USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I > Part 76
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Canonsburg General Hospital-The Canonsburg Gen- eral Hospital owes its existence to the ladies of the Shakespeare Club of Canonsburg, who, in the spring of 1903, at one of their meetings, decided to attempt to provide the community with a hospital and from that time forward the subject was agitated by the members of the elnb; and later they seenred an option on the Barr property, which was purchased as a site for the in- stitution, in the autumn of the same year.
The ladies also canvassed the community and seeured subscriptions to the amount of about $2,000. The first general meeting in the interest of the hospital was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. Brad Johnson, West Pike street, on the 17th of September, 1903. At this meeting it was decided to organized a Hospital Asso- ciation, and the following persons were enrolled as mem- bers: J. B. Jolinson, Dr. R. H. Coulter, D. H. Fee, George A. Simpson, M. C. Wilson, Theodore A. Stranb, Mrs. Anna H. Johnson, Mrs. Eva L. Fee, Mrs. Marcia B. Conlter, Mrs. Margaret H. Black, W. P. Morgan. At a subsequent meeting the following persons were added to the roll of charter members: Mrs. Louise Han- son, Miss Lizzie Harper, H. L. Cockins, Rev. J. M. Work, Samnel Mnunel and Mrs. Lizzie Caldwell.
At a meeting held on the 24th of September the fol- lowing named persons were elected a board of directors to serve until the first annual meeting: Rev. R. HI. Coulter, J. B. Johnson, George A. Simpson, Samuel Mun- nel, Theodore A. Straub, W. P. Morgan, Rev. J. M. Work, H. L. Coekins, D. H. Fee. At a meeting of the board held on October 14th the following officers were elected: President, Rev. R. H. Coulter; vice-president, J. V. H. Cook; secretary, D. H. Fee; treasurer, M. C. Wilson.
The Canonsburg General Hospital Association was chartered by the Court of Common Pleas of Washington County on November 30, 1903.
A set of by-laws for the government of the Associa- tion, prepared by Solicitor Charles W. Campbell, was adopted at a meeting of the Association held December 14, 1903.
Extensive repairs were made on the property during the summer of 1904, and the formal opening of the hos- pital took placeo in the presence of a large number of visitors on October 17, 1904.
The work of the hospital has gradnally increased, and in 1907 an addition of four rooms was erected at a cost of from $1,500 to $2,000.
The hospital, although not large, is well equipped and furnished, and is an institution of which the town has reason to be prond.
Oak Spring Cemetery-When the Chartiers U. P. con- gregation moved from their location west of Canons- bnrg into the town in 1869, the old meeting honse was torn down, leaving the burial ground.
The Oak Springs Cemetery Association was formed in 1870 and pnrehased the ground, making a small addition and laid out the cemetery. The name of the cemetery was derived from the presence of a fine spring and oak trees nearby. The present trustees are: John MeBride, president ; J. T. MeNary, secretary; Charles C. John- ston, R. Fred Douds, William Pollock, William B. Hons- ton, George Paxton and John Wilson.
Many of the lots are put on tho perpetnal endowment fond of $25. There is also a fund from the sale of lots and the cemetery has been self-sustaining for a number of years.
This site has been used for a burial ground ever since 1780 and is one of the oldest in this section of the county. There are some very beautiful monnments in the cemetery, some costing as high as $2,000. The sol- diers' lot is located in the western part of the grounds. The splendid floral decorations are equalled in few cem- eteries of the connty.
Speers Spring Cemetery-The other cemetery of Can- onsburg is the Speers Spring Cemetery which is located south of the town. This cemetery was formerly the burial ground of the Speers Spring Associate Reformed congregation who worshipped at this place until their removal to Canonsburg in IS$6. The name of the ehnreh was due to the fact that the society when organized in 1830 worshipped in a tent near a spring at the foot of the hill on the Speers farul.
Pennsylvania Railroad Station - A handsome, new pressed brick railway station has been ereeted by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Canonsburg. The old station was moved westward and converted into a freight station in 1907. The old strneture was built soon
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after the Chartiers Valley Railway was opened up to travel in 1871. I. B. Linn the competent local agent of the P. C. C. & St. L. Railroad Company has been located at Canonsburg in the employ of the company since 1877.
Five newspapers have been started in Canonsburg dur- ing the past seventy-six years-tbe Luminary, 1833; tbe Students' Enterprise, 1852; the Herald, 1872; The Notes, 1875, and the Local, 1886. Of these enterprises only The Notes is printed today.
