USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I > Part 48
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102
FIRST NATIONAL, WASHINGTON.
Officers-A. M. Linn, president ; J. A. Ray, vice presi- dent; Joseph C. Baird, cashier; Joseph Zelt, assistant cashier.
262
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
Directors-Alexander M. Brown, Alexander Reed, John G. Clarke, W. H. Davis, R. H. McClay, Owen Murphy, R. W. Knox, Andrew M. Linn, J. A. Ray, Brit Hart, John W. Warrick.
BURGETTSTOWN NATIONAL.
Offieers-John A. Bell, president; K. Noble McDonald, vice president ; A. H. Kerr, cashier; J. C. Fulton, vice president.
Directors-John A. Bell, K. Noble McDonald, John C. Fulton, Robert W. Criswell, W. G. Shillito, Robert Scott, WV. Craig Lee, John P. Linn, W. E. McCurdy, Robert P. Stevenson, James Cavert, James P. Leech, Lee R. Scott, A. H. Kerr.
FIRST NATIONAL, M 'DONALD.
Officers-Edward MeDonald, president ; J. D. Sauters, vice president ; G. S. Campbell, cashier; Ida V. Steen, as- sistant cashier.
Directors-Edward MeDonald, G. S. Campbell, Samuel Shane, N. G. Cook, J. N. McDonald, J. D. Sauters, David Campbell, C. Ferguson, Mel Moorhead.
FIRST NATIONAL, CANONSBURG.
Officers-W. H. Paxton, president; John L. Cockins, vice president; George D. MeNutt, cashier; J. W. Mun- nell, assistant cashier.
Directors-John L. Cockins, Joseph Underwood, Mark B. Kelso, William H. Paxton, Ebenezer B. Boyle, Robert L. Park, George D. MeNutt.
THE NATIONAL, CLAYSVILLE.
Officers-J. R. MeLain, president ; D. M. Campsey, vice president ; W. J. E. McLain, eashier.
Directors-J. R. MeLain, D. M. Campsey, William Wil- son, .T. D. Campsey, Dr. George Inglis, W. J. Mehaffey, John Sawhill and J. N. Montgomery.
FIRST NATIONAL, CHARLEROI.
Officers-JJ. K. Tener, president; S. A. Walton, vice president ; R. N. Rush, cashier.
Dircetors-J. K. Tener, S. A. Walton, R. N. Rush, George E. Tener, George A. Macbeth, S. M. McCloskey, George S. Might.
FIRST NATIONAL, DONORA.
Offieers-J. W. Ailes, president; J. N. Mnllin, viee president ; Herbert Ailes, cashier; Benjamin G. Binns, assistant cashier.
Directors-J. W. Ailes, J. P. Castner, J. N. Mullin, J. G. Coatsworth, Charles Potter, A. W. Mellon, W. H. Binns.
FIRST NATIONAL, CALIFORNIA.
Officers-William Binns, president; A. J. White, vice president ; William M. Nicodemus, cashier; W. H. Gregg, assistant cashier.
Directors-J. W. Ailes, A. A. Ailes, William H. Binns, W. H. Farquhar, W. II. Gregg, R. L. Johnston, R. L. Leadbeter, A. C. Piper, A. J. White.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK, MONONGAHELA.
Officers-Joseph Lytle, president ; Eugene Byers, vice president ; G. E. Davis, eashier.
Directors-Joseph Lytle, Eugene Byers, Charles E. Stevens, J. R. McGregor, W. T. Pierce, James T. Lytle, J. F. Kennedy, D. E. Hample, D. F. Allen, H. T. Billick.
WASHINGTON NATIONAL, BURGETTSTOWN.
Officers-J. A. Ray, president; M. R. Stephenson, vice president ; R. K. Scott, viee president ; J. Winfield Reed, cashier ; F. M. Barber, assistant cashier.
Directors-J. A. Ray, D. G. Jones, A. S. Hays, F. M. Barber, R. K. Scott, M. R. Stephenson.
