USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I > Part 61
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The Peuobscot Coal Company is located just west of Avella in Jefferson Township. The estimated cost of the plant is $155,000 and employs when iu full oper- ation 170 men. The mines were opened up in 1906. The company owns 500 acres of valuable coal. W. F. Overly is president; J. Q. Truxal, secretary and treas- urer, and George Morris, superintendent.
The Washington County Coal Company owns 808 acres of coal and 780 acres of surface. The plant and tipple are located in Cross Creek Township and all except the 80 acres of surface owned by the company is in Jeffer- son Township, which runs five feet or more of clean coal of a high grade.
This company recently went into the hands of a re- ceiver, owing, it is said, to the failure of a bank in Ohio which was to carry its bonds.
Mining near Hanlin Station and shipping from that point over the Panhandle Railroad was conducted 30 years ago. A tipple was erected to load coal on boats on the Ohio River below the Steubenville Railroad bridge. This was destroyed by some runaway cars and was not rebuilt. The coal crops out above the railroad, but the railroad grade is very steep west of Dinsmore tuunel and the railroad company does not encourage shipments from this point until a fourth main track is laid by the railroad company.
The Pittsburg vein of coal near Hanlin has an ele- vation of but little over 1,000 feet and there is a steep dip to the southeast. It crops out along many streams in this township. Along the south edge of the township it crops half way up the hillside above Cross Creek stream at about the same elevation above sea level. In the northern part of the township all the well records show the Freeport coal from 600 to 640 feet below the Pittsburg vein. The distance given between the coal veins in the southern parts of the towuship is 360 feet.
The oldest church organizatiou in Jefferson Township was the Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church. This church building stood for over half a century ou the roadside from Eldersville to Wellsburg. The organization ceased almost 40 years ago because of the growing strength
of the Methodist Protestant Church and the location of auother building iu Eldersville.
Some of the members of this congregation preferred a more convenient place of worship and organized and built a church in Eldersville in 1844.
A small body of Presbyterians erected a church near the farm of T. Albert Miller in 1852. After 30 years' effort the few remaining members were transferred by Washington Presbytery to other congregations.
Bethel Methodist Protestant Church was organized in 1829. It is situated three miles from Eldersville on the road to Iudependence. Jeremiah Browning chiefly of- ficiated in the organization. Josiah Foster was the first regular pastor. The first building was completed in September, 1832, and was a stone structure, 44 feet long by 36 feet wide, with a height of 12 feet to the ceiling. The contract was let in the early part of 1832 aud the building finished before the 1st of September of the same year. In 1874 this stone structure became unsafe and a frame house of worship was erected 54x36 feet and 16 feet to the ceiling. It contained a vestibule and two aisles. This building was completed December 13, 1874. The present pastor, Rev. Thomas W. Col- houer, has had the charge since November, 1907. There is a membership of 90 and a Sabbath School is con- ducted during the summer months, under the direction of George W. Sutherland, superintendent.
The present officers of the church are: Class leader, George L. Sullivan; stewards, Oliver Scott, William Klein, George L. Sullivan, Alvin Barnes and Luther Buxton; trustees, George Cunningham, George L. Scott, Luther Buxton, David Barnes, Lewis Irwin, Alexander Martin and Robert Irwin; Sabbath school superintend- ent at Bethel, George L. Sullivan; at Eldersville, Jacob Dimit, with Mrs. Colhouer, assistant.
The Methodist Protestant Church at Eldersville was established in 1830, soon after the organization of the Bethel Church. The congregation first worshiped iu a oue-story frame building, having an old-fashioned box pulpit, with steps, the pulpit being painted white. In 1829 this circuit had been organized as the Ohio Circuit, so namued because it reached to the Ohio River. It in- elnded also several churches in Virginia. Later on all these places were stricken off except Bethel and Elders- ville, leaving the two latter as the Ohio Circuit. This term was continued up to within the last four or five years, when it was dropped and that of "Eldersville and Bethel" assumed. In 1904 Rev. J. C. Carpenter organized the church at Patterson's Mills. In 1906 Patterson's Mill Mission was received in the conference and placed under the care of Eldersville and Bethel Circuit.
In 1907 Patterson 's Mill was made a separate mission. In 1850 the M. P. Church at Eldersville was rebuilt, the
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
old building becoming inadequate. The building as it now stands is of brick, 40x50 feet in dimensions, 17 feet to the belfry. The bell and belfry were added in 1875 when the church was remodeled and supplied with new floor, new seats, new roofs and partly new walls, the repairs costing $2,600. Other repairs have been made from time to time.
