USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > Bridgeport > Hart's history and directory of the three towns, Brownsville, Bridgeport, West Brownsville also abridged history of Fayette county & western Pennsylvania > Part 12
USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > West Brownsville > Hart's history and directory of the three towns, Brownsville, Bridgeport, West Brownsville also abridged history of Fayette county & western Pennsylvania > Part 12
USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Brownsville > Hart's history and directory of the three towns, Brownsville, Bridgeport, West Brownsville also abridged history of Fayette county & western Pennsylvania > Part 12
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
The standing of Colonel Crawford as a civil engineer, and the confidence in his superior ability, is shown by the great Pennsylvania Railroad company in the fact that he has charge of all new lines constructed by that company or in which that company is interested. He is chief engineer of the Monon- gahela River road and the Connellsville Central.
ROBERT W. TAYLOR, JR., was born in Muskegon, Michigan, July 4, 1872, and is a son of R. W. and Josephine (Chollette) Taylor. While he was yet quite young his parents moved to Chicago and it was in the schools of that
125
Joseph C. Grooms
city that he received his early education. He afterwards took a course in the Toledo (Ohio) Manual Training School and at LaFayette College, Easton, Pa.
After completing his education he accepted a position with the Lehigh Valley railroad as draftsman, where he remained from 1894 to 1897. His office was located at Delano, Pa. From 1897 to 1899 he was assistant engineer of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton railroad with headquarters at Cincinnati. He then accepted the position of assistant engineer in charge of construction on the Lackawanna railroad with headquarters at Hoboken, N. J., where he remained till some time during 1900 when he went to the B. & (). as assistant engineer with headquarters at Baltimore. He remained here till 1901 when he accepted his present position, that of assistant engineer of the P. R. R. Mr. Taylor was engineer in charge of construction for the Monongahela railroad and occupies the same position on the Connellsville Central and deserves great credit for the excellent work done on the Monon- gahela railroad and on the Connellsville Central in and around the Three Towns.
November 14, 1895, Mr. Taylor married Miss Sara B. Wenner, daughter of Reuben and Elizabeth (Walton) Wenner. They have two children, Eliza- beth and Evlyn A. Taylor.
While Mr. Taylor is yet a young man he stands high in railroad circles and is rapidly winning his way to deserved prominence.
JOSEPH C. GROOMS, the subject of this sketch, is one of our self-made men, and it is with pleasure and justifiable pride that we include a short sketch of his remarkably successful career among those of other prominent men of the Three Towns. Perhaps no greater or more deserved mark of respect can be shown Mr. Grooms than by quoting the following from the Pittsburgh Press in its report of the grand opening and gala day held in Brownsville at the formal opening of the Monongahela Railroad for traffic. Of that oc- casion the Press says:
"The official in whom the citizens of Brownsville and Bridgeport felt most greatly and directly interested, and whom they did their best to royally entertain, was Joseph C. Grooms, the Land and Claim Agent of the Pitts- burgh & Lake Erie Company. Mr. Grooms is probably as well known in the Monongahela Valley as any other railroad man. His biography is largely a history of the construction of railroads in this valley, and having been born and raised in Brownsville, the residents feel that the bringing of a railroad to Brownsville, and through to points beyond, is largely the result of Mr. Groom's personal efforts."
He is a son of the late Dr. Jas. B. Grooms, and was born at Carmichels, Pa., March 7th, 1859, and came to Brownsville in 1866, where he entered the
126
Joseph C. Grooms
public schools, taking the full course, and afterwards attending the Eden- burg State Normal, and for several years taught in the public schools.
He got an early taste for business in selling newspapers which at that time were brought to Brownsville on the old packet lines, where he would get them at four o'clock in the morning to be distributed among his various customers. After this he was connected with numerous enterprises.
When the Pennsylvania Railroad was completed to West Brownsville in 1881, he went into the office under Mr. W. A. Coburn, as clerk. From this position he was promoted to that of agent for the same company at East Eliza- beth station, where he remained until the Mckeesport and Belle Vernon Railroad was constructed.