MIDWAY NATIONAL BANK.
Officers-D. G. Bamford, president ; A. J. Russell, vice president ; R. M. Donaldson, cashier.
Directors-A. J. Russell, Richard Donaldson, R. M. Dickson, James M. Wallace, James Bell, R. Noble Me Donald. R. M. Donaldson, D. G. Bamford.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK, FINLEYVILLE.
Offieers-A. H. Anderson, president ; C. Fritchman, vice president ; J. F. Boyer, cashier.
Direetors-C. Fritchman, J. F. Boyer, A. H. Anderson, John C. Potter, David G. Jones, J. N. Kerr. C. B. Tront. man.
FIRST NATIONAL, ROSCOE.
Officers-J. W. Ailes, president; E. L. Collier, vice president; J. H. Underwood, cashier; J. W. Stephens, assistant cashier.
Directors-J. W. Ailes, E. L. Collier, Joseph Under- wood, H. C. Sphar, Ernst Ruder, W. J. Ailes, J. A. Me- Lain.
FIRST NATIONAL, SCENERY HILL.
Officers-George E. Renshaw, president; Colin Swag- ler, vice president; C. E. Hill, cashier; S. M. Rogers, as- sistant cashier.
Directors-T. H. Dague, George E. Renshaw, C. E. Hill, W. H. Hill, Jacob Martin, John Bigler, J. L. Kinder. Colin Swagler, Dr. F. I. Patterson, G. M. Mitchell and James Kefover.
FIRST NATIONAL, HOUSTON.
Officers-W. B. Honston, president; John A. Berry, vice president ; J. K. MeNntt, eashier.
Directors-W. W. Donaldson, Joseph A. MeKnight, George D. MeNutt, W. B. Houston, John A. Berry, Lnther M. Morgan, J. K. MeNntt.
FIRST NATIONAL, FREDERICKTOWN.
Officers-George L. Hill, president ; Furman South, vice president ; Lee M. Crowthers, cashier; R. S. Bane, assist- ant cashier.
Directors-George L. Hill, Furman South, LeMoyne Ward, W. B. Gladden and Lee M. Crowthers.
263
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
WEST ALEXANDER NATIONAL.
Otheers-W. F. Whitham, president; H. B. Carroll, vice president ; Thomas R. Bell, cashier; H. R. Carroll, assistant cashier.
Directors-W. F. Whitham, H. B. Carroll, R. D. Me- Cleery, S. O. Armstrong, HI. M. Yates, T. S. Maxwell, Lawrence E. Sands.
FARMERS' NATIONAL, HICKORY.
Officers-J. A. Ray, president ; R. M. Wilson, vice presi- dent ; T. M. Berryhill, vice president; Robert R. Ilays, cashier ; H. W. Denny, assistant cashier.
Directors-W. HI. MePeak, T. M. Johnson, A. M. Car- lisle, P. O. Elder, Samuel Wilson, Sr., T. M. Berryhill, R. M. Wilson, J. A. Ray, Robert R. Hays.
BENTLEYVILLE NATIONAL BANK.
Officers-C. K. Frye, president ; A. N. Booth, first viee president; J. C. French, second vice president; W. R. Stephens, cashier ; B. J. Duvall, assistant cashier.
Directors-C. K. Frye, J. W. Piersol, A. N. Booth, J. D. Duvall, W. H. Mitchell, J. C. French, John W. Frost, J. P. Duvall, Smith F. Scott.
NATIONAL, ELLSWORTHI.
Officers-E. A. S. Clarke, president ; G. C. Sehlehr, vice president; Charles W. Connor, cashier; J. P. Higginson, assistant cashier.
Directors-E. A. S. Clarke, Benjamin Holliday, Henry Bourns, George C. Schlehr, W. R. Calverley.
LINCOLN NATIONAL, AVELLA.
Officers-J. A. Ray, president ; J. B. Wilson and S. S. Campbell, vice presidents ; L. M. Irwin, cashier.
