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 79

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 79


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).


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Turkeyfoot, township, Somerset co. bounded N. by Milford t-ship, E. by Elk Lick, S. by Addison t-ship, and W. by Fayette co. Centrally distant S. W. from Bedford 15 ms. ; greatest length 13, breadth 9 ms. ; area 70,560 acres ; surface hilly ; soil, fertile loam. Pop. in 1830, 1281 ; taxables 199. Taxable property in 1829, real estate $68,197 ; personal 7408 ; rate 5 mills in the dollar. The Laurel mtn. is on the W. and the Negro mtn. on the E. boundary. Ilog Back ridge lies be- tween Castleman's r. and the Youghi- ogheny. Castleman's r. and Laurel Hill creek divide the t-ship in nearly three equal parts, flowing through from N. to S. to the Youghiogheny r. Salt is found near the N. boundary on Laurel Hill creek. Turkeyfoot p-o. is near the S. boundary, W. of Castle- man's r. The p-o. named after the t-ship, is 185 miles N. W. from W. C. and 163 from Harrisburg.


Turtle creek, rises in Salem t-ship, Westmoreland co. and flows W. about 17 ms. into the Monongahela river, 12 ms. above Pittsburg, forming the S. E. and S. boundary of Plumb t-ship, and dividing Wilkins and Versailles t-ships in Allegheny co. It is navigable for canoes about 10 ms.


Tuscarora mtn. Schuylkill co. on the dividing line between Rush and West Penn t-ships. It is the western continuation of the Mauch Chunk mtn. and, like it, abounds in anthracite coal, many veins of which have lately been opened. To reach these mines the Schuylkill valley rail road, extending 12 ms. from Port Carbon, has been constructed, and also another rail- road on Little Schuylkill river. (See Tamaqua.)


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Tuscarora, village, Rush township, Schuylkill co. on the N. side of Tus- carora mtn. at the head of the main Schuylkill r. and of the Schuylkill val- ley rail road. It is one of the Alladin lamp creations of the coal trade, and consists of about a dozen dwellings, much scattered, two hotels, one a large and commodious frame building. It is inhabited chiefly by miners, and is located in a wild and barren country. Its existence and prosperity will depend upon the progress of mining the an- thracite coal. It is about 16 ms. N. E. of Orwigsburg, 183 from W. C. and 78 from Harrisburg.


Tuscarora creek and valley, Hun- tingdon and Juniata cos., between 'Tuscarora and Shade mountains. The creek and valley commence in Tell t-ship, Huntingdon co., and run N. E. between 30 and 35 ms. to the Juniata river; passing through Lack and Turbett t-ships, of Juniata co. There is a p-o. here, named af- ter the valley, 140 miles from W. C. and 53 from Harrisburg.


Tuscarora mountain, a noted ridge, of the Appalachian system, which may be considered as commencing at the Potomac river in Maryland, and running N. E. near 70 miles, forms the E. boundary of Bedford, Hunting- don and Mifflin counties.


Tuscarora, t-ship, Mifflin co., for- merly a part of Lack t-ship; surface mountainous ; soil, in the valleys, limestone ; pop. in 1830, 827 ; taxa. bles in 1828, 195. (See Lack t-ship, in the description of which, the above is included.)


Tuscarora creek, rises in a small lake in Auburn t-ship, Susquehannah co., and flows S. W. through that t- ship, into Bedford co. where it receives some considerable tributaries, and thence by a south course unites with the Susquehannah river in Braintrim t-ship, Luzerne county.


Tyburn, small village of Falls t- ship, Bucks co., on the turnpike road leading from Bristol to Trenton, 7 miles from the former, and 3 from the latter. Contains some half dozen dwellings, store and tavern.


Tyrone, t-ship, Adams co., bound- ed N. by Cumberland co. E. by Hun- tingdon township, S. by Reading and Strabane t-ships, and W. by Manal- len. Centrally distant N. E. from Gettysburg 10 miles ; greatest length, 10, breadth, 4 miles ; area, 15,360 acres ; surface, level ; soil, red shale and gravel ; pop. in 1830, 817 ; tax- ables, 159. Bermudian creek forms part of the eastern boundary, and the Conewago cr. the southern. Heidel- burg, a town of the t-ship, is distant 9 miles N. E. from Gettysburg.


