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 27

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 618

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 27

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The Germans and the English members sep- arated in 1858, the English taking the title of St. John's and the Germans that of Trinity.

At the time of the division Rev. Gabriel A. Reichert was recalled as pastor, serving until his death in 1877. Rev. Michael Sweigert next served as pastor from 1878 till 1884, when he resigned because of advancing age. Following came Revs. Munsch, Gaudian, Coleman and Robert Barner, the last pastor, after whose time the congregation was merged into the English Church.

In 1830 the Lutherans united with the Epis- copalians in the erection of a brick building, with a tower, on Water street, near Arch, where the residence of Mr. George Reese is now located. This was occupied by them until 1845, when the violent storm of that year al- most destroyed the structure. After this the congregation worshiped in the old Methodist church, in the schoolhouse, and in the church now occupied by the Methodist Protestant con- gregation. They then purchased the frame building on Jacob street from the United Pres- byterians and used it until their dissolution in 1905.

ST. JOHN'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

The history of this congregation dates from

The pastor at present is Rev. George U. Preuss, who came in 1903 and to whom most of the improvements and advancement of the church are due. The present name of the church was adopted in September, 1866.

After the separation of the congregations the present church was built on the east side of North Jefferson street, between Arch and Vine, at a cost of $10,000. In 1904 additions were made to the building at a cost of $8,000, a large pipe organ having previously been in- stalled in the auditorium, valued at $1,500.

for little girls was only in existence three weeks when the membership amounted to sixty-nine ambitious little future housewives. These so- cial and industrial features are the only ones

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

in town in connection with a church, and are who settled here in 1834. His death occurred of great value in moulding the minds and bodies in 1863 and he lies in the cemetery near the of prospective citizens and fitting them for a present church. The next known member was better and more Christian life. Mrs. John Golden, who settled here in 1842, The parsonage adjoining the church is com- fortable and substantial and in harmony with the church's dignified and home-like appear- ance. The value of the parsonage is $3,000. and at her death in 1886 was interred in the same burial plot. After these two of the old membership arrived the Catholics slowly gained in numbers, the offering of the Mass ST. PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCHI being made in the home of Col. William Sir- well for the first time in 1847, by Father Cody, who had as a parish the entire district between Pittsburgh and Erie. Until 1851 Mass was celebrated in the old academy, the courthouse, and in the homes of Henry Rush and Colonel Sirwell, by the missionary Fathers Gray, Mitchell, Lopez, Morgan and Chilian.

A number of persons belonging to St. John's Lutheran Church separated from their fellow members in 1899 and formed an organization under the name of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Their pastor has been Rev. Charles H. Tilp from the first, and meetings are held in the Odd Fellows Hall.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH

Baptists first organized in Kittanning, Oct. 13, 1896, the first deacons being J. H. Bowser and J. M. Hook, who have served in those positions ever since. The trustees were J. S. Claypool, J. C. Lamb, C. A. Shaffer, and George Rooney.

The first permanent pastor was Rev. Mr. Tomlinson, who remained with the congrega- tion for two years. Rev. S. Shank came next for one year, being succeeded by Revs. J. H. Higby, four years; P. S. Calvin, four years ; T. F. Taylor, three years. Rev. George M. Hulme is the present pastor.

The present trustees are C. A. Shaffer, E. E. church to completion and in 1864 it was dedi- Shaffer, Thomas Shaner, J. S. Claypool, John Snyder, W. A. Nicholson and John Henry. The membership is now 463, and the Sunday school (J. H. Bowser, superintendent) has a membership of 350.

The congregation upon organization pur- chased the building formerly occupied by the donated a bell for the tower and paid most of United Presbyterians and made extensive im- the expense of reconstruction. At his death he left a fund of $100 to provide for the ring- ing of the bell on the 8th of October of every year, in memory of his birthday, a request that is always followed by the church. provements in its exterior and interior. In 1913 they made the third addition to their home, which is now valued at $25,000. Such has been the transformation of the edifice that the original owners would scarcely recognize Rev. A. A. Lambing, who became pastor in 1871, completed the work on the church and the congregation grew to such an extent as to necessitate the installation of Father R. C. Christy as assistant pastor. Father Christy had been chaplain of the 78th Regiment, Pa. Vols. Father Rittich was also at one time assistant in the work. it were they to see it. The auditorium has a seating capacity of 400 and there are six sep- arate classrooms. The interior is artistic in decoration, comfortable in seating arrange- ment, and the acoustics are perfect. A spirit of enthusiasm and kindliness prevails in the congregation and a welcoming hand is extended to the stranger at all times.

