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 44
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Smith were the first elders, and I. E. Selvis
The village now consists of eleven stores, and J. M. Kirkpatrick, deacons. For a time one druggist, one baker, one harnessmaker, services were held in Sheftigs Hall every two two undertakers, three liverymen, three bar- weeks, and a Sabbath school, of which L. E. bers, one blacksmith, one dentist, one milliner, Selvis was superintendent, met weekly in the one hotel and a restaurant. same place. In 1902 a new pastorate was Drs. S. E. Ambrose and Thomas F. Stock- well are the resident physicians and O. S. Marshall is an attorney living in the village. formed of this and the Pleasant Union congre- gation, with Rev. J. W. Tressler in charge. He was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. C. H. Huber, also a resident, is a veterinarian. C. F. Gephart, in 1912. In 1903 the church bought two lots in Yatesboro and erected a
The Rural Valley National Bank was organ- ized in 1902 with a capital of $55,000 and now combination store building, in part of which has a surplus of the same proportions. The they held services. But in 1913 they sold the officers are: R. M. Trollinger, president ; J. building and removed to their new church, a A. Bowser, vice president; C. C. Farren,
fine brick building, valued at $5,000, located at Rural Valley. The present membership is twenty-three; Sabbath school, forty-eight.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was organ- ized in 1851, and was incorporated in the Day- ton circuit. It occupies a frame structure, built in 1852, and the pastor is Rev. William Hamilton.
The postoffice was removed to the village by John Patterson, who was succeeded by Thomp- son Purviance, Robert A. Robinson, Joseph Alcorn, John Colwell, Zachariah Knight, Henry Keck, Dr. William Aitkins, George A. Gourley.
Rural Valley Lodge No. 766, I. O. O. F., of 1913. was instituted here in 1871, with twenty-one members. It is still in a flourishing condition.
FIRST ASSESSMENT
The assessment list for the year 1876 shows : Merchants, 4 ; mason, 1 ; physician, I ; tinsmith, I ; peddler, I; printer, I ; blacksmiths, 5; car- penters, 2; justice of the peace, I; wagon- makers. 3: laborers, 4; shoemakers, 2; tailor, I; artist, 1; innkeepers, 2. The number of taxables is 43, giving a population of 197. The first school within what are now the lim- its of this village was taught before 1836, in the first log cabin built here, by Thomas Mc- Elhinney, afterward a member of the bar of this county, and the author of several treatises and a biography of Martin Van Buren.
cashier.
The present flouring mill would hardly be claimed as a successor of the old gristmill of Ebenezer Cross in 1835, for it is decidedly an up-to-date plant in every respect. W. P. Lauster is the proprietor and the plant is valued at $22,000.
The local paper, the Advance, was started about 1894 by O. S. Marshall, the present at- torney of this section, and was a success from the beginning. At present it is ably conducted by H. O. Peters, who is somewhat more pros- perous than the usual country editor.
P. T. Ammond is the burgess for the term
SCHOOLS
In 1913 there was one school in Rural Val- ley ; months taught, 7 ; male teacher, I ; female teachers, 4; average salaries, male. $75; fe- male, $50; male scholars, 102; female schol- ars, 94; average attendance, 165; cost per month, $1.82; tax levied, $2,521.80; received from State, $833.01 ; other sources, $4,453.61 ; value of schoolhouses, $8,900 ; teachers' wages, $1,925 ; fuel, fees, etc., $3,123.69.
The school directors for that year were: S. E. Ambrose, president ; H. C. Shea, secre- tary; R. M. Trollinger, treasurer ; H. S. Schlemmer, J. E. Richards, J. J. Johnson.
YATESBORO
This mining town, founded in 1900, is prac-
The population of Rural Valley, after its tically a part of Rural Valley, being less than
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
half a mile from it. The mines of the Cowan- shannock Coal & Coke Company practically support the town, and most of the residents are unnaturalized foreigners.
The Catholic Church here was served last by Father C. Federici, who died this year in the town and is buried there.
