A gazetteer of the state of Pennsylvania : a part first, contains a general description of the state, its situation and extent, general geological construction, canals, and rail-roads, bridges, revenue, expenditures, public debt, &c. &c. ; part second, embraces ample descriptions of its counties, towns, cities, villages, mountains, lakes, rivers, creeks, &c. alphabetically arranged, Part 21

Author: Gordon, Thomas Francis, 1787-1860. dn
Publication date: 1833
Publisher: Philadelphia : Published by T. Belknap
Number of Pages: 584


USA > Pennsylvania > A gazetteer of the state of Pennsylvania : a part first, contains a general description of the state, its situation and extent, general geological construction, canals, and rail-roads, bridges, revenue, expenditures, public debt, &c. &c. ; part second, embraces ample descriptions of its counties, towns, cities, villages, mountains, lakes, rivers, creeks, &c. alphabetically arranged > Part 21


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87


STATISTICAL TABLE OF BUCKS COUNTY.


Townships, &c.


Greatest Lgth. Bth.


Area in Face of acres.


Population in 1810.( 1820. |1830.


Taxa- bles.


Valuation in 1826


1829


Bristol bor.


336


Level.


628


908


1262


202


262,080


291,222


Bristol t-ship,


7


3


10,374


do.


1008


1667


1532


252


479,797


537,578


Bensalem,


8


3 1-2


11,502


do.


1434


1667


1811


345


523,341


561,592


Bedminster,


6


6


18,451 Rolling.


1199


1248


1594


338


553,530


583,438


Buckingham,


6 1-2


5


19,490


do.


1715


1862


2193


467


682,150


733,892


Durhanı,


3 1-2 3


6,337


Ililly.


404


485


750


127


253,480


275,559


Falls,


5 1-2 5 1-2


16,784


Level.


1649


1880


9266


397


889,552


969,604


Haycock,


6 3-4


4


12,139


Ililly.


836


926


1047


221


206,363


236,502


Hilltown,


6 1-4


4


17,187 Rolling.


1335


1501


1669


378


489,829


528,632


Lower Makefield,


5 1-2 5 1-4


11,452


do.


1089


1204


1340


264


498,162


538,339


Upper Makefield,


6 1-4 4 1-2


13,008


do.


1271


1367


1517


314


520,320


577,702


Middletown,


6 1-2 6


12,569


do.


1663


1891


2178


424


628,450


700,000


Milford,


5 3-4 5


15,953


do.


1334


1195


1970


402


413,998


436,474


Morrisville bor.


432


do.


266


391


53]


91


80,693


85,693


Newtown,


5


3 1-2


7,268


Level.


982


1060


1344


233


297,988


368,830


New Britain,


6 1-4 4 1-2


12,261 Rolling.


1474


1082


1201


270


367,845


395,752


Northampton,


7 1-2. 4 1-2


13,975


do.


1176


1411


1521


311


656,825


708,036


Nockamixon,


7 1-2 4 1-2.


16,848


Hilly.


1207


1650


2049


407


286,416


327,875


Plumstead,


6 1-9 4


16,738


do.


1407


1790


1849


402


418,450


463,332


Richland,


5 1-2


4


14,476|


Level.


1317


1385


1719


344


398,090


440,270


Rockhill,


7 1-2 5


19,618


Hilly.


1508


1567


2012


424


490,450


538,136


Solebnry,


7 3-4 4 1-4


17,312 Rolling.


1659


2092


2961


503


796,352


945,432


Southampton,


4 3-4 21-4


8,254


do.


739


907


1228


234


367,303


403,643


Springfield,


10 1-2


4


18,312|


do.


1987


1580


2078


429


531,048


635,716


Tinicum,


8 3-4 7


18,497


do.


1017


1249


1643


331


453,176


503,099


Warminster,


4 1-2 2 1-2


6,443


Hilly.


564


695


709


155


309,264


338,462


Warrington, Warwick,


5 1-4 31-4


10,678


do.


1987


1215


1132


216


333,687


372,829


Wrightstown,


31-2/ 3


5,082


Level.