Directors-T. M. Johnston, L. M. Irwin, Thomas Done- hoe, C. H. Patterson, J. A. Ray, J. B. Wilson, A. C. Wil- son, S. S. Campbell, J. Winfield Reed.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK, CECIL.
Officers-Adam Wagner, president; A. J. Debruxelles, vice president ; C. W. Denney, eashier.
Directors-Henry Borchert. A. J. Debruxelles, Oswald Ende, Gabriel H. Ilastings, Niek Klein, Valentin Klein, Adam Wagner, J. J. Wallace, Dr. Rhys Williams.
FIRST NATIONAL, MILLSBORO.
Officers-J. W. Shay, president ; Osman MeCarty, vice president ; E. M. Emery, cashier.
Directors-J. W. Shay, George L. Moore, Osman Mc- Carty, B. F. Emery, William Allen, William Michener, George C. Michener, Thomas L. Wilkinson, Louis Klein, W. R. Michener, E. M. Emery, J. 11. Crawford, J. N. Moore, B. Bartenzetti.
FARMERS & MINERS NATIONAL, BENTLEYVILLE.
Officers-Joseph A. Herron, president ; T. A. Hethering- ton, vice president ; D. E. Lindley, cashier.
Directors-Joseph A. Herron, A. E. Richardson, Julian Grable, A. B. Richardson, W. H. Wilson, W. F. Richard- son, Joseph Underwood. J. G. McCormick. W. H. Murray and C. A. Hetherington.
FARMERS NATIONAL, CLAYSVILLE.
Officers- D. W. Rasel, president; J. T. Carter, vice president ; Burns Darsie, cashier; Ben Andersen, assistant cashier.
Directors-F. J. Egan, Williard Porter, D. W. Rasel, T. D. Bell, S. A. Dagne, Leman Carson, W. W. Ramsey, John T. Carter, William Ellinham and J. A. Ray.
BANK OF CHARLEROI.
Officers-T. L. Daly, president; J. C. MeKean, vice president ; Kerfoot W. Daly, cashier ; Samuel C. Todd. assistant cashier ; William 1. Berryman, solicitor.
Directors-T. L. Daly, J. C. MeKean, C. F. Thompson, A. W. Mellon, W. W. Jimeson, J. P. Duvall, Harvey J. Steele, J. J. Hott, Cary Piper, T. P. Grant, William I. Berryman.
BANK OF DONOR.A.
Officers-J. Add Sprowls, president; G. W. Thomas. vice president ; C. F. Thomas, cashier; E. B. Todd, as- sistant cashier.
Directors-J. A. Sprowls, G. W. Thomas, R. L. Biddle. Eneas Coulson, F. B. Hambry.
BANK OF COAL CENTER.
Officers-R. B. Drum, president; G. S. Hornbake, Sr., first vice president ; W. H. Craig, Sr., second vice presi- dent; C. II. Drum, cashier; G. S. Hornbake, Jr., assist ant cashier.
Directors-R. B. Drum, Lewis Parsons, W. A. Sprowls, Samuel Kemp, D. F. Guiser, Charles Bradford, J. A. Car- son, J. E. Masters, R. W. Richards.
WASHINGTON TRUST, WASHINGTON.
Officers-John W. Donnan, president ; W. R. Mellvaine, vice president ; A. C. Warne, treasurer; W. A. Baird, sec- retary; Robert L. McCarrell. manager foreign depart- ment ..
Directors-John W. Donnan, W. R. Mellvaine, C. M. Reed, J. L. Thistle, James I. Brownson, M. C. Treat, A. G. Happer, C. N. Brady, James Kuntz, Jr., R. L. McCar- rell, Winfield Mellvaine, J. E. Miller, R. V. Johnson, George M. Cameron, R. W. Knox, J. Y. Scott, Charles A. Bumpus, C. H. Lambie, A. M. Templeton.
REAL ESTATE TRUST CO., WASHINGTON.