ST. MARY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

The first member of this church to take up residence in Kittanning was Maurice Coleman,

In 1852 Rev. Eugene Gray bought lot No. I of the Armstrong tract, where the present church was founded by him and partially com-

With a membership of one hundred, the pleted. The first members were: Maurice Coleman, Michael Henry, John Lambing, Pat- rick McGary, Thomas Casserly, George Kron, Patrick Hoey, John Steinmetz, Henry Rush, William Sirwell, John Shields, Hugh McGiven, Thomas McGiven, Patrick McManus, Edward McBride, George Schuey, Casper Easley, John Beck, Frank Byers, Frank Fritz and Thomas Nugent.

Once in two months visits were made to the congregation by Fathers Phelan and Hickey, until 1863, when Rev. J. O'G. Scanlon came as resident pastor. He carried the work of the cated by Bishop Domenic.

Father J. A. O'Rourke took up the work of the parish in 1865 and during his service the tower of the church was rebuilt, it having been blown off in a storm in 1856. John Gilpin, who was not a member of the church, generously

The succeeding pastors were Fathers Thom- as Howley, 1878 until his death here in 1883; P. Brady, 1883-88; John Conway, 1888-89; F. P. Kettle, 1889-91 ; J. Nash, 1891-92; F. J. McCabe, 1892-93; L. P. McEvoy, 1893 until

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

his death in 1895; R. J. Maloney, 1895-99; Patrick O'Neil, 1899-1903 ; L. A. Carroll, 1903- 13. The present pastor, Rev. Father Charles F. Sullivan, came to this parish in the year 1913.

The church committee is composed of Messrs. John C. Carmody, B. P. Dunnigan, Walter Ellermeyer, Theodore Lehner, Charles Rhodes, A. L. Sheridan, Charles Welsh and Harry Cornman.

The building used by the congregation is the same first erected, but has been improved and repaired from time to time. The parochial school near the church was built and opened in 1906, while under the charge of Father Carroll. It has a similar curriculum as the public schools, as well as private classes for drawing, painting, music and the other arts for which the Sisters of St. Joseph are fa- mous. The present number of scholars is 165.

The following children of the Church have taken up religious lives since the foundation : Kate Lambing (Sister Ildefonse), formerly at a mission in New Mexico; Sadie Kahler (Sister Petronella), missionary in Peru : Han- nah Glenn (Sister Mary Claire) ; Kate Sheri- dan (Sister Salome), Allegheny, Pa .; Mar- garet Coyle (Sister Clare), Abingdon, Ky .; Mary Hirtenberger, in the foreign mission field; Ella Diamond, Pittsburgh; Katherine Kurst, Baden, Pa .; and Kate Kennedy, Pitts- burgh.

The old cemetery which was beside the church was abandoned during the pastorate of Father Kettle, and the remains removed to the cemetery above Wickboro. The site of the old cemetery was used for the erection of a commodious parsonage.

The first priest ordained from this parish was Rev. A. A. Lambing, the historian at Wilkinsburg, Pa., who was a native of Manor township. Others following were Father M. A. Lambing, the temperance advocate ; Rev. John Hirtenberger, a missionary to Brazil, who recently visited Kittanning after an ab- sence of many years, and Father William D. Fries, now stationed at Charleroi, Pa. The ings $4,000. Two choir robing rooms are on last priest to be ordained here was Rev. Charles H. Fries, now located at Cullman, other side. The total cost of the church and Alabama.

ST. PAUL'S PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCHI

employed to serve the members of that denom- ination in Kittanning. Assisted by Robert Brown, Dr. Neale was successful in 1824 in establishing the first congregation of Protestant Episcopalians in the county.

Occasional preaching was had before 1824 by Rev. Mr. Thompson, who used the ever- ready courthouse. After 1830 the congrega- tion occupied the joint edifice erected in part- nership with the Lutherans, on Water street. When this building was destroyed by a storm in 1845 they prepared to build a home of their own, completing and dedicating it in 1846, Bishop Potter delivering the dedicatory sermon. This building was a small brick structure and stood on Water street, where the present church stands.

This church was incorporated in 1846, the wardens being David Patterson and Joseph Boney, and the vestrymen Robert Brown, Jo- seph Buffington, John Portsmouth, Ephraim Buffington and George W. Smith.

