and  not  wanting  in  integrity  and  the  best  graces 
of  head  and  heart,  who  were,  nevertheless,  nurtured  there.  Yea,  indeed,  along 
with  the  knotty  sums  in  arithmetic,  and  the  tangled  clauses  in  grammar, 
there  was  not  wanting  tender  sentiment  and  those  emotions  common  to 
the  youthful  maiden  and  the  blushing  boy  in  all  ages  and  climes;  and  while 


212  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  stern  master  in  his  innocence  believed  that  they  were  deep  in  the  intri- 
cacies of  their  lessons,  they  perchance  were  exchanging  the  sidelong  glance 
of  love. 

The  qualifications  of  the  teachers  of  that  day  were  in  the  main  quite 
limited.  Many  of  them  were  educated  in  the  old  country,  and  some  were 
capable  of  giving  good  instruction;  but  it  was  characterized  more  by  rigid 
discipline,  and  a  few  things  well  beaten  into  the  pupil,  than  by  breadth  of 
culture  or  liberality  of  view.  The  rod  was  looked  upon  as  an  indispensable 
element  in  successful  school  teaching.  As  a  type  of  the  school  of  that  day 
— the  uncompromising  severity  of  the  teacher,  and  the  stoical  temper  of 
the  boy — the  following  veritable  incident  may  be  taken:  In  a  school  taught 
in  a  rural  neighborhood  a  mile  or  two  out  from  the  city  of  Meadville,  over 
sixty  years  ago,  there  occurred  one  wintry  morning  some  misdemeanor, 
which,  on  being  traced  to  its  author — a  square  headed  chunk  of  a  boy — 
was  not  denied.  The  master  was  greatly  incensed  and  determined  that  his 
absolute  authority  and  mastership  must  be  vindicated.  He  takes  down  his 
hickory  rod,  he  draws  it  deliberately  through  the  hot  ashes  till  it  crackles, 
to  temper  it  and  insure  its  yielding  power :  he  summons  the  boy  onto  the 
floor,  and,  with,  that  rough  implement,  he  welts  and  whales  his  back  until 
that  formidable  rod  is  broken  and  broomed  past  possessing  any  pain  in- 
flicting power:  but,  through  it  all,  and  while  the  master  is  exhausting  his 
breath  and  strength,  that  boy  stands  unmoved,  not  shedding  a  tear,  nor 
uttering  a  whimper.  \\"hen  authority  has  been  sufficiently  asserted  the 
pupil  is  remanded  to  his  seat,  the  school  is  dismissed,  the  master  departs, 
and  the  boys,  with  subdued  step  and  softened  hearts,  gather  sympathetically 
around  the  fire  to  partake  of  their  midday  lunch.  The  boy  who  with  such 
fortitude  has  withstood  the  terrible  infliction,  casually  puts  his  hand  in  his 
pocket  and  draws  forth  the  fragment  of  a  stick  which  he  knew  not  was  there. 
He  examines  it  to  see  whence  it  came.  It  is  a  piece  of  the  identical  master's 
rod,  forced  there  b}-  his  powerful  I)lows.  He  regards  it  for  a  moment  in 
silence.  The  sight  of  that  ugly  fragment  is  too  much  for  him.  He  breaks 
forth  in  a  paroxysm  of  grief,  and  he  who  had  without  a  murmur  withstood 
the  painful  infliction,  is  completely  broken  down  by  this  significant  reminder, 
and  his  companions — moved  by  his  passion  and  touched  by  his  sorrow — 
mingle  their  tears  with  his.  The  circumstances  here  narrated  were  given 
me  by  a  citizen  of  Meadville,  now  a  gray-haired  man,  then  a  boy  who  wit- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  213 

nessed  the  punishment,  and  was  one  of  the  circle  who  sat  in  sympathy  with 
that  bold  youth  around  the  wintry  fire. 

The  schools  of  that  period  may  have  been  good  for  teaching  endurance 
with  an  unflinching  spirit,  and  what  was  lost  in  mental  insight  was  gained  in 
toughening  and  thickening  of  the  cuticle,  and  in  place  of  the  passion  for 
science  there  was  engendered  fear  of  the  rod  which  was  constantly  before 
their  eyes.  Indeed,  the  mental  fare  was  probably  in  an  inverse,  ratio  to  the 
belaboring  one.  Still,  the  instruction  may  have  been  as  good  as  could 
have  been  expected  for  the  compensation. 

I  have  said  that  it  recjuired  a  supreme  effort  to  lift  the  incubus  into 
which  the  system  of  1809  had  grown.  To  the  credit  of  our  State  be  it  re- 
corded that  for  the  accomplishment  of  that  purpose  the  leaders  of  all  parties 
— the  Democrats,  the  Whigs  and  the  anti-Masons — came  together  on  com- 
mon ground  and  joined  hands  for  a  common  good.  In  the  opinion  of 
many  James  Buchanan  was  guilty  of  political  sins;  but  there  was  one  senti- 
ment which  he  uttered  at  this  period  of  his  life  that  must  ever  stand  in 
letters  of  light.  It  was  in  a  speech  delivered  at  West  Chester  in  the  canvass 
preceding  Governor  Wolf's  first  election  in  1829.  Wolf  was  known  to  be  the 
staunch  friend  of  common  schools.  Mr.  Buchanan  said:  "If  ever  the  pas- 
sion of  envy  could  be  excused  a  man  ambitious  of  true  glor)%  he  might  al- 
most be  justified  in  envying  the  fame  of  that  favored  individual,  whoever  he 
may  be,  whom  Providence  intends  to  make  the  instrument  in  establishing 
common  schools  throughout  this  commonwealth.  His  task  will  be  ardu- 
ous. He  will  have  many  difficulties  to  encounter,  and  many  prejudices  to 
overcome;  but  his  fame  will  even  exceed  that  of  the  great  Clinton,  in  the 
same  proportion  that  mind  is  superior  to  matter.  Whilst  the  one  has 
erected  a  frail  memorial,  which,  like  everj^thing  human,  must  decay  and 
perish,  the  other  will  raise  a  monument  whiclj  shall  flourish  in  immortal 
youth,  and  endure  whilst  the  human  soul  shall  continue  to  exist.  'Ages 
unborn  and  nations  yet  behind'  shall  bless  his  memory." 

George  Wolf  was  a  Democrat.  He  was  succeeded  by  Ritner,  an  anti- 
Mason,  but  no  more  uncompromising  friend  of  the  school  system  ever  drew 
breath  than  Joseph  Ritner,  and  to  the  day  of  his  death  he  remained  the 
active  friend  and  promoter  of  public  schools.  When  the  normal  school  of 
this  district  was  recognized,  in  i860,  Governor  Ritner,  then  past  eighty  years 
of  age,  was  one  of  the  committee  appointed  to  examine  and  report  upon 


214  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

its  fitness,  and  made  the  long  journey  from  Cumlserland  County,  where  was 
his  home,  to  Edenboro,  and  manifested  in  the  discharge  of  its  duties  the 
earnestness  and  zeal  of  a  youth  of  twenty. 

But  though  the  common  school  system  was  adopted  and  sustained  by 
legislation,  it  had  at  first  a  hard  struggle  for  existence.  Where  school  build- 
ings had  been  erected  they  were  unfit  and  inadequate:  but  in  the  greater 
part  new  buildings  had  to  be  provided  for,  and  hence  the  first  expense  was 
without  immediate  fruit.  But  the  greatest  drawback  to  the  success  of  the 
system  was  the  lack  of  suitable  teachers.  To  be  sure  the  compensation  was 
very  small,  and  little  inducement  existed  for  securing  the  requisite  culture. 
By  the  report  of  1836  it  is  shown  that  there  were  in  Crawford  County  eighty 
male  teachers  and  ninety  female  teachers,  and  their  average  salaries  were 
$12.03  fo^  the  males  per  month  and  $4.75  for  the  females.  The  Legislature 
made  some  provision  for  colleges  and  academies  in  the  hope  that  they  would 
do  something  towards  fitting  common  school  teachers.  The  academies 
really  accomplished  little,  and  though  the  colleges  wrought  better,  and  not- 
ably the  college  in  this  county,  yet  it  was  not  much  that  they  did  in  raising 
up  the  great  body  of  the  common  school  teachers  to  that  grade  of  knowledge 
and  scholastic  culture  necessary  to  attain  satisfactory  results.  It  was 
like  attempting  to  make  watches  with  only  rough,  coarse,  unskilled  work- 
men to  execute  the  delicate  mechanism.  The  first  hopeful  sign  of  radical 
improvement  among  the  common  school  teachers  was  their  attempts  at 
organization — a  groping  for  means  of  improvement — and  an  indication  that 
they  really  felt  the  need  of  bettering  their  condition.  Crawford  County  has 
the  honor  of  having  had  the  first  Teachers'  Institute  ever  convened  in  the 
borders  of  the  State  outside  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  even  then  the 
associations  which  were  organized  as  early  as  181 3  partook  little  of  the 
nature  of  an  institute.  The  first  meeting  was  held  on  the  25th  of  March, 
1850,  at  Meadville.  Philadelphia  Association  of  Principals  of  Public 
Schools  was  formed  September,  1850.  An.  institute  was  held  in  Erie  in 
September,  1851.  In  June,  1851,  a  preliminary  meeting  was  held  in  Lan- 
caster County,  out  of  which  grew  a  permanent  organization  in  1853.  These 
were  the  first.  In  the  wake  of  these  came  in  the  order  named  Schuylkill. 
Allegheny,  Lawrence,  Warren,  Wayne,  Washington,  Indiana,  Westmore- 
land, Chester,  Fayette,  Beaver,  Berks  and  Blair.  The  history  of  its  origin 
is  interesting  and  sounds  more  like  the  annals  of  the  earlv  missionaries  to 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  215 

heathendom  than  of  the  labors  of  a  Christian  in  a  civihzed  land.  The  late 
Dr.  John  Barker^  president  of  Allegheny  College,  a  man  eminently  of 
scholarly  tastes,  a  most  sensible  and  engaging  speaker,  and  of  the  noblest 
impulses  of  heart,  drew  up,  in  1853,  an  account  of  that  work,  from  which 
I  give  the  following  extract:  "The  past  history  of  the  Crawford  County 
Teachers'  Institute  is  one  on  which  every  friend  of  popular  education,  in- 
deed, every  friend  of  humanity  and  of  his  race,  must  dwell  with  unalloyed 
pleasure,  while  the  omens  of  its  future  prosperity  give  us  reason  to  expect 
that  it  is  destined  to  enjoy  a  long  career  of  usefulness  and  honor.  It  is 
now  nearly  three  years  since  several  young  men  (all  of  whom  were  more  or 
less  intimately  connected  with  the  business  of  teaching  in  our  public 
schools),  deploring  the  public  apathy  in  regard  to  the  common  schools  in 
this  and  adjoining  counties  and  the  lamentable  deficiency  in  knowledge, 
unity  of  action  and  sympathy  apparent  among  teachers,  began  to  cast  about 
to  find  an  appropriate  remedy  for  existing  evils.  Foremost  among  these 
praiseworthy  young  men  was  Mr.  J.  F.  Hicks,  who,  unsolicited  and  with- 
out the  expectation  of  receiving  any  return  of  honor  or  emolument  for  his 
labor,  set  out  as  a  missionary  of  education  on  a  tour  of  exploration  through- 
out Mercer  and  Crawford  Counties.  He  visited  in  person  a  large  number 
of  schools  and  conversed  with  teachers  and  parents  on  the  subject  of  popular 
education,  travelling,  for  this  purpose,  on  foot  in  the  depth  of  a  most  in- 
clement \vinter.  Thanks  to  his  most  philanthropic  efforts,  and  those  of  a 
few  others  associated  with  him,  the  attention  of  teachers  was  so  far  aroused 
and  so  much  interest  was  elicited  that  they  responded  in  large  numbers  to  a 
call  for  a  public  meeting  to  be  held  in  the  village  of  Exchangeville,  in  Mer- 
cer County,  on  the  third  of  February,  1850.  That  meeting,  after  a  delib- 
erate survey  of  the  system  of  pul^lic  schools  and  of  the  imperative  duty 
devolved  on  them  as  teachers  to  do  what  lay  in  their  power  to  render  their 
schools  more  efficient  nurseries  of  morality  and  knowledge,  solemnly  united 
in  a  fraternity  for  this  purpose,  and  drew  up  a  constitution  which  contem- 
plated permanent  organization.  They  adjourned  to  meet  again  on  the  25th 
of  March  following,  in  Meadville,  and  at  this  place  accordingly  was  held  the 
first  regular  meeting  of  the  association. 

"It  is  unnecessary  to  pursue  this  history  further.  Suffice  to  say  that  each 
successive  half  year  has  witnessed  the  reassemblage  of  a  large  number  of 
actual  teachers  inspired  with  a  common  zeal  and  laboring  in  a  common 


2] 6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

cause — the  cause  of  truth  and  virtue.  Thus  far  harmony,  no  less  than  en- 
erg)-,  has  marked  the  dehberations  of  this  laody,  progress  has  been  its 
watchword,  and  under  its  auspices  a  vast  amount  of  information  has  been 
diffused  through  the  community  at  large  in  regard  to  the  proper  province 
of  pul)lic  schools.  To  the  body  of  teachers  it  has  been,  from  the  beginning, 
an  occasion  of  a  most  pleasing  reunion — a  l)ond  of  sympathy, — a  wise  friend 
and  counselor,  and  a  voice  of  admonition  and  exhortation  gently  chiding  our 
past  delinquencies  and  urging  us  forward  with  a  spirit  more  earnest  and 
more  enlightened  in  our  career  of  noble  and  benevolent  efforts." 

The  earnest  and  purely  philanthropic  efforts  of  this  humble  young  man 
travelling  in  the  depth  of  an  inclement  winter  an  his  self  imposed  mission, 
foreshadowing  that  super^•ision  of  school  interests  which  in  time  was  to 
be  secured  by  law,  the  gathering  of  that  little  company  of  young  men  in  the 
humble  village  of  Exchangeville  and  the  standing  up  and  solemnly  pledg- 
ing to  each  other  faith  in  maintaining  of  their  organization,  have  doubtless 
effected  for  the  cause  of  education  amongst  us  what  we  can  at  this  day  but 
poorly  estimate.  They  were  the  pioneers, — the\-  laid  the  keel  of  our  goodly 
craft.  A  permanent  organization  was  then  effected,  now  nearly  half  a 
century  ago,  which  held  semi-annual  meetings  of  a  week's  duration  from 
that  time  to  within  a  few  years  past,  and  since  then  annually.  For  the  first 
fifteen  years  of  its  existence  the  writer  had  the  privilege  of  ministering  at 
its  altars  and  can  testify  to  the  uniform  zeal  and  interest  with  which  teachers 
participated  in  its  deliberations,  and  the  citizens  co-operated  in  maintain- 
ing and  upholding  it.  The  exertions  thus  put  forth  by  teachers  for  their 
own  improvement  were  promptly  seconded  by  the  constituted  authorities, 
both  legislative  and  local.  For,  close  upon  the  heels  of  this  general  awak- 
ening throughout  the  State  there  was  enacted  in  1854  the  revised  school  law 
which  gave  new  life  and  power  to  school  officers  and  engrafted  upon  the 
system  the  office  of  county  superintendent,  whereby  the  examination  of 
teachers  upon  a  uniform  method  throughout  the  county  was  authorized, 
the  supervision  of  schools  secured,  the  proper  oversight  of  reports  en- 
sured, and  the  conducting  of  teachers'  institutes  provided  for.  Provision 
was  also  made  for  the  preparation  and  publication  of  a  finely  illustrated  and 
carefully  edited  School  Architecture  at  the  public  expense,  and  a  copy  put 
in  the  hands  of  every  board  of  directors  in  the  State;  the  school  journal 
was  made  the  organ  of  the  school  department  and  a  copy  sent  to  directors 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  217 

at  the  State  expense, — a  measure  which  has  proved  a  powerful  agency  in 
disseminating  sound  knowledge  upon  educational  topics  and  keeping  the 
executive  agents  of  the  schools  throughout  the  whole  commonwealth,  even 
to  its  most  obscure  nooks  and  comers,  well  informed  in  respect  to  laws  and 
decisions,  the  manner  of  making  out  reports  and  affidavits  and  the  instruc- 
tions for  administering  the  system. 

The  School  Architecture  proved  particularly  useful  and  important,  and 
came  at  a  most  opportune  time.  The  hour  was  ripe  for  improvement — for 
overturning  the  old  and  building  up  the  new.  The  little  red  school  house 
had  fulfilled  its  mission,  a  most  useful  one:  but  it  was  outgrown,  it  was  quite 
too  small  for  the  crowds  of  pupils  that  now  thronged  its  portals,  and  it  was 
terribly  dilapidated  and  far  on  the  road  to  ruin.  The  new  architecture  fur- 
nished plans  for  houses  suited  to  the  most  humble  neighborhood,  and  from 
that  on  up  through  all  the  grades  of  wants  to  those  of  the  most  populous 
cities,  with  full  directions  and  specifications  for  building,  suitably  dividing 
and  for  fitting  with  the  most  improved  furniture,  with  cuts  representing  all 
the  needed  apparatus,  globes,  charts  and  furnishings  for  the  most  advanced 
school  known  to  the  system.  It  had  the  effect  not  only  to  enlighten  those 
who  were  charged  throughout  the  State  with  erecting  school  buildings,  but 
it  greatly  stimulated  the  resolution  to  build:  for,  here  they  saw  spread  out 
before  them  the  latest  improvements  in  school  architecttire,  and  could,  by 
comparison,  realize  the  total  unfitness  of  the  buildings  in  use.  Great  ac- 
tivity sprang  up  throughout  the  whole  commonwealth,  and  the  sound  of  the 
builder's  hammer  was  heard  in  the  crowded  city  and  by  the  far  off  forest 
streams. 

The  class  of  structures  which  were  erected,  both  for  the  graded  schools 
and  for  the  sparsely  peopled  district,  was  in  this  county  highly  commend- 
able, the  latter  especially  being  generally  creditable  for  size,  light  and  airi- 
ness, with  proper  furniture,  black-boards  (things  entirely  unknown  to  the 
little  red  school  house),  maps  and  charts;  and  withal,  ample  grounds  for 
shade  and  play,  buildings  tastefully  painted,  the  windows  of  many  provided 
with  blinds  and  the  roofs  surmounted  by  bells. 

In  1857  were  enacted  two  measures  deeply  affecting  the  vitality  and 
strength  of  the  common  school  system,  that  of  the  i8th  of  April,  providing 
for  an  independent  school  department  with  a  superintendent,  a  deputy,  and 
suitable  clerical  force,  the  duties  having  been  previously  performed  by  the 


2i8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

secretary  of  the  commonwealth  as  an  appendage  tovhis  office;  and  that  of 
the  20th  of  May,  providing  for  the  establishment  of  normal  schools  for  the 
special  training  of  teachers  and  dividing  the  State  into  twelve  normal  dis- 
tricts of  about  equal  population,  with  the  design  of  ultimately  having  one 
such  school  in  each.  These  schools  were  rapidly  established  and  are  already 
in  full  operation  in  all  of  the  twelve  districts. 

But  the  feature  of  the  common  school  system,  which,  in  this  county, 
as   throughout   the   State,   excited  the  most   lively   discussion  at   its  incep- 
tion, and  which  won  its  way  to  usefulness  with  the  most  difficulty  and  labor, 
was  the  county  superintendency.     The  people,  ever  watchful    of    the    en- 
croachments of  power,  viewed  with  jealousy  the  multiplication  of  offices.     It 
was  claimed  on  the  part  of  its  champions  that  such  an  office  was  imperatively 
demanded  to  make  a  careful,  thorough  and  uniform  examination  of  teach- 
ers; to  reject  the  unworthy  and  grade  the  certificates  of  those  approved  by 
a  system  of  figures,  so  that  those  employing  could  instantly  judge  of  the 
relative  merits  of  applicants:  to  visit  the  schools  and  note  and  comment 
upon   the  methods  of  government  and  instruction;  to  deliver  public  ad- 
dresses in  various  sections  of  the  county,  bringing  to  the  attention  of  the 
people  the  aims  and  needs  of  education;  to  point  out  the  means  of  remedy- 
ing defects,  and  to  warm  the  popular  heart  to  the  importance  of  a  correct 
training  of  the  rising  generation;  to  be  responsible  for  the  management  and 
instruction  of  the  county  institute;  to  keep  a  record  of  and  certify  to  all 
reports  and  affidavits  sent  up  to  the  department  from  the  local  boards,  and 
finally,  at. the  end  of  the  year,  to  make  a  statistical  and  a  detailed  report 
of  his  own  work,  and  the  operation  of  the  schools  under  his  charge,  for  pub- 
lication in  the  State  volume,  which  should  form  a  permanent  and  reliable 
record. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  was  claimed  by  those  opposed  that  it  was  im- 
possible for  one  man  to  do  all  that  was  expected  of  him  in  a  county  so 
large  as  Crawford,  and  that  the  work  could  be  better  done  by  a  local  agent. 
But  in  the  face  of  many  difficulties  its  duties  were  executed,  and  it  is  gen- 
erally admitted  to  have  been  an  important  aid  in  improving  the  grade  of 
instruction  and  elevating  the  character  of  the  schools. 

The  first  officer,  elected  in  1854,  was  a  man  of  broad  mind  and  large 
attainments,  Mr.  S.  S.  Sears,  who  labored  zealously;  but  resigned  on  account 
of  inadequacy  of  pay,  having  spent  more  for  travelling  expenses  than  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  219 

amount  of  his  salary,  $400  per  annum,  and  was  succeeded  by  a  gentleman 
of  equally  liberal  culture,  Mr.  J.  C.  Marcy.  Of  the  incumbent  for  the  sec- 
ond term,  from  '57  to  '60,  it  is  perhaps  unnecessary  to  speak,  as  it  would 
involve  too  much  the  repetition  of  the  first  person.  The  recollection  of 
those  three  years  of  toil  is  so  vi\'id,  ho\\ever,  that  I  shall  be  pardoned  for 
briefly  alluding  to  it.  Crawford  is  one  of  the  largest  counties  in  the  State, 
having  more  arable  acres  than  the  whole  State  of  Rhode  Island,  and  at  the 
time  referred  to  had  not  a  mile  of  railway  in  its  borders  (though  within  three 
years  after  the  close  of  my  term  it  had  more  miles  than  an}-  county  in  the 
State,  with  one  or  two  exceptions).  To  hold  two  examinations  of  teachers 
a  year  in  each  township  and  perform  the  required  school  visitation  exacted  a 
large  amount  of  travel.  The  salary,  though  increased,  was  still  entirely  in- 
adequate to  travel  in  much  state,  so  the  only  alternative  was  to  take  the 
foot  train,  which,  in  one  respect,  was  of  great  advantage.  It  was  sure  to 
start  at  an  hour  that  was  entirely  convenient  and  was  never  ofif  time.  There 
were  other  casual  a(h-antages.  If  it  was  a  wintry  day,  one  was  spared  the 
pain  of  seeing  the  poor  beast  stand  exposed  to  the  bitter  blast  or  the  cutting 
storm.  But  there  was  one  advantage  of  the  small  salary  that  is  worthy  of 
special  consideration,  and  may  have  proved  one  of  the  elements  of  success. 
With  no  railroad  train  and  no  carriage,  I  was  obliged  to  start  ofif  on  Mon- 
day morning  and  not  return  until  Saturday  night,  and  not  unfrequently 
two  and  even  three  weeks  were  consumed  in  the  trip.  The  consequence  was 
that  I  was  much  in  the  homes  of  the  people,  formed  valued  and  enduring- 
friendships,  became  familiar  with  their  feelings  and  opinions,  and  came  to 
know  every  little  brook  and  school  house  the  county  over.  This  life  was 
not  wanting  in  its  romantic  and  poetic  side.  I  was  at  sunrise  on  Dunham 
Heights,  and  beheld  the  glorious  orb  of  day  come  riding  up  the  heavens 
in  majesty,  and  gazed  at  the  rosy  fingered  goddess  tinge  the  tips  of  the 
peaks  and  the  spires  of  the  cit\'  with  saffron  colored  light,  waking  all  to 
life  and  beauty.  I  beheld  from  afar  the  noble  river  rolling  on  in  majesty. 
1  approached  the  lake,  then  in  its  pride,  from  every  quarter  of  wood  and 
headland,  and  could  tell  its  beauties  as  a  lo\'er  the  brow  of  his  fairy;  deer 
dashed  past  me  as  I  picked  my  way  in  the  uncertain  paths  of  the  forest. 
I  stood  amid  acres  of  pits  hollowed  and  lined  with  the  halved  trunks  of 
trees — monuments  of  the  laljor  and  skill  of  unknown  hands  in  the  dim 
past,  before  the  advent  of  English  speaking  people;  I  peered  into  Indian 


220  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

mounds  and  tumuli,  and  picked  up  relics  of  the  rude  workmanship  of  that 
now  departed  race;  and  I  studied  elements  of  beauty  as  they  revealed  them- 
selves in  the  bubbling  fountain,  the  purling  brook,  the  dashing  waterfall, 
the  dark  ravine,  the  groves  of  towering  pine,  the  dense  shade  of  the  hem- 
locks, orchards  and  green  meadows,  the  fields  of  waving  grain,  all  golden 
and  ready  for  the  harvest,  the  flocks  upon  the  hills  rejoicing  in  their  fleeces 
rivalling  the  snow  for  whiteness,  the  herds  cropping  the  rich  pasturage,  re- 
velling in  pure  streams  or  reposing  beneath  ample  shade;  all  these  as  I 
moved  on  through  the  circling  seasons  were  mine  to  gaze  upon  and  enjoy 
to  the  fill.  The  painter,  in  the  most  sanguine  stretch  of  his  imagination, 
knew  no  such  elements  of  simple  beauty,  of  grandeur,  and  of  sublimity  as 
were  spread  out  before  me  on  every  side.  In  vain  is  his  cunning  in  the  mix- 
ing of  colors.  He  can  not  rival  the  tints  of  its  autumn  leaves,  or  the 
glories  of  its  sunset  hues.  There  are  indeed  few  stretches  of  countrv  pos- 
sessing scenes  fit  to  live  on  canvas  that  excel  those  in  this  goodly  county. 
In  my  early  visits  to  the  different  sections  I  recall  some  incidents  that 
were  amusing.  On  one  occasion  I  had  a  considerable  distance  to  walk 
before  reaching  the  place  where  I  was  to  hold  my  examination.  It  was 
raining  heavily,  and  I  waited  until  I  could  just  have  tiine  to  reach  the  town, 
in  the  hope  that  the  rain  would  cease;  but  there  was  no  diminution,  and 
by  the  time  I  had  arrived  at  my  destination  I  was  pretty  well  bedraggled. 
A  number  of  farmers  who  had  brought  in  their  daughters  to  be  examined, 
and  directors  who  had  come  to  employ  teachers,  were  gathered  in  the 
bar-room — the  common  assembly  room  of  the  little  hotel, — when  I  entered 
and  joined  the  company  around  the  cheerful  fire.  Conversation  soon  turned 
on  the  superintendent,  whom  they  had  never  seen  and  who  was  coming 
for  the  first  time.  Speculation  was  rife  as  to  whether  he  avouM  come  outj 
in  such  a  storm.  One  gave  the  opinion  that  if  he  had  a  closed  carriage 
and  a  good  horse  he  might  get  there.  I  joined  in  the  conversation  and 
expressed  the  belief  that  he  would  be  at  his  post  at  the  appointed  hour,  but 
the  majority  shook  their  heads,  and  inclined  to  the  opinion  that  he  would 
not  come.  Curiosity  was  manifested  as  to  his  personal  appearance,  and 
whether  he  "would  be  good  for  anything."  Ah!  there  was  the  rub.  the 
pivot  on  which  turned  the  whole  matter.  But  I  was  resolute,  hopeful,  and 
determined  then,  and  such  considerations  did  not  disturb  me.  Could  the 
whole  burden  of  the  labor  and  responsibility  I  was  to  encounter  during  the 
three  years  upon  which  I  was  then  just  entering  have  been  rolled  upon 


i 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  221 

nie  I  would  doubtless  liave  been  less  buoyant.  At  the  appointed  hour  I 
was  at  my  post  plying  the  questions  (as  the  stranger  at  the  hotel  had  pre- 
dicted), and  the  old  farmers  were  there,  too,  and  had  a  hearty  laugh  at  the 
close  over  their  incredulity. 

I  was  succeeded  by  a  man  admirably  c[ualified  for  the  work.  Prof.  Sam- 
uel R.  Thompson,  for  some  time  principal  of  the  State  Normal  School  of 
Nebraska,  and  subsequently  appointed  superintendent  of  the  schools  of  that 
State,  who  served  one  complete  term  and  part  of  a  second,  Messrs.  H.  R. 
Stewart  and  D.  R.  Coder  com[)leting"  the  term.  I\Ir.  H.  D.  Persons  was 
elected  in  1866,  and  served  two  full  terms,  when,  in  1872,  he  was  succeeded 
by  James  C.  Graham,  who  served  two  terms.  In  1878  C.  F.  Chamberlan 
was  elected  and  served  till  1884,  then  J.  C.  Sturdevant,  who  was  succeeded 
in  1890  by  George  I.  ^^'right,  who  in  1896  was  succeeded  by  E.  M.  Alixer, 
present  incumbent. 

In  the  grading  of  schools  and  the  erection  of  substantial  and  costly 
edifices  most  has  been  done  within  the  last  ten  years.  Grading  had  been 
commenced  at  an  earlier  date,  but  for  want  of  enough  and  suitable  buildings 
it  was  imperfect.  Meadville,  Titusville,  Conneautville,  Saegertown,  Venan- 
goboro,  Cambridge  Springs,  Gravel  Run,  Hartstown,  Evansburg,  Har- 
monsburg.  Springboro,  Spartansburg,  Cochranton,  Mosiertown  had  their 
schools  more  or  less  perfectly  graded  twenty  years  ago.  New  buildings 
were  erected  in  1858-9  in  the  south  ward,  in  ]Meadville,  of  brick,  in  Titus- 
ville of  wood,  and  in  several  other  of  the  places  named  at  about  this  time. 
In  the  north  ward,  as  in  the  early  days,  when  a  building  was  no  longer 
needed  for  martial  purposes,  it  \\as  taken  for  school  purposes,  so  now  the 
State  having  no  more  use  for  it  the  old  arsenal  was  transferred  to  the  city 
for  the  purposes  of  education,  and  where  the  rumble  and  clatter  of  artillery 
and  caisson  carriages  had  resoundedwas  now  heard  the  word  of  instruction 
and  the  responsive  voice  of  the  pupil. — the  bullet  yielding  to  the  book.  The 
arsenal  property  where  now  stands  the  north  ward  building  was  donated  to 
the  city  by  the  State  through  the  influence  of  the  late  Darwin  A.  Finney, 
who  was  then  a  State  Senator  and  secured  the  passage  of  the  act  of  donation. 

On  the  1st  of  May,  1861,  all  the  schools  of  Meadville  were  organized 
under  one  management,  the  two  ward  organizations  uniting  in  the  Board 
of  Control,  and  it  was  decided  in  the  September  following  to  grade  the 
schools  of  both  wards  upon  the  same  basis,  which  previously  had  been  un- 


222  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

equal  and  diverse,  and  to  establisli  a  Union  High  School.  The  law  author- 
izing this  consolidation  had  been  just  previously  passed  and  Dr.  Burrowes, 
who  had  sketched  with  such  enlightened  and  broad  minded  views  the 
towering  system  in  1836,  but  which  till  now  it  had  been  impossible  to  real- 
ize, had  just  come  again  to  the  head  of  the  school  department,  after  the 
lapse  of  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  displayed  in  his  executive  capac- 
ity all  the  fire  and  zeal  of  his  more  youthful  days  and  all  the  power  of  his 
eminently  organizing  mind.  He  had  done  me  the  honor  to  select  me  as  his 
deputy  and  I  can  bear  testimony  to  his  talent  for  laying  out  work  and 
keeping  all  the  forces  in  his  department  up  to  the  full  stretch  of  their 
capacity  for  executing  it.  One  of  his  first  measures  was  to  unite  all  the 
wards  in  cities  under  one  common  management,  and  this  action  of  the  Mead- 
ville  boards  was  in  response  to  his  appeals.  Another  of  his  cherished  pro- 
jects was  to  look  up  all  the  old  academy  and  worn  out  college  properties 
and  have  them  transferred  to  the  Boards  of  Control  for  public  high  schools. 
Many  of  these  institutions  had  lands  and  endowment  properties  which  had 
become  cjuite  valual)le:  Ijut  in  the  majority  of  cases  were  accomplishing 
little  in  the  way  of  elevated  culture.  In  1864  the  Meadville  Academy 
property  was  transferred  to  the  Board  of  Control,  together  with  invested 
funds,  and  the  high  school  was  permanently  established.  In  1870  this 
building,  which  was  sadly  dilapidated,  was  temporarily  abandoned  and  the 
school  was  continued  in  the  south  ward  building,  while  it  was  undergoing 
thorough  repairs  and  refurnishing.  In  1888  a  fine  high  school  building, 
containing  offices,  chapel  and  seating  capacity  for  200  pupils,  was  erected 
on  the  site  of  the  old  building.  In  Titusville  the  building  which  had  been 
erected  in  1858  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  four  rooms.  Two  years 
later  this  building  was  destroyed  by  fire,  but  was  replaced  by  a  much  finer 
structure  which  was  taken  for  a  public  high  school,  and  three  other  jjuild- 
ings  were  subsequently  erected  of  brick,  fine  substantial  structures,  alto- 
gether capable  of  accommodating  1,600  pupils.  The  schools  of  that  city  are 
admirably  graded  and  managed  under  able  superintendents. 

In  Meadville  the  south  ward  building  of  brick,  three  stories  in  height, 
capable  of  accommodating  700  pupils,  was  erected,  and  ten  years  later  an  ad- 
dition, two  stories,  containing  eight  rooms,  was  made,  and  the  north  ward 
building,  also  of  brick,  two  stories  in  height,  but  covering  more  ground  sur- 
face, with  capacity  for  a  like  number  of  pupils  was  entered,  in  September, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  223 

1869,  and  in  1896  an  elegant  new  building  with  eight  rooms  was  erected  on 
the  same  lot.  A  superintendent  was  elected  1867  who  at  first  taught  a  portion 
of  his  time  in  the  high  school,  but  subsequently  devoted  all  his  energies  to 
the  duties  "of  his  ofifice.  Prof.  G.  W.  Haskins  was  the  first  superintendent, 
who,  from  his  organizing  mind  and  thorough  scholarship,  was  able  to  bring 
form  out  pf  chaos.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  W.  C.  J.  Hall  in  1869,  who, 
from  his  military  education,  was  able  to  bring  many  improvements  into  the 
order  and  method  of  the  schools,  and  especially  in  handling  quickly  and 
quietly  a  regiment  of  young  Americans,  numbering  daily  nearly  800,  as  is 
found  gathered  in  each  ward.  He  was.  too,  an  enthusiast  in  natural  science, 
and  did  much  to  popularize  this  branch.  He  was  succeeded  in  1872  by  his 
predecessor.  Prof.  Haskins,  and  he  in  turn  by  myself  on  the  ist  of  January, 
1875.  The  schools  were  organized  on  two  entirely  different  systems.  In 
the  south  ward  from  beginning  to  end  each  room  has  a  teacher  and  a 
school  independent  of  every  other.  In  the  north,  after  the  third  year,  the 
pupils  study  in  a  large  room,  and  are  sent  out  by  classes  to  recitation  where 
teachers  are  in  waiting  to  instruct  them.  Each  plan  has  its  advan.tages. 
The  latter  requires  more  teaching  force:  but  there  is  a  great  advantage 
in  having  all  the  study  done  under  the  eye  of  one  person  whose  duty  it  is  to 
watch  and  keep  them  in  order,  and  the  teachers  are  not  troubled  with 
looking  after  an}'  pupils  l)ut  the  class  wliich  is  sent  to  her.  In  the  former, 
where  each  room  has  a  separate  school,  the  teacher  in  addition  to  teaching 
has  the  rest  of  her  school  to  look  after  and  govern:  but  she  has  the  advant- 
age of  having  constantly  the  same  pupils  with  her,  and  can  exert  her  per- 
sonal influence  over  them  more  directly  tlian  she  could  if  her  classes  were 
constantl}'  changing.  The  credit  for  the  ])uilding  and  fitting  of  so  good 
and  substantial  buildings  and  the  organizing  of  so  excellent  a  system  of 
schools  was  largely  due  to  yiv.  Alfred  Huidekoper,  Professor  Frederic 
Huidekoper.  Prof.  Marvin,  Prof.  Tingley,  Dr.  A.  B.  Robins,  Joshua  Doug- 
lass, Dr.  Li\-ermore,  Arthur  Cullum,  who  were  all  members  of  the  board 
during  this  period  when  the  iiattle  was  fough.t,  and  when  opposition  was 
encountered  at  almost  every  turn.  The  fund  donated  by  Mr.  George  B. 
Delamater  to  the  north  ward  and  a  similar  fund  to  the  south  ward  by  Mr. 
A.  Huidekoper  for  the  purchase  of  reference  books,  apparatus  and  works  of 
art  have  been  productive  of  untold  good.     These  books  are  in  daily  and 


224  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

almost  constant  use,  and  fill  an  ofiice  which  could  be  supplied  in  no  other 
way. 

^^''e  have  thus  seen  how  the  matter  of  public  education  has  progressed 
from  the  feeble  beginnings  in  the  block  house  on  Water  street  to  its  present 
fair  proportions.  Few,  if  any,  statistics  were  kept  before  the  year  1836, 
when  the  common  school  system  began  to  get  into  successful  operation,  but 
from  that  time  forward  we  have  complete  returns.  I  have  chosen  three 
typical  years,  1836,  infancy  or  birth  of  the  system;  1856,  youth,  when  it  took 
on  a  new  mantle  and  the  system  was  revived,  and  1876  and  '96,  its  man- 
hood, to  exhibit  its  comparative  workings. 


"2  5  S  o  £^  S--„  3-g   5»;   22J   -    I     _;  o  ^ 


=-» 


■5  w  -■ 


■y)  IX" 


1836  25  123  4.1-S  80  90  $12.03  $4-75  2.342  1.947  $1,033.67  $3,115.20  $3.11500 

1856  41  322  5  133  269  20.86  9.82  6,710  s,8i8  23,270.18  3,362.10  $18,683.90   7.11S.11 

1876  63  413  6  142  344  38.18  23.10  8,839  7,679  133.551.00  14,145.69  74,582.00  14,434.00 

1896  64  497  7-35  149  362  34.15  27.66  7,407  6,956  130,961.00  38,645.00 


/i<.-ya^;Sp«^^  /«;  <ig-/*i^  ^  t/^^u^^i^s??-  (^.^^^.^^a^-W?  ^?'^2S^t7^^^ 


Manuscript  Letter  by  David  Mead,  in  1793. 


CHAPTER  XVIll. 


CRAWFORD  COUNTY  IN  WAR  TIMES. 


THE  close  of  the  American  Revolution  left  the  United  Colonies  very 
poor.  Alexander  Hamilton,  as  secretary  of  the  treasury,  estab- 
lished the  credit  of  the  United  Colonies,  and  Albert  Gallitin,  as  his 
successor,  kept  down  eveiy  expense  of  the  new  nation,  until  its  indebted- 
ness was  liquidated.  The  consequence  was  that  its  preparation  for  war 
was  neglected.  Not  so  the  English  nation.  Along  the  whole  Canada 
frontier  a  line  of  military  posts  was  kept  up,  the  Indians  w-ere  studiously 
kept  in  the  interest  of  the  English  military  force,  and  upon  the  ocean  the 
naval  commanders  were  arrogant,  searching  our  merchantmen  and  taking 
away  our  seamen  with  a  high  hand.  Remonstrances  brought  no  relief,  and 
war  was  the  result,  in  resources  the  British  nation  was  superior;  but  in 
resolute  men  the  United  States  then,  as  now,  was  not  inferior  to  any  nation 
on  the  face  of  the  earth.  ■' 

Governor  Snyder,  who  was  then  in  the  guljernatorial  chair  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, organized  the  militia  into  two  grand  divisions,  one  for  the  east  and 
another  for  the  west.  The  western  division  was  under  the  command  of 
Maj.-Gen.  Adamson  Tannehill,  of  Pittsburg.  The  State  was  afterwards 
subdivided  into  several  military  districts,  and  Maj.-Gen.  David  Mead,  of 
Meadville,  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  sixteenth  division.  In 
August,  1812.  Capt.  James  Cochran's  company  of  riflemen,  recruited  in 
Crawford  County,  marched  to  Erie.  Portents  of  war  thickening,  orders 
were  received  from  Harrisburg,  on  September  14th,  to  Brigade  Inspector 
William  Clark,  of  the  sixteenth  division,  to  call  out  the  quota  of  2,000  men, 
to  be  taken  from  counties  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains  to  rendezvous 
at  Pittsburg  and  Meadville.  Instructions  were  issued  for  recruits  to  as- 
semble at  Meadville  for  immediate  service,  and  for  the  formation  of  a 
brigade.  A  camp  was  laid  out  on  ground  tendered  by  Samuel  Lord,  south 
15  225 


226  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

and  west  of  the  college  campus.  In  this  camp  were  companies  commanded 
by  Captains  Sample,  Miller,  Warner,  Thomas,  Buchanan,  Forster,  Vance, 
Patterson,  McGerry,  Kleckner  and  Derickson.  Two  rifle  regiments,  com- 
manded by  Colonels  Irwin  and  Piper,  and  the  first  regiment  of  infantry, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Syder,  left  for  Buffalo,  on  the  25th  of  October. 
At  Waterford  the  second  infantry  regiment,  under  Colonel  Purviance,  joined 
the  column.  Before  the  close  of  1812  the  detachment  of  General  Tanne- 
hill  had  dwindled  down  tO'  200  men,  which  was  left  to  the  command  of 
Major  James  Harriott,  General  Tannehill  being  absent  on  furlough.  This 
force  was  soon  discharged. 

In  the  summer  of  1812  Captain  Daniel  Dobbins  was  sent  by  Gen. 
David  Mead  as  bearer  of  dispatches  to  the  general  government,  which  got 
from  the  captain  the  first  reliable  information  of  the  loss  of  Mackinaw  and 
Detroit.  At  a  meeting  of  the  cabinet  he  was  asked  to  give  his  view  of  the 
requirements  on  Lake  Erie.  He  earnestly  advocated  the  establishment  of 
a  naval  station  and  the  building  of  a  fleet  powerful  enough  to  cope  with  the 
British  upon  the  lake.  These  suggestions  were  adopted.  A  sailing  mas- 
ter's commission  was  given  him  and  he  was  ordered  to  proceed  to  Erie  and 
commence  the  construction  of  gunboats,  and  report  to  Commodore  Chauncy 
at  Sackett's  Harbor.  The  command  on  the  lake  was  assigned  to  Lieut. 
Oliver  Hazard  Perry,  who  arrived  at  Erie  on  the  27th  of  March,  1813. 
■He  had  served  as  a  midshipman  in  the  war  with  Tripoli.  He  was  but 
twenty-seven  years  old.  His  first  step  was  to  provide  for  the  defense  of 
the  post.  In  consultation  with  General  Mead  it  was  decided  to  call  a 
thousand  militia  to  rendezvous  at  Erie  before  the  20th  of  April.  One 
artillery  company  came  up  from  Luzerne  County,  which  was  ordered  to 
take  the  four  brass  field  pieces  belonging  to  the  State  stored  at  Waterford. 
Of  practical  ship  builders  at  this  time  at  this  place  there  were  few,  and  Perry 
and  Dobbins  were  obliged  to  accept  the  services  of  carpenters  and  black- 
smiths. The  timber  needed  for  the  gunboats  was  still  standing  in  the 
neighborhood  when  wanted,  and  had  to  be  felled  and  used  green.  Iron 
had  to  be  gathered  up  wherever  it  could  be  found.  A  considerable  stock 
was  bought  in  Pittsburg  and  was  brought  in  flat  boats  up  the  Allegheny 
and  Venango  Rivers.  Fortunately  these  streams  remained  at  flood  tide 
long  after  they  had  usually  dropped  down  to  a  stage  insufficient  for  boat- 
ing.    The  British  fleet  came  down,  as  if  to  spy  out  what  was  being  done. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  227 

To  give  the  impression  that  a  much  larger  force  was  in  hand  than  there 
actually  was  the  columns  were  kept  marching. 

Having  been  completed  and  lifted  over  the  bar,  the  American  squadron 
left  on  a  cruise  in  search  of  the  enemy,  and  found  them  in  the  mouth  of 
the  Detroit  River,  but  they  could  not  be  tempted  out.  On  the  6th  of  Septem- 
ber the  entire  American  fleet,  with  the  exception  of  the  Ohio,  which  had 
been  sent  to  Erie  for  provisions,  was  anchored  in  Put-in-Bay,  on  the  south 
shore  of  Kelley's  Island.  "Believing,"  says  Brown,  "that  the  crisis  was  near 
at  hand.  Perry,  on  the  evening  of  the  7th,  summoned  his  officers  on  board 
the  Lawrence,  announced  his  plan  of  battle,  produced  his  fighting  flag,  ar- 
ranged a  code  of  signals,  and  issued  his  final  instructions.  On  the  loth, 
at  the  rising  of  the  sun,  the  lookout  shouted  the  thrilling  words,  'Sail,  hoi' 
and  the  men  of  the  squadron,  who  were  almost  instantly  astir,  soon  saw 
the  British  vessels,  six  in  number.  Still  feeble  from  sickness  as  he  was, 
Perry  gave  the  signal  immediately  to  get  under  way,  adding  that  he  was 
determined  to  fight  the  enemy  that  day!  The  battle  took  place  about  ten 
miles  north  of  Put-in-Bay,  and  the  action  began,  on  the  part  of  the  Amer- 
icans, at  five  minutes  before  12  o'clock.  In  less  than  four  hours  the  boasted 
prowess  of  England  had  been  swept  from  the  lake,  while  the  following 
famous  dispatch  to  General  Harrison  sent  a  thrill  of  patriotism  through 
every  loyal  heart  in  the  land:  'We  have  met  the  enemy  and  they  are  ours; 
two  ships,  two  brigs,  one  schooner,  and  one  sloop;  yours  with  great  respect 
and  esteem,  O.  H.  Perry.'  "  It  appears  from  correspondence  between  Gen- 
eral Mead  and  the  State  Department  at  Harrisburg  that  when  Perry  was 
ready  to  sail  he  was  deficient  in  men,  and  that  he  requested  the  General  to 
induce  some  of  his  troops  to  volunteer  for  service  on  his  vessels,  and  that 
100  of  the  militia  did  volunteer  and  serve  in  that  glorious  achievement. 
When  all  was  done,  General  Harrison  wrote  to  Governor  Snyder  the  fol- 
lowing commendatory  note  of  the  Pennsylvania  troops:  "I  can  assure  you 
there  is  no  corps  on  which  I  rely  with  more  confidence,  not  only  for  the 
fidelity  of  undaunted  valor  in  the  field,  but  for  those  virtues  which  are  more 
rarely  found  amongst  the  militia — patience  and  fortitude  under  great  hard- 
ships and  deprivations — and  cheerful  obedience  to  all  commands  of  their 
officers." 

There  were  no  organized  bodies  of  troops  that  served  in  the  Mexican 
war  from  Crawford  County,  though  there  were  some  individual  enlistments. 


228  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

When,  however,  the  news  that  war  had  been  declared  was  received  notice 
was  sent  out  for  the  First  BattaHon,  Crawford  County  Vohmteers,  to  as- 
semble for  parade  and  review.  Col.  James  Douglass  was  in  command,  and 
on  Tune  6,  1846,  the  command  came  with  full  ranks  and  was  reviewed 
upon  the  Diamond  at  Meadville.  A  public  meeting  was  held,  patriotic 
speeches  were  made  and  a  series  of  resolutions  adopted  in  which  the  gov- 
ernment was  sustained  in  its  war  policy.  The  battalion  again  paraded  and 
at  the  call  of  Colonel  Douglass  each  of  the  six  companies  volunteered  their 
services  by  marching  ten  paces  to  the  front. 

The  election  of  Abraham  Lincoln  as  President  of  the  United  States 
was  made  the  pretext  for  rebellion.  The  first  hostile  shot  was  fired  at  Fort 
Sumter  on  the  12th  of  April,  1861.  Three  days  thereafter  the  President 
called  out  75,000  volunteers  for  a  period  of  three  months,  "to  assist  in 
putting  ddwn  obstructions  to  the  laws  by  combinations  too  powerful  to  be 
suppressed  by  the  ordinary  course  of  judicial  proceedings." 

On  Saturday,  April  27,  the  Meadville  company  of  volunteers  estab- 
lished a  camp  at  the  fair  grounds  on  the  Island  and  on  the  following  Sunday 
afternoon  the  Stars  and  Stripes  was  raised  on  the  ground  by  Colonel  Came- 
ron, of  Toronto,  Canada,  in  whose  honor  the  camp  was  named  Camp 
Cameron.  Before  the  end  of  April  five  companies  had  been  raised  in  Craw- 
ford County  and  their  services  tendered  to  the  Governor:  The  JMeadville 
Volunteers,  Capt.  Henry  C.  Johnson,  95  men;  Allegheny  College  Volun- 
teers, Capt.  Ira  Ayer,  78  men;  Conneautviile  Rifles,  Capt.  J.  L.  Dunn,  80 
men;  Titusville  \'olunteers,  Capt.  Charles  B.  Morgan,  100  men;  Spartans- 
burg  Volunteers,  80  men.  The  companies  of  Captains  Dunn  and  Morgan 
were  mustered  into  the  Erie  regiment.-  The  Meadville  Volunteers,  under 
Capt.  Samuel  B.  Dick,  Captain  Johnson  having  resigned,  was  finally  mus- 
tered into  the  Thirty-eighth  regiment  for  three  years'  service,  and  Captain 
Ayer's  company  was  given  a  place  in  the  Thirty-ninth  regiment.  The  Erie 
regiment  remained  in  camp  near  Pittsburg  until  the  expiration  of  its  term 
of  service,  when  it  was  mustered  out. 

It  is  difficult  tracing  the  record  of  recruitsJor  the  three  years'  service 
from  any  one  county.  It  was  very  rare  that  an  entire  regiment  came  from 
any  county.  And  even  if  it  did,  the  recruits  which  were  added  from  time 
to  time  were  taken  here  and  there  as  thev  could  be  secured. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


229 


TROOPS  SENT  TO  THE  FRONT  FROM  CRAWFORD  COUNTY. 
WITH  RECORD  OF  CASUALTIES. 


o 
U 


0  = 

3  „ 

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r 

W'" 

0.5 

(5 

3 

Months 

120 

10 

17 

7 

3 

Years 

14s 

18 

33 

8 

3 

Years 

t8H 

8 

II 

17 

3 

Years 

200 

8 

3 

Years 

188 

20 

25 

8 

3 

Years 

2m 

21 

SO 

12 

3 

Years 

200 

23 

4S 

IS 

3 

Years 

17.'; 

23 

22 

19 

3 

Years 

iq6 

17 

41 

14 

3 

Years 

198 

13 

41 

17 

3 

3 

\  ears 
Years 

84 

2 

10 

4 

Q 

Months 

q6 

7 

Q 

Months 

14s 

18 

16 

14 

3 

Years 

127 

8 

6 

14 

3 

Years 

II'^ 

15 

24 

11 

3 

Years 

iq6 

II 

2 

12 

3 

Years 

12,^ 

4 

3 

Years 

163 

6 

12 

18 

3 

Years 

S.   B.   Dicks  Company 

,38th    Regt.,   9th    Reserve Co.  F 

39th    Regt.,    loth   Reserve Co.  I 

57th   Regt Co.  K 

59th   Regt..   2d   Cavalry Co.  I 

83d   Regt Co.  A 

83d  Regt ■ Co.  B 

83d  Regt Co.  F 

83d  Regt Co.H 

1 1  ith  Regt Co.  D 

iiith   Regt Co.  F 

113th   Regt.,   I2th   Cavalry 

136th    Regt Co.  I 

137th    Regt Co.  B 

145th    Regt Co.H 

1 50th  Regt Co.  C 

150th   Regt Co.H 

150th   Regt Co.  I 

150th    Regt Co.  K 

163d    Regt.,    i8th   Cavalry Co.  B 

*i90th   Regt 

*i9ist   Regt 

21  Ith  Regt Co.  A 


94 


I  Year 


*  The  greater  portion  of  these  two  regiments  were  captured  and  imprisoned 
at  Belle  Isle  and  Saulsbury  and  not  released  except  by  death  till  the  end  of 
the  war. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


DEDICATION  OF  THE  MONUMENT  TO  CORNPLANTER,  THE 

INDIAN  SACHEM  OF  THE  SIX  NATIONS,  WHO  SAVED 

THE   EARLY   SETTLERS   FROM   DESTRUCTION. 


THE  writer  was  present  in  the  Senate  chamber  of  Pennsylvania,  on  the 
25th  of  January,  1866,  when  Solomon  O'Bail,  a  grandson  of  Corn- 
planter,  the  great  Sachem  of  the  Six  Nations,  the  friend  of  Washing- 
ton and  of  the  United  States,  at  the  invitation  of  the  Senate,  appeared  in  his 
war  paint  and  feathers,  and  in  the  Indian  dialect  delivered  an  address.  He 
was  in  full  native  costume  and  in  the  fiery  eloquence  of  the  woods  he  spoke 
in  that  august  assembly.  Not  a  single  word  he  uttered  was  intelligible, 
but  it  was  evident  that  he  was  alive  with  his  subject  and  in  deep  earnest. 
His  countenance  was  flushed,  his  action  noble  and  dignified  and  he  spoke 
with  great  power. 

His  purpose  was  to  bring  to  the  attention  of  the  Senators  the  fact  that 
his  grandfather,  who  had  died  in  1836,  at  the  advanced  age  of  105  years, 
was  resting  in  an  unmarked  grave  which  would,  in  a  few  years,  be  entirely 
obliterated  and  become  unknown.  He  spoke  in  fitting  terms  of  the  noble 
character  of  his  great  ancestor  and  the  eminent  services  he  had  rendered 
to  our  country  in  the  hour  of  its  tribulation,  and  had  advocated  among  his 
own  people  the  duty  of  industry  and  education  and  the  virtues  of  justice, 
truth  and  temperance. 

On  the  i6th  of  March,  1796,  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  had 
granted  to  the  Seneca  tribe  of  Indians,  to  which  Cornplanter  belonged,  a 
tract  of  land  on  the  Allegheny  River  above  Warren,  designated  the  "Plant- 
er's Field,"  where  he  had  lived  a  life  graciously  lengthened  out,  and  where 
he  lies  buried.  Reciprocating  the  sentiments  of  the  native  orator,  and  in 
acknowledgment  of  the  virtues  and  friendship  of  the  aged  chieftain,  the 

Senate  passed  the  following  joint  resolutions: 

230 


n 

o 
n 
3 

•3 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  231 

Whereas,  Solomon  O'Bail,  a  grandson  of  Cornplanter,  an  Indian  who 
rendered  eminent  services  to  the  State  and  nation  during  the  Revolutionary 
war  and  the  early  history  of  Pennsylvania  and  ]\Iark  Pierce,  his  interpreter, 
have  just  had  a  hearing  before  the  Senate: 

And,  Whereas,  A  recognition  of  the  eminent  services  of  Cornplanter  is 
due  from  the  government  of  Pennsylvania;  therefore, 

Be  it  resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  Gen- 
eral Assembly  met  that  the  State  Treasurer  shall  pay  to  Solomon  O'Bail  the 
sum  of  five  hundred  dollars  out  of  any  moneys  in  the  Treasury  not  other- 
wise appropriated,  and  the  further  sum  of  five  hundred  dollars  to  Samuel 
P.  Johnson,  to  be  expended  in  erecting  and  inclosing  a  suitable  monument 
in  memory  of  Cornplanter. 

Judge  Johnson  performed  the  duty  imposed  upon  him  with  great  skill 
and  abilitv.  The  monument  is  of  Vermont  marble,  is  over  eleven  feet  in 
height,  and  stands  on  a  handsomely  cut  native  stone  base  four  feet  in  diame- 
ter by  one  and  a  half  feet  deep.  It  is  located  immediately  between  the  grave 
of  Cornplanter  and  that  of  his  wife,  from  whom  he  was  separated  by  death 
but  about  three  months.  On  the  second  section  are  four  well  carved  dies 
in  the  form  of  a  shield.  Upon  the  spire  facing  west  is  cut  in  large  raised 
letters 

GIANTWAHA.   THE   CORNPLANTER. 

Upon  the  die  on  the  same  side  is  inscribed 

JOHN  O'BAIL,  ahas  CORNPLANTER, 

(died  at  Cornplantertown,   February  18,   1836,) 

aged  about  100  years. 

On  the  die  fronting  south  the  following  inscription  is  handsomely 
lettered: 

Chief  of  the  Seneca  tribe,  and  a  principal  Chief  of  the 

Six  Nations  from'  the  period  of  the  Revolutionary 

War  to  the  time  of  his  death.     Distinguished 

for  talents,  courage,  eloquence,  sobriety  and 

love  of  his  tribe  and  race,  to   whose 

welfare  he   devoted  his  time,  his 

energies     and     his      means, 

during     a     long    and 

eventful  life. 


232  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

On  the  die  upon  the  east  side  is  engraved: 

Erected  by  authority  of  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania, 
By  Act  January  25,  1866. 

The  dedication  of  this  monument  occurred  on  the  i8th  of  October 
following,  in  presence  of  the  family  and  descendants  of  Cornplanter,  about 
eighty  in  number,  and  a  large  assembly  of  native  Indians,  remnants  of  the 
formidable  Six  Nations,  from  the  Allegheny,  Cattaraugus  and  Tonawanda 
reservations  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  a  large  concourse  of  the  pale 
faces  from  the  surrounding  country.  The  dedicatory  address  was  delivered 
by  Hon.  James  Ross  Snowden,  an  eminent  citizen  of  Philadelphia.  Re- 
sponsive addresses,  in  the  Seneca  language,  were  delivered  by  John  Luke, 
of  the  Cattaraugus  reservation,  a  Councillor  of  the  Seneca  Nation,  and 
by  Rev.  Stephen  S.  Smith,  a  native  of  the  Tonawanda  reservation,  Gene- 
see County,  N.  Y.,  also  a  Seneca  chief  of  the  Six  Nations.  The  speeches 
in  the  native  tongue  were  interpreted  by  Harrison  Half  Town,  an  educated 
native  of  the  Seneca  nation.  Before  the  dedicatory  services  commenced  the 
assembly  was  addressed  in  the  Seneca  language  liy  Solomon  O'Bail,  a  grand- 
son of  Cornplanter,  and  a  cliief  of  his  tribe,  dressed  in  the  full  regalia  of 
alioriginal  royalty. 

Judge  Johnson  records  in  his  report  to  the  Legislature:  '"Three  of 
Cornplanter's  children  still  survive,  and  were  present,  and  by  them  I  was 
solemnly  charged  to  communicate  to  your  honorable  iDodies  their  sincere 
and  reiterated  thanks  for  the  distinguished  honor  thus  rendered  to  their 
ancestor.  I  have  seldom  seen  deeper  gratitude  in  human  hearts  than  swelled 
the  bosoms  of  these  now  veneral)le  children,  and  those  of  many  grand- 
children of  the  hero  whose  virtues  and  memory  it  has  delighted  you  to 
honor.  Of  the  excellent  music,  by  a  native  brass  band,  that  enlivened  the 
occasion,  the  picnic  that  followed  and  the  exciting  war  dance  that  closed 
the  exercises  of  the  day  I  will  not  stop  to  speak." 

The  dedication  of  this  monument  was  no  ordinary  occasion.  So  far  as 
known  no  other  Lidian  chieftain  has  ever  been  honored  by  a  monument 
erected  to  his  memory  a  quarteY  of  a  century  after  his  death  by  authority  of  a 
great  State  like  Pennsylvania. 

The  Six  Nations  w-ere  undoubtedly  the  most  powerful  of  all  the  native 
tril:)es  in  North  America  at  the  time  of  the  American  Revolution.  They 
held  swav  from  the  St.  Croix  to  the  Albemarle,  which  extended  even  to  New 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  233 

England  and  Virginia.  As  early  as  16S4  the  Governors  of  New  York. 
A-lassachtisetts  and  Virginia  met  in  council  with  the  representati\-e  chiefs, 
"to  strengthen  and  Ijurnish  the  covenant  chain  and  plant  the  tree  of  peace, 
of  which  the  top  should  reach  the  sun  anrl  tlic  branches  shelter  the  v.ide 
land." 

Of  the  Six  Nations  the  Senecas,  to  which  Cornplanter  belonged,  and 
over  whom  for  long  years  he  held  sway,  was  the  most  numerous  and  power- 
ful and  by  far  the  most  exposed.  The  Senecas  were  charged  with  guarding 
the  western  door  of  "Long  House,"  by  which  name  their  original  possessions 
were  designated,  which  embraced  the  entire  State  of  New  York.  They  were 
known  as  the  Senecas,  Oneidas.  Mohawks.  Onondagas  and  Cayugas.  To 
these  were  added  the  Tuscaroras  in  1712.  These  six  tribes  or  nations 
formed  a  powerful  confederacy.  The  Senecas,  occupying  the  Niagara  end 
of  the  State,  were  exposed  to  the  influences  and  wiles  of  the  French  from 
Canada,  and  on  the  south  from  the  English  at  Pittsburg  and  farther  east. 
"Their  principal  seats,"  says  Morgan's  League  of  the  Iroquois,  "were  in 
western  New  ^'ork  and  northwestern  Pennsylvania.  They  were  thus  situ- 
ated between  the  advancing  column  of  emigration  and  settlements  of  the 
English  from  the  Hudson,  the  Delaware,  the  Susquehanna  and  the  Poto- 
mac on  the  one  hand,  and  the  French  from  Canada,  the  St.  Lawrence,  and 
the  great  Lakes  on  the  other.  A  territorial  position  alike  perilous  to  their 
aboriginal  habits,  customs  and  means  of  subsistence,  as  to  their  existence 
as  a  free  and  independent  nation.  And  yet.  notwithstanding  these  adverse 
circumstances,  they  stood  for  nearly  two  centuries  with  an  unshaken  front 
against  the  devastations  of  war,  the  blighting  influence  of  foreign  inter- 
course and  the  still  more  fatal  encroachments  of  a  restless  and  advancing 
border  population.  United  under  their  federal  .system  they  maintained 
their  independence  and  their  power  of  self  protection  long  after  the  New 
England  and  A'irginia  races  had  surrendered  their  jurisdiction  and  fallen 
into  the  condition  of  conquered  and  dependent  nations.  And  they  now 
stand  forth  upon  the  canvas  of  Indian  history  prominent  alike  for  the  wis- 
dom of  their  civil  institutions,  their  sagacity  in  the  administration  of  the 
affairs  of  the  League  and  their  courage  in  its  defense." 

It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  Crawford  County  was  a  part  of  the  terri- 
tory covered  by  the  Indian  government  of  Cornplanter.     Indeed,  it  was  by 


234  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  authority  of  the  Six  Nations  that  Mason  and  Dixon  were  stopped  in 
their  survey  at  Dunkard  Creek  in  Greene  County. 

The  Seneca  tribe  was  at  an  early  day  much  under  the  influence  of  the 
French.  Jesuits  labored  much  among  them,  came  to  speak  the  Indian 
tongue,  and  even  entered  into  tribal  relations  with  them  and  became  one 
of  them.  French  officers,  both  civil  and  military,  brought  them  "high 
pi!ed-up  presents,"  such  as  were  useful  and  pleasing  to  these  simple  natives 
of  the  forest.  On  the  other  hand,  the  English  did  not  reach  them  except 
to  trade  for  their  skins,  and  these  English  traders  were  often  given  to  over- 
reaching these  simple-minded  sons  of  the  forest  before  they  had  become 
schooled  in  the  wiles  of  the  white  man.  The  consequence  was  that  the  - 
Senecas  joined  the  I-'rench  with  their  young  braves  in  that  terribly  disas- 
trous battle  of  the  Monongahela  A\hich  cost  the  life  of  General  Braddock 
and  the  lives  of  the  large  body  of  his  troops.  It  was  such  a  sweeping 
slaughter  as  is  rarely  recorded  in  the  history  of  warfare,  and.  what  i.s  more 
remarkable,  it  was  gained  by  Indians  almost  entirely,  over  the  King's 
regulars  aided  by  colonial  volunteers.  Among  the  leaders  of  the  Indians 
were  Pontiac  and  Cornplanter.  This  was  Cornplanter's  first  battle,  as  it 
was  Washington's.  They  were  about  the  same  age,  having  been  liorn  in 
1832.  The  result  of  this  battle  was  very  injurious  to  the  English,  for  it  in- 
spired the  savages  with  great  confidence  in  themselves,  as  it  was  gained 
over  superior  numbers,  and  with  the  greatest  ease.  They  ever  after  boasted 
tliat  at  any  time  that  they  would  be  thoroughly  united  they  could  sweep  the 
pale  faces  from  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  it  was  with  that  object  in  view  and  in 
full  confidence  in  their  power  that  Pontiac  formed  an  alliance  of  all  the  tribes 
with  the  intent  of  breaking  the  power  of  the  English.  That  victory  was  the 
seed  which  ripened  into  many  a  massacre  of  defenceless  settlers. 

Cornplanter  was  possessed  of  great  native  shrewdness,  and  it  was  not 
long  till  he  became  satisfied  that  the  English  were  to  become  the  masters 
and  that  the  French  would  be  compelled  to  withdraw  from  this  side  of  the 
great  lakes.  There  is  naturally  a  vein  of  superstition  in  the  nature  of  the 
Indian.  Washington  had  been  noted  in  that  terrible  day  with  Braddock. 
The  report  had  been  circulated  among  the  natives  that  one  of  their  Sachems 
had  fired  repeatedly  at  Washington  and  had  called  on  the  braves  of  his 
tribe  to  do  the  same,  but  not  one  could  hit  him,  and  the  belief  became  preva- 
lent that  he  was  under  the  special  protection  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  was 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  235 

proof  against  mortal  strife.  Cornplanter  had  become  the  firm  friend  of 
Washington,  and  through  the  Indian  wars  which  followed  he  remained 
firm  in  his  adli^erence  to  the  side  of  the  English. 

When,  therefore,  the  Thirteen  Colonies  rebelled  against  the  King  of 
England,  the  Indians  could  not  understand  where  their  allegiance  was  due. 
Cornplanter  was  opposed  to  joining  in  the  conflict,  inasmuch  as  the  Indiansj 
had  nothing  to  do  with  the  difficulties  that  existed  between  the  two  parties. 
If  he  had  more  clearly  understood  the  points  in  dispute  his  opposition  might 
have  been  more  effective.  The  emissaries  of  the  British  in  the  Revolution- 
arv  W'ar  made  every  exertion  to  secure  the  powerful  Six  Nations  on  their 
side.  "The  King,"  they  said,  "was  rich  and  powerful  both  in  money  and 
subjects.  His  rum  was  as  plenty  as  the  water  in  Lake  Ontario,  and  his 
men  as  numerous  as  the  sands  upon  its  shore,  and  the  Indians  were  assured 
that  if  they  would  assist  in  the  war  and  preserve  their  friendship  for  the  King 
until  its  close  they  never  should  want  for  goods  or  money."  In  an  inter- 
view with  General  Herkimer,  of  the  Revolutionary  army,  Cornplanter  said: 
"The  Indians  were  in  concert  with  theia'  King  of  England,  as  their  fathers 
had  been.  The  King's  lielts  of  wampum  are  yet  lodged  with  them,  and  they 
cannot  ^•iolate  their  pledges.  General  Herkimer  and  his  followers  have 
joined  the  Boston  people  a^gainst  their  sovereign.  And  although  the  Bos- 
ton people  were  resolute,  yet  the  King  would  humble  them.  That  Gen- 
eral Schuyler  was  very  smart  on  the  Indians  at  the  treaty  of  the  German 
Flats,  but,  at  the  same  time,  was  not  able  to  afford  the  smallest  article  of 
clothing,  and  finally  that  the  Indians  had  formerly  made  war  on  the  white 
people  when  they  were  all  united,  and  they  \'\-ere  now  divided  the  Indians 
were  not  frightened." 

But  when  the  representatives.  Chiefs  of  the  Confederacy,  at  Oswego, 
at  a  general  council  held  in  the  summer  of  1777.  decided  to  take  up  the 
hatchet  for  the  King  of  England,  Cornplanter  and  his  tribe  considered 
themselves  liound  l^y  the  decision.  His  nation  was  at  war,  and  he  had  to 
go  with  his  nation.  In  his  address  to  Washington,  at  Philadelphia,  in  1790, 
he  justifies,  or  at  least  palliates  the  conduct  of  his  nation,  in  taking  the  side 
of  the  King,  in  the  following  eloquent  and  impressive  words: 

"Father,  when  you  kindled  your  thirteen  fires  separately,  the  wise  men 
assembled  at  them,  told  us  you  were  all  brothers — the  children  of  one  great 
Father,  who  regarded  the  red  people  as  his  children.     They  called  us  chil- 


236  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

clrcn  and  invited  us  to  their  protection.  They  told  us  that  he  resided  be- 
}ond  the  great  water,  where  tlie  sun  first  rises,  and  that  he  was  a  King, 
whose  power  no  people  could  resist,  and  that  his  goodness  was  as  bright 
as  the  sun.  What  they  said  went  to  our  hearts.  We  accepted  the  invita- 
tion and  promised  to  obey  him.  What  the  Seneca  nation  promise  they 
faithfully  perform.  Wlien  you,  the  thirteen  fires,  refused  obedience  to  that 
King,  he  commanded  us  to  assist  his  beloved  men  in  making  you  sober.  In 
obeying  him  we  did  no  more  than  yourselves  had  led  us  to  promise.  We 
were  deceived,  but  your  people  teaching  us  to  confide  in  that  King  had 
helped  to  deceive  us,  and  we  now  appeal  to  your  heart.  Is  all  the  blame 
ours?" 

Cornplanter  had  made  out  a  list  of  grievances  in  this  speech  which  he 
presented  in  an  eloquent  and  well  digested  manner.  To  this  speech  Presi- 
dent Washington  made  a  formal  reply,  taking  up  each  item  of  the  com- 
plaints and  answering  in  their  order.  To  this  reply  of  the  President  the 
Sachem  commences  his  rei>l)-  in  these  words:  "Father!  Your  speech, 
written  on  the  great  paper,  is  to  us.  like  the  first  light  of  the  morning  to  a 
sick  man  whose  ]5ulse  beats  too  strongly  in  his  temples  and  prevents  him 
from  sleep.  He  sees  it  and  rejoices,  but  is  not  cured."  One  of  the  com- 
plaints made  in  his  original  address  he  thus  alludes  to  in  his  response  to 
President  Washington's  reply:  "Father!  There  are  men  that  go  from 
town  to  town  and  beget  children,  and  leave  them  to  perish,  or,  except  better 
men  take  care  of  them,  to  grow  up  without  instruction.  Our  nation  has 
looked  around  for  a  father,  l)ut  thev  found  none  that  would  own  them  for 
children  until  }ou  tell  us  that  the  courts  are  open  to  us  as  to  }'Our  own 
people.  The  joy  which  we  feel  at  this  great  news  so  mixes  with  the  sor- 
rows that  are  past  that  we  cannot  express  our  gladness,  nor  conceal  the 
remembrance  of  our  afflictions."  .\nd  in  concluding  his  response  Corn- 
planter  says:  "Father!  You  give  us  leave  to  speak  our  minds  concerning 
the  tilling  of  the  ground.  We  ask  you  to  teach  us  to  plough,  and  to  grind 
corn;  to  assist  us  in  building  sawmills,  and  to  supply  us  with  broad  axes, 
saws,  augers  and  other  tools,  so  as  that  we  make  our  houses  more  com- 
fortable and  more  durable:  that  you  will  send  smiths  among  us,  and  above 
all,  that  you  will  teach  our  children  to  read  and  write,  and  our  women 
to  spin  and  to  weave.  The  manner  of  your  doing  these  things  for  us  we 
lea\'e  to  you,  who  understand  them:  but  we  assure  you  we  will  follow  your 


li 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  237 

advice  so  far  as  we  are  al)Ie."  This  conference  of  Cornplanter  with  Presi- 
dent Washington  was  held  at  Philadelphia,  then  the  seat  of  the  General 
Government,  in  the  year  1790,  in  the  second  year  of  the  President's  first 
term,  and  is  remarkable  as  showing  the  mental  acumen  possessed  by  one  of 
the  red  men  of  the  forest  who  had  none  of  the  advantages  of  mental  cul- 
ture. In  lucidity  of  statement  and  subtlety  of  argument  he  showed  himself 
the  full  equal  of  the  President. 

During  the  Revolutionary  ^A'ar  the  Six  Nations  at  first  favored  the  side 
of  the  King  for  the  reason  assigned  in  the  opening  of  Cornplanter's  ad- 
dress to  Washington,  though  Cornplanter  himself  favored  taking  no  part 
in  the  contest.  He  was,  however,  overruled  and  the  red  men  \\ere  found 
contending  with  the  King's  forces.  Their  hostile  temper  against  the  colo- 
nies had  become  so  forceful  in  1779  that  General  Sullivan  was  sent  with  a 
sufficient  force  to  check  them.  Cornplanter  was  present  and  took  part  in 
the  battle  of  New  Town,  the  present  site  of  Elmira,  N.  Y.,  where  the 
Indians  and  British  troops,  the  latter  under  the  command  of  Col.  John 
Butler,  were  signally  defeated.  "The  decisive  action  on  the  Chemung  was 
followed  by  the  devastation  of  the  Indian  towns  and  settlements  through- 
out the  country  of  the  Senecas  and  Cayugas.  They  had  several  towns 
and  many  large  villages  laid  out  with  a  considerable  degree  of  regularity. 
They  had  framed  houses,  some  of  them  well  finished  and  painted,  and 
having  chimneys.  They  had  Ijroad  and  protected  fields,  and  in  addition  an 
aliundance  of  apples  and  orchards  of  peaches,  pears  and  plums.  But  after 
the  battle  of  New  Town  terror  led  the  van  of  the  invader,  whose  approach 
was  heralded  by  watchmen  stationed  upon  every  height,  and  desolation 
followed  weeping  in  his  train.  The  Indians  everywhere  fled  as  Sullivan 
advanceil,  and  the  whole  country  was  swept  as  with  the  besom  of  destruc- 
tion. Towns  were  burned,  fields  laid  waste,  cattle  destroyed  and  the  or- 
chards cut  down.  Cornplanter  was  a  sad  witness  to  the  destruction  of  his 
ov\n  home  and  village  and  that  of  his  people.  He  refers  to  these  seasons 
most  eloquently  in  his  address  to  Washington  in  1792.  'When  your  army 
entered  the  country  of  the  Six  Nations  we  called  you  the  town  destroyer, 
and  to  this  day,  when  that  name  is  heard,  our  women  look  behind  them 
and  turn  pale  and  our  children  cling  close  to  the  necks  of  their  mothers. 
Our  councillors  and  warriors  are  men  and  cannot  be  afraid,  but  their  hearts 
are  grieved  with  the  fears  of  women  and  children.'  " 


238  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  expedition  of  General  Sullivan  sobered  the  Indians  and  gave 
Cornplanter  power  over  his  people.  He  became  convinced  that  it  was  fruit- 
less to  attempt  to  combat  the  colonies,  who  were  every  year  growing 
stronger  and  increasing  in  population.  Accordingly,  when  the  great  gath- 
ering of  the  native  chiefs  assembled  at  Fort  Stanwix,  at  the  close  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  Cornplanter  favored  the  peace  policy  and  the  giving 
up  their  vast  territories  which  they  did  not  occupy  rather  than  to  attempt 
to  hold  them  by  force,  which  he  plainly  saw  would  result  in  disaster.  By 
the  treaty  there  concluded  vast  stretches  of  land  were  sold.  In  that  treaty 
his  voice  was  potential  and  bj'  the  position  which  he  there  took  he  lost 
the  friendship  of  many  of  the  braves  of  his  triiDC  who  were  ambitious  to 
fight  for  their  ancient  inheritance.  It  was  by  the  treaty  there  concluded 
that  Crawford  County  came  into  possession  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 
When  the  western  Indians  united  in  one  grand  conclave  to  fight  and  drive 
back  the  settlers  in  1 790-1  strenuous  efforts  were  made  to  induce  the  Six 
Nations  to  join  them,  but  Cornplanter,  who  was  now  in  his  full  strength  and 
influence,  held  back  his  people  and  succeeded  in  preventing  them  against 
the  wishes  of  some  of  the  most  powerful  chiefs  of  his  nation.  Great  solici- 
tude was  felt  by  the  government  of  the  young  nation  lest  the  Six  Nations 
would  be  prevailed  upon  to  unite  with  the  western  tribes  in  a  general  war 
which  they  had  inaugurated.  Had  this  been  accomplished,  Crawford 
County,  and  indeed  the  whole  northwestern  portion  of  Pennsylvania  and 
New  York,  would  have  been  swept  with  Indian  warfare,  and  the  torch  and 
the  scalping  knife  would  have  been  the  ready  instruments  of  savage  warfare. 

Recognizing  the  necessity  of  prompt  action,  Washington  employed 
Cornplanter,  in  1791,  to  proceed  in  behalf  of  the  government  of  the  United 
States  into  the  country  of  the  northwestern  Indians  on  an  embassy  of  peace 
and  reconciliation.  He  was  unsuccessful  in  inducing  the  western  Indians 
to  make  peace,  l>ut  he  held  his  own  nation  in  check  and  prevented  the  war- 
like attitude  which  Brant  and  Red  Jacket  were  intent  upon  assuming. 

In  1802  Cornplanter  visited  President  JefTerson  and  in  reply  to  the 
Sachem's  address  the  President  said:  "Go  on  then,  brother,  in  the  great 
reformation  you  have  undertaken.  Persuade  our  red  men  to  be  sober  and 
to  cultivate  their  lands,  and  their  women  to  spin  and  weave  for  their  families. 
It  will  be  a  great  glory  to  you  to  have  been  the  instrument  of  so  happy  a 
change,  and  your  children's  children,  from  generation  to  generation,  will 


.OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  239 

repeat  your  name  with  love  and  gratitude  forever.  In  all  your  enterprises 
for  the  good  of  your  people  you  may  count  with  confidence  on  the  aid  and 
protection  of  the  United  States,  and  on  the  sincerity  and  zeal  with  which  I 
am  animated  in  the  furthering  of  this  humane  work.  You  are  our  brethren 
of  the  same  land;  we  wish  you  prosperity,  as  brethren  should  do." 

When  the  war  of  181 2  broke  out  the  patriotism  of  the  old  chieftain  was 
aroused,  and  though  he  was  now  80  years  of  age,  he  gathered  together 
200  of  his  young  braves  and  marched  to  Franklin,  Venango  County,  where 
Colonel  Samuel  Dale  was  about  to  march  with  his  regiment  to  the  frontier. 
Cornplanter  offered  his  men,  but  Colonel  Dale  not  having  authority  to  ac- 
cept them,  persuaded  the  old  chieftain  to  return,  promising  him  that  if 
needed  his  braves  would  be  called  for.  Before  leaving  he  asked  the  Colonel 
to  explain  the  causes  and  objects  of  the  war,  which  was  done,  and  Corn- 
planter  made  the  following  reply:  "Many  years  ago  a  boy  came  over  the 
great  waters  and  settled  among  his  people  of  the  Six  Nations;  some  time 
thereafter  the  father  followed  to  keep  him  in  subjection.  The  Indians  helped 
the  father,  but  the  boy  was  too  much  for  ]:)oth,  and  drove  the  father  home. 
And  now,  when  the  father  had  become  an  old  man  and  the  boy  a  strong- 
man and  a  good  neighbor  to  his  nation,  he  wished  to  show  his  friendship 
for  the  Thirteen  Fires  by  taking  his  two  hundred  warriors  to  assist  to  drive 
the  old  man  across  the  great  waters."  Cornplanter  insisted  that  his  war- 
riors ought  not  to  stay  at  home  and  live  idly  in  their  wigwams  whilst  their 
white  friends  and  brothers  were  upon  the  war  path.  But  upon  the  promise 
of  the  Colonel  that  they  would  be  sent  for  he  was  pacified  and  returned  home. 

Thomas  Struthers,  Esq.,  of  W'arren,  paid  a  visit  to  Cornplanter  in 
1 83 1  at  his  home  on  the  banks  of  the  Allegheny  River  and  gave  the  follow- 
ing account  of  his  interview:  "I  accompanied  some  gentlemen,  residents 
of  Pittsburg  and  Butler,  who  desired  to  pay  their  respects  to  him.  It  was 
a  pleasant  day  in  May  when  we  called  on  him.  He  talked  no  English.  I 
introduced  the  gentlemen  through  an  interpreter,  whom  I  had  engaged,  and 
informed  him  that  they  had  called  to  pay  their  respects  to  him.  He  seemed 
much  pleased  that  his  white  friends  were  inclined  to  pay  him  such  attention. 
The  introduction  took  place  in  front  of  his  log  cabin,  on  the  bank  of  the 
Allegheny  River.  He  gave  orders  to  some  young  Indians,  the  import  of 
which  we  soon  ascertained,  by  the  fact  that  they  immediately  collected 
some  boards  and  placed  them  for  seats  around  a  log  sled  in  the  form  of 


240  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

a  hollow  square.  This  clone,  the  old  chief  pointed  out  to  each  of  the  party 
his  seat,  and  all  sat  facing  inward.  He  then  took  his  seat  in  the  center  and 
announced  that  he  was  ready  to  hear  any  communications  we  had  to  make. 
I  told  him  we  had  not  come  to  buy  lands  or  timber,  nor  to  trade  for  furs  and 
skins,  but  had  called  on  him  in  the  spirit  of  friendship,  to  pay  our  respects 
to  the  great  Indian  chief  whom  we  had  learned  to  admire  as  a  warrior,  and 
especially  as  the  friend  of  the  United  States,  who  had  inculcated  the 
principles  of  peace  and  Christianity  among  the  people.  I  referred  briefly  to 
the  schools  established  among  his  people  by  the  Friends  of  Philadelphia. 

"The  old  chief  replied  in  a  speech  which  would  compare  well  with 
man\-  of  our  best  State  papers.  His  manner  was  dignified  and  eloquent  and 
his  eye  lit  up,  as  if  by  inspiration,  so  that  it  was  very  interesting  to  listen  to 
what  he  said,  although  we  could  not  understand  it,  until  the  interpreter 
rendered  it  to  us.  He  spoke  of  the  relations  between  the  white  men  and 
the  red  men — the  war  and  bloodshed  caused  by  the  former,  to  displace  the 
latter  from  their  hunting  grounds — the  peace  effected  with  the  Six  Na- 
tions— dwelt  particularly  on  the  virtues  of  General  Washington,  the  great 
and  good  white  Father.  He  brought  forth  from  a  well  covered  valise,  in 
which  they  were  carefully  wrapped  in  linen  cloth,  two  or  three  'talks,'  as  he 
termed  them,  on  parchment,  to  which  was  appended  the  autograph  of 
Washington.  He  said  he  had  met  Washington  a  number  of  times  and 
treated  with  him.  His  single  eye  sparkled  with  animation  when  his  name 
was  mentioned.  And  in  conclusion,  he  thanked  the  Great  Spirit  that  there 
were  now  no  wars  or  blood-shedding  going  on,  but  that  peace  and  good 
will  existed  amongst  all  men  and  all  nations,  so  far  as  he  could  hear.  He 
spoke  as  a  statesman  and  philanthropist  whose  mind  was  occupied  with  the 
weighty  interests  of  mankind  rather  than  with  merely  the  affairs  and  con- 
cerns of  a  family  or  tribe.  He  thanked  us  for  our  call  upon  him,  and  in- 
vited us  to  dine  with  him,  which  we  accepted.  The  bill  of  fare  was  jerked 
venison  and  corn  mush:  the  latter  was  prepared  in  the  Indian  manner,  each 
guest  having  a  tin  pan  about  half  full  of  hot  water,  in  which  the  Indian  meal 
was  mixed  at  the  pleasure  of  the  guest. 

In  1822,  when  he  was  90  years  old,  Cornplanter  became  possessed  of  a 
religious  temper,  and  bringing  out  a  sword  and  pistols  and  some  other 
military  accoutrements  which  had  been  presented  to  him  by  Washington 
broke    them   in    pieces,   and   a   gold   laced   hat   which   was   given   him  by 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  241 

Governor  Mifflin,  also  a  French  flag  and  superl)  belt  of  wampum,  trophies 
of  valor  which  he  destro3-ed.  It  appears  that  imder  the  influence  of  Chris- 
tianity, particularly  as  evinced  in  the  teachings  of  the  society  of  Friends,  who 
had  established  schools  in  his  nation,  he  became  so  firm  an  advocate  of  peace 
that  he  wished  to  remove  from  him  all  the  memorials  that  recalled  to  his  recol- 
lection the  scenes  of  war  and  blood  through  which  he  had  passed. 

Judge  Thompson,  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania,  thus  speaks: 
"I  once  saw  the  aged  and  venerable  chief  and  had  an  interesting  interviev/ 

with  him  about  a  year  and  a  half  before  his  death ^^^^en  I  saw 

him  he  estimated  his  age  to  be  over  one  hundred  years.  I  think  one  hun- 
dred and  three  was  about  his  reckoning  of  it.  This  would  make  him  one 
hundred  and  five  at  his  death.  His  person  was  much  stooped  and  his  stature 
was  far  short  of  what  it  once  had  Ijeen — not  being  over  five  feet  six  inches 
at  the  time  I  speak  of.  He  was  constitutionally  sedate;  was  never  observed 
to  smile,  much  less  to  indulge  in  the  luxury  of  a  laugh.  Mr.  John  Struthers, 
of  Ohio,  told  me  some  years  since  that  he  had  seen  him  nearly  fifty  years 
before,  and  at  that  period  he  was  about  his  own  height,  viz.:  six  feet  one 
inch.  Time  and  hardship  had  made  dreadful  ha\-oc  upon  that  ancient  form. 
The  chest  was  sunken  and  his  shoulders  \\ere  drawn  forward,  making  the 
upper  part  of  his  body  resemble  a  trough.  His  limbs  had  lost  their  sym- 
metry and  become  crooked.  His  feet,  too  (for  he  had  taken  off  his  mocca- 
sins), uere  deformed  and  haggard  by  injury.  I  would  say  that  most  of  his 
fingers  on  one  hand  were  useless;  the  sinews  had  been  severed  by  a  blow 
of  the  tomahawk  or  scalping  knife.  How  I  longed  to  ask  him  what  scene 
of  blood  and  strife  had  thus  stamped  the  enduring  evidence  of  its  existence 
upon  his  person.  But  to  have  done  so  would  in  all  probability  have  put 
an  end  to  all  further  conversation  on  any  subject.  The  information  de- 
sired would  certainly  not  have  been  received  and  I  had  to  forego  my  curi- 
osity. He  had  but  one  eye  and  even  the  socket  of  the  lost  organ  was  hid 
by  the  overhanging  brow  resting  upon  the  high  cheek  bone.  His  remain- 
ing eye  was  of  the  brightest  and  blackest  hue.  Never  have  I  seen  one,  in 
young  or  old,  that  equaled  it  in  brilliancy.  Perhaps  it  had  borrowed  luster 
from  the  eternal  darkness  that  had  rested  on  its  neighboring  orbit.  His 
ears  had  been  dressed  in  the  Indian  mode,  all  but  the  outside  had  been  cut 
■away;  on  the  one  ear  the  ring  had  been  torn  assunder  near  the  top,  and 

hung  down  his  neck  like  a  useless  rag.     He  had  a  full  head  of  hair,  white  as 
16 


242  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  driven  snow,  which  covered  a  head  of  ample  dimensions  and  admirable 
shape.  His  face  was  not  swarthy.  He  told  me  that  he  had  been  at  Frank- 
lin more  than  eighty  years  before  the  period  of  conversation,  on  his  passage 
down  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  with  the  warriors  of  his  tribe,  on  some  expe- 
dition against  the  Creeks  or  Osages.  He  had  long  been  a  man  of  peace, 
and  I  believe  his  great  characteristics  were  humanity  and  truth.  As  he 
stood  before  me — the  ancient  chief  in  ruins — how  forcibly  was  I  struck  with 
the  truth  of  the  beautiful  figure  of  the  old  aboriginal  chieftain,  who,  in 
describing  himself,  said,  'he  was  like  an  aged  hemlock,  dead  at  the  top,  and 
whose  branches  alone  were  green.'  After  more  than  one  hundred  years  of 
most  varied  life — of  strife — of  danger — of  peace — he  at  last  slumbers  in  deep 
repose  on  the  banks  of  his  own  beloved  Allegheny."  Dr.  Irvine,  of  Broken- 
straw,  son  of  Gen.  C.  Irvine,  an  intimate  friend  of  the  chief,  in  a  letter  says: 
"I  frequently  heard  my  father  say  that  Cornplanter  was  one  of  the  most 
honest  and  truthful  men  he  ever  knew,  whether  white  or  red."  Judge  John- 
son, under  whose  direction  the  monument  was  erected,  states,  "So  far  as 
Cornplanter  was  personally  known  to  residents  in  this  section  of  country 
he  was  regarded  as  a  living  example  of  integrity,  truthfulness,  purity,  tem- 
perance, fatherly  affection  for  his  tribe  and  race  and  a  generous  hospitality 
to  all.  He  possessed  the  universal  affection  and  veneration  of  his  tribe  and 
of  all  men  who  knew  him." 

In  closing  his  dedicatory  address,  Mr.  Snowden  thus  spoke:  "This  is 
no  ordinary  occasion.  A  great  Commonwealth,  by  a  solemn  act  cf  legisla- 
tion, and  by  her  agents  here  this  day,  honors  the  memory  of  the  distin- 
guished Indian  chief  whose  mortal  remains  lie  mouldering  in  this  grave. 
We  this  day  dedicate  this  monument  to  the  memory  of  Cornplanter,  an 
Indian  chief  of  the  Seneca  tribe  of  the  Six  Nations — and  may  we,  both  white 
and  red  men,  and  our  children's  children,  as  long  as  this  beautiful  river  bears 
its  waters  to  the  ocean,  venerate  his  memory  and  emulate  his  virtues." 


part  n. 


^eabville  anb  XTitusvUle, 


CHAPTER  I. 


EARLY  SETTLERS  OF  MEADVILLE. 


THE  first  settlement  in  northwestern  Pennsylvania,  as  has  been  already 
obser\'ed,  was  at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Meadville,  long  known  as 
"Mead  Settlement."  The  original  plan  of  Meadville  was  conceived 
in  1793,  by  David  Mead,  though  the  town  was  not  named  until  after  the 
first  sale  of  lots.  In  an  old  account  book,  in  General  Mead's  own  hand- 
writing, is  the  following  entry:  "Journal  of  the  town — laid  out  by  David 
Mead,  at  Cassawago,  and  commencement  of  the  sale  of  lots  on  the  20th 
day  of  February,  1793."  The  purchasers  of  lots  during  this  year  were 
William  Gill,  Thomas  Ray,  John  Ray,  Robert  Finney,  Lewis  Bond,  Samuel 
Lord,  Hugh  Dupray,  Ebene^er  McGufifin,  James  Campbell,  John  Beals, 
Frederick  Haymaker,  William  Jones,  John  Wentworth,  William  Black, 
Thomas  Black,  Andrew  Robinson  and  Luke  Hill.  In  1794  the  following 
persons  bought  lots  in  the  newly  laid  out  town:  William  Dick,  John 
Wilkins,  Jr.,  Jesse  Barber,  John  Polhamus,  John  Smith,  John  Brooks, 
James  Dickson,  John  Clows,  Cornelius  Van  Home,  John  Mead,  Abner 
Evans,  Barnabas  McCormick,  James  Findley,  Joseph  Grifihn,  Robert  Wil- 
son, Ebenezer  McGuffin,  Jennet  Finney,  Edward  Cannon,  William  Clemens, 
Samuel  Lord,  Nicholas  Lord,  John  Hawk,  George  Roberts,  Joseph  Arm- 
strong, John  Barclay,  Henry  Richard  and  Frederick  Baum.  In  1795  lots 
were  purchased  by  William  Gill,  Jacob  Raysor,  John  Welford,  John  Davis, 
John  Stewart,  Solomon  Jennings,  Robert  Finney,  Jennet  Finney,  Alexan- 
der Power,  Frederick  Baum,  Robert  Johnson,  John  Johnson,  John  Morris,* 
Henry  Marly,  Robert  Wilson,  John  Wilson,  Charles  Sweeney,  John  Mc- 
Addon,  Archibald  Bruce,  John  Brooks,  William  Johnson,  Robert  Burris, 
James  Heatley,  Alexander  Linn,  Roger  Alden  and  Joseph  Osborn. 

The  block  of  lots  on  Walnut  Street,  between  Market  and  Park  Avenue, 
now  occupied  by  the  residence  of  D.  G.  Shryock,  Esq.,  was  in  the  original 

24s 


246  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

plan  of  General  Mead  intended  for  a  public  square.  Henry  Marley,  one 
of  the  pioneers  of  Crawford  County,  acted  as  chain  bearer  for  the  General  in 
the  survey  of  the  town.  He  used  to  relate  that  they  commenced  at  Mead's 
Mill,  a  log  building  then  standing  near  the  site  of  the  "Red  Mill,"  standing, 
until  within  a  few  years  past,  at  the  head  of  Water  Street,  and  ran  south, 
cutting  out  the  hazel  brush  in  their  progress.  It  was  late  in  the  afternoon 
before  they  reached  the  point  where  Mill  Run  crosses. Water  Street,  when 
Mead,  looking  at  his  watch,  exclaimed,  "Well,  Henry,  we'll  stop  here.  I 
guess  the  town  will  never  go  further  south  than  this  creek."  He,  however, 
lived  to  see  the  village  pass  the  boundary  he  had  established.  But  what 
would  be  the  old  General's  surprise  if  he  were  to  return  and  view  the  city 
he  founded  more  than  a  century  ago?  Many  of  those  who  purchased  lots 
of  General  Mead,  in  1793-4-5,  were  non-residents,  while  others  are  well 
remembered  pioneers  of  different  sections  of  the  county.  The  following 
purchasers,  however,  located  permanently  in  Meadville,  and  the  majority 
of  them  lived  and  died  here:  Samuel  Lord,  Frederick  Haymaker,  William 
Dick,  John  Brooks,  Henry  Reichard,  Jacob  Raysor.  John  Davis  and  Roger 
Alden.  Between  1794  and  1800  several  other  pioneers  settled  in  the  vil- 
lage; among  them  were  Dr.  Thomas  R.  Kennedy,  James  Herriott,  Samuel 
Torbett,  Capt.  Richard  Patch,  James  Gibson,  Col.  Joseph  Hackney,  John 
Carver,  William  McArthur,  David  Compton,  Patrick  Davis,  Lawrence 
Clancy  and  Alexander  Buchanan. 

In  1795  the  town  plat  was  resurveyed,  remodeled  and  enlarged  by 
General  Mead,  Dr.  Thomas  R.  Kennedy  and  Maj.  Roger  Alden.  The 
town  was  divided  into  seventy-five  squares,  by  streets,  alleys  and  lanes,  and 
one  square,  known  as  the  Diamond,  was  laid  off  for  public  buildings,  in  the 
.form  of  a  parallelogram,  measuring  300  feet  east  and  west  and  600  feet 
north  and  south.  By  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century  scattering  cabins 
dotted  the  site  of  Meadville  from  French  Creek  or  Venango  River  to  the 
Diamond,  and  the  little  hamlet  began  to  exhibit  signs  of  a  healthy  growth. 
The  erection  of  Crawford  County,  in  1800,  and  the  location  of  the  seat  of 
justice  at  Meadville  gave  it  an  impetus  that  for  some  years  made  it  the 
leading  town  in  northwestern  Pennsylvania. 

For  the  five  years  after  the  county  was  organized  the  buildings  on 
Water  Street,  previously  mentioned,  were  rented,  repaired  and  utilized  for 
county  purposes,  but  on  the  5th  of  March,  1804,  the  Legislature  passed  an 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  247 

act  ordering  the  commissioners  to  erect  a  court  house  and  pubHc  offices. 
In  compHance  with  this  law  a  two-storied  hewed  log  building  was  erected 
that  year  on  the  site  of  Haskins  and  McClintock's  law  office,  which  stands 
immediately  between  the  residences  of  the  late  Judge  Derickson  and  the 
late  Hiram  L.  Richmond.  The  lower  story  was  used  for  a  jail  and  a  jailer's 
residence  and  a  small  lot  in  the  rear  of  the  building  was  enclosed  with  a 
high  post  and  picket  fence  for  a  jail  lot.  In  the  second  story  was  the  court 
,room,  and  was  accessible  by  an  outside  stairway  in  front  of  the  building. 
This  room  was  utilized  by  the  pioneers  wherein  to  hold  meetings  of  various 
sorts,  and  here,  too,  they  met  for  religious  worship.  It  therefore  served  the 
two-fold  purpose  of  a  training  place  for  imparting  both  civil  and  religious 
teachings.  The  lot  on  which  the  court  house  and  jail  stood  was  purchased 
of  David  Mead  for  $100,  he  having  previously  donated  the  Diamond  for 
that  purpose.  The  clearing  and  grubbing  and  erecting  the  building  was 
done  by  William  Dick  at  a  cost  of  $2,493.  John  Grier  was  paid  $100  for 
sinking  a  well  in  the  jail  lot,  so  that  the  total  cost  of  the  first  court  house 
and  jail  was  $2,593.  Upon  the  erection  of  the  next  court  house,  in  1824, 
all  the  old  building  was  converted  into  a  jail  and  used  as  such  until  the 
present  stone  structure  was  built  in  1849,  when  it  was  removed. 

The  erection  of  the  present  court  house  was  commenced  in  the  fall 
of  1867.  The  cornerstone  was  laid  May  27,  1868,  and  the  building  was 
completed  in  October,  1869.  It  is  located  on  the  east  side  of  the  Diamond, 
and  is  constructed  in  the  renaissance  style,  of  pressed  brick,  with  stone 
trimmings.  It  has  tesselated  floors,  an  iron  roof,  and  is  considered  fire  proof 
throughout.  It  is  heated  by  steam,  and  its  total  cost,  including  fencing, 
flagging  and  furnishings,  was  $249,000.  On  the  first  floor  are  located  the 
offices  of  county  commissioners,  register  and  recorder,  sheriff,  treasurer, 
clerk  of  courts,  county  superintendent  of  schools,  district  attorney,  court 
stenographer  and  arbitration  room.  The  court  room,  prothonotaries'  office, 
jury  rooms,  law  library,  presiding  justice's  office,  and  consulting  rooms 
occupy  the  second  floor.     The  janitor's  residence  is  in  the  third  story. 

For  more  than  fifty  years  after  the  organization  of  the  county  each 
township  cared  for  its  own  poor;  but  on  the  15th  of  April,  1851,  an  act 
was  passed  by  the  Legislature,  "To  provide  for  the  erection  of  a  house  for 
the  employment  and  support  of  the  poor  of  the  county  of  Crawford." 
Isaac  Saeger,  James  D.  Mclntire,  James  Cochran,  Hugh  Brawley,  H.  B. 


248  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Beatty,  Anson  Leonard,  William  McLean,  and  John  Reynolds  were  ap- 
pointed by  the  act  commissioners  to  purchase  land  for  the  purpose,  and 
the  county  commissioners  were  instructed  to  erect  suitabl.e  buildings 
thereon,  and  were  designated  as  managers  of  the  institution  from  that 
time  forward,  known  as  "The  Directors  of  the  Poor  and  of  the  House 
of  Employment  in  the  County  of  Crawford."  The  commissioners  named 
purchased  ninety-nine  acres  and  eighty  perches  of  land  adjoining  the 
borough  of  Saegertown,  in  the  lieautiful  valley  of  Woodcock  Creek.  Li 
1852  the  directors  entered  into  a  contract  with  James  A.  McFadden  and 
Joseph  Balliet  to  erect  a  two-story  and  a  half  brick  structure  42x90  feet, 
with  a  kitchen  22x36  feet,  for  $7,250.  In  1868  a  three-storied  brick  build- 
ing 45x68  feet,  adjoining  the  old  structure,  was  built  at  a  cost  of  some 
$20,000.  In  1869  a  further  purchase  of  land  was  made  of  138  acres,  which, 
together  with  outbuildings,  makes  the  entire  cost  to  the  county  of  some 
$50,000. 

In  May,  1888,  occurred  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  settle- 
ment of  the  county.  As  was  proper,  the  event  was  celebrated  by  a  vast 
gathering  of  citizens  from  all  parts  of  the  county.  In  the  morning  an 
historical  and  a  patriotic  address  were  delivered  in  the  Academy  of  Music, 
a  poem  was  recited;  an  original  song,  set  to  music  by  a  citizen,  was  sung. 
An  oak  tree  was  planted  on  the  public  square  in  front  of  the  court  house 
with  proper  ceremonies  of  speech-making  and  music.  In  the  afternoon 
throngs  gathered  in  front  of  a  stage  erected  at  the  northern  end  of  Dia- 
mond Park,  where  a  monument  consisting  of  a  pioneer,  life  size,  gun  in 
hand,  cut  in  granite,  standing  upon  a  pedestal  of  the  same  material,  in 
the  rough,  resting  upon  a  proportionate  base,  had  been  erected  to  mark 
the  event- — to  listen  to  a  dedicatory  address  and  songs  by  the  school 
children  of  the  whole  city,  who  had  been  marched  from  their  several  schools 
to  the  grounds.  Rarely,  if  ever,  had  such  a  throng,  so  happy  and  joyous, 
been  seen  in  Crawford  County  before. 

To  crown  all  a  procession  representing  the  trades  and  manufactures 
of  the  entire  county,  with  flats  on  which  the  diiiferent  workmen  were  at 
their  trades,  and  as  the  procession  moved  the  products  of  their  handiwork 
were  handed  out  to  the  wonder-gaping  crowds.  The  principal  streets 
were  passed  over  and  the  mechanical  skill  displayed  was  indeed  well  worth 
a  long  journey  to  observe.     General   Mead's  first  mill  was  upon  wheels, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  249 

turning  out  meal  as  they  moved  along,  just  as  they  did  in  the  olden  time. 
Remarkable  enterprise  by  the  proprietor  of  the  Tribune-Republican  was 
shown  in  issuing  a  memorial  number  of  his  paper,  finely  illustrated,  con- 
taining a  history  of  the  county,  the  addresses  delivered  and  a  full  account 
of  the  services.  Altogether  it  formed  a  unique  volume,  well  worthy  of  being 
bound  for  preservation. 

Not  long  afterward  enterprising  citizens  of  the  G.  A.  R.  corps  pro- 
cured a  soldiers'  monument  that  was  erected  on  the  opposite  end  of  the 
park,  which  was  dedicated  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  It  represents  an 
infantry  soldier  armed  and  equipped  for  service,  bearing  aloft  the  flag  of 
his  country  and  standing  upon  a  beautifully  wrought  monument  of  the 
finest  granite,  decorated  with  appropriate  military  emblems.  In  front  of 
this  elegant  monument  there  were  subsequently  placed  two  long-range 
thirty-pounder  Parrott  guns  from  the  War  Department,  one  of  them  manu- 
factured in  1862  at  the  West  Point  foundry.  Cold  Springs,  N.  Y.,  and  the 
other  by  the  same  company  in  1864.  They  are  mounted  on  cut-stone 
foundations,  pointing  southward,  and  between  the  two  is  a  pile  of  solid  shot 
arranged  in  pyramidal  form. 


CHAPTER  11. 


EDUCATION  IN  MEADVILLE. 


THE  preliminary  steps  towards  the  founding  of  Allegheny  College  were 
taken  at  a  meeting  convened  at  the  old  log  courthouse  in  Meadville, 
on  the  20th  of  June,  1815.  At  this  period  Meadville  contained  less 
than  eighty  families,  and  about  400  inhabitants,  very  nearly  the  present 
population  of  Kerrtown.  The  whole  population  of  Crawford  County  was 
only  about  six  thousand,  and  the  number  of  taxables  was  less  than  twelve 
hundred.  Curiosity  is  excited  to  know  what  the  inhabitants  of  this  insignifi- 
cant village,  around  which  the  stumps  still  stood  like  grim  sentinels, 
and  population  for  a  long  reach  around  had  hardly  enough  of  the  forest 
cleared  to  eke  out  a  scanty  subsistence,  wanted  with  a  college,  and  how 
they  ever  expected  to  support  it.  Was  it  like  the  penchant  of  one  of  Mark 
Twain's  heroes  for  Echoes?  But  men  sometimes  build  better  than  they 
know,  and  such  must  have  been  the  case  with  the  pioneers  of  collegiate 
education.  It  was  doubtless  in  answer  to-  a  noble  aspiration.  When  we 
behold  this  exhibition  of  their  pluck  and  courage  we  are  led  to  wonder  if 
they  would  have  stumbled  before  the  establishment  of  a  public  library. 

The  meeting  was  organized  by  appointing  Major  Roger  Alden  chair- 
man and  Mr.  John  Reynolds  secretary.  A  statement  of  the  sentiment  of 
the  meeting,  and  the  motives  which  actuated  its  members,  was  formally 
offered  and  unanimously  adopted,  which,  though  a  little  high  sounding,  is 
nevertheless  a  faithful  expression,  doubtless,  of  the  feelings  which  moved 
them.  "Be  it  known."  is  the  language  of  this  paper,  "to  all  whom  it  may 
concern,  that  we.  whose  names  are  affixed  to  this  instrument,  have  volun- 
tarily associated  ourselves  together  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  colle- 
giate institution. 

"The  importance  of  advantages  for  a  classical  education,  and  the  want 

of  an  institution  where  such  an  education  may  be  obtained,  in  the  extensive 

250 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  251 

region  watered  by  the  Allegheny  River  and  its  numerous  contributory 
streams,  and  destined,  in  all  human  probability,  to  be  overspread,  at  no 
great  distance  of  time,  with  as  many  inhabitants  as  any  interior  section  of 
the  United  States,  of  equal  magnitude,  are  a  sufificient  reason  for  awakening 
our  attention  to  this  subject. 

"The  example  of  our  venerable  ancestors,  who  early  made  provision 
for  the  liberal  and  pious  education  of  their  sons;  the  nature  of  our  govern- 
ment, the  welfare  of  which  depends,  in  no  small  degree,  under  Almie-htv 
God,  on  the  prevalence  of  knowledge,  virtue  and  religion;  the  eventful  pe- 
riod in  which  we  live,  plainly  indicating  that  the  time  is  nigh  at  hand  when 
there  will  be  an  unprecedented  call  for  the  labors  of  the  heralds  of  the  gos- 
pel, afi'ord  additional  argument  on  the  expediency  of  our  picsent  under- 
taking." 

From  this  pronunciamento  we  discover  that,  in  prophetic  vision,  they 
beheld  the  teeming  populations  eventually  to  fill  this  broad  domain,  and, 
acting  upon  the  example  of  pious  ancestors,  they  built,  not  to  meet  a  present 
need,  but  for  a  probable  future  want,  and  especially  were  they  mindful  of 
the  pressing  demands  of  the  church.  From  its  being  in  the  midst  of  the 
Allegheny  basin,  of  territory  drained  by  the  Allegheny  River,  it  was  namexl 
Allegheny  College,  and  located  at  Meadville. 

The  chairman  of  the  meeting.  Major  Alden,  was  fully  alive  to  the  im- 
portance of  the  enterprise,  mainly,  doubtless,  from  a  purely  philanthropic 
motive,  though  possibly  incidentally  with  an  eye  to  business,  as  he  was 
the  first  agent  of  the  Holland  Land  Company,  and  was,  from  the  first,  very 
energetic  in  bringing  out  the  hidden  resources  of  this  region.  He  had  foug'ht 
as  a  private  in  the  battles  of  Lexington  and  Bunker  Hill,  and  when  the  army 
was  organized  he  entered  it  as  adjutant.  He  was  in  the  battles  of  Flat  Bush, 
Long  Island.  White  Plains,  the  capture  of  Burgoyne,  and  at  the  battle  of 
Monmouth.  He  was  aid-de-camp  to  Benedict  Arnold  at  the  time  of 
his  treason  at  West  Point.  He  afterward  made  the  campaign 
of  the  South,  under  General  Green,  and  was  at  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis. 
having  been,  as  described  by  one  of  his  intimate  friends,  "in  the  first  platoon 
that  fired  a  shot  at  Lexington,  and  among  the  last  in  the  action  at  York- 
town."  Full  of  enterprise  and  public  spirit,  he  expended  a  competent  for- 
tune in  endeavoring  to  improve  the  county  by  erecting  grist  mills,  saw- 
mills and  in  laving  out  roads.     He  built  the  first  mills  at  Saegertown,  and 


252  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

was  the  mover  in  several  similar  enterprises  in  various  localities.  He,  in 
conjunction  with  Dr.  Kennedy,  gave  to  Meadville  the  impress  of  regulai-ity 
in  its  laying  out. 

There  is  little  doubt,  however,  that  the  aspirations  of  the  early  citizens 
of  Meadville  for  an  institution  of  a  high  order — a  full-fledged  college — were 
given  form  and  reduced  to  method  by  him  who  became  its  first  president, 
and  was  its  guiding  genius,  Timothy  Alden,  a  cousin  of  the  Major,  who 
had  been  a  student  of  Phillips  Academy,  at  Andover,  Mass.,  a  graduate 
of  Harvard  University,  an  enthusiast  in  lingual  studies,  and  had  had  large 
experience  as  a  teacher  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  Boston,  Newark.  N.  J.,  and  in 
New  York  City. 

In  this  first  meeting  the  plan  of  operations  was  very  completely 
sketched.  It  was  resolved  that  the  college  have  a  president,  a  vice-presi- 
dent, professors  and  tutors;  that  the  Rev.  Timothy  Alden,  late  of  the  city 
of  New  York,  be  president  of  the  cohege  and  professor  of  Oriental  languages 
and  ecclesiastical  history,  and  the  Rev.  Robert  Johnston  vice-president  and 
professor  of  logick,  metaphysicks  and  ethicks,  all  with  a  k;  but  while  their 
heads  were  swimming  in  the  regions  of  Oriental  languages,  ecclesiastical  his- 
tory, logick,  metaphysicks  and  ethicks,  they  bethought  themselves  that  as 
yet  there  were  neither  students  nor  local  habitation,  and  they  prudently 
added  that  the  president  and  vice-president  be  the  sole  instructors  for  the 
present  in  all  departments  of  literature  and  science.  It  was  further  resolved 
to  appoint  a  committee  to  prepare  an  address  to  the  Legislature,  requesting 
a  charter,  another  tO'  draft  a  code  of  laws  and  regulations  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  college;  that  John  Re3'nolds,  who  was  chosen  treasurer,  should 
open  subscription  books  for  donations  in  any  kind  of  property  which  may 
be  useful  to^  the  institution;  and  that  the  president-elect  be  commissioned  to 
go  forth  as  agent  of  the  college  to  solicit  means  from  abroad.  His  territory 
was  not  circumscribed,  as  are  agents  nowadays,  but  he  was  given  the  whole 
boundless  continent.  The  wording  of  his  commission  is  unique:  "We  rec- 
ommend,'' it  proceeds,  after  the  statement  of  the  fact  of  his  appointment  as 
president,  "that  you  personally  become  the  organ  of  communication  to  the 
citizens  of  the  United  States,  and,  with  your  own  arguinent  and  eloquence, 
declare  the  motives  and  objects  of  establishing  a  collegiate  institution  in  this 
new  and  delightful  country,  acknowledging,  with  the  utmost  frankness  and 
sincerity,  that  if  the  associators  did  not  judge  you  in  every  respect  com- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  253 

pletely  qualified  for  presiding  they  would  not  have  presumed  to  commence 
an  undertaking  so  necessary  and  important.  Having  the  utmost  confidence 
in  your  integrity,  and  knowing  your  zeal  in  the  cause  of  science,  morality 
and  religion,  the  board  have  committed  tO'  you  a  most  sacred  charge,  and 
you  are  authorized  to  solicit  benefactions  in  any  part  of  the  United  States." 

But  there  was  one  provision  made  in  this  first  meeting  more  far-reach- 
ing in  its  purpose,  and  which  evinced  a  deeper  insight  into  the  wants  of  the 
college,  than  any  of  these.  It  was  that  "the  publick  academies  now  in  exist- 
ence, or  hereafter  to  be  established  in  the  counties  of  Crawford.  Erie,  War- 
ren, Venango,  Mercer  and  Butler,  composing  the  northwestern  judicial  dis- 
trict of  Pennsylvania,  may  be  so  far  connected  with  Allegheny  College  as  to 
receive  probationers  for  matriculation  in  this  seminary,  and  in  this  case  that 
the  principal  instructor,  being  a  man  of  competent  classical  education,  and 
of  good  character,  be  considered  as  one  of  the  faculty,  and  be  added  to  the 
list  of  tutors  of  the  college."  The  end  contemplated  by  this  provision  was 
to  raise  up  and  cement  together  a  large  number  of  preparatory  schools,  cov- 
ering all  this  whole  northwestern  section  of  the  State,  which  should  serve 
as  feeders  to  the  college,  and  by  giving  the  principals  a  semi-ofiicial  connec- 
tion \\\t\\  the  faculty,  induce  them  to  labor  for  its  upbuilding,  and  to^  enable 
the  facultv  to  exert  a  reflex  influence  in  securing  a  uniform  standard  of 
preparation,  conditions  most  useful  as  affecting  its  life  blood — a  relation 
which  has  for  a  long  time  subsisted  in  the  English  schools  and  universities, 
l)ut  never,  to  my  knowledge,  attempted  in  this  country  but  in  this  instance. 
The  crying  evil  in  American  colleges  at  the  present  time  is  the  lack  of  suit- 
aljle  schools  for  preparing  youths  for  college,  organized  for  this  special  func- 
tion, and  not  transcending  it.  A\'e  have  good  primary  schools,  and  we  have 
good  colleges  and  universities,  but  our  secondary  or  intermediate  schools, 
with  few  exceptions,  like  Phillips  Academy,  have  no  standing  and  scarcely 
no  existence. 

Dr.  McCosh,  president  of  Princeton  College,  said  last  summer  before 
the  National  Teachers'  Association:  "The  grand  educational  want  of  Amer- 
ica at  this  present  time  is  a  judiciously  scattered  body  of  secondary-  schools 
to  carry  on  our  brighter  youths  from  what  has  been  so  well  commenced  in 
the  primar}'  schools,  and  may  be  so  well  completed  in  our  colleges.  How 
are  young  men  to  mount  from  the  lower  to  the  higher  platform?  Every 
one  has  heard  of  the  man  who  built  a  fine  house  of  two  stories,  each  large 


254  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

and  commodious,  but  who  neglected  to  put  a  stair  between  them.  It  ap- 
pears to  me  that  there  has  been  a  Hke  mistake  committed  in  most  of  the 
States  of  the  Union.  We  need  a  set  of  intermediate  schools,  to  enable  the 
abler  youths  of  America  to  take  advantage  of  the  education  provided  in  the 
colleges." 

To  show  how  fully  European  countries  are  provided  with  this  class  of 
schools,  I  give  the  statistics  gathered  by  Superintendent  \\'ickersham : 

Secondary  schools 

Population.  for  boys.  Teachers.  Students. 

Germany   41,000,000  1.043  12,000  177.379 

Austria    27,000,000  383             18,852 

Netherlands    ....    3,674,402  219  1.390  i4-5oo 

Sweden    4,250,452  103             1 1.874 

Switzerland    2,669,147  375  1,000  12,750 

The  public  high  school  must  do  what  it  can  towards  feeding  the  college, 
though  it  is  not  its  special  function  to  fit  boys  for  college;  but  rather  to  do 
the  best  possible  for  that  great  class  which  cannot  take  a  collegiate  educa- 
tion. Schools  to  do  this  special  work  must  he  created,  and  this  was  the  far- 
reaching  aim  of  the  provision  incorporated  in  these  resolves.  In  the  early 
histor}'  of  this  county  there  were  learned  clergymen,  who-  were  accustomed 
to  take  a  few  young  men  into  their  families  and  fit  them  for  college.  Such 
a  man  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gamble,  father  of  Dr.  Gamble  of  Mosiertown,  who 
had  his  home  in  South  Shenango,  near  Jamestown:  but  t\tn  this  practice 
has  died  out.  The  action  of  the  college  last  season  in  establishing  a  pre- 
paratoiy  department  is  in  the  rig-ht  direction. 

The  resolves  of  this  little  assembly  on  that  June  evening  of  1815  were 
conceived  in  a  spirit  of  noble  philanthropy,  and  when  adjourned  as  they 
blew  out  the  lights  and  walked  through  the  quiet  streets,  where,  as  Irving 
would  say,  the  buzz  of  a  blue-bottle  fly  of  a  summer  afternoon  could  be 
heard  from  one  end  of  the  main  street  to  the  other,  I  have  no  doubt  that 
they  viewed  their  evening's  work  with  complacency,  and  felt  assured  that  a 
college  was  to  be — just  how  was  not  yet  so  apparent.  But  there  was 
one  in  that  company  to  whom  toil  and  privation  and  patient  waiting  were  a 
real  joy,  a  quid  which  in  his  young  manhood  he  rolled  as  a  sweet  morsel 
under  his  tongue,  and  that  was  President  Alden. 

He  soon  started  out  on  his  mission  to  the  United  States,  and.  judging 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  255 

by  the  long  list  of  donations,  varying  from  20  cents  up  to  $5,  $10  and  even 
$100,  little  money,  mostly  books,  and  ranging  through  the  princi- 
pal towns  of  the  North  and  East,  he  religiously  carried  out  his  instructions 
to  present  his  case  to  the  people  of  the  United  States.  The  first*  name  on  his 
paper  is  that  of  John  Adams,  ex-President  of  the  United  States,  who  sub- 
scribed $20  in  books.  Then  follow  the  solid  men  of  Boston,  sixty-six  in 
number,  the  Frothinghams,  the  Channings,  the  Davises,  the  Lorings,  the 
Lowells,  the  Ticknors,  the  Greenleafs,  the  Parkmans  and  the  Thayers.  One, 
D.  D.  Rogers,  gave  500  acres  of  wild  land  on  the  Little  Kanawha,  estimated 
at  $2,000.  Then  follow  the  men  of  Cambridge,  Charlestown,  Dorchester,  Mar- 
blehead,  Medford,  Plymouth,  Salem,  where  the  learned  Dr.  Worcester 
resided,  Sandwich,  Worcester,  where  Dr.  Aaron  Bancroft  lived,  Yarmouth, 
Bristol,  R.  L;  Pawtucket,  where  Dr.  Benedict,  the  historian  of  the  Baptists, 
gave  $5;  Providence,  where  Brown  and  Ives,  the  patrons  of  Brown  Univer- 
sity, gave  him  $50  in  money;  Albany,  N.  Y.,  Brooklyn,  Hudson,  Mewburg, 
New  York  City,  with  its  twenty-nine  subscribers,  among  whom  was  Dr. 
Harris,  president  of  Columbia  College;  Schenectady,  where  we  find  Dr. 
Nott,  president  of  Union  College;  Troy,  Burlington,  Newark,  New  Bruns- 
wick, Harrisburg,  Pa.,  Lancaster,  Philadelphia  and  Pittsburg.  The  net 
results  of  the^  mission  were: 

Land $2,000.00. 

Books 1,642.26 

Cash   461.00 

Total $4,103.30 

A  rather  small  amount  of  money  with  which  to  found  a  college,  and 
bearing  the  proportion  to  unproductive  funds  that  Falstaff's  bread  did  to  his 
sack.  But  the  result  of  this  tour  is  not  represented  by  these  figures  above; 
for  he  paved  the  wa\-  for  bequests  that  were  princely.  Besides,  he  procured 
sundry  interesting  relics  for  a  cabinet  and  museum,  and  seeds  from  the  pro- 
fessor of  natural  history  at  Cambridge  for  the  commencement  of  a  botanic 
garden.  Those  seeds  have  probab|y  not  yet  been  put  to  sprouting.  Among 
the  articles  for  the  cabinet  were  specimens  of  mosaic,  and  of  plaster  from 
Pompeii,  of  marble  broken  from  a  pillar  of  the  amphitheatre  at  Hercula- 
neum,  discovered  one  hundred  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  lava;  sulphate 
of  iron  from  Stromboli;  pomice  stone  from  /Etna;  plaster  broken  from  the 


256  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

inside  of  the  tomb  of  Virgil- — nothing  is  said  about  the  morality  of  such  a 
gift;  sundry  seashells  from  the  coast  of  Carthage;  marble  broken  from  a 
pillar,  which  tradition  states  to  have  belonged  to  Dido's  temple,  perhaps  a 
token  of  the' love  of  ^'Eneas;  of  caxa,  the  current  coin  of  the  Chinese  Em- 
pire, ten  of  which  are  equal  to  a  Massachusetts  penny;  a  quarter  of  a  dollar, 
with  the  head  of  the  ex-King,  Joseph  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  dated  1813,  etc., 
etc. 

In  the  meantime  the  subscriptions  here  at  home  to  the  books  of  Treas- 
urer Reynolds  went  bravely  on.  These  were  in  cash:  Hon.  William  B.  Grif- 
fith and  John  B.  Wallace,  $1,000;  Roger  Alden,  $500;  H.  J.  Huidekoper, 
Daniel  Bemus,  Daniel  Le  Fevre,  General  JNIead,  Jesse  Moore,  John  Rey- 
nolds and  Jared  Shattuck,  $300  each;  Patrick  Farrelly,  Samuel  B.  Magaw, 
Colonel  Ralph  Marlin  and  James  White,  $200  each;  Samuel  Torbett,  $150, 
and  Jared  Shattuck.  Timothy  Alden,  $120;  Joseph  T.  Cummings  &  Co., 
$110;  Thomas  Atkinson,  Henrs'  Hurst,  $100  each,  and  smaller  sums  from 
Moses  Allen,  Eliphalett  Betts,  David  Compton,  John  Cotton,  Hugh  Cotton, 
Jr.  and  Sr.,  James  Foster,  James  Hamilton.  Robert  and  John  Johnston, 
Alexander  IMcDowell,  Joseph  Morrison,  Lewis  Neill.  Daniel  Perkins,  Alex- 
ander Power,  Noah  Wade  and  William  \\' .  White.  Samuel  Lord  and  Dan- 
iel Le  Fevre  presented  225  acres  of  land,  valued  at  $450.  The  total  of  the 
Meadville  subscriptions  was  $5,685,  which,  with  the  foreign  contributions, 
made  a  grand  total  of  $9,788.30,  with  which  to  start  the  college. 

The  matter  of  securing  a  charter  was  vigorously  pushed;  but  such  is 
almost  always  the  delay  in  securing  general  legislation,  the  bill  was  not  read 
in  place  till  the  12th  of  December,  1816,  and  was  not  finally  acted  on  until 
the  24th  of  March,  1817, -when  it  became  a  law.  The  Governor,  Chief  Jus- 
tice and  Attorney-General  of  the  commonwealth  were  constituted  trustees, 
ex-officio.  Two  thousand  dollars  were  appropriated,  to  be  paid  in  three 
equal  annual  installments.  A  shade  of  disappointment  can  be  detected  in 
President  Alden's  announcement  of  the  passage  of  the  act,  for  the  appro- 
priation was  reduced  from  three  thousand  dollars,  which  was  contained  in 
the  original  bill,  to  two,  and  the  section  granting  all  undrawn  sections  of 
land  in  the  fifth,  sixth,  seventh  and  eighth  donation  districts  was  stricken 
out  entirely.  But  he  speaks  in  that  gracious,  hopeful  way  which,  under 
all  circumstances,  seemed  to  characterize  him.  "It  is  to  be  remarked,"  he 
says,  "that  the  Legislature  of  the  extensive,  opulent  and  rapidly  increasing 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  2-^7 

commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  has  taken  this  infant  seminary  under  its  fos- 
tering- care,  and  has  granted  a  charter  predicated  on  as  liberal  principles  as 
could  reasonably  have  been  desired,  b)-  the  warmest  friends  of  the  institu- 
tion. The  pecuniary  appropriation  actually  made,  in  connection  with  the 
aid  of  private  munificence,  is  sufficient  for  a  commencement  of  operation; 
and  it  would  be  unbecoming  to  doubt  the  future  disposition  of  the  honorable 
Legislature  more  than  the  ability  of  the  State,  which  is  richer  in  funds  than 
any  other  in  the  Union — to  do  evei-ything  proper  to  build  up  this  college, 
now  under  its  patronage,  so  as  to  render  it  a  blessing  to  present  and  future 
generations." 

The  charter  having  been  finally  secured,  on  the  28th  of  July  following 
(1817),  amid  much  ceremony,  the  Rev.  Timothy  Alden  was  inaugurated 
president  of  the  faculty  and  professor  of  the  Oriental  languages,  ecclesiasti- 
cal history  and  theology  of  Allegheny  College,  at  the  old  log  courthouse 
in  ]\Ieadville.  It  will  astonish  the  conceited  scholars  of  to-day,  who  think 
they  have  made  great  advances  in  learning  over  that  of  this  benighted  pe- 
riod, to  read  the  programme  of  exercises  on  this  occasion: 

1.  "An  address  in  Latin,  to  the  president  and  professor-elect,  an- 
nouncing his  appointment  to  these  offices,  by  Patrick  Farrelly,  Esq." 
Scholarship  was  in  repute  in  those  days  in  courthouses. 

2.  "A  reply  in  Latin,  by  Mr.  Alden,  declaring  his  acceptance  of  these 
offices." 

3.  "A  prayer,  by  Mr.  Alden." 

4.  "Sacred  musick  by  a  choir  of  singers  unde  the  direction  of  Colonel 
Robert  Stockton  and  Mr.  John  Bowman." 

5.  "Inaugural  oration  in  Latin,  by  Mr.  Alden.  ' 

6.  "A  Hebrew  oration,  a  Latin  oration,  an  English  oration,  a  Latin 
dialogue,  a  Greek  dialogue,  an  English  dialogue  and  an  English  oration,  by 
the  probationers  of  Allegheny  College."  You  will  observe  that  even  the 
probationers  only  occasionally  condescended  to  speak  in  their  mother 
tongue. 

7.  "Sacred  musick,  probably  in  English,  though  not  so  stated." 

8.  "An  address  in  English,  in  reference  to  the  occasi.'vn,  by  Mr.  Al- 
den." This  was  probably  for  the  ears  of  the  groundlings.  But  the  most 
marvelous  part  of  this  programme  is  to  come.     To  be  sure,  the  college  was, 

in  law,  only  about  two  hours  old;  but  it  proceeded  to  cast  around  over  the 
17 


258  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

United  States  its  honorary  degrees  of  LL.  D.,  D.  D.,  S.  T.  D.,  with  all  the 
grace  and  dignity  of  the  most  venerable  seat  of  learning.  It  may  he  with 
quite  as  wise  discrimination  as  many  of  the  later  day. 

9.  "The  degree  of  LL.D.  was  conferred  upon  Ebenezer  Pemberton,' 
Esq.,  of  Boston,  and  the  Hon.  James  Winthrop  of  Cambridge,  and  that  of 
S.  T.  D.  upon  the  Rev.  Joseph  McKean,  successor  to  his  excellency,  John 
Quincy  Adams,  in  the  professorship  of  rhetorick  and  oratory  in  Harvard 
University;  and  the  Rev.  Alexander  Gunn,  one  of  the  ministers  of  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church,  in  the  city  of  New  York." 

It  is  not  surprising  that  the  historian.  Day,  in  noticing  this  programme, 
should  declare  that  "Mr.  Alden  was  inaugurated  amid  an  astonishing  dis- 
play of  the  dead  languages."  It  should  be  observed  that  the  lower  storj'  of 
the  courthouse  was  used  for  a  jail,  and  that  the  prisoners  must  have  got  the 
benefit  of  these  intellectual  pyrotechnics.  But  though  these  proceedings 
may  appear  mirth-provoking  to  the  uninitiated,  yet  there  was  a  "method 
in  the  madness,"  and  certain  munificent  bequests  which  followed  hard  upon 
is  proof  of  the  forecast  and  wisdom  of  this  world  in  Dr.  Alden's  proced- 
ure. Besides,  he  was  exceptionally  fond  of  the  Oriental  languages,  and  in 
presenting  so  strong  an  array  of  such  learning  in  this  public  way  he  meant 
to  convince  people  that  his  college  was  to  be  no  two-penny  afifair;  but  that 
the  highest  order  of  scholarship  was  to  form  the  substratum,  and  that  he 
was  abundantly  able  to  im.part  it.  and  form  his  scholars  after  his  mould. 
There  is  hardly  on  record  a  case  of  such  abounding  faith  and  resolution, 
and  of  moving  straight  fonvard  to  success  in  the  face  of  unbounded  difificul- 
ties  and  discouragements.  As  illustrative  of  his  passion  for  the  languages. 
Dr.  Hamnett,  in  his  lecture  on  the  college,  mentions  the  fact  that  at  the 
commencement  at  Harvard,  on  the  occasion  of  the  graduation  of  the  class 
to  which  Dr.  Alden  belonged,  his  oration  was  written  in  the  Syriac  lan- 
guage, and  that  "when  he  submitted  his  paper  to  the  president  for  his  ap- 
proval, the  president,  being  altogether  ignorant  of  the  language,  said:  'Come, 
Alden,  sit  down  and  construe  it  for  me.'  ^^' hen  reduced  to  the  form  of  good 
Anglo-Saxon  it  was  heartily  approved." 

President  Alden's  untiring  zeal  and  enterprise  convinced  people  that 
his  project  would  succeed,  and  that  it  was  worthy  of  their  benefactions.  The 
first  large  contribution  to  the  college  was  bequeathed  by  the  will  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  William  Bentley,  a  Unitarian  clergyman  of  Salem,  Mass.,  "who,"  says 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  259 

the  historian.  Day,  "had  spent  his  Hfe  in  amassing  one  of  the  most  rare  col- 
lections of  theological  works  in  the  country.  Harvard  University  had  set 
her  eyes  upon  this  collection,  and  having  hestowed  the  preliminary  plum 
in  the  shape  of  an  LL.D  diploma,  patiently  awaited  the  doctor's  demise. 
She  occupied,  however,  the  situation  of  Esau  before  Isaac,  for  Mr.  Alden 
had  previously  prepared  the  savory  dish  and  received  the  boon;  and  the 
name  Bentley  Hall  now  records  the  gratitude  of  Allegheny  College."  This 
collection  embraced  all  his  theological  works,  said  to  contain  such  a  treas- 
ure of  the  ancient  Latin  and  Greek  Fathers  of  the  church  as  few  of  the 
colleges  of  the  United  States  possessed,  all  his  lexicons,  dictionaries  and 
Bibles,  and  was  valued  at  $3,000.  Isaiah  Thomas,  LL.D.,  of  Worcester, 
the  founder  and  president  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  also  do- 
nated a  considerable  collection  of  miscellaneous  literature.  Then  came  the 
most  important  bequest  of  all,  that  of  Hon.  James  Winthrop,  LL.D.,  of 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  who,  as  the  Boston  Patriot  of  that  day  said,  has  be- 
queathed his  library,  one  of  the  best  private  libraries  in  the  Union,  to  the 
Allegheny  College,  at  Meadville,  where  the  late  learned  and  reverend,  and 
we  will  add  uniformly  patriotic,  Dr.  Bentley,  sent  a  part  of  his  very  valuable 
collection."  These  books  were  characterized  as  most  rare  and  valuable, 
and  were  valued  at  $6,400.  When  all  the  donations  were  collected  and  ar- 
ranged a  catalogue  was  made  (Catalogus  Bibliothecae  Collegii  Alleghenien- 
sis,  etypis  Thomas  Atkinson  et  Losii,  opud  Meadville,  1823,  pages  136), 
a  copy  of  which  was  sent  to  President  Jefferson,  which  drew  from  him  a 
letter  of  thanks,  in  which  he  says:  "Mr.  Winthrop's  donation  is  inappre- 
ciable for  the  variet}'  of  branches  of  science  to  w'hich  it  extends,  and  for  the 
rare  and  precious  works  it  possesses  in  each  branch.  I  had  not  expected 
there  was  such  a  private  collection  in  the  United  States.  W^e  are  just  com- 
mencing the  establishment  of  an  university  in  Virginia,  but  cannot  flatter 
ourselves  with  the  hope  of  such  donations  as  have  been  bestowed  on  you. 
I  avail  myself  of  this  occasion  of  tendering  to  yours,  from  our  institution, 
fraternal  and  cordial  embraces,  of  assuring  you  that  we  wish  it  to  prosper  and 
become  great,  and  that  our  only  emulation  in  this  honorable  race  shall  be 
the  virtuous  one  of  trying  which  can  do  the  most  good."  President  Madi- 
son responded  in  a  similar  vein:  "The  trustees,"  he  says,  "were  not  mis- 
taken in  the  belief  that  it  would  give  me  pleasure  to  know  that  a  learned  in- 
stitution had  been  so  promptly  reared  in  so  favorable  a  position,  and  under 


26o  ■    OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

such  happy  auspices.  No  one  who  regards  pubHc  Hberty  as  essential  to  pub- 
lic happiness  can  fail  to  rejoice  at  every  new  source  of  that  intellectual  and 

moral  instruction,  without  which  liberty  can  neither  last  long  nor  be  fruitful 
of  its  proper  blessings  while  it  does  last.  This  college  may  be  very  justly 
congratulated  on  the  nuniJier  and  value  of  the  l)ooks.  so  munificently  con- 
tributed to  its  infant  library." 

The  location  selected  for  the  college  buildings,  out  of  the  tract  donated 
by  Samuel  Lord,  upon  the  northern  hillside,  giving  a  southern  exposure, 
with  the  whole  broad  valley  spread  out  at  its  foot,  the  river,  skirted  by  ven- 
erable shades  winding  through  it  like  a  thread  of  silver,  w  ith  Imld  head  lands 
towering  up  on  eveiy  hand,  interspersed  with  pleasing  variety  of  meadow 
and  forest,  and  the  city  seated  in  queenly  beauty — such  a  situation  is  not 
excelled  for  natural  advantage  by  the  site  of  any  college  in  the  land,  if  at 
all  equaled.  The  main  building  was  well  planned  and  substantially  con- 
structed, and  reflects  honor  upon  the  broad  and  liberal  views  of  the  gener- 
ation which  conceived  it. 

In  the  history  of  the  Presljytery  of  Erie  is  mentioned  the  fact  that  the 
trustees,  in  gratitude  to  Mr.  Lord  for  his  valuable  gift  of  the  campus,  upon 
the  execution  of  the  legal  papers  of  transfer,  caused  to  be  procured  at  an 
outlay  of  fifteen  dollars,  a  handsome  Canton  crape  dress,  and  presented  to 
Mrs.  Lord. 

The  laws  of  the  college,  adopted  on  the  4th  of  Jul\-,  181 7,  are  very 
full  and  explicit.  The  qualifications  for  admission  to  the  freshman  class  were 
an  ability  to  construe  and  parse  the  select  orations  of  Cicero,  the  ^Eneid 
of  Virgil  and  the  Greek  Testament,  and  to  write  Latin  grammatically.  The 
freshman  class  was  required  to  study  Horace,  Sallust,  Homer's  Iliad,  Xeno- 
phon's  Anabasis  and  the  rules  of  prosody,  with  their  application.  They 
were  also  to  write  exercises  in  Latin  and  Greek,  and  re\iew  the  Greek  Tes- 
tament and  stud}-  the  Hebrew,  French  and  German  languages,  English 
grammar,  rhetoric,  chronology  and  arithmetic:  the  sophomores,  Latin, 
Greek,  Hebrew,  French  and  German  languages,  English  composition,  logic, 
geography,  mensuration  and  algebra;  the  juniors,  Latin,  Greek,  Heljrew 
and  other  Oriental  languages,  metaphysics,  ethics,  algebra,  geometry,  trig- 
onometry, conic  sections,  surveying,  book-keeping,  mensurations  of  heights 
and  distances,  navigation,  English  composition  and  systematic  theology; 
and  the  seniors,  the  ancient  and  modern  foreign  languages,  such  portion 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  261 

of  the  time,  not  exceeding  two  days  a  week,  as"the  prudential  committee 
may  direct ;  Ijelles-lettres,  English  composition,  universal  grammar,  ele- 
ments of  natural  and  j^olitical  law,  ancient  and  modern  history,  dialling,  pro- 
jection of  the  sphere,  spherick  geometry  and  trigonometry,  with  their  appli- 
cation to  astrftno-mical  problems,  natural  iihilosophy  and  theology."  It 
must  be  confessed  that  this  was  no  milk  and  water  diet,  but  good,  strong 
meat,  and  abundance  of  it,  and,  considering  the  fact  that  there  were  only  two 
professors,  at  most,  during  the  early  years  of  the  college,  the  wonder  is 
how  all  this  load  of  learning  was  imparted.  It  was  good  to  set  up  a  high 
standard:  but  does  it  not  appear,  considering  the  sparseness  of  population 
and  the  lack  of  primary  training,  that  the  mark  was  overshot?  It  appears 
from  the  oiTicial  records  that  there  were  graduated  with  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
the  following  numbers  during  President  Alden's  administration:  1821,  4; 
1822.  o:  1823,  o:  1824,  i:  1825,  o:  1826,  3:  1827,  o:  1828,  o:  1829,  o; 
1830,  o:  1831,  2:  1832,  o:  1833,  o — a  period  from  that  memorable  July  day 
when,  with  the  artillery  of  Latin,  Greek  and  Heljrew,  the  birth  of  the  col- 
lege was  heralded,  to  the  close  of  his  labors  of  fifteen  years,  with  only  twelve 
graduates,  less  than  one  a  year.  But  the  number  of  graduates  by  no  means 
represents  the  actual  work  done  by  the  college.  The  course  of  study,  as  we 
have  seen,  was  a  severe  one,  and  a  high  standard  of  scholarship  was  faith- 
fullv  maintained.  The  consequence  was  that,  while  few  held  out  to  the  end, 
numl)ers  received  limited  training.  In  1829  an  attempt  was  made  to  change 
the  character  of  the  institution  and  make  it  a  military  school.  An  expe- 
rienced ofificer,  a  pupil  of  the  then  celebrated  teacher  of  tactics,  Captain 
Partridge,  was  employed  to  take  charge  of  the  institution  and  introduce  the 
military  system  of  his  master.  To  this  procedure  Dr.  Alden  raised  his  sol- 
emn protest,  and  he  could  with  propriety  have  adopted  the  language  of  Dan- 
iel Webster  in  the  Dartmouth  College  case,  argued  before  the  SuiM-cme 
Court  at  Washington:  "It  is,  sir,  as  I  have  said,  a  small  college.  And  yet 
there  are  those  who  love  it.  .  .  .  Sir,  I  know  not  how  others  may  feel, 
but  for  myself  when  I  see  my  Alma  Mater  surrounded,  like  Caesar  in  the 
Senate  House,  by  those  who  are  reiterating  stab  upon  stab,  I  would  not 
for  this  right  hand  have  her  turn  to  me  and  say,  'Et  tu,  quoque,  mi  fili!'  " 
President  Alden  finally  became  discouraged.  Having  spent  the  best  years 
of  his  life  in,  to  a  large  extent,  unappreciated  service,  having  labors  im- 
posed upon  him  till  they  became  irksome  and  a  drudgery,  he  was  moved  to 


262  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

resign,  which  he  did  in  1832.  It  may  seem  strange,  but  I  am  informed  by  a 
member  of  that  body,  that  when  Dr.  Alden  asked  of  the  Erie  Presbytery,  the 
religious  organization  to  which  he  belonged,  and  for  which  he  zealously 
labored  all  his  life,  for  a  letter  of  recommendation  to  enable  him  to  solicit 
money  for  the  college  it  was  denied  him,  many  of  the  ministers  of  the 
Presbytery  having"  been  graduates  of  either  Washington  or  JefTerson.  and 
desiring  to  throw  all  their  influence  in  favor  of  these  institutions,  even  though 
to  the  choking  out  of  one  of  kindred  faith.  He  left  the  college  in  1832,  and 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  preaching,  but  devoting  some  time  still 
to  teaching,  having  been  settled  near  Pittsburg,  where  he  died  in  1839  at  the 
age  of  sixty-eight  years. 

After  an  interregnum  of  one  year,  during  which  time  the  college  was 
turned  over  to  the  Pittsburg  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
embracing  in  its  bounds  a  portion  of  western  New  York,  western  Pennsyl- 
vania, eastern  Ohio,  and  western  \^irginia,  since  separated  into  the  Erie  Con- 
ference, the  Pittsburg  Conference  and  the  West  Virginia  Conference,  the 
college  was  again  opened,  under  the  presidency  of  the  Rev.  Martin  Ruter, 
D.  D.,  assisted  l)y  the  Rev.  Homer  J.  Clark,  vice-i)resident  and  professor  of 
mathematics,  and  A.  B.  Rutter,  A.  M.,  professor  of  languages.  In  1836-7, 
by  the  indefatigable  labors  of  Dr.  Burrowes,  then  at  the  head  of  the  State 
Department,  quite  full  and  complete  reports  were  made  from  all  the  col- 
leges of  the  State,  and  from  these,  fortunately  in  my  possession,  we  learn  that 
in  1836-37— 

The  whole  number  of  students  was 120  Chemical   apparatus    $     400 

Number  entered   44  Volumes  in  library   »*^'°°° 

Number  to  teach    35  Value  of  same  f "i'2°° 

Price  of  tuition   18  Value  of  whole  property *4D.»oo 

Annual    expense    140  Debt   $  3.™o 

Proportion  paid  by  labor 30  Annual  receipts  lecture  room $  1.700 

Acres  of  land 60  Expenditures  $  2.500 

Valued    at    $2,400  Received   from   the   state $19,000 

Buildings  '. $20,000 

These  figures  doubtless  show  the  actual  status  of  the  college  at  this 
period  pretty  accurately.  It  appears  that  a  college  in  those  days  had  a  debt 
just  as  now,  and  I  presume  just  as  disagreeable  and  hard  to  manage.  It  ap- 
pears from  this  statement  that  the  college  had  received  in  money  from  the 
State  treasury  $19,000,  which  had  doubtless  been  employed  in  completing  the 
building  and  in  making  up  deficiencies  in  salaries,  and  this  sum  exactly  co- 
incides with  the  provisions  of  law  which  I  have  taken  the  pains  to  look  up. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  263 

By  the  act  of  March,  1817,  it  received  $2,000  in  three  annual  instalhnents. 
Building  of  l.M-ick,  trimmings  of  stone,  100  ft.  long-,  38  ft.  wide.  B\'  act  of 
January  1st.  1820,  $1,000  per  annum  for  five  years,  $5,000;  May  1st,  1834, 
$2,000  annually  for  four  years,  equal  $8,000.  A  general  law  was  passed  in 
1838  giving  to  all  colleges  which  had  fo'Ur  professors  and  one  hundred  stu- 
dents $1,000  annually  for  ten  years.  But  in  1844,  at  the  end  of  six  years,  this 
law  \\as  repealed,  and  that,  if  f  mistake  not,  was  the  end  of  State  aid  to  col- 
leges. By  the  act  of  1835  the  use  of  the  Arsenal  was  granted,  prol.)ably  with 
the  intention  of  fitting  up  dormitories  therein,  Init  was  never  carried  out. 
By  the  act  of  1843  the  college  was  prohibited  from  transferring  any  of  its 
property  of  anv  kind,  e\'idently  to  prevent  debts  from  becoming  a  lien 
upon  it. 

The  report  of  Dr.  Burrowes  furnishes  some  interesting  notes  respecting 
the  then  status  of  the  college.  The  course  of  study  was,  somewhat  modified 
from  that  originally  prescribed.  It  embraced:  i.  A  thorough  course  in 
Latin  and  Greek,  and,  when  desired,  Hebrew,  French  and  German.  2.  In 
mathematics,  algebra,  geometry,  trigonometry,  mensuration,  navigation, 
surveying  and  conic  sections,  and,  when  desired,  fluxions  and  civil  engineer- 
ing. 3.  In  natural  sciences,  ])hilosophy,  chemistry,  botany,  mineralogy  and 
geology.  4.  Moral  and  mental  philosojihy.  elements  of  criticism,  universal 
history,  rhetoric,  logic,  natural  theology,  political  economy  and  national  law. 
Under  the  head  of  improvements:  Completed,  one  college  building;  in  prog- 
ress, finishing  dormitories;  yet  required,  a  fire-proof  building  for  library, 
and  an  addition  for  the  preparatory  department.  The  government  is  by 
trustees.  The  faculty  consists  of  a  president,  who  is  professor  of  moral 
science;  vice-president,  professor  of  natural  philosophy  and  chemisti7;  a 
professor  of  Latin  and  Greek,  and  one  tutor. 

Under  the  head  of  future  prospects:  "It  is,  perhaps,  proper  to  remark 
that  heretofore  the  availalile  funds  of  the  institution  have  been  necessarily 
expended  in  the  purchase  of  lands,  with  a  view  to  a  manual  labor  depart- 
ment, in  the  erection  of  buildings  and  in  making  other  necessary  improve- 
ments; also,  to  meet  a  part  of  the  current  expenses,  which  the  receipts  from 
tuition,  etc.,  were  not  entirely  sufficient  to  defray.  The  trustees  and  faculty 
strongly  feel  the  importance  of  a  permanent  fund  invested  in  some  produc- 
tive stock,  the  avails  of  which,  with  the  tuition  moneys,  may  in  future  cover 
all  the  expenses  of  the  college.     To  accomplish  which   they  are   making 


264  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

vigorous  efforts,  through  travehng  agents,  to  bring  to  their  assistance  in- 
dividual benevolence.  But  after  three  or  four  years  of  trial,  it  is  manifest  to 
them  that  the  amount  which  can  be  raised  by  this  method  will  be  entirely  in- 
sufficient to  secure  the  proposed  end.  Their  ultimate  reliance  for  success 
is,  therefore,  on  the  patronage  of  the  Legislature.  The  location  of  Allegheny 
College  places  it  among  the  most  important  in  the  State.  All  the  north- 
western part  of  the  State  could  more  conveniently  send  to  this  college  than 
to  any  other,  which  renders  it  important  that  it  should  be  furnished  with 
the  necessary  advantages.  At  present  the  institution  labors  under  serious 
embarrassment,  from  want  of  complete  apparatus  for  the  illustration  of  the 
various  subjects  of  natural  philosophy  and  chemistry  with  a  suitable  cal)inet 
of  natural  histor}^  a  branch  of  education  daily  growing  in  public  estimation. 
The  library,  extensive  and  valuable  as  it  already  is,  requires  the  addition  of  a 
few  hundred  volumes,  of  modern  and  recent  productions,  to  bring  it  up 
with  the  present  state  of  literature.  One  additional  professor  is  immediately 
needed  to^  fill  necessary  departments." 

The  note  under  the  head  of  the  college  in  1837,  is:  "The  improvements 
in  progress  are  dormitories  for  sixty-eight  students;  $3,000  are  required  to 
make  all  improvements  complete.  Hitherto  the  income  has  been  less  than 
the  expenditure.  The  deficiencies  have  been  paid  by  subscriptions.  Faculty 
of  instruction  are  five  professors,  including  president  and  A'ice-president." 

Dr.  Ruter  was  a  man  of  large  attaiiuiients  and  had  some  experience  in 
working  up  infant  educational  institutions  at  Augusta,  Kentucky.  He  was 
seconded  by  Rev.  Homer  J.  Clark,  who  had  also  seen  service  in  similar  labor 
at  Madison  College,  in  Fayette  County,  Pa.,  who  was  vice-president.  A 
Roberts  professorship,  named  in  honor  of  .Bishop  Roberts,  was  endowed, 
which,  together  with  tuition  of  pupils  and  rents,  gave  a  more  liberal  support 
than  it  had  Ijefore  enjoyed.  The  number  of  graduates  during  his  presi- 
dency were:  1834,  3;  1835,  4:  1836,  i:  1837,  6;  and  in  that  year  Dr.  Ruter 
was  succeeded  by  the  vice-president.  Dr.  Clark.  Through  the  powerful  ap- 
peals of  Thaddeus  Stevens,  who,  in  behalf  of  higher  education,  as  he  had  done 
in  1835  for  the  common  schools,  had  put  his  shoulder  to  the  wheel,  a  law 
was  passed  in  1838  giving  to  each  college  which  had  four  professors  and  one 
hundred  students,  $1,000  annually  for  ten  years.  At  the  end  of  si.x  years  that 
law  was  repealed.  During  the  period  from  1838  to  1844,  in  which  State  aid 
^\■as  regularly  received,  there  was  a  good  degree  of  prosperity:    but  upon 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  265 

the  withdrawal  of  that,  it  was  seen  that  tlic  college  could  not  be  supported 
without  some  other  means  than  the  uncertain  amounts  received  from  tuition 
of  students.  Accordingly  the  college  was  for  a  time,  from  1844  to  '46,  closed 
and  the  president  went  forth  among  the  friends  and  ]ialrons  of  the  college 
to  solicit  endowment  funds.  As  a  result  of  his  e.xertions  a  hundred  thousand 
dollars  were  subscribed,  of  which  ($60,000)  sixty  thousand  dollars  were  col- 
lected and  in\-ested.  The  plan  of  the  endowment  was  by  the  purchase  of 
scholarships,  which  practical!)-  cut  off  all  hope  of  revenue  from  tuition. 
"Any  person  subscribing  and  paying  $35  to  the  Centenar\-  Fund  Society  of 
either  the  Pittsburg  or  Erie  Conference  secured  a  perpetual  scholarship  in 
the  college.  The  two  Centenary  Fund  Societies  were  regularly  incorporated 
and.  through  their  lioards,  elected  annually  by  the  Conferences,  one  having 
its  seat  in  Pittsburg  and  the  other  in  Meadville,  received  and  invested  the 
funds  and  collected  and  applied  the  proceeds.  For  the  funds  invested  security 
was  taken  on  productive  real  estate  to  three  times  the  aiuount  loaned.  The 
interest,  when  collected,  was  paid  o\-er  to  the  college  treasurer  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  the  instruction.  Thus,  by  a  large  permanent  and  productive 
endowment,  the  salaries  of  the  professors  were  ]iaid  and  tuition  offered  with- 
out charge." 

During  the  ten  years  in  which  Dr.  Clark  ])residcd,  from  1837  to  '47,  the 
number  of  graduates  was  as  follows:  1838,  6;  1839,  10;  1840,  15:  1841,  15; 
1842,  9:  1843,  4:  1844.  o;  1845,  2:  1846,  4;  T847,  10.  He  appears  to  have 
been  a  man  with  the  real  missionar\-  sjiirit  and  accomplished  a  great  g^ood 
for  the  college.  Whether  the  plan  of  endowment  was  the  most  judicious 
form  in  which  aid  could  have  been  secured  is  susceptible  of  cjuestion,  l)ut  it 
is  probable  that  in  the  straitened  circumstances  of  those  who  were  disposed 
to  give  and  the  scarcity  of  money  it  was  the  only  practical  plan. 

In  1847,  Rev.  John  Barker,  D.  D.,  was  called  to  the  presidential  chair. 
He  was  a  native  of  East  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  England,  hut  came  with  his 
parents  to  this  country  when  three  years  of  age,  and  was  educated  at  Geneva 
College,  N.  Y.  From  1840  to  1845  li^  was  vice-president  of  Alleghenv 
College,  and  professor  of  natural  philosophy  and  chemistry,  from  which 
position  he  went  to  be  professor  in  the  Transylvania  University  at  Lexing- 
ton, Ky.,  but  returned  at  the  end  of  two  years  to  the  presidency  of  the  col- 
lege upon  the  retirement  of  Dr.  Clark.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  mind,  of 
varied,  almost  unbounded  knowledge,  and,  what  was  of  the  last  importance 


266  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

to  him  as  a  teacher,  his  knowledge  was  all  pigeon-holed,  and  eveiything 
filed  under  its  proper  head,  all  ready  to  be  pulled  out  as  occasion  required. 
Uninterrupted  prnsiierit}-  attended  the  entire  course  of  his  management  of 
the  college.  The  second  l^uilding  was  completed  in  1852.  The  following 
table  shows  the  number  of  year!}-  graduates:  1847,  10;  1848,  9;  1849,  10; 
1850,  10;  1851.  13:  1852,  22;  1853,  17;  1854,  10;  i855>  21;  1856.  18; 
1857,  22;  1858,  25;  1859,  17;  i860,  22.  His  useful  work  was  brought  to 
a  sudden  termination  by  death,  while  in  the  midst  of  his  labors — for  he  passed 
the  e\'ening  in  examining  the  pa]}ers  of  his  class — and  soon  after  retiring  was 
stricken  with  apoplexy  and  in  a  few  hours  after 'quietly  breathed  his  last. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  George  Loomis,  D.  D.,  a  native  of  New  York 
State,  born  in  1817;  graduated  at  Wesleyan  University,  at  Middletown, 
Conn.;  was  principal  of  the  seminar}'  at  Lima,  N.  Y. ;  chaplain  to  the  post 
of  Canton,  China,  and  president  of  the  Female  College,  Wilmington,  Del., 
before  coming  to  Meadville.  His  presidency  occurred,  in  some  respects,  at 
an  unfortunate  period,  the  fires  of  civil  war  at  its  opening  being  just  then 
beginning  to  be  lighted,  and  the  attendance  in  colleges  for  the  next  half- 
dozen  years  greatly  disturbed  thereby:  but  it  was  in  many  respects  success- 
ful and  highly  beneficial  to  the  college.  The  number  of  graduates  were  as 
follows:  1861,  17:  1S62,  19;  1863.  14;  1864,  11:  1865,  7;  1866,  11;  1867, 
8;    1868,  14;    1869,  21;    1870,  15:    1871,  20;    1872,  9;    1873,  15;    1874,  15; 

1875,  lb.  During  his  term  the  endowment  fund  of  the  college  was  largely 
increased,  nnich  of  his  time  having  been  given  to  the  labor  of  soliciting.  By 
the  annual  report  published  by  the  superintendent  of  public  instruction,  it 
is  shown  that  in  1863  this  fund  was  increased  $25,500;  in  1864,  $3,500;  in 
1865,  $85,000;  in  1866,  $50,000;  in  1867,  $25,000;  in  1870,  $40,000,  an 
aggregate  of  $229,000,  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  million — a  sum  which  would 
have  set  President  Alden  to  talking  in  all  the  ancient  languages  at  once — 
and,  added  to  the  $60,000  reported  by  President  Clark,  would  give  $289,000. 
But  this  sum  must  have  been  subject  to  considerable  shrinkage,  as  the 
amount  reported  by  Dr.  Hamnett  in  his  histon^  of  the  college,  published  in 

1876,  it  is  set  down  as  Erie  Conference,  $85,000,  and  Pittsburg,  $75,000,  an 
aggregate  of  $160,000.  The  campus  was  much  enlarged  upon  the  south, 
extending  towards  town,  and  a  third  building.  Culver  Hall,  with  the  grounds 
reaching  from  North  Maine  Street  to  Highland  Avenue,  was  acquired.  The 
reports  also  show  that  during  Dr.  Loomis'  administration  the  value  of  ap- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  267 

paratus  which,  in  1863,  is  set  down  at  $1,000,  and  which  I  presume  includes 
the  entire  cabinet  of  natural  history,  was  increased  in  1865  to  $15,000:  in 
1869  to  $18,000,  and  in  1875  to  $65,000.  This  collection  embraces,  in  addi- 
tion to  all  the  ordinary  philosophical  and  chemical  apparatus,  several  costly 
'and  comparatively  rare  pieces,  the  Prescott  cabinet  of  2,400  shells,  the  Halde- 
man  cabinet  of  550  minerals  and  2,000  shells,  the  Alger  cabinet  of  5.000  rare 
mineral  specimens,  which  is  said  to  have  cost  the  collector  $35,000,  and  is  in 
manv  respects  unique;  the  cabinet  of  Ward  casts  in  lithology  and  paleontol- 
ogy.  the  Smithsonian  collection  from  Panama,  Vancouver's  Island,  and  the 
West  Indies;  the  Currier  entomological  cabinet  of  3,000  specimens,  and  a 
growing  collection  of  specimens  gathered  by  the  Scientific  Club,  together 
with  a  museum  of  art  history,  embracing  engi-avings  and  photographs  in 
architecture,  sculpture,  painting,  copies  of  celebrated  statuary,  a  portion 
presented  by  the  Royal  Museum  of  Berlin.  Had  not  certain  reverses  over- 
taken the  plans  of  Dr.  Loomis  they  would  have  resulted  in  princely  munifi- 
cence. As  it  is.  the  resources  and  material  indispensable  to  a  successful  col- 
lege were  greatly  enlarged  during  his  administration. 

After  the  withdrawal  of  Dr.  Loomis  the  management  devolved  upon 
the  vice-president.  Dr.  Hamnett. 

In  July.  1875.  Rev.  Lucius  H.  Bugbee.  D.  D.,  of  Cincinnati,  who  had 
been  chosen  in  the  February  previous,  w^as  inaugurated  president.  The  re- 
sults of  his  labors  and  those  of  his  associates  have  been  felt.  The  buildings 
were  thoroughly  repaired  and  renovated,  three  rooms  20x40  feet,  with  fur- 
naces, water,  gas,  and  all  the  material  for  performing  chemical  analyses,  have 
been  furnished  in  the  basement  of  Bently  Hall.  A  chapel,  which  is  a  credit 
to  the  institution,  has  been  fitted  and  hung  with  portraits  of  the  presidents, 
the  beginning  of  a  complete  overhauling  and  rejuvenation  of  the  library  was 
begun,  and  two  able  and  efficient  agents  were  placed  in  the  field  soliciting 
funds  for  the  increase  of  the  endowment. 

The  number  of  graduates  during  Dr.  Bugbee's  presidency  was:  1876,  14; 
1877.  12;  1878,  12;  1879.  16;  1880,  15:  1881,  21;  1882,  26.  During  Dr. 
Bugbee's  administration  females  were  admitted  to  the  regular  college 
classes  on  the  same  conditions  as  males.  This  necessitated  a  suitaljle  build- 
ing for  a  home  for  them.  Through  the  resolute  and  energetic  exertions  of 
President  Bugbee,  Hulings'  Hall,  a  four-storied  building  of  brick,  was  erected, 
80x100  feet,  on  the  line  of  the  original  building.     It  was  provided  with 


268  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

dormitories  and  conveniences  for  cooking  and  caring  for  a  hundred  pupils. 
It  was  largely  paid  for  by  one  man — Marcus  J.  Hulings,  of  Oil  City.  Dr 
Bugbee  was  a  native  of  Gowanda.  New  York.  He  was  educated  at  .\m- 
herst  College,  where  he  graduated  in  1854.  He  had  been  president  of  the 
Northwestern  Female  College,  at  Evanston.  111.,  and  subsequentjy  president' 
of  the  Female  College  at  Cincinnati.  In  June,  1882,  on  account  of  failing 
health,  he  resigned  and  in  1883  he  died.  For  a  year  the  duties  of  president 
devolved   upon  the  vice-president.   Dr.   Hamnett. 

The  Rev.  David  H.  Wheeler,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  was  elected  president  in 
April,  1883,  and  was  inaugurated  on  the  J/th  of  June  following.  He  was 
born  in  Ithaca,  New  York,  in  1829.  His  life  has  been  devoted  to  education 
and  authorship.  He  taught  Latin  in  the  Rock  River  Seminary,  served  two 
years  as  superintendent  of  schools  in  Carroll  County,  Illinois;  five  years  as 
professor  of  Greek  in  the  Cornell  College,  Iowa,  and  eight  years  as  professor 
of  English  literature  in  Northwestern  University,  at  Evanston,  Illinois. 
Between  his  services  at  Cornell  College  and  that  at  Evanston,  he  filled  the 
oiSce  of  United  States  consul  at  Geneva,  where  he  pursued  historical  and 
linguistic  studies.  The  degree  of  D.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him  bv  Cor- 
nell College  and  that  of  LL.  D.  by  the  Northwestern  University.  During 
his  administration  the  following  have  been  the  numbers  of  graduates:  1883, 
32;  1884,24;  1885,25;  1886,30;  1887.21:  1888,33.  For  the  year  1888-9 
\\'ilbur  G.  Williams,  D.  D.,  was  placed  in  the  presidential  chair  and  the 
graduates  of  that  year  were  2ic>-  -^t  the  clo.se  of  the  year  Dr.  \\'heeler  was 
reinstated  as  president  and  the  graduates  were:  1890,  42;  1 891,  29;  1892, 
29;  1893,  35.  At  the  close  of  1893  Dr.  Wheeler  resigned  and  gave  his  atten- 
tion exclusively  to  literary  pursuits  and  to  authorship.  During  his  admin- 
istration, Wilcox  Hall,  devoted  to  chemistr}'  and  the  natural  sciences,  was 
secured. 

At  the  opening  of  the  academic  year  of  1893-4  the  Rev.  William  H. 
Crawford,  D.  D.,  was  called  to  the  presidency  of  the  college.  He  was  an 
eminent  scholar,  a  graduate  of  the  Northwestern  University  at  Evanston, 
had  had  experience  as  an  educator,  and  was  especially  distinguished  by  his 
oratorical  gifts.  The  graduates  during  his  services  thus  far  have  been: 
1894,  24;  1895,  23;  1896,  32;  1897.  35;  1898,  32.  In  addition  to  his 
services  in  the  executive  management  of  the  college  and  the  instruction  in 
his  department,  he  has  secured  the  erection  of  a  gymnasium  which,  in  addi- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  zGc, 

tion  to  Us  special  uses,  is  provided  with  a  number  of  rooms  for  tlie  general 
purjioses  of  the  college.  He  has  also  devoted  much  time  and  tireless  energy 
in  canvassing  for  an  endowment  and  has  been  successful  in  securing  $100,000. 
Allegheny  College  has  a  record  of  over  eighty  years,  written  in  much 
tribulation,  and  in  the  face  of  many  discouragements,  but  with  much  in  that 
history  to  encourage  to  faithful  effort.  Alden  labored  when  the  stumps 
had  not  been  cleared  away  from  where  now  are  the  fine  streets  and  the 
proud  residences  of  the  inhal:)itants  of  Meadville.  Rutter  and  Clark  came  at 
a  period  when  the  pecuniary  resources  were  most  difficult  to  command,  and 
the  needs  were  most  pinching.  Barker  was  at  the  helm  when  the  demands  of 
a  scholar  and  a  great  teacher  were  most  pressing.  Loomis  had  the  depress- 
ing influence  of  war  time;  but  his  hand  in  securing  funds  and  in  placing  price- 
less collectious  in  natural  sciences  and  the  fine  arts  will  perpetuate  his  name 
as  long  as  Allegheny  College  shall  exist.  Bughee  and  Wheeler  and  Craw- 
ford were  called  when  eminent  scholarship  was  needed  to  cement  and  make 
strong  the  mighty  colunui  w  Inch  a  century  has  been  far  spent  in  building. 

In  connection  with  the  subject  of  the  origin  of  education  in  the  county, 
\  ga\e  the  provisions  of  law  by  which  Meadville  Academy  was  founded  and 
subsequent  legislation  by  which  its  operation  was  eft'ected.  In  1825  the 
building  and  grounds  at  the  corner  of  Chestnut  and  Liberty  Streets  were 
.  sold  to  Air.  Arthur  Cullum  and  the  property  on  Second  Street,  now 
known  as  the  High  School,  was  acquired,  and  the  building  now  standing 
thereon  was  erected  in  1826,  For  a  quarter  of  a  century  some  portion  of  the 
Iniilding  was  used  for  primary  English  instruction  and  for  some  part  of  the 
lime  this  was  the  onl}-  grade  of  instruction,  though  a  teacher  of  the  ancient 
languages  taught  at  times  for  such  compensation  as  he  could  command  from 
the  tuition  of  his  pupils.  Trustees  were  regularly  elected;  jjut  they  did  lit- 
tle more  than  keep  up  their  organization  and  take  charge  of  the  invested 
fund,  of  which  there  was  a  small  one.  John  Reynolds  and  David  Derickson 
were  among  its  classical  teachers,  as  were  Messrs.  Leffingwell,  Donnelly,  Pike, 
Rodgers,  and  the  Misses  Benedict, 

In  Dr.  Burrowes'  report  of  1836,  Meadville  Academy  is  set  down  as 
having  a  Iniilding  worth  $4,000  and  invested  funds  to  the  amount  of 
$1,781.14,  all  the  other  items  which  would  show  its  condition,  if  it  had  any 
status,  are  left  blank.  Under  the  head  of  donations  there  are  reported  as 
having  been  given  by  the  State  $1,000  to  the  academy  and  $1,000  to  the 


270  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS. PEOPLE. 

Meadville  Female  Seminary.  Under  the  head  of  remarks  it  says  of  A'lead- 
ville  Academy:  "The  course  of  instruction  not  specified.  The  improve- 
ments are  a  brick  building,  24x48  feet,  two  stories  high,  valued  as  above. 
The  pecuniary  affairs  are  managed  by  six  trustees.  Prospects  not  good."  In 
the  following  year  no  report  whate\"er  was  made,  from  which  we  ma}-  infer 
that  it  was  at  a  low  ebb. 

In  the  year  1852  the  building  was  repaired,  an  addition  providing  for 
stairway  outside  of  the  main  building  was  made,  and  a  well-organized  acad- 
emy under  the  principalship  of  Mr.  Thomas  F.  Thickstun  and  Samuel  P. 
Bates,  was  opened.  In  tlie  course  of  the  following  year  modern  furniture 
was  inserted,  of  which  it  had  ne\-er  had  any  other  than  long  benches  and 
desks;  a  library  of  500  well  selected  volumes  was  procured,  several  hun- 
dred dollars'  worth  of  new'  philosophical  apparatus  was  purchased  of  the 
Wightmans,  of  Boston,  and  improvement  of  the  grounds  made.  By  refer- 
ence to  the  annual  catalogue  we  find  that  the  numl^er  of  instructors,  includ- 
ing the  principals,  was  eight,  besides  assistant  pupils:  number  of  students  in 
the  classical  department,  39;  English  department,  289;  annual  aggre- 
gate, 522;  males,  168:  feinales,  128.  Average  age,  males,  18  years;  females, 
17.  Proportion  of  pupils  outside  of  Meadville,  three-fourths.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  the  number  of  males  was  184;  females,  198;  total,  382.  Annual 
aggregate  for  the  four  terms,  668.  Increase  over  last  year,  28;  number  in 
teachers'  course,  217.  There  were  three  courses  of  study,  a  teachers' 
course  covering  three  years,  commencing  with  algebra,  physiology  and 
French  or  Latin,  the  latter  being  continued  through  the  course — a  ladies' 
course  of  three  years  varying  but  little  from  the  teachers'  course,  and  a 
classical  course  of  two  years  just  covering  the  ground  for  entrance  to  college. 
Courses  of  lectures  were  delivered  on  the  theory  and  practice  of  teaching, 
on  natural  philosophy,  experimental;  on  Roman  history,  on  chemistry,  and 
on  Grecian  and  Roman  mythology.  In  1857  S.  P.  Bates  was  elected  county 
superintendent  of  schools  and  in  the  following  year  Mr.  Thickstun  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  principalship  by  Mr.  A.  D.  Cotton,  assisted  by  Mr.  J.  W.  Wither- 
spoon.  During  all  this  time  from  1852  the  teachers  were  paid  entirely  by 
tuition  of  pupils. 

From  a  historical  note  prefixed  to  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the 
Board  of  Control  of  the  Public  Schools,  published  in  1862,  prepared  by 
Joshua  Douglas,  Esq.,  then  secretary,  it  appears  that  the  Board  was  or- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


271 


ganizecl  on  the  21st  of  May,  1861,  and  among  the  first  labors  of  the  Board 
was  the  preparation  of  a  plan  for  the  establishment  of  a  high  school.  Ac- 
cordingly, on  the  9th  of  September,  it  was  nnanimously  resolved  to  estab- 
lish such  a  school  and  to  keep  it  open  at  least  nine  months  in  each  year. 
This  school  went  into  operation  on  the  21st  of  Octoljer,  1861,  with  fifty 
scholars,  under  the  instruction  of  Professor  A.  D.  Cotton.  This  took  the 
place  of  the  academy,  and  not  long  thereafter  the  entire  property  and  in- 
vested funds  was,  by  provision  of  law,  transferred  to  the  Board  for  public 
school  purposes  and  the  academy  ceased  to  exist. 

The  Meadville  Theological  School  was  founded  in  1844.  It  is  pro- 
vided in  the  act  of  incorporation  that  no  doctrinal  test  shall  e\-er  be  made 
a  condition  of  enjoying  any  of  the  opportunities  of  instruction  in  the  school, 
except  a  belief  in  the  divine  origin  of  Christianity.  At  one  time  five  dif- 
ferent denominations  were  represented  among  its  students,  though  the 
school  was  founded  mainly  by  the  Unitarians  with  some  co-operation  with 
members  of  the  Christian  denomination.  The  brick  building  erected  for 
the  Cimiberland  Church,  opposite  the  northwest  corner  of  the  first  Presby- 
terian lot,  was  used  for  chapel,  library  and  class-rooms  until  1853,  when  the 
commodious  building,  known  as  Divinity  Hall,  erected  upon  a  site  on  the 
eastern  hill,  as  Allegheny  College  was  upon  the  northern  hill,  and  command- 
ing a  full  view  of  the  city  and  a  wide  stretch  of  varied  landscape  to  the  west, 
was  occupied.  The  grounds,  four  acres  in  extent,  were  contributed  liy  Rev. 
Frederic  Huidekoper  and  the  building  was  erected  at  an  expense  of  $16,000. 
It  contains  a  neat  chapel,  with  dormitories  for  students  and  apartments  for  the 
family  of  steward  and  for  boarding.  In  1893  a  commodious  library  building- 
was  erected,  with  ample  compartments  for  books,  and  light  and  airy  rooms, 
provided  with  consulting  tables,  for  the  accommodation  of  visitants  who  do 
not  wish  to  take  the  books  from  the  building. 

During  the  early  years  of  the  school  it  was  supported  by  an  annual  con- 
tribution from  three  churches  in  the  city  of  New  York  of  $1,000,  $500  an- 
nually from  the  American  Unitarian  Association,  the  proceeds  of  a  fair  held 
in  Boston,  and  sundry  smaller  subscriptions.  In  185 1,  as  a  result  of  the 
strenuous  exertions  of  the  friends  of  the  school,  an  endowment  of  $50,000 
was  raised  and  advantageously  invested.  This  sum  has  been  more  than 
doubled  since  by  legacies,  donations,  profits  of  fortunate  investments,  and 
savings  from  income.     The  unproductive  assets — as  the  building,  profes- 


272  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

sors'  residences,  library-^are  estimated  at  $32,000,  and  the  productive  assets 
at  about  $108,000,  making  a  total  of  $140,000.  About  three-fifths 
of  this  amount  came  from  New  York,  New  England,  and  Unitarian  friends 
elsewhere,  one-fifth  from  the  accumulated  results  of  good  investments,  and 
the  remaining  fifth  from  the  family  of  the  late  H.  J.  Huidekoper,  to  which  the 
school  is  largely  indebted  in  the  founding,  and  in  the  judicious  manage- 
ment of  its  funds  and  of  its  affairs. 

The  Rev.  Rufus  P.  Stebbins,  D.  D.,  was  the  first  president  and  to  his 
popularity  as  a  speaker  and  practical  methods  of  instruction  for  all  grades  of 
students,  is  largel}-  due  the  measure  of  success  attained  during  its  early 
years.  He  was  succeeded  in  the  presidency  in  1856  by  Rev.  Oliver  Stearns, 
D.  D.,  and  he  in  turn,  in  1864,  by  Rev.  A.  A.  Livermore,  D.  D.  The  Rev. 
Frederick  Huidekoper,  as  professor  of  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  first 
three  centuries,  for  many  years  gave  his  services  gratuitously  to  the  school. 
The  present  Board  of  Instruction  are  Professor  George  L.  Gary,  L.  H.  D., 
who  succeeded  Dr.  Livermore  in  1890,  literature  and  theolog}'  of  the  New 
Testament;  Henry  H.  Barber,  homiletics  and  the  philosophy  of  religion; 
Francis  A.  Christie,  A.  B.,  church  history,  and  associate  professor  of  the 
literature  and  theology  of  the  New  Testament;  Mrs.  George  R.  Freeman, 
Hebrew,  literature  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  history  of  religion;  Nich- 
olas P.  Gilman,  sociology  and  ethics. 

The  first  class  graduated  in  1846 — 3  members;  1847,  3;  1848,  9;  1849. 
5;  1850,8;  1851,7;  1852,5;  1853,7;  1854,  11;  1855,3;  1856,  5;  1857,0;  1858, 
10;  1859,  5;  1860,6;  1861,8;  1862,7;  1863,  5;  1864,4;  1865,5;  1866,3;  1867, 
4;  1868,  7;  1869,  5;  1870,  2;  1871,  3;  1872,  3;  1873,  5;  1874,  3;  1875,  5;  1876, 
o;  1877  3;  1878,  4;  1879,  i;  1880,4;  1881,4;  1882,2;  1883,2;  1884,  i;  1885, 
7;  1886,4;  1887,  I ;  1888,2;  1889,6;  1890,9;  1891,2;  1892,  3;  1893,6;  1894, 
9;  1895,  12;  1896,  9;  1897,  9;  1898,  4;  total,  251.  It  will  be  understood  that 
these  received  full  diplomas.  Others  in  various  degrees  received  certifi- 
cates of  study,  making  the  entire  number  of  different  students  from  its  origin, 

570. 

In  addition  to  their  legitimate  duties  to  the  school  the  trustees  hold  in 
trust  a  fund  of  $23,000,  bequeathed  by  the  late  Joshua  Brooks,  (i)  to  aid 
Western  ministers  whose  salaries  are  inadequate  to  their  support;  (2)  to  nn- 
prove  the  libraries  of  ministers  by  a  loan  or  gift  of  books;  (3)  to  aid  libraries 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  273 


o 


which  may  be  formed  bj'  associations  of  Western  ministers;  (4)  to  aid 
parishes  in  forming  or  increasing  permanent  ministerial  libraries.  In  the 
execution  of  this  trust  about  40,000  volumes  of  standard  works  have  1)een 
distributed. 

In  1867  was  organized  the  Literary  Union,  an  association  of  gentle- 
men united  for  the  purpose  of  delivering  a  course  of  lectures  during  the 
winter  season  for  the  elevation  of  the  pulilic  taste,  and  the  diffusion  of  in- 
formation among  the  people.  The  only  meetings  held  were  those  for  se- 
lecting and  designating  those  of  its  members  who  should  be  the  speakers. 
The  lectures  were  delivered  in  the  court-room,  which  was  usually  packed  to 
its  utmost  capacit}-  and  were  free  to  all.  Perhaps  this  last  consideration 
was  the  one  which  induced  the  fine  attendance,  on  the  principle  of  the  man 
who  advocated  a  free  salvation,  having  been  a  member  of  the  church  thirty 
odd  years  and  never  having  cost  him  a  cent.  These  lectures  were,  for  the 
most  part,  of  a  high  order.  Drs.  Stebbins  and  Barker  were  then  in  their 
prime,  and  there' was  a  generous  rivalry  in  this  intellectual  arena,  and  many 
of  the  members  of  a  subsecjuent  club  wtYG  members  of  that  and  ably  ser\-ed 
on  these  annual  occasions.     These  lectures  were  continued  until  i860. 

In  the  fall  of  1857  a  vigorous  effort  was  made  to  start  a  public  lil)rary 
and  reading  room  in  Aleadville.  A  meeting  was  held  at  the  court  house, 
at  which  William  Reynolds  acted  as  chairman  and  R.  Lyle  White,  secretary, 
and  spirited  addresses  were  made  by  Dr.  Livermore,  Mr.  Zachos,  Dr.  Rey- 
nolds, Dr.  Loomis,  Dr.  ]\Iarks,  Professor  Marvin,  Mr.  Delamater,  ^Ir. 
Douglas,  Mr.  Richmond,  Islr.  Shippen  and  Mr.  Coffin.  The  principal  point 
of  difference  seemed  to  be  whether  the  library  should  be  free,  or  a  fee  should 
be  charged  for  its  use.  A  committee  of  organization  was  appointed,  con- 
sisting of  Mr.  Reynolds,  chairman;  ^Messrs.  Delamater,  Comfort,  Robbins, 
Magaw,  White,  Winslow,  Richmond.  Shippen.  and  Livermore.  The  first 
meeting  of  this  committee  was  held  on  the  7th  of  November,  1867,  at  the 
ofRce  of  Mr.  Delamater,  and  subsequent  meetings  were  held  November  12, 
November  13,  November  19,  January  2,  1868,  and  January  8,  at  which  plans 
were  discussed,  a  constitution  adopted  and  committees  appointed  to  solicit 
funds.  It  was  named  the  Meadville  Atheneum.  Upon  the  payment  of  $10 
a  person  became  a  member  of  the  association  and  for  every  $10  paid  was  to 
have  one  vote.  The  subscriptions  were  made  payable  when  $10,000  were 
18 


274  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

subscribed.  In  the  meantime  Mr.  Joseph  Shippen  dehvered  a  pubhc  ad- 
dress upon  the  subject,  which  was  pubhshed.  The  first  sentence  of  that 
address  was:  "The  estabhshment  of  a  pubhc  hbrary  in  this  cit}'  has  long 
been  talked  of,  and  earnestly  wished  for,"  and  the  last  sentence:  "Let  the 
trumpet  sound — forward."  But  the  difficulty  of  raising  the  desired  funds 
caused  the  enterprise  to  fail,  and  on  leaving  town  Mr.  Winslow,  the  secre- 
tary, in  handing  over  the  record  book  and  constitution  to  Mr.  Richmond, 
closed  his  note  with  these  words:  "Trusting  that  it  is  not  dead,  but  only 
sleepeth,  I  am,  etc." 

In  the  winter  of  1867-8  our  fellow-townsman.  Dr.  E.  H.  Dewey,  attend- 
ed medical  lectures  at  Detroit,  where  he  had  the  advantage  of  a  public  library, 
and  on  his  return,  feeling  the  need  of  a  like  institution  here,  called  together  a 
number  of  his  friends  at  the  insurance  office  of  L.  F.  Margach  to  consider  the 
matter  of  starting  one.  An  adjourned  meeting  was  held  in  the  room  of  King 
Solomon's  Lodge  in  the  Bett's  Block,  over  which  Dr.  Dewey  presided,  at 
which  a  constitution  and  by-laws  were  adopted  and  an  organization  was  per- 
fected. The  plan  was  simple.  Each  member  was  to  furnish  annually  one 
book  and  pay  one  dollar.  Shelving  was  put  up  in  the  office  of  Mr.  Margach, 
A\hich  was  had  rent  free,  and  he  served  as  librarian  without  pay.  Three  or 
four  hundred  volumes  were  riuickly  gathered,  and  with  the  money  paid  new 
books  were  bought.  From  this  office  it  was  removed  to  the  Porter  Build- 
ing, where  a  librarian  waited  upon  the  patrons  twice  in  the  week.  From 
this  it  was  taken  to  the  Richmond  Block  in  1872,  where  it  was  domiciled 
in  the  Derickson  Block.  It  was  opened  from  2  to  9  p.  m.  daily  except  Sun- 
days, a  reading-  room  well  supplied  with  papers,  magazines  and  reviews  was 
added,  the  books  were  classified  and  catalogued  and  the  catalogue  published 
in  a  neat  bound  form.  The  membership  fees  have  never  reached  $200  a  year, 
while  the  expense  annually  is  over  $700.  The  deficit  was  supplied  for  sev- 
eral years  by  an  organization  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  known  as  the  Library 
Sociable,  by  the  efforts  of  two  ladies,  who.  by  personal  solicitation,  raised 
over  $1,200,  in  the  afternoons  of  three  days,  through  courses  of  lectures  and 
by  the  voluntary  contributions  of  friends.  In  1879,  realizing  the  necessity  of 
a  permanent  abiding  place  for  the  librar}-,  a  movement  was  made  towards  ac- 
quiring a  suitable  property.  General  Henry  S.  Huidekoper,  who  owned  the  lot 
on  the  corner  of  Park  Avenue  and  Centre  Street,  on  which  was  the  building 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  275 

originally  erected  for  a  public  hall  and  markets,  offered  to  sell  the  property  for 
$8,500,  and  to  make  a  donation  towards  its  purchase  of  $1,000.  This  offer 
was  accepted,  a  charter  was  Secured,  and  the  necessary  funds  for  the  purchase 
and  improvement  of  the  building  were  raised,  amounting  to  $14,362.70.  A 
nominal  fee  of  $1  per  annum  was  charged  for  the  privilege  of  taking  books 
till  the  current  year,  when  it  was  made  free. 


CHAPTER  III 


RELIGIOUS  HISTORY  OF  MEADVILLE. 


IN  all  departments  of  human  enterprise  the  outward  expression  will  in  time 
come  to  conform  to  the  inward  life    or  appreciation.     In  that    state,  or 

society,  where  wealth  is  not  more  lavished  upon  social  luxury  than  upon 
those  institutions  which  have  for  their  aim  the  elevation  of  the  people  morally 
and  intellectually,  we  may  safely  look  for  a  commonwealth  in  which  all  truly 
wise  parents  will  gladly  place  their  children.  To  a  stranger  in  lier  midst  who 
is  weighing  these  serious  considerations,  Meadville  may,  without  boasting, 
say:  "Look  at  my  churches  and  my  schools."  Shall  we  essay  to  honor 
the  men  who  year  after  year  have  helped,  by  wise  counsel  and  wiser  action, 
to  uprear  these  structures  devoted  to  learning  and  religion?  Lo!  their 
works  praise  them.  Tower  and  spire,  and  firm  foundation  stone  are  mute 
but  eloquent  eulogists. 

This  high  moral  and  intellectual  standing  as  a  community  has  con- 
tributed largely  towards  the  growth  and  development  of  the  city,  and  will 
undoubtedly  in  the  future,  as  in  the  past,  attract  as  residents  a  most  desirable 
class  of  citizens.  There  is  no  department  of  society  more  worthy  of  serious 
consideration,  and  hence  it  deserves  a  prominent  space  in  historical  com- 
positions. 

First  Presbyterian  Church. — The  first  public  religious  services  in  Mead- 
ville were  held  in  the  old  Gill  House,  situated  on  Water  Street,  and  subse- 
quently in  the  court- room  over  the  old  jail,  that  stood  on  the  ground  now  oc- 
cupied by  the  law  office  of  Haskins  &  McClintock,  on  the  Diamond.  Elisha 
McCurdy,  a  member  of  the  Presbytery  of  Ohio,  and  Joseph  Stockton,  a  licen- 
tiate of  the  same  Presbytery,  were  the  first  ordained  ministers  who  preached 
within  the  bounds  of  what  is  now  Crawford  County.  They  were  sent  out  on  a 
missionary  tour  in  1799,  and,  among  other  places,  preached  in  Meadville.  The 
next  year  Mr.  Stockton  received  an  invitation  to  preach  statedly  at  this  place, 

276 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  277 

and  in  the  fall  of  1800  left  his  home  in  Washington  County,  and,  with  his 
young  wife  and  some  household  goods,  came  on  horseback  to  establish  himself 
in  Meadville.  Over  this  church,  in  connection  with  that  of  Little  Sugar 
Creek,  now  Cochranton,  he  was  ordained  as  pastor  on  June  24,  1801.  His 
duties  as  pastor  of  these  charges  continued  until  June  27,  1810,  when  the 
Erie  Presbytery  dissolved  the  relation.  While  still  officiating  in  Meadville 
he  traveled  through  and  preached  at  different  points  in  Erie  and  Mercer 
Counties,  and  was  the  first  principal  of  the  Meadville  Academy,  opened  in 
1805.  John  Cotton.  Robert  Stockton  and  Hugh  Cotton  were  the  first 
elders  of  the  Meadville  Church. 

Robert  Johnston,  the  second  pastor  of  the  church,  was  installed  over 
the  churches  at  Meadville,  Little  Sugar  Creek  and  Conneaut  Lake  on, Oc- 
tober 15,  181 1,  and  divided  his  time  equally  between  Meadville  and  the  other 
two  churches.  During  his  pastorate  Mr.  Johnston  organized  a  Sunday- 
school,  which  was  opened  in  December,  1814.  Thomas  Atkinson,  of  the 
Messenger,  assisted  in  the  undertaking.  It  had  no  official  board,  but  was  a 
spontaneous  effort  to  bring  the  youth  of  the  village  undei»  the  influence  of 
moral  teaching.     Mr.  Johnston  served  as  pastor  until  April,  181 7. 

At  their  meeting  in  January,  181 5,  the  Board  of  Trustees  fixed  the 
pastor's  salaiy  for  the  Meadville  Church  at  $200  per  annum,  from  which  one 
can  infer  that  the  position  was  not  a  bonanza.  Soon  afterwards  it  was  de- 
cided to  build  a  church,  and  a  building  committee  was  appointed,  consist- 
ing of  the  following  well-remembered  pioneers:  William  Clark,  William 
Foster,  Samuel  Tqrbett,  Daniel  Bemus  and  John  Reynolds.  It  was  to  be 
a  brick  building,  60x70  feet  in  dimensions,  finished  within  two  years,  and  at 
a  total  cost  of  $6,500.  On  the  5th  of  February,  18 18,  a  contract  for  the 
erection  of  the  church  was  let  to  George  Davis.  It  occupied  the  site  of  the 
present  church,  and  the  building  was  completed  and  the  pews  sold  on  Au- 
gust 14,  1820.  This  building  was  the  only  place  for  public  worship  in  the 
village  until  1825,  when  the  Methodists  fitted  up  a  room  on  South  Main 
Street. 

John  Van  Liew  began  his  pastorate  in  Meadville  in  August,  1821,  and 
continued  three  years,  when,  owing  to  impaired  health,  the  relation  was  dis- 
solved. He  was  succeeded  by  Wells  Bushnell,  who  remained  seven  years, 
when  he  went  as  a  missionary  to  the  Indians,  his  congregation  reluctantlj' 
consenting  to  his  withdrawal.     Nathaniel  West,  the  next  pastor,  remained 


278  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

two  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  John  V.  Reynolds,  D.  D.,  who  for  thirty 
years  filled  the  pulpit  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  the  Presbytery'  dis- 
solving the  relation,  at  his  request,  in  April,  1869.  James  G.  Carnachan, 
LL.  D.,  succeeded  him,  and  continued  his  pastorate  twelve  years.  It  was 
during  his  pastorate,  in  1874-75,  that  the  present  handsome  edifice  was 
erected,  at  a  cost  of  about  $43,000,  and  it  was  dedicated  on  August  22,  1875. 
It  stands  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Liberty  and  Center  Streets,  has  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  750,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  finest  church  properties 
in  Meadville.  The  pastor's  residence  is  on  the  opposite  corner  from  the 
church,  and  is  a  comfortable  two-story  frame. 

In  the  spring  of  1881  the  membership  was  greatly  reduced  by  the 
withdrawal  of  a  large  number  of  the  members  and  congregation  in  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Park  Avenue  Congregational  Church.  In  November  of  the 
same  year  Edward  P.  Sprague  became  pastor.  He  was  succeeded  six  years 
later  by  Ken.  C.  Hayes,  D.  D.,  who  is  still  in  charge.  Dr.  Hayes  is  a  native 
of  Butler  County,  and  was  educated  at  Waynesburg  College.  He  served  as 
pastor  at  Middlesex  five  years  before  locating  at  Meadville.  He  is  chaplain  of 
the  Fifteenth  Regiment.  N.  G.  P.,  and  as  such  served  in  the  United  States 
service  during  the  war  with  Spain. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  aljout  one  hundred  and  fifty; 
and  the  Sunday  School,  which  was  first  opened  in  181 4,  and  regularly  or- 
ganized in  1819,  contains  about  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  scholars.  The 
church  disposes  of  a  substantial  fund  for  the  use  of  the  poor,  donated  by  the 
late  Alanson  Lindley,  and  named  the  "Alanson  Lindley  Fund  for  the  Poor,"'  of 
which  only  the  interest  can  be  used. 

Central  Presbyterian  Churcli. — A  difference  of  opinion  respecting  doc- 
trines and  church  government  culminated  in  the  year  1838  in  the  division  of 
the  Presbyterian  sect  into  two  branches,  commonly  known  as  the  Old 
.School  and  New  School.  The  division  continued  until  1869,  when  the  two 
bodies  were  happily  reunited.  This  difference  of  opinion  affected  the  Mead- 
ville Church,  the  adherents  of  the  New  School  going  out  to  form  a  new  or- 
ganization under  the  title  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church.  It  was  tem- 
porarily ministered  to  by  Revs.  Lyon,  Anderson,  West  and  Kellogg,  until,  in 
June,  1841,  Robinson  S.  Lockwood  was  called  to  the  pastorate.  In  1842 
there  was  an  extended  revival,  during  which  o\-er  fifty  were  added  to  the 
membership.     Mr.  Lockwood  was  dismissed  from  the  pastoral  charge  of  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  279 

church  in  1843.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  lecture  room  of  the 
First  Church,  and  subsequently  the  brick  building  on  Center  Street,  no^v 
used  as  the  barn  of  the  Central  Hotel,  was  fitted  up  for  a  place  of  wor- 
ship. Afterwards  the  building  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  op- 
posite the  jail,  was  used  for  worship.  Their  own  church  on  Center  Street 
was  completed  in  1844,  at  a  cost  of  about  $15,000.  In  1869  the  building  was 
considerably  enlarged,  and  a  tower  built  on  each  front  corner,  at  a  total  cost 
of  about  nine  thousand  dollars. 

In  November,  1843,  Richard  Craighead,  D.  D.,  became' pastor  of  the 
church,  a  relation  which  was  continued  with  mutual  satisfaction  to  both 
pastor  and  congregation  during  thirty-one  years.  During  his  pastorate  the 
present  church  was  built  and  enlarged,  and  it  is  to  his  earnest  labors  that 
the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  is  indebted  for  its  present  flourishing  con- 
dition. He  was  succeeded  in  1874  by  Thomas  D.  Logan,  a  graduate  of  the 
Western  Theological  Seminary,  who  remained  until  1888,  when  Jonathan 
Edwards,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  became  pastor.  Dr.  Edwards  was  a  man  possessed 
of  broad  charity,  his  sermons  appealing  to  reason  rather  than  prejudice.  He 
was  broad  and  liberal  minded,  and  a  theologian  with  few  superiors.  Not 
only  with  the  members  of  his  own  church,  but  with  the  community  in  general, 
he  was  respected  and  loved.  He  was  greatly  interested  in  educational  work, 
and  had,  prior  to  his  ministerial  work  in  this  city,  been  president  of  Wash- 
ington and  Jefferson  College.  He  died  at  Peoria,  111.,  on  July  13,  1891.  Joseph 
S.  Malone  was  called  in  1891,  and  six  years  later  was  succeeded  by  Donald  C. 
McLeod,  the  present  pastor.  The  church  has  a  membership  of  about  three 
hundred,  and  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  Early  in  1892  the  name  was 
changed  from  the  Second  Presbyterian  to  the  Central  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  Cumberland  Presbyterian  and  United  Presbyterian  Churches  had 
each  a  society  here  for  a  few  years.  The  former  erected  a  brick  building  on 
Center  Street  in  the  summer  of  1834,  but  after  an  existence  of  about  two  years 
the  society  disbanded,  and  the  building  was  sold  to  the  Unitarians,  who,  in 
October,  1844,  dedicated  it  as  Divinity  Hall.  The  United  Presbyterians  never 
had  a  building  in  Meadville,  but  worshipped  in  a  frame  s-tructure  owned  by 
the  Old  School  Presbyterians,  which  stood  on  what  is  now  the  corner  of  Park 
Avenue  and  Center  Street.  The  society  was  occasionally  attended  by  John 
Findley,  of  Waterford;  H.  H.  Thompson,  of  Cochranton;  and  Joseph  B. 
Waddle,  of  Evansburg.     The  cliurch  was  organized  about  1840,  but  it  grad- 


28o  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ually  went  down,  and  finally  ceased  to  exist  after  a  struggle  of  eight  or  ten 
years. 

First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — The  Methodists  held  a  camp  meeting 
near  Meadville  as  early  as  1812,  in  which  Bishop  McKendree  took  part.  This 
was  while  the  soldiers  were  encamped  at  Meadville,  and  was  probably  held 
to  give  them  a  place  to  worship.  Robert  C.  Hatton  preached  in  Meadville 
in  1824,  and  early  in  the  following  year  a  class  was  organized,  consisting  of 
John  Lupher,  leader,  and  wife,  Wesley  Bowman  and  wife,  Griffith  Bennett 
and  wife,  Hannah  Lowry,  Sarah  and  Margaret  Johnson.  Other  members 
were  soon  added  to  the  class.  The  society  was  small  and  poor  and  unable 
to  erect  a  place  of  worship,  but  soon  after  its  organization  Mr.  Lupher  fitted 
up  a  room  over  his  blacksmith  shop,  at  the  corner  of  Arch  and  South  Main 
Streets,  and  for  nine  years  this  was  their  place  of  meeting,  the  little  church  in 
the  meantime  increasing  in  numbers  and  wealth.  In  1830  they  began  the 
erection  of  a  brick  building  on  Arch  Street,  which  cost  $3,000,  and  was  fin- 
ished in  1834.  Although  never  formally  dedicated,  this  building  was  used  by 
the  Methodists  of  Meadville  for  thirty-two  years.  Early  in  1866  it  was  sold 
to  St.  Bridget's  congregation.  On  June  5  of  the  same  year  the  cornerstone  of 
the  large,  massive  stone  structure  on  the  southwest  corner  of  South  Main 
Street  and  the  Diamond  was  laid  by  Bishop  Calvin  Kingsley,  and  it  was  dedi- 
cated July  29.  1868.  Bishop  Simpson  preached  in  the  morning,  and  Rev. 
Punchon,  of  Ontario,  Canada,  at  the  evening  service.  During  the  latter  ser- 
vice the  building  was  presented  by  Hon.  H.  L.  Richmond,  in  behalf  of  the 
congregation,  to  Bishop  Kingsley,  who  thereupon  performed  the  ceremony  of 
dedication.  Its  total  cost  when  completed,  including  the  lot,  was  over  $84,- 
000.    It  has  a  seating  capacity  of  1,200. 

The  church,  organized  by  Robert  C.  Hatton  in  1825,  has  been  attended 
by  the  following  ministers:  1826,  J.  W.  Hill  and  I.  H.  Hacket;  1827,  C. 
Brown,  J.  Leach  and  I.  H.  Hacket;  1828,  Job  Wilson  and  W.  R.  Babcock; 
1829,  N.  Callender  and  A.  Callender;  1830,  A.  Callender  and  A.  Plimpton; 
1831,  J.  S.  Barrie;  1832,  D.  Preston;  1833,  H.  J.  Clark;  1834,  J.  Robin- 
son; 1835,  R.  Clapp;  1836-37,  E.  Birkett;  1838,  J.  J.  Steadman;  1839, 
Solomon  Gregg;  1840,  J.  H.  Whallon;  1841-42,  B.  S.  Hill;  1842,  C.  Kings- 
ley;  1843.  J.  R.  Locke;  1844,  Alfred  G.  Sturgiss;  1845,  M.  Hill  and  A. 
Callender;  1846,  M.Hill;  1847,  T.  Graham;  1848,  H.  M.  Bettes;  1849-50, 
John  Bain;    1851-52,  E.  J.  Kenney;   1853-54,  N.  Norton;    1855,  G.  B.  Haw- 


OUR  COUXTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


2«I 


kins;  1856-57,  G.  W.  Maltby;  1858-59,  E.  A.  Johnson;  1860-61,  T.  Stubbs; 
1862,  J.  E.  Chapin;  1863-65,  W.  F.  Day;  1866-67,  Joseph  Excdl;  1867, 
L.  D.  Williams;  1868,  J.  Peate  and  L.  D.  Williams;  1869-71,  Alfred  Wheeler: 
1871,  L.  D.  Williams;  1872.  W.  W.  Wythe  and  L.  D.  Williams;  1873, 
W.  W.  Wythe;  1874-76,  W.  F.  Day;  1877-79,  T.  L.  Flood;  1880-82,  J.  G. 
Townsend;  1883-84,  E.  D.  McCreary;  1884,  G.  W.  Clark;  1885-86,  A.  C. 
Ellis;  1888-90,  E.  C.  Hall;  1891-93,  T.  C.  Beach;  1893-96,  J.  Bell  Neff; 
1896-98,  A.  M.  Courtenay.  The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  about 
six  hundred. 

The  State  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  June, 
1869.  and  soon  afterwards  a  substantial  frame  edifice  was  completed  at  a  cost 
of  about  $9,000.  It  stands  on  State  Street  above  its  intersection  with  North, 
and  will  seat  about  four  hundred  persons.  T.  P.  Warner  was  the  first  pastor 
of  this  church,  serving  through  1869,  and  has  been  succeeded  as  follows: 
1870-71,  W.  Sampson;  1872,  J.  S.  Albertson  and  N.  Norton;  1873,  J-  S. 
Albertson;  1874,  W.  H.  Wilson;  1875,  R.  M.  Bear;  1876-77,  O.  Babcock; 
1878,  A.  S.  Dobbs;  1879,  J.  B.  Espy;  1880-81,  A.  J.  Lindsey;  1882,  Q.  W. 
Decker;  1883,  O.  L.  Mead  and  G.  W.  Clark;  1884,  O.  L.  Mead;  1885,  W.  O. 
Allen  and  W.  P.  Arbuckle;  1886-87,  Manassas  Miller;  1888,  J.  H.  Heron; 
1889,  James  Clyde;  1890-92,  J.  H.  Laverty;  1893-96,  Wm.  Branfield;  1897- 
98,  J.  H.  Bates. 

Free  Methodist  Church. — The  Meadville  branch  of  this  denomination 
was  organized  by  Jeremiah  Barnhart,  with  sixteen  members,  Sept.  2,  1883. 
The  meetings  were  at  first  held  in  a  hall  on  Market  Street  called  Temperance 
Hall.  R.  H.  Bentley  was  the  first  pastor,  preaching  once  every  two  weeks  for 
two  years,  and  was  followed  by  R.  H.  Bentley  and  Wm.  Ha^-vey,  who  served 
one  year  each.  O.  J.  Berlin,  the  next  pastor,  remained  two  years.  He  was 
succeeded  by  A.  Falkner,  who  officiated  four  years.  During  his  pastorate  a 
small  frame  church,  24x36,  was  erected  on  North  Street,  at  the  foot  of  State, 
and  was  dedicated  free  from  debt  in  July,  1892,  at  a  cost  of  $900.  In  1893 
I.  Hodgkins  became  pastor  of  the  Meadville  circuit,  including  Blooming  Val- 
ley, Pine  Grove,  Cochranton  and  Meadville,  serving  for  one  year.  In  1894 
M.  L.  Schooley  became  pastor.  The  membership  is  small,  numbering  about 
twenty-five  at  the  present  time. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1850  with 
five  members,  by  Jacob  Palmer,  who  became  the  first  pastor.     Their  first 


282  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

services  were  held  in  a  small  brick  building  in  the  rear  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  on  Arch  Street,  until  in  1853  they  purchased  from  the  Baptists,  for 
$500,  their  present  property  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Liberty  and  Arch. 
The  Ijuilding-  was  repaired  in  1867,  partially  destroyed  by  fire  in  1876,  and 
rebuilt  the  same  year.     The  church  records  extend  only  from  1861,  since  which 

time  the  following  ministers  have  had  charge :   John  Franklin, •  Hanfield, 

John  Gibbons,  W.  H.  Brown,  Benj.  Wheeler,  W.  J.  Phillips,  AV.  V.  Ross, 
E.  C.  Herbert,  J.  M.  GriiTen,  John  Russell,  J.  M.  Palmer,  R.  H.  Jackson. 
L  B.  Till,  R.  Brown,  S.  C.  Honesty,  S.  C.  Goosley,  J.  W.  Lavatt,  J.  \\\  Jef- 
fries, and  P.  A.  Scott. 

Christ  Protestant  Episcopal  Cluirch  was  organized  Jan.  25,  1825,  by  J.  H. 
Hopkins,  of  Pittsburg.  He  came  to  Meadville  at  the  solicitation  of  Hon. 
John  B.  Wallace,  a  leading  attorney  of  the  town ;  and  the  first  services  were 
held  in  the  old  Presbyterian  Church.  He  remained  about  two  weeks,  during 
which  time  he  preached  frequently,  receiving  into  the  church  thirty-two  adults 
and  forty-three  children.  The  next  year  Charles  Smith  was  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  the  newly  organized  congregation,  and  at  once  entered  upon  his 
labors.  In  August  of  the  same  year  it  was  decided  to  erect  a  house  of  wor- 
ship, and  on  the  nth  of  April,  1827,  the  cornerstone  was  laid.  The  building 
committee  in  charge  of  its' erection  consisted  of  Llenry  Shippen,  Jared  Shat- 
tuck,  William  Alagaw,  David  Dick,  and  Robert  L.  Potter,  and  Aug.  16,  1828, 
tlie  church,  \\hich  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  one,  was  dedicated  by 
Bishop  W.  H.  Underdonk,  who.  in  his  remarks,  said  that  in  point  of  archi- 
tectural beauty  the  building  was  the  finest  in  the  diocese.  It  was  the  first 
Protestant  Episcopal  church  erected  in  the  State,  west  of  the  Allegheny  River ; 
would  seat  500  .persons  and  cost  about  eight  thousand  dollars.  The  growth 
of  the  congregation  led  to  its  enlargement  in  1832  and  again  in  1863;  but  in 
April,  1883,  it  was  torn  down  to  give  place  to  the  new  and  more  elegant  struc- 
ture occupying  its  site. 

Mr.  Smith  served  until  April  27,  1829,  and  the  following  rectors  have 
since  had  charge:  J.  W.  James,  1829-32;  Edward  Y.  Buchanan,  1833-34; 
Thomas  Crumpton,  1834-40;  John  P.  Hosmer,  1840-41;  Orrin  Miller,  1842- 
44;  Alexander  Varien,  1844-46;  Wm.  Carmichael,  D.  D.,  1846-50;  Alex- 
ander Varien,  1851-58;  R.  W.  Lewis,  1858-59;  Marison  Byllesby,  1859-69; 
Geo.  C.  Rafter,   1869-70;    W.  G.  W.  Lewis,  1871-75;    Daniel  I.  Edwards, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  283 

1876-78;   G.  A.  Carstensen,  1878-82;   W.  H.  Lewis,  1882-85;   Rogers  Israel, 
1885-92;  F.  M.  Kirkus,  1892-96;   George  S.  Richards,  1896. 

Tlie  cornerstone  of  the  new  and  elegant  stone  edifice  at  the  northwest 
corner  of  the  Diamond  was  laid  July  14,  1883.  by  the  rector,  W.  H.  Lewis, 
assisted  by  Marison  Byllesby  and  G.  A.  Carstensen.  On  Sunday,  March  23, 
1884.  the  church  was  formally  opened  for  services  by  Bishop  Whitehead, 
assisted  by  Dr.  Herron,  of  New  Castle,  and  Mr.  Lewis.  The  building  and 
furnishings  cost  about  thirty  thousand  dollars,  of  which  about  two  thousand 
fi\'e  hundred  dollars  consisted  of  memorial  and  family  gifts,  which  decorate 
the  interior.  The  bell,  which  cost  $225,  was  presented  by  the  teachers  and 
scholars  of  the  Sunday  School.  On  the  same  lot  is  a  comfortable  rectory 
built  in  1878  at  a  cost  of  $2,700,  and  a  handsome  parish  building  has  since 
been  added  to  the  property  of  the  church.  The  church  building  is  a  beavitiful 
piece  of  architecture;  has  a  seating  capacity  of  425,  and  reflects  great  credit 
on  the  architect,  builder  and  congregation. 

■  The  Unitarian,  or  Imlcpcndcnf  Congregational  Church,  of  ]\Ieadville,  is 
one  of  the  few  of  that  denomination  in  western  Pennsylvania.  It  was 
founded  in  1825,  chiefly  through  the  efforts  and  influence  of  H.  J.  Huide- 
koper.  who  had  settled  in  Meadville  early  in  the  century.  His  religious  beliefs 
agreed  substantially  with  those  Christians  in  England  and  America  who  were 
beginning  to  be  called  Unitarians.  Through  the  influence  of  Dr.  Priestly, 
who  had  been  driven  from  his  home  in  England  for  his  devotion  to  political 
and  religious  freedom,  several  Unitarian  churches  had  been  founded  in  Amer- 
ica, and  their  doctrines  had  obtained  a  firm  foothold  in  New  England.  In 
selecting  instructors  for  his  children,  ]\Ir.  Huidekoper  naturally  selected  yoiuig 
men  who  were  graduates  of  Harvard  L^niversity.  which  was  then,  as  now, 
largel\-  under  the  control  of  L'nitarians.  They  were  frequently  candidates  for 
tlie  ministry,  and  were  at  length  engaged  with  reference  to  their  willingness 
to  hold  services  in  this  place. 

The  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  old  Presbyterian  Church,  and  subse- 
quentl\-  in  the  courthouse,  John  M.  Merrick,  the  first  pastor,  who  entered 
upon  his  duties  in  1825,  holding  services  on  alternate  Sundays  for  two  years. 
After  him  \\^ashington  Gilbert  officiated,  and  during  his  ministry,  in  1829, 
the  church  was  more  fully  organized,  with  the  name  of  the  Independent  Con- 
gregational Church  of  Meadville.  Mr.  Gilbert  remained  until  1830,  and  the 
following  were  his  successors:    Ephraim  Peabody.  1830-31 ;   George  Nichols, 


284  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

1831-32;  Alanson  Brigham,  1832-33:  A.  D.  Wheeler  and  W.  H.  Channing, 
1834:  John  O.  Day.  1834-37;  Henry  Emmons,  1837-43;  E.  G.  Holland, 
J843-44;  Rufus  P.  Stebbins,  D.  D'.,  1844-49;  Nathaniel  S.  Folsom,  1849-53; 
C.  A.  Staples,  1854-57;  Oliver  Stearns,  D.  D.,  1858;  R.  R.  Shippen,  1859; 
Richard  H.  Aletcalf,  1860-65;  John  C.  Zachos,  1866-68;  Henry  P.  Cutting, 
1870-73;  Robert  S.  Morrison,  1874-78:  James  T.  Bixby.  1879-83;  William 
P.  Tilden,  1884;  H.  H.  Barber,  1885-90:  T.  J.  Volentine,  1891-93:  James 
M.  \Miittier,  D.  D.,  1893  ;  and  William  I.  Lawrance  from  1894  to  the  present 
time. 

The  present  church  edifice  on  the  southeast  corner  of  the  Diamond  was 
commenced  in  1835.  and  was  dedicated  on  August  20.  1836.  The  building 
cost  $3,500.  exclusi^■e  of  the  lot.  which  was  donated  T)y  !Miss  Margaret 
Shippen  and  H.  J.  Pluidekoper.  Miss  Shippen  subsequently  gave  her  house 
adjoining  the  church  to  the  society  for  a  parsonage.  The  building  committee 
of  the  church  consisted  of  General  (then  Captain)  George  W.  Cullum,  Horace 
Cullum,  and  Edgar  Huidekoper,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  plans 
for  the  church  were  made  by  Captain  Cullum.  Substantial  gifts  toward  the 
building  came  from  the  Unitarian  Church  in  Philadelphia  and  other  friends. 
The  organ  was  presented  by  the  Unitarian  Church  in  BuiTalo.  Substantial 
repairs  and  changes  were  made  in  the  church  in  1S74  and  again  in  1897.  In 
1876  the  Unitarian  Chapel,  a  substantial  two-story  brick  building,  was  erected 
immediately  east  of  the  church,  at  an  expense  of  about  six  thousand  dollars. 
It  is  used  for  Sunday  school  purposes  and  social  gatherings,  and  the  interior 
arrangements  are  complete  for  the  end  contemplated. 

First  Baptist  Church. — In  the  summer  of  183 1  Adrian  Foote,  of  Ripley, 
N.  Y.,  came  to  Meadville  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  into  a  congregation 
the  few  Baptists  then  living  in  this  vicinity.  He  obtained  the  use  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  building,  where  he  preached  on  four  successive  afternoons,  as- 
sisted in  the  work  by  W^illiam  Gildersleeve,  of  Allegheny.  In  August,  1831, 
a  number  of  those  who  had  taken  part  in  the  meetings  assembled  and  formed 
the  "Baptist  Conference  of  Meadville."  On  August  27  Rev.  Gildersleeve 
baptized  seven  persons  in  a  small  lake  east  of  town,  and  on  the  same  date  it 
was  voted  to  call  a  council  from  eight  of  the  nearest  Baptist  churches  to  as- 
semble a  month  later  to  consider  the  subject  of  organizing  an  independent 
church  in  Meadville.  Revs.  Foote  and  Gildersleeve  returned  in  four  weeks 
and  held  a  series  of  meetings  in  the  Academy,  on  ]\Iarket  Street.    On  Septem- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  285 

ber  27,  1 83 1,  representatives  of  four  churches  met  and  formed  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Meadville.  There  were  fourteen  original  members,  and  the 
first  meeting  of  the  church  after  its  organization  was  held  at  the  house  of 
Samuel  Kirkpatrick,  on  Arch  Street,  as  the  use  of  the  Academy  building  could 
not  be  obtained. 

On  May  12,  1832,  Adrian  Foote  became  the  settled  pastor  of  the  church, 
and  in  August  of  the  same  year  steps  were  taken  to  procure  a  lot  and  erect  a 
house  of  worship.  A  lot  was  purchased  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Arch  and 
Liberty  Streets  and  a  small  frame  Iniikling  was  erected,  which  was  first  opened 
for  service  in  June,  1833.  It  was  used  for  about  twenty  years,  when  it  was  sold 
to  the  A.  M.  E.  Church.  Elder  Fopte  served  until  1834.  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  E.  Hicks,  who  officiated  as  a  supply.  In  1838  Edward  M.  Miles 
was  engaged  to  preach,  dividing  his  services  between  the  churches  at  Mead- 
ville and  Georgetown,  Mercer  Count)-.  After  he  left  the  church  was  without 
a  pastor  for  some  time,  and  dwindled  down  to  four  active  members,  but  these 
kept  up  the  organization,  and  in  1841  William  Look  was  secured  as  pastor, 
remaining  two  years.  Another  ^■acancy  in  the  pastorate  then  occurred,  regu- 
lar services  were  abandoned  and  a  state  of  great  depression  existed,  almost 
leading  to  disorganization.  In  June  Franklin  Kidder  took  charge  of  the 
church,  remaining  one  year.  Since  then  the  following  ministers  have  served 
the  church:  John  Nicholson,  1847;  G.  L.  Stevens,  1848-51 ;  I.  M.  Chapman, 
1851-52:  William  M.  Caldwell,  1852:  J.  H.  Hazen,  1853-55:  Geo.  W.  Fuller, 
1855-58;  I.  M.  Chapman.  1858-60;  William  Look,  1860-62:  B.  C.  Willough- 
by,  1862-64;  R.  B.  Kelsey,  1864-66;  R.  H.  Austin,  1866-71;  J.  H.  Langille, 
1871-72;  W.  B.  Grow,  1873;  Wm.  M.  Young,  D.  D.,  1874-79;  George 
Whitman,  1879-82;  E.  M.  Haynes,  1882-89;  Wm.  H.  Marshall,  1889-92; 
and  \\\\\  C.  King  from  May,  1892,  to  the  present  time.  Mr.  King  is  a  native 
of  Trumljull  County,  Ohio ;  was  educated  at  Colgate  University,  New  York ; 
ordained  in  1886,  and  for  four  years  prior  to  coming  here  was  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  Church  at  \\'arren,  Pa. 

In  April,  1852,  the  lot  on  which  the  present  building  stands,  on  Center 
Street,  was  purchased  for  the  sum  of  v$i,050,  and  the  erection  of  a  brick  edi- 
fice commenced  that  year.  The  work  was  pushed  forward  through  1853,  and 
though  the  building  was  enclosed  only  the  basement  was  carried  to  comple- 
tion, being  occupied  and  dedicated  in  the  summer  of  1854.  The  next  year 
the  main  audience  room  was  completed,  and  was  dedicated  on  February  19, 


286  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

1865.  In  the  summer  of  1875  an  addition  of  thirty  feet  was  made  to  the  build- 
ing, heating;  furnaces  put  in.  and  other  improvements  carried  out  at  an  expense 
of  $5,500.  The  building  has  a  seating  capacity  of  about  400,  and  the  mem- 
bership of  the  church  is  350.  while  the  average  Sunday-school  attendance  is 
about  250.  A  brick  parsonage  has  been  erected  on  the  rear  end  of  the  church 
lot.  on  Walnut  Street,  at  an  expense  of  $3,500.  The  entire  propertv.  which 
is  valued  at  $14,000.  is  free  from  all  debt. 

Lutheran  Evangelical  Trinity  Church. — The  first  German  congregations 
in  this  county  were  usually  composed  of  the  adherents  of  both  the  Lutheran 
and  German  Reformed  denominations,  neither  being  able  to  maintain  public 
worship  as  separate  bodies.  In  181 5  Charles  W.  Colson  preached  to  the  few 
Germans  then  living  in  this  vicinity,  and  the  next  year  cnme  permanently  to  re- 
side among  them.  He  formed  churches  at  Meadville.  Erie.  Conneaut  Lake 
and  Saegertown.  of  which  little  is  now  known,  as  upon  the  death  of  Mr. 
Coleson  in  1816  they  gradually  disbanded.  Occasionally  a  German  Reformed 
or  a  Lutheran  minister  would  visit  this  county  and  preach  to  the  Germans, 
among  them  being  Philip  Zeiser.  David  Mock  and  John  Kugler.  For  some 
time  before  1847  occasional  union  services  were  held  in  the  courthouse,  and  in 
that  year  the  Lutherans  and  Reformers  united  in  purchasing  a  lot  on  Pine 
Street,  between  South  Main  and  Liberty,  where  they  erected  a  frame  building 
at  a  cost  of  about  $1,800.  The  church  was  dedicated  December  19.  1847,  t>y 
Jacob  Zeigler,  a  Lutheran  minister,  and  Benjamin  Boyer  of  the  Reformed 
faith. 

From  that  time  forward  separate  organizations  existed,  each  congrega- 
tion occupying  the  building  e^ery  alternate  Sunday.  Mr.  Zeigler  ministered 
to  the  Lutherans  for  six  or  seven  years,  after  which  a  state  of  disorganization 
began  to  exist  in  both  congregations,  brought  about  by  some  independent 
preachers,  among  whom  were  Revs.  Ritter,  Ablee  and  Claraluna.  About  1856 
Re^^  Bierdemann  reorganized  the  Lutheran  Church  and  served  the  congrega- 
tion until  his  death,  in  1869.  In  the  spring  of  1866  the  Lutherans  purchased 
the  interest  which  the  Reformed  congregation  had  in  the  building,  and  the 
latter  erected  a  house  for  themselves.  Since  Mr.  Bierdemann's  death  the 
church  has  been  in  charge  of  the  following  ministers :  J.  G  Behen.  G.  A. 
Bruegel.  W.  F.  Deiss,  George  Kittle,  Powell  Doepken,  John  Schmidt,  Rev. 
Fickeisen,  Henry  Peters  and  Joseph  Orr.  A  lot  was  purchased  on  Park  Ave- 
nue, near  Baldwin,  and  on  November  19,  1893,  the  corner-stone  of  the  present 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  287 

handsome  brick  edifice  was  laid.  The  building  was  completed  during  the  fol- 
lowing year  at  a  cost  of  about  $8,000,  and  was  dedicated  July  4,  1894.  Ser- 
vices are  held  alternately  in  German  and  English. 

St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church. — As  early  as  1818  Philip  Zeiser,  a  minister 
of  the  German  Reformed  Church,  traveled  through  northwestern  Pennsyl- 
vania on  foot,  preaching  and  forming  churches  at  different  points  in  Crawford 
County.  In  Meadville  the  Germans  of  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran  faiths 
worshiped  together  for  many  years,  and  were  usually  ministered  to  by  the 
same  preachers.  In  1847  they  purchased  a  lot  on  Pine  Street,  on  which  they 
erected  a  frame  church,  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,800.  each  denomination  contrib- 
uting an  equal  share  of  the  expense.  Both  denominations  had  independent 
organizations,  using  the  church  on  alternate  Sundays.  The  Reformed  Church 
had,  however,  been  organized  five  3'ears  before.  Benjamin  Boyer,  who.  with 
Jacob  Zeigler  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  officiated  at  the  dedication  ceremony 
on  December  19,  1847,  '^^'^s  the  first  pastor,  and  served  from  1847  to  1850. 
He  was  succeeded  by  D.  B.  Ernst,  who  remained  until  1854.  After  Mr.  Ernst 
a  number  of  independent  preachers  ministered  to  both  congregations,  and  a 
general  disorganization  took  place.  In  1859  D.  D.  Leberman,  a  regular  Re- 
formed minister,  reorganized  the  Reformed  congregation,  receiving  for  his 
first  year's  salary  the  sum  of  $53.75.  Mr.  Leberman  served  until  1865.  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  John  W.  Ebinghaus. 

Early  in  1866  the  Reformed  congregation  sold  their  interest  in  the  old 
church  to  the  Lutherans,  and  during  the  year  erected  a  brick  building  im  the 
southwest  corner  of  Park  Avenue  and  Poplar  Street.  The  church  and  ground 
cost  $12,000,  and  the  building,  which  has  a  seating  capacity  of  600,  was  dedi- 
cated in  the  spring  of  1867.  Soon  after  the  dedication  a  portion  of  the  con- 
gregation seceded,  on  account  of  their  opposition  to  English  sermons,  and  or- 
ganized an  Independent  German  Reformed  Church.  After  this  an  occasional 
sermon  was  preached  in  German  until  1889,  since  when  they  have  been  only 
in  English.  In  July.  1867,  Mr.  Ebinghaus  was  succeeded  by  D.  D.  Leberman, 
who  continued  as  pastor  for  nineteen  years.  He  was  succeeded  in  1886  by 
F.  B.  Hahn,  and  was  followed  in  1889  by  Thomas  S.  Land,  who  remained 
about  six  years.  A.  M.  Schaffner.  the  present  pastor,  has  served  the  congre- 
gation faithfully  and  acceptably  during  the  past  three  years.  In  the  winter 
of  1879-80  a  frame  Sunday-school  chapel  was  erected  close  to  the  churcli  at 
a  total  cost  of  $1,400. 


288  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  First  Evangelical  Protestant  Church  was  organized  in  1867  by  about 
fifty  of  the  congregation  of  St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church,  who  seceded  from 
the  latter  because  of  the  preference  shown  for  the  English  language  in  the 
services.  The  seceders  wanted  the  services  conducted  in  German,  and  for  that 
purpose  established  the  present  church,  in  1868  erecting  a  frame  building  on 
the  northwest  corner  of  South  Main  and  Poplar  Streets,  at  a  total  expense  of 
about  $4,500.  In  the  spring  of  1869  the  church  was  incorporated  as  the  "In- 
dependent German  Reformed  Congregation,"  but  changed  to  its  present  title 
under  the  pastorate  of  G.  F.  Kauffmann.  The  first  pastor  was  Robert  Koch- 
ler,  who  acceptably  filled  the  position  until  his  death,  in  1870.  G.  F.  Kauff- 
mann  was  the  next  pastor,  and  he  has  been  succeeded  by  A.  Gillis,  Jacob  Blass 
and  P.  Krauss,  the  present  pastor.  During  the  term  of  service  of  the  latter  a 
handsome  brick  building  has  been  erected  on  the  lot  originally  occupied,  and 
the  position  of  the  church  much  strengthened  in  the  community. 

The  German  Lutheran  Church  occupies  a  small  frame  building  on  the 
eastern  side  of  Liberty  Street.  It  was  organized  by  members  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  who  objected  to  the  use  of  English  in  the  services,  and  therefore  or- 
ganized an  independent  society.  The  congregation  is  small,  J.  G.  Trautman, 
the  present  pastor,  holding  services  every  two  weeks. 

St.  Agatha's  Catholic  Church  {German). — The  absence  of  a  Catholic 
church  in  Meadville  during  its  early  history  deterred  the  members  of  that  faith 
from  settling  here  in  larger  numbers,  and  we  therefore  find  that  nearly  all  the 
first  Catholics  located  in  the  northern  or  eastern  portions  of  the  county  during 
the  last  decade  of  the  eighteenth  century  and  the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth. 
The  few  who  settled  here,  in  the  absence  of  a  Catholic  priest  to  minister 
to  the  spiritual  wants  of  their  children,  soon  united  with  other  denominations 
or  removed  from  the  town.  In  1845  Mark  de  la  Roque,  pastor  of  St.  Hyppo- 
lytas  Church  at  Frenchtown,  visited  Meadville,  where  there  were  then  but  two 
Catholic  families,  George  and  Patrick  Riordan  and  George  and  Conrad  Fish- 
er, who  attended  services  at  Frenchtown,  of  which  Meadville  was  then  a  mis- 
sion. Within  a  few  years  a  number  of  others  located  in  the  borough,  and  in 
February,  1849,  ^n  organization  was  effected,  under  the  name  of  St.  Agatha's 
Church,  by  Nicholas  Steinbacher,  a  Jesuit  missionary. 

Mass  was  celebrated  at  private  houses  until  the  completion  of  the  frame 
building  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Pine  and  Liberty  Streets.  The  corner- 
stone of  that  structure,  which  was  the  cradle  of  both    St.  Bridget's  and  St. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  289 

Agatha's  churches,  was  laid  by  Father  Steinbacher  on  September  25,  1849, 
and  the  building  was  completed  and  dedicated  on  August  10,  1850.  Joseph 
Hartman  was  the  first  regular  pastor  of  the  little  congregation,  serving  from 
1850  to  185 1,  when  Peter  Lechner  became  pastor.  The  pastors  since  then  have 
been:  Father  Schifferer,  185 1  ;  Anton  Reck,  1851-64;  Peter  Kline,  1865-66; 
Anton  Reck,  1866-68;  Michael  J.  Decker,  1868-71;  George  Meyer,  1871-78; 
Melchoir  Appel,  1878-83;  Anton  Reck,  1883;  and  Father  Franz  Winter  from 
1S83  to  the  present. 

The  congregation  grew  rapidly  through  the  passing  years,  and  in  1862 
the  English-speaking  portion,  who  did  not  understand  the  German  language, 
organized  St.  Bridget's  church.    In  a  few  years  the  old  frame  building  was  too 
small  to  accommodate  the    increasing  flock,    and    on    the    8th    of    August, 
1869,  tlie  corner-stone  of  the  present  imposing  brick  edifice  on  the  northeast 
corner  of  South  Main  and  Pine  Streets  was  laid  by  the  Right  Reverend  To- 
bias Mullen,  assisted  by  the  pastor,  Father  Decker,  and  other  priests  of  the 
diocese.     The  building  was  completed  under  the  pastorate  of  Father  Mever, 
at  a  total  expense  of  $60,000,  and  dedicated  by  Bishop  ^Mullen  October  19, 
1873.     It  is  one  of  the  finest  church  edifices  in  ]\Ieadville,  is  handsomely  fres- 
coed throughout  the  interior,  and  has  a  seating  capacity  of  over  one  thou- 
sand.    St.  Agatha's  Church  embraces  250  families,  or  about  twelve  hundred 
souls,  and  has  also  a  flourishing  Sunday-school.     The  St.  Agatha's  cemetery, 
which  adjoins  Greendale.  contains  three  acres,  and  was  purchased  by  Father 
Reck  in  1856  at  a  cost  of  $375. 

In  1865  Father  Kline  established  the  parish  school.  He  erected  a  one- 
siorv  frame  building  next  to  the  church,  and  employed  lay  teachers  to  con- 
duct the  school,  but  the  Sisters  of  St.  Joseph  were  finally  engaged  as  assist- 
ants. When  the  new  church  was  opened  in  1873  the  old  frame  church  was 
converted  into  a  schoolhouse.  In  1884  Father  Winter  secured  a  male  teacher 
t(.)  take  charge  of  the  larger  boys,  while  two  Sisters  looked  after  the  other 
classes.  Besides  the  usual  branches  taught  in  the  public  schools,  the  children 
are  carefully  instructed  in  the  divine  precepts  of  religion,  secular  and  reli- 
gious instruction  thus  going  hand  in  hand.  A  substantial  parsonage  was  built 
in  1889-90  in  the  rear  of  the  church  at  a  cost  of  $4,000;  and  in  1894  the  old 
Trinity  Lutheran  Church,  on  Pine  Street,  was  purchased  for  $1,000,  to  be 
added  to  the  school  buildings.     Since  then  an  unique  metal  steeple,  150  feel 

in  height,  has  been  placed  on  St.  Agatha's  Church,  at  a  cost  of  $2,800. 
19 


290  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

St.  Bridget's  Catholic  Clinnii. — All  the  Catholics  in  this  vicinity  belonged 
to  St.  Agatha's  Church  until  the  spring  of  1862,  when  St.  Bridget's  was  or- 
ganized by  the  English-speaking  Catholics  of  the  community.  Some  of  the 
original  members  were  John  Riordan,  Thomas  McGuigan,  James  O'Connor, 
Walter  Furlong,  Richard  ^\'halen  and  Thomas  Breen,  with  their  families.  In 
May,  1862,  Thomas  ]\IcGuigan  and  James  O'Connor,  on  behalf  of  the  con- 
gregation, rented  the  building  known  as  "Divinity  Hall,"  which  was  after- 
wards purchased  for  the  sum  of  $750.  It  was  dedicated  by  Bishop  Young,  of 
Erie,  and  the  congregation  placed  under  the  charge  of  Mark  de  la  Roque, 
of  Frenchtown.  It  was  principally  attended  by  his  assistant.  Father  Gilibarti, 
Avho  finally  in  1863  was  appointed  resident  pastor.  An  influx  of  English- 
speaking  Catholics,  in  1862,  swelled  the  numbers  of  the  little  congregation. 
In  1864  two  Franciscan  Fathers,  James  Titta  and  Samuel  Fayella,  of 
Allegany  College,  near  Olean,  N.  Y.,  conceived  the  idea  of  founding  a  Catholic 
institution  of  learning  at  Meadville,  and  were  given  charge  of  St.  Bridget's 
Church.  Their  enterprise  did  not  succeed,  however,  and  they  removed  from 
the  town.  During  their  pastorate  they  bought  a  large  two-story  brick  house 
on.  North  Main  Street  for  a  pastoral  residence,  which,  with  their  other  prop- 
erty, was  sold  at  the  time  of  their  removal. 

In  1865  Father  de  la  Roque  again  took  charge  of  St.  Bridget's,  and  was 
settled  here  as  resident  pastor.  Three  years  later  he  was  placed  in  charge  of 
St.  Joseph's  Church,  at  Warren,  Ta.,  and  afterwards  officiated  at  Titusville. 
Early  in  1866  Father  de  la  Roque  purchased  the  old  Methodist  Church  and 
jKirsonage  on  Arch  Street,  near  the  corner  of  Liberty,  for  the  sum  of  $7,000. 
It  was  fitted  up  and  dedicated  the  same  year  by  Bishop  Domenee,  of  Pitts- 
burg. The  old  property  on  Center  Street  was  then  utilized  for  school  pur- 
poses, but  was  subsequently  sold  for  the  original  purchase  money.  James 
Perry  was  assistant  in  1865  and  James  Haley  in  1866.  The  latter  was  suc- 
ceeded by  John  L.  Finucane,  who  became  pastor  in  1868.  He  was  a  native  of 
Ireland  and  was  a  well-known  lecturer  and  an  eminent  pulpit  orator.  He 
served  as  pastor  of  St.  Bridget's  until  June,  1871,  when  he  was  succeeded  l)y 
John  L.  Madigan,  also  a  native  of  Ireland.  During  his  pastorate  a  school 
liuilding  was  erected. 

In  March,  1874,  Father  James  J.  Dunn  became  pastor  of  St.  Bridget's 
and  furnished  and  opened  a  school  in  the  following  September.  In  1877  he 
purchased  the  lot  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Arch  and  Liberty  Streets  for 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  291 

$1,500,  and  moved  the  old  parsonage  on  to  it.  The  time  had  now  come  wlien 
St.  Bridget's  needed  a  new  church;  and  on  Sunday,  August  11,  1878,  the 
corner-stone  of  the  present  beautiful  brick  edifice  was  laid  by  the  Right  Rev- 
erend Tobias  Mullen,  of  Erie,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  concourse  of  people, 
who  had  gathered  from  every  portion  of  the  county  to  witness  the  impressive 
ceremonies.  It  was  carried  to  completion,  and  dedicated  November  24,  1881, 
by  Bishop  Mullen,  assisted  by  a  large  number  of  priests  of  the  diocese,  and 
Bishop  Gilmour,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  who  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon.  The 
church  cost  complete  about  $15,000,  and  has  a  seating  capacity  of  600.  The 
church  is  beautifullv  decorated  with  scenes  from  the  Bible,  the  frescoine 
being  such  as  to  compare  favorably  with  the  finer  churches  of  metropolitan 
cities.  A  handsome  brick  parsonage  was  erected  in  1891  at  a  cost  of  $7,000, 
and  the  church  and  premises  have  recently  been  greatly  improved. 

Father  Dunn,  to  whose  indefatigable  labors  is  due  the  rearing  of  the  hand- 
some structure  dedicated  to  the  service  of  God,  was  born  in  Dublin  County. 
Ireland,  June  10,  1841.  He  came  to  Baltimore  in  1849,  ^"''1  resided  there 
until  1857,  when  he  entered  Mount  St.  Mary's  College,  Emmettsburg,  Md., 
where  he  was  graduated  in  June,  1863,  with  the  degrees  of  A.  B.  and  A.  M. 
In  September  of  the  same  year  he  entered  the  Theological  Seminary  attached 
to  the  college  in  order  to  prepare  for  the  priesthood,  meanwhile  teaching  Latin 
and  Greek  in  the  college.  He  was  ordained  as  a  priest  in  October,  1866,  but 
remained  in  the  college  during  the  succeeding  year  as  professor  of  Latin  and 
Greek,  after  which  he  went  to  Oil  City  as  assistant  priest  in  St.  Joseph's 
Church.  In  186S  he  went  to  Petroleum  Center,  where  he  remained  until  his 
removal  to  Meadville,  in  1874.  He  still  ofiiciates  as  pastor  of  St.  Bridget's 
Church,  which  embraces  about  800  souls. 

St.  Bridget's  cemetery  is  located  a  short  distance  south  of  Meadville,  and 
consists  of  a  handsome  plot  of  five  acres.  It  was  purchased  in  1866  by  Father 
de  la  Roque,  at  a  cost  of  $500.  The  parish  school  had  its  inception  in  1866, 
being  opened  in  the  old  building  on  Center  Street,  and  taught  by  the  Sisters 
of  St.  Joseph  for  three  or  four  years.  Father  Madigan  erected  a  two-story 
frame  schoolhouse  in  the  rear  of  St.  Bridget's  Church  in  1873,  which  was  fur- 
nished and  opened  by  Father  Dunn  in  September,  1874.  The  attendance  is 
considerable,  and  besides  the  usual  branches  taught  in  the  public  schobls,  the 
course  of  instruction  embraces  a  thorough  religious  training. 

The  Meadville  Hehrezi'  Society  was  organized  in   1866,  and  holds  its 


292  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

services  in  the  Shryock  block,  on  ^^'atel■  Street.  The  society  has  liad  several 
ministers  and  teachers,  the  Rev.  Victor  Caro  being  the  most  prominent.  The 
membership  was  at  one  time  considerable,  but  has  been  much  reduced  by  re- 
movals from  the  city.  The  Hebrews  own  a  small  cemetery  southwest  of 
Greendale. 

The  Park  Avenue  Congregational  Chureh  was  organized  on  May  i8, 
1881,  by  the  withdrawal  of  the  majority  of  the  congregation  and  132  of  the 
members  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Meadville,  "who,  for  conscience 
sake,  felt  it  to  be  their  duty  to  renounce  the  Presbyterian  form  of  church 
government."  The  church  was  recognized  by  an  ecclesiastical  council  com- 
posed of  Congregational  ministers  from  Pennsylvania,  New  York  and  Ohio, 
which  met  October  12,  1881,  when  James  G.  Carnachan,  LL.  D.,  who  for 
twelve  years  had  been  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  was  installed 
as  pastor  of  the  new  organization.  Until  February,  1884,  the  congregation 
worshiped  in  Library  Hall,  when,  having  purchased  the  lot  on  the  corner  of 
Chestnut  Street  and  Park  Avenue,  it  entered  upon  the  occupancy  of  its  chapel, 
which  was  built  at  a  cost  of  over  $6,000,  and  was  dedicated  free  of  debt  on  Feb- 
ruary 3,  1884.  The  chapel  is  conceded  to  be  one  of  the  finest  edifices  of  its 
kind  in  this  portion  of  the  State. 

A  leasehold  on  the  building  occupying  the  church  lot  delayed  somewhat 
the  erection  of  the  church  proper,  but  as  soon  as  this  had  expired  the  main 
building  was  erected,  the  whole  cost  being  more  than  $26,000.  On  October 
2,  1887,  it  was  consecrated  in  the  presence  of  an  immense  audience  by  G.  F. 
Wright,  D.  D.  It  is  a  fine  brick  structure,  handsomely  finished  and  furnished 
in  the  interior,  and  is  a  credit  to  Meadville  progressiveness.  The  organ  is  one 
of  the  finest  in  the  city,  having  1,388  pipes.  Dr.  Carnachan,  under  whose 
ministration  the  church  was  founded,  served  as  pastor  until  1889,  when  he 
was  succeeded  by  Ward  T.  Sutherland.  He  remained  until  1894,  when  R. 
R.  Davies  was  placed  in  charge.  He  was  succeeded  in  1897  by  Clinton  W. 
Wilson,  the  present  pastor.  The  Park  Avenue  Church,  as  it  is  usually  called, 
has  a  membership  of  about  three  hundred,  and  is  one  of  the  most  flourishing 
of  Meadville's  churches.  It  has  a  prosperous  Sunday-school,  and  is  promi- 
nent in  all  branches  of  church  work. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


TITUSVILLE. 


BY    M.     N.     ALLEN. 


NEAR  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century  two  stalwart  men,  equipped  as 
surveyors,  appeared  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Crawford  County,  in 
the  state  of  Pennsylvania.  They  were  in  the  employ  of  the  Holland 
Land  Company,  in  making  surveys  of  the  company's  lands  in  Crawford  and 
adjacent  counties.  The  country  here  was  covered  by  primitive  forests,  a  dense 
wilderness,  where  the  foot  of  a  white  man  had  very  rarely,  if  ever,  trod 
before.  The  Seneca  Indians,  under  the  celebrated  chief,  Cornplanter,  hunted 
in  this  wilderness,  where  game  existed  in  abundance.  At  this  time  the  Indians 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  county  were  apparently  more  friendly  to  the  whites 
than  were  their  brothers  farther  west. 

The  two  surveyors  traveled  in  an  emigrant  wagon,  drawn  by  a  yoke 
of  oxen.  Th.e  wagon,  in  which  the  men  lodged  at' night,  was  roofed  with 
canvas.  Attached  to  the  train  was  a  cow  which  supplied  the  men  with 
milk.  Panthers  and  other  dangerous  beasts  of  prey  prowled  through  the 
wilderness,  and  the  surveyors,  before  retiring  to  their  cot  in  the  wagon  for 
rest  at  night,  fastened  their  team  near  at  hand,  built  a  large  smouldering  fire, 
which  would  last  until  morning,  and  scattered  upon  the  fire  asafetida,  whose 
odors  frightened  or  disgusted  the  savage  beasts,  and  kept  them  at  a  safe 
distance  throughout  the  night. 

These  two  surv-eyors  came  to  a  beautiful  sloping  plain,  on  which  now 
rests  the  city  of  Titusville.  They  were  at  once  charmed  by  the  location. 
Virgin  forests,  with  giant  trees,  rising  with  straight  trunks  and  pointing  with 
tapering  spires  to  the  skies;  birds  of  song  trilling  their  notes  from  every 
direction;  pheasants  abounding  everywhere,  showing  little  or  no  fear  of  the 
strangers,  and  many  other  things  local  conspired  to  attract  the  newcomers  and 
fasten  them  to  the  spot.  They  were  not  long  in  selecting  the  plain  and 
driving  stakes  for  their  future  homes.  The  names  of  these  two  men  were 
respectively  Jonathan  Titus  and  Samuel  Kerr. 

293 


294  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  men  spent  their  first  night,  and  perhaps  every  other  night  during 
their  stay  here  at  that  time,  by  the  side  of  a  high  bank,  situated  not  far  from 
the  present  coal  ofifice  of  Mr.  Edwards.  On  this  spot  Jonathan  Titus  located 
his  home,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until  his  death,  over  sixty  years  after- 
ward. This  homestead  continued  in  the  possession  of  the  Titus  family  until 
destroyed  by  fire  in  March,  1866,  nine  years  after  the  death  of  its  distinguished 
founder.  The  large  tracts  of  land  selected  by  Kerr  and  Titus  for  their  re- 
spective occupancy  joined  each  other. 

Kerr  fixed  his  home  on  the  south  side  of  the  street  now  known  as 
Central  Avenue,  between  Drake  and  Kerr  streets.  Here  he  first  built  an 
humble  cabin,  but  afterward  a  long,  two-story  house,  where  he  continued  to 
live  until  late  in  life,  and  where  he  raised  a  large  family  of  children.  This 
house,  a  few  years  ago,  was  purchased,  with  the  lot  on  which  it  stood,  by  ]\Ir. 
Junius  Harris,  who  cut  this  building  in  two,  and,  swinging  the  parts  around 
so  as  to  front  with  their  ends  to  the  street,  converted  them  into  two  tenement 
houses. 

As  the  names  of  Samuel  Kerr  and  Jonathan  Titus  will  appear  many  times 
in  these  pages,  as  the  first  two  pioneer  settlers  in  eastern  Crawford,  it  is  well 
to  give  here  a  genealogical  sketch  relating  respectively  to  the  two  men.  The 
sketch,  giving  the  history  of  the  Titus  family,  was  written  about  a  lialf  a 
century  ago  by  Mrs.  Olivia  Moore,  as  dictated  personally  by  her  father,  and 
this  paper  has  been  sacredly  kept  by  Mrs.  Moore  ever  since.  Mrs.  Moore, 
now  of  this  city,  is  the  only  surviving  child  of  Jonathan  Titus,  and  to  her 
especially  the  writer  is  indebted  for  much  interesting  and  highly  valua1)le 
information.  It  is  proper,  also,  to  remark  in  this  connection  that  the  two 
sketches  about  to  be  presented  contain  much  of  importance  which  never  be- 
fore has  seen  the  light  in  public  print.  The  two  papers  have  also  led  to  the 
discovery  of  other  important  information  which  will  be  read  for  the  first  time 
in  these  pages. 

The  sketch  dictated  by  Jonathan  Titus,  giving  the  genealogy  of  his  family. 
is  as  follows : 

"Peter  Titus  emigrated  from  Germany  with  three  brothers,  and  settled 
first  on  Staten  Island,  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  A  few  years 
afterward  he  moved  to  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania.  It  is  supposed  he  married 
Mary  Williams  before  leaving  Staten  Island,  or  soon  after  his  arrival  at 
Carlisle.     His  family  consisted  of  three  sons,  John,  Daniel  and  Peter,  and 


OUR   COUNTV  AXD   ITS  PEOPLE.  295 

three  daugliters,  Olivia,  Mary  and  Sarali.  Jolin  married  and  had  a  family  of 
eighteen  cliildren.  Daniel  married  and  had  seven  or  eight  children.  Peter 
married  Jane  Kerr  in  the  year  1766.  He  had  two  sons,  Jonathan  and  Daniel, 
and  fonr  daughters,  Ruth,  Fanny,  Olivia  and  Susan.  Jonathan  Titus  married 
Mary  Martin  on  May  10.  1804.  of  Turtle  Creek.  Pennsylvania,  living  near 
Pittsburg.  They  had  born  to  them  three  sons  and  six  daughters.  The  names 
of  the  sons  were :  Peter  Augustus,  Maxwell  and  John  Alartin.  The  daugh- 
ters were  Susan  Jane,  Sarah  Ann,  La\-inia.  who  died  at  the  age  of  three  years; 
Lavinia  (named  after  the  deceased),  Mary  Lewis,  who  died  aged  one  year  and 
eight  months,  and  01i\-ia.  Susan  Jane  married  Joseph  L.  Chase ;  Sarah  Ann 
married  Edward  H.  Chase;  Lavinia  married  Parker  McDowell  and  Olivia 
married  John  Moore.    The  three  sons  all  died  without  issue." 

Mr.  Titus  also  says  parenthetically  that  Olivia,  daughter  of  the  first  Peter 
Titus,  married  a  Mr.  Evans :  Mary,  the  second  daughter,  married  a  Mr. 
Clawson ;  and  Sarah,  the  third  daughter,  married  Midian  Garwood,  Imt 
nothing  more  was  know  n  by  him  concerning  the  three. 

While  Mr.  Titus  says  that  the  first  Peter  Titus  emigrated  from  Germanv. 
it  is  not  doubted  that  this  ancestor  was  a  native  of  Holland.  It  seems  not 
unlikely  that  he  included  Holland  as  a  part  of  Germany.  Mary  Martin, 
the  wife  of  Jonathan  Titus,  was  the  daughter  of  John  Martin  and  Susan 
(McDowell)  Martin,  the  sister  of  Alexander  McDowell,  agent  of  the  Holland 
Land  Company  at  Franklin,  Pennsylvania.  Parker  McDowell,  who  married 
Lavinia  Titus,  as  stated  above,  was  a  son  of  Alexander  McDowell,  aforesaid. 
He  was  therefore  the  first  cousin  of  Mary  (Martin)  Titus,  the  mother  of  his 
wife.  It  is  interesting  to  note  the  repetition  of  family  names  in  genealogical 
descent.  Peter  Wilson,  now  deceased,  the  man  who  aided  Drake  in  sinking 
the  first  oil  well,  was  related  by  blood  to  Jonathan  Titus,  as  will  be  hereafter 
shown.  Beginning  with  the  children  of  the  first  Peter  Titus,  the  names  of 
Sarah  and  Olivia  are  found  in  three  successive  generations.  Peter  Titus 
Witherop,  now  of  Titus\ille,  who  writes  his  name  P.  T.  Witherop,  was  named 
after  his  great-grandfather,  the  father  of  Jonathan  Titus.  Susan  Jane,  the 
oldest  daughter  of  Jonathan  Titus,  was  probably  named  after  her  two  grand- 
mothers, Susan  (McDowell)  Martin,  and  Jane  (Kerr)  Titus;  or  the  name 
Susan  may  have  been  adopted  from  her  father's  sister,  Susan  Titus. 

The  other  genealogical  paper,  that  relating  to  the  Kerr  family,  will  now- 
be  given.     It  was  written  by  Samuel  Kerr  himself,  in  the  last  years  of  his 


296  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

life,  and  it  is  now  in  the  possession  of  his  sole  surviving  son,  Mr.  Marshall 
Kerr,  now  residing  in  Cherrytree  Township,  Venango  County,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-two.  This  paper  shows  good  scholarship  for  one  whose  early  years 
were  all  spent  in  Pennsylvania  woods.  Samuel  Kerr  was  doubtless  a  thor- 
oughly self-educated  man.  This  is  the  account,  as  it  appears  in  Mr.  Kerr's 
own  handwriting : 

"My  father,  James  Kerr,  was  born  in  Ireland,  whence  he  emigrated  for 
America.     He  first  settled  in  about   1732  in  Donegal  Township,  Lancaster 
County,  Pennsylvania,  at  about  the  age  of  thirty.     There  he  married  a  woman 
named   Stewart,   who  died  there   after  having  borne  to   him  ten   children. 
Not  long  after  her  decease  he  married  my  mother.  Susanna  Stevenson,  by 
whom  he  had  two  sons  and  one  daughter,  of  whom  I  was  the  youngest.     My 
sister  died  in  childhood.     My  father  moved  from  Lancaster  County  about  the 
year  1766,  and,  after  stopping  a  few  months  in  Canogocheague  settlement, 
where  he  buried  my  mother,  he  continued  his  course  westward  to  a  place  on 
the  Juniata  River,  now  in  the  bounds  of  Huntington  County,  where  he  com- 
menced a  settlement,  on  a  tract  of  land  near  to  what  was  called  Franks- 
town,  an  old  town,  where  he  continued  to  reside  until  the  Indians  invaded  that 
neighborhood,   when  his  children  all  left  him  alone,  he  utterly  refusing  to 
leave  his  own  house,  and  fled  to  Cambria  County.     This  was  in  December, 
1777.     He  continued  alone  in  his  house  in  very  feeble  health  until  some  time 
in  January,  when  he  was  taken  to  Fitter's  Fort,  where  he  soon  afterward 
died.     My  father  was  an  elder  of  the  Presbyterian  church  for  about  forty 
years.     He  was  a  man  of   temperate  and   industrious   habits,  and   he  was 
accounted  by  all  his  connections  and  acciuaintances  an  honest  man  and  sin- 
cere Christian." 

Jane  Kerr,  the  wife  of  the  second  Peter  Titus,  was  a  half-sister  of 
Samuel  Kerr,  thus  making  Samuel  Kerr  the  maternal  uncle  of  Jonathan 
Titus.  Tames  Kerr  was  the  only  full  brother  that  Samuel  Kerr  had.  He 
settled  in  the  early  years  of  the  present  century  on  what  is  now  the  McCombs 
place,  south  of  Woodlawn  cemetery,  in  Oil  Creek  Township,  and  further 
mention  of  him  will  appear  later  on.  The  four  daughters  of  Peter  Titus, 
the  father  of  Jonathan,  all  married.  Ruth  married  James  Curry,  Fanny 
married  Charles  Ridgway ;  Olivia  married  Robert  Curry,  and  Susan  married 
John  Ridgway.  John  Curry  married  a  half-sister  of  Samuel  Kerr.  Robert 
Lewis,    father  of  the  present  Robert  Lewis,    who  has  lived   in   Oil   Creek 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   FFS  PEOPLE.  297 

Township  all  his  life,  now  eighty-five  years  of  age,  married  Jane  Curry,  a 
daughter  of  John  Curry  and  wife,  the  half-sister  of  Samuel  Kerr,  just  spoken 
of.  It  will  be  seen  that  Samuel  Kerr  and  his  brother  James,  together  with 
all  their  descendants,  are  related  by  blood  to  Jonathan  Titus  and  all  his 
descendants.-  So  also  were  all  the  children  of  the  second  Peter  Titus,  by 
his  wife,  Jane  Kerr,  related  to  the  first  James  Kerr  and  all  his  descendants. 
And,  singular  as  is  the  fact,  not  many  of  the  present  descendants  of  the  first 
James  Kerr,  who  came  to  America  from  Ireland  in  about  the  year  1732.  and 
also  not  many  of  the  present  descendants  of  Peter  Titus  and  Jane  (Kerr) 
Titus  seem  to  have  any  idea  of  this  relationship. 

The  wife  of  Samuel  Kerr,  who  with  Jonathan  Titus  began  the  settle- 
ment on  which  was  founded  Titusville,  was  Catharine  Coover.  Their  chil- 
dren were  Andrew,  James  K.,  Michael  C,  Alarshall,  Joseph,  Joanna.  Eliza- 
beth and  Amelia.  Michael  and  Marshall  were  twins.  Michael  C.  was  the 
speaker  of  the  National  House  of  Representatives  in  the  Fourty-fourth 
congress.  James  K.  became  one  of  the  distingiushed  lawyers  of  the  state, 
with  his  home  in  Pittsburg.  He  commanded  a  regiment  and  served  with 
distinction  in  the  Union  army  in  the  late  civil  war.  Marshall,  as  already 
stated,  the  only  surviving  son,  lives  in  Cherrytree  Township,  Venango  County, 
with  his  postoffice  in  Titusville.  Amelia,  Mrs.  Elliott,  the  youngest  child 
and  the  only  surviving  daughter,  lived  with  her  husband  in  Erie  many  years, 
but  since  the  death  of  her  husband  she  has  made  Titusville  her  home.* 

Jonathan  Titus  was  a  man  of  heroic  mould.  While  the  Indians  in  the 
locality  of  his  forest  home  were  generally  peaceful,  whiskey  sometimes  made 
them  troublesome.  The  manufacture  of  whiskey  in  those  days  was  com- 
mon, and  trade  in  the  article  was  as  general  as  in  any  other  commodity. 
The  early  merchant  always  kept  his  store  stocked  with  it,  without  the  restraint 
of  a  public  license,  or  of  public  opinion.  It  was  not  necessary  for  the  dealer 
to  resort  to  anything  clandestine  in  the  traffic.  Both  the  trade  and  the  use 
of  alcoholic  liquors  were  reputable.  The  intemperate  use  of  liquor  was  alone 
against  the  sanction  of  society.  Whether  intemperance  was  greater  then 
than  afterward,  when  temperance  movements  had  been  organized,  and  the 
traffic  was  regulated  by  license  laws,  it  is  not  necesary  here  to  inquire.  It  is 
certain  that  alcohol  was  a  most  ruinous  evil  to  the  red  man.  An  incident 
relating  to  the  subject  may  here  be  given. 


^  Since  writing  the  above  Marshall  Kerr  has  died. 


298  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

In  the  early  settlement  of  eastern  Crawford,  it  became  customary  among 
the  pioneers  in  the  fall  of  the  year  to  collect  in  turn  at  their  cabins  and  have 
a  chopping  "bee,"  in  cutting  firewood  in  quantity  for  the  coming  winter. 
Once,  as  Mrs.  Olivia  J\Ioore  informs  us,  when  there  was  such  a  "bee"  at 
the  home  of  John  Watson,  the  father  of  the  late  John  ^^'atson  and  Hon. 
L.  F.  Watson,  near  what  is  now  East  Titusville,  a  few  Indians,  attracted 
perhaps  by  the  expectation  of  getting  a  drink  of  whiskey,  which  was  always 
to  be  found  at  such  a  social  gathering,  made  their  appearance,  and  shared 
in  the  hospitality  of  the  occasion.  It  was  the  custom  for  the  woodchopper 
who  worked  longest  and  stayed  until  all  the  rest  of  the  neighbors  had  gone, 
to  take  home  with  him  all  the  whiskey  which  might  be  left.  The  Indians 
spoken  of  had  doubtless  come  to  know  of  this  custom,  for  when  all  the  wood- 
choppers  had  left,  except  a  man  named  Ross,  who  lived  in  Cherrytree,  the 
Indians,  who  had  been  treated  to  liquor  in  the  afternoon  and  had  gone  away, 
returned  and  demanded  of  Ross  that  he  give  them  more  whiskey.  Ross 
happened  at  the  moment  to  be  splitting  open  a  large  log.  So  he  told  them 
to  assist  in  opening  the  log  by  pulling  it  open  by  main  strength,  that  is,  by 
slipping  their  fingers  into  the  large  crack,  made  by  large  wedges  still  in  the 
wood,  and  instructing  them,  when  he  gave  the  word,  to  pull  with  all  their 
might.  When  all  was  ready,  the  Indians  having  their  hands  in  the  opening, 
Ross  shouted  the  word  and  struck  the  principal  wedge,  which,  as  he  intended 
it  should,  flew  out,  the  log  closed  together,  fastening  the  hands  of  the  Indians 
as  in  a  vise.  Ross,  taking  his  tools  and  remnant  of  whiskey,  hurried  away 
as  night  was  coming  on,  leaving  the  poor  red  men  writhing  in  pain.  Their 
cries  doubtless  brought  Mr.  Watson  to  their  assistance  who,  as  soon  as  he 
could,  set  them  free,  but  not  until  their  fineers  were  badly  crushed  and 
lacerated.  The  Indians  were  naturally  terribly  enraged,  and  they  imme- 
diately started  in  pursuit  of  Ross,  following  the  direction  which  tJiey  had 
seen  him  take  until  he  went  out  of  sight.  It  would  have  been  l;)ad  with 
Ross  if  they  had  overtaken  him.  But  he  probably  increased  the  distance 
between  him  and  the  Indians  as  rapidly  as  possible.  They,  however,  made 
their  way  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Titus,  thinking  that  either  he  was  Ross,  or  that 
he  was  concealing  the  man  who  had  tricked  them.  When  they  reached  the 
door  and  angrily  demanded  admittance,  Mr.  Titus,  expecting  trouble,  caught 
hold  of  a  large  iron  poker,  and  speaking  to  his  wife  (whose  name  was  Alary, 
but  whom  he  called  Polly),  said:     "Polly,  keep  a  brave  heart."     Then  he 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  299 

unfastened  the  door,  and,  seeing  the  Indians  with  their  knives  on  the  point 
of  attacking  him,  he  suddenly  dealt  two  of  them  each  a  powerful  blow  with 
the  poker,  prostrating  them  senseless,  telling  the  third  and  last  one  to  come 
on,  and  he  would  serve  hiiu  in  the  same  way.  The  third  one,  however, 
desisted.  Mr.  Titus  made  him  give  up  his  weapons,  and,  taking  those  of  the 
other  two,  he  put  them  all  aside,  and  bidding  the  unhurt  one  tO'  assist,  he 
dragged  the  two  helpless  ones  into  the  house,  through  the  kitchen  and  into 
the  parlor,  locking  all  three  in  the  room,  and  keeping  guard  himself  all  night, 
while  sitting  in  the  kitchen.  The  next  morning,  after  shooting  off  the 
loaded  guns  of  the  Indians,  he  gave  them  a  breakfast,  and  delivering  to  them 
all  their  effects  he  sent  them  away,  threatening  them  that  if  they  should  ever 
return  in  the  manner  of  their  approach  the  night  before  he  would  kill  them 
all.     They  kept  away  and  he  never  saw  them  again. 

Mr.  Titus  kept  for  some  time  an  "open  house"  in  his  first  log  cabin,  and 
hospitably  entertained  many  as  they  passed  that  way.  His  homestead  be- 
came a  station,  which  took  the  name  of  ''Titus',"  and  the  spot  has  carried  the 
name  ever  since.  Very  naturally,  without  legislative  or  judicial  decree,  tlie 
settlement  took  the  name  of  Titusville.  The  settlement  grew  into  a  hamlet 
and  from  a  hamlet  to  a  village,  which  was  governed  by  a  borough  corpora- 
tion and  finally  came  the  high  towers  of  a  city.  More  than  a  century  has 
passed  since  Samuel  Kerr  and  Jonathan  Titus  set  their  stakes  and  established 
a  settlement. 

These  men  were  not  reckless  in  the  selection  of  a  site.  They  had  trav- 
eled long  through  virgin  forests  in  several  counties,  and  examined  many  dif- 
ferent localities,  thus  becoming  well  qualified  to  choose  the  spot  best  suited 
for  a  town.  Undoubtedly  when  they  located  two  large  tracts  of  land,  side 
by  side,  for  themselves  respectively,  they  expected  that  they  were  laying  the 
foundations  of  a  town.  Their  properties  crossed  Oil  Creek  and  covered 
the  junction  of  Oil  Creek  and  Pine  Creek.  Each  of  these  streams  had  large 
water  sheds,  with  valleys  connecting  the  high  lands  with  the  centraf  point 
selected  by  the  two  pioneers.  These  two  men  were  in  pursuit  of  such  a 
location  for  a  year  before  they  agreed  that  they  had  found  the  natural 
requisites  of  a  town.  While  they  surveyed  wild  lands,  they  studied  zw\ 
compared  the  several  locations  through  which  they  passed.  They  chose  out 
of  all  the  localities  with  which  they  became  acquainted  the  spot  where  now 
is  Titusville. 


300  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Despite  the  privations  of  a  forest  life  at  a  distance  from  civilization,  there 
were  attractions  and  comforts  even  to  be  found  in  the  dense  woods  where 
Titus  and  Kerr  began  their  settlement.  There  was  game  in  profusion.  Wild 
turkeys,  pheasants  and  deer  furnished  the  settlers  with  abundance  of  meat. 
The  ax  of  the  woodman  leveled  the  giants  of  the  forest.  The  fallen  timber 
was  piled  in  heaps  and  burned.  The  cleared  land  was  sown  with  the  seeds 
of  wheat  or  planted  with  corn.  Year  after  year,  though  slowly  at  first,  the 
clearing  of  land  increased.  The  settlement  grew,  and  the  lumberman  was 
soon  on  the  ground.  Saw-mills  were  built  and  sawed  lumber  found  its 
way  down  Oil  Creek,  down  the  Allegheny  River  and  down  the  Ohio,  to  mar- 
ket. The  sale  of  lumber  brought  money,  or  supplies  purchased  with  money, 
into  the  settlement. 

As  early  as  1809  Mr.  Titus  planned  a  town,  a  large  part  of  which 
remains  the  same  as  in  the  plat  which  he  caused  to  be  made.  Franklin 
Street  is  the  Franklin  Street  of  almost  ninety  years  ago.  Spring  Street, 
Water  Street,  Pine  Street,  and  Washington  Street  were  as  to  their  place  on 
the  map  the  same  then  as  now.  Village  property,  however,  came  slowly 
into  the  market.  Jonathan  Titus  sold  the  first  village  lot  by  contract  to  Dr. 
Isaac  Kellogg  in  1818,  though  the  deed  for  the  property  was  not  executed 
until  twenty  years  later,  1838.  Another  singular  circumstance  connected 
with  this  real  estate  transaction  was  the  fact  that  this  deed  signed  and  properly 
acknowledged  by  Jonathan  Titus  and  his  wife  ]\Iary  in  1838,  though  sold  to 
Dr.  Kellogg  in  1818,  was  not  recorded  at  the  Recorder's  office  in  Meadville 
until  1870. 

Dr.  Kellogg  came  from  the  state  of  Vermont,  and  settled  first  at  James- 
town, New  York.  He  probably  made  a  short  stay  there  and  came  to  Titus- 
ville  not  far  from  the  middle  of  February,  1818.  It  is  trustworthy  tradi- 
tion that  when  Dr.  Kellogg  and  his  family  were  approaching  Titus\'ille  they 
saw  a  funeral  procession  following — as  they  learned  after  their  arri\'al  in 
the  settlement — the  remains  of  James  Kerr  to  the  burying  ground  at  the 
head   of  Franklin   Street. 

James  Kerr,  father  of  the  present  Adam  Kerr,  was  the  brother  of 
Samuel  Kerr,  the  pioneer.  He  settled  on  what  is  now  the  McCombs  place, 
near  Woodlawn  cemetery,  early  in  the  century.  Immediately  adjoining  on 
the  north  the  lot  in  Woodlawn,  containing  the  mausoleum,  latel)'  erected  by 
Mr.  James  C.  McKinney,  is  the  family  burial  lot  of  James  Kerr  aforesaid.    On 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  301 

this  lot  is  a  marble  monument  bearing  among  other  inscriptions  the  following: 
"James  Kerr,  died  February  10,  1818,  aged  58  years."  It  is  probable  that 
the  liurial  of  Mr.  Kerr  did  not  occur  later  than  February  14.  So  that  the 
advent  of  the  Kellogg  family  to  Titusville  was  not  later  than  the  middle  of 
February.  Dr.  Kellogg  first  occupied  a  log  house  on  what  soon  afterward 
became  the  property  of  ^^'illiam  Kelly,  a  prominent  pioneer  settler  of  Oil 
Creek,  whose  well  known  home,  the  Kelly  farm,  on  Perry  Street  hill,  a  little 
north  of  the  city  boundary,  continues  to  stand,  occupied  by  John,  Hannah 
and  Mary  Kelly,  surviving  children  of  William  Kelly. 

The  property  described  in  the  deed  to  Isaac  Kellogg,  spoken  of  as  the 
first  village  lot  sold  by  Jonathan  Titus,  is  mentioned  as  beginning  at  a  post 
on  the  south  side  of  Spring  Street,  on  the  west  side  of  Spring  alley,  and 
running  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  southwardl}-  to  a  post  on  the  north 
side  of  \^'ater  Street,  thence  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  westwardly  to  a 
post  on  the  east  side  of  \\'ashington  Street,  thence  northwardly  one  hundred 
and  eightv  feet  to  a  post  on  the  south  side  of  Spring  Street,  thence  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  feet  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

The  place  of  beginning,  that  is  the  post  on  the  northeast  corner,  was 
the  northeast  corner  of  the  present  European  Hotel.  The  property  thus 
purchased  embraced  three  full  village  lots,  each  sixty  by  one  hundred  and 
eighty  feet  in  dimension.  Tt  seems  that  Water  Street  has  ne\-er  been  opened 
west  of  Franklin  Street. 

Dr.  Kellogg,  while  living  in  the  log  house  on  what  was  afterward  the 
Kelly  homestead,  built  a  one  story  and  a  half  frame  house,  where  is  now  the 
European  Hotel  block,  owned  by  Mr.  E.  T.  Roberts  of  Titusville.  In  this 
house  Dr.  Kellogg  lived  with  his  family  for  several  years  until  he  bought 
himself  a  home  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Pine  and  ^\'ashington  streets, 
and  in  this  house  were  born  all  his  children,  except  the  two  oldest,  Isaac.  Jr., 
and  Charles.  Charles  was  less  than  a  year  old  when  the  family  came  to 
Titusville,  in  February,  18 18.  In  1865,  Charles  Kellogg,  who  then  owned 
the  eastern  lot  of  the  property,  erected  on  the  northeast  corner  a  three  story 
brick  edifice,  known  as  the  Kellogg  block.  Subsequently  the  Roberts  brothers 
purchased  the  land  and  enlarged  the  block  to  more  tlian  double  its  ongnial 
dimensions,  by  adding  to  the  south  side,  making  the  width  twice  what  it  had 
been  before,  and  increasing  the  height  of  the  whole  building  to  four  stones. 
In  the  south  part  of    the  edifice  was    for  many  years    the  Roberts    Bank. 


302  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

On  the  ground  floor  of  the  Kellogg  block,  fronting  Spring  Street,  was  first, 
in  the  fall  of  1865,  a  dry  goods  store,  the  proprietor  paying  to  Mr.  Kellogg 
a  rental  of  $2,500  per  annum.  But  the  dry  goods  dealer  did  not  stay  many 
months.  The  quarters  vacated  by  him  were  leased  by  Patrick  Goodwin, 
together  with  other  parts  of  the  building,  for  a  hotel,  and  here  has  been  kept 
a  hotel  ever  since.  The  present  European  Hotel  occupies  the  entire  eastern 
half  of  the  block.  When  Goodwin  kept  the  hotel  the  floor  next  above  in 
front  was  occupied  by  dental  parlors,  owned  first  by  Drs.  Luce  and  Thurston 
and  afterward  bv  Dr.  Willard,  and  next  bv  Dr.  Downes.  The  followine 
taken  from  the  Kellogg  family  record  will  be  of  interest  to  those  who  study 
the  pioneer  history  of  Titusville:  "Isaac  Kellogg,  Sr.,  was  born  August 
4,  1784.  Harta  Westcott,  w^ife  of  Isaac  Kellogg.  Sr..  was  born  March  21. 
1789.  Isaac  Kellogg,  Jr.,  was  born  February  13.  1814.  Charles  Kellogg 
was  born  May  11,  1817.  Maria  Kellogg  was  born  August  11,  1819.  Amos 
Kellogg  was  born  February  5,  1822.  John  Kellogg  was  born  March  19, 
1824.  Lovisa  Kellogg  was  born  September  5,  1826.  Emily  Kellogg  was 
born  February  5,  1829.  Vara  Kellogg  was  bom  June  5,  1S31.  Isaac  Kel- 
logg, Sr.,  died  January  4,  1841.  Harta  Kellogg,  wife  of  Isaac  Kellogg, 
Sr.,  died  March  27,  1867." 

Isaac  Kellogg  w^as  the  first  resident  physician  of  Titusville.  After 
him  came  Drs.  Gillett,  E.  P.  Banning,  Orson  and  Heffron.  Dr.  Banning 
afterward  accjuired  distinction  in  New  York  City  by  the  invention  and  con- 
struction of  certain  anatomical  supports.  Dr.  E.  P.  Banning.  Jr..  is  an 
instructor  in  one  of  the  medical  schools  of  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

The  first  store  in  Titusville  was  located  on  the  southwest  corner  of 
Spring  and  Franklin  streets.  It  was  a  log  building,  opened  in  1816  by 
William  Sheffield,  who  employed  as  clerk  Joseph  L.  Chase,  who  afterward 
became  a  prominent  citizen  of  the  town,  and  largely  identified  with  its  for- 
tunes. Chase  soon  became  a  partner  in  the  establishment.  Sheffield  in  about 
1820  sold  his  interest  to  Chase,  Sill  and  Company,  who  moved  the  store  to 
the  northwest  corner,  where  the  concern  grew  to  large  proportions,  Joseph 
L.  Chase  continuing  to  be  its  principal  proprietor  nearly  all  the  time  until 
the  large  building  containing  the  large  establishments,  together  with  its  con- 
tents, was  destroyed  by  fire  in  February,  1866.  Titusville  at  that  time  was 
"the  gathering  place  of  many  rough  characters.  On  a  Sunda}-  evening,  while 
the  citizens  were  engaged  in  extinguishing  a  fire  on  Alartin  Street,  between 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  303 

Main  and  Walnut,  the  fire  bell  gave  a  fresh  alarm,  when  flames  snddenlv 
lighted  the  sky  in  the  central  part  of  the  town.  Crowds  rushed  toward  the 
new  conflagration,  when  it  was  discerned  that  the  great  Chase  store  and  the 
buildings  adjoining  it  on  Franklin  Street  would  be  burned  to  the  ground. 
Little  or  no  air  was  stirring  and  the  fire  did  not  spread.  But  the  inhabitants 
of  the  town  were  frightened.  It  was  believed  that  the  fires  coming  so  nearly 
at  the  same  time  were  the  work  of  incendiary  design.  So  large  a  number  of 
suspicious  characters  known  to  be  in  the  town,  without  visible  employment, 
had  already  caused  uneasiness  in  the  community.  On  Monday  morning, 
following  the  fires,  a  vigilance  committee  of  citizens  was  organized.  After 
the  fire,  the  whole  space  now-  occupied  by  the  Chase  and  Stewart  block  was 
a  vacant  lot.  Upon  this  lot  later  on  Monday  afternoon  a  gallows  was  erected, 
in  full  view  of  all  who  passed  in  that  vicinity  on  Franklin,  Spring  or  Pine 
streets.  One  "Stonehouse  Jack"  was  regarded  as  a  desperate  character. 
Whether  he  deserved  all  that  was  suspected  of  him,  it  has  not  lieen  since 
shown.  He  was,  however,  taken  into  the  confidence  of  the  Vigilantes  and 
informed  by  them  that  his  departure  from  the  town  would  be  compatible  with 
the  peace  of  the  community.  Encouraged  by  this  assurance,  he  left  for  other 
parts,  and,  so  far  as  is  publicly  known,  he  has  never  since  returned.  A  refer- 
ence here  to  this  episode  is  made  for  the  purpose  of  recording  some  of  the 
experiences  of  the  community  in  the  period  of  the  great  oil  excitement  when 
Titusville  was  flooded  by  a  large  floating  population. 

The  second  store  in  Titusville  was  opened  in  1832,  on  East  Pine  Street, 
between  Drake  and  Kerr,  by  Parker  McDowell.  L.  F.  Watson,  son  of  John 
Watson  already  spoken  of,  was  his  clerk.  L.  F.  Watson  afterward  went  to 
Warren  and  made  1;he  place  his  permanent  home.  He  has  since  represented 
his  district  several  terms  in  congress.  McDowell  was  joined  several  years 
after  by  John  Robinson,  in  a  partnership  firm.  After  the  firm  had  erected  a 
new  store  building  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Pine  and  Franklin  streets, 
Robinson  purchased  ^McDowell's  interest  and  carried  on  the  business  alone 
there  for  many  years.  In  1864  L.  C.  Pendleton  bought  the  property  and 
converted  it  into  a  hotel.  In  the  summer  of  1865  Pendleton  re-constructed 
and  enlarged  the  building.  Later  on  Mr.  Z.  Martin  still  further  enlarged  the 
hotel,  giving  to  it  the  name  of  the  "Mansion  House,"  and  this  name  the 
house  has  retained  ever  since.  In  1897  its  present  proprietors,  Gleason  & 
Lockwood,  took  down  the  main  part  of  the  wooden  edifice  and  erected  in  its 


304  OUR   COUMTY  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE. 

place  the  present  elegant  brick  structure,  a  credit  to  the  city  and  a  highly 
attractive  and  comfortable,  as   well  as  ];opular,  hostelry. 

James  Brawley  was  perhaps  the  first  established  carpenter  of  the  settle- 
ment. Charles  Gillett  had  the  first  blacksmith  shop.  \\'illiam  Barnsdall 
came  in  1833  and  made  shoes.  In  the  same  year  Arthur  Robinson  built  the 
American  Hotel,  the  first  hotel  pro]:)er  started  in  the  place.  The  building 
continued  to  be  a  hotel  for  nearly  half  a  century.  In  1880  it  was  taken  away 
to  make  room  for  the  present  Oil  Exchange.  At  about  1835  a  chair  factory 
was  built  and  operated  liy  Roswell  C.  Sexton,  on  the  east  side  of  Franklin 
Street,  between  Main  and  Pine — the  latter  now  known  as  the  Central  A\-enue. 

Up  to  the  beginning  of  oil  development  in  1859,  the  principal  staple 
production,  which  brought  money  to  the  inhabitants  of  Titusville  and  \-icinity, 
was  lumber.  Boards  and  shingles  found  an  easy  transit  to  market  by  raft 
on  Oil  Creek  and  the  Allegheny  River.  The  thrifty  settler  paid  for  his  land 
by  the  sale  of  lumber  from  it,  manufactured  into  products  which  were  called 
for  in  the  market.  The  vocation  of  raftsman  on  the  river  became  an  estab- 
lished one.  The  raftsman  earned  his  money  easily  and  spent  it  freely.  Trade 
at  Titusville  during  the  decade  in  which  Drake  made  his  discovery  must  have 
been  a  good  deal.  It  was  destined  soon  to  expand  to  large  proportions,  when 
oil  became  almost  the  only  topic  of  interest. 

INCORPORATION   OF   TITUSVILLE. 

By  act  of  Assembly,  appro\-ed  March  6,  1847,  Titusville  was  made  a 
borough.  In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  act,  William  Robinson, 
John  M.  Titus  and  S.  S.  Bates  were  appointed  commissioners  to  establish 
the  boundary  lines  of  the  new  borough.  In  March,  1848,  a  charter  election 
was  held,  of  which  Joseph  L.  Chase  was  chosen  Burgess,  and  S.  S.  Bates, 
William  Barnsdall,  James  R.  Kerr  and  G.  C.  Pettit  members  of  the  Council. 
The  Council  organized  April  ist  following,  appointing  Robert  L.  Robinson, 
Clerk,  and  E.  H.  Chase,  Treasurer.  In  185 1  Jonathan  Titus  was  elected 
Burgess;  Samuel  Silliman,  in  1852:  A.  B.  Hubbard,  in  1853;  J.  M.  Allen  in 
1854;  James  Parker  in  1856;  Joseph  L.  Chase  in  1857-9;  Z.  Waid,  i860; 
John  Moore,  1861 ;  N.  Kingsland,  1862;  O.  K.  Howe,  1863;  F.  W.  Ames, 
1864-5;  Joel  N.  Angler,  1866. 

By  act  of  Assembly,  approved  February,  1866,  Titusville  became  a  city. 
Soon  afterward  a  municipal  election  was  held,  resulting  in  the  choice  of  J. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  305 

N.  Angier  for  Mayor  and  the  following  members  of  the  City  Council :     First 

\\'ard,  J.  H.  Bunting  and  George  Custer;  Second  Ward,  Thomas  Goodwin 

and  H.  B.  Ostrom;  Third  Ward,  A.  W.  Coburn  and  R.  D.  Fletcher;  Fourth 

Ward,  ^^^   W.   Bloss  and  J.  J.   McCrum.     Angier  was  re-elected  in   1867. 

In  1868  Henry  Hinkley  was  chosen  Mayor  and  re-elected  the  following  year. 

Next.  Fred  Bates  was  Mayor  for  1870  and  1871.     W.  B.  Roberts  was  Mayor 

for  1872.     John  Fertig  was  chosen  Mayor  in  1873,  I'e-elected  in  1874,  and 

again  re-elected  in  1875.     D.  H.  Mitchell  was  Mayor  for  1876,  and  David 

Emery  for  1877.     The  next  year,  by  a  change  of  the  city  charter,  the  term 

of  the  Mayor's  office  was  increased  from  one  to  two^  years,  when  William 

Barnsdall  was  chosen  Mayor  for  1878-9.     In  1880  A.  N.  Perrin  was  elected 

for  1880-1.     In  1882  James  H.  Caldwell  was  chosen  for  1882-3.     In  1884 

James  P.  Thomas  was  chosen  for  1884-5.  ^""^l  i''^  1886  he  was  re-elected  for 

two  years  more.     In  1888  John  Schwartz  was  elected  for  1888-9.     I"  1890, 

another  year  having  been  added  to  the  term  of  office,  E.  O.  Emerson  was 

chosen  Mayor  for  three  years,  1890- 1-2.     In  1893  Joseph  C.  Robinson  was 

chosen  for  1893-4-5.     In  1896  W.  B.  Benedict,  the  present  incumbent,  was 

chosen  Mayor  for  1896-7-8. 

In  1 87 1  the  Legislature  of  the  state  amended  the  city  charter  of  Titus- 

ville,  providing'  for  the  construction  of  sewers,  the  paving  of  streets  and  the 

election  of  a  City  Auditor.     The  act  provided  for  the  first  election  to  be 

held  in  June  following.     At  that  election  R.  D.  Fletcher  was  chosen  Auditor. 

The  term  of  the  Auditor's  office  was  fixed  at  three  years,  and  Mr.  Fletcher 

was  re-elected  at  the  regular  charter  election  in  1874.     In  1877  Joseph  Stett- 

heimer  was  chosen  Auditor  for  the  next  three  years.     In   1880,  legislation 

having  converted  the  office  into  that  of  Comptroller,  making  the  term  of 

office  two  years,  T.  J.  Smiley  was  chosen.     He  was  re-elected  four  times  and 

held  the  office  of  Comptroller  for  ten  consecutive  years — from  1880  to  1890. 

Then,  the  term  of  office  having  been  increased  one  year,  A.  C.  Harton  was 

elected  Comptroller  for  three  years — 1890-1-2.     In  1893  Jules  A.  C.  Dubar, 

the  present  incumbent,  was  chosen,  and  re-elected  in  1896.     Since  the  office 

of  City  Treasurer  became  elective  by  popular  vote,  William  M.  Henderson 

was  first  chosen  to  the  position.     He  was  elected  in  1878  and  held  the  office 

two  years.     William  Barnsdall  was  elected  for  the  next  two  years.     C.  M. 

Hayes  next  held  the  office  for  eight  consecutive  years,  four  terms,  from  1882 

to  1890.     The  term  was  then  increased  one  year  and  Eugene  Mackey  was 
20 


3o6  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Treasurer  from  1890  to  1893.  Thomas  W.  Main  was  elected  in  1893  and 
re-elected  in  1896,  and  he  is  the  present  incumbent.  There  are  two  branches 
of  City  Councils,  the  Select  and  the  Common.  The  Select  Council  has  five 
members  and  the  Common  Council  eight,  two  from  each  of  the  four  wards. 
J.  C.  McKinney  represents  the  whole  city  in  the  Select  Council.  The  other 
members  of  the  Select  Council  are  Samuel  Stinson,  First  Ward;  George  J- 
Kuntz,  Second  Ward;  Edward  Allen,  Third  Ward;  C.  J.  McCarthy,  Fourth 
Ward.  The  members  of  the  Common  Council  are  L.  E.  Andrews  and  John 
McKay,  First  Ward ;  V.  E.  Ward  and  Peter  Hancox,  Second  Ward ;  John 
Coots  and  Benjamin  Lang,  Third  Ward ;  Edward  Brennan  and  Frank  Fleurv, 
Fourth  Ward. 

The  present  city  officers  are  Willis  B.  Benedict,  Mayor;  Jules  A.  C. 
Dubar,  Comptroller;  Thomas  W.  Main,  Treasurer;  Waldron  M.  Dame, 
Clerk  and  Secretary  of  the  Water  Department;  George  F.  Brown,  Solicitor; 
A.  M.  Hunter,  Water  Superintendent;  J\I.  R.  Ronse,  Street  Commissioner; 
Daniel  McGrath,  Chief-of-Police. 

WATER    WORKS. 

The  city  is  supplied  with  water  by  the  Holly  system,  which  delivers  water 
to  consumers  directly  through  the  mains,  instead  of  pumping  it  first  into  an 
elevated  reservoir,  from  which  the  water  descends  by  gravity  in  mains  to 
consumers.  Titusville  has  never  tried  the  reservoir  system,  but  the  citizens 
of  Titusville  generally  believe  that  the  Holly  system  is  preferable  to  the 
other.  They  urge  that  water  pumped  directly  from  the  ground  to  con- 
sumers is  likely  to  be  purer  for  use  than  water  standing  in  a  reservoir,  into 
which  impurities,  such  as  the  bodies  of  dead  animals,  are  liable  to  be — and 
sometimes  are — thrown.  They  think  also  that  there  is  less  expense  of  power 
in  the  direct  delivery  than  in  lifting  water  to  the  reservoir,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  convenience  in  general  use  of  receiving  water  under  light  pressure,  as 
against  the  uniformly  high  pressure  in  the  reservoir  system.  At  any  rate  the 
citizens  of  Titusville  are  strongly  attached  to  their  water  plant.  The  con- 
struction of  the  works  was  begun  in  1S72,  and  finished  in  the  spring  of  1874. 
The  pump  works  are  located  about  a  mile  and  a  c[uarter  west  of  the  City 
Hall.  At  first  two  large  cisterns,  into  the  sides  and  bottom  of  which  the 
water  entered,  after  being  filtered  by  the  gravel  through  which  it  passed, 
were  sunk  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground.     The 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  307 

interior  of  the  cisterns  was  walled  with  brick,  laid  without  mortar,  so  as  to 
admit  water  through  the  joints.  Afterward  large  artesian  wells  were  sunk 
to  a  depth  of  nearly  a  hundred  feet.  Those  wells  proved  to  be  flowing  ones. 
At  first  the  water  from  them  was  received  into  the  cisterns,  and  then  pumped 
the  same  as  the  filtered  water.  But  now  the  pumps  are  connected  directly 
with  the  flowing  wells,  so  that  consumers  get  water  fresh  from  its  source. 
The  \\'orl<s  have  been  owned  from  the  beginning  by  the  municipal  corporation. 
The  rates  to  consumers  have  always  been  moderate,  but  the  plant  has  become 
an  important  source  of  revenue  to  the  city.  The  management  of  the  water 
works  for  many  years  has  been  excellent.  The  First  Engineer,  John  Smith, 
and  George  Pastorious,  Second  Engineer,  of  the  works,  have  long  held 
their  present  positions. 

FIRE  DEPARTMENT. 

From  1867  to  1882  the  department  was  composed  of  volunteer  com- 
panies. Barney  Bosch  was  foreman  of  the  first  company,  which  was  organ- 
ized and  equipped  with  a  hand  engine  and  hose  cart  in  1865.  The  next  year 
another  engine  and  a  hook  and  ladder  truck  were  purchased.  In  1867  the 
Titusville  Fire  Department  was  organized  and  placed  under  the  control  of 
the  city  authorities,  with  Thomas  Goodwin,  Chief  Engineer;  Dennis  Reagan, 
First  Assistant ;  W.  J.  Stevens,  Second  Assistant ;  B.  Bosch,  Foreman  of  En- 
gine Company  No.  i ;  James  Reardon,  Foreman  of  Engine  No.  2,  and  J.  W. 
Morrison,  Foreman  of  the  Hook  and  Ladder  Company.  Before  the  con- 
struction of  the  city  water  works,  three  steamers  were  purchased.  After- 
w  ard  one  of  them  was  sold.  The  two  retained  by  the  city,  the  "Amoskeag" 
and  the  "City  of  Titusville,"  are  kept  in  first-class  working  order,  for  emer- 
gencies. Ordinarily  in  case  of  a  fire  there  is  sufficient  service  got  by  con- 
necting the  hose  with  the  mains,  when  on  the  notice  of  less  than  three  min- 
utes the  pressure  is  raised,  by  the  powerful  pumps  at  the  water  works,  to 
one  hundred  pounds  a  square  inch.  Early  in  the  seventies  there  were  sev- 
eral well  equipped  hose  companies  under  excellent  discipline.  Most  of  them 
had  elegant  quarters  at  their  respective  hose  houses.  They  became  social 
Drganizations,  the  members  of  which  respectively  vied  with  one  another 
in  gentlemanly  conduct,  as  well  as  in  generous  competition  in  the  proper 
service  of  firemen.  The  Courier  Hose,  the  Bloss  Hose,  the  Bates  Hose,  the 
Drake  Hose  will  long  be  remembered.  At  the  last  celebration  of  Fourth 
of  July,  a  large  number  of  the  old  members  of  the  Titusville  fire  depart- 


3o8  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

ment  marched  as  a  body  in  the  general  procession  through  the  streets  of  the 
city.  The  fact  that  so  many  of  the  old  department  still  survi\'ed,  and 
that  so  many  on  a  short  notice  could  be  collected  and  presented  to  the 
community  was  a  pleasant  surprise,  especially  to  the  veterans  themselves. 
During  the  last  sixteen  years,  of  those  still  living,  many  had  gone  to  other 
localities,  and  not  a  few  to  distant  parts,  while  others — not  a  few — had 
eone  to  the  "undiscovered  countrv."  Still  the  veteran  firemen  on  that 
occasion  made  an  imposing  appearance.  The  reunion  demonstrated  the  last- 
ing attachment  of  the  citizens  of  the  "Queen  City,"  whether  still  residing 
in  Titusville  or  elsewhere. 

The  paid  fire  department  was  organized  May  9,  1882.  Augustus 
Castle,  who  had  been  for  several  years  Chief  Engineer  under  the  old  sys- 
tem, was  appointed  Chief  Engineer  and  Fire  Marshal,  with  Daniel  Haley 
as  First  Assistant  Engineer,  and  H.  Butler  Second  Assistant  Engineer.  J. 
R.  Riley  was  appointed  Engineer  of  the  Steamers;  J-  W.  Beck,  John  Noel 
and  James  Corbett  were  appointed  drivers  of  the  hose  carriages  and  hook 
and  ladder  truck,  with  nine  minute  men  and  a  foreman.  The  officers  of  the 
department  in  1898  are  W.  T.  McKenzie,  Chief  Engineer  and  Eire  Mar- 
shal; First  Assistant  Engineer,  W.  A.  Lee;  Second  Assistant  Engineer,  C. 
H.  Henderson;  Engineers  of  the  Steamers,  D.  H.  Herron  and  Joseph  Hofel- 
der ;  Drivers,  James  Corbett,  John  W.  Beck  and  C.  C.  Felton,  with  fourteen 
minute  men  and  four  hose  carts. 

It  is  proper  to  state  that  the  practical  operation  of  the  paid  fire  depart- 
ment has  been  throughout,  as  a  whole,  highly  satisfactory  to  the  com- 
munity. The  discipline  of  the  department  at  present  seems  to  be  excellent. 
Temperate  habits  are  made  a  condition  in  the  selection  of  both  officers  and 
minute  men. 

SEWERS. 

An  extensive  svstem  of  sewerage  was  begun  in  1871.  In  the  same 
year  a  main  sewer  was  constructed  beneath  Central  Avenue,  which,  running 
eastward,  deflected  and  emptied  into  Oil  Creek.  The  walls  of  this  sewer 
are  brick,  laid  with  water-lime  masonry.  Connecting  with  this  sewer,  which 
i^  four  feet  in  diameter,  is  another,  laid  also  with  brick  masonry,  and  three 
feet  in  diameter,  running  under  Monroe  Street,  as  far  north  as  Main  Street. 
Then  there  are  miles  of  street  sewers  laid  with  terra  cotta  pipe,  with  a  vitri- 
fied surface.     Scarcely  a  year  passes  without  the  construction  of  some  addi- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  30() 

tional  sewer  line.  At  every  street  crossing,  where  the  sewers  run,  there  is 
a  catch  basin,  whicli  receives  the  water  from  tlie  street  gutters  and  strains 
it  into  the  sewer. 

STREET     PAVEMENTS. 

Wooden  pavements  were  first  laid  in  1873.  Spring  Street  was  paved 
that  year  from  Monroe  eastward  as  far  as  Martin  Street  with  wood ;  also 
Franklin  Street  between  Central  Avenue  and  the  O.  C.  R.  R.  from  Franklin 
to  its  intersection  with  Central  Avenue.  Diamond  Street  was  paved  with  wood 
the  same  year  from  Franklin  to  its  intersection  with  Central  Avenue,  and 
the  pavement  of  Central  Avenue  extended  eastward  to  Church  Run. 
Then  there  was  a  section  of  wooden  pavement  laid  in  1873  from 
Spring  Street  south  on  Washington  to  the  side  track  of  the  O. 
C.  R.  R.  It  may  be  said  in  brief  that  the  experiment  of  wood- 
en pavements  in  Titusville  was  a  failure.  The  result  to  several  per- 
sons owning  property  abutting  on  the  streets  thus  paved  was  disastrous. 
They  were  taxed  to  pay  for  the  pavement,  which  from  its  poor  quality  added 
nothing  to  the  value  of  their  property.  The  city  subsequently  at  its  own 
expense,  as  fast  as  the  wooden  pavements  rotted  away,  laid  in  their  place 
blocks  of  native  sandstone,  cut  into  the  shape  of  Belgian  blocks  used  for 
pavement  in  the  large  cities.  While  not  as  good  as  desired,  this  kind  of 
pavement  is  much  superior  to  the  wooden  ones  laid  in  1873.  But,  begin- 
ning in  1893,  some  miles 'of  vitrified  brick  pavement  have  already  been  laid. 
The  whole  of  Washington  Street  has  been  covered  with  this  kind  of  pave- 
ment. Perry  Street,  from  its  junction  with  Union,  has  been  pa\-ed  with 
vitrified  brick  as  far  south  as  Spring.  Union  Street  has  the  same  pavement, 
Franklin  Street  from  Church  Run  has  been  paved  with  this  brick  as  far  south 
as  the  ^^'.  X.  Y.  &  P.  railroad.  Central  Avenue  has  been  paved  with  the 
same  from  its  junction  with  West  Spring  almost  to  Drake  street.  Diamond 
Street  is  also  paved  with  the  same,  and  Spring  Street,  between  Washington 
and  Martin,  is  covered  with  the  same. 

SIDEWALKS. 

On  most  of- the  business  streets  the  sidewalks  are  made  of  flag-stones, 
cut  to  the  desired  shape  by  the  stone  mason's  chisel.  Plank  sidewalks  in 
front  of  pri\-ate  residences  are  fast  giving  way  to  large  rectangular  sawed 


3IO  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

flag-stones,  or,  of  late  especially,  neat  and  smooth  walks  are  made  from  cement. 
This  latter  kind  of  walk  is  also  laid  before  some  business  blocks,  and  it  may 
come  into  general  use  on  the  business  streets.  Sidewalks  made  from  vitrified 
brick  are  also  laid,  especially  in  the  business  parts  of  the  town. 

CITY    HALL. 

In  1872  the  city  purchased  the  old  Bush  House,  on  the  south  side  of 
Franklin  Street,  between  Main  and  Pine  streets,  and  converted  the  property 
into  public  buildings  and  grounds.  The  hotel  proper  was  made  the  City 
Hall.  The  long  dining-room  was  enlarged  and  made  the  Common  Coun- 
cil hall,  where  the  Common  Council  hold  their  meetings.  As  the  hall  is 
spacious  it  is  used  for  many  gatherings  in  which  public  interests  are  con- 
cerned. The  Select  Council  hold  their  meetings  in  another  large  room. 
The  Mayor,  the  City  Clerk,  the  Comptroller,  and  the  City  Treasurer  have 
offices  in  the  building.  Also  the  City  School  Superintendent  has  his  office 
in  the  Cit}-  Hall,  on  the  second  floor.  The  public  library  also 
occupies  rooms  on  the  second  floor.  The  electrician  of  the  street  lights 
has  a  laboratory  in  the  building.  Adjoining  the  City  Hall  are  outside  brick 
buildings,  one  for  the  city  prison,  in  the  chamber  of  which  are  the  police 
headquarters,  and  the  others  for  fire  steamers,  hose  wagons,  quarters  for 
firemen,  hook  and  ladder  truck,  stables  for  the  city  horses,  etc.  On  the 
same  grounds  is  a  high  tower,  in  the  top  of  which  is  the  city  fire-bell.  On 
the  corner  of  Central  Avenue  and  Monroe  Street  is  another  hose  house,  con- 
taining hose  wagons,  quarters  for  the  firemen,  stables  for  the  horses,  etc. 

STREET  LIGHTING. 

Lighting  the  streets  with  lamps  on  the  street  corners  began  in  1868,  by 
illuminating  gas  manufactured  by  the  Titusville  Gas  and  Water  Company. 
This  system  continued  until  1889,  when  machinery  for  producing  electricity 
was  put  into  the  water  works,  poles  erected  on  street  corners  and  wires 
strung  for  the  purpose  of  electric  illumination.  From  1889  to  August,  1897, 
fifty-eight  lamps  were  used.  The  machinery  is  in  charge  of  the  engineers 
of  the  water  works,  who  operate  both  plants,  thus  saving  to  the  city  a  good 
deal  of  expense  in  labor.  In  1897  a  larger  engine  and  larger  electric  motor 
were  added,  additional  wires  stretched,  and  the  number  of  street  lamps  in- 
creased to  one  hundred  and  fourteen.     Previous  to  this  the  cost  per  lamp  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  311 

operating  the  plant  was  comparatively  moderate,  but  upon  the  addition  of 
tifty-six  lamps  the  expense  per  lamp  was  greatly  reduced,  the  average  being 
$31.88  a  year,  a  total  for  twelve  months  of  $3,635.32.  Probably  no  other 
city  of  the  size  in  the  United  States  is  so  well  lighted,  on  so  small  expense, 
as  is  Titusville.  No  attention  is  given  to  moonlight.  The  lamps  give  light 
from  the  beginning  of  darkness  in  the  evening  until  daylight  in  the  morning, 
every  day  of  the  year. 

CITY   PARK. 

In  1894  the  city  purchased  of  ;\Ir.  E.  T.  Roberts  the  entire  sijuare, 
bounded  by  Oak  Street  on  the  north,  by  Monroe  on  tlie  east,  by  Elm  on  the 
south,  and  by  First  Street  on  the  west,  for  $5,000,  Mr.  Roberts  himself  con- 
tributing $1,000  toward  the  purch'ase,  making  the  net  cost  to  the  city  $4,000. 
Since  then  the  city  has  expended  various  sums  for  building  a  wall  around  the 
park,  and  for  other  improvements. 

BANKS. 

There  are  at  present  two  large  banks  in  Titusville,  the  Second  National 
and  the  Commercial.  Each  of  these  banks  does  a  very  extensive  business, 
and  they  are  both  among  the  most  solid  banking  institutions  of  the  country. 
The  Second  National  was  chartered  February  11,  1865.  and  rechartered 
February  11,  1885,  twenty  years  later.  It  is  located  in  a  very  fine  building 
of  its  own,  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Spring  and  Washington  streets.  This 
palatial  edifice  was  erected  thirty-three  years  ago.  The  bank  opened  its 
doors  for  business  immediately  after  it  received  its  charter,  in  a  smaller 
building,  a  little  north  on  the  same  side  of  the  street,  and  continued  there 
through  the  summer  of  1865,  and  until  the  present  edifice  was  completed  in 
the  following  fall.  The  capital  of  the  bank  is  $300,000,  and  its  surplus 
$100,000.  The  bank  is  now  one-third  of  a  century  old.  Charles  Hyde 
founded  the  institution,  and  he  has  been  the  main  spirit  of  it  ever  since. 
The  officers  of  the  bank  at  present  are  Charles  Hyde,  President;  F.  DeL. 
Hyde,  Vice-President ;  Louis  K.  Hyde,  Cashier.  The  directors  are  Charles 
Hyde,  Louis  K.  Hyde,  P.  T.  Withrop,  F.  DeL.  Hyde  and  William  Bayliss. 

The  Commercial  Bank  of  Titusville  was  organized  under  the  banking 
laws  of  Pennsylvania,  receiving  its  charter  in  the  early  part  of  1882.  Its 
offices  are  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  Oil  Exchange,  on  the  ground  floor. 
Its   capital   is  $150,000,  and   its   surplus   $100,000.     Its  officers   at  present 


312  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

are  John  L.  McKinney,  President ;  John  Fertig,  Vice-President ;  E.  C.  Hoag, 
Cashier.  Tliese  three  men  have  held  the  same  positions  respectively  since 
the  first  opening  of  the  bank.  The  present  directors  are  E.  T.  Roberts, 
John  Fertig,  Jesse  Smith,  W.  J.  Stevens,  Joseph  Seep,  John  J.  Carter,  J.  C. 
McKinney,  John  L.  McKinney  and  C.  N.  Payne.  This  bank  is  a  strong  and 
exceptionally  well  managed  institution.  It  is  especially  useful  to  the  com- 
munity, in  that  its  officers,  including  the  directors,  all  live  in  Titusville  and 
are  personally  acquainted  with  the  business  men  of  the  city  and  \-icinity. 
Few  banking  institutions  in  the  country  are  more  fortunate  in  this  respect. 

HOTELS. 

Some  of  the  larger  and  more  prominent  hotels  of  Titusville  may  be 
mentioned  in  this  history.  The  American  Hotel,  as  already  stated,  was 
the  first  public  inn  started  in  the  place.  Among  its  several  proprietors  were 
Major  Mills  and  the  late  W.  P.  Love.  During  the  last  several  years,  pre- 
vious to  the  time  when  it  was  closed  and  moved  away,  to  make  room  for  the 
Oil  Exchange,  in  the  spring  of  1880,  Archie  Johnston  was  its  landlord.  The 
Titusville  House,  the  old  Kerr  homestead  on  Pine  Street,  between  Kerr 
and  Drake,  a  long  building,  was  among  the  early  hotels.  The  Eagle,  per- 
haps one  hundred  feet  west  of  Franklin  Street,  on  the  south  side  of  Spring 
Street,  was  subsequently  built,  and  it  had  at  one  time  for  its  proprietor  the 
veteran  landlord,  Mr.  Z.  Martin.  It  disappeared  in  the  summer  of  1865, 
to  give  .place  for  a  brick  edifice.  When  Major  Mills  had  charge  of  the 
American,  the  house  became  a  kind  of  oil  exchange.  Oil  dealers  and  ship- 
pers congregated  there,  and  daily  carried  on  their  market  transactions  in 
oil.  The  practice  led  ultimately  to  the  organization  of  the  first  oil  exchange, 
in  the  winter  of  1870-1.  During  1864  and  1865,  when  speculation  in  oil 
territory  rose  to  its  highest  point.  Major  Mills  was  proprietor  of  the  Moore 
House.  The  place  was  the  old  homestead  of  Jonathan  Titus.  It  was 
owned  at  the  time  by  John  Moore,  who  had  married  Olivia,  the  youngest 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Titus.  The  Moore  House  was  crowded  to  its  utmost 
limits  during  Major  Mills'  incumbency.  The  house  was  burned  in  March, 
1866. 

The  Pendleton  House  was  also  crowded  during  the  same  period,  as 
was  also  every  other  hotel  in  the  town,  and  there  were  many,  some  small, 
others  large.     The  passenger  station  of  the  Oil  Creek  Railroad  was  at  the 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  .  313 

foot  of  Monroe  Street.  It  was  moved  to  its  present  location  in  1870  and 
1871.  Near  the  old  station  were  the  Morey  House,  and  the  Lowrey  Hotel. 
On  the  corner  of  Spring  and  Monroe  streets  the  Monroe  House  was  built 
in  1865.  The  house  has  been  a  hotel  ever  since.  Its  present  proprietor, 
Mr.  Frank  Netcher,  during  the  last  few  years  has  greatly  improved  the  prem- 
ises. The  McCray  House,  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Spring  and  Washing- 
ton, where    afterward    stood    the    Parshall  House,  was  a   popular  hotel  in 

1864,  1865,  and  the  ne.xt  year,  when  it  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  the  fall. 
The  Bush  House,  built  originally  for  a  private  residence,  was  con\'erted  into 
a  hotel  in  the  spring  of  1865.     Its  first  proprietor,  Mr.  Bush,  in  February, 

1865,  paid  $25,000  for  the  property  as  it  then  stood.  But  before  the  house 
could  be  used  for  a  hotel  of  much  size  it  had  to  be  enlarged.  It  is  not  un- 
likely that  the  enlargement  of  the  building,  together  with  the  furnishing  of 
it,  cost  at  least  $10,000  more.  The  front  part  of  the  basement  was  con- 
verted into  a  bar-room,  and  rented  for  $2,500  a  year.  The  bar  of  the  Pen- 
dleton— where  now  is  the  Mansion  House — was  first  leased  in  1865  for 
$2,000  a  year.  But  the  rent  in  both  cases  was  toO'  high,  and  the  lessees  of 
both  failed  in  their  undertakings.  The  prices  of  liquors  and  cigars  were  at 
least  twice  as  large  as  at  the  present  time  in  Titusville.  But  the  bars  in  the 
town  were  more  numerous  than  the  hotels.  While  few  travelers  were  strictly 
temperate,  few  drank  liquors  to  excess,  and  a  drunken  man  was  rarely  seen. 
The  Bush  House  was  kept  as  a  hotel  about  seven  years,  when  the  city  bought 
the  property,  and  converted  the  building  into  a  city  hall,  reconstructing  the 
dining-room  on  the  west  side  for  the  Common  Council  Chamber.  The 
Brawley  House  on  West  Spring  Street  is  an  old  hotel.  It  is  an  inn  proper. 
It  is  now  kept  by  Mr.  McClelland.  There  are  many  who  regret  the  disuse 
of  the  word  "tavern"  for  a  pulilic  house.  A  tavern  suggests  accommodations 
for  man  and  beast.  The  Spring  Hill  House,  on  \\'est  Spring  Street,  has  been 
in  operation  several  years.  It  is  kept  by  Mr.  John  Gutman.  The  largest 
hotel  Titusville  ever  had  was  the  Parshall  House,  extending  from  the  south- 
west corner  of  Spring  and  Washington  west  to  the  Brunswick  and  south  as 
far  as  the  south  side  of  the  present  opera  house.  It  was  built  of  brick,  and 
four  stories  high.  It  was  erected  by  Mr.  James  Parshall,  who  came  from 
Tidioute,  bringing  the  money  which  he  had  acquired  from  oil  production 
in  the  Tidioute  fields,  and  investing  heavily  in  Titusville.  The  block  haci 
upon  its  west  side,  adjoining  the  Brunswick  Hotel,  a  beautiful  opera  house. 


314  •  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

In  that  hall  devoted  to  tlie  muses  have  appeared  Joseph  Jefferson,  Janau- 
scheck,  John  McCulIoch,  Lawrence  Barrett,  William  J.  Florence,  Nilson, 
Kellogg,  Carlotta  Patti,  Jolm  Owen,  Sara  Bernhardt  and  other  celebrities 
of  the  drama.  The  Parshall  Block  was  burned  April  14,  1882.  The  Crit- 
tenden House  at  one  time  was  the  leading  hotel  of  the  city.  It  was  built  in 
1865  and  opened  in  the  following  winter.  E.  H.  Crittenden  erected  the 
house,  and  he  was  the  first  proprietor  of  the  hotel.  In  1870  William  H. 
Abbott  and  G.  W.  Deans  purchased  the  property,  and,  after  re-fitting  and  re- 
furnishing it,  leased  the  hotel  to  Charles  W.  Mathews.  The  name  of  the 
hotel  was  changed  to  that  of  the  Abbott  House.  The  house  had  its  front 
on  Pine  Street,  between  Martin  and  Drake,  and  extended  through  to  Spring. 
It  was  burned  in  the  fall  of  1872.  The  Brunswick  Hotel,  immediately  west 
of  the  Parshall  House,  on  the  south  side  of  Spring  Street,  was  opened  in  the 
summer  of  1880.  The  upper  stories  of  the  palatial  block,  which  had  been 
finished  in  the  fall  of  1873,  had  been  occupied  by  people  who  wanted  elegant 
rooms  in  which  to  live,  but  preferred  to  board  outside,  either  at  a  restaurant 
in  the  building,  or  elsewhere  in  the  vicinity.  The  lower  floors  of  the  edifice 
were  occupied  principally  by  stores.  The  building  was  owned  by  \X.  B. 
and  E.  A.  L.  Roberts.  The  latter,  who  had  charge  of  the  property,  in  1880 
converted  the  building  into  a  hotel.  It  was  burned  at  the  Parshall  House 
fire,  in  April,  1882.  Previous  to  this  the  main  building  had  a  mansard  roof 
on  top  of  four  stories  in  height.  E.  A.  L.  Roberts  died  in  the  spring  of 
1881.  W.  B.  Roberts,  the  surviving  brother,  re-built  the  edifice,  whose  walls 
remained  standing  after  the  fire,  putting  a  fifth  story  in  place  of  the  mansard 
roof.  Previous  to  the  fire  the  hotel  had  been  leased  to  Mr.  Z.  Martin,  who 
had  sold  the  Mansion  House  to  Mr.  W.  P.  Love.  Dr.  Roberts,  after  build- 
ing the  Brunswick,  re-furnished  it  in  elegant  style.  Mr.  Martin  kept  the 
house  several  years  afterward.  He  had  owned  and  kept  the  Mansion  House 
for  about  fourteen  years,  before  selling  to  Mr.  Love,  and  going  to  the  Bruns- 
wick in  1 88 1.  Mr.  Love  owned  and  operated  the  Mansion  for  nearly  nine 
years,  when  he  sold  the  property  to  Mr.  Frank  Hill,  who,  after  making  some 
repairs  and  changes,  sold  to  Gleason  &  Lockwood,  the  present  proprietors. 
In  the  summer  of  1897  Gleason  &  Lockwood  began  re-construction  of  the 
building,  by  taking  down  sections  in  turn,  and  re-building  with  a  brick  struc- 
ture, while  continuing  the  hotel  in  operation  Avithout  interruption,  until  the 
whole  front  upon  Franklin  Street  and  the  main  part  on  Central  Avenue  were 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  315 

rebuilt,  with  porciies  and  balconies,  presenting,  with  the  light  colored  brick 
surface,  a  very  beautiful  edifice.  The  interior  of  the  house  has  been  finished 
with  corresponding  elegance.  The  office  and  main  lobby  of  the  hotel  is 
spacious,  and  a  model  provision  for  the  comfort  of  guests.  The  proprietor 
of  the  Brunswick,  Mr.  E.  T.  Roberts,  son  of  the  late  Dr.  W.  B.  Roberts,  also 
last  fall  and  winter  made  a  thorough  overhauling,  re-fitting  and  re-furnishing 
of  the  hotel  in  truly  magnificent  style.  Mr.  J.  P.  King  is  the  present  popular 
lessee  and  manager  of  the  Brunswick.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  no  other  hotel  in 
northwestern  Pennsylvania  approaches  the  Mansion  and  the  Brunswick  in 
elegance  and  in  appointments  for  the  comfort  of  guests.  Other  hotels  in  the 
city  may  still  be  mentioned.  The  European,  already  referred  to,  has  good 
appointments.  The  American,  on  East  Central  Avenue,  enjoys  a  good  repu- 
tation. The  United  States,  corner  of  Martin  and  East  Spring,  is  well 
spoken  of.  The  Erie  Hotel,  on  North  Franklin  Street,  kept  by  George  J- 
Kuntz,  and  the  Central  Avenue  House,  kept  by  Jacob  Schwartz,  ha^•e  recently 
been  opened,  and  they  doubtless  get  a  fair  share  of  public  patronage.  The 
Buffalo  House,  on  South  Franklin  Street,  has  an  excellent  reputation. 

OIL     EXCHANGES. 

The  first  board  of  trade  in  the  world  organized  distinctively  as  an  oil 
exchange  was  established  in  Titusville  in  January,  1871.  L.  H.  Smith  was 
the  first  President,  G.  Shamburg,  Vice-President,  J.  F.  Clark,  Treasurer,  and 
J.  D.  Archbold,  Secretary.  The  Exchange  occupied,  the  first  year,  a  hall  on 
the  ground  floor  in  the  Parshall  Block,  fronting  Washington  Street,  near 
where  the  present  opera  house  now  stands.  At  the  end  of  the  year  it  moved 
across  the  street,  and  occupied  the  first  floor  of  what  is  now  the  Knights  of 
Labor  Building.  The  building  was  then  owned  by  L.  H.  Smith.  The  Ex- 
change continued  in  that  building  about  three  years,  when  it  moved  to  the 
Ralston  Block,  where  it  remained  until  absorbed  by  a  second  organization 
in  1 88 1.  The  second  Exchange  was  organized  upon  a  broader  basis  than 
the  first.  It  was  incorporated  February  14,  1880,  upon  a  capital  stock  of 
$40,000—400  shares  of  $100  a  share.  Its  first  officers  were  John  L.  Mc- 
Kinney,  President;  H.  F.  Sweetser,  Vice-President;  A.  P.  Bennett,  Treas- 
urer; J.  A.  Pincott,  Secretary.  It  purchased  the  ground  on  which  the 
American  Hotel  stood,  and  several  feet  adjoining  on  the  west  side,  the  whole 
extending  from  Spring  Street  to  Pine,  which  is  now  Central  Avenue.    Upon 


3i6  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

this  site  was  erected  a  magnificent  edifice,  three  stories  high,  of  red  pressed 
brick  and  sandstone  trimmings.  This  strncture,  with  its  interior  finishings 
and  furniture,  was  a  model  of  beauty.  The  construction  of  the  ethfice  and 
the  arranging  of  its  furniture  occupied  nearly  a  year.  The  entire  cost  of 
the  ground,  the  building  and  its  furniture  was  about  $62,000.  The  assembly 
room  is  on  the  west  side.  In  the  southeastern  part,  on  the  ground  floor,  is 
the  Titusville  Commercial  Bank.  There  are  three  fire  proof  vaults,  one 
above  another,  for  each  of  the  three  floors  respectively,  the  bank  using  the 
lower  one,  and  the  Carter  Oil  Company  the  next  above.  Upon  the  ground 
floor,  opposite  each  other  in  the  main  hall,  and  adjoining  the  assembly  room 
of  the  Exchange,  are  the  two  telegraph  offices,  the  Western  Union  and 
the  Postal.     The  rooms  on  the  second  and  third  floors  are  used  for  offices. 

NEWSP.KPERS. 

The  history  of  the  press  in  Titusville  possesses  not  a  little  interest.  The 
first  paper  published  in  Titus\-ille  was  issued  in  1859,  not  long  after  Drake's 
discovery.  James  B.  Burchfield  moved  a  printing  office  from  Meadville  in 
the  fall  of  that  year  and  started  a  weekly.  He  however  sold  the  establish- 
ment to  Albert  M.  Fuller  and  C.  M.  Allen,  who  continued  to  publish  the 
weekly  and  do  a  general  job  printing  business  for  some  time,  perhaps  two  or 
three  years,  until  the  plant  was  destroyed  by  fire.  About  the  fall  of  1863 
Mr.  Fuller  purchased  a  new  outfit  for  a  newspaper  office,  and  published  the 
"Petroleum  Reporter,"  until  the  next  year,  when  he  sold  the  plant  to  I^ake 
and  Martin,  who  continued  to  issue  the  weekly  until  February  or  March, 
1865,  William  W.  and  Henry  C.  Bloss  from  Rochester,  New  York,  bought 
the  establishment  and  continued  the  weekly  until  June  following,  when 
they  brought  out  the  "Titusville  Morning  Herald,"  the  first  daily  paper 
of  the  oil  region.  This  daily  paper  has  since  been  uninterruptedly  issued 
for  upward  of  thirty-three  years.  Its  publishers  were  first  Bloss  Brothers. 
J.  H.  Cogswell  came  to  Titusville  and  bought  an  interest  in  the  paper  in  the 
fall  following.  The  name  of  the  new  firm  was  Bloss  Brothers  &  Cogswell. 
This  partnership  coutinued  until  the  spring  of  1872,  when  W.  W.  Bloss 
retired  from  the  association.  The  new  firm  of  "Bloss  &  Cogswell"  con- 
tinued until  1883,  when  Cogswell  retired.  Henry  C.  Bloss  continued  after- 
ward sole  proprietor  of  the  Herald  until  his  death  in  January,  1893.  Since 
that  time  the  widow  of  H.  C.  Bloss,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Bloss,  has  been  proprietor  of 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  317 

the  paper,  while  Joseph  M.  Bloss,  her  son,  has  been  the  editor.  The  Herald 
has  always  had  a  weekly  edition,  which  circulates  principally  in  the  sur- 
rounding- townships  of  Crawford,  Venango  and  Warren  counties.  The 
Herald  was  the  first  paper  to  institute  daily  and  monthly  reports  of  oil  pro- 
duction, runs,  shipments,  etc.  For  more  than  thirty  years  it  has  published 
daily  all  the  important  telegraphic  news  issued  by  the  Associated  Press.  The 
Herald  has  always  supported  the  policy  of  the  Republican  party. 

Early  in  1866  J.  B.  Close  and  O.  B.  Lake  started  an  afternoon  jxiper, 
called  the  "Evening  Journal."  During  the  summer  following  several  of  the 
leading  Democrats  of  the  city  purchased  Lake's  interest  in  the  concern,  and. 
with  the  consent  of  Close,  made  the  Journal  a  campaign  paper.  After  the 
fall  election  Close  continued  to  publish  the  paper  for  perhaps  a  year  longer, 
but  finally  closed  the  oflice.  In  1868  an  attempt  was  made  to  start  another 
Democratic  organ.  But  the  parties  active  in  the  undertaking  had  no  capital, 
and  the  project  had  a  speedy  failure.  In  the  spring  of  1869  W.  C.  Plummer 
and  Charles  C.  Wicker  began  the  publication  of  a  daily  paper,  called  the 
"Morning  Star."  The  paper  was  Democratic  in  politics.  But  the  proprie- 
tors lacked  capital,  and  the  publication  was  discontinued  in  the  fall  following. 
In  the  summer  of  1870  James  T.  Henry  came  from  Jamestown,  New  York, 
and  helped  to  organize  the  Titusville  Printing  Association.  Mr.  Henry  had 
no  capital,  but  he  was  known  as  a  journalist  of  some  ability  in  the  State  of 
New  York.  The  Printing  Association  was  incorporated,  with  a  capital  of 
$25,000.  William  H.  Abbott  was  president  of  the  company,  and  at  the  be- 
ginning, its  largest  stockholder.  Other  leading  stockholders  were  the  Rob- 
erts Brothers,  F.  B.  Guthrie,  F.  H.  Gibbs,  Henry  Hinkley,  George  S.  Stewart, 
John  Fertig,  Roger  Sherman,  C.  C.  Dufiield  and  M.  N.  Allen.  The  com- 
pany purchased  a  large  outfit  of  materials  and  machinery  for  a  first-class 
newspaper  and  job  office,  and  on  October  i,  1870,  issued  the  first  number  of 
"The  Titusville  Daily  Courier,"  a  morning  daily  paper.  Democratic  in  poli- 
tics, and  devoted  to  the  advocacy  of  principles  enunciated  by  the  fathers  of 
the  Democratic  party.  The  company  also  published  a  weekly  edition  of  the 
paper.  The  first  editor  was  James  T.  Henry.  He  was  assisted  by  an  able 
corps  of  writers  and  reporters.  The  Courier  published  daily  the  reports  of 
the  Associated  Press,  and  bestowed  a  good  deal  of  work  in  collecting  and 
pubHshing  oil  news.  In  the  spring  of  1871  Mr.  Henry  retired  from  the 
editorial  chair,   and  be  was  succeeded  bv  W.   C.   Plummer,   who  remained 


3i8  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

with  the  paper  during  the  rest  of  its  history,  doing  editorial  work  the  greater 
part  of  the  time.  In  pubhshing  the  Courier  its  managers  never  spared  ex- 
pense. It  was  never  the  recipient,  in  the  smahest  degree,  of  pubhc  patronage. 
As  a  result,  when  the  financial  crash  of  1873  came,  the  finances  of  the 
Courier  suffered.  By  common  consent,  an  arrangement  was  made  by  which 
AI.  N.  Allen,  who  had  advanced,  from  time  to  time,  large  sums  of  money, 
bought  the  outstanding  claims  against  the  company,  and,  uniting  these  with 
his  own  claims,  he  asked  and  obtained  from  the  officers  of  the  company  a 
confession  of  judgment  for  the  entire  amount.  He  then  proceeded  by  execu- 
tion to  close  matters  and  purchased  the  whole  at  an  official  sale,  and  con- 
tinued the  publication  of  the  Courier,  the  issue  of  which  was  not  once  inter- 
rupted during  the  legal  proceedings.  By  the  legal  sale  Mr.  Allen  became 
sole  proprietor.  This  was  in  January,  1874.  He  continued  to  publish  the 
Courier  until  the  middle  of  September,  1877,  when  he  sold  the  whole  estab- 
lishment to  Bloss  &  Cogswell,  and  the  Courier  ceased  to  exist.  The  date  of 
the  last  issue  of  the  Courier  was  September  17,  1877.  The  "Long  Roll"  was 
started  at  about  1869,  Ijy  W.  C.  Allen,  as  an  organ  of  the  Soldiers'  Orphans' 
School,  then  in  existence  at  Titusville.  It  was  afterward  changed  to  tlie 
"Sunday  News,"  and  published  by  the  same  proprietor,  Mr.  \X.  C.  Allen. 
who  sold  the  paper  to  Mr.  James  T.  Henry,  in  the  fall  of  1871,  who  con- 
tinued its  issue  until  the  summer  of  1872,  when  he  sold  it  to  Mr.  W.  W.  Bloss, 
late  of  the  Herald.  Mr.  Bloss  not  only  published  the  Sunday  paper,  but  he 
started  the  same  year  the  "Press,"  an  evening  paper.  Then  Dr.  Roberts  built 
for  'Sir.  Bloss'  printing  establishment  the  three-story  brick  edifice  now  owned 
and  occupied  by  the  "World."  The  "Press"  had  a  limited  existence,  but 
while  it  lasted  it  was  edited  with  ability.  Mr.  Bloss  kept  the  Sunday  paper 
about  two  years  after  he  first  became  its  owner.  In  June,  1880,  the  "Pe- 
troleum Daily  World"  was  launched  upon  the  waves  of  journalism.  It  was 
an  "anti-Standard"  organ,  supported  by  some  who  subsequently  became  a 
somewhat  prominent  part  of  the  Standard  association.  Like  some  other 
Titusville  papers  it  was  founded  on  "great  expectations."  It  had  a  fine  equip- 
ment of  printing  materials  and  machinery',  and  abundance  of  capital  at  the 
start.  R.  W.  Crisweli,  a  journalist  by  profession,  was  editor  in  chief,  and 
J.  M.  Place  business  manager.  Frank  W.  Truesdell  was  the  first  foreman 
nf  the  news  room.  The  establishment  was  owned  and  controlled  by  the 
"World  Publishing  Company."     In  1880  the  "Sunday  Newsletter"  also  was 


OUR   COUXTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  319 

established,  owned  and  published  by  J.  W.  Graham  and  E.  W.  Hoag.     In 
the  winter  of  1 880-1  the  \\'orId  Compan}'  absorbed  the  Newsletter,  and  in 
its  stead  issued  the  "Weekly  World."     Henry  Byrom  succeeded  Place  as 
manager  in  December,   1881.  and  he  in  turn  was  succeeded  by  George  E. 
Mapes.     Criswell  was  succeeded  by  S.  L.  Williams,  as  editor.     The  Daily 
World  suspended  at  the  end  of  the  year  1881.     On  the  first  of  March,  1882, 
Frank  \\'.  Truesdell  &  Co.  bought  the  Weekly  World,  converting  it  into  the 
"Sunday  World,"  and  a  Sunday  paper  it  continues,  although  its  title  is  "The 
Titusville  World."     Mr.  Truesdell  continued  at  the  head  of  the  paper  until 
his  death,  in  the  summer  of  1894.     Not  long  afterward,  Messrs.  Walter  Izant 
and  ^^'.  R.  Herbert  purchased  the  institution,  and  they  have  continued  the 
publication  of  the  Titusville  World  ever  since.     On  the  first  day  of  January, 
1885,  H.  C.  Eddy  &  Co.  issued  the  first  number  of  the  "American  Citizen," 
a  weekly  paper.     Roger   Sherman  was  the  "Co.,"  and  the  "Co."  was  the 
American  Citizen.      He  wrote  the  editorials,   while  Mr.   Eddy,  a  practical 
printer,  had  charge  of  the  mechanical  part  of  the  establishment.     About  the 
year  1889  Eddy  bought  Sherman's  interest  in  the  plant,  which  meant  finan- 
cially nearly  the  whole.     A1x)ut  a  year  later  Eddy  sold  the  whole  to  William 
McEnaney,  who  published  the  paper  until  December,  1894,  almost  five  years, 
when  James  H.   Caldwell  and  John  L.  IMcKinney  came  into  possession  of 
the  institution.     The  new  proprietors  changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  that 
of  "The  Advance  Guard,"  and  this  title  the  paper  still  carries.     The  present 
proprietor  and  publisher,  Geo.   A.   Hughes,  purchased  the  establishment  in 
December,  1896.    The  politics  of  the  paper,  which  is  now  nearing  the  fifteenth 
year  of  its  existence,  has  always  been  Democratic.     In   1896  the  Ad\'ance 
Guard  absorbed  the   "Saturday   Review,"   a  populist  organ,   whose  editor, 
E.  C.  Bell,  in  1897,  started  "The  Bugle,"  a  weekly  paper.     The  Bugle  is  a 
hornet  with  a  sharp  sting  for  all  kinds  of  abuses.     About  the  first  of  Sep- 
tember, of  the  year   1898,  the  "Evening  Courier,"  issued  by  the  "Courier 
Publishing  Company,"  made  its  appearance.     It  is  managed  by  two  young 
men,  brothers,  Messrs.  Crosby.     The  paper  has  a  neat  appearance.     Its  tone 
is  decent  and  conservative.     Its  politics  is  Democratic. 

