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 4
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PAGE
Patterson Families. . 836, 919, 962
Patterson, James A. 919
Reese, Walter L .. 488
Rupert, Ephraim 517
Patterson, James W. 926
Reichert, Rev. G. A. 978
Rupert Family 777
Rupert, Martin L. 777
Rupp Family 852
Rupp, Mrs. Hanna 928
Rupp, Tra W 859
Rupp, J. C .. 952
Rupp, Samuel
92S
Russell Family 652
Saunders, S. : 954
Saxman Family 749
Saxman, John A 749
Say Family 712
Say, Hamilton H. 712
Schaeffer, Edwin E. 462
'Schaeffer, Elmer E.
905
Pontius Family 594
Rickel, Jolın W.
479
Pontius, Mrs. Laura G
595
Riddle, Charles R.
941
Porter Families 566, 864
Riddle Family
687
Schaeffer, John S. 74, 350
Schaeffer, Simon 492
Schall, Israel 540
Scheeren, Tillman 841
Schlemmer Family 860
Schlemmer, Harvey S. S60
Schott, Adam 585
Schott, John A. 585
Schrecengost Families
501, 677, 692, 694, 759, 766, 844
Schrecengost, Frank C. 844
Sehrecengost, John M. 766
Schrecengost, Joseph M. 692
Schrecengost, William A. 677
Schrecengost. William J. B. 759
Schreckengost, Boyd S34
Schreckengost Family 833
Schreckengost, Levi 833
Schrecongost, Henry 845
Rairigh, Archie F. 910
Robinson, Elisha 983
Rairigh, Olynsca C 543
Rairigh, William 910
Robinson Family 981
Schull, David
702
Ralston Family 461
Robinson, Samuel M. 982
Rogers, Charles A., M. D. 807
Schulte Family 654
Schulte. Miss M. Theresa. 654
Schumaker Family 495
Ramsey Families 735, 797
Rohrer Families 577, 585
Rohrer, John W. 74, 585
Roland Family
945
Sedwick, W. G. S25
Seitz, F. A. 476
Shafer Families 348,
572-
Shafer. Harvey G
34S-
Ross Family 312
Shafer, Israel
572
Ross, Judge George. 313
Ross, George 314
Ross, J. Alexander. 494
Shaner, Albert A
358
Raymond, Michael 780
Ross, John A. 494
Shaner, Daniel
357
n'ebolt, George S. 763
Ross, John F. 870
Shaner, Eddis E.
35S
Rebolt, John N 765
Ross, Joseph 870
Shaner Families
57. 441, 768, 803
Shaner, Henry 441
Shaner, John 803
Shaner, Thomas J. 76S
Shaul, Edward M. 707
Shaul Family 707
Reese, Mrs. Elizabeth (Jones) 484
Rudolph Family 470
Shaum, Mrs. Elizabeth C. 685
Reese, Miss Elvira 488
Rudolph, Dr. Russell 470
Shaum Family 685
Reese Family 480
Rumbaugh Families 447. 651
Reese, George W. 488 Rumbaugh, Simon 651
Shaw Families
503, 634
Schaeffer, John H.
895
Porter, John S ... 75, 566
Porter, William J. 864
Riggle Family
687,
697
Procious, Edward G.
787
Riggle, Jacob
700
Procious, William
787
Riggle, Miles A.
697
Prugh, Abner
794
Riggle, Oliver W ..
682
Prugh, Mrs. George A. 794
Risher, Frank 700
Putney, Boyd H.
423
Ritchart Family 510
Ritchart, George A. 510
Ritchart, Samuel 510
Ritchey, Edward E. 74S
Ritchey Families 748, 843
Ritchey, James M.
843
Quigley, John P .. 412
Roberts, David S.