The Luminary was a four-page paper of five columns to the page, being thirteen by nineteen inches. William Appleton's name appears as editor, and in the first issue of his paper he says: "It was first proposed to publish tbe Luminary semi-montbly, but as it appears to be the wish of the public, it will be published weekly on every Friday morning. It was expected that the first number of the Luminary would have been issued several weeks ago, but was delayed in consequence of the low water in the Ohio River, there being no boats running by wbich type could be brought up." William H. Cornwall was associated with Appleton in publishing tbe Luminary; at one time he was recorder of Wasbington County.
The Luminary was published for a period of only about six months, when the material was seized by the sheriff.
The Students' Enterprise-The next newspaper ven- ture in Canonsburg was made in 1852, wben William J. Hamill, a student at Jefferson College, began the publication of The Students' Enterprise, which, as tbe name implies, was devoted ebiefly to college life and tbe doings of the students. Hamill's home was in Balti- more. The paper was issued from a bouse on the north side of Pitt street. Some of the matter which the editor published in bis paper got him in trouble with the col- lege faculty, and eitber voluntarily or under compulsion, Hamill quitted college, and the Enterprise ceased to appear. Copies of the paper are very rare, if indeed any are in existence.
Canonsburg Herald-The first successful newspaper in Canonsburg was the Herald, which was first issued August 23, 1872, by T. M. Potts and Aaron Miller, the office being located in East Pike street. The paper was four pages in size, six columns to the page. ' It was issued weekly, and soon succeeded in gaining a solid foothold in the community, and from time to time was enlarged in size. For some time before the paper was started Messrs. Potts and Miller had conducted a job printing office under the firm name of T. M. Potts & Co. Mr. Miller, at the end of a year or two, quit the newspaper business and returned to eastern Pennsylvania, from wbich section be had come to Canonsburg. Mr. Potts continued the publication of the Herald, and in tbe early eighties associated with him his son, R. C. Potts,
the firm name being T. M. Potts & Son. Later R. C. Potts severed his connection with the paper and moved to Chester county.
T. M. Potts continued the publication of the weekly Herald until the spring of 1888, when he leased the busi- ness and plant to Joseph G. Charlton and W. H. Sipe, who were then publisbing the Canonsburg Local, a week- ly paper which Mr. Charlton had started in the autumn of 1887. Mr. Sipe had become interested in the busi- ness soon after the Local had been started. Charlton & Sipe consolidated the two papers under the name of the Canonsburg Local-Herald, and it was issued for several years under this title. Mr. Sipe retired within a year or two, Mr. Charlton continuing the business. In time the name Local was dropped, and the title of the paper became the Canonsburg Herald, as it was when first published. During a number of the years during wbieb Mr. Charlton publisbed the Herald it was edited by Charles J. Fritze, and during the last year or two of its publication by D. B. Craig.
June 1, 1903, the Herald appeared as a daily paper, and continued as such until midsummer, 1904, when the daily edition was suspended. Tbe weekly edition was continued until August 23, 1906, when it, too, suspended, its publication baving ceased on tbe tbirty-fourth anni- versary of its first appearance. Mr. Charlton is still en- gaged in the job printing business.
Mr. Potts, the founder and for many years the pub- lisher of the Herald, is still a resident of Canonsburg. He has been actively identified with the affairs of the town for nearly forty years, and bas served as burgess, town councilman, school director and justice of the peace. During the time that tbe Cbartiers Valley Agri- cultural Association was in existence be acted as secre- tary, and be bas also been identified with numerous otber organizations in the community.
Canonsburg Daily Notes-The history of the Notes dates back to 1875, when Fulton Phillips, who was its first editor, founded the paper and who lent to it tbe peculiar characteristics of bis nature. Mr. Phillips came to Canonsburg in the early summer of 1875, and decided to "start a paper." Accordingly, he set about collect- ing material, and on the 7th of August brought forth the first number of bis queer little weekly sbeet, styling it "Notes By F. P."
Pike street was then, as now, the principal business thoroughfare, but the publication office of "Notes By F. P." was in the bouse still standing at 327 Ridge avenue, a section of town designated tben as "Sheep Hill." The town was moving up the hill, but Phillips moved down and changed bis location from time to time. Many brief, but interesting, statements came from the pen and fertile brain of "F. P." The bard times which culminated in the Black Friday of '73 is indicated by
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his occasional statements that farm laborers were being hired at fifty ceuts a day aud board. It was a difficult time to start a paper, but this one met with such success because of its snappy editor that it soon became a factor iu the community.
