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 51
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
A common sign in those days was, " Cakes & Beer For Sale Here," -a bottle of foaming beer in a glass in the corner. The first of these signs which I remember was one on John Brownlee's house, on the north- east corner of Main and Mill Streets, and one on John Showalter's house (the late gunsmith), now the property of John S. Moore. The cakes were made of New Orleans molasses, and were delicious, more so than any you can make or buy now. They were sold for a cent apiece. The beer was home-made, and called "small beer," and sold for three cents a glass. It was made of hops, ginger, spruce, sassafras-roots, wheat bran, molasses, yeast, and water. About every family made their own beer. Mrs. Showalter and other old ladies living in the town now, I venture to say, have made " barrels" of it.
The hotels in the town then were four in number. First, the " Red Lion," located then where Frank P. Rankin now has his hardware store. This hotel was kept by John Smith, the step-father of David Eason. The second was the " Jefferson House," then kept by Thomas Hastings, now occupied and kept by Phil. J. Allgeier. In this hotel the " light fantas- tic toe" was tripped to the airs of " Money Musk," " Virginia Reel," " French Four," and "Pine Creek Lady." The orchestra for these occasions was George Hayes, a colored fiddler of the town, who could
514
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
play the violin behind his back as well as before his face, with his left or right hand, and asleep or awake. I could name quite a number of ladies in the town now whom I used to see enjoying themselves in this way. The third was the " Franklin House," built by John Gelvin, and then kept by John Pierce. The Central Hotel, owned by S. B. Arthurs, has been erected on the ground occupied by the Franklin. The fourth was on the corner of Main and Barnett Streets, erected by John Dougherty. It swung the sign,-
" Peace and Poverty, by John Dougherty."
In 1840 it was occupied and kept by John Gallagher. Each of these hotels had license, and sold whiskey at three cents a drink, mostly on credit. You could have your whiskey straight, or have brown sugar or " tansy bitters" in it. The bars had to be opened regularly on Sunday for "morning bitters." Single meals were given for twenty-five cents, a " check" or cold meal for a " 'leven-penny bit," and a bed for ten cents. You could stop overnight, have supper, bed, morning bitters, and break- fast, all for fifty cents.
The Susquehanna and Waterford turnpike was completed in 1822-23. It was a good road, and was kept in fair repair. In 1840 it passed from under State control, and the magnitude of the travel over it was great. The stage line was started in 1825. Morrow started his team in 1835, and cattle and other droving commenced in 1835. All this I am told ; but I know the stage was a big factor in 1840. Morrow was on time, and droving was immense. I have seen passing through Brook- ville on their way east from four to six droves of cattle in a day. The droves were generally divided into three sections. At the head of the first would be a man leading a big ox, his extra clothing strapped on the ox's head, and the man would be crying out ever and anon, " K-o, b-o-s-s ;" "Come, boss." I have seen two and three droves of sheep pass in a day, with occasionally a drove of hogs sandwiched between them. Horse droves were numerous, too. I have seen a few droves of colts, and a few droves of turkeys. I could not give an estimate of the number of these droves I have seen passing our home in a day. The business of droving began in June of each year, and ended in November. There was no other way to take this merchandise east than to drive it.
But you must not think everybody was going east. A big lot of people were going west, including their cousins and their aunts. This turnpike was the shortest line west. We lived where T. L. Templeton now lives, and every few days all through the summer months I would see, nearly opposite the Baptist church, in the middle of the street, two men and a dog, and one of the men usually carrying a gun. They were the advance-guard for an " emigrant train." In a few minutes from one to six wagons would come in sight and stop,-all stopping here for a
515
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
short rest. "Where are you going ?" was the usual inquiry. "Going West ; going to Ohio." The wagons were heavy, wide-tracked, covered with hoops and a white canvas, and had a stiff tongue and iron pole- chains. The horses wore heavy harness with iron trace-chains. An occasional emigrant would locate in our county, but the great majority generally struggled on for the far West,-Ohio.