Tyrone, t-ship Perry co., bounded N. by Limestone ridge which sep- arates it from Saville t-ship, S. by the Blue mountain, E. by Rye t-ship, and W. by Toboyne t-ship, and by Cum- berland co. Centrally distant S. W. from Bloomfield 7 miles; greatest length 9, breadth 8 miles ; area 42, 880 acres ; surface, mountainous ; soil limestone in the valleys, gravel and slate on the hills ; pop. in 1830, 2758, taxables, 384. It is drained by Sher- man's creek, which receives many considerable streams from the t-ship. Pisgah Hill is south of that stream, and Quaker Hills on the north. Be- tween them and on the N. margin of the stream is a noted spring called the Warm spring. The post town of Landisburg, centrally situated in the t-ship, is on this stream about 8 miles S. W. of Bloomfield. The poor house of the co. is situated about a mile N. of the village. Montour's run rises in the Limestone ridge and flows S. by Landisburg into Shermans' creek.


Tyrone, t-ship, Fayette co. bounded N. by Jacob's creek, which divides it from Westmoreland co., E. by Bull- skin t-ship, S. E. by Connellsville t- ship, S. and W. by the Youghiogheny r. which separates it from Dunbar, Franklin, and Washington t-ships. Iron is found on both sides of Jacob's creek. The t-ship is centrally situat- ed 13 miles N. of Union town ; great- est length 12 miles, breadth 4 miles, area 21,760 acres; surface, hilly ; soil, limestone ; pop. in 1830, 1139 ; fax- ables, 235.


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Tyrone, t-ship, Huntingdon county.


Ulster, t-ship Bradford co., bound- ed N. by Athens t-ship, E. by the Susquehannah river, S. by Towanda and W. by Smithfield t-ships. Cen- trally distant from the town of Tow. anda N. W. 7 miles. Greatest length 71, breadth 21 miles; area, 7,040 acres ; surface hilly ; soil, gravelly loam. Pop. in 1830, 405 ; taxables 7. Post office, called after the t-ship, dist. from W. C. 246 miles, and from Harrisburg 135.


Union county, formerly a part of Northumberland, was separated from it by the act of 22d March, 1813, and includes all that part of the latter co. which lay on the west side of the river Susquehannah and the west branch of the same. By the commissioners ap- pointed pursuant to this act, the seat of justice was located at New Berlin, up- on Penn's creek, about 10 miles above its junction with the Susquehannah. The county is bounded N. by Lycom- ing, E. by the Susquehannah river and the west branch, S. by Mifflin co. and west by Centre. Greatest length 26 miles, mean breadth 21, area 551 square miles. Central lat. 40° 50' N., long. from W. C., 0° 8' west.


This county, which,although moun. tainous, is not rugged, lies in the range of the Alleghenies, and in the central transition formation. The branches of the mountains traverse it in a direc- tion about east, north east. The chief ridges are the White Deer, Nittany, Buffalo, Jack's and Shade mtns. ; of which Jack's mtn. is most lofty, being considered the highest ground in the co.


For some years the attention of the public has been directed to the dis- covery of iron ore. The external indications of this useful mineral pre- sent themselves in many places, but as yet no considerable body has been found. In Buffalo valley, in White Deer, in Hartley t-ship, and many oth- er places there is iron ore of a good quality, in rolled masses, and geodes on the surface of the ground. Mines have been opened, but in no instance has the quantity been sufficient to en-


courage the miner to prosecute his la- bors. Of bog iron, a large body lies in the flat extending from the Sunbury ferry to the neighborhood of Selin's Grove ; its quality is said to be good. It is cellular and of light brown color. Another bed of bog iron ore was dis- covered on Philip Herrold's farm, ten miles below Selin's Grove. This also is cellular, of a darker color, and much harder and heavier than the first men- tioned. It was accidentally discover- ed in digging a drain connected with the canal.


Lead ore has been discovered, of a rich quality, and indications of this metal are found in the long narrows in Hartley t-ship.


A body of iron pyrites was some years since accidentally discovered in digging a mill race on Jacob Kehr's land, on Penn's creek, about 4 miles above New Berlin ; a spring issues from the rock, the water of which immediately blackens any tin or iron vessel into which it is put. Mineral coal has of late been eagerly sought for, and lands supposed to contain it have risen greatly in price. Black slate and bituminous shale, which are considered indications of coal, have been found in places.