In the fall of 1882 Fulton Phillips sold the Rural Notes to D. II. Fee, H. S. Phillips and W. H. S. Ritchie. Mr. Ritchie soon sold his interest to the other two mem- bers of the firm, and the uext spring Mr. Phillips sold his interest to Mr. Fec, who became sole proprietor and editor. Mr. Fee continued as sole owner aud as the editor until the early fall of 1892, when he associated with him his brother, William H. Fee, who came into The Notes office in the spring of 1883. The paper then continued to be published by "D. H. & Wm. H. Fee, Editors and Publishers," uutil the formation of The Notes Publishing and Printing Company in the autumu of 1904.
The paper was increased from time to time, and it was first issued as a daily on April 18, 1894, since which time it has continued without interruption aud has beeu improved uot only in its size but in its press work and press machinery. This publication prints over 2,000 pa- pers daily, aud is a clean sheet, maintaining "Republican polities generally hut not subject to any party rule." "It has for over a quarter of a century, fought the liquor interests and in all that time has never allowed a liquor advertisemeut to appear in its columns."
Banks-Canonsburg has had at least one hanking in- stitntiou for more than half a century. On July 21, 1853, application was made to the legislature of Penn- sylvania for the incorporation of the Canonsburg Savings Fund Society, with a capital of $50,000. No action, however, was taken until 1855, when the institution was incorporated by act approved April 20 of that year. The bank soon afterward went into operation, and was in existence for about fifteen years, closing in April, 1869. Its first cashier was Samuel R. Williams, who had previ- ously held the chair of natural sciences in Jefferson College. For several years preceding the closing of the institution the cashiership was filled by John F. Black.
Tho Farmers' Bank of Deposit was organized in March, 1865. Its board of directors was coustituted as follows: James Craighead, president; B. South, secre- tary and treasurer; R. C. Hamilton, John Chambers aud Adamı Edgar. This institution opened an office in Pike street, and continned in business until January, 1880, when it was closed and was succeeded by the Canons- burg Savings Bank, which opened for business January 14, 1880, in the same office, where it continued till Jan- uary, 1881, when it was removed to the room in the building erected by W. B. Stewart, and which was later occupied by the Canonsburg Bank, Limited, and the
latter's successor, tho First National Bank of Canons- burg.
The business was closed by the stockholders February 9, 1882, and the property trausferred to the Canons- burg Bauk, Limited. The last mentioned institution was organized with a capital of $50,000, and opened for business on the 9th of February, 1882. The officers of this concern were: William Martin, president; J. C. MeNary, secretary aud treasurer; Adam Edgar, S. B. MePeak and W. R. MeConnell, directors; Henry Bennett, assistant cashier.
This bank continued under the same uame and man- agement until May 12, 1891, when it was reorganized under the national banking laws.
At present Canonsburg has two financial institutions- the First National Bank and the Citizens' Trust Com- pany.
According to statements issued by the two Canonsburg financial institutions recently, the total amount of money ou deposit in them was at that time $1,229,370.12. The surplus aud profits totaled $266,865.73; real estate and fixtures totaled $150,000.
The two banks of Canonsburg gained $76,843.58 in deposits in 1908 over 1907. Canonsburg ranks third in the county in bank deposits, being exceeded only by Washington and Monongahela. Of the twenty towns in Washington County having banks, only six gained in bank deposits in 1908. Canonsburg was, as shown, one of these towns.
First National Bank of Canonsburg-In the summer of 1891, the stockholders of the Citizens' Bank, Limited, voted to reorganize the institution under the national banking laws. The charter for "The First National Bank of Canonsburg,"' was granted May 12, 1891. William Martin, who had been president of the Canons- burg Bank, Limited, was elected president of the reor- ganized institution, W. H. Paxton, vice-president; George D. MeNutt, cashier, and J. W. Munnell, assistant cashier. George D. MeNutt, W. H. Paxton and John L. Cockins were appointed a committee to wind up affairs, in order that the newly organized national bank might begin business ou the first day of July following.
The bank's business continued to grow and expand with the growth and expansion of the town and community, and although Canonsburg had now two financial insti- tutions, both appeared able to secure ample business. The coal development made business for the banks, and within ten years after the organization of the First National Bank it had wonderfully increased its assets and liabilities.
