USA > Pennsylvania > Early history of western Pennsylvania, and of the West, and of western expeditions and campaigns, from MDCCLIV to MDCCCXXXIII > Part 73
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Probably the majority of those assembled were well disposed towards the government, but afraid to come out and avow it. Mr. Breckenridge thus describes the feeling that prevailed there, and throughout the west- ern counties : " A breath in favor of the law was sufficient to ruin any
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APPENDIX -- NO. XXVIII.
man. It was considered as a badge of toryism. A clergyman was not though t orthodox in the pulpit, unless against the law. A physician was not thought capable of administering medicine, unless his princi- ples were right in this respect. A lawyer could have got no practice without at least concealing his sentiments, if for the law ; nor could a merchant at a country store get custom. On the contrary, to talk against the law was the way to office and emolument. To go to the legislature or to congress, you must make a noise against it. It was the Shibboleth of safety, and the ladder of ambition."
It was proposed by Bradford to march and attack the garrison at Pitts- burg ; but this was abandoned. Bradford now moved that the troops should go on to Pittsburg. "Yes," said Breckenridge, " by all means ; at least to give a proof that the strictest order can be observed, and r.o damage done. We will just march through, and, taking a turn, come out upon the plain, on the banks of the Monongahela; and after taking a little whiskey with the inhabitants, the troops will embark, and cross the river." Officers having been appointed-Edward Cook and Brad- ford, generals, and Col. Blakenay officer of the day-the insurgents marched in a body, by the Monongahela road, to Pittsburg. By the wily management of some of the Pittsburg gentlemen, the greater part of the company, after being diverted by a treat, were got across the Monongahela. A few, however, remained ; determined to burn Gen. Neville's house in town, and Gen. Gibson's, and others. By the influ- ence of Col. Cook, Marshall, and others of the insurgent party, this outrage was prevented. Major Kirkpatrick's barn, across the river, was burned. If they had succeeded in burning two or three houses, the whole town must have been consumed. "The people," says Mr. Breckenridge, " were mad. It never came into my head to use force on the occasion. I thought it safest to give good words and good drink, rather than balls and powder. It cost me four barrels of old whiskey that day ; and I would rather spare that than a quart of blood."
The meeting at Parkinson's ferry was composed of 260 delegates from the four western counties-from Bedford, also, and from Ohio county, in Virginia. Many had been sent with a view to stem the current of disorder, until it had time to cool down. This, however, was only to be accomplished, as some thought, not by open opposition, but by cov- ert management. Col. Cook was appointed chairman, and Albert Gal- latin secretary. Gallatin, Breckenridge and Judge Edgar of Washing- ton county, took a prominent part in the discussions. The intemperate resolutions and treasonable plans of Bradford and Marshall were gradu- ally softened down or explained away. The organic force of the insur- rection was condensed into a committee of 60, one from each township; and this committee was again represented by a standing executive com- mittee of 12. The committee of 60 was to meet at Redstone Old Fort, on the 2d September ; and the standing committee were in the mean time to confer with the United States commissioners, whose arrival had been announced at Pittsburg. To gain time and restore quietness was the great object with Mr. Gallatin and his friends. " Mr. Gallatin," says Judge Wilkeson, "although a foreigner, who could with difficulty make himself understood in English, yet presented with great force the
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WASHINGTON COUNTY.
folly of past resistance, and the ruinous consequences to the country of the continuance of the insurrection. He urged that the government was bound to vindicate the laws, and that it would surely send an over- whelmning force against them. He placed the subject in a new light, and showed the insurrection to be a much more serious affair than it had before appeared."
" Breckenridge was actuated by the same motives, but he supported the measures in a different way-often appearing to act with Bradford's party, and oppose Gallatin. Yet he always contributed to bring the proceedings to the same issue with the latter.
" The commissioners of the government proposed an amnesty, and certain favorable methods for adjusting delinquencies, on condition that the meeting at Redstone should declare their determination to comply with the laws, and cease opposition and intimidation of others.
" On the 28th August, the committee of 60 met at Redstone. While they were collecting, the affair occurred with Samuel Jackson the Quaker, which had been described. Notwithstanding violent threats and denunciations had been circulated by Tom the Tinker against the twelve conferees, (the standing committee,) they all, except Brad- ford, recommended the acceptance of the propositions of the com- missioners. The meeting was opened by a long, sensible, and eloquent speech by Mr. Gallatin, in favor of law and order. Mr. Breckenridge now threw off his mask, and enforced and enlarged upon the arguments already advanced by Gallatin. Bradford, in opposition, let off a most intemperate harangue ; but when he found the vote 34 to 23, was against him, he retired in disgust. Afterwards, alleging that he was not sup- ported by his friends, he signed the terms of submission, and advised others to do it. But this did not wipe out his offences. He was ex- cepted from the amnesty, and when the army came he fled down the Mississippi into the Spanish territory. Judge Edgar summed up the argument for submission, and, by his pious and respectable character and his venerable appearance, won many over to his side.