The Lutherans had a store building, which they used in part for religious services, but in 1913 they removed to Rural Valley.
A very good hotel, the Central, is kept by D. E. Tracey, and the coal company's store is managed by W. G. Miller. Dr. John A. James is the resident physician.
The mines are the largest in the county, employing 1,075 men, and producing 825,000 tons of coal in a year. James Craig is the resident manager. Railroad branch lines con- nect all of the five mines with the Rural Val- ley railroad. The mines are assessed at ȘIOS,- 550.
Blanco is a small settlement in the south- western part of the township, on Huskins' run. It has one store and a church, the latter used by various denominations.
EARLY MANUFACTURERS
John Schrecongost, Sr., and Martin Schrec- ongost, brothers, were each first assessed with one hundred acres in the year 1814, and John Schrecongost, Jr., with one thousand acres in 1819. The elder John began the manufacture of plows with wooden moldboards, soon after he settled here. He was called "Gentleman John" because of the comparative neatness of his apparel, polished manners and gentlemanly bearing.
Two military companies-the Wayne Artil- lery and the Pine Creek Infantry-and a large number of citizens celebrated the Fourth of July, 1837, at Martin Schrecongost's house. The Declaration of Independence was read, and some remarks were made by Mr. A. L. Robinson. The other features were the parade and evolutions of those military companies, and volunteer toasts of a decided partisan tone given by members of both of the political parties, Whig and Democrat.
PIONEER CHURCHES
Andrew Weamer, Andrew and Philip Har- mon, Philip Bricker, Christian Hoover, Philip Whitesell and John Byerly, residing in that vicinity in 1829. Rev. Gabriel A. Reichert preached to them in German and English in the barn of Philip Bricker, close to the county line. The church was organized in 1830, and until 1833 services were held in the log barn in the summer and in dwelling houses in the winter. In the latter year Philip Bricker gave half an acre for the site and others con- tributed logs, rafters and other building mate- rials.
The resultant edifice was a hewed log struc- ture, 28 by 32 feet. William Rearigh did the carpenter work and various members of the congregation did the "chunking and daubing." The floor was made of loose boards. It was used in an unfinished condition until 1835, when the doors, windows and board ceiling, tight floor, high pulpit and neat seats were supplied. It was then regarded as the neatest church in this section, and was used until 1861, when the present frame edifice, 45 by 55 feet, well and neatly painted, furnished, seated, plastered and papered, was erected on a site adjoining that of the other in this township, at a cost of $2,000, and for style and finish was then considered the best in this section. It was named St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church. Its original number of members was eighteen ; its present. 196. Rev. Gabriel A. Reichert continued his ministerial services six times a year to this congregation until 1839. After he left. this church united with the In- diana and Blairsville charge. His successors were: Rev. Jacob Medtart, 1839 to 1843; Rev. H. Bishop, 1843 to August, 1846, when this congregation was united with Smicksburg; Rev. A. C. Ehrenfeld, 1847-49; Rev. G. M. Pile, 1851-52; Rev. F. A. Barnitz, 1852-54; Rev. Christian Diehl, 1854-59; Rev. C. L. Streamer, 1859-69; Rev. P. S. Hooper, 1869- 72; Rev. G. A. Lee, 1872-74; Rev. W. E. Crebs, 1874-79; Rev. Ephraim Miller. 1879- SI: Rev. J. T. Gladhill, 1882-83; Rev. Amos Sell. 1884-85; Rev. Reuben Smith, 1886-90 : Rev. J. W. Hutchison, 1890-92 ; Rev. William Hesse, 1893-97 ; Rev. M. L. Schmucker, 1897- 1900; Rev. George O. Ritter, 1900-13. Mem- bership in 1913, 120; Sabbath school, 96.