It  is  possible  that  some  other  newspapers  may  have  escaped  the  search 
of  the  present  historian,  who  will  greatly  regret  to  learn,  should  others  be 
discovered,  that  he  has  omitted  the  mention  of  any.  But  what  the  misfortune 
a  thousand  years  hence? 


320  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

SCHOOLS. 

As  early  as  1817  Titusville  had  a  school  house.  It  was  a  log  building, 
south  of  Oil  Creek,  and  west  of  Franklin  Street.  Pupils  came  a  long  distance 
to  this  primitive  institution.  Then  there  was  a  log  school  house  on  the 
north  side,  a  little  beyond  the  Kelly  farm.  This  was  built  about  1820.  N 
third  school  building  was  erected  on  the  west  side,  near  the  present  cemetery, 
m  1823.  The  first  teacher,  a  Mr.  Wylie,  died  during  the  term  of  his  ser- 
vice. Mr.  Joseph  L.  Chase  was  among  the  early  teachers.  Charles  Plum  and 
Daniel  Jones  also  taught  in  the  early  days.  William  Kelly,  a  native  of  Ire- 
land, who  settled  on,  and  gave  the  name  to,  the  well-known  Kelly  farm,  on 
Perry  Street  Hill,  a  little  north  of  the  city  limits,  was  a  teacher  of  distinction. 
He  began  the  settlement  of  his  farm  about' the  year  1822.  He  had  a  good 
education.  He  taught  in  the  vicinity  about  eight  winter  terms.  During  the 
rest  of  the  time  he  was  mainly  engaged  in  clearing  and  cultivating  his  farm. 
He  taught  one  winter  in  a  log  building  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Spring  and 
Franklin  streets,  where  now  is  E.  O.  Emerson's  three-story  brick  block.  Miss 
Sarah  A.  Titus,  who  afterward  married  E.  H.  Chase,  taught  in  1830,  in  the 
old  Presbyterian  church  at  the  head  of  Franklin  Street,  a  log  building  erected 
in  1815.  The  names  of  other  teachers  of  the  period  and  later  on  were  Wil- 
liam Martin,  Joseph  Nonrse  and  Maria  Tripgay.  There  were  also,  from 
time  to  time,  several  private  schools. 

On  a  lot  donated  by  Jonathan  Titus  for  the  purpose,  near  the  southeast 
corner  of  Pine  and  Perry  streets,  was  erected  in  1837  a  large  frame  school 
building.  The  expense  of  construction  was  met  partly  by  tax  and  partly  by 
private  contribution  from  leading  citizens,  and  the  school  at  first  was  sup- 
ported from  the  same  sources.  In  1839  William  Sweatland  was  the  teacher. 
Besides  teaching  in  the  day  time,  he  had  a  night  school.  He  had  in  all  from 
100  to  120  pupils  under  his  instruction.  In  1841  Aspinwall  Cornwall  taught. 
Then  for  several  years  Moses  Porter,  E.  P.  Byles  and  M.  C.  Beebe  respec- 
tively were  teachers.  Mr.  Beebe  taught  as  late  as  1847.  The  summer  terms 
were  taught  by  women.  Among  the  number  are  mentioned  Mary  Morse 
and  Elizabeth  Watson. 

Titusville  became  a  borough  in  1S47.  Previous  to  this  time  the  public 
school  in  Titusville  was  under  the  authority  of  the  township  directors. 
Afterward  the  inhabitants  of  the  borough  elected  a  board  of  directors  who 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  321 

managed  the  public  schools  within  the  borough  limits.     Among  the  early 
school  directors  of  the  borough  were  E.  H.  Chase.  William  Barnsdall.  Joseph 
L.   Chase,   S.   S.   Bates,  John  Robinson,  William  Robinson,   F.   B.   Brewer, 
E.  P.  Banning,  James  K.  Kerr,  Charles  Kellogg,   R.  C.  Sexton  and  R.  L. 
Robinson.     Besides  the  public  schools,  there  were  private  schools,  or  select 
schools,  academies  on  a  small  scale,  in  which  higher  branches  than  were  re- 
quired in  the  public  schools  were  taught.     A  Rev.  Mr.  Bailey  had  such  a 
school  on  Union  Street  from  1854  to  a1x)ut  1857.     The  population  increas- 
ing in  1859,  a  two-story  wooden  building  was  erected  on  the  southeast  corner 
of  Main  and  Washington  streets,  and  in    1863,  with  the  rapidly  growing 
needs,  an  important  addition  was  made  to  the  building,  and  the  school  was 
at  about  this   time  graded   into  departments,   forming  a  union,   or  graded 
school.     P.  H.  Stewart  was  chosen  Principal  soon  afterward.     The  numljer 
of  pupils  still  increasing,  outside  rooms  were  rented  for  temporary  use,  and 
more  teachers  were  employed.     In  January,   1866,  the  union  school  building 
was  burned  to  the  ground.     The  directors  at  once  decided  to  rebuild  with  a 
much  larger  structure  upon  the  site  of  the  old  building,  upon  an  estimated 
cost  of  $18,000.     The  work  of  re-building  was  rapidly  pushed,  and  before 
the  end  of  summer  the  new  edifice,  two  stories  high,  with  eight  large  rooms, 
was  completed.     At  the  opening  of  the  fall  term  in  1866  the  attendance  was 
much  larger  than  ever  before.     The  number  of  pupils  constantly  increased. 
Additional  rooms  from  year  to  year  were  obtained  outside,  and  still  more 
teachers  hired,  until   187O,  when  a  large  three-story  brick  building,  on  the 
north  side  of  Walnut  Street,  between  Drake  and  Kerr  streets,  was  projected. 
At  first  there  were  five  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  and  four  on  the  second.     But 
the  attendance  was  so  large  that  it  became  necessary  tO'  make  a  fifth  room 
out  of  the  hall  on  the  second  floor,  making  ten  rooms  in  all.     The  building- 
was  occupied  by  nine  schools  in  April,  1871.     In   1872  a  two-story  wooden 
school-house  was  erected  in  the  south  side  of  Oil  Creek,  in  the  Fourth  Ward. 
In  1874  a  room  was  added  to  the  building,  and  the  next  year  still  another, 
making  four  in  all.     In  1873  a  two-story  brick  school  building  was  erected 
in  the  Second  Ward,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Third  and  Elm  streets,  upon 
a  plan  for  eight  rooms.     But  only  half  of  the  edifice  was  built  at  the  time. 
In  1883  the  building  was  burned,  but  it  was  immediately  rebuilt,  the  brick 
walls  not  falling.     In  1897  the  other  half  was  built,  the  whole  having  eight 
rooms.     In   1891   a  two-story  brick  school  house  in  the  Fourth  Ward  was. 
21 


322  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

built  upon  the  north  side  of  the  wooden  building,  and  perhaps  twentv  feet 
away,  containing  four  school  rooms.  One  of  the  rooms  in  the  old  building 
is  still  used,  making  five  in  all.  And  still  the  necessity  for  more  room  in- 
creased. In  1892  there  was  begun  the  erection  of  a  large  High  School 
building  at  the  head  of  Washington  Street.  At  this  time  the  High  School, 
with  all  its  departments,  had  long  occupied  the  upper  part  of  the  Commercial 
Block,  on  Diamond  Street.  But  the  High  School,  which  for  many  years  had 
occupied  the  Main  Street  building,  and  had  subsequently  been  crowded  out 
of  its  charters,  w^as  soon  to  have  a  home  of  its  own.  The  large  brick  struc- 
ture at  the  head  of  Washington  was  finished  in  time  for  the  High  School 
to  take  possession  in  the  fall  term  of  1893.  This  building  has  a  fine  interior 
finishing,  as  well  as  fine  furniture.  It  has  an  elegant  assembly  room.  It  has 
eleven  large  school  rooms.  The  assembly  room  is  also  used  constantly  for 
the  recitation  of  classes,  making  in  fact  twelve  school  rooms. 

It  seems  that  educational  affairs  have  always  engaged  the  attention 
.of  the  inhabitants  of  Titusville,  from  its  earliest  history  as  a  settlement  until 
the  present  time.  At  no  period  of  business  depression  have  the  citizens  been 
willing  that  their  schools  should  suffer  from  the  want  of  necessary  pecuniary 
support.  They  pay  their  school  taxes,  however  high,  without  a  murmur, 
when  they  might  complain,  if  the  burdens  they  are  asked  to  carry  related  to 
some  other  matter  of  common  interest.  It  matters  little  what  may  be  the 
divergency  of  opinion  and  feeling  upon  other  subjects,  the  people  of  Titus- 
ville have  ever  been  known  to  rally  with  singular  unanimity  and  loyalty  in 
sustaining  their  public  schools.  Political  controversies,  however  heated,  in- 
stantly subside,  if  they  seem  to  threaten  the  welfare  of  the  schools. 

Jonathan  Watson,  one  of  the  best  known  citizens  of  Titusville,  years 
ago  donated  to  the  Board  of  Directors,  for  the  use  of  the  schools,  a  splendid 
geological  cabinet.  John  L.  McKinney,  and  his  brother,  J.  C.  McKinney, 
not  long  since  presented  to  the  school  board  $1,000  for  the  purpose  of  pur- 
chasing chemical  apparatus  for  the  use  of  the  High  School.  The  educational 
advantages  in  the  High  School  and  in  the  Ward  schools  of  Titusville  have 
attracted  from  time  to  time  many  outside  pupils,  who,  by  the  payment  of 
moderate  charges  for  tuition,  are  admitted  to  the  instruction  of  teachers  in 
any  department. 

After  the  erection  of  the  Union  School  building  on  Main  Street  in 
1859,  with  the  additions  to  it  in  1863,  attention  was  soon  given  to  the  intro- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  323 

duction  of  higher  branches  of  study  than  were  pursued  in  the  common 
schools.  P.  H.  Stewart  was  principal  of  the  Titusville  schools  nearly  all  the 
time  from  1S64.  to  1869.  His  place  was  filled  for  a  short  time  by  E.  W. 
:\Iathews,  before  his  final  resignation.  Mr.  Stewart's  administration,  under 
the  many  disadvantages  of  inadequate  supply  of  school  rooms,  with  the 
rapidly  increasing  number  of  pupils,  when  the  directors  were  obliged  to  take 
the  best,  however  unacceptable,  quarters  that  could  be  found,  was  very  cred- 
itable. He  was  fortunate  in  having,  at  an  early  date,  the  assistance  of  other 
well  qualified  teachers.  Prof.  A.  Wedge,  a  graduate  of  Rochester  University, 
was  one  of  his  assistants.  Latin  and  Greek,  algebra  and  geometry,  physiol- 
ogy, natural  philosophy,  chemistry  and  other  advanced  branches  soon  came 
to  be  taught.  After  the  Main  Street  building,  with  enlarged  dimensions, 
had  been  restored,  and  the  rapidly  growing  attendance  had  made  it  neces- 
sary to  rent  several  outside  buildings  to  accommodate  the  pupils,  the  directors 
decided  to  employ  for  principal  a  college  graduate  of  first-class  standing. 
As  soon  as  this  became  known,  there  were  several  applications  for  the  posi- 
tion. But  the  board  by  a  unanimous  vote  chose  Mr.  H.  C.  Bosley,  of  Roches- 
ter, New  York,  a  late  graduate  of  Rochester  University.  The  salary  paid 
him  for  the  first  year  was  $1,800,  with  the  promise  that,  after  a  trial  of  one 
year,  if  matters  should  be  mutually  satisfactory,  the  salary  should  be  raised 
to  $2,000.  Upon  the  recommendation  of  Mr.  Bosley,  Miss  Kate  Lapp,  of 
Buffalo,  was  elected  preceptress.  The  two  began  to  teach  in  the  fall  term  of 
1869.  Mr.  Bosley  continued  at  his  post  one  year.  Besides  supervising  all 
the  schools,  he  taught  Latin  and  Greek,  and  some  other  of  the  higher  branches. 
Miss  Lapp  continued  to  fill  the  position  of  preceptress  perhaps  a  year  and  a 
half,  when  she  was  married  to  Mr.  William  H.  McDonald.  At  the  open- 
ing of  the  Elm  Street  schools,  in  1873,  in  the  new  edifice,  she  was  appointed 
principal  of  the  schools  there.  She  held  the  position  for  the  next  four 
years.  In  September,  1877,  she  was  appointed  principal  of  the  schools  on 
the  south  side,  and  continued  in  charge  there  for  four  to  five  years.  From 
1870  to  1 87 1,  one  year,  Mr.  A.  O.  Newpher  was  principal.  But  in  the 
summer  of  1871,  Mr.  Bosley  was  re-elected  principal,  upon  an  annual  salary 
of  $2,000.  He  was  also  appointed  by  the  Board  of  Directors,  superintendent 
of  the  city  schools.  He  was  re-elected  in  1872  for  the  term  of  three  years, 
and  in  1875  '^^  ^^'^s  again  elected  superintendent  for  another  three  years. 
The  next  superintendent  was  Mr.  H.  H.  Hough,  who  held  the  office  from 


324  .     OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

1878  to  1879,  one  year.  In  his  last  term  of  office,  Mr.  Bosley,  in  view  of  the 
existing  financial  stringency,  had  voluntarily  asked  the  directors  to  reduce 
his  salary  to  $1,750  a  year,  and  his  request  was  acceded  to.  The  salary  for  ■ 
Mr.  Hough  was  fixed  at  the  same  rate.  In  the  summer  of  1879  ^J^^-  R-  ^• 
Streeter  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy,  caused  by  the  resignation  of  Mr. 
Hough,  of  two  years,  upon  the  same  salary  of  $1,750.  At  the  end  of  the 
term,  in  1881,  he  was  re-elected  for  the  following  term  of  three  years,  and 
his  salary  raised  to  $2,000  a  year.  In  1884  he  was  again  re-elected,  but  at 
his  request  his  salary  was  reduced  to  $1,800.  He  continued  to  hold  the 
office  of  superintendent  upon  an  annual  salary  of  $1,800  until  1893.  Fol- 
lowing Mr.  Streeter,  Mr.  R.  D.  Crawford  held  the  office  of  superintendent 
for  the  next  four  years,  upon  a  yearly  salary  of  $1,800,  leaving,  by  resigna- 
tion, a  vacancy  in  his  second  term  of  two  years.  Mr.  Henry  Pease  in  1897 
was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy,  and  he  is  now  in  the  second  year  of  his  service. 
His  salary  has  been  raised  to  $2,000  a  year. 

In  tlie  fall  term  of  1871,  Miss  Letitia  M.  Wilson,  assisted  by  Miss  A.  M. 
Clark,  began  first  as  preceptress  what  has  become  a  remarkable  period  of 
service  as  an  instructor  in  the  highest  department  of  the  Titusville  schools. 
A  few  years  ago  her  health,  from  the  strain  of  constant  work  for  many 
years,  had  become  impaired,  and  she  asked  for  and  obtained  from  the  school 
board  a  leave  of  absence  for  a  year,  the  board  very  properly  voting  to  con- 
tinue to  her  the  payment  of  her  salary  during  the  vacation.  Then  by  order 
of  her  physician  she  remained  out  of  school  another  year.  In  1873  she  was 
elected  principal  of  the  high  school,  and  she  continued  to  hold  that  position 
for  the  next  twenty-four  years.  In  1897  she  requested  the  board  to  relieve 
her  of  the  principalship  and  a  part  of  her  duties  as  an  instructor.  The 
board  granted  her  request,  and  at  the  same  time  elected  her  principal 
emeritus.  Miss  Wilson  still  continues  as  an  instructor  in  the  high  school. 
Excepting  the  two  years  of  her  vacation,  she  has  taught  in  the  department 
twenty-seven  years,  and  she  has  now  begun  upon  her  twenty-eighth.  It 
ought  to  be  stated  that  the  long-continued  success  of  the  Titusville  schools 
has  been  largely  due  to  the  efficiency  of  the  women  teachers.  In  fact,  since 
the  founding  of  the  Union  School,  when  Titusville  was  a  borough,  much  the 
larger  part  of  the  teachers  have  been  women.  Some  of  the  more  prominent 
ones  may  be  given.  Miss  M.  L.  French  was  long  in  the  early  years  a  strong 
teacher.     Miss  H.  E.  Livingston  taught  many  years,  giving  good  satisfac- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  325 

tion.  Miss  Clara  J.  Perkins,  beginning  in  1868.  taught  many  years,  and  she 
was  regarded  as  an  efficient  teacher.  Miss  A.  M.  Clark  in  the  high  school 
made  a  good  record.  Later  on  Miss  Henrietta  G.  MetcaJf  taught  thirteen 
years  in  the  high  school,  closing  her  services  in  1897.  She  was  an  excep- 
tionally efficient  instructor.  ]\Irs.  Ver  Valin  began  teaching  in  the  spring 
term  of  1877,  i"  charge  of  the  schools  on  the  south  side.  She  ga\'e  so  good 
satisfaction  there  that  the  school  board  elected  her  principal  of  the  Elm 
Street  school.  Beginning  with  the  fall  term,  she  occupied  that  position  for 
the  next  twenty-one  consecutive  years.  The  incumbency  of  an  important  post 
for  so  long  a  period  is  evidence  of  the  good  satisfaction  given.  Miss  Addie 
R.  Potter,  the  present  principal  of  the  Drake  Street  school,  has  taught  many 
years  with  apparently  good  success.  Miss  Iris  Barr  taught  in  the  Ward 
schools  several  years,  until  promoted  to  her  present  position  as  instructor  in 
the  high  school. 

The  number  of  graduates  from  the  Titusville  high  school  from  1871 
to  1898,  inclusive,  is  five  hundred  and  ninety-one — four  hundred  and  two 
girls  and  one  hundred  and  eighty-nine  boys. 

The  present  Board  of  School  Controllers  of  the  Titusville  School  Dis- 
trict is  composed  as  follows:  First  Ward,  John  J.  Carter  and  L.  W.  Brown; 
Second  Ward,  F.  P.  Brown  and  T.  W.  Renting;  Third  Ward,  C.  B.  Fried- 
man and  John  Gahan;  Fourth  Ward,  William  Brady  and  E.  A.  Edwards. 
The  board  meets  regularly  on  the  third  Monday  of  each  month  at  7  130  p.  m. 
The  officers  of  the  board  are :  John  J.  Carter,  President ;  John  C.  Edmond- 
son,  Secretary;  Henry  Pease,  Superintendent;  J.  A.  C.  Dubar,  Controller, 
and  T.  W.  Main,  Treasurer.  The  school  calendar  for  the  present  year  is 
as  follows:  First  Term,  from  September  5th,  1898,  to  December  23d,  six- 
teen weeks;  Second  Term,  from  January  9th,  1899,  to  March  25th,  eleven 
weeks;   Third  Term,  from  April  3d  to  June  i6th,  eleven  weeks. 

The  present  corps  of  teachers  is:  Henry  Pease,  A.  M.  (Rochester), 
Superintendent.  (Let  it  be  understood  that  the  words  in  parenthesis  follow- 
ing the  names  of  teachers  indicate  the  institutions  respectively  from  which 
they  have  been  graduated;  as  for  instance,  the  word  Rochester,  in  paren- 
thesis, after  the  name  of  Henry  Pease,  A.  M.,  means  that  Mr.  Pease  is  a 
graduate  of  Rochester  University.) 

High  School. — H.  D.  Hopkins,  A.  M.  (Hamilton),  principal,  Greek  and 
Latin;  Miss  L.  M.  Wilson  (Granville  Seminary  and  Chautauqua  College  of 


326  OUR   COUNTY  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Liberal  Arts),  principal  emeritus,  English;  Miss  Iris  Barr,  A.  B.  (Alle- 
gheny), mathematics;  Miss  S.  A.  Davidson  (Titnsville  High  School),  mathe- 
matics; Miss  Mabel  Jones  (Vassar),  natural  sciences;  Miss  Mary  Young 
(Wellesley),  history  and  English;  Miss  Anna  Farwell  (Titusville  High 
School  and  New  York  Training  School),  natural  sciences  and  English;  I\Irs. 
Emily  T.  Wakefield  (Queen's  College,  London,  England),  supervisor  of 
music  for  city  and  teacher  of  elocution  in  the  high  school;  Mrs.  Carrie  Reid 
(Titusville  High  School  and  Pratt  Listitute),  supervisor  of  drawing  and 
teacher  of  drawing  in  the  high  school;  Miss  Mary  L.  Varian  (Titusville  High 
School  and  Berlitz  School),  French  and  German. 

Ward  Schools. — Miss  Jennie  Allen  (Titusville  High  School  and  pupil 
of  Lyman  Wheeler,  Boston),  teacher  of  music  in  the  Ward  schools. 

Drake  Street  School. — Miss  Addie  R.  Potter,  principal,  second  and  third 
grade;  Miss  Eleanor  Hanna,  third  grade;  Miss  Margaret  Gray,  seventh 
grade;  Miss  Genevra  Seibert,  sixth  grade;  Miss  Alice  R.  Eaton,  fifth  grade; 
Miss  Mary  E.  Bruce,  fourth  grade;  Miss  Kate  Seibert,  fourth  grade;  Miss 
Hester  H.  Burdette,  second  grade;  Miss  Mary  A.  O'Neil,  first  grade;  Miss 
Elizabeth  Smith,  first  grade;  Miss  Josephine  Nelson,  principal's  assistani. 

Main  Street  School. — Miss  ^laud  Parshall,  principal,  eighth  grade; 
Miss  Adelaide  L.  Chase,  principal's  assistant ;  Miss  Margaret  J.  Condra,  sev- 
enth grade ;  Miss  Inez  Guist,  sixth  grade ;  Miss  Diana  Ver  Valin,  fifth  grade ; 
Miss  Harriet  J.  Smith,  fourth  grade;  Miss  Harriet  S.  Crane,  third  grade; 
Miss  Harriet  E.  Bates,  second  grade;  Miss  Mary  A.  Condra,  first  grade. 

Elm  Street  School. — Miss  F.  A.  Herlehy,  principal,  sixth  grade;  Mrs. 
Nancy  McCrea,  fifth  grade;  Miss  Pearl  Taft,  fourth  grade;  Miss  Carrie 
Robinson,  third  grade;  Miss  Isabella  Shepherd,  second  grade;  Miss  Susie 
E.  Willard,  first  grade. 

Fourth  Ward  School. — Mrs.  A.  L.  Bettes,  principal,  first  grade;  Miss 
Lenora  M.  Brown,  sixth  grade ;  Miss  Edyth  Palmer,  fourth  and  fifth  grades ; 
Miss  Myrtle  Bishop,  third  grade;  Aliss  Mabel  M.  Crane,  second  grade. 

COURSES    OF    STUDY. 

The  following  prescribed  courses  of  study  to  be  entered  upon  during  the 
present  year  are  elective.  The  pupil. on  entering  the  high  school,  may  select, 
under  the  advice  and  consent  of  tlie  parents  or  guardian,  any  one  of  the  four 
courses. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  327 

/.  College  Preparatory  Course. — First  year,  first  term,  Latin,  algel)ra, 
English  composition ;  second  term,  Latin,  algebra.  English  composition ;  third 
term,  Latin,  algebra,  English  composition.  Second  year,  first  term,  Latin, 
algebra,  rhetoric ;  second  term,  Latin,  algebra,  Greek  history ;  third  term, 
Latin,  L^nited  States  history,  Roman  history.  Third  year,  first  term,  Latin, 
Greek  or  German,  plane  geometry;  second  term,  Latin,  Greek  or  German, 
plane  geometry;  third  term,  Latin,  Greek  or  German,  plane  geometry. 
Fourth  year,  first  term,  Latin,  Greek  or  German,  literature;  second  term, 
Latin,  Greek  or  German;  third  term,  Latin,  Greek  or  German.  Another 
study  is  required  throughout  this  year.  Each  iiupil  is  to  select  that  which 
may  be  required  at  the  college  which  he  intends  to  enter.  If  a  pupil  wishes  to 
enter  college  with  two  modern  languages,  four  years  of  German  may  be 
taken  instead  of  the  four  years  of  Latin ;  and  two  years  of  French  mav  be 
taken  instead  of  two  years  of  Greek  or  German.  Music  and  drawing  for 
three  years,  optional  the  fourth  year.  Rhetoricals  throughout  the  course. 
Literature  once  a  week  during  the  first  three  years. 

//.  Latin  Coiir.sw — First  and  second  years  the  same  as  the  College 
Preparatory  course.  Third  year,  first  term,  Latin,  geometry,  chemistry; 
second  term,  Latin,  geometry,  chemistry ;  third  term,  Latin,  geometry,  chem- 
istr}'.  Fourth  year,  first  term,  Latin,  physics,  literature;  second  term,  Latin, 
physics,  literature  or  English  history.  Third  term,  Latin,  physics,  literature 
or  English  history.  Music,  drawing  or  rhetoricals  throughout  the  course. 
Literature  once  a  week  during  the  first  three  }ears. 

///.  Modern  Language  Course. — First  year,  first  term,  German,  al- 
gebra, English  composition ;  second  term,  German,  algebra,  English  compo- 
sition; third  term,  German,  algebra,  English  composition.  Second  year,  first 
term,  German,  algebra,  rhetoric ;  second  term,  German,  algebra,  Greek  his- 
tory; third  term,  German,  United  States  history,  Greek  history.  Third 
year,  first  term,  German  or  French,  geometry,  chemistry;  second  term,  Ger- 
man or  French,  geometry,  chemistry;  third  term,  German  or  French,  geom- 
etry, chemistry.  Fourth  year,  first  term,  German  or  French,  physics,  litera- 
ture ;  second  term,  German  or  French,  physics,  literature  or  English  history ; 
third  term,  German  or  French,  physics,  literature  or  English  history.  Music, 
drawing  and  rhetoricals  throughout  the  course.  Literature  once  a  week 
during  the  first  three  years. 

IV.     English   Course. — First  year,  first  term,  English  composition,  al- 


328  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

gebra,  physical  geography;  second  term,  Enghsh  composition,  algebra,  phys- 
ical geography ;  third  term,  English  composition,  algebra,  physical  geography. 
Second  year,  first  term,  rhetoric,  algebra,  geology  one-half  year,  botany  one- 
half  year;  second  term,  Greelv  history,  algebra;  third  term,  Roman  history, 
United  States  history.  Third  year,  first  term,  plane  geometry,  chemistry, 
Mediaeval  history;  second  term,  plane  geometry,  chemistry,  English  history; 
third  term,  plane  geometry,  chemistry,  English  history.  Fourth  year,  first 
term,  literature,  physics,  book-keeping  and  commercial  arithmetic,  or  eco- 
nomics; second  term,  literature,  physics,  book-keeping,  and  commercial  arith- 
metic or  comparative  constitutional  law;  third  term,  literature,  physics,  book- 
keeping and  commercial  arithmetic  or  comparative  constitutional  law.  Music, 
drawing  and  rhetoricals  throughout  the  course.  Literature  once  a  week 
during  the  first  three  years.  Book-keeping  may  be  taken  out  of  this  course, 
as  hereafter  it  will  be  given  in  the  eighth  grade. 

It  ought  to  be  stated  that  Miss  Mabel  Jones  has  been  granted  by  the 
School  Controllers,  because  of  ill  health,  a  leave  of  absence  for  the  entire 
present  year.  Her  position  as  teacher  of  natural  sciences  is  filled  in  her 
absence  by  Mr.  R.  B.  Brownlee,  a  graduate  of  Rochester  University,  New 
York. 

St.  Joseph's  Coiifciif.  Sisters  of  Mercy. — The  order  of  the  "Sisters  of 
Mercy"  was  founded  in  Ireland,  in  the  early  part  of  the  century,  by  the 
venerable  Catherine  McAuley,  whose  aim  was  to  succor  the  poor  and  afflicted 
by  spiritual  and  physical  works  of  mercy. 

Right  Rev.  Michael  O'Connor,  when  Bishop  of  Pittsburg,  saw  the  need 
of  such  a  noble  band  of  women  in  his  vast  diocese,  and  to  secure  such  an 
agency  he  visited  Ireland,  and  earnestly  entreated  the  sisters  to  establish  in 
his  diocese  a  community  such  as  existed  under  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin. 
His  appeal  prevailed.  When  in  1843  the  sisters,  under  tlie  Right  Rev. 
Bishop  O'Connor,  as  their  spiritual  head,  sailed  for  America,  the  present 
Bishop  of  Erie,  Dr.  IMullen,  then  a  young  man,  came  in  the  same  ship, 
"Ocean  Queen,"  as  a  student  with  the  Bishop,  and  the  brave  little  band  of 
Sisters  of  Mercy  that  has  since  spread  itself  in  many  dioceses  throughout 
this  country,  performing  the  beneficent  work  intended  by  its  founder  of 
blessed  memory. 

In  September,  1870,  Right  Rev.  Tobias  Mullen,  Bishop  of  Erie,  applied 
at  the  Pittsburg  convent  for  Sisters  of  Mercy  to  come  into  his  diocese,  seven 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  329 

sisters  were  sent  by  the  Pittsburg  Superior,  Mother  EvangeHst  Kinsella, 
who.  with  tlie  venerable  Sister  Isadora  Fisher,  acompanied  the  seven  pioneers 
to  tlieir  field  of  labor.  They  came  to  Titusville,  where  they  were  warmly 
received  by  Bishop  Mullen  and  the  priests  of  the  city  where  they  were  to 
found  an  institution  of  their  order.  The  convent  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy 
in  Titusville  had  for  its  first  .superior  Mother  M.  Nolasco  Kratzer,  who  con- 
tinued from  September  24,  1870,  to  preside  over  the  institution  until  her 
death,  September  8,  1872.  She  is  described  as  the  embodiment  of  many 
virtues,  and  in  her  death  the  sisters  sustained  a  sad  loss.  She  was  succeeded 
by  Mother  M.  Celestine  Rafferty,  who  developed  remarkable  executive  abil- 
ity, and  under  whose  administration  for  many  years  was  erected  that  great 
brick  pile  on  '\^'est  Main  Street,  as  well  as  the  establishment  of  an  institution 
of  learning.     She  was  Mother  Superior  from   September  9,   1872,  to  May 

25,  1882.  Mother  M.  Evangelist  Milligen  was  Mother  Superior  for  the 
next  three  years.  Mother  M.  Celestine  was  again  Superior  from  May  21, 
1885,  to  July  30,  1891.  From  that  date  until  her  death,  November  7,  1892, 
Mother  M.   Evangelist  was  Superior.     From  November   12,    1892,  to  July 

26,  1894,  Mother  Celestine  was  Superior.  For  the  next  three  years,  Mother 
M.  Basil  O'Brien  was  Superior.  The  present  Superior  entered  upon  the 
duties  of  her  office  July  29.  1897.  Mother  Celestine  died  August  3,  1897. 
The  present  Superior  is  Mother  M.  Austin  Kratzer.  She  has  long  served  in 
the  St.  Joseph's  Convent.  She  is  a  younger  sister  of  Mother  M.  Nolasco, 
the  first  Su])erior  in  this  diocese,  who  gave  her  life  to  works  of  mercy.  Al- 
most thirty  years  apart,  the  two  Kratzer  sisters  were  at  the  head  of  the  same 
community  of  Sisters  of  Mercy. 

It  ought  to  be  understood  that  the  headquarters  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy 
of  the  entire  Erie  diocese  are  at  Titusville,  the  mother  home  being  at  St. 
Joseph's  Convent,  so  that  all  the  institutions  of  the  order  in  the  diocese  are 
now  under  the  authority  and  administration  of  Mother  M.  Austin.  The 
community  o\-er  which  she  presides  at  present  numbers  sixty  sisters. 

The  strongest  and  most  conspicuous  figure  of  the  community,  since  its 
establishment  in  the  diocese  twenty-eight  years  ago,  was  Mother  M.  Celestine. 
Her  executive  ability  was  extraordinary.  A  good  deal  of  her  work  in  the 
diocese  was  outside  of  Titusville.  As  before  said,  the  great  brick  edifices 
of  St.  Joseph's  Convent  are  very  largely  the  work  of  her  administration.     At 


330  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

her  death  she  had  filled  the  office  of  Mother  Superior  almost  two-thirds  of  the 
time  since  the  beginning  of  the  community  in  the  diocese,  in  1870. 

The  schools  of  St.  Joseph's  Convent  are  in  part  parochial  and  in  part 
general ;  but  the  instruction  imparted  in  the  schools  is  strictly  non-sectarian. 
The  large  edifices  are  amply  provided  with  accommodations  for  boarding 
pupils,  and  the  institution  has  always  had  a  large  number  of  pupil  boarders. 
The  instruction  embraces  both  primary  and  higher  branches,  the  latter  in- 
cluding English  literature,  langaiages,  natural  sciences  and  higher  mathe- 
matics. By  the  system  followed  it  is  expected  that  pupils  will  be  under  the 
care  of  the  sisters  as  boarders  at  the  convent,  or  under  the  eye  of  their  parents 
at  home.  But  pupils  from  abroad,  if  under  the  custody  of  proper  authority, 
may  be  admitted  to  the  tuition  of  the  schools,  though  not  boarding  at  the 
institution.     Great  care,  however,  is  exercised  in  this  respect. 

CHURCHES. 

The  earliest  religious  association  in  the  Titus  settlement  was  begun  by 
the  Presbyterians.  It  ought  to  be  understood  that  the  Titus  settlement  was 
the  central  point,  from  the  first,  of  all  Oil  Creek  Township.  The  place  was 
sometimes  called  '"Oil  Creek,"  and  sometimes  "Titus's."  No  church  records 
of  the  early  doings  of  the  faithful  ones,  who  came  together  in  the  name  of 
their  Master,  now  exist.  Upon  tradition  alone  is  the  first  information 
respecting  the  first  religious  work  in  the  settlement  founded.  By  tradition 
we  learn  that  the  Rev.  Richard  Stockton,  of  Meadville,  and  Rev.  Samuel 
Tait,  of  Cool  Spring,  Mercer  County,  held  communions  among  the  Presby- 
terians of  Oil  Creek  in  the  early  years  of  the  century.  Religious  services 
were  held  in  a  log  barn  belonging  to  Jonathan  Titus,  on  the  east  side  of 
Franklin  Street,  between  Pine  Street  and  Spring.  The  Kerrs  and  the  Currys 
were  Presbyterians,  as,  in  fact,  were  perhaps  most  of  the  settlers  in  Oil 
Creek  in  the  first  two  decades  of  this  century.  Finally  came  Rev.  Amos 
Chase,  the  progenitor  of  the  many  Chases  of  the  present  generation  in  eastern 
Crawford,  from  Connecticut.  He  came  as  a  missionary  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Presbyterian  denomination,  and  in  181 5  he  organized  the  first  Pres- 
byterian church,  as  a  regular  ecclesiastical  body,  in  the  Titus  settlement.  He 
continued  the  pastor  of  this  church  for  about  fifteen  years,  but  at  the  same 
time  performed  missionary  labor  in  the  surrounding  country.  The  first 
church  at  the  start  had  forty  members.     Rev.  Chase  divided  his  time,  gi\'ing 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  331 

to  the  Oil  Creek  church  one-half,  to  a  congregation  at  Centreville  one-fourth, 
and  to  missionary  work  the  remaining  time.  In  1830,  when  at  the  age  of 
seventy,  he  resigned  at  Oil  Creek  and  settled  at  Centreville.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded at  Oil  Creek  by  Rev.  George  W.  Hampson,  who  began  to  minister  in 
September,  1830,  but  was  not  regularly  installed  as  pastor  until  nearly  two 
years  afterward.  He  continued  pastor  for  about  twenty-two  years.  His 
ministry  ended  ]\Iarch  i,  1853.  For  the  next  five  years  and  three  months 
the  church  was  without  a  pastor.  It  may  be  noted  that  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  Titusville,  which  has  had  an  actual  existence  for  almost  a  century, 
has  many  times  during  the  last  fifty  years  gone  for  a  considerable  period 
without  a  pastor.  During  the  last  forty  years  the  church  has  been  especially 
strong.  Its  contributions  for  both  home  and  foreign  missions  have  been 
exceptionally  large.  But  during  this  period  its  pastoral  vacancies  have  been 
numerous.  It  has  two  church  edifices,  and  a  highly  comfortable  and  pleasant 
parsonage.  It  pays  its  ministers  much  larger  salaries  than  any  other  religious 
society  in  the  community.  It  supports  an  excellent  choir  at  a  good  deal  of 
expense.  Its  principal  house  of  worship  is  almost  palatial  in  external  beautv 
and  interior  elegance  and  comfort.  But  its  pastors  often  resign  and  accept 
calls  to  other  fields  of  usefulness.  It  is  true  that  the  pastors  who  go  else- 
where have  usually  improved  their  own  interests  by  making  the  change.  And 
it  is  also  true  that  the  ministers  of  other  denominations  in  Titusville  resign 
their  pastorships.  But  no  other  denomination  is  able  to  pay  its  pastors  as 
large  salaries  as  the  Presbyterians  can  do.  The  ]\Ieth6dists,  by  their  system, 
are  obliged  to  change  pastors. 

The  Presbyterian  church,  by  the  interregnum  from  March  i.  1853,  to 
July  I,  1858,  suffered  much  from  apathy.  The  fold  in  the  long  absence  of  a 
shepherd  became  sadly  scattered.  Finally  two  elders,  AVilliam  Kelly  and 
C.  M.  Allen,  called  a  church  meeting  in  the  fall  of  1858,  and  something  like 
a  reorganization  was  effected.  Rev.  George  H.  Hammer  had  begun  to 
minister  to  the  church  July  i,  1858.  But  his  work  was  not  easy,  and  in  1861 
he  resigned  to  take  the  command  of  a  cavalry  company,  enlisted  in  Crawford 
County.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Samuel  Wykoff,  who  officiated  until 
1863.  Rev.  W.  C.  Curtis  served  from  1863  to  May,  1865.  Re\-.  W.  H. 
Taylor  ministered  from  November,  1865,  to  1869.  Rev.  Alexander  Sinclair 
was  pastor  from  November,  1869,  to  May,  1874.  Rev.  Robert  Sloss  from 
January,   1875,  to  1877.     Rev.  W.  J.  Chichester,  from  November,   1877,  to 


332  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

^larch,  1881.  Rev.  J.  L.  Maxwell,  D.  D..  from  May,  1881.  to  April,  1887. 
Rev.  M.  D.  Kneeland,  D.  D.,  from  December,  1887,  to  October,  1890.  Rev. 
W.  P.  Stevenson,  from  May,  1891,  to  June,  1898.  When  the  division  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  occurred  in  1837,  into  the  old  and  new  schools,  the 
Titusville  church  joined  the  new  school,  and  continued  with  that  branch  until 
a  reunion  of  the  parts  in  1870. 

Soon  after  the  beginning  of  the  century  the  little  congregation  held  its 
meetings  in  private  houses,  in  barns,  in  school  houses,  and  sometimes  in 
groves.  At  about  the  year  1812  a  log  church  was  built  upon  the  east  side  of 
the  old  burying  ground,  near  the  head  of  Franklin  Street.  In  1837  there 
was  finished  a  frame  church  building  immediately  west  of  the  old  log  church, 
and  directly  at  the  head  of  Franklin  Street,  where  now  is  the  German  Re- 
formed church.  The  site  of  the  church  was  the  gift  of  Jonathan  Titus.  The 
cost  of  its  construction  was  $1,500.  As  the  prices  of  lumber  and  labor  at 
that  time  were  low,  it  may  be  inferred  that  the  edifice  was  a  very  respectable 
one.  In  1863  the  building  and  part  of  the  lot  were  sold  for  $1,000,  and  a 
lot  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Franklin  and  Walnut  streets  was  purchased 
for  $1,100,  and  upon  this  site  a  handsome  wooden  edifice  was  finished  in  the 
summer  of  1865.  The  organ  was  donated  the  same  summer  by  Dr.  William 
M.  Jennings,  who  died  suddenly  in  Titusville  in  the  winter  of  1868-9.  T"he 
same  organ  is  now  in  use  in  the  beautiful  new  church.  The  wooden  church 
building  which  had  been  occupied  as  a  house  of  worship  since  1865  was 
moved  southeastward  in  1887,  to  make  room  for  a  more  commodious  struc- 
■  ture.  as  required  by  an  increasing  congregation.  After  the  old  edifice  had 
been  moved  it  was  thoroughly  repaired,  and  it  has  since  been  used  as  an 
annex  of  the  new  building,  for  the  many  purposes  of  common  meetings, 
connected  with  the  church,  for  lectures,  concerts,  etc.  The  new  edifice  was 
dedicated  in  May,  1889.  Its  walls  are  constructed  of  Medina  red  sandstone. 
It  is  a  beautiful  structure.  The  parsonage,  on  the  west  side  of  Franklin 
Street,  directly  opposite  the  rectory  of  St.  James  church,  is  a  large  two-story 
residence,  both  attractive  and  comfortable.  It  was  purchased  in  1870.  Mrs. 
Charles  Hyde  made  the  generous  contribution  of  $1,000  toward  the  pur- 
chase. Since  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Stevenson,  to  accept  a  higher  charge  at 
Syracuse,  New  York,  the  church  has  been  without  a  pastor.  It  might  seem 
that  the  Titusville  church  has  a  system  of  graduating  its  ministers  for  more 
important  posts  elsewhere. 


OUR   COUNTY  AXD   ITS  PEOPLE.  i^^^ 

Methodist  Church. — Among  the  early  settlers  of  what  is  now  Oil  Creek- 
Township,  there  were  se\-eral  Methodist  families,  but  not  many  of  the  persua- 
sion at  the  central  point,  or  "Titus's."  It  seems  that  the  first  class  at  Titns- 
ville  was  organized  in  October,  i860.  This  class  was  composed  principally 
of  women,  and  its  leader  was  James  H.  Davis.  The  Titusville  Circuit  had 
been  formed  in  1857.  In  i860  it  became  a  four  weeks  circuit,  including  in 
its  points  Titusville,  Hydetown,  Riceville.  Centreville,  Spartansburg,  Bethel 
and  Chapman's.  In  1861  it  was  reduced  to  two  points,  Titusville  and  Bethel, 
the  latter  in  the  northern  part  of  Oil  Creek  Township.  In  1864  the  branch 
at  Titusville  became  a  distinct  established  church.  After  the  forming  of  the 
class  in  i860,  meetings  were  held  in  the  school  house,  in  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  in  the  Universalist  church  on  Pine  Street.  The  ministers  who 
rode  the  circuit  from  1857  to  1863  inclusive  were  Revs.  X.  \\\  Jones.  W. 
Hayes,  J.  C.  Schofield,  D.  M.  Stever  and  T.  Stubbs.  The  latter  was  pastor 
of  the  Titusville  church  in  1864-5,  two  years.  His  successors  have  been 
Rev.  N.  G.  Luke,  1866-7,  two  years;  Rev.  W.  P.  Bignell,  1868-9-70,  three 
years;  Rev.  D.  C.  Osborne,  1781-2,  two  years;  Rev.  A.  N.  Craft,  1873-4-5, 
three  years;  Rev.  J.  N.  Fradenberg,  1876-7,  two  years;  Rev.  W.  W.  Painter, 
1878-9,  two  years;  Rev.  W.  F.  Day,  1880-1-2,  three  years;  Rev.  J.  N.  Fraden- 
berg, 1883-4,  two  years;  Rev.  C.  H.  Hall,  1885-6,  two  years;  Rev.  J.  W. 
Blaisdell,  1887-8,  two  years;  Rev.  John  Lusher,  1889  to  1893  inclusive,  five 
years;  Rev.  C.  W.  Miner,  1894-5,  two  years;  Rev.  W.  \\'.  Dale,  1896-7-8. 
Rev.  Dale  is  therefore  the  present  pastor. 

In  1863  two  lots  were  purchased  by  the  Methodist  Society  on  the  north- 
west corner  of  Perry  and  Pine  streets,  on  which  to  erect  a  church  and  a 
parsonage.  The  church  edifice,  as  first  built,  was  40x93  feet,  in  width  and 
length.  Its  length  was  subsequently  increased  many  feet.  It  was  sur- 
mounted by  a  beautiful  tower.  It  was  first  occupied  in  February,  1864,  but 
it  was  not  dedicated  until  November  following.  The  distinguished  Bishop 
Simpson  preached  the  dedicatory  sermon.  The  interior  of  the  church  was 
beautifully  furnished.  The  cost  of  both  church  and  parsonage  was  $16,000. 
The  first  church  bell  to  send  out  its  inspiring  tones  to  the  people  of  Titusville 
was  purchased  by  private  contribution,  and  hung  in  the  tower  of  the  Metho- 
dist church. 

Among  the  more  active  members  of  the  Methodist  congregation  at  this 
time  w^ere  James  H.  Davis,  A.  B.  Funk,  Charles  Burtis,  James  Burtis,  John 


334  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Brown  and  J.  W.  Wilcox.  Tlie  death  of  Mr.  Funk  soon  afterward  was  a 
loss  to  the  church  and  to  the  community.  He  was  a  man  of  sterling  char- 
acter. He  was  especially  devoted  to  church  matters.  He  not  only  con- 
tributed liberally  of  his  means,  but  he  participated  actively  in  all  parts  of 
church  work.  James  H.  Davis  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  was  a  pillar  of  the 
Methodist  denomination  in  Titusville.  Mr.  Z.  Waid  for  a  generation  has 
been  an  active  member.  H.  C.  Bosley,  the  first  superintendent  of  the  Titus- 
ville schools,  was  especially  useful  in  church  work.  The  present'  school 
superintendent,  Henry  Pease,  belongs  also  to  the  Methodist  denomination. 
Jesse  Smith,  W.  B.  Benedict,  C.  S.  Barrett,  Norris  Grossman,  and  others 
might  be  mentioned  as  prominent  representatives  of  the  Titus\-ille  church 
at  the  present  time.  The  distinguishing  quality  of  the  Methodist  denom- 
ination, throughout  the  world,  zvarmth,  has  always  characterized  the  Metho- 
dist church  in  Titusville.  Heat  is  life,  and  the  remarkable  success  of  Meth- 
odist work  everywhere  is  largely  due  to  this  principle  prevailing  almost 
universall}-  in  the  Methodist  system. 

Univevsalist  Church. — The  Universalists  were  not  numerous  in  the  early 
history  of  Titusville,  but  they  displayed  a  zeal  born  of  conviction.  This 
fact  is  evident  from  their  erection  of  a  house  of  worship  as  early  as  1844, 
when  Titusville  was  a  small  village.  This  church  was  a  frame  building, 
on  the  north  side  of  Pine  Street,  between  Franklin  and  Martin.  Rev.  C.  L. 
Shipman  and  others  had  previously  preached  the  faith  of  Universalism  in 
the  community.  It  is  probable  that  the  congregations  which  assembled  in 
the  new  meeting  house  were  composed  largely  of  people  who  had  come  some 
distance  from  the  surrounding  country.  This  and  the  Presbyterian  edifice  at 
the  head  of  Franklin  Street  were  the  only  two  meeting  houses  in  Titusville, 
until  the  completion  of  the  St.  James  Memorial  church  in  1864.  This  little 
chapel  was  long  a  useful  building  to  the  community.  It  was  occupied  fre- 
quently by  other  denominations.  It  was  sold  about  the  year  1862  to  the 
German  Reformed  Society. 

In  1865  the  Universalists  erected  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Perry  and 
Main  streets  a  very  solid  brick  edifice,  and  hung  in  its  tower  a  deep-toned 
bell. 

The  first  pastor  who  ministered  in  the  new  church  was  Rev.  F.  Stanley 
Bacon,  who  entered  upon  his  duties  in  the  winter  of  1865-6,  and  continued 
as  pastor  for  about  a  year.     Afterward  for  several  years  the  pulpit  was  ir- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  335 

regularly  supplied  by  various  preachers.  Rev.  J.  Murray  Bailey  was  elected 
pastor  June  i,  1871.  He  held  the  office  until  ]\Iarch  i,  1874.  Rev.  Charles 
E.  Tucker  was  pastor  from  September,  1875,  to  January  i,  1879.  Regular 
services  were  resumed  in  November,  1884,  by  Rev.  H.  W.  Hand,  state  super- 
intendent of  the  Universalist  convention,  who  preached  until  May  following. 
After  this  Rev.  C.  L.  Shipman  supplied  the  church  the  same  year  until  August 
2d.  Rev.  S.  A.  Whitcomb  preached  from  August  2d,  1885,  to  June  i,  1886. 
Rew  A.  U.  Hutchins  ministered  from  August,  1886,  to  July,  1887.  Rev. 
E.  F.  Pember  was  pastor  from  October  i,  1887,  to  April  i,  1890.  Re\'.  '\l. 
H.  Houghton  was  pastor  immediately  afterward  luitil  October.  1892.  He 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Mclnarney,  who  was  pastor  from  October 
1892,  to  July,  1893.  Rev.  I.  K.  Richardson,  the  present  pastor,  has  min- 
istered since  November,  1895. 

The  St.  James  Memorial  Church,  Protestant  Episcopal,  had  its  begin- 
ning in  1S62,  when  Rev.  Henry  Purdon  came  to  the  oil  country  as  a  mission- 
ary. Soon  after  his  arrival  he  established  a  mission  in  Titus\-ille,  and  at 
once  entered  upon  what  has  resulted  in  a  life  work.  In  1863  he  founded  a 
church,  of  which  he  has  ever  since  been  the  rector.  The  massive  church 
editice,  within  whose  walls  of  solid  cut  stone  the  St.  James  congregation  has 
worshipped  more  than  one-third  of  a  century,  symbolizes  the  character  of  the 
religious  work  and  life  of  Rev.  Dr.  Purdon  in  Titusville.  During  this  period 
of  more  than  thirty-six  years  the  many  upheavals,  the  vicissitudes  and  the 
shiftings  in  the  oil  country  have  been  sudden  and  often  terribly  destructive 
in  their  results.  A  few  of  the  poor,  it  is  true,  have  become  rich.  But  many 
who  were  wealthy  thirty-six  years  ago,  have  long  since  become  poor.  In  the 
numerous  disasters  which,  from  time  to  time,  have  swept  over  the  oil  region, 
St.  James  ]\Iemorial  Church  has  often  suffered.  But  during  all  its  trials 
Dr.  Purdon  has  stood  constantly  at  his  post,  and  unflinchingly  grappled  with 
misfortunes,  which,  if  met  with  less  heroic  courage,  patience  and  calm  judg- 
ment, would  ha\'e  overwhelmed  his  charge. 

Among  Dr.  Purdon's  active  supporters  in  the  early  days  was  Edwin  L. 
Drake,  whose  discovery  in  Titusville  in  1859  had  opened  to  the  world  a  won- 
derful industry.  William  H.  Abbott,  George  M.  Mowbray  and  F.  W.  Ames 
gave  him  assistance  and  valuable  co-operation.  Jonathan  Watson  was  also 
a  generous  friend.  St.  James  Memorial  Church  was  chartered  in  1863.  The 
cornerstone  of  the   church   edifice,   on    the   northeast   corner  of    Main   and 


336  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Franklin  streets,  was  laid  in  September,  1863,  by  Bishop  William  Bacon 
Stevens,  and  it  was  dedicated  by  Bishop  Alonzo  Potter  in  October,  1864. 
It  is  gothic  in  architecture,  with  walls  of  cut  blocks  of  sandstone,  laid  in  solid 
masonry,  presenting  a  very  substantial,  as  well  as  beautiful,  structure.  The 
interior  of  the  church  was  decorated  and  furnished  in  a  style  corresponding 
to  the  external  beauty  of  the  building,  and  with  special  regard  to  the  comfort 
of  worshippers.  It  has  now  a  very  fine  slate  roof.  In  1893  a  campanile, 
one  hundred  feet  high,  from  the  summit  of  which  are  heard  the  tones  of  the 
St.  James  bell,  was  erected.  The  church  was  decorated  by  the  Lambs  of 
New  York  in  1896  and  all  the  present  handsome  furniture  placed  in  position, 
the  memorial  gifts  of  many  friends.  In  the  same  year  a  new  stone  porch 
on  the  west  side  of  the  church  was  built,  as  a  gift  by  Mr.  J.  C.  AIcKinney. 
The  chancel  window  i^  a  gift  of  the  Roberts  family,  in  memory  of  the  late 
Dr.  W".  B.  Roberts.  Also  a  beautiful  window  on  the  south  side  of  the  church 
is  the  gift  of  Edward  Griswold  HoUister  in  1896  to  his  wife,  Elizabeth 
Boyer.  On  the  east  side  of  the  church  is  a  very  substantial,  commodious  brick 
building,  a  chapel,  or  annex  of  the  church,  erected  in  1864.  North  of  the 
church,  on  Franklin  Street,  is  the  rectory,  spacious  and  comfortable,  the  main 
part  of  which  was  erected  in  1868.  The  L  part  next  to  the  church  was  built 
by  Dr.  Purdon  at  his  own  expense.  The  beautiful  grounds  on  which  all  the 
above  described  structures  stand,  embrace  four  full  sized  city  lots,  almost  an 
acre  in  area — one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  on  Main  Street  and  two  hundred 
and  forty  on  Franklin.  This  property  was  purchased  of  Jonathan  Watson 
in  1863  for  $i,20O---$300  a  lot.  When  it  is  remembered  that  Franklin  and 
Spring  had  always,  since  the  opening  of  the  Titus  settlement,  been  two  most 
important  streets  of  the  place,  and  that  the  oil  development  had  made  Titus- 
ville,  in  1863,  an  active  and  growing  town,  it  would  seem  that  Mr.  Watson 
generously  parted  with  his  lands  at  a  low  price.  But  this  was  only  the  be- 
ginning of  his  generosity  toward  Dr.  Purdon's  church  enterprise.  He  con- 
tributed $1,000  toward  the  construction  of  the  church.  In  view  of  the  inter- 
esting auspices  under  which  the  founding  of  St.  James  Church  began,  it  seems 
fitting  to  mention  some  of  the  events  and  some  of  the  men  connected  with  the 
undertaking.  Dr.  Purdon  was  sent  to  the  oil  country  by  the  Bishop  of 
Pennsylvania,  the  illustrious  Alonzo  Potter,  the  father  of  several  illustrious 
sons,  among  whom  may  be  named  the  present  Bishop  Potter  of  New  York. 
In  August,    1861,  Bishop  Bowman,  assistant  bishop  of  the  diocese  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  337 

Pennsylvania.  wliile  journeying  toward  the  oil  country,  suddenly  dropped 
dead  on  a  railroad  tracl<  near  Kittanning,  P'ennsyh-ania.  The  sad  occurrence 
produced  a  great  shock  among  the  people  of  his  church,  liy  whom  Bishop 
Bowman  had  been  beloved.  Moved  by  a  feeling  of  deep  regard  for  the  mem- 
ory of  the  deceased  prelate,  in  response  to  an  appeal  by  the  senior  bishop  for 
contributions  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a  memorial  church  in  the  region 
where  Bishop  Bowman,  while  on  an  episcopal  mission,  had  lost  his  life,  the 
people  had  sent  offerings  to  the  amount  of  $4,000.  The  money  was  placed 
on  deposit  at  six  per  cent  interest  until  a  location  could  be  selected.  In 
April.  1862,  Dr.  Purdon  received  the  following  appointment: 

■"The  Rev.  H.  Purdon  is  hereby  appointed  to  minister  at  Franklin,  Titus- 
ville,  etc.  He  is  a  Presbyter  in  regular  standing,  enjoying  the  confidence  of 
his  bishop  antl  brethren  of  the  clergy,  and  is  commended  to  the  cordial  regard 
and  affectionate  co-operation  of  the  people  among  whom  he  is  to  labor. 

"Alonzo  Potter,  Bishop,  etc." 

In  a  private  letter  accompanying  this  commission,  Bishop  Potter  wrote 
to  Dr.  Purdon:  "It  is  a  very  critical  and  important  time  for  the  church  in 
the  oil  regions.  Wt  have  collected  some  $4,000  for  a  memorial  church  to 
Bishop  Bowman  in  that  region.  At  one  ix)int  named  in  your  commission, 
Titusville.  a  large  sum  additional  is  promised  in  case  the  church  is  erected 
there.  \\'e  need  greatly  a  resident  minister  on  the  ground,  who.  by  thor- 
ough survey  of  the  different  points  and  by  intercourse  at  large  with  the 
people,  and  familiar  with  the  probabilities  of  the  future,  shall  be  able  to  aid 
us  in  choosing  wisely  for  all  time  the  location  of  the  church,  and  superintend 
the  erection  of  it." 

Dr.  Purdon  came  forthwith  to  the  oil  country  and  held  his  first  service 
at  Franklin  on  Sunday,  May  7,  1862,  and  came  on  to  Titusville  the  next 
day.  The  actual  residents  of  the  place  did  not  then  exceed  six  hundred, 
but  there  was  a  large  crowd  of  strangers  present,  a  floating  population  in 
pursuit  of  wealth  from  the  production  of  oil.  Then  followed  a  remarkable 
missionary  work  at  different  points  of  this  section  of  country.  After  supply- 
ing a  pulpit  in  a  temporary  absence  of  the  rector  at  Meadville,  during  the  rest 
of  May,  Dr.  Purdon  was  again  at  Franklin  on  Sunday,  June  ist,  and  on  tlie 
afternoon  of  the  same  day  he  conducted  services  at  Oil  City.  The  next 
Sunday,  June  8,  he  preached  his  first  sermon  at  Titusville,  in  Crittenden  Hall. 
For  many  weeks  he  was  constantly  on  horseback,  rain  or  shine,  riding  at  a 


338  OUR  COUNTY  A^^D  ITS  PEOPLE. 

single  stretch  thirty  miles,  from  point  to  point,  between  Franklin  and  Tion- 
csta,  and  between  both  of  these  places  and  Titusville,  and  ministering"  in  turn 
to  several  congregations.  In  1862  he  established,  as  already  stated,  a  mis- 
sion in  Titnsville,  and  organized  a  vestry.  Both  Warren  and  Franklin  were 
anxious  to  get  the  Bowman  Memorial  Fund,  but  they  were  unable  to  add  to 
it  a  domestic  endowment,  such  as  Titusville  was  prepared  to  guarantee.  For- 
tified by  this  guarantee,  under  the  direction  of  the  Titusville  vestry.  Dr. 
Purdon  went  alone  at  the  beginning  of  December,  1862,  to  Philadelphia, 
and  presented  Titusville's  claims.  As  a  result  of  Dr.  Furdon's  appeal, 
Tittisville  was  selected  as  the  site  of  the  Memorial  Church,  $3,000  of  the 
fimd  was  appropriated  by  the  diocese  to  that  end,  and  subsequently  the  rest 
of  the  fund  was  given  toward  the  erection  of  the  Trinity  Memorial  Church 
at  Warren.  \\'hen  the  Titusville  Church  was  completed  it  received  $552.50 
from  the  Society  for  the  Advancement  of  Christianity  in  Pennsylvania. 

St.  Tifus  Catholic  Church. — This  church  was  the  outgrowth  of  St. 
Stephen's  Church  built  in  1827  about  two  miles  northeast  of  Titusville.  At 
an  early  day  Father  Ratigan  from  Philadelphia  visited  all  this  section  of 
country  in  looking  after  the  many  scattered  members  of  the  church.  Among 
those  who  ministered  in  the  early  periods  were  Fathers  Brown  and  McCabe 
of  Erie.  Then  Bishop  Kenrick  of  Philadelphia  from  1834  to  1840  visited 
St.  Stephen's  and  made  c<infirmations.  Afterward,  up  to  1849,  the  mission 
was  attei^ided  by  priests  from  the  various  sections  of  the  State.  In  1849 
it  was  officiated  over  by  Rev.  Joseph  Deane  of  Erie  for  about  a  year.  Next, 
Rev.  T.  A.  Smith  attended  for  two  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
Arthur  McConnell,  from  Crossing\-ille,  who  remained  about  a  year.  In  the 
beginning  of  1854  the  church  was  attended  by  Father  Berbiger.  He  was 
immediately  succeeded  by  Father  De  La  Roque,  who  remained  until  1861. 
Father  De  La  Roque  in  that  year  began  the  organization  of  the  St.  Titus 
Church  at  Titusville.  He  said  mass  in  a  cooper  shop  near  the  head  of  Frank- 
lin Street.  About  the  fall  of  1862  he  broke' ground  for  a  church  building  on 
the  present  location  of  the  church.  This  edifice  was  completed  in  the  latter 
part  of  1864  under  Father  Napoleon  Mignault,  who  had  been  sent  to  the 
parish  that  year  by  Bishop  Young,  of  Erie.  John  ;\I.  Kuhn,  of  Erie,  was 
the  contractor  who  built  the  church.  The  church  was  dedicated  in  1865  by 
Bishop  Young.  Father  Mignault  remained  the  rector  until  the  summer 
of  1871. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


339 


In  the  interregnum  which  followed  Very  Rev.  P.  I.  Sheridan,  now 
\'icar  General  of  the  diocese,  ministered.  Very  Rev.  John  D.  Coady  was 
l)astor  from  October  i,  1871,  to  March,  1892.  Rev.  Joseph  M.  Dunn  has 
been  rector  ever  since.  Father  Dunn's  pastoral  work  has  been  eminently 
successful  and  he  has  the  confidence  in  a  strong-  degree  of  his  people.  Dur- 
ing the  last  three  years  he  has  had  the  assistance  of  Rev.  D.  F.  Curley,  a  young 
priest  of  much  promise. 

Father  Coady  in  his  two  decades  of  ministration  was  a'  most  faithful 
pastor.  He  was  not  only  beloved  by  his  parishioners,  but  he  was  universally 
respected  in  the  community,  and  his  memory  wall  long  remain  fragrant  with 
the  people  of  Titusville.  St.  Titus'  Church  has  long  had  the  benefit  of  an 
excellent  choir.  To  Mr.  Joseph  Seep's  guardianship  and  training  the  suc- 
cess of  the  choir  is  largely  due,  and  the  church  owes  a  great  deal  in  other 
respects  to  Mr.  Seep  for  his  generous  support  and  earnest  co-operation. 

The  devotedness  of  the  communicants  of  St.  Titus'  Church  ought  to  be 
a  lesson  to  people  of  other  denominations.  When  several  hundred  worship- 
ers congregate  not  on  Sundays  alone,  but  on  every  day  of  the  week,  at  an 
early  morning  religious  service,  as  are  seen  assembling  every  morning  in 
all  kinds  of  weather  the  year  round,  at  St.  Titus',  it  must  be  that  the  pro- 
fessed religious  belief  of  such  people  has  a  deep  meaning. 

St.  ]Valburgas  Church,  Catholic. — The  German  congregation  of  Titus- 
ville was  organized  in  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1871.  After  a  consultation 
with  the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  the  German  Catholics,  anxious  to  have  a 
church  of  their  own,  began  to  build  on  the  northern  part  of  the  town,  on 
Brook  Street,  a  small  wooden  edifice.  The  frame  building  was  finished  in 
the  beginning  of  the  year  1872,  and  on  February  25  following,  it  was  dedi- 
cated to  God  by  Right  Rev.  Tobias  Mullen,  bishop  of  the  diocese. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  congregation  was  Rev.  George  Meyer,  who  was 
afterward  stationed  at  Meadville.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  James  Lach- 
ermaier,  who  ministered  from  1872  until  October  i,  1885.  Under  his  ad- 
ministration a  parsonage  and  later  a  schoolhouse  was  built.  A  great  deal  of 
energy  was  manifested  by  the  congregation  in  the  early  years,  when  the 
number  of  members  was  small,  but  with  the  assistance  of  the  good  citizens  of 
the  town,  irrespective  of  religious  belief,  the  little  church,  the  parsonage  and 
the  schoolhouse  were  all  paid  for. 

Father  Lachermaier  was  succeeded  by   Rev.  Joseph   Nan,  the  present 


340  OUR   COUNTY  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE. 

pastor,  on  October  i,  1885.  Under  his  administration,  the  congregation, 
having  increased  in  nnmbers,  became  more  ambitious,  and  they  planned  the 
erection  of  a  new  church.  The  cornerstone  of  this  was  laid  September  20, 
1 89 1,  by  Bishop  Mullen,  assisted  by  several  priests.  In  the  cornerstone 
was  placed  a  statement  written  in  the  German  language,  giving  the  date 
of  the  ceremony,  the  name  of  Pope  Leo  XIII.,  the  name  of  the  bishop  of  the 
diocese,  the  name  of  Cardinal  Gibbons  of  Baltimore,  the  names  of  the  pres- 
ent and  former  pastors,  and  the  names  of  the  President  of  the  United  States 
and  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Titusville. 
After  this  the  work  was  pushed  forward  to  the  completion  of  the  church  in 
the  summer  of  1893,  when  the  handsome  edifice  was  solemnly  dedicated  to 
divine  service,  on  August  27,  by  Bishop  Tobias  Mullen.  There  were  pres- 
ent on  this  solemn  and  joyous  occasion,  besides  the  resident  pastor  and  sev- 
eral other  friends,  the  former  pastors  of  the  congregation.  Solemn  high 
mass  was  celebrated  by  Father  Lachermaier,  and  the  sermon  preached  by 
Father  Meyer.  The  new  church  is  a  beautiful  and  imposing  structure, 
veneered  with  brick,  an  honor  to  the  congregation  and  to  the  city.  It  is  sur- 
mounted by  a  very  fine  spire  covered  with  aluminum,  containing  a  sweet- 
toned  bell,  which  was  presented  to  the  church  in  December,  1895,  by  the 
former  pastor.  Rev.  James  Lachermaier.  On  the  25th  of  February,  1897, 
the  congregation  celebrated  the  silver  jubilee  of  their  organization,  by  a  sol- 
emn high  mass  at  9  o'clock  A.  M.  A  large  concourse  of  people  partici- 
pated in  the  solemn  services,  thanking  God  for  the  benefits  received  for  a 
quarter  of  a  century. 

Baptist  Church. — About  the  month  of  February,  1864,  two  Baptist  cler- 
gymen. Revs.  B.  C.  Willoughby  and  H.  H.  Stockton,  began  a  series  of 
meetings  in  the  old  Universalist  church  on  Pine  Street.  A  paper  to  organize 
a  Baptist  church  in  Titusville  was  signed  by  fifteen  persons  on  February  15. 
On  May  9,  1864,  an  organization  of  a  church  society  was  effected  with  eleven 
members,  as  follows:  Russell  Chappel,  James  Parker,  David  Hanna  and 
wife,  Henry  J.  Esler  and  wife,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Hughson,  L.  S.  French,  D.  K. 
Williams  and  wife,  and  John  R.  Madison.  Of  these  original  members.  D. 
K.  Williams  and  wife  alone  remain.  Rev.  J.  J.  Gundy  was  the  first  pastor. 
He  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  church  society,  and  remained  pastor 
until  July,  1865.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  L.  Hayes,  who  resigned  the 
next  year.     Rev.  J.  N.  Webb  was  the  next  pastor,  serving  from  February, 


0^77?   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  341 

1867,  to  November,  1869.  Next,  Rev.  Andrew  Murdock  was  pastor  from 
May,  1870,  to  April,  1875.  Then  Rev.  William  Gilkes  served  from  October, 
1S75,  to  1877.  In  April,  1877,  Rev.  J.  H.  Gunning  succeeded  and  served 
two  years.  In  1879  Rev.  Frank  H.  Rowley  became  pastor,  and  served  until 
1885.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  L.  D.  Lamkin,  who  served  for  the  next 
five  years.  Rev.  F.  W.  Lockwood  next  served  five  years.  From  1895  to 
1897  Rev.  J.  C.  Thoms  ministered.  Since  then  the  church  has  been  without 
a  pastor.  But  recently,  Rev.  Owen  James,  D.  D.,  of  Nashville,  Tennessee, 
has  accepted  a  call  from  the  church,  and  he  is  expected  to  enter  upon  his  duties 
during  November,  1898. 

The  present  beautiful  and  imposing  church  edifice  was  begun  in  the 
summer  of  1865.  But  after  finishing  the  basement  and  beginning  the  brick 
walls  of  the  superstructure,  a  temporarj'  roof  over  the  whole  was  constructed 
and  the  work  suspended  until  after  the  Rev.  J.  N.  Webb  entered  upon  his 
pastoral  work.  Mr.  Webb  soon  began  the  completion  of  the  church  and 
after  two  years  of  hard  effort  he  succeeded.  The  church  was  dedicated  in 
the  summer  of  1869.  Mr.  Webb  is  entitled  to  a  great  deal  of  credit  for  his 
indefatigable  perseverance,  in  giving  to  his  people  a  home  for,  divine  wor- 
ship. The  church  now  has  a  fine  slate  roof.  The  church  building  is  situated 
on  the  southeast  corner  of  Walnut  and  Perry  streets. 

St.  Paul's  Reformed  Church. — In  1861  the  congregation,  afterward 
known  as  the  German  Reformed  Church  of  Titusville,  was  organized  by 
fifteen  original  members.  Not  one  of  the  persons  who  entered  into  a  com- 
pact as  a  church  society  is  now  living.  Rev.  Zischka  was  the  first  shepherd 
of  this  fold.  Besides  him,  the  following  ministers  served  up  to  187 1  :  Revs. 
Leberman,  Ebbenhaus,  Bemer,  Masaltsky  and  Kraus.  Their  first  church, 
the  old  Universalist  church,  was  on  Pine  Street, — now  Central  Avenue — 
on  the  north  side,  near  the  northwest  corner  of  Pine  and  Martin.  In  1871 
the  society  sold  this  church  and  purchased  a  site  at  the  head  of  Franklin 
Street.  At  this  time  the  society  had  about  one  hundred  members.  The  new 
organization  then  took  place,  with  the  name  of  the  German  Reformed  Church 
of  Titusville,  Rev.  Fuendling  being  the  first  pastor.  The  church  at  the 
head  of  Franklin  Street  was  finished  and  dedicated  in  1872.  The  Emperor 
of  Germany  made  to  the  congregation  the  present  of  a  cannon,  captured  in 
the  Franco-Prussian  war.  This  cannon  was  melted  and  cast  into  a  church 
bell  which  now  hangs  in  the  church  whence  it  sends  forth,  not  the  roar  of 


342  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

angry  battle,  but  notes  of  peace  and  mercy.  "Following  Mr.  Fuendling.  Rev. 
J.  H.  Eberly  ministered  to  the  congregation.  From  1878  to  1881  Rev.  John 
Roesch  was  pastor.  From  1882  to  1886  Rev.  John  Niehoff.  From  1886  to 
1893,  Rev.  Henry  Dieckmann.  Since  1893.  Rev.  Loren  Selzer,  the  present 
pastor,  has  ministered. 

In  1897  the  congregation,  by  more  than  a  two-thirds  vote,  decided  to 
change  the  name  of  the  church  and,  in  part,  the  mode  of  worship.  Previous 
to  this,  the  services  had  been  in  the  German  language.  It  was  decided  at  this 
meeting  that  the  morning  services  should  be  in  German,  and  all  others  in 
the  English  language;  also  that  the  name  of  the  society  should  be  "The  Re- 
formed Church  of  Titusville." 

B'Nai  Zion,  Hebrew. — The  first  meeting  of  the  Jewish  Reformed  So- 
ciety was  held  August  2,  1863.  A  Strasburger  was  chosen  president  and 
Jacob  Strauss,  secretary.  On  September  6  Felix  Jesselsohn  was  elected 
teacher  and  reader.  On  November  15  the  name  of  "The  Titusville  Hebrew 
Congregation"  was  adopted.  The  congregation  first  worshiped  in  a  build- 
ing where  the  Palace  Livery  Stable  now  stands,  on  Exchange  Alley.  The 
next  place  of  worship  was  in  the  Merchants'  Exchange  building,  on  the 
north  side  of  Spring  Street,  and  immediately  east  of  Exchange  Alley.  The 
next  place  was  in  a  building  where  the  Exchange  Block  now  stands.  They 
next  held  meetings  where  now  is  the  building  of  James  Brown,  on  Diamond 
Street,  until  1872,  when  the  B'nai  Zion  Temple  was  completed  on  the  east 
side  of  Franklin  Street,  a  short  distance  south  of  Spruce.  This  temple  was 
dedicated  by  Dr.  J.  A.  Wise  of  Cincinnati,  on  June  28,  1872. 

Rabbi  Jesselsohn  remained  pastor  until  1869.  Rabbi  Joseph  Swed  next 
officiated  two  years.  Then  Rev.  Dr.  Eger  ministered  three  years.  He  was 
succeeded  bv  Rev.  Felix  Jesselsohn,  who  remained  until  1887;  but  his  ser- 
vices during  this  time  had  several  intervals.  From  1887  Rev.  M.  Faber 
served  constantly  for  the  next  ten  years.  At  the  present  time  the  temple  is 
without  a  rabbi.  The  congregation  owns  the  house  of  worship,  the  temple, 
and  the  building  adjoining  it  on  the  north  side,  and  a  burying  ground  on 
Cherrytree  Hill,  a  little  south  of  the  city  limits.  This  property  was  pur- 
chased at  the  first  organization  of  the  society.  The  congregation  was  char- 
tered under  the  laws  of  the  State,  and  the  name  of  the  society  was  changed, 
in  1871,  from  the  "Titusville  Hebrew  Congregation"  to  the  "B'nai  Zion 
Congregation  of  Titusville." 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  34;, 

B'liai  Gciiiiluth  Chcscd  Orthodox  Hcbrci^'  Church  was  first  organized 
in  1863.  Ill  1870  the  church  was  chartered.  The  first  rahbi  was  Mr.  Bern- 
stein. Another  Avas  Mr.  Sigel.  After  1870  among  the  pastors  were  Revs. 
Jacobson,  M.  G.  Levensohn,  H.  Cohen  and  H.  Le\in.  Tlien  there  were  Rev. 
M.  Mendelsohn,  and  Rev.  Levensohn  again.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  J. 
Newman.  At  first  the  congregation  met  in  different  hahs.  Then  they  built 
a  synagogue  near  the  northeast  corner  of  Martin  and  Water  streets.  In 
1880  they  sold  the  synagogue  to  the  D.  A.  V.  &  P.  R.  R.,  and  built  the  pres- 
ent synagogue  on  North  Martin  Street,  and  in  that  temple  they  have  wor- 
shiped since.  The  present  officers  of  the  church  are  E.  Steinfirst,  president; 
M.  Berwald,  vice-president;  F.  Phillips,  treasurer,  and  H.  Gerson,  secretary. 

The  Szvcdish  Evangelical  Lutheran  Iimnanuel  Church  was  organized 
October  10,  1871,  in  the  basement  of  the  j\I.  E.  Church,  corner  of  Perry  and 
Pine  streets.  Rev.  C.  O.  Hultgren,  of  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  presided,  and 
Rev.  H.  O.  Lindeblad,  of  Sugar  Grove,  acted  as  secretary.  It  started  with 
forty  communicants.  Its  first  trustees  were  Rev.  C.  O.  Hultgren,  G.  F.  Palm- 
quist,  John  Henrickson,  John  Peterson,  L.  J.  Cederquist,  P.  J.  Hultgren  and 
Jacob  Svenson.  Its  first  recording  secretary  was  John  Peterson.  A  con- 
stitution and  by-laws  were  adopted,  and  by  vote  it  was  decided  to  ha\-e  the 
congregation  incorporated.  Its  first  deacons  were  L.  J.  Cederquist.  N.  P. 
Ekman  and  A.  Ryden. 

The  first  church  edifice  was  a  frame  building  on  the  northeast  corner  of 
Oak  and  Second  streets,  built  in  1872,  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,000.  Here  the 
congregation  worshiped  nineteen  years.  Then,  as  the  location  was  not  quite 
convenient,  and  the  building  in  need  of  repairs,  it  was  decided  at  a  congre- 
gation meeting  on  September  30,  1890,  to  buy  the  corner  lot  on  the  northeast 
corner  of  Elm  and  Perry  streets,  and  upon  it  erect  a  new  church  building. 
The  lot  was  purchased  and  a  new  church  built.  It  was  finished  in  1891,  but 
was  not  dedicated  until  1893.  The  new  lot  is  90x90.  The  church  is  a 
wooden  structure  with  its  walls  veneered  with  brick.  Its  dimensions  are 
38x60x20.  The  entire  cost  of  building  and  lot  was  $8,000.  The  congrega- 
tion owns  a  parsonage  at  166  North  Monroe  Street,  bought  in  1886.  On 
Saturday  and  Sunday,  October  10  and  11,  1896,  the  church  celebrated  its 
twenty-fifth  anniversary. 

The  names  of  the  pastors  and  their  respective  terms  of  service  are  as. 
follows:   Rev.  J.  W.  Kindborg,  from  1872  to  1875;  Rev.  A.  J.  Ostlin,  from 


344  OUR  COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

i?>77  to  1879;  Rev.  M.  U.  Norberg,  from  1880  to  1881;  Rev.  N.  G.  John- 
son, from  1882  to  1886;  Rev.  J.  A.  Hultkrans,  from  1886  to  1889;  Rev.  A. 
J.  Ryden,  from  1892  to  1894;  Rev.  A.  P.  Sater,  its  present  pastor,  has  min- 
istered since  1894.     This  church  seems  to  be  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

Tlie  Sivcdish  Congregational  Church  was  organized  February  i,  1893, 
with  ten  members.  Their  first  minister  was  Rev.  C.  O.  Seaburg,  who  served 
eight  months.  The  next  and  present  pastor  is  Rev.  A.  J.  Isaacson,  who  has 
served  during  the  last  five  years.  The  church  lias  now  thirty-five  communi- 
cants, and  the  number  is  steadily  growing. 

The  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  about  1869. 
Rev.  Benjamin  Wheeler  was  the  first  pastor.  He  served  until  1872.  The 
colored  people  had  held  religious  meetings  before  1869,  but  not  with  a  reg- 
ular organization.  The  erection  of  a  house  of  worship  was  begun  in  1870, 
but  it  was  not  completed  until  the  following  year.  Its  first  location  was  on 
the  southeast  corner  of  East  Elm  and  Myrtle  streets.  It  was  called  "Trinity 
Chapel,"  and  it  was  dedicated  in  August,  1871,  by  Right  Rev.  D.  A.  Payne, 
D.  D.,  bishop  of  the  diocese.  It  was  subsequently  moved  to  its  present  site, 
on  the  north  side  of  Spruce  Street,  between  Kerr  and  Brown.  Mr.  W.  J. 
Booth  contributed  the  lot  on  which  the  parsonage  stands,  adjoining  the  church 
on  the  west  side.  Rev.  J.  ]\I.  Morris  was  the  next  pastor,  serving  from  1872 
to  1875.  Next,  B.  Wheeler,  from  1875  to  1877.  Next,  W.  A.  J.  Phillips, 
from  1877  to  1879.  Next,  J.  M.  Morris,  1879  to  1880.  Next,  A.  B.  Palmer, 
1880  to  1883.  Next,  S.  T.  Jones,  from  1883  to  1885.  Next,  I.  N.  Ross,  from 
1885  to  1889.  Next,  W.  S.  Lowery,  1889  to  1893.  Next,  George  C.  Sampson, 
1893  to  1898.    Rev.  Ishmael  D.  Till,  B.  D.,  is  the  present  pastor. 

The  Free  Methodist  Cliurch,  whose  house  of  worship,  a  brick  structure 
with  a  slate  roof,  stands  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Perry  Street  and  Central 
Avenue,  is  described  by  a  prominent  member  of  the  denomination,  as  follows : 
"The  organization  of  the  Free  Methodist  Society  of  Titusville  is  coincident 
with  the  first  camp-meeting  held  by  the  Oil  City  district  of  the  Pittsburg 
Conference  of  the  Free  Methodist  Church  in  Roberts'  Grove  about  ten  years 
since.  This  meeting  continued  for  eight  days  and  was  emphasized  by  a  sim- 
ilar meeting  one  year  later,  the  converts  of  said  meetings  being  the  nucleus  of 
the  present  organization,  which  holds  regular  services  in  its  neat  brick  church, 
corner  Central  Avenue  and  Perry  Street,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  F.  E. 
Glass.     The  principles  and  issues  of  this  denomination  are  so  rigid  and  an- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  345 

tagonistic  to  the  popular  mind  and  the  general  trend  of  men's  everyday  hfe, 
that  their  growth  is  small  in  comparison  with  some  other  bodies  of  Chris- 
tians, and,  because  of  their  rigid  adherence  to  the  doctrines  and  practices  of 
original  Methodism,  they  are  now  by  many  regarded  as  peculiar  and  unneces- 
sarily particular.  But  they  steadfastly  refuse  to  change  and  alter  either 
their  doctrines  or  practices,  to  conform  to  meet  the  caprices,  demands  and 
styles  of  what  to  them  is  this  ungodly  "worldly"' nineteenth  century.  For 
several  years  they  met  from  place  to  place,  at  a  "jiilgrim's  house,  empty  store- 
room or  hall,  easily  accommodating  their  demands.  Six  years  since,  their 
Pittsburg  annual  conference  met  and  was  entertained  here,  Iiolding  their 
business  sessions  and  religious  services  in  Armory  Hall.  Many  converts  were 
made  at  this  time,  and  steps  were  immediately  taken  for  the  erection  of  a  suit- 
able place  of  worship.  The  same  was  consummated  a  year  later  under  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Critchlow.  The  short  itinerant  system  of  pastorates 
obtains  with  the  Free  Methodist  Church,  never  exceeding  two  years.  This 
has  given  Titusville  the  services  of  several  representative  men  of  this  de- 
nomination. We  recall  in  order,  Revs.  D.  B.  Tobey,  now  presiding  elder  of 
the  Oil  City  district;  A.  C.  Shower,  S.  M.  Sandy,  now  of  Hope  Mission, 
Pittsburg;  R.  H.  Bentley,  now  of  McKeesport;  J.  M.  Critchlow,  now  of 
Franklin ;  \\'.  B.  Roupe,  now  of  Hite  and  Tarentum ;  Thomas  Wain,  now  of 
Bolivar:  C.  F.  Reid,  now  of  Leechburg,  and  F.  E.  Glass,  the  present  pastor." 

TITUSVILLE    INDUSTRIES. 

The  Titusville  Iron  Company. — The  foundation  of  this  institution  was 
laid  more  than  a  generation  ago.  In  i860  an  iron  foundry  was  erected  on 
the  spot  which  has  ever  since  been  occupied  as  an  iron  industry,  which  every 
year,  since  its  beginning,  has  turned  out  large  quantities  of  manufactured 
products.  Among  those  who,  in  the  early  days  of  the  plant,  after  a  machine 
shop  was  added  to  the  foundry,  were  interested  in  the  works,  was  Jonathan 
Locke,  who  subsequently  continued  during  the  remainder  of  a  long  life  to 
operate  a  machine  shop  at  Titusville,  Pleasantville  and  Bradford.  John  C. 
Bryan  was  many  years  a  prominent  figure  as  one  of  the  proprietors  and 
managers  of  the  works.  With  him  was  long  associated  Captain  John  Dil- 
lingham. The  institution  has  finally  passed  into  the  hands  of  some  of  Titus- 
Ville's  wealthiest  and  most  enterprising  citizens.  Under  their  direction  for 
nearly  ten  years,  the  plant  has  prospered  and  grown  to  large  proportions. 


346  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  present  owners  of  the  industry,  on  October  20,  1889,  organized 
themselves  into  an  association  under  the  name  of  "The  Titusville  Iron  Com- 
pany, Limited."  On  January  i,  1896,  the  association  reorganized  as  a  cor- 
poration, under  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania,  absorbing  at  the  time  and  adopting, 
as  one  of  its  component  parts,  the  Joy  Radiator  \\^orks,  with  the  new  name  of 
"The  TitusviHe  Iron  Company,"  and  with  an  addition  of  $250,000  io  its 
capital. 

The  executive  officers  of  the  company  are :  John  Fertig,  president ;  J. 
C.  McKinney,  vice-president;  D.  Colestock,  secretary;  B.  F.  Kraffert.  treas- 
urer. The  board  of  directors  are  John  Fertig.  J.  L.  AIcKinney,  J.  C.  McKin- 
ney, John  J.  Carter,  E.  C.  Hoag,  B.  F.  Kraffert  and  D.  Colestock.  The 
company  manufactures  as  specialties  the  Acme  steam  engines  and  boilers,  the 
Olin  gas  engines,  steam  pumps,  stills,  agitators  and  blowers,  tanks,  tank 
cars,  general  plate  workers,  eccentric  powers,  pumping  jacks,  brass  and  iron 
castings. 

This  institution  has  done  more  work  in  the  construction  of  oil  refineries, 
that  is,  in  the  construction  of  stills,  engines  and  boilers,  pumps,  and  brass 
fittings  of  all  kinds,  etc.,  than  any  other  similar  plant  in  the  United  States. 

At  the  radiator  branch  of  the  company's  works,  are  made  steam  and 
hot  water  heaters  and  radiators.  The  Joy  radiators  are  gaining  a  world-wide 
reputation.  The  demand  for  them  comes  not  only  from  all  parts  of  the 
United  States,  where  the  heating  of  rooms  is  necessary,  but  from  several 
foreign  countries.  The  radiator  branch  has  eight  acres  of  land,  which  the 
compan}'  is  rapidly  covering.  The  heavy  increase  of  orders  for  the  radiators 
has  caused  the  company  to  give  a  contract  for  a  large  addition  to  its  build- 
ings, as  well  as  to  order  a  large  amount  of  new  manufacturing  machinery. 
The  company  has  secured  control  of  the  Bryant  moulding  machine,  a  re- 
markable contrivance,  one  of  which  does  the  work  of  one  hundred  men. 

The  company  has  branch  offices  at  152  Centre  Street,  New  York  City; 
82  Lake  Street,  Chicago,  and  10  and  12  Wood  Street,  Pittsburg,  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

The  first  engineers  in  the  world  have  made  thorough  practical  tests  of 
the  Joy  radiators,  in  comparison  with  others,  and  as  a  result  they  certify  to 
its  superior  merits.     It  is  not  by  favor  or  courtesy  to  individuals,  that  the 
Joy  radiators  are  selected  for  heating  such  wonderful  edifices  as  Ivin's  Syn- ' 
dicate  Building,  now  in  process  of  construction,  on  Park  Row,  New  York, 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  347 

thirty  stories  high,  the  highest  building  in  tlie  world ;  or  the  Standard  Oil 
Company's  new  building  in  New  York,  or  the  Hotel  Waldorf,  or  the  St. 
James  Building,  or  the  Produce  Exchange,  the  Lorillard  Building,  the 
University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  the  Barnard  College  new  buildings,  the 
Bank  of  New  York,  the  Hotel  Marie  Antoinette,  the  Buttenweiser  Building, 
the  W.  W.  Astor  Apartment  Building,  the  Lowe  Building,  Manhattan  Eye 
and  Ear  Hospital,  all  of  New  York  City.  In  Philadelphia  the  Joy  radiators 
heat  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad's  Broad  Street  Station,  Reading  Railroad 
Terminal  Station,  Drexel  Building,  Drexel  Institute,  Pennsylvania  Institu- 
tion for  Deaf  and  Dumb,  th.e  Presbyterian  Hospital,  Hotel  Lafayette,  Glad- 
stone's Apartment  House.  Then  may  be  mentioned  St.  Mary's  Maternity 
Hospital  in  Brooklyn,  New  York;  Delaware  &  Hudson  Canal  Company's 
buildings,  Albany,  New  York;  L'^nited  States  Hospital,  Fort  Wadsworth, 
New  York  Harbor.  The  above  are  a  few  of  the  public  buildings  which  are 
heated  by  Joy  radiators.  In  England,  Marlborough  House,  the  London 
residence  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  uses  these  radiators.  They  were  adopted 
and  installed  by  the  eminent  firm  of  engineers,  John  King,  Limited,  London. 
In  this  country  might  be  mentioned  the  residence  of  John  Jacob  Astor,  Rhine- 
cliff,  New  York;  the  residence  of  Mrs.  Robert  Garrett,  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
and  a  great  many  others.  The  company  is  behind  in  its  orders,  and  the  works 
are  crowded  to  their  fullest  capacity.  The  central  institution,  with  its  great 
brick  pile,  occupies  a  whole  square,  in  Titusville,  on  Franklin,  Mechanic, 
^\'ashing■ton  streets,  and  Water  Street,  on  the  north. 

Queen  City  Tannery. — In  1889,  Mr.  Samuel  G.  Maxwell,  of  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  made  a  tour  through  several  localities  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
other  parts  of  the  country,  in  search  of  a  desirable  location  for  a  large  tan- 
nery. Among  the  places  wliich  he  visited  was  Titusville,  and  upon  investi- 
gation he  became  impressed  with  the  apparent  advantages  of  the  point  for 
a  tanning  establishment  of  large  dimensions.  He  conferred  with  certain 
members  of  the  Titusville  Board  of  Trade,  in  reference  to  the  starting  of  a 
tannery  here.  Encouraged  by  what  he  saw  and  heard,  he  returned  to  Bos- 
ton and  consulted  with  the  firm  of  Lucius  Beebe  &  Sons,  upon  the  proposi- 
tion to  join  with  them  in  building  and  operating  a  tannery  at  Titusville.  As 
a  result  of  the  discussion,  the  Beebes  proposed  to  Maxwell,  who  had  a  thor- 
ough experience  in  the  tanning  business,  that  he,  with  the  assistance  of  Titus- 
ville citizens  through  their  local  Board  of  Trade,  build  the  tannery,  and  they 


348  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

furnish  the  working  capital  for  operating  it,  he  to  superintend  its  con- 
struction and  its  manufacturing  business,  and  they  to  market  its  product. 
Should  the  project  be  consummated,  the  profits  of  the  business,  after  allowing 
the  Beebes  a  commission  of  fi\e  per  cent  of  the  sales,  should  be  divided  equally 
between  Mr.  Maxwell  and  the  Beebes. 

Mr.  Maxwell  then  returned  to  Titusville.  and  again  conferred  with  the 
Board  of  Trade.  The  result  was  that  the  Board  of  Trade  agreed  to  furnish 
the  site  for  a  tannery  and  the  necessary  funds  for  constructing  the  tannery 
buildings.  The  money  expended  by  the  Board  of  Trade  was  to  be  a  loan  to 
the  Beebes  for  the  period  of  ten  years,  at  six  per  cent  interest  a  year,  the 
interest  payable  semi-annually.  The  Board  of  Trade,  through  its  trustees, 
five  in  number,  should  continue  to  own  the  lar.d.  as  real  estate,  on  which  the 
tannery  should  be  located,  until  the  end  of  ten  years,  when  upon  payment  of 
the  loan  by  Beebes,  they  would  become  owners  of  the  real  estate  as  well  as 
owners  of  the  manufacturing  plant.  This  proposed  agreement  was  consum- 
mated. The  Board  of  Trade  has  furnished  land  for  the  tannery  works  to 
the  amount  of  ten  acres.  The  present  trustees,  \vho  represent  the  Board  of 
Trade  in  the  contract  with  the  Beebes,  are  L.  K.  Hyde,  treasurer ;  Junius 
Harris,  James  H.  Caldwell,  E.  O.  Emerson  and  E.  T.  Roberts.  The  trustees 
have  loaned  in  all,  to  the  Beebes,  $35,000.  They  divided  the  loan  fund  into 
shares,  each  share  $100.  Those  investing  in  the  fund  receive  on  the  first  day 
of  January,  every  year,  six  per  cent  interest  on  their  investment. 

The  grounds  of  the  tannery  begin  at  the  northwest,  where  the  W.  N. 
y.  &  P.  R.  R.  crosses  Central  Avenue,  and  now  extend  eastward  about  to 
Monroe  Street.  The  building  of  the  tannery  began  in  January,  1890,  and 
the  manufacture  of  leather  at  the  works  began  in  July  following.  For  the 
first  three  years,  the  production  consisted  exclusively  of  upper  leather  for 
boots  and  shoes.  Since  then  the  tannery  has  manufactured  only  sole  leather. 
In  1892  the  company  was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania, 
taking  the  name  of  "The  Queen  City  Tannery."  The  plant  has  gradually 
grown  to  large  proportions.  For  the  last  two  years  it  has  consumed  annually 
16.000  cords  of  hemlock  bark,  and  at  present  it  is  turning  out  1,400  sides  of 
leather  a  day.  During  the  last  two  years  its  production  of  sok  leather  ex- 
ceeds by  far  that  of  any  other  tannery  in  the  United  States.  It  uses  the  best 
machinery  and  the  best  processes  of  tanning  known  in  the  trade.  The  com- 
pany carries  in  stock,  bark,  raw  hides  and  leather,  over  $1,000,000.     It  ships 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  349 

to  the  leather  centers  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  besides  exporting 
largely  to  Great  Britain,  Germany  and  other  foreign  countries.  Among  other 
parts  of  machinery  at  the  works,  there  are  five  one  hundred  horse-power  boil- 
ers. The  tannery  uses  only  foreign  hides.  At  the  last  session  of  Congress 
Titusville  was  made  a  port  of  entry  for  the  receipt  of  foreign  hides  and  for 
the  export  of  leather  to  foreign  countries.  This  adds  a  good  deal  to  the 
advantages  of  the  tanning  business  in  Titusville. 

E.  R.  Young  &  Sons. — The  plant  was  founded  in  1878  by  Edmund 
R.  Young,  who  has  been  at  the  head  of  the  plant  ever  since.  In  1879  he  took 
Robert  D.  Locke  into  partnership,  which  lasted  about  seventeen  years,  with 
the  firm  name  of  Young  &  Locke.  In  1896  Mr.  Young  purchased  Mr. 
Locke's  interest,  and  took  his  sons  into  partnership.  Since  then  the  firm 
of  Young  &  Sons  have  operated  the  plant.  The  business  consists  of  a  ma- 
chine shop,  boiler  shop  and  foundry.  The  works  are  located  on  68  and  70 
South  Franklin  Street.  The  company  deals  extensively  in  second-hand  oil 
\\-ell  supplies,  second-hand  machinery,  pipes,  fittings,  engines  and  boilers, 
etc.  The  institution  has  been  in  operation  for  twenty  years,  and  it  has  always 
done  a  good  business.  It  is  proper  to  say  that  Mr.  Young  is  highly  respected 
in  the  community,  both  as  a  business  man  and  as  a  citizen. 

Cyclops  Steel  Works. — These  works_ manufacture  superior  grades  of 
crucible  tool  steel  and  extra  refined  hammered  iron.  They  were  established 
in  1884,  and  were  operated  for  two  years  by  the  firm  of  Burgess,  Garrett  & 
Co.  In  1886  the  firm  dissolved,  and  Mr.  Charles  Burgess  has  been  sole  pro- 
prietor ever  since.  The  steel  produced  is  of  a  very  superior  cjuality,  equal 
to  the  best  in  the  market,  whether  imported  or  of  domestic  manufacture, 
and  is  made  for  all  kinds  of  tools.  A  specialty  is  made  of  self-hardening 
steel,  and  other  grades  for  purposes  in  which  extreme  hardness,  a  fine  cut 
and  smooth  finish  are  required.  It  is  coming  to  be  universally  used  in  many 
of  the  largest  works  of  the  country.  A  grade  of  extra  refined  hammered 
iron  of  exceptional  purity  and  strength  is  also  produced  in  considerable  quan- 
tities. 

The  TifusviUe  Eorgc  Company. — This  is  one  of  the  manufacturing 
plants  established  in  the  city  under  the  auspices  and  support  of  the  Titusville 
Industrial  Fund  Association.  It  has  been  two  years  in  operation.  Its  pres- 
ent exgcutive  officers  are  J.  T.  Dillon,  President;  Willis  E.  Fertig,  Secretary 
and  Treasurer.     The  Board  of  Directors  are  J.  T.  Dillon,  W.  E.  Fertig  and 


^^50  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

W.  D.  Kernochan.  The  works  produce  iron  and  steel  forgings.  The  plant 
is  being  enlarged  and  in  a  short  time  it  will  give  employment  to  sixty  skilled 
mechanics,  with  twice  its  present  production.  It  will  then  turn  out  from 
1,500  to  2,000  tons  of  finished  work  a  year.  It  will  then  consume  7,500  tons 
of  coal  and  250  tons  of  sand  a  year,  also  work  3,000  tons  of  crude  iron  and 
steel  annually,  also  use  25,000  fire  bricks  a  year.  The  forgings  manufactured 
are  crank  shafts  and  cranks  for  steam  and  gas  engines,  steamboat  shafts,  and 
cranks  and  other  marine  forgings,  locomotive  and  car  axles,  heavy  forgings 
for  steam  shovels,  and  mining  and  dredging  machinery.  Also  forgings  for 
cotton  and  sugar  presses. 

The  Barnes  Smith  Company  has  an  iron  foundry  near  Junius  Harris' 
property  on  East  Spring  Street. 

The  Smith  Pump  Company,  in  the  same  vicinity,  manufactures  pumps 
for  tanneries,  paper  mills,  sugar  mills,  etc.  W.  J.  Smith  is  at  the  head  of 
the  business. 

Mr.  Ed  Herlchy  has  a  repair  and  machine  shop  in  the  same  locality. 
The  Keystone  Brass  and  Iron  Works,  on  South  Washington  Street,  have 
been  in  operation  for  many  years.     The  plant  has  made  a  specialty  of  brass 
products.     W.  G.  Abel  is  the  present  proprietor  and  manager. 

Titusville  Chemical  Works. — The  construction  of  this  extensive  plant 
began  in  the  fall  of  1871.  Its  first  proprietors  were  Rennie,  Roberts  &  Dunn. 
The  works  were  finished  and  put  into  operation  the  following  summer.  At 
that  time  there  was  a  large  oil  refining  capacity  in  Titusville  which  consumed 
the  greater  part  of  the  sulphuric  acid  manufactured  by  the  plant.  But  not 
long  after  the  works  had  begun  production,  an  establishment  for  restoring 
spent  acid  used  at  the  refineries  was  built  at  Boughton,  two  miles  south  of 
the  city.  Previous  to  this  the  refiners  had  discharged  their  spent  acid  into 
some  stream  of  water  which  carried  it  into  Oil  Creek,  or  directly  into  Oil 
Creek,  when  the  works  were  situated  upon  its  banks.  This  was  absolute 
waste.  When  Hutchings  &  Farrar  started  the  restoring  works  at  Boughton, 
they  bought  all  the  spent  acid  at  the  Titusville  refineries,  took  it  to  their  works 
and  there  re-distilled  it,  with  a  small  percentage  lost.  The  restored  acid  was 
bought  back  by  the  refineries.  This  business  not  only  reduced  the  amount  of 
sales  by  the  Chemical  Works  to  the  refiners,  but  lowered  the  price,  as  a  result 
of  competition,  and  hurt  the  profits  of  the  large  plant.  There  was  also  some 
competition   from   the  manufacturers   of  acid   at   Cleveland   and   Pittsburg. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  351 

Finally  two  rival  chemical  works  at  Cleveland  combined  and  bought  the 
Titusville  plant.  This  was  in  1874.  The  combination  afterward  bought  the 
Boughton  works,  and  it  has  oijerated  both  plants  ever  since.  The  name  of 
the  new  association  was  "The  Titusville  Chemical  Company."  Its  first  offi- 
cers were  D.  j\I.  i\Iarsh,  president:  C.  A.  Grasselli,  treasurer;  J.  H.  Mansfield, 
secretar}-.  Its  head  office  and  its  largest  works  are  at  Cleveland,  Ohio.  It  has 
other  branches  at  Xew  York ;  Olean,  Xew  York  ;  Chicago,  Illinois;  Parkers- 
burg,  ^^"est  \^irginia,  and  Beaver  Falls,  Pennsylvania.  It  manufactures  sul- 
phuric acid,  muriatic  acid,  nitric  acid,  mixed  acid,  aqua  ammonia,  sulphate 
of  .soda,  refined  glycerine,  blue  vitriol,  sal  soda,  soda  ash,  glauber  salts,  sul- 
phate of  zinc,  etc. 

Titusville  Elastic  Chair  Company,  Limited. — This  company  was  or- 
ganized March  3,  1884,  on  a  capital  stock  of  $20,000.  Its  first  board  of  man- 
agers comprised  J.  H.  Dingman,  James  H.  Davis,  E.  T.  Hall,  J.  R.  Barber, 
N.  Grossman,  L.  P.  Scoville,  E.  J.  Smith.  Its  executive  officers  were  J.  H. 
Dingman,  chairman:  L.  P.  Scoville,  treasurer;  J.  H.  Cogswell,  secretary. 
The  present  board  are  E.  O.  Emerson,  J.  H.  Cogswell,  N.  Crossman,  C.  S. 
Barrett,  R.  L.  Kernochan.  Theodore  Renting  and  S.  S.  Bryan.  N.  Cross- 
man  is  chairman  and  C.  S.  Barrett  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  works  of  the 
company  extend  on  West  Central  Avenue,  a  little  west  of  the  Methodist 
church,  to  Reuting's  planing  mill,  and  to  the  north  as  far  as  Cherry  Alley. 
It  has  extensive  buildings,  with  careful  provisions  against  fire.  In  the  summer 
months  the  works  manufacture  elastic  chairs.  But  during  the  rest  of  the 
year  they  make  principulh'  upholstered  and  cobbler-seat  chairs.  The  elastic 
chairs  are  very  popular,  especially  for  easy  chairs  for  school  rooms,  churches 
and  public  halls.  The  company  has  employed  as  many  as  eighty  hands,  but 
now  it  has  about  forty  employees.  A  large  part  of  its  work  is  done  by 
machiner}-. 

The  plant  originally  known  as  The  Titusville  Furniture  Company.  Lim- 
ited, is  now  owned  and  operated  solely  by  F.  O.  Swedborg.  It  is  located 
on  West  Central  Avenue,  between  Washington  and  Perry  streets.  It  manu- 
factures most  kinds  of  domestic  wooden  furniture,  not  including  chairs  and 
liedsteads,  using  a  great  deal  of  the  native  wood.  The  plant  seems  to  be 
well  managed,  running  constantly  on  full  time,  from  year  to  year,  an  evidence 
th.at  its  products  have  an  established  demand. 

The  Specialty  Manufacturing   Company. — This   institution  was   incor- 


352  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

porated  in  1892  under  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania.  Its  lirst  officers  were  L.  T. 
Gorenflo,  president;  R.  L.  Rice,  treasurer;  D.  J.  Whitney,  secretary.  Its  pres- 
ent officers  are  L.  T.  Gorenflo,  president ;  Joseph  Seep,  vice-president ;  j\I.  J. 
Hughes,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  industry  turns  out  a  large  variety  of 
domestic  articles  of  wooden  material,  with  iron  connections.  In  1897  there 
was  a  large  addition  of  buildings  and  machinery.  The  demand  for  its  prod- 
ucts is  rapidly  growing  and  its  business  is  now  crowding.  It  uses  a  good 
deal  of  machinery,  and  employs  at  present  thirty-five  hands.  It  is  located 
above  Hale's  lumber  yard,  in  the  west  end. 

The  Titusville  City  Mills. — This  industry  is  more  than  fifty  years  old. 
It  asks  no  odds  of  steam  or  electricity.  Its  motive  power  is  water,  water, 
water,  flowing  perpetually  through  a  conduit,  a  river  diverted  from  Oil 
Creek  by  a  dam  across  the  stream  at  the  west  end,  turning  at  the  mills  wheels 
and  wheels,  grinding  and  grinding  grain.  This  is  what  the  mills  have  been 
doing  more  than  one-half  of  a  century.  For  many  years  genial  Jolm  Eason 
has  been  at  the  head  of  the  establishment.  The  wheels  go  round  and  round, 
and  John  Eason  goes  around,  to  see  that  not  a  screw  is  loose,  or  a  cog  broken. 
Long  before  Titusville  had  become  a  city,  and  before  Drake  had  tapped  the  oil 
fountain,  these  mills  were  pulverizing  the  gifts  of  Ceres.  Titusville  may  go 
to  decay  and  John  Eason  be  gathered  to  his  fathers,  but  the  water  in  his  mill 
race  will  continue  to  flow,  either  in  its  present  channel,  or  perhaps  over  the 
native  bed  of  Oil  Creek,  forever.  Generations  will  pass  before  the  old  mills 
shall  be  forgotten.  Franklin  Street  is  old.  But  Eason's  Mills  are  the  oldest 
industry  by  far  in  the  city. 

Castle  Brothers  have  long  manufactured  carriages  at  their  present  quar- 
ters on  Central  Avenue,  facing  the  Oil  Exchange.  For  more  than  a  quarter 
of  a  century  they  have  been  engaged  in  the  business.  During  this  time  they 
have  given  employment  to  many  men.  They  have  gained  a  reputation  for 
good  work. 

The  Stevens'  Barrel  Works'. — Until  within  the  last  twenty-five  years 
the  manufacturing  of  oil  barrels  in  Titusville  was  for  the  most  part  a  profit- 
able industry.  It  is  true  that  as  early  as  1873  the  importance  of  white  oak 
staves  had  become  necessary.  The  forests  in  the  vicinity  of  Titusville  were 
originally  well  stocked  with  white  oak.  But  from  i860  to  1867,  the  great 
bulk  of  crude  oil,  as  w-ell  as  refined,  was  shipped  in  barrels.  Wooden  tanks 
mounted  on  flat  cars  were  gradually  introduced,  and  these  in  turn  soon  gave 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  353 

place  to  iron  tanks,  long  horizontal  cylinders,  which  have  been  in  use  ever 
since.  But  for  some  time  after  this,  refined  oil  continued  to  be  shipped  from 
the  refineries  in  barrels,  and  as  a  result  the  woods  near  the  oil  country  came 
to  be  stripped  of  white  oak  timber.  But  still  the  coopers  were  able  to  do  a 
good  business  until  the  introduction  of  machine-made  barrels,  manufactured 
often  and  shipped  into  the  country  from  places  outside.  The  result  was  to  close 
down  domestic  barrel  shops.  The  large  cooper  shop  of  C.  J.  McCarthy  on 
South  Monroe  Street  has  done  very  little  business  during  the  last  five  years. 

Mr.  George  Stevens,  who  has  made  oil  barrels  for  more  than  thirty 
years,  has  continued  to  turn  out  some  work  during  the  dullest  periods,  by  pur- 
chasing choice  timber  lands,' outside  of  the  State,  in  forests  which  abounded 
in  white  oak.  But  barrels  made  by  machinery  were  offered  on  the  market 
at  prices  which  largely  shut  his  work  out.  Finalty,  becoming  tired  of  the 
disadvantage,  the  firm  of  George  Stevens  &  Company  decided  to  rig  up  their 
works,  located  on  Kerr,  Spring  and  Brown  streets,  with  machinery  and  pro- 
duce barrels  at  as  low  a  figure  as  any  one  outside  could.  Having  done  this, 
the  firm  sold  the  plant  to  Mr.  W.  J.  Stevens,  son  of  the  founder.  The  new 
proprietor  now  proposes  to  carry  on  a  large  business,  and  employ  as  many 
men  as  formerly.  If  this  is  done,  the  production  will  be  largely  increased, 
and  the  institution  become  a  benefit  to  the  coopers  of  Titusville. 

Cold  Storage. — This  plant  is  a  large  concern.     It  was  begun  in  1897, 
and  completed  and  put  into  operation  in  April  following. .  Its  proprietors  are 
Pastorious  &  Wager.     Their  building  is  on  Diamond  and  Martin  streets  and 
Central  Avenue.     It  is  built  of  brick,   constructed  very  substantially,  five 
stories   high,   including  the  basement.      By  the  use  of  chemicals  and  ma- 
chinery it  makes  its  own  freezing  agents.     It  stores  on  commission  meats, 
eggs,  dressed  poultry,  butter  and  all  other  products  which  require  protection 
against  heat,  and  it  buys  and  sells  on  its  own  account,  whenever  it  can  do 
so  at  some  advantage.     Its  principal  motor  is  a  powerful  gas  engine.     It  has 
also  a  large  stationary  steam  engine,  for  use  in  an  emergency.    It  has  a  large 
artesian  water  well,  sunk  to  the  proper  depth  for  supplying  an  unlimited 
quantity  of  pure  water.     The  plant  manufactures  the  purest  of  ice  in  large 
quantity.     During  the  summer  and  fall  it  has  turned  out  from  five  to  eight 
tons  a  day.     The  great  purity  of  the  ice  has  created  for  it  an  unexpectedly 
large  demand.     The  coming  summer  the  proprietors  intend  to  double  their 
capacity  for  ice  production.     An  elevator  running  from  the  bottom  of  the 
23 


^54  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

basement  to  the  highest  floor  is  worked  by  machinery  propelled  by  the  main 
motor.  There  is  other  machinery  for  pumping  water  from  the  artesian 
well,  moving  ice,  etc.  This  plant  promises  to  become  a  very  useful  institution 
for  the  city  and  the  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country. 

Tlic  Charles  Horn  Silk  Company  was  organized  in  1897  under  the  laws 
of  Pennsylvania.  Charles  Horn  is  its  president  and  general  manager.  The 
building  of  the  works  was  begun  in  1896,  and  finished  the  next  year.  They 
are  located  at  the  head  of  Brown  Street.  The  main  building  is  408x60  feet, 
two  stories  high,  with  walls.  It  has  an  addition  about  60  feet  square,  which 
contains  the  engines  and  the  dye-house.  The  motive  power  of  its  machinery 
consists  of  five  gas  engines,  manufactured  in  Titusville,  each  of  thirty  horse- 
power. The  plant  employs  at  present  about  two  hundred  hands.  Its  produc- 
tion is  constantly  increasing.  The  plant  manufactures  silk  ribbons  exclusively. 
The  works  were  built  largely  by  the  money  of  the  local  Industrial  Fund 
Association. 

The  Titusville  Gas  Company  is  the  present  title  of  the  company  which, 
until  the  present  association  came  into  possession  of  the  institution,  was 
known  as  the  Titusville  Gas  and  Water  Company.  The  charter  of  that  com- 
pany permitted  the  corporation  under  it  to  sell  water  to  consumers,  as  well 
as  gas.  But,  as  the  owners  of  the  charter  had  never  availed  themselves  of 
the  privilege,  and  manufactured  and  sold  illuminating  gas  only,  and  as  the 
municipal  plant  furnishes  to  the  inhabitants  of  Titusville  an  exceptionally 
fine  quality  of  water,  the  present  company  decided  to  drop  the  word  "water" 
from  the  title  of  the  association.  The  original  charter  was  obtained  in  1865. 
The  mechanical  works  of  the  plant  were  constructed  in  1866,  and  the  mains 
laid  so  as  to  be  ready  for  commercial  service  in  the  spring  of  1867.  From 
that  time  until  the  present  the  plant  has  furnished  the  community  with  manu- 
factured illuminating  gas.  It  continued  to  light  the  streets  until  1889,  when 
electric  street  lighting  came  into  use,  and  for  a  time  afterward  when  the  early 
electric  plant  occasionally  was  interrupted  by  a  break  in  the  machinery,  or 
some  other  cause,  a  return  was  made  to  gas  for  street  lighting. 

The  executive  officers  of  the  present  company  are  William  E.  Fricht- 
man,  president;  Charles  E.  Fennessy,  secretary;  James  H.  Fennessy,  treas- 
urer.   The  works  are  located  in  the  west  end. 

Renting' s  Planing  Mill  and  Sash  Works. — At  the  death  of  George  Reut- 
ing,  in  November,  1887,  his  youngest  son,  Daniel  F.  Renting,  succeeded  to 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  355 

the  lumber  business  which  the  father  had  carried  on  for  about  half  a  century. 
In  1888  the  son  erected  a  planing  mill,  and  a  sash  and  blind  factory,  upon 
a  part  of  the  ground  of  the  lumber  yard,  which  he  has  operated  ever  since. 
The  entire  works  and  tlie  lumber  yard  occupy  the  entire  space  west  of  the 
chair  factory,  between  Central  Avenue  on  the  south  side  and  Cherry  Alley 
on  the  north,  almost  to  ]\Ionroe  Street.  •iMr.  Reuting  carries  a  large  stock 
of  seasoned  lumber  of  all  kinds,  not  only  at  his  mill,  on  Central  Avenue,  but 
on  the  west  side  of  ]\Ionroe  Street,  between  Spruce  and  Elm.  He  also  has  a 
considerable  quantity  piled  at  the  sidetracks  of  the  W.  N.  Y.  &  P.  R.  R. 
His  planing  mill  business  has  grown  to  large  proportions.  During  the  past 
season  his  orders  for  dressed  lumber  have  crowded  his  works  to  their  full- 
est capacity.  He  gives  constant  employment,  summer  and  winter,  to  be- 
tween thirty  and  forty  men.  He  buys  the  greater  part  of  his  lumber  in  the 
winter  time,  and  when  the  close  of  fall  comes  he  finds  his  stock  worked  down 
to  what  it  was  twelve  months  before. 

Shank's  Planing  Mill. — I.  L.  Shank,  a  lumber  man,  opened  a  lumber 
yard  in  1897  on  East  Central  Avenue,  west  of  Drake  Street,  which  extends 
through. to  East  Spring  Street.  During  the  summer  of  1898  he  erected  a  plan- 
ing m.ill  in  connection  with  his  lumber  yard.  During  the  time  his  planing 
mill  has  been  in  operation  it  seems  to  have  had  plenty  of  work. 

Hale's  Planing  Mill. — Mr.  Edgar  Hale  has  carried  on  at  the  west  end, 
near  the  W.  N.  Y.  &  P.  R.  R.,  a  planing  mill,  sash  and  blind  works,  as  well 
as  a  lumber  yard,  for  many  years.  His  plant  is  among  the  best  known  in- 
dustries in  the  city. 

Titiisville  Tabic  JJ^orks. — This  plant  was  the  successor  of  the  Union 
Furniture  Company,  started  in  1883.  Mr.  C.  P.  Casperson,  the  superintend- 
ent, had  prospered  so  well  in  the  management  of  the  business  of  the  company, 
making  the  industry  highly  successful,  that  he  was  able  to  absorb  nearly  all 
the  stock  of  the  plant.  But  in  the  tide  of  his  prosperity  he  was  ruined  in  a 
single  night  by  the  great  flood  and  fire  of  June,  1892.  Not  only  was  his 
industry  and  his  home  destroyed,  but  his  wife  was  drowned  and  in  trjdng 
to  save  her  he  nearly  lost  his  own  life.  The  local  relief  committee  subse- 
quently gave  him  enough  money  for  the  construction  of  a  new  building  and 
new  machinery.  But  he  needed  capital  for  operating  the  plant.  So  that 
after  rebuilding  and  putting  in  new  machinery,  he  did  little  in  reviving  the 
business  until  about  two  vears  ago,  and  even  then  he  worked  only  in  a  lim- 


o 


=;6  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


ited  way.  But  the  last  two  years  he  lias  done  something.  He  has  taken  into 
partnership  Mr.  P.  Poulson,  who,  like  Mr.  Casperson,  is  a  practical  mechanic, 
and  the  prospects  of  the  new  firm  begin  to  have  a  more  encouraging  look. 

Trolley  Railroad. — Beginning  in  the  summer  of  1897  the  Titusville 
Electric  Traction  Company  built  first  a  road  to  connect  Pleasantville  with 
Titusville.  The  privilege  of  constructing  a  tramway  through  the  streets  of 
Titusville  was  granted  by  the  municipal  government  in  1897.  It  was  ex- 
pected that  the  line,  after  its  completion  between  Pleasantville  and  Titusville, 
would  be  extended  to  Hydetown.  The  building  of  the  road  from  Titusville 
to  Pleasantville  was  somewhat  tardy.  But  during  the  winter  the  company 
built  an  electric  power  plant  near  East  Titusville.  Xot,  however,  until  the 
summer  of  1898  were  the  trolley  cars  running  between  Titusville  and  Pleas- 
antville. The  western  terminus  of  the  line  was  at  first  between  Perry  and 
Monroe  streets.  The  track  entered  the  city  on  the  line  of  the  old  plank  road 
and  then  ran  into  Central  Avenue  at  the  old  toll-gate.  Continuing  westward 
it  enterecl  Diamond  Street  at  the  junction  with  Central  Avenue,  and  then 
passed  on  to  Spring  Street  at  the  crossing  with  Franklin.  Then  it  ran  up 
West  Spring,  stopping,  as  stated,  first  between  Perry  and  Monroe.  It  was 
then  extended  slowly  on  Spring  Street  up  to  within  a  short  distance  east  of 
the  entrance  into  Woodlawn  Cemetery.  It  took  a  long  rest  at  this  point  until 
about  the  first  of  September,  when  work  was  resumed,  and  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  month  the  cars  were  running  as  far  west  as  Bucklin  House.  Then 
a  larger  force  of  workmen  were  put  on  the  track,  and  by  the  middle  of  October 
the  rails  were  laid  as  far  as  Hydetown.  It  should  also  be  stated  that  a  track, 
connecting  with  the  main  line,  was  laid  in  the  summer  from  Spring  Street 
on  Franklin  as  far  south  as  the  main  line  of  the  W.  N.  Y.  &  P.  R.  R.  The 
company  already  has;  over  two  miles  of  track  in  the  city,  and  next  year  it  is 
expected  that  the  line  will  have  branches  and  connections  in  several  other 
streets.  In  the  short  time  of  its  operation  the  business  of  the  road  has  yielded 
unexpectedly  large  receipts  from  its  passenger  traffic. 

Titusville  Electric  Light  and  Poiver  Coiupany. — This  company  was 
instituted  in  the  summer  of  1892.  A  franchise  was  granted  by  the  city  coun- 
cils, approved  by  the  Mayor,  permitting  the  company  to  erect  poles  of  suffi- 
cient height,  size  and  strength,  and  string  wires  at  a  minimum  distance  above 
the  ground  in  all  the  streets  and  alleys  of  the  city,  as  needed.  The  company 
erected  a  very  substantial  brick  building  on  South  \\'ashington   Street,  on 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  357 

the  west  side,  near  the  passenger  station  of  the  W.  N.  Y.  &  P.  R.  R.,  planted 
its  poles  and  stretched  its  wires  over  a  large  part  of  the  city,  so  that  early 
in  1893  it  was  in  full  operation.  The  work  of  the  plant  so  far  has  been 
confined  principallj-  to  the  production  of  both  incandescent  and  arc  lights.  It 
lights  all  the  city  buildings,  the  city  hall,  the  engine  and  hose  houses,  etc.  It 
has  also  by  special  contract,  from  time  to  time,  furnished  street  lights.  Many 
halls,  churches  and  stores  are  lighted  by  the  plant,  and  many  hotels  have 
either  incandescent  or  arc  lamps  or  both.  A  large  number  of  private  houses 
are  lighted  with  incandescent  burners.  The  plant  has  abundance  of  excellent 
machinerv. 

IN    MEMORIAM. 

A  writer  has  said  that  the  character  of  a  community  is  indicated  by  its 
burial  grounds.  A  stranger  visiting  Titus^■ille  might  accept  the  above  pre- 
cept as  true,  by  an  inspection  of  its  principal  cemetery  at  the  present  time. 
The  first  burying  ground  was  a  little  at  the  east  of  the  head  of  Franklin  Street. 
A  Mr.  Blood,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  Mrs.  Ruth  Curry,  it  is 
said,  were  the  first  persons  buried  there.  i^Ir.  Janies  Kerr,  a  brother  of  Mr. 
Samuel  Kerr,  the  founder,  with  Jonathan  Titus,  of  Titusville,  was  ])uried 
there  in  the  spring  of  1818.  His  remains  were  afterward  removed  to  Wood- 
lawn,  where  they  now  rest.  But  the  remains  of  Samuel  Kerr,  the  distin- 
guished pioneer,  still  sleep  in  the  old  cemetery.  Upon  the  headstone  of  the 
grave  it  is  recorded  as  follows:  "Samuel  Kerr  died  August  29,  1839,  aged 
y2  years."  Upon  another  headstone  is  recorded:  "Robert  Lewis  died  Jan- 
uary 18,  1813,  aged  25  years."  The  late  Robert  Lewis,  who  died  September 
20,  1898,  was  his  son.  He  was  born  July  18,  1813 — six  months  after  his 
father's  death.  Xot  a  few  other  names  of  old  residents  are  still  to  be  seen 
in  the  old  cemetery.  The  land  for  this  first  cemetery  was  donated  by  Jona- 
than Titus. 

JJ'oodlazun  Cemetery. — This  beautiful  "silent  city  of  the  dead"  is  situ- 
ated at  the  northwest,  a  little  outside  the  city  limits.  In  November,  1870, 
Jonathan  Watson,  E.  H.  Chase  and  R.  D.  Fletcher  purchased  of  the  late 
Samuel  Kerr,  the  oldest  son  of  James  Kerr,  above  spoken  of,  and  a  brother 
of  the  present  Adam  Kerr,  seventeen  acres  of  land  for  the  purpose  of  erect- 
ing thereon  a  cemetery.  The  plan  of  the  cemetery  was  drawn  by  William 
Webster,  of  the  firm  of  Coutant  &  Webster.  In  1882  an  addition  of  land  was 
purchased  by  Mr.  Kerr,  making  a  total  of  the  cemetery  grounds  of  thirty 


358  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

acres.  Subsequently  ]\Ir.  Fletcher  purchased  the  interests  of  Chase  and  Wat- 
son, and  he  has  ever  since  been  sole  proprietor  and  manager  of  the  property. 
Mr.  Fletcher  has  expended  large  sums  of  money  in  improving  and  beau- 
tifying the  grounds.  The  many  costly  monuments  in  the  cemeterv  are  evi- 
dence that  he  has  not  spent  his  money  in  vain.  The  mausoleum  lately  built 
by  Mr.  J.  C.  AIcKinney  is  immediately  adjoining  on  the  south  side  of  the 
family  lot  of  James  Kerr,  who.  as  related  above,  died  in  1818, — eighty  years 
ago.  In  this  lot  are  buried  the  remains  of  the  late  Samuel  Kerr,  who  sold 
the  thirty  acres  of  land  to  Messrs.  Watson.  Chase  and  Fletcher  for  the  cem- 
etery. The  McKinney  mausoleum  is  a  remarkable  piece  of  art.  Its  cost 
is  about  $20,000. 

Calvary  Cemetery  is  the  burying  ground  of  St.  Titus  congregation.  It 
is  situated  on  the  south  hill,  a  little  outside  of  the  city  limits.  On  the  same 
hill,  further  west,  are  two  Hebrew  burying  grounds,  one  for  the  B'nai  Zion 
Congregation  and  the  other  for  the  B'nai  Gemiluth  Congregation.  The  St. 
Walburga  Cemetery  is  alx)ut  a  mile  west  of  the  cit}-,  on  the  Hydetown  road. 

PUBLIC     HALLS. 

The  oldest  of  public  halls  of  note  in  Titusville  was  the  Crittenden.  It 
stood  immediately  east  of  the  brick  building  now  occupied  by  Barber  & 
Ccoley,  fronting  upon  both  Diamond  and  East  Spring  streets.  It  was  burned 
down  in  the  winter  of  1860-61.  The  building  at  the  time  was  not  finished, 
and  the  floor  of  the  hall,  whicli  was  in  the  second  story,  was  not  properly 
supported  to  hold  an  audience.  For  the  purpose  of  rendering  the  hall  floor 
more  secure  against  the  weight  of  a  crowd  of  people  upon  it  at  a  concert, 
upright  props  were  placed  beneath  it.  But,  when  pressure  came  from  a 
crowd  above,  it  acted  unequally.  The  result  was  that  one  prop  becoming 
loose,  by  too  much  weight  upon  others,  fell  down.  Then,  by  a  little  shifting 
of  the  pressure  from  above,  another  prop  disappeared,  then  another,  and  next 
the  flooring,  where  a  large  stove  filled  with  burning  coal  was  standing,  broke 
down,  precipitating  a  number  of  people,  together  with  the  stove,  to  the  floor 
of  the  room  below.  Of  course  the  stove  emptied  its  burning  coals,  setting  on 
fire  a  pile  of  shavings  on  the  lower  floor.  The  stove  stood  near  the  entrance 
at  the  top  of  the  stairs,  so  that  the  fire  from  the  shavings  cut  off  egress  by 
the  stairway.  There  was  something  like  a  panic,  but  fortunately  no  one  was 
seriously  injured.     Several  were  slightly  burned,  but  none  severely.     Some 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.       -  359 

jumped  out  of  windows  to  the  ground,  and  escaped  with  slight  bruises.  One 
or  two  perhaps  had  an  arm  broken.  People  from  outside  came  to  the  assist- 
ance of  those  struggling  to  escape,  and  in  a  short  time  all  were  out  of  danger. 
The  flames  made  quick  work  in  reducing  the  building  to  smoke  and  ashes. 
Mr.  Jeremiah  Crittenden,  the  proprietor,  immediately  began  a  new  edifice 
in  the  place  of  the  one  destroyed,  and  after  a  few  months  he  had  completed 
what  now  still  stands  on  Diamond  on  one  side  and  on  East  Spring  on  the 
other,  the  Crittenden  Hall.  It  was  ready  for  Dr.  Purdon's  first  sermon  in 
Titusville,  on  Sunday,  June  8,  1862.  The  Crittenden  Hall  was  in  constant 
request  for  several  years  afterward,  for  concerts,  theatrical  plays  and  all 
kinds  of  public  meetings  on  secular  days  and  evenings,  and  for  religious  ser- 
vices on  Sundays  and  Sunday  evenings. 

It  may  interest  some  readers  to  know  that  the  concert  at  Crittenden 
Hall,  which  suddenly  came  to  an  end  because  of  the  fire  spoken  of,  was  given 
by  Miss  Juvenilia  Tinker,  afterward  Mrs.  Hull,  the  distinguished  vocalist, 
and  her  sister,  afterward  Mrs.  John  Porter,  whose  husband  was  once  a  well- 
known  citizen  of  Titusville. 

The  Bliss  Opera  House  was  built  in  the  summer  of  1865  and  opened  to 
the  public  in  the  winter  following.  It  remained  a  public  hall  for  several  years 
afterward.  It  stood  on  the  north  side  of  Central  Avenue,  a  short  distance 
east  of  Martin  Street,  until  finally  absorbed  by  E.  T.  Hall's  business  block. 
Its  builder  was  Mr.  James  Bliss. 

In  the  same  year — 1865 — Corinthian  Hall,  now  Academy  of  Music,  was 
built  by  Frey  &  Bear  and  on  the  south  side  of  Spring  Street,  between  Frank- 
lin Street  and  Exchange  Alley.  Until  the  opening  of  the  Parshall  Opera 
House,  in  the  winter  of  1870-71,  Corinthian  Hall  for  five  years  was  the  most 
important  public  hall  in  Titusville,  for  theatrical  plays,  political  mass  meet- 
ings, concerts  and  various  gatherings  at  which  the  leading  representatives 
of  the  community  are  accustomed  to  assemble.     Then  came 

The  Parshall  Opera  House,  of  which  mention  has  already  been  made. 
This  was  the  high  temple  of  the  muses  in  Titusville  from  1870-71,  to  April  14, 
1882,  upward  of  eleven  years,  when  the  Parshall  block  was  burned.  Messrs. 
McCrum,  Mathews  and  Smith  were  the  first  lessees  and  managers.  After 
their  incumbency,  which  lasted  several  years,  Mr.  James  Parshall,  the  owner 
of  the  building,  managed  the  institution.  Interesting  reminiscences  cluster 
about  the  Parshall  Opera  House,  where  the  best  theatrical  talent,  with  few 


36o  •       OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

exceptions,  in  the  land,  played  in  rapid  succession  to  crowded  houses.  Shake- 
sperian  tragedy  drew  large  audiences  in  those  days.  The  "sweet,  entrancing 
voice  of  the  awakening  viol,"  in  the  hands  of  Ole  Bull,  enthralled  a  delighted 
audience  in  the  Parshall  Opera  House  twenty-seven  years  ago. 

The  Emery  Opera  House. — The  next  opera  house  was  opened  in  the 
spring  of  1886  by  Messrs.  David  Emery  and  C.  F.  Lake,  on  the  south  side  of 
East  Central  Avenue,  near  where  is  Shank's  planing  mill.  Mr.  Emery  had 
converted  a  battery  building  which  belonged  to  him  into  the  Opera  House, 
and  he  took  Mr.  Lake  into  association  with  him  to  manage  the  Opera  House 
business.  The  location  of  the  building  was  not  quite  favorable  in  all  respects, 
but  the  performances  in  it  were  generally  well  patronized.  It  burned  down, 
however,  on  February  2,  1887. 

Tlie  Titiisz'iUc  Opera  House. — Soon  after  the  burning  of  the  Emery 
Opera  House  Mr.  Lake  purchased  the  \-acant  lot  on  which  the  Parshall  House 
had  stood,  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Spring  and  Washington  streets,  and 
upon  the  south  end  of  it,  on  the  west  side  of  Washington  Street,  he  erected 
a  very  substantial  brick  edifice,  for  a  first-class  opera  house.  The  interior  of 
the  house  is  ver}'  attractive.  It  is  well  arranged,  especially  the  acoustic  requi- 
sites. It  was  opened  to  the  public  in  September,  1887.  It  has  been  honored 
by  such  celebrities  of  the  drama  as  Richard  Mansfield,  Frank  Mayo,  Janaus- 
chek  and  others  of  equal  rank.  Mr.  Lake  subsequently  sold  the  property  to 
Mr.  John  J.  Carter,  who  has  since  sold  it  to  Mr.  John  Gahan,  his  manager,  the 
present  owner. 

Armory  Hall. — Several  vears  ago,  Mr.  M.  R.  Rouse  erected  on  the  north 
side  of  Central  Avenue,  between  Drake  and  Kerr  streets,  an  Armory  for  the 
accommodation  of  Company  K,  National  Guard,  which  has  recently  returned 
from  service  in  the  West  Indies  war,  of  which  he  was  long  its  captain. 
He  continued  to  hold  the  ofiice  until  a  few  years  ago.  On  the  floor  of  the 
building  Mr.  Rouse  built  and  furnished  a  public  hall.  This  hall  has  always 
been  in  mucii  request.  Also  connected  with  it  is  a  large  dining-room,  with 
kitchen  accommodations,  for  entertainments  which  require  suppers  and  other 
refreshments.  The  hall  is  a  pleasant  and  con^•enient  one  for  lectures,  amuse- 
ments, etc. 

Music  Hall,  on  the  north  side  of  West  Spring  Street,  between  Perry  and 
Monroe,  is  well  patronized.  It  is  largely  used  as  a  dancing  hall.  It  is  owned 
and  managed  by  Mr.  Benjamin  Lang,  who  has  ample  provision  for  furnishing 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  361 

large  or  small  parties  with  food  refreshments.  The  hall  is  also  used  for  lec- 
tures, concerts,  etc.  It  was  built  about  thirty  years  ago,  by  Mr.  Carl  Dufft, 
father  of  Carl  Dufft,  the  New  York  vocalist. 

Tlic  TitusviUe  Woman's  Club  is  one  of  a  large  number  of  similar  or- 
ganizations, extending  over  nearly  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  and  joined 
together  in  confederation.  The  institution  had  its  beginning  in  1868,  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  when  was  formed  there  a  woman's  club,  a  sisterhood  that 
took  the  name  of  "Sorosis."  It  announced  as  the  object  of  its  organization: 
"The  promotion  of  agreeable  and  useful  relations  among  women  of  literary, 
artistic  and  scientific  tastes;  the  discussion  and  dissemination  of  principles 
and  facts,  which  promise  to  exert  a  salutary  influence  on  women  and  society 
in  general,  and  the  establishment  of  an  order  which  shall  render  the  female 
sex  helpful  one  to  another  and  actively  benevolent  in  the  world." 

In  spite  of  newspaper  ridicule  and  popular  prejudice  against  the  under- 
taking, Sorosis  prospered,  and  gradually  won  the  confidence  of  many  women 
in  several  parts  of  the  country,  and  by  degrees  clubs  similar  in  character  to 
Sorosis  were  instituted  in  \-arious  cities.  The  rapid  growth  of  these  clubs 
led  to  combination,  or  association.  In  1890  began  a  national  federation  which 
now  embraces  a  union  of  five  hundred  and  eighty-two  clubs.  The  general 
work  of  the  clubs  composing  the  federation  has  also  gradually  come  to  em- 
brace a  wide  range  of  subjects.  At  the  biennial  convention,  which  met  at 
Denver  last  June,  twelve  hundred  delegates  were  present,  representing  re- 
spectively nearly  all  the  localities  of  the  Union.  The  TitusviUe  Woman's  Club 
is  an  integral  part  of  the  great  federation.  In  March,  1892,  a  meeting  of 
Titus\'ille  women  was  called  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  distinct  organiza- 
tion. About  thirty  women  responded  by  their  presence  to  the  call.  On  March 
26,  a  constitution  was  adopted  and  club,  officers  elected.  Since  then  the  club 
has  steadily  increased  in  membership,  and  interest  in  its  work.  Its  standing 
in  the  community  has  also  steadily  grown,  and  its  influence  in  society  as  a 
useful  institution  is  sensibly  felt.  At  first  its  meetings  were  held  from  house 
to  house  at  the  homes  of  the  members.  Then  for  some  time  they  were  ac- 
commodated in  the  Thistle  Club  rooms,  the  Presbyterian  Chapel  and  St. 
James  Parish  House.  The  club  has  now  rented  commodious  rooms  in  the 
new  Odd  Fellows'  Block,  fronting  on  Central  Avenue,  near  the  Oil  Ex- 
change, and  furnished  them  with  elegant  taste.  The  quality  of  the  club's 
work  has  kept  pace  with  the  increasing  membership  and  improved  facilities. 


362  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Carefully  prepared  yearly  programmes  have  embraced  as  subjects  discussed 
by  members,  respectively  appointed  to  the  task,  on  "Eminent  American 
Women,"  "France,"  "Greece,"  "Nineteenth  Century  Literature,"  "Educa- 
tion," and  "Our  Country."  In  addition  to  the  regular  work,  club  classes 
numerously  attended  have  been  held  during  the  last  two  years,  for  the  spe- 
cial stud}'  and  discussion  of  subjects  relating  to  literature,  history  and  art. 
The  progress  made,  in  these  exercises  has  been  so  highly  satisfactory  that 
they  will  be  continued.  The  aim  of  most  of  the  club's  work  is  by  study,  reci- 
tation, mutual  criticism  and  co-operation  to  advance  in  intellectual  and 
aesthetic  culture.  Experience  so  far  demonstrates  that  most  members  of  the 
club  court,  rather  than  shirk,  duties  which  might  seem  as  tasks,  in  the  work 
of  intellectual  training. 

The  club  realizes  an  obligation  on  its  part  of  assisting  to  promote  the 
local  interests  of  the  community  of  Titusville.  One  of  its  late  questions  to 
be  discussed  is :  "How  can  we  make  our  city  more  desirable  as  a  place  of 
residence?"  About  two  years  ago  the  club  was  mainly  instrumental  in  re- 
opening the  Titusville  Public  Library,  which  had  been  closed  for  several 
years,  from  the  lack  of  necessary  support.  The  session  period  of  the  club 
lasts  six  months — from  the  close  of  October  to  the  first  of  May,  each  year. 
During  the  six  months  of  vacation  an  executive  board,  which  at  all  times 
exercises  supervision  over  the  affairs  of  the  club,  takes  care  of  temporary 
business  which  may  require  immediate  attention.  The  regular  meetings  of 
the  club  are  bi-weekly. 

The  Titusville  Library  Association  was  organized  in  1876,  but  the  library 
was  not  opened  to  the  public  until  the  following  year.  Its  first  ofificers  were 
B.  D.  Benson,  president ;  Roger  Sherman,  secretary,  and  J.  A.  Neill,  treasurer. 
The  original  fund  of  the  institution  was  the  gift  of  $100  each  by  thirty  in- 
dividuals. The  library  has  always  been  a  circulating  one.  Tickets  were  is- 
sued at  $2  each,  good  for  one  year.  The  holder  of  a  ticket  was  permitted  to 
draw  a  fresh  book  every  two  weeks,  on  returning  the  one  last  issued.  If  the 
book  was  kept  beyond  two  weeks  the  delinquent  had  to  pay  five  cents  a  day 
as  long  as  the  return  was  delayed.  The  library  was  kept  open  many  years. 
For  some  time  a  free  reading  room,  containing  newspapers  and  magazines, 
and  other  current  periodicals,  was  kept  with  the  library,  and  under  the  charge 
of  the  librarian.  But  the  income  from  the  sale  of  tickets  was  never  sufficient 
for  the  current  expenses  of  the  institution  and  the  purchase  of  new  books.    In 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  363 

time  the  generosity  of  contributors  of  money  sliowed  weariness,  and  finally 
the  sale  of  tickets  ceased,  and  the  managers  of  the  library  closed  its  doors. 

About  three  years  ago  the  Woman's  Club  began  to  urge  upon  the  com- 
rnunity  the  importance  of  restoring  the  institution  to  the  public.  For  about  a 
■  year  following  the  subject  was  discussed,  until  the  women  carried  their  point. 
The  association  was  reorganized  by  the  election  of  Dr.  George  W.  Barr, 
president ;  R.  L.  Kernochan,  secretary,  and  E.  T.  Roberts,  treasurer.  Rooms 
on  the  second  floor  of  the  city  hall  were  procured,  and  on  January  i,  1897, 
the  library  was  reopened  to  the  public.  Of  course  the  generosity  of  wealthy 
citizens  had  first  been  revived.  The  price  of  tickets  was  reduced  to  $1.50 
each.  Mrs.  C.  J.  Allen  has  been  librarian  under  the  new  administration. 
Since  the  reopening  there  have  been  se\-eral  creditable  additions  of  new  books, 
late  publications,  to  the  new  library.  The  officers  of  the  association,  as  well 
as  some  others,  have  shown  laudable  zeal  and  generosity  in  fostering  the  in- 
stitution. It  is  due  especially  to  the  memory  of  the  late  Roger  Sherman  to 
record  the  constant  support  which  he  gave  to  the  library  from  the  beginning 
until  its  suspension  several  years  ago.  He  was  not  alone  in  good  offices ;  but 
his  efforts  to  sustain  the  institution  were  unceasing,  and  they  seemed  to  ex- 
ceed those  of  anv  other  citizen. 


INDUSTRIAL     ASSOCIATIONS. 


The  citizens  of  Titus\'ille  have  long  co-operated  in  aiding  the  starting  of 
manufacturing  industries  in  their  town.  At  about  1880  there  was  organized 
a  Board  of  Trade  in  Titusville.  In  1879  the  leading  citizens  had  assisted 
with  their  capital  in  the  founding  of  the  Petroleum  Iron  Works.  The  Board 
of  Trade  rendered  material  aid  to  Mr.  T.  C.  Joy  in  the  starting  of  his  works 
for  the  manufacture  of  heaters.  Following  the  Board  of  Trade  was  the 
"Merchants'  Association,"  whose  objects  related  to  an  increase  of  local  in- 
dustries. The  merchants  of  the  city  organized  themselves  into  a  body  under 
the  name  above  mentioned  for  promoting  the  end  stated.     Finally 

•  "Tlic  Titusville  Board  of  Trade"  in  1889  was  chartered  as  a  permanent 
organization  for  the  purpose  of  caring  for  all  legitimate  manufacturing  busi- 
ness in  Titusville,  to  exercise  a  general  guardianship  over  the  establishing 
of  new  manufacturing  plants  in  the  city.  The  first  board  of  executive  offi- 
cers were  E.  O  Emerson,  president;  \\'.  B.  Roberts,  first  vice-president;  J.  J. 
'Carter,   second  vice-president;  J.  H.   Caldwell,  third  vice-president;  W.  H. 


364  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Andrews,  fourth  vice-president;  R.  D.  Fletcher,  treasurer;  E.  T.  Hall,  secre- 
tary. The  board  of  directors  were  Jolm  L.  JVIcKinney,  James  P.  Thomas, 
David  McKelvy,  David  Emery,  F.  O.  Swedborg,  Joseph  Seep,  E.  T.  Rob- 
erts, H.  C.  Bloss,  John  Schwartz,  A.  S.  Ralston,  S.  S.  Fertig,  A.  H.  Steele, 
R.  L.  Kernochan,  W.  H.  Cornell,  Junius  Harris,  F.  P.  Brown,  James  R. 
Barber,  George  W.  Barr,  W.  B.  Benedict,  S.  S.  Bryan,  Jr.,  C.  F.  Lake,  E.  O. 
Emerson,  Jacob  Ullman,  W.  T.  Scheide,  R.  E.  Hopkins,  U.  C.  Welton,  J.  G. 
Benton,  J.  C.  McKinney,  John  Fertig. 

The  present  officers  are  Samuel  G.  Maxwell,  president ;  Daniel  F.  Rent- 
ing, \  ice-president ;  A.  P.  Cooley,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  directors  are 
Charles  Burgess,  W.  B.  Benedict,  S.  S.  Bryan,  John  Fertig,  James  R.  Barber, 
James  H.  Caldwell,  John  L.  Emerson,  E.  T.  Hall,  Junius  Flarris,  E.  T.  Rob- 
erts, Jacob  Ullman,  \Y.  W.  Tarbell,  A.  S.  Ralston. 

As  a  result  of  the  work  by  the  Board  of  Trade  the  citizens  helped  to 
organize  and  start  in  1882  the  Titusville  Furniture  Company,  with  a  capital 
of  $10,000,  the  plant  already  described  as  owned  now  solely  by  Mr.  F.  O. 
Swedborg.  The  Union  Furniture  Companv,  which  started  in  1883,  with  a 
capital  of  $8,000,  was  aided  in  the  same  way.  Also  the  bedstead  works,  with 
a  paid-up  cash  capital,  which  began  in  1883,  had  similar  assistance.  The 
Titusville  Elastic  Chair  Company,  Limited,  was  founded  in  1884,  and  since 
operated  by  Titusville  capital.  The  foregoing  mentioned  establishments  are 
gi\'en  as  instances  of  co-operation  by  citizens  of  means,  under  the  auspices 
of  Ihe  Board  of  Trade,  in  fostering  home  industries.  But  the  most  important 
of  such  plants  is.  the  Queen  City  Tannery,  an  account  of  which  has  already 
been  given  on  preceding  pages. 

The  Titusville  Industrial  Association,  Limited,  organized  and  chartered 
in  1896,  is  by  far  the  most  important  institution  established  for  building  and 
supporting  domestic  manufacturing  industries.  It  is  to  a  given  extent  under 
the  Board  of  Trade  direction ;  that  is,  the  Board  of  Trade  is  its  agent  in  in- 
vestigating and  passing  upon  applications  from  various  manufacturers  for  aid 
in  starting  plants  in  Titusville.  The  Lidustrial  Association  has  a  capital  of 
S250.000,  to  the  total  amount  of  which  the  directors  of  the  association  may 
make  loans  on  interest  in  limited  sums  respectively  to  new  local  manufactur- 
ing enterprises.  The  stock  is  widely  distributed  throughout  the  community, 
in  large  and  small  amounts,  a  share  being  $100.  Several  of  the  citizens  sub- 
scribed each  for  one  hundred  shares,  or  $10,000.     The  institutions,  which 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  365 

iinoii  the  recommendation  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  have  so  far  received  loans, 
are  the  Forge  Works,  the  Horn  Silk  Mill  and  the  Cold  Storage  Plant.  The 
first  officers  of  the  association  were  Jolm  L.  McKinney,  chairman;  John  J. 
(?arter,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  directors  were  E.  O.  Emerson,  John 
Fcrtig,  Joseph  Seep,  Louis  K.  Hyde,  Charles  Burgess,  Samuel  G.  Maxwell, 
Junius  Harris,  John  J.  Carter  and  John  L.  McKinney.  The  present  officers 
are  John  L.  McKinney,  President;  John  J.  Carter,  First  Vice-President; 
Louis  K.  Hyde,  Second  Vice-President;  Samuel  G.  Maxwell,  Third  Vice- 
President;  D.  F.  Renting,  Fourth  Vice-President;  E.  C.  Hoag,  Treasurer; 
A.  P.  Cooley,  Secretary.  The  Directors  are  John  Fertig,  Joseph  Seep,  James 
H.  Caldwell,  J.  C.  McKinney,  Charles  Burgess,  E.  T.  Hall,  W.  W.  Tarbell. 
Junius  Harris,  W.  B.  Benedict,  James  R.  Barber,  John  L.  Emerson,  E.  T. 
Roberts,  S.  S.  Henne. 

SOCIETIES. 

Social  organizations  in  Titusville  are  legion.  Some'  of  these  are  more 
strictly  fraternal.  Others  are  co-operative  in  the  way  of  rendering  assist- 
ance to  brethren  in  affliction,  in  sickness  or  perhaps  even  in  extreme  want. 
Others  are  organized  to  insure  the  families  of  members  a  given  sum  of 
money  in  case  of  death,  life  insurance  companies.  Others  combine  with 
fraternal  association  the  guarantee  of  given  sums  in  case  of  sickness  of  a 
member,  or  a  member's  wife,  and  a  moderate  sum,  intended  to  cover  funeral 
expenses,  when  a  member,  or  his  wife,  dies.  Of  course,  fraternity  char- 
acterizes all,  but  it  is  more  distinctively  the  end  of  association  in  some  than 
in  others. 

Chorazin  Lodge,  No.  507,  /.  0.  0.  F.,  appears  to  be  the  oldest  fraternity 
now  in  existence  in  Titusville.  Its  first  stated  meeting  was  held  on  Wednes- 
day evening,  June  28,  1854,  when  the  following  officers  were  elected  and 
installed :  J.  H.  Clement,  N.  G. ;  J.  G.  Burlingham,  V.  G. ;  G.  E.  Brewer, 
Secretary ;  Z.  Waid,  Treasurer.  The  lodge  meets  every  week  on  Wednesday 
evening,  at  its  hall  in  the  Chase  &  Stewart  block.  Its  present  officers  are 
Thomas  Murdock,  P.  G. ;  William  Falkinburg,  N.  G. ;  Samuel  R.  Paist,  V.  G. ; 
J.  A.  Palm,  Secretary ;  W.  P.  McCutcheon,  A.  S. ;  J.  A  Todd,  Treasurer. 

Oil  Creek  Lodge,  No.  303,  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  chartered  December  i,  and 
instituted  December  22,  1856.  The  charter  officers  were  Truman  Pierce, 
Master ;  Jonathan  Watson,  S.  W. ;  Warner  Perry,  J.  W.  Its  present  Master 
is  C.  F.  Lake. 


366  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

Shepherd  Lodge,  No.  463,  F.  &■  A.  M.,  was  instituted  April  7,  1870. 
The  following  officers  were  installed :  James  R.  Barber,  W.  M. ;  F.  A.  Hall, 
S.  W.;  C.  P.  Hatch,  J.  W. ;  J.  J.  Carter,  Treasurer;  Theo.  J.  Young,  Secre- 
tary. Its  present  officers  are  James  R.  Barber,  W.  M. ;  Samuel  G.  Max- 
well, S.  W. ;  Charles  H.  Henderson,  J.  W. ;  Thomas  W.  Main,  Treasurer; 
J.  A.  Palm,  Secretary. 

Aaron  Chapter,  No.  207,  R.  A.  M.,  was  chartered  May  3,  1866.  Its 
first  officers  were  C.  L.  Wheeler,  H.  P. ;  J.  F.  Cheshire,  K. ;  David  Crossley, 
Scribe.  Its  present  officers  are  R.  E.  Taft,  H.  P.;  William  G.  Abel,  King; 
Samuel  G.  Maxwell,  Scribe;  John  Kellogg,  Treasurer;  John  S.  Bradley,  Sec- 
retary. 

Rose  Croix  Commandery,  No.  38,  K.  T.,  chartered  April  11,  1871. 
The  first  officers  were  John  Fertig,  E.  C. ;  Hezekiah  Dunham,  Gen. ;  R.  H. 
Boughton,  Jr.,  C.  G. ;  James  R.  Barber,  Prelate;  A.  A-  Aspinwall,  Treasurer; 
H.  B.  Cullom,  Recorder.  The  present  officers  are  J.  J.  McCrum,  E.  C. ; 
R.  E.  Taft,  Gen.;  L.  L.  Shattuck,  C.  G. ;  Henry  Kehr,  Treasurer;  J.  S.  Brad- 
ley, Recorder. 

Occident  Council,  No.  41,  R.  &  S.  M.,  chartered  June  13,  1871.  Its 
first  officers  were  A.  A.  Aspinwall,  T.  I.  G.  M. ;  J.  J.  McCrum,  D.  I.  G.  M. ; 
James  W.  Graham,  P.  C.  of  W. ;  R.  W.  Holbrook,  M.  of  Ex. ;  A.  D.  Hat- 
field, Recorder.  The  present  officers  are  Reuben  E.  Taft,  T.  I.  G.  M. ;  J.  J. 
McCrum,  D.  I.  G.  M. ;  C.  E.  Spicer,  P.  C.  of  W. ;  John  Kellogg,  Treasurer; 
J.  W.  Graham,  Recorder. 

Shepherd  Lodge,  No.  74,  A.  0.  U.  W.,  was  instituted  May  30,  1874, 
when  the  following  officers  were  elected  and  installed :  C.  L.  A.  Shepherd, 
P.  M.  W. ;  W.  C.  Plummer,  M.  W. ;  A.  O.  Paul,  Foreman ;  Eli  Parsons,  Over- 
seer; A.  G.  Davis,  Guide;  V.  A.  Haines,  Recorder;  J.  R.  Levan,  Financier; 
Daniel  Wingart,  Receiver;  Andrew  Robinson,  Watchman.  The  trustees 
were  C.  L.  A.  Shepherd,  A.  O.  Paul  and  C.  H.  Smith.  Its  present  officers 
are  G.  Bodamer,  P.  M.  W.;  Fred  Schultz,  M.  W.;  C.  D.  Mook,  Foreman; 
G.  Hofifman,  Overseer ;  J.  A.  Palm,  Recorder ;  J.  A.  Mather,  Financier ;  C.  M. 
Hayes,  Receiver;  W.  J.  Curry,  Guide;  H.  Volkstadt,  I.  W. ;  W.  N.  Hancox, 
O.  W.  The  trustees  are  F.  H.  Aldrich,  B.  Abel  and  George  W.  Barr,  M.  D. 
The  Medical  Examiner  is  George  W.  Barr,  M.  D.  J.  A.  Palm,  representa- 
tive to  the  Grand  Lodge. 

Queen  City  Lodge,  No.  304,  L  O.  0.  P.,  was  chartered  April  19,  il 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  367 

and  instituted  May  8,  the  same  year.  Its  first  officers  were  T.  W.  Main, 
N.  G. ;  R.  B.  McDannell,  V.  G. ;  M.  C.  Robinson,  Secretary ;  C.  W.  Newton, 
Assistant  Secretary;  R.  D.  Cooper,  Treasurer.  Its  present  officers  are  Jacob 
Rupersberger,  N.  G. ;  Frank  Robinson,  V.  G. ;  W.  S.  Strong-,  Secretary ; 
Elam  Davidson,  Assistant  Secretary;  C.   B.  Friedman,  Treasurer. 

The  Queen  City  Lodge  is  exceptionally  a  prosperous  institution.  The 
number  of  its  members  is  larger  than  that  of  any  other  social  organization 
in  Titusville.  In  1894  it  erected  a  large  three-story  brick  block  on  the  south- 
east corner  of  Central  Avenue  and  Washington  Street.  This  block  is  in 
several  respects  the  handsomest  in  the  city.  The  lodge,  with  its  halls  and 
quarters,  occupies  the  entire  third  floor,  and  rents  all  the  rest  of  the  building 
below. 

TJie  Western  Pennsylvania  Odd  Felloivs'  Relief  Association,  which  has 
its  home  office  in  Titusville,  was  organized  November  21,  1872,  and  char- 
tered in  April,  1873.  It  insures  Odd  Fellows,  their  wives  and  daughters 
only.  Its  general  office  is  in  the  Queen  City  Odd  Fellows'  Building.  Its 
present  officers  are  R.  D.  Crawford,  President;  Joseph  Henderson,  Vice- 
President;  R.  D.  Cooper,  Treasurer;  W.  W.  Pennell,  Secretary;  J.  M.  Waid, 
M.  D.,  Medical  Inspector. 

Titusville  City  Lodge,  No.  2gi,  K.  of  P.,  was  chartered  April  15,  1871. 
It  surrendered  its  charter  in  1877,  but  regained  it  in  1879,  and  reorganized 
by  the  election  of  the  following  officers :  Thomas  Allison,  C.  C. ;  Simon 
Strauss,  Jr.,  V.  C. ;  Thomas  Whitby,  K.  of  R.  and  S. ;  Robert  H.  Bailey, 
K.  of  F. ;  John  Bentz,  K.  of  Ex.;  A.  H.  Stein,  Prelate;  John  H.  Smith,  M. 
at  A.     At  present  P.  J.  Corell  is  C.  C,  and  Thomas  Whitby,  K.  of  R.  and  S. 

Also  No.  329,  K.  of  P.,  was  instituted  in  May,  1898,  with  H.  M.  Sackett, 
C.  C,  and  W.  W.  Pennell,  K.  of  R.  and  S. 

Also  as  auxiliary  to  the  two  lodges  of  K.  of  P.,  the  Rathbone  Sisters 
were  organized  in  October,  1898,  with  Mrs.  Gardner  as  E.  C,  and  Miss 
Dane,  Secretary. 

The  Uniform  Rank,  No.  2p,  K.  of  P.,  was  organized  in  1887,  with 
Simon  Strauss,  Jr.,  Captain,  and  Thomas  Whitby,  Recorder.  The  present 
officers  are  John  G.  Dane,  Captain,  and  Thomas  Whitby,  Recorder. 

Endowment  Rank,  K.  of  P.,  insurance  branch  of  No.  29,  composed  of 
the  members  of  that  lodge,  was  organized  in  1881,  with  S.  Strauss,  Jr., 
President,  and  D.  P.  Roberts,  Secretary.     The  present  officers  are  John  H. 


3*58  OUR   CGUXTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Smith,  President;  S.  Strauss,  Jr.,  Secretary.  The  order  has  paid  to  Titus- 
ville  members  in  death  claims  from  $12,000  to  $15,000. 

The  Hcbrexv  Ladies  Benevolent  Society  was  organized  in  1866.  It  is 
auxiliary  to  the  B'nai  Zion  Congregation. 

Titusvillc  Lodge,  No.  264,  B.  P.  0.  E/^.^.— This  branch  of  the  order 
was  organized  June  21,  1893.  Its  first  officers  were  W.  W.  Tarbell,  E.  R.; 
George  H.  Coburn,  E.  L.  Kt. ;  William  McEnaney,  E.  Loyal  Kt. ;  R.  L.  Rice, 
E.  Lect'g  Kt. ;  William  Schwartz,  Secretary;  George  A.  Chase,  Treasurer; 
A.  C.  Love,  Tyler.  The  present  officers  are  C.  F.  Lake,  E.  R. ;  Samuel  G. 
Maxwell.  E.  L.  Kt. ;  J.  A.  Dunn,  M.  D.,  E.  Loyal  Kt. ;  C.  H.  Ley,  E.  Lect'g 
Kt. ;  H.  W.  Brann.  Secretary ;. G.- H  Chase,  Treasurer;  Hugh  Boylen,  Tyler. 

Titusville  Branch,  No.  i,  C.  M.  B.  A. — On  April  15,  1877,  this  branch 
organized  with  fifteen  charter  members.  The  first  officers  chosen  were  Rev. 
J.  D.  Coady,  Spiritual  Adviser;  C.  B.  Friedman,  President;  Joseph  Fleming, 
First  Vice-President;  T.  F.  McManus,  Second  Vice-President;  John  Coots, 
Recording    Secretary;    David    Shannahan,    Assistant    Recording    Secretary; 

D.  D.  Hughes,  Financial  Secretary;  John  Theobald,  Treasurer;  William 
Lynch,  Marshal ;  William  Dillon,  Guard.  The  Board  of  Directors  were 
Joseph  Fleming,  Hugh  O'Hare,  John  F.  Theobald,  William  Dillon  and  T.  F. 
McManus. 

On  June  i,  1877,  Deputy  L.  J.  McParlin,  of  New  York  Grand  Council, 
organized  the  branch  with  a  charter  and  installed  the  first  officers.  This 
branch  was  the  fourth  branch  organized.  It  was  the  first  branch  of  the 
order  organized  in  Pennsylvania,  and  on  April  7,  1878,  it  was  designated 
as  Branch  No.  i,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Pennsylvania  Grand  Council, 
which  had  just  been  organized.  This  branch  has  the  honor  of  receiving 
the  first  benefit,  amounting  to  $2,000,  paid  by  the  order.  The  number  of 
deaths  in  this  branch  is  twenty-two  in  all,  on  which  have  been  received  in 
benefits  a  total  of  $43,000. 

Officers  for  1898  are:  Chancellor,  Francis  McDonald;  President,  M. 
Ouinlan ;  First  Vice-President,  H.  A.   O'Hare;  Second  Vice-President,  Jas. 

E.  Gray;  Recording  Secretary,  P.  J.  Callahan;  Assistant  Secretary,  F.  A. 
Doherty;  Financial  Secretary,  P.  Cummisky;  Marshal,  Frank  Reardon; 
Guard.  Isl.  Curtin ;  Trustees,  Henry  Seep,  Peter  McDonald,  Peter  Mullen, 
John  Coots.  James  Kennedy. 

Tlic  St.  JJ'alburga  Branch.  No.  12 j,  was  instituted  November,  1892.     Its 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.      '  369 

first  officers  were  ReA^  Joseph  Nati,  Spiritual  Adviser;  John  S.  Bohn,  Presi- 
dent; Henry  W.  Mayer,  Jr.,  First  Vice-President;  John  W.  Andres,  Second 
A'lce-President ;  J.  T.  Geser,  Recording  Secretary;  A.  E.  Vinopal.  Assistant 
Secretary;  P.  J.  Hoenig,  Financial  Secretary;  B.  Dorschel,  Treasurer;  George 
J.  Dartois,  Marshal ;  John  Leisgang,  Guard.  Trustees,  P.  J.  Hoenig,  Henry 
W.  Mayer,  Jr.,  B.  Dorschel,  Casper  Graf,  A.  Faremyer.  The  present  officers 
are:  Rev.  J.  Nau,  Spiritual  Adviser;  Charles  Fuchs,  Chancellor;  H.  Bes- 
selman.  President;  Edward  J.  Mayer,  First  Vice-President;  H.  C.  Roueche, 
Second  Vice-President ;  J.  T.  Geser,  Recording  Secretary ;  Assistant  Secre- 
tary, H.  A\\  Maier ;  Financial  Secretary,  Karl  Schoppert ;  B.  Dorschel,  Treas- 
urer ;  ^^'.  R.  Buser,  Marshal ;  W.  A.  Maier,  Guard.  Trustees,  George  Man- 
gel, John  Geser,  A.  E.  Vinopal,  John  Rombach,  H.  W.  Mayer. 

The  St.  Titus  Branch,  No.  144,  C.  M.  B.  A.,  was  instituted  November 
12,  1895.  Its  first  officers  were  M.  H.  Acton,  President;  L.  L.  Gilson,  First 
Vice-President;  Samuel  Kerr,  Second  Vice-President;  J.  J.  O'Hearn,  Record- 
ing Secretary;  M.  O'Hearn,  Assistant  Secretary;  John  M.  Dunn,  Financial 
Secretary:  John  P.  McGrath,  Treasurer;  Joseph  Moran,  Marshal;  James 
Nash,  Guard.  Trustees,  John  BIy,  V.  S.  Fuller,  F.  L.  Kelly,  George 
Popeney.  John  McGrath.  The  present  officers  are  M.  J.  ]\IcMahon,  Pres- 
ident ;  T.  J.  Callahan,  First  Vice-President ;  A.  Hanovan,  Second  Vice-Pres- 
ident; Francis  H.  Powers,  Recording  Secretary;  J.  J.  O'Shaughnessy,  As- 
sistant Secretary;  R.  J.  Fisher,  Financial  Secretary;  John  McGrath,  Treas- 
urer; J.  Hanovan,  Jr.,  Marshal;  Thomas  Donohue,  Guard.  Trustees,  M.  H. 
Acton,  Samuel  Kerr,  A.  Hanovan,  J.  J.  Shaughnessy,  M.  J.  Lynch. 

Charter  Branch,  No.  j,  L.  C.  B.  A.,  was  instituted  February  23,  1890. 
Its  first  officers  were  Mrs.  Margaret  Seep,  President;  Mrs.  Anna  Condra, 
First  Vice-President ;  Mrs.  Julia  Maier,  Second  Vice-President ;  Miss  Susie 
Nugent,  Recording  Secretary;  Miss  Fannie  Herlehy,  Financial  Secretary; 
Mrs.  Kate  Seep,  Treasurer;  Mrs.  Ella  Kelch,  Marshal;  Mrs.  Mary  Arm- 
buster,  Guard.  Its  present  officers  are  Mrs.  Margaret  Franz,  Past  Presi- 
dent; Mrs.  Frances  Callahan,  President;  Mrs.  Mary  Flynn,  First  Vice-Pres- 
ident; Mrs.  Johanna  O'Rourke,  Second  Vice-President;  Mrs.  Josie  Jennings, 
Recording  Secretary;  Mrs.  Josie  Gahan,  Assistant  Secretary;  Mrs.  Letitia 
Reardon,  Financial  Secretary;  Mrs.  Mary  Breen,  Treasurer;  Mrs.  Mary 
Andrews,  Marshal;  Mrs.  Margaret  Smith,  Guard.     The  Trustees  are  Mrs. 


370  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Mary  McDonald,  Mrs.  Ellen  Lowman,  Mrs.  Jennie  McMahon,  Mrs.   Alice 
Lynch,  Mrs.  Mary  Willoughby. 

Santa  Maria  Branch,  No.  iiy,  L.  C.  B.  A.,  was  instituted  March  17, 
1894.  The  first  officers  were  Miss  Lilian  Seep.  President;  Miss  Mary  Pow- 
ers, First  Vice-President ;  Miss  Anna  Fisher,  Second  Vice-President ;  Miss 
Mary  O'Neill,  Recording  Secretary;  Miss  Mary  Gallagher,  Assistant  Secre- 
tary ;  Mrs.  Mary  Taylor.  Financial  Secretary ;  Mrs.  Nellie  Brann,  Treasurer ; 
Miss  Margaret  Moran,  Marshal ;  Miss  Mary  Oxner,  Guard.  The  trustees 
were  Miss  Mary  Seep,  Miss  K.  Taylor,  Miss  Margaret  Bergen,  Mrs.  Anna 
Keating,  Mrs.  Louisa  Potts.  The  present  officers  are  Miss  Mary  Taylor, 
President;  Miss  Alice  Whalen,  First  Vice-President;  Miss  Elizabeth  Maurer, 
Second  Vice-President ;  Miss  Margaret  Bergen,  Recording  Secretary ;  Miss 
Catherine  Loehr,  Assistant  Secretary;  Mrs.  Margaret  McDonald,  Financial 
Secretary;  Miss  Elizabeth  Lang,  Treasurer;  Miss  Anna  Fisher,  Marshal; 
Miss  Teresa  Lacey,  Guard.  The  Trustees  are  Mrs.  Carrie  Fleming,  Mrs. 
Anna  Keating,  Mrs.  Mary  Edmonds,  Mrs.  Mary  Lee,  Miss  Mary  Welsh. 

PetroUa  Encampment,  No.  226,  I.  0.  0.  F.,  was  instituted  March  30, 
1872.  Its  first  officers  were  W.  R.  Weaver,  C.  P. ;  N.  A.  Lanphear,  H.  P. ; 
George  R.  Oliver,  S.  W. ;  J.  S.  Merrill.  J.  W. ;  J.  T,  McAninch,  S. ;  F.  M. 
Hills,  T. ;  S.  B.  Logan,  L  S.  At  the  present  time  J.  W.  Wood  is  C.  P.,  and 
W.  W.  Pennell,  Secretary. 

Tifnsz'ille  Council,  No.  log.  Royal  Arcanum,  was  chartered  May  3, 
1880.  Its  present  officers  are  Charles  Stingle,  Regent;  W.  E.  Thompson, 
Post  Regent;  C.  M.  Robison,  Secretary;  J.  C.  Edmondson,  Jr.,  Collector; 
C.  F.  Lake,  Treasurer;  J.  A.  Todd,  Chaplain;  A.  K.  Howard,  Guide;  G.  G. 
Mack,  \W-irden:  A.  C.  Lang,  Sentry;  William  M.  Varian,  M.  D.,  Medical 
Examiner;  J.  A.  Todd,  Deputy  Grand  Regent. 

Rebecca  Lodge,  No.  149,  Odd  Fellozvs'  Auxiliary,  has  for  N.  G.  Mrs. 
Mary  Meyers,  and  Miss  Susie  Hayes  for  Secretary. 

St.  Joseph's  J'erein  is  a  local  benevolent  association,  composed  of  the 
members  of  St.  Walburga's  congregation.  This  society  is  twenty-six  years 
old.  and  it  is  in  a  highly  prosperous  condition.  It  has  accumulated  a  fund 
of  good  size,  showing  thrifty  management.  It  extends  a  helping  hand  to 
persons  in  distress.  It  pays  to  sick  members  $5  a  week  for  six  months, 
and  for  six  months  more  $2.50  a  week,  ^^'hen  a  member  dies  the  society 
pays  $65  to  the  family  for  the  funeral  expenses. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  371 

Scandia  is  a  benevolent  organization  connected  with  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  cong-regation,  similar  to  St.  Joseph's  Verein  of  St.  Walburga's 
church.  The  members  pay  an  admission  fee  of  $1  each,  and  25  cents  a  month 
as  dues.  A  member  who  is  confined  to  his  home  by  sickness  draws  $5  a 
week  for  thirteen  weeks.  In  case  of  death  the  society  pays  $50  for  funeral 
expenses. 

The  Maccabees,  Titus  Tent,  No.  24.  K.  0.  T.  M.„  started  October  9, 
1885.  The  first  Commander  was  R.  P.  Halgren,  and  the  first  Record  Keeper 
was  R.  S.  Hampton.  The  present  Commander  is  Walter  J.  Smith,  and  the 
Record  Keeper  is  Simon  Strauss,  Jr.  The  total  benefits  received  up  to  the 
present  time  b}'  the  widows  of  deceased  memliers  in  Titusville  amount  to 
nearly  $20,000. 

L.  0.  T.  AL.  Hive  No.  2Q.  was  instituted  in  1893.  This  is  a  woman's 
branch  of  the  ]\Iaccabees.  The  present  officers  of  the  society  are  Alary  E. 
Locke,  Commander:  Loretta  ]\Iur])hy,  Record  Keeper:  Margaret  Kelly, 
Financial  Record  Keeper. 

L.  0.  T.  M.,  Hive  No.  g2,  was  instituted  in  1895.  The  present  officers 
are  Carrie  Crone,  Commander:  Eliza  Aldrich,  Record  Keeper:  Nellie  Marsh, 
Financial  Record  Keeper. 

Petroleum  Lodge,  No.  462,  The  Knights  of  Honor,  was  instituted  Octo- 
ber 12,  1877.  The  Silver  Creek  Lodge,  started  in  1880,  was  subsequently 
absorbed  by  this  first  one.  The  present  officers  are  S.  Stettheimer,  Dictator ; 
H.  W.  Fisher,  Reporter:  William  Falkinburg,  Treasurer:  D.  P.  Johnson, 
Financial  Reporter. 

St.  Titus  Council,  No.  fi^o,  C.  B.  L.,  was  instituted  June  3,  1895.  Its 
first  officers  were  Rev.  Joseph  M.  Dunn,  Spiritual  Adviser;  M.  J.  Hughes, 
President:  Daniel  Foley,  Jr.,  A'ice-President :  George  A.  Hughes,  Orator; 
John  J.  Hartery,  Chancellor;  George  A.  McAnarny,  Secretary:  Julius  Franz, 
Collector:  H.  ^^'.  Brann,  Treasurer;  Napoleon  Antill,  Marshal;  Frank  Mack, 
Guard.  The  Trustees  were  E.  F.  Hughes,  E.  M.  Herlehy  and  Thomas 
Kennedy.  The  present  officers  are  Rev.  Joseph  M.  Dunn,  Spiritual  Adviser; 
\\'illiam  F.  Besselman,  President:  William  Fews,  Vice-President;  John  J. 
Daily,  Orator:  M.  J.  Hughes,  Chancellor;  George  A.  McAnarny,  Secretary; 
J.  Franz,  Collector;  H.  \\'.  Brann,  Treasurer;  Napoleon  Antill,  Marshal; 
Patrick  O'Neill,  Guard.  The  Trustees  are  William  Fews.  William  Smith 
and   Thomas   Kennedy. 


372  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Titusz'illc  Lodge,  No.  120,  D.  0.  H.,  was  instituted  September  14,  1865. 
The  Harugari  Society  of  Germans  is  a  benevolent  order.  It  pays  to  a  siclt 
member  $5  a  week.  If  a  member  dies  the  lodge  pays  the  surviving  members 
of  the  deceased  $300.  If  a  member's  wife  dies  it  pays  to  the  surviving"  hus- 
band, $100.  As  reported  to  the  Grand  Lodge  at  its  meeting  in  August,  1898, 
the  Titusville  Lodge  had  in  its  treasury  at  the  time  $3,167.38.  During  its 
existence  in  Titusville,  a  period  of  thirty-three  years,  it  has  paid  in  benefits 
from  $35,000  to  $40,000.  The  showing  is  exceptionally  creditable  to  frater- 
nal association.  The  present  officers  of  the  lodge  are  John  Knapp,  O.  B. ; 
John  Hartwig,  U.  B. ;  John  Blinzig,  Secretary ;  S.  Shertzinger,  Financial 
Secretary ;  John  Gutman.  Treasurer. 

Lnisc  Lodge,  No.  ig,  D.  0.  H.,  was  instituted  March  25,  1891.  It  is 
a  woman's  branch  of  the  Harugari,  in  the  "Hertha  Degree."  It  is  strictly 
independent  in  its  functions.  A  sick  member  receives  a  benefit  of  $3  a  week, 
and  when  a  member  dies  the  sur\'iving  family  receives  $50.  The  lodge  has 
at  present  in  its  treasury  $837.40. 

C.  S.  Chase  Post,  No.  ^0,  G.  A.  R.,  was  first  instituted  not  long  after 
the  close  of  the  late  Civil  War.  Business  excitement,  however,  at  that  period 
tended  to  cause  a  neglect  of  social  organizations,  and  because  of  this  the 
charter  of  the  Chase  post  was  surrendered.  But  it  was  afterward  recovered, 
and  a  reorganization  took  place  on  June  21,  1879,  with  the  following  officers: 
Joseph  H.  Cogswell,  P.  C. ;  \\'illi?m  H.  Wisner,  S.  V.  C. ;  C.  M.  Coburn, 
J.  V.  C. ;  Robert  P.  Halgren,  Adjutant;  Ed.  W.  Bettes,  Q.  M. ;  Dr.  J.  L. 
Dunn,  Surgeon;  Norris  Grossman,  Chaplain;  L.  L.  Shattuck,  O.  D. ;  P.  N. 
Robinson,  O.  G. ;  E.  R.  Sherman,  S.  M.  The  present  officers  are  George  W. 
Barr,  M.  D.,  P.  C. ;  John  B.  Wheaton,  S.  V.  C. ;  H.  W.  Beverly,  J.  V.  C. ; 
L.  L.  Shattuck,   Adjutant;  W.   P.  McCutchen,   O.   M. 

Titusville  Council,  No.  1,54,  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security,  was  or- 
ganized November  19,  1895.  Its  officers  are  H.  W.  Brann,  President;  Mrs. 
Rosa  Matson,  First  Vice-President ;  Mrs.  P.  Brice,  Second  Vice-President ; 
W.  J.  Davidson,  Secretary ;  J.  H.  Main,  Financial  Secretary ;  W.  H.  Bevins, 
Treasurer;  Miss  Kate  Hancox,  Prelate;  Mrs.  Wakeman,  Conductor;  B. 
Dorschel,  Guard;  C.  W.  Sager,  M.  D.,  Medical  Examiner.  The  Trustees 
are  H.  W.  Brann.  B.  Dorschel  and  J.  B.  Bratt. 


CHAPTER   V. 


J'ETROLEUM,  AND  OUR  CONNECTION  THEREWITH. 


By    M.    N.    ALLEN. 


KNOWLEDGE  of  petroleum  is  perhaps  as  old  as  civilization.  Long- 
before  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era,  it  was  found  in  Persia,  in 
China,  in  India  and  other  ancient  countries.  In  later  times  it  is  known 
to  have  existed  in  several  parts  of  the  globe.  But  up  to  the  present  period  of 
less  than  forty  years  the  product  had  been  collected  only  upon  the  surface  of 
water,  springs  or  streams,  and  then  in  small  quantities.  The  origin  of  the 
substance  is  not  known,  though  various  theories  upon  the  subject  have  from 
time  to  time  been  suggested.  Previous  to  1859,  so  far  as  is  now  known, 
because  of  its  limited  production,  it  had  not  been  an  article  of  general  com- 
merce. Before  proceeding"  to  an- account  of  the  oil  trade  which  relates  to 
Titusville,  Pennsylvania,  it  is  proper  to  describe  the  chemical  character  of 
petroleum.  As  expressed  by  the  etymology  of  the  word,  it  means  rock  oil. 
From  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica  the  following  quotation  is  made: 
"The  proximate  principles  of  petroleum  have  been  determined  and  exam- 
ined chiefly  by  Schorlemmer  in  Eilgland,  Pelouze  and  Cahonis  in  France, 
and  C.  M.  Warren  and  S.  P.  Saddler  in  the  United  States.  Many  other 
chemists  have  contributed  valuable  assistance  to  the  work.  These  researches 
have  established  the  fact  that  Pennsylvania  petroleum  consists  chiefly  of  two 
homologous  series  of  isomeric  compounds,  having  the  general  formula  Cn 
H2nT2,  at  one  extremity  of  which  marsh  gas  is  found,  and  solid  paraffine 
at  the  other."  In  other  words,  petroleum  is  a  compound  of  a  series  of 
hydro-carbons,  beginning  with  a  union  which  contains  the  smallest  possible 
quantity  of  carbon  with  the  largest  possible  quantity  of  hydrogen  which 
could  unite  with  such  an  infinitesimal  particle  of  carbon,  and*  descending  in 
the  series  with  each  union  in  the  course  containing  less  hydrogen  and  more 
carbon  than  the  one  above  it,  until  the  union  last  formed  is  all  carbon,  except 
the  faintest  conceivable  trace  of  hydrogen.     This  last  in  the  series  is  solid 

373 


374  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

paraffine,  while  the  beginning,  next  to  pure  hydrogen,  is  the  hghtest  of  gases. 
Petroleum  therefore  inchides,  not  only  oil  of  various  gravities  in  a  liquid 
state,  but  also  the  substance  spoken  of  in  the  oil  country  as  "natural  gas," 
and  also  paraffine,  whether  in  a  semi-liquid  or  in  a  solid  condition.  Heavy 
oils  contain  more  carbon  and  less  hydrogen  than  oil  of  lighter  gravity.  Ohio 
oil  and  Baku  oil  are  noted  for  the  large  amount  of  carbon  in  their  composi- 
tion, while  most  of  the  oil  produced  in  western  Pennsylvania,  excepting  the 
Bradford  field,  has  less  carbon.  The  yield  of  illuminating  oil  is,  of  course, 
greater  from  Pennsylvania  oil  than  from  that  produced  in  Ohio.  This  is 
because  of  the  excess  of  carbon  in  the  latter.  It  is  well  to  note  the  fact  that 
the  great  bulk  of  oil  produced  in  the  United  States  is  found  on  the  western 
slope  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  or  upon  the  plane  of  their  base,  though 
in  part,  as  in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  some  distance  westward  from  the  foot  of 
the  slope.  Oil  is  found  in  Colorado,  Kansas  and  California  in  paying  quan- 
tities, but  the  production  in  these  localities  is  limited  tO'  small  areas  and 
small  deposits. 

As  early  as  1833  the  older  Silliman,  of  Yale  College,  contributed  to 
the  "American  Journal  of  Science"  an  interesting  account  concerning  a 
petroleum  spring  in  Allegany  County,  New  York,  after  he  had  in  person 
visited  the  spring  and  examined  the  oil  upon  its  surface.  Nearly  fifty  years 
later  there  was  opened  in  the  vicinity  of  this  spring,  a  large  territory  of  oil 
production.  In  1855  the  younger  Silliman  made  a  thorough  chemical  analy- 
sis and  test  of  oil  brought  from  Venango  County,  Pennsylvania,  the  results 
of  which  he  embodied  in  a  report  to  Eveleth  &  Bissell,  of  New  York,  who, 
with  others,  afterward  sent  Drake  to  Titusville  to  aid  in  increasing  the 
production  of  oil  already  begun  by  the  dipping  process. 

In  1846  Samuel  AI.  Kier,  of  Pittsburg,  a  druggist,  began  to  collect 
oil.  which  rose  to  the  surface  of  salt  wells,  at  Tarentum,  Pennsylvania,  twenty 
miles  above  Pittsburg  on  the  Allegheny  River,  and,  from  a  knowledge  of 
some  of  the  medicinal  properties  of  petroleum,  he  bottled  the  liquid,  adver- 
tised and  sold  it  as  a  healing  remedy.  In  this  connection  it  may  be  said  that 
the  product  was  then  called  "Seneca  Oil,"  from  the  fact  that  the  Seneca 
Indians,  a  tribe  in  Venango  County,  had  long  used  it  as  a  medicine.  For  years 
after  Drake's  discovery  the  inhabitants  of  the  oil  country  continued  to  speak 
of  petroleum  as  "Seneca  Oil."  The  association  represented  by  Drake  in 
his  original  venture  called  itself  the  "Seneca  Oil  Company." 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  375 

A  contract  by  and  between  Brewer,  Watson  &  Co.,  and  T-  D.  Ano-ier, 
for  procuring  oil  from  the  spring  at  which  Drake  subsequently  located  his 
initial  well,  read  as  follows : 

"Agreed  this  fourth  day  of  July,  A.  D.,  1853,  with  J.  D.  Angier,  of 
Cherrj'tree  Township,  in  the  county  of  Venango,  Pennsylvania,  that  he  shall 
repair  up  and  keep  in  order  the  old  oil  spring  on  land  in  Cherrytree  Town- 
ship, or  dig  and  make  new  springs,  and  the  expenses  to  be  deducted  out  of  the 
proceeds  of  the  oil,  and  the  balance,  if  any,  to  be  divided,  the  one-half  to 
J.  D.  Angier,  and  tiie  other  half  to  Brewer,  Watson  &  Co.,  for  the  full  term 
of  five  years  from  this  date,  if  profitable. 

"BREWER,  WATSON  &  CO., 

"J.  D.  Angier." 

Oil  had  previously  been  collected  by  absorbing  it  into  blankets  spread 
upon  the  water.  After  the  oil  had  come  to  the  surface  and  filled  the  blanket, 
it  was  expressed  and  caught  in  a  tub.  Pits  were  also  dug  in  the  soil,  into 
which  oil  and  water  mixed  entered  by  seeping  through  the  ground.  The  oil 
rose  to  the  surface  and  was  then  dipped  or  skimmed  off.  Angier  dug 
trenches  and  then  pumped  the  oil  and  water  into  a  basin.  The  pump  was 
worked  by  machinery  in  a  saw-mill  belonging  to  Brewer,  Watson  &  Co.,  near 
at  hand.  After  the  oil  settled  at  the  surface  of  the  water  in  the  basin,  it 
was  skimmed  off. 

It  is  rational  to  assume  as  a  theory  that,  whatever  natural  forces  have 
created  petroleum,  the  formation  occurred  far  below  the  earth's  surface, 
and  where  intense  heat  acted.  The  petroleum  thus  formed  was  in  a  gaseous 
state,  and  by  its  expansive  force  it  was  pressed  into  all  the  openings  in  the 
rocks.  As  the  gas  rises  toward  the  surface,  the  temperature  falls  and  con- 
densation begins,  the  heavier  hydro-carbons  in  the  series  first  becoming 
liquid.  The  gas,  as  it  rises  through  fissures  in  the  rocks,  sometimes  finds 
its  way  into  porous  sand-rocks,  where  it  is  sometimes  imprisoned  by  imper- 
vious rock  above,  and  at  other  times  the  gas  makes  a  partial  escape  upward, 
the  more  volatile  parts  being  the  last  to  condense.  Petroleum  thus  coming 
to  the  surface,  either  as  a  liquid  or  as  a  gas,  strikes  a  water  course,  and  then 
there  is  found  a  gas  spring,  or  an  oil  spring.  Sometimes  the  oil  oozes 
through  the  soil.  In  1877  there  was  opened  in  the  vicinity  of  East  Titus- 
ville  a  considerable  production  of  oil  found  in  the  ground  fifteen  or  twenty 
feet  below  the  surface.     This  was  first  discovered  by  accident,  in  digging 


376  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

a  hole  for  a  water  well,  or  some  other  purpose.     Afterward  pits  were  sunk 
expressly  to  find  the  oil.     Whence  the  oil  came  no  one  knew. 

In  1854,  about  a  year  after  Angier  entered  into  an  agreement  with 
Brewer,  Watson  &  Co.,  as  mentioned  above,  George  H.  Bissell,  of  the  firm 
Eveleth  &  Bissell,  New  York,  gave  his  attention  to  the  subject  of  petroleum. 
He  was  led  to  believe  that  a  production  of  important  magnitude  could  be  got 
from  the  undertaking  begun  by  Angier.  It  has  been  reported  that  a  certain 
Professor  Crosby,  of  Dartmouth  College,  from  which  Bissell  had  been 
graduated,  to  get  a  place  for  his  son,  induced  Bissell  to  interest  himself  in 
forming  a  stock  company  for  procuring  oil  by  the  Angier  process.  Late  in 
the  fall  of  that  year  Brewer,  Watson  &  Co.  sold  to  Eveleth  &  Bissell,  as  in- 
dividuals, the  Willard  farm,  on  which  was  the  oil  spring  and  appliances  for 
gathering  oil,  already  described,  containing  one  hundred  and  five  acres.  The 
consideration  named  in  the  deed  was  $25,000,  while  the  real  price  was  $5,000. 
As  had  been  the  intention,  the  deed  was  transferred  to  a  stock  company. 
The  fiction  resorted  to  as  to  the  purchase  price  of  the  property  was  enacted 
for  the  purpose  of  helping  the  sale  of  stock. 

In  the  following  January,  1855,  Eveleth  &  Bissell  deeded  the  property  to 
a  corporation  formed  in  New  York  City.  The  trustees  of  the  corporation 
had  among  their  number,  Francis  B.  Brewer,  of  Titusville,  with  Eveleth  & 
Bissell  at  the  head.  The  name  of  the  corporation  was  the  "Pennsylvania 
Rock  Oil  Company."  The  capital  stock  was  fixed  at  $250,000;  the  num- 
ber of  shares,  25,000,  at  $10  a  share;  the  age  of  the  company,  fifty  years. 

Eveleth  &  Bissell  had  much  trouble  in  placing  the  stock.  To  add  to 
their  troubles  they  accidentally  discovered  an  old  Pennsylvania  statute,  which 
provided  for  the  forfeiture  to  the  State  of  the  lands  owned  within  its  limits 
by  a  foreign  corporation.  But  fortunately  neither  the  deed  to  them  exe- 
cuted by  Brewer,  Watson  &  Co.,  nor  their  deed  to  the  corporation  had  been 
put  upon  record.  They  therefore  made  haste  to  have  the  company  transfer 
by  deed  the  property  to  Asahel  Pierpont  and  William  A.  Ives,  of  New 
Haven,  Connecticut,  who  in  turn  leased  it  to  a  new  company  for  the  term  of 
ninety-nine  years.  The  new  association  was  formed  on  a  capital  of  $300,000, 
divided  into  12,000  shares  of  $25  each,  Eveleth  &  Bissell  taking  a  majority 
of  the  stock.  The  headquarters  of  the  new  company  were  fixed  at  New  Haven. 
The  title  of  the  corporation  was  the  "Pennsylvania  Rock  Oil  Company."  Mr. 
Pierpont,  a  practical  mechanic,  was  sent  to  Titusville  to  assist  Mr.  Angier 


OUR  COUNTY  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE.  ^77 

in  improving  the  machinery  for  collecting  the  oil.  But  the  company  failed 
to  furnish  the  requisite  funds,  and  Pierpont  seems  to  have  accomplished 
nothing.  Disagreement  among  directors  checked  practical  operations.  An- 
gler with  the  rude  appliances  continued  to  gather  a  few  gallons  of  oil  each 
day.  Dr.  Brewer,  though  having  no  stock  in  the  company,  felt  an  interest 
in  the  success  of  the  undertaking,  and  wrote  to  the  managers  that  by  a 
judicious  expenditure  of  five  hundred  dollars,  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
gallons  of  oil  a  day  could  be  collected.  But  the  expenditure  was  not  made. 
Mr.  Angier  was  discharged  from  service,  and  the  company's  affairs  con- 
tinued to  drag. 

In  the  previous  transfer  of  the  property  care  had  not  in  all  cases  been 
exercised  to  have  conveyed  a  perfect  title  as  to  dowry  interests,  and  this 
fact  caused  some  delay  in  starting  operations.     Under  an  excuse  to  correct 
the  neglect  of  the  purchasers  to  get  from  those  who  had  sold  the  Willard 
farm  the  signatures  of  their  wives  to  the  deed.  Colonel  E.  L.  Drake  was 
sent  to  Titusville,  but,  as  may  be  believed,  for  the  real  purpose  of  inspecting 
artesian  wells,  and  investigate  the  feasibility  of  boring  a  well  on  the  property 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Rock  Oil  Company.     Accordingly,  Drake,  on  his  way 
from  New  Haven  to  Titusville,  stopped  at  Syracuse,  New  York,  to  examine 
the  salt  wells  there,  and  learn  something  of  the  mode  of  boring  and  pumping 
them.     He  arrived  in  Titusville  in  December;  1857.     After  completing  the 
legal  business  of  his  mission,  so  far  as  could  be  done  at  Titusville,  and  study- 
ing briefly  the  oil  indications  there,  he  went  to  Pittsburg  to  secure  the  signa- 
tures of  Mrs.  Brewer  and  Mrs.  Rynd,  whose  husbands  had  joined  in  a  deed 
of  the  Willard  farm,  as  already  stated,  and  on  the  trip  he  inspected  the  salt 
wells  of  Tarentum,  from  which  Kier  got  the  oil,  which  for  about  ten  years 
he  had  been  selling  as  a  medicine.     On  his  return  to  New  Haven  Drake 
made  such  an  encouraging  report  of  his  investigations  that  the  three  New 
Haven  directors,  who  were  a  majority  of  the  governing  board,  executed  on 
the  30th  day  of  December  a  lease  to  Edwin  E.  Bowditch  and  E.  L.  Drake 
for  a  term  of  fifteen  years,  the  lessees  binding  themselves  to  pay  to  the  Penn- 
sylvania Rock  Oil  Company  a  royalty  of  five  and  a  half  cents  a  gallon  for  all 
the  oil  produced   by  them  on  the  lease  during  its  term.     The  other  two 
directors,  Bissell,  of  New  York,  and  Jonathan  Watson,  of  Titusville,  who 
together  represented  a  majority  of  the  total  stock  of  the  company,  refused, 


>',78  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

their  consent  to  the  contract.  But  at  the  annual  meeting  in  January  follow- 
ing, 1858,  the  lease  was  ratified  over  the  protests  of  Bissell  and  Watson. 

After,  however,  Bissell  and  Watson  had  withdrawn  from  the  meeting, 
the  consideration  was  changed  from  five  and  a  half  cents  a  gallon  to  one- 
eighth  in  kind  of  all  the  oil,  salt  or  paint  produced.  Bissell  threatened  sum- 
mary resistance  in  the  courts,  but  finally  there  was  a  compromise.  The  time 
of  the  lease  was  extended  to  forty-five  years,  and  the  royalty  was  fixed  at 
twelve  cents  a  gallon,  giving  to  the  lessees  one  year  in  which  to  prepare  for 
beginning  operations.  The  lessees  and  some  others  organized  themselves 
into  the  "Seneca  Oil  Company."  Drake  was  made  to  appear  as  the  main 
stockholder.  He  had  been  for  several  years  a  railroad  conductor,  and  had 
not  much  experience  as  a  business  man.  He  was  now  employed  by  the 
Seneca  Oil  Company  as  superintendent  on  a  salary  of  one  thousand  dollars 
a  year.  He  had  little  or  no  means  of  his  own.  He  moved  to  Titusville  with 
his  family  in  May,  1858,  bringing  a  thousand  dollars  which  had  been  pro- 
vided for  him  to  begin  work  with.  His  first  work  here  was  to  revive  the  old 
works  which  had  been  abandoned  by  Angier,  and  he  began  to  dig  a  well,  at 
the  same  time  making  preparations  for  boring  one  on  the  same  spot.  He 
contracted  for  an  engine  to  be  ready  by  the  first  of  the  coming  September. 
He  engaged  a  driller.  The  engine  was  slow  in  coming  and  there  were  other 
delays,  so  that  the  driller,  upon  some  excuse,  got  employment  elsewhere. 
Summer  and  fall  wore  away.  The  company  became  remiss  in  sending  money, 
and  Drake  was  obliged  to  suspend  active  work  until  the  next  spring. 

A  Mr.  Peterson,  who  had  salt  wells  near  Tarentum,  recommended  Drake 
to  employ  Mr.  William  Smith  and  his  sons,  practical  drillers,  who  had  worked 
for  him,  and  accordingly  Drake  engaged  them.  Mr.  Smith,  with  his  young- 
est son,  Samuel,  came  to  Titusville  about  the  middle  of  May,  1859,  bringing 
a  full  set  of  tools,  which  had  been  made  in  Mr.  Smith's  shop  at  Salina,  near 
Tarentum. 

In  the  district  where  Smith  had  operated  the  soil  was  only  a  few  feet 
above  the  rock,  so  that  the  first  thing  to  do  in  starting  an  artesian  well  was 
to  dig  a  pit  down  to  the  rock.  After  this  had  been  done,  the  drill,  suspended 
at  one  end  of  the  walking  beam,  began  to  cut  its  way  vertically  into  the  rock. 
But  at  the  Drake  well  Smith  found  a  deeper  soil,  which  was  porous  and  filled 
with  water.  Smith,  as  had  been  his  method  on  the  Allegheny  River,  began 
to  crib  the  pit  with  timbers,  to  prevent  the  dirt  from  coming  in.     But  he  had 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  379 

gone  down  only  a  few  feet  in  the  ground,  when  the  water  came  in  so  rapidly 
that  he  was  forced  to  stop.  (Drake  then  resorted  to  an  expedient  which  is  said 
to  ha\-e  been  his  invention.  He  doubtless  consulted  Smith  before  making  the 
experiment.  He  had  cut  a  soil  pipe,  with  an  interior  diameter  of  about  six 
inches,  which  he  attempted  to  drive  vertically  into  the  ground.  The  shell  of 
the  first  pipe  which  he  tried  proved  to  be  too  light,  as  it  broke  easily.  He  then 
increased  the  thickness  of  the  shell,  and  the  new  pipe  withstood  the  blows  of 
the  battering  ram,  as  the  block,  which  was  dropped  on  the  end  of  the  vertical 
pipe,  was  called.  Smith  used  four  joints  of  this  cast  iron  driving  pipe,  each 
joint  ten  feet  long,  before  striking  the  rock.  From  the  upper  end  of  the  last 
joint  to  the  derrick  floor  the  distance  was  seven  feet.  This  space  was  supplied 
with  a  wooden  conductor.  The  drill  descended  into  the  rock,  before  striking 
oil,  twenty-two  and  one-half  feet,  making  the  total  depth  of  the  well  sixty- 
nine  and  one-half  feet. 

The  use  of  cast  iron  pipe,  which  Drake  originated  and  made  a  practical 
success,  for  penetrating  the  soil  down  to  the  rock,  continued  in  sinking  oil 
wells  many  years.  It  is  reported  that  in  driving  a  soil  pipe  near  East  Titus- 
ville,  in  1865,  a  hemlock  log,  imbedded  at  a  depth  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground,  was  cut  in  two.  In  later  years  a  wrought 
iron  soil  pipe  is  used.  This  has  at  the  lower  end  of  the  first  joint  a  steel  shoe. 
The  drill  goes  down  inside  the  pipe  and  cuts  away  boulders  and  other  obstruc- 
tions, while  the  pipe,  as  fast  as  the  drill  clears  the  way,  is  pushed,  or  driven, 
down  to  the  rock. 

After  the  pipe  had  been  driven  in  the  Drake  well,  the  drill  was  lowered 
into  the  hole,  and  set  to  work  on  Thursday,  August  25.  At  about  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  of  .Saturday,  the  27th,  following,  the  drill  dropped  into  a 
crevice  of  the  rock.  The  tools  were  then  drawn  from  the  well,  the  measure- 
ment showing  a  depth  of  sixty-nine  and  one-half  feet  below  the  surface.  Mr. 
Smith  and  his  family  lived  in  a  shanty  built  for  their  temporary  use,  adjoin- 
ing the  derrick.  On  going  to  the  well  the  next  morning,  Sunday,  Mr.  Smith 
found  that  the  oil  had  risen  in  the  driving  pipe  and  wooden  conductor  to  the 
derrick  floor,  and,  in  fact,  both  oil  and  water  flowed  out  of  the  top  of  the 
conductor. 

Although  it  was  Sunday,  the  news  of  the  discovery  spread  rapidly 
through  the  village  of  Titusville  and  the  surrounding  country.  Large  crowds 
of  people  rushed  to  the  well,  and  they  continued  to  surround  the  spot  for  sev- 


38o  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

eral  da)'s  afterward.  The  community  was  naturally  excited  upon  the  subject 
and  little  else  was  talked  of.  Eager,  however,  as  was  their  curiosity,  the 
people  scarcely  dreamed  of  the  momentous  results  which  were  to  follow  the 
sinking  of  this  first  small  oil  well. 

On  Monday  morning  a  temporary  pumping  apparatus  was  rigged.  A 
tin  pipe,  attached  to  a  pitcher  pump,  was  let  down  into  the  hole.  Then  by  a 
lever  attachment  with  the  engine,  the  pump  was  worked.  The  process  was 
continued  from  ten  days  to  two  weeks,  the  well  yielding  from  twenty  to  thirty 
barrels  of  oil  a  day,  until  tubing  and  a  working  barrel  could  be  got  from 
Pittsburg.  Then  after  the  well  had  been  tubed,  and  the  tubing  seed-bagged, 
the  pumping  was  done  by  sucker-rods,  connected  to  the  walking  beam,  as 
at  the  present  time,  lifting  the  oil  from  a  working  barrel  placed  at  the  bottom 
of  the  well.  At  first  a  large  hogshead  was  used  for  receiving  the  oil  and  water. 
The  oil  was  drawn  from  the  hogshead  into  barrels,  and  the  water  discharged 
from  an  opening  near  the  bottom  of  the  hogshead,  and  carried  away  in  a  ditch. 
Every  kind  of  a  barrel  which  would  hold  oil  was  brought  into  service. 
Finally,  a  wooden  tank,  a  rectangular  box,  like  a  vat,  was  substituted  for  the 
hogshead,  and  a  cooper  a  few  miles  away,  who  manufactured  white  oak  butter 
tubs,  supplied  Drake  with  new  barrels  made  from  the  same  material. 

At  this  point  a  brief  rest  may  be  taken,  and  the  attention  of  readers 
directed  to  the  immeasurable  results  achieved  by  the  experiment  which  Drake 
executed  at  Titusville  less  than  forty  years  ago.  An  industry,  which  for 
more  than  a  generation  has  furnished  light  for  the  nations,  had  its  begin- 
ning here.  Chemical  skill  and  mechanical  invention  since  Drake's  discovery 
have  drawn  from  the  parts  of  petroleum  a  large  number  of  highly  interesting 
products  of  great  practical  utility  and  convenience.  Upon  a  conservative 
estimate,  it  may  be  said  that  since  the  sinking  of  the  Drake  well  the  total 
sales  of  petroleum  products  of  the  United  States  have  yielded  more  than 
one  thousand  millions  of  dollars,  and  perhaps  more  than  double  that  sum.  It 
is  submitted  that  the  man,  who  for  more  than  a  year  was  regarded  by  many 
of  the  citizens  of  Titusville  and  vicinity  as  a  hmatic  for  his  persistence  in 
clinging  to  his  experiment  of  boring  for  oil  into  the  rock,  who  submitted 
patiently  to  derision,  exhausting  his  means,  not  only  for  carrying  on  his 
undertaking,  but  for  the  support  of  his  family,  and  experiencing  as  he  did 
the  pangs  of  poverty,  the  company  that  had  employed  him  losing  confidence 
in  the  mode  undertaken  and  stopping  his  supply  of  funds — it  is  submitted 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  381 

tliat  the  man,  whose  dogged  perseverance  succeeded  in  accompHshing  a  work 
of  such  infinite  importance  in  its  results,  is  entitled  to  a  monument  erected 
to  his  memory  at  the  spot  where  the  achievement  was  wrought. 

It  costs  no  effort  to  use  an  invention  after  it  has  been  made.  Many  an 
inventor,  while  engaged  in  studying  a  theory  and  making  experiments  to 
test  its  mechanical  merits,  has  been  an  object  of  ridicule.  Until  he  achieves 
success,  his  efforts  are  regarded  as  visionary.  For  a  long  time  Edwin  L. 
Drake  struggled  against  obstacles  large  and  small  of  a  most  discouraging 
character.  His  associates  in  the  East,  who  had  agreed  to  supply  him  with 
necessary  ftnids,  evidently  lost  faith  in  the  experiment  which  he  was  making 
and  finalh'  ceased  altogether  to  send  him  money.  Most  of  the  people  at 
Titusville  distrusted  the  success  of  his  undertaking.  He  had  no  financial 
credit  in  the  community.  He  could  scarcely  buy  a  pound  of  tea,  a  sack  of 
flour  or  a  pound  of  nails  solely  on  his  promise  to  pay.  Deserted  by  his  back- 
ers and  derided  by  many  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  locality  where  he  was  strug- 
gling with  his  experiment,  with  constant  uncertainty  as  to  its  fate  overhanging 
him,  it  may  be  imagined  that  Drake  suffered  a  mental  strain  which  did  actually 
break  down  his  constitution. 

Tliere  were,  however,  a  few  citizens  of  Titusville,  who  in  his  sore  dis- 
tress stood  by  him,  aiding  him  throughout  his  trials  until  his  triumph  came. 
Two  merchants,  R.  D.  Fletcher  and  Peter  Wilson,  were  especially  his  stead- 
fast friends.  They  endorsed  his  paper  and  helped  him  in  other  ways.  But 
for  such  assistance  Drake  must  have  failed.  Some  years  afterward  when 
on  a  visit  to  Titusville,  while  referring  in  particular  to  Mr.  Fletcher,  Drake 
said:  "There  was  the  friend  of  my  life.  He  it  was  that  saved  me."  He 
had  not  forgotten  Wilson,  his  other  benefactor,  when  he  asked  him  years 
later  to  stand  with  him  in  front  of  the  old  well  for  a  picture.  He  would  have 
the  photograph  tell  positively  what  was  due  to  his  friend  in  need.  What  a 
debt  does  the  world  owe  R.  D.  Fletcher  and  Peter  Wilson,  as  well  as  E.  L. 
Drake!  Both  Drake  and  Wilson  have  long  since  crossed  the  dividing  river. 
Fletcher  still  survives,  managing  the  same  mercantile  establishment  which 
he  founded  in  Titusville  more  than  forty  years  ago. 

It  has  been  urged  that  Drake  ought  to  have  followed  up  the  opportunities 
created  by  his  discovery  in  leasing  oil  territory  and  seizing  upon  other  advan- 
tages, connected  with  the  oil  development  within  his  reach.  On  the  contrary, 
it  is  said,  he  permitted  others  to  reap  all  the  benefits  of  his  successful  experi- 


382  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ment  in  boring  for  oil.  In  reply,  it  may  be  offered  that,  when  Drake  finished 
his  well  and  saw  the  pump  lifting  and  pouring  the  liquid  treasure  into  a  tank, 
he  was  covered  with  debts.  His  opportunities  for  leasing  land  were  no  better 
than  those  of  any  other  man.  He  did  not  patent  his  method  of  boring  for  oil. 
His  invention  brought  him  no  royalty.  It  is  quite  possiljle  that  Drake  was 
not  a  good  business  man.  Few  inventors  are.  If  he  succeeded  in  paving  all 
the  debts,  which  he  was  owing  when  he  finished  his  well — as  undoubtedly 
he  did — he  spent  nearly  all  the  rest  of  his  life  in  straitened  circumstances,  and 
at  one  time  in  ruined  health  he  suffered  with  his  family  extreme  poverty, 
until,  when  his  condition  became  known,  the  oil  men  collectivelv  raised  him 
a  few  thousand  dollars.  In  1873  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania  voted  him 
an  annual  pension  of  $1,500,  the  pension  to  last  until  the  death  of  both  him- 
self and  his  wife.  When  he  moved  away  from  Titusville  in  the  early  sixties, 
he  took  with  him  perhaps  $20,000.  and  perhaps  more.  But  if  he  had  carried 
away  $100,000,  he  might  easily  have  lost  it  all  in  unfortunate  investments.  It 
was  not  his  fault  that  nature  had  not  created  him  a  financier.  He  did  stand  . 
patiently  and  Iieroically  on  guard  until  he  ga\'e  to  the  world  a  discovery  of 
infinite  value,  and  for  his  fidelity  to  a  theory  he  deserves  the  honor  and  grati- 
tude of  mankind. 

The  following  biographical  sketch,  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  John  A.  ]\Iather, 
in  his  published  work  of  original  photographic  views,  taken  by  himself,  in 
the  early  years  of  petroleum  development,  accompanied  by  explanatorv  notes 
and  observations,  is  quoted  here  because  of  its  supposed  accuracy : 

"E.  L.  Drake,  otherwise  known  as  Colonel  E.  L.  Drake,  was  born  at 
Greenville,  Greene  County,  New  York,  March  29,  1819.  His  parents  were 
respectable  farmers,  and  gave  their  son  a  common  school  education.  At  the 
age  of  nineteen  he  left  home  to  seek  his  fortune,  which  meant  go  west.  At 
Buffalo  he  obtained  the  position  as  night  clerk  on  the  steamer  "Wisconsin," 
running  between  Buffalo  and  Detroit,  Michigan,  and  remained  with  it  until 
the  season  closed.  He  then  went  to  Ann  Arbor  and  worked  upon  a  farm 
about  a  year.  He  then  obtained  a  situation  as  clerk  in  a  hotel  at  Tecumseh 
for  two  years,  when  he  returned  to  his  parents  in  Vermont.  He  next  went  to 
New  Haven,  Connecticut,  where  he  served  as  dry  goods  clerk  for  three  years, 
and.  hoping  to  better  his  prospects,  accepted  a  similar  position  with  a  retail 
dry  goods  store  on  Broadway,  New  York  City.  Next  he  got  a  job  as  ex- 
press agent  on  the  Boston  and  Albany  Railroad,  at  a  salary  of  $50  per  month, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  383 

and  resigned  in  1849  to  accept  another  position  as  conductor  on  the  New 
York  and  New  Haven  Railroad,  which  he  held  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  his 
superior  officers  of  that  corporation,  and  only  resigned  to  take  charge  of 
the  de\-elopments  on  Oil  Creek,  in  Pennsylvania.  His  friend,  James  M.  Town- 
send,  New  Haven,  induced  him  to  purchase  five  hundred  shares  in  the  Penn- 
sylvania Rock  Oil  Company.  This  was  the  beginning  of  his  connection  with 
the  business  that  has  rendered  his  name  famous.  About  this  time  he  married 
Laura  Dow,  of  New  Haven,  a  young  woman  of  most  excellent  character,  who 
was  ever  to  him  a  friend  and  guide.  In  1857,  he  moved  to  Titusville  to  be 
paid  a  salary  of  $1,000  a  year  by  the  Pennsylvania  Rock  Oil  Company,  to*put 
down  the  first  artesian  oil  well,  called,  after  his  name,  the  Drake  well.  In 
i860  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  for  three  years.  In  1863  he  sold  his 
entire  property  in  the  oil  regions  for  a  fraction  of  what  it  was  worth,  realizing 
about  $20,000,  and  went  into  Wall  Street  speculations,  which  financially  and 
speedily  swamped  him.  Pie  removed  with  his  wife  and  family  to  Vermont 
and  thence  to  a  cottage  on  the  highlands  of  Navesink,  New  Jersey.  Having 
had  serious  attacks  of  neuralgia  of  the  spine  and  partial  paralysis  of  the  lower 
limbs,  here  he  suffered  for  many  years,  his  wife  supplying  the  wants  of  him 
and  family  by  her  needle.  He  visited  New  York  ostensibly  to  obtain 
a  position  for  one  of  his  sons,  where  he  met  and  recognized  'Mr.  Z.  Martin, 
of  Titusville,  who  noticed  his  wretched  appearance,  donated  him  a  dinner 
and  $20,  and  cheered  him  with  the  hope  of  getting  further  help.  His  dis- 
tressed condition  became  known  in  Titusville,  and  a  subscription  was  raised 
of  $4,200  by  friends  and  oil  producers  with  a  generosity  for  which  they  have 
ever  been  famed.  This  fund  was  committed  to  the  care  of  Mrs.  Drake,  who 
frugally  hoarded  it,  and  yet  continued  to  meet  a  part  of  the  family  expenses 
with  the  wages  of  her  needle.  In  1873  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  passed 
a  law  granting  him  a  pension  of  $1,500  a  year,  which  he  enjoyed  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  or  about  No\  ember  20,  1880,  in  the 
sixty-second  year  of  his  age." 

Mr.  Mather,  the  author  of  the  foregoing  sketch,  was  an  intimate  personal 
friend  of  Colonel  Drake,  from  whom  by  word  of  mouth  he  received  verbatim 
the  entire  first  part  of  the  atove  narrative,  down  to  the  removal  to  Vermont, 
following  the  disastrous  speculations  in  Wall  Street.  Of  the  remaining  part 
of  the  biography,  Mr.  Mather  speaks  with  assurance,  because  of  the  general 
knowledge  of  the  rest  of  Colonel  Drake's  life.     It  should  be  added  that  the 


384  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

widow  witli  four  children  moved  in  1895  from  Bethlehem  to  New  England, 
where  at  last  accounts  she  still  resides. 

The  office  of  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Titusville  when  Drake  held  it  was 
lucrative,  because  of  the  acknowledgment  of  deeds,  when  a  great  deal  of 
property  changed  hands,  following  the  discovery  of  oil.  Drake  probably 
wrote  many  conveyances  himself,  for  which  he  received  fees.  During  this 
time  he  purchased  from  Jonathan  Watson  twenty-five  acres  of  land  in  the 
borough  of  Titusville.  He  subsequently  sold  the  same  to  Dr.  A.  D.  Atkinson, 
realizing  several  thousand  dollars  on  the  investment.  He  was  also  employed 
foi^  a  time  by  Schieffelin  Brothers,  of  New  York,  in  buying  oil  for  the  firm. 

In  the  papers  left  by  Thaddeus  Stevens  at  his  death,  in  1868,  was 
found  the  draft  of  a  bill,  prepared  by  himself,  which  he  intended  to  present 
to  Congress,  providing  for  an  appropriation  of  $250,000  for  the  Pennsyl- 
vanian,  who  had  made  one  of  the  great  discoveries  in  the  history  of  the  world. 
But  Stevens  went  to  his  grave,  and  the  national  government  has  done  nothing 
in  recognition  of  Drake's  remarkable  achievement. 

It  is  proper  now  to  speak  of  those  who,  so  far  as  their  names  can  be 
ascertained,  were  employed  upon  the  first  oil  well.  Coryden  Redfield  had 
helped  Angier  in  getting  oil  from  the  trenches  at  the  oil  spring,  and  he  gave 
some  assistance  to  Mr.  Smith. 

^Vi]liam  A.  Smith,  who  superintended  the  entire  operation  of  sinking 
the  Drake  well,  was  especially  well  qualified  for  the  work.  He  was  a  good 
mechanic  and  a  man  of  character.  He  had  gained  experience  at  Tarentum 
and  Salina,  where  he  lived,  in  drilling  artesian  wells.  Drake  was  very  for- 
tunate in  procuring  the  services  of  so  good  a  man.  When  the  inflow  of  water 
drove  him  from  the  pit  which  he  and  his  men  were  digging  toward  the  rock, 
he  undoubtedly  concurred  with  Drake  as  to  the  use  of  a  soil  pipe  for  overcom- 
ing the  difiiculty.  They  used  the  best  pipe  they  could  find ;  but,  as  previously 
stated,  it  was  too  light.  Then  Smith  constructed  a  pattern  for  casting  a  heav- 
ier pipe.  A  thicker  pipe  was  cast,  and  it  answered  the  purpose.  After  drilling 
several  wells  in  different  parts  of  the  oil  region,  he  retired  to  his  farm  in  But- 
ler County,  where  he  continued  to  reside  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was 
born  in  Butler  County  in  1812.     He  died  July  27,  1890. 

His  three  sons,  James  P.,  William  B.  and  Samuel  B.,  assisted  in  drilling 
the  Drake  well.  They  were  all  born  in  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  respectively 
in  1837,  1839  and  1843.    The  second  son,  William  B.,  now  lives  in  Rochester, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  385 

New  York.  The  other  two  continue  to  reside  in  Titusville.  James  lives  on 
West  Elm  Street,  between  First  and  Second  streets,  and  Samuel  at  the  corner 
of  Elm  and  Third. 

One  day,  while  pumping  the  Drake  well,  William  Smith,  the  father, 
lighted  a  match,  which  ignited  the  gas  in  the  atmosphere,  causing  an  explosion 
and  conflagration,  which  destroyed  everything  combustible  on  the  premises. 
A  piece  of  timber  fell  upon  the  safety  valve,  and  the  result  was  an  explosion 
of  the  boiler.  A  flying  missile  struck  James  upon  the  back,  severely  laming 
him,  and  leaving  a  bunch  as  large  as  a  hen's  egg  between  his  shoulders,  which 
he  carries  at  the  present  time. 

When  Mr.  Smith  and  his  son  James  came  out  of  their  shanty  at  the 
well  on  the  Sunday  morning,  August  28th,  and  saw  the  oil  bubbling  over  the 
mouth  of  the  conductor,  he  said  to  James :  "Jimmy,  run  up  to  town  and  tell 
Mr.  Drake  to  hurry  down  and  see  the  oil."  James  made  haste  in  going  to 
Drake's  house  and  delivering  the  message.  He  found  Drake  sitting  down 
to  his  breakfast.  He  told  James  to  take  a  chair  and  wait  till  he  was  through 
with  his  meal,  when  he  would  harness  his  horse  and  carry  him  back  to  the 
well.  As  soon  as  he  had  finished  breakfast,  he  hurriedly  hitched  his  horse 
to  a  carriage  and  rapidly  drove  with  James  to  the  well.  James  says  that  when 
Drake  arrived,  and  saw  the  oil  actually  flowing  from  the  hole,  he  was  like 
one  inspired.  That  anxious,  weary,  painful  look,  which  for  months  his  coun- 
tenance had  worn,  suddenly  disappeared,  and  he  walked  erect,  his  stature 
seemingly  two  feet  higher  than  it  had  ever  appeared  before. 

The  following  entries  in  Mr.  Smith's  own  handwriting  are  copied  from 
a  small  account  book,  which  he  carried  in  his  pocket  while  employed  on  the 
Drake  well.  Because  they  were  in  his  pocket,  they  escaped  the  fire  above 
spoken  of.  In  this  fire,  James,  the  son,  lost  a  diary  which  he  was  then  keep- 
ing.    The  records  copied  from  Mr.  Smith's  book  are  as  follows : 


May  14,  1859. 
Mr.  Drake, 

To  making  boring  tools  the  full  set. 

$46.00 

2  spear  boxes, 

2,50 

4  spear  pins, 
16  sucker  joints,  $1.50, 

4.00 
24.00 

$76.50 


386  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

On  the  next  page  is  the  following : 

"May  the  20,  1859.     Commenced  work  for  Mr.  Drake.'' 

And  then  follows  an  entry  for  each  day's  work  done  continuously  for 
the  next  several  months,  at  $2.50  per  diem.  On  another  page  are  found 
credits,  without  dates,  as  follows : 

Cash  from  Drake. 
20  in  cash. 
20  in  cash. 
25  in  cash. 
10  in  cash. 
20  in   cash 


95.00 

50.00  in  cash. 

50.00  in  cash. 
200.00  in  cash. 
232.00  in  cash. 


627.00 

Another  name  deserves  mention.  Samuel  Silliman,  a  landmark,  who 
spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  Titusville,  a  highly  respected  citizen,  built 
the  derrick,  engine  house,  the  shanty  which  the  Smith  family  temporarily 
occupied  as  a  residence,  the  walking  beam  and  other  parts  of  the  wooden 
structure  of  the  Drake  well.  Mr.  Silliman  a  few  years  ago  went  West,  and 
he  is  now  living  with  his  wife  at  Spokane,  Washington  State.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  octogenarians,  he  having  reached  the  age  of  eighty-six,  and  his 
wife  eighty-two. 

Jonathan  Locke,  of  whom  subsequent  mention  will  be  made  in  these 
pages,  had  a  turning  lathe  in  a  saw  mill  near  the  Drake  well.  He  repaired 
tools  and  some  other  work  in  his  shop  for  the  drillers. 

The  general  excitement  which  followed  the  success  of  Drake's  experi- 
ment may,  in  a  measure,  be  imagined.  The  wonderful  discovery  became 
almost  the  universal  subject  of  conversation.  Mr.  Smith,  who  had  skimmed 
a  few  gallons  of  oil  a  week  from  salt  water  at  Salina  and  Tarentum,  was 
astonished  to  see  thirty  barrels  a  day  from  a  single  artesian  well.  Mr. 
Angier  had  succeeded  in  dipping  half  a  dozen  gallons  a  day  from  his 
trenches.  But  Drake  had  tapped  the  fountain  of  supply  in  the  rock.  Noth- 
ing like  it  had  ever  before  been  known.    There  was  then  no  end  to  speculation 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  387 

as  to  the  limit  of  the  product.  At  this  point,  with  only  one  well  sunk,  the 
location  of  oil  below  the  surface  was  a  question  of  uncertainty.  It  was  not 
doubted  that  in  the  Oil  Creek  valley  the  product  existed  in  abundance.  Sur- 
face manifestation  at  the  first  was  the  guide  in  selecting  the  spot  for  sinking 
an  oil  well.  Drake  very  naturally  had  located  his  oil  well  at  the  oil  spring 
on  the  Willard  farm.  The  practice  of  following  surface  indications  for  locat- 
ing wells  continued  several  years.  But  now  for  a  long  time  past  the  omni- 
present "wild-catter"  has  blazed  the  path  leading  to  the  oil  producing  terri- 
tory. At  first  certain  kinds  of  rock  upon  the  ground,  as  well  as  oil  upon  the 
surface,  were  thought  to  indicate  the  existence  of  oil  below.  But  in  time  it 
came  to  be  known  that  no  kind  of  surface  evidence  was  to  be  relied  on.  The 
test  is  the  drill  sunk  hundreds,  of  feet  into  the  earth. 

x\lmost  immediately  after  it  became  known  that  the  Drake  well  was 
pumping  from  twenty  to  thirty  barrels  of  oil  a  day,  many  parties  hastened 
to  obtain  leases  of  property  on  which  to  drill  wells.  Jonathan  Watson 
leased  the  ground  containing  an  oil  spring  near  Rouseville.  Mr.  Bissell 
leased  a  large  amount  of  territory. 

The  second  well  sunk,  following  the  Drake,  was  owned  by  William 
Barnsdall  and  William  H.  Abbott,  of  Titusville,  and  Henry  R.  Rouse  and 
Boone  Mead,  of  \A^arren.  It  was  upon  the  James  Parker  farm,  within  the 
borough  limits  of  Titusville,  not  far  from  where  is  now  the  Burgess  Steel 
A'Vorks.  The  well  was  "kicked  down."  It  was  begun  in  September,  1859, 
and  finished  February  18,  i860,  at  a  depth  of  one  hundred  and  twelve  feet. 
It  had  a  production  of  fifty  barrels  of  oil  a  day. 

The  third  well  was  owned  by  William  H.  Abbott,  William  Barnsdall, 
P.  T.  Witherop  and  David  Crossley.  It  was  situated  near  the  present 
Boughton  station  of  the  W.  N.  Y.  &  P.  Railroad,  perhaps  half  a  mile  from 
Drake's  well.  This  well  was  also  "kicked  down."  It  was  finished  March 
14,  i860.  This  well  had  a  depth  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet,  and  it 
started  pumping  at  sixty  barrels  of  oil  a  day.  Another  well  was  sunk  in 
i860  on  the  John  Watson  farm  by  Watson  and  Tanner.  It  produced  one 
hundred  barrels   of  oil  a  day. 

The  "kicking  down"  process  employed  in  the  early  days  of  drilling  oil 
wells  may  here  be  described.  The  mode  was  practical  where  light  tools  were 
used  and  the  depth  of  the  well  only  a  few  hundred  feet,  as  was  the  case  in 
territory  worked  in  the  first  period  of  oil  development,  where  the  oil-bearing 


388  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

sand  was  rarely  reached  by  the  drill  lower  than  six  hundred  feet  below  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  Operators  in  those  days  located  wells  in  valleys, 
ravines,  by  water  courses,  or  sometimes  on  the  pl'ains,  and  not  on  the  sum- 
mits of  high  land,  as  is  done  now,  in  some  cases  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
obviating  the  necessity  of  driving  soil  pipe.  When  engines  and  boilers 
first  came  into  use  for  drilling  purposes  the  tools  were  still  light,  and  the 
wells  still  shallow,  as  compared  with  the  tools  in  general  use  and  the  wells 
sunk  in  the  last  twenty  years.  The  use  of  casing,  begun  over  thirtv  years 
ago.  required  an  increase  of  the  caliber  of  the  artesian  well.  Deep  wells 
and  speed  in  drilling  required  a  large  increase  in  the  weight  of  tools. 
The  sets  of  drilling  tools  employed  in  the  early  sixties,  as  compared  with 
those  now  used  in  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  are  like  pygmies  in  the  presence 
of  giants. 

The  "kicking  down"  appliance  consisted  of  a  spring  pole  of  considerable 
size  and  sufficient  strength  for  the  purpose,  and  an  attachment  at  the  small 
end  of  the  pole,  which  held  the  tools  suspended  vertically.  The  large  end 
of  the  pole  was  fastened  firmly  to  perhaps  a  tree,  while  the  high  stump  of 
another  tree  was  used  as  a  fulcrum,  upon  which  the  pole  midway  rested. 
The  tools  were  hung  to  the  small  end  of  the  pole  by  a  chain  or  rope,  so  as  to 
have  in  the  suspension  free  play,  in  order  to  get  a  strictly  vertical  line  for 
the  tools  in  their  descent.  Attached  to  the  upper  end  of  the  rope  or  chain 
was  a  flat  piece  of  solid  wood,  which  passed  upward  through  a  correspond- 
ing flat  mortise  in  the  pole.  This  piece  of  wood  was  bored  with  holes,  per- 
haps an  inch  apart,  or  more.  A  strong  movable  pin,  passing  through  one 
of  these  holes,  supported  on  the  top  of  the  pole  the  entire  string  of  tools. 
As  the  drill  descended  into  the  hole,  it  was  gradually  lowered  by  drawing 
out  the  pin  and  slipping  it  into  another  hole,  higher  upon  the  stick.  When 
the  last  hole  in  the  perforated  slat  had  been  used,  a  short  joint  of  sucker 
rods  was  inserted  between  it  and  the  chain  or  rope  below,  ^\'hen  the  last 
hole  of  the  slat  was  reached  the  second  time,  a  longer  joint  of  sucker 
rods  was  substituted  for  the  shorter  ones.  Then,  as  was  the  practice  at 
first,  a  string  of  sucker  rods,  piece  by  piece  introduced,  connected  the  tools 
and  the  attachment  at  the  pole,  until  the  drilling  was  finished.  But  ex- 
periment led  to  the  use  of  a  strong  rope,  instead  of  a  string  of  sucker  rods, 
for  letting  the  tools  down  into  the  well.  Afterward  the  temper  screw  came 
into  universal  use  in  drilling,  and  this  appliance  is  likely  to  continue. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  389 

Xear  the  small  end  of  the  pole  a  chain  or  rope  was  attached,  and  to 
this  saddle  stirrups  for  the  feet  of  the  workmen,  two  or  three  in  number. 
The  drillers  placed  each  a  foot  in  the  stirrup  and  by  a  sudden  simultaneous 
kick  downward  the  pole  was  bent,  letting  the  tools  with  the  steel  edge  drop 
into  the  hole  and  cut  the  rock,  the  elasticity  of  the  pole  lifting  the  tools  back 
into  their  place.  In  this  way.  round  holes,  a  few  inches  in  diameter,  were 
cut  vertically  into  the  rock,  to  the  depth  of  about  one-eighth  of  a  mile. 
Instead  of  a  stirrup,  a  platform,  fastened  on  one  side  by  a  hinge,  was  also 
used.  To  the  opposite  side  was  attached  a  chain  or  rope,  connecting  with 
the  small  end  of  the  spring  pole.  The  workmen,  standing  upon  the  platform 
near  the  hinge,  suddenly  stepping  together  and  throwing  their  combined 
weight  upon  the  opposite  side,  bent  the  pole  and  let  the  tools  drop,  when 
the  pole  wQuld  spring  upward  and  lift  the  tools  for  a  succeeding  drop. 

In  driving  soil  pipe  for  a  well,  where  there  was  no  steam  engine,  a 
horse  was  employed  in  raising  the  battering  ram.  Horses  were  also  used 
for  motive  power  in  drilling,  walking  in  a  circle,  or  upon  a  treadmill,  as  in 
the  old  style  of  threshing  machines. 

The  engines  and  boilers  first  used  in  drilling  and  pumping  oil  wells 
were  stationary.  The  boiler  at  the  Drake  well  had  two  flues.  But  portable 
engines  and  boilers  afterward  came  into  general  use  in  the  business.  The 
engine  was  placed  upon  the  top  of  the  boiler,  but  it  could  be  detached  and 
placed  upon  another  bed,  when  by  reason  of  too  close  exposure  to  the  fire  it 
became  necessar\'  to  move  the  boiler  to  a  place  of  greater  safety,  or  from 
any  other  cause.  Sometimes  gas  has  risen  unexpectedly  out  of  the  well, 
and.  igniting  from  the  fire  in  the  furnace  under  the  boiler  too  close  at  hand, 
the  whole  rig  has  been  Ijurned.  At  the  present  time  the  boiler  is  put  into  a 
safe  place  before  the  rise  of  gas  can  occur. 

The  wooden  tanks  first  used  in  holding  oil  were  not  the  truncated 
cone-shaped  ones,  bound  by  iron  hoops,  which  afterward  were  generally 
adopted,  Ijut  rectangular  boxes  held  together  and  made  licjuid  tight  by 
clamps  fastened  by  keys. 

The  object  of  the  foregoing  minute  descriptions  is  to  put  on  record 
an  accurate  account,  as  is  believed,  of  the  methods  employed  in  the  early 
days  of  petroleum  production. 

In  the  summer  of  i860,  when  the  price  of  oil  was  falling,  a  settlement 
was  made  in  which  the  Seneca  Oil  Company  surrendered  its  lease,  receiving 


390  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

therefor  a  small  part  of  the  Willard  farm.  George  H.  Bissell  was  the 
purchaser,  and  the  price  named  was  $50,000.  But,  when  it  is  remembered 
that  Eveleth  &  Bissell  had  bought  the  \A'illard  farm  from  Brewer,  Watson 
&  Company  for  $5,000,  while  the  price  named  in  the  deed  was  $25,000,  it 
might  be  suspected  that  fiction  in  this  transaction  was  resorted  to.  Mr. 
Bissell  became  a  heavy  operator  in  oil  property,  and  doubtless  he  operated 
with  highly  lucrative  results.  But,  that  he  originated  the  method  of  boring 
into  the  rock,  which  was  executed  by  Drake,  the  only  successful  mode  for 
obtaining  petroleum  in  quantity,  is  highly  improbable,  since  such  a  claim  is 
wholly  wanting  in  support  from  the  records  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rock  Oil 
Company,  and  those  of  the  Seneca  Oil  Company,  from  first  to  last.  The 
credit  of  discovering  Drake's  method  of  producing  oil  is  due  to  Drake  him- 
self. 

Of  the  dozen  wells  which  Mr.  Bissell  put  down  on  the  Willard  farm 
only  one-half  were  paying  producers.  Even  at  $5  a  barrel  it  would  have 
taken  a  long  time  for  them  to  earn  $50,000.  It  is  probable  that  the  total 
sales  of  oil  produced  on  the  property  have  not  aggregated  $25,000. 

The  developments  for  the  first  few  years,  after  the  striking  of  the 
Drake  well,  on  Oil  Creek,  between  the  Willard  farm  and  the  Foster  farm 
below,  as  a  whole  were  light.  On  AVatson  Flats  the  yield  of  oil  has  been 
considerable.  The  wells  there,  though  small,  have  been  numerous.  The 
quality  of  the  oil  produced  there  is  excellent  for  refining  purposes.  During 
the  first  five  years  following  Drake's  discovery,  the  amount  of  oil  discovered 
within  the  vicinity  of  Titusville  \yas  important. 

In  gi\'ing  some  account  of  the  oil  operations  of  Titusville  citizens,  it 
will  be  impossible  to  name  all,  and  difficult  to  mention  definitely  what  each 
has  accomplished.  The  aim  will  be  to  refer  to  the  work  of  representative 
operators  who  have  made  Titusville  their  home,  and  are  prominently  identi- 
fied with  the  history  of  the  town. 

The  name  of  Jolni  Fertig  is  first  introduced,  because  Mr.  Fertig  repre- 
sents all  periods  of  the  oil  producing  business,  beginning  a  few  months  after 
'Drake's  discovery,  and  continuing  actively  engaged  in  the  industry  every 
year  until  the  present  time.  A  special  biography  of  Mr.  Fertig  appears  in 
this  work,  but  a  reference  to  his  oil  history  is  pertinent  here,  because  of  his 
work  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  industry.  His  subsequent  operations 
have  been  constant  in  Crawford,  Venango,  Butler,  Clarion,  McKean,  War- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  391 

ren  and  Allegheny  counties,  this  State,  and  the  Allegany  district  in  the  State 
of  New  York.  To  say  nothing  of  producing  companies,  in  which  he  has 
been  interested,  John  Fertig  has  been  an  oil  producer  for  thirty-nine  years 
and,  outside  of  producing  companies  with  which  he  has  been  connected,  he 
has  been  engaged  as  an  individual  in  the  drilling  of  more  than  two  thousand 
wells.  Captain  A.  B.  Funk,  who  afterward  became  a  resident  of  Titusville, 
in  the  fall  of  1859  came  into  possession  of  the  upper  and  lower  Mcllheney 
farms,  on  Oil  Creek,  seven  or  eight  miles  below  Titusville.  In  December, 
1859,  Funk  executed  a  lease  of  several  acres  on  the  upper  farm  for  oil  pur- 
poses, to  John  Fertig,  David  Beatty  and  Michael  Gorman,  of  Warren  County, 
and  Dr.  John  Wilson,  of  Pleasantville.  The  next  spring  the  four  lessees, 
using  a  hemlock  tree  for  a  spring  pole  and  the  "pole  tools" — that  is,  the 
sucker  rod  connection  between  the  tools  and  the  spring  pole — sunk  a  well  on 
their  lease  on  the  upper  farm,  to  the  depth  of  two  hundred  feet,  but.  finding 
no  oil  at  that  depth,  they  abandoned  the  well  for  the  time.  Captain  Funk, 
in  the  same  summer,  sunk  a  well  with  a  spring  pole  on  the  lower  farm,  also 
two  hundred  feet,  witliout  finding  oil.  He  decided  in  the  following  fall  to 
procure  an  engine  and  boiler  with  which  to  drill  the  well  deeper.  At  that 
time  it  took  months  for  purchasing  and  placing  well  machinery,  which  now 
would  be  done  in  as  many  weeks,  or  perhaps  in  as  many  days.  In  the  spring 
following  Funk,  having  obtained  the  engine  and  boiler,  increased  the  depth 
of  the  well  two  hundred  and  forty  feet,  making  the  total  depth  four  hun- 
dred and  forty  feet,  when  he  opened  a  flowing  well,  the  first  flowing  well 
ever  struck.  This  was  in  May,  1861.  The  well  flowed  one  thousand  bar- 
rels of  oil  every  twenty-four  hours. 

Immediately  thereafter  Fertig  and  his  associates  placed  an  engine  and 
boiler  at  their  well,  which  they  had  left  as  a  dry  hole,  on  the  upper  farm, 
pushing  operations  until  the  fourth  of  July  following,  when  the  same  depth 
as  that  of  the  Funk  well,  that  is,  four  hundred  and  forty  feet,  was  reached. 
Mr.  Fertig  himself  had  hold  of  the  temper  scre\\-.  when  he  felt  the  drill  drop 
into  a  crevice.  The  fire  under  the  boiler  was  immediately  extinguished, 
but  not  a  minute  too  soon,  for  with  a  roar  the  oil  shot  upward  far  above  the 
derrick.  The  well  started  at  five  hundred  barrels  a  day,  and  it  flowed  for 
the  next  nineteen  months.  \Mien  the  well  began  its  production  oil  was 
selling  at  Si. 50  a  barrel,  hut  before  the  close  it  sold  as  low  as  twenty-five 
cents  a  barrel.     This  was  the  second  flowing  well.     The  first  was  called 


392  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

"Fountain  \\'ell  No.  i,"  and  the  second.  "Fountain  Well  No.  2."  The 
latter  was  about  six  hundred  feet  south  of  the  Sherman  well,  struck  in  May, 
1862,  on  the  Foster  farm.  To  the  northeast  was  the  Noble  well,  on  the 
Farel  farm,  about  six  hundred  feet.  This  latter  well  was  opened  in  1863. 
These  three  wells — Fountain  No.  2,  the  Sherman  and  the  Noble — formed 
almost  an  equilateral  triangle,  the  wells  situated  respectively  at  the  three 
angles.  Both  the  Noble  and  the  Sherman  wells  were  wonderful  producers, 
and  their  products,  especially  the  oil  of  the  former,  sold  for  a  very  large 
amount  of  money.  The  Sherman  well  had  a  long  life,  and  it  gave  to  J.  W. 
Sherman,  from  whom  it  was  named,  a  resident  of  Titusville,  a  fortune. 
Mr.  S.  S.  Fertig,  another  resident  of  Titusville,  drilled  the  Noble  well,  and 
he  owned  an  interest  in  it.  ^Ir.  William  H.  Abbott,  another  resident  of 
Titus\-ille,  had  a  large  interest  in  it.  Excepting  perhaps  some  of  the  wells 
struck  in  late  years  in  the  McDonald  district,  the  oil  from  the  Noble  well 
sold  for  more  money  than  that  of  any  other  American  well. 

In  drilling  the  Noble  well,  Mr.  S.  S.  Fertig  used  an  engine  and  a  boiler 
built  by  Tifft  &  Sons,  at  Buffalo.  New  York.  These  engines  for  many 
years  afterward  were  widely  used  for  well  purposes.  Mr.  Fertig  had  pre- 
viously drilled  the  Caldwell  well,  a  dozen  rods  lower  down  Oil  Creek,  fin- 
ishing it  in  March,  1863.  He  finished  the  Noble  well  on  May  23d  following. 
Both  the  Noble  and  the  Caldwell  were  on  the  east  side  of  Oil  Creek,  while 
the  two  Fountain  wells  and  the  Sherman  were  on  the  west  side.  The  Cald- 
well was  )'ielding  several  hundred  barrels  a  day.  when  the,  Noble  well  was 
struck.  But  the  Noble  got  its  oil,  and  its  production  immediately  fell  to  an 
insignificant  quantity.  Within  five  minutes  after  the  pumping  began  in  the 
Noble  well,  the  oil  rushed  out  of  the  tubing  with  terrific  force.  The  fire 
under  the  boiler  was  put  out  in  the  shortest  possible  time.  An  eight  hun- 
dred barrel  tank,  the  only  tank  at  the  well,  was  quickly  filled.  Connection 
was  made  to  an  empty  tank,  a  vat  eighty  feet  long,  sixteen  feet  wide  and 
eight  feet  deep,  belonging  to  the  Caldwell  well,  and  this  large  receptacle  was 
filled"  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours.  Before  the  well  was  finished,  Mr. 
Fertig  had  purchased  of  the  Farel  heirs.  James.  John.  Nelson  and  Sarah 
Farel— since  married  to  :Mr.  W.  B.  Sterrett — one-half  of  the  royalty,  which 
was  one-fourth  of  the  oil.  for  $600.  This  one-eighth  free  interest  in  the 
production  of  the  Noble  well  \lr.  Fertig  re-sold,  before  the  well  was  struck, 
to  Woods  &  Wright  for  $1,000.  and  U'oods  &  Wright  may  have  realized 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  393 

on  tliis  purchase  $250,000.  The  Farel  heirs,  the  owners  of  the  land,  after- 
ward became  permanent  and  well  known  citizens  of  Titusville.  Nearly  all 
oil  from  the  Noble  wells  sold  for  very  high  prices.  From  this  time  John 
Fertig  has  been  a  leading  member  of  the  oil  fraternity. 

Mr.  J.  A.  Cadzvalladcr,  a  resident  of  Titusville  for  a  generation,  has  had 
a  remarkable  experience  as  an  oil  producer.  He  began  in  the  Church  Run 
field  ajjont  the  year  1865.  having  purchased  in  the  fall  of  1864  from  Dr. 
John  Shugert  a  tract  of  that  section  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  acres. 
His  was  the  second  producing  well  in  the  Church  Run  territory,  the  Atlantic 
&  Great  Western  Petroleum  Compan}-  having  opened  the  first.  His  well 
produced  for  a  long  time  forty  barrels  a  day,  giving  assurance  of  a  good 
paying  pool  of  petroleum  in  that  district.  After  following  the  producing 
business  at  Church  Rim.  and  in  the  Pithole  and  Pleasantville  districts,  Mr. 
Cadwallader  turned  his  attention  to  the  refining  industry  with  Bennett  & 
Warner,  erecting  large  works  on  the  Mackey  farm  south  of  Titusville,  on 
the  line  of  what  is  now  known  as  the  W.  N.  Y.  &  P.  R.  R.  He  resisted  year 
after  year  the  aggressions  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company,  and,  as  stated  else- 
where, the  Bennett  &  W'arner  refinery  in  1875  passed  into  the  possession  of 
the  Standard  Oil  Company. 

In  1876  he  entered  into  the  producing  business  in  the  Bradford  field. 
The  Anchor  Petroleum  Company,  consisting  of  J.  A.  Cadwallader,  John  D. 
Archbold,  Samuel  Comfort,  H.  Y.  Pickering  and  T.  P.  Chambers,  was  organ- 
ized, with  Mr.  Cadwallader  as  manager.  After  several  years  of  successful  work 
he  was  instrumental,  in  connection  with  the  \  andergrift  mterest  and  W.  H. 
Johnson,  of  Buffalo,  in  organizing  the  Anchor  Oil  Company.  About  this  time 
Cherrv  Gro\-e  came  to  the  front,  and  through  the  untiring  efforts  of  Mr.  Cad- 
wallader, its  manager,  the  Anchor  Oil  Company  secured  three  of  the  best  lots  in 
that  phenomenal  field.  Mr.  Cadwallader  had  the  gauge  of  the  first  fourteen 
wells  drilled  in  that  field,  and  was  able  to  certify  that  their  aggregate  produc- 
tion was  16,000  barrels  a  day.  Up  to  that  time  not  one  dry  well  had  been  drilled. 
As  manager  of  the  Anchor  Oil  Company  Mr.  Cadwallader  bought  in  the 
initial  well  on  the  Cooper  tract.  Closely  following  the  latter  field  he  helped 
to  open  the  Glade  Run  district  near  Warren,  with  several  gushers.  And 
then,  advancing  up  the  Allegheny  River,  an  eight  hundred  well  of  his  on  the 
Morrison  farm,  just  above  Kinzua  village,  broke  the  market.  Taking  a 
respite  from  so  much  acti\-e  work,  he  spent  several  months  with  his  wife  in 


394  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Europe.  On  his  return  he  heard  tliat  a  well  had  been  found  on  the  Normal 
School  grounds  at  Clarion.  Thither  he  went  on  the  first  train.  After 
varied  results  for  several  months,  while  good  wells  and  dry  holes  alternated, 
all  the  little  band  of  operators  left  the  field  except  Mr.  Cadwallader,  whose 
close  study  and  minute  observations  convinced  his  judgment  that  the  most  pro- 
lific part  of  that  territory  had  not  been  touched.  Accordingly  he  set  the  drill 
to  work  again,  and,  when  five  feet  of  the  sand  had  been  penetrated,  seven  hun- 
dred barrels  a  day  was  the  output.  This  was  followed  by  several  other  large 
producers.  With  this  extraordinary  success  in  territor}'  which,  until  this 
time,  had  been  considered  at  best  as  doubtful,  the  inhabitants  of  Clarion 
borough  came  to  regard  Mr.  Cadwallader  as  possessing  almost  superhuman 
sagacity  in  judging  of  vmdeveloped  oil  territory,  and  so  strong  is  their  con- 
fidence in  his  judgment  in  this  respect  that,  should  he  build  a  derrick  in  almost 
any  part  of  Clarion  County,  people  there  would  expect  a  producing  well  at 
the  spot  selected.  Of  late  the  McDonald  district,  Groveton  and  other  fields, 
some  of  ordinary  importance,  have  claimed  Mr.  Cadwallader's  attention. 

Mr.  S.  P.  Boyer  has  lived  in  Titusville  many  years.  He  came  to  Oil 
City  in  1865.  and  at  first  engaged  in  the  luniljer  trade  there.  In  the  fall 
of  the  same  year  he  drilled  near  Reno  a  well  which  proved  to  be  dry.  In 
1866  he  went  to  Pioneer,  and  drilled  a  well  on  the  Benninghoff  farm,  and 
succeeded  in  getting  a  good  producer.  He  continued  operations  in  that 
locality  until  the  fall  of  1868,  when  he  went  to  Shamburg  and  sunk  a  well, 
which  turned  out  to  be  a  paying  one,  on  the  Tallman  farm.  The  next  year 
he  drilled  several  more  wells  on  the  same  farm  and  on  the  Chicago  tract, 
and  several  wells  near  Pleasantville.  In  December  the  same  year  he  moved 
his  residence  from  Oil  City  to  Titusville.  In  1870  he  drilled  a  few  wells 
on  the  Atkinson  farm,  and  on  the  McGuire  and  Kerr  farms  on  Church  Run. 
In  the  same  year  he  became  a  shareholder  in  the  Octave  Oil  Company,  a 
producing  and  refining  association.  In  1871.  he  drilled  wells  on  Bully  Hill, 
Venango  County,  and  operated  on  the  Grant  and  Robinson  farms,  near 
Parker's  Landing.  The  next  year  he  drilled  wells  on  the  McClymonds  farm, 
near  Karns  City  and  Modoc.  In  the  same  year,  and  the  next  following, 
1872  and  1873,  he  drilled  wells  near  Millerstown  and  St.  Joe,  continuing 
operations  there  until  1874.  In  1875  he  went  to  Bradford  for  the  first  time. 
Development  there  was  then  in  its  infancy,  only  one  well  showing  oil.  Be- 
ginning soon  afterward,  he  was  extensively  engaged  in  producing  in  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  395 

Bradford  field  until  1882.  During  this  time  he  was  a  shareholder  and  was 
Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  the  Equitable  Pipe  Line.  To  escape  discrimina- 
tion in  freight  rates  by  rail  to  the  seaboard,  the  Equitable  shipped  its  oil 
by  rail  to  Buffalo,  New  York,  and  thence  the  rest  of  the  way  by  canal.  In 
i88j,  in  company  with  several  others,  he  put  down  six  wells  in  the  Cherry 
Grove  district.  In  1886  he  became  largely  interested  in  the  Kane  field  and 
in  se^'eraI  locations  in  Elk  County.  In  a  part  of  his  operations  in  that  region 
he  was  associated  with  David  Emery,  E.  O.  Emerson  and  James  H.  Cald- 
well, and  in  another  part  with  H.  B.  Porter  and  M.  W.  Quick.  In  1890 
he  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Ohio  Oil  Company,  and  operated  in 
Allegheny  and  Washington  counties.  In  1892  he  operated  in  the  Lima 
field,  and  in  1894  he  sold  his  property  there.  Since  1893  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  production  at  Sistersville  and  other  fields  in  West  Virginia  and 
Ohio  until  the  present  time. 

The  Tack  Brothers,  an  old  and  well  known  firm,  consisted  of  Theodore 
E.,   August  H.  and  Frank  Tack,  natives  of  Philadelphia.     Theodore  was 
once  a  resident  of  Titusville,  and  Frank  has  lived  in  Titusville  nearly  all  the 
time  for  a  quarter  of  a  century.     Augustus  died  in  1893.     The  business  of 
the  firm  was  founded  by  Theodore,  who  opened  an  oil  brokerage  business 
in  Philadelphia  in  1863.     He  was  soon  afterward  joined  by  Augustus.     They 
purchased  for  exporters  refined  oil  from   Pittsburg  manufacturers,  and,  to 
facilitate  their  business,  they  opened  a  branch  office  in  Pittsburg.     At  that 
time  Pittsburg  manufactured  the  largest  part  of  refined  oil  then  produced. 
Proximitv  to  the  producing  fields,  cheap  coal  and  superior  facilities  for  mak- 
ing barrels  gave  to  Pittsburg  refiners  a  decided  advantage  over  those  at  other 
points.     But  after  a  time  discrimination  in  railroad  freights  against  Pitts- 
burg refiners  seriously  injured  their  business.     Soon  after  the  establishing  of 
the  brokerage  business,  Augustus,  representing  the  firm,  engaged  in  the  pro- 
ducing business  in   West  Virginia.     He  purchased  the  famous  large  well 
on  Horseneck,  taking  up  territory  there  and  on  the  Ohio  side  of  the  river. 
From  1869  to  1874  the  firm  engaged  upon  a  large  scale  in  the  refining  busi- 
ness at  Pittsburg,  but  still  keeping  their  office  in  Philadelphia.     The  refining 
association  was  known  as  the  Citizens'   Refining  Company.     Their  works 
had  a  crude  capacity  of  one  thousand  barrels  per  day.     The  Pittsburg  re- 
finers still  suffered  from  discrimination  against  them   in  railroad  freights, 
and  the  Citizens'  Company  went  out  of  the  Imsiness.     Theodore  and  Frank 


396  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

opened  a  brokerage  business  at  Parker  soon  afterward,  and  about  tbe  same 
time  Augustus  engaged  again  in  producing.  He  subsequently,  in  connec- 
tion with  David  Kirk,  Albert  Dilworth,  John  Shirley  and  Isaac  E.  Dean, 
purchased  the  property  at  Bullion,  known  as  the  McCalmont  farm.  This 
was  a  very  fortunate  investment,  the  farm  yielding  a  heavy  production  of 
oil.  Then  followed  the  formation  of  the  McCalmont  Oil  Company,  and  the 
merging  of  the  properties  belonging  to  Kirk  &  Dilworth  with  those  of  Tack 
Brothers.  Since  then  Tack  Brothers  continued  acti\-ely  engaged  in  produc- 
tion, in  connection  with  the  McCalmont  Oil  Company.  Theodore,  who  is 
Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  the  McCalmont  Oil  Company,  resides  in  New 
York,  while  Frank,  until  quite  recently,  was  still  living  at  Titusville.  A 
short  time  ago,  however,  he  moved  to  Chicago. 

Charles  L.  Gibbs.  for  years  a  resident  of  Titusville.  has  been  engaged 
in  producing  during  the  last  twenty  years.  In  1877  he  had  four  wells  at 
Wentling's  Corners,  near  Edinburg,  Clarion  County,  one  on  Jefferson  Fur- 
nace tract,  and  on  the  Jerusalem  tract.  In  1880  he  had  at  Bakers'  Trestle 
four  wells;  in  1881,  four  at  Bell's  Camp:  in  1882  twelve  at  Meek's  Creek, 
all  in  the  Bradford  field.  In  the  Bolivar,  New  York,  field  he  had  eight  wells 
at  Henry's  Switch  and  one  near  Allentown.  in  1884.  In  the  same  year  he 
opened  a  salt  well  at  Naples,  New  York,  while  drilling  for  oil  or  gas.  In 
1886,  at  Cogley  Run,  Clarion  County,  he  had  an  interest  in  twelve  wells, 
and  in  1887  he  had  at  Kinzua  five  wells.  In  1888  he  had  at  Salina,  near 
Oil  City,  three  wells.  In  1896  he  had  in  Ohio,  opposite  Sistersville.  West 
Virginia,  five  wells.  From  1889  to  the  present  time  he  has  had  fifteen  wells 
at  Grand  Valley,  Pennsylvania.  He  has  at  this  writing  sunk  one  well  in 
the  English  Settlement  district,  and  is  engaged  in  putting  down  another. 

Miles  IV.  Quick  is  an  old  resident  of  Titusville.  Soon  after  the  close 
of  the  late  Civil  War,  in  which  he  had  served  four  years  in  the  signal  corps 
of  the  Union  army,  he  engaged  first  in  the  oil  refining  business  at  Cleveland. 
Ohio.  He  came  to  Titusville  in  1868,  and  in  1870  eiigaged  in  producing  in 
the  Church  Run  district,  and  from  that  time  until  the  present  he  has  been 
actively  engaged  in  production  in  many  of  the  fields  from  Allegany,  New 
York,  to  Mannington,  West  Virginia.  From  1872  to  1873  he  was  with 
D.  McKelvey  &  Company,  in  the  producing  business,  with  B.  D.  Benson  & 
Company,  with  the  Enterprise  Oil  and  Lumber  Company,  and  the  Colorado 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  397 

Oil  Company.     In  the  latter  year  he  engaged  in  the  commission  business  in 
the  Titusville  Oil  Exchange. 

Janus  H.  Caldzccll.  long  a  resident  of  Titusville,  came  to  the  oil  region 
in  1865.  Soon  afterward  he  engaged  in  drilling  oil  wells.  He  had  two 
wells  at  Pithole  in  1865.  After  two  years  work  in  the  business,  with  vary- 
ing fortune,  he  was  finally  successful  in  1867,  in  company  with  Lewis  Emery, 
in  sinking  a  paying  well  on  Lot  62,  Eoster  farm,  Pioneer,  the  well  starting 
off  at  one  hundred  barrels  a  day.  At  Pioneer  he  became  a  member  of  the 
oil  firm  of  Emery  Brothers  &  Company.  The  company  was  quite  successful 
in  its  ventures.  In  1868  the  company  procured  the  Walter  Scott  tract,  near 
Pleasantville,  and  Ross  farm,  between  Shamburg  and  Titusville,  buying 
both.  In  1869  he  settled  with  his  family  in  Titusville,  while  still  interested 
in  oil  production.  In  1870  he  operated  with  Emery  Brothers  on  Church 
Run.  In  1 87 1 -2  he  operated  on  the  Sedgwick  and  Campbell  farms  at  Ar- 
gyle.  In  the  fall  of  1873  he  moved  to  Butler  County  and  devoted  himself 
to  oil  producing  for  the  next  four  years  with  excellent  success,  on  the  Barn- 
hardt.  Cradle,  Divener  and  Easterling  farms.  In  1877  he  returned  to  Titus- 
ville, where  he  has  since  continued  to  reside.  That  year  he  got  a  large  pro- 
duction at  Bullion.  In  the  early  eighties  he  drilled  in  the  State  of  Colo- 
rado three  wells,  one  of  which,  the  last  drilled,  proved  to  be  a  fine  producer. 
From  1878  to  1883  he  operated  in  the  Babcock  and  the  Bingham  lands  in 
McKean  County,  and  at  Garfield  and  Stoneham,  Warren  County.  During 
the  last  fifteen  years  he  has  been  closely  associated  in  producing  oil  with 
^Ir.  S.  P.  Boyer.  A  special  biography  of  Mr.  Caldwell  appears  elsewhere  in 
these  pages. 

R.  H.  Lee  is  an  old  resident  of  Titusville.  His  operations  in  produc- 
tions have  extended  in  different  districts  and  at  different  periods.  His  best 
success  was  perhaps  achieved  in  the  Bradford  field.  As  an  oil  man,  Mr. 
Lee  is  best  known  to  the  public  in  connection  with  the  history  of  refiners. 
James  P.  Thomas  has  been  a  prominent  citizen  of  Titusville  for  years. 
He  began  operating  for  oil  in  1869,  on  Church  Run,  and  he  has  been  con- 
tinuously engaged  in  producing  since  that  time.  His  work  has  been  in 
Butler,  \'enango,  Crawford,  \A'arren  and  Forest  counties.  He  is  at  present 
interested  in  over  one  hundred  wells. 

James  R.  Barber  is  a  landmark  in  Titusville.     He  was  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  Edwin  L.  Drake  during  all  the  latter's  residence  in  tlie  town 


398  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

which  he  made  famous  by  his  wonderful  discovery.  In  the  fall  of  1859, 
soon  after  the  sinking  of  the  Drake  well,  Mr.  Barber,  in  company  with  J.  K. 
Hibbard  and  J.  W.  Mclntyre,  leased  a  part  of  the  John  McClintock  farm, 
adjoining  the  Buchanan,  where  now  is  Ronseyille.  They  at  first  dug  a 
pit  in  the  bank  of  the  creek  about  six  feet  long  and  four  feet  wide,  down  to 
the  bed  rock.  Then  they  pumped  the  water  out  of  the  hole.  As  the  water 
afterward  soaked  in,  it  brought  with  it  globules  of  oil.  After  the  pit  filled 
and  the  surface  of  the  water  was  covered  with  oil,  they  laid  flat  upon  the  oil 
a  woolen  blanket,  which  of  course  absorbed  the  oil.  Then  they  wrung  the 
oil  out  of  the  blanket  into  a  pail,  or  small  tub.  In  this  way  they  got  about 
eight  gallons  a  day.  Oil  then  was  worth  about  a  dollar  a  gallon.  They  sold 
the  first  barrel  of  oil  to  Captain  Hiram  Hill,  who  kept  a  grocery  store  near 
the  present  Academy  of  Music,  on  Spring  Street  in  Titusville.  The  barrel 
held  about  thirty  gallons,  for  which  Hill  paid  $25.  They  next  sold  a  half 
interest  in  the  well  to  Brewer,  Watson  &  Company,  and  John  Kellogg.  They 
got  a  man  named  Davis  and  his  son  to  "tramp"  a  w_,ell  down,  using  a  string 
of  tools  from  Tarentum,  which  had  been  used  there  in  boring  for  salt. 
When  they  reached,  with  the  spring  pole  appliance,  a  depth  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty-two  feet,  they  struck  what  was  afterward  known  as  the  first 
sand.  Here  gas  appeared,  and  the  hole  filled  with  oil.  They  thought  they 
had  struck  a  good  well.  So  they  tubed  the  hole  and  shut  off  the  water  by  a 
seedbag.  This  was  at  aTaout  5  p.  m.  Then  they  pumped  for  a  short  time 
with  the  spring  pole.  On  returning  the  next  morning  they  found  that  the 
well  had  flowed  during  the  night  about  six  barrels  of  oil.  The  oil  lay  in  the 
hollow  of  the  ground.  The  weather  was  cold  and  the  oil  was  so  heavy  that 
it  was  thick  as  cold  lard,  so  that  it  was  collected  by  shoveling  it  with  a  scoop. 
After  pumping  for  a  day,  very  little  more  oil  was  got.  So  the  tubing  was 
pulled  out.  and  drilling  continued.  At  about  the  depth  of  two  hundred  feet 
a  mud  vein  Avas  struck,  which  gave  trouble  to  the  drillers,  until  a  large  gas 
pipe,  brought  from  Philadelphia,  was  put  into  the  hole,  thus  shutting  out 
the  mud.  This  was  the  first  casing  ever  used  in  an  oil  well.  Drilling  was 
continued  down  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  when  more  gas  and  oil  were 
struck  and  this  time  the  company  felt  sure  they  had  a  good  well.  So  they 
got  a  boiler  and  engine,  retubed  and  again  pumped  the  well — this  time  by 
steam.  After  pumping  about  two  weeks  and  getting  one  hundred  and  fifty 
barrels,  thev  decided  to  sink  another  well  two  hundred  feet  higher  up  on  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  399 

Creek.  They  therefore  engaged  two  men  from  Ohio,  who  had  experience 
with  the  drill  in  prospecting  for  coal,  and  contracted  to  pay  them  $1.50  a 
foot,  the  drillers  to  go  down  three  hundred  feet,  if  necessary.  But  the 
drillers  had  trouble  in  reaching  the  rock,  as  at  that  point  it  dipped  sharply 
to  the  north  and,  instead  of  reaching  it  at  six  feet  below  the  surface,  as  in  the 
case  of  the  first  well,  they  had  to  go  down  twenty-one  feet.  To  exhaust  the 
water  as  they  dug  down,  they  first  put  in  one  pump,  then  another,  and  still 
another,  until  they  had  five  pumps  at  work.  As  they  pumped  the  water  into 
the  creek,  oil  went  with  it,  making  a  large  showing  upon  the  surface  of  the 
stream.  The  progress  of  this  work  was  so  slow  and  apparently  little  effect- 
ual, that  Mr.  Barber  became  almost  discouraged,  and  he  was  in  a  mood  to 
throw  his  interest  away,  or  give  it  to  anyone  who  would  take  it  ofif  his 
hands,  when  just  at  this  time,  in  June,  i860,  three  men,  Orton.  Kimball  and 
Prendergast,  from  the  State  of  New  York,  came  along  and,  seeing  so  much 
oil  on  the  surface  of  the  creek,  they  stopped  and  inquired  of  Mr.  Barber 
as  to  who  was  the  owner  of  the  well.  He  replied  that  he  owned  one-sixth 
of  it.  They  asked  him  at  what  price  he  would  sell  his  interest.  Not  sup- 
posing that  they  seriously  desired  to  buy,  and,  to  end  the  talk,  he  named  as 
his  figure  $4,000,  when,  to  his  surprise,  they  promptly  accepted  the  offer. 
They  then  went  with  Mr.  Barber  to  Titusville,  where  he  executed  to  them  a 
bill  of  sale.     The  money  which  they  paid  him  included  $1,000  in  gold. 

In  1872  and  the  year  following,  Mr.  Barber  operated  at  Triumph,  War- 
ren County,  and  afterward  in  Butler  County.  He  subsequently,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Fred  Crocker,  leased  one  thousand  acres  on  the  McCuen  property, 
in  McKean  County.  The  character  of  the  sand  there  was  so  different  from 
what  had  been  found  in  other  fields  that  Mr.  Barber  sold  to  Crocker  his 
machinery  for  an  interest  in  another  well,  which  the  latter  had  put  down 
on  the  Buchanan  farm.  This  well  turned  out  to  be  a  good  one,  and  it  was 
followed  by  a  rush  of  operators  into  the  Bradford  field. 

Huzh  O'Hare,  who  has  been  a  resident  of  Titusville  for  the  last 
quarter  of  a  century,  was  born  in  1841  in  Canada,  in  the  county  of  Lenox 
and  Addington,  Province  of  Ontario.  He  came  to  Petroleum  Center  in 
the  fall  of  1864.  He  worked  on  wells  at  Wild  Cat  Hollow  on  the  Stack- 
pole  farm,  at  Boughton  Switch,  near  Titusville,  in  1865,  on  the  Hyner  farm, 
Pithole,  the  same  year,  at  West  Hickory  in  1866,  and  at  Skinner  fami  the 
same  year,  and  above  Bull  Run  he  drilled  one  well  for  Dr.  Egbert,  when  C. 


400  OUR  COUNTY  AND  US   ri^Ol'l.li. 

N.  Payne  was  superintendent  of  the  farm.  In  1867  he  got  employment  of 
Dr.  Shamburg,  superintendent  of  the  Pittsburg  Cherry  Run  Petroleum  Com- 
pany. In  1868  he  got  from  the  company  several  leases,  and  he  soon  came 
to  own  important  interests  in  various  wells,  which  were  in  process  of  drilling, 
becoming  associated  with  \\'illiam  H.  Abbott,  Joseph  Dixon,  Thomas  Weaver 
and  Charles  Lockhart.  The  first  of  these  wells  finished  and  producing  was 
No.  8,  on  Sheridan  farm,  early  in  May,  1868.  Mr.  O'Hare  sold  his  inter- 
est to  Mr.  Lockhart  for  $14,000.  In  the  same  summer  he,  together  with 
Abbott,  Dixon  and  Weaver,  bought  the  Murray  farm  of  ninety-six  acres, 
and  five  hundred  acres  of  the  Walnut  Bend  tract,  adjoining  the  Hyde  farm, 
in  Cherrytree  Township.  They  also  leased  twenty  acres  on  the  Purtill  farm, 
in  the  Octave  district,  on  which  they  drilled  one  well,  which  yielded  some  oil, 
but  not  enough  to  pay  for  pumping.  In  1869,  Mr.  O'Hare,  with  J.  D.  Mc- 
Farland,  James  Seeley  and  George  Weaver,  on  a  lease  from  the  Shamburg 
Petroleum  Company,  sunk  what  was  known  as  the  Lady  Stewart  well.  The 
first  oil  got  from  this  well  was  dark  in  color  and  small  in  quantity.  He  then 
drilled  the  well  about  seventy  feet  deeper,  into  another  sand,  which  gave  in 
green  oil  for  some  time  a  yield  of  over  two  hundred  barrels  a  day.  The 
others  in  the  vicinity  who  were  getting  black  oil,  sunk  their  wells  deeper, 
but  with  varying  success.  A.  H.  Bronson  was  especially  successful  in  the 
undertaking,  while  Emery  &  Patterson  were  less  fortunate.  Between  July, 
1869,  and  1871  Mr.  O'Hare  bought  several  small  wells  from  Dr.  Shamburg 
and  a  Mr.  Messimer.  In  the  fall  of  1871  he  sold  them  to  Paul  W.  Garfield. 
In  1872  Mr.  O'Hare  and  Dr.  Shamburg  bought  one-half  of  the  McLaughlin 
well  at  Cash-Up  for  $24,000.  Then,  with  S.  P.  Boyer  and  Dr.  Shamburg, 
he  bought  the  land  on  which  the  well  was  situated  for  $45,000,  the  land  in- 
terest drawing  three-eighths  of  the  oil  as  royalty.  Then  he  and  Shamburg 
bought  Boyer's  one-third  interest  in  trust.  The  two  remaining  partners 
next  drilled  the  well  deeper.  The  first  day  after  the  well  was  deepened,  it 
responded  in  a  yield  of  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  sixty  barrels,  and 
for  forty  days  thereafter  it  averaged  one  thousand  barrels  a  day.  Mr. 
O'Hare  subsequently  operated  in  Butler  and  Clarion  counties.  He  has  now 
a  production  on  the  old  James  Parker  farm  from  several  small  wells.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  the  Barnsdall  well  on  this  farm  was  the  next  well 
struck  after  the  Drake,  late  in   1859. 

John  A.  Mather,  who  was  intimately  acquainted  with  Mr.  Drake,  and 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  401 

his  demoted  friend  during  the  years  of  the  latter's  residence  in  Titusville, 
operated  in  the  fall  of  1865  on  the  Morey  farm  at  Pithole,  in  company  with 
George  M.  Mowbray,  J.  J.  Sutter  and  John  C.  Goetchins,  but  without  suc- 
cess. In  1869  he  bought  the  Morton  well  and  lease,  on  the  Walter  Holm- 
den  farm,  at  Burnside  Bridge  on  West  Pithole  Creek.  He  drilled  on  the 
lease  two  more  wells.  He  continued  developments  several  years  longer,  and 
had  the  distinction  of  operating  the  last  wells  at  the  famous  Pithole.  Mr. 
Mather  has  been  a  resident  of  Titusville  for  nearly  forty  years,  and  he  is 
now  one  of  the  few  surviving  landmarks  of  the  place  at  the  time  when  Drake 
opened  petroleum  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  planet. 

Milton  Stczvart.  a  resident  of  Titusville  for  the  last  thirty  years,  began 
operations  in  producing  in  1862.  In  the  spring  of  that  year,  in  company 
with  three  or  four  others,  he  made  an  effort  at  development  on  the  Boyd 
farm.  Oil  Creek,  for  a  year  and  a  half,  but  without  successful  results.  In 
1865  he  operated  a  little  at  Pithole  and  at  Petroleum  Center.  Also  in  the 
spring  of  the  same  year  he  secured  the  first  lease  of  "Wild  Cat,"  on  Pioneer 
Run.  and,  with  the  aid  of  other  parties,  completed  a  well  in  the  following 
Noveml>er.  He  continued  to  operate  in  that  vicinity  in  1866  and  1867.  In 
the  winter  of  1867-8  he  became  interested  in  buying  and  operating  on  the 
Tallman  farm  at  Shamburg,  also  in  development  on  the  ^^'ood  and  other 
farms  in  the  Petroleum  Center  district.  In  1869  and  1870  he  operated  at 
Red  Hot  and  on  Church  Run,  also  a  little  at  Fagundas.  In  1871  he  helped 
to  organize  the  Octave  Oil  Company.  The  original  members  of  the  com- 
pany were  S.  P.  Boyer.  Emery  Brothers,  M.  Stewart,  Roger  Sherman,  I.  E. 
Blake  and  D.  O.  Wickham.  The  operations  of  the  company  were  mainly 
carried  on  in  what  is  known  as  the  Octave  district,  south  of  Titusville,  but 
they  also  extended  to  some  interests  at  Karns  City,  Butler  County,  and  at 
Cash-Up,  near  Pithole.  In  the  spring  of  1875  he  commenced  operations 
on  the  Robinson  and  Thompson  farms  south  of  Titusville.  In  1877  he  be- 
came interested  with  others  in  the  Bradford  field  at  Duke  Center  and  on 
Indian  Creek.  Also  during  the  same  or  the  following  year,  with  three  other 
parties,  he  secured  a  large  lease  at  or  near  Clarendon,  Warren  County,  and 
drilled  there  a  test  well,  which  was  reported  to  be  dry.  In  1880  to  1882^ 
in  company  with  George  P.  Kepler,  he  drilled  several  wells  on  the  northern 
and  southern,  and  later  on  the  western,  edges  of  what  subsequently  devel- 
oped into  the  Grand  Valley  field ;  also  during  those  years  and  afterward  he 
26 


402  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

became  interested  in  operations  on  different  tracts  in  the  Sheffield  district, 
Warren  County.  In  1883  to  1885  he  operated  north  of  Church  Run  at 
Windfall  and  in  the  Gilson  district,  and  later  at  several  points  south  of 
Titusville.  From  1890  to  1893  he  was  connected  with  the  Orion  and  the 
continental  Oil  companies  in  their  work  in  the  lower  southwest  fields.  In 
addition  to  the  foregoing,  he  has  drilled  numerous  "wild  cat"  wells.  Since 
1883  he  has  l^een  interested  in.  and  has  given  more  or  less  attention  to,  oil 
operations  in  California. 

B.  D.  Benson  and  R.  E.  Hopkins,  many  years  prominent  citizens  of 
Titusville,  who,  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Benson  a  few  years  ago,  were  always, 
from  the  first,  closely  associated  together  in  all  the  various  branches  of  the 
oil  trade  in  which  they  engaged,  were  large  producers.  They  came  in  May, 
1865,  from  Onondaga  County,  New  York,  to  Enterprise,  Warren  County, 
Pennsylvania,  and  to  Titusville  soon  afterward.  Their  first  purchase  was 
a  part  of  what  was  then  known  as  the  Rouse  estate,  comprising  seven  hun- 
dred acres,  not  far  east  of  Enterprise.  This  purchase  was  for  some  time 
not  productive,  until  1868,  when  success  came,  and  Benson  and  Hopkins 
organized  what  was  known  as  the  Colorado  Oil  Company.  Additional  pur- 
chases of  adjacent  territory  gave  them  for  several  years  a  fine  production. 
They  were  joined  at  about  this  time  by  David  McKelvy  in  a  close  partner- 
ship, known  as  D.  McKelvy  &  Company.  In  1869  they  operated  quite  ex- 
tensivel)'  in  the  Pleasantville  black  oil  district.  Subsequently,  following 
the  trend  of  development,  they  became  largely  engaged  in  Butler  and  Arm- 
strong counties,  also  in  Warren  County  in  the  vicinity  of  Warren,  in  the 
Wardwell  district.  Subsequently  they  early  took  part  in  the  development 
of  the  Bradford  field.  During  the  years  of  1875  and  1876  they  managed 
the  Columbia  Conduit  Company,  which  at  that  time  was  the  only  pipe  com- 
pany using  pipe  of  larger  dimension  than  three  inches  diameter.  As  their  in- 
terest in  the  stock  of  this  company  was  nominal,  and  the  parties  holding  a 
majority  of  the  stock,  thus  possessing  control  of  the  plant,  having  arranged 
with  the  Standard  Oil  Company  to  transfer  their  interest,  Benson  and  Hop- 
kins did  the  same  with  theirs.  Immediately  following  this,  they  organized 
what  was  known  as  the  Baltimore  Pipe  Line  Company,  with  a  view  of  build- 
ing a  line  from  Parkers  to  Baltimore  Bay.  This  scheme  involved  an  outlay 
of  nearly  $3,000,000,  and  the  capital  of  the  originators  being  inadequate, 
they  depended  largely  on  aid  from  business  men  of  Baltimore.     The  latter 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  403 

were  too  timid  to  embark  in  such  an  undertaking  in  opposition  to  the  Stand- 
ard Oil  Company.  And,  as  such  aid  could  not  be  got,  the  enterprise  was 
abandoned,  after  an  expenditure  of  nearly  $100,000  for  right  of  way.  Since 
1880  the  firm  of  D.  McKelvy  &  Company  gradually  withdrew  from  the  pro- 
ducing business,  and  for  many  years  since  the  company  has  had  no  interest 
in  production,  excepting  some  small  royalties. 

John  J.  Carter,  who  has  been  a  resident  of  Titusville  since  1865,  has  a 
very  interesting  record  as  an  oil  producer  for  the  last  twenty-one  years.  He 
was  in  the  gentlemen's  furnishing  trade  from  1865  to  1877,  when  he  sold 
his  business  and  engaged  in  oil  production  in  the  Bradford  field.  He  had 
had,  however,  a  little  experience  in  oil  development  in  1868  in  the  Pleasant- 
ville  district.  His  first  well  in  the  Bradford  field  was  on  the  lower  Her- 
dic  tract,  on  which  was  afterward  Derrick  City.  He  next  bought  the  Alfred 
Whipple  farm,  on  Kendall  Creek,  of  three  hundred  acres  of  land,  near  where 
was  afterward  Sawyer  City.  This  property  has  been  highly  productive, 
and  it  is  still  producing  oil  at  a  profit.  ]\Ir.  Carter's  books  show  that  the 
farm  has  already  yielded  nearly  a  million  and  a  half  barrels  of  oil.  In  1878 
Carter,  in  company  with  B.  N.  Hurd,  bought  of  Marcus  Brownson  a  prop- 
erty at  Bell's  Camp,  known  as  Lot  14,  and  Pettinger.  The  price  of  the 
property  was  65,000  barrels  of  oil,  to  be  delivered  within  the  next  two  years. 
The  property  at  the  time  of  this  purchase  was  yielding  three  hundred  bar- 
rels daily.  The  investment  proved  to  be  a  profitable  one  to  the  purchasers. 
Carter  and  Hurd  bought  still  another  producing  property  of  Brownson  near 
Riterville,  ^IcKean  County.  Carter  then  bought  out  Hurd,  and  in  1886 
he  purchased  of  Porter  and  Gillmor  Lot  6,  and  in  1888  he  bought  valuable 
adjoining  properties.  In  1879  Carter  and  Ramsey  bought  the  Rew  and 
Hodge  farms,  near  Knox  City,  JMcKean  County.  They  also  bought  other 
interests  in  the  same  vicinity.  In  1881  Carter  bought  Ramsey's  interest  in 
the  properties,  which  continue  until  the  present  to  yield  oil  in  paying  quan- 
tities. In  1 88 1  Carter  and  Boden  bought  on  the  west  branch  of  Tuna  Creek 
an  extensive  producing  property,  composed  of  the  Blair,  the  Davis  and  the 
King  farms.  In  1884  Carter  bought  Boden's  interest.  The  property  is  still 
producing.  Carter,  in  1883,  bought  the  C.  B.  &  H.  tract,  a  small  produc- 
ing property,  and  in  1884  he  bought  Lot  31,  a  somewhat  larger  producing 
property.  The  former  of  the  last  two  properties  has  been  abandoned,  but 
the  latter  is   still  producing.     Another  producing  property  was  bought  m 


404  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

1885,  the  Chamberlain  tract,  owned  by  Bovaird  &  Seyfang.     In  the  same 
year  Fertig  &  Company  and  Carter  acquired  in  the  Cogley  Run  field  the 
Shippen  lands,  Rickenbrode  and  Gibbs  farms,  in  all  about  six  hundred  acres. 
On  this  property  the  purchasers  drilled  eighteen  wells,  which  gave  a  pro- 
duction of  two  hundred  and  fifty  barrels  a  day.     In   1886  Carter  bought 
Fertig  &  Company's  interest.     He  subsequently  sold  the  property  to  Water- 
house  &  Company.     In   1886  he  bought  of  William  Ley  at  Grand  Valley 
his  farm  of  one  hundred  and  seven  acres,  with  three  producing  wells,  and 
put  down   himself   twenty   additional  wells.     The  farm   is   still   producing. 
In  1886,  the  Saybrook,  a  producing  property,  was  purchased  of  E.  O.  Emer- 
son, and  sold  the  next  year.     In   1887  Carter  acquired  the  Keatley  farm, 
consisting  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  and  three  small  producing  wells. 
The  property,  after  sinking  five  additional  wells,  has  failed  to  satisfy  the 
expectation  of  the  purchaser,   and  development  on  it  is  being  closed  out. 
In  1887  the  Hickory  property  was  bought  of  Dr.  Shamburg,  consisting  of  the 
Fogle,  the  Manross,  Stufflebeam  and  other  farms,  containing  three  thousand 
two  hundred  acres,  with  forty  producing  wells  yielding  forty  barrels  a  day. 
Sixty  more  wells  have  been  drilled,  and  the  area  of  the  property  increased 
to  four  thousand  acres.     On  this  property  is  established  the  famous  River- 
side Stock  Farm,  owned  by  Mr.   Carter.     It  may  safely  be  predicted  that 
this  property  will  continue  to  yield  oil  in  paying  quantity  for  the  next  quarter 
of  a  century,  and  probably  longer.     In   1888  Lots  9  and   10,  Elk  County, 
were  bought  by   Mr.    Carter,   new   oil   territory.     The  venture   has  proved 
highly  profitable.     In   1889  Carter  bought  of  the  Enterprise  Transit  Com- 
pany four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  acres  of  its  land  at  the  head  of  Hams- 
burg  Run,  and  upon  this  property  he  has  operated  extensively.     Connected 
with  this   tract  was   the  Rogerson  piece,   having  fifty   acres   in  fee.     This 
property  also   was  purchased.     Adjoining   still    further   was   the   Williams, 
Smith  and  Davis    property,  which  Mr.   Carter  at    the  same    time  bought. 
These  properties  are  still  producing. 

On  all  the  properties  bought  from  1877  to  1890  there  were  at  the  time 
of  purchase  collectively  two  hundred  wells,  yielding  an  aggregate  produc- 
tion of  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  eighty-seven  barrels  a  day.  Between 
1877  and  1890  there  were  drilled  on  these  properties,  since  their  respective 
purchases,  three  hundred  and  eighty-five  wells,  making  five  hundred  and 
eighty-five  wells,  all  told.     There  were  sold  at  various  times  and  abandoned 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  405 

eighty-five  wells,  leaving  five  hundred  producing  wells  at  the  present  time. 
These  five  hundred  wells  are  located  on  six  thousand  four  hundred  and  forty- 
eight  acres  of  land,  in  fee  for  the  most  part.  These  properties  have  produced 
in  the  last  twenty-two  years,  three  million  six  hundred  and  thirteen  thousand, 
forty-three  barrels  of  oil.  To  gather  and  operate  these  properties  the  fol- 
lowing expenditures  have  been  made,  to-wit : 

To  amounts  paid  for  original  purchase $    771,500 

To  amounts  paid  for  drilling  and  supplies.  .  .  .       775,000 
To  amounts  for  maintaining  and  raising  oil.  .       903,260 

Total   outlay $2,449,760 

The  average  cost  therefore  of  producing  these  three  million  six  hundred 
and  thirteen  thousand,  forty  three  barrels  of  oil  has  been  about  sixty-eight 
cents  a  barrel.  It  should  be  understood  that  the  greater  part  of  the  above 
expenditure,  together  with  the  greater  part  of  the  oil  produced,  was  prior 
to  1891.  Since  that  time  there  has  been  a  decrease  of  yield,  until  now, 
when  it  is  about  half  of  what  it  then  was.  Between  1890  and  1892  Mr. 
Carter  added  no  territory  to  his  holdings.  He  has  never  operated  in  Butler, 
or   Washington,   or    Allegheny,    or   Greene   County. 

In  the  winter  of  1892-3  he  began  an  extensive  purchase  of  options  of 
oil  territory  in  the  Sistersville,  West  Virginia,  field.  On  the  first  of  May 
following,  he  formed  the  Carter  Oil  Company,  under  the  laws  of  West  Vir- 
ginia, subscribing  for  the  whole  capital  stock  of  one  million  dollars,  having 
previously  sold  to  the  Standard  Oil  Cornpany  sixty  per  cent  of  his  purchases 
in  the  Sistersville  field.  In  April,  1895,  he  sold  the  remainder  of  his  inter- 
est in  the  Carter  Oil  Company  to  the  Standard  Oil  Company.  Since  then 
"he  has  continued  President  and  General  Manager  of  the  company.  Since  its 
organization  the  company  has  largely  increased  its  holdings  and  develop- 
ment. It  has  now  nearly  one  thousand  producing  wells  located  on  more 
than  ten  thousand  acres  of  land. 

William  H.  Wood,  long  a  well  known  citizen  of  Titusville,  has  had  an 
interesting  experience  as  an  oil  producer.  He  came  to  the  oil  country  in  the 
spring  of  1863,  from  Waterloo,  New  York.  He  came  by  way  of  Union 
City,  where  he  visited  an  uncle,  Mr.  Wood,  of  the  firm  Wood  &  Johnson, 
manufacturers  of  barrels  at  that  place,  who  subsequently  had  barrel  works 
in  Titusville.  on  the  flats,  where  the  radiator  works  now  are.     His  first  work 


4o6  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

in  oil  was  to  build  a  refinery  on  the  Patterson  farm,  on  Bull  Run.  His  un- 
dertaking resulted  favorably,  and  he  sold  his  works  in  the  summer  of  1864 
with  a  very  fine  profit  as  a  whole.  He  then  turned  his  attention  to  land 
speculation,  and  was  fortunate  in  his  investments,  and  prosperity  seemed  to 
mark  all  his  work  for  several  years  afterward.  He  operated  extensively 
in  company  with  the  late  H.  L.  Taylor.  In  September,  1867,  he  bought 
the  George  E.  Zuver  farm,  two  miles  east  of  Pleasantville,  and  operated  it 
for  the  next  eight  years.  He  drilled  seventeen  wells  on  the  farm,  and  sold 
it  in  1875.  During  the  period  of  Mr.  Wood's  work  as  a  producer  he  has 
drilled  wells  on  the  Farel,  the  John  Stevenson,  the  John  Benninghoff,  the 
James  Tarr,  and  the  Hess  farms,  on  Oil  Creek;  at  Shamburg,  Gas  City,  and 
in  Butler,  Armstrong,  Warren,  McKean  and  Forest  counties.  He  has  pro- 
duced and  sold  oil  at  forty-five  cents,  and  at  ten  dollars,  per  barrel,  and  at 
all  prices  between  these  extreme  figures. 

Jesse  Smith,  a  prominent  citizen  of  TituSA'ille,  began  work  in  1865  by 
sinking  a  well,  a  dry  hole,  on  Hammond  Run.  He  next,  in  company  with 
the  McCray  Brothers,  put  down  four  wells  on  Church  Run.  Next,  in  com- 
pany with  the  same  parties,  he  leased  and  operated  the  William  Henderson 
farm,  in  the  Church  Run  field,  drilling  five  wells  on  the  property,  which  were 
fairly  good  producers.  During  this  time  he  and  Jonathan  Watson  sunk 
several  wells,  nearly  all  of  which  turned  out  to  be  dry.  He  was  interested 
in  a  well  called  the  "King  of  the  Hills,"  on  the  Stevenson  farm,  near  Petrol- 
eum Center.  Mr.  Smith  had  charge  of  the  well.  It  yielded  three  hundred 
barrels  of  oil  a  day  for  some  time.  He  had  at  Tidioute  interests  in  wells, 
which  he  sold  to  the  McCray  Brothers.  He  then,  in  company  with  Jona- 
than Watson,  bought  a  producing  property  at  Foxburg,  on  the  Allegheny 
River,  for  $20,000.  This  was  in  1875.  The  investment  proved  to  be  a 
good  one.  The  firm  name  of  the  property  was  "Watson,  Smith  &  Son." 
Then  Watson's  interest  was  bought  by  the  others  and  the  firm  name  changed 
to  "Smith  &  Son,"  who  afterward  sold  the  property,  and  purchased  another 
of  J.  H.  Caldwell  at  Stoneham,  near  Warren,  which  they  are  still  operating. 

Fisher  P.  Broxvn,  an  old  resident  of  Titusville,  in  1868  had  three  wells 
on  the  Brown  and  other  farms,  in  the  Pleasantville  district.  In  1872  he  had 
on  Triumph  Hill  three  wells.  In  1873  he  had  on  the  Noble  farm,  on  the 
flats,  near  the  Hunter  wells,  three  wells.  In  1891  he  had  five  wells  on  the 
Hasson  farm,  near  the  English  Settlement.     In  1892  he  had  on  the  Kress 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  407 

farm,  fourteen  wells;  on  the  Ziegenheim  farm,  seven  wells;  on  the  Williains, 
three  wells.  In  1894  he  had  on  the  Lowson  farm  one  well,  and  one  addi- 
tional well  on  the  Williams  in  1895.  These  last  twenty-six  wells  are  lo- 
cated in  McCandless  Township,  Allegheny  Comity,  Pennsylvania. 

Frank  S.  Tarbell,  who  has  lived  in  Titusville  many  years,  may  be  classed 
as  a  pioneer  operator.  He  came  to  the  oil  country  in  the  fall  of  1859.  His 
operations  first  were  in  the  vicinity  of  Rouseville.  From  i860  to  1874 
he  manufactured  wooden  oil  tanks  upon  an  extensive  scale.  For  the  first 
five  years  after  the  beginning  of  the  oil  producing  business,  only  wooden 
tanks,  either  for  receiving  oil  at  the  wells  or  for  storing  it,  were  used.  Iron 
hoops  cost  ten  cents  a  pound.  Tanks  holding  from  twelve  hundred  to  fifteen 
hundred  barrels  were  erected  at  prices  ranging  from  thirty  to  seventy-five 
cents  a  barrel,  according  to  location.  To  deliver  tank  lumber  from  Rouseville 
at  Pithole  cost  one  dollar  per  thousand  feet.  Mr.  Tarbell  made  tanks  by  ma- 
chinery and  he  kept  than  in  quantity  on  hand,  to  meet  especially  sudden  strikes 
of  oil.  Until  1865  there  was  neither  an  iron  storage  tank  nor  a  pipe  line;  so 
that  the  wooden  tank  builders  for  several  years  had  a  harvest,  and  made 
money.  After  1865  Mr.  Tarbell  operated  variously  on  Oil  Creek,  on  Cherry 
Run,  at  St.  Petersburg,  Clarion  County,  at  Karns  City  and  other  places  in 
Butler  County.  Then  after  the  opening  of  the  Bradford  field  he  operated 
extensively  in  that  locality  for  years.  In  1885  he  operated  on  the  Drake 
district,  owned  by  the  Drake  Petroleum  Company,  of  Philadelphia,  in  Tract 
149,  Grand  Valley.  In  1889  he  began  operations  near  Neiltown,  and  con- 
tinued work  there  for  a  few  years. 

The  McKinney  Brothers,  prominent  citizens  of  Titusville  for  many 
years,  occupy  a  high  place  in  the  ranks  of  oil  producers,  both  as  to  the  length 
of  time  and  extent  of  operations  and  the  quantity  of  oil  produced  and  sold. 
John  L.  McKinney,  the  older  brother,  began  producing  in  i860,  and  he  has 
since  been  continuously  engaged  in  the  business  until  the  present  time.  James 
C.  McKinney,  the  other  brother,  joined  him  in  the  work  in  1863,  and  since 
then  the  two  have  been  associated  in  a  close  partnership,  which  has  been  con- 
stant until  the  present.  To  enumerate  their  operations,  in  anything  like 
minute  detail,  would  require  much  greater  space  than  the  limits  of  this  work 
would  permit.  It  is  not  necessary.  It  may  be  comprehensively  stated  that 
the  McKinney  Brothers  have  been  engaged  in  the  production  of  oil  in  every 
field  east  of  the  Mississippi  River.    They  have  produced  and  sold  as  much  oil 


4o8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

as  any  other  individual  firm  in  the  history  of  petroleum  production.  For 
sixteen  years  they  were  extensively  interested  with  H.  L.  Taylor,  John  Sat- 
terfield,  John  Pitcairn,  Jr.,  and  T.  S.  McFarland  in  the  producing  business. 

McKinney  Brothers  have  been  interested,  as  principals,  in  more  than 
one  hundred  thousand  acres  of  oil  producing  territory.  They  continued  in 
individual  operations  until  the  years  of  1888  and  1889,  when  they  closed  out 
in  a  sale  of  all  their  producing  plants  to  the  Standard  Oil  Company,  with 
which  they  have  since  been  associated  in  merged  interests. 

John  L.  McKinney  is  the  president  of  the  Midland  Division  of  the  South 
Penn  Oil  Company,  and  J.  C.  McKinney  is  its  general  manager,  having  the 
direction  of  nearly  five  thousand  producing  wells,  extending  from  Allegany 
County,  New  York,  to  Allegheny  County,  Pennsylvania. 

For  further  information  the  reader  is  referred  to  special  biographies  of 
the  two  brothers  which  appear  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

OTHER     PRODUCERS. 

The  foregoing  account  of  operations  by  a  few  Titusville  producers  is 
furnished  for  the  purpose  of  indicating,  by  the  examples  thus  cited,  the  char- 
acter of  the  work  done  by  a  large  class  of  Titusville  citizens  since  the  discovery 
of  Drake  in  1859.  The  names  of  some  others,  residents  of  Titusville,  well 
known  as  operators  in  oil,  will  now  be  mentioned. 

Frederick  Crocker  was  one  of  the  striking  figures  for  a  generation  of 
the  prominent  producers,  who  have  chased  new  fields  of  development  with 
untiring  perseverance.  In  the  early  years  of  production  he  invented  a  check 
valve,  to  facilitate  the  action  of  the  well  pump.  The  appliance  was  exten- 
sively used.  Mr.  Crocker  produced  a  great  deal  of  oil  on  Oil  Creek.  He  was 
a  pioneer  in  the  Bradford  field.  He  afterward  operated  in  the  lower  counties, 
and  died  in  February,  1895.  His  remains  -were  brought  to  Titusville,  and  in- 
terred in  Woodlawn  Cemetery. 

Jonathan  Watson,  one  of  the  fathers  of  oil  production,  was  a  inember 
of  the  noted  firm.  Brewer,  Watson  &  Company,  that,  as  previously  mentioned, 
sold  the  Willard  farm,  containing  the  oil  spring  where  Drake  subsequently 
sunk  his  well.  Immediately  after  Drake's  discovery,  Mr.  Watson  began  oil 
development,  and  continued  at  the  business  nearly  all  the  rest  of  his  life.  He 
amassed  a  large  fortune,  which  came  perhaps  more  from  successful  deals  in 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  409 

oil  territoiT  than  from  his  oil  production.     In  later  years  he  lost  a  great  deal 
of  money  in  sinking  experimental  wells. 

Marcus  Broivnson,  one  of  the  best  known  operators  in  production,  left 
his  mark  in  many  fields.  Most  of  his  work  was  attended  with  excellent  suc- 
cess. Some  of  his  later  ventures  were  less  fortunate.  But  as  a  whole,  his 
career  as  an  oil  producer  may  be  regarded  as  a  prosperous  one. 

A.  H.  Branson  was  for  a  time  a  dashing  and  powerful  operator,  and  for 
a  time  was  highly  successful  in  the  Shamburg  field.  But,  with  many  others, 
he  was  hurt  by  the  exceptionally  low  price  of  oil  in  1873.  From  his  reverses 
at  that  time  he  never  fully  recovered.  He  was  ever  brave  and  persevering, 
but  fate  frowned  upon  him. 

Dr.  G.  Shamburg  made  a  fortune  in  the  field  which  took  its  name  from 
him.  He  also  suffered  from  low  prices  in  1873.  In  later  years  he  collected 
in  the  Hickory  district  a  large  oil  property,  which,  as  previously  mentioned, 
he  sold  to  John  J.  Carter. 

Frank  JV.  Andreivs,  W.  W.  Thompson  and  D.  H.  Cady,  from  their 
achievements  in  producing  oil  at  Pioneer  and  Shamburg,  became  oil  princes. 
Lyman  Stetvart,  brother  of  Milton  Stewart,  also  made  a  fortune  in  pro- 
ducing oil  in  the  same  fields.  He.  together  with  Andrews,  invested  a  large 
amount  of  money  in  the  early  part  of  1869  in  the  Yost  manufacturing  plant 
at  Corry,  Pennsylvania.  Lyman  Stewart  sunk,  in  that  investment,  $300,- 
000,  and  Frank  W.  x\ndrews,  $500,000.  Andrews  operated  afterward  in 
McKean  and  Elk  counties.  Both  he  and  Cady  died  several  3'ears  ago.  Stew- 
art moved  to  Los  Angeles,  California,  and  he  has  for  several  years  past  been 
engaged  in  producing  oil  in  that  state.  W.  W.  Thompson  is  at  present  pro- 
ducing oil  in  West  Virginia. 

Emery  Brothers  were  successful  producers  in  the  Pioneer  and  Sham- 
burg fields.  In  1 87 1  they  participated  in  organizing  the  Octave  Oil  Com- 
pany, to  the  management  of  which  David  Emery  gave  his  personal  attention. 
Lewis  Emery,  Jr.,  in  1875  and  '76  began  the  foundation  of  his  subsequent 
extensive  producing  business  in  the  Bradford  field.  He  has  since  had  large 
producing  interests  elsewhere.  He  has  also  been  largely  engaged  in  the  refin- 
ing industry.  He  is  at  the  head  of  the  United  States  Pipe  Line  Company. 
To  the  protracted  and  persevering  efiforts  of  Lewis  Emery,  Jr.,  is  mainly  due 
the  enactment  of  a  free  pipe  law  in  Pennsylvania,  against  the  opposition  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  which  in  the  Legislature  of  the  State  has  for  a 


4IO  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

long  period  been  regarded  as  omnipotent.     A  special  biography  of  David  ' 
Emery  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

A.  N.  Perrin,  many  years  a  resident  of  Titusville,  was  long  an  oil  pro- 
ducer.    His  operations  began  in  the  sixties  on  Oil  Creek.     He  was  subse- 
quently engaged  in  the  field  of  Armstrong  and  Butler  counties,  and  after-  . 
ward  in  the  Bradford  district.     He  was  an  officer  in  the  Tide  Water  Pipe 
Company. 

Jolin  Satterfield  was  another  operator.  He  was  extensively  engaged, 
especially  in  close  connection  with  H.  L.  Taylor,  in  many  fields.  The  Union 
Oil  Company,  whose  operations  were  directed  by  Taylor  &  Satterfield,  was 
an  important  factor,  with  its  pipe  lines,  in  the  oil  trade.  But  ultimately  all 
the  oil  plants  of  the  firm  were  absorbed  by  the  Standard  Oil  Company.  Both 
Taylor  and  Satterfield  were  once  impressive  figures  in  the  oil  trade.  Both 
are  now  dead.     But  their  memories  survive. 

H.  B.  Porter  for  years  was  a  very  active  producer.  His  principal  opera-' 
tions  were  in  McKean,  Elk  and  Warren  counties. 

A.  P.  Bennett  began  the  work  of  producing  at  Pithole  in  1865.  About 
the  year  1877  he  acquired  producing  interests  in  the  Bradford  field. 

A.  S.  Ralston  was  a  very  successful  producer  at  Tidioute  over  thirty 
years  ago.  Since  then  he  has  resided  in  Titusville.  He  brought  his  capital 
with  him,  and  gave  to  the  community  a  very  fine  business  block.  He  has 
done  a  little  producing  from  time  to  time  in  light  territory,  outlying  from 
the  town,  and  he  owns  territory  in  the  vicinity  upon  which  he  is  postponing 
operations  until  more  remunerative  prices  for  oil  are  realized. 

W.  B.  Benedict,  the  present  Mayor  of  Titusville,  brought  in  the  first 
well,  in  the  Enterprise  field,  in  the  summer  of  1865.  Although  the  supply 
was  small,  the  quality  of  the  Enterprise  oil  was  excellent — better  even  than 
Church  Run  oil-^for  refining  purposes.  Since  1865  Mr.  Benedict  has  done 
not  a  little  in  oil  producing.  Mr.  Benedict,  when  a  young  man,  was  badly 
burned  at  the  oil  explosion  on  tlie  Buchanan  farm  in  April,  1861,  which  killed 
Henry  R.  Rouse,  the  philanthropist  of  Warren  County. 

Charles  H.  Ley  and  John  D.  Ley  have  been  fairly  successful  in  oil  pro- 
duction. 

George  P.  Carr  for  several  years  past  has  done  a  good  deal  of  successful 
work  in  producing  in  the  lower  fields. 

John  J.  Sharpe  has  a  record  for  good  fortune  in  the  producing  business. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  411 

5.  5'.  Hciuic  has  axquired  a  fortune  as  a  producer.  He  is  said  to  possess 
excellent  sagacity  and  judgment  in  discerning  the  indications  of  producing 
territory. 

Charles  S.  Barrett  was  formerly  engaged  in  oil  production  for  many 
years. 

C.  F.  Lake  has  made  some  money  in  producing  in  the  lower  country. 

Dr.  J.  L.  Dunn,  though  a  practicing  physician,  has  first  and  last  done 
some  work  in  boring  for  and  lifting  crude  petroleum. 

James  Farcl  and  Nelson  Farel,  who  thirty-five  years  ago,  by  operations 
on  the  Farel  farm,  including  the  celebrated  Noble  well,  were  made  rich,  have 
saved  their  wealth,  and  they  are  still  producing  oil. 

James  J.  Donchuc  has  operated  in  many  fields.  He  is  at  present  produc- 
ing in  West  Virginia. 

James  P.  Crossley,  who  has  long  been  engaged  in  producing  oil,  is  at 
present  at  work  in  West  Virginia.  The  third  well  struck,  calling  Drake's 
the  first,  which,  as  previously  stated,  began  producing  March  14,  i860,  after 
not  a  very  long  life,  was  abandoned.  In  1872  it  was  resuscitated,  yielding 
a  good  production  for  about  twenty  years  longer,  until  the  great  fire  and  flood 
in  the  early  part  of  June,  1892.  Mr.  J.  P.  Crossley  had  charge  of  this  prop- 
erty during  the  late  period  of  its  existence. 

IV.  J.  Booth  has  had  considerable  experience  in  oil  production. 

E.  O.  Emerson  has  become  wealthy  in  producing  oil.  He  has  operated  in 
many  fields.  In  late  years  Mr.  Emerson  has  been  largely  e;ngaged  in  fur- 
nishing natural  gas  to  consumers  in  Pittsburg  and  Bradford,  and  perhaps  in 
some  other  towns.  J.  N.  Pew,  a  former  resident  of  Titusville,  has  charge 
of  Mr.  Emerson's  gas  business. 

The  late  WiUiam  T.  Neill,  whose  remains  have  rested  in  Woodlawn 
Cemetery  twenty-five  years,  was  one  of  the  ten  original  stockholders  of  the 
"Tidioute  and  AVarren  Oil  Company."  That  company  was  organized  at 
Tidioute  in  i860.  Its  capital  stock  of  $10,000  .was  divided  into  ten  shares 
of  $1,000  each.  Twenty-five  years  ago  the  company  had  divided  among  the 
stockholders  $1,200,000. 

William  H.  Abbott,  in  the  early  development  of  petroleum,  took  an 
active  part.  As  already  stated,  he  helped  to  sink  both  the  Barnsdall  and  the 
Crossley  wells,  the  second  and  third  wells  drilled  after  the  Drake,  in  the  fall 
and  winter  following. 


412  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

WUliaui  Barnsdall  has  been  engaged  in  the  producing  business  nearly 
ever  since  his  first  venture  on  the  James  Parker  farm  in  the  fall  of  1859. 

But  his  son,  Theodore  N.  Barnsdall,  a  Titusville  boy,  has  achieved  re- 
markable results.  The  extent  of  his  operations  is  probably  greater  than  that 
of  any  other  individual  oil  producer  to-day. 

One  more  name  will  close  the  list.  Some  Titusville  producers  entitled 
to  recognition  may  have  been  accidentally  overlooked.  The  number  of  such 
omissions  is,  however,  certainly  small.  The  task  of  collecting  the  information 
herein  presented  has  not  been  a  light  one. 

Charles  Hyde,  of  whom  more  will  be  said  in  another  part  of  this  work, 
in  the  early  sixties  amassed  great  wealth  in  the  production  of  oil.  The  Tidi- 
oute  and  Warren  Oil  Company,  the  tenth  of  whose  stock  he  owned,  as  above 
stated,  paid  big  dividends.  But  the  fountain  which  discharged  money  into 
his  vaults  was  the  Hyde  &  Egbert  farm.  When  Mr.  Hyde,  in  the  spring  of 
1866,  moved  into  the  mansion  now  occupied  by  his  son,  Louis  K.  Hyde,  at  the 
corner  of  Main  and  Franklin  streets,  he  was  a  multi-millionaire,  and  good 
fortune  has  continued  to  accompany  him. 

ENGLISH     SETTLEMENT. 

Included  in  the  oil  history  of  Titusville  some  notice  may  be  made  of  a 
late  development  in  the  vicinity.  In  1890  an  oil  belt  was  opened  in  the  Eng- 
lish Settlement,  in  Rome  Township,  a  few  miles  northwest  of  Titusville.  The 
belt  begins  on  the  Hummer  farm,  and  runs  directly  north,  with  little  varia- 
tion, three  and  one-half  miles,  with  a  width  of  three-fourths  of  a  mile.  Some 
drilling  at  the  present  time  extends  the  belt  northward.  So  far,  at 
the  present  writing,  one  hundred  and  fifty  wells  have  been  drilled,  of 
which  over  one  hundred  and  twenty  are  still  producing.  The  depth  of  the 
oil  bearing  rock  below  the  surface  of  the  ground  in  the  valleys  is  six  hundred 
feet,  the  thickness  of  the  producing  rock  being  from  twenty-eight  to  thirty- 
two  feet.  All  the  wells  produce  salt  water  with  the  oil.  Sufficient  gas  is 
saved  to  furnish  fuel  for  pumping  purposes,  when  the  wells  are  connected 
with  pumping  apparatus,  and  several  wells  are  pumped  by  a  single  power. 
By  means  of  this  connected  apparatus,  each  operator  employs  only  one  man 
for  pumping  all  his  wells,  few  or  many. 

Beginning  at  the  south  end  of  the  field,  Arthur  Mandell  &  Co.  have  fif- 
teen wells  on  the  Shaw  and  Hummer  farms,  drilled  in  1891  and  1892.     The 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  413 

depth  of  tliese  wells  is  six  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  the  tliickness  of  the  produc- 
ing rock,  thirty  feet.  The  daily  yield  of  these  wells  was  at  first  from  ten  to 
forty  barrels.  Their  production  now  is  about  three-fourths  of  a  barrel  each. 
One  man  pumps  the  whole  by  the  combination  process. 

Moon  &  Hooker  own  twenty  wells  on  the  Harrison  and  Gibson  farms, 
drilled  in  1890  and  1891.  The  distance  to  the  sand  rock  is  six  hundred  and 
fifty  feet,  its  thickness  about  thirty  feet.  The  daily  production  .at  the  be- 
ginning was  ten  to  twenty-five  barrels.  These  wells  are  all  pumped  by  one 
man  \\\i\\  the  combination  system. 

Carene  Harrison  has  on  his  farm  nine  wells,  drilled  in  1893  and  1894, 
all  average  wells,  and  still  producing. 

R.  Corson  has  ten  wells  on  the  Dunlop  farm,  drilled  in  1890,  '91  and  '92. 
Their  average  depth  is  six  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  The  first  well  produced 
one  hundred  barrels  a  day  for  some  time.  Its  production  now  is  about  the 
same  as  that  of  the  other  nine — one-half  to  three-fourths  of  a  barrel  daily. 
These  ten  wells  are  all  pumped  by  one  man. 

Rendall  &  Stewart  own  three  wells  on  the  R.  E.  Rendall  farm,  drilled  in 
1892.     They  are  all  producing. 

U.  C.  Welton  owns  twenty-three  wells,  located  on  the  Dunlop,  the  Ren- 
dall, the  Dalzell  &  Co.,  and  the  Nesbit  farms,  drilled  in  1890,  '91  and  '92, 
except  two  on  the  Nesbit  farm,  which  were  sunk  in  1895.  Eighteen  of  the 
wells  are  pumped  all  by  one  man. 

William  Foreman  owns  three  wells  on  the  Harrison  farm,  drilled  in 
1891,  all  now  producing. 

T.  Rigby  has  four  wells  on  his  own  farm.  They  are  all  yielding  about 
fine-half  a  barrel  each  day. 

J.  J.  Sloan  has  six  wells  on  the  Harrison  farm,  drilled  in  1891-92.  One 
well  started  at  fifty  barrels  a  day,  pumping  that  amount  several  months.  The 
wells  now  average  about  one-half  a  barrel  daily,  each. 

Harrison  Brothers  have  eight  wells  on  the  Harrison  farm,  drilled  in 
]89i  and  '92. 

T.  N.  Barnsdall  owns  five  wells  on  the  Hasson  farms,  drilled  in  1891. 
The  wells  are  still  pumping.  E.  O.  Emerson  owns  wells  on  the  Hicks  and 
.Selden  farm,  drilled  in  1891  and  '92. 

Mr.  Morris  has  six  wells  on  his  own  farm.  The  Spartanburg  Oil  Com- 
pany owns  four  wells,  drilled  in  1897. 


414  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

OTHER     SMALL     DISTRICTS. 

Small  wells  have  been  found  in  late  years  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Oil 
Creek  Township,  extending  into  South  West  Township,  Warren  County, 
within  a  few  miles  of  Titusville.  There  is  still  some  production  in  the 
Octave  district.  It  may  be  stated  that  there  has  never  been  heavy  production 
at  any  point  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Titusville.  The  Church  Run  field, 
which  was 'Opened  in  1865,  produced  considerable  oil  for  several  vears.  There 
are  still  a  few  small  wells  in  that  section.  There  was  opened  a  small  pool  of 
oil  near  Enterprise  in  1865.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  small  veins  of  oil  will 
still  be  discovered,  for  a  long  time  to  come,  perhaps  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Titusville;    but  only  light  production  should  be  expected. 

PIPE     LINES. 

In  1864  a  pipe  line  between  the  Sherman  well  on  the  Foster  farm  to 
Miller  Farm,  a  station  on  the  Oil  Creek  Railroad,  a  few  miles  south  of  Titus- 
ville, was  laid,  for  the  purpose  of  pumping  oil  from  the  well  to  the  station, 
for  shipment  thence  liy  rail  to  market.  Cast  iron  pipe  was  used,  the  connect- 
ing joints  of  which  were  packed  with  lead.  The  experiment  failed  from 
the  want  of  ordinary  mechanical  skill  in  properly  packing  the  joint  so  that, 
on  trial,  the  pipe  leaked  badly,  and  the  undertaking  was  abandoned.  It  is  now 
known  that  oil  can  be  successfully  forced  through  cast  iron  pipes,  the  same  as 
water,  by  high  pressure,  widiout  leaking.  But  the  expense  of  using  cast  iron 
pipes  in  an  ordinary  oil  line,  running  o\er  rocks,  through  ravines,  on  the  bed 
of  streams  in  deep  water  and  over  mountains,  would  be  greatly  in  excess  of 
that  in  the  use  of  wrought  iron  pipes.  It  was  doubtless  fortunate  for  the  oil 
trade  that  the  experiment  referred  to  resulted  in  failure.  Otherwise  a  large 
amount  of  money  upon  lines  of  greater  length,  upon  rougher  ground  than 
that  between  the  Sherman  well  and  the  Miller  farm,  might  have  been  wasted, 
before  the  discovery  of  a  less  expensive  and  by  far  more  convenient  pipe. 

Mr.  Samuel  Van  Syckcl  understood  the  advantages  of  the  wrought  iron 
pipe  for  an  oil  line.  And  accordingly  in  the  summer  of  1865  he  laid  a  two- 
inch  line  of  wrought  iron  pipe  from  Pithole  to  Miller  farm,  a  distance  of 
about  six  miles,  and  forced  oil  through  it  by  pump  pressure  at  the  rate  of 
sixty  barrels  an  hour,  or  more,  successfully  proving  the  practicability  of  trans- 
porting oil  long  distances  through  pipes  by  hydraulic  pressure.  It  has  since 
been  demonstrated  that  oil  can  be  transported  hundreds  of  miles  through  an 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  415 

iron  pipe  of  a  diameter  from  three  to  ten  incites,  more  economically  and  with 
greater  safety  than  by  rail. 

To  Mr.  Van  Syckel  must  be  given  the  credit  of  inventing  the  mode  of 
oil  transportation  in  quantity  over  a  long  distance  through  iron  pipes  by 
hydraulic  pressure.  It  is  not  necessary  to  say  that  he  first  conceived  the  idea 
of  the  process.  It  is  not  certain  that  any  distinguished  inventor  was  the  first 
to  think  of  the  particular  mechanical  contrivance,  with  which  his  name  is 
known  to  the  public  as  its  author.  The  identical  idea,  more  or  less  distinct, 
at  different  periods  perhaps,  may  have  disturbed  the  brain  of  several  individ- 
uals. The  real  inventor  of  some  advantage  in  mechanics  is  the  one  who  has 
first  put  into  successful  execution,  to  a  practical  result,  his  original  mental 
conceptions  upon  the  subject.  Samuel  Van  Syckel  did  all  this.  His  in- 
vention has  conferred  infinite  benefit  upon  mankind. 

In  building  his  pipe  line,  \"an  Syckel  had  borrowed  money  from  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Titusville,  and  to  secure  the  debt  he  had  hypothe- 
cated his  interest  in  the  line.  Failing  to  make  payment  he  was  obliged  to 
surrender  his  interest  to  the  bank.  The  bank  assigned  the  interest  to  Jona- 
than Watson,  who  immediately  turned  the  property  over  tc  William  H. 
Abbott,  the  real  purchaser,  who  thenceforward  for  a  considerable  period  of 
time  operated  the  line  alone,  and  thence  laid  the  foundation  of  what  after- 
ward became  the  Pennsylvania  Transportation  Company. 

In  1866  Henry  Harley  finished  the  pipe  line  from  Benninghoff  Run  to 
Shaffer  Farm,  then  a  station  on  the  Oil  Creek  Railroad,  about  six  miles 
south  of  Titusville.  After  Mr.  Abbott  had  purchased  the  Van  Syckel  Hne, 
he  entered  into  partnership  with  Harley,  under  the  firm  name  of  Abbott 
&  Harley,  the  firm  owning  and  operating  together  the  lines  which  each  had 
held  individually.  The  outcome  of  the  partnership  was  the  Pennsylvania 
Transportation  Company,  with  a  large  capital.  Among  its  shareholders 
were  Jay  Gould  and  Thomas  A.  Scott. 

It  piped  oil  from  the  producing  districts  of  Triumph.  Hickory,  Pleasant- 
ville.  Red  Hot,  Shamburg,  Benninghofif  and  Pioneer,  and  delivered  it  at 
Miller  Farm  and  Titusville.  It  received  a  blow  from  the  effects  of  which 
it  never  afterward  recovered,  in  the  change  of  management  of  the  Atlantic 
&  Great  Western  Railroad  in  1871  and  of  the  Erie  in  1872.  At  the  time 
Gould  acquired  an  interest  in  the  Pennsylvania  Transportation  pipe  line  Fisk 
and  Gould  controlled  both  the  Erie  and  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  roads. 


4i6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

They  were  at  the  head  of  the  Erie,  when  that  road,  by  a  lease,  had  posses- 
sion of  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western.  In  1870  a  railroad  was  built  from 
Titusville  to  Union  City,  a  station  on  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  Railroad. 
Fisk  and  Gould  were  the  principal  owners  of  this  new  road,  which  had  been 
built  for  the  purpose  of  making  it  a  feeder,  especially  in  oil  freights,  of  the 
Atlantic  &  Great  Western  and  the  Erie  roads.  The  object  was  to  give  busi- 
ness to  the  Pennsylvania  Transportation  Company  from  the  wells  to  Titus- 
ville, and  the  railroads  from  Titusville  to  New  York,  making  a  continuous 
line  from  the  oil  wells  to  the  seaboard.  If  this  connection  had  remained 
undisturbed  for  several  years  afterward,  the  business  of  the  Pennsylvania  ' 
Transportation  Company  would  probably  have  been  highly  prosperous.  But 
in  the  summer  of  1871  Mr.  James  McHenry,  then  a  resident  of  London, 
came  to  this  country,  clothed  with  power  from  the  leading  English  share- 
holders and  bondholders  of  the  Erie  and  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  roads, 
to  terminate  the  lease  which  the  former  held  of  the  latter,  and  he  did  put 
an  end  to  the  lease.  He  made  General  George  B.  McClellan,  the  distin- 
guished commander  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  the  late  Civil  War, 
President  of  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western,  and  General  Harry  F.  Sweetser, 
for  many  years  a  resident  of  Titusville,  its  General  Manager.  This  change 
was  very  disastrous  to  the  interests  of  the  Pennsylvania  Transportation 
Company.  Almost  immediately  afterward  Gould  sold  the  road  connecting 
Titusville  and  Union  Citv  to  the  Oil  Creek  Railroad.  These  changes  were 
highly  injurious  to  the  business  of  Titusville.  The  direct  connection  by  the 
broad  gauge  roads  with  New  York  in  the  East,  and  with  Cincinnati  and  St. 
Louis  in  the  West,  under  one  management  from  Cincinnati  to  New  York,  was 
of  incalculable  advantage  to  a  town  situated  as  Titusville  then  was.  It  brought 
to  Titusville  the  United  States  Express  Company,  and  gave  to  the  inhab- 
itants the  benefits  of  competition  in  the  prices  of  local  express  transporta- 
tion. The  subsequent  loss  of  this  competition  has  proved  a  serious  loss  to 
the  citizens  of  the  place.  But  the  misfortune  first  felt  came  from  the  harm 
done  to  the  pipe  company,  upon  whose  prosperity  depended,  in  no  small 
measure,  the  prosperity  of  the  community.  To  cripple  this  industry  was  to 
hurt  Titusville  financially.  The  outlet  of  the  pipe  line  was  obstructed  by 
breaking  its  continuous  line  to  the  place  of  market.  The  Oil  Creek  road 
was  then  under  the  control  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  which  also  had  the 
Philadelphia  &  Erie  among  its  leased  lines.     Henceforward  the  Union  & 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  417 

Titus\-ille  road  became  the  feeder  of  the  Pennsylvania  Trunk  Railroad.  The 
Pennsylvania  Transportation  line,  soon  after  the  close  of  the  lease  of  the 
Atlantic  &  Great  ^^'estern  to  the  Erie,  was  still  more  crippled  by  the  oustino- 
of  Gould  from  the  control  of  the  Erie,  by  another  move  of  McHenry.  When 
this  was  consummated,  the  once  powerful  Pennsylvania  Transportation 
Company,  in  all  whose  previous  work  was  seen  the  active  energy  of  William 
H.  Abbott,  was  forced  to  deliver  the  oil  which  it  piped  to  its  competitors. 
All  Mr.  Abbott's  extensive  enterprises  were  bound  up  in  Titusville,  and  when 
the  pipe  line  was  badly  hurt  b}-  the  loss  of  its  connection  with  friendly  inter- 
ests. Titusville  suffered.  And  it  is  the  justice  of  history  to  say  that  the 
splendid  prosperity  which  the  town  had  enjoyed  since  the  founding  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Transportation  Company  began  its  decline  soon  after  the  Erie 
Railroad  lost  its  lease  of  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western. 

The  Pennsylvania  Transportation  Company  continued  to  lose  strength 
until  the  great  rise  in  the  price  of  oil.  in  August,  1876.  It  then  began  to 
show  signs  of  distress.  To  make  good  its  outstanding  certificates,  it  bor- 
rowed money.  It  may  be  suspected,  though  perfect  evidence  to  the  effect 
be  wanting,  that  the  market,  during  the  embarrassment  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Transportation  Company,  was  designedly  worked  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
add  to  its  troubles.  At  any  rate,  the  company  was  obliged  to  succumb,  and 
in  October  following  Mr.  M.  W.  Quick  was  appointed  by  the  Crawford 
County  Circuit  Court  its  receiver.  Mr.  Quick's  management  of  the  com- 
pany's affairs  was  excellent.  He  continued  its  pipe  line  business  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Crawford,  Venango  and  Armstrong  for  the  next  four  years,  when,  at 
the  foreclosure  of  mortgages  upon  its  property,  he  wound  up  its  business 
and  turned  over  a  large  fund  for  distribution  among  the  creditors. 

T]ic  Titusville  Pipe  Line  was  laid  from  Pithole  to  Titusville  in  1866, 
by  Brian  Philpot,  George  J.  Sherman  and  Henry  E.  Pickett.  They  soon 
afterward  sold  a  one-half  interest  to  the  Empire  Transportation  Company, 
and  the  other  half  to  another  party,  who  in  turn  sold  to  the  Empire  com- 
pany, thus  putting  the  latter  into  entire  possession  of  the  property.  The 
new  proprietors  organized  under  the  title  of  the  "Titusville  Pipe  Company." 
Mr.  Charles  P.  Hatch  was  superintendent  of  the  company  for  several  years. 
The  line  took  oil  from  Pithole,  West  Pithole,  Red  Hot  and  Pleasantville, 
and  delivered  it  at  Titusville. 

The  New  York  Pipe  Line  was  built  in  1871  by  Mr.  Andrew  B.  How- 
27 


4-i8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

land,  of  Titusville,  for  the  Empire  Transportation  Company  from  Garland, 
Pennsylvania,  a  station  on  the  Philadelphia  &  Erie  Railroad,  thirteen  miles 
from  Corry,  to  the  producing  districts  of  Triumph  and  West  Hickory.  In 
1872  this  line  and  that  of  the  Titusville  Pipe  Company  came  together  at 
Colorado,  and,  as  they  were  owned  by  the  same  company,  they  were  united 
and  operated  under  one  management.  Mr.  Rowland  becoming  General  Super- 
intendent. 

In  1877  the  entire  property  was  sold  to  the  Standard  Oil  Company. 
Other  lines  in  the  section  of  the  country  west  of  the  Allegheny  River  as  far 
as  Titusville,  extending  south  so  as  to  embrace  Hickory  and  Shamburg,  and 
still  westward  so  as  to  include  the  Octave  district  south  of  Titusville,  were 
absorbed  also  by  the  Standard  at  about  the  same  time.  All  these  lines  were 
merged  into  one  S3'stem.  afterward  called  the  Tidioute  and  Titusville  Pipe 
Lines. 

Tlie  Church  Run  Pipe  connected  the  Church  Run  wells  with  Titusville. 
It  was  built  in  1867  by  A.  A.  Pierce,  J.  Foster  Clark,  F.  W.  Ames  and  A.  R. 
Williams.  The  quality  of  Church  Run  oil  was  superior  even  to  that  pro- 
duced on  Watson  Flats,  and  it  was  therefore  sought  for  by  refiners.  In 
1879  production  on  Church  Run  became  so  light  that  the  company  took  up 
its  pipe  and  sold  it. 

The  Valley  Oil  Line,  Limited,  was  organized  in  1887.  J.  W.  Miller 
was  President  of  the  line,  J.  P.  Thomas,  Treasurer,  and  F.  S.  Tarbell,  Sec- 
retary. It  brought  oil  from  Grand  Valley  and  from  Shamburg  to  the  re- 
fining works  of  the  International  Oil  Company  at  Titusville.  The  National 
Oil  Company,  at  Titusville,  also  had  a  pipe  line  of  its  own  for  supplying 
itself  with  crude  oil.  These  lines  went  respectively  with  the  two  refining 
establishments  in  the  sale  to  the  Standard  in  1895. 

