USA > Pennsylvania > A pioneer outline history of northwestern Pennsylvania > Part 37
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" The first economical use of gas in the United States was at Fredonia, Chautauqua County, New York, when, in 1821, a well was drilled twenty- seven feet deep and one and one-half inches in diameter, that produced suffi- cient gas to illuminate the little village, which was lighted by thirty burners, these being made by drilling a hole the size of a small knitting-needle in the pipe. This gas was conveyed from the well to the place where it was used in wooden pipes.
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" The first application of natural gas for fuel was in Erie, Pennsylvania, about 1868, and the first natural gas plant which supplied lights and heat in a large and permanent quantity by methods and appliances similar to those used at the present time was constructed in Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1872, and the first natural gas line was built in 1875 from Butler County, Penn- sylvania, to Pittsburg, which was seventeen miles long and six inches in diameter. Since that time its application has increased by leaps and bounds until reckless consumption and appalling waste depleted many of the original fields."-Potter Journal.
Snow fell in 1799 to the depth of five feet. Many wild animals starved to death. There was a great fall of snow in 1817.
Locusts swarmed through this wilderness in 1795, in 1812, in 1829, and in 1846. A big frost,-a regular freeze,-occurred in June, 1843.
CHAPTER XXI
MY FIRST RECOLLECTIONS OF BROOKVILLE
" How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood, When fond recollection presents them to view. . the deep tangled wildwood, And every loved spot which my infancy knew."
I WAS born in Brookville when wolves howled almost nightly on what is now known as our " Fair Ground;" when the pine in its lofty pride leaned
Pioneer court house and jail, 1831
" Where gross misconduct met the lash, And there see the rock-built prison's dreadful face."
gloomily over every hill-side; when the shades of the forest were heavy the whole day through; when the woods around our shanty town was the
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home of many wild animals and birds, such as panthers, bears, wild-cats, foxes, deer, wolves, elks, rabbits, catamounts, coons, ground-hog's, porcupines, partridges, turkeys, and pheasants; when the clear sparkling waters of the North Fork, Sandy Lick, and Red Bank Creeks contained choice pike, many bass, sunfish, horned chubs, trout, and other fish; when the wild " bee trees" were quite numerous and full of luscious sweets for the woodman's axe. As you will see, choice meals for hunters could easily be obtained from the abundance of this game. All flesh-eating animals were either hunters, fishers, or both.
The conditions and circumstances of the county made every man a hunter, and each and every one had his gun, bullet-moulds, shot-pouch, and powder-horn for any and every emergency. It was frequently found neces- sary before going to church on Sunday to shoot a wild turkey or a deer to " keep them off the grass." The " mighty hunters," though, were " Mike," " Dan," John, and " Bill" Long. Dan was murdered on the Clarion River, near Raught's mill. John was the father of Hon. James E. Long. In winter these hunters wore a white garment, called a "hunting-shirt," buckskin breeches, and moccasin shoes. In their shirt belts each carried a flint-knocker, spunk, hunting-knives, and a tomahawk. Animals were ruthlessly killed for their skins. Deer were thus slaughtered, only the " saddles" or hind quarters being saved for food. If a history of these Longs could be truthfully written, -a full narration of their adventures, perils, coolness, and daring while on the trail of bears, wolves, and panthers,-it would, perhaps, make a book equally as interesting as the "Life of Daniel Boone and Simon Girty."
In the way of a preface to these imperfect reminiscences of Brookville and our dear fathers I simply ask of you this :
"Let not ambition mock their useful toil, Their homely joys and destiny obscure, Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile These short and simple annals of the poor."
My first clear and distinct recollections of our town and the people in it are in the years 1840 to 1843. The ground where the Democrat is now printed was then covered with pines. Then Brookville was a town of forty or fifty " shanties" and eight or ten business places, including the " old brick court-house" and the " old stone jail." The number of people in the town was three hundred and twenty-two. These "shanties" were principally on Main Street, and extended from where the Baptist church now is in the east to where Judge Clark now lives in the west. There were a few scattered shanties on Jefferson Street. A great deep gully crossed Main Street about where the Brookville National Bank now stands.