The usual mode of travel for the people was on foot or on horseback ; but the most interesting mode was the daily stage, which " brought" and " took" the mail and carried the passengers who were going east or west. This was the " limited mail," and the " day and night express" of these days,-a through train, only stopping thirty minutes for meals. Of course this "limited mail," this " day and night express," over this " short route," eclipsed and overshadowed every other line and mode of travel. It was "grand, startling, and stupendous." There were no through tickets sold, to be
" Punched, punched with care,
Punched in the presence of the passengaire."
The fare was six cents a mile in advance, and to be paid in " bimetal- lism." When the officials made their usual tour of inspection over this " road," they had extended to them the genuine hospitality of everybody, including that of the landlords, and free whiskey. President Roberts, of the great Pennsylvania line, is a small potato to-day in contrast with the chief manager of our line in that day, for our line was then the van- guard of every improvement a passenger might desire or a traveller wish for.
The coaches were made in Concord, New Hampshire, and were called " rockaway coaches." Each coach had heavy leather belt-springs, and was a handsome vehicle, painted red, with gold stripes and letters, and was drawn by four horses. The coach was made to carry nine passengers, but I have often seen it with a dozen inside, two on the seat with the driver, and some on top. Trunks were carried on the top and in the " boot." Every driver carried a horn, and always took a " horn." When nearing a " relay" or a post-office, the valleys and hills were made to echo and re-echo to the "er-r-a-h, er-r-a-h, tat, tat, t-a-h, tat t-a-h" of the driver's horn, which was to attract the attention of the landlord or postmaster by night or by day. Sometimes the coaches were the most ordinary hacks, and the horses could be " seen through," whether sick or well, without the aid of any X-rays.
The roads in spring, summer, and fall were a succession of mud-holes, with an occasional corduroy. Don't mention bad roads now. The male passengers usually walked up the hills.
I take from an old paper the experience of one who rode in these stages :
516
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
" Jolted, thumped, distracted, Rocked, and quite forlorn. Oh! wise one, what duties Now are laid on corn ? Mad, disgusted, angry, In a swearing rage, 'Tis the very d-} Riding in this stage."
The prominent stage-drivers in 1840 were Gabriel Vastbinder, Bill Adams, Joe Stratton, and others. Each driver carried a whip made as follows : a hickory stock, and a buckskin lash ten or twelve feet long, with a silk cracker on the end. These whips were handled with marvel- lous dexterity by drivers, and were made to crack over the horses' heads like pistols. The great pride of a driver then was to turn a "coach- and-four" with the horses on a " complete run." Bill Adams was good at this. A laughable incident occurred in one of these turns on Main Street. The driver was showing off in his usual style, and in making the turn with the horses on a complete run the coach struck a stone, which upset it. The weight of all the passengers coming against the coach- door burst it open, and the passengers, one and all, were thrown out and literally dumped into the hotel bar-room. This was a perfection in stage driving not easily attained.
In 1840 the Brookville merchant kept his own books,-or, as he would have said, his own accounts,-wrote all his letters with a quill, and when they were written let the ink dry or sprinkled it with sand. There were then no envelopes, no postage stamps, no letter-boxes in the streets, no collection of the mail. The letter written, the paper was carefully folded, sealed with wax or a wafer, addressed, and carried to the post-office, where postage was prepaid at rates which would now seem extortionate.
In 1840, Brookville merchants purchased their goods in Philadelphia. These purchases were made in the spring and fall. It took about two and a half days continuous travelling in the " limited mail" day and night stage-coach to reach Lewistown, Pennsylvania, and required about one day and a half travelling over the canal and railroad to reach Phila- delphia from that point. From Brookville to Philadelphia it required some four or five days' constant travelling. Our merchants carried their money on these trips as well as they could, mostly secreted in some way about their persons. After purchasing their goods in Philadelphia, they were ordered to be shipped to Brookville as " heavy freight," over the great corporation freight line of " Joe Morrow." Joe was a " bloated corporationist," a transportation monopolist of that day. He was a whole " trust" in himself. He owned and managed the whole line, and had no opposition, on this end at least. His line consisted of two Con-
517
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
estoga wagons, the bed on each at least four feet high and sixteen feet long. Each wagon was painted blue, and each was covered with a white canvas, this covering supported by hoops. The wagon was always loaded and unloaded from the rear end. The tires on the wheels were six inches wide. Each wagon would carry over three tons of freight, and was drawn over good roads by six magnificent horses, and over bad roads by
NNI
Bennett's stage and Morrow's team.