The first rector was Rev. Moses P. Ben- nett, from 1824 to 1827; followed by Rev. William Hilton, 1829 to 1832 and 1839 to 1871: Rev. B. B. Killikelly, D. D., 1834-39; Rev. O. S. Taylor, 1871-74 ; Rev. R. W. Micou, 1874-81. The following rectors were Revs. R. W. Gough, Edward Biddinger, W. W. Wilson, Charles Larosch, Charles Pardee. Francis C. Hartshorn and W. E. II. Neiler.

The present church. probably the largest and most artistic of the Protestant edifices in the county, was founded in 1911, but a fire in the stone cutting department of the firm engaged in the contract delayed the comple- tion until 1913. The building is of two kinds of limestone, from Ohio and Indiana, and cost for the structure alone over $42,000. The beautiful English memorial window in the rear of the pulpit cost $6.000, being contributed by a member of the congregation, Mr. George W. Rohrer. The altar, choir stalls, pulpit and lectern were given by different members. The seating cost $1,500 and the chancel furnish- one side of the altar and a neat chapel on the

furnishings is estimated at over $60.000. The manse adjoining the church was built in 1874 at a cost of $6,000. The architecture of the new church is a modified Gothic, and the heat- ing. lighting and ventilation are all that science could design for the comfort of the worshipers.

As early as 1822 efforts were made by the Episcopalians of Kittanning to secure aid in founding a church here. A letter was about that time written by Dr. Samuel Neale to the FIRST CHRISTIAN ( CAMPBELLITE) CHURCH Society for the Advancement of Christianity This congregation, organized in 1853, had at Philadelphia, asking that a missionary be a short life. During the five or six years of

ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, KITTANNING, PA.

PUBLIC LILMARY

ASTOP LENOX TILDEY HCL TI TIONS

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

their existence they succeeded in erecting a in numbers. The first national census of 1850 two-story building and holding occasional serv- gave the population as 1,561. In 1860 it was ices there, but the membership was small and 1,686; in 1870, 1,889: in 1880, 2,624; in 1890, 3,095 ; in 1900, 3,902; in 1910, 4,31I. no inducements were offered that could at- tract additional ones, so they finally disbanded and sold their holdings to J. E. Meredith.

HEBREW SYNAGOGUE

Knesseth Israel Congregation was organ- ized in 1912 with Rev. A. H. Dolgoff as the rabbi in charge. The services were held in various rented buildings.

MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS

In the person of C. B. Schotte this borough was favored with a man of remarkable musical talents. Had he not been so retiring and de- voted to agricultural and horticultural pur- suits, Kittanning might have become a musical center. In 1858 he organized and drilled a band of twelve pieces, which was used by the recruiting officers in the organization of the 8th Reserves. For many years this band was present at all the different meetings and pa- rades of the county. Disagreements occur- ring in the membership caused Mr. Schotte to withdraw, to the great loss of the organization, which soon thereafter disbanded.

A cornet band was organized in 1872 but did not have an extensive history. It was com- posed of fifteen pieces.

After 1872 several bands were organized. but were short lived, until the Kittanning Band came into being in 1895, under the direction of Charles H. Golden. They purchased a com- plete set of instruments in 1877 and became the leading organization of the county, making many trips to other parts of the State, being at their best under the direction of A. J. Bow- ser, in 1903-04. After Mr. Bowser left the band did not keep up its standard, and finally disbanded.

At present there are several bands of vari- ous degrees of proficiency in the county, the best of these being the Ford City Band, un- der the leadership of George W. Neurohr. This band includes many of the old Kittan- ning Band members.

The Kittanning Musical Club was organ- ized in 1909 and included most of the leading musicians of the vicinity, but disbanded in 1913. At present there are several small or- chestras, playing principally for dances.

POPULATION

The growth of Kittanning has been steady and not a year has passed without a slight gain

First Ward-The assessment returns for 1913 show : Number mills, 5; value, $99,360 ; houses and lots, 257, valued at $425,705, av- erage, $1,656. 44; horses, 75, valued at $2,690, average, $35.86; cows, 6, value, $120, average, $20 ; taxable occupations, 530, amount, $25,- 160; total valuation, $553,065. Money at in- terest, $62,395.16.

Second Ward-The assessment returns for 1913 show : Number of mills, 3, value, $13,- 500 ; houses and lots, 550, value, $1,066,189, average, $1,938.52 ; horses, 98, value, $3,475, average, $35-45 ; cows, 9, value, $180, average, $20; taxable occupations, 947, amount, $54,- 605 ; total valuation, $1,137,949. Money at in- terest, $119,195.