The ground was donated in 1820 for a church lot and cemetery by Thomas Ward, who owned the land on which Eldersville is located. The deed was made in 1829 to James Ramage, George Elliott and David Pierre, trustees of Eldersville Society, one of the socie- ties of the Associate Methodist churches. The land was described as in the town of Wardsville in Cross Creek, as Eldersville was originally Wardsville and Jefferson Township was a part of Cross Creek Township. The cemetery was laid out soon after the church was or- ganized. The graveyard has been kept in good con- dition during the past 15 years, and the graves of members of many of the representative families of this seetion may be found here.
The present pastor of the Eldersville church is Rev. T. W. Colhouer; elass leader, Jacob Dimit; assistant class leader, Miss Anna MeClurg; stewards, W. T. Melvin (deecased), Jacob Dimit, John D. Walker; trus- tees, N. R. Criss, W. K. Truax, John S. Johnston, John Cassidy, C. V. Melvin, Jacob Dimit, JJ. S. MeChurg and Henry C. Cooper. The last mentioned is secretary and treasurer of the Quarterly Conference.
The combined valuation of Eldersville and Bethel Methodist Protestant Chinrches, including the parsonage, is $12,000. The Eldersville ehnreh and the parsonage have the use of natural gas for heating and lighting purposes.
Jefferson Grange No. 314 was one of the first granges in the connty, being organized about 1873. J. Elliott Stewart is master and Mrs. Mary C. Marquis lecturer. The grange meets at Eldersville.
MORRIS TOWNSHIP.
This township was formed March 13, 1788, and was originally bounded by Amwell Township on the north; Bethlehem on the east, Franklin (now of Green Coun- tv) on the south, and Donegal on the west. The present boundaries are Sonth Franklin on the north, Amwell on the east, Green County on the south and East Fin- ley on the west. It is centrally distant nine miles south- west from Washington. Its greatest length is six and a half miles, breadth four miles. It is drained by the headwaters of Ten-Mile Creek, flowing east, and Wheel- ing Creek flowing west, both of which, together with Chartiers Creek, rise in this township. Its towns are Sparta, Lindley's Mills. Prosperity and Dunns
SPARTA.
Sparta is a well known name which, like the name " Old Concord, " was used more to designate a neighbor hood than any collection of houses. It is eleven miles from Washington and two miles northeast of Oll Con- vord Church. In 1816, the year it was laid out, there were five grist-mills, five saw-mills and a fulling mill nearby. Several coal banks were then open. It is now a community of but a few houses. The last store was kept here by Stephen Day. Dr. Martin is the local physician.
PROSPERITY VILLAGE.
Prosperity has been a business point for nearly 60 years. Thaddeus Minton eondueted the first store. J. N. Dille, who has conducted a drug store in Prosperity for 30 years, owns and eonduets the only hotel in the vil- lage. James Alexander runs a general store at the present time. Dr. E. H. Cary and Dr. Herschel Cary are the physicians. John Lemons is blacksmith. Mrs. Mar- garet Dille is postmaster.
Upper Ten-Mile Presbyterian Church is located at Prosperity. The Bell and several private telephone lines render good service.
Abont a mile or more west of Prosperity, there stood during the Civil War, a mill known as Post's Mill, which was a meeting place for a class of people who were opposed to the prosecution of the war and who were more or less in sympathy with the Sonth. This was for some time a source of much irritation to the zealous Republicans of the neighborhood.
LINDLEY'S MILLS.
This is one of the historic places in the township and the old mill from which it takes its name is still stand- ing down the creek from Prosperity Village. Samuel Swart eonduets a general store here. There is also a grist.mill, which is owned and operated by a Mr. Stock dale.
DUNNS STATION.
This place is located on the W. & W. R. R. and has one store. Carey Fulton is the general merchant.
Township officers: Jnstiees of the peace, Cage Wood, W. I. Lindley; assessor, Joseph Day; collector, William Rutan; anditors, John Young, Lee Andrew and Miller Blackley; constable, Ezra Wolf.
The 'soil is well suited to farming and considerable attention is given to the raising of sheep and other kinds of live stock. The farmers in this township are pros- perous.
There are no operations in either gas or oil in Morris Township. There is a fine vein of coal under the town- ship, but no mines opened up.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
About 1773, Demas Lindley and Jacob Cook, brothers- in-law, led a colony of 20 families from Morris County, N. J., to the southern part of Washington County, Pa. They were leaders in the defense against the Indians, a block-honse being located ou Lindley's place, near the present site of the town of Prosperity. In 1781 they were instrumental in the organization of the Presby- terian Church on Ten-Mile, the beginning of Upper and Lower Ten-Mile churches. They were both elders in the first church, Lindley having been an elder here and in New Jersey nearly 60 years.