This road did not do much business at first and had a hard struggle for existence for a time. Mr. Grooms cultivated the acquaintance of the offi- cials of this new road, and later, when they offered him the position of General Passenger and Freight Agent, his friends thought it would be an injudicious move for him to relinquish the opportunities for advancement with a great system like the Pennsylvania for the not over-brilliant prospects and pos- sibilities of the new road, but Mr. Grooms did not think so, and accepted the position. As the titled official of a new road he soon came in contact with other railroad officials, among them Col. J. M. Schoonmaker and ex-Judge J. H. Reed. Their associations soon warmed into a friendship that has ever since continued, and a short time afterwards, when the MeKecsport & Belle Vernon R. R. was taken over by the P. & L. E. R. R., Mr. Grooms was made General Agent in the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Valleys of the latter corporation, and in 1895 was appointed to the position of Land and Claim Agent of that company, which office he still holds with credit, both to him- self and the company.
When the Pittsburg and Lake Erie and the Pennsylvania, determined to build the Monongahela railroad, Mr. Grooms was selected to purchase the right of way through this section of the country and particularly through the Three Towns. Owing to the vast amount of valuable property that had to be bought, particularly through the "Neck" in Brownsville and further down the river, this was a Hurculean task, but no better man than Mr. Grooms could have been found. It certainly speaks volumes for him to state the fact that notwithstanding the extent and value of the property the railroad had to have, up to the present time but one lawsuit has resulted. While he is an affable and pleasant gentleman, he is active and ever alert to the interests of the corporation he represents.
He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a Shriner, and a member of the M. E. Church. He is also a director of the Fourth National Bank of Pittsburg.
In 1884 Mr. Grooms was married to Miss Jessie Ferguson, and they went to housekeeping in West Elizabeth. He now lives in the Oakland district, Pittsburg, but has never forgotten his old friends nor the scenes of his early days.
Mr. Grooms is not only popular with the people but stands high with the officers of the P. & L. E. and in railroad circles generally.
127
George Dorsey-John Ermire
GEORGE DORSEY is one of Washington County's most prominent and most highly respected citizens. He was born in East Bethlehem Township, that county, November 11, 1833, and is a son of James and Elizabeth (Elder) Dorsey who came to Washington County from Maryland in an carly day. His grandparents were both born near Elicastle City which is about twenty miles from Baltimore, and came across the mountains and settled in Wash- ington County in 1782, locating on 1,500 acres of land (a tomahawk claim) 375 acres of which Mr. Dorsey still owns.
Mr. Dorsey received his education principally in the West Brownsville schools and has followed farming, stock-raising and trafficking in wool and coal all his life except such time as he has devoted of late to railroading being now one of the right-of-way men for the P. R. R., the Monongahela railroad and the Connellsville Central. His sons now run the farm.
January 1, 1854, Mr. Dorsey married Miss Martha Phillips, a daughter of Solomon and Mariah (Garrett) Phillips. To this union there were born nine children, six of whom died in infancy. The living are Mariah Elizabeth, now the wife of W. S. Grimes who resides in East Pike Run Township, Wash- ington County, Pa,. Cashius A. and Charles I., who as before stated now live upon and run the home farm. The two sons married sisters, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. John Watkins.
JOHN ERMIRE, the present efficient superintendent of the Monongahela railroad, with headquarters in Brownsville, is a native of Pennsylvania and was born in Wilmore, Cambria County. He is a son of Peter and Mary (O'Neil ) Ermire, and was educated in the public schools of his native borough. He carly evinced a taste for railroading and at the age of twelve years, learned telegraphy at the station of his home town. He held his first position where he had learned the business, in 1872. Subsequently he held the position of operator at Johnstown, Irwin, Derry Station and was promoted to yard- master on the P., V. & C. at Thompson, in October, 1883.