eight of such horses. This was the " fast" and heavy freight line from Philadelphia to Brookville until the canal was built to Lewistown, Penn- sylvania, when Morrow changed his head-quarters from Philadelphia to Lewistown, and continued to run his semi annual "freight train" from Lewistown to Brookville. Morrow's advent into town was always a great
5IS
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
event. He always stopped his " train" in front of the Red Lion Hotel, then kept by John Smith. The horses were never stabled, but stood day and night in the street, three on each side of the stiff tongue of the wagon, and were fed in a box he carried with him, called his " feed- trough." The harness was broad and heavy, and nearly covered the horses ; and they were " hitched up" to the wagon with iron " pole" and "trace-chains." The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the Switchmen's Union, the "American Railway Union," and all the Sovereigns and Debses put together, had no terrors for Joe, for he had but one employee, a " brakeman," for his second wagon. Joe was the em- ployed and the employer. Like a " transportation king," like a " robber baron," he sat astride a wagon saddle on the hind near horse, driving the others with a single line and a blacksnake whip, to the words, " Gee," "Jep," and "Haw." Morrow always remained in Brookville four or five days, to buy our products and load his train for the home trip. He bought and loaded clover, timothy, and flaxseed, feathers, old rags, tar, beeswax, wheat, rye, chestnuts, furs, and dried elder- berries. The western terminus of his line was Shippenville, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and on his return from there he bought up these products.
Morrow's last trip to Brookville with his train was about the year 1850. He was an Irishman, slim, wiry, industrious, and of business habits. He was killed by the kick of a horse, at Cross's tavern, Centre County, Pennsylvania,-kicked on the 11th day of September, 1855, and died on the 12th. I remember that he usually wore a spotted fawn-skin vest, made from the skin with the hair on. The merchants in Brookville of that day who are still living, and for whom Morrow hauled goods, as far as I can recollect, are Uriah Matson, Harry Matson, Judge Henderson, Samuel Truby, Wm. Rodgers, and W. W. Corbett, who now reside in or near the town, Captain John Hastings, of Punxsutawney, W. F. Clark, of Maquoketa, Iowa, and S. M. Moore, of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The town was laid out in 1830. My father moved here in 1832. He taught the first term of the school in the town, in the winter of 1832. He was lieutenant-colonel in the militia, a justice of the peace, and was county treasurer when he died, in 1837, at the early age of twenty-seven years, leaving my mother in this wilderness, a widow with three small children to support and rear. In 1840 my mother taught a summer term of school in what was then and is now called the Butler school-house. This school house is on the Ridgway road, in Pine Creek township, three miles from town. I was small, and had to go and come to and from this school with mother. We came home every Saturday to remain over Sunday, and to attend Presbyterian church, service being then held in the old brick court-house. The Presbyterians then called
519
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
their church " Bethel." In 1842 it was changed to Brookville. We had no choir in the church then, but had a " clerk," who would stand in front of the pulpit, read out two lines, and then sing them, then read two more and sing them, and so on until the hymn or psalm was sung, the congregation joining in as best they could. Of these clerks, the only ones I can now recollect were Thomas Lucas, Samuel McQuiston, and John S. Lucas. I have no recollection of David's psalms being used other than is found in Watts's version, in combination with the hymns. I recollect two of the favorite hymns at that time with this church. The first verse of each hymn was as follows :
" When I can read my title clear To mansions in the skies, I'll bid farewell to every fear, And wipe my weeping eyes."
The first verse of the second hymn was :
" There is a land of pure delight, Where saints immortal reign ; Infinite day excludes the night, And pleasures banish pain."
One by one, these early pioneer Christians have left for this "land of pure delight !" to occupy these " mansions in the skies." I hope and pray that each one is now-
" In seas of heavenly rest."
