USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I > Part 62
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
and contributions of this church. The present session consists of James R. Lyle, Jacob F. MeDowell, E. G. Emery, John HI. Miller, James F. Hill and John P. White.
The congregation has had three houses of worship. The first, a frame building, was ereeted in 1825, and cost about $2,000, though much of the work was done by members of the church, which reduced the amount paid out. This building served the congregation until 1861. The second building, a brick structure, was erected iu 1861 at a cost of about $8,000. It was destroyed by fire on the 23d of March, IS71. The third or present building was erected at a cost of about $10,000. It is a brick structure. The parsonage, which is a frame building, was erveted in 1866 and with additions cost about $2,300.
Six ministers have gone from the congregation, D. R. Campbell, James Allison, William Fulton, W. R. Vin- cent, David Hughes aud MeNary Forsyth.
The Sabbath School was organized in the spring of 1829. Inelnding all departments it has an enrollment at the present time of 235; superintendent, A. D. Me- ( 'arrell.
Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church was organized by Rev. Dittmer, of Carnegie, Pa., during the summer of 1887. There were at first fifty communieant mem- bers, which number has since beeu increased to ninety. Services were held for a timie iu the old school building -McCarrells-in the vicinity of the church. The Sun- day School has about forty members. The church edi- fice, which cost about $1,200, is a neat frame structure, beautifully located two and a half miles west of Hickory, near MeGugiu station of the Wabash Railroad. The par- sonage, located a few rods from the church, is valued at about $1,200. The present pastor is J. W. Born, who has served sinee Jnly 4, 1897. Trustees-Fred Carl, Otto Carl, and William Kaste. Many Germans have located near this church and are substantially engaged iu farming and dairying.
The first deep well in Washington County was drilled by the Magara Oil Co. (C. D. Robbins et al.), iu 1880, two and a half miles southwest of Hickory. The gas ignited and burned for several years without control, making a favorite picnie resort and a light which as- sisted night travelers in parts of three states. This township has furnished untold millions of feet of gas to the lieavy pipe lines leading to Pittsburg and the lines of lighter pressure leading to Stenbenville.
This township has not prodneed as much oil as several others nearby. Its first oil well was drilled in ISS9. Upon the William Conner heirs' farm north of Hickory several others were drilled at that time. Fifteen years later some excitement was again created by some good
wells upon lands of John H. MacCalmont and others north of the Conner farm. The pool was not large. Some good wells have been operated near Primrose, the station on the Pan Handle Railroad in the northeastern corner of the township.
Four wells drilled for gas in 1590 near Gretna, along the southeastern line of the township, produced oil in the "Big Injun sand," at about 1,600 feet. The oil from one of these on the MeDowell farin flowed over the derrick and ran across the adjoining farm into the stream. The oil was cased off by the gas company in order to get the gas which was afterward found and produced from the "fifth sand" at a depth of 2,500 to 2,600 feet, and from the "Gordou sand" at a lesser depth.
WESTLAND.
Westland is located in Mt. Pleasant Township, on the line of Chartiers Township, two miles southeast of Hick- ory. This place has grown up as a result of the coal mining operations. Midland mines No. 2 and No. 3 are operated at Westland. The coal operations began about 1901. These are drift mines with a vein of coal five feet thick. They are owned by the Midland Coal Co., but of late have been operated by the Pittsburg Coal Co. The mines have a capacity of about 1,300 tons and accommodations for about 400 men.
This place is reached by a branch of the Chartiers Valley Railroad, operated by the Pennsylvania lines. The Federal Supply Co. conducts a large general store, in addition to which there are several stores condueted by foreigners. There is at Westland a lodge of the I. O. O. F. and a mission sustained by Mt. Pleasant U. P. Church. Dr. W. J. Shidler is the local physician. Though Westland is the name by which the village is known, Midland is the name given the mines by the Midland Coal Co., which operates No. 1 Mine in the adjoining township of Chartiers.
The Carnegie Coal Co. operates what is known as the Cargenie mines at Mt. Pleasant Township, the capacity of which is about 600 tons a day. Robert Burgan is president of the company. This mine was opened up for operations about 1902. The coal is the Pittsburg vein, about five feet in thickness. There is a company store aud several smaller stores at this place.
This Carnegie Coal Company is located in the northern end of the towuship, one mile west of Primrose Sta- tion, and operates coal purchased from the McCartys, Georges, Campbells and S. Farrer.
