Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 47

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 47

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).

Wayne Township has for its western boundary the Big Beaver River, numerous tributaries of which head within its limits. On the east Slippery Rock Creek forms the boundary between Wayne and Perry, and the Conoquenessing enters on the south from Beaver County, and after receiving the waters of the Slippery Rock curves around through the southern part of the township, and finally enters the Big Beaver on the line between Lawrence and Beaver Counties.

Slippery Rock Creek flows in a south- erly direction until it reaches Wurtem- burg, and here it is met by a towering bluff 395 feet high, and obliged to turn aside. From here it flows to the westward until it joins with the waters of the Cono- quenessing, the two streams meeting from almost opposite directions. At this point. the streams turn squarely to the north, proceeds in this direction perhaps a huv- dred rods, then winds its way westward. then eastward, and back again until the Beaver is reached.

The scenery along the streams is wild and impressive, especially that of the Slip- pery Rock and Conoquenessing. The lat- ter has no bottom lands at all, and the for- mer only very narrow strips in some places. High above the streams, however, and at the base of a still higher range of

hills there are comparatively broad pla- teaux, the surface of them being extreme- ly fertile.

The greater part of the land in Wayne Township is in the Chew district and was divided into 400-acre tracts, each settler on a traet becoming entitled to one-half for settling. There are also numerous tracts which were granted to the Washington Academy, of Washington, Pa.

Coal was discovered near Wurtemburg, about 1826, by James Dobbs, who was at the time working at Moses Matheny's salt wells. Since then coal veins have been de- veloped in various localities in the town- ship. A bank was opened on a tract of Academy land, south of Chewton, and worked for some time. Above Wurtem- burg several mines are worked, and in the northern and western portions of the town- ship a considerable number of persons opened banks. The vein is called a three- foot vein, but has only about twenty-eight inches of coal on an average, the rest be- ing more or less mixed with slate. The coal is generally of a very good quality.

Limestone is found in many localities, but, like all the limestone of this region, lies in thin, ragged strata, and is not fit for building purposes, although it makes a very good quality of lime. The lime- stone exists near the summits of the hills, and is simply what remains of a once con- tinuous bed, before the country was cut so deeply by the numerous streams into the rough condition we now behold. The stone is found at an average height, and of a nearly uniform thickness and quality, prov- ing that the stratum was once continuous.

Iron ore is also found, both of the red and blue varieties. About 1855-6, Charles Rhodes bought half an acre of land on the stream which empties into the Big Beaver below Chewton, and intended to erect a saw-mill. While excavating a place in which to set his wheel be struck a vein of the "blue ore," and immediately aban- doned the purpose of building a saw-mill, and began taking out ore. The business

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paid him well, and raised a great excite- ment in the vicinity. It was the first iron ore discovered in the township, and imme- diately a number of persons began pros- pecting. Finally, John Warner discovered a bank of the "red ore," in some places reaching a thickness of twenty-two feet. Dr. John Wallace purchased this bank and worked it extensively.

The existence of the red ore was not known until after the discovery of the blue ore, but, when it was developed, the work- ing of the latter was abandoned, as the other quality was much richer and more easily worked.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

About the year 1800, Abraham McCurdy came from the Susquehanna Valley and settled near where Wurtemburg now stands.

John Newton came to the township in the neighborhood of 1800, and settled on the farm where his son, Jacob Newton, lived for many years after.

William and Benjamin Cunningham came from Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in the year 1796. William settled on the farm lately owned by R. S. Cunningham, and Benjamin on that lately owned by Ira Cunningham. They came in the fall of that year and built cabins and made other improvements on their places, then re- turned to Fayette County for their fam- lies. They returned to their new posses- sions in the spring of 1797. The Cunning- hams now occupy a considerable portion of the north part of Wayne Township, and have contributed much towards its im- provement.

The year 1796 marked the arrival of eight persons, six besides the Cunning- hams. They were Abel Hennon, Robert and Samuel Gaston, William Cairns, Charles Morrow and John Moore. Only a portion of them settled or remained in what is now Wayne Township.

After the Cunninghams came to the township they hewed out the end of a block

"dish fashion," and pounded their corn in it for about two years, when a grist-mili was built by Ananias Allen, and they had their grinding done there.

Abel Hennon, who was one of the set- tlers of 1796, located on a 400-acre tract. of which he received one-half for settling.

