Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 6

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 6

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"The plan of the new town was a very good one, lying with the cardinal points of the compass (or nearly so), and having wide, straight streets and an open market-

HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

place, 440 by 190 feet in the center, since curiously called 'the Diamond.' Mercer County was erected March 12, 1800, and the south line of this county was also the southern boundary of the town.

"Stewart and McWhorter were both practical surveyors, but the latter, on ac- count of having the best instruments, made the survey and laid out the new city. When the plot was completed it was unanimously named New Castle, in honor of the chief town of the State from whence they came. "The town was bounded on the north by a line running east and west through the center of the blocks lying next north of North Street, from the left bank of the Shenango River eastward to Apple Alley, thence south to the Neshannock Creek; thence west along the line afterwards di- viding Beaver and Mercer Counties to the Shenango River; thence northerly along the river to the place of beginning.

"The site of the town was a sort of glade or open bottom, destitute of large timbers, but covered with a dense growth of grass and hazel bushes. Along the Neshannock was a thicket of wild plum and crabapple trees, and here and there scattered over the plot were clumps and clusters of black and jack oaks. According to the best au- thority we have been able to obtain, a large share of the lots in the new town were dis- posed of by lottery, most probably at sev- eral different times, for when first laid out there were not people enough to have made it profitable. Lotteries were quite common and popular in those days, and even reli- gious societies did not scruple to raise funds by means of them."

John Carlysle Stewart owned the land upon which the town was laid out and it is probable that he erected the first cabin in New Castle. This cabin, built of round logs, stood near what is now known as the Falls spring; and Mr. Stewart was resid- ing there as late as 1810, after which he seems to have changed his place of abode, and, according to some accounts, removed

to land owned by him on the east side of the Neshannock.

He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and was a large, raw-boned man, quite well edu- cated, somewhat aristocratie in his man- ners, and averse to hard labor. He was said to have been born near Philadelphia, and to have lived in his younger days near New Castle, Delaware. The date of his birth is supposed to have been about 1765, as a daughter of his, who in the late seven- ties was residing in the State of Indiana, thought he was about ten years old at the breaking out of the Revolutionary War. His father, Robert Stewart, was a major in the American Army during the war and possibly the son, John C., may have lo- cated land upon a warrant drawn by the elder Stewart for military service. Old citizens of New Castle, who were living some years ago, claimed that John C. Stew- art was the first Justice of the Peace, which is not at all improbable. At all events there is documentary evidence to prove that he was holding the office in 1807.

Stewart was engaged in various enter- prises during his stay in New Castle. He was connected with other parties, as early as 1803-04, in the erection of a grist and saw mill, on the Neshannock, at the Devil's Elbow, and about 1810-11, in company with one Wilkins, changed his grist mill into a forge for the manufacture of iron in Western Pennsylvania. It would appear that he eventually became badly involved financially, and gradually lost all his prop- erty in and around New Castle, and was even reduced so much as to be forced to teach school for a livelihood. It is con- ceded that his personal appearance, which, as before remarked, was slovenly, and his lazy habits, had much to do with his mis- fortunes. It is said that he abandoned his unsold lots in New Castle and they were afterwards sold for taxes. When he sold John Elliott the water-power on the Neshannock, about 1800, he probably sold with it quite a tract of land. Elliott sold

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to Vaneman, and he, in turn, perhaps, sold to Gillespie, or to Gillespie and Chenowith. Gillespie's addition to New Castle was laid out in 1811, on lands which were a part of the "vacancy" at first purchased by Stewart.

Stewart had one son, named John, and four or five daughters, one of whom mar- ried while they lived in New Castle. John died in Ohio, unmarried, and the girls mar- ried and scattered in various directions after the removal of the family to Ohio. Stewart's wife was a Wood, a sister of John and Hugh Wood, before mentioned.

Joseph Townsend, Jr., came to this vi- cinity very soon after Stewart, and built a log cabin near where the old Dickson tannery was afterwards located.