562


618


660


148


188,034


229,292


366,746


32,371 37,842 46,059


9,104 12,941,919


14,492,564


Buffalo, t-ship, Butler co. bounded ( N. by Clearfield t-ship, E. by Arm- strong co. S. by Allegheny co. and W. by Middlesex t-ship. Centrally distant from the town of Butler S. E. 11 miles. It forms a square of 8 ms. Area, 40,960 acres; surface, hilly ; soil, loam. Pop. 1830, 1012; taxa- bles, 159. It is drained on the N. W. by Thorn creek, a tributary of the Conequenessing, S. E. by Great and Little Buffalo creeks, S. W. by Ball creek, tributaries of the Allegheny r. The timber of this t-ship has been much injured by fire. It contains some glade lands, which are deemed of good quality.


Buffalo, t-ship, Armstrong county, bounded N. by Sugar creek t-ship, E. and S. by the Allegheny river, which separates it from Kittanning and Alle- gheny t-ships and from Westmore- land county, and W. by Butler co.


Centrally distant S. W. from Kittan- ning borough 6 ms. Greatest length 13 miles, breadth 10; area, 41,000 acres ; surface, gentle hills ; soil, loam. Pop. in 1830, 2458 ; taxables 429. It is drained by Glade run on the E. and Buffalo creek on the W. both run- ning S. into the Allegheny r. The p-t, of Freeport is on the river, below the mouth of the Kiskiminitas, and at the mouth of Buffalo creek, in the ex- treme S. W. corner of the township. The state canal to Pittsburg runs through the town.


Buffalo creek, Armstrong co. rises in Sugar Creek t-ship and flows south through Buffalo t-ship, near the west line of the co. into the Allegheny r. at the town of Freeport. It has a course of about 20 ms.


Buffalo creek, Great and Little, Union co. The former rises on the confines of Centre co. and flows east


4


21-2


5,397


' do.


429


515


512


113


161,910


187,893


Doylestown,


4 1-2


4


9,603


do.


1430


1781


362


403,326


507,690


country.


BUF


73


BUF


through Union, into the W. branch of||t-ship, and flows parallel with the first the Susquehannah r. at the town of south of Middle Ridge, into the river below Newport. Its length is about 10 ms. Lewisburg, receiving in its course Ra- pid run, Spruce run, and the Little Buffalo crs. the last rising in White Deer t-ship, and running S. to its re- cipient.


Buffalo mountain, a ridge of the Allegheny, running N. W. across Union co. forming the northern boun- dary of Buffalo valley.


Buffalo valley, Union co. a fertile and beautiful vale of limestone soil, extending from W. to E. nearly thro' the county. Bounded N. by the Buf- falo ridge, and S. by Jack's mountain and the Shamoken ridge, and drained by Buffalo creek.


Buffalo, East, township, Union co. bounded N. by White Deer and Kelly t-ships, E. by the West Branch of the Susquehannah river, S. by Union t- ship, and W. by West Buffalo t-ship. Centrally distant N. of New Berlin 6 miles ; greatest length 8, breadth 7 miles ; area, 19,200 acres; surface diversified ; soil, limestone. Pop. in 1830, 2130; taxables, 548. Buffalo creek runs on the N. and Turtle run on the S. boundary, E. into the river. The p-t. of Lewisburg lies at the con- fluence of the former with the Susque- hannah r. about 8 ms. N. E. of New Berlin, and upon the turnpike road to Bellefonte. Valuation of real estate by the assessment of 1829, $535,642.


Buffalo, p-t. Buffalo t-ship, Wash- ington co. in a fork of Buffalo creek, on the national road 7 ms. S. W. of Washington borough, 244 from W. C. and 225 from Harrisburgh, contains 10 dwellings, 2 taverns and 1 store.


Buffalo creek, Centre and Union cos. falls into the west branch of the Susquehannah, after watering a fertile strip of land called Buffalo valley and flowing 22 ms.


Buffalo creeks, Great and Little, Perry co. The first rises in Liberty valley, Toboyne t-ship, and flows E. through Saville and Juniata townships into the Juniata r. N. of Middle Ridge, having a comparative course of about 24 ms. The second rises in Saville


Buffalo Ridge, a range of hills ex- tending through the N. part of Lon- donderry t-ship, and the S. part of Na- pier t-ship, Bedford co. and forming the W. boundary of Millikin's cove.


Buffalo creek, Washington county, a tributary of the Ohio r. rises by seve- ral branches, but principally by two in Buffalo t-ship.