The  Producers  and  Refiners  Company  laid  a  four-inch  line  in  1892  from 
the  McDonald  district,  through  the  Butler  field,  to  Oil  City  and  Titusville. 

In  1893  the  United  States  Pipe  Line  Company  laid  a  five-inch  line  from 
Oil  City  to  Titusville,  thence  to  Warren,  thence  to  Bradford,  and  thence  to 
Wilkesbarre,  Pennsylvania,  a  distance  of  two  hundred  and  seventy  miles. 
Through  this  line  refined  oil  only  was  transported.  But  at  Warren  it  was 
joined  by  a  four-inch  crude  line,  the  pipes  of  both  laid  in  the  same  ditch,  the  two 
running  side  by  side  the  rest  of  the  way.  The  contents  of  both  lines  have 
been  gradually  extended,  though  resisted  at  every  step  by  railroads  and  rail- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  419 

lOad  influence,  until  now  Hampton  Junction,  in  New  Jersey,  has  been 
reached,  whence  to  the  seaboard  only  forty-three  miles  remain. 

Beginning  at  Wilkesbarre,  the  New  Jersey  Central  Railroad  has  taken 
the  oil  from  the  advancing  termini  of  the  two  lines  and  carried  it  the  rest  of 
the  way  to  the  seaboard.  The  carrying  of  refined  oil  through  iron  pipes 
a  long  distance  was  first  tried  by  the  United  States  Pipe  Line  Company,  five 
years  ago.  Previous  to  this  experiment  it  had  generally  been  doubted  that 
refined  oil  could  be  forced  through  iron  pipes,  without  injury  to  the  color  of 
the  oil.  The  test  for  the  last  five  years  proves  that  refined  oil  thus  carried 
is  improved,  rather  than  injured,  both  in  fire  test  and  color.  There  ought 
never  to  have  been  a  question  as  to  the  improvement  of  the  fire  test,  by 
putting  refined  oil  through  iron  pipes.  But  it  might  have  been  feared  that 
the  color  of  the  oil  would  suffer  from  this  mode  of  transportation.  On 
the  contrary,  it  is  found  that  the  color  also  is  benefited.  The  traces  of  sul- 
phuric acid  which  remain  in  all  oil  treated  by  the  ordinary  process  are  re- 
duced to  some  extent  by  forcing  the  oil  under  high  pressure  into  contact  with 
the  inside  surface  of  the  iron  pipe.  A  part  of  the  remaining  acid  attaches 
to  the  iron,  forming  the  oxide.  To  this  extent  danger  of  color  to  the  oil 
is  removed.  There  is  also  a  trace  of  alkali — very  small,  it  is  true — remain- 
ing in  most  refined  oil  heated  in  the  ordinary  way.  After  a  part  of  the  acid 
has  gone  into  the  oxide,  the  remainder  is  crowded,  by  pressing  the  oil 
through  the  pipe,  into  contact  with  the  trace  of  alkali,  thus  neutralizing  the 
remaining  trace  of  acid,  and  by  the  general  effects  of  this  operation  the  acid 
is  rendered  less  injurious  to  the  color  of  the  oil. 

TJic  Tide-Water  Pipe  Company,  Limited. — Because  of  the  fact  that 
this  company,  from  the  time  of  its  first  organization  down  to  within  the  last 
three  years,  had  its  headquarters  at  Titusville,  and  also  because  its  leading 
founders  and  manag'ers  for  a  long  time  had  their  homes  here,  it  is  proper 
to  give  in  this  work  some  account  of  the  institution  which  was  the  pioneer 
in  the  business  of  transporting  by  pipe  crude  petroleum  from  the  producing 
wells  to  the  seaboard. 

The  company  was  organized  at  Titusville,  Pennsylvania,  on  November 
13,  1878.  Its  first  officers  were  as  follows:  Managers,  B.  D.  Benson, 
A.  A.  Sumner,  R.  E.  Hopkins,  H.  L.  Taylor  and  John  H.  Dilkes.  Mr.  Ben- 
son was  chosen  Chairman,  Mr.   Hopkins,  'Treasurer,  and  David  McKelvy, 


420  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Attorney.     J.   G.  Benton  was  appointed  General  Superintendent,  which  po- 
sition he  still  occupies. 

In  the  construction  of  the  line,  which  was  soon  be'gun,  the  managers 
were  confronted  with  great  obstacles.  At  that  time  there  were  no  statutes, 
which  now  exist,  for  the  appraisal  and  condemnation  of  land  for  giving  to 
an  oil  pipe  company  the  right  of  way.  This  was  obtained  for  the  Tide- 
Water  Line  only  by  lease  or  purchase  at  great  expense.  The  line,  however, 
was  completed  as  far  east  as  \\'illiamsport  about  May  i,  1879,  the  eastern 
terminus  of  the  line  for  the  next  two  years. 

At  the  election  for  managers  in  January,  1880,  F.  B.  Gowan,  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Reading  Railroad,  and  James  R.  Keene,  of  New  York,  were 
chosen  to  succeed  Sumner  and  Dilkes  in  the  Board  of  Managers.  At  this 
period  close  alliance  was  made  with  the  Reading  Railroad,  and  the  line  was 
extended  sixty  miles  to  Tamanend,  thus  materially  reducing  railroad  charges. 
Subsecjuently  it  was  finished  to  the  sea,  at  Bayonne,  New  Jersey,  vvhere 
the  company  had  valuable  property  fronting  on  the  deep  water  of  the  Kill 
Von  Kull,  and  included  in  the  port  of  New  York,  making  the  entire  length 
of  the  main  line  two  hundred  and  eighty-five  miles. 

Bayonne  is  still  the  eastern  terminus  of  the  pipe  line.  Here  the  com- 
pany has  a  large  refinery,  with  a  crude  capacity  of  three  hundred  thousand 
barrels  a  month,  which  manufactures  most  of  the  products  of  petroleum, 
giving  employment  to  over  one  thousand  men. 

The  original  plan  was  to  construct  a  line  with  an  annual  capacity  of  two 
million  barrels  of  crude :  but  for  a  long  time  the  output  has  been  consider- 
alilv  in  excess  of  three  million  barrels  a  year. 

Until  within  the  last  three  years  the  principal  business  of  the  company 
was  conducted  at  Titusville.  Since  then  Bradford  has  the  principal  offices. 
Of  those  active  and  prominent  in  the  early  life  of  the  company,  and 
conspicuous  in  its  service,  many  have  passed  away,  among  them  Mr.  B.  D. 
Benson,  who  remained  President  of  the  company  until  his  death  in  1888; 
also  Mr.  Gowan,  Mr.  A.  N.  Perrin  and  Mr.  Taylor.  Out  of  that  original 
Board  of  Managers,  Major  Hopkins  alone  survives.  He  is  still  a  member 
of  the  board,  and  is  still  its  leading  spirit. 

Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Benson,  Mr.  McKelvy  was  chosen  as  his  suc- 
cessor, which  position  he  held  until  1893,  when  ill  health  required  his  with- 
drawal.    He  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  S.  O.  Brown,  who  is  the  present  Presi- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  421 

dent  of  the  company.     Associated  with  him  in  the  management  are  Major 
Hopkins,  R.  D.  Benson,  H.  C.  Fahnestock  and  J.  H.  Cuthbert 

THE    REFINING    INDUSTRY. 

The  first  refinery  in  the  oil  region  was  built  at  Titusville  on  the  James 
Parker  farm,  by  JVilliaui  H.  Abbott,  who  came  here  from  Newton  Falls, 
Ohio,  in  i860.  He  began  the  construction  of  the  refinery  on  November 
4,  i860,  and  finished  it  in  January  following.  It  had  two  stills,  of  twenty 
barrels  each,  and  one  of  forty  barrels  capacity,  eighty  barrels  in  all.  Mr. 
Abbott  induced  Mr.  George  M.  Mowbray,  a  chemist  of  distinction  in  New 
York,  to  come  to  Titusville  in  1862,  and  erect  a  refinery  near  the  corner  of 
Spring  and  Brown  streets.  Long  rectangular  vats  were  the  tanks  used 
for  all  kinds  of  oil. 

The  manufacture  of  illuminating  oil  from  coal  was  in  full  blast  of 
operation  when  Drake  made  his  discovery.  Samuel  Downer  had  coal  oil 
works  near  Boston,  Massachusetts.  The  Portland  Kerosene  Company  had 
a  coal  oil  refinery  at  Portland,  Maine.  Mr.  Downer  was  not  slow  in  discov- 
ering that  petroleum  was  likely  to  supplant  coal  oil,  and  so  he  built  a  petro- 
leum refinery,  at  Corry,  Pennsylvania.  The  Portland  Company  converted 
its  works  into  a  petroleum  refinery.  In  1868  Mr.  James  A.  Hooper  came  to 
Titusville  and  continued  to  act  as  a  purchasing  agent  for  the  Portland  Com- 
pany until  his  death,  in  the  fall  of  1872.  During  this  time  he  built  a  house 
on  North  Perry  Street  and  brought  his  family  to  reside  here.  After  his 
death,  his  son,  James  M,  Hooper,  succeeded  him  in  the  agency. 

The  term  "coal  oil"  is  still  sometimes  used  in  speaking  of  refined 
petroleum.  "Coal  Oil  Johnny"  perhaps  never  saw  a  drop  of  coal  oil.  Coal 
oil  and  petroleum  are  widely  dissimilar. 

Henry  Hiiiklcy,  about  the  spring  of  1862,  came  to  Titusville  and  built 
a  refinery  on  the  James  Parker  farm,  not  far  from  the  Abbott  works.  He 
was  joined  by  his  brother,  C.  G.  Hinkley,  and  the  two,  Hinkley  Brothers, 
carried  on  their  works  for  nearly  ten  years  afterward.  They  established 
at  Syracuse,  New  York,  a  jobbing  business  in  refined  oil,  of  which  C.  G. 
Hinkley  had  special  charge.  This  branch  of  their  trade  continued  several 
years. 

George  C.  Bartlett  about  the  same  time  engaged  in  refining  oil,  and  for 
a  considerable  period  continued  in  the  business  at  Titus\-ille. 


422  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

A  Dr.  Brycc,  in  the  early  sixties,  built  a  refinery  on  Spring  Hill,  on  prop- 
erty now  owned  by  E.  O.  Emerson,  east  of  Schwartz's  brewery.  At  about 
the  same  period  A.  K.  Murray  and  a  Mr.  Camp  each  had  a  refinery  on  Ham- 
mond Run,  a  little  out  of  town  on  the  East  Cherrytree  Road. 

In  1868  a  Mr.  Bennett  operated  a  refinery  on  Trout  Run,  and  at  the 
same  time  a  Mr.  Biilkley  operated  the  Spring  Hill  refinery. 

A  Mr.  Curtis  had  a  refinery  also  at  the  same  time  on  Monroe  Street, 
opposite  the  Gibbs,  Wheeler  &  Russell  Iron  Works. 

B.  E.  Moreland  built  a  refinery  on  the  south  side  of  Oil  Creek  about 
the  winter  of  1868-9. 

Jackson  &  Clnley  had  a  refinery  in  1868,  on  the  north  side  of  the  creek, 
on  the  west  side  of  Perry  Street,  and  opposite  that  of  Moreland. 

Some  years  afterward  Jackson  Brothers,  R.  M.  and  John,  had  a  refinery 
lower  down,  on  the  north  side  of  the  creek,  on  Washington  Street. 

Until  1869  only  small  stills  had  been  used  at  Titusville  refineries.  But 
in  August,  1868,  Samuel  Van  Syckel,  who  had  operated  a  refinery  in  New 
Jersey,  near  New  York,  broke  ground  for  a  refinery  for  George  S.  Stewart 
and  Milton  Stewart — Stezuart  &  Stexvart — on  the  north  side  of  Oil  Creek, 
between  Perry  and  Washington  streets,  where  are  now  the  Pennsylvania 
Paraffine  Works.  Mr.  Van  Syckel  erected  in  the  new  works  a  one  thousand 
barrel  still,  and  one  two  hundred  barrel  still.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
large  stills  in  the  oil  country,  and  the  idea  of  large  stills  may  have  originated 
in  the  fertile  brain  of  Samuel  Van  Syckel.  The  works  began  to  run  about 
January  20,  1869.  The  large  still  was  first  charged  with  crude  oil  costing 
$3.50  a  barrel.  But  within  the  ne.xt  two  months  Stewart  &  Stewart  bought 
crude  oil  for  their  works  at  all  points  from  $3.50  to  $6.75  a  barrel,  and  for 
one  small  lot  of  superior  oil.  Church  Run  product,  they  paid  $7.00  a  barrel. 
They  sold  a  large  amount  of  refined,  delivered  in  bulk  into  car  tanks  at  the 
works,  for  twenty-four  cents  a  gallon,  and  in  barrels,  the  package  included, 
for  thirty  and  one-half  cents.  The  highest  price  which  they  got  for  refined 
oil  was  thirty-one  and  one-half  cents  a  gallon  in  barrels.  The  bull  movement 
in  oil  in  the  winter  of  1868-9  ^^'^s  started  by  F.  W.  Devoe,  of  New  York. 
A  range  of  high  prices  for  oil  continued  for  about  three  years  afterward. 

Joseph  A.  Scott  in  1869  bought  the  oil  refinery  on  Trout  Run,  and 
operated  it  several  years.  He  had  previously  been  engaged  in  producing  oil 
on  Watson  Flats. 

> 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  423 

In  the  fall  of  1869  H.  B.  Poi'ter  and  John  D.  Archbold.  at  that  time 
members  of  the  firm  \\'illiam  H.  Abbott  &  Company,  bought  an  interest  in 
B.  E.  Moreland's  refinery,  forming  a  co-partnership  under  the  name  of  Porter, 
Moreland  &  Company.  This  was  the  foundation  of  the  Acme  Oil  Company. 
The  company  increased  the  capacity  of  its  works  to  large  proportions.  The 
institution  was  absorbed  by  the  Standard  Oil  Company  in  1875. 

In  the  fall  of  1869,  Henry  Hinkley  and  M.  N.  Allen,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Hinkley  &  Allen,  built  a  refinery  on  the  north  bank  of  Oil  Creek,  a 
little  west  of  Monroe  Street.  In  the  early  part  of  1872  Hinkley  sold  his 
interest  to  his  partner,  who  continued  to  operate  the  refinerj'  until  the  spring 
of  1875,  when  he  sold  it  to  Joseph  Seep  and  Daniel  O'Day. 

Pickering,  Chambers  &  Company,  in  1869-70,  built  a  refinery  on  the 
south  side  of  Oil  Creek,  immediately  west  of  the  Porter,  Moreland  &  Com- 
pany's works,  and  operated  it  for  several  years,  until  it  was  absorbed  by  the 
Standard  Oil  Company. 

In  1870  George  B.  Easterly  and  Janus  H.  Davis  broke  ground  for  a 
refinery  on  the  north  bank  of  Oil  Creek,  immediately  west  of  the  Hinkley  & 
Allen  works.     This  refinery  also  went  to  the  Standard  in  1875. 

In  1869-70  Bennett.  Warner  &  Company  built  a  large  refinery  southeast 
of  the  town,  and  operated  it  until  they  sold  the  works  to  the  Standard  in 

1875- 

In  1872  the  Octave  Oil  Company  purchased  from  Stewart  &  Stewart 
the  Van  Syckel  refinery,  and  operated  it  until  its  sale  to  the  Standard  in 

1875- 

The  Acme  Oil  Company  then  embraced  the  Porter,  Moreland  &  Com- 
pany's works,  the  Bennett,  ^^'arner  &  Company,  the  Pickering  &  Chambers, 
the  Octave,  the  Easterly  and  the  Allen  refineries,  all  owned  by  the  Standard 
Oil  Company.  The  Acme  continued  to  refine  oil  in  Titusville  until  the  early 
eighties.  The  great  oil  fire  which  occurred  in  the  summer  of  1880  wrought 
a  fearful  destruction  to  the  Acme's  property,  and  the  former  active  opera- 
tions of  the  company  at  Titusville  were  never,  except  in  a  limited  measure, 
restored.  The  company  built  an  extensive  refining  plant  at  Olean,  New 
York,  and  turned  its  back  upon  Titusville  forever. 

In  the  fall  of  1872  Richard  H.  Lee  bought  what  was  left  of  the  old 
Hinkley  refinery,  after  a  destructive  fire  in  the  previous  summer.  He  at 
once  rebuilt  the  works  and  operated  them  until   1876,  when  he  leased  them 


424  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

to  the  Acme  Oil  Company  for  three  years.  During  the  three  years  the 
works  lay  idle.  In  1879  Mr.  Lee  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Atlas 
Refining  Company,  at  Buffalo,  New  York,  and  was  elected  its  Vice-Presi- 
dent. At  the  same  time  he  sold  his  Titusville  refinery  to  the  Atlas  Com- 
pany. The  major  part  of  the  stock  of  the  Atlas  Company  was  held  by 
N.  W.  Kalbfleisch,  who,  in  1882,  sold  a  controlling  interest  to  the  Standard 
Oil  Company,  and  eventually  Mr.  Lee's  interest  also  went  to  the  Standard. 

Rice  &  Robinson. — On  the  first  day  of  October,  1874,  Reuben  L.  Rice 
and  Joseph  C.  Robinson,  of  Titusville,  entered  into  a  co-partnership  for 
dealing  in  petroleum.  They  first  started  a  jobbing  trade  in  refined  oil.  and 
continued  in  this  business  until  1881,  when  their  occupation  had  grown  to 
such  large  proportions  that  they  erected  a  refinery  of  their  own.  Their 
works  were  located  on  the  west  side  of  Monroe  Street,  and  on  the  north  side 
of  the  main  track  of  the  W.  N.  Y.  &  P.  R.  R.,  occupying  a  large  space  of 
ground.  The  name  of  the  firm  was  Rice  &  Robinson.  Not  long  after  they 
had  begun  to  refine  oil  in  their  own  works,  they  sold  a  third  interest  of  their 
plant  to  J.  \\'.  ^^'itherop,  who  became  an  active  partner  in  the  concern. 
The  name  of  the  new  firm  was  Rice,  Robinson  &  Witherop.  They  then  in- 
creased the  capacity  of  their  works  and  gained  a  large  trade.  They  had 
agencies  for  selling  their  products,  at  Bufifalo,  New  York,  and  Boston, 
Massachusetts.  At  the  latter  place  they  loaded  from  their  own  wharf 
vessels  for  foreign  export.  On  November  i,  1889,  the  other  two  partners 
bought  W'itherop's  interest  in  the  plant.  In  December,  1890,  they  sold  a 
third  interest  in  the  works  to  Robert  Foggan,  the  new  firm  taking  the  name 
of  Rice,  Robinson  &  Foggan.  In  ]\Iay,  1894,  Foggan  bought  the  entire 
interests  of  Rice  and  Robinson,  and  he  has  since  had  possession  of  the  plant, 
but  has  not  done  much  in  operating  it.  Frank  Tackey  has  recently  come 
into-  possession  of  the  works. 

The  Infernafioiial  Oil  Work.'!. — This  refining  plant  w^as  built  in  1885 
bv  James  P.  Thomas,  who  afterward  associated  with  him  in  the  ownership 
and  operation  H.  P.  Berwald  and  Henry  Grenner.  The  works  occupied 
a  large  part  of  the  block  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Monroe  and  Mechanic 
streets,  covering  the  ground  occupied  formerly  by  the  Gibbs  &  Sterrett 
Manufacturivag  Company.  It  had  a  capacity  of  refining  twenty-five  thou- 
sand barrels  of  crude  oil  a  month.  Connected  with  and  a  part  of  the  re- 
finery was  the  Valley  Oil  Line,  which  piped  oil  from  Grand  Valley  and  Sham- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  425 

burg  and  Pleasantville  to  the  works.     The  works,  with  its  pipe  lines,  were 
sold  to  a  New  Jersey  company  in  1895. 

National  Oil  Company. — The  National  Oil  Company  was  formed  in 
1886.  It  was  organized  to  produce  oil,  pipe  oil.  refine  oil,  ship  oil  by  rail  or 
water,  and  sell  to  the  trade  or  direct  to  consumers,  both  crude  and  refined 
oil.  It  built  a  refinery  in  1886  on  what  was  once  the  Parker  flats,  south 
of  Central  Avenue  and  east  of  Petroleum  Street.  The  refinery  had  a  capac- 
ity for  refining  about  one  thousand  barrels  of  crude  oil  a  day.  The  company 
also  had  a  production  of  about  one  thousand  barrels  daily,  at  Grand  Valley 
and  Pleasantville.  It  owned  and  operated  its  own  pipe  lines,  for  bring- 
ing oil  from  the  wells  to  the  refinery.  It  shipped  its  products  on  its  own 
tank  cars  to  St.  Paul.  Minnesota,  Troy.  New  York,  Providence,  Rhode 
Island,  and  other  towns  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  where  it  had  re- 
spectively agencies  for  supplying  the  trade.  In  1893  the  refining  part  of 
the  National  Oil  Company  was  consolidated  with  the  Western  Refinery. 
The  new  association  was  known  as  the  Union  Refining  Conipan}-.  In  the 
spring  of  1895  the  plant  of  the  Union  Refining  Company  was  sold  to  the 
Atlantic  Refining  Company,  of  Philadelphia.  The  National  Oil  Refining  Com- 
pany, however,  has  continued  its  crude  producing  business  in  several  parts 
of  the  country.  It  has  a  large  number  of  w^ells  which  yield  at  the  present 
time  from  ten  thousand  to  twelve  thousand  barrels  a  month.  John  Fertig 
and  \\'.  C.  \A'arner  are  at  the  head  of  the  companv. 

American  Oil  JJ'orlcs. — This  refinery  was  Iiuilt  in  the  fall  of  1885  by 
William  Teege,  Frank  Tackey  and  others.  It  is  situated  on  the  flats,  on 
Brown  Street,  near  the  D.  A.  V.  &  P.  R.  R.  It  has  done  a  good  business 
ever  since  it  started,  thirteen  years  ago.  It  is  now  owned  by  T.  B.  Westgate 
and  the  heirs  of  \\'illiam  Teege,  and  it  is  managed  by  T.  B.  Westgate  and 
W.  E.  Teege, 

The  Titusvillc  Oil  Jl'orks,  built  several  years  ago  by  outside  parties, 
is  situated  on  the  Parker  flats,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town.  It  is  now 
owned  and  operated  by  Frank  Tackej'.  who  seems  to  have  an  excellent  trade. 

The  Oil  Creek  Oil  JVoi'ks. — In  the  fall  of  1882  and  winter  following 
Anthony  Nelson  built  this  refinery.  It  is  situated  a  short  distance  west  of 
the  old  Easterly  refinery.  The  plant  has  been  owned  and  operated  for  the 
last  six  years  by  a  New  York  company,  whose  President  is  Alfred  Heyn. 

Clima.v   Oil    JJ'orks. — This   plant,    situated   on   East   Main    Street   and 


426  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Parker  Flats,  is  owned  and  operated  by  James  H.  Caldwell,  who  makes  a 
specialty  of  both  gasoline  and  machinery  oils,  especially  the  former.  It  also 
does  a  general  oil  refining  business.  Mr.  Caldwell  ships  in  his  own  tank 
cars  gasoline  of  the  lightest  possible  character,  as  well  as  refined  oil,  to  all 
parts  of  the  United  States. 

Pennsylvania  Parafhne  Works.' — This  establishment  is  owned  by  parties 
living  abroad.  It  is  located  on  the  ground  of  the  old  Stewart  refinery.  It 
manufactures  especially  parafhne  products.  Mr.  E.  J.  Lesser  is  the  Man- 
ager of  the  works. 

John  Schwartz  owned  and  operated  a  refinery  on  the  north  bank  of  Oil 
Creek,  near  the  foot  of  South  Kerr  Street.  It  was  destroyed  by  the  great 
fire  and  flood  which  visited  Titusville  in  the  early  part  of  June,  1892.  All 
that  was  combustible  about  the  works  was  burned.  The  iron  tanks  and  stills 
were  rent  to  pieces  by  explosions,  and  the  terrible  current  of  the  flood  gashed 
a  deep  cut  into  the  earth  on  the  north  side  of  the  works,  making  a  new 
channel  of  the  creek,  and  forming  an  island  of  the  ground  on  which  the  re- 
finery had  stood. 

Tlic  Western  Refinery,  which  is  referred  to  in  the  account  of  the  Na- 
tional Oil  Company  refinery,  was  located  near  the  latter  plant.  When  the 
two  works  were  united,  Mr.  George  Stevens  was  one  of  the  principal  owners 
of  the  Western.  Joseph  McDonell  was  at  one  time  one  of  the  proprietors 
of  the  Western. 

COMMENTS. 

In  conclusion,  the  writer  thinks  it  proper  to  call  attention  to  a  few  im- 
portant facts,  some  of  which  have  already  been  referred  to  in  the  preceding 
pages,  to-wit: 

A  citizen  of  Titusville,  Edzvin  L.  Drake,  was  the  practical  inventor 
of  the  only  successful  mode  of  producing  petroleum  in  quantity. 

Another  Titusville  man,  Samuel  Van  Syckel,  was  the  practical  inventor 
of  the  method  of  transporting  oil,  by  hydraulic  pressure,  through  iron  pipes, 
an  invention  of  infinite  utility  in  the  petroleum  industry. 

Another  Titusville  man,  E.  A.  L.  Roberts,  was  the  practical  inventor  of 
a  process  for  largely  increasing  production,  by  exploding  torpedoes  in  oil 
wells. 

Still  another  Titusville  man,  George  M.  Mozvbray,  a  chemist,  contrib- 
uted his  scientific  skill  to  the  refining  of  petroleum  for  use  as  an  illuminant. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  427 

The  processes  adopted  by  him  have  since  been  universally  employed.  Mr. 
Mowbray  also  made  an  improvement  in  the  production  of  nitro-glycerine 
and  in  the  modes  for  its  use.  He  furnished  the  dynamite,  and  superintended 
its  explosion,  in  blasting  the  rocks,  in  the  construction  of  the  Hoosac  Tun- 
nel, one  of  the  remarkable  achievements  of  the  century. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


TITUSVILLE— CONTINUED. 


BY    M.     N.    ALLEN. 


ATTORNEYS   AT    LAW. 

AMONG  the  earl}-  practicing  members  of  the  legal  profession  established 
in  Titnsville  the  names  of  J.  H.  Baker.  B.  S.  McAllister,  Clark  Ewing 
and  Gurdon  S.  Berry  will  be  remembered.  ,\11  these  four  lawyers  died 
years  ago.  Ewing  was  a  partner  of  F.  B.  Guthrie  from  1864  to  the  fall  of  1869, 
when  he  died.  Guthrie  continued  to  practice  law  in  Titusville,  having  as- 
sociated with  him  Julius  Byles  in  1888,  when  he  moved  to  Los  Angeles, 
California,  where  he  is  still  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law.  The  firm  of 
Guthrie  &  Ewing  and  that  of  Guthrie  &  Byles,  extended  over  a  period  of 
■  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century.  Samuel  Minor  practiced  law  in  Titusville 
for  about  twenty  years.  He  also  moved  to  Los  Angeles,  California,  where 
he  died  two  or  three  years  since.  Roger  Sherman  began  the  practice  of 
law  in  Titusville  alxnit  the  year  1870.  in  partnership  with  M.  C.  Beebe.  of 
Pleasantville,  under  the  firm  name  of  Sherman  &  Beebe.  The  legal  part- 
nership did  not  last  many  years.  Mr.  Beebe  continued  to  reside  at  Pleasant- 
ville, with  a  law  office  there,  until  his  death  several  years  ago.  Mr.  Shennan 
practiced  law  in  Titusville  until  his  death,  in  September,  1897,  for  a  period 
of  more  than  twenty-seven  years.  L.  W.  Wilcox  practiced  law  in  Titusville 
many  years. 

Julius  Byles  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Benjamin  Grant,  at  Erie,  Penn- 
sylvania. He  was  admitted  to  the  Erie  County  bar  in  August,  1868.  He 
immediately  afterward  began  the  practice  of  law  in  Venango  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  continued  in  his  practice  there  until  alxiut  January  i,  1870, 
when  he  came  to  Titusville  and  entered  into  partnership  with  F.  D.  Guthrie, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Guthrie  &  Byles.  The  firm  lasted  until  Mr.  Guthrie 
left  for  California  in  the  fall  of  1888,  a  period  of  over  eighteen  years.  ^Ir. 
Byles  continued  in.  the  practice  of  his  profession  alone  until  1890,  when  he 
associated  with  him  in  the  profession  Eugene  Mackey,  the  partnership  of 
Byles  &  Mackey  lasting  until  the  present  time. 

Eugene  Mackey  first  read  law  in  the  office  of  Sherman  &  Grambine, 

428 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  429 

]nit  iinished  his  study  in  the  office  of  Julius  Byles.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  in  March,  1889.  He  entered  into  partnership  with  Juhus  Byles  May  i, 
1890,  with  whom  he  is  still  associated  in  the  legal  profession.  Both  members 
of  the  firm  practice  in  Crawford  and  all  the  neighboring  counties,  before 
the  Supreme  and  Superior  courts  of  the  State,  and  before  the  United  States 
courts.  Their  office  is  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Chase  &  Stewart  Block, 
fronting  on  Spring  Street. 

M.  J.  Heyzuang  read  law  in  the  office  of  Roger  Sherman  in  Titusville, 
from  1872  to  1875,  when  he  was  admitted  to  the  Crawford  County  bar.  He 
has  been  engaged  constantly  ever  since  in  the  practice  of  law  in  Crawford 
and  the  adjoining  counties.  He  practices  before  the  Supreme  and  Superior 
courts  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  the  United  States  courts.  Mr.  Heywang 
has  an  important  record  for  successful  practice  before  the  Interstate  Com- 
merce Commission.  His  office  is  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Chase  &  Stewart 
Block,  rooms  Nos.  i  and  2,  fronting  on  Franklin  Street. 

George  A.  Chase  began  the  study  of  law  at  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania, 
with  Alexander  Miller  in  1865.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  that  city  in 
1868.  In  1873  he  was  appointed  United  States  Commissioner,  and  he  has 
continuously  held  the  office  ever  since.  He  has  been  City  Solicitor  of  Titus- 
ville ten  years.  He  has  practiced  law  in  Titusville  for  the  last  thirty  years. 
He  has  practiced  in  all  the  courts  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  all  the  courts  of  the 
United  States.  His  office  is  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Chase  &  Stewart 
Block,  fronting  on  Spring  Street. 

Samuel  Gnimhine  began  to  read  law  with  Gurdon  S.  Berry  in  1871, 
while  teaching  in  the  Soldiers'  Orphan  School  at  Titusville.  His  studies 
were  interrupted  by  his  election  as  City  Clerk  in  1872.  He  held  this  office 
two  years,  and  resumed  the  study  of  law  with  Harris  &  Fassett  in  April,  1874. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Crawford  County  by  Judge  Lowrie,  Novem- 
ber 17,  1873.  He  was  afterward  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Venango,  Warren, 
Forest,  Erie,  McKean  and  Lebanon  counties,  also  in  the  District  and  Circuit 
courts  of  the  United  States  for  the  Western  District  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  Supreme  and  Superior  courts  of  the  State.  His  office  is  on  the  second 
floor  of  the  Algrunix  Block. 

C.  W.  Benedict  began  to  read  law  at  Pleasantville  at  the  age  of  eighteen, 
in  August,  1 88 1,  in  the  office  of  M.  C.  Beebe.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
Venango  County  bar  in  August,   1884.     He  immediately  afterward  opened 


430  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

an  office  at  Pleasantville  alone  there  for  about  four  months.  Then  he  went 
into  the  office  of  Mr.  Beebe  as  a  partner,  with  the  firm  name  of  Beebe  & 
Benedict.  The  partnership  lasted  until  Mr.  Beebe's  death.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  of  Crawford  County  in  1886.  He  practiced  law  at  Talli- 
poosa,  Georgia,  in  1888-9.  Settled  in  Titusville  in  1890,  and  has  practiced 
in  Crawford  and  the  surrounding  counties  since.  His  office  is  in  the  Chase 
&  Stewart  Block,  fronting  on  Franklin  Street. 

George  Frank  Brown  was  registered  as  a  student  of  law  in  the  courts  of 
Crawford  County  in  November,  1891,  and  on  the  24th  of  November  in  the 
same  year  he  entered  the  office  of  Roger  Sherman  in  the  city  of  Titusville, 
and  continued  in  that  office  until  February  28,  1895.  On  that  date  he  was 
admitted  to  the  courts  of  Crawford  County  as  a  member  of  the  bar,  where 
he  has  since  continued  to  practice.  He  also  practices  before  the  Supreme 
and  Superior  courts  of  the  State,  and  in  the  courts  of  the  several  counties 
adjoining  Crawford.  He  is  a  City  Solicitor,  to  the  office  of  which  he  was 
elected  in  June,  1898.  His  office  is  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Ralston 
Block. 

Chester  L.  Kerr,  in  November,  1891,  was  registered  in  Crawford 
County  as  a  student  of  law  in  the  office  of  Sherman  &  Grumbine,  at  Titus- 
ville. During  the  school  year  of  1892-3  he  read  law  in  the  office  of  Henry 
Newman  at  Chicago,  111.,  and  attended  the  sessions  of  the  Chicago  College 
of  Law.  In  1893-4  he  was  in  the  office  of  Samuel  Grumbine  in  Titusville. 
On  October  i,  1894,  he  entered  the  law  department  of  the  University  of 
Michigan,  and  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1895.  On  June  2,  1896,  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Crawford  County.  He  immediately  opened  an 
office  in  Titusville  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Chase  Block,  over  Thompson's 
drug  store,  opposite  the  city  fountain,  where  he  is  still  located.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  bar  in  the  State  of  Michigan,  and  practices  in  the  counties  ad- 
joining Crawford. 

Waldron  M.  Dame  read  law  in  the  office  of  R.  &  W.  M.  Ingraham,  in 
BrocJclyn,  New  York,  and  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1867.  He  came 
to  the  oil  country  in  1870  and  practiced  law  here  until  1887,  when  he  was 
elected  City  Recorder  of  Titusville  and  served  in  that  capacity  until  1889, 
when  the  office  was  declared  unconstitutional  by  the  Supreme  Court.  Since 
1896  he  has  served  continuously  as  City  Clerk,  and  since  1894  he  has  also 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  '         431 

performed  the  duties  of  Secretary  of  the  Water  Department.  His  duties  in 
the  two  positions  are  of  a  semi-legal  character. 

George  Bryan  began  the  study  of  law  at  the  law  school  of  Richmond, 
Virginia,  College,  September,  1879.  He  was  graduated  in  that  depart- 
ment in  June,  1881,  and  also  thereupon  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  State  and 
Federal  courts  of  Virginia.  He  then  spent  two  months  at  the  University  of 
Virginia  in  law  study,  taking  the  summer  course  of  that  institution.  He 
practiced  law  in  Richmond  until  April,  1890,  when  ill  health  required  him 
to  suspend  work.  His  bad  health  continuing,  he  was  unable  to  resume  prac- 
tice until  September,  1895,  when  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Crawford 
County,  Pennsylvania.  He  has  since  been  engaged  in  practice  in  Crawford 
and  adjoining  counties.  In  1898  he  published  a  volume  of  law  upon  Petro- 
leum and  Natural  Gas.  His  office  is  on  the  second  floor  of  Sherman  &  Beebe 
Block,  southwest  corner  of  Washington  Street  and  Central  Avenue. 

Jules  A.  C.  Diibar  began  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Sherman  & 
Grumbine  in  1868,  and  continued  in  their  office  until  admitted  to  the  bar  at 
Meadville,  September  22,  1891.  He  practices  in  all  the  courts  of  the  State, 
including  the  Supreme  and  Superior  courts,  as  well  as  the  United  States 
courts.     Office  at  the  City  Hall. 

Sidney  A.  Schivarts  registered  in  March,  1893,  as  a  student  of  law 
in  the  office  of  JNI.  J.  Heywang  in  Titusville.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
of  Crawford  County  in  September,  1896.  His  office  and  residence  is  at 
the  corner  of  Third  and  West  Spring  streets. 

DOCTORS  OF  MEDICINE. 

As  stated  in  the  foregoing  pages.  Dr.  Isaac  Kellogg  was  the  first  phy- 
sician located  at  Titusville.  The  names  of  some  of  the  earlier  physicians 
since  his  time  have  been  given.  Dr.  John  Shugert  and  Dr.  W.  B.  Shugert 
were  among  later  practitioners.  Dr.  William  M.  Jennings  was  a  prominent 
physician  at  Titusville  in  the  early  sixties.  He  was  successful  in  oil  terri- 
tory investments,  and  being  at  the  time  young  and  unmarried,  he  disposed  of 
his  office,  discontinued  practice  and  about  the  year  1864  took  up  a  temporary 
residence  in  New  York  City.  About  three  years  later,  having  returned  to 
Titusville,  he  resumed  the  work  of  his  profession.  He  married  a  daughter 
of  Mr.  John  Waid,  of  Steuben  Township,  and  a  sister  of  the  present  Dr.  J. 
M.  Waid,  of  the  city,  and  forming  a  partnership  with  Dr.  Richardson  in 


432  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

1868,  he  was  getting  a  good  practice,  when  an  accident  very  suddenly  ter- 
minated his  Hfe.  In  the  month  of  December,  1868,  he  occupied  with  his 
wife  private  rooms,  while  they  took  their  meals,  at  a  hotel.  One  morning 
he  went  as  usual  to  Clark's  drug  store,  where  now  is  Renting's  drug  store, 
to  take  some  medicine  before  breakfast.  As  he  was  entering  the  store 
some  one  engaged  him  in  conversation,  and.  while  intent  upon  the  subject  of 
the  colloquy,  he  approached  leisurely  to  the  spot  on  the  shelf  where  the  bot- 
tle containing  the  medicine  was  placed,  and  reaching  for  it  while  still  talk- 
ing, he  inadvertently  took  the  wrong  bottle,  poured  the  usual  quantity  into 
a  glass,  swallowed  it  and  soon  after  returned  to  his  rooms  and  walked  with 
his  wife  to  the  hotel  for  breakfast.  While  eating  he  began  to  experience 
strange  sensations,  and  after  a  little  remarked  to  his  wife  that  he  feared 
something  serious  ailed  him.  Could  he  have  drank  the  wrong  medicine? 
He  did  not  long  speculate  upon  the  subject,  but  rising  from  the  table  hurried 
to  the  drug  store  and  found  standing  beside  the  medicine  which  he  had  in- 
tended to  take  a  bottle  containing  a  deadly  poison,  which  he  then  knew  he 
had  taken  into  his  stomach.  He  hastened  to  his  rooms  and  told  his  wife 
of  what  had  happened  and  said  to  her  that  in  a  short  time  he  would  be  a  dead 
man.  that  nothing  less  than  a  miracle  could  save  him.  His  warning  soon 
proved  true.  His  partner  and  other  physicians  were  summoned,  but  all 
efforts  to  save  his  life  were  unavailing. 

Dr.  T.  P.  Oakcs,  who  practiced  in  Titusville  from  1865  to  1867,  was 
able  and  accomplished.     He  died  at  his  post. 

Dr.  George  0.  Moody  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  about  the  fall 
of  1862.  He  had  a  high  standing  in  his  profession.  After  practicing  sev- 
eral years  in  Titusville,  he  went  to  Europe,  made  a  study  of  specialties  at 
Vienna  and  at  some  of  the  best  universities  and  hospitals  elsewhere  and,  re- 
turning home  in  the  early  seventies,  he  resumed  his  professional  work.  But 
in  the  winter  of  1886-7,  i^''  ^^^^  midst  of  a  highly  useful  career,  he  suddenly 
one  evening  dropped  dead  in  his  own  house.  Heart  difficulty  was  probably 
the  cause.  In  the  death  of  Drs.  Jennings,  Oakes  and  Moody  the  medical 
profession  lost  three  strong  men.  But  other  able  practitioners  have  sur- 
vived in  Titusville  for  a  generation. 

Dr.  iniliaui  J^arian  had  superior  advantages  in  his  early  medical  edu- 
cation. Two  of  his  maternal  uncles.  Dr.  Washington  L.  Atlee,  of  Philadel- 
phia, and  Dr.  John  L.  Atlee.  of  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  were  eminent  sur- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  433 

g-eons,  who  brought  fame  to  American  surgery  by  a  bold  advance  in  the  mode 
of  operations.  They  taught  the  profession  that  abdominal  tumors  could, 
with  the  aid  of  anesthetics,  be  safely  removed.  By  their  improved  methods 
in  mechanical  surgery  the  loss  of  human  life  has  been  greatly  reduced.  Dr. 
\^arian  studied  ih  the  office  of  his  uncle.  Dr.  Washington  L.  Atlee,  and  took 
his  degree  of  M.  D.  IMarch  4,  1854,  at  Pennsylvania  Medical  College,  in 
Philadelphia.  He  practiced  medicine  in  Pittsburg  one  year — from  March, 
1854,  until  IMarch,  1855 — when  he  moved  to  Chicago,  where  he  continued 
in  active  practice  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  W'ar  in  1861.  Having 
passed  medical  examination  by  the  regular  army  Ijoard.  he  was  commissioned 
by  President  Lincoln  surgeon  United  States  Volunteers  on  the  4th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1861,  serving  continuously  from  that  time  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  He  was  mustered  out  September  6th,  1865.  During  the  war  Dr. 
Varian  held  numerous  positions  of  authority  and  responsibility  as  medical 
director  and  superintendent  of  armies,  army  corps,  militarv  districts  and  de- 
partments, and  large  hospitals  in  the  tield  and  in  the  rear.  Ser\-ed  on  the 
staffs  of  Generals  B.  F.  Prentiss,  John  Pope,  Gordon  Granger,  Phil.  Sher- 
idan, V.  S.  Grant,  Rosecranz  and  Heintzelman,  and  made  a  record  for 
efficiency  in  the  organization  of  general  hospitals,  in  the  field  and  outside; 
and  in  directing  the  medical  sen'ice  of  armies  on  the  field  of  battle,  in  the 
transportation  of  the  sick  and  wounded  to  the  hospitals,  with  care  for  their 
condition  as  they  were  moved,  and  for  their  proper  treatment  while  they 
were  in  hospitals.  In  1864  Dr.  A'arian  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  lieuten- 
ant Colonel,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  sixth  in  rank  in  the  medical 
department  of  the  volunteer  surgeons  in  the  United  States  army.  At  the 
close  of  the  war.  September  10,  1865,  he  settled  at  Titusville,  where  he  has 
since  been  engaged  continuously  in  active  practice.  Ever  since  coming  to 
Titusville  he  has  been  a  prominent  member  of  the  National.  State  and  Cormty 
medical  societies.  He  was  \''ice-President  of  the  State  Medical  Association 
in  1880,  and  President  of  that  body  in  1882.  In  his  practice  for  a  genera- 
tion at  Titusville  he  has  made  a  special  record  in  abdominal  surgery,  as 
well  as  in  general  surgery  and  gynecological  practice.  He  is  vigorous  in 
all  his  powers  and  has  still  before  him  years  of  additional  usefulness.  At 
the  age  of  66  he  is  ripe,  but  not  ready  for  harvest. 

Dr.  George  JV.  Barr  has  practiced  medicine  in  Titusville  longer  than 
any  other  living  physician.      He  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  1852  under 

28 


434  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  preceptorship  of  Dr.  George  Sweetland,  of  Evans,  New  York.  He  sub- 
sequently studied  under  the  instruction  of  Levi  Aldrich,  M.  D.,  of  Angola, 
New  York;  Dr.  Charles  H.  Wilcox,  physician  in  Buffalo  Marine  Hospital; 
and  Professor  James  P.  White,  who  appointed  him  resident  physician  of 
St.  Mary's  Lying-in  Asylum,  in  1855.  He  attended  two  full  courses  of 
lectures  at  the  medical  department  of  the  LTni\-ersity  of  Buffalo,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  1856:  also  a  post-graduate  course  at  Bellevue  Medical 
College,  1864-5.  He  began  the  private  practice  of  medicine  in  Gowanda, 
New  York,  in  1856,  and  continued  there  engaged  in  the  duties  of  his  profes- 
sion until  appointed  examining  surgeon  upon  the  staff  of  General  R.  B. 
Van  Valkenburg,  at  Elmira  Barracks,  in  1861.  He  was  surgeon  of  the 
Sixty-fourth  Regiment.  New  York  Volunteer  Infantry,  1861-3,  and  has 
been  United  States  Pension  Examiner  since  February  12,  1884.  He  settled 
in  Titusville  February  6,  1865,  where  he  has  since  been  extensively  engaged 
in  the  general  practice  of  medicine  and  surgery. 

Dr.  Barr  is  a  member  of  the  Venango  County  Medical  Society,  of  which 
he  was  President  in  1893.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Medical  Society 
of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  since  1867.  He  is  a  member  of  the  American 
Medical  Association.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Ninth  International  Medical 
College.  1887,  and  of  the  Pan-American  Medical  Congress,  1893.  Dr.  Barr 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Titusville  Board  of  Health  since  its  organization 
in  1879,  and  has  contributed  largely  to  its  practical  efficiency  by  his  per- 
sonal attention  to  its  work.  He  has  long  officiated  as  surgeon  of  Chase 
Post,  No.  50,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  ever  since  his  residence  in 
Titusville  he  has  been  the  medical  examiner  for  several  of  the  leading  life 
insurance  companies. 

Theodore  J.  Young.  M.  D.,  studied  at  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  from 
1857  to  i860,  with  Dr.  John  C.  Cotton  as  his  preceptor,  and  attended  a 
course  of  medical  lectures  at  \\'ooster  College,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  1860-1. 
He  was  graduated  from  the  Uni\-ersity  of  Pennsylvania  in  1867-8.  He 
passed  examination  by  the  Pennsylvania  Army  Board  of  Surgeons  at  Har- 
risburg,  Pennsylvania,  in  1862.  He  served  as  volunteer  surgeon  at  the 
battle  of  Centerville,  Virginia,  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run,  in  1862.  He 
was  appointed  assistant  surgeon  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Twenty- fourth 
Pennsylvania  Infantry.  January  30,  1863.  That  regiment  had  volunteered 
for  nine  months,  and  it  was  mustered  out  May  17,  1863.     On  the  next  day, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  435 

May  18,  he  was  appointed  assistant  surgeon  of  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry,  acting  as  surgeon  of  the  regiment,  or  in  charge  of  the 
brigade  hospital,  the  first  brigade,  second  division  of  cavalry  in  the  Army  of 
the  Cumberland,  as  necessity  required,  and  taking  an  active  part  in  nearly 
all  the  battles  and  engagements  of  that  well  known  "Sabre  Brigade."  Dr. 
Young  served  as  surgeon  on  the  staffs  of  Generals  Hatch  and  R.  H.  G. 
Winty.  He  also  had  charge  of  the  division  hospital  at  Huntsville,  Alabama, 
and  Eufaula,  Georgia.  He  ^^"as  mustered  out  at  Macon,  Georgia,  August 
23,  1865.  He  located  in  Titus\'ille,  Pennsylvania,  October,  1865,  where  he 
has  resided  and  been  engaged  in  active  practice  ever  since.  He  became  a 
member  of  the  Crawford  County  Medical  Society  in  1868,  and  was  its  Sec- 
retary in  1872.  He  was  delegate  to  the  American  Medical  Association  in 
1872:  President  of  Crawford  County  Medical  Society  in  1878,  and  subse- 
quently its  Secretary  and  Treasurer.  He  was  delegate  to  the  International 
Medical  Congress,  held  in  Berlin  in  1890.  He  served  as  surgeon  of  Oil 
Creek  R.  R.  from  1879  to  1884.  and  of  the  D.  A.  V.  &  P.  R.  R.  from  1879 
to  1887,  and  of  the  A\\  N.  Y.  &  P.  R.  R.  from  1884  to  1894.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  National  Association  of  Railway  Surgeons  from  1891  to 
1894.  He  is  now  Pension  Examining  Surgeon,  receiving  his  appointment 
October  i,  1893.  He  is  examining  surgeon  for  the  New  York  Life  Insur- 
ance Company,  appointed  in  1869;  Guardian  Mutual,  appointed  in 
1869;  Germania  and  Hartford,  appointed  in  1870;  Travelers,  ap- 
pointed in  1884;  Mutual  of  New  York,  appointed  in  1887;  Metro- 
politan, appointed  in  1895,  and  others.  He  was  County  Physician 
from  1879  to  1890.  His  contributions  to  medical  literature  will  be  found 
in  Medical  Report  in  State  Transactions,  Volume  IX,  Part  I,  June,  1872; 
Hays  American  Journal  of  Medicine,  No.  CXL,  October,  1875;  Amputation 
of  Clavicle  and  Scapula  on  Child  Six  Years  Old,  from  railroad  accident, 
and  a  recovery,  together  with  many  more  contributions  in  pamphlet  form. 

Morris  Bailey,  M.  D.,  began  the  study  of  medicine  by  reading  medical 
works  at  home.  Then  he  read  in  the  office  of  Dr.  C.  P.  Kibby,  in  Spring- 
field, Massachusetts.  He  next  studied  at  Castleton  College,  Vermont.  In 
1848  he  was  graduated  from  the  Electric  Institute,  of  Springfield,  Massa- 
chusetts. He  was  subsequently  engaged  in  office  practice  in  Baltimore, 
Maryland.  He  practiced  eight  years  at  Bellows  Falls,  Vermont.  He 
studied  at  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Medicine  and  Surgery  in  the  winter  of 


436  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

1864-5,  ^'id  was  graduated  from  tliat  institution,  receiving  the  degree  of 
M.  D.  He  came  to  Titusville  in  February,  1865,  where  he  has  had  a  large 
practice  continuously  ever  since.  He  is  a  member  of  the  American  Eclectic 
Medical  Association. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Waid  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Albert 
Logan,  in  Woodcock  Borough,  in  1881.  He  studied  there  five  years,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  took  two  courses  of  lectures  in  the  medical  department  of 
the  Western  Reserve  University  at  Cleveland,  Ohio.  Then  he  took  a  course 
in  the  medical  department  of  the  Western  University  of  Pennsylvania,  re- 
ceiving the  degree  of  M.  D.  in  1888.  In  the  spring  of  1889  he  came  to  Titus- 
ville, where  he  has  continuously  ever  since  practiced  medicine.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Venango  Medical  Society,  of  the  State  Medical  Society,  and 
of  the  American  Medical  Association. 

James  L.  Dunn.  M.  D..  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  1846,  studying 
during  the  summers  and  teaching  in  the  winters.  He  was  graduated  from 
the  medical  department  of  the  Western  Reserve  College,  at  Cleveland,  Ohioj 
March  6,  1850.  He  practiced  medicine  from  1850  until  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Rebellion  in  April,  1861,  when  his  office  was  at"  Conneautville,  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  immediately  entered  the  three  months"  service,  as  captain  of 
Company  D,  McLane's  Erie  Regiment.  At  the  end  of  the  three  months' 
term  he  recruited  his  company  for  three  years,  and  placed  it  in  camp  at  Erie, 
Pennsylvania,  where  it  becam.e  Company  H,  Eighty-third  Regiment,  P.  V. 
At  this  time  he  received  the  appointment  of  surgeon  Pennsylvania  Vol- 
unteers, with  the  rank  of  major,  and  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  mustering 
office  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  remained  until  March  6, 
1872,  when  he  was  mustered  as  surgeon  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Ninth 
Regiment,  P.  V.  He  went  to  the  front  with  his  regiment,  and  while  at 
Harper's  Eerrv,  \^irginia,  he  was  appointed  brigade  surgeon  of  the  Second 
Brigade,  Second  Division,  Bank's  Corps.  In  this  capacity  he  continued 
during  the  entire  remaining  part  of  his  service  in  the  Twelfth  and  Twentieth 
Army  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  Army  of  the  Cumberland  and  Army 
of  Georgia. 

On  his  return  home  he  at  once  resumed  the  practice  of  medicine  and  sur- 
gery. In  1865  he  was  appointed  United  States  Pension  Surgeon,  a  posi- 
tion which  he  held  for  thirty  years.  He  has  practiced  medicine  in  Titus- 
ville for  almost  thirty  years. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  437 

Dr.  James  Alfred  Dunn  studied  medicine  in  the  office  of  his  father,  Dr. 
J.  L.  Dunn,  from  1882  to  1885.  He  was  then  a  student  four  years  at  the 
New  York  Homeopathic  City  Medical  College,  graduating  in  1889,  taking 
the  degree  of  M.  D.  Returning  to  Titusville,  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession  in  partnership  with  his  father,  with  whom  he  is  still  associated. 

Dr.  S:  N.  Biu-chfield  was  graduated  at  the  Chicago  Medical  College  in 
1887,  and  he  has  practiced  in  Titusville  ever  since. 

E.  C.  Quinby,  M.  D.,  Ijegan  the  reading  of  medicine  with  Dr.  Anson 
Parsons,  at  Springboro.  Pennsylvania,  in  1877.  and  the  same  year  he  entered 
the  Homeopathic  Medical  College  of  Cleveland.  Ohio,  graduating  in  1881. 
In  July  of  that  year  he  came  to  Titusville  and  commenced  the  practice  of 
medicine,  in  which  he  has  been  continuously  engaged  until  the  present  time. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Hahnemann  Medical  Society,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  the 
American  Institute  of  Homeopathy. 

Dr.  Hugh  Jameson  was  graduated  from  the  University  of  Edinburgh, 
Scotland,  in  1889.  He  practiced  in  Edinburgh,  Peebles  and  in  the  West 
Hartlepool,  Durham  County,  England.  He  is  a  graduate  of  the  West  Penn- 
sylvania Medical  College,  Pittsburg.  He  has  practiced  at  Titusville  since 
1890.  He  is  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Obstetrical  Society  of  Edinburgh,  and 
a  member  of  the  Venango  County  Medical  Society. 

IV.  G.  Johnston,  M.  D.,  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  in  1886  in 
the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in  1889.  In  October  following  he  re-entered  and  took  the 
post-graduate  course  during  the  winter  of  1889-90,  also  doing  hospital  work 
in  the  dispensary  at  the  same  time.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Venango  County 
Medical  Society,  of  the  State  Society,  of  the  National  Society  and  of  the 
Association  of  Military  Surgeons  of  America.  He  was  for  several  years  the 
secretary  and  health  physician  of  the  Titusville  (Pennsylvania)  Board  of 
Health.  For  several  years  he  was  an  assistant  surgeon  of  the  i6th  Regiment, 
N.  G.  P.  VVHien  the  Spanish-American  war  broke  out  he  offered  his  services 
with  his  regiment,  and  on  May  5,  1898,  was  mustered  into  the  U.  S.  service 
as  first  lieutenant  and  assistant  surgeon  of  the  i6th  Pennsylvania  U.  S.  Vol- 
unteers. From  Chickamauga  he  was  sent  on  detached  service  to  Macon, 
Ga.,  to  examine  the  recruits  for  the  Third  U.  S.  Immune  Regiment.  After 
finishing  this  duty  he  was  sent  back  to  his  regiment,  and  later  on  assigned 
to  the  1st  Division  Ambulance  Company  of  the  ist  A.  C.     W"ith  a  detach- 


438  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ment  of  this  company  he  went  with  his  reg'iment  to-  Puerto  Rico,  and  there 
was  in  the  advance  with  the  i6th  Pa.  Regiment.  He  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Coamo,  August  9,  1898,  and  the  engagement  at  Aibonito,  August 
12,  1898.  He  was  later  assigned  as  second  in  charge  of  the  ist  Division 
Hospital  in  Puerto  Rico,  near  Coamo,  and  afterward  he  had  charge  of  it. 
\Mien  his  regiment  was  ready  to  move,  he  was  relieved  of  his  care  of  the 
hospital,  and  assigned  back  tO'  his  place  in  the  regiment.  He  next  marched 
with  his  regiment  and  returned  with  it  to  the  United  States.  Among  other 
positions,  he  is  medical  inspector  of  the  State  Board  of  Health  for  Craw- 
ford County. 

/.  C.  Wilson,  M.  D.,  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  office  of  his 
father,  Dr.  George  Wilson,  at  Luthersburg,  Clearfield  County,  Pa.  He  was 
graduated  from  the  University  of  Maryland,  at  Baltimore,  in  1884.  He  first 
practiced,  after  his  course  at  the  university,  eight  years  at  Sigel,  Jefferson 
County,  Pa.  He  was  next  associated  with  his  brother,  Dr.  H.  M.  Wilson,  five 
years,  at  Evans  City,  Butler  County,  Pa.  He  came  to  Titusville  in  Septem- 
ber, 1897,  and  has  since  practiced  here.  Pie  is  a  member  of  the  Jefferson 
County  Medical  Society  and  of  the  Pennsylvania  Medical  Association. 

Dr.  Cathannc  Walker  began  to  read  medicine  with  Dr.  Asa  S.  Couch 
at  Fredonia,  N.  Y.,  in  1882.  She  was  graduated  in  1885  at  the  Hahnemann 
Medical  College,  Chicago,  Illinois,  taking  the  degree  of  M.  D.  She  after- 
ward practiced  at  Fredonia  from  the  fall  of  1885  to  the  fall  of  1887.  Then 
she  attended  at  New  York  Polyclinic  Medical  School  and  New  York  Post- 
Graduate  Medical  College  for  six  months,  in  the  winter  of  1887-88.  In  1888 
she  settled  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and  practiced  until  1892.  In  1893  she  began 
practice  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and  continued  there  until  1896,  when  she 
changed  to  Titusville,  where  she  has  since  pursued  the  duties  of  her  profes- 
sion. 

C.  E.  Spicer,  M.  D.,  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  in  Kalamazoo 
County,  Michigan,  under  the  preceptorship  of  Dr.  J.  W.  Ingerson.  He  was 
graduated  from  the  Cincinnati  Eclectic  Medical  Institute  in  1884.  From 
July,  1884,  to  December,  1887,  he  practiced  at  Vicksburg,  Michigan.  From 
the  latter  date  until  November  7,  1888,  he  practiced  at  Grand  Rapids,  Michi- 
gan. He  began  practice  at  Tryonville,  Crawford  County,  Pennsylvania,  in 
December,  1888,  and  continued  there  until  April,  1891,  when  he  moved  to 
Centerville,  a  few  miles  northward,   and  practiced  at  the  latter  place  until 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  439 

November,  1897.  He  then  came  to  Titusville  and  has  since  practiced  here. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania  Eclectic  Medical  Society,  a  State  asso- 
ciation ;  also  a  member  of  the  Western  Pennsylvania  Eclectic  Medical  Society, 
and  of  the  Central  Eclectic  Medical  Society.  He  was  president  of  the  State 
Eclectic  Medical  Society  for  the  year  1892. 

Dr.  C.  W.  Sager  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  office  of  J.  A. 
Monroe,  M.  D.,  at  West  Alexander,  Pa.  He  also  read  with  O.  A.  Palmer, 
M.  D.,  at  Warren,  Ohio.  He  studied  at  the  Cincinnati  Eclectic  Medical  In- 
stitute, 1883-84;  at  the  American  Medical  College,  St.  Louis,  in  1885;  and 
at  the  Hahnemann  Medical  College,  in  Philadelphia.  He  practiced  medicine 
at  Southington,  Ohio,  from  1884-85 ;  at  Middlefield,  Ohio,  from  1885  to 
1889,  and  at  Titusville  from  1895  to  the  present  time.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  American  Institute  of  Homeopathy. 

Preston  Steele,  M.  D.,  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  in  1889  in  the 
office  of  Dr.  E.  P.  Wilmot  in  Franklin,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  graduated 
from  the  Cleveland  Medical  College  in  1893.  He  was  assistant  physician  at 
the  Huron  Street  Ho'spital,  1893-94.  Located  at  Titusville  in  1895,  where 
he  has  since  continued  in  the  practice  of  his  profession. 

Dr.  F.  H.  Sinning  is  a  graduate  of  the  American  Eclectic  College  at 
Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  which  he  subsequently  held  a  professor's  chair.  He  has 
since  practiced  at  Pittsburg,  Pa.  He  came  to  Titusville  about  six  years  ago, 
and  has  since  pursued  his  profession  here.     He  treats  special  diseases. 

DENTAL     SURGEONS. 

Dentistry  has  kept  pace  with  other  branches  of  science  relating  to  the 
human  body  in  the  advance  and  improvement  of  the  methods  made  within 
the  last  few  decades.  Dental  surgery  has  come  to  be  regarded  as  a  learned 
profession,  and  to  the  honor  of  dentists  of  standing  in  the  profession  it  may 
be  said  that  there  is  a  common  effort  on  their  part  to  protect  the  public 
against  the  evils  of  dental  quackery,  and  exalt  the  rank  of  their  calling.  Den- 
tal colleges  are  now  classed  among  the  institutions  of  learning.  Dentistry 
now  ranks  as  a  highly  important  branch  of  surgery. 

Dr.  W.  M.  Coombs  is  the  veteran  surgeon  dentist  of  Titusville.  His 
professional  work  has  a  high  standing.  He  began  the  study  of  dentistry  in 
Titusville  in  1864,  under  Dr.  George  J.  Luce,  with  whom  he  continued  for 
the  next  three  years.     He  then  spent  one  year  in  practice  at  Rome,  N.  Y., 


440  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

and  another  year  of  practice  in  Kansas  City.     He  subsequently  returned  to 
Titusville,  where  he  has  been  in  constant  practice  since  December  i,  1870. 

/.  A.  Todd,  D.  D.  S.,  began  the  study  of  dentistry  in  the  spring  of  1861 
in  the  office  of  Dr.  F.  O.  Hyatt  at  Cortland.  New  York.  On  February  28, 
1878,  he  was  graduated  from  the  Pennsylvania  College  of  Dental  Surgery,  at 
Philadelphia,  receiving  the  degree  of  D.  D.  S.  He  came  to  Titusville  the 
same  year,  and  has  continuously  practiced  his  profession  here  since  that  time. 
Dr.  Todd  is  a  member  of  the  Lake  Erie  Dental  Association,  of  which  he  was 
once  president,  and  a  member  of  the  State  Dental  Society. 

Dr.  C.  A.  Black  commenced  the  study  of  dentistry  in  March,  1886,  with 
Dr.  R.  V.  Bettes,  at  Mercer.  Mercer  County,  Pennsylvania,  and  remained 
with  him  until  the  following  September,  when  he  entered  the  Philadelphia 
Dental  College.  He  was  graduated  from  that  institution,  with  the  degree 
of  D.  D.  S.,  in  1888.  In  March  following,  the  same  year,  he  located  in  Titus- 
ville and  has  been  constantly  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  ever 
since. 

Dr.  //'.  /.  Peebles  studied  at  the  Dental  College  and  Hospital  of  Oral 
Surgery,  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  from  October,  1892,  to  March,  1895,  taking 
the  degree  of  D.  D.  S.      He  has  practiced  dentistry  in  Titusville  ever  since. 

Dr.  C.  L.  Sherivood  began  the  study  of  dentistry  in  the  dental  depart- 
ment of  the  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  University,  in  1893,  and  was  graduated 
from  that  institution  in  1896,  taking  the  degree  of  D.  D.  S.  He  has  prac- 
ticed his  profession  in  Titusville  ever  since.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Lake 
Erie  Dental  Association. 

MILITARY     RECORD. 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  late  civil  war,  the  borough  of  Titusville, 
though  still  a  small  village,  was  an  important  business  center  of  a  large  area 
of  farming  country.  The  lumber  business  of  the  section  still  gave  employ- 
ment to  a  large  number  of  men.  The  prospect  of  war  tended  for  a  year  or 
two  to  suspend  many  branches  of  trade,  and  demand  for  lumber  was  es- 
pecially checked.  The  prospect  of  losing  employment,  together  with  a  gen- 
uine patriotic  spirit  in  the  community,  encouraged  enlistments  into  the 
Union  service.  The  record  of  the  community  in  responding  to  the  call  of 
the  government  for  troops  is  a  bright  one,  and  one  concerning  which  the  older 
ahd  the  younger  of  the  inhabitants  of  Titusville,  and  their  posterity  follow- 
ing, may  justly  feel  proud. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  441 

Company  F  of  the  Erie  Regiment,  organized  for  the  three  months'  ser- 
vice, under  the  command  of  Colonel  John  W.  McLane,  was  the  first  company 
formed  at  Titusville.  It  was  mustered  April  21,  1861.  Its  officers  were: 
Charles  B.  Morgan,  captain;  James  Farrell,  first  lieutenant;  David  P.  Sig- 
ler,  second  lieutenant,  and  Franklin  Parks,  first  sergeant.  As  the  short  term 
of  service  drew  near  a  close,  Colonel  McLane  prepared  to  organize  a  regi- 
ment to  serve  three  years.  Then  Company  A  in  the  new  regiment,  83d  Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers,  absorbed  Company  F,  of  the  three  months'  term.  The 
regiment  was  mustered  in  July  29,  1861.  Its  officers  at  first  were:  Charles 
B.  ^Morgan,  captain ;  David  P.  Sigler,  first  lieutenant ;  David  P.  Jones,  second 
lieutenant.  Both  Sigler  and  Jones  were  afterward  respectively  captains  of 
the  company,  as  also  William  O.  Colt  and  E.  W.  Whittlesey ;  James  W.  Hun- 
ter and  Martin  V.  Gifford  were  each  in  turn  first  lieutenants.  William  H. 
Lamont,  Pierce  Hanrahan  and  David  R.  Rogers  were  respectively  second 
lieutenants.  George  A.  Ouillen  was  first  sergeant.  Edwin  W.  Bettes,  well 
known  afterward  as  a  citizen  of  Titusville,  was  sergeant-major  of  the  regi- 
ment.   The  83d  made  a  glorious  record,  and  Company  A  shared  in  its  laurels. 

Company  K,  of  the  §yth  Regiment,  was  the  pride  of  Titusville.  The 
Post  No.  50,  G.  A.  R.,  at  Titusville,  is  named  in  memory  of  its  brave  com- 
mander, Cornelius  S.  Chase,  who  gave  his  life  to  his  country.  He  was  the 
son  of  the  late  Joseph  L.  Chase.  He  was  wounded  at  Fair  Oaks,  May  31, 
[862.  He  died  from  the  effects  of  his  wounds  in  the  hospital  of  Philadelphia 
eighteen  days  afterward,  June  17,  1862.  His  brother,  William  Wirt  Chase, 
was  the  sergeant-major  of  the  regiment.  He  was  honorably  discharged  from 
the  service,  having  served  from  October  10,  1861,  to  October  28,  1862.  The 
S7th  Regiment  was  mustered  in  November  i,  1861.  The  officers  of  Com- 
pany K  were  at  first;  Cornelius  S.  Chase,  captain;  Alanson  H.  Nelson,  first 
lieutenant;  Chester  F.  Morse,  second  lieutenant.  Lieutenant  Nelson  suc- 
ceeded on  the  death  of  Captain  Chase  to  the  command  of  the  company,  and 
held  the  captain's  commission  until  mustered  out,  at  the  expiration  of  the  ser- 
vice, Nov.  I,  1864.  Thomas  J.  Crossley,  who  both  before  and  after  the 
war  was  well  known  in  Titusville,  became  by  promotion  first  lieutenant.  John 
M.  Robinson  and  William  H.  H.  Hirst  were  each  in  turn  second  lieutenants. 

Company  B,  of  the  ii^th  Regiment,  12th  Cavalry,  mustered  in  March, 
1862,  for  three  years'  service,  was  recruited  at  Titusville  in  the  fall  and  win- 
ter, 1861-62.     Its  first  commander  was  Rev.  George  H.  Hammer,  who  re- 


442  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

signed  his  pastorate  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Titusville  to  recruit  the 
companj'  and  lead  it  into  service.  In  May,  1862,  he  was  appointed  chaplain  of 
the  regiment.  At  first  the  officers  of  the  company  were:  George  H.  Hammer, 
captain;  Sidney  B.  King,  first  lieutenant;  and  Charles  W.  Fenner,  second 
lieutenant.  Upon  the  promotion  of  Hammer  to  the  chaplaincy,  Sidney  B. 
King  became  captain ;  Charles  W.  Fenner  first  lieutenant,  and  Daniel  B. 
Lewis  second  lieutenant.  King  was  discharged  from  the  service  June  12, 
1863,  when  Fenner  succeeded  to  the  captaincy,  but  was  discharged  from  the 
service  January  5,  1865.  Lewis  succeeded  to  the  office  March  22,  1865,  and 
was  mustered  out  with  the  company  July  20,  1865. 

Company  I,  of  the  ijStli  Regiment,  P.  V.,  for  nine  months'  service,  was 
mustered  in  in  August,  1862.  Its  first  officers  were  Asa  Chapman,  captain; 
William  P.  Dale,  first  lieutenant;  Henry  S.  Lockart,  second  lieutenant;  An- 
drew J.  Hatch,  first  sergeant.  Captain  Chapman  died  December  27,  1862, 
from  wounds  received  at  Fredericksburg,  on  the  13th  of  the  same  month, 
and  he  was  succeeded  by  First  Lieutenant  Dale  on  the  day  following  his 
death. 

Company  I,  i^otJi  Regiment,  Bucktails,  P.  V .,  was  mustered  in  in  Sep- 
tember, 1862.  Its  first  officers  were :  John  W.  Sigler,  captain;  Miles  W.  Rose, 
first  lieutenant;  George  W.  Tryon,  second  lieutenant.  Captain  Sigler  was 
wounded  at  Gettysburg.  He  continued  in  command  of  the  company  until  the 
close  of  the  war.  He  was  mustered  out  with  the  rank  of  major  June  23,  1865. 
Lieutenant  Rose  was  also  wounded  at  Gettysburg.  He  was  discharged 
February  23,  1864.  Tryon  was  promoted  from  second  to  first  lieutenancy 
March  2,  1864.  He  was  discharged  on  surgeon's  certificate  before  the  close 
of  the  same  year.  Gilbert  Gordon,  who  is  still  a  well-known  citizen  of  Titus- 
ville, was  promoted  from  sergeant  to  first  lieutenant  November  22,  1864.  He 
was  mustered  out  with  the  rank  of  captain  June  23,  1865,  but  the  date  of  his 
commission  is  June  24,  1865.  Francis  A.  Magee  was  promoted  from  ser- 
geant to  second  lieutenant.  May  i,  1865,  and  to  first  lieutenant  June  15,  1865. 
He  was  mustered  out  June  25,  1865.  Francis  Gilson  was  commissioned  sec- 
ond lieutenant  June  15,  1865,  and  mustered  out  June  25,  1865.  He  had  first 
served  as  sergeant.     Peter  Fink,  sergeant,  was  mustered  out  June  25,  1865. 

Company  D,  i6^d  Regiment,  iSth  Cavalry,  P.  V.,  was  mustered  in  in 
October,  1862.  Its  first  officers  were  Joseph  Gilmore,  captain;  Andrew  Cun- 
ningham, first  lieutenant;   Bethuel  R.  Mackey,  second  lieutenant.     Gilmore 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  443 

was  promoted  to  major  November  28,  1862.  Cunningliam  was  promoted 
to  captain  December  8,  1862,  and  discharged  September  19,  1863.  Mackey 
was  promoted  to  iirst  lieutenant  December  9,  1862;  to  captain  December  3, 
1864.  He  was  discharged  May  15,  1865,  at  the  close  of  the  war.  Joseph  L. 
LesUe  was  promoted  from  sergeant  to  second  heutenant,  July  i,  1863,  and  to 
first  lieutenant  May  17,  1865.  Frank  Palmer  was  promoted  from  sergeant  to 
second  lieutenant  December  8,  1862,  and  discharged  June  20,  1863.  Francis 
M.  Magee  was  promoted  from  sergeant  to  second  lieutenant  May  18,  1865. 
The  six  companies,  after  the  last  mustering  out,  returned  to  their  original 
rendezvous  with  greatly  thinned  ranks,  and  of  those  who  came  back  many 
have  already  been  borne  to  their  final  resting  place  in  the  cemetery. 

OTHER     MILITARY     ORGANIZATIONS. 

The  Titiisville  Citizens'  Corps  is  a  local  military  company,  independent 
in  its  association.  It  was  organized  at  about  the  year  1871.  Its  object  has 
always  been  largely  for  the  education  and  training  of  its  members  in  mili- 
tary drills.  It  is  also  intended  to  perform  the  duties  of  emergency  service, 
especially  in  quelling  local  disturbances  of  an  extraordinary  character,  when 
the  police  force  might  require  assistance.  Fortunately  no  such  emergency 
has  ever  yet  arisen.  At  first  the  social  relations  of  the  members  may  have 
tended  to  attract  young  men  to  its  ranks.  At  different  periods  the  drill  of 
the  corps  has  been  excellent.  The  late  Dr.  W.  B.  Roberts  took  a  great  deal 
of  interest  in  the  organization,  and  to  his  generosity  the  corps  was  much 
indebted. 

Battery  B  was  organized  in  1879.  The  late  David  Emery  was  the 
founder  and  its  first  captain,  with  D.  R.  Herron  first  lieutenant  and  James  R. 
Barber  second  lieutenant.  It  was  a  part  of  the  National  Guard  of  the  State, 
and  under  the  command  of  the  Governor.  Captain  Emery,  in  1880,  built 
for  the  use  of  the  company  an  armory,  which  was  dedicated  in  the  summer 
of  1880  by  Governor  H.  M.  Hoyt.  The  battery  company  disbanded  in  1883, 
and  an  infantry  company  w-as  formed  to  take  its  place.  This  was  Company 
K  of  the  i6th  Infantry  Regiment,  N.  G.,  P.  V.  The  company  was  mustered 
in  July  30,  1883.  Its  first  commissioned  officers  were  D.  R.  Herron,  captain; 
M.  R.  Rouse,  first  lieutenant;  Seth  Church,  second  lieutenant.  In  1881  Her- 
ron was  elected  high  sheriff  of  Crawford  County,  and  his  duties  as  sheriff 
required  him  to  reside  at  the  county  seat.     After  his  retirement  from  the 


444  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

company  Lieutenant  Rouse  succeeded  him  as  captain.  Church  became  first 
lieutenant,  and  other  promotions  fohowed  in  their  proper  order.  Rouse  was 
captain  several  years.  He  built  an  armory  for  the  use  of  the  company,  which 
the  company  continues  to  occupy  as  its  headquarters.  Each  year  the  com- 
pany went  into  camp,  generally  if  not  always  at  Mt.  Gretna.  Two  or  three 
years  ago  Captain  Rouse  resigned  and  he  was  succeeded  by  Ulysses  G.  Lyons. 
At  the  late  opening  of  hostilities  between  Spain  and  the  United  States,  most 
of  the  members  of  Company  K  offered  their  services,  under  their  company 
organization,  to  the  national  government.  By  order  of  the  State  Executive 
the  company  left  for  Mt.  Gretna  in  the  latter  part  of  April,  1898.  The  com- 
missioned officers  were  Ulysses  G.  Lyons,  captain;  James  W.  Young,  first 
lieutenant;  Anton  Daub,  second  lieutenant.  The  non-commissioned  officers 
were:  Ralph  Armstrong,  first  sergeant;  George  M.  Dame,  quartermaster- 
sergeant  ;  A'ernor  Tryon,  sergeant ;  Angus  Decker,  sergeant ;  Clyde  Sim- 
mons, sergeant;  Samuel  P.  Henderson,  Herbert  E.  Davidson,  George  B. 
Sloan,  William  B.  Shreve,  Philip  Koff  and  Fred  C.  Radack  were  corporals. 

Company  K,  i6th  P.  V.  L,  left  Titusville  for  Mt.  Gretna  April  27th.  It 
was  mustered  into  U.  S.  service  May  10,  1898.  It  left  for  Chickamauga, 
Ga.,  about  May  15,  1898,  arriving  about  May  17th.  Sergeant  Ralph  Arm- 
strong, June  lOth,  was  ordered  home  on  recruiting  service.  He  returned  June 
19th  with  thirty-two  newly  enlisted  men.  The  company  left  July  5th  from 
Chickamauga  for  Charleston,  S.  C,  arriving  ihere  July  7th,  and  left  Charles- 
ton July  2 1  St  for  Puerto  Rico.  Arrived  at  Ponce  at  about  July  28th. 
Ordered  to  do  provost  duty  at  Ponce.  Relieved  from  that  duty  August  5  th. 
Joined  the  regiment  near  Juan  Diaz.  The  engagement  at  Coamo  in  which 
the  company  participated  occurred  August  9th.  Went  to  camp  at  Coamo 
same  day.  Broke  camp  at  Coamo  October  ist.  Marched  to  Cayey  and  went 
into  camp  October  3d.  On  the  same  day  the  division  received  orders  to  march 
to  Ponce.  The  i6th  Regiment  began  the  march  October  7th.  Remained  at 
Coamo  the  night  of  October  8th.  Remained  at  Juan  Diaz  the  night  of  Octo- 
ber 9th.  On  arriving  at  Ponce,  orders  were  received  to  go  at  once  on  board 
of  ship,  October  loth.     Arrived  home  October  19,  1898. 

Philip  Koff,  corporal,  died  on  board  U.  S.  hospital  ship  Relief,  August 
13,  1898.     He  was  buried  at  Ponce. 

Elmer  E.  Grant  died  at  ist  Division,  ist  Corps,  Hospital,  Chickamauga, 
Ga.,  July  13,  1898. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  445 

Corporal  George  B.  Sloan  died  at  Division's  Hospital  September  8,  1898, 
at  Coanio.  P.  R.     Buried  in  the  regimental  cemetery,  same  place. 

William  H.  George  died  at  Division's  Hospital.  September  9.  1898.  at 
Coamo,  P.  R.     Btn-ied  in  the  regimental  cemetery,  same  place. 

Philander  Young  died  in  U.  S.  General  Hospital  at  Ponce,  P.  R.,  Sep- 
tember 15,  1898. 

By  Regimental  Order  No.  20.  July  4.  1898,  Frank  E.  Coover.  Audley 
V.  Rowe,  Harvey  B.  Marsh.  John  A.  Daub,  Harry  J.  Boles  and  Gurdon  \N. 
Hall  were  each  promoted  to  the  rank  of  corporal.  And  by  Regimental  Order 
No.  32.  September  9,  1898.  Charles  Liebrich  and  John  Courtenay  were  each 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  corporal.  The  company  at  one  time  had  one  hundred 
and  three  men.  besides  the  three  commissioned  officers. 

ACCIDENTS. 

In  all  communities  there  occasionally  occur  startling  events,  great  fires 
or  other  sudden  disasters,  which  are  long  remembered  by  the  inhabitants. 

On  the  Fourth  of  Julv,  i860,  a  cyclone  struck  the  little  village  of  Titus- 
ville,  unroofing  houses  and  moving  from  their  base  other  buildings  several 
rods.  Not  far  from  the  same  time  another  cyclone  came  down  the  valley, 
doing  also  not  a  little  damage.  The  house  of  Mr.  George  Brewer,  a  brother 
of  the  late  Dr.  F.  B.  Brewer,  was  one  of  the  buildings  unroofed.  This  house 
stood  on  East  Pine  Street,  now  Central  Avenue,  on  the  southwest  corner  of 
Pine  and  Drake  streets.  It  was  subsequently  purchased  by  Mr.  A.  B.  Funk, 
and  long  afterward  known  as  the  Funk  mansion. 

Another  accident  was  the  falling  of  the  Roberts  Building,  now  the  Hotel 
Brunswick,  in  December,  1871.  It  was  a  four-story,  brick  building,  with  a 
high  Mansard  roof,  making  a  fifth  story.  The  lean-to  part,  now  the  west  part 
of  the  edifice,  was  not  then  erected.  Take  oft'  the  lean-to,  and  there  would 
remain  the  front  on  Spring  Street,  as  it  then  was  when  the  edifice  was  first 
raised.  The  building  adjoined  the  Parshall  Block  on  its  west  side,  the  walls 
of  the  two  edifices  in  close  contact.  The  brick  work  of  the  new  building  had 
been  hurriedly  raised  during  very  cold  weather.  No  complete  interior  parti- 
tions had  been  constructed.  Joists  for  flooring  had  been  placed,  as  story 
after  story  was  raised.  The  stories,  as  now,  were  very  high.  The  Mansard 
roof  was  of  itself  a  very  heavy  structure.  All  the  upper  walls  were  green 
and  either  frozen  or  soft.     Some  one  a  short  time  before  the  accident  had 


446  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

noticed  a  bulge  outward  of  the  wall  in  the  first  story  next  to  the  Parshall 
Block.  While  it  had  been  the  intention  to  lay  the  wall  of  the  new  building 
close  to  that  of  the  Parshall  Block,  it  is  likely  that  a  little  open  space  between 
the  two  was  left  and  that  a  column  of  water  between  the  two  walls,  from  the 
top  to  the  bottom,  was  frozen.  The  wall  of  the  Parshall  Block  was  dry  and 
solid,  so  that'  it  could  not  easily  be  moved.  But  the  wall  of  the  new  building, 
when  not  frozen,  was  damp  and  the  mortar  soft.  The  Mansard  roof  with 
its  great  weight  pressed  heavily  upon  the  structure  below.  The  Opera  House 
in  the  Parshall  Block  was  on  the  west  side  and  adjoining  the  new  building. 
The  Opera  House  was  upon  the  second  floor,  and  extended  upward  three 
stories  to  the  roof.  It  had  two  galleries,  the  second  above  the  first.  One 
night,  while  the  late  Frank  ]\Iayo  was  playing  in  the  Opera  House,  "The 
Streets  of  NeAV  York."  he  was  roused  from  his  couch  by  the  smell  of  sul- 
phurous fumes  of  coal,  which  the  villain  of  the  plot  had  set  on  fire  and  placed 
in  his  room  for  the  pur^wse  of  killing  him  by  suffocation,  and  he  called  out 
"Charcoal !"  At  that  instant  an  indescribably  terrific  crash,  with  a  frightful  jar 
of  the  Opera  House,  was  heard.  Those  in  the  audience  not  familiar  with  the 
play,  though  frightened,  at  first  thought  it  was  a  part  of  the  performance.  But 
it  was  only  for  an  instant  that  any  one  had  such  an  impression.  With  blanched 
faces  and  every  symptom  of  terror  the  people  rose  from  their  seats,  to  rush  to 
the  stairway  and  escape  from  the  building.  The  next  instant  Mayo  was  on  his 
feet,  waving  his  hand  and  shouting:  "Keep  your  seats;  it  is  nothing."  His 
assurance  prevented  a  panic.  Those  nearest  the  doors  were  able  to  pass  out 
without  a  jam,  and  in  a  very  short  time  the  hall  was  empty,  the  actors,  with 
the  rest,  losing  no  time  in  making  an  exit.  The  people  in  the  Opera  Plouse 
were  in  reality  badly  frightened,  but  Mayo's  presence  of  mind  fortunately 
saved  many  from  serious  injury  by  the  rush  of  a  panic  stricken  crowd  for  the 
doors.  Some  imagined  that  there  was  an  earthquake,  and  were  afraid  they 
would  be  buried  in  the  ruins  of  the  great  building  of  the  Parshall  Block. 

\Mien  the  audience  reached  the  street  they  immediately  learned  the 
cause  of  their  fright.  Where  now  is  the  lean-to  was  a  three-story  wooden 
building,  owned  and  occupied  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Whalen.  The  edifice  which  fell 
to  the  ground  occupied  all  the  space  between  the  Parshall  Block  and  the 
Whalen  Building.  When  the  brick  edifice  fell,  its  upper  walls  dropped  upon 
the  Whalen  Building  and  crushed  it,  almost  as  if  it  were  an  tgg  shell.  On  the 
first  floor  Mr.  Whalen  had  in  front  a  boot  and  shoe  store,  with  a  shoe  shop  in 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  447 

the  rear.  On  the  second  floor  Mrs.  Whalen  had  in  front  a  milliner}-  store 
and  shop.  In  the  rear  were  the  family  apartments.  On  the  third  floor  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Ballantine  had  rooms,  taking  their  meals  outside.  Mr.  Whalen's 
family  consisted  of  himself  and  wife,  and  two  children,  who  all  slept  upon 
the  second  floor.  Their  servant  girl  slept  upon  the  third  floor.  The  acci- 
dent occurred  at  about  half-past  ten  at  night.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ballantine  were 
in  bed,  as  was  also  the  servant  girl.  Sarah,  the  older  of  the  two  children, 
was  away  from  home.  The  other,  Freddie,  a  lad  seven  years  old,  was  in  his 
crib,  but  not  asleep.  Mrs.  Whalen  had  just  descended  to  the  first  floor  to 
speak  to  her  husband,  who  was  still  in  his  store,  when  the  terrible  crash  came. 
That  four  out  of  six  persons  in  the  building  should  have  escaped  with  only 
trifling  bruises  was  certainly  remarkable.  Little  Freddie,  however,  was  killed. 
His  mother,  leaving  him  in  his  crib,  descended  to  speak  with  her  husband, 
who  was  still  in  his  store.  She  had  been  there  scarcely  five  minutes  when 
the  heavy  walls  of  the  brick  edifice  fell  upon  the  Whalen  Building,  breaking  it 
down  as  easily  as  they  would  have  crushed  a  child's  play-house.  Mr.  XA'halen 
was  crowded  to  one  side  of  the  room,  so  that  to  save  himself  he  jumped  out  of  a 
window,  while  his  wife  was  caught  among  timbers  and  pinioned  by  them. 
At  the  same  time  she  heard  the  little  boy,  who  had  gone  down  with  the  fall- 
ing mass,  calling,  "Mamma,  mamma !"  his  voice  growing  fainter  and  fainter, 
until  it  ceased  altogether.  By  one  of  those  extraordinary  efforts,  born  of 
desperation,  which  seem  to  possess  superhuman  strength,  ;\Irs.  Whalen  suc- 
ceeded in  releasing  herself  from  the  vise  which  had  held  her.  Her  little  boy 
was  buried  under  the  debris  which  had  poured  down  upon  him.  Brave  men 
from  outside,  hearing  Mrs.  Whalen's  cries,  rushed  to  her  aid,  and,  when  told 
by  her  where  she  had  last  heard  Freddie's  calls,  they  at  once  set  themselves 
at  work  with  all  the  energy  they  possessed  to  remove  the  broken  bricks,  tim- 
bers and  debris  from  the  spot  where  the  mother  thought  the  little  fellow  was 
lying.  Fortunately  they  soon  found  the  body.  It  was  about  eight  feet  from 
the  spot  where  Mrs.  Whalen  had  been  bound  by  the  timbers. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ballantine  were  landed  on  the  second  floor  in  a  very  un- 
comfortable position.  But  they  had  not  long  to  wait  before  men  came  with 
ladders  and  helped  them  out  of  their  distress.  The  servant  girl,  who  was 
also  in  bed  on  the  third  floor  when  the  wooden  building  was  crushed,  was 
precipitated  to  the  lower  floor,  in  a  most  desperate  plight.  Her  descent  was  a 
terriblv  rough  one.     Everv  shred  of  clothing  was  torn  from  her  body.     A. 


448  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

colored  porter  of  the  Parshall  House  took  off  his  overcoat  and,  buttoning 
it  around  her,  led  her  to  a  place  where  she  was  proper!)-  cared  for. 

The  brick  block  was  rebuilt  the  next  year,  1872,  and  finished  in  palatial 
style  in  1873.  The  remnants  of  the  Whalen  Building  were  moved  away.  The 
Roberts  Brothers  purchased  the  ground  on  which  it  had  stood  and  upon  it 
erected  a  three-story  brick  lean-to,  upon  the  west  side  of  the  main  building. 
The  entire  new  structure  was  very  substantially  built,  from  the  ground  to  the 
roof.  Solid  brick  partitions  run  through  the  entire  length  of  the  edifice  and 
extend  from  the  basement  to  the  top  of  the  highest  story.  Heavy  iron  rods 
at  every  story  interlock  the  building  from  side  to  side  and  end  to  end.  When 
the  great  fire  occurred  in  April,  1882,  the  walls  of  the  Parshall  Block  all  fell 
to  the  ground,  while  not  a  brick  of  the  Brunswick  Hotel  adjoining  moved  out 
of  its  place.  The  flames  went  through  the  interior  of  the  hotel  and  consumed 
everything  combustible  there,  but  its  brick  walls  stood  as  intact  as  when 
built  ten  years  before.  The  Mansard  roof,  however,  was  abolished,  and  in 
its  place  a  fifth  story  was  erected. 

Tin-  Great  Oil  Fire  of  1880  was  a  memorable  calamity  in  the  history  of 
Titusville.  Early  on  Friday  morning,  June  nth,  there  was  a  thunder  shower, 
when  two  reports  in  close  succession  were  heard.  The  first  came  from  an 
electric  explosion — lightning.  The  second  was  from  an  explosion  of  petro- 
leum \-apor  in  the  top  of  a  large  tank  filled  with  crude  oil,  on  the  hill  south 
of  the  city,  west  of  Perry  Street.  The  writer  speaks  from  personal  knowl- 
edge. He  was  sitting  in  his  house  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Monroe  streets 
when  he  heard  the  two  explosions  spoken  of.  He  immediately  suspected  that 
an  oil  tank  had  been  struck.  He  went  at  once  to  the  corner  of  the  street  and 
saw  an  oil  tank  on  the  south  hill  on  fire.  When  oil  in  a  tank  is  struck  by  light- 
ning, it  is  customary  to  say  that  lightning  has  struck  the  tank.  This  expres- 
sion is  often  erroneous.  A  wooden  tank  might  be  rent  by  an  electric  current. 
But  an  iron  tank,  connected  by  large  iron  pipes  with  water  connections,  as  this 
tank  had,  would  form  a  perfect  conductor  for  a  current  of  electricity.  Light- 
ning rods  have  in  some  cases  been  erected  on  the  top  of  iron  tanks,  a  useless 
provision  for  warding  off  electric  currents,  unless  the  tanks  have  no  connec- 
tion with  water  or  moist  ground.  In  the  present  case  the  lightning  passed 
through  the  atmosphere,  making  a  noise  which  is  called  thunder.  In  its 
course  it  set  fire  to  the  vapor  coming  from  the  oil  in  the  tank  through  open- 
ings in  the  roof,  the  same  as  electricity  ignites  gas  in  a  gas  engine.     The 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  449 

oil  vapor  in  the  hot  weather  of  June  was  dense  at  all  points.  The  tank  was 
nearly  full  of  oil.  The  electric  current  ignited  the  vapor,  which  conveyed 
the  flame  as  a  fuse  back  through  the  opening  of  the  roof,  setting  fire  to  the 
volume  of  gas  inside,  producing  an  explosion  which  was  the  second  one  heard. 
These  two  explosions  coming  in  quick  succession  were  distinctly  heard  by 
several  persons.  The  explosion  of  gas  in  the  top  of  the  tank  lifted  the  roof  two 
feet  above  its  base  and  then  it  fell  back  to  its  place.  If  the  surface  of  the  oil  in 
the  tank  had  been  ten  feet  from  the  top  the  volume  of  gas  above  the  oil  would 
have  been  very  large  and  the  explosion  terrific.  It  would  have  torn  the  walls 
of  the  tank  to  pieces,  and  the  great  conflagration  which  followed  might  have 
been  averted.  The  explosions  of  stills  at  refineries  had  jarred  the  buildings 
in  the  city  as  by  an  earthquake.  But  the  noise  of  the  second  explosion,  which 
blew  off  the  roof  of  the  tank,  was  not  loud,  simply  because  the  volume  of  gas 
in  the  top  of  the  tank  was  small.  \Vhen  the  people  first  saw  the  fire  at  the  top 
of  the  tank,  there  were  not  many  persons  living  on  the  north  side  of  Oil  Creek 
apparently  frightened.  They  had  no  experience  in  burning  of  a  large  iron 
tank  filled  with  oil.  Those,  however,  who  had  witnessed  such  fires  at  ether 
places,  expressed  a  fear  that  this  one  would  result  in  a  frightful  conflagra- 
tion. The  fear  was  realized.  "Look  out,"  was  the  warning  of  those  who  had 
seen  such  oil  fires  elsewhere,  "when  the  tank  boils  over."  When  that  tank, 
and  others  that  took  fire,  did  boil  over,  the  effect  was  simply  indescribable  in 
its  terriljle  grandeur.  Persons  standing  on  ^Monroe  and  Perry  streets,  half 
a  mile  away,  as  volumes  of  flame  rolled  like  fiery  clouds  into  the  air,  felt 
almost  in  an  instant  a  wave  of  heat  strike  them,  and  many  from  nervous  fear 
would  retreat  to  positions  farther  from  danger.  Several  families  who  were  liv- 
ing on  South  Perry  Street,  on  Breed,  and  on  the  west  side  of  South  Franklin, 
were  exposed  to  streams  of  burning  oil  descending  the  hillside.  After  the 
first  overflow  of  the  burning  oil,  these  people  were  in  great  consternation,  and 
they  brought  their  goods  out  of  their  houses  and  prepared  to  move  to  a  place 
of  safety.  It  was  a  time  of  awful  trial  to  the  homeless  ones.  But  they  found 
shelter  for  themselves  and  their  goods  in  this  hospitable  community.  They 
kept  their  families  together,  and  citizens  in  other  parts  of  the  town  gave  them 
food,  until  they  obtained  new  homes.  A  relief  fund  of  nearly  a  thousand 
dollars  was  raised  by  contributions  of  private  citizens,  so  that  most  of  the 
families  that  were  forced  to  flee  from  their  homes,  leaving  tenement  houses, 
did  not  otherwise  suffer  very  serious  losses. 
29 


450  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  tank  which  first  took  fire  contained  20,000  barrels  of  crude  oil. 
When  it  boiled  over,  the  flames  rose  many  hundred  feet,  and  a  neighboring 
large  tank  took  fire  from  it.  These  tanks,  with  several  others,  belonged  to 
the  Tidioute  and  Titusville  Pipe  Company.  Below  them  were  the  Acme  No. 
I  and  the  Keystone  refineries.  At  tliese  two  works  there  was  a  large  amount 
of  crude  oil,  distillate,  refined  oil  and  benzine.  The  pumps  were  set  to  work 
to  transfer  oil  to  .Acme  No.  2,  the  old  Bennett  and  Warner  refinery.  The  pipe 
line  also  pumped  a  small  amount  of  crude  oil  from  the  hill  to  tanks  elsewhere. 
But  the  quantity  of  oil  thus  saved  was  inconsiderable.  The  burning  currents 
poured  down  the  hill  and  set  fire  to  the  liquid  contents  of  tanks  and  stills  at 
the  two  refineries.  Explosion  after  explosion  followed.  The  tanks  of  other 
parties  containing  oil  on  the  hillside  were  destroyed  in  the  widespread  confla- 
gration. Immediately  east  of  Perry  Street,  on  the  north  side  of  Oil  Creek, 
where  now  are  the  Pennsylvania  Paraffine  Works,  Acme  Refinery  No.  3 
had  its  tanks  full  of  oil  or  benzine.  All  this  property,  together  with  a  great 
deal  else  on  the  north  side  of  the  creek,  as  well  as  the  railroad  bridge  across 
Oil  Creek,  east  of  Franklin  Street,  was  saved  by  the  heroic  efforts  of  the  fire 
companies.  The  fire  departments  of  Corry,  Union  City,  Franklin,  Oil  City 
and  Warren  sent  men  and  fire  steamers  to  aid  our  own  firemen  in  checking 
the  conflagration.  It  may  be  said  that  never  has  there  been  more  effective 
service  as  a  whole  rendered  at  a  great  fire  by  firemen  than  at  this  time.  For 
over  fifty  hours  the  Titusville  firemen,  without  respite,  were  on  duty.  With 
the  assistance  of  the  firemen  from  the  other  towns  spoken  of,  they  prevented 
the  fire  from  crossing  Oil  Creek,  and  thej'  saved  the  railroad  bridge  by  keep- 
ing it  deluged  with  streams  of  water.  Many  of  them  had  their  hands  and 
faces  blistered  by  the  hot  flames.  The  Holly  Water  Works  responded  grandly 
to  the  demands  made  upon  them.  Connection  with  Oil  Creek  was  made 
to  them,  so  as  to  secure  abundant  supply  of  water.  And  then  their  powerful 
pumps  sent  forward  under  great  pressure  to  the  fire  steamers  and  to  the  many 
lines  of  hose  connected  directly  with  the  hydrants  sufficient  water  to  keep  all 
the  discharges  playing  constantly  with  great  force. 

Heavy  rains  had  raised  the  water  in  the  tributaries  of  Oil  Creek,  and 
while  the  fire  was  raging,  the  main  stream  above  was  reported  to  be  rising. 
The  news  betokened  increase  of  danger.  At  the  existing  depth  of  water  in 
Oil  Creek  the  firemen  had  been  able  to  prevent  the  currents  of  burning  oil, 
as  they  poured  down  the  hill  and  spread  upon  the  surface  of  the  stream,  from 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  451 

setting  fire  to  combustible  material  on  the  north  bank.  But,  should  the 
stream  swell,  and  its  channel  widen,  the  flames  would  be  brought  nearer  to 
the  property  exposed  on  the  north  side.  Then  John  Eason  opened  his  mill 
race  to  its  fullest  capacity  and  emptied  from  the  tail-race  more  water  into 
Oil  Creek  far  below  the  fire  than  the  rains  had  added  to  the  stream  above. 
While  the  tanks  were  burning  at  the  top,  with  occasional  overflows,  which 
sent  sheets  of  flames  into  the  sky,  and  poured  down  the  hillside  rivers  of 
burning  oil,  sweeping  over  a  large  area  in  the  descent,  the  expedient  of  open- 
ing the  tanks  near  the  bottom  and  making  discharge  at  one  point  was  re- 
sorted to.  Battery  B,  of  the  National  Guard,  at  that  time  was  under  the 
command  of  Captain  David  Emer3^  who  had  in  his  armory  in  Titusville  sev- 
eral field  pieces.  Captain  Emery  gave  the  order  to  Lieutenant  Herron  to 
take  one  of  the  guns  of  the  battery  and  with  solid  shot  perforate  one  of  the 
burning  tanks  near  the  bottom.  Accordingly,  the  lieutenant  planted  a  can- 
non at  the  foot  of  Monroe  Street,  and  fired  several  shots,  producing  openings 
in  different  tanks  near  the  base,  making  new  streams  of  oil,  increasing  the 
conflagration,  but  lessening  its  duration.  The  writer,  who  was  an  eye-witness 
of  all  the  terrible  scene,  is  unable  to  produce  anything  like  an  adequate  descrip- 
tion of  it.  But  the  roar  of  angry  flames,  the  blazing  currents  of  oil,  the 
intense  heat,  the  noise  of  bursting  tanks  and  stills,  the  consternation  of  many 
people,  who  expected  that  the  city  itself  would  take  fire,  and  the  intense 
anxiety  which  every  one  felt,  cannot  be  forgotten.  The  patient  endurance 
and  heroic  nerve  of  the  firemen,  both  those  of  the  city  and  the  men  of  the 
departments  from  the  outside  towns,  who  generously  came  to  our  help,  will 
be  remembered.  Augustus  Castle,  chief  of  the  local  department,  and  his 
assistants  in  command  deserve  mention.  The  conduct  of  the  firemen  was  in 
all  respects  admirable.  On  Sunday  forenoon,  June  13,  the  danger  from  con- 
flagration was  over.  The  bridges  across  Oil  Creek  at  both  Perry  and  Frank- 
lin streets,  were  destroyed.  What  remained  of  the  Acme  and  Keystone  re- 
fineries, together  with  a  large  area  of  the  south  hillside  as  far  west  as  the 
woods,  presented  an  appearance  which  no  pen  could  properly  paint.  It  was 
desolation,  desolation.  The  aggregate  value  of  the  property  destroyed  was 
probably  less  than  a  million  of  dollars.  The  illumined  sky  over  Titusville  on 
Saturday  and  Sunday  night  was  seen  a  hundred  miles  away.  But  not  a 
single  human  life  was  lost,  nor  a  single  instance  of  severe  bodily  injury  re- 


452  OUR   COUN  lY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ported.  Another  calamity  was  to  visit  Titusville  twelve  years  later,  when 
many  inhabitants  of  the  city  met  a  tragic  death. 

Between  1880  and  1892  there  were  two  calamities,  which  ought  to  be 
noted.  The  first  was  the  fire  on  April  14,  1882,  which  destroyed  the  Parshall 
Block,  and  burned  the  Brunswick  Hotel.  The  sudden  closing  of  the  two 
largest  hotels  of  the  city  was  a  public  misfortune.  The  State  Medical  Society 
met  in  Titusville  in  May  following,  by  appointment  made  the  year  before. 
The  citizens  generously  opened  their  homes  to  the  distinguished  visitors. 
The  other  disaster  was  caused  by  a  flood  in  February,  1883,  which  cau.sed 
not  a  little  suffering  to  people  living  on  the  flats.  Two  young  men,  one  the 
son  of  Rexford  Pierce,  and  the  other  the  son  of  Ephraim  Robinson,  were 
standing  on  a  pier  of  the  Franklin  Street  bridge  when  it  was  swept  away  by 
a  heavy  wall  of  ice,  which  in  the  swollen  current  struck  it  with  resistless  force. 
They  were  thrown  into  the  stream  and  both  drowned.  A  lad  named  Barthol- 
omew was  thrown  into  the  stream  -at  the  same  time,  but  was  rescued.  The 
body  of  young  Robinson  was  found  soon  afterward  near  Oil  City.  But  the 
body  of  young  Pierce  was  not  recovered  until  some  time  later,  and  not  until 
all  hope  of  finding  it  had  been  abandoned.  It  had  been  carried  into  an  open 
field  in  the  city  limits,  where  it  lay  for  weeks  under  blocks  of  ice,  when  one 
day  Mr.  Pierce,  the  father  himself,  accidentally  came  upon  it,  and  immediately 
identified  it  as  the  body  of  his  boy.  The  last  disaster,  the  one  more  terrible 
than  all  the  rest,  will  now  be  described : 

The  calamity  of  1892,  which  visited  Titusville,  was  the  greatest  scourge 
experienced  by  any  community  in  the  United  States,  since  the  Johnstown 
flood  in  1890.  The  account  of  this  disaster  ought  to  embrace  some  descrip- 
tion of  the  topography  of  Oil  Creek  valley  above  Titusville.  The  watershed 
of  Oil  Creek  at  Titusville  has  the  shape  of  a  triangle,  with  one  of  its  angles 
on  the  stream,  where  it  is  crossed  by  the  city  boundary  on  the  west  side.  Oil 
Creek  nominally  takes  its  rise  in  Canadohta  Lake.  The  northwest  angle  of 
this  triangle  is  in  Bloomfield  Township.  The  northeast  angle  is  in  Sparta 
Township.  Most  of  the  territory  of  both  Sparta  and  Bloomfield  is  em- 
braced in  this  watershed,  as  is  also  the  greater  part  of  Athens,  Rome  and  Oil 
Creek  townships.  An  examination  of  the  map  shows  a  large  area  of  water- 
shed for  a  single  stream,  having  a  natural  channel  not  larger  than  that  of 
Oil  Creek.  Until  the  forests  were  cut  away  the  tributaries  of  Oil  Creek,  be- 
cause of  obstructions  of  fallen  timber,  were  comparatively  slow  in  draining 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS   PEOPLE.  453 

tlie  country  and  supplying  the  main  stream.  The  result  was  that  Oil  Creek 
in  the  early  days  was  much  slower  in  its  rising  floods,  and  longer  in  keeping 
its  volume  of  water,  than  at  the  present  time,  when  the  forests  have  largely  dis- 
appeared, swamps  have  been  cleared  and  drained  and  the  smaller  streams  re- 
lieved of  obstructing  debris.  Both  Canadohta  Lake  and  the  large  pond  of 
Spartansburg  hold  a  great  deal  of  water.  An  artificial  dam  across  the  outlet 
prevents  the  emptying  of  Canadohta  Lake  in  dry  weather.  An  artificial  dam, 
also  at  Spartansburg,  holds  a  large  body  of  water  in  a  mass.  High  hills  in 
several  places  of  this  watershed  cause,  when  the  rain  falls,  a  rapid  rise  of  the 
streams  in  their  vicinity.  The  destructi\-e  flood  which  occurred  here  on  the 
17th  of  ALarch,  1865,  was  the  result  of  the  sudden  melting  of  a  large  quantitv 
of  snow  which  had  fallen  during  the  previous  winter.  But  that  flood  ex- 
tended over  a  large  section  of  country  in  several  States.  Again,  in  March, 
1873,  there  was  a  high  flood  from  the  same  cause.  Late  in  the  fall  of  the  same 
year,  rains  caused  an  unusually  large  flood  at  Titusville.  The  water  over- 
flowed the  banks  of  Oil  Creek  in  the  upper  part  of  the  city,  and  sent  a  river 
down  I)}-  the  Gibbs  &  Sterrett  Manufacturing  Company's  works  on  South 
Monroe  Street.  The  flood  of  February,  1883,  was  caused  by  the  sudden  melt- 
ing of  snow. 

The  Great  Disaster. — The  flood  in  June.  1892.  was  the  greatest  by  far  that 
has  ever  happened  in  Oil  Creek.  In  1859,  on  the  night  of  the  4th  of  June 
Saturday-  night,  occurred  in  all  this  section  of  country  the  most  destructive 
frost  e\er  known  by  the  oldest  inhabitants.  Thirty-three  years  later  to  a  day 
■—on  the  same  day  of  the  month,  on  Saturday  nig'ht,  June  4,  1892,  the  greatest 
of  floods,  together  with  a  frightful  conflagration,  not  only  destroyed  at 
Titusville  a  great  amount  of  property,  but  a  large  number  of  human  lives. 
For  several  days  preceding  the  disaster,  there  had  been  in  Oil  Creek  valley,  a 
heavy  downpour  of  rain,  almost  -constantly.  By  Saturday  morning,  June  4, 
Oil  Creek  had  risen  to  the  top  of  its  banks.  All  its  tributary  streams,  all  the 
swamps  and  all  the  soil  of  the  watershed  were  full  of  water.  Oil  Creek  rose 
constantly  on  Saturday.  At  about  noon  it  began  to  rain  in  steady  torrents, 
which  continued  the  rest  of  the  day  and  greater  part  of  the  following  night. 
At  nightfall,  streams  of  water  v.'ere  running  in  many  of  the  streets  in  places 
where  the  ground  was  low.  This  had  been  experienced  before,  when  no  ser- 
ious results  followed.  The  inhabitants  in  those  districts  were  by  no  means 
easy  in  their  feelings,  but  they  hoped  for  the  best,  and  made  no  preparation 


454  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

for  an  escape  from  a  sudden  deluge.  But  the  dam  at  Spartansburg  gave  way, 
and  the  mighty  waters,  as  if  angry  because  of  their  past  imprisonment,  rushed 
forward  in  fury,  to  take  revenge.  They  bore  down  and  swept  away  all  op- 
posing forces,  and  hurried  on  to  reinforce  the  over-swollen  current  of  Oil 
Creek.  The  united  waters  then  rapidly  rushed  onward  to  ingulf  Titusville, 
and  they  did  overwhelm  all  the  lower  parts  of  the  city.  At  three  o'clock  on 
Sunday  morning  Oil  Creek  had  taken  possession  of  all  the  flats  in  the  west 
end  of  town.  All  the  space  on  Monroe  Street,  as  far  north  as  the  third  door 
of  the  Hobart  Building,  all  Perry  Street,  as  far  north  as  the  Carter  tene- 
ment houses,  all  Washington  Street  as  far  north  as  Spring  Street,  all  Frank- 
lin, to  the  north  side  of  Eason's  Mills,  and  up  Martin  to  the  north  side  of 
Edwards'  coal  yards.  On  the  south  side,  the  water  ran  to  the  same  level,  so 
that  one  standing  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Spring  at  four  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  could  look  across  a  river,  the  other  side  of  which  was  the  lower 
parts  of  the  old  Acme  Refinery  Yard. 

But  before  this  the  water  had  gone  into  buried  tanks  of  Rice  &  Robin- 
son's Refinery,  lifted  out  the  contents  of  oil  and  benzine,  and  sent  them  upon 
the  surface  of  the  water  down  stream.  They  rode  in  safety  until  they  reached 
Schwartz  Refinery,  below  town.  There  they  ignited  and  an  explosion  fol- 
lowed. Tanks  and  stills  at  that  refinery  were  blown  into  fragments.  This 
was  only  the  beginning  of  the  fire's  destructive  work.  The  streams  of  oil 
and  benzine,  borne  downward  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  carried  the  flames 
back  to  the  International,  the  Rice  &  Robinson,  and  the  Oil  Creek  refineries. 
Then  followed  terrific  explosions  of  stills  and  tanks.  More  oil  was  let  loose, 
and  in  a  short  time  from  the  Oil  Creek  Refinery  down  the  surface  of  this 
river  of  rushing  water,  was  a  sheet  of  flames.  Large  and  small  buildings 
were  burned  to  the  water's  edge.  The  long  freight  station  of  the  W.  N.  Y.  & 
P.  Railroad,  with  its  contents,  was  consumed.  All  the  buildings  of  the  Rice  & 
Robinson  and  the  International  Works  were  destroyed.  A  large  number  of 
wooden  residences  were  burned.  The  passenger  station  of  the  W.  N.  Y.  & 
P.  R.  R.,  built  of  brick,  and  its  wooden  platforms  under  water  were  left,  but 
the  row  of  wooden  buildings  opposite,  including  two  hotels  and  the  works  of 
the  Union  Furniture  Company,  and  all  the  wooden  buildings  in  the  vicinity, 
were  destroyed.  Piles  of  lumber  near  the  water's  edge  were  burned.  The 
machinery  of  the  Holly  Water  Works  was  submerged  by  the  flood  and  ren- 
dered helpless.     The  city  had  two  steamers,  but  neither  of  them  had  been 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  455 

brought  into  use  for  extinguishing  fires  for  several  3'ears.  There  were  so 
many  hydrants  in  direct  connection  with  the  water  works  to  which  hose 
could  be  attached  that  it  had  not  been  necessary  to  bring  them  into  service. 
One  of  them  was  out  of  repair,  and  wholly  unfit  for  service,  and  the  other 
in  not  much  better  condition.  It  could  not  have  thrown  a  stream  of  water 
an  inch  in  diameter,  thirty  feet  vertically  into  the  air.  The  city  had  long 
before  sold  all  its  early  hand  engines,  and  one  of  the  three  original  steamers. 
In  such  a  helpless  condition  did  the  community  find  itself  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing on  the  5th  of  June.  A  large  company  of  citizens  had  gone  Saturday 
morning  to  Canadohta  Lake  to  spend  the  day  there.  They  spent  not  only 
Saturday,  but  all  Saturday  night,  and  most  of  them  all  day  Sunday  and 
Sunday  night,  water-bound  by  the  floods  that  had  carried  away  paits  of  the 
railroad  track. 

All  the  western  part  of  the  city,  as  perhaps  nearly  all  the  eastern  part, 
was  saved  from  conflagration  by  the  very  agent  that  had  occasioned  the 
disaster.  When  the  oil  fire  of  1880  occurred  on  the  south  side,  the  natural 
current  of  the  wind  was  from  the  nortlawest.  A  large  fire  always  creates  a 
current  of  the  atmosphere,  which  takes  the  direction  of  the  natural  current, 
that  is.  the  direction  of  the  wind  at  the  time.  In  1880  the  city  was  saved 
by  the  direction  in  which  the  wind  was  then  blowing.  But  on  the  morning  of 
the  5th  of  June.  1892.  the  wind  blew  from  the  southeast.  Intense  heat  in- 
creased the  current  from  that  direction.  The  roofs  of  the  buildings  in  the 
western  part  of  the  town  were  deluged  with  bits  of  smoking  shingles  from 
the  burning  buildings  in  the  flood.  But  all  the  wooden  roofs  in  the  town 
were  drenched  and  saturated  with  the  downpour  on  Saturday  and  Saturday 
night.  The  house-yards  and  the  sidewalks  were  also  covered  by  the  pieces 
of  charred  wood,  some  of  it  still  burning,  which  came  in  showers.  But  the 
deep  moisture  everywhere  present  quickly  extinguished  every  spark  of  fire 
contained  in  the  flying  missiles.  The  saddest  part  of  the  narrative  remains 
to  be  related. 

Early  in  the  morning  after  daylight  word  was  passed  that  lives  had 
been  lost  in  the  night,  but  at  first  nothing  definite  could  be  learned.  People 
were  pressed  by  a  dread  of  fire  on  the  north  side,  and  in  their  anxiety  they 
devoted  their  attention  to  the  progress  of  the  fire  on  the  roaring  flood.  The 
people  on  the  north  side  soon  came  to  know  that  they  were  powerless  to  resist 
a  fire  of  much  dimensions.     The  single  steamer,  even  if  capable  of  effective 


456  OUR  COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

service,  could  have  availed  little,  if  several  points  in  the  upper  part  of  the  town 
had  been  attacked  simultaneously  by  the  flames.  At  the  Rice  &  Robinson 
Refinery  were  two  iron  tanks,  thought  to  contain  gasoline.  Should  these 
tanks  explode,  they  were  so  near  to  piles  of  hemlock  bark  belonging  to  the 
tannery,  that  they  would  inevitably  set  fire  to  the  bark,  and  then  nothing 
could  prevent  a  conflagration  which  would  consume  all  the  vast  piles  of  bark, 
the  tannery  itself  and  all  the  western  part  of  the  city.  The  anxiety  of  the 
crowds  watching  those  tanks  became  intense.  Finally  it  was  believed  that  the 
tanks  would  escape.  Then  people  began  to  investigate  reports  concerning  the 
loss  of  lives,  and  it  soon  became  known  that  several  had  perished.  Heroic 
work  had  been  done  during  the  night  and  the  next  morning  in  rescuing  peo- 
ple, confined  in  buildings  which  were  exposed  to  the  flames.  One  expert 
boatman  had  saved  the  lives  of  several  persons.  After  a  time  dead  bodies  were 
discovered,  and  two  undertakers'  establishments  were  converted  into  morgues. 
A  meeting  of  citizens  was  held  at  the  City  Hall  at  12  o'clock  on  Sunday, 
and  a  Relief  Committee  started.  Roger  Sherman  was  made  the  chairman  of 
the  committee.  Joseph  Seep  and  John  L.  McKinney  each  subscribed  $500; 
other  subscriptions  were  rapidly  added.  Special  committees  were  appointed 
to  provide  for  the  immediate  wants  of  those  in  distress.  Some  persons  had 
escaped  from  houses  to  save  their  lives,  and  they  were  without  shelter  and 
food ;  many  had  lost  everything  and  they  were  absolutely  homeless.  Rouse's 
Armory  was  opened  as  one  of  the  asylums  for  the  destitute  and  hungry, 
citizens  brought  out  their  stores  and  their  treasures.  The  City  Hall  became 
a  bee-hive  of  industry  in  receiving,  assorting  and  delivering,  by  systematic 
arrangement,  supplies  with  promptness  and  without  unnecessary  delay,  so 
that  physical  suffering  was  temporarily  at  an  end.  The  number  of  dead 
bodies  brought  to  the  temporary  morgue  rapidly  increased.  Some  of  the 
dead  persons  had  been  drowned,  others  burned.  It  is  possible  that  some 
persons  died  from  drowning  and  their  bodies  had  afterward  been  burned. 
In  one  house  nine  bodies  were  found  burned  beyond  the  possibility  of  recog- 
nition. The  nine  human  beings  who  thus  perished  in  that  building  were 
identified  by  the  fact  that  the  family  and  the  house  were  well  known.  It 
was  also  known  that  most  of  the  family  were  in  their  house  at  a  late  hour 
the  night  before.  The  father  and  one  of  the  daughters  were  absent  from 
the  town.  The  mother  and  seven  of  her  children,  together  with  a  ninth  per- 
son, perished.     The  father  and  the  daughter,  who  escaped,   were  the  only 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  457 

members  of  the  family  ever  afterward  seen  alive.  More  than  sixty  bodies 
of  persons,  who  lost  their  lives  in  that  catastrophe  in  the  fire  or  by  drown- 
ing, were  recovered  and  buried  at  Titusville.  The  deaths  of  all  were  satis- 
factorily traced,  so  that  identity  was  practically  established. 

The  citizens  of  Titusville  had    in    several    instances    contributed  liber- 
ally to  other  communities  in  distress.     And  now,  when  their  town  was  in 
deep  affliction,  they  thought  it  would  be  proper  to  give  notice  through  the 
Associated  Press  that  contributions  from  outside  to  the  relief  committee  for 
the  benefit  of  the  sufferers  would  be  thankfully  received.     But  before  this 
announcement   many  generous   people   telegraphed   the   relief   committee   to 
draw  upon  them   for  amounts  respectively  stated.     Governor  Pattison,  ac- 
companied by  Mr.   Rudolph  Blankenburg,   representing  a   relief  society  of 
Philadelphia,  arid  another  citizen  of  Philadelphia,  representing  the  Red  Cross 
Society,  reached  Titus\ille  on  Tuesda)'  afternoon,  June  7th.     ]\Ir.  Blanken- 
burg raised  the  question  as  to  whether  the  relief  fund  should  be  given  di- 
rectly and  exclusively  to  the  sufferers,  or  whether  a  part  of  the  fund  should 
be  set  apart  for  aiding  the  proprietors  of  industries,  whose  works  had  been 
destroyed  by  fire  or  flood,  and  their  hands  thus  thrown  out  of  employment, 
to  rebuild  and  renew  their  lost  business.     For  the  sake  of  correct  history, 
the  writer,  who  was  present  at  the  interview  with  Mr.  Blankenburg  referred 
to,  certifies  to  the  conversation  herewith  reported.     To  the  inquiries  made 
by  Mr.  Blankenburg.  representatives  of  the  Titusville  Relief  Committee  re- 
plied that  contributions  to  this  fund  would  be  understood  to  have  been  made 
in  all  cases  solely  for  the  ultimate  benefit  of  the  sufferers,  that  a  part  of  the 
fund  wottld  be  applied  at  first  for  the  direct  relief  of  sufferers,  without  par- 
tiality, and  according  to  apparent  needs ;   but  it  might  appear  that  not  a  few 
of  the  sufferers   could  receive  substantial  help  by  restoring  the  industries 
of  their  former  employers,  so  as  to  renew  to  them  the  situations  which  they 
had  lost  by  the  calamity,  and  with  that  view  of  the  subject  the  committee 
would  distribute  the  relief  fund  in  such  a  manner  as,  according  to  the  con- 
sensus of  judgment  of  the  members,  the  greatest  good  to  the  sufferers  could 
be  accomplished.     Upon  this  answer  to  his  questions,  Mr.  Blankenburg  exe- 
cuted a  draft  ui^on  his  society  for  $5,000,  and  presented  it  to  the  committee. 
The  committee  received  a  large  amount  of  money,  and  distributed  a 
large  amount.     It  is  believed  that  they  aimed  to  discharge  their  trust  im- 
partially and  with  conscientious  fidelity.     They  received  no  pecuniary  com- 


4S8  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

pensation  for  their  services,  which  were  of  a  highly  responsible  character, 
and  which  involved  duties  that  were  tedious,  wearisome  and  often  exceed- 
ingly disagreeable. 

In  closing  the  narrative  of  the  great  calamity  of  1892,  the  writer 
thinks  it  is  due  to  history  to  give  an  account  of  the  kind  of  return  which  a 
powerful  community  made  for  a  kindness  rendered  to  it  when  in  distress 
years  ago.  On  Sunday,  October  8,  1871.  the  city  of  Chicago  was  visited  by 
a  most  destructive  fire,  which  lasted  until  the  next  day.  By  this  disaster 
many  thousands  of  people  were  suddenly  turned  out  of  comfortable  homes 
into  blackened  streets,  stripped  of  their  possessions  and  destitute  of  the 
necessities  of  life.  The  Mayor  of  Chicago  on  Monday  telegraphed  to  the 
country  a  cry  of  distress,  and  Titusville  was  among  the  first  to  hear  the 
cry.  On  the  night  following  the  appeal  from  Chicago  for  help,  a  meeting 
was  held  at  the  Titusville  Oil  Exchange  to  take  action  upon  the  subject,  when 
William  H.  Abbott  wrote  his  name  at  the  head  of  the  subscription  for  $1,000, 
for  the  relief  of  the  Chicago  sufferers.  He  was  immediately  followed  by 
A.  H.  Bronson,  who  subscribed  the  same  amount.  Jonathan  Watson  sub- 
scribed the  same  amount.  Four  banks,  the  Citizens',  the  Savings,  the  Sec- 
ond National  and  the  Producers'  and  Manufacturers',  each  subscribed  $1,000. 
F.  W.  Ames  and  C.  H.  Ames  together  subscril>ed  $1,000.  Others  subscribed 
each  $500  and  less.  Tlie  total  cash  contributions  amounted  to  $12,400.  We 
had  at  that  tirriie  several  wholesale  groceries  in  Titusville.  The  next  morn- 
ing two  box  cars  were  loaded  with  smoked  and  dried  meats,  with  flour, 
butter  and  other  kinds  of  wholesome  food ;  with  clothing,  bedding,  boots 
and  shoes,  etc.  With  $12,400  in  money,  Mr.  Abbott,  on  Tuesday,  having 
secured  an  order  from  the  managers  of  the  A.  &  G.  W.  Railroad,  as  well 
as  an  order  from  the  superintendent  of  the  Oil  Creek  Road,  to  attach  the 
two  supply  cars  to  the  first  passenger  train,  took  the  noon  train  for  Corry, 
accompanied  by  the  two  box  cars.  At  Corry  the  two  cars  were  hitched  to 
train  No.  3  on  the  A.  &  G.  W.,  and  on  Wednesday,  the  day  following  Octo- 
ber nth,  within  fifty  hours  after  the  Mayor's  appeal,  Mr.  Abbott  was  in 
Chicago  with  the  two  cars  of  supplies  and  $12,400  in  money.  He  at  once 
paid  $1,000,  as  by  order  of  its  contributors,  to  a  particular  sufferer  designated 
by  them.  The  supplies  he  turned  over  to  the  authorities,  and  the  $11,400 
in  money  he  gave  to  George  M.  Pullman,  Treasurer  of  the  Aid  and  Relief 
Society.     This  occurred  nearly  twenty-one  years  before  the  great  calamity 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  459 

in  Titusville.  ^A"hen  Titusville  made  this  gift,  her  poptilation  was  about 
10,000.  Estimating  the  value  of  the  contents  of  the  two  box  cars  a,t  $2,600, 
the  gift  amounted  to  $15,000,  or  $1.50  for  each  soul  in  Titusville.  And 
now,  when  she  was  battered  and  bleeding,  when  her  buildings  lay  in  ashes, 
when  her  streets  were  gashed  and  gullied  by  an  angry  flood,  when  the  town 
was  filled  with  mourners,  when  many  of  her  industries  were  nearly — some  of 
them  utterly — ruined,  when  the  town  was  a  picture  of  desolation,  it  was 
thought  that  Chicago  needed  only  to  be  reminded  that  a  community,  which 
in  her  memorable  distress  in  1871  had  been  among  the  first  to  come  to  her 
help,  was  now  a  bruised  reed,  when  she  would  hasten  to  open  her  stores  of 
wealth  and  in  a  fitting  manner  requite  the  people  who  had  been  her  prompt 
benefactors.  Chicago  was  reminded  of  Titusville's  misfortune,  of  the  dona- 
tion made  to  her  by  Titusville  in  her  great  affliction,  and  what  was  her 
response?     Let  the  history  of  Chicago's  gratitude  be  published. 

In  company  with  ]\Ir.  John  L.  ]\IcKinney  and  Air.  John  Fertig,  two 
prominent  citizens  of  Titusville,  the  writer  arrived  in  Chicago  early  Sunday 
morning,  June  19,  1892,  two  weeks  after  the  disaster  in  Titusville.  Mr. 
2\IcKinney  and  Mr.  Fertig  were  delegates  from  Pennsylvania  to  the  Demo- 
cratic National  Convention,  which  was  to  assemble  at  Chicago  on  the  21st 
following.  After  arri\ing  in  Chicago,  the  writer  was  informed  that  Mr. 
Lyman  J.  Gage,  cashier  of  the  Chicago  First  National  Bank,  now  the  dis- 
tinguished Secretary  of  the  United  States  Treasury,  had  published  a  notice 
in  some  of  the  Chicago  papers  tliat  he  would  receive  and  transmit  any 
donations  in  money  for  the  relief  of  recent  sufferers  at  Titusville,  Pennsyl- 
vania. Accordingl}-  the  writer  early  on  Monday  forenoon  called  upon  Mr. 
Gage  at  the  bank  and  stated  the  object  of  his  visit,  which  was  to  learn  what 
had  been  done,  and  what  probabh'  could  be  done,  in  procuring  contributions 
for  the  distressed  people  of  Titusville.  Mr.  Gage  said  that  his  attention 
had  been  called  to  the  subject  by  I\Ir.  Eben  Brewer,  who  lately  died  in  Cuba, 
at  the  head  of  the  postal  service  established  in  that  island  by  President  Mc- 
Kinley.  Mr.  Brewer  was  a  former  Titusville  boy,  and,  learning  of  the 
calamity  here,  he  had  interested  himself  in  behalf  of  his  old  home.  Mr. 
Gage  said  he  had  already  received  contributions  amounting  to  a  little  over 
$300.  He  inquired  as  to  whom  he  should  remit  the  money  entrusted  to  him 
for  the  purpose  named,  and  was  informed  that  Mr.  Roger  Sherman  was 
chairman  of  the  local   relief  committee.     Mr.  Gage  did  remit  afterward — 


46o  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

tardily,  it  must  be  confessed — this  sum,  a  little  over  $300,  to  Mr.  Sherman. 
Mr.  Gage  was  informed  by  the  writer  of  what  Titusville  in  October,  1871, 
had  done  for  Chicago,  and  acquainted  with  the  facts  as  to  the  late  terrible 
calamity  at  Titusville.  Mr.  Gage  did  not  seem  much  interested  in  the  story. 
He  was  informed  that  two  representatives  of  Titusville,  McKinney  and 
Fertig,  were  then  in  the  city,  who,  should  he  desire  it,  would  call  upon  him 
and  verify  the  statements  already  made.  But  he  did  not  invite  further  inter- 
view, and  the  conference  ended. 

But  on  Thursday  following,  during  a  recess  of  the  convention,  the 
writer  accompanied  Fertig  and  McKinney  in  a  call  upon  Mayor  Washburne, 
in  his  office  at  the  City  Hall.  The  object  of  the  visit  was  stated  to  the 
Mayor,  to  whom  the  story  of  what  Titusville  had  done  for  Chicago,  as  nar- 
rated above,  was  related,  together  with  the  statement  that  Titusville  had 
generally  contributed  liberally  to  other  communities  in  distress,  notably  to 
the  Johnstown  sufferers.  Mayor  Washburne  received  his  visitors  very 
kindly,  and  excused  the  seeming  tardiness  of  Chicago  in  this  case,  by  saying 
that  the  convention  then  in  session  there,  together  with  some  other  important 
matters,  had  absorbed  the  attention  of  the  community,  but  that  as  soon  as 
the  convention  should  be  over,  a  public  meeting  of  the  leading  citizens  would 
be  called  for  the  special  purpose  of  raising  funds  for  Titusville's  relief,  and 
when  this  should  be  done  he  thought  the  people  of  Titusville  would  have  no 
cause  for  complaint.  So  far  as  is  known,  no  such  meeting  was  ever  held. 
The  memory  of  Mayor  Washburne  was  jogged  more  than  once  upon  the 
subject,  but  no  word  ever  came  from  him.  Mr.  Abbott,  who  had  delivered 
in  October,  1871,  to  Treasurer  Pullman  $11,400  for  the  Chicago  sufferers, 
wrote  later  in  June,  1892,  to  the  distinguished  capitalist,  acquainting  him  of 
the  distress  here  and  referring  to  the  matter  of  Titusville's  gift  over  twenty 
years  before.  PuUman  remembered  the  circumstance,  and  he  replied  that 
he  was  about  to  leave  the  city  for  a  short  time,  but  he  would  see  that  a  meet- 
ing of  influential  citizens  be  held  in  his  absence,  when  action  would  be  taken 
to  send  Titusville  a  liberal  contribution.  Subsequently  Mr.  Pullman  wrote 
to  Mr.  Abbott,  expressing  regret  that  nothing  had  been  done;  but  he  in- 
closed his  individual  check  for  $500.  This  sum,  together  with  Gage's  re- 
mittance, a  little  over  $800  in  all,  was  the  total  of  Chicago's  return  for  the 
donation  of  $15,000  made  to  her  by  Titusville  in  1871.  Titusville  then 
gave  for  each  of  her  inhabitants  a  dollar  and  a  half  to  Chicago.     In  re- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  461 

turn,  in   1892,  Chicago  gave  for  each  of  her  inhabitants  two-thirds  of  one 
cent  to  Titusville. 

Mr.  Abbott,  in  November.  1871.  sent  $1,500  and  a  carload  of  supplies 
to  sufferers  from  a  fire  in  Wisconsin.  How  many  communities  have  a 
better  record  for  generositj'  than  Titusville?  How  many  communities  have 
among  their  leading  members  a  William  H.  Abbott? 

DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  AMERICAN   REVOLUTION. 

A  chapter  of  this  order  was  organized  in  Titusville  in  November,  1898, 
of  which  Airs.  Roger  Sherman  had  been  appointed  Regent  by  the  National 
Societv  at  \\'ashington.  District  of  Columbia.  This  branch  will  be  known  as 
the  Seneca  Chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  located  at 
Titusville,  Pennsylvania.  The  officers  are  Mrs.  Alma  Seymour  Sherman, 
Regent :  ]\Irs.  [Nlary  A.  Chase  Fletcher.  Vice-Regent ;  Miss  Helen  Patterson, 
Secretary;  Mrs.  Jeanette  Chase  Martin,  Treasurer;  Mrs.  Annette  Farwell 
Grumbine.  Registrar;  Mrs.  Caroline  Knowland  Hyde,  Historian.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  Local  Board  are  Mrs.  Mary  Celia  Thompson.  Mrs.  Lillian  Ellis 
Emerson  and  Miss  Anna  Farwell. 

ELEEMOSYNARY   WORK. 

On  January  29,  1885.  sixteen  women  met  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Roger 
Sherman,  in  Titusville,  to  take  into  consideration  the  subject  of  local  charity 
work.  Propositions  as  to  plans  and  methods  for  systematic  labor  in  caring 
for  destitute  or  needy  people  in  the  city  were  discussed  at  length.  Previous 
to  this  movement  efforts  to  relie\-e  persons  in  want  had  been  made  by  those 
charitably  inclined,  and  appeals  for  contributions  had  been  generously  re- 
sponded to  by  citizens  of  means.  But  the  work  had  been  irregular  and  with- 
out method.  To  secure  greater  good  in  charitable  endeavor,  it  was  decided  to 
adopt  a  more  definite  and  a  practical  system  of  distributing  alms,  so  that 
none  of  the  destitute  be  overlooked.  Accordingly  a  society  was  organized, 
whose  object  was  expressed  in  the  preamble  of  the  constitution  adopted: 
"To  lend  a  helping  hand  to  those  who  may  be  suffering  from  temporary  desti- 
tution, sickness  or  lack  of  employment."  From  that  declaration  of  purpose  the 
organization  took  the  name  of  "The  Helping  Hand  Society,"  and  by  this 
name  the  association  was  thenceforth  known,  until  September  6,  1892,  when 
it  was  formallv  united  with  the  Ladies'  Auxiliary  Relief,  organized  imme- 


462  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

diately  after  the  flood  and  fire  in  June,  1892.  The  two  were  merged  into  one 
organization,  which  lias  since  been  known  as  the  "Helping  Hand  Relief  So- 
ciety." In  April,  1892,  before  the  change  in  name  had  been  made,  a  new 
branch  of  work  was  undertaken  by  the  society.  This  was  to  furnish  means 
to  defray  the  expenses  of  inebriates  in  freeing  themselves  from  the  appetite 
for  alcohol,  by  taking  the  so-called  gold  cure  remedy.  A  special  fund,  dis- 
tinctly raised  for  that  purpose,  was  contributed  by  citizens.  From  this  fund 
the  expenses  of  seventeen  persons,  unable  to  pay  the  expense  of  the  treat- 
ment, were  met  at  the  different  institutions  to  which  they  were  sent,  and  their 
families  cared  for  in  their  absence.  It  ought  to  be  said  that  the  results  as  a 
whole  from  this  undertaking  were  largely  beneficial.  Without  assuming 
advocacy  of  the  gold  cure  system,  or  in  any  manner  discussing  its  merits, 
it  is  due  to  the  truth  to  say  that  several  of  the  seventeen  sent  by  the  Titusville 
society  to  the  several  so-called  gold  cures  for  treatment,  have  since  lived 
strictly  sober  lives. 

While  many  Titusville  women  are  deserving  of  honorable  mention  for 
their  unselfish  work  under  the  auspices  of  the  Helping  Hand  Relief  Society, 
the  name  of  the  late  Mrs.  Kate  P.  Bryan  is  especially  entitled  to  recognition 
for  her  devotion  to  her  duties  during  the  eight  years  when  she  was  President 
of  the  organization. 

The  present  officers  of  the  society  are :  Mrs.  Samuel  Grumbine,  Pres- 
ident; Vice-President,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Hall;  Secretary,  Mrs.  Bruce  R.  Tem- 
ple; Treasurer,  Mrs.  Daniel  Colestock;  Finance  Committee,  Mrs.  J.  G.  Ben- 
ton and  Mrs.  Roger  Sherman. 

The  High  School  Helping  Hand  is  a  chartered  society.  The  object 
of  the  organization  is  to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  worthy  poor,  and  at  the 
same  time  give  young  people  a  training  in  charitable  work.  The  President 
of  the  society  is  Miss  L.  M.  Wilson,  principal  emeritus  of  the  high  school. 
Teachers  and  students  work  together-  The  ward  schools  contribute  money 
and  provisions  at  Thanksgivings,  and  at  other  times  when  circumstances  jus- 
tify a  call  upon  them  for  help.  The  society  has  purchased  a  house,  154  West 
Elm  Street,  for  which  payment  is  made  in  installments.  When  paid  for  the 
property  will  belong  to  the  High  School  Helping  Hand,  and  the  income  from 
rent  will  be  devoted  to  charity.  On  last  Thanksgiving  one  hundred  dinners 
were  distributed  among  poor  people  in  the  city.     When  Miss  Henrietta  G. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  463 

Metcalf  was  a  teacher  in  the  high  school  she  rendered  invaluable  service  to 
the  work  of  the  society. 

Tlie  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Pennsylvania  had  its  origin  in  Philadel- 
phia in  1882.  In  1889  the  work  had  grown  to  so  large  proportions  that  it 
became  expedient  to  divide  the  society  into  two  parts,  the  eastern  division  to 
have  its  headquarters  at  Philadelphia,  and  the  western  its  headquarters  at 
Pittsburg.  The  western  division  embraces  at  present  twenty-seven  coun- 
ties, ill  each  of  which  is  a  branch  organization.  Each  branch  sends  a  dele- 
gate to  the  meetings  of  the  executive  board,  which  assembles  in  Pittsburg 
once  every  month.  The  women  of  Titusville  took  an  early  interest  in  the 
society,  so  that  the  State  society  established  the  Crawford  County  branch  at 
Titusville.  An  auxiliary  of  the  Titusville  branch  has  been  located  at  Mead- 
ville.  This  auxiliary  is  making  an  excellent  record  for  itself  in  charitable 
work.  The  Crawford  County  society  was  organized  at  Titusville  twelve 
years  ago,  and  during  the  twelve  years  it  has  cared  for  one  hundred  and  ten 
children,  placing  many  of  them  in  good  Christian  homes,  where  they  are  re- 
ceiving careful  training  and  a  good  education.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
western  division  in  Uniontown  the  Crawford  County  society  was  honored 
by  the  choice  of  one  of  its  members,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Neill,  of  Titusville,  for  Pres- 
ident of  the  Western  Pennsylvania  Children's  Aid  Society. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Children's  Aid  Society  of  Crawford  County 
are :  President,  Mrs.  Roger  Sherman ;  Vice-Presidents,  Mrs.  J.  G.  Benton 
and  Mrs.  J.  A.  Neill;  Recording  Secretary,  Mrs.  F.  P.  Brown;  Correspond- 
ing Secretary,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Barr ;  Treasurer,  Mrs.  B.  F.  Kraffert. 

EARLY  AND  LATER  BUSINESS  MEN. 

Among  the  early  business  firms  established  at  Titusville  was  that  of 
Brewer,  Gilchrist,  Allen  &  Co.,  founded  in  1840.  This  was  a  lumbering 
company,  that  bought  timber  lands,  built  and  operated  sawmills,  manufac- 
tured lumber  and  shipped  down  Oil  Creek,  down  the  Allegheny  River  and 
thence  down  the  Ohio  to  market.  The  company  kept  a  merchandise  store 
for  the  supply  of  their  employees  and  families,  and  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  community.  Their  store  of  goods  was  first  on  Watson's  Flats,  near  one 
of  their  sawmills.  The  late  Rexford  Pierce  was  a  member  of  the  company, 
and  he  continued  a  member  for  many  years.  After  a  time  Gilchrist  sold 
his  interest  to  the  other  partners  and  retired  from  the  firm,  when  the  com- 


464  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

pany  took  the  name  of  Brewer,  Allen  &  Co.  In  the  winter  of  1845-6  Jon- 
athan Watson  came  to  Titusville  and  purchased  Allen's  interest  in  the  last 
mentioned  lumber  firm,  which  then  took  the  name  of  Brewer,  Watson  & 
Co.,  Rexford  Pierce  continuing  a  member  of  the  company  until  its  dissolu- 
tion years  afterward.  The  senior  member  of  the  firm  was  Ebenezer  Brewer, 
the  son  of  Ebenezer  Brewer,  the  father  of  the  late  Dr.  F.  B.  Brewer,  and  the 
grandfather  of  the  late  Eben  Brewer,  already  referred  to  in  these  pages. 
D.  D.  Allen,  whose  interest  in  the  company  Mr.  Watson  purchased,  was  the 
father  of  the  late  John  M.  Allen,  this  city,  and  the  grandfather  of  Mr.  Eugene 
Mackey,  member  of  the  present  law  firm  of  Byles  &  Mackey.  Some  time 
after  ]\Ir.  Watson  joined  the  company,  its  store  and  principal  business  ofiBce 
were  moved  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Spring  and  Franklin  streets.  It  was 
subsequently  moved  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Pine  and  Franklin,  where 
now  is  Clark's  grocery  house.  In  time  Brewer,  Watson  &  Co.  sold  their 
entire  business  to  N.  Kingsland  &  Co.  This  firm  was  succeeded  by  F.  W. 
Ames  &  Co.  For  a  time  the  name  of  the  firm  was  C.  H.  Ames  &  Co.,  but 
F.  ^^^  Ames  &  Co.  soon  resumed  possession  and  direction  of  the  company's 
affairs. 

Some  time  in  the  early  fifties  R.  D.  Fletcher,  a  nephew  of  Jonathan 
Watson,  came  originally  from  Vermont  to  Titusville,  and  entered  as  clerk 
into  the  employ  of  Brewer,  Watson  &  Co.  But  in  1855  he  opened  a  store  of 
his  own  of  general  merchandise,  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Spring  and 
Franklin  streets.  After  about  two  years  he  purchased  the  ground  where  his 
brick  block  now  stands,  and  erected  upon  it  a  two-story  wooden  building, 
into  which  he  moved  his  store.  He  next  rented  the  wooden  building,  and 
moved  his  store  to  the  lower  floor  of  Crittenden  Hall.  The  wooden  building 
was  burned  in  the  winter  of  1863-4.  In  the  summer  and  fall  of  1864  he 
erected  the  four-story  brick  edifice,  known  as  the  Fletcher  Block,  on  the  east 
side  of  Franklin,  between  Central  Avenue  and  Spring  Street.  The  building 
was  finished  and  ready  for  use  in  the  spring  of  1865,  when  Mr.  Fletcher 
opened  the  dry  goods  house  which  has  continued  under  his  proprietorship 
and  management  for  over  thirty-three  years. 

R.  D.  Fletcher  has  been  a  merchant  in  Titusville  continuously  for  more 
than  forty-three  years.  It  will  not  do  to  stop  here.  Mr.  Fletcher  has  during 
all  these  years  been  one  of  Titusville's  most  useful  and  m.ost  public  spirited 
citizens.     He  was  the  first  City  Auditor,  holding  the  office  two  successive 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  465 

terms  of  three  j-ears  each,  from  1871  to  1877,  and  he  has  held  several  other 
important  municipal  offices,  in  all  cases  giving  to  his  official  duties  the  most 
thorough  and  practical  business  talent.  We  are  not  permitted  to  stop  here. 
The  world  owes  a  great  debt  to  R.  D.  Fletcher  and  Peter  Wilson  for  theit 
timely  assistance  to  Edwin  L.  Drake,  when  the  poor  man  had  been  deserted 
by  his  backers  in  the  East.  j\Ir.  Fletcher  not  only,  with  \\^ilson,  endorsed 
Drake's  paper,  but  he  gave  him  a  large  credit  at  his  store.  A  near  friend  of 
Mr.  Fletcher  who  had  just  returned  from  a  trip  to  Meadville,  came  into  the 
store  one  day,  and  calling  jNIr.  Fletcher  aside,  said :  "Why,  Dan,  I  was  sur- 
prised yesterday  to  see  at  Meadville  your  name  on  Drake's  paper  for  several 
hundred  dollars.  A\'hy,  Drake  is  crazy,  and  you  will  have  every  dollar  of  the 
note  to  pay.  Drake  hasn't  a  cent  in  the  world."  All  the  same,  Mr.  Fletcher 
re-endorsed  Drake's  note,  and  he  continued  to  give  Drake  credit  at  the  store. 
It  was  the  only  store  in  the  place  at  which  Drake  could  have  got  credit  for 
a  pound  of  coffee.  After  Drake's  triumph  in  finding  oil  in  August,  1859, 
he  still  was  weighed  down  by  debts.  He  gradually  canceled  all,  but  the  last 
debt  which  he  paid  was  the  final  installment  to  Mr.  Fletcher  in  1863,  four 
years  after  his  discovery. 

J.  B.  Olmsted  has  been  a  merchant  in  Titusville  for  a  generation.  Another 
citizen  who  has  been  in  mercantile  trade  at  Titusville  for  a  generation  is  Jacob 
Ullman.  E.  K.  Thompson  has  been  a  druggist  in  Titus\-ille  about  thirty 
years.  John  Lammers  is  another  old  Titusville  merchant.  S.  Stettheimer, 
Julius  ^^'eill  and  Davis,  the  clothier,  have  long  been  in  trade  here.  The 
present  four  drug  stores  are  all  a  credit  to  the  city.  Junius  Harris  has  been 
engaged  in  the  construction  and  leasing  of  tenement  houses,  and  other  build- 
ings in  the  town,  for  more  than  thirty  years.  The  Westheimer  Brothers 
have  for  many  years  been  in  trade  here.  E.  T.  Hall  has  been  in  trade  at  Titus- 
ville for  thirty  years.  R.  L.  Kernochan  has  been  in  the  hardware  trade 
here  nearly  thirty  years.  S.  S.  Bryan  has  been  in  the  same  business  for  per- 
haps fifteen  years.  Grossman  has  been  in  the  grocery  business  about  thirty 
years.  The  Barnsdall  grocery  has  been  established  about  twenty  years. 
Fortney  has  been  engaged  in  the  furniture  trade  nearly  twenty  years.  Will- 
iam Moran  has  carried  on  an  extensive  plumbing  business  for  about  thirty 
years.  D.  D.  Hughes,  now  D.  D.  Hughes  &  Son,  has  been  established  in  the 
general  business  of  tin  roofing  and  sheet  metal  ceilings,  etc.,  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century.     A\'illiam  Hunt,  the  upliolsterer,  has  been  established 

30 


466  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

in  his  trade  at  Titusville  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  century.  The  foregoing 
references  are  not  made  for  the  purpose  of  advertisement,  but  to  put  on 
record  the  names  of  those  citizens  who  have  successfully  been  engaged  in 
trade  at  Titusville,  nearly  all  following  continuously  a  distinctive  branch 
of  business  for  many  years,  thus  earning  for  themselves  substantial  credit. 
No  reflection  is  intended  for  those  engaged  in  business  for  a  shorter  period. 
Time  is  an  important  condition  in  the  test  of  merit.  Of  the  later  dealers, 
those  engaged  for  a  less  period  of  time  in  Titusville,  it  may  be  said  that  they 
enjoy  generally  the  confidence  of  the  community. 

In  concluding  this  sketch  the  writer  thinks  it  proper  to  refer  to  certain 
notable  characteristics  of  the  Titusville  community.  Some  of  these  dis- 
tinctive qualities  showed  themselves  a  hundred  years  ago,  when  Samuel 
Kerr  and  Jonathan  Titus,  the  pioneer  settlers,  founded  the  community. 
These  men  were  brave,  chivalrous,  generous,  kind  and  hospitable.  They 
infused  the  spirit  of  these  virtues  into  the  association  of  those  who  settled 
around  them.  They  transmitted  these  attributes  to  their  descendants.  They 
were  broad  minded  men.  Jonathan  Titus  gave  the  land  for  the  first  Presby- 
terian church,  at  the  head  of  Franklin  Street,  gave  the  land  for  the  first 
cemetery  and  land  for  school  buildings.  He  kept  an  open  house  all  his  life. 
The  same  spirit  of  kindness,  generosity  and  hospitality  has  distinguished 
the  inhabitants  of  Titusville  ever  since.  Warm  blood  has  always  flowed 
through  their  veins.     An  instance  of  their  hospitality  may  be  here  related. 

Twenty-six  years  ago  the  Pennsylvania  Editoriab  Association  held  its 
annual  meeting  at  Erie.  The  editors  were  generally  accompanied  by  their 
wives,  and  the  gathering  was  largely  for  the  purpose  of  social  recreation. 
The  citizens  of  Erie  gave  them  what  was  termed  a  reception,  and  this  was 
perhaps  all  the  company  had  a  right  to  expect  in  the  way  of  entertainment 
there.  Most  of  these  people  had-  never  visited  the  oil  regions.  So  they 
decided  to  make  a  trip  from  Corry  to  Oil  City,  via  Titusville,  and  return. 
They  had  been  invited  by  members  of  the  Titusville  press  to  visit  this  city, 
and  they  planned  to  go  first  to  Oil  City,  and  then  call  at  Titusville  on  their 
return.  Accordingly  they  went  to  Oil  City,  and  while  there  the  citizens  of 
the  place  with  characteristic  hospitality  gave  them  an  elegant  dinner.  On 
their  return,  they  arrived  at  Titusville  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon. 
They  were  met  at  the  railroad  station  by  the  foremost  citizens  of  Titusville, 
Dr.  Roberts,  then  ]\Iayor  of  the  city,  conspicuous  among  the  rest.     It  was  in 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  467 

midsummer,  the  streets  were  in  good  condition,  and  the  general  appearance 
of  the  town  at  the  time  was  lovely.     The  citizens  came  to  the  station  with 
their  carriages  for  the  purpose  of  giving  the  visitors  a  ride  through  the 
streets,  and  upon  the  heights  overlooking  the  town.     But  when  the  proces- 
sion was  moving  up  Franklin  Street,  an  approaching  thunder  shower  made  it 
necessary  for  the  party  to  hasten  rapidly  to  places  of  shelter.     The  visitors 
were  taken  to  the  Parshall  House  and  the  Abbott  House.     After  the  shower 
the  citizens  regathered  with  their  carriages  and  executed  the  drive  which  had 
been  previousl}'  planned  for  the  entertainment  of  the  visiting  party.     In  the 
evening  a  grand   reception  and  ball,  with  refreshments,  were  given  at  the 
Parshall  House  in  honor  of  the  visitors.     Coleman's  orchestral  band   fur- 
nished the  music.     The  leading  citizens  of  Titusville  were  present.     Mayor 
Roberts,  with  one  of  the  ladies  of  the  party,  led  the  dance.     These  visitors 
were  made  the  guests  of  Titusville  from  their  arrival  at  the  station  until  they 
took  their  departure  after  breakfast  the  next  morning.     A¥ord  went  round 
from  certain  prominent  citizens  to  the  local  dealers,  requesting  that  they  re- 
fuse payment  from  any  of  the  visiting  party  for  any  ordinary  purchase  by 
the  latter,  and  to  send,  after  the  party  had  left  town,  bills  for  such  purchases 
to  persons  named,  who  would  see  that  the  bills  were  paid.     The  visitors  were 
expressly  notified  that  they  would  not  be  permitted  to  leave  any  money  in 
Titusville.     Before  noon,  following  the  departure  of  the  visitors,  all  the  ex- 
penses incurred  by  this  hospitality  were  paid  by  the  Titusville  Oil  Exchange, 
and  this  was  done  at  the  request  of  the  Exchange,  as  a  privilege  and  an  honor 
to  the  association.     The  request  was  unexpected.     The  leading  citizens  had 
intended  to  raise  by  contributions  .among  themselves  the  necessary  funds. 
The  total  expenses,  the  hotel  bills,  the  music,  the  carriages,  etc.,  amounted 
to  a  little  over  $400.     The  visitors  were  undoubtedly  sincere  in  their  ex- 
pressions of  gratitude  for  the  hospitality  shown  them ;  but  it  may  be  believed 
that  the  citizens  of  Titusville  derived  the  greater  enjoyment  out  of  the  oc- 
currence. 

The  prevailing  interest  of  the  community  in  the  public  schools  of  the 
city  has  already  been  remarked  upon.  The  feeling  is  certainly  justifiable. 
One  has  only  to  note  some  of  the  evidences  everywhere  apparent  of  the  good 
which  the  schools  are  accomplishing,  to  understand  why  the  citizens  do  not 
murmur  at  high  school  taxes.  Not  alone  the  amount  of  knowledge,  as  con- 
tained in  tlie  text  books,  is  concerned.     It  is  the  training,  the  culture,  the  re- 


468  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

fining  of  thought,  feehng  and  action,  deportment  and  breeding,  that  the  com- 
munity regards.  It  is  interesting  to  witness  some  of  the  indications  as  to 
the  character  of  the  training  in  the  Titusville  schools.  The  young  men  and 
the  young  women  at  the  high  school,  in  their  manners  and  their  conduct, 
are  young  gentlemen  and  young  ladies.  Note  the  decent  breeding  of  a  hun- 
dred small  children,  dismissed  from  any  of  the  large  school  buildings  in  the 
,  city.  They  do  not  rush  out  with  boisterous  shout  and  unseemly  confusion. 
But  they  pass  quietly  out  of  the  hall,  down  the  steps  and  upon  the  walks  and 
move  away,  with  delicate  grace  of  motion^  which  betokens  a  high  order  of 
refinement  on  the  part  of  their  teachers.  There  is  not  a  lovelier  sight  in  the 
World  than  a  procession  of  these  small  pupils,  as  they  move  away  in  easy 
order  from  the  school  buildings  toward  their  respective  homes. 

THE  FUTURE. 

The  proper  work  for  the  historian  is  to  record,  rather  than  to  predict, 
events.  One  person  may  judge  of  an  outlook  as  well  as  another.  Attention, 
however,  may  be  called  to  a  few  important  facts.  Samuel  Kerr  and  Jona- 
than Titus  selected  for  a  settlement  the  place  which  bears  the  name  of  the 
junior  associate.  They  believed  that  nature  had  made  this  spot  a  site  for 
a  town.  They  accordingly  located  here,  and  each,  under  the  law  of  the 
State,  took  up  a  large  tract  of  land,  the  reservations  being  adjacent  to  each 
other.  Their  expectations  were  subsequently  realized.  It  does  not  matter 
that  neither  of  these  pioneers  lived  to  see  Titusville  larger  than  a  hamlet. 
Kerr  died  August  29,  1839,  a&ed  72  years.  Titus  died  February  2,  1857, 
at  about  the  age  of  90.  Drake  was  soon  to  tap  the  fountain  of  oil  by  drilling 
an  artesian  well  into  the  subterranean  rock.  The  rock  was  tapped,  and 
Titusville  soon  grew  into  a  small,  but  very  respectable  city.  The  production 
of  petroleum  in  the  vicinity  of  Titusville  was  never  large.  The  inhabitants 
of  Titusville  have  always,  since  Drake's  discovery,  been  generally  interested 
in  oil  production.  Many  of  the  wealthier  citizens  of  the  town  have  erected 
beautiful  homes  here,  because  of  the  ample  comforts  and  advantages  wliicli 
the  town  affords.  The  city  is  exceptionally  healthy.  Excellent  schools  at- 
tract many  people  of  means  to  beconje  permanent  residents  of  the  town.  A 
fine  farming  country  of  large  area  surrounds  Titusville,  furnishing  to  the  in- 
habitaiits  of  the  city  abundance  of  food  supplies  at  moderate  prices.  The 
town  site,  as  Samuel  Kerr  remarked  of  the  location  when  he  first  came  to  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  469 

spot,  over  a  hundred  years  ago,  is  beautiful.  The  surrounding  hills  are 
beautiful.  The  landscapes  seen  in  perspective  are  beautiful.  Woodlawn, 
the  "silent  city,"  is  beautiful.  \\'hat  Divine  Providence  may  have  in  store  for 
the  Queen  City  should  be  reverently  waited  for  by  the  living,  as  in  their  order 
events  shall  be  developed. 


part  HHH. 


■•^•'•^ 


H^tstor^  ot  townships. 


CHAPTER 


b 


ATHENS  TOWNSHIP. 

WE  LIVE  in  a  time  when  people  wish  to  know  everything,  to  follow 
to  its  source  every  stream  of  knowledge.  In  America,  above  all, 
vvhere  civilization  has  advanced  with  such  gigantic  strides,  and 
where  a  few  years  have  seen  brought  forth  what  in  our  European  neighbors 
has  been  the  product  of  ages,  we  study  with  an  increasing  interest  the  chronicles 
of  our  early  days,  as  if,  arriving  at  manhood  while  progressing  towards  the 
greatest  achievements,  we  stop  for  a  moment  to  take  into  account  our  youth 
and  the  story  of  its  struggles.  As  we  of  the  American  nation  stop  to  examine 
the  history  of  its  origin  and  development,  we  realize  that  it  is  a  subject  too  great 
and  too  vast  to  be  studied  under  one  head.  Each  State,  each  countv  and  each 
subdivision  of  the  county,  has  a  distinctly  separate  history.  The  history  of  a 
State  or  nation  deals  only  with  general  or  national  events,  it  concerns  itself 
with  peoples  and  parties  rather  than  with  individuals.  But,  in  a  country  such 
as  ours,  whei^e  we  are  able  to  trace  each  settlement  to  its  earliest  origin,  the 
history  of  a  county,  even,  does  not  particularize  to  a  sufficient  degree  in  dealing 
with  the  settlement  of  its  various  parts.  And  so.  in  order  to  rescue  from 
oblivion  the  memory  of  the  earliest  settlements  and  to  preserve  for  posterity  the 
story  of  the  struggles  and  adventures  which  their  ancestors  encountered  while 
founding  homes  in  the  wilderness  of  the  West,  it  has  been  deemed  advisable  to 
set  forth  in  separate  chapters  the  history  of  the  formation  and  settlement  of 
each  township,  beginning  with  Athens,  first  in  alphabetical  order. 

Near  the  close  of  the  last  century,  John  Smith,  a  native  of  Ireland,  fleeing 
from  his  native  land  on  account  of  political  troubles,  came  to  America, and  from 
Pittsburg  made  his  way  up  the  Allegheny  River  and  Oil  Creek  to  its  source. 
Then,  leaving  the  stream  and  proceeding  inland,  he  reached  a  ravine  in  what 
is  now  Athens  Township,  where  he  erected  a  cabin.  He  lived  by  hunting, 
trapping  and  fishing,  and  made  no  effort  to  secure  a  title  to  the  land,  effecting 
but  a  slight  clearing.  At  long  intervals  he  made  his  way  on  foot  to  distant 
posts  and  exchanged  his  peltry  for  the  few  commodities  of  life  he  desired.  He 
became  the  intimate  friend  of  the  Indians  who  encamped  in  this  vicinity  and 
joined  them  in  their  hunting  and  other  excursions.  Thus  he  lived  for  many 
years,  shunning  the  society  of  white  men,  and  when  the  permanent  settlers  of 
the  township  came,  they  found  here,  in  his  cabin  buried  in  the  heart  of  the 
forest,  this  hermit  living  in  lonely  seclusion,  with  only  the  wandering  Indians 

473 


474      ,  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

for  companions.  \A'hy  he  lived  this  solitary  life  was  never  known,  although 
it  was  whispered  that  it  was  in  expiation  of  a  crime  committed  in  his  youth. 
But  when  the  cabins  of  the  foremost  pioneers  and  the  ringing  sound  of  the 
woodman's  ax  began  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the  extensive  hunting  grounds, 
the  lonely  pioneer,  with  his  dusky  neighbors,  departed,  probably  to  live  over 
again  his  life  of  solitude  and  obscurity  in  the  deeper  recesses  of  the  wilderness. 

Athens  Township  was  organized  in  1829,  and  originally  included  much 
of  what  is  now  Steuben.  The  first  election  was  held  at  the  house  of  Ebenezer 
Felton,  at  which  it  is  said  but  twelve  votes  were  cast.  It  is  an  interior  town- 
ship, lying  northeast  of  the  center  of  the  county,  and  has  an  area  of  12,156 
acres.  The  surface  is  pleasantly  diversified  by  upland  and  valley.  The  soil 
is  of  good  quality,  being  well  adapted  to  the  growth  of  grass,  barley,  rye,  buck- 
wheat, corn  and  oats,  and  is  well  watered  in  every  part.  The  eastern  part  is 
drained  by  Oil  Creek,  which  crosses  the  northeastern  corner  of  the  township, 
and  in  the  western  part  by  Muddy  Creek,  its  tributaries  and  the  numerous 
springs  from  which  they  take  their  rise.  It  is  inhabited  by  a  thrifty  and  in- 
telligent people,  who  are  engaged  principally  in  agriculture,  lumbering  and 
\  arious  manufacturing  industries.  The  forests  were  composed  of  pine,  hem- 
lock, black  and  white  oak,  cherry,  beech,  chestnut,  maple,  elm  and  ash.  Some 
swampy  land  was  found  along  Muddy  Creek,  but  this  has  been  reclaimed  by 
drainage.  The  township  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Bloomfield,  on  the  east 
by  Rome,  on  the  south  by  Steuben  and  on  the  west  by  Rockdale  and  Richmond. 

On  account  of  the  carelessness  and  inaccuracy  of  some  of  the  earliest  sur- 
veys, there  was  a  tract  of  land,  extending  east  and  west  through  the  township 
and  having  an  average  width  of  an  eighth  of  a  mile,  which  was  not  included 
within  any  of  the  Donation  Districts.  While  in  some  localities  the  sur\'eys  had 
overlapped  one  another  and  had  thus  caused  much  uncertainty  and  trouble,  this 
narrow  strip  remained  unsurveyed  and  was  without  claimants.  It  was  sub- 
sequently settled  as  State  land.  But  to  the  military  tracts  included  within  the 
township  there  were  many  conflicting  claims.  An  historical  article  states  that 
two  surveys  had  been  made  in  this  section,  the  Doe  and  the  Herrington,  which 
did  not  conform  to  one  another,  and  created  much  litigation  and  anxiety.  A 
large  part  of  the  land  was  claimed  by  the  Nickleson  heirs,  who  alleged  that 
a  mortgage  had  been  granted  to  them  for  it  by  the  Commonwealth.  They 
advertised  the  tracts  for  sale,  to  the  great  consternation  of  the  occupants,  but 
fortunately  the  State  intervened  and  protected  them.  Many  of  them  were 
Revolutionary  soldiers  or  their  representatives,  who  had  been  given  land  in 
various  parts  of  the  Union.  Some  of  the  land  was  sold  at  tax  sale,  although 
the  validity  of  this  proceeding  was  afterwards  successfully  disputed.  But  on 
the  whole  the  inducements  were  not  inviting  for  an  early  settlement  of  this 
land.     Throughout  what  was  then  the  great  West,  land  was  abundant  and 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  475 

cheap,  and  the  prospective  settler  hesitated  before  assuming  the  labor  of  level- 
ing the  gigantic  forests,  without  some  assurance  that  he  could  hold  the  land 
thus  wrested,  after  severe  and  long-continued  exertions,  from  its  condition  of 
primitive  wildness. 

The  township  was  settled  slowly  and  at  a  comparatively  late  date,  for  the 
early  habitation  of  the  refugee  Smith  cannot  be  classed  as  a  permanent  settle- 
ment. The  settlement  was  retarded  by  the  conflicting  titles  arising  from  the 
discrepancies  in  the  surveys.  Many  who  came  intending  to  take  up  and  im- 
prove the  land  were  deterred  from  doing  so,  and  sought  homes  in  other  local- 
ities, where  their  possessions 'were  less  likely  to  be  affected  by  legal  conten- 
tions. These  clashing  interests,  however,  have  happily  been  harmonized  bv 
wise  legislation,  and  the  bitter  controversies  which  threatened  the  peace  of  the 
whole  community  have  long  since  ceased. 

Abraham  Wheeler,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  came  with  his  familv 
from  Genesee  County,  New  York,  and  in  1819  settled  in  the  northern  part  of 
Athens  Township.  He  was  a  man  of  great  determination  and  force,  and 
cleared  and  improved  a  large  farm.  Later  in  life  he  removed  to  Sparta 
Township,  where  his  descendants  still  reside.  Samuel  Willis,  who  settled  in 
the  northern  part,  was  somewhat  eccentric  in  his  manners,  and  was  on  that 
account  very  much  dreaded  by  some  of  his  superstitious  neighbors.  After  a 
few  years  residence  he  left  the  township,  and  Bartlett  Fuller,  from  Whitehall, 
New  York,  succeeded  him  in  the  possession  of  his  land  and  remained  its  oc- 
cupant until  death.  Joseph  King  settled  at  an  early  date  on  the  unsurveyed 
strip,  about  half  a  mile  east  of  Little  Cooley.  He  died  there  a  few  years  later 
and  was  buried  on  his  farm,  which  his  widow  occupied  for  many  years  after- 
wards. Elder  Hutchinson,  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers,  settled  north  of  Little 
Cooley  on  a  tract  of  waste  land.  It  was  comprised  within  one  of  the  Donation 
Districts,  but  had  been  left  unnumbered  and  consequently  undrawn  on  ac- 
count of  its  low  and  marshy  condition.  He  improved  it  by  tilling  and 
drainage  and  remained  upon  it  until  his  death  in  1837. 

John  Shaubarger  was  a  rough  and  rugged  German  who  emigrated  from 
Westmoreland  County  and  obtained  possession  of  a  tract  of  land  in  the  south 
central  portion  of  the  township.  He  was  well  fitted  physically  to  cope  with 
pioneer  obstacles  and  endure  privations,  and  industriously  cleared  a  large 
farm,  which  he  left  to  his  descendants.  He  lived  to  see  the  wonderful  trans- 
formations by  which  a  wilderness,  forbidding  in  aspect  and  habited  by  wdd 
beasts,  has  given  way  to  the  fruitful  farms  of  the  prosperous  husbandmen 
and  the  busy  hum  of  the  mechanic  arts,  and  in  advanced  age  enjoyed  the 
fruit  of  his  early  labors.  Jonah  Edson  settled  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
Athens  before  1820,  and  remained  there  until  his  death  at  a  ripe  old  age. 
Henry  Hatch,  who  settled  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township,  was  another 
lifelong  resident. 


476  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Dr.  Silas  Taylor,  a  prominent  pioneer,  settled  about  1820  on  the  tract 
which  John  Smith,  the  Irish  refugee,  had  inhabited.  He  was  born  in  Massa- 
chusetts, of  Puritan  ancestry,  and  left  Genesee  County,  New  York,  where  he 
had  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine,  to  settle  in  the  northern  part  of 
Athens.  ^Vhile  still  following  his  profession  in  his  new  home  he  also  took  up 
the  labor  of  clearing  the  land.  His  practice  called  him  over  a  field  which  in- 
cluded Athens,  Bloomfield,  Rockdale,  Sparta,  Richmond.  Rome,  Stueben  and 
Troy,  as  he  was  the  pioneer  physician  of  this  portion  of  the  county.  He  made 
his  way  on  horseback  over  indistinct  and  rugged  bridle  paths,  and  his  journeys 
were  often  protracted  until  late  into  the  night  or  continued  during  several 
days,  yet  the  proceeds  of  his  practice  yielded  scarcely  more  than  a  bare  subsist- 
ence. Dr.  Taylor  was  a  useful  citizen,  taking  an  interest  in  local  public  affairs, 
and  did  much  to  improve  the  roads  and  schools  of  his  township.  The  absence 
of  roads  of  any  kind  was  one  of  the  first  difificulties  which  demanded  the  atten- 
tion of  these  brave  and  sturdy  yeomen.  By  an  act  of  the  Legislature  a  State 
Road  had  been  authorized  and  had  been  cut  out,  but  the  underwood  had  ob- 
tained a  vigorous  growth  and  obstructed  the  passage.  Steep  hills  needed 
leveling,  deep  morasses  making  passable,  and  streams  bridging,  while  the 
dense  forests  which  covered  all  the  lands  seemed  to  deny  them  subsistence. 
Nothing  daunted,  they  set  themselves  to  the  task  of  removing  these  obstacles. 
Dr.  Taylor  and  John  Brown  ( the  same  John  Brown  who  terminated  his  re- 
markable career  at  Harper's  Ferry  in  his  effort  to  arm  the  slaves,  and  who  had 
settled  in  the  adjoining  township  of  Richmond)  were  active  in  opening  the 
State  Road  through  their  respective  townships,  and  soon  had  the  satisfaction  of 
seeing  a  serviceable  highway  which  was  well  adapted  to  its  purpose  and  laid 
the  foundations  for  more  permanent  improvements. 

Dr.  Taylor  resided  most  of  his  life  in  Athens,  rearing  a  large  family. 
Mrs.  Sarah  A.  Taylor,  his  second  wife,  was  a  notable  pioneer  woman.  In 
1800  she  came  with  her  father,  Theodore  Scowden.  from  the  Susquehanna  to 
what  is  now  Union  Township,  being  at  that  time  but  a  little  girl.  At  an 
early  age  she  married  Captain  John  Minnis,  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812,  and 
settled  with  him  in  Mercer  County.  His  business,  for  he  was  a  carpenter  by 
occupation,  often  kept  him  from  home  until  late  at  night  and  sometimes  for 
entire  days,  and  she  was  often  left  alone  in  their  large  unfinished  cabin,  which 
stood  near  the  border  of  a  dense  and  dismal  forest.  She  had  for  a  long  time 
one  evening  awaited  her  husband's  return,  but  he  not  coming,  had  at  last 
retired  and  composed  herself  to  sleep.  She  was  awakened  in  the  course  of  the 
night  by  the  noise  of  a  large  animal  climbing  the  side  of  the  house.  It  soon 
afterwards  sprang  into  the  loft  above,  which  was  only  partly  furnished  with  a 
floor.     Realizing  her  danger,  she  sprang  from  her  bed  and  attempted  to  re- 


OUR  COUNTY  AAW  ITS  PEOPLE.  477 

kindle  the  fire  and  thus  scare  away  the  hungry  intruder.  Frightened  by  llie 
angry  growls  of  the  ferocious  animal,  which  now  showed  its  head  and  looked 
down  from  the  loft  above,  she  retreated  to  the  farther  end  of  the  cabin  and 
took  refuge  in  a  large  tea  chest  which  closed  with  a  spring  lock.  Fearing 
that  it  might  close  on  her  and  bring  her  to  a  death  even  more  terrible  than  that 
of  being  devoured  by  the  panther,  she  kept  her  fingers  between  the  box  and 
the  co^'er.  The  next  moment  the  savage  creature  bounded  upon  the  box,  crush- 
ing her  fingers  with  his  weight.  Tortured  liy  the  pain -and  frightened  almost 
to  death,  she  fainted  and  remained  unconscious  until  morning.  Then  with 
difficulty  withdrawing  herself  from  her  cramped  position,  and  finding  that  the 
animal  had  departed,  she  hastened  to  the  nearest  neighbor  with  her  frightful 
tale.  The  panther  had  done  no  further  damage  than  to  devour  a  quantity  of 
fish  and  meat  hung  from  a  beam  near  the  fireplace.  Left  a  widow  by  the 
death  of  her  first  husband,  she  married  Dr.  Taylor  in  1836.  They  lived  to- 
gether until  his  death  at  Bata\'ia,  New  York,  in  1875,  and  she  remained  a  resi- 
dent of  Athens  Township  until  the  end  of  her  life. 

Michael  Dobbs,  who  was  born  in  Canada,  near  the  northern  end  of  Lake 
Champlain,  crossed  the  frontier  into  the  L^nited  States  to  avoid  conscription 
in  the  English  army.  He  was  an  expert  trapper  and  hunter,  and  passed  much 
of  his  time  in  the  early  days,  dressed  in  the  garb  of  a  huntsman,  in  the  pursuit 
of  game.  He  remained  a  lifelong  citizen  of  the  township.  Elihu  Root  ob- 
tained from  the  State  the  grant  of  a  farm  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the 
township,  upon  which  he  remained  until  his  death.  William  McCray,  a  native 
of  Ireland,  was  another  lifelong  settler,  who  occupied  land  in  the  northeastern 
part  of  the  township.  Charles  Loop  was  an  earlv  justice  of  the  peace.  He 
came  from  New  York  and  settled  on  the  tract  of  unsurveyed  land  about 
a  half  mile  east  of  Little  Cooley,  but  afterwards  removed  to  Erie  County. 

James  Drake,  from  Seneca  Ciiunty,  New  York,  who  had  served  as  a 
private  during  the  War  of  181 2,  purchased  one  hundred  acres  of  lant!  in 
Athens  Township  in  183 1.  He  did  not  occupy  it  at  once,  but  contracted  with 
Ebenezer  Felton,  of  Boston,  who  possessed  several  hundred  acres  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  township,  to  build  a  saw  and  grist  mill  for  him  on  Muddy 
Creek.  To  this  establishment  a  carding  machine  and  blacksmith  shop  were 
afterwards  added.  Drake  remained  there  twelve  years  in  charge  of  the  mills, 
after  which  he  settled  on  his  farm.  Felton's  Mills,  as  they  were  called,  was 
for  a  time  a  place  of  some  importance.  A  large  business  was  carried  on,  giv- 
ing employment  to  about  fifteen  hands.  Ebenezer  Felton,  the  proprietor,  al- 
though a  resident  of  Boston,  spent  much  of  his  time  in  Athens  Township, 
looking  after  his  interests.  Soon  after  Mr.  Drake's  departure  the  work  at 
the  mills  was  suspended. 

During  the  earlv  davs  shingles  were  made  in  large  quantities  and  formed 


4/8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

almost  the  only  staple  article  of  trade.  They  were,  taken  by  water  to  Pitts- 
burg and  other  points  along  the  Allegheny.  As  in  some  of  the  other  sections, 
large  quantities  of  black  salts  were  produced  from  the  wood  ashes,  and  often 
furnished  the  early  farmer  with  the  means  of  paying  his  taxes.  If  a  pioneer 
settled  by  himself  in  a  secluded  part  of  the  forest  his  lot  was  certainly  a  hard 
one.  for  without  the  aid  of  neighbors  he  could  construct  but  a  poor  habitation. 
•In  such  cases  it  was  usual  to  build  only  a  temporary  hut  of  light  logs,  roughly 
put  together,  in  which  to  live  until  the  -arrival  of  other  settlers  in  the  vicinity 
would  enable  him  to  construct  a  more  pretentious  residence.  But  it  was  gen- 
erally the  custom  for  a  number  of  men  to  come  into  the  wilderness  together, 
and,  locating  near  one  another,  they  were  able  to  render  neighborly  assistance 
when  required.  It  was  always  readily  given  by  all  the  settlers  within  a 
radius  of  several  miles,  and  a  log  house  was  thus  built  by  a  union  of  their 
labors.  The  location  of  the  cabin  was  usually  selected  with  reference  to  a 
good  water  supply,  if  possible  by  some  never-failing  spring  of  pure  water,  or 
if  that  could  not  be  found  it  was  not  uncommon  to  dig  a  well  before  locating 
the  ca])in,  in  order  to  he  .«ure  of  an  ample  supply.  Frequently  the  pioneers 
left  their  families  in  the  East  and  came  on  alone  to  locate  their  lands,  build  a 
hut  and  perhaps  start  some  corn  and  potatoes,  afterwards  returning  to  their 
old  homes  for  their  wives  and  children. 

Taylor's  Stand,  established  about  1830,  was  the  first  postoffice  within 
the  township.  Dr.  Silas  Taylor,  for  whom  the  place  was  named,  was  post- 
master during  twenty  years,  and  James  D.  Minnis  afterwards  held  the  office 
for  a  long  period.  The  townships  of  Athens,  Bloomfield,  Troy,  with  parts  of 
Sparta,  Richmond  and  Rockdale,  were  originally  supplied  from  this  office. 
The  mail  was  brought  from  Meadville  on  horseback  once  a  week.  At  first 
scarcely  a  dozen  newspapers  were  taken  throughout  this  whole  region.  The 
postage  on  letters  at  this  time  was  in  proportion  to  the  distance  to  which  they 
were  transported,  varying  from  six  to  twenty-five  cents. 

Little  Cooley,  which  is  located  in  the  western  part,  near  jMuddy  Creek,  is 
the  only  village  in  the  township.  Charles  Loop  and  Rev.  Steele  settled  at 
this  point  at  an  early  date  and  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  shingles  and 
tubs,  but  their  residence  was  only  temporary.  Isaac  A.  Cummings  com- 
menced the  demolition  of  the  forest  here  in  1851,  and  was  the  first  permanent 
settler.  The  first  tavern  was  soon  afterwards  opened  by  Nathan  Southwick, 
and  George  Fleck  and  L.  J.  Drake  engaged  in  the  same  business  with  con- 
siderable success.  The  first  store  was  opened  about  1852  by  Mr.  Drake,  and 
about  the  same  period  Hosea  Southwick  erected  a  saw  mill,  which  he  after- 
wards altered  to  a  grist  mill.  The  settlement  prospered,  increasing  with  a 
steadv  growth  until  it  has  attained  its  present  proportions.     Several  stores. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  479 

shops,  mills  and  factories  are  located  there,  a  hotel,  church,  schoolhouse  and 
twenty-five  or  thirty  residences. 

The  first  school  in  the  township  was  taught  by  Chelous  Edson,  who  in 
1826  held  a  term  in  a  log  cabin  standing  in  a  ravine  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
the  township.  This  school  was  afterwards  taught  by  his  wife,  and  later  by 
Elvira  Sizer,  Joseph  Langworthy,  Darwin  Taylor  and  Lydia  Taylor.  .  Some 
years  later  Columbus  Edson,  Aaron  Ellis  and  Charlotte  Crouch  were  in- 
structors. The  text-books  used  included  the  English  reader,  Webster's  spell- 
ing book  and  Daboll's  arithmetic,  which  branches,  with  writing,  were  the  ones 
then  taught.  A  second  school  was  held  in  a  log  ashen,',  in  183 1,  on  the 
Felton  farm.  Miss  Wooster  was  the  first  teacher  here,  followed  by  Miss  A. 
Curtis,  and  in  1834  Delos  Crouch  gave  instruction.  The  latter  seems  to  have 
had  a  high  reputation  as  an  educator.  Schools  were  soon  afterwards  held  in 
the  Langworthy  settlement,  on  Post  Ridge,  and  at-  Hutchinson's,  on  Muddy 
Creek.  In  1840  a  good  school  building  was  erected  in  the  Taylor  sub-district 
by  private  contributions.  It  was  made  of  clapboards  and  planks,  ceiled  within 
and  well  lighted  and  seated.  Professor  Bnnham.  of  Rochester,  N.  Y. : 
Chauncey  B.  Sellers,  of  Meadville,  and  James  D.  Minnis  of  Athens,  were 
among  the  teachers  of  this  school. 

When  the  public  school  system  was  adopted,  in  1836,  Athens  Township 
possessed  four  schools,  which  were  kept  open  three  months  of  the  year.  Eour 
teachers  were  employed,  their  average  monthly  salary  being  $10,  and  eighty- 
two  pupils  were  in  attendance.  The  entire  amount  of  money  expended  for 
school  purposes  during  the  year  did  not  exced  $135.  In  the  report  made  to 
Dr.  Burrowes,  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  the  character  and  quali- 
fications of  the  teachers  were  reported  as  good,  the  branches  taught  being 
reading,  writing  and  arithmetic,  while  the  progress  of  the  scholars  was  con- 
sidered satisfactory. 

In  the  official  report  for  1896  a  most  remarkable  .progress  is  shown  to 
have  taken  place  in  Athens  Township.  No  less  than  eleven  schools,  with  a 
school  year  of  seven  months,  were  successfully  conducted,  the  six  male  and 
five  female  teachers  receiving  monthly  salaries  of  $25  and  $24  respectively. 
Three  hundred  and  three  scholars  were  in  attendance,  at  an  average  cost  to  the 
township  per  month  for  each  scholar  of  $1.52.  Substantial  school  buildings 
had  been  erected,  and  during  the  year  the  amount  of  $3,242.91  was  expended 
for  school  purposes,  a  marked  increase  over  the  $135  of  sixty  years  ago. 

A  congregation  of  the  United  Brethren  Church  was  formed  at  Little 
Cooley  about  i860,  the  Barlows,  Wrights  and  Bennetts  being  among  the 
prominent  meml^ers.  The  early  meetings  of  the  society  were  held  in  the 
schoolhouse,  until,  in  1867,  a  fine,  substantial  church  edifice  was  erected  under 
the  supervision  of  the  society,  although  many  of  the  residents  of  the  vicinity. 


4So  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

regardless  of  denominational  beliefs,  contributed  towards  its  construction  and 
support. 

An  Adventist  congregation  was  organized  about  1855  by  Charles  Craw- 
ford, with  three  members.  John  Root,  Alva  S.  Gehr  and  Mr.  Bush  were 
early  members.  Its  meetings  were  for  a  long  time  held  in  a  schoolhouse  in  the 
northwestern  part  of  the  township,  and  sometimes  in  the  open  air. 


CHAPTER  II. 


BEAVER    TOWNSHIP. 

WHEN  Crawford  County  was  organized  in  1800,  among  the  townships 
erected,  that  occupying  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  county  re- 
ceived the  name  of  Beaver.  Its  limits  were  at  that  time  much  larger 
than  now,  embracing,  in  addition  to  its  present  territory,  portions  of  Spring, 
Summerhill  and  Conneaut  Townships.  Its  original  boundaries  are  thus  pre- 
served in  the  docket  of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  of  July  9,  1800;  "Be- 
ginning at  the  northeast  corner  of  Conneaut  Township ;  thence  north  until  it 
intersects  the  northern  boundary  of  Crawford  County ;  thence  west  to  the 
western  boundary  of  the  State ;  thence  south  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Con- 
neaut Township:  thence  east  to  the  place  of  beginning."  In  1829  the  boun- 
daries were  changed  by  the  erection  of  new  townships,  and  Beaver  was  reduced 
to  its  present  limits.  It  is  a  mathematical  s(|uare.  six  miles  each  way.  and 
forms  the  corner  block  at  the  intersection  of  the  Erie  and  Crawford  boundary 
with  the  Ohio  line. 

Five  small  streams  take  their  rise  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township 
and  flow  north  in  almost  parallel  lines  to  the  northern  boundary,  where  they 
unite  with  Conneaut  Creek.  The  slope  of  the  land  is  slow  and  easy  and  the 
streams  present  an  almost  sluggish  appearance  as  compared  with  the  rapid 
flow  of  some  of  the  brooks  of  the  more  hilly  parts  of  the  county.  The 
surface  of  the  township  is  low  and  level.  When  first  settled  it  was  wet  and 
heavy,  and  it  was  then  supposed  that  the  larger  portion  could  never  be  used 
for  agricultural  purposes.  Since  the  timber  has  been  taken  off.  however,  the 
land  has  become  dryer  and  is  found  to  be  arable  and  productive.  The  soil  is 
clayey  and  well  adapted  to  grazing. 

Dairying  and  stock  raising  are  the  leading  industries,  and  lumbering  is 
also  a  common  occupation,  although  not  carried  on  so  extensively  as  in  former 
years.     The  forests  consisted  largely  of  beech,  ash,  maple  and  poplar.     An- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  481 

other  industry,  during  tlie  earlj'  days,  was  the  estabHshment  of  salt  works  at  one 
of  the  old  deer  licks,  and  for  some  time  it  was  a  valuable  source  of  revenue  to 
its  proprietors.  In  181 5  Samuel  INIagaw  and  William  Clark,  of  Meadville,  em- 
ployed men  to  bore  down  to  a  considerable  distance  into  the  bowels  of  the 
earth.  In  the  course  of  the  following  year  they  had  proceeded  to  such  a  depth 
that  they  procured  a  fine  flow  of  brine,  which  rushed  up  through  the  aperture 
and,  upon  evaporation,  yielded  daily  upwards  of  ten  bushels  of  excellent  salt. 
Finding  that  the  brine  became  stronger  as  they  went  deeper  into  the  earth, 
they  continued  boring,  hoping  to  thus  increase  the  yield.  Accordingly  they 
sunk  the  shaft  an  additional  depth  of  200  or  300  feet,  but,  much  to  their  dis- 
gust, instead  of  finding  a  stronger  brine  they  obtained  oil,  which  mixed  with 
the  salt  water  and  entirely  spoiled  its  commercial  value.  Thus  in  their  efforts 
to  obtain  a  better  brine  they  spoiled  what  they  already  had,  and  the  oil  which 
came  was  not  in  sufficient  quantities  to  render  its  production  profitable.  An 
effort  was  made  to  restore  the  salt  spring  to  its  original  purity  by  filling  the 
well  to  its  former  depth,  but,  that  proving  futile,  the  works  were  abandoned. 

Another  early  industry  was  the  manufacture  of  black  salts  from  the 
lye  of  leached  ashes,  which  had  a  ready  sale  and  was  found  to  be  a  good 
source  of  profit  to  the  farmer.  As  he  cleared  his  farm  and  burned  his  heaps  of 
logs  he  found  himself  possessed  of  large  quantities  of  wood  ashes  which  had  a 
commercial  value.  The  settler  could  convey  them  to  the  asheries  and  sell 
them,  or  himself  manufacture  the  salts  and  send  them  to  market.  The  money 
thus  obtained  saved  the  home  of  many  an  early  pioneer  from  sale  by  the 
county  sheriff. 

Large  portions  of  Beaver  Township  were  owned  by  the  American  Land 
Company  and  the  Pennsylvania  Population  Company,  the  latter  having  ac- 
quired the  title  to  large  tracts  in  the  eastern  and  southern  parts.  Pioneers 
contracting  for  land  with  the  Pennsylvania  Popula,tion  Company  were  to  re- 
ceive one  hundred  acres  of  land  on  condition  of  settling  and  making  the 
necessary  improvements,  and  were  usually  expected  to  purchase  an  additional 
fifty  or  hundred  acres.  Several  settlements  were  thus  made  in  Beaver  as 
early  as  1797.  In  some  way  or  another  the  opinion  became  general  that  a 
settlement  entitled  the  actual  resident  to  the  entire  tract,  and  for  this  reason 
many  of  the  early  settlers  either  abandoned  their  clearings  and  sought  better 
land,  or  else,  remaining  where  they  were,  attempted  to  hold  the  entire  tract 
against  the  company.  It  was  a  long  time  before  they  would  relinquish  their 
claims,  but  several  test  cases  having  been  brought  up  in  court  they  were 
obliged  to  do  so. 

The  western  part  of  Beaver  Township  was  owned  by  the  American  Land 

Company,  while  the  northern  and  central  portions  were  patented  by  individuals. 

By  the  land  act  of   1792  a  tract  of  four  hundred  acres  might  be  taken  up 

upon  condition  of  paying  twenty  cents  an  acre,  clearing  eight  acres  and  com- 

31 


482  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

pleting  a  five  years'  residence.  This  was  complied  with  in  many  instances 
by  a  non-resident  entering  the  land  and  completing  the  terms  of  settlement  by 
means  of  a  temporary  tenant,  to  whom  a  part  of  the  land  was  given.  Other 
enterprising  settlers  with  several  sons  took  possession  of  a  number  of  tracts, 
built  rude  cabins  and  placed  a  son  in  each.  Many  disputes  and  conflicts 
arose  and  the  early  history  of  this  section  is  a  succession  of  quarrels,  suits  and 
evictions. 

Before  the  year  1800  numerous  settlers  had  come  in  and  a  large  part  of 
the  land  had  been  taken  up  in  claims.  Many  families  came  from  Cumberland, 
Susquehanna  and  Huntington  Counties.  But  in  the  first  years  of  the  century 
the  settlement  began  to  decrease,  some  of  the  earliest  settlers  removing  to 
Spring  Township  and  others  scattering  to  various  parts.  The  land  troubles 
and  the  wet  quality  of  the  soil  hastened  the  movement  and  in  1806  only  three 
families,  the  Fosters,  the  Durhams  and  the  McGuires,  are  known  to  have  been 
living  in  the  present  limits  of  the  township.  In  181 2  Philip  McGuire  re- 
moved with  his  family  to  Summit  Township,  the  Durhams  removed  about  the 
same  time  to  the  French  Creek  Valley,  and  the  Fosters  were  left  for  several 
years  the  only  inhabitants  of  Beaver  Township.  Their  residence  was  at 
Beaver  Center  and  there  were  no  neighbors  within  a  radius  of  six  miles.  But 
in  1816  a  steady  stream  of  enterprising,  industrious  people  began  to  flow  in 
from  New  York  and  the  Eastern  States,  and  the  land  was  soon  well  filled  with 
Browns,  Griswolds,  Larkins.  Gates,  Plymates,  Hollenbeaks  and  many  other 
families,  who  became  permanent  settlers.  The  work  of  civilization  was  rap- 
idly carried  on,  land  was  cleared,  houses  built,  roads  constructed,  and  all  kinds 
of  improvements  carried  forward. 

Not  being  situated  upon  any  important  highway,  the  Beaver  settlements 
did  not  receive  the  impetus  which  came  to  those  of  the  French  Creek  Valley. 
They  were  isolated  from  the  other  settlements  and  no  pilgrims  ever  passed 
that  way.  W^hen  William  Foster,  the  first  settler,  left  his  ba.se  of  supplies  be- 
hind him,  he  brought  with  him  upon  a  hand  sled  a  barrel  of  flour,  and  this, 
with  the  meat  furnished  by  the  then  abundant  game,  constituted  his  food  sup- 
ply throughout  the  winter.  He  did  his  own  cooking,  which,  it  is  fair  to  pre- 
sume, was  of  the  most  primitive  character.  As  late  as  1834  there  were  no 
roads  in  the  locality  in  which  he  settled,  and  the  blazed  trees  of  the  period  were 
the  only  guide  to  the  traveler  in  traversing  the  dense  forests. 

The  large  lumber  business  led  to  the  erection  of  many  sawmills,  of  which 
the  first  was  operated  by  William  Plymate.  Robert  Foster  built  a  grist  mill 
and  Lester  Griswold  conducted  the  first  store.  These  were  all  located  in  the 
center  of  the  township,  at  the  crossing  of  two  roads,  and  the  geographical  po- 
sition of  the  hamlet  gave  it  the  name  of  Beaver  Center,  by  which  it  is  still 
known.     It  is  the  only  postoffice  within  the  township,  and  there  are  located  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  483 

churches,  schools,  stores  and  various  industries,  together  with  twenty  or  twen- 
ty-five dwelhngs. 

The  advantages  of  schools  were  not  possessed  by  the  earliest  pioneers,  and 
after  the  removal  of  most  of  them  to  other  parts  the  remaining  ones  sent  their 
children  to  Conneautville  to  be  educated.  In  1826  a  school  was  established 
at  Beaver  Center  by  subscription  and  was  managed  by  a  board  of  three 
trustees.  In  the  school  report  for  1837  we  find  Beaver  Township  credited 
with  three  schools,  employing  three  teachers,  the  number  of  pupils  in  attend- 
ance being  152.  School  was  taught  during  six  months  of  the  year.  The 
amount  of  money  raised  for  school  purposes  was  less  than  two  hundred  dol- 
lars, almost  half  being  from  State  appropriation  and  the  remainder  from  the 
county.  The  average  pay  of  teachers  per  month,  both  male  and  female,  was 
$4.66.  The  character  and  qualifications  of  the  teachers  were  described  as 
good,  and  the  progress  of  the  pupils  in  the  branches  taught,  reading,  writing 
and  arithmetic,  was  favorably  commented  upon.  In  1896  the  number  of 
schools  had  increased  to  ten,  taught  by  ten  teachers,  whose  average  monthly 
salary  was  $20.50.  The  number  of  pupils  was  176  and  the  amount  of  money 
expended  for  school  purposes  was  .$2,350.59. 

The  Bea\-er  Center  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1839, 
the  Gates,  De  Wolfs  and  Hasketts  being  early  members.  The  meetings  of 
the  society  were  held  in  the  schoolhouse  until  1870,  when  a  handsome  frame 
church  was  completed,  at  an  expense  of  $1,500.  The  class  was  at  first  at- 
tached to  the  Conneautville  circuit,  but  afterwards  belonged  to  Spring.  There 
is  a  small  but  flourishing  membership. 

A  Christian  congregation  was  organized  at  Beaver  Center  about  1840, 
with  Elder  J.  E.  Church  as  pastor,  but  was  only  continued  for  about  ten 
years,  when  it  went  out  of  existence.  A  second  one  was  organized  in  1870 
by  Rev.  I.  R.  Spencer,  with  twenty  members.  The  meetings  were  held  in 
the  schoolhouse  until  1871,  when  the  present  handsome  building  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $2,400.  Some  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  the  neigh- 
borhood are  members,  and  the  congregation  is  prosperous. 

A  United  Brethren  meeting  house  was  erected  at  Reed's  Corners,  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  the  township,  in  1861,  at  a  cost  of  $800.  The  society 
Avas  organized  in  1850  by  the  Rev.  Willis  Lamson,  a  resident  of  the  township, 
with  an  original  membership  of  ten  persons,  the  Reeds  and  Halsteads  being 
early  members.  The  church  is  small  and  has  been  active  at  irregular  periods 
only. 


CHAPTER  111. 


BLOOMFIELD    TOWNSHIP. 

BLOOMFIETD  TOWNSHIP  lies  on  the  northern  border  of  the  county, 
east  of  the  center,  and  has  an  area  of  21,383  acres.  When  the 
county  was  divided  into  townships,  in  1800,  Oil  Creek  Township  em- 
braced the  whole  of  the  eastern  end.  In  181 1  this  was  divided,  Bloomiield 
being  erected  in  the  northeastern  corner  and  including  within  its  bounds  what 
is  now  Sparta,  the  northern  part  of  Rome,  the  northeastern  part  of  Athens 
and  the  eastern  part  of  Bloomfield.  The  western  part  of  what  is  now  Bloom- 
field  was  included  in  Rockdale  until  1829,  when  the  boundaries  were  read- 
justed and  constituted  as  they  now  exist.  The  township  is  bounded  on  the 
north  by  Erie  County,  on  the  east  by  Sparta  Township,  on  the  south  by  Athens 
and  on  the  west  by  Rockdale.  The  population  within  its  original  boundaries 
was  in  1820  but  214,  while  every  other  township  boasted  of  400  or  more,  thus 
showing  that  the  northeastern  portion  of  the  county  was  the  slowest  in  settle- 
ment. 

The  \'alley  of  Oil  Creek  extends  diagonally  through  the  center  of  the 
township  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  and  with  its  numerous  tributaries,  the 
principal  of  which  are  \Yest  Gate  Creek  and  Streve  and  Mosey  Runs,  break  the 
surface  considerably.  The  east  and  west  branches  of  Federal  Run  water  the 
surface  of  the  western  part  of  the  township  and  contribute  their  waters  to 
Muddy  Creek,  a  branch  of  French  Creek.  On  the  low  lands  and  in  the  east- 
ern part,  beech,  elm.  maple,  hemlock  and  basswood  are  found,  while  in  the 
western  end  white  oak  and  chestnut  cover  the  long  ridges.  The  soil  of  the 
township  is  of  excellent  c|uality.  Oil  Creek  Lake,  which,  wliile  it  has  se\'eral 
inlets,  may  very  properly  be  called  the  source  of  Oil  Creek,  lies  near  the  center 
of  the  township.  This  beautiful  sheet  of  water,  which  in  the  early  days  was 
called  Washington  Lake,  is  several  hundred  acres  in  extent,  with  a  probable 
depth  of  thirty  feet,  and  is  well  stocked  with  fish.  It  is  the  highest  lake  in 
Crawford  County,  having  an  altitude  of  816  feet  above  Lake  Erie. 

The  northern  part  of  the  township  was  State  land,  and  a  portion  of  this 
was  claimed  by  John  Fields,  a  wealthy  citizen  of  Philadelphia.  He  sent  his 
agent,  James  Hamilton,  into  the  section  in  1798.  who.  for  the  purpose  of 
opening  up  the  territory  and  attracting  settlers,  built  a  saw  and  grist  mill  at 
the  foot  of  Oil  Creek  Lake.  This  was  the  first  mill  in  the  northeastern  part 
of  the  county,  and  in  1821  was  rebuilt.  He  succeeded  in  attracting  to  Bloom- 
field  quite  a  number  of  hardy  pioneers,  but  almost  all  of  them  went  away  again 

484 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  485 

in  a  few  years  on  account  of  land  difficulties  and  other  discouragements.  In 
1808  Hamilton  also  left  and  removed  to  Meadville.  The  Holland  Land 
Company  owned  a  few  tracts  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  township,  and 
they  succeeded  in  contracting  for  their  settlement  in  the  years  1798-99.  But 
the  contractors,  if  they  occupied  the  land  at  all,  for  they  are  not  remem- 
bered, did  not  remain  long,  betaking  themselves  to  other  parts,  and  the  forests 
preserved  for  many  years  their  state  of  primeval  solitude.  There  is  a  tradition 
that  a  man  named  Cunningham  came  here  in  1795  and  lived  a  hermit's  life 
in  the  recesses  of  the  forest,  before  the  arrival  of  permanent  settlers,  and  that 
upon  their  approach  he  left  for  other  parts. 

Thomas  Bloomfield.  from  whom  the  township  received  its  name,  was 
one  of  the  earliest  permanent  settlers.  He  was  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and 
at  the  age  of  twenty-three  married  Elizabeth  Morris,  a  niece  of  Robert  Morris, 
the  celebrated  financier  of  the  Revolution.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable 
means  and  had  engaged  extensi\ely  in  trading  along  the  coast,  but  in  1797 
came  from  Fayette  County  to  the  French  Creek  Valley.  In  the  following 
year  he  removed  to  Bloomfield,  bringing  with  him  his  family  of  nine  children, 
one  of  whom  was  married.  He  took  up  two  tracts,  one  for  himself  and  one 
for  his  son  Lewis,  then  under  age,  while  his  son  Isaac  and  his  son-in-law, 
James  Bryan,  each  settled  a  tract.  Thomas  Bloomfield  remained  a  resident  of 
the  township  until  his  death.  His  eldest  daughter,  Catherine,  who  married 
James  Bryan,  was  the  first  white  woman  in  the  township,  and  after  a  residence 
there  of  thirty-five  years  removed  West  with  her  husband.  They  had  come 
to  Bloomfield  shortly  before  the  arrival  of  her  parents.  Isaac  Bloomfield  re- 
mained in  the  township  several  years,  after  which  he  removed  to  the  vicinity 
of  Toledo,  Ohio.  Thomas  Bloomfield,  Jr.,  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and 
remained  a  resident  of  the  county  until  his  death  in  1866. 

Richard  Shreve  was  a  son  of  Gen.  William  Shreve,  of  Bordentown,  N.  J., 
who  served  under  Washington  throughout  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  He  was 
born  in  1760,  and  in  1798  came  to  Bloomfield  from  Red  Stone,  where  for  eight 
years  he  had  been  in  charge  of  the  Washington  mills,  built  by  George  Wash- 
ington. He  remained  a  citizen  of  Bloomfield  until  his  death,  clearing  a  farm 
and  serving  as  justice  of  the  peace  and  as  captain  in  the  militia.  He  had  a 
family  of  thirteen  children,  nine  sons  and  four  daughters,  five  of  whom  were 
born  in  their  western  home.  Eight  farms  were  cleared  by  the  Shreves,  and 
many  descendants  of  the  family  still  reside  in  the  township.  \\'illiam.  the 
eldest  son,  settled  on  land  adjoining  his  father's  and  raised  a  family  of  eleven 
children.  William  and  Barzilla  brought  a  carding  machine  with  tiiem  from 
the  East  and  operated  it  during  two  seasons.  It  was  the  third  one  brought 
into  Allegheny  County,  of  which  Crawford  County  was  then  a  part,  the  other 
two  being  owned  by  Lot  Lewis,  of  Meadville,  and  E.  Hewes,  of  Erie. 

Between  1798  and  1800  several  other  settlers  moved  in.  and  during  the 


486  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

lirst  years  of  the  present  century  many  more  arrived,  although  all  did  not  re- 
main. \\'hen.  in  1839,  John  Chapin  came  to  the  western  part  of  the  town- 
ship from  Smyrna,  N.  Y.,  the  country  about  here  was  still  thinly  settled. 
The  roads  were  few  and  in  bad  condition.  John  Willy,  who  was  one  of  the 
earliest  settlers  in  the  western  part,  afterwards  removed  to  Erie  County. 
Linas  Cummings,  a  son  of  Nathan  Cummings,  of  Cambridge  Township,  took 
possession  of  a  claim  near  the  central  part  in  1829.  James  Blakeslee,  who 
came  in  1819  from  Genesee  County,  New  York,  settled  upon  the  farm  which 
Cunningham,  the  first  inhabitant,  is  said  to  have  lived  upon  before  the  arrival 
of  the  foremost  pioneers.  His  sons,  Hosea  and  Elkanah  Blakeslee,  were  well 
known  early  settlers.  William  Hubbel  is  known  to  have  been  a  resident  of 
Bloomfield  before  1820. 

The  Donation  Lands,  to  which  the  southern  part  of  Bloomfield  as  well  as 
large -portions  of  the  other  townships  belonged,  were  lands  located  and  laid 
ofl^  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  March  12,  1783.  They  were  appropriated 
expressly  to  fulfill  a  previous  promise  of  the  Commonwealth  "to  the  officers 
and  privates  belonging  to  this  State  in  the  Federal  army,  of  certain  donations 
and  quantities  of  land  according  to  their  several  ranks,  to  be  surveyed  and 
divided  off  to  them  severally  at  the  end  of  the  war."  The  lands  were  surveyed 
in  lots  of  from  two  hundred  to  five  hundred  acres  each,  enough  of  each  kind 
to  supply  the  different  ranks.  A  major  general  was  entitled  to  draw  four 
tickets,  by  lottery,  of  five  hundred  acres  each ;  a  brigadier  general  three  of  the 
same  size,  and  so  on  down  to  the  corporals,  drummers,  fifers  and  private  sol- 
diers, Vvho  drew  one  ticket  of  two  hundred  acres  each.  The  Donation  Dis- 
tricts were  distinguished  by  numbers.  The  eastern  part  of  the  Second  Dona- 
tion District,  having  been  reported  to  Gen.  AVilliam  Irvine,  the  agent,  as 
being  generally  unfit  for  cultivation,  the  numbers  of  lots  therein  were  taken  out 
of  the  wheel  and  provision  was  made  elsewhere  for  such  of  the  officers  and 
soldiers  as  were  thus  cut  off.  Tlie  district  thus  rejected  was  called  the 
Struck  District.  \"arious  regulations  and  restrictions  were  made  by  law  re- 
garding the  mode  of  survey,  entr}-,  transfer  of  title  and  limit  of  time  for  per- 
fecting the  soldiers'  titles  to  their  lands,  and  the  limit  of  time  was  subsequently 
extended  by  successive  laws. 

Li  a  log  cabin  which  stood  near  Tillotson's  Corners,  Isaac  Bloomfield  is 
said  to  have  taught  the  first  school,  about  1820.  The  first  building  erected  for 
educational  purposes  was  the  block  schoolhouse  near  Bloomfield's  Corners. 
Before  the  year  1834  there  were  but  three  schools  in  the  township.  In  that 
year  the  first  school  board  was  elected  under  the  new  law,  with  Stephen  Bloom- 
field as  president  and  Joshua  Negus  secretary.  They  adopted  a  plan  calling 
for  the  establishment  of  ten  schools,  and  it  is  said  that  five  of  them  were  or- 
ganized at  that  time,  although  but  two  are  reported  in  the  reports  for  1837. 
These  schools  were  in  session  three  months  of  the  vear  and  were  attended  by 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


487 


forty-five  pupils.  The  teachers,  who  received  a  salary  of  $12  a  month,  were 
reported  as  "professing  to  teach  reading,  writing,  arithmetic  and  geography, 
and  one  of  them  grammar,"  and  these  were  accordingly  the  branches  in  which 
instruction  was  given. 

Nothing  better  illustrates  the  progress  made  in  this  township  during  the 
past  sixty  years  than  a  comparison  of  the  school  reports  of  then  and  now. 
'.riie  number  of  schools  has  increased  from  two  to  twelve,  and  the  averaee 
length  of  the  school  year  from  three  to  seven  months.  In  1896  fourteen 
teachers  were  employed  at  liberal  salaries,  and  257  pupils  were  in  attendance 
at  an  average  cost  per  month  to  the  township  of  $2.45,  and  from  the  insig- 
nificant sum  expended  in  1837  the  amount  of  money  raised  for  the  use  of 
schools  had  in  1896  increased  to  more  than  $3,600. 

Lincolnville  is  a  small  village  situated  south  of  the  center  of  the  town- 
siiip.  It  was  first  settled  by  Seth  C.  Lincoln  who  came  from  Massachusetts  in 
1837  and  located  in  the  midst  of  what  was  then  a  trackless  forest.  Soon  after 
his  arrival  he  constructed  a  water,  saw  and  grist  mill  on  Oil  Creek,  which  he 
operated  until  his  death  in  1847.  after  which  his  son  and  several  others  suc- 
cessi\-ely  became  its  proprietors.  Solomon  S.  Sturdevant  emigrated  from  New 
York  State  in  1837  and  for  some  time  assisted  Mr.  Lincoln  in  operating  the 
mill,  after  which  he  opened  a  blacksmith  shop.  Erastus  Carter,  a  carpenter 
by  trade,  built  a  tannery  several  years  later.  In  1861  the  settlement  contained 
about  eight  families  and  the  village  plat  was  laid  out  by  E.  F.  Lincoln.  It 
has  been  much  favored  by  its  location  on  Oil  Creek,  in  the  center  of  a  lumber- 
ing district.  The  village  contains  several  stores,  shops,  mills,  a  schoolhouse 
and  church.  In  1881  P.  B.  Edson  commenced  the  publication  in  Lincolnville 
of  a  little  monthly  newspaper  called  the  Breeze.  In  1883.  J.  L.  Rohr,  of  Town- 
ville.  began  issuing  the  Star,  which  was  printed  in  Townville  and  published 
in  Lincolnville.  Its  name  was  afterwards  developed  into  the  Shooting  Star, 
and  under  that  name  attained  a  circulation  of  two  or  three  hundred,  but  after  a 
year  of  adverse  fortune  its  publication  was  suspended. 

Sturgis  Postofiice  is  situated  in  the  northern  part,  on  the  western  line  of 
the  township.  Bloomfield  Postoffice  is  located  on  the  railroad,  a  short  distance 
north  of  the  lake.  Tillotson's  Postofiice  is  located  in  the  northern  part,  a  mile 
and  a  half  east  of  Bloomfield,  and  contains  a  store,  shop  and  several  dwellings. 

The  Lincolnville  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1870  by  Rev.  Cyrus 
Shreve,  who  became  the  first  pastor.  There  were  nine  original  members — 
Edward  F.  Lincoln,  Charlotte  F.  Wellmon.  Cornelia  Nurse,  Olive  Lilly, 
Elizabeth  Orcutt.  William  Lewis,  Charles  H.  Sturdevant,  Amanda  Sturdevant 
and  Catherine  C.  Thomas.  Meetings  were  held  in  a  schoolhouse  a  short  dis- 
tance east  of  the  village  until  1876,  when  the  edifice  in  which  the  congrega- 
tion now  worships  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,000. 

The  Bloomfield  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1850  by  Rev.  R.  D.  Hays, 


488  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

who   was   the   first   pastor.     There   were   eigliteen   original   members.     The 
church  forms  a  part  of  tlie  Oil  Creek  Association. 

A  surprisingly  large  number  of  churches  have  been  established  in 
Bloomfield  Township  at  various  times,  many  of  which  have  gone  out  of  ex- 
istence and  others  have  scarcely  maintained  services.  The  Chapinville  Baptist 
Church  was  established  in  the  western  part  of  the  township,  Elder  V.  Thomas 
being  the  first  pastor.  A  Free  ^^'ill  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  the 
eastern  part,  going  out  of  existence  in  1880.  A  Christian  Church  was  es- 
tablished in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township  and  held  services  for  some  time. 

A  Methodist  Society  was  organized  in  1840  near  the  western  boundary, 
John  Chapin.  Hiram  Drake.  Lewis  Larkin,  Abraham  Bennett  and  Asahel 
Hamilton  being  among  the  first  members.  The  early  meetings  were  held  in 
a  log  schoolhouse  on  the  Rockdale  side  of  the  line,  then  in  John  Chapin's  house 
in  this  township  until  1858,  when  meetings  were  commenced  in  a  schoolhouse 
and  continued  there  ten  years.  In  1868  a  frame  church  was  built  in  the 
northwestei'n  part  of  the  township  at  a  cost  of  $1,500.  The  society  ceased 
holding  services  in  1876.  Another  ]\Iethodist  Society  was  organized  in  1856 
at  the  Mickle  Hollow  schoolhouse.  in  the  southwestern  corner  of  the  town- 
ship.   It  had  a  large  original  membership,  but  ceased  to  exist  after  four  years. 

Wilkin's  United  Brethren  Society  held  its  first  meeting  in  a  schoolhouse 
near  Chapinville.  C.  C.  Marsh,  J.  S.  Wilson,  O.  A.  Chapin  and  Henry 
Wilkins  were  prominent  among  the  early  members.  The  services  were  after- 
wards held  in  the  Methodist  Church  in  that  vicinity. 

The  Maple  Grove  United  Brethren  Society  was  organized  in  1858,  Seth 
Pound,  George  Loomis,  Henry  King  and  William  Mays  being  among  the 
members  at  this  period.  For  many  years  the  services  were  conducted  in  a 
schoolhouse  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township,  but  in  1872  a  substantial  and 
well-furnished  meeting  house  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,500. 

BOROUGH   OF  RICEVILLE. 

The  borough  of  Riceville  is  situated  near  the  southeastern  corner  of 
Bloomfield  Township,  on  Oil  Creek.  As  late  as  1831  this  vicinity  was  still 
an  unbroken  forest,  Samuel  Rice,  who  came  in  that  year  and  erected  a  cabin 
upon  the  present  site  of  Riceville,  being  the  first  settler.  He  built  a  saw  mill 
on  Oil  Creek  soon  after  his  r.rri\al.  of  which  he  continued  the  proprietor  for 
manv  years.  In  1834  he  started  the  first  store,  but  soon  afterwards  sold  it  to 
Adonijah  Fuller.  Simon  Smith,  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  settled  there  in  the 
early  days,  but  years  afterwards  removed  to  Indiana.  Russell  Bidwell  came 
in  1832  and  settled  on  a  farm  on  which  the  northern  part  of  Riceville  is  now 
situated.  After  a  residence  of  more  than  twenty  years  he  removed  to  Athens 
Township.  The  first  blacksmith  shop  was  started  by  Newton  Graves.  In 
1847  Benjamin  Westgate  was  operating  a  sash  factory,  Barnett  B.  Cummings 


OUR  COUNTY  A.\'D  ITS  PEOPLE.  489 

was  running  a  hotel,  and  Moses  Adams  had  a  shoemaking  shop,  while  ten  or 
twelve  families  completed  the  settlement. 

At  the  August  term  of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions.  1859,  Riceville  was 
incorporated  as  a  borough,  and  a  special  election  for  the  first  officers  was  held 
in  the  same  year.  Joseph  Knight  was  chosen  burgess,  Stephen  Bloomfield 
and  R.  B.  ^^^estgate.  justices  of  the  peace;  John  Himebaugh,  constable;  George 
Metier,  judge  of  election,  and  Clark  Rice  and  F.  G.  King,  inspectors. 

The  village  increased  with  a  steady  growth  and  at  present  numbers  be- 
tween three  and  four  hundred  inhabitants.  It  boasts  of  several  stores,  mills, 
markets,  shops  and  churches,  with  a  hotel,  physicians  and  manufacturing  in- 
dustries. A  postofiice  was  established  here  in  1847.  when  Barnett  B.  Cum- 
mings  held  the  position  of  postmaster,  the  mail  coming  from  Meadville  once  a 
week. 

Dorcas  Taylor,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Silas  Taylor,  of  .Vthens  Township, 
taught  the  first  school  within  the  borough  about  1835.  A  deserted  cabin 
which  stood  about  a  fourth  of  a  mile  west  of  the  station,  and  which  had  been 
built  and  occupied  by  ]\Ir.  Gunsley,  was  used  as  the  first  school  building.  Har- 
riet Humphry  and  Austin  Mosier  were  early  teachers  in  a  plank  house  which 
had  been  erected  for  the  accommodation  of  the  laborers  at  the  mill.  Sidney 
Tracy  taught  in  an  al)andcned  cabin  east  of  the  creek,  and  the  first  school- 
house,  a  frame  building,  was  in  1847  '''^I'lt  near  the  same  location.  It  was 
known  r^s  the  red  schoolhouse,  and  continued  in  use  until  about  1872. 

In  1896  two  schools  were  in  operation  in  the  borough,  with  a  school  year 
of  seven  months.  Sixt}'-three  scholars  were  in  attendance,  the  average  cost 
of  instruction  for  each  child  per  month  amounting  to  $1.45.  About  $640  was 
expended  during  the  year  for  the  support  of  the  schools. 

Elder  Fish,  of  the  Christian  denomination,  preached  in  the  village  as 
early  as  1838,  these  being  the  earliest  religious  services  conducted  in  the  vil- 
lage. Early  services  were  also  conducted  by  the  Presbyterians.  1)ut  neither 
denomination  succeeded  in  organizing  a  church. 

The  Riceville  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1849.  by 
Rev.  Forest ;  J.  \^'.  Grey  and  wife.  Myron  S.  Staring  and  Mrs.  Lorina  Austin 
being  the  four  original  members.  Meetings  were  held  for  al)out  five  years 
in  the  old  red  schoolhouse,  afterwards  in  a  public  hall,  and  then  in  the  Con- 
gregational Church.  In  1874  a  handsome  church  edifice  was  erected  at  a  cost 
of  about  $4,500. 

The  First  Congregational  Church  of  Riceville  was  organized  in  1838  by 
Rev.  U.  T.  Chamberlain,  who  became  the  first  pastor.  A  church  building  was 
erected  in  18^9  and  extensivelv  remodeled  and  repaired  in  1875.  R.  B.  West- 
gate,  Lorin  Marsh,  H.  C.  Conner,  Thomas  Ferry,  V.  F.  Hale,  William  Mal- 
lory,  D.  D.  ^^"alker.  C.  N.  Smith  and  G.  M.  Anderson  were  the  original  mem- 
bers. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


CAMBRIDGE    TO\\"XSHIP. 

WllICX  Crawford  County  was  divided  into  townships,  in  1800.  French 
Creek  was  assigned  as  the  boundar\-  between  Venango  and  Rockdale, 
the  former  lying  to  the  west,  the  latter  to  the  east.  As  the  settle- 
ments became  more  numerous  the  number  of  townships  was  increased,  and  in 
1829  Rockdale  was  reduced  to  its  present  limits,  having  assigned  to  it  the  land 
to  the  west  of  French  Creek  which  had  before  formed  part  of  \"enango.  To 
Venango,  on  the  other  hand,  was  given  the  portion  of  the  western  part  of 
Rockdale  which  now  forms  the  southern  part  of  Cambridge  Township,  the  line 
of  division  being  changed  from  the  windings  of  the  creek  to  a  straight  line 
running  north  and  south.  In  1852  the  township  was  divided,  the  territory 
west  of  Conneautee  and  French  Creeks  keeping  the  name  of  Venango,  while 
the  eastern  portion  was  organized  as  Cambridge  Township. 

It  lies  near  the  center  of  the  northern  boundary  of  the  county  and  con- 
tains 12.580  acres  of  excellent  land.  The  surface  generally  is  undulating,  of 
good  cjuality;  better  adapted,  however,  to  the  raising  of  stock  than  of  grain, 
although  there  is  an  ample  portion  suitable  for  the  latter.  In  the  northern  part 
there  is  some  low  and  marshy  land.  French  Creek  enters  the  township  about 
the  center  of  the  eastern  border,  and.  meandering  centrally  across  it,  turns  to 
the  south  and  forms  a  part  of  its  western  boundary.  The  remainder  is  formed 
by  Conneautee  Creek,  which  flows  south  from  Erie  County,  and  unites  with 
French  Creek.  The  excellent  land  of  the  French  Creek  flats  has  no  superior 
for  grain-raising,  while  the  gently  rolling  surface  beyond  covers  a  rich 
clay  loam.     Dairying  is  the  chief  pursuit  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  name  of  the  township  was  taken  from  the  village  of  Cambridge,  which 
had  been  settled  long  before  the  formation  of  the  township.  It  was  founded 
by  Mr.  Christie,  from  ]\Iassachusetts,  who  doubtless  christened  it  in  honor  of 
the  Xew  England  university  town  of  that  name.  But  the  earliest  settlers  were 
families  of  Irish  and  German  birth  who  came  from  the  valley  of  the  Susque- 
hanna. From  1812  to  1820  there  was  a  tide  of  immigration  from  New  Eng- 
land, while  much  later  many  came  from  New  York  State.  About  the  same 
time  quite  a  settlement  of  Germans  took  possession  of  much  of  the  low  land 
in  the  northern  part. 

Most  of  the  land  in  Cambridge  Township  belonged  to  the  Holland  Land 
Company,  and  their  records  show  that  a  number  of  tracts  were  settled  before 

490 


OUR  COUXTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  491 

the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Henrj-  Baugher  was  probably  the  first, 
\vho  contracted  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  in  1 797,  and  took  possession  of 
his  farm  the  same  year.  He  came  from  Harrisburgh,  and  settled  in  the  south- 
western corner  of  the  township,  wliere  he  patented  two  tracts,  on  both  of  which 
he  managed  to  hold  a  settlement  by  building  his  double  log  cabin  e.xactly  on 
the  line.  He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  is  remembered  as  a  very  eccentric 
character.  He  afterwards  removed  to  ilercer  County.  Robert  Humes  settled 
in  Cambridge  Township  in  1797,  and  is  often  given  as  the  first  inhabitant.  He 
was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  came  to  this  country  in  1796.  spending  a  vear 
in  ^Nleadville.  where  he  is  said  to  have  helped  to  raise  the  first  frame  cabin 
built  in  the  village.  His  brother.  Archibald,  came  about  the  same  time  and 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Tract  137.  where  he  died  in  1806.  Isaac  Braden  settled 
near  the  mouth  of  Conneautee  Creek  and  remained  until  his  death  at  an  ad- 
vanced age. 

Calvin  Snell  occupied  what  was  known  as  the  "sand  bank  farm.'"  from 
the  fact  that  a  large  bank  of  sand  was  found  on  the  place,  from  which  immense 
quantities  have  been  taken  for  building  purposes.  Edward  Hicks  came  from 
the  Susquehanna  and  selected  a  tract  on  the  northern  bank  of  French  Creek 
within  the  present  limits  of  Cambridge  Springs.  Job  Van  Court  was  a  native 
of  Holland  who  settled  on  the  present  site  of  the  borough  of  Cambridge 
Springs.  He  was  an  eccentric  character,  and  was  ousted  as  an  intruder  by 
the  Holland  Company.  He  remained  in  the  vicinity  until  his  death,  following 
his  trade  of  shoe-making.  Many  curious  tales  are  told  of  him  and  his  super- 
stitious beliefs,  and  for  many  years  the  children  feared  to  pass  at  night  by 
the  spot  near  the  State  road,  where  he  was  buried.  His  son,  Benjamin  Xzn 
Court,  contracted  to  settle  a  neighboring  farm,  but  only  remained  during  one 
year.  Leonard  Doctor,  a  German  from  Lycoming  County,  and  David 
Adams,  an  Irishman  from  the  Susquehanna  \'alley,  both  became  life-long 
residents. 

James  Blair  was  an  Irishman  by  birth,  and  made  one  of  the  first  selections 
of  land  in  the  township.  He  had  the  impression  that  the  largest  trees  indicated 
the  best  land,  so  he  chose  a  farm  on  the  clay  summit  where  the  chestnut  timber 
grew  heaviest.  He  did  not  remain  long  but  removed  to  Erie  County.  Thomas 
Bullerton  came  from  Aluncie  in  1802,  and.  with  his  three  sons.  Baily.  \\  illiam 
and  James,  settled  a  mile  northwest  of  Canibridge  Springs.  His  first  cabm 
was  erected  so  near  the  banks  of  French  Creek  that  it  was  almost  invariably 
partially  submerged  during  the  freshets.  He  kept  a  tavern,  and  he  was  a 
rather  credulous  old  gentleman.  His  guests  found  him  a  good  source  of 
amusement.  .Among  anecdotes  of  him  it  is  related  that  a  Yankee  once  sold 
him  his  own  axe  for  a  new  one.  after  having  scraped  the  handle  to  change  its 
appearance.  His  son  Baily  was  a  farmer  and  distiller  and  lived  south  of  the 
creek. 


492  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

James  Birchand.  from  Berksliire  County.  ^Massachusetts,  and  Amos 
Ames,  from  the  same  State,  came  in  1813;  and  Dr.  Perkins  and  Charles  T. 
Cummings,  who  came  the  same  year,  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land,  which 
was  settled  by  emigrants  from  Massachusetts,  and  was  for  a  long  time  known 
as  Yankee  Hill.  Daniel  and  Sylvester  Root,  brothers,  from  Hampshire 
County,  Massachusetts,  settled  in  the  township  in  1819.  These  early  settlers 
were  accustomed  to  go  to  Erie  for  salt  and  other  necessities,  which  were  con- 
veyed on  forked  poles  drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen.  This  was  a  rude  convey- 
ance, one  which  the  descendants  of  those  worthy  pioneers  could  scarcely  be 
induced  to  adopt  at  the  present  day,  but  one  which  was  well  adapted  to  the 
times  and  the  condition  of  the  rough  forest  paths  through  which  they  passed. 

Samuel  Jones  was  another  early  resident,  who  came  during  the  first  years 
of  the  century,  and  made'  a  settlement  in  Cambridge  Township.  Frederick 
Doctor,  a  brother  of  Leonard,  resided  here  several  years,  but  afterward  re- 
moved to  Clarion  County.  Mr.  Zarn  was  a  pioneer  of  German  birth,  who 
occupied  a  claim  on  the  banks  of  French  Creek,  opposite  Venango,  and  others 
who  came  about  the  same  time  were  John  Hays,  Jacob  Saeger,  John  W'eatherby 
and  William  Bailey.  In  181 5  the  first  bridge  built  over  the  creek  at  Cambridge 
was  constructed  by  John  St.  Clair,  the  means  being  furnished  by  private  sub- 
scriptions. 

It  was  several  years  before  any  systematic  attempt  to  establish  schools 
was  made.  They  were  rare  during  the  early  days.  Occasionally  a  subscription 
paper  would  be  circulated  among  the  settlers,  and  if  enough  money  could  be 
secured  a  term  would  be  held  in  some  deserted  log  cabin.  The  first  one  is  said 
to  have  been  held  on  the  banks  of  French  Creek  in  1808,  and  was  taught  by 
Cornelius  Campbell.  Owen  David  taught  the  second,  and  he  was  succeeded 
by  David  Terrell.  In  1896  there  were  seven  schools  in  Cambridge  Township, 
employing  seven  teachers.  The  school  vear  was  six  months  in  duration,  and 
there  were  one  hundred  and  forty-nine  scholars  in  attendance.  Almost  nine- 
teen hundred  dollars  was  expended  during  the  year  for  their  support. 

Drake's  Mills  is  a  hamlet  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  township.  The 
first  impro^•ement  in  that  vicinity  was  made  by  Simeon  and  Reuben  Bishop. 
They  built  the  first  saw-mill,  and  also'  operated  a  ca'rding  mill,  constructing" 
a  dam  on  Conneautee  Creek  to  give  the  necessary  water  power.  John  ]^Iarvin 
built  a  grist  mill  here  and  opened  the  first  store,  which  he  afterwards  sold  to 
Mr.  Drake,  for  whom  the  settlement  was  named.  A  postofiice  was  established, 
and  the  hamlet  now  contains  several  dwelling  houses,  a  store,  the  mills  and  a 
blacksmith  shop. 

A  congregation  of  the  German  Lutheran  Church  was  formed  at  Drake's 
Mills  before  1850,  and  in  185 1  a  church  edifice  was  erected.  Henry  Racob, 
Frederick  Arnaman,  Ernst  Hornaman  and  Henry  Steinhoff  were  among  the 
earliest  members,  and  Rev.  Nonamacher  was  the  pastor  while  the  building 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  493 

was  being  erected.  A  large  number  of  tlie  farmers  of  German  descent  who 
reside  in  this  vicinity  are  members  of  the  congregation,  which  numbers  about 
one  liundred.    Rev.  JMr.  Mizner  is  the  present  pastor. 

The  first  rehgious  meetings  in  the  township,  when  it  was  still  a  part  of 
Venango,  were  held  on  the  bank  of  French  Creek,  near  the  cemetery.  The 
worshipers  assembled  under  heaven's  blue  canopy,  sheltered  by  the  forest  trees. 
A  stump,  cut  down  the  center,  with  one  side  left  a  few  feet  higher  than  the 
other,  served  as  a  pulpit,  while  the  congregation  sat  upon  logs  and  such  other 
conveniences  as  the  location  afforded. 

BOROUGH  OF  CAMBRIDGE  SPRINGS. 

Cambridge  Springs  is  located  near  the  center  of  Cambridge  Township, 
on  the  banks  of  French  Creek.  In  1866  a  petition,  signed  bv  fortv-five  citi- 
zens, to  incorporate  Cambridge  as  a  borough,  was  presented  to  the  grand 
jury,  which  reported  favorably.  The  decision  was  confirmed  by  the  Court 
of  Quarter  Sessions,  and  the  village  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the 
Borough  of  Cambridgeboro.  An  election  was  ordered  to  be  held,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  selection  of  A.  B.  Ross  for  burgess;  N.  L.  Snow,  justice  of  the 
peace:  and  D.  D.  Birchard,  Abel  Drake,  S.  B.  Hadley,  R.  W.  Perrin  and  P. 
K.  Carroll  for  members  of  the  council.  A  postoffice  was  also  established  here 
under  the  name  of  Cambridgeboro.  On  April  i,  1897,  the  name  of  the  bor- 
ough was  changed  by  the  courts  to  Cambridge  Springs,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  Postofiice  Department  made  a  similar  change  in  the  name  of  the  office. 
Jesse  C.  Allee  is  the  present  burgess,  and  Wm.  H.  Klie  is  the  postmaster. 

Although  the  village  is  an  old  one,  its  growth  was  for  many  years  very 
slow.  JMuch  of  the  land  now  occupied  by  the  borough  was  tract  No.  127, 
which  was  first  settled  by  the  Van  Courts,  as  related  in  Cambridge  Township. 
The  cabin  of  Job  Van  Court  occupied  the  present  site  of  M.  B.  Ross'  resi- 
dence, on  Venango  Avenue.  Bailey  Fullerton,  in  1809,  occupied  what  is  now 
the  southern  part  of  the  village,  and  remained  a  resident  until  his  death  in 
1845.  He  operated  a  distillery  in  addition  to  following  the  occupation  of  a 
farmer.  In  181 5  the  two-hundred  acre  tract  from  which  the  Van  Courts  had 
been  ejected  was  sold  by  the  Holland  Land  Company  to  Nathan  Cummings, 
who  took  possession  and  erected  a  log  cabin  at  the  head  of  Venango  Avenue, 
r.ear  the  present  site  of  the  American  House.  Fie  afterwards  sold  one  hun- 
dred acres  of  the  tract  to  his  brother,  Joseph  T.  Cummings.  a  former  resident 
of  Evansburgh,  who,  about  1822,  soon  after  the  turnpike  was  constructed, 
laid  out  the  village  plat.  Nathan  Cummings  was  a  physician,  and  beside  him 
there  were  Drs.  Lorin  West,  William  Killison,  J.  A.  M.  Alexander,  Peter 
Faulkner  and  Joseph  Gray,  who  all  followed  the  same  profession  in  this  vicm- 
ity.  The  first  stores  were  established  by  Dr.  West  and  John  Marvin,  and 
soon  afterwards  Ralph  Snow  and  John  W.  McFadden  became  local  merchants. 


494  OUR   COUNTY  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE. 

A  tavern  was  opened  by  Edward  Hicks,  before  1812,  within  the  present  Hmits 
of  the  borough,  on  the  north  side  of  French  Creek,  and  another  was  kept  in 
the  same  locaHt\-  by  Thomas  Fullerton.  Xathan  Cummings  and  Horatio  G. 
Da^•is  were  contemporar}-  tavern-keepers  south  of  the  creek. 

Until  about  i860  it  developed  very  little,  being  nothing  more  than  a  small 
trading  point  for  that  portion  of  the  county,  but  the  construction  of  the  At- 
lantic and  Great  Western,  now  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road, infused  new  life  into  the  village,  and  a  steady  growth  commenced 
which  has  continued  up  to  the  present  day.  George  Thomas  erected  a  cheese 
factory,  the  first  of  the  present  sjstem  in  the  county,  and  afterwards  built  a 
saw-mill  on  Church  Street  in  connection  with  it.  This  was  successful  for  some 
time,  but  was  afterwards  burned.  Kitclien  Hoag  had  built  the  first  saw-mill 
in  the  village  in  1847,  and  after  se\eral  years  of  active  business  it  was  con- 
siuned  by  fire.  B.  il.  Sherwood  then  erected  a  large  saw  and  planing  mill  on 
the  same  site,  which  has  since  been  one  of  the  most  important  industries  of  the 
village,  employing  at  some  times  as  many  as  forty  men.  It  is  now  operated 
by  Sherwood  and  Son,  and  includes  a  grist  mill  and  shovel-handle  factory, 
besides  the  saw  and  planing  mill.  Similar  industries  are  carried  on  by  Tryon 
and  ilattison  and  the  Phcenix  Novelty  Works,  and  their  production  each 
3  ear  forms  an  important  item  in  the  business  of  Cambridge  Springs. 

The  village  is  well  supplied  with  dry  goods,  grocery,  boot  and  shoe,  jew- 
elry, clothing,  hardware,  drug,  furniture  and  other  kinds  of  stores,  besides 
bakeries,  liven,^  stables  and  a  photograph  gallery.  Several  physicians  and 
dentists  are  also  located  there.  Carriage  shops,  blacksmith  shops,  shoe  shops, 
harness  shops  and  other  similar  establishments  are  in  sufficient  number  to 
supply  the  wants  of  the  village  and  surrounding  countr\".  A  tannery  is  op- 
erated by  Jacob  Bolard ;  S.  Hartman  is  the  proprietor  of  a  hay  press  and  trans- 
acts a  large  business  in  pressing  and  shipping  hay;  and  a  marble  works  is 
owned  by  F.  L.  Jones.  There  are  also  in  the  village  a  warehouse,  numerous 
excellent  hotels,  and  bottling  works  which  prepare  enormous  quantities  of  min- 
eral water  and  ginger  ale  for  the  market.  Two  well  established  banks  carry 
on  business  at  Cambridge  Springs,  The  Farmers'  Savings  Bank  and  J.  L.  & 
A.  Kellev.  C.  Blystone  is  the  president  of  the  Farmers'  Savings  Bank,  and 
L.  A.  ]\larcy  is  the  cashier. 

The  first  newspaper  established  at  Cambridge  was  the  "Index."  a  small 
sixteen-page  monthly,  commenced  by  A.  W.  Howe  in  1869.  It  succeeded  in 
winning  the  favor  of  the  public,  and  was  gradually  enlarged  and  became  a 
well  established  weekl)-.  Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Howe,  in  1872,  the  paper 
was  purchased  by  D.  P.  Robbins,  who  continued  it  under  the  same  name,  and 
largely  increased  its  circulation.  In  1877  it  was  sold  to  F.  H.  and  George  O. 
jMorgan,  who  remo^•ed  it  to  .Meadville.  Realizing  that  a  town  like  Cambridge 
required  a  newspaper  of  its  own,  \\'.  L.  Perry,  immediately  following  the  re- 


OUR  COUNTY  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE.  495 

moval  of  the  "Index,"  issued  the  first  number  of  the  "Cambridge  News."  It 
was  well  received,  and  he  continued  as  its  publisher  and  editor  until  1883, 
when  he  transferred  it  to  Closes  &  W^ade.  It  is  now  owned  3nd  edited  by 
the  Eckles  Bros.,  and  is  a  bright,  newsy,  eight-page  weekly,  issued  every  Thurs- 
day. The  "Cambridge  Springs  News"  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  has  a 
highly  creditable  circulation.  The  Cambridge  Springs  "Enterprise"  is  a 
younger  newspaper  venture,  which  has  secured  a  good  circulation  in  Cam- 
bridge Springs  and  vicinity.  It  is  Republican  in  politics,  and  is  edited  by  Moses 
&  Lamb. 

A  Conservatory  of  ^Nlusic  was  established  in  1883  by  Professor  E.  P. 
Russell.  Its  course  included  vocal  and  instrumental  music,  elocution,  draw- 
ing and  painting.  It  had  a  faculty  of  six  instructors,  and  during  the  first  term 
sixty-eight  pupils  were  in  attendance.  The  institution  attained  marked  sue-, 
cess,  but  was  discontinued  after  a  brief  existence. 

About  ten  years  ago  it  was  discovered  that  a  Spring  of  water  on  the  prop- 
erty of  Dr.  Gra}-  was  possessed  of  remarkable  medicinal  qualities,  and  as  its 
properties  were  made  known  and  the  fame  of  its  cures  spread  abroad,  Cam- 
bridge became  the  resort  of  many  who  wished  to  benefit  by  its  curative  powers. 
To  accommodate  them  a  fine  large  hotel,  constructed  and  furnished  especiallv 
for  use  as  a  health  resort,  was  erected  near  the  banks  of  the  creek,  and  within  a 
few  minutes'  walk  of  the  Gray  Alineral  Springs.  Visitors  from  every  direc- 
tion who  came  here  found  Cambridge  an  ideal  place  for  rest  and  recreation, 
and  their  numbers  so  increased  in  a  few  years  that  it  was  found  necessary  to 
build  other  hotels  for  their  accommodation.  Among  these  the  Cambridge 
House,  the  Hotel  de  \^ita,  the  Highland  Hotel,  Shady  Lawn  Hotel  and  the 
American  House  are  the  more  prominent,  and  these,  with  numerous  boarding 
houses,  are  taxed  to  their  utmost  each  summer  to  accommodate  the  hundreds 
of  guests  who  come  from  all  quarters  in  search  of  health  and  pleasure. 

The  popularity  of  Cambridge  Springs  as  a  health  resort  increases  from 
year  to  year,  and  among  its  visitors  are  many  who,  from  their  wealth  and  po- 
sition, are  well  known  throughout  the  nation.  In  order  to  provide  a  fit  place 
of  entertainment  for  gtiests  of  this  class,  \V.  D.  Rider  conceived  the  idea  of 
erecting,  on  a  hill  overlooking  the  \  illage  and  surrounding  valley,  an  hotel  01 
such  size  and  appointments  as  would  equal  in  m.agnificence  and  comfort  any 
similar  establishment  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  It  was  commenced  in  the 
summer  of  1895,  and  large  forces  of  workmen  were  kept  constantly  employed 
during  the  next  two  years.  It  was  finished  and  opened  to  the  public  m 
August,  1897,  and  its  tasteful  appointments,  convenient  arrangement  and  thor- 
ough service  entitle  it  to  the  rank  claimed  for  it  by  its  builders.  The  Hotel 
Rider,  as  it  is  called,  is  five  stories  in  height,  and  from  its  windows  are  seer, 
some  of  the  finest  views  in  the  picturesque  French  Creek  Valley.  It  is  ot 
pressed  brick,  with  cut-stone  trimmings,  and,  standing  as  it  does  on  an  emi- 


496  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

nence  abo\'e  the  town,  presents  an  imposing  appearance.  There  are  five  acres 
of  floor  room  in  the  hotel,  and  in  addition  to  the  numerous  parlors,  offices  and 
sleeping  apartments,  two  large  dining-rooms,  a  well  equipped  ball-room,  a 
theater  with  a  seating  capacity  of  four  hundred,  swimming  pools,  a  billiard 
room  and  bowling  alley  provide  inexhaustible  indoor  amusement  for  the 
guests  of  the  hotel. 

In  April,  1897,  a  fire  broke  out  in  a  building  near  the  center  of  the  town 
and  soon  spread  through  the  business  portion.  The  village  was  possessed  of 
no  protection  against  fire,  and  both  sides  of  Main  Street  as  far  as  the  railroad 
were  soon  in  flames,  and  the  entire  business  section,  together  with  several 
houses,  was  completely  consumed.  One  life  was  lost,  A.  W.  Hays  being 
caught  under  a  falling  wall  and  burned  to  death  before  he  could  be  extricated. 
Fire  companies  arrived  from  Aleadville,  Union  City  and  Corry,  and  with  the 
aid  of  portable  engines  succeeded  in  saving  most  of  the  residence  portion  of 
the  village.  Many  fine  business  blocks  were  burned,  among  them  the  Cam- 
bridge House,  a  commodious  and  well  furnished  hotel  erected  but  a  few  years 
before. 

But,  Phcenix-like,  Cambridge  rose  from  her  ashes,  larger  and  more  beau- 
tiful than  before.  On  the  site  of  the  former  buildings,  many  of  which  were 
of  wood,  large  brick  business  blocks  have  been  erected,  of  a  uniformity  of  size 
and  construction,  which  gives  Main  Street  an  urban  appearance  not  often  seen 
in  a  village  of  similar  size.  Among  these  are  the  New  Cambridge  House,  Ma- 
sonic Building,  and  the  Kelly,  Graves,  Root,  Fellows,  Palmer  and  McDaniela 
blocks.  These  buildings  are  occupied  by  progressive  and  enterprising  busi- 
ness men,  and  their  stores  are  well  stocked  and  furnished  with  a  greater  va- 
riety of  goods  than  is  usually  found  in  places  of  its  size.  The  village  occu- 
pies both  banks  of  French  Creek,  which  are  connected  by  two  bridges,  one  a 
suspension  bridge  and  the  other  of  iron.  The  development  of  the  mineral 
springs  and  the  building  of  the  large  hotels  have  been  sources  of  prosperity 
to  Cambridge  Springs,  and  have  increased  not  only  the  population  but  the  value 
of  property.  New  streets  have  been  opened  and  many  fine  residences  built 
within  the  past  five  years.  The  population  during  the  summer  months  is  es- 
timated at  two  thousand. 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  the  borough  was  on  Main  Street,  on  the  A.  B. 
Ross  plot,  opposite  the  present  location  of  the  New  Cambridge  House.  It  was 
a  small  frame  building,  but  one  story  in  height.  It  was  lighted  by  six  small 
windows  placed  .in  the  roof,  this  novel  arrangement  being  adopted  in  order  to 
withdraw  from  the  pupil  the  temptation  to  gaze  upon  external  nature,  thus 
promoting  application  to  study.  Among  the  early  teachers  in  this  unique 
structure  were  S.  R.  Jackson,  Mr.  Lowry,  Ezra  Jones  and  Polly  Reader.  In 
1838  it  was  replaced  by  a  frame  building  on  a  lot  adjoining  the  property  of 
the  Methodist  Church.     It  was  in  turn  succeeded,  in    1855,  by  a  two-story 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  497 

frame  building  erected  on  Venango  Avenue.  This  continued  in  use  until  1875, 
when  the  present  schoolhouse  was  erected  upon  the  same  lot.  It  is  a  hand- 
some, commodious  building,  and  its  various  departments  are  now  filled  to  theiv 
utmost  capacity. 

In  1896  there  were  six  schools  in  Cambridge  Springs,  and  the  school  year 
was  eight  months  long.  There  were  three  hundred  and  thirty-four  pupils  in 
attendance,  of  whom  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  were  boys.  The  average 
cost  for  each  scholar  per  month  was  $1.41.  During  the  year  more  than 
eighteen  hundred  dollars  was  raised  by  taxation  in  the  borough  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  schools,  and  the  total  expenditure  for  educational  purposes,  includ- 
ing the  amount  received  from  the  State  appropriation,  exceeded  three  thou- 
sand dollars. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Cambridge  Springs  was  organized 
about  1828,  and  the  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  schoolhouse  and  in  John 
W.  jMcFadden's  old  distillery,  which  occupied  the  present  site  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church.  Christian  BIystone,  Eleazer  Rockwell,  Stephen  Mory,  Ber- 
nard and  Rebecca  Rockwell,  and  John  M.  AIcFadden  were  prominent  among 
the  early  members  of  the  society.  In  1832  a  church  building  was  erected  on 
East  Church  Street,  on  the  site  of  the  present  church,  and  was  the  first  religious 
edifice  built  in  Cambridge.  In  1865  it  was  replaced  by  the  Ijuilding  which  is 
still  in  use.  Cambridge  Circuit  was  organized  in  183 1,  and  continued  until 
1844.  It  then  became  part  of  the  Rock\-ille  Circuit,  but  in  1855  the  Cam- 
bridge Circuit  was  temporarily  restored.  It  was  permanently  established  in 
1878,  and  included  besides  the  Cambridge  society  those  of  Venango  and 
Skelton.  in  Venango  Township.  The  church  building  has  been  remodeled 
recentlv,  and  a  large  congregation  now  worships  there.  Rev.  J.  C.  Skelton  is 
the  present  pastor. 

The  Baptist  Church  of  Cambridge  Springs  was  originally  the  Lebanon 
Baptist  Church,  which  was  organized  in  Rockdale  Township  on  October  31, 
1812,  by  Revs.  William  West  and  Thomas  Rigdon.  There  were  twelve  origi- 
nal members,  and  a  church  building  was  erected  in  Rockdale  Township,  where 
services  were  held  for  some  time.  But  as  a  majority  of  the  members  lived  in 
and  about  Cambridge,  the  society  was  removed  there,  and  in  1835  a  place  of 
worship  was  built  on  A^enango  Avenue.  This  was  used  until  1865,  when  a 
third  church  edifice  was  erected  on  Main  Street,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
M.  Thomas.  Its  cost  was  $6,000,  and  it  was  capable  of  seating  three  hundred 
and  eighty  persons.  A  new  lecture-room  and  parlors  have  since  been  added  to 
the  property,  and  a  large  and  flourishing  membership  now  maintains  worship 
here.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  George  Miller,  and  Rev.  L.  B.  Underwood  is 
now  in  charge. 

From  the  minutes  of  the  "Forty-ninth  Annual    Session  of  the  French 
Creek  Baptist  Association"  we  learn    that  the  members    of  the  Cambridge 
32 


498  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Church  at  its  organization  were  George  Miller,  Alex.  Anderson,  Isaac  Kelley, 
John  Langley,  James  Anderson,  Sally  Clark,  Barliar  Miller,  Hannah  Kelley, 
Elizabeth  Daniel,  Christiana  Miller  and  Lydia  Anderson:  and  the  following 
extract  indicates  the  discipline  of  the  early  church:  "In  the  early  history  of 
the  church  every  member  was  recjuired  to  attend  every  meeting:  if  any  one 
but  once  failed  to  do  so  he  was  required  to  give  an  excuse :  if  he  failed  twice 
he  was  visited  by  brethren  appointed  by  the  church,  who  reported  at  the  next 
meeting.  Brethren  appointed  on  any  committee  were  recjuired  faithfully  to 
perform  their  duty :  if  any  one  committed  a  misdemeanor  which  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  church,  some  judicious  brother  was  appointed  to  admonish 
him.  A  yearly  meeting  was  held  A\hich  all  were  expected  and  were  glad  to 
attend,  and  which  was  even  attended  by  members  of  sister  churches,  com- 
mencing Saturday  P.  M.  and  continuing  over  the  Sabbath.  Their  greetings 
on  these  occasions  were  hearty.  Their  evening  meetings  often  extended  far 
into  the  night.  \^' hen  they  voted  to  hold  a  special  or  protracted  meeting,  they 
gave  themselves  to  prayer  and  fasting,  arranged  their  business  so  that  all 
could  attend  from  the  first,  and  gave  word  to  their  friends  near  and  far. 
Neighboring  pastors  would  attend.  These  meetings  were  short,  but  f  reciuently 
from  the  first  sinners  would  ask  for  the  prayers  of  Christians." 

A  Congregational  society  was  organized  in  Cambridge  about  1850,  and  a 
church  building  erected.  In  1852  there  was  a  division  among  the  members, 
and  two  organizations  were  formed,  a  Presbyterian  and  a  Congregational 
Church.  By  mutual  agreement  the  Presbyterians  retained  the  building  already 
erected,  and  the  Congregational  society  at  once  built  a  church  on  the  south- 
west corner  of  Church  and  Prospect  Streets,  which  they  still  occupy.  The 
church  was  organized  April  21,  1852,  the  six  original  members  being  A.  B. 
Ross,  D.  O.  Wing,  Mrs.  Maria  T.  FuUerton,  Mrs.  Harriet  R.  Ross,  Mi-s. 
Rebecca  Rockwell  and  Mrs.  Jane  Wing.  Rev.  L.  L.  Radcliffe  was  the  first 
minister,  and  remained  se\eral  years.  The  membership  is  small,  and  there 
is  no  pastor  at  present.  The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Cambridge  Springs 
was  organized  in  1S52  by  Revs.  E.  W.  Beebe,  Craighead  and  Kerr.  As  stated 
above,  they  retained  possession  of  the  church  on  the  north  side  of  Church 
Street,  which  had  been  erected  by  the  old  Congregational  society,  from  which 
both  the  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  Churches  originated.  The  first  pas- 
tor was  Rev.  G.  W.  Hampson,  who  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  \\'illiam  A.  McCar- 
rel.  In  1875  Rev.  ^\'illiam  Grassie  became  the  pastor,  which  position  he  still 
retains.  In  1895  a  handsome  new  church  building  was  erected  on  Main  Street 
at  a  cost  of  $13,000.  It  is  of  pressed  brick,  trimmed  with  cut  stone,  and  con- 
tains, in  addition  to  the  main  room,  a  chapel,  parlors  and  dining-room.  The 
church  membership  numbers  about  one  hundred,  and  is  in  a  very  flourishing 
condition. 

A  German  Lutheran  Church  was  formed  in  Cambridge  about  1869.     It 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  499 

was  a  division  from  the  congregation  at  Drake's  Mills,  and  maintained  services 
many  years,  although  there  was  no  regular  place  of  meeting.  In  1882  the 
difficulties  were  adjusted  and  it  again  united  with  the  Drake's  Mills  Church. 

A  Universalist  Church  was  organized  many  years  ago  north  of  French 
Creek  and  a  frame  church  built.  It  tiourished  for  some  time,  then  Ijecamc 
too  weak  to  maintain  services,  and  went  out  of  existence.  In  1875  it  was  re- 
organized and  services  were  once  more  established,  but  in  1881  they  were 
again  discontinued,  and  ha\-e  never  been  resumed. 

In  1897  a  Catholic  congregation  was  organized  at  Cambridge  Springs 
under  the  ministrations  of  Rev.  Father  James  J.  Dunn,  of  Meadville.  The 
meetings  arg  held  in  a  house  on  McLallen  Street,  no  regular  place  of  worship 
ba\ing  yet  been  erected. 


CHAPTER  V. 


CONNEAUT    TOWNSHIP. 

AT  THE  first  session  of  the  court  in  Meadville,  in  1800,  the  county  was 
laid  out  in  townships,  and  one  of  these,  Conneaut,  was  given  the  follow- 
ing boundaries  :  "Beginning  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Shenango  Town- 
ship, thence  northwardly  the  breadth  of  eleven  full  tracts ;  thence  westwardly 
the  length  of  eight  tracts,  together  with  the  breadth  of  one  tract,  to  the  western 
boundary  of  the  State;  thence  by  the  same  southwardly  to  the  northwest  cor- 
ner of  Shenango  Township;  thence  by  the  same  to  the  place  of  beginning." 
It  thus  formed  the  central  one  of  the  three  townships  on  the  western  border, 
and  contained  what  is  now  the  southern  half  of  Conneaut,  all  of  Pine,  and 
parts  of  Sadsbury,  Summit,  Summerhill  and  North  Shenango.  In  1829  Con- 
neaut was  reduced  to  its  present  limits  by  the  re-establishment  of  the  township 
lines.  On  the  north  it  is  bounded  by  Beaver  and  Spring,  on  the  east  by  Sum- 
mit and  Summerhill,  on_  the  south  l)y  I'ine  and  North  Shenango,  and  on  the 
west  by  the  line  of  division  between  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania. 

The  surface  of  Conneaut  Township  is  level  or  gently  rolling,  and  is 
watered  in  the  western  part  by  Paden  Creek  and  other  small  streams,  and  in 
the  eastern  part  by  Mill  Creek.  These  streams  both  flow  south  and  enter  She- 
nango Creek  in  Pine  Township.  The  soil  is  a  gravelly  loam  and  produces  good 
grass  and  grain  in  abundance,  hence  grazing  and  stock-raising  form  the  princi- 
pal occupations.  The  land  was  covered  by  a  dense  growth  of  oak,  hemlock, 
beech  and  other  varieties  in  the  early  days,  but  the  larger  part  is  now  cleared 
and  in  a  state  of  cultivation.  The  name  of  the  township  was  doubtlessly  derived 


500  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

from  the  lake  in  Sadsbmy  Township,  or  possibly  from  Conneaut  Creek, 
although  neither  were  within  the  original  boundaries  of  Conneaut  Township. 
The  name  is  an  Indian  word,  meaning  "The  Snow  Place,"  and  it  is  supposed 
that  they  gave  this  name  to  the  locality  from  the  fact  that  the  snow  remained 
frozen  upon  the  ice  of  the  lake  long  after  it  had  melted  and  disappeared  from 
the  surrounding  land.    The  township  has  an  area  of  24,492  acres. 

Settlements  were  inade  in  Conneaut  Township  during  the  latter  part  of 
the  last  centur}',  but  it  is  difficult  to  ascertain  the  precise  year,  or  who  was  the 
first  to  arrive.  Wm.  Shotwell,  one  of  the  first  settlers,  if  not  the  first,  located 
near  the  center,  but  did  not  remain  long.  Several  settlements  were  made  about 
the  year  1798,  among  those  who  came  at  this  epoch  being  William  and  Thomas 
Rankin,  Obed  Garwood,  Isaac  Paden,  Samuel  Patterson,  Robert  Martin, 
James  Martin  and  Wm.  Latta.  The  Rankin  brothers  hailed  from  Ireland. 
William  located  at  Penn  Line  and  cleared  a  large  farm  there,  on  which  he 
resided  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Thomas  took  up  land  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  to  the  south  of  that  place,  where  he  cleared  a  farm  and  erected  a 
saw  mill,  but  eventually  removed  to  Indiana.  Garwood  came  from  Redstone, 
Pa.,  and  cleared  a  large  farm  in  the  southern  part,  on  which  he  resided  until  his 
death,  and  which  is  still  in  the  hands  of  his  descendants.  Isaac  Paden  was 
also  from  Redstone  and  located  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township, 
where  he  became  a  lifelong  resident.  The  grist  and  saw  mill  which  he  erected 
was  probably  the  first  one  built  in  the  township.  Patterson,  who  came  from 
New  Jersey,  settled  on  the  present  site  of  Steamburg,  cleared  a  large  farm  and 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  there.  Latta  and  the  Alartins  were  Irishmen. 
Robert  Martin  located  at  Steamburg.  while  James  Martin  and  Latta  settled  at 
Penn  Line.  The  first  frame  building  in  the  township  was  a  barn  erected  by 
I-atta. 

With  the  exception  of  a  narrow  strip  along  the  western  line,  which  be- 
longed to  the  American  Land  Company,  the  township  was  the  property  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Population  Company.  In  the  summer  of  1797  Jabez  Colt,  the 
agent  of  the  latter  company,  in  order  to  start  a  stream  of  immigration  towards 
these  lands,  engaged  the  services  of  a  half  a  dozen  sturdy  young  emigrants  and 
settled  with  them  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township,  at  a  place  afterwards 
known  as  Colt's  Station.  Here  they  remained  for  several  years,  but  other  set- 
tlers failed  to  come,  or  at  least  not  in  the  numbers  that  had  been  lioped  for, 
so  the  settlement  was  abandoned,  the  land  agent  making  the  same  experiment 
later  on  in  Pine  Township.  But  the  records  of  the  company  show  that  a  large 
quantity  of  land  was  taken  up  before  1800,  though  a  number  of  abandonments 
and  assignments  are  noticeable  in  this  township.  The  pioneer  privations  were 
severe  and  continuous.  The  country  was  heavily  timbered,  and  with  the  rude 
implements  then  at  their  command  for  tilling  the  soil — such  as  are  suggested  by 
the  wooden  plow — the  early  settlers  experienced  much  difficulty  and  arduous 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  501 

labor  in  clearing  their  land  and  putting  in  their  crops.  Frequently  before  this 
could  be  accomplished  much  suffering  was  undergone,  and  the  problem  of  ob- 
taining the  necessities  of  life  became  so  difficult  of  solution  that  they  were 
often  reduced  to  the  very  verge  of  starvation.  On  this  account  many. of  those 
who  had  settled  here  in  the  early  days  sold  their  claims  for  what  they  could  get 
or  abandoned  them  entirely  and  left  the  country.  The  discontent  was  also  in- 
creased by  disputes  with  the  land  company.  Many  were  in  such  straitened 
circumstances  that  they  did  not  move  until  obliged  to  do  so  by  fear  of  starva- 
tion. It  is  related  that  potatoes  which  had  been  planted  were  dug  up  again 
and  used  for  food  by  the  despairing  colonists. 

Samuel  Potter  was  from  Elizabethtown,  N.  J.,  and  settled  in  the  northern 
part  as  early  as  1799.  He  came  the  entire  distance  with  an  ox  team,  part  of 
his  journey  lying  through  the  virgin  forest,  where  his  only  guide  was  the  line 
of  blazed  trees.  He  took  up  a  claim,  planted  some  crops  and  erected  a  lo"-- 
house  and  spent  the  summer  on  his  new  property.  In  the  fall  he  returned  to 
New  Jersey,  but  the  next  year  came  back  to  Conneaut  Township,  where  he 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.  During  the  War  of  1812  he  was  drafted  and 
served  three  months  at  Erie.  About  1800  Samuel  Brooks  came  from  Red- 
stone and  settled  in  the  eastern  part.  He  brought  his  worldly  possessions  up 
French  Creek  to  Meadville  on  a  flatboat,  and  thence  by  land  to  Conneaut 
Township.  After  a  year's  residence  he  removed  to  a  tract  a  mile  further  on, 
and  here  he  finally  settled,  taking  up  and  clearing  266  acres.  At  that  time 
deer,  bears  and  wild  turkeys  were  abundant  in  the  neighborhood.  Meadville 
was  the  nearest  trading  place,  and  Mrs.  Brooks  took  her  butter  to  that  place  to 
sell.  She  would  start  early  in  the  morning,  with  two  tubs  of  butter  upon  her 
horse,  and  would  return  the  same  day,  selling  the  product  of  her  labor  at  about 
six  cents  a  pound. 

Henry  Frey  was  a  lifelong  resident  of  the  southern  part  of  the  township, 
having  removed  there  from  York  County  in  1800.  He  was  of  German  extrac- 
tion and  followed  the  trade  of  shoemaking.  He  was  an  ardent  Methodist,  and 
had  sixteen  children,  fifteen  of  whom  lived  to  maturity,  and  his  descendants 
still  reside  in  the  same  vicinity. 

Previous  to  1830  the  settlement  of  the  township  pr6ceeded  slowly.  But 
as  the  lands  were  cleared,  and  the  surface  became  drier  and  more  tillable, 
crowds  of  settlers  came  flocking  in  and  the  township  was  soon  covered  with 
well-stocked  and  highly  improved  farms.  Isaac  Paden  built  a  saw  and  grist 
mill  on  Paden's  Run,  but  it  was  a  small  affair  and  could  only  be  operated  when 
a  sufficient  head  of  water  had  accumulated  to  run  the  mill.  Another  early  grist 
mill  was  operated  by  Obed  Garwood. 

In  consequence  of  the  extremely  sparse  settlements  the  educational  ad- 
vantages of  the  inhabitants  were  very  poor.  A  school,  probably  the  first  m  the 
township,  was  taught  in  1810  by  Samuel  McGuire,  an  Irishman,  near  the  de- 


502  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

serted  Colt's  Station.  In  1812  Samuel  Garwood  taught  a  school  in  the  south- 
ern part.  In  1818  a  schoolhouse  was  built  two  miles  south  of  the  center.  It 
was  a  rude  log  building,  constructed  entirely  without  nails,  with  mud  chimney, 
puncheon  floor,  and  windows  cut  through  the  logs,  with  greased  paper  in  place 
of  glass.  Messrs.  Smith,  Spaulding  and  Marshall  were  the  early  teachers. 
Wages  were  about  $8  per  month  and  were  paid  in  pork,  butter,  potatoes  and 
other  farm  produce.  A  similar  house  was  built  at  Penn  Line  in  1820,  and  an- 
other in  the  eastern  part  during  the  following  year. 

In  1837  the  number  of  schools  had  increased  to  ten,  and  twenty  teachers 
were  employed.  Four  hundred  and  ten  scholars  were  in  attendance,  and  the 
average  length  of  the  school  year  was  five  and  one-fourth  months.  Yet  the 
money  expended  did  not  amount  to  $500,  which  can  be  understood  when  it  is 
known  that  a  female  teacher  was  paid  $4  a  month.  The  teachers  were  re- 
ported as  being  of  good  character;  teaching  reading,  writing,  arithmetic, 
geography  and  the  use  of  maps.  The  progress  of  the  scholars,  according  to 
the  report,  exceeded  the  expectations  of  the  directors,  and  the  chief  defect  of 
the  system  was  pointed  out  as  being  want  of  pay  to  the  directors  and  the  "lack 
of  power  of  the  directors  to  levy  taxes  on  sub-districts  to  build  schoolhouses 
therein." 

In  1896  the  number  of  schools  had  been  increased  to  fourteen  and  the 
length  of  the  session  to  seven  months.  The  number  of  teachers,  however,  had 
fallen  to  fifteen  and  the  number  of  pupils  to  303.  But  the  average  of  the  sal- 
aries paid  to  female  teachers  had  increased  to  $24  instead  of  $4,  while  the  total 
amount  expended  for  educational  purposes  during  the  year  was  almost  $4,000. 

Summit,  or  Center  Road  Station,  as  the  postoffice  is  called,  is  on  the  line 
of  the  Erie  and  Pittsburg  l^ailway,  which  passes  north  and  south  through  the 
eastern  part  of  the  township.  Summit  is  the  only  station  in  Conneaut  Town- 
ship, and  is  about  half  way  between  the  northern  and  southern  boundaries.  A 
store,  the  postoffice  and  several  dwellings  constitute  the  settlement. 

Conneaut  Center  is  a  small  place  about  two  miles  west  of  Summit,  near 
the  center  of  the  township.  The  Congregational  Church  and  a  postofiice  are 
located  here. 

Steamburg  is  a  hamlet  of  fifteen  or  twenty  dwellings  in  the  northern  ]iarc 
of  the  township.  It  contains  the  Methodist  Church,  a  schoolhouse,  store,  one 
or  two  shops,  and  a  postolfice. 

Penn  Line  is  a  hamlet  of  about  similar  size  in  the  western  part  of  Con- 
neaut, consisting  of  a  dozen  or  fifteen  dwellings  scattered  along  the  road  east- 
ward from  the  state  line  for  half  a  mile.  A  store,  hotel,  two  or  three  shops,  and 
a  schoolhouse  are  located  here,  besides  a  postoffice. 

Among  the  early  settlers  in  this  region  were  many  of  the  Quaker  per- 
suasion, and  a  Society  of  Friends  was  organized  at  an  early  day.  There  went 
about  thirtv  members,  among  them  being  Stephen  and  Joseph  Fish.   Cor- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  503 

iielius  Lawson,  Amos  Line,  William  Hill,  David  Ladner,  Peter  Thorne,  Isaac 
Paden,  John  Rushmore  and  others.  For  some  time  the  meetings  were  held 
in  the  house  of  Mr.  Lawson,  but  in  1840  a  log  church  was  erected.  The  society 
did  not  flourish,  and  a  few  years  later  it  was  disbanded.  The  old  church 
burial  ground  is  still  preserved. 

Frey's  chapel  was  organized  as  a  branch  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  1818,  having  an  initial  strength  of  eight  members.  The  early 
meetings  were  held  in  the  cabin  of  Henry  Frey  and  later  on  in  the  schoolhouse. 
Li  185 1  a  spacious  church  edifice  was  erected  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
township  at  a  cost  of  $1,500.  The  congregation,  which  is  small  but  prosper- 
ous, was  formerly  attaciied  to  the  Espyville  circuit,  but  is  now  a  part  of  the 
Linesville. 

The  First  Congregational  Church  of  Conneaut  was  organized  in  1833  by 
Rev.  Peter  Hassinger.  with  a  membership  of  seven.  \  meeting  house  was 
erected  at  Conneaut  Center  in  1841.  which  was  in  use  until  1873.  when  the 
present  church  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $2,500.  Rev.  Hart  was  the  first  pastor. 
The  membership  is  not  large. 

The  Steamburg  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  by  Rev.  R. 
C.  Smith,  its  first  pastor,  in  1867.  with  a  membership  of  twenty.  In  1870  the 
frame  church  edifice  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,500.  The  society  was 
at  one  time  part  of  the  Linesville  circuit,  but  is  now  attached  to  Spring.  The 
membership  is  very  small,  not  much  exceeding  the  original  number. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


CUSSAWAGO    TOWNSHIP. 

CUSSAWAGO  was  one  of  the  townships  created  by  the  Court  of  Quarter 
Sessions  at  Meadville  in  1800.  Its  original  boundaries  were  described 
as  follows :  "Beginning  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Sadsbury  Township ; 
thence  north  to  the  northern  line  of  Crawford  County;  thence  west  until  it 
strikes  the  northeast  corner  of  Beaver  Township ;  thence  south  along  the  same 
to  the  northwest  corner  of  Sadsbury  Township ;  thence  east  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning." As  thus  laid  out  it  included  the  western  part  of  what  is  now  Cussa-. 
wago,  the  eastern  part  of  Spring,  the  northeastern  part  of  Summerhill  and  the 
northwestern  part  of  Hayfield.  Upon  the  revision  of  the  township  hues  m 
1829  its  boundaries  were  established  as  they  exist  at  present,  the  eastern  por- 
tion being  taken  from  Venango  Township. 


504  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Cussawago  lies  upon  the  northern  border  of  the  county,  a  Httle  west  of  the 
center.  Tt  is  one  of  the  largest  townships  in  the  county,  containing  23,776 
acres.  The  surface  is  a  rolling  upland,  the  highest  point  being  about  two 
hundred  feet  above  the  surrounding  country.  Cussawago  Creek  flows  south- 
ward through  the  western  part  of  the  township,  and,  with  its  tributaries,  drains 
this  and  the  central  portions.  The  eastern  part  is  watered  by  several  small 
streams  flowing  eastwardly  into  Venango.  The  name  Cussawago  is  derived 
from  the  name  of  the  creek,  and  according  to  the  pronunciation  of  the  cele- 
brated Indian  chief  Cornplanter  it  should  be  spelled  Kos-se-wau-ga.  Tradi- 
tion states  that  the  Indians,  upon  coming  to  the  creek  for  the  first  time,  dis- 
covered among  the  limbs  of  a  high  tree  a  large  blacksnake,  with  a  white  ring 
around  his  neck.  The  snake  exhibited  a  wonderful  protuberance,  as  if  he  had 
swallowed  a  rabbit.  Hence  the  name  Kossewauga,  which  means  literally  "big 
belly,"  was  applied  to  the  creek. 

The  valley  of  Cussawago  Creek,  south  of  the  center  of  the  township,  is 
somewhat  swampy,  and,  in  consecjuence.  is  heavily  timbered  and  less  im- 
proved. In  the  eastern  part  of  the  township,  north  of  the  center,  is  a  fine 
plateau,  and  a  more  extensive  one  lies  in  the  southwestern  part.  The  soil  in 
the  valley  of  the  Cussawago  is  a  highly  productive,  gravelly  loam,  interspersed 
occasionally  with  a  mixture  of  clay  and  sand,  the  first  range  of  farms  upon  each 
side  being  free  from  stones.  The  land  upon  the  uplands  consists  generally  of 
a  good  quality  of  clay  loam  and  sand,  and  occasionally  of  gravelly  loam.  Ag- 
riculture is  the  chief  occupation  of  the  inhabitants,  attention  being  directed 
principally  to  dairying  and  stock  raising,  though  grain  is  raised  in  sufficient 
quantity  for  home  consumption.  Several  saw  mills,  planing  mills,  cheese  fac- 
tories and  other  industrial  establishments,  exist  in  various  parts  of  the  town- 
ship, so  that  manufacturing  may  be  counted  as  one  of  the  branches  of  industry. 

Cussawago  was  one  of  the  earliest  settled  portions  of  the  county.  The 
tracts  in  the  northern  part  were  located  by  individuals,  while  much  of  the 
southern  part  was  owned  by  the  Holland  Land  Company.  John  Collins  is  said 
to  have  had  the  honor  of  being  the  first  settler,  as  he  came  as  early  as  1792.  but 
was  forced  to  leave  soon  afterwards  on  account  of  the  Indian  hostilities. 
About  1797  he  came  back  and  settled  a  short  distance  west  of  Mosiertown,  but 
afterwards  removed  to  the  southern  part  of  the  county.  Robert  Erwin  came 
to  the  township  in  1795  and  settled  on  the  John  Mead  tract,  about  two  miles 
south  of  Crossingville.  He  was  an  Irishman,  of  the  Baptist  persuasion,  and 
had  a  great  reputation  as  a  hunter.  He  built  a  log  house  and  remained  a  resi- 
'dent  of  the  township  throughout  life.  He  married  in  1802,  and  for  some  time 
the  young  couple  had  hard  work  to  get  along.  In  1797  Alexander  and  John 
Swaney,  John  Chamberlain  and  John  Clawson  came  into  the  township.  The 
Swaney  brothers  were  natives  of  Ireland,  and  after  three  years'  residence  in 
Northumberland  Countv  thev  came  here  in  the  spring  of  1797.     Alexander 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  505 

bought  1,600  acres  of  land  and  built  a  log  cabin  on  each  400  acres,  in  which 
he  settled  his  relatives.  They  bent  their  united  efforts  towards  the  work  of 
making  improvements,  and  in  a  few  years  they  were  able  to  support  a  school 
composed  of  their  own  children.  It  is  related  that  during  one  winter  the 
school  was  attended  by  thirty-six  children,  all  of  whom  were  first  cousins. 
Many  of  their  descendants  still  reside  in  the  township.  John  Chamberlain  was 
a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  resided  for  some  time  in  Sussex  County.  He 
came  to  Crawford  County  later  on  and  settled  about  a  mile  southwest  of  Cross- 
ingville.  Here  he  built  a  cabin  of  such  logs  as  he  and  another  man  could  roll 
up.  The  chimney  was  constructed  of  sticks  and  mud,  and  the  door,  floor  and 
roof  of  split  poles.  The  windows  were  holes  cut  through  the  logs,  covered 
with  greased  paper  as  a  substitute  for  glass.  With  the  aid  of  h'is  gun  he  pro- 
vided meat  for  his  family  from  the  game  which  abounded  in  the  vicinity,  and 
for  flour  he  was  obliged  to  take  his  grist  to  Meadville,  taking  a  bushel  of  grain 
on  his  back,  having  it  ground  and  returning  all  in  the  same  day.  Wild  beasts 
were  numerous  and  troublesome  and  were  continually  attacking  the  stock. 
After  a  few  years'  residence  he  built  a  house  of  hewn  logs,  and  when  it  was 
raised  the  settlers  were  so  few  and  scattered  that  men  came  from  Meadville, 
among  them  the  county  judge.  Mr.  Chamberlain  was  a  deacon  in  the  Baptist; 
Church,  and  was  a  lifelong  resident  of  Cussawago.  John  Clawson  was  a 
Quaker,  and  came  from  New  Jersey  and  settled  in  the  central  part  of  the  town- 
ship. He  was  a  farmer  and  remained  permanently  upon  the  farm  he  first 
settled. 

The  life  of  the  pioneers  in  Cussawago  Township  differed  little  from  that 
of  the  other  sections.  They  came  long  distances,  on  foot  or  in  wagons,  and 
built  small  cabins  in  the  wilderness,  where  they  for  many  years  endured  all  the 
hardships  incident  to  a  frontier  life.  For  some  years  very  little  grain  or  vege- 
tables were  raised,  the  settlers  depending  almost  entirely  for  sustenance  upon 
the  venison  and  other  game  with  which  the  forests  were  filled.  During  the  first 
year  the  grain  had  to  be  carried  to  Meadville  to  mill,  and  later  on  to  Alden's 
Mills,  now  Saegertown.  At  some  times  food  became  very  scarce,  and  in- 
stances are  recorded  where,  as  in  other  sections,  the  settlers  were  obliged  to  dig 
up  the  potatoes  they  had  planted  in  order  to  keep  starvation  away.  Wild  ani- 
mals filled  the  woods,  and  packs  of  wolves  prowled  through  the  wilderness  and 
made  inroads  on  the  sheep  and  cattle  unless  they  were  well  protected. 
Panthers  were  not  unusual,  and  they  would  often  follow  a  belated  settler,  with 
their  catlike  tread,  on  his  way  to  his  cabin,  or  frighten  the  children  at  play  m 
the  woods.  It  is  related  that  Mrs.  Thickstun,  while  on  her  way  through  the 
woods  to  visit  her  neighbors,  the  Collums,  when  almost  arrived  at  her  destina- 
tion, heard  a  shrill  cry  like  that  of  a  child  in  distress.  She  hurried  on,  while 
the  dog  that  accompanied  her  skulked  at  her  heels.  She  told  Mr.  Collum  of  the 
scream  she  had  heard,  thinking  that  his  child  might  have  been  playing  in  the 


5o6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

woods  and  fallen  into  danger.  The  child  was  asleep  in  the  house,  but  Mr. 
Collum,  curious  to  know  the  origin  of  the  cry,  took  his  rifle  and  went  into  the 
woods.  The  report  of  the  gun  followed  almost  immediately,  and  he  soon  re- 
turned with  a  large  panther,  the  author  of  the  doleful  cries. 

Jacob  Hites  came  from  Philadelphia  County  in  1798  and  settled  in  Cussa- 
wago.  He  built  a  cabin  of  rough"  logs,  exhibiting  the  devices  employed  in  the 
construction  of  houses  at  that  period.  Michael  Greely,  from  Virginia,  occu- 
pied the  farm  north  of  him.  Several  families  located  in  the  vicinity  of  Cross- 
ingville,  mostly  natives  of  Ireland,  and  Roman  Catholics,  among  them  being 
Patrick  and  Bartholomew  McBride,  Miles  Tinny  and  John  Donohue.  Tinny 
had  settled  in  Northumberland  County  upon  first  coming  to  this  country,  and 
had  there  married  a  daughter  of  Bartholomew  McBride,  and  came  to  Cussa- 
wago  with  him.  Many  of  their  descendants  still  reside  in  the  township. 
Grove  Lewis,  a  native  of  Bucks  County,  removed  with  his  family  to  Meadville 
in  1798  and  a  year  later  came  to  Cussawago.  The  land  cleared  was  not  suffi- 
cient to  support  the  settlers,  and  great  privations  were  suffered.  At  one  time 
they  were  obliged  to  resort  to  bread  made  from  sifted  bran.  Alany  of  the 
necessities  of  life  could  be  obtained  no  nearer  than  Pittsburg,  a  barrel  of  salt 
costing  $20.  Mr.  Lewis  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812  and  afterwards  re- 
ceived a  pension  of  $2  a  month.  John  McTier  came  on  foot  from  Cumberland 
County  with  his  wife  and  three  children,  carrying  one  of  them  in  his  arms. 
He  settled  in  Cussawago  in  1 799  and  immediately  commenced  the  erection  of  a 
log  cabin,  which  he  roofed  with  poles,  brush  and  moss.  As  he  was  not  skilled 
in  carpentry  he  did  not  attempt  to  make  a  door,  but  went  in  and  out  in  Robin- 
son Crusoe  style,  ladders  being  placed  within  and  without  the  wall,  which  was 
thus  scaled.  It  also  lacked  a  chimney,  so  the  fire  was  built  in  one  corner  of  the 
cabin  and  the  smoke  passed  out  overhead.  They  spent  a  year  in  this  rude 
cabin,  after  which  a  more  comfortable  log  house  was  built. 

Lewis  Thickstun  brought  his  family  from  New  Jersey  and  settled  in  Cus- 
sawago in  1802.  He  also  brought  with  him  a  cow  and  two  wagons,  one 
drawn  by  horses  and  the  other  by  oxen.  He  purchased  a  farm  a  short  distance 
north  of  Mosiertown  and  remained  upon  it  during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
He  was  an  early  member  of  the  Baptist  Church  and  left  a  family  which  is  still 
represented  in  the  township.  Francis  Ross  was  an  Irishman  and  was  known 
as  an  inveterate  swearer.  He  had  acquired  the  habit  in  early  life  and  it  had 
become  so  fixed  upon  him  that  he  could  not  enunciate  a  sentence  without  ac- 
companying it  with  a  string  of  profanity.  In  his  later  years  he  united  with 
the  Baptist  Church  and  endeavored  to  conquer  his  besetting  sin,  although  with 
the  greatest  difficulty.  It  is  related  that  often  while  plowing  in  the  fields  he 
was  heard  to  utter  a  series  of  most  shocking  oaths ;  but,  struck  by  his  weakness, 
would  the  next  minute  fall  upon  his  knees  in  the  furrow  and  in  fervent  prayer 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  507 

implore  forgiveness.  It  is  not  stated  whether  he  ever  completely  conquered 
this  fault. 

Thomas  Potter  and  his  two  sons,  Aaron  and  Job,  came  from  Connecticut 
in  1816  and  took  up  800  acres  of  land  near  Potter's  Corners.  In  1818  he  built 
a  saw  mill  and  in  1821  a  grist  mill,  both  being  the  first  of  their  kind  in  the 
township.  They  were  located  in  the  southwestern  part,  on  Cussawago  Creek. 
Robert  Erwin  operated  an  early  saw  mill  near  Crossingville,  and  had  a  distillery 
and  a  little  corn  cracker  at  the  same  place.  Martin  Clawson  was  also  the  pro- 
prietor of  a  saw  mill.  The  industrial  works  of  the  township  have  not  in- 
creased very  largely,  and  now  consist  of  a  few  scattered  saw  mills,  shingle 
mills  and  cheese  factories. 

David  Owen  taught  the  first  school  in  1804  in  a  log  cabin  a  mile  south- 
east from  Mosiertown,  and  it  was  attended  by  fifteen  pupils.  A  Mr.  David 
was  an  early  teacher  in  the  settlement.  Joshua  Pennell  taught  a  term  in  1810, 
and  a  laughable  incident  is  related  of  him.  He  laid  down  as  the  first  rule  of  his 
school  that  the  scholars  should  acquire  the  habit  of  thinking  twice  before 
speaking,  and  he  enforced  it  particularly  with  Zeph  Clawson,  who  often  spoke 
rashly  and  unthinkingly.  As  the  master  was  standing  one  day  with  his  back 
to  the  fire  Zeph  suddenly  accosted  him  with,  "Well,  master,  I  think — "'  "That's 
right,  Zeph;  now  think  again  before  you  speak,''  interrupted  Mr.  Pennell. 
Zeph  kept  silence  until  the  teacher  said,  "Well,  Zeph,  now  speak."  "Your  coat 
is  on  fire,"  was  the  meek  response,  and.  turning  about,  he  found  his  clothes  in 
a  blaze.  The  lad  was  allowed  to  follow  his  natural  way  of  speaking  there- 
after. Schools  were  taught  regularly  in  several  parts  every  winter  from 
1820  to  1835,  when  the  pulilic  school  system  was  adopted.  Cobb's  spelling- 
book,  Daboll's  arithmetic,  the  Western  calculator,  the  English 'reader  and  the 
New  Testament  were  the  text-books  used,  until  in  1836  Kirkham's  grammar 
was  cautiously  introduced. 

When  the  school  system  was  adopted  three  schools  were  established,  but 
the  length  of  the  term  averaged  only  three  months.  A  little  over  $400  was  ex- 
pended for  school  purposes  in  1S36,  and  the  progress  of  the  sixty  scholars  in 
attendance  was  reported  as  tolerably  good.  In  1896  there  were  twelve  regular 
schools  with  a  school  year  of  seven  months.  Two  hundred  and  ninety-seven 
scholars  were  in  attendance,  and  the  total  amount  expended  for  the  schools 
was  in  excess  of  $3,500. 

The  village  of  Mosiertown  is  located  in  the  southern  part  of  tlie  town- 
ship. The  first  tavern  was  erected  there  by  a  Mr.  Phelps  in  1830,  but  he  soon 
afterwards  moved  away.  Ephraim  Smith  was  a  blacksmith  and  mo\'ed  to 
Mosiertown  soon  after  Phelps  arrived.  John  McFarland,  of  Meadvdle, 
started  the  first  store,  and  placed  Archibald  Stewart  in  charge.  The  \illage 
was  for  a  long  time  known  as  Cussawago,  but  when  a  postoffice  was  est-il)lished 
there  the  name  of  Alosiertown,  v>hich  it  received,  was  also  applied  to  the  set- 


So8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

tlement.  It  contains  two  churches,  a  school,  hotel,  stores,  various  shops,  and 
about  twenty  dwellings.  A  tannery,  grist  mill  and  saw  mill  were  among  its 
former  industries. 

Crossingville  is  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township  near  the 
Erie  County  line.  It  was  known  in  the  early  times  as  Cussawago  Crossing, 
receiving  its  name  from  the  fact  that  an  old  Indian  trail  formerly  crossed  the 
Cussaw^ago  Creek  at  this  point.  It  is  surrounded  by  excellent  farming  coun- 
try, and  was  first  settled  by  John  Hagany.  It  was  an  early  settlement,  but  has 
not  increased,  containing  scarcely  more  than  a  dozen  or  fifteen  houses.  Two 
churches  are  located  there,  besides  a  schoolhouse,  postoffice,  stores,  hotel  and 
various  shops. 

The  Carmel  Baptist  Church,  at  Mosiertown,  was  the  first  organization  of 
the  Baptist  denomination  made  in  Crawford  County.  It  was  organized  in 
1805  by  Rev.  Thomas  G.  Jones,  the  first  pastor,  with  an  initial  membership  of 
twenty.  John  Chamberlain,  Robert  Erwin,  John  Donohue,  Samuel  Patterson 
and  Lewis  Thickstun  were  among  the  most  prominent  of  the  early  n:embers. 
In  1810  a  hewed  log  meeting  house  was  built  about  two  miles  north  of  Mosier- 
town, and  in  1839  it  was  replaced  by  a  frame  structure,  built  on  the  same  site. 
In  1856  a  large  frame  church  was  built  at  Mosiertown  at  a  cost  of  $1,500,  and 
is  still  in  use.  There  is  a  flourishing  membership  of  about  one  hundred.  Rev. 
Smith  being  the  present  pastor. 

St.  Phillip's  Catholic  Church  at  Crossingville  dates  its  origin  from  the 
early  days  of  the  settlement,  when  the  McGuires,  McBrides,  Tinnys,  Swaneys 
and  Carlins  came  from  Northumberland  County  and  established  themselves  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  township.  They  had  emigrated  from  Donegal  County, 
Ireland,  in  1792,  and  settled  in  Northumberland  County,  afterwards  removing 
to  Crawford  in  1798.  Services  were  for  a  long  time  held  in  private  houses. 
Father  Charles  B.  McGuire  of  Pittsburg  officiating  as  the  first  priest.  In 
1833  the  first  church  was  erected,  about  a  mile  north  of  Crossingville,  a  hewed 
log  house,  ceiled  within  with  pine  boards  and  provided  with  rude  seats,  at  a 
probable  cost  of  $500.  Bishop  Kenrick,  of  Philadelphia,  conducted  the  first 
services  in  it  in  1833,  it  being  included  in  his  diocese.  It  was  formally  dedi- 
cated by  him  three  years  later,  upon  the  occasion  of  his  second  visit,  and  the 
burying  ground  was  consecrated  at  the  same  time.  In  1843  the  present  struc- 
ture was  commenced,  and  was  finished  in  1848  at  a  cost  of  $3,500.  The  pas- 
toral residence  was  erected  in  1868  by  the  Rev.  John  Quincy  Adams  at  a  cost 
of  $1,400,  and  in  1882  further  improvements  to  the  property,  includijig  a 
tower  and  bell,  necessitated  the  expenditure  of  almost  $2,000  more.  The  • 
growth  of  this  church  has  been  sure  and  steady,  and  the  congregation  now 
includes  about  125  families  residing  in  Spring  and  Cussawago  Townships  and 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Erie  County  line. 

A  large  German  element  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Mosiertown,  and  two 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


509 


churches  were  organized  among  them,  a  Lutheran  and  a  German  Reformed 
congregation.  In  1832  they  erected  a  frame  cliurch  edifice  whicli  was  used  in 
common  by  the  two  denominations.  In  1855  it  was  replaced  by  a  frame 
church,  which  stands  about  a  mile  southeast  of  Mosiertown.  They  worshiped 
alternately  in  the  same  structm-e  for  several  years,  when  the  Lutherans  erected 
a  neat  frame  building  in  Mosiertown  and  the  German  Reformed  Church  be- 
came the  sole  occupant  of  the  old  structure. 

There  are  two  United  Brethren  Churches  in  Cussawago  Township,  one  at 
Crossingville  and  the  other  at  Mosiertown.  The  Crossingville  Church  was 
organized  in  1870  with  seven  members.  Rev.  Cyrus  Castiline  being  its  first 
pastor.  During  the  same  year  a  church  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $1,700.  The 
membership  is  small.  The  Cussawago  Church,  located  in  the  southwestern 
part  of  the  township,  was  organized  in  1852  by  Rev.  William  Cadman,  the  first 
pastor.  It  commenced  with  twenty  members,  and  J.  Kingsley  and  Henry 
Fleisher  were  prominent  during  the  first  years.  In  1857  a  building  was  erected 
costing  $660.     It  forms  a  part  of  the  Cussawago  circuit. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


EAST    FAIRFIELD    TOWNSHIP. 

EAST  FAIRFIELD  is  an  interior  township,  lying  south  of  the  center  of 
the  county,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  French  Creek,  by  which  it  is  separated 
from  Fairfield.  In  shape  it  is  an  irregular  triangle.  Mead  bounding  it 
on  the  north,  ^^'ayne  on  the  east  and  Lnion  and  Fairfield  on  the  southwest, 
separated  from  it  by  French  Creek.  The  flats  along  the  border  of  the  creek 
are  rich  and  unusually  productive,  forming  some  of  the  richest  farms  in  the 
county,  and  the  ridge  that  rises  back  from  the  stream  is  comparatively  level  and 
easily  tillable.  Little  Sugar  Creek  flows  in  a  southeasterly  direction  across  the 
northeastern  corner  of  the  township,  where  the  ridge  descends  to  a  valley  of 
famous  beauty.  Numerous  small  streams  flow  east  and  west  into  these  two 
creeks,  watering  the  land  in  every  part.  The  surface  is  rolling  throughout 
and  the  soil,  which  is  very  productive,  is  devoted  largely  to  grain  culture,  al- 
though dairying  is  also  a  prominent  industry. 

East  Fairfield  was  formerly  a  part  of  Fairfield  Township,  having  been 
separated  from  it  in  1868.  The  previous  year  a  petition  had  been  presented  to 
the  court  by  citizens  of  the  township,  requesting  that  it  might  be  divided,  with 
French  Creek  as  the  line  of  division.     The  petitioners  set  forth  that  it  was 


5IO  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

witli  difficulty  tliat  tliey  could  pass  from  one  side  to  the  other  in  times  of  hio-h 
water,  thus  preventing  children  from  attending  school  and  the  voters  from 
reaching  the  place  of  election.  In  answer  to  the  petition  a  board  of  commis- 
sioners was  appointed,  consisting  of  H.  B.  Beatty,  Charles  Drake  and  W.  B. 
Brown,  to  consider  the  advisability  of  granting  it,  and  upon  their  favorable 
report  an  election  was  ordered  by  the  court  to  determine  the  question  of  divi- 
sion. It  was  held  on  March  20.  18G8.  and  the  proposition  ha\-ing  recei\'ed  i  ^4 
favorable  votes  to  122  against  it.  East  Fairfield  became  one  of  the  townships  of 
Crawford  County. 

The  Franklin  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  crosses  the  western  end  of  the 
township  along  the  valley  of  French  Creek.  The  Meadville  feeder  of  the 
Beaver  and  Erie  Canal  entered  from  the  north  and  was  carried  by  an  aqueduct 
over  French  Creek  into  Union  Township,  near  the  mouth  of  Conneaut  Outlet. 

It  \A-as  through  the  valley  of  French  Creek  that  the  early  pioneers  reached 
their  future  homes,  and  those  who  arrived  first  took  possession  of  land  in  this 
beautiful  and  fertile  valley.  The  rich  bottom  lands  of  East  Fairfield,  stretch- 
ing along  its  course  for  several  miles,  attracted  some  of  the  very  earliest,  even 
before  the  Indian  wars  had  been  brought  to  a  close  by  the  victories  of  General 
Wayne.  As  soon  as  settlements  could  be  made  with  any  assurance  of  safetv 
from  Indian  attacks  the  entire  valley  was  filled  with  emigrants,  who  flocked  in 
from  the  southern  and  eastern  counties  of  the  State.  Bands  of  savages  were 
still  roaming  through  western  Pennsylvania,  but  an  actual  and  continuous  set- 
tlement was  the  only  means  of  holding  the  land  and  keeping  off  other  claim- 
ants, so  that  they  incurred  the  risk  of  an  Indian  massacre  rather  than  desert 
their  land.  The  rich  flats  of  French  Creek  Valley  and  some  of  the  bnd  in  the 
interior  of  the  township  were  patented  by  the  earliest  arrivals,  usually  in  tracts 
of  400  acres  each. 

Henry  Marley.  the  first  permanent  settler  within  the  limits  of  E"st  Fair- 
field, was  born  in  Ireland  and  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  1790.  He 
came  to  Crawford  County  in  1793  and  established  himself  near  the  Creek 
road,  on  the  tract  opposite  and  below  the  mouth  of  Conneaut  Outlet.  Here  he 
built  the  first  house  erected  in  the  township,  a  rude,  diminutive  log  cabin,  and 
remained,  a  prosperous  fanner,  until  his  death,  when  the  land  passed  to  his 
children. 

The  honor  of  the  first  settlement  is  divided  with  him  by  John  Wentworth, 
who  settled  the  same  j^ear  on  French  Creek,  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  the 
township.  In  his  youth  he  had  served  under  Washington  in  the  struggle  for 
independence.  Several  years  before  peace  was  established  he  came  to  Craw- 
ford County  and  lived  with  the  Indians,  adopting  the  Indian  hunting  costume, 
and  was  celebrated  as  an  Indian  fighter  and  skillful  hunter.  He  afterwards 
followed  the  more  peaceful  life  of  a  farmer,  and  remained  a  resident  of  the 
township.     William  Dean  came  from  ^^'estmoreland  County  in  1795  and  set- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  51  r 

tied  on  the  tract  of  land  immediately  sonth  of  Marley.  He  brought  his  family 
and  a  few  household  goods  with  him,  carrying  them  overland  on  two  pack- 
horses.  He  was  a  Presbyterian  in  religious  belief.  He  remained  upon  his 
farm  until  his  death  in  1846,  leaving  a  numerous  posterity  which' is  still  well 
represented  in  the  township.  Henry  Heath,  who  came  from  Allegheny 
County,  settled  on  the  farm  next  below  him,  but  afterwards  removed  to  Wayne 
Township,  where  he  died.       He  also  was  the  founder  of  a  numerous  family. 

Thomas  Powell,  also  from  Allegheny  County,  settled  on  an  adjoining 
tract  and  remained  throughout  life.  Andrew  Gibson,  from  Westmoreland 
County,  built  his  cabin  on  a  tract  just  south  of  Marley.  John  McFadden  lo- 
cated a  claim  still  further  up  the  valley.  He  remained  for  some  time,  then 
removed  with  his  large  family  to  Venango  County.  Hugh  Gibson, 
who  located  on  the  next  farm,  subsequently  removed  to  Butler  County.  Peter 
Shaw,  a  Scotchman,  came  from  near  Pittsburg  to  the  tract  next  above  Hugh 
Gibson,  and  was  a  lifelong  citizen  of  the  township.  Isaac  Powell,  an  old 
bachelor,  settled  on  the  farm  next  to  William  Dean's  land.  He  and  an  un- 
married sister  lived  upon  the  place  until  their  death  at  advanced  ages. 

James  Thompson  emigrated  from  Mifflin  County  and  settled  with  his 
brother-in-law,  Mr.  Power,  about  two  miles  north  of  Cochranton.  Here  he 
remained  permanently  and  reared  a  large  family.  Several  years  before  set- 
tling here  he  had  visited  the  township  in  a  professional  capacity.  He  had 
formed  one  of  a  party  engaged,  under  Captain  William  Powers,  in  surveying 
land  in  northwestern  Pennsylvania.  One  day  in  June,  1795,  they  had  en- 
camped on  the  banks  of  Conneaut  Lake,  and  while  the  remainder  of  the  party 
were  engaged  in  making  hasty  and  stealthy  surveys,  through  fear  of  the  In- 
dians, Thompson  remained  in  camp  to  [jrepare  supper  and  watch  the  baggage. 
Suddenly  a  band  of  Indians  appeared  and  made  Thompson  a  prisoner,  and, 
after  destroying  the  camp  and  scattering  the  provisions,  they  proceeded  north- 
ward, taking  their  prisoner  with  them  and  leaving  his  companions  in  ignorance 
of  his  fate.  At  the  first  evening's  halt  they  exhibited  two  scalps,  which  they 
said  they  had  taken  that  day  at  the  mouth  of  Conneaut  Outlet,  and  which  were 
probably  those  of  the  ill-fated  young  men,  Findley  and  McCormick,  who  were 
massacred  at  that  point.  The  Indians  proceeded  by  forced  marches  to  Detroit, 
taking  Thompson  with  them  and  compelling  him  to  carry  part  of  their  plunder. 
Here  he  was  held  prisoner  for  some  time,  but  was  liberated  after  Wayne's 
treaty  was  declared,  and  in  the  course  of  time  found  his  way  back  to  his  former 
home  in  Mifflin  County. 

The  first  schoolhoiise  was  built  in  1802  on  the  Andrew  Gibson  farm,  and 
for  many  years  it  was  the  only  one  in  the  township.  One  of  the  first  teachers 
was  Thomas  Havelin,  an  Irishman,  and  in  those  days  reputed  an  excellent 
scholar.  At  that  time  corporal  punishment  was  considered  a  natural,  and  in- 
deed necessary,  part  of  the  course  of  instruction,  and  the  schoolmaster  who 


512  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

would  not  give  frequent  applications  of  the  birch  to  his  pupils  was  looked  upon 
as  an  incapable  teacher.  Charles  Caldwell  taught  several  terms  about  1809. 
He  was  a  cripple  and  resided  on  the  other  bank  of  the  creek,  in  what  is  now 
Greenwood  Township.  Solomon  Jennings,  an  old  bachelor  from  Venango 
County,  also  wielded  the  ferule  for  several  years.  During  these  early  days 
the  schoolbooks  in  use  were  the  Bible,  the  American  Preceptor,  Daboll's  and 
Dilworth's  arithmetics  and  Webster's  spelling  book.  In  1834,  while  still  part 
of  Fairfield  Township,  there  were  three  schools  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
creek. 

In  1896  five  schools  were  in  operation,  with  an  average  school  year  of 
seven  months.  One  hundred  and  thirty-one  pupils  were  in  attendance,  at  an 
average  cost  per  month  to  the  township  of  $1.37.  During  the  year  about 
$1,450  was  expended  in  the  cause  of  education. 

Shaw's  Landing  is  a  small  hamlet  pleasantly  located  on  the  banks  of 
French  Creek,  in  the  western  part  of  the  township.  It  is  a  postoffice  and  a 
station  on  the  Franklin  branch  of  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road. When  the  canal  was  in  operation  it  was  a  shipping  point  of  some  im- 
portance, and  contained  an  oil  refinery  and  other  industries.  These  no  longer 
exist. 

Stitzerville  is  the  name  given  to  a  small  settlement  on  Little  Sugar  Creek. 

Pettis,  in  the  northern  part,  is  a  cross-roads  settlement  of  a  few  houses. 
A  postoffice  is  located  there. 

A  Methodist  Episcopal  congregation  was  organized  here  soon  after  1840 
and  for  thirty  years  worshiped  in  schoolhouses  in  the  vicinity.  Sarah  Went- 
worth,  E.  K.  Gaston,  D.  Morris,  John  Wentworth  and  Hannah  McFarland 
were  early  members.  About  1872  a  church  edifice  was  dedicated  under  the 
name  of  Kingsley  Chapel,  which  cost  about  $2,000. 

As  the  French  settlement  around  Frenchtown  increased  in  numbers  it 
spread  southward,  and  many  of  them  became  residents  of  East  Fairfield. 
Others  had  scattered  through  various  parts,  some  being  located  at  Cochranton, 
and  in  1844  it  was  decided  to  withdraw  from  the  St.  Hippolytus  congregation 
at  Frenchtown  and  establish  an  independent  organization.  Dennis  Verrin, 
John  B.  Champigne,  John  C.  Vernier  and  John  LeFavrier  were  among  the 
earliest  and  most  prominent  of  those  who  assisted  in  the  erection  of  the  licw 
church,  which  received  the  name  of  Saints  Peter  and  Paul.  Father  Mark  de 
la  Roque  was  the  first  pastor,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Father  Eugene 
Cogneville,  who  still  officiates.  The  congregation  has  since  been  much  re- 
duced in  membership  by  the  formation  of  St.  Stephen's  Church  at  Cochranton. 

St.  Mark's  Reformed,  formerly  German  Reformed,  congregation,  was  or- 
ganized before  1858  by  Rev.  J.  Kretzing.  The  church  is  located  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  township,  where  services  had  been  conducted  for  several  years 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  5,. 

previously  by  Revs.  Leberman  and  Ernst.     The  Stitzers,  Flaughs,  Marleys, 
Weirs,  Doutts  and  Harts  were  among  the  early  members. 

THE   BOROUGH    OF    COCHRANTON. 

The  borough  of  Cochranton  is  located  in  the  southern  part  of  East  Fair- 
field Township,  at  the  confluence  of  Little  Sugar  Creek  with  French  Creek. 
It  is  the  most  important  village  of  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  and  re- 
ceived its  name  from  the  original  owners  and  settlers  of  the  land  on  which  it 
stands.  Thomas  Cochran,  who  had  settled  in  Wayne  Township  about  a  mile 
east  of  where  the  village  is  located,  gave  to  his  son,  Joseph  Cochran,  the  south- 
ern part  of  tract  1,291,  upon  which  the  heart  of  the  village  lies,  and  he  settled 
upon  it  at  an  early  date.  Charles  Cochran,  who  was  the  first  settler  within 
the  limits  of  the  borough,  though  not  in  the  village  proper,  was  only  distantly, 
if  at  all,  related  to  the  others.  He  came  from  the  valley  of  the  Susquehanna 
at  an  early  date  and  settled  on  French  Creek,  near  the  village,  as  early  as  1800. 
Here  he  took  up  a  claim  and  r,emained  upon  it  throughout  life.  His  son 
James,  better  known  as  Colonel  Cochran,  was  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  the 
early  days  and  filled  the  oflice  of  justice  of  the  peace.  He  lived  upon  the  old 
home  farm  and  kept  a  tavern  and  store  for  many  years.  During  the  War  of 
1812,  while  the  able-bodied  men  were  all  at  Erie,  with  the  troops,  a  rough  log 
fort  was  erected  on  this  farm  as  a  protection  against  the  threatened  Indian 
invasion,  and  in  it  the  women  and  children  of  the  neighborhood  were  assembled 
whenever  there  was  fear  of  an  attack. 

During  the  early  years  of  the  century  other  pioneers  settled  in  the  same 
vicinity.  John  Adams,  from  Alifilin  County,  after  a  residence  of  a  year  or 
two  in  Butler  County,  came  to  the  French  Creek  A'^alley  and  settled  in  the  east- 
ern part  of  the  borough  in  1802,  remaining  until  his  death,  more  than  half  a 
century  later.  His  descendants  still  reside  in  the  vicinity.  In  1802  he  erected 
a  saw  mill  and  afterwards  added  a  grist  mill  to  the  establishment.  In  1825  he 
built  a  carding  mill,  of  which  his  son  James  became  proprietor.  He  disposed  of 
the  mills  to  a  Mr.  Alourier,  and  under  his  proprietorship  they  were  destroyed 
by  .fire  about  1845.  They  were  rebuilt  the  next  year  by  John  Whitman,  who 
afterwards  sold  them  to  George  IMerriman,  by  whom  they  were  transferred  to 
the  Smith  Brothers. 

John  Bell  came  from  Allegheny  County  about  1828  and  followed  here  his 
occupation  as  a  cabinetmaker.  A  few  years  later  George  Henry  opened  a 
store.  About  1840  a  dozen  or  more  families  had  gathered  there  and  the  popu- 
lation gradually  increased.  A  postoffice  was  established  and  was  at  first  kept 
on  the  pike,  east  of  the  village,  but  in  1852  Hugh  Smith  became  postmaster  and 
removed  it  to  Cochranton.  In  1855  C.  Cochran  and  twenty-nine  other  resi- 
dents presented  a  petition  to  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  asking  that  Cochran- 
ton be  erected  into  an  independent  borough,  which  was  granted  as  prayed  for. 
33 


514  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

An  election  was  held  in  the  spring  of  the  same  year,  when  James  Greer  was 
elected  burgess  and  Charles  Cochran,  D.  'M.  Devore,  Samuel  ^Slarkel,  \Mlliam 
T.  Dunn  and  Hugh  Smith,  coimcil. 

The  growth  of  the  village  has  been  steady  and  constant.  When  the 
Franklin  branch  of  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Railroad  was  con- 
structed Cochranton  was  made  a  station,  and  afforded  facilities  which  have' 
contributed  much  to  the  improvement  of  the  place.  It  now  contains  numerous 
stores,  shops,  mills,  markets  and  factories,  in  addition  to  hotels,  churches,  a 
bank  and  a  newspaper.  In  1877  the  French  Creek  Valley  Agricultural  Asso- 
ciation was  organized,  which  has  since  held  annual  fairs  in  Cochranton.  Here 
the  farmers  meet  to  exhibit  the  products  of  their  industry,  and  the  expositions 
are  largely  attended  and  eminently  successful. 

The  first  numljer  of  the  Cochranton  Times  was  issued  in  November,  1878. 
R.  H.  Odell  was  the  editor  and  publisher,  and  he  continued  in  possession  until 
1880,  when  he  sold  it  to  C.  A.  Bell.  It  is  an  independent  newspaper  and  is 
issued  weekly.  Some  time  before  the  Times  was  established  a  venture  in  the 
fields  of  journalism  had  been  made  in  the  publication  of  the  Trigon,  but  it  came 
to  an  untimely  end  after  a  brief  and  disastrous  career. 

Five  schools  are  maintained  in  Cochranton  during  a  school  vear  of  eisfht 
months.  Six  teachers  are  employed,  three  male  and  three  female,  the  average 
monthly  salary  of  the  former  being  $57.50  and  of  the  latter  S30.  The  re- 
ports for  1896  show  222  pupils  on  the  rolls,  involving  an  average  individual 
expense  per  month  of  Si. 06.  The  amount  raised  for  school  purposes  in  the 
borough  during  the  year  was  more  than  $2,200,  of  which  $937.73  was  received 
from  State  appropriation. 

An  Associate  Reformed  Church  was  organized  in  1827.  and  was  for 
many  years  connected  with  the  old  Conneaut  Church  in  the  northeastern  part 
of  Fairfield  Township.  It  was  the  first  church  organization  in  the  village  and 
is  known  as  the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  Joseph  and  James  Cochran. 
William  McKnight.  David  Blair.  John  Adams  and  John  Fulton  were  among 
the  first  members.  For  many  years  meetings  v>ere  held  in  the  barn  of  Joseph 
Cochran,  until  a  frame  meeting  house  was  erected  in  1834  on  the  corner  of  Pine 
and  Smith  Streets.  Rev.  Samuel  F.  Smith  was  the  first  pastor  and  ofiiciated 
from  1828  until  his  death  in  1846. 

The  Cochranton  Presbyterian  Church  had  its  origin  in  a  division  which 
took  place  in  the  Associate  Reformed,  or  United  Presb\-terian,  Church,  no- 
ticed above.  About  1848  a  part  of  their  membership  left  and  organized  them- 
selves into  a  Covenanter  or  Reformed  Presb}terian  congregation.  In  1852  & 
building  was  erected  on  Franklin  Street  at  a  cost  of  S800,  and  in  1867  it  became 
a  branch  of  the  regular  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  :Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Cochranton  was  organized  in  1S39 
bv  Rev.  William  Patterson,  there  being  twelve  members  at  that  time.     In  1843 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  515 

a  church  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $900.     It  is  included  in  the  Cochran- 
ton  circuit. 

Several  families  of  Catholic  belief  reside  in  Cochranton,  and  for  many 
years  they  formed  part  of  the  Frenchtown  congregation.  Afterwards,  when 
SS.  Peter  and  Paul  Church  was  organized  in  Fairfield,  they  worshiped  there. 
During  some  time  services  were  held  at  the  schoolhouse  and  in  various  resi- 
dences, and  in  1874  St.  Stephen's  Catholic  Church  was  erected  on  the  south 
side  of  East  Pine  Street,  at  a  cost  of  $1,600.  Rev.  Eugene  Cogneville  has 
officiated  since  its  organization,  and  among  the  early  members  were  Gilbert 
Doubet,  George  Galmiche,  John  Harding  and  John  O'Xeil. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


EAST    FALLOWFIELD    TOWNSHIP. 

EAST  FALLOWFIELD  TOWNSHIP  lies  upon  the  southern 
border  of  the  county,  west  of  the  center,  and  pontains 
16,616  acres  of  land.  Crooked  Creek,  which  forms  the  western 
boundary,  and.  with  its  tributaries,  drains  the  western  portion,  passes 
through  a  beautiful  valle\-  about  a  mile  in  width,  skirted  on  either 
side  by  ranges  of  low  hills.  Its  tributaries  pass  through  the  township  in 
narro^^■  ra\ines,  which  were  in  earh'  times  covered  with  forests  of  pine  and 
hemlock.  Union  Run  is  the  principal  stream  in  the  northern  part,  while  the 
southern  portion  is  drained  by  Henry's  Run,  both  flowing  in  a  westerly  direc- 
tion into  Crooked  Creek.  The  soil  is  gravelly,  with  clay  in  some  parts,  and  is 
well  adapted  either  for  grazing  or  grain.  Lumbering  was  formerly  an  im- 
portant occupation,  the  principal  timber  being  white  oak,  chestnut,  ash,  maple, 
beech  and  hickory.  The  line  of  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road passes  through  the  township  from  north  to  south. 

Crawford  County  was  in  1800  divided  into  townships,  and  to  Fallow- 
field  was  assigned  the  following  boundaries:  "Beginning  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  Shenango  Township ;  thence  eastwardly  seven  tracts,  intersecting  the 
line  of  a  tract  of  land  surveyed  in  the  name  of  Israel  Israel ;  thence  northeast 
so  as  to  include  said  tract ;  thence  by  the  land  of  Leonard  Jacoby  and  Henry 
Kamerer  to  the  southeast  corner  of  the  same ;  thence  southward!)-  to  the  south 
boundary  of  Crawford  County ;  thence  by  the  same  westwardly  to  the  southeast 
corner  of  Shenango  township:  thence  to  place  of  beginning."  These 
boundaries  included  large  portions  of  what  is  now  Vernon,  Sadsbury  and 


5i6  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPIJi. 

Greenwood,  besides  what  is  now  West  Fallowfield.  In  1829  the  houmlaiies 
were  changed  and  Fahowfield  was  reduced  to  ahnost  the  same  boundaries 
which  now  form  the  two  townships  of  that  name.  In  1841  the  division  of  the 
territory  into  the  two  Fallowlields  took  place.  Crooked  Creek  forming  the 
boundary.  East  Fallowfield  is  the  larger,  having  more  than  twice  the  area 
of  the  land  included  in  the  territory  of  Vvest  Fallowfield. 

Thomas  Frame,  a  native  of  County  Derry,  Ireland,  made  an  exploring  ex- 
pedition into  Fallowfield  Township  as  early  as  1792.  He  left  Meadville  with 
his  rifle,  a  camp  kettle  and  a  two  weeks'  supply  of  provisions  upon  his  back, 
but  before  he  had  been  out  many  days  his  entire  outfit  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
Fie  located  some  land  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  township,  and  in  1797 
made  a  permanent  settlement  here,  spending  the  interval  at  Dunnstown,  on  the 
Susquehanna,  where  he  had  located  upon  his  arrival  in  this  country.  He  was 
a  lifelong  resident  of  East  Fallowfield,  and,  in  addition  to  farming,  operated 
a  distillery.  Two  of  his  sons,  Edward  and  James,  served  at  Erie  during  the 
War  of  1812.  Daniel  Miller  is  said  to  have  settled  at  the  same  time,  and  they 
are  reputed  to  ha\-e  been  the  only  settlers  in  C'rawford  County  at  that  date 
living  west  of  Meadville. 

Thomas  Smith,  Thomas  McMichael  and  Abraham  Jackson  came  in  1798, 
the  two  former  settling  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township.  The  latter  came 
from  Sus(|uehanna  County.  He  had  served  in  the  Indian  wars,  having 
helped  to  repel  an  Indian  attack  in  the  Susquehanna  \^alley,  and  was  after- 
wards a  soldier  in  the  War  of  181 2.  Daniel  Dipple  came  from  Cumberland 
County  in  1800  and  located  in  the  northern  part  near  Smith  and  McMichael. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  thnt  vicinity,  and  neighbors  were  rarely  seen. 
His  death,  in  181 1,  is  said  to  have  lieen  the  first  death  which  took  place  in  the 
township. 

A  large  number  of  the  pioneers  of  this  township  were  Irishmen.  Jere- 
miah Gelvin  was  one  of  these,  and  settled  in  the  central  part  in  1797.  His 
brother,  James  Gelvin,  was  also  one  of  the  first  to  arrive,  locating  in  the  north- 
eastern part.  James  Calhoun  settled  in  the  western  part  of  the  township.  He 
had  a  rich  vein  of  Irish  humor,  as  is  proved  by  th.e  following  anecdote.  Upon 
his  return  from  a  trip  to  ^leadville,  during  the  early  days  of  the  settlement,  he 
produced  two  measures,  which  he  had  procured  from  a  tinner  there,  and  an- 
nounced that  he  had  decided  to  keep  a  tavern  in  his  little  c^bin.  For  a  stock 
in  trade  he  had  his  three-gallon  keg  filled  at  Frame's  distillery.  His  capital 
after  these  purchases  amounted  to  a  sixpence,  and.  having  decided  to  run  the 
tavern  on  a  cash  basis,  he  installed  his  better  half  as  bartender  and  with  his 
sixpence  purchased  a  drink.  His  good  wife,  equally  desirous  of  patronizing 
the  new  industry,  then  became  a  purchaser,  transferring  the  coin  to  her  husband 
for  its  equivalent  in  whisky.     This  procedure  was  continued  until  the  keg  was 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  517 

drained,  when  tavern  keeping  was  abandoned  and  tlie  happv  couple  went  out  of 
business. 

Daniel  Dipple,  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  from  the  Susquehanna  Valley 
in  1802  and  settled  in  Fallowfield.  It  is  said  that  he  raised  the  first  apples 
produced  in  the  township.  James  McEntire,  another  Irishman,  was  ship- 
wrecked on  his  way  across  the  ocean,  being  one  of  three  who  escaped  from  a 
family  of  twelve  children.  He  settled  originally  in  Sadsbury  Township,  but 
having  located  a  desirable  tract  of  land  in  East  Fallowfield,  and  fearful  lest  the 
tract  should  be  occupied  by  some  one  else  unless  he  took  immediate  possession, 
he  built  a  little  cabin,  on  the  place  about  1802,  and  each  week  sent  two  of  his 
children,  a  daughter  and  a  younger  lioy,  to  occu])y  it  while  he  carried  on  his 
work  in  Sadsbury.  Every  Monday  morning  he  brought  them  to  the  cabin, 
with  a  week's  provisions,  and  returned  for  them  on  Saturday  night.  Thus 
the  two  children  passed  the  summer,  alone  in  the  \\-ilderness,  maintaining  pos- 
session of  the  land.  Indians  were  still  numerous,  and  often  stopped  at  the 
cabin  to  ask  for  food,  which  the  children  did  not  dare  refuse.  Sometimes  the 
stock  of  provisions  would  in  this  way  become  exhausted  before  the  end  of  the 
week,  and  the  children,  not  daring  to  return  home  for  fear  of  punishment,  were 
put  to  all  manner  of  expedients  to  live  through  the  week.  On  one  occasion 
they  discovered  a  bed  of  wild  onions  in  a  ravine  near  by,  and  appeased  the 
pangs  of  hunger  with  the  unsavory  food  thus  obtained.  Another  time  they 
dug  up  some  potatoes  wliich  had  been  planted  in  a  field  the  spring  before,  and, 
taking  out  a  few  of  the  smallest,  hardest  seed  potatoes  which  had  not  yet 
decayed,  they  hastily  boiled  them,  and  so  keen  had  their  appetites  become 
that  they  devoured  them  before  they  were  half  cooked.  In  December  of  the 
same  year  James  McEntire  removed  to  the  tract  and  remained  its  life-long 
occupant.  He  died  in  1843,  a.°ed  eighty-three  years.  Several  years  were  spent 
as  a  school  teacher,  and  he  gained  his  living  by  cultivating  the  soil,  although 
he  was  b}'  occupation  a  weaver. 

So  many  of  the  early  settlers  were  of  Irish  birth  or  descent  that  Fallowfield 
was  for  a  long  time  known  as  "Irishtown."  Most  of  the  first  residents  are 
still  represented  in  the  township  by  numerous  families.  There  was  also  a 
scattering  of  Germans,  and  in  later  years  a  large  number  arrived  from  New 
York  State.  John  McQueen  came  before  1800,  from  the  Susquehanna  Valley, 
and  settled  in  the  nortliern  part  of  the  township.  Micheal  Mushrush  also 
settled  in  the  northern  part.  He  established  a  brickyard  on  his  farm  and  built 
for  himself  the  first  brick  house  in  the  township.  He  was  of  German  birth 
and  bad  lived  for  some  time  near  Pittsburgh,  and  was  considered  one  of  the 
most  active  and  liberal  citizens  of  the  township.  Samuel  Smith  came  in  1798. 
John  Findley.  a  tanner  by  trade,  settled  in  the  northern  part,  where  he  also 
ojaerated  a  distillery. 

James  ]\IcEntire  taught  a  term  of  school  in  1809.     A  log  was  removed 


5i8  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

from  the  wall  of  his  weaving  shop,  greased  paper  was  substituted  to  admit 
light,  and  by  means  of  several  other  slight  alterations  the  shop  was  trans- 
formed into  a  schoolroom.  John  McEntire,  his  son,  plied  the  loom  in  one 
end  of  the  room,  while  his  father  taught  school  in  the  other.  One  of  those 
who  applied  for  admission  to  the  school  was  a  strapping  young  giant,  Jerry 
Gelvin  by  name,  who  wished  to  supply  the  defects  of  his  early  education  by  a 
course  in  reading  and  writing  under  Mr.  McEntire.  But  the  master  refused 
to  receive  him,  giving  as  a  reason  that  he  was  not  able  to  whip  him,  and  that 
for  the  good  discipline  of  his  school  he  did  not  wish  to  ha\-e  a  pupil  to  whom 
he  could  not  administer  physical  chastisement  if  necessary.  At  that  time  fre- 
quent discipline  of  that  kind  was  considered  almost  a  necessity  by  the  teachers, 
but  Jerry,  being  anxious  to  learn,  plead  his  cause  so  eloquently  and  was  so 
earnest  in  his  promises  to  "be  good"  that  he  was  finally  received,  and  proved 
a  docile  pupil.  The  children  of  the  Dipple,  Unger,  Stewart  and  Jackson  fami- 
lies were  among  the  pupils  in  this  primitive  school.  Many  of  the  pioneers 
of  Fallowfield  were  educated  men,  qualified  to  teach  not  only  the  common  but 
many  of  the  higher  branches.  Elizabeth  Burns  was  the  first  female  teacher, 
receiving  seventy-five  cents  per  term  for  each  scholar.  The  pay  of  male 
teachers  was  usually  from  $1.25  to  $1.50  for  each  pupil  per  term  of  three 
months,  but  much  of  the  pay  was  recei\ed  in  the  shape  of  produce.  Matthew 
McMichael  erected  a  frame  schoolhouse  at  his  own  expense  and  donated  it 
to  the  township  for  public  use. 

East  Fallowfield  has  always  been  noted  for  its  interest  in  educational  mat- 
ters and  for  the  number  and  excellence  of  its  schools.  In  1896  they  were  nine 
in  number,  with  a  school  year  of  six  months.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  scholars 
were  in  attendance,  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  boys  and  one  hundred  and 
eleven  girls.  The  nine  teachers  received  an  average  salar\'  of  $29  per  month, 
and  the  average  cost  to  the  township  for  instruction  for  each  child  per  month 
was  $1.09.  During  the  year  $2,632,36  was  raised  and  expended  for  purposes 
of  education. 

Evansburgh  is  a  station  on  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Rail- 
road, and  is  located  on  the  northern  line  of  the  township.  The  postoffice  estab- 
lished here  is  known  as  Stony  Point. 

Atlantic,  situated  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township,  is  a  thriving 
little  village  of  thirty  or  forty  families.  It  owes  much  of  its  prosperity  to  the 
New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Railroad,  which  passes  through  it.  The 
settlement,  which  was  at  first  known  as  Adamsville  Station,  did  not  prosper 
for  some  years,  but  has  since  increased  steadily.  The  first  store  was  estab- 
lished by  James  Nelson  in  1863,  and  a  second  was  soon  afterwards  opened  by 
C.  M.  Johnson.  The  village  now  contains  several  stores,  a  hotel,  schoolhouse, 
shops,  church,  and  other  industries,  and  has  a  slow  but  steady  growth.  Han- 
na's  Corner's  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  the  oldest  religious  organization 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  519 

in  the  township,  its  beginning  dating  before  1815.  The  Keens,  Mattochs 
Sislys  and  McEntires  were  among  the  early  members,  when  meetings  were 
held  on  week-days  and  only  once  in  four  weeks.  For  some  time  the  class  wor- 
shiped in  Keen's  Hall,  a  room  fitted  up  for  the  purpose  by  John  Keen,  over 
his  woodhouse.  In  1830  a  church  was  built,  and  in  1872  this  was  replaced 
by  a  more  commodious  one  at  a  cost  of  $1,700. 

The  first  Presbyterian  Church  of  Atlantic  was  organized  in  1874,  com- 
mencing with  about  forty  members.  A  handsome  church  building  was  dedi- 
cated in  1877,  free  of  debt,  by  Rev.  B.  M.  Kerr.  It  cost  about  $3,300.  Rev. 
Isaac  \y.  AIcA'itty  was  the  first  pastor,  and  James  Hamilton,  George  K.  Miller, 
John  N.  Kerr  and  S.  M.  Kerr  were  the  first  ruling  elders.  The  congrega- 
tion is  large  and  flourishing. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


FAIRFIELD   TOWNSHIP. 

FAIRFIELD  is  one  of  the  original  townships  into  which  Crawford  Countv 
was  divided  in  1800.  As  at  that  time  laid  out  it  comprised  the  territory 
lying  between  French  Creek  on  one  side  and  Eallowfield  Township  on 
the  other.  ha\ing  no  land  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  creek.  But  in  1829  the 
boundaries  were  entirely  changed,  the  whole  township  being  pushed  farther 
east,  thus  including  the  territory  now  contained  in  East  Fairfield,  while  the 
western  part  was  taken  from  it  and  assigned  to  the  new  township  of  Green- 
wood. As  thus  constituted  it  included  its  present  territory.  East  Fairfield, 
and  part  of  Union,  but  when  the  two  latter  were  laid  out  it  was  reduced  to  its 
present  boundaries. 

Fairfield  Township  lies  on  the  southern,  line  of  the  county,  near  the  cen- 
ter. It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Union  and  East  Fairfield,  on  the  east  by 
East  Fairfield  and  Wayne,  on  the  south  by  Mercer  County,  and  on  the  west 
by  Greenwood.  Conneaut  Outlet  and  French  Creek  form  its  northern  bound- 
ary. It  is  irregular  in  outline  and  contains  10,797  acres.  The  surface  in  tlie 
north  is  rolling  and  hilly,  while  in  the  south  it  is  generally  le\'el,  the  higjiest 
land  extending  in  a  bluff  along  French  Creek  on  the  northeastern  border.  The 
land,  which  is  watered  by  small  streams  flowing  north  into  Conneaut  Outlet 
and  French  Creek,  is  a  loam  in  the  bottoms,  becoming  gravelly  in  the  uplands. 
White  oak  is  the  principal  timber,  interspersed  with  some  chestnut,  hickory 
and  other  varieties. 

The  settlement  of  Fairfield  was  begun  at  a  very  early  period,  even  liefore 


520  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  close  of  the  Indian  tronljles.  Several  pioneers  had  taken  up  land  here  pre- 
vious to  1795,  when  settlements  were  made  at  great  personal  risk.  Among 
the  first  was  Joseph  Dickson,  who  came  from  Cumberland  County  and  settled 
on  a  tract  of  land  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  He  remained  upon  it 
throughout  his  life,  and  when  he  died  left  a  family  which  is  still  represented 
in  the  county.  Aaron  Wright  came  at  about  the  same  time  and  settled  upon 
land  a  little  west  of  what  is  now  Calvin's  Corners.  He  came  out  alone  and 
built  a  cabin  upon  his  land,  and  then  returned  to  bring  his  family  to  the  habi- 
tation he  had  prepared.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution  and  remained  a 
resident  of  the  township  until  his  death,  in  1816. 