773
Quigley, Sharron M. 412
Rabbitt, John F. 457
Rabbitt, William 457
Robinson, Mrs. Caroline 983
Schrecongost, Henry L. C. 845
Schrecongost, Mrs. Jennie. 845
Sebull, J. W. 702
Ralston, James 414
Ralston, Robert L .. ... 74, 460, 665
Ralston, Robert G., M. D. 414
Rohrback, Peter 683
Schumaker, Rev. Isaiah W. 495
Ramsey, Peter M. 735
Ramsey, William B. 797
Ray, John. 904
Rayburn, Calvin. . .75, 226, 532
Rayburn, Calvin, Jr .. 533
Rayburn Families 374, 532
Ross, Miss Elisabeth M
314
Rayburn, James (North Buť- falo Tp.). 374
Rayburn, James 533
Raymond, Daniel 780
Redick, Samuel L. 905
Redinger Family 553
Rowley Family
763
Redinger, Sylvester G. 553
Rowley, John 770
Rees, Abraham 480
Rowley, Samuel C. 770
Reese, Benjamin F. 487
Rowley, Thomas .]. 763
Redick Family 905
Ross, Mrs. Margaret 314
Ross, Washington 314
Schwartz, Rev. John W. 524
945 . Sedwick, Dr. Jesse D. S25
Roland, M. M ..
Rosborough Family
498
Rosborough, Newton 498
773
Roberts, Laurence S 75, 598
Roberts, Samuel 485
682
Prager, Charles
947
Riggle, Daniel
372
Pettigrew, Matthew 60-4
Pollock Family 326
Reynolds, Ross
2. 384
Pollock, William 326
Reynolds, Withington
372
Pontius, Augustus T. 594
Rickel Family
479
Schaeffer Families
350, 492, 895, 905
Peters, Howard O 518
Reynolds, Harry 605
Reynolds, Mrs. Isabel 319
Peters, James S .. 464
Pettigrew, John M., M. D. 604
731
Reynolds, Absalom
605
Patton, John M ..
430
Patton, William A ..
430
Patton, Hon. Willis D .. 72, 320
Peters, Charles B ..
163
Reynolds Families
.369, 384, 605, 630
Peters Family 518
Reynolds, David 630
Reynolds, David (deceased) .. 385, 630
PAGE
PAGE
Reese, Isaac 207, 480 Rumbaugh, William R. 447
Patterson, William L 836
Reitler, Fritz 805
Reitler, John 805
Patton Family 731
Patton, John A
Putney, Harry E. J. 799
Riggle, Thomas F. 700
Prugh, George A. 793
Putney Families. . . . 252, 423, 799
Queen, Evan M. 373
Queen, John . 373
Roberts Families 598,
Robinson, Miss Elizabeth 983
Rohrback, John H 683
Shakley, Daniel M. 675
Shakley Family 675
Shaum, William B. 685
Reynolds, Richard W.
Reynolds, Jackson B. 369
941
Riggle, Absalon B
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX
XX111
PAGE
PAGE
Snyder Families
Thompson, Ott 686
Shaw, Milton E. 503 . . .603, 624, 863, 927, 947
Shearer, John 916
Shearer, Samuel 916
Shick Family 349
Shipman, Charles 896
Shipman Family
896
Shirley Family 956
Shirley, John 956
Shoemaker (Shumaker) Fami-
lies . 437
496, 729, 813, 826, 857, 915, 920 Shoemaker, Homer H .. 728
Spang Family
718
Townsend, John F 856
Townsend, Labanna S. 925
Spencer Family 697
Trollinger Family
443
Shoemaker, Mervin I 496
Shoff Family
733
Shoff, Samuel
733
Shoop, Alfred
776
Starr, Andrew B. 681
Truby, Mrs. Anna E. 667
Shoop, David
711
Steel, A. J .. 499
Truby, Christian
667
Shoop, Edward W.
711
Steel Family
499
Shoop Family 776
Steel, Thomas R.
500
Truby Families 369, 958
Shoop, Ira
865
Steim, Joseph M., M. D. 608
Steim, Richard A 608
Steiner, Julius.
