USA > Pennsylvania > Clinton County > Historical and biographical work, or past and present of Clinton County, comprising a sketch of every town and township of the county from date of settlement up to the present time > Part 7
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supplied with the choicest pine timber, hence the name which was given by the first settlers. The Indian name for the stream was "Tiadaghton." It is the largest tributary of the West Branch.
The whole township was settled upon several years pre- vious to the Revolution. The first settlers, who returned about the year 1785, settled on their improvements, made previous to time of the " Big Runaway," and took out their warrants.
Among those who never returned was a man named Donaldson, who had settled on the tract known later as the Duncan farm, now owned by Crawford and Smith. Alex- . ander Hamilton never returned, being killed by the Indians at Northumberland. His family returned and took out a warrant for his improvement in 1785.
The first laid out road through the township was a bridle path; it was laid out in 1775, beginning at the mouth of Bald Eagle and ending opposite Sunbury. In 1797, soon after Lycoming county was organized, a view from Pine Creek, to and through the Great Island, laid out a wagon road on the same ground.
The first settlement on the north side of the river, in Pine Creek township, commenced in 1772. The first settlers were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, and, as in all other places where they located, they at once organized schools.
The first house erected for school purposes was built of logs, and located opposite Sour's ferry. Another was erected later on the main road, within a half mile of Pine Creek, where the brick school house now stands. This was quite a prominent educational institution. Reading, writ- ing, arithmetic and surveying were taught. The teachers were mostly Irishmen. The pupils came from all sections of Pine Creek. One of the teachers who plied the birch, and taught the rule of three, was Rev. Kincaid, who was driven away by the Indians and never returned.
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Missionaries visited Pine Creek long before there were any churches built. The first church erected in the town- ship was a frame structure located on the west bank of Pine Creek, two miles west of Jersey Shore. John Knox was the contractor. It remained unfinished for many years, and services were held without fire for twenty years. It was then heated by two fireplaces, and afterwards wood stoves were used. The structure was burned in 1842 and never rebuilt.
Rev. Isaac Grier was the first regular pastor. In 1814 Rev. John H. Grier was installed as pastor of this and the Great Island congregation. Rev. Grier served the Great Island congregation eleven years, and the Pine Creek and Jersey Shore congregations for nearly forty years. He purchased a farm in Pine Creek township, which he cultivated in connection with his pastoral duties during the latter part of his life. He died in 1880 aged ninety-two years.
The Coudersport pike was completed to Coudersport in 1833, a distance of sixty-five miles. In 1860 it was aban- doned as a turnpike and located as a township road. From 1820 to 1824, the mail was carried from Jersey Shore to Olean, a distance of 109 miles. John Murphy was the mail carrier. He traveled on horseback. From 1832 to 1840 a two-horse stage ran over the route. For four years of the time it ran once a week, and for the other four twice a week.
Among the prominent events that have occurred in the township was the "Pine Creek Declaration of Independ- ence." On the Fourth of July, 1776, a number of men of the township assembled on the plains of Pine Creek and formally declared the independence of the colonies. Among the number present were Robert Lore, Thomas Nicols, John Jackson, Thomas Francis, Alexander Hamilton, John Clark, William Campbell, Adam Carson, Henry McCracken, Adam Dewitt and Alexander Donaldson. This event oc- curred before the citizens of Pine Creek knew the result of Richard Henry Lee's motion in Continental Congress at Philadelphia.
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John Brown came to Pine Creek in 1809 from North- ampton county. His son, Thomas Brown, married Priscilla Ferguson, a daughter of Andrew and Esther Ferguson. This wife died February 24th, 1834, and Mr. Brown was again married March 4th, 1835, to Eleanor G. Ferguson, a sister of his first wife. Thomas Brown died September 12th, 1875. He was one of the leading citizens of his township, and was greatly mourned at his death. He owned a num- ber of fine farms, several of which are at present owned by his descendants.
The White family were among the pioneers of Pine Creek township. Colonel Hugh White was a captain in Colonel Hunter's battalion, commissioned April 19, 1776. He was six feet high, straight as an arrow, and of dignified deport- ment. He reared a large and highly respectable family. One son was killed by being thrown from his horse while riding a race. Colonel White himself died from an injury received by being thrown from his horse. His death oc- curred in 1822, when he was in his eighty-second year.
