USA > Pennsylvania > Early history of western Pennsylvania, and of the West, and of western expeditions and campaigns, from MDCCLIV to MDCCCXXXIII > Part 80
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Search had been made by the guard every where ; the jury joined in the search, and the militia went out in all directions, in order to track his course and regain the prisoner ; but no discovery could be made, and the guard were much blamed for their want of vigilance, though some supposed that he had been let go from feelings of humanity, that they might not be under the necessity of burning him.
The search had been abandoned ; but three days after this, a lad looking for his horses, saw an Indian with a pole or long stick, just get- ting on one of them, by help of a log, or trunk of a fallen tree ; he had made a bridle of bark, as it appeared, which was on the horse's head, and with which, and his stick guiding the horse, he set off at a smart trot, in a direction towards the frontier of the settlement. The boy was! afraid to discover himself, or reclaim his horse, but ran home and gave the alarm, on which a party, in the course of the day, was collected, and started in pursuit of the Indian: they tracked the horse until it was dark, and were obliged to lay by. In the morning, taking it again, they tracked the horse as before, but found the course varied, taking into branches of streams to prevent pursuit, and which greatly delayed them, requiring considerable time to trace the stream and find where the horse had taken the bank and come out,-sometimes taking along hard ridges, though not directly in his course, where the tracks of the horse could not be seen. In this manner he had gotten on the Allegheny river, where they found the horse with the bark bridle, and where he appeared to have been left a short time before. The sweat was scarcely dry upon his sides : for the weather was warm, and he appeared to have been ridden hard ; the distance he had come was about 90 miles. It was pre -. sumed the Indian had swam the river, into uninhabited, and what was! then called the Indian country, where it was unsafe for the small party that were in pursuit to follow.
After the war, I took some pains to inform myself whether he had made his way good to the Indian towns, the nearest of which was San- dusky, at the distance of about two hundred miles ; but it appeared that after all his efforts he had been unsuccessful, and had not reached home. He had been drowned in the river, or famished in the woods, or his broken limbs had occasioned his death.
In like manner I have made inquiry respecting the Indian who had Dr. Knight in custody when he made his escape ; for I had myself taken down, from the Doctor's own mouth, the narrative of his escape,
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SOMERSET COUNTY.
and could not conceive, nor could the Doctor say, why it was that the gun, when he presented it to the Indian, and snapped it, did not go off. The Indian himself had been surprised at it, and did not recollect that he had plugged the touch-hole to keep it from the wet, nor did the Doc- tor discover this. 'The Indian, to excuse himself, had represented the Doctor as a man of great stature and strength ; but the Indians laughed at him when they came to know, and were informed by some from the other town that had seen him sent on, that he was a man of small stature and of little strength .- Border Life.
[ NO. XXXI. ] SOMERSET COUNTY.
SOMERSET COUNTY was established by an act passed April 17th, 1795. The boundaries of the county were defined : " That all that part of Bed- ford county, lying and being to the westward of a line to be drawn along the top of the Allegheny mountain, from where the Maryland line crosses the same to where the line of Huntingdon county crosses the same mountain." The limit of this county was afterwards changed and reduced. In 1800, part of Bedford was annexed to Somerset ; and in 1804 part of Somerset was taken into Cambria.
SOMERSET COUNTY is bounded on the north by Cambria; east by Bedford ; south by the State of Maryland ; west by Fayette ; and north- west by Westmoreland. Greatest lengthi, 38 miles : mean width, 28 : area, 1066 square miles : and contains 682,240 acres of land. Popula- tion in 1800, 10,188 ; in 1810, 11,284; in 1820, 13,890; in 1830, 17,741 ; and in 1840, 19,650.
The physical aspect of the surface of this county, is diversified- parts of it mountainous, others hilly -- a considerable portion rolling, un- dulating and uneven ; while in certain sections there are considerable tracts that have a comparatively level surface. Like its geological fea- tures, the soil of this county is of a variety of character. The southern part of the county is best adapted to the raising of corn and wheat; the middle and more northern portion produce good crops of oats, potatoes and grass ; and if ever, scarce any corn crops that repay the labor be- stowed, tilling the ground. The whole county is well adapted to grazing, keeping and feeding of cattle, sheep, hogs, and live stock in general. The products of the dairy are profitable ; from $65,000 to $75,000, is the annual estimate thereof. The finest butter in the world is made in this county ; and there are many extensive dairy farms which produce it in large quantities for exportation.
The county abounds in what are known by the name of Glades, i. e. low, level, wet lands ; and as those portions are better adapted to grazing than any other purpose, dairies are kept here, and produce the well known Glades Butter, sought after so much in the Baltimore markets.