Buffalo, West, t-ship, Union co. Pop. 1810, 1416; 1820, 1430; in 1830, 1404. Taxables 415 ; bounded N. by White Deer mountain, E. by White Deer, Buffalo, and Union t-ships, S. by Centre and Beaver t-ships, and W. by Hartley t-ship. Centrally dis- tant N. W. from New Berlin, 8 ms. greatest length 15, breadth 6 ms. Area, 50,660 acres ; surface much di- versified ; soil limestone in Buffalo and Dry valleys. Between White Deer mountain, and Nittany mountain lies the narrow valley of White Deer cr. S. of Nittany is also a narrow valley between it and Buffalo mountain. S. of Buffalo is the fertile and beautiful valley of Buffalo. Jack's mountain lies on the S. boundary, and is deem- ed the highest land in the county. 'The streams of the t-ship, are White Deer creek, Rapid run, Buffalo creek, and Penn's creek. Mifflinsburg, p-t. lies in Buffalo valley at the foot of a high ridge about 5 ms. N. W. of New Berlin, and on the turnpike road leading to Bellefonte.


Buffalo, New, village of Buffalo t- ship, Perry co. on the west bank of the Susquehannah r. 12 ms. N. E. of Bloomfield, contains about 25 dwell- ings, 2 stores, 2 taverns, and 1 Pres- byterian church. There is a ferry here across the river.


Buffalo, post t-ship, Perry co. bound- ed N. by Greenwood and Liverpool t-ships, E. and S. by the Susquehan- nah river which separates it from Dauphin co. and W. by the Juniata riv- er. Centrally distant E. from Bloom- field 11 miles greatest length and


J


BUR


74


BUŚ


7


breadth 9 ms. Area 23,680 acres ; creek flows S. W. through the t-ship, surface hilly ; soil slate. Pop. in 1830, 1270; taxables 281. The turnpike road to Lewistown runs along the Ju- niata. At Montgomery's ferry across the Susquehannah, there is a post of- fice. New Buffalo village is on the Susquehannah about 5 ms. above the entrance of the Juniata, at which there is also a ferry. There are two ferries, one in the north, and the other in the south part of the t-ship, over the Juniata. Buffalo mountain separates it on the N. from Greenwood and Liv- erpool t-ships, extending about 9 miles between the rivers.


Buffalo mountain, see preceeding article.


Buffalo Lick creek, Brothers Val- ley t-ship, Somerset co. a tributary of Castleman's river, rises and has its course S. W. within the t-ship.


Buffalo, t-ship, Washington co. Bounded N. by Hopewell, E. by Can- ton, S. by Morris and Finslay, and W. by Donnegal t-ships. Centrally dis- tant W. from Washington borough 7 ms. greatest length 7, breadt 62 miles. Area 20,480, acres ; surface hilly ; soil loam. Coal abundant. It is drained by Buffalo creek and its branches which flow N. W. into the Ohio river. The national road runs S. W. through the t-ship ; on it are the post towns of Martinsburg and Claysville, the first, 6 ms. S. W. of Washington borough, and the second about 10 ms. and on the W. line of the t-ship, and the p-t. of Buffalo, between the preceding.


Bull creek, rises in Buffalo and Mid- dlesex t-ships, Butler co. and flows S. E. into Deer t-ship, Allegheny co. and into the Allegheny river.


Bull skin, t-ship, Fayette co. bound- ed N. and N. W. by Westmoreland co. E. by Salt lick, S. by Connellsville and W. by Tyrone t-ships. Central- ly distant from Uniontown 16 ms. greatest length 9, breadth 4 miles. Area, 24,320 acres ; surface hilly ; soil limestone and loam. Pop. in 1830, 1231; taxables 251. The Chest- nut ridge is on the E. boundary, Jacob's creek on the north ; Mount's


giving motion to several mills, and hav- ing some iron works upon its head wa- ters. Jacob's creek is crossed by a chain bridge, at the N. W. angle.


Bunker Hill, a noted eminence of Swatara t-ship, Lebanon co. south of Jonestown.


Burgettstown, p-t. of Smith t-ship, Washington co. situated centrally in the t-ship 17 ms N. W. from Wash- ington borough, contains about 40 dwellings, several stores and a tavern. It is 246 miles from W. C. and 223 from Harrisburg.


Burlington, small village of East Penn t-ship, Northampton co. on the road from Lehighton to Mauch Chunk, about 2 ms. from each, contains four or five dwellings and a store.


