Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 40

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 40

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Robert Walker came some time after his brother, James, and located on the farm afterward owned by William McClung.

Freedom, or Marr postoffice, was estab- lished about 1854, and the office kept up for seven or eight years with Cowden Murdock as the first and only postmaster.

John and Wallace McCloskey and Wil- liam Sheriff were early settlers in the township, arriving about 1812.

James Stevenson, a native of Ireland and a soldier during the Revolution, lo- cated in the southwest corner of Mercer County in 1806, coming from Chester County, Pennsylvania, but remained only two years.

Richard Van Fleet, originally from New Jersey, and, afterward, a resident of Northumberland and Washington Coun-

ties, Pennsylvania, successively, came to the present limits of Mercer County in 1798 and in the latter part of 1799 settled on a farm, the south part of which lay in what is now Pulaski Township. On Christ- mas day, 1798, Mr. Van Fleet got a cabin raised, and then went back to Washington County and brought out his widowed sister, Mrs. Hannah Burwell, who kept house for him until some time in the year 1800; he was in that year married to Sarah Hogue, it being one of the first weddings in the neighborhood. They lived for eight or ten years within the bounds of what is now Mercer County, and then built a cabin on the south side of the farm, now in Law- rence County, near the Pulaski and Youngstown road.

Francis McFarland was one of a com- pany of forty-five men who came out to locate claims and make improvements in 1793. He settled first in Mahoning Town- ship, but about 1803 put another man on the place he had located upon, and removed to Pulaski Township. He had entered his farm here about 1796 and placed a man named Samuel Phipps upon it to hold it. Mr. McFarland was the only one of the company that came out in 1793, who finally settled in what is now Pulaski Township.

Alexander Thompson also was among the early settlers of the township.

The building of the Erie canal brought Samuel Mitchell to Pulaski township. He, with his wife's brother, George Foreman, was contractor for the building of Lock No. 1, and the completion of Lock No. 2, above the Western Reserve Harbor. George Foreman went back to his home in Kittan- ning, but Mr. Mitchell, who was the son of a Revolutionary soldier, and a native of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, was so fa- vorably impressed with this section that he remained. He purchased a tract of over two hundred acres, which was about equally divided by the Shenango River. A two-story log house containing seven rooms had been built by the former owner, on the

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west bank of the Shenango River at a spot later called "Mitchell's Fording," and into this he moved with his family in 1833.

EARLY ROADS.

For some years after the country was settled, the only roads were old trails wind- ing through the forest. The Mercer and Youngstown road, passing through New Bedford, was laid out about 1802, and in 1827 became a postal route. The New Bed- ford and New Castle road was ent out some time afterwards.

SCHOOLS.

The date of building the first school- house in Pulaski is obscure, but it was some time previous to the War of 1812; it was built of round logs and stood near the site of the residence of James Judy, being either on his farm or on the James Donaldson place. James Neal was the first teacher of this school, and about 1811-12 also opened a select school in a log build- ing put up for that purpose. He gave les- sons in the languages, and continued the school till the latter part of August, 1813, when he closed it, and went into the army. After the war he resumed his school and taught for a time. James Walker taught school as early as 1802-3 in other parts of the township, and also at New Bedford.

The number of schools in Pulaski Town- ship in 1908 was twelve, having an enroll- ment of 261. The number of months taught was seven, and twelve teachers were em- ployed at a total cost of $4,182. The total expenditures for school purposes in 1908 were $5,319.13.

The school buildings of the township at the present time are all comfortable and commodious. The schools are well kept and prosperous, and the citizens have just cause for pride in them.

NEW BEDFORD UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The Associate Presbyterian (now the New Bedford United Presbyterian) con- gregation at Deer Creek was first organ- ized and a tent erected on the site of the

present United Presbyterian congregation of Mahoning, about two miles northeast of Lowellville, Ohio, in Mahoning Township, now in Lawrence County, Pa. There is no record as to the time of organization or as to who preached the first sermon, but it is believed Rev. James Duncan preached to this congregation in 1800, or a little earlier. Hewed logs were arranged in front of their tent for seats. In winter meetings were held in private houses, as there were no schoolhouses or public buildings.