After returning home from the Butler school-house one Saturday, I remember I asked my mother for a " piece." She went to the cupboard, and when she got there the cupboard was not bare, for, lo ! and behold, a great big snake was therein, coiled and ready for fight. My mother, in horror, ran to the door and called Mr. Lewis Dunham, a lawyer, who lived in the house now occupied by R. M. Matson, Esq. Mr. Dunham came on a run, and tried to catch or kill the snake with our " tongs," but it made good its escape through a big hole in the corner of the cupboard. Reptiles, such as black-, rattle-, house-, and other snakes were very plenty then in and around Brookville, and dangerous, too. These snakes fed and lived on birds, mice, etc., and were very fond of milk, which they drink after the manner of a horse.
In a former chapter I called Brookville a town of shanties. And so it was ; but there was one exception, there was one solid building, a dwell- ing occupied by a man named Bliss, on Water Street, on or near the lot at present owned and occupied by Billy Barr. It was built of logs. The other shanties were solid enough, for they were built in a different man-
520
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
ner from shanties now, being put together with " frame timbers," mor- tised and tenoned, and fastened with oak pins, as iron and nails were scarce, people being poor and having little or no money. Every build- ing had to have a "raising," and the neighbors had to be invited to help " raise." Cyrus Butler, a bluff, gruff Yankee, was the captain at all raisings. He would stand off by himself, crying out at the proper time, "All together, men, he-o. he ! he-o-he !"
My mother. " Who ran to help me when I fell, And would some pretty story tell, And kiss the place to make it well ? My mother !"
No dwelling in the town was then complete without having in the back-yard an " out-oven," an "ash-hopper," a "dye-kettle," and a rough box fastened to the second story of the necessary, in which to raise early cabbage-plants. At the rear of each kitchen was a hop-vine with its pole, and each family raised its own catnip, peppermint, sage, and tansy.
" The hand of the reaper Takes the leaves that are hoary, But the voice of the weeper Wails manhood in glory."
34
521
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
In 1840 there was a law requiring the enrollment of all able-bodied men between twenty-one and forty-five years of age in the militia. These were formed into companies and battalions, and organized into brigades, each brigade to meet once a year in " encampment," for a period of three days, two days for " muster and drill" and one day for " review." The encampments were held in May or June, and for some reason or other these soldiers were called the " cornstalk militia," because some of the soldiers carried cornstalks for guns. No uniforms were worn in most cases. The soldier wore his homespun or store-clothes, and each one re- ported with his own pike, wooden gun, rifle, or musket, and, under the inspiring influence of his accoutrements, discipline, and drill,-
" Each bosom felt the high alarms, And all their burning pulses beat to arms."
For non-attendance by a soldier at these encampments a fine of fifty cents was imposed for every day's absence. This fine had to be paid in cash, and was quite a severe penalty in those days of no money, county orders, and store barter.
The first encampment I remember was held on what is now called Granger (Jack) Heber's farm. Brigadier General Mercer was the com- mander then. He rode a sorrel horse, with a silver mane and tail, and a curled moustache. His bridle was ornamented with fine leather straps, balls, and tassels, and the blue saddle-cloth was covered with stars and spangles, giving the horse the appearance of a "fiery dragon." The general would occasionally dismount, to make some inspection on foot, when the army was drawn up in line, and then a great race, and fre- quently a fight, would occur among the small boys for the possession of the horse. The reward for holding him at this time was a " fippenny- bit." The camp grounds were alive with whiskey-sellers, ginger-bread and small beer dealers. Whiskey was to be had from barrels or jugs, in large or small quantities. When the army was in line it was dealt out to the soldiers from a bucket with a dipper. Anybody could sell whiskey and anybody could drink it. It was worth from twelve to twenty cents a gallon. The more brawls and fist-fights, the livelier, better, and greater was considered the muster. The bad blood between neighbors was al- ways settled here. Each party always resolved to meet the other on re- view-day to fight it out, and after the fight to meet, drink together, and make up their difference. Pugilism was practised in that day, not on scientific principles, but by main strength. The terror of all public gatherings was a man called "Devil John Thompson." He lived in Indiana County, and came here always on reviews. Each military com- pany had a fifer or drummer, seldom a complete band. I have seen the late Judge Taylor blowing his fife, the only musician of and for one of these companies. This occurred on Main Street, in front of our house ;
522
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
and when I look back on this soldier scene, it seems to me these soldiers, from their appearance, must have been composed of the rag tag and bob- tail of creation. An odd and comic sight it really was. To be an officer or captain in one of these companies was considered a great honor, and something which the recipient was in duty bound to thank God for in his morning and evening prayers. I cannot do this subject justice. Such was the Pennsylvania militia as I saw it, and all that remains for me to say is, " Great the State and great her sons."