›His brothers, Caleb and Levi Lindley, also settled here, after the War of the Revolution. William, son of Levi, was 20 years or more justice of the peace in Auwell and Morris Townships, and was county commissioner at time of his death in 1855. His son, John Milton, was county surveyor of this county at the time of his death in 1858.
Rev. Jacob Lindley, D. D., the seventh son of Demas Lindley, was born in the block-house mentioned above, June 13, 1774. He attended Canonsburg Academy, afterwards Jefferson College; was one of the founders of the Franklin Literary Society there in 1797; later, graduated from Princeton College, New Jersey; or- dained in 1803 and first installed at Waterford, O.
He opened the academy at Athens, Ohio, in 1808 and built up the college and Presbyterian Church there. He returned to this county and in 1830 supplied the pulpit of Upper Ten-Mile Congregation, which his ancestors had helped to organize. The preceding pastor, Rev. Cornelius Laughran, had been dismissed by the Wash- ington Presbytery of Presbyterians after investigation of charges. The result was the introduction of the Cumberland Presbyterian preachers into this community and the establishment of churches of that denomination, Old Concord, Bethel and Ten-Mile. Rev. Jacob Lind- ley withdrew from Washington Presbytery just in time to escape a trial for being too friendly with the new denomination. He then joined the Cumberlands.
Upper Ten-Mile Presbyterian Church-This church, located in Prosperity, was at the first a constituent part of Ten-Mile Church organized August 15, 1781, with about 25 members.
Rev. Thadeus Dodd, the founder, first visited the field in 1777, bringing his family. The organization was effected at the home of Jacob Cook. Rev. Dodd is said to have been the second Presbyterian minister if not the second minister to settle west of the Allegheny Mountains, the Rev. John McMillen having preceded him. Rev. Dodd established the first classic school west of the Allegheny Mountains in 1782. Ten-Mile Church and Lower Ten-Mile Church existed as one organization from August 15, 1781, to 1817, having two houses of
worship. In the spring of 1817 the two branches be- came two distinct bodies.
This church has had a number of able pastors, of whom Rev. T. N. Hartman is now serving in his third year. The present membership of the church is 205. There is a Sabbath School enrollment of 100, with E. L. Rutman, superintendent. The Christian Endeavor So- ciety has a membership of 60, the Ladies' Missionary Society 40. Demas Lindley served as elder 62 years and Lewis Dille 54 years. The Sabbath School was organ- ized about 1823 or 1825. The church has a good library. The first house of worship, a log structure on the site donated by Demas Lindley near the village of Pros- perity, was built in 1790.
The second, a large frame building, erected in 1817 on the site of the first. This house served the congre- gation for 36 years. In 1854 it was removed and a third one of more modern architecture was erected. This house was destroyed by fire in January, 1860. In the following spring the present brick edifice was erected on the site of the former. The parsonage was erected in the spring of 1872 at a cost of $2,900.
Mt. Zion M. E. Church was organized at an early date in the history of the county. The first house of worship was a log structure which was later torn down and re- placed by a new building which was used for many years by the congregation. The present house, a frame structure erected in 1892, has a membership of 50. Rev. G. W. Anderson is pastor. There is a Sabbath School with Miss Flora Peden, superintendent; there is also au Epworth League.
The present board of stewards consists of Morris Craft and Hyran Day.
Rev. Mr. Anderson is also pastor of Stoney Point Church in East Finley Township.
Concord U. P. Church is located iu this township.
There were in Morris Township in 1908: Schools, 7; teachers 7 (males 2, females 5); average number of months, 7; average salary of teachers per month, males $46.00, females $50.00; cost of each pupil per month, $3.36; number of mills on the dollar levied for school purposes, 11%; estimated value of school property, $10,000.
School directors of Morris Township in 1908: J. Wiley Day, president; F. B. Grimes, secretary; J. E. Andrews, treasurer; H. S. Craft, Homer Dille, Elymus Loughman.
ROADS.
In 1904 Morris Township had 80 miles of public roads.
The cash road tax was accepted in 1906. In 1908 the township road tax was 134 mills, the amount col-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
lected being $3,514.64; $3,197.47 of this amount was expended in the same year.