The valleys of this county are generally fertile, but some of them are exuberantly so. Buffalo valley in- cludes the greater part of five t-ships, viz., White Deer, Kelly, Buffalo, W. Buffalo, and Hartley. Its soil is the most productive limestone, and its sur- face, with some trifling exceptions, admirably adapted to agriculture. On Buffalo creek, which drains it, there are 5 or 6 valuable grist mills and other water works. On the White Deer creek also, there are many mills, among which, those of Mr. Daniel Caldwell merit particular attention, consisting of a 3 story stone grist mill, a saw mill, fulling mill, carding ma- chine, and a distillery. Penn's creek divides the county nearly in the mid- dle. The country on the S. is more broken, and the soil inferior to that of the N. ; still it is fertile, particularly


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along the valley of Middle creek. ches in the co., and several religious Traversing the county from N. to and moral institutions, such as a coun- ty Bible society, Sunday school and temperance societies, &c. The pop. in 1820, was 18,619, and in 1830, 20,656, of whom 10,485 were white males, 10,116 white females, 26 free colored males, 27 free colored females, 2 slaves; of these, there were 11 deaf and dumb, 9 blind, and 27 aliens ; taxables in 1828, 3772. Sa, we cross the following streams, viz., White Deer creek, which, rising in Lycoming co., flows E. in the val- ley between White Deer mtn., and the Nittany mtn. ; Buffalo creek, which rises W. of the Buffalo mountains in Centre co., by two branches, and runs E. through Buffalo valley ; Penn's creek, which has its source in the W. side of the Path Valley mtn., in the southern part of Centre co., breaks through the mtn. and runs E. through Union co., draining the valley N. of Jack's mtn. Little Ma- honiely or Middle creek, formed by 2 branches, 1 from Jack's mountain, the other from Black Oak ridge, flows E. through, and drains the fine and rich valley, bounded N. by Jack's, and S. by Shade mtn. South of the Shade mtn. is the W. Mahantango creek, which forins part of the boundary be- tween Mifflin and Union counties. The 2 first of the streams we have named flow into the W. branch of the Sus- quehannah r .; the remainder incor- porates with the main stream. The Pennsylvania canal ascends the west bank of the main r. through this co., opposite to Northumberland, where, crossing the W. branch by a pool, it follows the eastern bank of that stream through Northumberland co.


The only t-pike road in the county, we believe, is that which proceeds from Lewisburg on the Susquehannah, to Bellefonte, a distance of 19 ms.


The chief towns of the co., are New Berlin, New Columbia, Selin's Grove, Freeburg, Adamsburg, Beaver, Mid- dleburg, Centreville, Hartleyton, and Mifflinsburg.


Union co. is inhabited chiefly by the descendants of Germans, whose fathers were the first settlers. The population is, as is usual in Pennsylva- nia, divided into several religious sects, which rank in numerical strength in the following order : Lutherans, Ger- man Reformed, Presbyterians, Metho- dists and Baptists ; there are probably others, but they are not numerous. There are altogether about 21 chur-


The business of the inhabitants is principally confined to agriculture, and the arts which minister unto it. There are in the county 42 grist mills, 61 saw mills, 13 fulling mills, 6 oil mills, 16 distilleries, at which more than 50,000 bushels of grain are dis- tilled. There is a furnace and forge in Hartley t-ship, a forge in Penn t-ship, and an iron foundry in W. Buf- falo t-ship.


The provision for education here is not remarkable; primary schools are established in every vicinage, and an academy was incorporated in 1827 at Mifflinsburg, and received from the state treasury the sum of $2000. There are, however, five instruments of instruction in the form of weekly journals, published in the co., viz., the Lewisburg Journal, the Union Times, the Union Telegraph, the Jackson Herald, and the Anti-Masonic Advo. cate (German.)


The taxable value of the lands of the county was, in 1829, rated at $2,891,851. Their marketable value may be stated, first rate at from $40 to 60 ; second rate at from $30 to 40 ; third rate at from 5 to $15 the acre.


This county belongs to the 9th congressional district, composed of Un- ion, Northumberland, Columbia, Lu- zerne, Susquehannah, Bradford, Ly- coming, Potter and Mckean, and Tioga, sending three members to con-


gress. Northumberland and Union form the 9th senatorial district, send- ing one member to the state senate ; and Union alone sends 2 members to the house of representatives. Colum- bia, Northumberland, and Union form the 8th judicial district, over which Seth Chapman, Esq., presides. The


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courts are holden at New Berlin, on the second Monday after the com- mencement of the courts in Lycoming. The co. is attached to the middle dis- trict of the supreme court, which holds a session annually at Sunbury in the month of June.