Another early comer, William Munnel, a blacksmith, put up his cabin on the ground now occupied by Shaw & Wadding- ton's iron foundry. It was a long build- ing, built of logs, and divided into three compartments-a dwelling at one end, a horse stable in the middle, and a black- smith's shop in the other end. His wife's name was Lena Hendrickson, she being a daughter of Cornelius Hendrickson, Sr. Munnel was a curious character. He claimed to be a Christian and always had family worship. But he had a habit of profanity, which he apparently could not overcome, and it is said that, if excited, he would stop suddenly in the midst of a prayer and curse roundly, and then finish his prayer as calmly as if nothing serious had happened.

John Watson, from Penn's Valley, Pa., also came some time during 1798, and built a cabin across the street, east from Mun- nel's.

Cornelius Hendrickson and Daniel Hen- drickson, father and son, built two cabins on the west bank of the Shenango, in the present township of Union. They also es- tablished a ferry over the Shenango at what is now the west end of North street. Thomas, another son of Cornelius Hen-

drickson, settled in what is now Taylor Township, and his son, Cornelius, Jr., set- tled east of New Castle on land purchased of Stewart.

Jesse Du Shane came to Beaver from the State of Delaware in 1802. In the fall of the same year he settled in New Castle, and built a cabin. His wife was Lydia Zanes, daughter of Joseph Townsend, Sr. The family took up their residence in their new home in February, 1803, making the journey from Beaver to New Castle in a large canoe belonging to David Hendrick- son, and being accompanied by Joseph Townsend, Sr., and a well known Indian, Har-the-gig, who helped to navigate the canoe. About the year 1806 Mr. Du Shane built a new house of hewed logs, which stood on the lot just north of the two-story brick building on the northwest corner of Washington Street and "the Diamond." His lot extended north to the alley. The building was about equal to three ordinary houses in those days. The same year he rented one of the rooms to Joseph T. Boyd, who opened a general store, and after- wards admitted John Wilson as a partner. Jesse Du Shane died in New Castle, Jan- uary 1, 1866, at the ripe old age of ninety- five years and one month. His wife died in 1855, aged eighty-four years.

In 1803, came Joseph Townsend, Sr., a saddler, with his sons, John and Isaac. The two sons learned the hatter's trade of Thomas Evans, their brother-in-law, at Sharon, Beaver County. When they be- came of age they started the business in New Castle, and were the next to open a shop after Isaac Jones, who was the first hatter, having commenced business about 1805. The Townsends probably com- menced about 1806-08. The old gentleman lived in a house which his son, Joseph, built for him, for some years. In his old age he lived with his other sons until his death, which took place about 1825. The second daughter of Joseph Townsend, Sal- ly, married Thomas Evans, of Sharon,

HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

Beaver County, and the third daughter, Elizabeth, married William Van Zant Smith, who died in Ohio.

Jared and Robert Irwin, James Rey- nolds, Nicholas Vaneman and Benjamin and John Elliott, all settled in New Castle previous to, or about, 1800.

Among other very early settlers were John Wilson, and two brothers by the name of Sampson. There was also Andrew Noble, who came to New Castle about 1800, and who was famed far and wide as a great hunter. He built a cabin on what was later the Falls estate, near the brow of the hill. He was the owner of a mon- strous long and heavy rifle, carrying thir- ty-two balls to the pound. This rifle he was afterwards obliged to forfeit on a debt to Mr. Crawford White, who called the gun "Andy." It was a fine weapon, but carried so heavy a charge that it was a rather expensive one to use. As the boys said, you couldn't afford to miss your aim with it.

Mr. White, who came from Cumberland County, Pa., settled on lot No. 1953 of the "Donation Lands," immediately north of Stewart's purchase, in 1804. After stay- ing in New Castle for about two years, he went back to Cumberland County and married, in 1806. Returning to New Castle he at once entered into the active pur- suits of life. During the War of 1812-15, he went to Erie-probably in 1813-as a member of Captain Fisher's company, raised in and around New Castle. In 1818 he erected a grist mill and a saw mill (both frame buildings) on or near the ground where Raney's grist and flour mill now stands. John Tidball was the first miller, and operated the mill for Mr. White. The old gentleman died about the year 1834. His wife died in January, 1875, at the great age of ninety-seven years.