"Such was the fear of the popular phrensy that it was with difficulty a vote could be had at this meeting. No one would vote by standing up. None would write a yea or nay, lest his hand-writing should be recognized. At last it was determined that yea and nay should be written by the secretary on the same pieces of paper, and be distributed, leaving each member to chew up or destroy one of the words, while he put the other in the box.
"This meeting virtually closed the insurrection. Although their propositions did not exactly meet the views of the commissioners, yet the existence of a decided majority on the side of law and order was here fully exposed.
"The commissioners-of whom Hon. James Ross, of Pittsburg, was one-now put forth a test of submission, to be subscribed individ- ually by the citizens throughout the country. Only six days remained for signing this promise over a country containing 70,000 people and nearly as large as the State of Connecticut. Many came forward readily and signed, encouraged others, and associated for their defence. Tom
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APPENDIX-NO. XXVIII.
the Tinker, with his men, refused outright, and threatened the signers with death, by which many were intimidated. Some came forward after the time was expired, soliciting, with tears, the privilege of signing. Many refused to sign, conscious of having done no wrong. 'The people of Fayette were of this class-though, at a meeting of citizens collec- tively, they passed resolutions tantamount to the test.
"On the whole, however, there were enough malecontents left to ren- der it necessary, in the opinion of the President, to send forward the army which had been collected at the east. This army consisted of 15,000 men, and was composed of troops and volunteers from Mary- land, Virginia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Gov. Lee, of Virginia, had the chief command of the army. The other generals were Gov. Mifflin, of Pennsylvania, Gov. Howell, of New Jersey, Gen. Daniel Morgan, and Adj. Gen. Hand. Gen. Knox, Secretary of War, and Gen. Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury, and Judge Peters, of the U. S. Court, also went out to Pittsburg. The army arrived in November, but met with no opposition and shed no blood. At Pittsburg, a kind of inquisitorial court was held at the quarters of the Secretary of the Treasury, in which testimony was taken against citizens denounced for treasonable acts or expressions. "Many of the informers, influenced by prejudice, implicated those who had been guilty of no offence against the government. After a few days spent in these " Star Chamber" proceedings, the dragoons were put in requisition, and officers sent with guides to arrest the offenders. Such of the proscribed as apprehended no danger were soon taken, and, without any intimation of the offence with which they stood charged, were carried to Pittsburg. Here many found acquaintances or influential friends, who interposed in their behalf and obtained their release. Others less fortunate were sent to Philadel- phia for trial, where they were imprisoned for ten or twelve months without even an indictment being found against them." Only two or three were tried and convicted, and these were afterwards pardoned.
"'The peculiar course which Mr. Breckenridge had taken placed him, for a time, in a very awkward predicament, as well as in personal dan- ger. He was denounced to the government as having been one of the leaders of the insurrection. He had certainly taken an active part in the public meetings, and apparently acted with the insurgents. The turning point in his case was the quo animo, the motive for his peculiar conduct. Fortunately, his motives had been fully known, throughout his whole course. to Hon. James Ross, who explained his conduct to the Secretary of the Treasury. At the close of the examination the secretary, Gen. Hamilton, said to him, "In the course of yesterday I had uneasy feel- ings. I was concerned for you as for a man of talents. My impres- sions were unfavorable. You may have observed it. I now think it my duty to inform you that not a single one remains. Had we listened to some people, I do not know what might have been done. 'There is a side to your account. Your conduct has been horribly misrepresented, owing to misconception. I will announce you in this point to Gen. Lee, who represents the Executive. You are in no personal danger. You will not be troubled even by a simple inquisition by the judge [280]
FAYETTE COUNTY,
What may be due to yourself with the public, is another question." " The army returned to their homes. Gen. Morgan was left with a few battallions to preserve quiet during the winter. In the spring the military was withdrawn, order had been fully restored, the law was acquiesced in, and business resumed its wonted course."
[ NO. XXIX. ]
FAYETTE COUNTY.