Officers-T. Jeff Duncan, president ; Charles A. Bum. pus, vice president ; R. S. Winters, secretary and treas- urer.
Directors-M. H. Borland, C. A. Bnmpus, B. M. Clark, T. A. DeNormandie, A. P. Duncan, T. Jeff Duncan, John R. Kuntz, G. E. Lockhart, James L. Lockhart, R. H. Meloy, J. M. Patterson, W. H. Ulery. L. S. Vowell, E. A. Willetts, William Wylie.
MONONGAHELA CITY TRUST CO.
Officers-Joseph A. Herron, president ; J. B. Finley, vice president ; John F. Cooper, treasurer; W. H. Alex- ander, secretary.
Directors-J. B. Finley, J. A. Mellvaine, T. S. Me- Curdy, Kerfoot W. Daly, Charles G. McIvain, James L. Yohe, James B. Gibson, Charles D. Borland, John W.
264
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
Ailes, C. B. Wood, John F. Cooper, W. H. Alexander, Joseph A. Herron.
UNION TRUST, WASHINGTON.
Offieers-J. H. Murdoch, president; J. W. Hallam, vice president ; James Boyle, treasurer.
Direetors-John H. Murdoch, John W. Hallam, E. A. Kelley, T. B. H. Brownlee, A. M. Linn, Charles E. Baker, W. C. Baldwin, Julius LeMoyne, George T. Walker, C. V. Harding, Joseph D. MeNary, W. I. Lindley.
CITIZENS TRUST CO., CANONSBURG.
Officers-John C. MeNary, president; John C. Morgan, vice president ; Charles C. Johnson, secretary and treas- urer; Samuel MeWilliams, assistant seeretary aud treas- urer; John T. MeNary, assistant secretary and treasurer. Directors-John C. MeNary, John C. Morgan, David G. Jones, J. B. Johnson, Theodore A. Straub, Joseph Reed, S. A. Lacock, Charles W. Campbell, Charles C. Johnson, John S. Barr, J. V. H. Cook.
-
CHARLEROI SAVINGS & TRUST.
Officers-George A. Macbeth, president; Jesse K. John- ston, vice president ; Joseph Underwood, second viee presi- dent; John K. Tener, secretary and treasurer; E. W. Hastings, assistant secretary and treasurer.
Directors-George A. Macbeth, Joseph Underwood, H. S. Piersol, James M. Walton, William A. Hoge, T. A. Hetherington, Jesse K. Johnston, John K. Tener, C. H. Chandler, John H. Moffitt, D. M. MeCloskey.
M'DONALD SAVINGS & TRUST CO.
Officers-A. C. LeComte, president; G. H. Miller, vice president; E. S. MeWrath, secretary; . J. Charlier, treas- urer.
Direetors-W. L. Elliott, G. H. Miller, E. S. Me Wrath, A. C. LeComte, A. B. McBeth, R. D. Tillinghast, Richard Gladden, K. Noble MeDonald, T. L. Crawford, D. C. Brown, S. D. Jones, J. J. Charlier, W. L. Scott.
UNION TRUST CO., DONORA.
Offieers-Bert W. Castner, president ; J. N. Mullin, vice president ; James G. Binns, treasurer.
Directors-Bert W. Castner, J. N. Mullin, John W. Ailes, W. H. Donner, A. H. Mellon, C. F. Cardon, Joseph Underwood, C. L. Baker, W. H. Binns, M. J. O'Donnell, Charles Potter, J. G. Coatsworth, Dr. W. H. Lewis, R. L. Biddle, Dr. J. Add Sprowls, Ralston Maxwell, J. Frank Patterson.
PEOPLES NATIONAL BANK. WEST ALEXANDER, PA.
Offieers-E. M. Atkinson, president; R. J. MeCleery, vice president ; W. B. Gilmore, eashier; Lillian Mounts, assistant eashier.