John Elliott had the honor of erecting the first grist mill in New Castle, which he did about the year 1800. It was situ- ated on the west bank of the Neshannock

Creek, near where the Episcopal Church now stands. It was built, no doubt, of logs, and probably contained one run of "Laural Hill" stones. The mill was in constant use until October, 1803, when it was partially destroyed, but whether by fire or flood, tradition saith not-most likely by flood. Previous to its erection people were obliged to take their grain down the Beaver River, in canoes, to Beav- er Falls, and bring it back by the same con- veyance, or take it on horseback to Allen's mill on Slippery Rock Creek, in Wayne Township. After the partial destruction of his mill, Elliott sold out to Nicholas Vane- man, who repaired it and put it in opera- tion.

John and Hugh Wood, previously men- tioned as the brothers-in-law and compan- ions of John C. Stewart, remained in New Castle until about 1821 to 1823, when they left with Stewart and settled in Holmes County, Ohio, at Millersburg, where he died. It is said by some authorities that Stewart was elected to the Legislature of Ohio, and was nominated for a second term but was defeated by his shabby appear- ance, as he was a man of slovenly habits. Others say he was beaten the first time, for the same reason, and did not run again.

John McWhorter, who laid out the town for Stewart, soon after returned East. He was of a speculative turn, and bought and sold lands, and frequently visited West- ern Pennsylvania, but eventually died near where he came from, in Delaware.

WILD GAME, ETC.

Rattlesnakes were very plentiful when New Castle was first settled, but these pests rapidly disappeared, and for many years a rattlesnake has been as great a curiosity in New Castle as an African lion.

Large gray wolves were also numerous in those days, and howled nightly on the hills surrounding the town. They came careering over the hills and through the

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

valleys in ravenous packs, and the unlucky sheep or pig that got in their way was devoured in a moment.

Deer and black bears were also very common. The last bear seen in the place was killed by Daniel Hendrickson, Joseph Townsend and Jesse Du Shane, in 1804. It is said that it weighed 400 pounds.

EARLY MERCHANTS, MILLERS, ETC.

The first store in New Castle was opened by Joseph Townsend, Jr., one of the ener- getic and progressive settlers of the place, who built a double log cabin on the north- west corner of North and Shenango Streets, about the year 1800. In this build- ing he commenced the mercantile business, and also opened a tavern. After a few years Townsend sold out his store to one Patrick Wilson, who enlarged and im- proved the business and conducted it on something like true mercantile principles. About the time that Townsend sold his store he put a small tannery in operation, which he soon after sold to William Dick- son. In 1803, in company with James Rey- nolds (and some accounts say also with John Carlysle Stewart), as a partner, he built a grist and saw mill at the head of the narrows on the Neshannock, which was run for a time, and sold to Stewart, or to Stewart and Wilkins, who, about 1811, changed it to a forge for the manufacture of iron.

Joseph Townsend, Jr., died, it is thought, about 1811, much regretted by the citizens, as he had greatly helped in the develop- ment of the place and was an upright busi- ness man. At some period during his busi- ness operations, he erected on the south- west corner of North and Mercer Streets, a log cabin which Arthur Chenowith fa- cetiously named "Pokeberry Exchange," on account of its peculiar color. Patrick Wilson continued the mercantile business for some time at Townsend's old stand, but later removed to the "Diamond." Townsend's double log cabin soon after caught fire and was consumed. The spot

was long afterwards known as "The burnt cabins."

North Street was, for a number of years, the main business thoroughfare of the town, until gradually business shifted to the vicinity of the "Diamond," and from thence, in course of time, eastward to that portion of Washington Street lying be- tween the "Diamond" and the Neshan- nock bridge.

Another of the early settlers who de- serves mention was John Wilson, who came previous to 1803. He was accidentally killed on the day that Reynolds and Town- sends' mill was raised, under the follow- ing circumstances : He had been to Thom- as Hendrickson's distillery and was re- turning with a cart and yoke of oxen, hav- ing, among other things, a barrel of whisky in the cart. On the way back, for some reason, his oxen became frightened and ran away, upsetting the cart and throw- ing Mr. Wilson out, and the barrel of whisky falling upon him killed him instant- ly. He was the father of Captain James Wilson, well and favorably known as an influential citizen of Lawrence County.