On the eastern boundary of this county, is the Allegheny Mountain, which ranges through the southeastern part thereof. In the southeastern corner, the Little Allegheny and Savage mountains, pass northward
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APPENDIX-NO. XXXI.
from Maryland and unite in a point near the Bedford county line, north of Will's creek. In the south, Negro mountain extends north ward from the State line and terminates a few miles south of the town of Somer set. The Laurel Hill is the western boundary as far south as to the Youghiogheny river. 'These mountains give to this portion of country a most diversified aspect.
Bituminous coal is found in abundance in many parts of this county. In the rough, irregular valley between the Little Allegheny and Savage mountain is a coal bed several feet thick, which has been worked in several places, and yields coal of a superior quality. Between the Alle- gheny and Negro mountains is another coal basin, extending north ward by Berlin to the head waters of Shade creek. On some of the higher ridges in the southern basin, coal seams are found nine feet thick. In the neighborhood of Berlin, several of the lower coal beds are worked for the supply of the town and its vicinity. Further northward, on Stony creek, in the neighborhood of Stoystown, and on Shade creek, are a great many openings of production coal beds. Coal is also found in the hills along Castleman's river, Laurel Hill creek, &c.
Iron ore is also found in various parts of this county. Not far from the mouth of Will's creek, and in the same neighborhood on Stony creek, are localities of iron ore which may prove valuable and impor- tant. Ore is also found in considerable quantities on Shade creek, where a furnace has been erected for the purpose of working it. Bog ore frequently occurs in beds on the surface along the eastern side, and western slope of the Allegheny mountain. Iron ore is also abundant in many places along the east side of Laurel Hill, and has been mined near the head of Garey's run.
T 178 TY Mar eng
TOWNSHIPS - BOROUGHS.
POPULATION.
1820.
1830.
1840.
Addison,
1,861
1,185
1,301
Allegheny,
372
506
633
Berlin borough,
524
Brothers' Valley,
1,683
1,675
1,548
Conemaugh,
378
767
882
Elk Lick,
1,197
1,531
1,495
Greenville,
394
545
572
Jenner,
1,129
1,167
1,469
Milford,
1,394
1,749
1,632
Paint,
[187
Quemahoning,
796
1,102
924
are Co
M
754
1,025
1,248
Shade,
948
1,135
1,052
Somerset borough,
442
619
638
Somerset,
1,954
2,515
1,620
Southampton,
540
710
755
Turkey Foot,
1,138
1,281
1,433
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13,890 17,741 19,650
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Stony Creek,
SOMERSET COUNTY.
The adult male population was variously employed. In mining, 5; agriculture, 3,556; commerce, 102; manufactures and trades, 914; navigation of the ocean, 57; learned professions, 34.
The actual wealth of this county may be estimated from the follow- ng, carefully compiled from the census of 1840.
Mineral, Agricultural, Horticultural, Commercial. Statistics of Somerset county of 1840.
One furnace, one forge, produced 20 tons of bar iron ; bituminous coal raised 65,000.
Live stock, &c .- Horses and mules, 8,400; neat cattle, 31,000; sheep, 36,900 ; swine, 25,720; value of poultry of all kinds, $8,670; bushels of wheat, 118,100; barley, 730 ; oats, 621,200; rye, 169,550; buckwheat, 46,650; corn, 32,940; pounds of wool, 70,100; hops, 4,830; wax, 760 ; bushels of potatoes, 134,800; tons of hay, 26,820; pounds of sugar, 299,800 ; value of the products of the dairy, $56,550; of the orchard, $5,430; of homemade goods, $71,070. Stores 46, capital, $168,500 ; Fulling mills, 13; Woollen manufactories 2; value of manufactured goods, 15,900; capital, $12,450: value of hats and eaps manufactured, $6,400. Tanneries 29, tanned, 3,710 sides of sole and 7,940 upper leather ; capital, $39,000. Distilleries 47, produced 28,800 gallons ; one brewery, 1,000 gallons. Value of carriages man- tifactured, $9,400. Flouring mills, 2 ; Grist mills, 64 ; Saw mills, 141; Oil mills, 4. Total capital inserted in manufactures, $116,310.
The aggregate amount of property taxable in 1845, was $2,370,- 078 00; whereof $2,312,200 00, was real estate.
