USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > Armstrong County, Pennsylvania her people past and present, embracing a history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 11
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 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96
RAILROADS IN ARMSTRONG COUNTY
The Northwestern Pennsylvania road was chartered in 1853, to run from Blairsville to Freeport, but after some construction had been done it failed. It was bought by the Western Pennsylvania railroad in 1859, work was resumed in 1863, and in 1864 the first train run as far as Kiski Junction. The follow- ing year trains ran into Allegheny, and in 1871 the Butler branch was built and operated.
The Parker & Karns City narrow gauge road was chartered in 1872 and operated in 1874. It was consolidated in 1881 with the Pittsburgh & Western, became financially em- barrassed in 1879, and in 1882 leased to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company. It was made standard gauge in 1887.
The Pine Creek & Dayton road, narrow gauge, was built in 1869 to carry ore to the Pine Creek furnace. In 1899 the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh road built their line through the county, using part of the old roadbed of the Pine Creek road. A line of the B., R. & P. was also surveyed through Apollo to Pittsburgh, but not utilized in any way. The Rural Valley R. R. is a branch of this road, from Echo to Rural Valley.
The first telegraph lines in the county were erected along the line of the Allegheny Valley road in 1863. Later they were absorbed by the Western Union.
By act of April 4, 1837, when the late Gov. Wm. F. Johnston was representing this county The Pennsylvania Railroad Company began the operation of the Allegheny Valley road under lease, Aug. 1, 1900, and on April 7, 1910, acquired possession of the entire line. in the lower house of our State Legislature, a charter was granted for constructing the Pittsburgh, Kittanning & Warren railroad. Various supplements were afterward passed, The mileage of the Pennsylvania in the county
37
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
is 34.38 miles of main track, of which 29.68 of a railroad financed partly by Armstrong miles is double track. The company proposes county capital and catering largely to Arm- strong county people. This was the Pitts- burgh, Shawmut & Northern railroad, which connects together with iron bands the people of Kittanning and Brookville. to complete the double tracking of the entire line through the county and to change the alignment wherever necessary. One of the improvements under way is the great Kenner- dell tunnel through the hill at Brady's Bend, which will be completed in 1916.
Since the company took charge of the road they have built new stations at Johnetta, Tem- pleton and Kittanning, and erected modern steel bridges over the Kiskiminetas river, Red Bank and Mahoning creeks. They have also added 29.68 miles of secondary track in the county.
There are an average of seven northbound and seven southbound passenger trains through Kittanning 'daily, and four north- bound and four southbound passenger trains through to Pittsburgh and Kittanning every day. The average number of freight trains running through Kittanning every twenty-four hours is twenty-eight, and the number of em- ployces of the road in the county is almost one hundred. This is certainly a very economical and creditable report for the chief railroad in this part of the State.
At present there are 200 miles of steam railroad through and adjoining this county. Of this the Allegheny Valley division of the Pennsylvania has 60 miles; the Conemaugh division, 23 miles : the Low Grade division. 25 miles ; the Butler branch, 8 miles; the Buf- falo, Rochester & Pittsburgh, 33 miles; the Pittsburgh, Shawmut & Northern, 30 miles; the Bessemer & Lake Erie's branch from Brady's Bend, 6 miles ; the Baltimore & Ohio, 4 miles. The Buffalo & Susquehanna road en- ters the county for about one mile on the eastern border, the terminal station being Sagamore. These roads are not all strictly in the county, but run in some instances along the borders, so that the people of Armstrong are dependent upon them for transportation, and the stations are connected with the towns by bridges over the several separating rivers.
Numerous projected surveys have been run through the county in various portions, for roads of the Buffalo & Susquehanna, Buffalo. Rochester & Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Pittsburgh, Shawmut & Northern roads.