The Sabbath school of this congregation was organized in 1840, with Thomas R. Lukehart as superintendent and Jacob Weamer, assist- ant. Robert Whiteacre was the first librarian. About a mile north of the Lutheran church
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Plum Creek is located on that stream in the eastern part of the township, near the line of Indiana county, a short distance from the town of Sagamore. The nucleus of this church con- is located the German Baptist or Dunkard sisted of the families of Conrad Lukehart, church building, a neat frame structure. This
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
congregation was organized in 1832, and the first resident minister was Rev. George Rear- ich. Revs. Levi Wells, Robert Whiteacre, J. B. Wampler, S. W. Wilt were his succes- sors. Members in 1880, 105; Sabbath school, So. The congregation has been disbanded for some years.
same time introduced his successor at a Sab- bath meeting, without a preliminary warning to the congregation. He invited Rev. Jacob H. Wright to preach for him and at the close of the sermon arose and said: "Dear Bredderen : I cannot serve you any longer. I am a very busy man. I have seven or eight congrega- tions. So I gives you over to Brudder Wright, and he is now your pastor. And so, my peo- ples, I bids you farewell." This was a resigna- tion, election and installation in an abridged form not common to Lutheran usage, but the congregation accepted it without murmur.
Rev. Mr. Wright served the congregation for twenty-six years, his successors being Revs. J. W. Hutchison, 1888; Samuel Krider, 1889; S. V. Dye, 1889-93; William Hesse, 1893-97; J. W. Tressler, 1898-99; J. A. Flickinger, 1899-1900; Joseph Minto, 1900; Jacob M. Hankey, 1900-02; J. W. Tressler, 1902-12. The present pastor is Rev. C. F. Gephart, who also serves the Yatesboro congregation.
Pleasant Union Evangelical Lutheran Church is situated in the northwestern part of Cowanshannock, near the Wayne township In 1890 it was decided not to further repair the old church, but build anew. Most of the work was done by members of the church, who also contributed the materials. The cost was $3,000 and the cornerstone was laid in 1890. Improvements have since been made to the completed edifice and it is a credit to the locality and its builders. The membership in 1913 is 37; Sabbath school, 30. line. Owing to its location at the forks of the Blairsville and Franklin roads, it is also called the "Crossroads church." Its organization is due to the efforts of Rev. Frederick Wise, Re- formed preacher, to force his congregation to accept his choice of site in erecting a church in 1857. For some years the Reformed de- nomination had held services in the Schaum schoolhouse, but they decided in 1856 to build a home. Some favored the crossroads site, ROADS AND SCHOOLS while others the one on Pine creek. Rev. Mr. Wise agreed to let the party taking the larg- This township was not well supplied with good public roads until 1845. The Kittanning and Smicksburg turnpike had been authorized difference. The original route was changed in that year after pledges had been made by the inhabitants of Rural Valley to build sev- eral miles of the road if the new route through that place was adopted. Those pledges were kept. est subscription decide the matter, but after the crossroads people collected the greater amount he refused to agree to their choice. He twelve years before but had lapsed from in- then agreed to compromise, but as soon as the books were in his hands he arbitrarily said, "we will build on the old site at Pine creek." The crossroads crowd became angry and re- solved to build a church of their own, appoint- ing W. T. Schreckongost, Jacob S. Rupp and Benjamin Geiger as a committee. When their Some of the early schoolhouses in this town- ship were built before 1820. The first four were of the usual log construction and were cornerstone was ready to be laid Rev. Mr. Wise refused to have anything to do with it or to permit another Reformed pastor to come located at the most convenient points. One, to the field. That settled the matter for the the third erected, was about a mile northwest congregation, and they went over to the Lu- of Atwood on land of D. McCoy. It was therans in a body.
noted for its three-cornered chimney and was The cornerstone was laid in 1857 by Revs. Gabriel A. Reichert and Michael Sweigert, the former preaching in German and the lat- ter in English. The building was a frame with high pulpit and but one aisle. Rev. Mr. Sweigert was elected as the first pastor and heated by an iron kettle filled with coal, the earliest use of that fuel in this part of the county. Christopher Hoover resided near and boarded the teacher, John Russell, during the winter sessions. Six more structures were built after 1820 and were used until the com- served until 1862. He resigned and at the mon school law was passed in 1834.