The Youghioghany river risis in the extreme south-west angle of Maryland, and flows a north-east course of thirty miles, comparative length, to the Pennsylvania line, where it enters in Pennsylvania, divi- ding Fayette and Somerset counties, forming the western boundary of this, as far as to its passage through Laurel Hill, above which it receives Castleman's river from the east, and of Laurel Hill creek from the north. The union of these three streams at the same point, is called "The Tur- key Foot," from their fancied resemblance to the three toes of a bird's foot; and Turkey Foot township has been so named from this circum- stance. Castleman's river is formed by the union of the Little Youghio- gheny river with Cox's creek, in Milford township; after a circuit- ous route, it flows into the Great Youghiogheny, eleven or twelve miles north of the Maryland line, opposite to the east foot of Sugarloaf moun- tain. It is a rapid stream. These are the principal streams. There are also many important creeks: Somerset, Stoney, Quemahoning, Cox's, Will's, Rush, Buffalo Lick, Blue Lick, Penn's, Shade, Elk Lick, Middle, Scrub, Glade, Laurel Hill, Higgin's, Well's, Miller's, Rhoad's, Conover's Fork ; and a number of runs : Negro Glade, Jones', Rodger's, Oldman's, Little Meadow, Pig Piney, Garey's, Flaherty's, M'Conau- ghey, Beaver Dam, Scaffold Camp, Savage, &c.
'Three of the leading turnpike roads from the east to the west, pass through this county. In the northern part of the county, the main turn- pike road from Philadelphia by Harrisburg, Carlisle, Chambersburg, Bedford, Stoystown, and Greensburg to Pittsburg, passes through. The
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APPENDIX-NO. XXXI.
turnpike from Bedford to Mount Pleasant, &c., passes through the mid- dle of the county. The National turnpike road crosses the south-west corner. There is also a turnpike road leading from the town of Somer- set, by Berlin, to Cumberland in Maryland, from which point a railroad extends to Baltimore. The common roads are generally in a passable condition ; and the large streams have bridges across them.
Education is not in the most flourishing condition ; but, it is believed that ere long this important subject will receive due attention. In some e parts of the county the common-school system is favorably received.
There is an academy of advanced standing in the town of Somerset, ! to which the Legislature some years ago granted $2,000, and since smaller sums. There are nineteen school districts in this county ; fifteen made reports, in which 119 schools were taught : stating that 13 3 additional schools are still wanted in the 15 districts reported. In these schools 2,594 males, and 2,140 females were taught, for three months and a half in 1845. A school tax of $3,466,57 was assessed ; and the State appropriation amounted to $2,061,93. Total cost of instruction $4,444,11 ; fuel and contingencies, $219,87 ; cost of school house, &c., $1,692,86, for 1845. 'The average salaries paid to teachers, $14,- 83 cts. per month.
The religious denominations are Lutherans, German Reformed, Me- thodists, Mennonites, Baptists, Omish, Presbyterians, Catholics, Se- venth Day Baptists, &c.
SOMERSET, (formerly called Brunnerstown) was laid out by Mr. Brunner, in the year 1795, is a handsomely built town, situated on the summit of a hill, near the centre of the county, on the turnpike road from Bedford to Mount Pleasant, Washington and Wheeling. It is 37 miles west of Bedford. It was incorporated by an act of Assembly, March 5th, 1804. The act was enlarged and explained by a supple- mentary act passed April 7, 1807. It has about 675 inhabitants, and contains a court-house, county offices, a jail, an academy, and several churches : German Reformed, Lutheran and Methodist.
'This place was visited by a very destructive fire in October, 1833. Twenty dwelling houses, 15 shops and offices, 3 stores, 2 taverns, in one of which was kept the post office, and a number of stables, smoke houses, and other back buildings, were destroyed.
Berlin, eight miles south of Somerset, was laid out many years ago ; incorporated February 27th, 1821. It contains between 500 and 600 inhabitants. It is 4 miles south of the turnpike road from Bedford to Somerset. It contains several churches.
Stoystown is a flourishing post-town and borough, incorporated March 29, 1819, ten miles north-east of Somerset, on the Bedford and Pittsburg turnpike road. It contains one or two churches. between sixty and seventy dwellings, and about 400 inhabitants. Population in 1840, 357. Mr. Stoy, an old revolutionary soldier, laid out this place. It is said that only a few years ago Mr. Stoy used to point out the ruins of a house built at the time of General Forbes's expedition in the fall of 1758.
There are other villages in this county,-Smithfield, Petersburg, Salis- bury, Milford, Jennersville, Lexington, Shanksville.
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GREENE COUNTY.
[ NO. XXXII. ]
GREENE COUNTY.