Cornelius Hendrickson, as before stated, settled on the west side of the Shenango River, near the present site of the glass works. His son, Daniel, lived farther down the river. Cornelius Hendrickson made claim, in 1798, of all the gore known as the "vacancy," lying west of the Shenan- go River, which contained over 117 acres of land. He had merely squatted on it. He appears to have had a sort of certificate of pre-emption to something over fifty acres of it, issued in 1800. It is probable that his son, Oakey Hendrickson, obtained possession of one-half of the whole claim, for we find that in 1818 George McDowell, said to have been a son-in-law of Oakey, and Ebenezer Byers, came into possession of it and made an equitable division, after- wards obtaining a patent for the whole. Cornelius Hendrickson was something of a practitioner of medicine, and was given, by courtesy, the title of "Doctor." His

HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

remedies were derived largely from among the roots and herbs of the country, and he is said to have been an excellent nurse. He is also credited with some slight knowl- edge of surgery. He had a good deal of the character of Daniel Boone in his com- position, not liking the restraints of civili- zation, and when New Castle began to as- sume the appearance of a town he quietly departed for a newer country in the West. He had four sons, Oakey, Daniel, Thomas and Cornelius, Jr. Oakey removed about 1820 to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Daniel was associated with his father in the ferry, which they established on the Shenango when they first arrived in New Castle. He seems to have had charge of it and operated it for some years. He used a "dug-out," or large canoe, for ferrying passengers and freight, and sometimes made trips down the river. Daniel accu- mulated some property and undertook to enlarge his sphere of usefulness. At one time he entered into a contract to construct a dam on the Neshannock, on the site of the old Elliott-Vaneman dam, but before it was completed a sudden flood carried it all away and with it a large share of Hen- drickson's hard earnings. "He was the father of a numerous family, principally daughters, and many of the most respect- able families of the community are con- nected with the famous squatter family of 1798."

Thomas Hendrickson settled near the present site of Mahoningtown, where he operated a primitive distillery, which busi- ness was then as legitimate and respect- able as any other vocation. It is said that he was something of a hunter, and could bring in as many wolf-scalps for the bounty as "any other man." He died in Plaingrove Township about 1830. Corne- lius Hendrickson, of whom we have little knowledge, emigrated with his father to Ohio, where they both died at an advanced age.

The second hotel, or, rather, tavern, in New Castle was opened in the hewed-log

building erected by Jesse Du Shane in 1806, a little north from Washington Street, in the northwest angle of the "Diamond," and was called the "New Tavern." Joseph T. Boyd kept a store in one room of this building. This hostelry had the first regu- lar tavern sign ever seen in New Castle. It was decorated with seven stars, and surmounted with three wooden figures, dex- terously turned in imitation of a pint and a half-pint bottle, and a gill measure which stood beside the bottle. It is said that on the day on which this sign was raised there was a grand horse-race, free to all comers, and the rider who came in last treated the crowd.

Mr. Boyd's business increasing rapidly, Mr. Du Shane built for his use another log building, west of the corner of Washing- ton Street. Here Boyd continued his busi- ness until it again outgrew the building in which it was located, when he and John Wilson formed a partnership and the new firm erected a building of logs on the north- east corner of the lot now occupied by the Disciples' Church, where they opened the largest general stock of goods that, up to that time, had ever been seen in New Castle. No doubt there was great excite- ment among the good wives of New Castle on the opening day.

When Nicholas Vaneman purchased the grist mill of John Elliott in the fall of 1803 he also purchased in connection therewith 100 acres of land lying between New Castle and Croton. After he had operated the mill for some time, it was partially de- stroyed by a flood, the dam being almost totally destroyed. A few remains of it were visible more than fifty years after its destruction.

Previous histories narrate an interest- ing and tragic incident in connection with Vaneman's misfortune, which is worth pre- serving. The miller whom Vaneman em- ployed to run his mill was a man named Crane, who was naturally a little anxious about the property. Being on the ground on the day when the great ice-flood came

