USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > Gazetteer and business directory of Erie County, Pa., for 1873-4 > Part 6
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CONCORD STATION, (p. v.,) on the P. & E. R. R., and between that and the A. & G. W. R. R., in the western part, is a place of considerable importance, and contains one church, (M. E.,) one hotel, three saw mills, two grist mills, two schools, one blacksmith shop, one cooper shop, and about fifty houses. There are two depots, one for each road. Beaver River affords a very good water power during the most part of the year.
LOVELLS STATION (p. o.) is a hamlet and station on the P. & E. and A. & G. W. R. R.'s, about four miles west of Corry.
The first settlers were Wm. Miles and his family, and Wm. Cook and family, who came together in 1795. Mr. Miles was a Revolutionary soldier, and at the capture of Fort Freeland, was made a prisoner and taken to Canada, where he remained until peace was declared. After his return, he was appointed one of the surveyors of the Tenth Donation Tract. This was about ten years before he finally located here. In 1800 Mr. Miles removed to Union City, where he laid the foundations of that thriving borough. Joseph Hall, a native of Virginia, where he was born Dec. 6th, 1765, moved to Beaver Dam in 1797, where he remained until 1800, when he came to this township and located at Concord Station. He died here in his Sist year. Anna, his wife, survived him until 1861, when she died at the age of 89.
Belknap & Sons' Saw and Grist Mills are run by water power. The saw mills cut about 300.000 feet of lumber per year.
Baron's Saw Mil has a capacity for cutting 1,000 feet per hour; hem- lock is the principal lumber manufactured. The mill is driven bp steam, and employs seven men.
Smith's Saw Mill cuts from two to three hundred thousand feet per annum.
Young's Steam Saw Mill cuts from five to ten thousand feet of lumber per day ; principally beach and maple.
Wellman & Co's Shingle Mill has a capacity for cutting 3.000,000 pine shingles per year.
Elvis Lath and Spring Bed Works employ six to eight men, and can marinfacture 100 spring beds and 6,000 to 8,000 pieces of lath per day. They also manufacture clothes pins quite extensively.
Crowell's Saw Mill, on French Creek, at Lovells Station, cuts about 2,000 feet per day.
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CONCORD-CONNEAUT.
Hitchcock Bros. & Beach's Steam Saw Mill, in the south-east part, has a capacity for cutting 10,000 to 14,000 feet per day. A track from the mill connects with the Oil Creek R. R. Six men are employed.
White, Chapman & Co's Saw Mill employ six men and has a capacity for manufacturing 10,000 feet of lumber per day.
James McCrea, a native of Ireland, came to this township, in 1796, and settled on the place where his son Robert was born, and still resides. James McCrea's father (James) came here with him, and aided in clearing the farm. Simeon Stewart, John Lilley, James Crowell, Russell Darrow and Stephen Hollis, were early settlers.
The opening of the oil regions, and the building up of Corry, together with the abundant railroad facilities for transportation of lumber and other products, have very materially helped to develop the resources of this township. Several oil wells have been sunk in this township, none of which were remunerative.
CONNEAUT, one of the original townships, located in the south-west corner of the County, is bounded north by Conneaut Creek and Girard, on the east by Elk Creek township, on the south by Crawford County and on the west by Spring- field and Ohio. The surface is generally level with gentle declivities towards the streams. The soil of the bottom lands is a very rich alluvium, and is well adapted to grass and grain. Gravel loam predominates on the table lands, and the up- lands are mostly clavey. Grain farming and stock raising are profitable branches of husbandry. The township is watered principally by Conneaut Creek and its tributaries.
The population of the township in 1870 was 1,990, of whom 1,907 were native, 83 foreign and all, except 5, white. Its area is 25,322 acres. The number of schools during the year ending June 3, 18:2, was 14, employing 22 teachers. The number of children attending school was 188 males and 209 females ; and the average attendance was 221, at a cost per pupil of 71 cents per month. The amount expended for school purposes was $2,187.89.
