Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 39

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Pennsylvania > Lawrence County > New Castle > Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th > Part 39

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In the month of November, 1798, John Gealey came with his family from Wash- ington County, Pennsylvania, where they lived on the bank of Peter's Creek. At the time Mr. Gealey settled, his family con-

sisted of his wife and eight children, but only part of them came with him. He had been out in 1797, and made improvements, bringing with him his daughter, Margaret, who did the cooking for him while he was busy getting the place in shape to receive his family. After finishing their work for that fall, they went back, and in 1798 Mr. Gealey again came out, bringing with him this time his oldest daughter and his son, William, the latter about six years old at the time. Mr. Gealey left his children alone in the wilderness for a while, and went back after his wife and the rest of his family. The two children had not seen their mother for about a year, and when she came, in 1799, the meeting between her and her children can better be im- agined than described. The children who came with their mother in 1799 were Ren- wick and Sarah. Mr. Gealey and his son, Harry, each settled a 400-acre tract. In 1800 the oldest son, James Gealey, was married to Mary M. Smith, who was living with Charles Blair, in the northern part of the township. As before stated, Blair set- tled in 1799, in company with Samuel Allen.

When Mr. Gealey first came, in 1797, he raised a log cabin, made a small clearing, and raised some corn. He brought his goods with him in a wagon, which was probably the first one in the township. A road had to be cut ahead in order to get the wagon through, and they advanced but slowly. The old homestead subsequently came into possession of the youngest son, Renwick Gealey. William Gealey lived to be over eighty-five years old. His wife, Joanna, was a daughter of James Stewart, who settled in 1798 in what is now Perry Township, coming from what was then Adams County, Pennsylvania. His father, Matthew Stewart, had served in the Revo- lution. The Gealey family descended from James Gealey, who came from Ireland when a young man, probably about 1745. The land which John Gealey settled was settled under Elliott & Denniston, "land

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jobbers," Mr. Gealey, although having served in the Revolution, not choosing to settle on "donation" land.

John Gealey's wife was Mary Renwick, a descendant of James Renwick, of Scot- land. Her brother, William Renwick, died at Black Rock, N. Y., while serving as a soldier in the War of 1812. The Geal- eys occupy excellent farms, and the family has become numerous in the neighborhood where John Gealey first settled.

James McCune came about 1800 to 1802, from what was then Huntingdon, now Blair County, and partially improved a farm now owned by James C. Shaw. About 1810 he removed to the farm later owned by his son, David McCune, Esq., purchasing it from Hugh Hamilton, the original settler. The first farm upon which he located he purchased at $2 per acre, from Robert Cochran, a "land jobber," who owned con- siderable land in the neighborhood, and had settled about 1795-96, just east of Plaingrove.

James McCune was captain of the mi- litia in old Slippery Rock Township, when it was in Mercer County, and was out twice at Erie during the War of 1812-15.

The country south of Plaingrove Church was originally a plain, with no timber upon it larger than scrubby brush, and when Mr. McCune first came he drove his wagon through it without paying any attention to the best way, as the path was equally good anywhere.

Hugh McKee came from Ireland in the year 1788, and afterwards, about 1796-98, came to what is now Plaingrove Township, and settled. His patent, bearing date of March 21, 1809, calls for 397 acres.

Most of the lands in the township are "warrant lands," and were extensively operated in by "land jobbers."

On Taylor's Run, above where William Gealey now lives, there was formerly a beaver dam, and both beaver and otter were quite plentiful. The Indians came all the way from their villages in Mercer County to trap them, and the noted Indian

Harth-e-gig, with his squaw and three or four dogs, wintered occasionally in a su- gar camp near by.

Nathan Offutt had a sawmill early, and Robert Ramsey another one still earlier.

The orchard of Esquire David McCune's place was planted by his father, James McCune, about the time he came to the farm (1810), and the trees, or a few of them, are yet standing.

A store house was built near Plaingrove Church about 1832-33, by H. Bovard. It was a two-story frame building, contain- ing a general stock, such as is usually found in country stores. Mr. Bovard con- tinued the business until the spring of 1868, when A. Mckinney assumed control.

A postoffice was established at Plain- grove some time during the stay of Mr. Bo- vard, who was the first postmaster. Dur- ing Buchanan's administration it was re- moved to the crossroads, one mile north, and kept by Alexander McBride, who came from Harlansburg, and had a store for about a year at the corners. The office was afterwards transferred to Mr. Bovard, and, with the exception of McBride's short occupation of it, Mr. Bovard held it from the first until Mr. Mckinney took it, in 1868. The office is named Plaingrove.