In 1840 we had two big men in the town,-Judge William Jack, who was sent to Congress, and who built and lived in the house on Pickering Street now owned and occupied by Joseph Darr, Esq., and General Levi G. Clover, who lived on Main Street, in a house that was burned down, which stood on the lot now owned by Mrs. Clarissa Clements, and is the place of business of Misses McLain and Fetzer. Clover was a big man physically, a big man in the militia, a big man in politics, and a big man in business. Like most big men in those days, he owned and ran a whiskey-still. This distillery was located on or near the property of Fred. Starr, in what is now Litchtown. I used to loaf occasionally in this distillery, and I have seen some of our old citizens take a pint tin cup and dip it full of whiskey from out of Clover's copper kettles, and then drink this whole pint of whiskey down apparently at one gulp. I might pause to say right here, that in drinking whiskey, racing, square pulling, swearing, and fighting the old settler was "right in it." The wrestling- and fighting-ground then for the men and boys was the ground now occupied by the Jenks machine-shop, and the highway to and from these grounds was down the alley between Ed. Snyder's blacksmith-shop and C. A. Carrier's store. I have had business on that ground with some boys myself.
In the woods in and around Brookville in 1840 there were many sweet- singing birds and beautiful wild-flowers. I remember the laurel. We used to adorn our mantels and parlor fireplaces with these every spring. I remember the honeysuckle, the wild rose, the crab-apple tree, the thorn, and others. The aroma from many of these flowers was delightful. House-plants were unknown. The garden flowers of that day were the pink (" a flower most rare"), the lilac, the hollyhock, the sunflower, and the rose. Each garden had a little bed of " sweet-williams" and " johnny- jump ups." The garden rose was a beautiful, sweet flower then, and it is a beautiful, sweet flower to-day, and it ever will be sweet and beautiful. My mother used to sing to me this hymn of Isaac Watts's as a lullaby :
" How fair is the rose, what a beautiful flower ! In summer so fragrant and gay ; But its leaves are beginning to fade in an hour ; And they wither and die in a day.
523
PIONEER HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNA.
" Yet the rose has one powerful virtue to boast Above all the flowers of the field :
When its leaves are all dead and its fine colors lost, Still how sweet a perfume it will yield.
"So frail are the youth and the beauty of men, Though they look gay and bloom like the rose, Yet all our fond care to preserve them is vain, Time kills them as fast as he goes.
" Then I'll not be proud of my youth or my beauty, Since both will soon wither and fade, But gain a good name by performing my duty ; This will scent like the rose when I'm dead."
In 1840 there was no church building in the town. Our Presby- terian preacher in the town was the Rev. David Polk, a cousin to Presi- dent Polk. The token was then given out on Saturday to all those who were adjudged worthy to sit at the Lord's table. These tokens were taken up on the following Sunday while seated at the table. Friday was " fast" or preparation day. We were not allowed to eat anything, or very little, until the sun went down. I can only remember that I used to get hungry and long for night to come. Rev. Polk preached half of his time in Corsica, the other half in Brookville. His salary was four hundred dollars per year,-two hundred dollars from Brookville and two hundred dollars from Corsica. He lived on the pike in the
hollow beyond and west of Roseville. He preached in the court- house until the Presbyterians completed the first church building in the town, in 1843. It stood where the church now stands, and was then outside of the borough limits. The building was erected through the efforts of a lawyer then residing in Brookville, named C. A. Alex- ander. The ruling elders of the church then were Thomas Lucas, John Matson, Sr., Elijah Clark, John Lattimer, Joseph Mccullough, and John Wilson.
Other preachers came to town occasionally in 1840, and held their services in the court house. One jolly, aged Welshman was called Father Thomas. He was a Baptist, a dear old man, and a great singer. I al- ways went to his church to hear him sing. I can sing some of his songs yet. I will repeat a stanza from one of his favorites :
" Oh, then I shall be ever free, Happy in eternity, Eternity, eternity, Happy in eternity."
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.