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 34
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Within the last ten years the congregation has gradually reduced in numbers and at pres- ent there is no regular pastor occupying the pulpit. Supplies are had from other towns.
ROMAN CATIIOLICS
St. Mary's Catholic Church was organized about 1826. The original families of this con- gregation were Philip Bohlen's. Patrick Blacke's. Donnelly's, Andrew Farley's. Neil
Erdman, 1902. The present pastor is Rev. J. Gillespie's, Magrand's, McKenna's, O'Reiley's, Patrick Shara's, and others. The first pastor was Rev. Patrick O'Neil, who was educated in France and came to this country as a mis- The succession of priests after
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Father O'Neil included Revs. Patrick Rafferty, Mrs. Mary Galbraith; secretary, Miss Mary Joseph Cody (neither of whom were resident pastors), M. J. Mitchell, R. Phelan, J. Hack- ett, James Holland, A. A. Lambing, W. A. Nolan, G. S. Grace, Frederick Eberth, C. Mc- Dermott, James Canivan, P. M. Garvey and James McTighe.
The church edifice or chapel, situated on in-lots Nos. 132 and 133, southwestern corner of High and Sixth streets, was among the first brick structures built by David Putney, after his removal to Freeport in 1832. A portion of the ground on which this chapel stood was devoted to burial purposes until a new ceme- tery was elsewhere laid out. This structure was replaced in 1849 by a neat brick building, now located west of the site of the old church, on High street, the cost of which was $25,000. It has recently been repointed and repaired by the congregation, under the present pastor, Rev. James A. Garrigan, at an expense of over $4,000.
A convent building, occupied as a school by the Sisters of St. Joseph, stands across the street from the church. It has also recently received extensive repairs.
MILITARY COMPANIES
The Freeport Blues were organized in 1818, John Drum, captain; James Patterson and Benjamin F. King, first and second lieuten- ants. They were reorganized in 1831.
The Freeport and Leechburg Dragoons were organized in 1832, with James T. McKaig, captain; Alexander Scott and Alexander Sharp, first and second lieutenants.
The Freeport Artillery Company was or- ganized in 1850, William F. Logan, captain ; Samuel Lane and James D. Torbett, first and second lieutenants.
The Washington Guards were organized in 1849, Alexander Anderson, captain; John J. Long and William S. Ralston, first and second lieutenants. They were reorganized in 1854.
The Freeport Zouaves were organized in 1860, Charles B. Gillespie, captain ; William B. McCue and Henry Torbett, first and sec- ond lieutenants. The name was later changed to Freeport Cadets.
The Duncan Karns Rifles were organized after the war, being uniformed and equipped by S. D. Karns.
Most of the members of the companies ex- isting at the opening of the war enlisted in the 78th Pa. Vols.
Kennedy; treasurer, Mrs. Anna B. Weaver ; committee on work and expenditures, Mrs. Mary Murphy, Misses Selima Gibson, Hannah McClelland and Nannie Woods, and seventy- three members, besides eighty-four "gentlemen who were always at hand in any emergency."
HI. S. Weaver Post No. 32, Grand Army of the Republic, is composed of most of the lo- cal survivors of the Civil war, and the officers are: R. B. McKee, commander ; A. H. Claw- son, adjutant; H. H. Schwietering, quarter- master. This post built the only monument to the soldier dead in the county, at a cost of $1,800. The stone was contributed from his farm near Freeport, by L. W. Patterson.
BURIAL GROUNDS
The first white person buried within the limits of Freeport was Miss Fails, who was drowned in crossing Buffalo creek in 1794. The old cemetery is located opposite the pres- ent Presbyterian church, next to the school- house, and many of the pioneers of the town are laid in its narrow confines. Here lie the bodies of Massey Harbison and her relatives, as well as many of the prominent citizens of later days. Most of the bodies have been re- moved to the new cemetery, and the rest will soon be taken away to permit the extension of the school building.
The Freeport Cemetery Company was incor- porated in 1864, the trustees being Robert Morris, John Ralston, David Alter, Samuel Fullerton and John Turner. The property is ample in size to accommodate the interments for many years to come, and is owned on the communistic plan, every lot purchased being a shareholder in the company.
SOCIETIES
The Armstrong Lodge of Ancient York Masons, No. 239, was constituted here in 1852, when its charter officers were William F. Logan, W. M .; Alexander Anderson, S. W .; Charles G. Snowden, J. W .; George W. Syphax, treasurer ; Reuben Mickel, secretarv. This lodge met in Anderson's hall on the fourth Monday of each month, and numbered about seventy-five members.