The first recorded meeting of the session bears date June 25, 1803. It met at the Mahoning tent, and Rev. Duncan was mod- erator, and the elders present were James McConnell, William Gealey, Robert Wal- ker. William Houston and Samuel Me- Bride. There were three cases before them at that time, and the inference is that the session was in working order some time before. Mr. McBride was clerk of session, and continued in that office some twenty- five years.

When the organization was effected it was done by the Presbytery of Chartiers, and continued under its care until 1808, at which date the Presbytery of Ohio was set off. The organization was effected at Ma- honing tent on the first Tuesday of Octo- ber, 1808, Rev. Duncan acting as moder- ator. The congregation continued in the Ohio Presbytery until 1859, a period of fifty-one years, when the United Presby- tery of Mercer was formed, and the con- gregation became a part of that Presby- tery, and so continues at the present time.

The last record of the meeting of session at Mahoning tent is dated June 14, 1806. About the year 1807-8 the question began to be agitated as to the advisability of re- moving the meetings of the congregation to some place four or five miles north of the Mahoning tent. The controversy was sharp and bitter, and so determined that the con- gregation was disrupted. Those who were opposed to the removal continued their or- ganization at the tent, called the Rev. Gal- loway, of the Associate Reformed Church,

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for their pastor, and continued a congrega- tion of that body until the union of the Associate and Associate Reformed churches in 1858, and is now a flourishing United Presbyterian congregation.

The congregation of Deer Creek chose for their future place of meetings and cem- etery a spot which is situated in Pulaski Township, Lawrence County, Pa., half a mile north of New Bedford, and about four miles north of Mahoning Church. The vil- lage of New Bedford was not laid out until several years subsequently. Rev. James Duncan, who was the second Associate minister licensed to preach in the United States, was pastor of the church. For a few years the congregation prospered under his care, and many were added to its membership. His time was divided equally between Poland, Liberty and Deer Creek, and the three congregations had one united session, part of the elders being in each congregation. But in a few years Mr. Duncan began to promulgate doctrine not taught or received by the Associate Pres- byterian Church. Charges were preferred against him in Presbytery for teaching er- roneous doctrines, and, after a protracted and vexatious litigation, both in Presby- tery and Synod, he was pronounced guilty and his license recalled.

In 1810 the congregation at Deer Creek built a hewed-log house, with shingled roof, 30x35 feet in dimensions, each family pro- viding the number of logs assigned them. A lofty pulpit was erected, which was reached by a flight of steps, and, when done, was occupied by the preacher and singing clerk.

sermons and counsel. In 1819 a call was given to Rev. Robert Douglass, and ac- cepted by him. He was ordained and in- stalled pastor of Deer Creek, Poland and Liberty in 1820. He became very popular and his congregation increased with such rapidity that the house was soon too small to contain the people.

In 1822 a new frame church, 40x50 feet in dimensions, was erected, but before its completion the beloved pastor was called to his final rest, the date of his death being the 24th of December, 1823. He was buried in the cemetery at Poland Center.

In 1820 David Wilson and James Shields were elected ruling elders of Deer Creek Church. This was the first election of such officers placed upon the church records. In 1825 Rev. David Goodwillie accepted a call from Deer Creek, Poland and Liberty, and was ordained and installed in April, 1826. He was very popular with his people and during his pastorate of seven and a half years there were added to the congregation 100 new members. Encouraged by pros- perity, the congregation in 1832 petitioned the Presbytery to grant them all of Mr. Goodwillie's time, and to dissolve the ex- isting relations between Deer Creek, and Poland and Liberty, but the two last named joined issue and counter-petitioned for all of Rev. Goodwillie's time for themselves. The Presbytery referred the matter to Mr. Goodwillie, who finally chose to serve Po- land and Liberty, and Deer Creek was left vacant for the third time.

In 1827 Thomas Robinson and James McConnell were elected ruling elders of Deer Creek, and their names added to the roll of the United Session. The first roll of members and families of the Deer Creek congregation, recorded in 1827, showed the number of families to be seventy-eight, with 160 communicants.

About 1815 Deer Creek and its sister branches were declared vacancies for the first time. In 1811 the name of Alexander Reed, and, in 1812, that of George Thomp- son, had been added to the session-roll, but in 1816 both left the church, and subse- In 1834 a call was made to Rev. James P. Ramsey, and accepted; he was ordained and installed July 1, 1835. He was so pop- ular with his congregation that he re- quently the congregation had many lonely Sabbaths. The Rev. Alexander Murray, of the church in New Castle, often visited and refreshed the congregation with his. mained with them for twenty-one years.