One of the pioneer teachers before that law was passed was James Cogley, who could re- cite the tale of "Robin Hood," but whose learning was confined to a superficial knowl- edge of the three "R's."
In the year 1845 Rev. James D. Mason opened a school in the Presbyterian church at Rural Valley, giving instruction in Latin, Greek and literature. He was succeeded in the work by Rev. Cochran Forbes, and he by Mr. John McElroy in a building owned by the latter. Other teachers during a period of twenty-five years were: H. C. Fouke, T.
1
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
R. Ewing, Louis Kimmel, Joseph Beer and L. The total valuation of the same, single men M. Belden. The second was only operated in- omitted, in 1876, was $817,051. termittently and finally closed.
In 1860 the number of schools in this town- sive of Atwood and Rural village, not wholly
ship was 15; average number of months taught, 4; male teachers, II ; female teachers, 4; average monthly salaries of male, $14.45; average monthly salaries of female, $13.50; male scholars, 340; female scholars, 334; aver- age number attending school; 405; cost of teaching each scholar per month, 34 cents; amount levied for school purpose, $1,192; re- ceived from State appropriation, $130.70; from collectors, $682; cost of instruction, $854; fuel and contingencies, $64.70; repair- ing schoolhouses, etc., $18.
In 1876 the number of schools was 16; aver- age number months taught, 5; male teachers, 11 ; female teachers, 5; average monthly sal- aries of male, $34; average monthly salaries of female, $35; male scholars, 407; female scholars, 352; average number attending school, 532 ; cost per month, 85 cents; amount of tax levied for school and building purposes, $3,700. Receipts-from State appropriation. $493.83; from taxes, etc., $3,666.06; cost of schoolhouses, $564; teachers' wages, $2,745 : fuel, contingencies, etc., $597.29.
Number of schools in 1913, 32; average amount, $110,140. months taught, 71/8 ; male teachers, II ; female teachers, 21; average salaries, male, $51.36; female, $45.48; male scholars, 716; female scholars, 745 ; average attendance, 1,055; cost per month, $1.62; tax levied, $12,808.07 ; re-
teachers' wages, $11,019; fuel, fees, etc .. $9,- 985.47.
POPULATION-VALUATION
The census of 1850, the first one after the organization of this township, shows its popu- lation, including that of the villages, to have then been : white, 1,318; colored, o. In 1860, white, 1,963 ; colored, 1. In 1870, white, 2,246; center. colored, o; native, 2,155; foreign, 91. The number of taxables in 1876 was 599; and the population, estimated on that basis, 2.755. The assessed valuation of this township, in 1850, was: Real estate, $90,020 ; personal property, $13,295 ; single men, $2.900: occupations, $400; money at interest, $1,651 ; carriages, $325; watches, 50 cents. Total, $107.791.50.
Occupations, other than agricultural, exclu- according to the assessment list for 1876: Laborers, 28; blacksmiths, 5; merchants, 5; carpenters, 8; stone-masons, 6; miners, 2; shoemakers, 2 ; teachers, 3 ; harness makers, 3; painter, I ; gristmills, 2; sawmills, stationary, 5 ; portable, 1 ; tanneries, 2. According to the mercantile appraiser's list, there were 21 mer- chants of the fourteenth and two of the thir- teenth class.
The population of the township according to the census of 1890 was 2,170. In the next year Rural Valley was incorporated as a bor- ough. In 1900 the population of the township was 2,697 ; in 1910 it was 4,428. This increase is accounted for by the opening of several mines and the influx of large numbers of foreigners.
The assessment list for 1913 shows: num- ber of acres of timber land, 2,428; cleared land, 24,241 ; value of land, $374,820. Houses and lots, 711 ; valued at $246,419; average value, $346.58. Horses, 474; value, $21,646; average value, $47.77. Cows, 509; value, $7,- 619; average, $14.96. Taxables, 2,407 :
Total valuation, $1, 117,- 916. Money at interest, $85,620.20.