Freeport Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 379, was
The Soldiers' Aid Society was organized organized Oct. 1, 1849, at Freeport. The Jan. 31, 1863, and its officers were : President, charter members were the following, who
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
were also officers: Samuel Shafer, N. G .; J. purposes, $674; levied for building purposes, D. Torbett, V. G .; J. W. Redpath, secretary ; $674.60; received from State appropriation, $108.10; received from collectors, $1,136; cost of instruction, $336; fuel, etc., $40; cost of schoolhouse, etc., $1,100. J. Welshans, assistant secretary ; Henry White, treasurer. Members in 1880, 34; present en- rollment, 160.
There are also in Freeport lodges of the Knights of Pythias, Royal Arcanum, Eagles and Loyal Order of Moose.
SCHOOLS
There was no school within the limits of Freeport for nearly a quarter of a century after it was laid out. The most accessible educational facilities to its inhabitants were then afforded at the Hall school, about half a mile distant. P. R. Bohlen is said to have taught the first school here, in a log dwelling house on Water street. According to Peter E. Weaver's recollection the first one was taught by a man of the name of Woodford in a house on Market street, above Fifth. The next teacher was of the name of Lee, who taught but one quarter. Those were what used to be termed "pay schools," in which some of the common English branches were taught-arithmetic, reading in the Testament, spelling and writing.
In 1832-33 James Pneuman, reputed to be a good mathematician, taught a pay school on High street, between Fourth and Fifth. Such schools were more or less liberally patronized until the adoption of the common or free school system a few years later. Dr. Thomas Galbraith was the first teacher here under this system. A frame schoolhouse was erected soon after its adoption on in-lot No. 101, the southwest corner of Fourth and High streets.
Rev. Hugh Kirkland, soon after his advent here in 1830, erected an academy at the cor- ner of High and Fourth streets, in which the classics and the common and higher English branches were taught by him and Samuel Wal- lace.
Some time between 1843 and 1850 Rev. William Galbraith, of the United Presby- terian Church, started a classical school in Freeport, which he conducted with encourag- ing success for several years. Other teachers were M. H. Ryerson and Thomas Magill. It has not been in operation for many years past.
1860-Schools, 4; average number of months taught, 4; male teacher, I; female teachers, 3; monthly salary of male, $30; monthly salary of female, $18; male scholars, 170 : female scholars, 168; average number at- tending school, 267; cost of teaching each scholar per month, 28 cents; levied for school
1876-Schools, 6; average number of months taught, 7; male teacher, I; female teachers, 5 ; average salaries per month-male, $80; female, $40 ; male scholars, 201 ; female scholars, 173; average number attending school, 322; cost per month, 85 cents; levied for school and building purposes, $2,318.28; received from State appropriation, $418.50 ; received from taxes, etc., $1,900.25; cost of schoolhouse, etc., $35.52; paid for teachers wages, $1,680 ; paid for fuel, etc., $691.48.
In 1913 the number of schools was II; months taught, 9; male teacher, I; female teachers, 12; average salaries, male, $177-77; female, $60.42; male scholars, 245; female scholars, 266; average attendance, 408; cost of each scholar per month, $1.92; tax levied, $8,409.18; received from State, $2,514.56; from other sources, $10,883.43; value of schoolhouses, $23,000 ; teachers' wages,
$8,071.43 ; other expenditures, $5,088.11.
The school directors were: A. L. Strause, president ; F. K. Weaver, secretary; J. J. Daniels, treasurer; E. M. Keebler, T. A. Taylor.
POPULATION
The inhabitants of Freeport numbered 1,073 in 1850; in 1860, 1,691; in 1870, 1,640; in 1880, 1,614; in 1890, 1,637; in 1900, 1,754; in 1910, 2,258. The assessment returns for 1913 show: Number of acres, 20; valued at $4,225; houses and lots, 593, value $518, 175. average $873.80 ; horses 66, value $2,800, aver- age $42.42 ; cows 19, value $285, average $15; taxable occupations, 798; amount $35,985; total valuation, $670,270. Money at interest. $142,207.91.
The present burgess is C. A. Rogers ; J. H. W. Miller is justice of the peace ; Charles Mar- dorf, tax collector and assessor.