Joseph Hennon came in 1798 and bought a settlement right to a 400-acre tract of Jesse Myers, who had built a cabin on the place. The place was later occupied by his son, George Hennon, who was the first child born in the family after their settle. ment, the date of his birth being April 19. 1800. The Hennons were originally from Ireland, and located first in the State of Maryland. They afterwards removed to the valley of Jacob's Creek, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and from there came to Beaver County. Two of the earlier members of the family, George and Thom- as Hennon, Sr., were soldiers in the Amer- ican Revolution.

Nicholas Vaneman located in New Cas- tle about 1802-3, where he rebuilt and re- fitted a grist-mill on the Neshannock, which had been originally erected about 1800 by John Elliott. The mill was par- tially destroyed by a freshet in the creek, and Vaneman removed to Wayne Town- ship about 1808-9 and put up a grist and saw-mill on what is now known as "Mill Run," or "Big Run," which discharges its waters into the Big Beaver below Chew- ton. The mills stood for a good many years, and finally fell to pieces, and none have been rebuilt on the site since. He operated the mill until unable to run it longer, when his son continued the bus- iness for some time.

George Allen settled a farm in Wayne Township previous to 1800 and sold it to Solomon Egner in 1818.

Henry Booher came first to Neshannock Township about 1806, and bought land of Jesse Du Shane, of New Castle, about 1810.

Thomas McConahy came from County Antrim, Ireland, in 1817, leaving his fam-

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ily there. They followed him two years later (1819), and came to Beaver Town, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Here they stayed until 1821, when they removed to a farm of 100 acres, lying in Shenango Township, Lawrence County.

The John McConahy (son of Thomas McConahy) farm, in Wayne, was original- ly settled by Peter Book, who made the improvements upon it. The original tract was 400 acres, and, with a few other tracts in the neighborhood did not belong to the land in the Chew district. Peter Book was of German descent, and came from North- ampton County, Pennsylvania, to Pitts- burg, from which place he came to what is now Wayne Township in 1796-7.

Joseph Work came originally from the State of Maryland to Mifflin County, Penn- sylvania. In the year 1797 he came to . Crawford County, where he lived until 1824, then moved to the farm in Wayne Township, Lawrence County, later occu- pied by his son, William Work. The land is part of a tract of 400 acres, originally settled by Moses McCollum in 1797.

William Ward came from York County, Pennsylvania, when a young man, with his mother and step-father, and located first in Beaver Town, Beaver County. This was in the neighborhood of the year 1800. Mr. Ward was married at Beaver Town to Miss Elizabeth Shoemaker, and afterward came to Lawrence County. He located on a farm on Slippery Rock Creek about 1806-8.

Hugh Wilson came to the township previous to 1800, and settled on the farm now owned by his heirs. He was original- ly from the State of Maryland, and settled in the Chartiers Valley, in Allegheny Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, about twelve miles from Pittsburg, from whence he came to what is now Lawrence County. The year after Mr. Wilson arrived, his brothers, William, Andrew, James and Alexander, also came out. William Wilson commanded a mil- itia company in the neighborhood during the time of military organizations, and

from that circumstance received the title of captain.

Moses Guy came to the township about the same time as the Wilsons and settled on a part of the same farm.

Moses Matheny came from the Shenan- doah Valley, West Virginia, about 1800, and settled first in the edge of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. He afterwards re- moved to a farm in Wayne Township, Lawrence County, three-fourths of a mile from Wurtemburg. Mr. Matheny was a cabinetmaker, the first mechanic in the neighborhood, and made the first rough coffin. In 1807 he was married to Hannah Nye, whose father, Andrew Nye, had set- tled early on the farm on the south side of the Conoquenessing, yet owned by the Nye family.

Mr. Matheny was closely identified with the plans for the early improvement of the country in which he had settled. In 1839 he built a stone tavern on the north side of the Conoquenessing, at its mouth, and rented it to Samuel Copper, who kept it for some time; other persons also kept the tavern, but when the canal business stopped it was discontinued.

Paul Newton was among the first settlers in the township and purchased land of William Thomas, who must have been a very early settler.

About 1812-15 a company of Quakers came from the eastern part of the State, purchased a large acreage of the hilly lands of the Conoquenessing, and went to work to improve the water-power. They tried to build a dam twenty-eight feet high across the creek, but the attempt proved a failure, and they afterward built a brace dam on a smaller scale, and cut a hole in the rock and built a strong stone grist-mill in it. The creek rose shortly afterwards and washed both dam and mill away. Af- ter this failure the Quakers went to Bea- ver Falls.