GEOLOGICAL

As is usual in this section, Kittanning is underlaid by the ferriferous limestone, 16 feet thick, filled with many minute fossils. Coal was mined by the Reynolds in earlier times in the upper part of the borough and brick is made from the shales and clays in the eastern part. Lime was burned on their farm by the Reynolds in the seventies. The elevation of Kittanning above the sea is 809.94 feet at the corner of Market street and Grant avenue.

GREATER KITTANNING

On Dec. 29, 1913, the voters of Kittanning and Wickboro decided by a majority of 469 to consolidate the two towns, thus making a city of 7,086, with every prospect of reaching ten thousand in the next ten years.

The consolidation of the towns will enable Greater Kittanning to issue bonds for a m11- nicipal water and lighting plant, a much needed department of the city's organization. It will also automatically reduce the fares of the trol- ley line between Ford City and Wickboro, as the electric railway charter provides for one fare between Kittanning and Ford City. Great opposition was experienced before the elec- tion from the electric lighting, waterworks and railway companies, who expected to lose reve- nue from the consolidation.

The vote was: Kittanning. first ward, for, 162, against. 22; Second ward, for, 313, against, 53. Total, 475 for, 75 against. Wick- boro, 283 for, 14 against. Total in both boroughs, 758 for, 89 against.

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The council of the consolidated boroughs dinieres and ornamental vases. Seven differ- will consist of thirteen members and the jus- tices of the peace will be reduced to three, after the terms of two of the five at present expire.

WICKBORO

Almost all of the land upon which the thriv- ing new town of Wickboro is located was for- merly owned by Capt. John Armstrong. In 1872 George H. Fox and Valentine Neubert laid out the town of "Germantown" and sold forty-eight lots. By 1876 twenty-one dwell- ing houses were built here. The place did not gain much in population, however, as there were no manufactories here, except the Quig- ley sawmill and the brick works of Ross Rey- nolds, both of which were built some years previously.

Here, also, in 1866 were started the lime- kilns of Franklin and Ross Reynolds, who op- erated them until 1890.

The famous "Donaldson Nurseries" were located in the center of the plat on which Wick- boro is now standing. John DonaMson here built three hothouses in 1843, and by 1878 was shipping 20,000 trees a year to all parts of the Union. He had 300,000 trees of many kinds on his farm, and operated a truck garden as well, employing twenty or more men in the season. But the march of progress over- whelmed his nursery, and it was leveled to make room for this industrial city.

The borough of Wick, or Wickboro, as it is called, was laid out in the year 1894 by John Wick, Jr., on a plat of 300 acres which he had acquired. Mr. Wick with characteristic energy put the project through to completion in a very short time and the sales of lots pro- ceeded with encouraging speed. He donated the ground for a fine schoolhouse and not con- tent with this contribution, in a short time added the sum of $3,000 to the fund of the builders. He had in 1889 started the large pottery here as a foundation of the town's prosperity, and later, in order to increase the population and give it work, gave land for the Kittanning Plate Glass Company and the Kit- tanning Brick & Fire Clay Company, both of whom have extensive plants here.

ent materials were used, two of the clays be- ing imported from England and one coming from Florida. Another clay, as well as the feldspar and flint, are procured in Pennsyl- vania.

In the latter part of 1913 the pottery closed down indefinitely, all of the workmen being laid off without warning. This was a heavy blow to the men, as most of them had bought homes and made investments in Wickboro, and were compelled to sacrifice their property in order to leave for other cities where employ- ment could be had. At this date the works were on the market for sale, with several buy- ers in sight. The W. H. George Pottery Com- pany, of East Palestine, Ohio, was one of the bidders.

The Kittanning Plate Glass Company give employment to a large number of men, both in their plant in Wickboro and in the sand and coal works across the Allegheny in East Franklin township. The sand is conveyed across that stream by wire conveyor system. The officers of the company are: George W. Reese, president ; Henry Moesta, secretary ; H. J. Lindeman, treasurer : J. C. Gipe, superin- tendent ; John Brymer, general sales agent.

The Kittanning Brick & Fire Clay Com- pany produce several varieties of building and paving brick, employing over one hundred workmen and operating their own mines of coal and fire clay.

An interesting industry is the Wickboro Mirror Company, which was established here in 1901. The officers of the company, who are also the workmen, are: Christ. Bauer, presi- dent ; John Bauer, vice president; William F. Bauer, secretary; Henry Bauer, treasurer. The glass is obtained from the Kittanning Plate Glass Company and silvered, beveled and polished by the firm. The plant employs about twelve men, and is capitalized at $15,000.

