Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 42

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 42

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WAR OF THE REBELLION, 1861-5 .- A mili- tary company was organized at Harlans- burg at an early date called the "Slippery Rock Volunteers," and the name was af- terwards changed to the "Washington Guards." The uniform of the original company was a yellow linen hunting shirt, trimmed with red fringe, red leggings and a citizen's hat with a white plume, and each man furnished his own uniform and his own rifle. William Stoughton was probably the first captain of this company, and Samuel Riddle also held the position for a time. After the name was changed to the "Washington Guards" they also changed their uniform to blue pants and coat, red sash and cloth cap with a white plume. This company contained about one hundred men, and entered the service in 1861 with nearly that strength, and under the following officers: Captain, Samuel Bentley; first lieutenant, Andrew Nelson; second lieutenant, Norman Maxwell. They joined the 100th (Round Head) Regiment of Pennsylvania, and were ushered into the service as Company E of that body. Before the close of the war they saw much hard service and some of them gave their lives in the country's cause.

For the numerous other regiments which received recruits from Lawrence County,

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HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

Scott Township furnished its share, but its representatives were principally in the Round Head Regiment.

HARLANSBURG.

This village is located on the old Pitts- burg and Erie stage road, one of the first roads laid out in the county. This was the main stage route, and travel over it, after the country had become partially set- tled, was very heavy. The first settler at the place was Jonathan Harlan, who left Chester County in 1792 for Allegheny County, and about 1797-98 came to what is now Scott Township, and settling 400 acres under Dr. Peter Mowry, of Pitts- burg, including the site of the village. While living on this tract he laid out the

town of Harlansburg in 1800, built the first house in the place; he put up a grist-mill just east of the village, on the small run which empties into Slippery Rock Creek, the mill probably being built previous to the laying out of the town. The house he built was constructed of round logs and stood on the hill just above the site of the old "Bernard House."

About the same time Harlan came, Abraham and Levi Hunt made a settle- ment on a farm adjoining him, and Abra- ham Hunt, in 1802, built the first tavern in the village, later known as the "Ber- nard House." It was a heavy frame struc- ture, and was the first frame building for many miles around. The Hunts afterwards removed to a farm in the neighborhood of the Deans, about two miles west of the village.

William Elder came to Harlansburg about 1807-8, two or three years after his father, John Elder, settled in the town- ship. He soon after opened a small gen- eral store, in a space of about 5 by 10 feet. A post-office was established in the village, probably about 1811-12, and Mr. Elder also is accredited with the honor of being the first postmaster.

.John Bentley arrived from Chester

County in 1814, and, with his wife and six children located in the village.

A log schoolhouse was erected about 1820, and the first teacher was named Da- vid Gourley. Before this, schools had been kept in' private houses. Joseph Campbell taught a small school in his own house about 1815-16, and James McCune also kept one in his house. In the winter of 1818, William Jack taught a school east of town, in a house built by John Martin for a building.

A two-story brick schoolhouse was built on the hill, in the western part of the vil- lage, in the neighborhood of 1857, and thereafter was conducted as a high school most of the time.

CHURCHES.

A hewed log church was built by some German families, including the Richeals and Michaels, as early as 1799 or 1800, and stood on the lot where the present Metho- dist Church stands. About the year 1800 or 1801, this building was purchased by the Baptists. The Baptists afterwards sold their property, and it came into pos- session of the Methodists, while the Bap- tist society secured a fine location in the southern part of the village, where a neat brick church was built about 1852-53. The first Baptist preacher who visited the place was Rev. Henry, about 1801. The church was constituted September 17, 1808, at the house of Thomas Clark, by Revs. Henry Spear, Henry Frazure and Thomas Rig- don. Mr. Frazure was the first pastor and Mr. Rigdon the second, the latter begin- ning his pastorate in 1809. Among those who have served this charge are: Rev. George Collins, from 1849 to 1852; Rev. David Phillips, from 1853 to 1854; Rev. Levi Ross, 1854 to 1855; Rev. John Mc- Conahy, 1855 to 1858; Rev. John Trevitt, who came in 1858; Rev. G. E. Huston, Jan- uary 7, 1871, to April 1, 1884; Henry Madtes, supply summer of 1884; Rev. B. H. Fish, March, 1885, for one year; Rev.