Hazel Dell post-office was established about 1871-2, near Matheny's mill. The

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first postmaster was John H. Marshall, and he was succeeded by Andrew Cole.

About 1823-4 a log-mill was built on nearly the same spot as the Matheny mill by Orrin Newton. In 1834, J. N. Nye pur- chased the mill and operated it awhile. About 1840 some parties who were fishing carelessly dropped some fire into it and it burned down. The Matheny mill, which was built in 1847 by Jonathan Evans, was owned by Thomas Jones at one time. He was caught in the machinery in some way while oiling the wheel and killed, about 1864-5. Under the management of E. C. Matheny the mill developed into a flour- ishing plant.

Orrin Newton, the same person who built the original mill on the site of Math- eny's building, had a primitive affair long before this, consisting of a wheel set in a crevice in the rock, and run by hand when the water was low. This was the first mill on the creek below the mouth of the Slip- pery Rock, and was of the simplest kind. It could grind but very slowly, and did nothing more than crack the grain. The old Newton mill was at Conoquenessing Falls.

A log grist-mill, with a saw-mill attach- ment, was built about 1830-32 by Nicholas Mayne, and stood a short distance above the Matheny mill.

James Latimer built a grist-mill two or three miles above this, about 1855. It was a good frame mill, but, as the power was not sufficient at the place it was abandoned.

Henry McQuiston built a grist-mill on the Conoquenessing, a little distance above the mouth of Slippery Rock Creek, but it was only run a short time.

Saw-mills have been built in nearly every portion of the township, though but very few are now in operation, and those port- able.

Edward MeLaughlin had a saw-mill close by the MeQuiston grist-mill.

About 1852, William Gaston built a saw- mill on his place, above Chewton, on a

small run flowing through it, and had good water power.

MILITARY RECORD.

Wayne Township was well represented in the United States army during the War of 1812, among those who went to the front being: Abraham McCurdy, Sr., John New- ton, Benjamin Cunningham, Thomas Hen- non, at Black Rock; William Ward, in Capt. James Stewart's company, was at Black Rock, and Hugh Wilson and Moses Guy, who were at Black Rock.

In Wayne, as in other townships, mili- tary organizations were kept up, William Wilson commanding one company. A com- pany known as the "North Sewickley Marksmen" was organized about 1830-31, with some sixty men, and the number af- terwards increased to seventy or eighty. John M. Hennon was the first captain, and. Isaac Newton, William Sherrard and oth- ers served as lieutenants. The men were dressed in ordinary apparel, but their citi- zens' hats were decked with red and white plumes, and they wore red sashes and belts ; they were armed with common rifles The organization existed until about 1873

Wayne Township furnished her quota of troops during the War of the Rebellion, scattered through various regiments. Most of those who went to the front, however, were members of the famous Round Head (One Hundredth Pennsylvania) Regiment.

EARLY SCHOOLS.

A log cabin schoolhouse was built on the McCollum tract, in Wayne, previous to 1815, and school was conducted in it for some time. It finally was destroyed by fire. About 1820 another log schoolhouse was built about a half mile northwest of the first, and it too was finally burned to the ground.

Robert Grandy was a teacher in the first building, and Robert Laughlin was the first teacher in the latter. Other primitive schoolhouses were built at different times

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by the citizens, and carried on by subscrip- tion until the law was passed establishing free schools.

In 1908 the number of schools in Wayne District (Township) was nine. The en- rollment of school children for the same year was 276. A total of $2,750 was paid for teachers' wages, the number of teach- ers for the year being nine. The total ex- penditures for the year for school pur- poses were $3,825. This was aside from Wurtemburg and Chewton villages, which are independent districts.

CHURCHES.

"SLIPPERY ROCK" PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH is the oldest organization in the township, and takes its name from Slip- pery Rock Creek, on the banks of which it held its first meetings, in Allen's old grist- mill, as early as 1800, and possibly before. The congregation was organized about 1800, and some of the original members were Jesse Bell, William Cairns and Naney, his wife (of Shenango Township), Joseph Hennon and Margaret, his wife; William Cunningham and Mary, his wife; Jonathan Peppard and Elizabeth, his wife; Jacob Van Gorder and Margaret, his wife (Van Gorder and wife later, about 1806) ; Andrew Elliott and wife, and a few others.