The  great  land  companies  which  played  such  important  parts  in  the  set- 
tlement of  some  of  the  other  townships  had  no  interests  in  Fairfield.  In  fact, 
much  of  the  best  land  of  this  township  had  already  been  claimed  before  the 
companies  began  operations  in  this  section.  Several  tracts  in  the  southwestern 
portion  were,  however,  included  within  the  boundaries  of  what  was  known 
as  Field's  claim.  The  laws  of  the  State  governing  the  settlement  of  public 
land  required,  in  addition  to  actual  occupation  and  improvement,  that  the 
claimant  should  pay  twenty  cents  an  acre  and  the  survey  fees  for  each  400-acre 
tract.  Many  of  the  pioneers  who  were  willing  to  make  the  necessary  settle- 
ment and  improvements  did  not  possess  the  means  to  pay  the  required  amounts. 
To  remedy  this  Mr.  Field,  a  wealthy  citizen  of  Philadelphia,  surveyed  a  large 
number  of  tracts  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county  and  made  agreements  with 
pioneers  \\ithout  means  by  which  thev  were  to  make  the  actual  settlement  and 
improvements,  while  he  was  to  pay  the  State  and  survey  fees.  The  tracts 
thus  taken  up  were  to  be  divided  between  them,  and  in  this  manner  many  were 
enabled  to  obtain  homes  in  the  wilderness  who,  unaided,  would  have  found 
it  impossible. 

James  Kendall  settled  upon  one  of  these  tracts  as  early  as  1797,  but  later 
on  removed  to  another  locality.  James  Herrington  located  in  the  northern 
part,  just  below  the  mouth  of  Conneaut  Outlet.  He  was  a  surveyor,  and  while 
acting  as  county  surveyor  resided  for  some  time  in  Meadville,  but  later 
returned  to  his  farm.  David  Nelson,  who  settled  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
township,  had  served  under  General  Harrison  in  the  War  of  1812,  holding 
the  rank  of  major.  He  was  afterwards  a  colonel  in  the  militia,  and  became 
a  prominent  citizen  of  the  township,  of  which  he  remained  a  life-long  resi- 
dent. Allen  Scroggs,  who  settled  in  the  eastern  part,  operated  a  still,  besides 
following  the  occupation  of  tilling  the  soil.  Alexander  Caldwell,  who  was 
a  native  of  Ireland,  settled  here  in  the  early  part  of  the  present  century.  He 
was  a  weaver,  and  followed  his  occupation  here  before  carding  mills  came 
into  use.  He  remained  in  the  township  throughout  life,  and  when  he  died  was 
buried  on  his  farm,  part  of  which  was  afterwards  converted  into  a  burial 
ground. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  521 

William  Thompson  settled  m  the  southeastern  part  of  the  township  and 
remained  there  some  years,  later  on  going  farther  west.  John  Porter,  a 
blacksmith,  was  a  prominent  citizen  during  the  early  days.  He  married  a 
daughter  of  John  May,  a  well-known  settler  in  the  northern  part.  May  was 
a  native  of  Ireland,  but  coming  to  America  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution, 
he  became  an  American  soldier  and  served  throughout  the  struggle.  He  after- 
wards came  to  Fairfield  Township,  where  he  remained  until  his  death,  in 
1836.  Archibald  Hill  was  another  Irishman  who  settled  near  the  center  of 
the  township  before  the  opening  of  the  present  century.  He  erected  a  stone 
house  on  his  farm,  the  first  in  that  part  of  the  county. 

These  are  the  more  prominent  of  that  band  of  hardy  pioneers  who  came 
from  the  East  and  settled  in  the  dense  forests  of  Fairfield  Township.  In 
the  midst  of  dangers  and  diiliculties,  subject  to  innumerable  privations  and 
hardships,  they  cleared  out  patches  here  and  there  through  the  wilderness, 
and  by  dint  of  courage  and  perse\-erance  established  the  homes  which  their 
descendants  and  successors  now  enjoy.  They  were  men  of  stern  determina- 
tion, of  strong  character  and  unflinching  energy.  It  is  by  such  men  that  great 
States  are  founded.  And  their  successors  are  not  degenerate.  During  the  War 
of  1812,  when  Crawford  County  was  called  upon  to  furnish  troops  for  ser\-ice, 
Robert  Young,  then  an  old  man,  was  the  only  resident  who  was  not  enlisted. 
And  again,  during  our  last  fratricidal  struggle,  the  hardy  sons  of  Fairfield 
poured  forth  in  answer  to  each  call,  to  do  battle  for  the  preservation  of  that 
nation  which  their  fathers  had  helped  to  found. 

An  interesting  description  of  some  of  the  primitive  usages  has  been  given 
us  by  Mr.  Brown.  In  speaking  of  the  habitations  of  the  early  settlers  he  says  : 
"The  floor  of  the  cabin  was  made  of  puncheons,  pieces  of  timber  split  from 
trees,  about  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  and  hewed  smooth  with  the  broad 
axe.  These  were  half  the  length  of  the  floor.  Many  of  the  cabins  first  erected 
in  this  part  of  the  country  had  nothing  but  the  earth  floor.  Sometimes  the 
cabins  had  cellars,  ^^■hich  were  simply  small  excavations  in  the  ground  for  the 
storage  of  a  few  articles  of  food,  or  perhaps  cooking  utensils.  Access  to  the 
cellar  was  readily  gained  by  lifting  a  loose  ]nmcheon.  There  was  often  a  loft 
used  for  various  purposes,  among  others  as  the  guest  chamber  of  the  house. 
It  was  reached  by  a  ladder,  the  sides  of  which  were  split  pieces  of  a  sapling, 
put  together  like  everything  else  in  the  house,  without  nails. 

"The  furniture  of  the  log  cabin  was  as  simple  and  primitive  as  the  struc- 
ture itself.  A  forked  stick  set  in  the  floor,  and,  su]3porting  two  poles,  the  other 
ends  of  which  were  allowed  to  rest  upon  the  logs  at  the  end  and  side  of  the 
cabin,  formed  a  bedstead.  A  common  form  of  a  table  was  a  smooth  slab  sup- 
ported by  four  rustic  legs  set  in  auger  holes.  Three-legged  stools  were  made 
in  a  similar  simple  manner.  Pegs  driven  into  auger  holes  in  the  logs  of  the 
walls  supported  shelves,  and  others  displayed    the  limited  wardrobe  of  the 


522  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

family  while  not  in  use.  A  few  other  pegs,  or  perhaps  a  pair  of  deer  horns, 
formed  the  rack  upon  which  hung  the  rifle  and  powder  horn  which  no  cabin 
was  without.  These,  and  perhaps  a  few  other  simple  articles  brought  from 
the  'old  home,'  formed  the  furniture  and  furnishings  of  the  pioneer  cabin. 

"The  utensils  for  cooking  and  the  dishes  for  table  use  M-ere  few.  The 
best  were  of  pewter,  which  the  careful  housewife  of  the  olden  times  kept  shin- 
ing as  brightly  as  the  most  pretentious  plate  of  our  later-day  fine  houses.  It 
was  by  no  means  uncommon  that  wooden  vessels,  either  coopered  or  turned, 
were  used  upon  the  table.  Knives  and  forks  were  few,  crockerv  very  scarce 
and  tinware  not  abundant.  Food  v,as  simply  cooked  and  served,  but  it  was  of 
the  best  and  most  wholesome  kind.  The  hunter  kept  the  larder  supplied  with 
venison,  bear  meat,  squirrels,  fish,  wild  turkeys,  and  the  many  varieties  of 
smaller  game.  Plain  cornbread,  baked  in  a  kettle,  in  the  ashes,  or  upon  a 
board  before  the  great  open  fireplace,  answered  the  purposes  of  all  kinds  of 
pastry.  The  corn  was  among  the  earlier  pioneers  pounded  or  grated,  there 
being  no  mills  for  grinding  it  for  some  time,  and  then  only  small  ones,  at  a 
considerable  distance  away.  The  wild  fruits  in  their  season  were  made  use 
of,  and  afforded  a  pleasant  variety.  Sometimes  an  especial  effort  was  made 
to  prepare  a  delicacy,  as,  for  instance,  when  a  woman  experimented  in  mince 
pies,  by  pounding  wheat  for  the  flour  to  make  the  crust,  and  used  crab  apples 
for  fruit.  In  the  loft  of  the  cabin  was  usually  to  be  found  a  collection  of  arti- 
cles that  made  up  the  pioneer's  materia  mcdica.  the  herb  medicines  and  spices, 
catnip,  sage,  tansy,  fennel,  boneset,  pennyro\'al  and  wormwood,  each  gath- 
ered in  its  season ;  and  there  were  also  stores  of  nuts  and  strings  of  dried 
pumpkins,  with  bags  of  berries  and  fruits. 

"The  habits  of  the  pioneers  were  of  a  simplicit}-  and  purity  in  conform- 
ance with  their  surroundings  and  belongings.  The  men  were  engaged  in  the 
herculean  labor,  day  after  day,  of  enlarging  the  little  patch  of  sunshine  about 
their  homes,  cutting  away  the  forest,  burning  off  the  brush  and  debris,  prepar- 
ing the  soil,  planting,  tending,  har\'esting.  caring  for  the  few  animals  which 
they  brought  with  them,  or  soon  procured,  and  in  hunting.  While  they  were 
engaged  in  the  heavy  labor  of  the  field  or  forest,  or  following  the  deer,  or 
seeking  other  game,  their  helpmeets  were  busied  with  their  household  duties, 
pro^•iding  for  the  day  and  for  the  winter  coming  on,  cooking,  making  clothes, 
spinning  and  weaving.  They  were  fitted  by  nature  and  experience  to  l^e  the 
consorts  of  the  brave  men  who  first  came  into  the  Western  wilderness.  They 
were  heroic  in  their  endurance  of  hardship  and  privation  and  loneliness.  Their 
industry  was  well  directed  and  unceasing.  Woman's  work,  then,  like  man's, 
was  performed  under  disadvantages,  which  have  been  removed  in  later  years. 
She  had  not  onlv  the  common  household  duties  to  perform,  but  many  others. 
She  not  only  made  the  clothing,  but  the  fabric  for  it.  That  old,  old  occupa- 
tion of  spinning  and  of  weaving,  with  which  woman's  name  has  been  asso- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  523 

ciated  in  all  history,  and  of  which  the  modern  xvcrld  knows  nothing,  except 
through  the  stories  of  those  who  are  grandmothers  now.— that  old  occupation 
of  spinning  and  of  weaving,  which  seems  surrounded  with  a  glamour  of 
romance  as  we  look  back  to  it  through  tradition  and  poetry,  and  wiiich  always 
conjures  up  thoughts  of  the  graces  and  \irtues  of  the  dames  and  damsels  of 
a  generation  that  is  gone — that  old.  ok!  occupation  of  spinning  and  weaving, 
was  the  chief  industry  of  the  pioneer  woman.  E\'ery  cabin  sounded  with  the 
softl}-  ^^■hirri^g  \\heel  and  the  rhythmic  thud  of  the  loom.  The  woman  of 
pioneer  times  was  like  the  woman  described  by  Solomon:  'She  seeketh  woo! 
and  flax  and  worketh  willingly  with  her  hands ;  she  !a_\-elli  her  hands  to  the 
spindle,  and  her  hands  hold  the  distaff.' 

"Hospitality  was  simple,  unaffected,  liearty.  unJ^ounded.  Whisky  was 
in  common  use  and  was  furnished  on  all  occasions  of  sociality.  Nearly  every 
settler  had  his  barrel  stored  away.  It  was  the  universal  drink  at  bees,  house- 
warmings,  merry-makings,  weddings,  and  was  always  set  before  the  traveler 
who  chanced  to  spend  tlie  night  or  take  a  meal  in  the  log  cabin.  It  was  the 
good  old-fashioned  whisky,  'clear  as  amber,  sweet  as  musk,  smooth  as  oil,' — 
that  the  few  octogenarians  and  nonogenarians  of  to-day  recall  to  memory 
witli  an  unctions  gusto  and  a  suggesti\'e  smack  of  the  lips.  The  wliisky  came 
from  the  Monongahela  district,  and  was  boated  up  tlie  Allegheny  and  French 
Creek,  or  hauled  in  wagons  across  the  country.  A  few  years  later  stills  began 
to  make  their  appearance,  and  an  article  of  peach  brandy  and  rye  whisky 
manufactured  :  the  latter  was  not  held  in  such  high  esteem  as  the  peach  lirandy, 
though  used  in  greater  quantities. 

"As  the  settlement  increased  the  sense  of  loneliness  and  isolation  was  dis- 
pelled, the  asperities  of  life  were  softened  and  its  amenities  multiplied,  social 
gatherings  became  more  numerous  and  more  enjoyable.  The  log-rollings, 
harvestings  and  husking-bees  for  the  men,  and  the  apple-butter  making  and 
the  quilting  parties  for  the  women,  furnished  frequent  occasions  for  social 
intercourse.  The  early  settlers  took  much  pleasure  and  pride  in  rifle  shooting, 
and  as  they  were  accustomed  to  the  use  of  the  gun  as  a  means,  often,  of  obtain- 
ing a  subsistence,  and  relied  upon  it  as  a  weapon  of  defense,  they  e.xhdMted 
considerable  skill." 

During  the  War  of  181 2  Conrad  Hart  kept  a  tavern  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  township,  at  the  sign  of  the  Blue  Ball.  It  was  located  on  the  Old  State 
Road,  which  ran  north  and  south  through  the  township,  from  Pittsburgh  to 
Erie.  It  was  by  this  route  that  the  munitions  of  war-were  forwarded  to  Erie, 
and  all  the  soldiers  going  to  or  from  that  place  passed  over  it,  so  that  the  Blue 
Ball  received  a  generous  patronage.  Hart  continued  in  business  until  1820, 
when  the  Mercer  and  ^leadville  pike  was  built,  and  became  the  prmcipal 
thoroughfare. 

James  Herrington  built  a  grist  mill  at  the  mouth  of  Conneaut  Outlet  as 


524  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

early  as  1803,  supposed  to  be  the  first  in  the  township.  The  stream  was  slug- 
gish, and  in  order  to  obtain  the  necessary  water-fall  he  was  obliged  to  build 
a  dam  five  feet  high,  which  backed  the  water  up  for  a  distance  of  several  miles. 
A  turbine  wheel  was  used,  and,  with  the  two  runs  of  stone  in  use,  an  exten- 
si\-e  milling  business  was  done.  John  May  came  into  possession  of  it  soon 
after  it  was  built,  and  operated  it  until  his  death.  He  also  kept  a  ferry  at  this 
point.  The  first  saw-mill  was  erected  by  James  Mumford  on  Wright's  Run, 
and  an  early  one  was  also  built  on  the  same  stream  by  David  Nelson.  Alexan- 
der Dunn  kept  the  first  tavern,  that  of  Conrad  Hart,  on  the  State  Road,  being 
the  second.  Stills  for  the  manufacture  of  whisky  were  operated  by  a  number 
of  the  early  settlers. 

When  Joseph  Dickson  came  into  the  township  in  1791  it  was  a  dense 
wilderness,  filled  with  deer,  bears,  wildcats,  raccoons  and  other  animals.  He 
came  alone  and  on  foot,  and  it  is  related  that  at  night  he  was  accustomed  to 
seek  protection  from  the  hostile  Indians  within  the  friendly  shelter  of  a  hollow 
tree.  At  one  time  he  was,  with  two  settlers,  named  Findley  and  McCormick. 
working  on  the  bank  of  French  Creek,  when  he  heard  the  dinner-horn  and 
started  for  dinner.  His  companions  did  not  follow  him,  and  his  attention 
being  soon  after  attracted  by  two  shots,  he  returned  to  the  place  where  he  had 
left  them.  An  examination  revealed  the  dead  bodies  of  his  two  friends,  who 
had  been  shot  and  scalped.  As  late  as  1830  there  is  said  to  have  been  two 
Indians  in  the  township  for  every  white  man. 

The  first  library  association  in  Crawford  County  was  founded  here  some 
time  before  181 6,  a  fact  highly  creditable  to  the  early  pioneers  of  Fairfield 
Township.  Books  were  contributed  by  James  Herrington,  Alexander  Dunn. 
Da\-id  Mumford,  John  May,  John  Porter.  Thomas  Havlin  and  several  others, 
and  in  this  manner  quite  a  large  library  was  collected,  which  was  kept  in  the 
cabin  of  one  of  tlie  meml)ers.  It  was  maintained  successfully  for  a  number  of 
years. 

Calvin's  Corners  is  a  small  hamlet  in  the  northern  part.  It  is  the  only 
postoftice  in  the  township. 

James  Douglass  in  1810  taught  the  first  school  in  a  little  log  cabin,  and 
a  year  or  two  later  Allison  Gray  taught  in  the  same  place.  It  was  a  typical 
pioneer  schoolhouse,  a  round-log  cabin  of  perhaps  16  by  24  feet,  with  news- 
paper windows,  the  opening  made  by  withdrawing  a  log  from  one  side  of  the 
building  and  replacing  it  with  paper.  A  large  fireplace,  which  extended  across 
one  end,  was  a  very  material  aid  in  supplying  light  to  the  room.  This  was 
succeeded  by  a  frame  schoolhouse  at  Calvin's  Corners,  erected  by  subscrip- 
tion in  1816,  which  was  also  used  as  a  place  of  worship  by  the  early  Meth- 
odists. Urania  Bailey,  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  pioneers,  John  Muzzy,  who 
came  from  New  York  State,  and  Nathan  B.  Lard  were  among  the  earliest 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  5.5 

teachers  in  this  school.  During  the  winter  of  181 7-18  a  school  was  kept  in 
a  deserted  cabin  by  Wilham  Little.  The  great  snow  of  February  -  1818  was 
long  remembered  by  his  pupils.  In  the  morning,  when  they  went  to  school 
there  was  a  little' snow  on  the  ground,  but  a  furious  storm  came  up,  and  during 
Ihe  day  it  fell  like  a  cloud.  At  the  close  of  the  session,  late  in  the  afternoon, 
It  had  fallen  to  a  depth  of  more  than  three  feet,  rendering  the  homeward  jour- 
ney of  the  younger  children  extremely  difficult  and  dangerous. 

When  the  public  school  system  was  adopted,  in  1837,  there  were  five 
schools,  in  operation,  with  a  school  year  of  four  months'  duration.  One  hun- 
dred and  sixty-four  pupils  were  in  attendance.  The  amount  of  money 
received  from  all  sources  for  school  purposes  exceeded  five  hundred  dollars. 
Spelling,  reading,  writing,  grammar,  geography,  arithmetic  and  surveying 
were  taught,  and  the  teachers  were  reported  as  well  qualified  to  teach.  The 
progress  of  the  scholars  was  also  reported  favorably,  the  chief  complaint  as 
to  the  workings  of  the  s}-steni  being  the  difi^iculty  of  securing  well  qualified 
instructors. 

The  report  for  1837  included,  besides  what  is  now  Fairfield,  East  Fair- 
field and  a  part  of  Union.  In  1896,  with  its  greatly  reduced  territory,  there 
were  seven  schools  maintained,  with  a  school  year  of  seven  months.  One  hun- 
dred and  ninety-eight  scholars  were  in  attendance,  at  an  average  cost  to  the 
township  of  $1.16  per  month  for  each  pupil.  More  than  two  thousand  dollars 
was  spent  during  the  year  for  school  purposes. 

A  Presbyterian  congregation  was  organized  in  the  township  about  18 10, 
under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Robert  Johnson.  Peter  Shaw,  Thomas  Cochran 
and  James  Birchfield  were  early  elders,  and  John  Porter,,  John  May,  Robert 
Power,  Andrew  Gibson  and  John  Fulton  were  among  the  first  members. 
About  181 1  a  hewed  log  church  edifice  was  erected  on  an  acre  of  land  situated 
a  short  distance  south  of  the  mouth  of  Conneaut  Outlet.  It  was  built  of  pine 
logs,  was  floored  and  ceiled,  and  had  benches  made  of  broad  pine  boards,  and 
was  well  equipped  for  a  church  in  those  days.  Meetings  were  held  here  dur- 
ing a  long  series  of  years,  and  in  1851  a  large  new  edifice  was  erected  about 
a  mile  south  of  the  old  church.  The  lot  on  which  the  original  church  stood 
was  donated  by  James  Herrington,  and  is  now  much  enlarged,  and  used  as  a 
cemetery.  The  means  for  the  construction  of  the  second  church  were 
bequeathed  by  Miss  Maria  Power,  who  also  left  a  considerable  sum  for  the 
support  of  a  pastor.  Early  in  its  history  the  congregation  was  received  into 
the  Associate  Reformed  Church,  and  later  on  was  merged  into  the  United  I'res- 
byterian.    It  is  now  known  as  the  Conneaut  United  Presbyterian  Church. 

About  1834  a  Seceder  congregation  was  organized,  and  the  next  year 
a  church  was  built.  Rev.  Matthew  Snodgrass  was  the  only  pastor,  and  about 
i860  the  congregation  was  disbanded.     Across  the  road  from  their  place  of 


526  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

worship  Mumford's  chapel  was  erected  by  the  Methodists  in  1861  at  a  cost 
of  $1,200.    This  denomination  had  held  services  in  the  township  since  1830. 

Trinity  German  Reformed  Church  was  organized  in  1865  by  Rev.  L.  D. 
Leberman.  There  were  five  original  members,  and  a  neat  frame  edifice  was 
soon  afterwards  built  in  the  western  part  of  the  township  at  a  cost  of  $1,250. 
Rev.  J.  Kretszing  was  the  first  pastor,  the  services  being  conducted  in  the 
German  language. 

A  United  Brethren  Church,  which  stands  near  the  western  line  of  the 
township,  was  erected  in  1873,  costing  $1,200.  The  society  which  Worships 
there  was  organized  in  1855  by  Rev.  J.  L.  Weaver,  with  fourteen  members. 
J.  M.  Chapman,  Hiram  Powell  and  Z.  R.  Powell  were  early  -members  of  this 
congregation. 


CHAPTER  X. 


GREENWOOD  TOWNSHIP. 

GREENWOOD  TOWNSHIP  lies  on  the  southern  boundary  of  Craw- 
ford County,  a  little  west  of  the  center,  and  contains  19.336  acres. 
Vernon  and  Union  bound  it  on  the  north.  Union  and  West  Fairfield 
on  the  east.  Mercer  County  on  the  south,  and  East  Fallowfield  on  the  west. 
It  was  organized  in  1829  from  portions  of  Fallowfield  and  Fairfield,  and  lost 
a  small  part  of  its  territory  at  the  northeast  corner  when  Union  was  formed. 
The  soil  is  a  fertile  gravelly  loam,  well  adapted  to  dairying  and  fruit  culture. 
It  is  well  timbered  in  parts  with  beech,  maple,  pine  and  hemlock,  and  its 
numerous  springs  of  wholesome  water  constitute  it  a  healthy  township. 

The  greater  portion  of  its  northern  boundary  is  formed  by  Conneaut  Out- 
let. The  surface  is  generally  level,  but  is  a  little  broken  in  the  north- 
eastern part.  Conneaut  Marsh,  which  extends  along  the  north  border,  is 
about  half  a  mile  wide  and  from  100  to  200  feet  lower  in  elevation  than  the 
general  level  of  the  land.  A  great  deal  of  this  has  been  made  tillable  by  the 
public  excavation  of  Conneaut  Outlet.  It  is  well  supplied  with  springs  of 
pure  water,  Avhich  give  rise  to  numerous  small  streams  threading  the  land 
in  every  direction.  Some  flow  north  into  Conneaut  Outlet,  others  swell  the 
waters  of  Little  Sandy  Creek  and  Sandy  Run,  which  flow  southeast,  and  all 
eventualh-  find  their  way  to  the  waters  of  the  Allegheny.  The  New  York. 
Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Railroad  traverses  the  northern  part  of  the  town- 
ship, with  a  station  at  Geneva. 

With  its  fresh  and  verdant  fields,  well  watered  and  highly  cultivated, 
interspersed  with  tracts  of  valuable  timber  land,  the  township  is  well  entitled 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  527 

to  its  name  of  Greenwood.  Its  fertile  soil  attracted  settlers  to  this  vicinity 
at  a  very  early  date,  and  Greenwood  was  soon  thickly  peopled.  Very  few 
years  had  elapsed  in  the  present  century  before  nearly  every  tract  in  what  is 
now  the  township  had  one  or  more  settlers,  and  that  they  were  well  satisfied 
with  their  choice  of  a  locality  is  attested  by  the  fact  that  there  were  very  few 
removals,  most  of  the  pioneer  families  being  still  represented  in  the  township. 
Many  of  them  were  of  German  parentage,  and  even  more  were  of  Scotch-Irish 
extraction.  Large  numbers  of  them  had  originally  settled  in  Mifflin,  Cumber- 
land and  Lycoming  Counties,  and  removed  to  Greenwood  from  the  Susque- 
hanna Valley.  A  Philadelphia  Quaker  by  the  name  of  Field  had  purchased  a 
large  tract  of  land  in  Crawford  County,  and  the  southern  part  of  Greenwood 
was  embraced  in  his  possessions.  He  gave  to  every  settler  one-half  of  a  tract, 
or  two  hundred  acres,  the  only  stipulation  being  that  they  should  fulfill  the 
requirements  of  residence  and  improvements  necessary  to  perfect  a  title.  It 
was  in  this  way  that  many  of  the  first  settlers  obtained  their  farms. 

Samuel  and  Robert  Power  settled  the  only  two  tracts  patented  by  individ- 
uals. They  were  brothers,  and  came  from  Mifflin  County.  They  first  vis- 
ited Greenwood  in  1795,  when  they  selected  their  future  homes,  but  they  did 
not  make  a  permanent-settlement  at  that  time.  Robert  Power  returned  in  iSoo 
and  built  a  cabin  upon  his  land,  and  remained  there  until  his  death.  Samuel 
Power  remained  a  bachelor  until  1804,  when  he  was  married  in  Mifflin  County, 
and  brought  his  wife  to  the  little  cabin  already  prepared  in  the  wilderness.  He 
followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer  for  a  long  period.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  a  Democrat  in  politics.  He  removed  to  Fairfield 
Township  in  later  life,  and  died  in  Union  in  1848  at  the  advanced  age  of  sev- 
enty-two. 

It  is  generally  believed  that  the  settlement  of  Greenwood  commenced  soon 
after  the  location  of  the  Meads  at  Meadville,  although  it  seems  to  be  impos- 
sible to  clearly  establish  the  date.  Asher  and  William  Williams  settled  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  township,  on  a  tract  of  800  acres,  and  were  probably  the 
first  to  arrive.  Abraham  Martin  came  from  one  of  the  eastern  counties  and 
settled  upon  a  tract  of  400  acres  in  1794.  He  remained  unmarried,  and  died 
in  1820.  Samuel  Anderson  came  from  Sherman  in  1796  and  settled  upon 
400  acres  near  the  center  of  the  township.  He  accompanied  Samuel  Power. 
John  Anderson  came  soon  afterwards  to  the  same  vicinity,  and  remamed 
throughout  life.  At  this  time  Pittsburgh  was  the  nearest  market.  Richard 
Custard  came  in  1797  from  the  west  branch  oi^the  Susquehanna  and  took  up 
a  claim  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  He  was  a  native  of  Chester 
County,  and  soon  after  his  arrival  opened  the  first  house  of  public  entertam- 
ment  in  the  township.  It  was  known  as  the  Black  Horse  Tavern,  and  was 
opened  prior  to  the  War  of  181 2  and  continued  more  than  twenty  years.  It 
was  a  welcome  and  much  frequented  shelter  for  the  weary  wayfarers,  and  as 


528  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

it  was  located  on  the  State  road,  which  connected  Meadville  and  Pittsburgh, 
received  a  generous  patronage  from  the  many  travelers  of  that  thoroughfare, 
at  that  time  the  most  used  of  any  in  Crawford  County. 

Each  settler,  as  he  took  possession  of  his  land,  usually  built  a  small  hut 
as  a  temporary  dwelling,  exjiecting  to  construct  a  more  elaborate  residence 
after  the  crops  were  in  and  he  had  cut  some  logs  and  peeled  some  hemlock 
bark  for  the  roof.  The  following  description  has  been  left  us  of  the  contrast 
between  the  old  cabin  and  the  new  log  house  of  one  of  the  early  settlers : 
"The  house  was  a  great  improvement  upon  the  old  camp,  where  snakes  lived 
in  the  logs  and  ran  over  the  floor.  The  walls  of  the  camp  were  built  of  round 
logs,  these  were  of  hewn  timber;  the  chinks  between  the  logs  in  the  camp 
were  big  enough  to  run  your  arm  through  and  were  stuffed  with  moss  and 
clay,  but  the  timber  of  the  house  was  hewed  to  a  'proud'  edge,  and  dove- 
tailed together  at  the  ends,  and  was  as  tight  as  a  chum.  The  camp  had  no 
floor,  but  this  had  a  floor  of  hewn  timber ;  the  walls  of  the  camp  were  but  three 
logs  high  and  had  settled  by  decay,  so  that  you  could  only  stand  erect  in  the 
middle  (and  a  good  part  of  the  middle  was  taken  up  by  the  fire),  while  this 
was  ten  feet  high,  with  a  chamber,  the  floor  of  which  was  also  laid  with  hewn 
timber.  The  camp  had  but  one  room,  no  window,  a  Jiole  in  the  roof  for  a 
chimney,  no  oven,  so  that  the  bread  was  baked  in  the  ashes,  covered  with  an 
iron  pot,  or  on  a  stone  by  the  fire,  while  the  pot  hung  by  a  chain  from  a  pole 
laid  on  two  crotches ;  the  house  had  three  rooms  below,  with  partitions  of 
bark,  and  blankets  hung  up  for  doors,  a  fireplace  and  oven  of  stone  laid  in 
clay  mortar,  and  a  chimney  made  of  sticks  of  split  wood  laid  cob  fashion  and 
plastered  inside  and  out  with  clay  to  keep  them  from  catching  fire,  with  a 
crane  to  hang  the  pot  on.  The  roof  was  covered  with  hemlock  bark,  lapped 
and  nailed  as  shingles  are,  and  perfectly  tight ;  and  there  were  windows  with 
stone  shutters,  and  two  with  squares  of  oiled  paper  instead  of  glass.  As  there 
was  a  general  apprehension  of  trouble  with  the  Indians,  the  windows  were 
inade  small,  and  the  door  was  of  oak  timber  with  iron  hinges,  and  with  a 
wooden  latch  on  the  outside:  and  when  the  string  was  pulled  in  and  the 
bars  put  up,  it  would  have  been  no  very  easy  matter  to  force  an  entrance.  The 
house  being  built  of  such  thick  stuff,  and  sheltered  by  the  woods  on  the  north 
and  west,  with  brush  piled  up  around  it,  into  which  the  snow  drifted  in  the 
winter,  their  great  fires  rendered  it  perfectly  comfortable  in  the  coldest 
weather." 

Next  to  the  task  of  building  a  first  cabin  in  which  to  shelter  his  family 
came  the  equally  important  one  of  felling  some  trees,  and  as  soon  as  they 
were  dry  enough  burning  them  and  thus  effecting  a  small  clearing.  Then, 
in  the  spaces  between  the  stumps,  he  would  plant  his  first  crop,  of  potatoes, 
peas  and  corn,  and  with  their  covering  of  ashes  and  the  newness  of  the  soil 
they  usually  flourished.     Time  spent  in  hunting  interfered  seriously  with  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  529 

work  of  clearing-  the  land  and  raising  the  crops,  yet  sometimes  the  provisions 
became  so  scarce  that  they  could  have  no  breakfast  until  one  of  them  had 
shot  a  partridge  or  caught  a  fish  in  the  brook.  When  the  crop  was  ripe  they 
would  take  the  corn  to  mill,  though  often  they  devised  means  to  avoid  the 
labor  of  going  so  far.  A  large  rock-maple  log  would  be  dug  out  for  a 
mortar,  a  pestle  contrived  of  the  same  material,  and  fastened  by  a  rope  to 
the  limb  of  a  tree,  the  spring  of  which  helped  to  lift  the  pestle.  In  this 
manner  they  pounded  the  corn  until  part  of  it  was  fine  enough  for  bread, 
the  rest  was  boiled  and  eaten  with  peas  and  beans.  The  first  year  was  al- 
ways the  hardest,  but  as  the  clearing  progressed  the  crops  became  more 
plentiful  and  life  was  made  easier.  And  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life  pro- 
duced a  rugged,  healthy  race,  able  to  meet  and  bear  whatever  privations  they 
might  encounter.  Children  reared  in  hardship  develop  early,  and  those  of 
the  hardy  frontiersmen  were  soon  able  to  help  in  the  work  of  the  farm. 
The  original  farms  were  large,  so  that  the  head  of  a  family  was  able  to  por- 
tion off  a  part  for  each  of  his  sons,  and  the  land  thus  divided  has  in  many 
cases  descended  from  generation  to  generation  of  the  same  family  to  the 
present  day. 

The  Adams  family  now  living  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  town- 
ship is  descended  from  Robert  Adams,  who  emigrated  from  Ireland  to  Phila- 
delphia in  1799,  and  two  years  later  made  his  way  to  Greenwood  with  a 
yoke  of  oxen.  The  greatest  good  fortune  of  an  early  settler  was  to  be 
possessed  of  a  team  of  oxen.  Without  them  it  was  hard  to  get  along,  and 
those  who  came  without  them  practiced  every  economy  until  able  to  buy  a 
pair.  One  early  settler  declares  that  the  acquisition  of  some  oxen  was  the 
turning  point  in  his  fortune.  William  Brooks  was  also  a  native  of  Ireland, 
and  in  1798  emigrated  to  Philadelphia.  Later  on  he  moved  to  South  She- 
nango  Township,  in  company  with  John  Cook  and  John  McDermott,  and  in 
1808  settled  in  Greenwood.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and 
died  at  Geneva  in  1813.  James  Peterson,  originally  from.  New  Jersey,  came 
from  Fayette  County  and  settled  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  He 
died  in  extreme  old  age,  leaving  a  numerous  posterity. 

Thomas  Ross  came  to  the  township  a  single  man,  and  like  all  bachelors 
at  that  time  had  to  pay  a  tax  for  the  privilege  of  remaining  in  a  state  of  single 
blessedness.  He  built  the  first  distillery,  having  a  still  in  operation  before 
1804.  Many  other  settlers  had  their  private  stills,  some  having  two,  the 
capacity  of  a  still  per  week  being  from  twelve  to  thirty  bushels  of  rye.  Rye 
was  then  the  only  grain  used,  a  bushel  yielding  three  gallons  of  distilled 
spirits.  Every  settler  who  laid  any  claim  to  respectability  kept  a  barrel  of 
whisky  in  his  cabin  for  the  use  of  his  family  and  the  entertainment  of  visitors. 
It  was  then  cheap  and  the  copper  stills  were  usually  operated  throughout  the 
winter  months.     Enormous  quantities  were  thus  produced,  and  a  large  part 

34 


530  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

of  it  was  consumed  by  the  residents  of  the  township;  that  which  remained 
after  the  home  trade  had  been  supphed  being  sent  to  Erie  and  Pittsburg, 
where  it  found  a  ready  sale. 

The  first  saw  and  grist  mill  in  the  township  was  built  by  John  Mc- 
Michael  in  1799.  on  McMicbael's  Run.  ^Nlellon's  mill  and  several  others 
were  afterward  built  on  the  same  stream.  The  first  grist  mill  in  the  eastern 
part  was  built  by  John  Peterson  some  time  before  1812.  A  sawmill  was 
operated  in  the  southern  part  prior  to  18 10  by  William  Williams. 

James  McEntire  taught  school  near  the  McMichaels  mill  in  1807.  The 
McMichaels,  Mellons  and  Adamses  attended.  Another  early  school  was  held 
in  a  log  cabin  near  the  Custard  place  by  George  Catlin.  Colvin  Hatch,  and 
afterward  John  Limber,  instructed  the  youth  of  the  northeastern  part  of  the 
township  about  182 1.  A  school  was  held  by  Betsy  Ouigley,  from  Watson's 
Run.  in  a  little  log  school  house  two  miles  west  of  Geneva,  in  18 17,  John 
Andreas  teaching  in  the  same  place  the  following  year.  In  1837,  when  the 
public  school  system  was  introduced,  there  were  seven  schools  in  Greenwood 
Township,  attended  l)y  two  hundred  and  three  scholars.  The  teachers  were 
reported  of  good  character,  with  qualifications  sufficient  to  teach  a  common 
English  school,  and  the  branches  taught  were  spelling,  reading,  writing, 
grammar,  arithmetic  and  geographj'.  In  1896  the  number  of  schools  had 
increased  to  twelve,  the  number  of  scholars  to  three  hundred  and  eight,  and 
the  length  of  the  school  year  from  fi\-e  to  seven  months.  The  average  cost 
to  the  township  per  month  for  each  scholar  was  $1.28,  the  total  amount  ex- 
pended for  educational  purposes  for  the  year  being  little  less  than  $3,400. 

W'est  Greenwood  is  a  postoffice  located  in  the  southwestern  corner  of  the 
township. 

Custards  is  a  small  hamlet  and  postofiice  located  in  the  northeastern 
part.  It  contains  several  houses,  a  mill,  some  shops  and  two  stores.  The 
settlement  was  commenced  by  Ezra  Peterson,  who  built  the  first  sawmill 
here. 

The  Free  \\\\\  Baptist  church  of  Greenwood  was  organized  in  1832, 
with  six  members,  by  Rev.  George  Collins,  the  first  pastor.  The  first  meet- 
ings were  held  in  private  houses  and  in  the  school  house,  until  in  1843  ^  ^o? 
church  was  built  in  the  south  central  part  of  the  township.  In  1874  it  was 
replaced  by  a  handsome  brick  structure,  at  a  cost  of  $3,500.  It  has  a  flour- 
ishing membership.  Jacob  H.  Bortner,  Jacob  and  Nancy  Cook,  Caleb  and 
^largaret  Xewbold.  and  A.  Turner  were  the  original  members. 

The  Greenfield  Presbyterian  church  was  organized  in  1854,  with  twenty 
members.  The  church  building,  erected  in  1854  in  the  southwestern  part  of 
the  township,  cost  $1,500.  Rev.  James  Coulter  supplied  the  charge  for  a 
time,  and  in  i860  Rev.  George  Scott  was  installed  as  its  first  pastor.     The 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  531 

membersliip  is  small  and  weak,  and  it  is  long  since  regular  services  have  been 
held. 

A  United  Brethren  class  meets  for  worship  in  Peterson's  school  house, 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  It  was  organized  about  1868  and  con- 
nected with  the  Geneva  mission.     The  membership  is  very  small. 

BOROUGH    OF    GENEVA. 

The  borough  of  Geneva  is  situated  in  the  northern  part  of  Greenwood 
Township,  on  the  line  of  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  &  Ohio  Railroad.  It 
was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1872  and  the  first  election  was  held  in 
March  of  that  year.  De  Witt  Harroun  was  appointed  judge  of  election,  and 
William  Billings  and  Alfred  M.  Abbott,  inspectors.  Jonathan  Smock  was 
elected  the  first  Burgess,  J.  H.  Tiffany,  Clerk,  and  James  Hood,  Constable. 

Geneva,  which  has  a  population  of  about  four  hundred,  was  originally 
known  as  Sutton's  Corners.  In  the  spring  of  i860  Peter  and  Sylvester 
Sutton  started  the  first  store,  bringing  the  goods  overland  from  Meadville. 
Miller  Sutton  had  a  blacksmith  shop  there,  and  several  farmers  and  laborer.s 
were  living  on  the  site  of  the  village.  The  southern  part  of  the  village  was 
included  in  the  farms  then  owned  by  John  Sutton  and  John  Gelvin,  while 
C.  G.  Bolster  and  J.  D.  Christ  owned  what  is  now  the  northern  part.  In 
1863  the  railroad  was  constructed,  and  from  that  time  the  village  has  had 
a  steady  growth.  It  now  contains  stores  of  various  kinds,  hotels,  shops, 
factories,  a  graded  school  and  two  churches.  Jonathan  Christ  was  the  first 
postmaster,  and  he  was  succeeded  by  John  Gelvin,  who  held  the  office  many 
years. 

The  first  school  was  held  in  a  one-story  frame  building,  situated  on  the 
southeast  corner  of  Main  and  Center  streets.  In  185 1  a  second  one-story 
frame  structure  was  built,  and  in  1866  it  was  replaced  by  a  handsome  two- 
story  building.  In  1896  it  was  occupied  by  two  schools,  in  session  during 
eight  months.  Eighty  scholars  were  in  attendance  and  over  eight  hundred 
dollars  were  expended  by  the  borough  for  educational  purposes. 

A  class  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  used  to  meet  for  worship 
in  a  school-house  about  a  mile  east  of  Geneva,  as  early  as  1820.  A  log 
church  was  built  later  on,  a  little  east  of  the  borough,  and  in  1843  this  was 
replaced  by  a  frame  building  on  the  same  location.  In  1858  the  present  build- 
ing was  erected  in  Geneva  at  a  cost  of  $1,200.  Thomas  Abbott,  Wyram 
Newton  and  John  Sutton  were  early  members.  It  was,  in  the  early  days, 
connected  with  the  Salem  Circuit  of  Mercer  County,  but  has  since  been  made 
part  of  the  Evansburgh  Circuit. 

T.  P.  Abbott  and  wife,  J.  D.  Christ  and  F.  D.  Gill  organized  the  United 
Brethren  Church  in  1870.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  school-house, 
but  John  Gelvin  having  donated  a  lot  in  Geneva,  a  handsome  brick  meeting 


532  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

house  was  erected  there  in  1872  at  an  expense  of  $3,000.  Bishop  J.  J.  Gloss- 
brenner  officiated  at  the  dedicatory  services.  Its  membership,  though  not  large, 
includes  many  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Geneva  and  vicinity. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


HAYFIELD    TOWNSHIP. 

IN    ASSIGNING   names  to  the  townships  into  which   Crawford   County 
was  divided,  no  rule  was  followed,  as  is  sometimes  the  case  in  some  of 

the  Western  States,  but  each  one  was  named  arbitrarily,  as  it  pleased  the 
court  or  as  the  citizens  prayed  for  in  their  petition.  In  a  few  instances  the 
Indian  names  of  the  localities  were  retained :  as  Shenango,  Cussawago  and 
Conneaut.  Some  were  named  after  men  of  note,  such  as  Mead,  Wayne  and 
Steuben,  while  in  the  eastern  end  such  classic  names  as  Athens,  Rome,  Troy 
and  Sparta  were  selected.  But  in  a  large  number  of  cases  some  quality  or 
peculiarity  of  the  land  itself  gave  rise  to  the  name  by  which  it  is  now  known. 
The  very  name  of  Fallowfield  speaks  for  the  fertility  of  its  soil ;  while  the 
names  of  A'ernon,  Fairfield  and  Sumnierhill  are  equally  indicative  of  the  quali- 
ties of  tb.e  land.  And  so,  when,  in  1829,  a  new  townsliip  was  organized  from 
the  adjacent  parts  of  Mead,  Venango,  Cussawago  and  Sadsbury,  containing 
a  section  famous  for  its  crops  of  hay,  the  name  of  Hayfield  was  very  appro- 
priately bestowed  upon  it. 

Hayfield  is  an  interior  township,  lying  a  little  northwest  of  the  center  of 
the  county.  Its  eastern  portion  is  included  in  the  valley  of  French  Creek  and 
is  drained  by  it  and  the  small  streams  which  empty  into  it.  Cussawago  Creek 
flows  southwardly  through  the  central  part,  and  its  numerous  tributaries  spread 
over  the  northern  and  central  portions.  The  area  of  the  township  is  22,724 
acres.  The  soil  of  the  valleys  is  a  black  loam,  being  gravelly  in  the  higher 
portions.  When  the  early  settlers  arrived  the  entire  surface  was  covered  with 
a  heavy  growth  of  timber,  hickory,  chestnut  and  oak  prevailing  on  the  high 
land,  with  considerable  white  oak  in  the  valleys.  Although  the  soil  is  naturally 
productive  its  fertility  has  been  much  increased  by  the  use  of  fertilizers,  and  it 
yields  abundant  crops.  Located  as  it  is  near  the  site  of  the  first  settlement  in 
the  county,  and  including  a  portion  of  the  French  Creek  Valley,  Hayfield 
Township  attracted  to  its  valleys  some  of  the  earliest  settlers.  Several  tracts 
were  surveyed  within  its  boundaries  by  adventurous  individuals  even  before 
the  end  of  the  Indian  war  had  made  their  occupation  possible.     Many  settlers 


■     OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  533 

had  taken  up  land  before  1800,  some  by  patent,  and  others  by  grant  from  the 
Holland  Land  Company,  which  owned  a  large  part  of  Hayfield.  One  hun- 
dred acres  were  usually  given  for  fulfilling  the  conditions  of  settlement  and  im- 
provement, and  the  settler  was  expected  to  purchase  an  additional  fifty  or  one 
hundred  acres. 

To  James  Dickson  belongs  the  honor  of  making  the  first  settlement  within 
the  limits  of  what  is  now  Hayfield  Township.  Born  near  Dumfries,  Scotland, 
he  emigrated  to  America  in  1785,  bringing  with  him  his  wife  and  two  chil- 
dren. He  landed  at  Philadelphia,  and  proceeded  from  there  to  Pittsburg, 
where  he  secured  work  and  remained  until  1793.  He  was  determined  to  secure 
a  home  under  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  the  Legislature  passed  the  year 
previous,  and  for  that  purpose  traveled  on  foot  from  Pittsburg  to  Meadville, 
and  located  a  tract  of  400  acres  four  miles  north  of  that  place,  on  the  west 
bank  of  French  Creek,  in  what  is  now  Hayfield  Township.  He  also  located 
400  acres  just  south  of  this  for  his  son  Robert,  and  afterward  purchased  it. 
He  spent  the  summer  of  1793  in  Meadville,  where  he  and  William  Jones  culti- 
vated a  field  of  corn  and  potatoes  on  the  island,  and  in  the  fall  returned  to 
Pittsburg.  The  next  spring  he  attempted  to  bring  his  family  and  household 
goods  by  boat  up  the  Allegheny  and  French  Creek,  but  the  boat  capsized,  and 
most  of  his  clothing  and  household  articles  were  lost.  The  troubles  with  the 
Indians  prevented  him  from  going  at  once  to  his  claim,  and  for  two  years 
he  was  forced  to  remain  in  the  block  house  at  Meadville,  at  one  time  receiving 
a  severe  wound  in  an  engagement  with  the  savages.  In  1796,  Wayne's  victory 
having  put  an  end  to  the  hostilities,  he  removed  with  his  family  to  the  farm  he 
had  staked  out  three  years  before.  Here  he  built  a  cabin  and  cleared  the  land, 
and  made  it  his  permanent  home.  He  resided  upon  the  same  farm  until  his 
death  in  1825,  in  his  seventy-fourth  year.  Mr.  Dickson  was  an  early  member 
of  the  Meadville  Presbyterian  Church. 

James  Dickson,  or  Scotch  Jemmy,  as  he  was  more  generally  known,  was 
the  hero  of  several  adventures  during  the  Indian  troubles.  On  one  occasion,  in 
1793  or  1794,  he  was  surprised  by  a  number  of  Indians  in  the  woods  and 
shot  at  several  times.  Turning  his  face  toward  them,  he  leveled  his  rifle  and 
dared  them  to  come  out  of  the  woods  like  men  and  give  him  fair  play — crying, 
in  his  broad  Scotch  dialect :  "Noo  coom  on  wi'  your  wee  axe."  With  his  rifle 
thus  presented  he  continued  to  v.-alk  backward  until  out  of  reach  of  their  fire, 
and  in  that  way  made  his  way  to  the  old  blockhouse  in  Meadville. 

Again,  during  the  summer  of  1795,  James  Dickson  and  his  son  were  get- 
ting the  ground  ready  for  a  potato  patch  on  the  tract  which  they  settled  the 
following  year.  The  Indians  were  still  hostile,  and  the  few  venturesome 
pioneers  who  cultivated  patches  of  ground  away  from  the  fort  at  Meadville, 
found  it  prudent  to  labor  in  groups  of  two  or  more,  one  keeping  guard  while 
the  others  worked.     As  they  were  busily  preparing  the  ground  they  heard  the 


534  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

report  of  a  gun,  and  seeing  a  flock  of  turkeys  fly  from  the  limbs  of  one  of  the 
neighboring  trees,  and  fearing  that  the  Indians  were  at  hand,  the  laborers  hid 
themselves  in  a  nearby  thicket.  But  they  were  reassured  when  they  saw  the 
form  of  Hugh  Logue  emerge  from  the  forest,  rifle  in  hand,  and  together  they 
went  to  Meadville,  leaving  a  horse  they  had  been  using  at  the  clearing.  Upon 
their  return,  a  few  days  later,  they  found  that  the  horse  was  missing,  and 
beside  his  tracks,  which  disappeared  in  the  direction  of  Conneaut  Lake,  were 
the  prints  of  moccasins.  The  horse  had  undoubtedly  been  stolen  by  the 
Indians,  and  it  was  never  recovered.  Thefts  of  this  kind  were  not  infrequent 
in  those  days. 

The  end  of  the  Indian  troubles  in  1796  brought  several  other  families 
within  the  limits  of  Hayfield.  Hugh  Logue,  an  Irishman,  settled  near  Dick- 
son. He  was  well  advanced  in  years  and  was  accompanied  by  a  grown  up 
family.  Two  bi"Others,  Adam  and  Jacob  Brookhouser,  of  Gemian  origin,  set- 
tled upon  land  opposite  Sagertown.  William  Gill  had  remained  in  Meadville 
for  some  time,  and  in  the  spring  of  1796  took  possession  of  a  tract  north  of 
Dickson's.     His  eldest  son,  Robert,  was  in  service  at  Erie. 

The  two  Roderick  Fraziers  settled  near  the  southeast  corner  of  the  town- 
ship. They  were  of  no  kin  to  one  another,  but  by  a  remarkable  coincidence 
both  came  to  Hayfield  and  lived  upon  the  same  tract.  The  elder  Roderick 
Frazier  was  a  Scotchman,  a  bachelor,  who  had  been  in  the  English  army  at  the 
fall  of  Quebec.  He  had  located  a  tract  on  French  Creek  as  early  as  1793,  but 
did  not  take  possession  of  his  land  until  1796,  passing  the  period  of  Indian  dis- 
turbances in  Meadville.  He  resided  upon  his  farm  until  death,  living  to 
the  age  of  more  than  one  hundred  years.  Roderick  Frazier,  the  younger,  was 
also  a  Scotchman,  from  near  Inverness.  During  the  Revolution  he  had  been 
an  English  soldier,  but  deserted  to  the  American  side  before  the  close  of  the 
war.  In  1806  he  came  to  Hayfield  and  settled  upon  the  tract  of  his  elderly 
namesake,  supporting  the  old  man  in  his  advanced  life,  and  purchasing  the 
tract,  part  of  which  is  still  owned  by  his  descendants. 

William  McElvey  settled  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township,  about  a  mile 
northwest  from  the  Dickson  farm.  He  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  and 
remained  there  through  life.  James  Dunn  came  from  New  Jersey  in  1797 
and  settled  on  a  tract  near  Coon's  Corners.  His  descendants  still  reside  in  the 
township.  During  the  early  days,  when  this  county  was  a  portion  of  Alle- 
gheny, he  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  in  later  years  became  a  Baptist  min- 
ister. At  about  the  same  time  Isaac  and  George  Mason  made  a  settlement 
on  Brookhouser's  Run,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  northeast  of  Saegertown.  Isaac 
commanded  a  company  from  Crawford  County  in  service  at  Erie  during  the 
War  of  181 2.  Their  brother,  David  Mason,  settled  on  the  hills  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  township.  IMartha  Ouray  lived  with  her  brother,  George  Ouray, 
in  the  southwestern  part  at  a  very  early  date.     She  purchased  100  acres  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  535 

land,  and  soon  afterward  married  Daniel  Kilday,  an  emigrant  from  Ireland. 
Philip  Dunn  settled  on  the  Cussawago,  David  Morris  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  township,  and  within  a  few  years  the  settlers  had  come  in  sufficient  num- 
bers to  cover  the  surface  of  the  township. 

A  great  number  of  the  pioneers  had  come  from  the  thickly  settled  portions 
of  the  East,  and  were  not  accustomed  to  use  the  rifle.  But  in  a  short  time 
many  of  them  became  expert  hunters,  particularly  the  vounger  men.  An 
amusing  incident  is  related  of  Daniel  Kilday  and  Robert  Kilpatrick,  two  Irish 
settlers  wholly  unaccustomed  to  forest  life  and  the  sight  of  its  wild  inhabi- 
tants. While  walking  through  the  woods  together  Kilday  saw  an  animal  of 
some  sort  run  up  a  sapling,  and  making  toward  it  he  cried  excitedly  to  his 
companion,  "Robert,  Robert,  we've  threed  a  fawn."  Daniel  followed  the 
creature  up  the  tree  and  in  spite  of  its  savage  cries  and  furious  demonstrations, 
knocked  it  off,  while  his  companion  below  beat  the  life  out  of  it  with  a  club. 
It  proved  to  be  a  wildcat  of  the  largest  size. 

James  Dickson,  in  1815,  built  the  first  bridge  across  French  Creek,  con- 
necting Hayfield  with  the  other  side.  It  had  stone  piers  and  hewed  timbers 
and  was  afterward  purchased  by  the  county.  In  181 5  he  commenced  the 
construction  of  a  flouring  mill  at  ]\IcGuffin's  Falls,  in  the  southeastern  part 
of  the  township,  but  it  was  not  set  in  operation  imtil  1819.  After  his  death 
it  became  the  property  of  his  son  Joseph,  who  operated  it  until  1836,  when 
he  sold  it  to  William  McGaw.  In  1814  William  Gill  and  James  Dickson  both 
started  distilleries,  which  had  a  capacity  of  four  bushels  of  rye  per  day.  There 
was  a  great  demand  for  whiskey,  and  Roderick  Frazier  and  others  also  oper- 
ated stills.  A  little  grist  mill  was  built  on  Foster's  Run  in  1800  by  George 
Mason,  and  although  it  was  of  small  capacity  was  looked  upon  as  a  great  boon 
to  the  settlement.. 

In  the  southeastern  part  of  Hayiield  Township  a  large  vineyard  is  cul- 
tivated by  John  Hartman.  It  is  located  upon  a  high  ridge,  being  the  highest 
land  in  that  portion  of  the  county,  and  is  therefore  freer  from  frost  than  most 
of  the  surrounding  territory.  Mr.  Hartman  first  began  the  cultivation  of 
grapes  for  profit  about  ten  years  ago,  and  since  then  the  number  of  vines  has 
been  increased  until  he  now  devotes  to  that  purpose  between  sixty  and  seventy 
acres.  The  Concord  is  the  staple  variety,  although  the  Niagara  and  Catawba 
are  also  favorites,  and  other  species  are  given  considerable  attention.  His 
)-early  production  of  grapes  now  averages  from  seventy  to  eighty  thousand 
baskets,  which  find  a  ready  sale  in  the  markets  of  Meadville  and  other  cities. 
Large  quantities  of  wine  are  manufactured  and  sold  to  wholesale  merchants  in 
New  York.  The  size  and  beauty  of  this  vineyard  make  it  one  of  the  inter- 
esting features  of  Crawford  County,  the  vine  covered  hills  differing  little 
in  appearance  from  the  picturesque  scenes  of  southern  France.  Mr.  Hartman 
has  found  grape  raising  a  profitable  occupation,  and  during  the  autumn  his 


536  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

increasing  business  gives  employment  to  a  large  staff  of  assistants.  Not  far 
from  this  vineyard  another  of  smaller  area  is  operated  by  Mr.  Rice. 

Miss  Martha  Ouray,  who  afterward  became  ^Nlrs.  Kilday.  taught  the  first 
school  in  the  township.  It  was  held  in  1 798  in  an  old  log  cabin  which  stood  on 
the  Kilday  farm,  and  was  attended  by  the  Dickson  and  Gill  children.  Mordecai 
Thomas  taught  school  in  the  same  vicinity  from  1804  to  1808,  and  Owen 
David  for  ten  or  twehe  years  afterward.  About  1804  George  Andrews,  an 
Irishman  of  considerable  talent  and  ability,  taught  a  term  in  the  Dickson 
cabin.  The  early  schools  were  usualh^  held  in  abandoned  cabins,  with  no  con- 
veniences, and  the  teachers  were  poorly  educated  and  the  pupils  few.  In  1837 
there  were  three  schools,  employing  three  teachers,  but  the  number  of  scholars 
was  not  reported.  Upward  of  six  hundred  dollars  was  raised  for  school  pur- 
poses and  both  teachers  and  scholars  were  spoken  of  in  terms  of  praise. 

In  1896  the  number  of  schools  had  increased  to  seventeen,  with  a  school 
year  of  seven  months.  Three  hundred  and  fifty-nine  children  were  enrolled  as 
pupils,  at  an  average  cost  per  month  for  each  pupil  of  Si. 34.  More  than 
$4,700  was  expended  for  school  purposes,  more  than  half  being  raised  by 
the  township  itself,  the  remainder  coming  from  the  State  appropriation. 

Little's  Corners,  or  Ha}-field  Postoffice.  is  the  largest  village  in  the  town- 
ship. There  are  twent\--five  or  thirty  dwellings,  several  stores,  several  mills 
and  factories,  a  church  and  a  schoolhouse.  The  village  was  commenced  more 
than  fift}-  years  ago  and  has  increased  verj-  slowly.  \Mlliam  B.  Morris  oper- 
ated a  carding  mill  here  as  early  as  1845,  and  in  1850  Sylvester  Mason  opened 
the  first  store. 

Coon's  Corners  is  a  small  village  situated  near  the  center  of  the  town- 
ship, about  a  mile  east  of  Haj^ield.  It  contains  a  half  dozen  dwellings,  a  post- 
office,  store  and  a  church. 

Xorrisville  is  a  settlement  of  about  the  same  size,  located  on  the  west- 
ern line  of  the  township. 

The  Xorrisville  United  Brethren  Church,  formerly  called  the  Summer- 
hill  Church,  was  organized  by  Rev.  Rittenhouse  about  1853,  with  five  mem- 
bers. The  church  sersices  were  held  in  a  schoolhouse  in  Summerhill  Town- 
ship until  about  i860,  when  an  edifice  was  erected  near  the. western  boundarj-  of 
Ha}-field.  It  has  a  small  membership  and  is  connected  with  the  Cussawago 
Circuit. 

Little's  Comers  [Methodist  Episcopal  Societ}-  was  organized  at  Hayfield 
in  1852,  with  nine  members,  by  Rev.  J.  K.  Hallock,  the  first  pastor.  The  early 
meetings  were  held  in  a  schoolhouse,  but  in  1853  a  large  meeting  house  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $1,700.  The  socieb.-.  though  small,  is  in  a  flourishing 
condition.  The  Coon's  Comers  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized 
in  1844  by  Rev.  McClellen,  with  twelve  members.  In  1848  a  frame  building 
was  erected  at  a  cost  of  S700. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  537 

An  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  was  organized  at  Black's  Comers  in 
1854,  by  Rev.  John  A.  Xuner.  There  were  fourteen  original  members,  and  the 
first  meetings  were  held  in  Bum's  schoolhouse,  north  of  the  present  church, 
which  was  erected  in  the  same  year  at  an  expense  of  $400.  Its  membership 
is  also  ver)-  small. 

The  Pleasant  Hill  United  Brethren  Church  was  organized  at  Black's 
Corners  in  1869  by  Rev.  Cyms  Casterline.  There  were  forty  original  mem- 
bers, among  them  Herman  Rice  and  John  Braddish.  In  1870  a  church  edifice 
was  erected  at  a  cost  of  Si. 700.  but  the  membership  is  now  greatlv  reduced. 

A  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church  was  erected  at  Black's  Corners  in  1849 
on  the  farm  of  Roderick  Frazier.  David  Jones  and  Samuel  March  were  among 
its  early  members. 

A  ]^Iethodist  Episcopal  class  was  organized  on  French  Creek,  opposite 
Saegertown,  in  1826.  Meetings  were  held  for  a  short  time  in  the  cabin  of 
Ebenezer  Seavy,  then  for  several  years  on  the  second  floor  of  Foster's  distil- 
lery, on  the  same  farm,  when  a  rudely  furnished  meeting  house  was  erected 
tsvo  miles  up  the  creek,  in  which  services  were  held  for  many  years.  Many- 
members  left  to  unite  with  the  Saegertown  and  other  churches,  and  in  a  short 
time  the  societv  was  dissolved 


CHAPTER  XII. 


MEAD  TOWNSHIP. 

MEAD  TOWNSHIP  as  originally  constituted,  included  all  of  what  is  now 
Erie  and  Crawford  counties,  and  existed  as  a  geographical  division  even 
before  the  organization  of  Crawford  County.  Until  the  month  of 
Julv,  1800,  Allegheny  Countv-  embraced  the  whole  of  northwestern  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  at  the  first  session  of  the  courts  in  Meadville,  after  the  formation 
of  Crawford  County,  several  townships  were  laid  out,  of  which  Mead,  greatly 
reduced  in  area,  occupied  the  central  position.  At  that  time,  in  addition  to 
its  present  territon,-,  it  included  parts  of  Vernon,  Hayfield,  Woodcock,  Rich- 
mond and  most  of  Randolph.  In  1828  it  was  reduced  to  its  present  size,  and  it 
is  now  the  second  township  of  Crawford  County  in  area,  containing  25.683 
acres,  valued  in  1897  at  8691,914. 

The  land  of  Mead  Township,  like  most  of  Crawford  County,  is  rolling 
and  undulating,  and  the  soil  is  of  good  quality ;  and  while  a  large  portion  is 
suitable  for  the  cultivation  of  cereals,  a  larger  part  is  more  especially  adapted  to 
grazing  and  stock  raising.     French  Creek,  forming  the  western  boundary, 


538  OlJli  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

drains  the  larger  part  of  it,  while  its  tributary,  Little  Sugar  Creek,  which  rises 
in  the  northeastern  corner  and  flows  south  into  East  Fairfield  Township, 
traverses  the  western  portion.  Hay  is  a  staple  product,  and  dairying  and  stock 
raising  are  largely  engaged  in.  The  Rev.  Timothy  Alden  described  Mead 
Township,  in  1817,  in  an  article  in  the  "Allegheny  Magazine,"  and  while  the 
boundaries  have  been  changed  since  then,  the  general  characteristics  and  nature 
of  the  land  were  pointed  out  as  follows :  "The  township  is  agreeably  varie- 
gated with  hills  and  dales,  but  sufficiently  level  for  all  the  purposes  of  agri- 
culture. Like  most  of  the  county,  it  is  in  general  better  for  grass  than  for 
grain.  For  the  former,  no  part  of  the  United  States  is  believed  to  be  better 
adapted,  and  of  the  latter,  nothing  but  the  hand  of  cultivation  is  wanted  to 
furnish  an  abundance  for  a  numerous  population.  From  one-seventh  to  one- 
fifth  may  be  considered  first-rate  land.  Of  the  residue,  a  hundred  acres  in 
one  body  can,  perhaps,  nowhere  be  found  so  broken  or  so  ordinary  in  quality 
as  to  come  under  the  denomination  of  third-rate.  Springs  of  the  purest  water 
abound  in  all  directions,  from  which  never  failing  brooks  proceed  to  irrigate 
and  enhance  the  value  of  every  plantation  in  the  township.  Van  Horn's 
Run,  Kossewango  Creek,  on  the  western  side  of  French  Creek;  Mill  Run, 
rising  in  Wayne,  taking  a  circuitous  northwesterly  course  and  passing  through 
the  village  of  Meadville,  some  of  the  branches  of  Little  Sugar  Creek,  of  Big 
Sugar  Creek,  of  Oil  Creek  and  of  Woodcock  Creek,  on  the  east  side  of  French 
Creek,  afford  many  eligible  sites  for  water  works.  At  present  there  are  four 
mills  for  grain,  three  for  sawing  logs,  and  others  are  begun  or  contemplated. 
Two  carding  machines  and  one  fulling  mill  are  also  impelled  by  water," 

"Of  forest  trees  the  following  list,  though  imperfect,  shows  something  of 
the  variety :  \\'hite  oak,  red  oak,  black  oak,  chestnut,  hickory  in  all  its 
species,  beech,  cherry,  sycamore  or  buttonwood,  white  ash,  black  ash,  sugar 
tree,  dark  and  light,  soft  maple,  black  birch,  white  pine,  hemlock,  white  elm, 
red  elm,  slippery  elm,  sassafras,  poplar  or  white  wood,  quaking  asp,  cucumber, 
ironwood,  dogwood,  not  the  poisonous  kind,  called  boxwood  in  some  parts, 
bass  or  linden,  sumach,  konnekonik,  etc.  Of  wild  fruit  there  are:  Crab 
apple,  plums  of  several  kinds,  and  of  a  delicious  flavor,  haws,  white,  red  and 
black,  whortleberries,  blue  and  black  in  a  few  places,  strawberries,  very  fine 
and  abundant,  blackberries,  high  and  low  in  great  plenty,  raspberries,  white, 
red  and  purple,  which  are  excellent,  wild  currants,  gooseberries,  cranberries 
and  nuts  of  different  sorts  in  vast  quantities.  Hops,  highbalm,  ginseng,  blood- 
root,  evinroot  or  chocolateroot,  and  many  other  kinds  of  roots  and  herbage, 
of  valuable  properties,  are  the  spontaneous  growth  of  Mead  as  well  as  of  other 
townships  in  the  county  of  Crawford.  Health,  the  greatest  of  all  merely 
temporal  blessings,  is  nowhere  more  prevalent  than  in  this  part  of  the  country." 

Thus  favored  by  nature  to  such  a  marked  degree,  Mead  Township  pre- 
sented a  most  favorable  field  for  colonization,  and  it  was  within  its  limits  that 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  539 

the  first  settlers  of  Crawford  County  established  themselves.  It  was  in  the 
spring  of  1788  that  David  Mead,  driven  from  his  home  in  Wyoming  County 
by  struggles  "with  fortune,  with  the  Indians,  and  the  Wyoming  boys,"  came 
accompanied  by  his  brother  John  and  several  others,  to  seek  a  new  home  and 
begin  a  new  career  in  the  wilderness  beyond  the  Allegheny  River.  Here  he 
patented  a  tract  of  land  on  the  west  branch  of  French  Creek,  about  a  mile  north 
of  Meadville,  but  in  the  fall  of  1788  removed  to  take  possession  of  the  claim 
abandoned  by  Thomas  Grant,  who  had  settled  upon  the  present  site  of  Mead- 
ville. It  is  from  David  Mead,  the  first  settler,  and  for  many  years  the  most 
influential  man  of  the  vicinity,  that  both  the  city  and  the  township  take  their 
names.  Of  those  who  had  accompanied  him  in  1788,  John  Mead  and  Cor- 
nelius Van  Horn  settled  in  what  is  now  Vernon  Township,  while  James  Fit/. 
Randolph  located  a  tract  about  two  miles  south  of  Meadville.  The  others 
returned  to  the  East,  finding  the  struggle  for  life  in  the  wilderness  harder 
than  they  had  anticipated.  But  David,  on  the  contrary,  not  at  all  discour- 
aged, brought  out  his  family  in  1789,  and  other  settlers  came  and  took  up 
land  near  him.  Samuel  Lord,  who  had  been  a  Revolutionary  soldier  and 
was  a  renowned  Indian  fighter.  located  upon  the  land  now  forming  the  north- 
ern part  of  Aleadville,  known  as  the  "Mount  Hope"  tract.  He  took  consider- 
able interest  in  public  affairs,  and  kept  the. village  store,  having,  in  addition  to 
the  trade  of  the  colonists,  that  of  the  Indians,  whose  confidence  he  had  gained 
and  by  whom  he  was  greatly  beloved.  Jolin  Wentworth  and  Frederick  Hay- 
maker joined  the  colony  at  the  same  time  and  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Mead- 
ville. 

Frederick  Baimi.  Darius  Mead  and  Robert  Fitz  Randolph  arrived  in 
1789.  The  latter,  who  had  been  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  located  two 
miles  south  of  the  Mead  settlement,  and  lived  there  with  his  family  until  his 
death,  in  1830.  He  was  a  strong  character,  and  his  zeal  in  the  cavise  of  free- 
dom was  unwavering.  The  following  anecdote,  from  the  Crawford  Mes- 
senger, of  July,  1830,  is  ample  proof  of  this  fact :  In  one  of  the  alarms  caused 
by  the  approach  of  the  English  to  the  town  of  Erie,  during  the  War  of  1812, 
he  mustered  a  strong  band  of  hi?  own  household,  in  true  patriarchal  style,  con- 
sisting of  his  four  sons,  and  two  or  three  grandsons,  put  himself  at  their 
head,  and  thus  armed  and  equipped,  marched  to  meet  the  expected  foe.  His 
companion.  Frederick  Baum,  took  up  a  claim  south  of  Meadville,  upon  French 
Creek,  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township.  His  neighbor,  John  Baum. 
who  had  the  reputation  of  being  the  strongest  man  in  the  settlement,  was 
another  early  resident  of  that  vicinity. 

These  hardy  pioneers,  the  advance  guard  of  the  army  of  civilization, 
had  every  difficulty  to  contend  with  incident  to  the  settlement  of  a  new  coun- 
try, and  besides  had  always  to  be  on  the  alert  to  guard  against  the  Indians. 
But  with  that  spirit  of  enterprise  which  characterized  the  first  settlers  of  this 


540  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

country,  and  the  hope  of  procuring  permanent  homes  for  themselves  and  their 
famines,  which  had  led  thfem  to  the  wilderness  and  cheered  their  way  through 
it,  they  selected  their  lands  and  commenced  the  work  of  converting  them  into 
farms.     But  their  outlook  was  a  gloomy  one.     They  were  far  from  any 
neighbors  of  their  own  race,  and  were  but  poorly  supplied  with  the  means  of 
making  a  livelihood.     After  several  years  of  incessant  toil  and  hardship  the 
prospects  began  to  brighten,  but  the  gloomy  cloud  of  another  Indian  war  soon 
overcast  them,  and  the  isolated  infant  settlements  of  the  West  were  menaced 
with  destruction.     Many  fled,   while  those  who  remained  were  exposed  to 
constant  privations  and  sufferings.     Prior  to  1795,  it  is  doubtful  if  any  per- 
manent settlement  existed  in  the  township  or  county,  beyond  the  block  house 
at  Meadville,  where  David  :\Iead  established  himself,  determined  to  brave 
every  danger  and  incur  every  risk  rather  than  leave  his  important  interests. 
Sheltered  by  the  fort,  he  and  his  companions  carried  on  the  work  of  clearing 
the  land  and  raising  crops.     For  several  months,  in  1791,  when  the  Indians 
were  daily  expected  to  attempt  the  extermination  of  the  people  on  French 
Creek,  Mr.  Mead  and  his  family  resided  in  Franklin,  that  he  might  have  it 
in  his  power  to  repair  to  the  garrison  in  that  place  as  a  last  resort.     During 
this  period  his  father  was  taken  by  two  Indians,  from  a  field  where  he  was  at 
work,  and  carried  to  the  vicinity  of  Conneaut  Lake.     Some  days  afterward  he 
was  found,  together  with  one  of  the  Indians,  both  dead,  and  bearing  such 
marks  of  violence  as  showed  they  had  had  a  struggle,  and  it  was  deemed  prob- 
able that  the  other  Indian  had  been  wounded  in  the  encounter,  from  the  fact 
that  his  companion  was  left  unburied. 

Cornelius  Van  Horn  who,  as  related  in  a  preceding  paragraph,  was  one  of 
the  companions  of  Mead  in   1788,  figured  prominently  in  the  early  history 
of  the  township,  and  the  following  story  of  one  of  his  adventures  has  come 
down  to  us,  giving  a  vivid  illustration  of  the  dangers  by  which  they  were 
continually  surrounded:     In  the  spring  of  1791  Van  Horn,  Gregg  and  Ray 
were    plowing    on     the     island     opposite     the     town.       Gregg    and     Ray 
had  crossed  the  river  to  prepare  the  dinner,  when  Van  Horn,  who  continued 
plowing,  saw  his  horses  take  fright  at  something,  and  suddenly  turning,  saw  a 
tall  Indian  about  to  strike  him  with  a  tomahawk,  and  another  just  behind.  ■ 
Quick  as  thought  he  seized  the  descending  arm  and  grappled  with  the  In- 
dian, hugging  him  after  the  manner  of  a  bear.     While  in  this  close  embrace 
the  other  Indian  attempted  to  shoot  Van  Horn,  but  he,  ho  novice  in  frontier 
tactics,  kept  turning  the  Indian  around  in  his  arms  so  as  to  present  him  as 
a  shield  against  the  bullet,  and  thus  gained  time  enough  to  parley  for  his  life. 
No  fine-spun  diplomacy  was  practiced  in  the  treaty,  a  few  broken  words  of 
Indian  on  one  side,  and  broken  English  on  the  other,  resulted  in  a  capitula- 
tion by  which  he  was  to  be  taken  prisoner,  together  with  his  horses.     He 
was  pinioned  and  taken  to  a  hill  above  the  college,  where  they  met  the  old 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  541 

chief  and  a  fourth  Indian.  After  a  consultation,  the  chief  mounted  one  of  the 
horses  and  the  prisoner  the  other,  and  pursued  their  way  toward  Conneaut 
Lake,  while  the  other  three  returned  to  the  island  in  search  of  further  ad- 
ventures. Gregg  and  Ray  had  returned,  and  were  wondering  over  the  mean- 
ing of  the  tracks  in  the  field,  when  they  descried  the  three  Indians.  Gregg 
started  to  run,  and  was  pursued,  killed  and  scalped,  while  Ray,  who  had  stood 
his  ground,  was  taken  prisoner. 

The  old  chief  had  tied  Van  Horn  to  a  tree,  in  a  sitting  posture,  with  his 
arms  behind  him,  but  the  thong  working  loose  the  chief  pulled  it  obliquely 
up  the  tree  to  tighten  it  and  then,  thinking  his  prisoner  securely  fastened,  laid 
himself  down  in  the  bushes  to  sleep.  Van  Horn,  by  raising  himself  a  little, 
loosened  the  thong  enough  to  allow  him  to  get  a  small  knife  out  of  his  cuff 
and  cut  himself  loose  from  the  tree,  but  he  could  not  break  the  pinions  which 
confined  his  arms.  He  made  his  way  back  to  the  settlement,  where  he  met 
an  officer  from  Fort  Franklin,  who  ordered  the  whole  colony  to  repair  for 
safety  to  that  place,  lest  there  might  be  a  larger  force  of  Indians  in  the  vicinity. 
Van  Horn  pleaded  hard  for  permission  to  remain  behind  and  learn  the  fate 
of  Ray  and  Gregg,  and  as  the  officer's  horse  had  been  lost  he  was  given  per- 
mission to  stay,  provided  he  could  get  some  one  to  remain  with  him.  A 
friendly  Indian,  by  the  name  of  Gilloway,  agreed  to  be  his  companion,  and 
another  friendly  Indian,  McKee,  also  remained  behind  in  order  to  catch  the 
lost  horse.  They  found  the  horse,  and  taking  some  furs  and  skins  in  the 
canoe,  embarked  for  Franklin.  Gilloway  volunteered  to  ride  the  horse, 
while  the  others  went  by  water,  but  he  rode  it  a  little  too  far  and  in  the  wrong 
direction,  as  he  was  not  heard  of  again  until  seen  in  Sandusky.  Van  Horn 
afterward  had  reason  to  think  that  Gilloway  had  tarried  behind  in  order  to 
murder  him,  but  that,  his  plan  frustrated  by  the  determination  of  McKee  to 
remain  also,  he  had  stolen  the  horse  and  decamped.  Van  Horn  and  McKee 
determined  to  return  from  Franklin,  and  in  order  to  have  an  early  start  to  pass 
the  night  in  a  deserted  cabin  a  mile  or  two  this  side  of  the  fort.  The  com- 
manding officers  in  vain  urged  the  danger  of  an  attack  by  the  savages,  but  Van 
Horn  and  his  comrade  thought  themselves  competent  to  defend  their' position. 
In  the  night,  however,  the  officers  and  soldiers  determined  to  make  good  their 
surmises  and  have  a  little  fun  by  raising  an  Indian  whoop  and  surrounding 
the  cabin  where  Van  Horn  lay.  The  soldiers,  listening  at  the  door,  heard 
Van  Horn  arranging  with  his  comrade  to  stand  by  and  haul  them  into  the 
cabin,  while  he  cut  them  down  at  the  door  with  his  ax.  This  was  a  kind  of 
sport  for  vvhich  the  party  was  not  prepared,  and  they  withdrew,  fully  satisfied 
that  Van  Horn  could  take  care  of  himself. 

The  war  was  happily  terminated  by  General  Wayne  in  1795,  and  imme- 
diately a  great  influx  of  colonists  took  place.  Those  who  had  for  a  time 
abandoned  their  farms  returned  and  again  took  up  the  work  of  cultivation. 


542  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Soldiers  who  had  been  granted  land  in  payment  for  services  either  came  them- 
selves to  reside  on  it  or  transferred  it  to  others  who  wished  to  begin  life  in 
the  ^Vest.  Thomas  Ray,  who  was  captured  on  the  same  day  that  Van  Horn 
was  taken  prisoner,  was  taken  by  the  Indians  to  Detroit,  and  having  gained 
his  liberty  at  the  termination  of  the  war,  returned  and  settled  in  the  north- 
western part  of  Mead  Township,  where  he  remained  permanently.  Others 
took  up  land  in  various  parts  of  the  county.  David  Compton,  who  had 
originally  settled  in  Vernon  Township,  removed  to  a  tract  about  two  miles 
south  of  Meadville.  where  he  resided  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Nicho- 
las Lord  settled  on  Mill  Run,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  east  of  Meadville,  in 
1795- 

William  Clark,  one  of  the  earliest  associate  judges,  settled  on  a  tract 
south  of  David  Mead's,  on  the  land  now  forming  the  southern  part  of  Mead- 
ville. He  was  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  the  place  for  many  years,  taking 
a  great  interest  in  politics ;  but  he  did  not  remain  in  Crawford  Countv,  re- 
moving in  his  old  age  to  a  farm  near  Harrisburg,  where  he  died.  Martin 
Kycenceder,  who  had  been  a  Hessian  soldier  in  the  employ  of  the  English, 
having  been  captured  by  the  Americans,  remained  in  this  country  at  the  close 
of  the  war,  and  became  a  citizen  of  Mead  Township.  His  descendants  still 
live  in  the  count}-. 

Two  large  and  wealthy  associations,  the  Holland  Land  Company  and  the 
Pennsylvania  Population  Company,  had  acquired  extensive  tracts  of  land 
in  northwestern  Pennsylvania,  and  they  were  the  means  of  settling  large  por- 
tions of  the  new  country.  The  central  and  eastern  parts  of  Mead  Township 
belonged  almost  entirely  to  the  Holland  Land  Company,  and  thus  the  earliest 
settlements  are  recorded  in  the  books  of  that  company.  These  records  show 
that  the  territory  now  comprised  in  Mead  Township  was  settled  in  every  part 
between  1796  and  1800.  The  settlements,  however,  were  few,  not  more 
than  one  family  to  a  tract  of  four  hundred  acres.  Many  afterward  moved 
away,  while  others  remained  permanently,  and  are  still  represented  in  the 
township  by  their  descendants  of  the  third  and  fourth  generations.  Among 
those  who  located  here  before  1810,  Daniel  Custard,  an  Englishman,  owned 
a  small  farm  southeast  of  the  city;  Elizabeth  Buchanan,  a  widow,  settled  with 
her  family  two  miles  south*  of  Meadville ;  Joseph  Davis  remained  till  his  death 
in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  township.  On  the  farm  of  Joseph  Finney, 
north  of  IMeadville,  was  found  an  extensive  quarry  of  sandstone,  since  consid- 
erablv  developed,  and  the  place  was  known  as  "Finney's  Rocks."  The  five 
Stainbrook  brothers,  a  family  of  German  extraction,  settled  in  various  parts 
of  the  township,  and  their  descendants  still  remain.  In  18 16,  Jacob  Stain- 
brook,  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  township,  built  a  water  grist  mill  on  a 
little  brook  which  coursed  through  his  farm.  It  was  the  first  mill  in  the  local- 
itv  and  was  a  crude  affair,  having  only  one  run  of  stone,  and  could  not  be 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  54-, 

operated  when  the  brook  became  low.  But  lie  ground  some  corn  and  a  little 
wheat,  and  as  it  was  the  only  one  in  the  township,  it  was  extensively  patron- 
ized. George  Kightlinger,  son-in-law  of  the  original  proprietor,  afterward 
took  charge  of  the  business,  and  continued  it  for  many  years.  Later  on,  in 
1830,  \\'illiam  INJoultrip  built  a  water  mill  on  a  branch  of  Sugar  Creek,  but 
it  was  only  operated  a  few  years. 

Dr.  David  Bemus,  in  1830,  built  an  extensive  saw  and  grist  mill  about 
two  miles  north  of  Meadville.  and  obtained  the  requisite  water  power  by 
building  a  dam  across  French  Creek.  He  did  a  large  business  in  lumber, 
sawing  pine  boards,  which  were  con\-eyed  down  the  river  to  Pittsburg  in 
boats  built  here.  He  also  operated  an  oil  mill,  and  rebuilt  it  on  an  extensive 
scale,  at  an  expense  of  almost  ten  thousand  dollars,  but  it  was  destroyed  by 
fire  before  it  was  occupied.  The  grist  and  sawmill,  however,  continued  to  be 
operated  until  1856.  when  it,  too,  was  burned.  The  Bemus  dam  was  after- 
ward utilized  as  a  feeder  for  the  Beaver  and  Erie  Canal,  thus  becoming  public 
property.  The  settlement  known  as  Bemusto\\-n  was  at  one  time  quite  a 
village,  consisting  of  six  or  eight  houses  and  a  store,  besides  the  mills,  but 
with  the  destruction  of  the  mills  it  died  away. 

The  social  intercourse  of  the  settlers,  prior  to  the  enforcement  of  munic- 
ipal law,  was  not  always  characterized  by  entire  harmony,  and  sharp  and 
fierce  disputes  often  occurred,  which  were  sometimes  settled  by  their  fists 
and  sometimes  by  the  arbitration  of  disinterested  parties.  A  singular  instance 
of  this  kind  is  related  of  a  dispute  between  David  Mead  and  John  Wentworth. 
in  regard  to  an  agreement  by  which  one  was  to  cultivate  a  field  of  corn  for 
the  other.  They  could  not  come  to  an  understanding,  and  the  more  they 
talked  about  it  the  angrier  each  one  grew.  As  they  were  standing  on  Water 
Street  trying  to  settle  the  dispute,  two  strangers  passed,  on  their  way  through 
the  town,  and  it  was  agreed  to  leave  it  to  them.  They  were  accosted,  and  hav- 
ing accepted,  they  unslung  their  knapsacks  and  listened  to  the  statements  of 
both  parties.  At  the  end  they  rendered  a  decision  which  gave  mutual  satis- 
faction, after  which  they  resumed  their  journey.  David  Mead  was  the  first 
commissioned  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  township,  an  office  which  he  held 
until  1799.  when  he  became  one  of  the  associate  jndges  for  the  county.  One 
of  the  first  cases  on  his  docket  was  an  action  for  debt,  in  which  he  was  the 
plaintiff,  and  Robert  Fitz  Randolph  the  defendant.  Unfortunately,  when  the 
Governor  gave  the  people  a  justice  he  forgot  to  give  the  justice  a  constalile, 
but  Mead  did  not  suffer  this  novel  dilemma  to  defeat  the  ends  of  justice.  He 
issued  and  served  the  summons  himself,  and  when  the  day  of  hearmg  came  a 
trial  was  had  and  a  judgment  rendered  the  plaintiff  for  the  amount  of  his 
claim.  He  then  issued  and  served  an  execution,  levying  upon  a  horse,  the 
property  of  the  defendant,  which  he  exposed  to  public  sale.  He  put  up  the 
notices,  and  at  the  sale,  over  which  he  presided,  he  bought  in  the  horse  and 


544  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

paid  the  surplus  proceeds  to  the  defendant.     He  thus  acted  as  plaintiff,  judge, 
constable,  auctioneer  and  purchaser,  in  the  same  case. 

Mead  Township  is  not  without  relics  of  the  prehistoric  race,  known  as 
the  Mound  Builders,  who  at  one  time  lived  upon  this  continent.  The  follow- 
ing extract  from  Huidekoper's  "Incidents  in  the  Early  History  of  Crawford 
County."  form  an  interesting  item  in  the  history  of  the  township:  "There 
were  originally  two  circular  forts  about  a  mile  below  the  present  village  of 
Meadville.  The  one  in  the  valley,  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Taylor  Randolph,  and 
the  other  a  quarter  of  a  mile  below,  on  the  bluff  point  of  a  high  knoll,  where 
a  small  stream  puts  into  the  canal.  The  plow  and  the  annual  tillage  of  the  soil 
have  now  destroyed  them.  There  was  also  a  mound  to  be  seen  a  short  dis- 
tance above  the  fort,  which  stood  in  the  plain.  It  is  now  nothing  but  a  smooth 
eminence  some  two  or  three  feet  high,  and  extending  from  north  to  south 
some  fifteen  or  twent}'^  feet,  and  about  twice  as  much  from  east  to  west.  It 
is  described,  however,  by  Mr.  Isaac  Randolph,  one  of  the  oldest  settlers,  on 
whose  farm  it  stands,  as  having  been  composed  originally  of  two  mounds, 
connected  by  a  narrow  neck  between  them.  The  material  of  one  of  the 
mounds  he  represents  as  having  been  of  gravel,  and  the  other  of  alluvial  earth. 
The  ground  around  the  mound  is  alUn-ial,  without  stone,  and  it  is  evident  the 
material  was  carried  some  distance  to  construct  the  mound,  as  there  was  no 
ditch  or  excavation  near  it  from  which  it  could  have  been  taken.  The  mound 
stands  some  thirty  rods  from  the  stream,  where  gravel  is  abundant." 

About  two  miles  east  of  Meadville  is  located  the  Ponce  de  Leon  Spring, 
formerly  called  the  Sulphur  Spring.  From  the  time  of  the  earliest  settlers 
its  waters  had  been  known  to  possess  great  curative  powers,  and  had  been 
successfully  used  by  the  farmers  of  that  vicinity  as  a  cure  for  stomach  and  liver 
troubles.  In  1887  an  association  was  formed  to  place  this  water  upon  the 
market,  and  upon  analysis  by  distinguished  chemists,  it  was  found  that  the 
water  is  decidedly  alkaline,  containing  quantities  of  the  carbonates  of  sodium 
and  calcium.  It  was  thus  found  to  belong  to  the  important  class  of  springs 
of  w'hich  Vichy  and  \"als  are  the  types,  and  since  being  placed  upon  sale  its 
uses  have  been  the  same  as  those  to  which  these  famous  waters  are  applied. 
Large  quantities  are  shipped  to  the  neighboring  cities,  not  only  of  the  plain 
water,  but  of  the  excellent  carbonated  water  and  ginger  ale  as  well,  and  the 
Ponce  de  Leon  brands  have  become  widely  and  favorably  known.  The  spring 
is  finelv  located  at  the  foot  of  a  high  hill,  far  from  any  possible  source  of  con- 
tamination, and  the  water,  springing  directly  from  the  living  rock,  in  full 
view,  is  of  remarkable  clearness  and  purity.  The  temperature  of  the  water 
varies  but  little  in  summer  or  winter,  showing  from  what  a  remote  depth  it 
bubbles  up  through  the  rock,  laden  with  health  giving  properties.  In  con- 
nection with  the  line  of  street  railway  now  being  laid  in  Meadville.  a  branch 
has  been  constructed  to  the  Ponce  de  Leon  Springs,  the  forerunner,  without 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  545 

doubt,  of  ca  summer  hotel  and  other  attractions  in  this  spot  so  fitted  by  nature 
to  be  a  health  resort.  Situated  in  the  midst  of  most  picturesque  scenery,  with 
pure  water  and  fresh  air  in  abundance,  it  will  furnish  an  ideal  resort  for  the 
seekers  after  rest  and  pleasure. 

Elementary  schools  were  occasionally  held  in  various  parts  of  the  town- 
ship during  the  early  years  of  the  settlement.  Mordecai  Thomas  taught  one 
as  early  as  1805  on  the  Ray  farm,  in  the  extreme  northwestern  corner  of  the 
township,  and  this  was  undoubtedly  one  of  the  first.  Conflicts  between  teachers 
and  pupils  were  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  upon  one  occasion,  after  a  pro- 
tracted siege,  the  pupils  refused  to  admit  the  master  to  the  schoolhouse,  so 
the  school  was  discontinued.  William  Wright  and  James  Hamilton  taught 
schools  in  the  southeastern  part  as  early  as  1818.  In  the  first  published 
school  report,  prepared  in  1837  by  Dr.  Burrowes,  we  find  nine  schools  credited 
to  Mead  Township,  with  a  force  of  fourteen  teachers,  seven  male  and  seven 
female.  The  number  of  scholars  was  three  hundred  and  fifty,  of  whom  two 
hundred  were  boys.  The  average  number  of  months  during  which  the 
schools  were  kept  open  was  five  and  one-half.  For  the  support  of  these 
schools  they  received  two  hundred  and  thirty-two  dollars  from  the  State  ap- 
propriation, which  was  supplemented  by  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars 
from  the  county.  The  average  monthly  pay  of  the  male  teachers  was  four- 
teen and  one-half  dollars ;  that  of  the  female,  five  dollars,  while  the  amount 
expended  during  the  year  for  schoolhouses,  repairs  and  rent  was  ninety-one 
dollars.  The  character  and  qualifications  of  the  teachers  were  described  as 
"generally  good,"  the  branches  taught  being  reading,  writing,  arithmetic, 
grammar,  and  in  some  schools,  geography  and  philosophy.  The  progress  of 
the  scholars  was  noted  as  being  better  than  before  the  system  was  adopted, 
while  its  chief  defect  was  pointed  out  as  a  want  of  funds  with  which  to  build 
schoolhouses. 

Wayland  Postofifice,  formerly  called  Mead's  Corners,  is  situated  near  the 
center  of  the  township,  at  the  foot  of  a  high  hill.  Several  dwelling  houses, 
with  the  Baptist  church,  constitute  the  settlement. 

Frenchtown,  in  the  southeastern  part,  is  a  hamlet  containing  a  Catholic 
church,  a  store,  a  school,  a  blacksmith  shop,  and  several  dwelling  houses. 
As  may  be  inferred  from  the  name,  it  was  settled  by  French  colonists,  who 
commenced  im.migrating  to  this  vicinity  as  early  as  1827.  At  first  only  a 
few  families  arrived,  but  their  friends,  encouraged  by  the  glowing  accounts 
of  the  new  country  sent  back  by  the  pioneers,  a  few  at  a  time  left  their  mother 
land,  until  the  settlement  had  become  quite  strong.  It  now  numbers  several 
hundreds,  extending  into  East  Fairfield  and  other  of  the  adjacent  townships. 
They  are  excellent  farmers,  frugal  and  industrious,  and  are  held  in  high 
esteem  by  their  neighbors. 

Bousson  Postoffice,  near  Frenchtown,  also  comprised  within  the  French 

35 


546  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

colony,  was  established  in  1885,  near  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  township. 
St.  Hippohtus  Catholic  church  was  erected  at  Frenchtown  in  1837.  Within 
recent  years  the  original  edifice  has  been  replaced  by  a  commodious  brick 
structure,  and  a  congregation  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  French 
families  of  the  vicinity  avail  themselves  of  this  large  and  handsome  place  of 
worship.  The  land  upon  which  the  church  stands  was  donated  by  Paul 
Gerard,  one  of  the  earliest  and  most  prominent  members,  others  of  whom  were 
John  C.  Dubet,  John  G.  Demaison.  John  B.  Brown.  Nicholas  Alounin,  John 
Gahvish,  Germain  Devoge  and  Francis  Jaquart.  The  congregation  was 
formed  in  1834,  and  was  attended  by  non-resident  priests  until  1845,  when 
Father  Mark  de  la  Roque  became  the  priest  of  the  parish,  officiating  for  more 
than  twenty  years.  His  successor  was  Father  Eugene  Cogneville,  who  has 
filled  the  position  up  to  the  present  time. 

The  Pine  Grove  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  the  south- 
eastern part  of  the  township  as  early  as  1825.  At  first  meetings  were  held 
in  the  cabins  of  the  members,  then,  as  the  attendance  increased,  they  were 
transferred  to  the  schoolhouse,  and  in  1858  a  church  building  was  erected. 
David  Thurston,  Job  Calvert,  John  McFadden,  Joseph  Baird  and  John 
Daniels  were  among  the  most  influential  of  its  founders.  The  class  has  formed 
a  part  of  several  different  circuits,  having  been  attached  at  various  times  to 
those  of  Saegertown,  Cochranton,  Townville  and  others,  but  now  belongs  to 
the  Meadville  circuit.     Its  present  membership  is  about  thirty. 

Brown's  chapel,  a  branch  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  is  located  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  township.  It  was  organized  by  the  Rev.  J.  Graham, 
of  the  Erie  circuit,  in  1812,  with  nine  members.  Edward  Douglas,  John  Mc- 
Fadden, Mr.  Little,  Ruth  Kimmey  and  Airs.  Phoebe  Brown  were  among  them. 
It  was  a  large  circuit  in  those  days,  and  the  earliest  ministers,  who  received 
salaries  of  from  $50  to  $100  a  year,  had  to  ride  all  day,  and  eat  bear  meat  and 
corn  cakes  at  the  cabins  of  the  backwoods  settlers.  The  first  meetings  were 
held  in  the  cabin  of  John  Grimes,  who  resided  about  a  mile  south  of  the  site 
of  the  present  edifice.  They  were  afterward  held  in  a  schoolhouse  until  about 
1830,  when  a  frame  church  was  built.  It  was  never  fully  completed,  but  was 
used  until  the  present  frame  building  was  erected,  in  1848.  The  society, 
whose  membership  is  about  sixty,  for  many  years  formed  part  of  the  Saeger- 
town circuit,  but  is  now  attached  to  the  Meadville  circuit. 

The  Wayland  Baptist  Church,  situated  at  \\'ayland  Postoffice,  was  or- 
ganized January  27,  1838,. in  a  schoolhouse  about  two  miles  northeast  of  the 
present  church.  The  original  members,  all  of  whom  had  received  letters 
from  the  Randolph  church,  were  Philip  Hatch,  Andrew  Braymer,  Ira 
Hatch,  Horatio  Hatch,  John  Braymer,  Rhoda  Chase,  Hannah  Dewey, 
Abigail  Braymer,  Electa  Hatch,  Fanny  Hatch,  Sarah  Ellis,  Mary 
Hatch    and    Amanda    Sizer.      The    voung    church    flourished    under    the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  547 

pastorate  of  Elder  Enos  Stewart,  the  first  pastor,  and  the  member- 
sliip  was  soon  largely  increased.  In  1840  the  present  frame  church  was 
erected,  at  a  cost  of  about  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  and  in  the  meantime  the 
meetings  were  held  in  the  Dewey  schoolhouse.  The  Rev.  Reese  is  the 
present  pastor,  and  there  is  a  membership  of  over  one  hundred. 


CHAPTER  XIII 


NORTH   SHENANGO  TOWNSHIP. 

SHENANGO  TOWNSHIP  was  one  of  the  original  subdivisions  of  the 
county,  laid  out  in  1800.  It  occupied  the  southwestern  corner  of  the 
county,  and  was  about  eight  by  nine  miles  in  size,  comprising,  besides 
the  present  limits  of  North  Shenango,  South  Shenango,  West  Shenango,  Pine 
and  West  Fallowfield,  portions  of  Sadsbury  and  East  Eallowfield.  In  1830 
the  boundaries  were  changed  and  North  and  South  Shenango  were  formed, 
the  former  including  what  is  now  North  Shenango  and  Pine.  The  Pymatun- 
ing  Swamp  seemed  to  naturally  divide  the  northern  from  the  southern  por- 
tion, rendering  it  difficult  to  maintain  communication  at  all  times,  therefore, 
in  1845  the  northern  section  was  set  off  under  the  name  of  Pine  Township, 
lea\-ing  North  Shenango  as  it  exists  to-day. 

The  township  is  watered  by  Shenango  Creek  and  its  tributaries,  the  prin- 
cipal of  which  is  Bennett's  Run,  which  flows  northwest  and  drains  the  central 
portion.  Shenango  Creek  enters  the  township  from  Sadsbury,  near  the 
southeastern  corner,  and  flowing  in  a  northwesterly  direction  through  Pyma- 
tuning  Swamp,  which  impinges  on  the  northern  border,  forms  the  larger 
portion  of  the  northern  boundary,  when  it  turns  to  the  southwest,  flowing 
through  the  western  portion  of  the  township.  It  crosses  the  line  into  Ohio 
for  a  short  distance,  then  again  enters  the  toAvnship  and  finally  leaves  it  at  the 
southwest  corner.  The  surface  of  the  township  is  level  and  the  soil  is  of  an 
excellent  quality,  a  black  loam  on  the  low  lands  and  a  clay  on  the  higher 
parts,  and  produces  abundant  crops.  The  northern  portion  was  a  part  of  the 
Pymatuning  Swamp,  and  is  low  and  marshy,  though  some  of  it  has  been 
drained  and  cleared  and  found  suitable  for  cultivation.  The  southern  por- 
tion is  the  best  land,  and  the  inhabitants,  though  chiefly  occupied  in  dairying 
and  stock  raising,  give  some  attention  to  lumbering.  The  Erie  and  Pitts- 
burg Railroad  runs  north  and  south  through  the  township,  Espyville  station 
occupying  a  central  position. 


548  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

When  the  early  settlers  came  to  the  banks  of  Shenango  Creek  they  found 
there,  on  the  land  then  occupied  by  the  Indians,  and  now  covered  with  well 
tilled  farms,  evidences  of  a  prehistoric  settlement,  consisting  of  mounds  of 
various  shapes,  from  which  have  been  exhumed  relics  of  an  earlv  period. 
Even  the  Indians,  the  natives  of  the  soil,  could  tell  nothing  of  that  mysterious 
race,  to  which  the  name  of  Mound  Builders  has  been  assigned,  because  it 
is  by  the  mounds  and  buildings  which  they  left  that  their  memory  has  been 
preserved.  Potterj^  and  various  industrial  implements  found  in  these 
mounds  prove  they  had  attained  to  a  higher  civilization  than  the  Indians  who 
succeeded  them,  but  as  to  their  origin,  history  and  final  lot.  nothing  can  ever 
be  definitely  known.  Numerous  remains  of  this  race  have  been  discovered 
along  the  banks  of  Shenango  Creek.  A  series  of  mounds  occur  at  intervals 
of  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  from  thirty  to  fifty  feet  in  circumference,  but  of  slight 
elevation.  Two  circular  forts  have  also  been  found,  each  inclosing  from  half 
an  acre  to  an  acre.  The  outlines  are  still  well  preserved,  the  glacis  being 
two  or  three  feet  high,  and  both  being  surrounded  by  moats,  thus  indicating 
their  construction  for  purposes  of  defense.  Upon  these  embankments  large 
trees  have  grown,  which  give  evidence  of  their  great  antiquity,  while  within 
the  enclosure  are  found  old  gun  barrels,  human  bones,  and  relics  of  an  earlier 
age.  Heaps  of  stones,  piled  up  in  square  form  like  rude  altars,  have  also  been 
discovered  along  Shenango  Creek.  Andrew  Linn,  while  opening  a  spring  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  township,  uncovered  a  portion  of  a  stone  wall.  It 
was  a  solid  piece  of  masonry,  but  whether  part  of  a  building,  a  fort,  or  an 
altar,  could  not  be  ascertained  from  its  appearance.  Enough  has  been  found, 
however,  to  prove  that  another  race  at  one  time  lived  in  the  valley  of  the 
Shenango,  that  they  built  altars  at  which  to  worship,  and  forts  to  defend  them- 
selves from  attack,  but  the  story  of  their  existence  remains  the  mystery  of  the 
American  continent. 

The  first  settlement  in  North  Shenango  was  made  in  1798.  when  David 
McKee  and  Anthony  Bennett  came  from  Susqtiehanna  County  and  settled — 
the  former  in  the  southwestern  part,  near  Espyville,  and  the  latter  in  the  north- 
ern part.  McKee  came  first  to  Meadville,  and  then  went  with  his  ox  team 
through  the  woods,  guided  by  blazed  trees  to  his  place  of  settlement,  arriving 
in  the  spring  of  the  year.  Bennett  settled  on  the  stream  which  now  bears 
his  name,  where  he  built  the  first  saw  and  grist  mill  in  the  township  and 
operated  them  for  many  years.  The  next  year  Sydney  Herriott  came  from 
.Pittsburg  on  foot  and  located  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township.  He  was 
from  New  Jersey,  though  he  had  lived  several  years  at  Williamsport.  Henry 
Bennett  came  at  the  same  time  from  Northumberland  County  and  settled  a 
little  east  of  the  center.  He  came  up  French  Creek  to  Meadville  by  canoe, 
and  after  reaching  Shenango  cleared  a  farm  upon  which  he  lived  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  549 

Samuel  Barrackman  came  from  Susquehanna  County  in  1799  and  re- 
mained during  the  winter  in  Greenwood  Township.  In  April,  1800,  he  set- 
tled in  the  northern  part  of  Shenango,  being  obliged  to  cut  a  road  through  the 
forest  from  Hartstown  in  order  to  reach  his  destination  with  his  ox  team. 
During  the  first  years  he  was  obliged  to  go  to  Sugar  Creek,  a  distance  of 
about  thirty  miles,  to  have  his  grinding  done.  To  go  there  and  return  often 
occupied  two  days,  and  sometimes  even  longer.  A  grist  mill  was  built  at 
Colt's  Station,  in  the  southern  part  of  Conneaut  Township,  several  years  later, 
but  to  reach  this  it  was  necessary  to  cross  the  Pymatuning  Swamp.  A  path 
was  made  passable,  however,  by  brush  and  poles,  and  with  one  and  a  half  or 
two  bushels  of  grain  on  his  back  he  would  follow  this  route  to  the  mill,  and 
bring  back  the  product  on  his  shoulders.  No  salt  could  be  obtained  nearer 
than  Pittsburg,  and  there  the  price  was  fifteen  dollars  per  barrel.  Pork 
brought  two  shillings  a  pound,  and  potatoes  were  worth  two  dollars  a  bushel. 
Barrackman  built  a  log  cabin  on  the  land  he  had  settled,  in  which  he  passed 
the  remainder  of  his  life,  one  of  the  most  prominent  citizens  of  the  vicinity. 
In  1818  he  built  the  first  frame  building  in  the  township.  His  brother,  Jacob 
Barrackman,  who  was  a  cripple,  was  another  early  settler.  Mrs.  Hannah 
Linn,  a  widow,  came  with  her  four  sons.  John,  Andrew,  George  and  Joseph, 
in  ]\Iay  of  1800,  and  settled  in  the  western  part.  They  cleared  a  farm,  on 
which  she  resided  until  her  death.  They  came  from  New  Jersey  by  way  of 
Pittsburg,  and  from  the  latter  place  were  forced  to  cut  their  way  through 
the  forest  to  make  a  road  for  their  four  horse  team.  Their  cabin  was  a  rude 
affair,  and  during  the  first  winter  they  were  obliged  to  use  blankets  instead 
of  doors,  a  rather  slight  protection  against  the  wild  beasts  which  made  the 
night  hideous  with  their  frightful  cries. 

It  was  about  the  same  time  that  William  Reed  settled  with  his  family 
in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township.  They  came  from  the  Susquehanna 
and  proceeded  as  far  as  Franklin  in  a  canoe,  his  wife  following  along  the 
bank  upon  horseback  and  driving  two  cows  before  her.  Their  supply  of  pro- 
visions became  exhausted  when  they  were  within  fifteen  miles  of  Franklin, 
and  Reed  proceeded  on  foot  to  secure  a  new  sunnTy.  Soon  after  they  arrived 
Reed  and  Bennett  went  to  work  together  in  the  woods  at  some  distance  from 
the  houses,  and  Mrs.  Reed  and  Mrs.  Bennett  were  accustomed  to  carry  their 
dinner  to  them.  On  one  occasion  they  mistook  their  way  and  became  lost 
in  the  woods.  They  rambled  along  a  great  distance  in  their  efforts  to  find 
their  path  again,  and  night  overtaking  them,  they  took  refuge  in  some  small 
trees,  up  which  they  climbed.  During  the  night  an  animal,  which  they  sup- 
posed to  be  a  panther,  made  its  appearance,  and  Mrs.  Reed  urged  her  com- 
panion to  appease  the  hungry  beast  and  secure  themselves  from  harm  by  throw- 
ing to  it  the  babe  which  she  had  with  her;  but  not  even  the  thought  of  per- 
sonal danger  could  reconcile  her  to  an  act  so  repugnant  to  a  mother's  sensi- 


OD-- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


bilities.  The  animal  remained  beneath  them  all  night,  but  in  the  morning  their 
fears  of  immediate  danger  were  removed  by  seeing  it  take  its  leave.  Descend- 
ing from  the  tree  and  proceeding  for  some  distance  they  heard  the  sound  of 
chopping,  and  turning  their  steps  in  that  direction  they  were  soon  gratified 
by  the  sight  of  two  men,  engaged  in  digging  out  a  trough.  By  them  they 
were  piloted  to  their  homes,  where  they  found  that  the  whole  neighborhood 
was  aroused  and  had  turned  out  in  a  search  for  them.  It  was  on  this  occa- 
sion that  Mrs.  Reed  discovered  the  fine  spring,  to  the  vicinity  of  which  they 
afterward  removed.  James  Reed,  a  son  of  William,  is  believed  to  have  been 
the  first  white  child  born  in  the  township. 

Most  of  the  land  of  the  township  belonged  to  the  North  American  and 
the  Pennsylvania  companies,  and  previous  to  1812  a  large  part  of  it  had  been 
opened  for  settlement.  The  Espys  were  among  the  first  settlers.  George 
Espy  came  from  Bedford  County  about  1802  and  settled  at  Espyville,  which 
took  its  name  from  him.  Patterson  Espy  kept  an  early  store  a  little  south 
of  that  place.  The  Collins  brothers  came  from  Mittlin  County  in  1801  in  a 
four  horse  team  and  settled  near  the  center  of  the  township.  Isaac  Collins 
was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  lived  upon  the  farm  he  had  cleared 
until  his  death.  Patrick  Davis  was  an  Irishman  who  came  from  Lancaster 
County  about  1803  and  settled  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  He 
cleared  a  farm  upon  whicli  he  lived  the  remainder  of  his  life.  George  Espy 
operated  a  saw  and  grist  mill  and  also  a  distillery.  Anthony  Bennett  and 
many  others  also  owned  stills.  Stephen  Allen  started  a  carding  mill  about 
1832,  which  was  for  many  years  operated  by  members  of  his  family. 

Espyville.  in  the  western  part,  was  laid  out  about  1833  by  John  Espy, 
feremy  Allen  kept  the  first  store,  and  with  Hugh  \\'ilson,  a  blacksmith,  and 
Isaac  Marshall,  a  carpenter,  they  were  for  many  years  the  only  residents.  The 
village  has  not  increased  very  much  since,  as  a  saw  mill,  wagon  shop,  a  church, 
school,  about  twenty  families  and  the  township  postoffice  now  constitute  the 
settlement.  Stewartville  was  a  former  postoffice  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
township,  but  was  abolished  some  time  ago. 

The  first  school  was  taught  in  1804  in  a  deserted. cabin  which  stood  at 
Elliott's  Corners,  near  the  central  part  of  the  township.  Joseph  Wright,  one 
of  the  oldest  settlers,  was  the  first  teacher.  In  1896  there  were  six  schools, 
taught  by  six  teachers,  and  attended  by  one  hundred  and  forty-five  pupils. 
More  than  eighteen  hundred  dollars  was  spent  for  school  purposes  during 
the  year,  over  half  of  it  being  raised  by  taxation  in  the  township,  the  re- 
mainder coming  from  the  State  appropriation. 

The  Center  Chapel  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  located  about  half  a 
mile  east  of  Espyville  station.  Rev.  Thomas  Carr  was  the  first  pastor,  the 
class  being  formed  by  him  in  1825.  ^Meetings  were  held  in  the  schoolhouse 
and  in  private  dwellings  until  about  1846,  when  a  church  building  was  erected. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  551 

The  congregation,  which  is  not  numerous,  is  attached  to  the  Espvville  circuit. 

The  Espyville  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  183 1  at 
the  house  of  Aaron  Herriott.  with  an  initial  membership  of  seven.  The  early 
services  were  held  in  the  schoolhouse,  but  in  1833  ^  place  of  worship  was 
erected,  which  was  used  for  a  long  period.  It  was  in  1870  replaced  by  the 
present  large  and  commodious  structure,  constructed  at  a  cost  of  $6,000.  A 
revival  held  in  the  autumn  of  1883  doubled  the  membership  from  one  hun- 
dred to  two  hundred.  The  congregation  forms  part  of  the  Espyville  circuit, 
•which  was  organized  in  1851. 

The  North  Shenango  United  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  in 
1849  by  Rev.  H.  H.  Thompson.  The  thirty  original  members  were  formerly 
members  of  the  Hartstown  church,  but  for  their  greater  convenience  in  at- 
tending worship  they  withdrew  and  formed  a  separate  organization.  A 
church  building  was  erected  in  1846  about  a  half  mile  east  of  Espyville,  a  much 
more  commodious  building  afterward  taking  its  place.  The  firsjt  elders  elected 
were  Jacob  Martin,  \\^illiam  Wilson  and  John  S.  Porter.  Rev.  William 
Dalzell  was  the  first  pastor,  and  he  was  soon  succeeded  by  Rev.  H.  H.  Hervey. 
There  is  a  good  sized  membership,  containing  many  of  the  representative 
farmers  of  North  Shenango. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


OIL  CREEK  TOWNSHIP. 


BY    M.     N.     ALLEN. 


OIL  CREEK  TOWNSHIP  was  established  by  order  of  the  Crawford 
County  Court  in  October,  1800.  Its  original  boundaries  were  as  fol- 
lows: Beginning  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  county  and  running 
westward  upon  the  north  boundary  line  of  Venango  County  ten  miles,  thence 
directly  north  to  the  northern  boundary  of  Crawford  County,  thence  directly 
east  ten  miles,  and  thence  directly  south  to  the  place  of  beginning.  The 
original  township,  named  after  Oil  Creek,  was  rectangular  in  shape.  It  cm- 
braced  all  the  territory  of  the  present  townships  of  Sparta  and  Rome,  whicli 
were  subsequently  taken  off  from  Oil  Creek,  also  a  part  of  the  present  town- 
ships of  Bloomfield,  Athens,  Steuben  and  Troy,  which  were  afterward  sev- 
erally formed.  The  tdwnship.  reduced  to  its  present  boundaries,  is  left  rec- 
tangular in  shape.  Within  its  boundaries  is  the  territory  of  Titusville.  first 
incorporated  in  1849  as  a  borough,  and  that  of  Hydetown,  which  was  made 


552  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

a  borough  in  1868.  Titusville  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  under  a  special 
act  of  the  State  Legislature,  and  Hydetown  by  an  order  of  the  County  Court. 
The  territory  of  the  present  township,  exclusive  of  Titusville  and  Hydetown, 
contains  between  18,000  and  19,000  acres.  The  township  is  now  bounded 
on  the  north  by  Rome,  on  the  east  by  Warren  County,  as  far  south  as  a  point 
thirty-five  rods  north  of  the  northeast  corner,  the  land  east  of  the  line  divid- 
ing it  from  Oil  Creek  Township,  for  this  thirty-five  rods  is  in  Venango  County ; 
on  the  south  by  Venango  County,  and  on  the  west  by  Troy  and  Steuben.  The 
principal  stream  of  water  running  through  the  township  of  Oil  Creek.  Thomp- 
son's Run.  or  Little  Oil  Creek,  empties  into  the  main  stream  at  Hvdetown. 
Pine  Creek,  coming  from  Warren  County,  a  stream  of  considerable  size, 
empties  into  Oil  Creek  a  short  distance  southeast  of  Titusville.  Church  Run 
enters  Titusville  on  the  north  side,  and  running  in  a  southeast  course  passes 
through  the  town  and  empties  into  Oil  Creek. 

The  first  settlers  in  what  became  Oil  Creek  Township  were  Samuel  Kerr 
'and  Jonathan  Titus,  who  located  in  the  southeastern  corner  of  what  became 
Crawford  County.  By  an  act  of  the  Assembly  passed  in  March,  1800,  Craw- 
ford County  was  created,  and  by  order  of  the  court,  as  above  stated,  in  Octo- 
ber following,  the  same  year,  1800,  Oil  Creek  Township  was  formed.  They 
began  their  settlement  as  early  as  1796,  by  laying  claim  each,  under  the  then 
existing  system  of  pre-emption,  to  a  large  tract  of  land,  the  two  tracts  thus 
selected  lying  adjacent  to  each  other.  This  settlement  became  the  capital  of 
the  township.  As  ancient  Rome  was  Italy,  as  Paris  is  France,  Titusville  has 
always  been,  not  alone  the  capital,  but  in  a  large  degree  the  soul  of  Oil  Creek 
Township.  In  1797  Kerr  and  Titus  built  each  a  log  house  upon  their  respec- 
tive lands  and  began  a  permanent  residence  in  their  new  homes.  The  same 
year  Peter  Titus  and  his  brother  Daniel  settled  upon  the  spot  which  in  after 
years  became  Hydetown.  Peter  Titus  married  Jane,  the  half  sister  of  Samuel 
Kerr.     Jonathan  Titus  was  the  son  of  Peter  and  Jane  (Kerr)  Titus. 

In  1800  the  Gilsons,  a  large  family,  settled  in  the  township.  William 
Gilson,  the  progenitor,  an  Englishman,  a  Revolutionary'  soldier,  who  had 
served  in  the  Continental  army,  came  from  Bedford  County,  this  State,  and 
settled  on  what  is  now  known  as  Gilson  Ridge.  His  son.  John,  in  1799  made 
a  trip  into  this  section,  and  while  chopping  down  a  tree  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
structing a  crossing  over  Oil  Creek,  he  accidentally  cut  his  knee,  and  thus 
temporarily  disabled  himself  from  further  immediate  travel.  He  stopped  with 
Daniel  Titus,  and  during  his  stay  there  he  learned  something  of  the  adjacent 
countrv.  On  recovering  the  use  of  his  limb,  he  went  back  to  Bedford  and 
induced  his  father  to  move  in  the  following  year.  1800,  to  the  Oil  Creek  coun- 
try, himself  returning  at  the  same  time.  The  children  of  William  Gilson 
consisted  of  six  sons  and  three  daughters.  The  names  of  the  sons  were 
John.  Thomas,  William,  Richard,  Peter  and  Benjamin.     His  daughters  were 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  553 

Anna,  Charity  and  Martha.  Anna  married  Michael  Gorman,  the  head  of  the 
Gorman  tribe,  whose  old  home  was  in  Deerfield  Township,  Warren  County, 
not  far  from  Tidioute.  Charity,  the  second  daughter,  married  Samuel  Mc- 
Guire,  the  head  of  the  McGuire  tribe.  He  settled  near  the  mouth  of  the 
McGuire  Run,  above  Tidioute  on  the  Allegheny  River.  Samuel  and  Charity 
McGuire  had  a  family  of  two  sons  and  six  daughters.  Martha,  the  third 
daughter,  married  Patrick  Shirley,  who  first  lived  in  Rome  Township,  but 
subsequenth-  moved  to  Crossing\'ille,  this  count}-,  where  he  died.  The  widow 
afterward  returned  to  Oil  Creek.  Her  children  were  two  sons  and  six  daugh- 
ters. 

John  Gilson,  the  oldest  son  of  the  progenitor,  had  a  family  of  thirteen 
children,  five  sons  and  eight  daughters.  The  sons  were  William,  Charles  B., 
Richard,  Thomas  and  John  B.  The  daughters  were  named  Nancy,  Dorcas, 
Alice,  Eliza  Jane.  Martha,  Anna,  ]\Iargaret  and  Sarah.  Nancy  married 
James  Titus  and  became  the  mother  of  a  large  family.  Dorcas  married  Will- 
iam Finney,  and  they  also  raised  a  large  family.  Alice  married  James  Coyle, 
and  they  had  only  one  child.  Eliza  Jane  married  James  Early,  and  they 
had  two  daughters.  Martha  married  Jacob  Baugher,  and  they  had  no  chil- 
dren. Anna  married  Christopher  Navey :  they  had  three  sons  and  one 
daughter.     Sarah  died  single. 

Thomas  Gilson  had  six  sons  and  one  daughter.  The  sons  were  Hugh, 
William,  John,  Thomas,  James  M.  and  Joseph.  The  daughter  married  a 
Chaney  and  had  two  sons.  William  lived  on  Gilson  Ridge  and  had  six  sons 
and  four  daughters.  Richard  Gilson  also  located  on  Gilson  Ridge,  and  had 
one  son  and  two  daughters.  John  H.  Gilson  was  the  son.  The  daughters 
were  Julia  Ann  and  Sarah  Ann.  Peter  Gilson  also  lived  on  Gilson  Ridge.  He 
had  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  His  sons  were  Benjamin  M.  and  John  M. 
His  daughters  were  Mary  and  Alice.  Benjamin  Gilson  located  on  Gilson 
Ridge  and  raised  a  family  of  six  sons  and  three  daughters.  The  sons'  names 
were  James,  David,  ^^"illiam  S..  Martin  B.  and  Erancis.  The  daughters  were 
Elizabeth  and  Margaret. 

In  the  foregoing  account  is  embraced  a  brief  record  of  each  of  the  nine 
children  of  the  progenitor,  William  Gilson.  the  Revolutionary  soldier.  Be- 
ginning with  the  progenitor,  there  are  already  six  generations,  which  may  be 
safely  estimated  to  contain  not  less  than  one  thousand  descendants  now  living. 

Samuel  Kerr  came  in  1800  and  settled  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the 
township.  His  sons  were  Andrew,  Oliver,  James,  David  and  Robert.  Care 
should  be  taken  not  to  confound  this  Samuel  with  Samuel,  the  first  pioneer. 
John  Kerr,  probably  the  brother  of  the  second  Samuel,  came  also  in  1800. 
His  sons  were  Samuel,  James,  William,  John,  Robert,  Andrew  and  Matthew. 
These  last  were  the  cousins  of  the  sons  of  Samuel.  The  descendants  of  these 
Kerrs  are  very  numerous,  perhaps  more  numerous  than  the  descendants  of 


554  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

William  Gilson.  The  sons  of  the  first  James  Kerr  were  Samuel  W.,  Robert, 
Andrew,  David,  James  B..  John  and  ^Villiam.  William  is  the  only  one  of  the 
brothers  now  li\'ing-.  The  sons  of  the  second  John  Kerr  were  Samuel  C.  and 
John  B..  both  dead.  The  sons  of  Matthew  were  John  and  Samuel,  both  dead. 
The  sons  of  the  first  David  Kerr  were  Samuel  B.,  Robert,  Cimningham  and 
David  A.  Cunningham  alone  is  living.  Andrew,  the  son  of  Samuel,  who 
came  in  iSco,  settled  on  Kerr  Hill,  about  three  miles  southwest  of  Titusville. 
This  Samuel  was  the  progenitor  of  a  distinct  branch  of  the  Oil  Creek  Kerrs. 
Samuel,  the  first  pioneer,  was  the  head  of  another  branch.  John,  who  came  in 
1800,  was  the  head  of  another  branch  of  the  Kerr  tribes.  Then  there  was 
another  David  Kerr,  who  married  Anna  Shelmadine.  The  present  Silas 
Kerr,  of  Oil  Creek  Township,  is  their  son,  producing  still  another  branch  of 
the  Kerr  tribe.     The  progenitors  of  the  Kerr  trilse  were  all  from  Ireland. 

James  Kerr,  the  father  of  Samuel  Kerr,  who  with  Jonathan  Titus  founded 
Titus\i!le,  came  from  Ireland  about  the  year  1732.  It  does  not  appear  that 
this  James  Kerr  was  a  kindred  of  the  large  tribe  above  spoken  of,  though  he 
may  have  been  a  relative,  but  his  descendants  constitute  a  branch  of  Kerrs 
still  living  in  Oil  Creek  Township. 

The  Henderson  brothers  were  early  settlers.  They  were  Richard,  Sam- 
uel and  David.  Samuel  Henderson  married  Relsecca  Mitchell  in  1814.  Their 
oldest  son,  William  Mitchell  Henderson,  born  in  1816,  now  lives  in  Titusville, 
on  North  \\'ashington  Street,  in  the  eighty-third  year  of  his  age.  He  has 
always  lieen  a  citizen  of  high  standing  in  the  community.  Joseph  C,  the 
youngest  of  the  family,  now  resides  on  the  Henderson  homestead.  David 
Henderson,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Pleasantville,  Venango  County,  is  a  son  of 
David,  one  of  the  three  Henderson  settlers.  Robert,  a  younger  son  of  the 
first  David,  was  a  sergeant  in  Company  D,  Eighteenth  Ca\'alr\',  an  account  of 
which  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work.     He  died  in  AndersonviHe  prison. 

Adam  Holliday,  from  Hollidaysburg,  Pennsylvania,  was  among  the  early 
settlers.  James  Kerr,  brother  of  Samuel  Kerr,  the  surveyor  and  settler,  came 
in  1804  and  located  on  a  tract  selected  for  him  by  Samuel,  south  of  Woodlawn 
Cemetery,  the  home  of  Mrs.  McCombs,  wife  of  the  late  James  McCombs. 
He  married  Mary  Rankin,  daughter  of  Colonel  James  Rankin,  of  Michigan, 
an  officer  in  the  United  States  army,  who  served  in  the  \\'ar  of  1812.  James 
Kerr  was  born  December  30.  1762.  He  died  February  10,  1818.  As  stated 
in  the  account  of  Titusville,  given  in  this  work,  in  a  sketch  from  the  pen  of  the 
first  Samuel  Kerr,  his  father,  James  Kerr,  the  progenitor  of  one  branch  of 
Crawford  County  Kerrs,  and  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Jonathan  Titus, 
came  from  Ireland  to  Donegal  Township.  Lancaster  County,  Pennsylvania,  at 
about  1732,  where  he  settled  and  married  first  a  woman  named  Stewart,  who 
bore  him  ten  children.  After  her  death  he  married  Susannah  Stevenson,  by 
whom  he  had  two  sons  and  one  daughter.     The  daughter  died  in  childhood. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  555 

Samuel  was  the  youngest  child  in  the  family.  He  says  in  the  sketch  quoted 
from  that  his  father  moved  from  Lancaster  County  about  the  year  1766,  and, 
after  remaining  at  Canogocheague  settlement  a  few  months,  he  buried  his  sec- 
ond wife.  He  continued  his  course  westward  until  he  arri\-ed  at  Frankstown. 
on  the  Juniata  River,  then  in  the  county  of  Huntington,  where  he  commenced  a 
settlement  near  Frankstown,  an  old  town  where  he  continued  to  reside  until 
the  Indians  made  trouble.  Notwithstanding  the  danger  of  remaining  he 
stubbornly  refused  to  leave  his  house,  so  his  family  left  him  and  fled  into  Cam- 
bria County.  This  was  in  December,  1777.  He  continued  in  his  house  alone 
and  in  a  very  feeble  state  of  health,  until  some  time  in  January  following, 
when  he  was  taken  to  Fitter's  Fort,  where  he  shortly  afterward  died 

Now,  one  of  the  daughters  of  the  first  James  Kerr,  Jane  by  name,  a  half 
sister  of  Samuel,  married  Peter  Titus.  Another  daughter,  named  Elizabeth, 
married  John  Curry,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  Oil  Creek  Township.  Peter 
Titus  had  four  daughters,  and  John  Curry  had  four  sons.  The  names  of  the 
four  daughters  were  Ruth,  Fanny,  Olivia  and  Susan.  The  names  of  the  four 
sons  were  James,  Robert,  William  and  Samuel.  James  Curry  married  Ruth 
Titus.  Robert  Curry  married  Olivia  Titus.  Fann}'  Titus  was  married  to 
Charles  Ridgway,  one  of  the  early  settlers,  and  Susan  Titus  was  married  to 
John  Ridgway,  brother  of  Charles.  To  James  and  Ruth  (Titus)  Curry  was 
born  in  1799  Peter  Titus  Curry,  the  first  white  child  born  in  Oil  Creek  Town- 
ship. Now,  James  Curry  and  his  Ijrother,  Robert,  married  each  a  first  cousin. 
The  mother  of  the  Titus  daughters  was  Jane  Kerr,  and  her  sister,  Elizabeth 
Kerr,  was  the  mother  of  the  Curry  sons.  Then  there  were  two  other  half 
sisters  of  Samuel  Kerr,  the  pioneer,  besides  Jane,  who  married  Peter  Titus, 
and  Elizabeth,  who  married  John  Curry.  They  \yere  Ann  Kerr,  who  married 
John — or  Jack,  as  he  was  usually  called — and  Ellen  Kerr,  who  married  John 
Felton.  It  will  readilv  be  seen  that  the  family  relationship  embracing  the 
branch  of  Kerrs  to  which  Samuel  Kerr,  the  pioneer,  belonged ;  the  Currys.  the 
Tituses  and  the  later  Chases  is  far  reaching  and  not  a  little  complicated. 

John  Lewis  and  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  were  early  settlers.  Their  son,  Rob- 
ert, married  Jane  Curry,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Kerr)  Curry. 
Robert,  while  a  volunteer  soldier  in  the  American  army  at  Erie,  Pa.,  died  on 
the  i8th  of  January,  1813.  Six  months  after  his  death,  July  18,  1813,  the 
widow  gave  birth  to  a  posthumous  son,  to  whom  she  gave  the  father's  naiue, 
Robert.  Not  long  afterward  she  accompanied  her  parents-in-law,  when  they 
moved  out  of  the  county,  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  A  cousin  of  the  widow,  a  lad 
perhaps  a  dozen  years  old,  named  James  Felton,  the  son  of  John  and  Ellen 
(Kerr)  Felton,  accompanied  her.  After  a  year  or  two,  the  widow,  leaving 
her  parents-in-law  in  Cincinnati,  started  back  for  Oil  Creek.  She  rode  on 
horseback,  young  Felton  traveling  by  her  side  on  foot,  and  the  little  boy,  Rob- 
ert, sitting  before  her  on  the  horse,  and  playing  with  the  reins  of  the  bridle. 


556  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

In  this  manner,  with  young  FeUon  and  the  infant,  Robert,  about  two  years 
old.  as  her  sole  companions,  ]\Irs.  Lewis  rode  all  the  way  from  Cincinnati,  a 
distance  of  four  hundred  miles,  back  to  her  kindred  in  Oil  Creek  Township. 
Her  way  was  mostly  through  forests,  in  which  Indians,  many  of  them  hostile, 
roamed.  There  were  few  bridges,  so  that  she  had  to  ford  most  of  the  streams. 
Mrs.  Lewis  was  the  first  cousin  of  Jonathan  Titus. 

Young  James  Felton  was  another  first  cousin.  James  Felton  became  the 
father  of  William  Felton,  who  married  Sarah  Curry,  the  daughter  of  Samuel 
Curr}',  the  youngest  son  of  John  Curry,  who  married  Elizabeth  Kerr.  Samuel 
Curry  and  James  Felton  were  first  cousins  to  each  other,  as  well  as  the  first 
cousins  of  Jonathan  Titus.  Clem  Felton,  who  for  years  past  has  been  in  charge 
of  the  west  end  of  the  Titusville  fire  department,  is  a  son  of  William  and  Sarah 
(Curry)  Felton.  By  reference  to  the  foregoing  record,  it  will  be  seen  that 
William  Felton  and  his  wife  were  second  cousins  to  each  other. 

Mrs.  Lewis,  after  her  return  from  Cincinnati,  married  William  Wilson, 
to  whom  she  bore  five  sons,  Peter,  Samuel  C,  Thomas  Patterson,  Alexander 
R.  and  Chase.  One  of  the  daughters  married  William  Pastorious.  Chase 
Wilson  was  drowned  years  ago.  Peter  Wilson  is  the  man  who,  with  R.  D. 
Fletcher,  rendered  timely  financial  aid  to  Drake,  as  previously  stated  in  this 
work.  Robert  Lewis  grew  to  manhood  inider  his  mother's  care  and  instruc- 
tion, and  became  a  highly  respected  citizen.  He  was  a  farmer  in  the  Kerr  Hill 
neighborhood.  His  wife  was  Sally  Breed.  Their  children  were  William  AV., 
John  H.,  Charles  Harvey  (now  deceased),  Mary  and  Freelie  M.  Robert 
Lewis  died  September  21,  1898,  in  the  eighty-sixth  year  of  his  age.  He  was  a 
devoted  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  for  many  years  a  familiar 
figure  in  Titusville. 

James  Curr}',  the  oldest  son  of  John  Curry,  lived  perhaps  two  miles  slightly 
northwest  of  Titusville.  Robert,  the  second  son,  lived  on  the  hill  south  of 
the  city.  W'illiam,  the  third  son,  lived  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  John 
Fertig.  of  Titusville,  lately  known  as  the  Love  farm,  perhaps  a  mile  and  a 
half  north  of  the  crossing  of  Main  and  Perry  streets  in  Titusville.  Samuel, 
the  youngest,  lived  a  half  mile,  or  more,  northeast  of  William's  home- 
stead. Robert  Curry  had  a  son,  Robert,  who  succeeded  him  on  the  homestead. 
Another  son  of  the  first  Robert  was  Jonathan,  who  died  in  the  western  coun- 
try in  August  last  in  his  ninetieth  year.  His  remains  were  brought  to  Titus- 
ville and  interred  in  Woodlawn  Cemetery.  William  Barnsdall,  of  Titusville, 
married  Eliza,  a  daughter  of  the  first  Robert  Curry.  W'illiam  Curry  was 
many  years  a  justice  of  the  peace.  The  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  at  that 
time  was  not  elective,  but  the  incumbent  was  appointed  for  life,  or  during 
good  behavior. 

Among  the  early  settlers  of  Oil  Creek  was  William  Pastorious,  whose 
farm  is  now  occupied  by  his  nephew,  the  present  John  Pastorious,  oii  the  hill 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


OD/ 


a  little  southwest  of  the  city.  John  Pastorious,  brother  of  the  first  William 
Pastorious,  came  later  and  settled  south  of  Hydetown.  He,  however,  did  not 
remain  quite  a  dozen  years,  but  moved  to  another  part  of  the  country.  Abraham 
Pastorious,  a  younger  brother  of  the  first  William,  when  at  the  age  of  13,  in 
the  year  1800,  drove  for  William  a  yoke  of  oxen  from  Centre  County,  Pa., 
a  distance  of  150  miles,  to  William's  farm.  Thirty-eight  years  later,  upon 
the  death  of  William,  who  died  childless,  Abraham  moved  with  his  family, 
consisting  of  himself  and  wife,  four  sons  and  two  daughters,  from  Centre 
County  to  the  homestead  now  owned  and  occupied  by  the  present  John  Pas- 
torious, as  before  stated.  The  four  sons  were  William,  James,  George  and 
John.  The  mother  and  two  daughters  rode  on  the  journey  in  a  covered  car- 
riage. But  the  family  goods  were  brought  in  one  of  the  old  fashioned  covered 
Pennsylvania  wagons,  a  vehicle  of  wonderful  capacity  and  strength.  The 
wagon  was  hauled  by  five  strong  horses,  which  were  driven  by  William,  the 
oldest  son,  using  onl}'  a  single  line.  William  rode  one  of  the  wheel  horses, 
or  walked,  as  he  chose,  his  line  reaching  to  the  single  horse  in  lead.  The  wheel 
horses  were  powerful  animals,  weighing  at  least  1,400  pounds  each.  The 
second  span  weighed  a  little  less,  and  the  lead  horse  still  a  little  less.  Abraham 
managed  the  farm  a  few  years  in  the  interest  of  William's  heirs,  of  whom  he 
was  one.  He  finally  purchased  their  interest  and  thus  came  into  possession  of 
the  property.  John  Pastorious,  the  youngest  of  Abraham's  famil}^,  now  owns 
and  occupies  the  homestead.  \A'illiam,  the  oldest,  now  in  his  eighty-second  year, 
lives  just  outside  of  the  city  limits  on  West  Spring  Street.  James  B.,  nearly  80 
years  of  age,  spends  part  of  his  time  with  his  son  in  Erie  and  part  of  his  time 
with  his  relatives  in  and  around  Titusville.  George  died  years  ago.  One  of 
the  daughters  married  the  late  Robert  Robinson. 

The  oldest  son  of  James  Kerr,  brother  of  Samuel  Kerr,  the  pioneer,  was 
named  after  his  uncle,  Samuel.  He  was  born  April  4,  18 10,  and  he  died  in 
August,  1895.  Adam  Kerr,  the  second  son,  was  born  September  4,  1812.  He 
is  now  living.  James  Rankin  Kerr,  who  distinguished  himself  in  local  military 
matters,  as  colonel,  brigade  inspector,  etc.,  was  born  December  28,  1807. 
Susannah,  one  of  the  early  children,  was  married  to  Adam  Holliday.  Mrs. 
Dorcas  Allen,  of  this  city,  wife  of  the  late  John  M.  Allen,  was  daughter  of 
Adam  and  Susannah  Holliday.  Adam  Holliday  was  a  man  of  brains  and 
energy.  He  owned  a  farm  about  a  mile  n-est  of  the  city  limits,  and  built  and 
operated  a  saw  mill  on  the  property.  The  farm  is  now  owned  by  Mr.  E.  O. 
Emerson,  of  this  city,  a  property  of  much  value.  Mary  (Rankin)  Kerr,  the 
wife  of  James  Kerr,  was  a  woman  of  a  good  deal  of  character.  She  died  June 
21,  1855,  ^t  the  age  of  82  years. 

Other  earlv  settlers  were  John  Watson,  William  Mitchell,  the  Alcorns, 
Thomas  McCombs  and  his  brothers,  Daniel  and  William;  John  McGinnett, 
John  Thompson,  Robert  Glenn.  William  Reed,  Patrick  Sloan;  William,  Rob- 


558  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ert.  John  and  James  Alcorn:  Burnett  Davis;  James,  Samuel,  George  and 
William  McCray;  James,  John  and  David  Caldwell.  Then  there  were  the 
Mclntyres,  McGuires,  McDermots  and  Laverys.  ^^'illiam  Kelly  settled  on 
what  has  ever  since  been  known  as  the  Kelly  farm  about  1822,  a  short  dis- 
tance from  the  northern  boundary  line  of  the  city,  on  the  Perry  Street  Hill. 
William  Kelly  in  1819  came  from  Ireland  to  Philadelphia,  and  thence  to  Erie 
County.  He  taught  school  several  terms  at  Beaver  Dam.  After  settling  on 
Perry  Street  Hill  he  taught  school  perhaps  eight  winters,  while  he  cleared  up 
and  cultivated  his  farm  during  the  rest  of  the  year.  He  had  married  Mary 
Mclntyre  a  short  time  before  he  bought  the  farm.  Their  children 
were  John,  James,  Hannah,  Oliver,  Mary,  Susan  M.,  Isabel  and  William  M. 
The  children  are  all  living  except  ^^'illiam  M.,  who  died  in  childhood,  and 
Oliver,  who  died  November  2,  1895.  The  Kelly  farm  is  owned  bv  the  heirs 
of  William  Kelly,  the  father.  John,  Hannah  and  Marj^  are  at  present  living 
on  the  hom.estead.  James  lives  in  Rome  Township.  Susan  M.  married  Amos 
F.  Newton,  and  Isabel  married  Seneca  Gee.  John  Kelly,  when  a  young  man, 
taught  school.  Dennis  Carroll  at  about  18 15  taught  a  subscription  school 
in  a  building  about  a  mile  north  of  Titusville. 

A  large  majority  of  the  early  inhabitants  of  Oil  Creek  Township  were 
either  natives  of  Ireland  or  the  descendants  of  Irish  aiatives,  and  these  Irish 
inhabitants  were  almost  exclusively  Presbyterians.  The  Gilsons,  Sloans, 
McGuires,  Mclntyres,  McDermots  and  Laverys  were  Catholics,  while  the 
Kerrs,  almost  without  exception,  were  Presbyterians.  John  Lewis,  the  grand- 
father of  the  late  Robert  Lewis,  was  a  Covenanter.  The  Hendersons,  Al- 
corns,  Mitchells,  A\^atsons  and  Shelmadines  were  Methodists.  A  Methodist 
class  was  organized  about  1825  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township,  to  which 
belonged  Andrew  Alcorn,  Obed  Gardner  and  wife,  Barnett  and  Benjamin 
Shelmadine  and  their  wives,  John  and  Martin  Zeley,  John  Edton  and  wife, 
Charles  Fenk  and  his  father.  Bethel  Church,  built  in  1856,  a  Methodist 
chapel,  has  since  been  included  in  a  circuit.  In  1827  St.  Stephen's  Church, 
Catholic,  was  built  about  two  miles  northeast  of  Titusville.  St.  Stephen's, 
a  frame  building,  is  still  standing  and  in  good  condition.  It  was  long  a  sanc- 
tuary for  the  Catholics  of  the  surrounding  country  of  large  area.  From 
Tidioute  and  other  remote  places  in  the  new  country,  Catholics  came  to  St. 
Stephen's  to  worship.  In  the  early  times  it  was  attended  by  Fathers  McCabe 
and  Peter  Brown.  It  is  now  seldom  opened,  except  for  funeral  services.  It 
is  really  the  parent  of  St.  Titus'  Church  in  Titusville,  to  the  account  of  which  in 
the  history  of  Titusville  the  reader  is  referred. 

The  Kerr  Hill  Presbyterian  Church  was  formed  from  members  belonging 
to  the  Titusville  church  in  1854.  A  church  edifice  was  erected  earlier  in  the 
year.  It  was  a  peaceful  secession.  Twenty-eight  members  of  the  Titusville 
congregation,  living  on  Kerr  Hill  and  vicinity,  organized  themselves  into  a 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  559 

church  body.  The  first  elders  chosen  were  WilHam  McGinnett,  William  Kerr 
and  Isaac  Newton,  who  had  served  as  elders  in  the  Titusville  church.  Rev. 
George  W.  Hampson,  who  had  served  more  than  twenty  years  as  pastor  of 
Titusville,  labored  very  zealously  there  in  a  revival  season,  and  on  Saturday, 
December  2,  1S54,  a  session  was  held  to  receive  applications  for  membership. 
Some  were  admitted  to  church  fellowship  by  letter,  but  more  on  examination 
of  their  faith  in  Christ.  On  the  same  evening-  the  session  met  to  receive  Rob- 
ert Lewis.  Rev.  G.  \A'.  Hampson  preached  on  the  following  Sunday,  after 
which  baptisms  were  administered.  On  December  ist  the  services  of  Rev. 
Samuel  Montgomery  for  one-third  of  the  time  began.  By  special  arrange- 
ment with  the  Cherrytree  church  it  was  agreed  that  part  of  the  collections 
taken  upon  the  Sabbath  should  be  applied  jointly  to  assist  any  young  man 
under  the  care  of  the  Meadville  Presbytery  who  had  the  ministry  in  view.  Rev. 
James  Rise,  Rev.  R.  Craighead,  Rev.  George  H.  Hammer,  Rev.  S.  Wyckoff, 
Rev.  O.  W.  Chapin,  Rev.  Mr.  Berchard,  ministered — most  of  them  in  a  lim- 
ited way  as  to  time — to  the  church  from  1858  to  1862.  On  September  15, 
1866,  W.  F.  Breed  and  G.  H.  Conover  were  elected  and  installed  as  aiders. 
Revs.  William  Elliott  and  William  Smith  ininistered  to  the  church.  Rev. 
John  McLaughlin  served  about  five  years.  Beginning  in  1883,  Rev.  Samuel 
Stevenson  served  from  four  to  five  years.  The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Robert 
Murray,  has  ministered  from  ten  to  eleven  years.  The  present  elders  are 
G.  H.  Conover,  Amos  Hancox  and  A.  B.  Kerr.  The  general  condition  of  the 
church  seems  to  be  prosperous  and  the  labors  of  the  present  pastor  highly 
acceptable. 

The  United  Presbyterian  Church  on  Kerr  Hill  was  organized  December  6, 
1852.  The  house  of  worship  v^'as  built  in  1857.  Andrew  A.  Kerr  and  William 
Mars  were  chosen  elders.  Upon  the  death  of  the  latter  in  1877,  Robert  Mack 
and  Benjamin  J.  Mars  were  elected  elders.  Rev.  J.  R.  Slentz  became  pastor  in 
September,  1855.  Following  him  Rev.  A.  Murray  was  installed  as  pas- 
tor, in  February,  i860.  Rev.  John  Jamison  succeeded  in  August,  1864.  Rev. 
J.  L.  Clark  was  pastor  from  August,  1876,  to  June,  1883.  Rev.  James  Dodds 
was  afterward  pastor  for  several  years,  until  his  resignation  in  1896.  Since 
that  time  the  congregation  has  had  no  shepherd.  Robert  Mack  and  Benjamin 
J.  Mars  still  continue  to  serve  as  elders. 

The  first  manufacturing  industry  of  importance  in  Oil  Creek  was  started 
before  the  township,  or  even  the  county,  was  formed.  The  Holland  Land 
Company  in  1798  built  a  saw  mill  and  a  grist  mill  on  Pine  Creek,  a  little  north- 
east of  East  Titusville,  perhaps  half  a  mile  away.  The  grist  mill  came  to  be 
called  the  Holland  mill  because  of  its  ownership.  It  was  purchased  by  John 
Watson  in  the  early  part  of  the  century.  Mr.  Watson  owned  and  operated  the 
mills  for  years  afterward.  In  later  years  Alexander  Thompson  built  a  grist 
mill  lower  down  on  Pine  Creek,  near  the  Venango  County  line.     About  the 


56o  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

year  1824  Joseph  L.  Chase  &  Co.  built  on  Pine  Creek,  a  little  below  the  lohn 
Watson  mills,  a  saw  mill  and  a  grist  mill.  Soon  after  this  Mr.  Watson  dis- 
mantled his  industry,  and  built  a  mill  still  lower  down,  and  south  of  Titus- 
ville.  The  Chase  grist  mill  was  operated  about  forty  years  after  its  con- 
struction. 

Charles  Ridgway  at  an  early  date  built  a  saw  mill  a  little  north  of  Hyde- 
town,  on  Little  Oil  Creek,  or  Thompson's  Run.  James,  the  son  of  Daniel 
Titus,  built  a  saw  mill  higher  up  the  run.  Adam  Holliday  built  a  saw  mill 
on  Oil  Creek,  about  a  mile  above  where  the  stream  crosses  the  west  line  of 
Titusville,  about  the  year  1815.  John  Thompson  built  a  saw  mill  on  Thomp- 
son's Run  about  three  miles  north  of  Titusville,  about  the  year  1825. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  two  grist  mills  in  Oil  Creek  Township.  One 
is  about  half  a  mile  west  of  the  western  boundary  of  the  city.  The  other  is 
about  where  the  old  John  Thompson  saw  mill  was,  three  miles  from  Titusville, 
on  Thompson's  Run.  The  latter  mill  is  owned  and  operated  by  James  M.  Kerr. 
The  one  near  Titusville  is  owned  and  operated  by  the  Kerr  Hill  Mill  Co. 
The  company  was  organized  in  1884.  It  is  an  ordinary  partnership.  Its  first 
members  were  Hugh  Jamison,  J.  W.  Crawford,  A.  B.  Kerr  and  G.  B.  Kerr. 
The  members  of  the  present  firm  are  A.  B.  Kerr,  G.  B.  Kerr  and  S.  M.  Con- 
over.    A  new  grist  mill  is  in  process  of  erection  at  East  Titusville. 

Another  industry  largely  cultivated  in  the  early  history  of  Oil  Creek  was 
the  manufacture  of  whiskey.  The  production  of  this  liquor  was  regarded  at 
that  period  as  legitimate  and  reputable.  The  trade  in  alcoholic  liquors  was 
engaged  in  by  the  best  citizens  in  the  community.  Every  grocery  dealer  kept 
in  stock  whiskey  as  well  as  flour.  Distilleries  in  Oil  Creek  Township  were 
numerous.  Adulteration  of  whiskey  in  those  days  was  not  thought  of.  As 
rum  was  the  favorite  product  of  New  England,  whiskey  was  the  choice  bev- 
erage of  the  people  of  Irish  extraction,  both  Protestant  and  Catholic. 

There  are  in  the  township  fourteen  schools,  three  of  which  are  graded, 
having  two  schools  each,  making  seventeen  schools  in  all.  The  present  school 
directors  are  H.  M.  Kerr.  Winfield  Kerr,  Charles  Weed,  John  C.  Ross,  Wil!- 
ard  J.  Gilson  and  Albert  B.  Kerr. 

There  are  two  villages  in  the  township,  Hydetown  and  Kerr  Hill.  The 
latter  has  two  very  neat  church  edifices,  of  which  an  account  has  already  been 
given.  It  has  one  store  of  general  merchandise,  and  one  blacksmith  shop. 
Kerr  Hill  is  a  hamlet,  but  a  tidy  hamlet.  The  Kerr  Hill  community,  embrac- 
ing the  inhabitants  of  the  surrounding  country,  represents  intelligence  and 
good  morals.  XAHien  the  Kerr  Hill  Presbyterian  Church  was  formed  in  1854, 
the  Titusville  congregation  gave  up  twenty-eight  of  its  substantial  members. 
The  loss  of  such  a  body  of  earnest  and  devoted  worshipers  seriously  weakened, 
for  the  time,  the  Titusville  church.  Several  years  passed  before  the  parent 
church  reco\'ered  its  former  strength. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  561 

Peter  Titus,  as  has  already  been  stated,  with  his  brotlier  Daniel,  settled 
upon  what  is  now  embraced  within  the  limits  of  Hydetown.  Charles  Rid"-- 
way.  a  millwright,  married  Fanny,  one  of  the  daughters  of  Peter  Titus.  Ridg- 
way  secured  a  large  body  of  land,  a  part  of  which,  at  least,  lay  within  the  pres- 
ent borough  of  Hydetown.  Ridgway  and  James  Titus,  the  son  of  Daniel  Titus, 
each  built  a  saw  mill  on  Little  Oil  Creek,  a  little  above  the  present  village  of 
Hydetown.  Daniel  Titus  had  previously  erected  a  mill  in  the  village,  and  the 
lumber  business  was  carried  on  there  extensively  for  several  years  afterward. 
In  1846  Elijah  Hyde  and  his  sons  came  to  the  place  and  purchased  the  Titus 
mills.  These  afterward  came  to  be  known  as  the  Hyde  mills.  Mr.  Hyde  and 
his  son  also  opened  a  store.  A  postoffice  was  established  at  the  place,  and 
^Villiam  Hyde  was  the  first  postmaster.  The  name  of  the  postoffice  was  Oil 
Creek,  but  it  was  afterward  changed  to  Hydetown. 

Oil  Creek  Borough  was  incorporated  by  order  of  the  Crawford  County 
court  in  1868.-  The  name  has  since  been  changed  to  Hydetown.  The  bur- 
gesses have  been  as  follows:  1868.  W.  C.  Hyde;  1869-70,  Reuben  Rogers; 
1871-72.  L.  G.  Worden;  1873.  J.  G.  Titus;  1874-75.  G.  H.  Sanford;  1876, 
E.  I.  Roffee;  1877.  J.  E.  Paul;  1878.  S.  S.  Spaulding:  1879,  W.  A.  Baker; 
1880,  Joseph  Fertig:  1881,  H.  Malin ;  1882,  J.  E.  Paul;  1883,  C.  E.  Akin; 
1884.  G.  H.  Sanford  (who  resigned  before  the  close  of  the  term,  when  C.  E. 
Akin  was  appointed  to  the  vacancy)  ;  1885,  C.  E.  Akin;  1886,  C.  E.  Akin; 
1887,  E.  I.  Roffee;  1888.  H.  Mahn;  1889.  H.  Malin;  1890.  S.F.  Powers;  1891, 
Henry  Morse;  1892,  Samuel  F.  Powers;  1893,  Samuel  C.  Davis:  1894,  W. 
C.  Fulmer;  1895-96-97-98.  H.  Malin. 

The  Baptist  Church  of  Hydetown  was  organized  April  2^.  1879.  under  the 
direction  of  Rev.  John  L.  Bailey,  who  was  pastor  several  years  afterward. 
At  the  beginning  there  were  only  four  members.  They  were  Mrs.  Louisa 
Ridgway.  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Spaulding,  Mrs.  Helen  Kerr  and  Mrs.  Harriet  A. 
Roffee.  At  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  Lhiion  School  building.  But  sub- 
sequently a  \tvy  tasteful  church  and  parsonage,  in  one  edifice,  were  erected. 
It  was  dedicated  in  1882.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  E.  H.  Anderson,  who 
preaches  e\-ery  two  weeks  at  Hydetown,  and  alternately  at  Centre\'ille  and 
Breedtown.  At  present  the  number  of  members  of  the  Hydetown  church  is 
about  forty.  The  church  has  had  a  Sabbath  school  connected  with  it  for  the 
last  sixteen  years.  There  are  now  six  teachers  and  about  thirty  pupils  in  reg- 
ular attendance. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Hydetown  belongs  to  a  circuit.  A 
class  was  formed  in  1847  by  Rev.  John  Abbott,  then  in  charge  of  the  Oil  Creek 
circuit.  The  first  members  of  the  class  were  Joseph  Spaulding  and  wife.  Oran 
Davenport  and  wife.  Thomas  Titus  and  wife,  and  Mrs.  Baughcr.  Meetings 
were  held  in  the  schoolhouse.  The  Hydetown  charge  was  organized  iDy  Rev. 
John  Peate,  P.  E.,  in  1874,  with  Hydetown,  Tryonville  and  Bethel  classes. 


562  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

In  1877  Troy,  of  tlie  Sunville  circuit,  was  added.  The  other  three  had  pre- 
viously belonged  to  the  Titusville  circuit.  In  1886  a  house  of  worship  was  built 
at  Hydetown.  The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  S.  E.  Winger,  now  in  his  third  pas- 
toral year.  He  preaches  on  a  circuit,  which  includes  with  Hydetown,  East 
Troy,  Tryonville,  Bethel  and  White  Oak.  The  Hydetown  church  at  present 
has  twenty-seven  communicants. 

The  Union  Church  at  Hydetown  was  dedicated  IMarch  23,  1890.  It  was 
built  for  the  original  purpose  of  accommodating  the  Union  Sabbath  school. 
It  is  non-denominational.  The  building  is  under  tlie  charge  of  five  trustees. 
It  is  not  to  be  opened  indiscriminately  to  everybody  who  might  apply  for  its  use, 
but  the  intention  is  to  admit  to  its  pulpit  clergymen  of  reputable  standmg  in 
any  evangelical  denomination,  who  are  not  able  to  get  admission  to  other 
pulpits  in  the  liorough.  All  the  other  ])ulpits  might  be  preoccupied,  or  sectarian 
prejudice  might  exclude  worthy  clergymen.  For  instance,  a  Universalist  min- 
ister might  l^e  slmt  out  of  the  otlier  houses  of  worship  in  the  place  because  of 
his  peculiar  doctrine,  while  some  people  might  desire  to  listen  to  the  preaching 
by  the  Universalist  minister.  In  such  a  case,  it  may  be  supposed  that  the  doors 
of  the  Union  Church  would  be  opened  to  the  excluded  clergyman. 

The  important  institution  of  Hydetown  is  the  Ridgway  Sanitarium. 
Many  years  ago  Samuel  Ridgway  experimented  extensively  in  the  production 
of  a  medicinal  liniment.  He  ultimately  succeeded  in  getting  a  compound  of 
remarkable  potency  for  the  relief  and  cure  of  people  afflicted  with  rheumatism, 
neuralgia  and  other  kindred  ailments.  As  a  result  he  established  at  Hydetown 
a  large  hospital  or  sanitarium,  in  which  with  his  liniment  and  a  special  massage 
treatment  he  expels  disease  and  restores  the  sick  to  health.  The  institution 
has  acquired  a  wide  reputation  and  patients  come  to  it  from  distant  parts  for 
treatment.  Those  suffering  from  general  debility  find  Ijenefit  from  the  massage 
method.    The  sanitarium  is  now  a  hotel  as  well  as  hospital. 

The  citizens  of  Hydetown  have  always  given  a  good  deal  of  attention  to 
their  schools.  Miss  Sally  Shelmadine  taught  in  the  place  as  early  as  1830. 
The  first  schoolhouse,  erected  in  1838,  stood  on  the  lot  of  the  present  Union 
School  building.  The  members  of  tlie  present  board  of  school  directors  are 
Joseph  Fertig,  president;  J.  T.  Farrer,  treasurer;  C.  E.  Akin,  secretary;  Fred 
Ford,  Jacob  Grider  and  E.  C.  Newton. 

The  number  of  inhabitants  of  Hydetown  is  aljout  five  hundred.  The  Oil 
Creek  Railroad,  now  the  W.  N.  Y.  &  P.,  has  passed  through  tlie  village 
since  its  construction  in  1863.  The  trolley  line  now  connects  Titusville  and 
Hydetown.  The  distance  between  the  western  boundary  of  the  city  and  the 
eastern  part  of  Hydetown  is  about  two  miles.  Charles  A.  Ridgway  is  the 
hospital  steward  of  the  i6th  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  National  Guard.  He  ac- 
companied the  regiment  during  the  late  war,  and  returned  from  the  West 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  563 

Indies  with  a  saffron-hued  complexion.  Dr.  W.  A.  Baker,  physician,  is  located 
in  Hydetown.  There  are  at  present  in  tlie  village  three  general  stores  and 
groceries,  one  hardware  store,  two  blacksmith  shops  and  one  cider  mill. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


PINE  TOWNSHIP. 

PINE  TOWNSHIP  was  included  within  the  boundaries  of  North  She- 
nango  until  1845.  But  the  Shenango  Creek  and  Pymatuning  Swamp 
seemed  to  natural!}-  (li\-irle  the  township  into  two  parts,  and  as  com- 
munication was  thus  rendered  ditificult  between  the  northern  and  southern  set- 
tlements, it  was  thought  best  to  divide  the  township,  using  as  a  line  of  division 
the  Shenango  Creek,  which  flowed  in  a  nortliwesterly  direction  diagonally 
across  it.  Pine  was  the  name  given  to  the  northeastern  corner  thus  set  off, 
probably  derived  from  the  prevailing  kind  of  timber.  A  great  deal  of  it  was 
formerly  logged  and  burned,  and  large  amounts  were  sawed  into  lumber  for 
home  use  and  for  exportation.  In  former  days  pine  logs  were  rafted  down  the 
Shenango  Creek  to  Newcastle.  The  pine  stumps,  owing  tO'  the  resistance  of 
the  roots  to  decay,  are  valuable  for  fencing,  and  large  quantities  are  extracted 
and  utilized  for  this  purpose. 

The  surface  of  Pine  Township  is  almost  le\'el,  rising  gradually  toward  the 
north.  The  entire  southern  half  is  covered  by  the  famous  Pymatuning  Swamp, 
so  that  only  the  northern  part  is  available  for  cultivation.  Stock  raising  and 
dairying  form  the  chief  agricultural  pursuits.  That  vast  body  of  waste  land 
known  as  the  Pymatuning  Swamp,  although  extending  into  Sadsbury  and 
North  Shenango,  has  a  larger  area  in  Pine  than  in  any  other  township.  It 
extends  in  a  general  northwest  and  southeast  direction,  following  the  course  of 
the  Shenango  Creek,  and  according  to  a  survey  made  by  Colonel  Worrall  ;n 
1868,  has  an  area  of  about  nine  thousand  acres.  In  the  early  times  it  was  a 
favorite  resort  for  wild  pigeons,  and  they  were  killed  in  incredible  numbers. 
They  were  so  numerous  that  they  could  be  knocked  off  the  limbs  by  the  dozen 
with  a  club,  and  even  picked  by  hand  from  the  bushes.  Mr.  Alfred  Huidekoper, 
writing  of  it  in  1846,  said:  "It  has  every  appearance  of  having  once  been  a 
lake,  whose  bed  has  been  gradually  filled  up  with  accumulated  vegetable  mat- 
ter. Covered  with  the  cranberry  vine,  with  occasional  clumps  of  elders,  and 
islands  of  birch  and  other  timber,  the  subsoil  is  so  loose  that  a  pole  can  be 
thrust  into  it  to  a  depth  of  from  ten  to  twenty  feet.     Ditches  that  have  been 


564  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

cut  through  it  for  the  purpose  of  draining  it  exhibit  fahen  timber  below 
ground,  and  the  dead  stumps  of  trees  still  standing  in  place  show  by  the  diver- 
gence of  their  roots  that  the  surface  of  the  soil  is  now  from  two  to  three  feet 
higher  than  it  was  when  the  trees  were  growing."  Old  Indian  canoe^  have 
been  found  buried  in  the  soil  and  show  that  at  one  time  the  lake  was  navigable. 
The  land  is  not  so  mir)'  as  in  former  years,  and  by  drainage  much  is  being  re- 
claimed and  is  now  fit  for  farming.  Swamp  willow,  witch-hazel,  whortleberry 
bushes,  elders  and  clumps  of  tamarack  or  larch  and  other  trees  still  cover  parts 
of  the  ground.  The  vegetation  is  close  and  dense  and  consists  of  a  great  variety 
of  plants,  among  them  the  beautiful  "side  saddle  flower"  being  found  in  great 
abundance. 

The  Pymatuning  Swamp  was  a  favorite  resort  of  the  Indians,  and  many  a 
tradition  concerning  it  has  been  handed  down  from  them.  The  early  settlers 
were  supplied  with  salt  by  the  Indians,  and  the  fact  that  it  was  warm  when  they 
received  it  led  to  the  belief  that  it  was  obtained  in  the  vicinity  of  the  swamp. 
Many  attempts  were  made  to  discover  from  where  and  in  what  manner  it 
was  obtained,  hut  the  locality  remains  a  secret  to  this  day. 

William  Burnside  was  a  blacksmith,  who  located  on  a  tract  of  land  in 
the  northern  part  of  what  is  now  Pine,  as  early  as  1797  or  1798.  His  is  the 
first  settlement  on  record.  He  was  an  Irishman,  and  boldly  took  possession  of 
a  tract  with  the  belief  that  he  could  hold  it  by  complying  with  the  provisions 
of  the  land  act.  But  he  was  defeated  when  the  case  came  to  trial  and  was 
obliged  tO'  vacate.  He  removed  to  Meadville.  but  afterward  returned  to  Lines- 
ville.  where  he  was  accidentally  killed  about  1826  at  a  log  rolling.  Samuel 
Glenn,  another  native  of  the  Emerald  Isle,  located  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
to\mship  at  an  early  date,  and  is  by  some  claimed  to  have  been  the  first  settler. 
He  spent  the  .remainder  of  his  days  upon  the  farm  which  he  cleared.  Robert 
Graham,  a  miller  by  trade,  was  also  of  Irish  extraction.  He  came  in  1802 
and  took  up  a  tract  upon  which  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Martin 
Cunningham,  another  early  settler  in  Pine  Township,  was  an  Irishman,  and 
resided  in  the  southern  part  until  his  death.  A  widow  by  the  name  of  Jane 
Patterson  settled  with  her  family  about  a  mile  south  of  Linesville.  She  was  a 
weaver  and  was  one  of  the  first  settlers,  but  after  her  death  the  children  re- 
moved from  the  township. 

Another  pioneer  settler  was  Samuel  McKay,  a  bachelor,  who  lived  the 
life  of  a  recluse  in  a  cabin  just  south  of  Linesville.  As  the  settlers  increased 
around  him  he  left  his  first  claim  and  retreated  still  further  into  the  wilderness. 
Tabez  Colt,  the  agent  of  the  Pennsylvania  Population  Company,  had  in 
1797  attempted  to  build  up  a  town  in  Conneaut  Township  by  means  of  arti- 
ficial immigration.  The  name  of  Colt's  Station  had  been  given  to  the  place, 
but  in  a  year  or  two  it  had  completely  disappeared.  In  1800  he  repeated  the 
experiment  in  Pine  Township.    He  built  a  grist  mill  and  erected  a  half  dozen 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  565 

log  cabins  as  a  nucleus  of  the  prospective  city.  A  tannery  was  also  started. 
When  Crawford  County  was  organized  he  made  a  vain  attempt  to  have  the 
county  seat  located  in  the  western  part  on  the  land  owned  by  the  company 
which  he  represented.  The  name  of  Colt's  New  Station  was  given  to  the 
place,  in  distinchon  from  the  former  Colt's  Station  in  Conneaut  Township. 
But  the  country  was  too  new  and  thinly  settled  to  support  a  place  of  any  size, 
and  when  the  artificial  stimulus  which  started  it  had  been  withdrawn  it  de- 
creased in  numbers  and  was  soon  entirely  abandoned.  It  was  located  about 
a  half  a  mile  north  of  the  present  village  of  Linesville. 

The  first  school  in  the  township  was  taught  in  1824  by  Joseph  Line,  in  the 
northeastern  part.  Many  of  the  children  from  Pine  now  attend  school  in  Lines- 
ville, so  that  the  records  do  not  show  for  Pine  Township  as  large  a  proportion 
of  schools  as  would  otherwise  be  the  case.  Almost  eight  hundred  dollars  was 
raised  and  expended  in  1896  for  the  use  of  the  schools. 

BOROUGH    OF  LINESVILLE. 

The  Borough  of  Linesville,  the  only  postoflice  within  the  territory  of 
Pine,  is  a  spacious  little  village  situated  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  town- 
ship. It  has  a  population  of  between  five  and  six  hundred.  The  Erie  and 
Pittsburg  Railroad  passes  through  the  village.  It  was  the  western  terminus 
of  the  former  Meadville  and  Linesville  Railroad,  now  a  branch  of  the  Pitts- 
burg, Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie  Railroad. 

Linesville  was  founded  by  Amos  Line,  who  in  1800  had  been  a  surveyor 
in  the  employ  of  the  Pennsylvania  Population  Company.  His  home  was  in 
Plainfield,  New  Jerse}-,  but  liaving  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  Pine  Town- 
ship he  removed  to  it  in  18 18.  He  paid  for  his  tract  four  dollars  an  acre,  and 
built  a  cabin  in  the  northern  part,  near  the  township  line.  For  some  years  he 
kept  a  small  store  here,  but  in  1823,  his  cabin  having  burned  down,  he  removed 
to  the  site  of  Linesville,  where  he  had  previously  built  a  mill.  Here  he  lived 
for  two  years,  occupying  an  old  log  cabin,  but  in  1825  removed  to  a  frame 
house  he  had  built  beside  the  mill.  It  was  about  the  same  year  that  he  laid  out 
the  village,  and  several  of  the  lots  were  soon  disposed  of.  William  Burnside 
and  Jesse  Gilliland,  blacksmiths,  were  among  the  first  settlers;  also  Joseph 
Allen,  a  carpenter ;  William  Russell  and  Moses  Lord,  shoemakers,  and  Samuel 
Shattuck,  a  cooper. 

The  plot  of  the  village,  as  recorded  in  1838,  contained  a  public  square,  sev- 
enty-five lots,  and  five  streets,  Pymatuning  and  Mercer  streets  extending  north 
and  south,  and  Erie,  Mill  and  Conneaut  crossing  them  in  an  east  and  west 
direction.  Joseph  Allen  laid  out  the  southern  part,  which  was  recorded  in 
1842.  The  first  tannery  was  erected  by  C.  S.  Stratton  about  1837.  Two 
years  later,  Smith  Line,  a  son  of  the  proprietor,  opened  the  first  store.  Amos 
Line  was  the  first  postmaster,  and  the  records  show  that  the  receipts  for  the 


566  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

first  quarter  amounted  to  twenty-five  cents,  the  postage  on  one  letter.  Mr. 
Line  was  a  Quaker  in  belief,  and  worshiped  with  the  Quaker  congregation 
in  Conneaut  Township.  He  died  in  1853  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven,  le'aving 
a  family  still  represented  in  the  township. 

Jabez  Colt,  while  trying  to  secure  the  county  seat  for  the  western  part 
of  the  county,  had  erected  a  mill  at  Linesville  in  1800,  it  being  fed  by  water 
power  by  means  of  a  long  race.  The  mill  was  abandoned  soon  afterward,  and 
when  Mr.  Line  came  to  the  neighborhood  in  1818  it  had  fallen  into  total  decay. 
About  two  years  later,  however,  he  erected  a  new  grist  mill  and  afterward 
added  a  saw  mill.  Li  1837  he  sold  the  mill  to  Joseph  Boyd,  and  a  year  after- 
ward the  grist  mill  was  burned.  It  was  rebuilt  some  years  later  by  the  Lines- 
ville Industrial  Association,  and  has  since  then  been  burned  and  again  rebuilt. 
An  extensive  lumbering  business  was  for  some  time  carried  on,  large  quan- 
tities being  shipped  by  the  canal  from  Shermansville. 

Linesville's  first  newspaper  was  founded  in  1875  by  Britton  &  McCoy, 
under  the  name  of  the  Leader.  After  various  vicissitudes  it  was  converted 
into  the  Linesville  Herald,  under  which  name  it  is  still  published  in  the  form 
of  a  semi-weekly,  and  finds  a  large  circulation.  The  Linesville  Gazette. 
founded  after  the  Leader,  had  but  a  brief  existence,  and  was  later  on  published 
for  a  few  months  under  the  name  of  the  American  Citizen. 

Amos  Line,  the  first  settler,  also  taught  the  first  school  in  Linesville,  in 
1835,  in  a  log  building  which  stood  on  the  south  side  of  Main  Street.  Joseph 
Allen  was  another  early  teacher.  In  1841  the  first  schoolhouse  was  built,  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  Main  Street,  m  the  eastern  part  of  the  borough,  a  dis- 
trict school,  consisting  of  one  room.  Later  on  a  frame  building,  also  of  one 
room,  was  erected  on  West  Main  Street,  on  the  site  of  the  present  schoolhouse, 
and  as  the  village  grew  an  addition  was  built.  After  this  a  two-story  frame 
building  was  used  for  some  time,  when  in  1880  a  handsome  brick  building 
was  erected.  In  1896  five  schools  were  in  operation,  with  a  school  year  of 
eight  months.  Two  hundred  and  eight  scholars  were  in  attendance,  although 
some  were  from  Pine  Township,  and  the  average  cost  for  each  pupil  per  month 
was  $2.     Almost  $2,000  was  raised  for  purposes  of  public  instruction. 

The  St.  Philip's  Catholic  Church  of  Linesville  worshiped  for  several  vears 
in  private  houses.  In  1870  a  church  edifice  was  erected  on  South  Mercer  Street 
and  services  regularly  held.  About  twenty-five  families  are  included  in  the 
congregation.  The  Methodists  of  Linesville  held  meetings  for  many  years 
in  the  schoolhouse,  at  which  time  John  Thayer,  John  Rea  and  A.  G.  Woods 
were  leading  members.  In  i860  a  church  building  was  erected.  The  congre- 
gation, which  is  small,  forms  a  part  of  the  Linesville  circuit. 

The  first  church  edifice  in  Linesville  was  erected  by  the  Baptist  Church  in 
1852.  Back  in  the  early  days  of  the  settlement  a  society  of  this  denomination 
had  flourished,  and  worshiped  in  a  log  cabin  about  a  mile  east  of  Linesville. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  567 

Services  were  held  here  as  early  as  1818  by  Rev.  McMillan;  and  William 
Ward,  James  Bishop,  Moses  Bishop  and  William  Bunnell  were  among  the 
early  members.  These  services  were  continued  during  many  years.  About 
1846  a  Baptist  Church  was  organized  at  Linesville,  and  was  reorganized  in 
185 1  by  Rev.  E.  M.  Alden,  with  eighteen  members.  Within  the  next  year 
they  had  built  a  large  building  at  a  cost  of  $2,500. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


RANDOLPH    TOWNSHIP. 

RANDOLPH  is  an  interior  township,  situated  a  little  southeast  of  the 
center  of  the  county,  and  has  an  area  of  25,188  acres.  The  soil  is  quite 
hilly,  and  is  drained  by  Woodcock  and  Sugar  creeks,  the  former  flow- 
ing north  into  Richmond  and  the  latter  following  a  southerlv  direction  into 
Wayne.  The  eastern  part  of  the  township  is  comparatively  new  and  is  not  so 
thickly  settled,  but  the  soil  is  good  throughout,  is  well  adapted  to  grazing  and 
produces  good  crops.  A  portion  of  the  land  was  marshy  in  early  times,  but 
clearing  has  made  it  tillable.  Dairying  and  stock  raising  are  the  chief  pursuits, 
although  lumbering  was  formerly  carried  on  quite  extensively.  Maple,  birch, 
ash,  poplar,  cherry,  chestnut,  elm  and  oak  are  the  chief  varieties  of  forest 
timber. 

Randolph  Township  was  organized  in  1824  from  parts  of  Mead,  Rockdale 
and  Oil  Creek,  and  its  original  limits  included  what  is  now  the  northern  part 
of  Randolph,  the  greater  part  of  Richmond,  and  the  western  sections  of  Troy, 
Steuben  and  Athens.  It  was  laid  out  with  its  present  outlines  in  1829.  Rich- 
mond bounds  it  on  the  north.  Steuben  and  Troy  on  the  east,  Wayne  on  the 
south  and  Mead  on  the  west.  The  northern  and  southeastern  parts  of  the 
township  were  donation  lands,  while  the  southwestern  corner  was  the  property 
of  the  Holland  Land  Company.  It  was  on  these  tracts  of  the  Holland  Com- 
pany that  the  first  settlements  were  made.  As  the  conditions  necessary  to 
maintain  a  valid  title  required  a  residence  and  improvements  on  each  tract, 
the  company  offered  a  gratuity  of  one  hundred  acres  to  each  one  fulfilling  the 
terms  of  settlement,  in  order  to  place  an  occupant  on  each  tract  at  the  earliest 
possible  date.  Many  of  the  pioneers  then  coming  into  the  country  gladly 
availed  themselves  of  this  opportunity  to  secure  a  home. 

The  question  as  to  who  made  the  first  settlement  in  Randolph  Township 
is  a  disputed  one.     It  is  not  doubted  that  the  Johnsons  made  a  settlement  in 


568  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

1797,  although,  according  to  some  accounts  James  Brawley,  often  called  the 
second  pioneer,  was  there  two  years  before  that  date.  But  by  the  records  of  the 
Holland  Land  Company  and  according  to  the  traditions  handed  down  from  the 
earliest  settlers,  the  honor  of  making  the  first  settlement  belongs  to  Alexander 
Johnson  and  his  son  Joseph.  The  latter,  when  but  a  boy  of  eighteen  years, 
left  his  home  in  Dauphin  County  and  started  out  on  foot  to  seek  his  fortune 
in  the  western  wilderness.  He  reached  Meadville  in  the  June  of  1797,  and 
thence  striking  out  to  the  east,  he  reached  the  lands  of  the  Holland  Land  Com- 
pany in  Randolph  Township.  He  selected  a  tract  on  which  to  locate,  and  re- 
turning to  Meadville  contracted  with  the  company,  in  his  own  and  his  father's 
name,  for  its  settlement.  He  built  a  small  hut  on  the  land,  constructing  the 
roof  with  the  boughs  of  trees,  and  spent  the  summer  there,  returning  in  the 
autumn  to  his  old  home.  Early  in  the  next  spring  he  started  out  again,  this 
time  accompanied  by  his  father's  family,  and  again  reached  his  wilderness 
home.  They  constructed  a  log  cabin  and  began  the  work  of  clearing  the  land 
and  preparing  it  for  cultivation.  Here  they  remained  throughout  life,  one  of 
the  most  prominent  families  of  pioneer  times,  the  elder  Johnson  dying  in  1823. 
James  Brawley,  by  some  accounted  the  first  settler,  but  who,  according 
to  the  more  trustworthy  accounts,  did  not  come  to  Randolph  until  1797  or  1798, 
located  on  the  land  of  the  Holland  Land  Company  and  built  a  cabin.  Having , 
procured  some  seed  potatoes  at  Franklin  he  carried  them  upon  his  back  through 
the  woods  up  French  and  Sugar  creeks,  following  an  Indian  path.  He  cleared 
a  small  patch  of  land  and  planted  it  with  potatoes,  after  which  he  joined  a  sur- 
veying party  in  Erie  County.  In  the  fall,  upon  returning  to  dig  his  potatoes, 
he  was  surprised  to  find  his  cabin  occupied  by  Indians,  who,  supposing  the 
claim  abandoned,  had  dug  and  eaten  his  potatoes  and  were  preparing  to  depart. 
But  desiring  to  compensate  him  for  his  loss,  the  Indians  opened  their  packages 
and  shared  with  him  their  store  of  furs  and  dried  meal.  He  exchanged  these 
for  a  quantity  of  wheat,  which  he  sowed,  and  then  returned  to  Lycoming 
County.  The  next  spring  he  brought  his  mother's  family  with  him  to  his  new 
home,  arriving  in  June.  They  were  six  weeks  upon  the  journey,  which,  like 
all  pioneer  emigration  of  those  times,  was  accomplished  in  face  of  the  greatest 
difficulties.  They  came  directly  through  the  woods  with  their  ox  team,  driving 
before  them  several  cows,  the  milk  from  which  was  strained,  and  being  put 
into  a  churn  was  converted  into  butter  by  the  motion  of  the  wagon.  When 
they  reached  their  destination  they  were  almost  penniless,  the  last  twenty-five 
cents  being  expended  for  a  quart  of  salt.  There  were  no  mills  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  for  some  time  the  family  lived  on  whole  wheat  boiled  in  milk. 
In  the  fall  Brawley  learned  that  a  mill  had  been  erected  by  the  Holland  Com- 
pany on  Pine  Creek,  near  Titusville.  Loading  four  bushels  of  wheat  upon  an 
ox  he  started  out  through  the  unbroken  forest,  with  no  path  and  no  guide  to 
follow,  save  a  pocket  compass.    He  was  six  days  upon  the  road.    At  night  he 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  569 

removed  the  load  from  the  ox  and  turned  it  out  to  browse,  while  lie  built  a 
fire,  beside  which  he  encamped,  and  by  which  the  ox  was  accustomed  to  lie 
when  he  had  appeased  his  hunger.  When  he  returned  with  the  wheat  flour 
there  was  a  day  of  festivity  in  the  Brawley  household. 

For  many  years  James  Brawley  held  a  commission  as  justice  of  the  peace. 
He  also  built  the  first  saw  mill  and  the  first  frame  house  and  barn  in  the  town- 
ship. In  1800  he  married  Mary  Glen,  a  daughter  of  William  Glen,  of  Mead 
Township,  and  theirs  was  probably  thefirst  marriage  contracted  in  the  township. 
William  R.  Brawley,  their  son,  was  doubtless  the  first  white  child  born  there, 
v/hile  Mar}-  Brawley.  who  died  in  1805,  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  first 
person  who  died  in  the  township.  In  company  with  Alexander  Johnson  Mr. 
Brawley  took  the  contract  to  carry  the  mail  once  a  week  between  Meadville 
and  Mayville,  N.  Y.  They  performed  the  journey  on  horseback,  going  in 
turn  upon  alternate  weeks,  commencing  in  1818  and  continuing  during  a  num- 
ber of  years.  Hugh  Brawley,  who  came  to  the  township  with  his  brother 
James,  settled  upon  a  tract  near  him,  where  he  remained  throughout  life.  He 
was  an  active  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Beriah  Battles,  who  contracted  to  settle  a  Holland  Land  Company  tract  in 
Randolph  and  an  adjoining  one  in  Mead  Township,  built  his  cabin  on  the 
township  line  at  Frenchtown.  He  did  not  remain  long,  emigrating  soon  after- 
ward to  Ohio.  Archibald  Stewart,  who  came  from  Lycoming  County,  set- 
tled a  tract  in  the  same  vicinity,  upon  which  he  remained  until  his  death.  Be- 
sides being  a  farmer  he  also  followed  the  occupation  of  a  weaver.  Andrew 
McFadden  settled  here  at  an  early  date  and  remained  until  death,  leav- 
ing a  family  which  is  now  widely  scattered.  The  Daniels  were  a  numerous 
family  who  settled  upon  Holland  tracts  in  Randolph  Township.  Samuel,  John, 
Daniel  and  Abraham  were  all  farmers,  and  all  took  up  land  here  at  an  early 
date.  Mary,  wife  of  Andrew  McFadden;  Sarah,  wife  of  Joseph  Armstrong, 
and  Lucy,  wife  of  Hugh  Brawley,  were  their  sisters.  They  were  all  members 
of  the  Methodist  Church,  and  Abraham  was  a  local  preacher.  Daniel  built 
a  small  powder  mill  before  1810  and  supplied  gunpowder  to  such  of  his  neigh- 
bors as  were  fond  of  hunting.  Amos  Daniels  was  another  pioneer  who 
settled  in  this  township. 

The  Donation  Lands,  comprising  the  northern  and  eastern  portions  of 
the  township,  and  which  were  reserved  for  the  soldiers  of  the  Revolution,  were 
settled  much  later.  A  large  proportion  of  the  soldiers  who  drew  lands  here 
made  no  settlements,  and  for  many  years  the  ownership  of  much  of  the  land 
was  unknown,  being  held  by  non-residents.  Isaac  Berlin,  an  old  soldier,  drew 
a  tract  in  the  extreme  northwestern  corner  of  the  township.  He  brought  his 
family  from  across  the  mountains  and  commenced  a  settlement  upon  it,  but 
the  solitude  proving  irksome  and  the  unresponsive  character  of  the  soil  dis- 
couraging him.  he  soon  left  it  and  purchased  a  farm  on  French  Creek,  in  Wood- 


570  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

cock  Townsliip.  A  Revolutionary  hero  named  Mehefty  settled  here,  remaining 
but  a  sliort  time.  The  only  permanent  settlement  made  by  an  old  soldier  in 
the  township  was  that  of  Dennis  Kane,  an  Irishman,  who  settled  about  1805 
upon  a  tract  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township.  He  built  a  cabin  in  the 
woods,  far  from  any  other  settlement,  and  remained  a  lifelong  and  respected 
citizen.  Michael  Radle,  a  German  by  birth,  was  an  early  pioneer  in  the 
northern  part.  He  came  with  his  family  from  Philadelphia  about  1806  and 
settled  in  the  central  part,  some  distance  northeast  of  Guy's  Mills.  For  many 
years  three  or  four  miles  separated  him  from  his  nearest  neighbors.  Aided  by 
his  three  sons,  William,  Andrew  and  John,  he  cleared  away  the  forest  and  tilled 
the  land,  until  by  his  industry  he  had  a  large  and  valuable  farm,  of  which  he 
remained  a  lifelong  occupant.  He  is  still  represented  in  the  township  bv 
numerous  descendants. 

The  soldiers  to  whom  the  donation  lands  belonged  manifested  little  dispo- 
sition to  settle  upon  them,  and  as  late  as  1815  the  township  showed  few  signs  of 
settlement  except  the  scattered  clearings  made  by  the  pioneers  mentioned 
above.  Large  numbers  of  the  unclaimed  donation  tracts  were  sold  by  the 
county  commissioners  for  delinquent  taxes.  Extensive  litigation  frequently 
resulted  from  this,  the  soldiers  or  their  representatives  appearing  and  contest- 
ing their  validity.  Often  the  matter  was  settled  by  a  compromise,  but  the 
original  warrantees  usually  maintained  their  claims  and  in  consequence  the 
tax  titles  were  looked  upon  with  distrust.  There  were  a  great  many  tracts 
in  this  district  which  had  not  been  drawn  at  all  by  the  soldiers,  and  these 
could  be  entered  upon  by  any  settler  and  the  title  secured  by  paying  to  the 
State  the  amount  required  by  law. 

A  compau}'  was  organized  by  Jacob  Guy,  Melanchthon  Wheeler,  and  Troop 
Barney,  all  residents  of  Whitehall,  Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  which  pur- 
chased a  large  quantity  of  the  land  sold  at  tax  sale.  Another  company  com- 
posed of  \^''ard  Barney,  George  Barney  and  William  A.  Moore,  also  of  Wash- 
ington County,  N.  Y.,  made  large  investments  in  these  tax  titles  and  sold  out 
their  claims  to  incoming  settlers.  Jacob  Guy,  a  member  of  the  first  company, 
settled  in  Meadville  in  181 3,  and  two  years  later  moved  to  Randolph  Township. 
He  was  a  native  of  Concord,  New  Hampshire,  and  had  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth College.  He  settled  at  Guy's  Mills  and  was  prominently  identified  with 
the  interests  of  the  township,  in  the  development  of  which  he  was  largely  in- 
strumental. He  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace,  and  it  is  said  that  the  set- 
tlers kept  him  busy  during  the  winter  examining  wolves'  scalps,  on  which  there 
was  a  bountv.  The  first  house  built  at  Guy's  Mills  was  erected  for  him,  being 
constructed  of  poles  and  covered  with  hemlock  brush.  He  lived  upon  the  land 
which  he  settled  during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

A  larsre  number  of  the  settlers  of  the  donation  lands  came  from  Wash- 
ing  Countv,  New  York.     Among  the  earliest  to  arrive  were  Russell  Mattison 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  571 

and  Joel  Jones,  who  about  1816  settled  near  Mr.  Guy's  estate.  Moses  Gilbert 
came  from  Fort  Ann,  New  York,  and  settled  near  a  spring  in  the  central  part, 
in  1818,  and  remained  until  his  death.  His  descendants  are  still  prominent 
in  the  township.  Andrew  Barney  settled  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township, 
Elkanah  Barney  came  about  1820  and  located  a  mile  southwest  of  Guy's  Mills, 
and  Joshua  Barlow  settled  about  1824  on  the  west  line  of  the  township.  These 
with  Ezra  Carpenter,  Isaac  Childs,  Hiram  Cornwell,  Alfred  Curtis,  Luke 
Hotchkiss,  Samuel  Hatch,  James  McLaughlin  and  Nathan  Southwick,  were  all 
immigrants  from  Washington  County,  New  York. 

Leonard  Hall,  a  native  of  Vermont,  came  in  181 7  and  settled  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  township,  on  a  tract  which  occupied  the  present  site  of  Hickory 
Corners,  where  he  was  the  first  settler.  He  walked  the  whole  of  the  way  from 
Vermont,  averaging,  according  to  his  account,  the  almost  incredible  distance 
of  forty  miles  a  day.  He  was  married  in  1820,  and  his  wedding  trip  consisted 
of  a  visit  to  his  then  far  distant  Vermont  home.  The  journey  was  made 
with  an  ox  sled,  for  which  he  was  obliged  to  cut  a  road  for  some  distance, 
while  his  father-in-law,  who  accompanied  him  a  part  of  the  way,  drove  the 
ox  and  sled  bearing  his  wife.  One  cannot  but  admire  the  energy  and  deter- 
mination with  which  these  hardy  settlers  entered  into  every  phase  of  their 
life.  Few  bridegrooms  would  attempt  such  an  undertaking  in  these  degen- 
erate days.  Philip  Cutshall  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  township.  He  was  a  Pennsylvania  German,  and  with  his  sons,  John, 
Jacob  and  George,  came,  in  1814,  from  his  home  in  Cumberland  County. 
They  came  through  the  woods  with  a  six-horse  team,  crossing  the  streams 
that  were  too  deep  to  ford  by  using  their  wagon  box  as  a  boat,  in  which  they 
transferred  their  goods,  a  few  at  a  time.  One  of  their  horses  died  on  the  way, 
so  a  bull  which  they  drove  was  placed  in  the  harness  and  driven  in  its  stead 
the  remainder  of  the  distance.  George  was  obliged  to  go  to  Meadville  to  work 
out  his  road  tax,  as  there  were  no  roads  in  his  vicinity.  William  Waid  came 
from  New  York  State  in  1816  and  settled  on  a  tract  just  north  of  Guy's.  His 
brothers,  Seth  and  Warner,  settled  on  an  adjoining  tract.  John  Dickson,  from 
Boston,  was  a  carpenter,  who  remained  until  his  death  upon  a  tract  which  he 
settled  in  the  center  of  the  township.  Thomas  McFadden,  who  was  raised  in 
Crawford  County,  purchased  and  cleared  a  farm  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
Randolph,  while  Elias  Thayer  made  an  early  settlement  near  the  township 
center. 

It  was  well  toward  the  middle  of  the  century  before  the  township  was 
thoroughly  settled,  although  the  period  of  the  greatest  immigration  was 
between  the  years  1820  and  1830.  John  Oaks  settled  at  an  early  date  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  township,  on  lands  of  the  Sixth  Donation  District. 
He  came  from  Massachusetts  about  1816,  bringing  with  him  a  large  family. 
John  Byham  also  came  at  an  early  date,  and  Lemuel  Smith  and  Jonas  Byham. 


572  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

both  from  Worcester  County,  Massachusetts,  had  settled  here  before  the 
organization  of  the  township.  Pickett  and  McKay  are  remembered  as  early 
residents,  and  James  Douglass  had  settled  here  before  i8ib,  but  afterward 
removed  to  Meadville.  The  first  saw  mill  was  built  by  James  Brawley.  It 
stood  upon  his  farm,  and  the  power  was  obtained  from  the  water  of  a  small 
branch  of  Sugar  Creek.  Another  one  was  erected  by  Jacob  Guy,  a  year  or 
two  later,  in  the  wilderness  at  Guy's  Mills.  Another  was  soon  afterward 
constructed  by  George  Cutshall,  and  others  were  put  in  operation  in  various 
parts  of  the  township.     A  number  of  these  are  still  in  use. 

John  Kane,  a  son  of  Dennis  Kane,  taught  the  first  school  in  the  town- 
ship, in  1813,  in  a  little  log  schoolhouse  that  stood  near  the  southwestern  cor- 
ner of  the  township.  It  was  constructed  of  rough  logs,  and  greased  paper  was 
substituted  in  the  windows  for  glass.  The  Johnsons,  McDills,  Brawleys  and 
Daniels  attended  here.  Henry  Thurston,  son  of  David  Thurston  of  Mead 
Township,  and  Allison  De  France,  a  son  of  James  De  France,  also  a  pioneer 
of  Mead,  were  teachers  here  in  early  days.  In  1820  a  second  log  schoolhouse 
was  reared  in  the  same  neighborhood.  The  first  school  in  the  vicinity  of  Guy's 
Mills  was  taught  by  Mary  Guy,  in  the  upper  story  of  a  barn. 

Soon  after  the  adoption  of  the  common  school  system,  in  1836,  there  were 
seven  schools  in  operation,  conducted  by  twelve  teachers,  six  male  and  six 
female.  Their  pay  was  eleven  dollars  per  month  for  the  males  and  four  dol- 
lars per  month  for  the  females.  Three  hundred  scholars  were  in  attendance, 
the  school  year  having  a  length  of  four  and  one-half  months.  The  character 
and  qualifications  of  the  teachers  were  considered  good,  and  they  were  re- 
ported as  being  full\-  competent  to  teach  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  geog- 
raphy and  grammar.  The  new  system  was  well  received  and  in  successful 
operation,  and  the  progress  of  the  scholars  was  reported  as  being  as  good  as 
could  be  expected. 

In  1896  the  number  of  schools  had  increased  to  seventeen,  with  a  school 
3'ear  of  seven  months'  duration.  There  were  four  hundred  and  seventeen 
scholars  in  attendance,  at  an  average  monthly  cost  to  the  township  for  each 
child  of  $1.24.  A  total  amount  of  $4,362.89  was  expended  for  school  pur- 
poses during  the  year.  A  recent  county  superintendent,  in  reporting  to  the 
State  upon  the  condition  of  the  Crawford  County  schools,  speaks  as  follows 
of  the  great  progress  made  during  the  past  few  years :  'T  have  seen  a  graded  sys- 
tem, which  simplifies  and  unifies  the  work,  established  in  all  the  country  schools ; 
I  have  seen  the  teaching  force  animated  and  vivified  by  a  system  of  professional 
reading;  I  have  seen  the  attendance  at  normal  schools  more  than  double  from 
this  county ;  I  have  seen  more  than  one  thousand  pupils  from  country  schools 
complete  the  common  school  course  and  receive  their  diplomas  or  certificates  of 
standing,  ready  to  go  into  high  schools  or  normal  schools ;  I  have  seen  town- 
ship high  schools  established  in  several  townships  and-  boroughs,  where  ninth 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  573 

and  tenth  year  work  was  done  that  was  a  source  of  pride  to  the  patrons, 
teachers  and,  in  fact,  all  connected  with  the  school  work  of  the  county ;  I  have 
seen  the  teachers  of  the  county  paid,  in  the  aggregate,  thousands  of  dollars 
more  for  their  services  than  was  ever  paid  them  before." 

Guy's  Mills,  the  only  village  in  the  township,  is  located  a  little  west  of 
the  center,  in  the  midst  of  a  rich  agricultural  region.  The  first  settlement 
here  was  made  by  Jacob  Guy  in  1813.  the  whole  region  in  that  vicinity  being 
then  an  unbroken  wilderness.  Soon  after  he  located  here  he  built  a  saw  mill, 
which  gave  the  name  of  Guy's  Mills  to  the  place,  and  one  has  been  operated 
here  ever  since.  About  1828  Noah  Hall  opened  a  small  store  and  for  several 
years  supplied  the  neighlx)ring  families  with  some  of  the  necessities  of  life. 
Five  years  later  Jacob  Guy  established  a  store  of  much  greater  magnitude, 
and  kept  it  for  several  years.  James  Foreman  opened  the  first  tavern  in  1838. 
and  about  the  same  time  a  postoffice  was  established  there.  In  i860  the  village 
consisted  of  nothing  more  than  a  store,  a  mill  and  half  a  dozen  houses;  but 
soon  after  that  period  it  began  to  increase  in  size  and  has  had  since  then  a 
slow  but  steady  growth.  It  contains  stores,  shops  and  mills  of  various  kinds, 
an  excellent  hotel,  the  Guy  House.  ]:)esides  schools  and  churches.  Guy's  Mills 
is  the  trading  center  of  a  region  of  unusual  richness  and  productiveness,  and 
its  stores  are  filled  with  a  greater  and  more  varied  stock  of  goods  than  is 
usually  found  in  places  of  the  same  size. 

Hickory  Corners  is  a  cross-road  station  in  the  northern  part  of  the  town- 
ship.    Randolph  Postoflice  is  located  there. 

Sugar  Lake  Postofiice  is  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township.  Black  Ash 
is  a  settlement  in  the  southeastern  corner. 

The  Baptist  Church  of  Guy's  Mills  was  organized  at  Dewey's  Corners, 
Mead  Township,  in  1820,  under  the  name  of  the  "Mead  Baptist  Church." 
There  were  ten  original  members  :  Joel  Jones  and  his  wife  Rhoda,  Mrs.  Lovey 
Wood.  Benjamin  Sweeney  and  his  wife  Mehitable.  John  Pratt  and  his  wife 
Rebecca.  Russell  Mattison  and  his  wife  Phoebe,  and  Le\-i  Dewey.  Soon  after 
its  organization  large  accessions  were  made  to  the  membership,  and  for  more 
than  a  year  meetings  were  held  in  Mead  Township.  After  that  the  religious 
exercises  were  conducted  in  the  schoolhouse  at  Guy's  Mills  until  1826,  when 
a  frame  meeting  house,  the  first  religious  structure  in  the  township,  was 
erected  in  the  village.  In  1868  this  was  replaced  by  a  more  commodious  build- 
ing at  a  cost  of  $1,800.  Rev.  Oliver  Alfred  was  the  first  i)astor.  This  was  the 
first  Baptist  church  organized  in  the  portion  of  Crawford  County  lying  east 
of  French  Creek,  and  several  other  congregations  in  neighboring  townships 
have  been  formed  from  its  membership. 

A  Methodist  class  was  organized  in  1822,  at  the  house  of  Daniel  Hunt, 
in  Richmond  Township,  and  from  this  the  Methodist  Society  of  Guy's  Mills 
\vas  formed.    The  services  were  continued  in  that  township  until  about  1848, 


574  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

when  a  frame  structure  was  built  in  tlie  northern  part  of  Randolph,  at  Hickory 
Corners.  Daniel  and  Luther  Hunt  and  Delos  Crouch  were  at  that  time  prom- 
inent members.  The  services  were  conducted  here  until  1S71,  when  a  society 
was  formed  at  Guy's  Mills  from  the  membership  of  the  Hickory  Corner;^ 
church  and  a  few  members  from  Mount  Hope.  A  handsome  frame  edifice 
was  constructed  in  1871  at  a  cost  of  $3,500. 

The  First  Congregational  Church  of  Randolph  was  organized  in  1825 
as  a  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  Society,  and  as  a  Congregational  Church 
in  1839.  Re\-.  Timothy  Alden,  of  Mead\-ille,  and  Rev.  Amos  Chase,  of  Titus- 
\-ille,  held  Presbyterian  services  in  this  locality  before  the  organization 
of  the  church.  The  Guys,  Stewarts,  Parkers,  Kanes,  Brawleys,  Waids,  Mc- 
Laughlins and  Barlows  were  prominent  among  the  early  members.  Li  1845 
a  frame  church  was  erected  at  Guy's  Mills,  before  which  the  services  had  been 
held  in  a  schoolhouse.  The  church  was  remodeled  and  enlarged  in  1871  at  a 
cost  of  about  $5,000,  and  now  has  a  large  and  flourishing  membership. 

As  early  as  1812  Methodist  meetings  were  held  at  the  cabin  of  Mr.  Dan- 
iels, in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township.  They  were  continued  regularly 
until  1825,  when  the  membership  was  greatly  increased  by  a  revival,  and  a 
frame  church  was  built  about  half  a  mile  south  of  Guy's  Mills.  John  Smith, 
David  Jones,  David  Hanks,  Thomas  Wilder,  Reuben  Smith  and  William 
Waid  were  the  leading  members.  Here  regular  services  were  maintained 
until  1858,  when  a  church  was  built  on  the  Oil  Creek  Road,  on  a  lot  donated 
by  Levi  Oaks,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township.  The  Mount  Hope  Church, 
as  it  was  called,  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $900,  and  besides  the  society  of  the  old 
Guy's  church,  the  members  of  a  class  which  had  been  organized  about  a  year 
before  a  mile  further  south  in  Wayne  Township,  joined  the  new  society.  D. 
W.  Bannister,  Joel  Smith,  John  Oaks,  Stephen  Reese  and  Smith  Byham  were 
prominent  members  at  that  period. 

East  Randolph  Church  was  organized  in  1850  by  Rev.  Edwin  Hull,  who 
became  the  first  pastor.  For  some  time  the  society  worshiped  in  a  schoolhouse 
in  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  township,  but  in  1866  a  building  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  $1,275.  Mark  Bogardus  and  wife,  Nicholas  Bogardus  artd  wife, 
and  Mr.  Loveless  were  early  members. 


CHAPTER  XVil. 


RICHMOND   TOWNSHIP. 

RICHMOND  TOWNSHIP  was  organized  in  1829  from  parts  of  Ran- 
dolpli  and  Rockdale.  The  whole  southern  part  was  included  within  th? 
Seventh  Donation  District  and  formed  a  part  of  Mead  Township 
until  1824,  when  Randolph  was  organized.  Along  the  northern  border  is  ii 
narrow  strip  of  the  land  of  the  Eighth  Donation  District,  and  this  formed  a 
portion  of  Rockdale  until  the  organization  of  Richmond  in  1829.  Between 
the  two  extended  a  narrow  strip,  having  an  average  width  in  this  township  of 
half  a  mile,  which,  on  account  of  the  inaccuracy  of  the  early  surveys,  was  in- 
cluded within  neither  the  Seventh  nor  Eighth  Donation  districts.  This  re- 
mained for  a  long  time  ungranted  and  unclaimed,  and  was  finally  settled  as 
State  land. 

Richmond  Township  is  situated  in  the  interior  of  Crawford  County,  eai^t 
of  the  center,  and  forms  an  approximate  square,  six  miles  in  dimensions,  with 
an  area  of  20,993  acres.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Rockdale,  on  the  east 
by  Athens  and  Steuben,  on  the  south  by  Randolph  and  on  the  west  by  Wood- 
cock. The  principal  stream  is  Woodcock  Creek,  which  flows  westward  through 
the  southern  part,  while  its  northern  branch  rises  in  the  northwestern  corner  of 
the  township.  Muddy  Creek  flows  in  a  northwesterly  direction  across  the 
northeastern  corner,  where  it  receives  Macky  Creek,  which  rises  in  the  western 
part  and  flows  east.  It  is  a  rich  dairy  township,  and  dairying  is  a  leading 
pursuit  of  the  inhabitants,  while  lumbering  is  also  an  industry  of  some  import- 
ance. The  surface  in  general  is  rolling,  with  some  lowlands  in  the  south- 
eastern part.  The  streams  are  skirted  by  wide  valleys  which  rise  by  gradual 
,slopes  to  ridges  of  comparatively  level  land.  Here  the  soil  is  a  gravelly  clay, 
and  the  timlier  is  principally  oak  and  chestnut,  with  some  hickory,  beech  and 
other  varieties.  On  the  lowlands,  where  the  soil  is  a  gravelly  loam,  a  great 
deal  of  hemlock  is  found,  while  in  the  drier  portions  beech  and  maple,  with 
some  ash  and  butternut,  abound. 

In  common  with  the  other  townships  of  eastern  Crawford,  Richmond 
remained  unsettled  until  a  comparatively  late  date.  Almost  all  of  the  land  m 
the  township  was  included  in  the  Donation  Tracts,  reserved  for  the  soldiers 
of  the  Revolution,  yet  it  cannot  be  found  that  a  single  settlement  was  made 
in  the  township  by  one  of  them.  \\'ith  the  characteristic  carelessness  and  gen- 
erosity of  men  of  his  profession,  the  old  soldier  held  in  low  repute  the  war- 

S75 


576  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

rant  granted  him  by  the  Commonwealth  for  a  tract  oi  land  in  the  \\'est,  and 
usually  sold  his  title  for  a  trifle  to  the  speculators,  who  made  a  practice  of 
searching  out  the  scattered  heroes  of  the  Revolution  and  obtaining  their  titles 
to  the  land.  No  concerted  action,  such  as  was  made  in  the  western  part  of 
the  county,  was  possible  in  the  military  lands.  Each  soldier  drew  a  definite 
lot  and  must  settle  on  that  particular  tract.  If  a  venturesome  pioneer  obtained 
a  warrant  for  land,  he  had  not  the  power  of  selection,  but  must  find  the  lot  from 
among  hundreds  of  others,  and  the  chances  were  that  it  would  be  miles  re- 
mote from  any  other  habitation.  This  prevented  those  who  came  out  together 
from  settling  in  the  same  neighborhood,  as  was  the  custom  in  other  localities. 
For  this  and  many  other  reasons  the  settlement  of  Richmond  was  delayed 
long  after  other  portions  of  the  county  were  occupied,  and  it  was  not  till  1817 
that  the  first  successful  effort  was  made  to  wrest  a  home  from  this  silent  wil- 
derness. 

A  temporar}'  settlement  had  been  made  in  the  northeastern  portion  of  the 
township,  I)y  several  families,  some  years  prior  to  1817.  The)'  erected  cabins 
and  cleared  and  planted  little  patches  of  ground,  but  discouraged  by  the  deso- 
lateness  of  the  region  and  tiring  of  their  long  continued  isolation  from  the  other 
settlements,  while  finding  the  soil  unresponsive  and  barren, 'they  deserted  the 
place  after  a  few  years'  residence.  George  Miller,  who  afterward  located  in 
Rockdale,  was  one  of  these  transitory  settlers,  and  a  Mr.  Falkoubtirg  was 
another. 

The  first  permanent  settler  was  Ebenezer  Hunt,  a  native  of  Vermont, 
who  left  that  State  in  the  fall  of  1815,  and  passed  the  winter  in  Erie  County, 
having  come  most  of  the  distance  on  foot.  He  then  resided  a  year  in  Mead- 
ville,  and,  having  purchased  a  tract  of  two  hundred  acres  in  Richmond  Town- 
ship, started  to  take  possession  of  it  in  the  spring  of  1817.  The  land,  which 
had  been  sold  for  taxes  at  Commissioners'  sale,  cost  him  $500.  Accompanied 
by  his  brother.  Daniel  Hunt,  he  made  his  way  to  his  land  through  the  tan- 
gled forest  from  Guy's  ]\Iills.  then  the  nearest  habitation.  A  brush  camp  was 
temporarily  erected  beside  a  fallen  hemlock,  and  served  to  shelter  the  two^ 
brothers  until,  without  any  assistance,  they  had  built  a  log  cabin,  about  twelve 
by  fourteen  feet.  They  split  out  a  floor  from  the  timber,  fashioned  a  rude 
door,  and  as  thcv  had  brought  no  furniture  with  them  they  made  a  table,  stools 
and  some  other  articles.  With  their  rude  cabin  and  its  furnishings,  and  their 
desolate  enviroument,  they  presented  a  type  of  the  backwoods  home  such  as 
many  settlers  possessed,  and  which  a  life  time  of  hard  labor  and  economical 
management  scarcely  sufficed  to  furnish  with  the  common  conveniences  of  life. 
In  1820,  David  Hunt,  the  father  of  the  two  pioneers,  brought  out  his  family  to 
the  settlement  prepared  bv  his  sons,  and  remained  with  them  until  his  death. 
In  1822  Ebenezer  Hunt  was  married  to  Lavinia  Hatch,  of  Randolph  Town- 
ship, and  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  tilling  the  soil. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLh.  ^yj 

Gould  M.  Lord  came  from  Connecticut  in  1817  and  made  a  settlement  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  township.  Here  he  remained  many  years,  and  his 
father  and  two  brothers  came  from  the  East  and  took  up  land  in  the  same 
vicinity.  Russell  Flint  came  from  Chautauqua  County,  New  York,  in  1819, 
and  settled  on  the  State  Road,  about  a  mile  and  one-half  east  of  New  Rich- 
mond. He  was  a  prominent  Methodist  and  remained  a  resident  of  the 
township.  About  the  same  time  Michael  Bresee  came  from  Ontario  County, 
N.  Y.  He  was  a  pioneer  of  more  than  usual  activity  and  energy,  and  made 
a  settlement  in  the  northern  part.  About  1820  four  brothers,  David,  William, 
Moses  and  Samuel  Sanborn,  came  with  their  parents  from  Canada  and  settled 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  township.  Here  they  remained  for  some  time,  but, 
evidently  not  finding  the  surroundings  congenial,  they  all,  e.xcept  William, 
afterward  left  the  vicinity  and  removed  to  other  parts.  William  remained  in 
the  township,  although  he  did  not  inhabit  any  particular  locality,  removing 
from  place  to  plac-e. 

About  the  year  1820  George  Miles  came  from  iNJew  Haven,  Connecticut, 
and  purchased  land  in  the  northern  part  of  Richmond  Township.  He  was  an 
old  sea  captain,  but  now  turned  his  attention  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil. 
For  a  short  time  he  followed  his  new  occupation  with  considerable  ardor,  but 
the  fascination  of  a  seafaring  life  was  too  strong  for  him,  and  he  went  to  Erie 
soon  afterward  and  resumed  his  favorite  calling.  Robert  Townley  emigrated 
from  Ireland  to  Erie  County,  and  from  there  came  to  Richmond  in  1821,  where 
he  acquired  land  in  the  southwestern  part  upon  which  he  remained  throughout 
life.  Jasper  Lyon  came  fromi  Wiiitehall,  New  York,  and  after  having  spent 
several  years  in  the  valley  of  the  Cussawago  came  to  Richmond  in  182 1  and 
remained  a  lifelong  resident.  HoUis  Hull  came  from  Washington  County, 
New  York,  in  1822,  and  two  years  later  Ananias  Philips  and  Jesse  Wheelock 
came  from  the  East  and  made  settlements  in  Richmond.  Active  settlement 
commenced  about  1820,  though  much  of  the  land  remained  unoccupied  until 
the  middle  of  the  century.  Thomas  Delamater  came  from  New  York  State 
in  1822,  bringing  with  him  his  wife  and  one  child,  and  settled  at  first  in  Athens 
Township,  near  Centerville.  Finding  that  the  title  to  his  land  there  might  be 
questioned  he  removed  soon  afterward  to  the  western  part  of  Richmond,  where 
he  spent  the  greater  portion  of  his  life.  Several  years  before  his  death 
he  removed  to  Townsville,  where  he  died  in  1868,  leaving  a  family  of  seven 
children. 

Richmond  Township  was,  in  1826,  made  memorable  by  the  settlement 
in  it  of  John  Brown,  the  rash,  impetuous  foe  of  negro  slavery.  He  was  born 
of  humble  parentage  at  Torrington,  Connecticut,  May  9,  1800,  but  removed 
with  his  father  to  Hudson,  Ohio,  at  the  age  of  five.  When  but  fifteen  years 
old  he  commenced  working  at  the  tanner's  and  currier's  trade.  His  time  at 
.  school  had  unfortunately  not  been  profitably  employed,  and  he  was  at  this 
27 


5/8  OUR   COUNTY  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE. 

time  without  even  a  common  school  education.  He  remained  thus  occupied 
until  the  age  of  twenty,  most  of  the  time  as  foreman  of  the  establishment 
under  his  father,  keeping-  bachelor's  hall  and  officiating  as  cook.  With  the  aid 
of  a  valuable  library,  to  which  he  was  generously  allowed  access,  he  made 
commendable  progress  in  acquiring  the  rudiments  of  an  education,  and  hav- 
ing experienced  deep  religious  convictions,  he  commenced  a  course  of  study 
with  a  view  of  preparation  for  the  ministry  in  the  Congregational  Church. 
But  he  was  compelled  to  abandon  this  project  on  account  of  inflammation  of 
the  eyes.  However,  with  the  aid  of  books,  he  managed  to  become  fairly 
well  acquainted  with  common  arithmetic  and  surveying,  which  he  practiced 
more  or  less,  after  the  age  of  twenty,  in  Ohio,  Pennsylvania  and  Western 
Virginia.  He  was  married  in  1820  to  Dianthe  Lusk,  and  in  1826  removed  to 
Richmond  Township,  where  he  still  followed  the  occupation  of  tanning.  With 
his  trade  he  afterward  combined  the  business  of  farming  and  sheep  keeping. 

The  remains  of  the  old  John  Brown  tannery,  which  was  the  first  to  be 
erected  in  Richmond,  are  still  to  be  seen  standing  near  the  center  of  the  town- 
ship. His  life  here  was  characterized  by  the  strictest  integrity,  and  it  is  re- 
lated of  him  by  one  who  served  as  his  apprentice  that  he  refused  to  sell  his 
leather  until  it  was  perfectly  dry,  or  as  nearly  so  as  human  ingenuity  could 
make  it,  lest  his  customers  should  be  cheated  in  value  or  weight.  He  became 
at  once  a  prominent,  energetic  young  citizen  in  the  community,  and  bore  the 
reputation  of  strictest  integrity  and  veracity.  By  his  efforts  a  mail  route  was 
secured  and  he  was  appointed  postmaster.  He  engaged  in  stock  raising,  and 
is  said  to  have  brought  the  first  blooded  cattle  into  the  township.  He  assisted 
in  organizing  a  Congregational  Church,  of  which  he  continued  an  active 
member.  In  1832  his  wife  died,  and  the  next  year  he  married  Mary  A.  Day, 
of  Meadville.  He  left  the  township  in  1835  and  from  that  time  on  he  followed 
various  vocations.  In  1835  he  was  at  Franklin  Mills,  Ohio,  and  in  1840 
Avas  engaged  in  the  wool  business  at  Hudson.  Soon  afterward  removing  to 
Akron,  Ohio,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Perkins,  buying  and  selling 
wool  on  commission,  chiefly  for  the  fanners  of  Ohio  and  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania. In  1846  he  removed  to  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  but  coming  into 
competition  with  the  New  England  manufacturers,  who  had  been  accustomed 
to  purchase  \\ool  from  the  growers  at  their  own  terms,  they  combined  against 
him  and  refused  to  deal  with  him.  Thus  deprived  of  a  market.  Brown  took 
about  200,000  pounds  of  wool  to  England,  where,  being  obliged  to  sell  it  for 
half  its  \-alue,  he  was  almost  reduced  to  poverty. 

When  a  mere  boy  the  subject  of  the  liberation  of  slaves  in  America  had 
engaged  his  attention,  and  in  1839  he  had  originated  a  plan  for  its  accom- 
plishment. While  in  England  he  submitted  it  to  prominent  abolitionists,  but 
received  no  encouragement.  Returning  to  America  he  learned  that  Gerrit 
Smith,  of  Peterboro,  Vermont,  had  ofifered  to  give  to  colored  settlers  portions 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  579 

of  lands  out  of  large  tracts  which  he  owned  in  the  wild  regions  of  the  Adiron- 
dack's. He  obtained  an  interview  with  i\Ir.  Smith,  in  which  he  detailed  the 
supreme  difficulties  under  which  the  negroes  labored  in  their  efforts  to  reclaim 
the  land  in  that  inhospitable  wilderness,  difficulties  which  were  immeasurably 
enhanced  by  their  inexperience,  and  being  thoroughly  conversant  himself  with 
pioneer  life,  he  offered  to  give  to  tliose  who  chose  to  avail  themselves  of  the 
offer  the  benefit  of  his  experience,  and  to  exercise  over  them  a  fatherly  super- 
vision. Although  entirely  unacquainted  with  the  applicant,  Mr.  Smith  ap- 
proved the  project  and  accepted  the  proposition.  In  1849  Brown  removed  his 
family  to  North  Elba,  New  York,  where  they  remained  for  two  years.  In 
1 85 1  they  returned  to  Akron,  where  Brown  again  became  interested  in  the  wool 
business.  In  1855  he  went  to  Kansas,  where  his  sons  had  already  settled.  He 
took  a  prominent  and  active  part  in  the  stirring  scenes  which  were  enacted 
there  at  that  period,  and  opposed  vv'ith  all  the  energy  of  his  nature  the  efforts 
of  the  pro-slavery  party  to  make  Kansas  a  slave  State.  In  August,  1856, 
with  a  band  of  sixteen  poorly  armed  men,  he  held  in  check  at  Ossawatomie  a 
force  of  five  hundred  lawless  Missourians,  who  were  thoroughly  equipped.  The 
place  where  this  brilliant  exploit  occurred  afterward  became  a  distinguishing 
suffix  to  his  name,  and  the  phrase  "John  Brown  of  Ossawatomie,"  is  only 
exceeded  in  familiarity  by  the  title  of  the  tract  in  the  great  wilderness  of 
Northern  New  York  which  bears  his  name. 

In  May,  1859,  he  called  a  secret  convention  of  the  friends  of  freedom, 
which  met  at  Chatham,  Canada,  where  an  invasion  of  Virginia  was  organized 
and  a  constitution  adopted.  The  following  July  he  rented  a  farm  house  about 
six  miles  from  Harper's  Ferry,  and  collected  there  a  supply  of  pikes,  guns  and 
munitions  of  war.  On  the  night  of  October  16,  1859,  he  surprised  Harper's 
Ferry,  and,  aided  by  about  twenty  men,  seized  the  United  States  arsenal  and 
armory  and  took  more  than  forty  prisoners.  About  noon  on  the  17th,  Brown's 
party  was  attacked  by  the  Virginia  militia,  and  after  two  of  his  sons  and 
nearly  all  of  his  men  had  been  killed  and  he  had  been  wounded  in  several 
places,  he  was  captured.  He  was  tried,  found  guilty,  and  on  December  2,  1859, 
was  hanged  at  Charlestown,  Virginia.  However  much  we  may  sympathize 
with  his  motives,  every  order  loving  citizen  must  condemn  the  means  by  which 
he  attempted  to  consummate  his  purpose ;  and  while  throwing  the  mantle  of 
charity  over  his  rash  deeds  by  believing  his  impulses  for  the  liberation  of  the 
African  race  too  powerful  to  be  restrained,  must  deprecate  his  rash  and  suicidal 
attempt  at  their  freedom  which  terminated  in  an  overt  act  of  treason. 

Jasper  Lyon  constructed  a  saw  mill  on  Woodcock  Creek  at  an  early  date, 
about  half  a  mile  below  Lyona,  but  before  it  was  ready  for  operation  be  sold 
it  to  Anthony  Phillips.  It  was  used  but  little,  but  was  replaced  by  a  second 
one  on  the  same  site  in  1850.  In  the  early  days  Captain  Miles  erected  a  saw 
mill  on  a  branch  of  Muddy  Creek,  about  two  miles  north  of  New  Richmond. 


58o  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Jolin  Brown's  tannery  was  the  first  in  the  township.  It  was  operated  after 
his  removal  by  Rev.  Butt,  a  Methodist  minister,  and  afterward  by  Ira  Clark. 
After  being  closed  for  some  time  it  was  converted  into  a  cheese  factory,  and 
later  on  was  used  as  a  jelly  factory  and  corn  grinding  mill.  There  are  at 
present  several  cheese  factories,  saw  mills,  etc.,  in  operation  in  the  township. 
The  township  was  destitute  of  early  school  accommodations  until  1826. 
when  a  term  was  held  in  a  newly  built  corn  crib  and  hog  pen  combined  on  the 
farm  of  Gould  M.  Lord,  in  the  northern  part.  About  the  same  time  a  school 
was  held  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township  in  the  newly  completed  farm 
of  Ebenezer  Hunt.  Sarah  Hunt,  his  sister,  who  was  the  first  teacher,  received 
a  compensation  of  one  dollar  per  week.  Only  one  term  was  held  here,  the  chil- 
dren of  Jasper  Lyon,  David  Stewart  and  others  attending  it.  The  first  school- 
house  in  the  township  was  probably  a  small  log  building  erected  near  the 
present  location  of  Lyona  Postoffice.  Titus  Johnson  and  George  Delamater 
were  early  teachers  in  it.  In  1836  there  were  five  schools  in  operation  during 
a  school  year  of  an  average  length  of  four  months.  Ninety-eight  scholars  were 
in  attendance,  the  branches  taught  being  reading,  writing  and  arithmetic. 
The  qualifications  of  the  teachers  were  considered  good,  and  the  progress  of 
the  scholars  was  reported  as  giving  general  satisfaction.  In  1896  the  num- 
ber of  schools  was  twelve,  with  a  school  year  of  seven  months.  Three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-three  scholars  were  in  attendance,  at  an  average  monthly 
cost  to  the  township  for  each  pupil  of  $1.26.  During  the  year  more  than  thirty- 
five  hundred  dollars  was  raised  and  expended  for  purposes  of  education. 

New  Richmond,  a  hamlet  and  postoffice  located  about  half  a  mile  east  of 
the  township  center,  is  the  nearest  approach  to  a  village  in  Richmond  Town- 
ship. It  includes  stores,  shops,  a  town  hall  and  ten  or  twelve  dwellings.  The 
first  store  on  the  site  of  this  settlement  was  opened  by  Ira  Clark  about  1835. 
Some  time  before  this  he  and  David  Stewart  had  kept  a  store  about  half  a 
mile  east  of  New  Richmond. 

Lyona  is  a  postoffice  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township,  on 
Woodcock  Creek.  The  postoffice,  which  was  established  in  1868,  was  at  first 
called  Lyon's  Hollow,  then  changed  to  Lines,  and  later  on  to  its  present  name 
of  Lyona.    A  store,  church,  schoolhouse  and  several  dwellings  are  located  here. 

Teepleville  and  Jewel  are  settlements  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township, 
while  Finney's  Corners  is  located  in  the  extreme  western  part 

A  number  of  religious  organizations  have  existed  at  various  times  in  the 
township.  The  first  was  a  Methodist  class  formed  about  1822  in  the  cabin  of 
Daniel  Hunt,  under  the  ministration  of  Rev.  Hatton.  Until  1848  services  were 
held  in  a  schoolhouse,  when  a  church  edifice  was  erected  at  Hickory  Corners, 
in  Randolph,  and  the  society  passed  beyond  the  boundaries  of  the  township. 
A  Congregational  Church  was  farmed  while  John  Brown  was  a  resident  of 
the  township.     Meetings  were  for  a  long  time  held  on  the  second  floor  of 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  581 

Brown's  tannery,  and  afterward  in  a  schoolhouse.  It  was  not  strong  numer- 
ically, and  when  Brown,  who  had  been  its  leading  spirit,  removed  from  the 
township,  it  soon  ceased  to  exist. 

Richmond  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1841,  with  fifteen  members, 
among  them  tlie  Hunts,  Hatches,  Stewarts,  Carrs  and  Littles.  The  first  meet- 
ings were  held  in  a  log  schoolhouse  which  stood  at  the  corner  near  the  present 
church,  afterward  in  a  schoolhouse  built  by  subscriptions  from  the  con- 
gregation. In  1866  a  church  structure  was  erected  near  Lyona  Postoffice  at  a 
cost  of  $3,500. 

The  Methodist  denomination  has  several  societies  in  Richmond.  A  church 
was  organized  at  New  Richmond  about  1836  by  Rev.  Walter  B.  Lloyd,  the  first 
pastor.  In  1840  a  class  was  organized  in  the  northern  part  of  Richmond 
Township,  of  which  James  and  William  Morse,  Franklin  Lord,  Emerson 
Chamberlin,  Tracy  Turner,  Patrick  Perry,  David  Macky,  James  Grey  and 
James  Wilkinson  were  early  members.  A  class  was  organized  in  the  north- 
eastern part  in  the  early  forties,  Imt  went  out  of  existence.  It  was  succeeded 
by  \'an  Scowder's  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  which  was  formed  about  1877. 


CHAPTER  XVIll 


ROCKDALE    TOWNSHIP. 

ROCKDALE  TOWNSHIP,  which  lies  on  the  northern  border  of  Craw- 
ford County,  a  little  east  of  the  center,  has  an  area  of  20,953  acres.  It 
is  well  watered  by  French  Creek  and  its  tributaries,  the  main  stream 
entering  the  township  near  the  center  of  its  northern  boundary,  flowing  south, 
thence  deflecting  to  the  west,  and  leaving  it  near  the  center  of  the  west  line. 
Of  the  tributaries  Muddy  Creek,  a  stream  of  considerable  size,  enters  from  the 
southeast  and  reaches  Frencl:  Creek  a  little  west  of  the  township  center.  Kelly's 
Run  is  its  principal  tributary,  draining  the  northeastern  portion  of  the  town- 
ship, and  joining  Muddy  Creek  just  before  its  union  with  French  Creek.  The 
valleys  of  French  and  Muddy  creeks  are  low  and  level,  while  beyond  them  low 
hills  rise  and  lead  to  a  rolling  upland  surface.  The  soil  in  the  valleys  is  a  rich 
alluvium  of  great  fertility,  elsewhere  it  is  a  mixture  of  clay  and  sand.  In  early 
times  a  marsh  extended  along  Muddy  Creek  for  a  distance  of  almost  a  mile,  but 
this  has  been  reclaimed  by  systematic  drainage  and  viekled  an  excellent  farm- 
ing land.  Agriculture  is  the  principal  pursuit  of  the  inhabitants  of  Rock- 
dale, and  dairying  the  chief  branch  of  agriculture.  Until  some  years  ago  a 
large  portion  of  the  township  was  devoted  entirely  to  lumbering,  which  still 


582  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

forms  an  important  industr)'.  Large  quantities  of  lumber  are  manufactured, 
and  it  is  shipped  from  Miller's  Station  in  considerable  amounts.  Pine,  oak  and 
chestnut  were  the  chief  varieties  of  timber  on  the  higher  ground,  while  hemlock, 
maple,  black  ash  and  beech  abounded  in  the  lower  lands. 

Rockdale  was  one  of  the  original  subdivisions  of  Crawford  County, 
erected  by  the  first  court  held  in  Meadville,  in  1800.  As  then  established  its 
boundaries  were  as  follows:  "Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Woodcock  Creek; 
thence  up  said  creek  to  where  the  same  intersects  the  line  of  the  Seventh  Dona- 
tion District :  thence  north  along  said  line  to  the  northwest  corner  of  said  dis- 
trict; thence  east  along  the  north  line  of  said  district,  ten  miles,  to  the  western 
line  of  the  township  of  Oil  Creek ;  thence  north  along  said  line  to  the  northern 
boundary  of  Crawford  County;  thence  west  along  said  boundary  to  French 
Creek ;  thence  down  said  creek  by  the  various  courses  thereof  to  the  mouth  of 
Woodcock  Creek,  the  place  of  beginning."  These  limits  included  the  greater 
part  of  what  is  now  Woodcock,  the  northern  part  of  Richmond,  the  northwest- 
ern corner  of  Athens,  the  western  part  of  Bloomfield,  the  southern  part  of 
Cambridge  and  all  of  Rockdale  that  lies  east  of  French  Creek.  In  1829  the 
township  was  laid  out  almost  as  it  now  exists,  the  portion  west  of  French 
Creek  having  been  part  of  Venango  Township  before  that  date.  It  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  Erie  County,  on  the  east  by  Bloomfield  and  Athens,  on  the 
south  by  Richmond  and  on  the  west  by  Cambridge.  The  New  York,  Penn- 
sylvania and  Ohio  Railroad  tra\erses  the  northwestern  corner,  following  the 
course  of  French  Creek,  which  it  crosses  within  the  limits  of  the  township. 

John  Hayes,  a  native  of  Delaware,  who  accompanied  General  Mead  in 
his  journey  to  the  county,  made  the  first  settlement  in  the  township  some  time 
before  1790.  William  Hutchinson  had  commenced,  but  had  not  completed, 
the  settlement  of  a  piece  of  land,  and  this  Hayes  purchased  and  settled  upon. 
His  daughter  Sarah,  afterward  Mrs.  Joseph  King,  was  born  in  this  town- 
ship May  24,  1798,  her  husband  serving  as  a  captain  under  General  Hull  in 
the  War  of  1812.  The  greater  part  of  the  land  of  Rockdale  Township  belongs 
to  the  Donation  District,  but  considerable  tracts  were  the  property  of  the 
Holland  Land  Company,  and  it  was  under  their  auspices  that  most  of  the  early 
settlements  were  made.  A  few  individual  tracts  were  also  entered  here.  Major 
Roger  Alden,  the  agent  for  the  Holland  Land  Company,  erected  a  saw  mill 
on  Kellv's  Run,  probably  as  early  as  1798.  It  was  a  little  flutter-wheel  mill, 
having  no  gearing,  and  was  driven  by  an  undershot  wheel.  It  was  at  first 
operated  by  George  Fetterman  and  afterward  for  some  time  by  Anthony 
Matson. 

Contracts  for  the  settlement  of  a  large  amount  of  the  land  of  the  Holland 
Company  were  made  in  1798  and  1799.  The  Indian  troubles  had  delayed  it 
for  several  years,  while  the  donation  lands  settled  slowly,  as  was  the  case 
\\here\'er  they  predominated.    William  Carnachan  came  in  1799  from  North- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  583 

unihcrlaiul  Couiily  and  settled  on  a  tract  on  Muddv  Creek.  It  was  within 
the  boundaries  of  the  Eighth  Donation  District,  hut  it  was  counted  as  waste 
land  and  had  not  been  numbered  on  account  of  its  marshiness.  On  this 
account  he  obtained  it  at  a  nominal  price,  and  finding  that  a  part  of  it  was 
dry  and  fertile  he  made  a  settlement  upon  it.  Henry  Minium.  George  Peiffer. 
Peter  Stone,  and  Jacob  and  William  Kepler  settled  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
township  at  an  early  date  on  Holland  Company  land,  but  on  account  of  dis- 
puted ownership  they  left  their  clearings  and  removed  to  other  parts. 

George  Fetterman  purchased  land  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township, 
but  before  he  had  completed  his  settlement  he  was  engaged  by  the  Holland 
Land  Company  to  run  their  mill.  Removing  to  the  mill  he  remained  there  until 
about  1808.  when  he  embarked  his  family  and  household  effects  in  a  flat  boat 
and  descended  French  Creek  for  some  unknown  destination.  Anthony  Mat- 
son,  his  successor  at  the  saw  mill,  had  also  improved  land  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  township,  and  besides  owned  property  in  Erie  County.  He  came  to 
the  township  and  for  a  time  assisted  Fetterman  at  the  mill.  Upon  the  de- 
parture of  the  latter  he  married  Patty  Heatly  and  remained  in  charge  of  the 
mill  for  many  years.  About  1824  he  removed  to  the  southern  part  of  Erie 
Count}^ 

Hugh  and  Patrick  McCullough  came  from  Ireland  and  settled  in  Rock- 
dale at  an  early  date,  remaining  upon  their  respective  tracts  throughout  life. 
George  Pack  cleared  a  few  acres  and  then  left  the  country,  assigning  his  claim 
to  Joseph  Hackney,  a  resident  of  Meadville.  Peter  Young  came  from  the 
eastern  part  of  the  State  and  purchased  a  farm  in  the  French  Creek  Valley, 
in  the  western  part  of  the  township.  He  remained  here  until  his  death,  and 
in  addition  to  farming  he  followed  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker,  furnishing  boot.s 
and  shoes  for  his  pioneer  neighbors.  Isaac  Kelley.  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  set- 
tled at  first  in  Northumberland  County,  but  later  on  removed  to  Bloomfield 
Township.  Having  heard  of  a  vacant,  unsurveyed  body  of  land  at  the  mouth 
of  Muddy  Creek,  he  removed  to  it  in  the  spring  of  1800.  and  later  on  secured 
a  patent  for  it.  He  was  a  wheelwright  by  trade  and  for  some  time  manufac- 
tured chairs,  spinning  wheels  and  other  implements,  but  as  rapidly  as  possible 
cleared  his  land  and  turned  his  attention  to  farming.  He  erected  a  grist  mill 
in  1S17.  the  first  in  the  township,  and  operated  it  until  his  death  in  1832. 
Moses  Heatly  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers.  His  son-in-law,  Robert  Still. 
was  a  "shingle  weaver"  or  maker,  splitting  the  shingles  with  an  axe.  then  shav- 
ing them  to  the  proper  smoothness.  He  remained  in  the  township  until  his 
death,  as  did  Isaac  ^^'illis,  a  weaver,  who  came  from  the  Susquehanna  Val- 
ley about  1802.  Nathan  ]\Iitchell,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  came  111  1802 
from  Canada  and  settled  on  tlie  eastern  bank  of  French  Creek,  near  the  north- 
ern boundary  of  the  township.     About   1812  John  Hammond  settled  in  the 


584  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

southeastern  part,  at  Brown's  Hill,  and  Arthur  Jervis  arri\^ed  at  about  the  same 
time  from  Fayette  Count}^ 

George  Miller  made  one  of  the  earliest  settlements  west  of  French  Creek. 
He  was  of  German  descent,  and  early  in  the  century  had  emigrated  from  the 
Susquehanna  A'alley  and  settled  in  the  northern  part  of  Richmond  Township. 
He  removed  to  a  five  hundred  acre  undrawn  Donation  tract  about  1808,  west 
of  French  Creek,  where  Miller's  Station  is  now  located,  and  there  built  his 
cabin.  He  was  a  man  of  deep  religious  convictions  and  although  without  edu- 
cation he  resolved  to  preach  the  Gospel.  A  Baptist  congregation  was  organized 
in  Rockdale  in  1812,  of  which  he  became  the  first  pastor,  but  it  was  afterward 
removed  to  Cambridge.  He  was  a  prominent  citizen  and  for  many  years 
labored  in  the  ministry,  in  addition  to  following  the  occupation  of  a  farmer. 

Jesse  Brown,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  removed  from  Vermont  in  181 5 
and  settled  in  Erie  County.  Three  years  later  he  came  to  Rockdale  Township 
and  purchased  and  settled  a  tract  of  land.  In  speaking  of  the  early  days  Mr. 
Brown  said :  "When  we  came  to  this  place  we  underwent  great  inconven- 
iences. We  had  to  go  fourteen  miles  through  the  woods  to  mill.  But  game 
was  plenty  and  we  got  half  our  living  out  of  the  woods.  The  wolves  used  to 
trouble  our  sheep.  The  bears  and  panthers,  though  numerous,  did  not  trouble 
us  much."  Alexander  Anderson  was  a  Scotchman  who,  after  a  short  'resi- 
dence in  Cussawago  Township,  came  to  Rockdale  and  settled  at  Miller's  Sta- 
tion. He  died  of  camp  fever  about  1813.  John  Daniel  settled  about  a  lialf  a 
mile  west  of  him  in  1812  and  remained  a  lifelong  resident  of  the  township. 
He  followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer,  and  like  most  of  those  who  settled 
in  that  vicinity  was  a  Baptist.  These,  with  a  few  others,  were  the  only  set- 
tlers in  the  northwestern  portion  of  the  township  for  a  number  of  years. 

A  saw  mill  had  been  erected  on  Kelley's  Run  by  Major  Roger  Alden  about 
1800,  and  for  many  years  this  was  the  only  one  in  the  township.  About  1815 
a  second  mill  was  erected  on  Muddy  Creek  by  Jonas  Clark.  Pine  was  the 
principal  timber,  and  much  of  it,  cut  and  sawed,  was  rafted  or  shipped  in  flat 
boats  down  the  river  to  Meadville  and  various  other  points.  About  1817  Isaac 
Kelley  erected  a  grist  mill  about  a  mile  from  the  mouth  of  Kelley's  Run.  At 
first  he  had  but  one  pair  of  mill  stones,  but  the  mill  was  later  on  enlarged 
and  improved.  James  Woodside,  who  came  into  possession  at  a  later  day, 
added  steam  power  and  a  saw  mill  and  transacted  an  extensive  business. 

A  militarv  road  had  been  laid  out  by  the  French  from  Franklin  to  Erie, 
and  when  the  first  settlers  arrived  it  was  still  traceable,  although  overgrown 
with  underbrush.  It  passed  north  and  south  through  the  township,  a  little  east 
of  the  center,  and  past  the  old  Holland  Company's  mill.  It  was  improved 
and  largely  used  by  the  pioneers.  The  turnpike  from  Meadville  to  Erie,  which 
was  constructed  in  1818,  passed  through  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  town- 
ship. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  585 

No  sooner  had  several  families  settled  within  a  few  miles  of  one  another 
than  an  effort  was  made  to  furnish  instruction  for  the  children.  In  those  davs 
it  was  not  unusual  for  children  to  go  three  or  four  miles  to  attend  school. 
Mrs.  George  Fetterman  gave  instruction  to  the  children  of  the  vicinity  in 
her  cabin,  as  early  as  1805.  but  it  scarcely  had  the  pretensions  of  a  school. 
About  1816  one  of  the  first  regular  schools  in  the  township  was  taught  l)v 
Miss  Emeline  Bidwell  in  a  little  log  cabin  on  the  Kelley  farm,  which  stood  in 
the  woods  remote  from  the  road.  The  term  was  only  two  months  long.  The. 
Kelley,  Matson,  Miller  and  Hutchinson  children  attended  here.  John  Lang- 
ley,  a  well  educated  pioneer,  was  one  of  the  teachers  in  this  building.  Several 
early  schools  in  Erie  County  were  attended  by  the  pioneer  youth  of  Rockdale 
Township..  In  1896  there  were  fifteen  schools  within  the  township,  in  session 
during  six  months  of  the  year.  Two  hundred  and  twenty-nine  scholars  were 
in  attendance,  and  more  than  three  thousand  dollars  was  raised  and  expended 
for  school  purposes. 

Rockdale  is  a  rural  township  and  contains  no  boroughs  nor  villages. 
Miller's  Station,  on  the  western  bank  of  French  Creek,  is  the  most  important 
settlement.  It  is  a  station  on  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Railroad, 
and  contains  an  hotel,  postoffice,  stores,  church  and  a  number  of  residences. 

Brown  Hill  Postoffice.  established  about  1867,  is  situated  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  township.  The  hamlet  contains  a  store,  a  school  and  several 
dwellings,  while  numerous  farm  houses  are  in  the  near  vicinity. 

The  first,  and  for  many  years  the  only,  churcli  in  tlie  township  was  the 
Baptist  congregation,  organized  by  George  Miller  in  1812.  Meetings 
were  held  in  various  cabins,  until  in  1820  a  fi-ame  structure  was 
erected  at  Miller's  Station.  George  Miller  officiated  as  pastor  for  many  years 
and  was  succeeded  by  Amos  Williams.  In  the  course  of  a  few  years  the 
membership  centered  further  south,  and  a  meeting  house  was  built  at  Cam- 
bridge, for  the  greater  convenience  of  the  members.  The  services  at  Miller's 
Station  were  abandoned  later  on,  and  the  home  of  the  society  passed  beyond 
the  limits  of  Rockdale  Township. 

Brown  Hill  Baptist  Church  was  erected  in  the  southeastern  part  in  1874. 
A  United  Brethren  Church  was  organized  at  Brown  Hill  in  i860,  and  after 
meeting  in  the  schoolhouse  for  some  time  they  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the 
.Baptist  Church.  For  several  years  services  were  held  by  the  Free  Will  Bap- 
tists in  the  northern  part  of  the  township,  in  the  Macky  Hill  schoolhouse.  Rev. 
Lansing  Mclntire  organized  a  class  of  the  United  Brethren  persuasion  in  1876, 
which  held  meetings  in  the  Kelley  schoolhouse,  in  the  southeastern  part.  A 
Methodist  society  was  organized  in  1881  by  Rev.  J.  F.  Perry,  and  during  tlie 
same  year  a  commodious  frame  church  was  erected  in  the  southern  part  of 
Rockdale,  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,800. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

A  union  or  undenominational  church  was  erected  at  Miller's  Station  in 
1880,  which  has  been  used  in  common  by  several  denominations. 

A  branch  of  the  United  Brethren  Church  erected  a  frame  meeting  house 
in  1 88 1,  on  the  east  side  of  French  Creek,  at  a  cost  of  $900.  The  congrega- 
tion was  organized  a  short  time  before  the  building  of  the  church,  Rev.  David 
Smock  being  the  first  pastor. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


ROME  TOWNSHIP. 

ROME  TOWNSHIP  lies  upon  the  center  of  the  eastern  border  of  the 
county,  and  contains  24,565  acres  of  land,  being  one  of  the  largest 
in  the  county.  Its  territory  formed  a  part  of  Oil  Creek  Township 
when  the  first  division  was  made  in  1800,  and  in  181 1,  when  Bloomfield  was 
formed,  it  inckuled  the  northern  half  of  what  is  now  Rome.  In  1829  Rome 
TownshiiD  was  organized,  ha^•ing  on  its  north  Sparta,  on  its  east  Warren 
County,  on  its  south  Oil  Creek  Township  and  on  its  west  Steuben  and  Athens. 
The  township  was  settled  by  a  colony  of  Irish  Catholics,  who,  prompted  by 
their  religious  faith,  named  it  after  the  "Eternal  City,"  and  the  name  of  Rome 
was  confirmed  by  the  courts  when  the  township  was  organized. 

It  is  abundantly  watered  by  Oil  Creek  and  its  numerous  tributaries,  the 
principal  of  which  are  McLaughlin's  Creek  and  Thompson's  Run.  The  main 
stream  traverses  the  western  portion,  while  the  above  named  tributaries  flow 
through  the  central  and  eastern  parts,  all  having  a  general  southerly  direction. 
The  surface  is  generally  rolling,  with  little  low  or  marshy  land,  and  the  soil  is 
productive.  The  whole  extent  of  the  township  was  heavily  timbered,  oak  and 
chestnut  prevailing  in  the  central  and  eastern  portions,  with  cherry,  beech  and 
maple  in  the  valleys,  and  hemlock  in  every  part.  Large  quantities  of  pine  were 
found  in  the  northern  and  western  parts,  sometimes  interspersed  among  the 
other  varieties.  Large  tracts  of  timber  still  exist  in  the  sparsely  settled  parts 
of  Rome,  and  the  lumber  industry  is  an  important  one,  several  saw  mills  being 
in  operation.  Along  the  streams  the  soil  is  sandy,  becoming  clayey  in  the  more 
elevated  sections,  with  sandstone  outcropping  in  places.  The  Western  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania  Railroad  passes  through  the  western  end  of  the 
township. 

Like  most  of  the  land  in  the  eastern  part  of  Crawford  County,  Rome 
Township  was  settled  at  a  comparatively  late  date,  although  it  was  com- 
menced here  earlier  than  in  some  of  the  surrounding  townships.  The  northern 
portion  formed  part  of  the  Eighth  Donation  District,  and  most  of  the  southern 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


587 


part  belonged  to  the  Holland  Land  Company.  Under  its  auspices  settlements 
were  made  in  the  central  portion  before  the  opening  of  this  centur}-,  but  in  the 
other  parts  it  was  delayed  for  a  long  period,  as  in  181 5  only  eight  of  the  thirty 
tracts  composing  the  township  had  been  settled  upon.  At  that  date  many  of 
the  unsold  tracts  were  disposed  of  to  land  speculators  and  non-residents,  and 
by  1820  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  township  was  clotted  with  clearings  and 
log  cabins. 

Patrick  Brannon.  Patrick  McGee,  Daniel  McBride,  James  Lafferty  and 
James  McLaughlin  formed  a  colony  of  Irish  emigrants,  which,  in  1795,  left 
County  Donegal,  Ireland,  and  settled  in  Northumberland  County,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Susquehanna.  There  they  remained  for  three  years,  and  in  1798  came 
to  Pittsburg.  In  the  autumn  of  the  following  year  they  ascended  the  Allegheny 
River  and  Oil  Creek  to  the  present  location  of  Rome  Township,  and  having 
selected  their  future  homes  on  Holland  Land  Company  tracts,  they  made  con- 
tracts for  -their  settlement  with  the  agent  of  the  company.  They  cleared  off 
little  patches  of  land,  built  cabins  to  serve  as  a  temporary  shelter,  and  then 
returned  to  Pittsburg  to  pass  the  winter.  In  the  following  April  they  set  out 
with  their  families  for  the  homes  they  had  selected  in  the  wilderness,  taking 
with  them  their  scanty  household  g"oods.  Here  they  settled  within  short  dis- 
tances of  one  another  and  faithfully  began  the  work  of  clearing  away  the 
forest  and  tilling  the  soil,  until  they  had  transformed  their  patches  of  forest  into 
productive  and  valuable  farms,  which  are  still  possessed  by  their  descendants. 
Patrick  Brannon  was  the  leader  of  the  colony,  and  was  of  considerable  educa- 
tion and  intelligence.  He  had  been  educated  for  the  priesthood,  but  had  not 
embraced  the  profession  for  which  he  had  been  destined.  He  settled  about 
two  miles  east  of  Centerville,  where  he  remained  until  death,  and  where  he  is 
still  represented  by  numerous  descendants.  Patrick  McGee  settled  a  little  south 
of  him,  and  spent  his  life  on  his  farm,  leaving  a  numerous  posterity.  James 
Lafferty  built  his  cabin  south  of  and  near  that  of  McGee.  Daniel  McBride 
settled  on  the  present  site  of  Centerville.  James  McLaughlin  located  about 
three  miles  southeast  of  McBride  and  lived  to  a  good  old  age  on  the  farm  which 
he  first  settled.  All  of  these  early  settlers  were  Roman  Catholics,  all  re- 
mained lifelong  citizens  of  the  township,  and  are  to-day  represented  Ijy  many 
children  of  the  second  and  third  generation,  who  have  reason  to  be  proud  of 
their  sturdy  ancestors,  who  left  their  oppressed  motherland  to  become  re- 
spected citizens  of  the  American  Republic. 

The  newly  commenced  Irish  settlement  in  Rome  was  reinforced  in  1800 
by  Robert  Coil,  who  came  from  Pittsburg  up  the  valley  of  the  Allegheny.  He 
also  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  made  a  clearing  and  built  a  cabin  near  the 
farm  of  James  McLaughlin,  with  whom  he  boarded  while  making  his  im- 
provements. He  brought  his  family  to  his  new  home  in  1801,  and  remained 
throughout  life  clearing  and  culti\-ating  his  extensive  farm.     He  became  in- 


588  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

volved  in  a  lawsuit  with  the  Holland  Land  Company,  but  succeeded  in  defend- 
ing- his  title  to  his  land.  He  also  was  a  Catholic,  and  left  a  large  family.  Of 
his  three  sons,  Hugh  became  a  member  of  a  Baptist  Church,  John  became  a 
Methodist  minister,  while  Patrick  remained  true  to  the  faith  of  his  ancestors. 

Daniel  Carlin  came  from  Ireland  and  in  1801  settled  in  what  is  now 
the  northwest  corner  of  Oil  Creek  Township.  A  few  years  later  he  removed  to 
Rome  and  took  up  land  directly  south  of  Centerville.  He  lost  his  way  in 
the  woods  one  cold  winter  day  and  was  frozen  in  the  snow.  He  left  two  sons. 
John  and  Daniel,  and  four  daughters.  Robert  Conn  came  early  in  the  century, 
but  did  not  remain.  During  the  early  days  the  infant  settlement  received  but 
few  accessions.  Several  who  came  remained  but  a  short  time  and  then  de- 
parted. In  1830,  when  the  first  tax  duplicate  of  the  county  was  made,  there 
were  about  seventy-five  names,  including  the  settlers  above  mentioned  and 
many  of  their  descendants.  Among  the  others  were  Daniel  Bement,  a  New 
Englander,  who  followed  the  trade  of  a  tanner  a  little  south  of  Centerville; 
Rev.  Amos  Chase,  a  well  known  pioneer  Presbyterian  divine,  who  dwelt  just 
south  of  the  borough ;  David  Winton,  who  operated  a  saw  mill  near,  him ; 
Cornelius  Cummings,  a  carpenter,  and  Daniel  Rogers,  a  native  of  Ireland  and 
one  of  the  earliest  settlers. 

An  English  settlement  was  commenced  in  the  central  part  of  the  town- 
ship in  1833  by  Benjamin  Harrison,  Sr.,  who  came  from  Northumberland 
County,  England,  and  settled  with  his  family  in  Rome  Township.  The  eastern 
part  of  the  township  was  still  a  vast  wilderness,  and  many  years  passed  before 
its  solitudes  v.-ere  disturbed.  David  Winton  Ijuilt  a  saw  and  grist  mill 
on  Oil  Creek,  about  181 5.  just  south  of  Centerville.  which  was  the  first  in  the 
township.  James  and  David  Tryon  came  from  Litchfield,  Conn.,  and  built  a 
fulling  and  carding  mill  near  the  same  locality.  This  they  operated  for  about 
fifteen  years,  then  removing  further  down  the  stream  into  what  is  now  Steuben 
Township.  Patrick  Coyle  had  a  carding  mill  on  Oil  Creek  about  1825  which 
he  operated  during  twenty  years. 

The  first  school  was  held  in  a  little  cabin  which  stood  on  the  AIcGee  farm, 
where  reading,  writing  and  ciphering  were  taught  to  the  children  of  the  set- 
tlers. Patrick  Brannon  was  the  first  schoolmaster,  and  the  liberal  education 
he  had  received  in  Ireland  well  qualified  him  to  fill  the  position.  Dennis  Car- 
rol, an  old  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  was  another  early  instructor  in  Rome 
ToAvnship.  When  the  system  of  common  schools  was  introduced  in  1836  Rom.e 
had  three  schools,  employing  three  teachers  and  attended  by  one  hundred 
scholars.  They  were  kept  open  but  two  and  one-half  months  during  the  year. 
The  qualifications  and  character  of  the  teachers  were  reported  as  being  good, 
and  the  progress  of  the  pupils  in  reading,  writing  and  arithmetic  as  being 
"reasonably  good." 

In  i8g6  a  wonderful  advancement  had  been  made.     Twelve  schools  were 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  589 

in  operation  during-  seven  months  of  the  year,  and  two  liundred  and  sixty- 
two  pupils  were  in  attendance.  The  average  cost  to  the  township  for  each 
pupil  per  month  was  $1.52.  More  than  $3,500  was  raised  and  expended 
during  the  year  for  purposes  of  education. 

Aside  from  the  borough  of  Centerville  there  are  no  villages  in  Rome 
Township.  Buell  Postoffice  is  in  the  northeast  corner  and  Vrooman  Postoffice 
in  the  southeast.  In  the  northwestern  part  of  the  township  is  a  United 
Brethren  Church,  of  which  Frederick  Lyons,  Lyman  Phillips  and  Manning 
Childs  were  prominent  early  members.  In  the  southern  part  the  Hemlock- 
Baptist  Church  was  erected,  largely  through  the  contributions  of  Isaiah  Rowe. 
In  the  central  part  of  the  township  a  Covenanter  Church  was  founded  in 
i860,  the  leading  members  at  that  time  being  the  Harrisons,  the  Stewarts,  Jacob 
Boggs,  Henry  Wright  and  John  Edmunds.  The  Church  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception  was  organized  in  1822,  with  twenty-five  members,  at  Magee- 
town,  two  miles  east  of  Centerville.  It  was  composed  of  the  colony  of  Irish 
settlers,  who  have  been  mentioned,  and  their  families,  almost  all  of  whom 
were  devoted  adherents  of  the  Catholic  Church.  It  is  to  their  religious  feel- 
ing that  the  township  is  indebted  for  its  name.  Priests  from  Pittsburg  and 
other  points  officiated  for  many  years,  and  later  on  Rev.  Peter  Sheridan  be- 
came the  first  resident  priest.  During  his  pastorate  a  house  of-  worship  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $1,200  on  a  lot  donated  by  Francis  Magee. 

BOROUGH    OF   CENTERVILLE. 

The  borough  of  Centerville  occupies  the  site  of  one  of  the  oldest  settle- 
ments in  Crawford  County.  Daniel  McBride  was  the  first  to  erect  a  dwell- 
ing there,  constructing  a  little  tent  of  poles  and  brush,  and  clearing  a  small 
patch  of  ground.  The  next  year  he  built  a  log  cabin,  and  from  that  time  he 
labored  zealously  at  the  work  of  clearing  and  cultivating  a  large  farm.  He 
built  an  addition  to  his  house,  and  before  the  War  of  1812  opened  it  to  the 
public  for  the  entertainment  of  guests.  Charles  Peck,  to  whom  he  afterward 
sold  the  farm,  continued  the  business  of  inn-keeping.  The  second  perma- 
nent settler  was  Nathan  Winton,  who  came  from  Connecticut  with  his  family 
and  settled  on  land  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  borough.  He  built  a  sawmill 
which  was  operated  many  years.  The  first  store  was  opened  in  1820  by  Mr. 
Merrick.  David  Winton  erected  a  grist  mill  in  181 3  at  the  confluence  of  the 
two  branches  of  Oil  Creek,  and  this  was  patronized  by  the  farmers  for  many 
miles  around,  making  Centerville  the  trading  point  of  the  community.  Joseph 
Patton  settled  at  an  early  date  and  was  a  justice  of  the  peace.  Settlers  came 
in  rapidiv  during  the  years  from  1820  to  1840,  many  from  New  England, 
and  the  village  had  a  steady  growth. 

Centerville  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1865.     A  petition  for  its 
incorporation  having  been  filed  in  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions,  and  a  favor- 


590  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

able  report  by  the  grand  jury  having  been  given,  it  was  confirmed  by  the 
court.  George  W.  Rockwell  was  the  fiirst  Burgess,  A.  P.  Waid,  James  Clark, 
L.  B.  JNIain,  O.  F.  Himes  and  T.  L.  Noble  composed  the  first  council.  There 
are  several  stores,  shops  and  markets,  while  several  mills  and  factories  are 
among  its  industries.  It  is  a  shipping  point  of  some  note,  and  annually  ex- 
ports large  quantities  of  hay,  wood,  lumber  and  produce. 

Centerville  contains  two  schools,  which  are  in  session  eight  months  of 
each  year.  In  1896  eighty-one  scholars  were  in  attendance,  and  about  $830 
was  expended  for  ordinary  school  purposes.  In  1872  a  substantial  frame 
building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $3,500. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Centerville  was  organized  about  181 5  by 
Rev.  Amos  Chase,  who'  served  as  supply  until  1827,  and  then  officiated  as 
regular  minister  until  1830.  They  erected  a  frame  church  in  the  \-illage  near 
the  site  of  the  Congregational  Church.  The  congregation  diminished  in 
numbers  and  finally  services  were  abandoned.  Elder  Davenport,  Lorin  Wood 
and  Charles  Peck  were  prominent  among  the  early  members  of  the  society. 

The  Centerville  Congregational  Church  was  organized  in  1841  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church  building,  by  Rev.  Lucius  Parker,  who  became  the  first 
pastor.  It  had  eighteen  original  members,  among  whom  were  the  Phillips, 
Woods,  Tryons,  Taylors,  Sextons  and  Scotts.  After  an  existence  of  sev- 
eral years  the  services  came  to  an  end.  In  1859  it  was  reorganized  with 
thirty-eight  members  through  the  exertions  of  Rev.  U.  T.  Chamberlain,  \\\\o 
remained  as  its  pastor  until  1865.  Meetings  were  held  in  the  old  structure 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  until  1869,  when  a  handsome  frame  house  of 
worship  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $4,000. 

A  Methodist  society  flourished  at  Centerville  about  1830.  meeting  at  the 
schoolhouse  and  in  the  houses  of  the  members.  It  was  a  small  society  and 
existed  only  a  few  years.  A  class  was  organized  in  1863,  of  which  Johnson 
Merrill  and  wife,  Samuel  Winton  and  wife,  Samuel  Post  and  John  Buell  were 
early  members.  The  meetings  were  held  in  the  Presbyterian  and  Congrega- 
tional churches  for  several  years,  but  in  1875  a  large  frame  building  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $2,500. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Centerville  was  organized  in  1862  by  Elder 
Cyrus  Shreve.  The  seven  original  members  were  Franklin  Weatherbee  and 
wife  Melissa,  D.  B.  Weatherbee  and  wife.  Freeman  Bradford  and  wife,  and 
Penila  Chapman.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  house  of  Franklin 
Weatherbee  and  sometimes  in  the  Congregational  Church,  until  in  1875  a 
Baptist  Church  was  built,  which  cost  about  $1,600. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


SADSBURY  TOWNSHIP. 

SADSBURY  TOWNSHIP  was  established  b)-  the  Court  of  Quarter 
Sessions  in  1800,  and  included  within  its  somewhat  indefinite"  boun- 
daries parts  of  what  are  now  Vernon,  Hayfield,  Summit,  Sadsbury 
and  Summerhill.  Upon  the  erection  of  the  new  townships  in  1829  Sadsbury 
was  reduced  to  about  its  present  territory,  including  also  the  southern  por- 
tion of  Summit.  The  residents  of  Harmonsburgh  and  vicinity  found  it  in- 
convenient to  go  to  Evansburgh  for  elections,  so  for  their  convenience  Summit 
Township  was  formed  in  1841,  thus  reducing  Sadsbury  to  its  present  limits. 
The  township  now  contains  12,770  acres,  the  territory  which  forms  it  having 
been,  before  1829,  apportioned  between  the  four  townships  of  Conneaut, 
Fallowfield,  Sadsbury  and  Shenango.  The  Beaver  and  Erie  Canal  passed 
north  and  south  through  the  western  part,  and  the  feeder  crossed  the  town- 
ship east  and  west.  The  Meadville  and  Linesville  Railway,  now  a  part  of 
the  Pittsburg,  Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie  system,  crosses  the  township  in  a 
northwest  and  southeast  direction,  and  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and 
Ohio  Railroad  enters  it  by  a  curve  in  the  southern  part.  A  branch  from  the 
Meadville  and  Linesville  track  connects  the  system  with  Exposition  Park, 
one  of  the  popular  summer  resorts  of  Conneaut  Lake. 

Sadsbury  is  an  interior  township,  lying  southwest  of  the  center.  It  is 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Summit,  on  the  east  by  Vernon  and  Greenwood,  on 
the  south  by  the  Fallowfields,  and  on  the  west  by  West  Fallowfield,  North 
Shenango  and  Pine.  The  surface  of  the  township  is  level,  gently  undulating 
in  parts,  and  its  rich  alluvial  soil,  becoming  clayey  in  the  higher  portions,  is 
well  adapted  for  grain  raising.  The  soil  is  watered  by  numerous  small 
springs,  Conneaut  Outlet  being  the  only  stream  of  any  size.  The  timber, 
which  has  mostly  disappeared,  consisted  of  beech,  oak,  pine,  chestnut  and 
maple. 

Conneaut  Lake  is  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water  about  three  miles  in  length 
and  one  mile  in  breadth.  It  covers  an  area  of  1,200  acres,  and  its  depth 
varies  from  a  few  feet  in  its  shallow  portion  to  one  hundred  in  some  of  the 
deepest  parts,  but  its  average  depth  would  fall  far  short  of  the  latter  figure. 
The  water  is  of  remarkable  clearness,  ])eing  fed  almost  entirely  by  springs 
under  its  surface.  It  received  its  name  from  the  Indian  word  "Kon-ne-yaut," 
meaning  "Snow  Place,"  the  name  by  which  they  designated  it  on  account 
of  the  fact  that  the  snow  remained  frozen  on  the  ice  of  the  lake  long  after  it 

S9t 


592  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

liad  melted  from  the  surrounding  land.  It  is  nearly  oval  in  shape,  and  lies 
almost  Avholly  in  Sadsbury  Township,  the  northern  point  projecting  into 
Summit.  It  is  the  largest  lake  in  Pennsylvania,  is  about  five  hundred  feet 
above  the  level  of  Lake  Erie,  abounds  in  fish,  and  is  much  frequented  by 
.sportsmen  for  the  wild  game  which  alights  upon  its  waters.  When  the 
Beaver  and  Erie  Canal  was  constructed  Conneaut  Lake  was  utilized  as  a 
reservoir,  and  continued  in  use  until  the  abandonment  of  the  canal.  At  that 
time  the  surface  of  the  lake  was  raised  about  ten  feet  by  building  a  dam  across 
the  outlet,  but  when  the  canal  was  abandoned  the  dam  was  torn  away  and 
the  waters  receded  to  their  original  level. 

During  the  summer  season  Conneaut  Lake  is  a  pleasure  resort  of  great 
popularity.  Cottages  have  been  built  along  the  shores  and  summer  hotels 
with  accompanying  attractions  provided;  Conneaut  Lake,  Oakland  Beach, 
Conneaut  Lake  Park,  Midway  and  Exposition  Park  being  the  best  known 
points.  Hotels  and  other  accommodations  for  picnickers,  pleasure  parties 
and  campers  are  amply  provided,  and  nothing  is  wanting  to  help  while  away 
a  few  happy  hours.  Numerous  steamboats  ply  between  the  various  points, 
while  row  and  sail  boats  supply  an  additional  source  of  amusement. 

The  Iroquois  Boating  and  Fishing  Association  is  composed  of  sixty 
gentlemen  from  Meadville,  Pittsburg,  Franklin  and  other  points,  who  have 
erected  a  club  house  on  the  banks  of  Conneaut  Lake,  about  one-half  mile 
north  of  Evansburgh.  Their  handsome  house,  with  its  broad  verandas  and 
spacious  cjuarters,  furnishes  an  ideal  place  for  rest  and  recreation,  and  the 
hours  of  repose  from  the  cares  of  business  and  professional  life  are  spent 
here  in  hunting,  boating  and  fishing.  By  their  efforts  measures  have  been 
taken  to  protect  the  fish  from  illegal  catching,  and  preserve  them  from  ex- 
termination. 

Sadsbury  Township  was  settled  at  a  very  early  date,  as  it  attracted 
some  of  the  foremost  pioneers,  and  most  of  its  territory  had  been  entered 
before  the  land  companies  were  in  the  field.  Two  tracts  in  the  northeast 
corner  belonged  to  the  Holland  Land  Company,  the  Pennsylvania  Popula- 
tion Company  owned  four  in  the  northwest  corner,  and  the  remainder  was 
located  and  settled  by  individuals.  In  1800  S.  B.  and  A.  W.  Foster,  of 
Meadville,  bought  the  land  of  the  Holland  Company  in  the  northeast  corner 
and  made  a  settlement  upon  it.  Joseph  Allen,  Daniel  Williams,  Samuel 
W'illiiimson  and  Matthew  Williamson  purchased  tracts  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Population  Company  in  1797,  and  settled  upon  them  and  remained  for  years. 
Samuel  Williamson,  who  came  from  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  owned 
and  operated  a  distillery.  Dennis  Hughes,  a  native  of  Ireland,  came  from 
New  Jersey  in  1802  and  settled  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  township. 

One  of  the  foremost  pioneers  of  Sadsbury  Township  was  Abner  Evans, 
for  whom  the  village  of  Evansburgh    was  named  and  who  was  probably  here 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  593 

as  early  as  1796.  He  built  the  first  mill  in  the  township  on  Conncaut  Outlet, 
but  the  fall  was  not  sufficient  to  afford  it  great  power  and  it  was  not  a  com- 
plete success.  In  1797,  or  perhaps  earlier,  John  Harper  came  to  Sadsbury 
and  settled  just  east  of  the  lake.  Luke  Stevens,  an  Englishman,  settled  about 
a  mile  south  of  Evansburgh.  w]:ere  he  remained  until  death.  William  Shot- 
well  settled  near  Evan.sburgh  and  remained  a  lifelong  resident  of  the  township. 
William  Campbell  made  his  home  in  the  western  part  of  the  township,  where 
he  operated  a  distillery. 

During  the  first  years  of  the  century  many  settlers  came  in  and  occupied 
land  in  various  parts  of  the  township.  Jacob  Shontz  came  in  1800  and  settled 
on  a  tract  near  Evansburgh.  His  descendants  still  reside  in  the  township. 
Jacob  Stewart,  an  Irishman,  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  Evansburgh,  after- 
ward removing  to  West  Fallowfield.  Negro  Dick,  a  peaceable  old  colored 
man,  roved  about  from  place  to  place,  selling  straw  baskets  and  bee-hives. 
Charles  Frew,  who  lived  aliout  three  miles  west  of  the  lake,  was  a  plow- 
maker  and  afterward  removed  to  Pittsburg.  David  Garner  settled  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  townsliip,  just  west  of  the  lake,  and  spent  his  life  in 
farming.  John  Jones  occupied  land  in  the  same  locality.  Samuel  Lewis, 
a  half  brother  of  Garner,  followed  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith  for  several  years, 
afterward  moving  to  Illinois.  James  McEntire,  Sr.,  died  in  1800,  and  his  is 
said  to  have  been  the  first  death  in  the  township.  A  rough  coffin  was  made 
from  planks  brought  from  Powers'  sawmill  and  he  was  buried  near  where 
the  Soldiers'  Monument  at  Evansburgh  now  stands. 

John  Ouigley,  a  native  of  Ireland,  settled  east  of  the  lake  and  remained  a 
lifelong  resident.  Henry  Royer,  a  German,  cultivated  a  farm  near  Evans- 
burgh throughout  his  life.  George  Shellito,  an  Irishman,  settled  about  three 
miles  west  of  Evansburgh,  where  his  descendants  still  live.  Richard  Coulter, 
Joseph  Marshall  and  John  Williams  were  also  early  settlers.  Daniel  Miller, 
a  German,  came  with  his  family  and  settled  on  a  tract  patented  in  the  name 
of  his  son  Michael,  before  1800.  It  was  situated  about  a  mile  south  of 
Evanslnu-gh.  Joseph  T.  Cummings  built  a  distillery  on  Conneaut  Outlet, 
and  the  business  was  carried  on  after  his  death  by  a  Mr.  Sutleff  and  others. 
Another  still  was  operated  by  David  Steward,  about  two  and  one-half  miles 
west  of  Evansburgh. 

James  McEntire  was  probaljly  the  first  school  teacher  in  the  township. 
He  settled  west  of  the  lake  in  1800  and  two  years  later  removed  to  East  Fal- 
lowfield. He  taught  a  term  at  Daniel  Miller's  cabin  in  1805..  receiving  a 
compensation  of  $10  per  month.  Several  of  those  who  attended  this  school 
went  the  next  year  on  Burr's  expedition,  John  Gelvin  among  the  others,  and 
several  of  his  pupils  served  in  the  War  of  1812.  He.  had  a  wide  reputation 
as  a  teacher  and  held  school  in  Sadsbury  and  adjoining  townships  from 
1802  to  1827.  the  year  of  the  four-foot  snow.  William  McMichael.  a  Pres- 
.38 


594  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

byterian  minister,  ^Mr.  Higgins,  Robert  ^McEntire  and  INIr.  Plum  may  be 
mentioned  among  the  early  school  teachers  of  the  township. 

Seven  schools  were  in  operation  in  1836,  during  a  school  year  of  four 
and  a  half  months.  They  were  presided  over  by  twelve  teachers,  and  three 
hundred  and  sixty-three  scholars  were  in  attendance.  The  character  and 
qualifications  of  the  teachers  were  described  as  good,  the  branches  taught 
being  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  grammar,  natural  philosophy  and  book- 
keeping. Since  this  report  the  township  has  been  reduced  in  area  and  the 
borough  of  Conneaut  Lake  taken  from  it.  In  1896  the  number  of  schools 
taught  was  seven,  kept  open  during  seven  months  of  the  year,  and  attended 
by  one  hundred  and  sixty-three  pupils.  More  than  two  thousand  dollars 
were  expended  during  the  year  for  the  support  of  the  schools. 

Outside  of  the  borough  of  Conneaut  Lake  and  Shermansville  there  are 
no  villages,  the  township  being  entirely  agricultural.  Li  1828  Rev.  Timothy 
Alden  laid  out  a  town  just  north  of  Evansburgh,  to  which  the  name  of  Aldenia 
was  given.  It  was  on  part  of  a  two  hundred  acre  tract  purchased  by  him  in 
1818,  and  contained  ninety-five  lots,  a  public  common  and  a  hollow  square. 
Streets  were  laid  out  and  named  and  the  plan  filed  for  record.  Isaiah  Alden, 
brother  of  the  proprietor,  settled  there  and  remained  for  some  time,  but 
others  were  slow  to  follow  his  example,  and  the  attempt  was  finally  aban- 
doned. 

Stony  Point  is  a  postoffice  located  near  the  southern  border  of  the  town- 
ship. It  is  on  the  line  of  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Railroad, 
and  the  cluster  of  houses  which  is  found  there  is  known  as  Evansburgh  Sta- 
tion. 

Shermansville  is  a  small  settlement  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the 
township.  A  Mr.  Craven  was  the  first  settler  in  this  vicinity,  and  the  village 
was  laid  out  along  the  canal  in  1842  by  Anson  Sherman.  He  and  Peter 
Bakely  were  pnjminent  among  the  early  residents.  It  is  situated  on  the  old 
canal,  and  during  its  prosperous  days  Shermansville  was  a  lumber  shipping 
point  of  considerable  note,  but  now  consists  of  but  a  dozen  or  twerity  dwell- 
ings. A  Methodist  Church  existed  during  the  early  days,  Henry  Moyer 
and  wife.  John  Conley  and  wife,  and  Airs.  Lasure  being  among  the  members. 
Meetings  were  held  in  the  schoolhouse  until   1867,   when  a  frame  church 


building  was  erected. 


BOROUGH   OF   COXNEAUT  LAKE. 


The  borough  of  Conneaut  Lake,  originally  known  as  Evansburgh,  was 
founded  by  Abner  Evans,  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  in  Sadsbury  Township. 
It  is  one  of  the  oldest  villages  in  the  county.  Abner  Evans  patented  the  two 
tracts  forming  the  site  of  the  village  and  settled  there  as  early  as  1796,  re- 
siding there  until  his  death.     About  1816  Joseph  Cummings  started  a  store 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  595 

and  was  succeeded  by  Willis  Benedict,  who  was  for  many  years  the  only  mer- 
chant of  the  village.  Among  the  earliest  residents  were  James  Stanford, 
a  cabinet  maker,  Zerah  Blakeiy,  a  carpenter,  and  Richard  Van  Sickle.  A 
tavern  was  ke]it  at  an  early  date  by  Alfred  Strong  and  another  by  Rosanna 
Mnshrush,  whose  twin  daughters,  Desolate  and  Lonely,  were  early  school 
teachers  in  the  vicinity  of  the  lake.  Jacob  Young  followed  the  trade  of  a 
tailor  here  before  18 10.  and  at  the  same  time  George  Royer  was  a  carpenter 
in  the  village.  During  these  days  two  tanneries  flourished.  The  village 
prospered,  and  when  the  canal  was  constructed  Evansburgh  was  a  thriving 
town,  perhaps  larger  than  at  present.  It  did  a  large  amount  of  business, 
having  five  general  stores,  besides  grocery  stores  and  others.  When  the 
dam  was  built  across  the  outlet  of  Conneaut  Lake,  the  decomposition  of  the 
vegetable  matter  caused  by  the  flooding  of  the  land  filled  the  air  with  a 
deadly  malaria.  Many  of  the  citizens  fled,  to  escape  from  its  ravages,  the 
time  of  the  greatest  sickness  being  in  1S40,  but  the  conditions  changing,  many 
of  them  returned  in  a  few  years. 

Evansburgh  was  incorjiorated  as  a  borough  in  1858,  u])on  a  petition 
signed  b}-  twenty-five  citizens.  In  1892  the  name  of  the  borough  was 
changed  to  Conneaut  Lake.  It  is  situated  at  the  outlet  of  Conneaut  Lake, 
and  is  one  of  the  prettiest  and  most  sightly  towns  in  the  county.  Since  the  con- 
struction of  the  Meadville  and  Linesville  Railroad  it  has  become  well  known 
as  a  summer  resort,  and  having  several  good  hotels  and  restaurants,  is  amply 
fitted  for  the  entertainment  of  guests.  It  has  a  population  of  about  two 
hundred,  and  contains  several  stores,  shops  and  mills,  besides  schools  and 
churches.  There  were  three  schools  in  1896,  with  a  school  year  of  eight 
months,  which  were  attended  by  one  hundred  and  fourteen  pupils.  They 
were  maintained  during  the  year  at  an  expense  of  $1,400. 

The  ice  houses  of  the  Conneaut  Lake  Ice  Company,  Limited,  are  situated 
at  Conneaut  Lake.  Their  enormous  store  houses,  erected  in  1881  and  1882, 
are  filled  each  winter  with  ice  of  a  superior  quality,  which  is  shipped  in  large 
quantities  to  Pittsburg  and  other  points,  and  furnishes  an  important  in- 
dustry. 

The  L'nited  Presbyterian  congregation,  formerly  known  as  the  Seceders, 
is  the  oldest  religious  society  in  the  village.  The  first  church  edifice  was  a 
log  meeting  house,  erected  at  Evansburgh  before  181 5,  which  was  occupied 
until  the  building  of  a  frame  cliurch  a  half  nule  east  of  the  borough.  In  1864 
a  new  frame  church  was  built  in  the  village,  at  the  southeast  corner  of  High 
and  Fourth  streets.  Rev.  McLean,  of  Shenango  Township,  was  the  first 
pastor. 

The  Evansburgh  Presbyterian  Church,  formerly  known  as  the  Conneaut 
or  Outlet  of  Conneaut  Church,  was  organized  some  time  before  181 1.  It 
was  dependent  upon  supplies  until  1841,  when  Rev.  Edward  S.  Blake  was 


596  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ordained  and  installed  pastor  in  connection  with  the  Gravel  Run  Churcli. 
A  large  church  building  was  erected  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Fifth  and 
Water  streets  in  1831. 

The  Evansburgh  Methodist  Church  existed  at  a  very  early  period. 
Meetings  were  held  in  the  schoolhouse  and  in  the  old  log  Seceder  Church  until 
about  1840,  when  a  frame  building  was  erected  in  Evansburgh,  on  Line  Street, 
opposite  Third.  Prominent  among  the  early  members  were  Michael  Miller, 
James  Birch  and  John  Vickers.  J.  Prosser  and  R.  Parker  were  among  the 
early  pastors. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


SOUTH   SHENANGO  TOWNSHIP. 

AT  THE  first  session  of  the  courts  at  Meadville,  in  1800,  after  the  or- 
ganization of  the  county,  Crawford  was  divided  into  townships,  and 
Shenango.  then  about  eight  miles  square,  occupied  the  southwestern 
corner.  In  1830  a  division  into  North  and  South  Shenango  took  place. 
South  Shenango  still  occup}'ing  the  southwestern  corner.  In  1863  its  terri- 
tory was  still  further  reduced  by  the  erection  of  West  Shenango,  the  line  of 
division  being  the  Shenango  Creek.  South  Shenango  now  contains  17,258 
acres.  The  land  is  low  and  level,  and  in  the  early  days  was  so  wet  and 
marshy  that  it  was  thought  unfit  for  cultivation,  but  it  is  now  covered  by 
productive  farms.  Numerous  small  streams  flow  southwest  into  Shenango 
Creek,  the  land  rising  gently  toward  the  north.  The  valleys  have  a  soil  con- 
sisting of  a  sandy  loam,  l>ut  on  the  higher  lands  the  soil  is  clay.  White  oak, 
poplar,  chestnut  and  pine  are  the  principal  timbers. 

The  larger  part  of  the  land  of  South  Shenango  Township  belonged  to 
the  Pennsylvania  Population  Company,  and  was  by  them  transferred  to  set- 
tlers at  an  early  date.  Michael  Marshall,  one  of  the  surveyors  for  the  com- 
pany, was  the  first  settler,  having  received  a  tract  of  land  in  payment  for  his 
services.  He  was  originally  from  Lancaster  County,  and  came  out  alone  in 
1796  and  erected  a  rude  cabin  on  his  land.  He  then  returned  to  the  East 
and  in  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  brought  his  wife  and  child  to  his  new 
home.  For  some  time  he  was  the  only  settler  in  the  township,  and  he  and 
his  family  lived  a  secluded  life  in  their  wilderness  home,  far  from  any  neigh- 
bors or  friends.  But  in  1798  others  came  and  settled  on  neighboring  tracts, 
and  for  the  next  ten  years  there  was  a  large  and  steady  growth.  Marshall 
remained  a  citizen  of  the  township  until  his  death,  and  the  numerous  Mar- 
shalls  now  living  in  the  Shenangos  are  his  descendants. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  597 

The  first  settlers  to  arrive  after  Marshall  were  Patrick  and  William 
Davis,  who  came  in  1798.  Soon  afterward  David  Atchison  came  from  Lan- 
caster County,  and  he  was  elected  the  first  justice  of  the  peace.  William 
Campbell  built  and  operated  a  grist  mill  on  Shenango  Creek.  A  sawmill  was 
erected  by  William  Snodgrass,  and  building  was  thus  much  facilitated.  Char- 
acteristic of  the  early  days  is  the  fact  that  William  Douthitt,  Alexander  Mc- 
Elhaney,  John  Snodgrass  and  Jesse  Snodgrass  all  owned  distilleries,  so  that 
the  infant  settlement  \\-as  well  supplied  with  whisky.  Before  Campbell's  mill 
was  erected  the  milling  was  done  at  Greenville,  and  later  on  John  Clyde 
erected  a  small  mill.  Carding  mills  were  operated  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  township  by  Robert  McKinley  and  James  McMaster.  There  were  several 
asheries  where  the  settlers  could  dispose  of  the  ashes  obtained  after  burning 
a  clearing,  and  in  the  early  days  that  was  one  of  the  most  important  of  the 
farm  products.  Some  of  the  farmers  learned  the  secret  themselves  of  making 
the  black  salts  from  lye,  and  many  times  the  year's  taxes  were  paid  from  the 
proceeds  of  this  industry. 

The  Shenango  Valley  had  always  been  a  favorite  camping  place  for  the 
Indians,  and  they  remained  for  many  years  after  the  arrival  of  the  whites. 
The  hunting  was  good  and  they  also  engaged  in  sugar  making.  Their  in- 
tercourse with  the  settlers  was  always  peaceable  and  they  exchanged  their 
game  and  fish  for  whisky,  powder  and  shot.  There  was  one  character  by 
the  name  of  Jake  Kashandy,  who  seems  to:have  been  a  general  favorite  with 
the  settlers.  He  would  come  to  a  cabin  and,  knocking  at  the  door,  com- 
plain of  sickness.  When  asked  what  they  could  do  to  relieve  him,  he  would 
quickly  answer  "cup  tea,"  and  it  was  usually  given  him.  The  settler  always 
received  a  reward  for  his  kindness  in  the  shape  of  a  haunch  of  venison,  or 
other  wild  game.  Kashandy  was  killed  in  an  Indian  brawl  in  1804,  while  en- 
camped on  Shenango  Creek. 

The  Erie  and  Pittsburg  Railroad  runs  north  and  south  through  the 
township.  Westford  is  the  only  station  and  is  also  the  only  postoffice  in  the 
township.  It  was  established  in  1881,  and  now  contains  a  store,  blacksmith 
shop,  a  grist  mill  and  several  dwellings.  It  is  the  only  approach  to  a  village 
in  the  township  and  bids  fair  to  some  day  become  a  thriving  little  town. 
Jamestown,  on  the  southern  boundary,  is  a  part  of  Mercer  County,  but  has 
some  territory  taken  from  South  Shenango.  There  are  several  industries 
scattered  through  the  township,  such  as  a  stave  factory,  cheese  factory  and 
others.  Marshall's  Corners  was  for  many  years  a  postoffice,  but  was  aban- 
doned. At  McLean's  Corners  another  was  started,  but  it  has  also  been 
abolished. 

Robert  McComahey  was  a  native  of  Ireland  who  had  settled  in  West- 
moreland County.  In  1798  he  arrived  in  South  Shenango  with  knapsack  and 
camp   kettle   on  his   back,    and    settled   upon   a   farm    which   he  afterward 


598  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

occupied.     He  built  a  rough  cabin  and,  leaving  some  of  his  possessions  within 
it,  returned  to  Westnaoreland  County  for  liorses,  sheep  and  cattle,  which  he 
drove  before  him  over  the  mountains.     Upon  his  arrival  he  found  that  the 
Indians  had  broken  in  and  stolen  his  clothes  and  dishes  during  his  absence. 
He  bought  200  acres  of  land  at  the  rate  of  one  dollar  per  acre.     His  de- 
scendants still  live  in  the  township.     This  corner  of  the  county  was  for  a 
long  time  known  to  the  settlers  as  the  "White  Thorne  Corner."     William 
Powers  and  his  party  were  engaged  in  making  surveys  in  this  district  as 
early  as  1795.     On  one  occasion  their  camp  was  robbed  by  a  band  of  Indians, 
and  James  Thompson,  who  had  been  left  in  charge  of  the  camp,  was  taken 
prisoner,   but  soon  afterward  made  his  escape.     James  Dickey  came  from 
Washington  County  in  1799  and  purchased  a  farm  of  100  acres  from  John 
Grimes,  for  which  the  consideration  was  a  gun,  a  powder  horn  and  a  blanket. 
The  first  school  was  taught  by  Peter  Smith  in  1802,  in  a  cabin  that  had 
been  used  as  a  barn.    The  next  term  was  held  in  a  log  schoolhouse  built  for 
the  purpose,  Edward  Hatton  being  the  teacher.     He  was  the  schoolmaster 
for  se\eral  years.     Miss  Datie  Buell  was  also  an  early  pedagogue.     In  1837 
there  were  three  schools  and  sixty-one  pupils.     The  schools  were  in  session 
five  months  in  the  year,  and  were  maintained  at  an  expense  of  less  than  six 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars.     Spelling,  reading  and  writing  were  the  branches 
taught.     The  character  of  the  teachers  and  the  progress  of  the  scholars  were 
reported  as  "good,"  but  complaint  was  made  of  the  lack  of  money  with  which 
to  build  schoolhouses.     This  was  no  longer  the  case  in  1896,  when  almost 
three  thousand    dollars    was   expended   for  school   purposes,   and   the   eight 
schools,  presided  over  by  nine  teachers,  were  attended  by  one  hundred  and 
eighty-five  pupils.     Nothing  so  well  illustrates  the  sober  common  sense  of 
the  settlers  than  their  early  establishment  of  schools,  and  these  have  increased 
and  flourished  in  a  way  highly  creditable  to  the  people  of  the  township. 

A  congregation  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  in. 
Shenango  Township  in  1801,  and  was  the  first  organization  of  that  denom- 
ination in  Crawford  County.  It  was  eft'ected  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Dan- 
iel McLean,  who,  in  1802,  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  church,  in  connection 
with  the  Sandy  and  Salem  churches  of  Mercer  County.  He  was  possessed 
of  strong  and  unquestioned  devotion  to  the  ministry  and  great  mental  and 
physical  powers,  and  his  pastorate  continued  fifty-two  years,  until  his  death 
in  i8s4  at  the  age  of  84.  His  was  an  admirable  character,  and  he  is  still  re- 
membered by  some  of  the  oldest  inhabitants  of  South  Shenango.  At  first 
the  services  of  this  congregation  were  held  in  a  tent  near  the  burying  ground, 
and  about  1805  a  log  building  was  erected  as  a  place  of  worship.  In  18 18  a 
second  house  was  built,  the  first  frame  building  in  the  township.  It  con- 
tinued to  be  used  until  1879.  when  the  present  commodious  edifice  was  erected 
at  a  cost  of  $5,000.     The  first  elders  were  Joseph  Work,  Hugh  Fletcher. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  599 

Thomas  Ewing  and  David  iXelson.  The  congregation  is  large  and  comprises 
some  of  the  substantial  farmers  of  the  township. 

The  Nortli  Bank  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1824  by 
Rev.  Charles  Thorn.  There  were  nine  original  members,  and  among  the 
earliest  to  join  them  were  William  Fonner  and  wife,  Charles  CampbeU  and 
wife,  Aaron  Herriott  and  wife,  and  Mark  Royal.  The  early  meetings  were 
irregular,  and  at  tirst  the  preaching  was  on  weekdays,  when  it  was  attached  to 
the  Williamsport,  Ohio,  circuit.  Until  1845  the  meetings  were  held  in  the 
schoolhouse  and  in  pri\'ate  houses,  when  Charles  Campbell  donated  a  lot,  and 
on  it  the  present  church  was  built.  The  congregation  is  in  good  condition, 
and  is  attached  to  the  Espyville  circuit. 

The  Ebenezer  Associate  Reformed  Church  was  organized  in  1864,  by 
members  who  had,  for  political  reasons,  withdrawn  from  the  United  Pres- 
byterian Church  and  coimected  themselves  with  the  Associate  Reformed 
Church  of  the  South.  The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  James  Burrows  and  the  con- 
gregation had  an  original  membership  of  thirty-five.  A  church  was  erected 
in  1868,  James  Martin  and  Free  Patton  being  the  first  elders.  In  1881  the 
congregation,  upon  application,  was  again  received  into  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


SPARTA  TOWNSHIP. 

THE  WHOLE  of  the  eastern  end  of  Crawford  County  was  laid  out 
as  Oil  Creek  Township  when  the  county  was  organized  in  1800,  ex- 
tending fifteen  miles  north  and  south  and  ten  miles  east  and  west.  In 
181 1  Bloomfield  was  erected  from  the  northern  part;  including  at  that  time 
what  is  now  Sparta.  In  1829  Sparta  Township  was  laid  out  as  it  now  exists, 
forming  an  almost  perfect  parallelogram.  It  occupies  the  northeastern  cor- 
ner of  Crawford  County,  being  bounded  on  the  north  by  Erie  County,  on 
the  east  by  Warren  County,  on  the  south  by  Rome  Township  and  on  the  west 
by  Bloomfield  Township.  Its  area  of  24,883  acres  is  well  watered  in  every 
part,  the  eastern  branch  of  Oil  Creek  passing  through  the  central  portion,  while 
the  waters  of  the  northwest  branch  of  Spring  Creek  and  its  tributaries,  Spauld- 
ing's  and  Britton's  Runs,  irrigat*'  '"he  western  and  southeastern  portions. 
The  surface  is  rolling  and  hilly,  ai.-x  when  cleared  is  well  adapted  to  agricul- 
ture, although  much  of  the  land  is  still  uncleared,  and  lumljering  is  an  im- 
portant industry.     Hemlock,  beech  and  maple  are  the  principal  varieties  of 


6oo  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

trees,  although  some  pine,  ash  and  ehn  are  found.  The  highest  land  in  Craw- 
ford County  is  found  in  this  township,  some  of  the  summits  having  an  alti- 
tude of  1,225  f^et  above  Lake  Erie. 

The  southern  part  of  Sparta  Township  was  included  within  the  Eighth 
Donation  District,  while  the  northern  part  formed  a  portion  of  the  domains 
of  the  Holland  and  North  American  Land  companies.  The  first  sparse  set- 
tlements were  made  in  the  northern  jjart,  where,  before  1810,  Patrick  and 
Hugh  Fitz  Patrick,  Andrew  Britton  and  the  Prices  had  established  them- 
selves. Andrew  Britton  came  with  his  father  from  near  Philadelphia  and 
settled  in  the  extreme  western  part  of  the  township.  He  made  a  large  clear- 
ing and  remained  for  some  time,  raising  a  large  family,  then  removed  from 
the  county.  The  Prices  settled  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  township, 
near  the  county  line.  Patrick  Fitz  Patrick  located  in  the  northern  part,  and 
died  and  was  buried  on  the  farm  he  cleared. 

Hugh  Fitz  Patrick  was  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers,  having  settled  before 
18 10  on  a  tract  of  land  a  mile  northeast  of  Spartansburgh.  His  brutal  mur- 
der at  the  hands  of  a  ruffian  stranger  attaches  a  tragic  interest  to  this  locality. 
He  had  married  the  daughter  of  Daniel  Carlin,  of  Rome  Township,  and  their 
infant  daughter  was  only  a  few  weeks  old  when  the  terrible  deed  was  com- 
mitted. George  Van  Holland,  an  English  soldier,  while  wandering  through 
the  vicinity,  heard  that  Fitz  Patrick  had  a  sum  of  money  in  his  cabin,  and 
going  there  just  before  sundown,  requested  permission  to  stay  all  night.  They 
welcomed  him  with  characteristic  Irish  hospitality,  although  they  deemed  him 
rather  a  suspicious  character.  The  cabin  contained  but  one  room,  but  a  bed 
was  made  for  him  on  the  floor,  and  all  retired  to  rest.  In  the  dead  of  night 
Van  Holland  arose,  found  an  axe,  and  split  the  head  of  his  sleeping  host. 
Mrs.  Fitz  Patrick  fainted  upon  waking  and  seeing  the  terrible  sight,  but  upon 
lier  recovery  the  murderer  demanded  that  she  should  get  the  money  and  ac- 
company him  to  the  British  border.  Pretending  to  accede  to  his  demands, 
she  went  to  the  loft  for  the  money,  but  in  passing  a  tub  of  maple  syrup  dropped 
into  it  a  large  quantity  of  silver,  bringing  him  about  $40  in  bills,  telling  him 
that  it  was  all  she  had.  The  inhuman  monster  then  wished  to  kill  her  babe, 
stating  as  a  reason  that  it  would  encumber  them  in  their  flight  to  Canada,  but 
the  entreaties  of  the  mother  linally  saved  its  life.  He  ordered  her  to  go  and 
saddle  the  horses  for  the  journey,  and  she  therefore  went  to  the  barn,  but 
instead  of  preparing  them  for  the  journey  she  turned  them  loose  and  returned 
to  the  house  with  the  statement  that  she  could  not  catch  them.  Van  Holland 
went  to  the  stable,  and  no  sooner  had  he  gone  than  she  seized  her  child  and 
started  through  the  woods  for  the  nearest  neighbor,  two  miles  away.  It  was 
bitterly  cold,  and  two  feet  of  snow  covered  the  ground.  He  soon  returned 
to  the  house,  and  discovering  her  flight,  started  in  pursuit,  swearing  that  he 
would  serve  her  as  he  had  served  her  husband. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  60 1 

He  had  almost  overtaken  her  when  the  wind  jnit  out  the  lantern  and  he 
gave  up  the  pursuit.  Mrs.  Fitz  Patrick  kept  on  through  the  snow  to  the  cabin 
of  James  Winders,  in  Erie  County,  the  keen  winter  wind  almost  benumbing 
her,  and  when  within  calling  distance  of  the  house  she  cried  for  help  and 
they  came  to  her  assistance.  They  carried  her  into  the  house,  and  after  hear- 
ing her  story  spread  the  alarm  throughout  the  country.  The  neighborhood  was 
all  excitement  and  the  nearest  settlers  turned  out  to  capture  the  murderer. 
The  next  day  he  was  found  by  four  of  the  settlers  encamped  in  the  woods 
three  or  four  miles  from  the  scene  of  his  fiendish  deed,  and  was  captured  and 
conveyed  to  Meadville.  In  May.  18 17,  he  was  tried,  found  guilty  and  sen- 
tenced to  be  hanged.  The  extenuating  claim  was  set  up  that  he  was  men- 
tally deranged,  caused  by  a  sunstroke  alleged  to  have  been  received  while  in 
the  English  army  in  the  West  Indies,  but  that  did  not  avail  to  save  him.  He 
was  endowed  with  great  muscular  strength,  and  at  one  time  nearly  escaped 
from  the  old  jail  by  bending  the  iron  bars  with  his  hands.  On  the  dav 
of  his  execution  he  pushed  the  sheriflf's  assistant  from  the  scaffold,  from  the 
effects  of  which  injury  the  man  died,  and  tried  to  jump  upon  him,  but  was 
frustrated  in  his  devilish  design  by  the  rope.  He  was  executed  July  26,  18 17. 
It  was  found  afterward  that  he  was  the  son  of  a  renegade  American  who  had 
removed  from  New  Hampshire  to  the  British  dominions  upon  the  triumph 
of  the  colonies  in  1783  ;  and  that  he  was  supposed  to  have  committed  another 
murder  in  another  part  of  the  country. 

Reuben  Blakeslee  came  to  Meadville  from  Granville,  Washington  County, 
New  York,  in  181 7,  and  in  the  following  spring  settled  in  Sparta  Township, 
about  one  mile  north  of  Spartansburgh.  His  father  and  six  brothers  soon 
followed  him,  and  located  in  the  vicinity,  many  of  their  descendants  still  re- 
maining in  the  township.  'The  father,  David  Blakeslee,  had  been  a  captain 
in  the  \Var  of  1812,  and  settled  a  mile  and  a  half  southwest  of  Spartans- 
burgh. Hugh  Coil  was  an  Irishman  who  settled  about  18 15  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  township,  where  he  remained  until  death.  He  combined  the  oc- 
cupations of  farmer.  Baptist  minister  and  hunter.  Walter  Crouch  settled  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  township,  building  a  rough  cabin  whose  only  door 
was  a  blanket.  This  was  sufficient  to  keep  out  the.  cold  air,  but  did  not  prove 
adequate  against  the  wild  animals  of  the  forest,  as  the  wolves  came  in  one 
day  during  his  absence  and  devoured  a  young  pig  which  he  was  rearing  in  his 
cabin.  Other  settlers  came  in  a  considerable  number  arriving  between  1820 
and  1830.  A  large  number  of  them,  however,  did  not  remain  in  Sparta,  but 
removed  to  other  parts. 

The  first  saw  mill  in  the  township  was  erected  in  1829,  by  William  B. 
Sterling,  upon  the  banks  of  Oil  Creek,  and  was  operated  by  him  fifteen  years. 
A  second  was  erected  at  Spartansburgh,  and  a  third  at  Glynden  Station,  m 
the  southern  part  of  the  township.     Andrew  Britton  erected  the  first  grist 


^>02  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

mill  near  the  western  line  of  the  township,  on  Britton's  Run.  It  was  sit- 
uated at  the  very  head  waters  of  the  run,  and  was  much  appreciated  by  the 
neighbors,  as  it  enabled  them  to  add  corn  feed  to  their  bill  of  fare,  whicli  had 
previously  consisted  of  wild  wheat  and  potatoes.  Moses  Higgins  operated 
another  corn  cracker  on  Cold  Brook,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township. 
William  B.  Sterling  erected  a  carding  and  fulling  mill  upon  the  site  of  his 
abandoned  saw  mill.  He  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  township. 
One  of  the  first  duties  of  his  office  was  to  settle  the  differences  between  a 
young  married  couple  who  could  not  agree  to  live  together  in  peace  and  Har- 
mony. The  justice,  after  hearing  the  evidence,  prepared  a  legal  opinion,  in 
whicli  he  directed  that  the  wife  should  remain  in  possession  of  the  cabin,  and 
that  the  husband,  under  penalty  of  the  law,  should  not  approach  within  a 
radius  of  two  miles,  but  that  the  children,  although  remaining  under  the  cus- 
tody of  the  mother,  be  allowed  to  pass  the  two  mile  limit  and  visit  their  father. 

Glyndon  is  a  postoffice  in  the  southern  part  and  is  a  station  on  the  West- 
ern Xew  York  and  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  which  passes  in  a  north  and  south 
direction  through  the  center  of  the  township.  East  Bloomfield  Postoffice, 
long  since  discontinued,  was  established  at  the  cabin  of  George  White  and 
was  the-first  in  the  township.  During  the  years  1S26-27,  before  either  church 
or  schoolhouse  had  1)een  erected,  religious  services  were  conducted  in  the 
cabin  of  Marcus  Turner  by  Rev.  Amos  Chase.  The  first  houses  of  public  en- 
tertainment were  conducted  by  George  White  and  Mr.  Blakeslee. 

In  a  deserted  cabin  about  a  mile  south  of  Spartansburgh,  Patty  Blakeslee 
taught  the  first  school.  A  schoolhouse  was  soon  afterward  built  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  township,  where  Phoebe  Patton,  Phoebe  Dickey  and  Stephen 
Post  taught  in  turn.  In  1833  Ruth  Gleason  taught  in  a  schoolhouse  built  a 
half  mile  west  of  the  village.  In  1836  five  schools  had  been  organized,  being 
in  operation  seven  and  one-half  months  of  the  year.  They  were  attended  by 
two  hundred  and  ten  pupils.  The  character  of  the  teachers  was  reported  to  be 
unexceptionable,  with  ciualifications  sufficient  to  give  instruction  in  reading, 
w  riting,  arithmetic,  grammar  and  geography. 

In  1896  the  township,  exclusive  of  the  Borough  of  Spartansburgh,  con- 
tained nine  schools,  in  operation  seven  months  of  the  year,  and  attended  by 
two  hundred  and  three  pupils.  The  average  cost  per  month  to  the  township 
for  each  pupil  was  $2.30.  The  total  amount  raised  and  expended  during  the 
vear  for  school  purposes  exceeded  $2,400. 

BOROUGH   OF  SPARTANSBURGH. 

The  borough  of  Spartansburgh  was  incorporated  in  1856.  It  is  situated 
near  the  center  of  Sparta  Township,  on  the  eastern  branch  of  Oil  Creek.  The 
first  clearing  made  there  was  that  of  Abraham  Blakeslee.  on  land  west  of  the 
creek.      The   village   originated   with   a   grist  and   saw   mill   erected   in  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  l/S  PEOPLE.  603 

woods,  by  Andrew  and  Aaron  Aikin,  who  came  from  Erie  County  soon  after 
1830.  They  followed  the  milling  business  for  some  time,  then  disi)osed  of  it, 
since  which  time  it  has  passed  through  many  hands.  The  Aikin  brothers  then 
started  a  store,  as  the  location  of  the  mill  here  had  made  the  place  a  sort  of 
center  for  the  neighboring  farmers.  They  were  followed  in  the  mercantile 
business  by  Eli  D.  Catlin,  who  also  operated  an  ashery  for  several  years,  and 
acquired  possession  of  most  of  the  land  in  the  borough  west  of  the  creek.  It 
was  he  who  surveyed  and  laid  out  the  village.  Jotham  Blakeslee  was  the  first 
village  blacksmith.  Smallman  and  McWilliams  built  a  carding  and  fulling 
mill  on  the  creek  in  1849,  which  they  afterward  sold  to  Harvey  Lamb.  The 
latter,  in  1862,  enlarged  the  building  and  con\-erted  it  into  a  well  fitted  woolen 
mill.  Several  small  industries  were  commenced  which  have  since  ceased  to 
exist,  William  Basset  having  a  chair  factory,  John  McWillianas  a  tannery  and 
Chauncey  Aikin  a  small  bowl  factory. 

The  village,  which  in  the  early  days  was  called  Akinsville,  has  had  a  slow 
but  steady  growth.  Upon  the  establishment  of  a  postoffice  there  its  name  was 
changed  to  Spartansburgh,  under  wliich  title  it  was  incorporated.  A  fire 
broke  out  in  the  central  portion  of  the  village  in  March,  1878,  which  swept 
up  both  sides  of  Main  Street,  burning  about  thirty  buildings,  including  all 
the  business  portion  of  the  village.  But  the  town  soon  recovered  from  the 
destructive  effects  of  this  conflagration,  and  finer  and  larger  structures  sprang 
up  in  the  place  of  those  which  had  been  burned.  It  is  the  chief  trading  and 
l.'usincss  point  for  the  people  of  Sparta  Township,  and  is  well  provided  with 
stores,  markets,  shops  and  various  industries.  It  is  located  on  the  Western 
New  York  and  Pennsyh-ania  Railroad  as  well  as  on  Oil  Creek,  and  as  mucli 
of  the  surrounding  country  has  not  yet  been  cleared  of  timber,  lumbering  is 
an  important  industry,  and  numerous  saw  mills  are  engaged  in  converting  the 
primeval  forests  into  sawed  timber. 

Eour  schools  are  maintained  for  the  education  of  the  youth  of  Spartans- 
burgh, with  a  school  year  eight  months  in  length.  The  number  of  pupils  in 
attendance  in  1896  was  one  hundred  and  sixteen,  at  an  average  monthly  cost 
to  the  borough  for  each  pupil  of  $1.06.  About  $1,700  was  required  during  the 
year  for  the  support  of  tliese  schools. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Spartansburgh  was  formed  in  1849.  ^^ 
originated  in  the  Bloomfield  Baptist  Church,  which  was  organized  in  1820 
by  Rev.  James  Williams.  A  large  portion  of  its  membership  was  from  Erie 
County,  and  in  1823  the  meetings  were  transferred  to  Concord  Township,  of 
that  county.  The  society  conducted  services  just  across  the  line,  two  and  one 
half  miles  north  of  Spartansburgh,  until  about  1849.  when  the  Spartansburgh 
congregation  was  formed  by  the  removal  of  the  Concord  society  to  that 
borough.     A.  T-  Millard  and  wife,  A    Matteson,  Joseph  Cook  and  wife,  Isaac 


6o4  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Shreve  and  wife  and  Benjamin  Darrow  and  wife  were  the  leading  members. 
In  185 1  a  commodious  frame  church  edifice  was  built. 

The  Spartansburgh  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  by  Rev. 
I.  H.  Tackett  about  1827.  Zebulon  Miller,  Abner  Miller,  James  Miller,  Orrin 
Miller,  Corey  Goldin,  Green  Alsdurf  and  wife  and  Robert  Goldin  were  prom- 
inent among  the  early  members.  The  first  meetings  were  held  in  a  schoolhouse 
west  of  the  village,  then  in  the  borough  schoolhouse,  and  afterward  in  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  In  1877  a  church  was  erected  east  of  the  creek  at  a  cost 
of  $2,600,  and  since  its  completion  the  membership  has  increased  largely. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Sparta  was  organized  in  1844  by  Revs. 
George  W.  Hampson  and  Amos  Chase.  It  had  a  eood  membership  at  that 
time,  and  meetings  were  held  in  the  old  schoolhouse  until  the  large  frame 
church  was  erected  on  Main  Street.  The  church  did  not  have  an  installed 
pastor,  but  was  dedicated  in  1849  by  Rev.  George  W.  Hampson.  Supplies 
followed  for  a  period  of  eighteen  years,  after  which  the  regular  services  were 
discontinued. 

A  Congregational  Church  was  organized  in  1875  with  twenty-six  mem- 
bers, and  for  some  time  services  were  held  in  the  Presbyterian  Church.  J.  T. 
Waid,  W.  W.  Youngson  and  William  Major  were  the  first  elders.  The  pul- 
pit was  filled  by  supplies  during  several  years,  but  regular  services  were 
finally  given  up. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


SPRING  TOWNSHIP. 

SPRING  TOWNSHIP  lies  on  the  northern  border  of  the  county,  west 
of  the  center,  and  is  one  of  the  largest,  most  important  and  earliest  set- 
tled of  the  townships  of  Crawford.  The  first  settlement  was  made  in 
1795  by  Alexander  Power,  on  land  then  included  in  Beaver  Township,  and 
during  the  succeeding  years  a  steady  stream  of  immigration  flowed  in.  In 
1829  the  township  was  laid  out,  the  western  part  being  taken  from  Beaver 
and  the  eastern  part  from  Cussawago.  The  name  of  Snowhill  was  given  to 
the  newly  formed  township,  but  the  citizens,  displeased  with  this  seemingly 
dreary  title,  petitioned  the  judge  of  the  court  to  change  it  to  one  more  genial 
and  prepossessing.  He  accordingly  reconsidered  it  and  gave  to  the  newly 
organized  township  the  name  of  Spring. 

The  territory  composing  Spring  Township  forms  almost  a  perfect  square, 
being  about  seven  miles  each  way,  and  contains  upward  of  twenty-six  thou- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  C05 

sand  acres.  It  is  drained  in  the  western  part  by  Conneaut  Creek,  which  flows 
northwardly  into  Lake  Erie,  and  in  the  eastern  portion  by  the  lieadwaters  of 
Little  Cussawago  Creek,  flowing  eastwardly  into  Cussawago  Township.  The 
soil  is  of  good  quality  and  is  well  and  profitably  cultivated,  while  grazing  re- 
ceives considerable  attention.  The  Erie  and  Pittsburg  Railroad  and  the 
Pittsburg,  Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie  Railroad  extend  north  and  south  through 
the  western  part,  while  the  old  Bea^'er  and  Erie  Canal  followed  the  course 
of  Conneaut  Creek  through  the  township.  It  includes  within  its  limits  two 
important  boroughs,  Conneautville  and  Springboro,  and  the  postofiices  of 
Shadeland,  Hickernell  and  Rundells.  Erie  County  forms  the  northern  boun- 
dary, with  Cussawago  Township  on  the  east,  Summerhill  on  the  south  and 
Beaver  on  the  west.  In  the  northern  and  western  portions  most  of  the 
land  was  patented  by  individuals,  while  the  remainder  of  the  township, 
with  the  exception  of  the  six  Holland  Land  Company  sections  in  the  south- 
eastern part,  belonged  to  the  Pennsylvania  Population  Company. 

Several  tracts  of  land  near  Conneautville  were  located  by  William  and 
Alexander  Power  in  1794  and  1795,  while  the  latter  was  engaged  in  sur- 
veying the  land  of  the  Pennsylvania  Population  Company.  He  afterward 
returned  to  his  home  in  Perry  County,  but  came  back  to  Spring  Township 
in  1804  and  became  the  founder  of  Conneautville.  Samuel  Fisher  came 
with  his  family  from  Cumberland  County  in  1797,  and  settled  on  land  about 
a  mile  north  of  Conneautville,  where  he  remained  throughout  life.  His  son, 
Thomas  Fisher,  was  a  major  in  the  militia  and  served  three  months  at  Erie 
during  the  second  war  with  England,  and  was  the  first  justice  of  the  peace 
in  what  is  now  Spring  Township.  James  Orr  was  another  pioneer,  who 
settled  at  an  early  date  on  the  land  upon  whicli  a  part  of  Springboro  now 
stands.  He  remained  a  few  years  and  then  left  the  vicinity.  Christopher 
Ford  settled  north  of  him  in  1798,  where  he  raised  a  large  family. 

The  Pennsylvania  Population  Company  had  contracted  for  the  settlement 
of  much  of  its  land  before  1798,  and  a  large  number  of  settlers  had  then  come 
into  the  township  at  or  before  that  date.  There  was  an  interminaljle  train  of 
disputes,  discussions  and  lawsuits  between  the  pioneers  and  the  land  com- 
pany. Many  who  had  entered  into  contract  with  them  to  settle  this  land 
were  made  to  believe  that  the  title  of  the  company  was  not  good,  and  hence 
abandoned  the  contracts  and  attempted  to  hold  their  farms  by  virtue  of  their 
settlement  and  improvement.  Others  settled  on  tracts  without  having  made 
any  contracts  for  them,  supposing  that  under  the  land  laws  they  could  hold 
them  by  reason  of  residence  and  impi-ovements  made.  In  both  cases  the 
settlers  had  the  worst  of  it,  lengthy  litigation  in  the  courts  proving  that  the 
land  company  possessed  a  just  title  and  that  the  irregular  settlers  had  en- 
tered upon  the  land  unlawfully. 

The  Holland  Land  Company's  land  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township 


6o6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

had  received  a  fair  sprinkling  of  settlers  before  1800.  Samuel  Patterson, 
Joseph  Stanford.  John  Summers.  Andrew  Parker  and  Joseph  Baker  were 
the  first  to  arrive.  i\Iany  emigrants  had  located  on  the  individual  tracts 
before  the  close  of  the  century,  among  them  a  considerable  colony  from  Ire- 
land. During  the  first  fifteen  years  of  the  present  century  but  little  increase 
was  perceptible  in  the  population  of  the  township,  and  the  work  of  improve- 
ment was  almost  wholly  confined  to  the  clearing  of  the  land  and  the  substitution 
of  hewed  log  houses  for  the  rough  huts  at  first  constructed.  About  1816  a 
stream  of  immigration  set  in  from  the  East,  and  ten  years  later  the  township 
was  thoroughly  settled  in  every  part.  Among  the  first  of  these  were  the 
Bowmans,  Halls,  Powells,  Wells,  Sturtevants.  Woodards,  Temples,  Hotch- 
kisses.  Woods,  Sheldons,  Hurds,  Ponds,  Baldwins,  Mvlers,  Wetmores, 
Greens,  Jenks,  Bolards  and  Thomases.  Some  of  these  purchased  farms  which 
had  already  been  settled  upon  and  partially  improved,  while  the  others  took  up 
claims  in  the  unsettled  districts  and  went  through  the  toils  and  privations 
attendant  upon  clearing  a  farm  in  the  wilderness. 

Game  abounded  at  this  time  and  hunting  was  a  favorite  pastime  of  the 
pioneers.  George  Foster  was  one  of  the  most  successful  deer  slayers  of  the 
time,  once  killing  eight  in  the  course  of  one  day's  hunt.  Two  tragic  accidents 
befell  members  of  the  Foster  family  early  in  the  century.  In  1805  John 
Foster  was  engaged  in  building  a  new  house,  about  a  mile  from  the  location 
of  his  old  cabin.  At  noon  his  wife  sent  their  little  boy,  about  four  years 
old,  to  call  his  father  to  dinner,  but  the  boy  not  reaching  his  destination, 
Mr.  Foster,  after  continuing  his  work  for  some  time,  started  home  alone. 
Upon  reaching  the  cabin  unaccompanied  by  the  child,  his  wife  informed  him 
that  he  had  been  sent  to  call  his  father,  and  an  anxious  search  for  the  boy  was 
at  once  commenced.  The  neighbors  turned  out  on  all  sides  and  searched  the 
woods  far  and  near,  but  without  finding  a  trace  of  the  missing  child.  His 
fate  was  never  discovered,  but  among  the  conjectures  as  tO'  his  disappearance 
the  most  probable  is  that  he  was  picked  up  and  carried  of¥  by  a  straggling 
band  of  Indians.  In  1830  Robert  Foster,  another  son  of  John  Foster,  and 
brother  of  the  lost  child,  went  hunting  on  a  cold  w'inter's  day,  and  did  not 
return  in  the  evening  as  expected.  It  had  turned  bitter  cold  and  a  heavy 
snow  storm  had  set  in,  and  after  waiting  for  him  some  tmie  the  family  be- 
came alarmed  and  instituted  a  search.  Two  hundred  men  turned  out  and 
traversed  the  forest  in  every  direction,  and  on  the  third  day  his  body  was 
found  within  eighty  rods  of  the  house.  It  was  supposed  that,  overcome  by 
bewilderment  and  fatigue  while  wandering  circuitously  through  the  blinding 
storm,  he  had  fallen,  exhausted,  and  frozen  to  death. 

The  provisions  of  the  early  settlers,  such  as  flour,  salt  and  meal,  were 
usually  brought  from  Pittsburg.  They  conveyed  them  up  the  river  to  Mead- 
ville  in  flat  boats,  pushed  along  by  poles,  and  thence  upon  their  backs  over- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  607 

land,  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles,  through  the  woods,  being  guided  by  the 
blazed  trees.  Foot  paths  were  the  only  roads  through  this  wilderness  at  that 
time.  Numerous  varieties  of  game  abounded  here,  and  formed  an  import- 
ant item  on  their  bill  of  fare.  Black  salts  was  the  chief  article  of  commerce, 
being  the  only  product  which  commanded  ready  money.  They  made  consid- 
erable maple  sugar,  and  traded  what  they  did  not  require  for  other  necessi- 
ties, sometimes,  it  is  said,  exchanging  it  for  fresh  fish,  pound  for  pound. 
Money  was  so  scarce  an  article  that  many  walked  barefoot  to  Meadville  to 
attend  the  general  training,  rather  than  subject  themselves  to  a  fine  of  fiftv 
cents. 

Alexander  Power  erected  a  grist  mill  on  Conneaut  Creek  in  1799.  the 
first  in  the  township.  It  proved  a  great  convenience  to  the  settlers  in  the 
vicinity,  and  was  replaced  in  1805  by  a  double  geared  mill,  built  of  hewed 
logs  and  having  a  shingle  roof.  Samuel  Fisher  built  a  mill  on  Conneaut 
Creek  in  1801,  about  a  mile  north  of  Conneautville.  It  was  both  a  saw  and 
grist  mill,  and  when  built  was  one  of  the  best  mills  in  northwestern  Pennsyl- 
vania, doing  most  of  the  grinding  for  northwestern  Crawford  and  south- 
western Erie.  Frederick  Bolard.  who  came  from  Erie  County  in  1816, 
carried  on,  in  addition  to  his  farming,  the  industry  of  making  bells.  They 
were  at  that  time  used  by  every  farmer  for  the  oxen,  cows  and  sheep,  and  were 
even  put  on  horses  when  pastured  in  the  woods.  Christopher  Ford  built  the 
first  distillery  before  1800,  and  John  Foster  and  Luther  Rundle  erected  others 
soon  afterward.  At  one  time.  Spring  Township  contained  no  less  than  seven 
distilleries,  all  of  which,  it  is  said,  did  a  good  business.  All  have  long  since 
disappeared.  In  181 7  and  1818  the  Wood  brothers  built  a  wool  carding  and 
cloth  dressing  establishment  on  Conneaut  Creek,  two  miles  north  of  Con- 
neautville. Another  was  erected  by  Collins  Hall  at  Spring  Corners,  and  both 
did  a  good  business  in  their  day.  Before  the  mills  were  started  the  operation 
of  carding  the  wool  was  done  by  hand  by  the  women  of  the  household,  and 
afterward  spun  into  yarn. 

The  sawmill  connected  with  the  Fisher  lalant  was  the  first  in  operar 
tion  in  the  township,  and  others  were  soon  afterward  erected  in  various  parts. 
The  opening  of  the  Beaver  and  Erie  Canal  gave  an  impetus  to  the  lumber 
trade,  and  sawmills  were  built  wherever  power  could  be  secured  and  the 
timber  would  warrant  it.  The  country  was  rapidly  cleared,  farmers  going 
into  the  lumber  business  to  the  neglect  of  their  farms,  until  only  enough  lum- 
ber remained  for  home  use.  White  wood,  ash,  lumber  and  staves  found 
a  ready  sale  in  the  Eastern  markets,  and  there  was  a  great  demand  for  oak 
timber  for  building  canal  boats,  railroad  cars  and  vessels  at  Erie.  Hemlock 
timber  was  shipped  South,  where  it  was  used  for  fencing  and  building.  The 
canal  carried  away  enormous  quantities  of  lumber,  and  the  township  was  al- 
most stripped  before  the  business  slackened. 


^'08  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  first  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1811  or  1812,  about  two  miles  north 
of  Springboro,  and  school  was  taught  by  Jane  Garner.  The  Ford,  McKee, 
darner  and  Fleming  children  attended  here.  About  1817  Mrs.  Mitty  Beals 
taught  a  term  of  school  in  her  own  cabin  within  the  present  limits  of  Spring- 
boro. Another  early  schoolhouse  was  erected  on  the  Powell  farm,  a  mile 
north  of  Springboro.  In  1896  there  were  fourteen  schools  in  operation  in 
the  township,  exclusive  of  the  boroughs  of  Conneautville  and  Springboro, 
the  school  year  being  seven  months  in  length.  Two  hundred  and  fifteen 
scholars  were  in  attendance,  the  average  cost  per  month  to  the  township  for 
each  scholar  being  $1.47.  During  the  year  about  $4,200  was  expended  by 
the  township  for  educational  purposes. 

A  local  Methodist  preacher,  George  Stunty  by  name,  held  the  first  relig- 
ious services  in  the  to-\\nship  in  1817,  preaching  at  the  cabin  of  Henr)-  Cook. 
He  organized  a  band,  composed  of  members  of  different  denominations,  which 
held  services  during  a  number  of  years.  In  1822  a  Methodist  preacher  at- 
tempted to  make  the  class  exclusively  Methodist  in  its  cast,  with  the  result  of 
entirely  breajving  up  the  organization.  The  Presbyterians,  including  Wat- 
kin  and  Sarah  Powell,  David  Hurd  and  wife,  and  Henry  Nickerson  and  wife, 
organized  a  congregation  and  erected  a  small  church  about  a  mile  north  of 
Springboro.  Rew  John  Boyd  was  the  pastor,  and  the  services  were  main- 
tained during  a  number  of  years. 

A  Baptist  congregation,  known  as  the  Spring  and  Cussawago  Baptist 
Church,  was  organized  in  the  spring  of  1837  by  Rev.  Albert  Keith.  There 
Vv'ere  twenty-seven  original  members,  among  them  William  Case,  John 
Turneur,  Stutlc}'  Carr,  Sr.,  Stutley  Carr,  Jr.,  and  others.  Many  others 
united  soon  afterward,  until  the  membership  had  increased  to  eighty.  A 
building  was  erected  in  1838  near  the  eastern  line  of  Spring  Township. 
After  a  season  of  prosperity  the  tide  turned,  and  the  church  began  to  decline, 
until  in  1852  they  united  in  a  body  with  the  Springtoro  congregation. 

A  Wesleyan  Church  was  organized  at  Hickernell's  Corners  in  1839.  Rev. 
\Mlliam  Howard  w'as  the  first  pastor,  and  Benjamin  Haak,  Abraham  Hick- 
ernell,  Sr.,  Abraham  Hickernell,  Jr.,  John  Michael  and  others  were  among 
the  original  members.  Until  1842  the  meetings  were  held  in  a  schoolhouse, 
when  a  frame  church  was  erected.  The  society  increased  in  membership  for 
a  time,  then  langui.shed  and  went  out  of  existence. 

A  United  Brethren  Class  was  organized  in  1850  by  Rev.  Willis  Lamp- 
son,  which  included  among  its  early  members  many  who  had  been  connected 
with  the  Wesleyan  Church.  A  church  building  was  erected,  accessions  to  the 
membership  received,  and  a  prosperous  organization  maintained. 

Rundle's  Postofifice  is  a  hamlet  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  township, 
containing  a  store,  shop  and  several  houses.  North  of  it  is  Hickernell's,  a 
post  village  of  about  the  same  size,  formerly  known  as  Hickernell's  Corners. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  609 

Shadeland  is  a  settlement  in  the  western  part  of  the  township,  one  mile 
north  of  Springboro,  which  has  been  made  famous  by  the  establishment  there 
of  the  Powell  Brothers  Stock  Farm.  It  was  first  settled  1w  Watkin  Powell, 
who  came  in  1816  and  took  up  the  land  upon  which  the  old  homestead  is 
located.  Here  his  son,  Hon.  Howell  Powell,  the  father  of  the  pre.sent  owners, 
was  raised,  and  here  he  spent  most  of  his  life,  holding  a  prominent  position 
among  the  neighboring  farmers,  and  serving  as  a  member  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Legislature.  He  was  a  successful  farmer,  raising  some  of  the  finest 
stock  in  this  part  of  the  country,  and  his  sons  grew  up  in  the  business.  He 
handled  blooded  stock,  and  after  his  death  the  business  was  continued  by  his 
sons,  who  in  1874  began  importing  from  Europe.  The  firm,  known  as  the 
Powell  Brothers,  consists  of  Watkin  G.,  Will  B.  and  James  Lintner  Powell, 
who,  by  a  clear  comprehension  of  what  the  country  needed,  their  indomitable 
energy  and  perseverance,  coupled  with  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  busi- 
ness, and  strict  integrity  in  all  their  dealings,  have  made  "Shadeland"  the 
largest,  best  appointed  and  most  noted  establishment  of  this  kind  in  the  world. 
The  business  of  importing  blooded  stock  has  grown  up  mostly  within  the 
past  twenty  years,  and  at  first  but  little  attention  was  paid  to  it  in  this  section, 
but  the  energy  and  perseverance  of  these  gentlemen  have  given  to  Crawford 
County  and  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  an  establishment  which  overshadows 
all  competitors,  and  has  attained  a  national  and  even  world-wide  reputation. 

The  brothers  seem  to  have  inherited  a  love  for  fine  horses,  and  from  the  be- 
ginning they  have  bred  with  extraordinary  success  several  of  the  varieties 
of  horses  and  cattle  usually  classed  in  the  first  rank.  For  some  time  the 
breeding  of  roadsters,  nearly  all  of  the  celebrated  Hambletonian  strain,  occu- 
pied much  of  their  attention,  but  as  time  went  on  they  increased  their  business 
by  taking  up  other  varieties,  until  now  to  do  more  than  mention  the  various 
breeds  of  horses  constantly  on  hand  and  for  sale  at  Shadeland  would  be  im- 
possible. Ha\-ing,  many  years  ago,  become  satisfied  by  a  knowledge  obtained 
from  long  experience,  extensive  travel  and  close  observation,  that  there  was 
great  need  of  improvement  in  the  heavy  draft  horses  employed  in  this  coun- 
try, they  at  once  set  about  devising  means  to  remedy  the  evil  in  the  most 
thorough  manner.  Con^•inced,  after  a  careful  examination,  that  there  was 
no  worthy  foundation  in  this  country  upon  which  to  build,  they  made  an 
extensive  tour  of  the  Old  World,  visiting  England,  Scotland,  Wales,  France, 
Germany,  Belgium  and  other  countries  of  Europe,  as  well  as  western  Asia, 
Arabia  and  Lower  Egypt,  with  the  object  of  learning  from  a  close,  critical 
and  personal  inspection  the  merits  and  demerits  of  the  different  varieties  of 
horses  bred  and  used  for  draft  and  other  purposes  in  these  countries,  and  with 
3  view  of  making  an  importation  of  those  they  thought  best  adapted  to  meet 
the  demands  of  their  own  country.  It  is  a  characteristic  of  the  American 
that  he  is  always  willing  to  take  up  a  new  idea,  a  new  method,  or  a  new  article 
39 


6io  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

of  any  kind,  when  he  has  become  convinced  tliat  it  is  better  than  that  which 
he  has  been  employing,  and  it  is  to  that  qualit}'  that  we  owe  much  of  our 
national  greatness.  The  European  nations  have  a  prejudice  against  what 
they  did  not  themselves  originate,  to  the  exclusion  of  new  ideas,  but  the 
American,  with  his  spirit  of  progress,  takes  the  best  of  everything,  no  matter 
what  its  origin,  and  makes  it  his  own.  With  this  progressive  American 
spirit,  convinced  that  nothing  is  too  good  for  the  American  farmer,  they 
commenced,  notwithstanding  a  former  preference  for  French  and  Norman 
horses,  the  importation  of  the  famous  Clydesdale  breed  of  heavy  draft  horses. 
Their  first,  and  up  to  that  time  one  of  the  largest  shipments  of  Clydesdale 
horses  ever  made  to  this  country,  found  congenial  quarters  on  the  beautiful 
meadows  of  Shadeland.  As  their  superior  merits  became  known  other  ship- 
ments followed,  until  hundreds  after  hundreds  have  been  received,  and  after 
a  short  period  of  rest  and  recuperation  from  their  long  ocean  voyage,  they 
have  been  sent  out  to  all  parts  of  the  continent,  gracing  the  farms  and  im- 
proving the  stock  in  every  State  of  the  Union.  The  Clydesdale  Stud  Book 
of  Great  Britain  shows  more  horses  registered  by  "Powell  Brothers.  Spring- 
boro,  Crawford  County,  Pa.,  U.  S.  A.,"  than  any  five' firms  combined,  and 
gives  them  the  enviable  reputation  of  being  the  most  extensive  importers  and 
breeders  of  choice  Clydesdales  in  the  world. 