774
Truitt, Ner M ..
553
Shoup, Jacob
894
Stenger, Christopher
818
Stenger Family 818
Stepp, Levi 772
Turk Family
783
Shumaker, Adam C .. 921
Stepp, Michael
772
Turk, Samuel M. 783
942
Shumaker, Edgar K., M. D .. . 438
Stewart, Robert 635
Turner, Fred
941
Shumaker, Ezra Z ... 921
Stitt Family 459
Turner, Thomas
924
lies 437
496, 729, 813, 826, 857, 915, 920 Shumaker, Isaac E .. 915
Stitt, Thomas A.
460
Turney, Peter J.
684
Shumaker, Murray E .. 921
Shumaker, Philip W., M. D .. 437
Shuster Family 724
Stivensou Family
345
Umburn, William SSO
Shuster, William A. 724
Sibbet Family 301
Simpson Family 923
Simpson, George W. 923
Stone, James M. 684
Storey, Mrs. Elizabeth 424
Van Kirk Family 509
Van Kirk, Vite E., Jr., M. D. 509
Wadding, John H. 638
Walker, Alexander G.
819
Walker, Edward S. 682
Walker Families
Smail Family
440
Smail, James B.
440
Sybert, Sebastian 649
Smeltzer, Peter
806
Szafran, George. 849
Tarr Family 359
Tarr, Robert F., M. D. 359
Taylor, David H .. 822
Taylor, John R. 822
Templeton Family 932
Wally Families. .431, 908, 930
Wally, James C. 431
Wally, James, M. 930
Wally, Thomas 908
Wareham, David 801
Wareham Family 800
Wareham, John 800
Waugaman Family 832
Wangaman, Peter 956
Smith, Mrs. Susanna 842
Thompson Families 526, 686
Waugaman, Samuel E. 832
Smith, William H. 580
Smullin Family 757
Thompson, Judge James. .. 71, 303
Wells Family
876
Smullin, R. Stearns. 757 Thompson, Marlin E .. 526 Wells, Jacob 876
Thompson, Thomas E. 585
Snyder, Harvey N. 75, 624
Snyder, John 814
Snyder, John E.
927
Tittle Family 725
Tittle, William F 725
Todd, Robert
625
Snyder, William 814
Todd, Robert J.
626
Snyder, William } 604
Todd, William P. 626
Somerville Family 755
Somerville, Joseph 755
Speer, Robert 478
St. Clair, Mrs. Elizabeth. 540
Trollinger, Robert M.
443
St. Clair (Sin Clair) Family. 417
Trout, Dr. David P.
421
St. Clair, John 539
Trout Families 421, 589
369
Shoop, John 865
Truitt Families 583,
918
Shoup Family 894
Shumaker, David 813
Stewart, James E. 635
Stitt, Hugh A. 460
Stitt, Levi G.
460
Stitt, S. S ...
944
Turney, Oscar C. 654
Upperman, John 906
Upperman, John M. 906
Stoekdill, John L. 613
Stone, James 684
Vandyke Family 382
Vandyke, Hiram 382
Sipes Family 770
Sipes, Hiram H. 770
Sirwell, Col. William 66, 623
Stull Family 727
Stull, Frank
727
Stute, Dr. John E.
968
Slonaker Family
Swigart, John B.
850
Sybert, Jacob T. 649
736, 778, 818, 876
Walker, Gustav
75, 736
Walker, James
670
Walker, Robert H.