The first official record of the existence of this church is found in the minutes of the first meeting of the Erie Presbytery, held in this region April 13, 1802. At this meeting of the Presbytery the church asked for supplies, and in 1803, united with Lower Neshannock, now New Castle, in selecting Rev. Alexander Cook as pas- tor. Mr. Cook had charge about six years.

The first elders of this church were Jesse Bell, William Cairns, Joseph Hen- non and Jonathan Peppard. Isaac Cole and Andrew Elliott were ordained elders October 25, 1812, and Donald MacGregor in May, 1818. These were the early elders only.

The second pastor of this congregation was Rev. Robert Sample, who had charge

of the New Castle congregation as well. Some say he preached twenty-six years. He was ordained and installed April 10, 1811, and served until 1834, according to the history of Erie Presbytery. In 1838, after many discouragements for three years, they united with New Brighton, Bea- ver County, in support of Rev. Benjamin C. Critchlow, New Castle having by that time become able to support a minister alone. Mr. Critchlow was ordained and installed pastor of Slippery Rock and a New Brighton congregation September 5, 1838, and continued his pastorate for seven years. In 1845 he assumed charge of New Brighton alone, and Rev. James S. Hen- derson was ordained and installed pastor of Slippery Rock in October of that year. November 1, 1846, he began preaching one- half of his time at North Sewickley Church, in Beaver County.

Since the departure of Mr. Henderson the following have been regular pastors of the Slippery Rock Church for the length of time stated: Amos S. Billingsley, Jan- uary 10, 1854, to January 11, 1865; Rev. R. S. Morton, February 21, 1866, to May 14, 1869; Rev. J. H. Aughey, December 26, 1870, to May 5, 1873; Rev. George S. Rice, October 19, 1874, to June, 1889; Rev. Will- iam G. Reagle, May 26, 1891, to April, 1893; Rev. Samuel Barber, January 23, 1894, to April, 1898, and Rev. Charles Bell, September 13, to the present time.

In the Slippery Rock Presbyterian Church, proper, the present membership is 250, and that of the Sabbath-school, 175; but a mission is conducted under the care of the church, with a membership of 100, and its Sabbath-school, 250. The mission reports through the church, which thus has a total membership of 350, and the Sab- bath-school a membership of 425. The Sabbath-school was organized during Mr. Critchlow's pastorate and has been con- ducted almost continuously since that time.

The church officers at the present are as follows: Rev. Charles Bell, moderator; W. C. Hennon, R. C. Shoemaker, Robert

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W. Grandy, William Wellhausen, James A. Brown and John W. Houk, elders; John M. Houk, Sabbath-school superintendent; E. E. Yoho, Y. P. S. C. E. president, and Mrs. Ellen G. Bell, president of the Wom- en's Missionary Society.

The first church built by the society was a log building, which stood a few rods north of the spot occupied by the present church. The log church was built about 1803, and stood on the Hugh Wilson farm. The old log church was used until the year 1825, when a frame building was erected just south of it. This church continued in use as such until a new and more com- modious edifice was built in 1863, and was then removed. A parsonage was later built by the society for its pastor. On the terri- tory once all tributary to Slippery Rock Church, there are now fourteen different organizations, yet with all this, and the colonies which have gone out from it and founded other congregations, the church has held its own well and is in a prosper- ous condition.

The cemetery near the church is an in- teresting spot, containing the remains of nearly all the pioneers in the region imme- diately surrounding it. It is located on the brow of the hill, in the rear of the church, and is shaded by forest trees on all sides. The first person buried in it was James Wilson, who was killed by the fall- ing of a tree soon after his arrival here.

THE PRIMITIVE METHODISTS organized in the fall of 1876, and have a frame church, standing on land donated by Samuel Boo- her, who was one of the prominent mem- bers of the organization. The lot includes one acre. This congregation is made up of members from the Methodist Episcopal Church at Wampum and "Mount Pleas- ant" congregations.

VILLAGE OF STAYLESVILLE.

The land occupied by this settlement was originally a part of the Peter Book farm. William Hough at different times bought several acres of land from Mr. Book, and

laid it out into town lots some time between 1827 and 1833, about which latter date the canal was opened. Hough built the first house in the place-a log structure-and kept a store. He also opened a tavern, and afterwards sold it to John Wallace, who carried it on for awhile in connection with a store. James Miller had the last store conducted in the place, and closed out about 1874. Samuel Wilkinson and John Houk worked at the blacksmithing busi- ness in the place for some time.