FIRE PROTECTION
A contract was made, Aug. 12, 1842, to pur- chase a fire engine, which was then here, for $250; the council, Aug. 30th, directed an en- gine house to be erected on the south side of Market, at the intersection of Fourth street, and that not less than twenty yards of rope or cable, with requisite crossbars, be attached to
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
the engine. It was determined, Sept. 10th, that to Milnes and Kurtz, from whom it passed by the engine house should be frame, 12 feet square and 12 feet high.
A resolution was adopted by the council, March 3, 1843, turning over the fire engine, engine house, ladders, fire-hooks and other . equipment to the Allegheny Fire Company in consideration of their organization and the services rendered and to be rendered, which in the course of time vanished, so that in 1880 there was no fire company, no engine, no means of extinguishing fires, except water buckets, and what may be called a water bri- gade, improvished as fires occurred.
Freeport is still rather deficient in the way of fire protection, there being no volunteer company, and only two small hose carts. The water supply is obtained from the Allegheny, after all the large towns have sent into its waters their filth and sewage. The local wa- ter company within late years have sold their plant to an outside corporation, who have ap- plied for permission to increase the capital stock to $100,000. It is to be hoped that the town will secure through the new company an ample and pure water supply.
LANEVILLE
This village adjoins Freeport on the south- west, and is located just across Buffalo creek. It has a population of 130 and the principal industries are the Kerr Coal Company and the distillery of the Guckenheimer Distilling Co. There are about sixty-eight dwelling houses there and but a few small stores.
The town was laid out in 1871 by John Boyd and named after Abner W. Lane, the former owner. The first separate assessment for the town was in 1871, when it contained about a dozen taxables, one tannery, one miller and four laborers. The number of taxables in 1876 was nearly 40; laborers, 26; tanners, 2; carpenter, I ; cooper, I ; miller, I ; old man, I ; tinner, I. Michael Coward was this year first assessed with his brickyard on what was known as the brickkiln lot, about forty rods above the Freeport flouring mill. This mill, with sixty-three acres of circumjacent land, became vested in C. M. Bird, after Lane's sale
sheriff's sale, March 5, 1873, to Joseph B. Way, for $5,300, who conveyed it the same day to Adolph Fisher for $5,500. It was then a three-story frame steam and water mill, with three runs of stone. The mill is still running and doing a good business.
Just north of Laneville was the gristmill of John Harbison, the husband of the famous "Massey" Harbison, who often tended the mill in her husband's absence.
The bridge over Big Buffalo creek, which separates Freeport and Laneville, was erected in 1878 by the county commissioners, W. Buf- fington, B. Henderson and C. Handcock. It is an iron one, the two preceding wooden ones having been swept away in different freshets of the past. The first one was built in 1840 at a cost of $500.
Four counties, Armstrong, Westmoreland, Allegheny and Butler, corner at the junction of Buffalo creek and the Allegheny river.
The bridge across the Allegheny at the lower end of the town was erected jointly in 1890 by the counties of Westmoreland and Armstrong.
TODD'S ISLAND
Todd's Island was at one time separated from the mainland by a small by-pass of the Allegheny, but the Guckenheimer Distillery has filled in most of the channel and attached the former island to the mainland. From 1830 to 1855 this island was the home of the Bohlen brothers, Philip and Edward, who cut and shipped ice by means of flatboats to the South. So great was their trade at one time that they established an agency at Memphis, Tenn., where they removed after the invention of artificial ice machines, and in that city established a large wholesale business under the name of Bohlen-Huse Ice & Coal Com- pany.
On this island was also the home of Jacob Williams, an Indian, who for years acted as the town grave digger of Freeport. His two sons have since become the proprietors of the well known Williams Piano Co., of Chicago, Ill., where they have amassed a fortune,
CHAPTER XVII
PARKER CITY
SMALLEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES-THE PARKER FAMILY-BEAR CREEK FURNACE-LAW- RENCEBURG-PARKER'S LANDING-THE OIL BOOM - "THE FLOATING PALACE" - DECLINE OF PROSPERITY-TRANSPORTATION-INDUSTRIES-WATERWORKS-LIGHTING-BANKS-MERCAN- TILE-THE PRESS-PROFESSIONS-FAIRS-SOCIETIES - SCHOOLS - DENOMINATIONAL - THE PRESENT CITY-OFFICIALS
In this little, almost forgotten town on the the once important industry save the memory Allegheny, in the northernmost part of the existing in the minds of old residents. The county limits, Armstrong can claim the credit furnace stood on the north side of Bear creek, of possessing the smallest city in the United about three fourths of a mile from the mouth States. Yet at the date of its incorporation every evidence was given that Parker would one day stand in the class of the average me- tropolis of from 10,000 to 25,000 inhabitants. But that hope is now past, and Parker has only her charter as evidence of her once also failed, and were succeeded by John and mighty population.