No State or county roads have yet been constructed in this township, although the old plauk road or Pros- perity Pike, which was condemned as a toll road in 1906, is still in good condition. Two miles of Fliun road on the Prosperity Duun's Station Road has been ap- proved by the grand jury, but the contract has not yet been let.
The valuation of real estate in Morris Township is $1,850,992; value of personal property, $68,890. There are 275 taxables.
The population of this township in 1850 was 1,688; in 1860, 1,148; in 1890, 1,076, and in 1900, 1,000.
The minber of voters in 1850 was 366; in 1904, 238, and in 1908, 258.
MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.
This township was erected from Cecil, Canton, Hope. well and Smith, May 12, 1806. Its original boundaries were Cecil Township on the northeast, Chartiers on the southeast, Canton and Hopewell on the sonth, Cross Creek on the west, and Smith on the northwest; greatest length 9 miles, breadth 51% miles. Its present boun- daries are Smith and Robinson Townships on the north ; Cecil and Chartiers on the east; Chartiers, Canton and Hopewell on the south, and Smith and Cross Creek on the west. The township is drained by Raccoon Creek, Chartiers Creek and its tributaries, and the Middle Fork of Cross Creek. In the old Yohogania records the land near Hickory was called "the top of the diving ridge between Chartiers Creek, ('ross and Raccoon Creeks. "'
This township is strong land and its many springs bursting forth from near' its center form streams which run in every direction of the compass and reach the Ohio at greatly separated points. This township might properly be called the dome of the northern portion of Washington County. Farming, sheep raising and dairy- ing are now carried on here. The fine wooled sheep of this region had a far-fame during the middle years of the last century and many highly bred animals were shipped to the Western States from the flocks of Alex- ander MeCalmont and others. Some of the finest cattle in the county were reared on the farms near Hickory. John M. Miller, Esq., and his father, Thomas Miller, were among the leaders in Devon cattle, James M. Buchanan and others making a specialty of short-horn cattle. H. O. MeKnight introduced in 1879 the Here- ford cattle.
Among the earliest settlers in this township are the Rankins, Cherries, MeGngins, McCartys, Campbells and others whose descendants are still in the township, and a little later came the Lyles, McCalmonts, MeCarrells,
Hendersons, Atchesons, Simpsons, Thompsons, Hugheses and others.
Matthew Rankin settled as early as 1770. The com- missioner for adjusting the claims to unpatented land in the conuty of Monongahela, Yonghiogheny and Ohio certified in 1780, "that Matthew Rankin is entitled to 400 acres of land in Yonghiogheny to include his settle- ment made in the year 1770. Also a right in pre-emp- tion to 1,000 acres adjoining thereunto."
Although settled so early he did not get his lines of- ficially marked by survey until 15 years later. This and other lands held by the Ranking and Cherries adjoined the Lund-Washington traet of 1,000 acres, on a part of which John R. Sleeth now resides, and which extended across the old Indian trail to land now occupied by Maxwell Work and Vance Smith's heirs in Smith Town- ship.
Lund Washington, a relative of Gen. George Wash- ington, obtained a patent for this land from the State of Virginia November 24, 1779, almost two years be- fore Washington County was established and before Vir- ginia made a compact with Pennsylvania. A warrant had been granted to David Kennedy for 2,000 acres in consideration of his military services in the war be- tween Great Britain and France. This was bought by William Crawford and assigned to Washington. An ejectment proceeding was brought by Lund Washing- ton 's lessee against John and William Rankin in a con- test for a part of this land to December Term, 1784, of Washington County.
This action at law did not cause as much excitement as the action which George Washington started at the same term to eject settlers from portions of his 2,13 acres on Miller's Run. He visited this township at the close of the War of the Revolution and on the 20th day of September offered to accept from the settlers on the land 20 shillings per acre, or give a 999-year lease. Ile dined at David Reeds, after which he made the follow- ing statement in his diary :
"Calling upon them as they stood, James Scott, Will- iam Stewart, Thomas Lapsley, James McBride, Brico McGeechin, Thomas Biggar, David Reed, William Hillis, Samnel MeBride, Duncan McGeechin, Matthew Johnson, John Reed and John Glen-they severally answered that they meant to stand suit and abide the issue of the law."
The conqueror won by relying on a patent from the State of Virginia, similar to the title of Lund Wash- ington's. Gen. George Washington's diary of this trip has been published by Archer Butler Hurlbert in book entitled "Washington and the West" (1905).
The descendants of the above named farmers, of whom there are many now in this county, can point with pride to the fact that Gen. Washington knew better
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
than to attempt to transact any business with them on the Sabbath day.