A strong dam was built for slack water purposes during the time of the canal, but has been destroyed long since. The bed of the Beaver River here was partly quick- sand, and, to keep the dam from being washed away, it was made of strong cribs sunk in the sand and filled with stone. Con- siderable business was done at the place during the time the canal was in operation, but there are now left but a few dwellings on the town site to mark what once was an active business point.

The town was named by Hough, when he laid it out, after a man named Stayles, who was a prominent worker in the canal enterprise. A swift rapid or "ripple" is in the river opposite the town, and as the canal men had a "hard scrabble" to get their boats safely over it the place re- ceived the nickname of "Hardscrabble," by which it is now more familiarly known than by Staylesville. Some distance be- low, at Wampum, there is another rapid called "Irish Ripple," and from it the original post-office at Wampum, and now at Newport, took its name.

CHEWTON.

This town was laid out by Benjamin Chew, Jr., about 1830-31, and includes all the territory comprised in what are now commonly known as "Upper" and "Low- er" Chewton-in all about one hundred acres, but a comparatively small portion of which is built up. The first house in Lower Chewton was built either by Hon. J. T. Cunningham or Jacob Allen.

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Fulton Reed opened the first store in the place, about 1835-36. John Wallace estab- lished the second, some ten years later. John Egner opened the third, about 1848- 1849, and afterwards sold it to William Roth (or Rhodes). It stood about a quar- ter of a mile below where the iron bridge now spans the Beaver. Roth sold out to Friday & Jackson, who moved the store to the upper part of Lower Chewton. Hen- ry Potter afterwards purchased Friday's interests, and the firm name became Pot- ter & Jackson.

In Upper Chewton, soon after the town was laid out, Jacob Lightner, Nancy Lightner, Milo Connor and John Lightner all built houses of the log pattern, which stood for many years. There was but one log house built in Lower Chewton, that by one of the Roth (Rhodes) family.

A school was opened in the town in 1834 or 1835, immediately after the school law was passed, and a schoolhouse was built. A brick schoolhouse, standing in Upper Chewton, was built about 1859-60. Chew- ton was set off as an independent school district in 1872 or 1873. It has three schools and three instructors, who, in 1908, received $1,010. The enrollment is 159 pupils.

WURTEMBURG.

The first settler on the land where Wur- temburg now stands was probably Ananias Allen, who came about 1796-7, and built of logs a grist-mill on nearly the same spot where a more modern grist-mill, in after years, was erected. This was a famous mill in its day, and had customers from as far as New Castle, before there was a mill at that place. In this mill the first meet- ings of the Slippery Rock Presbyterian congregation were held. Allen built the first house on the ground where the town now stands.

Jacob Liebendorfer and his family came from Butler County in 1829, and for a time lived in a log house, which had been erect- ed by an early settler named Smith.

In 1831 a grist-mill was built by Jacob Liebendorfer and his son, Michael. After the father died, Robert Mehard united with Michael Liebendorfer in its manage- ment, and finally became sole proprietor, after they had remodeled and improved the mill to a considerable extent. Mr. Mehard afterwards sold out to George and Harrison Fiddler, who in turn disposed of it to William Mellen and Phillip Freich- tag. The next proprietors, McCray & Hutchison, also operated a saw-mill in con- nection.

A saw-mill and linseed oil-mill were built by Jacob and Daniel Liebendorfer, Frederick Rapp and Peter Noss, about the same time the grist-mill was built-1831. The mill race supplying them gave way, and the mills were abandoned after run- ning about twenty years.

The saw-mill, adjoining the grist-mill, was built by Robert Mehard.

Peter Noss had a distillery at one time, and a cooper shop in connection.

A salt well was put down to a distance of about five hundred feet by Matheny & Hemphill, in 1821, and was worked for nine years, producing about two barrels of salt per day. On account of oil and the scarcity of water, the well was finally abandoned. Just before the Civil War the oil excite- ment ran high, and this well was worked by a company who tried for oil. The oil they lost, principally because the flow of water was too strong.

The post-office at Wurtemburg was es- tablished about 1845, and derived its name from the fact that the Germans who set- tled here were from Wurtemburg, Ger- many. The first postmaster of whom we find any mention was Frederick Rapp, who was the second to fill that office; after him came Ebert and Brown. Up to this time it was kept on the north side of the creek, but was afterwards moved to the south side, and kept in the store of Fleming & Freichtag. James Liebendorfer next had it, on the north side, then Morrison & Fish- er on the south side.

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 47

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