The name of this city was adopted as an honor to the Hon. John Parker, who surveyed most of the land now included in the counties of Armstrong and Butler in 1786. In 1797 he was granted several hundred acres of land for his services, most of it being on the present site of Parker City. He settled here and built a house on a hill in the edge of Butler county, where he resided until his death. He was as- sociate judge of Butler county for thirty-five pig iron per week.
years. He left a large family, all of whom later became identified with the history of Parker City and the surrounding territory.
William Parker, father of Judge Parker, moved from Washington county with his fam- ily about the year 1798, settled upon Bear creek and erected a gristmill there. It was of logs and contained only the rudest machin- ery, but it was a great convenience to settlers for many miles around. It was the first mill erected in the northern part of the county.
BEAR CREEK FURNACE
One of the pioneer industries of Armstrong county was a charcoal blast furnace for the re- duction of iron ore, erected at a date probably not later than 1820. The old stack was torn down years ago, and now nothing remains of
of the stream. It was built by Whiting & Stackpole, who failed after conducting the business for a time. Colonel Robinson, Henry Baldwin (afterward Judge Baldwin), and a Mr. Beltzhoover were the next managers. They Alexander McNicoll. A Mr. Davis, of Pitts- burgh, next tried the business and failed. Samuel and Reuben Leonard became the own- ers of the furnace, and carried on a successful business until about the year 1840, when they ceased operations on account of the scarcity of timber and the increased cost of conducting the business. The furnace was run by steam, and had a large capacity for those days. The product was frequently seventy-five tons of
LAWRENCEBURG
This village was brought into existence by the Bear Creek furnace, and consisted mainly of rude dwellings occupied by employees of the company operating the furnace. The clos- ing up of the business of the Leonards was the death-blow of the place, which steadily de- clined until at the commencement of the oil excitement, only three or four houses and two churches remained.
Lawrenceburg was laid out by Judge Par- ker about the year 1819. John Conway, a wheelwright, built the first house, and was the first settler. He was soon followed by William Cartwright. The old stone house erected by him was used while he owned it as a blacksmith shop, and also contained a card-
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ing machine. It is now the oldest building the landing many years, but no village ever in Parker.
The first store in Lawrenceburg was estab- lished about 1820, and was conducted by Judges Parker and Bovard, of Butler county. It was run on the cooperative plan and many settlers of the neighborhood were interested. It flourished a number of years. James Reed opened the first tavern. The number of stores and taverns increased as the village grew, and it was not long until there were three stores and three taverns, each doing a thriving busi- ness for those days, and attracting customers from points many miles distant. There was a large amount of traffic and travel upon the river, by means of canoes and keelboats, and all who had business to transact at Parker's
Besides those already mentioned, Michael Mccullough, John Andrews, Edward Carle- ton, Dr. Beggs and John McCaslin were among the first residents of the place. Mccullough kept store and built the first brick house. John Marshall came to the place in 1825, and bought twenty acres of land at $1 per acre. His land was not included in the original plot of the village, but was adjacent to the northern line of the town. When his land was found to be valuable oil territory, $45,000 was offered for it, but Mr. Marshall concluded not to sell.
From the closing up of the furnace business in 1840 until the discovery of oil, in 1865, Lawrenceburg continued to exist in name, but was a place of no importance. At the latter date there were, at a liberal estimate, less than fifty inhabitants. By 1870 thousands of peo- ple had located here either as permanent or transient residents, while all the surrounding oil fields were thickly populated. No one who has not witnessed the rapid upbuilding of towns in the oil region can form an adequate idea of the growth of the place. The impor- tance of the oil discoveries was not fully realized until midsummer of 1869, and that date really marks the beginning of Parker City. Lawrenceburg became a part of the second ward of Parker City in 1873.
PARKER'S LANDING
In the early years of the settlement of this part of the country, Parker's Landing was an unimportant station, occasionally visited by the canoes and keelboats plying upon the river. Subsequently it became a steamboat landing and a lumber station. A store was kept at
sprang up around it. In 1824 Judge Parker erected a large building which was used as a warehouse. It passed unscathed through the many fires since its erection and is still standing and is the oldest house in this part of the city. It has been converted into a hotel, and is now known as the Parker House.