MILITARY RECORD.

Revolutionary War .- John Gealey, who came to the township first in 1797, had served with his brother, William, during the Revolution.

The father of James Ramsey located in Beaver County, and had possibly been a soldier of the Revolution, but those of his descendants now living in the township are not certain of the fact.

War of 1812-15 .- Those who served in this war from Plaingrove were quite nu- merous. They generally went to Erie.

Among the names we find James, John and Thomas McCommon, who came to the township with their father, James McCom- mon, in 1798. Thomas and James Mc- Cracken came with their father, Adam Me-

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Cracken, the same year with the McCom- mons, and also served in the war.

James Burns, who came in 1811, was out in Captain Denniston's company of the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Hosack a part of the time. James Ram- sey was out as second lieutenant and went to Erie.

James, Henry, John, William and Ren- wick Gealey were out, all but Renwick in Captain James Denniston's company of the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth. Ren- wick was in Captain James Robinson's company of the same regiment. They all went to Erie, but never saw any hard fight- ing. Mr. Gealey says the British ship "Queen Charlotte" came up within range and fired on the batteries which the United States troops were supporting, but with- out doing much damage. The batteries re- turned the fire, and four men were seen to fall on the British vessel, which quickly stood out of range. This was while the troops were working the American vessels over the bar.

William Renwick, a brother of John Gealey's wife, died at Black Rock during the service.

James McCune was out twice to Erie, and after the war served as militia cap- tain.

Militia organizations and volunteer rifle companies were kept up for many years after the war.

War of the Rebellion .- Plaingrove, as well as her sister townships, arose to meet the call for troops after Fort Sumter was fired upon, and sons of the veterans of 1812, and grandsons of Revolutionary heroes, came, in their turn, to do battle for freedom's cause and, like Arnold Winkel- ried, "made way for liberty," many giving up their lives in the conflict. The One Hundredth ("Roundhead") Regiment was the one in which the township was prin- cipally represented.

SCHOOLS.

A schoolhouse was built about 1803 in a field belonging to Henry Hagan, in the southwestern part of the township. It was built of round logs, and was the first one in the neighborhood. Andrew Denniston was the first teacher.

About 1805-6 a schoolhouse was built on Robert Jamison's land, the first teacher being a man named Robb. Many a trick was played on him, but he held his own against them all. Finally, a plan was arranged to turn him out, but he in some way heard of it, and shut himself in the building and barred the door, and held it for nine days against them, provisions be- ing brought him in the night. The pupils saw their game blocked, and, in their des- peration, racked their brains for some ex- pedient to get the "master" out of the schoolhouse. Finally, some person with an overplus of ingenuity bethought him of a plan; he procured a package of "brim- stone," or sulphur, and climbing to the roof, with a number of others, poured the contents of the paper down the chimney upon the fire, and he and one or two others spread their hunting shirts over the top of the chimney, and in a minute or two more Robb had torn away from the door and emerged, coughing and sputtering, com- pletely beaten after the long siege he had withstood. Some of the witnesses to the affair remarked that "they guessed he smelt hell fast!"

Another schoolhouse was built in the George and Taylor neighborhood about 1803-04, and a man named Mitchell was probably the first teacher.

Another was erected on the Martin farm, near the later residence of Robert Mc- Cune, and in this building a man named Gurley, or Gourley, was an early teacher.

About 1822-24 an old-fashioned log schoolhouse was built on Nathan Offutt's farm, the first teacher being William Coulton.

After the law establishing free schools

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was passed (1834) a building was put up on a piece of land taken partly from the George farm and partly from the place then owned by John Bentley. David Mc- Cune taught the first winter in it, and Da- vid Clark was the next male teacher. Eliza- beth Burns taught also. The building was erected in 1838.

The number of schools in the township in 1908 is seven, with seven teachers and an enrollment of 156 school children. To- tal expenditure for school purposes, $3,008.59; estimated value of school prop- erty, $7,000.

CHURCHES.

Some time between 1796 and 1800 a gath- ering was held to take action in regard to organizing a Presbyterian society and building a church. The two oldest men at the gathering, Thomas Taylor and David Armstrong, were appointed a committee to find a name for the church. After the location was fixed, the name was given to it, "Plain Grove." The country to the south was a bushy plane, and to the west was a glade, while on the eminence fixed as the site for the building of the church there stood a small grove, so that the name was suggested by the surroundings of the location, and "Plain Grove" fixed upon.

