USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Brookville > A pioneer history of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania and my first recollections of Brookville, Pennsylvania, 1840-1843, when my feet were bare and my cheeks were brown > Part 18
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Upon the arrival of these troops at Erie, and after their organization into companies, they were put into the Fifth Regiment of the Pennsyl- vania troops, commanded by Colonel James Fenton, of that regiment. James Wood, of Greencastle, was major, and Thomas Poe, of Antrim township, adjutant, the whole army being under the command of Major- General Jacob Brown.
Adjutant Poe is reputed to have been a gallant officer, one to whom fear was unknown. On one occasion he quelled a mutiny among the men in camp, unaided by any other person. The mutineers afterwards declared that they saw death in his eyes when he gave them the com- mand to " return to quarters." He fell mortally wounded at the battle of Chippewa, July 5, 1814, and died shortly afterwards.
These soldiers did valiant service against the British. They fought in the desperate battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane, on July 5 and 25 of the year 1814.
War has cost the United States nearly $10,000,000,000 and over 680,000 lives, to say nothing of 30,000 lives lost in colonial wars before the Revolution. Here are the details :
Cost.
Lives.
Revolution
$135,193,703
30,000
War of 1812
107,159,003
2,000
Mexican war
74,000,000
2,000
Civil war
8,500,000,000
600,000
Indian wars
1,000,000,000
49,000
The two Napoleons cost France in war nearly $3,500,000,000. For the Napoleonic wars France paid $1,275,000,000. Over 5,000,000 men were killed in these wars.
AN OUTLINE OF THE PIONEER LEGAL RELATIONS OF MAN AND WIFE.
Up to and later than 1843, Pennsylvania was under the common law system of England. Under this law the wife had no legal separate ex- istence. The husband had the right to whip her, and only in the event of her committing crimes had she a separate existence from her husband. But if the crime was committed in her husband's presence, she was then presumed not guilty. Her condition was legally little, if any, better than a slave.
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
Under the common law, husband and wife were considered as one person, and on this principle all their civil duties and relations rested.
The wife could not sue in her own name, but only through her hus- band. If she suffered wrong in her person or property, she could, with her husband's aid and assistance, prosecute, but the husband had to be the plaintiff. For crimes without any presumed coercion of her husband, the wife could be prosecuted and punished, and for these misdemeanors the punishments were severe. The wife could make no contract with her husband. The husband and she could make a contract through the agency of trustees for the wife, the wife, though, being still under the pro- tection of her husband.
All contracts made between husband and wife before marriage were void after the ceremony. The husband could in no wise convey lands or realty to his wife, only and except through a trustee. A husband at death could bequeath real estate to his wife.
Marriage gave the husband all right and title to his wife's property, whether real or personal, but he then became liable for all her debts and contracts, even those that were made before marriage, and after marriage he was so liable, except for " superfluities and extravagances."
If the wife died before the husband and left no children, the husband and his heirs inherited her real estate. But if there were children, the husband remained in possession of her land during the lifetime of the wife, and at his death the land went to the wife's heirs.
All debts due to the wife became after marriage the property of the husband, who became invested with power to sue on bond, note, or any other obligation, to his own and exclusive use. The powers of discharge and assignment and change of securities were, of course, involved in the leading principle. If the husband died before the recovery of the money, or any change in the securities, the wife became entitled to these debts, etc., in her own right. All personal property of the wife, such as money, goods, movables, and stocks, became absolutely the property of the husband upon marriage, and at his death went to his heirs.
Property could be given to a wife by deed of marriage settlement.
Property could be settled on the wife after marriage by the husband, provided he was solvent at the time and the transfer not made with a view to defraud.
The wife could not sell her land, but any real estate settled upon her to a trustee she could bequeath.
The husband and wife could not be witnesses against each other in civil or criminal cases where the testimony could in the least favor or criminate either. One exception only existed to this rule, and that was this, " the personal safety or the life of the wife gave her permission to testify for her protection." For further information, see my " Recol- lections."
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
A PIONEER SONG THAT WAS SUNG IN EVERY FAMILY. " OLD GRIMES. " Old Grimes is dead, that good old man, We ne'er shall see him more ; He used to wear a long black coat All buttoned down before.
" His heart was open as the day, His feelings all were true ; His hair was some inclined to gray, He wore it in a queue.
" When'er he heard the voice of pain His breast with pity burned ; The large round head upon his cane From ivory was turned.
" Kind words he ever had for all ; He knew no base design ; His eyes were dark and rather small, His nose was aquiline.
" He lived in peace with all mankind, In friendship he was true ; His coat had pocket-holes behind, His pantaloons were blue.