GREENE COUNTY was organized February 9, 1796. It was formed from Washington county, within the limits defined by the act : " Begin- ning at the mouth of Ten-mile Creek, on the Monongahela river ; thence up T'en-mile Creek to the junction of the north and south forks of said creek ; thence up said north fork to Col. William Wallace's mills ; thence up a south-westerly direction to the nearest part of the dividing ridge between the north and south forks of Ten-mile Creek ; thence along the top of the said ridge to the ridge which divides the waters of Ten-mile and Wheeling creeks ; thence a straight line to the head of Enlow's branch of the Wheeling; thence down said branch to the western boundary line of the State; thence east along said line to the River Monongahela; and thence down to the place of beginning."
David Grey, Stephen Gapin, Isaac Jenkinson, William Meetkirk and James Seals, were appointed commissioners to procure, by grant, bar- gain or otherwise, any quantity of land not exceeding five hundred acres, within five miles of the centre of the county, and survey and lay out the same into town lots ; and on due notice given sell lots at public auction, so many lots as to raise a fund sufficient, with certain county taxes, to pay for the purchase of the land, and the erection of a Court House and prison. Till a court house was erected, the courts were directed to be held at the house of Jacob Kline, on Muddy creek.
The original boundaries of the county were altered, and part of it reannexed to Washington, in 1802.
Greene county, the extreme southwestern county of Pennsylvania, is bounded on the north by Washington ; on the east by Fayette ; on the south and west by the State of Virginia. It has in length, east and west, 32 miles ; and in breadth, north and south, 19 miles; area 597 square miles, and contains 384,080 acres of land. Population in 1800, 8,605 ; in 1810, 12,544; in 1820, 15,554; in 1830, 18,028; in 1840, 19,147.
The surface of the country is greatly diversified by hills and valleys, though no where mountainous ; and the soil, though rocky, rough and broken in some places, is generally productive: Along some of the streams are delightful vallies, -- fertile river bottoms,-yielding luxuriant crops when well cultivated. Some portions of the county are better adapted to grazing than raising grain. Many of the cattle raised in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, are grazed here before driving to the east- ern markets. Much attention is paid to feeding stock.
Bituminous coal abounds in this county ; some beds are six feet thick, yielding a boundless and inexhaustible supply of that valuable material.
The following exhibits the products, &c., of the county :
Bituminous coal raised 185,342 bushels, capital $4,401. Horses and mules 7,733; neat cattle 19,388; sheep 37,085; swine 36,199, Value
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APPENDIX-NO. XXXII.
of poulry of all kinds, $31,311. Wheat 251,823 bushels; oats 348, 709; rye 33,901 ; buckwheat 31,366; corn 436,607. Wool 69,511 pounds; hops 897; wax 833; potatoes 60,883 bushels; hay 10,798 tons; pounds of sugar made 111,107; value of the products of the dairy $82,180; of the orchard $12, 100; of home-made goods $43,689; stores of all kinds 50, capital $140,885; skins and furs, value produced, $2,004; fulling mills 9; woollen manufactories 4, value of manufactured goods, $11,850; value of hats and caps manufactured, $3,650. Tanneries 15, tanned 2,250 sides of sole and 3,422 upper leather, capital $13,950 .- Distilleries 34, produced 36,415 gallons. One glass house, value of manufactures $12,000. Value of manufactured carriages, $2,000 .- Flouring mills 4, grist mills 207, saw mills 670, oil mills 5. Houses built: brick 94, wooden 251. Total capital invested in manufactures, $290,782.
'The aggregate amount of property taxable in 1840, was $2,191,592, whereof $2,010,950 was real estate.
TOWNSHIPS.
POPULATION.
1820.
1830.
1840.
Jackson,
Wayne,
848
1,130
938
Aleppo,
570
838
650
Rich Hill,
687
994
1,384
Washington,
936
Morris,
1,259
1,575
1,162 - -
Centre,
795
1,020
1,503
Morgan,
1,622
1,723
1,094
Dunkard,
1,472
1,336
1,292
Whiteley,
1,722
1,875
2,043
Marion,
597
Cumberland,
1,731
1,896
1,958
Greene,
1,801
752
611
cre
sis
p
Total,
15,554 18,028
19,147
The Monongahela river, whose sources rise in the western spurs of the Appalachian mountains, and receives many small streams before it reaches Pennsylvania, flows along the eastern side of the county, sepe- rating it from Fayette. The other principal streams are Dunkard's, Whitely, Ten-mile creek, &c.