The next position to which Mr. Ermire was called was that of yardmaster and assistant trainmaster of the Southwestern Pennsylvania railroad at Uniontown being later promoted to train dispatcher on the Pennsylvania railroad at Altoona. July 1, 1900, he was again promoted, this time being made assistant trainmaster of the Monongahela division of the P. R. R. (South Side), later coming to West Brownsville.
When the Monongahela railroad was opened up for traffic, without any expectation on his part or any effort for such a consummation, Col. J. M. Schoonmaker, President of the road, tendered him the position of Super- intendent of the new road, which he accepted. The position was tendered Mr. Ermire by Colonel Schoonmaker, as a surprise, he having arranged the whole matter with the other officers of the P. R. R. at Philadelphia. It was a merited mark of approval and one of which Mr. Ermire may well feel proud.
Some years ago Mr. Ermire was married to Miss Mary Moran, daughter of Captain John and Ellen (Owens) Moran of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. In August, 1902 they moved to Brownsville where they still reside.
128
Harry W. Shank-W. A. Coburn
HARRY W. SHANK was born at Renova, Centre County, Pennsylvania, February 17, 1875 and is a son of Jacob and Annie E.(Irvin) Shank. He received his early education in the Eagleville and Beech Creek schools and afterwards took a course in civil engineering in the International Correspond- ence schools, at Scranton, Pa.
In 1891 he accepted a position as telegraph operator on the Becch Creek railroad where he remained till 1893 when he went to the Monongahela Division of the P. R. R. In 1899 he was promoted to train dispatcher on the same road, which position he filled in the most satisfactory manner till 1903 when he was given the position of trainmaster on the Monongahela railroad with headquarters at Brownsville.
Mr. Shank is a popular young man, in railroad as well as in social circles and no doubt has a brilliant career before him. August 15, 1897. he married Miss Clara M. Hayes, a popular and accomplished young lady of Pittsburg. They have one child, a little daughter, Edna, and reside in Bridgeport, Pa.
W. A. COBURN who is at present and has for many years been station agent of the P., V. & C. at West Brownsville, was born in Monroe, Pennsylvania, August 24, 1849, but his parents moved to Bridgeport when he was quite small and it was here that he received his education under such teachers as Gibbons, Langdon and Horner who were considered the best and most pro- gressive teachers of their day. He is a son of Gary D. and Phoebe (Ran- dolph) Coburn. For some time he conducted a mercantile business in the building that is now the P., V. & C. Railroad depot.
Mr. Coburn learned the cabinetmaking trade under Isaac Stevens in Frankfort Springs, Pennsylvania, and continued in that business for seven years when he returned to Brownsville and again entered the mercantile business having a shoe store in the "Neck." In connection with this he also handled the business for the Adams Express Company.
In 1880 he accepted a position with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as express messenger and to handle the freight between Belle Vernon and Brownsville. This was before there was any passenger traffic opened up on the road. May 15, 18SI he was appointed station agent at West Brownsville, which position he has continuously held since then. He was also for a time in charge of the scales of the P., V. & C. at West Brownsville Junction.
About twenty-three years ago he married Miss Martha B. Porter a daughter of Elias and Margaret (Kelley) Porter of Rostraver Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. They now reside in Bridgeport.
C. S. PRINGLE is a son of J. S. and Sarah Ellen (Snider) Pringle and was born in West Brownsville, Washington County, Pa., July 10, 1864, and educated in the West Brownsville schools which at that time were under the efficient management of Prof. E. W. Dalbey and were equal to any high school in the Monongahela valley.
.
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C. S. Pringle
After completing his education, Mr. Pringle went to work in his father's boat yards in West Brownsville, where he continued for three years. He then worked at the same business for Axton & Pringle when the partnership was formed by Pringle and Axton, after which he commenced working for the P. R. R. first taking a position on the construction train. When that train was taken off the road, he returned to the boat vards where he remained some time and then accepted the position of warehouseman at the West Brownsville station of the P. R. R. or what is more familiarly known as the P., V. & C., assuming the duties of that position in December, ISSS. He continued in this position till July 6, 1903 when he was appointed agent at the Union station, Brownsville where he is joint agent for the P., V. & C., the P. & L. E. and the Monongahela railroad.