A common sight 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
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which I remember was one on John Brownlee's house, on the northeast 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 (1898), I venture to say, have made " barrels" of it.
The taverns in the town then were four in number. First, the "Red Lion." This inn 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 fantastic 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, who came from Westmoreland County, a colored fiddler of the town, who could 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 over night, have supper, bed, morning bitters, and breakfast, all for fifty cents. There was but one table, one hour, one ringing of the bell.
The Susquehanna and Waterford turnpike was completed in 1824. 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 1824. Morrow started his team then, 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 im- mense. I have seen passing through Brookville on their way east from four to six droves of cattle in a day. The droves were generally divided into three
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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 flocks of turkeys. I could not give an estimate of the num- ber 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 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 " bimetallism.' 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. The President of the great Penn- sylvania 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 vanguard of every improve- ment 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
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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. In later years 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 pas- sengers usually walked up the hills. All this in the blackness of darkness without a match, lantern, or light.
I take from an old paper the experience of one who rode in these stages :
"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-1 Riding in this stage."
From 1832 to about 1840 the drivers were Henry Dull and Andrew Loux, father of Enoch Loux.
The prominent stage-drivers in 1840 were John S. Barr, S. P. Barr, Gabriel Vastbinder, Bill Adams, Joe Stratton, and others. Each driver car- ried 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 marvellous 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
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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 Philadelphia 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 pur- chasing their goods in Philadelphia, they were ordered to be shipped to Brookville as "heavy freight," over the great corporation freight line of
Bennett's stage and Morrow's team
"Joe Morrow." Joe was a " bloated corporationist," a transportation mo- nopolist 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 Conestoga wagons, the bed on cach 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 eight of such horses, and each horse weighed about fourteen hundred. The price of wagon carriage over this distance was five dollars and six dollars
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a hundredweight. This was the " fast" and heavy freight line from Phila- delphia to Brookville until the canal was built to Lewistown, Pennsylvania, 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 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 Loco- motive 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 employed 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." He drove with one line, and when he wanted his horse to haw he would pull on the line; if he wanted him to gee he would jerk on the line. 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 elderberries. The western terminus of his line was Shippen- ville, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, and on his return from there he bought up these products. Conestoga wagons came into use about 1760.
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, Clearfield County, Pennsyl- vania,-kicked on the IIth 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 (1895), 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. Corbet, who now resides in or near the town, Captain John Hastings, of Punxsutawney, W. F. Clark, of Maquoketa, Iowa, and S. M. Moore, of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
" The past-the present race must tell Of deeds done by their friends of old, Who at their posts of duty fell, And left their acts and deeds untold."
The town was laid out in 1830. My father moved here in 1832. He taught the first term of school in the town, in the winter of 1832. He was
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lieutenant-colonel in the militia, a justice of the peace, and was county treas- urer 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 Presby- terian church, service being then held in the old brick court-house. The Presbyterians then called 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' version, in combination with the hymns. I recollect two of the favorite hymns at that time with this church. The first verse of one 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 rat-hole in the corner of the cupboard. Reptiles, such as black -. rattle-, house-, and other snakes were very plenty then in and around Brook-
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ville, 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 (1898) 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- ner from shanties now, being put together with " frame timbers," mortised
My mother
" Who ran to help me when I fell, And would some pretty story tell, Or kiss the place to make it well? My mother !"
and tenoned, and fastened with oak pins, as iron and nails were scarce, people being poor and having little or no money. Every building 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 !"
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
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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."
In 1840 there was a law requiring the enrolment 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 home- spun or store-clothes, and each one reported 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 frequently a fight, would occur among the small boys for the possession of the horse. The reward for hold- ing 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. Any- body 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 neigh-
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bors was always settled here. Each party always resolved to meet the other on review-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 scien- tific 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 company had a fifer or drum- mer, 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; 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 con- sidered 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."
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