The first elders of the congregation were William McNees and Joseph Campbell. The first pastor was Rev. William Wood, who was ordained and installed pastor of Plaingrove and Center November 3, 1802, by the Presbytery of Erie. Dr. McMillen was present, and by invitation delivered the charges to pastor and people. Mr. Wood was released from the pastoral charge of Plaingrove October 7, 1816. Dur- ing his pastorate there were numerous cases of the "falling exercise." The next pastor was Rev. John Munson, who was ordained and installed February 28, 1818. He was released February 5, 1839, after a pastorate of twenty-one years. Rev. Robert B. Walker, D. D., was ordained and installed April 2, 1839. The church had

at that time a membership of 176. It is now under the care of the Presbytery of Butler.

Rev. William Wood was born in York County, Pennsylvania, March 27, 1776. Samuel Wood, his father, was born in London, England, in 1749, came to America in 1768, and married Mrs. Isabella Sankey, in York County, Pennsylvania. He died in Butler County in 1817, leaving four chil- dren-William, Samuel, Benjamin and Isa- bella. William was the oldest. He at- tended the Cannonsburg Academy, and afterwards studied theology in Dr. McMil- lan's log cabin. On the 26th day of De- cember, 1800, he was received by the Pres- bytery of Ohio as a candidate for the min- istry, and was licensed to preach October 29, 1801. During the winter following he spent his time among vacant churches and missionary points, and was then dismissed in order to put himself under the care of the Presbytery of Erie, which received him April 20, 1802. Having accepted calls from Plaingrove and Center, he was or- dained and installed over those congre- gations at a meeting of the Presbytery held at Plaingrove November 3, 1802. Rev. Robert Lee preached on the occasion, and, as stated before, Dr. McMillan delivered the charges. Mr. Wood was dismissed from Center August 24, 1808, and from Plain- grove October 7, 1816. April 1, 1817, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of Hart- ford (Beaver), being prepared to accept calls from the congregations of Hopewell and Neshannock. Over these churches he was installed pastor October 22, 1817. At Hopewell he labored for eleven years, be- ing dismissed June 25, 1828.

Mr. Wood died in Utica, Licking County, Ohio, on the 31st day of July, 1839, in the sixty-fourth year of his age, and the thir- ty-ninth of his ministry. May 17, 1798, he had been united in marriage to Miss Mar- garet Donald, of Washington County, Pennsylvania. They had twelve children, two of whom were physicians. The elder, John D., settled in Franklin, Venango

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County, and the younger in Pulaski, Law- rence County. William Wood's wife died at Utica, Ohio, April 20, 1843.

In the old cemetery at Plaingrove Church are some ancient headstones, many of them so moss-grown and worn by time that the names are nearly obliterated. Slabs of native sandstone were largely used, and they have not proved as lasting as the marble slabs afterwards introduced. Following is appended a list of some of the earlier deaths, with names and ages :

David Armstrong died March 20, 1811, aged sixty- four years.

Sarah Armstrong died February 3, 1816, aged fifty- six years.

William Elliott, Jr., died March 25, 1811, aged nine years.

John Emery died May 13, 1814, aged seventy-two years.

Hugh Wallace died January 11, 1820, aged seventy- eight years.

Archibald MeCune died August 4, 1825, aged fifty-one years.

Mary Jack died January 18, 1816, aged forty-four years.

Charles Martin died November 19, 1828, aged seventy- seven years.

Thomas Taylor died February 7, 1829, aged eighty-five years.

Ayls Taylor died March, 1834, aged eighty-eight years. William Ewing died June 4, 1819, aged thirty-six years.

Alexander Ewing died -- , aged eighty-two years.

Mary Ewing died , 1810, aged forty-four years. Samuel Campbell died May 8, 1826, aged ninety-eight years.

Anne Davison died February 8, 1823, aged eighty-five years.

Betsy Whitaker died December , 1812, aged forty- seven years.

William Whitaker died -- -, (stone much moss- grown).

Mary Whitaker died March 9, 1813, aged eighty-six years (illegible).

Sera Dilley died July 4, 1817, aged fifty-nine years. Price Dilley, Sr., died May 22, 1826, aged seventy-two years.

John Means died - , 1824, aged 7 -- years.

James Glenn died February 20, 1817, aged seventy- four years.

Elizabeth Glenn died November 23, 1815, aged seventy years.

Elizabeth Henderson died March 31, 1811, aged forty- one years.

On an old headstone is inscribed on the face the following inscription :

Departed this life, On Monday, the 21 of May, A. D., 1832, ELIZABETH BOYD, (Consort of John Boyd). Aged 34 years, 6 months, and five days.