On a petition being presented to the Assembly, from a great number of that part of Westmoreland county circumscribed by the rivers of Monongahela and Youghiogeny, and Mason's and Dixson's line, setting forth that they labored under great inconvenience, by reason of their distance from the seat of justice. Fayette county was erected by the passage of an act, September 26, 1783. The county was then bounded as follows : " Beginning at Monongahela river, where Mason and Dix- on's line intersects the same ; thence down said river to the mouth of Speir's run ; thence by a straight line, to the mouth of Jacob's creek ; thence by the Youghiogeny river to the forks of the same ; thence up the south-west branch of the said river, by part of Bedford county, to Mason and Dixon's line ; thence by said line to the Monongahela river aforesaid."
The boundary of this county has since been changed. In 1784, an additional part of Westmoreland was added to Fayette county. By the act erecting the county, Edward Cook, Robert Adams, Theophilus Philips, James Dougherty, and Thomas Rodgers, were appointed Com- missioners, to purchase and take assurances of a piece of land in Union- town, in trust and for the use of the inhabitants of the county, to erect a court-house and prison thereon.
Fayette county is bounded on the north by Westmoreland, on the east by Somerset, on the south by the States of Maryland and Virginia, and on the west by Greene and Washington counties. Length, 30 miles ; breadth, 27 : area 824 square miles ; 519, 360 acres of land. Population estimated in 1770, 50 or 100 whites ; in 1780, 3959 tax- ables ; by the census of 1790, 13,043 free persons, and 282 slaves ; in 1800, 20,067 free persons, and 92 slaves ; in 1810, 24,714 ; in 1820, 29,172 ; in 1840, 33,574.
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APPENDIX-NO. XXIX.
The following table exhibits, at one view, the population of each town- ship, according to the census of 1810, '20, '30, and '40.
TOWNSHIPS-BOROUGHS.
IOPULATION.
1810.
1820.
1830.
1840.
Brownsville,
698
976
1,233
1,362 !
Bridgeport,
280
624
737
788
Washington,
2,160
2,749
2,926
1,515
Franklin,
1,623
1,749
1,464
1,396
Perry,
1,350
Luzerne.
1,538
1,610
1,625
1,715
Red-Stone,
1,224
1,207
1,209
1,159
Unionboro',
999
1,058
1,341
1,710
Union,
1,821
1,947
2,475
2,723
Germantown,
2,079
2,3.9
2,395
2,310
George.
2,086
2,031
2,416
2,371
Spring Hill,
1,837
2,086
1,934
2,385
Dunbar,
2,066
1,895
1,722
2,070
Bullskin,
1,439
1,484
1,231
1,275
Menallen,
1,228
1,376
1,083
1,377
Salt Lick,
994
1,172
1,499
1,911
Connell'sville,
498
600
1,205
1,436
Tyrone,
989
1,058
1.139
1,189
Henry Clay,
805
891
Wharton,
922
1,206
809
1,325
Jefferson,
1,516
Total,
24,714 27,285 29,237 33,574
The adult male population was variously employed. In mining, 83 ; agriculture, 4,405 ; commerce, 196; manufactures and trades, 1,991; navigation of the ocean, 48 ; navigation of canals and rivers, 48 ; learned professions, 128.
The surface of this county is strongly marked by several rugged, ele- vated, well defined mountain ranges ;- one called Laurel Hill, and the other Chestnut Ridge ; and between these ranges are several detached ridges. The western section of the county presents an undulating sur- face, in some parts rather hilly. The summits of the mountains in this county are about 2500 feet above the level of the sea, and between 900 and 1000 feet above the intervening valley. " As this county lies within the bituminous coal region, coal is abundant almost everywhere except near the summits of Laurel Hill and Chestnut Ridge, where the rocks next below the coal formation are brought to the surface by an anticlinal axis. Along the sides of these ridges, and near their bases, iron ore is abundant in many situations, and is mined for the supply of furnaces in the neighborhood."
'That portion of the county west of Chestnut Ridge, is of good quality and well adapted to agricultural purposes. Many of the valleys are fer- tile and highly productive. Salt springs are found by boring, in the south-western part of the county, on some of which salt-works are [282 ]
FAYETTE COUNTY.
erected. There is also a mineral spring, eight miles east of Uniontown. Agriculture is in a flourishing state. The chief productions are cereal grains, live stock, &c. The following, carefully compiled from the cen- sus of 1840, affords the reader some idea of the real wealth of this county :
Mineral, Agricultural, Horticultural, Commercial, &c. Statistics of Fayette County, of 1840.
Furnaces, 9, produced 1,800 tons of cast iron ; 3 forges, produced 703 tons of bar iron ; capital, $70,000 ; bituminous coal raised, 1,350,- 610 bushels, employed 176 men ; capital, $6,184 ; salt, 155 bushels.