PITTSBURGH, SHAWMUT & NORTHERN RAILROAD
One of the most important events in the history of Armstrong during the last twenty- five years occurred during the year that this history was compiled and the writer had op- portunity to view the beginning of the life
The road was organized in 1905 and con- struction commenced in 1906. The first train left Kittanning on Monday, Oct. 20, 1913, with forty-one passengers. The first ticket was purchased by James Millville, one of the officials of the American Bridge Company, who were the contractors for the beautiful bridge across the Allegheny at Mahoning creek. J. W. Williams was the engineer and D. 11. Croyle conductor. J. F. Carpenter, depot agent, sold the first ticket. Dr. C. F. Keeler of Elderton received the first package of freight that came over the new road.
The length of the road through Armstrong county is thirty miles, and the stations on the line are McWilliams, Eddyville, Fort Pitt, Put- neyville, Oakland, Seminole, Caldwell, Tidal, Chickasaw, Mahoning, West Mosgrove. Fur- nace Run and Kittanning. The route is through East Franklin, Washington, Madison, Mahoning and Red Bank townships, follow- ing closely the west bank of the Allegheny and the Mahoning creek banks on both sides. It does not cling so closely to the Mahoning as the "Low Grade" division of the Pennsylvania does to the Red Bank. but crosses the former at two places in Madison township, avoiding the severe bends of that stream by two bridges and two tunnels. The route on the Mahoning is wonderfully picturesque, that stream hav- ing as yet escaped the vandal touch of the noisy but necessary rolling mill, the clear waters flowing undefiled through a valley of great scenic beauty.
On the night of Oct. 23. 1913, a banquet was given at Kittanning by a number of the representative citizens of Armstrong county to the officials of the road at the home of Hose Company No. I, at which many ad- dresses were made, a most historic and in- teresting one being that of J. D. Daugh- erty, a prominent attorney of Kittanning. The historic significance of this gathering will be better realized by those who in future years peruse these pages and see how far the expec- tations of these 1913 pioneers are realized. For the benefit of future historians and as a rec- ord of a few of the leading men of this enter- prise and their supporters, is appended a list of the participants in this banquet.
Officials of the railroad and allied corpo- rations-F. S. Smith, receiver ; F. B. Lincoln,
38
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ings, auditor and treasurer ; S. A. Vanderveer, assistant treasurer ; John T. Armstrong, pur- chasing agent; C. L. McIntyre, claim agent ; W. W. Henshey, chief engineer ; H. R. Downs and D. H. Martin, assistant engineers; N. L. Strong, solicitor ; G. H. Jones, R. E. Ball, W. R. Craig, James H. Corbett, E. A. Corbett, Chas. P. Morgan, C. A. Marshall, M. C. Au- brey, James T. Ganson, Stanley Cobham, J. N. Henderson, C. J. Best. P. J. Burford, J. V. Carpenter, G. K. Russell, J. S. Porter, C. S. Ferne, J. B. Strong, F. A. Schmidt, C. W. Pryor, Arnold Hurst, Arthur White, Thomas Hall, C. P. Bailey, J. R. Herbert, J. I. Downs, G. E. Doverspike, F. D. King. William. At- kins, H. C. Watson, F. E. Clawson, Dr. B. J. Longwell, Dr. L. Z. Hays, Dr. T. R. Hilliard, Dr. W. B. Adams, E. W. Tait, J. C. Barnett, H. H. Gardiner, E. J. McLaughlin. J. T. Odell, F. S. Hammond, John L. Smith, J. D. Weaver, H. S. Wilgus, J. C. Smith, J. P. Creagh, M. L. Gahr, R. L. Barrett, C. L. Lathrop, B. C. Mul- hearn, W. R. Craig, W. W. Morrison, Fred Norman, R. P. Mellinger.