Pine Creek township has eight schools in a flourishing con - dition. There are a number of industries of various kinds within the limits of the township, and some of the finest farms in the State of Pennsylvania. Tobacco raising has become a leading industry, and the weed is being cultivated with great success along the river bottoms.
The villages of the township are Charlton and Richville. The venerable John Hamilton, who died in the township a few years ago at a very advanced age, was a man of learn- ing and ability. The principal facts used in the preparation of this sketch was taken from articles written by him. He was probably the best authority on the subject that could have been found.
WAYNE TOWNSHIP.
Wayne township is one of the original twelve townships of Clinton county. It was taken from Nippenose township, Northumberland county, in 1795, when Lycoming county
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was organized. It was named in honor of General Anthony Wayne, or "Mad Anthony," as he was called.
The township is located on the south side of the West Branch of the Susquehanna. It is bounded on the north by Pine Creek and Dunnstable, east by Lycoming county and Crawford township, west by Castanea, and south by Lamar township. Part of the township is several hundred feet above the river. It is well supplied with small streams and possesses considerable mineral wealth.
The first white man to settle in what is now Wayne town- ship was William McElhattan, an Irishman, who, about 1760, settled about one mile west from where the McElhattan creek empties into the river. McElhattan never received a title to his land.
The next settler was Richard McCafferty, who settled on the river bank about one mile east of McElhattan creek. He died in 1770. He was the first white person buried in the township.
The third settler was Robert Love, who settled on what is now called Love's run, a short distance below Pine sta- tion. He built a mill, which was kept in operation for many years.
Robert Love was one of the "Fair Play" men who passed the "Pine Creek Declaration of Independence" during the summer of 1776.
Horn's Fort, a famous resort of the early settlers, was built in 1774-'75. It was located on a high bluff a little west of Kurtz's run, at which place there is a short curve in the river, giving a view of both banks, east and west, for over a mile. No doubt it was built there so that the ap- proach of the wily Indian could be more easily seen, and give the settlers, in time of danger, time to flee to the fort for safety.
Horn's Fort was only a stockade fort, and was not sup- plied with any arms but the muskets and rifles of the set- tlers; it was the most advanced on the frontier, save Reed's Fort, near where Lock Haven now is. The remains of
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Horn's Fort could be seen till 1856-'58, when, by the build- ing of the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, the last vestiges of it were destroyed.
The mountain land was not much looked after till about 1804 or 1805. Among the permanent settlers who bought land and improved it were the Quiggles, who came from Lancaster in 1788, and the Montgomerys in 1790. The original Montgomery farm is now owned by Wilson, James and Andrew Montgomery. The Quiggle farm was owned by S. N. Quiggle till within a few years, when it was bought by Charles S. Gallauher. The last payment on this farm by the Quiggles is acknowledged by the following queer receipt, now in the hands of S. N. Quiggle :
June the 27th, 1807 .- Receivt by the Hand of George Quickle the Sum of Sixty-Two Pounts for John Quickle to the Yuse of Adam and George Wilt, I Say Receivt by
"HENRY SHEARMAN."
There were two Indian towns of considerable note within the limits of the township. On the Montgomery farm, about a half-mile northeast of Wayne station, was a town called "Patterson," over which a chief of that name of the Shawanee tribe ruled. In this town lived the famous Chink- lacamoose, prior to going to "Chinklacamoose's old town," now Clearfield. The other was called "Tucquamingy," and was on the farm now owned by Major Sour.
PIONEER SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS .- The first school in the township was taught by Walter S. Chatham, father of ex-Sheriff Chatham, in an old, abandoned dwelling house near Kurtz's run, which was prepared for school purposes. This school was opened in 1807-'8, and soon gained such a reputation that it was attended by students from Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Nippenose, among whom were Robert G. White, afterwards judge, John and Isaac Brown, men of character and distinction. Though Chatham made no pretensions to teach anything but reading, writing, arith- metic and a little grammar, he was for many years con- sidered the best teacher in this section. He continued to
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teach in this old house till 1813, at which time a new house was built on the Quiggle (now Gallauher) farm. This house was burned in 1827, on account of a man having, in a state of mental derangement, committed suicide within it.