670
Smith, Absalom
842
Smith, Anthony W. 517
Smith, Daniel 842
Smith Families
.. 349, 517, 522, 784, 908, 931
Smith, Jacob 580
Smith, James P. 909
Smith, Jerry T. 908
Smith, H. D. 743
Smith, Michael F 931
Smith, Milo E .. 784
Thomas, Jackson 756
Smith, Robert W. 349
Thompson, Andrew 654
528
Thaw, Mrs. Mary ( 210, 306
Thaw, William 306, 528
Thomas, David O., M. D .. 447
Thomas Family 756
Walker, Samuel 682
Walker, Samuel J .. 876
Walker, William B., M. D. 819
Walker, William M. 778
Slagle, Daniel 450
Slagle Family 450 588
Swigart Family
850
Slonaker, Newton H. 588
Stivanson, Charles T 949
Stivanson Family
949
Umburn Family 880
Stivenson, Joseph H. 345
Stockdill Family 613
Sin Clair (St. Clair) Family .. 417
Storey, William C. 424
Truxell Family 579
Shultz, August 859
Shultz, Harmon 859
Shumaker (Shoemaker) Fami-
Turner, W. Fred 435
Turney Family 684
.
PAGE
Shaw, Milo D .. 634
Thompson, William 585 Thompson, William R. 740
Snyder, John G. 604
Snyder, Mark H. 927
Townsend Families .. 725, 856, 925 Townsend, H. B .. 725
Shoemaker, Joseph T. 826
Truby, Col. Christopher. 975
Truby, Simon
Truxell, Frank 579
Turner Families 435,
Smeltzer, Peter G .. 806
Templeton, Joseph 932
Thaw Family
Thompson, James 740 Weisfield, Charles A 597
xxiv
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
Welsh Family 490
Wiser, Jacob 942 Wray, William A .. 684
Welsh, Howard M., M. D .. 490
Wiser, Jacob F. 942
Wright, Mrs. Charlotte H .. 549
West, Clayton D .. 843
Wolf, David E. 741
Wright Family
541
West Family
844
Wolf (Wolfe, Wolff) Families
Wright, Isaac
548
Wright, James R ..
541
Wherry Family 934
672, 673, 677, 741, 820, 884, 912, 954.
Wright, William J.
548
Wherry, John N. 934
Wolf, Jacob 672
Wyant, Benjamin W.
461
White, Judge Harry
952
Wolfe, Charles A .. 865
Wyant, Christian Y
668
White, John M .. .
893
Wolfe, Prof. J. Oscar 673
Wyant Families
White, Judge Thomas 952
Wolfe (Wolf, Wolff) Families
Whitworth Family 427
672, 673, 677, 741, 820, 884,
Whitworth, John F. 69, 75, 427
899, 912, 954.
Wiek, Curtis W. 536
Wolfe, John E .. 899
Wick Family 536
Wolfe, Thompson C.
677
Yingst Family 740
Wick, John, Jr. 123, 512
Wolff, David 912
Yingst, Samuel 740
Wick, John, Sr ..
512
Wolff, David H. 954
Yockey Family 838
Yockey, Mrs. Isabell 956
Wightman Family 533
Wolff, Findley P. 509, 888
Yockey, John
956
Willard, Bertram L. 929
Wolff, Dr. William W
100, 888
Williams, James L.
586
Woodside, George R.
679
Zimmerman, Amos L.
368
Willison, Amos W. 872
872
Wray Families 592, 684
Zimmerman, David A. 755
Wilson Family 591
Wray, Hiram H.
592
Zimmerman Families 755, 772
Wilson, Ott N. 591
Wray, Richard D. 873
Zimmerman, Sloan A.
Wise Family 909
Wray, Robert 873
Zorn, Jacob
551
White Family 893
Wolfe, Andrew M. 820
Wyant, Mrs. C. Y.