This county paid into the state


treasury in 1831, for tax on writs,


205 32


Tavern licenses,


692 17


Duties on dealers in foreign merchandize,


446 28


State maps,


9 50


Tax on collateral inheritan- ces,


10 92


Tax for pamphlet laws, 1 93


for hawkers and pedlar's


licenses,


15 20


$1381 32


STATISTICAL TABLE OF UNION CO.


Greatest Area in| Population. Tax


Townships &c.


Ith. bth.


acres.


1820. 1830. ables


Beaver,


10


8


51,840


2,036


2,280


359


Buffalo, E.


8


7


19,200


2,376


2,130


548


Buffalo, W.


15


6


50,560


1,183


1,404


415


Chapman,


10}


4


17,920


1,094


221


Centre,


8


8


30,080


2,094


1,952


350


Hartley,


18


10


38,000


1,314


1,730


329


Kelly,


6


4


12,160


739


129


Penn,


7


24,320


2,304


429


Union,


10


5


21,760


1,754


2,085


361


Perry,


15


7


32,000


1,330


1,050


200


Washington,


8


5


17,040


1,427


1,097


210


White Deer,


641


4


17,280


1,677


1,295


221


Mifflinsburg,


620


663


Lewisburg Bo.


579


924


18,619 20,749 3,772


Union, p-t. and borough and seat of justice of Fayette co., in Union t-ship, in a fork of Redstone creek, about 4 ms. W. of Laurel hill, 186 from Har- risburg, 276 W. from Phil., and 12 S. E. from Brownsville ; lat. 39º 54' N., long. 2º 45' W. of W. C. The Cumberland or national turnpike road passes through it. It contains about 280 dwellings. Madison college, un- der the care of the Pittsburg confer- ence of the Methodist Episcopal church, was established here in the year 1825, and incorporated by act of assembly, 7th March, 1827. It has about 60 students. There was also an academy here, incorporated by act 4th Feb., 1808, by which a donation of $2000 was given to it; but this in-


stitution was merged in the college. There are here 4 churches, 5 schools, 15 stores, 8 taverns, and a grist and saw mill, driven by water.


Union, t-ship, Fayette co., bounded N. by Franklin and Dunbar, E. by Wharton, S. W. by George and W. by Manallen t-ships. Greatest length 9, breadth 8} ms .; area, 33,920 acres ; surface, level ; soil, limestone. Pop. 1830, 2475. It is drained by Redstone creek, which rises and has many branches in the t-ship. On a south branch, iron is abundant, and a furnace in operation. On a S. E. branch, near Monroe village, salt wa- ter is found. There is a sulphur spring upon an eastern branch. Un- iontown, the seat of justice of the co. is centrally situated (See Uniontown) on the national road, S. E. of which about 3 ms. lies the t. of Monroe.


Union, t-ship, Mifflin co., bounded N. W. by Stone ridge, which sepa- rates it from Huntingdon co., N. by Path Valley mtn. dividing it from Centre co., E. by Armagh t-ship, S. E. by Derry and Wayne t-ships, and S. W. by Huntingdon co. Centrally distant W. from Lewistown, 8 miles ; greatest length 13 ms., breadth 6; area, 28,800 acres ; surface, mountain- ous ; soil in the valleys, limestone. Pop. 1830, 1757 ; taxables, 343. The Kishcoquillas valley runs through the t-ship N. W. and S. E., bounded E. by Jack's mtn., and W. by Stone mtn. In the S. part of the valley lies Horreltown, near which is a sinking spring ; on the N. part, lies the p-t. of Belleville.


Union, t-ship, Berks co., bounded N. E. by the r. Schuylkill and the canal, S. by Chester co., W. and N. W. by Robeson. It is drained by Mill creek and the head waters of French creek. Its greatest length is 51 ms .; greatest breadth 4 ms. ; area, 14,000 acres. Unionville, a small village on the r. is the p-t. Pop. 1810, 706; 1820, 921; 1830, 1046; taxa- bles, 1828, 191. Surface, very hilly ; soil, gravel, very poor ; value when improved, from 15 to $20 per acre.


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Hopewell furnace is on a branch of S. E. by Nine Mile run. The t-pike French creek, and a forge on Six- pence creek.


Unionville, a p-t. and small village of about a dozen houses, in Union t- ship, Schuylkill co.