" Unharmed, the sin which earth pollutes He passed securely o'er, And never wore a pair of boots For thirty years or more.
" But good Old Grimes is now at rest, Nor fears misfortune's frown ; He wore a double-breasted vest, The stripes ran up and down.
" He modest merit sought to find, And pay it its desert : He had no malice in his mind, No ruffles on his shirt.
" His neighbors he did not abuse, Was sociable and gay ; He wore large buckles on his shoes, And changed them every day.
" His knowledge hid from public gaze He did not bring to view, Nor make a noise town-meeting days, As many people do.
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
" His worldly goods he never threw In trust to fortune's chances, But lived (as all his brothers do) In easy circumstances.
" Thus undisturbed by anxious cares His peaceful moments ran ; And everybody said he was A fine old gentleman."
-ALBERT G. GREENE.
EARLY AND PIONEER MUSIC-PIONEER MUSIC-SCHOOLS AND PIONEER SINGING-MASTERS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY.
I. D. Hughes, of Punxsutawney, informs me that the first music-book he bought was Wyeth's " Repository of Sacred Music," second edition. I have seen this book myself, but a later edition (the fifth), published in 1820. Mr. Hughes says that Joseph Thompson, of Dowlingville, was the pioneer " singing-master" in Jefferson County, and that he sang from Wakefield's " Harp," second edition. He used a tuning-fork to sound the pitches, and accompanied his vocal instruction with violin music.
George James was an early "master," and used the same book as Thompson. These two taught in the early thirties. I. D. Hughes taught in 1840 and used the " Missouri Harmony." This was a collection of psalm and hymn tunes and anthems, and was published by Morgan & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. The first tune in this old "Harmony," or " buckwheat" note-book, was " Primrose" :
" Salvation, oh, the joyful sound, 'Tis pleasure to our ears, A sovereign balm for every wound, A cordial for our fears."
On the second page was "Old Hundred," and on the same page " Canaan" :
" On Jordan's stormy banks I stand, And cast a wishful eye To Canaan's fair and happy land, Where my possessions lie."
The dear old pioneers who used to delight in these sweet melodies have nearly all crossed this Jordan, and are now doubtless singing " Harwell" :
" Hark ! ten thousand harps and voices Sound the note of praise above ; Jesus reigns, and heaven rejoices ; Jesus reigns, the God of love."
Rev. George M. Slaysman, of Punxsutawney, was the pioneer teacher of round notes-the do ra me's-in the county. Judge William P. Jenks was also an early instructor in these notes.
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
We talk about progress, rapid transit, and electricity, but modern music-teachers have failed to improve on the melody of those old pioneer tunes, "that seemed like echoes from a heavenly choir ; echoes that seemed to have increased power every time the pearly gates opened to admit some sainted father or mother."
" God sent these singers upon earth With songs of sadness and of mirth, That they might touch the hearts of men And bring them back to Heaven again."
A PIONEER SONG FOR THE SUGAR-TROUGH CRADLE.
DR. WATTS'S CRADLE HYMN. " Hush, my babe, lie still and slumber, Holy angels guard thy bed ; Heavenly blessings, without number, Gently falling on thy head.
" Sleep, my babe, thy food and raiment, House and home thy friends provide, All without thy care or payment, All thy wants are well supplied.
" How much better thou'rt attended Than the Son of God could be, When from heaven He descended And became a child like thee.
" Soft and easy is thy cradle, Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay, When His birthplace was a stable, And his softest bed was hay.
" Blessed babe! what glorious features, Spotless, fair, divinely bright ! Must He dwell with brutal creatures ? How could angels bear the sight ?
" Was there nothing but a manger Wicked sinners could afford To receive the heavenly stranger ? Did they thus affront the Lord ?
" Soft, my child, I did not chide thee, Though my song may sound too hard : 'Tis thy mother sits beside thee, And her arms shall be thy guard.
" Yet, to read the shameful story, How the Jews abused their King; Ilow they served the Lord of Glory, Makes me angry while I sing.
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
" See the kinder shepherds round Him, Telling wonders from the sky ; There they sought Him, there they found Him, With his virgin mother by.
" See the lovely babe a dressing, Lovely infant ! how He smiled !
When He wept, His mother's blessing Soothed and hushed the holy child.
" Lo! He slumbers in a manger Where the horned oxen fed !
Peace, my darling, here's no danger, Here's no ox about thy bed.
"'Twas to save thee, child, from dying, Save my dear from burning flame, Bitter groans, and endless crying, That thy blest Redeemer came.