This township was one of the earliest to adopt and establish a high school which has heen continued since 1900. Music, has been taught throughout the township schools since 1898 by a teacher specially employed for that purpose.
The school directors are W. E. Rankin, L. M. Mor- gan, S. A. Farrar, J. C. Layton, D. I. Peacock and W. H. MePeake.
HICKORY.
Hiekory is the chief town of Mt. Pleasant Township, with a population in 1900 of 237. The towu is eentrally located and is ten miles northwest of Washington and 21 6-10 miles from the city of Pittsburg. From Hick- ory, township roads radiate out in all directions. Hickory is a very old town and received its name at the time the State Road was laid out through the forest. The party laying out the road were stopped here by the deep snow and named the place from a large hickory tree at which they temporarily left their sled. Hickory has been a business poiut for many years aud from 1860 to 1866 agricultural fairs were held here. About July 2, 1904, the first passenger train on the Wabash and Pittsburg Railroad entered the place, thns giving it its first railway counection with the outside world. This has proved a healthy stimulus to its growth. The town contains four stores, a National Bank, a wagon-maker 's and hlaeksmith's shop, a church, a large high school, two livery stables, a hotel conducted hy William Mor- row, and Bell telephone conneetious. Dr. Edward Swartz serves the publie as dentist. The physicians are Joseph MeElroy, Everette Conner and David McCar- rell; funeral director, E. N. Phillips.
WESTLAND.
This small mining town is located two miles south- east of Hickory and near the line of Mt. Pleasant and Chartiers Townships. It is on a railroad spnr leading out from the Chartiers Valley Railroad.
PRIMROSE.
Primrose is the name of a station and small village on the Panhandle Railroad on the northern edge of the township. There is a store located at this place.
Mt. Pleasant Township in 1908 had 16 schools and 17 teachers, (8 males and 9 females) ; average number of months taught, 7 3-16; average salary of teachers per month, males $59.38, females $51.11; eost of each pupil per month, $2.42; total enrollment, 493; number of mills on the dollar levied for school purposes is 2; esti- mated value of school property, $25,000.
Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church is situated near the town of Hickory and is a very old organization, dat- ing hack, according to the best records ohtainable, to ahout the year 1795. It is tradition that the eongre- gation at first for several years worshipped iu a teut. The Preshytery at Buffalo, in December, 1801, "agreed that a place of worship for the people of Mt. Pleasant should be established on the land of James Ross, " and in the summer of 1803 the first church building was erected by the congregation. During the 114 years of its existence but four pastors have held the charge. The first was Rev. W. C. Brownlee, D. D., a native of Scotland, who was installed pastor of Mt. Pleasant and Burgettstown congregations May 3, 1809, aud who served until September, 1812. After a vacaney of seven years Rev. Alexander Dounan, also from Seotlaud, became pastor of the same charge May 28, 1819, and so eon- tinued until April 20, 1852. Rev. Joseph Russell, the third pastor, served from April 28, 1853, to his death, December 16, 1861. The fourth and last pastor, Rev. W. A. MeCounell, D. D., served from July 4, 1865 to the early part of the present year, 1909, and is still as- sisting in the work of the church. Rev. Chas. Stanekard is considering a call issued to him by this congregation.
This church in 1902 established a mission at Westland and is building a ehapel. This mission has grown under the supervision of Miss Romanie Russell.
Referring to the first house of worship, Dr. McConnell says, in his history of the church, "This was a log struc- ture, and judging by the amount of whisky required for its erection, must have been of somewhat imposing di- mensions. ''
The second building was of hrick and was erected in 1834. This building was in use until 1868. The third and present building dates from the year last mentioned. Its cost was about $13,000. Sinee then a considerable amount of money has been spent in improvements. The church now has 230 memhers, with a Sabbath enrollment of 225, including officers and teachers. The Sabbath School was formally organized iu 1866, a Sunday morn- ing elass, however, having been previously organized ahout 1852 and instrueted by A. W. Thompson, a theo- logical student and a member of the congregation.
Mt. Prospeet Presbyterian Church is located on high ground in Mt. Pleasant Township, ten miles north of Washington and one mile west of Hickory. It was or- ganized in 1825. The first pastor was Rev. David Her- vey, who served from December, 1828, to April, 1835, sinee which time the pulpit has been filled by many prominent ministers. The tenth and present pastor, Rev. James Erskine Miller, took charge July 1, 1905, and was installed in the following September. The church now numbers 230 members. The Woman's Foreign and Home Mission Societies have added much to the interest
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