Direetors-E. M. Atkinson, S. R. Blayney, E. E. Blay- ney, J. E. Buchanan, J. S. Buchanan, J. B. Chambers, James A. Chambers, W. C. Henderson, M. T. Hartley, Louis Horkheimer, R. J. MeCleery, S. S. MeKain, J. C. Roney, George A. Strauss, C. C. Will.
PEOPLE'S BANK OF CALIFORNIA.
Offieers-Dr. G. B. Frantz, president; John N. Dixon, vice president ; T. J. Underwood, cashier ; E. M. Lilley, assistant cashier; John R. Gregg, teller.
Directors-Dr. G. B. Frantz, John N. Dixon, T. C. Richards, W. S. Gibson, Joseph Underwood, G. S. Horn- bake, Sr., W. H. Gregg, Sr., C. S. Duvall.
CHAPTER XXIV.
INDIAN MOUNDS.
Early Mounds and Mound Builders -- Mound at Clairton Opened-Character of the Mexican Mounds Speculations Upon Origin of Mound Builders-Mounds in Vicinity of Monongahela River-Their Construction-Indian Forts and Burying-grounds-Contents of the Mounds-Pottery, etc.
(Contributed with illustrations by Isaac Yohe, of Monon - gahela, Pa.)
There are many stone and a very few clay mounds to be found dotting the hills and valleys of the Monon- gahela River in Washington County, Pa. Research has established the fact that these were all used as burial places, but the difference in the construction as well as in the contents establishes the fact that they were built by two very different races of people who must have in- habited this country before the white man first landed on the Western Continent.
In the stone mounds are found the stone axe, pipe and a few arrow points made of flint, while in the clay mounds are found implements of copper, shell beads and wampnm; but in neither do we find one line or word as to the builders, date of construction or to whose memory they were erected, and in wonder we exclaim :
" Who sleeps below! who sleeps below; It is a question idle all."
The writer has learned of the location of abont 40 of these mounds in Washington County, many of them on beautiful plateaux of the Monongahela River, Chartiers, Pigeon and Peters Creeks.
The mystery surrounding an extinct race of people always has a fascination to the student of ancient history which increases the desire to investigate and, if he has cultivated a rich imagination, (that noblest gift of God) will lead him into realms of information and enjoyment that will repay him richly for all effort expended.
The late Prof. Drummond said, "Seience without mys- tery is unknown, religion without mystery would be absurd."
In considering the ancient mounds it is important in the first place to draw a broad line of distinction he-
tween the stone mounds built by the Indians, and the elay mounds built by that older and more civilized race called Monnd Builders, traces of whose existence can be followed from Lake Superior to Mexico and Peru.
About 10,000 of these mounds have been found in the State of Ohio, but few traces of them have been found east of the Monongahela River.
In my boyhood days there were two large clay mounds within the city limits of Monongahela covered with large trees and shrubbery. These were located on the land of 1. S. Crall and it was from these the beautiful C'rall home took its name, "The Mounds." About 1880 a representative from the Smithsonian Institute, Washing- ton, D. C., opened this mound and found many copper implements, but as but little interest was taken in the find at that time no record of the contents was kept. ,
In the spring of 1890 the writer in company with Mr. M. P. Schooly, editor of the Homestead News, and three or four other gentlemen of the neighborhood, we pro- ceeded to open a large clay monnd on the farmi now ocenpied by the City of Clairton, Allegheny County, Pa., near the Washington County line. Eqmpped with picks and shovels, tape line and surveyor's compass and a kodak, with four stalwart laborers, we proceeded to wrest from this time-honored grave its seerets.
Cutting a trench two feet wide directly through the center, to a level with the surrounding surface of the ground, we first found a large lump of red paint weigh- ing abont five pounds, and two skeletons. Over the face of each lay a copper plate 7"x14" highly polished on one side. These had been hammered out of the solid ore, with no indications of having been in fire. They re- semble somewhat the brass mirrors used by the ancient Judeans before the art of making mirrors of glass had been invented.