" May'st thou live to know and fear Him, Trust and love Him all thy days ! Then go dwell forever near Him, See Ilis face and sing His praise.
" I could give thee thousand kisses Hoping what I most desire ; Not a mother's fondest wishes Can to greater joys aspire."
COMPLETE LIST OF TAXABLE INHABITANTS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, IN A.D. 1820.
PINE CREEK TOWNSHIP.
Robert Andrews, William Andrews, single man, Joseph Barnett, saw- and grist-mill, John Barnett, single man, Andrew Barnett, single man, Thomas Barnett, grist-mill, Summers Baldwin, single man, half a saw- mill, Israel Bartlett, David Butler, single man, Peter Bartle, Harmen Bosley, single man, J. Bowen, Joseph Clements, Paul Campbell, Joseph Carr, Euphrastus Carrier, single man, Samuel Corbett, single man, John Dixon, Robert Dixon, single man, John Z. Early, two saw-mills, J. Stephens, half a saw-mill, Henry Feye, Sr., Henry Feye, Jr., single man, George Feye, single man, Aaron Fuller, Solomon Fuller, saw-mill and grist-mill, John Fuller, saw mill, Elijah Graham, Andrew Grinder, Alexander Hatter, single man, John Hise, Christopher Himes, William Himes, single man, Frederick Hetrick, John Jones, single man, Robert Knox, Henry Kailor, Moses Knapp, Lewis Long, John Lucas, John Lattimer, single man, Thomas Lucas, Henry Latt, John Matson, half a saw-mill, Jacob Mason, Abraham Milliron, Philip Milliron, William Morrison, Joseph Mccullough, Samuel McGill, William Milliron, John
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
Mason, single man, John McCartney, single man, John McClelland, single man, Adam Newenhouse, John Nolf, Jr., John Nolf, Sr., saw-mill, Peter B. Ostrander, half a saw-mill, Alexander Powers, Jacob Pierce, single man, John Reed, Hulet Smith, James Shields, Samuel Shaffer, Henry Sharp, Walter Templeton, Adam Vasbinder, Sr., Jacob Vas- binder, William Vasbinder, Henry Vasbinder, John Vasbinder, Andrew Vasbinder, Jr., single man, Fudge Van Camp, colored, Richard Van Camp, single man, colored, Sarah Van Camp, colored, Enos Van Camp, colored, Hugh Williamson, John Welsh, saw-mill, Charles Sutherland, colored.
PERRY TOWNSHIP.
Jesse Armstrong, James Brady, Jr., John Bell, Esq., James Bell, single man, Joseph Bell, single man, John Bell, single man, Asa Crossman, Sr., Asa Crossman, Jr., Joseph Crossman, Elisha Dike, Benjamin Dike, Na- thaniel Foster, Charles C. Gaskill, David Hamilton, James Hamilton, Archibald Hadden, Jacob Hoover, saw-mill, Elijah Heath, John Hoover, James Hutchinson, James Irven, Dr. John W. Jenks, Stephen Lewis, Isaac Lewis, Michael Lantz, Jacob Lantz, single man, Adam Long, James McClelland, Elizabeth McHenry, John McDonald, David Mill- iron, John Milliron, Hugh McKee, James McKee, John Newcome, John Postlethwait, David Postlethwait, single man, John Pifer, Thomas Pagne, Peter Reed, Samuel Stokes, William Smith, James Stewart, John Stewart, Jacob Smith, William Thompson, James Wachob, John Young.
MAPLE-SUGAR INDUSTRY.
One of the pioneer industries in this wilderness was maple-sugar- making. The sugar season commenced either in the last of February or the first of March. In any event, at this time the manufacturer always visited his camp to see or set things in order. The camp was a small cabin made of logs, covered usually with clapboards, and open at one end. The fireplace or crane and hooks were made in this way : Before the opening in the cabin four wooden forks were deeply set in the ground, and on these forks was suspended a strong pole. On this pole was hung the hook of a limb, with a pin in the lower end to hang the kettle on. An average camp had about three hundred trees, and it required six ket- tles, averaging about twenty-two gallons each, to boil the water from that many trees. The trees were tapped in various ways,-viz. : First, with a three-quarter-inch auger, one or two inches deep. In this hole was put a round spile about eighteen inches long, made of sumach or whit- tled pine, two spiles to a tree. The later way was by cutting a hollow notch in the tree and putting the spile below with a gouge. This spile was made of pine or some soft wood. When a boy I lived about five years with Joseph and James McCurdy, in what is now Washington town-
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
ship, and the latter method of opening trees was practised by them. In- deed, all I say here about this industry I learned from and while with them. At the camp there were always from one to three storage-troughs made of cucumber or poplar, and each trough held from ten barrels up- ward. Three hundred trees required a storage of thirty barrels and steady boiling with six kettles. The small troughs under the trees were
Stirring off maple-sugar.