The Erie and Pittsburg Railroad crosses the eastern portion of the township. The Beaver and Erie Canal (now discon- tinued) crosses the south-eastern part, passing in its course through the borough of Albion.
ALBION BOROUGH, (p. v.,) incorporated in 1860, and located near the center of the east border, 26 miles south-west of Erie, is a thriving town of about 500 inhabitants. It is one mile east of Albion Station, on the E. & P. R. R .. and
1
49
CONNEAUT.
contains one church, (M. E.,) one union school,* two dry goods, two hardware, one drug, one flour and feed, one grocery and one furniture store, one hotel, one merchant tailor, three harness, three blacksmith and two wagon shops, one shingle factory, one horse-rake factory, one woolen mill, three saw mills and one grist mill. The extensive fork and handle factory of A. Denio bas for many years been located here, but owing to the increased facilities offered at Girard, these works have been removed there.
ALBION STATION on the E. & P. R. R., one mile west of the borough, contains two eating saloons and the Depot. It is said that there is more freight shipped from this station than from any other between Erie and Sharon.
Mason's Shingle Mill, at Albion, employs five men and has a capacity for turning out 10,000 shingles per day, but owing to scarcity of timber the anual cut is only about 1,100,000.
Albion Woolen Mills, rebuilt in 1866, on the site of the old mill erected about 1840, by W. H. Gray, is owned and operated by T. Thornton & Sons, who manufacture annually about 6,000 yards of various kinds of cloth for domestic consumption. The firm also manufacture lumber.
Andrew's Horse Rake Factory, located at Albion, was established in 1856 and supplies to the market about 1,500 superior revolving rakes annually. Mr. Andrews also saws from three to five hundred thousand feet of lumber each year.
Albion Flouring Mills, owned by O. E. Gleason, of Corry, and superin- tended by J. R. Ferguson, has two runs of stones, and confines its business chiefly to custom grinding. Connected with the grist mill is a saw mill, which cuts about 200,000 feet of lumber annually.
Andreus & Thornton's Oar Works, at Albion, turned out about 200.000 feet of oars during the year 1872.
Western Star Lodge, No. 304, A. Y. M., was chartered Dec. 1, 1856. Regular communications first and third Tuesdays of each month.
Albion Lodge, No. 376, I. O. of O. F., was instituted in 1849. The charter and books were burned in 1851. The present number of members is fifty.
CHERRY HILL, (p. o.,) in the north part, is a hamlet contain- ing one church, (Methodist,) two general stores and one blacksmith shop. The place is pleasantly situated on elevated ground.
KEEPVILLE, (p. o .. ) formally known as Harrisonville. a hamlet on a branch of the Conneaut, and a station on the E. & P. R. R., about two and a half miles south-west of Albion, contains a cheese factory, one store and one church, (M. E.)
Keepville Cheese Factory, erected in 1973, by Amos K. Keep, H. Stoddard and Josiah J. Pelton, at a cost of $1,500, is expected to use the milk of 400 cows.
Keepville Lodge, No. 1.022, 1. 0. of G. T., was organized Dec. 1872 with thirteen members. The membership has since (June 1873) increased to forty. The society is in a flourishing condition, and they contemplate building a society hall at Keepville.
* The Union School comprises two departments with two teachers who are employed during nine months of the year. About 100 pupils are in attendance. The building, with furniture and apparatus, cost $7.(M). The amount expended for school purposes during the year ending June 3, 1822, was $2, 112.98.
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CONNEAUT.
M. & A. Fell's Steam Saw Mill, on the West Branch of the Conneaut, near the center of the township, has a capacity for cutting six to eight thousand feet of lumber per day. The owners reside in Mercer Co. John Harrington is superintendent of the mill.
Keep & Alvord's Saw Mill, also on the West Branch of the Conneaut, has a capacity of cutting about 2.000 feet of lumber rer day.