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C. A. Gardner, August, 1887, to Decem- ber, 1888; Rev. E. M. Probert, April, 1889, to February 12, 1892; Rev. L. J. Colborn, March 11, 1892, to October 1, 1895; Rev. M. C. Alexander, November 10, 1895, to November 13, 1898; Rev. W. K. Dennis, November 18, 1898, to April 21, 1901, and Rev. L. J. Shoemaker, from October 1, 1901, to the present time. The present officers of the church are: Pastor, Rev. L. J. Shoemaker; clerk, C. E. Hunt ; treas- urer, Grant Harlan; assistant treasurer, William Eakin, Jr .; trustees, J. B. Mc- Knight, George Dean, Isaac Harlan, S. P. MeCalmont, S. W. Double, J. E. McFar- land, and G. M. Hettenbaugh, and the dea- cons, J. B. McKnight, George Dean, David Eakin, Jr., Samuel Harlan, Isaac Harlan and C. E. Hunt. The church is known as the Unity Baptist, and its first meetings, before the old German Church was pur- chased, were held in the house of Thomas Clark. The centennial anniversary of the organization of the church occurred Sep- tember 17, 1908, and was celebrated on October 2, 1908, in connection with the Beaver Baptist Association, which met at Harlansburg. Among the present mem- bers of this church we would make men-" tion of Mrs. Catherine Hunt, who has been a member of the church since 1849, and of Mrs. Elizabeth Nelson, widow of Lieut. Andrew Nelson, who is living at the ad- vanced age of ninety-five years and has for many years been a devout member of the church.

Among the churches of the place, next in age is the Methodist Episcopal, which was organized about 1833-34. Their first church was a frame building, originally erected for a dwelling by John Boyd. The society purchased it and used it for a church for ten or twelve years, and then built a frame building, standing on the lot formerly owned by the Baptists. One of the first ministers who preached to the congregation was Rev. Thomas Thomp- son.

The third church in point of age was a

Cumberland Presbyterian organization, which sprung up soon after the Methodist Episcopal Church was built. A frame church building was erected, and meetings held until about 1865, when their congre- gation had become so reduced by deaths and removals that an insufficient number were left to support a minister and pay necessary expenses; they sold their prop- erty to the Presbyterians. The first pas- tor of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church was Rev. Richard Law.

The United Presbyterian Church, which, though a short distance north of the vil- lage, strictly belongs to it. The congrega- tion organized about 1851-52, and for a while held their meetings in the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church in the village, where they were occasionally supplied. In 1855 a substantial brick church was built. The first pastor who had charge of the congregation was Rev. D. H. A. McLean, who had supplied them occasionally after they organized before the church was built.

Fifth and last is the Harlansburg Pres- byterian Church. The Cumberland Pres- byterians sold their property to the Pres- byterians, and a new frame church was built in 1874 on the lot where the old Cum- berland Presbyterian Church stood. The church was organized February 17, 1875. Rev. D. B. Walker, D. D., was their stated supply for two years; Rev. R. M. Davis was called as pastor, February 26, 1877, and served until April 18, 1880; Rev. A. M. Reed was called as their pastor, in June, 1881, and continued until April 26, 1893; the church then had supply until October 4, 1898, at which time Rev. R. C. Stewart was installed. He served until February 24, 1900; the church then had supply until October, 1903, when Rev. J. C. Kelley became pastor, serving until Oc- tober 1, 1905; Rev. F. A. Cozad was in- stalled in December, 1905, and has con- tinued to the present. The elders of the church are Dr. D. T. Cleland, M. L. Clark, J. O. Brown and W. H. Stoner; the trus-

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tees are W. D. McLeland, J. P. Brown and Thomas Cooper. Within the past four years the members have made extensive repairs on the church and built a neat par- sonage. The total membership at the pres- ent time is fifty-one, and that of the Sab- bath-school, twenty-eight.

Harlansburg has been a fairly prosper- ous village and from its inception has had a thrifty and substantial citizenship. The first blacksmith shop in the neighborhood of Harlansburg was opened by John Smith about 1816-17, south of the village. The first one in the village was opened by Jesse Bentley in 1831. The first wagon shop operated in the village was established by Charles Book about 1862-3. Ira Emerson had the first shoe shop in the place, and Job Harvey, who learned the trade of him, afterwards opened a shop of his own. William Greer started another at about the same time. James Sterling opened the first tailor shop about 1833.