On the back of the stone is the following quaint rhyme :

Reader, reflect, as you pass by, As you are now, so once was I; As I am now, so must you bee- O bare in minde eternite.

The cemetery is situated on the brow of the hill, immediately west of the church. The church is a large brick building. Their first church was a small log structure, which stood on the same spot. This is one of the oldest church organizations in Law- rence County, and has witnessed many changes in the country since the pioneer members first thought of "rearing a tem- ple in the wilderness."

The next church in age in the township is the Methodist Episcopal. The pioneer Methodist in the township was James Burns, who settled on the old Wallace farm in 1812. For some time there was no Methodist preaching in the neighbor- hood, and Mr. Burns supported the Pres- byterian Church. But he was soon found by itinerant Methodist preachers, and his house was opened to them both as a home and a preaching place. This house, which was a very good one for that day, is still standing. It was built of hewed logs, and has a shingle roof and stone chimney. The first Methodist preachers who came through this territory were Shadrach Rourke and John McMahan. James Watt was another. Meetings were held until 1840, in Mr. Burns' house, which was known as the "Burns appointment." The house was 18 by 24 feet in dimensions. The preacher stood, while speaking, with his back to a window of four lights of 8 by 10 glass.

The Nazareth Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1840, and superseded

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the "Burns appointment." It is two miles north of the first preaching place within the limits of Mercer County (Springfield Township). The first church was built of logs, on land given to the church by Wash- ington Sedwick, and deeded to James Burns, Thomas Nelson and others, trus- tees in trust for the society. This house was used until 1860, when the membership and congregation had increased to such an extent that it became necessary to erect a new building to accommodate them. Ac- cordingly, a neat frame structure was built.

In the year 1860 the Nazareth congrega- tion divided, and a portion of them built what is known as "Mount Pleasant" Church, in Plaingrove Township, Law- rence County. It stands one and one-half miles southeast from the old Burns ap- pointment, and was first opened for service December 11, 1860. The dedicatory serv- ices on that day were conducted by Rev. G. W. Clarke, D. D. The first pastor was Rev. S. A. Milroy. The ground on which the house is built, and that on which the burying ground is located, was given by Noah Rodgers, and deeded to J. M. Burns, Charles Blair, T. McCommon and others, trustees in trust for the Methodist Epis- copal Church. The house is a large frame structure and is enclosed with a board fence.

James Burns, who saw the bud of Meth- odism in Plaingrove open its petals in his old log-house, in 1814, lived to see the flower thus developed grow to a large and flourishing degree. The three houses of worship were built in his time, and when he died, in 1864, he had witnessed wonder- ful changes since the first itinerant found him a lone Methodist, worshiping with the Presbyterians.

Rev. J. M. Crouch was pastor of this church in 1877, and was succeeded by the following, in the order named: J. M. Fos- ter, Nathaniel Morris, W. S. Shepard, John Eckles, R. M. Bair, H. G. Dodds, J. C. Gillett, F. R. Peters, W. S. Shepard, D.

W. Thompson, W. F. Flick, O. H. Sibley, G. F. Robinson, A. B. Smith, S. M. Clark. The last named has been pastor since 1906. The present officials are: Mrs. E. J. Hol- liday and David Blair, class leaders; John McComb, Sabbath-school superintendent; John Montgomery, J. O. Allen, John Hol- liday, Thomas Rollinson, G. C. Denniston and J. C. Winder, stewards; A. A. Foster, John E. Sankey, William Schneider, James Johnston, Clyde McCommon and Cassius McNulty, trustees. There are now ninety members of the church and eighty-three members of the Sabbath-school.

Plaingrove United Presbyterian Church was organized about 1859. Their first regular pastor was Rev. James B. Whit- ten, who stayed until about 1874, when Rev. J. C. Bingham came and took charge for six months. After him came Rev. J. L. Robertson and others. The church has at different times been supplied. A Sabbath- school has been held in connection with the church from the start. The first elders were William and Renwick Gealey, H. Bovard, Robert Peebles, James Nelson and G. B. Hamilton. The elders were the same in 1877, with the addition of Daniel Minick. A fine brick church was built in 1860, sit- uated half a mile north of Plaingrove Presbyterian Church. The location of the church, in the edge of a fine grove, is pleas- ant and beautiful.

PULASKI TOWNSHIP.

