USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > Centennial Discourse: A Sketch of the History of Venango County, Pennsylvania. > Part 5
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OIL CITY,
although a modern town on the score of years, has yet attained to great importance and prosperity. It has had a rapid, healthy and promising growth. There are many elements in the spendid pros- perity that has attended it. Its location is much in its favor. It is on the river and at the mouth of Oil Creek, where the first import- ant developments were made. It is the most important railroad centre in the entire oil region. In addition to these advantages it was early settled by a class of energetic, persevering business men, who have brought both energy and capital to the building up of its interests. From its position and the character of its people, it must always be an important shipping point; and the history of the past is a guaranty of the success of the future.
The town is situated on both sides of the Allegheny River and at the same time includes the territory above and below the mouth of Oil Creek. The territory on the western side of the creek was set- tled original by FRANCIS HOLLIDAY. By him it was purchased from the State in 1803. It was for a long time his home and that of his family. About thirty years ago it came into the hands of Dr. JOHN NEVINS. Here he lived, practiced medicine, hunted foxes, and en- joyed himself socially, without any dream of the wealth and im- portance that should attach to his humble home at the base of the cliff. It next passed into the hands of PLUMER and DRUM, and was finally sold to the Michigan Rock Oil Company. By them the ground was laid out in lots, and buildings began to be erected .-
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VENANGO COUNTY.
This was about the year 1859. Previous to this time, there were but three or four houses on this side of the Creek. There was the old Moran House. It had been a famous resort for lumbermen in its day. In the Spring and Fall, and during "June freshes," as they were called, lumbermen had thronged around it like bees. Long lines of rafts were to be seen moored to the bank of the River, in the eddy, during the times of high water, and on a small scale something of the excitement of the oil business was witnessed around it. Often rafts were moored for the distance of a mile above and below the mouth of the Creek. The sound of the fiddle and the loud tramp of heavy boots were heard far into the night, making a scene of great activity and excitement. There was also the Red Lion Hotel nearer the mouth of the Creek, that had been standing a shorter length of time, but was also a prominent point with the lumbermen. During the season of low water the place was quiet and hardly a ripple moved to disturb its tranquility.
In 1852, JOHN P. HOPEWELL established a store not far below the mouth of the Creek, that seemed a kind of prophecy of the com- ing tide of business.
Crossing to the east, or upper side of the Creek, we find, at the beginning of the century the land in the possession of CORNPLANTER, the Chief of the Senecas. The Government, in recognition of his services during the Revolutionary War, had assigned him certain tracts of land, amongst others, three hundred acres at the mouth of Oil Creek, extending up the flat on the upper side. This land had been surveyed by Colonel DALE, Deputy Surveyor, and a deed made out for the same. The possession of this deed, and the actual cor- ners and " blazes " of the Surveyor did much to reconcile the old . warrior to the settlement of the country by the white people.
The old Chief held this land for many years. He visited it fre- quently ; his people came to gather oil from its springs, and to hunt and fish in its neighborhood. By him it was at last sold, through the agency of WILLIAM CONNELY, and by some legal process came into the hands of MATTHIAS STOCKBERGER and RICHARD NOYES, for a very moderate price. It afterwards became the property of WILLIAM BELL. Afterwards it came into the possession of GRAFF, HASSON & Co. A warehouse and steamboat landing were prepared. A blast furnace and mills were erected, propelled by water power taken from the Creek. A foundry was connected with the furnace. Occasionally an old stove is found still, throughout the country, bearing the in- scription, "Oil Creek Furnace." These works were carried on for a time by the CRARYS. Of course, there was a store connected with them, as that seemed an absolute necessity in all furnace operations.
But a change came. The furnace blew its last blast; the mill
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wheel made ita last revolution: the warehouse fell into dilapidation; the weeds grew rankly around the store door: there was no sign of life, save that the dwelling house of the concern was still occupied. This was the state of the case in 1850. L'p to 1859. when the first oil well was struck, there were no signs of prosperity or enterprise. In that year there were not more than half a dozen families in all the region covered by the entire active city of the present. In the year 1864, this land was purchased by the Petroleum Farms Associ- ation, and by them laid out in lots.
Daring the years 1860 and 1861. the town began to grow and put on the air of business. On the west si.le of the Creek the first building erected was the Pipe and Brass Fitting Shop of CHARLES ROBSON. This was followed by the store-rooms of MCFARLAND Brothers, of Meadville, and REYNOLDS Brothers, of Clarion county. After this the growth of the town was rapid and everything was pushed with energy and success. It was incorporated as a Borough in 1862. The first Burgess was WILLIAM HASSON.