668
332, 461, 668, 794 Wyant, J. B. Finley, M. D ... 332 Wyant, Jeremiah 794
Wightman, Algernon S. 533
Wolff Families. 884, 912, 954
Williams Family 586
Woodside Family
679
Zeis, George J .. 779
Woodward, Absalom, Sr .. . 193, 392
Zimmerman, Daniel 568
Willison, William
West, Samuel M. 928
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA
CHAPTER I
EARLY INHABITANTS AND INDIAN WARS
THIE MOUND BUILDERS-INDIAN TRIBES AND CUSTOMS-PIONEER SETTLERS-INDIAN DEPRE- DATIONS-MASSEY HARBISON'S STORY-CAPTAIN BRADY'S FIGHT-MINISTERIAL DEFENDERS
The history of this county may be divided were said to have been a large and athletic race into three great periods: The aboriginal, or of men, but the overwhelming numbers of the Indians soon drove them farther south.
period of the Mound Builders; the savage, or Indian period; and the civilized, or Caucasian occupation.
No history, written or graven, can be dis- covered that will tell us of the Mound Build- ers, although the remains of their activities are to be seen all over this continent. Par- One of the most noted and largest was the ticularly are their earthen records to be found in Armstrong county, but none has ever been found that gives a ray of light upon their origin and object.
The Mound Builders erected several kinds of earthworks, but only one of these, the cir- cular or elliptical fort, is to be found in this county. Many of them are invisible at this date, but tradition has given us the location. circular embankment between Kittanning and Ford City, near the run that was named "Fort" by the early settlers. It was about an acre in extent, with a wall five feet high and a moat of the same depth around it. This was used as a protection from the Indians by the settlers of that section, so it served its purpose as a fort for at least two widely differing races.
Many the mounds, embankments and other earthworks that our forefathers ploughed over and destroyed in the past, thinking that they were simply Indian fortifications or graves, so we have little but tradition or memory to de- At a point in Boggs township was an earth- work that undoubtedly was used as a fort, as it was situated in a location favorable for pend upon in attempting to unravel the maze of finespun theories regarding the races that peopled our country previous to the Indian defense. Other remains were found in South tribes. We simply know that the Indians were Buffalo, on the banks of the Allegheny, and some interesting relics were discovered in dig- ging into them. Other relics were excavated in Washington township in 1843. not in the habit of erecting earthworks or mounds, and from the few relics to be gathered in these mounds it is judged that their build- ers were of far greater capacity and cunning in working stone and copper than their red THE INDIANS successors.
The Indians gave the name of "Allegewi" to The different tribes of Indians who later inhabited this valley were said by Hecke- these races that they drove out of this country, and thence arose the name Allegheny. They welder to have been the Lenni-Lenape, or
1
1
2
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Delawares, Mohawks, Oneidas, Cayugas, On- ondagas and Senecas. Of these the Dela- wares were the more permanent residents of the portion of country now included in the boundaries of Armstrong county, although many of the others were frequently seen on hunting trips through the country, traveling by way of their well-worn paths. These paths Many a person has paced across a point of land, where he had been told that an Indian camp had existed, until he was dizzy, without finding anything to reward his search. But ar- rowheads, like evil deeds, sink in. To find the arrowheads look along the caving edges of the embankments and bluffs until a black spot is seen in the gravel and sand. This is the remains of the camp fire, where generations of Indians had stopped to eat clams or prepare a meal. Many of these clam shells will be were well known to the early settlers and were, in fact, their only routes for many years after the settlement of the country. One of these paths crossed the Allegheny at Nicholson's run in South Buffalo, another extended from the region near Putneyville to the Indiana line by way of Dayton, while a third crossed the Kiskiminetas not far from Apollo. By this latter trail came Post, the missionary, in 1758, who made several expeditions to deliver con- ciliatory messages to the different tribes in the found in this spot, generally partially burned. days before settlement was made.
Blockhouses were generally built by the set- tlers as soon as they arrived in the country, for protection and shelter until their perma- nent habitations were constructed. Of these one of the first was the Claypoole blockhouse, on the Allegheny, near Fort run, now within the limits of Ford City, built in 1790. About the same time another was built on the same river, at the mouth of Nicholson's run in South Buffalo. Another was located in 1785 at the point now called "Idaho," in South Bend town- ship.