Akerli's Shingle Mill, in the south-west part, manufactures about 700,000 shingles annually.
Settlement began about 1795, in which year Jonathan-Spauld- ing emigrated from the State of New York. His sons, David, born in this township in 1802, John, born in 1806, and Geo., born in 1816, still reside here. They say that their father was one of the first settlers. Henry Wood was born in this township about 1798. He died in 18:2. Mrs. Ruth Harrington, (widow of Matthews,) whose maiden name was Crane, says she was the first white child born in the township ; she was born April 20, 1:99. Her father, Elihu Crane. and uncle, Abiathar Crane, from Conn., settled here in 1798. Matthews Harrington, born in Vt., in 1782, came to this township in 1800. and settled at Cherry Hill. He made the first permanent settlement in that part, and helped build the first permanent roads in the township. During the war of 1812-14 he went to Erie to aid in the defense of that place against any attack by the British. He raised a family of ten children, most of whom settled in this township. He died in 1864 at the age of S? years. His father, Israel Harrington, a native of Rhode Island and a soldier in the Revolution, moved here in 1822. and after a short residence near his son, moved to Sandusky, Ohio, where he died in 1825. Wm. Harrington, the oldest of Matthews' children, was born here in 1805. His family of six children are all located within a mile of his own residence.
George Griffy located on several hundred acres of land in 1800, and resided here until his death in 1843. Andrew Cole, from Onondaga Co., N. Y., came about 1800 and resided here until his death, in 1862. He was among the builders of the first roads. Stephen Randall, and Sheffield, his son, from Rensselaer Co., N. Y., also came in 1800, and settled about a mile west of Keepville. Robert McKee, from near Carlisle, in this State, settled near Cherry Hill in 1801, and helped to build the first roads. Henry Ball. of Fredericksburg, Va., settled in the north-east part of the township in 1802. Ile served as Captain in the war of 1812, and died in 1862. at the age of 83. Patrick Kennedy, of Conn., who had previously visited Erie with a party of surveyors, moved to this township about 1802, and resided here until his death, in 1813. His son. Royal Kennedy, came with his father and remained until his death, in 1860. Marsena Keep, from Montgomery Co., N. Y., located at Keepville in 1803,
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CONNEAUT.
and made the first permanent settlement in that part of the township. He resided here until his death. in 1851. Marsena Keep, Jr., came here with his father and still resides here. He has held several offices of trust, and has helped to clear the land of its native forests. Daniel B. Keep, of this town, Wm. R., of Elk Creek, and Matthew L., of Crawford Co., are brothers of Marsana, Jr., and were all born here.
Lyman Jackson, from Otsego Co., N. Y., moved here in 1806. His son, Michael, came in 1810, remained a few months, returned to Otsego Co. N. Y., and finally moved here with his family in 1815. and located on the present sight of Albion borough, where he says he built the first saw mill that was put in operation here. Amos King built the first grist mill. at Albion. Stephen Rumses built the first distillery, at what was then known as " Lexington," about three miles north of Albion. The first death in the township is said to have been that of Mrs. Alesander; her husband was probably the first settler at Albion. Patrick Kennedy and Wm. Paine were among the first. The latter died here in 1853. He had, late in the last century, first visited this County with the surveying party, of which Patrick Kennedy was a member, which wintered at Erie. H. came here about 1816. Lyman Jackson taught the first school in Albion. Geo. Stuntz, from Barclay Co .. Va., moved first to Beaver township, Crawford Co., thence to Ohio, and tinally located at Albion, in 1815. He was for many years a local preacher in the M. E. Church. In 1845 he moved to Elk Creek, where he died in 1866. E. W. Stuntz. son of Geo., came here in 1815 with his father. He has surveyed many of the tarms hereabouts, and has several times been school director. He says that a daughter was born to Abither Crane on the same night that Mrs. Harrington was born, and that the two cousins were the first white children born in the township. Nathaniel Pomeroy, a native of Mass., moved bere in 1815, and remained here until 1838, when he went to Elk Creek township, where he still resides at the age of 79 years. Bartholomew Fobes. from New York, was one of tire early settlers. He is now 82 years of age. Howard, John, Nathan. Elias and David Salisbury, settled in the north part of the township, on Conneaut Creek, at a very early dar. An Indian path was the only road in that section. They were often surprised by wild animals, as were many others of the car's settlers. The Salisburys planted the first orchard in that part. of the township. Benjamin Carr, now SO years of age, moved from Essex Co., N. Y .. m 1816, to Springfield township, wher .. he remained nosti! 1834. at which time be came here. James W.and G. Spicer, from New York, located in the north part, near
52
CONNEAUT-CORRY CITY.