265
266
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
I know of no finer specimens found in Pennsylvania. Near these three strings of large beads 34"x11%" in size- 28 of these made from the core of large sea shells, such as are found on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico (these had been drilled lengthways and were quite ornamental) were two large bear tusks still attached to the jaw bone and covered with copper, showing skillful workmanship. We also found 60 rings of wampum, a stone axe and three celts or skinning knives of green stone, but no ar- ticle of flint or pottery.
The implements* shown on a neighboring page are made of a very hard and heavy iron ore and can be ground to an edge almost equal to iron. The Indians never used tools made of this material and those who have made the Mound Builders a study think they used them in working the copper mines of Lake Superior, for these mines were undoubtedly the object of their long journey so far north, aud their numerous old workings that can still be seen indicate that they were worked by a determined and energetic people.
The product of the mines could easily be transported across the narrow portage between the lake and the head- waters of the Missisippi River and floated to its mouth, thence across the Gulf to Mexico. Precott's "History of Mexico" gives a vast amount of interesting infor- mation concerning this wonderful but almost obscure race of people.
The pyramid or mound of Cholnla, Mexico, is one of the greatest constructions ever erected by human hands, being 1,400 feet square at the base, and 160 feet high in its present ruined condition. It covers 45 acres, being much larger than the great pyramid of Cheops in Egypt, and like them used as place of burial.
On another page are shown photographs of five pieces of pottery taken from a mound near City of Vera-Cruz, Mexico. The center one is of genuine black Inca pot- tery. The upper head is clearly Egyptian. The head- dress consisting of mitre, and short veil which falls to the shoulders to protect the back of the head and neck, is common to both the Egyptian and Hindoo priesthood; the faces below are of Negro or Numidian type. Who can say that the early higher civilization of Mexico- the home of the "Mound Builders" did not have its origin from the same foundation head as that of Egypt- study the bearded face at top of No. 2 and note the other peculiar designs, and draw your own conclusions.
The fifth piece is a lover's cup, found in Peru. The Peruvians were sun worshipers and their great religious festival was called Ra-mi.
In Egypt are ruins of great temples erected to the
Sun-god Ra. Is it stretching the imagination too much to believe the Mound Builders of Monongahela and Yough to be near kin to the Temple Builders of Egypt?
Picture No. 4 shows the initiation of a candidate into the ancient priesthood of Sais-this was taken from carvings in the tomb of Mesa at Old Memphis in the sandy desert 20 miles above Cairo, and is dated 3,200 years before Christ. All of the small characters are in- scriptions to the Sun-god Ra.
King Solomon married a daughter of one of the Pharaohs, and, no doubt in his visits to that country may have scen these carvings.
The Ancient Order of the Priests of Sais, under whose tuition Moses was instructed in all the learning of the Egyptians and of the upper and lower world, and that ancient knowledge called magie; and from whom Solon, the Greek lawgiver, received his knowledge of their his- tory which was carved on stone monuments 10,000 years old, also of the great continent which lay beyond the great Pillars of Hercules, in which lived a great and rich race of men, ruled by a king, and which was the trne antideluvian world where the golden apples grew, and where were the garden of Hesperedes and of Alcinns, and the Elysian fields; and that it sunk beneath the ocean in a single day, would it require an excessive stretch of imagination to believe that both Egypt and America were loug ago colonized from this continent called Atlantas? and that the Mound Builders of Pennsylvania were de- scendants of this once noble race?
I think it would .- J.
MOUNDS NEAR THE MONONGAHELA RIVER. (By Albert M. Gregg, Monongahela.)
The Indian mounds I know of along the Monongahela River are the wound on the Bradford Allen place, where the town of Donora now stands; the mound on the George Bentley farm, now Shire Oaks; one on the William Manown farm opposite Monongahela, Pa., one on the Van Voorhis farm, three miles up Pigeon Creek; one on the Ifickman farm, 41% miles from Monongahela up Pigeon Creek, now owned by Capt. James B. Gibson and was opened up in 1855; one ou the Finley farm back of Webster, called Finley's Knob, and a flint, pipe, copper ornament and stone implement mound on the Shelby Crall place in the city limits from which that district on the hill takes its name.