The  Clydesdales,  however,  are  but  one  of  several  breeds  to  which  the 
Powells  have  devoted  much  attention.  In  order  to  be  able  to  meet  all  the 
tastes  and  demands  of  the  public  they  import  the  French  Percherons,  or  Nor- 
mans, and  give  the  same  degree  of  care  to  their  selection  and  breeding  that 
they  devote  to  the  Clydes.  But  it  is  not  on  their  draft  stock  alone  that  the 
Powell  Brothers  have  built  their  world-wide  reputation.  They  have  been 
as  long  and  equally  as  well  known  on  account  of  their  wonderful  success  in 
breeding  trotting  roadsters  of  the  finest  form  and  action.  Their  Hamble- 
tonians,  without  doubt  the  best  trotting  horse  blood  in  America,  are  celebrated 
abroad  as  well  as  in  this  country  for  their  size,  speed,  fine  form,  endurance 
and  magnificent  action.  Besides  the  mammoth  draft  horse  and  swift  stepping 
roadster,  they  possess  the  Shetland  ponies,  so  diminutive  in  size  that  some  of 
them  do  not  weigh  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  at  maturity,  a 
striking  contrast  to  the  draft  breeds,  that  sometimes  weigh  one  and  one-half 
tons.  It  would  be  no  small  task  to  count  up,  on  their  books,  the  number  of 
hundreds  of  each  variety  which  they  have  handled,  but  a  hasty  inspection 
shows  that  it  would  run  into  many  thousands.  The  prices  realized  for  these 
animals  vary  according  to  breed,  size  and  age,  ranging  from  fifty  to  as  high 
as  fifteen  thousand  dollars. 

Another  department  of  this  great  stock  farm  is  not  less  interesting, 
namely,  the  cattle.  For  some  time  the  Devons  were  the  favorites  of  the 
proprietors  of  Shadeland.  and  numbers  of  this  famous  breed  are  still  to  be 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  6ii 

found  there,  but  the  greater  demand  for  producers  of  milk  and  butter,  during 
the  past  twenty  years,  has  brought  the  Holsteins  prominently  to  the  front. 
The  Powell  Brothers  have  not  been  idle  in  developing  this  breed,  which  pos- 
sess the  most  striking  characteristics  of  any  cattle  they  own.  being  especially 
adapted  for  dairy  purposes.  Some  of  the  remarkable  milk  and  butter 
records  made  need  only  to  be  quoted  to  prove  this.  "Shadeland  Daisy"  pro- 
duced in  one  day  one  hundred  and  three  pounds  and  six  ounces  of  milk,  and 
in  one  week  five  hundred  and  twelve  pounds  and  twelve  ounces,  beino-  an  aver- 
age of  seventy-three  pounds  four  ounces  per  day.  "Shadeland  Bloom"  pro- 
duced in  one  day  one  hundred  and  seven  pounds  and  eight  ounces,  in  five 
days  five  hundred  and  twenty-two  pounds  eight  ounces,  being  an  average  of 
one  hundred  and  four  pounds  eight  ounces  per  day.  In  one  week  she  produced 
seven  hundred  and  sixteen  pounds  and  four  ounces,  and  from  July  4th  to 
August  3d  she  made  the  record  of  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  pounds  four  ounces.  "Shadeland  Boon"  in  thirty  one  days  produced  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds  twelve  ounces  of  unsalted  butter,  it  aver- 
aging only  fourteen  pounds  of  milk  for  a  pound  of  butter. 

The  original  "Shadeland"  consisted  of  but  a  few  hundred  acres,  but  new 
territory  has  been  acquired  until  now  the  estate  comprises  several  thousand 
acres.  Had  these  enterprising  gentlemen,  instead  of  having  inherited  their 
estate,  traveled  the  country  over  to  find  a  location  exactly  fitted  to  the  re- 
quirements of  their  business,  they  could  not  have  chosen  a  better.  Situated 
in  the  best  farming  section  of  Pennsylvania,  it  is  remarkably  healthy,  and  has 
never  been  visited  by  any  of  the  fearful  contagions  which  in  other  sections 
have  made  havoc  among  the  stock.  The  large  farm  is  in  a  high  state  of 
cultivation,  and  the  rich  pastures,  covered  with  a  carpet  of  native  grasses,  are 
well  watered  by  pure  springs  and  clear  running  brooks.  A  large  creek  runs 
through  the  center  of  a  rich  valley,  across  which  the  farm  extends  well  up  the 
hills  on  either  side,  thus  giving  all  the  varieties  of  soil  and  grasses  so  neces- 
sary for  the  health  and  thrift  of  horses  and  cattle.  The  buildings  consist  of 
■sixteen  difi^erent  groups,  some  of  which  contain  six  or  eight  barns.  They  are 
thus  isolated  because  more  healthy  for  the  stock,  safer  in  case  of  fire  and  more 
convenient  to  the  difiierent  sections  of  the  farm.  Stock  from  this  establish- 
ment has  gone  to  almost  every  State  and  Territory  of  the  United  States,  to 
various  Eui-opean  countries,  to  Canada,  Mexico,  South  and  Central  America. 

The  great  industry  has  brought  forth  a  little  settlement  of  employees, 
buyers  and  shippers.  A  postoffice  has  been  established,  a  Western  Union 
Telegraph  office,  railway  stations  of  the  Erie  and  Pittsburg  and  the  Pittsburg, 
Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie  railroads,  and  express  offices  of  both  the  Adams  and 
Wells-Fargo  companies.    The  cable  address  is  "Shadeland,  U.  S.  A." 


6i2  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

BOROUGH    OF  CONNEAUTVILLE. 

The  l3orough  of  Conneautville  was  founded  in  1804  by  Alexander  Power. 
He  had,  while  a  young  man,  been  engaged  with  a  party  in  the  work  of  sur- 
veying northwestern  Penns}'lvania  during  the  years  of  1794  and  1795.  Their 
adventures  with  the  Indians  were  varied  and  exciting,  and  they  were  obliged 
repeatedly  to  flee  from  hostile  bands.  On  one  occasion  their  camp  with  its 
equipage  was  scattered  and  destroyed,  and  one  of  their  number,  James 
Thompson,  was  captured  and  taken  West  by  the  savages.  It  was  while  en- 
gaged in  this  work  that  Mr.  Power  selected  several  tracts  in  what  is  now 
Spring  Township,  for  which  he  later  on  secured  a  patent.  He  returned  to  his 
former  home  in  Perry  County,  and  in  1798  set  out  on  horseback  to  locate  on 
his  Western  lands,  bringing  with  him  his  wife,  to  whom  he  had  been  married 
but  a  short  time.  He  settled  at  first  at  the  head  of  Conneaut  Lake  and  for 
six  years  remained  there,  clearing  and  cultivating  his  land.  In  1804  he  re- 
moved with  his  wife  and  two  children  to  the  present  site  of  Conneautville, 
and  took  possession  of  the  land  he  had  selected  many  years  before  while  on  the 
surveying  party.  In  1798  he  had  been  appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace  for 
Allegheny  County,  which  then  embraced  what  is  now  Crawford.  In  1800 
he  had  built  a  sawmill,  and  in  1815  received  an  appointment  as  the  first  post- 
master of  Conneautville,  his  son  William  being  the  second. 

The  village  was  laid  out  by  Alexander  Power  in  1815,  and  was  rectan- 
gular in  shape,  including  what  now  lies  between  High  and  Main,  and  Arch  and 
Pearl  streets,  with  several  lots  on  the  southwest  side  of  Main  Street.  For 
several  years  the  village  was  known  as  Powerstown,  William  Power  laying  out 
an  addition  which  extended  to  .the  southern  line  of  Spring  Township,  and  it 
was  afterward  extended  across  the  line  into  Summerhill.  The  original  plat 
included  the  public  square,  and  when  the  canal  was  built  the  direction  of  some 
of  the  streets  was  changed.  The  first  house  was  built  by  Alexander  Power 
before  the  town  was  laid  out.  William  Douglas  and  Henry  Christie  erected 
cabins  within  the  village  in  1816,  and  the  next  year  William  Crozier  began 
keeping  the  first  tavern  in  a  frame  house  he  had  built.  The  first  store  was 
kept  in  Alexander  Power's  dwelling  house  by  Richard  Dibble,  who  com- 
menced business  in  181 5.  Peter  Benway  followed  his  trade  of  shoemaking, 
commencing  business  in  1819.  In  the  same  year  Curtis  Adains  erected  a 
hewed  log  cooper  shop,  but  his  health  failing  he  abandoned  the  business,  and 
several  years  later  the  building  became  the  schoolhouse  and  village  ball  room. 
The  first  blacksmith  was  Joseph  Pratt,  who  came  in  1820  and  occupied  the 
site  of  the  Courier  ofifice,  on  Main  Street.  Mr.  Power  opened  a  store  in  the 
front  room  of  his  dwelling  about  1819,  and  in  1827  Zimri  Lewis  also  began 
business. 

Conneautville  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1844  by  an  act  of  the 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  613 

State  Legislature,  and  the  first  election  was  held  on  May  24.  1844.  John  E. 
Patten  was  elected  the  first  Burgess,  and  William  S.  Crozier,  Minor  T.  Carr, 
George  M.  Myler  and  Charles  Rich  composed  the  first  council.  The  borough 
received  its  territor)-  partly  from  Spring  and  partly  from  Summerhill,  the 
greater  part  being  taken  from  the  former  township.  It  is  located  in  the  valley 
of  Conneaut  Creek,  on  the  main  line  of  the  Pittsburg,  Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie 
Railroad,  and  one  and  one-half  miles  east  of  the  Erie  and  Pittsburg,  with 
which  it  maintains  communication  by  means  of  hack  lines.  The  old  Beaver 
and  Erie  Canal  also  passed  through  it.  Conneaut\'ille  is  the  center  and  trad- 
ing point  of  a  considerable  portion  of  northwestern  Crawford,  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  a  rich  and  populous  agricultural  district.  In  1821  Francis  Mc- 
Guire  erected  a  tannery  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Pearl  streets,  and  other 
industries  sprung  up.  The  village  continued  to  grow  slowly,  receiving  a 
decided  impetus  when  the  canal  was  constructed,  which  produced  an  influx 
of  laborers,  mechanics  and  tradesmen,  and  the  tide  of  prosperity  which  then 
set  in  has  continued  without  serious  interruption  to  the  present.  Two  great 
fires  have  visited  the  town,  one  in  1867  and  another  in  1874,  but  the  burnt 
districts  were  soon  rebuilt  and  left  no  lasting  damage.  During  the  busy  days 
of  the  canal  a  great  amount  of  business  was  transacted  at  Conneautville,  a 
heavy  lumber  traffic  being  induced  by  the  facilities  for  transportation  afforded 
by  this  water  course.  In  i860  the  village  had  attained  to  a  population  of 
about  1,200,  but  with  the  discontinuance  of  the  canal  came  a  depression  in 
trade,  and  in  1870  the  population  had  decreased  to  1,000.  Since  then  busi- 
ness has  again  revived,  and  Conneautville  has  improved  in  many  respects. 

Several  large  factories  are  numbered  among  the  industries  of  Conneaut- 
ville, among  which  the  extensive  tannery  of  Mr.  Bolard  is  especially  deserv- 
ing of  mention.  The  village  is  provided  with  numerous  dry  goods,  drug, 
clothing,  jewelry,  furniture,  boot  and  shoe,  hardware  and  millinery  stores, 
groceries,  tailoring  establishments  and  tin  shops;  meat  markets,  hotels,  livery 
stables,  blacksmith  shops,  harness  shops  and  shoe  shops;  churches,  schools, 
physicians,  a  lawyer  and  a  well  edited  newspaper.  The  Conneautville  Na- 
tional Bank,  of  which  Hon.  J.  C.  Sturtevant  is  President,  was  organized  in 
1861,  and  has  a  capital  of  $100,000.  A  cemetery  was  laid  out  in  1836,  and  in 
1864  it  was  greatly  enlarged  and  beautified. 

The  first  fair' of  the  Crawford  County  Agricultural  Society  was  held  at 
Conneautville  in  1852,  it  being  the  first  organization  of  the  kind  in  the  county. 
Ever  since  that  date  fairs  have  been  held  annually,  which  have  increased  in 
exhibits  and  the  number  of  visitors  until  now  the  society  is  one  of  the  best 
and  most  successful  in  this  portion  of  the  State.  The  spacious  and  well  im- 
proved grounds,  finelv  adapted  to  the  purpose,  are  situated  near  the  south- 
eastern corner  of  the  borough,  and  here  each  year  are  to  1)e  seen  some  ot  the 


6i4  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

finest  agricultural  and  other  products  of  the  rich  and  fertile  district  in  which 
Conneautville  is  located. 

In  1846  the  first  newspaper  published  in  Conneautville  was  started  by 
Piatt  &  Son,  under  the  name  of  the  Union.  The  next  year  it  was  discon- 
tinued. The  Ci'isi.';,  commenced  in  1868  by  Mr.  Field,  was  another  unsuc- 
cessful venture,  and  after  a  three  months'  existence  it  was  removed  to  Girard. 
In  1847  A.  T.  Mead  and  George  W.  Brown  issued  the  first  number  of  the 
Conneautville  Courier.  It  prospered  to  such  an  extent  that  the  introduc- 
tion of  a  steam  press  became  necessary,  and  after  passing  through  various 
hands  it  was  sold  to  J.  E.  and  ^V.  A.  Rupert  and  united  with  the  Record, 
a  paper  started  by  John  W.  Patton  in  1858  as  an  advertising  sheet,  but  which 
soon  developed  into  a  regular  weekly  and  a  formidable  rival  of  the  Courier. 
The  Rupert  Brothers  for  some  time  published  the  consolidated  papers  under 
the  name  of  the  Record  and  Courier,  until  in  1870  they  restored  to-  it  its 
old  name  of  the  Conneautville  Courier.  Under  that  name  it  is  still  pub- 
lished by  James  E.  Rupert  &  Son,  being  Republican  in  politics,  local  in  char- 
acter, and  has  a  wide  circulation  throughout  Crawford  County.  In  1881 
William  F.  Zell  started  the  ■.Conneautville  Independent,  but  after  various 
changes  in  ownership  it  was  discontinued. 

The  first  school  within  the  limits  of  the  borough  was  taught  by  Josiah 
Brooks  in  a  log  schoolhouse  erected  about  1812.  The  windows  were  made  of 
greased  paper  instead  of  glass,  and  the  chimney  was  built  of  sticks  of  wood 
and  mortar  made  of  clay  and  chopped  straw.  Sheffield  Randall,  James  Mc- 
Intire  and  Samuel  Steele  taught  there  at  various  times.  During  the  War  of 
1812  a  messenger  brought  the  news  that  the  English  were  landing  Indians 
at  the  mouth  of  Conneaut  Creek  to  plunder  and  slaughter  the  settlers.  The 
children  were  at  once  sent  to  their  homes  through  the  woods  to  spread  the 
alarm,  in  order  that  the  farmers  might  be  on  the  defensive,  but  the  report 
proved  to  be  false,  and  no  Indians  appeared.  In  1828  a  frame  schoolhouse 
was  erected  on  the  corner  of  Water  and  Center  streets.  In  1868  a  substantial 
brick  schoolhouse  was  erected  by  the  borough  at  a  cost  of  $20,000.  In  1896 
five  schools  were  maintained  during  a  school  year  of  eight  months,  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety-four  scholars  being  in  attendance.  The  average  cost  per 
month  to  the  borough  for  each  scholar  amounted  to  $1.55,  the  total  amount 
expended  for  purposes  of  education  exceeding  $2,700. 

The  Conneautville  Methodist  Episcopal  Class  was  organized  by  Rev. 
Davis  in  the  spring  of  1829,  with  seven  original  members.  The  early  meet- 
ings were  held  in  a  schoolhouse,  until  in  1837  a  frame  church  was  built  at 
a  cost  of  $875.  This  building  was  used  until  1877,  when  it  was  replaced  by 
a  handsome  brick  edifice  which  cost,  exclusive  of  the  lot,  more  than  $8,300. 
In  1829  Conneautville  class  was  made  a  part  of  the  Springfield  circuit,  in  1833 
of  the  Summerhill,  and  in  1834  of  the  Harmonsburgh.     Several  other  changes 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  615 

followed  until  in  1868  Conneautville  was  made  a  regular  station.  Jesse  Dan- 
ley  and  wife,  Thomas  Landon,  wife  and  dau_^hter  Esther,  and  George  Nelson 
and  his  granddaughter,  Margaret  Nelson,  were  the  seven  originarmembers. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Conneaut\-il]e  was  organized  in  1835 
by  Rev.  Peter  Hessinger.  with  nine  members.  The  congregation  was  sup- 
plied by  various  preachers  until  1843,  ^^'len  Rev.  J.  ^V.  Dickey  was  ordained 
and  installed  the  first  pastor,  in  connection  with  the  Harmonsburgh  and 
Evansburgh  churches.  In  1854  the  congregation  was  divided  into  two 
branches,  but  their  differences  were  finally  settled  and  they  reunited  in  1865. 
The  first  church  building  was  a  frame  structure  built  in  1848.  In  187 1  a 
handsome  brick  structure,  with  stone  trimmings,  and  a  spire  one  hundred  and 
forty  feet  high,  was  constructed  at  a  cost  of  $17,000.  There  is  a  large  and 
flourishing  membership. 

The  Conneautville  Uni^•ersalist  Church  was  organized  in  1843  ^^'ifli  nine- 
teen members.  Early  meetings  were  held  ii/  1  schoolhouse.  About  1850 
a  frame  church  was  built  at  the  north  extremity  of  Pearl  Street.  The  society 
was  organized  under  the  supervision  of  Rev.  B.  F.  Hitchcock,  who  became 
the  first  pastor.  The  first  church  bell  and  the-first  organ  in  the  village  were 
purchased  by  this  society. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  St.  Peter's  held  its  first  meetings  in 
the  barn  of  Thomas  Henrietta  in  1850.  Services  were  held  in  the  houses  of 
the  members  until  the  purchase  of  an  old  frame  schoolhouse  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  A-illage.  This  was  used  until  1871,  when  they  purchased  the  old 
academy.  During  the  first  years  the  congregation  was  attended  by  the  priest 
from  Crossingville.     Forty  or  fifty  families  are  connected  with  St.  Peter's. 

The  Conneautville  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  had  its  origin  in  meet- 
ings conducted  here  as  early  as  1850  by  Rev.  Samuel  T.  Lord.  Regular 
services  were  soon  afterward  commenced  and  continued  until  about  i860. 
About  1868  the  church  was  reorganized  by  Rev.  S.  B.  Moore,  a  missionary. 
In  1870  a  church  edifice  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $5,000  and  consecrated  by 
Rt.  Rev.  J.  B.  Kerfoot,  of  Pittsburg.  The  membership  has  been  greatly 
weakened  by  removals  from  the  vicinity. 

BOROUGH    OF   SPRING. 

The  borough  of  Spring  was  settled  early  in  the  century,  James  Orr  and 
Thomas  Ford  being  the  first  to  locate  within  its  limits.  It  owes  much  of  its 
importance  to  the  opening  of  the  Beaver  and  Erie  Canal,  although  it  had  be- 
gun to  assume  the  appearance  of  a  trading  point  some  time  before.  The  first 
store  was  opened  in  1835  by  Harry  Pond,  and  about  the  same  time  Collins 
Hall  erected  a  woolen,  fulling  and  saw  mill.  Hawley  Dauchey  'built  a  sec- 
ond sawmill  some  time  afterward.  The  opening  of  the  canal  contributed  to 
its  growth,  although  it  increased  slowly.     It  has  bad  a  steady  growth  even 


6i6  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

since  the  canal  was  abandoned.  The  place  was  known  as  Spring  Corners 
during  the  early  years  and  a  postoffice  was  kept  about  a  mile  north  of  the 
village.  In  1866  it  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  and  Jonathan  Sheldon 
was  elected  the  first  Burgess. 

Springboro  is  situated  in  the  western  part  of  Spring  Township,  on  Con- 
neaut  Creek,  about  three  miles  north  of  Conneautville.  The  houses,  which 
are  neat,  new  structures  of  remarkable  beauty  for  a  village  of  that  size,  are 
scattered  along  Beaver  and  Main  streets,'  which  intersect  one  another  at 
"the  center."  Tlie  village  has  grown  steadily  from  the  beginning,  and  con- 
tains a  number  of  prosperous,  well-to-do  citizens.  There  are  a  number  of 
stores  and  shops  of  various  sorts,  sawmills,  wagon  works,  hotel,  schools  and 
churches. 

The  first  schoolhouse  was  a  primitive  log  cabin  which  stood  on  the  hill 
east  of  the  village.  In  1872  the  Odd  Fellows"  Hall  on  Beaver  Street  was 
purchased  for  a  schoolhouse.  and  was  used  until  1880,  when  a  commodious, 
two-story  frame  structure  was  erected  on  the  same  site  at  a  cost  of  $4,500, 
In  1896  three  schools  were  in  operation  during  eight  months  of  the  year, 
and  were  attended  by  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  scholars.  They  were 
provided  instruction  at  an  average  cost  per  month  for  each  pupil  of  $1.09. 
The  total  amount  expended  during  the  year  for  school  purposes  was  almost 
$1,900. 

The  Christian  Church  of  Springboro  was  organized  in  1825,  when  Rev. 
Asa  Morrison  gathered  together  a  large  congregation.  The  Whitmans, 
Baldwins,  Sturtevants,  Wells,  Halls,  and  Bowmans  were  among  the  early 
members.  The  first  meetings  were  conducted  in  the  schoolhouse,  and  about 
1845  ^  commodious  frame  edifice  was  erected  on  the  south  side  of  Cussawago 
Street,  it  being  the  first  church  building  within  the  limits  of  the  borough. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Springboro  was  organized  in  1828 
by  Rev.  Daniel  Ritchie,  of  the  Albion  circuit.  The  five  original  members  were 
Joel  Jones  and  his  wife,  Maria  Cook,  Mary  Cook,  and  George  R.  Cook,  and 
the  first  meetings  were  held  on  the  upper  floor  of  Butler's  tannery.  They  were 
continued  there  for  a  year  or  two,  after  which  they  were  held  in  the  school- 
house  for  five  or  six  years.  About  that  time  Mr.  Butler  erected  a  store  room 
at  the  northeast  corner  of  Main  and  Cussawago  streets,  and  its  upper  floor  was 
used  for  meetings  until  1864.  when  a  frame  church  was  built  on  the  north 
side  of  Cussawago  Street,  at  a  cost  of  $1,200. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  Springboro  was  organized  in  1833  by  Rev. 
O.  L.  Dunfee,  of  North  Shenango.  The  first  members  were  Nathaniel 
Pond,  Henry  Wait,  John  Gillett.  Liba  Woodard,  Silas  Cooper,  Hiram  Shel- 
don, Mary  Pond,  Polly  Wait,  Tryphosia  Conover,  Sybil  Woodard,  Polly 
Gleason,  Mary  Cutler.  Ruth  Gillett,  Jerusha  Mann  and  Sylvia  Hammon.  Rev. 
Adrian  Foote,  of  Meadville,  preached  occasionally  for  a  few  months,  after 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  617 

which  Rev.  Levi  Fuller  was  secured  as  pastor.  For  some  time  meetings  were 
held  in  the  old  hotel,  and  later  on  in  the  schoolhouse  east  of  town,  until,  in  1853 
they  erected  a  church  building.  In  May.  1880.  it  was  burned,  but  work  was 
at  once  commenced  on  a  new  structure,  which  was  dedicated  in  1882.  It 
is  a  handsome  Gothic  building,  ^ith  a  good-sized  chapel  in  the  rear.  A 
large  membership  worships  there,  Rev.  H.  H.  Emmett  being  the  present 
pastor. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


STEUBEN   TOWNSHIP. 

STEUBEN  is  an  interior  township,  lying  east  of  the  center  of  the  county, 
and  contains  14,394  acres.  It  was  formed  in  1851  from  parts  of  Troy 
and  Athens.  Athens  bounds  it  on  the  north,  Rome  and  Oil  Creek  on 
the  east,  Troy  on  the  south  and  Randolph  and  Richmond  on  the  west.  The 
larger  portion  consists  of  land  of  the  Seventh  Donation  District,  with  some 
tracts  of  the  Holland  Land  Company  in  the  eastern  part.  It  is  drained  in  the 
east  by  Oil  Creek  and  the  small  streams  tributary  to  it,  and  in  the  west  by  the 
headwaters  of  Muddy  Creek  and  the  northern  Ijranch  of  Sugar  Creek.  The 
Western  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  extends  north  and  south 
through  the  eastern  part,  with  a  station  at  Tryonville.  The  land  has  been 
settled  very  slowly,  and  although  almost  a  century  has  elapsed  since  the  first, 
settlement  was  made,  there  still  remain  some  tracts  which  have  not  been 
brought  under  cultivation. 

Dennis  Carrol,  who  is  considered  the  first  settler,  is  supposed  to  ha\-e 
located  in  the  eastern  part  in  1808,  or  even  earlier,  and  for  twenty  years  was 
its  only  occupant.  He  did  not  remain  in  one  place,  but  wandered  about,  and 
he  was  also  an  early  settler  in  Rome  Township.  He  built  a  cabin  in  Steuben, 
and  remained  there  until  his  wife  died,  when  he  removed  to  Erie  City. 

In  1 82 1  Philip  Navy,  a  native  of  Germany,  came  from  Lancaster  County 
and  settled  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  township.  Before  coming  out 
he  had  exchanged  bis  house  and  l<it  in  Lancaster  for  the  farm  on  which  he 
settled,  and  upon  his  arrival  found  that  he  had  paid  for  it  at  the  rate  of  eight 
dollars  an  acre,  four  times  as  much  as  it  was  worth.  Dense  forests  then 
covered  this  section,  and  he  was  forced  to  cut  a  road  through  before  he  could 
bring  his  family  to  his  tract,  leaving  them  in  the  meantime  at  Newtontovvn. 
in  Troy  Township.  He  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  the  work  of  clear- 
ing his  farm  and  bringing  it  uncter  cultivation.     At  first  there  were  no  neigh- 


6i8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

bors  within  a  radius  of  six  miles.  The  early  settlers  in  this  section  did  not 
stop  to  fell  the  trees,  the}-  girdled  the  oak  and  chestnut,  and  then  cleared  out 
the  underbrush  with  fire  and  planted  their  crops  under  the  bare  limbs  of  the 
trees.  Five  or  ten  acres  of  land  might  be  planted  thus  the  first  season,  and  the 
crop,  as  it  ripened  in  the  autumn,  would  be  gathered  with  the  least  possible 
waste,  as  it  was  the  food  supply  of  the  pioneer  and  his  family,  and  upon  its 
safe  preservation  depended  their  existence,  perhaps,  in  the  struggle  to  live 
through  the  winter.  ^A'hile  the  first  crop  was  growing  the  pioneer  had  time 
to  construct  a  cabin  of  some  sort,  to  serve  him  as  a  refuge  from  the  winter's 
cold,  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest,  and  the  savage  red  men. 

It  was  usual  for  a  number  of  settlers  to  go  into  the  wilderness  together 
and  settle  near  to  one  another,  so  as  to  be  able  to  assist  in  case  of  need.  To 
erect  a  log  cabin  required  the  combined  efforts  of  several  men.  and  on  these 
occasions  the  settlers  from  all  the  surrounding  country  turned  out  to  assist. 
If  a  settler  were  completely  isolated  from  his  fellow  men  his  lot  was  a  hard 
one,  for  without  help  he  could  build  only  a  small  and  temporary  shelter.  In 
case  of  sickness  or  accident,  too,  he  ran  the  risk  of  suffering  before  the  neces- 
sary assistance  could  be  summoned.  Philip  Navy,  being  ill  one  day  and  with- 
out any  meat  in  the  house,  hired  Samuel  W'inton  to  hunt  a  day  in  the  woods 
for  him,  the  pay  to  be  one  dollar.  AA'inton  went  into  the  woods  and  killed 
seven  deer,  bringing  them  to  Navy's  cabin,  and  returned  to  his  own  residence, 
seven  miles  away,  in  the  same  day.  Navy  died  in  1824,  and  soon  afterward 
his  widow  married  AValter  Wood,  who  had  come  out  from  Vermont  several 
years  before.  They  li\-ed  on  the  farm  for  a  short  time,  then  removed  to  near 
Center\ille. 

John  Baker,  Zephaniah  Kingsley,  George  Northum  and  Silas  Mason 
made  a  settlement  in  1822  in  the  vicinity  of  Townville.  The  two  latter, 
both  of  whom  came  from  Fort  Ann,  New  York,  located  just  west  of  the  village, 
but  both  afterward  removed  from  the  township.  Baker  secured  land  north  of 
the  village,  where  he  remained  throughout  life,  and  numerous  descendants 
still  reside  in  the  same  vicinity.  The  Kingsleys  settled  upon  the  present  site 
of  Townville.  Harvey  Hull  also  located  there  about  the  same  time.  James 
and  David  Tryon  came  in  1828  and  took  up  their  residence  upon  the  present 
site  of  Tryonville.  They  had  been  operating  a  "carding  and  fulling  mill 
in  Rome  Township,  and  came  to  Steuben  with  the  intention  of  lumbering. 
They  secured  more  than  a  thousand  acres  of  land,  and  made  the  first  improve- 
ment of  any  consequence  in  this  part  of  Steuben,  at  one  time  having  three 
sawmills  in  operation.  James  R.  Maginnis  settled  the  next  year  in  the  same 
vicinity. 

About  1832  Reuben  Phillips  came  from  \\'aterloo.  New  York,  and  set- 
tled north  of  Townville.  He  was  a  Quaker  in  religious  belief.  He  engaged 
in  farming,  which  he  followed  throughout  life,  leaving  a  family  of  three  sons 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  619 

and  two  daughters.  The  Winstons,  Gilletts,  Ponds,  Smiths  and  other  fam- 
ilies moved  into  the  township  from  1830  to  1840.  and  most  of  them  are  still 
represented  by  their  descendants.  The  population  of  the  township  has  in- 
creased slowly,  but  steadily.  Lumbering  was  the  principal  industry,  the 
country  being  full  of  fine  timber,  and  great  quantities  of  it  were  sawed  and 
shipped  to  Pittsburg.  Many  pine  shingles  were  also  made,  being  at  that  date 
split  out  and  shaved  by  hand.  During  the  oil  excitement  Steuben  Township 
received  an  impetus,  the  rapid  growth  of  Titusville  and  vicinity  furnishing  a 
ready  market  for  liimber  and  farm  products  at  advanced  prices.  Much  of 
the  eastern  part  of  the  township  was  leased  by  oil  speculators,  but  the  test  wells 
put  down  failed  to  develop  any  of  the  looked-for  petroleum. 

No  schools  existed  in  Steuben  during  the  earlier  years.  In  1856  there 
were  six  schools  in  operation  during  four  months  of  the  year.  Two  hundred 
and  eighteen  pupils  attended  them,  the  average  cost  for  each  pupil  per  montli 
being  twenty-seven  cents.  Five  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  was  raised 
during  the  year  for  school  purposes.  In  his  annual  report  for  that  year  the 
State  superintendent  of  schools  said,  "Great  improvements  have  been  made  in 
the  art  of  teaching  and  in  the  standards  of  qualifications  among  our  teachers ; 
in  the  architecture  and  furniture  of  the  schoolhouses ;  in  the  establishment  of 
graded  schools,  and  in  the  apparatus  so  needed  in  the  schoolroom.  And  it 
is  gratifying  to  hear  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  teachers  are  natives  of  the 
State  and  have  been  educated  in  our  public  schools.  The  duty  of  fostering 
our  system  of  public  instruction  need  not  now  be  urged.  It  has  been  gain- 
ing in  strength  and  usefulness  for  twenty  years.  It  has  conquered  prejudice 
and  now  fairly  rests  on  enlightened  public  opinion.  *  *  *  The  great 
principle  of  universal  suffrage,  which  lies  at  the  foundation  of  our  theory 
of  go\-ernment,  can  only  be  protected  from  abuse  by  the  education  of  the 
masses,  and  without  it  they  are  insensible  to  its  perfection  and  can  have  no 
just  appreciation  of  the  value  of  its  perpetuity." 

In  1896,  the  schools,  which  were  barely  established  forty  years  before, 
had  increased  in  number  to  seven,  and  froiri  their  former  unstable  condition 
to  a  high  degree  of  efficiency.  The  term  had  been  increased  in  length  to 
seven  months,  ahiiost  doubling  the  educational  work  of  the  schools  in  that 
respect  alone.  Two  hundred  and  nine  pupils  were  in  attendance,  at  an  aver- 
age cost  to  the  township  per  month  for  each  scholar  of  $1.56.  An  amount 
exceeding  $2,300  was  raised  in  the  township  during  1896  and  expended  by 
the  authorities  for  the  support  of  the  schools. 

Clappville,  a  little  hamlet  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township,  was  set- 
tled by  Ralph  Clapp,  a  Methodist  minister  who  came  here  about  1840,  He 
built  a  sawmill,  but  after  a  few  years'  residence  went  to  other  parts.  The 
village,  which  lies  about  a  mile  southwest  of  Tryonville,  consists  of  a  little 
store  and  eieht  or  ten  houses. 


620  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Tryonville  is  a  village  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township,  in  the  valley 
of  Oil  Creek.  It  was  settled  by  David  and  James  Tryon.  who  came  there 
from  Rome  Township  in  1828.  They  kept  a  few  supplies  for  their  mill 
hands,  and  established  a  sort  of  store.  In  1848  E.  B.  Lee  brought  out  a  con- 
.  siderable  stock  of  merchandise.  Lyman  Jones  kept  the  first  tavern  and 
James  Tryon  the  first  school.  The  village  contains  forty  or  fifty  houses,  a 
few  stores,  and  the  usual  small  industries  found  in  a  place  of  its  size.  It  is 
stretched  along  both  sides  of  Oil  Creek.  The  Western  Xew  York  and  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad  passes  within  a  half  mile  of  the  town,  and  a  station  has  been 
established  there,  where  quite  a  little  hamlet  has  sprung  up.  A  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  Tryonville  in  1833,  with  a  small  mem- 
bership. Among  its  original  members  were  James  Tryon  and  wife.  David 
Tryon  and  wife,  and  I\Irs.  Harriot  ^Matthews.  James  Tryon  was  the  moving 
spirit  in  effecting  the  organization,  and  was  leader  of  the  class  during  forty 
years,  being  succeeded  by  David  Titus.  The  early  meetings  were  held  in 
the  schoolhouse.  until  in  1870  a  large  fr;me  structure  was  built  at  a  cost  of 
about  $7,000. 

BOROUGH  OF  TOWXVILLE. 

The  borough  of  Townville  is  situated  in  the  southwestern  corner  of 
Steuben  Township,  on  the  southern  side  of  Muddy  Creek.  The  first  to  settle 
in  the  wilderness  on  the  site  which  the  village  now  occupies  was  Noah  Town, 
who  emigrated  from  Granville.  Xew  York,  in  1824.  and  after  residing  some 
time  in  Randolph  Township  and  in  [Nleadville,  came  to  the  banks  of  ]\Iuddy 
Creek  in  183 1.  He  cleared  and  cultivated  a  farm,  at  the  same  time  carrying 
on  a  lumbering  business,  erecting  a  sawmill  on  Muddy  Creek  about  1833. 
He  hauled  the  lumber  across  country  to  Oil  Creek  and  from  there  shipped  it 
by  river  to  Pittsburg.  He  established  the  first  store  in  the  village  and 
operated  it  for  some  time,  afterward  removing  to  Erie. 

Zepheniah  Kingsley  came  from  New  York  State  in  1822  or  1823  and 
settled  with  his  three  sons  in  what  is  now  the  western  part  of  the  village. 
His  son  Ransom  built  a  sawmill  on  Muddy  Creek  at  about  the  same  time  that 
Town  constructed  his,  and  together  they  commenced  the  work  of  clearing 
the  country  of  some  of  the  heavy  timber  that  then  covered  it  with  a  dense 
growth.  It  was  several  years  before  a  road  was  constructed  through  the 
forest  to  the  little  settlement.  The  elder  Kingsley  was  appointed  the  first 
postmaster  and  the  office  received  the  name  of  "Kingsleys'."  John  Baker 
^nd  Harvey  Hull  came  soon  afterward,  the  latter  erecting  a  third  sawmill 
on  Muddy  Creek.  In  1849  the  settlement  contained  a  store,  a  blacksmith 
shop,  a  cabinet  shop,  and  eight  dwellings.  Soon  after  this  Dr.  Adams  came 
in  and  was  the  first  resident  physician,  remaining  several  years.  A.  Hamlin 
erected  a  tannery  and  about  1850  Lewis  \\'ood  built  a  steam  grist  mill.     Var- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  Cyi, 

ions  factories  and  mills  for  the  manufacture  of  woodenware  have  been  estab- 
lished at  diiferent  times,  utilizing-  the  timber  with  which  the  surrounding 
country  is  covered. 

Townville  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1867.  ^"^  ^V^  R.  Kin"-  was 
elected  the  first  Burgess.  The  dwelling  houses  are  scattered  for  a  mile  along 
both  sides  of  Main  Street,  the  principal  thoroughfare,  which  runs  northwest 
and  southeast.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  village  it  is  intersected  by  Fre- 
mont Street,  and  the  "corners"  thus  fomied  constitute  the  business  center  of 
the  community.  The  village,  with  a  population  of  about  four  hundred,  con- 
tains rather  more  than  the  usual  number  of  stores  of  various  sorts,  shops, 
mills,  factories,  and  estaljlishments  of  different  kinds,  and  is  the  trading  center 
for  a  large  area  of  country. 

The  earliest  school  held  in  Steuben  Township  is  supposed  to  have  been 
taught  in  Town\-ille.  In  i860,  before  the  incorporation  of  the  borough,  the 
Township  Directors  erected  a  schoolhouse  here,  and  the  citizens  of  the  village 
added  a  second  story  to  serve  as  a  public  hall.  The  necessity  for  more  room 
for  school  purposes  led  to  its  conversion  to  a  schoolroom.  In  1896  the  bor- 
ough contained  three  schools,  in  session  seven  months  of  the  year,  and  at- 
tended by  one  hundred  and  twenty  scholars.  More  than  one  thousand  dollars 
was  raised  and  expended  during  the  year  for  their  support. 

The  Troy  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  Townville,  in  the  Kingsley 
schoolhouse,  in  1836,  with  a  large  membership.  After  an  existence  of  seven 
years  it  disbanded  and  went  out  of  existence.  In  185 1  the  Steuben  Baptist 
Church  was  organized,  including  in  its  membership  the  greater  number  of  the 
members  of  the  old  Troy  Church.  In  1852  a  frame  edifice  was  erected  in  the 
western  end  of  the  borough  at  a  cost  of  about  $1,000.  In  1881  the  name 
was  changed  to  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Townville. 

A  Methodist  Church  was  organized  at  Townville  in  1845,  among  the 
original  members  being  J.  A.  Pond,  Harvey  Hull  and  Gamaliel  Phillips.  Soon 
afterward  Dr.  William  Nason,  Dr.  Luther  Pearse  and  Mr.  Langworthy  united 
with  the  society,  and  became  prominent  members.  Until  1849  the  meetings 
were  held  in  the  schoolhouse,  when  a  frame  church  was  erected  on  Mam 
Street.  In  1877  a  larger  and  handsomer  structure  was  erected  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  street,  which  cost  about  $5,000. 

The  Calvary  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  at  Townville 
in  1867  by  Rev.  Henrv  Fitch,  the  nine  original  members  being  Peter  and 
Eliza  A.  Rose,  Mary  a'.  Rose,  W.  S.  Rose,  S.  D.  and  Mary  L.  Guion,  Mary 
Myers,  and  Emily  and  Ann  B.  Rose.  The  church  building  was  commenced 
in  1867,  but  was  not  completed  until  1873.  Its  total  cost  was  about  $5,000. 
The  organization  grew  out  of  Episcopal  meetings  held  in  the  village  m 
1862  by  Rev.  S.  T.Yord,  of  Meadville.  The  church  has  never  had  a  regular 
minister,  being  supplied  from  Meadville,  Titusville  and  Corry, 


622  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Noah  Town,  the  founder  of  the  \illage,  was  a  member  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church,  and  with  his  family  and  several  others  organized  a  society  of 
that  belief  at  an  early  date.  Ebenezer  Harris,  Harv'ey  Coburn.  Hezekiah 
Wadsworth  and  L.  L.  Lamb  were  among  the  first  members.  A  church  edifice 
was  erected  in  1845,  and  for  some  time  regular  senices  were  held,  but  the 
societ\-  becoming  greatly  reduced  in  membership,  the  meetings  were  discon- 
tinued. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


SUMMERHILL  TOWNSHIP. 

SUMMERHILL,  an  interior  township,  lying  west  of  the  center  of  the 
count}-,  is  regular  in  outline,  extending  four  miles  north  and  south 
and  six  miles  east  and  west,  and  contains  14,603  acres  of  land.  It  is 
watered  in  the  western  part  by  Conneaut  Creek  and  numerous  small  streams 
tributary-  to  it,  and  in  the  eastern  part  by  a  small  stream  which  empties  into 
Little  Cussawago  Creek,  in  the  eastern  part  of  Cussawago  Township,  and  by 
the  headwaters  of  Pine  Run.  which  flows  south  and  empties  into  Conneaut 
Lake.  The  old  Beaver  and  Erie  Canal  extends  through  the  township,  along 
the  vallev  of  Conneaut  Creek.  Abundant  springs  are  found  in  every  part  of 
the  township.  The  land  in  the  eastern  part  is  comparatively  level,  becoming 
more  rolling  in  the  west.  Excepting  along  the  flats  of  the  Conneaut,  where 
it  is  a  rich  loam,  the  soil  is  clayey,  well  adapted  to  grazing  and  grain  raising. 
Oak,  maple,  ash  and  chestnut  are  the  principal  timbers. 

The  township  was  organized  in  1829  and  included  the  northern  part  of 
Summit.  In  1841,  when  Summit  was  organized,  it  was  reduced  to  its  present 
boundaries.  Spring  lying  on  the  north.  Hayfield  on  the  east.  Summit  on  the 
south  and  Conneaut  on  the  west.  Of  the  thirty-six  tracts  included  within  the 
township  boundaries,  twenty  had  been  patented  by  individuals  before  the 
land  companies  commenced  locating  claims,  a  fact  which  speaks  for  the  good 
quality-  of  the  soil  and  the  early  date  of  the  settlements.  These  individual 
tracts  are  for  the  most  part  situated  along  the  valley  of  Conneaut  Creek,  where, 
in  consequence,  the  early  pioneers  of  the  township  fixed  their  habitations.  Six 
tracts  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  township  belonged  to  the  Holland  Land 
Company,  while  the  Pennsylvania  Population  Company  held  the  title  to  land 
in  the  southern  part. 

James  ^McDowell,  of  Scotch  extraction,  took  up  a  tract  of  land  on  Con- 
neaut Creek,  below  Dicksonburgh,  about  1796,  and  this  is  believed  to  have 


OUR  COUNTY  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE.  623 

been  the  first  settlement  within  the  township.  He  came  from  the  Susque- 
hanna A'alley,  and  remained  a  resident  of  the  township  until  his  death.  He 
is  still  represented  by  numerous  descendants.  Daniel  Myers  came  from  cen- 
tral Pennsylvania  about  the  same  time,  and  settled  on  a  tract  next  to  Mc- 
Dowell, near  the  center  of  the  township,  which  had  been  sur\eyed  in  the  name 
of  A.  Power.  John  Stirling  with  his  three  sons,  James.  ^Vashington  and 
Andrew,  came  soon  aftenvard  and  settled  in  the  same  vicinit}%  all  becoming 
the  proprietors  of  fine  farms.  James  Fetterman.  a  young,  unmarried  man. 
came  at  the  same  lime  and  occupied  land  about  a  mile  and  a  half  southeast  of 
ConneautA-ille.  He  married  Betsy  ilcDowell  in  1798,  and  this  is  said  to 
have  been  the  first  marriage  in  the  township.  He  at  one  time  owned  eleven 
hundred  acres  of  land,  part  of  which  still  remains  in  the  possession  of  his 
descendants. 

^'alentine  Gwin.  of  French  descent,  came  to  the  township  in  1803.  His 
father  had  been  one  of  those  who  accompanied  Lafayette  to  this  country-,  and 
served  under  him  in  the  Federal  army  until  the  close  of  the  Revolution. 
Neal  [McKay,  an  early  justice  of  the  peace,  followed  the  occupation  of  a  weaver. 
Robert  ilcKay,  his  son,  was  a  captain  of  militia  during  the  \\"ar  of  1812.  and 
sened  at  Erie  while  Perr\-"s  fleet  was  being  buUt.  John  McTier  was  a  stone 
mason  by  trade,  and  his  ser\-ices  in  building  stone  chimneys  for  the  log 
houses  were  often  called  into  requisition,  and  made  him  a  valuable  member  of 
the  communit}'.  Samuel  Gowdy  patented  a  tract  of  land  in  the  southwestern 
comer  of  the  township,  and  soon  afterward  married  Betsy  Gilliland.  He 
manufactured  the  wooden  plows,  such  as  were  used  at  that  period,  and  was  a 
valued  accession  to  the  settlement.  He  was  a  colonel  of  militia  in  1812,  and 
commanded  a  regiment  at  Erie  during  the  construction  of  Perr\'s  fleet. 

Settlements  had  been  made  in  all  parts  of  the  township  soon  after  the 
beginning  of  the  present  centurj-.  John  and  !Michael  Winger  built  a  saw- 
mill on  Conneaut  Creek  in  1820,  the  first  in  the  township.  George  Dickson 
operated  a  sawmill  on  Conneaut  Creek  at  an  early  date,  and  also  owned  a 
grist  miU  at  Dicksonburgh.  Lumbering  was  for  a  long  time  one  of  the  most 
important  occupations,  and  during  the  days  of  the  canal  several  sawmills 
were  in  operation  in  various  parts  of  the  township.  In  1828  James  Beatty 
built  a  carding  mill  about  a  mile  south  of  Dicksonburgh.  which  was  success- 
fully conducted  for  some  time. 

The  first  distillen.-  in  what  is  now  Summerhill  was  erected  by  James 
Fetterman,  and  the  second  by  John  McDowell.  The  latter  operated  his  still 
for  several  years,  and  then  abandoned  the  business  from  a  religious  convic- 
tion that  it  was  wrong  to  manufacture  intoxicating  liquors.  Scruples  of  this 
kind  seldom  occurred,  as  the  custom  of  using  whisk\-  was  in  those  days  ver>- 
general.  The  pioneers  of  this  region,  descended  as  many  of  them  were  from 
the  people  of  Scotland  and  Ireland,  came  very  honestly  by  their  love  of 


624  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

whisky.  There  was  nothing  disreputalile  in  eitlier  making  or  drinking  whisky 
at  that  day.  No  temperance  societies  then  existed;  to  drink  whisky  was  as 
common  and  as  honorable  as  to  eat  bread,  and  the  quahty  of  "Pennsyh-ania 
whisky"  was  proverbial  both  in  the  East  and  the  West.  Distilling  was  then 
esteemed  as  honoral:)le  and  as  respectable  as  any  other  bnsiness,  and  it  was 
early  commenced  and  extensively  carried  on  in  northwestern  Pennsylvania. 
There  was  no  market  for  the  grain,  a  horse  could  carry  only  four  bushels 
over  the  mountains,  but  he  could  transport  the  product  of  twenty-four  bushels 
in  the  shape  of  whisky,  which  therefore  became  the  most  important  item  of 
remittance  in  pay  for  salt,  sugar  and  iron.  When  a  tax  was  imposed  on 
whisky  the  people  of  western  Pennsylvania  regarded  it  as  the  farmers  of  to- 
day would  regard  a  tax  on  lard,  pork  or  flour. 

A  little  log  schoolhouse  was  erected  in  1812  about  a  half  mile  north  of 
Dicksonburgh,  and  this  was  the  first  in  the  township.  It  was  used  for  school 
purposes  about  six  years,  and  Triphosa  Rugg,  Samuel  Steele  and  Whately 
Barrett  were  its  early  teachers.  In  1836  there  were  six  common  schools  in 
Summerhill  Township,  presided  over  by  nine  teachers.  The  male  teachers 
received  thirteen  dollars  per  month,  the  female  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents. 
The  schools  were  in  session  three  and  one-half  months  of  the  year,  and  were 
attended  by  two  hundred  and  sixty-three  pupils.  The  character  of  the  teachers 
was  reported  as  good,  and  their  qualifications  such  as  to  do  justice  to  the 
several  branches  taught.  Reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  grammar  and  geo- 
graphy were  the  studies  in  which  instruction  was  given,  and  the  progress  of 
the  scholars  was  favorably  commented  upon. 

In  1896  the  number  of  schools  had  been  increased  to  twelve,  with  a 
school  year  of  seven  months.  The  salary  of  the  teachers  did  not  vary  so 
much  as  sixty  years  before,  the  pay  of  both  male  and  female  instructors  being 
twenty-four  dollars  per  month.  Two  hundred  and  thirty  pupils  were  in  at- 
tendance, at  an  average  monthly  cost  to  the  township  of  two  dollars  and 
twenty-four  cents  for  each  scholar.  During  the  year  $2,800  was  raised 
and  expended  for  the  support  of  the  schools. 

Dicksonburgh,  a  small  settlement  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  township, 
is  the  only  village  in  Summerhill.  It  contains  a  score  of  dwellings,  a  school, 
store,  church  and  blacksmith  shop.  It  was  on  the  Beaver  and  Erie  Canal, 
and  in  the  early  days  was  known  as  McDowell's  Postoffice.  George  Dickson, 
for  whom  the  place  was  named,  built  a  grist  mill  here,  and  John  Thompson 
and  Thomas  Proctor  were  early  merchants.  It  is  on  the  line  of  the  Pittsburg, 
Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie  Railroad. 

Rev.  James  Ouinn  was  in  1801  sent  by  the  Baltimore  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Conference  as  circuit  preacher  to  the  Pittsburg  district,  to  form  a  circuit 
extending  from  Lake  Erie  to  the  Allegheny  and  Ohio  rivers.  After  laboring 
for  some  time  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Joseph  Shackelford,  who  filled  out 


OU/^   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  625 

the  remainder  of  the  year.  In  1802  he  organized  a  class  in  Summerliill 
Township  at  the  house  of  James  McDowell.  James  McDowell  and  wife, 
George  Nelson  and  wife,  and  Mrs.  Johnson  were  the  earliest  members.  The 
Erie  circuit  soon  contained  twent}'  appointments,  and  the  preacher  was  obliged 
to  travel  four  hundred  miles  each  month  in  order  to  fill  them.  The  McDowell 
class  was  at  first  attached  to  the  Summerliill  circuit,  afterward  to  the  Har- 
monsburgh.  For  many  years  meetings  were  held  in  the  cabins  of  the  mem- 
bers, afterward  in  schoolhouses.  until  the  church  was  built. 

A  class  of  the  Methodist  Church  was  organized  in  the  northeastern  part 
of  the  township  as  early  as  1825,  the  more  prominent  members  being  Nelson 
Smith,  Edmund  Greenlee,  Andreas  Bagley,  Daniel  Bagley  and  Elisha  Curtis. 
The  meetings  were  for  many  years  held  in  an  old  log  schoolhouse,  until  a 
frame  edifice  was  erected  in  the  extreme  northeastern  corner  of  the  township. 
The  membership  has  decreased  considerably,  as  it  was  formerly  a  large 
society. 

A  class  of  the  Evangelical  Association  Church  was  organized  by  Rev. 
James  Grossman  in  1863,  with  twenty-five  members.  Minor  Walton,  Baltzer 
Gehr,  Mrs.  Lawrence,  E.  Stevens  and  Nathan  Stevens  were  among  the  first 
members,  and  Rev.  Grossman  became  the  first  pastor.  Meetings  were  held 
in  a  schoolhouse  in  the  eastern  part  of  Conneaut  Township  until  1871,  when 
a  church  edifice  was  erected  near  the  western  line  of  the  township  at  a  cost 
of  $1,800. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 


SUMMIT  TOWNSHIP. 

SUMMIT  is  an  interior  township,  lying  west  of  the  center  of  the  county, 
and  contains  14.717  acres  of  land.  It  is  six  miles  in  length  and  four 
in  width  being-  bounded  on  the  north  bv  Summerhill,  on  the  east  by  Hay- 
field  and  Vernon,  on  the  south  by  Sadsbury,  and  on  the  west  by  Pine  and 
Conneaut.  Conneaut  Inlet,  or  Pine  Run,  and  its  tributaries  drain  the  eastern 
part,  entering  Conneaut  Lake  [n  the  southeastern  part  of  the  township.  Con- 
neaut Creek  rises  in  the  southwestern  part  and  flows  north,  draining  the 
western  part  of  the  township.  An  elevated  ridge  extends  between  the  two 
creeks,  separating  the  tributaries  of  French  Creek  from  those  of  Lake  Erie, 
and  making  the  division  between  the  two  systems,  and  it  is  from  this  summit, 
as  it  is  called,  that  the  township  takes  its  name.  Its  surface  was  covered 
with  several  varieties  of  timber,  pine  and  hemlock  in  the  south,  with  oak, 
40 


626  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

beech,  sycamore,  sugar  maple  and  clierry  in  the  north.  The  surface  of  the 
township  is  fairly  level,  and  no  better  land  for  the  cultivation  of  grain  exists 
in  the  county.  In  the  early  days  the  soil  of  the  southern  part  was  rather 
wet,  but  with  the  removal  of  timber  it  has  been  dry  and  tillable. 

The  township  was  formed  in  1841,  while  M.  B.  Lowry  was  a  member  of 
the  State  Legislature.  He  was  then  a  resident  of  Harmonsburgh,  at  that  time  in 
the  extreme  northern  part  of  Sadsbury,  and  the  citizens  of  that  place  were 
obliged  to  traverse  the  whole  of  the  township  to  attend  the  elections  held  at 
Evansburgh.  For  the  convenience  of  himself  and  neighbors  Mr.  Lowry 
secured  the  passage  of  an  act  of  Assembly,  in  1841,  establishing  a  new  town- 
ship, the  southern  half  being  taken  from  Sadsbury  and  the  northern  from 
Summerhill.  The  western  portion  had,  until  1829,  formed  a  part  of  Con- 
neaut,  while  all  of  the  remainder  was  included  within  the  original  limits  of 
Sadsbury. 

Alexander  Power,  in  1795,  located  a  tract  at  the  mouth  of  Conneaut 
Inlet,  and  this  is  considered  the  first  settlement  in  the  township.  He  was 
at  that  time  engaged  with  a  surveying  party  in  the  western  part  of  the  county, 
but  he  soon  afterward  settled  upon  his  land  and  erected  a  sawmill  upon  the 
Inlet  in  1798.  This  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  mill  built  in  Crawford 
County  west  of  French  Creek.  Mr.  Power  did  not  remain  long  in  Sum- 
mit, but  emigrated  to  the  north  and  settled  upon  the  site  of  Conneautville. 

Five  tracts  along  the  eastern  line  of  the  township  became  the  property 
of  the  Holland  Land  Company,  and  seven  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Population  Company,  but  all  of  the  remainder  of  the  township  was 
located  by  individuals.  During  the  years  1797-8-9  the  Holland  Company 
made  contracts  for  the  settlement  of  its  lands,  but  none  of  those  who  received 
the  tracts  are  remembered  as  residents  of  the  townsliip  except  ^^'illiam  and 
Robert  Burns,  who  were  hardy  pioneers  and  soon  left  the  county. 

Much  more  permanent  was  the  early  settlement  of  the  Population  tracts. 
Between  the  years  1797  and  1804  most  of  their  tracts  had  been  disposed  of, 
chiefly  to  hardy  settlers  of  German  extraction,  who  remained  as  permanent 
residents  and  \\hose  descendants  still  live  in  the  county.  Adam  Slump  and 
Christopher  Kauffman  settled  tracts  in  the  southwestern  corner.  Jacob, 
Joseph,  Samuel,  Adam,  John  and  Baltzer  Gehr  were  brothers,  of  German 
extraction,  who  came  from  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  and  all  settled  on 
farms  in  one  locality.  They  were  among  the  first  settlers,  their  contracts 
bearing  date  of  1797,  and  their  descendants  still  possess  the  land.  One  of 
them,  Baltzer  Gehr,  was  for  a  long  time,  at  the  advanced  age  of  more  than  one 
hundred  years,  the  oldest  man  in  Crawford  County.  \\\t\\  their  families 
they  soon  formed  a  large  settlement.  John  Gehr  was  a  captain  in  the  War  of 
1812,  Jacob  Flickinger  was  a  German  Dunkard,  and  with  his  large  family 
subsequently  removed   from  the  township.     One  of  his  sons,  John,  was  a 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  627 

noted  runner,  and  once  distinguished  himself  by  his  fleetness  of  foot  by  pur- 
suing a  wild  turkey  and  catching  it  just  as  the  fowl  was  about  to  give  up  the 
contest  and  take  flight  \\\t\\  its  wings.  Samuel  and  David  Yorty  settled  in 
1803  in  the  southwestern  part. 

But  the  settlement  advanced  most  rapidly  on  the  individual  lands  in  the 
central  portion  of  the  township.  James  McClure  was  a  young  unmarried 
man  who  came  from  Alitilin  County  in  1798,  and  purchased  from  John  Field 
a  tract  of  four  hundred  acres  on  the  western  banks  of  Conneaut  Lake.  Re- 
turning to  jMifflin  County  he  induced  his  cousin,  John  McClure,  to  come  with 
him  to  his  new  possessions.  John  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  the  excel- 
lence of  the  pine  timber  in  that  vicinity  led  him  to  remain,  and  they  erected 
adjoining  cabins  upon  the  tract,  which  James  divided  with  his  cousin.  He 
was  married  in  1803  and  resided  upon  his  farm,  with  the  exception  of  an 
interval  of  thirteen  years  passed  in  Mifflin  County,  until  his  death,  in  1852. 
His  cousin  John  remained  a  lifelong  resident  of  Summit,  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  1845,  resulting  from  malaria  engendered  by  the  overflow  of  the 
lake  when  raised  for  canal  purposes.  Adam  Foust  was  a  German  of  some 
means  who  came  from  Berks  County  and  settled  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
lake  in  1797.  He  obtained  by  purchase  and  settlement  thirteen  hundred 
acres  of  land  in  Summit  and  Sadsbury  townships.  He  had  eight  sons  and 
three  daughters,  and  to  each  of  his  children  he  gave  one  hundred  acres  of 
land  and  an  ax.  He  remained  a  resident  of  the  township  until  his  death. 
William  Butler,  a  native  of  Ireland,  settled  as  early  as  1797  in  the  eastern  part 
of  Summit. 

Silas  Chidester,  a  nati\-e  of  New  Jersey,  came  to  the  township  from 
Pittsburg  about  1800.  He  settled  a  tract  of  land  about  a  mile  south  of 
Harmonsburgh,  where  he  made  his  permanent  home.  Jacob  Looper,  a 
German,  remained  a  resident  of  the  township  throughout  life,  following  his 
trade  of  blacksmithing.  His  descendants  still  live  in  the  township.  William 
McFadden  took  up  land  one  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Harmonsburgh  and  was 
a  lifelong  resident.  John  Inglehoop,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  settled  in 
the  northern  part  of  Summit,  where  be  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life. 
As  early  as  1797  John  Smith  settled  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township, 
where  his  descendants  still  reside.  Samuel  Shotwell  also  made  an  early 
settlement.  Archibald  Sloan  came  from  Carlisle  and  located  about  a  mile 
north  of  Harmonsburgh.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Seceder  Church,  and 
died  on  his  farm  about  1810,  leaving  a  widow  and  ten  children,  who  remained 
on  the  place  a  number  of  years  afterward. 

Matthew,  John  and  Thomas  McClure,  three  brothers,  came  from  Ireland, 
and  at  an  early  date  settled  in  the  northern  part  of  Summit.  Hugh  Gilliland 
and  his  sons  Hugh  and  Robert  were  early  settlers  in  the  northwestern  part. 
Joseph  Garwood  removed  to  the  same  locality  from  Fayette  County  as  early 


628  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLli. 

as  1797.  He  purchased  four  hundred  acres  of  land  from  a  Mr.  McDowell, 
for  which  it  is  said  the  consideration  was  a  barrel  of  flour  and  a  watch.  The 
elder  Garwood  subsequently  removed  to  IlHnois,  Imt  his  son,  Joseph  Gar- 
wood, remained  a  permanent  resident. 

All  the  alcove  mentioned  pioneers  had  secured  homes  in  Summit  before 
1810,  and  others  came  in  and  g-radually  took  up  the  land  in  every  part.  When 
the  War  of  18 12  broke  out  the  settlers  of  this  as  well  as  other  regions  were 
frightened  by  reports  of  contemplated  Indian  attacks.  On  one  occasion  the 
scattering  inhabitants  of  the  northwestern  portion  of  the  township  gathered 
at  the  cabin  of  Joseph  Garwood  upon  hearing  the  report  of  an  imminent  at- 
tack, and  remained  there  until  two  of  their  number,  who  had  been  dispatched 
to  Erie,  returned  and  dispelled  their  fears. 

The  northern  end  of  Conneaut  Lake  lies  in  Summit  Township,  which 
includes  most  of  the  grounds  of  Exposition  Park.     This  was  formerly  known 
as  Lynce's  Landing,  and  is  now  the  most  popular  of  all  the  resorts  on  the 
shores  of  Conneaut  Lake.     Li   1892  an  association  was  formed  which  pur- 
chased about  145  acres  of  land  near  the  head  of  the  lake  for  use  as  an  ex- 
position grounds,  and  it  was  incorporated  under  the  act  of  Assembly  of  1874 
as  the  Conneaut  Lake  Exposition  Company.     Major  A.  C.  Huidekoper,  Col- 
•    onelS.  B.  Dick,  Joseph  Sibley,  Cyrus  Kitchen,  Stewart  Wilson,  S.  J.  Logan, 
John  J.  Shryock,  Colonel  Frank  Mantor,  John  S.  Kean  and  W.  G.  Powell 
were  the  incorporators.     A  track  was  laid,  connecting  the  grounds  with  the 
Pittsburg,  Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie  Railway  system,  and  numerous  buildings 
were  constructed.     A  spacious  auditorium,  a  pavilion,  an  exposition  building, 
stores,  offices,  hotels  and  boat  landings  have  been  erected,  broad  avenues  laid 
out,   and   numerous   impro\'ements   made.     A   system   of   water  works   was 
constructed,  and  the  grounds  and  buildings  are  lighted  by  electricity.     It  is 
a  favorite  resort  for  picnickers,  campers  and  pleasure  seekers,  and  excursion 
trains  are  run  during  the  season  from  Pittsburg,  Erie,  Franklin,  Meadville, 
Greenville  and  numerous  other  points,  the  number  of  visitors  in  one  day  fre- 
quentlv  reaching  five  or  six  thousand.     In  the  summer  of  1897  a  brigade 
encampment  of  the  National  Guard  of  Pennsylvania  was  held  here.     The 
Exposition   Grounds   were  selected   as   the  meeting  place  of  the  Conneaut 
Lake  Christian  Culture  Assembly,  an  organization  of  the  Baptist  churches 
of  northwestern  Pennsylvania,  and  in  June  of  1897  the  first  assembly  was 
held,  which  proved  of  great  success.     The  present  officers  of  the  exposition 
company  are  Major  A.  C.  Huidekoper,  President ;  John  E.  Reynolds,  Secre- 
tary and  Treasurer,  and  Colonel  S.  B.  Dick,  R.  C.  McMasters.  S.  J.  Logan, 
John  S.  Kean,  W.  G.  Powell,  H.  C.  Crawford,  Sarah  M.  Mantor  and  John 
J.  Shryock.  Directors. 

The  Beaver  and  Erie  Canal  passed  north  and  south  through  the  western 
part  of  the  township.     Its  construction  through  the  township  was  attended 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  629 

with  serious  difficult}-  on  account  of  the  great  beds  of  quicksand  whicli  for 
more  than  two  miles  underlaid  its  course.  The  Meadville  branch,  or  feeder, 
of  the  canal  entered  the  main  canal  in  Summit  Township,  and  the  point  of 
junction  was  the  highest  point  along  the  whole  route.  An  extensive  peat 
and  marl  bed  existed  about  half  a  mile  northwest  of  Harmonsburgh.  The 
marl  is  eight  or  ten  feet  in  thickness,  and  is  covered  with  peat  to  a  depth  of 
two  or  three  feet.  The  marl  is  much  used  as  a  fertilizer  and  is  also  burned  into 
lime,  several  grades  of  which  are  produced.  The  peat,  which  is  still  in  process 
of  formation,  is  impure,  owing  to  a  muddy  sediment  deposited  during  high 
waters  by  a  small  stream  which  oozes  through  it. 

The  first  school  in  the  township  was  taught  by  Mrs.  Knox,  in  her  cabin, 
at  an  early  date.  Carson  Sloan  was  the  first  male  teacher.  There  were  in 
1896  ten  schools  in  the  township,  in  which  instruction  was  given  seven  months 
of  the  year.  Two  hundred  and  twenty-two  scholars  were  in  attendance,  at 
an  average  monthly  cost  to  the  township  for  each  scholar  of  one  dollar  and 
sixty-three  cents.  During  the  year  almost  four  thousand  dollars  was  ex- 
pended by  the  township  authorities  for  educational  purposes. 

The  only  village  in  the  township  is  Harmonsburgh,  which  is  located 
about  a  half  a  mile  east  of  the  center.  Henry  Bright,  a  German  Dunkard,  in 
1802  purchased  and  settled  the  farm  upon  which  he  afterward  laid  out  the 
village.  He  was  by  trade  a  blacksmith,  and  followed  that  avocation  in  con- 
nection with  farming  during  his  earlier  years.  He  remained  a  resident  of 
this  farm  until  his  death  in  1838,  and  his  descendants  still  reside  in  the  locality. 
He  laid  out  the  village  in  1818,  and  for  many  years  it  was  known  as  Brights- 
town.  Joseph  McMurtry  built  the  first  house  and  used  it  as  a  tavern. 
Whately  Barrett,  George  Cook  and  Mr.  Morgan  were  merchants,  while 
Nathaniel  Jones  and  John  Rice  were  the  village  smiths  of  the  early  days. 
Two  tanneries  were  at  one  time  operated  here,  but  both  have  now  gone  out  of 
existence.  The  village  contains  thirty  or  forty  houses,  together  with  churches, 
stores,  shops  and  a  schoolhouse. 

A  German  Reformed  Church  was  organized  in  the  township  at  a  very 
early  date,  and  a  log  house  was  erected  near  the  eastern  bank  of  the  lake. 
Mr.  Foust  was  a  prominent  and  active  member,  and  a  large  congregation  was 
formed,  including  the  Browns.  Traces  and  other  families.  Many  of  the  mem- 
bers afterward  united  with  other  churches,  the  congregation  was  disbanded  and 
the  house  of  worship  went  to  decay.  Contemporaneous  with  its  existence 
was  that  of  a  Methodist  meeting  house  which  stood  across  the  corners  from 
the  present  Catholic  Church.  The  settlers  for  many  miles  around  attended 
here,  but  religious  services  were  held  in  it  for  but  a  short  period.  A  fire  m 
the  woods  was  communicated  to  the  building,  which  was  burned  to  the  ground 
and  never  rebuilt. 

An  Albright  or  Evangelical  Association  Church  was  organized  at  an 


'S' 


630  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

early  dale,  probably  about  1825,  but  as  the  records  are  lost,  its  history  is  not 
known  with  certainty.  The  Gehrs  were  the  leading  members.  Services  were 
held  in  private  dwellings  and  in  the  schoolhouse  until  a  frame  church  was 
erected  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  township  about  1855.  Tohn  Sibert. 
Joseph  Long  and  John  Bernhart  were  the  first  pastors. 

The  Catholic  Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  had  its  origin  in 
services  conducted  in  this  locality  about  1840,  and  continued  for  many  years  in 
the  house  and  barn  of  Philip  McGuire.  The  construction  of  the  Erie  and 
Beaver  Canal  brought  quite  a  number  of  Catholic  families  to  this  neighbor- 
hood, among  the  first  of  whom  were  Philip  McGuire,  Robert  Robinson,  Tim- 
othy Clark,  Michael  McCarthy,  Felix  Duffy  and  John  and  Daniel  Boyle. 
The  congregation  was  'at  first  attended  by  the  priest  from  Crossingville  and 
afterward  from  Conneautville.  A  house  of  worsiiip  was  erected  in  the  north- 
western part  of  the  township  in  1852. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Harmonsburgh  was  organized  early 
in  the  history  of  the  township,  but  the  exact  date  cannot  be  given.  A  Union 
Church  was  erected  in  the  village  in  1821  which  was  free  to  all  Christian 
denominations,  and  this  was  used  by  the  Methodists  until  1840,  when  they 
built  a  frame  building,  with  a  basement,  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the 
village.  John  Smith,  AVatson  Smith  and  Thomas  McCray  were  among  the 
earliest  members  of  the  church. 

The  Harmonsburgh  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  in  1829  by  Rev. 
David  McKinney.  Services  had  been  held  there  by  various  ministers  for 
some  time  previous  to  this,  and  for  a  short  time  Rev.  Timothy  Alden  had  been 
stated  supply,  by  whom  John  McClure  and  John  Neal  were  ordained  elders. 
In  1829  the  church  was  formally  organized  with  forty-one  members,  David 
Breckenridge,  Thomas  Chidester,  Robert  Stockton,  John  McClure  and  John 
Neal  being  installed  as  elders.  Many  of  the  members  had  formerly  been 
connected  with  the  Meadville  Presbyterian  Church.  For  many  years  they 
were  dependent  upon  supplies.  Their  early  meetings  were  held  in  the  Union 
Church,  but  in  1844  a  frame  edifice,  situated  just  north  of  the  village,  was 
erected,  at  a  cost  of  about  eight  hundred  dollars.  Revs.  Peter  Hassinger  and 
J.  W.  Dickey  were  among  the  early  pastors. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 


TROY   TOWNSHIP. 

TROY  TOWNSHIP  lies  upon  the  southern  border  of  the  county,  east 
of  the  center,  and  contains  18,407  acres  of  land.  It  is  watered  in  the 
western  and  central  parts  by  the  north  and  east  branches  of  Sugar 
Creek,  which  rise  in  the  northern  part,  flow  south  across  the  township  and 
unite  near  the  southwestern  corner.  Oil  Creek  traverses  the  northeastern 
part.  Numerous  small  streams  water  the  township,  from  which  the  land 
rises  gradually  on  either  side,  only  to  fall  again  toward  other  streams.  The 
land  in  most  parts  is  a  clayey  loam,  and  was  in  the  early  days  covered  with 
dense  forests  of  beech,  maple  and  hemlock,  with  a  considerable  sprinkling  of 
chestnut,  ash  and  oak.  Most  of  the  timber  has  now  been  removed,  but  lum- 
bering is  still  an  important  industry. 

The  township  was  organized  in  1829  and  originally  included  what  is 
now  the  southern  part  of  Steuben.  Before  1829  the  eastern  part  had  be- 
longed to  Oil  Creek  Township,  the  northwestern  to  Randolph,  and  the  south- 
ern prolongation  was  attached  to  Wayne.  It  is  irregular  in  outline,  being 
bounded  on  the  north  by  Steuben,  on  the  east  by  Oil  Creek,  on  the  soutli  by 
Venango  County,  and  on  the  west  by  Randolph.  The  Western  New  York 
and  Pennsylvania  Railroad  crosses  the  northeastern  corner.  Most  of  Troy 
Township  belongs  within  the  Seventh  Donation  District,  the  irregularly  shaped 
southern  part  lying  in  the  eighth.  A  strip  along  the  eastern  border  and  some 
tracts  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township  belonged  to  the  Holland  Land 
Company.  Mistakes  were  made  m  running  the  lines  of  the  Seventh  Dona- 
tion District,  and  the  Holland  Company's  tracts  to  the  south  of  them  were 
surveyed  upon  the  supposition  that  the  Donation  lines  had  been  correctly  lo- 
cated. It  resulted  that  several  years  afterward  the  southeastern  corner  of 
one  of  the  Donation  tracts  was  found  in  the  Holland  Company's  land,  more 
than  half  a  mile  from  its  supposed  location,  and  this  discovery  was  the  be- 
ginning of  litigation  which  involved  the  title  to  much  of  the  land  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  township.  In  most  cases  the  differences  were  at  last 
amicably  adjusted. 

There  were  various  causes  of  dispute  between  the  settlers  on  account  of 
conflicting  claims.  It  sometimes  happened  that  two  pioneers  settled  upon 
the  same  tract,  building  their  cabins  remote  from  one  another,  each  at  first 
ignorant  of  the  presence  of  the  other.     When  the  double  settlement  was  dis- 

631 


632  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

covered  a  contest  for  possession  would  begin.  Several  settled  on  Holland 
tracts  and  attempted  to  hold  them  directly  from  the  State.  Charles  Ridgway 
settled  on  a  Holland  tract  in  the  northeastern  corner  of  Trov,  in  1800.  and 
determined  to  locate  there.  He  built  a  sawmill  on  Oil  Creek  at  Xewton- 
town,  and  then  returned  to  Fayette  County  to  secure  the  necessary  iron  work 
for  the  mill,  leaving  William  Kerr  in  charge,  with  directions  to  build  a  cabin. 
During  the  absence  of  Ridgway,  John  Reynolds,  a  settler  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent,  commenced  the  erection  of  a  cabin  on  the  same  tract.  Kerr,  soon 
learning  of  this,  zealous  to  protect  the  interests  of  his  employer  bv  disposing 
of  the  conflicting  claim  at  a  single  blow,  felled  a  tree  across  the  half  finished 
cabin  of  Reynolds  one  evening  and  crushed  it.  Reynolds  made  no  com- 
plaint, but  when  Kerr  had  finished  the  cabin  which  he  was  building  for 
Ridgway,  he  waited  until  Kerr  was  absent  and  then  took  possession  of  the 
place.  Kerr,  in  his  turn,  again  recovered  possession  of  the  cabin,  and  placed 
a  lock  on  the  door,  and  thus  things  went  on  for  some  time.  The  matter  was, 
however,  finally  settled  in  a  friendly  manner.  Ridgway  remained  on  the 
tract  three  years,  operating  his  mill,  and  afterward  removed  to  Hydetown. 

The  permanent  settlement  of  the  township  was  commenced  by  James 
Luce,  who  came  from  Essex  County,  New  Jersey,  about  1795  and  located 
on  a  tract  in  the  southern  part.  His  wagon  is  said  to  have  been  the  third 
one  which  left  Pittsburg  for  Meadville.  and  when  he  erected  his  cabin  there 
was  no  one  living  within  nine  miles  of  him.  In  his  native  State  he  had  been 
in  the  employ  of  William  Shotwell,  who  was  acting  as  agent  for  Field's  claim, 
and  it  was  on  account  of  the  suggestion  of  his  former  employer  that  he  came 
to  Crawford  County.  His  tract,  which  was  a  portion  of  Field's  claim,  was 
located  near  the  eastern  branch  of  Sugar  Creek.  It  was  on  the  old  road  made 
and  used  by  the  French  between  Fort  Le  Boeuf  and  Fort  Franklin,  and  Mr. 
Luce  removed  to  the  wilderness  with  the  intention  of  keeping  a  tavern  on 
this  road.  But  he  was  disappointed,  for  the  road  was  not  improved  as  had 
been  expected,  and  there  were  but  few  travelers  on  it.  Instead,  the  pike  was 
built  through  ^^leadville.  entirely  supplanting  the  old  military  road.  But 
he  remained  here  with  his  family,  in  the  deep  recesses  of  the  forest,  remote 
from  any  neighbors,  surrounded  only  by  the  savage  natives.  He  was  a 
stone  mason  by  trade,  but  he  now  turned  his  attention  to  agriculture,  and 
remained  on  his  farm  during  his  life. 

For  many  years  Luce  was  the  only  resident  of  the  township,  and  in 
18 10  not  more  than  a  dozen  settlers  had  arrived.  Joseph  Armstrong  came 
from  one  of  the  central  counties  of  the  State,  and  in  1805  settled  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  Troy  Township.  During  the  first  five  years  the  family  had  no 
meat  except  bear  meat  and  venison,  but  later  pork  was  introduced.  Mr.  Arm- 
strong remained  in  the  township  throughout  life,  raising  a  family  of  fifteen 
children,  ten  of  whom  sun'ived  him,  and  his  descendants  still  reside  in  the  same 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


03, 


locality.  Daniel  Ogden  and  Amos  Messer  both  settled  in  the  township  earlv 
in  the  century,  but  remained  for  a  short  time  only.  Anson  McKinsey,  a 
Scotchman,  settled  at  what  is  now  Fauncetown.  but  after  a  stav  of  two  or 
three  years  removed  to  Venango  County. 

From  18 10  to  1820  but  few  additional  settlers  came  to  Troy.  William 
Sheffield,  a  retired  sea  captain,  came  from  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  in  1813, 
and  settled  at  Xewtontown,  where  he  erected  a  sawmill,  and  for  several 
years  carried  on  an  extensive  business.  He  was  afterward  associated  in  the 
first  store  established  at  Titusville,  and  after  a  few  years'  residence  there  he 
went  back  to  the  sea,  the  attractions  of  a  seafaring  life  proving  too  strong  to 
be  resisted.  Jonathan  Benn  had  in  1805  emigrated  from  Westmoreland 
County  and  settled  in  what  is  now  the  southeastern  part  of  Mead  on  land  be- 
longing to  his  brother-in-law,  Job  Colbert.  Desiring  to  acquire  a  home  of 
his  own  he  came  to  Troy  Township  in  181 1  and  settled  on  a  tract  in  the 
southern  part,  which  he  purchased  from  the  Holland  Land  Company.  He 
was  a  local  preacher  of  the  Methodist  faith.  Andrew  Proper,  of  Dutch 
descent,  came  from  New  York  State  and  settled  in  Venango  County,  and  in 
1818  removed  to  the  southern  part  of  Troy.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  died  in  his  eighty-ninth  year.  Edward  Francis,  a  colored 
settler,  better  known  as  "Black  Francis,"  settled  in  1819  near  Troy  Center, 
but  afterward  removed  to  Mercer  Count}-. 

The  settlers  during  the  next  decade  were  not  more  numerous.  \Mlliam 
Williams  came  from  Erie  County  in  1822  and  settled  on  Sugar  Creek.  He 
was  a  Freewill  Baptist,  married  a  daughter  of  James  Luce,  and  remained  in 
the  township  until  his  death.  Joseph  Crecroft  settled  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  township  in  1826.  Stephen  Atwater  came  from  Connecticut,  and  in 
1823  contracted  for  five  hundred  acres  of  land  in  the  Seventh  Donation  Dis- 
trict, on  which  he  settled  and  remained  until  his  death.  He  was  a  carpenter, 
and  was  well  advanced  in  years  when  he  came  to  the  township.  His  son-in- 
law,  Oliver  Cowles,  came  about  the  same  time,  but  afterward  removed  to  the 
West.  Several  had  made  temporary  settlements  in  Troy  before  1830  and 
afterward  removed  from  the  township,  and  up  to  that  date  those  who  have 
been  mentioned,  with  their  descendants,  constituted  the  entire  population. 
By  1840  the  emigration  became  more  steady,  and  a  large  portion  of  the  land 
was  soon  taken  up. 

The  whole  valley  of  Sugar  Creek  once  contained  a  dense  Indian  popu- 
lation, and  many  graves  and  other  remains  are  scattered  throughout  its 
extent.  Tradition  says  that  the  French,  while  in  possession,  worked  a  silver 
mine  in  this  vicinit)%  and  an  excavation  made  some  years  since  brought  to 
light  a  quantity  of  charcoal,  a  furnace  and  a  smelting  vessel,  at  a  depth  of 
six  feet  below  the  surface.  Several  specimens  of  ore  were  obtained  and  the 
traces  of  a  very  deep  excavation  could  be  seen.    It  aroused  considerable  excite- 


634  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

inent  for  a  \\hile,  but  as  no  one  proceeded  with  the  work  of  producing  the 
metal,  it  soon  died  away.  It  is  the  opinion  of  many  that  vakiable  deposits  of 
lead,  and  perhaps  of  the  precious  metals,  will  yet  be  discovered  here.  It  is  cer- 
tain that  the  Indians  procured  their  lead  somewhere  in  this  vicinity,  but  as  they 
have  always  been  jealous  of  their  mines  accident  alone  has  revealed  them  to  the 
white  men.  The  French  were  equally  anxious  to  conceal  them,  as  they  ex- 
pected some  day  to  regain  possession  of  the  empire  which  they  had  lost  in 
America.  In  proof  of  this  may  be  cited  the  various  and  valuable  articles 
found  in  the  fort  at  Presque  Isle,  and  the  curious  iron  chest  and  its  contents 
concealed  in  the  \'icinity  of  Fort  Le  Boeuf.  The  French  were  undoubtedly 
aware  of  the  existence  of  the  mines,  but  did  not  reveal  the  secret.  No  nation 
ever  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  the  Indians  so  thoroughly  as  the  French,  and 
none  used  that  power  so  kindly.  The  traditions  of  the  lead  procured  by  the 
Indians  here,  the  silver  ore  known  to  have  been  taken  from  this  vicinity  by 
them  to  Canada  and  traded  to  British  merchants,  and  the  specimens  of  ore 
which  have  been  found,  furnish  grounds  for  the  belief,  more  prevalent  many 
years  ago  than  now,  that  valuable  mines  lie  hidden  in  the  county. 

Up  to  1819  there  were  no  schools  in  the  township.  In  that  year,  it 
having  been  decided  that  a  school  was  necessary,  the  men  of  the  neighborhood 
collected,  chose  a  central  location,  and  by  their  combined  efforts  completed 
a  primitive  little  log  cabin  after  two  or  three  days  of  work.  The  chimney 
w  as  Iniilt  of  nuid  and  sticks  and  was  on  the  outside  at  one  end  of  the  building. 
The  Benn,  Armstrong,  Luce  and  Proper  children  attended  it,  as  well  as  some 
from  Wayne  Township  and  Venango  County.  Pegg)'  Johnson,  of  Randolph 
Township,  was  the  first  teacher  in  this  building,  being  in  charge  two  terms. 
The  wages  of  female  teachers  at  that  time  were  from  one  dollar  to  one  dollar 
and  twenty-five  cents  per  week  and  board. 

There  were  nine  schools  in  the  township  in  1836,  with  a  term  of  six 
months'  duration.  Four  hundred  and  five  pupils  were  in  attendance.  The 
teachers  were  reported  as  of  good  character,  but  their  qualifications  were  con- 
sidered in  need  of  improvement.  Reading,  writing,  arithmetic  and  geography 
were  the  branches  in  which  instruction  was  given.  In  1896  thirteen  schools 
were  in  operation,  the  school  year  having  a  length  of  six  months.  Four  hun- 
dred and  three  scholars  were  in  attendance,  at  an  average  cost  per  month  to 
tlie  township  of  one  dollar  and  eighty-three  cents  for  each  pupil.  The  total 
amount  of  money  expended  during  the  year  for  educational  purposes  ex- 
ceeded $4,000. 

Troy  Center,  situated  near  the  center  of  the  township,  is  a  postoffice, 
and  contains  six  or  eight  houses,  a  store,  shop,  schoolhouse  and  church.  It 
was  made  a  postoffice  in  i860,  John  Stratton  being  the  first  postmaster. 
Almon  Heath  started  the  first  store  about  1858. 

Fauncetown  is  a  postoffice  in  the  western  part  of  the  township,  on  Sugar 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  63s 

Creek.  Newtontown,  situated  on  Oil  Creek,  is  a  small  settlement  which  re- 
ceived its  name  from  Edmund  C.  Newton,  who  settled  there  in  1847 

A  class  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  at  the  cabin 
of  I-lenry  Kinneer,  in  Venango  Count.v.  in  18 12,  and  about  four  years  later 
the  place  of  worship  was  removed  to  the  cabin  of  Jonathan  Benn,  in  Troy 
Township.  Here  they  maintained  worship  for  twenty  years,  then  holding 
scrxices  for  some  time  in  the  Armstrong  schoolhouse,'in  the  southern  part  of 
J  roy,  after  which  it  was  removed  to  Chapmanville,  Venango  County,  thus 
going  outside  the  bounds  of  the  township.  About  1850  a  class  was  organized 
by  Rev.  T.  Benn,  in  the  Bromley  schoolhouse,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  town- 
ship. In  1874,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  K.  Adams,  a  church  building 
was  erected. 

The  Troy  Center  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  about 
1S70,  and  counted  among  its  original  members  Austin  Mills,  Hamilton 
Bunce,  William  Hays,  Joseph  Free,  Abram  Banta,  Edgar  Melvin,  Henry 
Melvin  and  George  Wright.  During  the  first  years  of  its  existence  the  meet- 
ings were  held  in  a  schoolhouse,  and  in  1876  a  neat  frame  structure  was 
erected,  at  a  cost  of  v$i,5oo. 


CHAPTER   XXVIll. 


UNION  TOWNSHIP. 

UNION  is  one  of  the  youngest  of  the  townships  of  Crawford  County, 
having  been  laid  out  from  portions  of  Vernon,  Greenwood  and  Fair- 
field  in  1867.  Residents  of  this  district  applied  to  the  Court  of 
Quarter  Sessions  for  the  formation  of  a  new  township,  and  in  accordance 
with  this  request  a  board  of  viewers  was  appointed,  who,  after  an  examina- 
tion of  the  circumstances,  recommended  the  formation  of  a  new  township, 
with  the  following  boundaries:  "Beginning  on  the  bank  of  French  Creek, 
on  what  is  known  as  the  southerly  of  the  Kennedy  tract ;  thence  by  said  tract 
line  to  the  southwest  corner  thereof,  and  the  northwest  corner  of  D.  Hamen ; 
thence  south  bv  the  division  line  of  land  one  hundred  and  ninety-five  perches 
to  the  southwest  corner  of  Amborger,  also  the  corner  of  Smith,  Kebort  and 
others ;  thence  west  by  the  north  line  of  said  Smith  to  the  center  of  a  public 
road ;  thence  south  by  said  road  and  the  west  line  of  Smith  to  the  northeast 
corner  of  James  Johnson's  heirs ;  thence  west  by  the  division  line  of  land  to  a 
point  opposite  the  dividing  line  between  tracts  405  and  406;  thence  south 
by  said  dividing  line  to  the  center  of  the  channel  of  Conneaut  Outlet ;  thence 


636  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

down  said  channel  by  its  several  meanderings  to  its  junction  with  French 
Creek ;  thence  up  said  creek  by  its  severfd  courses  and  distances  to  the  place 
of  beginning."  The  question  of  whether  the  township  should  be  established 
was  submitted  to  the  voters  of  Vernon,  from  which  much  of  the  territory 
was  taken,  and  also  to  the  electors  of  Greenwood  and  Fairfield  who  resided 
within  the  boundaries  of  the  proposed  new  township.  The  election  was 
decided  in  the  aifirmative  by  a  majority  of  almost  two  to  one,  and  to  the  town- 
ship thus  formed  by  uniting  the  corners  of  three  former  townships,  the  name 
of  Union  was  given. 

Union  is  an  interior  township,  lying  directly  south  of  the  center  of 
the  county.  It  is  an  irregular  triangle  in  shape,  lying  on  the  southern  bank 
of  French  Creek,  which  separates  it  from  Mead  and  East  Fairfield.  Con- 
neaut  Outlet  forms  its  southern  boundary,  separating  it  from  Fairfield  and 
Greenwood,  while  on  the  northwest  it  is  separated  from  Vernon  by  a  very 
irregular  line.  The  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  and  the  Meadville 
branch  of  the  Pittsburg,  Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie  railroads  pass  through  the 
northern  part,  but  neither  has  a  station  within  the  township.  The  old 
Beaver  canal  also  passed  through  it,  following  the  valley  of  Conneaut  Outlet 
through  the  southern  part.    Union  contains  7,939  acres  of  valuable  land. 

The  surface  of  the  township  is  rolling,  especially  in  the  southern  part, 
the  central  portion  being  the  most  elevated.  A  strip  of  marshy  land  about 
one-half  mile  wide  formerly  existed  along  the  border  of  Conneaut  Outlet,  and 
for  years  was  considered  worthless.  By  means  of  dredging  most  of  it  has  been 
reclaimed,  and  the  land  thus  drained  has  been  found  to  possess  a  highly  pro- 
ductive soil.  The  whole  of  Union  is  a  purely  agricultural  region,  no  village  or 
hamlet  existing  within  its  boundaries.  A  postoffice  called  Dutch  Hill  was 
once  established  a  little  north  of  the  center  of  the  township,  but  was  after- 
ward abolished,  the  inhabitants  relying  for  mail  service  upon  the  villages  of 
the  surrounding  townships,  Shaws'  Landing  in  East  Fairfield,  Calvins'  Cor- 
ners in  Fairfield,  and  Geneva  and  Custards  in  Greenwood. 

Although  Union  Township  was  one  of  the  last  to  be  established,  its  terri- 
tory was  among  the  first  to  be  settled.  The  settlement  of  Crawford  County, 
commenced  in  1789  at  Mead^■ille  by  David  Mead  and  his  party,  received  a 
severe  setback  when  the  Indian  war  broke  out,  and  for  several  years  the  work 
of  colonization  was  interrupted.  And  when  cjuiet  was  again  restored  to  the 
frontier,  by  Wayne's  treaty  with  the  Indians  in  1795,  pioneers  and  speculators 
flocked  from  all  directions  into  the  territory  beyond  the  Allegheny,  and  such 
fertile  tracts  as  the  French  Creek  Valley  were  soon  dotted  with  settlements. 

But  even  before  the  suspension  of  Indian  hostilities  settlements  had  been 
made  in  Union.  One  of  the  first,  if  not  the  first,  of  the  stalwart  pioneers 
who  pushed  into  the  new  country  south  of  Meadville  was  John  Hulings,  who 
boldly  erected  a  cabin  on  the  bank  of  French  Creek,  before  1795,  in  the  south- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  637 

eastern  corner  of  what  is  now  Union  Township.,  Others  settled  near  him, 
and  a  temporary  log  fort  was  built  on  his  farm,  in  which  the  scattering  settlers 
took  refuge  at  night.  In  June  of  1795  a  sad  tragedy  took  place  here.  Two 
young  men  of  the  neighborhood,  James  Findlay  and  Barney  McCormick, 
were  engaged  in  the  woods,  about  a  mile  from  the  mouth  of  Conneaut  Out- 
let, in  splitting  rails  for  Mr.  Hulings.  A  band  of  Indians  suddenly  appeared 
from  the  forest  and  fired  upon  them,  killing  one,  who  fell  where  he  had  been 
at  work.  The  other  was  only  wounded,  and  made  his  escape  to  an  adjoining 
thicket,  but  was  pursued,  overtaken  and  killed.  The  Indians  scalped  their 
victims  and  disappeared.  When  the  first  shot  was  heard  at  Hulings'  cabin 
it  was  supposed  that  the  report  issued  from  the  rifle  of  Aaron  Wright,  a  well 
known  hunter  of  Fairfield,  but  when  the  second  was  heard  the  presence  of 
Indians  was  suspected.  Upon  hearing  the  shots  Wright,  who  was  in  the 
neighborhood,  knew  they  came  from  strange  rifles,  so  keen  was  his  sense  of 
hearing,  and  upon  proceeding  to  the  spot  where  the  young  men  had  been 
left  at  work,  their  mutilated  bodies  were  found.  Mr.  Hulings  lived  upon  his 
farm  the  remainder  of  his  life,  and  when  he  died,  in  1810,  left  three  sons, 
Marcus,  James  and  Ceal  Hulings. 

David  Mumford,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  arrived  some  time  before  1797. 
He  had  first  settled  in  W'ashington  County,  and  from  there  removed  to  the  land 
which  he  took  up  in  Union,  near  the  center  of  the  township.  He  had  l>een 
a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  in  religion  was  of  the  Methodist 
persuasion.  He  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  intelligent  of  the  pioneer 
settlers,  and  continued  the  work  of  clearing  the  land  and  tilling  the  soil  until 
his  death,  in  1816.  His  descendants  still  reside  in  the  township.  Robert 
Wilson,  who  came  about  the  same  time,  settled  in  the  northern  part,  at  the 
mouth  of  Wilson's  Run. 

In  1799  a  series  of  settlements  was  made  upon  the  land  belonging  to  the 
Holland  Land  Company,  located  along  the  bank  of  French  Creek.  Among 
them  were  those  made  by  Tunis,  Peter  and  Henry  Elson,  who  were  of  Ger- 
man birth,  and  remained  upon  their  farms  throughout  life.  Four  brothers 
by  the  name  of  Wensell  also  settled  here  temporarily,  but  later  removed  to 
Ohio. 

About  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  a  steady  stream  of  immigra- 
tion began  to  flow  in,  and  continued  for  several  years.  James  Birchfield 
came  in  1800  from  the  valley  of  the  Susquehanna  and  settled  in  the  western 
part  of  the  township.  He  was  a  prominent  citizen  and  held  the  position 
of  associate  judge  of  the  county,  and  was  an  elder  in  the  old  Fairfield  Town- 
ship Seceder  Church.  He  is  still  represented  in  the  township  by  a  numerous 
posterity,  Mrs.  Xelly  Beatty  settled  in  the  southern  part  with  her  sons 
John,  James  and  JNIatthew.  James  Davis  cleared  a  farm  in  the  western  part 
of  Union,  upon  which  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life.     His  brother  Samuel 


638  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

settled  upon  Wilson's  Run,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  township,  and  was  a 
lifelong  resident.  He  was  one  of  the  few  citizens  of  Crawford  County  who 
owned  slaves.  Samuel  Kincaid,  who  located  a  farm  on  Coimeaut  Creek, 
taught  singing  school  during  the  early  days,  and  also  filled  the  office  of 
constable.  John  McFadden  settled  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township. 
Leonard  Smock,  who  settled  about  a  half  mile  north  of  Conneaut  Creek,  was 
a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  removed  here  from  Westmoreland  County  about 
1805. 

Theodore  Scowden  came  from  the  Susquehanna  in  1800  and  remained 
a  lifelong  resident  of  the  township,  leaving  a  numerous  family.  Robert  Stitt 
settled  near  him  at  about  the  same  time.  James  Smith,  who  settled  in  1805, 
came  from  the  valley  of  the  Tuscarora,  in  Juniata  County.  At  this  time  the 
Indians  were  still  numerous  and  wild  beasts  abundant.  The  nearest'  mill 
was  at  Peterson's,  in  Greenwood,  and  although  the  distance  was  not  great, 
they  would  defer  a  journey  thither  until  the  meal  box  had  been  thoroughly 
scraped  out.  It  was  the  custom  at  that  time  for  the  miller  to  keep  bread 
in  the  mill  for  his  customers  to  lunch  upon.  Daniel  Holton,  a  native  of 
Rhode  Island,  settled  at  first  in  Meadville,  but  in  181 5  removed  to  Union. 

About  1832  a  number  of  German  settlers  came  to  Union,"  almost  with- 
out exception  coming  from  Bavaria,  and  for  thirty  years  constant  accessions 
were  received  from  the  mother  countr3\  They  soon  outnumbered  the 
citizens  of  other  origin,  and  at  present  own  and  occupy  about  two-thirds 
of  the  land  in  the  township.  They  took  up  all  the  unoccupied  land  as  they 
arrived,  and  since  then  have  bought  up  whatever  land  has  been  offered  for 
sale.  As  they  increased  in  numbers,  they  were  no  longer  able  to  provide 
sufficient  land  for  the  rising  generations,  so  they  have  established  colonies 
in  various  localities,  one  at  Sugar  Lake,  and  one  in  Missouri.  They  are 
sober,  industrious  farmers,  frugal  and  well-to-do.  as  is  attested  by  the  fine 
condition  of  their  farms  and  buildings. 

Probably  the  largest  piece  of  forest  still  standing  in  Crawford  County 
is  that  which  covers  the  elevation  known  as  Dutch  Hill.  It  rises  precip- 
itately from  the  western  bank  of  French  Creek,  and  its  irregular  outline  and 
heavy  growth  of  timber  give  it  an  appearance  of  wildness  and  primitive  sim- 
plicity which  makes  it  a  favorite  resort  for  those  fond  of  forest  scenery. 
Until  comparati\'ely  recent  years  wildcats  were  sometimes  seen  here,  while 
at  the  present  day  pheasants,  squirrels  and  other  small  game  attract  the 
sportsmen  of  the  vicinity.  The  bank  facing  on  French  Creek  is  a  favorite 
camping  ground,  where,  with  the  creek  on  one  side  and  the  high  hill  on  the 
other,  those  who  wish  to  spend  a  holiday  away  from  the  distractions  of  the 
outside  world  find  an  isolation  as  complete  as  could  be  desired. 

There  are  no  villages  within  the  territory  of  Union  Township.  The  first 
sawmill  is  said  to  have  been  built  by  James  Smith,  who  was  an  early  justice  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  631) 

the  peace  and  also  carried  on  the  trade  of  a  blacksmith.  Theodore  and  Hiram 
Power  kept  a  store,  where  the  old  Beaver  canal  was  crossed  by  the  turnpike. 
A  public  house  was  kept  at  Dutch  Hill  by  William  Birchfield.  A  small  corn- 
cracker  was  operated  at  an  early  date  on  Wilson's  Run,  in  the  northern  part, 
and  Gabriel  Davis  built  a  grist  and  saw  mill  in  the  southern  part  of  the  town- 
ship. 

The  prosperous  citizens  of  Union  Township  have  not  been  negligent 
in  educational  and  religious  work,  and  they  have  founded  churches  and  es- 
tablished schools  wherever  necessity  has  required.  In  1896  seven  schools 
were  in  operation  within  the  township,  one  of  which  was  under  independent 
management.  Ninety-eight  scholars  were  enrolled  in  the  six  township 
schools  and  twenty-eight  in  the  independent,  the  school  year  consisting  of 
seven  months.  During  the  year  more  than  two  thousand  dollars  was  raised 
and  expendefi  in  the  cause  of  education. 

Soon  after  the  year  1800  a  society  of  Methodists  was  organized  in  the 
cabin  of  David  Mumford.  It  at  first  included  but  three  families,  those  of 
David  Mumford,  Andrew  McFadden  and  John  Leach,  the  latter  from  across 
the  Mercer  County  line.  Meetings  were  held  for  many  years  in  Mumford's 
cabin  and  afterward  in  schoolhouses,  but  it  soon  went  out  of  existence.  It 
was  succeeded  in  1826  by  the  Mount  Pleasant  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
which  was  organized  with  twelve  members  by  Rev.  John  Leach  and  H. 
Kinsly,  of  the  Mercer  circuit.  For  many  years  the  services  were  held  in 
cabins  and  schoolhouses,  but  about  1858  a  church  edifice  was  erected. 

The  Zion  German  Reformed  Church  was  organized  about  1840  by  the 
Rev.  Philip  Zeiser,  who  remained  its  pastor  during  eighteen  years.  It  in- 
cludes in  its  membership  the  larger  number  of  the  German  citizens  of  the 
township.  Francis  and  Frederic  Stein.  x\ndrew  Kahler,  John  Kebort,  William 
Hubers,  Peter  Stein,  Peter  Weber  and  John  Weaver  were  among  the  first 
members.  The  first  church  building  was  a  log  structure.  Services  are  held 
in  both  the  English  and  German  languages,  and  there  is  a  large  and  flourishing 
membership. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 


VENANGO  TOWNSHIP. 

BEGINNING  at  the  corner  of  a  tract  of  land  surveyed  in  the  name  of 
John  Fries,  on  the  hne  of  a  tract  surveyed  in  the  name  of  David  Cun- 
ningham, about  sixty  perches  or  thereabouts  west  of  the  northeast  cor- 
ner of  the  same;  thence  north  to  the  southwest  corner  of  a  tract  in  the  name 
of  James  West ;  thence  eastwardly  to  French  Creek ;  thence  up  the  different 
windings  of  the  same  to  tlie  northern  boundary  of  Crawford  County;  tlience 
by  the  same  westwardlv  to  the  northeast  corner  of  Cussawago  Township; 
thence  southwardly  to  the  northwest  corner  of  a  tract  of  land  surveyed  in  the 
name  of  John  James :  thence  east  to  the  place  of  beginning."  These  are  the 
boundaries  by  which  Venango  Township  was  laid  out  in  1800,  when  the  first 
subdivision  of  the  county  took  place.  Within  these  boundaries  was  included 
not  alone  the  present  territory  of  Venango,  but  the  northeastern  part  of  Hay- 
field,  the  eastern  part  of  Cussawago,  and  the  northern  part  of  Cambridge. 
In  1829  Hayfield  and  Cussawago  received  their  present  bdundaries,  and  in 
1852  the  formation  of  Cambridge  Township  reduced  Venango  to  its  present 
size. 

Venango  Township  lies  near  the  center  of  the  northern  border  of  the 
county,  and  contains  9,829  acres  of  land.  Erie  County  bounds  it  on  the 
north,  Cambridge  Township  lies  to  the  east,  Hayfield  on  the  south,  and  Cussa- 
wago on  the  west.  The  eastern  boundary  is  formed  by  the  windings  of 
French  and  Conneautee  creeks,  the  other  sides  being  formed  by  straight  lines. 
The  surface,  which  is  generally  rolling,  is  somewhat  uneven  in  the  central 
and  northwestern  parts.  The  northeastern  section  is  more  level  and  con- 
tains some  very  fine  farms.  It  is  abundantly  watered  by  French  and  Con- 
neautee creeks  and  their  tributaries,  the  principal  of  which  is  Stoke's  Run. 
Along  Conneautee  Creek  is  some  marshy  land,  formerly  heavily  timbered  with 
hemlock,  oak  and  butternut.  Hickory,  chestnut,  maple  and  beech  are  found 
in  the  higher  sections.  The  soil,  which  is  easily  cultivated  and  very  pro- 
ductive, is  a  sandy  and  gravelly  loam,  except  in  the  northwestern  part,  which 
is  more  elevated,  where  a  clayey  loam  predominates.  The  township  is  thor- 
oughly settled  in  every  part,  there  being  but  little  more  timber  land  left  than 
is  required  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  farmer,  so  lumbering  is  an  industry  of 
the  past.  The  farmers  of  the  township  are  chiefly  engaged  in  stock  raising 
and  dairying,  large  quantities  of  most  excellent  cheese  being  produced,  while 
good  crops  of  wheat  and  corn  are  also  raised. 

640 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  641 

The  name  Venango  is  derived  from  an  Indian  word,  by  which  the  Seneca 
Indians  designated  French  Creek,  and  is  expressive  of  an  indecent  figure 
carved  on  the  bark  of  a  tree  near  its  banks.  Venango  River  is  a  name  for- 
merly extensively,  and  even  now  occasionally,  applied  to  that  picturesque 
stream.  Upon  the  fertile  land  in  its  ^-alley  the  first  settlements  in  Venango 
Township  were  made  about  1797,  the  same  year  in  which  almost  every  part 
of  the  French  Creek  Valley  received  a  sprinkling  of  settlers.  The  earliest  to 
locate  in  A'enango  Township  were  Christopher  Siverling,  Daniel  Siverling, 
Jehiel  Terrell.  William  Bole,  Henn,-  Bole.  Thomas  Coulter,  Thomas  Logue 
and  Philip  Stra\v.  These  all  came  in  the  summer  of  1797  and  located  claims, 
most  of  them  remaining  throughout  life  and  founding  families  which  are  still 
prominent  in  the  township. 

Christopher  Siverling  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  first  to  settle  in  the 
township.  He  and  his  brother  Daniel,  of  German  birth,  removed  from  West- 
moreland County  and  located  on  land  just  south  of  the  present  site  of  the 
village  of  Venango.  They  endured  many  of  the  hardships  incident  to  pioneer 
life;  two  bushels  of  corn,  a  small  ciuantity  of  beef  and  a  few  turnips,  which  had 
been  sown  by  members  of  the  family  who  had  visited  the  place  in  the  summer, 
constituted  the  entire  stock  of  provisions  on  which  the  family  subsisted  dur- 
ing the  first  winter,  except  such  as  was  afforded  by  the  streams  and  forest. 
Thomas  and  Robert  Logue,  who  were  of  Irish  nationality,  settled  in  the 
northwestern  part  of  the  township.  Philip  Stein  settled  on  the  site  of  Venango 
borough.  Henry  Bole  came  to  Crawford  County  from  Ireland  in  1793  and 
resided  in  Meadville  some  time,  being  in  the  employ  of  General  Mead.  In 
1797  he  came  to  Venango  Township  and  settled  on  a  tract  in  the  western 
part.  He  built  a  cabin  and  made  a  small  clearing  here,  then  procuring  a 
tenant,  Michael  Hare,  to  hold  the  land  for  him,  he  removed  to  the  eastern 
part  of  the  township  and  settled  on  a  tract  adjoining  French  Creek,  just 
south  of  the  mouth  of  Conneautee  Creek.  Charles  Stewart  had  previously 
made  improvements  upon  this  claim,  but  after  a  short  residence  had  moved 
away.  Bole  remained  here  several  years,  then  traded  his  farm  to  Christian 
Blystone  for  a  distillery  about  a  mile  further  down  French  Creek,  where  he 
took  up  his  residence  and  remained  until  his  death,  in  1848.  His  brother, 
^^'illiam  Bole,  settled  in  the  township  at  the  same  time,  but  removed  to  Ohio 
after  a  few  years'  residence. 

Thomas  Coulter,  who  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  spent  his  early 
life,  came  to  Venango  in  1797  and  settled  about  a  mile  northwest  of  the  bor- 
ough. He  remained  a  citizen  of  Venango  Township  until  his  death.  Robert 
Coulter,  his  son,  who  was  the  first  white  child  born  in  the  township,  relates 
that  one  evening,  three  or  four  years  after  his  father's  settlement,  a  bear 
raised  the  logs  of  their  pig  pen  and  took  from  it  one  of  the  pigs,  with  which 
he  beat  a  hasty  retreat.  Aroused  by  the  squeals  of  the  captive  pig,  Mr. 
41 


642  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Coulter  followed  in  hot  pursuit  with  an  ax.  and  Airs.  Coulter  came  after  with 
a  lighted  torch.  The  progress  of  the  bear  was  retarded  by  a  brush  fence,  and 
overtaking  him,  she  applied  her  torch  to  his  shaggy-  hair,  which  readily  took 
fire  and  caused  him  to  beat  a  hasty  retreat,  leaving  his  booty  behind,  the  fire 
meantime  spreading  all  over  his  body.  The  rescued  pig,  however,  had  been 
handled  so  roughly  that  he  died.  At  that  time  Pittsburg  was  the  nearest 
trading  post,  roads  had  not  yet  been  established,  and  the  forest  was  full  of 
wild  animals.  The  wolves  especially  were  very  troublesome  and  made  it 
necessary  to  yard  the  sheep  at  night.  Later  on  the  bounty  on  wolf  scalps 
diminished  their  number,  the  organized  wolf  hunts  affording  sport  to  the 
pioneers,  and  at  the  same  time  ridding  them  of  a  dangerous  enemy.  The 
last  wolf  hunt  took  place  about  182 1,  when  twenty  men  and  twenty  dogs 
engaged  in  it  and  drove  the  disturbers  of  their  flocks  across  the  Cussawago, 
whence  they  have  never  returned  to  molest  them. 

Other  settlers  soon  came  in,  and  before  1810  the  work  of  clearing  and 
cultivation  had  been  well  begun  in  every  part  of  the  township.  Jacob  Hogel- 
berger  came  from  Westmoreland  County  in  1799  and  settled  in  the  western 
part.  He  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  was  in  garrison  at 
Erie  for  some  time.  Isaac,  Henry  and  Christian  Blystone  were  brothers,  who 
came  from  Lebanon  County  in  1800  and  settled  about  two  miles  north  of 
Venango  borough,  on  the  Ijanks  of  French  Creek.  Henry  went  back  to  the 
East,  but  the  others  remained  lifelong  residents  of  the  township.  Andrew 
Sherred  settled  at  the  same  time  about  a  mile  north  of  the  borough,  and  re- 
mained throughout  life.  John  Stokes  came  from  the  central  portion  of  the 
State  in  1804  and  settled  in  Cussawago  Township.  After  a  short  residence 
there  he  secured  a  farm  about  two  miles  northeast  of  Venango  borough,  where 
he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

James  Skelton  came  to  the  township  from  Philadelphia  in  1801.  and 
located  on  a  tract  of  land  about  two  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Venango 
borough.  His  first  habitation  was  a  shelter  of  brush,  which  he  hastily  con- 
structed upon  his  arrival.  He  next  built  a  house  of  such  poles  as  two  men 
could  lay  up,  and  in  this  he  lived  for  a  number  of  years.  It  afforded  very 
little  protection  against  the  wind  and  rain,  and  his  son  in  after  years  related 
that  he  remembered  very  distinctl}'  of  standing  up  while  it  rained,  while  the 
Avater  trickled  down  his  body  to  his  feet.  The  kitchen  cupboard  consisted 
of  the  base  of  a  hollow  birch  tree.  During  the  first  summer  he  secured  work 
fourteen  miles  down  French  Creek.  On  one  occasion,  upon  returning  to  his 
home,  he  bought  from  Mr.  Van  Home  a  bushel  of  wheat  and  had  it  ground 
at  Meadville  on  his  way  back.  When  wdthin  five  miles  of  his  home  he  was 
overtaken  by  darkness,  and,  too  tired  to  go  any  further,  staid  there  all  night 
in  the  open  air.  In  the  morning  he  made  his  way  with  his  flour  to  his  famish- 
ing family.     At  times  they  were  so  hard  pressed  for  food  that  they  searched 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  643 

the  forest  for  wild  vegetables,  and  having  found  an  esculent  variety  they  used 
them,  boiled  in  milk,  for  food. 

One  of  the  first  schools  in  the  township  was  taught  by  Jehiel  Terrell, 
beginning  as  early  as  18 10.  He  came  to  the  township  from  New  Jersey  in 
1797,  and  settled  about  three  and  one-half  miles  north  of  the  borough.  His 
schoolroom,  like  all  those  of  that  primitive  day,  was  a  rough  log  cabin,  with 
a  fireplace  extending  along  one  end  and  a  chimney  constructed  of  sticks  and 
clay,  while  the  furniture  was  of  the  rudest  manufacture.  After  residing  in 
the  township  several  years' he  returned  to  Xew  Jersey.  \A'illiam  Gross  was 
liis  successor  in  the  \'enango  schoolroom.  About  18 18  William 
Reynolds,  from  Cussawago  Creek,  taught  two  summer  terms  in  a  cabin  in 
the  southeastern  part.  In  1836  A'enango  boasted  of  seven  schools,  which 
were  maintained  two  and  one-half  months  of  the  year.  They  were  attended 
by  one  hundred  and  seventeen  pupils.  The  progress  of  the  scholars  and  the 
character  and  (|ualifications  of  the  teachers  were  reported  as  good,  the  branches 
in  which  instruction  was  given  being  reading,  arithmetic  and  writing. 

In  1896  the  number  of  schools  was  five,  the  separation  of  Venango 
borough  from  the  township  causing  the  decrease.  The  term  was  six  months 
in  duration,  and  one  hundred  and  fifteen  scholars  were  in  attendance.  More 
than  $1,400  was  expended  during  the  year  for  purposes  of  education. 

The  Venango  Presbyterian  Church  was  erected  in  1853,  and  was  dedi- 
cated by  Rev.  John  Reynolds,  of  Meadville.  It  was  located  just  north  of 
the  borough,  and  was  originally  a  branch  of  the  Woodcock  borough  congrega- 
tion. The  Bole  and  Coulter  families  were  prominent  among  its  membership 
and  contributed  largely  toward  erecting  the  church  edifice. 

The  Skelton  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1843  by 
Revs.  Scofield  and  Bear,  with  an  original  membership  of  twenty-five.  The 
same  year  a  church  was  luiilt,  at  a  cost  of  $600.  A\'illiam  Scott,  Jacob  Wood, 
and  Jacob  and  Christian  Blystone  were  leading  members.  Many  of  its  mem- 
bers removed  from  the  vicinitw  and  its  existence  has  been  interrupted  bv 
periods  of  inactivity. 

BOROUGH    OF  VEX.-VNGO. 

The  borough  of  A^enango  was  incorporated  in  1852,  when  Isaac  Peiffer 
was  elected  the  first  Burgess.  The  first  settlement  in  this  locality  was  made 
by  Philip  Straw,  who  established  himself  on  the  site  of  the  village  in  1797. 
In  18 1 7  Solomon  Walters  and  John  Lasher  purchased  the  land,  and  as  there 
was  at  that  time  probability  of  a  turnpike  passing  through  it,  they  laid  out  a 
village  plot.  The  road  went  another  way,  and  the  land,  after  changing  hands 
several  times,  was  purchased  in  1832  by  John  Kleckner,  together  with  a  mill 
which  had  been  built  there.  He  repaired  the  sawmill  and  built  a  grist  mill, 
operating  them  together  many  years.  In  1838  he  had  the  village  plot  sur- 
veyed and  named  it  Klecknerville,  which  was  fortunately  changed  to  A^enango 


644  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

when  incorporated.  John  Lasher,  a  farmer,  John  Bender,  a  blacksmith,  and 
George  Thomas,  a  shoemaker,  were  early  residents  of  the  village.  The  first 
store  was  kept  by  Reynolds  &  May,  of  Erie,  while  the  first  tavern  was  opened 
by  Philip  Kleckner  in  1840. 

The  growth  of  the  village  has  been  slow  but  steady.  It  now  contains 
seventy  or  eighty  families,  with  several  stores,  shops,  factories,  mills,  hotels, 
churches  and  schools.  The  first  schoolhouse  was  a  log  structure  built  about 
1820,  Charles  Fletcher  and  John  and  Evan  George  were  among  the  early 
teachers.  A  frame  schoolhouse  a  mile  west  of  the  village  was  the  next  one 
used.  In  1857  a  brick  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $1,350,  Two  schools 
are  now  operated  during  eight  months  of  the  year,  with  sixty-three  pupils  in 
attendance.  Almost  one  thousand  dollars  was  expended  by  the  borough 
authorities  during  the  past  year  for  educational  purposes. 

The  Zion  Evangelical  Church  was  organized  at  Venango  borough  in 
1 81 6  by  Rev.  Colson,  with  fourteen  original  members.  A  log  church  was 
commenced  the  same  year,  but  was  not  completed,  the  services  in  the  winter 
being  held  in  the  schoolhouse  and  in  the  summer  in  the  unfinished  log  church. 
In  1839  a  large  frame  structure  was  erected,  and  in  this  regular  services  were 
held  for  the  next  forty  years.  In  1879  a  frame  church  was  erected  on  the 
same  lot.  on  the  eastern  side  of  Church  Street,  at  a  cost  of  $2,500.  This  is  the 
oldest  religious  society  in  Venango  borough. 

The  First  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  was  organized  in  1875,  by  sixty- 
two  former  members  of  the  Zion  Church,  who  left  it  to  form  a  new  society. 
■  Rev.  I.  J.  Delo  became  its  first  pastor.  M.  L.  Faulkner  and  John  Mucken- 
houpt  were  the  first  elders,  and  David  Good  and  H.  J.  Brookhouser  the  first 
deacons.  In  1877  a  handsome  edifice  was  erected  by  this  society  on  the 
eastern  side  of  Meadville  Street,  at  a  cost  of  $3,500. 

The  Venango  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  by  Rev.  Ahab 
Keller  about  1842,  with  twelve  original  members.  Among  them  were  Joseph 
Perkins  and  wife,  Jacob  Wood  and  wife,  Benjamin  Hays  and  wife,  John  Ter- 
rell and  Nicholas  Peiffer.  The  first  services  were  held  in  an  old  schoolhouse 
about  a  mile  west  of  the  village,  and  later  on  in  the  Lutheran  Church.  In 
1847  a  large  frame  church  building  was  erected  on  the  west  side  of  Church 
Street.     The  societv  is  connected  with  the  Cambridge  circuit. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 


VERNON  TOWNSHIP. 

VERNON  is  one  of  the  interior  townships  of  Crawford  County,  and  in 
common  with  all  those  which  border  on  the  French  Creek  Valley,  is 
remarkable  for  fertile  land  and  picturesque  beauty.  French  Creek- 
forms  its  eastern  boundary  and  Conneaut  Outlet  a  portion  of  its  southern. 
Watson's  Run  tra\-erses  the  western  part  of  the  township,  flowing  in  a  south- 
easterly direction  and  emptying  into  Conneaut  Outlet.  The  central  part  of 
A'ernon  is  drained  by  Van  Home  Run.  which  flows  eastward  into  French 
Creek,  while  the  northeastern  comer  of  the  township  is  traversed  by  Cussa- 
wago  Creek  just  before  its  junction  with  French  Creek,  immediately  below 
A^allonia.  The  old  Beaver  canal  crossed  the  southwest  corner,  while  the 
southern  portion  is  traversed  by  the  Aleadville  branch  of  the  Pittsburg,  Bes- 
semer and  Lake  Erie  Railroad.  The  valleys  of  the  township  possess  a  rich, 
allu\-ial  soil,  and  the  rolling  lands  are  covered  with  a  productive  clay.  Springs 
of  excellent  quality  abound,  and  give  rise  to  numerous  little  brooks  which 
traverse  almost  every  farm.  ■  The  land  is  well  improved,  and  the  many  fine 
residences  give  evidence  of  the  prosperity  of  the  inhabitants.  Almost  all  the 
land  in  the  township  is  arable  and  there  is  \ery  little  marsh  land. 

This  fine  agricultural  region  was  formerly  included  in  Mead  and  Sads- 
l;ury  townships,  and  was  organized  as  a  separate  township  in  1829,  when  the 
divisions  of  Crawford  Comity  were  generally  rearranged.  French  Creek  was 
inade  the  dividing  line  from  Mead,  thus  forming  the  eastern  boundary.  Union 
and  Greenwood  bound  it  on  the  south,  Sadsbury  and  Summit  on  the  west, 
and  Hayfield  on  the  north. 

Much  of  the  early  history  of  Crawford  County  was  enacted  within  the 
present  limits  of  Vernon  Township.  Washington  traversed  the  eastern  bor- 
der in  1753,  while  on  his  mission  to  the  French  authorities  at  Fort  Le  Boeuf. 
"We  passed  over  much  good  land,"  says  his  journal,  "since  we  left  Venango, 
and  through  several  extensive  and  very  rich  meadows,  one  of  which  T  believe 
was  nearly  four  miles  in  length,  and  considerably  wide  in  some  places.'"  This 
valley,  it  is  generally  believed,  is  the  one  whereon  Meadville  is  now  built,  and 
tlie  portion  west  of  French  Creek  is  a  part  of  Vernon  Township.  The  first 
band  of  pioneers,  which  came  into  this  region  in  1788  under  the  leadership 
of  David  Mead,  arrived  on  the  12th  of  May,  after  a  weary  march,  upon  the 
banks  of  French  Creek,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Cussawago.  They  camped 
for  the  night  under  a  \\M  cherry  tree,  on  the  east  side  of  the  stream,  probably 

645 


646  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

near  the  present  location  of  the  Kerrtown  bridge.  They  spent  the  next'  few 
days  in  exploring  both  sides  of  the  creek,  and  struck  by  the  beauty  of  the 
locality  and  its  natural  adaptability  for  a  place  of  settlement,  decided  that  they 
would  make  it  their  home.  Cornelius  Van  Home,  one  of  that  hardy  group, 
thus  described  its  early  appearance :  "This  lovely  valley,  now  redolent  with 
life  and  industry,  was  then  reposing  in  the  stillness  of  primeval  solitude,  with 
nought  to  designate  it  as  the  former  residence  of  man  save  occasionallv  a  de- 
serted wigwam  of  the  aboriginal  owners  of  tlie  soil.  They  had  already  de- 
serted its  shady  groves  and  murmuring  streams  and  retired  still  further  into 
the  wilderness."  The  majority  of  the  explorers  were  evidentlv  not  so 
touched  by  the  beauties  of  the  place,  the  solitudes,  remote  from  other  settle- 
ments, must  have  proved  uninviting,  for  they  sooner  or  later  returned  to  the 
East.  But  several  remained,  determined  to  found  homes  for  themselves  and 
their  jjosterity  in  this  spot  so  favored  by  nature,  and  two  of  them,  Cornelius 
Van  Home  and  John  Mead,  settled  in  what  is  now  Vernon  Township.  John 
Mead,  a  brother  of  David  Mead,  the  founder  of  Meadville,  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  and  settled  upon  the  tract  immediately  north  of  Vallonia.  He 
built  his  first  cabin  close  by  the  west  bank  of  French  Creek,  between  it  and  the 
ravine,  and  just  east  of  the  Fair  Grounds.  He  lived  here  and  followed  his 
occupation  of  tilling  the  soil  until  his  death,  in  1819.  He  left  five  sons, 
William,  Joseph,  John,  Asahel  and  Chambers,  and  one  daughter. 

Cornelius  Van  Home  came  from  Sussex  County,  New  Jersey,  where  he 
had  followed  the  occupation  of  a  miller.  He  had  served  as  a  lieutenant  in  the 
War  of  the  Revolution,  and  had  afterward,  like  the  Meads,  taken  up  lands  in 
'  Wyoming  under  the  Pennsylvania  title.  He  proved  his  title  in  the  Supreme 
Court  and  a  decision  was  made  in  his  favor.  But  the  settlements  on  the  dis- 
puted land  were  in  a  state  of  anarchy  and  the  dispossession  of  the  i"ival  claim- 
ants would  have  been  difficult,  so.  ha\ing  secured  a  remuneration  from  the 
State,  he  abandoned  the  lands  and  came  with  the  Meads  in  search  of  a  new 
home  in  the  West.  During  the  spring  he  remained  upon  the  island  in  French 
Creek,  but  in  the  course  of  the  summer  removed  to  a  tract  of  land  a  mile  and 
a  half  below  John  Mead,  where  he  t<x)k  possession  of  a  deserted  Indian  cabin. 
This  land,  which  consisted  of  four  hundred  and  twelve  acres,  he  afterward 
patented  and  made  his  home,  and  part  of  it  is  still  known  as  the  Van  Home 
farm.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  returned  to  New  Jersey  to  visit  his 
mother,  and  for  several  years  Indian  depredations  rendered  the  occupation 
of  his  tract  impracticable.  His  adventure  with  the  Indians  and  capture  by 
them  are  narrated  in  the  chapter  on  Mead  Township.  When  the  Indian 
troubles  were  over  he  again  settled  on  his  tract  in  Vernon,  the  patent  for  which 
is  dated  February  2'/.  1800,  and  which  states  that  a  settlement  was  made 
upon  it  April  15,  1793.  He  lived  upon  his  tract  until  his  death,  in  1846. 
at  the  age  of  ninety-six.     His  brother,  Thomas  Van  Home,  settled  upon  a 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  647 

tract  adjoining  his  on  the  south,  and  lived  there  for  several  years,  afterward 
removing  to  Zanesville,  Ohio. 

The  first  few  years  were  fraught  with  danger  as  well  as  privation,  for 
the  frequent  Indian  attacks,  threatened  and  actual,  rendered  life  upon  the 
frontier  extremely  perilous,  and  several  times  impelled  the  settlers  to  ahandon 
Lheir  lands  and  seek  refuge  at  Fort  Venango,  the  nearest  fortified  place  of 
any  pretensions.  The  house  of  David  Mead  was  fortified  to  some  extent, 
and  when  suddenh-  or  unexpectedly  attacked  it  was  there  that  the  settlers 
Avere  accustomed  to  take  refuge.  On  one  occasion  it  was  necessary  that  Van 
Home  should  go  for  horses  to  Pittsburg.  In  returning  he  was  obliged  to 
follow  a  wild  path  through  the  woods,  from  Pittsburg  to  Venango,  and  he 
described  his  ride  as  lonely,  desolate  and  disagreeable.  Crossing  the  Slippery 
Rock  Creek  the  first  day,  he  encamped  for  the  night  at  the  bottom  of  a  deep 
ravine.  He  had  obtained  some  bread  and  two  pounds  of  butter  in  Pittsburg, 
and  from  this  he  made  his  supper,  after  which  he  rolled  himself  up  in  his 
blanket  to  sleep,  with  his  gun  by  his  side.  He  was  soon  awakened  by  the 
crackling  of  the  fire,  and  found  to  his  dismay  that  it  had  spread  among  the 
dry  leaves  and  communicated  itself  to  the  butter.  In  his  efforts  to  extinguish 
the  flames  his  hands  were  burned  so  severelv  that  it  became  impossible  for 
him  to  sleep  any  more  that  night.  In  the  morning  he  found  that  his  harness 
had  been  much  injured  bv  the  fire  and  that  the  horses,  which  he  had  turned  out 
to  browse,  had  wandered  away  from  his  camp.  All  the  morning  was  occu- 
pied in  mending  the  harness  and  finding  the  horses,  so  that  his  progress  was 
much  delayed.  On  his  route  he  encountered  an  Indian,  and  gained  his  good 
will  by  sharing  with  him  his  bottle  and  remaining  store  of  bread.  To  the 
friendship  of  this  Indian  he  afterward  owed  his  life. 

During  the  first  ten  years  of  the  century  many  families  settled  in  Vernon 
Township.  Alexander  McEntire  came  from  New  Jersey  and  settled  on 
French  Creek  immediately  north  of  his  brother-in-law,  Cornelius  Van  Home. 
Phineas  Dunham  settled  near  \^al!onia ;  William  Henry,  William  McCall  and 
Michael  Seeley  occupied  land  adjoining  Van  Home's  farm.  Robert  An- 
drews, an  Irishman,  was  an  early  settler  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township. 
He  was  for  many  years  a  justice  of  the  peace.  John  Johnson,  another  Irish- 
man, settled  in  Vernon  about  1800,  and  is  still  represented  by  numerous  de- 
scendants. Edward  F.  Randolph  settled  at  an  early  date  near  the  head  of 
Van  Home  Run.  Finlaw  Beatty  resided  in  the  same  vicinity.  The  northern 
and  western  parts  of  the  township  were  owned  by  the  Holland  Land  Com- 
pany, and  were  by  them  sold  to  the  settlers. 

The  valley  of  French  Creek,  opposite  Meadville.  is  the  only  thickly  set- 
tled portion  of  \"ernon  Township.  Kerrtown  is  a  village  of  several  hundred 
people,  situated  upon  the  banks  of  the  creek  opposite  the  southern  part  of  Mead- 
ville, with  which  it  is  connected  bv  an  iron  bridge.     It  was  named  in  honor 


648  ■  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

of  William  Kerr,  who  came  to  this  county  from  Philadelphia  in  1817,  and 
purchased  one  hundred  acres  of  land  upon  French  Creek,  the  site  of  the 
present  village  of  Kerrtown.  He  was  a  man  of  some  education,  having  been 
a  school  teacher,  and  was  an  early  instructor  in  the  Meadville  Academy. 
He  afterward  opened  a  store  opposite  the  present  tannery,  which  he  kept  for 
many  years. 

The  growth  of  the  village  has  been  steady,  many  employees  of  the  railroad 
residing  there.  It  is  the  place  of  voting  for  Vernon  Township,  and  contains  a 
two-story  schoolhouse  and  several  general  stores.  It  was  made  a  postoffice 
in  1884.  A  tannery  was  established  here  by  Frank  Kerr  and  was  afterward 
extensively  operated  by  Frank  Schanweker.  employing  fifteen  or  twenty 
hands,  but  it  has  recently  been  closed.  A  large  wagon  and  carriage  factory  is 
owned  by  the  Rice  Brothers,  and  extensive  brickyards  are  operated  by  Andrew 
Stolz.    A  large  brewery  is  also  among  the  industries. 

Fredericksburg,  or  Stringtown.  as  it  is  more  commonly  called,  is  a  set- 
tlement extending  northward  from  Kerrtown  along  the  bank  of  French 
Creek  for  more  than  a  mile.  These  lots  were  laid  out  in  1863  by  Frederick 
Huidekoper,  and  found  a  ready  sale  among  the  employees  of  the  railroad, 
and  the  settlement  now  numbers  several  hundred.  In  1817  H.  J.  Huidekoper 
built  a  grist  and  saw  mill  on  French  Creek,  near  the  Dock  Street  bridge,  which 
was  operated  by  water  power  from  Cussawago  Creek.  It  passed  into  the 
hands  of  his  son,  Edgar  Huidekoper,  by  whom  it  was  sold  to  the  present 
owners.  Gill  &  Shryock.  It  was  by  them  enlarged  and  steam  power  intro- 
duced, and  is  now  an  extensive  flouring  mill. 

Watson's  Run  Postoffice  is  located  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  town- 
ship.   There  is  no  settlement  of  any  importance. 

The  A\'atson's  Run  German  Reformed  Church  was  organized  in  1840  by 
the  Rev.  Philip  Sicer.  During  the  ministry  of  Rev.  E.  B.  Ernst,  about  1850. 
a  church  edifice  was  erected  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township  at  a  cost  of 
$800.  The  Fausts,  Onspaughs.  Flaughs  and  Browns  were  among  the  prom- 
inent members  of  the  early  days.  The  present  membership,  of  about  seventy- 
five,  is  in- a  prosperous  condition. 

The  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  Watson's  Run  was  organized  in  1869 
by  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Waddle,  with  an  original  membership  of  thirty-two.  The 
Johnsons,  Nelsons,  McKays,  Beattys  and  Calvins  were  among  these.  Arthur 
Johnson  and  M.  A.  Calvin  were  elected  the  first  ruling  elders.  The  congrega- 
tion has  steadily  increased  and  is  now  in  a  flourishing  condition.  In  1870  a 
handsome  church  was  erected  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  township  at  a 
cost  of  $2,200. 

In  the  School  Report  for  1837  no  mention  is  made  of  the  Vernon  schools 
beyond  the  fact  that  they  received  an  appropriation  from  the  State  of  $201.34, 
but  this  is  probably  due  to  the  failure  of  the  proper  official  to  send  in  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  649 

statistics.  In  1896  there  were  twelve  schools,  attended  by  two  hundred  and 
fifty  pupils,  one  hundred  and  seventy-two  boys  and  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
eight  girls.  The  average  cost  for  each  pupil  per  month  was  $1.05,  the  amount 
of  money  expended  for  school  purposes  being  $4,283.86. 

BOROUGH   OF  VALLONIA. 

The  borough  of  Vallonia  is  located  in  the  valley  of  French  Creek,  at 
the  mouth  of  Cussawago  Creek.  It  was  laid  out  by  Frederick  Huidekoper  in 
1866  and  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  two  years  later.  The  first  election 
was  held  June  3.  1868.  at  which  J.  T.  Colwood  was  .elected  Burgess  and  T. 
Rowen  Justice  of  the  Peace.  Vallonia  owes  its  institution  and  growth  to  the 
machine  shops  of  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Railroad,  situated 
in  Meadville,  opposite  the  borough,  and  most  of  the  citizens  are  employed 
there.  William  Hotchkiss,  Theodore  Koehler.  H.  J.  West  and  Adam  Steele 
were  among  the  first  inhabitants.  \A'illiam  Hotchkiss  opened  a  store  on 
Wadsworth  Street  in  1868.  In  1874  he  sold  it  to  E.  H.  Langford,  who  con- 
tinued the  business  until  1875,  when  the  building  was  destroyed  by  fire.  It 
was  rebuilt  by  William  Hotchkiss  and  business  was  resumed  by  J.  S.  Hotch- 
kiss &  Brother,  the  present  proprietors,  who  do  a  large  business  as  wholesale 
and  retail  grocers.  The  greatest  industry  of  Vallonia  is  .the  distillery,  whose 
product  is  widely  known  under  the  name  of  Meadville  whiskey.  In  the  be- 
ginning it  was  owned  successively  by  quite  a  number  of  firms,  and  under  the 
present  management  a  large  business  has  been  Iniilt  up. 

A  postoffice  was  established  in  1876,  J.  S.  Hotchkiss  being  the  first  post- 
master. A  frame  schoolhouse  was  built  in  1868  on  Columbia  Avenue,  but 
has  been  replaced  within  recent  years  by  a  handsome  brick  edifice.  In  1881  a 
mission  chapel  was  erected  on  the  banks  of  French  Creek.  It  was  a  branch  of 
the  Christ  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  Meadville,  and  was  built  during 
the  rectorship  of  Rev.  Carstensen,  at  a  cost  of  $1,400.  The  services  were  not 
conducted  regularly  and  after  a  period  of  inaction  the  property  came  into  the 
possession  of  the  Methodist  denomination,  under  whose  control  it  is  at  present. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


WAYNE   TOWNSHIP. 

WAYNE  TOWNSHIP  lies  near  the  center  of  the  southern  border  of 
the  count}',  aud  includes  19,821  acres  of  land.  The  general  shape 
of  the  township  is  that  of  a  right-angled  triangle.  The  hypothe- 
nuse  or  southeastern  line,  which  borders  on  Venango  County,  consists  of  a 
series  of  right-angled  triangles,  and  produces  a  somewhat  singular  conform- 
ation. The  township  was  laid  out  in  1809,  when  it  included  all  of  what  is 
now  Wayne  and  East  Fairfield,  with  the  southern  portions  of  Mead,  Randolph 
and  Troy.  It  was  given  its  present  limits  in  1829.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Randolph  Township,  on  the  east  by  Venango  County,  on  the  south  by 
Venango  County,  and  on  the  west  by  Fairfield  and  East  Fairfield  townships. 

The  surface  of  Wayne  is  rough  and  hilly,  with  stone  outcropping  in  some 
portions  to  such  an  extent  as  to  render  tillage  difficult.  The  best  land  lies  in 
the  valleys  of  the  streams  which  flow  through  the  township.  French  Creek 
crosses  the  extreme  southwestern  corner,  while  Little  Sugar  Creek,  which 
enters  from  East  Fairfield  in  the  northwestern  corner,  curves  through  the 
western  portion  of  the  township  and  again  enters  East  Fairfield  before  uniting 
with  French  Creek.  Near  the  center  of  the  township  Little  Sugar  Creek 
is  joined  by  Deckard's  Run,  which  flows  in  a  northwesterly  direction  across 
the  eastern  and  central  parts.  Sugar  Lake  Creek  flows  in  a  southeasterly 
direction  across  the  eastern  part.  The  township  is  threaded  by  the  numerous 
tributaries  of  these  streams,  and  in  every  part  may  be  found  copious  springs 
of  excellent  water.  The  valley  of  Sugar  Lake  Creek  broadens  in  some  parts 
to  almost  a  mile  and  contains  much  good  land,  though  some  is  low  and 
marshy.  Before  the  sawmills  had  done  their  work  of  ridding  the  land  of 
timber  this  valley  contained  large  quantities  of  pine  and  hemlock,  which  also 
grew  profusely  along  Little  Sugar  Creek  and  the  other  streams  of  the  town- 
ship. Oak,  beech,  maple,  chestnut  and  poplar  were  found  on  the  higher  land. 
A  branch  of  the  Seneca  Indians  occupied  much  of  the  territory  in  this 
vicinity  prior  to  its  settlement  by  the  whites.  No  more  appropriate  region 
could  be  selected  for  the  residence  of  an  Indian  tribe.  The  rugged  hills, 
clothed  with  forests  and  abounding  in  game ;  the  pure  sparkling  streams  flowing 
among  these  hills,  furnishing  both  excellent  fishing  grounds  and  the  means 
of  communication,  bordered  here  and  there  with  fertile  bottom  lands  as  sites 
for  their  villages  and  cornfields,  and  overlooked  by  remarkable  headlands, 
and  high  hills  for  their  graves  and  places  of  worship, — some  of  these  hills  con- 

650 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  651 

taining  lead,  and  perhaps,  too, other  metals  greatly  prized  hv  them,— these  were 
strong  attractions  for  the  red  natives  of  the  forest.  And  accordingly  in  many 
places  we  find  traces  of  a  numerous  Indian  population  which  once  inliabited 
this  region. 

The  branch  of  the  Senecas  residing  in  this  locality  was  known  as  the 
Moncey.  and  of  two  of  their  chiefs,  Ross  and  Locke,  the  following  story  is 
related:  "They  were  employed  by  the  British  during  the  w^ar  of  the  Revolu- 
tion to  massacre  the  American  settlers,  and  together  they  crossed  the  moun- 
tains on  a  trip  for  blood  and  booty.  Somewhere  on  the  borders  of  Hunting- 
ton or  Franklin  County  they  murdered,  in  cold  blood,  a  schoolmaster  and 
twenty-fi\'e  or  thirty  children.  Taking  the  scalps  they  proceeded  w-ith  them 
to  Niagara,  disposed  of  them,  and  received  the  "bounty"  gi\-en  for  American 
scalps  by  the  British  Government.  Locke  was  somewhat  of  a  bra\-ado,  and  on 
their  return  exhibited  himself  as  the  princinal  hero  of  the  scene.  Ross  was 
mortified  and  determined  on  revenge.  In  true  Indian  stvle  he  waited  years 
for  a  suitable  opportunit}-,  and  at  last,  in  a  drunken  war  dance,  murdered 
Locke.  He  appeared  before  a  council  of  the  Senecas  and  was  sentenced  by 
Ihem  to  sup]iort  Locke's  widow  for  twenty  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he 
was  to  be  slain  by  the  nearest  relative  of  Locke  then  living.  This  mild  sen- 
tence was  passed  on  account  of  his  great  bra\'ery.  At  the  end  of  the  twenty 
years  he  surrendered  himself  to  the  council  of  the  tribe  assembled  near  Buffalo. 
In  the  meantime  the  onlv  son  of  Locke  had  married  the  daughter  of  Ross. 
His  son-in-law  w"as  unwilling  to  slay  him,  for  time  had  long  since  worn  ofif 
the  edge  of  his  revenge,  and  so  the  sentence  was  never  executed.  He  lived 
to  a  great  age,  and  died  on  the  banks  of  his  native  stream,  the  noble  Allegheny." 

In  the  northeastern  part  of  the  tnwnship  lies  Sugar  Lake,  a  beautiful  sheet 
of  water  with  a  surface  of  more  than  one  hundred  acres.  It  is  surrounded  by 
low  hills,  which  rise  upon  all  sides  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheater,  broken  on 
the  north  by  the  inlet.  Sugar  Lake  Creek,  which  again  breaks  through  the 
hills  to  flow  southeast  into  Venango  County.  The  lake  has  an  elevation  above 
Lake  Erie  of  704  feet,  and  has  a  depth  in  some  places  of  from  twenty  to  thirty 
feet.  In  the  early  time  the  lake  and  its  vicinity  was  a  famous  place  for  hunting 
and  fishing,  and  pickerel,  bass,  perch  and  sun  fish  were  taken  from  its  waters 
in  large  numbers.  Wild  ducks  and  geese  also  abounded,  and  the  forests  which 
covered  the  surrounding  hills  were  full  of  game.  A  band  of  Indians  en- 
camped at  the  foot  of  the  hill  near  the  outlet  fur  many  years  after  the  white 
men  came,  and  they  lived  in  peace  and  friendship  with  the  settlers,  never 
molesting  them  in  any  way.  They  acquired  a  fondness  for  the  corn,  potatoes 
and  cultivated  grain  of  the  pioneers,  and  although  they  never  helped  them- 
selves from  the  fields  or  patches  of  the  settlers,  they  fre(|uently  asked  for 
some  of  the  grain  or  vegetables.  This  was  rarely  refused,  and  many  a  pumpkin 
and  measure  of  srrain  went  to  embellish  the  cuisine  of  the  dusky  natives.    Tliesc 


652  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

kindnesses  were  always  repaid  by  generous  gifts  of  bear  meat,  venison  and  other 
wild  game. 

The  game  was  at  first  so  numerous  in  this  vicinity  as  to  prove  trouble- 
some, the  deer  very  often  destroying  fields  of  grain,  which  had  to  be  enclosed 
by  high  fences  to  keep  them  out.  They  were  killed  in  large  numbers  along  the 
lake  and  creek  by  hunting  them  at  night,  the  hunter  approaching  the  unsus- 
pecting animal  by  means  of  a  canoe.  A  lantern  was  fastened  to  the  prow  of 
the  boat  in  such  a  manner  as  to  throw  the  light  in  advance  and  leave  the  canoe 
and  its  occupants  obscured  in  the  darkness,  and  in  this  way  the  game  could  be 
approached  until  within  easy  range,  and  it  was  either  an  unfortunate  or  an 
unskillful  hunter  who  failed  to  secure  fi\'e  or  six  deer  in  one  evening.  It  is 
related  that  Jnmes  Ferry  killed  eighteen  bears  and  eight  hundred  deer  of  which 
he  kept  a  record,  during  his  residence  there.  The  wolves  were  ravenous,  and 
could  scarcely  be  restrained  from  attacking  the  stock  before  the  very  eyes  of 
the  settlers.  Panthers,  too,  were  not  unusual,  and  many  a  bear  shot  in  the 
neighborhood  has  formed  the  subject  of  an  oft-repeated  tale.  During  the 
early  times  rattlesnakes  were  numerous  in  the  vicinity,  and  were  a  dangerous 
pest.  A  den  of  them  was  found  on  the  western  bank  of  the  lake  in  a  clump 
of  young  hemlocks  near  a  spring,  and  for  many  years  the  farmers  were 
unable  to  exterminate  them.  Horses  were  very  often  bitten,  usually  on  the 
nose,  the  result  being  fatal.  The  ground  was  covered  with  pea  vines,  on  which 
the  horses  fed,  and  the  poisonous  reptiles  lurking  beneath  repaid,  with  their 
deadly  fangs,  any  intrusion  into  the  foliage. 

The  whole  of  Wayne  Township  is  included  within  the  Eighth  Donation 
District.  It  was  settled  slowly,  like  all  the  lands  in  Crawford  County  which 
were  distributed  by  the  State  in  reward  for  military  services.  Many  of  the 
lots  drawn  b}-  the  soldiers  were  never  occupied  by  them,  but  were  transferred 
to  other  settlers  or  to  land  speculators,  while  only  the  lands  left  undrawn  by 
the  soldiers  were  open  to  general  settlement.  Those  who  wished  to  locate 
together  in  one  neighborhood  could  not  do  so  here,  as  in  other,  townships,  as 
the  unoccupied  lots  were  separated  by  those  taken  by  the  soldiers,  and  there 
w-as  not  the  opportunity  for  selection  that  was  offered  by  the  land  companies 
and  the  individual  tracts.  As  no  concerted  effort  could  be  made  it  resulted  that 
Wayne  Township  remained  a  wilderness  long  after  Mead,  Randolph,  Fair- 
field and  East  Fairfield  were  covered  with  productive  farms.  Before  1820 
very  few  of  the  tracts  had  been  improved,  and  it  was  many  years  later  before 
anything  like  a  general  settlement  took  place. 

It  is  impossible  to  tell  in  just  Avhat  year,  or  by  whom,  the  settlement  of  the 
township  was  commenced.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  the  first  clearings  were 
made  in  the  western  part,  near  French  Creek.  One  of  the  earliest  pioneers, 
Thomas  Cochran,  came  from  Adams  County  and  located  about  a  mile  east  of 
Cochranton,  where  he  remained  throughout  life.    He  left  a  large  family,  which 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  653 

is  still  represented  in  the  township  by  numerous  descendants.  Before  1810 
and  possibly  as  early  as  1805,  David  Blair  came  to  the  township  from  Milton' 
Northumberland  County,  and  settled  near  French  Creek,  in  the  extreme 
southwestern  part  of  the  township.  Others  came  at  about  the  same  time 
among  them  Isaac  and  Samuel  Bonnell,  Nicholas  Bailev,  Edward  Ferry  John 
Greer,  Michael  Kightlinger,  Hugh  McDill,  William  Wheeling,  Joseph  Wood- 
worth,  Louis  Wood  worth  and  Jacolj  Waggoner.  All  but  three  of  these  set- 
tled in  the  western  part,  in  the  vicinity  of  French  Creek. 

The  first  house  built  near  the  lake  was  the  log  cabin  constructed  by  Michael 
Dill,  who  had  previously  settled  near  French  Creek.  On  the  occasion  of  the 
house  raising  he  invited  his  friends  to  assist  him  in  the  important  ceremony, 
and  they  came  from  a  distance  of  several  miles.  Dill  did  not  remain  in  this 
cabin,  however.  Edward  Ferry,  who  had  come  from  Lancaster  County  with 
his  family,  and  intended  settling  on  the  hill  above  the  lake,  was  induced  by 
Dill  to  occupy  the  cabin  and  continue  the  work  of  improvement,  in  considera- 
tion of  some  live  stock  which  Dill  possessed.  Ferry  afterward  bought  the 
land,  and  remained  its  occupant  throughout  life.  Hugh  A'IcDill,  from  Ireland, 
settled  in  the  extreme  eastern  part  and  remained  there  until  his  death.  The 
first  settlement  on  Deckard's  Run  was  made  by  Jacob  Waggoner.  Between 
1 810  and  1820  other  pioneers  came  in  and  settled  in  the  eastern  part,  among 
them  Samuel  Beers,  David  McKnight,  Daniel  McDaniels  and  John  Allen. 

No  villages  of  any  size  are  found  in  ^^'a}'ne  Township.  Wilson's  Mills 
Postoffice  is  located  in  the  northeastern  part,  near  Sugar  Lake.  Kastor's  Cor- 
ners is  a  postoffice  near  the  center  of  the  township.  Deckard's  Postoffice,  or 
Deckardville,  as  it  was  formerly  called,  is  a  hamlet  in  the  eastern  part.  It  was 
first  settled  in  1829  by  Jacob  Rees,  who  came  from  Philadelphia.  It  was  then 
covered  by  a  dense  forest,  through  which  he  was  obliged  to  cut  his  way  to  his 
place  of  settlement.  It  now  contains  a  store,  blacksmith  shop,  two  churches  and 
several  dwellings. 

A  grist  mill  was  erected  on  Little  Sugar  Creek  in  1800,  by  Holmes  & 
Plerriot,  and  several  years  later  they  sold  it  to  Isaac  Bonnell,  who  also  operated 
a  distillery.  It  was  an  important  industry  in  the  early  times,  and  has  changed 
hands  frequently  since  its  erection.  Henry  Heath  operated  a  powder  mill  in 
the  southern  part  early  in  the  century.  Several  saw  mills  have  been  built  m 
various  parts  of  the  township  and  lumbering  is  still  an  important  industry. 

James  Douglas  taught  school  in  a  log  cabin  in  the  western  part  of  the 
township  at  an  early  date.  A  frame  schoolhouse  was  afterward  built  in  the 
same  place,  but  later  was  removed  to  Cochranton.  The  children  in  the  ex- 
treme eastern  part  of  Wayne  attended  school  in  Randolph  Township  for  sev- 
eral vears  The  first  school  in  the  eastern  part  was  taught  by  John  Kane,  m  a 
little"  shantv  on  the  eastern  bank  of  Sugar  Lake  Creek,  and  John  Moreland 
afterward  taught  in  the  same  building.     In  1896  fourteen  schools  were  mam- 


654  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

tained  in  ^Vayne  Township  during  six  montlis  of  tlie  year.  They  were  at- 
tended liy  three  inmdred  and  eighty  pupils,  while  the  amount  expended  by  the 
township  for  the  support  of  the  schools  exceeded  four  thousand  dollars. 

A  congregation  of  Free  Will  Baptists  was  organized  in  1865  by  Elder 
Chase.  It  had  a  prosperous  existence  for  some  time,  erecting  a  church  build- 
ing at  Deckardville  at  a  cost  of  $1,500,  but  the  membership  decreased  and  the 
society  soon  went  out  of  existence. 

The  United  Brethren  Church  at  Deckard\'ille  was  organized  about  1848. 
At  first  quarterly  meetings  were  held  in  barns,  and  afterward  in  the  log  school- 
house  of  the  village.  In  1855  a  church  edifice  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $1,100. 
Prominent  among  the  early  members  were  Jefferson  Cousins,  James  Tingley, 
William  Houtz,  Joseph  Shafifer  and  William  Wheeland.  The  society  is  in- 
cluded in  the  Deckard  Run  circuit,  which  was  formed  in  1880. 

A  society  of  Wesleyans  existed  many  years  ago  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
township,  and  in  1843  erected  a  log  church  on  the  eastern  side  of  Sugar  Lake. 
Among. the  more  prominent  of  the  society  w'ere  Benjamin  Beers,  James  Dye, 
Henry  Sparling  and  David  Holton.  The  membership,  which  was  never  large, 
decreased  as  time  rolled  on,  until  about  i860  the  society  ceased  to  e.xist,  and 
the  old  log  church  was  all  that  remained  to^  testify  of  the  past.  About  1860 
Revs.  Muncie  and  Bedow,  of  the  United  Brethren  Church,  visited  this  vicinity 
and  organized  a  society  of  their  denomination,  of  which  Simeon  Brink,  Andrew 
Wygant  and  David  Sweet  were  early  members.  They  worshiped  for  man}' 
years  in  the  old  log  house  of  the  Wesleyans,  until  in  t  882  they  erected  a  modest 
frame  structure  on  the  same  site  at  a  cost  of  $1,500. 

The  St.  John's  Reformed  Church  at  Deckardville  was  organized  in  1846. 
Services  were  held  for  several  years  in  the  schoolhouse,  until  in  i860  a  church 
building  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $1,000,  as  the  joint  property  of  the  Luther- 
ans and  German  Reformed.  In  1877  the  Lutherans,  who  had  decreased  in 
numbers,  withdrew  from  further  support  of  the  church  property  and  soon 
afterward  disbanded.  The  Reformed  Congregation  in  1883  extended  and 
repaired  the  property  and  now  have  a  large  and  flourishing  society. 

The  Zion  Reformed  Church  was  organized  in  1870  by  Rev.  Kretzing. 
Among  the  early  members  were  Francis  McDaniel  and  wife,  William  Mc- 
Daniel  and  wife,  James  Record  and  wife,  and  William  McElroy.  A  neat  frame 
church  was  erected  in  1872  at  a  cost  of  $1,800,  the  previous  meetings  having 
been  held  in  a  schoolhouse.  The  lot  upon  which  the  church  was  built  was  given 
by  Francis  McDaniel,  and  is  in  the  extreme  northern  part  of  the  township. 
Rev.  John  Kretzing  was  the  first  pastor. 


CHAPTER  XXXIl. 


WEST    FALLOWFIELD. 

THE  WHOLE  of  the  land  of  West  Fallowfield  Township  was  included 
within  the  domains  of  the  Pennsylvania  Population  Company.  This 
was  an  association  of  wealthy  gentlemen,  organized  in  May,  1792,  of 
which  the  great  land  speculator,  John  Nicholson,  was  president,  and  Cazenove. 
Irvine,  Mead,  Leet,  Hoge  and  Stewart,  managers.  Their  stock  consisted  of 
2,500  shares,  which,  as  each  share  represented  200  acres,  was  vested  in  500,- 
000  acres  of  land.  Anyone  transferring  to  the  company  a  donation  tract  of 
200  acres  was  entitled  to  a  share  of  stock.  The  title  to  their  lands  was  vested 
in  trustees,  to  be  held  in  common,  and  the  proceeds  divided  pro  ram  among  the 
stockholders.  John  Nicholson,  individually,  soon  after  the  passage  of  the 
law  of  1792,  had  made  application  at  the  land  office  for  390  warrants,  to  be 
located  in  the  "triangle,"  then  known  as  the  Lake  Erie  Territory,  and  for  250 
warrants  more  on  the  waters  of  Beaver  Creek,  amounting  in  all  to  about  260.- 
000  acres.  But  before  paying  the  purchase  money  on  these  tracts  he  trans- 
ferred his  application  to  the  company,  which  paid  for  them  and  perfected  the 
title.  They  also  took  up  about  500  warrants  more  in  Erie  and  Crawford 
counties. 

In  1829  the  original  Fallowfield  Township  was  shorn  of  much  of  its  ter- 
ritory on  the  north  and  east,  being  reduced  almost  to  the  form  of  a  square, 
six  miles  each  way.  This  was  the  area  it  was  intended  to  give  to  each  town- 
ship, and  is  still  retained  by  Conneaut,  Beaver  and  several  others.  But  in 
thus  dividing  the  county  like  a  checker  board  the  natural  boundaries  had  been 
ignored,  and  it  was  soon  seen  that  Crooked  Creek,  flowing  from  north  to  south 
through  the  township,  divided  it  naturally  into  two  portions.  As  communi- 
cation was  sometimes  rendered  extremely  difficult  between  the  two  parts, 
F"allowship  Township  was  divided,  in  1841,  into  two  separate  townships,  and 
the  portion  lying  to  the  west  of  Crooked  Creek  received  the  name  of  West 
Fallowfield. 

The  township  thus  formed  has  an  irregular  outline,  and  contains  6,885 
acres.  It  has  an  average  width  of  one  and  one-half  to  two  miles,  and  is 
about  seven  miles  in  length.  Crooked  Creek,  which  fonns  the  eastern  boun- 
dary line,  is  the  principal  stream,  and  the  land  is  watered  by  it  and  its  tribu- 
taries. Much  of  the  land  lies  within  the  valley  of  Crooked  Creek,  the  surface 
being  rolling  and  the  soil  a  clayey  loam.  Pine,  oak  and  chestnut  timber  cov- 
ered the  land  in  the  early  days,  but  little  remains  at  present.     The  Beaver 

65.=; 


656  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

and  Erie  Canal  passed  through  this  valley  and  above  Hartstown  broadened 
into  a  large  canal  basin  with  an  area  of  several  hundred  acres.  The  waters 
thus  pent  up  on  the  low  land  engendered  malaria,  and  this  for  a  long  time 
proved  a  serious  obstacle  to  the  development  of  the  adjoining  country.  After 
the  abandonment  of  the  canal  the  sickness  decreased,  and  the  locality  has 
since  proved  to  be  a  ^^ery  healthful  one. 

Hugh  Fletcher,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century,  began  the  settle- 
ment of  West  Fallow-field  Township.  He  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  located 
in  the  northern  part  in  1797.  Flugh  and  Henry  Blair,  also  from  Ireland, 
were  pioneer  settlers.  Hugh  came  in  1802  and  settled  upon  a  tract  of  one 
hundred  acres  about  one  mile  north  of  Hartstown.  William  Henry,  in  1800, 
came  on  foot  through  the  woods  from  Fayette  County  and  took  up  land  just 
west  of  Hartstown.  His  first  shelter  was  a  frail  hut,  supported  by  sticks  for 
rafters  and  covered  with  bark,  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  an  Indian  wig- 
wam. He  next  built  a  pole  hut,  and  as  his  skill  as  a  carpenter  did  not  extend 
to  making  a  door,  he  cut  a  hole  in  a  log  near  the  top,  and  through  this  orifice 
crawled  in  and  out.  It  is  claimed  that  he  was  the  first  tanner  in  the  county 
west  of  Meadville.  He  first  operated  upon  a  horse  skin  and  the  skin  of  a  calf 
partly  eaten  by  wolves,  tanning  them  in  a  dug-out  trough.  The  next  season 
he  built  vats  lined  with  puncheon.  A  tannery  was  built  in  1806,  but  was  burned 
down  in  18 1 8.  It  was  rebuilt,  however,  the  following  year,  and  work  was  con- 
tinued in  it  as  late  as  1872. 

Adam  Owry.  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  came  in  1797,  or  even  earlier, 
accompanied  by  his  brother  John.  The  reason  of  the  latter  was  unsettled, 
owing  to  injuries  sustained  while  running-  an  Indian  gauntlet.  William 
Campbell  was  an  early  settler  and  built  the  first  grist  mill,  about  a  mile  south 
of  Adamsville.  Andrew  McQuiston,  another  pioneer,  operated  a  distillery. 
Within  a  few  years  after  the  beginning  of  the  settlement  a  large  number  of 
tracts  had  been  taken  up,  as  the  records  of  the  Pennsylvania  Population  Com- 
pany show.  Some  were  settled  by  the  persons  who  contracted  for  the  land, 
while  others  perfected  the  title  by  a  tenant,  or  by  sending  some  member  of  the 
family  to  reside  upon  the  tract.  A  large  majority  of  the  settlers  here  were 
Irish,  or  of  Irish  descent. 

There  was,  at  an  early  period  of  our  settlements,  an  inferior  sort  of  a 
land  title,  denominated  a  "tomahawk  right,"  which  was  made  by  deadening 
a  few  trees  near  the  head  of  a  spring  and  marking  the  bark  of  some  one  or 
more  of  them  with  the  initials  of  the  name  of  the  person  who  made  the  im- 
pro\-ement.  It  is  doubtful  if  this  tomahawk  improvement  conferred  any  right 
whatsoever,  unless  followed  by  an  actual  settlement,  but  for  a  long  time 
many  of  them  bore  the  names  of  those  who  made  them.  These  rights,  how- 
c\-er,  were  often  bought  and  sold.  Those  who  had  selected  favorite  tracts  of 
land  on  which  they  desired  to  make  improvements  bought  up  the  tomahawk 


OUR  COUNTY  AND-  ITS  PEOPLE.  657 

rights  rather  tlian  enter  into  quarrels  with  those  who  l:ad  made  tliem.  Otlier 
improvers  of  the  land,  with  a  view  to  actual  settlement,  and  wlio  happened  to 
be  stout,  veteran  fellows,  took  a  very  different  course  from  that  of  buying  out 
the  "tomahawk  rights."  When  annoyed  by  the  claimants  under  those  dtles 
they  deliberately  cut  a  few  good  hickories  and  gave  them  what  was  in  those 
days  called  a  "laced  jacket,"'  that  is,  a  sound  whipping. 

Ezra  Buell.  an  old  and  very  able  teacher,  taught  a  school  in  1820  on 
the  \\'illiam  Henry  farm,  within  the  present  limits  of  Hartstown.  Hugh 
Andrews,  Calvin  Leonard  and  Thomas  Guthrie  were  other  capa1)le  and  well- 
known  teachers  during  the  early  days.  A  school  at  Adamsville  was  estab- 
lished in  1825.  and  was  organized  with  two  grades  in  1861.  In  1834  there 
were  four  schools  in  the  township,  the  houses  all  being  of  logs.  This  number 
has  of  necessity  decreased  since  the  establishment  of  Hartstown  as  an  inde- 
pendent borough  and  the  separation  of  the  schools.  In  1896  there  were  two 
schools  in  West  Fallowfield,  the  school  year  averaging  eight  months.  Forty- 
nine  pupils  were  enrolled,  and  nearly  one  thousand  dollars  was  devoted  to 
school  purposes  bv  the  township. 

Adamsville  is  a  busy  little  village,  situated  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
township,  in  the  valley  of  Crooked  Creek.  The  Owrys  were  the  first  settlers, 
and  it  was  here  that  Adam  Owry  followed  his  trade  as  a  blacksmith.  A 
blacksmith  shop  is  usually  looked  upon  as  a  center  in  a  rural  district,  and  a 
little  hamlet  soon  sprang  up,  while  the  construction  of  the  Beaver  and  Erie 
Canal  later  on  gave  it  shape  and  position.  The  settlement  was  christened 
Owrytown  and  was  generally  known  under  that  name  during  the  early  years, 
but  subsequently  it  acquired  the  title  of  Adamsville,  both  names  being  de- 
rived from  that  of  Adam  Owry.  the  original  settler.  Adamsville  was  laid 
out  as  a  village  in  1841,  by  Henry  Owry,  the  original  plan  containing  sixty- 
four  lots.  ]Main  Street,  si.^ty  feet  in  width,  runs  north  and  south,  and  First, 
Second,  Third,  Liberty  and  South,  each  fifty  feet  wide,  cross  the  village  from 
east  to  west.  George  Owry  kept  the  first  tavern,  and  Frank  Owry  built  a 
sawmill.  The  village  now  contains  several  stores  and  shops,  a  hotel,  schools, 
churches,  and  thirty  or  forty  families.  A  post-office  is  located  there,  and  it 
is  a  station  on  the  Pittsburg.  Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie  Railroad,  which 
traverses  West  Fallowfield  Township  from  north  to  south. 

A  Covenanter  or  Reformed  Presbyterian  congregation  was  organized  at 
Adamsville  in  1805.  There  were  fifteen  original  members.  Dr.  John  Black, 
of  Pittsburg,  who  had  been  the  moving  spirit  in  the  organization,  visited 
them  every  fifth  Sabbath. the  members  in  the  meantime  holding  serx'ices  without 
a  pastor.  Their  meeting  place  was  at  first  a  rough  log  cabin,  afterward  a 
frame  church,  located  on  a  hill  about  a  mile  southwest  from  Adamsville. 
Samuel  Hays  was  the  first  elder,  and  in  181 3  Samuel  Rogers  and  John  Mc- 
Master  were  added  to  the  session.  It  was  during  the  same  year  that  Rev. 
42 


658  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Robert  Gibson  became  pastor,  who  remained  thirteen  years.  A.  W.  Black, 
David  Herron  and  John  Nevin  were  his  successors,  and  when,  in  1866,  the 
latter  left,  the  society  was  broken  up.  most  of  the  members  joining  the  Adanis- 
ville  United  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  Adamsville  was  organized  about 
185 1,  and  two  years  later  a  church  building  was  finished  at  a  cost  of  $2,000, 
since  much  improved  and  repaired.  James  M.  Blair  and  Thomas  McCurdy 
were  the  first  elders.  Upon  the  disbanding  of  the  Covenanter  congregation 
the  membership  was  largely  increased  and  the  church  much  strengthened.  It 
now  has  a  large  and  flourishing  membership. 

The  Free  Will  Baptist  Church  of  Adamsville  was  another  early  religious 
organization,  starting  with  twenty-one  members,  in  1852,  with  Rev.  J.  S. 
Manning  as  the  first  pastor.  In  1853  a  church  building  was  erected.  The 
membership  was  much  reduced  by  removals  and  deaths,  and  as  there  were 
no  compensating  accessions,  the  organization  disbanded  about  1876. 

The  Adamsville  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  was  originally  located 
at  Greenville,  where  it  was  a  branch  of  the  Springfield  congregation,  and  was 
removed  to  Adams^-ille  about  1873,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  J.  Mc- 
Clurken.  He  remained  but  a  short  time,  and  after  a  series  of  supplies  Rev. 
J.  R.  Wylie  was  installed  in  1877.  When  the  Baptist  Church  was  disbanded 
their  building  was  purchased  by  the  Reformed  Presbyterians. 

BOROUGH    OF    HARTSTOWX. 

The  l)orough  of  Hartstown  is  located  in  the  northern  part  of  West 
Fallowfield  Township,  upon  the  line  of  the  Pittsburg,  Bessemer  and  Lake  Erie 
Railroad.  The  village  was  named  from  James  and  William  Hart,  two  broth- 
ers, who  settled  in  this  locality  at  an  early  date  and  owned  the  land  on  which 
the  town  was  built.  Dr.  Steen  built  the  second  cabin  erected  in  the  place, 
and  a  blacksmith  named  Thomas  Rogers,  the  third.  A  tavern  was  built  by 
Mr.  Hart  and  was  for  some  time  kept  by  a  Mr.  LeFevre,  while  John  McFaron 
was  the  first  merchant.  The  construction  of  the  canal  contributed  much  to  the 
growth  of  Hartstown,  and  since  that  waterway  has  been  abandoned  the  vil- 
lage has  not  increased  in  population. 

Hartstown  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  in  1850,  and  B.  Ewing  was 
elected  to  serve  as  the  first  Burgess.  It  has  a  population  of  thirty  or  forty 
families,  and  contains  several  stores,  shops,  schools  and  churches.  Its  two 
schools  are  maintained  during  seven  months,  at  a  cost  to  the  borough  of 
about  six  hundred  dollars.  During  the  year  1896  sixty-nine  pupils  were  in 
attendance. 

Several  church  edifices  have  been  erected  at  Hartstown  at  various  periods. 
The  United  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  in  1830  as  an  Associate  Re- 
formed congregation.    Rev.  S.  F.  Smith  was  the  first  pastor.    The  first  church 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  659 

building  was  erected  in  1830.  and  was  replaced  by  another  in  1856  at  a  cost 
of  $2,500. 

A  Covenanters  or  Reformed  Presbyterian  congregation  was  formed  in 
1852.  but  soon  afterward  united  with  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
their  building  was  purchased  by  a  congregation  of  the  German  Reformed 
persuasion.  This  society  went  out  of  existence,  and  the  building  came  into 
the  possession  of  a  Zion  society.  This  in  turn  also  ceased  to  exist.  The  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church  was  organized  with  fifteen  members  about  1840,  and 
the  same  year  a  church  building  was  erected  near  the  village.  This  has  since 
been  replaced  by  a  larger  and  more  elaborate  building.  The  class  is  connected 
w  ith  the  Espyville  circuit. 


CHAPTER  XXXIl 


WEST   SHENANGO   TOWNSHIP. 

SHENANGO  was  one  of  the  townships  into  which  Crawford  County  was 
divided  in  1800,  and  its  boundaries  were  described  as  follows:  ''Be- 
ginning at  the  southwest  corner  of  Crawford  County :  thence  nortli- 
wardly  the  breadth  of  a  certain  fraction  of  a  tract,  distance  unknown,  together 
with  the  breadth  of  eleven  full  tracts :  thence  eastwardly  the  breadth  of  one 
tract  adjoining  the  State  line,  together  with  the  length  of  eight  tracts ;  thence 
southwardly  to  the  southern  boundary  of  Crawford  County ;  thence  by  the 
same  to  the  place  of  beginning."  As  thus  constituted  it  occupied  the  whole 
of  the  southwestern  corner  of  the  county,  a  tract  eight  by  nine  miles  in  size. 
In  1830  the  boundaries  were  changed  and  Shenango  was  divided  into  North 
and  South  Shenango,  the  latter  including  what  is  now  West  Shenango. 

But  in  the  course  of  time  it  was  found  that  the  divisions  had  not  been 
made  so  as  to  best  suit  the  convenience  of  the  citizens.  The  boundaries  were 
mere  geographical  lines,  and  natural  boundaries  were  ignored.  But  Shenango 
Creek,  which  runs  from  the  northwest  corner  toward  the  southeast,  becomes 
in  rainy  weather  a  very  turbulent  stream,  and  there  was  frequently  great 
difficulty  in  maintaining  communication  between  the  two  sides.  Sometimes 
the  children  were  thus  prevented  from  attending  school,  and  the  citizens 
could  not  always  reach  the  polling  place  on  days  of  election.  It  was  therefore 
thought  best  by  all  concerned  that  a  still  further  division  should  take  place, 
using  as  a  line  of  division  the  turbulent  stream  which  seemed  to  form  a  natiu-al 
boundary.  Upon  the  petition  of  the  citizens  of  South  Shenango  Township 
to  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions  to  divide  the  township,  James  Espy  was 


66o  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

appointed  surveyor,  and  Eliplialet  Allen  and  R.  S.  McKay,  viewers.  On  April 
2,  1863,  they  reported  favorably,  with  a  slight  alteration  of  the  boundaries, 
and  the  report  was  approved  and  confirmed  by  the  court  August  14.  1863. 
It  was  decided  that  the  new  township  should  he  called  West  Shenango,  and 
an  election  was  ordered  to  be  held  in  the  Turnersville  schoolhouse,  where 
John  Custard  and  Francis  Royal  were  appointed  inspectors,  and  Samuel  Kel- 
log,  judge  of  the  first  election.  The  township  is  the  smallest  in  the  county, 
containing  but  4,947  acres.  The  surface  is  level  and  the  soil  well  adapted  to 
the  culti\'ation  of  fruit  and  grain.  The  township  is  traversed  from  northwest 
to  southeast  by  the  Franklin  division  of  the  Lake  Shore  and  Michigan  Southern 
Railroad. 

But  although  West  Shenango  has  been  organized  as  a  political  division 
since  1863  only,  it  was  settled,  as  were  the  neighboring  townships,  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Samuel  Scott  and  John  White,  from 
Perry  County,  were  early  settlers,  and  Andrew  and  John  Betts  made  settle- 
ments about  the  same  time.  They  came  from  Fayette  County,  and  Andrew 
followed  hunting  as  an  occupation  for  several  years.  It  is  related  that  he 
killed  deer  to  the  number  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  in  a  single  season. 
John  Betts  afterward  became  a  Methodist  preacher.  Jeremiah  Yoke,  an 
old  bachelor,  was  one  of  the  township's  earliest  pioneers,  and  came  from 
Fayette  County.  In  the  early  days  he  was  a  large  land  holder,  but  he  lost 
his  possessions  later  in  life  and  died  in  reduced  circumstances.  His  brother 
George  was  also  a  pioneer,  and  his  descendants  still  reside  in  the  township. 
Many  others  came  about  1800,  and  the  land  was  rapidly  taken  up. 

Far  removed,  as  thev  were,  from  anv  center  of  civilization,  they  were 
forced  to  depend  upon  themseh-es  tor  almost  everythin''^,  and  every  native 
mechanical  genius  was  called  int3  action.  There  was  in  ilmost  every  neigh- 
borhood some  one  whose  natural  ii.genuity  enabled  hir  to  do  many  things 
for  himself  and  his  neighbors  far  above  what  would  ave  been  expected. 
Many  families  included  in  their  n  aber  their  own  taiK  rs  and  shoemakers. 
Many  who  could  not  make  shoes  C(  dd  make  shoe  packs,  a  contrivance  much 
like  a  moccasin.  With  the  few  tc  )ls  that  they  brought  with  them  into  the 
country  they  certainly  performed  vonders.  Their  ploughs,  harrows  with 
wooden  teeth,  and  sleds  were  in  n  my  instances  well  made.  Their  cooper 
ware,  which  included  all  sorts  of  ■  ?ssels  for  holding  milk  and  water,  was 
generally  well  executed.  The  ceda  ware,  in  particular,  by  having  alternately 
a  white  and  red  stave,  was  thought  '«eautiful.  Many  of  the  puncheon  floors 
were  very  neat,  the  joints  close,  anc.  the  top  smooth  and  even.  Their  looms, 
though  heavy,  did  very  well.  Those  who  could  not  exercise  these  mechanic 
arts  were  under  the  necessity  of  giving  labor  or  barter  to  their  neighbors  in 
exchanae  for  the  use  of  them,  so  far  as  their  necessities  required. 

A  machine,  still  more  simple  than  the  mortar  and  pestle,  was  used  for 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  66i 

making  meal  when  the  com  was  too  soft  to  be  pounded.  It  was  called  a 
grater,  and  consisted  of  a  half  circular  piece  of  tin  perforated  with  a  punch 
from  the  concave  side,  and  nailed  by  its  edges  to  a  block  of  wood.  The  ears 
of  corn  were  rubbed  on  the  rough  edges  of  the  holes,  while  the  meal  fell 
through  them  upon  the  board  or  block  to  which  the  grater  was  nailed,  which, 
being  in  a  slanting  position,  discharged  the  meal  into  a  cloth  or  bowl  placed 
there  to  receive  it.  This,  to  be  sure,  was  a  slow  way  of  making  meal,  but.  as 
\\as  remarked  by  the  person  who  thus  described  it,  necessity  knows  no  law. 

As  early  as  1810,  however,  Andrew  Betts  operated  a  grist  mill  upon  his 
farm,  and  it  was  no  longer  necessarj^  to  grate  the  com.  His  mill  was  fed 
by  a  strong  spring  and  did  the  grinding  for  that  neighborhood  for  a  number 
of  years.     He  also  owned  a  distillery  in  1810,  and  later  on  built  a  sawmill. 

Schools  were  rare  in  the  early  times  and  the  children  were  often  forced 
to  cross  Shenango  Creek  to  the  schools  in  what  is  now  South  Shenango. 
Edward  Hatton  was  one  of  the  earliest  school  teachers.  Polly  Moss,  from 
Ohio,  taught  school  about  1820  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  township.  After 
the  division  of  the  township  a  system  of  schools  was  established  and  put  in 
successful  operation.  The  number  of  schools  in  1896  was  four,  with  a  session 
of  six-months  duration.  They  were  attended  by  seventy-four  pupils,  and 
were  maintained  at  a  cost  of  about  eleven  hundred  dollars  for  the  year.  The 
average  cost  of  instruction  per  month  for  each  scholar  was  one  dollar  and 
sixty-nine  cents. 

Turnersville  is  a  small  village  of  about  twenty  families,  situated  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  township.  It  was  laid  out  by  David  Tumer,  and  he 
entertained  high  hopes  of  soon  making  it  a  place  of  great  importance.  He 
set  a  day  of  public  sale  on  which  to  sel  the  town  lots  at  auction,  and  in  order 
to  conciliate  thc;^'  in  attendance  and  stin.'ulate  the  bidding  he  procured  a 
barrel  of  sugar  ai  i  a  keg  of  whisky  aid  placed  them  at  the  disposal  of  the 
attending  crowd.  The  whisky  was  readily  consumed,  but  the  lots  were 
not  sold,  and  in  i.  year  or  two  the  dt  appointed  proprietor  disposed  of  his 
interests  to  Peter^Doty  and  Israel  K  der  and  removed  from  the  vicinity. 
Charles  Davis  started  the  first  store  h"^ri,  and  the  first  tavern  was  kept  by 
Jesse  Webb.  An  ashery  was  owned  by  Anthony  Hollister,  while  James 
White  and  Peter  Doty  were  among  he  early  settlers.  The  village  now 
contains  a  hotel,  a  store,  one  or  two  si  ops,  a  church,  a  school  and  the  town- 
ship postoffice. 

The  Methodist  Protestant  Class  v.'as  organized  in  1S77  by  Kev.  Still- 
wagon.  There  were  about  thirteen  oi  nnal  members,  and  the  first  meetmgs 
were  held  in  the  schoolhouse.  In  1878  a  fine  church  edifice  was  erected,  at 
a  cost  of  about  $4,000,  and  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  Alexander  Clark,  of  Pitts- 
burg. It  was  at  first  connected  with  the  Tmmbull  circuit,  but  since  1880 
has  been  a  station. 


662  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  State  Line  Methodist  Episcopal  Society  was  organized  in  1819, 
with  fourteen  members,  by  Rev.  E.  Morse,  who  became  the  first  pastor. 
The  meetings  were  for  many  years  held  in  the  schoolhouse.  Init  in  1851  the 
church  edifice  was  erected  in  the  southwestern  corner  of  the  township  and 
of  the  county,  at  a  cost  of  Si,  100.  Peter  Royal,  William  Yoke,  Henry 
Royal,  John  Betts  and  ]Mr.  Edwards  and  wife  were  among  the  first  members. 
The  congregation,  which  is  a  large  one  and  forms  part  of  the  Jamestown 
circuit,  includes  many  members  in  Mercer  County  and  across  the  Ohio  line. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 


WOODCOCK  TOWNSHIP. 

TO  ONE  who  has  spent  his  life  amidst  the  picturesque  scenery  of  Craw- 
ford County,  the  famous  landscapes  of  the  Old  World  seem  to  haye 
been  giyen  an  exaggerated  importance,  and  he  wonders  why  they  are 
so  besieged  by  tourists,  while  the  maryelous  beauties  of  our  western  continent 
are  so  little  known  and  appreciated.  And  it  is  not  because  they  excel,  in  any 
degree,  the  scenery  of  many  parts  of  the  United  States.  The  fertile  meadov.s 
of  England,  the  romantic  sights  of  the  Rhine,  and  the  green  hills  of  Nor- 
mandy haye  for  us  a  double  attraction,  for  they  possess,  in  addition  to  their 
intrinsic  beauty,  the  value  of  a  well  known  history.  On  this  field  was  decided 
the  fate  of  an  empire :  behind  that  hill  was  fought  a  battle  which  changed  the 
history  of  the  world.  Here  the  Franks  drove  back  the  Saracens  to  the  fast- 
nesses of  the  Pyrenees :  and  there  Cjesar  won  the  battle  which  added  Gaul  to 
the  Roman  Empire.  And  so  these  spots  become  hallowed  to  us  through 
the  events  of  the  past,  and  we  look  with  a  doubled  interest  upon  the  places 
made  famous  in  the  world's  history.  But  we  shall  fail  to  find,  in  any  country, 
scenery  which  can  excel  in  picturesque  beauty  the  hills  and  valleys  of  north- 
western Pennsylvania.  As  we  follow  the  valley  of  French  Creek  in  its 
windings  through  Crawford  County,  we  are  struck  by  the  beauty  of  the 
landscapes  and  the  diversity  of  the  scenes,  the  placid  blue  of  the  waters,  the 
green  valley  through  which  it  takes  its  course,  and  the  long  vision  of  lov.- 
hills  on  either  side,  rising  and  receding  into  a  rich  upland  country.  It  is  a 
valley  of  unusual  beauty,  one  of  the  garden  spots  of  the  world,  with  every 
element  necessary  to  render  it  attractive. 

Woodcock  Township,  lying  upon  the  eastern  bank  of  French  Creek,  a 
little  to  the  north  of  the  center  of  the  county,  contains  some  of  the  finest 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  66^ 

of  this  picturesque  scenery.  The  surface  is  pleasantly  diversified  by  upland 
and  valley,  and  is  well  watered  by  streams  flowing  into  French  Creek.  The 
principal  one  of  these  is  Woodcock  Creek,  which  enters  the  township  in  the 
southeast  corner  and  flows  in  a  northwesterly  direction  to  the  southern  limits  of 
Saegertown.  Its  northern  branch,  rising  in  the  northeast  corner,  extends 
through  the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  Bussard  Run  is  a  smaller  tribu- 
tary to  Woodcock  Creek  in  the  central  part.  The  northern  and  north- 
western parts  of  the  township  are  drained  by  Gravel  Run  and  its  tributaries, 
its  southern  branch  uniting  with  its  recipient  near  the  confluence  of  the  latter 
with  French  Creek,  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  township.  The 
southern  part  of  the  township  has  a  slight  declination  toward  Woodcock 
Creek,  which  receives  the  waters  of  several  small  streams  from  the  south.-  The 
surface  has  a  gentle  ascent  as  it  recedes  from  French  Creek,  varied  by  chains 
of  hills  and  stretches  of  high  tableland.  Between  Gravel  Run  and  Woodcock 
Creek  a  beautiful  valley  of  great  fertility  extends  in  a  southerly  and  westerly 
direction,  through  the  central  part,  to  French  Creek.  The  soil  of  this  valley 
consists  of  a  rich  alluvial  loam,  the  most  elevated  portions  containing  the  most 
loam.  It  is  marked  by  many  fine  farms,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  Saeger- 
town and  along  Woodcock  Creek.  The  soil  of  the  township  is  generally  of  a 
fine  quality,  and  produces  good  crops  of  corn,  wheat,  oats  and  grass.  Dairying 
is  an  important  branch  of  agriculture,  large  quantities  of  the  celebrated  "Craw- 
ford County  cheese"  being  produced. 

Woodcock  Township,  with  an  area  of  19,328  acres,  was  erected  in  1829 
from  Mead  and  Rockdale  townships,  which  had  formerly  adjoined.  Wood- 
cock Creek  forming  the  boundary.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Cam- 
bridge, on  the  east  by  Richmond,  on  the  south  by  Mead,  and  on  the  west  by 
Hayfield.  French  Creek  forms  the  western  boundary,  and  the  New  York, 
Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Railroad  passes  through  its  valley.  Three  boroughs, 
Saegertown,  Blooming  Valley  and  Woodcock,  have  been  taken  from  its  ter- 
ritory, but  beyond  these  there  are  no  villages  in  the  township. 

Some  of  the  earliest  settlements  of  the  county  were  made  in  Woodcock 
Township,  in  the  valley  of  French  Creek  and  not  far  north  of  Meadville. 
This  fertile  region  attracted  settlers  even  before  the  end  of  the  Indian  hos- 
tilities. Savages  lurked  in  the  forest  and  passed  from  farm  to  farm,  and 
the  frontiersmen  were  forced  to  band  together  to  guard  against  attacks.  So. 
while  some  cleared'  the  land,  or  cultivated  a  few  patches  of  corn  or  potatoes, 
their  neighbors  were  stationed  near  by,  rifle  in  hand,  to  protect  them  from 
sudden  attacks,  or  else  patrolled  the  neighboring  forests  in  search  of  hidden 
or  approaching  foes.  The  first  settlement  of  which  we  have  any  informa- 
tion was  made  in  179 1,  bv  James  Humes,  who  occupied  a  tract  of  land  one 
mile  west  of  the  present  location  of  Woodcock  borough.  William  Jones  was 
another  early  pioneer.     He  came  to  Meadville  in  1793  or  1794,  and  for  some 


664  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

time  tilled  the  soil  in  company  with  James  Dickson  and  others.  Two  years 
later  he  settled  in  the  southwestern  corner  of  Woodcock  Township,  on  what 
was  afterA\-ard  known  as  the  Cole  farm,  and  remained  there  throughout  his 
life. 

Isaac  Berlin  had  been  a  soldier  during  the  Revolution,  and  was  one  of 
the  few  who  escaped  starvation  on  board  a  British  prison  ship  in  1777.  He 
received  a  warrant  for  a  tract  of  land  in  northwestern  Pennsylvania  as  a 
reward  for  his  services,  and  with  his  gtm  over  his  shoulder  he  came  out  on 
foot  through  the  wilderness  to  locate  it.  He  returned  to  the  East,  and  the 
next  year  brought  his  wife  and  family  out  to  live  on  his  property  in  the  wilds 
of  the  West,  But  his  land  proved  to  be  wet  and  uninhabitable,  so  he  removed 
to  the  banks  of  French  Creek,  about  two  miles  below  Saegertown,  where  he 
purchased  a  farm.  He  was  a  gunsmith  by  trade,  and  lived  in  Woodcock 
Township  until  his  death,  in  1830.  His  services  were  often  brought  into 
requisition  to  repair  the  arms  of  the  settlers,  for  after  the  Indians  had  been 
driven  off  there  were  still  other  foes  to  be  exterminated.  The  animals  which 
infested  the  forests,  although  they  furnished  the  settlers  with  an  ample  supply 
of  meat,  were  very  troublesome  to  their  flocks.  Wolves  and  bears  were  especi-- 
ally  destructive.  For  a  long  time  it  was  necessary  to  keep  the  sheep  well 
guarded  at  night,  and  they  were  frequentl_\-  attacked  in  the  daytime.  The 
bears  tore  down  the  pig  pens  and  carried  away  the  pigs,  and  not  unfrequently 
the  cows  were  set  upon  by  wolves. 

George  Peiffer,  who  had  settled  in  Bloomfield  Township  among  the 
earliest,  removed  in  1810  to  Woodcock,  and  located  with  his  son  George 
about  two  miles  south  of  Saegertown,  where  he  remained  until  his  death,  in 
]Si8.  He  built  a  large  frame  house  soon  after  his  arrival,  and  used  it  as  a 
tavern.  This  locality  was  called  Peiffertown,  in  honor  of  him,  although 
it  was  never  an  extensive  settlement.  A  log  schoolhouse  stood  near  the 
tavern,  and  was  used  by  several  different  denominations  for  religious  services. 
Henry  Minium  came  with  the  Peiffers,  and  later  on  was  engaged  in  the  milling 
business  at  Saegertown. 

Patrick  and  Arthur  McGill  were  two  brothers  who  came  to  the  town- 
ship in  1795.  Arthur  took  up  800  acres  in  the  French  Creek  Valley,  and 
Patrick  afterward  settled  upon  the  south  half  of  this  tract.  They  were  hardy, 
industrious  farmers  and  both  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age,  leaving  a  posterity  which 
is  still  represented  in  the  township.  James  Long  canie  from  Lancaster 
County  in  1:794  and  settled  in  Woodcock,  where  he  lived  until  his  death,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  ninety-three.  Samuel  Blair,  an  Irishman  by  birth,  removed 
to  this  township  from  Susquehanna  County  in  1797. 

With  the  exception  of  the  tracts  located  along  French  Creek  by  individ- 
uals, almost  all  of  the  land  of  Woodcock  Township  belonged  originally  to 
the  Holland   Land   Company.     It  was  by  them  parcelled  out  in  farms  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  665 

from  one  to  two  hundred  acres,  a  very  large  proportion  being  transferred 
to  various  settlers  between  the  years  1796  and  1805.  Some  only  remained 
on  their  purchases  for  a  short  time,  either  because  they  were  unable  to  carrv 
out  the  terms  of  their  contracts  or  that  they  became  tired  of  pioneer  life  and 
returned  to  the  borders  of  civilization.  But  many  remained  on  the  land 
thus  acquired  and  became  the  founders  of  families  still  living  in  the  township, 
and  in  some  cases  still  cultivating  the  same  land  which  was  deeded  to  their 
ancestors  by  the  land  company.  During  1796  and  1797  a  scattering  settle- 
ment had  spread  over  the  township.  Upon  the  completion  of  a  residence 
of  five  years  and  the  making  of  some  stipulated  improvements,  a  gratuity  of 
one  hundred  acres  was  usually  granted  to  the  settlers,  who  often  agreed  in 
addition  to  purchase  fifty  or  one  hundred  acres  more,  so  that  those  who  re- 
mained and  complied  with  the  conditions  found  themselves  owners  of  fine 
large  farms.  In  cases  where  the  settler  abandoned  his  farm  before  the  term 
of  settlement  was  completed,  the  land  reverted  to  the  company.  A  great 
deal  of  confusion  was  caused  by  the  uncertainty  of  the  State  law  in  determin- 
ing the  proprietorship  of  the  abandoned  settlements,  and  the  land  company 
usually  maintained  its  title,  although  compromises  were  sometimes  effected. 

Among  those  who  thus  took  up  land  was  Archibald  Humes,  who  was 
granted  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  in  1796.  He  was  of  Irish  birtli  and 
had  relatives  who  settled  at  the  same  time  in  Cambridge  Township.  William 
Hammond,  who  took  up  four  hundred  acres  in  1799,  was  one  of  the  earliest 
justices  of  the  peace.  John  and  William  Greenlee  came  in  1796  from  the 
eastern  part  of  the  State.  William  took  up  four  hundred  acres,  and  his 
descendants  still  reside  in  the  township.  Henry  Rust,  a  German,  came  from 
Westmoreland  County  in  1796  and  took  up  a  farm  of  two  hundred  acres. 
Mathias  Flaugh,  also  a  German,  came  West  with  his  four  sons  and  settled 
upon  two  hundred  acres  in  Tract  No.  159.  He  was  a  fervent  Lutheran,  and 
it  is  related  that  he  used  to  conduct  the  services  at  burials  when  no  minister 
was  present. 

Rev.  John  Matthews  was  a  minister  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  who  re- 
sided for  several  years  near  Gravel  Run,  preaching  the  Gospel  and  teaching 
school.  William  McGredy  was  a  jovial  Irishman  who  took  up  six  hundred 
acres  of  land  in  Woodcock  Township  in  1796.  He  probably  found  tliat  six 
hundred  acres  of  land  was  more  than  he  could  take  care  of,  for  he  afterward 
removed  to  Meadville,  married  a  widow  and  kept  a  boarding  house.  Henry 
Bossard,  who  came  out  from  Greensburg  in  1797,  did  not  atteriipt  so  much. 
He  took  one  hundred  acres,  and  during  the  summer  cleared  a  patch  of  ground 
and  planted  and  raised  a  fine  crop  of  potatoes.  He  returned  to  Greensburg 
for  his  wife  and  child,  and  they  started  out  on  foot  for  their  new  home,  he 
carrving  the  baby  and  the  rifle,  while  she  conveyed  on  her  shoulders  a  few- 
articles  of  domestic  use.     But  when  they  reached  the  cabin  which  Bossard  had 


666  OVR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

built  lliey  made  the  sad  discovery  that  the  Indians  had  broken  in  and  stolen 
all  the  store  of  potatoes  which  he  had  left  there  the  previous  autumn,  and  on 
which  they  had  depended  for  sustenance  while  raising  other  crops.  John 
Limber,  from  Northumberland  County,  at  first  settled  near  Harmonsburgh, 
but  in  1796  he  remo\'ed  to  Woodcock,  where  he  took  up  a  tract  of  two 
hundred  acres.  In  1816  he  sold  his  farm  and  purchased  land  near  Mansfield, 
Ohio,  with  the  intention  of  removing  there.  But  his  wife  dying  he  remained 
in  Crawford  County,  where  he  was  engaged  for  many  years  m  teaching 
school.  He  was  a  member  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  and  as  the 
nearest  oi-ganization  of  that  body  was  at  Cochranton,  he  used  to  go  there 
each  Sabbath  to  attend  service.  The  closing  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in 
Meadville,  Avhere  he  died  in  1852. 

I'eniber  Waid  came  from  Connecticut  early  in  the  century  and  settled 
with  his  son  Ira  upon  a  tract  in  the  southeastern  corner.  The  same  land  is 
still  held  by  his  descendants,  a  prominent  family  of  Woodcock  Township. 
James  Long  was  born  in  Lancaster  County  and  came  to  Woodcock  in  1797. 
He  died  in  1830.  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-two,  leaving  a  large  family, 
which  is  still  represented  in  the  township  by  numerous  descendants.  In  fact, 
a  \  ery  large  jjroportion  of  the  present  inhabitants  of  Woodcock  are  descend- 
ants of  the  early  pior.ecrs.  They  were  for  the  most  part  of  Irish  and  German 
origin,  and  many  of  them  came  from  the  Susquehanna  Valley. 

It  has  been  remarked  that  a  settlement  was  hardly  established  before 
a  schoolhouse  and  a  church  made  their  appearance,  and  Woodcock  Town- 
ship was  no  exception  to  this.  When  George  Peiffer  built  his  large  new 
tavern,  about  two  miles  south  of  Saegertown,  the  old  log  cabin  was  taken 
possession  of  by  Betsy  Peiffer,  who  taught  a  German  school  here  as  early 
as  1812.  In  1816  a  school  building  was  erected  in  the  same  vicinity  and 
school  was  held  in  it  for  many  years,  Sarah  Dewey,  Manda  Dewey  and  Mr. 
Alden,  a  brother  to  Major  Roger  Alden,  being  among  the  first  teachers.  The 
earliest  school  taught  within  the  present  limits  of  the  borough  of  Saegertown 
was  about  181 5.  John  Johnson  taught  about  the  same  time  in  an  abandoned 
log- cabin  upon  the  farm  now  owned  by  William  Long.  It  was  deep  in  the 
woods,  and  the  small  clearing  which  had  been  made  around  it  was  overgrown 
with  bushes.  In  1837,  when  the  first  official  statistics  were  compiled,  we  find 
Woodcock  Township  credited  with  seven  schools,  presided  over  by  fifteen 
teachers,  and  attended  by  four  hundred  and  thirty-three  pupils,  the  largest 
attendance  of  any  township  in  the  county.  The  total  amount  of  money  re- 
ceived for  the  use  of  the  schools  was  less  than  five  hundred  dollars,  a  re- 
markably small  sum  with  which  to  operate  seven  schools  and  pay  fifteen 
teachers  during  the  five  and  one-half  months  which  constituted  the  school 
year.  The  teachers  were  reported  as  being  of  good  character  and  well  quali- 
fied to  teach  reading,  writing,  grammar,   arithmetic  and  geography.     The 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  667 

in-ogress  of  the  scholars  is  noted  as  "encouraging  to  the  directors,"  and  as 
usual,  the  complaint  as  to  the  defects  of  the  system  was  the  lack  of  funds 
with  which  to  build  schoolhouses. 

There  are  no  churches  in  the  township  outside  of  the  borouo-hs.  Sev- 
eral private  burying  grounds  are  used,  besides  two  public  ones  in  the  south- 
orn  part  of  the  township.  One  of  these,  the  Blair  cemetery,  was  set  apart 
for  this  purpose  in  pioneer  days. 

Archibald  Humes  built  the  first  sawmill  in  the  township,  on  Gravel 
Run.  He  soon  afterward  added  a  grist  mill,  which  is  still  in  operation  in  the 
same  locality.  The  first  grist  mill  of  the  township,  however,  was  built  by 
James  Dickson  on  Woodcock  Creek.  The  stones  were  of  ordinary  rock  and 
were  brought  from  Pittsburg.  William  Magaw  erected  a  paper  mill  at  Ma- 
goffin's Falls,  in  the  southwest  part,  about  1840,  which  was  operated  until 
1845.  He  had  formerly  constructed  a  mill  on  Woodcock  Run,  near  Saeger- 
town,  and  it  was  there  that  the  first  straw  paper  ever  manufactured  in  the 
United  States  was  made.  H.  H.  Fuller  built  a  paper  mill  at  Magoffin's  Falls 
in  1880,  upon  the  site  of  the  old  mill.  Like  its  predecessor  it  was  run  by  water 
power  from  French  Creek,  but  was  only  continued  a  few  years. 

Long's  Stand  Postoffice  is  located  about  two  miles  east  of  Saegertown, 
on  the  main  road  to  Blooming  Valley.  Daniel  Grubb  and  Daniel  Wise  kept 
public  houses  near  here  in  the  early  days  of  the  colony.  More  recently  the 
Fountain  House  was  built  by  James  McGill  in  the  same  vicinity.  It  was  at 
first  used  as  a  storeroom,  but  was  afterward  sold  and  converted  into  a  hotel. 
It  was  located  on  the  old  pike  road,  and  in  the  days  of  stage  coaches  was  one 
of  the  stations  between  Erie  and  Meadville. 

BOROUGH   OF  SAEGERTOWN. 

The  borough  of  Saegertown  is  located  in  the  western  part  of  Wood- 
cock Township,  where  the  French  Creek  A'alley  broadens  out  into  a  level  tract 
of  a  mile  in  width  and  two  miles  in  length.  It  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the 
east  side  of  the  creek,  and  is  orfe  of  the  handsomest  villages  in  Crawford 
County.  The  settlement  of  Saegertown  was  commenced  as  early  as  1796. 
About  1800  Alajor  Aldcn  Ixiilt  a  sawmill  on  the  site  of  the  present  mills, 
and  for  several  years  the  place  was  known  as  Alden's  Mills.  Henry  Minium, 
the  miller,  resided  in  a  log  cabin  near  by,  and  John  McGill  owned  and  occu- 
pied land  some  distance  to  the  south  of  the  mill.  In  1824  Daniel  Saeger 
purchased  the  mill,  and  it  was  for  many  years  operated  by  him  or  members  of 
his  family.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  village,  and  having  purchased  large 
tracts  of  land  in  the  vicinity  of  the  mill,  laid  out  the  town  under  its  present 
name.  :\Ir.  Saeger  came  from  Lehigh  County,  and  was  possessed  of  more 
than  ordinary  energy  and  business  capacity.  Being  a  native  Pennsylvanian, 
of  German  descent,  he  attracted  to  this  vicinity  a  large  number  of  the  hardy. 


668  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

honest  yeomanry  of  Lehigh  and  other  eastern  counties,  and  it  soon  possessed 
all  the  characteristics  of  a  Pennsylvania  Dutch  settlement.  About  1829 
Daniel  Saeger  built  a  store  and  filled  it  with  general  merchandise,  and  the 
village  store  has  been  kept  by  the  Saegers  ever  since.  Mr.  Freeman  opened 
a  siuall  store  in  1826,  and  Peter  Shaffer  kept  the  first  tavern. 

The  village  was  incorporated  by  act  of  Assembly  in  1838.  The  early 
records  are  not  known  to  exist,  hence  much  of  its  history  is  to  a  great  extent 
a  matter  of  tradition.  A.  Saeger  was  elected  Burgess  in  1865,  and  since  then 
J.  Saeger,  Oliver  Saeger  and  Amos  Saeger  have  at  various  times  held  the 
office.  Among  the  early  settlers  were  Adam  Brookhouser,  and  his  two  sons, 
Adam  and  Jacob,  Adam  Newhouser,  Henry  Renner  and  George  Wooding. 
The  postoffice  of  Saegertown  was  established  in  1833,  the  mail  being  carried 
from  Meadville  to  Girard  once  a  week,  and  when  the  postman.  David  Yarrick, 
rode  into  the  village  on  his  small  lilack  horse,  blowing  his  horn,  no  little  sen- 
sation  was   produced. 

The  first  school  in  the  borough  was  taught  by  Jonathan  G.  David  in  a 
deserted  log  cabin  situated  a  little  north  of  the  mill.  In  1834  a  frame  school- 
house  was  built  near  the  Reformed  Church.  It  was  a  low  building,  divided 
into  two  rooms,  it  being  designed  that  English  might  be  taught  in  one  side  and 
German  in  the  other.  Jane  McCaul  taught  here  early  in  the  century.  The 
present  school  building  contains  four  schools,  conducted  by  one  male  and 
three  female  teachers.  The  attendance  of  pupils  for  1897  was  one  hundred 
and  seventy-four,  and  the  amount  of  money  raised  for  school  purposes,  includ- 
ing the  State  appropriation,  was  more  than  $1,800. 

The  early  settlers  of  Saegertown,  foreseeing  that  the  place  would  eventu- 
ally become  of  some  importance,  laid  out  the  town  with  a  great  deal  of  care, 
fixing  the  streets  at  regular  intervals,  and  in  consequence  it  presents  a  much 
more  attracti\'e  appearance  than  the  average  country  town.  The  streets  are 
wide  and  well  kept,  the  residences  neat  and  attractive,  while  many  business 
blocks  have  been  erected  upon  the  main  streets.  There  are  several  general 
sTOues,  besides  hardware,  furniture,  millinery  and  drug  stores,  jewelry  and 
shoe  stores,  a  meat  market,  blacksmiths,  barbers  and  tailors.  There  are  saw- 
mills, grist  mills,  a  planing  mill,  printing-  office  and  hotels,  and  these  and  other 
industries  furnish  employment  to  the  citizens.  The  Saegertown  Band,  or- 
ganized in  1876,  is  well  4<nown  throughout  northwestern  Pennsylvania. 

The  German  Reformed  Congregation  was  organized  early  in  the  cen- 
turv,  but  the  history  is  obscure,  as  the  records  have  been  lost  and  none  of  the 
first  members  now  live.  It  is  known,  however,  that  the  society  held  its 
early  meetings  in  Peiffer's  schoolhouse,  that  Rev.  Zeiser  and  Daniel  Rau- 
hauser  were  among  the  early  pastors,  and  that  Philip  and  Henry  Renner, 
Solomon  Grafi^  and  Conrad  Baughman  were  among  the  first  members.  In 
1829  the  congregation  obtained  a  part  interest  in  the  old  church,  which  stood 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  669 

in  t!ie  same  place  as  tlie  present  edifice,  and  afterward  liy  purchase  obtained 
sole  control,  and  for  man}'  years  the  meetings  were  held  there.  In  1872  the 
present  handsome  meeting  house  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $4,000,  and  the 
church,  with  a  large  membership,   is  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

The  Lutheran  Church  of  Saegertown  was  organized  by  memliers  of  the 
Venango  congregation  in  1828.  Before  this,  for  the  convenience  of  the 
Lutherans  in  that  vicinity,  services  were  sometimes  held  in  Peiffer's  school- 
house,  two  miles  south  of  Saegertown.  ■  As  the  number  increased  a  separate 
organization  was  formed  and  a  frame  church  was  erected  in  Saegertown.  in 
1829,  on  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  German  Reformed  Church.  It  was  l)uili 
by  a  united  effort  of  all  the  settlers,  and  all  the  religious  bodies  of  the  vicinity 
worshipped  in  it.  It  was  used  by  the  Lutherans  until  1868,  when  the  present 
h.andsome  edifice  was  built  on  the  corner  of  Erie  and  Commercial  streets,  at 
a  cost  of  $7,000.  George  PeifTer,  Samuel  Peiffer,  Jacob  Flaugh  and  Daniel 
Saeger  were  among  the  early  Lutherans,  and  Rev.  Shultz  and  his  son,  Augustus 
Shultz,  were  the  first  ministers.  Many  of  the  first  settlers  were  German  and 
did  not  understand  English,  so  while  the  father  preached  in  German,  his  son 
conducted   services  in  English. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Saegertown  was  formed  about  1839. 
Like  the  Lutheran  Church,  it  was  organized  from  members  of  another  con- 
gregation, most  of  them  coming  from  the  Seavey  class,  which  met  upon  the 
other  side  of  the  creek.  Among  the  early  members  were  Andrew  Ryan  and 
wife,  Isaac  Blystone,  ]o\\\\  Flaugh  and  wife,  John  McGill  and  wife,  Harve) 
Sackett  and  wife,  Jacob  Brookhouser  and  wife,  and  Joseph  Housel.  For  many 
years  the  Saegertown  Methodists  met  in  the  Lutheran  Church,  but  in  1841 
the^•  built  a  church  upon  the  northwestern  corner  of  North  and  Commercial 
streets.  This  was  used  until,  in  1875,  the  present  edifice  was  erected  upon  the 
same  lot,  at  a  cost  of  $6,000.  The  society  is  numerous  and  in  a  flourishmg 
condition,  and  forms  a  part  of  the  Saegertown  circuit. 

AV'ithin  the  past  ten  years  Saegertown  has  become  widely  and  favorably 
known  as  a  health  resort,  owing  to  the  discovery  of  rare  medicinal  qualities 
in  the  mineral  springs  of  the  place.  Large  hotels  have  been  liuilt  and  im- 
provements made,  and  now  it  is  the  resort  of  hundreds  each  year  who  seek  a 
quiet  place  for  rest  and  recuperation.  The  large  summer  hotels  are  fitted 
up  with  all  the  newest  conveniences  and  supplied  with  various  means  of 
amusement,  while  the  river  furnishes  fine  facilities  for  boating,  and  the 
country  roads  in  all  directions  are  drives  of  exceptional  beauty.  The  amuse- 
ments in  the  winter  are  no  less  varied  and  bring  crowds  of  visitors  during  the 
cold  m.onths.  Thus  it  is  seen  that  the  mineral  springs  have  done  much  for 
Saegertown.  Enormous  quantities  of  carbonated  water  and  ginger  ale  are 
manufactured  each  vear  and  shipped  in  carload  c|uantities  to  various  points 


670  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

of  distribution,  where  the  carefuhiess  of  its  preparation  and  its  natural  ex- 
cellence command  for  it  a  wide  sale. 

BOROUGH    OF    WOODCOCK. 

Woodcock  borough  is  located  in  the  northern  part  of  Woodcock  Town- 
ship, in  the  valley  of  Gravel  Run.  In  the  year  1S18  the  ]\Ieadville  and  Erie 
Turnpike  was  constructed,  and  as  it  passed  through  the  land  owned  bv  Henry 
Minium  in  the  valley  of  Gravel  Run.  he  conceived  the  idea  of  founding  a 
village  there.  In  1S19  he  laid  out  the  town  and  christened  it  Rockville.  thus 
making  it  one  of  the  oldest  villages  of  Crawford  County.  Minium  was  not 
living  on  his  land  at  this  time,  being  employed  in  the  milling  business  at 
Alden's  Mills.  He  had,  in  1818,  sold  a  lot  to  Jacob  Keplar.  and  he  was  the 
only  inhabitant  of  the  new  village  when  it  was  laid  out  in  1819.  Minium 
was  determined  to  boom  the  town,  so  he  employed  a  Dutch  auctioneer,  Derk 
Jan  Newhausen,  familiarly  known  in  the  neighborhood  as  "Dutch  John."  and 
under  his  persuasive  accents  most  of  the  lots  were  disposed  of  at  a  good 
figure,  as  land  sold  at  that  time.  There  was  thei"!  a  great  amount  of  travel 
on  the  turnpike,  as  it  was  the  direct  route  from  Erie  to  Meadville,  and  was  the 
thoroughfare  pursued  by  hundreds  of  incoming  settlers  seeking  homes  in  the 
^^'est.  Jacob  Keplar,  the  original  settler,  was  a  coljbler  by  trade,  and  made 
shoes  for  the  pioneers  of  that  vicinity.  After  Rockville  was  estabhshtd  he 
erected  the  first  hotel,  and  kept  the  postofifice.  and  on  account  of  his  local 
prominence  the  place  was  widely  known  as  Keplartown.  John  Scott  and  Mr. 
Whitely  opened  small  stores,  and  Daniel  Shaffer  established  a  blacksmith 
shop.  The  village  prospered  until  the  plank  road  was  constructed  on  the 
other  side  of  French  Creek,  when  the  travel  left  the  turnpike  and  it  received 
a  severe  check  to  its  growth.  It  was  expected  that  the  construction  of  the 
New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio  Railroad  within  a  mile  of  the  village  would 
aid  its  development,  but  it  has  proved  of  little  assistance. 

In  1844  Rockville  was  incorporated  as  a  borough  and  the  name  changed 
to  Woodcock.  George  Pond  was  elected  the  first  Burgess.  The  village  now 
contains  several  stores,  a  sawmill,  hotel,  three  churches  and  a  public  school. 
attended  by  twenty  scholars.  Several  agricultural  fairs  have  been  held  here 
with  good  success. 

The  Rockville  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  organized  in  1810  by 
Rev.  Joshua  Monroe.  It  was  at  first  known  as  the  Gravel  Run  Church,  and 
the  early  meetings  were  held  in  the  dw^elling  house  of  John  Shearer,  in  the 
southwest  corner  of  Cambridge  Township.  The  first  meeting  house  was 
built  in  1817,  immediately  north  of  the  Woodcock  borough  limits.  This 
continued  in  use  until  1839,  when  a  brick  edifice  was  erected  within  the  bor- 
ough. A  parsonage  was  built  in  the  early  days  of  the  church,  but  was  not 
used  after  1870.  and  in  1879  a  new  one  was  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $700.     The 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  671 

society  numbers  more  than  one  hundred  and  forms  part  of  the  Rockville  cir- 
cuit. 

The  Gravel  Run  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  about  1809  by 
Rev.  John  Matthews,  who  became  the  first  pastor,  continuing  his  labors  until 
1814.  In  1838  the  division  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  caused  a  disruption 
of  the  Gravel  Run  congregation,  and  it  was  divided  into  the  old  school  and 
new  school  branches.  Each  branch  erected  a  house  of  worship,  the  new 
school  a  frame  structure,  the  old  school  a  substantial  brick  building.  In  1879 
the  differences  were  adjusted  and  the  two  divisions  reunited  into  one  congre- 
gation, using  as  a  place  of  meeting  the  brick  structure  erected  by  the  old 
school.  The  building  of  the  new  school  is  now  used  by  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal congregation. 

The  St.  James  Mission  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  was  organized 
in  1881  by  Rev.  E.  G.  Carstensen,  of  Meadville,  who  supplied  the  pulpit  until 
1882.  After  him  the  ser\'ices  were  conducted  by  the  rectors  of  the  Mead- 
ville church  until  1893,  when  the  mission  was  closed.  In  July,  1897,  the 
services  were*  again  taken  up,  being  conducted  by  Rev.  G.  S.  Richards,  of 
Meadville,     The    membership  is  about  twenty. 

BOROUGH  OF  BLOOMING  VALLEY. 

The  borough  of  Blooming  A^alley  is  situated  in  the  southeastern  corner  of 
Woodcock  Township,  on  a  branch  of  Woodcock  Creek.  In  the  early  days 
this  fertile  valley  was  bedecked  with  a  rich  and  luxuriant  growth  of  wild 
flowers,  and  the  variegated  appearance  which  it  presented  caused  the  early 
pioneers  to  give  it  the  name  of  the  Blooming  Valley,  which  it  has  always  re- 
tained. The  borough  contains  about  twelve  hundred  acres  of  land,  and  the 
village  extends  for  a  half  mile  along  the  State  Road.  The  postoffice  of 
Blooming  Valley  was  established  several  years  before  the  borough  was  in- 
corporated. The  village  was  founded  by  Jeremiah  Smith,  a  farmer  owning 
land  here,  who  in  1845  laid  out  twenty-eight  lots  on  the  south  side  of  the 
State  Road.  While  the  lots  did  not  sell  as  rapidly  as  had  been  anticipated, 
there  were  nevertheless  several  accessions  to  the  settlement,  and  as  it  is  in 
the  center  of  a  rich  farming  country,  there  were  soon  several  stores  estab- 
lished. George  Roudebush  and  James  Williams  were  already  residing  in  this 
locality  when  the  village  was  laid  out.  George  Roudebush  was  a  carpenter 
and  the  proprietor  of  a  sash  factory,  and  he  and  James  Wygant  opened  small 
stores  and  were  thefirst  merchants.  Others  soon  afterward  moved  in,  George 
Fleck,  a  blacksmith,  and  Henry  Marker,  a  carpenter,  being  among  the  earliest. 
It  now  contains  several  stores,  two  hotels,  blacksmiths'  shops,  and  other  m. 
dustries. 

The  borough  of  Blooming  Valley  was  incorporated  in  [867,  by  order 
of  the  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions,  and  at  the  first  election  S.  L.    Thompsi)n 


6/2  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

was  elected  Burgess.  In  1869  a  fine  large  school  building  was  erected,  at 
a  cost  of  $3,700.  and  is  used  by  the  three  schools  now  maintained.  Three 
teachers  are  employed,  and  in  1897  one  hundred  and  one  children  were  ni 
attendance.  The  amount  raised  for  school  purposes  in  1896  was  $279.09, 
in  addition  to  the  State  appropriation  of  $280.61.  School  is  taught  during 
seven  months  of  the  year,  and  a  high  degree  of  excellence  is  maintained. 

An  Advent  society,  with  a  large  membership,  was  formed  by  Rev.  Wen- 
dell in  1849.  The  early  services  were  held  in  the  Cowen  schoolhouse,  some 
distance  north  of  the  village.  In  1854  the  people  of  the  vicinity  decided  to 
unite  to  build  a  place  of  worship,  which  should  be  entirely  undenominational 
and  free  to  all  religious  bodies.  A  lot  was  donated  by  Mrs.  Knapp  and  the 
subscriptions  of  the  neighboring  farmers  enabled  them  to  erect  a  large  and 
commodious  frame  building,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000.  This  was  used  by  the 
Advent  society  for  many  years,  but  the  class  declined  in  number  and  the 
services  were  finally  discontinued. 

The  Methodist  society  was  also  organized  in  a  schoolhouse  north  of  the 
village,  and  it  was  there  that  the  meetings  were  held  for  many  years.  It  was 
formed  soon  after  the  village  was  laid  out,  and  among  its  early  members  were 
James  Wygant  and  wife,  Andrew  Floyd  and  wife.  Miss  Sarah  Armstrong, 
Mrs.  John  Roudebush  and  Mrs.  John  Robbins.  Services  were  held  in  the 
Union  Church  until  the  present  edifice  was  erected  in  1874.  It  cost  $4,500, 
and  is  surmounted  by  a  bell  which  cost  an  additional  $300.  The  society 
has  a  flourishing  membership  and  is  attached  to  the  Saegertown  circuit. 


IPart  iriD. 


••-•«^«-^ 


Bioorapbical  Sketches. 


4-^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


Harm  Jan  Hnidekoper  was  a  native  of  Holland,  born  in  Hoogeveen,  in 
the  district  of  Drenthe,  April  3,  1776.  His  father  was  Anne  Huidelvoper,  and 
the  maiden  name  of  his  mother  was  Gesiena  Frederica  Wolters.  His  mother's 
family  was  one  of  considerable  standing  in  Drenthe.  It  had  long  resided  there, 
and  one  branch  of  it  had  attained  distinction  in  the  military  service  of  the 
country.  Our  subject's  mother  was  a  woman  of  amiable  disposition  and  sound 
judgment — and  to  her  influence  should  be  attributed  much  of  the  success  which 
he  afterward  attained. 

Mr.  Huidekoper  acquired  his  early  education  in  his  native  village.  When 
he  was  ten  years  of  age  he  was  sent  to  a  boarding  school  at  Hasselt,  in  the 
province  of  Overyssel,  where,  excepting  one  year, — which  was  spent  for  the 
most  part  at  home, — he  remained  until  he  was  seventeen.  The  two  years  fol- 
lowing were  spent  in  the  Institute  at  Crefeld,  Germany.  Now,  for  the  first 
time,  he  had  the  advantages  not  only  of  good  instruction,  but  also  of  a  large 
and  well  chosen  library.  He  made  good  use  of  his  opportunities.  In  a  little 
time,  his  diligence  and  abilities  enabled  him  to  take  high  rank  in  the  Institute 
as  a  scholar;  and  his  exemplary  conduct  gave  him  the  esteem  and  friendship 
of  both  his  instructors  and  fellow  students.  This  period  of  his  life  was  indeed 
a  most  happy  one,  and  he  always  looked  back  upon  it  with  the  greatest 
pleasure. 

On  his  return  to  Holland  he  was  offered,  by  his  older  brother  John,  a 
situation  in  a  commercial  house  he  was  then  about  to  establish,  or,  if  he  pre- 
ferred, the  means  to  go  to  America.  At  this  time  no  very  inviting  induce- 
ments were  offered  in  Holland  to  young  men  of  decided  ability  to  enter  upon 
a  commercial  career.  A  year  before,  the  country  had  been  conquered  by  a 
French  army,  under  Pichegru ;  and  the  Thermidonians,  who  now  ruled  France, 
were  drawing  upon  the  wealth  of  the  country  to  relieve  the  financial  distresses 
of  the  French  Republic.  At  this  very  time,  too,  Holland  was  engaged  in  a 
war  with  England.  On  the  other  hand,  in  America,  ability,  character  and  m- 
dustry  counted  for  more  than  money  and  family  connections ;  and  in  this  land, 
too,  there  was  ample  scope  for  individual  exertion.  Consequently  the  young 
Hollander,  fresh  from  his  books  and  wanting  none  of  the  prerequisites  of  suc- 
cess, sailed  for  New  York.  The  voyage  was  begun  August  12,  1796,  and 
occupied  sixty-three  days.    He  spent  this  time  in  the  study  of  the  English  lan- 

67s 


6/6  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

guage,  and  so  great  was  his  advancement  tliat  when  the  voyage  had  ended 
he  was  able  to  express  himself  quite  intelligiblv. 

He  spent  the  following  winter,  and  also  a  part  of  the  summer  of  1797,  at 
Cazenovia,  New  York.  Then  he  went  to  Oldenbarneveldt  (Trenton),  where 
he  remained  until  he  removed  to  Philadelphia,  in  1802,  to  accept  the  position 
of  bookkeeper  to  Mr.  Busti,  the  general  agent  of  the  Holland  Land  Company. 
At  about  the  same  time,  too,  he  was  appointed  secretary  and  bookkeeper  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Population  Company.  From  the  very  first,  because  of  his 
abilities  and  industry,  he  had  the  confidence  of  the  company,  and  in  a  little 
time  was  looked  upon  as  the  successor  of  Mr.  Busti  in  the  general  agency. 

During  his  iirst  year's  residence  in  Philadelphia,  an  opportunit)-  pre- 
sented itself  whereby  he  was  further  able  to  demonstrate  his  business  talent, 
and  at  the  same  time  gratify  his  love  of  travel.  Major  Roger  Alden  was  then 
the  general  agent  of  the  Holland  Land  Company  for  its  lands  west  of  the 
Allegheny  river.  Both  Major  Alden  and  his  assistant  were  incompetent  as 
bookkeepers,  and  as  a  result  great  confusion  was  produced  in  the  agency's 
accounts.  To  adjust  these,  Mr.  Huidekoper  was  asked  to  go  tO'  Meadville. 
The  trip  was  made  on  h(.)rseback,  in  company  with  Mr.  Jabez  Colt,  tlie  agert 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Population  Company  for  their  lands  in  Crawford  county. 
He  remained  in  Meadville  about  four  weeks,  and  then  returned,  by  way  of 
Buffalo,  Niagara  Falls  and  New  York.  He  describes  Meadville,  at  this  time, 
as  "a  small  village,  containing  twenty-five  or  thirty  houses,  chiefly  log  ones, 
and  a  population  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty."  He  also  says,  in  describing 
his  journey  home,  that  "from  the  Pennsylvania  line  to  Buffalo  there  were  Init 
three  small  cabins,  two  near  Westfield  and  one  on  the  Cattaraugus  creek,  and 
Buffalo  had  perhaps  a  dozen  and  a  half  cabins." 

Major  Alden  resigned  his  position  in  1804,  and  immediately  Mr.  Iluide- 
koper  was  ap])ointed  his  successor.  In  the  following  November  he  removed 
to  Meadville  and  entered  upon  his  duties  at  the  beginning  of  the  new  year. 
The  condition  of  the  agency  was  most  unsatisfactory.  The  lands  north  of 
the  Ohio  and  west  of  the  Allegheny  ri\'er  had  been  sold  to  the  company  by 
the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  under  a  law  of  June  3.  1792,  which  required  that 
within  two  vears  after  the  issue  of  a  warrant  for  any  tract  of  four  hundred 
acres,  a  family  should  reside  thereon ;  and  further,  that  this  residence  should 
continue  for  five  years  "unless  prevented  by  the  enemies  of  the  Lnited  States." 
From  the  beginning,  the  company  had  faithfully  endeavored  to  comply  with 
the  law,  but  failed,  however,  because  of  an  Indian  war  that  had  begun  in  1791, 
and  which  continued  until  the  decisive  victory  of  General  Anthony  Wayne, 
late  in  the  summer  of  1794.  The  company  then  renewed  its  efforts  for  the 
settlement  of  the  lands,  but  now  it  was  claimed  by  some  persons  that  it  had 
legally  forfeited  its  title  1)y  its  failure  to  make  the  settlements  within  the  re- 
quired time.    When  Mr.  Huidekoper  assumed  the  management  of  the  agency, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  677 

•'a  local  rebellion  had  sprung  up."  Squatters  had  settled  on  the  lands,  and  not 
a  few  persons  who  had  gone  into  possession  under  written  agreements  re- 
pudiated their  contracts.  Shrewd  speculators,  too,  endeavored  to  so  deter- 
mine events  as  to  make  it  possible  for  them  to  have  a  share  in  the  spoils.  Bitter 
antagonisms  were  created,  which  were  intensified  by  numerous  anonymous  let- 
ters. Confronted  by  such  difficulties,  ordinary  men  would  Jiave  shrunk  from 
the  responsibilities  which  Mr.  Huidekoper  now  assumed. 

It  was  his  work,  however,  that  brought  order  out  of  chaos.  One  of  his 
first  steps  was  to  have  the  company's  title  judicially  established.  This  was  done 
by  a  decision  of  the  United  States  supreme  court  in  1805,  in  the  case  of  Huide- 
koper \'ersus  Douglas.  The  decision,  which  was  delivered  by  Chief  Justice 
John  Marshall,  held  that  a  faithful  attempt  had  been  made  to  comply  with 
the  law  within  the  required  time;  and  that  after  the  close  of  the  "interrupting 
invasions,"  the  warrantees  were  excused  "from  further  and  subsequent  efforts 
at  settlement."  (Dallas'  Reports,  volume  4.  page  392.)  Perfect  fairness 
characterized  all  of  Mr.  Huidekoper's  dealings  with  the  settlers.  Where 
patience  would  do  good,  he  was  patient,  even  to  indulgence.  There  are  many 
instances  where  fifteen  or  twenty  years  elapsed  before  settlers  found  it  con- 
venient to  pay  for  their  lands ;  and  in  some  cases  they  were  not  paid  for  until 
after  twenty-five  and  thirt}-  years.  On  the  other  hand,  if  firnniess  was  needed, 
he  was  not  wanting  in  that  quality. 

The  decision  of  the  United  States  supreme  court  helped  very  materially 
to  improve  matters;  but  the  angry  feelings  which  the  contest  had  engendered 
continued  for  a  long  time,  and  more  than  once  the  life  of  Mr.  Huidekoper  was 
in  danger.  On  one  occasion,  when  returning  home  alone  over  a  wilderness 
road  in  \Varren  county,  he  was  fired  upon  by  a  would-be  assassin.  Fortunately 
he  escaped  injin-y,  but  his  horse  was  severely  wounded.  An  attempt  was  made 
to  bring  the  perpetrator  of  the  outrage  to  justice.  The  evidence  against  him 
was  strong,  but  it  was  purely  circumstantial,  and  the  jury  failed  to  convict. 
Years  afterward  the  accused,  when  he  was  on  his  death-bed,  admitted  the 
shooting,  but  denied  that  he  had  intended  murder. 

The  last  legal  controversy  aliout  warrant  titles  connected  with  the  office 
at  Meadville  was  decided  by  the  Pennsylvania  supreme  court  nearly  forty 
>;ears  after  the  decision  of  the  United  States  supreme  court.  (Barr's  Reports, 
volume  I,  page  463.)  In  1836  the  company  decided  to  close  out  its  interests 
in  New  York  and  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Huidekoper  now  purchased  all  its  lands 
in  Erie,  Crawford,  Warren  and  Venango  counties,  paying  for  them  the  sum 
of  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight  thousand  dollars.  Earlier  than  this  he  had 
made  some  purchases  of  considerable  magnitude  from  the  Pennsylvania  Pop- 
ulation Company.  The  purchase  of  1836,  however,-  was  his  most  important 
one,  and  was  the  last  one  that  he  made.  It  should  be  said  also  that  he  had 
other  interests  besides  his  land  business.     In  181 7,  in  co-operation  with  Judge 


678  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Griffith,  of  New  Jersey,  who  was  later  clerk  of  the  United  States  supreme 
court,  he  was  engaged  in  the  introduction  of  merino  sheep  into  the  country. 
In  the  following  year  he  erected  west  of  French  creek  a  grist  and  saw  mill, 
which  was  of  the  greatest  benefit  to  the  farmers  of  the  surrounding  country, 
though  it  was  never  very  renumerative  to  its  owner. 

On  September  i,  1806,  nearly  two  years  after  his  arrival  in  Meadville, 
Mr.  Huidekoper  was  married  to  Miss  Rebecca  Colhoon,  of  Carlisle,  Penn- 
sylvania. A  year  earlier  he  had  purchased  thirty  acres  of  ground  adjacent  to 
the  town,  and  had  erected  a  house.  Miss  Colhoon  was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent. 
She  was  of  pleasing  personal  appearance,  amiable  disposition  and  a  thorough- 
going housekeeper.  Their  married  life  was  a  most  happy  one,  and  extended 
through  a  period  of  thirty-three  years.  Seven  children  were  born  to  them, 
two  of  whom  died  in  childhood;  the  other  five  survived  both  parents.  Mrs. 
Huidekoper  died  October  22,-  1839. 

Throughout  the  whole  period  of  his  life,  Mr.  Huidekoper  was  a  diligent 
student.  The  employment  of  the  larger  part  of  his  leisure  in  reading  gave  him  an 
extensive  general  information.  He  was  especially  fond  of  history  and  biog- 
raphy. It  has  been  said,  by  one  who  knew  him  well,  that  "to  converse  with  him 
on  our  colonial  connection  with  European  history"  one  would  find  him  "as 
familiar  with  it  as  though  he  had  made  it  the  study  of  his  life."  Probably  his 
knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  and  ecclesiastical  history  was  still  more  profound. 
Very  early  in  life  he  had  become  a  faithful  student  of  the  New  Testament.  It 
/Was  his  habit,  in  the  study  of  mooted  theological  (|uestions.  to  examine  all  of 
the  evidences  of  the  Scriptures  before  coming  to  a  conclusion.  In  this  way 
he  reached  definite  opinions,  which  he  was  always  ready  to  explain  and  de- 
fend. Early  in  life  he  had  united  with  the  Dutch  Reformed  church;  but 
even  before  his  student  days  had  ended  at  Crefeld  he  felt  the  need  of  a  more 
liberal  creed.  Eventually  his  daily  study  of  the  Scriptures  caused  him  to 
renounce  Calvinism  and  accept  the  doctrine  of  the  unity  of  God  as  opposed 
to  that  of  the  trinity.  Mainly  through  his  efforts,  the  Independent  Congre- 
gational Church  of  Meadville  was  organized.  At  first  the  society  worshiped 
in  the  courthouse,  but  after  a  few  years  a  church  building  was  erected,  by 
money  he  generoush'  furnished. 

The  attacks  which  were  now  made  upon  the  Unitarians  caused  Mr.  Huide-, 
koper  to  engage  in  written  controversies  in  the  local  papers.  During"  the  years 
183 1  and  1832  he  himself  edited  a  periodical  called  The  Unitarian  Essayist. 
He  states  the  purpose  of  its  publication  as  follows :  "These  infringements  not 
of  Christian  charity  merely,  but  of  our  Christian  rights,  forbid  our  silence.  We 
are  forced  to  come  forward  in  defense  of  ourselves  and  of  what  we  believe  to 
be  the  truth.  We  desire  discussion  not  for  the  sake  of  controversy,  but  that 
the  public  may  have  an  opportunity  of  judging  which  of  our  opposing  sys- 
tems accords  best  with  the  teachings  of  our  Saviour.     The  time  must  come 


O 


•a 


X) 

o 
o 

1-1 


w 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  679 

when  this  question  must  be  decided  by  evidence;  and  for  the  sake  of  Christian 
peace  and  charity  we  hope  it  may  come  quickly."  Nearly  all  of  the  papers  in 
the  Essayist  were  written  by  Mr.  Huidekoper.  Between  the  years  1836  and 
1842  he  contributed  twenty-eight  articles,  mostly  on  religious  subjects,  to  the 
Western  Messenger  published  by  the  Unitarian  Association  in  Louisville, 
Kentucky.  In  all  'of  the  articles  he  contributed  to  these  periodicals,  is  evi- 
dence of  most  thorough  preparation.  He  wrote  frankly  and  honestly,  and  in 
a  directness  and  clearness  of  style  that  is  seldom  excelled. 

Mr.  Huidekoper  was  the  founder  of  the  Meadville  Theological  School, 
which  went  into  operation  October  i,  1844.  It  was  not  incorporated,  however, 
until  February  24,  1847.  From  the  date  of  its  organization  until  his  death, 
Mr.  Huidekoper  stood  toward  it  in  a  paternal  relation.  He  was  the  first  presi- 
dent of  its  board  of  trustees.  Faithful  to  all  its  interests,  he  labored  assidu- 
ously to  place  it  on  a  permanent  foundation.  Fie  husbanded  its  resources, 
wisely  invested  its  funds  and  contributed  largely  to  its  endowment. 

As  a  business  man,  Mr.  Huidekoper  was  prudent  and  practical.  He  was 
prompt  in  all  business  engagements  and  scrupulously  honest.  As  a  citizen 
he  was  most  exemplary.  His  influence  was  always  for  the  right,  and  the 
impress  he  made  upon  the  community  where  he  lived  so  many  years  is  still 
felt.  In  politics,  he  sympathized  with  the  doctrines  of  Alexander  Hamilton, 
and  favored  the  protective,  or  as  it  was  called  by  Henry  Clay,  the  American, 
system.  He  loved  children,  which,  together  with  his  religious  affections, 
made  him  "for  years,  a  constant  and  faithful  teacher  in  the  Sunday-schools, 
both  in  the  town  and  countrj',  connected  with  the  Unitarian  Society.  Always 
interested  and  interesting,  he  continued  till  the  end  of  life  in  this  work, 
and  was  with  his  class  on  the  Sunday  before  his  death."  He  was  benevolent 
to  the  poor.  A  contemporary  journal  has  said  that  "he  expended  the  fortune 
which  he  amassed  largely  in  administering  to  the  comfort  of  the  indigent, 
and  especially  during  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  seemed  to  take  peculiar 
interest  not  only  in  replying  with  liberal  hand  to  the  frequent  calls  made  upon 
his  benevolence,  but  also  in  searching-  out  objects  worthy  of  his  notice." 

The  biography  of  few  men  will  exhibit  greater  rewards  of  ability,  in- 
dustry and  integrity  than  does  that  of  Harm  Jan  Huidekoper.  In  business 
circles,  in  his  home  relations,  in  the  church  and  the  town,  his  life  was  exem- 
plary. In  all  that  he  did,  he  was  actuated  by  the  great  principles  that  should 
govern  humanity.    He  died  at  his  residence  in  Meadville,  May  22,  1854. 

A  portrait  of  the  subject  of  this  memoir  appears  as  the  frontispiece  of  this 
volume.    . 


Michael  Greenle.e. — One  of  the  oldest  settlers  of  Crawford  county  was 
Michael  Greenlee,  who  with  his  wife  and  son  Robert  came  from  Fayette 
county  to  Pittsburg  in  1795.     His  father  was  a  Covenanter  who  fled  from 


68o  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Scotland  to  the  north  of  Ireland  to  escape  persecution,  and  from  there  came 
to  this  country,  settling  in  Delaware.  He  married  twice.  By  his  first  wife  he 
had  two  sons,  David  and  William.  The  former  moved  to  Georgia  and  the 
latter  is  thought  to  have  gone  up  the  James  or  the  Red  river.  He  was  mar- 
ried the  second  time  at  the  age  of  sixty,  his  wife  being  but  nineteen.  He  had 
three  children  by  his  second  wife,  as  follows:  Michael,  Allen  and  Elizabeth. 
Michael  was  born  in  1759,  in  Delaware,  near  the  Maryland  line,  and  was 
married  in  1792  to  Bethiah  Maxson,  in  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania,  where 
he  lived  for  a  period  of  two  years,  and  where  his  son  Robert  was  born.  He 
then  moved  to  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  remained  one  vear,  and 
then,  in  company  with  his  family  and  a  small  colony  of  settlers,  came  up  the 
Allegheny  river  and  French  creek  on  a  flat-bottom  boat  or  raft,  which  was 
pushed  up  the  streams  with  setting  poles,  to  Meadville,  where  there  was  a 
small  settlement.  He  brought  with  him  eighteen  barrels  of  flour,  two  barrels 
of  side  pork,  a  lot  of  flax,  one  and  one-half  bushels  of  salt,  one  yoke  of  oxen, 
one  cow,  two  two-year-old  heifers,  one  mare,  one  large  black-walnut  chest 
and  other  household  goods.  There  was  nothing  but  an  Indian  trail  through  the 
woods  from  Pittsburg  to  Meadville  at  that  time,  and  the  only  stopping  place 
in  the  whole  distance  was  where  James  and  Philip  Dunn  had  settled.  Here 
they  stopped  for  a  rest.  During  their  trip  up  the  river  it  rained  so  that  their 
beds  were  getting  wet,  and  he  put  boards  on  barrels  for  covering  for  his  wife 
and  little  Robert.  On  this  journey  the  live  stock  was  driven  to  the  new  home 
along  this  primitive  trail  through  the  forest,  and  on  this  trip  Mr.  Greenlee 
injured  his  back  pushing  the  boat,  from  the  effect  of  which  he  never  recov- 
ered. He  remained  one  year  on  French  Creek  Flats,  near  Meadville,  where  he 
raised  a  patch  of  corn.  When  the  crop  was  ready  to  harvest,  being  unable  to 
walk,  he  took  a  chain  and  rode  one  of  the  oxen  into  the  field,  where  he  hitched 
the  chain  around  shocks  of  corn  and  drew  them  to  a  shed,  thus  saving  his  corn, 
while  his  neighbors  left  theirs  in  the  field  and  it  was  swept  down  the  creek 
in  a  freshet  and  was  lost.  The  spring  following,  in  ]\Iarch.  1797,  lie  went 
on  horseback  to  Venango  township,  now  Cussawago  township,  and  secured 
four  hundred  acres  of  land  and  built  a  small  log  cabin.  When  he  thus  went 
to  look  for  land,  a  man  had  agreed  to  come  out  from  Meadville  and  bring  him 
a  gun  and  fire  tools,  but  disappointed  him,  and  the  consequence  was  that  he 
was  obliged  to  stay  in  the  woods  all  night  with  his  horse  and  dog,  without  fire 
or  gun,  there  being  four  inches  of  snow  on  the  ground.  He  made  his  bed 
beside  a  fallen  tree,  against  which  he  stood  pieces  of  bark  for  covering.  His 
dog  barked  continually,  thus  keeping  the  wild  animals  away;  otherwise  it 
seemed  to  liim  as  though  he  must  have  been  killed  by  them,  as  all  through  the 
long,  weary  night  these  denizens  of  the  forest  gave  distipct  evidence  of  their 
presence. 

In  order  to  get  supplies  for  their  families,  the  men  had  to  go  through 


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OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  68 1 

tlie  woods  on  horseback  along  an  Indian  trail  to  Pittsburg.  During  his  ab- 
sence on  one  of  these  trips,  which  took  several  days,  Mr.  Greenlee's  wife  was 
A-er_y  much  annoyed  by  wolves,  bears  and  panthers,  which  came  alarminglv 
near.  She  took  lighted  pine  torches  and  threw  them  at  the  animals,  which 
were  afraid  of  tire,  thus  keeping  them  away.  A  blanket  was  used  to  cover 
the  entrance  to  the  little  cabin  and  served  in  lieu  of  a  door. 

That  fall  Mr.  Greenlee  hired  the  underbrush  dug  out  and  the  large  trees 
girdled  on  one  acre  of  ground,  for  which  service  he  paid  five  dollars,  and  the 
ground  was  prepared  for  seed  in  as  effective  a  way  as  possible.  He  bought  one 
bushel  of  seed  wheat,  costing  four  dollars,  and  sowed  it  on  this  acre  of  ground, 
which  produced  thirty  bushels.  There  was  a  brush  fence  around  this  acre, 
somewhat  protecting  it  from  wild  animals,  but  nevertheless  it  was  necessary  to 
guard  it  both  day  and  night  until  the  crop  was  harvested.  That  one  bushel  was 
all  the  wheat  he  ever  bought  for  the  use  of  his  family.  Being  an  invalid,  as 
stated  above,  he  was  unable  personally  to  do  much  farm  work,  so  he  took  up 
the  manufacture  of  reeds  for  weaving,  and  other  similar  work.  He  always 
kept  a  yoke  of  oxen,  and  changed  work  with  his  neighbors  by  letting  them  use 
his  ox  team,  and  thus  managed  to  get  his  heavy  farm  work  done, — work  which 
his  boys  were  unable  to  do  by  reason  of  their  youth.  It  is  said  of  him  that  he 
never  gave  a  note  in  his  life  and  never  had  a  lawsuit.  A  notable  character- 
istic of  the  Greenlee  family  has  been  equability  of  temperament.  Each  suc- 
cessive generation  has  shown  the  same  mildness  of  disposition,  the  same 
gentle  and  kindly  nature,  and  the  deepest  sympathy  and  regard  for  all  men. 
Sterling  integrity  of  character,  strong  mentality  and  excellent  business  abilitv 
have  also  been  typified  in  the  various  representatives  of  the  name.  The  family 
has  ever  stood  for  the  highest  order  of  citizenship,  and  has  rendered  strong 
allegiance  to  religious,  educational  and  all  other  good  work. 

Mr.  Greenlee  was  a  First-day  Baptist  and  his  wife  a  Seventh-day  Bap- 
tist, and  accordingly  they  kept  both  days  holy.  Their  home  was  always  open 
to  the  itinerant  clergymen  of  both  denominations,  and  was  to  these  noble 
pioneer  workers  in  the  Master's  vineyard  a  home  indeed.  Mrs.  Greenlee,  in 
the  meantime,  lost  her  health  and  did  most  of  her  work  in  bed,  such  as  sewing, 
knitting,  mending,  and  sometimes  spinning,  the  last  work  being  accomplished 
bv  having  one  of  the  children  turn  the  wheel  for  her.  She  was  also  quite  a 
poet.  She  died  in  1819,  and  Michael  died  in  1827,  near  Mosiertown,  in  Cus- 
sawago  township,  where  they  were  buried. 

Michael  and  Bethiah  Greenlee  had  a  large  family,  of  eleven  children, 
namelv:  Robert,  Elizabeth,  John,  Esther,  Jacob,  Lucinda,  Maxson,  James, 
Marv,"  Experience,  and  Edmund.  All  are  deceased,  and  all,  with  the  excep- 
tion'of  Robert,  were  born,  and  all,  with  the  exception  of  Jacob  and  Maxson, 
spent  their  lives  in  Crawford  countv.  Jacol,  went  to  Conneaut,  Ohio,  Maxson 
to  Minnesota.     Edmund,  the  voungest  child,  was  married  m   1833  to  Mary 


682  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Wright  Stebbins,  born  September  13,  1805,  in  Springfield,  Massachusetts, 
whence  the  family  moved  to  Crawford  county,  where  she  met  Edmund 
Greenlee.  Their  children  were  Emeline,  Robert,  Ralph,  Michael,  Rachel,  and 
Mary. 

Mr.  Greenlee  was  a  man  of  considerable  inventive  genius,  and  he  devised 
and  manufactured  machinery  for  making  all  of  his  own  cheese  boxes  and 
butter  kegs  at  the  time  he  was  conducting  an  extensive  dairy  business.  He 
was  also  a  strong  man,  physically  and  mentally.  His  first  child,  Emeline 
Blodgett,  was  married  to  Samuel  Julius  Wells,  in  Rundell,  Crawford  county, 
Pennsylvania;  Michael  lived  in  Summerhill  township,  near  Rundellstown, 
on  the  old  farm  which  his  father  purchased  and  cleared,  and  where  the  family 
still  reside.  The  old  homestead  is  now  owned  by  the  two  brothers,  Robert 
L.  and  Ralph  S.  Greenlee,  of  Chicago.  Rachel  and  Mary  went  to  Denver, 
Colorado,  where  they  still  reside.  From  earliest  infancy  there  was  great 
difBculty  in  distinguishing  the  twins,  Ralph  and  Robert,  from  each  other, 
so  much  were  they  alike  in  looks,  form  and  manner.  They  were  sent  to  school 
and  given  the  best  educational  advantages  afforded  in  the  common  schools 
of  the  district,  pursuing  their  studies  until  nineteen  years  of  age,  also 
assisting  their  father  in  the  dairy  business.  It  is  unmistakably  true 
that  none  of  the  "Crawford  county  boys"  have  attained  a  greater  measure 
of  success  in  life  than  have  Ralph  S.  and  Robert  L.  Greenlee,  the  representa- 
tive business  men  of  Chicago,  and  it  will  certainly  be  of  interest  to  the  read- 
ers of  this  work  to  note  the  more  salient  points  in  their  career  since  they 
have  left  their  native  county. 

In  1863,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  they  left  the  farm  and  moved  to 
Chicago  to  start  in  business  on  their  own  account.  Making  use  of  their  me- 
chanical skill  acquired  while  working  for  their  father,  they  opened  a  cooper 
shop,  employing  machinery'  in  their  work.  This  aroused  the  ire  and  con- 
certed opposition  of  the  western  coopers,  for  they  objected  to  any  departure 
from  the  methods  of  their  forefathers.  The  opposition  was  met  boldly  and 
firml}^,  and  finally  overcome,  and  the  firm  of  Greenlee  Brothers  was  duly 
prosperous.  From  this  beginning  they  drifted  into  the  manufacture  of  wood- 
working machinery,  making  a  specialty  of  the  highest  grades  known,  and 
constantly  adding  new  inventions  and  methods  until  the  Greenlee  machines 
have  become  famous  with  manufacturers  in  wood  throughout  the  world.  Im- 
mediately after  the  great  fire  of  1871  they  removed  to  their  present  quarters 
in  West  Twelfth  street,  where,  in  addition  to  the  manufacture  of  wood- 
working machinery,  they  established,  in  1883,  the  Northwestern  Stove  Re- 
pair Company,  the  largest  concern  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  Here,  also,  in 
1886  they  established  two  large  foundries,  under  the  corporation  name  of  the 
Greenlee  Foundry  Company. 

Mr.  Ralph  S.  Greenlee  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Brooks  of  Chicago,  who 


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OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  683 

was  born  in  eastern  Canada.  Her  father,  ^^'illiam  Brooks,  was  for  many 
years  a  resident  of  Sherbrool<.  Canada,  and  one  of  the  leading  spirits  of  the 
conservative  government  of  the  dominion.  They  have  one  child,  Gertrude, 
who  is  now  Mrs.  James  A.  Lounsbury.  Mr.  Robert  L.  Greenlee  married 
Miss  Emily  Brooks,  a  sister  of  his  brother's  wife.  They  have  three  children: 
William  Brooks  Greenlee,  a  graduate  of  Cornell  University;  Grace  E.  and 
Isabel  v.,  who  are  both  graduates  of  Ogontz  Seminary,  at  Philadelphia. 

The  politics  of  the  brothers  is  Republican,  and  they  are  stanch  believers 
in  the  principles  of  their  party!  They  contribute  generously  to  all  worthy 
charities,  and  are  liberal  in  their  contributions  to  educational  institutions, 
believing  that  the  education  of  the  people  will  remove  many  of  their  ills.  Nor 
is  their  view  of  education  limited  to  the  narrow  routine  of  the  school  or 
lecture  room.  They  have  been  careful  students  of  men  and  events,  and  by 
extensive  travel  at  home  and  in  foreign  lands  they  have  acquired  a  most 
valuable  fund  of  knowledge.  Few  Americans  are  more  conversant  w^ith  the 
wonders  and  beauties  of  the  world  than  they.  Their  first  extensive  travels 
abroad  began  in  1883,  when  Islr.  Ralph  S.  Greenlee,  with  his  family,  who 
always  accompany  him  in  his  travels,  made  a  thorough  tour  of  old  Mexico 
and  Europe,  lasting  thirteen  months,  and  he  has  but  recently  returned,  with 
his  wife  and  daughter,  from  a  tour  of  the  world,  lasting  eigiiteen  months. 
During  this  last  trip  they  spent  three  months  each  in  Japan  and  China,  visit- 
ing the  interior  of,  both  countries,  and  went  all  through  India  and  the  island 
of  Ceylon,  Egypt  and  Turkey,  and  made  a  tour  of  Palestine.  Mr.  Robert 
L.  Greenlee  and  his  family  have  traversed  the  same  countries,  with  addition 
of  Siam,  Java  and  Burmah. 

In  stature  they  are  five  feet  ten  inches  in  height,  weighing  one  hundred 
and  eighty-six  pounds  each.  They  have  a  commanding  presence,  well-formed 
heads,  which  set  squarely  upon  their  shoulders,  and  are  men  who  would 
attract  immediate  and  respectful  audience  in  any  assembly.  Their  eyes  are 
dark  and  kindly  and  have  that  expression  which  places  a  stranger  imme- 
diately at  ease  in  their  presence.  They  are  courteous  but  not  effusive,  show- 
ing in  this  the  true  Scotch  and  English  conservatism.  Their  leading  charac- 
teristics are  inbred  politeness,  kindness  and  consideration  for  others,  coupled 
with  indomitable  will  power,  untiring  energy,  broad  liberality  and  uncom- 
promising honesty.  Their  fortunes  have  been  fairly  gained,  and  stand  proud 
monuments  of  their  sturdy  manhood  and  genius. 


Francis  Fox.  a  successful  contractor  and  builder  of  Meadville,  was  born 
August  13,  1834,  in  Bennhousen.  Palatinate  of  Bavaria.  He  is  a  son  of  Fran- 
cis and  Katherine  ( Hauri)  Fox,  and  with  them  came  to  this  country  in  1846. 
The  father  was  engaged  in  the  retail  meat  business  in  Meadville  for  some  years. 
He  died  in  September,  1864,  and  three  years  later  the  mother  passed  away. 


684  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

When  seventeen  years  of  age  our  subject  started  out  to  make  his  own 
way  in  the  world,  and,  having  learned  the  carpenter's  trade,  he  went  to  the  west, 
at  two  different  times,  finally  returning  to  Meadville  in  1864,  to  make  his  per- 
manent home  here.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  occupied  in  building  and  con- 
tracting and  architecture,  and  has  acquired  an  excellent  reputation  for  the  fidel- 
ity and  promptness  with  which  he  carries  out  his  contracts.  Among  the  many 
large  and  fine  buildings  which  he  has  erected  in  this  city  are  the  High  School, 
the  Academy  of  Music  and  several  churches.  When  the  Erie  Railroad  shops 
were  being  built  here,  he  was  appointed  to  superintend  their  construction,  and 
successfully  completed  the  work. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Fox  and  Teresa  M.  Coulter,  a  daughter  of  Barnard 
Coulter,  of  Venango  county,  and  of  Irish  descent,  was  solemnized  January 
24,  1865.  Mrs.  Fox  died  in  September,  1875,  and  of  their  five  children  three 
are  still  living,  namely:  Robert  F.,  Charles  J.  and  Harriet  B.  The  present 
wife  of  our  subject  was  formerly  Miss  Ella  Donnelly,  a  daughter  of  Professor 
John  R.  Donnelly  of  this  county.  She  was  a  prominent  teacher  for  years. 
Mr.  Fox  has  taken  an  active  part  in  general  and  local  politics.  In  1876  he 
joined  the  Greenback  party  and  voted  for  Peter  Cooper  for  president.  In  1877 
he,  with  others,  established  and  published  the  People's  Advocate,  a  weekly 
paper  advocating  the  principles  of  the  Greenback  party.  In  1878  he  contrib- 
uted largely  by  speech  and  general  effort  in  the  work,  in  which  year  the 
Greenback  party  polled  three  thousand  five  hundred  votes  in  Crawford  county, 
and  as  long  ago  as  1866  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  city  council.  In  1892  he 
was  honored  by  being  elected  to  the  select  council,  and  served  six  years  in  that 
honorable  body,  and  contributed  large!)-  in  securing  the  nmnicipal  ownership  of 
the  water-works. 


Artliiir  L.  Bates,  a  prominent  member  of  the  Crawford  count}-  bar,  re- 
sides at  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  born  in  1859.,  He  is  a  son 
of  Samuel  P.  Bates,  LL.  D.,  who  has  been  prominent  for  many  years  as  an 
educator,  and  who  also  contributed  much  of  value  to  the  history  of  the  civil 
war  by  his  Pennsylvania  \^olunteers.  History  of  the  Battles  of  Gettysburg, 
Chancellorsville,  etc. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  fitted  for  a  collegiate  course  under  tutors, 
and  graduated  at  Allegheny  College  in  1880,  and,  although  the  youngest  of 
a  large  class;  was  its  valedictorian.  The  next  two  years  were  spent  as  a  stu- 
dent-at-law  in  the  ofiice  of  Hon.  Joshua  Douglass,  where  by  close  application 
and  study  he  was  prepared  for  admission  to  the  bar  in  September,  1882,  when 
he  took  the  oath  as  attorney  and  counselor-at-law,  and  at  once  opened  an  office 
in  the  Derickson  building  on  Chestnut  street,  and  has  ever  since  been  in  active 
practice  in  Crawford  and  adjoining  counties.  In  1884  Mr.  Bates  spent  part  of 
the  year  abroad,  and  was  for  a  time  at  Oxford  University. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  685 

He  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  politics  and  in  all  questions 
touching  good  government,  the  elevation  of  citizenship  and  a  high  standard 
of  political  morals.  Since  the  fall  of  1880,  his  voice  has  heen  heard  in  every 
political  campaign  in  Crawford  county  in  behalf  of  the  Republican  party,  of 
which  he  has  always  been  a  constant  adherent  and  advocate.  He  was  'for 
some  years  president  of  the  Young  Men's  Republican  Club  of  Meadville,  and 
afterward  led  in  the  organization,  and  was  the  first  president,  of  the  well 
known  C(3lumbia  Club,  having  a  membership  of  some  three  hundred  promi- 
nent Republicans  of  the  county,  and  for  many  years  the  only  permanent  polit- 
ical club  in  Crawford  county.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Americus  Club 
of  Pittsburg,  of  the  Meadville  Literary  Union,  and  of  the  Round  Table,  treas- 
urer of  the  Crawford  County  Bar  Association  and  a  director  in  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank.  He  has  been  for  many  years  a  member  of  Crawford  Lodge, 
L  O.  O.  F.,  and  is  a  Past  Master  by  service  of  Crawford  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  National  Society  of  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution, 
being  descended  from  patriotic  colonial  ancestry. 

In  1888  he  was  elected  by  the  votes  of  the  twenty-sixth  Pennsylvania  dis- 
trict an  alternate  delegate  to  the  Republican  national  convention  at  Chicago. 
In  1889  he  was  elected  vice-president  for  Pennsylvania  of  the  National  Re- 
publican League.  Mr.  Bates  has  served  four  terms  as  city  solicitor  of  Mead- 
\ille,  having  been  first  elected  in  1889,  and  re-elected  in  1890,  1892  and  1894. 
While  serving  in  this  capacity  he  was  associated  with  some  of  the  best  lawyers 
in  the  state  in  the  trial  of  the  celebrated  case  between  the  City  of  Meadville 
and  the  Meadville  AVater  Company,  having-  hearings  before  the  United  States 
circuit  court  at  dift'erent  points,  and  finally  before  the  Pennsylvania  supreme 
court  at  Harrisburg  and  Philadelphia. 

Mr.  Bates  was  the  choice  of  Crawford  county  by  an  overwhelming  vote 
for  the  Republican  nomination  for  congress  in  1898,  but  did  not  receive  the 
district  nomination.  He  is  at  present  a  member  of  the  Republican  state  com- 
mittee for  Crawford  county. 

His  legal  and  political  duties  have  not  deterred  him  from  indulging  a 
natural  fondness  for  farm  and  agricultural  pursuits,  and  he  has  for  many 
years  owned  and  operated  a  large  farm  in  Randolph  township,  known  as  Hills- 
dale, where  he  raises  abundant  crops  and  also  fine  specimens  of  stock. 


Dennis  D.  Hughes,  a  native  of  Kings  county,  Ireland,  was  born  in  1838, 
and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1848-49.  He  learned  his  trade,  that  of  tin- 
smith, in  Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  four  years  later  he  was  employed  as  a 
journevman  in  Rochester,  same  state,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years  he 
was  foreman  of  a  shop.  In  1864  he  moved  from  Rochester  to  Meadville,  this 
state,  where  he  remained  eight  years.     In   1872  he  came  to  Titusville  and 


686  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

took  charge  of  the  tin-shell  department  of  the  Roberts  Torpedo  Company, 
and  continued  to  occupy  this  position  until  1885. 

In  1886  he  went  into  the  sheet-metal  business,  since  which  time  he  has 
done  not  only  general  tin  work,  tin  roofing,  etc.,  but  he  has  also  made  a  spe- 
cialty of  constructing  and  placing  ceilings  of  steel  sheeting,  and  for  the  last 
few  years  he  has  done  a  large  business  in  this  special  line  not  only  in  Titus- 
ville  but  also  in  Oil  City  and  other  towns  in  the  vicinity.  His  oldest  son,  E. 
T.  Hughes,  has  for  several  years  been  associated  with  him,  under  the  firm  name 
of  D.  D.  Hughes  &  Son.  He  put  up  the  first  galvanized  sheet-iron  cornice  in 
Crawford  county,  and  he  also  brought  into  the  county  the  first  block  of 
American  tin.  \ 

Mr.  Hughes  is  the  father  of  seven  children — five  sons  and  two  daughters. 


John  Mathezvs  IVaid  was  born  in  Steuben  township,  this  county, 
August  22,  1859,  the  fifth  child  of  John  and  Vesta  A.  Waid.  His  father  is 
one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  the  county.  Our  subject  was  brought  up  on  a 
farm,  while  enjoying  good  advantages  at  school  during  boyhood.  In  1881 
he  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  office  of  Dr.  *A.  Logan  in  Woodcock 
borough,  and  continued  there  five  )fears,  during  which  time  he  took  two  courses 
of  lectures  in  the  medical  department  of  the  Western  Reserve  University  at 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  a  course  at  the  Western  University  in  this  state,  finally 
receiving  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  Since  1889  he  has  practiced  his 
chosen  profession  at  Titusville. 

August  22,  1888,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Lulu  E.,  daughter 
of  Cyrus  Root,  of  Riceville,  Pennsylvania,  and  they  have  one  child,  a  son. 


Junitis  Harris,  a  native  of  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  now  a  resident 
of  Crawford  county,  engaged  in  the  building  business  in  Mississippi  and  Ten- 
nessee until  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war,  when  he  came  north,  locating  in 
Titusville.  Here  he  at  first  was  employed  as  a  journeyman  carpenter,  from 
1 86 1  to  1863,  when  he  began  contracting,  and  continued  in  this  line  for  sev- 
eral years ;  afterward  he  built  tenement  houses  for  a  while,  and  then  erected 
a  planing-mill,  which  he  ran  in  connection  with  building  and  contracting. 
In  1875  he  established  a  machine-shop,  which  he  operated  in  the  reconstruc- 
tion of  second-hand  engines  and  boilers ;  and  he  continued  at  this  until  about 
1890,  when  he  rented  his  works.  Mr.  Harris  is  probably  the  owner  of  more 
buildings  in  the  city  than  any  other  man.  He  built  and  is  still  the  owner  of 
the  Arcade  block,  which  extends  from  Diamond  street  to  East  Central  avenue. 
He  is  one  of  the  citizens  who  subscribed  $10,000  to  the  industrial  fund. 

In  1863  he  was  married  to  Miss  Adelaide  Brownell,  of  Kansas,  and  they 
have  had  seven  children. 

At  different  times  Mr.  Harris  has  served  in  the  city  council.    It  is  not  ex- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  687 

travagant  eulogy  to  say  that  Junius  Harris  has  earned  the  substantial  reputa- 
tion which  he  enjoys  as  one  of  Titusville's  most  worthy  citizens. 

Jesse  Moore.— Tht  debt  of  gratitude  which  our  country  owes  to  her  brave 
sons  who  fought  heroically  on  many  a  dreadful  field  of  battle,  who  sufifered 
the  untold  hardships  and  privations  of  a  soldier's  life,  who  bore  sickness, 
wounds  and  neglect  in  camp  and  hospital,  is  one  which  cannot  be  repaid,  and 
we  turn  with  feelings  of  pride,  sorrow  and  joy  mingled,  to  the  record  of  Jesse 
Moore,  an  honored  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  and  for  years  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative citizens  and  business  men  of  Cochranton,  Crawford  county. 

In  tracing  the  history  of  his  ancestors  we  find  that  for  four  genera- 
tions his  family  controlled  and  managed  the  beautiful  estate  of  Bartley's  Green, 
in  Ireland,  the  owners  thereof  being  of  the  English  nobility.  In  1738  Samuel 
Moore,  with  his  five  children,  came  to  America,  and  settling  in  the  vicinity 
of  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  he  dwelt  there  until  his  death.  In  1763  three 
of  his  sons,  John,  Samuel  and  George,  took  up  land  in  Bedford  Springs,  Bed- 
ford county,  Pennsylvania.  This  was  one  of  the  English  outposts  at  that 
time,  and  the  following  year  George  Moore  was  taken  captive  by  Indians, 
and  carried  beyond  the  Mississippi  river.  It  was  not  until  nine  years  had 
elapsed  that  he  managed  to  effect  his  escape,  and  shortly  after  his  return  home 
he  died  from  the  results  of  the  ill  treatment  and  privations  he  had  endured. 
Samuel  and  John  married  and  reared  families,  and  Hugh,  a  son  of  the  last 
mentioned,  was  the  grandfather  of  our  subject.  He  located  on  a  farm  near 
the  present  village  of  Carlton,  Mercer  county,  four  miles  from  Cochranton,  in 
1808,  and  there  reared  his  eight  children,  of  whom  John,  born  in  1809,  was 
the  eldest,  and  the  father  of  Jesse  Moore.  When  John  Moore  had  reached 
his  majority  he  settled  upon  a  farm  of  his  own  in  French  Creek  township, 
three  miles  from  the  parental  home.  Unto  himself  and  wife,  who"  had 
formerly  been  Miss  Elizabeth  Mumford,  of  Crawford  county,  five  sons  and 
three  daughters  were  born,  who  lived  to  mature  years. 

The  birth  of  Jesse  Moore,  the  eldest  son,  occurred  September  28,  1838, 
and  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil .  war  his  life  was  that  of  the  farmer.  In 
September,  1861,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  E,  One  Hundred  and 
Eleventh  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  sent  to  camp  at  Erie, 
Pennsylvania,  to  drill  and  prepare  for  the  coming  campaign.  He  was  made 
a  sergeant  and  in  February,  1862,  he  and  his  command  were  stationed  on  post 
duty  in  Baltimore,  Maryland,  under  General  Dix,  serving  there  until  the  end 
of  May,  when  they  were  sent  to  the  front.  It  so  happened  that  the  first  active 
engagement  in  which  the  young  sergeant  took  part  was  fought  at  Charlestown, 
Virginia,  on  the  very  spot  where  John  Brown  had  been  hung.  Their  next 
important  battle  was  that  of  Cedar  Mountain,  Virginia,  where  Mr.  Moore 
was  wounded  in  the  head  and  was  left  on  the  field  for  dead.    The  bullet,  how- 


688  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ever,  had  not  penetrated  the  skull,  and  after  a  period  of  unconsciousness  he 
recovered  sufficiently  to  join  his  comrades  and  bravely  continued  to  fight  with 
them  while  there  was  need.  His  company  was  next  ordered  back  to  Washing- 
ton, and  on  the  17th  of  September  were  participants  in  the  battle  of  Antietam, 
[Maryland.  The  following  winter  was  passed  in  camp  near  Fairfax,  Virginia, 
and  the  next  important  battle  was  the  three  days'  fight  at  Chancellorsville,  May, 
I,  2,  and  3,  1S63,  in  which  Mr.  Moore  acted  in  the  capacity  of  second  lieuten- 
ant, he  having  been  commissioned  as  such  in  March,  1863.  Then  he  was 
actively  engaged  in  the  series  of  encounters  with  the  enemy  which  terminated 
in  the  celebrated  battle  of  Gettysburg,  Pennsylvania,  and  on  the  29th  of  July, 
1863,  he  was  commissioned  first  lieutenant.  In  September  following  his  com- 
mand was  transferred  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  to  succor  General  Rose- 
crans,  who  was  besieged  at  Chattanooga,  Tennessee;  October  29,  at  the  battle 
of  Wouhatchie,  the  brother  of  the  lieutenant  was  killed.  In  the  noted  battle 
of  Lookout  Mountain  our  sul)ject  and  his  comrades  did  distinguished  service, 
under  the  leadership  of  the  famous  "Fighting  Joe"  Hooker.  To-day  the 
traveler  may  see  a  tablet  which  was  erected  near  the  entrance  to  the  hotel  on 
the  point  of  Lookout  Mountain,  in  memory  of  the  heroism  of  the  gallant  One 
Hundred  and  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  in  this  "battle  above  the  clouds." 

In  December,  1863,  Lieutenant  Moore's  term  of  service  expired,  but  he 
promptly  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran  and  was  under  the  command  of  General 
Slocum  in  the  Atlanta  campaign  of  1864.  At  the  battle  of  Peach  Tree  Creek, 
July  20,  a  minie  ball  shattered  his  left  arm  at  the  elbow,  and  five  times  has  am- 
putation been  deemed  necessary,  the  last  operation  being  performed  in  1875. 
After  spending  some  time  in  the  Chattanooga  hospital  he  returned  home  for 
a  brief  period  and  in  December,  1864,  he  reported  for  duty,  and  served  in 
the  military  court  at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  until  he  was  placed  in  charge  of 
six  companies  of  veteran  reserve  troops. 

The  war  having  been  closed.  Lieutenant  Moore  found  himself  face  to  face 
with  another  conflict,  none  the  less  serious — the  battle  of  life,  which  he  must 
fight  literally  single-handed.  During  the  winter  of  1865  he  pursued  a  com- 
mercial course  at  the  Edinboro  State  Normal,  and  on  the  ist  of  April,  1866, 
he  embarked  in  business  in  Cochrantdn,  as  a  boot  and  shoe  merchant.  In  May, 
1868,  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  this  place  and  continued  to  act  as  such 
until  October,  1S78.  when  he  resigned  his  ofiice  and  also  sold  his  store.  In  the 
meantime  he  had  met  with  deserved  success  in  his  mercantile  ventures,  one 
of  which  was  dealing  in  coal,  which  commodity  he  was  the  first  to  handle  here 
to  any  extent.  In  June,  1877,  the  Cochranton  Savings  Bank  was  organized 
with  a  capital  stock  of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  Mr.  Moore  was  made 
its  cashier.  Later,  the  capital  stock  of  the  bank  was  increased  to  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  and  under  the  national  banking  laAvs  the  institution  was  reorganized, 
becoming  the  First  National  Bank  of  Cochranton,  Mr.  Moore  retaining  his 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  689 

position  as  cashier.  In  innumerable  ways  he  has  set  an  example  as  a  man  of 
public  spirit,  enterprise  and  progress ;  was  the  first  to  have  a  stone  sidewalk 
here,  erected  the  first  gothic  slate-roofed  dwelling,  and  was  the  first  citizen 
here  to  put  plate-glass  windows  in  his  storeroom  front. 

On  the  14th  of  November,  1864,  Mr.  Moore  married  Martha  J.  Stevens, 
of  Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania.  She  died  March  26,  1883,  and  the  only  son, 
Frank,  followed  his  mother  to  the  silent  land  four  years  later.  Edith,  the 
only  daughter,  lives  at  home.  In  December,  1885,  Mr.  Moore  marvied  Miss 
Belle  Powell. 

For  more  than  twenty  years  Mr.  Moore  served  as  one  of  the  assessors 
of  Cochranton  and  has  acted  in  the  office  of  burgess  of  the  borough.  For 
almost  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  was  a  member  of  the  school  board,  and  for 
a  score  of  years  was  a  trustee  of  tlie  United  Presbyterian  church.  Had  he 
chosen  to  seek  political  office,  he  might  have  had  about  any  one  which  is 
within  the  gift  of  the  people  of  this  community.  He  is  deservedly  popular,  his 
friends  being  legion  throughout  this  section  of  the  state.  With  undaunted 
spirit  he  has  fought  the  battle  of  life  as  bravely  as  those  which  he  fought  for  his 
country,  and  though  severely  handicapped  he  has  won  victor)-  and  the  admira- 
tion and  hio;h  esteem  of  all. 


'to' 


Augustus  McGill. — The  old  records  in  the  surveyor-general's  office  at 
Harrisburg  show  that  February  25.  1793,  Patrick  McGill  began  an  improve- 
ment on  the  east  side  of  French  creek,  and  June  28,  1794,  a  tract  of  land  con- 
taining four  hundred  and  thirty-nine  acres,  one  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
perches,  with  six  per  cent,  added,  was  resurveyed  for  him  in  pursuance  of  said 
improvements.  Actual  settlement  proven  from  September  1,  1796,  and  re- 
survey  made  December  20,  1800;  warrant  granted  June  6,  1801,  and  patent 
issued  for  said  lands  in  pursuance  of  provisions  of  the  "'settlement  act," 
July  22,  1802. 

Patrick  McGill  was  a  native  of  County  Antrim.  Ireland,  and  came  to 
America  before  the  Revolutionary  war.  After  the  war.  he  located  in  North- 
umberland county,  Pennsylvania,  and  married  Anna  Maria  Baird.  and  they 
reared  three  sons  and  two  daughters.  John  McGill,  the  eldest  son,  was  born 
in  Northumberland  county,  October  19,  1795;  William  P.,  Nancy  (McGill) 
Burchfield,  Charles  D.  and  Maria  (McGill)  McCloskey  were  born  at  the 
home  on  French  creek,  were  married  there,  begat  sons  and  daughters  and  have 
passed  away.  Patrick  McGill  died  in  1832.  a  Presbyterian  in  faith  and  a 
Democrat  in  politics. 

John  McGill  married  Isabella  Ryan  June  12,  1822.     She  was  a  daughter 
of  John  and  Catharine  fHimrod)   Ryan  of  Woodcock  township.     She  was 
born  October  28,  i8oo;  and  died  March  25,  1876.    They  reared  to  maturity 
two  sons  and  five  daughters.     Of  these  only  three  survive,  to-wit :  Augustus, 

44 


690  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

born  September  i,  1828;  Eliza  R.  (McGill)  Fleming,  born  September  26, 
1830,  now  a  resident  of  Coudersport,  Pennsylvania,  and  William  R.  McGill, 
born  February  i,  1833,  a  resident  of  Summerbill  township.  All  other  mem- 
bers of  the  family  died  without  issue.  John  McGill  died  October  27,  1878, 
aged  eighty-three  years.  He  was  a  lifelong  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  and  a  Democrat  in  politics. 

Augustus  McGill,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  a  resident  of  Saegers- 
town.  He  was  educated  at  the  district  schools  and  at  the  Saegerstown  Acad- 
emy, and  for  a  time  taught  school.  March  21,  1855,  he  married  Sarah  Peif- 
fer,  of  Venango,  Pennsylvania.  She  was  born  August  13,  1828,  and  is  still 
living.  Her  ancestry  was  of  German  origin  and  came  to  America  before  the 
Revolution,  and  also  migrated  here  from  Northumberland  county  about  1801. 

Before  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  Mr.  McGill  was  postmaster  in  his  native 
town  and  also  county  auditor.  August  19,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company  F. 
Eighty-third  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  was  appointed  a  sergeant 
and  subsequently  promoted  to  first  sergeant  and  second  lieutenant,  and  on 
tender  of  his  resignation  February  i,  1863,  was  honorably  discharged  on  sur- 
geon's certificate  of  disability.  His  experience  this  term  of  service  consisted, 
in  part,  of  active  participation  in  the  following  battles,  to-wit :  Yorktown 
(siege),  Hanover  Court-House,  Gaines'  Mills,  Savage  Station,  Whiteoak 
Swamp,  Malvern  Hill,  Second  Bull  Run,  and  Fredericksburg,  where  he  was 
wounded,  December  13,  1862. 

After  returning  home  he  was  appointed  United  States  enrolling  officer  for 
his  district.  Lee's  invasion  of  Pennsylvania  in  June,  1863,  called  for  men  to 
repel  the  enemy ;  a  company  was  recruited  from  Saegerstown  and  surrounding 
country  and  marched  to  Pittsburg  with  ]\IcGill  for  captain  and  E.  S.  Skeel, 
of  Hayfield,  first  lieutenant.  It  became  Company  D,  Fifty-sixth  Regiment, 
Pennsylvania  Militia,  Colonel  Samuel  B.  Dick  commanding;  marched  into 
West  Virginia  and  rendered  efficient  service  along  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Rail- 
road until  recalled  the  following  August. 

December  26,  1863,  Captain  McGill  re-enlisted  and  returned  to  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac.  He  was  detailed  to  duty  at  the  A.  G.  O.  headquarters,  Third 
Brigade.  First  Division,  Fifth  Army  Corps,  where  he  served  until  honorably 
discharged,  June  29,  1865. 

During  his  last  service  he  was  present  under  fire,  promptly  discharging 
such  duties  as  were  assigned  him,  in  the  following  engagements,  to-wit : 
Wilderness,  Laurel  Hill,  Spottsylvania  Court-House,  North  Anna,  Hanover- 
town,  Bethesda  Church,  Petersburg  (siege),  Weldon  Railroad,  Poplar  Spring 
Church,  Hatcher's  Run.  Gravelly  Run,  Boydton  Road,  White  Oak  Road,  Five 
Forks  and  Appomattox  Court-House. 

All  the  above  facts  are  matters  of  record  in  the  War  Department.  Com- 
ment is  not  required  and  heroics  are  out  of  place. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  691 

Inflammatory  rheumatism  and  other  tliumps  encountered  in  the  service 
prostrated  him  at  the  close  of  the  war  and  he  has  been  a  cripple  since  1865. 
He  has  held  positions  under  the  state  and  national  governments — is  a  vigorous 
writer— was  editor  of  the  Weekly  Press,  the  first  paper  published  in  Saegers- 
town — has  been  justice  of  the  peace,  notary  public  and  borough  secretary,  but 
all  these  becoming  irksome,  he  has  declined  further  pul)lic  service  and  has 
practically  retired. 

He  has  one  son  (William  R.,  Jr.),  one  daughter  and  six  grandchildren 
living,  to  become  the  victims  of  some  future  historian. 

Captain  M cGill  is  a  Republican ;  he  believes  in  McKinley  and  has  faith 
in  the  unlimited  expansion  of  the  area  of  human  libertv. 


Hoiitcr  James  Humes,  ex-state  senator,  was  born  in  Woodcock  township, 
Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania,  September  29,  1844.  His  father  was  killed  by 
lightning  in  his  own  house  July  26,  1848,  leaving  to  survive  him  a  widow, 
Eliza,  and  four  children, — Edwin,  Homer,  Ella  and  an  infant  daughter  who 
died  in  1851.  Edwin  and  Ella  died  in  1865,  and  his  mother  is  also  deceased, 
thus  leaving  Homer  the  only  surviving  member  of  the  family. 

After  his  father's  death,  the  mother  took  the  family  to  the  home  of  her 
father-in-law,  James  M.  Humes,  where  they  lived  until  the  children  were  able 
to  take  care  of  themselves.  At  the  age  of  nine  Homer  went  to  his  uncle, 
George  Doctor,  in  Cambridge  township,  and  lived  with  him  till  the  spring  of 
1 86 1.  He  acquired  wdiat  may  be  called  a  good  common-school  education,  and 
attended  school  at  tlie  Waterford  Academy  in  the  spring  term  of  1862.  He 
taught  a  country  school  during  the  winter  of  1863-64,  and  in  April,  1865, 
he  entered  the  Edinboro  State  Normal  School,  and  continued  there  for  four  full 
terms.  In  the  fall  of  1866  he  entered  Alleglieny  College,  at  Meadville,  I'enn- 
sylvania,  at  which  he  graduated  in  June,  1869.  He  taught  school  for  three 
terms  after  his  graduation,  and  entered  the  law  office  of  W.  R.  Bole,  the  first 
of  March,  1871,  as  a  student  of  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  November 
II,  1871.  In  February,  1872,  he  went  south  and  west,  but  returned  to  the 
ofiice  of  j\lr.  Bole,  his  preceptor,  and  continued  his  law  study  until  Octol>er 
14,  when  he  opened  an  office  for  himself,  and  has  since  been  an  active  and 
successful  practitioner. 

He  began  his  political  career  by  stumping  Crawford  county  for  Greeley 
in  1872,  and  since  then  has  been  among  his  party's  leaders  in  the  county  and 
state.  He  was  chairman  of  the  Democratic  county  committee  in  1873  and 
1874.  In  1873,  by  his  energetic  work,  the  Republican  majority  was  greatly 
reduced,  and  in  1874  the  Democratic  candidates  were  elected,  save  one.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  state  committee  in  1876.  Although  actively  engaged 
in  every  political  campaign  till  1882,  he  attended  strictly  to  the  practice  of 
his  profession,  and  has  made  his  way  to  the  front.     In  1882  he  was  unani- 


692  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

mously  nominated  l)y  his  party  for  state  senator,  and  although  his  district  had 
given  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  forty-five  pluraHty  for  Garfield  in  1880, 
he  was  elected  by  four  hundred  and  one  over  the  Hon.  A.  B.  Richmond. 

During  his  service  in  the  senate,  Mr.  -Humes  was  a  determined  oppo- 
nent of  bad  legislation  and  jobs  of  every  kind,  and  more  frequently  voted  No 
than  any  other  senator.  At  the  opening  of  the  session  of  1883  his  attention 
was  attracted  by  the  governor's  message,  which  showed  that  there  was  more 
than  five  million  dollars  in  idle  cash  in  the  state  treasury,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  there  existed  a  set  of  favored  banks  that  were  making  money  out  of  state 
funds.  After  much  careful  study  of  the  law.  the  senator  prepared  a  bill  to 
compel  the  commissioners  of  the  sinking  fund  to  invest  all  surplus  funds  in 
either  state  or  United  States  bonds  as  required  by  the  state  constitution. 
After  a  hard  and  long  contest,  in  which  Senator  Cooper,  of  Delaware,  led  the 
opposition  forces,  the  bill  became  a  law  by  receiving  the  signature  of  Governor 
Robert  E.  Pattison  on  the  last  night  of  the  session.  To  enforce  this  law 
Governor  Pattison  was  obliged  to  go  into  the  courts  to  compel  the  commis- 
sioners to  take  the  sinking-fund  money  from  favored  banks  and  in\-est  it  as 
required  by  the  law.  ^lore  than  two  million  five  hundred  thousand  dollars 
state  and  four  million  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  United  States  bonds 
have  been  purchased  under  the  Humes  bill,  a  saving  to  this  time,  for  the  state, 
of  more  than  three  million  dollars  in  interest  which  would  otherwise  have  gone 
to  the  state  treasurer's  favored  banks.  In  talking  of  the  passage  of  this  bill 
the  senator  never  tires  of  giving  praise  to  Senators  Wallace,  Gordon,  W'olver- 
lon.  Hall,  Hess,  Lee,  Emery  and  Stewart  for  their  active  co-operation. 

In  1886  he  was  unanimously  renominated  for  the  senate.  G.  ^\'.  Dela- 
mater  was  his  opponent.  Money  flowed  without  stint  from  the  pockets  of 
his  competitors,  yet  the  senator  ran  ahead  of  his  party  ticket  and  his  com- 
petitors fell  beliind  Go\ernor  Beaver's  \ote.  Since  then  the  senator  has  de- 
voted himself  to  the  practice  of  his  profession. 

During  his  service  in  the  senate  he  was  one  of  Governor  Pattison's  trusted 
friends,  and  was  on  the  best  of  terms  with  the  whole  administration.  The 
only  friction  between  the  senator  and  Governor  Pattison  was  concerning  the 
appointment  of  Dr.  E.  E.  Higbee  as  superintendent  of  public  instruction. 
This  was  political  and  not  personal.  The  senator  led  the  Democratic  forces 
in  the  attempt  to  defeat  confirmation,  but  failed.  His  principal  reason  was  too 
close  relationship  between  Higbee  and  the  Soldiers'  Orphan  Syndicate,  and 
subsequent  information  has  clearly  shown  the  senator  to  be  right. 

He  was  the  author  of  the  bill  to  prevent  the  consolidation  of  parallel  and 
competing  pipe  lines,  and  by  his  every  vote  sustained  every  move  to  enforce 
article  seventeen  of  the  constitution  concerning  railroads  and  canals.  In  1885 
he  offered  a  bill  to  enforce  this  article  of  the  constitution,  drawn  strictly  under 
the  twelfth  section  of  the  article,   which  is:     "The  general  assembly  shall 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  693 

enforce  by  appropriate  legislation  the  provision  of  this  article."  The  bill  simply 
provided  penalties  for  the  violation  of  each  section  of  the  article;  but  it 
never  got  out  of  the  committee.  He  offered  an  amendment  to  the  constitu- 
tion, article  five,  section  five,  changing  the  population  from  forty  thousand  to 
sixty  thousand  to  entitle  a  county  to  a  separate  judicial  district. 

In  1890  the  senator  took  an  active  part  in  the  renomination  of  Governor 
Pattison,  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  Democratic  state  convention  in  Pattison's 
interest.     He  was  largely  instrumental  in  securing  Pattison's  re-election. 

In  1892,  1894  and  1896  he  was  one  of  Hon.  J.  C.  Sibley's  staunchest  sup- 
porters. He  wrote  several  letters  over  his  own  signature,  and  many  not  signed, 
declaring  that  he  was 'for  Sibley  and  free  silver  coinage,  because  only  by  so 
doing  could  he  be  a  Democrat  as  prescribed  by  the  Chicago  platform  of  1892. 
and  if  he  must  follow  Grover  Cleveland's  interpretation  of  that  platform  to  be 
a  Democrat,  he  was  one  no  longer.  He  supported  William  J.  Bryan  in  1896 
with  unparalleled  enthusiasm.  When  Bryan  was  in  Erie,  in  August  of  that 
year,  he  opened  the  meeting  at  the  Opera  House  with  a  speech  that  was  ex- 
celled by  none,  and  only  equalled  by  that  of  Mr.  Bryan  himself. 

Senator  Humes  declares  he  is  now  in  politics  only  for  the  principle.  He 
believes  sincerely  in  the  new  Democracy  as  set  forth  in  the  Chicago  platform 
of  1896,  and  he  has  but  one  question  to  ask  legislative  and  executive  candidates, 
and  if  they  stand  on  that  platform  he  will  support  them,  for  they  represent 
his  cause.    The  senator  is  a  forcible  speaker,  and  never  uses  notes. 

lie  was  a  delegate  to  the  Altoona  convention  in  1898,  and  was  a  warm 
supporter  of  George  A.  Jenks,  who  was  there  nominated  for  governor. 

He  was  married  to  Delia  E.  Lowry,  a  daughter  of  Judge  Thomas  J. 
Lowry,  of  Conneautville,  February  11,  1874.  They  have  one  child,  a  son, 
E.  Lowry  Humes,  who  is  now  a  student  at  Allegheny  College,  and  is  study- 
ing law  in  his  father's  office. 


'& 


Dr.  Winters  D.  Hamaker,  of  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  was  born  Septem- 
ber 21,  1859,  at  Schellsburg,  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  spent  his 
youth.  His  ancestors  were  of  Revolutionary  stock,  three  of  his  great-great- 
grandfathers having  been  in  the  Continental  army.  He  is  the  son  of  the  late 
A.  P.  Hamaker,  a  merchant,  who  died  in  1875,  and  Sarah  J.  McVicker,  daugh- 
ter of  Duncan  McVicker. 

At  the  tim.e  of  his  father's  death,  Dr.  Hamaker  was  but  fifteen  years  of 
age,  and  for  two  years  subsequently  he  assisted  in  the  management  of  the 
business  left  by  his  father  and  prepared  for  college  at  a  private  school  m  his 
native  town.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  entered  the  last  term  of  the  fresh- 
man class  of  Washington  and  Jefferson  College,  at  Washington,  Pennsyl- 
vania, graduating  in  the  class  of  1880.  In  1883  this  college  gave  h.m  the 
degree  of  Master  of  Arts.     Having  read  medicine  for  a  year,  he  entered  the 


694  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

medical  department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  Philadelphia,  in  1881 
and  graduated  in  1884,  fifth  in  a  class  of  one  hundred  and  five.  On  com- 
petitive examination  he  was  elected  resident  physician  to  two  hospitals  in  Phil- 
adelphia,— the  Presbyterian  and  the  University, — where  he  served  for  nearly, 
two  years.  On  the  completion  of  his  terms  in  these  hospitals  he  was  offered 
the  position  of  resident  physician  in  the  Orthopedic  Hospital,  Philadelphia, 
and  was  also  offered  a  lucrative  position  as  surgeon  in  the  relief  department 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.     Both  of  these  positions  he  declined. 

In  1886  Dr.  Hamaker  settled  in  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  at 
once  secured  a  large  practice,  both  medical  and  surgical.  Since  coming  to 
this  city  he  has  been  one  of  the  surgeons  of  the  Meadville  Hospital,  where  he 
has  performed  most  of  his  operations,  which  have  included  many  cases  of  am- 
putation,— hernia,  ovarian  tumors,  hysterotomy,  cystotomy,  stone,  nephrot- 
omy, appendicitis,  trephining,  colotomy  and  operations  for  gallstones.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Crawford  County  Medical  Society,  of  which  he  has  been 
president ;  of  the  Medical  Societ}'  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania ;  of  the  Amer- 
ican Medical  Association  and  of  the  Pathological  Society  of  Philadelphia. 
For  several  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  State  Society's  Committee 
on  Increase  of  Membership  and  Clinical  Teaching.  In  1895  he  was  appointed 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Medical  Examiners  of  Pennsylvania  by  Governor 
Daniel  H.  Hastings,  was  reappointed  in  1896  for  a  three-year  term,  and  in 
1899  he  was  reappointed  by  Governor  William  A.  Stone  for  a  three-year  term. 

His  mother,  Mrs.  Sarah  J.  Hamaker,  and  his  sister.  Miss  Ida  R.  Ham- 
aker, a  graduate  of  the  Washington  Female  Seminary,  Pennsylvania,  are 
living  in  Washington,  D.  C.  In  1887  he  married  Miss  Lizzie  G.  Townsend, 
who  was  born  May  12,  1S61,  a  daughter  of  Rev.  D.  W.  Townsend,  D.  D.,  pas- 
tor for  thirty  years  of  the  Unity  Presbyterian  Church,  Westmoreland  county, 
Pennsvlvania.  To  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hamaker  have  been  Ixirn  three  sons  and  one 
daughter,  of  whom  two  sons  are  living, — Charles  Townsend  and  Edward 
McVicker,  born  August  19,  1888,  and  June  9,  1890,  respectively. 

To  preserve  it  for  those  who  come  after,  the  following  family  record  is 
added : 

( I )  John  Hubrecht  Hamaker  and  Adam  Hamaker,  two  brothers,  came 
to  America  in  1740,  sailing  from  Rotterdam,  Holland,  on  the  ship  Elizabeth. 
They  settled  in  Lebanon  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  their  descendants  are  liv- 
ing widely  scattered  over  eastern  and  central  Pennsylvania  and  the  western 
states.  Nearly  all  of  these  descendants  spell  the  name  Hammaker.  Adam  Ham- 
aker, born  in  1717  and  died  in  1784,  was  the  father  of  Adam,  a  member  of 
the  "Flying  Camp"'  of  Pennsylvania,  during  the  Revolutionary  war.  The 
latter's  son,  Samuel,  educated  at  Chambersburg,  Pennsylvania,  married  Annie 
Overdear,  a  relative  of  the  Leiters  of  Leitersburg,  Maryland,  and  was  the 
father  of  Adam  Hamaker, — born  1799,  died  1831, — who  built  what  is  now 


OUli  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  695 

known  as  Diffendall's  Mills,  near  Cavetown,  Maryland,  and  who,  becoming 
involved  in  this  enterprise  and  dying  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-one,  left  his 
widow  and  three  children — Simon  LeCron,  Elizabeth  and  A.  P. — without 
means.  The  youngest  son,  A.  P.  Hamaker — born  1831,  died  1875 — was  two 
days  old  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death,  and  at  the  age  of  eight  years  went 
to  live  with  a  farmer  named  George  Winters,  who  became  a  second  father 
to  him.  He  was  commissioned  justice  of  the  peace  during  the  term  of  Gov- 
ernor Hartranft. 

(2)  Mons.  LeCron  emigrated  from  Alsace-Lorraine  France,  probably 
at  the  beginning  of  the  French  revolution,  going  first  to  Poland.  Thence  he 
emigrated  to  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania.  His  son,  Simon  LeCron,  born 
1765  and  died  1814,  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Flory  and  was  the  father  of 
Mary  M.  LeCron, — born  1799  and  died  1876 — who  married  Adam  Hamaker 
and  was  the  mother  of  A.  P.  Hamaker. 

(3)  Captain  Duncan  McVicker — born  1739  and  died  1818 — was  born 
in  Scotland.  He  went  to  the  north  of  Ireland  and  thence  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
emigrated  to  the  province  of  New  Jersey.  He  served  through  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  being  at  first  a  lieutenant  and  afterward  a  captain  in  the  Second 
New  Jerse)^  Line.  He  married  Miss  Laurie.  Lie  is  buried  at  Schellsburg, 
Pennsylvania.  His  son,  Alexander, — born  1773  and  died  1832, — who  was 
justice  of  the  peace  by  appointment  of  Governor  Hiester,  was  the  father  of 
Duncan  McVicker, — born  1799  and  died  1879, — who  was  appointed  justice  of 
the  peace  by  Governor  Johnson.  Sarah  J., — born  in  1837, — the  daughter  of 
Duncan  McVicker,  became  the  wife  of  A.  P.  Hamaker  in  1857. 

(4)  John  Taylor, — born  1717  and  died  181 1, — born  in  Ireland  of 
Scotch-Irish  parentage,  and  his  wife,  Mary,  were  the  parents  of  Jane  Taylor, 
— born  1774  and  died  1834, — the  wife  of  Alexander  McVicker.  John  Taylor 
died  in  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  181 1,  aged  ninety-four. 

(5)  Peter  Minnich — born  1702 — came  from  Germany  in  1737  and  set- 
tled in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania.  His  son  Michael  was  born  in  I737in 
Tulpehocken  township,  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  lived  in  Berks 
county  and  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war  as  lieutenant  in  Captain  Null's 
company  of  Colonel  Laurence  Greenawald's  battalion.  His  son,  George  Min- 
nich, served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  died  in  1816.  George  Minnich's  youngest 
daughter,  Salome,— born  1814  and  died  1876,— married  Duncan  McVicker  in 
1836.  She  changed  her  name  to  Sarah  because  of  the  dislike  of  her  husband 
to  the  name  of  Salome. 

(6)  Mons.  Frank,  according  to  family  tradition,  was  a  French  naval 
officer  and  came  to  America  on  the  ship  Victoire  at  the  time  she  brought  the 
Marquis  de  La  Fayette  to  this  country  the  first  time.  His  daughter  Salome 
married  George  Minnich. 

(7)  Isaac  Townsend,— born   1763  and  died  1837— according  to  one 


696  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

account,  is  said  to  have  come  from  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  accord- 
ing to  another  from  England.  He  settled  on  the  Kiskeminitas  river  in  Arm- 
strong county  about  1800,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and  the  manufacture 
of  salt.  His  son  John, — born  1786  and  died  1869, — married  Elizabeth  Shoe- 
maker and  was  the  father  of  Rev.  Daniel  W.  Townsend,  D.  D.  Dr.  Townsend 
is  a  Presbyterian  clergyman  and  has  been  pastor  at  Parnassus,  Pennsylvania, 
Alliance,  Ohio,  and  for  the  past  thirty  years  of  the  Unity  Church,  Westmore- 
land county,  Pennsylvania.  The  degree  of  D.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by 
his  alma  mater,  Washington  and  Jefferson  College.  The  Townsends  were 
originally  Quakers  and  said  to  have  descended  from  Robert  Townsend,  of 
England,  whose  wife  was  Elizabeth  Richards. 

(8)  Matthias  King  married  Christine,  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hartzell  {nee  Ritter),  and  his  daughter  Rachel  became  the  wife  of  Isaac 
Townsend. 

(9)  Andrew  Kier,  a  native  of  Ireland,  emigrated  to  western  Penn- 
sylvania, Armstrong  county,  about  1785.  His  son  David  was  born  Septem- 
ber 25,  1766,  at  Balimony,  County  Antrim,  Ireland.  David  Kier's  wife  was 
Elizabeth  Bush, — born  1765.  One  of  their  sons,  James  Kier,  of  Elder's  Ridge, 
Pennsylvania,  was  the  father  of  Elizabeth  M.  Kier,  the  wife  of  Rev.  Daniel  W. 
Townsend,  D.  D. 

(10)  John  Gray,  of  Armstrong  county,  Pennsylvania,  married  Mrs. 
Margaret  Finley  {nee  Thorn).  Their  daughter  Hannah, — born  1800  and 
died  1864 — married  James  Kier. 


Luther  Gates  is  one  of  the  old  and  honored  citizens  of  Beaver  township, 
Crawford  county,  and  for  the  past  thirtj'-three  years  his  home  has  been  on 
the  farm  which  he  still  owns  and  cultivates.  He  has  always  been  a  good  and 
patriotic  citizen,  in  times  of  peace  and  war  alike,  and  has  taken  an  active  and 
interested  part  in  public  affairs  bearing  upon  the  welfare  of  this  community. 
His  influence  is  not  small  in  local  matters,  and  from  time  to  time  he  has  been 
called  upon  to  serve  in  minor  offices  of  trust.  In  politics  he  is  a  stalwart 
Republican,  but  is  not  an  office-seeker.  During  a  period  of  three  years  he 
represented  this  county  in  the  state  board  of  agriculture,  and  to  everything 
bearing  upon  the  subject  of  farming  he  gives  intelligent  consideration. 

Calvin  Gates,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Herkimer  county.  New  York,  was 
the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  was  reared  upon  a  farm  and  in  his 
young  manhood  removed  to  Chautauqua  county,  New  York.  There  he  was 
married  and  there  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  up  to  1836,  when  he 
became  one  of  the  early  residents  of  Beaver  township,  Crawford  county,  Penn- 
sylvania. At  that  time  there  was  not  a  rod  of  graded  road  or  a  bridge  in  the 
township,  and  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  institute  improvements.  He  took  up 
two  hundred  acres  of  land  on  the  present  site  of  Beaver  Center  and  continued 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  697 

to  improve  and  cultivate  this  property  until  shortly  before  his  death,  at  the 
age  of  eighty  years.  For  years  he  occupied  various  township  offices,  and 
among  his  neighbors  was  looked  up  to  as  an  authority  on  disputed  questions. 
He  was  a  Republican,  and  was  a  devoted  member  of  the  Christian  church. 
His  father,  Luther  Gates,  was  a  native  of  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  and  grew  to 
man's  estate  there.  Later  he  was  married  in  Rensselaer  county,  New  York. 
He  was  a  hero  of  two  wars,  and  though  he  was  a  mere  lad  when  the  Revolu- 
tionary war  came  on, — perhaps  fourteen  years  of  age, — he  enlisted  as  a  drum- 
mer-boy and  served  for  the  entire  seven  years  of  the  conflict.  He  was  a 
witness  of  General  Israel  Putnam's  famous  ride  on  horseback  down  the 
stone  steps  at  Llorseneck,  in  Connecticut.  During  the  war  of  18 12  he 
acted  in  the  capacity  of  a  drum-major.  Death  claimed  him  when  he  was 
about  sixty-five  years  of  age.  His  father,  Joseph,  was  a  native  of  New  Eng- 
land, as  is  believed,  and  was  of  English  extraction. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  of  this  article  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Caro- 
line Hubbard.  She  w-as  born  in  East  Bloomfield,  New  York,  and  removed 
to  Pomfret  township,  Chautauqua  county,  same  state,  when  she  was  young. 
Her  father,  Jonathan  Hubbard,  was  a  farmer  and  was  one  of  the  strict  old 
"blue"  Presbyterians  of  his  generation.  He  never  failed  to  go  to  church, 
some  five  miles  away,  taking  his  whole  family  with  him,  the  journey  being- 
made  with  an  ox  team.  In  1836  they  removed  to  this  county  and  settled  near 
Conneautville.  Mrs.  Gates  began  teaching  in  district  schools  when  she  was 
seventeen  years  of  age  and  was  thus  occupied  up  to  the  date  of  her  marriage. 
Subsequent  to  that  event  she  began  housekeeping  on  a  farm  near  Dunkirk,  New 
York,  and  remained  there  several  years.  Though  now  past  eighty-eight  years, 
she  is  quite  active,  reads  a  great  deal  and  possesses  all  her  faculties.  She  has 
always  been  a  faithful  member  of  the  Christian  church. 

Luther  Gates  was  born  April  5,  1834,  in  Pomfret  township,  Chautauqua 
county,  and  was  but  two  years  old  w^hen  his  parents  brought  him  to  this  town- 
ship. He  received  a  good  education,  supplementing  his  common-school  course 
by  a  short  term  at  the  Grand  River  Institute,  Austinburg,  Ohio,  after  which 
he  taught  for  one  term  in  this  county.  He  did  not  like  this  vocation,  however, 
and  for  the  next  four  years  followed  carpentering.  Then  he  purchased  a  farm 
in  this  township,  at  Beaver  Center,  and  in  1866  came  to  his  present  home- 
stead. 

In  1861  he  responded  to  his  country's  call,  and  enlisted  in  the  Second 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  for  three  years'  service.  He  remained  at  his  post  of 
duty  for  the  entire  time,  and  participated  in  many  of  the  most  important 
campaigns  of  the  war.  Among  others,  he  fought  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg 
and  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run;  was  with  Grant  in  the  Wilderness  and 
took  part  in  the  famous  siege  of  Petersburg.  At  Bull  Run  he  was  mjured  by 
the  falling  of  a  horse  upon  him.    Since  the  war  he  has  been  a  member  of  the 


698  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

State  Police  and  Home  Guards,  of  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania,  and  is  a  charter 
member  of  Springboro  Post,  No.  346,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Springboro,  Crawford 
county.  He  and  his  wife  were  very  active  in  the  organization  of  Harmony 
Grange  in  their  township  and  they  are  both  workers  in  the  Christian  church, 
with  whose  interests  they  are  prominently  identified. 

In  1854  Mr.  Gates  married  Miss  Mary  West  of  Beaver  Center,  Craw- 
ford county,  Pennsylvania.  They  have  three  children,  namely :  Ida,  wife  of 
M.  B.  Malloy;  Florence,  Mrs.  Frank  A.  Boyce,  and  Ernest  A.,  who  is  still 
at  home  on  the  farm.  Mrs.  Gates  is  a  daughter  of  Matthew  West,  a  native 
of  Rensselaer  county.  New  York.  He  came  to  this  state  about  1836,  settling 
in  Erie  county,  and  in  1853  he  became  a  resident  of  this  township.  Here  he 
dwelt,  engaged  in  farming  until  1891,  when  he  removed  to  Clark  Corners, 
Ohio,  where  he  is  still  living,  in  his  ninety-third  year.  His  father,  William 
West,  was  born  in  1761,  in  Rhode  Island,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution,  and 
died  in  Rensselaer  county.  New  York,  in  1835.  His  father,  Francis  West, 
was  a  fisherman  on  the  New  England  coast,  his  home  being  at  Newport.  He 
was  of  English  lineage  and  held  a  commission  as  justice  under  the  king. 


Morris  Bailey,  M.  D. — The  medical  history  of  Dr.  Bailey  is  given  under 
the  head  of  "Doctors  of  Medicine,"  of  Titusville.  He  was  born  at  Middle- 
town,  Connecticut,  September  i,  1818,  the  son  of  Colonel  Richard  B.  and 
Hannah  (Higby)  Bailey,  the  seventh  born  of  eight  children.  He  has  been 
married  three  times,  his  first  wife  bearing  him  two  children,  Emma  L.,  now 
the  wife  of  Daniel  ^A'iIhelm,  of  Franklin,  Pennsylvania,  and  Howard,  who  died 
in  Titusville  several  years  ago.  Dr.  Bailey  has  practiced  medicine  in  Titusville 
nearly  thirty-four  years.  He  has  always  seemed  to  possess  unusual  keenness 
of  perception  in  the  diagnosis  of  disease.  He  is  now  past  eighty  years  of  age; 
but  he  stands  ereqt,  walks  briskly  with  an  elastic  step  and  visits  his  patients 
with  apparently  as  much  promptness  as  ever.  He  has  always  seemed  to  love 
his  professional  work.  He  was  a  kind  husband,  and  has  been  an  affectionate 
and  indulgent  father.  Fle  is  a  very  generous  man,  and  every  year  he  dis- 
tributes widelv  his  charities. 


Peter  Titus  JJ'itlierop  was  born  in  Venango  county,  June  18,  1831,  the 
son  of  Robert  and  Jane  (Ridgway)  Witherop,  and  the  second  born  of  five  chil- 
dren. He  was  the  great-grandson  of  Peter  Titus,  for  whom  he  was  named. 
His  father  was  a  river  man,  either  rafting  lumber  or  steamboating.  He  died 
in  1843  ^t  Lake  Pepin  on  the  Mississippi.  He  had  moved  from  Venango 
county  to  Iowa  in  1837.  After  his  death  his  widow  came  back  to  Hydetown, 
and  died  about  1890.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  brought  up  to  work,  and 
was  employed  seven  years  at  Hydetown  in  lumbering.  In  1852  he  went  to 
California,  where  he  stayed  six  years,  engaged  principally  in  mining.     He 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  699 

came  home  in  1S58,  and  after  Drake's  discovery,  he  engaged  in  oil  production. 
He  owned  one-third  of  the  Crossley  well,  the  second  well  struck  after  the 
Drake.  The  Crossley  well  was  historic.  An  account  of  it  is  given  elsewhere 
in  this  work.  Peter  Titus  was  interested  in  producing  until  1880.  Since 
then  he  has  looked  after  his  other  investments.  Soon  after  Titusville  became 
a  city  he  was  Chief  of  Police  two  years.  He  has  been  a  director  of  the 
Second  National  Bank  many  years.  He  owns  the  Witherop  block  on  the 
northwest  corner  of  Central  avenue  and  Washington  street,  the  Queen  City 
block,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Washington  and  Spring,  a  new  brick  house, 
between  Washington  and  Main,  and  several  other  buildings.  He  has  lived 
in  Titusville  since  i860.  He  married  Olivia,  the  daughter  of  \Villiam  Barns- 
dall,  who  has  borne  him  one  son,  John  Willis  Witherop,  now  a  resident  of 
Spokane.  Washington.  Mr.  Witherop  has  served  as  member  of  the  city  coun- 
cils. He  is  a  self-made  man,  and  for  a  period  of  forty  years  he  has  been 
verv  successful  in  business. 


James  Fare!  in  1849  came  from  Chautauqua  county.  New  York,  and 
settled  south  of  Jerusalem  Corners,  taking  up  one  hundred  acres  of  land. 
On  this  property  there  are  now  thirty-five  producing  wells,  all  pumped  by  a 
single  power.  James  Farel,  the  oldest  son,  owns  the  farm,  but  his  brothers 
have  an  interest  in  it.  The  father  died  in  1862.  He  left  three  sons  and 
a  daughter,  all  now  living.  The  sons  are  James,  John  and  Nelson.  The 
daughter,  Sarah,  is  the  wife  of  William  B.  Sterrett.  Nelson  lives  in  Titus- 
ville, and  John  lives  at  Westfield,  New  York,  and  is  said  to  be  the  largest 
grape-grower  in  the  state  of  New  York.  The  Farel  farm  on  Oil  Creek  was 
destined  to  become  famous  from  the  Noble  well,  which  opened  its  gates 
in  May,  .1863,  and  made  the  Farel  heirs  and  several  others  very  wealthy. 
This  well  was  a  wonderful  producer.  Not  until  late  years  had  the  oil  from 
any  other  single  well  sold  for  as  much  money  as  that  from  the  Noble.  An 
account  of  the  well  is  found  elsewhere  on  these  pages. 


Louis  Kepler  Llyde. — In  every  flourishing  community  there  are  certain 
men,  who  by  their  enterprise,  straightforward  business  methods  and  public 
spirit  maintain  the  prosperity  and  progressiveness  of  the  place,  and  among 
such  citizens  of  Titusville  no  one  is  more  worthy  than  he  whose  name  forms 
the  heading  of  this  brief  tribute  to  his  merit.  His  paternal  grandfather 
came  to  this  section  of  Pennsylvania  from  Lebanon,  Connecticut,  about  1820, 
and  from  that  time  to  the  present  the  Hydes  have  been  representative  citizens 
of  the  western  part  of  the  Keystone  state.  In  1633  \¥illiam  Hyde,  the 
progenitor  of  this  family  in  the  United  States,  arrived  on  these  shores  from 
England,  his  native  land.  (See  Chancellor  Walworth's  Genealogy  of  the 
Hyde  Famih-.)     The  maternal  great-grandfather  of  Louis  Kepler  Hyde,  a 


700  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Mr.   Kepler,  came  here  from  Wurtemberg,  Germany,  and  was  very  highly 
educated,  speaking  six  languages. 

The  parents  of  the  subject  of  this  outline  are  Charles  and  Elizabeth 
(Kepler)  Hyde,  the  former  widely  and  favorably  known  throughout  this 
portion  of  the  country  as  a  merchant,  lumber  dealer,  oil  producer,  etc.,  in 
addition  to  which  varied  enterprises  he  has  been  president  of  three  national 
banks  and  president  of  the  New  Orleans  &  Northwestern  Railway  Company. 
As  a  financier  and  business  man  he  has  been  remarkably  successful,  and  the 
same  qualities  which  have  wrought  out  his  prosperity  seem  to  have  been 
inherited,  in  a  notable  degree,  by  his  son. 

Louis  Kepler  Hyde,  the  last  of  the  Hyde  family  name  born  in  Hyde- 
town,  Crawford  county,  is  now  in  the  prime  of  early  manhood,  his  birth 
having  occurred  July  30,  1865.  In  1867  his  parents  removed  to  Titus ville, 
and  from  1868  to  September,  1887,  he  was  a  resident  of  Plainfield,  New 
Jersey,  to  which  attractive  suburb  of  New  York  City  his  parents  moved  in 
1868.  Eleven  years  ago  he  returned  to  Titusville,  where  he  has  since  made 
his  home.  He  was  given  excellent  educational  advantages;  from  1874  to 
1879  he  attended  Charlier  Institute,  at  No.  158  West  Fifty-ninth  street, 
New  York;  for  the  succeeding  four  years  he  was  a  student  under  the 
tutelage  of  Dr.  Pingry,  of  Elizabeth,  New  Jersey,  and  Mr.  Leal,  of  Plain- 
field,  same  state,  for  three  years  and  one  year  respectively.  He  then  entered 
the  academic  department  of  Yale  College,  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  and 
in  June,  1887,  he  was  duly  graduated  at  Yale.  Many  of  the  pleasant  asso- 
ciations of  his  college  days  he  keeps  up  through  his  club  relationship,  as  he 
is  identified  with  Chapter  Phi  (mother  chapter)  of  the  D.  K.  E.  Society  at 
Yale;  the  Plainfield  Yale  Club;  the  D.  K.  E.  Club  of  New  York;  and  the  Uni- 
versity Athletic  Club  of  New  York.  Besides,  he  belongs  to  the  Prentiss  Club, 
of  Natchez,  IMississippi ;  the  Thistle  Club  and  the  Canadohta  Club,  both  of 
Titusville ;  and  the  Tourilli  Fish  and  Game  Club  of  the  Province  of  Quebec, 
Canada. 

Llis  happy  school  days  finished,  Louis  Kepler  Hyde  settled  down  to  the 
serious  business  of  life,  and  in  the  fall  after  his  graduation  at  college  he  as- 
sumed the  duties  of  the  vice-presidency  of  the  Second  National  Bank  of  Titus- 
ville, and  also  became  assistant  cashier  of  the  Hyde  National  Bank,  of  that 
city.  In  March,  1889,  he  was  installed  as  cashier  of  the  Second  National 
Bank,  and  has  ever  since  served  in  that  capacity.  In  August,  1888,  he  be- 
came the  junior  member  of  the  firm  of  Charles  Hyde  &  Son,  which  firm  of 
bankers  succeeded  the  Hyde  National  Bank.  In  1890  Louis  Kepler  Hyde  was 
made  vice-president  of  the  New  Orleans  &  Northwestern  Railway  Company ; 
the  following  year  its  president,  and  in  1892  was  appointed  receiver  and  gen- 
eral manager  for  the  railroad.  He  continued  to  acceptably  fill  this  responsi- 
ble position  until  March,  1898,  when  he  was  elected  vice-president  and  gen- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  701 

eral  manager  of  tlie  railroad,  with  headquarters  at  Titusville,  and  as  such  he 
is  still  acting. 

In  the  multiplicity  of  his  business  cares  he  never  neglects  his  duties  as  a 
citizen,  and  is  one  of  the  most  active  and  interested  members  of  the  Titusville 
Relief  Association  and  the  Titusville  Industrial  Association,  of  the  latter 
being  one  of  the  board  of  managers.  He  is  also  one  of  the  trustees  and  treas- 
urer for  the  Titusville  Tannery.  In  politics,  he  stanchly  upholds  the  Republi- 
can party  pIatf(M-ni,  believing  in  protection  for  American  industries  and  sound 
money. 

June  30,  1891,  Mr.  Hyde  married  Miss  Verna  Emery,  and  their  only 
child,  Helen  Hyde,  was  born  November  18,  1892.  Mrs.  Hyde  is  a  daughter 
of  the  late  Hon.  David  Emery  and  Susan  Angelina  Emery,  the  former  au 
extensive  oil  producer  and  merchant  of  Crawford  county  for  many  years,  and 
known  far  and  wide  throughout  this  region  as  a  man  of  unusual  ability  and 
judgment. 


Baltzcr  Gclir. — The  original  niembers  of  the  well  known  family  of 
Gehr  were,  Jacob,  John,  Joseph,  Samuel,  Adam  and  Baltzer  Gehr.  Four  of 
tliis  numljer.  including  Jacob,  came  to  Crawford  county  in  1797.  They  were 
from  Somerset  county,  but  were  natives  of  Lancaster  county,  Pennsylvania. 
Jacob  Gehr  settled  at  what  is  now  known  as  Dennison  Corners,  but  John, 
Joseph  and  Adam  at  what  is  still  known  as  Gehr  Schoolhouse.  There  is  a 
remarkable  strain  of  longevity  in  the  family,  many  of  the  sons  living  to 
be  ninety  and  over,,  the  mother  herself  attaining  the  age  of  ninety-seven. 
The  most  favored,  however,  as  regards  age  was  Baltzer,  wdiose  useful  life 
extended  three  years  beyond  a  century. 

Baltzer  Gehr  was  born  April  3,  1782,  in  Cocalico,  Lancaster  county, 
Pennsylvania.  Li  1800  Baltzer  rode  across  the  mountains,  on  horseback, 
with  his  mother,  to  join  his  brothers,  who  had  previously  undertaken  the 
same  journey  into  Crawford  count}'.  He  purchased  a  claim  in  Sadsbury, 
which  is  now  the  southwestern  part  of  Summerset.  For  sixty  years  of  liis 
life  he  engaged  in  general  farming;  his  latter  days  were  spent  with  his 
children,  Samuel  and  Augustus. 

When  one  hundred  years  of  age  Baltzer  Gehr  was-  a  remarkably  pre- 
served man,  both  physically  and  mentally,  and  still  interested  in  the  pastime 
of  Izaak  Walton,  fishing.  His  century  birthday  was  celebrated  in  a  way  to 
rejoice  the  heart  of  the  recipient  and  to  be  long  remembered  by  the  vast 
numlier  of  relatives  and  friends  who  assembled  to  do  him  honor.  Hundreds 
of  them  were  feeble  and  old  and  could  recall  the  time  when,  as  children,  he 
was  too  old  to  play  with  them.  The  speech  of  the  day  was  delivered  by  the 
Hon.  S.  H.  Richmond,  of  Meadville,  and  was  a  glowing  tribute  to  the  use- 
fulness of  his  long  life,  and  the  excellence  of  ancestry  which  had  rendered  it 


702  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

possible.  One  year  later  there  was  another  celebration  at  Conneaut  Lake, 
where  thousands  met  to  marvel  at  the  continued  vitality  of  this  eventful  life. 
The  late  Judge  Pearson  Church  delivered  a  splendid  and  stirring  oration. 

Baltzer  Gehr  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Flemming,  who 
died  in  1872,  twelve  years  before  her  venerable  helpmate.  Baltzer  Gehr  lived 
until  1884,  to  tlie  age  of  one  hundred  and  three  years.  His  children  were: 
Marie,  born  in  181 1,  and  now  living;  Samuel,  born  in  1813,  and  living  in 
Sadsbury;  Joseph,  born  in  1815,  died  when  very  young;  John,  born  in  1817, 
died  in  1895;  Adam,  born  in  1819,  is  living  in  Pine  Town;  Josiah,  born 
December  16,  1822,  is  the  subject  of  the  succeeding  sketch;  David,  born  in 
1825,  died  in  1885;  Baltzer,  born  April  3,  1832,  died  in  1884;  Wilson, 
born  in  1834,  died  in  1883 :  Augustus,  born  in  1836,  is  now  li^'ing  in  Summit. 


Josiah  Gehr,  a  son  of  that  remarkable  man,  Baltzer  Gehr,  was  born  at 
Sr.dsbury,  Pennsylvania,  December  t6.  1822.  When  twenty  years  of  age 
Mr.  Gehr  took  a  trip  to  Canada  with  a  contractor  for  canal  work,  and.  after 
his  return,  worked  on  a  farm  for  two  years.  He  then  bought  forty  acres  cf 
wild  land,  which  he  cleared  and  which  cost  him  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars, 
and  afterward  bought  fifty  acres  more,  and  this  has  since  been  his  home.  In 
connection  with  his  farming  interests  Mr.  Gehr  operated  a  sawmill  from 
1850  until  1855.  Since  selling  the  mill,  Mr.  Gehr  has  devoted  himself  wholly 
to  his  farming  interests  and  has  been  especially  successful  in  the  breeding  of 
Norman  horses. 

In  November,  1852,  Mr.  Gehr  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Wilson,  daughter 
of  Benjamin  and  Esther  Wilson.  Benjamin  Wilson  was  born  in  1782  and, 
coming  from  New  Jersey  in  1801,  he  settled  in  Hayfield  and  later,  in  1820,  in 
Sadsbury,  where  he  lost  his  wife.  He  eventually  married  a  second  time,  and 
his  wife,  Esther,  died  in  1867.  Mr.  Wilson  himself  lived  until  1845.  Their 
only  son,  Stewart  Wilson,  is  a  prominent  banker  of  Linesville. 

There  are  five  children  in  Mr.  Gehr's  family :  Esther  is  the  widow  of 
Walker  Jackson,  of  Harmonsburg,  who  was  an  importer  and  breeder  of 
Norman  horses;  Fannie  married  Calvin  Brown,  of  Harmonsburg;  Bertie  is 
now  ]Mrs.  Emmet  W.  McArthur,  and  her  husband  is  mayor  of  Meadville; 
Alice,  married  Frank  \'an  Liew,  cashier  of  the  Bank  of  Linesville:  and 
Linnie,  married  Mr.  Frank  Meyers  of  Sistersville,  in  western  Virginia.  Mrs. 
Gehr  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church  at  Shermansville.  which  her  hus- 
band is  largely  instrumental  in  supporting.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gehr  are  among 
the  liest  known  and  highly  respected  people  in  the  community.  They  are  the 
happy  possessors  of  a  fine  farm  and  home,  which  are  the  scene  of  a  most  lavish 
and  charming  hospitality. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  703 

Charles  Ridgzmy,  a  millwright,  came  from  Brownsville,  Fayette  county, 
Pennsylvania,  to  Titusville,  June  20,  1799,  at  the  age  of  twenty  years,  having 
been  born  in  1779.  After  looking  about  the  primitive  country,  and  building 
a  mill  for  the  Holland  Land  Company  at  East  Titusville,  he  returned  to 
Brownsville,  and  brought  with  him,  the  second  time  he  came,  Samuel  Griggs, 
and  selected  the  spot  now  known  as  Newtontown,  as  a  site  for  a  mill.  Griggs 
was  also  a  millwright.  He  bought  two  hundred  acres  of  land  at  Newton- 
town and  built  the  mill.  After  living  there  three  years  he  sold  the  property  to 
Major  Alden,  and  moved  to  Franklin.  There  he  bought  ten  lots  and  built  a 
house  and  barn.  He  married  Fanny  Titus,  the  daughter  of  Peter  Titus.  He 
sold  the  Franklin  property,  bought  several  hundred  acres  of  land  at  Hyde- 
town  and  came  to  live  on  it.  He  was  a  miller,  as  well  as  a  millwright.  He 
built  at  an  early  date,  a  mill  above  Hydetown,  on  Little  Oil  Creek,  and  oper- 
ated largely  in  lumber,  as  well  as  clearing  land  and  cultivating  a  farm.  He 
had  nine  children.  They  were  Susan,  who  married  William  Witherop ;  Peter, 
who  li^'ed  and  died  at  Hydetown :  Charles,  who  died  in  Oil  Creek  township 
a  few  years  ago:  Jane,  who  married  Robert  Witherop;  Ruth,  married  Dr. 
Fisher;  Alexander,  who  died  at  Madison,  Iowa;  John,  Samuel  and  Titus,  of 
Hydetown.  Charles  Ridgway,  the  father,  died  in  18^4.  and  his  wife  in 
1836. 


Peter  Ridgway,  son  of  Charles,  was  born  in  Oil  Creek, .  November  25, 
1825.  He  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the  lumber  business  and  was 
successful.  He  was  self-made,  his  father  giving  him  only  ninety-seven  acres 
of  land,  without  buildings.  He  was  interested  in  business  with  Charles  Hyde, 
the  banker.  He  was  county  commissioner  three  years.  He  succeeded  in 
having  built  four  iron  bridges,  also  in  getting  the  railroad  station  changed. 
He  was  also  interested  in  a  store.  He  was  instrumental  with  others  in 
having  Hydetown  made  a  borough.  He  was  married  in  Hydetown,  in  1855, 
to  Miss  Louisa  Carr,  an  adopted  daughter  of  Charles  Ridgway,  who  bore  him 
one  child,  a  daughter,  Emma,  who  married  Harry  D.  Huland,  of  Franklin, 
Pennsylvania.  He  possessed  much  energy.  He  retired  from  business  over 
twenty  years  ago,  but  continued  to  take  an  interest  in  public  affairs  during 
the  remainder  of  his  life. 


Francis  Bronglitoii. — This  worthy  citizen  of  Beaver  township,  Crawford 
county,  is  the  owner  of  Maple  Grove  farm,  one  of  the  most  valuable  and 
best  improved  homesteads  in  this  section.  Everything  about  the  place  shows 
the  watchful  care  and  attention  bestowed  by  the  proprietor,  who  is  thoroughly 
practical  and  progressive  as  an  agriculturist.  Lie  is  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war 
and  has  always  been  noted  for  his  good  citizenship  and  patriotism.  It  is  a 
remarkable  fact  that  there  were  six  sons  of  his  father's  household,  himself 


704  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

and  five  of  his  brothers,  who  enlisted  for  service  in  the  ranks  of  the  Union 
army  during  the  Civil  war,  and  two  of  them  paid  for  their  devotion  to  their 
country  and  flag  with  their  young  lives. 

Michael  Brougliton,  the  father  of  these  heroes,  was  a  native  of  Vermont, 
and  continued  to  reside  in  that  state  until  he  arrived  at  maturitv.  He  then 
went  to  New  York  state  and  settled  in  the  neighborhood  of  Silver  Lake. 
Later  he  came  to  Crawford  county  as  one  of  Conneaut  township's  early 
pioueers;  then,  in  1850,  moved  to  Beaver  township  and  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life  there,  his  death  occurring  when  he  was  in  his  seventy-second  year. 
He  was  a  stonemason  by  trade,  at  which  he  worked  in  connection  with  farm- 
ing. Li  his  early  manhood  he  was  the  manager  and  owner  of  a  hotel  for  some 
time.  A  strong  Republican,  he  was  deeply  concerned  in  his  party's  success, 
but  never  aspired  to  public  office.  Religiously,  he  was  identified  with  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  His  \yife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Sallie  Gillan, 
lived  to  be  eighty-five  years  of  age.  Her  family  originally  resided  in  Canada, 
but  during  the  war  of  1812  they  removed  to  New  York  state,  preferring  to 
live  under  the  American  flag.  Michael  and  Sallie  Broughton  were  the  parents 
of  ten  children. 

Francis  Broughton  was  born  August  12,  1844,  i"  Conneaut  townshi]), 
this  county,  and  was  reared  to  farm  management  from  his  earliest  boyhood. 
Lie  continued  to  assist  his  father  on  the  old  homestead  until  the  war  broke 
out,  when,  in  spite  of  his  youth,  he  enlisted  in  the  Second  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry  and  served  for  three  years,  or  until  the  close  of  the  great  conflict. 
Eli,  his  eldest  brother,  enlisted  in  the  Sixth  Wisconsin  Infantry  and  at  the  end 
of  eight  months'  service  was  obliged  to  be  discharged  on  account  of  having 
been  poisoned  by  drinking  water  from  a  spring  near  the  camp.  In  1862  he 
again  volunteered,  this  time  in  the  Second  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  w'ith  our 
subject.  A  year  later,  however,  he  was  again  honorably  discharged,  owing 
to  physical  disability.  His  death  occurred  in  1898.  Truman,  the  next  brother, 
enlisted  in  the  Third  Minnesota  Regiment  and  for  three  years  was  in  active 
service  on  the  frontiers  of  the  west.  Henry  was  for  ten  months  a  member 
of  the  Twenty-ninth  Ohio  Regiment  of  Volunteers,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
period  he  was  discharged,  owing  to  the  state  of  his  health.  When  he  had 
recovered  in  a  measure,  he  re-enlisted,  this  time  in  the  Second  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry,  was  captured  at  St.  Mary's  church  and  died  in  a  rebel  prison  at 
Florence,  .South  Carolina.  Pulaski,  a  member  of  the  Twenty-ninth  Ohio 
Volunteers,  faithfully  stood  at  the  post  of  duty  for  three  years  and  Addison, 
another  brother,  enlisted  and  had  proceeded  as  far  as  Pittsburg  with  his  regi- 
ment, on  the  way  to  the  front,  when  he  contracted  the  measles  and  died. 