In the meantime a settlement ha I commence.I on the south side of the River. The first well was struck there in April, 1851, on the . DOWNING farm, by PHILLIPS & VANAUSDALL. This produced some thirty-five barrels per day, and the oil was sold at sixty-four cents per gallon. In 1863, WILLIAM L. LAY purchased the BASTIAN farm and laid out a town called Laytonia. Subsequently, JAMES BLEAK- LEY, of Franklin, purchased the DOWNING farm adjoining, on the upper side of Laytonia, and laid out a town called Imperial City .- These two towns were consolidated by an order of Court in 1866, forming a Borough, with the name of Venango City. The new Borough was favorably located on gently rising ground, and im- proved rapidly. A bridge connecting it with Oil City gave easy ac- cess, and it became a favorite place of residence to many persons in business in Oil City.
In 1863, Cottage Hill was purchased by J. H. MARSTON and CHARLES HAINES, and laid out in lots. This addition leads up the hill side and covers the crest of the hill that overlooks the earlier part of the town and river.
Oil City has not been without its misfortunes. The great flood of 1865 swept away a large portion of the eastern side. It was re- built, and in 1866 swept away again by fire. It has again been re- built in a more substantial manner. The western side of the Creek has also been devastated by fire. This portion of the city has not been fully rebuilt.
By act of Assembly of March 1, 1871, Oil City and Venango City were consolidated, with the name of the former, and a City charter. The first Mayor was WILLIAM M. WILLIAMS.
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VENANGO COUNTY.
At first the buildings were rather frail in their character. Busi- ness could not wait for stone foundations and brick walls. Of late years the building has been of a substantial character. Many fine brick blocks have taken the places of the early wooden buildings. The Collins House is one of the finest hotel buildings in the State.
The City is will supplied with churches. The principal denom- inations in the country are represented.
As a Railroad centre it has peculiar advantages. The Franklin Branch of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad, the Allegheny Valley, the Jamestown and Franklin, and Oil Creek and Allegheny, with the River Division of the latter, all terminate there. The Wa- ter and Gas Companies add to the comfort and safety of the city.
Oil Creek is spanned by a fine iron bridge, and arrangements are making for a second bridge across the Allegheny. There are a number of producing wells within the City limits, with a very large amount of tankage for the storage of oil. An Oil Exchange is lo- cated on one of the principal streets, with its excitements and its in- centives to business.
. Oil City must always maintain its ascendency as the principal market in the oil region, and the healthfulness and salubrity of the climate make it attractive to those engaged in its business.
ROUSEVILLE.
This was at one time a great shipping point for oil. It is on Oil Creek, about three miles above Oil City and at the mouth of Cherry Run. It was near this that the great conflagration took place in April, 1861, that resulted in the death of eighteen men, and the. se- vere burning of twenty others. Amongst those who died was H. R. ROUSE, after whom the town was named. A vein of gas had been struck that took fire from the engine, throwing oil and fire around to the distance of a number of rods.
Rouseville has had a large degree of prosperity, but of late years has declined with the decline of business in the oil valley .- There is considerable oil still produced in the vicinity, and a revival of prices would bring a revival of business. It is well supplied with churches.
PETROLEUM CENTRE.
This was a wonderful town in its day. It was remarkable for its business, for the energy and push of its business men, and for the wickedness of some of its institutions. Business and profligacy jost- led each other. Yet withal, the institutions of morality and religion kept on the even course of their way. They were the salt that pre- vented the mass from corruption and death. The town is in the Oil Creek valley, midway between Oil City and Titusville. It is in the midst of the greatest development of oil in all the country fifteen
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years ago. It attained at that time to a population of about twenty- five hundred. But, with the going down of the oil production, the place has declined. It was never incorporated, and although laid out in lots, the lots were simply leased.
PLEASANTVILLE
is located in the northern part of the county, having a delightful sit- uation and pleasant surroundings. It was settled in 1820 by AARON BENEDICT. In 1833, JOHN BROWN came and made his home and place of business there. In 1849, it was incorporated as a Borough, having about two hundred and fifty inhabitants. In modern times it had as exciting a history as almost any of the oil towns. It began to be active as an oil town in 1868, when it seemed as though it was located over the great oil basin of the country. At one time there were over two hundred wells producing a daily aggregate of some two thousand barrels. The forest of derricks covering the hill indi- cated the confidence of the people in the territory. There are . sev- eral churches there, with three large brick blocks of buildings, and two banks. Although the oil business has failed largely, it is still : place of importance.
PITHOLE CITY.