assistant receiver ; Dwight C. Morgan, vice A. Heilman, H. H. Heilman, Neale Heilman, president and general manager; W. S. Hast- Tyson Heilman, Wm. M. Heilman, Hon. D. B. Heiner, Hon. W. G. Heiner, W. C. Heiders- dorf, Harry Heffrin, H. B. Henderson, Hiram Hill, Harry E. Himes, B. S. Henry, E. S. Hutchison, P. C. Hutchison, Rev. J. W. Hutch- ison, W. W. Irwin, A. L. Ivory, M. S. Jack, WV. H. Jack, Dr. C. J. Jessop, Dr. S. A. S. Jessop, F. C. Jones, S. L. Kaufman, J. B. Kennerdell, R. E. Kennerdell, C. C. King, E. M. King, Hon. J. W. King, E. E. Kinter, Dr. J. K. Kiser, F. S. Knoble, Charles Kwal, E. B. Latshaw, C. K. Leard, Paul Libarakis, James Linnon, W. A. Louden, H. G. Luker, R. T. Lytle, Blaine Mast, A. M. Mateer, M. J. Maxwell, Charles Meals, Frank Means, Harry W. Miller, Burt Milson, W. B. Mere- dith, Charles J. Moesta, F. A. Moesta, Henry Moesta, Dr. F. C. Monks, D. H. Montgom- ery, H. E. Montgomery, William Moore, R. W. Moorhead, C. O. Morris, S. H. Mc- Cain, W. P. McCartey, E. E. McCoy, L. E. McConnell, A. W. McClister, Harry D. Mc- Clure, J. C. McGregor, James McCullough, Jr., Dr. T. N. McKee, Paul L. McKendrick, Hon. Geo. W. McNees, H. L. McNees, S. G. McNees, F. H. McNutt, Frank C. Neale, Valentine Neubert, L. H. Nevins, W. A.
Representative men of Armstrong county- Robert Allen, Dr. J. E. Ambler, James Amet, Joseph Apple, Benjamin L. Arnold, Harry A. Nicholson, C. T. N. Painter. James M. Painter, Arnold, Henry Bauer, C. N. Bayne, R. C. Hon. John H. Painter, H. L. Patterson, Beatty, L. E. Biehl, Dr. W. J. Bierer, Fred E. George Peecook, W. L. Peart, Roy W. Pol- lock, E. G. Procious. John Pryor, J. O. Ral- ston, George W. Reese, C. L. Reeder, Ferdi- nand Reisgen. W. E. Reisgen, Fritz Reitler, Harry Reynolds. S. H. Richardson, John W. Rhodes,. E. E. Ritchey, Dr. Russell Rudolph, John A. Rupp, Howard Sargent, E. E. Schaeffer, D. L. Schaeffer. Tillman Scheeren, K. B. Schotte, W. H. Schuyler. H. H. Schweit- ering, H. G. Semple. Jolin W. Shadle, Henry Shaffer, J. M. Shankle. A. L. Sheridan, Ro- land B. Simpson, S. A. Smith, W. S. Snyder, Fred B. Stage. Dr. J. M. Steim. R. A. Steim, R. D. Steim, Charles Stenger, H. H. Streiber, W. J. Sturgeon, George G. Titzell, Charles A. Utley, Joseph Walbert. Hay Walker, Charles Watterson. Charles Weylman. H. H. Weyl- Einstein, Harry Ellermeyer, William Eller- man, Douglas White. John Wick, Jr., B. L. Willard, George W. Wilson, O. N. Wilson, R. D. Wray. Charles A. Wolfe. Dr. E. H. Wright, Dr. Jay B. F. Wyant. Blaney, Harry P. Boarts, S. F. Booher, John Borger, Dr. Albert E. Bower, M. L. Bowser, W. A. Bowser, William F. Brodhead, W. P. Brown, Andrew Brymer, Hon. Joseph Buffing- ton, judge U. S. court, Joseph Buffington, Orr Buffington, George H. Burns, Henry Bernd, P. P. Burford, I. T. Campbell, A. H. Chandler, H. M. Claypoole, J. S. Claypool, Blair Coggon, Charles Colwell, Henry C. Colwell, Henry Colwell, John P. Colwell, R. C. Conner, Leo Conner, William Copley, Daniel H. Core, James Coughlin, Jr., John Crossett, L. H. Croyle, R. A. Crum, J. P. Culbertson, Fred C. Dailey, J. D. Daugherty, William B. Daugh- erty, C. H. Davis, Ivan D. Doverspike, J. R. meyer, Paul T. Evans, William Fecther. W. N. Ferguson, George B. Fleming, K. G. Flem- ing, C. E. Foster, F. M. Foster. John A. Fox, Frank M. Fries, Daniel G. Fry, Chambers Frick, J. M. Gable, H. G. Gates, Harry R. ELECTRIC RAILWAYS Gault. J. A. Gault, A. L. George, J. E. Geiger, Armstrong county is supplied with but one O. W. Gilpin. E. O. Golden, H. L. Golden, electric road, but it is probable that soon other Hon. J. Frank Graff, Peter Graff, Abe Green- lines will cross the county, as fast as the many advantages are brought to the notice of the capitalists. The road is in two sections, lo- baum, M. J. Glenn, A. S. Gruskin, A. E. Hand- cock, C. E. Harrington, P. L. Heaphy, Harry
39
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
cated in the northern and southern ends of the City Street Railways Company and the Kit- county.