GEOLOGICAL FORMATION
Nearly all the surface rocks of this town- ceived from State, $5,515.54; other sources, ship are lower barrens. The country along $15.744.91 ; value of schoolhouses, $48,000; the creek is famous for its smooth, fertile soils. The lower productive rocks are above water level for about a mile along the north
The school directors are: A. C. Crawford, branch of Plum creek, extending into Indiana president ; W. L. Buchanan, secretary ; S. J. McElwaine, treasurer; Charles Facemeyer, R. C. Neal.
county. A small area extends southward from Wayne township up the valley of Pine creek to Gourley's. A much larger and more impor- tant area projects eastward from Valley town- ship. The lowest rock exposed is the ferrifer- ous limestone. only in the extreme western edge of the township.
The rocks are nearly horizontal, the town- ship representing the edges and center of the synclinal, of which Rural village is about the
Somewhat beyond the northern boundary of Plum Creek township, at Patterson's mill, on the Cowanshannock creek, the Kittanning bed. covered by 40 feet of shale, reads thus: Bitu- minous shale, 3 feet ; coal and slate inter- leaved, vegetable impressions numerous, 12 inches ; coal, 12 inches, 7 feet above level of water ; floor, black slate. Lower down it reads
·
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
thus : Black slate, 5 feet ; coal, 5 inches: port coal, said to be 1}2 feet thick. Upwards bituminous pyritous slate, 18 inches ; coal, 15 inches ; slaty coal, 14 inches.
Two miles west of Rural Valley, on a farm formerly known as Smith's tract, the upper Freeport coalbed is 150 or more feet above the creek, and is 4 feet thick, of good quality. but with a little sulphur. Ten feet below it is the ferriferous limestone, 5 feet thick. Fifty feet below the limestone is seen the lower Free-
of 100 feet lower down, near the creek level, is the Kittanning coalbed, thickness unknown. This locality is on the east side of the fourth axis, and distant from it about 21/2 miles : dip southeast.
The highest point in the township, 1,525 feet above sea level, is in the extreme north- eastern portion on the line of Valley town- ship, near the south fork of Pine creek.
CHAPTER XXVIII
VALLEY TOWNSHIP
CHOOSING OF NAME-SETTLERS AND INDUSTRIES-PINE CREEK FURNACE-RELIGIOUS-POPULA- TION-SCHOOLS-GEOLOGICAL FEATURES
The first name suggested for this township when the proposition was made to separate it from Pine was that of Judge Buffington, but the Judge opposed it on the grounds that it should not be named after any living person. The first industry on record in this town- ship was the loom of George Waugaman, who was assessed as a weaver in 1812. He suggested the name of Valley, for the rea- son that most of the territory was traversed by the Cowanshannock creek. This was Alexander White built in 1828 the first grist- between the present sites of Oscar and Pine Furnace settlements. William Love was the next owner in 1839. the mills passing into the successive possession of Joseph Barker, Joseph L. Reed and Francis Martin, being operated until 1880. adopted and the division made in 1855. At the mill, and in 1832 a sawmill, both on Pine creek, first election, held in the spring of 1856 fol- lowing, the officers were: Justice of the peace, James K. Tittle ; constable, William S. Camp- bell ; judge of election, John B. Starr ; inspect- ors of election, Andrew Waugaman, John I. Sloan ; school directors, Robert E. Brown, James K. Tittle, one year ; Daniel Slagle, John Daniel Hepler was the first blacksmith reg- istered in this township in 1828, locating west of the site of Pine furnace. Robinson, two years; John Howser, Wm. Peart, three years; assessor, John Robinson ; township auditors, William Gillis, one year, Hugh Space, two years, George Hill, three ing mill on Pine creek, at the mouth of Dill's years ; overseers of the poor, Abraham Fiscus, Abraham Bossinger; township clerk, George WV. Speace.