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During his pastorate many exciting con- troversies arose, among which was the slavery question, which shook the church to its very foundations. Rev. Mr. Ramsey was not an abolitionist at first, and was opposed to meddling with the subject, either in the church or in the social gath- erings.

About this time Rev. Wright (of the Presbyterian Church) sent a notice that he would lecture in Deer Creek on a cer- tain day on the subject of American slav- ery, an appointment unsolicited on the part of the congregation. The day arrived, the congregation assembled, including Rev. Ramsey and wife, but when they reached the church found it locked and guarded. The anti-slavery portion of the congrega- tion took in the situation at once and, with- out stopping to parley, returned to their respective homes. The proceeding opened a door which could not be closed, and when, on the next Sabbath, Mr. Ramsey took de- cided anti-slavery ground, many of those who had previously sympathized with the pro-slavery element came over to his sup- port. The determined pro-slavery men, however, soon withdrew from the congre- gation, organized an Associate Reformed congregation, built a church and called it Beulah, two miles north of Deer Creek, and made a call upon Rev. Thomas Mehard, and their organization was continued up to the time of the Union in 1858. After the "secession" of the pro-slavery element from the church the congregation remain- ing had no more trouble on the subject, but the departure of so many families weak- ened them seriously.

In 1869 the congregation built a new meeting-house, 43x50 feet in dimensions, which was the third one erected at Deer Creek. A Sabbath school was organized by Rev. Ramsey and the session, but the failing health of the pastor caused it to be discontinued.

On account of his failing health, Rev. Mr. Ramsey petitioned the presbytery to release him from pastoral duties, which

petition was granted August 19, 1855, and Mr. Ramsey removed from Deer Creek to New Wilmington, where he engaged in the mercantile business. He was much re- spected and beloved by his congregation. He died in 1862 and was buried at Deer Creek, where also repose the remains of his son, William, who died in the Union army during the rebellion, at Hilton Head, South Carolina.

In 1857, by a unanimous vote of the con- gregation, a call was presented to Rev. Josiah Alexander, who accepted, and en- tered upon his duties April 1 of that year. When he assumed charge of this congrega- tion there were on the roll the names of sixty-seven families and 128 communicants. These members increased rapidly until the house was full. A monthly prayer-meeting was organized which was well attended for years. The Sabbath-school was reorgan- ized, and soon increased to 180 members. A Sabbath-school temperance society was also organized with 137 members and pledged to total abstinence from all intox- icating liquors.

In 1858 the union of the Associate and Associate Reformed Churches was per- fected. This union worked unfavorably upon Deer Creek Church. There was an Associate Reformed Church at Middlesex, five miles north, and another at Mahoning, four miles south of Deer Creek, and many of the members of the latter drew off to one or the other of these, until Deer Creek was sadly diminished in numbers. Other matters produced bitterness and divided interests, and the church was exceedingly troubled; but, notwithstanding all these drawbacks, the membership gradually in- creased until it numbered some 200.

The church had an organized aid society during the war, mostly managed by the female members, which made monthly con- tributions in aid of the sick and wounded.

In 1867 the use of tokens at communion seasons was discontinued. In 1874 the church was repaired and re-furnished at a cost of several thousand dollars. After

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Mr. Alexander began his labors in the con- gregation there were added to its numbers, up to 1877, as follows: By profession, 130; by certificate, 119. In the same period of twenty years there left the church, by dis- mission, 120.

