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 32
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PIONEER HISTORY OF. JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
obtained liberty to keep public houses are requested to call and take their license. Those who neglect will be returned to court as the law directs. " A. MCKNIGHT, " Treasurer.
" TREASURER'S OFFICE, BROOKVILLE, May 15, IS37."
Table of taxable inhabitants of Jefferson County, together with the seated and unseated township taxes, for the year 1837 :
Township.
Inhabitants.
Seated Tax. $42.32
Unseated Tax.
Ridgeway
40
$38.27
Barnett
76
74.34
74.34
Eldred
37
39.14
36.43
Perry
209
221.12
205.So
Pine Creek
103
IOS.97
101.38
Rose
252
264.50
248.14
Snyder
41
43.38
40.37
Young
146
154.46
143.47
Table of township assessors for the year 1837 :
Rose township
Samuel Lucas.
Perry township
Thomas Gourley.
Ridgeway township
Lyman Wilmarth.
Eldred township .
John Wilson.
Tionesta township
David Mead.
Barnett township
James Aharrah.
Jenks township
Cyrus Blood.
Pine Creek township .
Joseph Carr.
Washington township
Henry Keys.
Snyder town hip
Joseph McAfee.
Young township
John Grube.
"ONE CENT REWARD.
" Ran away from the subscriber on the 5th inst. an indentured ap- prentice to the tailoring business, named Michael Stine, of German de- scent. His clothing consisted of a straw hat, flannel roundabout, black cloth pantaloons, and coarse shoes. Any person returning said runaway shall receive the above reward, but neither thanks nor charges.
" BENJAMIN MCCREIGHT.
" BROOKVILLE, March 7, IS37."
PAMPHLET LAWS.
" Persons wishing to subscribe for the pamphlet laws of the present session will do well to apply soon.
" A. MCKNIGHT, " Treasurer.
" TREASURER'S OFFICE, BROOKVILLE, December 22, 1836."
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
The laws were bound in " board" and sold at fifty cents; and were then published in English and German editions.
" JACKSON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICAN CELEBRATION.
" Pursuant to previous arrangements, the citizens commemorated the 4th day of July by appointing
"Colonel Wm. Jack, president of the day.
" Hon. E. Heath, vice-president.
"C. G. M. Prime, orator.
" L. B. Dunham, reader of the Declaration of Independence.
"J. J. Y. Thompson, reader of toasts.
" Colonel John Smith, marshal of the day.
"REGULAR TOASTS.
" I. The day we celebrate.
" 2. President and Vice-President of the United States.
" 3. General George Washington. His virtue and patriotism will long remain in the minds of the American people. May laurels thicken around his grave.
"4. The heroes of the Revolution, who fought our battles and in the dark days of our adversity wrought out our political salvation ; men whose disinterested achievements are not transcended in all the annals of chivalry, and who for us confronted horrors not surpassed in all the history of the martyrs. They are entitled to the gratitude and liberality of American people.
"5. Governor Wolf, our venerable chief magistrate, a consistent Democrat and faithful servant of the people, his administration insures him the suffrages and gratitude of his constituents.
" 6. General Lafayette, the benefactor of the old and the liberator of the new world. His generous virtue and patriotic principles, more powerful than the armed hosts of nations, swayed empires and controlled the destinies of the earth. Alas ! death has summoned his choice spirit home to that celestial bower, where he sits in the highest niche in that bright constellation of patriots. His memory is indelibly engraven on the hearts of all freemen. The hero, philanthropist, and champion of liberty.
" 7. The Constitution of the United States. The highest evidence of learning, genius, profound wisdom, and devout patriotism ; our nation's most redoubtable fortress defends the invasions of aspiring demagogues or intriguing political jugglers. The first who dare attack it, may he perish beneath its ramparts.
"8. The United States Bank. Old Nick's kingdom. Satan and his angels are roving to and fro, from the east to the west, seeking whom
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
they may devour ; but, fortunate for America's people, the meridian is fast approximating, when Satan shall be bound and his kingdom washed away.
" 9. United States Senate. An ambitious and turbulent cabal ; they present to the people of the United States a perfect picture of what man is when deprived of the divine faculty of reason.
" Io. Agriculture and commerce. The bone and sinew of our re- public ; our stronghold in war, our wealth in peace ; twin stars that will light us into prosperity and glory.
"II. Arts and manufactures. To encourage and foster them is placing a dome over our national fabric, and finishing the stately edifice with the touch of a masterly hand.