These mounds were all opened at different times and some of them several times. They were all constructed on about the same plan S feet to 10 feet high and 25 feet to 40 feet in diameter. They seemed to be made in this style :
* See the compass, spade, etc., near center of pic- tnre .- Ed.
* These iron and pottery relics are in the large collec- tion owned by Isaac Yohe .- Ed.
(1) MINING IMPLEMENTS FOUND IN MOUND ON PORTAGE BE- TWEEN THE MONONGAHELA AND YOUGHOGHIENY RIVER A FEW MILES EAST OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY LINE.
-
(2) SPECIMENS OF POTTERY FROM A MOUND NEAR CITY OF VERA CRUZ, MEXICO
TORT
SEARY
IND
269
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
Large flat stones on edge covered over with that stone making a complete tunnel to the center; then covered over with large boulders, hundreds of them. The bodies were placed in the inner ring.
1 helped dig the one np on the John Van Voorhis farm and we found evidence of a dozen or more skulls, skulls and teeth in almost perfect condition; but when exposed to the air they would collapse and molder. I have pipes, tomahawks, flints and implements from all these places. One of the greatest burying grounds for the Indians and the most curious is on the Colvin farm, 412 miles up Pigeon Creek. I have opened several of the graves at different times aud the best workmanship on their pipes and other implements surpass anything that I know of in this section, and the way they were buried is the most enrious. Their graves were dug in this manner, and after all these years you can plainly see the exact pear-shape.
1
1s" long by 14" wide and only 18" to 20" deep. A large flat stone over each grave and only about 18" from sur- face to tlat stone.
Prof. Smith, of the Smithsonian Institution, was here in about 1890 and opened several of them. He said that
the most enrions thing about it was this: that in order to get them into the grave as small as that, the flesh had all been taken from the bones. They were all buried in a sitting position with head bent over and lying between their knees. One of the most curions things in this see- tion is the old ancient stone walls on the old John King farm in Allegheny County now owned by Joseph Lytle, president of the First National Bank of this city. It could be traced some years ago for over one mile. It was laid in cement and was in a good state of preser- vation when I last saw it 25 years ago. It had been there as long and longer ago than the oldest inhabitants could remember, and they knew of it as far back as 1784.
OLD INDIAN FORT AND BURYING GROUND SOUTH OF
CANONSBURG.
(Written by Miss Margaret E. Houston for Canonsburg Notes, Nov. 27, 1903.)
"One of these Indian summer days is the time to visit the old Indian tort where the aborigines had their camp and station of outlook. Driving out from town past the water trough, to the Dr. Medillan or Hill Church, whose history treads elose on the heels of the red men, we pass on to the hill that rises behind it. This hill probably rose to a narrow peak like most of the hills of the neighborhood, but the first white men who came found it as it is now, slieed off to a smooth level of about an acre. This space still has a slight dip towards the center, as no doubt the ancient eugineers laid it out, and, within memory of some still living, it was surrounded by a well defined wall or ridge of earth which has since been al- most levelled by the plow. The mound may still be traced by a line of broken shells that show white amid the fresh greeu wheat. This has evidently been a place of per- manent abode. Mussel shells from Chartiers Creek a mile away, lie thiek on the field, some of them having passed through the fire. Small chips and a few nodules of flint show that arrow-making was something of a busi- ness. This flint must have been carried a long distance. as it is not native here.
But the most interesting relies are the fragments of earthen vessels that lie in small pieces through the mellow soil. The ware, coarse, porous and soft looking, seems to be composed of common field-clay mixed with broken mussel shells. The years of exposure to summer's suu and winter's frost proves its durability for, though broken, there is uo crumbling of the edges; the fracture is as elear as in the broken plate of yesterday.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.