This place is in the northeastern part of the county, and has a most remarkable history. No town in the gold regions of the far west sprang up with greater rapidity, or declined more rapidly than this. Developments commenced there in 1865. There was but a single farm house there on the first of May of that year. By the close of September, a period of five months, it had attained to a pop- ulation of fifteen thousand. It had its hotels, churches, theaters, opera houses, and all the machinery, good and evil, that pertains to a large city. It was an oil town exclusively. The "United States" and "General Grant" wells gave the impetus to the wild speculations that went forward until the largest sales of real estate were made there that have ever been known in the history of the oil business .- But business declined. The oil was confined to a small basin and was soon exhausted. The town was deserted. Buildings that had been erected at vast expense were removed to Pleasantville, to Oil City, to Franklin; and the great city has become but an obscure vil- lage with no traces of its former glory.
PLUMER
is at the head of Cherry Run. The Plumer House was once a point on the Warren and Franklin turnpike. It is about eight miles above Oil City. It became prominent during the oil times. The Hum- boldt Refinery was located there. With other towns, it has suffered with the decline of the oil business in its neighborhood.
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VENANGO COUNTY.
OLEOPOLIS.
This town is at the mouth of Pithole Creek, on the Allegheny. At one time a Railroad extended from this place to Pithole City .- The road has been taken up and the once promising city has gone back to the quiet days of old.
SIVERLEYVILLE
is two miles above Oil City, on the northern bank of the Allegheny. The place was for a long time the property of PHILIP SIVERLEY. A very large Refinery is located there. It is known as the Standard Oil Company, and is doing a flourishing business.
RENO
is situated on the northern bank of the Allegheny, some four miles above Franklin. The site was first settled by a man named CLIF- FORD, early in the present century. After him BOWLES was in pos- session. Of late years it was known as the SHAFFER and HOWE farms. In 1863, it was purchased by the Reno Oil Company, and a town laid out. It has produced a large quantity of oil within its limits. At one time the Reno and Pithole Railroad extended as far as Rouseville, across the hills. It has now been discontinued.
EMLENTON
is the third town in the county in importance. It is on the Alle- gheny, near the southern boundary of the county. The Allegheny Valley Railroad passes through it. JOSEPH M. Fox was one of the original proprietors of the territory on which it was built. His wife's maiden name was HANNAH EMLEN. From her the town derives its name. JOHN KERR and JOHN COCHRAN-were the first settlers .- ANDREW McCASLIN opened a store in 1820. He was followed by P. G. HOLLISTER, in the same business. After them came KEATING, CARNES, and others. There are several churches in the place. Its business facilities are a flour mill, foundry, planing mill and bank .- The Tableaux Academy is a fine brick building, a matter of private enterprise.
COOPERSTOWN
is situated on Sugar Creek, nine miles from Franklin. It was locat- ed on lands belonging to WILLIAM COOPER, about the year 1827. A fine woolen factory has long been in operation there; also, flour and saw mills. It has a Methodist and Presbyterian church, and a thriving trade.
WALLACEVILLE.
JOHN RODGERS built mills here in 1840. Three years afterwards the property was purchased by W. W. WALLACE, of Pittsburgh .- The town was named after him. It is in Plum township, in the midst of a good farming region.
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VENANGO COUNTY.
CHAPMANVILLE
is on the Meadville and Titusville road, in the extreme northwestern portion of the county. It has the usual buildings pertaining to small villages. The postoffice is called Plum.
UTICA
is situated on French Creek and the Atlantic and Great Western Rail- road, about eight miles from Franklin. The land originally belong- ed to JAMES ADAMS, and was sold by him to A. W. RAYMOND, in 1830, and the town laid ont in 1832-3. It is called after Utica in the State of New York. Mills and stores form the contre around which the village has grown. It has two churches and an academy.
RAYMILTON
is on Sandy Creek, on the line 'of the Jamestown and Franklin Rail- road. A. W. RAYMOND is the proprietor. He commenced here in 1844, by erecting a blast furnace, flour and saw-mills. It is now a grand shipping point for oil. A pipe line from Butler county brings a large amount of oil here for shipment. It has an iron tankage of some two hundred thousand barrels. It is about ten miles from Franklin.
WATERLOO
is six miles from Franklin, on Sandy Creek and the Jamestown and Franklin Railroad. The property was owned by AARON MCKISSICK, who laid out the town in 1839. It has two churches, an academy, mills, store, and barrel factory. The name of the post office is Polk. DEMPSEYTOWN
is in Oakland township, and was laid out on land of LAWRENCE DEMPSEY, from whom it takes its name. Mr. DEMPSEY was one of the first settlers in the township. The village has gradually grown up, as the wants of the community have called for improvements. It has its store, hotel, mechanics' shops, and churches.
SUNVILLE
is in Plum township. It was laid out many years ago. W. W. DA- VIDSON had the first store there. It has churches and an academy.
CHERRYTREE.
This village is located near the point where WILLIAM REYNOLDS encamped in 1797, as he came here to hew out a home for himself and family amid these grand old woods. Around a store and black- smith shop a small village gradually crystalized, and the old farmers, weary of their conflict with years of toil came to spend the remain- der of their days. It is in Cherrytree township, some three miles from Petroleum Centre.