" 12. Thomas Jefferson, the illustrious author of the Declaration of Independence, the able supporter and advocate of the Federal Constitu- tion, the champion of civil and religious liberty.
" 13. The American fair. Last in our toasts, first in our hearts, and last to be forgotten.
"' The fair, how fairer can they be ? From all corruptions and faults are free. Their hearts all beat for sacred liberty, For union to a man, and so are we.'
"VOLUNTEER TOASTS.
" By the president of the day, Colonel Wm. Jack. Samuel Mckean. Unworthy the situation he holds, the next Legislature will request his retiring to his original obscurity.
" By the vice-president of the day, Hon. Elijah Heath. The judiciary of Pennsylvania. May they always keep themselves untrammelled from politics.
" By the orator of the day, C. G. M. Prime. Andrew Jackson. Like Moses, he has rescued us by the rod of his miracles ; but unlike Aaron, with that rod he smote the Golden Calf.
" By C. J. Dunham. Anti-Masons. Although the noisy advocates of 'law and order,' they are usually the first to outrage the one and mar the harmony of the other.
" By John Dougherty. The hero of New Orleans. The undaunted chieftain, ever ready to drop the gauntlet to the foes of freedom. The liberal sons of Neptune in Charleston have rigged him with a constitu- tional shillalah from the timber of old Ironsides. May it defend the deposits from the grasp of King Biddle, as it did liberty from the chains of King George.
"By J. J. Y. Thompson. Hon. Samuel Mckean. The fawning sycophant of Clay, Webster and Co., against whom no prudence can
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
guard, no courage defend. The insidious smile upon his cheek should warn his constituents of the canker in his heart.
" By Robert Larrimore. Anti-Masonry. A rotten ladder for down- hill politicians to climb to power.
" By Jesse Clark. General Lafayette. He sat by the cradle of our independence, and never in a long and eventful life was he for a moment unfaithful to the principles of our independence, to the maintenance of which his youth and manhood were devoted. Americans will hold him in grateful remembrance while the earth bears a plant or the sea rolls a wave.
" By Richard Arthurs. May Congress lay by their political weapons of rebellion and unite in protecting the Union.
" By John Gallagher. The President of the United States. In spite of nullifiers and blue lights, he will ride out the storm in safety, the vestal fire of liberty, whose light illuminates the path of the patriot to the temple of freedom, may its genial rays not be shed in vain o'er the green fields of America.
" By L. B. Dunham. Henry Clay, the great grand high priest of envy, malice, and all uncharitableness. His efforts to sacrifice our be- loved President at the altar of his horrid deity, the United States Bank, will only sink him deeper in the bog.
" By John B. Butler. Martin Van Buren. May the laurels he has won so nobly in defending the principles of Andrew Jackson and hurling political Anti-Masonry to the regions of darkness eventually elevate him to the Presidential chair.
" By Colonel John Smith. John Quincy Adams. A great politcal sinner.
" By Wm. Clark, Esq. Martin Van Buren. The next candidate for the Presidential chair. All opposition to him will be in vain. His enemies will vanish away like snow in the grasp of a heated hand.
" By John Earheart. To the afflicted. Down-hill politicians are hereby informed that there is yet room for them in the Anti-Masonic ranks.
" By John Beck. Hon. William Wilkins, our talented Senator in Congress. His able and zealous support of our venerable President and the acts of his administration, particularly in reference to the British bank, merits and will receive the approbation of all true Pennsylvanians.
" By George R. Barrett. The Democratic party of Jefferson County. God speed its progress !
" By C. Blood. The citizens of Brookville. May peace, prosperity, and independence ever attend them for their disinterested attention and hospitality to strangers.
" By C. J. Dunham. The orator of the day. Mighty in the cause of truth.
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
" By Daniel Smith. The fair sex.
"' Auld nature smiles, his lovely dears Her noblest work she classes, O. Her 'prentice han' she tried on man, And then she made the lasses, O.'
" By L. B. Dunham. The fair sex. The patent work of God's invention.
" By Richard Arthurs. He that tramples upon the rights and speaks disdainful of the fair sex, may all good society treat him with unlimited contempt.
" By a guest. Political blacklegs : Senator Clay, two bullets and a bragger. Hard case! Senator Forsyth, two bullets and a bragger, and the eldest hand. Do you give it up? Tune, Sweep-Stakes.