The Pittsburg vein of coal does not erop out anywhere in this township except near Westland and uear Prim- rose, a station on the P. C. C. & St. L. (or Pan Handle) R. R. The coal near Iliekory, the center of this towu- ship, is considered excellent steam coal and in Novem-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
ber, 1904, some farmers received $275 per acre for a tract of several hundred acres. This coal was purchased by one of the largest coal companies in the world for an investment and is not being developed.
The Pittsburg Coal Company purchased the Pittsburg vein of coal underlying uearly all the farus in Mt. Pleasant Township, but there is yet some coal unsold lying along the railway line familiarly called "The Wabash."
There is on the MeKnight farm, about three miles south from Hickory, a coal mine which was opened up by residents of Ohio abont 1899. The mine has not been iu operation for some time owing to the difficulty in controlling the water in the mine. More recently this property has been acquired by the Pittsburg Coal Co., and an entrance is being drilled from Midland No. 3 for the purpose of taking out the coal.
The W. H. MePeak mill at Hickory is the only mill in the township in operation. It has been the property of Mr. W. H. McPeak for thirty-five years. It was origi- mally a sawmill, but Mr. MePeak has added a chop mill. The mill has been in operation about eighty-five years aud was erected by Samuel Jordan. It is operated by steam power as there is no stream on the high ground at Hickory.
Mt. Pleasant Township has about one and one-fourth miles of Sprowls Road-from Hickory to Mount Pros- pect Church-and one-half mile paved with brick by the progressive township supervisors. W. H. McPeak was one of the earliest and strongest advocates of brick roads.
This township recently added 900 feet of brick road extending from the Sprowls road past the Mt. Prospect Church and parsonage. The roadbed is ten feet eight inches wide, of brick, including brick or tile enrb nine by twelve inches set on end. Two feet of broken limestone is rolled in outside the enrb. The road was laid under the direct supervision of J. W. Hervey, who acted at the urgent solicitation of the supervisors, D. C. Miller,
Samuel Farrer and Frank Miller. The roadbed was
laid by making as little excavation and change of grade as possible. The pitch from center to sides is abont two inches. As soon as the bed was smoothed cinders were laid, rolled, leveled and rerolled until grade was established and firm. Side treuches were dug, curb set and brick laid and rolled, with the usual loose sand top dressing.
The total cost was $2.15 per running foot, which is at the rate of $11,352 per mile for a brick road which promises to be much less expensive to maintain than the top dressing of fine limestone much-used recently in Washington County. It should be remarked that this roadbed required but little expense in grading because the ground was almost level. Mr. Hervey agrees that under economie management the township can build brick roads at less than $2.15 per foot. The 7,500 feet of Sprowls road or State highway, built in this town- ship in 1905, cost the same price per foot, and is fourteen to sixteen feet of stone with road graded twenty-fonr feet wide.
The township by vote adopted the all cash system of collecting road tax, and in 1908 levied three and three- fourths mills tax for roads, and collected $13,121.47.
The valuation of real estate in Mt. Pleasant Township amounts to $3,592,746; personal property, $146,605; number of taxables, 719.
The population of this township in 1850 was 1,254; in 1860, 1,348; in 1890, 1,487; and in 1900, 1,551.
In 1850 the number of voters was 281, in 1904 they numbered 521, and in 190S, 625.
The Hickory National Bank organized August 25. 1904, was the first bank to occupy this township and supply a need. Its first officials were J. A. Ray, presi- dent ; R. M. Wilson aud W. F. Caldwell, vice-presidents; and Robert R. Hays, cashier. In four years, with a cap- ital of $25,000, it has increased its snrplus almost 400% and raised its deposits from $109,450 to $133,790. Its loans are now almost $141,000.
CHAPTER XXX.
History of North Franklin, North Strabane, Nottingham, Peters and Robinson Townships.
NORTH FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.
Franklin Township was established out of parts of Canton and Morris Townships, August 13, 1855. Orig- inally it was included in Amwell. It was bounded on the north by Canton, Washington and South Strabane, on the east by Washington Borough, South Strabane and Amwell Townships, on the south by Morris, and on the west by East Finley and Buffalo Townships. The northern part of old Franklin was formerly in Canton and the southern part was formerly Morris. On Febru- ary 8, 1892, Franklin Township was divided into two townships, which are called respectively North and South Franklin.