Conneaut Creek, in 1816. Noah Kidder, and Francis, his son, came from New Hampshire, in 1817, to Springfield, and to this township in 1819. Edward De Wolf, from Saratoga Co., N. Y., came in 1819, and Wm. B., his son, came in 1820. Daniel Rossiter, from Chautauqua Co., N. Y., came in 1819. Abijah Barns, from Cayuga Co .. N. Y., came in 1818. Rhodoiphus Loomis, came from Chautauqua Co., N. Y., in 1820. Jonas. Lewis came in 1829, John Curtis and Wm. Cornell, in 1832, Andrew and Silas Morrison, and Chester Morley, in 1833, Hiram Griffis, Christopher Cross and Edward Dorrance, in 1834, Daniel Waters, Andrew Swap and Joseph Tubbs. in 1837, Isaiah and Johnson Pelton, in 1838, and Marcus A. Bumpus, in 1839. A large number of the settlers were from Onondaga Co., N. Y.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Albion was organized in 1855 with about 100 members by Rev. Calvin Kingsley. The first pastor was Rev. I. O. Fisher : the present one is Rev. S. M. Clark. The Church edifice was erected in 1855, at a cost of $2,500, and will seat about 400 persons. The present membership is about 100, and the Church property is valued at $5,000. Connected with this Church, at Kidders Corners, in the north- western part of the township, is a small class of about 20 members. -[Information furnished by E. W. Stuntz.
The Wesleyan Methodist Church at Keepville was organized with about 14 members, in 1854, by the Wesleyan Methodist Society. Rev. John L. Moore was the first pastor. The Church editice was erected in 1854, at a cost of $1,000, and will seat about 200 persons. The present value of the Church property is $1,500. The society has not flourished here and the church is occupied by the Methodist Episcopals. Rev. J. B. Wright is the present pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal Church at Cherry Hill was organized with about 15 members, in 1858, by Rev. J. W. Wilson; Rev I. O. Fisher, was the first pastor. At present their is no settled pastor: Rev. Mr. Lowe, of Girard, supplies the pulpit. The Church edifice was erected in 1858, at a cost of $1,250, and will seat 150 persons. The present value of the Church property is $2,000 .- [Information furnished by Moses VanSlyke.
CORRY CITY, formed from Concord and Wayne, was incorporated by act of the Legislature, in 1866. It is situated on the eastern line of the County, at the junction of the Philadelphia & Erie, Atlantic & Great Western. Od Creek, and Buffalo, Corry & Pittsburg Railroads, and is one of those remarkable cities, that sometimes spring suddenly into existence, pushed irresistably on ward, to satisfy the demands of necessity. No sane man would have selected the site on which Corry stands, as a fit place to found a city, because of its splendid water power, or by reason of its lovely scenery or rich agricultural population immediately surrounding it ; for its natural water privileges consisted of insignificant brooks and pond holes; and thirteen years ago the surface was either hill or marsh, and mostly clothed with an unbroken forest. In 1858 the Philadelphia & Erie R. R.
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CORRY CITY.
was completed through this section. In 1861, in June, the Atlantic & Great Western R. R. was completed to this point, and a junction was formed with the P. & E. R. R., and the place was called "Atlantic and Erie Junction." Sub- sequently, in October of that year, Mr. Hill, then acting as general superintendent, of the A. & G. W. R. R., changed the name to "Corry," in honor, it is understood, of Hiram Cory, a resident farmer.