The Harlansburg Agricultural and Hor- ticultural Association was organized in 1871, and twenty-five acres of land leased of John Elder for the use of the society. The officers were: President, Major An- drew Nelson; vice-president, Alexander McBride, Jr .; secretary, Jesse B. Locke; treasurer, W. E. Kirker; directors, R. M. McBride, L. D. Shaffer, W. B. Wilken, W. E. Kirker, James Burnside. This was the only association of the kind in the county, and its fairs, held the third week in Sep- tember each year, were attended by people from far and near. The grounds were lo- cated on the hill west of town.

ROCKVILLE.

This settlement, familiarly known as "Pumpkintown," is located on the east side of Slippery Rock Creek, in the south- east corner of the township. David Emery opened a store here some time in the forties, and, after he went out of business, James Smith and J. A. Campbell kept store for awhile. Harlan Vogan also engaged in the mercantile business. S. Frazier con-

ducted a shoe shop, and a number of dwellings are here clustered together in the valley, forming the hamlet. The place has never had a post-office, being located near Harlansburg.

SHENANGO TOWNSHIP.

Formerly a part of Beaver County, Shenango became one of the original town- ships of Lawrence County at the time of its erection as a county. Its area is about 16,000 acres, being one of the larger divis- ions of the county. Its surface is much varied; in the northern and eastern por- tions the land is rolling, and well adapted to agricultural purposes, while in the south and west are hills, interspersed with nar- row valleys. Sharp ridges rise to the height of three or four hundred feet above the level of the Beaver River, and, on their sides, fruit of excellent quality is grown, as well as the various grains. There is also coal in abundance found half way up the hillsides, and every farm has its sup- pły.

The township is watered by Big Run, and other tributaries of the Neshannock and Beaver, on most of which the power is fine, and in numerous places was im- proved for mill purposes.

The township is thickly settled, and im- provements are such as to compare favor- ably with those of any other community in the county. Below the city limits of New Castle small lots have been purchased for some distance, and the northern por- tion of the township is a continuation of the city.

EARLY SETTLERS.

William Cairns, who came to Shenango as early as 1796, came from County Derry, Ireland, and, after landing on the soil of the United States, about the year 1790 set- tled in Delaware. He was married there in 1792, and shortly after removed with his wife to Westmoreland County, Penn- sylvania. Some time in 1796 Mr. Cairns came with his family to what is now She-

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nango Township, and settled on the farm lately owned by Mrs. J. R. Sherrard. Here he made a clearing, built a cabin for the accommodation of the family, and set to work clearing and cultivating the land. He planted an orchard on the place not long subsequent to his arrival, the first in the neighborhood.

Mr. Cairns was, without doubt, the first settler in the present limits of the town- ship, the only other white settler known to him being Nathaniel Squires, who lived down the Beaver River towards Beaver- town, probably within the bounds of Bea- ver County. Mr. Cairns brought with him his wife and two children and a third child, a daughter named Rachel, was born July 19, 1798, hers being the first birth of a white child in the township. For two years after their settlement there was no white woman besides Mrs. Cairns seen there- abouts. When Mr. Cairns came he prob- ably settled a 500-acre tract now cut up into several farms, and afterwards pur- chased an additional tract of 300 acres in the northern part of the township, upon which he moved. He had learned the weaver's trade before he left Ireland, and after the country around his new home be- came partially settled, he put up a shop in which to work at his trade, weaving cloth for the settlers for a number of years. He also opened a small store, which he con- ducted for a good many years. He became a popular and prominent man, and held a number of offices of public trust, among them that of constable, justice of the peace and sheriff. He served as justice of the peace for more than forty years.

A considerable portion of the land in the southern part of the township was bought up by Benjamin Chew, of Philadelphia, who secured it at a cost of a few cents per acre. He had several thousand acres al- together, including portions of Shenango, Wayne, Slippery Rock and Perry, which were surveyed generally into four-hun- dred-acre tracts. . An act was passed by the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, re-

quiring Mr. Chew, as well as other persons holding large amounts of lands in the same manner, to secure to each settler half the tract upon which he located. By this means all were able to secure homes for themselves, and the residue became a source of profit to Mr. Chew and his son, who succeeded him in the management of the lands.