Burlington, t-ship, Bradford co. bounded N. by Springfield and Smith- field t-ships, E. by Towanda, S. by Franklin and W. by Troy t-ships ; cen- trally distant from Towanda borough about 9 miles; greatest length 9, breadth 4 ms. Area 23,040 acres; surface hilly ; soil, gravelly loam ; pop. in 1830, 527; taxables 98. The Sus- quehannah and Tioga turnpike road crosses the S. W. angle. The t-ship is drained by Sugar creek, which runs centrally and eastwardly through, re- ceiving from Smithfield t-ship, Brown's and Tom Jack's creeks. Burlington post office is 249 ms. from W. C. and, 138 from Harrisburg.


Burlington, t-ship Mckean co. bounded N. by Cooper t-ship, E by Shippen, S. by Clearfield co. and W. by Jefferson co. Centrally distant S. from Smithport, 25 miles ; length 13, breadth 8 miles. Area 66,560 acres; surface hilly ; soil gravelly ; pop. in 1830, 160. It is drained W. by a trib- utary of Clarion r. and E. by a branch of Rich Valley creek ; coal and iron are said to be abundant. The country is al- most an uninhabited desert, but is finely timbered and well adapted to grazing.


Bustleton, p-t. of Lower Dublin t- ship, Phila. co. 11 ms. from Phila. on the Bustleton and Smithfield turnpike road, 148 from W. C. and 110 E.


BUS


75


BUT


from Harrisburg, contains about 35 dwellings, 2 stores, 2 taverns, an academy, a Baptist church, and a val- uable public library. The general election for the inhabitants of the N. E. section of the county is holden here. A stage leaves it daily via Holmesburg for Phila. At the Pen- nepack creek, about half a mile S. of the town, is a grist mill and manufac- tory, at which there are some 10 or 12 dwellings. There is a fine bridge over the creek, and the scenery around it is picturesque and beautiful. The academy has received aid from the legislature in various forms ; by letters, privileges and by donation of money. 'The last we believe was a sum of 500 dollars, given in 1813 to repair the in- jury done to the building by a re- markable storm, by which its roof and belfry were blown away.


Burn's creek, Belfast t-ship, Bed- ford co. a tributary of the N. branch of the Conoloway creek.


Burnt Cabins, p-t. on the N. E. boundary of Dublin t-ship and of the county, about 30 ms. E. of Bedford borough, 109 from W. C. and 59 from Harrisburg.


Bursenville, or Bursenton, p-t. of Springfield t-ship, Bucks co. 20 miles N. E. from Doylestown, 183 N. from W. C. and 100 E. from Harrisburg, contains some half dozen houses, a store and tavern.


Burtztown, Bethlehem t-ship, North- ampton co. 8 ms. W. from Easton and 4 from Bethlehem, contains five dwellings, one tavern and one store.


Bushkill, t-ship, Northampton co. bounded N. by Ross t-ship, S. by Up- per Nazareth, E. by Plainfield, and W . by Moore t-ship. It contains two small villages, one called Edmonds and the other Jacobsburg ; at the lat- ter there is a furnace. The Bushkill creek traverses the t-ship in a S. W. direction and receives from it several feeders. Pop. in 1830, 1402 ; taxa- bles in 1828, 277. The surface of the country is hilly; the soil, white gravel, red shale and slate, and parts of it tolerably productive.


Bushkill creek, Northampton co. rises near the Wind Gap, at the foot of the Blue mtn. and running a S. E. by S. course falls into the Delaware at Easton, about 100 perches above the mouth of the Lehigh. It is be- tween 20 and 30 ms. long, is one of the finest mill streams in the state ; is not navigable, but drives one forge, and a number of excellent mills for grinding grain and sawing timber.


Bushkill, p-o. Pike co, 232 ms. N. E. of W .. C. 137 from Harrisburg.


Bushkill creek, Pike county, rises in Palmyra t-ship, and by a S. W. course of more than 20 miles flows through Delaware and Middle Smithfield t- ships, to the Delaware r. forming in part the southern boundary of Dela- ware t-ship. It receives in its course several considerable streams, and gives motion to several mills.


Bushville, p-t. in Delaware t-ship, Pike co. 25 ms. S. E. from Milford, and about 40 ms. from Easton, 239 from W. C. and 144 from Harrisburg. The p-o. is called " Delaware."


Butler county, was taken from Alle- gheny, by the act of 12th March, 1800, and limited as follows: Beginning at the mouth of Buffalo creek, on the Allegheny r. thence by a line run- ning due W. until it strikes a line of Beaver co. thence N. by the line of said co. to the N. E. corner thereof, thence by a line N. 35°, E. 14 ms. thence by a line running due E. continu- ing said course to where a line, running due N. from the mouth of Buffalo creek, the place of beginning, will inter- seet said line ; unless the last mention- ed line should first strike the Alleghe- ny r. then and in that case to run down said river along the several courses thereof, until it will intersect said line, thence by said line to the place of be- ginning. The act also provided that the place for holding the courts of justice for the county should be fixed by the legislature at any place at a dis- ance not greater than four miles from the centre of the county.