The Indians had several villages in this section when the settlers came, even occupying them some years afterward. Besides the famous one at Kittanning, there was another at "Old Town," in Red Bank township, known to have been a large settlement in 1770. An- other was said to have been situated at the mouth of the Mahoning, one at Brady's Bend and another at Bull Lick, on Pine creek.
ARROWHEADS
The costumes and customs of the Indians are familiar to most of the readers of history, so an extended description is unnecessary. Before the advent of the whites the arms of the Indians were the tomahawk and bow and arrow. Most of the arrowheads were obtained from the tribes north and west of this county, as flint rock is not found in the section of Pennsylvania of which we are writing. How- ever; there was in early times an arrowhead factory in the northern part of Red Bank township, on Mudlick creek, where fragments of rock and finished and unfinished imple- ments and arrowheads were found.
There is a rich reward for those who will . systematically seek for Indian relics along the streams of the county, even after the years that have elapsed since the red man departed. For the benefit of those who have read this sketch of the savages we will give a few rules to observe in seeking for relics.
Bring a sifter with you and a spade, and dig all around these ancient camping grounds. and you will be richly rewarded for your labor. Here around the camp fire the arrowmaker may have been located, but there are always arrow points to be found, and especially bits of the crude clay pottery marked with rough geometrical designs.
By taking out a couple of spadefuls of earth at a time and putting it through the sifter, and carefully examining all the things that remain, the searcher will be rewarded by a number of pieces. Sometimes exceedingly rare points of obsidian, milky quartz, jasper and jet will be found, along with the rougher points of gray flint, feldspar and such minerals.
If the searcher is really interested in such a collection he should not toss aside anything he is not sure about, but secure a handbook on the subject and study the illustrations. The skin scrapers, the hammers and many other objects appear to the untrained eyes to be merely natural stones.
The same opportunity is offered on the banks of the larger inland rivers. Look in the ploughed furrows on points of land extending into a river or lake, for the Indians always camped on such places, as they offered a van- tage point for them, enabling them to note the approach of an enemy on all sides.
One of the enthusiastic collectors of Indian relics for the past twenty years is Capt. James M. Hudson, of Kittanning, who owns one of the most complete cabinets in the State.
Some of the settlers used to claim that the Indians had found deposits of lead ore in this section, but geological surveys have proved this untrue. They probably bartered for the ore. with other tribes, and afterwards removed it
3
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
from their hiding places when wanted to trade their wars with the Indians, so we will only for powder or whiskey.
BUILDING OPERATIONS
Their summer homes were the skin tepec, but their winter habitations were more elaborate. An early writer says he saw a cabin erected when he was captive among the Indians along Lake Erie. "They cut logs," says he, "about fifteen feet long, and laid them upon each other, and drove posts in the ground at each end to keep them together ; they tied the posts together at the top with bark, and by this means raised a wall fifteen feet long and about four feet high, and in the same manner they raised an- other wall opposite to this, at about twelve feet distance; then they drove forks in the ground in the center of each end, and laid a strong pole from end to end on these forks ; and from these walls to the poles they set up poles instead of rafters, and on them tied small poles instead of laths ; and a cover was made of lynn (lin- den) bark which will run water even in the winter season. At the end of these walls they set up split timber all round except a space at each end for a door. At the top, in place of a chimney, they left an open space, and for bed- ding they laid down that kind of bark, on which they spread bearskins. There were fires along the middle from one end to the other of the hut, which the squaws made of dry split wood, and stopped up whatever open places there were in the walls with moss which they collected from old logs; they hung a bearskin at the door. Notwithstanding our winters here are hard, our lodging was much better than I expected." Perhaps the Indian houses in Kit- tanning, especially that of the chief, Captain Jacobs, were somewhat better and differently built.
From these rude dwellings our forefathers developed their log cabins, improving in many points upon the crude construction of their savage instructors. In many ways the settlers patterned after the Indians; in their mode of dress, methods of hunting, travel and the cul- tivation of the products of the soil native to this country, and in most cases with profit to themselves. The Indians had developed their customs and mode of life by years of experi- ence and necessity, and had probably settled upon the most satisfactory way of living in the wilderness, so that settlers did well to emulate them until they could by experience improve upon their methods.