Union, t-ship, Luzerne co., bound- ed N. E. by Lehman and Plymouth, S. E. by the Susquehannah r. which separates it from Newport and Nesco- peck, S. W. by Salem and Hunting- don t-ships, and N. W. by Lycoming co. Surface, very uneven ; much of it may be cultivated. Hemlock, Shickshinny and Huntingdon creeks head in, or flow through this t-ship, which afford sufficient mill power. The North Branch canal passes through it. Its agricultural products are pork, grain and whiskey. It con- tains 1075 inhabitants, and by the re- turn of 1828, 151 taxables. The t- ship is of an oblong form, but cut di- agonally by the line of Lycoming co. Its length on the longest side N. W. and S. E. is about 19 ms., and width 8 ms .; area, 80,000 acres. Bow- man's range of the Allegheny mtns. passes through the northern part of the t-ship, and the Shickshinny to the south, along the r. The p-o., having the name of the t-ship, is 208 miles from W. C. and 88 ms. from Harris- burg.


Union, t-ship, Schuylkill co., new t-ship, taken from Pine Grove and Manheim t-ships ; surface, mountain- ous ; soil, red shale, valleys fertile. Pop. 1830, 477 ; taxables, 1828, 93. Unison, p-o., Luzerne co., 218 ms. from W. C. and 98 from Harrisburg. Unity, t-ship, Westmoreland co., bounded N. E. by Loyalhanna r., S. E. by Ligonier and Donegal t-ships, S. by Mount Pleasant t-ship, W. by Hempfield and N. W. by Salem t- ships. Centrally distant E. from Greensburg, 7 ms .; greatest length 13, breadth 12 ms .; area, 39,680 acres ; surface, hilly ; soil, limestone, gravel, loam. Pop. 1830, 2990 ; tax- ables, 548. The t-ship is drained on the N. W. by Crabtree creek, on the S. by Big Sewickly creek, and on the


road from Bedford to Greensburg runs W. through the t-ship; on it lies the p-t. of Youngstown, 9 ms. E. of Greensburg. The p-t. of Pleasant Unity is in the S. part of the t-ship, on the S. side of Big Sewickly creek, about 8 ms. S. E. of Greensburg.


Union furnace, p-o., Huntingdon co., 160 ms. N. W. from W. C. and 102 S. W. from Harrisburg.


Union, t-ship, Huntingdon county, bounded N. by the Juniata r., which separates it from Henderson t-ship, E. by Shirley and Springfield t-ships, S. by Bedford co., and W. by Hope- well t-ship. Centrally distant from Huntingdon S. 15 ms. ; greatest length 18 ms., breadth 9 ms. ; area, 86,400 acres ; surface, mountainous ; soil, gravel. Pop. in 1830, 1370; taxables, 266. Jack's mtn. lies on the E. boundary, thence westward is Hares valley, Sideling hill, Trough creek and valley, bounded by Ter- race mtn. on the W. Broad Top mtn. lies in the S. part of the t-ship, N. of which is Plank Cabin valley. The t-ship, in 1828, contained 4 grist mills, 4 saw mills, 3 distilleries, 1 fulling mill, 1 tan yard, 1 carding machine.


Union, t-ship, Union co., bounded N. by Buffalo t-ship, E. by the river Susquehannah and by the W. branch of that r., S. by Blue ridge and Penn creek, and W. by West Buffalo t-ship. Greatest length 10, breadth 5 ms .; area, 21,760 acres; surface, moun- tainous ; soil, limestone. Pop. 1830, 2085; taxables, 361. New Berlin, the county town, is on the left bank of Penn's creek.


Union, t-ship, Erie co., bounded N. by Amity t-ship, E. by Wayne, S. by Crawford co., and W. by Le Boeuf t-ship. Centrally distant from Erie S. E. 22 ms. ; greatest length 7, breadth 5 ms. ; area, 22,400 acres. Pop. 1830, 238; taxables, 1828, 44 ; surface, hilly ; soil, gravelly loam, well adapted to grazing. Drained. by the S. branch of French creek, which runs centrally E. and W. through it. P-o. at Union mills, 319


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ms. N. W. of W. C. and 252 from Harrisburg.


Uniontown, village of Mifflin t-ship, Dauphin co., on the waters of the Ma- hantango creek, near the line be- tween Mifflin and Lyken's t-ships, on the road from Gratztown to Sunbury, 34 ms. N. of Harrisburg ; contains 20 dwellings, ] store and 1 tavern.