made of pine and cucumber and held from three to six gallons. We hauled the water to the storage-troughs with one horse and a kind of " pung," the barrel being kept in its place by plank just far enough apart to hold it tight. In the fireplace there was a large back log and one a little smaller in front. The fire was kept up late and early with smaller wood split in lengths of about three feet. We boiled the water into a thick syrup, then strained it through a woollen cloth while hot into the syrup-barrel. When it had settled, and before putting it on to " sugar off," we strained it the second time. During this sugaring we skimmed the scum off with a tin skimmer and clarified the syrup in the kettle with eggs well beaten in sweet milk. This "sugaring off" was always done in cloudy or cold days, when the trees wouldn't run " sap." One barrel of sugar-water from a sugar-tree, in the beginning of the season, would make from five to seven pounds of sugar. The sugar was always made during the first of the season. The molasses was always
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
made at the last of the season, or else it would turn to sugar in a very few days. The sugar was made in cakes, or "stirred off" in a granulated condition, and sold in the market for from six and a quarter to twelve and a half cents a pound. In " sugaring off," the syrup had to be fre- quently sampled by dropping some of it in a tin of cold water, and if the molasses formed a " thread" that was brittle like glass, it was fit to stir. I was good at sampling, and always anxious to try the syrup, as James McCurdy, who is still living, can substantiate. In truth, I was never very hungry during sugar-making, as I had a continual feast during this season of hot syrup, treacle, and sugar.
Skill and attention were both necessary in "sugaring off," for if the syrup was taken off too soon the sugar was wet and tough, and if left on too long, the sugar was burnt and bitter. Time has evoluted this indus- try from our county. In the census chapter of 1840 you will find how many pounds of maple-sugar were manufactured in each township and the sum total in pounds for the county.
" While maple-sugar-making has passed in Jefferson County, it still is quite an important industry in many parts of the country. According to the statistics gathered in the census of 1890, Vermont leads in the pro- duction of maple-sugar, at least in the number of large producers. There were 23,533 producers who manufactured each 500 pounds or over of sugar, according to that census. Of these, Vermont reported 10,099 ; New York, 7884; New Hampshire, 1725; Michigan, 1135 ; Pennsylvania, IIOI ; Ohio, 930 ; Massachusetts, 415 ; Maryland, 78 ; Maine, 39 ; West Virginia, 26; Indiana, 24; Iowa and Minnesota, 23 each ; Illinois, 8; Connecticut and Missouri, 5 each ; Wisconsin and Virginia, 4 each ; Tennessee and North Carolina, 2 each ; and Kentucky, I.
" It is the hard-maple tree that makes the sugar. Windham County, Vermont, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and Delaware County, New York, are the three greatest maple-sugar producing counties in the Union, the first leading the list with an annual yield of about 3,000,000 pounds, the second producing 2,500,000 pounds, and the third 2,000, oco pounds. The largest single sugar-bush is in Windham County ; it contains 7000 sap-bearing trees."
Joseph and James McCurdy were pioneer settlers. Joseph has been dead many years, and I can cheerfully say that he was an honest and true Christian.
THE TRANSPORTATION OF IRON THROUGH JEFFERSON COUNTY.
Centre County, Pennsylvania, was richly supplied by nature with the finest quality of iron ore and all the other requisites for its manufacture into iron. The pioneer in the iron business in what is now Centre County was Colonel John Patton, of the Revolutionary war. Imme- diately after peace was declared he removed to this region and erected
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
" Centre Furnace." He died in 1804. The iron in early days, before 1800, was called " Juniata Iron," and the market was to be found on the Atlantic seaboard.
The development of this rich iron field, thus early commenced, gradually developed under the old charcoal system, until in 1826, when, from an increased demand from the Western market, there was in active operation in that county thirteen furnaces making annually eleven thou- sand six hundred tons of pig-metal and three thousand one hundred tons of bar-iron,-with such a production of iron new markets had to be sought out. The completion of the Susquehanna and Waterford Turnpike through this wilderness suggested the feasibility to the Greggs, Curtins, and others of transporting pig-metal, blooms, and iron to the waters of Red Bank by horse power, a distance of about eighty eight miles, and from here by water to Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Ken- tucky.