The Kittanning & Ford City Street Rail- way Company was organized in 1898, with F. A. Moesta, president ; John T. Crawford, secretary, and James Mccullough, Jr., treas- urer. They, with J. A. Gault and John F. Heilman, constituted the directors.
The first trial trip after the completion of regular operation of the line begun in August
the road was made on July 3. 1899, and the and Henry E. Moesta, directors.
of that year. The line through Ford City was Traction Company Nov. 1, 1911. In this sale built in 1903, and the extension to Lenape was included the Kittanning Electric Light Company, which supplies light and power in
Park in 1904. In 1907-08 the line was ex- tended north through Wickboro to Cowan- Kittanning, Wickboro, Applewold and Manor- shannock creek. The length of this line is ville. 1034 miles.
The Leechburg & Apollo Electric. Railway located at Garrett's Run, and has an installa- Company was organized in 1902 with the fol- tion for emergency purposes of 2.400 horse- lowing officials : John Q. Cochran, president ; power. The current, however, is supplied S. M. Jackson, treasurer ; S. M. Nelson, John from the West Penn plant at Connellsville, one of the greatest in the world, by means of high power lines that run across the county through Leechburg and into Westmoreland county. The power houses at Garrett's Run and Leechburg are only kept ready in case of breakdowns. The amount of current that can be supplied is unlimited. P. Klingensmith, Dr. J. D. Orr, Edward Hill, J. W. Crosby, James B. Kifer, directors. The road was opened for traffic in 1902. In 1905 the company name was changed to the Pitts- burgh & Allegheny Valley Railway, most of the officers being retained in the reorganiza- tion. It was sold to the West Penn Traction Company in 1911. This line runs from Leech- burg to Apollo, passing through Gilpin, Parks and part of Kiskiminetas townships, a dis- tance of eight miles, part of the line being along the towpath of the old Pennsylvania canal.
A portion of the construction was under different charters, Kittanning & Leechburg Street Railways Company, Kittanning & Ford
tanning & Mosgrove Street Railways Com- pany. These companies were afterwards merged under the name of the Kittanning & Leechburg Railways Company in the year of 1904.
The officers and directors were F. A. Moesta, president; James McCullough, Jr., secretary and treasurer ; John A. Fox, Charles J. Moesta
This property was sold to the West Penn
The power house of the Kittanning line is
Surveys and considerable detail work have been done between the termini of the line at Lenape Park and Leechburg, with the possi- bility of the completion of this line at some future date. Extensions are also contemplated from the northern terminus at Cowanshan- nock to Mosgrove.