SETTLERS AND INDUSTRIES
The settlement of this township was coin- cident with that of Rayburn, as the latter was formed in modern times, so reference can be made to the list of names in the sketch of that township. Some of those who settled in the territory now left to Valley township were:
Hannegan, Isaac Rhea, B. B. Cooper, William McIntyre, John Howser, George Leighley, Aaron Black, George Stiffey, Charles Moore. William Powers.
Major James White built a carding and full- run, in 1837. After a year's operation he em- ployed William Gillis, a skilled weaver, and calling the mills the "Pine Creek Woolen Fac- tory" commenced the manufacture of cloth and blankets. This was the first factory in the county, the people having previously had to resort to Indiana county for their cloth. These mills were operated until 1890. The owners from time to time were John Adair, James E. Brown and Brown & Mosgrove.
Findley Patterson erected a gristmill and sawmill in 1833 at the site of the present town Conrad Schreckengost. 1807; Frederick Yoc- of Greendale. Here the first flour shipped to key. 1807; George Waugaman, 1811; George Philadelphia was made. The mills were sold in 1848 to John Kammerdiner, who attempted to operate them with steam, but failed, and Cravenor, 1817, and Thomas Beer. Daniel Guld and George Williams, 1820. Other land- owners and settlers at later dates were: John the sheriff sold them, to David Patterson, who Davis, Jacob Sleese, Martin Kneas, James ran them a few years and then abandoned the
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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
effort. The "Greendale" postoffice was estab- 1836. There were occasional supplies by Revs. lished here in 1867, with George Bowser as postmaster. Later on in the following year F. S. Bowser opened the mills and ran them until 1880. He also conducted a blacksmith shop and handled the mail. His successor as postmaster and storekeeper was Andrew H. Warner, in 1890.
Findley Patterson was elected county com- missioner in 1837, State senator in 1838, rev- enue commissioner in 1843, member of the Assembly in 1845, made speaker of the House in 1845, appointed revenue commissioner in 1847, was a member of the school board for many years, and in 1857 appointed receiver of the land office in Kansas.
In 1850 William Peart started the settle- ment on Pine creek, near the eastern border of this township, which he named "Oscar." Francis Martin was the first postmaster here in 1861. He also operated a store.
Daniel Schreckengost built a two-story brick house in 1844 near the site of West Valley, where he kept an inn. One of the first and unsuccessful oil wells was sunk here in 1872. till 1864; Rev. J. F. Snyder in 1865; Rev.
Here the "Davis" postoffice was opened in 1857, Daniel Davis being in charge. It was later consolidated with the "West Valley" postoffice, the latter opened in 1861, at the home of Daniel Slagle. There is no postoffice there now. W. W. Egly has a blacksmith shop there in 1913.
PINE CREEK FURNACE
This iron mill was the result of the labors of James E. Brown and James Mosgrove, in 1845-46. It was first operated with charcoal, but soon the forests were exhausted and coke was substituted in 1865. By 1879 the price of pig iron was $16 per ton and the furnace ceased to be a paying proposition. A three- foot railroad was built by the firm in 1869, which was called the Pine Creek & Dayton Railroad, as it was projected to run to that town. But the furnace closure nipped the plans in the bud, and not even the site of the road can be seen now.
Quite a settlement arose around the furnace and in 1880 the place might have been called a town, having stores, a church and a school- house, besides numerous houses.
RELIGIOUS
The Pine Creek Baptist Church is the out- growth of occasional itinerant preaching in this region before and regular preaching after
Thomas and Wilson. The church was organ- ized with ten members in 1830, on which oc- casion Revs. Wilson, McCumber and Scott officiated. The first church edifice, frame, 24 by 32 feet, was erected in 1841. The present one, a neat frame, 38 by 45 feet, was erected on the site of the old one in 1876. The original members of this church were Joseph Davis, Daniel Hepler, Sarah Hepler, James Hall, Nancy Hall, Margaret Walker, Harriet Peart, Robert Walker and Tabitha Walker. The site of the church is just west of the old furnace, near a small run. It is served by Rev. James McPhail, of the Walkchalk church, in East Franklin township.
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