Dunkard's creek is a considerable stream, and flows along the south boundary of the State,-sometimes deviating into Virginia,-the whole length of the county, to the Monongahela, or its eastern boundary .- Whitely creek has a course of about fifteen miles-flows eastward into the Monongahela. Ten-mile creek rises in Rich Hill township-flows east through the whole county, by Clarksville, and several miles beyond it-empties into the Monongahela river. The other creeks are Muddy, Wheeling, Fish, Cheat, Ruff's, Bate's, Brown's, and Bush Fork, Gray's Fork, &c.
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Jefferson,
1,158
1,292
1,295
Franklin,
1,591
2,347
1,486
erto
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1,185
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Monongahela,
1,250
1,178
GREENE COUNTY.
The adult, male population was variously employed. In mining 6; agriculture 3,812 ; commerce 64 ; manufactures and trades 815 ; navi- gation of rivers 8; learned professions 46.
Timber is so abundant here as to be of little value. Much of this county is still uncleared : where the axe has not yet done its work, the land is covered with every variety of timber indigenous to the west, of the largest growth. Oak, poplar, walnut, hickory, ash, locust and sugar maple, extend over a considerable portion of the county. More than 111,000 pounds of sugar are annually manufactured in this county, from the sap of the Acer saccharinum, or sugar maple.
Public improvements, in the usual acceptation of the term, there are none in this county. Neither railroads, turnpikes or canals ; however, several State roads have been constructed, leading in different directions from the county seat. The common roads are generally kept in a good condition, and bridges are built over the principal streams, where the main roads cross.
Education does not receive that attention the subject deserves. Hith- erto it has been much neglected. There is an Academy of advanced standing at Waynesburg, and one at Carmichaelstown. There are 17 school districts in this county, and only six made reports to the super- intendent of schools in 1845. These reported 56 schools, in which 1,059 males, and 977 females were taught six months. A school tax of $1,764 58 was assessed. State appropriation amounted to $935 52.
The religious denominations are Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians ; but Catholics are most numerous.
WAYNESBURG, the county seat, was laid out when the county was erected in 1796. The land was purchased, in conformity with the act of February 9th, 1796, from Thomas Slater, laid out into lots and sold. The town was incorporated January 29th, 1816. It is situated nearly in the centre of the county, in a fertile valley on the bank of Ten mile creek, 11 miles from the Monongahela river. The public buildings con- sist of a neat Court House and county offices built of brick, a stone prison, an academy and four houses of public worship-two belonging to the Methodists, one Presbyterian, and one Catholic.
Greensburg, on the Monongahela, 20 miles southeast from Waynes- burg, was once a place of considerable trade-a depot for produce sent down the river in arks and steamboats ; larger places on the Ohio and National road, have diverted the trade from this point. Opposite this place is New Geneva, noticed in Fayette county.
Carmichaelstown, or New Lisbon, is a village of some importance, in a rich and beautiful valley on Muddy creek, 12 miles eastward from Waynesburg. Here is the county academy, which has sustained a fair reputation. The academy, called " Green Academy," was incorporated March 20, 1810, $2,000 were given to it on condition that a number of poor children not exceeding six, should be taught annually therein.
Newtown is on Whiteley creek, in the southern part of the county.
Mount Morris is on Dunkard's creek, near the Virginia line. Be- sides these there are several smaller villages, Mapletown, Clarksville, Jefferson, Morrisville, Clinton.
"That extensive district now composing Greene, Washington and
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APPENDIX-NO. XXXII.
Fayette counties, and a part of Somerset, was originally supposed to be included within the boundaries of Virginia, and was first settled, or rather first visited, by adventurers from that State and Maryland. As early as 1754, David Tygart had settled in the valley which still bears his name in North-western Virginia. Several other families and indi- viduals came into the region in the course of five or six years afterwards. These early adventurers were men of iron nerves and stout hearts-a compound of the hunter, the warrior, and the husbandman ; they came prepared to endure all the hardships of life in the wilderness ; to encoun- ter its risks, and defend their precarious homes against the wily natives of the forest. For some 10 or 15 years the possession of the country was hotly contested, and alternately held and abandoned by the English on the one hand, and the French and Indians on the other. Families were frequently murdered, cabins burnt, and the settlement thus for a time broken up. Stockade forts were resorted to by the inhabitants for the protection of their families in time of invasion. One of these, called Jarret's fort, was situated on Whitley creek, about seven miles west of Greensburg. Settlements were made at a very early date by the Rev. John Corbly and his family, and others, on Muddy creek. The follow- ing narrative was given by him in a letter to Rev. Wm. Rogers of Phila- delphia, in the year 1785 :
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