Mr. Pringle is not only popular in railroad circles but in church and lodge as well. He has been an active and consistent member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church since 1879 and a member of the choir for the last twenty- one years. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, the B. P. O. E., the Jr. O. U. A. M., the K. of P. and the Modern Woodmen of America.
November 20, 1895 he married Miss Elizabeth E. Duerner, a daughter of William and Mary (Stoll) Duerner of Titusville, Crawford County, Pennsyl- vania. They have no children.
HON. JAMES G. BLAINE.
Born at West Brownsville, Washington County, Pa., January 31, 1830.
1
History of the Three Towns
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION- EARLY SETTLERS AND BUSINESS MEN -STEAM BOAT AND KEEL-BOAT BUILDING- HISTORY OF THE OLD WOODEN BRIDGE -THIE MONONGAHELA NATIONAL BANK-NEWSPAPER ENTERPRISES -- LONG LIST OF PIONEER MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES-BIOGRAPHY AND PICTURES OF MANY PROMINENT CITIZENS IN THE PAST AND PRESENT --- HISTORY OF THE DISTILLING BUSINESS-FIRST AND PRESENT BOROUGH OFFICIALS WITH BIOGRAPHY AND PICTURES-LARGE MAP OF THE THREE TOWNS-INTERESTING REMINISCENCES.
SKETCH OF THE THREE TOWNS.
Nestled among the hills of Fayette County, on the banks of the historic Mo- nongahela river, Brownsville on the one side of the no less historie Nemacolin creek (now called Dunlap's creek) and Bridgeport on the other side, and close to the banks of the Monongahela river on the Washington County side, West Brownsville, are the three towns that have come to be known far beyond their own .environments as the Three Towns. So closely are they connected and so inseparable are their interests that whatever degree of prosperity comes to the one is shared by the others. The main street of Brownsville is the main street of Bridgeport, the connecting link between them being the iron bridge across Nemacolin ercek, that was built by the government in 1836 under the supervision of Gen. G. W. Cass. The castings of this bridge were made from iron furnished by the government, at the Vulcan Iron and Steel Works first established in 1824 by John Snowden, Jr. Prior to this there had been several bridges across this creek, the first one being carried away by the great flood of 1808. The next bridge of which we have any account, was a chain bridge that went down under a heavily loaded wagon and four horses, in March, 1820, which was about the time the National Road was completed. The contract for another bridge was then let to Samuel Story of Bridgeport, and the plans for it were drawn by Solomon G. Kropps. This bridge was finished in 1821.
EARLY SETTLERS AND BUSINESS MEN.
Among the early settlers of the Three Towns, particularly those who were in business, may be noted the names of some whose descendants are still here, though many of them have entirely disappeared. We name a few of the most prominent.
Jacob Bowman who, by the way was postmaster in Brownsville for thirty- four years from the time it opened. William Hogg, Geo. Hogg, Adam Jacobs, John Snowden, Henry Switzer, Henry J. Rigden, Nathan Chalfant, Chad Chalfant, Robert Clarke, George Kinnear, Thos. Mckibben, Elijah Clarke,
UNITED STATES SENATOR, PHILANDER C. KNOX.
Perhux
Born at Brownsville, Fayette County, Pa.