CHAPTER VI GEOLOGY AND NATURAL PRODUCTIONS
STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS-NATURAL FORMATION OF STRATA-CAVES AND ROCK FORMATIONS- LIMESTONE UTILIZATION-SANDSTONE AND ITS USES-GROWTHI OF THE IRON INDUSTRY- SALT MANUFACTURE-CLAY, SHALE AND BRICK-COAL DISCOVERY AND UTILIZATION-GRADES AND LOCATION-MINES AND PRODUCTION-COKE
The first geological survey of Pennsylvania and in 1841, the funds being exhausted, the was made in 1836 by Professor Henry D. survey was suspended. It was not till 1851 that the results of this survey were printed. After that date surveys were continued until 1858, when the final results were published. Rogers, formerly State Geologist of New Jer- sey, under the act of that year's Legislature, when the sum of $6.400 was appropriated for the purpose. This small sum was totally inad- In 1873 the production of coal, oil and gas had grown to such enormous proportions in the State as to arouse an interest in the study of its geological structure, and in 1874. the equate to cover the cost of a complete survey, so a preliminary study of the strata of the State was made. In 1837 the appropriation permitted the employment of eight assistants, second State survey was authorized by the
40
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Legislature, Prof. J. P. Lesley being ap- produced layers of coal deposits alternating pointed State Geologist. With ample appro- priations, a competent corps of engineers and a well equipped laboratory, the work pro- ceeded to successful completion in 1895.
When the first survey was made most of the country was still an unbroken wilderness and the field men were to be congratulated on the good results they achieved, in the face of the minal moraines or lower ends. These deposits opposition of nature and man and with a meagre appropriation.
The results of the second survey were pub- lished as fast as they could be prepared, and were of immense value to well drillers and coal miners all over the State. Over 150 pam- phlets and maps were printed by the State for free distribution to those interested and a per- manent Bureau of Mines was established.
In 1899 a topographic and geologic survey was begun of the State in conjunction with the United States Geological Survey, and an accu- rate set of topographical maps made of the section of the State in which Armstrong county is located. This work is still being carried on to completion in the other portions of the State. One of the prominent members of the State commission appointed to supervise the work and consult with the directors was Hon. of the State, where the general flow of most George W. McNees of Kittanning, whose in- of the rivers is northward. terest in the development of this county has A general elevation of the surface of this county caused the rivers to be lifted above their beds for at least a hundred feet, and their never flagged and who is probably one of the best informed men in this part of the State in the geological formation and history of the flow was necessarily more violent and destruc- county.
GEOLOGICAL FORMATION
The State of Pennsylvania is entirely within the Appalachian Province. The portion of this province in which Armstrong county lies is called the Allegheny Plateau, from the river of that name. As will be found on reference to the dictionary, a plateau is a level space of land surface. To the reader it may seem strange to call the greatly broken and diversi- fied surface of this county a plateau. Yet it is in reality a level surface that has been cut up by rivers and ice formations in what geologists call modern times-that is, not earlier than the days of the mammoth and other strange crea- tures of the ages before man was fully devel- oped.
with sand and shells of marine and fresh water animals. The different lengths of the sub- mergence and elevation are evidenced in the varying thickness of the deposits. During the glacial times great sheets of ice advanced from the polar cap as far south as Pittsburgh, leav- ing immense deposits of gravel at their ter-
were left upon the upper strata and form in many cases the top soil covering near the rivers. The most, important effect of these gravel deposits was to totally change the course of the streams of this part of the State. The rivers, choked with ice and gravel, became reversed in flow and cut new channels for themselves through the strata, southward. The Ohio was formerly a tributary of the Grand river and flowed into Lake Erie near Ashtabula. The Allegheny, Youghiogheny and the Monongahela were all tributaries of the Grand and sent their waters northward. Not one of the rivers of the State was connected with the Gulf of Mexico in any way before the glacial age, but all were tributaries of the great lakes and the St. Lawrence. This is easy to be seen by a view of the present map
tive. To give an illustration of the effect of water on the strata the reader can glance at the surface of a cultivated field after a severe rain. It will be seen that the soil is cut up in a most erratic way by numerous gullies, most of them converging toward a common center where the level is lowest. No apparent sys- tem is followed by these watercourses, the slightest twig often causing a complete reversal of the course of a rill. Such an effect, on an enormously magnified scale, was the result of the elevation of our earth in ancient days. Added to this there was a tremendous pressure exerted against the eastern side of the plateau, causing the strata to rise in great folds or waves, and in some instances to break and ride over one another. These folds are called "anticlines" and the corresponding depressions of the strata, "synclines." The folds resemble the wrinkles of a sheet of paper pushed up from one end, and their general direction is from northeast to southwest.