MECHANICSVILLE
is in Irwin township, on the Franklin and Harrisville road. It was
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VENANGO COUNTY.
laid out in 1851. Amongst the first settlers were JOHN BRYAN, CON- RAD SHAWGA, WILLIAM ROSS, DANIEL WOODLING, and J. F. BIL- LINGSLEY. The postoffice is called Wesley.
SALINA
is in Cranberry township, on the Clarion pike, and about seven miles from Franklin. There was a hotel there, then a blacksmith shop, then a store. These are the elements of a village. It began to as- sume this form about 1855. It has a Baptist church. The oil busi- ness has added greatly to its prosperity and growth.
SALEM
is a modern village, situated on the road from Salina to Oil City. It is in Cranberry township, and began to be called a village in 1865. The postoffice is called Seneca.
FREEDOM
is in Rockland township, and was founded by JOSHUA DAVIS, one of the Associate Judges of the county, It is a small place, the site of the Rockland Presbyterian church.
NICKLEVILLE
is in Richland township. It was founded by WILLIAM NICKLE, and has the usual conveniences of country villages-stores, shops, and churches, with a postoffice.
CLINTONVILLE
is in Clinton township, and dates back to about 1833. The initial movement was a store opened by WILLIAM CROSS and JAMES PERRY. There were but two houses in the place at that time. In the neigh- borhood, WILLIAM CROSS erected a steam flour mill on Scrubgrass Creek. This was in 1837. Three years afterwards, WILLIAM and W. C. CROSS built a blast furnace, foundry, woolen mill, saw-mill, tannery and furniture shop. ROBERT CROSS, one of the Associate Judges of the county, had a store in Clintonville for forty years. He died in June, 1874, in the sixty-third year of his age. WILLIAM CROSS, the pioneer of the village, died November 3, 1861, in the seventy-sixth year of his age.
KENNERDELL.
At this place, two miles from Scrubgrass Station on the Alle- gheny River, considerable manufacturing is carried on. The first machinery was set up here by DAVID PHIPPS. Flour and saw-mills, a woolen factory and oil mill, were a great convenience to the people. The power is from Scrubgrass Creek. It is now supplemented by steam, in the hands of Mr. KENNERDELL. The chief business now is the manufacture of woolen goods. Fabrics from common flan- nels up to fine blankets and cloths are made here equal to the best in the country. With good machinery and a practical knowledge of the business, these works have been very prosperous. The scenery
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VENANGO COUNTY.
along Scrubgrass Creek in the neighborhood is wild, and the country rough, but up on the height of land, the country is fine and well adapt- ed to agriculture.
There are a number of other small towns in various parts of the county, as Hannaville, in Canal township; Springville, in Sandy- creek; President, in President; that have their importance, but have not attained to general notice. President was the site of the furnace of the same name, thirty years ago. The proprietor was RALPH CLAPP. There is now a fine hotel, store and postoffice there, that make it the centre of influence for the township. Eagle Rock and Henryville are in the same township-the latter at Henry's Bend .- Triumph is on Oil Creek. two miles above Petroleum Centre; Sham- burg is between Petroleum Centre and Pleasantville. It is the site of extensive oil operations under the superintendence of Dr. SHAM- BURG. Another point in this neighborhood is called Red Hot. The oil business was exceedingly active at this place for a time. That may account for the name. Kane City is in the same neighborhood. Bredinsburg is in Cranberry township, on the State road, some five miles from Franklin. The oil business was very promising there for a time, and the town grew rapidly. But the development did not continue long, and the town is in the sear and yellow leaf. It has but shared the fate of other oil towns that made greater preten- sions and met with less success. Foster and Scrubgrass are stations on the Allegheny Valley Railroad. The latter is about sixteen miles below Franklin, and has considerable importance as being closely connected with a productiveoil territory. There is a wire ferry there that connects with the road to Kennerdell and Clintonville. There are other points that are coming into prominence, but time fails us to notice them particularly.
We have thus, in brief speech, reviewed the history of the cen- tury as it relates to Venango county. We have found progress and improvement amongst all the decades that make up the rounded century. In hardship and in success, in peace and in war, in joy and in sorrow, this rocky, hilly county has made constant advances and has helped on the grand work of making our common country what it is to-day ; a nation prosperous and free; a home for the im- migrants of all the lands on the face of the earth. May this county, with other counties in the State, and other States in the Union, and still other States yet to be, ever keep in the way of progress, until this nation shall become great in law, in justice, in truth and righteousness; until this glorious Flag of Stars shall be to all nations the symbol of freedom, of civil and religious liberty, and the grand representative of national greatness in all the earth!
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