Sometime in the year 1796, William Tin- dall, a Revolutionary soldier, came to the township, and made improvements on a four-hundred-acre tract of Chew land. The first cabin he built was not on the right tract, and he was obliged to build another. Mr. Tindall was accompanied by John Con- nor, who afterwards settled on an adjoin- ing tract. Mr. Tindall was originally from New Jersey, and at first located in Somer- set or Allegheny County. There he left his family when he came to what is now Shen- ango Township, and, after making im- provements on his claim, went back after his wife, and children; he brought them out and made a permanent settlement in 1798. He brought a quart of apple-seeds with him, and planted them just below his house, raising from them the first nursery in the county for a number of miles around.

John Connor, who came out with William Tindall in 1796, was but fifteen years of age at the time, and lived with the latter. He afterwards settled a four-hundred-acre tract in the Chew district, adjoining the Tindall tract on the east.

Robert Stewart in 1802, located on a two- hundred-acre tract lately owned by Mrs. P. T. Hamilton. About 1815, Stewart sold out to Robert McWilliams, who built a stone spring-house on the place, and also had a grist mill on the bank of Big Run, near by.

The farm, lately known as the Joseph P. McMillin place, is a part of lot number five, first Donation district-said lot being granted to Major Isaac Craig, February 28, 1794, in consideration for his serv- ices in the United States army during the Revolution. This tract was afterwards

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conveyed to Samuel MeClure, who settled upon it some time between 1797 and 1800. He made the first improvements on the place. In October, 1803, he sold part of the tract, and in April, 1822, Archibald Cubbi- son purchased a portion of it also, and built the second log house thereon. Joseph P. McMillin bought the land of Cubbison in 1836, and lived on the place until his death.

In the month of November, 1811, John Gibson came from McConnellsburg, now in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, and, to- gether with a man named Sloan, purchased a two-hundred-acre tract of land. Sloan never came to the county, and afterwards sold his share of the tract to Gibson and James McKee. Gibson was the first set- tler on the place, and became a prominent man.

Joseph Baldwin was one of the early set- tlers ; he was a school teacher, and taught in the early schools in the township, and was also closely identified with the organi- zation and management of the Disciples Church, near Normal Glen. He served five years in the regular army.

The farm known as the old R. M. Gibson farm was settled by Hugh Wilson, about 1815-16, and Mr. Gibson bought it of him afterwards.

John Miller came in the neighborhood of 1800, and bought a large amount of land south of the present city limits of New Castle, along Big Run. He was killed by the fall of a tree January 28, 1813.

Seth Rigby, Sr., came from Virginia in 1804, and leased the farm owned by the James Shields heirs, which he occupied one year, and in 1805, rented a place of Dennis Kennedy, whose tract cornered on the southwest with the one which Mr. Rigby settled in 1806. When the Rigbys came to Lawrence County the family consisted of Mr. Rigby, his wife and six children, and three children were born afterwards. Mr. Rigby first put up a log cabin on his place on the west side of Big Run, near the stream, and set out an orchard. This not

being a convenient location for a dwelling, he removed it to the lower land on the east side of the creek.

James Gaston came originally from New Jersey, and for a number of years lived in Washington County, Pennsylvania. In 1805, he came with his family to Lawrence County, and settled on the farm which af- terward was partly owned by his grandson, James Gaston. He made his improvements in the fall of 1805. This tract was called a two-hundred-and-fifty-acre tract, but over- ran about sixty-one acres.

John Butcher settled the tract just west of Mr. Gaston in 1799-1800, and made some of the earliest improvements in the neigh- borhood.

Hugh Gaston came to the county previ- ous to 1800, and first took up his abode near the site of the town of Moravia. About 1802-3 he came to Shenango Town- ship, and located on the tract lying next east of the one his brother, James, settled in 1805. He was a bachelor and a great hunter.

Other early settlers were William Mc- Candless and the Jacksons, who were of Scotch-Irish descent, the orginal represen- tatives of them in this country coming from Ireland. They were related, and set- tled near each other. Their farms were along the fertile "Savannah Valley," in the western portion of the township.

Charles Lutton came orginally from Ire- land about 1799, and settled in the south- ern part of the township. Mr. Lutton's son, William, came to the farm which his grand- son, Oscar Lutton, later owned, about 1809-10, and lived until 1874, when he died at the age of eighty-eight years. He set- tled a two-hundred-acre tract.