133
Steamboat and Keel-Boat Building
William Crawford, Valentine Giesey, George Graff, George Johnston, Eli AAbrams, George Dawson, James W. Jefferies, C. L. Snowden, Samuel Steele, Dr. C. C. Richard, George W. Fear, T. S. Wright, Mrs. Jane Ferguson, Capt. M. G. Corey, Dr. J. A. Huston, Capt. M. A. Cox, J. G. Sanforth, J. Wallace, A. M. Thompson, Capt. A. C. Cock. George W. Jones, Capt. A. B. Gaskill. James Risbeck, James S. Bench, Edward Herd, E. Chamberlain, Frank Long. C. L. Gummert, M. D., Jacob Mark. C. P. Acklin, K. J. Shupe, Thos. N. Gummert, Fred S. Chalfant, John N. Honesty, R. P. Hatfield, Wmm. II. Le Clere, A. A. Carmack, Dr. U. L. Clemmer, W. H. Bulger, R. R. Bulger, C. Watkins, J. M. Bowell, William Chatland, George W. Lenhart, Isaac L. Burd, Capt. J. L. Hendrickson, S. A. Phillips, G. S. Moorhead, E. Kaiser, Win. B Burd, W. Carlyle, John Herbertson, Judge Thomas Duncan, D. (). Allen, Samuel Thompson, W. H. Hiller, Patrick Watson, S. J. Adams, Robt. Buffington, John Allison, S. Voorhes, G. L. Moore, G. W. Springer, O. R. Knight, Neal Gillespie, Ephraim Blaine, John S. Pringle, J. D. S. Pringle. James Moffitt, Samuel Adams, Richard Watkins, Joseph Smith, Patrick Gormley. Morris Russell, Jacob Bennett, Duncan Campbell, Frank Dawson, Thos. Aubrey, Oilver C. Cromlow, E. N. Coon, Robert Mckinley, J. D. Woodfill, H. D. Porter, J. U. Elwood, George Wheatley, J. T. Burton, Grant Siverd, H. B. Baker.
Among the physicians of long ago, we find, Drs Jesse Pennel, H. W. Stoy, Thos. G. Lamb, Caleb Bracken, Abraham Stanley, Matthew Oliver Jones, Charles Hubbs, W. G. Hubbs, J. A. Hubbs, William Stevens Duncan, J. B. Grooms, J. W. Worrell.
Some of the above have gone hence and cast their lots with other people while others have gone to that bourne from which no traveler ever returns.
Elsewhere in this work will be found more extended mention of many in the above list and of others who have come upon the scene in later years and are still actively engaged in business or with their professional duties.
STEAMBOAT AND KEEL-BOAT BUILDING.
As the Three Towns was for a long time the head of slack-water navigation and the pioneer point in boat building west of the Allegheny mountains, we deem this subject worthy of considerable space. It is here that the first steamboats that ever navigated the Monongahela and Ohio rivers, were built. as well as many noted and historic craft that followed the " Enterprise" and the "Dispatch, " and here it was that hundreds of flat and keel boats were built for the vast army of people who came through over the primitive paths from Wills Creek (now Cumberland) and later over the National Pike, on their way to Kentucky, Ohio and the West and South, and who invariably stopped here, bought or built boats to carry their families and household goods as well as other merchandise and farming implements, to their desti- nation.
In consequence of the vast importance of the boat-building industry of this place, which is to this day still of no small import, we quote the following from Ellis' History of Fayette County :
134
Daniel French's Enterprises
1
EPACKETS
COLUMBIA! .:
-
Steamer Columbia on Monongahela River
DANIEL FRENCH'S ENTERPRISES.
"About 1811 Daniel French came from Philadelphia to Bridgeport, with big schemes of manufacturing, steamboat building and navigating western waters.' Some of the most influential and well-to-do citizens of Bridgeport, Brownsville and vicinity became so impressed with the apparent feasibility of his projects that they subscribed liberally to the stock of two companies which were formed, one for manufacturing, and the other for the building and running of steamboats.
THE ENTERPRISE AND DISPATCH.
"The latter company commenced operations without much delay, building two steamboats, the 'Enterprise,' and the 'Dispatch.' The former was built under the supervision of Israel Gregg, Henry M. Shreve, and Daniel French, on the bank of the river above Dunlap's Creek where Gregg, the next year, built the warehouse which afterward came into possession of the borough. The ' Dispatch ' was built on the spot where the 'Monument Mills' of Mason, Rogers & Co., was afterwards built (now the 'Eclipse Mills'). The engines
PROMINENT STEAMBOAT CAPTAINS.