Live Stock, &c .: horses, 10,132 ; neat cattle, 30,237 ; sheep, 54,007 ; swine, 30,568 ; value of poultry of all kinds, $12,838.
Cereal Grain, &c .: wheat, 334,297 busliels : barley, 518 ; oats, 560,- 172 ; rye, 27,226 ; buckwheat, 20,566; corn. 551,114; wool, 98,091 pounds ; hops, 628 ; wax, 704 ; potatoes, 98,118 bushels ; hay, 18,264 tons ; sugar manufactured, 84,551 pounds ; value of the products of the dairy, $65,263 ; of the orchard, $13,874 ; of home-made goods, $37,- 378 ; of gardens, $22,472. Stores of all kinds, 106 ; capital, $424,060. Value of lumber produced, $1,458 ; value of machinery manufactured, $65,700 ; of hardware and cutlery, 80 400. Fulling mills, 4 ; woollen manufactories, 6; value of woollen goods manufactured, $173.500; capital, $95.840 ; value of hats and caps manufactured, $19,350. Tan- neries, 30; tanned 6,532 sides of sole, and 5,706 sides of upper leather ; capital, $31,660. Pounds of soap manufactured, 50,052 ; tallow can- dles, 23,770 pounds. Distilleries, 17, produced 129,298 gallons ; brewery, 1, 10,000 gallons ; value of medicinal drugs, paints, &c., $30,000; 6 glass houses ; 1 glass cutting establishment, employed 151 bands, value of manufactured articles, $80,000 ; capital, $16,600. Value of carriages manufactured, $24,072, capital, $9,345. Flouring mills, 16, grist mills, 61, saw mills, 139, oil mills, 4. Houses built, brick, 70, wooden, 102. 'Total capital invested in manufactures, $369,983.
The aggregate amount of property taxable in 1845, was $4,304,034,00, whereof $3,793,136 00 was real estate.
The Monongahela river flows in a circuitous course along the western boundary of the county, separating it from Greene and Washington .- The Youghioghany rising in Maryland enters this State east of Laurel Hill, and forms for some twelve or fifteen miles the boundary between Somerset and Fayette, breaking through both the great mountain ranges, and tumbling over several rocky ledges, crosses this country in a north western direction, uniting with the Monongahela in Allegheny county. Cheat river rises in Randolph county, Virginia, and passes through the south western corner of this county.
Besides these rivers there are several important creeks : Indian, George, Brown, Dunlap, Red Stone, Cook's, Big and Little Sandusky, Mount's, Jacob's, Middle and South Forks ; besides several runs : Dunbar, York's, Brown's, Middle, Hall's, Oswalt's, Cook's, Gabriel's, &c.
The National turnpike from Cumberland to Wheeling, passes for a distance of thirty miles through the whole breadth of the county. It passes through Uniontown and Brownsville, affording an easy means of
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APPENDIX -- NO. XXIX.
transportation and travel, both eastward and westward. The improve- ment making by the Monongahela Navigation company, must prove a benefit to the people of this region of country, as a means of transport- ing their surplus produce from the country, and merchandize into it.
Education receives considerable attention. Madison College, at Uniontown, established originally in 1808, as an Academy ; but changed into a college in 1825, and incorporated as such in 1827, sustains a veryy fair reputation. It is efficiently conducted.
The Common School system is in general operation throughout the county. Twenty out of twenty-one districts made report in 1845, to the Superintendent of Common Schools, of 153 schools, in which 4,025 males, and 3,267 females were taught for five months. A taxi of $7,883,15 was levied, and the State appropriation amounted to $3,883,15. The cost of instruction was $10,258,67.
The Methodists and Presbyterians are the prevailing religious deno -. mination. Baptists and Episcopalians are also numerous ; and some : Friends, Catholics, Cumberland Presbyterians, Disciples of Christ, German Reformed, &c.
UNIONTOWN, laid out by Henry Beeson, about the year 1768, is the county seat, and pleasantly situated in a healthy and fertile region of country, four miles west of Chestnut Ridge, or as it is here calleJ, Lau- rel Hill. It is an incorporated borough, and contained in 1840, 1710 inhabitants. The public buildings are a court-house, with adjoining buildings for county offices, a prison, a market-house ; several churches : Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian, Baptist ; Madison College, several steam mills, and number of mechanic's shops, 'The town is in a very flourishing condition.