When  the  affairs  of  the  nation  were  beginning  to  adjust  themselves 
peaceably,  Francis  Broughton,  returning  home,  purchased  the  old  homestead 
of  the  other  heirs  and  has  since  carried  on  the  place,  which  comprises  one 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  705 

hundred  acres.  He  has  made  many  improvements  and  is  numbered  among 
the  leading  farmers  of  this  district.  For  several  years  he  has  been  a  school 
director  and  for  some  eight  years  he  officiated  in  the  capacity  of  township 
supervisor.  He  has  been  cjuite  active  in  the  support  of  the  principles  and 
nominees  of  the  Republican  party,  but  has  never  sought  official  distinction. 
He  belongs  to  the  state  police  and  is  a  member  of  Major  Patten  Post,  G.  A.  R., 
of  Springboro,  Crawford  county.  He  and  his  wife  are  valued  members  of  the 
Christian  church,  he  having  been  a  deacon  in  the  same  for  several  years. 

In  1867  Mr.  Broughton  married  Miss  Agnes  Miller,  who  was  born  in 
Scotland,  and  their  two  children  are  Sadie,  who  is  at  home,  and  Jessie,  who 
is  the  wife  of  Wayne  Whitford,  of  this  county. 


Samuel  Bunvell. — The  following  is  a  biographical  sketch  of  Samuel  Bur- 
well,  Findley  Burwell,  and  Oliver  E.  Burwell,  as  far  back  as  memory  and 
records  go,  and  extending  down  to  the  present  date,  January  2,  1899. 

Samuel  Burwell  was  born  at  Rockaway,  New  Jersey,  in  1777,  the  exact 
date  not  being  positively  known.  His  father,  Samuel  Burwell,  Sr.,  was  the 
oldest  son  of  John  Burwell,  who  removed  from  Jamestown,  Virginia,  in  the 
year  1721,  a  relative  of  the  extensive  family  of  Burwells  in  this  country,  for- 
merly from  Bedford  and  North  Hampton,  England.  One  of  his  ancestors  was 
of  the  Virginia  deputation,  in  the  year  1646,  to  invite  the  fallen  monarch, 
James  I.,  to  come  to  America  for  protection  against  the  rebellious  Puritan 
subjects. 

James  Burwell,  brother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  enlisted  in  His 
Majesty's  service  in  the  year  1776,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two;  served  in  the  war 
of  the  American  rebellion  (Revolution)  seven  years;  was  present  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Yorktown,  Virginia,  when  Lord  Cornwallis  surrendered  to  George 
Washington,  and  was  there  slightly  wounded.  After  the  war  of  1783  he 
moved  to  Nova  Scotia,  where  he  remained  three  years ;  he  then  returned  to 
New  Jersey  to  take  care  of  his  mother,  where  he  married,  and'  in  company  with 
liis  two  younger  brothers,  John  and  Samuel,  moved  to  Red  Stone,  Fayette 
county,  Pennsylvania,  and  thence  moved  to  upper  Canada,  in  the  year  1796. 
He  died  at  his  home  in  Southwold,  Elgin  county,  Canada,  June  18,  1853, 
aged  ninety-nine  years  and  five  months. 

Returning  to  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  we  find  him  located  at  Red  Stone, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  married  Miss  Hannah  Paden,  daughter  of  Isaac 
Paden,  in  1798.  Four  years  later  he  moved  to  Crawford  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, his  wife  making  the  trip  on  horseback,  carrying  two  children  and  part 
of  their  goods,  and  he  on  foot,  carrying  the  balance.  He  settled  in  Linesville, 
where  he  supported  his  family  by  his  trade,  which  was  that  of  a  weaver,  and 
for  some  time  had  charge  of  the  Linesville  grist  mill,  until  its  usefulness  be- 
came impaired  by  the  dam  washing  out.  He  then  moved  to  Conneaut  town- 
4S 


7o6  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ship,  bought  a  piece  of  land  near  Paden  creek,  built  a  house  on  it,  took  charge 
of  his  father-in-law's  grist  mill  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  1812, 
when  he  was  drafted.  He  served  under  Commodore  Perry  on  Lake  Erie,  when 
the  great  victory  of  the  lakes  was  won,  which  ended  the  war  between  the 
United  States  and  the  mother  country.  Being  a  great  singer,  he  is  credited 
with  the  authorship  of  the  once  famous  wslT  song,  "Perry's  Victory." 

On  returning  from  the  war,  in  1814,  he  found  poverty  had  crept  into 
his  home  and  his  family  must  be  separated.  They  decided  to  bind  out  three 
of  their  children:  Isaac,  to  William  Henry,  of  Hartstown;  Findley  and 
Hannah,  to  William  Shellito  of  North  Shenango.  Shortly  afterward  he  moved 
to  North  Shenango,  and  on  July  6,  1819,  bought  one  hundred  acres  of  land 
of  Archibald  Davis,  for  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  dollars.  He  served 
as  tax  collector  for  the  Shenangos  for  some  time.  He  died  July  31,  1822, 
aged  forty-five  years,  leaving  a  wife  and  eleven  children.  His  wife,  Hannah, 
died  May  10,  1862,  aged  eighty  years. 

Findley  Burwell,  the  second  subject  of  our  sketch,  was  born  in  Lines ville, 
August  19,  1808.  At  the  age  of  six,  he  and  his  sister  Hannah  were  bound  to 
Mr.  William  Shellito.  Five  years  later  his  parents  secured  their  release  by 
paying  eighty  dollars.  While  with  Mr.  Shellito  he  was  deprived  of  the 
privilege  of  attending  school  and  had  to  put  up  with  a  great  many  hardships 
and  very  harsh  treatment.  After  his  father  died  he  became  the  main  support 
of  the  family.  The  farm  being  new  and  covered  with  timber,  it  required  a 
great  deal  of  labor  to  clear  the  land  and  prepare  it  for  cultivation,  and  he 
proved  himself  equal  to  the  task.  After  becoming  of  age  he  leased  the  farm 
from  his  mother  for  a  few  years  and  later  on  bought  it.  He  was  married 
to  Miss  Sarah  Fonner,  February  i,  1836,  in  a  log  schoolhouse,  on  Sunday 
after  church  services.  His  wife  died  August  15,  1896,  after  more  than  sixt}' 
years  of  married  life.  After  his  marriage,  he  became  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist church,  and  in  turn  held  all  the  dififerent  offices  of  the  church,  and  was 
a  constant  official  member  as  long  as  he  was  able  to  attend  to  official  duties.  At 
the  beginning  of  the  century  religious  discussions  played  a  conspicuous  part 
in  the  earhr  life  of  the  settlers,  and  he  found  himself  at  variance  with  the 
Calvinists,  who  could  not  see  any  good  in  his  waj^  of  thinking.  He  is  a  well 
preserved  man,  both  physically  and  mentally,  and  has  by  his  upright  life  won 
the  respect  of  the  whole  community. 

His  children  were:  James  F.,  a  graduate  of  Allegheny  College,  Mead- 
ville,  Pennsylvania,  who  became  an  experienced  teacher,  and  died  at  Fairfield, 
Iowa,  August  3,  1878;  Nancy  R.,  widow  of  the  late  Lieutenant  D.  A.  Ben- 
nett, resides  at  Geneva,  Ohio;  Rhoda  J.,  widow  of  Mandley  HoUister,  lives 
at  Fairfield,  Iowa ;  Benjamin,  who  enlisted  in  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and 
Fort3^-fifth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  in  August,  1862,  was  wounded  at  Fred- 
ericksburg, and  died  January  20,  1863,  in  the  hospital  at  Washington,  aged 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  707 

twenty-two  years;  Elizabeth,  a  promising  teacher,  died  January  14,  1864, 
at  the  age  of  twenty;  Oliver  E.,  who  was  born  on  the  farm  January  24,  1848, 
married  Miss  Carrie  Webster  of  Jefferson,  Ohio,  December  28,  1870.  He 
has  always  lived  on  the  farm  of  his  birth  except  two  years,  1871  and  1872, 
when  he  purchased  a  small  farm  at  Bennettville,  with  a  sawmill  on  it,  and  was 
engaged  in  lumbering  while  there.  He  returned  to  the  farm  in  1873  to  take 
care  of  his  parents;  built  a  house  and  engaged  in  the  dairy  business,  which 
he  has  followed  for  over  twenty  years.  In  company  with  J.  B.  McNutt,  he 
owned  and  operated  a  cheese  factory  at  Stewartsville.  He  built  the  first  silo 
in  the  township,  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Chiuxh,  and  in  poli- 
tics a  Republican.  His  family  consists  of  Agnes  Irene,  a  graduate  of  the 
Meadville  Commercial  College,  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
also  of  the  local,  Pomona  and  State  Grange;  and  George  Findley,  a  graduate 
of  the  New  Lyme  Business  College,  New  Lyme,  Ohio,  and  now  a  merchant 
and  postmaster  at  Espyville  Station,  Pennsylvania. 


Joshua  Douglass,  son  of  Joshua  and  Martha  Douglass  of  New  England, 
attorney  and  counselor  at  law,  was  born  in  Rochester,  New  York,  August  i, 
1826.  His  parents  moved  to  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  in  1832,  and  settled 
on  a  tract  of  heavily  timbered  and  unbroken  land  near  Meadville.  Joshua 
worked  with  his  father,  clearing  and  cultivating  the  land,  attended  district 
school  winters  and  later  the  Meadville  Academy.  Was  married  in  1848  to 
Calsina  L.  Finch,  whodied  in  1849.  I'^  1850  he  went  overland  to  California, 
returned  in  185 1,  taught  district  school  in  winter  of  185 1-2,  and  read  law 
under  the  preceptorship  of  Hon.  A.  B.  Richmond. 

He  was  married  in  October,  1853,  to  Lavantia,  daughter  of  Joel  and 
Sophia  Densmore  of  Blooming  Valley,  Pennsylvania.  They  have  had 
five  children:  Marian,  born  in  February,  1855,  married  December  7,  1875, 
Charles  W.  Lane,  and  they  have  two  children, — Ralph  Douglass,  born  May, 
1877,  and  Elsie  Britton,  born  December,  1878;  Mrs.  Lane  and  the  two  chil- 
dren reside  in  Brooklyn,  New  York;  Ellen,  born  in  July,  1856,  in  June,  1879, 
married  Cornelius  Van  Home,  an  attorney  at  law,  and  they  have  had  five  chil- 
dren,— Robert  T.,  Cornelius  (who  died  young),  Richard,  Ralph,  and  Doug- 
lass; the  family  reside  in  Tacoma,  Washington;  Robert,  born  in  November, 
1861,  died  in  October,  1862;  Mabelle,  born  in  February,  1864,  and  married 
John  C.  Burns,  a  merchant  of  New  York  city,  in  August,  1892;  and  Ger- 
trude, born  in  November,  1866,  married  Percy  Vernon  Greenwood  in  May, 
1 89 1,  who  died  in  November,  1891.  She  has  a  daughter,  Persilia  Vernon, 
born  February,  1892.  Gertrude  married  again,  this  time  wedding  George  W. 
Douglass,  one  of  the  editors  of  the  Brooklyn  Eagle,  in  December,  1895.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Douglass  are  members  of  the  Unitarian  congregation  of  Meadville. 
Mr.  Douglass  has  long  been  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Meadville  Theological 


7o8  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Scliool,  also  one  of  the  promoters  and  directors  of  the  Meadville  Library,  Art 
and  Historical  Association. 

Mr.  Douglass  was  admitted  to  the  bar  ni  Crawford  county  in  April.  1854, 
to  the  supreme  court  of  the  state  in  1856,  to  the  United  States  circuit  and 
district  courts  in  1858.  and  later  to  the  United  States  supreme  court.  He  has 
enjoyed  a  large  and  active  practice  in  the  several  courts  named  and  many  others 
m  Pennsylvania  and  other  states,  and  at  this  writing,  in  his  seventy-third  year, 
continues  in  practice  with  vigor.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Free-soil  conven- 
tion at  Pittsburg  in  1852  that  nominated  John  P.  Hale  for  President  of  the 
United  States,  and  continued  actively  in  the  party  until  merged  into  the  Re- 
publican party  in  1856,  and  has  continued  a  stalwart  Republican  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  being  now  an  active  supporter  of  the  administration,  especially  in  its 
expansion  polic}'. 

Mr.  Douglass  is  of  Scotch  origin,  and  has  in  his  possession  a  carefully 
written  history  of  the  family,  prepared  by  a  m.ember  of  the  same,  which  em- 
braces many  eminent  names.  The  late  Hon.  Stephen  A.  Douglas  (who 
dropf)ed  one  s  from  his  name)  is  a  member  of  the  family. 

Hon.  Henry  Shippen,  son  of  Colonel  Joseph  Shippen,  in  the  Pro- 
vincial army  and  secretary  of  the  Provincial  council  of  Pennsylvania  in  1762 
until  the  Revolution,  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  in  1788,  and  was 
educated  for  the  bar.  In  the  war  of  1812  he  organized  a  company  of  volunteer 
cavalry,  in  which  James  Buchanan,  afterward  President  of  the  United  States, 
was  a  private,  ilr.  Shippen  was  made  captain  and  ordered  on  duty  Septem- 
ber 5,  1812,  by  Governor  Simon  Snyder,  afterward  first  aide-de-camp  to 
Major  General  Nathaniel  Watson,  commanding  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  at 
Baltimore,  September  16,  1814.  (See  volume  XH  of  the  Roll  of  Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers  in  the  war  of  181 2-14,  page  18.) 

In  1817  he  married  Elizabeth  Wallis  Evans,  a  granddaughter  of  Colonel 
Evan  Evans  of  Chester  county,  who  commanded  a  battalion  at  the  battle  at 
Trenton,  New  Jersey,  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Brandywine  in  Septem- 
ber, 1777.  In  1819  he- moved  to  Huntingdon,  where  he  practiced  law  and 
became  a  member  of  the  legislature.  In  1825  he  was  appointed  president  judge 
of  the  sixth  judicial  district  of  Pennsylvania,  then  comprising  the  counties  of 
Crawford,  Erie,  Warren,  Venango  and  Mercer.  He  moved  to  Meadville  in 
1825,  where  he  lived  and  served  the  district  until  his  death,  in  1839.  It  is  said 
that  he  never  had  but  one  decision  reversed  by  the  higher  court  during  all  his 
years  of  service. 

He  was  the  great-grandson  of  Edwai'd  Shippen,  the  first  mayor  of  Phila- 
delphia, and  nephew  of  Edward  Shippen,  chief  justice  of  Pennsylvania.  His 
father,  Joseph  Shippen,  was  in  Braddock's  army  in  1755,  and  at  the  taking 
of  Fort  Duquesne.     He  was  afterward  colonel. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  709 

Evans  JV.  Shippcn,  third  son  of  Judge  Henry  Shippen,  was  born  in 
Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania,  and  carried  an  infant  in  the  arms  to  Meadville 
in  1825.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  the  village  and  one  year 
in  the  preparatory  department  of  Allegheny  College.  At  the  age  of  twelve 
years  his  father  remarked,  "I  have  six  sons  and  I  do  not  know  what  one  of 
them  will  be  excepting  that  one  (pointing  to  the  subject  of  this  sketch)  ;  he 
will  become  a  mechanic."  After  his  father's  death  he  traveled  the  state  in 
search  of  employment  at  iron  works,  and  finally  succeeded,  in  1844,  in  becom- 
ing the  manager  of  iron  furnaces  in  Lancaster  and  York  counties,  where  he 
remained  for  six  years.  Thence  he  went  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  carried 
on  the  foundry  business  for  twelve  years.  A  specimen  of  his  work  may  be 
seen  in  the  fountain  on  the  public  square  in  Meadville,  which  he  presented  to 
the  city  in  1863,  when  he  came  hereto  live. 

In  1 86 1  he  engaged  in  drilling  wells  on  oil  creek  and  built  a  refinery  in 
Philadelphia,  where  he,  in  1862,  chartered  the  barque  Catharine  and  shipped 
the  first  full  cargo  of  oil  to  England,  overstocking-  the  market  for  nearly  one 
year.  In  1864  he  organi:zed  a  company  for  drilling  wells  in  Venango  county 
and  struck  a  well  producing  one  thousand  eight  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  oil 
per  day,  when  he  retired  to  a  farm. 

In  1869  he  imported  the  first  Percheron  horses  that  came  into  Pennsyl- 
vania; but  becoming  tired  of  the  monotony  of  fai^m  life  he  moved  into  the 
city,  in  1873,  where  he  has  been  engaged  in  various  pursuits ;  he  is  now  pump- 
ing the  old  well  drilled  in  1864,  drilling  new  wells  and  building  new  machinery 
for  oil  wells. 

In  185 1  he  married  Catharine  Y.  McElwee,  daughter  of  Colonel  McEl- 
wee  of  Philadelphia  and  great-granddaughter  of  Judge  Jasper  Yeates  of  the 
supreme  court  of  Pennsyh'ania.  AVhatis  very  remarka]:)le,  he  shows  photo- 
graphs of  eight  generations,  whilst  his  wife  shows  those  of  seven  generations 
on  her  side,  most  of  them  taken  from  old  portraits. 


F.  H.  Aldricli,  machinist,  was  born  in  1850  in  Corry,  Erie  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, son  of  Welcome  and  Lydia  (Hill)  Aldrich.  Mr.  Aldrich  is  the 
youngest  son  of  a  famih'  of  eight  children,  five  of  whom  are  livings,  as  fol- 
lows :  Jefferson,  Pontiac,  Michigan ;  Sasindia,  wife  of  Abram  Hartman, 
Meadville:  Dr.  E.  W.  Aldrich,  Huntington,  West  Virginia;  Henrietta  wife 
of  H.  C.  Poole ;   and  Frank  H. 

The  last  mentioned,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  being  bereft  of  his 
parents  at  an  early  age,  first  began  the  battle  of  life  by  selling  books  and 
papers.  This  was  during  the  days  of  the  oil  boom  and  gave  him  a  hand- 
some return  for  his  efforts.  He  located  in  Titusville  in  1867  and  began  the 
machinist's  trade  in  the  shops  of  Gibbs,  Wheeler  &  Russell;  soon  afterward 
he  was  employed  by  the  Petroleum  Iron  W'orks,  this  name  being  first  changed 


710  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

to  the  Titusville  jNIanufacturing  Company,  which  was  later  changed  to  Titus- 
ville  Iron  Works,  where  he  is  still  employed. 

In  1876  Mr.  Aldrich  was  first  united  in  marriage  with  ]\Iiss  Anna  Laurie 
of  Corry,  who  died  in  1882;  and  his  second  marriage  was  to  Eliza  McGinniss, 
Titusville.  Their  children  :  Robert  Butler,  Alice,  Bernard  and  Frank  Henry. 
Mr.  Aldrich  is  a  son  of  ^A'elcome  Aldrich.  His  great-grandfather  was  in  the 
battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  was  once  colonel.  In  1882  he  discovered  that  he 
was  possessed  of  supernatural  healing  power,  the  gift  of  the  favored  few 
which  in  not  a  few  instances  has  proved  a  boon  to  suffering  humanit\-.  Mr. 
Aldrich  is  a  member  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.  and  the  Maccabees. 


H.  M.  Jennings,  merchant,  was  born  in  Venango  county,  Pennsvlvania, 
in  1839,  a  son  of  Morgan  and  Jane  (Bradley)  Jennings.  The  Bradleys  came 
to  Venango  county  early  in  181 6  and  the  Jennings  family  at  the  beginning  of 
this  century, — about  1804.  Mr.  Jennings  was  educated  at  the  schools  and 
followed  farming  as  a  vocation  until  the  age  of  twenty-six  years.  Learning 
the  carpenter's  trade,  he  followed  that  line  of  business  for  eight  years.  In 
1870  he  came  to  Titusville  and  was  salesman  and  bookkeeper  in  the  coal  office 
in  which  he  ser\-ed  four  years,  and  in  1885  he  began  in  the  mercantile  business, 
which  he  still  follows. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Knights  of  St.  John  and  JMalta  and 
R.  T.  of  T.  He  was  married  in  1866  to  Miss  Mary  J  Guist,  of  Venango 
county,  who  died  in  1874.  He  again  married,  in  1881,  Miss  Rosa  Sisney, 
and  they  have  one  child,  Clift'ord,  who-  is  a  student  at  the  Titusville  high 
school. 


Jesse  Smith,  a  prominent  business  man  and  a  venerable  resident  of  Titus- 
ville, deserves  special  mention  in  this  work.  Proceeding  in  order,  we  will 
first  state  that  his  parents.  Nelson  and  Polly  (West)  Smith,  moved  from  the 
town  of  Durham,  in  Greene  county,  New  York,  to  Crawford  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1816,  settling  upon  a  fai'm  in  Hayfield  township,  where  Mr.  Nel- 
son Smith  cleared  up  a  farm  and  reared  ten  children.  Soon  after  settling  there 
he  was  licensed  as  a  local  preacher  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
he  continued  as  such  to  the  end  of  life,  preaching  hundreds  of  funeral  sermons 
and  often  filling  the  pulpits  of  the  regular  itinerant  minister  throughout  this 
section  of  the  country.  He  studied  medecine  and  practiced  as  a  homeopathic 
physician  during  life.  He  was  a  very  useful  member  of  society,  accomplishing 
an  incalculable  amount  of  good  in  many  directions.  He  died  November  16, 
1868,  in  his  seventy-ninth  year.  His  wife  also  was  a  good  Christian  woman 
and  one  of  the  best  of  mothers,  who  was  never  so  happy  as  when  she  could 
serve  a  good  turn  for  her  children  or  neighbors.  She  died  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two  years. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  711 

Jesse  Smith,  whose  name  introduces  this  sketch,  was  born  on  the  farm 
already  described  October  7,  1817,  and  passed  the  most  of  his  boyhood  and 
youth  in  agricultural  pursuits,  attending  meanwhile  the  public  school  to  some 
extent,  although  educational  facilities  were  very  meager  at  that  early  period 
in  the  settlement  of  the  country.  Lea^'ing■  home  in  1840  Mr.  Smith  commenced 
business  for  himself  in  Conneautville,  this  county,  and  carried  on  the  carriage 
trade  for  twenty-three  years.  In  1842  he  was  appointed  quartermaster  of  the 
militia,  with  the  title  of  major. 

On  the  6th  day  of  November,  1844,  Mr.  Smith  was  married  in  Union- 
ville,  Ohio,  to  Elizabeth  J.  Smith,  by  Rev.  S.  C.  Thomas.  I\Irs.  Smith  was 
born  in  Newport,  New  York,  February  12,  1827,  and  moved  to  Meadville, 
this  state.  Being  young  when  her  father  died,  she  was  adopted  by  the  Rev. 
S.  C.  Thomas  and  wife.  She  was  educated  at  the  academy  and  college  of 
Meadville,  and  after  so  long  a  married  life  she  still  lives  to  bless  the  home. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  have  had  three  children,  namely :  Ernest  N.,  who  is 
married  and  lives  in  Warren,  Pennsylvania,  and  has  one  child,  a  noble  young 
man;  Florence  E.,  unmarried,  who  for  the  past  two  years  has  been  in  Phe- 
nix,  Arizona,  for  the  sake  of  her  health;  and  Alice  I.,  who  died  wlien  about 
ten  days  old. 

]\Ir.  Smith  has  served  for  five  years  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  of 
directors  of  Titusville,  and  one  term  as  a  member  of  the  city  council;  for 
seven  years  he  has  been  president  of  the  Crawford  County  Agricultural  So- 
ciety ;  and  he  has  been  the  presiding  officer  of  the  local  lodges  of  the  Sons  of 
Temperance,  Good  Templars,  Temple  of  Honor  and  Odd  Fellow-s;  and  he 
has  been  a  faithful  member  of  the  Masonic  order  ever  since  1854.  In  1865 
he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  and  two  years  afterward  he  connected  himself  with  the  ecclesiastical 
organization,  and  he  has  ever  since  been  an  exemplary  member.  Since  1886 
he  has  also  been  a  trustee  of  the  Chautauqua  Assembly.  In  1S53  he  was 
elected  a  director  of  the  Pittsburg  &  Erie  Railroad,  and  in  1854  was 
elected  to  represent  Crawford  county  in  the  state  legislature.  In  1862  he  was 
elected  the  treasurer  of  Crawford,  count3^  and  in  this,  as  in  all  other  official 
relations,  Mr.  Smith  faithfully  performed  his  duties  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
people. 

In  the  year  1843  he  purchased  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres 
near  Conneautville,  which  he  still  continues  to  manage  in  addition  to  his  car- 
riage business.  In  1865  he  moved  with  his  family  to  Titusville  and  engaged 
in  the  oil  business,  and  in  1876  he  purchased  an  oil  interest  at  Foxburg,  Penn- 
sylvania, to  which  place  he  then  moved  with  his  family,  and  while  there  he 
served  for  six  vears  as  president  of  the  school  board  of  that  place.  He  bought 
an  interest  in  the  Foxburg  Bank  and  served  sixteen  years  as  a  director  and 
vice  president  of  that  institution. 


712  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

In  1883  he  changed  his  residence  again  to  Titusville,  where  he  had  been 
up  to  that  time  still  interested  in  the  oil  business,  in  company  with  his  son ;  and 
that  year  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  Commercial  Bank  of  Titusville,  and 
was  elected  one  of  the  directors,  which  position  he  still  holds. 

Jacob  UUiiian  was  born  in  Alsace.  France,  and  came  to  tlie  United  States 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  obtaining  his  passport  from  Napoleon  III. 
He  first  went  to  Buffalo.  New  York,  in  1857.  a"d  in  1862  came  to  Titusville, 
attracted  hither  by  the  oil  excitement.  In  company  with  his  brother  Lehman 
he  opened  a  store,  under  the  firm  name  of  J.  Ullman  &  Brother,  on  the  south- 
east corner  of  Spring  and  Franklin  streets.  About  the  year  1876  the  brothers 
removed  their  store  to  the  quarters  now  occupied  by  Jacob  Ullman,  on  Spring 
street.  The  partnership  was  dissolved  in  1880,  Jacob  remaining  at  the  old 
stand  and  Lehman  opening  a  dry-goods  establishment  on  the  northwestern 
corner  of  Spring  and  Franklin. 

Jacob  Ullman  was  strictly  the  creator  of  his  own  fortune. — that  is,  he 
is' a  self-made  man.  At  the  beginning  of  his  career  he  had  no  aid,  and  his 
success  is  due  to  unlimited  energy  and  perseverance.  When  he  first  crossed 
the  ocean  he  came  in  a  sail  ship,  consuming  forty-six  days  in  the  voyage,  and 
when  he  arrived  in  New  York  he  had  only  seven  cents  in  his  pocket.  He 
brought  letters  introducing  him  to  ])eople  of  influence  in  the  city,  but  he  was 
too  proud  to  use  them.  He  remained  ten  days  in  New  York,  working  for  a 
living,  and  during  this  time  he  saved  enough  money  to  take  him  to  Buffalo ; 
but  when  he  arrived  there  his  money  was  exhausted.  He  tried  to  get  work 
in  a  store,  for  he  had  lieen  employed  in  a  dry-goods  establishment  in  Europe, 
but  failed  to  obtain  such  a  situation  in  that  city.  Finally  he  got  work  with 
pick  and  shovel  on  the  street,  at  seventy-five  cents  a  day;  but.  this  work 
proving  too  heavy,  he  went  out  into  the  country  and  obtained  employment  on 
a  farm,  and  in  two  weeks'  time  he  had  saved  four  dollars.  With  this  capital 
he  started  in  business  for  himself,  buying  a  stock  of  goods  to  the  amount  of 
three  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents,  and  began  peddling  in  Buffalo.  He  fol- 
lowed this  business  five  years,  during  which  time  he  sent  to  his  parents  in 
Alsace  various  sums  of  money,  aggregating  three  thousand  dollars.  He  was 
the  oldest  child  of  the  family,  and  after  his  start  in  Buffalo  he  continued  to 
support  his  mother  until  her  death.  When  he  came  to  Titusville,  in  1862,  he 
had  money  enough  to  start  a  store. 

In  1869  he  married  the  sister  of  V.  H.  Rothschild,  who  has  borne  him 
five  children,  namely:  Samuel,  who  is  in  business  at  Toledo,  Ohio;  Sarah, 
the  wife  of  Julius  Strauss,  of  Toledo;  Flora,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Goldstein, 
residing  on  West  Main  street.  Titusville;  Addie  and  Mamie,  both  at  their 
parental  home. 

During  the  thirty-six  years  in  trade  in  Titus\ille  Jacob  L'llman  has  sold 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  713 

goods  to  the  amount  of  at  least  five  million  dollars,  and  he  has  upon  his  books 
the  names  of  one  thousand  customers ;  and  his  paper  of  obligation  has  never 
in  a  single  instance  gone  to  protest.  He  never  endorses  and  never  asks  for 
endorsement. 


Charles  Wilbur  Benedict  was  born  at  Newton  Falls,  Trumbull  county, 
Ohio,  April  2,  1862,  the  second  of  three  sons  of  Leander  L.  and  Julia  A.  Bene- 
dict. His  father  came  to  Venango  county,  Pennsylvania,  about  1864  and 
became  an  oil-producer.  Charles  W.  prepared  for  college  at  the  Pleasantville 
high  school,  but  his  father's  failure  in  business  interfered  with  his  plans,  so 
that  he  did  not  take  a  collegiate  course.  He  went  to  work  upon  his  father's 
wells  and  at  the  same  time  began  the  study  of  law.  (An  account  of  Mr.  Bene- 
dict's professional  history  will  be  found  in  the  article  in  this  work  relating 
to  the  Titusville  attorneys  at  law.)  As  a  lawyer  he  prefers  civil  cases,  but 
undertakes  others  when  brought  to  him.  He  has  defended  the  accused  in 
each  of  two  important  murder  trials,  and  he  won  in  each  case.  In  1892  he 
was  president  of  the  Harrison  and  Reid  Campaign  Club.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican,  but  he  is  not  an  aspirant  for  political  preferment.  He  has,  how- 
ever, been  suggested  by  leading  citizens  as  a  proper  man  for  the  office  of  dis- 
trict attorney.     He  has  practiced  law  in  Titusville  since  1889. 

When  he  returned,  in  1889,  from  the  south  he  was  broken  in  health. 
September  18,  that  year,  he  married  Miss' Anna,  daugliter  of  William  Ley,  of 
Titusville,  and  thev  have  one  child. 


Daniel  MeGrafh,  chief  of  police,  was  a  native  of  Chautauqua  county.  New 
York,  where  he  was  born  October  9,  1856,  a  son  of  Patrick  and  Catharine 
(McMahon)   McGrath,  natives  of  Ireland. 

Mr.  McGrath  began  his  career  on  the  home  farm,  where  he  remained 
until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  but  he  started  out  soon  after  he  left  his 
parental  home  to  struggle  with  life's  battles.  He  first  went  to  Ohio,  where 
he  worked  on  a  farm  of  the  Western  Reserve  for  two  years.  He  afterward 
visited  different  parts  of  the  west,  including  Colorado  and  Kansas,  and  came 
to  Titusville  in  188 1. 

Here  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Theobold  Brewing  Company  until  1883, 
when  he  was  appointed  patrolman  under  James  H.  Caldwell,  this  term  contin- 
uing for  five  years.  Appreciating  the  efficiency  of  faithful  service,  the  mayor 
appointed  him  chief  of  police  in  June,  1888,  and  since  that  time  he  has  suc- 
cessfully filled  seven  terms  with  unusual  ability.  Many  features  of  the  service 
have  been  improved  under  the  present  administration,  and  the  closest  and 
most  careful  attention  is  given  to  the  details  of  this  part  of  the  city  govern- 
ment. Chief  AIcGrath  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  the  Maccabees  and 
C.  M.  B.  A. 


714  *  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Andrezv  Ellicott,  born  of  English  ancestry,  in  Bucks  county,  this  state, 
in  1754,  married  Sarah  Brown  in  1775  and  they  made  their  home  in  Maryland. 
He  was  captain  and  major  in  the  Maryland  militia  of  the  Revolutionary  pe- 
riod. He  became  an  expert  civil  engineer  and  a  famed  astronomer,  and  in 
these  capacities  was  long  years  in  prominent  public  service.  In  1784  he  ran 
the  boundary  line  between  this  state  and  Virginia,  and  in  his  Journal  of  No- 
vember 16  he  writes:  "Fixed  the  Southwest  Corner  of  Pennsylvania."  In 
1785  he  was  one  of  three  commissioners  to  locate  the  state's  western  boundary: 
m  1786  he  was  made  a  state  commissioner  to  act  with  Governor  Clinton  ajid 
another  citizen  of  New  York  in  locating  a  part  of  the  north  boundary  of  the 
state:  in  1787,  with  AY  ^^'.  Morris  of  New  York,  he  located  the  remainder 
of  the  north  boundary  line;  in  1789  he  was  commissioned  by  President  Wash- 
ington to  ascertain  and  define  the  western  boundary  of  New  York,  and  in  this 
duty  his  assistants  and  brothers,  Joseph  and  Benjamin  Ellicott,  made  the  first 
accurate  measurements  of  the  length  of  Niagara  river,  its  fall  from  Lake 
Erie  to  Lake  Ontario,  the  height  of  the  "Great  Fall"  and  of  the  Rapids.  In 
1790  he  was  called  as  an  expert  by  Robert  Morris  to  determine  "the  true  east- 
ern line"  of  the  Phelps  and  Gorman  purchase.  In  1791.  .after  the  French 
engineer,  who  drev^^  the  first  plans  of  the  contemplated  city  of  Washington, 
had  abstracted  them  from  the  Government's  custody.  Major  Ellicott  was  ap- 
pointed by  President  ^Yashington  a  commissioner  to  locate  the  bounds  of  the 
District  of  Columbia  and  to  lay  out  the  city.  He  was  the  chief  surveyor  of 
this  work,  himself  using  the  transit  to  secui-e  perfect  accuracy  in  the  lines 
and  in  laying  out  the  avenues  and  streets.  He  also  surveyed  and  determined 
the  site  of  the  capitol,  the  White  House  and  the  department  buildings.  The 
plan  he  drew  of  this  work  was  used  to  produce  the  first  engraved  map  of  the 
city,  and  is  the  authority  to-day. 

In  1794  Major  Ellicott  was  one  of  two  commissioners  appointed  to  lay 
out  a  state  road  from  Reading,  Pennsylvania,  to  Lake  Erie,  and  while  on  this 
service,  on  June  29,  1794,  made  a  report  in  which  he  advised  the  erection  of 
three  block  houses  "on  the  Venango  Path,"  of  which  one  should  be  at  "Mead's 
Settlement"  (Meadville).'  The  same  year  he  platted  the  township  of  Water- 
ford,  in  Erie  county  (then  Fort  LeBoeuf  and  part  of  an  Indian  reservation), 
and  under  his  supen,'ision  were  established  towns  and  defenses  at  Erie,  War- 
ren and  Franklin. 

From  1796  to  1800  he  was  in  a  most  important  service  as  commissioner 
on  the  part  of  the  United  States  to  arrange  with  the  Spanish  officials  of  Flor- 
ida and  Louisiana  the  boundary  of  the  two  nations.  His  Journal  was  pub- 
lished as  a  work  of  rare  erudition  and  a  valuable  reference  authority.  It  is 
replete  with  incidents  of  danger,  which  show  that  the  Spaniards  of  a  centur}^ 
ago  possessed  the  same  untruthful,  treacherous  and  barbarous  traits  of  char- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  715 

acter  so  strongly  manifested  in  the  recent  war,  but  found  their  superior  in 
Major  Ellicott,  both  in  diplomacy  and  in  courage. 

From  1802  to  1808  he  was  secretary  of  the  Pennsylvania  land  ol^ce.  In 
1808,  in  recognition  of  his  abilities  as  an  astronomer,  he  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  National  Institute  of  Paris,  France.  In  181 1  he  ran  the  north  boundary 
of  the  state  of  Georgia.  In  1813  he  was  appointed  professor  of  mathematics 
at  West  Point,  where  he  made  his  home,  and  held  this  oflice  until  his  death, 
in  1820. 

The  third  of  his  ten  children  was  Jane  Judith  Ellicott,  born  in  Balti- 
more. Maryland,  on  June  25,  1778.  She  was  twice  married;  first,  to  Dr. 
Thomas  R.  Kennedy,  and  secondly  to  John  Reynolds  of  Meadville.  She 
was  the  mother  of  five  children  by  her  first  husband  and  of  four  by  her  second. 
After  an  eminentlv  useful  and  Christian  life  she  died  in  Meadville  on  Novjem- 
ber  27.  1845. 


James  H.  Hoiiscr,  son  of  John,  was  born  October  6,  1869,  in  Meadville, 
educated  at  the  public  schools  and  graduated  at  the  Meadville  Business  Col- 
lege in  1889.  Pie  acted  as  clerk  for  his  brother,  J.  J.  Houser.  in  a  grocery 
store  until  1897,  when  he  purchased  the  business. 

His  father  was  born  February  22,  1821,  and  died  May  16,  1887.  His 
wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Catharine  Kohler,  died  November  8,  1892. 


IViUiam  JV.  Jackson. — One  of  the  most  enterprising  and  progressive  cit- 
izens of  Crawford  county  is  William  W.  Jackson,  the  proprietor  of  the  Pyma- 
tunning  stock  farm,  of  Sadsburytown.  For  more  than  forty  years  he  has  been 
actively  identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  community,  and 
marked  progress  along  this  line  is  largely  due  to  his  efforts.  The  Pymatun- 
ning  stock  farm  is  one  of  the  finest  in  this  section  of  Pennsylvania.  Embrac- 
ing one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  rich  land,  it  is  improved  with  large  and 
substantial  buildings,  affording  ample  shelter  for  his  stock :  well  kept  fences 
divide  the  place  into  fields  and  pastures  of  convenient  size;  orchards  and 
gardens  yield  their  products  in  season ;  the  latest  improved  machinery  aids  in 
the  planting  of  the  seed  and  the  garnering  of  the  harvests,  and  every  depart- 
ment of  the  farm  work  is  characterized  by  enterprise  and  capable  management. 
To  the  conduct  of  his  desirable  property  the  subject  of  this  re\-iew  has  long 
devoted  his  energies,  and  his  labors  have  not  been  denied  that  financial  com- 
pensation which  is  the  just  reward  of  continuous  and  well  directed  effort. 

\\'illiam  W.  Jackson  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Crawford  county.  He  was 
born  in  the  town  of  East  Fallowfield,  January  8,  1819,  and  is  a  son  of  Abra- 
ham and  Elizabeth  (Gelvin)  Jackson.  His  father,  a  native  of  Susquehanna 
county,  Pennsylvania,  came  to  Fallowfield  A\'hen  a  young  man  and  spent  the 
residue  of  his  days  here,  his  death  occurring  in  the  eighty-fifth  year  of  his  age. 


7i6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

He  had  six  sons  and  two  daughters,  namely:  Ehzabeth.  Mar)-,  Jcjhn,  Jere- 
miah, W.  W.,  James,  Abel  and  Hugh.  All  were  devoted  to  agricultural  life 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  old  homestead,  having  landed  interests  of  their 
own,  and  all  li\-ed  to  middle  age.  John  was  killed  on  the  railroad,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years. 

Upon  the  family  homestead  William  Jackson  remained  until  sixteen  years 
of  age,  and  then  entered  upon  an  apprenticeship  to  the  blacksmith's  trade  under 
Richard  Proctor  of  Meadville.   Pennsylvania,  who  gave  him  his  board  and 
clothing  in  compensation  for  his  services.     Then  for  three  or  four  years  he 
worked  as  a  journeyman  blacksmith,  being  for  three  years  employed  on  the 
old  Erie  Extension  canal,  making  lock  irons.     At  the  close  of  his  service  at 
that  place  he  was  receiving  a  dollar  and  a  half  per  day.     He  tlien  began  busi- 
ness on  his  own  account  in  Shermansville,  conducting  a  shop  there  for  four- 
teen years,  after  which,  with  the  capital  he  had  acquired  through  his  own 
labors,  he  purchased  forty  acres  of  land  in  that  vicinity.     His  energies  were 
then  devoted  to  both  farming  and  blacksmithing.     He  opened  a  shop  on  his 
land  and  at  his  trade  has  been  assisted  by  six  of  his  seven  sons,  who  have 
mastered  the  business  under  the  direction  of  their  father.     Forty  years  have 
passed  since  he  took  up  his  residence  at  his  present  home,  during  wlych  time 
he  has  extended  the  boundaries  of  his  farm  until  it  now  comprises  one  hundred 
and  lifty  acres,  and,  in  addition,  he  owns  another  farm  not  far  distant.     He 
has  engaged  extensively  in  the  breeding  of  Percheron  horses  and  Durham 
cattle,  and  in  this  way  has  done  much  to  improve  the  grade  of  stock  through- 
out the  county.     Excellent  animals  of  these  breeds  can  always  be  found  upon 
his  place,  and  at  many  county  fairs  both  his  horses  and  cattle  have  carried 
off  prizes.     When  the  best  farm  of  the  county  also  was  awarded  a  prize  by 
the  Fair  Association  the  honor  came  to  him  for  a  number  of  years,  showing 
that  his  is  one  of  the  most  desirable,  attractive  and  highly  improved  country 
homes  in  this  part  of  the  state.    His  sons.  Walker  and  Albert,  were  extensively 
engaged  in  importing  and  breeding  Percheron  horses,  and  their  well  managed 
business  interests  have  been  crowned  with  success. 

On  the  27th  of  April,  1841,  Mr.  Jackson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Jane  Stewart,  a  resident  of  the  town  of  Sadsbury,  and  a  daughter  of  David 
and  Margaret  Stewart.  Ten  children  have  been  born  of  this  union :  Lovilla, 
widow  of  Isaac  Gehr,  and  a  resident  of  Cleveland ;  David,  a  resident  of  Sads- 
bury township;  Walker,  an  importer  of  Percheron  stock,  who  died  in  Har- 
monsburg,  at  the  age  of  forty-five  years,  leaving  a  family  who  are  now  resi- 
dents of  Meadville,  Pennsylvania ;  Cyrus,  who  follows  blacksmithing  in  Lines- 
ville;  Albert,  a  farmer  and  blacksmith  of  Andover,  Ohio;  Homer,  a  resident 
of  Ashtabula,  Ohio;  Altamont,  who  is  carrying  on  the  home  farm;  Martin, 
who  married  Josephine  Nedeau,  and  is  now  a  general  merchant  and  postmaster 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  717 

in  Sliermans\ille:    Emma,   wife  of  Mayburv  Hull,  a  resident  of  Michip-an; 
and  Ella,  wife  of  George  Birch  of  Sadsbury  township. 

Mr.  Jackson  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Democratic  party,  but  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  civil  war  he  joined  the  ranks  of  the  Republican  party  and  has 
since  been  one  of  its  stalwart  advocates.  He  has  taken  an  active  interest  in 
local  political  affairs,  and  has  advocated  all  measures  political  and  otherwise 
for  the  public  good.  Now  at  the  age  of  eighty  years,  he  resides  upon  his  fine 
farm,  which  is  a  monument  to  his  enterprise  and  labors,  and  enjoys  the  high 
regard  of  a  large  circle  of  friends,  who  esteem  him  greatly  for  his  sterling 
worth. 


Jerome  Hyatt,  son  of  John  and  Sarah  A.  (Earl)  Hyatt,  was  born  in 
Hannibal,  Oswego  county,  New  York.  June  30,  1846.  In  December,  1863. 
he  enlisted  in  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Regiment  of  New 
York  State  Volunteers.  In  April,  1865,  he  was  transferred  to  Company  A, 
Fourth  Regiment  of  New  York  Heavy  Artillery,  from  which  he  was  dis- 
charged October  5,  1865,  when  he  returned  home. 

March  3,  1874,  he  married  Mary  M.  Peters,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary 
(Thatcher)  Peters.  In  1882  he  moved  to  Spartansburg,  where  he  now  re- 
sides as  proprietor  of  the  Hewell  House.  He  is  a  member  of  John  R.  Russell 
Post,  No.  626;  Spartan  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  No.  372;  Columbus  Chapter, 
No.  200,  R.  A.  M. ;   and  of  Clarence  Commandery,  No.  51,  K.  T. 


E.  D.  Thackara,  the  genial  and  popular  postmaster  of  Dicksonburg, 
Crawford  county,  for  many  years  served  in  the  capacity  of  deputy  postmaster 
to  his  father-in-law,  Mr.  McDowell,  an  incumbent  of  the  office  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  Mr.  Thackara  has  been  engaged  in  general  merchandising  in 
this  place  since  March,  1891,  and  has  enjoyed  a  large  and  profitable  patron- 
age. He  numbers  hosts  of  sincere  friends  in  this  section  of  the  county  and 
•has  often  been  urged  by  them  to  accept  public  positions  of  trust  and  honor. 
He  has  been  active  in  the  support  of  the  platform  and  nominees  of  the  Repub- 
lican party  and  was  a  constable  here  for  some  time.  Whether  in  the  public 
or  private  walks  of  life  he  strives  equally  hard  to  do  his  whole  duty  as  a  citi- 
zen, holding  his  own  personal  interests  secondary  to  the  general  good.  In 
August,  1 89 1,  he  was  appointed  railroad  agent  of  Dicksonburg,  the  first  to 
occupv  that  position,  and  for  six  and  a  half  years  he  continued  in  that  em- 
ployment, in  conjunction  with  his  other  lines  of  business. 

Mr.  Thackara  is  pre-eminently  a  self-made  man,  for  he  has  been  entirely 
dependent  upon  his  own  resources  ever  since  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age.  He 
was  a  child  of  but  eight  years  at  the  time  his  father,  James  Thackara,  died, 
and  thus  he  was  deprived  of  the  watchful  care  and  loving  counsels  which  most 
boys  enjoy.     He  is  a  native  of  Plighland  Falls,  Orange  county.  New  York, 


71 8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

born  June  ii,  1847.  When  the  civil  war  came  on  he  was  deeply  stirred  and, 
but  for  his  youth,  would,  not  have  been  deterred  from  joining  the  Union 
forces  at  once.  The  following  year,  then  a  youth  of  fifteen,  he  enlisted  in  the 
service  and  was  placed  on  detached  duty  in  the  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry,  in 
the  department  of  engineers.  He  participated  in  seven  important  battles,  and 
in  all  the  engagements  of  his  regiment  from  Brandy  Station  to  the  surrender 
of  Lee  at  Appomattox.  He  was  appointed  orderly  to  Captain  Holgate,  car- 
ried dispatches  and  transacted  all  the  varied  kinds  of  business  commonly  fall- 
ing to  the  lot  of  one  in  his  office.  At  Petersburg,  while  he  was  conveying  dis- 
patches, his  horse  was  shot  under  him,  and  though  he  had  numerous  narrow 
escapes  himself  he  was  never  wounded  but  once,  when  he  was  shot  in  the  right 
leg,  the  injury  not  being  of  a  very  serious  nature.  After  three  years  of  con- 
tinuous service  in  the  rough  school  of  war  he  was  honorably  discharged  and 
returned  to  carve  out  a  place  for  himself  in  the  business  world. 

At  Peekskill,  New  York,  Mr.  Thackara  learned  the  miller's  trade,  and 
he  worked  at  the  calling  in  Jamestown,  New  York,  for  a  period.  In  1872  he 
came  to  Dicksonburg  as  an  employe  of  J.  B.  McDowell,  in  the  latter's  mill. 
Within  a  few  years  the  mill  was  obliged  to  stop  running,  by  reason  of  lack  of 
water,  and  then  our  subject  t'jrned  his  attention  to  other  lines  of  business, 
for  a  time  working  for  the  Ohio  Oil  Company,  at  Findlay,  Ohio.  For  the 
past  seven  years  he  has  had  full  charge  of  the  store  fomierly  owned  by  J.  B. 
McDowell  of  Dicksonburg,  and  is  prospering.  The  postoffice  is  located  in 
part  of  his  store,  and  July  i,  1897.  he  accepted  the  position  of  postmaster,  suc- 
ceeding Mr.  McDowell,  who  had  so  faithfully  served  the  people  of  this  vi- 
cinity. 

September  3,  1873,  Mr.  Thackara  married  Mary  Augusta  McDowell, 
daughter  of  his  old  employer,  the  ex-postmaster  above  mentioned.  The  young 
couple's  first  child,  Ada,  was  born  November  22,  1876,  and  their  only  other 
child,  Florence,  was  born  exactly  eleven  years  afterward,  November  22,  1887. 
The  elder  daughter  is  the  wife  of  James  A.  Johnson  of  this  city.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Thackara  and  daughters  are  active  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  our  subject  is  connected  with  the  Society  of  Royal  Templa-'s. 
Mrs.  Thackara's  father  makes  his  home  with  her.  His  grandfather,  Ja""';s 
McDowell,  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  western  Pennsylvania,  arr  ig 
in  this  county  in  1795.  He  was  the  father  of  Alexander  McDowell,  who  as 
a  lad  of  nine  years  when  the  family  came  to  the  wilds  of  Crawford  county, 
and  he,  in  turn,  was  the  father  of  J.  B.  McDowell. 


Caleb  P.  Harris,  son  of  Abraham  and  Susan  (White)  Harris,  was  born 
in  the  province  of  New  Brunswick,  May  24,  1842,  was  educated  at  common 
schools  and  Meadville  Commercial  College.  In  1863  he  went  to  Boston, 
where  he  remained  two  years,  and  removed  to  Oil  City  in  1865  and  engaged 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  719 

in  blacksmithing.  He  came  to  Meadville  in  1866,  and  was  in  the  employ  of 
the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  and  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  &  Ohio  Rail- 
ways altogether  for  twenty-three  years,  when  he  engaged  in  the  flour,  feed  and 
grain  business. 

He  has  held  the  offices  of  councilman,  select  councilman  and  chairman. 
In  1868  he  married  Catharine  Kerbert,  and  has  a  family  of  four  children: 
William  C,  born  in  1869,  and  married  to  Mary  McNulty;  Mary  L.,  wife  of 
H.  G.  Lampman  of  Pittsburg,  this  state ;  Gertrude  E.  and  George  M.  William 
C.  Harris  is  engineer  on  the  Pittsburg,  Bessemer  &  Lake  Erie  Railway. 


Thaddcus  C.  Joy  was  a  native  of  Groton,  Ncav  York,  and  was  educated 
at  the  Groton  Academy  and  brought  up  for  a  mercantile  life.  He  married 
Miss  Emeline  W.,  a  daughter  of  Orrin  Clark.  Coming  to  Titusville  in  the 
winter  of  1865,  he  engaged  for  a  time  in  building  iron  tanks  for  oil.  Subse- 
quentl)^  he  was  engaged  extensively  in  the  oil-producing  business.  About 
1880  he  began  the  manufacture  of  steam  heaters, — boilers  and  radiators, — 
and  this  business  became  the  most  important  work  of  his  life.  His  first  plant 
in  Titusville  was  located  on  South  Perry  ^treet.  The  business  grew  to  such 
proportions  that  he  associated  with  him  Daniel  Colestock  and  purchased  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  cit}'  several  acres  of  land,  upon  which  he  erected  large 
works ;  and  these,  after  his  death,  were  purchased  by  the  Titusville  Iron  Com- 
pany, Mr.  Colestock  retaining  an  interest  in  the  establishment.  Before  Mr. 
Joy's  death  the  plant  had  grown  to  large  proportions.  (An  account  of  the 
works  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  history,  in  a  description  of  the  Titus- 
ville Iron  Company.)  The  radiator  works  are  a  monument  to  the  enterprise 
of  Mr.  Joy.  He  died  August  22,  1895,  enjoying  the  respect  of  the  community 
in  which  he  had  spent  an  active  Hfe.  He  loved  his  fellow  men,  and  his  highest 
ambition  was  to  be  useful  in  his  day  and  generation.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  He  had  one  son,  Charles  C,  who  died  in  1890,  leav- 
ing a  wife.  The  surviving  wife  of  our  siibject  occupies  the  mansion  which 
he  had  erected  long  before  his  death  on  West  Elm  street. 


Burton  Fisher  Edzvards  was  born  June  22,  1844,  in  Wyalusing,  near 
T  ■ '-anda,  Bradford  county,  Pennsylvania,  the  eldest  son  of  Burton  and  Deh- 
or (Taylor)  Edwards.  During  his  early  boyhood  his  father  moved  with 
his  family  to  the  state  of  Iowa,  and  died  there,  in  1855.  His  only  sister  also 
died  in  that  state  three  years  later,  in  1858,  leaving  the  mother  with  two  sons, 
—Burton  F.  and  William  H.  Some  time  afterward  Mrs.  Edwards  returned 
with  her  two  sons  to  Bradford  county,  Pennsylvania. 

Burton  F.  was  graduated  at  the  Binghamton  Commercial  College  April 
5,  1867,  and  came  to  Titusville  in  1869,  and  for  a  time  served  as  clerk  for  a 
coal  firm.  In  1874  he  purchased  the  coal  business  of  Morley  &  Brown,  in 
''"itusville,  and  for  a  few  years  carried  on  the  business  alone.    In  1879  he  asso- 


720  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ciated  with  him  his  brother,  Wilham  H.,  in  a  business  partnership,  under  the 
hrni  name  of  Edwards  Brothers.  They  dealt  in  coal,  building  material,  lime, 
plaster,  brick,  cement,  fertilizers,  etc.,  and  always  had  a  good  trade.  From 
1882  to  1887  inclusive  Mr.  Edwards  was  a  member  of  the  Titusville  common 
council,  and  for  a  part  of  the  time  he  was  president  of  that  body. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  Shepherd  Lodge  of  Masons  and  of  the  Rose 
Crpix  Commandery  of  Knights  Templars,  of  which  he  was  eminent  com- 
mander ;  and  for  many  years  he  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  He  died  July  16,  1898,  and  was  buried  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Knights  Templars.  As  a  citizen  and  business  man  he  enjoyed  in  a  high  degree 
the  respect  of  the  community.  It  was  in  October,  1875,  that  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Helen  M.  Bartlett,  daughter  of  George  C.  Bartlett.  She  survives, 
with  three  daughters, — Grace,  Helen  and  Letta. 


George  Chapman  Bartlett,  a  native  of  Oneida  county,  New  York,  was 
born  October  4,  1825,  and  while  in  his  native  county  he  always  lived  on  a  farm. 
His  parents,  Horace  and  Clarissa  (Seward)  Bartlett,  were  from  New  Haven 
county,  Connecticut,  and  he  was  the  third  born  of  four  children.  In  Septem- 
ber, 185 1,  he  married  Miss  Mary  A.  Dennison  of  Essex,  Connecticut,  the 
daughter  of  Robert  Fordyce  and  Fanny  Maria  (Griswold)  Dennison.  To 
Mr.  Bartlett  and  wife  have  been  born  four  children :  Helen  M.,  the  wife  of 
the  late  B.  F.  Edwards  of  Titusville;  Mary  G.,  wife  of  William  H.  Edwards 
of  the  same  city;  George  A.  and  Carrie  D.  Mr.  Bartlett's  mother  died  in 
Oneida  county.  New  York,  in  1850,  and  his  father. in  his  (the  son's)  own 
house  in  Hydetown,  in  1881,  beloved  by  his  family  and  near  relatives  and 
respected  by  all  his  acquaintances. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  Titusville  in  1862  and  drilled  suc- 
cessively two  wells  for  oil  on  Watson  Flats ;  but  as  these  wells  did  not  prove 
profitable,  he  abandoned  them,  moved  the  rig  away  and  erected  a  refinery  on 
the  south  side  in  Titusville.  Both  those  wells,  however,  under  more  thor- 
ough operation,  yielded  oil  afterward  in  paying  quantities,  and  the  new  own- 
ers paid  Mr.  Bartlett  one  thousand  dollars.  He  built  a  second  refinery,  bring- 
ing two  stills  from  Erie.  This  undertaking  proving  successful  he  built  still 
another  refinery,  the  last  one  on  Hemlock  Run,  which  he  called  the  Sunshine 
Oil  Works.  E.  C.  Bishop  was  his  superintendent  and  was  a  good  manager. 
After  burning  out  he  began  drilling,  first  on  the  Griffin  farm,  and  continued 
at  the  business,  sinking  many  wells,  for  about  twelve  years.  Then  he  started 
a  soap  factory,  on  the  site  of  his  first  refinery,  and  in  this  enterprise  the  busi- 
ness was  at  first  lucrative,  because  he  used  spent  alkali  from  refineries,  which 
he  bought  at  a  low  figure,  and  for  a  time  he  produced  a  great  deal  of  soap. 
After  he  had  operated  the  works  for  about  three  years  the  refiners  learned  to 
cleanse  their  spent  alkali  and  use  it  again  in  treating  oil.     Having  lost  the 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  721 

cheap  alkali,  he  abandoned  the  soap  business.    In  1878  he  purchased  the  Weed 
farm  at  Hydetown,  which  he  has  managed  ever  since. 

Mr.  Bartlett  and  all  his  family  except  the  son  George  F.,  who  lives  at 
Hector.  Minnesota,  are  devoted  members  of  the  Titusville  Presbyterian 
church.  Mr.  Bartlett  is  a  public-spirited  citizen,  possessing  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  the  communitv.  and  has  held  manv  local  offices. 


Jolni  Luke  McKinncy  was  born  at  Pittsfield,  Warren  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania. June  21,  1842.  His  parents  were  James  and  Lydia  Drury  fTurner) 
McKinney.  His  ancestry  on  the  father's  side  was  Scotch-Irish ;  on  the 
mother's  side,  American  and  Holland  mixed.  The  paternal  grandfather,  John 
McKinney,  came  from  Belfast,  Ireland,  to  Philadelphia,  about  1791,  and 
from  Philadelphia  to  Lancaster.  In  1795  he  came  with  commissioners  ap- 
pointed by  the  Governor  to  survey  the  part  of  ^A^arren  county  along  the  Alle- 
gheny river,  and  in  that  year  he  helped  General  William  Indne  lay  out  the 
present  borough  of  Warren.  After  making  the  surveys,  for  which  he  had  been 
commissioned,  he  took  up  a  large  tract  of  land  upon  the  Brokenstraw  Creek, 
immediately  west  of  what  became  Irvineton,  the  home  of  the  Irvine  family. 
Having  established  a  home  upon  his  new  possessions,  he  returned  to  Lancaster 
and  married  a  daughter  of  General  Arthur,  whose  wife,  the  mother  of  the 
bride,  was  a  sister  of  Daniel  Boone,  the  famous  Kentucky  pioneer.  When 
Mr.  McKinney  brought  his  wife  to  a  forest  home,  they  had  for  their  nearest 
neighbors  the  Irvines,  a  distinguished  family,  located  where  the  Broken- 
straw  empties  into  the  Allegheny  river,  whose  lands  adjoined  those  of  Mr. 
McKinney.  This  was  near  the  close  of  the  last  century.  The  pioneers  of 
that  period  represented  the  best  virtues  of  human  nature.  All  his  life  upon 
the  Brokenstraw,  Mr.  McKinney  kept  an  open  house,  to  strangers  as  well 
as  to  acquaintances  and  friends.  Courage,  gallantry  and  generosity  were  the 
qualities  for  which  he  was  distinguished  among  the  people  of  Warren  county, 
as  is  gathered  from  the  unquestioned  testimony  of  his  contemporaries.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  American  army  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  his  son,  James, 
the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  well  versed  in  the  history  of  his 
services. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  bore  the  names  of  two  prom- 
inent Massachusetts  families,  which  by  intermarriage  unite  the  blood  of  two 
distinct  lines  of  colonial  ancestry  in  that  commonwealth.  Both  the  Turners 
and  the  Drurys  were  of  English  descent.  Humphrey  Turner,  according  to 
tradition,  came  from  Essex,  England,  and,  with  his  family,  arrived  at  Ply- 
mouth, Massachusetts,  about  1630.  At  the  present  time  the  Turner  family 
tree  covers  a  large  part  of  the  United  States,  and  the  work  of  compiling  the 
Turner  genealogy  has  been  going  on  for  some  time.  The  line  of  the  Drurys 
has  a  beginning  in  Massachusetts  quite  as  early  as  that  of  the  Turners.  Colonel 
46 


722  0177?  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOFLIL 

Luke  Drur}-,  of  Grafton,  Massachusetts,  on  the  19th  of  April,  1775,  led  the 
Grafton  minute  men  to  Lexington  and  Concord,  and  was  in  the  engagements 
at  those  places.  He  also  had  a  command  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  follow- 
ing. He  continued  in  the  army  of  Washington  at  the  siege  of  Boston,  and 
afterward  during  the  war  he  rendered  valuable  service,  gaining-  the  confidence 
and  favor  of  Washington.  Colonel  William  Turner  served  upon  Washington's 
staff,  and  he  was  also  aid  to  Lee,  Greene,  Lincoln  and  Knox. 

Lydia  Drury,  whose  name  her  descendant,  the  mother  of  Mr.  McKinney, 
bears,  was  the  daughter  of  Colonel  Luke  Drury,  and  she  married  Joshua 
Tvirner,  a  descendant  of  Humphrey  Turner.  Luke  Turner,  named  after  his 
maternal  grandfather,  the  son  of  Joshua  and  Lydia  (Drury)  Turner,  married 
Elizabeth  Cook,  either  herself  a  native  of  Holland,  or  the  child  of  Dutch 
parents.  Their  daughter,  the  later  Lydia  Drury  (Turner)  McKinney,  was 
the  mother  of  John  L.  McKinney  and  J.  C.  McKinney. 

-^  Having  briefly  traced  the  genealogy  of  Mr.  McKinney's  famih-  line,  his 
domestic  history  may  here  be  given.  In  1867,  John  L.  McKinney  was  married 
to  Miss  Ida  D.  Ford,  daughter  of  John  C.  and  Jerusha  Ford.  She  died  May 
II,  1894,  leaving  two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter.  The  son,  Glenn  Ford 
McKinney,  was  born  in  1869.  He  was  graduated  from  the  Titusville  High 
School  in  1886,  and  was  the  valedictorian  of  his  class.  He  was  graduated 
from  Princeton  University  in  1891,  and  from  the  New  York  Law  School  in 
1893.  During  his  course  in  the  Law  School  he  was  president  of  his  class, 
and  in  the  last  year  he  was  editor-in-chief  of  the  Law  Journal  published  by 
the  school.  In  1893-94  he  was  examined  and  admitted  to  the  practice  of  law 
in  the  first  division  of  New  York  City.  Since  then  he  has  been  engaged  in 
the  practice  of  his  profession  in  that  city.  Ida  Ethlyn  McKinney,  the  daugh- 
ter, was  born  in  1871.  She  was  graduated  from  Smith  College,  Northamp- 
ton, Massachusetts,  in  the  class  of  1895.  For  some  time  past  she  has  been 
traveling  in  Europe,  where  she  is  still  staying,  engaged  in  studying  music  and 
languages.  In  1896  Mr.  McKinney  was  married  to  Miss  AUiene  Ford,  daugh- 
ter of  D.  W.  and  Jennie  L.  Ford. 

The  oil  history  of  Mr.  McKinney,  comprehensively  given,  appears  else- 
where in  this  work.  His  life  work  in  the  past  has  been  in  oil  production,  and 
he  is  still  to  a  considerable  extent  engaged  in  that  business.  He  is  president 
of  the  Midland  Division  of  the  South  Pennsylvania  Oil  Company,  one  of  the 
largest  oil  producing  companies  in  the  United  States.  But  his  business  enter- 
prises outside  of  oil  are  extensive,  and  they  occupy  the  greater  part  of  his 
attention.  Most  of  these  undertakings  are  outside  of  Titusville,  and  they 
in\'olve  heav}-  transactions.  At  home  he  has  been  at  the  head  of  the  Titusville 
Commercial  Bank  since  its  organization  in  the  spring  of  1882.  He  and  his 
brother,  J.  C.  McKinney,  own  a  large  part  of  the  stock  of  the  institution,  and 
he  has  mainly  shaped  the  general  policy  of  the  bank.     He  has  been  supported 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  727, 

by  a  board  of  directors,  composed  principally  of  strong  men.  The  policy  of 
the  bank  has  been  highly  useful  to  the  community.  The  management  has 
evidently  realized  that  the  interests  of  the  community  and  those  of  the  bank 
are  identical.  Upon  this  policy  the  bank  has  prospered,  and  the  community 
has  been  well  accommodated.  \\'hen  Mr.  McKinney  became  president  of  this 
institution  he  was  not  wanting  in  experience  in  the  banking  business.  He  had 
previously  been  a  director  in  several  banking  houses,  and  he  brought  to  this 
institution  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  important  requisites  to  be  observed 
in  the  business.  He  selected,  at  the  start,  for  cashier,  Mr.  E.  C.  Hoag,  who 
has  since  held  the  position  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  managers  and  the  public. 

Mr.  McKinney  is  a  large  stockholder  and  a  director  of  the  Titusville  Iron 
Company,  one  of  the  largest  manufacturing  institutions  in  northwestern  Penn- 
sylvania. He  is  president  of  the  Titusville  Industrial  Fund  Association,  and 
he  is  one  of  the  ten  citizens  who  subscribed  each  $10,000  to  the  stock  of  the 
company. 

In  politics,  Mr.  McKinney  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  as  were  all  his 
ancestors,  so  far  as  is  known,  on  both  sides.  Colonel  Luke  Drury  was  a 
warm  supporter  of  Thomas  Jefferson.  In  1884,  Mr.  McKinney  was  the 
Democratic  candidate  in  his  district  for  Congress.  It  was  the  year  for  the 
election  of  a  president.  Party  lines  were  tightly  drawn,  and  the  district  was 
largely  Republican.  At  the  election,  Mr.  McKinney  carried  Titusville  hy 
over  five  hundred  plurality,  and  he  carried,  by  two  hundred  plurality,  Craw- 
ford county,  which  gave  Blaine,  the  Republican  candidate  for  President,  fif- 
teen hundred  plurality.  In  Crawford  county,  Mr.  McKinney  ran  ahead  of 
his  party  ticket  seventeen  hundred  votes,  and  in  the  district  twentv-five  hun- 
dred ahead.  In  1884,  Mr.  McKinney  represented  his  congressional  district 
in  the  Democratic  national  convention  at  Chicago,  and  gave  an  active  and 
strong  support  to  Grover  Cleveland,  who  received  the  nomination  for  Presi- 
dent. Eight  years  later,  in  June,  1892,  he  was  a  delegate-at-large  from  Penn- 
sylvania at  the  Democratic  national  convention  in  Chicago,  again  supporting 
Cleveland,  who  was  again  nominated. 

Mr.  McKinney  has  been  a  resident  of  Titusville  continuously  for  the  last 
thirty  years.  He  has  served  the  city  upon  the  School  Board.  A  few  years 
ago,  he  and  his  brother,  J.  C.  McKinney,  contributed  $1,000  to  the  labora- 
tory of  the  Titusville  High  School.  It  is  needless  to-  say  that  he  is  a  public- 
spirited  citizen,  and  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  community  in  which  he 
lives. 


Martin  R.  Rouse  was  born  in  Sheshequin,  Bradford  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, January  31,  1835.  His  parents  moved  from  that  county  to  Slaterville, 
New  York,  and  afterward  to  Tioga,  in  Tioga  county,  same  state.  He  attended 
school  and  was  employed  on  a  farm  during  his  boyhood.     His  father.  Rev. 


724  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Xoel  Rouse,  was  a  Universalist  clergyman.  The  home  of  our  subject  was  in 
Tioga  until  the  fall  of  1865.  In  1862  he  went  south  with  a  construction  corps 
in  the  service  of  the  government,  building  bridges,  etc.,  and  he  continued  in 
that  service  till  the  close  of  the  war.  Soon  afterward  he  came  to  the  Miller 
farm,  in  A^enango  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  a  little  later  to  Titusville.  In 
the  spring  of  1866  he  was  put  upon  the  police  force  and  he  patrolled  for  a 
year;  and  in  the  autumn  of  1867  and  the  spring  of  1868  he  was  appointed 
chief  of  police, — a  position  which  he  held  twenty  years.  From  1875  to  1890 
he  also  held  the  oflice  of  street  commissioner,  to  which  office  he  was  again 
appointed  in  1896,  and  he  still  holds  that  position. 

At  the  organization  of  Company  K,  Sixteenth  Regiment  of  the  National 
Guards  of  Pennsylvania,  in  July,  1883,  he  was  elected  its  first  lieutenant,  and 
in  July,  1885,  he  was  promoted  to  the  captaincy  of  the  company;  he  was  re- 
elected captain  in  July,  1890;  resigned  April  8,  1895,  but  was  re-elected  July  of 
the  same  year.  He  again  resigned  May  i,  1897.  Soon  after  the  organization 
of  Company  K  he  built  the  spacious  armory  on  East  Central  avenue,  at  which 
the  headquarters  of  the  company  have  since  been  established. 

Mr.  Rouse  was  first  married  to  Miss  Sarah  M.  Giles,  who  bore  him  one 
child,  Lou  G.  In  1868  he  married  Miss  Hortense  D.  Buggbee  of  Ellington, 
Chautauqua  county,  New  York,  who  has  borne  him  three  children, — all 
daughters.  Lou  G.,  the  eldest  of  the  four,  is  married  to  T.  E.  Westgate,  the 
Titusville  refiner;  Jennie  is  married  to  D.  M.  Donehue  of  Titusville;  Cora 
is  married  to  William  Teege.  a  partner  of  T.  E.  Westgate  in  the  refining  busi- 
ness. 


Elias  W.  Himuiicr.  son  of  Adam  Hummer,  was  born  in  New  York,  mar- 
ried Sarah  A.  Connover,  and  came  to  Rome  township  about  1832,  settling 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  his  son,  George  W. 


E.  T.  Mason,  prothonotary  of  the  court  of  common  pleas,  Crawford 
county,  was  born  in  Conneautville,  this  county,  November  6,  i860.  He  is  the 
son  of  Andrew  J.  and  Alma  (Terrel)  ]\Iason.  The  former,  born  in  183 1,  be- 
longed to  the  One  Hundred  and  Eorty-fifth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volun- 
teers, and  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg.  Mr.  Mason's  ancestors 
were  originally  from  Connecticut;  his  grandfather,  Charles  Terrel,  located  in 
Crawford  county  in  1819. 

Mr.  Mason  was  educated  at  the  Conneautville  high  school,  and  began 
teaching  in  the  common  schools  in  1879,  continuing  until  1893.  During  that 
time  he  was  principal  of  the  Conneautville  high  school  and  the  Jamestown 
(Pennsylvania)  Seminary.  In  September,  1889,  he  married  Abbie,  daughter 
of  Myron  and  Ella  (Lord)  Ransom,  of  Conneautville.  Mrs.  Mason  died  in 
Aoril,  i8q-?,  aeed  twentv-eieht  vears.     Air.  Mason  was  elected  prothonotary 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  725 

on  the  Populist  ticket  in  November,   1896,  which  office  he  now  holds.     In 
1894  the  degree  of  Ph.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by  Grove  City  College. 

Mr.  Mason  has  two  brothers, — W.  L.,  of  Kirkwood,  Florida,  and  E.  C, 
of  Meadville,  Pennsylvania. 


Horace  P.  Nelson. — The  Nelson  family  were  early  settlers  in  the  vicinity 
of  Owego,  Tioga  county,  New  York,  and  there  the  birth  of  Horace  F.  Nelson 
occurred  on  the  30th  of  June,  1830.  His  parents,  James  and  Elizabeth  (Bur- 
ton) Nelson,  were  natives  of  the  same  place.  In  his  early  youth  and  man- 
hood he  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  and  in  i860  he  determined  to  seek 
a  new  field  of  enterprise,  and  accordingly  packed  into  a  wagon  some  of  the 
tools  and  appliances  necessary  in  his  calling  and  drove  from  Owego  to  Rome 
township,  Crawford  county.  Here  he  placed  his  anvil  under  a  tree,  just  across 
the  road  from  his  present  well  appointed  shop,  and  at  once  started  in  business, 
in  which  he  has  been  very  successful.  The  land  on  which  he  located  was  a 
wilderness,  and  he  was  obliged  to  clear  a  site  for  his  house.  In  time  he  cleared 
the  whole  farm  and  greatly  improved  it,  thus  making  it  one  of  the  best  in  the 
township. 

On  the  2ist  of  iVpril,  1853,  Horace  F.  Nelson  and  Esther  E.  Olmstead 
were  united  in  marriage,  and  for  forty-one  years  they  lived  in  harmonious 
companionship.  The  devoted  wife  and  mother  was  summoned  to  her  reward 
July  20,  1894.  She  was  a  daughter  of  George  A.  and  Sally  M.  (Freligh) 
Olmstead  of  Concord  township,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania.  Six  of  the  eight 
children  born  to  our  subject  and  wife  are  still  living.  George  O.  died  October 
25,  1870,  and  one  died  in  Ashville,  New  York.  Those  who  survive  are  Ida 
M.,  Katie  I.,  Frank  G.,  Martha  M.,  Ella  N.  and  Otis  J.,  who  has  been  the 
town  supervisor.  Our  subject  is  a  loyal  citizen  and  is  a  faithful  member  of 
the  Free  Baptist  church. 


Joseph  H.  Lenhart. — For  years  one  of  the  most  valued  citizens  of  Mead- 
ville was  Joseph  H.  Lenhart,  who  was  prominent  in  the  business,  social  and 
religious  circles  of  this  place.  He  was  of  Gea^man  descent,  was  born  January 
22,  1 82 1,  in  Perry  county,  Pennsylvania.  When  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age 
he  came  to  Meadville  to  live  with  his  uncle,  Joseph  Derickson,  from  whom  he 
received  a  thorough  training  in  mercantile  business. 

In  1862  he  received  a  commission  from  President  Lincoln  appointing 
him  assessor  of  internal  revenue  for  the  twentieth  district  of  Pennsylvania, 
which  office  he  held  until  1867,  having  been  reappointed  by  President  John- 
son. Later  he  was  actively  engaged  in  mercantile  and  banking  business  until 
his  death,  February  24,  1889. 

June  24,  1880,  he  was  appointed  by  John  Jay  Knox,  then  comptroller  of 
the  currency,  as  receiver  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Meadville,  Pennsyl- 


226  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

vania.  The  settling  up  of  the  affairs  of  this  bank  was  done  so  quickly  and 
well  that  he  received  the  highest  praises  of  the  treasury  officials. 

His  life  was  well  rounded  and  admirable  in  every  particular,  and  all  of 
the  notable  Christian  virtues  were  exemplified  in  his  character.  He  was  a 
valued  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  the  Masonic  order,  the 
Odd  Fellovv'S  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen. 

In  1846  Mr.  Lenhart  married  Sarah  A.  Donnely.  Two  children,  Emma 
S.  (now  deceased),  and  Clara  J.  (now  wife  of  Dr.  Cyrus  See),  were  born  of 
this  union.  In  1850  ]\Ir.  Lenhart  was  united  in  marriage  with  Lenora  Mor- 
lan,  who  still  survives  him.  Mrs.  Lenhart  was  a  daughter  of  Mordecai  and 
Eliza  (Dean)  Morlan,  residents  of  Ohio.  Her  father  lived  to  attain  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-seven  years,  while  her  mother  was  four-score  years 
old  at  the  time  of  her  death. 

Six  children  blessed  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lenhart,  namely: 
Lyde  A.,  Edwin  D..  Frank  M.,  Joseph  M.,  Ada  L..  and  Etta  A.,  all  of  whom 
are  now  living. 


Andrciv  Jackson  Craz^'ford  is  a  son  of  James,  whose  Scottish  ancestry 
dates  back  to  the  twelfth  century.  The  family  came  early  to  America  and 
settled  in  Pennsylvania.  A  branch  of  the  family  went  to  Ohio,  where,  in  Del- 
aware, Delaware  county,  A.  J.  Crawford  was  born.  His  education  was  ob- 
tained from  the  excellent  schools  afforded  in  that  county.  He  served  under 
General  Taylor  in  Mexico  and  later  was  a  printer,  also  edited  a  paper  printed 
at  Marion,  Ohio,  and  at  Wooster,  same  state,  but  his  health  failing  he  settled 
on  a  farm  for  a  time. 

In  1866  or  '7  he  came  to  Titusville,  where  he  was  ticket  agent  on  the 
Oil  Creek  railroad.  Later  he  moved  to  Corry,  and  in  1 871  to  Spartansburg, 
where  he  was  station  agent.  He  died  in  1877.  His  first  wife  was  before 
marriage ' Elizabeth  Jones,  and  by  her  he  had  two  children:  Emma  (Mrs. 
Worth  Winton),  of  Centerville,  Pennsylvania;  and  Bertie,  who  died  young. 
For  his  second  wife  he  married  Mrs.  Elizabeth  (Thomas)  Baker,  by  whom  he 
had  four  children:  Mary  (Mrs.-W.  C.  Hilliard),  Jennie  (Mrs.  Emory  Blakes- 
lee),  and  Annie  and  Eva,  who  are  deceased. 


Milton  Stezvart  was  born  September  24,  1838,  in  Cherry  Tree  township, 
Venango  county,  Pennsylvania.  His  parents  were  William  R.  and  Jane  M. 
r Irwin)  Stewart.  William  R.  was  the  son  of  Elijah  and  Lydia  (Reynolds) 
Stewart.  He  was  the  grandson  of  William  Reynolds  and  Lydia  (Thom- 
as) Stewart,  who  came  from  England  and  settled  in  Cherrj'  Tree  town- 
ship in  1797.  William  R.  Stewart  was  a  tanner  by  trade;  and  Milton,  as  he 
grew  up,  besides  attending  school,  assisted  his  father  at  the  tannery.  He  began 
drilling  for  oil  in  the  early  '60s,  but  at  first  met  with  little  success.     In  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  727 

oil  history  of  Titusville  in  this  work  is  an  account  of  his  operations  as  a  pro- 
ducer and  also  as  a  refiner.  He  is  one  of  the  few  oil-producers  who  engaged 
in  the  oil  development  soon  after  Drake's  discovery,  and  has  continued  in  the 
business  until  the  present  time.  He  has  resided  in  Titusville  for  the  last  thirty 
years. 

On  December  23,  1880,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Ella,  the  daughter  of  the 
late  J.  J.  Marsh  of  this  city. 


John  Theobald  w^as  born  in  Germany.  He  came  with  his  parents  to  this 
country  and  settled  at  Wellsville,  New  York,  where  at  first  he  followed  farm- 
ing. He  married,  at  Wellsville,  Miss  Frances  Mayer,  who  also  was  a  native 
of  German)'  and  the  daughter  of  John  Mayer,  a  tanner  of  Wellsville.  Mr. 
Theobold  came  to  Titusville  with  his  family  about  1868.  He  had  been  at 
Pithole,  where  he  kept  a  boot  and  shoe  store,  and  had  also  oil  interests.  For 
a  time  he  also  kept  a  restaurant  at  Petroleum  Center.  He  purchased  the  pres- 
ent Theobold  breweiy  of  Philip  Hoenig,  and  continued  to  operate  it  until  his 
death.  Joseph  Hoenig  was  once  a  partner  in  the  brewery,  also  a  Mr.  Sprader. 
Mr.  Theobold  built  up  a  good  trade,  and  died  in  September,  1886.  He  left 
to  his  family  a  good  property  and  twelve  thousand  dollars  in  life  insurance. 
The  children  are  George ;  John,  who  is  married ;  Clara  and  Albert,  who  died 
young;  Laura,  Albert  and  Grace.  John  Theobold  was  strongly  attached  to 
his  home  and  to  his  family,  was  genial  and  kind,  a  friend  to  everybody,  while 
everybody  was  a  friend  to  him.  His  sons  seem  to  manage  well  the  business 
which  he  left  to  them. 


Williani  G.  Johnston,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Oil  Creek  township  November 
21,  1866.  He  is  the  son  of  Archie  and  Sarah  Johnston,  and  the  eldest  of  three 
children.  (An  account  of  Dr.  Johnston's  medical  history  is  found  elsewhere 
in  this  book,  under  the  subject  of  the  Doctors  of  Medicine  of  Titusville.) 
His  late  experience  as  the  assistant  surgeon  of  the  Sixteenth  Regiment,  Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers,  in  the  Spanish-American  war,  was  valuable  and  impor- 
tant. 

On  October  21,  1897,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Myra  E.  Benedict,  daugh- 
ter of  ^^^  B.  Benedict,  mayor  of  Titusville. 

It  is  proper  to  say  that  Dr.  Johnston  is  jealous  of  the  honor  of  his  pro- 
fession; and  it  may  be  expected  that  he  will  contribute  to  its  usefulness  by 
adhering  to  rational  theories  and  trusting  to  approved  methods  instead  of 
resorting  to  experimental  empiricism. 


Hugh  Jameson,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Agra,  India.  (His  medical  history 
will  be  found  under  the  caption  of  Doctors  of  Medicine.)  He  is  of  Scottish 
parentage,  the  son  of  William  Hugh  Jameson,  surgeon  major  in  Her  Majes- 


728  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ty's  service,  then  stationed  in  India.  He  left  India  when  six  years  old  and 
spent  his  boyhood  days  in  Lincolnshire,  England.  He  was  afterward  edu- 
cated at  Edinburg,  in  Daniel^,  Stewart's  school.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he 
entered  Edinburg  Universit)'  for  a  medical  course  of  nearly  six  years,  and 
was  graduated  in  1889,  with  the  degrees  of  M.  B.  and  C.  M.  (Bachelor  of 
Medicine  and  Master  of  Surgeiy.)  He  was  also  since  graduated  in  the  medi- 
cal department  of  the  University  of  Western  Pennsylvania,  taking  the  degree 
of  M.  D.  He  arrived  in  the  United  States  October  28,  1890,  and  came  im- 
mediately to  Titusville,  and,  excepting  his  absence  at  the  Pittsburg  College, 
he  has  since  continuously  practiced  medicine  here.  In  addition  to  other  asso- 
ciations of  which  he  is  a  member  Dr.  Jameson  belongs  to  the  General  Medical 
Council  of  Scotland. 

December  28,   1893,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss    Helen  S., 
daughter  of  Robert  L.  Kernochan,  of  Titusville. 


William  White  was  born  at  Manchester,  England,  February  12,  1841, 
the  son  of  Uriah  and  Anna  White,  and  is  the  twelfth  born  of  fourteen  chil- 
dren. His  father  was  a  mechanical  engineer,  at  which  vocation  William 
served  seven  years.  He  was  employed  at  the  Manchester,  Sheffield  and  Lin- 
colnshire works  from  the  age  of  fourteen  to  twenty-five.  In  1868  he  left  for 
the  United  States,  remaining  in  the  eastern  states  for  a  few  months,  and  then 
came  to  Shamburg,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  entered  a  machine  shop  and 
worked  as  a  journeyman  for  a  year.  Next  he  was  superintendent  for  Emery 
Brothers  in  the  oil-producing  business  for  two  years, — until  the  thirty-day 
shut-down.  Having  accumulated  some  money,  he  engaged  in  producing  oil 
on  his  own  account,  and  has  continued  to  operate  until  the  present  time.  Five 
years  ago  he  added  to  his  occupation  real-estate  and  insurance.  He  lives  in 
the  second  ward  of  Titusville,  which  division  of  the  city  he  represented  on 
the  school  board  from  1893  to  1897.  In  his  politics  he  is  non-partisan  and 
independent. 

He  has  a  wife  and  five  grown  children. 


James  L.  Proper,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Plum  township,  Venango  county, 
tliis  state,  March  8,  1835,  the  son  of  Daniel  and  Margaret  (Archer)  Proper, 
and  the  eighth  of  twelve  children.  His  grandfather,  Samuel  Proper,  came  to 
America  with  La  Fayette,  and  five  of  his  sons  served  in  the  American  army 
in  the  war  of  1812. 

James  L.  spent  his  youth  at  school  and  on  a  farm  until  the  age  of  twenty- 
onc:  and  besides  the  common,  schools  he  attended  the  academy  at  Coopers- 
town  and  two  terms  at  Kinsmantown,  Ohio.  He  began  the  study  of  anatomy 
under  Dr.  Jennings  of  Titusville,  and  Dr.  Allen  of  Kinsmantown ;  but  a  later 
preceptor  was  Dr.  Scudder  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio.     He  attended  the  Eclectic 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  729 

Medical  Institute,  where  he  graduated  with  the  degree  of  M.  D.,  and  he  began 
the  practice  of  medicine  in  1861,  in  Clarksville,  Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  continued  until  1872,  when  he  came  to  Titusville  and  practiced  until 
his  last  sickness,  which  ended  in  his  death  May  29,  1898.  In  his  death  the 
poor  lost  a  friend.  A  sick  call  from  people  whom  he  knew  to  be  destitute  of 
means  received  from  him  the  same  prompt  response  as  from  those  possessing 
abundance,  even  supplying  also  his  impecunious  patients  with  medicine  from 
his  own  store  and  driving  miles  into  the  country,  often  over  rough  roads  and 
in  inclement  weather,  to  administer  medical  treatment  to  persons  who  were 
practically  paupers. 

The  Doctor  was  married  twice.  For  his  first  wife  he  married  Melinda 
Kemerer,  by  which  union  there  was  one  son,  named  Emberson  E. ;  and  for 
his  second  wife  he  was  united  with  Miss  Lida  Titus,  in  1873,  and  by  this  mar- 
riage there  were  no  children.  Emberson  was  graduated  at  the  Titusville  high 
school,  at  which  he  subsequently  taught  for  some  time;  and  he  also  grad- 
uated at  the  Allegheny  College  and  at  Harvard  University,  gaining  distinction 
at  the  last  named  institution,  where  he  afterward  taught  for  a  while.  He 
has  since  taught  at  Brooklyn,  New  York. 


Dennis  Carkhuif  was  born  May  12,  1837,  near  Adamsville,  Crawford 
county,  Pennsylvania.  His  parents,  Henry  and  Rebecca  Cole  Carkhufl:,  were 
natives  of  New  Jersey,  and  moved  into  Pennsylvania  in  the  early  part' of  the 
century. 

Henry  Carkhuff  was  a  blacksmith,  and  when  his  son  Dennis  was  nine 
years  old  he  apprenticed  him  out  to  Mr.  Beard  of  Adamsville  to  learn  farm- 
ing. Dennis  was  to  have  remained  until  he  was  eighteen,  but  he  did  not 
approve  of  his  surroundings,  which  were  anything  but  congenial,  and  after  a 
few  years  of  contention  he  returned  to  his  father,  who  was  then  living  in  Roy- 
alton,  and  where  he,  Dennis,  worked  with  him  in  the  shop.  His  mother 
died  during  his  apprenticeship  and  his  father  married  again.  After  a  while 
the  superiority  of  the  carpenter  over  the  blacksmith  trade  appealed  to  Dennis 
Carkhuff,  and  he  availed  himself  of  his  brother's  knowledge  in  this  direction. 
The  venture  proved  a  good  one  and  he  was  soon  in  a  position  to  require  the 
help  of  several  assistants,  as  he  had  the  monopoly  of  contract  work  for  miles 
around.  At  this  time  he  made  his  home  with  Mark  Roj^al  of  South  She- 
nango. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  war  Mr.  Carkhuff  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred 
and  Forty-fifth  Pennsylvania,  under  Colonel  H.  L.  Brown  of  Erie,  and  in 
Company  H.  With  him  in  that  company  were  his  three  brothers, — David, 
William  and  Isaac.  James  was  a  later  recruit.  The  military  experience  of 
William  was  limited,  as  he  died  at  Harper's  Ferry  two  months  after  going  to 
the  front.    Isaac  was  a  prisoner  at  Andersonville  for  nine  months,  and,  owing 


730  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

to  the  harsh  and  terrible  experience,  he  was  an  invahd  until  his  death,  in  1896. 
Dennis  Carkhuff  carried  his  musket  through  almost  the  entire  war;  he  was 
at  Antietam,  but  was  so  severely  wounded  at  Chancellorsville  that  he  escaped 
duty  at  Gettysburg.  He  received  a  gunshot  wound  in  his  left  wrist,  the  ball 
passing  up  the  fore-arm,  through  the  elbow  joint,  and  out  below  the  shoulder. 
Complications  set  in  and  it  was  found  necessary  to  amputate  the  arm  above 
the  elbow.  Even  after  his  discliarge  from  service,  September  22,  1863,  the 
Vv'ounded  arm  was  still  a  source  of  great  trouble  and  necessitated  more  surgical 
aid.  The  loss  of  his  arm  rendered  both  of  his  trades  unavailable,  and  Mr. 
Carkhuff  turned  his  attention  to  carriage  and  house  painting.  Being  a  con- 
scientious and  painstaking  workman,  he  soon  had  all  that  he  could  do  in  that 
line.  Incidentally  and  for  recreation  he  studied  scientific  bee  culture,  and 
for  many  j^ears  had  as  many  as  one  hundred  and  thirteen  colonies  of  bees. 

February  i,  1865,  Mr.  Carkhuff  married  Miss  Mary  E.  Mason  of  South 
Shenango,  where  she  was  born.  The  Carkhuff  family  consists  of  Laura  J., 
wife  of  Charles  Simonds,  of  Espyville;  Nelhe  C,  a  music  teacher,  and  James 
M.,  a  painter,  are  living  at  home. 

Mr.  Carkhuff'  is  a  Republican  and  has  been  active  and  interested  in  all 
his  party's  undertakings.  He  lias  been  assessor,  collector,  school  director  and 
county  committeeman,  and  has  been  mentioned  for  county  treasurer.  He  is 
a  member  of  Captain  A.  J.  Mason  Post,  No.  322,  of  Espyville,  and  is  adjutant 
of  the  post ;   and  he  is  also  a  member  of  Police  Camp,  No.  40. 

Mr.  Carkhuff",  who  has  one  of  the  most  delightful  homes  in  Espyville,  is 
living  in  the  house  once  occupied  by  the  Rev.  J.  Boyd  Espy,  former  captain 
of  the  old  Company  H.  He  is  a  genial  man  and  still  enjoys  fishing  and  base 
ball.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which  he  is 
steward,  and  he  has  been  Sunday-school  superintendent. 


Andren'  Stole. — America  can  boast  of  no  more  patriotic  citizens  than  the 
sons  of  the  Fatherland  who  have  sworn  allegiance  to  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 
For  over  thirty  years  the  gentleman  of  whom  this  sketch  is  penned  had  been 
a  business  man  of  -Kerrtown,  a  suburb  of  Meadville,  and  actively  associated 
with  all  the  interests  of  this  locality. 

Andrew  Stolz  was  born  August  12,  1829,  in  Mergentheim,  Wurtem- 
berg,  Germany.  His  father,  who  had  served  in  the  war  against  Napoleon, 
was  a  successful  manufacturer  of  brick  and  tile,  and  this  business  he  taught 
our  subject.  It  had  been  the  intention  of  the  senior  to  give  the  lad  the  best 
possible  advantages  in  the  way  of  an  education,  and  Andrew  had  become  quite 
advanced  in  a  collegiate  course  when  his  eyesight  failed  to  such  an  extent 
that  his  ambitious  plans  for  the  future  were  overturned. 

The  young  man  aided  his  father  in  the  business  until  he  decided  to  come 
to  the  United  States.     With  his  beloved  wife,  a  bride  of  a  few  months,  he 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  731 

started  on  the  long  journey  May  21,  1853.  Leaving  Liverpool  on  the  ship 
Jane  E.  Walsh,  commanded  by  Captain  Thomas,  they  arrived  in  New  York 
city  August  14,  after  a  voyage  of  fifty-six  days,  provisions  and  water  all  con- 
sumed. For  seventeen  months  Mr.  Stolz  remained  in  the  metropolis,  work- 
ing in  the  fire  brick  yard  owned  by  J.  Kreider,  and  in  Jackson's  foundry,  on 
Corek  street.  Removing  thence  to  Catasauqua,  in  March,  1855,  the  family 
dwelt  there  for  twelve  years,  the  father  working  at  his  accustomed  calling 
and  for  a  period  was  employed  by  the  Crane  Iron  Company.  On  the  2nd  of 
April,  1867,  he  came  to  Meadville,  and  after  he  had  been  engaged  in  business 
in  partnership  with  John  Hiller  for  several  months  he  established  a  factory 
of  his  own  in  Kerrtown,  where  he  is  still  occupied  in  the  manufacture  of  brick. 
For  some  years  he  also  dealt  in  coal,  lime  and  l^uilding  material,  particularly 
in  the  winter  season.  His  energy  and  excellent  business  ability  have  gained 
for  him  an  assured  competence  and  an  enviable  reputation  in  commercial 
circles. 

Mr.  Stolz  has  been  actively  interested  in  jjublic  affairs  and  has  always 
endeavored  to  promote  the  welfare  of  his  community.  He  has  officiated  as  a 
school  director  for  over  seven  years  in  Vernon  township ;  for  five  years  acted 
in  the  capacity  of  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  for  a  period  of  two  years  was 
township  supervisor. 

Mr.  Stolz  was  a  member  of  the  First  Baptist  church  of  Meadville,  and 
assisted  a  great  deal  in  the  erection  of  a  brick  chapel  in  Kerrtown,  in  1896,  for 
the  use  of  the  Kerrtown  Sunday-school  Association,  of  which  he  is  a  trustee. 
His  motto  is :  Ut  desint  vires,  tamen  laudanda  voluntas  est. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Stolz  and  Miss  Magdalena  Brand  was  celebrated 
October  3,  1852.  Ten  children  were  born  to  them,  and  of  this  number  two 
daughters  and  a  son  are  deceased.  Those  who  survive  are  as  follows : 
y\ugustus  Frederick,  of  Franklin,  Pennsylvania,  born  in  New  York,  August 
16,  1853;  Henry  Walter,  of  Catasauqua,  December  13,  1856;  Edwin,  Feb- 
ruary 24,  1859;  Mrs.  Clara  Thibant,  of  Kerrtown,  March  5,  1861 ;  Otto 
Alfred,  attorney-at-law,  of  Meadville,  April  2,  1863;  Lydia,  of  Kerrtown, 
November  6,   1872;    and  Walter  Benjamin,  of  Kerrtown,  May  18,  1876. 


David  Bradford,  farmer,  son  of  Andrew,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  Rev- 
olutionary war  and  was  born  in  Windsor  county,  Vermont,  was  a  soldier 
in  the  war  of  18 12.  He  married  Esther  Burton.  In  1841  he  made  his  home 
in  Rome  township,  this  county,  and  in  1862  removed  to  Sparta  township.  In 
1865  he  went  to  Washington  township.  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
died;  his  wife  died  in  1862.  Of  their  eight  children  one  survives, — Joseph 
F., — born  July  15,  1826.  In  1848  he  married  Elizabeth  Hunt  and  settled  in 
Sparta,  where  he  now  resides  as  a  farmer,  and  has  preached  in  the  Baptist 
church  for  forty  years. 


732  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

In  1 86 1  he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Eighty-third  Regiment  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers,  and  was  discharged  for  disability  in  1862,  when  he  returned 
home.  He  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Colonel  Dix'  regiment,  where  he  was 
orderly  sergeant,  and  was  discharged  after  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg.  In 
1864  he  enlisted  in  the  Tenth  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Reserves,  and  was  dis- 
charged in  1865.     He  had  six  children,  one  of  whom,  J.  E.,  is  a  farmer. 


Judge  John  J.  Henderson. — One  of  the  most  popular  members  of  the 
bar  of  Crawford  county  is  Judge  John  J.  Henderson,  who,  for  nearly  thirty- 
two  years,  has  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law.  He  was  born  in  Alle- 
gheny county,  Pennsylvania,  September  23,  1843,  'i"d  when  thirteen  years 
of  age  he  removed  to  Meadville  with  his  parents,  this  city  having  since  been 
his  home.  After  leaving  the  public  schools  he  completed  his  education  in 
Meadville  Academy  and  Allegheny  College.  His  studies  were  broken  in  upon 
by  the  dreadful  civil  conflict  which  was  being  waged  between  the  north  and 
south,  and  he  left  the  schoolroom  to  go  forth  to  fight  for  the  Union.  Enlisting 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  in 
August,  1862,  he  remained  in  the  ranks  until  there  was  no  longer  need  of 
his  services,  and  was  honorably  discharged  June  16,  1865. 

Upon  his  return  to  the  paths  of  peace,  Judge  Henderson  took  up  the 
study  of  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  August,  1867.  In  1872  he  was 
elected  district  attorney,  and  fifteen  years  later  he  was  selected  president-judge 
of  the  Thirtieth  judicial  district  of  Pennsylvania  for  a  term  of  ten  years,  where 
he  made  an  enviable  record. 


Preston  Steele,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Franklin,  Pennsylvania,  in  1870,  a 
son  of  O.  B.  and  Mary  Flemming  Steele.  O.  B.  Steele,  his  father,  is  one  of 
the  pioneer  oil  men  of  Franklin  and  was  early  identified  with  many  interests 
of  that  locality. 

Dr.  Steele  attended  a  course  of  lectures  at  Pulte  Medical' College,  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  and  is  a  graduate  of  the  Cleveland  Medical  College,  of  Cleveland, 
same  state,  and  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Titusville  in  1894. 

He  was  married,  in  1897,  to  Lyda,  daughter  of  William  and  Olive 
(Long)  Paden,  of  Greenville,  Pennsylvania. 

Dr.  Steele  is  a  member  of  the  Elks,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Eclectic  As- 
sembly, World's  Mutual  Benefit  Association  and  Knights  and  Ladies  of 
Columbia. 


Professor  Albert  Baumgartner. — Eight  years  ago  Professor  Albert 
Baumgartner,  musical  director  of  Saint  Agatha's  German  Catholic  school, 
came  to  Meadville,  where  he  has  since  occupied  a  distinctive  place  in  musical 
circles.     He  was  born  in  Baden,  Germany,  in  1837,  and  received  his  musical 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  733 

education  at  the  Teaclier's  Seminary  at  Meersburg,  wliicli  town  is  near  Con- 
stance, Germany.  The  training  in  that  well  known  institution  was  most 
comprehensive  and  thorough,  and  the  young  man  was  specially  instructed  in 
lines  of  work  to  \vhich  his  later  years  have  been  given  with  splendid  results. 
He  is  proficient  on  the  piano,  organ,  violin  and  zither,  and  is  fortunate  in 
being  able  to  impart  instruction  in  a  pleasing-  and  profitable  manner  to  the 
pupil.  Soon  after  reaching  his  majority  he  came  to  the  United  States  and  for 
some  time  thereafter  he  made  his  home  in  Ohio.  In  1879  he  removed  to  Erie, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  followed  his  accustomed  vocation  as  a  teacher,  leader 
of  a  band,  and  organist.  In  1891  he  was  induced  to  accept  his  present  posi- 
tion in  Saint  Agatha's  school,  and  here,  as  elsewhere,  his  success  has  been 
marked. 

In  1 87 1  Professor  Baumgartner  married  Miss  Frances  Ott,  and  fi\-e  of  the 
children  born  of  their  union  survive,  namely:  Gustav,  of  Erie,  Pennsylvania; 
Albert,  who  is  a  teacher  of  music  in  Boston,  Massachusetts ;  John,  a  resident 
of  Youngstown,  Ohio;  Rose,  wafe  of  John  Stritzinger;  and  Leo,  a  carpenter, 
of  Meadville.  November  5,  1894,  our  subject  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Connell 
were  united  in  marriage.  She  is  a  daughter  of  John  and  Gertrude  (Bonefen- 
ture)  Marhofer,  who  were  worthy  citizens  of  this  place.  The  father  was  a 
carpenter  by  trade,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  seventy-two  years  old. 
For  many  years  he  had  been  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Catholic  church  to 
which  he  belonged.  The  wife  and  mother,  a  lady  of  most  lovable  disposition, 
ViMs  but  forty-two  years  of  age-when  she  passed  away.  Of  their  eight  chil- 
dren, five  were  daughters  and  three  sons.  Mrs.  Baumgartner  is  the  third  in 
order  of  birth.  She  has  one  daughter  bv  her  ]3revious  marriage,  Gertrude,  wife 
of  ex-Marshal  S.  W.  Reece,  of  North  Baltimore,  Ohio.  The  professor  is  a 
member  of  the  Central  Catholic  Society,  while  his  wife  is  identified  with  the 
Ladies'  Catholic  Benevolent  Association,  of  St.  Agatha's  church. 


Joihitluin  JValson  was  born  in  Derby,  \^ermont,  November  16,  1819. 
At  the  age  of  twelve  he  went  to  live  with  an  uncle  at  Haverhill,  New 
Hampshire,  c'nd  six  years  later  to  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and  entered  into  the 
employ  of  a  man  named  Warren  as  clerk  in  a  lumber  yard  there.  After 
the  death  of  Mr.  Warren,  which  occurred  a  few  years  later,  Mr.  Watson  pur- 
chased an  interest  in  the  business  and  continued  in  it  until  1845,  when  he  sold 
out.  With  between  five  and  six  thousand  dollars,  which  he  had  accumulated, 
he  started  west,  came  to  Titusville  and  bought  an  interest  in  the  lumber  firm 
of  Brewer,  Allen  &  Company.  The  company,  as  first  constituted,  was  or- 
ganized in  1840.  The  site  for  the  first  mill  had  been  selected  in  1839  by 
D.  D.  Allen  and  Rexford  Pierce.  A  mill  lower  down  on  Oil  Creek  was  built 
in  1842-43.  The  t.vo  mills  had  each  two  vertical  saws,  and  together  they 
cut  four  thousand  feet  of  pine  lumber  a  day.     Several  thousand  acres  of  pine 


734  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

timber  !anJ  on  Pine  and  Caldwell  creeks  had  been  purchased  in  1840  by 
Ebenezer  Brewer,  and  his  partners,  who  had  been  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  lumber  at  Mclndoe?  Falls,  Vermont.  After  Mr.  Watson  entered  the  firm, 
he  had  charge  of  the  sale  of  the  lumber  at  Pittsburg.  The  company  next 
established  a  yard  in  Allegheny  City.  By  seasoning  their  lumber  they  were 
able  to  command  a  much  better  price  for  it.  The  lumber  was  rafted  in  high 
w-ater  down  the  creek  and  into  the  Allegheny  river,  and  thence  to  Pittsburg. 
^^'hile  at  Pittsburg  Mr.  Watson  had  an  attack  of  smallpox  and  was  for  a  long 
time  very  sick,  l.iarely  escaping  death. 

Petroleum,  "Seneca  oil,"  showed  itself  at  the  upper  mill.  At  first  it  was 
collected  :'nd  used  for  lubricating  the  machinery  at  the  mills.  Finally  a  con- 
tract was  made  between  Brewer,  A\'atson  &  Company  and  J.  D.  Angier  for 
increasing  the  production  of  the  oil  spring  at  the  upper  mill.  Angier  dug 
trenches,  as  has  already  been  related  in  this  work,  and  a  pump  worked  by 
machinery  at  the  mill  pumped  the  oil  and  water  into  vats,  convenient  for  dip- 
ping the  oil  after  it  had  been  collected  upon  the  surface  of  the  water.  Further 
operations  for  collecting  the  oil  by  dipping  were  carried  on,  until  Drake 
drilled  vertically  into  the  rock,  striking  a  vein  of  oil  on  the  27th  of  August, 
1859.  This  was  late  on  Saturday  afternoon.  On  Monday  a  temporary  ap- 
paratus for  pumping  was  constructed  and  the  oil  and  water  pumped  into  a 
temporary  tank.  On  Tuesday,  August  30,  Mr.  Watson  rode  on  horseback  to 
the  Hamilton  McClintock  farm,  containing  three  hundred  and  fifty  acres, 
below  Rouseville,  and  leased  this  land  for  oil  purposes.  Following  this, 
Brewer,  Watson  &  Company  leased  the  J.  W.  McClintock  farm,  on  whicli 
Petroleum  Center  was  afterward  built.  At  about  i860  they  sold  their  lumber 
business  to  Nelson  Kingsland  and  gave  their  attention  to  oil  production,  and 
they  were  highly  successful.  Mr.  Watson  in  1864  sold  his  entire  oil  interests 
to  eastern  capitalists,  and  retired  upon  a  fortune  of  about  three  million  dollars. 
He  moved  to  Rochester,  New  York.  But  life  there  became  dull  to  him.  Like 
many  others,  who,  having  ac(|uired  fortunes  from  the  oil  business,  have  moved 
away  to  enjoy  their  wealth  in  easy  retirement,  become  sick  of  cjuiet  monotony, 
and  long  for  a  return  to  a  life  of  venture,  Mr.  Watson,  after  two  years' 
residence  in  Rochester,  came  back  to  what  had  been  the  most  interesting  period 
of  his  career.  He  erected  a  palatial  residence  on  East  Main  street,  on  what  was 
the  old  James  Parker  farm,  and  again  began  to  drill  for  oil.  He  not  only 
sunk  deep  wells,  but  also  sunk  large  sums  of  money  in  the  experiments. 

Jonathan  \\''atson  was  upright  in  purpose.  Sincere  himself  in  what  he 
professed,  he  was  slow  to  suspect  others  of  hypocrisy.  He  had  a  great  heart, 
and  his  aim  throughout  life  was  to  do  good,  and  he  spent  not  a  little  of  his 
fortune  in  generous  donations.  To  the  Chicago  sufferers  in  1871  he  gave  a 
thousand  dollars,  and  he  lived  to  see  Chicago  forget  his  generosity.  Among 
his  other  gifts  was  a  cabinet  of  geological  specimens  to  the  Titusville  high 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  y^'^ 

school.  Another  gift  was  one  thousand  dollars  to  the  widow  of  a  former  part- 
ner in  business.  When  misfortune  overtook  him  his  spirit  did  not  grow  sour. 
He  was  magnanimous,  and  an  optimist  to  the  last.  In  December,  1848,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Joanna  L.,  daughter  of  Joseph  L.  Chase.  She  died  in 
1858,  leaving  five  children.  Two  of  these,  Ruel  A.  and  George  W..  are  dead; 
and  John  T.,  Mrs.  M.  M.  \\^ray  and  Mrs.  Lanman  Chase,  now  survive.  In 
1862  Mr.  [Watson  married  as  his  second  wife  Miss  Elizabeth  Love,  who  bore 
him  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  now  dead.  Mrs.  Watson  is  living-  in 
California.  Mr.  Watson  died  at  Clifton  Springs,  New  York,  where  he  had 
gone  for  medical  treatment,  June  16,  1894. 


John  Binney,  son  of  Robert,  was  born  in  Brattleboro,  Vermont.  He 
married  Philena  Adkins,  and  about  1830  came  with  his  team  and  wagon  to 
Little  Valley,  Cattaraugus  coun4y.  New  York,  where  he  was  the  proprietor  of 
a  hotel  and  also  engaged  in  farming.  August  12,  1845,  h^  moved  to  Concord 
township,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  settled  on  a  section  of  land  and  made  his 
home.  His  wife  died  in  August,  1852.  By  his  second  marriage  he  connected 
himself  with  the  Culver  family.  He  died  July  29.  1862,  at  Irving,  New  York. 
He  had  eight  children  by  his  first  wife,  five  of  whom  are  living.  Of  these 
are  Charles  R.,  a  harness-maker  of  Spartansburg ;  Mary  (Mrs.  Richard  Ful- 
ler), and  George  W.,  who  married  Cyntha  French  and  settled  in  Marietta, 
Ohio,  where  he  followed  his  trade  of  shoemaking.  In  1865  he  came  to 
Crawford  cotuity,  Pennsylvania,  and  still  followed  his  trade.  He  had  eight 
children.  George  ^^^,  his  son,  grocer  and  postmaster,  married  Ruth  Taylor, 
and  sirice  1865  has  resided  at  Spartansburg. 


Oliz'cr  L.  Bniuson. — The  sufferings  endured  by  the  vohuiteer  soldiery 
of  the  great  Civil  war  so  far  as  this  countv  is  concerned,  can  be  well  illus- 
trated  by  giving  the  experience  of  Oliver  L.  Brunson,  long  a  resident  of  Ran- 
dolph township. 

His  parents,  Munson  and  Electa  (Chase)  Brunson,  were  natives  of 
Massachusetts,  who  early  removed  to  Charlotte,  Chautauqua  county,  New 
York.  Here  Oliver  w^as  born,  on  January  12,  1839.  He  and  his  two  surviving 
brothers,  Enos  S.  and  ^Vlfred  F.,  were  all  disabled  by  wounds  received  while 
soldiers  battling  for  the  Union.  Oliver  was  a  private  in  Company  F,  One 
Hundred  and  Fifty-fourth  New  York,  in  which  organization  he  served  three- 
years.  After  taking  part  in  numerous  historic  battles,  among  them  Chan- 
cellorsville  and  Fredericksburg,  he  was  wounded  while  participating  in  the 
gallant  charge  of  his  regiment  made  on  July  i,  1863,  to  recover  its  captured 
colors,  and  fell  a  prisoner  into  the  hands  of  the  rebels.  From  this  time  until 
November  20,  1864,  when  he  was  paroled,  he  experienced  all  the  horrors  of 
the  dreadful  prisons  of  Belle  Isle,  Libby,  Scott's  prison,  Millen,  Andersonville, 


t> 


736  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

SavJinnah,  Charleston  and  Florence.  In  these  horrible  places  he  became  fear- 
fully emaciated  and  contracted  both  scurvy  and  rheumatism.  These  diseases 
brought  about  disabilities  which  made  him  a  total  cripple  and  a  sufferer  during 
life.  By  such  individual  personal  sacrifices  was  preserved  our  national  exist- 
ence. The  memory  of  those  who  thus  suffered  should  never  be  forgotten. 
They  were  martyrs  for  their  countr}'. 


George  Stephens,  of  Titusville,  was  born  in  Worcestershire,  England,  in 
1828,  and  March  i,  1854,  arrived  in  America,  where  he  found  circumstances 
not  the  most  flattering.  Imbued  with  a  true  impulse  of  his  vigorous  nature, 
Mr.  Stephens  did  not  propose  to  succumb  to  his  surroundings,  but  start  forth 
with  a  view  to  gain  a  competenc}'  and  establish  a  home  in  his  chosen  domain. 
After  a  few  years  of  persistent  industry  and  frugality  he  attained  what  at 
first  seemed  impossible.  Mr.  Stephens  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  which  he  began 
in   1843. 

September  4,  1857,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Ann  Draper,  of 
Worcestershire,  England.  Four  children  have  been  born  to  this  union : 
William  J.,  Clara  Elizabeth,  now  the  wife  of  E.  Allen ;  May,  wife  of  R.  W. 
Play  ford,  and  Charles  Edward,  who  died  January  i,  1892,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-five  years. 


Mrs.  Juvia  O.  Hull. — The  musical  world  of  Meadville  is  greatly  indebted 
to  the  genius  and  energy  of  Mrs.  Juvia  O.  Hull,  not  only  for  many  an  even- 
ing of  rare  enjoyment,  when,  as  listeners,  large  audiences  were  held  spell- 
bound by  her  pure,  beautiful  voice,  but,  moreover,  for  the  cultivation  and  up- 
lifting of  the  general  public  to  a  keener  appreciation  of  fine  art,  as  expressed 
in  music. 

For  eleven  years,  or  from  1887  until  June,  1898,  Mrs.  Hull  held  the 
position  of  director  of  the  Meadville  Conservatory  of  Music.  During  this 
period  over  four  lumdred  pupils  have  been  enrolled,  and  under  the  skillful 
training  of  Mrs.  Hull  many  of  the  number  have  developed  into  successful 
teachers  and  singers  of  great  ability  and  popularity.  Since  the  establishment 
in  the  Conserx-atory  of  the  department  devoted  to  the  culture  of  the  voice, 
Mrs.  Hull  has  been  in  charge  of  the  same,  and  has  won  high  praise  for  the 
thoroughness  and  efficiency  of  her  teaching.  The  Philharmonic  Society  of 
Meadville,  both  in  its  inception  and  wonderful  growth  in  power  and  distinc- 
tion, owes  much  to  Mrs.  Hull,  who  has  been  untiring  in  her  exertions  to 
bring  it  to  its  present  standard  of  undoubted  excellence.  With  great  reluc- 
tance the  board  of  the  Meadville  Conservatory  accepted  her  resignation  in 
June,  1898,  and  in  September  following  Mrs.  Hull  opened  a  private  studio  in 
voice  culture  at  Erie,  Pennsylvania. 

Coming  of  a  musical  family,  Mrs.  Hull's  whole  life  has  been  devoted  to 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  7^7 

her  glorious  art,  and  even  in  her  girlhood  she  won  laurels  by  her  charming 
voice.  Her  sisters,  Mrs.  John  Porter,  now  deceased,  and  Mrs.  John  Dick,  also 
gained  wide  celebrity  for  their  powers  as  songstresses  when  they  were  young. 
Mrs.  Hull's  voice  is  specially  adapted  for  oratorio  singing,  and,  though  she 
has  never  been  connected  with  any  company,  she  has  been  called  upon,  time 
and  again,  to  sing  in  oratorios  in  Cleveland,  Pittsburg,  Buffalo,  Worcester 
(Massachusetts),  New  York,  and  many  other  cities,  under  such  eminent  lead- 
ers as  Theodore  Thomas,  Walter  Damrosch,  Carl  Zerrahn  and  W.  S.  B. 
Mathews.  Her  voice  is  sweet,  sympathetic,  powerful  and  of  great  compass, 
and  under  the  complete  control  of  the  happy  possessor,  whose  technique  is 
faultless. 


JoJin  Maynard,  the  founder  of  the  Maynard  family  in  Crawford  county, 
was  an  early  settler  and  prominent  citizen  here.  A  native  of  Massachusetts, 
he  removed  to  Vermont  in  his  boyhood,  and  continued  to  reside  there  until  his 
marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Niles.  Soon  after  that  event  the  young  couple  located 
in  Genesee  county.  New  York,  and  in  1834  the  family  came  to  this  county. 
At  first  they  dwelt  in  Spring  township,  but  at  the  end  of  four  years  they  re- 
moved to  Rome  township,  settling  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Stephen  Ather- 
ton.  John  Maynard  was  a  successful  farmer  and  lumberman,  selling  his  tim- 
ber as  rapidly  as  he  hewed  it  down,  and  eventually  developed  a  fine  farm  from 
the  wilderness.  His  children  were  eight  in  number,  namely:  George  W., 
Mary,  John,  Prudence,  William  N.,  Hannah,  Ephraim  and  Orace. 

William  H.  Maynard,  who,  following  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father,  is 
a  farmer  of  Rome  township,  was  born  December  19,  1820.  in  Pike.  New  York. 
The  wife  of  his  youth  was  Abigail  Southworth,  a  daughter  of  Hiram  South- 
worth,  and  their  early  married  life  was  spent  in  Centerville,  Pennsylvania. 
She  died  May  17,  1877,  leaving  five  children,  namely:  John  V.,  of  Meadville; 
Alzina,  wife  of  Dudley  Dalrymple;  Edgar  B.,  of  Blufi^ton,  Ohio;  Orace,  Mrs. 
Martin  Sperry,  and  Arthur  S.,  of  Cyclone,  Pennsylvania.  The  second  wife 
of  our  subject  was  formerly  Mrs.  Phoebe  (Chapel)  Hook,  whose  first  hus- 
band was  John  Hook,  a  son  of  Orrin  and  Lorissa  (Gilson)  Hook,  and  he  was 
a  prominent  citizen  of  Glade  Run,  Warren  county,  Pennsylvania, 


Sylvester  McGuire,  of  Sadsbur_\'  township,  is  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Mar- 
garet (Tinney)  McGuire,  and  Avas  born  at  Harmonsburg,  Crawford  county, 
September  12,  1844.  His  grandfather,  Philip  McGuire,  with  his  family,  were 
among  the  early  settlers  in  Beaver  township,  and  afterward  moved  to  Sum- 
mit township,  and  resided  upon  the  farm  upon  which  the  Catholic  church  now 
stands.  Mr.  McGuire  donated  the  land  for  the  church  and  cemetery  and 
also  a  hundred  acres  in  Beaver  township,  which  was  to  be  sold,  the  proceeds 
going  toward  the  erection  of  the  church.  They  came  from  Ireland  and  located 
47, 


738  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

on  two  hundred  acres  of  land  near  Harmonsburg.     Sylvester  is  the  second 

son  of  five  children,  all  of  whom  are  living.  Sylvester  was  married  April, 
1872,  to  Mantie  A.,  daughter  of  Almon  Whiting,  of  Harmonsburg.  They 
have  five  children,  as  follows:  Blanche,  Minnie,  Claud  V.,  Don  Leo  and 
Thomas  Paul. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McGuire  began  life  on  the  farm.  Later  he  was  a  dredge 
operator  in  the  construction  of  the  Pittsburg  &  Erie  canal.  In  this  work  Mr. 
McGuire,  appreciating  the  many  advantages  offered  by  Conneaut  Lake,  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  making  that  pretty  lake  a  summer  resort.  In  partnership 
with  B.  F.  Parker,  in  1878,  he  purchased  an  acre  of  land  on  the  site  of  his  pres- 
ent hotel,  "Hotel  Oakland,"  and  erected  a  one-story  hotel  and  dancing  pavil- 
ion. This  building  was  enlarged  and  improved  from  year  to  year.  In  1888 
Mr.  McGuire  purchased  his  partner's  interest  and  has  since  conducted  the 
hotel  alone.  He  added  to  his  property  and  has  now  ten  acres  with  a  front- 
age of  twelve  hundred  and  fifty  feet  on  the  lake.  In  1894  Mr.  McGuire  erected 
Oakland  Beach  Hotel.  He  was  a  member  of  the  company  that  placed  the 
first  steamboat,  called  the  Tuna,  on  the  lake  after  it  was  lowered. 


Barnard  Abel  came  to  Church  Run,  near  Titusville,  in  April,  1865,  and 
operated  in  oil  in  the  Church  Run  district  and  in  Tidioute.  He  was  superin- 
tendent for  the  New  Yorket  Petroleum  Company,  which  failed  in  1866.  He 
then  became  engineer  for  Bryan,  Dillingham  &  Company  at  Titusville,  in 
which  city  he  died,  in  1868,  leaving  four  children:  William  G.,  Barnard,  Rob- 
ert P.,  deceased,  and  one  daughter,  now  Mrs.  J.  D.  Kuhl,  of  Titusville. 


William  G.  Abel  learned  his  trade  at  the  shops  of  Bryan,  Dillingham  & 
Compan}^,  where  he  was  employed  as  a  journeyman  machinist  for  sixteen  years. 
Afterward  he  started  a  shop  at  Fostoria,  Ohio,  where,  however,  he  continued 
only  a  year.  In  1866,  with  others,  he  founded  the  Keystone  Brass  Works 
on  South  Washington  street,  in  Titusville,  and  he  is  now  sole  proprietor  of  the 
establishment. 

Mr.  Abel  has  served  the  city  as  a  member  of  the  common  council,  also 
as  a  member  of  the  school  board.  In  1893  he  was  elected  one  of  the 
triennial  assessors  for  the  city,  and  re-elected  in  1896. 

He  married  Miss  Dora  Paulman,  who  has  borne  him  four  children, — 
all  sons,- — two  of  whom  are  machinists. 


Barnard  Abel,  the  second  son  of  Barnard  Abel,  whose  sketch  is  given 
elsewhere,  was  born  in  New  York  cit}^,  January  4,  1865,  and  came  to  Titus- 
viUe  with  his  parents  in  1865.  In  1868  he  started  as  an  office  boy  with  Bryan, 
DilHngham  &  Company,  and  continued  with  them  for  three  years.     He  then 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  739 

went  into  tlie  machine  shop  and  served  an  apprenticeship  at  the  machinists' 
trade.  In  1866,  when  Ames  &  Boughton  had  charge  of  the  estabhshment, 
he  was  promoted  to  the  foremanship  of  the  machine  department,  which  posi- 
tion he  held  until  1891,  when  he  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  entire 
works,  now  owned  and  operated  by  the  Titusville  Iron  Company,  one  of  the 
largest  manufacturing  institutions  in  northwestern  Pennsylvania.  At  this 
time  Mr.  Abel  has  been  connected  with  this  establishment  over  thirty  years. 

He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Titusville  volunteer  fire  department,  and 
for  several  years  he  was  foreman  of  the  Drake  Hose  Company.  He  has 
represented  the  fourth  ward  in  the  common  council,  serving  as  a  member  of 
the  water  board  and  chairman  of  the  fire  and  water  committee.  He  has  also 
been  a  member  of  the  Titusville  board  of  health. 

In  1881  he  was  married  to  Miss  Ellen  Emo,  of  Nunda,  New  York,  and 
their  children  comprise  one  son  and  two  daughters.  Mr.  Abel  is  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Titusville  Baptist  church. 


Joseph  Smith,  whose  seventh  ancestor  settled  in  Hanson,  Plymouth 
county,  Massachusetts,  in  1630,  was  born  in  1830  in  Hanson,  the  son  of 
Joshua  and  Saba  (Drew)  Smith.  His  father  was  chiefly  employed  as  a  sea 
captain.  Until  the  age  of  eighteen  years  our  subject  was  employed  on  the 
farm  and  attended  school.  In  1848  he  became  the  assistant  of  a  civil  engineer 
on  the  Fitchburg  &  Worcester  Railroad,  and  in  the  situation  he  received  his 
first  education  in  mechanical  engineering,  and  in  five  years  he  had  charge  of 
railroad  constructton.  He  engaged  in  that  vocation  until  after  the  breaking 
out  of  the  civil  war. 

In  1862  he  enlisted  in  Company  D,  Thirty-eighth  Regiment  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Volunteer  Infantry,  being  mustered  in  as  eighth  corporal  and  after- 
ward promoted  to  the  rank  of  sergeant.  He  continued  in  service  with  the 
Thirty-eighth  until  February  16,  1864,  when  he  was  commissioned  captain 
in  the  Fourth  Engineers'  Corps.  March  22,  1864,  he  was  appointed  captain 
of  Company  K  of  the  Ninety-eighth  United  States  Colored  Infantry,  and  con- 
tinued in  the  service  until  nearly  a  year  after  Lee's  surrender,  performing 
provost  duty  in  Louisiana,  and  was  mustered  out  January  20,  1866. 

Returning  to  Massachusetts,  he  was  engaged  in  civil  engineering  until 
1869,  when  he  came  to  Titusville  and  has  since  continued  in  the  same  vocation 
here.  In  1871  he  was  elected  by  the  common  council  city  engineer  and  held 
tlie  office  one  year;  later  he  was  appointed  for  two  years,  and  in  18S1  he  was 
again  appointed  and  has  held  the  position  to  the  present  time. 

In  1854  he  was  married,  in  Massachusetts,  to  Miss  Helen  Estes,  who  has 
borne  him  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  now  living.  Mr.  Smith  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Universalist  church. 


740  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Francis  Henry  Sinning,  M.  D.,  the  son  of  George  and  Margaret  Sin- 
ning, was  born  in  Washington  county,  Ohio,  February  8,  1855,  the  second  of 
seven  children.  His  father  was  a  practical  tanner,  who  previous  to  having 
works  of  his  own  worked  as  a  journeyman  at  the  trade.  Francis  H.  was 
educated  at  the  common  schools,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  started  out  for 
himself,  relying  upon  his  own  efforts  for  advancement  in  life.  At  this  early 
age  he  began  to  earn  money  by  working  at  any  respectable  business  that  he 
could  find,  in  eastern  Ohio  and  western  Pennsylvania.  In  1879  he  conceived 
the  purpose  of  fitting  himself  for  a  professional  life,  and,  having  decided 
upon  this  course,  he  studied  day  and  night,  gathering  instruction  from  books 
and  treasuring  up  in  his  memor}'  whatever  came  from  personal  observation  and 
reflection.  He  was  twice  graduated  at  the  American  Eclectic  Institute  at  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  and  began  the  practice  of  his  chosen  calling  in  that  city,  contin- 
uing for  about  two  years.  Afterward  he  went  to  Wilkesbarre,  Pennsylvania, 
and  next  to  Pittsburg,  where  he  practiced  two  years.  Then,  for  rest  and  recre- 
ation, he  went  on  a  fishing  tour  to  Forest  county,  this  state,  and  there  first 
met  the  young  lady  who  subsecjuently  became  his  wife.  She  was  Emma  Sarah, 
the  daughter  of  G.  W.  Elder,  of  Clarington,  Forest  county,  a  lumberman. 

In  1 89 1  he  came  to  Titusville  and  has  since  practiced  his  profession 
here.  He  has  a  preference  for  treating  special  diseases,  but  accepts  genera! 
practice  when  called  in  urgent  cases.  He  is  enthusiastic  in  his  professional 
work,  exerting  himself  to  the  extreme  of  his  ability  in  relieving  the  afflicted 
entrusted  to  his  care. 


I 

Joscpli  L.  Chase  for  man}^  years  in  the  early  history  of  Titusville  was 
the  foremost  merchant  of  the  place.  He  was  the  oldest  son  of  Rev.  Amos 
Chase,  who,  on  the  next  day  after  peace  was  ratified  between  Great  Britain 
and  the  United  States,  with  six  sons  and  five  daughters,  left  Litchfield,  Con- 
necticut, and  came  west,  with  teams. 

Joseph  L.  was  born  July  17,  1799,  at  Litchfield,  and  in  his  early  years 
in  the  east  he  drove  and  sold  cattle.  On  coming  to  Titusville  he  first  became  a 
clerk  for  William  Sheffield  in  the  first  store  opened  in  the  place.  Sheffield, 
who  had  been  a  sea  captain,  came  from  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  built  a  saw- 
mill in  Troy  township,  and  when  young  Chase  came  he  put  him  in  charge 
of  his  Titusville  store.  Not  long  afterward  young  Chase  became  a  partner 
in  the  concern.  The  building  was  a  log  structure,  on  the  southwest  corner 
of  Spring  and  Franklin  streets.  Later  the  store  was  moved  across  to  the 
northwest  corner,  into  another  log  building,  and  on  this  corner  the  store 
was  kept  many  years.  Captain  Chase  sold  his  interest  in  the  store  and  Thomas 
H.  Sill  became  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Chase,  Sill  &  Company.  The  company 
built -and  operated  many  years  a  gristmill  and  sawmill  at  East  Titusville. 
About  1846  Joseph  L.  retired,  but  re-engaged  in  trade  in  1858;  in  1866  he 


OUR  COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  74: 

retired  permanently.  He  owned  many  city  lots  in  Titusville,  and  as  the  town 
was  built  up  his  property  came  into  market,  so  that  after  1866  his  time  was 
occupied  in  real-estate  matters. 

In  1833  he  sent  to  Philadelphia  the  first  barrel  of  crude  petroleum, 
"Seneca  oil,"  ever  shipped  from  the  oil  regions.  The  claim  that  Samuel  Kier 
of  Pittsburg  was  the  pioneer  oil-producer  is  not  sustained  by  authentic  history. 

In  November,  1825,  Joseph  L.  Chase  married  Susan  Jane,  the  oldest 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Titus  and  the  oldest  white  child  born  in  Titusville.  The 
children  of  this  imion  were  as  follows :  Mary,  who  married  Samuel  A.  Tor- 
bett,  of  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  and  died  in  1848,  the  husband  dying  in  1S71 ; 
Joanna,  who  married  Jonathan  Watson,  and  died  in  March,  1858,  Mr.  Watson 
dying  June  16,  1894;  Joseph  Titus,  who  was  born  June  17,  1829,  and  died 
February  26,  1897;  Cornelius  S.,  captain  of  Company  K,  Fifty-seventh  Regi- 
ment Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  who  died  June  17,  1862,  from  wounds  re- 
ceived at  Fair  Oaks;  Thomas  S.,  who  died  June  21,  1865  ;  William  Wirt,  now 
residing  at  E-\'erett,  near  Boston,  Massachusetts ;  Susan  Emma,  who  died  in 
infancy;  Edward  B.,  now  a  merchant  of  Titusville;  Adelaide,  who  married 
John  L.  Dalzell,  now  living  in  Allegheny  City,  Pennsylvania,,  and  George 
A.,  an  attorney-at-law  in  Titusville.  Joseph  L.  Chase  died  April  23,  1879, 
and  his  wife  died  December  17,  1877. 


Joseph  Tihis  Chase  was  born  June  17,  1829,  and  when  a  young  man  he 
was  a  clerk  in  his  father's  store,  and  later  assisted  in  the  lumber  business.  In 
December,  1847,  he  went  to  Meadville,  and  was  a  clerk  there  several  years. 
He  was  elected  prothonotary  of  Crawford  county  in  i860,  and  held  the  office 
three  years.  He  returned  to  Titusville  in  1864,  and  in  1866  he  was  elected 
to  the  legislature,  and  served  in  Plarrisburg  one  year.  He  has  been  engaged 
in  the  oil  business  and  in  other  enterprises.  He  was  notary  public  about 
twenty  years.  In  March;  1853,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Robert  Adrain,  of  Meadville,  who  bore  him  two  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, all  of  whom  are  living.  Mrs.  Chase  died  in  October,  1874,  and  Joseph 
T.  died  February  26,  1897.  The  children  are  Plerbert  Adrain,  wdio  married 
Miss  Rose  V.  Shank;  Jeannette  IMarion,  who  married  Charles  Edwin  Mar- 
tin; Fannie  Lanman,  married  to  Benjamin  F.  Kraffert;  Cornelius  Wirt, 
who  married  Miss  Blanche  Harlev;   and  Lizzie  Adelaide. 


Benjamin  Blum  (deceased)  w-as  born  June  20,  1851,  and  died  in  1894. 
He  was  a  son  of  Abram  and  Fannie  (Ticknor)  Blum ;  the  latter  died  in  1897, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years.  .  Mr.  Blum  was  the  second  child  of  a  family 
of  six  children :  Flattie,  Benjamin,  Louisa,  Bertha,  Emma,  and  Samuel.  In 
1884  he  married  Josephine,  daughter  of    Morris    and    Minnie    (Heiman) 


742  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Hirsch  of  Franklin,   Pennsylvania.      One  danghter,  Lorraine  F..  was  born 
to  this  union  July  6,  1887. 

Mr.  Blum  was  a  native  of  Crawford  county,  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Meadville,  and  as  a  public-spirited  citizen  was  identified  with  the 
city  of  Meadville  in  its  municipal  government,  and  was  for  some  time  treas- 
urer of  the  State  Fair  Association. 


Miss  Sara  M.  Johi/soii. — One  of  the  popular  young  business  women  of 
Meadville  is  Miss  Sara  M.  Johnson,  who  has  an  office  in  the  New  Derrickson 
block,  and  is  engaged  in  the  practice  of  stenography.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
Henry  R.  and  Mary  J.  (Benedict)  Johnson,  the  former  of  whom,  a  native 
of  Rhode  Island,  died  in  1880,  while  the  latter,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Alle- 
gany county.  New  York,  is  still  living. 

Miss  Johnson  received  a  liberal  education  in  the  excellent  public  schools 
of  Meadville,  and  subsequently  she  pursued  a  course  in  the  Commercial  Col- 
lege of  this  place,  graduating  in  the  class  of  1893.  Since  that  time  she  has 
followed  the  business  of  stenography,  and  has  attained  a  high  degree  of  pro- 
ficiency in  general  amanuensis  and  reportorial  work.  In  December,  1897, 
she  received  the  a])pointment  to  tlie  position  of  notary  public. 


Franklin  Moiilflirop  of  Conneautville  was  l)orn  in  the  town  of  Madison, 
Lake  county,  Ohio,  on  October  12,  1819.  His  father  dying  when  he  (our 
subject)  was  very  young,  he  went  to  Conneaut,  Ohio,  to  learn  the  molder's 
trade;  two  years  later  to  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  and  from  there  in  1839  to  Win- 
nebago, Illinois,  returning,  however,  and  locating  in  Conneautville  in  1840; 
and  here  he  has  since  resided. 

He  erected  a  foundry  and  machine  shop  on  the  corner  of  Canal  and 
Center  streets,  where  he  manufactured  all  kinds  of  agricultural  implements. 
After  some  years  he  sold  that  property,  purchasing  land  on  the  corner  of 
Jefferson  and  Canal  streets,  and  here  he  has  continued  the  same  business, 
associated  with  various  partners  at  different  times.  Charles  Llammond  was 
first  with  him,  constituting  the  firm  of  Hammond  &  Moulthrop.  Mr.  Ham- 
mond died  in  1867,  and  then  Mr.  Moulthrop's  sons,  George  F.  and  Harrison 
B.,  became  partners  and  the  firm  name  Moulthrop  &  Sons.  George  F.  dying 
about  1887,  the  younger  son,  Henry  C,  succeeded  him  in  the  same  firm. 

In  June,  1S40,  Mr.  Moulthrop  married  Amy  Bliss  of  Conneaut,  Ohio. 
Of  their  seven  children  one  died  in  infancy  and  six  survive.  The  names  of 
all  are:  Harrison  B.,  George  F.  (died  in  1887),  Clara  E.,  Mary  E.,  Alma  C, 
Henry  C,  and  Flora  E.  Harrison  B.  and  George  F.  enlisted  in  June,  1863. 
in  Company  A,  Fifty-sixth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  were  honorably 
discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war.  Harrison  B.  married  Isabel  Frith  and 
has  two  children, — Catherine  and  Frank  E.     George  F.   married  Florence 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  743 

Lints  and  their  only  daughter  was  Grace  M.  Henry  C.  married  Ada  Oaks. 
The  ancestry  of  family  were  English  and  Scotch.  Mr.  Moulthrop's 
father,  Timothy,  came  from  his  native  state,  Vermont,  to  Ohio  about  1815; 
married  Polly  Ormsby,  also  of  Vermont,  and  their  children  were  Mary,  Jon- 
athan, George,  Franklin,  and  Emeline.  Timothy  Moulthrop  died  in  1824, 
his  widow  in  1887.  Franklin  Moulthrop  has  held  nearly  all  the  offices  of  the 
borough,  including  that  of  burgess,  and  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Universalist  church.  Mr.  Moulthrop  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Templars 
and  helped  establish  the  council  in  Conneautville. 


/.  /.  McCrea,  proprietor  of  the  American  House  at  Titusville,  was 
born  in  Hannibal,  Oswego  county.  New  York,  February  19,  1869,  a  son  of 
James  I.  and  Evlyn  (Hyatt)  McCrea,  natives  of  that  county.  Mr.  McCrea 
removed  with  his  parents  to  Tidioute,  Warren  county,  during  the  period  of 
the  oil  excitement.  His  father  ran  the  Oil  Exchange  Hotel  in  Triumph  for 
a  time,  and  afterward  the  Scott  House  in  Fagundus.  In  the  spring  of  1880 
he  removed  to  Derrick  City.  Pennsylvania,  where  he  ran  the  Derrick  House 
for  ten  years. 

At  the  close  of  this  period  he  removed  to  Titusville,  where  he  was  em- 
ployed by  the  New  York  and  Peimsylvania  Telephone  and  Telegraph  Com- 
pany as  manager,  tirst  at  Corry  and  later  at  Bradford.  He  was  in  the  employ 
of  this  company  as  special  ag-ent  for  one  and  a  half  years  and  assumed  charge 
of  the  American  House  soon  after  the  death  of  his  father,  which  occurred 
January  17,  1897,  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  fifty-three  years. 

January  15,  1888,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Laura  M.,  daughter 
of  J.  K.  and  Margaret  (Enghsh)  Miller,  and  their  children  are  Grace  L  and 
James  R.  Mr.  McCrea  is  a  member  of  the  Maccabees,  Iveystone  Tent,  No. 
12;  of  the  Elks  Lodge,  No.  264,  Titusville;  and  was  a  member  of  the  Regi- 
mental Board  for  four  years. 


William  Hurd  Maxzvell  of  Meadville,  born  in  Mansfield,  Ohio,  October 
20,  1855,  died  at  Ravenna,  Ohio,  September  30,  1891.  He  was  employed 
as  a  road  foreman  or  traveling  engineer,  and  was  instantly  killed  in  a  wreck 
at  Ravenna,  Ohio.  He  was  a  son  of  Dr. 'A.  W.  and  Minerva  Maxwell.  Dr. 
Maxwell  was  a  son  of  William  Maxwell  of  Mansfield,  Ohio,  of  Scotch  de- 
scent. On  the  i8th  of  October,  1883,  he  married  Delia,  daughter  of  James 
R.  and  Rachael  (Brooks)  Irons.  The  former  was  born  September  19,  1821, 
and  died  January  19,  1894.  The  latter  was  born  in  Conneaut  township,  this 
county,  and  died  April  30,  1882.  Mrs.  Maxwell  was  the  youngest  child  of 
the  family  of  seven  children:  Joseph  Findley;  Mary  Eliza,  wife  of  Henry 
B.  Rushmore  of  Conneaut  township;  Lois  Ann,  wife  of  Charles  F.  Thayer 
of  Atlantic;    Joel  Bradford  of  Erie,   Pennsylvania,  married  to   Clara  Ann 


744  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Sterling.  Dicksonburg;  James  Myron,  Chicago,  married  to  Clara  Jane 
Seely;  Racliael  Lee,  wife  of  William  Bradt,  of  Conneaut  township;  and 
Delia  B.,  widow  of  the  late  William  Hurd  Maxwell.  The  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Maxwell  are  three  in  number,  namely:  James  Wallace,  born  Sep- 
tember 28,  1884;  William  Hurd,  September  17,  1887;  and  Frederick  Brooks, 
November  13,  li 


Hiram  A.  Austin. — Following  in  the  footsteps  of  his  patriotic  father, 
H.  A.  Austin,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  a  highly  respected  citizen  of 
Summit  township,  Crawford  county,  shouldered  arms  and  went  forth  to  the 
defense  of  his  loved  country  when  danger  threatened  the  Union.  His  father 
was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812,  with  England,  while  he,  alas!  had  to  do 
battle  with  his  brothers, — with  those  who  had  bravely  fought  under  the  same 
starry  l^anner  as  had  his  father  and  had  maintained  the  rights  of  our  nation 
against  the  foreign  foe.  In  1862  H.  A.  Austin  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred 
and  Sixt3'-ninth  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  and  served  for  nine 
m.onths  in  the  company  commanded  by  Captain  Meyers  of  Meadville.  He 
was  made  orderly  sergeant  and  was  stationed  for  the  most  part  at  Fort  Keyes, 
on  garrison  duty.  In  the  fall  of  1864  he  entered  the  service  of  the  United 
States  Navy  at  Evansville,  Indiana,  and  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  fleet 
then  operating  on  the  upper  Mississippi,  under  Commodore  Porter.  He 
served  well  and  faithfully  for  nearly  a  year,  being  discharged  by  general  order 
in  June,  1865,  after  the  war  had  been  brought  to  a  close.  He  was  ward- 
room steward  on  the  vessel  to  which  he  was  assigned,  it  being  one  of  the 
boats  employed  in  the  task  of  convoying  Hood's  army  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Red  river  in  that  diflicult  and  brilliant  campaign  against  the  enemy.  The 
same  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  when  duty  led  the  way  has  been  a  marked  charac- 
teristic of  Mr.  Austin's  life  and  entitles  him  to  the  praise  and  admiration 
V.  hich  are  so  freely  accorded  him  by  his  friends  and  neighbors. 

The  blood  of  sturdy  New  England  ancestors  flows  in  the  veins  of  H.  A. 
Austin,  whose  birth  took  place  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  October  25,  1837. 
He  passed  nineteen  years  of  his  life  in  the  east  and  in  1856  came  to  this  state, 
M'ith  whose  destinies  his  own  have  since  been  closely  interwoven.  His  hon- 
ored father,  Elijah  P.  Austin,  spent  his  last  years  here  also,  and  died  in  1872, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  He  had  served  for  two  years  and  eight 
months  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  in  time  of  peace  and  war  alike  was  a  true 
patriot  and  public-spirited  citizen.  In  his  native  state  our  subject  had  learned 
the  butcher's  trade,  but  after  coming  to  Pennsylvania  he  followed  the  busi- 
ness of  manufacturing  staves,  and  for  a  period  was  engaged  in  manufactur- 
ing lumber  at  Steamburg,  Ohio.  When  he  returned  from  the  war  he  settled 
on  the  farm  which  he  still  owns  and  cultivates,  in  Summit  township.  In 
1866  this  property  was  a  wilderness  and  bore  little  resemblance  to  the  finely 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  745 

improved  homestead  that  it  is  to-day.  Under  the  judicious  care  and  constant 
attention  of  the  owner  it  has  become  one  of  the  most  desirable  and  valuable 
places  in  the  township.  It  comprises  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  divided 
into  fields  of  convenient  size  by  well  kept  fences.  Good  farm  buildings  are 
upon  the  place  and  everything  is  maintained  in  a  neat  and  thrifty  way  that 
reflects  great  credit  upon  the  proprietor.  Until  of  late  years,  when  he  had 
to  give  up  the  business  on  account  of  his  health.  Air.  Austin  was  one  of  the 
largest  shippers  of  dressed  poultry  in  this  county,  averaging  over  two  thou- 
sand pounds  per  week,  aside  from  what  he  shipped  during  the  holiday  season, 
at  which  time  he  sent  a  car-load  to  the  city  maidcets.  During  the  winter  sea- 
sons for  years  he  fed  cattle  for  the  markets,  and  thus  in  more  than  one  direc- 
tion he  has  been  enterprising  and  industrious.  In  politics  he  has  ever  been 
a  straightforward  Republican,  and  for  years  he  has  been  an  honored  member 
of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  belonging  to  Linesville  Post. 

April  I,  1 86 1,  Mr.  Austin  married  Miss  Armina  L.  Gehr,  a  daughter  of 
Cephas  and  Mary  Gehr  of  Summit  township,  old  and  honored  citizens  of  this 
locality.  The  children  born  to  our  subject  and  wife  are  Isaac  E.,  who  is 
engaged  in  farming  on  a  portion  of  the  old  homestead ;  Bradford  W.,  who 
for  eight  years  has  been  interested  in  running  a  fruit  farm  in  the  state  of 
Washington,  and  Grace  A.,  who  is  still  at  home.  The  family  are  identified 
with  the  United  Evangelical  church  at  Gehrton. 

Cephas  Gehr,  father  of  Mrs.  Austin,  was  the  youngest  son  of  Jacob 
Gehr  (see  sketch  of  Gehr  family,  in  connection  with  that  of  Josiah  Gehr, 
printed  upon  another  page  of  this  work),  and  was  bom  at  Dennison  Corners, 
Summit  township,  in  1806.  He  died  in  July,  1886,  and  is  survived  by  his 
widow,  who  is  now  in  her  eighty-eighth  year.  She  was  a  cousin  of  her  hus- 
band and  is  a  daughter  of  Baltzer  Gehr,  a  centenarian  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  Cephas  Gehr  was  one  of  the  most  successful  and  progressive  business 
men  that  this  township  ever  knew,  for,  beginning  the  manufacture  of  staves 
here  in  1855,  he  gave  employment  to  a  great  many  hands  and  transacted  an 
immense  volume  of  business.  For  years  his  trade  amounted  to  about  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars  annually  and  his  shipments  were  frequently  to  far 
distant  fields.  His  son  Cyrus  is  living  with  the  aged  mother  on  the  old  home- 
stead. 


James  A.  McLachlin  of  Randolph  Township. — Mr.  McLachlin's  fath- 
er, James,  was  of  Scotch  ancestry  and  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  came 
from  Vermont  with  Jacob  Guy.  He  married  Polly,  daughter  of  Adam  and 
Elizabeth  Stainbrook,  and  settled  on  what  is  now  the  Baldwin  place,  about 
two  miles  from  Guy's  Mills.  The  children  born  to  them  there  were  Phebe, 
wife  of  William  Coburn;  Mary;  Sarah,  wife  of  Nelson  Coburn;  James 
Alexander;    Xancv  Ann,  wife  of  Thomas  Hume;    John  L.,  and  Adam,  who 


746  OUR  CQUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

enlisted  in  Company  B,  Eigliteenth  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  served 
nearly  three  years,  and  died  in  the  army. 

The  suhject  of  this  sketch  was  born  December  ii,  1828,  and  March  7, 
1867,  married  Catharine,  youngest  daughter  of  James  and  Mary  (Radcliffe) 
McConnell  of  Randolph  township.  Having  no  children,  they  have  adopted 
a  girl  as  a  daughter,  named  Grace  Adelaide. 

Mr.  McLachlin  was  for  several  years  engaged  in  business  in  the  Penn- 
sylvania lumber  woods.  His  farm  consists  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres. 
Pie  has  served  several  terms  as  supervisor  and  school  director,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grange. 


Zcphaniah  Bishop  of  Rome  township  came  to  this  township  at  an  early 
day  from  Whitehall,  New  York,  with  his  team  and  wagon.  A  few  years 
after  clearing  up  a  lot  of  uncultivated  land,  he  died,  leaving  his  wife,  Caro- 
line (Pangman)  Bishop,  and  eight  children.  Three  of  the  cljildren  are  still 
living:  Mrs.  A.  E.  Wood;  George  W.,  who  lives  in  Kansas  City:  and  Faz- 
clo,  who  lives  in  Perrv,  Oklahoma. 


James  Rcnzvick  Barber,  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Margaret  (Thompson) 
Barber,  was  born  in  Mercer  county, _  Pennsylvania,  January  15,  1838.  His 
paternal  grandfather,  Samuel  Barber,  came  from  county  Antrim,  Ireland, 
to  tlie  United  States,  settling  first  in  Westmoreland  county,  this  state,  atout 
tlie  year  1816.  He  afterward  moved  to  Mercer  county.  Andrew  Barber, 
tlie  father  of  James  R.,  died  about  1846.  James  lived  with  an  uncle,  James 
Thompson,  for  about  two  years  following  his  father's  death,  and  after  that 
he  lived  for  about  three  years  with  a  farmer  named  Thomas  Courtney.  He 
came  to  Titusville  in  185 1  and  lived  with  a  brother-in-law,  Charles  Kellogg. 
\\'bile  in  Mr.  Kellogg's  family  he  attended  school  seven  or  eight  years.  In 
tlie  fall  of  1859,  after  Drake's  discovery,  he  engaged  in  the  oil  business.  (An 
account  of  Mr.  Barber's  oil  operations  will  l)e  found  in  this  book,  in  the  oil 
history  of  Titusville.) 

After  leaving  the  McClintock  farm,  in  September,  i860,  Mr.  Barber 
went  to  Pittsburg  and  took  a  commercial  course  in  the  Iron  City  College, 
at  which  he  was  graduated  in  January,  1861.  On  his  way  home  he  engaged 
10  finish  a  term  of  school  in  Venango  county,  teaching  two  and  a  half  months, 
at  the  close  of  which  he  retm-ned  to  Titusville  and  engaged  as  a  clerk  in  the 
postoflice,  under  John  Tracy,  the  postmaster.  A  change  in  the  incumbency 
of  the  office  was  soon  afterward  made,  when  Lewis  M.  Bloomfield  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster.  Mr.  Barber  continued  clerk  under  Bloomfield,  who  held 
the  office  about  a  year  and  a  half,  and  then  Mr.  Barber  was  apjiointed  post- 
master in  his  place,  to  fill  the  unexpired  term,  the  vacancy  caused  by  Bloom- 
field's  retirement  from  the  office.     He  was  again  commissioned  postmaster 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  747 

n  Titusville  April  25,  1S65,  and  be  held  the  office  over  fosrr  vears  afterward, 
ntil  he  was  socceeded  by  J.  H.  Cog-swdl.    In  ibe  last  term  of  Mr.  Barber's 

:  "  '        oftbeT      -  "'  e  was  foor -■  rf, — 

i— ^-- --  -   er  been  ":..:. —  v^r  ihan  h  hai  ..^ .  ....y  lime 

since. 

-\ner  leavings  ibe  postoffice,  in   1869.  Mr.  Barber  was  in  partnership 

^ih  Her-    --^-•--      Hairr  Kingr  and  C  M.  ^^  ■      •  -         ~    -     -     ^'' "    — 

:  iC  assc'C  ::  as  the  Lake  Shore  X::  >e 

usiness  -R-as  the  manniactnre  of  xritTO-g-lycerine.     Since  then  he  was  first 

t :  ^    .  He  next  engaged  in  insurance  in 

.::...  ...^  .   ... ,  .  ..    ;.  ..:     .    .  .ess  nnti]  the  present.    His  partners 

n  the  rnsm-ance  ^iDsines?  have  been  Peter  TcsmJinsocL  F.  M.  Dnnbar  and  A. 

m  contirroes  witb'hiim  now.    Mr.  Barber  has  serv^:3 

TitnsviHe  Board  of  Trade,  in  wbcee  work  be  has  aJwairs  takesa  an  active 
oTt-    He  was  the  second  lientenant  in  Battery  B;  was  master  of  Oil  Ciedc 

:  odge,  Xo.  303,  -\.  F.  &  A.  M.,  r-  '  -----     '  ---"'■  "       -?.  Xo.  463-  A. 

F.  &  A.  M.;  has  passed  all  the  ct..  .         -  .  -  in  TitnsviDe; 

as  distria  depnt;.-  grand  master  for  Crawford  county  for  two  years,  and 
-IS  been  depmy  ^        ■        -  -   -        .     .   ,-  ..  ,--        _^ 

j£rie.  Lawrence,  i^    -.--  . ..  .    -    — ;.-  ...  a 

n>ember  of  the  grsTMl  lodgie,  A.  F.  S:  .\.  e  state.     Sbep.>-.  ,;-. 

f  which  he  :  . 


. — ^Aboui  the  r.:  ast  centniy  a  great  :. 

..-       ..^   .- -   .^ratio-^   ---  —   --^  -^    '~^— nany.  to    th*.     .  ...:cd 

States  drifted  to  these  h.  -  ,  ->  caie  Leonard  Krum- 

bein,  who  settled  in  Lebanon  conntv,  Pennsvlvania,  and  his  descendants  have 


as  been  noted  for  traits  worthy  of  tboToagh  respect,  and  no  better  or  loore 

iitriotic  citizens  WCTe  ever  known  in  this  land. 

Sam-  "  ■' — ----.e,  of  tV--  -—--'-      -.  '  -  -  "  -  _-•    ,   ■  -g  ihe 

leading  t  -5en  of  T  :  posi- 

tions of  trust  and  regwnsibility  here,  be  has  given  entire  satisfactjon  to  all 
!  and  has  accpiitted  himself  in  r  -  .  "        :t- 

-.     ...  ago  as  May.  187:^.  he  was  app.  .. :.  .  .-.     ..,; :— .~.i 

rerained  the  office  until  -\pril  i,  1874.    From  October  of  the  year  last  men- 
Tioncd  nntil  Apiil,  1877.  be  was  a  member  of  the  common  cooncil,  and  fnooi 


748  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

April.  1882,  to  April,  1888,  he  was  city  solicitor.  For  the  past  twenty-seven 
years  he  has  been  a  notary  public;  for  the  seven  years  dating  from  February, 
1890,  he  was  a  member  of  the  board  of  school  controllers,  and  during  four 
years  of  this  period  was  president  of  the  same. 

Born  in  Fredericksburg,  Lebanon  county,  Pennsylvania,  August  17, 
1848,  Samuel  Grumbine  is  a  son  of  John  P.  and  Maria  (Light)  Grumbine. 
the  second  of  a  family  of  three  sons,  all  of  whom  learned  their  father's  trade, 
— saddle  and  harness  maker, — and  all  abandoned  the  same  for  other  pur- 
suits. The  oldest,  Ezra  Grumbine,  studied  medicine,  graduated  at  the  Uni- 
\ersity  of  Pennsylvania,  and  for  upward  of  thirty  years  has  successfully 
practiced  his  profession  in  his  native'  county.  The  youngest.  Lee  L.  Grum- 
bine, after  graduating  at  the  Wesleyan  University  at  Middletown,  Connecti- 
cut, studied  law  and  was  admitted  'to  the  bar  at  Lebanon,  Pennsylvania.  After 
practicing  law  for  some  time  he  went  into  journalism,  founded  the  Lebanon 
Report,  and  later  became  editor  of  The  Commonwealth  at  Harrisburg,  Penn- 
sylvania. 

Outside  common  school  advantages,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  received 
no  special  educational  privileges,  save  one  term  in  Dickinson  Seminary,  Wil- 
liamsport,  Pennsylvania,  and  a  few  weeks  in  the  Millersville  State  Normal 
School.  While  there  he  was  offered  a  position  as  a  teacher  in  the  Soldiers" 
Orphans'  School  at  Titusville.  Accepting  the  proffered  place,  he  entered 
upon  his  new  duties  here  in  October,  1869,  his  only  experience  prior  to  this, 
as  a  teacher,  having  been  gained  in  the  schools  of  his  native  county.  He  was 
very  successful  in  his  new  field  of  effort  and  continued  to  occupy  the  same 
place  until  the  spring  of  1871.  That  his  cjualifications  as  a  teacher  were  of 
the  best  is  shown  by-  the  fact  that  he  was  granted  a  permanent  certificate  by 
the  state  superintendent,  Mr.  Wickersham.  Li  his  leisure  time  the  young 
man  had  taken  up  the  study  of  Blackstone  and  other  legal  classics,  and  he' 
now  entered  the  law  office  of  the  late  Gurdon  S.  Berry,  and  was  duly  regis- 
tered as  a  student.  Then  followed  his  service  as  city  clerk,  but  in  1874  he 
resumed  his  inter];upted  studies  in  the  office  of  Harris  &  Fassett,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  of  Crawford  county  November  17,  1875,  by  the  late  Judge 
Lowrie.  Afterwards  he  was  admitted  to  practice  before  the  United  States 
courts  at  Pittsburg  and  to  the  supreme  court  of  the  state.  In  1876  he  devoted 
much  of  his  time  to  the  work  of  securing  data  from  the  recorder's  offices  in 
the  several  counties  of  Pennsylvania  where  oil  had  been  discovered.  He 
was  employed  by  the  late  Henry  E.  Wrigley,  a  civil  engineer,  who  desired 
accurate  information,  in  order  that  maps  could  be  made  of  the  Pennsylvania 
oil  regions,  giving  boundary  lines  of  farms,  etc.,  and  other  useful  statistics. 
For  three  vears,  until  he  had  made  a  start  in  business  life  and  had  gained 
essential  experience,  he  was  employed  on  a  salary  in  the  law  office  of  Roger 
Sherman,  since  deceased.    Then,  from  January  i,  1881,  to  April  i.  1884,  he 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  749 

piacticed  law  alone,  after  which  he  was  again  associated  with  Mr.  Sherman, 
this  time  in  partnership.  Their  business  relations  continued  up  to  the  ist  of 
September,  1893,  since  which  time  Mr.  Grumbine  has  practiced  alone.  He 
lias  been  favored  with  marked  success,  and  has  built  up  a  large  and  growin"- 
clientage.  Up  to  1880  he  was  an  ardent  Republican,  voting  for  Grant,  Hayes 
and  Garfield,  but  becoming  disgusted  with  modern  political  methods  he  has 
since  voted  independently  for  the  candidate  or  measure  which  he  believed 
best.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania  German  Society,  and  in  the  Royal 
Arcanum  he  was  regent  for  two  years.  Religiously,  he  is  an  Episcopalian, 
and  since  March  26,  1883,  has  been  a  vestryman  of  St.  James  Memorial 
church,  and  for  ten  years  has  been  accounting  warden. 

A  marriage  ceremony  was  performed  in  the  parlors  of  the  Girard  House, 
Philadelphia,  May  5,  1874,  by  which  the  destinies  of  Mr.  Grumbine  and  Re- 
becca 'Coates  of  West  Grove,  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  were  united. 
Mrs.  Grumbine  departed  this  life  July  30,  1886,  leaving  two  little  daughters: 
Agnes  E.,  born  June  10,  1876,  and  Lucy  C.,  born  December  i,  1878.  Sep- 
tember 5,  1888,  Mr.  Grumbine  married  Annette  M.  Farwell  of  Turners  Falls, 
Massachusetts. 


James  P.  Colter  of  Meadville  was  born  in  Venango  township,  Craw- 
ford county,  Pennsylvania,  on  April  30,  1S45.  His  father,  Thomas  Colter, 
a  life-long  resident  of  Venango  township,  was  a  son  of  Thomas  Colter,  Sr., 
who  settled  in  Venango  township  in  1797.  His  mother  was  Maria  J.  Cul- 
bertson,  daughter  of  William  Culbertson  of  Edinboro.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  of  Venango  township,  preparing  for  college  at  the  Edinboro 
State  Normal  School.  He  entered  Allegheny  College,  and  was  graduated  at 
that  institution  in  June,  1868.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Crawford  county  bar 
on  August  14,  1871,  and  in  September  of  the  same  year  commenced  the  prac- 
tice of  law  in  Armstrong  and  the  adjoining  counties,  residing-  much  of  the 
time  in  Kittanning.  In  August,  1889,  Mr.  Colter  came  to  Meadville,  where 
he  has  since  made  his  home.  During  his  residence  in  Armstrong  county  he 
was  for  twelve  years  a  school  director,  and  since  coming  to  Meadville  has 
served  a  term  of  three  years  in  the  -Board  of  Control  of  the  Meadville  Schools. 
He  is  also  a  trustee  of  Allegheny  College,  these  being  the  only  offices  he  has 
e\er  held.  Although  taking  an  active  interest  in  politics,  Mr.  Colter  has  never 
lieen  a  candidate  for  office,  devoting  his  whole  attention  to  the  practice  of  his 
profession.  He  is  a  Democrat,  serving  as  chairman  of  the  Democratic  city 
committee  from  1891  to  '93,  and  as  chairman  of  the  Democratic  county  com- 
mittee from  1897  to  '98,  and  as  delegate  at  many  of  the  state  conventions  of 
his  party  during  the  past  twenty-five  years. 

He  was  married  June  11.  1874,  to  Miss  Mar>^  E.  Archbold  of  Salem, 
Ohio,  to  which  union  there  have  been  born  three  daughters  and  one  son. 


750  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Hon.  Frank  J.  Thoynas,  president  judge  of  Crawford  county,  and  a  resi- 
dent of  Meadville,  is  the  son  of  Darius  Thomas  of  Woodcock  township,  and 
was  born  October  13,  1859.  He  attended  the  district  school  and  the  high 
school  at  Cambridge,  and  then  taught  school  for  three  years  in  Woodcock 
township.  He  entered  the  second  preparatory  class  in  Allegheny  College  in 
the  fall  of  1S81,  and  graduated  in  the  classical  course  in  June,  1885.  After 
his  graduation  he  taught  school  in  Woodcockboro,  and  was  for  two  years 
principal  of  the  school  at  Saegerstown,  Pennsylvania.  In  the  fall  of  1885  he 
registered  as  a  law  student  with  Hon.  John  J.  Henderson,  and  continued  his 
law  studies  during  his  school  vacations.  Mr.  Henderson  being  elected  judge 
in  1887,  Mr.  Thomas  finished  his  studies  with  Hon.  H.  J.  Humes,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  May,  1889.  Not  quite  willing  to  give  up  his  old  pro- 
fession, he  accepted  a  position  as  principal  of  schools  at  Tuscola,  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  three  years.  He  then  returned  to  Meadville,  entered  into 
partnership  with  ex-Senator  Humes,  and  began  an  active  practice  of  law. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  a  candidate  for  district  attorney  on  the  Democratic  ticket 
in  1893,  and  ran  ahead  of  his  ticket,  but  was  defeated  by  a  large  majority. 
He  was  chosen  chairman  of  the  Democratic  county  committee  in  1896,  and 
showed  himself  a  good  organizer  and  a  shrewd  manager.  He  was  nominated 
by  his  own  party  for  president  judge  in  June,  1897,  was  endorsed  by  the 
fusion  Populists,  was  elected  in  November,  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of 
his  office  on  January  3,  1898.  As  a  private  citizen  Mr.  Thomas  has  always 
been  interested  in  good  government  and  has  served  the  public  in  various 
local  offices. 


Rensselaer  Walrath  was  born  in  Cortland,  Cortland  county.  New  York, 
December  28,  1833,  and  died  March  11,  1867.  Mr.  Walrath  came  to  Titus- 
ville  early  in  1861,  during  the  first  of  the  oil  excitement  of  that  locality,  and 
as  a  contractor  and  builder  aided  in  transforming  many  of  the  rude  huts  into 
more  habitable  tenements. 

February  22,  1S59,  Mr.  Walrath  was  united  in  marriage  to  Elizabeth 
M.,  daughter  of  Timothy  and  Elizabeth  (Hesler)  Gridley,  descendants  of 
the  historical  Gridley  family  of  Cazenovia;  Madison  county,  New  York.  Mrs. 
Walrath  graduated  at  the  Oneida  Conference  Seminary,  with  the  class  of 
1857.  She  accompanied  her  husband  to  Titusville  in  1861,  and  with  him 
endured  many  of  the  privations  attending  the  building  up  of  a  prosperous  city; 
and  for  him  there  was  there  a  lucrative  business.  She  is  a  member  of  a  family 
of  six  children,  as  follows:  Daniel  W.,  of  Syracuse,  New  York;  Cornelia, 
wife  of  D.  D.  Palmer,  of  Oran,  Madison  county,  New  York;  Emily,  wife  of 
Levi  P.  Swan,  of  Fayetteville,  New  York;  Elizabeth  M.,  wife  of  Mr.  Wal- 
rath, of  Titusville,  Pennsylvania;    Alice  M.,  wife  of  George  Benjamin,  of 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  751 

Cazenovia,  New  York;  and  Clara  jNL,  wife  of  O.  N.  Dunster,  also  of  Caze- 
novia. 

Two  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Walrath :  Willard  G.,  born 
at  Titusville  December  7,  1862,  died  April  i,  1866;  and  a  daughter,  Lillian 
M.,  wife  of  L.  P.  Elsmer  of  New  York  city. 

Timothy  Gridley  died  October  4,  1895.  His  wife  died  at  the  age  of 
sixty-five  years,  December  12,  1883.  Daniel  J.  Walrath,  father  of  Mr.  Wal- 
rath, was  during  his  life-time  a  resident  of  Chittenango,  New  York,  and  died 
at  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years.  Mr.  Walrath  was  a  progressive,  straight- 
forward business  man,  a  man  of  keen  foresight  and  excellent  business  ability. 


Julius  Bylcs,  the  son  of  William  D.  and  Nancy  (Smith)  Byles,  was  born 
at  Pleasantville,  Venango  county,  Pennsylvania,  January  18,  1841,  where 
he  passed  his  boyhood  at  school  and  on  a  farm,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
he  entered  the  academy  at  Waterford,  Erie  county,  this  state,  where  he  spent 
some  time  in  that  school  in  a  preparatory  course  for  college.  While  con- 
nected with  the  academy  he  taught  school  three  terms,  and  afterward  he 
taught  two  terms  at  Springboro,  in  Crawford  county.  In  1863  he  entered 
the  sophoinore  class  of  Jefferson  College,  at  Canonsburg,  Pennsylvania,  and  \ 
while  a  student  there  the  Wa.shington  and  Jefferson  colleges  were  merged 
into  one  institution,  taking  the  name  of  the  Washington  and  Jefferson  Col- 
lege. He  was  graduated  in  1866.  Then  he  read  law.  (His  professional 
history  is  given  in  the  account  of  Titusville  Attorneys  at  Law  in  this  work.) 

On  September  23,  1874,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Axtell,  daugh- 
ter of  J.  P.  Axtell  of  Painesville,  Ohio,  and  they  have  had  three  children, 
two  daughters  and  one  son.  The  daughters  are  Emma  A.  and  Florence  L., 
both  students  now  at  Smith  College,  Northampton,  Massachusetts.  The  son, 
Axtell  J.,  is  a  student  at  Princeton  University,  New  Jersey.  The  original 
ancestor  of  the  Byles  family,  to  which  Julius  belongs,  came  from  England 
and  settled  in  Connecticut.  Miss  Emma  A.  Byles  is  a  member  of  the  Titus- 
ville branch  of  the  Daughters  of  the  Revolution. 


John  Pursell  King,  son  of  Henry  J.  and  Rebecca  (McCoy)  King,  was 
born  at  Williamsport,  Pennsylvania,  September  22,  1864,  was  in  school  at 
Williamsport  until  fifteen  years  old,  and  then  became  messenger  boy  for  the 
Western  Union  Telegraph  Company  at  that  place,  and  while  in  that  service 
learned  practical  telegraphy.  He  was  then  employed  by  the  Western  Union 
Telegraph  Company  as  an  operator  at  Philadelphia  one  year,  then  went  to 
Bradford  and  for  twelve  years  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Standard  Oil  Com- 
pany, the  last  two  years  of  which  period  he  had  charge  of  the  company's  gas 
plant  at  Parkersburg,  West  Virginia.  Li  1894  he  went  to  Warren,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  took  charge  of  the  Carver  House  for  about  three  years. 


752  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

In  the  fall  of  1897  he  came  to  Titusville,  and  on  January  24,  1898,  he 
opened  the  Brunswick  Hotel,  which  had  undergone  a  system  of  thorough 
repairs  and  refurnishing.  Under  his  management  the  Brunswick  has  con- 
stantly grown  in  public  favor.  He  has  recently  also  taken  charge  of  the  Ar- 
lington Hotel  at  Oil  City,  and  he  will  manage  both  the  Brunswick  and  the 
Arlington  at  the  same  time. 

On  October  16,  1890,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  A.,  daughter  of  Mrs. 
C.  W.  King,  at  Warren,  this  state,  and  they  have  one  son,  Wallace  Hoyt, 
born  September  13,  1892. 


James  Langslaff  Dunn,  M.  D.,  was  born  September  9,  1826,  near  Mead- 
ville,  this  state.  (His  medical  history  is  given  in  the  account  of  the  Titusville 
Doctors  of  Medicine  in  this  work. )  To  his  record  as  a  surgeon  in  the  army, 
as  embraced  in  his  medical  history,  may  be  added  the  copy  of  a  letter  from 
the  late  Governor  Geary  of  this  state,  who  was  in  command  of  the  division 
to  which  Dr.  Dunn  belonged,  as  he  was  about  to  be  mustered  out  of  the 
service,  as  follows : 

Headquarters  Second  Division,  Twentieth  Army  Corps, 

Near  Goldsboro,  N.  C,  April  5,  '65. 
Dr.  James  L.  Dunn  : 

My  Dear  Sir : — As  you  are  about  to  leave  this  command,  by  reason  of 
the  expiration  of  the  term  of  service  for  which  you  were  originally  mustered, 
I  consider  it  due  to  you  to  express  my  most  profound  regrets  at  the  loss  the 
division  thus  sustains,  and  for  the  vacuum  that  occurs  amongst  us  both  so- 
cially and  professionally.  Permit  me  to  say  to  you  that  your  eminent  ser- 
vices at  the  battles  of  Cedar  Mountain,  Antietam.  Chancellorsville,  Gettys- 
luirg,  Wauhatchie,  Lookout  mountain.  Mission  Ridge,  Ringgold,  Mill  Creek 
Gap,  Resaca,  New  Hope  church.  Pine  Knob,  Muddy  creek.  Noses  creek,  Chep's 
farm,  Kenesaw,  Marietta,  Peach  Tree  creek  and  Atlanta ;  also  upon  General 
Sherman's  brilliant  campaign  from  Atlanta  via  Milledgeville  to  Savannah, 
and  upon  that  more  difficult,  arduous  and  ever-to-be-remembered  one  from 
Savannah,  Georgia,  through  South  Carolina  to  Goldsboro,  North  Carolina, — 
the  whole  embracing  a  period  of  upward  of  three  years,  during  which  your 
urbanity,  kindness  and  humanity  to  the  sick  and  wounded  has  been  such  as  to 
endear  you  to  all  who  knew  3'ou,  both  men  and  officers. 

In  parting  with  you,  I  know  I  but  feebly  express  the  feelings  of  the  men 
of  this  division  in  attempting  to  give  vent  to  those  entertained  by  myself; 
and  permit  me  further  to  assure  you  that  you  carry  with  you,  in  your  retire- 
ment, my  most  hearty  desires  for  your  health,  happiness  and  prosperity.  I 
have  the  honor  to  remain,  as  ever. 

Your  friend  and  fellow  soldier, 

Jno.  W.  Geary,  Bvt.  Maj.  Gen'l. 

It  should  be  stated  that  Dr.  Dunn's  grandfather.  Rev.  James  Dunn,  was 
a  Revolutionary  soldier  from  the  state  of  New  Jersey,  enlisting  from  Middle- 
sex county,  in  the  spring  of  1776,  and  serving  as  both  private  and  as  a  lieuten- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  753 

anl,  under  Captain  Manning,  in  Colonel /Webster's  regiment  of  New  Jersey 
militia.    He  was  in  the  battles  of  Monmouth  and  Springfield. 

He  married  Priscilla  Langstaff,  who.  after  the  death  of  her  husband, 
which  occurred  September  16,  1820,  was  granted  a  pension.  He  came  to  the 
western  part  of  this  county  in  1797.  He  was  a  Seventh-Day  Baptist  clergy- 
man. 

Dr.  Dunn  was  married  November  15,  1849,  to  Miss  Temperance,  daugh- 
ter of  Robert  and  Temperance  (Mason)  Osborne,  of  Hayfield  township,  this 
county,  and  their  children  were:  Josephine  Alden,  who  married  Augustus 
Castle,  of  Titusville,  in  November,  18S0,  and  died  December  24,  1881 ; 
James  Alfred;  Jessie  E. ;  Gertrude,  who  became  the  wife  of  B.  F.  Shamburg; 
and  James  A.,  who  married  Miss  Anna  Kitzmiller,  of  IMillersburg,  Dauphin 
county,  this  state. 


fames  Alfred  Dunn,  son  of  Dr.  J.  L.  Dunn,  was  born  in  Crossingville, 
this  county,  January  21,  1854.  (His  medical  record  appears  elsewhere  in 
this  work,  in  the  history  of  Titusville's  medical  men.)  He  was  educated  at 
the  Meadville  high  school,  the  Titusville  high  school  and  Allegheny  College, 
at  Meadville.  This  was  preparatory  to  a  thoroug-h  education  in  medicine  and 
surgery,  lasting  several  years,  before  entering  upon  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession, in  company  with  his  father,  in  Titusville. 


Hon.  Williaui  Reynolds  was  born  in  Meadville  in  April,  1S20.  His  fath- 
er, John  Reynolds,  w'as  a  native  of  Colchester,  England,  and  came  to  this 
country  in  1795,  and  two  years  later  settled  at  Cherrytree  Run,  in  Venango 
county,  on  a  tract  of  land  purchased  from  the  Holland  Land  Company.  In 
1805  he  removed  to  Meadville  and  became  a  teacher  in  the  academy  here, 
later  on  being  connected  with  Colonel  i\'Iarlin  in  surveying  lands  of  the  Hol- 
land Land  Company.  He  afterward  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  of  Crawford  county  in  181 2,  but  devoted  little  time  to  practice,  apply- 
ing himself  almost  exclusively  to  real-estate  business,  ffls  son,  William,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  received  his  education  in  ^-leadville,  attending  Alle- 
gheny College,  at  which  institution  he  was  graduated  in  1837.  He  studied 
law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1841,  but  devoted  most  of  his  attention 
to  business  enterprises.  In  1 850-1  he  was  a  director  in  the  Meadville,  Alle- 
gheny &  Brokenstraw  and  in  the  Meadville  &  Edinboro  Plank  Road  Compan- 
ies. In  1852  Mr.  Reynolds  became  interested  in  the  project  of  bringing  a 
line  of  railway  through  Crawford  county,  connecting  the  railroads  of  New- 
York  and  Ohio.  In  October  of  that  year  he  represented  the  interests  of  the 
Meadville  citizens  in  a  meeting  of  railroad  presidents  which  investigated  the 
practicability  of  running  a  line  through  Pennsylvania.  Various  negotiations 
were  carried  on  during  the  next  five  years,  but  without  any  material  result, 

48 


754  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

until  in  May,  1857,  tlie  Mead\ille  Railroad  Company  was  incorporated,  and 
the  work  and  franchises  owned  by  the  Pittsburg  &  Erie  Company  were 
transferred  to  it.  In  all  these  negotiations  Mr.  Reynolds  had  taken  a  promi- 
nent part,  and  he  was  elected  president  of  the  company.  Not  being  able  to 
make  satisfactory  connections  with  the  Erie  Railroad  in  New  York  state, 
they  decided  to  secure  an  independent  line  and  commenced  the  work  of  con- 
struction. They  changed  the  name  to  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  Railroad 
Compan}-,  and  purchased  the  Erie  &  New  York  City  Railroad.  The  track 
was  completed  to  Meadville  in  October,  1862,  connecting  Meadville  by  rail 
with  the  cities  of  the  east.  This  enterprise  was  largely  due  to  the  energy  of 
Mr.  Reynolds,  and  greatly  aided  the  development  of  Meadville.  In  1865  Mr. 
Reynolds  was  elected  burgess  of  the  town,  and  upon  its  incorporation  in  1866 
was  elected  the  first  mayor  of  Meadville.  In  1867,  in  partnership  with  Will- 
iam Thorp,  he  started  the  Athens  Mills  Company,  an  enterprise  which  for 
many  years  was  one  of  Meadville's  chief  industries,  furnishing  employment 
to  thirty  or  forty  employes.  In  March,  1877,  ^^^-  Thorp  withdrew,  and  Mr. 
Reynolds  continued  the  business  several  years,  afterward  associating  with 
him  his  son,  H.  W.  Reynolds. 

Mr.  Reynolds  is  president  of  the  Meadville  Gas  &  Water  Company,  a 
director  of  the  Meadville  Water  Company,  and  was  for  many  years  a  director 
of  the  Merchants'  National  Bank,  in  all  of  which  he  is  a  large  stockholder. 
He  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Greendale  cemetery,  and  has  for  many 
years  been  president  of  the  Mead\'ille  Library,  Art  and  Historical  Asso- 
ciation. 

Mr.  Reynolds  is  a  member  of  the  Park  Avenue  Congregational  church, 
which  he  has  served  many  years  as  a  trustee.  He  married  Miss  Julia  Thorp 
of  New  York  city,  and  has  a  family  of  four  children :  Frances,  married 
Major  A.  C.  Huidekoper;  Julia,  married  H.  H.  Fuller;  H.  W.,  manufac- 
turer of  grill  work;    and  John  E.,  a  practicing  attorney. 


Charles  Alarviii  was  born  in  Springwater  valley,  Genesee  county,  New 
York,  November  24,  1839.  His  paternal  descent  is  from  what  is  known  as 
the  Hartford  branch  of  the  Marvin  family,  he  being  of  the  seventh  genera- 
tion from  Matthew  Marvin,  who  settled  on  what  is  now  the  site  of  the  city 
of  Hartford,  Connecticut,  about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century.  In 
1844  the  familv  moved  westward,  residing  at  various  periods  in  Michigan, 
Illinois  and  Iowa,  and  making  a  permanent  home  in  Des  Moines.  During 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion  Charles  Marvin  served  as  a  member  of  the  Second 
Colorado  Regiment,  being  much  of  the  time  on  special  duty  as  Government 
scout.  In  1865  he  removed  to  Kansas  City,  where  his  career  as  a  trainer  of 
race  horses  commenced.  His  success  attracted  attention,  and  in  1867  he  went 
to  Mexico,  remaining  two  vears.     Returning  to  Kansas  City,  he  formed  a 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  755 

partnersliip  with  E.  L.  Mitchell  and  in  1872  they  removed  to  Olathe,  Kansas, 
constructed  a  track  and  commenced  training  on  a  large  scale.  In  1877  Mr. 
Marvin  went  to  California  and  soon  afterward  became  superintendent  of 
t!ie  celebrated  Palo  Alto  farm  at  Menio  Park,  California,  ov^-ned  bv  Senator 
Leland  Stanford. 

After  lea\'ing  California  Mr.  Alarvin  came  to  Pennsylvania,  having 
charge  of  the  racing  stock  of  the  Prospect  Hill  stock  farm  at  Franklin,  owned 
by  Miller  &  Sibley,  and  established  his  residence  at  Meadville  in  1892.  tlis 
home  on  Chestnut  street  is  one  of  the  handsomest  in  the  city.  Colonel  H.  S. 
Russell,  a  prominent  horseman,  wrote  of  Mr.  Marvin :  "If  the  trotting  inter- 
ests of  the  country  had  been  piloted  by  such  men  as  he  there  would  have 
been  more  honest  owners  in  the  field  to-day,  and  the  better  part  of  our  citizens 
would  be  ready  to  encourage,  rather  than  suspect,  the  motives  which  prompt 
capital  to  invest  in  a  pastime  which  unfortunately  has  been  shamefully 
abused."  Mr.  Marvin  is  the  author  of  a  book,  "Training  the  Trotting 
Horse,"  which  became  a  standard  text-book  among  horsemen.  Mr.  Marvin 
is  a  modest  man,  arid  it  was  only  after  repeated  urging  from  his  friends  of  the 
trotting  horse  that  he  consented  to  place  in  readable  form  the  result  of  his 
life-long  study  and  observation.  He  is  recognized  as  the  greatest  of  horse 
trainers  and  has  been  referred  to  as  "the  genius  of  his  profession." 

In  the  year  following  to  that  which  we  have  referred  Mr.  Marvin  com- 
menced one  of  the  most  remarkable  records  known  in  the  whole  history  of 
the  track.  The  following  "world's  records"  up  to  that  time  were  won :  A 
yearling.  Bell  Bird,  made  a  record  of  2  :265 ;  Arion,  when  two  years  old,  went 
in  2:iof;  Sunol,  when  three  years,  got  a  record  of  2:10-^;  Sunol,  when 
four  years,  received  the  same  figures,  2  :io^;  Palo  Alto  on  age  went  in  2  loSJ  ; 
Extasy  produced,  in  1898,  a  record  of  2:107.  These  were  all  at  that  time 
"world's  records,"  which  must  be  regarded  as  remarkable  for  one  man  to 
make.  ]\Ir.  ]\Iarvin  has  held  the  "world's  records"  thirty-six  times.  [Mr. 
Doble,  the  next  in  such  records,  has  held  them  eleven  times. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  Mr.  Marvin  has  a  knowledge  of  the  horse  un- 
equaled.  He  has  that  equable  temper  of  mind  that  keeps  him  from  rashness. 
He  loves  his  great  racers  and  teaches  them  as  though  they  were  human.  As 
a  consequence  he  gets  everything  from  his  horses  which  they  are  capable  of 
doing.     He  is  undoubtedly  the  ablest  in  his  profession  of  this  generation. 

Mr.  Marvin  was  married  at  Kansas  City  December  5,  1873,  to  Miss 
Fanny  Martin  of  Osawatomie.  Kansas.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marvin  are  the  par- 
ents of  three  children :   Howard.  Jessie,  and  Charles,  Jr. 


Jacob  Schzvartz,  proprietor  of  the  Central  Avenue  Hotel,  Titusville,  was 
born  in  Germany  in  1846,  a  son  of  Adam  and  Catharine  ( Hessler)  Schwartz, 
who  first  located  in  Buffalo  after  coming  to  this  country.     The  former  died 


756  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

in  Titusville.  December.  1897,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years.  Mr. 
Schwartz  located  in  Titusville  in  1867  and  was  employed  in  a  brewery  until 
1887,  when  he  purchased  the  Central  Avenue  Hotel,  which  he  still  con- 
tinues to  conduct. 

Mr.  Schwartz  is  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  five  children,  three  of  whom 
are  living,  as  follows :  Jacob ;  Charles,  of  Warren,  Pennsylvania ;  and  Fritz, 
in  New  York.  He  was  first  married  in  1874  to  Anna  Linter,  who  died  in 
1892.  Their  children  are  John,  Lottie,  Ella,  Aleen,  and  George.  His  second 
marriage  was  in  1895,  when  he  wedded  Bertha  Wege  of  Pleasantville,  and 
they  have  two  children, — Harold  and  Edward. 

Mr.  Schwartz  is  a  member  of  the  K.  of  P.  and  D.  O.  H. 


George  Lovell  Gary,  president  of  the  Unitarian  Theological  School  at 
Meadville,  was  born  in  Medway,  Massachusetts,  on  May  10,  1830.  He  re- 
ceived a  common  and  high  school  education  in  Medway,  and  fitted  for  college 
at  the  Williston  Seminary,  East  Hampton,  Massachusetts,  and  the  Leicester 
Academy  at  Leicester,  that  state.  In  1848  he  entered  Harvard  University, 
where  he  was  graduated  in  1852. 

Li  order  to  secure  a  needed  respite  from  study  he  engaged  thereafter  in 
manufacturing  and  mercantile  pursuits  until  1856,  during  a  part  of  wJiich 
year  he  resided  in  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin.  In  the  autumn  of  this  year  he  was 
appointed  acting  professor  of  Greek  in  Antioch  College.  Upon  the  reorgani- 
zation of  the  faculty,  in  1857,  he  was  appointed  professor  of  Greek  and  Latin. 
He  held  this  position  until  1862,  when  he  received  an  appointment  to  the 
chair  of  New  Testament  literature  in  the  Meadville  Theological  School,  with 
which  institution  he  has  ever  since  been  connected.  Upon  the  death  of  Dr. 
Livermore,  in  1890,  he  was  made  president  of  the  Theological  School,  which 
position  he  still  holds.  He  is  the  author  of  "An  Introduction  to  the  Greek 
of  the  New  Testament,"  published  in  1879,  and  also  of  a  work  on  "The 
Synoptic  Gospels,"  soon  to  be  published. 

President  Gary  was  married  March  12.  1854,  to  Mary  Isabella  Harding 
of  Springfield,  Massachusetts. 


Joh)i  Joyce  Garter,  the  son  of  John  and  Cecelia  (Joyce)  Carter,  was 
born  in  the  city  of  Westport,  Ireland,  June  16,  1842.  The  paternal  great- 
grandfather, the  grandfather,  the  father  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch — four 
generations — were  each  named  John  Carter.  The  Carters,  on  the  one  side, 
and  the  Joyces,  on  the  other,  were  both  ancient  Irish  families,  and  in  the 
union  the  blood  of  Clan  Carty  and  that  of  the  Joyces  of  Connamara  mingle  and 
pass  through  the  veins  of  John  J.  Carter  of  to-day.  The  lineage  on  both  sides 
was  of  grand  old  Irish  stock. 

The  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  merchant  in  the  city  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  7S7 

Westport  during  many  years  of  its  prosperity,  when  the  merchantmen  from 
many  lands  visited  and  frequented  the  western  shores  of  Ireland,  and  Clewbay 
in  particular,  to  exchange  their  wares  for  the  woolens,  linens  and  laces  of 
Irish  handicraft;  and  from  the  trade  in  these  exchanges  he  secured  what  in 
those  days  was  a  good  competence  for  himself  and  family,  so  that  he  was 
accounted  a  wealthy  man. 

But  when  fortune  was  smiling  upon  him,  in  the  happiest  days  of  his  life, 
death  took  from  him  his  beloved  wife,  leaving  to  his  care  two  children, — a 
daughter  approaching  womanhood,  and  the  infant,  John  J.,  then  eighteen 
months  old,  the  sad  misfortune  to  be  followed  about  a  year  and  a  half  later 
by  a  bereavement,  like  a  tragedy,  of  the  surviving  parent.  To  John  J.  Carter 
memory  does  not  recall  even  the  face  of  his  father.  The  yearning  all  his 
life  to  remember  the  slightest  trace  of  a  mother's  loving  embrace,  or  a  father's 
blessing,  has  passed  unsatisfied !  He  has  grown  from  childhood  to  youth,  to 
middle  life  and  to  the  beginning  of  declining  years ;  he  has  slept  on  the  tented 
field,  made  long  and  weary  marches,  bivouacked  many  nights  under  the  open 
sky  and  charged  upon  the  cannon's  mouth ;  he  has  returned  in  triumph,  loaded 
with  honors,  after  years  of  military  service  under  his  country's  flag;  he  has 
toiled  early  and  late  in  amassing  a  fortune,  and  his  efforts  in  acquiring  wealth 
have  been  crowned  with  success;  the  little  boy  tripping  his  way  alone  in  a 
^areless  world,  buffeting  many  obstacles,  has  grown  to  strong  manhood  and 
become  a  power  in  society;  but  the  longing  of  his  heart  to  awaken  recollec- 
tion of  his  mother's  face  and  gentle  voice,  though  unavailing,  has  never 
ceased. 

After  his  mother's  death  a  grand-aunt,  with  excellent  management,  took 
charge  of  his  father's  household  and  with  fidelity  cared  for  the  children.  In 
the  mighty  struggle  for  CathoHc  emancipation,  led  by  Daniel  O'Connell,  his 
father  was  one  of  the  strongest  supporters  of  that  patriot ;  but  in  the  midst 
of  the  rejoicing  over  O'Connell's  final  victory  his  father  met  with  an  accident 
which  proved  fatal.  After  his  death  the  little  boy  John  and  his  sister  were 
removed  to  the  home  of  their  maternal  grandfather,  where  they  remained 
until  the  sister's  marriage,  in  the  winter  of  1845.  The  father  left  a  compe- 
tence for  his  children.  The  marriage  contract  provided  for  an  early  depart- 
ure of  the  young  couple  to  America.  The  sister  undertook  the  care  of  her 
little  brother,  as  the  three — herself,  husband,  and  young  John  J. — started  for 
the  United  States.  They  landed  in  New  York  in  the  early  spring  of  1846, 
then  went  to  Troy  Center,  New  York,  where  they  lived  for  some  time,  and 
in  that  city  was  the  dawn  of  Mr.  Carter's  recollections.  The  next  home  was 
in  Buffalo,  that  state,  some  time  in  1848.  From  Buffalo  they  moved  to 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  from  that  city  to  Portageville,  Wyoming  county,^  New 
York,  arriving  there  in  the  summer  of  1850.  Soon  afterward  the  sister's 
husband  died,  a  sad  loss  to  the  two  remaining  ones. 


7S8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Soon  after  her  husliand's  death  the  sister  placed  her  young  brotlier  under 
the  charge  of  Rev.  John  Sheridan  of  Portageville,  who  took  upon  himself  the 
responsibility  of  his  education.  Concerning  this  home  Mr.  Carter  has  many 
pleasing  recollections.  Here  his  mind  began  to  expand  and  life  opened  to 
him  amid  agreeable  associations.  The  relations  lasted  only  one  year,  when 
the  lad  was  placed  under  the  care  of  a  younger  man,  Rev.  Dollan.  Mr.  Carter 
thinks  the  change  was  not  fortunate,  however  good  the  intention  which 
prompted  it.  Some  of  the  exi^eriences,  howe\-.er,  under  Rev.  Dollan  are  pleas- 
ant to  remember.  He  was  put  into  school  at  Buffalo,  where  he  had  good 
instruction.  He  was  thoroughly  drilled  in  the  Latin  language,  and  he  still 
retains  the  benefit  of  that  training.  After  returning  from  Buffalo  he  soon 
left  the  charge  of  Mr.  Dollan  and  started  out  to  make  his  way  alone,  without 
an}-  definite  plans  as  to  his  future  course. 

But  a  good  Providence  continued  to  guide  him.  He  found  a  home  with 
worthy  and  kind-hearted  people  at  Caseville,  Allegany  county.  New  York, 
where  he  spent  some  of  the  happiest  years  of  his  life,  going  to  school  winters 
and  performing  such  work  as  his  young  hands  permitted. 

In  the  summer  of  1854  Cyrus  Rose  of  Livingston  county.  New  York, 
became  interested  in  young  Carter  and  made  him  a  member  of  his  family, 
treating  him  with  marked  kindness.  Li  the  winter  of  1854  Carter  entered 
the  Nunda  Literary  Institute,  one  of  the  old  academies  of  the  state  of  New 
York.  In  1855  he  entered  upon  a  full  classical  course  of  study.  He  acknowl- 
edges his  indebtedness  to  A.  Judson  Barrett,  principal  of  the  academy,  but 
later  a  distinguished  clergyman  at  Rochester,  New  York.  He  was  there  four 
years,  and  shortly  before  the  completion  of  his  course  the  buildings  of  the 
institute  burned.  Afterward  Asher  E.  Evans,  A.  M.,  continued  the  school 
at  Holm's  Hill,  where  Carter  continued  his  studies  in  Greek,  Latin  and  math- 
ematics for  more  than  a  year.  To  Mr.  Evans,  also,  as  a  thorough  and  faithful 
instructor,  Mr.  Carter  acknowledges  his  obligation. 

While  attending  school  in  the  winter  of  1859-60,  the  congressman  of 
the  district  gave  out  notice  that  a  vacancy  in  the  district  existed  at  West 
Point,  and  that  he  would  name  as  cadet  the  young  man  who  should  stand 
highest  in  a  competiti\e  examination  for  the  place.  Young  Carter  entered  the 
competition,  and  easily  won  the  highest  marking;  but  he  did  not  get  the  ap- 
pointment. A  long  delay  followed  in  naming  the  cadet,  and  when  the  ap- 
pointment was  finally  made,  it  was  suggested,  if  agreeable,  Annapolis  might 
be  had ;  but,  as  favoritism  had  deprived  him  of  what  he  had  fairly  won,  he 
dismissed  the  subject. 

Young  Carter  then  fitted  himself  for  college.  He  walked  all  the  way  to 
Rochester  from  Nunda,  was  examined  and  admitted  to  the  freshman  class  of 
Rochester  University ;  but  he  found  that  he  had  barely  enough  money  to  pay 
his  tuition  one  vear  in  the  university,  and  so  he  concluded  it  would  be  better 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  759 

to  return  home  and  earn  more  money  before  beginning  the  university  course. 
Accordingly  he  walked  back  to  Nunda,  so  as  to  save  every  cent,  and  found 
on  his  return  $45  in  his  pocket.  He  kept  on  studying,  working  and  saving, 
teaching  school  in  the  winter  follo\\ing,  and  in  the  spring  his  stock  of  money 
had  risen  to  $200.  Intending  to  enter  the  sophomore  class  at  Rochester  in 
the  next  September,  he  continued  to  stay  at  the  academy,  when  the  attack  on 
Sumter  fired  his  young  heart  and  the  name  of  John  J.  Carter  was  the  first  in 
Nunda  and  in  the  rest  of  Livingston  county  to  be  placed  on  the  enlistment 
roll  of  volunteers  for  the  service  of  supporting  the  government  in  upholding 
its  authority  throughout  the  Union.  The  date  of  his  enlistment  was  April  12, 
1861,  while  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age.  This  is  important,  as  well  as  true, 
history.  When  he  came  out  of  the  service  he  was  only  a  little  over  twenty- 
three  )-ears  of  age,  but  he  had  served  throughout  the  war.  He  was  mustered 
out  August  2,  1865,  when  not  a  hostile  gun  was  left  aiming  at  the  national 
government,  and  months  after  Lee's  surrender  at  Appomattox.  His  record 
from  first  to  last  was  an  unbroken  line  of  bravery.  The  limits  of  this  sketch 
do  not  permit  a  recital  of  the  many  fields  of  battle  on  which  he  risked  his  life. 
He  entered  the  service  as  a  private  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  and  he  came  out 
over  four  years  and  three  months  later  with  a  lieutenant-colonel's  commission. 

Immediately  after  the  war  Mr.  Carter  located  in  Titusville,  engaging  in 
mercantile  business.  (His  oil  history  appears  elsewhere  on  these  pages.) 
He  has  had  several  years'  experience  as  a  railroad  president  and  manager. 

He  is  a  Fellow  of  the  Geographical  Society  of  the  United  States ;  a 
companion  of  the  Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the  United  States ; 
a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  a  member  of  the  Medal  of 
Honor  Association  of  the  United  States.  He  is  president  of  the  board  of 
school  controllers  of  the  city  of  Titusville. 

In  July.  1866,  he  was  married  tO'  Miss  Emma,  daughter  of  F.  H.  and 
Sarah  Gibbs,  of  Nunda,  New  York.  Four  children  live  to  bless  the  union : 
Charles  Gibbs,  Luke  B.,  Emma  and  Alice  Carter.  Charles  is  a  successful 
lawyer,  practicing  in  the  city  of  Pittsbiu-g;  Luke  is  a  student  in  Yale  College, 
and  Emma  and  Alice  are  in  the  preparatory  school  of  Wellesley  College,  in 
Massachusetts. 

The  life  of  Colonel  Carter  has  been  full  of  usefulness.  He  is  still  in 
his  prime.  He  is  one  of  the  ten  subscribers  who  gave  each  $10,000  to  the 
Industrial  Fund,  is  a  large  stockholder  of  the  Titusville  Iron  Company  and 
one  of  its  directors  and  managers ;  and  he  is  also  a  director  of  the  Titusville 
Commercial  Bank. 


T.  D.  Kcplcv,  proprietor  of  the  Kepler  Hotel  at  Meadville,  was  born  in 
Woodcock  township,  this  county,  December  10,  1865.  He  is  a  son  of  Samuel 
W.  and  Martha  C.   (Strouss)    Kepler.     The  former  was  a  prominent  hotel 


76o  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

proprietor,  and  died  March  15,  1891,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  Samuel 
W.  Kepler  was  a  son  of  Jacob  and  Margaret  A.  (Peiffer)  Kepler.  The  for- 
mer was  a  native  of  Maryland,  and  located  in  Le  Boeuf  township,  Erie  county, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1798;  the  latter  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  Jacob  began 
his  business  career  in  1817,  in  Woodcock,  this  county,  conducting  a  hotel  there 
for  twenty-one  years,  at  the  same  time  keeping  the  postoffice.  He  reared  a 
family  of  thirteen  children.  In  1843  he  abandoned  the  hotel  business  and 
removed  to  a  farm  in  Hayfield  township,  this  county,  where  he  remained  for 
some  twenty-six  years,  and  then  came  to  Venango  and  opened  a  tavern. 
Much  of  his  time  was  occupied  in  the  manufacture  of  domestic  wines.  He 
served  through  the  war  of  1812.  He  died  in  1877,  in  his  eighty-fourth  year. 
Samuel  Kepler  was  twice  married,  the  first  time  to  Christine  Sherred.  Their 
issue  was  five  children:  Pharus  D.,  Peter  S.,  E.  Cassius,  Frank  P.  and 
Thomas.  The  second  marriage  was  to  Martha  C,  daughter  of  Major  Reu- 
ben Strouss,  of  Saegerstown,  this  county.  She  still  survives,  and  resides  with 
her  son,  T.  D.,  subject  of  this  sketch.  To  this  union  were  born  ten  children, 
five  of  whom  are  liviiig — Edgar,  Tracy  (subject),  Anna,  Mattie  and  Fred- 
erick. 

Mr.  T.  D.  Kepler  first  began  business  by  opening  a  hotel  at  McKean 
Corners,  Erie  county ;  after  two  years  he  removed  to  Venango,  this  county, 
where  he  kept  hotel  till  1S60.  The  following  five  years  he  spent  in  Titusville, 
this  county,  in  the  same  line  of  business,  and  then  for  three  years  engaged  in 
farming  in  Woodcock  township,  this  county.  ' 

In  1868,  Mr.  Kepler  took  charge  of  the  Eagle  Hotel,  which  he  kept  until 
1872,  then  the  Cullum  House,  which  he  kept  for  seven  years,  and  in  1879 
opened  the  Kepler  House,  from  which  the  present  hotel  takes  its  name.  The 
new  Kepler  Hotel  was  erected  and  opened  by  its  present  proprietor  in  1894. 
Our  subject  was  married  December  24,.  1888,  to  Minnie  G.,  daughter  of 
Richard  Truran,  of  Meadville.  To  this  union  has  been  born  one  child :  Clar- 
ence R.  Kepler. 

Ephraim  Cakes,  Randolph  township. — Ephraim  Oakes'  grandfather, 
John  Oakes,  came  into  the  county  in  18 15,  accompanied  by  John  Byham. 
Returning  to  their  home  at  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  they  brought  their 
families  the  next  year,  Mr.  Oakes  settling  on  the  Oil  Creek  road  in  Randolph 
township.  His  children  are  Abigail,  wife  of  John  Byham,  John,  Jr.,  J-oel, 
Avery,  Levi  and  Luther.  John,  Jr.,  married  Myra  Spring,  and  their  chil- 
dren are:  Jane,  wife  of  Nelson  Smith;  Ephraim;  Clarisa,  wife  of  W.  H. 
Braymer ;  John  W. ;  Ellen,  wife  of  Peter  Bogardus ;  William ;  and  Hannah, 
wife  of  Dana  Smith.  After  the  death  of  his  wife  Mr.  Oakes  married  Mari- 
etta Daniels,  their  children  being  Ellison,  Elitha,  Perry  and  Mary,  wife  of 
Edward  Hatch.     Ephraim  was  born  March  17,  1835,  in  Randolph  township, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  761 

has  been  married  twice,  his  first  wife  being  Amanda,  daughter  of  Austin  and 
Nancy  Clark,  and  his  second,  Sarah,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Allen,  of 
Wayne.  There  is  but  one  sunaving  child,  Ancie,  a  daughter  by  the  second 
wife. 

Mr.  Oakes  has  a  fine  farm  of  sixty-five  acres.    John  W.,  his  brother,  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war. 


George  IV.  Barr,  M.  D.,  the  son  of  Charles  W.  and  Almira  (Blindberry) 
Barr,  was  born  at  Sherburne,  New  York,  December  16,  1832.  He  was  a 
grandson  of  Aaron,  the  son  of  Hugh  Barr,  of  Boston.  His  mother,  a  native 
of  Dutchess  county,  New  York,  and  of  Knickerbocker  extraction.  The  med- 
ical history  of  Dr.  Barr,  embracing  his  services  as  military  surgeon  in  the 
Civil  war,  is  given  elsewhere  in  this  work.  It  is  proper,  however,  to  remark 
that  Dr.  Barr  may  be  called  the  father  of  the  Titusville  board  of  health.  As 
the  medical  director  of  the  board,  he  has  given  years  of  close  attention  to 
its  work.  The  importance  of  that  institution  can  hardly  be  overrated.  Its 
proper  regulations,  to  insure  useful  results,  require  faithful  execution.  As 
a  citizen  Dr.  Barr  takes  a  lively  interest  in  all  matters  affecting  the  good 
of  the  community.  He  has  accomplished  a  great  deal  for  the  city  library,  and 
is  president  of  the  Library  Association.  He  owns  a  good  deal  of  property 
in  the  city,  and  is  a  large  taxpayer.  As  a  member  of  the  medical  profession 
he  stands  high  in  the  state. '    He  has  had  a  large  practice  in  Titusville  for  a 


generation. 


He  married,  first,  August  8,  1858,  Miss  Lavinia,  oldest  daughter  of 
Colonel  Ira  Ayer,  of  Evans,  New  York,  who  died  in  1868,  leaving  one 
daughter,  born  October  6,  1859.  The  second  time,  he  married  Mrs.  Lovina 
Hanford  Cooper,  of  Gowanda,  New  York,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Eva, 
born  January  31,  1877,  in  Titusville.  Miss  Iris  Barr  has  taught  several  years 
in  the  city  schools.  She  has  been  principal  of  one  of  the  ward  schools,  and 
she  is  now  one  of  the  teachers  in  the  Titusville  high  school. 


Uri  C.  Welton  was  born  in  Burton,  Geauga  county,  Ohio.  His  father 
died  at  the  age  of  forty-nine  years,  leaving  eight  children,  six  sons  and  two 
daughters,  Uri  C.  being  the  fifth,  then  seven  years  old.  He  worked  on  the 
farm  in  the  summer  and  attended  school  in  the  winter.  At  the  age  of  fifteen 
he  attended  school  for  three  terms  at  Hiram,  Ohio  (now  Hiram  College), 
being  a  pupil  of  James  A.  Garfield,  afterward  president  of  the  United  States. 
After  his  third  term  of  school,  he  hired  out  to  work  in  a  general  store,  for 
fifty  dollars  a  year  at  Chardon,  Ohio.  The  following  year  he  returned  to 
the  farm  and  remained  there  until  fall.  During  that  season  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Miranda  E.  Bestor,  of  Chardon,  who  is  a  descendant  of  the  Carltons 
who  came  over  in  the  Mayflower.     In  October  he  took  a  trip  up  the  lakes, 


762  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

stopping  at  Port  Huron,  Michigan,  and  while  there  he  purchased  both  a 
wholesale  and  retail  store  and  the  business  of  both,  including  the  stock  of  both, 
at  Fort  Gratiot,  one  and  one-half  miles  above  Port  Huron,  at  the  mouth  of 
St.  Clair  river.  He  was  there  three  years,  doing  a  large  and  prosperous 
business.  But  impaired  health,  following  fever  and  ague,  compelled  him  to 
leave  that  climate. 

Having  sold  out  his  business,  he  came  to  the  oil  region,  settling  in  Titus- 
ville.  in  June,  1865,  where  he  has  since  continued  to  reside.  During  this 
time  lie  lias  served  several  years  in  the  city  council.  He  carried  on  the  oil 
refining  business  at  Bull  Rim  from  1865  to  1869,  w^hen  oil  was  handled  in 
barrels.  He  has  since  been  engaged  in  producing  oil,  and  has  also  an  ex- 
tensive lumber  business  in  other  localities,  besides  owning  a  large  farm,  which 
he  carries  on,  together  with  the  brown  stone  business,  having  a  \-aluable  quarry 
of  brown  stone,  of  which  he  supplies  the  trade. 

He  has  two  sons,  W.  R.  W'elton,  aged  thirty-one,  and  U.  C.  Welton,  Jr., 
aged  twent\--one.  The  two  young  men  are  prominent  producers  in  the 
Indiana  oil  field.  Mr.  Welton  has  lieen  in  active  Imsiness  since  he  left  school 
at  the  age  of  seventeen. 

The  family  to  which  the  subject  of  this  sketch  belongs,  traces  its  ancestry 
to  John  \\'elton.  and  his  wife  ncc  Mary  Upson,  who  came  from  England  about 
the  year  1667  and  settled  at  Waterbury,  Connecticut.  Following  in  descent 
there  were  John,  Thomas  and  Reuben  Welton.  Johnson  F.  Welton  in  1794 
married,  at  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  Susan  Bronson.  Lewis,  the  son  of 
Johnson  F.,  was  the  father  of  Uri  C.  Welton,  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  In 
1824  Johnson  F.  Welton  and  his  family  moved  from  Waterbury,  settling 
at  Burton,  Ohio,  and  died  in  1844,  at  the  age  of  seventy,  leaving  a  large 
estate  to  his  wife  and  nine  children.  The  names  of  the  children  were  Fred- 
erick, Isaac,  Lewis,  Reuben,  Sarah,  Maria,  Emeline,  Marcia  and  Minarcia, 
the  last  two  being  twins.  The  wife  and  mother  of  these  nine  children  died 
in  1870.  at  the  age  of  one  hundred  and  two  years  and  three  months.  Lewis 
Welton.  one  of  the  sons  of  Johnson  F.,  married  Polly  M.  Hickox,  of  Newburg, 
Ohio,  daughter  of  Uri  Hickox,  who  settled  in  Newburg  in  1810,  then  a  wil- 
derness, with  plenty  of  Indians  for  daily  callers.  Lewis  purchased  a  farm 
partly  cleared,  in  the  east  part  of  Burton,  and  settled  upon  it,  finishing  the 
clearing  up  and  reducing  it  to  an  arable  condition. 


Willis  B.  Benedict  was  born  in  the  village  of  Enterprise,  Southwest  town- 
ship. Warren  county,  Pennsylvania,  Februarj-  19,  1838.  He  belongs  to  an 
ancient  English  family,  the  first  emigrant  of  which  from  England,  Thomas 
Benedict,  settled  in  Massachusetts  Bay  in  1838,  afterward  removing  to  Con- 
necticut. He  died  at  Xorwalk  in  1690.  where  many  of  his  descendants  now 
live.     The  great-grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Thomas  Benedict, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  763 

A\as  an  active  soldier  in  the  war  of  the  Re\-ohition,  afterward  receiving  a  pen- 
sion, as  was  also  James  Spencer,  his  maternal  great-grandfather.  The  grand- 
father of  Willis,  J.  Benedict,  soon  after  his  arrival  in  Warren  county, 
formed  a  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law.  Selden  Spencer,  for  the  purpose 
of  manufacturing  lumber.  They  purchased  large  tracts  of  land  covered  with 
pine  timber,  built  mills  on  Pine  creek  at  and  near  Enterprise,  and  operated 
tJiere  several  years.  Selden  Spencer  Benedict,  his  son,  married  Mary  H.. 
daughter  of  Dr.  John  Heffron,  of  Erieville,  Madison  county.  New  York.  Dr. 
Heffron  was  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  College,  and  a  surgeon  in  the  war  of 
1812.  The  children  of  this  union  were  Willis  B..  the  oldest;  Eugenia,  wife  of 
W.  J.  Booth,  now  residents  of  Titusville ;  Francis  Wayland,  wdio  died  Novem- 
ber 22.  1865,  aged  twenty-two  years;  M.  Laverne.  wife  of  the  late  Dr.  John 
Chick,  the  widow  now  a  resident  of  Titusville.  besides  a  son.  next  after  Way- 
l-iud.  who  died  in  infanc}'. 

Willis  B.  attended  the  district  schools  at  Enterprise,  the  Waterford 
Academy,  Erie  county,  and  Duff's  Commercial  College,  at  Pittsburg",  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  began  early  the  production  of  oil,  and  he  was  badly  burned  in  the 
explosion  at  Rouseville,  which  killed  Henry  R.  Rouse,  in  April,  1861.  He 
first  opened  oil  production  on  Pine  creek,  east  of  East  Titusville,  and  opened 
ibiC  Enterprise  district  in  the  summer  of  1865,  as  elsewhere  stated. 

In  1862  be  was  elected  treasurer  of  Warren  count)-,  and  in  1880  was 
elected  to  the  state  legislature.  In  politics  he  is  uniformly  a  Republican. 
Though  practically  belonging  nearly  all  his  life  to  Titusville.  he  continued, 
until  a  fe\\'  years  ago.  to  keep  his  home  at  Enterprise.  He  finally  moved  with 
his  family  to  Titusville,  where  he  has  since  resided,  in  an  elegant  home  on  East 
Main  street.  In  1896  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Titusville,  and  he  is  still  the 
incumbent  of  that  ofifice.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
;ind  he  has  long  been  a  generous  supporter  of  the  church,  both  here  and  at 
Enterprise.  His  blood  is  warm,  his  charities  have  been  constant  all  his  life- 
time, and  he  shares  in  many  pu1:)lic  enterprises.  In  a  word,  Willis  B.  Bene- 
dict is  a  popular  citizen.     He  is  director  of  the  Titusville  Board  of  Trade. 

On  September  18,  i860,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary,  daughter  of 
Elisha  SpragTie,  of  Fabius,  New  York.  She  died  in  1872,  leaving  one  daugh- 
ter, Myra  E.,  the  wife  of  Dr.  William  G.  Johnston,  this  city.  In  June,  1874, 
he  married  Jennie,  the  daughter  of  Judge  Richard  Irwin,  of  Franklin,  Venan- 
go county.  Pennsylvania.  She  died  in  April,  1877,  leaving  one  son,  Selden 
S.,  born  June  23,  1875.  On  July  25,  1878,  Mr.  Benedict  married  Miss  Edna 
J.  Ruland,  of  Shamburg.  Pennsylvania.  She  has  borne  him  Willis  B.,  March 
16.  1880;  Wayland  R.,  January  19,  1882;  Harry  H.,  born  January  4,  1884, 
and  died  September  2j,  1887;  Robert  B..  born  March  8.  1886,  and  Harold  H., 
February  26.  1889. 


764  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Charles  Hyde  was  born  February  27,  1822,  at  Eagle,  Allegany  county. 
New.  York.  The  Hyde  family  is  historic.  The  progenitor  of  the  family  in 
the  United  States  was  William  Hyde,  who  came  from  England  in  1633  with 
Rev.  Thomas  Hooker  and  settled  at  Hartford,  Connecticut.  His  son  was 
Samuel  Hyde,  whose  son  was  Samuel  Hyde,  Jr.,  whose  son  was  Elijah, 
whose  son  was  Elijah  (second),  whose  son  was  Elijah  Clark,  whose  son  was 
Elijah,  whose  son  was  Charles,  of  the  eighth  generation,  and  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  From  the  genealogical  history  of  the  Hyde  family,  prepared 
by  the  late  Chancellor  Walworth,  of  the  state  of  New  York,  it  is  learned  that 
William  H3'de,  the  first  in  the  line  in  the  United  States,  was  the  uncle  of 
Edward  Hyde,  Earl  of  Clarendon,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  the  First. 

Charles,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  the  third  of  four  children,  of 
whom  the  late  William  C.  Hyde,  long  well  known  in  Titusville,  was  the  oldest. 
Edward  B.  was  the  second ;  and  Eliza,  the  daughter,  and  youngest  of  the  four, 
is  married  to  Samuel  Ridgway,  the  distinguished  proprietor  of  the  Hydetown 
Sanitarium.  At  about  1833  Elijah  Hyde  moved  with  his  familv  to  Nunda 
Valley,  in  Livingston  county,  New  York,  and  four  years  later  to  Cherry 
Tree  township,  Venango  county,  Pennsylvania,  settling  upon  a  farm  about 
two  miles  south  of  Titusville.  The  farm,  which  was  partly  cleared,  adjoined 
the  Stackpole  farm.  Mr.  Hyde  paid  for  his  property  at  the  rate  of  three  dol- 
lars and  thirty  cents  an  acre,  and  this  was  for  the  absolute  fee  simple  of  the 
land.  There  were  no  mineral  rights  resen-ed  in  the  warranty  deed  which 
conveyed  the  title.  A  part  of  this  same  farm  is  now  owned  by  Mrs.  Susan 
A.  Emery,  the  surviving  wife  of  the  late  David  Emery,  whose  father,  the  late 
Lewis  Emery,  Sr.,  a  few  years  ago,  planted  an  orchard  upon  the  place.  The 
granddaughter  of  Lewis  Emery,  Sr.,  the  daughter  of  David  and  Susan  A. 
Emery,  Verna,  is  married  to  Louis  K.,  the  son  of  Charles  Hyde,  and  the 
grandson  of  Elijah  Hyde,  who  purchased  the  property  a  little  over  sixty  years 
ago.  It  is  oil  property,  and  the  mingled  blood  of  Hyde  and  Emery  may 
possess  the  farm  for  generations. 

The  limits  of  this  sketch  will  not  permit  a  detailed  account  of  the  event- 
ful life  of  Charles  Hyde.  He  was  brought  up  to  hard  work  on  the  farm  and 
in  the  manufacture  of  lumber;  but  he  showed  at  an  early  period  certain  busi- 
ness qualities  requisite  for  success.  He  was  patient,  persevering,  thrifty  and 
indefatigable  in  his  efforts  to  better  his  condition.  He  joined  with  his  father 
and  brothers  in  the  manufacture  of  lumber  and  in  mercantile  trade.  They 
bought  the  Titus  Mills  in  the  vicinity  of  what  was  afterward  Hydetown. 
When  Drake  sunk  the  first  oil  well  Charles  Hyde  w^as  a  heavy  lumberman  and 
merchant  at  Hydetown.  He  had  gathered  petroleum  from  the  surface  of  the 
water  and  used  it  as  a  lubricant,  and  had  retailed  the  substance  as  a  medicinal 
agent.  His  first  investment  in  the  oil  business  was  one  thousand  dollars  for 
one  of  the  ten  shares  in  the  Tidioute  and  Warren  Oil  Company,  which  after- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  765 

ward  paid  very  large  dividends.  At  the  head  of  tlie  Hydetown  Oil  Com- 
pany he  sunk,  in  i860,  a  well  on  the  McClintock  farm,  which  had  been  leased 
by  Brewer,  Watson  &  Company,  and  got  a  second  sand  producer.  But  the 
Hyde  <&  Egbert  farm,  near  Petroleum  Center,  was  the  largest  source  of 
great  wealth  which  flowed  to  him. 

The  Second  National  Bank  of  Titusville  was  organized  February  11, 
1865,  starting  with  a  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  Mr.  Hyde  being 
the  principal  stockholder.  In  December,  1867,  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Titusville,  with  its  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  was  purchased, 
and  in  1871  the  First  National  Bank  of  Meadville,  with  another  one  hundred 
thousand  dollai's,  was  added,  making  a  total  capital  of  three  Imndred  thou- 
sand dollars.  (An  account  of  this  bank  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work.)  In 
April,  1880,  the  Hyde  National  Bank  was  organized  and  put  into  operation 
with  a  capital  of  five  hundred  thousand  dollars,  which  continued  until  August, 
1888,  when  it  was  merged  into  the  private  firm  of  Charles  Hyde  &  Son,  Louis 
K.  Hyde  being  the  junior  partner.  The  banking  office  is  upon  the  second 
floor  of  the  Second  National  Bank  edifice. 

Charles  Hyde  has  been  president  of  the  City  National  Bank  at  Plainfield, 
New  Jersey,  wliere  he  resides,  for  twenty  years.  In  April,  1897,  he  became 
president  of  the  New  Orleans  &  Northwestern  Railway;  previously  Louis  K. 
Hyde  had  been  president.  He  has  since  been  its  vice-president  and  general 
manager.  For  about  ten  years  past  he  has  been  cashier  of  the  Titusville  Sec- 
ond National  Bank,  of  which  from  1887  to  1891  he  was  vice-president.  Since 
then  his  brother,  Francis  de  L.  Hyde,  has  been  its  vice-president.  Louis  K. 
Hyde  is  one  of  the  ten  citizens  who  in  1896  subscribed  each  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars to  the  stock  of  the  Titusville  Industrial  Fund  Association.  He  is  a  director 
of  the  association  and  a  director  of  the  Titusville  Board  of  Trade.  In  the 
spring  of  1866  Charles  Hyde  purchased  the  mansion  at  the  northwest  corner 
of  Main  and  Franklin  streets,  this  city,  and  made  it  his  family  residence 
several  years.  The  son,  Louis  K.  Hyde,  now  owns  and  occupies  the  same 
residence. 

The  children  of  Charles  Hyde  are  Dorsey  William,  Charles  Livingston, 
Louis  Kepler,  Francis  de  Lacy  and  Edith. 


William  Barnsdall  was  born  at  Biggleswade,  Bedfordshire,.  England. 
February  6,  1810,  educated  at  a  select  school  and  learned  the  shoemaker's 
trade,  which  he  continued  to  follow  until  1831,  when  he  came  to  America, 
landing  at  New  York,  where  he  remained  a  few  months.  From  New  York 
he  went  to  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  and  worked  at  his  trade  for  a  time.  After- 
ward he  visited  his  parents  living  near  Titusville,  who  had  come  to  America 
in  1829.-  Mr.  Barnsdall  came  to  Titusville  in  1833,  where  he  has  since  lived 
continuously  an  eventful  life.     He  at  once  entered  upon  his  trade,  and  he 


766  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

was  the  first  shoemaker  established  at  Titusvihe.  He  continued  at  his  trade 
and  at  farming  until  1859.  After  Drake's  discovery,  Mr.  Barnsdall  leased 
land  of  his  brother-in-law,  James  Parker,  in  the  eastern  part  of  Titusville.  and 
in  compan_y  with  Henry  R.  Rouse  and  Boone  Mead,  of  Warren,  and  William 
H.  Abbott  sunk  the  second  oil  well,  which  was  finished  February  18,  i860. 
Next  the  Crossley, — in  which  Messrs.  Barnsdall,  Abbott  and  \A^itherop,  to- 
gether with  David  Crossley, — the  third  well  was  tubed  March  14,  i860; 
this  well  was  near  the  present  Boughton  station.  Mr.  Barnsdall  was  instru- 
mental in  bringing  from  New  York  to  Titusville  his  brother,  John  Barnsdall, 
who  afterward  became  a  heavy  oil  operator,  owning  a  large  part  of  the  famous 
Sherman  well  on  the  Foster  farm. 

Mr.  Barnsdall  was  mayor  of  Titusville  from  1878  to  1880,  and  he  was 
city  treasurer  from  1880  to  1882.  and  he  has  held  many  other  local  of-fices. 
When  he  came  to  Titusville  he  was  a  Methodist,  but  he  afterward  became  a 
Universalist  and  a  leader  in  that  denomination.  He  contributed  largely 
toward  building  the  Pine  street  church  in  1844,  and  to  the  brick  church,  south- 
east corner  of  Main  and  Perry,  l)uilt  in  1865.  He  is  a  pronounced  Spiritualist, 
and  is  charitable  to  those  who  differ  from  him  in  matters  of  faith.  He  is 
universally  respected,  and  when  he  dies  he  will  be  missed  in  the  community. 
September  i,  1835,  he  married  Eliza  Curry,  daughter  of  Robert  Curry,  who 
died  in  1843.  Two  children  of  the  union  survive:  Olivia,  wife  of  D.  F.  With- 
erop,  and  Lucy  x'V.,  wife  of  H.  P.  Cleland.  In  1846  he  married  FideUa  A., 
daughter  of  Chauncey  Goodrich.  Of  this  marriage  two  daughters,  Fanny 
and  Hattie,  are  dead.  Rosa  C,  wife  of  Charles  Snakard,  and  three  sons — 
N.  B.,  T.  N.  and  William  \\'. — all  survive. 


Hon.  Chapman  A.  Straiuilian. — In  this  demcfcratic  country,  where  true 
merit  and  intrinsic  worth  and  ability  are  the  only  measures  of  nobility — the 
grandest  standard  in  the  world,  as  we  believe — a  man  can  make  no  prouder 
boast  than  that  he  springs  from  the  people  and  that  he  is  in  thorough  sym- 
pathy with  the  vast,  hard-working  majority.  In  this  he  may  lielong  to  one 
or  the  other  of  the  two  great  political  parties,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  he  may 
be  independent,  for  the  people  belong  to  all  classes  and  parties.  It  matters 
little  under  what  banner  he  enlists,  if  his  motives  are  pure  and  his  principles 
are  so  firm  that  he  is  incapable  of  being  bought.  Knowing  that  he  is  one  of 
the  people,  in  fact  and  in  sympathy,  the  many  friends  and  acquaintances  of 
Hon.  C.  A.  Stranahan  chose  him  to  represent  them  in  the  Pennsylvania  leg- 
islature, in  1896,  and  when  his  term  expired  they  re-elected  him  to  the  same 
position  in  1898.  He  had  frequently  manifested  his  zeal  and  ardent  desire  to 
advance  the  welfare  of  his  own  community  in  the  various  local  offices  to  which 
his  fellow  citizens  called  him.  and  finding  him  "faithful  over  a  few  things" 


OUR   CCUNTV  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE.  767 

they  knew  that  he  would  be  faithful  in  greater  affairs,  as  he  has  abundantly 
manifested. 

For  a  quarter  of  a  century  Mr.  Stranahan  has  been  a  landowner  of  Sparta 
township,  Crawford  county,  and  a  resident  here  at  the  same  time.  His  par- 
ents were  Franklin  B.  and  Evaline  (Fuller)  Stranahan,  the  father  a  farmer 
and  a  hotel-keeper.  The  paternal  grandparents  of  our  subject  were  Gibson 
J.  and  Dolly  (Devandorf)  Stranahan,  natives  of  Canaan.  Columbia  county, 
and  Herkimer  county.  New  York,  respective!}".  In  1836  this  worthy  couple 
removed  to  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  took  up  tlieir  abode  in  Concord 
township,  just  across  the  line  from  Crawford  county.  Here  Grandfather 
Stranahan  died  in  1869,  and  his  wife  some  eight  years  previously. 

The  birth  of  Chapman  A.  Stranahan  occurred  October  6,  1849,  ^^  the 
old  homestead  in  Concord  township,  Erie  county.  His  education  was  obtained 
in  the  common  schools,  and  during  his  boyhood  he  mastered  the  varied  details 
of  agriculture  and  has  since  been  a  practical,  thorough  farmer.  For  two  years 
after  leaving  school  he  worked  for  neighboring  farmers,  and  for  a  similar 
length  of  time  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Philadelphia  &  Erie  Railroad. 
In  the  fall  of  1873  he  purchased  the  farm  owned  by  Francis  Webb  in  Sparta 
township,  and  two  years  afterward  he  sold  this  property  to  his  father.  F.  B. 
Stranahan,  and  removed  to  his  present  homestead.  This  place,  formerly 
known  as  the  Erastus  Lewis  farm,  is  situated  in  the  same  township,  and  is 
one  of  the  most  productive  and  best  cultivated  farms  in  the  county.  The 
owner  carries  on  general  farming,  and  makes  a  specialty  of  raising  poultry, 
for  which  he  finds  a  ready  sale.  In  his  business  enterprises  he  has  been  almost 
invariably  successful,  and  among  others  in  which  he  has  been  interested  are 
the  Keystone  Co-operative  Association  (a  farmers'  organization),  of  Corry. 
Pennsylvania,  and  the  Patrons'  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Association  of  North- 
western Pennsylvania.  Of  the  first-named  he  was  elected  president  in  1895, 
and  in  the  other  concern  he  holds  a  similar  position.  In  January,  1874,  the 
Sparta  Grange  was  organized,  with  Mr.  Stranahan  as  one  of  its  charter 
members,  and  several  times  he  has  been  elected  as  its  presiding  officer.  In 
religious  belief  he  is  a  Spiritualist. 

September  10.  1873,  the  marriage  of  ]Mr.  Stranahan  and  Martha  Jane 
\^'ebb.  daughter  of  Francis  and  Nancy  Webb,  of  Sparta  township,  took  place. 
Their  three  children  were  Dorr  D.,  born  May  24,  1874;  Gladys.  December 
8,  1877,  ^"d  Harrison  F.,  January  10,  1880.  Little  Gladys  died  when  about 
a  year  and  a  half  old,  July  12,  1879. 


P.  S.  Jackson,  contractor  and  builder,  INIeadville,  was  born  January  10, 
1835,  in  Chautauqua  county.  New  York.  When  three  years  of  age  his  par- 
ents removed  to  Crawford  county,  this  state,  land  located  near  Cochranton,  on 
what  was  known  as  the  Creek  road.     Here  thev  remained  about  seven  years. 


768  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

when  they  removed  to  Cooperstown,  Venango  county,  where  he  received  a 
common-school  education  and  learned  his  trade  as  a  carpenter  and  joiner. 

In  1856  Mr.  Jackson  came  to  Meadville,  remaining  two  years,  and  dur- 
ing his  residence  here  was  married  to  Clara  F.  Hillard,  of  Newburyport,  Mas- 
sachusetts. He  then  removed  to  Warren,  Pennsylvania,  where  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  carried  on  the  business  of  contractor  and  builder,  amona- 
other  things  being  employed  on  tlie  State  Hospital  at  North  Warren  for 
more  than  six  ytzrs.  He  then  removed  to  Kansas  City,  where  he  worked 
on  several  large  contracts,  among  others  the  Warder  Opera  House,  built  at  a 
cost  of  four  hundred  thousand  dollars.  In  October,  1892,  Mr.  Jackson  re- 
turned to  Meadville,  where  in  association  with  his  two  sons  he  has  since  car- 
ried on  the  business  of  a  contractor  and  builder.  Jackson  &  Sons  have  built 
some  of  the  most  handsome  residences  in  and  around  Meadville. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jackson  have  had  five  children, — three  boys  and  two  girls, 
— of  whom  but  two  sons  now  survive :  Charles  H.,  now  serving  as  a  sergeant 
in  the  Third  Regiment  of  United  States  Engineers;  and  E.  E.,  who  is  asso- 
ciated in  business  with  his  father. 


Leonard  Cutler  Demary,  deceased,  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, March  24,  1837,  and  in  his  early  childhood  was  taken  by  his  parents 
to  Compton,  Canada,  wdiere  he  was  reared  and  educated,  attending  the  public 
schools.  In  1856  he  went  to  Buffalo,  New  York,  where  he  secured  a  posi- 
tion as  conductor  on  the  Buffalo  division  of  the  Erie  Railroad.  In  1877  he 
removed  to  Meadville,  but  continued  his  connection  with  the  Erie  Railroad 
in  the  capacity  of  conductor  until  his  death. 

He  was  married  September  29,  1S59,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Churchill,  of 
Attica,  New  York,  and  to  them  was  born  a  daughter,  Sadie  Eunice,  whose 
birth  occurred  June  6,  1874,  and  who  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Demary  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church,  and  Mr.  Demary  belonged  to  Crawford  Lodge,  No. 
734,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  to  the  Brotherhood  of  Railway  Conductors.  His  death 
occurred  November  10,  1887. 


Leonard  C.  Graves,  of  Springboro,  was  born  in  Madison.  Indiana,  May 
6,  1850,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Crawford  county  when  five  years  old; 
was  educated  in  the  public  and  high  schools  of  Conneautville,  and  learned  the 
blacksmith's  trade.  In  1872  he  was  conducting  general  blacksmithing  in 
custom,  carriage  and  sleigh  work,  horse-shoeing  and  repairs.  In  1882  the 
business  w'as  expanded,  and  he  began  the  manufacture  of  carriag^es  and  sleighs 
for  the  wholesale  trade,  which  had  an  increasing  and  steady  growth.  On 
January  i.  1894,  with  G.  W.  Eighmey  he  formed  the  firm  of  L.  C.  Graves  & 
Company,  which  employed  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  operatives  and  several 


% 


^ 


^T^c^-;^^?^  fe^-^^^^^-e^ 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  769 

traveling  salesmen.  In  1885  only  ten  men  were  employed,  but  now,  in  1897, 
seven  times  ten  men  are  at  work. 

On  April  7,  1872,  Mr.  Graves  married  Laura  J.  Ross,  of  Rundell.  They 
have  four  children, — Homer  Benton  (a  graduate  of  Allegheny  College,  at 
Meadville),  Clarence  Melvin,  Anna  Elizabeth  and  Hubert  Raymond. 

Mr.  Graves's  father,  James  B.  Graves,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  was  a 
Methodist  clergyman  for  over  twenty  years.  By  his  wife,  nee  Elizabeth  Funk, 
of  Philadelphia,  he  had  six  children, — Leonard  C,  Julia,  Elizabeth,  James 
B.,  Francis  and  Samuel  E.  Rev.  J.  B.  Graves  died  in  1882  and  his  widow 
on  May  13,  1885. 

Leonard  C.  Graves  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.     He  is  a  class-leader,  a  steward  and  a  trustee. 

The  ancestry  of  the  family  is  English,  German  and  Scotch. 


David  Emery  was  born  in  Chautauqua  county.  New  York,  September  7, 
1837.  In  1842  his  parents  moved  to  Michigan.  He  studied  in  Hillsdale  Col- 
lege, of  which  he  was  afterward  one  of  the  trustees,  and  read  law  under  a 
certain  Judge  Pratt.  But  before  finishing  his  course,  he  engaged  in  the  mill- 
ing business.  In  1866  he  came  to  the  Pennsylvania  oil  district,  and  located 
first  at  Pioneer,  Venango  county,  and  at  once  entered  into  the  work  of  oil  pro- 
duction. From  the  start,  and  afterward  during  a  period  of  many  years,  Mr. 
Emery  was  a  successful — not  to  say  lucky — producer.  In  1870  he  adopted 
Titusville  as  his  permanent  home.  In  1876  he  served  in  the  Common  Council. 
In  1877  he  was  Mayor  of  the  city.  In  1879  he  served  in  the  State  Legislature. 
In  1889  he  served  again  in  the  Common  Council  and  was  its  presiding  officer. 
He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Oil  Creek  Valley  Agricultural  Association, 
and  was  for  a  long  time  a  member  of  its  board  of  directors.  He  was  also  its 
president  and  treasurer,  but  resigned  the  presidency  during  his  second  term. 
He  was  the  founder  of  Battery  B,  in  1879,  of  the  Pennsylvania  National 
Guards,  and  its  commanding  officer.  In  1880  he  erected,  at  his  own  expense, 
an  armory  for  the  use  of  the  battery  company.  He  continued  captain  of  the 
company  until  it  was  disbanded,  and  changed  into  Company  K,  Sixteenth 
Regiment  Pennsylvania  Infantry  in  the  summer  of  1883.  He  then  remodeled 
the  armory  building,  converting  it  into  an  opera  house  in  the  fall  of  1885,  and 
opening  it  to  the  public  in  the  spring  following.  He  was  president  of  the 
Canadohta  Club,  but  resigned  because  of  ill  health.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Silver  Lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Honor,  of  Shepherd  Lodge,  A.  &  F.  &  A.  M., 
Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  Tent  No.  24.  He  was  colonel  of  the  Citizens'  Corps 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  January  23,  1891.  He  was  a  share- 
holder of  the  Producers'  and  Manufacturers'  Bank,  organized  in  1870,  and 
closed  in  1876.  He  was  the  president  of  the  Octave  Oil  Company  during  its  ex- 
istence.    This  company,  with  Mr.  Emery  at  its  head,  purchased  and  operated 

49 


7/0  OUR  ^COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  Van  Syckel  Refinery  from  1872  to  1875,  when  it  sold  the  works  to  the 
Standard  Oil  Company.  For  twenty-four  years  he  was  an  expert  oil  operator, 
a  producer  in  Venango,  Crawford  and  McKean  counties,  and  with  excellent 
fortune.  One  of  his  last  ventures  was  the  purchase  of  the  land  on  which  was 
the  original  Drake  well,  and  he  resuscitated  this  historic  well.  He  was  a 
member  of  both  oil  exchanges,  and  of  the  boards  of  trade  in  Titusville.  The 
magnificent  public  fountain  on  the  Diamond  was  his  gift  to  the  city.  This 
single  act,  alone,  indicating  the  generosity  of  his  nature,  and  a  spirit  to  be  useful 
to  the  community  in  which  he  lived,  entitles  the  memory  of  Mr.  Emery  to  a  ■ 
high  place  in  the  gratitude  and  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens.  When  the  armory 
of  Battery  B  was  dedicated.  Governor  Hoyt  of  this  State  was  present  and 
participated  in  the  exercises.  In  his  address  before  a  large  concourse  of  peo- 
ple on  that  occasion,  Governor  Hoyt  paid  a  high  tribute  to  the  patriotism  and 
public  spirit  of  Captain  Emery,  who  had  pushed  forward  the  organization  of 
the  Battery  company  and,  without  knowing  whether  he  would  ever  be  reim- 
bursed for  the  outlay  which  he  alone  had  made  in  the  construction  of  the  build- 
ing and  its  equipments,  had  at  large  expense  furnished  to  the  military  or- 
ganization excellent  quarters.  Previous  to  1879,  when  Mr.  Emery  took  his 
seat  in  the  legislature,  he  had  not  given  much  attention  to  public  matters 
outside  of  his  city.  But  he  had  not  been  long  in  Harrisburg  before  attracting 
the  attention  of  the  prominent  men  of  the  state.  His  straightforward  honesty 
won  for  him  the  respect  of  men  of  all  parties.  If  he  had  chosen. to  continue 
in  public  life,  promotion  would  naturally  and  easily  have  followed.  But  his 
tastes  and  inclinations  induced  him  to  return  to  business. 

In  personal  appearance,  Mr.  Emery  was  an  impressive  figure.  In  public 
processions  in  the  streets  of  Titusville  he  was  often  seen  mounted  on  his 
favorite  white  horse.  At  such  a  time  he  would  have  attracted  attention  in  any 
procession,  civil  or  militarj^,  in  any  city  of  the  country.  His  manner  was 
dignified,  and  his  riding  easy  and  graceful. 

The  estimation  in  which  he  stood  in  the  community  could  be  learned  from 
the  remarks  of  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  Purdon,  at  his  funeral.  Dr.  Purdon  said: 
"The  large  concourse  present  attested  that  a  man  of  strength,  influence  and 
warm  sympathies,  and  active  and  conspicuous  leadership,  had  passed  away. 
These  tokens  of  respect  and  sympathy,  spontaneous  and  from  the  heart,  evinced 
the  hold  Mr.  Emery  had  upon  the  affections  of  the  community.  It  was  the 
warmth  of  his  social  nature,  the  depth  of  his  humanity,  the  purity  of  his 
character,  the  disinterestedness  of  his  kindness,  overflowing  sect  or  creed, 'and 
seeking  to  do  good  for  its  own  sake,  the  uniform  disposition  to  aid,  encourage, 
advance  and  communicate  happiness  to  others,  that  were  shining  characteristics 
of  David  Emery,  as  all  could  testify.  His  friendship  showed  that  he  did  not 
live  for  himself  alone,  but  for  his  family,  friends  and  neighbors, — the  whole 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  771 

community.     Hence  he  was  a  social,  public  man,  and  a  factor  in  the  com- 
munity, an  accepted  leader  all  his  life." 

The  Oil  Exchange  adopted  resolutions  on  his  death,  one  of  which  reads 
thus : 

"Resolved,  That  the  Exchange  declares  its  sense  of  great  respect  for  the 
life  and  character  of  Mr.  Emery  as  a  public-spirited  citizen,  whose  hand  was  in 
every  good  work,  and  whose  bene^^olence  was  proverbial,  as  a  man  of  exalted 
integrity,  and  one  justly  recognized  as  a  most  useful  member  of  the  com- 
munity." 

Mr.  Emery  was  married  September  16,  1858,  to  Miss  Susan  A.,  daughter 
of  Asa  G.  and  Margaret  (Peters)  Edwards,  of  Hillsdale,  Michigan.  The 
children  of  this  union  are  Eva  Lena,  now  Mrs.  L.  A.  Brenneman,  and  Verna. 
now  Mrs.  Louis  K.  Hyde. 

The  Titusville  Herald  said  of  Mr.  Emery :  "Our  departed  friend  was  a 
man  of  unusual  endowments  of  mind  and  heart,  and  will  power ;  he  was  full 
of  enterprise  and  public  spirit ;  he  was  a  man  of  strong  and  positive  political 
principles,  holding  to  the  Republican  faith ;  he  was  generous  and  charitable. 
Indeed,  he  was  foremost  in  counsel  and  generous  with  aid  for  all  good  causes 
and  charitable  objects.  It  was  a  marked  feature  of  his  liberality  that  it  was  not 
bounded  by  any  sect,  creed,  nationality  or  party.  His  family  relations  were 
of  the  happiest  kind.  He  was  devoted  to  his  home,  and  to  his  family,  and  what- 
ever he  could  do  to  make  their  lives  happy,  was  done." 

Another  paper  said,  editorially :  "Mr.  Emery  was  a  benevolent  and  pub- 
lic-spirited citizen.  His  charity  was  broad,  liberal,  unrestricted  by  sect  or  class. 
He  carried  his  heart  in  his  hand.  Many  of  his  charitable  deeds  are  known,  but 
the  majority  of  them,  performed  quietly,  are  unrecorded,  save  in  the  grateful 
remembrance  of  his  beneficiaries." 


0.  0.  Sqiiier,  one  of  the  prominent  and  successful  agriculturists  of 
Steuben  township,  Crawford  county,  is  a  thorough  man  of  business  and  is 
now  serving  his  third  year  as  president  of  the  Farmers'  Bank  of  Townville, 
one  of  the  substantial  and  strictly  reliable  banking  institutions  of  this  section. 
In  1888  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  and  acted  as  such  for  one  term; 
served  for  one  term  as  a  school  director  and  for  a  period  of  two  years  was 
secretary  of  the  board,  and  at  different  times  has  acceptably  filled  other  local 
positions  of  more  or  less  responsibility  and  trust. 

The  father  of  the  above-named  gentleman  was  William  P.  Squier,  whose 
birth  took  place  in  Monson,  Massachusetts,  May  2,  1812.  He  chose  for  his 
wife  Jane  P.  Sturdevant,  a  native  of  Onondaga  county.  New  York,  born 
March  2,  1819.  In  the  year  1837  they  both  became  residents  of  Lincolnville, 
Crawford  comity,  Pennsylvania,  and  upon  the  8th  of  March,  1838,  their 
destinies  were  united  by  the  marriage  ceremony.     Much  sorrow  fell  to  their 


'/72.  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

share,  as  several  of  their  children  died  when  young,  but  together  they  passed 
a  great  many  happy  years,  in  spite  of  trouble  and  adversity.  In  1863  they  re- 
moved to  Townville,  and  the  following  year  they  took  up  their  abode  upon 
a  farm  in  Steuben  township,  the  one  now  owned  and  cultivated  by  our  sub- 
ject, and  here  the  father  spent  his  last  years,  his  death  occurring  July  3,  1888. 
Mrs.  Squier,  now  almost  eighty  years  of  age,  is  still  living,  though  an  invalid 
for  nearly  thirty  years. 

Two  brothers  of  O.  O.  Squier  were  sacrifices  to  their  country  in  the 
dreadful  war  of  the  rebellion,  and  of  his  ten  brothers  and  sisters  only  three 
are  now  living,  namely :  Mrs.  J.  M.  Hyde,  of  Amherst,  Massachusetts :  Rev. 
W.  L.,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  lola,  Kansas;  and  A.  L.,  of 
Townville.  O.  O.  Squier,  next  to  the  youngest  of  the  eleven  children,  was 
born  February  2,  1859.  His  sister,  Jennie  E.,  the  youngest  of  the  family,  and 
the  constant  companion  of  his  boyhood,  entered  the  silent  land  September 
23,   1894. 

The  first  four  years  in  the  life  of  O.  O.  Squier  were  passed  at  his  birth- 
place in  Rockdale  township,  this  county.  He  accompanied  the  family  in  its 
removals  to  Townville  in  1863  and  to  the  old  homestead  in  Steuben  township 
in  1864,  and  early  learned  the  varied  routine  of  agriculture  and  the  proper 
management  of  a  farm.  To  the  ordinary  education  to  be  gained  in  the  public 
schools  he  added  wide  information  upon  various  to^jics,  and  by  the  perusal  of 
representative  periodicals  and  journals  has  kept  himself  thoroughly  posted  in 
matters  affecting  progress  and  the  onward  march  of  civilization.  He  is  in  har- 
mony with  the  platform  of  the  Republican  party,  but  has  never  been  a  poli- 
tician in  any  sense  of  the  term. 

April  9,  1885,  Mr.  Squier  married  Ettie  M.  Waid,  daughter  of  D.  S. 
Waid,  of  Steuben  township.  _  Mrs.  Squier  was  born  April  25,  i860,  and  died 
June  26,  1887.  On  the  28th  of  November,  1889,  Mr.  Squier  married  Lillian 
L.,  daughter  of  E.  S.  Walden,  of  Richmond  township.  She  was  born  Sep- 
tember 8,  1862,  and  is  a  lady  of  excellent  education  and  pleasing  social 
aualities. 


Charles  H.  Ley,  the  son  of  William  K.  and  Emma  (May)  Ley,  was  born 
November  i,  1854,  in  Philadelphia.  His  father  is  of  Holland  descent  and  his 
mother  of  German.  In  the  spring  of  1865  he  came  with  his  father's  family 
to  Enterprise,  \^'arren  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  continued  to  live 
until  1884,  when  he  moved  to  Titusville,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  has 
been  engaged  in  the  oil-producing  business  for  many  years.  He  has  served 
in  the  common  council  of  Titusville  from  both  the  first  and  second  wards, 
making  an  excellent  record  as  a  member  of  that  body.  In  1885  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Dora,  daughter  of  George  P.  and  Barbara  (Le  Fever)  Kepler, 
and  of  this  union  there  are  a  daughter  and  a  son,  Rubie  and  Edwin. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  773 

Miles  11'.  Quick  was  bom  in  Cass  county,  Michigan,  in  1842.  Owing 
to  sickness,  his  family  moved  to  Ontario  county,  Xew  York,  where  they  con- 
tinued to  reside  until  1861,  when  he  went  into  the  army,  becoming  a  member 
of  the  First  New  York  Engineers.  He  was  afterward  transferred  to  tlie 
Signal  Corps  and  continued  in  that  branch  of  the  service  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  In  1866  he  became  interested  in  the  petroleimi  business,  and  he  has 
ever  since  been  engaged  in  some  branch  of  the  trade.  (His  oil  history  ap- 
pears elsewhere  in  this  work.)  ilr.  Quick  has  contributed  largely  with  his 
pen  to  petroleum  literature,  especially  in  attacking  the  abuses  practiced  in 
the  speculation  markets. 

In  1872  he  was  married  to  iliss  Amanda  Fertig,  sister  of  Hon.  John 
Fertig. 


Henry  Culver  Bloss,  the  son  of  Hon.  William  C.  Bloss,  of  Rochester, 
New  York,  was  born  in  that  city,  July  16,  1833,  and  died  at  his  home  in 
Titusville  February  15,  1893.  In  early  life  he  read  law  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  Rochester.  In  the  winter  of  1864  he  came  witli  his  brother, 
^^'illiam  W.,  to  Titusville,  purchased  the  ofiice  of  a  weekly  paper  here  and 
founded  the  Titusville  ^Morning  Herald  and  the  A\'eekly  Herald.  Late  in 
the  following  summer  J.  H.  Cogswell  became  a  partner  in  the  establishment, 
with  the  firm  name  of  Bloss  Brothers  &  Cogswell ;  after  about  seven  years  \\'. 
\\'.  Bloss  retired.  From  that  time  until  his  death  H.  C.  Bloss  was  editor-in- 
chief  of  the  Herald,  and  since  Colonel  Cogswell's  withdrawal,  in  18S3,  [Mr. 
Bloss  was  sole  proprietor  of  the  institution  as  well  as  editor  of  the  paper. 
At  his  death,  his  surviving  wife,  [Mrs.  S.  A.  Bloss,  became  proprietor  of  the 
Herald  establishment,  and  the  older  son,  Joseph  [M.,  has-been  the  editor  of  the 
paper  ever  since. 

In  1867  Mr.  Bloss  married  Miss  Sarah  A.  Alackie,  of  \^"areham,  [Massa- 
chusetts, who  bore  him  three  children,  Joseph  ilackie,  Edward  Buell  and 
[Mary  Francis  A\'entworth, — all  now  living. 

The  late  Rev.  Dr.  Purdon  said  of  [Mr.  Bloss :  "He  was  a  most  graceful 
and  accomplished  writer.  Few  excelled  him  when  he  set  his  well-stored  mind 
to  the  task,  in  producing  an  article  tersely  expressed  and  full  of  power.  He 
was  fond  of  art  and  had  a  keen  e3"e  for  the  beautiful  wherever  he  saw  it.  He 
was  a  lover  of  his  country  and  found  pleasure  in  describing  its  future  splendid 
possibilities.  He  possessed  a  warm  and  kindly  disposition,  and  those  who 
knew  him  best  admired  him  most." 

The  writer  of  this  sketch  said  in  the  American  Citizen:  "Mr.  Bloss 
wrote  too  many  years  at  the  editorial  table.  He  worked  as  a  journalist  too 
long  and  too  hard  for  his  constitution.  His  brain  was  too  large  for  his  body. 
Who  that  has  read  the  [Morning  Herald  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  and  upward 
can  realize  the  draft  made  upon  the  mental  resources  of  the  writer  ?    It  is  the 


774  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

daily  v/ork  for  months  and  years  that  kills  editors.  The  orange  has  been 
squeezed  dry,  but  more  juice  is  demanded,  and  the  juice  must  come  from  some 
quarter.  As  a  writer  Mr.  Bloss  possessed  perfect  taste.  His  diction  was 
singularly  pure  and  his  expression  was  always  appropriate  and  felicitous." 

H.  C.  Gauss  in  the  Oil  City  Derrick  said :  "Mr.  Bloss'  life  was  a  full 
and  well-rounded  one.  He  enjoyed  travel,  and  had  traveled  extensively.  He 
took  a  keen  delight  in  literature  and  was  of  that  poetic,  sensitive  temperament 
that  while  it  is  subject  to  moments  of  depression,  possesses  capacity  for  a  deep 
and  satisfying  enjoyment.  He  was  a  delightful  companion  and  a  charming 
conversationalist,  whose  mental  view  took  in  a  wide  range  of  subjects.  He 
had  a  happy  home  life  and  was  bound  up  in  the  education  and  welfare  of  his 
children.  He  was  a  man  of  high  ideals,  of  strong  convictions,  and  gave  to  the 
world,  as  he  sought  from  it,  the  best  that  was  in  his  life." 

Mr.  Bloss  was  always  an  earnest  Republican,  and  he  gave  to  his  party 
a  generation  of  hard  journalistic  work. 

IVilliair,  IV.  Bloss,  the  older  brother  of  H.  C.  Bloss,  who  was  the  senior 
proprietor  of  the  Herald  during  the  first  se\'en  years  of  its  existence,  was  born 
in  Rochester,  New  York,  March  25,  1831,  and  died  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  Sep- 
tember 3,  1892.  (His  record  as  a  journalist  in  Titusville  is  given  elsewhere  in 
this  work.)  He  left  Titus\  ille  in  the  spring  of  1874,  was  afterward  employed 
as  managing  editor  of  the  Kansas  City  Journal  and  of  the  Ivansas  City  Times, 
and  during  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life  he  was  on  the  staff  of  the  Chicago 
Graphic.  In  early  life  he  did  work  on  one  of  the  Rochester  dailies.  In  the 
early  troubles  of  Kansas  he  was  on  the  ground  and  took  an  active  part  on 
the  side  of  the  free-state  men.  In  the  Civil  war  he  had  a  commission  in  the 
Union  army,  and  was  a  lieutenant  at  the  battle  of  Antietam. 

While  in  Titusville  he  took  an  active  part  in  municipal  affairs.  He  served 
both  upon  the  school  board  and  in  the  common  council.  As  an  editorial  writer 
he  was  exceptionally  brilliant  and  versatile.  He  possessed  excellent  -literary 
attainments  and  he  was  qualified  to  fill  higher  positions  in  literary  work  than 
it  was  his  fortune  to  occupy  the  greater  part  of  his  life. 


Joseph  H.  Cogsivell  was  born  September  2,  1828,  in  Brighton,  Mon- 
roe county.  New  York,  a  descendant  of  patriotic  stock,  as  both  his  grand- 
fathers and  two  of  his  great-grandfathers  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common  school  and  at  the  Clover  Street  Seminary,  of 
his  town.  He  set  type  in  a  Rochester  (New  York)  printing  office  two  years, 
and  then  taught  school.  In  185 1  he  was  in  a  law  office  one  year.  Then  he 
settled  an  extensive  estate  of  a  relative.  In  1853  he  resumed  teaching  and 
married  Julia  E.  Brewster,  daughter  of  Isaac  W.  Brewster,  a  lawyer  of  Onon- 
daga county,  New  York,  and  continued  teaching  several  years.     In  1862  he 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  775 

recruited  Company  A,  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  New  York  Volunteers,  to 
one  hundred  men  and  became  its  captain,  serving  in  the  Eighth  Corps,  Middle 
Department,  Twelfth  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  including  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg,  and  Twentieth  Corps,  Ami)'  of  the  Cumberland.  Went  with 
Sherman  through  the  Atlanta  campaign  in  1864,  then  with  him  "from  At- 
lanta to  the  sea,"  and  in  1865  through  the  Carolinas  to  the  final  "round-up" 
of  Johnston's  army  at  the  "last  ditch."  Was  promoted  to  be  major  and  lieu- 
tenant-colonel of  his  regiment,  and  brevetted  colonel  of  New  York  Volunteers 
for  "gallant  and  meritorious  service  during  the  war." 

September  i,  1865,  he  cariie  to  Titusville  and  entered  into  partnership 
with  his  cousins,  William  W.  and  H.  C.  Bloss,  as  publishers  of  the  Herald, 
the  firm  being  Bloss  Brothers  &  Cogswell.  This  firm  was  dissolved  early  in 
1S72,  the  senior  Bloss  retiring.  Bloss  &  Cogswell  continued  as  partners  to 
publish  the  Herald  until  June  30,  1883,  when  H.  C.  Bloss  became  sole  pro- 
prietor. Colonel  Cogswell  retiring'. 

Colonel  Cogswell  was  postmaster  of  Titusville  from  May,  1869,  continu- 
ously to  April  I,  1886.  He  then  went  into  the  employ  of  the  Tidewater 
Pipe  Company  and  of  the  Standard  Oil  Company  in  1887,  and  was  agent  of 
the  Tidewater  Oil  Company  at  Boston,  Massachusetts,  from  1889  to  1892. 
He  has  since  been  in  the  insurance  and  real-estate  business  in  Titusville.  In 
1895  he  was  secretary  of  the  Oil  Creek  Valley  Association,  and  declined  re- 
election. 


Hon.  Moses  Warren  Oliver,  of  Spring  township,  was  born  in  South 
Dansville,  Livingston  county.  New  York,  on  June  8,  1833,  and  was  brought 
to  this  state  with  his  parents  when  less  than  three  years  old.  His  education 
was  acquired  at  the  common  schools,  supplemented  by  an  academic  course 
at  the  academy  at  West  Springfield,  in  Erie  county.  Qualifying  himself  for 
a  teacher  he  taught  for  twenty-two  terras  and  was  principal  of  the  model 
department  of  the  state  normal  school  at  Edinboro,  Pennsylvania,  for  three 
years  and  six  months.  In  1862  Mr.  Oliver  closed  his  school  and  recruited 
Company  B  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-fifth  Pennsylvania  Regiment, 
became  its  captain  and  led  it  in  service  until  he  was  taken  prisoner  at  the 
battle  of  Chancellorsville,  and  confined  in  Libby  prison.  He  was  exchanged 
in  time  to  participate  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  and  continued  in  active  ser- 
vice until  November  24,  1863,  when  he  was  discharged  on  account  of  ill 
health. 

For  manv  years  Mr.  Oliver  has  taken  great  interest  in  agriculture,  is  a 
breeder  of  finely  bred  Devon  cattle  and  ranks  as  one  of  the  best  farmers  of 
this  section.  Mr.  Oliver  represented  this  county  in  the  state  legislatures  of 
1873  and  1874  and  did  good  service  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on  agri- 
culture and  as  chairman  of  the  committee  on  education.     He  was  elected  a 


776  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

member  of  the  state  board  of  agriculture  for  three  terms  of  three  years  each  and 
was  its  vice-president  for  two  years.  He  is  the  present  president  of  the  Amer- 
ican Devon  Cattle  Club.  He  conducted  merchandising  in  Springboro  for  two 
years  in  connection  with  his  brother  Francis. 

Mr.  Oliver  married  first  on  June  29,  1859,  Mary  L.  Sturtevant,  of 
•Spring  township,  who  died  on  July  9,  1862.  His  second  wife,  nee  Katherine 
D.  Beach,  was  formerly  of  Knox  county,  Ohio.  Their  children  were  George 
Grant  Oliver,  educated  in  AVashington  and  Jefferson  College,  this  state,  now 
a  resident  of  Washington,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  has  an  interest  in  the  glass 
works;  and  Charles  M.  Oliver,  who  died  in  1880,  aged  thirteen  years.  He 
was  one  of  the  brightest  boys  of  his  age. 

Mr.  Oliver's  father,  Moses  Warren  Oliver,  horn  in  Massachusetts  on 
September  21,  1805,  was  a  farmer.  By  his  first  wife,  nee  Betsey  Fisher, 
married  on  October  3,  1829,  he  had  four  children,  Lucy  B.  H.,  Moses  W., 
Francis  W.  and  Charles,  who  lives  with  Moses  W.  Mrs.  Dliver  died  Novem- 
ber 10,  1863,  and  Mr.  Oliver  married,  secondly,  on  December  2y,  1864,  Mrs. 
Lavanta  (Bowman)  Sturtevant.  This  Mrs.  Oliver  died  September  10,  1881, 
and  Mr.  Oliver  on  Septemlier  17,  1891.  Lucy  B.  H.  Oliver  married  Ozias 
D.  Sheldon.  Their  children  are  Francis  J.  and  Mary  F.  Francis  married 
Mary  G.  Eighmy.  Their  children  are  Clayton  F.  and  L.  Pauline.  Her  home 
has  been  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oliver  from  childhood.  Mr.  Oliver's  grand- 
father, Calvin  H.  Oliver,  born  in  Alassachusetts  August  17,  1782,  died  Jan- 
uary 29,  1824.  His  is  an  old  Boston  family.  Peter  Oliver,  chief-justice  of 
Massachusetts,  who  owned  the  first  iron  manufactory  of  Middleboro,  also 
had  a  son,  Peter,  born  in  Boston  on  June  17,  1741.  He  became  a  physician 
in  Middleboro  in  1764.  The  Conneautville  Olivers  are  Presbyterians  and 
Mr.  Oliver  is  an  elder.  He  is  also  a  free-silver  Republican  and  a  Grand  Army 
man.     European  ancestry  of  family,  Scotch,  Irish  and  English. 


Franklin  Sumner  Tarbell,  whose  oil  history  is  given  elsewhere  in  this 
work,  was  born  at  Oxford.  Chenango  county.  New  York,  October  21,  1829, 
the  son  of  \\'illiam  Tarbell,  who  was  a  native  of  Vermont  and  who  ser\'ed 
in  the  American  army  throughout  the  war  of  1812.  He  was  at  all  the  import- 
ant battles  on  the  Canadian  frontier  and  the  lakes,  at  Lundy's  Lane,  Chippewa, 
Fort  Erie,  Black  Rock,  Oueenstown  Heights,  and  others.  Some  time  after 
the  close  of  the  \var  he  m.oved  from  Vermont  to  Chenango  county,  New  York, 
and  while  there  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  a  rifle  regiment.  He  was 
commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  1)y  the  distinguished  De  Witt  Clinton,  gov- 
ernor of  New  York,  and  afterward  by  Governor  Pollock,  of  the  same  state, 
he  was  appointed  colonel.  At  about  1832  he  moved  from  Oxford  to  Addison, 
Steuben  county,  where  he  lived  until  1846,  when  he  moved  to  Wattsburg, 
Erie  countv,   Pennsvlvania.     In    1851   his  son,   Franklin   S..  remaining,   he 


OUR  COUNTY  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE.  jjj 

moved  to  a  farm  in  Crawford  county,  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Conneautville. 
He  afterward  moved  to  Beaver  township.  Crawford  count}-,  where  he  contin- 
ued to  live  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  his  eight\--eighth  year. 

His  son,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  married  April  20,  1857,  to  Miss 
Esther  A.  INIcCulIough,  whose  father  was  a  first  cousin  of  the  distinguished 
Ben  IMcCulIough,  of  Texas.  Of  this  union  there  were  foiu"  children: 
Ida  M.,  William  W.,  Sarah  A.  and  Franklin  S..  Jr..  who  died  in  infancy:  the 
other  three  sun'ive. 


William  Walter  Tarbell,  the  son  of  Franklm  S.  Tarbell.  was  bom  ia 
\^'attsburg,  Erie  count}-,  Pennsylvania,  July  i,  i860:  came  with  his  father 
to  Titusville  in  1868,  which  has  since  been  his  home,  excepting  the  period 
from  1883  to  1887,  when  he  was  in  South  Dakota.  He  was  graduated  at 
the  Titus\-ille  high  school  in  1876.  and  at  Allegheny  College  in  1881,  receiv- 
ing from  the  college  the  degree  of  A.  B.,  and  afterward  that  of  A.  il.  In 
1881-82  he  read  law  in  the  office  of  Sherman  «&  Grumbine,  in  TitUh\aUe. 
^\'hile  in  Dakota,  he  was  engaged  as  attorney  before  the  government  land 
oltices  in  settling  claims.  He  also  had  a  wheat  farm  in  South  Dakota  at  the 
time. 

On  his  return  to  Titusville  he  helped  to  establish  the  Valley  Oil  Pipe  Line, 
among  the  first,  if  not  flic  first,  of  the  independent  lines,  since  the  absorption 
of  the  Union,  the  ilcCalmont  and  the  Tidewater  lines.  During  the  next 
five  years  he  was  in  tiie  producing  business,  coimected  with  the  \alley  Line. 
In  1887  the  Producers'  Protective  Association,  out  of  which  finally  grew 
tlie  comprehensive  independent  oil  interests  and  "enterprises,  was  organized. 
!Mr.  Tarbell  was  the  secretary-  of  the  local  assembly  in  Titiisville,  and  in  1891 
was  acti^  e  in  organizing  the  original  association,  tlie  Producers'  Oil  Com- 
pany. Limited.  Since  then  he  has  been  prominently  identified  in  sustaining 
the  independent  interests,  and  he  is  now  the  general  auditor  of  the  independent 
oil  associations,  both  in  America  and  in  Europe.  INIr.  Tarbell  is  a  director  of 
the  Titusville  Board  of  Trade. 

In  the  fall  of  1882  he  was  m.arried  to  INIiss  Ella  C.  Scott,  of  Xapenille. 
near  Chicago,  Illinois,  and  they  have  three  children. — Esther  Ida.  Clara  Caro- 
line and  Franklin  Scott. 


Ida  M.,  Tarbell,  sister  of  William  \\".  Tarbell  (whose  sketch  precedes 
this),  has  achieved  a  national  reputation  as  a  writer  of  histor}-.  She  was 
bom  on  the  farm  of  her  maternal  grandfather.  A\'alter  Raleigh  McCullough. 
in  Erie  county.  Pennsylvania,  and  came  to  Titusville  with  her  father.  F.  S. 
Tarbell,  in  1868,  who  has  ever  since  been  a  resident  of  this  cit)-.  Ida  ^I.  was 
graduated  in  1874,  took  a  post-graduate  course  at  the  same  institution,  com- 
pleting it  in  1875 :  entered  Allegheny  College,  at  ;Mead\-ille,  in  the  autvmin  of 


778  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

that  year  and  graduated  in  1880.  In  tlie  fall  following  she  took  a  position 
as  a  preceptress  of  the  Poland  (Ohio)  Union  Seminary,  which  she  satis- 
factorily maintained  for  two  years;  then,  in  1882.  she  returned  to  Titusville. 
In  1883  she  went  to  Meadville,  this  county,  where  until  1891  she  was  asso- 
ciate editor  of  the  Chautauquan.  Next,  for  the  purpose  of  pursuing  higher 
studies,  she  went  to  Paris  and  remained  there  for  three  years,  during  which 
time  she  attended  lectures  in  the  Sorbonne  and  the  College  de  France,  at  the 
same  time  contributing  regularly  to  several  American  magazines  and  news- 
papers. 

In  1894  she  returned  to  America  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  began  the 
publication,  in  McClure's  Magazine,  of  a  short  life  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte. 
This  work  was  put  into  book  form  in  1895  and  at  this  date  fully  one  hun- 
dred thousand  copies  have  been  sold.  In  the  autumn  of  1895  she  began,  in 
McClure's  Magazine,  the  Early  Life  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  which  ran 
through  thirteen  numbers  of  that  periodical,  and  which  the  publishers  claim 
added  over  one  hundred  thousand  subscribers  to  their  magazine.  In  1896 
Miss  Tarbell  published,  through  Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  a  biographical  study 
of  Madame  Roland,  the  material  for  which  she  had  collected  while  a  resident 
of  Paris.  In  the  fall  of  1896  she  undertook  to  edit,  under  the  direction  of 
Charles  A.  Dana,  his  reminiscences  of  the  civil  war,  and  this  work  was  pub- 
lished in  McClure's  Magazine,  beginning  in  November,  1897.  In  December, 
1898,  Miss  Tarbell  began,  in  the  same  magazine,  the  ptiblication  of  her 
Later  Life  of  Lincoln.  She  is  at  present  a  resident  of  Washington,  D.  C, 
where  she  holds  the  position  of  the  resident  associate  editor  of  McClure's 
Magazine. 


EHslia  K.  Bo-ccinaii,  of  Spring  township,  was  born  on  January  13,  1824, 
on  the  old  family  homestead,  which  is  part  of  the  original  four  hundred  acres 
located  and  settled  upon  by  his  pioneer  ancestor.  Obtaining  his  education 
at  the  district  schools,  Mr.  Bowman  was  reared  a  farmer  and  has  ever  followed 
the  culture  of  the  soil. 

On  September  24,  1846,  he  married  Mary  Foster,  and  their  children  were 
Gilbert  D.  (died  aged  seventeen)  ;  Mary  J.  (died  aged  six)  ;  Frank  F.,  Ralph 
H.,  Elisha  L.,  Cora  (died  aged  thirteen),  and  Perry  F.  Mrs.  Mary  Bowman 
died  on  March  22,  1893.  Ralph  married  first  Sadie  F.  Clover  and  had  a 
daughter,  Minnie  M.  His  second  wife,  married  on  July  4,  1889,  was  Miss 
Minnie  Casbohm,  of  Mercer  county,  Penns)dvania.  They  had  three  children, 
Lee  C,  who  died  at  the  age  of  eight  months;  Ray  L.  and  Lillian. 

Elisha  Bowman,  father  of  Elisha  K.  Bowman,  was  born  in  Connecticut 
on  March  31,  1788,  and  moved  to  the  state  of  New  York  when  eleven  years 
old.  Marrying  Sally  King,  of  Oneida  county,  New  York,  they  came  to  this 
county  in  181 6  and  at  once  located  on  the  land  spoken  of  above,  which  lies 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  779 

just  north  of  Springboro.     Elisha  Bowman  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  1812 
and  was  stationed  at  Sackett's  Harbor,  New  York.     His  father,  also  Ehsha 
Bowman,  was  a  captain  in  the  army  of  the  Revolution. 
Ancestry  of  family,  English,  Welsh  and  German. 


Edzvard  Croxall,  landscape  gardener,  Titusville,  is  a  native  of  England, 
and  was  first  identified  with  Titusville  in  1871.  Mr.  Croxall  was  born  in 
Cornwall,  England,  March  19,  1830,  son  of  Samuel  and  Harriet  (Dowrick) 
Croxall ;  the  former  died  at  the  age  of  seventy- four  years,  the  latter  at  the 
age  of  eighty-six  years.  For  some  years  prior  to  their  death  they  had  been 
residents  of  Canada.  Mr.  Croxall  was  the  eighth  child  of  a  family  of  nine 
children:  Thomas,  deceased;  Lydia.  deceased;  John  Bramton,  Ontario; 
Mary  Ann,  deceased;  James  Whitby,  Ontario;  Elizabeth,  deceased;  Re- 
bekah,  wife  of  Aaron  Bagshaw ;  Edward,  mentioned  above;  Harriet,  wife 
of  Charles  Parish,  Port  Perry,  Ontario.  September  21,  1868,  Mr.  Croxall  mar- 
ried Mary,  daughter  of  John  Wass,  of  ^^'hitby,  Ontario,  and  their  children 
are  John,  Lydia,  Harriet,  Charles  and  Jabez. 

Mr.  Croxall  began  as  a  gardener  in  Bridgeport.  Connecticut,  and  since 
he  came  to  Titusville  has  brought  about  many  chang'es  in  and  atout  the  city 
and  has  been  identified  with  the  beautifying  of  the  most  prominent  homes  of 
Titusville.  Such  men  as  Mr.  Croxall  are  entitled  to  the  credit  of  enhancing 
the  beauty  and  worth  of  the  natural  habitation,  and  also  bring  out  its  value 
by  many  additional  touches,  such  as  come  not  alone  from  the  hand  of  nature. 
A  large  majority  of  the  beautiful  homes  of  Titus\'ille  bear  evidence  of  his 
work  and  skill. 


John  Crowe,  architect  and  builder,  Meadville,  a  native  of  Clare  county. 
Ireland,  was  born  in  1844.  Mr.  Crowe  came  to  America  with  his  parents, 
Patrick  and  Bridget  (Downs)  Crowe,  when  but  a  mere  lad,  and  resided  at 
Jamestown  for  several  years,  where  he  learned  his  trade  and  held  a  position 
with  Carpenter  &  Mathews  for  some  time,  and  since  1885  has  carried  on  an 
extensive  business.  He  removed  to  Meadville  in  1870,  and  since  that  time 
has  acted  as  foreman  in  the  building  of  the  court-house,  St.  Bridget's  church 
and  other  prominent  buildings  of  the  city.  December  6,  1868,  he  married 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Alice  (Cousedine)  McCabe,  who  were 
among  the  early  settlers  of  Crawford  county.  Daniel  McCabe  was  born  in 
igio  and  died  in  1883.  Mrs.  McCabe  still  survives,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
four  years,  and  resides  at  Conneautville.  this  county.  The  children  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Crowe  are  Patrick  H. ;  John  L. ;  Martin  W. ;  Mitchell  T. ;  Robert 
E. ;  Edward  F.,  and  Mary  Alice  Crowe.  Michael  T.  is  pursuing  a  corre- 
spondence course  in  the  International  Architectural  School,  Scranton,  Penn- 
svlvania. 


jSo  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Hon.  John  C.  Sturtevant  of  Conneautville  was  born  in  Spring  township, 
this  county,  February  20,  1835.  His  early  hfe  was  passed  on  the  farm,  and, 
educated  in  the  pubHc  schools,  he  taught  school  eight  winters.  In  i86l  and 
1862  he  was  assistant  sergeant-at-arms  in  the  state  legislature  at  Harrisburg, 
and  was  chief  messenger  of  the  same  body  in  1864.  In  1864,  also,  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  state  house  of  representatives,  and  re-elected  in  1865, 
served  in  the  sessions  of  1865  and  1866,  doing  good  work  on  the  committees 
on  railways,  banking  and  education.  He  removed  to  Conneavitville  July  i, 
1867,  and  here  he  has  held  several  borough  offices.  He  has  been  ever  an 
unswerving  Republican,  and  in  November,  1896,  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
national  house  of  representatives ;  and  in  the  extra  session  of  that  body  served 
on  the  committee  on  invalid  pensions  and  claims. 

Mr.  Sturtevant  is  identified  with  numerous  business  enterprises.  From' 
1867  till  1873  he  was  in  company  with  Irwin  S.  Krick  in  hardware  merchan- 
dising; in  January,  1874,  he  was  made  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Conneautville,  and  this  position  he  filled  with  fidelity  until  1878,  when  he 
was  elected  the  president  of  the  bank,  and  now  holds  the  ofiice. 

October  12,  1871,  Mr.  Sturtevant  married  Sarah  A.  Gleason  of  Con- 
neautville, and  their  children  (all  sons)  were  Park,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
two  years,  Paul  and  Watkin  P.  Sturtevant.  Paul  is  a  student  in  Allegheny 
College  at  Meadville.  and  ^^'atkin  P.  attends  the  public  schools.  Mr.  Sturte- 
vant's  father,  Daniel  W.,  was  born  in  Vermont,  JVIay  2,  1806.  When  he 
was  an  infant  his  parents  mo\'ed  to  central  New  York  and  to  the  homestead 
in  the  township  of  Spring,  Crawford  county,  in  1818,  when  he  was  twelve 
years  old.  He  received  a  common-school  education,  became  a  farmer,  and 
about  1830  married  Susan  Hall  of  Spring  township.  Their  children  were 
Hon.  Ritner  H.,  Hon.  John  C,  Emeline,  Seth  B.  and  Almera  (Mrs.  Irwin 
S.  Krick).  Daniel  W.  Sturtevant  died  in  August,  ,1865,  and  his  widow  is 
now  (1897)  living.  Mr.  Sturtevant's  grandfather,  Timothy  Sturtevant,  was 
born  in  Vermont.  The  original  home  of  the  family  was  in  the  province  of 
Alsace,  in  1871  ceded  from  France  to  Germany.  The  first  American  ancestor 
came  to  America  about  1640.  Mr.  Sturtevant's  grandmother's  ancestors 
(Billings)  came  to  this  country  from  England,  locating  in  Massachusetts  be- 
fore the  Revolution. 


Frederick  J.  Kehort,  who  is  a  well  known  business  man  of  Mead\'ille,  is 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Kebort  &  Schmidt.  He  is  a  native  of  Bavaria,  Ger- 
many, born  December  21,  1868,  the  third  child  in  the  family  of  Nicholas  and 
Mary  Kebort,  who  are  now  residents  of  Stringtown,  this  state.  His  brothers 
and  sisters  are :  Nicholas;  Henry;  Charles:  Linnie,  wife  of  George  Vatler; 
Eva,  deceased ;    and  Anna. 

In  his  youth  F.  J.  Kebort  attended  the  schools  of  his  Fatherland  for  seven 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  781 

years.  Upon  coming  to  tlie  United  States  lie  first  lived  with  his  parents  in 
the  western  part  of  Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  1882  went  to 
Conneautville.  Three  years  later  he  came  to  Meadville,  and  for  several  yeai's 
he  clerked  in  various  hotels  here.  On  the  i8th  of  May,  1895,  he  embarked 
in  his  present  business,  that  of  running  a  restaurant,  at  170  and  172  West 
Chestnut  street,  in  the  Roddy  block,  near  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  & 
Ohio  Railroad  depot,  and  in  this  enterprise  he  has  met  with  the  success  which 
he  justly  deserves,  for  everything  connected  with  the  place  is  neat  and  first 
class,  winning  the  approbation  of  the  public.  September  10,  1898,  his  part- 
ner in  business  died  and  he  bought  his  half  interest  from  Mrs.  E.  W.  Schmidt 
on  the  27th  of  that  month. 

Mr.  Kebort  is  interested  in  the  general  welfare  of  this  city  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Taylor  fire  department.  Fraternally,  he  is  associated  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Order  of  Elks  and  the  Heptasophs.  He  married 
Miss  Anna  Louise  Gahring,  a  daughter  of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Erb) 
Gahring,  of  Mead\'ille.  October  25,  1892,  and  one  child,  Harold  Henry,  who 
has  since  died,  was  born  to  the  young  couple. 


Edivard  Eilcr,  proprietor  of  the  Meadville  Bottling  Works,  was  born 
in  Brooklyn,  New  York,  February  5,  1862,  and  has  lived  in  this  city  since 
he  was  two  years  of  age.  He  is  the  fourth  in  a  family  of  five  children,  his 
parents  being-  Valentine  and  Barbara  Eiler,  who  were  natives  of  Germany. 
They  are  now  living  in  Meadville,  the  father  in  his  seventy-first  year,  and 
the  mother  in  her  sixty-ninth  year.  Their  other  sons  are  Jacob  J.,  Peter  A., 
and  Valentine  W.,  and  their  only  daughter,  Anna,  is  the  wife  of  Charles  P. 
Hagerman. 

Edward  Eiler  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Meadville, 
and  ere  he  had  completed  his  studies  he  was  employed  during  his  vacations 
in  a  drug  store.  Later  he  was  engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  and  in  1887 
he  became  the  owner  of  his  present  establishment,  which  he  has  since  greatly 
improved  and  enlarged,  thereby  increasing  its  capacity,  as  tlie  trade  de- 
manded. 

Fraternally,  Mr.  Eiler  is  a  member  of  the  Meadville  Council,  No.  78, 
Royal  Arcanum.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Taylor  Flose  Company 
of  Meadville,  and  has  always  manifested  great  interest  in  local  affairs.  His 
wife  was  Miss  Flattie  Stebbins  prior  to  their  marriage,  and  they  have  one 
child,  Burton  Valentine. 


Evalon  C.  Hoag,  the  son  of  Isaac  and  Sarah  Badgeley  Hoag,  was  born 
in  Harmony,  Chautauqua  county.  New  York,  March  2,  1845,  was  educated 
at  the  county  district  schools  and  at  Jamestown  Academy.  He  was  also 
graduated  at  Eastman's  Commercial  College,  at  Poughkeepsie,  New  York, 


782  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

in  August,  1863.  In  December  of  that  year  he  entered  the  employ  of  the 
Atlantic  &  Great  Western  Railroad  (afterward  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania 
&  Ohio),  in  the  office  of  General  H.  F.  Sweetser,  the  general  superintendent 
ot  the  road,  and  remained  there  until  August,  1868,  when  he  came  to  the  oil 
country.  He  was  in  the  office  of  George  K.  Anderson,  and  afterward  with 
Sam  O.  Brown,  at  Pleasantville.  In  March,  1872,  he  was  appointed  assist- 
ant^ cashier  of  the  Titusville  Exchange  Bank,  and  afterward  cashier.  From 
1879  to  1881  he  was  with  the  Tidewater  Pipe  Company.  He  was  the  treas- 
urer and  a  director  of  the  Norfolk  &  Cincinnati  Railroad  until  May,  1882, 
when,  upon  the  organization  of  the  Titusville  Commercial  Bank,  he  was 
elected  its  cashier,  and  he  has  held  the  position  ever  since.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  common  council  of  Titusville,  and  a  member  of  the  school  board  from 
1891  to  1895. 

In  June,  1873,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Frances  Smyth,  daughter  of 
Rev.  J.  J.  Smyth.  Of  this  union  two  children  have  been  born,  one  of  whom 
died  in  infancy,  and  the  other,  Mary  Sterling  Hoag,  is  now  living. 


Francis  H.  Gibbs  was  born  February  21,  181 7,  at  Rocky  Hill,  Connecti- 
cut. His  father  was  a  prominent  business  man  and  a  large  dealer  in  real  es- 
tate. His  grandmother  was  engaged  in  an  established  business  of  manufac- 
turing buttons  for  the  patriot  soldiers  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 

On  July  28,  1840,  Mr.  Gibbs  was  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Keith.  The 
surviving  children  of  this  union  are  Emma,  the  wife  of  John  J.  Carter  of  this 
city;  Charles  L.  Gibbs,  also  of  this  city;  and  Mrs.  Fox,  wife  of  Dr.  Fox, 
of  New  York  city.  George  Gibbs,  the  oldest  son,  died  about  twenty  years 
ago  at  Coi-ry,  Pennsylvania,  and  Mrs.  Sarah  (Keith)  Gibbs  died  at  Nunda, 
New  York,  about  thirty  3^ears  ago.  Several  years  afterward  Mr.  Gibbs 
married  Mrs.  H.  B.  Davis  of  Titusville,  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Gibbs  died  at 
his  old  homestead,  in  Nunda,  New  York,  July  16,  1885. 

In  early  life  Mr.  Gibbs  was  a  wagonmaker  by  trade,  and  he  worked  sev- 
eral years  at  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  He  came  thence  to  Nunda,  where 
he  was  engaged  several  years  in  the  manufacture  of  wagons,  specially  for  use 
in  the  construction  of  the  Genesee  Valley  canal  and  its  subsequent  mainte- 
nance. Afterward  he  entered  into  partnership  with  a  Mr.  Bogley  of  Dans- 
viile.  New  York,  under  the  firm  name_  of  Gibbs  &  Bogley,  and  they  operated 
extensively  in  the  building  of  railroads  in  Iowa.  They  had  large  contracts 
in  this  wori<,  which  were  highly  lucrative  in  their  results.  Mr.  Gibbs  then 
returned  to  Nunda  and  started,  on  the  banks  of  the  Genesee  Valley  canal, 
a  large  warehouse,  buying  in  large  quantity  wool,  grain,  apples,  etc.,  for  the 
New  York  market,  and  shipping  by  canal.  This  led  him  to  New  York  city, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  commission  business  on  Water  street,  where  he  op- 
erated with  success  until  the  opening  of  the  oil  business  on  Oil  Creek,  when 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  78 


o 


he  came  with  another  man  to  the  oil  country.  They  invested  nineteen  thou- 
sand dollars  in  the  Noble  well,  and  cleared  in  this  venture  twenty  thousand 
dollars  each.  At  about  this  time  he  purchased  land  on  Sandy  creek,  Clarion 
county,  Penns3'lvania.  This  property  brought  no  returns  until  1885,  but 
it  has  since  paid  more  than  the  principal  and  interest  on  the  original  invest- 
ment. Then  he  purchased  the  Nunda  machine  works  for  eighty  thousand 
dollars  cash,  and  in  company  with  C.  M.  Wheeler  manufactured  for  the  oil 
trade  the  Nunda  engines  and  boilers.  Out  of  this  grew  the  great  Gibbs  & 
Sterrett  Manufacturing  Company,  at  Titusville,  v/hich,  unfortunately,  after- 
ward extended  its  business  to  the  manufacture  of  mowers  and  reapers  at 
Corry,  Pennsylvania,  an  enterprise  foreign  to  its  original  undertaking,  af- 
fording a  lesson  of  warning  against  the  risk  of  expansion  into  outside  fields. 
Up  to  the  time  when  the  Gibbs  &  Sterrett  Company  directed  its  operations 
into  new  channels,  and  thus  divided  its  resources,  few  business  firms  in  the 
United  States  enjoyed  better  credit,  and  it  had  only  to  adhere  to  the  original 
character  of  its  work  to  make  permanent  its  success. 

Charles  L.  Gibbs,  the  only  surviving  son  of  Francis  H.,  is  a  graduate  of 
Rochester  University.  He  has  represented  the  first  ward  in  the  select  council 
of  Titusville,  has  been  engaged  many  years  in  oil  production,  and  is  now 
employed  in  the  development  of  the  Spartansburg  field.  (An  account  of  his 
past  oil  operations  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work. ) 

Several  vears  ago  he  was  married  to  Miss  Kate  Vick  of  Rochester,  New 
York. 


Theodore  B.  West  gate,  the  son  of  Reuben  B.  and  Huldah  (Ferry)  West- 
gate,  was  born  at  Riceville,  Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania,  July  13,  1858, 
and  educated  at  the  common  schools  and  at  a  commercial  college  at  Denver, 
Colorado.  In  his  boyhood,  when  not  at  school,  he  was  employed  in  his  fath- 
er's sash  and  blind  works  in  Riceville,  and  on  his  return  from  Colorado,  in 
1882,  he  joined  his  brother  in  operating  the  old  sash  and  blind  plant,  which 
had  been  established  by  his  grandfather,  B.  B.  Westgate,  in  1843.  The  orig- 
inal firm  was  B.  B.  Westgate  &  Sons.  In  1866  the  plant  was  sold  to  Joshua 
Bruner,  who  operated  it  two  years.  In  1866  the  entire  Westgate  family 
moved  from  Riceville  to  Vineland,  New  Jersej^,  and  resided  there  the  next 
two  }rears.  At  the  end  of  that  time  Reuben  B.  Westgate,  father  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  purchased  back  the  sash  and  blind  works  and  continued  to 
operate  them  until  his  death,  in  August,  1874.  After  his  death  the  executors 
of  his  estate  continued  to  operate  the  plant  until  1880. 

The  first  wife,  Huldah  T.  Westgate,  died  in  1866.  In  1867  Reuben  B. 
Westgate  married  for  his  second  wife  Miss  Clemina  Gray  of  Harpersfield. 
Ohio,  who  survives  him. 

In  1880  the  sash  and  blind  works  came  into  the  possession  of  Arthur  H. 


784  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

and  T.  B.  Westgate,  who  continued  to  operate  it  under  the  firm  name  of 
Westgate  Brothers  until  1884,  when  Arthur  succeeded  to  the  entire  business, 
which  he  still  carries  on  at  Riceville.  In  1886  the  subject  of  this  sketch  came 
to  Titusville  and  went  into  the  service  of  the  American  Oil  Company  as  book- 
keeper, and  continued  in  that  capacity  for  four  years,  when  he  became  a  part- 
ner in  the  company  and  was  elected  its  treasurer,  a  position  which  he  still 
continues  to  hold.  In  1896  he  was  chosen  a  director  of  the  Pure  Oil  Com- 
pany, and  still  holds  the  position.  In  1892  he  was  elected  one  of  the  managers 
of  the  Producers  and  Refiners'  Oil  Company,  Limited,  a  place  he  continues 
also  to  hold. 

In  June,  1895,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lou  G.  Rouse,  daughter  of  M.  R. 
Rouse,  and  of  this  union  there  is  one  child. 


William  Earl  Tcege,  son  of  William  and  Amelia  (Soderman)  Teege, 
was  born  in  Titusville  February  8,  1872,  the  youngest  of  three  children,  was 
educated  in  the  city  schools,  and  lived  six  years  with  the  rest  of  the  family 
at  Batavia,  New  York.  From  1887  to  1892  he  had  charge,  in  Rochester,  New 
York,  of  a  branch  office  of  the  Titusville  American  Oil  Works.  Since  then 
he  has  been  engaged  at  the  Vvorks  in  this  city.  He  represents  the  Teege  inter- 
ests, which  are  owned  by  himself  and  two  sisters,  in  the  American  Oil  com- 
pany, of  which  he  is  secretary. 

Ii:i  1896  he  was  married  to  Miss  Cora  Emma,  daughter  of  M.  R.  Rouse. 
His  father,  W^illiam  Teege,  Sr.,  came  from  Mecklenburg,  Germany,  in  1861, 
to  Titusville,  where,  except  five  years  at  Batavia,  New  York,  he  continued 
to  reside  until  his  death,  in  1894.  He  had  a  farm  near  Batavia,  which  he 
operated  five  years.  He  was  employed  several  years,  in  the  '60s  and  after- 
wards, by  the  Titusville  Pipe  Company,  at  Titusville.  After  he  left  that  com- 
pany he  built  one  or  two  refineries  at  Titusville,  on  the  south  side  of  the  creek. 
In  1885,  in  company  w'ith  Frank  Tackey  and  others,  he  built  the  American  Oil 
Works,  on  South  Brown  street.  He  represented  the  first  ward  in  the  common 
council.  His  first  wife  died  at  Batavia  and  was  buried  there.  In  1884  he 
was  married  to  Mary  Reiner,  who  survives  him,  living  in  Titusville. 


5".  S.  Levy,  the  son  of  Barnard  and  Lena  (Marks)  Levy,  was  born  in 
Titusville,  Pennsylvania,  November  15,  1872.  He  was  educated  at  the  city 
schools,  besides  receiving  instruction  in  German  and  Hebrew  from  a  private 
tutor.  He  was  also  graduated  at  the  Bradford  Business  College  in  1888.  In 
1889  he  was  bookkeeper  for  the  New  England  Pants  Company,  in  Philadel- 
phia, one  year;  next  he  managed  tine  business  of  the  company  from  1890  to 
1 89 1,  and  then  the  company  moving  its  business  to  New  York,  he  managed 
for  it  there  from  1891  to  1892.  He  next  kept  books  for  Hiram  Blow  &  Com- 
pany, in  Kentucky,  one  year.     In  January,  1893,  he  returned  to  Titusville  and 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  785 

engaged  as  accountant  for  the  company  of  the  Queen  City  Tannery,  and  he 
has  ever  since  held  the  position. 

He  is  a  memher  of  the  Chorazin  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  in  Titusville, 
and  of  the  Maccabees ;  also  of  the  Elks  and  of  the  Oil  Creek  Lodge  of  the 
Masons;  is  at  present  the  scribe  of  the  Aaron  Chapter,  R.  A.  AL,  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Occident  Council,  R.  &  S.  M. ;  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Presque 
Isle  Lodge  of  Perfection,  at  Erie,  Pennsylvania. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Levy  carried  on  an  extensive  business 
in  the  manufacture  of  fur  goods  in  Kahvaria,  in  Russian  Poland.  A  maternal 
uncle  of  the  mother  of  Mr.  Levy,  Herr  Mordecai  Lipnock,  was  a  distinguished 
Russian  officer  in  both  the  army  and  the  na^'y  of  the  czar.  Another  Lipnock, 
a  relative,  a  man  of  wealth  and  business  enterprise,  was  known  throughout 
the  empire  for  his  charities.  He  had  a  system  of  donating  one-tenth  of  his 
income  to  charitable  objects.  He  was  an  extensive  dealer  in  leather,  and  the 
effect  was  to  incline  his  descendants  to  the  tanning  business.  The  maternal 
grandfather  of  Mr.  Levy,  Marks,  was  a  large  manufacturer  of  pottery  at 
Suwalki,  in  Russian  Poland. 


Rev.  Joseph  M.  Dunn  was  born  in  1844  at  Summerhill,  near  the  city  of 
Dublin,  Ireland.  He  was  a  student  at  the  preparatory  school  of  Trinity  Col- 
leee,  at  Dublin,  then  attended  the  Seminary  of  the  Diocese  of  Meath.  He 
came  to  America  in  1859,  studied  in  New  York,  and  was  a  student  at  Seton 
College.  From  that  institution  he  went  to  Niagara  University,  where  he 
completed  his  theological  education.  He  was  ordained  a  priest  at  Erie,  Penn- 
sylvania, in  1869,  the  first  ordained  by  Bishop  Mullen.  Father  Casey  was 
ordained  at  the  same  time.  His  first  parish  was  that  of  Corry,  this  state, 
where  he  served  two  years,  and  next  he  was  at  Union  City,  also  in  this  state, 
about  twentj^-two  years.  In  February,  1892,  he  became  the  rector  of  the  St. 
Titus'  church  in  Titusville.  and  has  continued  its  rector  until  the  present  time. 
Under  his  ministrations  St.  Titus  church  has  steadily  prospered. 


Elislia  Gilbert  Patterson  was  1:)orn  at  Hudson,  New  York.  October  26, 
1833,  entered  the  office  of  the  treasurer  of  the  Hudson  River  Railroad  in 
February,  185 1,  and  was  assistant  treasurer  when  he  was  appointed  auditor 
of  the  Michigan  Southern  &  Northern  Indiana  Raih'oad  Company,  with  head- 
quarters at  Adrian.  Michigan.  He  was  superintendent  associate  of  the  Mil- 
waukee &  Prairie  du  Chien  Railroad,  manager  of  the  Kenosha,  Rockford  & 
Rock  Island  Railroad ;  assistant  superintendent  of  the  Chicago  &  Northwest- 
em  Railroad,  and  general  superintendent  of  the  Raritan  &  Delaware  Bay 
Railroad;  was  manager  for  the  land  owners  of  the  Holmden  farm  at  Pithole, 
Pennsylvania ;  was  engaged  with  James  McNair  in  petroleum  production  on 
Cherry  Run,,and  he  operated  extensively  in  the  Church  Run  district  and  in  the 

so 


786  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

development  of  the  Bradford  field,  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Emery,  Pat- 
terson &  Company. 

He  was  chairman  of  the  legislative  committee  during  the  war  against 
the  South  Improvement  Company,  and  as  a  member  of  the  oil-country  dele- 
gation he  presented  the  case  of  his  constituents  before  the  railway  officers  in 
i\ew  York  city.  As  chairman  of  the  transportation  committee  of  the  Pro- 
ducers.' Union,  and  a  member  of  its  legal  committee,  he  wrote  the  address 
ot  the  people  of  the  Pennsylvania  Oil  Region  to  Governor  Hartranft,  drafted 
and  advocated  before  congress  the  original  inter-state  commerce  act,  drafted 
the  existing  law  regulating  the  operation  of  pipe  lines,  participated  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  state  suits,  and  opposed  the  scheme  for  their  abandonment 
and  the  substitution  of  a  criminal  action,  and  withdrew  from  further  partici- 
pation when  it  was  decided  upon  by  the  committee.  He  was  one  of  the  pro- 
jectors and  a  charter  member  of  the  Tide  Water  Pipe  Company,  and  has  been 
interested  in  other  lines  for  oil  transportation.  In  late  years  Mr.  Patterson 
has  devoted  himself  to  mechanical  improvements  in  railroads. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  society  of  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution  and 
of  the  Sons  of  Colonial  Wars. 

The  wife  of  Mr.  Patterson  was  Ellen  Maria  Tefft,  daughter  of  the  late 
Israel  K.  Tefft,  of  Rome,  New  York,  and  niece  of  the  founder  of  the  firm  of 
Tefft.  Weller  &  Company  of  New  York. 


Charles  Burgess  was  born  in  Pelsall,  England,  October  2,  1S41,  ana  in 
his  earlv  life  he  spent  many  years  in  iron  and  steel  mills  in  and  near  Shef- 
field. At  the  age  of  twenty-four  he  came  to  the  United  States,  in  March,  1866. 
He  first  worked  at  Troy,  New  York,  where  he  was  engaged  for  a  time  in  the 
Bessemer  Steel  Works,  and  was  also  employed  in  making  special  iron.  After 
a  year  there  he  went  to  Pittsburg,  and  worked  there  for  a  short  time  in  an  iron 
and  steel  mill.  Then  he  rented,  just  outside  of  Pittsburg,  a  forge,  and  began 
experimenting  in  producing  various  kinds  of  steel.  Three  years  afterward 
he  went  to  England,  where  he  remained  several  months.  Then  he  returned 
to  America  and  went  to  fronton,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  with  the  Ironton 
Walling  Mill  Company  to  manufacture  some  of  his  specialties  of  iron  and  steel. 
While  there  his  products  received  the  highest  award  at  the  Cincinnati  Exposi- 
tion, against  eight  or  nine  competitors. 

During  his  stay  at  Ironton  he  was  married  to  Miss  Charlotte  Moreland 
of  Detroit,  Michigan,  formerly  of  England.  A  few  months  afterward  he 
sold  to  the  company  for  whom  he  had  worked  the  right  to  manufacture  and 
sell  his  iron  and  steel,  and  with  his  young  wife  made  a  trip  to  England,  to 
visit  their  friends.  After  an  absence  of  about  four  months  he  returned  to 
Ironton,  and  found  parties  waiting  there  to  organize  a  company  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  iron  and  steel  under  his  direction.    A  company  of  six  was  formed. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  787 

of  which  he  was  one,  whose  one-sixth  interest  was  assigned  to  him  in  consider- 
ation of  his  skill  and  abihty,  and  he  was  made  the  general  superintendent  and 
a  director.  The  works,  which  were  at  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  were  named,  after 
him,  the  Burgess  Steel  and  Iron  Works.  This  plant  was  one  of  the  most 
successful  concerns  during  the  panic  from  1873  to  1875.  His  products  were 
of  such  superiority  as  to  win  the  highest  premiums  wherever  exhibited.  Three 
gold  medals  were  awarded  to  him  over  many  competitors.  About  two-  years 
afterward  he  sold  his  rights  to  the  company.  The  Burgess  Steel  and  Iron 
Works  are  still  running  under  their  original  name. 

Mr.  Burgess  then  went  again  to  England  and  sojourned  there  this  time 
five  years,  because  of  his  father's  illness,  until  his  father's  death.  Then  he 
returned  to  the  United  States  and  engaged  with  the  Cleveland  Rolling  Mill 
Company.  He  had  charge  of  one  of  the  company's  departments,  producing 
his  specialties  in  iron  and  tool  steel  for  five  years. 

He  left  there  and  came  to  Titusville  in  1884,  and  with  others  he  began 
to  manufacture  iron  and  tool  steel.  One-fourth  interest  in  the  plant  was 
assigned  to  him  by  the  company  in  consideration  of  his  skill  and  experience, 
making  him  the  general  manager  and  superintendent.  The  works  were  op- 
erated about  a  year  and  a  half  under  the  name  of  Burgess,  Garrett  &  Com- 
pany. Charles  Burgess  then  purchased  the  interests  of  his  partners,  found- 
ing the  Cyclops  Steel  Works,  of  which  he  has  ever  since  been  the  sole  owner. 

Mr.  Burgess  is  one  of  the  ten  citizens  who  in  1896  each  subscribed  ten 
thousand  dollars  to  the  stock  of  the  Titusville  Industrial  Fund  Association. 
He  is  a  director  of  the  association  and  a  director  of  the  Titusville  Board  of 
Trade.  Two  or  three  years  ago  he  purchased  the  Jonathan  Watson  home,  at 
the  east  end,  and  expended  upon  it  several  thousand  dollars  in  reconstruction 
and  repairs,  making  it  his  permanent  family  residence.  It  is  needless  to  say 
that  Charles  Burgess  ranks  as  one  of  the  substantial  representative  citizens  of 
Titusville. 


Daniel  Colcstock,  the  son  of  Daniel  and  Catharine  (Myers)  Colesiock, 
vv'as  born  September  29,  1843,  "^'ii'  East  Rochester,  Columbiana  county,  Ohio. 
?Ie  is  the  youngest  of  twelve  children,  nnie  of  whom  are  still  living.  The 
oldest  brother  is  a  retired  clergyman  of  the  United  Brethren  denomination, 
residing  at  Mechanicsburg,  Cumberland  county,  Pennsylvania.  At  the  age 
of  fifteen  Daniel  learned  telegraphy.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  saw  Presi- 
dent-elect Lincoln,  in  February,  1861,  at  Bayard,  Ohio,  who  made  a  short 
speech  to  the  crowd  as  the  train,  in  which  Mr.  Lincoln  was  riding  on  his  way 
to  Washington,  stopped  at  the  station  there.  In  the  fall  of  1861  Daniel  went 
into  the  telegraphic  service  of  the  government  and  continued  in  the  same 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  From  1862  to  the  end  of  the  war  he  was  with 
the  late  C.  O.  Rowe  in  the  same  service. 


788  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the  American  Tele- 
graph Company,  at  Washington,  D.  C,  one  year.  In  1867  he  came  to  Pitts- 
Imrg,  Pennsylvania,  and  became  chief  clerk  of  the  superintendent  of  the  West- 
ern Union  Telegraph  Company  at  that  place.  Not  long  afterward  Mr.  Rowe 
became  the  superintendent  of  the  division  of  western  Pennsylvania  of  the 
Western  Union  Telegraph  Company,  and  Mr.  Colestock  continued  as  his 
chief  clerk  during  the  rest  of  Mr.  Rowe's  life.  The  period  of  Mr.  Colestock's 
service  as  chief  clerk  of  the  superintendent  of  the  division  was  twenty-two 
consecutive  years.  In  1881  Mr.  Rowe  moved  the  headcjuarters  of  the  division 
TO  Titusville.  accompanied  by  Mr.  Colestock,  who  thereafter  with  his  family 
made  this  city  his  home.  The  headquarters  of  the  division  in  1888  were 
moved  back  to  Pittsburg,  and  Mr.  Colestock  was  there  one  year.  On  June  i, 
1889,  he  resigned  his  position  as  chief  clerk,  returned  to  Titusville  and  pur- 
chased an  interest  in  the  Joy  Radiator  Works  there,  with  which  he  has  since 
been  connected.  After  Mr.  Joy's  death,  in  1895,  his  interest  was  purchased 
by  the  Titusville  Iron  Works,  Limited,  the  two  institutions  merging  under  a 
corporate  charter,  with  the  name  of  The  Titusville  Iron  Company,  making 
the  radiator  plant  a  department  of  the  Titusville  Iron  Company.  Mr.  Cole- 
stock is  secretary  of  the  general  company  and  one  of  its  directors;  and  he 
is  the  manager  of  the  Radiator  department. 

In  1 87 1  Mr.  Colestock  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Conlan. 


F.  D.  Gaston. — At  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  this  country  the  an- 
cestors of  F.  D.  Gaston  came  to  Alassachusetts  from  France,  and  among  the 
pioneers  of  the  western  section  of  Crawford  county.  Pennsyh-ania,  many  of 
his  relatives  were  numbered. 

Born  in  1853,  F.  D.  Gaston  is  the  youngest  of  six  children,  the  others 
being:  W.  G.,  of  Cochranton;  Athelston;  E.  H.,  deceased;  A.  B.,  of  Mead- 
ville;  and  Eunice  L.,  of  Springfield,  Missouri.  In  1873  F.  D.  and  Athelston 
Gaston  embarked  in  the  lumber  business  in  Utica.  and  for  over  a  quarter  of 
a  century  our  subject  has  devoted  his  whole  attention  to  the  management  of 
this  enterprise.  He  removed  to  IMeadville  in  1889  and  has  built  up  a  very 
extensive  patronage. 

In  1875  the  marriage  of  F.  D.  Gaston  and  Miss  Clara  L.  Henry  of  East 
Fallowfield  was  celebrated,  and  to  their  union  five  children  have  been  born, 
namely :    Edna,  Ethel,  Phylinda,  Marie  and  Audley. 


Rcz:  Henry  Piirdon.  D.  D..  the  founder  and  late  rector  of  the  St.  James 
Memorial  church  in  Titusville,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Dublin,  Ireland,  Au- 
gust 15,  1835.  (The  account  of  the  founding  of  the  church  in  1862,  together 
with  its  subsequent  history,  and  that  of  Dr.  Purdon,  will  be  found  under  the 
head  of  Titusville  Churches,  in  this  work.)     Certain  other  parts  of  Dr.  Pur- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  789 

don's  personal  record  are  given  here.  He  came  to  the  United  States  in  1854, 
and  completed  his  education  in  this  country.  Soon  after  his  arrival  in  New 
York  he  entered  the  junior  class  of  Union  College,  at  Schenectady,  New  York, 
and  was  graduated  at  that  institution  in  1857.  In  the  same  year  he  entered 
the  Theological  Seminary  of  Virginia,  graduating  in  1859,  and  in  July  that 
year  he  was  ordained  to  the  deaconate  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church. 
He  then  went  to  China,  but  returned  in  i860  and  settled  for  a  time  near  Phila- 
delphia. On  April  6,  1863,  he  was  ordained  to  the  priesthood.  On  July  29, 
1876,  he  received  from  the  Theological  Seminary  of  the  Diocese  of  Ohio  the 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  He  began  in  1862  his  work  in  the  oil  country, 
which  ended  with  his  sudden  death  December  21,  1898, — the  death  of  a 
great  and  good  man,  beloved  and  honored  in  the  city  by  all  classes  among 
whom  he  had  labored  as  a  Christian  minister  for  more  than  a  generation. 

In  1869  Dr.  Purdon  was  married  to  Miss  Marina,  daughter  of  the  late 
Rev.  Reuben  Tinker  of  Westfield,  New  York.  Their  oldest  child,  Harry 
Sidney,  was  born  in  September,  1870,  and  he  died  in  1872.  Two  daughters, 
Marina  Louisa  and  Alice  Rodney,  are  left  to  their  mother. 


Eber  E.  Edson. — One  of  the  old  families  of  New  England  and  Penn- 
sylvania is  represented  in  Riceville,  Crawford  county,  by  the  subject  of  this 
biographical  notice  and  his  immediate  relatives.  In  tracing  his  genealogy 
we  find  that  he  is  of  the  eighth  generation  of  Edsons  in  the  United  States,  and 
that  the  founder  of  the  family  in  the  New  World  was  one  Samuel  Edson, 
born  in  England  in  1612.  He  came  to  Massachusetts  among  the  early  set- 
tlers and  was  a  resident  of  Salem,  as  is  known,  in  1639.  About  1650  he  re- 
moved to  the  town  of  Bridgewater,  same  state,  and  was  one  of  the  original 
land-holders  there.  He  built  the  first  gristmill  in  that  place  and  was  one  of 
the  influential  and  progressive  citizens  there  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  in 
1692.  Succeeding  him  in  the  direct  line  of  descent  to  our  subject  were  three 
Samuels,  the  first,  born  in  1645,  died  in  1719;  the  second,  born  in  1690,  died 
in  1771 ;  and  the  third,  born  in  1714,  died  in  1803,  all  natives  of  Bridgewater. 
In  the  same  town  was  born  the  great-grandfather  of  our  subject,  Jonah  Ed- 
son, in  1 75 1.  He  removed  to  Westmoreland,  New  Hampshire,  and  there 
passed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  son  Jonah,  the  grandfather,  was  born 
in  Westmoreland,  in  1773,  and  departed  this  life  in  the  vicinity  of  Riceville, 
this  county,  in  1848. 

Eber'  E.  Edson  is  one  of  the  thirteen  children  born  to  Chelous  and 
Julian  (Bloomfield)  Edson,  who  were  married  in  1827.  The  father  was  born 
in  1806  and  died  in  i860,  and  the  mother,  born  in  1809,  died  in  1890.  In 
their  family  there  were  eight  girls  and  five  boys,  and  all  but  one  of  the  num- 
ber lived  to  maturity  and  were  married.  Four  of  the  sons  and  four  daughters 
are  living  at  this  time. 


790  OUR  COUNT V  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Born  in  1835,  in  Bloomfield.  Crawford  county,  Eber  Edson  spent  his 
boyhood  upon  his  fatiier"s  farm  and  received  a  common-school  education. 
Before  he  reached  his  majority  he  bought  his  time  of  his  parents  and  in  1857 
\Yent  to  CaHfornia.  During  the  next  twenty  years — for  he  did  not  return  to 
tlie  east  for  permanent  residence  until  1880 — he  experienced  many  of  the 
vicissitudes  common  to  frontier  life,  and  had  numerous  peculiar  experiences. 
At  one  time  he  owned  stock  in  Virginia  City,  which  stock  became  almost 
fabulously  valuable  after  he  had  disposed  of  it,  and  at  another  time  he  was 
engaged  in  working  a  mining  claim,  and  left  it  in  order  to  assist  in  the  pro- 
tection of  some  emigrants  against  the  Indians.  During  his  absence  his  claim, 
was  "jumped"  and  he  was  unable  to  recover  his  rights  in  the  property.  Once, 
when  pursued  by  Indians,  he,  being  on  horseback,  performed  a  feat  almost 
identical  with  the  famous  leap  of  McCullough,  under  similar  circumstances. 
He  was  strong  and  practically  without  fear,  able  to  do  wonderful  things  and 
bear  almost  insupportable  hardships,  as  the  true  frontiersman  must;  and 
though  the  life  he  led  was  remote  from  the  civilizing  influences  of  the  east 
he  never  sacrificed  his  inborn  principles  of  right  and  justice,  and  was  always 
ready  to  lend  a  hand  to  those  who  were  in  need.  At  the  time  of  Lincoln's 
assassination  he  was  the  owner  of  a  good  livery  stable  with  forty  horses  and 
vehicles  in  a  small  western  town.  The  whole  town  was  draped  with  mourn- 
ing emblems,  the  stables  as  well,  and  when  a  rough  westerner  started  out  with 
the  expressed  intention  of  tearing  down  all  the  crepe  and  came  to  ^Ir.  Edson's 
place  of  business  with  that  threat,  trouble  ensued.  The  bully  retired  with 
three  of  his  ribs  broken  and  had  to  be  helped  home.  The  outcome  of  the 
matter  was  that  the  livery  stable  and  fourteen  horses  were  burned,  the  loss 
being  a  complete  one  to  the  owner.  Another  experience  of  his  was  in  saving 
a  "wooden"  town  from  being  entirely  consumed  by  fire.  Contrary  to  the 
opinion  of  the  so-called  "fire  department,"  he  and  a  number  of  the  leadmg 
citizens  chopped  and  tore  down  a  row  of  frame  houses,  thus  preventing  the 
spreading  of  the  fier}-  element.  He  immediately  afterward  left  the  town  and 
the  next  morning  the  papers  were  loud  in  their  praises  of  the  "stranger" 
whose  good  sense  and  diligent  labors  had  preserved  the  place  from  destruc- 
tion. Many  a  narrow  escape  he  had  from  death,  in  its  varied  forms,  but  per- 
haps his  greatest  fortune  was  when  he  was  rescued,  barely  alive,  from  a  mine 
which  had  caved  in  upon  him. 

He  spent  nearly  three  years  in  prospecting  for  silver  in  the  territory  of 
Nevada  (now  a  state)  when  the  Indians  were  hostile.  Many  times  he  would 
ride  on  horseback  alone  into  their  country.  \\"hen  pursued  by  them  one  of  his 
strong  games  in  fooling  them  w-as  to  build  a  large  fire  just  at  dark  by  some 
spring  and  then  get  on  his  horse  and  ride  four  or  five  miles  in  the  dark  and 
lie  down  in  his  blankets  and  sleep  with  his  horse  tied  to  his  hand.  At  one 
time  he  rode  one  hundred  and  fifteen  miles  on  horseback,  in  Placer  county, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  791 

California,  in  fifteen  hours,  having  three  changes  of  horses,  in  search  of  a 
man  whose  sister  was  supposed  to  be  dying. 

For  the  past  eighteen  j-ears  he  has  been  quietly  engaged  in  business  ir. 
this,  his  native  county,  where  he  owns  real  estate  in  Bloomfield  and  Athens, • 
besides  the  store  in  Riceville,  which  is  managed  by  his  youngest  brother, 
Perl  B.,  who  was  born  in  1852.  He  is  a  Republican  and  Odd  Fellow,  and 
since  1897  has  been  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren  church. 

The  first  marriage  of  Mr.  Edson  was  solemnized  in  1856,  Miss  Fanny 
Akin  becoming  his  wife.  After  her  death  he  wedded  a  Miss  Wylie,  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  his  third  marriage  was  to  Miss  Phoebe  Thompson.  The  surviv- 
ing children  of  Mr.  Edson  are  Hubert,  a  chemist  on  a  Louisiana  sugar  plan- 
tation; Bloomfield,  a  minister  of  the  Christian  church,  now  in  California; 
Ora,  a  teacher,  also  in  California;  and  Omer,  Harold,  Chelous,  Elma  and 
Nina, — all  of  this  locality. 


Charles  H.  Thompson  was  born  in  Beaver  township,  this  county,  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1866,  educated  at  the  public  schools  and  in  early  lite  ne  was  a 
farmer;  but  in  1884  he  was  fortunate  in  securing  a  position  as  an  operative 
in  the  employ  of  J.  W.  Crider  in  the  Conneautville  woolen  mills.  His  atten- 
tion to  his  duties  and  his  faithfulness  to  his  employer's  interests  were  noted, 
and  as  a  result  he  was  promoted  to  a  foremanship  in  1891,  which  responsible 
station  he  still  retains.  On  May  6,  1886,  he  married  Clara  B.  Houghtailing 
of  Conneautville.  They  have  one  son,  A.  Wayne,  born  on  April  17,  1894. 
Jacob  Thompson,  father  of  Charles  H.,  was  born  in  1813,  in  Spring  town- 
ship, where  he  was  educated  and  became  a  farmer.  Marrying  Margaret  Burn- 
ham,  also  of  Spring  township,  he  had  eight  children,  of  whom  six  attained 
maturity,  namely:  Frank  VV.,  Mary,  Elmer,  Charles  H.,  Ray,  and  Anna. 
Of  these  Frank  W.  married  Ethel  Thompson  and  Mary  became  Mrs.  George 
Clow.  Jacob  Thompson  died  in  1890.  Mrs.  Thompson  is  now  (1897)  liv- 
ing. Mr.  Charles  Thompson  is  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  also  an  Odd  Fel- 
low, holding  his  membership  in  Conneautville  lodge.  The  ancestry  of  the 
family  is  English,  Irish  and  Dutch. 


Joseph  L.  Tew. — The  late  Joseph  L.  Tew  was  born  in  Springfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts, July  24,  181 1,  educated  in  the  excellent  public  schools  of  his  native 
state,  and  devoted  his  early  life  to  farming.  Going  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  how- 
ever, when  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  chanced  to  be  where  rare  opportunities 
existed  for  acquiring  business  methods,  and  soon  afterward  became  a  whole- 
sale grocer.     He  made  his  home  in  Conneautville  in  1854. 

By  his  first  wife,  Mary  Tew,  who  died  in  1875,  he  had  two  children, 
who  died  in  infancy.  His  second  wife,  nee  Carrie  Frances  Druse,  of  Con- 
neautville, he  married  June  8,  1876.    Mr.  Tew  died  on  July  24,  1890.    George 


792  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

W.  Druse,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Tew,  was  born  in  Springfield,  Otsego  county, 
New  York,  in  1811,  educated  at  the  common  schools  and  learned  the  shoe- 
maker's trade.  When  a  3'oung  man  he  made  his  home  in  the  beautiful  village 
of  Fredonia,  Chautauqua  county,  New  York,  and  there  married  Charlotte 
Hubbard,  of  a  prominent  family  of  that  place.  Their  two  children  (daugh- 
ters) were  Euretta  A.  and  Carrie  F.  (Mrs.  Joseph  L.  Tew).  Mrs.  Druse 
survives  her  husband,  who  died  June  16,  1891.  Mrs.  Druse,  Mrs.  Tew  and 
her  sister  are  all  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Ancestry  of  family, 
French  and  English. 


CJiarles  M.  Wood  of  Rome  township,  son  of  Phineas  Wood,  was  born 
in  Connecticut  in  1823,  educated  at  Fredonia,  New  York,  studied  law  with 
Wilson  Farrely  of  Meadville,  as  his  preceptor,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and 
practiced  at  Meadville  for  several  years.  Then  came  to  Centerville,  where 
he  still  continued  to  practice.  He  married  Mrs.  Hannah  Saunders,  but  as  she 
did  not  live  long  he  married  Mrs.  Arvilla  (Bishop)  Davenport,  who  is  now 
living  at  Centerville.     Mr.  Wood  is  deceased. 


John  Wormald,  deceased,  late  of  Conneautville,  was  born  in  Y^'orkshire, 
England,  on  May  6,  1821,  and  came  to  America  with  his  parents  when  he 
was  nine  years  old.  They  located  in  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  and  thoroughly  learned  wool-carding.  His 
father  was  a  woolen  manufacturer  and  John  was  soon  engaged  in  the  same 
business,  which  he  conducted  at  various  places  in  the  state.  In  1849  he  came 
to  Conneautville  and  for  many  years  engaged  in  manufacturing,  in  company 
with  his  father  and  William  Crider,  and  with  successful  results. 

On  February  20,  1849,  ^'^-  Wormald  was  married  to  Margaret  J.  Con- 
nor. By  legal  adoption  Sarah  E.  Crider,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Wormald's  sister, 
was  made  their  daughter  and  took  their  name. 

Mr.  Wormald  was  a  successful  and  prominent  business  man,  public- 
spirited  and  generous  withal.  As  a  large  stockholder  of,  a  director  in  and 
the  president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Conneautville,  his  influence  was 
potent  in  the  financial  affairs  of  this  section  and  ever  for  usefulness.  He  was 
largely  interested  in  the  chemical  works  at  Conneautville  and  in  the  Key- 
stone Tannery  of  Springboro.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wormald  united  years  ago 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


David  W.  Smith  was  born  in  Summit  township,  Pennsylvania,  Septem- 
ber 9,  1822.  His  father,  John  Smith,  was  born  in  1779.  and  in  1797  came 
to  Summit  from  New  Jersey,  and  took  up  four  hundred  acres  of  land,  two 
hundred  of  which  was  given  him  by  the  state  as  an  inducement  for  emigrat- 
ing hither,  and  for  the  other  two  hundred  he  paid  one  dollar  and  twenty-five 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  793 

cents  an  acre.  In  1833  he  built  the  brick  house  in  which  he  hved  until  his 
death,  in  August,  1849,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  John  Smith's  wife  lived 
to  be  seventy-five  years  old;  she  was  born  in  1788,  and  died  in  1863.  They 
had  ten  children,  of  whom  two  are  now  living, — a  daughter,  and  David,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch.  Of  the  other  five  sons,  Daniel  lived  to  be  forty  years 
old;  William  H.  died  in  his  eighty-sixth  year,  April  23,  1898;  John  H.  died 
at  Meadville.  in  1890;  and  Darius  in  1892.  All  of  David's  brothers  settled 
on  the  old  homestead  and  remained  there  until  their  death. 

David  Smith  was  married  May  3,  1S49,  to  Miss  Martha  C.  Super,  of 
Summit.  Mrs.  Smith  died  April  25,  1896,  after  nearly  fifty  years  of  mar- 
ried life.  She  is  remembered  as  an  unusually  handsome  woman,  and  pos- 
sessed, in  addition,  many  fine  traits  of  character.  Her  loss  is  sincerely 
mourned  by  a  large  circle  of  friends.  There  were  ten  children  born  to  this 
couple, — seven  sons  and  three  daughters:  Alvaredo  \VelIington,  a  butcher 
in  Harmonsburg;  Frank  I.,  who  enlisted  in  the  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  Regi- 
ment in  the  late  war  with  Spain;  Elmer  Lincoln,  a  lumber  manufacturer  in 
Greenville,  Tennessee;  William  Tell,  a  farmer  at  Summerhill;  Hugh  R.,  a 
lumberman,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- four ;  David  Grant  and  Fred  B.,  now 
operating  the  home  farm;  Cora,  who  married  Wilbur  Upham,  and  is  now- 
living  in  Garnett,  Kansas ;  Kittie  Clyde,  who  married  H.  S.  Temple,  and  lives 
in  Cleveland,  Ohio;  Susannah  Elizabeth,  who  married  William  V.  McClure, 
and  lives  in  Summit. 

Mr.  Smith  is  a  firm  believer  in  temperance  and  an  ardent  worker  in  the 
cause.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Templars,  and  was  for  many  years  a 
member  of  the  old  VVashingtonian  movement.  He  was  also  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Harmonsburg.  Mr.  Smith  cast  his  first 
vote  for  James  K.  Polk;  he  has  been  a  Republican  since  the  party's  organ- 
ization, and  is  active  in  politics  and  attends  county  and  other  conventions. 

As  his  share  of  the  old  homestead  Mr.  Smith  has  one  hundred  of  the 
four  hundred  acres  owned  by  his  father,  and  this  has  since  been  his  home. 
He  has  also  another  farm  in  Summerhill  township,  and  has  various  interests 
aside  from  farming;  for  he  has  been  extensively  interested  in  the  manu- 
facture of  lumber  and  has  operated  two  mills  of  the  water  variety,  and  has 
also  owned  two  steam  lumber  mills.  In  1847  ^^^  built  a  water  mill  on  his  farm 
and  operated  it  for  fifteen  years.  In  1864  lumber  brought  twenty-five  dollars 
per  thousand,  and  by  running  his  mills  to  their  utmost  capacity  he  made 
money  rapidly.  His  farm  has  also  yielded  a  substantial  fortune.  One  year 
he  raised  two  thousand  bushels  of  corn,  that  brought  forty  cents  a  bushel. 
Mr.  Smith  also  has  a  fine  orchard,  which  has  produced  six  thousand  bushels 
of  fruit  in  a  single  season. 

Mr.  Smith  has  been,  and  still  is,  an  unusually  successful  and  enterprising 
man. 


794  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Benjamin  Harrison  of  Rome  tOAvnship  was  a  son  of  Benjamin  Harrison, 
and  was  born  in  Northumberland  county,  England,  in  October,  1797,  and 
came  to  New  Jersey  from  New  England  in  1827.  In  1833,  '"  company  with 
Richard  Morris  and  Inskip  Harrison,  he  walked  to  the  township  of  Rome, 
being  ten  days  on  the  journey.  They  took  up  a  section  of  four  hundred 
acres  of  land  and  divided  it  into  three  lots,  Mr.  Harrison's  lot  being-  the  farm 
now_  owned  by  Samuel  Harrison,  his  grandson,  and  John  Harrison,  his  son. 
He  was  a  successful  farmer.  He  married  Nancy  Brown  and  had  ten  children. 
The  deceased  are  Jane,  Sarah  (first),  Sarah  (second),  and  Christopher;  and 
the  living  are  Benjamin,  John,  Betsy,  Ellen,  Richard,  and  Edward  I. 

Mr.  Harrison  died  in  1875,  and  his  wife  died  in  1840.  After  the  death 
of  his  first  wife  he  married  Mrs.  Isabella  Edmonds.  John,  his  son,  married 
Elinor  Harrison,  daughter  of  Richard  Harrison.  He  is  a  farmer  and  has  one 
child,  Richard  B.  Edward  I.  Harrison,  born  September  9,  1840,  enlisted  in 
Company  K,  Fifty-seventh  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  in  August, 
1 86 1,  and  was  discharged  in  1862  by  reason  of  disability.  He  married  Amelia 
E.  Rigby,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Mrs.  Ellen  (Farrington)  (Summer) 
Rigby.     He  is  a  farmer  and  has  three  children. 


James  D.  Gill,  ex-mayor  of  Meadville,  is  a  native  of  Crawford  county, 
his  birth  having  taken  place  September  17,  1822,  in  Hayfield  township.  His 
paternal  grandparents,  William  and  Catham  (Campbell)  Gill,  emigrated 
from  Scotland  to  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  in  1786.  and  in  1794  they  removed 
to  what  is  now  Playfield  township  and  located  on  tract  No.  70,  on  the  west 
branch  of  French  creek.  Robert  Gill,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  born  in 
Scotland  and  was  educated  in  the  subscription  schools  of  Hayfield  township, 
in  which  district  he  afterward  engaged  in  farming  until  his  death,  in  1828. 
His  wife,  the  mother  of  James  D.,  was  Harriet,  daughter  of  Captain  James 
Dunn,  a  hero  of  the  Revolutionary  war. 

James  D.  Gill  supplemented  his  public-school  education  by  a  course  in 
Meadville  Academy  and  later  attended  Allegheny  College,  of  which  institu- 
tion he  is  now  a  trustee.  In  1839  he  became  a  clerk  in  the  dry-goods  store  of 
Gill  &  Derrickson,  and  in  1844  he  embarked  in  business  for  himself,  in  part- 
nership with  James  J.  Shryock.  The  firm  name  was  first  J.  D.  Gill  &  Com- 
pany, but  for  many  years  has  been  Gill  &  Shryock.  The  partners  have  carried 
a  stock  of  drv  goods,  and  have  also  been  interested  in  the  hardware  business 
and  in  milling  enterprises. 