Most of the coal and other strata of this county were deposited by successive epochs of submergence and elevation of the entire surface, or periods of vegetable growth and Now imagine this rippled surface filled level with soil and gravel and covered with water, depression beneath the waters of the sea and the floods from the melting glaciers. These and you will get an idea of the appearance of
41
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
the topography of Armstrong county before and 15 feet long, from which a narrow opening the rivers commenced to erode and cut up its extends into another one; thence into three others of about the same size. From these extend three others, one to the right and the other to the left. The walls are as smooth as if hewn by man, although there is no evidence to support that theory.
surface. Like the washing of a heavy rain the rivers followed no definite course in their meanderings, but sought the easiest way to a lower level. Thus the surface hills and valleys do not run in a parallel line with the anticlines and synclines, but follow their own erratic paths to the large rivers, the latter only being water-filled valleys.
Through this wonderful course of nature in glacial days and thereafter we are enabled to find the useful metals and coals near the surface of the earth, and are not compelled to seek them at great depths with severe toil and
Another small cave existed for many years expense. As an example, it is found that the near Kittanning, on Cowanshannock creek, but Pittsburgh coal in the southwestern part of was only explored in 1913. It was found to consist of a room about twenty feet high, with a sandy floor, bearing evidences of erosion from water. Names of persons carved upon the walls were found, the dates running back to 1875. It is probably another of the sand- stone fractures of this region. the State is only 100 feet above sea level, at Pittsburgh it is 1,000 feet above and in Clarion county it rises to 2,000 feet. In Armstrong county the Brookville coal is only seen on the tops of the highest hills, in Clarion county it is exposed along the streams, and in Greene county it is buried beneath the surface for 1,500 feet.
In each of the sketches of the different town- ships are to be found short descriptions of the local geological formations. In the sketches of the oil, clay and limestone industries will be found matter of much geological interest to the reader.
CAVES AND ROCK FORMATIONS
Armstrong county is not supplied with many caves of natural formation, as the deposits of limestone are of too little depth. Most of the caves of the United States are in sections where the softer limestones predominate and cause of the caves in this class of rock, and all of the limestone caverns show more or less evidence of this origin in the stalactites that depend from the roof and the stalagmites which arise from the floor. Long continued erosion of the stone and subsequent deposi- tion form strange and fantastic icicle-like pillars and projections, to which the observer is prone to give names appropriate to their character and appearance.
A short distance west of Kellersburg, in Madison township, in 1880, a cave in the lime- stone formation was discovered by parties dig- ging for ore. It was a capacious cavern, of several rooms, from which many fine speci- mens of stalactites and stalagmites were ob- tained.
LIMESTONE DEPOSITS AND THEIR UTILIZATION
The most widespread use of limestone in the past in this county has been for fertiliza- tion of the soils. For generations the farmers have burned it for land dressing, a practice which is more prevalent in Pennsylvania than any other State in the Union. Even in this day many small mounds of limestone can be seen burning in the pastures in the summer and fall. As a top dressing it is of much benefit to sour land.
As shown in the history of the iron industry of this county the furnaces, past and present were dependent on limestone for fluxing pur-
are of great thickness. Water is usually the poses. Many a farmhouse of the early days was constructed from this useful mineral and some of our modern structures are still made of it.
One of the first uses of limestone in this county was for the making of lime. Crude furnaces were built by the pioneers at conven- ient hillsides, and the product entered into the construction of many of their homes and the early public buildings. Probably the largest limekiln in the county was that operated by the Reynolds in Rayburn township, near Kittan- ning. Here the stone was quarried by "strip- ping." Most of the output was shipped to Pittsburgh. The kilns were operated from 1866 to 1889.
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.