The pastorate of Rev. Josiah Alexander continued until June 10, 1877. After his resignation Rev. Alexander remained for a year or two on his farm near New Bed- ford, and then removed to New Wilming- ton, where he died a short time afterward. His body was brought back to New Bed- ford and laid to rest in Deer Creek Cem- etery, where a neat marble stone, erected by the family and the congregation, marks his last resting place. Almost exactly a year afterward Rev. H. S. Boyd was in- stalled as pastor, June 11, 1878, and served until January 11, 1888. During his pas- torate the congregation was removed to the village of New Bedford. A new church building was erected and dedicated July 12, 1883. The name of the congregation was shortly afterward changed to New Bedford United Presbyterian Church. For almost four years after Rev. Boyd's resig- nation the congregation was vacant. On June 10, 1892, Rev. J. P. Davis was in- stalled as pastor and remained about three years. The first of July, 1896, Rev. John Gealey came as Stated Supply, and, a year afterward, after completing his course in the Seminary, was installed as pastor and is still serving in that capacity. The pres- ent membership of the congregation is 170, with 129 in the Sabbath School and thirty- three in the Young People's Society. The officers of the congregation are: Session, W. S. Lowry, W. J. Sharpe, J. Al. Cooper, D. C. McBride, A. A. Anderson and Hiram Anderson; board of trustees, J. A. Walker, W. F. Cowden, Trude Smith, Ed. R. Lowry and F. W. Shields ; superintendent of Sab- bath school, Clare B. Shields ; president of the Ladies' Missionary Society, Mary M. Walker; president of the Young People's Society, John W. Gealey; chairman of the congregation, Newell Allison.

THE SISTERS-OF-MARY ORPHAN FARM

is located on land originally donated by William Murrin to Bishop O'Connor, of Pittsburg, in 1855. The Franciscan Brothers of Pittsburg at first had charge of it, and in 1856 the larger part of the present brick building was erected. The Brothers at first kept a boarding school, but on account of the location, being so far from Pittsburg, it did not pay well, and Bishop O'Connor, about the year 1860, sold the land to Bishop Rapp, of Cleveland, for $3,000, and the "Sisters of Charity" conducted it on for three years. They es- tablished an orphan school for boys, while in charge, but the land was in poor condi- tion, and their success was not such as an- ticipated. In May, 1864, the "Sisters of Mary" took charge and the same year or- ganized the orphan school for girls. The school and convent were placed in a flour- ishing condition. All the buildings on the farm are substantial and commodious. The frame building erected for a church stood originally on the north side of the road, in the cemetery, but was removed, about 1874, to the place where it now stands. The lower story is used for a school-room for the orphans, and the upper story as a school-room for the novices or young sis- ters.

TOWN OF NEW BEDFORD.

The town of New Bedford was laid out by Daniel Inbody, June 25, 1818, on land which had been owned by Dr. Nathaniel Bedford, after whom the town was named. Another reason for the name is advanced; three strong springs flowed from the ground at the spot where the public water- ing trough is located, and bore a resem- blance to the famed Bedford Springs in that they were strongly mineral.

The first settlers on the ground where the town stands were James and Thomas Black. In the year 1796 James, Thomas and Andrew Black came from Adams County, Pa., and James and Thomas set- tled a 400-acre tract, including that on

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which the town now stands. Andrew set- tled land on Deer Creek, northeast of town. Jacob Van Meter, a brother-in-law of the Blacks, who came originally from Virginia, settled in Pulaski Township in 1800, and settled 200 acres of the 400-acre tract which the Blacks had taken. Mr. Van Me- ter lived on his place until his death in 1854.

James and Thomas Black built the first house erected on the site of New Bedford, and made other improvements in 1796, and in 1797 went back and brought their mother and three sisters.

The second house in the neighborhood, built on what afterward was known as the Robert Mccullough farm, was a hewed log structure and a fine building for that time.

Daniel Inbody arrived soon after the Blacks, and, on the 25th of June, 1818, laid out the town. The lots were surveyed by James McCready, and the following were the original lot owners in New Bedford: Josiah Cotton, J. Beggs, Elizabeth Win- ters, John C. Little, William Bell, Daniel Inbody, Joseph Jackson, Owen McGeary, John Gaily, Henry Potter, John McCready, William Porter, John Hill, Darby Doran, Michael Doran, D. Armstrong, Alexander Ragan, James Waugh, Joseph Randalls, James Mitcheltree, Thomas Mitcheltree, Thomas Irwin, J. H. Anderson, Thomas McDonald, Timothy Swan, A. McFarland, C. Martines, Barney Harris and James Williamson. The original town consisted of eighty-nine lots.

A postoffice was established at New Bed- ford about 1827, with Dr. John McCready as first postmaster.

Daniel Inbody established a pottery and, it is thought, kept the first tavern in the place.

John Pollock opened a tavern in a brick house, and this is said by some to have been the first one in the place; that Mr. Inbody did not conduct a regular tavern, but merely accommodated transients who had no other place to stay.