" By a guest. The liberty pole. May we see it rising in strength as long as Democracy shall dwell in the breasts of man, and those who would attempt to put it down be treated as tyrants trampling upon the liberties of their country.
" By the company. The officers of the day. The dignity with which they presided and the faithful discharge of their duty is calculated to raise them in the estimation of their fellow-citizens.
" By the company. Our worthy host and hostess : for our excellent entertainment receive our warmest thanks."
" FOURTH OF JULY.
" JACKSON CELEBRATION.
" The citizens of Brookville and vicinity friendly to a National and State administration celebrated the fifty-eighth anniversary of American independence in a manner creditable to themselves and to the party to which they have the honor to belong. The evening immediately preceding the Fourth of July preparations were made to raise a liberty pole, which had been previously drawn to the place for that purpose (a hickory-tree about one hundred feet in length). Our opponents boasted through the streets that our force was too weak, and that we would not find ten Jackson men in our town to aid in planting our POLE. But when we made an attempt to rally our force, we soon found forty stern Democrats surrounding the tree, and some of them willingly yielded their services to guard it until morning, for fear of an attack by the enemy.
" Our cannon was prepared ; but some person, having no other way of giving vent to a confined genius or displaying their cunning, stole it from the place where it had been left. We wish it to be understood that we do not, neither do we believe it to be the opinion of one of the
319
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
party, that any of the respectable citizens would be guilty of so mean and contemptible an act ; none would condescend to such insignificance. We believe the act to be done by some wag, hawbuck, or scullion pos- sessing more impudence than brains, willing to be called the ready tool of every sycophant who would put themselves on a level with him.
" The morning of the Fourth every preparation was made, and at one o'clock a large and respectable company of ladies and gentlemen as- sembled at the court-house at the ringing of the bell, where the Declara- tion of Independence was read by L. B. Dunham, Esq., and an excellent address delivered by C. G. M. Prime, Esq., well adapted to the occasion.
" After which the company repaired in perfect order to the Franklin House, and partook of an excellent dinner, and we are much pleased to state that the ladies to a considerable number-we know not exactly how many-honored us with their presence, and, to the great gratification of the guests and credit of our village, participated in the festival, joined us in a glass of wine, etc., after which they were accompanied to their respective homes. We must say to the credit of our village that we doubt indeed whether we have a precedent in any of the country towns in the western part of Pennsylvania. The ladies were dressed rich and ele- gant,-in the line of procession from the court-house as well as at the dinner-table, presented a most magnificent appearance. We wish our readers to remember, when we speak of the manner in which the birthday of American Independence was celebrated by the citizens of Brookville, that four years ago the place where this town now stands was an entire wilderness ; where stately edifices are now erected four years ago was the abode of beasts of the forest ; the ground where the liberty pole now stands was then probably occupied by a howling wolf or panther. Little did any who then viewed the site where our flourishing village is situated expect four years hence to see the tall pines and scrubby oaks removed, and in their stead stately dwellings reared ; little did they expect at this time to see a court-house not surpassed in the western country where then the prospective eye could only view a doleful-looking forest. However, we will not at this time leave the subject which we have commenced to portray, the grandeur of our village and its rapid progress.
" After the ladies had retired the cloth was removed, and the table covered with the choicest and best selection of liquors ; the company re- assembled and drank their toasts with loud cheers. Every member of the celebration displayed great zeal in defending the administration of General Andrew Jackson. After the toasts which had been committed to paper were passed, a proposition was made that each member should give a sentiment extemporaneously, which was complied with by several gen- tlemen present, some of which we will cite: 'Hon. John McLean, of Ohio, the Devil on two sticks ;' second, ' General Andrew Jackson : may the sons of America appreciate his worth, and never suffer the indepen-
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
dence which he aided in achieving to be trampled by the foes of American freedom.' Received with cheers and shouts of applause. The company were blessed while together with the prevalence of an unanimity of sen- timent and identity of feeling ; they joined, as we predicted, like a band of brothers cemented together by the fond endearing ties of Jacksonisn, and celebrated the day without a single occurrence calculated to disturb their peace or mar their harmony. They separated in the evening in perfect order."- The Jeffersonian, Brookville, Pennsylvania, Thursday, July 10, 1834. George R. Barrett, editor. Mr. Barrett afterwards be- came the distinguished Judge Barrett.