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tumbling and rolling down the creek, he was standing near the old-fashioned tub- wheel, and peering into the mill to see what damage had been done, when a sudden rush of ice made everything crack around him. Eagerly bending forward and pointing with his finger toward the impending wreck, he exclaimed: "The old mill is all gone to h-1!" In his excitement he lost his balance and fell into the wheel, which was in rapid motion, and was killed. His body was soon after recovered and laid out in one corner of the mill, which, after all the apparent danger, was only injured to a small extent. After his remains were laid out, a watch-dog was placed inside as a guard, the mill was locked, and the corpse left until the next morning. It is said that Vaneman would on no account consent to have the dead body in his dwell- ing. Crane, it appears, had no relatives, at least not in this portion of the country, and so all that he possessed was buried with him. This consisted of the clothes he wore, a pocket knife, a pipe and tobacco and a few pieces of silver, amounting to between $1 and $2. His remains were placed in a rough box of oaken boards, and buried on the summit of Shaw's hill. There was no burial ground at the spot chosen, but as the only burial place was on the west side of the Shenango, and unap- proachable by reason of the flood (there being then no bridges over the stream), his remains were interred in the most suit- able place they could find, under the cir- cumstances. The place has no stone to mark it, and the locality is known to very few people. This incident occurred, prob- ably, in 1807.

"About the year 1808 Vaneman sold his mill, water-power and land to James Gil- lespie, and removed to what is now Wayne Township, then in Beaver County, and lo- cated about a mile east of Chewton, where he built a frame grist and saw mill, and put a set of carding machines in his grist mill, in addition. The mills were situated on a small run that discharges into Beaver

River. The amount of water was quite in- significant, but there was a fall of some eighteen feet, and, with an overshot wheel, equal in diameter to the height of the fall, the power was sufficient for his purposes. Mr. Vaneman died on the 24th of April, 1832. He was of German descent, and was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania. He was twice married, and was the father of sixteen children."

FIRST DEATH IN NEW CASTLE.

The first death in New Castle was that of the little daughter of William McComb, about 1802-03. Her remains were placed in a coffin made of oak boards, which were fastened together with wooden pins, it be- ing before the days of nails. The coffin was conveyed in John Wilson's ox-cart to the first burying ground in the place, ad- joining what is now Greenwood Cemetery. The first coffin was made by Jesse Du Shane.

The first adult who died in the place was probably the same John Wilson whose cart transported the remains of Mr. McComb's little girl to their last resting-place. As before stated, Mr. Wilson was accidentally killed by being thrown from his cart on the day Reynolds and Townsend's mill was raised, in 1803-04.

One of the early settlers in New Castle, coming about 1805, was John Gormly, a shoemaker by profession, described by Mr. Penn as a "low, thick-set, middle-aged man," who had a very large and muscular woman for his wife. He built a cabin of round logs on the southeast corner of Washington Street and the "Diamond." It is related of him that on the day in which his cabin was raised, having gone where his children were piling and burn- ing brush and rubbish, and while engaged in giving orders about the work, his wife came up behind and lifting him in her brawny arms threw him on a brush pile and told one of the children to bring some fire and they would burn all the trash to- gether.

HISTORY OF LAWRENCE COUNTY

Another anecdote illustrates the love of practical joking which prevailed among the people of those times. On a certain day, in the year 1806, Gormly went into Crawford White's store on North Street to make some purchases; among other things, he procured some eggs, and, for lack of a better place, put them in his hat. Stepping out upon the street with the hat upon his head he was approached by John Carlysle Stewart, who mashed his hat over his eyes, and then suddenly, be- fore Gormly could wipe the streaming con- tents of the eggs from his face, disappeared around the corner. Stewart afterwards paid Gormly all damages.

Prominent men in those days did not scruple to borrow wood from a neighbor (coal was then unknown), and especially if he had it all nicely prepared for the fire. It was also customary to watch when- ever a neighbor killed a pig, and, if he left it out after dark, to go and quietly "bor- row" it. Sometimes the stolen property was returned, but often the loser never saw anything more of it. He took good care, however, to revenge himself at the first opportunity upon the luckless neigh- bor who accidentally left anything ex- posed.

In addition to those already mentioned, another prominent citizen of New Castle in early days was John Wilson, a partner in the mercantile business with Joseph T. Boyd. He must not be confounded with the man of the same name who was killed accidentally, as before mentioned. It is thought that he was in business with Boyd for some thirty years; at all events, he was long identified with the business of New Castle. He was a man of cool and im- perturbable temper, very prompt and en- ergetic in his business. He expected others to be equally prompt with himself and, when necessary, he would sue a dozen of his debtors at once, as may be seen by reference to the old justice "dockets" of Arthur Hurry and William Dickson. Not- withstanding this, he was kind and chari-

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Century history of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Part 6

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