James Wilson came from Allegheny County, and is said to have located in New Castle previous to 1813, and gone out from there to Erie that year. About 1813 he removed to Shenango Township, and improved a two-hundred-acre tract later owned in part by his sons, Albert and Ezra

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Wilson. His brother, Henry, came about the same time, and had a part of the James Wilson farm.

Jacob Book came from the eastern part of the State about 1799, and settled 200 acres adjoining the Charles Lutton place.

James and Hugh Warnock, brothers, came at an early day from Ireland, and stopped in Washington County, after- wards removing to the neighborhood of Mount Jackson, North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, some time previous to the year of 1812. They finally removed to Shenango Township, and purchased the Joseph Baldwin farm. James Warnock kept the first post-office in the township, known as the Shenango postoffce. He owned a five-hundred-acre tract in Shen- ango Township on which he lived. James and Hugh Warnock served in the War of 1812-1815.

James McKee came from Ireland about 1793, and some years afterwards bought a two-hundred-acre tract of land in Shenan- go Township, of the executors of John Beard. The deed was made March 7, 1812, but it is likely that McKee was on the place a number of years before that. Mr. McKee came to the neighborhood some time about 1800, and he probably made the first im- provements on this place. John Manning came from Ireland, and, after living in Vir- ginia, and in Washington County, Pennsyl- vania, finally came to Shenango Township in 1805, and together with Reuben Bell, lo- cated on a two-hundred-acre tract. Mr Bell came about the same time as Mr. Man- ning, from the eastern part of the State.

Samuel Baldwin came to the township in 1805, and settled the farm later owned by Hill, then consisting of 100 acres. Mr. Baldwin came with his wife, from Vir- ginia, and made the first improvements on the place. Like his brother, Joseph Bald- win, who came afterwards, he taught school.

John A. Morrison came originally from York County, and located above Green- ville, Mercer County. In 1835 he removed

to what is now Lawrence County, and pur- chased some land near Miller's mill of his brother, Abraham Morrison, living in Johnstown, Pa.

The Harbisons, living northwest of "Greenwood" Methodist Episcopal Church, are descendants of the celebrated Massy Harbison, who was captured by the Muncie and Seneca Indians, May 22, 1792, and escaped the third day after her cap- tivity with her son, then but an infant.

Phillip Houk and his brother came to the township early, and located on the farm where Benjamin Houk later lived.

James Chambers came from Ireland, sometime previous to the year 1800, and brought with him his son, Alexander, at the time but nine years of age. Alexander Chambers afterwards removed to Mercer County, and in the year 1800 settled a two- hundred-acre tract of land just north of the present borough of New Wilmington. For sometime he lived in Mercer County, and finally came to Lawrence and pur- chased a place in Shenango Township.

SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION .- John Butcher, who settled in the northwest cor- ner of the township or in Taylor, was a veteran of the Revolution.

William Tindall enlisted for five years at the beginning of the Revolution, and after the expiration of that term volunteered for eighteen months longer, and after that em- ployed his time with others in scouting against the tories. He served nearly the whole time the war lasted; was in the bat- tle of Monmouth, N. J., June 28, 1778, where Washington defeated the British forces under Sir Henry Clinton.

SOLDIERS OF 1812-15.

Two sons of William Tindall, William and Thomas, started for the seat of war, but Thomas nearly severed his foot with an axe while sharpening a stake to use in setting his tent, and was obliged to return. William went ahead and was at Black Rock.

Seth Rigby, Jr., then a young man, went

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out in Capt. Wilson Kildoo's company, which was raised in what was then Beaver County, and had members from many parts of what is now Lawrence County, and New Brighton, Beaver County. It was composed of drafted men, and went to Erie. William Lutton served in Capt. James Stewart's company, and was at Black Rock. James Warnock was out with Capt. Wilson Kildoo's company to Erie, as was also his brother, Hugh Warnock. James McKee was out at Erie a short time. James Manning served at Erie. John Bell was also out at Erie. Samuel Baldwin, who settled in 1805, was out a short time, and probably went to Erie with the rest of the men from the neighborhood. Phillip Houk and his brother were out. Nathan Hazen, who came from Washington Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, about 1791, was at Erie. Alexander Chambers served in the War of 1812, and was in a few engagements. He probably went to Fort Meigs, and served under General Harrison. He was at the time he enlisted living in what is now Mer- cer County, just above New Wilmington, but afterwards removed to Shenango Township, Lawrence County.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 42

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