-
Capt. Adam Jacobs, Dec'd.
Capt. Isaac C. Woodward, Dec'd. Capt. M. A. Cox, Dec'd.
Capt. Isaac M. Mason.
Capt. Adam Jacobs, Jr.
136
First Steamer Between Pittsburg and New Orleans
of both the 'Enterprise' and the 'Dispatch' were built by Daniel French. The career of the former boat is thus mentioned in the journal of Mr. Robert Rogers:
FIRST STEAMER BETWEEN PITTSBURG AND NEW ORLEANS.
"In 1814 the larger of the two boats (the Enterprise) was sent to New Orleans with Henry M. Shreve as captain. She arrived there when General Jackson's army was there, and was pressed into government service to carry troops and stores and continued to do so till the close of the war. Then Shreve started with her to Pittsburg with considerable money, but on the way up the boat was robbed (so he said) of all her money. She finally ar- rived at Pittsburg,and the company got possession of her again. Then they employed Israel Gregg as captain. He ran her for a time, but made no money though freight and passage was high. The company then chartered her to James Tomlinson who put his son-in-law, Daniel Worley, on as her captain, but he made no money, and let the boat sink a short distance below the falls of the Ohio, so the company lost both the money and the charter. The 'Enterprise' of Bridgeport, was the first steamer that ever made the trip from Pittsburg to New Orleans and return.
ROBERT ROGERS' DESCRIPTION OF THE DISPATCH'S TRIP.
"The company's other boat, the 'Dispatch,' is described by Mr. Rogers who was employed on board of her in her first trip down the river, as follows:
"Our engine was on the low-pressure principle, codensing the steam, and the fires were made inside the boilers. We had two boilers laid on the bottom of the boat. She was open hull, and was 80 feet keel and 11 feet beam. The water wheel was only eight feet in diameter, and worked inside the boat, the rudder being aft of it. I was second engineer with Israel Gregg as captain. The boat started on her trip in December, 1815. Part of the load was taken on at Brigdeport, and this having been done, it was announced that she would take her departure the next morning; but no watchman was kept on board and during the night the river fell. so that her bow grounded at the bank and her stern sank and filled, so that several days more elapsed before she could be raised and made ready again. This was finally accomplished and she proceeded down the river without further accident, to Pittsburg where she remained a few days and then went on down the Ohio.
ICEBOUND FOR TWO WEEKS.
"At the mouth of Big Beaver the river was filled with floating ice and a furious gale sprung up, which obliged Captain Gregg to tie up to the shore, with the intention of only remaining till the next morning, but as the river fell rapidly during the night, he was compelled to stay there for about two weeks. At the end of that time the ice disappeared, the weather became
Busy Days at Dunlap's Creek
()]d Wooden Bridge
Old Steamer Chieftain.
somkanpod
PLOPLESLINES
ICHIEFTAIN
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High Water (11 Krepps Bottom1.
138
Whole Winter on the River
good and the 'Dispatch' proceeded down the river, but struck on the bar at Wheeling, on the island side, and having no 'niggers' on board (says Rogers) ·we were compelled to jump into the river, full of floating ice as it was, and pry her off with rails.' From there no accident occurred till the boat reached Walker's bar, below Cincinnati, and there she stuck fast and remained for two weeks before the river rose sufficiently to float her off." Mr. Rogers proceeds: 'At Louisville, Captain Gregg left the boat, leaving the engineer in command. I then became first engineer, and had to clerk as well as act as steward, there being none on board. Passing from the Ohio into the Mississippi, the boat's company frequently saw Indians who came down to the river bank and sold them venison. For fear of these savages they dared not run at night but laid up and employed the hours of darkness in cutting wood for the next day's fuel, as there was then no wood for sale along the river.
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