By the act of 8th March, 1803, it is further provided, that certain trustees


BUT


76


BUT


for the county should cause to be sur- veyed 300 acres of land situate on the N. side of Conequenessing crk. which Samuel and John Cunningham, and Robert Graham granted to the gover- nor for the use of the county, and to lay out a convenient lot of land there- on, not exceeding five acres, whereon the county buildings might be erected, and the remainder into town lots, none of which to contain more than five acres. And the name of Butler was given to the town so to be laid, and the lots were directed to be sold for the use of the county.


The county was organized for judi- cial and other purposes by the act 2d of April, 1803. It is bounded N. by Venango co. E. by Armstrong co. S. by Allegheny, W. by Beaver and N. W. by Mercer counties. Length 33, breadth 33 ms. area 785 sq-ms .; cen- tral lat. N. 40°, 50', lon. from W. C. 2° 50' W.


Butler county with the whole coun- try west of the mountains belongs to the secondary formation, and abounds with various minerals. Iron is found in many places in the county, particu- larly in Bear creek, in the N. E. part of the county, and in Parker, Venango, Slippery Rock, and Conequenessing t-ships; salt also in many places, at the depth of from 300 to 500 ft. and salt works are erected, at or near Harmo- ny and near Butler borough. Bitu- minous coal abounds in every part, in strata from 2 to 5 feet, which are gen- erally approached with convenience by the margin of the streams. The stra- ta lie universally horizontally and are covered with slate. Lead ore is be- lieved to exist in Connequenessing t-ship, upon the creek about 3 ms. above Harmony, This opinion is de- rived from Indian tradition, and from the remains of a small furnace near the creek by which it is supposed the natives extracted the ore. Members of Cornplanter's tribe, in crossing the the country, still, it is said, assert their knowledge of the mine, and propose for a liberal compensation to show the place ; but as the lands belong to a


Philadelphia owner and the inhabitants have little confidence in the promises of the Indians, these offers have not been accepted. A bed or beds of plumbago or black lead have been found in the county, but havenot been wrought.


The county was settled principally by emigrants from Western Pennsyl- vania, from Washington, Fayette, Westmoreland and Allegheny coun- ties, generally of Irish and German descent, and by a few native Irish, Scotch and Germans. The settle- ments commenced in 1792, under the act of 3d April of that year, providing for the settlement of that portion of the state lying north and west of the Ohio and Allegheny rivers, and Conewango creek. Little progress was, however, made until 1800, when the county was erected and the county town laid out.


The first settlers had many difficul- ties and privations to encounter, be- fore they could render the riches of their lands available, among which the scarcity of food and the means to pro- cure it, were not the least. The pro- visions of the act of 1792, gave occasion for much misunderstanding between the land speculators and the actual set- tlers, and induced a course of litigation which was ruinous to the latter, com- pelling many to abandon the cherished labors of their lives, and the homes of their hearts, and to seek new and sa- fer asylums, in which a comfortable subsistence could be obtained only by a repetition of their early labors. Those who remained, compounded with the land owner, or abided by the decis- ion of the courts of law.


The most prominent speculators were of two descriptions, one by sur- vey and warrant, the other by mere survey and agreement with the actual settlers, conditioned that the settler should receive for settlement to be made pursuant to the provisions of the above recited act, from one to two hun- dred acres according to contract. In the construction of these agreements many difficulties arose, productive of


BUT


77


BUT


protracted law suits, which greatly re- tarded the settlement of the county. But most of these vexed questions are now at rest, and a quiet title to lands here may be had. We may mention however another source of title to lands in this district of country, upon which not a shadow of doubt has rest- ed. Extensive tracts were laid out in 1785 in lots of 200, 250, 300, and 500 acres, which were given as gra- tuities to soldiers of the revolution, &c. in the Pennsylvania line. Part of dis- trict No. 1, in Muddy creek t-ship, and district No. 2 is wholly in the county. The original grantees, unwilling to as- sume the labors, and without taste for the pleasures of a peaceful agricultural life, generally sold their rights, and these donation tracts, generally of ex- cellent quality, are mostly occupied and improved.