About 1810-11 a well was being dug on

the place owned by John Inbody, when a sad accident happened. John and Jacob Inbody were Daniel Inbody's sons, Jacob being a deaf mute. These two men and two hired men, who worked in the pottery belonging to Inbody, were digging the well, and all four were smothered by the damp.

A tannery was started by John Lynn very soon after the town was laid out, probably in 1819, and was run for some years.

Thomas Black built a distillery in the early days which ceased operation before the town was laid out; it was located near the spot afterwards occupied by the tan- nery, and was the first distillery built in this part of the country.

Dr. John McCready was the first phy- sician in the place, Dr. Gage the second, and Dr. John Cowden, who came to the town in 1829, was the third. Dr. John Fer- rel, Dr. A. R. MeClure and Dr. James Love were also early physicians here.

James Waugh opened the first store in the township, half a mile east of the Deer Creek bridge, on the New Bedford and Pu- laski road. Waugh afterwards removed to New Bedford and opened the first store at that place, about the year 1819. He bought one of the original lots and built first a house, then a store upon it. He kept store in a part of his house at first.

A man named McDowell opened the sec- ond store in New Bedford and kept it about three years, then moved away.

Archibald Douglass kept a tavern in the place early, in the building later refitted for hotel purposes, and known as the "Fountain Hotel."

A man named Guthrie had a carding ma- chine at the place before the town was es- tablished. William Leyda built a steam grist mill about 1851-52 and operated it for some time. William Porter, Esq., and Josiah Cotton started the first blacksmith shops, at about the same time.

John and William Porter probably opened the first wagon shop in the place. Previous to this, a man named Alexander

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Magahey had a wagon shop near the State line, west of where the town afterwards stood, and made the first wagons that were manufactured in the country.

The first tailor shop was kept by a man named Moore, whose brother came with him and followed the trade of a black- smith. Richard Hoagland came in next after them and opened a tailor shop.

The first saddle and harness shop was opened and conducted for some time by Samuel Rogers. A man named Kelso worked at the coopering business shortly after New Bedford was laid out. John Leyda and his sons, William and James, built a saw-mill about 1847-48, a few years before they erected the grist-mill. A bent- wood factory was started by them while they were running their saw-mill. It after- wards became the property of other par- ties, and was carried on in the old grist- mill for some time, then in a frame build- ing, which was erected for that purpose, by John Duff and Cassius Zedaker.

The New Bedford Creamery Company was established in 1895, its project being a high grade of fancy butter. Frank Moeschberger is manager thereof.

A school was taught, about 1802-3, in the old log building erected by the Hope- well Presbyterian congregation. James Walker taught this school, and afterwards kept it in his house, which stood on the Pulaski road, northeast of town. George Monteith was also one of the early teach- ers before the town was laid out. After- wards a log schoolhouse was built near the spot now occupied by the church, and James Hawthorne was the first teacher. This house was used until 1834, when the free-school law went into effect, and new schoolhouses were built. A frame two- story schoolhouse was built in the extreme western part of the town. The schools now are in a prosperous condition and are well attended and maintained.

New Bedford was incorporated a bor- ough by act of Legislature, April 23, 1852,

and January 1, 1861, the borough organ- ization was discontinued.

HOPEWELL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. - Hopewell Church antedates that at Deer Field, the exact date being unknown. It was not later than 1800, and pos- sibly organized as early as 1798. In the old Hopewell graveyard, which was laid out in 1800, the first burial was in 1810, being that of a young lady who was accidentally shot. This church was one of the first organized in the bounds of the old Presbytery of Erie.

The first pastor was Rev. William Wick, who was ordained and installed by the Presbytery of Erie, September 3, 1800, in connection with Neshannock. Mr. Wick was pastor until his death, which occurred March 29, 1815. The first elders of this church were probably James Walker, Will- iam Porter and John Monteith. At any rate, Mr. Walker was one of the first and helped organize the church.

The second pastor was Rev. William Wood, who commenced his pastorate March 11, 1816, in connection with Ne- shannock. He was released June 25, 1829, and was succeeded by Rev. William Nes- bit, who was ordained and installed Oc- tober 7, 1829. Mr. Nesbit was released October 6, 1840. The fourth pastor was Rev. Henry .Webber, who was installed April 11, 1849, and released June 29, 1853. Rev. William Nesbit was again installed in May, 1854, and released April 6, 1858. Rev. James P. Fulton was next installed May 28, 1867.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 40

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