Most of the residents of Wickboro are supplied with water by the Armstrong Water Company, of Kittanning, but a number of them, headed by Dr. Jay B. F. Wyant, de- cided to secure a more healthful and economi- cal supply, so they formed an association of seventy-five shareholders and proceeded to install their own plant. Two wells, 55 feet deep, were drilled and fine water struck. An automatic pressure system was put in with a motor pump, at an individual cost of only $81.00 to the stockholders. By this system they not only get the most healthful water supply, but at a large saving over the past

The china works were first organized as the Wick Chinaware Company in 1889. The plant, until closed down at a recent date, was oper- ated by the Pennsylvania China Company. The plant employed several hundred work- men of the highest skill, producing the finest grades of tableware, plain and decorated jar- charges of the Kittanning firm. Formerly they

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paid an average of $3.00 per month each. teachers, II; average salaries, male, $76.66; Now the per capita cost is 75 cents, 50 cents female, $56.99; male scholars, 290; female scholars, 297; average attendance, 587; cost of which pays the expense of operation and 25 cents goes into a sinking fund to pay for of cach scholar per month, $1.63; tax levied, replacement and repairs. In installing the $11,752.75; received from State, $2,851.61 ; plant they encountered the opposition of the from other sources, $13,643.91; value of schoolhouses, $29,000; teachers' wages, $7,535.63; other expenditures, $5,337.30. Kittanning company, who went so far as to try to obtain an injunction against them, but the application was refused. Others of the The school commissioners were: P. M. En- terline, president; Charles A. Wolfe, secre- tary; Armstrong County Trust Company, treasurer ; W. A. Cook, E. H. Shaffer, David Foster. citizens of Wickboro are preparing to install similar plants. The State Water Commission has asked for a description of this plant, as an illustration of a model semi-public water installation in the exhibits made at Harris- burg.

Two volunteer fire companies aid in extin- guishing any incipient blaze, with the aid of the mains of the Armstrong Water Company, of Kittanning. The reservoir of that company is located on the hill just above Wickboro. Near it is the cemetery of St. Mary's Catho- lic Church of Kittanning, established herein by that church in 1873, owing to the crowded condition of the old cemetery in the heart of that town.

the auspices of the Protestant Episcopal Church, of which Rev. B. B. Killikelly was principal, who was succeeded in 1839 by Mrs. ceived State aid under the act of 1838. In 1849 Rev. Mr. Killikelly returned, and open- ing the school called it "Minnesota Point Sem- inary." Several annexes were made to the dwelling house in which the institution was housed and the number of pupils reached 160. Revs. Hall and Carter served as principals for varying terms from 1855 to 1863, when Rev. Mr. Killikelly again assumed the chair, and changing the name to "Glen Mary Hall" con- ducted the school till 1865. After that date Miss Bechton, Miss Lena Hughes and Rev. B. B. Killikelly, Jr., were principals, until fi- nally in 1868 the school was consolidated with Lambeth College.

The first trustees in 1838 were: B. B. Killi- kelly, Joseph Buffington, Alexander Caldwell (Colwell), Robert E. Brown, George W. Smith, William P. Rupp and William F. John- ston of this, Charles C. Gaskill of Jefferson, and Daniel Stanard of Indiana county.

Wickboro was incorporated in 1900. The first burgess was Robert L. Brown and his successors were : Thomas Bowen, E. T. Hutchins, E. E. Ritchey and Edward Starr. The present officials are: E. E. Seyler, bur- gess ; George W. King, assessor ; E. T. Criss- man, tax collector ; E. T. Hutchison, auditor.

The first census report made after the in- corporation of the town is that of 1910, which gives the population as 2,775. In this year (1913) it is probably over 4,000.

Thus through the efforts and energy of John Wick, Jr., employment has been given to over

Near the site of Wickboro, in the year 1837, was located the "Doanville Seminary," under 3,000 persons and a city brought into being in ten years that so far overshadowed Kit- tanning that the latter borough has made over- tures for their consolidation, the proposition Eliza Warren. Up to that time it had re- being put before the voters of both boroughs, with a unanimous vote of acceptance.

Mrs. John Wick, Jr., formerly Miss Ursilla B. Kinsey, was the first lady telephone op- erator in the United States, being located at the time at East Liverpool, Ohio.

The assessment returns for 1913 show: Number of acres, 3912, valued at $75,500; houses and lots, 799, value, $418,885, average, $524.13; horses, 50, value, $2,030, average, $40.60 ; cows, 6, value, $140, average, $23.33; taxable occupations, 921, amount, $34,780; to- tal valuation, $620,085. Money at interest, $84,027.14.

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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 27

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 618

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 618