North Franklin Township is bounded by Canton Town- ship and Washington Borough on the north; South Stra- bane and Amwell Townships on the east; South Frank- lin on the south, and Buffalo on the west.
North Franklin has five schools, and five teachers (males 1, females 4) ; average number of months taught, 8; average salary of teachers per month, males $60.00, females $50.00; cost of each pupil per month, $2.35; number of mills on the dollar levied for school pur- poses, 3; estimated value of school property, $5,000.
School directors: W. T. Ellwood, president; W. McK. Smith, secretary; R. S. Winters, treasurer (non-resi- dent ) ; John Gabby, Baker DeNormandie, Samuel, Haz- let, John T. McKennan.
This township has many nice homes and good farms though it is a small township. General farming and gardening chiefly occupy the attention of its citizens. There are several farmers with large flock's of sheep. The soil is underlaid with a vein of coal of an estimated thickness of from six to seven feet, which has not yet been developed to any commercial extent. Oil and gas explorations have been successfully conducted for the past twenty-four years. Oil was struck in this town- ship in 1886. The first oil well was located on the William A. Gabby farm, in what was known as the shal- low sand. The first production was in July, 1886, and about six months later oil was found in the Gordon sand.
There are no churches in this township, but there is a Sabbath School at Belleview, which is under the care of the Third Presbyterian Church of Washington.
On the top of Gallows Hill, at the southern edge of Washington Borough, is located the LeMoyne Crematory, which was the first crematory built in the United States, it being erected in 1876 at his own expense by Dr. F. Julins LeMoyne, as a lesson in sanitation. According to the terms of his will none save residents of Washing- ton County can be cremated herc. Up to the present time forty bodies have been cremated here.
This township has adopted the cash road tax system. There is about three quarters of a mile of Flinn pike or county road, but no state highway, though a petition was filed for that purpose about three years ago. About three miles of the Prosperity Pike is in this township, this being the old plank road freed from toll.
Trinity Hall, a military school for boys was established in 1879 by W. W. Smith. It was discontinued in 1906, after his death. It is a most beautiful location at the southwestern side of Washington and none of the twenty or thirty boys who made their home on these grounds for a year or more during any part of the above period will ever forget their pleasant surroundings.
In 1904 there were thirteen miles of public roads in North Franklin Township. The cash road tax was ac- cepted in 1908. The road tax in 1908 was two mills and $2,500 was collected.
In this township is one of the best Flinn roads of the county, the Water Works Road. The Prosperity Pike is also in good condition in most places. The Water Works Road construction is about 3,700 feet in length, twelve feet in width of stone and twenty-four feet in width of grading. It was constructed in 1907-8 by N. C. Hunter, the cost for construction work being $8,754.58 and for engineering $457.73.
The real estate valnation of North Franklin Township amounts to $834,012; personal property is $32,785; num- ber of taxables, 1,950. The population in 1900 was 880. The number of voters in the township in 1904 was 209. and in 1908 was 235.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
Township officials (1909) : Tax collector, Marshall Cox, Daniel Moser; road master, Ira Baldwin; super- visors, Julius LeMoyne, Marshall Cox, Howard Warne; justices of the peace, Grant Campbell, William MeK. Smith.
The Washington and Waynesburg Railroad (narrow- gauge) runs along the eastern edge of this township and circles part way through it.
The Wahash Railroad has surveyed a line through the eenter of this township to Prosperity, paralleling the Prosperity plank road. The contractors brought ma- chinery on the ground to begin excavations, but after waiting over winter shipped their property away.
The Washington Cemetery, lying wholly in this town- ship has one of the grandest views and most appropriate locations of any cemetery in the State. Its outlook over the town of Washington, far below, and along historic Catfish and Chartiers Creek Valleys is one of great beauty. The cemetery company was incorporated in 1853 and be- gan by purchasing twenty-five acres on top of the hill. In 1882 it had sixty-eight acres. Its location and good management has made necessary large additions to its land. William Crosby, a native of Scotland, has been the capable superintendent for many years. The present directors are Boyd Crumrine, Esq., Dr. W. R. Thompson, Hon. E. F. Atcheson, Alexander M. Brown, Samuel M. Templeton, John W. Seaman and James K. Mitchell.
This township supplies the water for the town of Washington. The four large lakes of the Citizen's Water Company add much to the beauty of the scenery along the roads which this company has assisted in im- proving. The pump station which fills the reservoir is near the location of the old August County Court House of Virginia origin. The large reservoir from which the pressure is obtained is on one of the highest hills overlooking Washington.