In  1852  J.  D.  Gill  became  one  of  the  incorporators  of  Greendale  Ceme- 
tery Association,  and  has  since  been  actively  connected  with  the  organiza- 
tion. Having  been  appointed  chief  engineer  of  the  Meadville  fire  department 
by  the  city  council  in  1865,  he  instituted  many  reforms  and  reduced  affairs  to 
the  fine  svstem  which  has  since  been  maintained.     In   1873  he  was  elected 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  795 

mayor  of  the  city,  and  during  his  term  of  oflice  he  prepared  plans  for  new 
water-works,  which  he  strongly  recommended  to  the  citizens,  but  the  propo- 
sition was  rejected  by  the  popular  vote.  In  1874,  however,  he  organized  the 
present  water- works  company,  was  elected  a  director,  and  since  1876  has  been 
its  president.  For  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  he  has  been  president  of  the 
Crawford  County  Mutual  Insurance  Company. 

Mr.  Gill  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  General  Daniel  Shryock.  Mrs.  Gill  died  in  185 1,  and  their  only  child,  Will- 
iam, is  also  deceased.  In  1853  Mr.  Gill  married  Miss  Susan  E.  Shryock,  a 
sister  of  his  first  wife,  and  they  have  three  children, — Harriet  E.,  Daniel  A., 
and  Elizabeth. 


C.  K.  Higgins,  a  contractor  and  builder,  residing  in  Meadville  since 
1850,  was  born  in  Sparta  township,  Crawford  county,  November  29,  1835, 
a  son  of  Telassar  and  Mary  Ann  (Golden)  Higgins,  both  natives  of  New 
York.  The  former  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-six,  and  the  latter  at  the  age  of 
sixty  years.  Our  subject  is  the  third  child  of  a  family  of  eight  children,  as 
follows:  Sylvester,  deceased;  Caroline,  deceased;  C.  K.,  subject;  Hannah, 
wife  of  Harrison  McClintock,  Woodville,  Ohio ;  Charles  O.,  formerly  of  Oil 
City.  Pennsylvania,  deceased;  Elna,  wife  of  Frank  Ward,  of  Sparta  town- 
ship, this  county;  Frank,  a  resident  of  Corry,  Pennsylvania;  and  Edward, 
of  Woodville,  Ohio. 

Our  subject  is  distinctively  a  self-made  man,  having  worked  his  way 
from  boyhood.  His  reputation  as  a  builder  ranks  among  the  best,  as  many 
landmarks  in  Meadville  showing  the  skill  of  his  workmanship  will  attest. 
He  began  when  quite  young  to  work  with  his  father,  who  was  at  that  time 
a  miller,  but  finding  ovitdoor  work  more  congenial  to  his  temperament  he 
chose  his  trade,  which  he  has  since  followed  with  the  most  flattering  results. 

In  September.  1858,  he  married  Louisa,  daughter  of  Salmon  and  Louisa 
(Lord)  Tower.  She  is  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  three  children,  as  follows: 
Louisa,  wife  of  our  subject ;  Henry,  of  Bradford,  Pennsylvania ;  and  Alice, 
wife  of  Wilmot  Stephens,  Binghamton,  New  York.  The  issue  of  this  union 
are  two  children :  Charles  W.  and  Lu  Setta,  wife  of  Harry  Warmer,  Mead- 
ville. 


William  Nasoii.  M.  D. — For  almost  half  a  century  Dr.  William  Nason 
was  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Townville,  actively  associated  with  whatever 
was  calculated  to  be  of  benefit  to  the  city  in  the  line  of  progress  and  improve- 
ment. As  a  physician  he  stood  high  in  his  profession,  and  his  long  e.xperience, 
sound  judgment  and  ripe  wisdom  were  constantly  deferred  to  by  his  urothers 
in  the  healing  art. 

Born  in  Chautauqua  county.  New  York,  in  1827.  Dr.  Nason  came  of  a 


796  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

line  of  patriots  and  heroes,  his  father  having  fought  in  the  war  of  1812  and 
his  paternal  grandfather  having  been  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution.  On  his 
father's  side  the  doctor  was  of  Scotch-Irish  extraction,  while  on  the  maternal 
side  he  was  of  English  lineage. 

Being  graduated  in  the  Philadelphia  Medical  College  in  1850,  Dr.  Nason 
at  once  established  himself  in  practice  in  Townville,  where  he  continued  to 
live  until  his  death,  in  1896.  Kindly  and  cheerful  in  disposition,  his  presence 
in  the  sick-room  brought  renewed  strength  and  courage  to  the  patient,  and 
in  many  a  home  he  was  loved  and  venerated  as  an  ideal  physician.  In  early 
years  especially  he  rode  far  and  wide  into  the  surrounding  country,  never 
sparing  himself  when  the  suffering  required  his  aid. 

In  1853  Dr.  Nason  married  Miss  Catherine  Breed,  who  survived  him. 
Six  of  their  children  attained  maturity,  and  three  of  the  sons  are  practicing 
physicians.  The  only  daughter  is  Mrs.  T.  B.  Lehbenthaler,  and  the 
sons  are:  Charles  A.  W.,  of  North  East;  Dr.  W.  A.,  of  Roaring  Springs; 
S.  E.,  of  Hydetown;  Dr.  F.  T.  F.,  of  McKeesport;  and  Dr.  J.  B.,  of  Mount 
Jewett,  Pennsylvania. 

The  causes  of  education  and  religion  found  warm  support  at  the  hands 
of  Dr.  Nason.  For  fifteen  years  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  local  school 
board,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death' was  acting  as  one  of  the  borough  council. 
He  served  as  superintendent  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school  for 
thirty  years.  For  years  he  had  been  a  representative  member  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  society,  and  the  Townville  Lodge  conducted  the  funeral  services  at 
his  death. 


0.  A.  Tillotson,  M.  D.,  of  Titusville,  was  born  October  29,  1858,  in 
Syracuse,  New  York,  a  son  of  Dr.  William  and  Susan  (Osborne)  Tillotson, 
for  many  years  residents  of  that  city,  where  the  father  was  for  a  long  time 
engaged  in  the  cooperage  business,  in  which  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  after 
the  age  of  fourteen  years,  assisted  his  father  materially.  He  is  the  eldest 
in  a  family  of  three  children,  the  others  being  Mary  E.,  the  wife  of  Earnest  L. 
Myers,  a  representative  of  the  fifty-first  district  (Omaha)  of  Nebraska;  and 
Willard,  residing  at  Union  City,  this  state. 

Dr.  Tillotson  was  educated  at  Whitestown  Seminary  and  Brown  Uni- 
versity, and  received  his  medical  education  at  the  Bellevue  Medical  College 
in  New  York  and  the  Cleveland  Homeopathic  Medical  College  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  at  which  latter  institution  he  graduated  in  1883.  For  two  years  prior, 
however,  to  his  attendance  at  the  medical  college  in  Cleveland  he  was  book- 
keeper for  the  Standard  Oil  Company.  He  began  the  practice  of  his  chosen 
profession  in  Titusville  in  1883,  the  year  of  his  graduation.  Fie  is  a  member 
of  the  staff  of  the  Sixteenth  Regiment,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  of  the  Order  of 
Knights  of  Pythias. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  797 

Henry  H.  Burlingauic,  now  deceased,  was  for  many  years  a  resident  of 
Pennsylvania,  but  belonged  to  one  of  the  old  New  England  families.  The 
first  of  the  name  of  whom  we  have  record  is  Isaiah  Burlingame,  who  was  a 
native  of  Rhode  Island,  whence  he  removed  to  New  Berlin,  New  York,  where 
most  of  his  children  were  born.  He  was  twice  married,  his  first  union  being 
with  a  Miss  White  of  Vermont,  and  to  them  were  born  thirteen  children.  By 
his  second  wife  he  had  five  children,  and  with  them  emigrated  to  northern 
Indiana,  in  1835,  but  some  of  the  children  located  in  southern  Michigan. 
Most  of  the  representatives  of  his  large  family  were  farming  people,  but 
among  them  were  also  ministers,  physicians  and  teachers. 

Titus  Burlingame,  one  of  the  eldest  of  the  family,  was  born  in  New 
Berlin,  Chenango  county,  New  York,  February  23,  1796,  and  carried  on 
agricultural  pursuits  throughout  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  and  was  also'  a 
local  preacher  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  was  married  in  his 
native  town,  in  1820,  to  Betsy  Eliza  Elizabeth  Hooper,  who  was  born  in 
Pittsfield,  Massachusetts,  May  16,  1801,  and  died  June  3,  1856.  Titus  Bur- 
lingame died  March  14,  1868,  and  was  buried  in  Hatch  Hollow  cemetery,  in 
Amity  township,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania.  Three  children  were  born  to 
them :  Alvira,  who  was  born  in  Madison  county.  New  York,  January  5,  1823, 
and  is  now  li\-ing  in  Louville,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania ;  Euphemia,  who 
was  born  in  New  Berlin,  New  York,  February  28,  1826,  and  is  now  deceased; 
Emily,  who  was  born  in  Pittsfield,  Otsego  county,  New  York,  February  3, 
1837,  and  is  now  li\'ing  near  Wattsburg,  Erie  county,  Pennsyh'ania. 

Henry  Harrison  Burlingame,  whose  name  initiates  this  review,  was  born 
in  New  Berlin,  New  York,  October  18,  1831,  and  devoted  the  greater  part 
of  his  time  and  attention  throughout  his  business  career  to  the  tilling  of  the 
soil.  He  lived  most  of  the  time  near  Wattsburg,  Erie  county,  where  he  suc- 
cessfully operated  a  farm.  For  fifty  years  he  was  a  faithful  member  of  the 
United  Brethren  church,  and  had  the  confidence  and  regard  of  all  who  knew 
him.  Fie  was  married  October  25,  1856,  to  Nancy  M.  Mason,  who  was  born 
August  14,  1838,  in  Wayne  township,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  a  daughter 
of  Eben  P.  Mason.  Her  death  occurred  August  10,  1869,  and  her  husband, 
long  surviving  her,  passed  away  March  19,  1898.  Henry  H.  married,  second 
time,  Martha  Conant,  December  16,  1869,  with  whom  he  lived  until  his 
death.  Fie  was  the  father  of  four  children, — Charles  L.,  Viettie  A., 
Willis  O.,  and  Willie  E.  The  eldest  son  was  born  March  18,  1858,  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Battle  Creek  Sanitarium,  of  Battle  Creek,  Michigan^  and  is  now 
a  medical  missionary  and  nurse.  He  was  married  August  15,  1885,  to  Estella 
P.  Weede,  and  they  have  two  children :  May,  born  May  25,  1886,  and  Ralph, 
born  April  5,  1895.  Viette  A.  Burlingame  was  born  April  2,  1862,  and  on 
the  i6th  of  June,  1885,  became  the  wife  of  William  J.  Low.  They  have 
six  children:  Ray,  born  in  Cleon,  Michigan,  April  27,  1886;  Clair,  Septem- 


798  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

ber  6,  1889;  Edna,  February  25,  1892,  in  Marinette,  Wisconsin;  Ethel  and 
Eva,  twins,  born  in  Menominee,  Michigan,  February  7,  1894;  and  WiUie, 
November  11,  1897,  also  in  Menominee,  Michigan.  Mr.  Low  is  located  at 
that  place  in  the  employ  of  the  railroad. 

Willis  O.  and  Willie  E.  Burlingame  are  twins,  and  were  born  in  Wayne 
township,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  February  14,  1869.  When  only  two 
weeks  old  the  latter  became  an  inmate  of  the  home  of  his  aunt,  Mrs.  Olive 
Mason  Rogers,  of  Spartansburg,  Pennsylvania,  with  whom  he  remained  until 
his  marriage,  and  has  always  been  known  by  the  name  of  Willie  E.  Rogers. 
He  now  resides  on  a  farm  in  Sparta  township,  Crawford  county.  He  mar- 
ried Ruth  R.  Snapp,  of  that  township,  March  9,  1892,  and  they  now  have  two 
children, — Harry  E.,  born  May  10,  1894,  and  Nancy  Rose,  born  July  20, 
1896. 

Willis  O.  Burlingame,  better  known  throughout  Crawford  county  _  as 
Willis  O.  Washburn,  when  three  and  a  half  months  old  went  to  live  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Charles  B.  Washburn  of  Sparta  township,  Crawford  county,  where 
he  still  makes  his  home.  He  is  one  of  the  enterprising  and  progressive  young 
farmers  of  the  commimity  and  is  widely  and  favorably  known  in  that  locality. 


Roger  Shennan. — For  many  years  Roger  Sherman  was  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  and  honored  citizens  of  Titusville,  Pennsylvania.  An 
eminent  lawyer,  a  man  of  high  scientific  and  literary  attainment,  of  broad 
humanitarian  principles,  and  an  American  citizen  whose  life  showed  forth 
the  loftiest  patriotism,  he  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  upon  the  state, 
its  legislation  and  its  people.  Life  to  him  was  real  and  earnest,  and  he  real- 
ized, as  few  have  done,  his  duty  toward  his  fellow  men.  Possessed  of  strong- 
intellectuality,  charming  personality  and  high  mental  culture,  he  might  have 
attained  to  the  most  distinguished  honors  at  the  bar  or  in  the  affairs  of  the 
state  had  an  ambition  for  personal  preferment  dominated  his  life;  but  while 
he  was  readily  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  lawyers  of  western  Pennsyl- 
vania he  found  his  greatest  pleasure  in  using  his  influence  for  the  ben<efit  of 
his  fellow  men. 

Born  in  Randolph,  Tipton  county,  Tennessee,  July  28,  1839,  he  be- 
longed to  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  proniinent  families  of  America.  His 
ancestry  can  be  traced  back  to  Henry  Sherman,  who  lived  in  Dedham,  Essex 
county,  England,  in  the  year  1520.  His  grandson,  Edmond  Sherman,  came  to 
America  about  1632,  and  from  him  was  descended  Roger  Sherman.  The 
members  of  the  family  seemed  to  be  endowed  with  those  qualities  which  make 
the  successful  pioneer  and  colonizer.  At  the  time  of  the  American  re\olu- 
tion  they  had  resided  in  this  country  for  nearly  a  hundred  and  fifty  years, 
and  from  the  earliest  times  they  were  known  as  lovers  of  liberty,  strenuous 
in  asserting  their  rights,  with  the  courage  to  maintain  their  convictions  and 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  799 

determined  in  their  opposition  to  all  forms  of  t3'Tanny.  It  is  therefore  not 
strange  that  we  find  many  of  the  Shermans  of  New  England  taking  an  active 
part  in  the  e\-ents  which  brought  on,  and  in  the  prosecution  of,  the  war  for 
independence. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Isaac  De  Blois  Sherman,  was  born  in  Pom- 
pej.  New  York,  in  1797,  and  was  graduated  at  Williams  College,  in  Massa- 
chusetts, December  26.  1824.  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  From 
1831  until  1833  he  edited  and  published  the  Syracuse  Argus,  of  Syracuse, 
New  York,  but  during  the  greater  part  of  his  life  followed  his  profession.  He 
was  married  June  i,  1828,  to  Miss  Phoebe  Conkling,  of  Amaganset,  Long 
Island,  and  in  November,  1835,  they  left  Syracuse,  New  York,  going  to  Ran- 
dolph, Tipton  county,  Tennessee.  Mrs.  Sherman  was  a  sister  of  the  late  Hon. 
Alfred  .Conkling,  of  Auburn,  New  York,  member  of  congress  from  1821  until 
1823,  United  States  district  judge,  and  minister  to  Mexico  in  1850.  Dr. 
Sherman  afterward  practiced  his  profession  in  Arkansas,  as  well  as  in 
Tennessee.  He  was  gifted  with  an  ardent  and  enthusiastic  temperament,  an 
excellent  physical  organization,  a  studious  nature  and  keen  and  practical  mind, 
with  great  energy  and  force  of  will.  He  died  about  the  close  of  the  civil  war, 
his  wife  having  passed  away  in  December,  1855.  She  was  a  lady  of  great 
refinement,  of  high  education  and  literary  taste,  of  calm  and  dignified  de- 
meanor and  steadfast  character. 

Roger  Sherman  was  therefore  very  fortunate  in  his  early  home  sur- 
roundings, which  naturally  bore  marked  influence  on  his  character.  He 
prepared  for  college  in  a  school  conducted  by  Rev.  Dr.  Prentice  in  Geneva, 
New  York,  but  did  not  continue  his  literary  education.  In  a  history  of  the 
Sherman  family,  of  which  he  was  the  author,  he  said :  "My  father  found 
himself  unable  to  carry  out  his  cherished  idea  of  a  collegiate  education  for  his 
son,  and  when  little  more,  than  fifteen  years  of  age  I  was  confronted  with  the 
problem  of  earning  my  living."  He  followed  civil  engineering  for  one  or 
two  years  with  a  surveying  party  for  the  projected  Burlington  &  Missouri 
River  Road,  and  three  times  he  walked  nearly  across  the  state  of  Iowa  during 
one  of  the  most  severe  winters  ever  experienced.  The  financial  panic  of  1857, 
however,  paralyzed  railroad  enterprises  and  the  surveying  party  returned 
to  the  east. 

After  a  short  enforced  idleness  he  turned  his  attention  in  another  direc- 
tion. On  the  suggestion  of  his  father  and  the  receipt  of  a  copy  of  Blackstone, 
from  his  aunt,  Elizabeth  H.  Conkling,  Mr.  Sherman  went  to  his  father's  home 
in  Ai'kansas  and  began  the  study  of  law.  In  November,  i860,  when  twenty- 
one  years  of  age,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  His  father's  long  residence  in 
that  part  of  the  countr}^  and  his  extensive  accjuaintance,  combined  with  his 
own  superior  qualifications  and  natural  ability,  enabled  him  soon  to  win  a 
good  practice,  and  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  civil  war  he  had  secvn"ed 


8oo  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

a  fair  clientage.  At  the  inaugxiration  of  the  war  his  sympathies  were  witli 
the  Union,  but  living  in  the  south  and  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  Confederates 
he  was  persuaded  to  enter  their  ranks  and  enlisted  as  a  cavalryman  under 
General  W.  B.  Forrest. 

In  1863,  however,  Mr.  Sherman  left  the  arm}-  and  made  his  way  to  Erie. 
Pennsylvania,  where  for  the  next  two  years  he  was  engaged  in  newspaper 
work  and  in  pursuing  his  legal  studies.    He  then  applied  for  admission  to  the 
bar  of  Erie  count)',  but  was  refused  by  Judge  Johnson  on  the  ground  that 
he  was  once  a  Confederate  soldier.     On  the  19th  of  July,  1865.  he  went  to 
Pithole.  Venango  county,  and  in  November,  1866.  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
of  that  county  by  Judge  Trunkey,  who  considered  a  mans  fitness  for  law 
practice  paramount  to  his  political  beliefs.     On  the  ist  of  April,   1868,  he 
removed  to  Pleasantville,  Pennsylvania,  and  on  the  5th  of  July,  1870,  came 
to  Titusville.  where  he  made  his  home  until  his  death,  continuing  in  the  active 
practice  of  law.    A  local  paper  said  of  him :     "As  a  lawyer  Mr.  Sherman  was 
learned,  strong  and  resourceful,  a  diligent  student,  grounded  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  law,  ready  and  apt  in  applying  those  principles  to  a  given  condi- 
tion of  facts ;  in  detecting  at  once  the  dominant  features  of  a  case,  and,  while 
not  neglecting  the  lesser  issues,  compelling  the  attention  of  the  court  to  the 
substance  of  the  controversy.     He  was  said  to  be  the  best  equity  lawyer  in 
his  part  of  the  state,  and  he  possessed  one  of  the  most  extensive  private  law 
libraries  in  west  Pennsylvania.     He  was  a  constant  student  of  the  state  and 
federal  court  reports  and  thus  kept  abreast  with  the  advanced  decisions.     He 
was  also  interested  in  the  improvement  of  the  science  of  the  law;  in  taking 
away,  as  far  as  possible,  the  familiar  reproach  of  its  dilatory  processes,  and 
in  the  spring  of  1896  a  bill  which  he  had  drawn  and  caused  to  be  introduced 
in  the  interests  of  common  sense  and  a  speedier  arrival  at  the  merits  of  an 
action  at  law  was  passed  by  the  legislature  and  approved  by  the  governor. 
But  above  all  his  characteristics  as  a  lawyer  was  his  faithfulness  to  the  trusts 
reposed  in  him,  and  they  have  been  great.     A  client's  interests  once  assumed 
became,  for  the  purposes  of  the  contest,  his  own,  and  no  legitimate  means 
of  securing  the  rights  placed  in  his  custody  was  left  untried." 

Mr.  Sherman  was  instrumental  in  securing  legislation  which  secured 
privileges  and  rights  to  the  laboring  people  which  the  monopolies  tried  their 
best  to  overthrow.  In  1868  he  procured  the  passage  of  a  law  giving  to 
laborers  upon  oil-mining  leaseholds  a  lien  for  their  work  and  materials.  At 
ail  times  he  was  interested  in  securing  and  protecting  the  rights  of  the  labor- 
ing man  as  against  the  oppression  of  the  monopolists  and  was  a  very  promi- 
nent factor  in  the  affairs  of  the  oil-producing  region.  During  the  period 
from  1872  until  1880  the  majority  of  the  oil  producers  were  struggling  to 
preserve  their  business  from  the  grasp  of  monopolies.  Among  the  rem- 
edies proposed  for  this  condition  of  things  was  the  passage  of  a  law  by 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  8oi 

congress  regulating  commerce  between  the  states  and  forbidding  unjust  dis- 
crimination in  rates  of  freight.  This  measure  originated  in  Titusville  and 
Mr.  Sherman  was  one  of  the  leading  spirits  in  the  movement,  doing  much 
to  push  vigorously  the  matter  from  time  to  time,  but  the  law  was  not  passed 
until  1887.  At  different  times  he  engaged  in  editorial  work  and  through 
the  columns  of  his  paper  advocated  reform,  progress  and  advancement.  On 
tlie  1st  of  January.  1885.  he  furnished  the  capital  for  the  purchase  and  became 
the  editor  of  the  American  Citizen,  a  weekly  paper  published  in  Titusville. 
Prior  to  this  time  the  Petroleum  World,  a  daily  paper,  was  established  in 
Titusville,  September  i.  1879,  in  the  interest  of  the  oil  producers.  A  stock 
company  was  formed  and  throughout  the  existence  of  the  paper  Mr.  Sherman 
was  one  of  the  managers,  and  frequently  contributed  to  its  columns.  It  was 
independent  in  politics,  and  during  its  brief  career  advocated  measures  of  re- 
form of  political  abuse,  in  the  interests  of  the  people. 

Personally,  Mr.  Sherman  ga\e  his  political  support  to  the  Democracy. 
In  1 88 1  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  Democratic  state  convention,  which  met 
at  \\'ilIiamsport.  It  was  determined  to  take  strong  grounds  against  the  ag- 
gressions of  corporations  and  the  oppressive  methods  by  which  they  acquired 
control  of  the  btisiness  of  the  country  and  endeavored  to  establish  for  them- 
selves monopolies  in  various  products.  Mr.  Sherman  was  placed  on  the  com- 
mittee upon  resolutions  and  drafted  and  caused  to  be  adopted  the  declarations 
of  the  platform  from  the  seventh  to  the  eleventh  inclusive  given  in  the  reports 
of  that  convention.  The  opinions  which  he  therein  expressed  continued  his 
belief  until  his  death.  He  was  never  an  office-seeker,  although  he  was  always 
prominent  in  the  counsels  of  his  party,  for  his  opinions  were  ever  practical, 
progressive  and  in  the  interests  of  true  American  principles.  In  1884  he 
was  the  Democratic  nominee  for  mayor  of  Titusville,  and  in  1891  the  Demo- 
cratic state  con\ention  nominated  him  as  a  delegate-at-large  to  the  state  con- 
stitutional convention,  and  he  would  have  been  a  member  of  that  body  had  it 
not  been  that  the  proposition  to  hold  the  same  was  voted  down  at  the  fall 
electifin.  He  was  also  prominently  mentioned  for  the  nomination  for  the 
superior  court  judgeship  in  1895.  but  political  honors  were  not  necessary  to 
him,  for  through  all  the  years  he  had  a  very  extensive  and  profitable  law 
practice. 

On  the  1 6th  of  ]\Iarch,  1871.  in  Pleasantville,  Mr.  Sherman  and  ^liss 
Alma  Sevmour  were  married  by  the  Rev.  James  J.  Smythe.  and  the  following- 
year  thev  moved  into  the  home  in  Titusville  which  is  still  Mrs.  Sherman's  place 
of  residence.  They  have  two  children. — Roger  Seymour,  born  March  11, 
1879.  and  Alma  Janet,  born  August  7.  1882.  Mrs.  Sherman  belonged  to  the 
old  Sevmour  family  of  Connecticut,  one  of  the  most  notable  and  respected 
families  of  New  England.     Among  its  members  have  been  several  eminent 


8o2  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

lawyers,  distinguished  jurists  and  governors.  Her  maternal  grandfather, 
Dr.  Thomas  Hopkins,  was  a  college  graduate  and  a  man  of  wide  learning. 

Mr.  Sherman  was  an  active  factor  in  the  social,  political  and  literary  life 
of  Titusville  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Titusville  public  library.  As 
a  member  of  the  National  and  Pennsylvania  Societies  of  the  Sons  of  the 
American  Re\'olution,  he  was  greatly  interested  in  American  historical  re- 
search, and  in  1895  he  was  vice-president  of  the  state  organization.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Society  of  American  Civics,  of  the  Societ}-  of  Civil  Service 
Reform  and  of  the  American  Academy  of  Political  and  Social  Science.  A 
man  of  scholarly  tastes,  he  was  a  great  lover  of  books  and  left  to  his  family 
one  of  the  largest  and  best  selected  libraries  of  western  Pennsylvania.  He 
was  a  constant  reader  of  such  works  as  would  keep  him  in  touch  with  ancient 
as  well  as  modern  thinkers,  and  at  all  times  he  was  abreast  with  modern 
thought.  He  was  a  ready  writer,  forcible  and  convincing,  and  his  broad 
fund  of  knowledge  and  genial  disposition  made  him  a  most  delightful  com- 
panion. He  contributed  generously,  and  believed  it  to  be  the  duty  of  every 
true  citizen  so  to  do,  toward  the  maintenance  of  many  organizations  which 
foster  a  true  spirit  of  Americanism.  Incorruptible  and  conscientious,  he 
made  many  sacrifices  which  in  these  days  of  love  of  money  and  rush  after 
wealth  were  looked  upon  as  almost  fanatical. 

Perhaps  we  cannot  better  close  this  review  of  one  whose  life  was  ever 
pure,  true  and  upright,  than  by  cjuoting  the  words  of  one  who  knew  him, 
showing  his  attitude  to  the  unfortunate  ones  of  earth :  "I  never  knew  a  man 
more  charitable  than  Roger  Sherman.  It  was  his  delight  to  help  the  poor 
and  administer  to  their  wants.  He  spent  large  sums  of  money  in  this  way, 
nor  would  he  allow  his  name  to  be  used  in  connection  with  almsgiving.  The 
poor  of  Titusville  will  sadly  miss  Roger  Sherman,  for  he  was  their  friend." 
His  home  relations  were  to  him  a  sacred  trust,  and  to  his  family  he  was  tender, 
devoted  and  faithful,  counting  no  personal  sacrifice  too  great  which  would 
promote  the  welfare  or  enhance  the  happiness  of  his  wife  and  children. 


William  McCrackcn,  of  Meadville,  a  son  of  Robert  and  Jane  Russell, 
was  born  in  Sheakleyville,  Pennsylvania,  March  14,  1837,  and  educated  at 
common  schools  and  Meadville  Academy,  his  people  moving  to  Meadville 
about  1845.  In  August,  1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Eighty-third  Regi- 
ment, and  served  three  years  and  four  months.  He  held  the  office  of  lieuten- 
ant and  after  the  war  returned  to  Meadville.  He  is  now  a  member  of  Refer 
Post,  No.  331.  July  8,  1875,  he  married  and  has  had  two  children, — Willard 
and  Ellis.  He  is  a  direct  descendant  of  William  McLettin,  the  third,  of 
Marsh  Creek,  who  came  from  Irebnd  in  1739.  He  has  been  engaged  in 
the  liverv  business  since  1881.  , 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  80 


o 


U'ilUam  Bookhamuicr,  freight  agent,  Titusville,  is  a  native  of  Lock 
Haven,  Pennsylvania,  born  in  1862.  His  father,  H.  J.  Bookhammer,  was  the 
first  master  mechanic  of  the  Oil  Creek  Railroad  in  the  early  days.  He  came 
to  the  oil  country  in  1865  and  was  identified  with  the  interests  of  the  locality 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  December,  1890,  when  his  age  was  fifty-five 
years.  Mrs.  Anna  ]\I.  (Bussom)  Bookhammer,  mother  of  Mr.  Bookhammer, 
died  in  May,  1867,  at  the  age  of  thirty-three.  Mr.  Bookhammer  is  the  sec- 
ond son  of  four  children,  viz. :  Sylvester,  deceased ;  William,  of  this  sketch ; 
Alice,  wife  of  C.  H.  Oliver,  of  Butler,  Pennsylvania,  and  Frank  J.,  of  Mc- 
Donald, Pennsylvania. 

June  30,  1 89 1,  at  Youngstown,  Ohi(j,  Mr.  Bookhammer  was  married 
to  Emma  C,  daughter  of  C.  H.  and  Caroline  (Christopher)  Smith,  of  Oil 
City.  They  have  one  child,  Charles  H.  Mrs.  Bookhammer  has  two  sisters 
and  three  brothers,  as  follows:  Ophelia,  wife  of  L.  H.  Banister;  Lillian  C, 
wife  of  Dr.  J.  Thornton  Barnsdale,  of  Buffalo,  New  Yoi'k;  Charles  F.,  ex- 
press and  baggageman  of  the  Western  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
Company;  ^^'illiam  H.,  of  Oil  City,  and  A.  C.  W.,  with  the  Western  New 
York  &  Pennsylvania  Railroad  at  Titusville. 

Mr.  Bookhammer  began  his  career  as  a  messenger  boy  in  Oil  City  and 
was  afterward  clerk  in  his  father's  office,  and  in  September,  1892,  he  was 
appointed  freight  agent  of  the  Western  New  York  &  Pennsylvania  Railroad, 
of  Titusville,  which  position  he  now  holds.  In  this  responsible  position  he 
has  been  a  faithful  employe  and  has  not  only  worked  for  the  best  interests  of 
the  company  but  the  public  as  well. 


Thomas  S.  Morris,  of  Wayne  township,  was  born  at  North  Bank,  near 
Linesville,  in  1836.  Li  1862  he  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifth  Ohio 
Volunteers,  was  wounded  at  Perryville,  Kentucky,  and  taken  prisoner  near 
Murfreesboro,  but  in  five  days  was  paroled.  The  parole  not  being  recognized 
by  the  federal  government,  he  re-entered  the  service  and  marched  with  Sher- 
nian  to  the  sea,  taking  part  in  many  engagements.  In  1869  he  made  a  trip  to 
the  west. 

On  November  zy.  1866,  Mr.  Morris  married  Susannah,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Elizabeth  Thompson,  of  JNIercer  county.  Their  children  are 
Ida  May,  wife  of  Thomas  Wentworth.  and  Emma  Jane,  wife  of  Aaron  Beers. 

Mr.  Morris  moved  to  Wisconsin,  where  his  wife  died,  January  30,  1871 ; 
and  in  that  state  he  married  Lydia  A.  Smith,  who  departed  this  life  April 
14,  1875.     In  1882  Mr.  Morris  returned  to  Crawfoi-d  county. 


Hugh  Coylc.  of  Sparta  township,  was  a  son  of  Roger  Coyle,  whose  father 
was  an  early  settler  in  Rome  township.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Catharine  McGee,  dauo-hter  of  John  McGee.  and  settled  in  Sparta  in  1815, 


8o4  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

on  the  farm  now  owned  by  George  Snapp.  He  took  up  a  lot' of  land  which  he 
improved  and  made  a  home.  He  was  a  farmer,  hunter  and  also  a  Baptist 
minister.  He  had  eleven  children,  two  of  whom  are  still  living, — Mrs. 
Lucinda  Ohert  and  j\Irs.  Ellen  Carr. 


Charles  A.  Bortlcs. — For  more  than  forty-five  years  Charles  A.  Bortles. 
now  deceased,  was  a  resident  of  Crawford,  and  for  a  third  of  a  century 
was  prominently  identified  with  the  agicultural  interests  of  this  section  of  the 
state.  Industry  and  perseverance  were  among  his  marked  characteristics  and 
brought  to  him  a  comfortable  competence  as  the  reward  of  his  labors.  As 
a  citizen,  too,  he  ranked  among  the  foremost,  giving  his  support  to  all  meas- 
ures and  movements  which  he  believed  would  promote  the  public  good. 
Honorable  in  his  dealings,  reliable  in  the  discharge  of  every  trust  reposed  in 
him,  faithful  to  his  duties  of  private  life,  he  commanded  the  respect  of  his 
fellow  men,  and  enjoyed  the  friendship  of  many  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact. 

Mr.  Bortles  was  numbered  among  Pennsyh-ania's  native  sons,  his  Ijirth 
occurring  in  Waterford.  Erie  county,  on  the  30th  of  April,  1832.  He  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  youth  in  the  place  of  his  nativity  and  when  twenty 
years  of  age  accompanied  his  parents  on  their  removal  to  Crawford  county, 
where  he  resided  upon  a  farm  for  several  years.  Early  trained  to  habits 
of  industry  and  economy  and  to  the  work  of  the  farm,  he  was  well  fitted  for 
the  life  of  the  agriculturist,  when  he  began  farming  on  his  own  account.  In 
i860  he  was  married  and  purchased  a  part  of  the  land  now  included  within 
the  Bortles  homestead.  His  wife  also  inherited  a  jX)rtion  of  the  property 
from  her  father,  and  upon  their  well  developed  farm  in  Conneaut  township  he 
spent  his  remaining  days.  He  prosecuted  his  labors  with  diligence,  and  the 
v.'ell  developed  fields  yielded  to  him  a  good  return  for  the  care  and  cultivation 
he  bestowed  upon  them.  Neatness  was  manifest  in  field,  meadow  and  the 
home  surroundings,  and  the  well  kept  appearance  of  the  place  indicated  the 
careful  supervision,  of  a  progressive  owner. 

In  Jthe  year  i860  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Bortles  and  Miss 
Sarah,  a  daughter  of  A.  H.  and  Rhoda  (Drake)  Barber,  the  former  a  native 
of  the  Empire  state  and  the  latter  of  Hartford,  Connecticut.  Mr.  Barber 
came  to  Crawford  county  about  the  year  1835  and  purchased  tlie  land  now 
owned  by  Mrs.  Bortles.  It  was  then  covered  with  timber,  but  with  charac- 
teristic energy  he  began  to  clear  and  develop  it,  and  in  course  of  time  trans- 
formed it  into  richly  cultivated  fields.  There  he  carried  on  agricultural  pur- 
suits imtil  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  sixty- 
two  years.  He  was  successful  in  his  business  undertakings,  and  was  a  self- 
made  man,  whose  untiring  industry  and  sound  judgment  brought  him  the 
prosperity  which  rewarded  his  labors.     His  political  support  was  given  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  80 


T) 


Republican  party.  His  wife,  who  was  a  representative  of  a  prominent  old 
family  of  Connecticut,  survived  him  several  years,  and  passed  away  at  ihe 
age  of  seventy-seven.  They  were  the  parents  of  two  daughters,  the  younger 
being  M}-ra.  wife  of  Charles  D.  Anger,  of  Andover.  The  elder,  Mrs.  Bortles, 
lias  spent  her  entire  life  on  the  farm  which  is  now  her  home  with  the  exception 
of  the  time  she  was  away  at  school.  She  is  a  lady  of  culture  and  ability,  and 
to  her  husband  was  a  faithful  helpmeet  and  companion.  Their  marriage  was 
blessed  with  three  children:  Minnie,  wife  of  H.  J.  Walrath,  of  Crawford 
county;  Clarence  A.,  who  now  has  charge  of  the  home  farm,  and  Gertrude, 
wife  nf  Elgood  A.  Whitford.  of  Wheeling,  West  Virginia. 

In  his  political  views  ]\Ir.  Bortle  was  a  stanch  Democrat,  and  took  an 
active  interest  in  the  work  and  success  of  his  party.  He  was  recognized  as 
one  of  its  leaders  in  this  community,  filled  various  township  offices,  and  re- 
ceived his  party's  nomination  for  county  commissioner.  He  belonged  to  the 
state  police,  and  suciall)-  ws  connected  with  tlie  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen  and  the  Grange.  In  religious  faith  he  was  a  Universalist  and  when 
a  young  man  sang  in  the  church  choir,  but  never  united  with  any  church 
organization.  He  died  September  30,  1896,  at  the  age  of  sixty-four  years, 
and  the  community  thereby  lost  one  of  its  valued  citizens  and  his  family 
a  devoted  husband  and  father.  His  widow  still  resides  upon  her  fine  farm  of 
three  hundred  acres,  and  in  the  county  where  her  entire  life  has  been  passed 
she  has  manv  warm  friends. 


Wesley  B.  Best,  of  Meadville,  an  attorney  at  law  and  leading  member 
of  the  Crawford  county  bar,  was  born  January  12,  1862,  a  son  of  the  well 
known  Dr.  David  Best.  In  1883  he  graduated  at  Allegheny  College  and  of 
late  }'ears  he  has  been  honored  by  being  chosen  to  act  as  one  of  the  trustees  of 
his  alma  mater. 

During  the  year  1884  W.  B.  Best  was  city  editor  of  the  Evening  Repub- 
lican, published  in  Meadville,  and  about  that  time  he  took  up  the  study  of 
law.  Admitted  to  the  bar  of  Crawford  county  in  Ma3%  1886,  he  at  once 
entered  into  successful  practice  in  this  city,  and  from  1891  to  1894  offi- 
ciated as  district  attorney.  He  also  represented  the  city  of  Meadville  as  city 
solicitor  during  the  years  1896-97.  In  1886-87  he  was  the  captain  of  Com- 
pany B,  Fifteenth  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  National  Guards.  A  staunch 
Republican,  he  has  sometimes  attended  local  and  state  conventions  of  the 
party  in  the  capacity  of  a  delegate,  and  has  ever  sought  to  discharge  his  full 
duty  as  a  patriotic  citizen. 

Sylvester  Taylor. — For  a  period  of  about  twenty  years  Sylvester  Taylor 
was  an  honored  citizen  of  Spartansburg,  Crawford  county,  where  he  was  the 
"village  blacksmith."    He  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  with  his  father 


8o6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

settled  in  Sheridan,  Chautauqua  county.  New  York,  at  an  early  day.  In  1846 
or  1847  he  came  to  Spartansburg,  where  he  followed  his  trade  as  a  black- 
smith for  many  years,  and  won  the  respect  of  all  who  were  associated  with 
him  in  any  manner.  His  busy  and  useful  life  came  to  a  close  October  18, 
1867,  but  his  memory  is  still  treasured  in  the  hearts  of  many  of  his  old 
friends. 

In  1836  Mr.  Taylor  married  Sarah  H.  Emerson,  a  daughter  of  Wilder 
and  Ruth  (House)  Emerson,  of  Westfield,  New  York,  and  she  survived  him. 
Their  children  were  named  as  follows :  John ;  Marcena,  who  died  in  child- 
hood ;  Ira,  who  was  a  soldier  in  Company  I,  Eighty-third  Regiment  of  Penn- 
sylvania Infantry,  and  was  killed  near  Richmond,  in  1862;  Lydia  D.,  now 
Mrs.  John  Council,  of  Michigan;  Ruth,  wife  of  George  W.  Binney;  Mary  A., 
who  is  deceased ;  and  Alice,  wife  of  George  Gillet,  of  Pennsylvania. 


Valentine  IV.  Eiler. — One  of  the  enterprising,  wide-awake  young  busi- 
ness men  of  Meadville,  Crawford  county,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  With 
the  exception  of  a  few  years  his  whole  life  has  been  spent  in  this  city,  and 
none  of  its  inhabitants  are  more  genuinely  concerned  in  its  prosperity  and 
high  standing  among  its  sister  cities  of  this  commonwealth  than  he.  He  pos- 
sesses the  energetic,  progressive  spirit  which  always  insures  success,  and  the 
patriotism  and  high  sense  of  duty  which  marks  the  representative,  broad- 
minded  citizen.  Whatever  tends  to  promote  the  well-being  of  his  fellows  and 
the  permanent  welfare  of  his  city  and  community  are  matters  of  deep  interest 
to  him.  and  his  influence  and  means  are  freely  used  in  every  such  righteous 
cause. 

A  native  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  New  York,  V.  W.  Eiler  was  born  on 
the  9th  of  June,  1859.  In  the  sketch  of  his  brother  Edward  Eiler,  printed 
elsewhere  in  this  work,  may  be  found  the  family  history.  The  first  five  years 
in  the  life  of  our  subject  were  spent  in  his  native  place,  but,  during  the  prog- 
ress of  the  Civil  war  his  parents  decided  to  remove  to  Meadville,  and  accord- 
ingly did  so.  The  lad  became  a  student  in  the  excellent  public  schools  here 
and  remained  in  them  until  he  was  about  seventeen  years  of  age.  In  the 
Centennial  year  he  entered  his  business  career  by  becoming  a  clerk  in  Cal- 
lender  &  Company's  drug  store,  of  Meadville,  and  there  he  continued  to 
act  in  that  capacity  for  some  three  years.  Desiring  to  see  something  of  the 
west  he  then  went  to  Colorado  and  for  the  following  three  years  was  variously 
engaged  in  business  operations,  doing  some  mining  and  running  a  drug  store 
in  a  western  town  for  a  short  period.  In  January,  1883.  he  returned  to  his 
old  home  in  this  city  and  resumed  clerking.  On  April  27,  1886,  he  opened  his 
present  drug  store,  which  is  centrally  situated  and  fitted  out  with  a  well 
selected  line  of  drugs  and  toilet  articles.  He  is  popular  and  receives  a  goodly 
share  of  the  local  patronage. 


OUR  COUNTY  AXD  ITS  PEOPLE.  807 

April  13,  1887.  Mr.  Eiler  married  ^Miss  ^Nlan,-  Abbie  Clark,  of  Akron, 
Ohio,  and  a  daughter  of  Lorenzo  and  Sarah  Clark.  They  have  five  children, 
namely:  ^'aknti^e  Wallice.  Jr..  Clark  Chancy,  ^Marguerite  Ethel.  Sturgis 
Chfton  and  Helen  Adalade.  They  are  bright,  interesting  children  and  are 
all  at  home  with  their  parents.  !Mrs.  Eiler  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church 
and  is  a  lady  of  good  education  and  social  qualities,  much  respected  and  loved 
bv  all  who  know  her. 


Barry  Cuunnings,  of  Athens  township,  is  a  son  of  Isaac  A.  and  Cynthia 
(Flint)  Cimimings,  and  was  bom  October  12,  1855.  and  is  a  farmer  and  a 
justice  of  the  peace.  He  married  Letta  Foster,  daughter  of  Albert  and 
Hannah  Foster,  and  thev  have  one  child,  named  Marv  Ellen. 


Cornelius  C.  Laffer,  M.  D.,  Meadville,  is  a  son  of  P.  A.  Lafter.  was  bom 
in  Meadville  in  1867,  and  educated  at  the  public  schools  of  Meadville  and  Alle- 
gheny College,  ultimately  graduating  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  in 
1893 :  was  resident  physician  of  the  Methodist  hospital  one  }  ear.  and  then 
located  at  [Meadville.  where  he  has  practiced  medicine  since  1894.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  to  GertiTjde  Sackett. 


Hon.  J.  P.  Thomas. — To  this  gentleman  is  due  that  tribute  of  respect 
and  admiration  which  is  always  given — and  justlv  so — to  those  men  who 
have  worked  their  way  upward  to  'positions  of  prominence  through  their 
own  efforts,  who  have  achieved  wealth  through  their  own  labors,  and  by 
their  honorable,  straightfonvard  dealing  commanded  the  esteem  and  confi- 
dence of  those  with  whom  they  have  been  thrown  in  contact.  He  has  also 
been  prominent  in  advancing  interests  which  have  brought  to  him  no  personal 
gain,  but  have  been  of  great  material  benefit  to  the  city.  He  is  public-spirited 
in  an  eminent  degree,  and  has  been  an  important  factor  in  the  history  of 
Titusville  and  Crawford  coimty. 

A  native  of  the  Empire  State,  James  P.  Thomas  was  bom  in  the  town 
of  Stafford,  Genesee  count}-,  June  27,  1839,  and  spent  his  early  boyhood  days 
upon  his  father's  farm,  where  he  became  familiar  with  all  the  duties  and 
labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  He  assisted  in  the  cultivation 
of  the  fields  through  the  summer  months  and  in  the  winter  season  attended 
the  district  school  of  the  neighborhood  until  fifteen  years  of  age.  when  he 
entered  a  dr\--goods  store  in  Batavia,  Xew  York,  where  he  was  employed 
as  clerk  until  the  autumn  of  i860,  when  he  began  the  study  of  law  in  the 
office  of  Hon.  George  Brown,  of  that  city. 

This  was  the  period  of  intense  excitement  over  the  slavery-  question, 
and  the  agitation  at  length  precipitated  the  countr\-  into  civil  war.  His 
patriotic  spirit  aroused,  ilr.  Thomas  offered  his  services  to  his  countr>-.  in 


^'o8  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

August,  1861,  and  joined  the  "boys  in  blue"  of  Company  E,  One  Hundred 
and  Fifth  Regiment  of  New  York  Volunteers,  at  Le  Roy,  New  York.  Soon 
afterward  the  command  was  ordered  to  tlie  front  and  participated  in  many 
hard-fought  battles,  which  so  decimated  its  ranks  that  in  the  spring  of  1863, 
at  Belle  Pkiin,  it  was  consolidated  with  the  Ninety-fourth  New  York  Infantry. 
In  November,  of  that  year,  in  recognition  of  his  meritorious  service,  Mr. 
Thomas  received  promotion  to  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant,  and  in  August, 
1864,  was  made  first  lieutenant.  He  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  on  many  a 
hotly  contested  battlefield,  and  was  wounded  both  at  Antietam  and  Gettys- 
burg, and  while  at  the  battle  of  Weldon  Railroad,  near  Petersburg,  Virginia, 
on  the  19th  of  August.  1864,  he  was  taken  prisoner.  He  was  incarcerated  in 
Libby  Prison,  also  at  Salisbury,  North  Carolina,  and  Danville,  Virginia,  but 
after  suffering  many  hardships  was  paroled,  February  22.  1865.  When 
exchanged  he  returned  to  active  service  and  remained  at  the  front  until  hos- 
tilities were  brought  to  an  end  dm\  the  stars  and  stripes  were  planted  in 
the  capital  of  the  Confederacy. 

For  more  than  a  third  of  a  century  Mr.  Thomas  has  been  a  resident  of 
Titusville,  having  come  to  this  city  at  the  close  of  the  war.  Here  he  turned 
his  attention  to  the  oil  business  and  has  since  been  connected  with  that  en- 
terprise, through  which  he  has  realized  a  handsome  fortune.  For  fifteen 
years  he  was  also  connected  with  the  Roberts  Torpedo  Company,  and  ulti- 
mately retired  from  business  life;  but  indolence  and  idleness  form  no  part 
of  his  nature,  and  his  energetic  spirit  could  not  content  itself  in  inactivity, 
so  that  in  1885  he  erected  a  very  extensive  plant  for  refining  oil,  equipped 
it  with  the  latest  improved  machinery,  and  has  since  carried  on  operations  in 
that  line  on  a  large  scale.  The  International  Oil  Works,  of  Titusville.  form 
one  of  the  leading  enterprises  of  the  city,  and  not  only  bring  excellent  financial 
returns  to  the  owner,  but  also  promote  the  general  prosperity  by  accelerating 
commercial  activity.  The  development  of  the  oil  industry  has  been  one  of 
the  greatest  sources  of  wealth  in  this  section  of  Pennsylvania  and  has  revo- 
lutionized and  controlled  the  oil  trade  of  the  country.  Foreseeing  its  value  as 
a  marketable  product,  Mr.  Thomas  early  became  interested  therein,  and  as  the 
result  of  his  sagacity,  capable  management,  enterprise  and  sound  judgment 
has  won  a  most  gratifying  success. 

In  his  political  associations  and  \iews  Mr.  Thomas  is  a  stanch  Republi- 
can,  and  on  that  ticket  was  elected  mayor  of  Titusville,  February  19,  1884. 
For  two  years  he  held  the  office  and  discharged  his  duties  so  acceptably  that 
he  was  re-elected  for  another  term  of  two  vears,  in  1886.  His  administra- 
tion was  progressive  and  greatly  benefited  the  city,  being  conducted  in  prac- 
tical business  lines.  Mr.  Thomas  is  a  broad-minded  man.  of  l^enevolent  spirit 
and  kindly  impulses,  and  his  generosity  to  the  poor  and  needy  indicates  his 
warm  and  sympathetic  heart.     He  is  quick  to  respond  to  any  call  for  aid 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  809 

and  to  encourage  those  who  are  endeavoring  to  conquer  an  adverse  fate.  In 
all  his  business  dealings  he  is  scrupulously  exact  and  fair.  His  success  seems 
most  marvelous,  but  has  come  to  him  as  the  result  of  foresight,  executive 
ability  and  discrimination.  The  life  of  such  a  man  is  an  object  lesson  of  real 
value  to  the  observing  and  thoughtful.  It  brings  out  prominently  the  char- 
acteristics that  win,  offers  encouragement  to  young  men  who  are  willing  to 
work  with  their  minds  and  their  hands,  and  affords  another  proof  of  the' 
familiar  adage  that  there  is  no  royal  road  to  wealth  or  distinction  in  this 
republic.     The  achievement  depends  upon  the  man. 


U'illiaii!  Lloyd  Jamison  of  South  Shenango  township  was  born  March  6, 
1819,  in  Unity  township,  Westmoreland  count}',  Pennsylvania.  His  father. 
James  Jamison,  was  born  in  the  same  township  in  1775,  and  lived  there  until 
fifteen  years  before  his  death,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven  years,  when  he 
moved  to  Venango  county.  William  Jamison's  grandfather,  Robert,  was  a 
native  of  Ireland,  and  when  very  young  came  to  America  with  his  parents,  set- 
tling on  a  grant  of  land  in  Westmoreland,  and  lived  there  until  his  death. 
The  mother  of  William  Lloyd  Jamison  was  Elizabeth  Lloyd,  a  native  of  Ches- 
ter county,  Pennsylvania,  who  lived  to  be  sixty-five  years  old.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  had  seven  children,  of  whom  A\'illiam 
Jamison  and  two  sisters  are  now  living. 

\\"illiam  Jamison  lived  on  his  father's  farm  until  his  twenty-first  year, 
■\\'hen  he  bought  the  farm  in  \'enango  county,  and  in  1865  bought  the  farm 
that  has  since  been  his  home.  His  farm,  of  one  hundred  acres  extent,  is  well 
improved,  and  is  now  operated  by  his  son. 

He  married  Miss  Mary  Ann  (Carrothers)  of  \'enango  county,  who  died 
September  16,  1897,  leaving  five  children.  Sarah  E.  is  the  wife  of  Thompson 
Marshall;  Annie  Jane  is  at  home;  and  James  A..  John  Lloyd  and  AA'illiani 
Johnson  are  farmers  in  Crawford  county. 

Mr.  Jamison,  although  a  stanch  Republican,  has  no  political  aspirations. 
He  is  an  elder  in  the  Laiited  Presbvterian  church. 


ll'illiaiii  Clark  Brittaiii.  physician  and  surgeon,  Cochranton,  a  native  of 
Beaver  county,  was  born  May  27,  1849,  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Belinda  (Clark) 
Brittain  of  Chippewa  township,  Beaver  county,  where  his  early  life  was  spent 
on  a  farm.  Joseph  Brittain  was  a  son  of  Jeremiah  Brittain,  also  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  whose  five  children  were  as  follows :  Jeremiah  R.,  born  July 
26,  1839;  Lydia  J.,  born  March  7,  1844,  and  is  the  wife  of  William  C.  Cham- 
berlain of  East  Palestine,  Ohio;  William  C. ;  Joseph  I.,  born  November  2, 
1857,  and  lives  at  East  Palestine,  Ohio;  and  Elizabeth  E.,  born  April  25, 
1853,  is  the  wife  of  Newton  Andre,  at  New  Brighton,  Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Brittain  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town,  in  1866 


8io  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

entered  the  academy  at  Darlington,  this  state,  and  in  1870  began  the  study  of 
medicine  in  the  office  of  Dr.  W.  C.  E.  Martin  of  Greenville,  Pennsylvania. 
Soon  afterward  attended  the  Eclectic  Medical  Institute  for  two  regular  terms 
at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  graduating  February  4,  1873.  He  began  the  practice  of 
medicine  in  March  of  the  same  year  in  Orangeville,  Trumbull  county,  Ohio. 
April  II,  1876,  he  located  in  Cochranton,  where  he  has  since  practiced,  with 
unvarying  success.  February  13,  1873,  he  married  Melissa,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Emily  E.  (Carringer)  Robinson.  The  latter  died  March  20,  1893. 
Their  children  were  seven  in  number :  Isabella,  wife  of  Rev.  J.  R.  Wallace, 
New  Bethlehem,  Pennsylvania;  Mary  A.,  wife  of  Milo  Carringer,  of  Marion- 
ville,  Pennsylvania;  Melissa,  wife  of  our  subject;  ISIilton,  residing  at  Green- 
ville, this  state;  Jane,  wife  of  F.  W.  McCoy,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio;  George  L., 
at  Chagrin  Falls,  that  state;  and  J.  Burton  Robison  of  Jamestown,  Pennsyl- 
vania. Dr.  and  Mrs.  Brittain  have  two  daughters :  Belinda  E.,  born  Decem- 
ber 2,  1873.  and  is  the  wife  of  Frank  E.  Brown  of  Cochranton,  and  they  have 
two  children, — Arthur  Edmon  and  Linnie  Winsome;  and  Flora  M..  born  July 

3i>  1877- 

Mr.  Brittain  is  a  member  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church,  president 
of  the  board  of  trustees,  member  and  clerk  of  the  sessions,  and  also  president 
of  the  school  board  of  the  vi'lage. 


William  Morris  of  Rome  township  is  a  son  of  James  .Morris,  and  was 
born  in  England  and  came  to  Rome  township  in  1848,  settling  on  the  farm  now 
owned  by  his  son,  Benjamin  H.  He  was  a  machinist,  and  his  wife,  with  the 
help  of  her  eight  children,  did  the  work  on  the  farm  while  he  worked  at  his 
trade. 


Bciijaiiiin  Morris  of  Rome  township  is  a  son  of  Richard  Morris,  and  .vas 
born  August  10,  1840.  In  1866  he  married  Lucy  A.  Sedden,  daughter  of  Eli 
and  Jane  (Harrison)  Sedden,  who  died  in  1869,  leaving  one  child,  Frederick 
W.  His  second  wife  was  Iphigenia  Wheattall,  daughter  of  Henry  Wheattall. 
Mr.  Morris  has  been  a  lumberman  and  farmer.  He  has  had  three  children 
by  his  second  wife, — Herbert  R.,  Edna  J.,  and  Clyde  N.  Henry  and  Benjamin 
Wheattall,  sons  of  John,  were  mariners,  born  in  London,  England,  who  came 
to  Rome  township  about  1843,  where  Henry  married  Elizabeth,  a  daughter  of 
Richard  Harrison,  the  early  settler.  Henry  Wheattall  had  seven  children  (four 
now  living),  and  his  home  was  on  the  farm  now  owred  1)y  E.  L.  Hummer. 


Dr.  Levi  S.  Tyler  of  Pine  township  is  a  son  of  Solomon  and  Sally  ( Stead- 
man)  Tyler,  and  was  born  in  Stockton,  Chautauqua  county,  New  York,  April 
17,  1820.  In  1836  his  father  moved  to  Conneaut  township,  Crawford  county, 
Pennsylvania.     His  education  was  obtained  from  the  common  schools  and 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  8ii 

afterward  at  tlie  Allegheny  College.  He  read  medicine,  with  Dr.  E.  P.  Stead- 
man  of  Meadville  for  his  instructor,  for  two  years.  Later  he  took  a  two-years 
course  at  the  Eclectic  College  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he  graduated  in  1845. 
In  1850  he  located  at  Louisville,  where  he  has  since  practiced. 


John  J.  Hoiiscr,  of  Meadville,  a  son  01  John  and  Catharine  (Kohler) 
Houser.  was  born  September  23.  1854.  and  educated  at  the  public  schools  in 
Meadville,  Westminster  College  and  Edinboro  Normal  School.  He  followed 
teaching  for  seven  years  and  kept  grocery  for  thirteen  years.  He  is  now  secre- 
tary and  treasurer  of  the  Parter  Gum  Company. 

In  1884  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Anna  Johnson,  and  has  one  son, 
J.  David,  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in  which  he  has  passed  the  chairs  and 
been  twice  a  delegate  to  the  Grand  Lodge. 

John  Houser,  son  of  John,  was  born  in  Germany  and  came  to  America 
at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  when  he  learned  the  molder's  trade.  He  married 
Catharine  Kohler  and  they  had  twelve  children.  He  lived  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
and  for  years  worked  at  his  trade.  He  came  to  Meadville  and  purchased  a 
farm,  where  he  died,  in  1889,  and  his  wife  died  in  1891. 


Benjamin  Kastcr.  W'avne  township. — Sanni"!  Raster,  father  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  came  into  Crawford  from  Mercer  county  about  the  year 
1820,  and  taught  school  for  a  number  of  years  in  diiiferent  parts  of  the  county, 
and  died  in  1855  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years.  His  widow,  nee  Mary  Mabam, 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-three.  Their  children  are  Maria,  wife  of  Robert 
Heath:  Isabella,  wife  of  Henry  Johnson:  Sealey,  William,  Benjamin,  and 
Robert. 

Although  a  mere  lad  at  the  opening  of  the  Rebellion,  Benjamin  enlisted 
in  the  Fifteenth  United  States  Infantry  in  1862,  and  served  three  years,  receiv- 
ing wounds  at  the  siege  of  Atlanta  and  the  battle  of  Stoneboro.  In  1865  he 
was  discharged  from  the  service  as  first  sergeant  of  Company  D,  with  the 
unusual  distinction  of  being  a  three-years  veteran  before  the  completion  of  his 
eighteenth  vear.  His  oldest  brother  served  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth 
Pennsylvania  Volunteers.  Mr.  Raster  then  passed  several  years  in  the  oil 
region,  near  Pithole,  engaged  in  drilling  wells.  He  then  married  Miss  Emma 
E.  Stevans,  and  settled  upon  his  farm  in  Wayne  township.  They  have  three 
children, — John  W.,  Mae,  and  Lloyd  B.  Greatly  interested  in  educational 
afifairs,  Mr.  Raster  has  served  as  school  director  twelve  years. 


IJ'illiain  Davenport  of  Sparta  township Avas  born  in  Massachusetts,  came 
to  Rome  township.  Crawford  county,  in  1817,  took  up  two  hundred  acres  of 
land,  built  a  log  house  and  cleared  up  a  fami.  He  was  well  educated  and  taught 
school  during  the  winter  for  many  seasons.    He  was  prominent  in  town  affairs. 


8i2  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

as  he  was  the  most  competent  to  do  business.  He  held  many  local  offices.  He 
and  his  wife,  Clarissa  (Goodrich)  Davenport,  were  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church,  of  which  he  was  a  deacon.    He  had  nine  children. 


Asa  N.  Belknap  of  Beaver  township  was  born  July  i,  1829,  at  Austinburg, 
Ashtabula  county.  Ohio.  Asa  Belknap,  his  father,  was  a  native  of  Dunnston, 
\'erniont,  where  his  youth  was  spent.  His  first  independent  venture  as  a 
farmer  was  at  Austinburg,  Ohio,  where  he  lived  until  1857  or  '8.  He  then 
purchased  the  present  homestead  in  Crawford  county,  upon  which  he  lived  until 
his  death,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two.  In  politics  Mr.  Belknap  was  a  Demo- 
crat, and  he  demonstrated  his  patriotism  by  serving  in  the  war  of  18 12.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church.  He  married  Miss  Betsy  Little  of  New 
York  state,  who  li\'ed  to  be  about  eighty  years  old. 

After  a  youth  spent  on  the  farm  at  Austinburg,  Asa  N.  Belknap  started 
upon  a  venture  that  held  many  romantic  and  stirring  possibilities,  and  the  com- 
pletion of  which  indicates  more  than  ordinary  courage  and  perseverance.  He 
desired  to  reach  California,  the  then  great  mining  Mecca  of  the  west,  and 
strrted  nut  with  a  caravan,  consisting  of  eleven  men  and  five  wagons,  to  cross 
the  plains.  They  met  with  many  adventures,  their  course  taking  in  the  cities 
of  Cleveland,  Columbus,  Cincinnati,  St.  Louis,  St.  "Joe,"  thence  up  the  Platte 
river  to  Fort  Kearney,  and  on  to  Fort  Bridger,  through  Salt  Lake  City  to 
California.  As  a  miner  Mr.  Belknap  was  cjuite  successful,  remaining  in  the 
west  for  about  ten  years,  after  A  hich  he  returned  to  Crawford  county  and  pur- 
chased the  farm  that  is  now  his  home. 

Air.  Belknap  has  had  a  varied  military  experience.  In  1861  he  enlisted  in 
Company  H,  Eighty-third  Regular  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  serving  for  two 
years  under  Generals  Miles,  McClellan,  Porter  and  Daniel  Butterfield. 

Mr.  Belknap  married  Miss  Ann  C.  Gates  of  this  county,  and  they  have 
two  children,  living  at  home.  He  is  an  ardent  Republican  and  has  been  active 
in  local  politics,  holding  the  offices  of  supervisor,  auditor  and  assessor  for  many 
years.     He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church. 

The  Belknap  property  consists  of  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres, 
which  is  well  improved  and  thoroughl}-  modern  in  all  of  its  appliances. 


A.  M.  Hunter,  superintendent  of  the  Titusville  water-works,  was  born  in 
Venango  October  22,  1853,  a  son  of  R.  P.  and  Lucinda  (Dunham)  Hunter, 
early  settlers  of  Allegheny,  Pennsylvania.  The  former  still  survives,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-six  years,  and  the  latter  died  in  1895,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six 
years.  Mr.  Hunter  is  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  and  is  the  fifth  child  of  a  family 
of  ten  children.  December  31,  1879,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Anna 
Bateman  of  Titusville,  and  they  have  two  children, — Lou  and  Howard. 

For  over  twenty  years  Mr.  Hunter  was  employed  as  foreman  for    the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  813 

United  States  Pipe  Line  Company.  In  April,  1896,  he  was  appointed  super- 
intendent of  tiie  city  water-works, — a  position  which  he  has  filled  with  the 
utmost  satisfaction  and  ability.  Under  his  supervision  the  works  have  lieen 
rebuilt  and  put  in  first-class  shape,  giving  the  city  of  Titusville  a  better  system 
than  any  of  the  adjacent  towns.  Since  1878  Mr.  Hunter  has  also  been  en- 
gaged in  oil-producing  in  various  fields,  with  success, — which  vocation  he 
still  pursues.  He  is  a  memlier  of  the  Elks.  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Maccabees,  and  is  a 
director  of  the  Relief  Association  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 


IV.  C.  Harvey,  farmer,  of  East  Fairfield,  was  born  October  27,  1848,  on 
the  farm  which  he  now  owns  and  occupies.  He  is  a  son  of  James  and  Sarah 
(Berry)  Harvey,  both  natives  of  Crawford  county.  The  former  was  born 
June  28,  1809,  and  died  January  4,  1S85,  and  the  latter  was  born  June  14,  1814, 
and  died  August  24,  1881.  James  was  a  son  of  Robert  and  Elizabeth  (Thom- 
son) Har\-ey,  natives  of  AVestmoreland  count}-:  the  former  was  born  in  1771. 
and  died  February  2"^.  1845.  ^"^1  the  latter  was  born  April  4,  1776.  and  died 
June  27,  1848.  They  reared  three  children:  Mary,  lx)rn  March  23,  1803; 
Andrew,  born  February  16,  1805;  and  James,  the  father  of  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Mr.  Harvey  is  the  youngest  son  of  a  family  of  four  children,  namely : 
John,  deceased;  Robert,  deceased ;  Andrew ;  Elizabeth,  deceased,  formerly 
the  wife  of  Levi  Farringer;   and  W.  C,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

November  27,  1873,  Mr.  Harvey  married  Julia,  daughter  of  Philip  and 
Julia  Ann  (Peterman)  Hart,  of  East  Fairfield.  Mrs.  Harvey  is  the  youngest 
of  five  children,  as  follows :  Sarah  Levina,  William  A.,  James,  Rachel,  and 
Julia.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harvey  are  the  parents  of  three  children, — John  C,  Loie 
E.,  and  Andrew  T.  The  homestead  is  situated  in  one  of  the  most  attractive 
locations  in  East  Fairfield  township,  commanding  a  pleasing  view  of  the  French 
creek  valley. 


]V.  R.  McGill  of  Harmonsburg,  Pennsylvania,  was  born  February  i,  1833, 
in  Saegerstown,  Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  educated  at  the 
public  schools  and  at  the  age  of  twenty  was  actively  engaged  in  general  farm- 
ing, stock-raising,  driving  and  shipping  horses  and  cattle  to  the  eastern  mar- 
kets. In  1875  he  was  elected  deputy  sheriff,  which  position  he  held  for  three 
years,  when  he  was  nominated  by  the  Democratic  party  for  the  office  of  high 
sheriff',  but  was  defeated  at  the  election. 

In  1879  he  bought  and  settled  upon  a  farm  of  four  hundred  and  forty 
acres,  situated  in  Summerhill  township,  where  he  now  resides.  Mr.  McGiU 
for  the  last  twenty  years  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  the  lumber  business, 
luit  has  not  in  any  way  neglected  the  thorough  cultivation  and  improvement 
of  his  magnificent  homestead,  the  broad  acres  of  which  you  will  find  heavily 
stocked  with  cattle  and  horses  of  the  highest  grade. 


8i4  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

In  1892  he  was  elected  to  the  state  legislature,  which  position  he  filled 
with  honor  to  the  end  of  the  term.  His  ability  is  varied  and  many-sided  and 
his  keen  business  sense  has  enabled  him  to  reach  out  and  grasp  opportunities 
that  are  not  apparent  to  all.  In  no  undertaking  has  he  proven  a  failure,  either 
financially  or  socially,  and  his  life  and  thought  are  fashioned  on  broad  and 
liberal  principles. 

His  family,  of  eight  boys  and  one  daughter,  are  all  living  except  one  son, 
and  few  families  are  so  intelligently  happy  in  their  home  relations  and  few 
children  have  so  well  appreciated  and  developed  their  respective  talents. 

It  would  be  hard  to  find  a  man  more  keenly  alive  to  the  best  interests  of 
the  community  in  which  he  lives,  or  more  deserving  of  the  profound  respect 
which  he  enjoys,  than  is  the  Hon.  W.'R.  McGill. 


John  Benedict,  deceased,  was  born  in  Luzerne  county,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1809.  At  the  age  of  six  years,  both  parents  having  died,  he  was  bound  out 
to  an  uncle  and  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade.  From  boyhood  he  displayed 
remarkable  strength  of  character  and  integrity,  which  prepared  him  for  life's 
battle.  Together  with  his  trade  he  operated  several  mills  and  a  large  general 
store  in  Allegany  county,  New  York,  for  about  fifteen  years  prior  to  moving 
to  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  in  1868,  where  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  busi- 
ness. He  died  November  11,  1888,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years.  Mr. 
Benedict's  parents,  Thomas  and  Sabre  (Brown)  Benedict,  were  natives  of 
eastern  Pennsylvania,  and  resided  in  Pittston.  He  was  married  September  25, 
1830,  to  Sarah,  daughter  of  James  and  Catherine  (Wagner)  Stark.  Mrs. 
Benedict,  a  resident  of  Meadville,  was  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  fourteen  chil- 
dren who  lived  to  maturity,  and  still  survives  at  the  age  of  eighty-four.  There 
were  five  children  by  this  union  :  James  Stark,  deceased;  Catherine,  widow  of 
Frank  French;  Mary  J.,  widow  of  Henry  R.  Johnson;  Sarah,  of  Meadville; 
and  Anna,  wife  of  DeForest  Davie,  of  Salamanca,  New  York. 


Rev.  Robert  Murray,  son  of  David  and  Sara  (Creer)  Murray,  of  Scotch 
parentage,  was  born  in  Barrow-in-Furness,  Lancaster  county,  England,  April 
7,  1848,  and  educated  in  the  public  schools  arid  Hackney  College,  London, 
where  he  was  graduated  in  1874  and  ad'  dtted  to  the  university.  His  first 
charge  was  the  Congregational  church  at  Towle  Mere,  England,  where  he 
was  pastor  four  years.  He  then  moved  to  Shefiield,  Yorkshire  county,  and 
for  five  years  was  pastor  of  the  Howard  Street  Congregational  church,  and  for 
the  next  three  and  a  half  years  was  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  at 
\\'eston-super-;Mare  in  Somersetshire.  Here,  his  health  failing,  he  resigned, 
and  in  September,  1886,  came  to  America  to  visit  relatives,  and  he  has  since 
made  Titusville  his  home.  For  nearly  twelve  years  he  has  ministered  to  the 
Kerr  Hill  Presbvterian  church,  three  miles  southwest  of  Titusville.    For  twelve 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS. PEOPLE.  815 

years  he  has  been  in  the  business  office  of  the  Cyclops  Steel  Works  at  Titus- 
ville. 

For  several  years  during  the  winter  months  he  has  instructed  in  religious 
culture  a  class  composed  of  men  only.  Hitherto  the  meetings  of  the  class  have 
been  held  in  the  Presbyterian  chapel,  but  they  are  now  conducted  at  the  Opera 
House.  The  work  is  unsectarian  and  non-denominational.  This  is  perhaps 
the  only  class  of  the  kind  in  existence.  The  average  attendance  has  been  from 
two  hundred  and  fifty  to  three  hundred,  but  this  year,  at  the  Opera  House, 
it  is  much  larger.    The  institution  is  known  as  Robert  Murray's  Class. 

September  22,  1874,  Mr.  Murray  was  married  to  Sara  (Hargill)  Burgess, 
who  has  borne  him  two  children :  Mabel  H.,  born  July  30,  1876,  and  Edith  H., 
born  July  18,  1884.  Mabel  is  taking  a  three-years  course  in  the  school  for 
nurses  connected  with  the  Homeopathic  Hospital  at  Rochester,  New  York; 
and  Edith  is  a  student  of  the  Titusville  high  school. 


Rev.  Joseph  M.  Nau  is  the  son  of  Martin  and  Margaret  (Teusch)  Nau. 
He  was  born  December  25,  1858,  at  Trier,  Germany,  a  Rhine  province,  where 
he  was  educated  in  the  parochial  school,  gymnasium  and  college,  for  his  phi- 
losophy. He  then,  for  three  years,  studied  theology  in  Louvain,  in  the  Amer- 
ican College  in  Belgium,  and  on  June  28,  1885,  he  was  ordained  priest.  On 
September  18,  1885,  he  arrived  in  New  York,  and  soon  afterward  became 
priest  of  St.  Walburga's  church  at  Titusville,  Pennsylvania,  and  has  been  its 
priest  until  the  present  time.  His  charge  embraces  a  membership  of  about 
eighty  families.  He  has  in  connection  with  the  church  a  parochial  school  for 
the  benefit  of  the  children  of  the  members  of  the  church.  He  has  officiated  tem- 
porarily in  other  parishes,  but  his  regular  work  is  in  the  Titusville  church,  with 
his  residence  on  the  grounds.  His  father  is  still  in  Germany;  but  his  mother 
died  December  15,  1897. 


Joseph  J.  McCvnm,  son  of  Robert  and  Sarah  (McCaslin)  McCrum,  of 
Scotch-Irish  descent,  was  born  in  Allegheny  township,  Venango  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, September  4,  1838.  Until  the  age  of  sixteen  Joseph  attended  the 
common  schools  and  worked  on  his  father's  farm.  At  that  age  he  went  to 
Jamestown.  New  York,  and  learned  the  harnessmakers'  trade  of  Silas  Shear- 
hian  &  Son.  In  1862  he  came  to  Titusville  and  engaged  in  the  harness-making 
business  on  his  own  account,  and  until  1892,  with  few  intermissions,  he  fol- 
lowed that  employment.  From  1892  for  two  years  he  was  in  the  oil  business. 
In  1894  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Titusville,  entering  upon  the  duties  of 
the  office  on  the  ist  of  September  that  year.  From  1865  to  1882  Mr.  McCrum 
was  continuously  a  member  of  the  city  government,  and  for  four  years  of  that 
time  he  was  president  of  the  council.     From  1891  to  1894  he  was  a  member 


8i6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

of  tlie  school  board.     From  1876  for  two  years  he  was  deputy  sheriff  of  the 
county.     He  was  also  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  in  1883-4. 

In  1865  he  became  a  member  of  the  Oil  Creek  Lodge,  No.  303,  of  Free- 
masons. He  is  also  a  member  of  Aaron  Chapter,  No.  207,  R.  A.  M. ;  the  Occi- 
dent Council.  No.  41.  R.  &  S.  M. ;  and  of  the  Rose  Croix  Commandery.  K.  T.. 
No.  48;  and  he  has  held  the  highest  offices  in  all  these  orders  and  passed  all 
the  chairs.  He  was  secretary  of  the  Oil  Creek  blue  lodge  for  four  years.  On 
February  21.  i860,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Isabel  Beck,  daughter  of  James  and 
Margaret  Beck,  of  Scotch  parentage.  They  have  two  children, — Charles  Fred- 
erick and  Daisy  Isabel.  Mr.  McCrum's  father  died  when  he  was  an  infant. 
His  ancestors  were  very  early  settlers  in  Venango  county,  and  it  is  supposed 
that  his  paternal  ancestors  were  from  the  Isle  of  Man ;  it  is  certain  that  his 
mother's  ancestors  came  from  that  island. 


P.  O.  Biic,  the  son  of  Oleand  Betty  (Bue)  Bue,  was  born  in  Tillehammer, 
Norway,  October  5,  1832,  where  he  was  educated  in  the  local  schools.  At  the 
age  of  twelve  he  began  work  with  his  father  in  the  silversmith  trade,  and  con- 
tinued at  this  employment  until  he  was  twenty  years  old.  He  then  learned  the 
trade  of  machinist  with  his  uncle,  and  continued  in  that  work  until  t868,  when 
he  came  to  Americn.  and  has  since  made  machinery  his  life  occupation. 

On  jMarch  17,  1872,  he  came  to  Titusville,  and  for  nine  years  he  was  fore- 
man of  the  large  machine  shop  owned  by  Junius  Harris.  Here  his  two  sons, 
Ole  and  Albert,  learned  the  machinist's  trade  under  his  instruction.  In  1884 
he  went  into  business  with  Ole  and  Albert,  doing  general  repairing,  bicycle 
work,  gunsmithing,  and  light  mechanical  jobs,  continuing  at  the  head  of  this 
class  of  mechanics  ever  since. 

On  INIarch  27,  1862.  he  was  married  to  Miss  Maria,  daughter  of  Auda 
and  :\Ialinda  Anderson.  They  have  had  five  children,— Ole,  Albert,  Bergin. 
Bernard,  and  Bernard,  the  last  three  now  deceased. 


Rev.  La-ai-cjicc  Scher,  son  of  Michael  and  /  ma  M.  (Harm)  Selzer,  was 
born  in  Palentia,  Freindheim,  Germany,  August  6,  1863.  When  he  was  five 
years  old  his  parents  came  to  America,  and  located  near  Akron,  Ohio,  where 
he  attended  a  country  school  several  years.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  attended 
at  Cleveland  Calvin  College  one  year.  Then  he  was  employed  three  years  as. 
clerk  in  a  provision  store  at  Akron.  In  October,  1882,  he  entered  the  Franklin. 
Wisconsin,  :\Iission-house  college  and  seminary,  where  he  was  educated  in 
both  German  and  English,  and  graduated  June  18,  1886.  Next  he  took  a 
theological  course,  graduating  in  1888.  and  he  was  then  licensed  to  preach  and 
minister,  and  on  September  10,  1889,  he  was  ordained  at  Chainsville,  Ohio, 
and  August  ist.  the  same  year,  he  took  his  first  charge  in  Chainsville.  This 
was  before  his  ordination.    He  was  located  there  until  December  i,  1892,  when 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  817 

he  moved  to  Black  Creek,  Ohio,  where  he  had  a  mission  charge  until  Feb- 
ruary I,  1894.  He  then  came  to  Titusville,  and  has  since  been  in  charge  of  St. 
Paul's  German  Reformed  church. 

During  the  time  of  his  first  and  second  charges  Mr.  Selzer  was  stated 
clerk  to  St.  John's  classis  of  the  German  Reformed  church  of  the  United  States 
for  four,  and  a  half  )'ears. 

On  September  25,  1888,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Augusta,  daughter  of 
Louis  and  Christiana  (Naat)  Praihschatis.  The  children  of  this  union  are 
Carl,  born  August  31,  1890;  Gertrude,  April  15,  1892;  Ruth,  December  21, 
1894;    Edgar,  September  13,  1895;   and  Arthur,  April  7.  1898. 


Francis  Bailey.  West  Fairfield  township. — Theobold  and  3.1argaret 
Bailey  came  from  France  in  the  fall  of  1837,  and  settled  upon  and  cleared  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine  acres,  now  occupied  by  their  son  Francis. 
Their  other  children  are  Mary,  wife  of  Augustus  Rush  ;  Julia,  wife  of  Sylves- 
ter Foulk;  Josephine,  wife  of  George  Prenett;  Jacob,  Dennis  and  Peter.  Den- 
nis served  during  the  Civil  war  and' died  in  Andersonville  prison.  Francis 
was  born  in  1832.  in  France.  He  married,  in  1859,  Margaret  Ann,  daughter 
of  Samuel  Brines.  Their  children  are  Louis.  Park,  Lee,  Francis,  Anderson, 
Mary,  wife  of  Frank  Hoyt;  Margaret,  wife  of  Hayes  McConnell;  David; 
and  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Henry  Roberts. 

Mr.  Bailey's  mother  still  lives,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five. 


Samuel  P.  Boycr  was  born  in  Pottsville,  Pennsjdvania,  July  16,  1828,  the 
son  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Reed)  Boyer.  The  father  and  mother  were  both 
natives  of  the  country  about  Pottsville.  In  his  boyhood  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  employed  for  a  time  at  certain  work  in  the  coal  mines  near  Potts- 
ville. Later  on  he  learned  the  molder's  trade,  and  continued  at  the  business 
until  the  summer  of  1850,  when  he  left  for  California.  He  went  with  a  com- 
pany of  travelers,  taking  the  overland  route.  The  expedition  was  four  months 
in  going  from  Independence,  Missouri,  to  what  is  now  known  as  Placerville, 
California.  Mr.  Boyer  remained  in  California  until  1855,  nearly  five  years,, 
engaged  while  there  principally  in  mining.  He  returned  by  the  Nicaragua 
route,  when  Walker  was  filibustering  in  Nicaragua  and  Honduras. 

After  returning  to  Pottsville  he  engaged  in  the  coal  trade,  in  which  he 
continued  until  the  war  broke  out,  in  1861.  About  August  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany L,  Third  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  and  was  in  the  service  until  the  company 
was  mustered  out,  in  September,  1864,  a  little  over  three  years.  After  his  re- 
turn he  was  in  Schuylkill  county  until  1865,  when  he  came  to  Oil  City,  where 
he  first  went  into  the  lumber  business.  He  soon  afterward  began  to  drill  for 
oil.  At  first  he  sunk  dry  holes,  but  in  1866  fortune  was  kind  to  him  and  he 
has  been  an  oil  producer  ever  since.    (An  account  of  his  work  as  producer  will 

52 


8!S  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

be  found  in  the  history  of  Titusville  producers  in  this  vohime. )     He  has  resided 
in  Titusville  most  of  the  time  since  coming  to  the  oil  country. 

In  1864  he  married  Miss  Carrie  C.  Hartington  of  Philadelphia,  who  bore 
him  five  children,  two  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  The  others  were  Samuel, 
now  a  doctor  of  medicine  in  Duluth,  Minnesota;  Elizabeth,  who  married  E.  G. 
Hollister,  and  died  in  1895:  and  Franklin,  who  died  in  1879,  aged  six  years. 
The  mother  died  in  1874.  In  1876  Mr.  Boyer  married  Miss  Amelia  Fuller  of 
Titusville,  who  has  borne  him  two  children, — a  son  and  a  daughter.  The  son, 
Clarence  \'..  is  now  a  student  at  Princeton  Uni\ersity,  and  Jeannette.  the 
daughter,  is  a  student  at  the  Titusville  high  school. 


Frank  C.  Baker,  son  of  Charles  P..  was  born  in  Meadville  August  31, 
i860.  He  graduated  in  the  high  school  of  Meadville  in  1876;  was  clerk  in 
a  dry-goods  store  from  1877  to  1886.  In  1886  he  opened  a  clothing  store  for 
;\lr.  Lorz,  conducting  the  business  under  tlie  firm  name  of  Baker  &  Lorz  for 
one  year,  then  the  firm  became  Mendel  &  Baker,  and  has  since  continued 
under  that  title.  He  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Fifteenth  Regiment,  March  22, 
1882,  as  a  private.  On  March  22,  1886,  he  was  elected  captain;  August  31, 
1887.  major.  He  served  as  major  of  the  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers 
during  Spanish-American  war.  In  1876  he  joined  the  fire  company,  and  was 
first  assistant  chief,  and  was  foreman  of  the  Hope  Hose  company  about  ten 
years.  He  was  appointed  chief  in  April,  1894,  and  has  held  the  office  since. 
In  1888  Mr.  Baker  married  Adalaide  Turner,  and  they  have  one  son,  Charles. 

Charles  P.  Baker,  son  of  Parkman,  was  born  in  Leroy,  Ohio,  March  17, 
1S27.  In  1857  he  came  to  Meadville  and  clerked.  In  1857  he  married  Mar- 
garet E.  Foust,  and  to  this  union  were  born  two  children :  Bessie  M.  and 
Frank  C.    He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  lodge  and  encampment. 


Joint  Fcrlig  was  born  March  17,  1S37,  in  Venango  countv,  Pennsylvania. 
He  was  third  in  a  family  of  twelve  children,  six  sons  and  six  daughters.  His 
father  was  an  early  settler  in  the  county,  and  a  farmer.  Havmg  a  large  family 
to  provide  for.  with  limited  means  in  a  new  countr}-.  he  was  able  to  give  his 
children  only  a  common  school  education.  The  monotony  of  farm  life  did  not 
satisfy  yc-ung  Fertig.  At  the  age  of  sixteen,  in  the  fall  of  1853,  he  started 
from  home,  with  $5  in  his  pocket  and  a  moderate  outfit  of  clothing  in  a  hand 
bag,  for  the  headwaters  of  the  west  branch  of  tlie  Susquehanna  river,  to  get 
employment  in  a  lumber  district.  He  made  the  trip,  a  distance  of  one  hundred 
and  fift\-  miles,  on  fcot  and  alone.  He  worked  this  fall  and  during  the  winter 
following  in  a  saw  mill.  In  the  spring  he  helped  to  run  a  raft  of  lumber  down 
the  river,  and  then  with  a  replenished  pocket  book  he  returned  home.  He 
soon  afterward  began  to  study  for  the  purpose  of  qualifying  himself  for  teach- 
ing.    He  attended  the  Neilltown  Academv,  and  the  next  w-inter  he  taught  his 


.^ 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  8ig 

first  district  schonl.  He  CfMitimied  to  teach  until  lie  gained  a  good  reputatinn 
as  an  instructor.  In  the  f;!ll  of  1859  Captain  A.  P..  Funk,  wlio  had  saw  mills 
and  a  store  in  Deerlielcl  township.  Warren  county,  sought  to  secure  the  services 
of  Air.  Fertig  as  teacher  in  his  district  for  the  coming  winter.  The  school 
directors  would  pay  Mr.  Fertig  only  $18  a  month,  the  teacher  to  board  around. 
j\Ir.  Fertig  refused  both  the  salary  offered  and  {<>  huard  around.  Captain  I'unk 
then  offered  t(j  pay  $18  a  month  more,  making  the  salary  $36  a  month,  and 
board  JMr.  b'ertig  at  his  house,  at  his  own  expense.  Mr.  Fertig  accepted  the 
ofter  and  taught  through  the  winter. 

But  something  ])etter  was  at  hand.  Not  long  after  Drake's  discovery. 
Captain  Funk  became  proprietor  of  both  the  upjier  and  the  lower  Mcllhenev 
farms,  on  Oil  Creek,  near  the  Pioneer  oil  district,  in  December,  1859.  be 
executed  a  lease  of  several  acres  on  the  upper  farm  to  John  Fertig,  David 
Beatty  and  Michael  Gorman,  of  Warren  county,  and  Dr.  John  Wilson  of  Pleas- 
antville.  An  account  of  Mr.  Fertig's  oil  operations  is  given  elsewhere  in  this 
work.  But  it  may  be  said  in  this  connection  that  in  respect  to  period,  the  time 
of  beginning  de\'elo])ment,  constant  vvork  in  manv  fields  since  the  beginning 
until  the  present  time,  extensive  business  at  refining  and  shipping  oil  and 
manrigement  in  pipe  line  transportation,  John  Fertig  is  the  most  conspicuous 
representative  of  the  oil  traile  now  living.  Some  others  ha\-e  at  certain  periods 
produced  more  oil  than  Mr.  Fertig,  but  it  is  believed  that  no  other  large  pro- 
ducer who  began  the  work  of  de\'elopment  so  early  has  continued  at  ])roducing 
oil  until  now. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  Air.  I-'ertig's  connection  with  the 
United  States  Pipe  Line  C(.)mpany.  Fie  was  treasurer  of  that  institution  dur- 
ing the  most  critical  period  of  its  existence.  In  1893,  three  pipe  manufacturing 
institutions,  which  had  sold  heavily  their  products  to  the  United  States 
Pipe  Line  Company,  taking  its  paper  in  payment  with  the  ])romise  of  each  to 
renew  at  maturity,  if  asked  to,  had  been  forced  to  susi)end,  while  the  crash  was 
still  going  on.  This  unexpected  misfortune  was  highly  embarrassing  to  the 
United  States  Pipe  Line  Company.  With  rare  financial  skill  Mr.  Fertig  piloted 
the  pipe  line  company  through  rocky  straits  out  into  smooth  waters.  The 
crisis  was  extraordinary,  but  Mr.  Fertig's  management  was  equal  to  the  emer- 
gency.    He  resigned  his  treasurership  of  the  company  in  1895. 

Twcnt\-  years  before  this  experience,  Mr.  Fertig's  powers  as  a  financier 
were  sulijected  to  a  similar  strain.  At  the  municii)al  election  in  the  early  part  of 
the  year  1873,  Mr.  Fertig  was  elected  mayor  of  Titusville.  The  finances 
of  the  city,  as  he  found  them,  were  in  a  bad  condition.  Heavy  expenditures 
had  been  made  in  the  erection  of  school  buildings  and  in  supporting  the 
schools.  The  inhabitants  were  paying  high  taxes,  and  a  stringency  was  be- 
ginning to  be  felt,  l)Ut  of  its  more  serious  character  few — if  any — citizens  were 
a.  the  time  conscious.     Preparatious  had  already  been  begun  to  increase  upon 


820  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

a  large  scale  the  improvements  already  made,  for  the  payment,  in  part,  of  whicii 
bonds  had  been  issued.  \Mien  Mr.  Fertig  became  Mayor  the  city  treasury  was 
empty,  and  the  system  of  issuing  city  orders  to  meet  current  expenses  was  in 
operation.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  came  the  great  crash  precipitated  by  the  fail- 
ure of  Jay  Cooke.  The  effect  of  this  disaster  in  Titusville  was  vastly  greater 
than  that  of  1893,  twenty  years  later,  when  not  a  single  failure  of  note  oc- 
curred in  Titusville.  In  1873  the  cataclysm  was  terrific.  At  that  time  there 
were  six  banks  in  Titusville.  The  Roberts  Bank  had  been  in  operation  but  a 
short  time,  and  its  affairs  were  in  comparatively  a  compact  condition,  so  that 
it  weathered  the  storm  without  much  difficulty.  Of  the  five  older  banks,  the 
Second  National  alone  emerged  from  the  wreck  unharmed. 

During  the  severe  stress  in  the  fall  of  1873  and  for  many  months  afterward 
Mr.  Fertig  urged  upon  the  Council  all  possible  retrenchment  and  the  severest 
economy  in  expenditures.  At  that  time,  the  municipal  government  was  work- 
ing under  the  original  city  charter,  by  whose  provisions  a  mayor  was  elected 
every  year.  When  Mr.  Fertig  was  elected  in  1873  he  received  a  large  ma- 
jority of  the  votes  cast.  But  his  majority  the  next  year  was  overwhelmingly 
large.  He  was  elected  still  another  term  in  1875,  with  the  financial  strain  still 
continuing.  City  bonds,  bearing  high  rates  of  interest,  were  bought  at  a  dis- 
count. When  at  the  end  of  his  first  term  the  Council  voted  him  the  usual 
salary  of  $500,  Mr.  Fertig  turned  it  back  into  the  treasury,  with  the  request 
that  it  be  made  the  lieginning  of  a  permanent  sinking  fund,  and  with  the  recom- 
mendation that  the  Mayor's  salary  be  abolished.  Both  recommendations  were 
adopted.  The  sinking  fund  has  proved  to  be  of  infinite  benefit  in  extinguishing 
the  city  debt.  Subsequent  legislation  has  made  the  sinking  fund  sacred  for 
the  express  purjxfse  of  paying  municipal  indebtedness. 

When  the  city  had  become  flooded  with  municipal  orders,  passing  at  a 
constant  reduction  of  value,  Mr.  Fertig,  single-handed,  grappled  with  the 
abuse.  He  refused  to  attach  his  signature  to  any  more  city  orders.  Noisy 
threats  followed  of  an  appeal  to  the  court  for  a  mandamus,  ordering  him  to 
sign  the  orders,  but  that  was  all.  No  appeal  to  the  court  was  made.  The 
effect  in  restoring  confidence  was  instantaneous.  Taxes  were  levied  and  the 
orders  promptly  paid,  and  the  system  of  issuing  orders  disappeared,  it  is  hoped 
forever.  In  his  last  term  of  office  as  Mayor,  Mr.  Fertig  had  the  satisfaction 
of  seeing  the  city  credit  established  for  the  first  time  upon  a  solid  basis.  The 
city  bonds  no  longer  went  begging  for  purchasers.  The  tide  immediately 
turned  to  the  opposite  direction,  and  Titusville  city  bonds  speedily  rose  above 
par,  and  ever  since  the  extinction  of  the  municipal  debt  has  been  steadily  and 
easily  going  on.  In  1873  Titusville  bonds,  bearing  10  per  cent  interest,  could 
be  sold  only  at  a  discount.  Within  the  last  five  years  Titusville  bonds  in  quan- 
tity have  been  sold  at  3-i  per  cent. 

The  justice  of  history  requires  it  to  be  said,  without  invidious  comparison. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  821 

that  to  John  Fertig.  more  than  to  any  other  citizen,  Titusville  owes  its  finan- 
cial rescue,  and  the  adoption  of  a  sohd  and  safe  system  of  finance. 

In  1876  Mr.  Fertig  was  elected  to  the  State  Senate,  and  he  served  one 
term.  In  1878  he  was  nominated  by  the  Democratic  state  convention  as  a 
candidate  for  lieutenant-governor,  but  with  the  rest  of  the  Democratic  ticket 
he  was  defeated.  At  the  Democratic  national  convention  in  Chicago  in  1892 
Mr.  Fertig  was  a  delegate,  representing  the  26th  congressional  district  of  Penn- 
sylvania.   He  has  served  the  community  as  a  member  of  the  city  school  board. 

Since  his  retirement  from  the  ofiice  of  Mayor,  in  1876,  his  advice  upon 
subjects  of  municipal  policy  has  constantly  been  solicited  by  city  officials  of  all 
parties,  and  his  judgment  upon  most  questions  relating  to  city  affairs  has  been 
relied  upon.  He  has  long  been  an  active  and  influential  member  of  the  Titus- 
ville Board  of  Trade.  In  the  winter  of  1895-96,  and  in  the  spring  following, 
he  was  the  leading  spirit  in  establishing  the  Industrial  Fund  Association,  and 
he  was  one  of  ten  citizens  who  subscribed  each  $10,000  to  the  fund,  other 
citizens  subscribing  each  smaller  amounts  down  to  $100,  the  whole  aggregat- 
ing $250,000.  He  has  been  vice-president  and  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
Titusville  Commercial  Bank,  since  its  organization  in  the  spring  of  1882.  He 
is  the  president  of  the  Titusville  Iron  Company,  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
important  manufacturing  institutions  in  northwestern  Pennsylvania,  a  de- 
scription of  which  appears  elsewhere  in  this  history.  Nearly  thirty  years  ago 
Air.  Fertig  built  the  three-story  brick  block  which  still  bears  his  name,  on 
Diamond,  Martin  and  East  Spring  streets.  He  is  the  owner  of  the  Exchange 
Block,  a  three-story  brick  edifice  adjoining  the  Oil  Exchange.  He  also  owns 
one-half  of  the  Titusville  City  Mills,  and  he  owns  two  fine  farms  in  Oil 
Creek  township,  from  one  to  two  miles  west  and  northwest  of  the  city. 

In  the  foregoing  sketch  the  aim  of  the  writer  has  been  to  present  a  faith- 
ful delineation  of  one  of  Titusville's  most  distinguished  and  influential  citizens. 
It  may  be  said  of  Mr.  Fertig  that  one  of  the  most  important  secrets  of  his 
success  in  life  has  been  his  clever  management  of  managers.  Whatever  he 
does  is  done  searchingly  and  thoroughly.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that,  in 
business  associations  with  which  he  is  connected,  his  judgment,  conclusions 
and  counsels  are  generally  adopted. 


George  W.  Wesley,  of  Rome  township,  is  a  grandson  of  Charles  Wesley, 
the  celebrated  Methodist  minister,  poet  and  hymnologist,  and  is  a  well  and 
favorably  known  citizen.  A  son  of  John  and  Salinda  (Grover)  Wesley,  he 
was  born  in  Canton,  Bradford  county,  Pennsylvania,  four-score  years  ago, 
in  1819. 

Such  education  as  fell  to  the  lot  of  our  subject  was  obtained  in  the  com-, 
mon  schools  of  the  day,  and,  having  a  natural  talent  for  anything  in  the  line 
of  mechanics,  he  learned  the  millwright's  trade,  and  has  been  engaged  in 


822  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  TEOFl.E. 

the  Ijuilding  of  saw  and  grist  mills  during  much  of  his  career.  In  1862  he 
came  to  Rome  township,  and  two  years  subsequent  to  his  arrival  here  he 
assisted  in  the  erection  of  what  has  long  been  known  as  Wesley's  sawmill,  his 
associate  in  this  enterprise  being  E.  T.  Rigby.  The  sawmill,  which  is  now 
the  sole  property  of  our  subject,  is  situated  on  Little  Oil  Creek,  and  is  well 
equipped  with  machinery,  its  capacity  being  upward  of  eight  thousand  feet  of 
lumber  per  day. 

In   1848   Mr.    Wesley  married   Fidelia   Saxbury,   a  daughter  of  Adam 
Saxburv. 


Joliu  W.  Siiiioiis. — One  of  the  largest  and  finest  country  homes  to  be 
found  within  the  limits  of  Crawford  county  is  the  one  which  was  erected 
a  few  years  ago  by  John  W.  Simons  near  Espyville  station,  in  North  Shenango 
township.  It  stands  in  the  midst  of  fertile,  well-cultivated  fields  which  yield 
abundant  harvests  to  the  fortunate  owner ;  but  the  one  to  whose  years  of  un- 
remitting toil  and  watchful  care  the  beauty  and  value  of  the  homestead  is  in- 
debted has  passed  forever  from  the  peaceful  scene.  Death  came  to  John  W. 
Simons  upon  the  3d  of  May,  1896.  after  a  busy,  well-spent  life,  and  when  he 
had  almost  reached  the  age  which  the  Psalmist  counts  as  the  usual  limit  of 
man's  years.  For  a  long  period  he  had  been  associated  with  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  and  he  was  laid  to  rest  with  all  the  honors  of  its  beautiful  rite,  his 
late  comrades  of  Linesville  Lodge  attending  the  funeral  in  a  body.  Known 
far  and  near  as  a  man  of  noble  character,  of  kindliness  and  sympathy  toward  his 
fellow  men,  of  enterprise  and  integrity  in  all  his  business  dealings,  he  left  to 
his  children  a  heritage  of  which  they  liave  just  occasion  to  be  proud. 

The  birth  of  John  W.  Simons  occurred  in  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania. 
February  19,  1827,  his  parents  being  John  and  Rebecca  (Williams)  Simons. 
Though  he  followed  general  agriculture  unon  arriving  at  mature  years,  his 
chief  occupation  consisted  in  the  buying,  selling  and  shipping  of  live  stock. 
In  1874  he  settled  on  the  fine  farm  above  mentioned,  and  for  years  Espyville 
station,  a  short  distance  from  his  residence,  was  but  little  more  than  the  point 
from  which  he  shipped  his  stock  to  the  city  markets.  In  time  he  became  well 
off  in  this  world's  goods  and  owned  several  valuable  farms,  some  of  them  in 
-South  Shenango  township,  ime  in  tb.e  neighborhood  of  W'illiamsville,  Ohio, 
etc.  To  each  of  his  four  children  he  gave  a  good  farm  and  other  financiiil 
assistance,  in  order  that  they  might  have  a  fair  start  in  life. 

On  the  22d  of  June,  1854,  Mr.  Simons  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Adelia  Robinson,  who  was  born  February  22,  1832.  Their  eldest  son,  Charles. 
i.3  now  the  owner  of  the  fine  family  residence  referred  to  at  the  beginning 
■of  this  article  as  having  been  built  by  the  father.  The  young  man  also  owns 
one-half  of  the  old  homestead  on  which  the  house  stands,  the  remainder  of 
the  farm  being  the  property  of  his  brother  Joseph,  who  is  making  extensive  and 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  S23 

valuable  improvements  upon  his  land.  They  are  wide-awake,  enterprising 
young  men  and  seem  to  have  inherited  much  of  the  fine  business  ability  that 
distinguished  their  honored  father.  Following  in  his  footsteps,  they  render 
allegiance  to  the  standards  of  the  Democratic  party  and  are  progressive  and 
public-spirited. 

Mark  Ward,  of  North  Shenango  township,  was  born  April  9,  1837,  in 
Oakland  township,  Venango  county,  Pennsylvania,  of  Irish  extraction,  and 
a  son  of  Mark  Ward,  who  walked  from  Philadelphia  to  Venango  county 
in  his  emigration  to  his  new  home. 

Mr.  Ward's  boyhood  was  spent  in  the  country,  and  for  a  time  he  operated 
a  farm  on  his  own  responsibility,  later  disposing  of  the  land  and  for  four  years 
engaged  in  the  general  merchandise  business,  selling  goods  in  Cochranton  and 
Meadville.  The  large  farm  owned  liy  Mr.  \\'ard  at  the  time  of  his  death  is 
in  North  Shenango  and  is  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  in  extent.  At  the  time 
of  purchase  the  property  was  in  a  wild  condition,  and  Mr.  Ward  spared  no 
pains  in  clearing  away  the  brush  and  removing  stumps  and  reducing  his  crude 
land  to  a  condition  of  fertile  productiveness.  He  also  built  the  present  substan- 
tial and  commodious  house  and  barns.  For  several  years  Mr.  Ward  was  inter- 
ested in  the  brceiling  vi  hea\-}--draft  horses  and  supplied  the  demand  for  tlie 
adjacent  territory.  Though  caring  little  for  office,  he  yet  ser\-ed  tlie  town- 
ship in  various  capacities,  and  was  for  twenty  years  a  member  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  church,  being  connected  with  the  local  society  called  Ebenezer 
church  of  South  Shenango. 

Mr.  ^^'ard  was  thrice  married.  His  first  wife,  Sarah  Ann  McFatc,  had 
a  little  daughter  who  died  when  fi\-e  years  old.  Mr.  \\'ard  was  married  the 
second  time  to  Miss  Mary  Jane  Culbertson,  and  her  son  Samuel  is  no\\- 
operating  the  old  Ward  farm.  Mrs.  Mary  McNutt,  who  became  Mr.  Ward's 
third  wife,  is  m  \v  li\ing  on  th.e  farm.  Her  daugliter,  liorn  February  16,  1869. 
married  Mr,  John  Borrows  and  died  in  her  twenty-third  year.  Mrs.  Borrows 
lost  a  little  daughter.  Hazel,  when  \-ery  young:  but  a  son,  Mark  Thurman 
Borrows,  sur\'ived  her,  and  is  now  living  with  his  grandmother  on  the  Ward 
homestead. 

In  the  memory  of  those  who  were  privileged  to  know  him,  Mr.  Ward's 
character  stands  out  with  stern  and  striking  distinctness.  He  was  an  uncom- 
promising champion  of  right  and  justice,  and  did  not  recognize  the  middle 
road  of  tact  and  diplomacy.  The  Puritan  fathers  were  not  more  impressed 
with  the  seriousness  of  life.  He  enjoyed  a  social  time  and  any  innocent  amuse- 
ments, and  was  especially  opposed  to  games  that  offered  the  possibility  of 
chance. 

!\Ir.  \\'ard  died  September  13,  1896. 


824  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

J.  B.  Pastorius. — One  of  the  successful  and  wide-awake  young  business 
men  of  Titusville  is  J.  B.  Pastorius,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  born  in 
Cherry  Tree  township,  Venango  county,  August  30,  i860,  a  son  of  John  and 
Catherine  (Peeples)  Pastorius.  His  education  was  acquired  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  township  and  in  Titusville  and  Edinboro  prior  to  his 
eighteenth  year,  when  he  started  out  to  make  his  own  independent  way  in  the 
world  of  business. 

For  fifteen  years  Mr.  Pastorius  was  engaged  in  the  milk  business  in 
Titusville,  handling  about  five  hundred  quarts  of  milk  daily,  besides  great 
■quantities  of  cream,  and  furnishing  the  ice-cream  factories  with  the  material 
used  in  the  making  of  that  dainty.  In  1887  Mr.  Pastorius  disposed  of  his  milk 
business,  selling  out  to  Charles  August,  and  went  to  West  Virginia,  where 
he  was  extensively  interested  in  dealing  in  lumber  for  several  years.  In  1892 
he  returned  to  Titusville  and  purchased  the  livery  owned  by  E.  C.  Quimby 
and  has  since  conducted  the  business  successfully.  At  present  he  is  the  lead- 
ing liveryman  of  the  city,  and  enjoys  the  bulk  of  the  local  patronage.  He 
keeps  a  goodly  array  of  carriages  and  vehicles  of  various  kinds  and  has  about 
thirty-five  good  carriage  and  saddle  horses,  in  addition  to  which  he  is  board- 
ing twenty-five  or  more  for  the  accommodation  of  citizens. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1898,  Mr.  Pastorius,  in  partnership  with  H.  J.  Wager, 
opened  the  Titusville  cold-storage  plant,  under  the  firm  name  of  Wager  & 
Pastorius.  This  enterprise  is  destined  to  be  one  of  much  local  importance, 
as  its  need  has  long  been  felt  here.  All  kinds  of  farm  produce  and  foreign 
fruits  can  be  stored  and  kept  in  fine  condition  for  a  long  period,  and  the  plant 
is  to  be  utilized  in  the  manufacture  of  artificial  ice,  it  having  a  capacity  of 
forty  tons  per  day. 

Socially  our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
belonging  to  Queen  City  Lodge,  No.  304,  and  in  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks  he  is  identified  with  Lodge  No.  264.  In  his  political  affiliations 
he  is  a  Democrat. 

On  Christmas  Day,  1879,  Mr.  Pastorius  married  Ida  Scoville,  daughter 
of  Almon  and  Lucy  (Hulburt)  Scoville.  Two  daughters  bless  the  union  of 
our  subject  and  wife,  named  respectively  Georgiana  and  Lena. 


1 


Richard  Morris,  of  Rome  township,  is  a  son  of  James  and  Ann  (Aglwen) 
Morris,  was  born  in  Lancashire,  England,  and  came  to  America  about  1826-27, 
landing  in  New  York  city.  He  married  Jane  Harrison,  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin and  Jane  (Inskip)  Harrison,  of  New  Jersey.  They  came  to  Rome 
township  in  1834,  where  they  settled  on  a  piece  of  wild  land,  built  a  log  house 
and  made  a  home.  His  was  one  of  the  three  English  families  that  settled  at 
what  is  called  "The  English  Settlement."  The  three  heads  of  these  families- 
Richard  Morris,  Inskip  Harrison  and  Benjamin  Harrison — took  up  a  section 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  825 

of  land  containing  four  hundred  acres,  drawing  lots  to  determine  each  one's 
possession,  and  Mr.  Morris  drew  the  lot  for  the  place  where  his  son  Edward 
now  lives.  He  was  a  highly  respected  farmer,  who  had  eight  children,  four  of 
whom  are  living, — Benjamin,  John,  Inskip  and  Edward.  The  deceased  are 
Mary  Ann,  James,  William  and  George. 


Henry  M.  Northam,  M.  D.,  of  Bloomfield  township,  is  a  son  of  Edward 
and  Nancy  (Hamilton)  Northam,  and  was  born  in  Meadville,  January  8,  1858, 
and  educated  at  Meadville  high  school,  after  which  he  attended  the  University 
.of  Michigan  at  Ann  Arbor,  where  he  was  graduated  in  the  medical  depart- 
ment in  1893.  He  removed  to  Pittsburg,  where  he  remained  for  a  time,  and 
in  1896  located  at  Lincolnville. 


C.  C.  Hill,  M.  D.,  Meadville,  was  born  in  Knox  county,  Ohio,  August 
16,  1852,  son  of  Harrison  and  Helen  (Bateman)  Hill,  of  his  native  county. 
The  former  was  born  in  1819,  and  died  in  1873,  and  the  latter  was  born  in 
1836  and  died  in  1866.  Of  their  children  three  survive:  Clarence  C,  Emma, 
wife  of  William  De  Couders,  and  Bertha  Hill,  the  two  latter  residents  of 
Tompkins  county,  New  York.  December  31,  1887,  Dr.  Hill  married  Lelia, 
daughter  of  E.  W.  and  Lurana  (Levering)  Brown,  of  Knox  county,  Ohio. 
The  former  died  in  1894,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  and  the  latter  in  1887, 
at  the  age  of  sixt)'-  years.  Victor  Brown,  the  only  brother  of  Mrs.  Hill,  is  a 
resident  of  Morrow  county,  Ohio.  Grandfather  Joseph  Hill  was  a  native  of 
New  Jersey,  and  resided  in  Tompkins  county,  New  York. 

The  earlier  years  of  Dr.  Hill  were  spent  in  Tompkins  county,  New  York, 
and  from  the  age  of  twelve  to  twenty-one  in  Warren,  Pennsylvania,  where  he 
had  the  advantage  of  the  public  schools.  In  1872  he  entered  the  Jefferson 
Medical  College  at  Philadelphia,  where  he  remained  one  year,  and  then  entered 
the  Bellevue  Medical  College  in  New  York  city,  at  which  he  graduated  in 
1874.  Eor  one  year  after  graduation  he  conducted  a  drug  store  for  Dr.  Rei- 
chart  at  Sligo  Furnace,  Clarion  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  in  the  spring  of 
1875  began  his  practice  in  Johnsville,  Ohio,  which-he  continued  for  two  years, 
and  then  moved  to  Levering,  Knox  county,  Ohio.  In  1877  he  went  to  the 
Polyclinic  at  Philadelphia,  and  after  the  completion  of  his  course  he  located  in 
Meadville.  This  was  in  the  spring  of  1888,  and  he  has  since  practiced  as  a 
leading  specialist.  Besides  this  the  Doctor  has  been  extensively  interested  in 
oil  development  in  Pennsylvania,  West  Virginia  and  Ohio. 

He  is  an  active  worker  in  the  First  Presbyterian  church  at  Meadville. 


Charles  T.  Waggoner,  M.  D.,  of  Sparta  township,  is  a  son  of  Dr.  George 
J.  Waggoner,  and  was  born  in  Ellington,  Chautauqua  county.  New  York, 
December  10,  1855.    He  attended  the  high  school  at  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  and 


82r>  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

afterward  studied  medicine  under  the  instructions  of  his  fatlier  and  Dr.  Cogs- 
well, of  Cedar  Rapids;  later  he  attended  the  Hahnemann  Medical  College  at 
Chicago,  Illinois,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1886.  He  engaged  in  hospital 
work  in  Chicago  for  the  twO'  years  follow-ing,  after  which  he  settled  in  Spar- 
tanshurg.  where  he  has  since  resided.     He  married  Rose  Griflith. 


Jdincs  T.  Mitrraw  Athens  township,  is  a  son  of  William  Murray;  was 
born  in  S])arta  township.  October  18.  1847.  In  1864  he  enlisted  in  Company 
C,  One  Hundredth  Regiment,  Pennsyhania  \'olunteers,  and  was  discharged 
in  1865.  He  married  Ann  Post,  daughter  of  Har\-ey  and  Chloe  (Platch) 
Post,  and  settled  in  Athens  township.  He  is  a  farmer  and  has  one  son,  James 
L.,  who  married  Anna  Stearns,  daughter  of  David  Stearns. 


U'iUiaui  Thomas  Ncill,  who  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  a  resident  of 
Titusxille,  was  born  at  Xeillsburg,  \^enango  county,  Pennsylvania,  June  13, 
1804,  and  died  in  December,  1873.  He  was  a  consi)icuous  landmark  for  a  long 
time  in  all  this  section  of  country.  While  he  did  not  establish  his  residence 
in  Titusville  until  December.  1868,  about  five  years  before  his  death,  he  was 
a  familiar  figure  here  for  more  than  a  generation.  He  had  large  business  asso- 
ciations; was  a  stockholder  and  director  in  both  the  Savings  Bank  and  the  Ex- 
change Bank,  but  practically  had  no  voice  in  the  management  of  either.  Pie 
died  not  long  after  the  Savings  Bank  closed  its  doors  in  the  fall  of  1873.  In 
attempting  to  save  something  from  the  wreck  of  the  Exchange  Bank,  his  sur- 
viving son,  Joseph  A.  Xeill,  was  financially  ruined,  and  the  wealth  wdiich 
William  T.  Neill  had  spent  a  lifetime  in  gathering  was  suddenly  swept  away 
in  the  crash  of  the  fall  of  1873. 

In  1828  he  was  married  to  Miss  Jane  McCaslin.  who  survived  her  hus- 
band about  six  years.  At  the  time  of  his  death  five  of  his  children  were  living ; 
now  only  two  members  of  William  T.  Neill's  family  survive :  Nancy,  the  wife 
of  the  late  Charles  R.  Church,  and  Julia,  wife  of  the  late  E.  H.  Berry.  Mary 
died  some  years  after  her  mother's  death.  Joseph  A.  died  suddenly  in  Wash- 
ington, D.  C  in  the  early  part  of  March,  1896,  from  supposed  heart  difficult)-, 
and  Samuel  T.  dropped  dead  from  the  same  trouble  off  Cape  May.  in  the  sum- 
mer following.  William  T.  Xeill  was  a  hero  all  his  life,  was  good  to  the 
communitv  in  which  he  lixed.  and  was  a  consistent  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  thoroughly  de\oted  to  its  interests.  A  quarter  of  a  century  has 
passed  since  his  interment  in  Woodlawn  cemetery,  but  a  fragrance  floats  over 
his  memory.  The  writer  discharges  a  grateful  dut>-  in  the  above  tribute  to 
a  man  whom  he  personally  knew,  only  to  rememlier  his  character  wuh  the 
highest  respect.  The  world  would  be  good  if  all  the  inhabitants  were  like 
William  T.  Neill. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLT.  827 

William  H.  Abbott,  whose  name  appears  many  times  in  this  history,  is 
so  closely  identified  with  oil  development  in  the  early  years  of  production ;  his 
enterprise  so  soon  started  the  manufacture  of  petroleum  as  an  illuminant  and 
opened  for  the  product  a  market :  his  record  as  a  citizen  of  Titusville  has  been 
so  closely  for  a  generation  interwoven  with  the  history  of  the  community;  he 
was  so  long  the  leading  citizen  in  the  progress  of  Titus\ille  interests ;  gave 
so  liberally  of  his  means  to  many  public  undertakings, — that  the  historv  of  the 
community  which  should  omit  a  frequent  use  of  his  name  would  be  a  verv 
imperfect  production.  William  Hawkins  Abbott  was  his  full  name,  but  Will- 
iam H.  Abbott  is  a  name  that  long  has  been  and  long  will  be  cherished  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Titusville.  He  is  now  in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age.  Mr. 
Abbott  was  born  October  2y,  1819,  in  Middlebury,  New  Haven  county,  Con- 
necticut, the  oldest  son  of  a  family  of  twelve  children, — six  sons  and  six  daugh- 
ters. When  Drake  made  his  discovery,  in  1859,  Mr.  Abbott  was  engaged  in 
a  large  mercantile  trade  at  Xewton  Falls,  Trumbull  county,  Ohio.  Early  in 
i860  he  came  to  Titusville,  and  was  quick  to  in\"est  in  oil  property.  He  pur- 
chased one-half  of  the  one-<|uarter  interest  which  William  Ba'rnsdall  owned 
in  the  James  Parker  farm,  also  a  like  interest  in  the  Crossley  well,  then  being 
drilled;  also  a  like  interest  in  Mr.  Barnsdall's  lease  of  one  hundred  acres  at 
Shreve  Rock,  all  near  Titus\-ille,  for  $10,000,  and  immediately  returned  to 
Newton  Falls  to  get  word  a  few  days  afterwr.rd  that  the  Barnsdall  well,  the 
next  well  after  the  Drake,  was  producing  fifty  barrels  a  day.  Then  he  went 
to  New  York  and  opened  a  market  with  Schieflfelin  Brothers.  At  that  time 
he  w^as  successful  in  enlisting  George  M.  Mowbra}',  a  practical  chemist,  to 
apply  his  art  in  refining  oil.  Mr.  Abbott  built  the  first  oil  refinery  in  the  oil 
country.  The  character  of  packages  for  carrying  both  crude  and  refined  oil 
so  as  to  avoid  leakage  had  to  be  learned  by  experience.  In  the  experiments 
which  Mr.  Abbott  made  to  that  end  not  a  small  amount  of  money  was  sunk. 
But  he  was  equal  to  the  undertaking  and  he  pushed  his  experiments  to  a  suc- 
cessful result.  To  Mr.  Abbott's  enterprise  in  ox-ercoming  the  many  difficulties 
incident  to  the  beginning  of  so  important  a  business,  the  trade  was  heavily 
indeljted.  Drake  was  the  pioricer  jjroducer,  and  .\bbott  was  the  pioneer  in 
establishing  petroleum  as  a  marketable  commodity. 

Mr.  Abbott  also  purchased  the  Van  Syckel  pipe  line  from  Pithole  to  the 
Miller  farm  in  1866,  and  laid  the  foundation  for  the  Pennsylvania  Transporta- 
tion Companx'.  To  ^Ir.  Abbott  was  due  the  construction  of  the  L'nion  & 
Titusville  Railroad.  That  Titusville  afterward  lost  the  road  by  Gould's  sale  of 
it  to  the  Oil  Creek  Road,  was  the  result  of  no  fault  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Abbott, 
who  offered  to  Gould  ten  thousand  dollars  as  a  bonus  if  he  would  keep  and 
operate  the  road  as  an  independent  line.  Mr.  Abbott  also  helped  to  build,  in 
the  fall  of  T865,  the  plank  road  from  Titusville  through  Pleasantville  to 
Pithole. 


828  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

In  the  building  of  the  St.  James  Memorial  church  and  in  its  support  for 
many  years  afterward,  and  always  until  overwhelmed  by  financial  reverses, 
Mr.  Abbott  poured  out  his  money  without  measure.  He  built  at  his  own  ex- 
pense, expending  about  four  thousand  dollars,  a  mission  church,  connected 
with  St.  James.  His  public  spirit  and  generosity  in  the  past  are  known  to  the 
whole  community,  in  whose  grateful  recollection  and  in  whose  respect  and 
honor  Mr.  Abbott  has  a  monument. 


Obed  JVclls. — Among  the  prominent  early  settlers  of  Spring  township 
was  Obed  Wells,  who  located  about  two  miles  north  of  Springboro,  on  a 
very  large  tract  of  land.  He  had  come  from  Vermont  with  Zachariah  Thomas 
and  had  stopped  for  a  time  in  New  York  state.  The  Thomas  family  located 
on  what  was  known  as  the  "Ridge  Road,''  in  the  present  town  of  West  Spring- 
field,  Erie  county,  on  a  sandy  soil ;  while  the  Wells  family  preferred  the  heavier 
clay  soils  and  more  heavily  timbered  lands  south  of  there.  Two  brothers  of 
Obed  Wells  located  in  the  vicinity ;  one,  Julius  Wells,  established  a  tannery  at 
Wellsboro,  and  the  other,  Samuel  Wells,  located  a  farm  and  brick-yard  near 
Lockport, — four  or  five  miles  apart.  The  Wells  and  Thomas  families  inter- 
married, Obed  Wells  having  married  two  sisters  of  Zachariah  Thomas,  whose 
brothers,  Eri  and  Elijah,  located  in  immediate  proximity  to  the  Wells  farm. 

Obed  Wells  had  fourteen  children.  Having  located  a  thousand  acres  of 
land,  he  commenced  what  seems  now  a  vast  undertaking  for  one  man, — to 
clear  a  thousand  acres  of  the  heavy  timber  by  himself, — and  before  his  death 
he  had  created  a  valuable  farm  with  all  the  then  modern  improvements;  he 
was  the  first  farmer  to  introduce  a  mowing  machine  in  that  country,  it  re- 
quiring four  horses  to  work  it. 

His  sons.  Shepherd,  Obed,  Samuel,  Justin,  Jefferson,  and  daughters, 
Dorcas,  Lodicia,  Sylvia,  Beulah,  Phoebe,  Malinda,  Mary  and  Martha,  all 
assisted  in  the  development  of  the  great  farm  and  received  their  education 
in  its  proximity.  The  oldest  daughter,  Dorcas,  married  Henry  Magee,  the 
mail  carrier  who  then  carried  the  mail  between  Meadville  and  Erie,  on  horse- 
back. At  an  early  day  they  emigrated  by  wagon  to  the  then  wild  west,  and 
located  in  the  village  of  Chicago,  where  their  son  Henry  W.  Magee,  born  in 
Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  has  been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  for  thirty 
years,  and  is  still  a  member  of  the  Chicago  bar.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Chicago ;  at  West  Springfield,  Pennsylvania ;  at  Kingsville, 
Ohio ;  was  graduated  in  Hillsdale  College,  in  Michigan,  and  pursued  his  law 
studies  in  Ann  Arbor.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Chicago  in  1868,  and 
then  made  the  circuit  of  the  world  before  entering  upon  the  practice  of  law  in 
Chicago,  where  he  has  remained  continuously  since  1871.  He  also  served  for 
three  years  in  the  civil  war.  and  has  a  military  record  of  which  he  may  indeed 
be  proud. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  829 

In  the  early  days  of  his  residence  in  Crawford  county,  Obed  Wells  fre- 
quently walked  through  the  forest  to  Meadville,  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles, — ■ 
for  the  purpose  of  making  a  small  payment  on  his  land,  and  he  carried  his 
wheat  to  the  mill  there,  as  he  could  get  his  grist  ground  no  nearer  home.  Mem- 
bers of  both  the  Wells  and  Thomas  famiUes  were  men  of  sterling  worth,  in- 
dustrious and  energetic,  and  they  did  mucli  toward  developing  the  wild 
region  in  which  they  located.  The  toils  and  privations  suffered  by  these  early 
settlers  were  many  and  severe,  but  developed  in  them  a  self-reliance  and  de- 
termination to  succeed,  which  resulted  in  their  becoming  the  owners  of  good 
properties  in  their  later  years.  Obed  W^ells,  having  amassed  a  competency, 
erected  a  fine  home,  which  -commanded  an  excellent  view  of  the  lowlands  in 
the  west  and  overlooked  the  Erie  and  Pittsburg  canal,  which  ran  by  the  front 
of  the  house.  He  enjoyed  seeing  the  then  lu.xurious  method  of  travel :  three 
horses  towing  the  "passenger  packet"  at  a  fast  walk,  under  the  crack  of  the 
canal  boy's  whip,  along  the  "eleven  miles  level."  The  "packet"  then  repre- 
sented the  luxury  of  life  in  travel,  as  much  as  the  "Pullman"  does  now,  and 
made  the  farmer  boy  envious  of  the  travelers  who  could  indulge  in  such  a 
palatial  ride  to  Erie.  In  later  times  the  railroad  paralleled  the  canal,  and  the 
old  ^^'el!s  homestead,  the  pride  of  the  country  when  built,  became  a  mere  re- 
minder of  the  days  of  the  stage  coach  and  canal  packet. 


Jl'illiam  S.  Morris.  Rome  township,  was  a  son  of  Richard  Morris,  and 
was  born  September  9,  1842.  In  1870  he  married  Elenora  Harrison,  daughter 
of  John  and  Ellen  Harrison,  and  settled  on  the  farm  where  his  widow  now 
resides.  He  died  July  25,  1891,  and  left  seven  children, — Leon,  Jennie,  Eliza- 
beth, Ella,  Richard  B.,  Bertha  and  Clarence  \\'. 


Hon.  Prank  Mantor,  of  Conneaut\ille,  was  born  in  the  tcjwnship  of  Con- 
neaut,  this  county,  on  December  31,  1827,  was  a  bright  and  diligent  student 
in  the  public  schools  and  supplemented  the  education  there  acquired  by  at- 
tendance at  the  academies  at  Albion,  Pennsylvania,  and  Kingsville  and  Austin- 
burg,  Ohio.  His  active  mind  was  early  interested  in  business,  and  at  the  age 
of  twenty-three  he  was  a  member  of  the  mercantile  house  of  Harmon  and 
Mantor  at  Conneautville. 

On  November  22,  1849.  lie  married  Sarah  M.  Foster,  of  Conneautville, 
thus  forming  a  union  that  proved  most  felicitous.  They  had  a  son  on  Novem- 
ber 19,  1854,  whom  they  named  George  G.  and  who  met  a  hero's  death  on 
December  30,  1867,  while  endeavoring  to  save  a  playmate  from  drowning. 

Not  long  after  marriage  Mr.  Mantor  removed  to  Minnesota,  where  he 
became  prominent  in  politics  as  a  Republican.  He  was  elected  and  served  as 
a  member  of  the  constitutional  convention  which  framed  the  constitution  of 
the  state  in  1857,  and  was  the  first  Republican  candidate  for  treasurer  of  the 


^3o  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

new  state.  Returning-  east  in  1861,  Mr.  Alantor  entered  tiie  employ  of  a  large 
wholesale  house  of  New  York  city,  with  which  he  remained  for  thirteen  years, 
and  m  1876  was  a  candidate  for  state  .senator  in  this  senatorial  district.  From 
1879  to  1883  he  held  by  appointment  a  responsible  position  in  the  state  de- 
l^nrtment  at  liarrisburg  under  Go\-ernor  Hoyt.  and  later  for  four  years  held 
one  equall}-  responsible  in  the  insurance  department.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  constitutional  convention  of  this  state  held  in  1882-83.  and  took  an  active 
part  in  its  deliberations  and  work. 

.\fter  serving  many  years  in  the  executive  department  at  Harri.sburg 
lie  returr.ed  to  Conneautx-ille,  where  he  held  most  of  the  offices  of  the  lx)rough. 
But  the  crowning  work  of  Mr.  Mantor's  active  and  useful  life  was  the  plan- 
ning and  organizing  of  the  Conneaut  Lake  Exposition  Company,  which  holds 
sessions  at  Conneaut  Lake,  where  are  discussed  from  the  platform  the  most 
ad\  ;-nced  topics  of  scientific  and  religious  thought  by  leading  lecturers,  divines 
and  statesmen,  unlrammeled  by  i)art_\-  lines  or  ecclesiastic  dogmas.  That 
Colonel  Alantor  and  his  associates  succeeded  in  making  this  one  of  the  most  at- 
tractive of  summer  resorts  tens  of  thousands  can  testifv.  It  is  a  grand  monu- 
ment tc  liis  memor_\-.  His  death  occurred  January  18.  1895,  and  Mrs.  Mantor 
is  now  one  of  the  directors  of  the  association  and  the  superintendent. 


Dr.  hvaitk  L.  Maikliaut.  of  Bloomfield  township,  is  a  son  of  George 
Markh.am,  end  was  born  in  Panama.  Xcw  York.  His  education  was  ob- 
tained at  ;l  common  school  until  he  was  capable  of  entering  Jamestown  high 
school,  and  from  there  he  entered  \\'ooster  University,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
where  he  graduated  in  1879.  He  then  located  at  Centerville,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1893,  '''■"<'  tlien  settled  at  Riceville. 


A]iio.<;  II  oodzK'cird,  of  Bloomfield  township,  was  a  son  of  Jonathan  W'ootl- 
wanl,  and  was  born  in  New  York  state,  his  father  having  settled  in  Bloom- 
field tuwnship  at  an  early  day.  He  married  Altana  St.  John,  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Mary  (  Eggelston )  St.  John,  who  lived  in  Saratoga  county,  New 
York.  He  was  a  farmer  and  died  in  1878,  leaving  ten  children,  four  of  whom 
are  now  living.  Frank  lives  on  the  old  homestead  in  Athens  township.  Penn- 
sylvania :  Peter  and  Emma  are  school-teachers,  the  former  residing  at  Lin- 
coln\-ille ;  and  L-win  lives  in  Athens  township. 


SaiiiiicI  H.  Nclso)!.  merchant.  Cocliranton,  was  born  in  Fairfield  town- 
ship, in  1847.  His  parents.  Allen  and  Hannah  (Dunn)  Nelson,  were  among 
the  early  inhabitants  of  southern  Crawford.  Allen  Nelson,  tlie  father  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  June  6,  1814,  in  Fairfield  township,  on  a  farm 
occupied  by  his  parents.  David  and  Jane  (  Milligan)  Nelson.  He  died  in 
1895.  at  the  age  of  eightv-three  years. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  831 

His  fatlier,  Da\'i(l.  came  to  Crawford  county  in  company  with  Captain 
Buchanan  in  the  fall  of  1796,  took  up  land  in  Fairfield  township,  built  a  small 
cabin,  cleared  one  acre  of  ground,  sowed  rye  thereon  and  shortly  returned  to 
\\'cstmoreland  county,  and  in  1797  married  Jane,  daughter  of  John  Milligati ; 
returned  in  the  spring  and  began  as  a  pioneer  in  the  woods.  His  death  oc- 
curred June,  1848,  when  he  had  arri\-ed  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  Their 
family  consisted  of  the  following  children :  Polly,  Mrs.  Myers,  deceased ; 
Bets^•,  wife  of  Thomas  McDonald ;  John,  James  and  David,  all  deceased  ;  Jane, 
Mrs.  McClintock:  Allen,  \\'illiam  and  Daniel.  Allen  married,  in  December, 
1835,  Hannah,  daughter  of  Allen  Dunn,  of  Sandy  Lake,  an  old  settler.  She 
was  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  seven  children.  She  died  in  1883,  at  the 
age  of  sevent\--three  n  ears.  To  ]Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  were  born :  Elizabeth, 
wife  of  William  Line,  now  living  in  Kansas;  David,  deceased;  Dunn,  who 
'married  "NLartha  Bell:  Francis,  married  to  Sarah  A.  Williams;  Samuel  H.,  the 
subject  of  this  sketcli :  Leslie ;  Margaret,  now  "Sirs,  .\pplegate,  of  Kansas ; 
Emory  and  James,  deceased.  Da^-id  Nelson  was  a  colonel  in  the  war  of  181.2, 
and  served  seven  months  at  Fort  Meigs. 

Our  subject  has,  with  the  exception  of  four  years  in  the  stale  of  Kansas, 
resided  in  Crawford  county.  He  began  in  the  mercantile  business  first  as  clerk 
for  Robert  Patton  in  1874,  and  after  the  death  of  :\Ir.  Patton  he  purchased 
an  interest  in  the  business,  which  has  since  been  conducted  under  the  name  of 
Patton  &  Nelson.  L:  1880  he  was  married  to  ]\Iary  P.,  daughter  of  Robert, 
deceased,  and  Jane  (JNIcMahon)  Patton.  They  have  one  son,  Robert  Patton 
Nelson.  ■\Ir.  Nelson  has  held  several  municipal  ot^ces,  and  has  been  otherwise 
prominentlv  identified  in  local  affairs. 


Holder  T.  Haul. — The  late  Flolder  T.  Head  of  Spring  town.ship  was 
born  in  Cayuga  county.  New  York,  in  1823,  and  in  1837,  when  he  was  four- 
teen years  old,  he  came  to  this  state.  Here  he  received  a  common-school  edu- 
cation, learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  and  also  adopted  the  business  of  farm- 
ing. Industrious  and  ])ruderit.  Mr.  Head  was  long  a  faithful  worker  in  his 
chosen  fields,  and  died  on  .\pril  4,  1897,  leaving  many  friends  to  mourn  his 
loss. 

In  September.  1845.  'le  ^^'^s  married  to  ^liss  Lydia  Tnrnure,  of  that  part 
of  Allegany  count)-.  New  York,  now  comprised  in  Wyoming  county.  For 
over  half  a  century  they  trod  life's  pathway  together.  They  had  five  sons: 
^\'illiam  G.,  Jasper  R.,  Fred  C,  Mark  E.,  and  O.  Dorr.  William  married 
Minerva  Deiter,  of  Saegerstown,  and  had  three  children, — Pearl  E.,  Roby 
and  Clarence  E.  Their  mother  died  in  1892.  Jasper  R.  Head  married  Anna 
.Alee.  Their  children  are  Ralph,  Bernice  and  Frank.  Fred  C.  He?.d  married 
Bertha  Rossa  and  has  a  son,  Floyd.  Mark  E.  Head  married  Lizzie  Hanlon. 
and  they  have  two  children. — Alexander  and  ^Label.     O.  Dorr  Plead  is  a  resi- 


^32  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

dent  of  Erie,  where  he  is  an  ironworker.  Mrs.  Head's  father,  Peter  Turnure, 
was  a  New  Yorker  by  birtli  and  he  married  Hannah  Brunson,  a  native  of  Mas- 
sachusetts. Both  are  now  dead.  Their  cliildren  were  Ellen  L.,  Lorin  B.,  Uriah 
B.,  LA-dia.  Harriet  N..  Egbert,  Lucy  L.,  Flavins  J.  and  Hannah. 


William  A.  Hart,  a  farmer  of  East  Fairfield  township,  was  born  near 
where  he  now  resides  February  14,  1838,  a  son  of  Philip  and  Julia  (Peter- 
man)  Hart,  of  East  Fairfield  township.  He  was  the  second  child  of  a  family 
of  five  children,  viz. :  Sarah  Levina,  William  A.  (our  stibject),  James,  Rachel 
and  Julia,  wife  of  \Y.  C.  Harvey,  of  this  township.  In  1863  he  married  Mar- 
garet M.,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Abigail  (Acherman)  Stenbrook,  of  East  Fair- 
field. This  union  has  been  blest  with  one  son,  Edmund  Hart.  The  Sten- 
brooks  were  among  .the  first  settlers  of  the  township,  and  the  Hart  family 
were  originally  natives  of  Pennsylvania,  coming  from  York  county  at  an  early 
day.  A  family  relic  well  preserved  is  a  German  Bible  supposed  to  be  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  years  old.  and  has  been  handed  down  through  the  generations. 
This  was  faithfully  read  by  the  grandparents  of  our  subject,  Philip  and  Catha- 
rine Leist.  Mr.  Hart  has  always  been  a  resident  of  the  township,  and  has 
resided  on  his  present  farm  since  1857. 


John  ]]  .  C  ndcr,  Conneautville,  was  born  in  Cooperstown,  Venango 
county,  this  state,  on  November  2,  1849.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  and  thoroughly  learned  the  manufacture  of  wool.  He  is  now  pro- 
prietor of  the  Conneautville  woolen  mills,  doing  a  flourishing  business  in 
the  manufacture  of  blankets  and  yarns.  On  November  2,  1875,  '^e  married 
Anna  Kimball  of  Conneautville.  They  have  two  sons,  T.  Howard  and  Gerald 
W.  Mr.  Crider's  father,  William  B.,  was  born  in  Center  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, on  February  14,  1817,  He  was  for  many  years  a  woolen  manufacturer. 
During  the  ci\-il  war  ^^■illiam  B.  Crider  served  in  the  Third  Artillery,  Penn- 
sylvania Volunteers,  Fifty-second  Regiment,  was  wounded  in  action  on  James 
river,  Virginia,  and  honorably  discharged.  John  W.  Crider  has  been  prom- 
inent in  political  and  social  circles;  was  treasurer  of  Crawford  county  for  three 
years;  is  a  member  of  Western  Crawford  Lodge  of  Freemasons  at  Conneaut- 
ville; of  Oriental  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  of  Northwestern  Commandery,  Knights 
Templar,  of  Meadville,  and  Zem  Zem  Temple,  A.  A.  O.  X.  I\L  S.,  of  Erie,  and 
of  Presque  Isle  Lodge,  of  Erie.  Ancestry  of  family,  English.  German  and 
Scotch. 


Jiidd  C.  Dniry,  of  Beaver  township,  was  bom  September  8,  1856.  at 
Hartford*  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  educated  at  the  academy  at  Hartford,  and 
when  about  seventeen  years  of  age  engaged  in  the  produce  business  for  three 
years  catering  to  a  flourishing  demand  from  the  seat  of  a  huckster  wagon.   Mr. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  833 

Drury  was  married  in  1877  to  Lucy  F.  Goist,  of  Hartford,  and  during  August 
of  that  year  located  at  Beaver  Center,  where  he  opened  a  genera!  store  and  has 
been  in  continuous  business  ever  since.  Mr.  Drury  is  an  extensive  shipper 
of  hay  to  the  extent  of  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  cars  each  year,  his 
partner  in  the  hay  business  since  1891  I^eing  \Viniam  Grubham.  In  1893  he 
bought  six  hundred  acres  of  heaxily  tim1>ered  land  in  McKean  county.  Penn- 
sylvania, and  has  since  been  manufacturing  lumber  and  shingles,  on  a  large 
scale,  his  timber  consisting  mostly  of  hemlock,  cherry  and  oak.  In  connection 
with  his  general  merchandise  trade  he  carries  a  large  assortment  of  agricul- 
tural implements.  IMr.  Drur\'  is  a  self-made  man.  and  as  the  representative 
business  man  of  the  township  has  been  unusually  successful. 

Mr.  Drury  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church,  and  is  an  ardent  Pro- 
Iiibitionist.  He  has  been  township  treasurer  and  school  director,  and  is  active 
in  all  that  pertains  to  the  Prohibition  party.  In  1898  he  represented  the  county 
at  the  state  convention,  and  was  a  candidate  for  tlie  legislature. 


Harry  L.  Bail,  of  Spring  township,  was  horn  in  this  township, 
on  December  21.  1854.  His  education  at  the  public  schools  was  sup- 
Ijlemented  by  attendance  at  the  normal  school  at  Edinboro.  Early  in  life  he 
was  a  farmer,  but,  having  a  decided  taste  for  business,  he  was  for  se\en  years 
a  salesman  of  fruit  and  ornamental  trees.  He  is  now,  after  various  opera- 
tions, engaged  in  lumber  interests  and  conducting  a  steam  sawmill  at  Hickernell 
in  company  with  Timothy  Beals.  under  the  firm  name  of  Bail  &  Reals.  Mr. 
Bail  has  held  the  offices  of  scIkidI  directdr.  auditor  and  assessor,  and  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1896,  was  elected  a  justice  of.  the  peace,  to  which  office  he  was  installed 
in  the  following  May.  He  is  also  an  Odd  Fellow,  holding  membership  in 
Spring  Valley  Lodge,  of  Springboro. 

On  May  23.  1881.  he  married  Mav  Sperry.  of  Spring  township.  Their 
children  are  Ethel  D.  and  Homer  M. 

Mr.  Bail's  father.  Isaac  S.  Bail,  was  born  in  Chautauqua  county.  New 
York,  on  June  2^.  1825,  came  to  this  state  in  1836  and  was  both  a  carpenter 
and  farmer.  He  married  Hannah  J.  Sloan  of  Spring  township,  and  had  three 
children. — Dora  E..  Harry  L.  and  Archie  F.  Dora  married  Wm.  R.  Potter, 
of  Springboro,  and  has  a  daughter,  Edith  B.  Isaac  S.  Bail  survives  his  wife, 
who  died  on  February  28,  1895.  Mrs.  Harry  L.  Bail's  father,  Amos  Sperry, 
was  a  nati\-e  of  Spring  township,  born  Jul\-  3.  1833,  was  brought  up  as  a 
farmer  and  educated  at  the  district  schools.  He  was  twice  married, — first  to 
Adeline  Grain,  whose  only  child  was  May  (Mrs.  Bail).  Mrs.  Si>erry  died 
on  Tnlv  28.  1858.  and  Mr.  Sperry  married,  secondly,  his  present  wife,  Mrs. 
Eunice  (Morris)  Nelson. 

Frederick  Bail,  the  grandfather  of  Mr.  Bail,  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of 
18 1 2.     Ancestry  of  family.  New  England  with  Scotch  and  German  origin. 
5,? 


§34  OUR  COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

Hiram  Sheldon. — The  late  Hiram  Sheldon,  of  Spring  township,  was 
horn  in  Shoreham,  Vermont,  on  September  27,  181 2.  When  he  was  but  a  lad 
his  parents  removed  to  Steuben  county.  New  York,  where  he  obtained  his  edu- 
cation in  the  district  schools  and  became  a  farmer.  The  family  home  was  in 
Steuben  county  until  1831,  when  they  came  to  this  state. 

Mr.  Sheldon  was  three  times  married.  By  his  first  wife,  nee  Almira 
Gates,  he.  had  four  children — Melinda,  Ruth.  Oscar  and  Amanda.  For  his 
second  wife  he  married  Mrs.  Maria  (Hurd)  Hall.  They  had  one  son.  Wallace 
B.  His  third  and  surviving  wife  was  Mrs.  Lucy  (Humes)  Andrews,  for- 
merly of  Greenfield,  Saratoga  county.  New  York,  and  his  death  occurred  on 
May  10,  1895.  Wallace  B.  Sheldon,  now  a  traveling  salesman,  married  Jessie 
M.  Davenport,  of  Conneautville,  and  has  one  son  and  two  daughters,— -Earl 
D.,  Winifred  M.  and  Ruth  M.  Mr.  Sheldon  and  familv  are  members  of  the 
Baptist  church.  Mrs.  Lucy  Sheldon  was  married  twice  before  she  married 
Mr.  Sheldon, — first  to  Allen  Green,  of  Saratoga  county.  New  York,  by  whom 
she  had  two  children,  Davis  and  Celia  F.  Green;  in  1847  M^"-  Green  died  and 
his  widow  next  married  Allen  Andrews,  also  of  Saratoga,  New  York;  he  died 
in  1852.  Davis  Green,  his  mother's  only  son.  a  soldier  of  the  Union  in  the 
late  war,  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Antietam  in  1862. 


John  Taylor. — For  nearly  forty-five  years  this  worthy  citizen  of  Beaver 
township  has  dwelt  in  this  neighborhood,  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
No  man  is  more  high!}'  esteemed  hereabouts  or  is  more  worthy  of  the  respect 
of  his  neighbors,  for  his  life  has  been  above  reproach.  He  has  followed  the 
teachings  of  the  golden  rule  in  all  his  dealings  with  others  and  has  had  the 
welfare  of  his  fellows  deeply  at  heart.  The  cause  of  education  and  religion 
finds  in  him  a  sincere  friend,  and  for  five  years  he  served  efficiently  as  a  school 
director.  In  politics  he  gives  his  allegiance  to  the  Democratic  party,  and  he 
was  elected  tax  collector  of  this  township  on  one  occasion  and  acted  in  that 
ofiice  for  about  twelve  months. 

One  of  the  native  sons  of  the  grand  old  Buckeye  state.  John  Taylor  was 
born  in  Trumbull  county,  on  the  12th  of  August,  1832.  From  his  earliest  recol- 
lections he  has  been  an  agriculturist,  as  he  was  a  mere  child  when  he  began 
to  give  his  assistance  to  his  parents  in  the  work  of  the  old  homestead.  He 
acquired  an  intimate  and  practical  knowledge  of  every  detail  of  farming,  and 
long  before  he  attained  his  majority  he  was  fully  competent  to  manage  a  farm 
successfully.  He  remained  under  the  parental  roof  until  he  was  twenty  years 
of  age,  when  he  started  out  upon  an  independent  career.  At  that  time  he 
rented  a  farm  and  industriously  engaged  in  its  cultivation  and  improvement 
until  1855,  when  he  left  Trumbull  county  and  came  to  Crawford  county,  this 
state.  Having  purchased  a  farm  in  Beaver  township,  he  proceeded  with  its 
development  and  has  since  made  his  home  thereon.     For  a  period  of  ten  years 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  835 

lie  bought  and  sold  cattle  and  live  stock  and  was  very  fortunate  in  his  efforts 
in  that  direction.  His  homestead,  a  place  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
is  one  of  the  best  in  this  township  and  represents  his  own  hard  labor  and  indus- 
try. In  every  sense  of  the  word  he  is  what  is  termed  a  self-made  man,  for  he 
has  had  to  rely  solely  upon  his  own  efforts  in  the  acquisition  of  a  competence. 

In  all  his  struggles,  joys  and  sorrows  Mr.  Taylor  has  been  aided  and  en- 
couraged by  his  faithful  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Susan  Read  and  whose 
early  home  was  in  this  township.  Three  children,  two  sons  and  a  daughter, 
were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor,  namely,  Josephine,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-four  years  and  ten  months,  and  Rodney  and  Osprey,  both  successful 
farmers  of  this  locality.  The  parents  are  devoted  members  of  the  Christian 
(Disciples)  church,  and  are  liberal  in  their  contributions  to  religious  and  char- 
itable enterprises. 


Theodore  J.  Young,  J\I.  D.,  the  oldest  son  of  Colonel  David  Jung 
(Young),  was  born  at  Neustadt,  on  the  Haardt  mountain,  in  the  Palatinate 
Bavann,  December  9,  1834.  His  father  was  a  royal  engineer  and  architect 
under  King  Ludwig  of  Bavaria.  With  his  two  sons,  Theodore  and  William, 
Colonel  Jung  participated  in  the  rebellion  of  1848-9.  The  revolution  failing, 
the  father  was  exiled  and  the  family  fled  to  France,  where,  under  an  edict  of 
Napoleon  III,  ihey  were  permitted  to  remain  nine  months.  At  the  expiration 
of  that  time  they  joined  Colonel  Jung,  who  had  preceded  them  to  the  United 
States,  and  located  at  Baltimore,  Maryland.  Soon  afterward  Colonel  Jung 
was  appointed  to  the  United  States  coast  survey,  and  Theodore  J.  went  to 
Philadelphia  to  pursue  his  studies. 

In  1854  he  located  in  Meadville  and  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  medi- 
cine. ( The  medical  record  of  Dr.  Young  is  given  in  this  work  among  that  of 
the  other  physicians  of  Titusville. )  He  was  secretary  twenty-six  years  of  the 
Shepherd  Lodge  of  Masons  in  Titusville.  Recorder  of  the  Rose  Croix  Com- 
mandery  in  the  same  city  four  years,  and  a  member  and  secretary  of 
the  Titusville  school  board  several  years.  He  cast  his  first  vote  for  Fremont 
in  1856,  and  he  has  been  ever  since  a  Republican. 


Richard  Graham,  who  occupies  a  responsible  position  in  the  office  of  the 
superintendent  of  the  Meadville  division  of  the  Erie  Railroad  Company,  was 
born  in  Slatersville,  Tompkins  county.  New  York,  on  the  19th  of  October, 
1S36,  his  parents  being  John  Smith  and  Hannah  (  Gee)  Graham.  He  acquired 
his  education  in  common  and  select  schools  in  Jasper,  Steuben  county  Ne\\' 
York,  and  remained  upon  the  farm  with  his  father  until  eighteen  years  of  age, 
when  he  entered  upon  an  independent  business  career  as  clerk  in  a  dry-goods 
store  in  Addison,  New  York.  He  was  thus  employed  until  twenty  years  of 
age,  when  he  entered  the  ser\-ice  of  the  New  York  &  Erie  Railroad  Company 


836  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

as  clerk  and  telegraph  operator,  at  Addison.  He  has  since  been  connected  with 
that  road  and  its  successor,  holding  the  various  positions  of  operator,  station 
agent,  train  dispatcher  and  superintendent's  clerk.  He  is  now  occupying  the 
last  named  position,  and  is  one  of  the  most  trusted  and  faithful  employes  of 
the  corporation. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  1862,  Mr.  Graham  was  married  at  Ramsey,  New 
Jersey,  to  Miss  Julia  Thorpe.  Her  death  occurred  in  Meadville  July  5,  1893, 
and  one  daughter  was  left  to  mourn  her  loss,  May  T.,  who  was  born  in  Mead- 
ville. April  13,  1872,  and  is  now  a  teacher  in  the  Pennsylvania  College  of  Music 
in  this  place. 

Mr.  Graham  has  never  held  political  office  save  in  connection  with  the  edu- 
cational interests  of  his  city.  He  has  been  school  director  of  Meadville  since 
1882,  and  since  1888  has  been  president  of  the  lx)ard  of  control  of  the  Mead- 
\\\\t  public  schools.  He  holds  a  membership  in  the  Central  Presbyterian  church, 
in  which  he  has  been  ruling  elder  for  eighteen  years,  and  in  both  church  and 
educational  work  is  deeply  interested. 


Daniel  Bcuiciit,  Rome  township,  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  Benient,  and  was 
born  in  Middlebury,  Connecticut,  married  Nancy  Kimball  and  came  to  Rome 
townshi])  with  an  ox  team  and  wagon  in  the  fall  of  1816,  being  six  weeks  on 
the  journey.  He  built  and  operated  one  of  the  first  tanneries  in  this  section, 
on  the  place  now  owned  by  Webster  Bement.  He  had  eight  children, — Henry, 
Julius.  Silas,  Nancy,  George,  Joel,  Miranda,  and  Frank. 


Robert  Donaldson  Crawford,  the  second  son  of  Archy  and  Mary  Jane 
(McChestney)  Crawford,  was  lx)rn  at  Pardoe,  Pennsylvania,  Tvlay  5,  1856. 
His  father  was  born  at  East  Liberty.  Allegheny  county,  this  state, 
and  was  one  of  a  family  of  fourteen  children.  His  father  came  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  last  century  from  a  point  east  of  the  Alleghany  mountains. 
His  father's  mother  was  a  Donaldson.  The  ancestors  on  the  father's  side  were 
Irish  and  Scotch.  The  maternal  grandmother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
a  Barnes,  belonging  to  those  of  that  name  that  were  among  the  first  settlers 
of  Mercer  county.    The  McChestneys  were  Scotch-Irish. 

Mr.  Crawford  was  educated  at  Grove  City  College,  securing  from  that 
institution  in  1884  the  degree  of  A.  M.  He  had  received  from  the  Edinboro 
Normal  School  in  1879  the  degree  of  M.  E.  D.  In  1897  he  took  a  post-grad- 
uate course  at  the  Allegheny  College  at  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  receiving 
the  degree  of  Ph.  D.  He  organized  and  conducted  the  North  \\'ashington 
Academy  one  year,  was  principal  of  the  Cambridge  Springs  public  schools  for 
three  years,  and  was  principal  of  the  Tidioute  public  schools  seven  years.  He 
established  there  a  course,  combining  manual  training  with  literary  studies, 
one  of  the  first  schools  of  the  kind  in  the  United  States.    He  was  superintendent 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  837 

of  the  Titusville  city  schools  from  1893  to  1897,  four  years.  He  is  now  en- 
gaged in  business  in  Titusville.  Prof.  Crawford  regards  his  achievements  in 
introducing  and  perfecting  the  system  of  manual  training  as  among  the  most 
satisfactory  parts  of  his  work  as  an  instructor. 

On  November  24.  1879,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Hattie  Ely  stone,  at  Edin- 
boro.  Pennsylvania.  Of  this  union  four  children  are  now  living :  George 
Hatch  and  Florence  Esther,  twins,  born  February  2j,  1872;  Josephine,  born 
June  6,  1885  :   and  Harriet  Julia,  June  16,  1892. 


Dr.  And  re  L.  Cozvlcs.  of  Sparta  township,  is  a  son  of  G.  W.  Cowles,  and 
was  born  in  the  town  of  Harmony,  New  York,  August  7,  1850.  His  education 
was  obtained  at  the  Jamestown  Academy,  at  which  he  graduated  in  1868.  He 
afterward  attended  the  Bellevue  Hospital,  in  New  York  city,  at  which  he  grad- 
uated in  1873.  ^"''  ^^'''^s  at  the  University  of  Bufifalo  in  1891  and  1892.  In 
1874  he  settled  at  Bremen,  Ohio,  and  in  1879  he  came  to  Spartansburg,  where 
he  now  resides. 


foliii  Klippcl,  a  farmer  residing  near  the  north  border  of  East  Fairfield 
township,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Meadville,  February  8.  1843.  ^on  of  Daniel 
and  Christiana  (Walter)  Klippel.  deceased,  former  residents  of  Union  town- 
ship, Crawford  county.  He  is  the  third  child  of  a  family  of  four  children, 
namely :  Christina,  wife  of  Henry  Keburts ;  Henry,  of  Union  township ;  John, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch;  and  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Jacob  Ehrgott,  of  Union 
township.  In  April,  1873,  he  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  John  and  Mar- 
garet Keburts,  of  the  adjoining  township,  and  to  this  union  have  been  torn 
four  children :  W.  Frank,  John  D.,  Florence  May,  and  Mary  J.,  who  died 
June  9.  1897,  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years  and  eleven  months. 

Mr.  Klippel  purchased  and  removed  to  his  present  location  in  April,  1879; 
and  besides  this  highly  cultivated  farm  of  one  hundred  acres  he  owns  another 
of  seventv  acres  in  the  same  township,  on  what  is  known  as  the  Creek  road. 


Gilbert  Gordon,  drayman,  Titusville,  was  born  i-\.ugust  24,  1839,  near 
Clyde,  Wayne  county.  New  York,  a  son  of  D.  S.  and  Electa  (Betts)  Gordon. 
The  former  died  in  1897,  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-five  years,  and  the 
latter  in  1894,  at  the  age  of  ninety-three  years.  Mr.  Gordon  was  the  seventh 
of  eight  children.  In  1870  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Almira  Heald,  a 
daughter  of  Albin  and  Mary  Jane  (Conley)  Heald,  of  Rockland,  Venango 
county.  The)'  are  now  residents  of  Hydetown,  Pennsylvania.  Mrs.  Gordon 
is  the  third  child  of  a  family  of  eight  children.  They  have  five  children,  namely  : 
Fred  Raymond,  W'illiam  M.,  LeRoy  Everett,  Gilbert  Floyde,  and  Ada  E. 

Mr.  Gordon  was  first  identified  with  Titusville  and  locality  in  the  year 
1 86 1,  during  the  early  days  of  the  oil  excitement,  beginning  as  an  oil-producer 


838  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

at  Petroleum  Center,  and  was  at  Pithole  during  the  days  of  adventure.  He 
served  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  in  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth 
Pennsylvania  Buck  Tails,  for  three  years,  and  was  mustered  out  in  August, 
1862.  He  was  in 'all  the  prominent  engagements  of  his  regiment, — thirteen 
in  number, — including  the  battle  of  Antietam,  until  the  close  of  the  war ;  was 
wounded  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  and  afterward  made  captain. 

After  the  war  he  was  engaged  in  various  oil  interests  until  1872,  as  above 
mentioned,  then  engaged  in  the  hardware  business  for  five  years  at  Petroleum 
Center.    In  1886  he  removed  to  Titusville,  where  he  has  resided  ever  since. 


Joseph  C.  G.  Kennedy,  of  Aleadville,  is  the  fifth  child  of  Dr.  Thomas  R. 
Kennedy,  and  was  born  April  i,  1813,  in  Meadville,  was  educated  at  Allegheny 
College,  which  conferred  on  him  the  degrees  of  A.  M.  and  LL.  D.  In  1833  he 
purchased  and  edited  the  Crawford  Messenger,  the  pioneer  newspaper  of 
northwestern  Pennsylvania.  He  was  appointed  by  President  Taylor  to  plan 
and  superintend  the  national  census  of  1850,  and  showed  such  ability  that  he 
was  also  made  superintendent  of  the  census  of  i860.  In  185 1  he  visited  Eu- 
rope as  a  United  States  commissioner  on  census  and  postal  matters.  In  1853 
he  was  a  member  of  the  Statistical  Congress  held  at  Brussels,  and  later  of  one 
at  Paris.  In  185 1  he  was  secretary  of  the  United  States  commissioners  to  the 
World's  Fair  at  London,  and  a  delegate  to  and  the  reader  of  a  paper  in  the 
International  Statistical  Congress,  o\er  which  Prince  Albert  presided.  In 
i860  he  was  appointed  by  President  Lincoln  a  commissioner  of  the  Interna- 
tional Exhibition  of  that  year.  He  served  as  corresponding  secretary  of  the 
National  Institute  at  Washington,  and  of  the  United  States  Agricultural  So- 
ciety, and  edited  the  journal  of  the  latter.  He  was  a  member  of  numerous 
American  and  foreign  scientific  and  historical  associations,  and  in  1866  was 
presented  with  a  gold  medal  l:)y  Christian  IX,  king  of  Denmark,  as  a  token  of 
his  appreciation  of  his  work  on  statistics. 


James  Jamison,  one  of  the  representative  farmers  and  stock  men  of  South 
Shenango  township,  Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania,  was  born  in  count;  An- 
trim, Ireland,  January  15,  1836.  His  father,  Alexander,  and  mother,  nee 
Jennie  McKay,  were  of  Scotch  extraction,  but  were  natives  of  county  Antrim. 
The  family  came  to  America  in  1842,  settling  on  a  farm  twenty  miles  south 
of  Shenango,  Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania.  Alexander  Jamison  was  a  stone- 
mason by  trade  and  also  a  successful  farmer.  He  and  his  wife  were  members 
of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church.  He  lived  to  be  fifty  years  old,  and 
his  wife  survi^•ed  him  many  )-ears  and  died  at  eighty-four.  Of  the  eight  chil- 
dren of  this  family  seven  are  now  li\-ing,  Mr.  James  Jamison,  our  subject, 
being  next  to  the  youngest. 

When  twenty  years  of  age  Mr.  James  Jamison  went  to  Ohio  and  engaged 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  839 

in  general  farming.  In  185S  lie  removed  to  this  county  and  purchased  the  farm 
which  has  since  been  his  home,  and  which  at  the  present  time  is  of  two  hundred 
acres  in  extent.  He  has  been  extensi\'ely  engaged  in  buying,  selling  and  raising 
stock. 

The  Jamison  farm  is  one  of  the  most  \'aluable  and  highly  cultix'ated 
in  the  county.  It  is  supplied  with  the  best  improvements,  and  its  owner  is 
a  recognized  authority  on  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  purchase,  sale  and  1)reed- 
ing  of  fine  stock. 

Mr.  Jamison  married  Miss  Xancy,  daughter  of  James  and  Eliza  McMas- 
ter.  James  McMaster  was  born  in  county  Antrim,  Ireland ;  when  two  years 
of  age  his  parents  sailed  for  America,  and  the  voyage  over  was  saddened  by  a 
terrible  storm,  during  which  his  father  was  washed  overboard  and  drowned! 
His  mother  bought  a  farm  in  Shenango  township,  upon  which  he  li\-ed  until 
his  death,  at  the  age  of  fifty-fi\e.  The  wife  of  James  AIcAIaster  was  a  native 
of  West  Fallowtield  township,  a  daughter  of  Nancy  and  Roljert  Henry,  born 
in  Fayette  count}-.  She  was  a  member  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church  and 
lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-se^•en.  Of  the  eight  children  of  this  family  Luella 
married  Anderson  McGranahan ;  Sarah  married  Gibson  Hurlbert,  of  She- 
nango; Charles  M.  is  a  prosperous  farmer  of  South  Shenango:  Nannie  E.  and 
Ross  Clark  are  li\ing  at  home:  Martin  Edgar,  \\'illiam  F.  and  James  H. 
are  in  the  hardware  and  furniture  business  at  St.  Anthony,  Idaho. 

Mr.  Jamison  is  a  self-made  man.  He  is  a  director  of  the  Farmers"  Alutual 
Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Meadville,  and  is  a  stanch  Democrat  and  inter- 
ested in  all  of  his  party's  undertakings.  He  has  held  many  offices,  and  was 
elected  county  commissioner  in  1878,  serving  three  years.  The  entire  family 
are  members  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church. 


irHliaiii  Kiiiiu-y.  a  farmer  of  Sparta  township,  was  a  son  of  \^'illiam  Kin- 
ney, antl  was  born  in  Hudson.  Washington  county.  New  York,  married  Susan 
Burch,  and  about  1823,  with  his  wife  ajid  one  child,  came  to  Sparta  town- 
ship, Crawford  county,  where  he  settled  on  one  hundred  acres  of  land,  built  a 
log  house  and  began  to  improve  the  place :  but  afterward  he  moved  to  the  farm 
now  owned  by  his  son  Eli  and  his  widow,  Mrs.  William  Kinney,  he  having  been 
killed  in  185 1  by  a  falling  limb  while  cutting  a  tree.  One  of  his  nine  children, 
Charles  W.  Kinney,  is  well  known  at  Spartansburg  from  ha^•ing  built  the  brick 
block  where  the  bank  is  located. 


Bcnjamiu  O.  Fish,  of  Sparta  township,  was  born  in  Washington  county. 
New  York,  married  Seraph  Burton  in  1840.  and  came  to  Sparta  and  settled 
at  what  is  now  called  Fish's  Flats,  where  he  residetl  as  a  farmer.  He  and  his 
family  were  members  of  the  Free-Will  Baptist  church.  Among  his  children 
by  his  first  wife  were  Nancy  (Airs.  James  Chase):    Emma   (Mrs.  Stephen 


840  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Jude)  ;  Lester,  who  lives  at  Waterford,  Erie  county:  Adeline  (Mrs.  S.  W. 
Davis),  of  Union  City:  and  Willard.  His  second  wife  was  before  marriage 
Ellen  Coyle,  and  l)y  her  he  had  two  cliildren, — Laverne  and  Dora,  the  latter 
of  \Alinm  is  dead. 


Aaron  Akin,  of  Sparta  township,  was  a  son  of.Loton.  who  Iniilt  the  first 
gristmill  at  Sparta,  came  to  that  place  when  it  was  called  Akinville,  and  owned 
a  gristmill  and  store.  His  son  Daniel  was  born  in  Sparta  and  died  here;  and 
his  son  Daniel  married  Sarah  M.  Miller.  He  was  engaged  extensively  in  lum- 
bering, giving  employment  to  a  large  number  of  men.  He.  had  six  children 
and  died  in  1892. 


A.  M.  Fuller,  a  ^Nleadville  merchant,  is  a  native  of  Little  Falls,  New  York, 
where  he  was  born  in  1847,  son  of  M.  A.  and  Mary  (Holcomb)  Fuller,  natives 
of  New  York,  of  English  descent,  and  parents  of  two  children.  M.  A.  Fuller 
was  one  of  Meadville's  leading  merchants  prior  to  1864. 

A.  M.  Fuller  came  to  Meadville  in  1870  and  eml)arked  in  the  dry-goods 
business  and  has  cdiiducted  a  leading  trade.  His  store,  which  was  in  the  Opera 
House  block,  was  destroyed  by  fire  January  8,  1884,  and  he  ])urchased  a  quarter 
interest  in  the  property  and  after  its  reconstruction  continued  business  in  the 
same  location.  Mr.  Fuller  has  attained  local  prominence  as  a  leading  business 
man.  and  has  been  identified  with  the  interests  of  his  own  town  and  county. 
For  se\'eral  years  he  was  president  of  the  P.  S.  D.  A.  The  dairy  has  for  a 
long  time  been  one  of  the  leading  industries  of  Crawford,  and  has  contributed 
largely  to  the  interest  of  the  farming  community  of  this  section.  He  has  been 
president  of  the  New  First  National  Bank  of  Meadville  since  its  organization 
in  1893,  and  is  also  the  president  of  the  Leon  C.  Magaw  Churn  Company,  of 
Meadville. 

yir.  Fuller  was  elected  president  of  the  Meadville  Glass  Company  (lim- 
ited), an  enterprise  he  was  active  in  establishing,  and  in  which  he  has  been  a 
stockholder  since  its  organization.  He  has  always  taken  a  special  interest  in  all 
public  improvements  relating  to  Meadville.  and  in  its  general  welfare  and 
growth  as  a  city. 

January  27,  1876.  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Leon  C.  ]\Iagaw,  and  to  this  union  were  born  three  children  :  Marian,  Freder- 
ick, and  Marguerite. 


'&•• 


/.  W.  Beers,  an  architect  of  Meadville.  was  born  in  Wallaceville,  Venango 
county.  Pennsylvania.  April  10.  1869.  His  father,  George  W.  Beers,  was  a 
native  of  IMontreal,  Canada,  but  when  the  Civil  War  in  the  United  States 
came  on  he  valiantly  offered  his  services  to  our  government,  and  in  1862  was 
made  ship  carpenter  of  the  gunboat  Bentin,  which  was  assigned  to  the  Missis- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  841 

sippi  squadron.  Of  the  three  hundred  and  fifty  men  who  left  the  Brooklyn 
navy  yard  for  service  at  the  front  at  the  same  time  as  did  Mr.  Beers  only 
eleven  lived  to  return,  he  being  one  of  the  few  survivors.  He  is  now  sixty-two 
}ears  of  age.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Nancy  E.  Richey,  and  who  was 
born  in  \^enango  county,  this  state,  died  when  in  her  thirty-second  year.  They 
were  the  parents  of  four  children,  of  whom  J.  W.  is  the  eldest,  and  the  others 
are  C.  W.  and  H,  E.,  of  Plum  Postoffice,  Pennsylvania;  and  George,  de- 
ceased. H.  E.  served  through  the  Porto  Rican  campaign  in  the  war  with 
Spain. 

J.  W.  Beers  recei\'ed  a  liberal  education  in  the  common  schools  of  his  na- 
tive town  and  in  Tidioute,  where  he  lived  for  some  time.  Upon  completing 
his  studies  he  engaged  in  teaching  for  several  terms  at  Pleasantville  and  Coop- 
erstown,  this  state,  after  which  he  joined  his  father  in  the  building  and  con- 
tracting business  in  Cooperstown,  their  patronage  extending  to  Oil  City  and 
Titusville.  Later,  the  young  man  became  a  student  in  a  Boston  architectural 
school,  at  which  institution  he  was  graduated  at  the  end  of  two  years.  In 
January,  1898,  he  concluded  to  locate  in  Meadville,  where  he  will  undoubtedly 
find  abundant  opportunity  to  display  his  genius,  and  that  he  has  talent  there 
can  be  no  cjuestion,  judging  by  what  he  has  already  accomplished.  Mr.  Beers 
also  has  made  a  thorough  study  of  the  various  svstems  of  stenography,  and  it 
is  his  purpose  to  give  to  the  public,  at  no  distant  day,  a  revised,  simplified  and 
comprehensive  method  of  shorthand  which  he  believes  will  supersede  those 
now  in  use.  He  is  a  member  of  Bradleytown  Lodge,  No.  854,  Lidependent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  Meadville  Tent,  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and 
Daughters  of  Rebekah  of  Bradleytown. 

On  the  loth  of  May,  1892,  Mr.  Beers  married  Etta  M.,  daughter  of  Israel 
and  Hannah  (Kiester)  Ferringer,  and  to  them  have  been  born  two  children, — 
\A'innie  Minola,  and  another  daughter  who  died  in  infancy. 


George  A.  Chase.  Esq. — Jonathan  Titus,  the  grandfather  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  settled,  in  1784,  in  the  vicinity  of  Titusville,  and  gave  the  name 
to  the  town  of  which  he  was  the  founder.  Another  noteworthy  fact  in  the 
history  of  the  family  is  that  his  father  was  the  first  merchant,  first  burgess 
and  first  postmaster  of  Titusville.  The  family  has  been  largely  identified  with 
the  de^■elopment  of  that  section  of  the  oil  country,  and  Mr.  Chase  himself  is  a 
gentleman  known  extensively  in  that  region  as  a  lawyer.  He  has  established 
a  wide-reaching  practice  and  as  an  official  has  made  a  good  record. 

Mr.  Chase  was  born  at  Titusville  and  received  his  education  in  Allegheny 
College.  He  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  city  of  Pittsburg  with  Alex- 
ander Miller,  and  after  his  admission  to  the  bar  there  Avas  appointed  United 
States  commissioner,  and  since  has  continuously  filled  that  office.  He  held  the 
office  of  city  clerk  of  the  city  of  Titusville  during  the  years  1869,  1870  and 


842  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

1871.  He  is  a  Republican,  and  in  April,  1888,  was  elected  cit)-  solicitor  for  a 
term  of  two  years,  and  was  re-elected  in  1890,  1892,  1894  and  1896.  His  office 
is  in  the  Chase  &  Stewart  block, — a  building  erected  by  his  father.  Mr.  Chase 
frequently  attends  state  and  county  conventions. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  order  of  Elks  and  of  the  Royal  Arcanum. 


William  R.  Elston.  of  Sparta  township,  is  a  son  of  Cornelius  R.  and  Julia 
(Deland)  Elston.  and  was  born  in  Ellicott,  Chautauqua  county,  New  York. 
October  25,  1831.  He  married  Ellen  M.  Beach  and  moved  to  Sparta,  Craw- 
ford county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1857,  where  he  was  a  farmer.  He  enlisted  in 
August,  1861,  in  Company  C.  Eighty-third  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  A'ulun 
teers,  where  he  became  a  first  sergeant.  He  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  the 
Wilderness  while  acting  as  lieutenant,  was  discharged  in  1864  and  came  home, 
where  he  resided  until  1883,  when  he  moved  to  Spartansburg,  his  present  home. 

He  has  been  burgess  of  the  village  two  years,  one  of  the  councilmen  of  the 
borough,  also  commander  of  John  R.  Russell  Post,  No.  626,  G.  A.  R..  and  an 
active  member  of  Spartansburg  Lodge.  No.  772,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  politically 
is  a  Republican.  He  has  one  son,  Emory  A.  Elston.  who  married  Mar\-  Bel- 
lows, is  a  representati\-e  citizen  and  an  assessor  of  the  township. 


W.  A.  Doauc,  city  engineer  of  Meadville,  was  born  in  Ellicottville,  Cat- 
taraugus county.  New  York,  September  17,  1854.  a  son  of  L  S.  and  Elizabeth 
(Morse)  Doane,  natives  of  Massachusetts.  He  was  educated  at  Oswego,  New 
York,  and  Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  where  he  pursued  a  course  in  civil  engi- 
neering. Soon  after  completing  his  course  he  came  to  Crawford  county,  where 
he  resided  for  a  time  with  his  parents  in  Mead  township. 

.  Later  he  was  engaged  in  railway  construction.  Following  is  a  list  of  prin- 
cipal engagements:  July,  1874,  to  August,  1876:  assistant  engineer  during 
construction  on  the  Lake  Ontario  division  of  the  Rome,  \\'atertown  &  Ogdens- 
burg  Railroad.  Thirty  miles  of  work,  including  stations,  tanks,  etc.  Oak 
Orchard  viaduct,  eighty-five  feet  high  by  seven  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long. 
March,  1878,  to  May,  1880:  assistant  engineer  and  later  chief  engineer  of  the 
Lehigh  &  Eastern  Railway ;  running  preliminary  lines  and  locating.  August, 
1880.  to  September,  1881  :  chief  engineer  during  the  construction  of  the  Mead- 
ville &  Linesville  Railway;  twenty-two  miles.  September,  1881.  to  August. 
1882:  principal  assistant  engineer  of  the  Rome.  Watertown  &  Ogdensburg 
Railroad  :  designing  arch  culverts,  filling  trestles,  building  machine  shops,  and 
general  reconstruction  work.  August,  1882,  to  June,  1883;  assistant  engineer 
of  the  Ontario  &  Quebec  Railroad,  on  construction.  Resigned  to  take  a  posi- 
tion on  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway.  June,  1883,  to  October,  1885  :  as  divis- 
ion engineer  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  on  construction ;  had  charge  of 
drafting  office,  designing  the  masonry,  Howe  truss  bridges  and  high  wooden 


OUR-  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  843 

trestles  in  Main  and  Selkirk  Ranges  of  the  Rocky  mountains.  May  to  Sep- 
tember, 1886:  assistant  engineer  for  the  Atchison,  Topeka  &  Santa  Fe  Rail- 
road, on  construction.  Resigned  to  accept  a  position  on  the  Atlantic  &  North 
Western  Railway.  October,  1886,  to  October,  1887  :  division  engineer  for  the 
Atlantic  &  North  Western  Railway;  designing  masonry,  trestles  and  other 
structures.  October,  1887,  to  October,  1889 :  as  resident  engineer  and  as  engi- 
neer of  bridges  on  the  Oregon  Pacific  Railway,  making  standard  bridge  and 
trestle  plans ;  designed  set  of  strain  sheets,  with  estimates  of  material  for  Howe 
truss  bridges,  deck  and  through,  from  thirty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  foot 
spans.  Resigned  to  accept  a  position  on  the  Norfolk  &  Western  Railroad, 
October,  1889,  to  January,  1893:  principal  assistant  engineer  in  charge  of  all 
work  during  the  construction  of  the  Ohio  Extension  of  the  Norfolk  &  ^^'estern 
Railroad  :  one  hundred  and  niuety-fi\-e  miles  in  a  mountainous  country  ;  tun- 
nels, masonry  and  bridges:  classification  of  material:  bridge  over  the  Ohio 
ri\'er. 

In  Alay,  1893,  our  subject  was  elected  city  engineer  of  Meadville,  and  re- 
elected in  May,  1896. 

Alay  II,  1882,  he  was  married  to  Hattie,  daughter  of  David  Ellis,  of  Mead 
township,  and  they  have  had  four  children, — Ethel,  Morse,  Arthur,  and  Nor- 
man. 

Air.  Doane  is  a  member  of  the  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers,  and 
of  Albion  (N.  Y.)  Lodge,  No.  97,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  of  the  Royal  Arcanum. 


Captain  Joseph  L.  King  was  an  early  settler  in  Athens  township,  who  took 
up  a  lot  of  four  hundred  and  forty-eight  acres  of  uncultivated  land,  was  a  sol- 
dier in  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  married  Sarah  Hayes,  a  daughter  of  John 
Hayes,  an  early  settler  in  Rockdale  township.  He  died  in  town,  and  his  widow 
married  John  Osborne,  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  a  farmer  who  resided 
on  the  Kino-  farm. 


Francis  Magcc,  of  Rome  township,  was  a  son  of  Patrick  Magee,  and  was 
a  small  boy  when  his  father  came  to  this  township,  in  1800.  He  married  Nancy 
Swaney  and  settled  at  ^Mageetown.  His  son,  Francis  M.  Magee,  w'as  a  soldier, 
serving  as  second  lieutenant  in  Company  D,  Eighteenth  Regiment,  till  the  close 
of  the  war. 


Dr.  Franklin  N.  Norton,  son  of  Joseph  Norton,  is  a  resident  of  Athens 
township,  was  born  in  New  Hudson,  Allegany  county.  New  York,  studied 
medicine  at  W'aterford,  Pennsylvania,  under  the  guidance  of  Dr.  Vincent  Pitts, 
and  at  Friendship,  New  York,  under  Dr.  B.  Babcock,  and  graduated  at  the 
Eclectic  College  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  In  1870  he  settled  at  Little  Cooley,  where 
he  is  now  in  practice. 


844  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Henry  Haas,  a  clerk  at  Meadville,  is  a  native  of  this  city  and  was  born 
in  1845,  a  son  of  Ciiristian  and  Catharine  (Shunk)  Haas!  who  emigrated  to 
America  in  1840  and  soon  after  located  in  Meadville.  The  former  died  in 
1868,  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven  years,  and  the  latter  in  1877,  aged  sixty  years. 
Christian  Haas  was  employed  for  several  years  by  James  and  John  Dick  and 
C.  B.  Richards  &  Brothers  of  New  York.  He  afterward  conducted  a  shipping 
agency,  and  it  was  through  this  source  that  many  Germans  were  induced  to 
settle  in  this  county,  as  many  were  furnished  transportation  from  New  York. 
In  connection  with  this  he  conducted  an  extensive  grocery  trade  which  ex- 
tended throughout  Crawford  county.  This  was  located  in  what  was  familiarly 
known  as  "Old  CuHum  Row,"  and  extended  over  a  period  of  ten  years,— 
from  1854  to  1864. 

Our  subject  was  the  third  child  of  a  family  of  four  children,  as  follows : 
Daniel,  who  died  at  sea;  Jacob  C,  who  died  in  1875,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
seven  years ;  Henry,  the  subject  proper  of  this  sketch ;  and  Catharine,  who 
died  in  infancy.  Mr.  Haas  was  educated  at  the  public  schools  and  under  the 
private  tutorship  of  William  Dixson.  He  has  held  the  position  of  bookkeeper 
for  several  firms,  and  has  had  the  position  of  clerk  at  the  new  Budd  House 
under  its  different  proprietors  since  1883. 

November  3.  1893,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Margaret,  daughter  of 
\^'illiam  Hunter,  of  Mill  Village,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  has  pur- 
chased a  home  at  103  Poplar  street.  Mr.  Haas  is  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  B'nai  B'rith,  Meadville  Tent,  No.  83.  and  of  the  Prudential  Insurance 
Order  of  America.  As  to  local  office  we  may  state  that  he  has  been  elected 
judge  of  election  for  the  third  successive  term. 


Ho)iicr  P.  Tucker,  of  Springboro,  was  born  in  Trumbull  county,  Ohio, 
October  24,  1855,  educated  in  the  common  schools,  and  was  in  early  life  a 
farmer  with  his  father  and  his  assistant  in  his  jelly  factory.  In  1882  he  learned 
to  be  a  miller.  Early  in  1891  he  erected  roller-process  flouring  mills  at  Spring- 
boro. which  he  put  in  operation  the  same  year,  doing  both  a  merchant-milling 
and  custom  business.  He  very  soon  secured  as  a  partner  one  of  his  old  school- 
mates, Sydney  W.  Squires,  and  they  are  successfully  operating  the  mills  under 
the  firm  name  of  Tucker  &  Squires. 

On  March  19,  1879,  Mr.  Tucker  married  Hannah  M.  Stevens,  formerly 
of  Illinois,  and  they  have  five  children, — Wilbur  S.,  Earle  R.,  Frank  W.,  Leah 
D.,  and  Herbert  R.  Mr.  Tucker's  father,  Phineas  R.,  was  born  in  Massachu- 
setts. October  20,  1808,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Ohio  when  four  years 
old.  The  family  moved  with  ox  teams,  and  were  several  weeks  on  their  jour- 
ney, making  roads  through  the  dense  forests  and  swamps.  When  they  arrived 
in  Ohio,  in  18 12,  there  were  only  fourteen  houses  in  the  township  where  they 
settled,  and  thev  were  all  log  structures.     P.  R.  Tucker  married  Barbara 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  845 

Stevens,  of  that  locality,  ami  had  two  sons:  Nelson  R.,  who  owns  and  occu- 
pies the  original  homestead ;  and  Homer  P.  Mr.  Tucker  died  on  September 
23,  1880,  and  his  widow  on  September  23,  1881.  Mrs.  Tucker's  father,  Simon 
Stevens,  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York,  on  December  16,  1818.  He  was 
twice  married,  first  to  Margaret  Ray,  of  Ohio,  and  they  had  three  children,— 
Corydon  R.,  Hannah  M.,  and  Melvin  G.  Mrs.  Ste\-ens  died  in  1852.  Mr. 
Stevens  married,  secondly,  Mary  Ann  Raney,  who  died  April  28,  1897,  the 
mother  of  five  children.  Mr.  Stevens  is  now  (1898)  living.  Mr.  Tucker's 
family  attends  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  which  Mrs.  Tucker  also 
was  a  member.     Mr.  Tucker  is  a  Republican  in  politics. 

Ancestry  of  family.  New  England,  but  of  English  and  Irish  origin. 


George  H.  Bef/iuiie,  of  Couneautville,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  No- 
vember 20,  1843,  ■^'^■^s  educated  in  the  public  schools,  and  by  occupation  is  a 
contractor  and  builder.  He  came  to  Titusville  in  1865,  and  on  June  i.  1870, 
married  Elizabeth  M.  Koehler,  of  Cussawago  township.  They  ha\-e  three 
children, — Frederick  \\'.,  Mary  P.  and  Annie  B.  Frederick  W.  is  a  barber  at 
Union  City,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  both  daughters  reside  at  home. 

Daniel  Bethune,  father  of  George  H.,  was  born  in  Inverness,  Scotland, 
about  1805,  where  he  was' educated.  He  married  Mary  Blackwood,  of  Edin- 
burg,  Scotland,  and  their  eight  children  were  David,  Agnes,  Margaret,  Mary 
H.,  George  H.,  John,  William  and  Christiana.  After  leaving  Scotland  they 
came  to  the  United  States  and  located  in  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Bethune  died 
about  1865,  and  his  widow  about  1867.  Mrs.  Bethune's  father,  Frederick  W. 
Koehler,  was  born  in  the  Hague,  Holland,  in  1800.  He  was  educated  there 
and  was  a  farmer  by  occupation.  He  married  Penelope  Fan  Elza,  of  his  native 
place.  They  bad  thirteen  children,  the  two  oldest  born  in  Holland.  They 
came  to  Philadelphia  and  soon  afterward  settled  in  Cussawago  township. 
The  names  of  their  children  are  Anna,  Frederick  P.,  William,  Charles  C, 
Catherine,  Elizabeth  M.,  George  H.,  August,  Mary,  Christiana  R.,  Lydia, 
Ella  and  Henry.  Mr.  Koehler  died  in  1884  and  his  wife  in  1876.  The 
family  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  church.  In  his  political  choice  Mr. 
Bethune  is  a  Republican.     Ancestry  of  family,  Scotch  and  Dutch. 


Miss  S.  L.  Boyd,  principal  of  the  Meadville  Commercial  College,  bears  the 
distinction  of  being  a  native  of  Crawford  county,  her  ancestors  having  set- 
tled in  Mosiertown  at  an  early  day.  She  is  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Hiram  and 
Sophia  Boyd.  The  former  practiced  medicine  at  Mosiertown  from  181 7  to 
1837,  and  was  a  well  known  practitioner  throughout  the  county. 

Miss  Boyd  was  educated  at  the  Edinboro  State  Normal  School,  grad- 
uating with  the  class  of  1868.  Soon  afterward  she  began  the  work  of  teaching 
iu  the  public  school  at  Saegerstown,  and  a  year  later  was  elected  principal 


846  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

of  the  Meadville  Soiitli  Ward  school,  a  position  she  held  without  interruption 
for  eighteen  years.  Impaired  health  made  a  change  necessar}-,  and  after  a 
brief  period  spent  in  recuperation  she,  in  1889.  started  a  school  of  shorthand 
in  one  small  room.  The  success  attained  in  practical  teaching  created  a  demand 
for  making  it  a  commercial  school.  In  December,  1895,  the  school  formerl}- 
Known  as  the  Meadville  School  of  Business  Practice  was  incorporated  as  the 
Meadville  Commercial  College,  placing  the  institution  on  a  firm  foundation, 
with  widely  known,  progressive  and  successful  business  and  professional  men 
identified  with  it  and  pledged  to  its  interest  and  advancement.  The  principal 
takes  pride  in  making  the  college  distinctiveh'  a  first-class  business  school,  and 
seeks  to  merit  the  requirements  of  its  numerous  patrons  in  fitting  young  men 
and  women  for  business  life. 


Charles  S.  Campbell,  of  Conneaut  township,  was  born  October  8,  1833,  at 
South  Shenango,  Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania.  His  father,  Charles  Camp- 
bell, was  an  enterprising  and  interesting  man.  and  a  native  of  Hunterdon,  New 
Jersey.  When  a  boy  he  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade,  and  later  operated  a 
shop  at  Espyville,  Crawford  county,  for  three  years.  He  then  purchased  a 
farm  in  South  Shenango.  where  he  lived  for  many  years,  combining  his  trade 
and  farming  interests.  For  twenty  years  he  bought  and  drove  stock,  \\nien 
seventy  years  old  he  disposed  of  his  farm  lands  and  for  a  time  retired  to  Spring- 
field, Erie  county,  but  later  moved  back  to  Espyville,  where  he  spent  the  latter 
part  of  his  life :  he  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years.  Mr.  Campbell  was  a 
stanch  Republican  and  one  of  the  pioneers  of  his  party,  and  held  many  local 
offices.  Much  of  his  time  was  devoted  to  the  interests  of  others,  being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  North  Bank  Methodist  church,  one  of  the  first  churches  in  that  sec- 
tion of  the  country,  toward  the  maintenance  of  which  he  was  a  liheral  sup- 
porter. His  home  was  the  headquarters  for  visiting  clergymen,  and  for  all- 
around  general  hospitality.  Mr.  Campbell's  wife,  nee  Sarah  DeForest,  of 
Hunterdon.  New  Jersey,  lived  to  be  sixty-seven  years  old.  Of  their  nine 
children  seven  attained  maturity,  but  two  only  are  hving  at  the  present  time : 
George,  a  retired  farmer  of  Espyville:  and  Charles,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Charles  S.  Campbell  was  educated  at  the  public  schools  and  when  twenty- 
nine  years  old  married  Miss  Mary  Clark,  of  Williamsfield,  Ohio.  They  have 
eight  children  :  Emily,  who  is  the  wife  of  C.  B.  Corey,  of  this  township ;  Elmer 
C.  a  progressive  farmer;  two  children  died  when  very  young;  of  the  twins, 
Ida  and  Inez,  Ida  is  at  home  and  Inez  is  the  wife  of  Martin  Donaldson  ;  A^ernie 
is  at  Normal  school ;  and  Fenn  C.  is  at  home. 

For  a  time  Mr.  Campbell  operated  his  father's  farm,  but  later  owned  and 
worked  independently  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres.  One  hundred  acres 
he  has  since  given  his  son,  but  he  still  lives  on  and  owns  the  remainder.  Mr. 
Campbell  is  a  prominent  banker  and  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Linesvillc 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  847 

Savings  Bank  and  president  tliereof  for  several  years.  He  now  holds  the  posi- 
tion of  vice  president  of  the  same  bank.  He  is  a  heavy  stockholder  in  the 
Mutual  Loan  Association  Bank  of  Conneaut,  Ohio.  Mr.  Campbell  has  also 
been  prominent  in  local  affairs  and  has  always  identified  himself  with  the  Re- 
publican party.  He  has  held  the  offices  of  assessor  and  tax  collector,  and  school 
director  for  six  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Linesville  Lodge,  No.  395,  L  O. 
O.  ¥..  and  is  also  a  Royal  Templar.  As  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
church  he  has  extended  his  influence  for  good,  having  been  trustee  for  several 
}-ears  and  Sunday-school  superintendent  for  four  years. 

Mr.  Campbell  is  one  of  the  most  prominent,  influential  and  highly  re- 
spected citizens  of  the  community. 


Alonzo  A.  Potter. — The  Hon.  Alonzo  A.  Potter  was  born  in  Conneaut 
township,  Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  has  lived  nearly  all  of  his 
life.  His  great-grandfather  was  born  in  England,  and  after  coming  to  Amer- 
ica served  all  through  the  Revolutionary  war  in  the  Second  New  Jersey  Lifan- 
try ;  was  wounded  at  the  siege  of  Yorktown,  and  died  in  consequence.  His 
son  and  namesake,  Samuel  Potter,  was  a  native  of  Newark,  N^v  Jersey,  and 
when  voung  learned  the  brick-mason's  trade.  He  came  to  Crawford  county 
m  1799  and  took  up  two  hundred  acres  of  land  near  Steamburg,  and  afterward 
purchased  four  hundred  acres  more.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  died 
at  the  age  of  ninety-two.  He  was  a  quiet,  unostentatious  man  and  a  member 
of  the  IMethodist  church. 

Mr.  Potter's  father,  George  Potter,  was  born  in  Conneaut  township,  on 
the  farm  where  his  entire  life  was  spent.  He  was  alert  and  active  until  a  short 
tmie  before  his  death,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two.  He  was  formerly  a  Whig, 
luit  later  became  a  Republican  and  held  most  of  the  local  offices.  He  married 
Louise  Wilder,  a  native  of  Batavia,  New  York,  and  a  daughter  of  Reuben 
\\'ilder,  who  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  served  as  first  lieutenant  all  through 
the  war  of  1812.  Mrs.  Potter  lived  to  be  eighty-one  years  old.  Mr.  Potter  and 
wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist  church.  There  were  five  children  born 
to  this  couple,  of  whom  Mr.  Alonzo  A.  Potter  is  the  oldest :  Frank  H.  was 
formerly  a  school-teacher,  but  now  owns  and  works  a  part  of  the  farm  that 
belonged  to  his  great-grandfather ;  Mary  J.  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-one : 
Sarah  A.  married  E.  S.  Penfield.  of  Conneaut  township :  and  Corlie,  who  is 
the  wife  of  George  Huntley,  of  Conneaut. 

Alonzo  A.  Potter  had  an  early  farm  training,  his  literary  education  being 
derived  at  the  public  schools  and  at  Grand  IWyftv  Institute,  Austinburg,  Ohio. 
After  teaching  school  for  ten  years  and  undermining  his  health  Mr.  Potter 
engaged  in  general  farming,  dairying  and  stock-raising,  which  have  since  been 
his  chief  occupations.  His  farm  comprises  two  hundred  and  seventy  acres. 
Mr.  Potter  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Nancy  J.  Grover,  and  they 


848  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

have  one  daughter,  named  janie.  \vh,i  is  Hving  with  her  parents.  She  is  the 
especial  pride  of  her  family  and  friends,  having  signally  distinguished  herself 
in  music.  Her  talent  was  develo])ed  at  the  Meadville  Conservatory,  also  at 
Utica,  New  York,  and  at  Oberlin,  Ohio. 

Mr.  Potter  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  (Irange;  of  Pine  Lodge,  No. 
498,  F.  &  .\.  M.,  at  Linesville,  this  state;  of  Oriental  Chapter,  No.  187,  R.  A. 
A[..  at  Conneautville :  and  of  the  Northwestern  Commandery,  No.  25,  K.  T., 
at  Meadville.  In  Jiis  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  his  ability  and 
integrity  Inn-e  recei\-ed  the  hearty  appreciation  of  the  conimujiity.  He  was 
secretary-  of  the  school  board  for  eleven  years,  justice  of  the  peace  for  twenty 
years,  and  during  the  years  1888-90  he  was  a  member  of  the  legislature,  where 
he  was  secretary  of  the  committees  on  education  and  agriculture,  and  was 
largely  instrumental  in  securing  an  increase  in  the  appropriation  for  common 
schools, — from  one  to  li\c  million  dollars.  In  April,  1898,  he  was  unanimously 
nominated  for  state  senator  by  the  Republican  party  of  Crawford  countv,  but 
at  the  election  in  Novei-nher  was  defeated  by  a  fusion  of  Populists,  Prohibi- 
tionists and  Deniiicrats.  In  religion  he  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 


Robert  .liidcrsoii  Ciiiiiiingliain,  deceased,  was  bom  May  7,  1839,  in  Xortii 
Shenango  township.  1  lis  father,  Robert,  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  while  still  an  infant  was  brought  by  his  parents  to  Conneaut  town- 
ship, where  he  lived  until  his  death,  at  the  age  of  eighty-tive.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  United  Presbyterian  church. 

Robert  Cunningham  li\ed  in  Xorth  Shenango  until  three  ^-ears  after  his 
marriage.  In  March  of  18O9  be  purchased  the  farm  that  his  son  Charles  now 
owns,  and  where  he  li\ed  until  his  death,  February  7,  1896. 

August  16,  1861,  Mr.  Cunningham  enlisted  in  the  Twenty-ninth  regular 
Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  serx'ed  in  the  battles  of  Bull  Run,  Winchester, 
Manassas  Junction  and  Cedar  Run.  He  was  discharged  February  8,  1863, 
owing  to  disability  occasioned  by  rheumatism  contracted  during  war  service. 
During  the  latter  part  of  bis  life  he  was  a  confn-nietl  invalid  and  cripple,  owing 
to  the  ravages  of  rheumatism.  He  left  an  excellent  farm  of  eighty-four 
acres. 

Mr.  Cunningham's  political  inclinations  are  with  the  independents.  For 
several  years  be  was  a  tax  collector. 

Air.  Cunningham  married,  Sei)teml)er  21.  1865,  Aliss  Rachel  L.,  daughter, 
of  Samuel  Bennet,  of  South  Shenango  township.    There  were  six  children  born 
to  this  couple  :   Charles  E.  is  a  farmer,  living  in  South  Shenango;  Samuel  and 
Robert  are  partners  in  the  general  merchandise  business  at  Westford ;   James 
B.  died  October  3.  1898;  and  P.ertha  and  Alvertie  are  at  home. 


:  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  849 

Homer  H.  Campbell,  of  South  Shenango  township,  was  born  November 
21.  1859.  in  \\'est  Shenango  township.  Isaac  Campbell,  his  father,  when  a 
young  man,  lived  in  West  Shenango,  but  later  moved  to  South  Shenango,  and 
purchased  his  father's  old  homestead,  where  his  death  occurred  at  the  age  of 
sixty-two  years. 

Isa-ac  Campbell  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and 
active  in  all  its  undertakings.  He  was  a  successful  farmer  and  an  ardent  Re- 
publican, and  was  known  as  an  exceedingly  conservative  man.  He  left  a  farm 
Cf>ni])rising  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Catlierine  Trumbull,  was  a  native  of  New  York  state,  and  a  memlier  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church :  she  lived  to  be  sixty-nine  years  old.  Of  the 
eight  children  born  to  this  couple  \\'illiam  \\'.  is  a  farmer  in  Shenango;  John 
C.  is  a  farmer  in  Conneaut ;  Susan  E.  is  the  wife  of  David  Patten,  and  Sarah 
Elizal)eth  married  John  Johnson. 

Homer  H.  Campbell  made  his  home  witi:  his  parents  until  his  marriage 
to  Miss  Laura  A.  Gepford,  of  South  Shenango,  at  which  time  his  father  pre- 
sented him  with  a  portion  of  the  old  homestead,  upon  which  he  has  since  lived, 
and  which,  with  subsequent  additions,  now  comprises  one  himdred  and  thirty- 
five  acres. 

Mr.  Campbell  is  independent  in  his  voting,  believing  in  the  selection 
of  the  best  qualified  men  irrespective  of  party.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Campbell  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


Cathn'iie  Willson. — The  late  Thomas  Willson  was  born  in  Ayrshire,  Scot- 
land, in  T830.  where  he  was  educated,  and  was  a  farmer.  On  June  2.  1857,  he 
married  Cathrine  Cleland.  who  was  bom  in  Lanarkshire,  Scotland,  in  1838. 
and  came  to  the  L'nited  States  in  1857.  leaving  their  native  land  four  days 
after  marriage.  They  first  located  in  Trumbull  county.  Ohio,  and  in  1865  they 
came  to  Beaver  township,  this  state.  They  came  to  Spring  township  in  1882. 
and  in  1891  to  Springljoro  to  reside,  as  Mr.  Willson  had  tlien  retired  from 
the  farm.  They  had  five  children:  James  ]\L.  Thomas  G.  (who  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty-two  years),  Mary  Y..  Robert  Burns,  and  John  C.  (who  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-five).  James  AL  married  Laura  Rugg.  of  Ashtabula 
county,  Ohio,  and  they  have  two  daughters. — Kate  and  Jennie.  They  reside 
in  Ashtabula  county.  Robert  Burns  married  Janet  Gibson,  of  Fifeshire.  Scot- 
land. The}-  have  one  daughter.  Alaggie.  Mary  Y.  resides  at  home  with  her 
mother.  Mrs.  Wilson's  father.  Thomas  Cleland,  was  1x)rn  in  Lanarkshire. 
Scotland,  in  1802.  He  married  Mary  Young,  of  his  native  country.  Their 
children  were:  Agnes,  who  died  young:  Isabel,  Catherine,  James.  Agnes 
(second),  Janet,  Elizabeth,  John,  Maggie  and  two  who  died  in  infancy.  i\Ir. 
Cleland  died  in  T884  and  his  wife  in  1882.     Thomas  Willson  died  September 

54 


850  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

25,  1897.  regretted  by  the  entire  community.     The  family  are  of  tlie  Presby- 
terian faitli.     Ancestry  of  family,  Scotch  on  both  sides. 


John  Easoii,  son  of  Robert  and  Mary  (Coleman)  Eason.  was  born  at 
Somersetshire,  England,  October  21,  1834.  He  was  educated  at  the  public  and 
high  schools  of  his  town,  making  the  study  of  bookkeeping  a  specialty.  In  1852 
he  was  married  to  Ann  Sly.  The  next  year  he  came  with  his  wife  to  America. 
In  his  boyhood  he  had  learned  the  miller's  trade  from  his  father,  who  was  a 
miller.  Upon  his  arrival  in  this  country  he  went  to  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  was  engaged  one  year  in  the  mills  of  Bryan,  Kennedy  &  Company, 
one  of  the  largest  flouring  establishments  in  the  United  States.  Tlie  senior 
member  of  the  firm  was  the  late  S.  S.  Bryan,  of  this  cit}-,  father  of  S.  S.  and 
George  Bryan,  residents  of  Titusville.  At  the  end  of  the  year  he  went  to  Slip- 
pery Rock,  Butler  county.  Pennsylvania,  and  took  charge  of  Kennedy's  mills 
there  for  five  years.  For  the  next  two  years  he  was  engaged  in  a  woolen  mill 
at  \\'olf  Creek,  Mercer  count)-,  this  state.  Then  he  went  to  Sandy  Creek,  Ve- 
nango county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  bought  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of 
land  of  Arnold  Plumer,  and  for  two  years  he  ran  the  Sandy  Creek  mills.  He 
next  went  to  Columbus,  Pennsylvania,  and  lx)ught  there  a  flouring  mill,  which 
he  operated  three  years.  He  then  sold  that  mill,  and,  coming  to  Titusville,  in 
1870.  he  first  leased  the  City  Mills  here,  which  were  owned  by  Fertig  &  Cady. 
In  1877  be  bought  Fertig's  interest  in  the  mills,  which  interest  he  continues  to 
own.    He  has  been  the  manager  of  these  mills  now  nearly  thirty  years. 

Mr.  Eason  has  five  children :  Robert,  William,  Joseph,  Elizabeth  and 
Margaret.  Robert  lives  at  North  Lewisburg.  Ohio,  and  Elizabeth  at  Pittsburg. 
Pennsyhania.  In  politics  Mr.  Eason  has  been  an  active  Democrat  since  his 
first  landing  in  the  United  States,  in  1853,  o\er  forty-five  years  ago. 


Sidney  W.  Squires,  of  Springboro,  was  born  in  Vienna,  Trumbull  county, 
Ohio,  was  a  farmer  in  early  life  and  a  coal  driller  and  prospector,  and  later  was 
for  several  years  a  merchant.  Before  coming  to  this  state  he  sold  his  mercantile 
interests  to  his  partner  and  entered  into  copartnership  with  H.  P.  Tucker  in 
the  merchant  and  custom  roller-process  milling  business  at  Springboro,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Tucker  &  Squires. 

On  October  23,  1879,  Mr.  Scjuires  married  Ida  ^'.  Stilson,  of  Hartford, 
Trumbull  county.  Ohio.  They  have  had  three  children :  the  two  sons  died 
in  infancy:  the  daughter,  Blanche  W.,  is  a  student  in  the  high  school  at 
Springboro.  Mr.  Scjuires"  father,  \\'illiam,  was  born  in  Connecticut  on  Octo- 
ber 23,  1810,  and  came  to  Trumbull  county  with  his  parents  in  1818,  when 
only  eight  years  old.  He  always  followed  the  honoral)le  occupation  of  farm- 
ing. He  married  Serepta  Woodford,  of  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  where  her 
people  were  among  the  first  settlers.    They  had  six  children, — Jason  A.,  Docia 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  851 

W..  Lucia  M.,  J.  W'illard,  Sidney  W.  and  Nellie  J.     William  Squires  died 
August  22.  1879,  and  his  widow  on  September  9,  1889. 

Mrs.  Ida  A'.  S(|uires's  father,  Cyrus  B.  Stilson,  was  born  in  Boardman 
township,  Mahoning  county,  Ohio,  on  June  24,  1824,  was  educated  in  the 
district  schools  and  was  a  cooper  by  trade.  He  married  Lucretia  Bow  and 
had  four  children.— Oliver  H.,  Mary  E.,  Ida  V.  and  Phebe  E.  Mr.  Stilson 
died  September  19,  1882,  and  his  widow  survi\es  at  this  date  (1897).  The 
family  attend  the  Christian  church,  of  which  Mrs.  Squires  is  a  member.  Mr. 
Squires,  in  his  political  choice,  is  a  Republican.  The  family  is  of  New  England 
origin  on  both  sides. 


Lucius  F.  McLaugliliu  was  born  in  the  township  of  Spring  on  May  8, 
1836.  His  education  was  obtained  at  district  and  select  schools.  Early  in  life 
he  followed  the  occupation  of  school  teaching;  for  sixteen  years  he  conducted 
a  mercantile  establishment  at  Springboro  as  a  grocer,  and,  a  natural  mechanic, 
he  could  "turn  his  hand  to  anything'."  He  has  perhaps  devoted  more  time  to 
the  nursery  business  and  to  real-estate  transactions  than  to  other  pursuits,  and 
has  in  them  acquired  a  comfortable  competency.  In  politics  he  is  a  sterling 
Democrat.  He  has  been  burgess  of  Springboro,  a  school  director,  a  notary 
public,  justice  of  the  peace,  and  held  the  office  of  captain  in  the  national  gaiard 
of  the  state. 

On  .\pril  J,  1874,  ^Ir.  McLaughlin  married  Mary  A.  Minneley,  Lines- 
ville,  Penns}lvania.  They  have  five  children, — Frank  H.,  Ray  I.,  Lucius  E., 
Mar}'  E.  and  Leon  O.  The  three  oldest  are  teachers.  Mr.  McLaughlin's  father, 
Henry  McLaughlin,  was  born  in  Vermont  on  October  30,  1801,  became  a  me- 
chanic and  on  October  30,  1824,  married  Sophronia  Long,  also  of  Vermont. 
In  1826  they  made  the  perilous  western  journey  to  this  county  and  located  in 
Spring  township.  Their  children  were  Amanda,  Cordelia  A.  and  Lucius  F.  Mr. 
Henry  McLaughlin  died  on  September  16,  1854,  and  jMrs.  McLaughlin  on 
June  5,  1874.  Lucius  F.  McLaughlin's  paternal  great-grandfather,  a  native 
of  Scotland,  came  to  the  U^nited  States  on  the  same  vessel  with  the  emigrant 
ancestors  of  Horace  Greele}-.  He  was  a  captain  in  the  Revolution  and  served 
with  distinction.  His  home  was  in  New  Hampshire,  where  all  of  his  children 
were  born.  His  grandfather  was  a  lumberman  of  the  Green  mountains  of 
Vermont.  On  one  occasion,  while  in  the  woods  on  the  mountain  observing  the 
disadvantages  of  the  long  sled,  he  conceived  the  idea  of  using  short  ones.  He 
was  the  originator  or  inventor  of  "bob  sleds,"  so  generally  in  use  now.  His 
uncle,  Ira  McLaughlin,  of  Arlington,  Vermont,  was  a  great  inventor.  Among 
his  best  inventions  are  the  boring  machine  so  much  used  by  carpenters  and  the 
mortising  machine  so  generally  used  in  making  doors,  window  sash,  etc. 
Charles  C.  Minneley,  father  of  Mrs.  McLaughlin,  was  born  about  1826  and 
educated  in  Canada.     Coming  to  the  United  States  and  to  this  county  in  his 


852  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

early  manhood,  he  married  Deborah  Gleason,  of  Conneautville,  and  made  here 
his  permanent  home.  They  had  three  daughters.  Mrs.  :\Iiiineley  has  long 
survived  her  husband,  who  died  in  1874.    Ancestry  of  the  family,  Scotch-Irish. 

Luman  Sturtevant. — The  late  Luman  Sturtevant,  of  Spring  township, 
was  born  in  Rutland,  Vermont,  in  1802.  His  parents  moved  to  Cortland,  New 
York,  when  he  was  four  years  old,  and  there  he  was  educated  in  the  schools  of 
that  early  day.  In  1818,  when  he  was  sixteen  years  old,  the  family  came  to 
this  county.  Mr.  Sturtevant  was  always  a  farmer.  On  November  27,,  1829. 
he  married  Hannah  Allen,  of  Rome,  Oneida  county.  New  York.  They  had 
four  'daughters, — Eliza  A.,  Sara  A.,  Cordelia  E.  and  Lestina  I.  Eliza  A. 
married  Thomas  Fisher,  of  Spring  township.  Their  three  children  were  Har- 
riet E.,  Luman  S.,  and  J.  North,  who  died  at  the  age  of  ten  years.  Harriet  E. 
married  James  E.  Williams,  of  Periopolis,  Pennsylvania.  Their  seven  children 
are  James  N.,  AN'ilson  \Y.,  Luman  F.,  George  H.,  Amy  E.,  Albert  J.  and  Linn. 
Luman  S.  married  Sophia  J.  Hesner,  of  Iowa,  and  they  have  seven  children, — 
Lemuel  L.,  Lisle  N.,  Frank  L.,  Nellie  B.,  Mabel  C,  Grace  E.  and  Ruth  E. 
Sara  A.  married  Rev.  Andrew  Willson,  of  Shenango,  Pennsylvania,  and  died 
in  1883.  Cordelia  E.  died  in  December,  i860.  Lestina  I.  married  Fletcher  W. 
Chess,  of  Pittsburg.  Their  two  children  are  Luman  F.  and  Sara  D.  Luman  F. 
married  Louisa  Breninger,  of  Indiana.  They  have  a  daughter,  Irene  Marie. 
Sara  D.  is  a  student  at  Buchtel  College,  Akron,  Ohio.  ]Mr.  Chess  died  March 
20,  1888.  Mr.  Sturtevant  died  July  22,  1878,  and  his  widow  November  16, 
1886.  The  father  of  ^Mrs.  Luman  Sturtevant,  John  P.  Allen,  was  born  at 
Prudence  Island,  Rhode  Island,  July  17,  1767,  married  Elizabeth  \\a.\\,  of 
Long  Island,  New  York,  and  had  twelve  children.  He  was  a  major  in  the 
state  militia.  His  father.  James,  was  born  at  the  old  Rhode  Island  home,  and 
married  ]\Iartha  Allen,  by  whom  he  had  thirteen  children.  Ancestry  of  family, 
English,  French  and  Welsh. 


Mrs.  Celcstia  Kendall. — The  late  Stephen  Kendall  was  born  in  Windsor, 
Vermont,  on  December  7,  1827,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  Conneaut,  Ohio, 
when  he  was  fourteen  years  old.  He  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  and 
thoroughly  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade.  He  came  to  Spring  township  when 
a  3'oung  man  and  conducted  blacksmithing  both  before  and  after  his  marriage, 
which  occurred  on  November  3,  1850,  to  Abigal  Celestia  King,  of  Springboro. 
Three  children  were  born  to  them, — Rubie  L.,  Lena  ]M.  and  Sarah  N.  Rubie 
L.  married  Lilly  Ross,  of  Rundelltown;  they  have  one  son.  Ross  C.  Lena 
M.  married  Emory  Muynch,  of  Conneautville ;  they  have  two  children, — Jes- 
sie and  Willis  C.  Sarah  N.  married  \\'illis  J.  Farr,  of  Springboro.  Mr.  Ken- 
dall died  August  24,  1872.     His  widow  survives  at  this  date.  1897. 

Mrs.  Kendall's  father,  Alonzo  King,  was  born  in  Oneida  county.  New 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  853 

York,  December  8,  1802,  and  moved  with  his  parents  to  Chautauqua  county 
when  a  boy,  where  he  was  educated  in  the  common  schools,  and  followed  the 
honorable  occupation  of  farming.  March  14.  1825,  he  married  Celestia  ^lax- 
ham,  of  that  count}-.  They  had  five  children, — Joseph  W.,  Celestia  and 
Jerusha  Calistia  (twins).  Hurlbert  H.  and  George  H.  They  came  to  this 
county  in  1836.  Alonzo  King  died  June  9,  1891,  and  his  wife  died  in  1883. 
The  ancestrv  of  the  familv  is  English  and  French. 


Professor  J.  Lavcnic  Free,  of  Springboro,  was  born  near  Little  Cooley, 
Athens  township,  this  state,  on  March  7,  1873.  I"  1878  his  parents  moved  to 
Kansas,  but  after  OAer  three  years"  residence  in  that  state  returned  to  this 
county,  making  their  home  in  Townville.  Until  he  was  nine  years  old  the 
lad's  education  was  supervised  by  an  able  and  devoted  mother,  who  laid  an 
excellent  foundation  for  the  subsequent  intellectual  advancement  of  her  son. 
He  was  then  placed  at  school  and  made  rapid  progress.  For  nine  successive 
winters  he  was  an  apt  and  a  diligent  student  and  then  joined  the  ranks  of  pro- 
fessional teachers.  He  has  shown  ability,  giving  satisfaction,  and  now  honor- 
ably fills  the  responsible  office  of  supervising  principal  of  the  schools  of  Spring- 
boro. 

j\Ir.  Free's  father,  Joseph  P.  Free,  was  born  in  southern  Ohio,  the  young- 
est of  five  children.  In  1870  he  was  married  to  Helena,  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Margaret  Hopkins.  They  had  three  children, — J.  Laverne,  \'ictor  J., 
a  prominent  teacher  of  this  county,  and  Charles  H.,  a  student  of  the  Spring- 
boro high  school.  On  August  27,  1896,  Professor  Free  married  Enna,  daugh- 
ter of  James  Lamb,  Sr.,  also  a  teacher  in  the  Springboro  school.  Her  father, 
born  in  Venango  county  in  1832.  married  Maria  Gates  (born  in  Rockland, 
Venango  county)  about  the  commencement  of  the  Civil  war.  Of  their  ten  chil- 
dren nine  are  now  (1898)  living, — Mrs.  John  Boyd,  of  Boone  county,  Iowa; 
Delma;  Mrs.  Augustus  Wenzel,  of  Tionesta,  Pennsylvania;  Enna,  Samuel, 
Harry,  Bessie,  George  and  James. 

Professor  and  Mrs.  Free  have  been  enthusiastic  workers  in  the  cause  of 
education,  and  are  prominent  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  the  ranks 
of  the  Prohibitionists.    The  ancestry  of  the  family  is  German  and  Irish. 


JVilliain  Hunt,  upholsterer  and  furniture  dealer  at  Titusville,  was  born  in 
Ireland  in  1838  and  was  brought  to  this  country  with  his  parents  at  the  age  of 
seven  years.  He  served  in  the  Confederate  army  during  the  Rebellion,  after 
which  he  located  in  ]\Iobile,  Alabama,  where  he  learned  his  trade  and  remained 
up.til  1870,  when  he  removed  to  Titusville,  where  he  has  since  continued  an 
upholstering  and  furniture  business.  In  1884  he  became  interested  in  a  device 
known  as  the  upholsterers'  vise-support,  which  has  since  been  perfected  and 
brought  into  use  as  one  of  the  most  valuable  devices  known  to  the  trade.    This 


854  OUR  COUNTY  AND  IIS  PEOPLE. 

support  is  made  of  iron  and  steel  and  is  indispensable  as  a  lalx)r-saving  device 
of  great  ntilit}-.  ]\Ir.  Hunt  earl)^  made  several  experiments  with  this  apparatus, 
but  did  not  full)-  succeed  until  July  23,  1897,  when,  by  the  assistance  of  Cor- 
nelius C.  ^Vright,  of  Erie,  an  inventor  of  repute,  he  perfected  the  plans  which 
made  it  a  success.  It  is  so  arranged  that  the  adjustment  can  be  made  at  any 
position  and  saves  at  least  from  one-third  to  one-half  of  the  labor  needed  by 
the  old  method.  As  an  invention  it  is  a  device  of  unusual  merit  and  will  be 
recorded  as  one  of  the  permanent  inventions  of  Crawford  county,  of  which  Mr. 
Hunt  is  the  instigator. 


Seth  C.  Lincoln,  of  Bloomfield  township,  came  to  Lincolnville,  this  town- 
ship, about  1838,  took  up  a  section  of  uncultivated  land  and  built  a  saw  and 
gristmill.     He  had  lived  here  but  a  short  time  when  he  was  killed  while  raft 
ing  lumber  on  Oil  Creek,  leaving  a  wife  (nee  Lucinia  Wood)  and  eight  chil- 
dren. 


IV.  S.  Sinilli,  register  and  recorder  of  Crawford  county,  is  a  native  of 
Aberdeenshire,  Scotland,  his  1)irth  having  occurred  May  8,  1864.  He  was  but 
six  years  of  age  when  he  came  to  America,  and  his  education  was  obtained  in 
the  public  schools  of  Oil  City.  Subsecjuently  to  his  graduation  in  the  high 
school  there  in  1880,  he  commenced  teaching,  and  in  1887  accepted  a  position 
as  principal  of  the  Spartansburg  school.  He  continued  there  and  in  a  similar 
capacity  in  the  Springboro  public  school  until  1891,  when  he  became  the  Ixiok- 
keeper  for  the  Shadeland  stock  farm,  in  this  county.  In  1893  he  was  elected 
on  the  Republican  ticket  to  his  present  office  as  recorder  and  register,  and  upon 
the  expiration  of  his  term  was  honored  by  re-election.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

In  October,  1890,  Mr.  Smith  was  united  in  marriage  with  Mary  E.  Fisher, 
daughter  of  John  and  Rachel  Fisher,  of  Bloomfield  township,  Crawford  county, 
and  to  the  young  couple  two  children  have  been  born,  namely :  Rachel  and 
Aenes. 


Rev.  James  J.  Dunn,  pastor  of  St.  Bridget's  church  at  Meadville,  is  a 
native  of  jNIalahide.  Dublin  county,  Ireland,  and  was  born  June  9,  1841.  At 
the  age  of  eight  years  he  arrived  in  the  city  of  Baltimore  and  entered  IMount 
St.  Mary's  College,  Emmittsburg,  Maryland,  August  24.  1857,  and  graduated 
there  in  June,  1863,  recei\'ing  the  degrees  of  A.  B.  and  A.  M.  He  entered 
the  seminary  attached  to  the  college  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  and  was  or- 
dained by  Bishop  Ouinlan,  of  Mobile,  for  the  diocese  of  Erie,  in  the  church 
attached  to  the  college,  on  October  28,  1866.  He  remained  for  one  year 
attached  to  the  college  as  adjunct  professor  of  Latin  and  Greek;  entered  upon 
missionary  work  at  Oil  City,  Pennsylvania,  in  October,  1867;   and  was  placed 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  855 

in  charge  of  the  congregation  of  Petroleum  Center  in  June,  1868.     March  4, 
1874,  he  was  transferred  to  the  charge  of  St.  Bridget's  church,  Meadville. 

During  the  twenty-five  years  of  his  pastorate  in  Meadville  Father  Dunn 
has  shown  great  executive  ability  in  improving  and  reconstructing  the  church 
propertv.  during  \\hich  time  the  membership  has  greatly  increased  in  num- 
l)ers  and  the  church  work  been  greatly  facilitated. 


James  D.  Miller,  son  of  Abner,  was  Ixjrn  in  East  Hamilton,  Madison- 
county,  New  York,  and  married  Eunice  ^Ventworth,  daughter  of  Benjamin. 
About  1828  lie  came  to  Sparta,  where  he  selected  a  section  of  uncultivated 
land.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He 
died  in  1894  and  his  wife  died  in  1884.  They  had  six  children:  James  B. ; 
Albert  C,  Corry,  Preston  A.,  George  ^^'.,  and  Xancy  I.. — all  deceased;  and 
Sarah  (Mrs.  Daniel  W.  Akin). 


Henry  Donor,  an  enterprising  farmer  of  Athens  township,  Crawford! 
county,  deserves  mention  in  this  work.  His  father,  ^Matthias  Donor,  who  was  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  the  RebelHon,  was  killed  in  1882.  The  birth  of  our  sub- 
ject occurred  March  2t,.  1841,  in  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  enlisted  in 
1862  in  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-fifth  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers,  and  at  the  Ijattle  of  Fredericksburg  was  wounded  in  the  head  lay  a 
fragment  of  a  shell.  He  was  granted  an  honoral>le  discharge  from  the  army 
in  the  following  year,  and  later  l)ecame  a  memlier  of  John  Fisher  Post,  No. 
337,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  at  Riceville. 

In  1864  Mr.  Donor  came  to  Athens  township,  where  he  has  since  contin- 
ued to  li\e.  He  married  Samantha,  daughter  of  John  G.  and  Elvira  S. 
(Wheeler)  Stratton,  and  their  three  children  are  Jennie  E.,  wife  of  Ernest 
Saunders:    Fred  C.  ;  nd  William  H. 


George  C.  Campbell,  of  Espyvillc,  was  born  Octoljer  zy,  1835,  at  Espyville,. 
Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  married  February  17,  1859,  to  Miss 
ilandana  Hollister,  daughter  of  S.  C.  Hollister,  late  of  North  Shenango.  Mr- 
Campbell  settled  on  a  farm  one  and  a  half  miles  south  of  Espyville  and  en- 
gaged in  general  farming  and  stock-raising.  He  raised  thoroughljred  cattle 
and  made  a  specialty  of  short-horns.  His  farm  was  known  as  the  Spring  Run 
farm ;  it  is  now  rented  and  the  former  proprietor  is  living  at  Espyville.  There 
are  six  children  in  this  family  :  Jessie  Justine  married  Edgar  Collins,  of  North 
Shenango:  Elton  Fremont  lives  in  Espyville:  Nellie  is  the  wife  of  H.  N.  Line, 
a  merchant  of  Kent,  Ohio :  Fred  H.  lives  on  his  father's  farm  ;  Chloe  D.  mar- 
ried George  L.  Marvin  and  lives  at  Andover,  Ohio;    Albert  B.  lives  in  Kent, 

Ohio. 

Mr.  Campbell  has  held  ..everal  offices,  but  entertains  no  political  aspira- 


8s6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

tions.  His  family  and  liiiiiself  are  members  of  the  North  Bank  Methodist 
Episcopal  churcli,  which  was  founded  by  his  father,  and  he  has  contributed 
largely  toward  its  maintenance.  He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  attends 
the  grand  lodge.  Mr.  Campbell  is  a  director  of  the  Linesville  Savings  Bank 
and  a  member  of  the  Andover  Banking  Company. 

Mr.  Campbell's  father.  Charles  Camplaell,  was  one  of  the  most  unique  and 
interesting  characters  in  the  county.  He  was  born  May  4,  1797,  in  Hunter- 
don county.  New  Jersey,  and  was  of  Scotch  descent.  He  came  to  North  She- 
nango  in  1820  and  his  two  sisters  came  several  years  afterward,  namely :  Eliza- 
beth, who  married  a  Mr.  Meisner,  and  Sarah,  who  became  the  wife  of  Jonathan 
Cook, — both  of  North  Shenango.  Charles  Campbell  was  a  blacksmith  and 
followed  his  calling  on  the  site  in  Espyville  now  owned  by  William  Bennett. 
He  had  one  child.  When  he  arrived  in  Espyville  his  worldly  possessions  con- 
sisted of  a  horse  and  wagon,  a  set  of  tools,  and  money  amounting  to  fifty  cents. 
His  companion  in  immigration  and  business  was  William  Zonner,  upon  whose 
farm  they  settled,  building  a  shop  and  operating  both  shop  and  farm  for  some 
time.  Mr.  Campbell  later  secured  the  farm  now  owned  by  William  and  Homer 
Campbell,  sons  of  Isaac.  Charles'  eldest  son.  With  the  aid  of  William  Zonner 
he  started,  in  1842,  the  North  Bank  Methodist  church,  toward  the  support  of 
which  both  men  were  liberal  contributors  as  long  as  they  lived.  While  a  strict 
Methodist,  and  vastly  enjoying  discussion  along  that  line,  Mr.  Campbell  was 
yet  tolerant  of  other  denominations  and  materially  aided  them.  He  lived  on 
his  farm  until  he  sold  out  to  his  son  Isaac  and  went  to  live  at  West  Spring- 
field, Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  lived  there  ten  years  and  later  was  with  his 
son-in-law,  N.  W.  Wolverton,  at  whose  residence  he  died  February  25,  1878, 
aged  eighty-three  years. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  originally  a  Whig,  but  later  became  a  Republican,  and 
held  several  town  offices.  He  was  extensively  interested  in  stock  and  stock- 
driving,  and  for  years  handled  nearly  all  of  the  stock  in  that  part  of  the 
county,  driving  it  over  the  mountains.  His  rise  in  the  stock  trade  had  a 
unique  origin.  He  used  to  take  stock  on  his  blacksmith  accounts,  and  after 
accumulating  a  large  number  would  drive  them  to  Pottsville,  Philadelphia, 
Trenton  and  other  centers  of  trade.  This  became  more  profitable  than  the 
blacksmith  industry  and  in  consequence  he  sold  out  his  shop  and  devoted  him- 
self exclusively  to  the  occupation  of  stock-driving.  He  was  obliged  to  hire 
several  men  on  his  farm  to  help  him.  He  did  a  large  business  in  the  line  of 
buying  and  selling  farms,  and  at  times  would  have  several  on  his  hands.  His 
permanent  farm  consisted  of  three  hundred  acres. 

Mr.  Campbell's  family  consisted  of  Isaac,  who  died  at  North  Bank 
October  5,  1882;  Jemima,  who  married  William  French  in  1848,  lived  in 
South  Shenango  and  died  in  1875,  aged  fifty-two  years  (Mr.  French  died  in 
1852)  :  Melissa,  wife  of  N.  W.  Wolverton,  of  North  Shenango,  neither  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  857 

whom  is  now  living;  Elizabeth,  who  married  Lewis  Freeman  and  died  in 
1867,  aged  thirty-five  years;  Charles  lives  in  Conneaut  township;  Hiram  King- 
sley,  who  died  at  Camp  Annapolis,  Maryland,  in  1864.  He  enlisted  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Forty-fifth  Volunteers  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  captured  at 
Gettysbui'g,  July  2,  1863.  He  was  confined  at  Belle  Isle  prison,  and  also  at 
the  hos])ital  at  Richmond,  being  a  prisoner  for  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
days.  He  was  finally  exchanged  and  died  three  days  after  reaching  Annapolis, 
being  literally  star\-ed  to  death. 

Mr.  Campbell  was  never  quarrelsome,  luit  the  nature  of  his  transactions 
engendered  man}-  disputable  points  which  he  settled  out  of  court,  believing  that 
the  best  lawyers  were  the  people  who  knew  enough  to  keep  away  from  law 
and  settle  their  own  disputes. 


Louis  J.  Bcucliat.  of  Randolph  township,  was  born  December  10,  1865, 
in  Louisville,  Stark  county,  Ohio,  his  parents  being  John  and  Clementine 
Beuchat.  His  father  had  emigrated  from  Switzerland,  and  his  mother  was 
born  in  New  Jersey.  The  other  children  are  Louise,  wife  of  Ernest  Medo; 
Edward,  deceased;  Jennie,  Frank,  Albert,  Charles,  Mary  and  Leon.  The 
family  moved  into  Randolph  about  thirty  years  ago,  where  most  of  its  younger 
members  were  boi-n.  On  July  24,  1888,  Louis  married  Josephine,  daughter 
of  Marcel  Popeny,  of  the  same  township,  and  they  have  had  two  children, 
who  are  deceased. 

j\lr.  Beuchat's  farm  consists  of  fifty  acres,  and  is  situated  a  short  distance 
south  of  Guy's  Mills. 

» 

J.  S.  Hotchkiss,  a  leading  wholesale  merchant  of  Meadville,  was  born 
June  9,  1853,  in  Randolph  township,  Crawford  county,  and  is  the  eldest  son  of 
Henry  C.  and  Phoebe  (McCall)  Hotchkiss,  who  were  also  natives  of  the  Key- 
stone state.  His  paternal  grandfather,  William  Hotchkiss,  died  March  9, 
1884,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  1882.  The  maternal  grandfather,  Samuel 
McCall,  came  to  this  country  in  1800.  Li  1874  the  subject  of  this  review 
became  acti^•ely  identified  with  the  business  interests  of  Meadville  by  joining 
Mr.  Rittmayer  in  the  drug  trade.  In  the  spring  of  1876  he  entered  the  retail 
general  merchandise  and  drug  business  in  Valonia,  in  partnership  with  his 
brother,  and  conducted  that  enterprise  until  1890.  when  they  established  a 
wholesale  grocery  business  in  Meadville.  They  are  still  conducting  this  and 
are  accounted  among  the  progressive  and  enterprising  men  in  their  line  m 
the  citv.  ■ 


Curtis  C.  Cuviiiiings,  proprietor  of  the  Crawford  Hotel  at  Meadville. 
was  born  February  27,  185 1.  in  Venango  township,  Crawford  county,  and  he 
has  been  proprietor  of  this  hotel  since  1895.     Mr.  Cummings  is  a  son  of  the 


858  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

late  Isaac  W.  Cummings,  who  died  in  1896,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years. 
Louisa,  his  Jiiotlier,  who  is  Hving,  was  the  daughter  of  Dean  and  Bede  Swift, 
who  moA-ed  from  Connecticut  to  this  county  in  1815.  Mr.  Cummings  is  a 
grandson  of  the  late  Dr.  Nathan  Cummings,  the  first  physician  in  Cambridge- 
boro,  who  moved  from  Massachusetts  to  this  county  in  1814 

With  the  exception  of  two  years  he  spent  in  Michigan, — 1873-74, — while 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  and  a  short  time  in  Oklahoma  in  1893,  Mr. 
Cummings  has  always  been  a  resident  of  Crawford  county.  April  13.  1879. 
he  married  Alary,  daughter  of  Wesley  and  Orrilla  St.  John,  of  Bloomfield 
township,  this  county,  and  they  have  two  children, — Louisa  Orrilla  and  Wesley 
Isaac. 


James  Curtis  McKiiiiicy.  the  son  of  James  and  Lydia  Drury  (Turner) 
McKinney.  was  born  at  I'ittsfiekl,  \\'arren  county,  Pennsylvania,  November 
25,  1844.  His  ancestral  history  is  gi\en  in  a  preceding  sketch  of  his  brother. 
John  L.  McKinney,  so  that  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  present  the  account  here. 
Some  other  matters,  common  to  the  two  brothers,  are  also  related  iii  that 
sketch,  and  they  need  not  be  fully  repeated  in  the  record  of  the  vounger  brother. 

J.  C.  McKinney  was  educated  at  the  local  public  schofils  and  at  Water- 
ford  Academy,  in  Erie  county.  In  the  spring  of  1861  he  left  the  academy 
and  joined  an  engineer  corps  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  and 
helped  locate  several  railroad  lines  in  this  part  of  the  country.  One  line  ran 
from  Garland,  Pennsylvania,  a  station  on  the  P.  &  E.  R.  R.,  through  Enter- 
prise to  Titusville.  Another  ran  from  Enterprise  through  Pleasantville, 
Plumer,  Rouseville  and  Oil  City  to  Franklin,  Pennsylvania.  In  the  spring  of 
1863  he  resigned  from  the. engineer  corps,  and  opened  a  lumljer  yard  at  Oil 
City,  and  in  the  spring  of  1864  he  established  another  yard  at  Franklin,  where 
he  made  his  home.  On  April  16,  1868,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Agnes  Eliza- 
beth Moore,  the  only  daughter  of  Thomas  Moore,  of  Franklin. 

■The  general  history  of  the  McKinney  brothers  in  oil  operations  appears 
elsewhere  in  these  pages,  but  certain  early  work  by  the  younger  brother  max 
here  be  added.  In  the  spring  of  1864  he  drilled  his  first  oil  well,  in  wliich  he 
operated  alone,  at  Foster,  below  Franklin,  on  the  Allegheny  river.  Then  in 
company  with  C.  D.  Angell  he  drilled  a  well  on  what  was  known  as  Scrub- 
grass  Island,  afterward  Belle  Island,  named  by  Mr.  Angell  after  his  daughter. 
In  1868,  in  company  with  his  brother  John  L.  McKinney,  he  drilled  several 
wells  at  Pleasantville.  In  1869-70  they  drilled  several  heavy  oil  wells  at  Frank- 
lin, which  they  afterward  sold  to  Egbert.  Mackey  and  Taft.  In  the  fall  of  1870 
John  L.  went  to  Parker,  and  sunk  the  first  oil  well  which  used  5  f-inch  cas- 
ing. This  well  was  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  near  the  station  of  the  A.  V. 
R.  R.  In  the  same  fall  J.  C.  McKinney  went  also  to  Parker,  and  afterward 
the  McKinney  brothers  carried  on  extensive  operations  in  producing  oil  for 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  859 

many  years  in  that  part  of  the  oil  country.  Subsequently  H.  L.  Taylor  & 
Co.  joined  the  brothers  in  a  new  tirm,  with  the  name  of  John  L.  McKinney  & 
Co.  This  association  continued  until  the  fall  of  1889,  when  the  Standard  Oil 
Company  purchased  all  the  oil  properties  belonging  to  John  L.  and  J.  C.  Mc- 
Kinney. Since  then  the  brothers  have  been  associated  with  the  Standard  Oil 
Company,  with  merged  interests  in  the  production  of  oil. 

In  1877  Mr.  McKinney  moved  to  Titusville,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
He  is  the  general  manager  of  the  Midland  Division  of  the  South  Pennsyl- 
vania Oil  Company,  one  of  the  largest,  as  stated,  oil  producing  associations  in 
the  United  States.  He  is  closely  associated  with  his  brother  in  local  enterprises. 
He  is  a  large  stockholder  and  a  director  in  the  Commercial  Bank  and  in  the 
Titusville  Iron  Company,  and  of  the  latter  company  he  is  also  vice-president. 
He  is  also  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Titusville  Board  of  Trade.  He  is  one  of 
the  ten  citizens  who  subscribed  each  $10,000  to  the  Industrial  Fund  Associa- 
tion. His  contributions  in  money  to  the  support  especially  of  St.  James 
Memorial  Church  have  been  of  the  most  liberal  character.  The  mausoleum 
which  he  built  at  Woodlawn,  at  an  expense  of  $20,000,  is  not  only  a  permanent 
ornament  to  the  cemetery,  but  an  honor  to  the  city  and  community,  which 
will  remain  as  a  memorial  of  the  public  spirit  of  its  author  and  owner  long  after 
it  has  received  his  mortal  remains  into  its  final  custody.  It  is  true  that  the 
mausoleum  is  the  private  property  of  its  builder,  but  it  is  also  the  property  of 
the  public  as  a  structure  of  beautiful  art.  Besides,  its  owuier  does  not  ex- 
clusively close  its  portals  to  all  outside  of  his  family.  The  body  of  the  late 
beloved  rector  of  St.  James  church  was  recently  deposited  temporarily  in  the 
McKinney  mausoleum;  and,  speaking  reverently,  it  may  be  said  that  the  re- 
mains of  the  great  and  good  Dr.  Purdon  have  consecrated  that  sepulchre. 

In  politics,  Mr.  McKinney  is  a  pronounced  Jeffersonian  Democrat.  He 
has  done  more  than  any  otlier  citizen  in  Crawford  county  to  displace  Republi- 
can ascendancy  and  give  control  of  the  county  to  his  party.  At  the  municipal 
election  in  February,  1898,  he  was  elected  councilman-at-large  of  Titusville 
over  the  Republican  candidate  by  a  plurality  of  nearly  six  hundred  votes.  The 
result  did  not,  of  course,  represent  the  relati\e  strength  of  the  two  parties  in 
the  city.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Mr.  McKinney  has  come  to  be  a  power  in  politics. 
He  is  intense  in  his  convictions  and  he  supports  his  opinions  and  preferences 
with  formidable  energy,  and  to  a  degree  that  discourages  opposition.  This  may 
be  truly  said:  J.  C.  AIcKinney  never  appears  before  the  public  wearing  a 
mask.  He  never  apologizes  for  the  stand  he  takes  upon  a  public  question. 
The  same  Cjuality  has  made  him  a  very  successful  business  man.  As  a  rule,  he 
is  rapid,  rather  than  impulsive,  in  his  conclusions.  In  1897  the  leading  Demo- 
crats of  Pennsylvania  insisted  that  he  should  consent  to  be  the  candidate  of 
their  party  for  state  treasurer,  and  nothing  but  his  peremptory  refusal  to  accept, 
prevented  his  nomination.     Again,  in   1898,  he  was  pressed  by  his  party  to 


86o  OUR   CO  UN  I' V  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

take  the  nomination  from  hi?  district  for  Congress,  hut  his  refusal  was  un- 
conditional and  absolute. 

Mr.  McKinney  has  three  children,  whose  names  are  Thomas  J.,  Louis  C. 
and  Charlotte.     Their  respective  ages  at  present  are  29,  26  and  21. 


George  N.  Jl'ilcox,  sheriff,  Meadville,  is  a  native  of  Chautaucjua  county, 
New  York,  and  was  born  February  14,  1853,  a  son  of  George  and  Sarah  Spen- 
cer Wilcox,  the  former  of  whom  died  in  December,  1886,  aged  seventy-seven 
years,  and  the  latter  still  survives,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  years.  Mr. 
Wilcox  was  educated  in  the  common  schools,  and  was  first  elected  to  the  office 
of  sherifif,  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  in  1890,  and  again  in  November,  1896, 
which  office  he  now  holds.  He  has  always  been  a  progressive  politician  and 
a  leading  citizen  of  the  county  where  he  has  resided  since  his  boyhood. 

Two  brothers  and  three  sisters  of  this  Wilcox  family  survive,  namely : 
Mary,  wife  of  Arthur  Jervis,  of  Richmond  township;  J.  M.,  a  resident  of 
Rockdale  township;  Celestia,  wife  of  G.  F.  McCray,  of  Richmond  township; 
Sarah  E.,  wife  of  W.  I.  Blystone,  of  Jamestown,  New  York;  and  Spencer  N., 
of  Rochester  township.  A  brother,  William  H.,  was  killed  in  1892,  by  the 
collapse  of  a  barn.  His  age  was  forty-two  years.  In  1875  Mr.  Wilcox  mar- 
ried Delia,  daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  Hathaway  Hotchkiss.  To  this  union 
have  been  born  five  children :  Bertha  E.,  wife  of  Dr.  J.  Herbert  Hood,  of  Oil 
City,  Pennsylvania;  Gaylord,  Park  F.,  Katherine  and  Harold.  Mr.  Wilcox  is 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  Meadville  Lodge,  No.  408, 
A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  Crawford  Lodge,  No.  734,  L  O.  O.  F. 


William  A.  Davenport  was  born  on  the  site  of  his  present  home  in  Dick- 
sonburg,  Summerhill  township,  September  24,  1855.  His  grandfather,  Sol- 
omon Davenport,  and  his  grandmother,  Nancy  Davenport,  took  up,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  century,  a  claim  of  two  hundred  acres  in  the  same  neigh- 
borhood. 

William  A.  Davenport  is  the  son  of  John  Ashfield  and  Mary  (McDowell) 
Davenport.  John  Davenport  was  a  great  man  in  the  community  in  which 
he  lived  and  exercised  a  conspicuous  influence  over  public  affairs.  He  was  born 
in  Tompkins  county,  New  York,  December  8,  1827,  and  lived  until  May  3. 
1895.  He  came  to  Pennsylvania  in  1834,  when  but  six  years  of  age.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  owned  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  highly  improved 
land  and  was  one  of  the  best  farmers  in  the  county.  He  was  an  old-time  Whig, 
but  later  became  a  Republican  and  held  many  local  offices.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Royal  Templars  and  the  Grange,  and  also  of  the  Fail  Asso- 
ciation. His  wife  died  May  21,  1887,  at  the  age  of  iifty-eight.  There  were 
four  children  in  this  family.  Alice  D.  married  Robert  G.  Henry  and  died  when 
a  voung  woman,  her  husband  being  also  deceased;    Etta  married  George 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  86i 

Parkinson  and  died  ]\Iarch  8,  1889;  Lina  is  the  wife  of  J.  H.  Cole  and  owns 
the  old  homestead  ;  James  E.  died  March  26,  1898,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight : 
he  was  a  railroad  employe  at  Conneaut,  Ohio. 

William  A.  Davenport  had  an  early  farm  training,  but  spent  eight  years 
of  his  youth  in  Illinois ;  he  later  lived  with  his  father  on  the  home  farm  until 
the  latter's  death.  February  28,  1875.  he  married  Miss  Alice  D.  Dearborn, 
a  daughter  of  \\'illiam  H.  and  Ruth  Morrison  Dearborn  of  Summerhill  town- 
ship. One  child  was  born  to  this  union, — Harry  L.  He  married  Jessie  Hag- 
gerty,  and  with  their  one  child,  Fenton,  they  reside  near  the  old  homestead. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  A.  Davenport  have  an  adopted  daughter,  Daisy  B.,  who 
still  resides  at  home. 

]\Ir.  Davenport  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  and  has  been  town  treasurer 
for  five  years,  and  is  inspector  of  elections.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Grange 
and  Fair  Association,  and  has  been  a  delegate  to  conventions. 


James  J.  Jolly. — There  are  few  more  interesting  careers  in  Summerhill 
than  that  of  James  J.  Jolly,  born  in  Enniskillen,  Fermanagh  county,  Ireland, 
who  justly  claims  distinguished  parentage.  His  father,  James  Jolly,  was  a 
soldier  in  Her  Majesty's  service  for  twenty-six  years,  and  during  fifteen  years 
was  a  lieutenant  of  the  highest  rank  obtained  by  merit.  In  common  with  all 
military  servants  of  the  crown  who  li\-ed  during  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth 
and  the  beginning  of  this  century,  his  opportunities  for  adventure  and  dis- 
tinction were  limited  only  by  his  inability  to  be  in  more  than  one  place  at  the 
same  time.  His  field  of  activity  extended  to  the  hot  sands  of  Africa  when,  in 
1 80 1,  he  fought  at  Alexandria,  Egypt,  and  his  son  has  a  watch,  captured  from 
an  enemy,  that  is  a  memento  of  this  memorable  occasion.  Mr.  Jolly  also  took 
part  in  one  of  the  twelve  important  battles  of  the  world,  witnessing  under 
^^'ellington  the  fall  of  the  great  Napoleon.  It  is  not  recorded  that  he  was 
seriously  wounded  in  either  heroic  encounter,  for  he  lived  until  1877,  attain- 
ing the  age,  remarkable  for  a  soldier  so  long  in  active  service,  of  ninety-three 
years. 

In  1852  James  J.  Jolly,  in  response  to  the  call  of  a  westward  spirit,  sailed 
for  America,  going  direct  to  Summerhill,  Pennsylvania.  The  Erie  Extension 
canal  was  then  a  source  of  vast  revenue  to  the  stockholders,  and  with  this 
canal  James  J.  Jolly  was  identified  for  eighteen  years  as  a  tender  of  locks, 
until,  in  1872,  the  famous  old  waterway  was  abandoned  for  more  progressive 
means  of  transportation.  So  highly  were  Mr.  Jolly's  worth  and  services  ap- 
. predated  that  he  has  since  been  the  company's  agent  for  selling  their  lands, 
amounting  to  several  hundreds  of  acres. 

]\Ir.  Jolly  was  married  July  5,  1847,  '^^'ith  Miss  Eliza  Jane  McDowell,  a 
daughter  of  Alexander  and  Julia  Ann  Fetherman  McDowell.  Alexander 
McDowell  came  to  this  county  when  nine  years  of  age  and  served  in  the  war 


862  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

of  1812.  Since  his  marriage  James  Jolly  has  made  the  McDowell  farm  his 
permanent  home,  and  while  working  on  the  canal  was  greatly  interested 
in  agriculture  and  impro\-ed  and  extended  his  domain. 

Air.  Joll}-  has  filled  most  offices  within  the  gift  of  the  township,  including 
that  of  supervisor  for  six  years,  and  that  of  county  committeeman  for  eleven 
years.  He  is  a  member  of  Summerhill  Grange  and  the  A.  O.  U.  W.  Mr. 
Jolly  is  a  Republican  and  takes  a  vital  interest  in  all  of  his  party's  campaigns 
and  issues.  Fronr  1876  to  1879  he  was  a  county  sealer  of  weights  and  meas- 
ures, and  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Fair  Association. 

Mr.  Jolly  has  four  children:  Elsie  Ann,  who  before  her  death,  in  1886, 
was  the  wife  of  John  Ellis,  of  Meadville,  left  one  son,  Clarence,  now  living 
with  his  grandparents.  Lizzie  Jane  married  G.  W.  Belknap  and  is  now  living 
in  Erie.  Pennsylvania ;  they  ha\'e  five  children.  Irvin,  farmer,  married  Miss 
Fannie  Ellis  of  Meadville,  a  granddaughter  of  Colonel  Horace  Ellis,  of  Mead 
township :  there  are  three  lioys.  Tina  Cordelia  is  the  wife  of  Merton  J.  Webb 
and  has  no  children. 

Mr.  Jolly  came  to  America  without  money  or  influence.  Of  all  the  changes 
that  he  has  witnessed,  none  are  more  startling  or  praiseworthy  than  that 
wrought  in  his  own  condition.  From  the  locks  of  a  canal  to  a  position  of  trust 
and  influence  in  the  community  is  not  cleared  at  a  single  bound.  He  has  risen 
on  the  confidence  inspired  by  his  own  industry  and  integrity,  and  while  so 
doing  has  accumulated  lands  and  property  and  is  one  of  the  town's  most  en- 
ter])rising  citizens. 


Z.  R.  Poxi'dl,  farmer,  was  born  in  Fairfield  township,  Alarch  3,  1828, 
a  son  of  Jesse  and  Susan  (McFadden)  Powell,  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  He  is 
the  seventh  child  of  a  family  of  twelve  children:  Silas,  deceased;  Alexander; 
Sally  Ann,  deceased;  Rebecca,  who  married  John  Long;  Ellis;  David;  Zach- 
ariah  R. :  Hiram  K. ;  Louise,  deceased;  William;  Lucy  Ann,  who  became  the 
wife  of  David  Culver,  and  Melissa,  now  Airs.  Dennis  Grennell.  Jesse  Powell 
built  a  log  house  and  began  pioneer  life  on  the  very  farm  now  owned  by  his 
two  sons,  Zachariah  and  \\'illiam,  and  during  his  lifetirne  often  related  his 
adventure  in  killing  twenty-seven  deer  in  the  locality  during  a  single  winter. 
He  was  a  veteran  of  the  war  of  1 812. 

February  8,  1849,  ^I^.  Powell  married  Miss  Lydia  Beard,  and  to  them 
have  been  born  seven  children,  viz. :  Margaret  Jane,  born  November  12,  1850, 
and  died  June  23,  1871 ;  Silas  Warner,  born  October  28,  1852  ;  George  Weston, 
October  26,  1854;  John  H.,  born  October  10,  1856,  died  February  13,  1858; 
Emily  Ann,  born  July  29,  1859,  died  June  30,  1871 ;  Hannah  Elizabeth,  born 
February  2^.  1862,  died  July  2,  1871 ;  and  Frank  Oliver,  who  was  born  May 
20,  1869,  died  June  30,  1871. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  863 

Amos  C.  Qniglcy.  proprietor  of  the  Midway  Hotel  at  Conneaut  lake, 
was  born  March  16,  1839.  His  grandfather,  John  Ouigley,  located  on  a  farm 
of  four  hundred  acres  at  Watson's  Run  in  Vernon  township,  in  the  early  part 
of  the  present  century,  and  he  died  in  1862,  aged  ninety-three  years.  Henry, 
the  second  child  of  John  Ouigley  and  father  of  Amos  C,  was  born  in  1810, 
at  Watson's  Run.  He  was  married  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Frederick  Brown, 
of  Vernon  township,  and  they  had  nine  children,  of  whom  Amos  C.  was  the 
fourth  in  order  of  age.  Henry  Ouigley  died  in  1856,  and  his  wife  in  1863. 
Amos  C.  was  married  October  2,  1868,  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  and 
Eliza  Van  Liew,  of  Summit  township,  and  they  have  two  children, — Harry 
L.  and  Alfred  V. 

Mr.  Ouigley  erected  the  Midway  Hotel  in  1895,  and  enjoys  a  prosperous 
summer  business.  He  has  a  farm  of  one  hundred  acres  surrounding  the 
hotel,  with  a  frontage  of  seventy  rods  on  the  lake.  The  boat  was  built  and 
launched  by  H.  L.  Ouigley,  son  of  Amos  C.  Ouigley.  It  is  named  the  Iroquois, 
and  is  the  finest  steam  excursion  and  pleasure  craft  on  Conneaut  lake.  H.  L. 
Ouigley  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Conneaut  Lake  Milling  Company. 


L.  Frank  Norton,  of  Richmond  township,  was  born  in  Fredonia,  New 
York,  in  1842.  With  his  father,  Colonel  James  Norton,  he  removed  to  Erie 
Pennsylvania,  and  in  1850  to  ConneautA-ille.  In  1859,  with  his  father  and 
brother-in-law,  he  went  to  Atchison,  Kansas,  and  Denver,  Colorado,  driving- 
wagons  over  the  plains,  but  returned  to  Conneautville  in  i860.  The  year 
1 86 1  he  married,  at  Edinboro,  Martha  E.,  daugliter  of  George  W.  Townley, 
Sr.,  and  this  union  has  been  favored  with  two  daughters, — May  E.,  wife  of 
Elmer  L.  Smith,  of  Detroit,  and  Katie  E.,  wife  of  Edward  L.  \\'illiams,  of 
East  Mead,  Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania. 

During  the  war  Mr.  Norton  held  the  sutlership  of  the  Fourth  Corps  Re- 
serve Artillery,  under  General  Keyes.  Although  now  engaged  in  farming 
he  is  by  profession  a  musician,  and  has  gi\-en  particular  attention  to  orchestral 
music. 


Benjamin  Rosaback,  of  Sparta  township,  is  a  son  of  Peter  Rosaback,  of 
Holland  descent,  and  came  from  Smithville,  Chenango  county.  New  York,  to 
the  town  of  Sparta,  this  county,  with  his  wife  and  family  in  1824.  He  took  up 
a  section  of  land  containing  seventy-five  acres,  which  after  building  a  log  house 
and  clearing  up  his  farm  he  enlarged  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812  and  drew  a  pension.  He  was  an  upright 
farmer  and  good  citizen,  was  very  fond  of  hunting  and  fishing,  and  in  the 
early  days  used  to  keep  his  family  in  fresh  meat  and  fish,  the  products  of  his 
skill.     He  had  six  children.     The  name  was  originally  Rosibaugh. 


864  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Henry  Pease,  superintendent  of  schools  at  Titusville,  was  born  in  West 
Leyden,  Lewis  county,  New  York,  May  30,  1856,  a  descendant  of  Puritan 
ancestry.  His  grandfather.  Major  Alpheus  Pease.  ser\'ed  in  the  Revolutionary 
war  and  was  a  prisoner  in  the  Jersey  prison  ship.  He  built  the  first  gristmill 
and  sawmill  on  the  upper  Mohawk  in  1804. 

Mr.  Pease  received  his  early  education  in  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  town,  prepared  for  college  in  the  State  Normal  School  at  Brockport. 
New  York,  and  graduated  at  the  University  of  Rochester  with  the  degree  of 
A.  B.  in  1887.  The  degree  of  A.  M.  was  given  by  the  same  university  in 
1890.  He  first  began  his  teaching  career  in  the  district  schools  of  Lewis  and 
Oneida  counties.  New  York.  After  his  graduation  at  Rochester  University 
he  was  appointed  principal  of  the  public  school  at  Holly,  New  York,  and  this 
position  he  held  until  1889,  when  he  was  elected  principal  of  the  Tonawanda, 
New  York,  high  school,  which  position  he  held  in  1889-1891,  when  he  was 
elected  superintendent  of  Medina,  New  York,  public  schools.  Li  1897  he  was 
elected  superintendent  of  the  public  schools  of  Titusville.  which  position  he 
now  holds. 

As  an  educational  worker  Mr.  Pease  is  always  found  in  the  front  rank 
in  anything  that  pertains  to  the  building  up  and  extension  of  general  school 
w'ork,  and  under  his  management  e\'ery  detail  has  the  closest  attention  with 
only  one  motive  in  view,  and  that  along  the  line  of  impro\-ement  with  a  view 
to  higher  educational  work. 


Sylvester  H.  Ray,  contractor  and  builder,  at  Meadville,  was  born  in  this 
city,  April  28,  1832.  His  ancestors  were  from  New  England.  His  parents, 
Cooper  and  Hannah  (Hemingway)  Ray,  came  to  Crawford  county,  from 
New  Haven,  Connecticut,  coming  in  company  with  two  other  families  in 
covered  wagons  and  taking  forty  days  to  make  the  journey,  and  settled  in 
Mead\ille  in  1816.  The  former  died  in  1861,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years, 
and  the  latter  in  1857,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years.  They  reared  ten  children, 
four  of  whom  survive,  viz.:  A.  R. ;  Adeline,  widow  of  Rev.  E.  B.  Lane; 
Jerome,  a  resident  of  Cleveland.  Ohio;  and  Sylvester  H..  who  was  the  ninth 
child. 

December  29.  1856.  Mr.  Ray  married  Miss  Margaret  A.  Hart,  and  this 
union  has  been  blest  with  three  sons:  William  H..  a  representative  of  the 
Woodward  &  Tiernan  Printing  Company,  of  St.  Louis.  Missouri;  Frank  E., 
in  the  engineer's  ofiice  of  the  Erie  Railway,  at  Meadville;  and  George  S.. 
who  graduated  in  the  medical  department  of  University  of  Pennsylvania  in 
1895.  and  located  in  Erie,  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Ray  began  his  trade  in  Jan- 
uary, 1 85 1,  with  Joseph  Butler,  and  in  1856  began  on  his  own  account.  Many 
of  the  most  prominent  buildings  of  Meadville  were  built  either  under  his  per- 
sonal supervision  or  from  plans  furnished  by  him. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  865 

Hiram  C.  Smith,  of  Randolph  township,  was  born  on  the  Smith  home- 
stead. December  31.  1837.  His  grandfather,  Lemuel  Smith,  who  came  from 
Massachusetts  in  1819,  had  three  sons, — Reuben,  John  and  Lemuel.  Julia 
married  Lucy  Jones,  and  their  children  were  Affie  F.,  wife  of  Daniel  Ban- 
nister, David  J.,  Warren  M.,  Hiram  C,  Mary  M.,  wife  of  Leonard  Kyle, 
Catharine  L.,  wife  of  Smith  Byham,  Lucyett,  wife  of  Sylvester  Byham,  John 
L.  and  Leonard  A.  David  and  Warren  were  soldiers  in  the  Civil  war,  the  for- 
mer ser\-ing  three  years  and  the  latter  succumbing  to  the  privations  of  Ander- 
son\ille  ])rison.  In  i86j  Hiram  C.  married  Sarah  J.,  daughter  of  James  and 
Jane  \\'ykoff.  Their  children  are  J.  Mortimer;  Hiram  Eltert,  the  present 
county  treasurer;  Rev.  Wilbur  C,  of  Oregon;  Anna  A.;  Raymond  E.,' a 
soldier  of  the  Spanish-American  war;   and  Larue  Free. 

Mr.  Smith  has  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres.  In  religion 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


Saiimcl  Post,  of  Athens  township,  was  born  in  New  York  state  and  mar- 
ried Mary  Sprague,  who  was  born  in  Vermont.  He  came  to  Crawford  county, 
settling  in  the  town  of  Spartansburg-  in  1830,  with  his  family  of  nine  children, 
and  afterward  settled  in  Athens  township,  where  he  lived  until  his  death. 
There  are  four  of  the  sons  living,  namely:  Leonard,  in  New  York;  Joshua 
li\-es  in  Athens  to^^■nsbip;  Samuel,  in  Centerville;  and  Harvey,  in  Athens 
townshi]).  The  last  mentioned  married  Chloe,  daughter  of  Henry  Hatch,  an 
earl}'  settler  in  .\tliens  township. 


Lc-a'is  Shrrry.  of  Athens  townshi]],  was  born  in  the  towm  of  Woodbridge, 
Connecticut,  and  came  to  Crawford  county,  about  1820,  with  a  wagon  and  a 
yoke  of  oxen,  being  six  weeks  on  the  road,  \\dien  he  arrived  he  took  up  a 
piece  of  imcultis'ated  land,  erected  a  log  house  and  cleared  up  his  farm.  He 
married  Alar\-  Wudding  and  had  ten  children.  His  son  Garry  married  Lucy 
Boyles,  draighter  of  Jesse  Boyles.  In  1865  he  mo\'ed  to  Little  CVxile}-,  where 
he  now  ]i\'es. 


Sicl^licii  Judc,  son  of  Stephen  Jude  and  Amie  Holiday  Jude,  was  born  in 
Charteris,  Isle  of  Ely,  Cambridgeshire,  England,  in  1832.  He  ran  a  stationary 
engine  from  his  thirteenth  year  until  he  came  to  America,  in  i860,  and  settled 
in  Sparta  township,  this  county.  He  was  the  first  man  in  the  United  States 
to  utilize  steam  for  running  a  threshing  machine,  and  he  has  owned  and  oper- 
ated a  steam  thresher  ever  since  coming  to  this  country. 

He  was  twice  married.  Before  coming  to  America  he  married  Ruth 
Smith,  by  whom  he  had  two  children, — one  a  son,  Allison  W.,  who  is  married 
and  li\es  in  Oil  City  and  is  a  railroad  engineer;  and  a  daughter,  who  died  in 
infancy.     Mr.  Jude's. second  wife  was  Emma  Fish,  daughter  of  Oatman  Fish, 

55 


866  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

one  of  the  pioneers  of  Crawford  county,  who  came  here  from  "York"  state  and 
settled  in  Sparta  township  on  what  is  still  called  Fish  Flats. 


Lorenzo  Washburn,  a  farmer,  of  Sparta  township,  is  a  son  of  Abijah. 
and  was  born  in  Rochester,  Vermont.  He  married  Gratis  Aikins,  who  was 
born  in  Barnard,  Vermont,  May  ii,  1825.  In  1848  he  moved  to  Ellington, 
New  York,  and  in  1853  to  Sparta  township,  where  he  was  a  farmer.  He  had 
five  children,  two  of  whom  are  living, — Charles  B.  ^^'ashbnrn,  a  farmer,  and 
Clark,  who  enlisted  in  the  navy  in  J864  and  was  stationed  on  the  war  vessel 
Fair  Play,  and  also  was  with  the  Mississippi  squadron.  He  was  discharged 
in  June,  1865,  when  he  returned  home. 


Abrani  Whcclcr,  a  son  of  L.  D.  Wheeler  and  a  resident  of  Meadville,  was 
born  June  16,  1849,  "i  Athens,  Pennsylvania,  lived  on  a  farm  until  he  was 
twenty-one  years  of  age.  He  learned  the  blacksmith  .trade  and  conducted  a 
shop  in  Lincoln ville,  then  learned  to  be  a  stone-mason,  and  since  1885  has  been 
contracting  bridge  work.  In  1896  he  built  the  bridge  at  Cambridge  Springs, 
using  thirteen  hundred  perch  of  stone  and  emi>loying  from  ten  to  twenty  men. 

He  married  Harriet  King,  and  they  have  had  four  children,  two  of  whom 
are  living.    His  wife  died  March  21,  1883. 


George  A.  IV.  Tarr,  son  of  Jacob  and  Barbara  Tarr,  was  born  August  17. 
1827,  in  Cherrytree,  Venango  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  second  child  of  a 
family  of  eleven  children,  namely :  ]\Iary,  George  A.  W.,  Thomas  J.,  Samuel 
P.,  Elizabeth,  Daniel,  Isaac,  Fannie,  Lydia,  Susan  and  Jacob  J.,  Jr.  Mr.  Tarr's 
grandparents  were  natives  of  Germany,  who  emigrated  to  America  in  1792. 
where  they  settled  in  Oakland  township,  V^enango  county,  Pennsylvania. 

About  1848  Mr.  Tarr  bought  a  small  farm  situate  about  two  and  one-half 
miles  west  of  the  Rynd  farm,  which  he  continued  to  work  for  a  number  of 
years.  In  1858  he  bought  a  few  acres  of  timber  land  adjoining  the  celebrated 
Rynd  farm  and  the  McClintock  farm,  of  "Coal-Oil  Johnnie"  fame,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  removing  the  timber,  in  1861,  he  established  his  residence  thereon, 
where  he  remained  until  1865,  during  which  period  he  was  occupied  a  consid- 
erable time  at  the  business  of  teaming.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  oil-carriers 
along  the  historic  Oil  creek  between  Titusville  and  Oil  City.  In  1865,  when 
the  oil  excitement  ran  high  and  just  prior  to  the  great  panic  which  followed, 
Mr.  Tarr  sold  this  strip  of  land  for  oil  purposes,  and  a  few  years  thereafter 
sold  the  first  mentioned  farm  for  the  same  purposes  and  from  each  of  said  sales 
he  realized  handsomely.  After  this,  on  the  15th  day  of  April,  1870.  he  moved 
his  family  to  Titusville. 

In  185 1  he  married  Nancy,  daughter  of  Peter  and  Catharine  (Knoel) 
Bennehoof.     Nine  children  were  Ijorn  to  this  union,  namely :   Matilda,  wife  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  867 

John  Whelan,  Olean,  New  York;  Eli  C,  an  accountant:  Catharine,  wife  of 
George  B.  Carr ;  Annetta,  wife  of  Wilham  Fibbs ;  Mary  E. ;  Zula,  deceased ; 
an  infant  son,  deceased  ;  Peter  B.,  an  attorney ;  and  Goldie.  Frederick  Benne- 
hoof,  grandfather  of  Mrs.  Tarr,  was  a  native  of  Germany.  He  married  EHza- 
beth  Wert  and  emigrated  to  America  at  an  early  day  and  located  first  in  Union 
county.  Pennsylvania.  About  1830  he  removed  to  Venango  county  and  pur- 
chased what  is  known  as  the  Mason  farm,  on  Oil  creek.  Peter,  his  son,  there- 
after came  into  possession  of  this  farm,  which  produced  oil  in  fair  quantities. 
His  son,  John  Bennehoof,  whose  name  has  been  heralded  over  this  country, 
was  the  victim  of  a  cruel  three  hundred  thousand  dollar  robbery,  which  took 
place  at  his  farm  on  Oil  creek,  near  Petroleum  Center,  in  1866.  This  farm 
became  the  most  valuable  piece  of  oil  property  on  record,  from  which  he  real- 
ized immensely.  After  losing  a  fortune  in  the  failure  of  a  bank  at  Franklin, 
Pennsylvania,  he  decided  to  purchase  a  safe  and  be  his  own  banker.  A  month 
later  the  safe  was  robbed  of  three  hundred  thousand  dollars,  not  a  cent  ever 
being  recovered,  although  five  thousand  dollars  was  spent  in  the  attempt.  With 
all  these  losses  he  died  leaving  four  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  cash  to  his 
family ! 

Mrs.  Tarr  was  born  in  Cherrytree,  Venango  county,  Pennsylvania,  July 
17,  1834,  being  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  seven  children,  namely:  Nancy; 
George  W. :  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Elias  Long;  Daniel;  Isaac,  a  clergyman; 
Marv  Jane,  deceased :   and  Samuel,  a  physician. 


Jennie  E.  Yonng,  M.  D.,  Meadville,  was  born  in  Highland,  Ulster  county. 
New  York,  in  1862,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  C.  H.  and  Sarah  M.  (Osborn)  Yelving- 
ton.  natives  of  Dutchess  county,  New  York.  'She  is  the  second  child  of  a 
■family  of  four  children :  Dr.  A.  P.  Yelvington,  of  Binghamton,  New  York ; 
Jennie  E.,  our  subject;  Lottie  B.,  wife  of  Cornelius  Blackman,  of  Forest  City, 
Pennsylvania;  and  Stephen  O.  Yelvington,  a  student  in  Allegheny  College. 

Dr.  Young  was  educated  at  the  common  schools  in  Susquehanna.  Penn- 
sylvania, and  served  several  years  in  the  Cumberland  Hospital  at  Brooklyn, 
New  York,  as  a  trained  nurse.  She  afterward  spent  some  time  in  the  Woman's 
Infirmary  in  New  York  city,  and  received  a  portion  of  her  medical  education 
in  the  college  connected  therewith.  In  1891  she  graduated  at  the  Woman's 
Medical  College,  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  and  during  the  same  year  began  the 
practice  of  medicine  in  Susquehanna,  Pennsylvania,  and  a  year  later  removed 
to  Forest  City,  Pennsylvania,  where  she  followed  her  chosen  profession  until 
the  fall  of  1895,  when  she  removed  to  Meadvihe.  and  here  she  continues  to 
enjoy  a  large  practice. 

She  was  married  April  25,  1894,  to  C.  J.  Young,  of  Forest  City,  Penn- 

svlvania. 


868  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

Samuel  W.  Roberts,  of  Spring  township,  was  born  in  Rochester,  Monroe 
county.  New  York,  on  December  lo,  1828.  His  father,  Chester  Ives  Roberts, 
died  in  Adrain,  Michigan,  in  1863.  He  married  Rachel  Staats,  who  died  in 
Toledo,  Ohio,  about  1834.  (At  that  time  there  was  but  one  frame  house  in 
Toledo,  the  rest  being  log  structures.)  Originally  a  shoemaker,  in  late  years 
our  subject  has  been  a  farmer.  In  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  Mr.  Roberts  served 
his  country  well.  He  was  captain  of  Company  B,  Fifty-sixth  Pennsylvania 
Regiment,  and  was  in  service  until  discharged,  on  August  13,  1863.  Mr. 
Roberts  had  married,  in  1853,  Miss  Permelia  Smith,  of  Fredonia,  Chautauqua 
county.  New  York,  and  in  November,  1854,  had  permanently  made  his  home 
in  this  state,  as  a  resident  of  Rundell.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roberts  have  two  chil- 
dren,— ]\Iabel  M.  and  Clarence  J.  Mr,  Roberts  was  postmaster  at  Rundell  for 
several  years  and  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  and  also  been  a 
conveyancer  for  twenty-two  years.  Both  himself  and  son  are  strong  adherents 
of  the  Republican  party, 

Alnion  Smith,  father  of  Mrs,  Permelia  Roberts,  was  born  in  Schenectady 
county,  New  York,  on  December  9,  1803.  He  first  came  to  this  county  in  18 18, 
but  soon  returned  to  Penfield.  New  York,  where  was  his  home  for  many  years. 
He  married,  on  February  u,  1827,  Mrs,  Amy  Beatty,  whose  maiden  name 
was  Vosburg.  They  were  parents  of  four  children, — Nelson  B,,  Eli  P,,  Per- 
melia and  Theron,  Mr,  Smith  died  January  17,  1878,  Mrs,  Smith  on  October 
14,  1873.  Mabel  M,  Roberts  married  Charles  Amidon,  of  the  township  of 
Hayfield,  Their  children  are  Millicent  G,,  Paul  R,,  Dorris,  Florence  and  an 
infant  boy, 

Clarence  J,  Roberts  was  born  at  Rundell,  in  Spring  township,  Crawford 
county,  Pennsylvania,  on  May  2,  1865.  Educated  at  the  local  schools,  he  en- 
gaged in  business  on  his  own  account  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  and  right  well  has 
he  succeeded.  On  December  27,  1884,  he  married  Florence  A,  Spaulding,  of 
Pennside,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  they  have  a  daughter,  Georgia  P, 
He  owns  a  fine  farm  one  mile  south  of  Springboro,  and  here,  when  not  traveling 
as  a  dealer  in  nursery  stock,  ^Ir,  Roberts  enjoys  himself  in  much  lo\-ed  farm 
labor  and  in  the  care  of  his  sleek  Jersey  cows. 

Mrs.  Roberts'  father.  George  \V.  Spaulding.  was  born  in  1842,  in  Erie 
county.  His  occupation  has  e\-er  been  that  of  a  farmer.  [Marrying  Josephine 
Palmer,  formerly  of  Ohio,  they  have  three  children, — Florence  A.,  Garner  P. 
and  Nellie  J., — and  both  are  now  living.  Ancestry  of  Roberts  family,  Welsh, 
Scotch,  German  and  Dutch, 


Elisha  Madison  Gilbert  was  born  in  Buffalo,  New  York,  on  April  5,  1826. 
When  a  child  he  went  to  live  with  an  uncle  in  Toronto,  Canada,  on  account  of 
the  death  of  his  mother.  Here  he  received  a  limited  education  and  also  learned 
the  cabinet-maker's  trade,  at  which  he  worked  at  various  places  in  Canada. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  869 

Coming  to  tlie  United  States  to  live  in  1848,  three  years  later  he  married,  on 
November  6,  1851,  Laura  E.  Carr.  of  Chautauqua  county.  New  York.  They 
made  their  home  in  Conneantville  in  1856.  Their  only  daughter,  Mary  E., 
resides  with  them.  Harvey  Gilbert,  father  of  Elisha  M.,  born  in  Massachu- 
setts in  1783,  came  with  his  parents  to  New  York  state  when  a  boy,  was  edu- 
cated there  and  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and  was  a  builder.  By  his  wife, 
iicc  Sarah  Bigelow,  he  had  seven  children, — Hiram  B.,  James  A.,  Lovia  and 
Sophia  (twins),  :\ngeline,  Elisha  M.  and  Alonzo  W., — all  being  dead  except 
Lovia,  Sophia  and  Elisha.  Mrs.  Gilbert  died  June  14,  1829,  and  Mr.  Gilbert 
December  29,  1847. 

Amos  Carr,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Gilbert,  was  born  in  Massachusetts  July 
13.  1790.  He  married  Laura  Mallory,  of  the  same  state,  and  had  fourteen 
children,  of  whom  ele\'en  attained  maturity,  namely:  John  M.,  Mary  W.. 
Hannah  R.,  Anna  M.,  George  W.,  Julia  A.,  Laura  E.,  Whipple,  Amos,  Willard 
P.  and  Lansford  B.  Two  of  his  sons  were  Union  soldiers  in  the  Civil  war,  and 
General  King,  of  the  war  of  1812,  was  a  member  of  the  Carr  family.  Mr.  Carr 
brought  his  family  from  Massachusetts  to  New  York  in  1835.  Mr.  Carr  died 
May  15,  1866,  and  Mrs.  Carr  on  the  13th  of  :\Lirch,  1855.  Mr.  Gilbert  is  a 
loyal  citizen  and  a  strong  Republican.    The  ancestry  of  the  family  is  English. 


Mrs.  M.  Ethel  Kirk.  M.  D.— Since  1894  Dr.  M.  E.  Kirk  has  been  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Vrooman,  Rome  township,  Crawford  county. 
A  daughter  of  G.  H.  \\'entworth,  she  was  born  May  24,  1863,  and  finished  her 
Ene-lish  education  in  the  liigh  school  at  Guv's  ]\Iills,  this  county.  In  1890  she 
commenced  the  study  of  medicine  under  the  tutelage  of  Dr.  W.  S.  Elower,  of 
Cochranton,  Pennsylvania,  and  later  she  attended  the  Northwestern  Ohio 
Medical  College  at  Toledo  for -one  year,  the  Cincinnati  Medical  College  for  a 
similar  period,  and  at  the  close  of  three  courses  of  lectures  at  the  Lebanon 
Medical  College  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine  was  conferred  upon  her  in 
1892. 

John  Fowler  Whcclcr,  of  Meadville,  is  a  native  of  New  England,  having 
been  born  in  Grafton,  Massachusetts,  June  24,  1834.  His  parents,  Riley  and 
Amelia  (Fowler)  ^^^leeler,  w^ere  both  natives  of  the  Green  Mountain  state. 
During  the  gold  excitement  on  the  Pacific  coast  Riley  Wheeler  started  for  Cali- 
fornia, and  is  supposed  to  have  lost  his  life  while  he  was  crossing  the  plains. 

While  the  civil  war  was  in  progress  our  subject  entered  the  employ  of  the 
government  as  an  engineer  on  a  southern  railroad,  his  headquarters  bemg  m 
Nashville,  Tennessee,  for  the  most  part.  Subsequently  he  returned  to  the 
north  and,  locating  in  Meadville,  entered  the  service  of  the  Atlantic  &  Great 
\\'estern,  with  which  company  and  its  successor  he  has  continued,  a  faithful 
and  trusted  engineer. 


S/O  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Mr.  Wheeler  married  Miss  Fannie  Daniels.  February  28.  1854,  and  to 
this  union  four  children  ha\-e  been  born,  namely:  Mabel'le,  wife  of  Frank 
Woods,  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri ;  Georg  \lfred,  also  of  Kansas  City :  Emih 
Maria,  and  Fannie  Daniels,— the  two  you  ger  sisters  being  residents  of  Mead 
ville. 


V 


William  T.  Grifiiths,  of  Meadville,  son  of  ^^■illiam  J.  Griffiths,  was  born 
in  Zanesville.  Ohio,  in  1855,  learned  the  baker's  trade  and,  in  1882,  came  to 
Meadville,  where  he  kept  a  bakery  for  two  years,  when  he  purchased  the  old 
steam  bakery,  which  was  burned  the  same  year.  In  1881  he  married  Laura 
McMichael,  daughter  of  Andrew  McMichael,  and  they  ha\-e  three  children. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  family  are 
members  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  His  father,  William  J.  Griffiths,'  was 
born  in  London,  and  his  grandfather,  Thomas  Griffiths,  was  born  in  \Vales, 
and  the  latter  came  to  Pittsburg  about  1825.  The  former  went  to  Zanesville. 
Ohio,  in  1852,  where  he  married  Lucinda  Josselyn  and  had  eight  children,  four 
of  whom  are  living.    William  J.  Griffiths  still  resides  at  Zanesville,  Ohio. 

Reuben  E.  Taft,  of  Titusville,  was  born  at  Kinsman,  Ohio,  April  3,  1844. 
the  youngest  of  the  seven  children  of  Benjamin  E.  and  Deborah  Taft.  His 
father,  a  native  of  Taftstown,  Vermont,  was  a  shoemaker  and  farmer.  He 
took  part  in  the  war  of  181 2.  in  the  American  army,  and  was  engaged  at  the 
battles  of  Plattsburg  and  Aquania  creek.  About  1828  he  moved  to  Ohio,  set- 
tling on  the  site  of  Cleveland,  but  lost  his  land  there  by  a  defect  in  the  title. 
He  then  came  over  to  the  Pennsylvania  line,  adjoining  Mercer  county,  where 
he  purchased  a  farm,  but  he  exentually  lost  that  also,  by  going  as  security  for 
a  friend  charged  with  arson.  He  next  moved  to  Vernon,  near  Kinsman,  re- 
turning to  his  trade,  and  he  continued  to  live  there  until  1854.  when  he  moved 
to  Greenwood  township,  Crawford  county,  this  state,  and  bought  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  land.  After  remaining  there  a  year  he  returned  to  Vernon, 
where  he  li\-ed  three  years,  and  next  he  was  for  three  years  again  a  resident 
of  Kinsman.  In  1864  he  moved  to  Conneaut,  Ashtabula  county.  Ohio,  and 
he  died  in  December,  1865. 

Reuben  E.  Taft,  our  subject,  spent  his  early  years  at  Kinsman  and  Ver- 
non, employed  in  the  shoe-shop  during  the  colder  portion  of  the  year  and  on 
the  farm  during  the  summer. 

On  May  i.  1861,  he  enlisted  in  the  Vernon  Union  Blues,  an  independ- 
ent company,  and  was  in  service  there  about  four  months,  when  he  re-enlisted 
as  a  private  in  Company  K,  Forty-first  Ohio  Volunteers,  in  September.  1861. 
While  in  the  hospital  he  was  promoted  as  second  sergeant.  June  24,  1862,  he 
was  discharged  for  disability   from  wounds  received.      He  was  sick  and  on 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  871 

crutches  for  over  two  years,  and  in  tlie  spring  of  1865  he  re-enlisted,  but  upon 
examination  he  was  rejected  for  disability. 

He  came  to  his  brother's  at  '  enterville  in  1866.  where  he  learned  the 
cooper's  trade.  Init  worked  only  a  ttle.  He  obtained  a  position  as  foreman 
in  a  manufactor)-  and  assisted  in  buuding  a  refinery.  After  his  father's  death 
he  returned  to  Centerville,  and  soon  afterward  took  a  journey  to  the  west,  for 
the  benefit  of  his  health.  In  the  spring  of  1869  he  came  to  Titusville.  where  he 
has  since  made  his  hduie.  He  engaged  in  refining  and  shipping  oil  and  also 
worked  as  a  cooper.  For  four  years  he  was  on  the  Titusville  police  force,  and 
for  three  terms  of  one  year  each  was  constable.  In  1885  he  was  elected  justice 
of  the  peace,  since  which  time  he  has  been  twice  re-elected.  In  1888  he  was 
appointed  oil  inspector,  and  both  these  oftrces  he  still  holds. 

In  1873  he  was  married  to  Cora  S.,  the  daughter  of  Jacob  Clark.  Eight 
children  came  to  bless  their  union,  six  of  whom  are  now  living.  Mr.  Taft  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of  Oil  Creek  Lodge,  Xo.  303. 
F.  &  A.  M..  Aaron  Chapter.  No.  207,  R.  A.  M.,  Occident  Council,  Xo.  41,  R.  & 
S.  ]\I..  and  Rose  Croix  Commandery.  Xo.  38.  K.  T. 


George  O'H'cii  Moody.  AL  D..  deceased,  in  his  life  a  resident  of  Titusville, 
was  born  in  Lebanon,  York  county,  Maine,  July  17,  1833,  and  graduated  at 
Bowdoin  College  in  1859.  He  had  intended  to  follow  the  profession  of  teach- 
ing, for  a  time  at  least,  but  on  account  of  unexpected  circumstances  he  was 
induced,  after  leaving  Bowdoin,  to  study  medicine.  He  therefore  entered 
Dartmouth  College,  in  New  Hampshire,  and  after  a  course  of  study  in  the 
medical  department  he  was  graduated,  in  the  fall  of  1862.  On  the  advice  of 
Dr.  Crosby,  a  friend  of  the  late  Dr.  F.  B.  Brewer,  then  a  resident  of  Titusville, 
Dr.  Moody  came  directly  from  Dartmouth,  arriving  here  on  the  last  day  of 
1862,  and  at  once  entered  upon  the  active  practice  of  medicine.  He  continued 
in  his  professional  work  in  Titusville  until  May,  1864,  when  he  was  sent  for 
to  assist  at  the  Columbian  Hospital  at  Washington,  D.  C,  at  the  head  of  which 
was  Dr.  Thomas  K.  Crosby.  He  continued  at  that  hospital  until  the  middle 
of  the  following  December,  when  he  returned  to  Titus\'ille,  and  remained  in 
practice  here  till  the  suiumer  of  1871,  when  occurred  the  death  of  his  wife. 
In  Jul)-  following  he  went  to  Europe  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  ad\-anced 
instruction  in  special  branches  of  medical  ])ractice.  His  first  sojourn  was  at 
Dresden,  Prussia,  where  he  lived  with  a  German  family  of  culture  for  the 
purpose  of  learning  the  German  language.  Xext  he  attended  advanced  med- 
ical schools  at  Vienna,  where  he  made  a  special  studv  of  the  eye  and  ear.  On 
his  returning  trip  to  America  he  visited  London  and  other  hospitals,  to  witness 
tlie  modes  of  treatment  administered  by  experts  of  high  professional  standing 
in  the  various  branches  of  medical  practice.  Whether  he  found  in  the  hospital 
practice  of  Europe  skill  superior  to  that  of  the  best  hospitals  in  this  country 


872  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

it  is  not  certain ;  but  a  study  of  methods  somewhat  different,  perhaps,  from 
those  of  America  was  doubtless  profitable.  He  arrived  at  his  home  in  America 
in  the  autumn  of  187,2,  resuming  practice  in  his  profession,  which  he  continued 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  February  6,  1887. 

By  his  iirst  marriage  he  was  united  with  Miss  Charlotte,  daughter  of  Rev. 
Reuben  Tinker,  of  Westfield,  New  York,  who  bore  him  one  son,  who  also  died 
in  1871,  In  1876  the  Doctor  married  Miss  Emma,  daughter  of  Nelson 
Kingsland,  of  Keeseville,  New  York.  By  this  marriage  there  were  three  sons, 
namely  :  Nelson  Kingsland,  George  Owen  and  Robert  Isl. 

Dr.  Moody  was  a  man  of  high  mora!  principle,  conscientious  and  faithful 
in  all  the  relations  of  life.  He  had  a  large  and  active  brain,  and  he  was  espe- 
cially fond  of  intellectual  pursuits ;  his  professional  attainments  were  excellent. 
Without  ever  giving  countenance  to  charlatanry,  he  was  not  hide-bound  in  his 
medical  creed.  He  sought  to  gather  and  distribute  among  others  in  his  pro- 
fession information  of  value  obtained  from  any  source.  If  he  had  great  diffi- 
culty in  understanding  a  case  presented  to  him  for  treatment  he  was  not 
ashamed  to  say  so.  The  example  of  his  life  was  of  the  highest  value  to  his 
communitv.     He  was  a  member  of  the  Presln'terian  churcli. 


//(/(\s-  A.  C.  Diibar,  of  Titusville,  is  a  native  of  New  York  city,  born  June 
23,  1864,  the  son  of  Peter  Alphonse  Dubar,  of  Paris,  France,  and  Lescadia 
Dubar,  of  Bordeaux,  same  country.  On  a  trip  westward  he  came  to  Erie,  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  several  prominent  citizens,  some  of 
whom  recommended  him  to  H.  C.  Bloss,  of  the  Titusville  Herald.  In  his  boy- 
hood he  had  been  very  active  in  stud}-,  learning  with  unusual  rapidity.  He 
attended  school  one  year  in  New  York,  but  largely  educated  himself.  He 
studied  and  practiced  for  a  time  with  a  brother  in  that  city.  In  1885  he  became 
connected  with  the  Titusville  Herald,  and  with  his  versatility  and  active  mind 
he  easily  performed  the  duties  of  re])orter,  local  editor  and  assistant  in  general 
editorial  work.  Subsecjuently  he  wrote  for  the  American  Citizen  and  the 
World.  (His  professional  record  will  be  found  elsewhere  in  this  work,  among 
those  of  the  Titusville  members  of  the  bar.)  He  was  elected  city  controller  in 
February,  1893,  and  re-elected  in  1896,  and  he  performed  his  official  duties  in 
a  thoroughly  efficient  manner.  He  is  a  linguist,  conversing  fluently  in  German, 
French,  Spanish,  Italian  and  Portuguese,  besides  his  native  tongue. 

May  5,  1881,  at  Erie,  this  state,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  B. 
Longnecker,  who  has  borne  him  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  living. 


Clacs  J.  Anderson,  grocer,  Titusville,  was  born  April  16,  i860,  in  Bringe- 
tofta,  Sweden,  and  emigrated  to  this  country  in  October.  1884,  first  locating 
in  Corry,  Pennsyhania,  and  also  resided  for  a  time  in  Spring  Creek  and  Buf- 
falo, and  again  returned  to  Corr)-,  where  he  was  employed  in  the  Ajax  Machine 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  873 

Shops  for  tliree  years.     In  1892  lie  came  to  Titus\ille  and  opened  a  grocery 
business,  whicli  is  still  conducted  by  him. 

In  January.  1889,  he  married  Hulda  Wallin,  and  they  have  three  children. 
■ — Hulda  Velmina  Maria,  Esther  Laura  Elizabeth  and  Arvid  Harold  Emanuel. 
Mr.  Anderson  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  Olmstads,  Prestgord,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church. 


William  Brozvii  was  born  in  Vernon  township,  at  his  present  home,  about 
three  miles  from  Conneaut  lake,  on  March  4,  1820,  the  fifth  child  of  a  family 
of  twelve  children  of  Benjamin  and  Fannie  (Brindle)  Brown,  who  came  to 
Crawford  from  Berks  county,  this  state,  about  1803. 

Li  1848  William  was  married  to  Lydia,  the  daughter  of  John  Cole,  of 
Woodcock  township,  and  they  Imxe  two  children  living.  Mrs.  Brown  died 
December  9,  1886. 

George  W.,  who  lives  on  the  home  farm  with  his  father,  w'as  married 
in  1876  to  Hettie,  daughter  of  Dudley  Raydure,  and  they  have  three  children : 
Alda,  the  wife  of  William  First,  of  Philadelphia :  and  Irvin  and  Elsie,  who 
are  still  at  home. 


William  Best,  farmer,  East  Fairfield  township,  was  born  in  East  Fairfield 
township  in  1850,  and  has  since  resided  in  his  native  township.  During  his 
boyhood  and  until  1878  he  resided  near  the  center  of  the  township  on  what 
is  known  as  the  Turnpike,  and  since  that  time  he  has  resided  on  the  present 
farm  near  French  creek.  He  is  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Susan  (Woodring)  Best, 
natives  of  Pennsylvania.  They  reared  the  following  children,  namely :  Han- 
nah, wife  of  James  Masters;  Mary,  wife  of  James  Minum;  Elizabeth,  de- 
ceased, wife  of  Eugene  Wells ;  Susan,  wife  of  John  Masters ;  William,  our 
subject;  Amelia,  Jonas  and  John  Best.  December  24,  1874,  he  married  Etta, 
daughter  of  Aaron  and  Olive  (Coburn)  Weller,  and  this  union  has  been  blest 
with  three  children :   Olive,  Clare  A.  and  Ira  L. 

Mr.  Best  is  a  citizen  of  worth  and  highly  esteemed  in  the  community  in 
which  he  resides. 


Lee  Bannister,  of  Titusville,  was  born  in  Brockport,  New  York,  February 
15,  1839,  and  passed  the  early  period  of  his  life  in  Rochester,  New  York,  with 
his  grandparents.  His  parents  died  prior  to  his  third  year.  He  attended  the 
public  schools  at  Lima,  that  state,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  went  to  Buffalo 
and  was  employed  in  the  freight  department  of  the  New  York  Central  Rail- 
road. After  a  period  of  about  three  years  he  went  to  Michigan  and  in  the  fall 
of  i860  to  Washington,  D.  C,  where  he  was  in  government  etnploy  until 
August,  1865,  when  he  came  to  the  oil  region  here  and  had  charge  of  the  inter- 
ests of  the  Mingo  Oil  Company  for  two  years,  and  then  he  entered  the  employ 


874  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

of  the  firm  of  Enior_y  &  Caldwell,  as  superintendent.  He  was  next  employed 
by  the  Standard  Oil  Company,  and  had  charge  of  the  natural-gas  office  of 
Titusville  for  a  period  of  six  years.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time  he  engaged 
with  the  United  States  Pipe  Line  Company  for  two  years,  during  which  period 
he  had  charge  of  the  construction  of  the  line  between  Titusville  and  Bradford. 
Since  1894  Mr.  Bannister  has  been  engaged  in  the  cigar  business.  He  is  an 
active  Democrat  of  untiring  energy,  whose  business  qualifications  make  him 
one  of  the  stanch  and  reliable  citizens  of  Titusville. 

June  26,  i860,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Altha  C,  daughter 
of  John  Force,  of  Rochester,  New  York. 


Aloii^o  Gray. — The  surname  of  the  subject  of  this  article,  when  traced  to 
its  origin,  is  found  to  ha\e  lieen  taken  from  the  name  of  a  place  in  Burgundy, 
France.  Gradually  the  spelling  was  changed  from  its  original  form.  Cray  to 
de  Gray,  DeGray  and  finally  Gray.  As  the  latter  it  can  be  traced  back  to  the 
ninth  century,  and  it  is  said  that  the  Grays  accompanied  William  the  Con- 
queror to  England  in  106G,  as  they  are  frequentl_\-  mentioned  in  the  annals  of 
that  time.  The  first  of  the  name  in  America  came  across  the  ocean  in  1620, 
and  the  first  record  of  the  family  in  New  England  refers  to  a  John  Gray,  who 
was  here  in  1680.  He  married  Ruth  Hubbard  in  1704,  and  from  the  worthy 
couple  is  descended  the  subject  of  this  memoir. 

Joseph  Gray,  son  of  John  and  Ruth  Gray,  was  a  native  of  Windham, 
Connecticut,  and  his  death  took  place  in  Chenango  county.  New  York.  Elder 
Jeduthan  Gray  settled  in  Concord,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1823.  He 
married  Anna  Warren,  and  their  son  Silas  wedded  Polly  Hare,  and  lived  in 
Concord.  William,  one  of  the  children  of  Silas  and  Polly  Gray,  was  twice 
married,  his  first  wife  being  Dolly  Rose,  while  his  second  wife  was  Louisa  Akin 
prior  to  their  union. 

Alonzo  Gray,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  is  a  son  of  William  and 
Dolly  (  Rose)  Gray,  born  in  Concord.  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  January  25, 
1838.  In  1864  he  married  Miss  Charlotte  Drown,  a  daughter  of  John  S. 
Drown,  and  they  have  since  resided  on  the  old  homestead,  in  Rome  township. 
Crawford  county,  belonging  to  Mrs.  Gray's  father.  They  have  two  children. 
Alton  L.  and  Dolly  R. 


John  S.  Droicn. — The  first  of  this  name  came  from  England  in  1700.  The 
first  of  the  family  born  in  America  was  Cyril  Drown,  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts. He  married  a  Miss  U'heeler.  Cyril,  the  eldest  son,  married  Miss 
Susan  Luther,  a  descendant  of  Welsh  ancestry,  and  a  native  of  Massachusetts. 
They  moved  to  Plainfield,  New  Hampshire,  in  1792  and  to  Erie,  Pennsylvania, 
in  1818. 

John  S.  Drown,  whose  name  heads  this  sketch,  was  the  son  of  Cyril  and 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  875 

Susan  (Luther)  Drown,  and  was  born  in  Plainfield.  New  Hampshire,  Januarv 
8,  1799:  in  1829  married  Miss  Charlotte  Fisk,  and  they,  in  1836,  moved  from 
Erie  to  Crawford  county  and  settled  on  a  farm  where  they  resided  until  death. 
Charlotte  F.  Drown  died  January  8,  1865,  and  John  S.  Drown  died  June  14. 
1889.    They  had  three  children  :   Emily  E..  Ceylon  C.  and  Charlotte  A.  Drown. 


Orrui  H.  HoUisicr,  of  Meadville,  was  born  in  Warrensville,  Ohio,  on  Jan- 
nary  30,  1837.  In  1840  his  parents  removed  to  Crawford  county  and  settled  in 
North  Shenango  township.  He  accjuired  his  education  in  the  common  and 
select  schools  of  the  county  and  until  his  twenty-fifth  year  was  chiefly  employed 
upon  his  father's  farm  and  in  teaching.  On  June  5,  1861,  he  enlisted  as  a 
pri\-ate  in  the  Allegheny  College  Volunteers,  Company  I,  Tenth  Regiment  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Reser\'e  Corps,  and  promoted  corporal  in  February,  1862.  He 
saw  considerable  active  service  and  was  so  seriously  wounded  in  the  left  arm 
at  the  battle  of  Gains  Mills,  Virginia,  on  June  27.  1862,  that  amputation  was 
rer.dered  necessary,  and  on  September  12,  1862,  he  was  honorably  discharged 
from  the  service.  Soon  afterward  he  was  appointed  deputy  United  States  col- 
lector for  the  twentieth  district  and  served  in  that  capacity  tmtil  October,  1863, 
when  he  was  elected  clerk  of  the  county  on  the  Republican  ticket,  and  was  re- 
elected in  1866.  Ha\-ing  served  his  second  term  he  was,  in  1870.  appointed 
deputy  United  States  marshal  for  the  census  bureau  for  Aleadville  and  Val- 
lonia,  and  upon  the  completion  of  this  duty  was  appointed  clerk  of  the  board 
of  county  commissioners,  going  into  ofifice  March  i.  1871,  and  served  until 
1891,  when  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Meadville  by  President  Harrison. 
In  1892  Mr.  Hollister  was  selected  as  one  of  seven — out  of  three  thousand 
first-class  postmasters — by  John  ^^'anamaker,  Postmaster  General,  to  confer 
with  him  at  the  postoffice  department  in  \\'asliington.  D.  C,  in  making  sug- 
gestions for  the  improvement  of  the  mail  ser\ice.  In  1896  he  was  elected 
city  assessor  for  three  years. 

In  April,  1874,  Mr.  Hollister  was  married  to  Alary  E.  Wilson,  daughter 
of  Major  R.  \\'ils()n.  of  Espyville.  Mr.  Hollister  had  two  children,  Charles  W  ; 
and  Anna,  wife  of  R.  B.  Thompson,  merchant  of  Meadville.  who  has  one 
child, — Dayton  B. 

In  1866  Mr.  Hollister  was  initiated  into  Cussewago  Lodge,  No.  108.  I. 

0.  O.  F.  In  1870  he  was  one  of  the  charter  members  who  organized  Craw- 
ford Lodge,  No.  734,  I.  O.  of  O.  F.,  and  still  retains  his  membership  (January 

1,  1899),  liaving  been  a  member  of  the  order  for  over  thirty-two  years,  and 
was  noble  grand  two  terms.  He  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  of  O.  F. 
Endowment  Association  of  Western  Pennsylvania  since  1880,  and  he  is  also  a 
member  of  Sergeant  Peiffer  Post,  No.  334,  G.  A.  R.,  at  Meadville,  Department 
of  Pennsvlvania. 


8^6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Hon.  Pearson  Cliurch,  eldest  son  of  Hon.  Gaylord  Church,  was  one  of  the 
most  prominent  citizens  of  Crawford  county.  He  was  born  in  Mercer  county, 
Pennsylvania,  March  13,  1838,  but  resided  all  his  life  in  Meadville.  His  edu- 
cation was  acquired  at  private  schools  in  Meadville  and  at  Allegheny  College, 
where  he  was  graduated  in  1856. 

Previous  to  his  graduation  he  spent  a  year  studying  law  with  his  father, 
and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1858,  when  but  twenty  years  of  age.  For 
twenty  years  he  was  a  successful  practitioner,  but  was  in  1878  elected  president 
judge  of  the  district.  He  took  his  place  on  the  bench  on  January  i,  1878,  for  a 
term  of  ten  years.  He  rendered  several  important  decisions  while  an  incum- 
bent of  this  office,  being  the  first  judge  in  Pennsylvania, — and  perhaps  before 
such  a  decision  was  given  in  Minnesota  also, — to  decide  that  colored  children 
should  have  the  same  access  to  our  public  schools  that  white  children  have. 
After  this  decision  the  legislature  of  the  state  made  it  a  part  of  the  statute  law. 
In  1883  he  decided  the  Tidewater  Pipe  Line  case,  which  supported  the  inde- 
pendent pipe  line  companies  in  their  efforts  to  break  the  monopoly  enjoyed  by 
the  Standard  Oil  Company.  It  has  been  the  good  fortune  of  Judge  Church 
to  decide  grave  questions  of  great  public  as  well  as  private  importance  and 
interest, — more,  probably,  than  often  falls  to  the  lot  of  a  common-pleas  judge. 

Judge  Church  was  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church,  and 
always  took  a  li\-ely  interest  in  all  that  pertains  to  that  organization.  He  was 
also  active  in  almost  every  public  enterprise  in  the  place ;  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  school  board  in  1870,  and  in  1872  president  of  the  board  of  control  of 
the  public  schools.  In  the  same  year  he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  constitu- 
tional convention,  and  during  the  years  1872  and  1873  assisted  in  framing  the 
present  constitution,  which  was  ratified  and  adopted  December  16,  1873. 

In  1859  he  was  made  a  Freemason,  and  later  became  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  F.  &  A.  M. ;  member  of  the  Grand  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  and 
of  the  Grand  Commandery  of  K.  T.  He  took  thirty-two  degrees  in  Scottish 
Rite  Masonry,  and  for  ten  years  was  district  deputy  grand  master  of  Masons 
for  the  district  of  which  Crawford  was  a  part. 

In  1868  he  was  inarried  to  Miss  Kate,  daughter  of  Hon.  Samuel  A.  Law, 
of  Delaware  county,  New  York,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  two  daugh- 
ters,— Alice  and  Ethel.  In  politics  Judge  Church  was  a  Democrat,  and  was  an 
active  worker.  In  1896,  when  the  Democratic  convention  declared  for  free 
silver,  he  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  "gold"  Democratic  party.  He  died  at 
his  home  in  Meadville  on  the  13th  day  of  June,  1898. 


Tlic  Braiclcv  Family. — In  the  annals  of  Crawford  county  the  Brawley 
family  occupies  an  honorable  and  distinguished  position,  one  of  which  all  who 
bear  the  name  have  reason  to  be  proud.  Many  of  the  members  of  the  family 
have  been  remarkable  for  statesmanship  and  have  taken  an  active  part  in  the 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  877 

councils  of  Pennsylvania  and  other  states,  while  others  have  risen  to  high  rank 
in  the  various  professions.  Hugh  Brawley,  an  early  settler  of  Crawford 
county,  was  a  man  of  recognized  worth  and  abilit}-,  his  influence  being  exerted 
for  the  welfare  and  advancement  of  his  own  community  and  state.  In  182.7, 
he  was  elected  to  the  position  of  sheriff,  and  subsequently  was  a  notable  figure 
in  the  halls  of  the  state  legislature.  He  married  Lucy  Daniels,  a  daughter  of 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  his  own  county. 

The  second  child  of  Hugh  and  Lucy  Brawley  was  the  Hon.  J.  Porter 
Brawley.  He  was  finely  educated  and  from  his  boyhood  it  was  seen  that  in  all 
probability  his  career  would  be  no  ordinary  one.  Having  finished  a  thorough 
course  in  literature  and  the  sciences  at  Allegheny  College,  he  took  up  the  study 
of  law  and  made  a  success  in  that  profession.  He  was  elected  to  the  state 
legislature  and  served  for  two  terms  in  that  honorable  lx)dy,  after  which  he  was 
elected  to  the  state  senate  in  1846,  and  from  185 1  to  1857  was  surveyor-general 
of  Pennsylvania,  his  term  being  one  of  six  years'  duration. 

The  marriage  of  Hon.  J.  Porter  Brawley  and  Miss  Isabella  Hurst  Brooks 
was  solemnized  December  28,  1841.  Her  father.  Hon.  John  Brooks,  one  of 
the  pioneers  of  this  county,  made  purchases  of  land  here  as  early  as  1794.  He 
was  one  of  the  state  commissioners  appointed  to  lay  out  and  construct  the 
Susquehanna  &  ^\'aterford  turnpike,  and  he  also  served  as  treasurer  of  Craw- 
ford county,  and  in  minor  offices,  besides  being  the  first  justice  of  the  peace 
in  this  county,  after  its  organization.  In  18 13,  during  the  war  with  Great 
Britain,  Mr.  Brooks  organized  and  commanded  a  company  of  soldiers  who 
went  to  Erie  to  resist  the  threatened  invasion  of  this  state,  it  then  being  believed 
to  be  in  danger.  After  his  arrival  in  Erie  he  was  appointed  aide  to  General 
■\Iead,  with  the  rank  of  major.  In  181 7  he  was  appointed  associate  judge  of 
Crawford  county  by  Governor  Simon  Snyder,  and  this  position  he  occupied 
until  his  death.  Twice  married,  his  second  union  was  with  Susan  Nichols, 
who  came  of  Revolutionary  ancestry,  and  whose  family  had  been  obliged  to 
flee  for  their  lives  at  the  time  of  the  Wyoming  massacre.  Her  father,  Thomas 
Nichols,  was  an  early  settler  of  Lycoming  county,  Pennsylvania. 

The  children  born  to  Hon.  J.  Porter  Brawley  and  wife  Isabella  were  six 
in  number.  Those  who  attained  maturity  were  as  follows:  James  Buchanan, 
an  eminent  lawyer,  who  died  in  May.  1886;  John  Brooks;  Frances  Lucy, 
whose  death  took  place  in  June.  1896;  Hugh  Porter;  and  Isabella  Hurst. 
John  B.  Brawley  studied  law  and  was  prothonotary  of  AIcKean  county  for  two 
terms  and  served  for  one  term  as  clerk  to  the  county  commissioners  of  Craw- 
ford county.  Active  in  the  support  of  the  Democratic  party,  his  services  in  its 
behalf  were  recognized  by  President  Cleveland,  who  appointed  him  to  the 
position  of  sixth  auditor  and  assistant  register  of  the  United  States  treasury. 
Of  late  years  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  oil  business,  in  partnership  with  his 


87S  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

brother,  Hugh  P.    The  latter  is  at  present  the  chairman  of  the  fourth  di\-ision 
of  the  Democratic  state  executive  committee. 


Curtis  S.  Clark,  clerk  of  the  courts  of  Crawford  county,  was  born  in 
Chautauqua  county.  New  York,  February  20,  1840.  When  five  years  of  age 
his  father  died,  and  his  mother  removed  with  her  children  to  Crawford  county, 
where  he  has  since  been  a  continuous  resident,  with  the  exception  of  fifteen 
years  spent  in  Cleveland.  Much  of  his  education  was  acquired  at  home,  under 
the  instruction  of  his  mother,  and  this  was  supplemented  by  a  course  at  the 
Edinboro  Normal  School. 

In  1858  Mr.  Clark  began  teaching  school  in  Crawford  county,  and  in  1863 
engaged  in  the  oil  refinery  business,  and  the  next  \ear  went  into  the  drug  busi- 
ness in  Titusville  with  his  brother.  He  sold  out  his  interest  in  Titusville  in 
1868  and  removed  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  a  proprietary  medicine.  In  1884  he  located  ]jermanently  on  his  farm  in 
Crawford  count}-,  and  followed  the  occupation  of  a  farmer  until  1893,  when  he 
came  to  ]\leadville,  and  the  next  year  established  a  paper  known  as  the  Sledge 
Hammer.  In  i8g6  he  became  the  candidate  of  the  allied  Democratic  and  Pop- 
ulistic  forces  for  clerk  of  the  courts,  to  which  office  he  was  elected,  and  which 
he  now  fills. 


Elbert  Smith,  treasurer  of  Crawford  county,  was  born  at  Guy's  Mills, 
Pennsylvania,  on  the  17th  of  January,  1865.  His  early  education  was  acquired 
in  the  schools  of  this  county,  and  he  entered  Allegheny  College,  at  which  insti- 
tution he  was  graduated  in  June,  1888,  having  won  several  honors  during  his 
college  course.  The  ensuing  year  w-as  spent  at  Harvard  University.  In  the 
summer  of  1889  he  visited  Europe,  spending  some  time  in  England,  Germany 
and  France,  particularly  in  London  and  Paris.  Returning  to  America  in  the 
fall  of  1889.  he  taught  school  in  Crawford  county  for  a  year. 

In  1890  he  received  the  Republican  nomination  for  county  treasurer,  the 
Democrats  endorsing  his  candidacy,  and  he  was  elected  by  a  majority  of  thir- 
teen thousand  votes.  In  1894,  his  term  of  office  having  expired,  he  took  up  the 
study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Joshua  Douglass,  Esq.  In  1896  he  was  again 
elected  county  treasurer,  for  a  term  of  three  years,  and  is  still  serving  in  that 
capacity.  Mr.  Smith  is  an  active  worker  in  the  Republican  party  and  is  a  promi- 
nent member  of  the  Columbia  Republican  Club,  in  which  he  has  held  various 
offices. 


Matfhczi'  R.  Snodgrass. — Sixty-five  years  ago  Matthew  R.  Snodgrass 
was  born  on  the  old  homestead  in  West  Shenango  township,  Crawford  county, 
where  he  is  still  living.  This  property  has  been  in  the  possession  of  his  family 
for  almost  a  centurv.  and  thus  it  mav  be  seen  that  thev  were  numbered  among 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  Syg 

the  early  pioneers  of  this  locahty.  Our  subject's  paternal  grandfather,  Benja- 
min Snodgrass,  and  his  son  John,  the  father  of  our  subject,  came  to  this  vicin- 
ity in  1800  and  took  up  land  which,  after  they  had  assisted  in  clearing  and 
improving  it,  rightfully  enough  fell  to  the  three  sons  of  John  Snodgrass, — 
Benjamin,  Matthew  R.  and  J.  W.  IMatthew  R.,  who  is  the  subject  of  this 
biographical  notice,  has  greatly  impro\ed  his  homestead  since  it  came  into  his 
possession  and  has  made  of  his  eighty-three  acres  a  most  desirable  country 
place,  furnished  with  substantial  buildings,  neat  fences  and  well-kept  orchard 
and  shade  trees.  He  purchased  the  interest  of  his  brother,  T-  W.  Snodgrass, 
who  now  lives  on  the  farm  just  east  of  that  owned  by  our  subject,  who  is  a 
thorough,  practical  farmer,  making  a  success  of  most  of  his  undertakings,  and 
enjoying  an  excellent  reputation  for  business,  honor  and  fairness  in  all  his 
transactions. 

The  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Rankin)  Snodgrass,  Matthew  R.  Snodgrass. 
was  born  December  11.  1833.  His  boyhood  was  spent  on  the  farm  where  he 
has  always  resided,  and  such  education  as  fell  to  his  share  was  that  gained 
in  the  district  schools  of  the  vicinity.  B}-  judicious  studv  and  reading  he  has 
added  to  the  knowledge  thus  accjuired  and  is  now  well  posted  on  the  great 
events  of  the  past  and  contemporaneous  history.  In  the  school  of  practical 
experience  he  has  also  necessarily  had  his  mental  horizon  broadened  and  his 
sympathies  with  his  fellow  men  deepened  and  strengthened.  In  religion  and 
politics  he  strives  to  keep  his  mind  free  from  strong  bias,  that  he  may  be  able 
to  judge  fairly  the  merits  of  every  question  coming  beneath  his  notice, 

December  29,  1880,  Mr,  Snodgrass  married  Miss  Orpha  Gregory,  daugh- 
ter of  \\'illiam  and  Lottie  {  Lai¥erty)  Gregory.  The  father  was  a  well  known 
farmer  of  this  countv  and  for  }'ears  successfullv  conducted  a  tannery  business 
at  Turners\'ille.  The  mother,  a  lady  of  rare  culture  and  ability,  was  for  some 
time  engaged  in  teaching  school  and  was  a  ])opular  and  successful  educator. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snodgrass  are  the  parents  of  one  son.  Lloyd,  born  October  24, 
1885. 

^\'hen  the  war  of  the  Reliellion  was  being  waged  AI.  R.  Snodgrass  offered 
his  ser\-ice  and  fought  under  and  for  the  flag  of  his  country  more  than  three 
years.  Enlisting  September  5,  1861.  he  was  faithfully  at  his  post  of  duty 
during  the  weary  years  up  to  the  time  of  his  honorable  discharge,  November 
4,  1864.  He  took  part  in  numerous  skirmishes  and  minor  encounters  with  the 
enemy  and,  among  others,  was  acti\'ely  engaged  in  the  battles  of  Antietam, 
Cedar  Mountain,  Resaca,  Chancellorsville  and  Gettysburg.  He  was  a  private 
in  Company  G.  One  Hundred  and  Ete\-enth  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  Infan- 
try, which  was  a  part  of  the  Third  Brigade.  Second  Division.  Twelfth  and 
Twentieth  Army  Corps,  under  command  of  Generals  Hooker  and  Slocum. 
Much  of  the  time  Mr.  Snodgrass  was  detailed  to  duty  with  the  wagon  train, 
but  wherever  his  place  w^as  assigned  there  he  was  always  to  be  found,  prompt, 


S8o  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

obedient,  faithful  and  cheerful.  At  the  battle  of  Antietam  he  was  struck  in 
the  left  arm  by  a  fragment  of  shell,  but  he  did  not  leave  the  ranks  and  only 
fought  the  harder.  The  principles  for  wliicli  he  was  then  ready  to  sacrifice  his 
life  he  has  always  abided  by,  and  has  endeavored  to  do  his  whole  duty  as  a  citi- 
zen of  this  great  republic.  At  present  he  is  in  favor  of  free  sih'er.  For  the  long 
period  of  forty  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church 
of  Shenango,  and  has  freely  contributed  of  his  means  to  worthy  religious  and 
l)ene\-olent  enterprises. 

Dcl-ci'iii  A.  Sfcbbiits.  of  Cussawago  township,  was  born  in  that  township 
August  31,  1854.  His  father,  John  A.  Stebbins,  was  born  in  Lebanon.  Madi- 
son county.  New  York,  on  January  4,  1813,  and  was  the  youngest  son  of 
Daniel  Stebbins.  Daniel  Stebbins  married  for  his  first  wife  a  Miss  Fuller,  and 
had  one  son,  Daniel,  Jr..  who  died  at  Mosiertown  many  years  ago.  For  his 
second  wife  Daniel  married  Rachel  Blodgett,  and  he  died  before  tlie  familv 
came  to  Cussawago  township. 

In  1820  Rachel  (Blodgett)  Stebbins  and  family  came  to  Cussawago 
township  in  an  ox  cart  and  settled  on  the  farm  owned  for  many  years  by  Horace 
Fields.  At  this  time  her  family  consisted  of  these  children  :  Daniel,  Jr.,  Lem- 
uel, Elizabeth,  Ursula,  Ralph,  John,  Mary  and  Louisa.  Lemuel  married  Lu- 
cinda  Greenlee,  Elizabeth  never  married,  Mary  married  Edmund  Greenlee, 
Louisa  married  Harry  Fields,  Ursula  married  Rev.  Ray  Green,  and  all  are 
dead. 

John  A.  Stebbins  married  Hannah  T.  Dawley  for  his  first  wife,  and  they 
had  two  children,  Wheeler  Dan  Stebbins  and  Minnie  C.  Stebbins :  for  his 
second  wife  John  A.  Stebbins  married  Phebe  ^l.  Green,  daughter  of  Rev.  Ray 
Green.  Ray  Green  was  born  in  Rhode  Island,  and  came  to  Alfred,  Allegany 
county.  New  York,  and  married  Lucy  Smith,  who  was  born  in  Connecticut. 
They  had  these  children :  Erastus,  Eunice,  Moses,  Phebe,  Joel  and  Selina. 
Erastus  married  Nancy  Green,  Eunice  married  Barton  W.  Millard,  Joel  mar- 
ried Rebecca  Reading,  Setina  married  first  Elisha  B.  Green  and  second  Jerome 
Remington.  All  are  dead  except  Selina,  who  lives  at  Independence,  Allegany 
county,  New  York.    Ray  Green  married  for  his  second  wife  LJrsula  Stebbins. 

John  A.  Stebbins  and  Phebe  M.  Stebbins  had  two  children,  Delwin  A. 
and  Nina.  John  A.  Stebbins  died  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  John  Davis, 
where  he  had  lived  and  which  he  had  owned  for  many  years,  in  Cussawago 
township,  on  April  15,  187J.  Phebe,  his  wife,  died  at  Independence.  New 
York,  September  26.  1886.    Both  are  buried  at  Mosiertown. 

Wheeler  D.  Stebbins  was  born  in  Cussawago  township,  June  30,  1845. 
He  enlisted  in  the  Second  Pennsylvania  Heavy  Artillery,  which  regiment  was 
later  divided,  and  he  remained  in  the  Second  Provisional  Heavy  Artillery.  He 
was  wounded  while  placing  the  colors  on  the  rebel  breastworks  at  the  battle  m 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  88i 

front  of  Petersburg',  \'irginia,  was  sI:ot  in  the  left  shoulder  and  died  in  hospital 
at  Washington,  D.  C,  on  July  26,  1864,  and  is  buried  at  Arlington  Heights, 
in  the  national  cemetery. 

Minnie  C.  Stebbins  was  born  April  9,  1847,  niarried  Georee  W.  Lloyd, 
and  died  at  East  Springfield,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  March  6,  1886.  Nina 
Stebbins  was  1iorn  July  16.  1856,  and  now  lives  at  Independence,  New  York. 

Delwin  A.  Stebbins  married  Nellie,  daughter  of  Luther  Spencer,  of 
Alfred,  New  York,  on  September  25,  1881,  They  had  one  child.  Myrta  Rose, 
born  July  20,  1882,  who  is  still  living.    Nellie  Stebbins  died  December  28,  1887. 

On  November  2^.  1889,  Delwin  A.  Stebbins  married,  for  his  second  wife, 
Mary  S.,  daughter  of  John  Loper,  of  Addison,  Steuben  county.  New  York. 
Her  grandfather.  Sir  John  Loper,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Steuben  county. 

Delwin  A.  Stebbins  attended  school  at  tlie  "sand  bank"  school  house,  in 
Cussawago  township,  and  later  a  select  school  at  Mosiertown,  also  the  Edin- 
boro  state  normal  school.  He  moved  from  Cussawago  in  1873,  lived  at  Little 
Genesee,  New  York,  for  some  time  on  a  farm,  later  attended  Alfred  University, 
teaching  school  winters.  He  studied  law  with  General  Rufus  Scott  at  Belmont, 
New  York,  was  graduated  in  the  Albany  law  school  on  May  22,  1884,  and 
admitted  to  practice  law  at  Binghamton,  New  York,  on  May  9,  1884.  He  has 
since  resided  and  practiced  his  profession  at  Almond,  New  York. 


IViUiam  Pent::,  of  Meadville,  was  born  April  2,  1820,  at  York,  Pennsyl- 
vania, a  son  of  Daniel  and  Rachel  (ShalYer)  Pentz,  both  natives  of  York  and 
of  German  ancestry.  William  recei\-ed  his  education  in  the  pulilic  schools  at 
York,  and  learned  his  father's  trade,  that  of  a  tobacconist,  and  later  became  a 
plasterer.  He  afterward  was  a  butcher,  which  occupation  he  followed  for 
eight  years,  ^^'illiam  came  to  Mead\-ille  in  1845.  His  father  removed  here 
in  1856.  He  remained  but  three  }ears,  when  lie  returned  to  his  native  home. 
\n  1870  \\'il!iam  was  appointed  court  crier  in  'Meadville,  and  in  1872  was 
elected  justice  of  the  peace,  serving  until  1877.  In  1879-80  he  was  superin- 
tendent of  the  Odd  Fellows  Home  at  Meadville,  and  in  1882  was  again  elected 
justice  of  the  peace,  which  office  he  still  holds,  his  present  term  expiring  in 
1899. 

In  1841  ^Ir.  Pentz  was  married,  at  Allegheny  City.  Pennsylvania,  to 
Miss  Mary  A.  Campbell,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry.  They 
had  nine  children,  four  of  whom  are  living.  Mr.  Pentz  is  a  devout  Christian 
and  has  been  for  many  years  a  deacon  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  of 
Meadville,  and  for  a  time  was  engaged  in  preaching  on  a  circuit. 


Samuel  Pratt,  a  baker  in  Meadville,  was  born  February  15,  1842,  in  Amos- 
ville,  Virginia,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Rachael  Pratt.  His  father  died  in  1842, 
and  his  mother  in  1876.    In  1869  Mr.  Pratt  married  Miss  Hattie  Jackson,  rnd 

S6 


882  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  children  of  this  union  are:  Minnie  Bertha,  born  April  20.  1872,  and 
Bessie  Lorena.  July  10.  1878.  Mr.  Pratt  came  to  Meadville  in  1866,  and  has 
followed  an  active  life.  He  first  began  as  a  butcher,  which  \ocation  he  fol- 
lowed until  1892,  when  he  began  as  a  baker,  and  thus  he  still  continues.  He 
was  elected  to  the  city  council  in  1892. 


5 


James  Hciiry  CaUkccU,  the  son  of  John  W.  and  Susannah  Caldwell,  wa: 
born  in  Montour  county.  Pennsylvania,  March  27,  1839.  His  great-grand- 
father, Robert  Caldwell,  came  from  the  north  of  Ireland  to  the  United  States, 
bringing  his  little  son  James  at  the  age  of  four  years,  the  grandfather  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch.  Mr.  Caldwell's  maternal  grandfather,  Follmer,  came 
from  Germany. 

James  passed  his  early  years  upon  his  father's  farm  and  at  the  district 
school:  in  the  winter  months  of  1858-59  he  attended  the  academy  at  Milton, 
Pennsylvania.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  recei\-ed  as  wages  nine  dollars  a 
month  for  work  upon  his  father's  farm,  and  in  the  winter  following  he  taught 
a  district  school,  \yhen  twenty-two  years  of  age  he  worked  the  farm,  on 
shares,  the  stock  and  implements  with  the  farm  being  furnished  by  his  father, 
and  he  putting  in  his  labor  and  recei\-ing  one-fourth  of  the  crops. 

In  1865  Mr.  Caldwell  came  to  the  oil  country,  first  engaging  in  boating 
oil  from  Rouseville  to  Oil  City.  This  business  not  suiting  him  he  withdrew 
from  it  and  undertook  the  drilling  of  wells  for  oil,  and  after  two  years  of 
work  at  drilling  and  becoming  interested  in  eight  wells  he  obtained  a  paying 
Avell  in  company  with  Lewis  Emery,  Jr.,  on  the  Foster  farm  at  Pioneer. 

In  1867  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Wagner,  of  Montour  county, 
this  state,  who  was  born  March  13.  1841,  and  with  his  wife  he  settled  at 
Pioneer,  an  oil  town  on  Oil  creek,  and  while  there  he  became  a  member  of  the 
firm  of  Emery  Brothers  &  Company.  In  1869  he  moved  to  Titusville  and 
built  the  residence  on  East  Main  street,  now  owned  by  Mrs.  B.  E.  Moreland, 
and  also  carried  a  half  interest  in  the  building  and  ownership  of  the  Emery 
&  Caldwell  block.  In  the  autunm  of  1873,  discouraged  by  the  effects  of  the 
financial  panic,  he  sold  his  residence  in  Titusville,  liquidated  his  obligations  and 
moved  to  Butler  county.  By  close  attention  to  business  in  producing  oil  he 
repaired  losses  and  in  a  short  time  was  on  the  road  to  prosperity.  In  1876, 
while  on  a  visit  to  the  state  of  Virginia,  he  purchased  the  plantation  known  as 
Varina,  near  Dutch  Gap  canal,  on  the  James  river,  containing  thirteen  hundred 
and  twelve  acres. 

In  1877  he  moved  back  to  Titusville  and  in  1881  purchased  the  estate 
of  Jonathan  Watson.  In  1884  he  took  the  option  of  a  large  coal  property  in 
Fremont  county,  Colorado,  in  company  with  McDonald  &  Norris,  of  Denver ; 
and  during  the  year  McDonald  was  killed  by  the  cars  at  the  mines.  This  acci- 
dent was  followed  bv  a  strike  of  the  miners,  and  the  vear  ended  with  a  loss  to 


J 


%         ^'^^'^ssjr       j/ 


^  .SeJ-eJ^ 


I 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  883 

the  operating  company.  Witli  all  tliese  discouraging  circumstances,  however, 
Mr.  Caldwell  purchased  a  small  interest  in  the  mine  and  obtained  a  lease  for 
another  year;  but  discriminations  by  the  railroads  in  freight  rates  and  in  fur- 
nishing cars  caused  him  to  sell  his  interests  to  the  other  coal  companies,  im- 
pressing upon  his  mind  the  necessity,  for  successful  operation  in  coal-mining, 
of  owning  a  railroad  or  at  least  of  possessing  a  remunerative  "pull"  on  railway 
managers.  Before  leaving  Colorado  permanently  he  sunk  three  wells  for  oil, 
the  last  one  drilled  proving  to  be  a  fair  producer. 

Mr.  Caldwell  ranks  as  one  of  the  large  producers  of  oil.  He  has  been 
engaged  in  the  luisiness  for  o\'er  thirty  years  and  in  nearly  all  the  fields  east 
of  the  Mississippi  river. 

In  1882  he  was  elected  mayor  of  Titusville  for  the  term  of  two  years.  A 
few  e\'enings  after  the  first  meeting  of  the  city  councils  the  Parshall  block 
and  the  Brunswick  hotel  were  burned.  Mayor  Caldwell  lived  in  the  suburbs, 
and  when  the  fire  bell  was  rung  he  looked  out  of  his  house  and  saw  from 
the  reflection  of  the  light  that  the  fire  was  apparently  gaining.  He  lost  no  time 
in  hurrying  to  the  spot  where  the  fire  was  raging, to  find  all  the  firemen,  except 
one  compan}-,  in  revolt.  On  inquiring  as  to  the  cause  of  the  trouble,  he  was 
told  that  the  men  would  not  work  under  the  chief  who  had  just  been  elected 
by  the  council.  They  gave  as  a  reason  that  they  did  not  feel  safe  in  serving 
under  a  chief  whom  they  regarded  as  incompetent.  Mayor  Caldwell  did  not  stop 
to  debate  the  matter  with  the  men,  but  sent  for  the  old  chief  and  placed  him  in 
command.  By  this  timely  action  the  fire  was  prevented  from  spreading 
beyond  the  Brunswick  hotel  and  the  Parshall  block.  Mayor  Caldwell 
convened  the  councils  on  the  following  evening  and  reported  officially  what 
had  occurred  at  the  fire;  and  he  recommended  that  in  place  of  the  volunteer 
system,  which  had  been  in  operation  since  the  founding  of  the  city,  a  paid 
fire  department  be  organized  at  once.  His  recommendation  was  immediately 
adopted  and  a  paid  department  was  organized  and  put  into  operation  without 
delay.  This  system,  which  now  has  been  in  operation  in  Titusville  over  sixteen 
years,  gives  almost  universal  satisfaction. 

The  police  force  was  also  dissatisfied,  claiming  that  their  duties  were  too 
onerous  and  asking  that  the  number  of  patrolmen  be  increased.  The  Mayor, 
on  investigating  the  subject,  comparing  existing  work  v.-ith  past  service, 
recommended  that  one  patrolman  be  dropped  from  the  list,  and  this  was  done. 

At  the  beginning  of  Mayor  Caldwell's  administration  the  city  water-works 
were  barely  paying  running  expenses;  at  the  close  of  his  term  the  works 
were  not  only  paying  current  expenses,  but  also  the  interest  on  the  water  bonds. 
He  was  indefatigable,  by  personal  attention,  in  effecting  lx)th  large  and  small 
reforms.  The  system  which  he  inaugurated  in  the  management  of  the  water- 
works has  continued  to  go  forward,  and  now  the  water-works  are  both  a  great 


884  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

public  convenience  and  a  large  source  of  revenue  to  the  city.  ]\Ir.  Caldwell  is 
a  director  of  the  Titusville  Board  of  Trade. 