The quarters occupied by the First National becom- ing too small, the institution in 1901 purchased the building in which it had heretofore only had a partial
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interest, and in 1902 let the contract for the complete remodeling of the structure to M. C. Schaughency & Son. The building, which bad beeu a severely plain brick structure, two stories in beigbt, was converted into a moderu brick building, and practically made new. The remodeling was completed in the spring of 1904, and the building has since been occupied by this institution. A new safe was huilt iuto the structure at the time it was remodeled, and the quarters of the bank are today the equal of any in towns much larger than Canonsburg.
William Martin, the first president of the institution, died November 30, 1904, having been at he head of the bank, as a limited banking institution and as a national bank, for nearly twenty-three years. The directors elected William H. Paxton, who had been vice-president for a number of years, to fill the vacancy, and Mr. Paxton has since beld this position. John L. Cockins was elected vice-president. George D. McNutt and J. W. Munnell have continued to hold their respective places as cashier and assistant cashier.
The First National Bank has a capital of $100,000, with a surplus fund of $175,000 and undivided profits, according to the last statement issued at the call of the comptroller of the currency, of $34,616.31. Deposits on February 5 last amounted to $700,546.24. The bank- ing bouse, furniture and fixtures are valned at $45,841.20. The stock has paid semi-annual dividends of six per cent for some years.
The book value of the stock of this bank on December 1 last was $314.17, as against $305.85 on December 31, 1907. The amount of dividends paid is $12,000 yearly.
Citizens' Trust Company of Canonsburg-The Citi- zens' Trust Company was organized June 25, 1891, under the name of the Citizens Bank, Limited. The institu- tion was chartered under the private partnership bank- ing laws of the State and was intended to fill a place not usually filled by national banks, such as a savings bank and bank of deposit.
Jobn C. MeNary was the first president, Jobn S. Speer the first casbier and C. C. Johnson, assistant. The Mat- thews property, West Pike street, was purchased for $4,500, the building remodeled, and the bank opened for business in the summer of 1891. It enjoyed a liberal business from the start, and its patrouage continued to grow and expand. John S. Speer later resigned the cash- iership, and was succeeded by C. C. Johnson, with Sam- uel Mc Williams as assistant casbier. The capital stock was $60,000.
In 1901 a change was made in the bank, whereby it was reorganized into a trust company, under the name of the Citizens' Trust Company of Canonsburg. Appli- cation was made for a charter by John C. McNary, J. Brad Johnson, James McClelland, John C. Morgan, S. A. Lacock, John S. Barr and C. C. Johnson, and the
charter was granted April 8, 1901. The company, how- ever, did not begin business until May 1 following.
On June 28, 1901, the stockholders of the Citizens' Bank, Limited, met and resolved, by a majority in num- ber and value in interest in the association, that the bank be dissolved, and John C. MeNary, John C. Morgan and C. C. Johnson were elected liquidating trustecs, and the business of the Citizens' Bank, Limited, was then closed out.
Early in the year 1903 the Citizens' Trust Company began to expand. The company purchased from the Thomas Miller estate the property at the southwest cor- ner of Pike street and Central avenue, long occupied by the Briceland Hotel, which hostelry was later known as the Sherman House, and still later as the Central Hotel. The contract was soon thereafter let for the razing of the old hotel building and the erection of a modern structure, four stories in Pike street and five stories in Central avenue. The corner stone for the new building was laid July 20, 1903, and the building soon be- gan to assume definite form. It was completed the follow- ing summer, and the Citizens' Trust Company beld its formal opening in the new building Monday, September 5, 1904. This building is Canousburg's one "skyscraper," being the bighest and largest of the business structures. The rooms on the first floor on Pike street, except the bank- iug rooms, and in Central avenue are occupied by stores, while all the other floors are occupied by flats, there being twelve suites. The building is handsome, and adds much to the appearance of the business section of Can- onsburg.
The officers of the Citizens' Trust Company are: John C. MeNary, president; John C. Morgan, vice-presi- dent; C. C. Johnson, secretary and treasurer; Samuel Mc Williams, assistant secretary and treasurer; John T. MeNary, assistant treasurer. The board or directors, with the exception of the officers, is composed of David G. Jones, J. B. Johnson, Theo. A. Straub, Joseph Reed, S. A. Lacock, Charles W. Campbell, John S. Barr and J. V. H. Cook.