In 1830 a school house was built on the road leading to Sugar Valley. This house was used for school purposes until 1861, and was also used as a church from the time of its erection until the building of the Union church, in 1853.
Hon. James Chatham, Hon. G. O. Deise, Hon J. W. Quiggle and James M. Deise received their early education in this school house. Wayne township has now four schools, with an average term of six months.
Among her early and prominent citizens, were the fol- lowing: Hon. G. O. Deise, attorney at law, who served as District Attorney of Clinton county from 1859 to 1865, and as representative for two terms. He died in 1873 at the age of thirty-six years; and James M. Deise, a brother of G. O. Deise, also a lawyer, who served three terms as District Attorney of Clinton county. He died in 1879 at the age of thirty-nine years.
Hon. James W. Quiggle, father of Hon. Jas. C. Quiggle, who was a prominent lawyer and politician, was the first commissioners' clerk of Clinton county. He was for several years associated with Allison White in the legal profession. He was Deputy Attorney General for four terms by ap- pointment, and when the office became an elective one, he was elected by a large majority. He was elected State Senator in 1852, for the district composed of Clinton, Cen- tre, Lycoming and Sullivan counties. Hon. C. A. Mayer read law with him, and for a time they were partners, practic- ing under the firm name of Quiggle & Mayer. In 1856 he removed to Philadelphia, where he was engaged in bank- ing and real estate business until appointed by President Buchanan as United States Consul to Antwerp, Belgium, in 1859. He held the position three years, then, after a sea- son spent in travel, returned to his home, where he died.
Hon. James Chatham, who was born in Wayne town-
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ship in 1814, received the rudiments of his education in the old school house before mentioned; was a shoemaker by trade, and followed that occupation for seven years. For about twenty years he acted as river pilot between Lock Haven and Marietta. In 1848 he was elected sheriff of Clinton county. At the age of forty years he began the study of law with Hon. C. A. Mayer, and was admitted to the bar two years later. In 1861 he was elected to the Legislature, and afterwards twice received the nomination of his party for State Senator and once for Congress. For several years he was United States Commissioner for Clin- ton county in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The Chatham family came from near Milton, Pa. Colonel John Chatham owned land and erected a mill on "Chatham's run" at a very early day. His daughter, Susan, married Judge John Fleming, who died in 1817. Colonel Chatham was grandfather of Hon. James Chatham.
Wayne township is the seat of the West Branch camp meeting association grounds. These grounds were located on the banks of the McElhattan. The place was built up and greatly improved. Hundreds of tents and cottages were built. The grounds were laid out in streets and avenues, which were kept in the best of condition by the association. The place became quite popular as a summer resort. The June flood of 1889 swept away nearly every vestige of improvement, and damaged the grounds to such an extent that they were abandoned. The stock of the Asso- ciation was held by members of the Methodist church, and the grounds were under their control.
The township is also the seat of the Pine Station camp meeting association grounds, which are located on Love's run, three-fourths of a mile from the Philadelphia & Erie railroad. The stock of this association is nearly all held by members of the Evangelical association, and the meet- ings held each year are under their control. The grounds are beautifully located and well supplied with pure water. They are becoming quite popular as a place to spend the hot months of summer. Numerous and expensive im-
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provements have been made to the place, and the associa- tion is at present in a very flourishing condition.
WOODWARD TOWNSHIP.
This township is located on the north side of the West Branch, opposite Lock Haven. It is bounded on the south by the river, on the west by Colebrook, on the north by Gallauher, and on the east by Dunnstable, and is about four by five miles in extent. It was organized in 1841, and named in honor of Hon. George W. Woodward, then Presi- dent Judge of the district. In 1844 a portion of Dunnstable was annexed to the township, and in 1853 a part of Cole- brook was added, so that now its area is considerably greater than when it was formed. The township is hilly and con- tains very little level land, with the exception of several hundred acres along the river. The soil is productive and especially adapted to fruit raising, and favorable to the production of grass, grain, etc.