In  1888  he  comrhenced  the  refining  of  benzine,  and  since  then  he  has 
constantly  increased  the  capacity  of  his  works  and  the  number  of  its  products. 
He  now  manufactures  lubricating  and  refined  illuminating  oils  and  all  qualities 
of  gasoline  and  naphtha,  calling  his  plant  the  Climax  Oil  \\'orks  and  the  com- 
pany the  Climax  Oil  Alanufacturing  Company. 

Mr.  Caldwell's  political  faith  is  that  the  government  should  be  adminis- 
tered for  the  people  as  a  mass  and  not  for  classes.  He  has  twice  been  a 
candidate  for  congress,  in  the  district  where  he  resides,  a  district  largely  Re- 
juiblican,  upon  the  Democratic  ticket,  and  the  last  time  he  carried  Crawford 
county  against  a  party  majority  of  fifteen  hundred. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Caldwell  ha\  e  been  born  two  sons, — John  Wagner  and 
James  Henry;  and  one  daughter, — Gertrude  May,  who  was  born  February  21, 
1876,  and  died  at  the  age  of  two  years  and  two  months.  John  Wagner  was 
born  July  28,  1871,  and  James  Henry,  March  7,  1877.  John  ^^'.  was  educated 
in  the  Titusville  schools,  the  Kiskeminetas  school  at  Saltsburg  and  the  Eastman 
Business  College  at  Poughkeepsie,  Xew  York.  On  January  i,  1898.  he  took 
full  management  of  the  Climax  Oil  Works.  James  Henry,  Jr..  was  educated 
at  the  Titusville  schools  and  the  Lawrenceville  (New  Jersey)  School;  he 
entered  Princeton  University  in  the  autumn  of  1894.  at  the  age  of  seventeen, 
and  he  left  college  in  the  spring  of  his  senior  year  and  enlisted  in  Light  Bat- 
tery A,  of  Philadelphia,  and  saw  service  in  Porto  Rico  in  the  late  war..  Be- 
fore leaving  for  the  seat  of  war.  however,  he  returned  from  camp  on  furlough 
to  Princeton  and  received  the  degree  of  A.  B.  with  his  class,  on  June  15.  1898. 

The  eulogy  upon  the  character  of  James  H.  Caldwell,  who  now  is  almost 
sixty  years  of  age,  is  to  be  found  in  a  life  of  noble  deeds.  His  manhood,  his 
fidelity  to  truth  and  his  pure  integrity  are  more  eloquent  than  panegyric  of 
any  historic  pen. 


Jesse  Hacen,  a  farmer  of  West  Fairfield  township,  this  county,  is  a  native 
of  Mercer  county,  this  state,  and  was  born  September  10,  1826.  a  son  of  Peter 
and  Barbara  (Lackey)  Hazen,  who  settled  in  Crawford  county  in  1838.  on 
the  farm  where  the  subject  now  resides.  Their  family  consisted  of  ten  chil- 
dren, and  our  subject  was  the  fifth  child  :  Margaret,  wife  of  Perry  Crookham  : 
Joseph,  deceased ;  David:  Jonathan;  Jesse,  our  subject ;  Martha;  ^lelinda ; 
Mathew ;  and  Matilda  and  Hulda,  both  deceased. 

Mr.  Hazen  was  first  married  to  Esther  McAdoo,  who  died  August  18. 
1867,  at  the  age  of  thirty  years.  Children :  Sarah  Matilda,  wife  of  ^\'illiam 
Grute,  and  a  resident  of  Mercer  county;  and  Alfred  Hazen,  of  West  Fairfield 
township.  March  15.  1888.  he  was  again  married  to  Jennie  ]\I.,  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Eliza  (  AlcCurdv)  Lvon.     Four  children  have  been  born  to  thi.- 


OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE.  885  . 

union,  namely :  Mary  Elizabeth,  widow  of  Peter  Tighe,  who  died  January, 
1895,  aged  thirty  years;  Esther  Ann,  who  married  Edward  Borland,  and  they 
are  residents  of  Mercer  county ;  Margaret  Grace,  wife  of  Chauncey  Kelly, 
West  Fairfield  township;  and  Thomas  L.  Hazen,  who  died  March  15,  1895, 
at  the  age  of  twenty  years.  Mrs.  Hazen  is  the  eldest  of  a  family  of  seven  chil- 
dren, namely:  Jennie,  wife  of  our  subject;  Joseph.  John  M.,  James  A.,  of 
JNlercer  county.  Mary  and  Maggie  D.  Lyon.  Thomas  Lyon  is  still  living,  at 
the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  The  grandchildren  of  our  subject  are  Thomas 
^^'ilton  Tighe,  Esther  Grute,  Mildred,  Ralph  Borland,  Adeline  Kelly  and  Paul 
Kelly. 

Mr.  Hazen  has  l>een  among  the  important  citizens  of  the  township,  having 
been  director  of  the  school  board  two  terms,  treasurer,  auditor  and  trustee  of 
Powers'  church  for  several  years. 


Robert  P.  Marshall. — One  of  the  loyal  citizens  and  stanch  Republicans  of 
South  Shenango  township,  Crawford  county,  is  Robert  P.  Marshall,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  notice.  He  has  long  been  recognized  as  an  important  factor  in  the 
success  of  the  party  in  this  immediate  locality,  and  has  exerted  his  utmost  ener- 
gies to  achieve  its  triumph,  as  he  is  an  earnest  believer  in  its  principles  and  is 
certain  that  the  wonderful  prosperity  which  blesses  this  nation  is  the  direct 
result  of  the  beneficent  rule  it  has  so  long  -exercised  in  our  history  since  the 
Civil  war.  For  twelve  years  Mr.  Marshall  has  officiated  as  a  constable  and 
has  also  served  as  supervisor  of  his  township.  His  personal  popularity  is  so 
strong  in  this  district  that  his  friends  brought  forward  his  name  as  a  candidate 
for  the  nomination  as  sheriff  in  1896;  but  he  was  not  the  lucky  man.  Li  the 
Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  societies  he  stands  deservedly  high,  being  identified 
with  Adelphi  Lodge,  No.  424.  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Jamestown,  Pennsylvania,  a 
member  of  the  Knight  Templars  Commandery  of  Greenville,  and  connected 
with  the  Linesville  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows.  Moreover,  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Woodmen  of  the  World  and  belongs  to  the  Grange. 

Michael  Marshall,  the  paternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native 
of  the  north  of  Ireland,  where  he  probably  was  married  to  Mary  Thompson. 
He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  county,  and  hewed  out  a  farm  in  the  forests 
of  South  Shenango  township.  One  of  the  first  settlers  of  this  section,  he 
suffered  many  of  the  hardships  incident  to  frontier  life,  but  left  to  his  children 
a  legacy  of  an  honorable  name,  an  unblemished  record  and  a  goodly  estate. 
In  politics  he  was  an  old-line  Whig,  and  religiously  he  was  connected  with  the 
L-nited  Presbyterian  church.  Of  this  church,  the  first  of  the  denomination 
in  this  county,  his  son  James,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  also  a 
member.  He  was  born,  reared  and  passed  his  entire  life  within  this  township, 
respected  and  admired  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  a  stalwart  Republican 
and  occupied  various  official  positions  of  trust  and  honor.     His  death  occurred 


886  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

when  lie  was  in  his  fifty-seventli  year.  For  liis  wife  he  chose  Miss  Catlierine 
Maxwell,  of  Conneaut  township,  this  county.  She  lived  to  the  age  of  three- 
score and  ten.  dying  March  3.  1882.  Like  her  husband  she  was  a  zealous 
worker  in  the  United  Presbyterian  church,  and  was  universally  loved  and  hon- 
ored. Of  her  eight  children  five  are  deceased,  and  of  those  who  survive  our 
suhject  is  the  eldest,  and  the  others  are  James  B.,  a  farmer  of  Tuscola  county. 
jMichigan.  and  Susan,  wife  of  Frank  Corson,  of  this  township. 

The  birth  of  Robert  P.  Marshall  occurred  not  far  from  his  present  home. 
April  I  J,  1854.  When  he  was  a  lad  of  aljout  twelve  years  his  father  died,  and 
as  he  was  the  eldest  son  the  duty  of  looking  after  the  farm  fell  upon  his  young- 
shoulders.  He  made  a  heroic  struggle  to  meet  the  unaccustomed  cares  man- 
fully and  was  not  unsuccessful  in  his  undertaking.  He  continued  to  reside 
upon  the  old  homestead  and  to  manage  the  place  as  long  as  his  mother  lived, 
and  after  her  death  he  purchased  the  interest  of  the  other  heirs  and  has  since 
carried  on  the  farm  in  his  own  right. 

In  all  his  efforts  since  he  reached  manhood  Mr.  Marshall  has  found  a  true 
helpmate  in  the  person  of  his  devoted  wife,  formerly  Miss  Ollie  C.  Johnson. 
Her  father  was  the  well-known  citizen  \\'illiam  F.  Johnson,  now  deceased,  and 
for  years  a  prominent  farmer  of  this  section.  Four  children  blessed  the  mar- 
riage of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ]\larshall,  namely:  Grace  C,  wife  of  Matthew  L.  Mc- 
Elheney;  Mabel  Clare;  Edwin  D.  and  Paul  Mack, — the  younger  three  being 
still  at  home.  The  entire  family  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  of 
Jamestown,  Pennsvlvania. 


Isaac  JVcstln-iuicr. — Prominent  among  the  business  men  of  Titusville  is 
Isaac  \\'estheimer,  who  for  a  third  of  a  century  has  been  closely  identified  with 
the  history  of  the  city  in  connection  with  the  tobacco  trade  and  as  a  boot  and 
shoe  merchant.  He  is  a  man  of  keen  discrimination  and  sound  judgment,  and 
his  executive  ability  and  excellent  management  ha\-e  brought  to  the  concerns 
with  which  he  is  connected  a  high  degree  of  success. 

^[r.  Westheimer  is  one  of  the  worthy  citizens  that  the  Fatherland  has 
furnished  to  the  New  ^^'orld.  He  was  1)orn  in  2\Ierchingen,  Baden,  Germany, 
on  the  8th  of  April,  1848,  and  is  a  son  of  Louis  and  Mollie  Westheimer,  the 
former  a  commission  merchant  of  Germany.  He  attended  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  town  and  then  took  a  special  course  under  private  tutors,  prepar- 
ing for  college.  Re\'erses  in  his  father's  business,  however,  forced  him  to 
abandon  the  idea  of  entering  college,  and  in  1865,  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
years,  he  came  to  America,  hoping  to  better  his  financial  condition  in  the  New 
\^'orld,  whose  advantages,  he  had  heard,  were  many.  During  the  first  three 
years  after  his  arrival  in  the  New  World  he  engaged  in  clerking  for  the  firm 
of  Strauss  &  Stettheimer,  at  Titusville,  and  in  1868  established  a  cigar  and 
tobacco  business  in  Pleasantville  on  his  own  account,  being  very  successful 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  887 

from  the  beginning.  In  1870  he  sold  his  store  in  Pleasantville,  and  in  connec- 
tion with  his  brother  estabhshed  the  wholesale  and  retail  cigar  and  tobacco 
business  at  No.  31  Spring  street,  Titusville,  where  they  have  since  carriecl  on 
operations.  They  are  leaders  in  their  line  of  trade  in  this  part  of  the  state,  and 
the  excellent  quality  of  their  products  insures  them  a  liberal  share  of  the  public 
patronage.  In  1887  the  brothers  also  opened  a  boot  and  shoe  store,  which  is 
under  the  direct  management  of  Isaac  W'estheimer,  and  has  also  proved  a 
profitable  investment.  He  is  a  man  of  progressive  methods,  of  diligence  and 
sound  judgment,  and  his  commercial  success  is  well  deserved. 

Mr.  Westheimer  is  thoroughly  American  in  thought  and  feeling,  and 
does  all  in  his  power  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  city,  with  which  he  has 
so  long  been  connected.  He  is  especially  active  in  educational  circles,  has  been 
an  efficient  and  valued  member  of  the  school  board  for  sixteen  years,  was  secre- 
tary of  the  board  for  eight  years, — from  1881  until  1887, — and  its  president 
for  two  years.  In  liis  political  associations  he  is  a  Democrat,  but  has  never 
been  an  aspirant  for  office,  preferring  to  devote  his  time  and  energies  to  his 
business  interests,  in  uhich  lie  has  met  gratifying  success. 


Charles  Stoh,  flour  and  feed  merchant,  Meadville,  was  born  August  12. 
1850,  in  Mergentheim,  W'urtemberg,  Germany,  and  came  to  America  at  an 
earlv  rge  with  the  intention  of  making  his  way  in  the  world  in  a  new  country. 
He  first  located  at  San  Antonio,  Texas,  where  he  was  naturalized  and  spent 
seven  years,  an.d  was  extensively  engaged  in  the  raising  and  care  of  stock. 
This  period  being  Ijut  a  short  time  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  war,  general 
peace  and  harmony  in  that  locality  was  quite  unknown;  consequently  Mr. 
Stolz.  being  engaged  in  active  pursuits,  met  with  many  hair-breadth  escapes, 
which  he  vi\-idly  recalls.  He  came  to  ]\Ieadville  in  1872  and  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  Gill  &  Son.  in  the  tlour  and  feed  business,  and  succeeded  them  in  the 
retail  business  in  1885,  at  the  same  location.  No.  992  \\'ater  street,  at  which 
place  he  continues  to  conduct  a  large  establishment. 

April  4,  1878,  Mr.  Stolz  married  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  John  and  Eliza- 
beth Kreider,  of  A'ernon  townsliip,  Crawford  county.    Her  father  died  in  1873. 


William  H.  Andrews.  Titusville. — A  striking  instance  of  the  power  of 
energv  well  directed  is  th:.t  which  is  furnished  in  the  career  of  William  H. 
-Vndrews,  state  senator  from  Crawford  county  and  conspicuous  in  the  recent 
l)olitical  episodes  of  Pennsylvania.  ^Ir.  Andrews  comes  of  one  of  the  oldest 
families  in  this  country,  and  his  ser\ices  to  the  people,  coupled  with  his  excel- 
lent genealogical  connections,  place  him  high  upon  the  roll  which  embraces 
the  leading  men  of  the  commonwealth.  In  the  earlier  part  of  his  career  he 
was  prominent  as  a  business  man,  and  in  the  commercial  world  was  recognized 
as  an  energetic  and  enterprising"  man. 


888  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

W^illiam  H.  Andrews  was  born  in  Young'sville,  Warren  countv,  Pennsyl- 
\-ania,  Januar_\-  14,  1842.  One  of  his  paternal  ancestors  fought  under  the  ban- 
ner of  WilHam  the  Conqueror,  and  was  knighted  for  gallantry  and  meritorious 
service  in  the  battle  of  Hastings,  October  14,  1066.  On  his  mother's  side  Mr. 
Andrews  is  of  Puritan  descent,  the  first  of  his  maternal  ancestors  in  this  coun- 
try dating  his  advent  in  America  to  the  earliest  settlement  made  by  the  Massa- 
chusetts pilgrims.  A  great-grandfatlier  on  his  m<ither's  side  served  in  the 
Continental  army  during  the  Revolution,  and  was  imder  ]\Iontgomerv  at  the 
storming  of  Quebec ;  was  with  General  Gates  at  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne 
nt  Saratoga,  and  with  Washington  at  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  at  York- 
town.  Another  ancestor  served  under  Washington  throughout  the  struggle. 
In  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  also,  the  family  name  was  well  represented  among 
the  defenders  of  the  Union.  His  father.  Dr.  Jeremiah  Andrews,  was  born  in 
Mitchellstown,  Ireland,  educated  in  Dublin,  and  emigrated  to  this  country 
when  twentjf-five  years  of  age.  He  was  recognized  as  a  skillful  practitioner 
and  possessed  to  a  remarkable  degree  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  lived.  Dr.  Andrews'  wife,  the  mother  of  W.  H.  Andrews, 
was  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Noah  Weld,  a  member  of  one  of  the  oldest  families 
and  one  of  the  best  known  and  respected  citizens  of  Warren  county. 

After  obtaining  that  rudimentary  education  which  the  public  schools  of 
his  time  and  section  afforded  W.  H.  Andrews  entered  upon  a  mercantile  career, 
and  up  to  the  year  1880  was  largely  engaged  in  the  pursuits  thereof,  part  of 
the  time  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  subsequently  at  Meadville  and  Titusville, 
Pennsvlvania.  His  many  commendalile  traits  soon  brought  him  into  associa- 
tion with  the  local  managers  of  his  political  party,  and  in  this  way  he  developed 
a  liking  and  fitness  for  political  work,  and  he  became  one  of  the  most  earnest 
and  zealous  of  Republican  leaders  of  the  county.  In  1880  he  was  elected 
chairman  of  the  Republican  county  committee, — a  jxisition  he  held  for  three 
successive  terms.  He  was  again  unanimously  elected  in  1886.  He  served  with 
credit  to  himself  and  advantage  to  his  party  as  first  assistant  secretary  to  the 
Republican  state  committee  of  Pennsylvania  during  the  years  1887  and  1888, 
and  so  ably  did  he  discharge  the  duties  to  which  he  was  assigned  that  his  work 
obtained  hearty  recognition  from  the  older  party  leaders.  Tliev  were  so 
favorably  impressed  by  his  qualities  for  work  and  organization  and  his  prac- 
tical common  sense  that  he  was  made  chairman  of  the  state  committee  in  1888, 
and  was  unanimously  re-elected  in  1889  and  again  in  1890.  In  1889  he  further 
demonstrated  his  ability  as  a  party  leader  and  organizer  in  the  election  of 
Henry  K.  Boyer,  state  treasurer,  by  the  uncommonly  large  majority  of  over 
sixty  thousand,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  it  was  an  "ofif  year." 

In  1888  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature  from  Crawford  county;  again 
elected  in  1893,  and  sent  to  the  state  senate  in  1895,  which  position  he  now 
holds.    During  his  first  session  in  the  legislature  he  at  once  displayed  an  ability 


'S 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  889 

which  early  placed  him  in  the  fore  rank  as  a  parliamentarian  and  leader  of  more 
than  ordinary  capacity.  He  was  also  a  delegate  from  the  twenty-sixth  con- 
gressional district  of  Pennsylvania  to  the  Republican  national  convention  held 
at  St.  Louis,  June  10,  1896,  that  nominated  \\''illiam  McKinley  for  president 
of  the  United  States.  In  politics,  as  in  business,  Mr.  Andrews  is  scrupulously 
exact  in  discharging  his  obligations  and  fulfilling  his  promises,  and  his  word 
is  regarded  as  good  as  his  bond  in  any  transaction. 

]\Ir.  Andrews  has  been  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Rose  A.,  daugh- 
ter of  James  H.  Eddy,  of  Warren,  Pennsyh-ania,  to  whom  he  was  united 
October  18,  1862.  She  died  March  14,  1879.  On  June  30,  1881,  he  married 
Mary  Adelaide  Fry,  a  granddaughter  of  Thomas  Atkinson,  a  member  of  the 
first  legislature  of  the  state  and  editor  of  the  first  newspaper  published  west  of 
the  Alleghany  mountains.  Three  children  w  ere  born  to  the  first  marriage : 
W.  H.,  Jr.,  Frank  E.  and  Belle  R.,  only  the  last  of  whom  is  living.  She  is 
the  wife  of  J.  W.  Witherop,  formerl}-  of  Titusville,  but  now  residing  in 
Spokane,  Washington.  Two  children  have  been  born  to  the  second  marriage, 
— a  son  and  a  daughter.  The  son,  William  Stanley,  is  li\'ing,  and  the  daugh- 
ter. Marguerite  L.,  died  in  1886. 


John  Slwifstall.  \Vayne  township. — John  Shoffstall,  the  grandfather  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  came  into  the  county  in  1821.  His  son  Simeon 
married  Hannah  Pressler.  Their  only  child,  John,  was  born  on  the  farm  he 
now  occupies,  December  20,  1857.  He  married  Hattie  Shoffstall,  a  distant 
relative.  May  6,  1880,  and  their  children  are  Fred,  Edgar,  Clara  and  Gertrude. 
Mr.  Shoffstall  has  a  farm  of  eighty-five  acres. 


Eugene  IVood.  harness  and  saddle  manufacturer,  Cochranton,  was  born 
in  Mercer  county  in  1859,  son  of  Alonzo  and  Rebecca  (Mangus)  Wood;  the 
former  died  in  1887.  June  5,  1890,  Mr.  Wood  married  Anna,  daughter  of 
James  and  Rachel  Fleming,  and  they  have  one  daughter,  Helen  Louise,  born 
August  22,  1895.  Mr.  Wood  purchased  his  present  business  of  Gilbert  Dom- 
bet  in  1889,  which  he  has  since  conducted. 


Mead  Johnson,  farmer,  was  born  in  Randolph  township,  Crawford  county, 
in  1832.  a  son  of  Alexander  and  Betsy  (Slanson)  Johnson,  natives  of  Harris- 
burg,  Pennsylvania.  Alexander  Johnson  was  a  son  of  Alexander,  Sr.,  a  native 
of  Ireland  who  located  in  Randolph  township  in  1799.  An  uncle,  Joseph  John- 
son, purchased  an  adjoining  farm  in  an  early  day.  where  he  resided  during 
bis  lifetime  and  died  at  the  age  of  thirt}'-four  years.  Alexander.  Sr..  died 
March  12.  1872,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  the  fifth  child  of  a  family  of  nine  children  as  follows : 
Joseph,  John  and  James,  deceased;  A.  C. ;  Mead;  Henry;  Phebe,  wife  of  J.  J. 


890  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Preston;  Charlotte,  deceased;  and  Mary,  wife  of  Martin  Boyd.  In  1856  Mr. 
Johnson  was  united  in  marriage  with  Susie  E.  Graham,  daughter  of  David 
Graham,  of  Randolph  township,  and  their  children  are  Frank,  Dudlow,  Ver- 
mont, and  Hartsan,  Titusville.  Mr.  Johnson  came  to  Titusville  in  1879  from 
his  native  township,  and  has  since  been  employed  in  the  marble  business,  to- 
gether with  stock  and  farming  interests,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  Republican. 


John  F.  Coleman,  musician,  Titusville,  is  a  native  of  Rochester,  New 
York,  born  January  22.  1842,  of  German  parentage.  Professor  Coleman  first 
started  what  is  now  the  celebrated  Coleman's  Orchestra  and  Brass  Band  in 
the  year  1865.  He  first  began  his  musical  education  in  Rochester  at  the  age 
of  twelve  years,  which  had  shown  great  development  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
years.  He  was  enrolled  with  the  Fifty-fourth  Regimental  Band  on  the  13th 
day  of  August,  1864,  to  serve  one  hundred  days,  and  by  reason  of  the  tern; 
of  the  regiment  having  expired  he  was  mustered  out  on  the  10th  day  of 
November,  1864.  He  then  returned  to  Titusville,  where  he  has  since  followed 
his  chosen  profession. 

As  a  vocation  he  has  taught  violin  and  brass  instruments,  and  has  won  an 
enviable  reputation  not  only  in  his  own  town  but  also  in  a  far-reaching  terri- 
tory. In  Titusville  he  is  known  not  only  as  the  founder  of  musical  organiza- 
tions, but  is  also  a  recognized  leader  and  an  artist  of  recognized  ability.  It 
may,  perhaps,  be  well  to  mention  that  Professor  Coleman  is  entitled  tn  due 
credit  for  all  the  achievements  that  Titus\ille  bears  in  local  musical  fame, 
while  the  violin,  his  favorite  instrument,  he  finds  most  fully  in  unison  with 
the  various  instruments,  and  giving  the  peculiai'  charm  to  music  in  its  truest 
sense. 

Tune  12.  1867,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  ]\Iiss  Caroline  Eichenlaub. 
of  Titusville,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  eight  children,  as  follows  :  Mary, 
deceased;  Joseph,  deceased  ;  John  F. ;  George  L. :  Edward,  deceased  :  Clara  M. ; 
May  Ruth,  and  Fred.    Professor  Coleman  is  a  member  of  the  Royal  Arcanum. 


/.  /.  Cochran,  of  Cochrantcm,  was  born  ;\Iay  14.  1837,  a  son  of  Joseph  J. 
and  Susan  E.  (Hugh)  Cochran,  natives  of  Adams  county,  Pennsylvania,  of 
Scotch-Irish  descent.  Mr.  Cochran  bears  the  distinction  of  being  the  son  of  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  borough  in  which  he  resides  and  for  whom  it  was  named. 
His  father,  Joseph  J.,  was  born  May  10,  1809,  and  died  in  1846.  His  mother, 
Susan,  was  born  Februar>-  11,  iSio,  and  died  in  1884.  They  had  two  children 
—John  J.  and  Margaret  J. — the  latter  formerly  the  wife  of  M.  H.  McComb, 
who  died  December  18,  1885.  ilr.  Cochran  was  married  in  Adamsville,  this 
county,  December  25,  i860,  to  ^lary,  daughter  of  Alexander  (Kennedy)  Mc- 
Kee,  and  to  them  have  been  born  seven  children:  Margaret  E.,  who  married 
John  McCabe;    Jennie   R.,   married   to   Charles  Rood,    Montana;   Rose   A.. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  891 

who  became  the  wife  of  George  Lawrence,  of  Kansas;  Joseph  A.,  Cochran- 
ton :  James  H..  \\ith  the  Anaconda  Copper  Company,  Montana;  \^'i^iam  H., 
in  the  mercantile  business  at  Dillon,  Montana;  and  Charles  H.,  deceased. 
Joseph  Cochran  taught  the  first  school  in  the  village  of  Cochranton.  and  being 
a  surveyor  assisted  in  arranging  the  town  plat. 


Henry  Hart,  a  farmer,  of  \Vest  Fairfield  township,  began  active  life  in 
that  township  more  than  three-quarters  of  a  century  ago,  and  has  during  the 
years  intervening  been  more  to  his  home  locality,  in  his  active  business  life, 
than  the  a\-erage  citizen  is  wont  to  be.  He  has  been  an  extensive  land  owner, 
having  in  his  possession  as  high  as  se\'en  liundred  acres  at  one  time.  He  has 
also  been  an  extensive  cattle  dealer,  and  took  large  droves  "over  the  moun- 
tains," during  the  earlier  days,  obtaining  large  and  remimerative  sums  of 
money.  He  has  led  a  life  of  great  activity  and  no  undertaking  seemed  too 
great.  Imbued  with  a  generous  nature,  he  has  been  foremost  in  many  worthy 
enterprises.  He  has  been  constable  five  years,  assessor  and  treasurer,  and  his 
duties  were  well  performed. 

Henry  Hart  was  born  r^Iarch  12,  181 5,  a  son  of  Phillip  and  Catharine 
(Zeck)  Hart,  natives  of  York  county;  was  married  July  3,  1845,  ^"^  his 
children  are,  Samuel  P. ;  William  P.,  who  married  Elizabeth  Berry;  Emily  J., 
wife  of  William  K.  Hill;  Mary  C. ;  Sarah  Armeta;  Henry  Harrison,  who 
married  Sarah  Ann  Nelson;  Ida  Annetta,  wife  of  Sylvester  Louper;  Elizabeth 
Adeline,  wife  of  Frank  M.  Bryson ;  Prescott  Metcalf,  who  married  Margaret 
C.  Beninger;  Homer  and  Clinton.  Sarah  Armeta  died  April  28,  1854,  and 
Catherine  died  December  29,  1856. 


Jacob  Fisher,  of  Bloomfield  township,  is  a  son  of  Michael  and  Elizabeth 
Fisher,  and  grandson  of  Adam  Fisher,  and  was  born  in  Germany,  November 
28,  1840.  In  1852  he  came  to  Ohio,  where  he  resided  until  1856,  when  he  came 
to  Anthony  township,  Pennsylvania, ,  to  live  with  his  uncle,  Peter  Fisher, 
with  whom  he  remained  until  i860.  He  then  returned  to  Ohio,  and  in  1861 
he  went  tij  Douglas  City,  California,  where  he  enlisted  in  Company  M.  First 
Regiment.  California  Cavalry,  April  28,  1863.  He  remained  with  the  regiment 
until  May,  1866,  and  received  an  honorable  discharge  January  31,  1867.  He 
married  Mary  E.  Knight  and  settled  in  Anthony  township,  Pennsylvania, 
where  his  wife  died  October  12,  1871,  leaving  two  children:  William  E.,  a 
postal  clerk  at  Salamanca,  New  York,  who  married  Ella  Niles,  of  Edinboro, 
Pennsylvania,  and  Nancy  M.,  now  Mrs.  W.  G.  Reynolds.  Mr.  Fisher  married 
for  his  second  wife,  Mary  A.  Grose,  on  February  27,  1872.  The  family  are 
members  of  the  Evangelical  church. 


892  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

John  W.  Scott,  of  Rome  township,  is  a  son  of  Nathan  H.  and  CaroHne  H. 
(  Parker)  Scott,  and  was  born  August  12,  1849,  in  Clarion,  Pennsylvania.  His 
father  was  born  in  Broome  county,  New  York.  January  i,  1875,  he  married 
Philura  P.  Jones,  daughter  of  Plenry  S.  and  Almira  (Smith)  Jones.  He 
settled  in  Athens  township,  where  he  was  a  farmer  and  shoemaker.  In  1892 
he  moved  to  Centerville,  where  he  now  lives  and  is  proprietor  of  the  hotel. 
He  has  three  sons,^ — Ray  H.,  Lyle  C.  and  Don  W.  He  is  a  member  of  Town- 
ville  Lodge,  No.  929,  P  O.  O.  F.,  and  also  a  member  of  the  Empire  State  De- 
gree of  Honor. 


LaK'rciicc  Eugene  Mullen. — Prominent  among  the  successful  agricultu- 
rists of  Crawford  county  is  the  subject  of  this  review,  L.  E.  Mullen,  of  West 
Shenango  township.  He  comes  from  one  of  the  sterling  pioneer  families  of 
this  section  of  Pennsylvania,  originally  of  sturdy  old  New  England  stock.  At 
an  early  day  in  the  annals  of  this  county,  William  Mullen,  of  Connecticut, 
came  to  make  his  home  in  the  wilds  of  South  Shenango  township,  and  there 
hewed  out  a  farm  in  the  midst  of  the  dense  forest  and  dwelt  there  until  his 
death,  at  the  age  of  four-score.  There  the  father  of  our  subject,  Richard 
Mullen,  was  born  and  reared,  and  spent  much  of  his  later  life,  though  for  some 
years  he  resided  across  the  state  line,  in  Ohio.  He  died  on  his  homestead 
there  in  1888,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three  years,  and  is  survived  by  his  widow, 
who  is  still  living  at  her  old  Ohio  home.  Pa  her  girlhood  she  bore  the  name  of 
Mary  Ann  Brittan.  As  a  farmer  Mr.  Mullen  was  successful,  and  owned,  at 
different  times,  several  farms  in  West  Shenango  township. 

Lawrence  Eugene  Mullen,  who  is  now  ser\'ing  his  fellow-citizens  in  the 
capacity  of  township  collector  of  taxes,  this  being  his  second  year  in  the  office, 
was  for  six  years  a  member  of  the  local  school  board,  and  in  many  ways  has 
sought  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  our  educational  methods  in  this  vicinity. 
He  espouses  the  principles  of  the  Democratic  party,  and  is  now  in  favor  of 
free  silver.  The  only  fraternity  with  which  he  has  identified  himself  is  that 
of  the  \\"oodmen  of  the  World. 

The  birth  of  L.  E.  Mullen  occurred  about  forty  years  ago,  on  March  29. 
1859,  in  Turnersville,  Crawford  county.  He  went  with  his  parents  to  Ohio, 
upon  their  removal  thither,  and  assisted  in  the  management  of  their  farm  until 
he  reached  his  majority.  In  1885  he  came  to  his  present  farm,  which  now  com- 
prises two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  nearly  all  of  which  is  kept  under  high 
cultivation.  .  It  afifords  excellent  pasturage  to  the  large  number  of  cattle  which 
he  usuallv  keeps,  and  at  present  he  owns  thirty-one  coivs,  besides  other  live 
stock.  -Success  has  crowned  his  industrious  efiforts  and  if  he  chose  to  do  so, 
he  might  even  now  retire  with  an  assured  competence,  sufficient  to  supply  his 
needs  during  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

April  25.   1883.  IMr.  Mullen  married  :Miss  Viola  Phelps,  of  Richmond, 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  893 

Ohio.  Tliey  are  the  parents  of  four  fine  boys,  namely  :  Josepli  Nelson,  James 
Free.  Bliss  B.,  and  Harley  Eugene.  They  are  of  great  assistance  to  their 
father  in  the  farm  work  and  are  rapidl}-  developing  into  robust,  well-balanced 
manhood. 


John  JJ\  Babcock,  deceased. — During  the  greater  part  of  his  active  busi- 
ness career  John  W.  Babcock,  long  an  honored  citizen  of  Meadville,  was  con- 
nected with  railroading,  and  was  considered  one  of  the  most  reliable  and 
trustwortliy  employees  of  the  various  corporations  with  which  he  was  con- 
nected. His  busy  and  useful  life  came  to  a  sudden  close  on  the  15th  of  July. 
1892,  when,  apparently  in  liis  u^ual  health,  he  was  in  the  Commercial  Hotel, 
of  this  city. 

The  birth  of  our  subject  took  place  in  Newburg.  Ohio,  September  24, 
1840,  and  while  he  was  a  small  boy  his  parents  removed  to  ^^"isconsin,  where 
the  father  engaged  in  farming.  Desiring  to  aid  his  senior  in  paying  for  his 
property.  John  \\\  secured  a  position  on  the  Cincinnati  &  ^Marietta  Railroad, 
and  turned  u\'cr  much  (if  his  wages  to  his  father  for  some  time.  Finally  the 
youth  became  a'  conductor  for  the  company,  but  during  the  civil  war  he  was 
in  the  government  service,  as  yard-master  of  a  railroad  in  North  Carolina. 

In  the  fall  of  1864  Mr.  Babcock  came  to  Meadville,  and,  entering  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Atlantic  &  Great  \\'estern  Railroad  (now  the  Erie),  under  Super- 
intendent Lyford,  he  acted  at  different  times  in  the  offices  of  conductor  and 
yard  master.  In  1866  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  yards  in  Oil  City  and 
Franklin,  after  which  he  went  on  the  road  as  a  freight  conductor,  and  from 
1870  to  1887  was  a  passenger  conductor  on  the  same  line,  chiefly  on  the  Frank- 
lin branch,  with  the  exception  of  two  years  when  he  was  yard  master  in  Mead- 
ville. On  the  6th  of  April,  1887,  he  was  appointed  train  master  here,  under 
the  superintcndency  of  Mr.  Brunn,  and  this  position  he  retained  until  he  saw 
fit  to  tender  his  resignation  January  i,  1890.  Subsequently,  he  was  vice- 
president  of  the  Speed  Recorder  Company,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was 
general  superintendent  of  the  Wilkins'  Shoe-Button  Fastener  Company,  with 
which  he  had  been  connected  for  several  years. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Babcock  was  a  Rejnililican.  and  in  1886  he  was  honored  liy 
Ijeing  elected  mayor  of  ]\Ieadvil]e  b}'  one  of  the  largest  majorities  ever  given  to 
a  local  candidate,  and  he  served  acceptably  for  one  term.  Fraternally,  he  was 
a  Mason  of  high  standing,  as  he  had  attained  the  thirty-second  degree.  He 
also  belonged  to  French  Creek  Council,  of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  and  for  years 
was  associated  with  the  local  division  of  the  Order  of  Railroad  Conductors. 
A  man  of  strong  mental  and  physical  powers,  strictly  temperate  in  his  habits 
and  honorable  and  just  in  all  his  dealings,  he  commanded  the  esteem  and 
respect  of  all  who  knew  him.  From  his  boyhood  he  was  noted  for  his  love  of 
nature,  and  he  took  special  delight  in  leaving  the  haunts  of  men  and.  with  his 


894  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

favorite  dogs,  spent  many  an  hour  tramping  tln-ougli  the  woods  and  fields.  He 
bore  a  reputation  througlK  ait  this  section  of  being  one  of  the  most  expert  of 
"wing  shots." 

In  the  domestic  circle  Mr.  Babcock  was  seen  at  his  best,  for  he  was  devoted 
to  his  family  and  home.  September  20,  1871,  he  married  Miss  Melda  Story, 
of  Meadville.  and  she,  with  their  two  sons,  Fred  W.  and  Jesse,  survive.  F.  W. 
was  graduated  in  the  Philadelphia  Medical  College  in  1894,  and  for  a  period 
was  employed  as  a  surgeon  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  after  which  he  practiced  his 
profession  for  about  two  years  in  Jackson,  Michigan.  In  1898,  during  the 
Spanish-American  war,  he  accepted  a  position  as  a  surgeon  in  the  United  States 
Army,  and  acquitted  himself  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  concerned. 


Frank  B.  Lester,  Richmond  township. — Charles  Lester  came  from  White- 
hall, Xew  York,  and  settled  in  Crawford  county  in  1845.  His  son  Thomas 
married  Rhoda  Russell,  and  to  them  was  born  Frank  B.,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  August  19,  1861.  In  1882  Frank  married  Kate,  daughter  of  Jonathan 
and  Mirr.nda  Cowden.  They  have  one  son,  by  name  Clyde.  Mr.  Lester  lives 
upon  his  farm  of  thirty-nine  acres,  and  also  cultivates  the  farm  of  his  mother, 
which  lies  adjacent.     His  father  and  one  uncle  were  in  the  armv. 


John  Tiddington  Ray,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Frankfort,  Pennsylvania,  in 
1817.  graduated  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  and  located  at  Greenville, 
where  he  practiced  medicine  from  1842  to  1854,  when  he  located  at  Meadville, 
where  he  acted  as  first  pension  examiner,  the  first  in  Meadville.  He  was 
also  surgeon  for  the  Erie  Railroad.  In  1844  he  married  Elizabeth  J.  Eves,  of 
New  Castle.  Delaware.  He  was  a  Mason,  Odd  Fellow,  and  died  February 
12.  1874. 


Joseph  York,  deceased,  was  born  in  the  town  of  West  Henrietta,  Monroe 
county,  Xew  York,  January  14,  1819,  and  died  in  Meadville,  July  5,  1892. 
He  was  descended  from  New  England  ancestry.  His  father,  Jeremiah  York, 
was  born  in  the  town  of  Randolph,  Monroe  county,  November  15,  1783,  and 
his  mother  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  February  18,  1783.  Their  marriage  was 
celebrated  in  Randolph,  Vermont,  March  16,  1807.  and  about  1823  they  re- 
moved to  Cattaraugus  county.  New  York,  locating  in  the  Genesee  valley  when 
it  was  an  unbroken  wilderness.  They  became  the  parents  of  six  children, 
namely:  L.  C. ;  Ellen,  who  died  in  infancy;  Lavinia;  Hannah;  Joseph  and 
Jeremiah. 

At  an  early  age  Joseph  York  entered  upon  his  business  career,  through 
the  aid  of  his  older  brother  securing  a  position  with  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio 
Railroad  Company.  After  a  time  he  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  engineer 
.and  later  he  severed  his  connection  with  the  railroad  company  in  order  to  en- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  895 

gage  in  luisiness  on  his  own  account.  About  this  time  he  married  Juhtte, 
daughter  of  Sanford  Holbrook,  of  Monroe  county,  New  York,  and  soon  after- 
•\vard  entered  into  partnersliip  with  his  brotlier-in-law.  Sanford  F.  Holbrook, 
in  the  Inmlier  business.  They  also  engaged  in  rafting  logs  on  the  Ohio  river, 
but  after  a  few  months  the  partnership  was  dissolved  and  Mr.  York  removed 
his  family  to  Dover,  Kentucky,  in  order  to  be  in  closer  touch  with  his  busi- 
ness. The  venture,  however,  did  not  prove  successful  and  returning  to  the 
Empire  state  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Erie  Railroad  Company. 

Not  long  after  Mrs.  York  died,  leaving-  a  young  son,  W.  H.,  and  as  the 
result  of  a  general  strike  Mr.  York  lost  his  position  as  engineer.  He  next 
entered  the  employ  of  the  Michigan  Southern  Railroad,  was  afterward  with  the 
Delaware  &  Lackawanna  Railroad,  and  at  the  time  of  the  construction  of  ihe 
Atlantic  &  Great  Western  Road  he  entered  the  employ  of  that  company.  Re- 
moving at  the  time  to  Meadville  he  continued  with  that  road  under  its  various 
managements  during  the  remainder  of  his  railway  career.  At  the  opening  of 
the  ^^^orld's  Columbian  Exposition  in  1893  he  was  chosen  to  run  a  grass- 
hopper engine,  of  which  he  had  had  charge  as  engineer  sixty  years  before  on 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio.  In  June  he  was  taken  ill  and  returned  to  his  home, 
where  he  died  two  weeks  later.  He  was  one  of  the  oldest  railroad  men  of  the 
country  and  was  widely  and  prominently  known  in  railroad  circles. 

Mr.  York  was  a  second  time  married,  his  union  being  with  Elvira  B.,  widow 
of  Ephraim  Altenburg,  and  a  daughter  of  Josiah  and  Julilana  Bushnell,  of 
Napoli,  Cattaraugus  county.  New  York.  She  still  survives  her  husband.  His 
only  surviving  son  is  an  engineer  on  the  Jacksonville  &  St.  Augustine  Rail- 
road, a  position  he  has  held  for  several  years. 


WiUiani  H.  Forkcr.  son  of  Samuel,  was  Ijorn  ^larch  21.  1828.  in  Mead- 
ville, and  is  a  gunsmith.  In  1849  ^^^  married  Elizabeth  Harrington  and  they 
nad  seven  children,  five  of  whom  are  still  living.  He  is  an  active  member  of 
Crawford  Lodge,  No.  234;  Solomon  Chapter,  No.  191;  Northwestern  Com- 
mandery,  No.  25,  and  also  joined  the  North  Star  Lodge  in  1853. 

His  son,  M.  Tarbelt  Forker,  was  born  October  24,  1866,  learned  photo- 
engraving of  M.  Wolf,  of  Dayton,  Ohio.  He  married  Mamie  Horn  and  has 
one  child,  Major  Tarbelt,  Jr. 

Samuel  Forker,  grandfather  of  Wm.  H.,  was  born  in  Brownville,  Penn- 
sylvania, November  25,  1798,  and  came  to  Meadville  in  1823.  He  married 
Rohannah  Paxton  and  they  had  four  children.  He  was  a  gunsmith  by  trade 
and  had  two  brothers  that  were  gunsmiths.  He  was  also  county  commissioner 
and  died  July  29,  i860,  and  his  wife  died  February  9,  1875. 

Adam  Forker,  father  of  Samuel,  came  to  Mercer,  Pennsylvania,  from  New 
Jersey  and  was  a  blacksmith. 


S96  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.    ■ 

John  Vancisc. — Among  the  early  settlers  of  Crawford  county  was  John 
Vancise,  who,  coming  here  from  Westfield,  New  York,  located  on  the  farm 
in  Athens  township,  now  owned  by  William  Marsh.  His  wife  was  a  Miss 
Margaret  E.  King,  a  daughter  of  Captain  Joseph  T.  King,  and  unto  them 
eight  children  were  torn.  Five  of  the  number  have  passed  away  and  only  three 
sons  sur\i\e.  namely:  Oscar  L.,  George  A\'.  and  John.  The  parents  followed 
agricultural  pursuits  as  long  as  they  lived,  and  continued  to  dwell  in  this  town- 
ship until  death. 

John  Vancise,  Jr.,  was  born  August  31,  1840,  and  was  but  two  vears  of 
age  when  he  came  to  this  locality.  Since  he  grew  to  manhood  he  has  given  his 
whole  time  and  attention  to  farming,  his  home  being  in  Athens  township. 
^^'hile  the  Civil  war  was  in  progress  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Eighty-third 
Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  went  to  the  front.  At  the  battle  of 
Preble's  Farm,  September  29,  1864,  he  was  severely  wounded  in  the  left  fore- 
arm and  shoulder,  and  after  suffering  for  many  months  he  w-as  honorably  dis- 
ciiarged  from  the  Lincoln  general  hospital,  .\pril  14,  1865. 

Ere  the  close  of  that  memorable  year  Mr.  Vancise  married  Miss  Maritta 
Elderkin.  a  daughter  of  Phineas  and  Maria  (Noble)  Elderkin.  Ten  children 
came  to  bless  their  union,  and  all  but  two  of  the  number  survive. 


Joliii  Hiiies,  son  of  Anson  Hines,  was  born  at  Angola,  New  York,  in  1849, 
and  \\hen  fifteen  years  of  age  became  brakeman  on  the  W.  S.  Railroad,  and 
two  years  later  he  located  at  Randolph,  w  here  he  was  brakeman  on  the  Erie 
Railroad  from  Meadville  to  Salamanca.  March  23,  1877.  he  became  con- 
ductor, which  he  continued  until  1896.  In  February.  1877.  he  married  Amanda 
M.  Gehr  and  has  resided  in  ^leadville  since  March  17.  1897.  He  purchased 
the  Farler  Bottling  Works.  He  is  a  member  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.  and  Order  of 
Railwav  Conductors. 


George  L.  Bresee.  of  Richmond  township,  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  and  Eliza 
(Douglas)  Bresee,  and  was  born  in  this  township  in  1851.  His  grandfather, 
Michael,  who  was  of  French  extraction,  came  into  the  county  from  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Rochester.  New  York,  in  1820.  In  1874  Mr.  Bresee  married  Ettie, 
daughter  of  Seymour  and  Jane  ^lorris  Teed,  of  Randolph.  They  have  no 
living  children.  Mr.  Bresee  resides  on  his  farm  of  forty  acres  about  one  mile 
north  of  Hickorv  Corners.    He  has  also  a  small  farm  in  Randolph  township. 


Charles  E.  Baldziin.  deceased,  was  born  in  Meadville,  in  1845,  and  was  a 
son  of  Jesse  and  Elizabeth  (Hale)  Baldwin,  who  were  natives  of  southern 
Pennsylvania.  Their  ancestors  were  prominent  residents  of  Meadville  two 
centuries  ago.  Before  coming  to  this  city  the  parents  conducted  a  hotel  at 
Saegerstown.     Thev  reared  four  children  :  John,  a  resident  of  Chicago ;  Jesse, 


'-&'■ 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  897 

who  is  living  in  Princeton,  Indiana ;  Rebecca,  wife  of  Conrad  Ottenstadter.  of 
Meadville;  and  Charles  E..  who  is  the  youngest.  In  1870  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Catherine  Schenck,  who  were 
natives  of  New  York  and  located  in  Mead  township  about  1848.  They  had 
eight  children  :  Frederick,  deceased  :  Elizabeth  :  Louise,  wife  of  Joseph  Delard. 
of  Dallas,  Texas;  John  Lewis,  who  is  living  in  Akron,  Ohio;  William,  an 
engineer  on  the  Erie  Railroad ;  Henry,  a  conductor  on  the  same  road ;  Frank, 
a  resident  of  Townville :  and  Mrs.  Baldwin.  For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Bald- 
win was  engaged  in  the  grocery  business,  and  was  successfully  conducting  his 
store  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1880.  He  left  a  widow  and 
three  children  to  mourn  his  loss,  the  latter  being  Louise  Isabella,  Rebecca  An- 
nesti  and  Marion  Eugene. 


Edzmrd  Pctfitt.  a  son  of  Philip  Pettitt,  was  born  in  Suffolkshire,  Eng- 
land, and  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  Canada  at  an  early  day.  About  1862  he 
settled  in  Rockdale,  Crawford  county,  and  is  still  living  in  that  place.  He  chose 
Clarissa  Grant,  a  daughter  of  Duncan  Grant,  for  his  wife. 

Allen  Pettitt,  a  son,  was  born  in  1847.  In  1864  he  ran  away  from  home 
and  enlisted  in  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and  Seventh  Regiment  of  Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers,  serving  with  them  until  they  were  honorably  discharged. 
Since  the  close  of  the  war  he  has  been  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and 
for  the  past  thirteen  years  he  has  made  his  home  in  the  town  of  Little  Cooley, 
Athens  township,  Crawford  county. 

Mr.  Pettitt  married  Miss  Geda  Bunce,  daughter  of  Horace  and  Fanny 
(Brown)  Bunce.  She  died,  leaving  motherless  three  children.  Hickory.  Lillie 
and  Donna. 


Harry  Radebiish. — Michael  Radebush  came  from  the  eastern  part  of  the 
state  and  settled  in  Crawford  county  early  in  its  history.  To  his  son  George 
and  his  wife,  Eliza  Gilmore,  of  Woodcock,  was  born  Harry,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  September  9,  1859,  in  Blooming  \\illey.  In  1882  he  married 
Addie.  daughter  of  \\'esley  Davison.  They  ha\e  three  children, — Belva,  Lela 
and  Cynthia.  ]\Ir.  Radebush  lives  on  his  farm  of  sixty-one  acres,  located 
alx)ut  one  mile  from  Blooming  \^alley.  His  older  brother,  Oscar,  was  a  soldier 
in  the  Civil  war. 


IVilliam  H.  Hardy,  son  of  John  Hardy,  was  born  at  Geneva,  New  York, 
in  1853,  was  educated  at  the  public  schools  of  Geneva,  and  learned  massage 
treatment  at  the  Hygienic  Institute  of  Geneva.  In  1872  he  married  Delia 
A.  Johnson  and  has  three  children.  In  1885  he  came  to  Saegerstown  and 
worked  for  Eureka  Mineral  Springs  Company,  giving  baths  and  massage 
treatment,  and  in  November,  1896,  opened  Turkish  bathrooms  in  Meadville. 


898  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

George  W.  MarsteUcr,  deceased,  was  born  in  1866  and  died  October  13, 
1896.  He  was  a  son  of  Jesse  and  Mary  Ann  (  McClinstoch)  Marsteller.  The 
former  died  June  20,  1891.  Our  subject  married  Jennie,  daughter  of  H.  D. 
and  Jane  (Record)  Walker,  of  East  Fairfield  township,  who  with  two  twin 
daughters, — Esty  May  and  Jessie  Day, — survive.  Mrs.  Marsteller  is  the 
second  child  of  a  family  of  seven  children,  viz. :  William  A.  Walker ;  Jennie 
S.,  wife  of  subject ;  Wilson  M. ;  John  R. ;  James  N. ;  Mary  E. ;  and  Stewart  F. 
Walker.  He  was  of  a  family  of  five  children :  Edward ;  Madison,  deceased ; 
Monroe,  Delia,  deceased,  and  Grace.,  Mr.  Marsteller  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools,  was  a  highly  respected  citizen,  and  a  kind  and  loving  husband  and 
father.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  Cochranton. 
in  which  he  was  an  active  worker,  and  also  in  the  Cochranton  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F. 


Afilo  F.  Shrcz'c,  Richmond  township. — The  Shreve  family  originated  in 
Greece,  from  which  some  of  its  members  emigrated  to  France.  On  account 
of  religious  differences  they  removed  to  Holland,  but,  not  being  pleased  there, 
afterward  crossed  the  ocean  and  settled  in  New  Jersey.  One  of  them  was 
employed  by  General  Washington,  who  gave  him  control  of  a  large  tract  of  land 
and  a  mill.  His  son  Brazil  settled  at  Riceville,  where  he  built  a  mill.  His 
son,  Oliver  H.  P.,  also  a  miller,  was  the  father  of  seven  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, all  of  whom  are  living.  One  of  these,  Milo  F.,  was  born  July  7,  1845,  ^t 
Riceville.  In  i860  he  married  Mahala,  daughter  of  Jedidiah  Shafer,  of  Rice- 
ville. Their  children  are  Ernest,  Harry  and  Forrest.  His  wife  dying,  Mr. 
Shreve  married,  in  1875,  Alzada,  daughter  of  Philander  Sherlock.  Their 
children  are  Preston,  Emma,  Susie,  Bennie  and  All^ert.  Mr.  Shreve  lives  upon 
his  farm  of  ninety-six  acres,  and  has  another  of  twenty-one  acres.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  United  Brethren  church. 


Frank  W.  Smith,  of  Randolph  township,  is  the  grandson  of  Lemmel  Smith, 
who  came  into  the  county  at  an  early  day  from  Massachusetts.  The  children 
of  Lemmel  are  Nelson,  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  Lemmel,  Jr. ; 
Sarah,  wife  of  Merritt  Hall ;  Mary  Estie,  wife  of  Leonard  Delamater ,  and 
Hannah,  wife  of  Daniel  Bannister.  Frank  W.  has  five  brothers :  Herman, 
William,  Beecher,  Ansel  and  Millard.  Born  in  1863,  Mr.  Smith  married  Jane, 
daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Murdoch,  in  1887.  They  have  three  daughters, — 
Patty,  Joye  and  Henrietta. 

Homer  E.  Bollard. — In  every  community  there  are  representative  citizens 
who  stand  for  all  that  is  beneficial  to  the  general  public  and  who  are  always 
confidently  relied  upon  to  cast  their  influence  on  the  side  of  good  government, 
law  and  order,  and  to  uphold  those  things  which  make  for  progress,  peace  and 
prosperity.     Of  this  class  is  Homer  E.  Bollard,  a  sterling  citizen  of  Conneaut 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  899 

township,  Crawford  county.  He  is  a  thrifty,  industrious  agriculturist,  and 
has  taken  quite  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  his  locahty,  serving  as  road  super- 
visor for  several  terms  and  officiating  in  other  minor  positions  of  more  or  less 
responsibility.  For  years  he  has  used  his  right  of  franchise  in  favor  of  the 
Republican  party. 

The  father  of  the  above-named  gentleman  was  John  Bollard,  a  native 
of  England.  There  he  grew  to  manhood  and  learned  the  shoemaker's  trade, 
which  calling  he  followed  for  a  number  of  years  with  success,  both  in  his  native 
isle  and  in  the  United  States.  Upon  his  arrival  on  this  continent,  he  settled 
in  Ashtabula  county,  Ohio,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  up  to  the  fall  of 
1850,  when  he  came  to  this  county,  and  purchased  a  farm  in  Conneaut  town- 
ship. Here  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  occupied  in  the  development 
and  cultivation  of  his  homestead.  He  died  when  sixty-eight  years  of  age, 
respected  and  esteemed  by  a  wide  circle  of  friends.  He  was  a  member  and  for 
a  great  many  years  a  deacon  in  the  Congregational  church  and  was  liberal  in 
his  donations  to  all  worthy  enterprises  of  a  religious  or  benevolent  nature. 
Though  not  a  rich  man  he  left  a  good  estate,  which  was  divided  among  his 
children.  His  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Elzina  Barnum,  was  a  native  of 
Ashtabula  county,  Ohio,  and  died  when  in  her  forty-ninth  year.  Of  their  eight 
children  Elizabeth  Ann  is  the  wife  of  John  Wyatt;  Mary  married  Hiram 
Waters;  Richard  D.  is  the  present  county  recorder  of  Pocahontas  county, 
Iowa;  Homer  E.  is  the  next  in  order  of  birth;  Emma  F.  died  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  years ;  Joseph  B.  is  engaged  in  business  in  Fonda,  Iowa ;  John  E.  died 
at  the  age  of  thirty  years ;  and  Sarah  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Tyler. 

Homer  E.  Bollard  was  born  in  Ashtabula  county,  Ohio,  June  15,  1849, 
and  was  brought  to  this  county  in  his  infancy.  Here  he  was  reared  to  be  a 
good  and  useful  citizen  and  thoroughly  initiated  into  the  various  departments 
of  farming.  \\'hen  he  was  twenty-two  years  old  he  started  on  an  independent 
life  and  two  years  later  was  married  and  settled  down.  His  farm  comprises 
eighty-nine  acres,  all  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  showing  the  watchful 
attention  bestowed  by  the  owner.  He  has  become  well-to-do  by  the  exercise  of 
good  judgment,  industry  and  economy,  and  has  an  abundance  for  his  declm- 
ing  years.  He  has  been  active  in  the  work  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  Sunday-school,  having  been  a  class-leader  and  steward,  and  at  present  is 
the  superintendent  of  the  school  and  trustee  of  the  parsonage.  Fraternally, 
he  is  identified  with  the  Junior  Order  of  United  American  Mechanics. 

In  1873  Mr.  Bollard  married  Miss  Almeda  Bean,  of  Beaver  township, 
and  four  children  blessed  their  union.  One  died  in  infancy,  and  the  others  are 
Grace  A.,  Glenn  D.  and  John  Dale,  all  at  home. 

Enoch  Barnum,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  our  subject,  was  a  native  of 
New  Jersev  and  removed  to  Ohio,  then  a  western  state,  at  an  early  day,  and 
there  devoted  himself  to  farming.     He  was  a  hero  of  the  war  of   1812,  m 


t> 


900  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

wliicli  lie  served  as  a  private,  and  during  that  conflict  he  lost  his  arm  b)'  the 
accidental  discharge  of  a  gun,  while  he  was  on  a  march,  and  for  that  misfor- 
tune he  was  granted  a  pension,  which  he  drew  as  long  as  he  lived. 


Henry  Roberts,  of  West  Fairfield  township,  was  born  in  Deer  Creek 
township,  Mercer  county,  in  1872,  and  came  into  Crawford  county  with  his 
parents,  Addison  P.  and  Sarah  Roberts,  about  1887.  He  has  three  sisters: 
Minnie,  wife  of  C.  P.  Boylan ;  Marj',  wife  of  T.  A.  Stover,  and  Janey,  wife 
of  George  Baker;  and  one  brother,  Samuel  J.  On  July  11,  1892,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Lizzie,  daughter  of  Francis  and  Margaret  Ann  Bayley,  of 
West  Fairfield. 


fames  Cooper,  \\'est  Fairfield  township. — Robert  and  Elizabeth  Cooper 
came  into  Crawford  from  Portage  county,  Ohio,  about  1842.  They  reared 
a  family  of  eleven  children:  Jane,  wife  of  Andrew  Reed;  John;  Mary  Ann, 
wife  of  George  Eaton;  Adeline,  wife  of  Edward  Maginiss;  William;  Eliza- 
beth, wife  of  Johii  Chisni ;  Benjamin,  Robert,  James.  Richard  and  Nicholas. 
James  was  born  in  Moon  township,  Allegheny  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1830. 
He  has  l^een  twice  married, — April  20,  1854,  to  Margaret,  daughter  of  Alex- 
ander and  Pollie  Leslie,  and  January  5,  1864,  to  Margaret,  daughter  of  Alex- 
ander and  Jane  Axtell.  The  children  by  the  first  marriage  are  Cassius,  Frank 
and  William;  Ijy  the  second,  Samuel,  Robert.  Lavernia,  wife  of  James  Crow- 
ther,  and  Mary.  Mr.  Cooper  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  denomination, 
and  has  been  a  member  of  the  session  for  thirty  years.  His  farm  contains 
eightv  acres. 


'&' 


Charles  Braymer,  of  West  Fairfield  township,  is  a  son  of  W.  H.  and 
Clarissa  (  Oakes)  Braymer:  was  born  at  Black  Ash,  July  19,  1863.  His  father, 
returning  from  the  army,  moved  to  the  west  alx)ut  this  time,  returning  in 
1874.  There  is  also  a  son,  Ernest  L.,  and  a  daughter  by  adoption,  Elizabeth. 
Charles  married  March  i,  1886,  Edith,  daughter  of  William  Boylan,  of  Mer- 
cer county,  and  settled  in  West  Fairfield.  They  have  three  children, — Ber- 
deen,  Edward  and  Leland.     ]\Ir.  Bravmer  is  a  memlier  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 


JoJm  H.  Hilton,  broom  manufacturer,  at  Meadville.  was  born  April  21, 
1 87 1,  in  Dunkirk,  New  York,  learned  his  trade  in  1884  in  the  factory  of  the 
firm  of  Hall  &  Lippitt.  and  August  5,  1895,  began  business  on  Water  street. 
Two  months  later  he  purchased  the  plant  he  now  owns  of  C.  P.  McCurdy, 
corner  of  Park  avenue  and  Pine  street,  where  he  has  since  conducted  a  suc- 
cessful business,  manufacturing  a  superior  finality  of  brooms  for  the  city  trade. 

His  parents,  who  are  of  Scotch-American  descent,  have  been  lifelong  resi- 
dents of  New  York  state,  where  our  subject  spent  a  portion  of  his  early  years. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  901 

later  removing  to  Meadville.  He  is  a  son  of  Jolin  H.  and  Elizabeth  (Davi- 
son) Hilton.  Their  children  are:  ^^'illianl,  of  New  Castle,  Pennsylvania; 
John  H..  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Albert,  and  Grace  E.  Hilton.  Meadville. 
December  24,  1895,  ]\Ir.  Hilton  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  May  Han- 
nen,  of  Meadville. 


Dr.  Clarence  E.  Spieer.  of  Rome  township,  was  born  in  Oshtemo.  Mich- 
igan, August  7,  1874,  the  son  of  Nathan  and  Sarah  (Gray)  Spieer.  After  a 
suitable  preliminary  education  he  attended  the  Eclectic  Medical  Institute  of 
Cincinnati.  Ohio,  at  which  he  was  graduated  as  ;\I.  D.,  in  1884.  He  began 
medical  practice  at  A'icksburg,  Michigan,  in  1887,  removed  to  Grand  Rapids 
and  in  1888  located  at  Tryonville,  this  county.  After  three  years'  residence 
there  he  established  himself  at  Centerville,  his  present  home.  Dr.  Spieer  has 
attained  note  as  a  physician,  has  served  acceptably  as  president  of  the  State 
Eclectic  Medical  Society,  and  at  the  present  writing  is  the  corresponding- 
secretary  of  that  organization.  He  is  high  in  Masonic  circles,  holding  mem- 
bership in  Oil  Creek  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  Aaron  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  Occident 
Council.  R.  &  S.  M.,  and  Rose  Croix  Commandery,  K.  T. 

B}-  his  marriage  to  Carrie  Tryon,  daughter  of  Henry,  Dr.  Spieer  con- 
nected himself  with  one  of  the  oldest  families  of  the  county.  He  has  one  child, 
named  Irene.     Ancestry  of  family,  English. 


Lucius  P.  Morris,  Randolph  township,  was  born  in  Greenwood  township, 
July  22.  1861.  His  father,  Herman  P.  Morris,  with  his  wife,  Lucy  M.  Bentley. 
moved  into  the  county  about  forty  years  ago.  He  has  three  sisters :  Angeline, 
wife  of  George  Benedict;  Beula,  wife  of  Charles  Randall,  and  Hannah,  wife 
of  Cyrus  Brown.  December  28,  1886,  Mr.  Morris  married  Lilla,  daughter  of 
Robert  and  Nancy  Julia  Porter,  of  West  Fairfield,  by  whom  he  has  two  sons, — 
Clinton  and  Melvin.  Besides  his  farm  of  ninety  acres,  Mr.  Morris  has  a  farm 
of  sixtv-two  acres  in  Warren  countv,  where  he  for  a  time  resided. 


Stephen  Athcrion,  of  Rome  township,  is  a  son  of  Eber  and  Abigail 
(Wheeler)  Atherton,  and  was  born  in  Whitingham  Town,  Windham  county, 
Vermont,  May  12,  1825.  In  1847  he  married  Almeda  L.  Dix,  daughter  of 
Solomon  and  Betsy  (Loomis)  Dix,  who  was  born  in  the  same  town.  In  1847 
Mr.  Atherton  came  to  the  town  of  Athens,  where  he  settled,  having  bought  a 
lot  of  uncultivated  land,  built  a  log  house  and  prepared  to  clear  his  farm.  In 
1866  he  settled  at  Centerville,  on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides.  He  has  five 
children:  B.  Jane,  Mrs.  Orrin  Dalrymple;  S.  E.  Atherton,  farmer;  Eugenie 
v..  ]Mrs.  Frank  B.  Vantassel ;  Albert  A.,  station  agent  of  the  W.  N.  Y.  &  P.  R. 
R. :  and  Harry  D. 

The  Atherton  family  were  early  settlers  in  Vermont.     Three  brothers  of 


902  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

the  Dix  family  came  to  America  from  England  at  an  early  day.  John  E.  Dix 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Eighty-third  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  was 
killed  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness  and  his  body  was  never  recovered.  He 
was  the  son  of  Solomon  Dix,  who  came  to  Athens  township,  in  1848,  was  a 
well  known  farmer  and  lived  and  died  in  the  town. 

In  1864  Mr.  Atherton  enlisted  in  the  navy  and  took  an  active  part  on  the 
gunboat  Fair  Play,  also  in  the  western  squadron  on  the  Cumberland  and  Ohio 
rivers.    He  lost  his  health  in  the  war  and  therefore  draws  a  pension. 


Enimctt  IV.  McArthur,  of  Meadville,  is  a  son  of  Jeremiah  P.  and  Hannah 
(Elliott)  McArthur,  and  was  born  in  South  Shenango  township,  Crawford 
county,  July  10,  1853,  on  the  farm  settled  by  his  grandfather,  Thomas  Elliott, 
in  1795.  Mr.  McArthur's  early  life  was  spent  on  the  farm.  He  was  educated 
in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  home,  the  Jamestown  Seminary  and  the 
Edinboro  State  Normal  School,  taught  school  for  a  number  of  years,  then  read 
law  in  the  office  of  J.  B.  Brawley  at  Meadville  and  was  admitted  to  practice  at 
the  bar  of  Crawford  county,  February  25,  1884,  and  of  the  supreme  court 
of  Pennsylvania,  February  4,  1886.  In  1883  Mr.  McArthur  became  identified 
with  the  Farmers"  Mutual  Fire  Insurance  Company  of  Crawford  county,  and 
for  three  years  was  its  secretary  and  treasurer.  He  was  appointed  postmaster 
of  Meadville  April  6,  1886,  by  President  Cleveland. 


John  S.  Kcait.  deceased,  was  a  lifelong  resident  of  Sadsbury  township, 
Crawford  county,  and  was  honored  and  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him. 
Born  November  12,  1834,  he  was  the  eldest  son  of  Conrad  and  Susanna 
(Broadt)   Kean,  and  in  his  boyhood  he  attended  the  district  schools  of  this 

township. 

During  the  Civil  war  Mr.  Kean  joined  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixty-ninth 
Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  Infantry,  enlisting  October  16,  1862.  He  was 
discharged  July  26,  1863,  and  re-enlisted  on  the  30th  of  the  ensuing  month 
in  Company  A.  Two  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  In- 
fantry, his  service  extending  to  the  close  of  the  war.  His  record  while  in  the 
army  was  one  reflecting  great  credit  upon  him,  for  he  was  brave,  faithful  to 
every  trust,  and  ecjual  to  any  emergency. 

When  his  country  no  longer  needed  him,  Mr.  Kean  returned  home  and 
thenceforth  devoted  his  energies  to  farming  and  dairying.  He  held  about 
every  local  office  in  his  township,  and  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  two  terms. 
For  some  time  he  was  a  meml>er  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  Crawford 
County  Agricultural  Society,  and  in  1895  was  elected  superintendent  of  the 
Conneaut  Lake  Exposition  Company,  which  office  he  held  at  his  death.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows'  Society  and  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  903 

United  \\'orkmen,  being  connected  with  lodges  at  Conneaut  Lake.    He  married 
Myra  Congdon  August  ig,  1857,  and  of  their  tliree  cliildren  two  survive. 

11'.  H.  Barilc,  Meadville,  was  born  in  that  city  October  i,  1861,  a  son 
of  Wihnot  and  Carohne  (Handson)  Bartle,  deceased;  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  there  and  was  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  from  1884  to 
1886,  then  was  variously  employed  until  1895,  when  he  became  proprietor  of 
the  St.  Cloud  Hotel.  This  hostelry  he  continued  to  conduct  until  1897,  and 
since  July,  1898,  he  has  been  employed  at  the  Commercial  Hotel. 

May  3,  1883,  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Thomas  Breene,  and  to  this 
union  have  been  born  three  children, — Caroline,  Martha  and  Wilmot. 

Wilmot  Bartle  was  prominently  identified  with  business  interests  in 
Mead\'ille.  He  was  first  engaged  in  tlie  hardware  business,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Bartle  &  Sample,  next,  in  the  grocer}'  business,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Bartle,  Forsythe  &  Patterson  ;  after  this  he  engaged  in  the  tannery  business 
in  Kerrtown,  under  the  firm  name  of  Bartle  &  Patterson,  and  his  last  under- 
taking was  to  run  a  malt-house.  He  died  in  1877,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven 
years.  He  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Meadville  fire  department,  and  a 
member  of  the  F.  &  A.  M.  and  I.  O.  O.  F. 


William  Lord. — The  quaint  old  town  of  Penn  Line,  in  Conneaut  township, 
Crawford  county,  possesses,  as  one  of  its  chief  points  of  interest,  the  old  hotel 
which  has  been  owned  and  managed  by  the  subject  of  this  narrative  for  over 
thirty  years.  It  has  always  been  a  popular  hostelry  with  the  inhabitants  of 
this  region  and  with  many  a  chance  visitor,  and  among  the  illustrious  guests 
which  it  has  entertained  in  dayS  gone  by,  was  Vice-President  Colfax,  who  was 
making  a  tour  through  this  section  of  the  state  and  stopped  here  for  dinner 
upon  one  occasion.  Mr.  Lord,  who  has  carried  ofif  the  honors  of  host  for  over 
three  decades,  is  as  ])opuIar  with  his  patrons  as  it  often  falls  to  the  lot  of  a 
hotel  keeper  to  be,  and  his  genuine,  kindly  interest  in  the  comfort  of  his  guests 
is  particularly  grateful  to  the  world-weary  pilgrim,  tired  of  the  grasping,  unc- 
tuous landlord  and  "mine  host"  of  other  cities. 

For  several  generations  the  Lords  have  been  residents  of  New  York 
state.  Our  subject's  grandfather,  Russell  P.  Lord,  was  a  native  of  Oneida 
county.  New  York,  and  there  spent  his  entire  life,  his  death  occurring  when 
he  had  attained  an  advanced  age.  Alonzo  Lord,  father  of  William  Lord,  was 
born  in  Onondaga  county.  New  York,  and  was  reared  to  maturity  in  that 
section  of  the  state.  In  his  early  manhood  he  removed  to  Genesee  county. 
New  York,  and  there  worked  at  his  trade  of  stone-cutting.  Later  in  life,  he 
engaged  in  farming  and  devoted  the  rest  of  his  days  to  agriculture.  He  was 
about  seventy-five  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  death.  The  mother  of  our 
subject,  a  Miss  Mary  Crosby  prior  to  her  marriage,  was  likewise  born  in  the 


904  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

Empire  state  and  was  only  forty  years  old  when  she  was  called  upon  to  lay 
down  the  burdens  of  life.  She  left  four  children  to  mourn  her  loss,  and  of  the 
number  Harriet,  the  eldest,  is  deceased;  William  is  next;  Hiram  is  a  retired 
farmer  of  Cherokee  county,  Iowa,  and  Mary  Jane  is  the  wife  of  \\'illiam  Gatt 
of  Michigan. 

William  Lord  was  born  in  Livingston  county.  New  York,  October  13, 
1831.  He  recei\ed  the  benefits  of  a  common  school  education,  and  remained  at 
home,  giving  his  dutiful  aid  to  his  father  in  the  management  of  the  home  farm 
until  he  was  twenty  years  old.  At  that  time  he  came  to  this  township  and 
for  a  period  found  employment  on  a  farm.  He  then  worked  at  the  carpenter's 
trade  for  several  years,  after  which  he  settled  down  upon  a  good  farm  in  this 
township,  and  for  three  years  was  successfully  engaged  in  dairying.  Having 
a  desire  to  see  something  of  the  great  and  growing  west,  he  went  to  Iowa  and 
traveled  west  of  the  Mississippi  to  some  extent,  but  ultimately  returned,  better 
satisfied  than  ever  with  this  section  of  the  Keystone  state.  In  1867  he  pur- 
chased the  Penn  Line  hotel,  which  he  has  since  managed  with  ability  and 
gratifying  success. 

For  about  twenty  years  Mr.  Lord  has  been  a  memjjer  of  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen  and  was  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Lodge  at 
Penn  Line.  He  also  is  identified  with  the  Masonic  order  as  a  member  of  the 
Blue  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Conneautsville.  In  his  political  affiliations  he  is 
a  stanch  Republican. 

For  his  wife  Mr.  Lord  chose  Miss  Catherine  Olive  Bates,  a  member  of  one 
of  the  oldest  leading  families  of  this  township.  They  have  one  son,  Fred  F., 
Avho  is  a  very  enterprising  young  business  man,  and  for  seven  years  has  been 
a  traveling  salesman  for  the  wholesale  drug  house  of  Parke,  Davis  &  Company, 
of  Detroit.  Michigan. 


Sanincl  Galbraiih  Maxi^'cU  was  born  at  Woburn,  Massachusetts,  Septem- 
ber 5,  1858,  the  son  of  John  and  Mary  Jane  (Nichols)  Maxwell.  In  his  boy- 
hood he  attended  the  common  school  and  the  Warren  Academy  at  Woburn, 
a  preparatory  school  for  the  Institute  of  Technology  in  Boston.  After  leav- 
ing the  academy  he  went  into  his  father's  leather  store  in  Boston,  where  he 
remained  six  vears,  acciuiring  a  thoroughly  practical  business  education  and 
training.  He  then  went  into  his  father's  tannery  and  learned  the  art  of  tan- 
ning all  kinds  of  leather,  until  he  became  able  to  superintend  the  leather  busi- 
ness of  his  father  in  all  its  departments.  Mr.  Maxwell's  father  is  a  man  of 
broad  ideas,  and  in  his  time  he  has  been  quick  to  adopt  and  appropriate  to 
his  advantage  improved  processes  for  making  leather,  as  from  time  to  time 
thev  have  caught  his  attention.  He  believes  in  mechanical  improvements, 
and  he  has  always  been  among  the  first  to  appreciate  improved  methods  in 
the  tanning  business. 


905 
an 


904 
E' 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  905 

At  no  previous  period  in  the  world's  history  has  there  been  such  an 
advance  in  the  mechanical  arts  as  has  been  witnessed  during  the  last  twent}'- 
five  years.  In\-ention  and  adaptation  of  new  machinery  have  wrought  a  revo- 
lution in  all  branches  of  manufacturing  business  in  this  country.  It  may  be 
safely  assumed  that  in  mechanics  the  American  mind  is  more  active  and 
quicker  in  perception  than  that  of  any  other  nation.  American  enterprise  is 
certainly  leading  the  rest  of  the  world.  Our  manufactured  products  rush 
into  foreign  markets  and  sweep  away  all  competition.  Yankee  genius  has  no 
rival. 

In  the  processes  of  making  leather  there  has  been  as  much  progress  during 
the  last  cjuarter  of  a  century  as  in  any  other  branch  of  manufacturing  industry. 
Mr.  Maxwell's  father,  with  characteristic  Yankee  shrewdness,  always  em- 
ployed the  best  methods  in  the  tanning  art,  and  the  son  was  trained  to  the  same 
policy.  After  years  of  experience  in  the  modes  employed  by  his  father,  Mr. 
Maxwell,  when  he  came  to  Titusville,  ten  years  ago,  was  remarkably  well  quali- 
fied to  construct  plans  for  large  tannery  works,  like  the  Queen  City  Tannery, 
to  superintend  its  construction  in  every  part,  including  the  selection  and  placing 
of  machinery,  the  organizing  and  employing  of  a  large  working  force  and 
marketing  the  products  of  the  tannery.  Experts  say  that  the  great  Queen 
City  Tannery  is  transcendant  in  its  general  plan  of  construction  and  economy 
of  operation.     (An  account  of  these  works  appears  elsewhere  in  this  history.) 

Since  coming  to  Titusville,  Mr.  Maxwell  has  become  one  of  the  most 
prominent  citizens  in  the  community.  For  the  last  three  years  he  has  been 
president  of  the  Titusville  Board  of  Trade.  In  1896  he  assisted  in  organizing 
the  Titusville  Industrial  Fund  Association.  He  was  one  of  the  ten  citizens 
who  subscribed  each  $10,000  to  the  fund  of  $250,000. 

On  August  19,  1878,  Mr.  Maxwell  was  married  to  Miss  May  Belle 
Bloomer,  daughter  of  Timothy  and  Amelia  F.  (Sweetser)  Bloomer,  of  Stone- 
ham,  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Maxwell  has  built  a  magnificent  residence,  which 
he  now  occupies,  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Main  and  Monroe  streets. 


James  Brmvlcy,  Jr..  retired,  and  a  resident  of  East  Fairfield  township, 
was  born  in  1808,  in  Randolph  township,  son  of  James  and  Mary  (Glenn) 
Brawlev,  natives  of  Lycoming  countv,  and  the  third  child  of  a  family  of  nine 
children,  viz. :  William  R. ;  Francis,  deceased;  James,  our  subject;  Nancy,  wife 
of  William  Dean ;  Charles  and  Jackson,  both  deceased ;  Mary,  deceased,  for- 
merlv  the  wife  of  William  Henderson  of  Titusville,  Crawford  county ;  Har- 
riet, wife  of  Henry  Randolph;  and  Sarah  Brawley,  deceased.  William  R. 
Brawley,  of  this  family,  bore  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  white  child  born 
in  Randolph  township.  In  1833  he  married  Sarah  Eliza,  daughter  of  James 
Curry,  of  Oil  Creek  township;  she  died  nine  years  later.  One  child  was  born 
to  this  union,  James,  who  died  in  1845,  at  the  age  of  eleven  years.     James 


9o6  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

Brawley,  the  father  of  our  suliject,  was  drafted  in  the  war  of  1812.  His 
father,  Roger  Brawley,  resided  during-  his  hfetime  in  Lycoming  county.  Our 
subject  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  Randolph  township,  and  from  1849  to  1852 
m  California,  returning  to  his  native  township  during  the  latter  year.  During 
the  past  thirteen  years  he  has  made  his  home  with  Robert  Guy  Murdock,  and 
the  age  of  eighty-nine  still  finds  him  in  possession  of  his  mental  faculties.  R. 
G.  Murdock  was  born  May  3,  1871,  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  Ann  (Brawley) 
Murdock,  natives  of  Scotland.  ^Nlarch  20,  1895,  Mr.  Brawley  married  Abbie. 
daughter  of  John  and  Nancy  Byham,  of  East  Fairfield  township.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Cociiranton  Lodge,  No.  902,  L  O.  O.  F.,  and  Shaw's  Landing  Grange, 
No.  164. 


Rev.  Franc  JVinlcr,  pastor  of  St.  Agatha's  church,  is  a  native  of  Haste, 
near  Osnabruck,  kingdom  of  Hanover,  his  birth  occurring  October  11,  1840. 
From  the  age  of  seven  to  fourteen  years  he  attended  the  parish  school,  and 
later  the  Gymnasium  Carolinum  at  Osnabruck.  Father  Winter  came  to 
America  in  1872,  and  pursued  a  four-years  course  at  St.  Vincent's  College, 
Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania.  August  24,  1876,  he  was  ordained  priest 
and  served  for  a  time  at  Meadville,  this  county.  September  24  of  the  same 
year  he  took  charge  of  the  newly  erected  St.  Elizabeth  church  at  Corry,  this 
state,  which  was  dedicated  for  divine  worship  on  that  day.  In  October,  1883. 
our  subject  was  transferred  from  Corry  to  St.  Agatha's  church,  Meadville, 
under  whose  pastorate  the  memliership  has  been  greatly  increased. 


James  M.  Boyd,  of  Rome  township,  is  a  son  of  \\'illiam  Boyd,  who  was 
a  nati\e  of  Ireland.  He  was  torn  in  JNIercer  county,  Pennsylvania,  February 
13,  1846,  and  when  he  was  five  years  of  age  his  father  died,  and  he  came  to 
Rome  township  to  live  with  Richard  Carrothers,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
He  obtained  his  education  at  the  common  schools.  March,  ^864,  he  enlisted 
in  Company  B,  Twelfth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  where  he 
served  faithfully  until  he  was  discharged  July  20,  1865.  In  1866  he  married 
Harriet  F.  Kelly,  daughter  of  Alva  Kelly,  and  they  ha\-e  nine  children.  He 
has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  town  affairs,  as  he  has  had  the  office  of  super- 
visor, assessor,  school  director  and  juror  commissioner. — the  last  mentioned 
for  the  term  of  three  years :  at  the  present  time  he  is  the  mercantile  appraiser. 
He  is  secretary  of  the  Regimental  Reunion  of  the  Twelfth  Regiment,  also  a 
n:ember  of  ^^'illiam  J.  Gleason  Post,  96,  G.  A.  R.,  of  Townville.  He  is  an 
active  member  of  the  Centerville  Lodge,  No.  89,  I.  O.  O.  F..  and  of  Lodge  No. 
164,  E.  A.  U. 


JoscpJi  N.  Clark,  Conneautville,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Sharon,  Penn- 
sylvania. June  2,  1844,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  early  developed 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  907 

a  mercantile  faculty,  which  he  has  cultivated  b)-  devoting  himself  to  the 
grocer's  branch  of  merchandising,  trading  in  this  line  at  various  localities  in 
the  state.  On  September  10.  1876,  he  married  Anna  M.  Davidson,  of  the  town- 
ship of  Beaver.  Their  children  are  Flora  E.,  Saide  D..  George  G.  and  William 
H.  Flora  E.  married  Emerson  D.  ]\IcGuire,  of  Conneautville,  and  Saide  is 
clerk  for  her  father  in  his  store  in  the  same  place.  Mr.  Clark's  father,  Andrew 
Clark,  a  native  of  the  north  of  Ireland,  came  to  the  United  States  with  his 
parents  when  a  lad,  was  well  educated  and  became  successively  a  teacher,  a 
tanner  and  a  farmer.  By  his  wife,  who  was  formerly  a  Miss  Gregory,  of  Mercer 
county,  he  had  these  children  :  Andrew  J-.  Jane.  \A'illiam  M.,  Mary.  James  A., 
Joseph  X..  Laura  and  Charles.  Mr.  Clark  died  about  1857.  and  his  widow  in 
1870.  ^Irs.  Clark's  father,  Robert  \\".  Davidson,  was  born,  attained  matin"ity 
and  received  his  education  in  this  state.  He  married  Sarah  Robinson,  of 
Mercer  county,  now  deceased.  Their  children  were  four  daughters  and  three 
sons.  Mr.  Davidson  is  now  living.  Clark  Davidson,  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Clark, 
was  a  Union  soldier  of  the  civil  war.  Mr.  Clark  is  an  Odd  Fellow,  holding- 
membership  in  Conneaut\ille  Lodge,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Protective 
Home  Circle.  The  family  is  connected  with  the  Presbyterian  church.  The 
ancestrv  of  the  familv  were  of  Xew  England  and  of  Scotch  origin. 


Russell  Bidii'cU,  of  Athens  township,  is  a  son  of  Russell  and  Sallie  Bid- 
well,  and  was  torn  in  \^ermont.  His  parents  had  five  children,  all  of  whom 
are  now  dead.  ^Irs.  Bidwell  died  and  is  buried  at  Allentown,  Xew  York;  and 
subsequenth"  Mr.  Bidwell  married  Sabrina  Chatman  and  came  to  Centerville. 
about  1 82 1,  where  he  took  up  about  fifty  acres  of  land  and  lived  there  for 
tweh'e  years,  at  which  time  he  moved  to  Riceville.  where  he  followed  his  oc- 
cupation as  a  farmer  until  he  died ;  he  is  buried  in  Athens  township.  His  sec- 
ond wife  became  the  mother  of  seven  children. 

Jonathan  Bidwell,  a  son,  was  born  at  Centerville,  ]\Iarch  20,  1824,  married 
Charlotte  Evans  and  settled  in  Grove,  Allegany  county,  X^ew  York.  He  lived 
there  and  at  Allentown  a  few  years  and  then  moved  to  Hinsdale,  where  he 
lived  several  years.  He  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Sixty-fifth  Regiment.  X''ew 
York  Volunteers,  in  1865.  The  same  year  he  came  to  Little  Cooley.  where  he 
now  lives.  He  is  a  pensioner  of  the  war.  His  wife  died  ;\Iay  20.  1877,  the 
mother  of  four  children:  Agnes;  Jane,  who  died  May  19,  1877;  Alice,  Mrs. 
Leonard  Smith ;  and  Charlotte,  who  died  young. 


Daz'id  S.  Hobnail,  of  Conneautville,  was  born  in  Conneaut  township,  this 
county,  on  Februar}-  24.  1841.  By  occupation  a  mason  and  contractor,  he  has 
had  quite  a  medical  taste  and  has  for  a  long  time  compounded  a  vegetable 
medicine  for  liver  and  kidney  complaints,  hemorrhages,  running  sores  and 
piles  that  has  met  with  much  favor  and  become  popular.     Li  1858  he  married 


9o8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Jane  Lawrence,  of  his  native  township,  and  they  have  five  children  hving, — 
Lettie  A.,  George  J.,  Jennie  M.,  Aleda  A.  and  Fay  A.  Lettie  A.  married  Kit 
Robinson,  of  Summer  Hill  township,  and  they  have  three  children, — George, 
Robert  and  Nita.  George  J.  Holman  married  Saide  Fuller  of  Kent,  Ohio, 
and  their  children  are  William,  Aleda,  Glen  and  Sidney  G.  Aleda  A.  married 
Frank  Crider,  of  Conneautville.  now  of  \\'arren,  Pennsylvania:  thev  have 
three  children :  William,  Helen  and  an  infant. 

Jonathan  Holman,  father  of  David  S.  Holman.  was  lx)rn  in  Vermonton, 
April  20,  1790,  and  by  his  marriage  to  Susan  Greenleaf  (born  just  over  the 
south  line  of  Vermont  in  Massachusetts)  he  had  twelve  children. — Leonard 
S.,  Jonathan  L..  John  G.,  Susan.  Zilpha,  Calvin  J..  Charles  T..  Abigail.  Eliza- 
lieth.  Henry  R.,  David  Sidney  and  Maria.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jonathan  Holman, 
after  the  eight  oldest  children  had  been  born,  came  to  this  state  to  live,  and  on 
arriving  at  their  new  home  had  but  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  left  with  which  to 
commence  life  in  their  new  home.  How  much  of  labor,  economy,  endurance 
and  self-denial  is  indicated  in  this  statement  none  but  the  few  remaining 
pioneers  can  realize.  Mr.  Holman  died  on  June  26,  1855,  and  Mrs.  Holman 
on  March  21.  1883.    Ancestry  of  family.  English  and  Scotch. 


]]'.  C.  Fulmcr.  of  Oil  Creek  township,  is  a  son  of  Samuel  and  Maria 
(  Harleman)  Fulmer,  and  was  born  in  Northumberland  county.  Pennsylvania, 
November  5,  1838.  His  father,  an  extensive  farmer,  was  of  an  old  established 
family  in  this  country.  He  sold  his  possessions  in  Northumberland  county 
in  1844  and  with  his  family  of  three  children  removed  to  Crawford  county, 
locating  at  Hydetown,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred  acres  of  land.  He  was 
several  times  councilman  of  the  village  and  also  a  school  director.  He  died  Sep- 
temlier  10.  1891.  Mrs.  Fulmer  died  July  17.  1888.  W.  C.  Fulmer  was  mar- 
ried April  5.  1876,  to  Johannah,  daughter  of  Peter  Ridgeway.  of  Hydetown. 
She  was  born  July  8,  1858.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fulmer  have  one  child  :  Edith,  born 
April  18.  187S. 

Mr.  Fulmer  has  served  his  village  as  burgess,  councilman,  assessor,  con- 
stable and  school  director.  He  is  a  member  of  Oil  Creek  Lodge.  No.  303, 
F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Titusville. 


John  Hays  Culbcrtson.  only  son  of  David  Culbertson.  was  born  in  Rich- 
mond township.  April  2.  1840.  His  early  life  was  spent  at  home  with  his 
parents,  going  to  school,  and  in  assisting  them  about  the  farm,  until,  in  1864, 
he  came  to  Meadville  and  entered  the  wholesale  grocery  house  of  McFarland 
Brothers  as  bookkeeper.  He  retained  this  position  three  years,  when  he  was 
obliged  to  abandon  ofirce  work,  on  account  of  failing  health.  A  portion  of  the 
summer  of  1867  was  spent  upon  Lake  Superior  in  regaining  his  former 
health  and  strength,  which  was  fully  restored.     The  ensuing  year  Mr.  Cul- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


909 


bertson  filled  the  position  of  cashier  of  the  McHenry  House,  in  Meadville. 
In  August,  1868,  he  opened  a  general  insurance  office  on  Chestnut  street  and 
in  1871  associated  with  him  in  that  business  John  Re.itze,  under  the  name  of 
Culbertson  &  Reitze.  They  have  carried  on  this  business  ever  since,  represent- 
ing several  of  the  best  insurance  companies  in  the  United  States.  In  1874 
Mr.  Culbertson  was  appointed  deput)-  collector  of  internal  revenue  bv  Hon. 
James  C.  Brown,  and  was  reappointed  in  1883. 

On  October  12,  1871,  'Mr.  Culbertson  was  married  to  Emma  A.,  daugh- 
ter of  R.  C.  Boireen.  Esq.,  of  Meadville,  and  to  this  union  were  born  three 
children:  Anna  S.,  who  married,  October  12,  1898,  Dr.  \\'.  B.  Townsend.  of 
Meadville:  'W'illard  B.,  and  Blanche. 


Elijah  N.  Tiibhs.  son  of  George  S.  and  Samantha  O.  (Noble)  Tubbs,  and 
a  resident  of  Athens  township,  was  born  in  Washington  county.  New  York, 
March  5,  1836.  In  1859  ^^  came  to  Athens  township,  where  he  married  Lydia 
R.  Osborne  and  settled  at  Little  Cooley,  where  he  has  been  a  farmer.  In  1862 
he  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Eighteenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Cavalrv,  and 
served  till  the  close  of  the  war. 


ll'illiaiit  A.  Haiiiiiuni.  Conneaut\ille,  was  born  in  this  city  on  March  20, 
1836,  obtained  his  education  in  the  common  schools  and  Cleveland  Commer- 
cial College.  In  1856,  1857  and  1858  he  was  a  wholesale  dry-goods  merchant 
in  New  York  city.  From  1861  until  1876  he  was  engaged  in  general  merchan- 
dising in  Conneaut\^ille.  He  is  now  general  agent  for  the  Conneautville  min- 
eral-water syndicate  of  Cleveland,  Ohio.  He  was  also  postmaster  of  Con- 
neautville for  six  years.  On  October  8,  1861,  he  married  Fidelia  Wood,  of 
Conneautville.  Their  onl}"  daughter,  Mary,  married  ^^'illiam  G.  Power,  then 
of  Conneautville  and  now  of  Indiana.  They  have  two  children,  Annitta  and 
William  H.  Mr.  Hammon's  father,  Hiram  Hammon,  was  born  in  Tompkins 
countv.  New  York,  in  18 10.  Acquiring  a  good  education  he  was  early  a 
contractor  on  public  works  and  while  yet  a  young  man  came  to  this  county. 
About  1834  he  married  Maria,  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Mary  Power:  they 
had  but  two  children, — William  A.  and  Charles  H.  Mr.  Hammon  died  in 
1840,  Mrs.  Hammon  in  1887.  In  1777  Mr.  Hammon's  grandfather,  Daniel 
Hammon,  was  born  at  Foster,  Rhode  Island,  and  died  at  Conneautville  in 

1846.  Robert  B.  Wood,  M.  D.,  father  of  Mrs.  Hammon,  was  the  first  edu- 
cated physician  of  this  county.     He  married  Mary  A.  Le  Fevre  on  May  15, 

1847,  and  their  children  were  Leander  L.,  Mary,  Abby,  Lois  (who  died  in 
1850),  Fidelia  and  one  who  died  in  infancy.  Dr.  Wood  died  July  25.  1834. 
Mrs.  Wood  married  again  and  died  on  May  30,  1873. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hammon  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  Mr. 


9IO  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

Hammon  is  a  Republican  in  politics.     Ancestry  of  family,  English,  Scotch, 
Dutch  and  French. 


George  A.  Christy,  of  Spring  township,  was  born  in  this  township,  on 
September  lo,  1836.  His  life  has  ever  been  that  of  a  quiet  agriculturist,  but 
withal  he  is  a  man  of  independent  thought,  strong  in  his  conclusions  and  fixed 
in  his  ideas.  A  Democrat  in  his  political  opinions,  he  has  never  cared  for 
office.  On  October  3,  1871,  Mr.  Christy  married  Ophelia  A.  Hall,  and  their 
children  are  Cly  L.,  Minnie  M.  and  Leon  W.  Both  daughters  are  now  ( 1897) 
engaged  in  teaching. 

Mr.  Christy's  father,  Andrew  Christy,  was  a  native  of  this  county  and 
born  in  1797.  He  married  Mary  Meyler,  of  Spring  township.  They  hid  eight 
children, — Elizabeth,  Adeline,  Ashmel,  George  A.,  Lorinda,  Wilhemina,  Sarah 
A.,  and  Viola,  who  died  when  fourteen  years  old.  Mr.  Christy's  death  oc- 
curred on  August  8,  1876,  and  that  of  Mrs.  Christy  in  1880.  Ebenezer  Hall, 
father  of  Mrs.  Christy,  born  in  Connecticut  in  December,  1808,  came  to  this 
county  and  Spring  township  in  1820,  when  twelve  years  old.  He  was  reared 
a  farmer  and  in  addition  to  that  \ocation  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  He 
married  Betsey  Williams,  formerly  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  and  had  six  children, — 
Olive  v.,  Ophelia  A.,  George  M.  Dallas,  Portia  S.,  Mary  S.  and  William  B. 
Mrs.  Hall  died  on  February  11,  1886,  and  Mr.  Hall  on  November  21,  1894. 
The  European  ancestry  of  these  sterling  pioneer  families  is  English,  German, 
^^'elsh  and  Irish. 


John  Shauberger,  who  was  a  worthy  citizen  of  Athens  township,  Craw- 
ford county,  during  the  last  years  of  his  life,  was  a  native  of  Germany.  For 
some  time  he  was  a  resident  of  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania,  whence 
he  removed  to  this  county  in  1825,  taking  up  two  hundred  acres  of  wild  land 
at  fifty  cents  an  acre.  This  property  he  partially  improved  and  it  is  now  in. 
the  possession  of  his  grandsons,  G.  W.  and  W.  E.  Shauberger.  He  and  his 
faithful  wife  passed  away  many  years  ago  and  were  placed  to  rest  in  the  family 
burying  ground. 

George,  one  of  the  five  children  of  John  Shauberger,  was  born  October 
30,  1810.  He  married  Lucy  Cross  and  settled  upon  a  part  of  the  old  home- 
stead, which  he  proceeded  to  cultivate  during  his  active  life.  In  his  political 
faith  he  was  a  Democrat.  Mrs.  Shauberger  was  summoned  to  the  better  land 
November  14,  1893,  and  in  less  than  three  years  the  husband  and  father  fol- 
lowed her  to  the  grave,  his  death  taking  place  July  27,  1896. 

Seven  children  of  this  worthy  couple  are  left  to  mourn  their  loss  and  are 
as  follows:  Lavinia,  wife  of  W.  C.  Beardsley,  of  Garland,  Pennsylvania; 
Lydia  S.,  wife  of  Silas  Preston,  of  Townville,  Pennsylvania;  George  W.,  who 
married  Savella  Rhoades  and  lives  on  the  old  homestead  with  his  two  children. 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  911 

Ehvin  D.  and  Elda  P.;  Mnvy  M.,  wife  of  Charles  Gray,  of  the  state  of  New- 
York;  Rose,  Mrs.  Robert  Jennings,  of  Bradleytovra,  Pennsylvania;  Wilham  E., 
whose  home  is  on  one  section  of  the  old  farm  in  Athens  township ;  and  Alice  M.. 
wife  of  George  Powers. 

Maurice  M.  Pozvcll.  nearly  two-score  years  ago,  took  up  his  residence  in 
Meadville.  which  city  has  since  been  his  home.  His  family  is  of  good  old  New 
England  stock,  and  his  great-grandfather,  Daniel  Powell,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
war  of  the  Revolution.  Lorenzo  I.  Powell,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  a  native 
of  New  York  state,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  in  March,  1884,  he  was  seventy- 
five  years  of  age.  His  widow,  whose  maiden  name  was  Ethel  Richardson,  is 
still  living,  and  is  now  eighty  years  old.  Of  the  children  born  to  Lorenzo 
and  Ethel  Powell,  Maurice  M.  is  the  fifth  son.  The  others  are :  Homer  Lee, 
of  Meadville:  Wallace  W.,  deceased;  Owen  W.,  of  Brocton,  New  York; 
Charles  R.,  of  Corry,  Pennsylvania;  Mary  Jane,  deceased,  and  Sarah  Jane, 
widow  of  Edward  Richardson,  formerly  master  mechanic  of  the  Pittsburg, 
Bessemer  &  Lake  Erie  Railroad. 

M.  M.  Powell  was  born  in  Portland,  Chautauciua  county.  New  York, 
April  2,  1844,  and  came  to  ^Meadville  in  1861.  Soon  afterward  he  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  Railway,  as  a  civil  engineer,  and 
later,  upon  the  organization  of  the  Pittsburg,  Bessemer  &  Lake  Erie  Railroad 
he  accepted  a  position  with  the  corporation  as  a  locomotive  engineer,  in  which 
capacity  he  is  still  acting.  He  is  a  member  of  Meadville  Division  No.  43. 
Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers,  and  was  a  prime  mover  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  local  lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  which  was  instituted  June 
29,  1869. 

Li  1865  Mr.  Powell  married  Katherine,  daughter  of  Philip  and  Elizabeth 
(Houck)  Harper,  of  Meadville.  Twelve  children  were  born  to  our  subject 
and  wife,  namely:  Lottie  E.,  who  married  J.  W.  Ouinley,  of  Portland, 
Oregon;  Ethelinda,  wife  of  M.  C.  McLaughlin,  of  Meadville;  Charles  M., 
of  Pittsburg;  EffieL.,wife  of  George  P.Edwards,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio;  Maurice 
M..  Jr.,  of  Bessemer,  Pennsylvania;  Owen  W.,  of  Erie,  Pennsylvania;  Kath- 
erine L.;  William  Wallace;  Philip  Harper;  Sarah  Jane;  Homer  E. ;  and 
Minnie  L.  Maurice  M..  Jr.,  married  Annie  Leisch,  and  Owen  W.  wedded 
Blanche  Perrin.  The  devoted  wife  and  mother  was  called  to  the  better  land 
March  6,  1896,  when  in  her  fiftieth  year. 


Richard  B.  Gilson,  of  Rome  township,  is  a  son  of  John  and  Anna  (Bell) 
Gilson,  and  was  born  in  Tidioute,  Pennsylvania,  in  1814.  His  father  was  an 
early  settler  in  Oil  Creek  township.  He  married  Betsy  Harrison,  daughter 
_  f  Benjamin  Harrison,  of  Rome  township.  He  settled  there  on  the  farm 
now  owned  by  his  son  William,  was  a  farmer  and  had  seven  children,— John 


o 


912  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

H..  Benjamin  H..  Christopher  C,  Theodore  R.,  Xancy  A.,  George  B.  and 
\\'iniam  B.  He  died  in  1894.  Benjamin  H.  was  horn  September  10,  1849, 
and  married  Ida  Ash,  daughter  of  David  and  Anna  (Barber)  Ash,  of  Pleas- 
antville.  Mr.  Gilson  has  been  engaged  in  the  oil  field  as  a  driller,  and  now 
owns  a  sawmill,  and  is  also  extensively  engaged  in  farming.  He  was  elected 
justice  of  the  peace  in  1893.     He  has  two  children. — Bertha  and  Earl  O. 


Thomas  Mtinloclc.  florist,  of  Titusville,  was  born  May  24,  1869,  in  Dairy. 
Kirkcudbrightshire,  Scotland,  son  of  Alexander  and  Janette  (Murdock)  Mur- 
dock.  ]\Ir.  Murdock  came  to  America  in  1864,  first  locating  in  Oil  City, 
where  he  resided  for  four  years  and  came  to  Titusville  in  1888.  He  began 
the  work  of  a  florist  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years  as  an  apprentice  to  the  [Max- 
wells, where  he  remained  four  years  and  was  employed  at  Kennedy's  nurse- 
ries for  two  years,  Drumlanrig  Castle  two  years,  Paxton  House  Garden 
two  years,  Burwick-on-the-Tweed  two  years  and  Lythian  Hall  two  years. 
His  first  work  performed  in  Oil  City  was  in  the  Oakwood  rose  garden.  He 
had  charge  of  the  Emerson  greenhouse  several  years  and  established  him- 
self as  a  leading  florist  in  1874. 

March  11,  1887,  he  married  Rebekah,  daughter  of  William  and  liliza- 
beth  (McCloud)  Stuart,  descendants  of  the  royal  Stuarts  of  Scotland.  Both 
the  Stuarts  and  McClouds  were  United  Presbyterians.  The  Murdocks  were 
also  renowned,  and  reference  is  made  to  the  distinguished  family  in  rela- 
tion to  the  "Lady  of  the  Lake."  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Murdock  have  three  children, 
— Elizabeth  C,  ^^"illiam  Alexander  and  Kenneth  Douglas.  Mr.  Murdock 
is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  is  also  identified  with  the  L  O. 
O.   F.  and  F.  &  A.   M. 


A.  B.  Voiingsoii. — Probably  no  one  in  western  Pennsylvania  is  bet- 
ter known  than  A.  B.  Youngson,  who  has  been  actively  interested  in  rail- 
roading and  in  railroad  affairs  ever  since  his  boyhood,  and  for  almost  his 
entire  life  has  been  a  respected  resident  of  Aleadville. 

His  father.  George  Youngson,  will  be  remembered  by  many  as  the 
editor  and  founder  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Age,  a  journal  which  was  published 
in  Pittsburg.  This  newspaper,  which  possessed  considerable  merit  and  won 
a  high  reputation,  was  later  issued  under  the  name  of  the  Dispatch.  In  185 1 
Mr.  Youngson  sold  out  his  business  interests  in  Pittsburg  and  removed  to 
Meadville,  where  he  purchased  the  Cussawago  Chronicle  and  edited  it  for 
three  years.  Being  appointed  L^nited  States  consul  to  Sydney,  Australia, 
he  removed  to  that  city  in  1855,  and  has  since  made  his  home  in  that  coun- 
try. In  1840  he  married  Miss  Martha  Black,  of  Pittsburg,  and  four  children 
were  born  to  them,  namely:  John  J.,  A.  R.,  Laura  and  Sophia,  all  of  whom 
are  married  and  reside  in  Meadville. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  913 

A.  B.  Youngson  was  lx)rn  March  20,  1849,  i"  Pittsburg,  and  as  early 
as  1862  he  entered  upon  liis  career  as  a  raih-oad  man.  At  first  he  was  em- 
ployed in  the  shops  of  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  Railway,  but  in  1864 
was  promoted  to  the  position  of  fireman  on  a  locomotive.  In  1866  he  was 
made  an  engineer,  and  for  twenty-three  years  he  faithfully  served  in  that 
capacity.  In  Octobei',  1890,  he  was  elected  to  the  place  of  assistant  chief  en- 
gineer in  the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers,  and  still  retains  that 
office.  Socially  he  stands  high  in  the  various  Masonic  bodies  of  Meadville, 
and  is  a  meml)er  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio.  In  1886  he  was 
elected  and  ser\-ed  for  one  term  in  the  common  council  of  Meadville. 

On  the  i8th  of  November,  1875,  ^^i"-  Youngson  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Clara  E.  Taylor,  a  daughter  of  William  Taylor,  of  this  city. 
She  died  November  4,  1894,  and  left  three  children,  namely:  Laurina,  Will- 
iam C.  and  Elizabeth. 

D.  O.  Sfezi'arf. — The  Stewart  family  came  to  Rome  township  in  1833. 
There  were  fi\'e  brothers, — Charles,  John.  Joseph,  David  and  Marcus,  who. 
\\ere  farmers,  and  some  of  their  descendants  are  now  living  in  the  town. 


Francois  Jcaiincy.  of  Randolph  township,  came  into  the  county  in  1854, 
from  the  de]3artment  of  Doubs.  France,  where  he  was  born  October  2/. 
1827.  He  settled  in  Randolph  and  the  next  year  married  Matilde.  daughter 
of  Francis  and  Pearl  Gaudlot.  of  the  same  township.  He  settled  on  his 
farm  of  sixty  acres  about  twenty  years  ago.  and  is  also  the  owner  of  another 
farm  of  fifty  acres  which  is  cultivated  bv  his  son-in-law,  Frank  Brown.  The 
second  generation  of  the  family  in  this  county  includes  Mary,  wife  of  Charles 
Muenzenberger :  Frank :  Emil ;  Louise,  wife  of  Victor  Bardy ;  Phoebe,  wife 
of  George  Brunot;  Gustine,  wife  of  Frank  Brown;  Emilia;  Clara:  Anna,  wife 
of  Fred  Roueche :  Joseph  and  A'alerie. 


Hciirx  Cole,  of  S]jring  township,  was  born  in  Canandaigua,  Ontario 
county.  New  York,  in  June.  1841.  His  education  was  obtained  in  the  com- 
mon schools,  atid  earlv  in  life  he  came  to  this  state  and  was  a  railway  car- 
penter. On  November  24,  1866,  he  married  Rebecca  N.  Bartley,  formerly  of 
Macomb  county,  Michigan,  and  they  have  seven  children, — Henry,  Nellie, 
Mary  E..  Jennie,  Brady,  Orphy  and  Hattie.  Henry  married  Rachel  Carnes, 
and  they  reside  in  Linesville  and  have  one  son.  Clayton  C.  Nellie  married 
George  Williams,  and  they  have  three  children, — Dale  G.,  Dee  H.  and  M. 
Christy.  Mary  E.  married  Grant  Faust,  and  they  have  two  sons, — Clair  J. 
and  Clyde  H.  (twins).  Jennie  married  Burt  \Miite.  and  they  have  one  son. 
— James  N. 

Mrs.   Cole's   father,    Robert   Bartlev,  was  born  in  the  north  of  Ireland. 


914  OUR   COUNTY  AND   UFS  PEOPLE. 

about  1822,  was  well  educated,  and  came  to  the  United  States  when  a  young 
man,  first  locating  in  Ohio  and  later  in  Michigan,  where  he  married  Rachel 
Holmes,  of  that  state.  The}-  had  seven  children. — Robert  W.,  Rebecca  N., 
Mary  E.,  Wilson  A.,  John  F.,  Ezra  I.  and  Myler,  who  are  living.  Mr. 
Bartley  was  drowned  in  1882,  and  Mrs.  Bartley  died  on  January  25,  1865. 
The  family  are  Congregationalists.  Ancestry  of  family,  English,  Dutch  and 
Scotch. 


Jacob  M.  Hippie,  of  Randolph  township,  was  Ijorn  in  Perry  county, 
.Pennsylvania,  in  1823.  and  married  Angeline,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Mary 
Bryant,  of  Lawrence  county,  Pennsylvania.  They  removed  to  Ohio  but 
came  into  this  county  in  1867.  Their  children  are:  Frances  Lorinda,  wife 
of  Ezekie!  Daniels;  Harvey:  Mary,  wife  of  Jerry  Thurston;  Charles,  Lorenzo, 
John  W.,  Eva,  Asa,  and  Pluma,  wife  of  John  Burse.  Mr.  Hippie  removed 
from  Troy  township  four  years  ago  to  his  present  home,  a  place  of  twenty- 
five  acres  on  the  Oil  Creek  road.  He  is  a  member  of  the  church  called  The 
Saints. 


George  D.  King  was  born  in  Utica.  Oneida  county.  New  York,  on  Jan- 
iiary  30,  1834.  His  parents  moved  to  New  York  city  when  he  was  two 
3'ears  old  and  to  this  state  when  he  was  six  years  old.  Here  he  was  edu- 
cated, in  the  select  schools.  He  early  showed  appreciation  of  the  fine  points 
incident  to  cattle  and  horses  of  a  high  grade  and  became  a  dealer  in  live  stock. 
For  many  years  now  he  has  dealt  exclnsivelv  in  fine  matched  carriage  horses  for 
the  trade  in  New  York  cit_\-  and  in  the  other  chief  cities  of  the  United  States, 
and  also  in  Mexico,  Cuba  and  other  foreign  countries.  The  firm  name  in 
recent  years  has  been  George  D.  King  &  Son.  They  import  first-class  breed- 
ing stock  from  England  and  France,  and  their  fine  learns  at  Hillside  (Spring- 
boro)  are  under  the  personal  and  capable  supervision  and  superintendence 
of  the  son,  Fred  P.  King.  The  firm  does  a  safe  and  reliable  business  of  from 
forty  thousand  dollars  to  fifty  thousand  dollars  yearly.  Mr.  King  stands 
high  in  the  community  for  his  1)usiness  qualities,  his  public  spirit  and  lib- 
erality and  Iiis  gentlemanly  courtesy.     In  politics  he  is  a  Republican. 

Mr.  King's  oldest  son,  Fred  P..  the  junior  member  of  the  firm,  is  the 
only  son  of  Mr.  King's  first  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was  Levantia  Pond. 
He  married  Hattie.  an  adopted  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  A.  Welch, 
of  Spring  township,  and  their  children  are  Frank  W.  and  Fred  P.  King.  Mrs. 
Levantia  King  died  in  1879.  and  Mr.  King  married  on  November  25,  1881, 
Emma  Hart  of  Girard.  Erie  county,  this  state.  They  have  two  daughters, 
Bertha  Helen  and  Edith  Hart  King. 

Jotham  B.  King,  father  of  George  D.,  was  born  at  Norwich  Corners, 
Oneida  county.  New  York,  a  son  of  Jotham  King,  a  native  of  Connecticut, 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  915 

in  May.  1810.  He  received  a  good  education.  Ijecame  a  contractor  and  was 
a  sid3-contractnr  on  the  Croton  water-works.  Imilt  to  supply  New  York 
city.  He  married  Amanda  Dickson,  of  his  native  county.  They  had  five 
children, — George  D..  Hiram  D.,  Cornelia  A.,  Henry  C.  and  Jotham  M. 
Mr.  King  died  in  1875  and  Mrs.  King  in  1873.  Mrs. .Emma  (Hart)  King  is 
in  the  ninth  generation  of  the  Hart  family  of  the  United  States.  Her  father, 
Leffert  Hart,  was  born  in  Hartford  county,  Connecticut,  on  December  12, 
1802.  He  was  well  educated,  was  a  merchant  in  \\'aterford  in  Erie  county, 
this  state,  and  later  a  contractor.  He  came  to  Girard  to  reside  in  1839.  He 
was  twice  married,  first  to  Nancy  Woodford  on  September  12,  1826.  by 
whom  he  had  seven  children,  five  daughters  and  two  sons.  Mrs.  Nancv  Hart 
died  on  June  5.  1847.  and  Mr.  Hart  married  Eliza  Dempsey,  of  Girard,  on 
July  25,  1848,  and  they  had  seven  children.  Mr.  Hart  died  on  Decemlier  20. 
1874,  in  his  seventy-third  year.  Mrs.  Hart  is  now  (1897)  living.  Ancestrv 
of  family.  New  England,  of  Welsh,  English  and  Scotch  extraction. 


]]'ilUaui  F.  Joliiisoii. — Among  the  agriculturists  whose  labor  and  enter- 
prise ha\'e  been  largeh-  instrumental  in  Ijringing  Crawford  county  into  the 
front  ranks  of  the  counties  of  Pennsylvania  is  William  F.  Johnson,  of  South 
Shenango  township,  whose  long  and  useful  life  was  brought  to  a  close  Decem- 
ber 18,  1897.  His  place  in  the  community  where  he  was  an  old  resident  and 
pioneer  cannot  be  easily  filled  and  the  numerous  friends  whom  he  had  endeared 
to  himself  by  the  sterling  traits  of  his  character,  bv  his  goodness  of  heart  and 
his  love  and  symjiathy  for  his  fellow-men,  will  e\'er  treasure  his  memory. 
Eor  about  half  a  century  he  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  church, 
doing  all  within  his  power  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  denomination  and 
putting  into  daily  practice  the  noble  faith  in  which  he  believed.  He  was  a 
sincere  Christian,  a  kind  aii<l  helpful  friend  and  neighbor  and  a  loving  hus- 
band and  father. 

A  native  of  New  Jersey,  W.  F.  Johnson  was  born  [May  17,  1818,  and 
passed  the  first  eight  years  of  his  life  in  that  locality.  He  then  removed 
with  his  parents  to  Dryden,  New  York,  and  there  lived  upon  a  farm,  learn- 
ing from  practical  experience  the  various  duties  of  agricultural  and  business 
life.  At  length  he  came  to  South  Shenango  township,  Crawford  county,  and 
from  that  time  until  his  death  he  remained  a  resident  of  this  vicinity.  Be- 
ginning in  a  humble  way,  he  gradually  accpiired  a  goodly  fortune  and  be- 
came one  of  the  prosperous  men  of  affairs  of  this  neighborhood,  as  a  just  re- 
sult of  the  well-directed  energy  and  industry  which  he  always  displayed.  He 
left  an  estate  comprising  nearly  one  thousand  acres  of  improved  farm  land, 
situated  in  this  and  adjoining  counties.  For  years  he  was  extensively  en- 
gaged in  raising  live  stock  and  in  this  manner  made  much  of  his  wealth. 
Though  a  loyal  Republican  and  interested  in  the  success  of  his  party,  he  was 


9i6  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

not  an  office-seeker  and  preferred  to  give  his  whole  time  and  attention  to  other 
duties.  Fraternally,  he  was  connected  with  the  Mead\'ille  Lodge,  A  F 
&  A.  M. 

The  first  marriage  of  ^\r.  Johnson  was  to  Miss  Mandana  Highland,  of 
New  York.  She  died,  leaving  four  children,  two  of  whom  are  deceased,  while 
the  others,  George  and  Hile,  are  both  enterprising  farmers  of  this  county. 
The  second  wife  of  Mr.  Johnson  was  twent_\-  vears  his  junior,  her  birth  having 
occurred  September  7.  1838.  She  bore  the  name  of  Mary  J.  Word  before 
her  marriage  and  was  a  daughter  of  Jacob  Word,  a  farmer  of  this  township. 
He  was  a  native  of  New  York  state,  but  came  to  tliis  county  when  voung  and 
here  passed  the  rest  of  his  days,  his  death  occurring  when  he  was  in  his 
forty-eighth  year.  He  was  a  prosperous  and  progressive  farmer  and  enjoyed 
the  liigh  regard  of  all  who  knew  him.  To  some  extent  he  followed  the  trade 
of  shoemaking,  which  he  had  learned  in  his  youth.  His  wife  was  a  Miss 
Delila  Bowman  in  her  girlhood,  and  the  Empire  state  also  was  the  state  of 
her  nativit}-.  She  li\-ed  to  the  ad\-anced  age  of  ninety-four  years.  Though  a 
lovely  Christian  woman  she  never  identified  herself  with  any  church.  Mrs. 
Mary  Johnson  was  born  and  reared  to  maturity  in  this  township,  and  with 
her  five  brothers  and  sisters  attended  the  district  schools.  By  her  marriage 
she  became  the  mother  of  thirteen  children,  two  of  whom  died  in  early  life. 
Oilie  C.  became  the  wife  of  Roljert  P.  Marshall,  whose  sketch  will  be  found 
elsewhere  in  this  volume:  Emma  is  the  wife  of  Horace  French:  William  P. 
and  James  H.  are  farmers,  the  first-named  in  this  township,  the  other  in  Ohi(j ; 
Minnie  is  Mrs.  Frank  White;  Alta  married  Charles  Neal;  Word,  Frank 
E.  and  Arthur  are  farmers  of  this  township:  Maude  and  Howe  are  still  at 
home.  The  family  occupies  a  high  position  in  the  community  and  are  always 
relied  upon  to  cast  in  their  influence  on  the  side  of  whate\-er  makes  for  good 
government,  order  and  progress. 


Judsou  P.  Ames,  of  Athens  township,  is  a  son  of  Amos  and  Achsah 
(Thomas)  .\mes,  and  was  born  in  Cambridge  to.wnship.  May  27,  1841. 
About  1856  he  came  to  live  in  Athens  township.  In  1861  he  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany I,  Eighty-third  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  ser\-ed  three 
years :  was  wounded  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness  and  lost  one  thumb.  He 
is  a  farmer.  He  married  \'ioletta  Bly,  daughter  of  Warren  Bly,  of  Beloit, 
\\'isconsin.     He  has  two  children. — Fred  and  Avis. 


Philipp  Bender,  son  of  Peter  and  Margareta   (Bushman)   Bender,  was 

liorn  in  1842  in  Germany  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  that  coun- 

•try.     In  1866  he  came  to  America  and  located  at  Meadville,  where  he  was 

employed  in  a  stove  factory  and  later  was  employed  in  a  grocery  store.     In 

1868  he  married  Lena  Oster.  daughter  of  John  Oster.  and  has  four  children: 


OUli  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  917 

.Alargaret,  wife  of  Power  Burkhart,  editor  of  Ottawa  Democrat.  Ohio;  Louise, 
wife  of  Dr.  Elword :  C.  Linderman :  Dr.  Cliarles  D.  Bender  and  Emma  are 
members  of  the  Evangelist  Protestant  cliurch.  In  1869  he  opened  a  restau- 
rant and  followed  that  business  twenty-four  _vears. 


Reuben  L.  Kendall,  Springboro.  was  born  in  this  place  on  July  31,  1856, 
educated  in  the  public  schools  and  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  of  his  father, 
being  now  of  the  third  generation  carrying  on  the  business  in  the  same  shop. 
On  July  23.  1879,  he  married  Lillie  A.  Ross,  of  Spring  townshi]).  They 
have  one  son,  Ross  C,  born  jMay  13,  1886.  Mrs.  Kendall's  father.  Nelson  W. 
Ross,  was  born  in'  Penfield,  Monroe  county,  New  York,  on  August  17,  1824, 
and  came  with  his  parents  to  Crawford  county,  when  three  years  of  age.  He 
was  educated  in  the  schools  of  that  early  day  and  followed  the  honorable 
occupation  of  farming.  On  March  25,  1852,  he  married  Elizabeth  H.  Rice, 
who  was  born  June  10,  1829,  and  they  had  six  children, — Laura- J.,  Lebbeus, 
Frank  W.,  Lillie  A.,  Stephen  V.  and  William  H.  Mr.  Ross  died  on  July  30, 
1896,  and  his  wife  on  May  25,  1890.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kendall  are  members 
of  the  Christian  church.  Mr.  Kendall  is  a  thorough  Republican.  The  ancestry 
of  family  is  French  and  Scotch.  (See  another  page  of  this  work  for  an  ac- 
count of  Mr.   Kendall's  father,  Stephen  Kendall.) 


James  W.  Russ. — One  of  the  respected  citizens  and  enterprising  young 
business  men  of  Rome  township,  Crawford  county,  is  James  W.  Russ,  who  is 
a  son  of  James  and  Laona  (Tarbox)  Russ.  The  father  \'olunteered  his  ser- 
vices to  his  country  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  served  in  a  W'isconsin  regi- 
ment, and  died  soon  after  his  return  home. 

James  W.  Russ  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  \\'isconsin  on  the  3d  of  June, 
1864.  In  his  youth  he  commenced  working  in  the  oil  regions  of  Pennsyl- 
vania and  for  several  years  has  been  ehiployed  at  oil  wells,  having  charge  of 
the  pumps.  He  thoroughly  understands  his  business,  and  is  a  faithful  and 
reliable  employee. 

James  W.  Russ  married  J\Iiss  Violet  M.  Stearns,  a  daughter  of  Charles 
and  Violet  (Henderson)  Stearns,  and  granddaughter  of  Charles  Stearns, 
Sr.,  who  was  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  township.  Three  children  have 
been  born  to  our  subject  and  wife,  namely:  Alminta  yi.,  Charles  W.  and 
Tames  R. 


Mrs.  M.  .Jennie  Parker,  of  Spring  township,  is  a  daughter  of  .\ndrew  S. 
Stevens,  who  was  born  in  Greene  county,  New  York,  in  1802.  Receiving  a 
common-school  education,  he  came  to  this  county  when  a  young  man  and 
married  Hannah  S.  Dearborn,  of  this  place.  Thirteen  of  their  children  at- 
tained maturity,— Eleanor,  Keziah!  Ira  L..  M.  Jennie.  Anna  M.,  William  H., 


9i8  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Melissa,  Emory  W.,  Lodina,  Lucy  A.,  Annette,  George  B.  and  Ava  L.  Mrs. 
Stevens  died  in  January,  1886,  and  Mr.  Stevens  in  December  of  the  same  year. 
Mrs.  M.  Jennie  Parker  has  been  twice  married,  first  to  Ansel  V.  Baldwin, 
who  was  born  in  Spring  township  in  October,  1837,  and  died  in  October,  1885. 
Educated  in  the  district  schools,  he  developed  business  qualities  and  engaged 
in  \-arious  occupations,  and  was  also  a  merchant  and  a  commercial  traveler. 
He  was  prominent  in  the  Masonic  order  and  was  a  Knight  Templar.  Mrs. 
Baldwin  married  Calvin  A.  Parker,  formerly  of  Cortland  county.  New  York, 
iju  November  21,  1893.  He  also  was  a  Freemason.  Their  married  life  was 
of  short  duration,  as  Mr.  Parker's  death  occurred  on  May  23,  1894.  Mrs. 
Parker's  ancestry  is  Dutch  and  English. 


Samuel  Hart,  of  Athens  township,  is  a  son  of  David  Hart,  and  was  born 
in  North  Kingston,  Rliode  Island.  He  moved  to  Chautauqua  county,  New 
A'ork,  in  1836,  and  in  1839  he  married  Sally  Adams,  daughter  of  William 
Adams.  In  1852  he  moved  to  Athens  township,  where  he  now  resides  as  a 
farmer  and  has  three  children. 


John  T.  Farner,  of  Oil  Creek  township,  was  lx)rn  October  28,  1838,  at 
Penn's  Valley,  Center  count)',  Pennsylvania,  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Stiver) 
Farner.  Mr.  Farner  began  life  on  a  farm  with  his  father,  where  he  remained 
until  1 86 1,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  A'olunteer  Infantry. 
At  \\'inchester,  \'irginia,  he  was  taken  prisoner  and  spent  a  year  at  Libby 
Prison  and  also  at  Salisbury,  North  Carolina.  In  1863  he  was  exchanged  and 
returned  home,  remaining  there  until  the  close  of  the  war  in  1865,  when 
he  removed  to  Oil  City  and  began  work  in  the  oil  field.  Mr.  Earner's  ventures 
in  oil  proved  quite  successful  and  in  1885  he  came  to  Crawford  county,  locat- 
ing at  Hydetown.  Mr.  Farner  is  a  member  of  the  National  Oil  Company  at 
Titusville. 

On  July  2,  1879.  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Jennie,  a  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Maria  Fulmer,  of  Hydetown.  They  have  no  children.  Mr. 
Farner  is  a  member  of  the  Oil  Creek  Lodge,  No.  303,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  Rose  Croix 
Commanderv,  K.  T. ;  and  Chase  Post,  G.  A.  R. 


H.  D.  Walker,  a  farmer  of  East  Fairfield  township,  was  Ixjrn  February 
28,  1833,  in  that  township,  on  the  farm  he  now  owns,  where  he  has  resided 
since  boyhood.  He  was  a  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Dodge)  Walker,  natives  of 
Ireland,  and  was  the  fifth  child  of  a  family  of  eight  children  reared  on  this 
farm.  viz. :  William,  deceased ;  Jane,  wife  Washington  McClenn.  of  De 
Kalb.  Illinois:  Elizabeth,  wife  Anson  Schrader:  Margaret,  wife  of  Henry 
Heath,  of  Lafayette  county;  Henry  D.,  our  subject:  ^lary,  wife  of  Thomas 
\\'ilson:  Precilla,  widow  of  Wells  Sheldon:  and  D.  J.  Walker,  of  Oil  City. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  919 

June  2/,  186 1,  Mr.  H.  D.  Walker  was  united  in  marriage  witli  Jane,  daughter 
of  Phillip  and  Sarah  (Hill)  Record,  of  Wayne  township.  The  former  died 
April  6,  1865,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years,  and  the  latter  August  10,  1886. 
aged  eighty-four  years.  Mrs.  Walker  is  the  fifth  child  of  a  family  of  seven 
children,  as  follows:  Benjamin,  of  Cambridge,  Illinois;  Mary,  wife  of  John 
Bell,  residing  in  Wayne  township ;  Agnes  and  Esther,  deceased :  Jane,  wife  of 
our  subject:  Archibald:  and  Sarah  Ann,  widow  of  Jacob  Resinger.  H.  D. 
Walker's  children  are:  ^Villiam  A.,  who  married  Carrie  Kiser,  daughter  of 
Jacob  Kiser,  of  Mead  township;  Jennie  S.,  widcjw  of  William  Marsteller;  Wil- 
son M.,  who  married  Harriet  Kiser;  John  R. ;  James  Norman;  Mary  Elizabeth, 
and  Stewart  F.  Walker.  The  grandchildren  are :  Hugh  Chester,  born  Marcli 
21,  1885:  Eva  Jane,  in  July,  1886;  Mabel,  in  February,  1888:  Florence  E., 
in  1890;  Sarah  E.,  in  1892;  Percy,  in  1894;  and  Otis  Leroy,  in  1896,  chil- 
dren of  William  and  Carrie  \\'a1ker :  Jessie  Day  and  Esty  May,  twins,  born 
March  15,  1892,  children  of  Jennie  and  William  Marsteller,  and  Ada  L.,  bom 
March  2,  1895,  a  daughter  of  Wilson  and  Harriet  Walker. 

John  \A'aIker,  father  of  our  subject,  settled  in  East  Fairfield  as  earlv  as 
1805,  and  found  on)}-  one  tree  cut  to  mark  the  spot  around  which  he  began 
his  home,  and  which  be  later  developed  into  one  of  the  fertile  farms  of  his 
tdwnsliip.  The  h<jmestead  farm  has  been  conducted  by  the  present  fnvner 
ever  since  the  fall  of   1867. 


John  AI.  Hart,  a  farmer  of  Athens  township,  is  a  son  of  Samuel  H.  and 
Sarah  (Adams)  Hart,  and  was  born  in  the  town  of  Chautauqua,  New  York. 
in  1840.  His  father  moved  to  Athens  township,  about  1854.  He  married 
Rosa  A.  Hall,  a  daughter  of  Erastus  W.  Hall,  and  they  have  two  children, — 
Oren  C.  and  Fred  E. 


Orson  J.  Clwpinau,  of  Spring  township,  was  born  in  Beaver  township, 
this  state,  on  June  ig,  1840,  and  came  to  Spring  township  with  his  parents  in 
1850.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  learned  the  carpenter's  trade  and 
has  been  an  operator  of  portable  engines  in  the  oil  regions  for  many  years. 
On  Decemljer  3 1 ,  1863,  be  married  Julia  J.  Hall,  of  Springboro,  and  they  have 
three  children, — Harriet  L.,  Bessie  E.  and  Lewis  W. 

Mr.  Chapman's  father.  Lewis  K.  Chajiman,  was  born  at  Saratoga 
Springs,  New  York,  on  October  31.  1814.  was  educated  there  and  in  the 
^•icinity  of  Rochester,  same  state,  whither  his  parents  had  removed.  From 
there  they  came  to  this  state,  in  May,  1836.  Just  one  year  afterward,  in  May. 
1837,  Mr.  Chapman  married  Robey  Thompson,  whose  father,  Alexander 
Thompson,  came  from  Warsaw,  New  York,  to  this  county  in  1835.  They 
had  eleven  children.— Orson  A.,  Fannie  E.,  Millie  J.,  Helen  M.,  James  H.. 
Lewis  K.  (killed  in  railway  service  :it  Rome,  Ohio,  in  1873),  Sarah  A..  Peter 


920  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

M.,  Frank  E.,  Robey  L.  and  John  E.  Mr.  Chapman  conducted  saw  and  grist 
mills  for  many  years,  was  the  first  man  to  establish  common  schools  in  Beaver 
township,  and  was  school  director  for  twenty-eight  years.  .The  family  moved 
to  Spring  township  in  1850.  Mr.  Chapman  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the 
peace  for  twenty-five  years  from  his  first  election  in  1856,  and  was  notary 
public  many  years.    He  died  in  1889  and  his  widow  in  1891. 

Mrs.  Chapinan's  father,  Lyman  Hall,  was  born  in  Connecticut  May  6, 
181 1,  and  came  to  this  section  at  an  early  day.  On  April  12,  1838,  he  mar- 
ried Lovisa  W'etmore,  of  Spring  township.  His  father.  Captain  Benjamin 
Hall,  was  a  soldier  of  the  war  of  181 2.  He  settled  here  in  1820.  coming  with 
ox  teams  and  cutting  road-ways  through  the  wilderness.  Fisher's  drug  store 
is  on  the  corner  of  the  farm  upon  which  they  settled.  Two  of  their  five  chil- 
dren survive, — Julia  J.  and  Catherine  D.  (Mrs.  John  P.  Barr).  Their  brother 
Scott  was  a  sailor  on  the  United  States  gunboat  Cohasset  in  the  civil  war,  and 
was  wounded  in  an  action  on  James  river,  was  taken  prisoner,  exchanged, 
and  discharged  for  disability.  He  died  in  1866.  Mr.  Hall  died  August  17, 
18 — ;  his  widow  now  (1897)  survives  him.  Mr.  Chapman  is  a  member  of 
Western  Crawford  Lodge  of  Freemasons  at  Conneautville.  All  of  his  im- 
mediate ancestors  held  residence  in  this  county  from  pioneer  days.  The  family 
attends  the  Christian  church,  of  which  Mrs.  Chapman  is  a  member.  Ancestry 
of  family,  English,  Scotch  and  Welsh. 


James  McCoiubs,  of  Oil  Creek  township,  is  a  son  of  William  and  Jane 
(Kerr)  McCombs,  and  was  born  in  Oil  Creek  township,  just  north  of  Titus- 
ville,  August  30,  1825.  The  farm  then  comprised  three  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  part  of  which  is  now  occupied  by  the  fair  grounds.  James  remained 
at  home  and  followed  farming.  He  was  united  in  marriage  with  Laura, 
daughter  of  Hezekiah  and  Laura  (Dunham)  Sperry.  Mrs.  McCombs  was 
born  March  7,  1833.  They  had  four  children:  Harriet  J.,  who  died  January 
I,  1893  ;  Robert  K. ;  William  P. ;  and  the  other  child  dying  in  infancy.  Mr. 
McCombs  died  January  24,  1893.  He  is  survived  by  his  widow  and  two 
children,  who  reside  on  the  old  homestead,  a  part  of  which  was  erected  over 
eighty  years  ago. 

George  W.  Hecker,  of  Meadville,  was  born  at  Allentown,  Pennsylvania, 
on  the  8th  of  February,  1824.  When  he  was  but  four  years  of  age  his  family 
removed  to  Reading,  this  state,  and  in  the  fall  of  1828  came  to  Crawford 
county,  finally  locating  at  Saegerstown,  in  1830.  During  boyhood  he  worked 
with  his  father  in  the  tailoring  business,  gaining  a  good  fundamental  educa- 
tion, and  at  times  reading  law  in  the  office  of  John  W.  Farrelly,  at  Meadville. 
When  twenty-one  years  of  age  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  returned  to 
Allentown  with  the  intention  of  locating  there  permanently,  but  soon  returned 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  921 

to  Meadville  and  formed  a  partnership  with  \\' .  H.  Davis.  In  1846  he  re- 
moved to  Ridgeway,  ^where  he  was  appointed  deputy  attorney-general  for 
Elk  count}-  b}-  Hon.  John  Reed,  and  was  reappointed  by  Benjamin  Campneys. 
At  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office,  in  1848,  he  removed  to  Clearfield, 
where  he  was  appointed  deputy  attorney-general  for  Clearfield  county.  In 
May.  1849,  li^  returned  to  Meadville.  where  he  ]M'acticed  law  successively  in 
the  otifices  of  D.  C.  McCoy,  William  R.  Scott,  H.  C.  Johnson  and  J.  \\\  Mc- 
Closkey.  In  1852  Mr.  Hecker  was  elected  district  attorney  for  Crawford 
county,  serving  three  years.  Since  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office  he  has 
been  engaged  in  the  practice  of  law  in  Mead\ille. 

In  1875  Mr.  Hecker  published,  as  a  result  of  life-long  research  and  study. 
a  valuable  legal  work  on  "\Varrantee  in  the  Sale  of  Personal  Property,"  Mr. 
Hecker  is  at  present  the  oldest  practicing  attorney  at  the  Crawford  county  bar. 


David  Blafchlcy,  formerly  Blackly,  was  a  resident  of  Connecticut  in  1752. 
According  to  records  in  possession  of  Stephen  Blatchley,  of  Concord,  Erie 
county,  Pennsylvania,  a  son  of  Daniel  married  Elizabeth  Hubbard,  who  was 
a  native  of  Connecticut.  He  moved  to  Broome  county.  New  York,  with  his 
team  and  wagon  at  an  early  date  and  settled  at  Windsor,  where  he  afterward 
died.  His  son  Da\id  married  Phebe  Edson,  daughter  of  Seth  and  Desire 
( Comstock)  Edson,  who  were  natives  of  Massachusetts,  and  settled  in  Broome 
county.  In  1835  he  moved  to  Cattaraugus  county,  same  state,  and  in  1836 
til  Chautauqua  county,  that  state,  where  he  engaged  in  his  trades  as  carpenter, 
liuilder  and  farmer,  and  from  there  he  renioved  to  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  settled  on  the  farm  his  son  now  owns  in  Concord  township,  and 
where  he  died  in  1892;  his  wife  died  in  1886.  Their  children  were  Stephen, 
Elizabeth  (Mrs.  Lorrin  Bates),  and  Electa  (Mrs.  Charles  Rosaback),  of 
Spartansburg. 


Dcluicr  Hoiitz,  a  farmer,  of  East  Fairfield  township,  was  born  in  Wayne 
township,  Crawford  county,  November  9.  1859.  son  of  Henry  and  Phoebe  J. 
(Stockton)  Houtz,  natives  of  Dauphin  county,  this  state,  who  came  to  south- 
ern Crawford  at  an  early  day  and  settled  in  the  adjoining  township.  Henry 
Houtz  was  the  son  of  \\^illiam  and  Polly  Houtz :  the  latter  still  sur\'ives,  at 
the  age  of  thirtv-three  years.  He  is  the  oldest  of  the  following  named  children : 
Delmer,  subject;  Anna,  wife  of  W.  B.  Teed;  Effie,  wife  of  John  McDaniel : 
Teanette,  wife  of  Samuel  Gourley:  Albert,  deceased:  Theodore;  Nannie,  and 
Henry  Ellis  Houtz.  December  14.  1884,  he  married  Mina,  the  second  child 
of  John  and  Esther  (Clough)  Heffernan,  of  Venango  county,  Pennsylvania. 
The  children  of  this  family  are  John.  Mina  (wife  of  subject).  Ida  Belle, 
Myrtle,  Cass  and  Hamilton.  Three  children  have  Ijeen  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Houtz,  viz. :  Ada,  Winnie  Pearl  and  Francis  Lerov  Houtz.     Mr.  Houtz 


922  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

owns  and  resides  on  the  farm,  for  years  the  property  of  R.  Cochran,  wliich 
has  been  greatly  improved  under  its  present  ownership. 


Charles  Day.  Sr.,  of  Sparta  township,  came  from  W'lhtehall  to  Sugar 
Creek,  \"enango  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1826,  where  he  was  a  farmer.  Later 
lie  came  to  Titusville,  where  he  carried  on  the  blacksmithing  business;  and 
from  there  he  moved  to  Rome  township,  where  he  engaged  in  farming  and 
blacksmithing.  He  married  Mary  Ann  Crosett.  Their  son  John  was  born  at 
Whitehall,  New  York,  in  1819,  and  came  with  his  father  to  Pennsvlvania. 
where  he  married  Sarah,  daughter  of  William  and  Clarissa  Davenport.  Thev 
settled  in  Rome,  where  he  followed  his  father's  trade  and  afterward  removed 
to  Spartansburg  (in  1865),  and  still  worked  at  the  blacksmith's  trade.  He 
had  four  children, — George  F.,  Luther  W.,  William,  who  died  an  infant,  and 
Mary  E.  (Mrs.  Edwin  HoiYman). 

Edwin  Hoffman,  son  of  Thomas  C.  and  Sarah  (Horton)  Hoffman,  was 
born  in  Lockport,  New  York,  October  14,  1844.  In  August,  1862,  he  en- 
listed in  the  Nineteenth  New  York  Independent  Battery  of  Light  Artillery. 
He  was  color-bearer  from  1863  till  1865,  when  he  came  home  and  learned  the 
free-hand  crayon  portrait  business,  being  naturally  an  artist.  He  came  to 
Spartansburg  in  1876,  where  he  is  well  known  by  his  crayon  work.  In  local 
office  he  is  justice  of  the  peace,  and  for  his  wife  he  married  Mary  E.  Day. 


Andrezi.^  Blair,  engineer.  Meadville,  was  born  in  western  Crawford 
November  16,  1844,  a  son  of  Andrew  and  Jane  (McKay)  Blair,  natives  of  this 
county.  The  former  died  in  1844  and  the  latter  in  1895.  Their  family  con- 
sisted of  two  children :  Andrew,  above  mentioned :  and  Mary,  wife  of  John 
Steadman,  Atlantic,  Pennsylvania.  November  25,  1872,  Mr.  Blair  married 
Anna  L.,  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  (Trace)  Brown,  of  Meadville.  . 
To  this  union  have  been  born  three  children, — Nina  E.,  Lula  J.  and  Annie 

M.  Blair. 

Mr.  Blair  has  always  been  a  resident  of  his  native  county.  In  1893  he 
began  as  a  fireman  for  the  New  York,  Penns3'lvania  &  Ohio  Railway,  and  was 
for  several  years  in  the  employ  of  the  company  as  an  engineer.  In  1892  he 
accepted  a  position  as  engineer  for  the  People's  Incandescent  Light  Company, 
which  place  he  now  holds. 


William  D.  Heath,  a  farmer  of  East  Fairfield  township,  was  born  in  1827 
and  reared  on  the  farm  where  he  now  resides,  and  for  forty  years  has  been 
the  owner  of  the  same.  He  is  a  son  of  Samuel  Heath,  a  prominent  citizen  and 
farmer  of  Crawford  county,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years.  July  2, 
1867,  he  married  Lvdia  Burger  of  Westmoreland  county,  and  to  this  union 
have  been  born  six  children,  as  follows :    Charles,  Mary  E.,  Katherine  Jane. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  923 

Margaret,  Emma  and  Lucetta  Heatli.  Mr.  Heath  has  been  actively  eno-ao-ed 
in  farming  pursuits  for  o\-er  lialf  a  century,  and  has  never  been  outside  his 
native  county  except  upon  two  or  tlu-ee  occasions  during  that  period.  He 
has  held  the  i)ffice  of  school  director  fc:)r  six  consecuti\-e  vears. 


Burt  G.  Gable,  proprietor  of  the  New  Gable  House,  Meadville,  was  born 
April  2,  1870,  a  son  of  Charles  and  Nancy  ( Stainbrook)  Gable.  Mr.  Gable 
the  father,  was  for  thirty-five  years  owner  and  manager  of  the  Gable  House. 
He  removed  from  Mead  township  to  Meadville  in  1863  and  opened  this  well- 
known  hosteh-}-.  which  he  conducted  until  three  months  prior  to  his  death, 
January  29,  1898.  He  was  a  Pennsylvanian  by  birth  and  spent  the  greater 
part  of  his  acti\-e  life  in  Crawford  county.    He  was  born  in  1830. 

His  only  son,  Burt  G.,  continues  the  management  of  the  hotel,  and  re- 
organized the  same  under  the  name  of  the  New  Gable  House,  refitting  and 
refurnishing  it  throughout,  making  a  modern  hostelry  with  manv  features 
unexcelled  only  in  the  larger  cities.  Mr.  Gable  has  had  experience  as  clerk  in 
the  new  Colt  House,  and  four  years  as  chief  clerk  in  the  Liebel  House  at  Erie, 
Pennsyhania.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Meadx'ille  and 
Allegheny  College,  and  is  a  member  of  Meadville  Lodge,  No.  219,  B.  P.  O.  E. 


i".  5".  Sikcs.  of  Randolph  township,  came  into  the  countv  when  a  boy 
of  twelve  years,  with  his  parents,  from  Allegany  county,  New  York,  where  he 
was  born  in  1823.  In  1843  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of  William  and  Ann 
Thompson,  of  Randolph.  Their  surviving  children  are  ]\Iarv  Ann,  wife  of 
William  R.  Shannon;  William  P.  and  James  Leroy.  In  1864  Mr.  Sikes  en- 
listed in  the  Two  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  Volunteers.  He  was 
at  the  retaking  of  Fort  Steadman  and  at  Petersburg,  serving  as  corporal  of 
Company  A.  He  states  that  he  was  the  eleventh  man  to  enter  the  works  and 
the  first  to  put  up  the  flag  at  Petersburg.  His  brothers  Horace  and  Selden 
served  in  the  same  company  with  him,  and  a  son  in  the  Eighty-third  Regiment. 
Mr.  Sikes  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church.  He  has  several  pieces 
of  land,  amounting  in  all  to  one  hundred'  and  thirty  acres. 


John  II.  Pctciinan.  deceased,  of  West  Fairfield  township,  was  born  in 
West  Fairfield  township,  February  25,  1836,  where  he  died  August  12,  1892: 
son  of  Conrad  and  Eliza  (Gourley)  Peterman,  and  resided  a  greater  part  of 
his  life  on  the  farm  originally  owned  by  his  grandfather  on  the  line  between 
Crawford  and  Mercer  counties.  His  father  was  a  native  of  this  county  and 
was  married  February  27,  1834,  reared  a  family  of  nine  children,  John  H. 
being  the  eldest.  His  mother  was  a  native  of  Ireland.  December  16,  1858, 
Mr.  Peterman  married  Miss  Jane  Chatley,  and  to  this  union  were  born  nine 
children,  seven   of  whom  survive,  viz. :   Margaret,  Martha,   Emma,   ^^^  J., 


924  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Samuel,  David  and  James.  In  1874  he  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  and 
again  in  1880,  for  terms  of  five,  years  each.  While  he  was  engaged  in  farm- 
ing he  was  a  carpenter  by  trade  and  built  a  large  number  of  frame  houses 
ill  the  neighborhood.  He  ser\'ed  nine  months  in  the  Ci\'i]  war.  drafted 
October  16,  1862,  in  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and  Sixty-ninth  Regiment. 
He  was  a  member  of  Silas  W.  Smith  Post.  G.  A.  R.,  and  a  consistent  member 
of  the  United  Presbyterian  church.     In  politics  he  was  a  life-long  Democrat. 


James  Lcroy  Sikcs.  of  Randolph  township,  son  of  S.  S.  Sikes,  was  born 
in  Randolph  township  in  1849.  His  first  wife  was  Emagene,  daughter  of 
Moses  Gilbert.  Jr..  by  whom  he  had  one  child.  Katie.  His  second  wife  was 
Eva,  daughter  of  Clinton  Satterlee,  by  whom  he  had  one  child.  Mabel.  His 
present  wife  is  Millie,  daughter  of  Job  Madison.  Besides  farming  Mr.  Sikes 
has  been  engaged,  until  the  last  few  years,  in  the  lumber  business.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church,  and  of  the  1.  O.  O.  F. 


G.  P.  Diidcnhocffcv.  proprietor  of  the  Arcade  House,  in  Meadville,  is  a 
native  of  Erie  county,  this  state,  born  April  30,  1855,  a  son  of  Peter  and 
Rosana  ( Selingher)  Dudenhoeffer,  natives  of  Germany  now  living  in  Erie 
county.  -Mr.  Dudenhoeffer  came  to  Meadville  April  18,  1883,  and  first  fol- 
lowed his  trade,  that  of  a  carpenter,  being  for  a  time  employed  in  the  car  shops 
and  later  in  brewery  and  salcK)n  business.  In  1896  he  became  proprietor  of- 
the  Arcade,  and  has  remodeled  and  modernized  the  same  for  a  first-class 
patronage. 

September  21,  1885,  Mr.  Dudenhoeffer  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Kate  Rice,  of  Mead  township,  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  four  children, 
— Charles,  Cunie,  Henr)-  and  Frank.  Mr.  Dudenhoeffer  is  a  member  of  the 
Catholic  Mutual  Benefit' Association  and  the  St.  John's  Benevolent  Society. 


Joseph  G.  Consider,  a  farmer  of  East  Fairfield,  was  born  March  17,  1847, 
on  the  farm  which  he  now  owns,  one  mile  northeast  of  Cochranton  borough. 
The  log  house  in  which  he  was  born  is  still  standing  and  occupied  by  his 
mother,  who  has  reached  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  His 
parents,  John  and  Mary  Ann  (Girard)  Consider,  were  natives  of  France.  The 
former  died  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  and  the  latter  is  living  as  above  stated. 
Their  family  consisted  of  four  children:  John,  deceased:  Paul  H. ;  Joseph  G., 
our  subject :  and  Mary  Ann,  wife  of  N.  R.  Smith.  He  first  married  June  20, 
1878,  Mary  K.  Klinger,  of  East  Fairfield  township,  who  died  September  12, 
1886.  aged  twenty-four  years:  to  this  union  were  born  four  children:  Annie 
B..  Addie,  Louis  and  Joseph.  November  3,  1887,  Mr.  Consider  married 
Pauline,  daughter  of  Adelbert  and  Frances  (Keaudot)  Dupont :  they  have 
three  children:   Frances,   Bertie  and  Clarence.     Mrs.   Consider  is  the  sixth 


OUR  COUNTY  'AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  925 

child  in  a  large  family  of  children,  viz. :  Joseph,  who  married  Lizzie  Merrill : 
Charles,  who  married  Maggie  Bell ;  Pauline,  wife  of  Frank  Hade ;  Alexander, 
whn  married  Joana  Bell;  James,  deceased;  the  wife  of  our  subject;  Augustus; 
Mary,  married  to  Frank  Basunson ;  Augustus,  married  to  Etta  Holton ;  Hugh, 
married  to  EllaRockafellow  ;  and  Peter,  who  married  Mary  Williams.  Adelbert 
Dupont  served  fourteen  years  in  the  French  army.  With  the  exception  of  ten 
years  spent  in  the  oil  country,  Mr.  Consider  lias  spent  the  greater  part  of  his 
life  on  the  home  farm.  He  has  been  treasurer  of  the  East  Fairfield  town- 
ship, and  has  greatly  improved  his  environments. 


Elmer  E.  McCaiilcy.  a  stock-dealer  and  farmer  of  East  Fairfield  township, 
was  born  April  3,  1864,  in  Venango  county,  where  he  spent  the  most  of  his 
early  life,  removing  to  East  Fairfield  township,  Crawford  county,  in  1886. 
He  is  a  son  of  Robert  and  Jane  (Rogers)  McCauley.  The  former  died  at 
the  age  of  fifty-four  years,  and  the  latter  in  1867.  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven 
years.  They  were  of  Irish  desceilt,  the  grandfather  of  subject,  David  ]\Ic- 
Cauley  came  from  his  native  country  and  settled  in  western  Pennsylvania  at 
an  early  day.  Robert  McCauley,  father  of  Elmer,  was  the  oldest  of  a  family 
of  six  children.  His  children  are,  Elmer  E.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Vin- 
nie,  wife  of  Oran  Heath ;  and  Alletta.  wife  of  Frank  Flemming.  Mr.  Mc- 
Cauley married.  November  28,  1892,  Mary,  daughter  of  John  and  Ellen 
(Price)  Councilmen,  of  this  county.  To  this  union  has  been  born  one  child, 
Georgie  Belle  McCauley.  Mr.  McCauley  is  a  progressive  business  man,  a  Re- 
publican in  politics  and  a  member  of  the  Protected  Home  Circle. 


James  M.  Mapes.  mechanic,  Cochranton  postoffice.  East  Fairfield  town- 
ship, is  a  nati\'e  of  St.  Lawrence  county,  New  York,  and  a  son  of  \\'illiam 
B.  and  Esther  (  Smith)  Mapes,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  and  sixty- 
five  years  respectively.  Of  their  children,  five  in  number,  four  survive;  James 
B.,  deceased;  James  ^L,  our  subject;  Adelaide  V.,  wife  of  George  Klinger; 
Charles  T. ;  and  May  F.,  wife  of  William  Wood.  Mr.  Mapes  first  married,  in 
i860,  Emily,  daughter  of  John  DeHaven,  of  Corsica,  Jefferson  county;  she 
died  in  1867.  To  this  union  were  born  three  children;  Susan  Adelia,  wife  of 
William  Butts.  Chagrin  Falls,  Ohio;  George  W..  Clarion;  and  Emily  J.,  de- 
ceased. Mr.  Mapes  was  later  married  to  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Michael  and 
Katherine  i  Merriman )  Mangus.  The  children  of  this  union  are;  Charles 
H.,  married  to  Anna  Hill.  Jubianelia,  wife  of  George  Slinglulif,  Silver  Lake; 
Addie  J.,  wife  of  John  Richardson;  and  William  Marion  Mapes.  Michael 
Mangus  ser\-ed  in  the  civil  war.  George  W.  Turner,  a  cousin  of  our  subject, 
w  as  an  interjjreter  in  the  Mexican  war. 

Mr.  Mapes  commenced  his  trade,  plasterer  and  bricklayer,  in  1863,  in 
JeiTerson  county,  where  he  served  five  years.     Prior  to  this  he  spent  some 


926  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLli. 

time  in  Illinois,  locating  in  East  Fairfield  township,  about  1869.  He  has 
been  classed  among  the  skillful  mechanics.  Among  his  most  recent  under- 
takings was  the  inside  work  of  the  new  Smith  block  at  Cochranton. 


/.  5".  Bolin,  of  the  firm  of  Bohn  &  Double,  wagon  manufacturers,  was 
born  in  1853,  in  Germany,  and  came  to  America  and  to  Titusville  in  1880.  He 
began  business  the  same  year  with  Hannibal  Double,  with  whom  he  has  since 
continued.  In  1891  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Emma  Cole- 
man. To  this  union  ha^e  been  born  three  children,  viz. :  Kretchen,  Charlotte 
and  Helen.     Mr.  Bohn  is  a  member  of  I.  O.  O.  F.  and  the  Maccabees. 

Hannilial  Double  was  born  February  5,  1850.  in  Warren  county,  Penn- 
syh-ania.  and  first  began  business  as  a  blacksiuith  in  his  present  location  in 
1872.  In  1880  he  formed  a  copartnership  with  J.  S.  Bohn,  which  still  con- 
tinues, under  the  firm  name  of  Bohn  &  Double,  who  are  engaged  in  black- 
smithing  and  wagon  business. 

October  2.  1893,  Mr.  Double  married  Miss  Mary  Smith,  and  they  have 
two  children :  Edward  and  Henry.  Mr.  Double  is  a  member  of  the  Shepherd 
Lodge,  No.  303.  F.  &  A.  M. ;  of  the  1.  O.  O.  F.  and  of  the  Knights  and  Ladies 
of  Honor. 


Gcorgi-  Frank  Broicii,  attorney  at  law  at  Titusville,  was  born  at  Butler, 
renns\l\ania.  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Roger  Sherman.  Esq.,  admitted  to 
the  bar  of  Crawford  county,  February  25.  1893,  and  was  elected  solicitor  of 
tlie  city  of  Titus\-ille  in  June,  1898. 


Robert  McFate,  deceased,  of  East  Fairfield,  was  born  in  Cornplanter  town- 
ship, Venango  county,  in  1816,  and  died  in  East  Fairfield  township,  Septemljer 
II,  1894.  His  parents  were  Robert  and  Jane  (Culbertson)  McFate.  In  1844  he 
married  Letitia  McFate.  who  was  born  in  Ireland,  her  parents  being  Robert 
and  Elizabeth  (Black)  McFate.  She  came  to  America  with  her  sister  Margaret, 
now  Mrs.  Da\'id  McFate,  and  her  brother  Robert,  at  eighteen  years  of  age. 

Mr.  McFate  came  to  Craw-ford  county  in  1867,  locating  on  a  farm  of 
ninety-seven  acres,  where  he  died  as  above  stated.  This  farm  under  his  man- 
agement was  brought  up  to  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  disposed  of  his 
farm  in  Venango  county  and  removed  to  this  place  in  1865.  He  was  a  valued 
member  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church  at  Cochranton  and  an  excellent 
citizen.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  bore  the  distinction  of  being  the  wealth- 
iest man  in  the  township,  a  man  of  kind  disposition  and  was  loved  and  re- 
spected by  all  who  knew  him.  In  his  early  days  he  was  trained  in  the  militia. 
He  was  a  Democrat  in  politics.  His  widow  survives  and  occupies  the  home 
farm,  the  results  of  faithful  and  persistent  industry. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  927 

/.  K.  Roberts,  M.  D..  was  born  in  1856,  a  son  of  Enoch  and  Mary  (Cal- 
vin) Roberts,  nati\es  of  Crawford  and  Mercer  counties,  respectively.  They 
had  four  children, — John  K.,  James  D..  George  C,  Meadville;  and  Elizabeth, 
deceased.  August  30,  1882,  Dr.  Roberts  married  Jennie  S.,  daughter  of 
George  and  Elizabeth  (Hay)  Berry,  natives  of  Scotland.  Their  children 
were  Isabella,  wife  of  David  Shafer;  Jennie  S.,  above  mentioned;  Elizabeth, 
wife  of  Paxton  Hart ;  Samuel  J.  and  John  H.  Berry.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Roberts 
have  three  children, — Elizabeth  May,  George  E.  and  Nellie  J.  Roberts.  Enoch 
Roberts  died  May  13.  1893,  and  his  wife,  Mary,  died  June  18,  1896. 

Dr.  Roberts  was  educated  at  the  Edinboro  State  Normal  School,  Univer- 
sity of  ^Vonster,  and  Cleveland  (Oliio)  Medical  College,  graduating  at  the 
latter  in  1880,  and  in  1881  began  the  practice  of  medicine  at  Custards,  Craw- 
ford county,  and  removed  to  Cochranton  in  1891.  In  1894-5  he  pursued  a 
post-graduate  course  at  the  New  York  Medical  College  and  continues  a  large 
practice.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Crawford  County  Medical  Society  and  an 
elder  in  the  First  Presbyterian  church. 


Joseph  J.  Bcrly,  a  farmer  of  East  Fairfield  township,  was  born  Septem- 
ber I,  1862,  a  son  of  John  C.  and  Louise  (DeMaison)  Berly,  of  East  Fairfield 
township.  The  former  was  a  native  of  France  and  died  January  16,  1892, 
aged  seventy  years ;  and  the  latter  of  Crawford  county,  and  died  January  29, 
1892,  aged  fifty-three  years.  Mr.  Berly  was  among  the  early  settlers  of  the 
locality,  having  served  seven  years  in  the  French  army  prior  to  his  coming  to 
America.  He  was  quite  an  extensive  land-owner  in  the  vicinity  of  Stizer- 
ville  during  his  active  life,  and  sold  the  valuable  farm  to  the  late  Robert  Mc- 
Fate,  which  joins  the  one  now  owned  by  his  son,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Mr.  Berly  is  the  oldest  child  of  a  family  of  four  children,  viz. :  Joseph  J., 
our  subject ;  Leon,  a  resident  of  Randolph  township ;  Levina  and  Edward, 
both  deceased.  March  4,  1889,  he  married  Anna,  daughter  of  Justin  Brunot, 
of  Frenchtown,  Mead  township.  She  died  July  13,  1894.  To  this  union  were 
born  three  children:  Karl,  Oliver  and  Clarence.  May  21,  1897,  Mr.  Berly 
married  Flora  Cox,  of  Mead  township.  He  is  the  possessor  of  a  fine  farm  of 
one  hundred  acres. 


John  Byham,  Jr.,  a  farmer  of  East  Fairfield  township,  was  born  in  1829, 
in  Randolph  township,  Crawford  county,  son  of  John  and  Abigail  (Oakes) 
Byham,  who  came  to  this  county  in  1816  from  Massachusetts.  Our  subject 
was  the  sixth  child  of  a  family  of  nine  children,  as  follows:  Stillman,  de- 
ceased; Clarissa,  deceased;  Luther,  East  Fairfield  township;  Calvin,  de- 
ceased; Charles,  who  died  June  22,  1897;  John,  subject;  Adeline,  wife  of 
John  Armstrong;  Lafayette,  deceased;  and  Sarah  Ellen,  wife  of  William 
Flaugh.  ■    Mr.   Byham  married  Nancy,  a  daughter  of    John  and  Margaret 


928  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

(Daley)  Croucli.  March  5,  1859.  Mrs.  Byham  is  the  first  child  of  a  family  of 
ten  children,  viz.:  Nancy,  wife  of  subject;  Silas,  Louisa  and  Betsy,  all' de- 
ceased;  Lavilla;  John;  Marie;  Fred,  deceased ;  Amanda,  wife  of  Samuel 
Hart,  of  East  Fairfield  township ;  and  Aaron  Crouch.  John  Crouch  was  a 
native  of  Penn  Yan,  New  York,  and  Mrs.  Crouch  of  French  Creek  township, 
Venango  county,  this  state. 

John  and  Abigail  Bj-ham  were  among  the  pioneers  of  Crawford  county, 
and  made  their  way  by  wagon  from  Massachusetts  to  the  new  county  of  Craw- 
ford amid  peril  and  hardship.  The  children  of  our  subject  are :  Ida,  wife  01 
John  Weaver,  Cochranton ;  Annie,  wife  of  Charles  Reese,  Wayne  township, 
and  they  have  three  children,— Nora,  Clarence  and  Ora ;  Margaret,  wife  of 
William  Horocks,  of  Cleveland,  Ohio;  their  children  are  John  B.  and  Ida; 
Clayton,  who  married  Ella  Bovinger,  of  Bowling  Green,  Kentucky,  now  re- 
sides in  Grant  county,  Indiana;  they  have  one  child,  Ruth;  John,  Jr.,  married 
to  Esther  Nelson,  of  West  Fairfield :  they  have  one  child,  Howard ;  Abbie, 
wife  of  Robert  Guy  Murdock.  of  East  Fairfield  township ;  Samuel  J.  Tilden 
and  Maud  M.  Byham.  Mr.  Byham  is  one  of  the  progressive  farmers  of  the 
township  and  has  brought  his  farm  of  one  hundred  Imd  ten  acres  up  to  a  high 
state  of  cultivation  amid  circumstances  not  the  most  promising,  out  of  which 
he  has  developed  a  model  home  and  surroundings. 

Simeon  Mcrrcll.  of  Meadville,  was  born  in  Flemington,  Hunterdon  coun- 
ty, New  Jersey,  March  2y.  1847,  and  spent  the  early  part  of  his  life  in  his 
native  place,  engaging  in  the  business  of  buying  and  pressing  hay.  In  1881  he 
removed  to  Meadville.  where  he  established  a  hay  press  at  the  south  end  of 
Park  a\-enue,  and  has  built  up  a  large  and  prosperous  business,  selling  large 
(|uantities  in  the  leading  cities  of  the  east.  He  was  one  of  the  largest  stock- 
holders in  the  Paragon  Oil  Can  Company  at  its  incorporation,  and  served  for 
six  years  as  its  general  manager  and  treasurer.  Their  productions  found  a 
large  market  in  the  south  and  west  of  the  United  States,  as  well  as  through 
the  eastern  states  and  Canada. 

Mr.  INIerrell  has  been  a  life-long  member  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  dur- 
ing the  past  twelve  years  has  been  president  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the 
Baptist  church  of  Aleadville.  When  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 
was  organized  in  Meadville  Mr.  Merrell  was  elected  its  president.  He  has 
always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  all  movements  having  for  their  end  the  ad- 
\ancement  of  moral  and  intellectual  standards  in  Meadville.  In  politics  he  is 
a  Republican. 


Howard  ]]'.  Burger,  photographer,  Cochranton,  was  born  April  zj.  1875, 
in  Westmoreland  county.  Pennsylvania,  a  son  of  Robert  and  Margaret  (Zel- 
lers)  Burger,  natives  of  this  state:   the  latter  died  in  1895.    Mr.  Burger  came 


^^^ 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  929 

to  Cochranton  in  1894  and  purchased  tlie  photograph  business  of  L.  Wiiittling, 
and  as  an  artist  has  more  than  maintained  the  reputation  of  the  estabhshment 
in  keeping  abreast  of  the  times. 


Hon.  Edzvard  H.  Chase,  a  son  of  Rev.  Amos  Chase,  the  first  minister  of 
Titusville,  belonged  to  the  Connecticut  branch  of  the  distinguished  Chase 
family  of  New  England,  and  in  that  state  one  member  of  the  family  held 
the  dignified  office  of  chief  justice  and  also  creditably  served  the  commonwealth 
for  years  in  the  United  States  senate,  while  other  members  stood  conspicuously 
in  public  service. 

Edward  H.  was  born  in  the  grand  old  town  of  Litchfield,  Connecticut, 
July  18,  1807.  He  was  only  eight  years  of  age  when  his  father  moved  his 
family  to  the  wild  woods  of  western  Pennsylvania,  locating  first  at  Waterford, 
Erie  county,  but  very  soon  making  his  home  in  Titusville.  After  an  active 
period  of  youth  he  became  the  senior  partner  of  the  mercantile  house  of 
Chase,  Sill  &  Company  in  Erie,  but  in  1839  engaged  in  extensive  lumbering 
operations  with  his  brother,  Joseph  I.  Chase,  with  his  residence  in  Titusville. 
From  that  time  until  his  death,  on  June  18,  1878,  he  was  one  of  the  most 
conspicuous  of  the  public-spirited  citizens  of  Titusville.  He  was  for  fifteen 
years  an  eflicient  and  acceptable  justice  of  the  peace  and  for  numerous  years 
a  popular  postmaster.  When  the  development  of  the  Drake  and  Barnsdall 
wells  assured  the  rapid  growth  of  the  village,  Mr.  Chase  became  a  prominent 
factor  in  all  the  measures  adopted  in  bringing  the  primitive  village  organiza- 
tion in  touch  with  its  changing  progress  and  transition  into  a  wholly  rounded 
and  cosmopolitan  center,  and  until  its  career  was  consummated  in  a  complete 
city  government.  In  these  measures  he  found  ample  scope  for  his  rare  energy, 
quickness  of  thought  and  wonderful  versatility  and  powers  of  organization. 
His  personal  affairs  were  not  neglected  in  his  public  duties,  for  with  wise  pru- 
dence and  characteristic  forethought  he  so  judiciously  managed  the  large 
landed  interests  under  his  control  as  to  rapidly  promote  the  prosperity  of  the 
city  and  to  develop  an  advancing  value  to  the  Jonathan  Titus  estate,  which 
formed  so  large  a  part  of  the  territory  of  Titusville.  His  habits  of  thought 
and  action  were  strongly  judicial  and  they  were  publicly  recognized  in  1868 
in  his  election  to  the  office  of  associate  judge  of  the  county,  which  trust  he 
held  by  re-election  for  nine  years,  until  the  day  of  his  death. 

On  February  24,  1835,  Judge  Chase  was  united  in  marriage  with  Sarah 
A.  Titus,  the  second  daughter  of  Jonathan  Titus,  the  honored  founder  of  Titus- 
ville. She  survived  him,  dying  on  March  3,  1897.  Their  children  are: 
Mary  A.  Chase,  married  to  Reuel  Danforth  Fletcher;  Elizabeth  Sheffield 
Chase.  niErried  to  Gurdon  Sill  Berry,  and  Lanman  Chase,  married  to  Joanna 
Lanman  Watson. 

Judge  Chase  in  many  important  respects  was  an  extraordinary  man.    His 

59 


930  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

unassuming  deportment,  his  kindly  disposition,  his  generous  heart  and  the 
universally  recognized  purity  of  his  motives  won  him  friends  in  all  classes  of 
the  community,  who  were  bound  to  him  as  if  by  links  of  steel.  He  was  the 
peacemaker  of  this  region  and  during  his  long  career  as  magistrate  and  judge 
his  labors  in  that  relation  bore  rich  fruit.  He  was  the  guardian  of  many 
orphans  and  the  trustee  of  many  estates,  and  it  is  said  that  such  was  his  sys- 
tem and  accuracy  that  the  condition  of  the  large  number  of  these  trusts  in 
his  hands  at  the  time  of  his  death  were  so  clearly  set  forth  on  his  lx)oks  that 
his  successor  needed  not  to  delay  their  settlement  a  day !  Never  could  malice 
'or  envy  whisper  aught  against  the  purity  of  his  motives  or  his  kindliness  of 
heart.  Integrity,  strength  and  force  of  character,  keen  and  alert  comprehen- 
sion of  affairs,  quick  decision  and  indomitable  perseverance  were  among  his 
marked  characteristics.  His  detestation  of  wrong  and  oppression  placed  him 
in  the  front  ranks  of  the  workers  in  all  causes  tending  to  advance  humanity 
or  to  ameliorate  its  condition.  He  possessed  in  a  remarkable  degree  a  legal 
mind  and  was  an  eft'ective  speaker.  His  presence  was  magnetic  though  dig- 
nified, his  propositions  were  the  result  of  clear,  intelligent  thought  and  dis- 
passionate reasoning,  and  they  were  announced  with  convincing  force,  strict 
fidelity  to  truth  and  with  a  logic  that  could  not  be  controverted.  The  social 
side  of  his  nature  was  charmingly  developed,  and  in  the  various  relations  of 
son,  husband,  parent,  friend  and  citizen,  he  rose  to  the  highest  ideals.  When 
he  was  called  from  earth,  sorrow  visited  the  entire  community  and  gloom 
rested  on  everv  heart. 


Theodore  L.  Flood,  D.  D.,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Chautauquan, 
a  magazine,  Meadville,  was  born  at  Williamsburg,  Pennsylvania,  February 
20,  1842.  He  received  his  early  education  in  the  academy  of  his  native  town, 
afterward  studying  theology  at  the  Biblical  Institute  at  Concord,  New  Hamp- 
shire, now  the  school  of  theolog>'  in  the  Boston  University.  When  eighteen 
years  old  he  was  licensed  as  an  exhorter  in  the  Methodist  church,  and  two 
vears  later  was  licensed  as  a  local  preacher.  He  served  nine  months  during 
the  Civil  war.  He  acted  as  superintendent  of  the  public  schools  of  Salem, 
New  Hampshire,  for  one  year.  He  joined  the  New  Hampshire  conference  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  1864.  and  served  as  pastor  of  various  Meth- 
odist churches  in  New  Hampshire  from  1864  to  1874,  and  was  made  presiding 
elder  of  the  Concord  district  in  the  New  Hampshire  conference  at  the  early 
age  of  thirty-two.  In  1874  he  was  elected  president  of  the  state  Sunday- 
school  convention.  In  April,  1874,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Erie  conference 
and  stationed  at  Jamestown,  New  York,  and  from  there  he  came  to  Mead- 
\\\\e,  where  he  became  pastor  of  the  First  Methodist  church,  which  is  attended 
by  the  faculty  and  many  students  of  Allegheny  College.  Here  he  delixered 
a  series  of  three  lectures,  the  subjects  of  which  were,  "Novels  and  Novel  Read- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  931 

ing,"  "Modern  Social  Life,"  and  "Theater-Going,  Dancing  and  Card  Play- 
ing." 

Dr.  Flood  is  the  author  of  a  book  published  by  Estes  &  Lauriat,  of  Bos- 
ton, entitled  "A  Hundred  Ministers,  and  How  They  Switched  Off."  In  1876 
the  Ohio  Wesleyan  University  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Master  of 
Arts.  In  association  with  M.  Bailey,  of  Jamestown,  New  York,  Dr.  Flood, 
in  1875,  founded  the  Chautauqua  Assembly  Daily  Herald,  the  official  organ 
of  the  Chautauqua  meetings,  and  in  1880  became  sole  editor  and  proprietor. 
Mr.  Flood,  with  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Hamilton,  of  Boston,  Massachusetts,  pub- 
lished a  book,  "Lives  of  the  Methodist  Bishops,"  from  the  standpoint  of  an 
active  episcopacy.  It  contains  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  every  deceased  bishop  in 
every  branch  of  Methodism,  with  a  steel  engraving  of  each  one. 

Mr.  Flood  was  elected  a  member  of  the  general  conference  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church,  which  met  in  May,  1880,  in  Cincinnati.  He  received 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Mount  Union  College,  at  Alliance, 
Ohio,  in  1881.  In  1880  he  established  at  Meadville  the  Chautauquan,  a 
monthly  magazine,  the  organ  of  the  Chautauqua  Literary  and  Scientific  Circle, 
which,  during  its  first  year,  attained  a  circulation  of  fifteen  thousand. 

Dr.  Flood  served  as  pastor  of  the  Meadville  church  for  three  years,  after 
which  he  was  stationed  at  Oil  City,  where  he  officiated  as  pastor  of  Trinity 
church  fur  two  years.  He  then  spent  a  year  in  Titusville,  and  in  Octolier, 
1882,  he  retired  from  the  pulpit,  in  order  to  devote  his  full  attention  to  his 
business  interests.  In  December,  1883,  he  purchased  the  Meadville  Daily  and 
Weekly  Republican,  a  leading  newspaper  of  Crawford  county,  of  which  he 
made  his  son,  Harry  C.  Flood,  editor.  Dr.  Flood  was  elected,  in  1883,  the 
second  time,  delegate  to  the  general  conference  of  his  church,  at  the  head  of 
the  delegation.  In  1883  Dr.  Flood  purchased  a  handsome  residence  on  the 
Diamond,  where  he  now  resides.  In  1892  he  was  the  Republican  candidate 
for  congressman  from  the  twenty-sixth  congressional  district,  but  was  de- 
feated by  Hon.  Joseph  C.  Sibley,  of  Franklin. 

Dr.  Flood  was  married,  June  20,  1862,  in  Huntingdon,  Pennsylvania,  to 
Miss  Annie  M.,  daughter  of  David  Black,  Esc|.,  of  that  town,  and  by  this 
imioji  were  born  two  sons  and  one  daughter:  Harry  C,  Ned  A.  and  Rcbie  M. 
(Flood)  Irvin. 

Ncls  A.  Johnson,  merchant  tailor,  Titusville,  was  born  in  Holland,  Swe- 
den, June  3,  1852,  son  of  Johnson  and  (Pettronelila)  Johnson.  The  former 
is  still  living,  in  Sweden,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years,  and  the  latter  died 
in  1886,  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years.  Mr.  Johnson  began  as  an  apprentice 
at  the  age  of  thirteen  years,  at  Svanbenson,  his  native  place,  and  came  to 
America  in  1871,  first  locating  in  Penfield,  Clearfield  county,  this  state.  A 
short  time  afterward  he  removed  to  Corry,  also  in  this  state;   there  he  still 


932  OUR   COUNTY  AND   ITS  PEOPLE. 

continues  at  his  trade.  He  came  to  Titusville  in  1878  and  formed  a  copart- 
nership with  C.  Holtz,  which  existed  for  one  year.  In  1883  he  formed  a  co- 
partnership with  L.  J.  Cederquist,  which  continued  until  February.  1897, 
when  it  was  dissolved,  and  he  continued  business  on  his  own  account. 

August  15,  1875,  he  married  Louise  B.  Jacobson,  of  Holland.  Sweden, 
and  they  have  ten  children :  John  A.,  Carrol.  Oscar,  Edith  P.,  Alger,  Han- 
nah, Emma,  deceased,  Ogalmer.  Clarence,  deceased,  and  Helder. 

William  Tcnncy  Dutfoit,  civil  engineer  at  Meadville.  v/as  born  at  Hart- 
ford. Connecticut,  on  June  7,  1852.  received  his  early  education  in  his  native 
town,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  received  an  appointment  as  a  cadet  in  the 
United  States  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis.  He  resigned,  however,  two 
years  l-ter.  and  entered  the  Chandler  Science  School,  of  Dartmouth  College, 
where  he  was  graduated  in  the  engineering  course  in  1876.  For  two  years 
after  graduation  he  was  engaged  in  professional  work,  but  in  1878  accepted 
a  position  as  teacher  of  mathematics  in  the  Brooklyn  Polvtechnic  and  Colle- 
gipte  Institute,  where  he  remained  two  years.  He  was  next  called  as  a  teacher 
ih  state  normal  schools. — from  1881-86  at  Shippensburg,  and  from  1886-90 
at  Edinboro.  In  1890  he  was  elected  professor  of  civil  engineering  at  Alle- 
gheny College,  which  position  he  still  fills.  He.  is  an  efficient  instructor,  and 
has  recentlv  had  added  to  his  duties  the  charge  of  several  classes  in  mathemat- 
ics. Personally.  ]\Ir.  Button  is  a  most  genial  gentleman,  and  has  made  many 
friends  during  his  life  in  Meadville.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  there  is  no  man 
in  the  college  faculty  a  greater  favorite  among  the  students  than  Professor 
Dutton.     Politicallv,  he  is  a  Democrat. 


David  C.  Diiiin.  son  of  Renselear  K.  and  Rebecca  fCompton)  Dunn,  was 
born  April  17.  1845.  in  Havfield.  educated  at  the  common  schools  at  Mead- 
ville. studied  dentistry  with  Dr.  D.  R.  Greenleaf.  and  opened  a  dental  office 
in  Meadville  in  1869.  In  1868  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Elizabeth 
Hays,  and  to  this  union  were  born  five  children :  William  C.  was  born  in 
1869,  studied  dentistry  with  bis  father,  and  graduated  fmm  the  University  of 
Pennsvlvania  ("dental  department V  In  1890  he  became  a  partner  with  his 
father,  under  the  firm  name  of  D.  C.  &  W.  C.  Dunn.  He  married  Emma 
Brown,  daughter  of  R.  B.  Brown,  and  has  one  child.  Helen. 


Ellis  il/.  FarrcUv.  physician.  Townville.  Pennsvlvania.  was  born  in  ]Mead- 
ville.  Pennsylvania.  June  13,  1843.  ^  son  of  John  W.  and  Louisa  CEllis)  Far- 
relly.  natives  of  Crawford  county,  who  had  a  large  family,  of  whom  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  is  the  only  survivor.  He  was  educated  in  IMeadville, 
read  medicine  with  Edward  Ellis,  M.  D..  of  the  same  place,  as  his  preceptor, 
and  attended  lectures  in  Ann  Arbor.  Michigan.     He  entered  the  army  as  a 


• 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  933 

medical  cadet  August  18,  1862.  served  two  years,  then  as  acting  assisting  sur- 
geon until  March,  1865,  when  he  resigned.  While  stationed  at  Louisville, 
Kentuck)-,  in  1864,  he  graduated  at  the  Kentucky  School  of  Medicine,  and 
he  began  practice  in  Franklin,  Pennsylvania,  in  1865 ;  and  in  the  following 
year  went  to  the  western  states,  where  he  followed  his  profession  about  four- 
teen years.  In  1878  he  settled  in  Townville,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  continues 
the  practice  of  medicine. 

In  1880  the  Doctor  was  married  to  Mrs.  Ettie  C.  Sayre,  widow  of  Frank 
W.  Sayre  and  daughter  of  George  and  Caroline  Bowman,  who  were  early 
settlers  of  Crawford  county.  Dr.  Farrelly  is  a  member  of  Gleason  Post,  No. 
96,  G.  A.  R.,  and  in  politics  is  a  Democrat. 


Thomas  Shafcr.  proprietor  of  the  Shafer  House,  at  Cochranton,  was  born 
in  Mead  township,  September  5,  1835,  and  is  a  son  of  Philip  and  Elizabeth 
(Knierman)  Shafer.  His  parents  were  natives  of  Germany,  and  in  1830 
located  in  Mead  township,  Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania.  There  the  father 
engaged  in  farming  for  three  years,  after  which  he  removed  with  his  family 
to  Greenwood  township,  where  he  purchased  land  which  had  been  only  par- 
tially cleared.  This  he  improved,  making  his  home  thereon  until  his  death. 
His  six  children  were  Henry,  Thomas,  Phillip,  George,  John  and  David. 

Thomas  Shafer  w^as  reared  on  his  father's  farm  and  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools.  In  1856  he  went  to  California,  where  he  engaged  in  mining 
for  three  years.  In  1859  he  returned  to  this  county,  locating  in  Union  town- 
ship, where  he  engaged  in  farming  until  1871.  In  that  year  he  removed  to 
Cochranton  and  opened  a  hotel.  He  has  since  engaged  in  that  line  of  busi- 
ness, and  in  addition  to  his  duties  as  proprietor  of  the  Shafer  House  he  ex- 
tended his  field  of  labors,  in  March,  1894,  by  embarking  in  the  wholesale 
liquor  business,  dividing  his  attention  between  the  two  interests  until  Febru- 
ary, 1897,  since  which  time  he  has  conducted  the  hotel  alone. 

In  November,  1863,  Mr.  Shafer  was  united  in  marriage  to  Fanny,  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Rebecca  (Robinson)  Martin,  of  Cochranton.  To  this  union 
were  born  five  children,  but  only  one  is  now  living.  Mr.  Shafer  has  filled  a 
number  of  minor  offices,  including  that  of  burgess,  and  takes  a  public-spirited 
interest  in  all  that  pertains  to  the  general  welfare. 


James  Burrows,  a  respected  citizen  of  Sparta  township,  Crawford  county, 
comes  from  good  old  New  England  stock,  and  in  him  are  embodied  many  of  the 
industrious,  upright,  just  and  honorable  qualities  that  were  noticeable  in  his 
ancestors.  He  is  a  great-grandson  of  Asa  Burrows  and  grandson  of  Benjamin 
Burrows,  while  his  parents  were  Amasa  and  Phiana  (Nowlin)  Burrows.  The 
father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  his  home  being  in  Otsego  county,  New 


934  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

York,  and  during  llie  war  of  1812  he  went  forth  to  serve  his  country  against 
the  British  foe. 

James  Burrows  was  born  upon  the  parental  homestead  at  Butternuts, 
in  Otsego  county,  New  York,  October  6,  1824,  and  also  grew  up  there.  He 
attended  the  common  schools  of  Guilford,  New  York,  and  later  went  to  Ox- 
ford Academy,  at  Oxford,  New  York,  and  there  completed  his  studies  in  the 
English  branches, — mathematics,  chemistry,  philosophy,  etc.  ^^'hen  he  was 
about  five  years  old  he  fell  from  a  log  and  broke  his  left  arm,  and  five  years 
later  a  brother  accidentally  dealt  out  to  the  unfortunate  youth  a  dreadful 
stroke  of  ill-luck,  for  he  almost  severed  the  left  hand  of  James  from  the  arm, 
only  some  cords  and  tendons  and  some  flesh  holding  the  two  members  together. 
After  a  fashion  the  two  grew  together  again,  but  when  the  young  man  was 
twenty  he  fell  from  a  load  of  hay  and  broke  his  left  arm,  and  after  this  he 
abandoned  active  work  on  the  farm  for  a  long  time.  He  had  always  been 
studious  and  had  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  a  certificate  to  teach.  He  taught 
for  two  terms  in  Yale  Settlement,  Chenango  county.  New  York,  and  at  inter- 
vals, here  and  there,  conducted  classes  for  a  term  or  more,  meeting  with 
gratifying  success.  As  his  time  was  not  fully  occupied,  however,  he  concluded 
to  enter  some  other  vocation,  and  commenced  selling  watches,  silverware  and 
jewelry  for  the  firm  of  R.  I.  Johnson  &  Company,  of  Norwich.  At  the  end 
of  five  years,  the  health  of  Mr.  Burrows  becoming  somewhat  impaired,  he 
went  out  west,  partly  to  see  something  of  that  portion  of  the  United  States, 
then  so  much  talked  about  (1853).  Returning,  he  clerked  in  a  general  store 
in  Warren  county,  Pennsylvania,  for  some  time,  and  then  engaged  in  rafting 
and  in  selling  lumber  on  the  Ohio  river,  going  as  far  as  Cincinnati,  and  also 
in  teaching.  In  1862  he  purchased  a  farm  in  Sparta  township,  Crawford 
county,  and  has  since  been  a  resident  of  this  immediate  locality.  As  an  agri- 
culturist he  has  been  very  successful,  and  in  almost  every  enterprise  he  has 
undertaken  he  has  been  prosperous.  Among  his  neighbors  and  acquaintances 
he  stands  very  high,  and  they  have  called  upon  him,  time  and  again,  to  fill 
offices  of  trust  and  responsibility.  From  1863  to  1873  he  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  at  various  times  he  has  been  assessor,  collector  two  years,  auditor,  etc., 
and  he  has  never  failed  to  discharge  his  duties  with  a  promptness  and  thorough- 
ness which  has  won  the  approval  of  all  concerned.  Politically,  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat of  the  old  school,  and  is  not  a  believer  in  holding  the  Philippine  islands, 
excepting  to  have  only  a  naval  station. 

March  2,  1862,  Mr.  Burrows  married,  in  Centerville,  Pennsylvania.  Miss 
Melissa  R.  Phillips.  Two  sons  and  two  daughters  have  blessed  their  union, 
namely:  Maud,  born  February  6,  1863;  James,  September  18.  1864;  C. 
Cooper,  November  15.  1866;  and  Georgia  A.,  August  10,  1871.  The  family 
has  a  pleasant  home,  provided  with  many  of  the  luxuries  of  refined  life  and 
progress,  and  it  is  the  constant  aim  of  each  member  of  the  household  to  pro- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  935 

mote  the  happiness  of  all  with  wliom  their  lot  is  cast  and  to  lend  a  helping- 
hand  to  those  less  fortunately  situated  than  himself. 


Orson  Hopkins,  a  farmer  and  lumherman  of  Steuhcn  to\\nship,  is  a  son 
of  Daniel  and  Margaret  (Kingsley)  Hopkins,  and  was  born  in  Steuben  town- 
ship. Crawford  county,  Pennsylvania,  August  21,  1850.  Daniel  Hopkins  and 
his  wife,  Margaret,  came  from  the  town  of  Ellington,  Chautauqua  county. 
New  York,  in  1838,  and  settled  on  a  tract  of  land  in  Steuben  township,  about 
two  miles  from  Townville.  At  that  time  this  section  of  country  was  an  almost 
unbroken  wilderness.  A  few  settlers  had  here  and  there  cleared  away  patches 
of  timber  and  made  the  beginnings  of  farms.  Here,  where  they  first  located, 
they  made  themselves  a  home  and  reared  a  large  family  of  children,  the  young- 
est of  whom  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  remained  on  the  old  homestead 
after  his  older  brothers  and  sisters  married  and  moved  away,  gradually,  as 
his  parents  advanced  in  years,  assuming  the  responsibilities  of  home  manage- 
ment until  the  death  of  his  father,  Daniel,  in  1872,  since  which  time  he  has 
carried  on  the  work  of  the  farm  and  engaged  cpiite  extensivelv  in  the  sale  of 
farm  implements  and  in  lumbering.  In  1872  he  married  Alice  Winston, 
youngest  daughter  of  Horatio  and  ]\Iinerva  \Vinston,  early  settlers  in  Rich- 
mond township,  this  county.  To  this  union  four  ch.ildren  have  been  born : 
Grace.  Ethel,  Earl  and  Elsie. 


David  R.  Baitghcr,  an  honored  veteran  of  the  Civil  war,  is  a  worthy  citi- 
zen of  Athens  township,  Crawford  county.  A  native  of  Steuben  township, 
same  county,  he  was  born  May  24,  1844,  his  parents  being  ilichael  D.  and 
Charlotte  F.  (Waggoner)  Baugher. 

The  boyhood  and  youth  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  were  passed  in  this 
his  native  state,  and  when  twenty  years  of  age  he  enlisted  in  Company  B, 
Twelfth  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  and  served  throughout  the  re- 
mainder of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  then  being  given  an  honorable  discharge. 

D.  R.  Baugher  married  Miss  Laura  Teftt,  who  died  in  1879,  leaving 
three  children  to  mourn  her  loss.  They  are  still  living  and  are  named  respect- 
ively Florence,  Martin  J.  and  Blanche  E.  Subsequently  to  the  death  of  his 
first  wife  Mr.  Baugher  re-married,  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Sarah 
Winans. 


Samuel  L.  Gardner,  deceased,  of  Meadville,  was  born  in  ^^'ilmington, 
N.  C,  in  1823,  and  died  in  Meadville,  December  5,  1890.  He  spent  his  early 
life  in  Alabama ;  was  a  carpenter  by  trade ;  was  employed  as  a  bridge  builder ; 
ser\-ed  in  the  Union  army  as  a  scout  under  General  Mitchell,  and  mustered  out 
September  15,  1865.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  removed  to  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  and  in  1867  came  to  Meadville,  where  he  gained  a  livelihood  from  a 


936  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

fruit  stand  located  where  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  now  stands.  He 
afterward  established  the  general  store  on  North  Main  street  which  is  still 
conducted  by  Mrs.  Gardner.  In  1869  he  married  Anna,  daughter  of  Samuel 
and  Rachel  Green,  natives  of  Clarion  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  to  this  union 
were  born  five  children,  viz.:  Edward;  George;  Henry,  a  resident  of  Buf- 
falo, New  York;    Eva  and  Blanclie  Gardner. 


Patrick  Jl'illiain  Egaii,  burgess  of  A'alonia,  was  born  March  17,  1843, 
at  Mohill,  county  Leitrim,  Ireland.  When  thirteen  years  of  age  he  came  to 
America  with'  his  sister  Ellen,  who  was  sixteen  years  of  age.  They  went  to 
live  with  an  uncle  at  Jackson,  Scioto  county,  Ohio.  Mr.  Egan  remained 
there  but  a  year,  when  he  went  to  work  in  the  iron  mines  of  Kentucky.  In 
1863  he  came  to  Meadville  and  commenced  working  under  A.  D.  Guisley, 
superintendent  of  construction  of  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  Railway,  em- 
ployed on  various  jobs,  spending  one  year  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  Mr.  Egan 
returned  to  Meadville  in  1870  and  started  as  brakeman  for  the  railroad.  In 
1872  he  was  given  a  conductorship  and  to-day  holds  that  position  in  the 
service  of  the  Erie  Railroad  Company. 

Mr.  Egan  was  first  elected  burgess  of  the  village  of  Valonia  in  1888,  and 
is  now  serving  his  third  term  in  that  office.  He  has  also  served  as  school 
director  of  the  village.  On  February  3,  1867,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Jane 
Rogers,  of  Mead\i!le.  Pennsylvania.  The}'  have  two  daughters, — Mollie  L., 
and  Abigail  C,  wife  of  Harry  Stenger,  at  Allegheny  City,  this  state. 


C.  C.  JVcst.  engineer  and  machinist,  Meadville,  was  born  December  26, 
1839,  3nd  is  a  native  of  New  York.  He  is  a  son  of  Joseph  B.  and  Eliza 
(Crumb)  AA'est,  of  English  and  Welsh  extraction,  who  were  natives  of  Onon- 
daga county,  New  York.  Joseph  West  died  in  April,  1896,  aged  eighty-six 
years.  He  reared  a  family  of  eight  children, — three  boys  and  five  girls.  Our 
subject  learned  the  machinist's  trade  in  Corry,  Pennsylvania,  and  came  to 
Meadville  in  1872,  where  he  was  employed  at  his  trade  at  the  Phoenix  Iron 
Works  and  the  Erie  Railway  shops  until  1890,  when  he  accepted  the  position 
of  engineer  and  general  mechanic  in  the  establishment  of  Flood  &  Vincent, 
which  position  he  now  holds.  He  did  valiant  service  for  his  country  in  the 
Civil  war,  enlisting  in  June,  1861,  in  the  Thirty-ninth  New  York  Regiment. 
After  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  for  five  years  in  the  employ  of  the  New  York, 
Pennsylvania  &  Ohio  Railroad.  In  October,  1863,  he  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miriam,  daughter  of  Absalom  and  Anna  (Wormwood)  Goodell,  of  New 
York.  To  this  union  have  been  born  two  children :  Cora  D.  and  Ferd  D. 
\\'est.  Our  subject  is  a  member  of  Peiffer  Post,  No.  331,  G.  A.  R. ;  Veterans" 
Union :  Lodge,  No.  234,  A.  O.  U.  W. ;  Knights  of  Honor,  Alpha  Lodge,  No. 
42 :   Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor,  and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  937 

Luther  Chase,  a  venerable  citizen  of  Rome  township,  Crawford  county, 
is  a  son  of  Luther  and  Polly  (Aldrich)  Chase,  the  former  a  soldier  of  the  war 
of  1812.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  Spring  Creek,  Warren  county. 
Pennsylvania,  in  18 13,  and  when  arrived  at  maturity  he  married  Matilda 
Graves,  daughter  of  Henry  Graves,  the  ceremony  which  united  their  destinies 
being  performed  on  the  3d  of  February,  1836. 

Luther  Chase  and  his  devoted  wife  settled  in  Sparta  township,  and  for 
many  years  the  home  of  the  former  has  been  in  Rome  township.  He  has  made 
a  business  of  agriculture  and  carpentering,  and  has  been  successful.  Mrs. 
Chase  died  in  1875  and  left  four  children. 

Joseph  T.  First,  of  Vernon  township,  \Vas  born  July  31,  1837,  in  Wayne 
township,  Crawford  county,  where  his  parents,  Christopher  and  Lydia 
(Probst)  First,  settled  at  an  early  day.  Joseph  was  of  a  family  of  twelve 
children.  For  many  years  he  remained  with  bis  father  on  the  farm,  at  the 
same  time  assisting  Andrew  Mills  in  his  sawmill  near  the  First  homestead.  In 
i860  Mr.  First  was  married  to  Silvia  Gilbert,  by  whom  he  had  two  children, — 
Elmer  E.  and  Mertie.  Mrs.  First  died  in  1870  and  several  years  later  Mr. 
First  married  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Reuben  Brown.  They  have  three  children : 
Sarah  M.,  William  D.  and  Albert  J.  Mr.  First  is  a  member  of  the  A.  O.  U. 
W. ;  Lodge  No.  980,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  at  Conneaut  Lake,  and  the  E.  A.  U.  Mr. 
First  is  one  of  the  county  commissioners  of  Crawford,  having  now  served  sev- 
eral terms  in  that  ofifice. 


Walter  Brooke  Roberts,  whose  portrait  is  given  on  the  opposite  page, 
was  for  many  years  one  of  the  most  prominent  figures  in  the  oil  regions.  He 
was  born  in  Moreau,  Saratoga  county,  New  York,  May  15,  1823,  and  like  most 
of  our  men  of  mark  spent  the  early  years  of  his  life  on  a  farm.  Here  he 
attended  the  district  school,  which  together  with  his  father's  library  laid  the 
foundation  of  his  education.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  accepted  a  clerk- 
ship in  a  banking  office  at  Albany,  New  York,  but  dissatisfied  with  its  con- 
fining duties  he  determined  to  qualify  himself  for  teaching  and  entered  the 
academy  at  Evans'  Mills  in  Jefferson  county,  New  York.  A  few  months 
later  we  find  him  in  charge  of  a  district  school  in  his  native  county,  at  a 
monthly  salary  of  eleven  dollars.  For  the  next  four  years  he  continued  to 
teach,  devoting  the  summer  vacations  to  the  study  of  mathematics  at  the 
Glens  Falls  Academy,  and  the  study  of  medicine  under  the  instructions  of 
Dr.  Sheldon  of  that  place. 

Finally  turning  his  attention  to  dentistry,  he  acquired  a  thorough  knowl- 
edge of  this  science  in  all  its  branches,  and  in  the  summer  of  1845,  with  an 
ample  outfit  for  the  practice  of  his  new  art,  he  traveled  through  New  Hamp- 
shire.    Such  was  his  success  that  he  determined  to  return  to  Poughkeepsie, 


938  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

New  York,  and  establish  himself  permanently.  At  this  juncture  an  attack 
of  typhoid  fever  came  to  upset  all  his  plans  and  incapacitate  him  for  a  long 
time.  When  feeling  strong  again  he  opened  an  office,  in  connection  with  his 
brother,  Dr.  Charles  H.  Roberts,  at  Poughkeepsie,  but  he  found  at  the  end 
of  a  year's  confinement  to  practice,  which  had  grown  rapidly  on  his  hands, 
that  his  declining  health  necessitated  some  change.  With  this  idea  he  sailed, 
in  February,  1850,  for  the  West  Indies  and  spent  some  months  on  the  island  of 
Cuba.  Partly  restored  to  health,  he  returned  by  way  of  New  Orleans  and  soon 
disposed  of  his  interests  in  Poughkeepsie,  preferring  to  practice  his  profes- 
sion in  many  of  the  principal  towns  of  Dutchess  county,  taking  healthful  out- 
door exercise  and  developing  the  rugged  manhood  which  he  afterward 
retained. 

With  a  view  of  entering  mercantile  pursuits.  Dr.  Roberts  in  1853  visited 
Nicaragua,  and  on  his  return  home  organized  a  company,  under  the  finn 
name  of  Churchill,  Roberts,  Mills  &  Company,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the 
principal  partners  and  business  managers.  The  Inisiness  of  the  company 
was  the  importation  of  hides  from  Central  America,  and  the  undertaking  soon 
proved  to  be  highly  successful.  Dr.  Roberts  next  returned  to  his  profession, 
and  in  connection  with  his  brother,  E.  A.  L.  Roberts,  opened  dental  parlors 
in  the  city  of  New  York.  A  year  later  he  purchased  his  brother's  interest, 
and  locating  in  Bond  street  continued  to  practice  until  1868.  He  took  high 
rank  in  his  profession,  receiving  from  the  American  Institute  of  New  York 
the  first  medal  for  the  liest  artificial  teeth.  He  labored  assiduously  to  ad- 
vance the  science  of  dentistry.  During  the  period  of  his  professional  practice 
in  New  York  he  was  the  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  New  York  Dental  Jour- 
nal, published  in  that  city.  He  helped  to  establish  the  New  York  Dental  Col- 
lege and  was  for  a  long  time  one  of  its  trustees. 

The  internal  feuds  of  Central  America  had  at  length  grovvu  into  a  fearful 
civil  war,  destroying  values  and  wrecking  business,  so  that  the  trading  com- 
pany to  which  Dr.  Roberts  belonged  found  it  necessary  to  close  their  relations 
with  that  country,  and  delegated  him  to  revisit  Nicaragua  for  this  purpose. 
After  months  of  hardship,  endured  in  traversing  swamps,  mule  paths  and  un- 
broken jungle  fields,  with  hairbreadth  escapes  from  bullets,  banditti  and  yellow 
fever,  he  succeeded  in  accomplishing  the  objects  of  his  mission  and  returned 
home  much  impaired  in  health  from  the  effect  of  the  climate  and  exposure. 

In  the  spring  of  1863  Dr.  Roberts  was  delegated  by  Rev.  Dr.  Bellows, 
president  of  the  National  Sanitary  Commission,  to  visit  General  Hunter's 
division,  then  having  its  headquarters  at  Beaufort,  South  Carolina,  to  examine 
the  condition,  sanitary  and  otherwise,  of  that  part  of  the  Union  army.  The 
report  of  his  investigations  was  published  in  full  in  the  New  York  Dental 
Journal  and  widely  copied  and  commended  by  other  journals.     It  abounded 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  939 

in  practical  suggestions  for  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  soldiers 
in  the  camp,  on  the  march  and  on  the  field. 

In  the  fall  of  1866  Dr.  Roberts  was  elected  to  the  common  council  of  the 
city  of  New  York  and  served  two  terms.  Although  in  the  political  minority 
in  that  body,  he  was  the  leader  of  his  party  and  a  candidate  for  their  president, 
the  vote  standing  thirteen  Democrats  to  eleven  Republicans. 

In  1864  he  was  induced  to  subscribe  to  the  stock  of  an  oil  company.  It 
was,  like  many  others  of  that  day.  a  fraud,  as  Dr.  Roberts  soon  found  on  visit- 
ing the  oil  regions  soon  after.  His  visit,  however,  he  turned  to  good  account 
by  making  an  examination  of  the  producing  regions.  Believing  from  this  sur- 
vey that  there  was  money  to  be  made  in  producing  oil,  he  returned  to  New 
York  and  sought  to  enlist  his  brother,  Colonel  E.  A.  L.  Roberts,  in  his  plans. 
For  answer  the  Colonel  disclosed  to  Dr.  Roberts  the  nature  of  an  invention 
he  had  recently  perfected  for  increasing  the  production  of  an  oil  well  by  ex- 
ploding a  torpedo  in  the  oil-bearing  rock,  and  offered  him  a  half  interest  for 
exploiting  and  developing  the  invention.  Dr.  Roberts  was  at  once  convinced 
of  the  value  of  the  invention  and  put  in  the  necessary  capital,  and  formed  a 
company  in  New  York  for  the  introduction  of  the  invention  under  the  name  of 
the  Roberts  Petroleum  Torpedo  Company. 

In  the  meanwhile  application  for  a  patent  had  been  filed  and  Colonel  Rob- 
erts sent  to  Titusville  with  six  torpedoes  to  test  their  merit  and  efficiency. 
It  was  no  easy  matter  to  persuade  the  owners  of  oil  wells  to  allow  the  experi- 
ment, but  in  January,  1865,  two  torpedoes  were  exploded,  and  the  success 
of  the  invention  established  beyond  question.  Immediately  other  applications 
for  the  invention  of  the  torpedo  came  pouring  into  the  patent  office  and  only 
after  a  protracted  fight  of  two  years  with  interference  suits  \vas  the  patent 
finally  issued.  In  1866  Dr.  Roberts  was  elected  secretary  of  the  Torpedo 
Company,  and  the  following  year  its  president,  which  position  he  held  until 
the  company  was  absorbed  by  the  firm  of  E.  A.  L.  &  W.  B.  Roberts.  The 
contest  before  the'  patent  office  in  regard  to  the  torpedo  patent  was  but  the 
beginning  of  a  desperate  struggle,  in  which  the  Roberts  brothers  were  foiced 
to  fight  every  inch  of  ground  gained  and  at  times  against  allied  asso- 
ciations of  tlie  producers.  Never  up  to  that  time  had  a  patent  been  so  in- 
fringed upon  nor  such  an  array  of  suits  brought.  The  Bell  telephone  cases 
offer  the  only  parallel  in  recent  times.  In  every  instance  the  claims  of  the 
patent  were  sustained,  but  the  controversy  and  suits  were  still  going  on  when, 
in  1883,  the  patent  expired  and  all  parties  dropped  the  matter.  In  1868  these 
suits  had  assumed  such  proportions  that  Dr.  Roberts  gave  up  his  professional 
practice  in  New  York  and  removed  permanently  to  Titusville.  He  was  the 
directing  power  of  the  Torpedo  Company  in  all  its  litigation  and  its  business 
manager  during  his  life.  (Further  account  of  the  torpedo  is  given  in  the  life 
of  Colonel  E.  A.  L.  Roberts.) 


940  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

In  1872  Dr.  Roberts  was  elected  the  mayor  of  Titusville,  and  il  was 
during  his  administration  that  the  general  public  improvements  of  the  city — 
waterworks,  sewers,  and  pa\-ements — were  inaugurated.  He  was  one  of  the 
leading  spirits  in  the  fight  against  the  South  Improvement  Company,  and  when 
the  Titusville  &  Buffalo  Railroad  was  proposed  he  supported  that  project  with 
a  fifty-thousand-dollar  subscription. 

In  January,  1872,  Dr.  Roberts,  in  connection  with  Colonel  E.  A.  L.  Rob- 
erts, organized  the  banking  firm  of  Roberts  and  Company.  In  1876  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  for  a  term  of  two  years,  and  in  1878 
was  elected  to  the  state  senate  for  the  term  of  four  years.  Dr.  Rob- 
erts was  several  times  the  nominee  of  his  county  for  congress,  and  in  1886 
secured  the  nomination  of  the  congressional  district,  but  owing  to  factional 
fights  in  the  party  was  defeated  by  a  few  votes  at  the  November  elections. 
In  1888  he  was  chosen  delegate  to  the  national  c()n\ention  at  Chicago  that 
nominated  Harrison  and  Morton. 

On  the  death  of  Colonel  Roberts  in  1881  the  firm  of  Roberts  Brothers 
became  W.  B.  Roberts  &  Son,  E.  T.  Roberts,  the  son  of  Dr.  Roberts,  having 
been  taken  into  partnership  in  the  ^•arious  interests  of  Roberts  Brothers.  In 
the  following  year,  in  view  of  the  large  transactions  in  oil,  two  new  banks 
were  organized,  the  Commercial  Bank,  to  which  W.  B.  Roberts  &  Son  sub- 
scribed one-third  of  the  capital  stock,  and  later  in  the  same  year  the  Roberts 
National  Bank,  with  a  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  with  W.  B. 
Roberts  president  and  E.  T.  Roberts  cashier. 

Dr.  Roberts,  as  well  as  his  brother.  Colonel  Roberts,  was  identified  with 
every  movement  for  the  benefit  of  the  city  of  their  adoption.  When  it  seemed 
best  to  the  citizens  of  Titusville  to  have  an  oil  exchange  worthy  of  their  town, 
it  was  largely  through  the  efforts  of  the  Roberts  Brothers,  who  subscribed 
to  one-quarter  of  the  stock,  that  the  exchange  was  built.  The  Hotel  Bruns- 
wick was  erected  by  them,  without  regard  to  expense.  Partly  destroyed  by 
fire  in  1882,  it  was  immediately  repaired  by  Dr.  Roberts  and  made  into  one  of 
the  finest  hotels  in  the  state  and  a  permanent  ornament  to  the  town.  Dr.  Rob- 
erts was  so  intensely  loyal  to  the  city  and  people  among  whom  his  lot  was 
cast  that  a  great  portion  of  his  wealth  was  expended  right  at  home  in  the  city 
of  Titusville.  Yet  it  is  not  as  the  successful  man  of  business  and  affairs  that 
Dr.  Roberts  will  lie  chiefly  remembered  by  his  fellow  citizens,  but  as  a  man  of 
generous  and  straightforward  instincts,  of  large  and  public-spirited  ideas,  and 
by  many  as  a  friend  in  their  time  of  greatest  need. 

The  ancestral  history  of  the  Roberts  family  is  interesting.  The  great- 
grandfather of  Dr.  Roberts  on  the  maternal  side  was  Andre  Everade  Van 
Braam  Houckgeest,  chief  director  of  the  Dutch  East  India  Company  in  China 
and  their  embassador  to  the  court  at  Pekin.  In  this  capacity  he  was  one  of 
the  first  Europeans  to  penetrate  to  any  considerable  distance  in  the  interior 


t 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  941 

of  that  country,  and  on  his  return  to  America  pul)hslied  one  of  the  first  authen- 
tic and  scientific  accounts  of  the  iiahits,  peculiarities  and  customs  of  that  won- 
derful people. 

On  the  paternal  side  the  great-grandfather  of  Dr.  Roberts  was  Colonel 
Owen  Roberts,  a  native  of  Wales  and  an  officer  of  the  British  army,  who,  re- 
signing his  commission,  came  to  America  and  settled  at  Charleston,  South 
Carolina,  as  a  planter.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolutionary  war  he  was 
tendered  a  commission  in  his  Majesty's  service,  but.  believing  the  cause  of 
the  colonies  just,  he  declined  and  declared  his  intention  to  stand  by  the  fortunes 
of  his  adopted  country.  Commissioned  a  Colonel  in  the  Fourth  South  Carolina 
Artillery,  he  was  killed  in  battle  at  Stono  ferry  while  leading  his  troops  to 
prevent  the  British  landing  at  that  point.  Mortally  wounded  by  a  cannon-ball, 
he  was  carried  from  the  field  while  the  liattle  still  raged.  His-  son,  Richard 
Brooke  Roberts,  an  officer  in  the  same  regiment,  hearing  of  the  disaster,  has- 
tened to  his  father's  side,  who  on  seeing  the  emotion  of  his  son  said :  "Take 
this  sword,  which  has  never  been  tarnished  by  dishonor,  and  ne\-er  sheath  it 
while  the  liberties  of  your  country  are  in  danger ;  accept  my  blessing  and  return 
to  your  duty."  The  son  continued  in  the  army  throug-hout  the  war  and  after- 
ward became  a  major  and  was  retained  in  the  United  States  army  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolution.  He  died  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-nine,  leaving  a 
widow,  the  daughter  of  A.  E.  Van  Braam,  and  three  sons,  the  eldest  of  whom 
was  Lucius  Quintius  Cincinnatus  Roberts,  the  father  of  Dr.  Roberts.  This 
name  was  given  him  in  honor  of  the  Cincinnati  Society,  to  which  his  father 
belonged. 

On  April  13,  1858,  Dr.  Roberts  was  married  to  Emily  \Y .  Titus,  the 
daughter  of  Erastus  Titus,  a  prominent  merchant  of  the  city  of  New  York. 
Dr.  Roberts  had  but  one  son,  Erastus  T.  Roberts,  who,  graduating  at  Col- 
umbia College  in  1881,  became  the  business  partner  of  his  father  in  all  the 
firm's  various  interests. 

On  July  30,  1889,  Dr.  Roberts'  active  and  bus)'  career  was  brought  to  a 
close,  and  he  died  genuinely  regretted  by  the  entire  community. 
ii--"-  ,1 

Ed-ivard  AnJfRohcrts,  the  inventor  of  the  torpedo  for  oil  wells,  rmd  one 
of  the  most  striking  personalities  of  the  oil  regions,  was  born  in  the  town  of 
Moreau,  Saratoga  county,  New  York,  April  13,  1829.  In  1846,  in  his  sev- 
enteenth year,  he  enlisted,  at  Sandy  Hill,  New  York,  as  a  private  in  Colonel 
Pitcher's  company  for  the  Mexican  war.  Young  as  he  was  he  showed  him- 
self a  good  soldier,  receiving  the  commendation  of  his  officers,  and  after 
twenty-two  months'  service,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  he  was  honorably  dis-' 
charged.  He  returned  to  his  home  in  Saratoga  county,  still  under  nineteen 
years  of  age,  and  studied  in  the  Academy  of  Amenia,  Dtitchess  county,  New- 
York,  for  a  vear. 


942  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Then,  in  1851,  he  entered  the  dental  office  of  C.  H.  &  \V.  B.  Roberts,  at 
Poughkeepsie.  Afterward  he  became  the  partner  of  his  brother,  W.  B.  Rob- 
erts, in  a  dental  office  in  New  York.  His  natural  genius  for  mechanics  and 
invention  after  a  year  of  work  in  the  office  induced  him  to  branch  out  for 
himself,  and  he  opened  a  dental  depot  in  Bond  street,  where  he  manufactured 
dental  material.  While  here  he  made  many  'improvements  in  materials  and 
methods  used  in  dentistry,  receiving  three  gold  and  silver  medals  from  the 
American  Institute  of  New  York.  He  invented  the  mineral  compound  which 
soon  came  into  extended  use  for  making  what  is  known  as  "continuous  gum 
teeth."  In  1857  he  patented  a  dental  and  cupeling  furnace.  The  next  year 
he  patented  a  vulcanizing  macliine,  which  came  into  universal  vise.  Infringe- 
ments followed  and  in  protecting  his  patent  he  was  subjected  to  such  expensive 
litigation  that  he  was  forced  to  sell  his  invention  to  others,  for  $2,000, — a 
l^altry  sum  considering  the  large  interests  involved.  It  is  probable  that  if  he 
had  won  in  these  rubber  suits  his  fortune  would  have  been  greater  than  that 
which  followed  the  successful  sustaining  of  his  rights  as  the  inventor  of  the 
torpedo;  In  1859-60  he  perfected  a  powerful  oxyhydrogen  blowpipe,  an  ex- 
tensive description  of  which  appears  in  Appleton's  Cyclopedia  under  the  head 
of  "Blow-pipe  and  Platina." 

In  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  he  promptly  lent  his  individual  aid  to  the 
government  by  raising  regiments  and  forwarding  them  to  the  scene  of  action. 
In  1862  he  was  appointed  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Twenty-ninth  New  Jersey 
A'olunteers  and  remained  with  it.  often  as  its  commanding  officer,  until  after 
the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  when  ill  health  com]:)elled  him  to  resign  and  he 
returned  to  New  York.  In  1863  he  helped  to  form  the  Eighty-fourth  Regi- 
ment, New  York  National  Guard,  and  was  captain  of  Company  C.  In  the  New- 
York  riots  of  that  year  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  Center  street  arsenal. 
In  July.  1864,  Governor  Seymour  called  for  volunteers  from  the  National 
Guard  for  one  hundred  days,  and  Colonel  Conkling,  of  the  Eighty-fourth, 
offered  his  regiment.  He  was  ordered  to  move  to  Washington  without  delay. 
Colonel  Roberts  accompanying  the  regiment  as  captain  of  Company  C.  The 
company  was  attached  to  Sheridan's  division  and  continued  with  it  until  after 
the  battle  of  Winchester. 

On  the  expiration  of  the  hundred  days  which  the  regiment  had  volun- 
teered to  serve.  Colonel  Roberts  returned  to  New  York  and  completed  the 
drawings  of  his  torpedo  for  artesian  and  oil  wells  which  he  had  commenced 
on  in  1862,  and  in  November,  1864,  applied  for  a  patent.  His  brother.  Dr. 
W.  B.  Roberts,  took  a  half  interest  with  him  and  formed  a  company  to  intro- 
duce and  develop  the  invention.  Colonel  Roberts  came  to  Titusville  to  demon- 
strate the  value  of  his  torpedo.  It  was  a  matter  of  much  labor  to  persuade  any 
producer  to  allow  a  torpedo  to  be  exploded,  as  the  majority  of  the  oil  men 
l)elieved  it  would  destroy  the  well.     Finally,  in  January,   1865,  he  obtained 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  '  943 

l)ermission  to  explode  two  torpedoes  in  the  Ladies'  WeW  on  the  Watson  Flats 
near  Titusville.  The  result  was  highly  successful  and  established  beyond  a 
doubt  the  value  of  torpedoes  for  increasing  the  capacity  of  oil  wells.  This  suc- 
cess at  once  started  others  to  lay  claim  to  the  invention  and  the  patent  office 
became  full  of  applications  for  processes  of  torpedoing  wells,  so  that  two  years 
were  consumed  fighting  interference  suits  before  the  patent  was  finally  issued 
to  Colonel  Roberts  and  priority  of  invention  awarded  to  him.  The  trouble, 
however,  did  not  end  here,  for  infringements  at  once  became  frequent  and 
vexatious,  and  to  protect  their  rights  the  Roberts  brothers  entered  into  a 
litigation  probably  without  a  parallel  in  patent  cases  up  to  that  time.  The 
producers  allied  themselves  into  a  strong  association  to  test  the  legality  of  the 
patent,  and  the  Roberts  brothers  fought  for  their  rights  to  the  full  extent  of 
their  resources.  Decision  after  decision  from  the  court  sustained  the  patent, 
but  the  infringers  resorted  to  every  expedient  for  keeping  alive  the  contest. 
To  such  an  extent  was  this  true  that  while  there  were  lulls  in  the  legal  battle 
the  conflict  still  raged  when  the  patent  expired,  in  1883,  and  there  being  nothing 
more  at  stake  for  either  party  the  suits  were  dropped. 

The  reason  for  the  unexampled  infringement  of  this  patent  is  not  far  to 
seek.  The  business  of  torpedoing  wells  was  a  peculiarly  novel  and  dangerous 
one.  At  first  small  charges  of  gunpowder  were  used,  Init  the  charges  soon  in- 
creased in  size  and  the  need  was  felt  for  a  more  sudden  and  powerful  explosive. 
After  many  experiments  Colonel  Roberts  boldly  adopted  the  use  of  liquid 
nitroglycerin.  This  still  remains  the  strongest  practical  explosive  known,  but 
so  dangerous  to  handle  and  use  in  the  liquid  form,  in  which  form  alone  is  its 
full  power  developed,  that  its  employment  is  still  restricted  to  this  one  pur- 
pose of  torpedoing  oil  wells.  The  first  nitroglycerin  was  brought  to 
Titusville  by  the  Roberts  brothers  in  a  satchel,  and  experiments  with  this 
determined  them  to  adopt  it  in  spite  of  its  dangerous  nature.  The  first  ship- 
ment by  freight  never  arrived,  as  owing  to  a  collision  or  accident  of  some  kind 
the  whole  invoice,  including  the  greater  part  of  the  train,  went  up  in  transit. 
Railroads  refused  to  handle  it  thereafter.  Colonel  Roberts  attacked  this 
dilemma  with  his  characteristic  vigor  and  at  once  commenced  the  manufac- 
ture of  nitroglycerin  in  the  oil  regions  on  a  commercial  scale,  producing  it 
in  a  special  machine  of  his  own  invention,  which  turned  out  the  product  by 
tb.e  ton,  where  before  it  had  only  been  produced  in  quantities  of  a  few 
pounds.  Colonel  Roberts  had  previously  fitted  himself  for  this  research  by  a 
special  course  of  study  in  Europe  under  some  of  the  most  noted  chemists  of  the 

time. 

The  great  risk  of  the  business,  as  well  as  the  considerable  cost  of  the  actual 
material  made  torpedoes  high  in  price,  while  the  isolation  of  the  wells  in  the 
midst  of  woods  and  far  from  the  reach  of  prying  eyes  made  it  a  strong  induce- 
ment to  infringe  the  patent  by  putting  in  a  shot  in  the  night  time  when  the 


944  '  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

chances  of  discovery  were  a  minimum  ;  moonlight  shots  they  soon  were  named. 
Moonhghting  became  very  popular  and  the  expense  the  Torpedo  Company 
was  put  to  in  order  to  get  evidence  of  infringement  of  its  patent  was  enormous. 
In  fact,  it  is  now  known  that  the  greater  part  of  the  company's  earnings  went 
into  the  expenses  of  this  litigation,  for  the  suits  were  numbered  not  by  hun- 
dreds but  by  thousands.  It  seems  a  pity,  from  the  point  of  view  of  an  ob- 
server after  the  fact,  that  this  great  waste  of  money  and  energ}'  on  both  sides 
had  not  been  prevented  by  some  mutual  understanding  between  producers  and 
the  Torpedo  Company ;  and,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  such  an  arrangement  was 
tried  whereby  the  producer  patronized  the  conipany  instead  of  the  moonlighter 
and  got  a  concession  on  the  price  of  torpedoes.  The  proverbial  difficulty  of 
holding  together  a  large  numljer  of  men  of  different  minds  proved  true  in  this 
instance,  and  the  arrangement  was  not  long-lived. 

Did  space  permit  it  would  be  interesting  to  chronicle  some  of  the  ad- 
ventures and  escapes  that  befell  Colonel  Roljerts  during  his  connection  with 
the  hazardous  business  of  torpedoing  wells.  He  never  asked  of  others  any  risk 
he  was  unwilling  to  take  himself  and  on  more  than  one  occasion  came  out 
uninjured  from  an  explosion  that  proved  fatal  to  others.  Colonel  Roberts 
perfected  many  improvements  in  explosive  compounds  and  several  patents 
were  issued  to  him.  A  short  time  before  his  death  he  was  working  on  a  new 
method  of  vessel  propulsion  and  an  improved  form  of  locomotive  which  on  its 
trial  trip  developed  phenomenal  speed.  There  is  no  doubt  that  had  he  lived  these 
would  have  been  brought  to  perfection  as  well  as  many  other  useful  applica- 
tions of  science  to  the  arts,  for  in  this  sphere  of  activity  he  was  never  idle. 

The  ancestry  of  Colonel  Roljerts  has  already  been  mentioned  in  the  life 
of  his  brother.  Dr.  W.  B.  Rol^erts.  On  April  8,  1867,  he  married  Ida  But- 
terworth,  widow  of  Thomas  Chase,  of  Titusville.  His  death,  which  was  en- 
tirely unexpected,  occurred  after  a  short  illness  on  March  25,  1881.  at  the  Hotel 
Brunswick,  which  he  had  made  his  home  in  his  later  years.  Two  children 
survive  him, — Elizabeth  C.  and  Mary  L.  Roberts, — both  residents  of  Titus- 
ville. 

Colonel  Roberts  was  a  man  of  many  eccentricities  and  strong  feelings. 
Always  liberal,  open-handed,  generous  and  public-spirited.  A  man  of  tena- 
cious purpose  and  a  strong  fighter  for  what  he  thought  were  his  rights,  he 
attracted  a  host  of  friends  and  commanded  the  respect  of  his  opponents.  The 
cit}-  of  his  adoption,  emlDellished  by  many  marks  of  his  liberality,  had  good 
cause  to  regret  his  untimely  death. 


Theodore  B.  Lashells,  physician  at  Meadville,  was  born  in  New  Berlin, 
Union  county,  Pennsylvania.  [March  20.  1839,  a  son  of  George  E.  and  Eliza 
(Baskin)  Lashells.  He  received  his  classical  education  at  Jefferson  College, 
in  Washington  county,  this  state,  and  his  medical  education  at  Columbia  Col- 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  945 

lege,  in  Washington,  D.  C,  at  which  institution  he  graduated  in  i'fhrnary, 
1862,  when  he  entered  the  United  States  service  as  assistant  surgeon.  Tuflfili 
Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry;  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  surgeon,  and 
assigned  to  the  One  Hundred  and  Seventy-first  Tcnnsylvania  \'ohintccr  In- 
fantry, ill  which  lie  served  until  tlic  fall  of  1863.  lie  was  taken  ))risoner  of 
war  and  paroled,  during  which  time  and  before  his  exchange  Ik-  luiilt  .-md 
organized  the  St.  Aloysius  Ilo.spital,  at  the  national  capital. 

Returning  home  in  ill  health,  he  began  his  practice  in  Meadvillc.  uhcrc 
he  still  remains.  Tn  1864  he  was  appointed  surgeon  of  the  Ixiard  of  enroll- 
ment for  this  congressional  district,  which  position  he  held  till  the  close  of  the 
war.  In  1868  he  was  apixtinted  surgeon  for  the  .Atlantic  &  fireat  Western 
Railroad,  now  the  Erie  Railway.  The  Doctor  has  for  some  time  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  examining'  surgeons  for  pensions  for  this  county. 

October  i,  1863,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Jane  Kellogg,  stepdaughter  of 
Major  Samuel  A.  Torbett.  and  to  this  union  have  been  born  two  children : 
Mar  r>ess.  horn  July  20,  1865:  and  i'Mward  'l^irlictt,  horn  July  3,  1869,  now 
a  practicing  iihysician  in  partnership  with  his  father. 


JoSi'l^li  W.  Foi^lc,  of  Wavne  townshi]).  c;inie  into  the  cutnily  ;il  the  .'ige 
of  four  years  from  L'nion  county,  where  he  was  lioni  in  18.15.  lie  li\cd  in 
Meach'ille  for  several  years  and  then  nio\-ed  to  \\'a\'iie  townshi)).  .August  7, 
1864.  he  married  Nancy  J.,  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Julia  .Ann  Waggoner,  who 
had  been  for  nian\-  years  residents  of  the  township.  l"he  chihh-en  1)\-  this  union 
are  Hannah  Klizabeth,  wife  of  Rev.  William  M.  Wygant ;  JuHa  E.,  wife  of 
Phillip  r)eers:  Daniel  K.,  George  William  and  Lewis.  They  have  an  adopted 
son,  named  Joseph  Arthur.  Mr.  Eogle  has  been  engaged  for  many  years  in 
tiic  hiniher  ])usiness.  runs  a  sawmill  .-it  Bousson  Postoffice,  and  lives  upon  a 
tract  of  two  hundred  and  ninety  acres,  which  he  has  cleared  of  timber.  Mrs. 
Fogle's  father  and  brother  Jacob  were  soldiers  in  the  Civil  war.  She  :nid  her 
husband  are  active  members  of  the  United  i'.rethren  church. 


Ci-ori^c  J.  Kinil::.  proprietor  of  the  Erie  Hotel,  at  Titnsville,  was  burn  in 
1871  in  Tilusville,  a  son  of  C.eorge  F.  and  Alatilda  Kuntz,  who  came  to  this 
cil\  in  18(17.  George  F.  Kuntz  conducted  this  hotel  for  three  years  and  pur- 
chased the  same  in  1870.  Air.  Kuntz.  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  is  the  oldest 
son  nl  a  family  of  li\e  children,  namely:  George  J.,  Henry  J.,  William  F., 
iM-ederick  J.  .and  David.  October  m,  1803,  he  was  married  to  iM-ncstine 
W.igner,  (knigliler  of  J.  G.  Wagner,  of  Tilus\ille.  Mr.  Kuntz  is  a  member 
of  Shepiierd  Eodge,  No.  463,  F.  &  A.  M.,  Rose  Croix  Conimandery,  No.  38, 
K.  T..  ,ind  of  the  Queen  City  Eodge.  No.  304,  I.  O.  O.  F.  Mr.  Kuntz  is  also 
a  nicniher  ni  the  select  eomicil  of  the  second  ward  .nid  ;i  nienil.er  nf  the  Demo- 
cratic conntv'  cniinnitirt'. 
60 


946  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Earnest  Medo,  a  farmer  of  East  Fairfield  township,  is  a  son  of  Augustus 
and  Nora  (Vernie)  Medo,  now  residents  of  Meadville,  natives  of  France.  Mr. 
Medo  was  born  where  he  now  resides  February  22,  1861,  and  belongs  to  a 
f amil)'  of  four  children,  viz. :  Selma,  married  to  Alfred  Miller,  Meadville ; 
Jennie,  married  to  Fred  Pequinot,  East  Fairfield  township;  Earnest,  and 
Tille  M.  Medo,  deceased.  Mr.  Medo  was  married.  May  28,  1889,  to  Louise, 
.t  daughter  of  John  and  Clementine  (Rebrasier)  Beuchat,  and  four  childrei) 
h.ave  been  born  to  this  union:  Lena  A.;  Lillie  May,  deceased;  Esther  M., 
deceased,  and  Ethel  Medo.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Beuchat  have  been  residents  of 
Randolph  township  for  several  years.  Mrs.  B.  followed  the  vocation  of  teach- 
ing for  some  time  in  Ohio.  Mr.  Medo  owns  the  sixty-acre  farm  in  East  Fair- 
field township  where  he  resides. 


James  M.  Wheeler. — The  just  reward  of  a  well  spent  life  and  active  busi- 
ness career  is  an  honored  retirement  from  labor — a  season  of  rest  in  which 
one  may  enjoy  the  fruits  of  former  toil.  Tins  has  been  attained  by  Mr. 
Wheeler,  who  for  many  years  was  identified  with  the  agricultural  interests  of 
Crawford  ctninty,  but  is  now  living  retired  in  Espyville,  where  he  has  a  pleas- 
ant home  and  is  surrounded  by  many  warm  friends  who  esteem  him  highly 
for  his  sterling  worth. 

Mr.  Wheeler  is  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  state,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  Brook-field.  Trumbull  county,  on  the  4th  of  May,  1836.  His  father  was  a 
nati\e  of  Vermont,  luit  in  early  manhood  removed  to  Trumbull  county,  Ohio, 
where  he  carried  on  agricultural  pursuits  for  many  years.  He  was  quite  suc- 
cessful in  his  business  ventures,  owing  to  his  capable  management,  sound  judg- 
ment and  unflagging  industry,  and  acquired  a  valuable  property,  including 
three  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  rich  farming  land.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
sixty-eight  years,  at  his  home  in  Trumbull  county,  where  two  of  his  sons  and 
a  daughter  still  reside. 

James  M.  Wheeler  was  reared  on  the  old  homestead  in  the  county  of  his 
nativity,  early  becoming  familiar  with  the  labors  of  field  and  meadow,  and 
all  other  departments  of  farm  work.  He  continued  a  resident  of  Ohio  until 
1865,  when  he  came  to  Crawford  county,  locating  on  a  farm  a  half  mile  south 
of  Espyville,  where  he  made  his  home  until  his  removal  to  the  village.  He 
carried  on  general  farming  and  stock-raising,  and  in  both  branches  of  his  busi- 
ness met  with  good  success.  His  energy  and  careful  supervision  were  mani- 
fest in  the  neat  and  thrifty  appearance  of  the  place,  in  the  substantial  build- 
ings and  improved  machinery,  while  the  excellent  grades  of  stock  which  he 
raised  indicated  his  progressiveness  in  that  department  of  his  business.  His 
methods  were  systematic,  his  judgment  rarely  at  fault  and  his  diligence  and 
perseverance  enabled  him  to  overcome  many  difficulties  and  obstacles,  so  that 
success  eventuallv  crowned  his  efforts  and  he  found  himself  the  possessoi  of 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  947 

a  handsome  competence,  which  now  enables  him  to  live  a  retired  life.  He 
made  judicious  investments  in  land,  and  in  addition  to  the  home  place  became 
the  owner  of  two  other  farms,  from  which  he  derives  a  good  income. 

Mr.  \Mieeler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Newcomb,  who  wa.s 
born  and  reared  in  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  and  w'ith  her  family  removed  to 
Espyville  only  a  short  time  prior  to  her  marriage.  Her  mother  is  still  living, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years,  and  retains  all  her  faculties  in  a 
remarkable  degree.  She  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Sarah  Quick  and  was  born 
in  New  Jersey,  whence  she  removed  to  Trumbull  county,  Ohio.  There  she 
was  reared  and  married,  and  wdien  her  husband  went  to  the  mines  of  California 
she  was  given  full  power  of  attorney  to  carry  on  the  farm  and  transact  all 
business  in  connection  therewith.  She  has  but  one  daughter,  Mrs.  Wheeler, 
and  with  her  she  is  now  living.  She  possesses  excellent  business  and  executive 
ability,  and  on  leaving  Ohio  she  sold  her  Brookfield  farm  and  purchased  a 
farm  near  Espyville,  which  she  conducted  successfully  until  her  daughter's 
marriage,  since  which  time  she  has  found  a  pleasant  home  with  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wheeler.  She  has  long  been  a  prominent  member  and  active  worker  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  is  a  liberal  contributor  to  its  support. 

Five  years  ago  Mr.  Wheeler  put  aside  all  business  cares  save  the  man- 
agement of  his  property,  purchased  a  pleasant  residence  in  Espyville  and  re- 
moved to  the  village,  where  he  and  his  wife  are  now  living,  surrounded  by 
many  friends  and  enjoying  the  hospitality  of  the  best  homes  of  the  com- 
munity. In  politics  Mr.  Wheeler  has  always  been  a  stanch  advocate  of  the 
Republican  party  and  is  deeply  interested  in  its  growth  and  success,  but  has 
steadily  refused  all  otiicial  preferments,  desiring  to  give  his  undivided  atten- 
tion to  his  business.  Both  he  and  his  estimable  wife  are  active  members  in 
the  Espyville  Methodist  church,  in  which  he  is  serving  as  steward,  and  their 
labors  have  contributed  not  a  little  to  its  advancement.  They  are  rich  in  the 
possession  of  those  qualities  which  endear  them  to  the  best  people,  and  among 
the  valued  citizens  of  Crawford  county  they  are  numbered. 


Professor  H.  V.  Hotchkiss,  Ph.  D. — Eor  the  past  fifteen  years  Professor 
Hotchkiss  has  been  associated  with  educational  affairs  in  Meadville,  for  tw'O 
years  as  principal  of  the  high  school  and  since  that  time  as  superintendent  of 
the  city  schools. 

The  paternal  grandparents  of  our  subject  were  Luke  and  Mary  (Hath- 
away) Hotchkiss,  early  settlers  of  Crawford  county.  He  is  the  eldest  of  the 
seven  children  of  John  and  Sarah  (Waid)  Hotchkiss,  the  others  being  as 
follows:  H.  J.,  of  Townville;  Lillian,  deceased;  Mary,  wife  of  E.  M.  Cooper; 
Margaret,  wife  of  A.  Morrison ;   Charles  and  Bessie. 

In  his  boyhood  H.  V.  Hotchkiss  received  a  public  school  education,  and 
was  onlv  sixteen  when  he  commenced  teaching  in  the  countfy  schools.    Later 


948  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

he  pursued  a  course  of  study  at  the  Edinboro  Normal,  graduating  in  the  class 
of  1880.  after  wliicli  he  was  chosen  as  principal  of  the  Hydetown  high  school. 
In  1884  he  was  graduated  in  Allegheny  College,  and  the  following  day  he  was 
elected  principal  of  the  Meadville  high  school.  A  post-graduate  course  of 
study  entitled  him  to  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy,  which  was  conferred 
upon  him  by  his  Alma  Mater.  Fraternally,  he  is  identified  with  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

In  1885  Professor  Hotchkiss  was  united  in  marriage  with  Jessie,  daugh- 
ter of  George  and  Marian  (Fordyce)  Tier,  of  Meadville,  and  to  this  union 
were  born  four  children,  namely :  Donald,  Ruth,  Robert  and  Harriet. 


Allen  E.  Daily,  Wayne  township. — The  great-grandfather  and  great- 
grandmother  of  Mr.  Daily  came  from  Ireland  in  1800  and  settled  in  Venango 
county.  His  father,  Joshua,  in  1862,  married  Katharine,  daughter  of  Joseph 
and  Leah  Shaffer,  their  oldest  child  being  Allen  Emeral,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Other  children  are  Laura  A.,  wife  of  William  F.  McDaniel;  Harry 
L.,  John  F.  and  Frederick  B.  Allen  came  into  the  county  about  eighteen  years 
ago,  and  October  22,  1826,  married  Laura,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary 
Wheeling,  of  Venango  county.  They  have  two  children, — Mary  Ann  and 
Bert  O. 


John  G.  Gntnian,  proprietor  of  the  Spring  Hill  Hotel,  at  Titusville,  was 
born  in  Switzerland,  in  1851,  came  to  America  in  1870  and  first  located  in 
Lock  Haven,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  employed  at  his  trade,  that  of  car- 
penter, during  the  time  that  he  resided  here..  In  1871  he  removed  to  Titus- 
ville, where  he  followed  his  trade  for  two  years,  when  he  purchased  the  Spring 
Hill  Hotel  and  improved  the  same,  which  is  still  conducted  by  him.  In  1877 
he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Catharine  Bellen,  of  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  and 
they  have  three  children, — Libby  Gertie,  John  Fred  and  Charles  Frank.  Mr. 
G.  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Honor  and  of  the  D.  O.  H. 


Susan  P.  Rose,  M.  D.,  of  Meadville,  is  a  native  of  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania, a  daughter  of  Peter  and  Eliza  A.  (Boyer)  Rose,  and  was  born  Sep- 
tember 21,  1845.  Her  parents  also  were  natives  of  Philadelphia,  her  father 
of  Welsh  and  English,  and  her  mother  of  French  descent.  Peter  Rose  came 
with  his  family  to  this  county  about  1857,  and  was  a  farmer  and  lumber  dealer. 
He  reared  a  family  of  eight  children,  Susan  F.  being  the  fourth,  and  his  death 
occurred  in  1882. 

Our  subject  received  her  early  education  in  the  graded  schools  of  her 
native  city,  and  studied  medicine  under  Dr.  Smith,  in  this  county,  from  1872 
to  1875.  In  1873-4  she  attended  the  Woman's  Aledical  College  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  graduated  at  the  Homeopathic  Hospital  and  College  in  Cleveland, 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 


949 


Ohio,  in  the  year  1875.  She  then  began  the  practice  at  Townville,  in  this 
county,  and  in  1877  came  to  Meadville,  where  she  has  since  continued  in  the 
work  of  her  profession,  having  a  large  practice. 


Daniel  Shaffer,  of  Wayne  township. — Joseph  Shaffer  and  Ins  wife,  Leah, 
daughter  of  George  Noli,  moved  into  Crawford  from  Dauphin  county  about 
the  year  1850,  locating  upon  the  farm  opposite  that  now  owned  by  Daniel 
Shaffer.  Their  children  are  Daniel;  Katharine,  wife  of  Joshua  M.  Daily; 
Moses,  John,  Joseph,  William,  Charles,  Henry,  and  Eva,  wife  of  John  Mc- 
Cracken.  Daniel  was  born  on  the  old  homestead  in  1851,  and  March  29,  1877, 
married  Ada,  daughter  of  Adam  and  Elizabeth  Daniels,  from  Dauphin  county. 
Their  children  are  \\'alter,  Maud  and  Frederick.  Mr.  Shaffer  has  lived  upon 
his  farm,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  forty-two  acres,  since  his  marriage. 
A  member  of  the  United  Brethren  church,  his  particular  field  of  usefulness 
is  Sunday-school  work,  he  having  filled  the  office  of  superintendent  for  eigh- 
teen years  to  the  satisfaction  of  all. 


Jl'illiam  Shaffer,  of  Wayne  township,  and  brother  of  Daniel,  was  born 
on  the  Shaffer  homestead  in  Wayne  township,  November  14,  1857.  In  1882 
he  married  Ada,  daughter  of  James  Thompson.  Their  children  are  named 
Alta  and  Roy.  Mr.  Shaffer  owns  and  cultivates  a  fine  farm  of  sixty-seven 
acres.    He  has  held  several  township  offices. 

F.  Nctchcr,  proprietor  of  Hotel  Monroe,  at  Titusville,  was  born  in  Decem- 
ber, 1847,  i"  Buffalo,  New  York.  November  29,  i860,  he  came  to  Titusville, 
where  he  began  the  work  of  drilling  for  oil,  with  fair  success.  April  i,  1870, 
he  engaged  in  the  wholesale  liquor  business,  which  he  conducted  most  of  the 
period  until  1880,  when  he  purchased  the  Hotel  Monroe.  He  was  more  or 
less  interested  in  the  wholesale  business  until  1888,  and  since  then  he  has  con- 
ducted the  hotel  uninterruptedly.  In  October,  1873,  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Mary,  daughter  of  Ignatius  Eckart,  of  Buffalo.  They  have  three 
children, — Clara  B.,  widow  of  J.  Robinson;  William  C.  and  Ida  May.  Mr. 
Netcher  is  the  son  of  Christian  and  Sophia  (Remenger)  Netcher,  the 
former  of  whom  died  January  27,  1898,  aged  seventy-four  years,  and  the 
latter  September  4,  1896.  Christian  Netcher  came  from  Germany  at  the  age 
of  thirteen  years,  was  a  cooper  by  trade,  and  was  one  of  the  early  founders 
of  Pleasantville,  Venango  county,  and  an  active  citizen  in  that  locality  during 
the  oil  boom. 


Charles  W.  Thompson,  M.  D.,  of  Meadville,  was  born  May  8,  1858,  in 
Pittsburg.  Pennsylvania,  the  son  of  John  and  Letitia  (Taylor)  Thompson. 
The  former,  who  was  a  native  of  Pittsburg,  died  in  1890,  at  the  age  of  fifty- 


950  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

eight  years.  He  rendered  efficient  service  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion.  The 
mother,  \\'ho  was  born  in  Greensburg,  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania, 
died  in  1869,  aged  thirty-one  years. 

Dr.  Thompson  received  liis  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Meadville, 
the  Meadville  Commercial  College,  Edinboro  State  Normal  School,  Allegheny 
College  and  the  Wooster  and  Western  Reserve  Universities,  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
graduating  from  the  latter  in  1882.  In  April  of  the  same  year  he  b^gan.  in 
Meadville.  the  practice  of  medicine,  which  he  has  since  continued  with  un- 
varying success.     He  was  county  physician  from  1882  to  1885. 

In  1890  Dr.  Thompson  married  Miss  Eva  Apple,  daughter  of  Hon.  A.  G. 
Apple.  She  died  in  1893.  October  3,  1896,  he  married  Mary,  daughter  of 
John  Derfus.  of  Mead  township. 


Nathan  Shaffncr,  proprietor  of  the  Shaffner  Hotel,  at  Pleasantville,  is  a 
native  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  born  in  1849,  a  son  of  Solomon  and  Loretta  (Swab) 
Shaffner,  the  former  of  whom  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-five  years  and  the  latter 
at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  Mr.  Shaffner  is  the  second  son  in  a  family 
of  seven  children,  namely :  Joseph ;  Nathan ;  Cassie,  wife  of  Leon  Stein- 
berger,  St.  Paul,  Minnesota :  Henry,  deceased :  Abraham,  Clarence  and 
Rachel.  July  20,  1874,  Mr.  Shaffner  was  married  at  Weedsport,  New  York. 
and  he  now  has  four  children, — Clarence,  Carrie,  Alice  and  Florence. 

Mr.  Shaffner  first  began  the  restaurant  business,  in  Oil  City,  in  1869, 
and  came  to  Titusville  in  1872,  where  he  continued  the  same  business  until 
1875,  when  he  became  proprietor  of  the  European  Hotel,  of  which  he  had 
charge  for  twelve  years.  He  removed  to  Pleasantville  January  i,  1898,  and 
took  charge  of  the  Eagle  Hotel,  which  was  handsomely  refitted,  refurnished 
and  renamed  after  its  present  proprietor. 

At  the  age  of  thirteen  years  Mr.  Shaffner  enlisted.  January  17,  1863,  from 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  the  Thirty-second  Ohio  Infantry,  and  was  mustered  out 
with  his  regiment  in  July,  1865. 


George  T.  Sniifli,  merchant,  Meadville,  was  born  March  28,  1843,  in 
Massachusetts,  and  came  to  Crawford  county  and  located  in  Meadville  in  the 
autumn  of  1863,  and  followed  his  trade,  that  of  tinner,  until  the  following 
year,  when  he  removed  to  Franklin;  and  here  he  remained  until  1868,  when 
he  returned  to  Meadville  and  followed  the  same  line  of  business  until  April. 
1896,  since  which  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade  on  North 
street.  Mr.  Smith's  ancestry  was  of  the  New  England  type.  A  descendant 
of  John  Rogers,  his  father.  Dexter  Smith,  was  born  in  1812  and  died  in  1892 : 
his  mother.  Philindia  (Morgan)  Smith,  died  in  1858,  at  the  age  of  forty- 
four  years.  Their  family  consisted  of  four  sons:  Chindler,  of  Illinois; 
George  T.,  and  John  A.,  and  Clarence  E.  Smith,  now  residing  in  Massachu- 


OUR  COUNT V  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  951 

setts.  Mr.  Smith  married,  Maj-  30,  1865,  Sarah,  daughter  of  Frederick  and 
Margaret  Metzer,  who  died  November  21,  1890.  at  the  age  of  forty-two 
years.  To  this  union  were  born:  Frederick  D.,  Nettie  M.,  Arthur  H.,  Ed- 
ward B.,  WiHiard  H.,  Clarence  W.  and  Kenneth  Smith. 

In  April  1861,  Mr.  Smith  engaged  in  the  late  Civil  war  and  remained 
in  service  until  January  18,  1863,  when  he  received  an  honorable  discharge  on 
account  of  disability.  His  engagements  included  the  battles  of  Williamsburg, 
Garnett's  farm.  Savage's  station  and  Malvern  Hill. 


Daz'id  Foster,  a  native  of  Ireland,  born  May  i,  1844,  emigrated  to  this 
country  and  first  located  in  Buffalo,  New  York,  in  1863,  and  in  April  of  the 
itme  year  remo\-ed  to  Titusville.  He  was  a  member  of  a  family  of  fifteen  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  reside  in  Pennsylvania,  as  follows:  Robert,  at  Erie;  Mar- 
garet, wife  of  Samuel  Cunningham,  at  Rixford;  Samuel,  at  Dubois;  and 
Anna,  the  wife  of  George  Beatty,  at  Titusville.  November  28,  1865,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Emma  J.,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Ann 
(Suter)  Megahey,  formerly  from  the  north  of  Ireland.  Mr.  Megahey  died 
in  1889  at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years,  and  his  wife  died  in  May,  1897,  at 
the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  Mrs.  Foster  is  the  second  child  in  a  family  of 
seven  children,  as  follows:  \\'illiam;  Anna  J.,  above  mentioned;  Arthur, 
Titusville;  Letitia,  wife  of  Samuel  Koon;  James,  Titusville;  Esther, 
wife  of  Charles  Hall,  S}Tacuse,  New  York;  and  Mary  Elizabeth,  de- 
ceased. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foster  have  three  children, — Samuel  J.,  Letitia 
and  John  B.  Mr.  Foster  is  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Margaret  (Wright) 
Foster,  the  former  of  whom  died  in  1873.  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years,  and 
the  latter  died  at  the  age  of  forty  years. 

Mr.  Foster  came  to  Titusville  during  the  days  of  the  oil  excitement  and 
followed  his  trade,  that  of  builder  and  mover,  together  with  lumbering  and 
leal-estate  business.  He  is  the  pioneer  and  largest  operator  in  his  line.  So- 
cially, he  is  a  member  of  Shepherd  Lodge,  No.  443,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  a  charter 
member  of  Queen  City  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F. 


Peter  A.  Forsbloom,  contractor,  Titusville,  was  born  in  Sweden,  January 
17,  1835,  son  of  A,  P.  and  Anna  Rebekah  (Arling)  Forsbloom,  natives  of 
Sweden.  Mr.  Forsbloom  is  the  second  child  in  a  family  of  seven  children,  as 
follows:  Charles  A.,  deceased;  Peter  A. ;  John,  Stockholm,  Sweden;  Johan- 
nah,  wife  of  Mr.  Ligeqvist;  Albertina,  wife  of  Charles  Holmaqvist,  Stock- 
holm, Sweden ;  Charlotta,  widow  of  J.  Lundquist,  Brooklyn ;  and  Caroline, 
deceased.  In  1861  Mr.  Forsbloom  was  united  in  marriage  with  Louise  John- 
son, of  Stockholm,  Sweden,  and  they  came  to  Titusville,  where  she  died  Octo- 
ber 25,  1887,  at  the  age  of  forty-two  years.  Seven  children  survive,  namely: 
Augusta,  Emily,  Albin,  Edward,  Earnest,  Arvid  and  Anna. 


952  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

It  was  not  until  the  year  1869  that  Mr.  Forsbloom  finally  located  in  Titus- 
ville.  He  had  made  a  brief  sdjourn  in  Jamestown,  New  York,  and  December 
13,  1869,  he  located  permanently  in  Titusville,  where  he  has  since  followed 
his  trade,  that  of  carpenter  and  builder.  He  was  first  employed  by  Smith  & 
Hubbard,  contractors,  for  the  period  of  two  years.  Many  of  the  important 
buildings  of  Titusville,  among  which  the  Hotel  Brunswick  and  not  a  few  of 
the  many  beautiful  homes  in  architectural  beauty  will  remain  as  monuments 
of  his  enterprise. 


JoJin  B.  Honscr,  contractor  at  Meadville,  was  bom  October  25,  1855.  son 
of  George  and  Mary  (Walp)  Houser.  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  The  latter 
died  in  1862,  at  the  age  of  thirty-three  years.  Mr.  Houser  began  his  trade, 
that  of  carpenter,  with  his  father  in  1870,  and  since  his  apprenticeship  has 
constructed  many  fine  buildings.  April  4.  1877,  he  married  May.  daughter 
of  Albert  and  Marietta  (Pierce)  Belton,  of  Crawford  county.  Two  chil- 
dren— Alberta  B.  and  Fred  P.  Houser — ha\-e  been  born  to  this  union.  Mr. 
Houser  is  the  third  of  a  family  of  six  children,  five  of  whom  are  li\ing:  Ma- 
tilda, widow  of  David  Owens :  Christina,  wife  of  Joseph  Hannah ;  John  B. ; 
Josephine,  widow  of  the  late  Charles  Stuart:  William  B.,  of  Columbus.  Ohio: 
and  Henry,  deceased.  John  and  Henry  Walp  were  in  service  during  the  late 
rebellion  and  Albert  Belton  was  engaged  as  provost  guard  at  Harrisburg. 


General  John  Dick. — A  man  of  wide  reputation  who  stood  forth  as  a 
central  figure  in  the  annals  of  Pennsylvania  through  more  than  half  a  century 
was  General  John  Dick,  whose  identification  with  the  public  life  of  Mead- 
^•ille  was  so  inseparable  as  to  render  his  career  a  part  of  its  history'.  No  com- 
pendium such  as  the  province  of  this  work  defines  in  its  essential  limitations 
will  serve  to  offer  fit  memorial  to  the  life  and  accomplishments  of  the  honored 
subject  of  this  sketch, — a  man  remarkable  in  the  breadth  of  his  wisdom,  in 
his  indomitable  perseverance,  his  strong  individuality,  and  yet  one  whose  entire 
life  had  not  one  esoteric  phase,  being  an  open  scroll,  inviting  the  closest  scru- 
tiny. There  was  in  him  a  weight  of  character,  a  native  sagacity,  a  far-seeing 
judgment  and  a  fidelity  of  purpose  that  commanded  the  respect  of  all,  and 
his  name  is  deeply  engraven  on  the  history  of  Meadville  and  the  Keystone 
state. 

Of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  he  was  born  in  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  June 
17,  1794,  and  was  a  son  of  William  and  Anna  (McGunnegle)  Dick,  whose 
family  numbered  four  children,  namely:  John,  David,  James  R.  and  Wilson 
W.,  all  now  deceased.  In  the  year  of  his  birth  he  was  brought  by  his  parents 
to  Meadville,  then  a  mere  collection  of  log  houses.  The  town  then  gave  little 
promise  of  development,  but  with  the  passing  years  it  expanded,  and  in  the 
activities  of  life  General  Dick  kept  pace  with  its  growth  and  progress.     He 


^^-^-^-^    Q^^iVc^ 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  953 

was  for  many  years  one  of  its  successful  merchants  and  was  one  of  tlie  founders 
of  the  private  banking  house  of  J.  R.  Dick  &  Company,  which  in  1850  was 
conducted  under  the  firm  name  of  J.  &  J.  R.  Dick.  He  was  an  able  financier, 
and  made  this  institution  one  of  the  most  reliable  and  prosperous  financial 
concerns  in  this  part  of  the  state.  His  reputation  in  business  was  unassailable, 
and  his  energy  and  enterprise  made  him  very  prosperous,  so  that  at  his  death 
he  left  to  his  family  a  large  estate.  He  was  identified  with  many  other  business 
interests,  which  resulted  not  only  to  his  own  benefit,  but  also  to  the  great 
benefit  of  the  community.  These  included  the  construction  of  the  eastern 
])lank  road,  which  was  built  mainly  through  his  instrumentalitv,  and  the  At- 
lantic &  Great  Western  Railroad.  He  was  president  of  the  Crawford  Mutual 
Insurance  Company  for  several  years,  the  first  president  of  Greendale  ceme- 
tery, and  at  one  time  captain  of  the  Cussewago  Fire  Company.  The  cause  of 
education  found  in  him  a  warm  friend,  and  he  was  one  of  the  trustees  of 
Allegheny  College.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  tlie  oldest  vestryman  of 
Christ  Protestant  Episcopal  church,  in  Meadville,  having  been  elected  to  that 
position  February  /,  1829,  and  for  more  than  forty  years  he  devoted  his 
energies  untiringly  to  the  welfare  of  the  parish.  No  enterprise  which  was 
calculated  to  prove  of  public  benefit  solicited  his  aid  in  vain,  and  his  co- 
operation advanced  many  public  movements  and  measures  upon  which  time 
has  set  the  stamp  of  highest  approval. 

In  his  political  affiliations  General  Dick  was  a  Whig  and  was  a  member 
of  the  electoral  college  of  1840,  at  which  he  cast  the  vote  of  Pennsylvania  for 
General  William  Henrv  Harrison.  In  1S50  he  was  appointed  by  Governor 
Johnson  associate  judge  of  Crawford  county,  and  the  following  year  was 
elected  and  commissioned  to  the  same  position.  On  the  bench  he  was  ever 
just  and  upright,  his  course  being  unalterable  by  either  fear  or  favor.  While 
ser\-ing  in  that  capacity  he  was  elected  to  congress,  in  1852,  from  the  district 
composed  of  the  counties  of  Erie  and  Crawford,  and  served  in  the  council 
chambers  of  the  nation  for  three  consecutive  terms,  leaving  the  impress 
of  his  strong  individuality  upon  the  legislation  of  the  country.  High  military 
honors  were  also  his.  At  the  age  of  twenty-seven  he  was  elected  major  of  the 
First  Battalion  and  was  so  commissioned  by  Governor  Heister,  in  1821.  Four 
years  later  he  was  made  colonel  of  the  Thirty-first  Regiment;  in  1831  he  was 
commissioned  by  Governor  Wolf  brigadier-general  of  the  Second  Brigade, 
Sixteenth  Division,  composed  of  the  troops  from  the  counties  of  Beaver,  But- 
ler, Mercer,  Crawford,  Erie,  Venango  and  Warren,  extending  from  the  banks 
of  the  Ohio  to  the  shore  of  Lake  Erie.  He  was  well  versed  in  military  tactics 
and  drill,  and  the  honors  thus  won  were  well  merited. 

On  the  1 6th  of  November,  1830,  General  Dick  married  Miss  Jane  A. 
Torbett,  daughter  of  Samuel  Torbett,  one  of  the  honored  pioneers  of  Craw- 
ford county   and    for   many   years   an   extensive  and   prominent    real-estate 


954  OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

dealer  liere.     They  became  the  parents  of  six  children:  George  M.,  J.  Henry, 
Samuel  Bernard,  Anna  C,  Mary  E.  and  John. 

For  years  General  Dick  was  acknowledged  the  leading  citizen  of  his 
county,  by  reason  of  the  prominent  part  which  he  took  in  military,  political, 
business  and  social  life.  He  achieved  financial  success  by  careful  management 
and  untiring  energy ;  he  won  political  and  military  honors  through  fidelity  to 
duty  and  loyalty  in  citizenship,  and  won  the  regard  of  many  friends  bv  those 
sterling  qualities  which  everywhere  command  respect.  He  lived  through  the 
period  of  the  republic's  early  development,  witnessed  its  wonderful  progress 
along  all  material  lines,  in  invention,  science,  art  and  commerce;  saw  the 
beginning  and  consummation  of  one  of  the  greatest  civil  wa,rs  known  to  his- 
tory and  the  re-establishment  of  the  nation  on  a  firmer  foundation  than  ever 
before.  He  died  May  29,  1872,  in  his  seventy-eighth  year,  and  thus  was  closed 
a  life  de\-oted  to  goodly  ends. 


Joseph  A.  Roscr,  engineer  of  the  Erie  Railway  at  Meadville,  was  born 
January  17,  1859,  a  son  of  Joseph  and  Catherine  (Swop)  Roser.  The  former 
died  in  Germany,  at  the  age  of  thirty-six  years,  and  the  latter  is  now  living 
in  Meadville,  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine  years.  Mrs.  Roser,  soon  after  the  death 
of  her  husband,  with  her  three  children, — Elizabeth.  Marion  and  Joseph, — 
left  Germany  and  came  to  America,  locating  soon  after  in  Meadville,  where 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  began  as  a  messenger  for 
the  dispatcher's  office  of  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania  &  Ohio  Railway.  At 
the  age  of  eighteen  he  accepted  a  position  as  fireman  and  was  afterward  pro- 
moted as  engineer,  and  has  acceptably  filled  this  place  of  trust  since  1884. 
July  25,  1883,  Mr.  Roser  married  Fannie  E.,  daughter  of  David  and  Annie 
(Mitcheltree)  McCreary,  of  West  Middlesex,  Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania, 
both  deceased.  Mrs.  Roser  is  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  four  children,  viz. : 
John  W. ;  Laura  J.,  wife  of  Mathew  Farrell,  Ottumwa,  Iowa;  David  A.,  and 
Fannie  Elizabeth  McCreary.  John  IMcCreary,  father  of  David,  was  a  native 
of  Ireland,  and  emigrated  to  this  country  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war,  and 
ser\-ed  through  the  entire  struggle  with  General  Morgan.  Mr.  Roser  is  a 
member  of  the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers,  Division  No.  43. 


U'illiau!  S.  Floii'cr,  physician,  Cochranton,  was  born  in  Harbor  Creek, 
Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1821,  a  son  of  James  and  Sarah  Flower,  natives 
of  Massachusetts,  who  resided  in  Erie  county  for  over  half  a  century.  Dr. 
Flower  first  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  office  of  Dr.  Davenport,  at 
Ellington  Center,  Chautauqua  county,  New  York,  and  soon  after  entered 
the  medical  department  of  a  university  at  Philadelphia,  at  which  he  graduated 
in  i860,  and  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Cooperstown,  Venango  county. 
Pennsylvania,  the  same  year.     He  came  to  Cochranton  in  1856,  where  he  has 


oUFi  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  955 

continued  to  practice,  and  chose  for  a  life  companion  Aliss  Alary  |.  Barthol- 
omew, of  \\'aterford,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  born  1827,  and  onlv  last  year 
celebrated  the  event  of  their  marriage  with  a  golden  wedding.  To  this  union 
were  born  four  sons :  William,  a  resident  of  California ;  Chauncey,  of  Frank- 
lin; Frank  E.,  of  Cochranton;  and  Charles  W.,  of  Bufifalo,  New  York.  Dr. 
Flower  was  the  second  child  of  a  family  of  seven  children:  David  E..  William 
S.,  Dr.  Phineas  D.,  of  Albion,  Pennsylvania;  Elbridge  J.,  Jamestown.  Xew 
York;  Airs.  C.  A.  Fuller,  Fredonia.  Xew  York;  Mrs.  L.  D.  Davenport,  Al- 
bion, Pennsylvania:  and  Lydia  \\\  Flower,  Fredonia,  New  York.  James 
Flower,  father  of  William  S.,  was  captain  of  militia  at  Erie  during  the  war 
of  1812. 


F.  A.  Suttoit,  a  well  known  citizen  of  Meadville.  is  a  native  of  Venango 
county,  Pennsylvania.  His  parents  were  Solomon  and  Elmira  (Knowlton) 
Sutton,  ^^■hen  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  was  being  waged  our  .subject,  then 
a  young  man,  offered  his  services  to  his  country,  and  fought  for  the  Union. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Fifty-second  Pennsylvania  Regiment.  As  early  as 
i860  he  became  interested  in  the  oil  industry  in  the  vicinity  of  Oil  Citv,  and 
during  the  intervening  years  he  has  given  his  chief  time  and  attention  to  this 
line  of  business,  at  present  having  additional  investments  in  the  oil  region  of 
West  Virginia.  Politically  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party,  and 
socially  he  is  a  Knight  of  Pythias. 

Mr.  Sutton  married  Caroline,  a  daughter  of  \\"illiam  and  Eleanor  (Beck) 
Gray,  then  residents  of  Indiana,  but  now  deceased.  The  five  children  born  to 
our  subject  and  wife  are  named  as  follows :  John.  \\"illiam.  Curtis,  Ella  and 
Jessie  Alay. 


George  J.  Phillcy,  Cochranton,  was  born  in  Chenango  county.  New  York, 
in  1829,  a  son  of  Isaac  and  Eliza  (Perkins)  Philley,  for  many  years  residents 
of  New  York  state,  where  the  former  was  an  extensive  lumber  and  dairyman. 
Mr.  Philley  is  of  a  large  family  of  children,  viz. :  Lewis,  a  resident  of  Alinne- 
sota:  Orphia,  wife  of  Charles  Purdy;  Jeremiah,  of  Binghamton,  New  York; 
William,  deceased ;  George  J. ;  Eunice,  deceased,  formerly  wife  of  Elijah 
Fernalla,  of  Chenango  county.  New  York ;  DeForest,  in  Minnesota ;  Alelinda, 
wife  of  Charles  Fernalla;  Clarinda.  wife  of  John  Kilman.  Alinnesota;  Frank- 
lin, deceased:  and  Remembrance,  deceased.  In  January.  1853.  Mr.  Philley 
married  Alartha,  daughter  of  Levi  Morse,  of  Chenango  county.  New  York, 
and  three  daughters  have  been  born  to  this  union,  viz. :  Flora,  who  married 
D.  H.  Myers,  and  resides  in  Greene  township,  Erie  county ;  Emma,  wife  of 
William  Watson,  of  Wayne  township.  Crawford  county :  and  Cora  Philley. 
of  Cochranton. 


956  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Mr.  Philley  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  the  meat  business  for  several 
years,  and  has  held  several  local  ofiices,  among  which  are  those  of  corjstable, 
assessor,  and  appraiser. 


Joseph  Gcdach,  proprietor  of  the  Burkhardt  Hotel,  is  a  native  of  Craw- 
ford county,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  Meadville  since  1866.  He  was  born 
in  Vernon  township  in  1843,  being  a  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (Shepper) 
Gerlach,  natives  of  Germany,  who  emigrated  to  America  and  settled  in  Vernon 
township  in  1839.  The  former  was  a  soldier  in  the  German  army,  and  died 
in  West  Fallowfield  township  in  1856.  at  the  age  of  sixty-one  years,  and  his 
widow  died  in  1888.  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-six  years.  They  reared  a  family 
of  three  children,  all  of  whom  are  living:  John,  a  resident  of  Conneaut,  Ohio; 
»  Joseph,  subject  of  this  sketch ;  and  Andrew  Gerlach,  of  Erie,  Erie  county, 
Pennsylvania. 

February  2t,.  1865,  our  subject  married  Catherine,  daughter  of  Leonard 
and  Catherine  Zimmerman,  of  Meadville.  They  have  no  children.  Mr.  Ger- 
lach became  proprietor  of  the  Burkhardt  Hotel  April  i,  1895.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  C.  AI.  B.  A.,  and  the  St.  Lawrence  Life  Association. 


Timothy  B.  Hicks,  of  Rome  township,  is  a  son  of  William  Hicks,  and 
was  born  in  the  town  of  Manchester.  Vermont,  in  1823.  His  father  came 
to  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  when  lie  was  a  small  boy,  and  in  1852  settled  in 
Rome  township.  In  1861  he  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Second  Regiment, 
United  States  Artillery,  at  Buffalo,  and  served  five  years.  He  is  a  pensioner. 
He  married  Amy  Young,  daughter  of  Alonzo  and  Salome  (Loomis)  Young. 
He  cleared  his  farm  where  he  now  lives  and  has  six  children  living, — Clarissa 
v.,  Alonzo.  George  W.,  Flora  V.,  Loren  and  Ira  B. 


Francis  Nelson,  a  farmer  of  West  Fairfield  township,  was  born  August 
7,  1843,  in  West  Fairfield  township,  the  son  of  Allen  and  Hannah  (Dunn) 
Nelson.  The  former  was  born  in  1814  and  died  November  25,  1895,  the  lat- 
ter was  born  in  1810  and  died  in  September,  1883.  Allen  Nelson  was  a  son 
of  Colonel  David  and  Jane  (Milligan)  Nelson,  who  died  at  the  age  of  ninety - 
four  years  and  seventy,  respecti\ely.  Allen  was  the  third  son  of  a  family  of 
eight  children,  viz. :  John,  James,  Allen,  father  of  our  subject,  and  William, — 
all  deceased ;  Daniel,  of  Meadville ;  Mary,  who  became  the  wife  of  Hamilton 
Armour  and  is  now  deceased;  Betsy  B.,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Thomas 
McDonald  ;  and  Jane,  wife  of  Hugh  McClintock,  Cochranton.  In  1835  Allen 
Nelson  married  Hannah,  daughter  of  Allen  and  Mary  (Hamilton)  Dunn,  of 
Sandy  Lake,  Mercer  county.  Their  family  numbered  nine  children:  Elizabeth, 
who  married  W.  H.  Line,  of  Pottawatomie  county,  Kansas;  David  C,  who 
died  in  1873  ;  Allen  D.,  who  died  in  1893  ;  Francis,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  ; 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  957 

Samuel  H.,  of  Cochranton ;  James  A.,  who  died  in  1863  ;  Margaret  J.,  wlio  died 
in  1889,  the  wife  of  W.  H.  Applegate,  of  Kansas;  Stewart  L..  of  Topeka, 
Kansas;  and  H.  E.  Nelson,  on  the  homestead.  Octoljer  13,  1870,  Francis  Nel- 
son, the  subject  of  this  sketch,  married  Sarah  A.,  daughter  of  Mason  and  Mary 
(McDonald)  Williams.    No  issue. 

Mr.  Nelson  was  in  the  Civil  war,  enlisting  in  August,  1862,  and  being 
mustered  out  in  July,  1865.  The  principal  engagement  in  which  he  partici- 
pated was  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  where  he  was  severely  wounded,  a  bullet 
piercing  his  right  lung. 

The  Nelsons  are  prominently  identified  among  the  first  families  of  the 
township.  Colonel  David  Nelson  settled  upon  the  homestead  farm  in  1776, 
coming  on  horseback  from  Westmoreland  county.  He  returned  the  same 
year  to  Westmoreland  county,  was  married,  and  then  came  to  his  new  home 
here  and  began  life  in  earnest.  Surrounded  by  a  dense  forest  and  limited 
facilities,  he  made  his  way  toward  the  front  rank  of  civilization.  He  served 
his  country  in  the  war  of  181 2,  being  stationed  at  Fort  Meigs  in  the  winter 
of  1813-14. 


A.  C.  LcContc,  a  successful  clothing  merchant  of  Meadville,  is  a  native 
of  New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  where  he  was  born  December  3,  1857.  His 
parents,  J.  A.  and  Mary  (Faber)  LeConte,  came  to  America  from  France  at  an 
early  day,  the  former  being  an  extensive  importer  of  cigars  to  several  southern 
cities. 

The  subject  of  this  review  spent  several  years  of  his  early  life  in  Pitts- 
burg, Bradford  and  elsewhere,  and  settled  permanently  in  Meadville  in  1891, 
when  a  co-partnership  was  formed  with  F.  G.  Pranatt  in  the  clothing  trade, 
since  which  time  this  firm  have  successfully  conducted  a  large  business  as 
clothiers  and  dealers  in  all  lines  of  gentlemen's  furnishings.  Imbued  with 
the  spirit  of  progress,  Mr.  LeConte  has  become  prominently  identified  with 
business  circles  as  a  man  of  excellent  business  principles. 

■  December  29,  1886,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Julia,  daughter  of  Au- 
gustus and  Victorine  Ducray,  of  Meadville.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with 
one  child,  Ralph,  who  was  born  February  19,  1888. 

Mr.  LeConte  is  identified  with  numerous  organizations,  among  which 
are  the  Columbus  Club  of  Pittsburg,  the  Iroquois  Boating  and  Fishing  Club. 
Young  Men's  Republican  Club,  Antrous  Club,  and  the  Benevolent  Protective 
Order  of  Elks,  Meadville  Lodge,  No.  219. 


Scth  Church,  a  well  known  quarryman  of  Titusville,  was  born  in  Erie, 
Erie  county,  Pennsylvania,  July  3,  1844,  son  of  Amos  and  Sarah  (Roberts) 
Church,  who  removed  from  Connecticut  to  Greene  township,  Erie  county, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1839.     There  the  father  died,  in  April,  1896,  at  the  age  of 


958  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

eighty-two  years.  The  mother  was  born  in  1814  and  still  survives.  Mr. 
Church  had  one  brother,  Charles,  who  died  in  Andersonville  prison  during 
the  Rebellion  and  who  had  been  promoted  captain  the  day  he  was  taken  pris- 
oner. He  was  the  instigator  of  the  tunnel  of  historic  fame,  by  which  many 
prisoners  escaped  from  this  notorious  southern  prison.  The  others  of  the 
family  are  Amos,  of  Conneautville;  Samuel,  of  Erie;  Timothv  T-,  deceased; 
Martha,  deceased;    and  Lillian,  deceased. 

In  September,  1867,  Mr.  Church  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mary  J.  Tate, 
of  Summit  township,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania.  Her  parents  were  James 
and  Martha  (Kannedy)  Tate,  now  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Church  have 
three  children,  as  follows:   Charles  J..  Leona  Harriet  and  Harry  S. 

Mr.  Church  came  to  Titusville  in  1870  and  has  been  engaged  in  the  quar- 
rying business  since  1882.  He  served  three  years  as  street  commissioner,  and 
is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Honor,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  of  Battery  B,  being 
second  lieutenant  of  Company  K. 


Arlliur  Mandcll,  of  Titusville,  who  is  prominently  identified  with  the  oil 
industry,  is  a  native  of  Skaneateles,  Xew  York,  where  he  was  born  May  6, 
i860,  son  of  Albert  and  Marie  (Joy)  Mandcll.  He  recei\ed  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  pub>Iic  schools  of  Albion,  Xew  York,  and  the  Cayuga  Lake  Mili- 
tary Academy.  After  completing  his  course  he  went  to  South  Bend.  Indiana, 
and  learned  the  sash  and  blind  trade,  which  he  followed  until  he  came  to 
Titusville.  Mr.  Mandcll  is  a  grandson  of  Samuel  Mandell,  who  came  from 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  at  an  early  day  and  located  at  Aurora,  New  York, 
where  he  died  in  1S78,  at  the  age  of  ninety-three  years.  In  September,  1885, 
Mr.  Mandell  was  united  in  marriage  to  Fonta,  daughter  of  John  and  Jerusha 
Ford,  of  Pittsfield.     They  have  three  children, — Arthur,  Elizabeth  and  Janet. 

Mr.  Mandell  came  to  Titusville  in  1869  and  established  his  home  here 
permanentl}-  in  1881.  It  was  during  this  time  that  he  had  charge  of  the  Joy- 
Shaw  Heating  \\'orks,  as  superintendent  of  the  clerical  work,  and  while  em- 
ployed by  this  firm  he  became  interested  in  the  oil  business,  and  has  since  devel- 
oped numerous  fields  in  V.'est  \''irginia,  Ohio  and  Indiana.  Mr.  Mandell  is  a 
member  of  tlie  Royal  Arcanum. 


A.  C.  Hettlcr,  sexton  of  Greendale  cemetery,  at  Meadville,  '.vas  Ixjrn  at 
Stuttgart,  Wurtemberg,  Germany.  February  25,  1853,  the  son  of  Frederick 
William  and  Eliza  (Emmon)  Hettler,  the  former  of  whom  died  at  the  age  of 
forty-two  years,  when  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  but  three  years  of  age. 
The  mother  still  survives,  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years.  They  had  a  family 
of  six  children,  three  of  whom  are  living, — Elbrecht,  in  Germany ;  A.  C,  our 
subject;   and  Manfred,  a  resident  of  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania.     Frederick 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  959 

William  Hettler  was  for  some  time  secretary  to  King  William,  of  Wurtem- 
berg. 

A.  C.  Hettler  was  educated  in  the  institute  at  Kornthal  and  won  consid- 
erable reputation  as  a  landscape  gardener  and  florist.  He  served  in  the  Ger- 
man army  from  1873  to  1876. 

He  came  to  America  in  1879.  and  first  went  to  Nebraska,  where  he  spent 
some  ten  months,  after  which  he  came  to  Meadville  and  was  appointed  sexton 
of  the  Greendale  cemetery,  a  position  he  still  holds.  Since  his  appointment 
numerous  improvements  have  l^een  made  in  and  about  the  cemetery,  as  the 
outcome  of  persistent  labor  and  skill.  During  the  past  six  years  a  debt  of 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  dollars  has  been  paid  and  the  cemetery  made  self- 
supporting.  January  11,  1881,  Mr.  Hettler  married  Maria,  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam Schnauber,  of  Woodcock  township,  this  county.  Two  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union :  Frederick  William  and  Charles  Albrecht  Hettler.  Mr. 
Hettler  is  a  member  of  French  Creek  Council.  No.  325,  Royal  Arcanum,  and 
of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World. 


E.  Pliiuuiicr  McDn7cc!l,  of  Dicksonburg,  is  a  representative  of  one  of  the 
old  and  prominent  farming  families  of  Crawford  county.  Three  generations 
ha^•e  resided  upon  the  fann  which  is  now  his  home,  and  through  all  these 
years  they  have  been  actively  connected  with  the  agricultural  interests  of 
southwestern  Pennsylvania,  the  exponents  of  progress  and  enterprise  along 
their  line  of  business.  At  an  early  period  in  the  present  century  Alexander 
McDowell  purchased  sixty  acres  of  land  now  included  within  the  old  home- 
stead, and  upon  this  place  his  son,  J.  B.  McDowell,  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  and  reared.  In  1844  he  built  the  frame  of  the  barn  and  the  following 
year  erected  the  house,  which  is  still  standing.  He  married  Miss  Betsy 
Smith,  and  during  their  early  married  life  resided  on  the  old  home  place, 
de^•oting  his  energies  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil,  which  yielded  to  him  good 
harvests  in  return  for  the  care  and  cultivation  he  bestowed  upon  the  fields. 
Subsequentl}'  he  purchased  a  gristmill  in  Dicksonburg,  where  he  has  since 
made  his  home.  For  many  years  he  operated  the  mill  with  success,  but  is  now 
living  retired,  making  his  home  among  his  children.  He  has  reached  the  age 
of  seventy-seven  years,  but  his  wife  died  in  1896,  at  the  age  of  seventy-five. 

Ensign  Plummer  McDowell  is  their  only  son.  He  was  born  on  the  farm 
where  he  still  resides,  March  2,  1847,  and  under  the  parental  roof  was  reared 
to  manhood.  In  his  early  life  he  assisted  his  father  in  the  mill,  carrying  on 
that  business  for  some  time,  but  eventually  returned  to  the  farm,  where  he  has 
since  devoted  his  energies  to  the  raising  of  grain  and  stock.  He  here  owns 
one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  rich  land,  including  his  grandfather's  original 
purchase  of  sixty  acres.  This  is  a  valuable  and  desirable  property,  and  the 
well  tilled  fields  indicate  the  supervision  of  a  careful  and  jjainstaking  owner. 


96o  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Mr.  McDowell  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eveline  Beard,  and  they 
now  have  two  children.  Iris  Banks,  the  son,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Conneauc- 
vdle  high  school,  and  is  now  a  student  in  Clarion,  Pennsylvania;  Belle,  his 
twin  sister,  is  at  home. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  McDowell  is  a  stalwart  Republican,  unwaver- 
ing in  support  of  the  principles  of  his  party  and  now  serving  as  a  member  of 
the  Republican  county  committee.  He  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  office, 
however.  On  the  contrary,  he  has  steadily  refused  to  become  a  candidate! 
He  holds  membership  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Dicksonburg,  and 
is  a  member  of  its  board  of  trustees.  As  a  public-spirited  citizen  he  takes  a 
deep  interest  in  all  measures  pertaining  to  the  general  good,  but  his  time  is 
necessarily  largely  taken  up  with  his  business  interests.  He  is  spoken  of  as 
"a  first-class  farmer" ;  he  is  industrious,  economical,  possesses  sound  judg- 
ment, is  thoroughly  reliable,  and  has  therefore  met  with  success  in  his  under- 
takmgs.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  the  raising  of  fine  stock  and  has  taken  many 
premiums  at  county  fairs.  For  a  number  of  years  he  has  served  as  marshal 
at  the  Crawford  County  Fairs,  has  been  superintendent  of  the  horse  depart- 
ment, and  vice-president  of  the  Fair  Association.  He  is  particularly  active  in 
supporting  all  measures  for  the  advancement  of  the  agricultural  interests  of 
the  community  and  is  a  highly  respected  citizen. 

Henry  R.  Bates,  of  West  Shenango  township,  was  born  in  West  Shen- 
ango,  February  12.  1835.  His  great-grandfather,  Andrew  Bates,  came  from 
Westmoreland  in  1799,  and  located  on  the  farm  near  the  Ohio  line  now  occu- 
pied by  Henry  R.  Bates. 

Andrew  Bates'  son  Christian  took  up  land  in  ;Mercer  county,  and  his 
younger  brother,  Reason,  fell  heir  to  the  old  estate,  upon  which  he  lived  and 
died  at  an  advanced  age.  Before  his  death,  however,  he  had  sold  the  property 
to  his  nephew  Andrew  Bates,  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  in 
turn  gave  his  uncle  Reason  a  small  site  for  his  own  use. 

A  clear,  rushing  brook  ran  through  the  old  farm,  and  the  first  Andrew, 
in  the  dawn  of  the  century,  made  a  dam,  and  erected  a  "noisy"  mill  and  a  "still" 
house,  and  kept  a  tavern,  in  which  he  was  married  to  a  Miss  Shibondi.  The 
second  Andrew  after  his  marriage  had  scarcely  a  dollar  to  his  name.  He  lived 
in  Crawford  county,  and  after  a  severe  struggle  bought  a  tract  of  land  which 
he  cleared  of  brush  and  stumps  and  which  is  now  worked  by  his  son  Reason. 
He  bought  the  old  place  in  1855  and  lived  on  it  until  his  death.  May  3,  1862, 
aged  sixty-eight  years.  Andrew  Bates  was  a  prominent  stockman  and  did 
an  extensive  business  in  breeding,  driving,  feeding  and  selling  cattle.  He 
owned  four  hundred  and  ninety-five  acres  of  land  and  was  a  man  of  vast  en- 
terprise and  financial  ability.  He  married  Miss  Jane  Sisley,  and  their  family 
consisted  of  Xancy  Ann,  the  wife  of  John  Probst,  who  died  in  middle  life; 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  961 

Reason,  who  died  on  his  father's  original  farm;  Hannah,  who  married  Will- 
iam W.  Jackson,  of  Gehrton;  Lizzie,  who  married  Mr.  Sharp  and  lives  at 
Linesville. 

Henry  R.  Bates  when  a  young  man  built  on  his  father's  farm  and  entered 
into  partnership  with  him,  later  taking  charge  of  the  whole  property,  and  for 
forty  years  he  has  continued  in  the  vocation  of  farming.  Mr.  Bates  married 
during  October,  1854,  Miss  Charlotte  Royal,  of  West  Shenango,  and  after  her 
death,  nine  years  later,  married  Miss  Nancy  Fitch,  of  Kinsman,  Ohio.  The 
cliiJdren  of  the  first  marriage  were  Charles  A.,  who  owns  the  old  home ;  Almon 
Herbert,  a  farmer  in  Mercer  county,  and  Sadie,  the  wife  of  Jesse  Edwards, 
of  Espyville.  The  only  child  of  the  second  marriage  was  Frank  N.,  who  lives 
in  Carnegie,  Pennsylvania,  and  is  a  railroad  detective. 

With  the  exception  of  eleven  years,  the  old  Bates  farm  has  been  in  the 
possession  of  the  family  for  a  century.  Henry  R.  Bates,  the  present  owner,  is, 
like  his  father,  a  prominent  stockman,  and  has  fed  as  many  as  eleven  hundred 
sheep  in  a  single  winter.  He  has  shipped  and  handled  hundreds  of  head  of 
stock,  and  has  a  fine  dairy  of  eighteen  cows.  His  barns  and  house  are  con- 
venient and  modern,  and  four  years  ago  he  moved  to  another  farm  in  Mercer 
county,  upon  which  he  made  the  most  advanced  improvements.  He  had  one 
hundred  and  sixty-nine  acres  here,  to  which  he  has  added  thirty  acres.  Six 
years  ago  he  removed  to  another  farm  he  had  bought  in  Mercer  county  one 
mile  southeast  of  Jamestown,  where  he  also  has  made  extensive  improvements. 
He  also  bought  another  farm  near  by,  making  a  total  of  over  two  hundred  acres 
there.  He  recently  purchased  another  farm  of  one  hundred  and  ten  acres,  also 
in  that  county. 

Mr.  Bates  has  no  political  aspirations  and  does  not  belong  to  either  party. 
He  invariably  votes  for  the  best  man.  Himself  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  church  at  State  Line. 


Samuel  Burgeson. — When  a  young  man  leaves  his  native  land  to  begin 
life  anew  in  a  foreign  country,  where  the  language  and  customs  are  totally 
different,  he  recjuires  considerable  pluck  and  perseverance,  and  in  many  cases 
he  becomes  discouraged  with  the  almost  insurmountable  obstacles  in  his  path- 
way, and  returns  to  his  mother  country.  Such  was  not  the  spirit  of  Samuel 
Burgeson  of  whom  this  article  is  penned — a  well  known  and  successful  busi- 
ness man  of  Titusville,  Pennsylvania.  He  persevered  in  his  undertakings, 
would  not  allow  himself  to  become  disheartened  by  difficulties,  and  only 
worked  the  harder  to  obtain  the  mastery  of  the  situation.  To  sucli  men  suc- 
cess surely  comes,  sooner  or  later,  and  no  one  begrudges  fair  fortune  to  them, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  admiration  and  commendation  are  accorded  the  victor  by 
the  public. 

The  birth  of   Samuel  Burgeson  took  place  in  the  town  of  Warburg, 

61 


962  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Sweden,  May  25,  1864,  he  being  a  son  of  Burge  Anderson,  and,  in  accord-* 
ance  with  the  custom  of  tliat  land,  he  received  for  his  surname  the  father's 
first  name.  The  mother  of  our  subject  was  a  Miss  Anna  Pierceson  before  her 
marriage.  Samuel  Burgeson  received  a  good  general  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  land,  and  when  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age  he  deter- 
mined to  seek  a  new  home  and  field  of  enterprise.  Landing  on  the  shores  of 
this  hospitable  country  he  v.ent  to  DuBois,  Clearfield  county,  Pennsylvania, 
and  soon  found  employment  as  a  machinist.  For  seven  years  he  worked  indus- 
triously in  that  line,  winning  the  approval  of  his  superiors,  and,  in  the  mean- 
time, gaining  knowledge  of  the  English  language.  In  1888  he  went  to  Wash- 
ington territory  and  secured  a  position  as  a  mechanical  engineer  on  a  tug-boat, 
which  towed  steamers  from  the  Pacific  ocean  into  Puget  Sound.  In  the  west 
he  continued  to  live  but  one  year,  and,  returning  to  this  state,  resumed  his 
residence  in  DuBois.  September  25,  1892,  he  came  to  Titusville,  and  for 
four  years  worked  in  A.  G.  Maxwell's  tannery.  He  purchased  the  property 
at  the  corner  of  Spruce  and  First  streets  in  September,  1895,  and  at  once 
opened  a  meat  market,  which  has  proved  a  very  profitable  undertaking.  The 
business  has  steadily  grown  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Burgeson  and  his 
customers  cannot  fail  to  be  pleased  with  the  fine  and  well  selected  stock  which 
he  always  keeps  on  hand,  and  with  his  uniform  courtesy  and  evident  desire 
to  meet  their  wishes  in  every  particular. 

December  28,  1886,  Samuel  Burgeson  and  Matilda  Caulburn  were  united 
in  marriage.  Mrs.  Burgeson  is  a  daughter  of  C.  R.  and  Mary  (Anderson) 
Caulburn,  and  by  her  marriage  has  become  the  mother  of  four  children, 
namely:  Nels  Bennett,  Alice  Matilda,  Harry  William  and  Esther  Victoria. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burgeson  are  members  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church,  and 
the  former  is  connected  with  the  A.  B.  of  A.  of  Titusville. 


Thomas  J.  Patten,  Jr. — In  the  days  when  Crawford  county  was  naught 
but  a  dense  wilderness,  its  only  inhabitants  the  Indians  and  an  occasional 
trader  or  trapper  of  the  white  race,  when  wild  animals  abounded  in  the  forests, 
there  came,  in  the  first  wave  of  immigration  and  civilization,  a  family  by  the 
name  of  Patten.  Brave  and  hardy  were  they,  indeed,  to  try  these  unaccus- 
tomed dangers,  to  enter  upon  a  life  which  they  knew  must  be  filled  with  priva- 
tions, the  hardest  kind  of  manual  labor,  loneliness  and  inconvenience  of  every 
sort.  The  head  of  the  family  was  the  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view. He  was  a  native  of  England,  and  in  his  own  country  had  been  very 
rich  and  influential.  Interested  extensively  in  the  merchant  marine  service,  he 
had  lost  the  bulk  of  his  property  by  the  depredations  of  privateers,  and  he  ul- 
timately concluded  to  strike  out  into  an  untried  field  of  endeavor,  and  seek,  in 
the  New  World,  a  home  and  repaired  fortune.  Upon  his  arrival  here  he  set- 
tled at  first  in  the  bleak  state  of  Maine,  but  finally,  as  related  above,  he  de- 
cided to   join  the  ranks  of  the  brave-hearted  frontiersmen  and  push  on  to 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  963 

what  was  then  the  great  and  untried  west.  The  journey  hither  was  made  in 
the  winter,  in  sleighs,  and  this  long  tedious  trip  across  the  ice  and  snow  of 
the  several  intervening  states,  between  Maine  and  Pennsylvania,  left  an  in- 
delible impression  upon  the  minds  of  the  younger  members  of  the  family,  and 
in  later  years  they  delighted  to  relate  their  experiences  to  their  children  and 
grandchildren.  The  story  of  the  years  that  followed  is  an  oft-told  one,— no 
schools  or  churches  for  many  years,  few  neighbors,  and  those  miles  distant ; 
hard  work  at  clearing  away  the  forest,  but  at  last  some  reward  in  the  ripened 
harvest  of  golden  grain,  which  grain  had  to  be  transported  on  horseback,  along 
trails  and  bridle-paths  (for  roads  had  not  yet  been  laid  out)  to  the  nearest  mill 
and  trading-post,  thirty  miles  away, — now  the  city  of  Erie.  Grandfather 
Patten  selected  for  a  home  a  tract  of  land  on  which  now  stands  the  borough 
of  Centerville.  He  became  well-to-do  and  influential,  was  the  first  justice  of 
the  peace  in  Rome  township,  serving  in  that  office  for  over  a  score  of  years ;  in 
1829  was  elected  commissioner  of  Crawford  county,  and  acted  as  such  for  a 
number  of  years,  besides  holding  other  local  offices.  His  death  took  place  in 
Centerville,  March  26,  1843,  when  he  was  seventy-three  years  old. 

Thomas  J.  Patten,  Sr.,  father  of  the  subject  of  this  article,  was  born 
in  this  county,  and  here  grew  to  manhood.  In  early  life  he  learned  the  car- 
penter's trade,  which  he  followed,  in  connection  with  farming,  until  1853, 
when  he  went  to  California,  and  became  interested  in  mining  operations.  Dur- 
ing the  forty-five  years  that  have  intervened  he  has  resided  chiefly  in  that 
far-away  western  state,  contracting  for  the  construction  of  quartz  mills  and 
variously  connected  with  mines  and  mining  affairs.  The  care  of  his  five  chil- 
dren thus  devolved  upon  tlie  wife  and  mother,  whose  maiden  name  had  been 
Lucinda  Warner  Phillips,  and  faithfully  and  conscientiously  did  she  perform 
her  task,  under  many  adverse  circumstances.  She  was  a  native  of  Northamp- 
ton, Massachusetts,  born  in  181 7,  and  her  death  occurred  at  the  home  of  her 
son,  Thomas  J.,  Jr.,  September  27,  1887.  Two  of  her  sons  were  heroes  of 
the  Civil  war,  and  the  elder  one  was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Atlanta,  Georgia, 
in  1864. 

Thomas  J.  Patten,  Jr.,  was  born  in  Sparta  township,  Crawford  county, 
July  21,  1850.  From  his  boyhood  he  appeared  to  be  of  an  unusually  studious 
disposition  and  made  rapid  progress  in  his  school  work.  In  1868  he  com- 
menced his  career  as  a  teacher,  and  for  a  number  of  years  he  was  in  charge 
of  schools  in  his  own  county,  meeting  with  flattering  success.  Having  thor- 
oughly mastered  photography,  he  now  gave  his  entire  attention  to  this  busi- 
ness, being  located  in  Titusville,  Corry  and  other  towns  for  several  years. 
From  1872  to  1875  he  was  employed  in  the  Downer  Oil  Works  in  Corry, 
and  since  that  time  he  has  made  his  home  in  Centerville.  For  the  past  twenty 
years  he  has  been  almost  continuously  engaged  in  journalistic  work,  acting  in 
the  capacity  of  editor  of  the  Centerville  News,  the  Spartansburg  Sentinel  and 


964  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

other  local  papers.  Nearly  every  local  office  has  been  occupied  by  him,  to 
the  satisfaction  of  all  concerned,  and  as  school  director,  constable,  councilman, 
assessor,  collector,  burgess  and  justice  of  the  peace  he  has  honorably  striven 
to  advance  the  welfare  of  the  public.  Should  he  fill  out  his  present  term  as  a 
justice  of  the  peace  he  will  have  occupied  the  office  for  sixteen  successive  years. 
In  politics  he  is  a  "true-blue"  Republican,  and  uses  his  influence,  which  is  not 
slight,  on  behalf  of  the  principles  of  his  party.  In  1889  he  identified  himself 
with  the  Odd  Fellows,  and  is  a  charter  member  and  past  grand  of  Centerville 
Lodge,  No.  889,  and  was  first  representative  to  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state 
in  the  annual  convocation  at  Lancaster,  in  1891.  Besides,  he  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grange,  the  Junior  Order  of  L^nited  American  Mechanics,  the  Sons 
of  Temperance  and  the  Good  Templars.  For  twenty-two  years  he  has  been 
superintendent  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school,  and  for  a  score 
of  years  has  been  a  n'tember  of  the  church.  At  present  he  is  also  recording 
steward  and  secretary  of  the  board  of  trustees. 

In  April,  1872,  Mr.  Patten  married  Miss  Kate  Gilborn,  who  died  at 
Centerville  in  October,  1875, leaving  an  infant  daughter,  Carrie,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred in  October,  1875.  and  death  in  December.  1878.  November  11,  1877, 
Mr.  Patten  married  Miss  Ella  M.  Saunders,  of  this  place,  and  four  children 
have  blessed  their  marriage,  namely :  Blanche  Gertrude,  born  September  29, 
1878;  Clara  De  Ette,  born  August  25,  1882;  Paul  Waldo,  born  November  11, 
1884,  and  died  No\'ember  22,  1891 ;  and  Abbie  Ruth,  born  September  12,  1892. 


Zadock  Martin.- — On  account  of  liis  extensive  operations  in  the  oil  regions 
during  the  pioneer  days  of  this  wonderful  article  of  commerce,  and  owing  to 
the  many  years  which  he  devoted  to  the  hotel  business,  few  men  of  Crawford 
county  are  more  widely  known  than  Zadock  Martin,  who,  since  1890,  has 
made  his  home  at  the  Commercial  House,  in  ?ileadville,  with  his  son,  L.  L. 
Martin. 

Our  subject  is  a  son  of  Leonard  and  Phoebe  (Cooley)  Martin,  and  was 
born  August  31,  1823,  in  the  town  of  Charlotte,  Vermont.  Six  years  later 
his  parents  removed  to  Portland,  New  York,  where  the  father  died  a  short 
time  afterward.  Thus  the  lad  was  early  forced  to  rely  upon  his  own  efforts 
in  the  matter  of  making  a  livelihood.  At  seventeen  he  was  apprenticed  to 
an  extensive  tanner  and  currier  in  Buffalo,  and  thoroughly  mastered  the  trade, 
which,  for  twenty-one  years  he  pursued  in  the  city  mentioned,  and  in  Detroit, 
Chicago  and  Warren,  Pennsylvania.  After  having  resided  in  Warren  for  some 
three  years  he  went  to  Titusville,  March  19,  i860,  and  assumed  the  superin- 
tendency  of  the  Barnsdall,  Mead  &  Rouse  well,  the  first  producing  well  in 
Crawford  county.  Within  one  year  he  put  down  three  wells  on  the  Parker 
Flats,  each  proving  a  profitable  investment.  Then  for  two  years  he  was  super- 
intendent and  shipper  for  large  oil  corporations,  one  of  which,  the  Boston  Rock 


OUR   COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  965 

Oil  Company,  employed  many  men  who  worked  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Martin.  One  of  the  few  surviving  pioneers  of  the  oil  fields,  of  a  period  of 
marvelous  enterprise  and  activity,  his  vivid  recollections  of  those  exciting  days 
are  full  of  interest  and  are  wonderfully  accurate.  Through  his  exertions  a 
fund  of  four  thousand  dollars  was  raised  for  Drake,  who  drilled  the  first  oil 
well  in  America,  and  who,  otherwise,  would  have  suffered  extreme  poverty. 

In  1863  Mr.  Martin  purchased  the  Eagle  Hotel  property  at  the  corner 
of  Spring  and  Franklin  streets,  Titusville,  where  the  office  of  Mr.  Emerson  is 
now  located.  At  the  end  of  two  years,  during  which  time  he  carried  on  the 
hotel,  he  sold  out  to  C.  V.  Culver,  who  erected  the  Petroleum  Bank  building 
on  the  site.  Later  Mr.  Martin  engaged  in  wholesale  merchandising  with 
James  Bliss,  under  the  firm  name  of  Bliss  &  Martin,  and  they  erected  the  build- 
ing now  occupied  by  the  furniture  store  of  A.  T.  Hall.  Within  a  year  the  new 
firm  had  invested  forty  thousand  dollars,  and  had  lost  the  whole  amount.  On 
the  1st  of  April,  1S68,  Mr.  Martin  Iwught  the  Mansion  Hpuse,  which,  during 
the  fourteen  years  of  his  management  and  occupancy,  he  greatly  enlarged  and 
remodeled.  Selling  the  hotel  in  1882,  to  W.  P.  Love,  he  took  charge  of  the 
Brunswick,  but  had  scarcely  opened  it  to  the  public  ere  it  was  burned,  in 
April,  same  year.  Nothing  daunted,  the  proprietor  rebuilt  the  hotel,  and  had 
it  ready  for  business  in  the  following  October.  He  continued  to  manage  this 
enterprise  until  1890,  in  addition  to  which  he  conducted  several  of  the  princi- 
pal hotels  of  Chautauqua  Lake  during  the  summer  season.  After  1890  he 
made  his  home  with  his  son,  L.  L.  .Martin,  at  the  Commercial  in  ]\Ieadville. 
A  Democrat  in  politics,  he  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  select  council  of 
Titusville,  and  otherwise  active  in'  local  affairs. 

In  September,  1850,  Mr.  Martin  married  Ellen  A.  Hazzard.  of  James- 
town, New  York.  She  died  August  17,  1886,  and  of  their  three  children,  Anna 
Belle,  Mrs.  William  Jackson,  is  deceased.  A  son  and  daughter  survive,  namely : 
Louis  L.,  and  Lena  M.,  wife  of  S.  D.  Robison,  of  Allegheny  City. 

L.  L.  Martin,  the  proprietor  of  the  Commercial  House  at  Meadville,  was 
brought  up  from  childhood  under  hotel  management  and  is  thoroughly  con- 
versant with  everything  a  hotel  manager  should  understand.  He  was  born 
in  Jamestown,  New  York,  January  17,  1855.  His  education  was  acquired  in 
the  schools  of  Titusville  and  three  years'  attendance  at  Mount  Pleasant  Acad- 
emy at  Sing  Sing,  New  York.  From  his  graduation  there  he  was  with  his 
father  in  the  hotels  of  Titusville  and  at  Chautauqua  Lake  until  October,  1886, 
when  he  became  proprietor  of  the  Commercial,  as  above  stated.  Mr.  Martin 
is  a  Republican  in  politics.  In  1886  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Cath- 
arine Cunningham,  of  Pittsburg,  and  they  have  two  children,— Virginia  E. 
and  Marie  Louise. 


966  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

Albanas  Rossitcr,  retired,  was  born  September  4,  1818,  in  Chester  county, 
Pennsylvania,  a  son  of  Lindley  and  Catharine  (Vandeshire)  Rossiter,  life- 
long residents  of  Chester  and  Montgomery  counties.  Mr.  Rossiter,  imbued 
with  the  courage  of  an  ambitious  youth,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  vears  left  his 
native  heath  and  came  to  what  was  then  the  undeveloped  portion  of  north 
Pennsylvania. 

He  first  began  life  by  learning  a  trade,  that  of  coach  building,  which  he 
followed  as  a  vocation  for  several  years ;  later  he  became  a  pattern  maker.  This 
trade  he  learned  in  Phoenixville,  Chester  county.  About  the  year  1845 
he  removed  to  South  Shenango,  where  he  ran  a  farm  until  about  1850.  It  was 
about  this  time  that  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  road  was  opened  and  he  wa's 
employed  in  the  pattern  shop  until  about  1854,  when  he  removed  to  Ohio, 
where  he  purchased  a  farm  on  which  he  remained  until  1870,  when  he  returned 
to  Meadville  and  entered  the  employ  of  Church,  Dick  &  Company,  at  his 
former  trade.  He  was  in  the  employ  of  this  company  until  1878,  when  he 
continued  at  his  trade  in  the  employ  of  George  B.  Sennett  until  1895,  when 
he  retired.  March  12.  1840,  he  married  Harriet,  daughter  of  Thomas  and 
Ann  (Griffith)  Lewelh'n,  natives  of  Chester  county.  Their  children  are  Ed- 
ward, Thomas,  William,  Albanas,  Jr.,  Stephen,  deceased;  Susan,  wife  of 
Robert  Cook,  and  Richard.  Mr.  Rossiter  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  Meadville  and  of  the  Masonic  order. 


Ira  Fcttcruian  was  born  in  the  township  of  Summerhill,  this  county,  on 
October  7,  1844,  attended  the  district  schools  and  in  early  life  was  a  farmer. 
He  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  to  suppress  the  rebellion,  in  Company  I,  Sec- 
ond Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  on  February  18,  1864.  In  July,  1864,  he  received  a 
wound  in  his  left  leg  in  an  engagement  before  Petersburg,  Virginia,  but  con- 
tinued in  service  until  July  27,  1865,  when  he  was  honorably  discharged.  He 
was  married  to  Mary  E.  Burns,  of  Clarksville,  Pennsylvania,  on  April  25,  1867. 
Their  children  were  James  C,  Perry  L.  (who  died  in  his  third  year),  Ralph 
K.  and  R.  Lyle. 

Mr.  Fetterman's  fatlier,  John  Fetterman,  born  in  this  state,  was  reared  a 
farmer,  and  settled  on  and  owned  a  farm  in  Summerhill  township,  one  mile 
south  of  Conneautville.  By  his  wife,  Sally  Crozier,  he  had  six  children,— 
Caroline.  William  (died  young),  Tinney,  Mary,  John  and  Ira.  John  Fetter- 
man  died  when  Ira  was  not  three  years  old,  and  his  wife  but  two  years  later. 
Ira  Fetterman  is  a  thorough  Republican  and  was  appointed  justice  of  the 
peace  on  December  i,  1887,  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and  was  elected  to  the  same 
office  in  February,  1888,  which  he  has  held  continuously  since.  He  is  a  Royal 
Templar  and  a  Grand  Army  man  and  has  held  the  offices  of  quartermaster  and 
commander  of  the  local  post.    Ancestry  of  family,  German  and  Scotch. 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  967 

Guy  C.  Schoficld  was  born  in  Toronto,  Canada,  on  April  22,  1825,  edu- 
cated tliere,  and  after  engaging  in  various  occupations  in  different  locations  in 
1849  li^  started  for  California,  stopping  at  Conneautville  to  visit  a  sister. 
Through  her  persuasions  and  the  existence  of  a  good  opening  for  business 
he  was  induced  to  relinquish  his  long  journey  and  locate  in  that  village.  He 
established  a  dry-goods  business  and  a  lumber  trade,  both  of  which  he  con- 
ducted for  years.  He  is  now  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Schofield  & 
Slayton,  engaged  in  manufacturing  hammer  handles  for  the  use  of  railways. 
They  have  an  extensive  sale  on  numerous  lines  of  railroads  throughout  the 
country.  In  November,  i860,  Mr.  Schofield  married  Helen  E.  Dewey,  of  Con- 
neaut  township.  His  political  creed  is  bimetallism.  Mr.  Schofield's  father, 
James  Schofield,  was  born  in  Connecticut  in  1781.  He  became  a  surveyor 
and  when  a  young  man  removed  to  Canada.  Here  he  married  Anna  Cornwall, 
of  St.  Lawrence,  Canada.  Their  children  were  Eliza,  Adeline,  Maria,  Sophia, 
Guy  C,  Leonora,  Julia  and  James.  James  Schofield  died  in  1862,  his 
wife  in  1859.  Dr.  James  Schofield,  grandfather  of  Guy  C,  was  a  native 
of  London,  England.  Mrs.  Schofield's  father,  Rodolphus  Dewey,  was  born 
about  1 781  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  marrying  Sally  Piatt,  of  New  Hamp- 
shire; he  had  twelve  children, — Lydia,  George,  Caroline,  Edwin,  Charles, 
Maria,  Giles,  Louisa,  Helen  E.,  Sarah,  Adolphus  and  Delia.  Mr.  Dewey  died 
in  1858,  his  widow  on  February  20,  1872.  Ancestry  of  family,  New  England, 
of  English,  French,  Scotch  and  Irish  origin. 


D.  S.  Richmond  is  the  second  son  of  Hon.  H.  L.  Richmond,  who  was  for 
many  years  one  of  Meadville's  most  prominent  citizens.  He  received  his  edu- 
cation at  Allegheny  College,  and  in  1874  embarked  in  the  lumber  business  with 
T.  A.  Delamater,  under  the  firm  name  of  Richmond  &  Delamater.  Later  he 
became  interested  in  the  business  of  the  Conneaut  Lake  Ice  Company,  and  was 
in  1879  elected  manager,  which  position  he  has  held  ever  since  and  has  ad- 
ministered the  afYairs  of  the  company  successfully  and  satisfactorily. 

He  is  one  of  Meadville's  most  enterprising  business  men,  has  filled  the 
positions  of  city  auditor  and  member  of  the  city  council.  In  1880  he  was 
appointed  supervisor  of  the  United  States  census  of  the  tenth  district  of  Penn- 
sylvania. Mr.  Richmond  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  is  an  active  party  worker, 
and  has  for  several  years  filled  the  position  of  chairman  of  the  Republican 
county  committee.  He  is  a  devoted  fisherman,  and  has  landed  some  of  the 
finest  fish  ever  caught  in  Conneaut  Lake. 


Charles  H.  S-wcctiiian. — In  the  railroad  circles  of  Meadville  no  one  stands 
better  or  has  a  longer  and  more  creditable  record  as  a  faithful  and  efficient 
employee  of  the  local  railway  corporation  than  Charles  H.  Sweetman.  He 
was  born  April  18,  1837,  at  Oneida,  New  York,  and  is  a  son  of  John  and  Mat- 


968  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

tie  (Davis)  Sweetman.  The  father  was  one  of  two  children,  and  his  sister, 
Juha,  widow  of  WilHam  Tuttle,  is  now  a  resident  of  Buffalo,  New  York.  The 
brothers  and  sisters  of  Mrs.  Sweetman  were  James,  Abram,  Alonzo,  Chauncey, 
Caroline,  Malinda  (Mrs.  Ira  Cowden,  of  Versailles,  New  York),  Mrs.  Pheba 
Plough,  of  Smith  Mills,  same  state,  and  Mrs.  Maria  Richmond,  of  Delhi  Mills, 
Michigan;  the  three  latter  are  deceased.  Prior  to  1840  John  Sweetman  and 
wife  removed  from  Oneida  to  Cattaraugus  county,  New  York,  and  subse- 
quently they  were  residents  of  Sheridan,  Chautauqua  county  until  the  death  of 
Mrs.  Sweetman,  January  3,  1890.  The  father  did  not  long  survive  her,  as  he 
died  in  Meadville  on  the  3d  of  the  ensuing  September.  They  were  the  parents 
of  three  children,  namely :  C.  H.,  William  B.  and  Helen,  who  is  now  in  San 
Francisco,  California. 

In  his  boyhood  Charles  H.  Sweetman  attended  school  in  Chautauqua 
count}-,  New  York.  When  fifteen  years  of  age  he  commenced  learning  the 
machinist's  trade  at  Dunkirk,  and  three  years  later  he  went  to  Wisconsin 
and  was  given  a  position  as  engineer  on  a  locomotive  with  the  Milwaukee  & 
Mississippi  Railroad,  his  headquarters  being  in  Prairie  du  Chien.  At  the  end 
of  a  year  and  a  half  of  service  in  that  place  he  went  south  and  for  eighteen 
months  held  a  similar  position  on  the  Galveston,  Houston  &  Henderson  Rail- 
road, his  run  being  from  Galveston.  The  unsettled  conditions  prevalent  in 
that  part  of  the  country  just  prior  to  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  caused 
Mr.  Sweetman's  return  to  his  native  state,  where  for  about  a  year  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  drilling  of  oil-wells  in  the  vicinity  of  Titusville.  On  the  19th  of 
August,  1862,  he  became  connected  wnth  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western  Rail- 
road, and  has  continued  with  that  corporation  and  its  successors  until  the 
present  time,  now  being  the  oldest  engineer  in  active  service  on  this  division, 
in  years  of  actual  work.  A  charter  member  of  the  local  lodge  of  the  Brother- 
hood of  Locomotive  Engineers,  he  still  retains  his  connection  with  it,  and  has 
held  the  highest  offices  in  the  same. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Sweetman  and  Miss  Mary  Mackey  was  solemnized 
September  3,  1863,  in  Waterford,  Erie  county,  Pennsylvania.  Two  children, 
Jessie  D.,  and  Idalene  May,  blessed  their  union.  Mrs.  Sweetman  is  a  daughter 
of  Ebenezer  and  Rachel  (Barrachman)  Mackey,  who  were  of  the  old  Mohawk 
Valley  Pennsylvania  Dutch  stock. 


William  B.  Szveetnian,  who  is  well  known  and  popular  in  railroad  circles 
in  Meadville,  was  bom  in  Versailles,  Cattaraugus  county,  New  York,  December 
6,  1844,  a  son  of  John  and  Mattie  (Davis)  Sweetman,  a  sketch  of  whom  is 
given  in  the  biography  of  Charles  H.,  a  brother  of  our  subject. 

When  a  child  of  but  four  years  of  age  W.  B.  Sweetman  commenced  at- 
tending school  and  continued  his  studies  until  1859.  On  the  ist  of  February, 
1 86 1,  he  went  to  Titusville,  and  for  the  following  year  operated  a  stationary 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  969 

engine  for  drilling  oil.  He  began  his  career  as  a  railroad  man  in  the  spring 
of  1863,  when  he  took  a  position  as  a  brakeman  on  the  western  division  of  the 
(then)  New  York  8c  Lake  Erie  Railroad.  Later  he  served  as  a  fireman  on 
the  Oil  Creek  line,  and  still  later  acted  in  the  same  capacity  under  the  veteran 
Joseph  York  on  the  Atlantic  &  Great  Western.  Promoted  to  be  engineer  of  a 
freight  train,  August  20,  1864,  he  faithfully  discharged  his  duties  for  ten  years, 
when  he  was  again  promoted  an  engineer  on  a  passenger  train.  Since  that 
time.  May  2,  1874,  he  has  held  some  of  the  best  runs  on  the  division. 

In  1864  Mr.  Sweetman  joined  the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers, 
and  in  September,  1868,  he  became  a  member  of  the  insurance  branch  of  the 
order.  He  has  been  chief  of  the  local  department  for  two  years,  and  was  a 
delegate  to  the  Grand  Liternational  Division  of  the  Brotherhood,  which  con- 
vened in  San  Francisco  in  1884,  and  in  New  Orleans  in  1885.  In  politics,  Mr. 
Sweetman  is  a  "free-silver"  Democrat. 

In  Sheridan,  New  York,  on  the  7th  of  February,  1867,  a  marriage  cere- 
mony was  performed  by  which  Hannah,  a  daughter  of  John  and  Sarah 
(Thomas)  Horner,  became  the  wife  of  W.  B.  Sweetman.  This  worthy  couple 
have  two  children,  namel}' :  Sarah  M.  and  Cora  May. 


James  G.  LefUngivell,  M.  D.,  Conneautville,  was  born  eight  miles  north 
of  Meadville,  at  Woodcockboro,  on  January  21,  1846.  He  was  educated  in 
the  common  schools  and  at  the  University  of  the  State  of  Michigan  at  Ann 
Arbor,  in  the  medical  department  of  which  he  was  graduated  in  1873.  Pre- 
vious to  this,  on  August  8,  1862,  he  enlisted  as  a  soldier  of  the  Union  in  Com- 
pany B,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-seventh  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and 
served  until  honorably  discharged,  in  June,  1863.  Dr.  Leffingwell  was  in 
the  active  practice  of  medicine  for  thirteen  years,  coming  to  Conneautville  in 
1868  and  locating  as  a  physician.  For  the  past  seven  years,  however,  he  has 
been  the  proprietor  of  a  well  appointed  drug  store. 

On  October  17,  1874,  he  married  Mary  I.  Meyler,  and  they  have  two  sons : 
L.  George,  a  graduate  of  the  commercial  college  at  Erie,  and  now  a  druggist 
with  his  father ;  and  Harry  A.,  now  attending  the  same  commercial  college. 
Andrew  B.  Leffingwell,  the  Doctor's  father,  was  born  in  Norwich,  Massachu- 
setts, on  February  28,  1814,  and  came  to  this  state  with  his  parents  when  a 
boy.  He  became  an  attomey-at-law  and  on  February'  14,  1839,  married  Par- 
nell  Gibbs,  of  Jamestown,  Pennsylvania.  Their  children  were  Adelaide  P., 
Charles  A.,  Andrew  K,  James  G.,  Eva  V.,  Orsamus  A.  and  Missouri  R.  Mrs. 
Parnell  Leffingwell  was  born  in  Clay,  Onondaga  county.  New  York,  on 
December  25,  1822.     She  survives  her  husband,  who  died  on  March  27,  1853. 

Dr.  Leffingwell  belongs  to  the  local  Grand  Army  post,  is  a  member  and  a 
past  master  of  Western  Crawford  Lodge  of  Freemasons,  also  a  member  and 
a  past  high  priest  of  Oriental  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  and  belongs  to  Mount  Olivet 


970  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

commandery  K.  T.,  of  F.ric,  and  to  Zcm  Zcm  temple,  A.  A.  O.  N.  M.  S.  Tlie 
Doctor  is  an  .-irdcnt  free-silver  Democrat  in  pDlilical  belief.  Ancestry  of 
family,  Welsh  in  holli  lines. 


Abraiii  P.  Townsend  was  born  in  Pntnani  county,  New  York,  Novem- 
ber 15,  1837,  and  came  to  Crawford  county  with  liis  parents  in  j(S4o.  liis 
education  was  obtained  in  the  common  schools,  and  by  occupation  he  has  been 
a  blacksmith.  lie  has  been  twice  married:  first,  on  May  4,  1862,  to  I^oretta 
Carr,  of  this  locality.  She  died  on  Jruniary  16,  1865,  and  on  June  il,  1868, 
he  married  Louisa  Lord,  of  Linesville.  They  have  two  children,  Elton  C. 
and  I'earl ;  the  latter  is  a  student  in  the  high  school,  and  Elton  C.  is  a  clerk- 
in  the  employ  of  H.  R.  Hatch,  a  dry-goods  merchant  of  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Mr.  Townsend's  father,  Isaac,  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York  in  t8i  i. 
lie  was  well  educated  for  his  day,  and  was  a  farmer.  He  married  Charlotte 
Barnes,  and  of  their  ten  children  nine  attained  maturity, — Joseph,  Charles, 
Margaret  A.,  Abram  P.,  I'eter,  I'hebe  J.,  Isaac,  Samuel  and  William  P.  Mr. 
Townsend  died  in  1895,  and  his  widow  one  month  later  in  the  same  year. 
Mrs.  Town.send's  father,  Willard  Lord,  was  a  resident  of  Linesvillc  in  this 
county.  He  was  educated  in  the  district  schools,  and  by  occuj^ation  was  a 
shingk'-niaker.  lie  married  .\nna  Madison,  by  whom  lii'  had  five  children, — 
Louisa,  James,  ilatlie,  Alfred  and  a  son  who  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  ]>ord 
died  about  1846.  Mr.  Lord  married  a  second  time,  and  died  about  1883.  Mr. 
Townsend  in  his  political  choice  is  a  free-silver  Democrat.  Ancestry  of  family, 
English,  Dutch,  I'^rench  and  Scotch. 


Jolin  ]V.  \Vn;^ht,  of  Spring  township,  was  born  in  Shoreham,  Madison 
county,  Vermont,  on  June  20,  183 1.  His  parents  moved  to  this  county  when 
he  was  a  mere  lad,  and  here  he  was  educated  at  the  common  schools  and  at 
Wilson's  academy.  Learning  the  shoemaker's  trade,  he  wrought  at  it  for 
years  and  finally  l)ecame  a  farmer.  Pie  is  a  deacon  of  the  Baptist  church  and 
in  ])olitical  belief  a  stalwart  Republican.  By  his  first  marriage,  to  Maria 
Dauchy,  he  had  one  ?<mi,  Cary  W.,  now  a  resident  of  Kansas,  who  married 
Addie  Sheldon,  and  has  children,  Harry,  John,  Bessie  and  an  infant.  Mrs. 
Maria  D.  Wright  died  in  i860,  and  Mr.  Wright  married,  secondly,  Arminda 
Bowman.  Of  their  four  children  only  one  survives,  Andrew  P.  Wright,  of 
Galesburg,  Illinois.  Mrs.  Arminda  Wright  died  in  1878,  and  on  May  21, 
1882,  Mr.  Wright  was  married  to  his  present  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Jane  Sloan.  She  was  of  Collins,  Erie  county.  New  York.  Mr.  Wright's 
father,  Andrew  Wright,  was  born  at  the  old  family  homestead  in  Vermont,  in 
1775.  He  married  Almira  Pond,  of  his  native  place,  and  they  had  eleven  chil- 
dren. ']"he  family  came  to  Niagara  county,  New  York,  when  Mr.  Wright  was 
a  lad,  an<l  here  the  father  died  in   1838  and  the  mother  in   1842.     Jonathan 


OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE.  cjyi 

Sloan,  father  of  the  present  Mrs.  Wright,  was  born  in  Washington  county, 
New  York,  in  1793.  He  was  educaterl  in  the  public  schools  and  married  Cyn- 
thia Goodcll.  They  made  their  home  for  a  time  in  Dansville,  Livingston 
county,  New  York,  and  llien  rc-moved  to  Collins,  Erie  county,  same  state.  Mr. 
Sloan  died  in  1859  ^"tI  Mrs.  Sloan  in  1877.  Their  children  were  Lydia  A., 
John,  Asel  V.,  Archibald,  J.  Jay,  Jane,  Hannah  Gary  and  Maria.  Remote 
ancestry  of  family,  English  and  Scotch,  criming  down  through  New  England 
residents.     The  J'onds  came  from  1  Jdrchcslcr,  I'.ngland,  about  1630. 

George  Henry  IVenhvorlh,  Randolph  township. — Mr.  Wentworth's 
g'-and father,  John  ii.,  wJien  a  boy,  was  in  the  service  of  Captain  Hart,  who 
was  with  General  Anthony  Wayne  in  his  campaign  against  the  Indians  of 
northwestern  I'ennsylvania,  and  was  the  first  white  man  to  settle  on  French 
creek,  locating  four  miles  below  Cochranton.  His  son  William  married  Mary, 
daiighlcr  of  George  Henry.  To  them  were  born  three  sons, — Andrev; 
Thomas,  Cieorge  Hcin-y  anfl  Leon  D. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  i<S40,  in  East  Fairfield.  He  mar- 
ried, July  22,  1862,  Susan  M.,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizaljeth  Carey,  of  Mer- 
cer c(xinty.  Hieir  children  are  Mary  E..  wife  of  John  Kirk,  William  L., 
John  C:.,  Fred  G.,  Lettic  P.,  wife  of  H.  A.  Rfoyer,  and  Rodney  D.  Mrs.  Kirk 
is  a  practicing  physician  of  Rome  township.  Mr.  Wentworth  has  a  farm  of 
-seventy  acres. 


Abncr  C.  Calvin  was  born  October  21,  1854,  at  Hartstown,  Crawford 
county,  Pennsylvania.  Flis  father,  Joseph  A.  Calvin,  and  his  grandfather,  John 
('.  C"alvin.  were  farmers,  and  natives  of  Jefferson  county,  Pennsylvania.  The 
latter  lived  the  allotted  three-score  and  ten  years. 

Joseijh  A.  Cah'in  remained  on  the  original  homestead  until  he  was  sixteen 
years  old,  at  whicli  linu'  lie  remo\'e(l  with  his  father  to  the  farm  near  Harts- 
town,  which  has  since  been  his  home,  and  where  at  the  advanced  age  of  sev- 
enty-five he  is  still  a  prominent  figure  in  the  community  and  a  progressive, 
successful  farmer.  Joseph  A.  Calvin  is  a  stanch  Democrat,  and  has  held  various 
townslii])  oflices,  his  term  of  service  as  justice  of  the  peace  extending  over 
many  _\'ears.  He  is  an  elder,  and  member  of  long  standing,  of  the  United  Pres- 
byterian church. 

The  \()uth  of  vMincr  C.  Calvin  was  of  the  quiet,  uneventful  sort,  peculiar 
lo  the  average  boy  who  lives  on  a  farm  and  acquires  solid  ideas  of  life  and  work 
from  the  habit  of  early  rising  and  through  the  medium  of  the  district  schools, 
llis  horizon  broadened  perceptibly  when,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  went  to 
the  Academy  of  Jamestown,  Pennsylvania,  at  which  he  graduated  after  a  three- 
years'  course.  He  also  attended  the  Allegheny  College  at  Meadville  for  two 
years. 


972  OUR  COUNTY  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

The  inspiration  of  Mr.  Calvin's  successful  life  work,  aside  from  his  own 
enterprise,  was  his  cousin.  Dr.  D.  M.  Calvin,  of  Meadville.  It  was  in  the  office 
of  this  eminent  practitioner  that  the  wonderful  scheme  of  medical  and  sur- 
gical science  began  its  slow  and  fascinating  unrolling  before  the  eager  student 
eyes,  to  be  later  more  fully  comprehended  and  intelligently  absorbed  at  that 
famous  seat  of  medical  lore,  the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  of  Philadelphia. 
Mr.  Calvin  graduated  at  this  institution  in  March  of  1878. 

A  pleasant  and  fitting  sequel  to  the  earlier  association  of  the  cousins  Cal- 
vin, was  the  partnership  entered  into,  and  sustained  by  them  for  ten  years, 
until,  owing  to  the  unsatisfactory  condition  of  his  wife's  health,  Dr.  Abner 
Calvin,  hoping  much  from  a  change  of  surroundings,  established  a  home  in  the 
country  about  four  miles  from  Meadville.  This  home  has  since  been  the 
Doctor's  permanent  residence. 

Dr.  Calvin  married  Miss  Priscilla  Price,  of  Meadville,  and  their  only  child, 
J.  Mac.  is  living  with  his  parents. 

Dr.  Calvin's  political  inclinations  are  toward  the  policies  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  He  has  never  sought  official  distinction,  but,  owing  to  his  own  ex- 
ceptional advantages  and  consequent  interest  in  matters  educational,  has  been 
induced  to  serve  several  terms  as  a  member  of  the  school  board.  He  has  been 
a  township  committeeman  for  ten  years,  and  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F., 
Crawford  Lodge,  No.  734.  of  Meadville. 

In  Dr.  Calvin's  genial,  magnetic  personality,  the  neurotic  pharmacopoeia 
has  an  added  potent  unrecorded  antidote  for  human  ills.  The  strength  and 
kindliness  of  his  nature  seem  to  satisfy  the  needs  and  find  an  echo  in  the  hearts 
of  friends  that  are  legion.  His  practice  is  far-reaching  and  remunerative,  his 
home  renowned  for  beauty  of  location  and  hospitable  intent,  and  he  is  known 
wherever  his  skill  is  appreciated  and  influence  felt,  as  an  all-around  "jolly 
good   fellow." 


Frank  Jl'.  Sniifli  is  the  grandson  of  Lemuel  Smith,  who  came  into  the 
county  at  an  early  date  from  Massachusetts.  The  children  of  Lemuel  are  Nel- 
son, the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  Lemuel,  Jr. ;  Sarah,  wife  of  Mer- 
ritt  Hall;  Mary  Estie,  wife  of  Leonard  Delamater;  and  Hannah,  wife  of  Dan- 
iel Bannister.  Frank  W.  has  five  brothers,  Herman,  William,  Beecher,  Ansel 
and  Millard.  Born  in  1863,  he  married  Jane,  daughter  of  John  and  Mary 
Murdoch,  in  1887.     They  have  three  daughters, — Patty,  Joye  and  Henrietta. 


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