The capital stock of the company is $125,000; sur- plus fund, $75,000; deposits aggregate about $550,000 with real estate and fixtures valued at $103,536.60. For some years the stockholders have been paid dividends at the rate of 6 per cent annually.
The book value of stock on December 1 last was $192.45, as against $180.05 on December 31, 1907. The amount of dividends paid in 1908 was $7,500.
CHURCHES.
Canonsburg has always been a church community. In- deed the church antedates the town, for two congrega- tions hereabouts-the Chartiers United Presbyterian and the Chartiers Presbyterian (Hill) were organized
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some years before John Canon laid out the town that bears his name. 1n 134 years that have since lapsed, the Word of the living God has been regularly preached here to those who would turn aside to hear it. The church so firmly established here in the early days has, like the church at Jerusalem, grown, and its members that have been scattered abroad have gone everywhere preach- ing the gospel.
There are twelve church organizations in Canonsburg, representing ten different denominations, all working in a common cause-the salvation of the world. There are ten church buildings.
Chartiers United Presbyterian Church is the oldest re- ligious organization in Canonsburg, having been organ- ized in 1775. The Chartiers Presbyterian congregation, commonly spoken of as the Hill church and located a mile and a quarter south of Canonsburg, was organized in the same year by Rev. John MeMillan, D. D., fonuder of Jefferson College.
The first pastor of what is now the Chartiers United Presbyterian Church was the Rev. Matthew Henderson, a missionary of the Associate Church, who came to the Chartiers Valley from eastern Pennsylvania. In 1782 the Associate and the Reformed churches were united, and became one body of religious worshippers under the name of the Associate Reformed Church. In 1858 this denomination and the Associate church were consolidated, forming the present United Presbyterian denomination.
The Chartiers congregation had its first house of wor- ship west of town on the present site of Oak Spring Cemetery. The structure was of round logs daubed with elay, some of the logs having beeu eut to afford light. The seats were of round poles laid on blocks. The build- ing had neither fireplace, stove uor chimney. Iu time this house gave place to another, on the same site. The second structure was built of limestone, and stood until 1834, when it was razed to give place to a brick strue- ture. The third house was occupied uutil 1870, when the congregation first occupied the present house of wor- ship in West Pike street, erected iu that year at a cost of $18,000. This building is the fourth built and oceu- pied by the Chartiers congregation. Its dimensions are fifty-six by eighty feet. Dedication exercises were held in March, 1870.
Dr. Henderson, the first pastor, lived in Chartiers Township, two miles west of Houston. He was killed by a falling bee tree in 1795. His successors have been : Jolin Smith, 1796-1802; James Ramsey, 1805-1849; Jolin Barr Clark, 1853-1861; David Houston French, 1861- 1866; D. M. B. McLean, installed 1870, died March 21, 1880; W. B. Smiley, from August 1, 1882, to the present time. The longest pastorate was that of Dr. Ramsey, which extended over a period of forty four years. The next longest is that of the present pastor. Dr. Smiley,
who has been pastor for nearly twenty-seven years. The congregation on September 12, 1907, celebrated the twenty. fifth anniversary of Dr. Smiley's installation, This congregation is not only the oldest in Canonsburg, but it is one of the largest and most influential in the com munity. The church has 385 members.
The Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church, commonly known as the Greenside avenue congregation, dates back to 1830, when an organization was effeeted under the name of Speers Spring congregation (Associate Reformed). The name Speers Spring was due to the faet that the society worshipped in a "tent " near a spring at the foot of the hill on the Speers farm, now belonging to the Curry estate, a mile east of Canonsburg.
The first pastor, the Rev. Alexander McCahon, was in- stalled in April, 1831, resigning in 1843. Dr. McCahon died October 4, 1873. His snecessor in the pastorate was the Rev. Thomas Calohan, who was installed in 1835 and resigned after a pastorate of four or five years. In 1850 William Wallace took charge, but died early the next year. David Paul was installed in 1853 and re- leased in 1856. W. H. Andrews was installed 1857, released 1859; J. W. Bain, 1861-1867; J. G. Carson, 1867-1869; William Weir, 1870-1873; John S. Speer, April 21, 1874 -- February, 1891; D. R. MacDonald, May, 1891-March, 1901; Charles D. Fulton, the present pas- tor, was installed December 3, 1901.
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