A CALL FOR AND A REPORT OF THE DOINGS, AND AN EDITORIAL NOTICE OF AN OLD-TIME POLITICAL FOURTH OF JULY CELE- BRATION.
" JACKSON DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICAN MEETING.
" A large and respectable meeting of the Democratic Republican cit- izens of Brookville and vicinity, friendly to the national and State ad- ministration, convened at the house of William Clark, Esq., on Monday, the 23d inst., for the purpose of making arrangements preparatory to celebrating the approaching anniversary of our National independence.
" On motion, Colonel William Jack was called to the chair, and J. J. Y. Thompson appointed secretary.
" Whereupon the following persons were chosen a committee of arrangements : C. G. M. Prime, J. J. Y. Thompson, A. McKnight, J. Beck, and William Rodgers, Esqrs. On motion,
" Resolved, That C. G. M. Prime, C. J. Dunham, G. R. Barrett, be a committee to draft regular toasts suitable to the occasion."
" FOURTH OF JULY.
" We, the undersigned, a committee appointed to make arrangements for celebrating the anniversary of American independence, beg leave to inform their constituents and the public that in pursuance of the duties incumbent upon them they have made necessary arrangements for the entertainments of that day. A dinner will be prepared at the Frank- lin House by Mr. Clark, and an appropriate address delivered in the court-house at the hour of twelve o'clock.
" WILLIAM RODGERS, C. G. M. PRIME, J. J. Y. THOMPSON, J. BECK, ALEXANDER MCKNIGHT.
" BROOKVILLE, June 25, 1834."
- The Jeffersonian.
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
IMPROVEMENT MEETING-RESIGNATION OF JUDGE BURNSIDE.
" At a meeting of the citizens of Jefferson County, on Thursday after- noon of court week, the following proceedings were adopted :
" On motion, James Clover was called to the chair, and R. A. Ayles- worth appointed secretary.
" On motion,
" Resolved, That the following persons compose a committee to draft resolutions expressive of the sense of the meeting, to be reported at an ad- journed meeting to be held in the court-house this evening at early can- dle-light, -- viz. : William Jack, Thomas Hastings, G. R. Barrett, A. McKnight, and R. A. Aylesworth.
" Resolved, That James M. Stedman, James Clover, and John Galla- gher be a committee to wait on the Hon. Thomas Burnside and General William R. Smith, and solicit them to address the meeting this evening.
" Resolved, That the meeting adjourn to meet this evening at early candle-light.
"ADJOURNED MEETING.
" At an adjourned meeting of the citizens of Jefferson County, held at the court-house on Thursday evening of the February court, the fol- lowing proceedings were had :
" On motion, the Hon. Elijah Heath was called to the chair.
" Thomas Lucas and James H. Bell, Esqs., vice-presidents.
" James M. Steedman and John Beck, Esqrs., secretaries.
" When Judge Burnside opened the meeting by reading the part of the bill relative to extending the Pennsylvania Canal to the mouth of French Creek, by means of canal or railway, and, to the gratification of all present, delivered a very elaborate and appropriate address.
" He was succeeded by General William R. Smith, who addressed the meeting with great earnestness in a brief but pithy address, after which the committee reported the following resolutions :
" Resolved, That we view with deep interest the importance of extend- ing the West Branch Canal, or slack-water navigation, to the mouth of Anderson's Creek, in Clearfield County, and from thence a water navi- gation, by means of canal or slack-water, along the Sinnamahoning and Clarion Rivers, or railway through Jefferson and Armstrong Counties to connect the French Creek division of the Pennsylvania Canal.
" Resolved, That Jefferson County is large in territory and embraces a body of land with soil unsurpassed in Pennsylvania, covered with tim- ber of the first order, with large bodies of stone coal, salt-wells, and iron ore in abundance, and, in fact, everything calculated to advance the interest and further the improvement of our county.
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
" Resolved, That we highly approve of the measures of the canal commissioners for the improvement of this our important section of the county.
" Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting the facilities which will be afforded by the contemplated connection of the eastern and western waters are too vitally important to be looked over. The trade passing east and west by way of this communication will surpass the most sanguine expectations of the people.
" Resolved, That if the present contemplated connection is carried into effect it will ere long form the most prominent part of our im- provement.