This township, one of the original town- ships of Lawrence County, was, prior to the organization of the county, a part of Mahoning Township, which was erected from old Pymatuning Township, Mercer County, some time between the third Mon- day of November, 1805, and the third Monday of February, 1806. It has an area of about nineteen thousand acres, being one of the largest townships of the county. Its surface is comparatively level and the soil rich and productive.

The township is well watered by several streams, the largest being the Shenango

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River, along the east bank of which the bed of the old Erie extension of the Penn- sylvania Canal is seen; along the west bank lies the track of the Erie & Pittsburg Rail- way, which is now part of the Pennsyl- vania system. The smaller streams are Deer Creek, a branch of the Shenango, Coffee Run, a branch of the Mahoning, and numerous tributaries. On the Shen- ango and Deer Creek there is considerable water power, and in the early days the canal also furnished power.

The township contains the villages of New Bedford and Pulaski, and a small set- tlement called Freedom, or Marr.

The mineral resources of the township have been but little developed.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

Joshua Bentley came from Pittsburg in 1798, and settled 259 acres, the old home- stead being now, or recently, owned by Samuel English. Mr. Bentley built a log- cabin, cleared a small piece of ground, and put in some grain, after which he went back to Pittsburg and married, and brought his wife back with him, in 1800. In 1801 he built a large log-house and moved into it, and during the same year his oldest child, John, was born.

At nearly the same time, William Cot- ton, George Davis, Isaac Phillips, George Walker, James McCready, Hugh Mckean, John Mitchell, and others came, and set- tled in the same neighborhood.

Andrew Marquis came with his father, Samuel Marquis, from Washington Coun- ty, Pa., and settled in East Lackawannock Township, Mercer County, about 1800. He bought a farm east of Pulaski village, and came to it in 1814-15.

James McCready settled three miles southeast of Pulaski about the year of 1801.

John Somerville settled in the southern part of the township, on the west side of the Shenango, at an early date.

Nathaniel Porter, then eighteen years of age, came from Chester County, Pa., in

August, 1796, with James McWilliams, who was returning with his family, having previously been one of a party that came out in 1793. McWilliams' place was in what is now Mahoning Township. The old Nathaniel Porter place originally included 290 acres of "population land." The first season he made improvements on the place, and then went back after his parents, brothers and sisters, whom he brought out in 1797.

About 1797-9 Robert Black came from Cannonsburg, Washington County, Penn- sylvania, and settled the tract where the Deer Creek United Presbyterian Church now stands. His house stood very near the spot now occupied by the church. He "squatted" on the place, which was owned by a man named Bell, and built a black- smith shop. He, one day while at work, fell in the fire and burned his arm so badly that it became necessary to amputate it.

John Mitchell and his daughter, Naomi Mitchell, afterwards Mrs. George MeWil- liams, settled probably 300 acres on the west side of the Shenango, about 1796, in- cluding the farms lately owned by the heirs of Samuel Satterfield and Robert McClenahan, one mile below Pulaski vil- lage.

James Neal came from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, to Washington County, where he lived a short time, and from there he came, in 1797, to Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, and settled a 400-acre tract. Alexander Neal came in 1800, and finally became the owner of the place his uncle, James Neal, had settled.

Daniel Ault settled about 1797, on the farm afterwards owned by Richard Amon. About 1798 he built a small log grist-mill on Deer Creek, which was afterwards bought by Richard Amon and Frederick Shuce, who operated it a number of years. These gentlemen had come to the neighbor- hood about the year 1800. Mr. Ault, after selling out his first mill, built another log mill on the Shenango, just opposite where Pulaski village now stands. He still later

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built one on a small run flowing through the Piper farm, above Pulaski.

John Gealey came some time previous to 1812, and bought land of James Black, who had settled it, and thereon erected a stone house. The old house and farm, lo- cated a mile northeast of the town of New Bedford, on the road leading to Pulaski, afterwards became known as the Henry Grundy home.

James Walker was four years of age when brought by his father from Ireland in 1774. The family settled in Washing- ton County, Pennsylvania, some time be- tween 1774 and 1776. In 1792, James Walker was a member of several scouting parties against the Indians. In March, 1797, he settled on a 400-acre tract on the west side of the Shenango, in Pulaski Township. About 1802-3, Mr. Walker taught school off and on in the neighbor- hood until 1829, and became a man of prominence and influence in the commun- ity. He was four times elected Auditor of Mercer County. He drafted the constitu- tion of the old Hopewell Presbyterian Church at New Bedford, and was an elder in the church for thirty-five years-was one of its first elders.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 39

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co. Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Hazen, Aaron L. (Aaron Lyle), 1837- comp. and ed. cn
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1058