Bradford's Mill, formerly owned by David Bradford, Esq., of Whiskey Insurrection fame, stood close to the pump station. It was last operated by Mr. Hugh Wil- son, father of ex-Recorder, S. L. Wilson.
Ahout 1790 two boats loaded with flour went down this creek from Canonsburg to the Ohio River near Pittsburg in twelve hours. Two years later the Legislature de- clared Chartier Creek, from its mouth to David Brad- ford's Mill (the present pump station of the Citizens' Water Company of Washington, Pa.) to be a public highway for boats and rafts, and all natural and arti- ficial obstructions were required to be removed.
The hill ealled "Mount Wheeler" on the farm of William Coursin, near Point Lookout schoolhouse, in the southeast corner of the township is one of the highest points in the county. Upon its top is a stone station set by the U. S. Geological Surveyors, and from this
point is a most beautiful view of Washington, about four miles distant. Nearby, a little south of Mount Wheeler, but in the adjoining township, is Chambers dam, long looked upon as an ideal location for a quiet summer retreat.
NORTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP.
The twelfth of the original townships which were or- ganized July 15, 1781, was called Strabane. It was bounded by Cecil and Peters Townships on the north ; Nottingham and Fallowfield on the east; Bethlehem on the south, and Cecil on the west. It embraced a part of Canton Township. In September, 1785, there was filed with the court a petition by the citizens of the town of Washington, asking that it be set apart as a separate distriet from Strabane Township. The request was granted and confirmed in February, 1786, making the town a separate voting district for electing its own justice of the peace.
On October 7, 1831, the township was again divided into North and South Strabane Townships. Chartiers and Little Chartiers Creeks drained the Township. The town of Washington was originally in this township. Somerset Township took a part of Strabane lands in 1782 and Canton a part in 1791.
North Strabane Township is bounded on the north by Cecil and Peters Townships; on the east by Peters and Nottingham; on the south by Somerset and South Stra- bane, and on the west by Chartiers Township and Canons- burg and Huston Boroughs. South Canonsburg was struck off from North Strabane May 10, 1897. The greatest length of the township is six miles; breadth six and a half miles.
In this township resided Col. George Morgan, who died in 1810 on "Morganza Farm,"' two miles below Canons- burg. He was appointed in 1776 as Indian agent, with headquarters at Pittsburg. He enjoyed the full con- fidence of the Red Men, owing to his fair methods of dealing with them. He won renown as a soldier, being an officer in the U. S. army. He also received a gold niedal from the Philadelphia Agricultural Society for promoting agriculture, which is said to have heen the first premium of the kind ever awarded in America.
Chartiers Presbyterian Church is located one mile south of Canonsburg, and by a division of the township is in North Strahane. It is supposed that this church was organized by Dr. John McMillen soon after his ordination in 1776. He continued as pastor until April 21, 1830. His successors have been as follows: Rev. Lemuel F. Leake, 1831-1843; Rev. Alexander B. Brown, Rev. Robert White, and Rev. Joseph Wilson, from 1843- 1851; Rev. William Ewing, released in 1870; Rev. Rob- ert S. Morton (called in 1870 but declined the charge after holding same at his option six months, after
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
which the pulpit was vacant for three years) ; Rev. Matthew II. Bradley, 1874-1884; Rev. John F. Hill, D. D. 1884-January 1, 1907 (uow resides in Canonsburg) ; Rev. Murray G. Reiter, ninth and present pastor, installed September 27, 1907.
The membership of the church is uow about 200, twenty-fonr of this number having recently united with the church through the mission at Manifold, a nearby mining town. During the past year the old church building, some sixty years old, bas been overhauled and changed very much in the interests of utility and beauty. The stoves in the isles have been removed and a coal heater placed in the basement. Gas lights have been installed in place of the oil lamps. The walls have been decorated with paper and the whole interior painted and grained in light oak. The old style wooden seats were uot removed but were altered so that they are very much more comfortable. The work done on the interior of the building shows good taste, and while the building is very much beautified, yet that quaint appearance is still conserved to the historie old church. Friends of the church are glad to know that the building and the gronnds are being so well kept by those who worship there today, for many sacred memories cluster about the historie Chartiers church.