From 1843 to 1869 W. D. Robinson ran a store at the Landing. In 1851 Samuel Craig opened a blacksmith shop. Fullerton Parker was the proprietor of the warehouse, Peter McGough and William Rogers acting as his storekeepers; Thomas P. Parker ran a hotel and James P. Parker was the ferryman. These conditions remained unchanged up to 1869. But a new act was soon to be placed on the
Landing naturally came to Lawrenceburg to stage. Within a few years that spot became do their trading, as there was no village at the the center of enormous activity. Lawrence- former place.
burg was swallowed up by its formerly tiny neighbor and the city of Parker was the result. Stores, hotels, banks, daily newspapers, a railroad and hundreds of industries sprang up as from the lamp of Aladdin, and this great transformation was the result of petroleum.
THE OIL BOOM
In 1858 oil was discovered in Venango county and in 1860 the first successful well at Oil Creek was put in. This caused Thomas McConnell, W. D. Robinson, Smith K. Camp- bell and Col. J. B. Finley to purchase two acres of Elisha Robinson in 1860, on the Allegheny river, ninety rods north of Thoin's run, on which they drilled a well 460 feet deep. How- ever, the war came on and for a time their operations were abandoned. This proved fort- unate for them as well as for the future of the oil industry, as at a later date this territory was proved to be "dry." In 1865 they re- turned, organized the Foxburg Oil Company, bought 100 acres of the Thom's run tract from Robinson and put down the well which was the first of hundreds that later on studded the hills and lined the hollows of that sec- tion. The well was called Clarion No. I, and at first produced eighteen barrels a day, but four years later yielded twenty-five barrels. By that time at least twelve test wells had been sunk and the craze had commenced. In July of 1869 there were 25 wells, producing 310 barrels a day, and in November of the same year 1,056 wells were either completed and producing or in process of drilling. Law- renceburg became a thrifty village and Park- er's Landing rapidly became a center of intense activity. Rude shanties were con-
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HISTORY OF. ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
structed, in which business was commenced L. Moody, of Chicago, converted Hogan and before the carpenters could remove their tools. he started out as an evangelist, visiting the Saloons, stores, hotels, eating houses and ma- places of his former misdeeds and preaching chine shops soon crowded every available the gospel to many of his former evil com- space along the base of the bluff, and even panions. He is now dead. encroached on the river bank. Repeated fires destroyed these "shacks," but the loss was THE DECLINE OF PROSPERITY unnoticed and they were replaced as soon as the fires died down. In a short time the population became metropolitan as well as cos- mopolitan, and in 1873, by a special act of the Legislature, Parker City was incorporated.
A period of unexampled prosperity then ensued. Fortunes were made and lost in a day. Handsome residences were erected by men who were formerly day laborers, and imposing busi- ness structures lined the lower flat. At one time the Parker Oil Exchange did the largest trading in oil of any body in the petroleum fields, and they possessed a $5,000 library and lavishly decorated clubrooms. So great was the traffic from the lower part of the city to the upper bluff that an elevator was con- structed which carried the wearied speculators to their homes on the beautiful hilltop for the price of a gallon of oil-five cents.
"THE FLOATING PALACE"
As vultures are attracted by the carnage of battlefields, so there came to Parker in her boom days all the scum of the cities, and for a time crime flourished. Among the noted characters of those days the most conspicuous, not only for his crimes but from his remark- able personality, was Ben Hogan. Prize fighter, bounty jumper and blockade runner during the Civil war, he combined versatility in crime with great physical strength and cour- age. In partnership with the notorious "French Kate," he bought several flatboats and moored them in front of the town. On one he kept a saloon and gambling joint; on another he promoted a series of weekly prize fights, and on the third he kept a large "maison de joie," filled with women of evil char- acter and great physical attractiveness. When business slackened he frequently paraded the water front with his "stock" to attract the spendthrifts.
This caused the better class of residents to finally drive Hogan away by cutting the moor- ing ropes of the flatboats one dark night and causing them to drift down the stream before the owner could halt their progress. Hogan took the hint and continued on to Pittsburgh, where the authorities finally drove him out of business. Some years later the late Dwight
A directory of the oil region in 1875-76 placed the population of Parker at 4,000. At the height of the boom there were probably 15,000 to 20,000 residents and a floating popu- lation of 5,000 more. Many large business establishments catered to the wants of this mushroom populace, and every other house was either a saloon or an eating house.
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