The pioneer settlements of the township were made upon the present sites of Lockport and Dunnstown. The history of these villages will be given in their proper places.
The river flats of this township seem to have been a re- sort for the Indians. History tells us that at one time an Indian town stood where Dunnstown now stands; another called Pattersontown was located opposite the mouth of Chatham's run. The next most important one was located on the level bottom, a short distance above Lockport, and belonged to the Monseys. Traces of their village were perceptible long after the arrival of the whites. The place is known to this day by the name of "Monseytown flats."
Upon the farm of Isaac A. Packer have been found the bones of two Indians buried in the soil. In the mouth of one of the skeletons there was a well preserved clay pipe, which is now in the possession of Mr. Packer.
In the spring of 1825 John Feller, John Witchey and Nicholas Ginter came from Switzerland and moved into what is now the "German settlement," then a dreary wilder-
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ness, without a house or hut or even a road. J. Feller built the first house, or rather log hut, in the settlement. Mr. Feller and seventeen men cut and hauled the logs, put up the house, split the boards, put on the roof and put in the windows all in one day. The next day Mr. Feller and fam- ily moved into their house. J. Witchey and N. Ginter put up houses soon after and began to clear up small patches for gardens, pasture, etc. This was all done without the .aid of a team. Within ten years quite a number of people came from the "Faderland;" among whom were the Swopes, Probsts, Shoemakers and Wenkers.
The first school house was built in 1841. The first teacher was William Riley. The school house was after- wards remodeled and changed into an Evangelical church, and used for that purpose until 1869, when the new church was built. Woodward now has six schools, with an average term of six months.
The commissioners of Clinton county conferred a boon on the citizens of Woodward township when they purchased the river bridge and made it a county institution.
MAJOR JOHN WYNNE,
MAYOR, LOCK HAVEN, PA.
LOCK HAVEN.
L OCK HAVEN was so named on account of the lock in the West Branch canal at this place, and on account of the harbor or haven for rafts in the river in front of the town.
The tract of land upon which the city was originally laid out was part of what was known as the Dr. Francis Allison tract, which was sold by him to John Fleming, who located on the lower end of it in 1773. At the death of John Fleming in 1777, according to his will, the estate was divided among his heirs. The portion which forms the "Point," as it was called, between the river and Bald Eagle creek, was surveyed to Joseph Fleming. The next tract was surveyed to Rosanna, who had married a Jamison, and afterwards a man named Graham; the next tract to Robert, the next to John, the next to Ezekiel, the next to Mary Lowery, and the next to Elizabeth McCormick. Joseph Fleming sold his share to Robert McCormick, who had married Fleming's sister. John and Joseph Fleming sold their interests to Joseph Hunt, and Ezekiel sold his to Jacob Cook. In 1800 Dr. John Henderson, of Huntington, married Margaret Jamison, a daughter of Rosanna, and through her came into possession of the tract that had been surveyed to her uncle, Robert Fleming, which consisted of 200 acres, upon which the town of Lock Haven was originally laid out. This farm was purchased from Dr. John Henderson, who resided at Huntington, Pa., by two brothers, Jeremiah and Willard Church, and cost the said purchasers the sum of $20,000, or $100 per acre. The purchase was effected in October, 1833. and the plot of the town at once laid out. As it existed at that time, it consisted of 160 lots, with a front of 1,500 feet along the river, and extending back to where the Philadelphia & Erie
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railroad is now located. The plot was bounded on the west by what was known as Sarah's alley, which extends from Water to Main street, between the present residences of Jacob Rinn and W. P. Mitchell, on Water street, and the residence of Dr. Shoemaker and the tailor shop of T. Homer Ross, on Main street, being the alley upon which the Irvin House stable is situated. On the east the plot was bounded by what is now known as Hanna street, at that time called Hanna alley. The names of the original streets were never changed. The first one along the river was called Water, the second one running parallel to it Main, the next one Church, in honor of the founder, and the fourth and last, Bald Eagle, after the creek and mountains beyond. These four streets were crossed at right angles by Washington, Henderson and Jay streets, and bounded on the east and west by the above mentioned alleys. The following sketch, taken from the life of Jerry Church, in which he alludes to the purchase of Lock Haven, we give in his own words:
"After I arrived at New Cumberland, where my brother Robert lived at that time, and had stayed a few days to rest myself, I went up the West Branch to a place called Milton. I there found a younger brother, by the name of Willard Church, who had come down from the State of New York into the Old Keystone State to try his fortune, and who said he was ready for anything that presented itself that he could do without capital. He told me he knew of a splendid place for a town if he could get the land. He said it was located at the head of the West Branch canal on the pool of the Dunnstown dam. He also said that the › canal ran through the farm we must purchase. I asked him how much he thought the land worth per acre. He said he thought it would be worth one hundred and fifty dollars per acre for as much as we would want for a town, which would be about fifty acres. I told him that would be a beautiful price to pay, particularly when we had so little money. He told me that if I would go with him and look at the land and make the purchase, he would risk his
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capital at any rate. I concluded that I would go up and view the place. So we got aboard of the stage and went to Williamsport, and from thence to Dunnstown, twenty- eight miles above, crossed the river at that place and went up about one mile on the opposite side, and put up with a man named Devling, who lived on a farm as a tenant. The farm belonged to Dr. John Henderson, who lived at Hunt- ington, Pa., and there were two hundred acres in the tract. We took a walk over the premises and found it to be a de- lightful spot; beautifully located between two rivers, the Susquehanna and the Bald Eagle, and the scenery nature had formed around it could not be excelled in the State. I stood and looked at it with delight, and told my brother we must have it in some way. We then left the place and went down to Williamsport. There I met a gentleman, lawyer, with whom I had been acquainted for some time, and I told him what I had been viewing up at, or near, the 'Big Island.' I also told him I would like to purchase the farm if I knew where to get the money, and told him that I intended to lay out a town on it if I could make the purchase. He said he thought the money could be got, and he would be willing to be a private partner-what I would call a sleeping partner. He proposed to put in one- third of the purchase money, and gave me a letter to Dr. Henderson to that effect. I then left Williamsport and went to Huntington to see the old doctor. When I arrived there I called upon him and introduced myself, and handed him the letter the lawyer had given me at Williamsport. That informed him what my business was. He replied that it seemed by the letter that I wanted to purchase his farm at Big Island, or a part of it at least. I told him that was my intention if we could agree. He then said he would not sell a part. If he sold any it must be the whole tract, and that he had his price set, and it could not be changed. I asked him what his price was. He said $20,000, and not one cent less. I told him that was a beautiful price to pay for one farm.
7
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However, I said I had made up my mind to give him $18,000 if I could make the payments to suit him. I told him I was not rich, and had not the money in hand. He, however, insisted that his mind was made up and could not be changed. So I told him I would close the bargain if my payments suited him. He then asked how I wanted to make them. I told him I would pay $5,000 down, when I took possession of the farm, and the balance in two years. He said that would do, but he could not give me possession until April, 1834. This was in October, 1833. I gave the old doctor a fifty dollar bill to bind the bargain, and then went to a lawyer's office and had our bonds made by a gentleman by the name of Steel-a very honest man, con- sidering all things.
After we had all our writings finished, and had taken a few glasses of" old rye," we got aboard of the stage and went to Bellefonte, and from there down the river to the property. The old doctor went with me to give the tenant notice that he must leave by the first of April, as the property was to pass into other hands; that he had sold the farm to Jere- miah and Willard Church. I got permission of the worthy doctor and the tenant to plot out a town on paper and to make a sale, if we thought proper, immediately, and give our titles and possession on the first day of April. We did so, and called the town Lock Haven. We had a public sale on the 4th of November, 1833, and sold a number of lots, receiving ten per cent. of the purchase money at the time and the balance on the first of April. That was the time we were bound to meet our old friend the doctor, and I knew by the cut of his jib that he would be on the ground at the proper time.
I then called upon my sleeping partner for his share of the purchase money, but I could not wake him up for any part of it. He sent me his resignation in writing, stating that he had changed his mind on the subject, and could not put up the money, and wished to be excused from any further liability. A beautiful note to write at that stage of
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