" A motion was then made that the meeting adjourn, and the people invited to keep their seats to hear the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted by the meeting with loud cheers of applause, every one responding to the sentiment :
" Resolved, That we appreciate the talents, stability, character, and public worth of the Hon. Thomas Burnside, and that the citizens of this county and members of the bar sincerely regret his departure as presi- dent judge of this district ; that the highest testimonial of respect we are able to pay him is the assurance that he carries with him our best wishes for his future happiness, and we will ever cherish a grateful remembrance of our former acquaintance."
BURNSIDE'S RESPONSE.
" GENTLEMEN,-I have this day received the flattering resolution passed unanimously by the meeting over which you presided last evening at the court-house.
" I want words to express my thanks and my feelings for this mark of respect from the people and the bar of Jefferson County.
" It is grateful to my heart to have their confidence both in my public and private capacity.
" I bear testimony to the kindness of the people, their regard for the law, and their promptness on all occasions to maintain it. It is due to the bar to declare my entire approbation of their correct and gentle- manly deportment, and I part with them all with feelings of kindness and respect. I shall always remember them with the deepest sense of gratitude.
" Accept, gentlemen, my most grateful respects, and permit me to tender through you to the people of Jefferson County and the bar my unfeigned thanks for the kind and flattering sentiments conveyed in their resolution.
" THOMAS BURNSIDE.
" Directed to the officers of the meeting."
-The Jeffersonian, February 19, 1835.
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
SHOOTING-STARS IN 1833-A SHOWER OF FIRE-NATURAL PHENOMENON.
" The heavens declare thy glory, O Lord."
On Wednesday, November 13, 1833, about 5 o'clock A.M., the heavens presented a spectacle in this wilderness as has seldom been seen in the world. To those who saw it in this county it struck terror to their hearts, and many ran away from home to their neighbors, declaring that the " day of judgment had arrived." The duration of the display was about an hour. One account says, -
" Yesterday morning, between the hours of five and six o'clock, the heavens presented a very unusual and brilliant display of shooting me- teors, a more full account of which, I hope, will be furnished by those better versed in astography than the writer of this.
" At one period probably more than one hundred, of various sizes and brightness, appeared shooting forth from zenith to the horizon, illumi- nating not only the azure vault, already bright and clear with the vast num- ber of stars with which it was studded, but actually lighting up our very chambers, as if to allure the slothful to a scene very rarely to be wit- nessed. They were attended with no noise, at least distinguishable to us, but were remarkable for their number, their startling velocity, and bright- ness with which they seemed to dart athwart the sky, and the brilliant track they left behind.
" The phenomenon continued until the approach of the sun, when the light of the meteors was lost in the near effulgence of his blaze.
"In a book recently published, called 'The Geography of the Heavens, with a Celestial Atlas,' by E. H. Barritt, A.M., pages 104- 1957/2, an account is given of a scene similar to the above.
"' Mr. Andrew Ellicott, who was sent out as our commissioner to fix the boundary between the Spanish possessions in North America and the United States, witnessed a very extraordinary flight of shooting-stars, which filled the whole atmosphere from Cape Florida to the West India Islands. This grand phenomenon took place the 12th of November, 1799, and is thus described : "I was called up," says Mr. Ellicott, " about three o'clock in the morning to see the shooting-stars, as they are called. The whole heavens appeared as if illuminated with sky-rockets, which disappeared only by the light of the sun after daybreak. The meteors, which at any one instant of time appeared as numerous as the stars, flew in all possible directions, except from the earth, towards which they all inclined more or less, and some of them descended perpendicu- larly over the vessel we were in, so that I was in constant expectation of their falling upon us." '
" The notion that this phenomenon betokens high winds is of great antiquity. Virgil, in the first book of 'Georgica,' expresses the same idea :
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PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
"' And oft, before temptations winds arise, The seeming stars fall headlong from the skies, And shooting through the darkness, gild the night With sleeping glories and long tails of light.'" - The Jeffersonian.
THE PIONEER TEMPERANCE WORK IN JEFFERSON COUNTY-THE PIONEER TEMPERANCE WORKERS-ORGANIZATION OF THE JEF- FERSON COUNTY TEMPERANCE SOCIETY, AN AUXILIARY TO THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE TEMPERANCE SOCIETY-WASHING- TONIANS.
In what year this society was formed and by whom is unknown. I find the following call in The Jeffersonian, Thursday, April 3, 1834 :
" TEMPERANCE MEETING.
" A meeting of the Jefferson County Temperance Society will be held in the court-house on Monday evening, the 7th day of April next. An address will be delivered by Mr. John Wilson. The ladies and gentlemen are invited to attend.
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