About this time the Oil Fever began to rage, and capitalists invested heavily in wells and refineries. From Titusville north, the oil had to be drawn overland by teams, and the nearest and most accessible point to the railroad was sought after. Mr. W. H. L. Smith was sent out by the Downer Oil Co., of Boston, to find the best location on the railroad for a refinery. After visiting Union Mills and Columbus, his choice fell on the little flag station, since known as "Corry." Mr. Smith purchased Mr. Corry's farm of sixty acres, and sent to Boston for Eugene Wright to come and superintend the clearing of land and erection of works. The land was laid out in lots, streets were located and worked as necessity required. The first building erected was an eating house, by S. A. Bennett, at the Junction. The first regularly constructed frame building is said to have been an office of the Downer Oil Co., in the fall of 1861. It soon became evident that Corry was to be the north-eastern outlet to the oil regions, and improvements were rapidly pushed forward. A post office was established, and C. S. Harris was the first post master. This same fall, (1861,) a small refinery, known as the "Frenchman's," in rear of the Downer Oil Works, was put in operation. The spring of 1862 witnessed great activity at Corry. In that year the Downer Oil Works, the Kent Oil Works, the Boston Hotel, Gilson House, and several stores and dwellings, besides depots and storehouses were erected; the Oil Creek Railroad was completed from Titusville, and the P. & E. R. R. was crossed by the A. & G. W. R. R. Main Street and First Avenue were laid out and opened, and the future prosperity and growth of Corry was insured. The place was filled with a population of working people. It was no place then for idlers or loungers. The land had to be drained ; stumps and logs removed from the streets, aud the roadbed improved. Labor was at a premium. During the season of 1863 improvements progressed, a newspaper, the " Corry City News," was commenced, and in the autumn of that Vear the place was organized as a Borough, and S. A. Bennett was elected Burgess. The season of 1864 brought many other improvements to Corry, and although building was pushed forward rapidly as possible, the town was constantly full to
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CORRY CITY.
overflowing. Hotel keepers grew rich without effort, so great was the rush of travelers. Space will not admit of a lengthy following of the rise and growth of Corry since 1864 to the present time. In that year Mr. G. W. N. Yost began extensive improvements. The First National Bank and Corry National
Bank were organized with a capital of $100,000 each. Manu- factories were erected, and the Concord Street School House was built. In 1866 the Borough became a City, as previously stated. The prosperity of the town has not progressed withont its interruptions. Speculation has run rife and mercantile business has been overdone; so that in many cases, fortunes expected have not been realized. At present Corry contains eight churches, (Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, Catholic, United Brethren, two Methodist and the Christian Chipel,) three public school buildings, a City Hall, on the corner of Center and South Streets, 140x64 feet, the ground floor of which is occupied by the Post Office, Fire Department and two stores; the Council Chamber, Mechanics Institute and offices occupying the second floor, while a public hall, 60x100 feet, is on the third floor, the building costing the City $30,000, the Corry Machine Works, now Gibbs & Sterrett Manu- facturing Co., the Frank S. Allen Manufacturing Co., a brush factory, barrel factory, Corry Manufacturing and Lumber Co., Corry Furniture Co., two tanneries, a soap factory, two planing mills and sash, door and blind factories, the Novelty Works machine shop, a sewer pipe works, shovel, hoe and fork-handle factory, a bent stuff factory, a candy factory, two newspaper offices, gas and water works, &c. The population of the city in 1870 was 6,809, of whom 5,080 were natives, 1.129 foreign, and all, except 83, white. ' The present population will not vary much from that of 1870. During the year ending June 3, 1872, there were 19 schools, employing 1 male and 20 female teachers. The number of children attending school was 654 males and 701 females, and the average attendance was 967, at a cost per month per pupil of $1.14. The total expenditure for school purposes was $36,381.24. At the present time the city contains 16 streets.