A new parsonage has been erected just by the church, on a piece of ground donated by the Jones Brothers, of the Pittsburg-Buffalo Coal Co. The building is a plain, but handsome, modern structure of brick, with eight rooms. It is fitted up with all the conveniences- water, bath, heater, gas for lights, etc. The building cost about $5,000. The Sabbath School membership is 150. The school is wide awake under the leadership of Mr. Robert L. Munce and able helpers.
This township is occupied by many prosperous farmers and considerable attention is given to stock raising. The Berry family, to which county commissioner John A. Berry belongs has been prominently connected with the breeding of Black Top Spanish Merino sheep.
While the surface of the land is rolling, there is but little that is not suited to agricultural purposes. The township is underlaid with the Pittsburg vein of coal, and many operations are conducted in the vicinity of Canonsburg. The first oil well iu this township was drilled in 1884.
The first gas marketed from this township was drilled in on the Linn Bros.' and the Templeton Bros.' farms. The villages are Wyland, Linden, Thomas, Gilkeson and Murray Hill.
WYLAND.
Wyland has two stores conducted by J. B. MeClure & Son and J. H. Laird, respectively. This village is lo- cated on the B. & O. Railroad. A mill known as Pease
Mill formerly stood near the location of Wyland Sta- tion.
LINDEN.
Linden, formerly known as Beck's Mills, is located a little east of the center of North Strabane Township and has one store conducted by G. M. Lyon; also a splendid brick high school.
Paul Froman, who also has a mill at Parkinson's (now Monongahela City), owned a mill on the East Fork of Chartiers Creek, at or near the present site of Linden, and sold it with 400 acres to Dorsey Pentacost in 1777. This was the neighborhood which, extending over to Canon's, was known as the Chartiers, Chirtee and "Shirtee Settlement." From about this mill came the retainers who assisted Dr. John Counolly in trying to hold this region for Virginia in and following the year 1774, and wbo attempted the life of the Delaware sachem, Killbuck, on Killbuck Island in 1782. Dorsey Peutacost became one of them after his purchase and arrival in Washington Connty. They were known as "Pentacost 's Banditti," by the Pennsylvania adherents.
Another saw and grist mill, run by Andrew Coe in 1796, was about two miles down the creek from Linden, at the crossing of the old Pittsburg drove rode, and J. Struthers had at that time a fulling mill, saw and grist mills on the same road, two miles cast of "McMillen's Presbyterian Meeting House," and three from Canons- burg.
A very ancient Indiau mound, with fliuts, mussel shells, and other interesting relies, is on the Haines farm close to the Chartiers Presbyterian Church.
There are two practicing physicians in this township: Dr. W. W. Weygandt and Dr. D. A. Hootman.
The Pittsburg and Buffalo Coal Company, located near Canonsburg, operates in this township.
THOMAS.
The village of Thomas is located eleven miles nortb- east of Washington on the B. & O. R. R., near the corner of Nottingham and Peters Townships, and was laid out by J. M. Thomas in 1874. There is oue general store which was conducted for thirty years by Mr. J. M. Thomas, and a number of beantiful homes in this village.
The cash road tax was accepted by North Strabane Township in the year 1906. The road tax in 1908 was 5 mills, and amounted to $15,540.24.
A State highway from Canonsburg in the direction of Pittsburg has been constructed to a point beyond Mor- ganza and Murray Hill. It is expected to be carried forward immediately to the Allegheny County line. Aside from this, little road construction has been done by the county or State in this township.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
This was the first piece of brick road built in this county. Prisoners from the county jail worked on its construction, the first labor ever done in the county by prisoners away from the county buildings.
There are five and a half miles of State road in this township, constructed of stone and one and a half mile of road paved with brick. The B. & O. Railroad passes through the southeastern part of the township. The Chartiers Valley Railroad and the Washington & Pitts- burg electric line along the northwest side. A railroad survey has recently been made from Van Eman Station and Eighty-four to Marianna. There is a log building standing on the farm now owned by Mr. O. C. C. Pol- lock, in which it is said the Rev. John McMillen preached. The building is of hewed logs and hewed rafters.
The following are the present township officials: Justices of the peace, J. B. McBride, J. D. Pease; assessor, David Templeton; collector, G. M. Lyons; su- pervisors, R. J. Mathers, J. H. Hixon, J. H. Fife; clerk, R. D. McClure; auditors, Johu White, J. G. Hanna, H. C. McIlvaine; constable, A. W. Bush.
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