Unionville, p-t., E. Marlborough t- ship, Chester co., about 9 ms. S. W. from West Chester, 107 N. from W. C., and 70 S. E. from Harrisburg ; contains about 20 dwellings, 1 tavern, 2 stores and a malt house.


Unionville, small village of Butler co., on the turnpike road from Butler to Mercer, five miles from the former, contains 8 or 10 log houses, two tav- erns and a store.


Uwchlan, t-ship, Chester co., boun- ded N. E. by Vincent and Pikeland t-ships, S. E. by West Whiteland, S. by E. Caln, W. by Brandywine and W. Nantmeal, and N. by E. Nant- meal t-ships. Centrally distant from Philadelphia about 30 ms. ; length 7 ms., breadth 3₴ ms .; area, 1300 acres ; surface, gentle declivity ; soil, sandy loam. Pop. in 1830, 1423; taxables, 273. The E. branch of the Brandywine flows along the S. W. boundary, on which is situated Mary Anne forge. Uwchlan ch. is near the middle of the t-ship. There is a p-o. in the t-ship bearing its name, distant from W. C. 128 ms., and 70 S. E. from Harrisburg.


Valley creek. This name is given to two streams which rise in the great valley of Chester co., near the line which divides the t-ships of East and West Whiteland ; the one flows east- erly along the base of the Northern hills to the r. Schuylkill, near which it forms the boundary between Mont- gomery and Chester counties, and gives motion to the mills at Valley Forge. The other flows S. W. into the E. branch of the Brandywine r., and is also a valuable mill stream, which turns many wheels in its course.


Valley Forge, p-t. of Schuylkill


t-ship, Chester co., at the confluence of the valley creek with the r. Schuyl- kill, about 12 ms. N. E. from West Chester, 20 ms. N. W. from Phila- delphia, 142 N. from W. C., and 84 S. E. of Harrisburg ; contains about 30 houses, a cotton manufactory, hav- ing 2000 spindles, a rolling mill, a gun manufactory extensively carried on, a merchant grist mill, and 1 tav- ern, and 2 stores. The place derives its name from a forge which formerly stood here. The tavern, gun factory, and about 10 dwellings are in Chester co. ; the creek being the line.


Valley, (the), p-o. of Miffin co., 171 ms. from W. C., and 64 from Harris- |burg.


Valley Hill, p-o. of Chester co.


Venango co., was formed from Al- legheny and Lycoming counties, by virtue of the act of 12th March, 1800, and was organized for judicial purpo- ses by the act of 1st April, 1805. By act 28th March, 1806, the state granted $1500 to aid in the erection of the public buildings, and the site for the seat of justice was fixed in the town of Franklin by act 26th March, 1808. The co. is bounded on the N. by Crawford and Warren counties, E. by Jefferson co., S. E. by Armstrong co., S. W. by Butler co., and W. by Mercer; greatest length 38, width 29 ms. ; area, 1114 sq. ms. Central lat. 41º 24' N., long. 2º 40' W. from W. city.


This co. lies wholly within the great secondary formation, and the minerals common to it are usually found here. Iron ore is very abundant ; salt and nitre are found in various parts of the county, and coal in many places. On Oil creek are several springs of the species of bitumen, known as seneca oil.


The face of the country is hilly and somewhat broken, being deeply furrowed by the many streams which spread over it in every direction. Along these streams are some exten- sive and rich alluvial flats ; the soil generally may be considered of good quality. The Allegheny r. enters the


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county from Warren, on the line be- tween Allegheny and Hickory t-ships, and meanders through it by a S. W., S. and S. E. course, and quits it on the boundary line between Scrub Grass and Richland t-ships, having through all its windings a length of 70 ms. within the county. It receives from the co. on the E., Teonista cr., Hemlock cr., Six Mile run, and on the southern boundary Toby's creek or Clarion r., which is also the recipi- ent of a number of streams which flow from the county southwardly. On the W. the Allegheny r. receives from the co., Oil creek, Sugar creek, French creek, Sandy creek, Scrub Grass creek, and some smaller streams. The Allegheny is navigable for steam boats four or five months in the year, into Warren co., and the Pennsylva- nia canal, stretching to lake Erie, fol- lows the bank of French creek from the r., 43 ms. To the mouth of this cr. steam boats of 2 or 3 hundred tons have ascended. The t-pike road lead- ing to Erie, crosses the co. by Frank- lin N. W., and diagonally.




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