The success of Corry in the future will depend much upon her manufactures. The people are waking up to the necessity of fostering institutions of this kind, and the city has recently aided by her bonds several mannfactories, and others no doubt will in the same way be induced to locate here. It is due to the enterprise of the place to mention more at length some of the important establishments. The extracts here given are mainly taken from a recent number of the Corry Weekly Republican :
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CORRY CITY.
The Downer Oil Works (now Corry Kerosene Oil Works) were pro- jected in 1861, "and during the winter of 1861-2, every preparation was completed foractive and earnest work in the Spring to follow. Good clay for brick-making was found between First and Second Avenues, and on the 20th or 30th of April, 1862, the first bricks for the Works were there moulded. L. J. Tibbals superintended this branch of the business; C.eo. H. Coney was charged with a supervision of the building operations, with Eugene Wright as assistant, while Mr. Smith held the position of business man and Manager. Nearly 1,500,000 bricks were used in the construction of buildings for the Downer Oil Works. In the Summer of 1862, a con- siderable number of wooden buildings were also erected, so that seven and three-fourths acres appropriated for the purpose, had about two-thirds of their area covered with buildings. The brick structures were parti- tioned with solid brick walls on foundations several feet below the surface, and each apartment supplied with fixtures for the introduction of steam in case of fire. One apartment was fitted for a Blacksmith Shop, another for a Machine Shop, another for a Wood Shop and Planing Mill, and a seperate building for a Barrel Factory. Iron Tankage capable of storing 60,000 barrels of oil was also constructed, fourteen Stills put in with an aggregate capacity of 1000 barrels, and four engines with all aggregate power of 150 horses were supplied with steam by one tubular and two large double-flue boilers. Several miles of gas pipe were used in making connections. Four steam pumps and two rotaries supply the various purposes of the establishment; and sufficient hose to reach from the pumps to any portion of the buildings, is alway's ready for any emerg- ency that may call for its use. An Ice House, capable of storing 20,000 tons of ice, is a part of the Works, and is annually supplied from an artificial pond adjoining. Along the entire front of the Works extend Railroad tracks, corresponding in gauge with the several lines centering here, so that the products of the establishment can be transported to any point in the Union accessible by rail, without breaking bulk. To insure a permanent supply of 20od water, iron pipes were laid from the hill South of the city-a stretch of half a mile, and emptied into a pond near the buildings, excavated for the purpose."
"Corry Machine Shops .- These immense works were built some years since by G. W. N. Yost, but after passing through various vicisitudes they were closed and were an eye sore, not only to our citizens but to all who traveled through the place. Last spring Messrs. Gibbs, Sterrett & Co., heavy manufacturers of engines, boilers and mill gearing at Nunda. N. Y., and well tools &c., at Titusville, agreed with the city to remove their Nunda works to this place and buy the old shops, fit them up and open the manufacture of engines and boilers, mill gearing, mowing machines etc .. therein ; the city to give them a bonus of 880,000. They have removed their machinery and hands from Nunda, and have the machinery nearly all placed. They have new roofed about an acre of their buildings and are pushing the repairs on the balance as rapidly as possible. They have over 850,000 worth of patterns for mill gearing alone. comprising patterns of cog wheels from a few inches in diameter to eight feet. They are now prepared to do all kinds of job work in the line of will gearing. They will have a large mimber of men at work making mowing machines within a few days. They intend to have 2,000 machines ready for the summer trade of '74. They are now running 100 men, and within 30 days will have nearly double that number. They took off their first heat in their immense foundry on Friday last. This Company is known far and wide as A No. 1. and we may well feel elated to think we have secured the location of their works here. There are several gentlemen connected with this Company who will make their home with ns after a short time. We were pleased to meet Mr. John Reed, cashier of the works here, a few days ago. He is a very pleasant business man, and we bespeak for him a cordial welcome."
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