OUTRAGES
touch upon the most famous of these inci- dents. Many of the settlers were captured and tortured, but occasionally, through super- stition or whim, their lives would be spared and they remain captives for years. In one instance a son of David Shields, of Red Bank township, was recaptured by his father, but the lure of the forest life seemed to draw him away and he soon returned to his savage friends. Fergus Moorhead owed his life to the savages' reluctance to shoot over three times at a person, they believing that the Great Spirit wished his life spared. Joshua Spencer, who lived on Crooked creek, was captured and made to run the gantlet, and escaping the ordeal unscathed, was adopted into the tribe. One of the peculiar customs of the Indians was to spare those with black hair, and to this Ezekiel Lewis, of Captain Orr's command, owed his life in a battle with them.
CORNPLANTER
Not all of the Indians were bad, however. One of the strong friends of the whites was Cornplanter, who on several occasions has- tened to warn the settlers of uprisings of other tribes and prospective attacks. This distin- guished Indian chief was born at Conewagus, on the Genesee river ; his father, a white man, was said to be a resident of Albany, N. Y. After the war of the Revolution he was an unswerving friend of the whites, and per- formed some valuable services for them. for which he received grants of land in various localities. The fact that he and some of his people once resided at and near the mouth of Cornplanter's run, in South Buffalo township, where they raised corn, has come down from early explorers of and settlers in this region. It was related by Charles Sipe, Sr., who fished and hunted along these streams in and after 1796, that he and his sons could see the rows of cornhills on a parcel of about three acres opposite the mouth of Cornplanter's run and on another parcel on the west side of the creek about half a mile up.
It does not seem improbable that John O'Bail, as Cornplanter was also called, derived his Indian name. Ki-en-twa-ka, from those corn- fields. Cornplanter had two sons, Charles and Henry, who survived him. He and one or the other of them, and others of his people, oc- casionally passed down and up the Allegheny, stopping sometimes at Kittanning, whom Philip Mechling and some others of the oldest
It would occupy too much space to detail all the harrowing experiences of the settlers in citizens living in 1875 remembered having
4
HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
seen. He died at his home on his long-loved Allegheny, in Warren county, March 7, 1836, in or about the one hundred and fifth year of his age.
FORTS AND FIGHTS
The settlement of this county was delayed by the rival claims of the French and Eng- lish to the lands. The Indians soon took sides in this division of their property, and their alliance was courted by both of the opposing forces. The French built a line of forts down the Allegheny to control the country, and in many instances winked at the ravages of their red allies.
England sent Braddock to capture the Ohio valley in 1755, but his ignominious defeat is a matter of familiar history. The next year oc- curred Armstrong's famous raid on Kittan- ning, an account of which will be found in the sketch of that borough.
The capture of Fort Duquesne ( Pittsburgh) in 1758 by Gen. John Forbes completed the conquest of this country from the French. Then came the Revolutionary war, in which many of the settlers of Armstrong county took part. After the termination of that conflict the first of the expeditions of the colonists against the Senecas and Munsees by Col. Daniel Brodhead, in 1779, up the Allegheny. resulted in a temporary tranquility to the settlers.
An expedition was made in 1781 against the Indians of Ohio by Col. Archibald Lochry and Capt. Robert Orr, but resulted in complete failure by their defeat at the mouth of the Muskingum river. Captain Orr was after- wards a settler of Sugar Creek township, and the ancestor of many of the prominent citizens of this county in later days. For a time after this the Indians were more than ever aggress- ive, and many of the outrages in this county occurred after that date. One of them was the capture of Massey Harbison in 1792, of which much has been written and told. From the many conflicting stories of different writers, as well as the woman herself, we gather the following facts.
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