As near as I can ascertain, about the year 1828 a contract was entered into by iron men of Centre County with Henry Riley, of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, to deliver blooms and pig iron to Pittsburg and the Western market at a stated price per ton. The transportation on land to Port Barnett was principally carried on during the winter months by farmers in subcontracts. Port Barnett was so named because it was a shipping-point. Henry Feye hauled with an ox-team, and Joseph Mc- Giffin, of this county, hauled with a horse-team. The late Uriah Matson and Peter B. Ostrander took subcontracts from Riley for delivering at Port Barnett. They hauled with oxen and sleds and carried their own board and ox-feed with them. The round trip took them about ten days. Matson and Ostrander received about ten dollars per ton for their work. Peter B. Ostrander was a veteran of the war of 1812. Other Port Barnett teamsters were Samuel Jones and David Butler. Fudge Van Camp, our colored patriarch and brother, hauled this pig-metal as well as fiddled in the old inns and taverns. Riley's teamsters were Captain F. Downs, Christ Shick, and others. These men were all well supplied with old rye and used it freely. They hauled with wooden sleds, having wooden soles. The iron was principally hauled from Phillipsburg. A number of Armstrong farmers (now Clarion) took subcontracts from Riley,-viz., the Joneses, Crookses, Hindmans, and Shieldses. The "silver craze" prevailed then, for Riley paid his contract workers all in silver.
From Port Barnett the pioneer transportation to Pittsburg was on rafts. The rafts were made of dry or dead pine timber, in this wise : The sticks were notched on each side and a hole was bored through each ; then the sticks were placed side by side in the water to form a platform, and poles were driven through these flat platforms and wedged on each side. These dry pine logs forming the platform were marketed in Pittsburg for wood. Samuel T. Corbett, uncle of W. W. Corbett,
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
was the pioneer to pilot one of these rafts to market. Henry Feye con- ceived the idea that barges would afford better transportation facilities for the iron, and he built one, loaded it, and had the misfortune to stove it on what is now called, on that account, " Iron Bar Ripple." This ripple is about one and one-half miles from the mouth of Red Bank. William Jack, of Brookville, built boats on the North Fork, at the head of what is now Heidrick, Matson & Co.'s danı. The late James K. Hoff- man and John Dixon worked on these boats and helped run them to market. The barge business continued, and Major William Rodgers, of Brookville, and Thomas Chapman, of Westmoreland County, Pennsyl- vania, received the contract in 1832 for the transportation of three hun- dred tons. This contract was for but two years, and was for bar-iron to be delivered at Louisville, Kentucky. Their shipping-point was the mouth of the North Fork. Joseph McGiffin, William Kennedy, and William Kelso, of this county, hauled for this firm. Chapman and Rodgers shipped entirely by barges or flat-boats about eighty feet long. After the iron was unloaded an eighty-foot boat brought them eighty dollars.
This mode of transportation ceased in 1834, but iron and nails were still brought here for our local market for many years thereafter.
THE FIRST SCREW FACTORY.
" It is an especially noteworthy fact, known to comparatively few persons, that the first screw-mill in the United States was erected in 182 1 by Mr. Phillips in the little mountain village of Phillipsburg, hundreds of miles distant from any of the great marts of the country. The neces- sary buildings were put up near the Moshannon Creek, in a suburb of the town that is now called Point Lookout. The capacity of the factory was fifteen hundred gross per week, but the largest quantity produced during the time it was in operation was one thousand gross per week, the material for which was prepared from the blooms by rolling and wire-drawing machinery operated by steam. and water-power. The nearest and best market was at Pittsburg, through Port Barnett, and the products of the forge- and screw mill had to be hauled at no inconsiderable expense to the waters of the Allegheny River in wagons, and thence transported in arks to their destination."
The old Chinklacamoose trail passed through and over the high table- lands in the county of Centre, passing through or near Milesburg, Phillipsburg, and Snow Shoe. Snow Shoe took its name from the follow- ing circumstances : About or previous to the year 1775, "a party of white hunters went out on the old Chinklacamoose trail and were overtaken on these high table-lands of the Allegheny Mountains, near the forks of Moshannon Creek, by a heavy snow-storm. Their provisions becoming exhausted they had to make snow-shoes and walk in them to the Bald
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
Eagle settlement. It required about two days to travel in these snow- shoes a distance of thirty miles." This old Indian path passed through the Indian town of Chinklacamoose,-old town, or what is now called Clearfield. " This was the central point of the great Chinklacamoose path." " Post lodged at this village on his way to the Ohio country in the night of August 2, 1758. ' We arrived,' he writes in his journal, ' this night at Shinglimuce, where we saw the posts painted red and stuck in the ground, to which the Indians tie their prisoners. It is a disagree- able and melancholy sight to see the means they use to punish flesh and blood.' "'
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