About the year 1800, Delman Basse Muller, a native of Germany, purchased an extensive tract in Nicholson's dist. of depreciation lands, in Butler co. and in Alexandria district, lying partly in Beaver, but his improvements were chiefly in Butler co. In 1803 he sold a considerable portion of this tract in Butler, to George Rapp and his associ- ates, forming the society of the Harmo- nites. The enterprize, industry and economy of this people soon made the " desert blossom as the rose." They founded the village of Harmony, and other extensive improvements, and their rapid increase in wealth and the comforts of life, together with their sin- gular practices and discipline, render- ed them an object of curious specula- tion, not only for their neighbors, but for inquiring minds in every part of the union. The first houses of their town were built with round logs and covered with straw, but in a season or two these gave place to substantial and convenient brick and framed build- ings. (See Economy.) The exam- ple of this society was a most benefi- cial stimulant to the industry of the other inhabitants of the county.


In 1814 the society sold their pos- sessions, comprising between 6 and 8


thousand acres of land, nearly one half of which they had cleared, to A. Zuy- ler, from the eastern part of Pennsyl- vania, for the sum of $100,000. The purchaser, himself a man of great en- terprize, indefatigable industry and a practical farmer, soon sold many lots in the town of Harmony, and a num- ber of the farms to Pennsylvania Ger- mans, who with equal industry and skill in agricultural and mechanical arts, have the advantage of being un- trammelled by the wills of others in their domestic, moral, religious or political economy ; and though their labors may not be so systematically and so profitably directed, their own and the public happiness is not the less pro- moted.


In 1796-7, a number of Scotch fam- ilies from the isle of Lewis, in the northern part of Scotland, settled in Conequenessing t-ship, midway be- tween the towns of Butler and Harmo- ny. Their descendants are numerous and now enjoy peace and plenty, the fruits of the labors of their fathers. They have erected a house of public worship, of brick, called the White Oak Spring meeting, on the Butler and Harmony road, where a large congre- gation attend public worship. They are of the associate Presbyterian re- formed or Unionists.


The people of the county are reli- giously disposed, but these settlements being sparse, most ministers of the gospel have charge of several congre- gations, from whom they receive a re- muneration, commonly above $300, and never above $500. The Presby- terian, including Unionists, Seceders, and Covenanters, is the most numerous religious sect,-but the Methodists in- crease rapidly. There are some Bap- tists in the county, and many Roman Catholics, who are settled chiefly in Buffalo, Clearfield and Donegal town ships. There are in the county, in- cluding those of the town of Butler, about 30 churches pertaining to the various denominations of christians.


The inhabitants of this county are obnoxious to the charge commonly


BUT


78


BUT


made against other portions of Penn- sylvania, of being indifferent to educa- tion. The price of tuition usually paid for each pupil is from 5 to 6 dol. lars per annum. For this sum teach- ers are not scarce, but they are com- monly unqualified. Generally the farmers have erected a school in eve- ry vicinage, which is open during the winter. In summer few schools are taught, except in the larger towns. There are two newspapers published weekly in the town of Butler, viz. the Western Centinel and Democratic Press, and the Butler Repository.


There are in the county 40 grist mills 48 saw mills, 7 fulling mills, 3 powder mills, and 3 oil mills. Im- proved lands sell at from 3 to 10 dol- lars per acre ; unimproved from 2 to 4 dollars. There are in the county about 35 stores and 26 taverns. There are several furnaces, and forges ; one of each on Slipery Rock creek, 14 ms. N. E. of Butler borough ; two furnaces, one on each side of the Western coun- ty line, but both deriving their sup- plies from the county ; the one called Bassenheim, propelled by water power, the other, Bear creek, driven by steam. The furnaces are competent to produce three tons of pigs daily. The mar. ket for iron as for all other surplus produce of the county, is Pittsburg. Considerable quantities of grain, flour, salt, whiskey, salted provisions, and live stock, are annually sent thither, partly by the Allegheny r. and partly by carriages, &c.


Butler county, though long obscur- ed by adverse circumstances, is now in a very thriving condition. The tide of emigration has commenced to flow upon it, and will in a few years most probably cover all the vacant lands for settlement. Many sales were made in the past year, (1831,) to Germans lately from Germany, par- ticularly in Buffalo and Conequenes- sing t-ships. These emigrants select land which is not heavily timbered, and which here is denominated " glade," and has been overrun by fire before or since the settlement of




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.