Brownsville, laid out in 1785, is a very flourishing manufacturing town, on the Monongahela river, twelve miles north-west from Union- town. It occupies a commanding point as a place of business, enjoy- ing the advantage both of the improved navigation of the Monongahela and National turnpike road. It contains manufactories of cotton, glass, paper, rolling mill and nail factory, an establishment for making steam engines, &c. The public buildings are a town-hall, six churches : Metho- dist, Reformed Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Episcopal, Friends' Meeting-house, a banking house, a Masonic Lodge. Brownsville was incorporated in 1815. Population in 1840, 1362.
On the opposite side of Dunlap's creek, and connected with Browns- ville by a permanent and beautiful bridge, 630 feet long, built at a cost of $50,000 in 1832, is the thriving village of Bridgeport, with a popula- tion rising, at present, of 800. It is the shipping place for Brownsville.
Perryopolis, laid out at the close of the last war by. Dr. Thomas Hersey, and Messrs. Shreve and Burns, is 14 miles north of Uniontown, in a fertile tract of land containing 1,650 acres, called Washington Bottom, which had been taken up by Colonel, afterwards General, Washington, in 1755, when this region was supposed to belong to Vir- ginia. There is a glass factory at this place. Much of the peculiar kind of sand for the glass-works at Pittsburg, is taken from this place.
Connellsville, laid out fifty years ago by Zachariah Connell, and in- corporated as a borough in 1806, is on the east side of the Youghioghe- [ 284 ]
ALLEGHENY COUNTY.
ny, 10 miles northeast from Uniontown, and is a very thriving town, containing four or five churches, a number of manufacturing establish- ments, several iron foundries, &c.
New Haven, laid out by Col. Isaac Meason, in 1796, is on the op- posite side of the river, connected with Connellsville by a fine wooden bridge. Here is a large woollen factory, a steam mill, and paper mill.
New Geneva, which derives its name from Geneva in Switzerland, the native land of Albert Gallatin, is situated on the right bank of the Monongahela, at the mouth of George's creek Many years ago, Gal- latin established extensive glass-works here. The other villages in this county are Bellevernon, Woodbridge, Haydentown, Smithfield, Monroe, Germantown, McClellandstown, New Salem, Cookstown, Merritstown, Middletown.
[NO. XXX. ]
ALLEGHENY COUNTY.
The inhabitants who resided within those parts of Westmoreland and Washington counties, lying most convenient to the town of Pittsburg, petitioned the Legislature to erect a new county ; setting forth that they had labored for a long time under many inconveniences by reason of their remoteness from the seat of jurisdiction, were relieved in the pre- mises, and Allegheny was erected by an act passed, September 24th, 1788. The county was then bounded as follows: "Beginning at the mouth of Flaherty's run, on the south side of the Ohio river; from thence by a straight line to the plantation on which Joseph Scott, Esq., now lives, on Montour's run, to include the same; from thence by a straight line to the mouth of Miller's run, on Chartier's creek ; thence by a straight line to the mouth of Perry's mill run, on the east side of Monongahela river ; thence up the said river, to the mouth of Becket's run ; thence by a straight line to the mouth of Sewickly creek, on Youghiogheny river; thence up Turtle creek, to the main fork thereof; thence by a northerly line, until it strikes Puckety's creek ; thence down said creek to the Allegheny river ; thence up the Allegheny river, to the northern boundary of the State ; thence along the same, to the western line of the State ; thence along the same to the river Ohio ; and thence up the same to the place of beginning."
In 1789, an additional part of Washington county was annexed .* The extended limits of the county were subsequently reduced by erect- ing several counties out of it, viz : Beaver, Butler, Mercer, Crawford, Erie, Warren, Venango, Armstrong, part of Indiana and Clarion.
Allegheny county is bounded on the north by Butler; on the east by Westmoreland ; south and southwest by Washington, and northwest by Beaver. The county forms an irregular figure about 26 miles in diame-
* On the 3d of March, 1792, the Governor of Pennsylvania, purchased up- wards of 200,000 acres, from the United States, on Lake Erie, for $151,740 45 continental money : and by an act of 3d April, 1792, this portion was declared to be part of Allegheny county.
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APPENDIX-NO. XXIX.
ter, and containing an area of 754 square miles, and 482,560 acres. The population in 1790, was 10,309 ; in 1800, 15,087 ; in 1810, 25,317; in 1820, 34,921 ; in 1830, 50,552; in 1840, 81,235.
The following table exhibits at one view the population of each town- ship, according to the census of 1810, '20, '30 and '40.
TOWNSHIPS-BOROUGHS.
POPULATION.
1810. 1820.
1830.
1840.
Allegheny City,
Birmingham borough,
520
1,555 |
Bayardstown borough.
2,125
East Deer,
674
1,075
1,642
1,987
West Deer,
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