History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 101

Author: Smith, Robert Walter
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins
Number of Pages: 790

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* Sce sketch of North Buffalo.

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WEST FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.

ment and settlement on it before 1800. He was assessed with it, 1 horse and 1 cow, in 1805, at $121, and in 1806 at $125. The patent for it, 416 acres and 8 perches, was granted to McCall and Taylor, February 13, 1809. McCall conveyed 79 acres and 155 perches to Samuel Clark, August 14, 1838, for $159.88. The rest of McCall's interest in it was included in his assignment to Du Pont, and in the latter's reconveyance to McCall. Taylor's interest was levied on under a judgment in favor of David Edwards for $114, besides costs. Fi. fa. No. 17, of March term, 1825, inquisition held and property condemned. After returns of several writs, " not sold for want of a sufficient bid," it was finally sold by Jacob Mechling, sheriff, on seventh Pluries Vend. Ex. No. 80, June term, 1827, to Eben S. Kelly, 140 acres, for $202, which S. S. Harrison and wife, formerly Mrs. Kelly, and Eleanor, Emily and Mary Kelly, heirs of Eben S. Kelly, conveyed to John Craig, September 15, 1849, for $800, who conveyed 122 acres and 38 perches to Ludwig Guiser, July 18, 1856, for $730.55.

The residue of the McCall purpart, 208 acres and 82 perches, was conveyed by McCall's heirs to Brown, Gilpin and Johnston, 175 acres and 67 perches of which they conveyed to Peter Graff, March 17, 1858, for $877.10, of which he conveyed 6 acres to William F. Rumberger, December 15, 1860, for $90; 10 acres and 47 perches to John Crawshaw, December 21, for $200; and 117 acres and 18 perches to Crawshaw and Frederick Ruth, April 7, 1865, for $1,307.

This tract was called "Samos" after an island, one of the Sporades, in the Ægean Sea, the mod- ern Archipelago, near the western coast of Asia Minor, about midway between the site of the once magnificent and often rebuilt city of Ephesus and the island of Patmos.

Adjoining "Samos " on the east is unsurveyed territory on the Gapen map on which is inscribed "John Craig," but on the other map is a tract with boundary lines along its eight sides, the southeast- ern corner of which touches the northeastern cor- ner of depreciation lot No. 250. In its southern part about sixty rods from its southwestern boun- dary is the junction of Big and Little Buffalo creeks, northeast, east and southeast of which is about one-fifth of its territory, its southeastern point being a very acute angle. It bears the name of William Stevenson, who occupied it several years for Craig. The improvement began March 3, 1793, and the settlement in October, 1795, and was surveyed to Stevenson by George Ross May 7, 1801. A warrant for 200 acres of it was entered in

Deputy Surveyor Ross' office, December 24, 1794, which had been granted to Aaron Wor. Steven- son was assessed with 200 acres, one horse and 2 cows in 1805, at $77, and continued to occupy un- der Craig for several years. James Karr, Sr., was also an early occupant under Craig of a part of this tract. The patent for it was granted to John Craig, Sr., May 24, 1836. It had been settled by his son Samuel at or before the beginning of this century, on the southwestern part of which on or near the left bank of Big Buffalo creek he erected a fulling-mill with which, 400 acres and 1 horse he was assessed in 1805 at $20, and in 1806 at $200. The carding of wool into rolls was begun here about 1814. The fulling-mill was assessed to him until 1821, when' it and the 200 acres, with which he had been for several years assessed, were assessed to his brother, John Craig, Jr., who con- tinued the fulling and carding until 1835, when, according to recollection of John Craig (of Samuel), his uncle, John Craig, Jr., and Robert Cooper en- tered into a partnership for manufacturing flan- nels, blankets and other woolen goods. The pass- ing remark may here be made, that the patent for this tract of land was granted to John Craig, Sr., May 24, 1836. Cooper sold his interest in the factory to John Craig, Jr., and James Craig, Sep- tember 1, 1837, by whom it was operated for sev- eral years. John Craig, Sr., conveyed 80 acres of this tract to John Craig, Jr., July 18, 1836, for $400. The factory building was burned, Decem- ber 14, 1843, and a larger one was erected soon after on the same site. John Craig, Sr., by his will, dated September 5, 1836, and registered April 5, 1850, devised to John Craig, Jr., that part of this tract on which the latter then resided.

William F. Rumberger became a partner in the woolen factory in 1856, the firm name being Craigs & Rumberger, until James Craig sold his interest to him and John Craig, May 26, 1862, when he conveyed to them his interest in the fac- tory and the 103 perches of land on which it is located, 1 acre and 77 perches, included in the patent to John Craig, Sr., and the 24 acres and 69 perches of "Samos," for $3,700. John Craig conveyed his interest in the factory and those 4 parcels of land to Rumberger, February 11, 1867, for $10,000. He and John P. Scott entered into a copartnership, which continued two or three years, when the latter sold out his interest, and David Gregg and - Richardson became partners, and still do business under the firm name of Rumberger, Greggs & Co. On Friday night, December 15, 1871, just 28 years and 1 day after the last-men- tioned fire, their factory was consumed by a fire

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

caused by one of the employés attempting to fill a large lighted lamp. They soon erected a larger building on and adjoining the site of the old one, in which they manufacture, daily, 1,000 yards of flannel and numerous blankets. They have also started a stocking factory in the woolhouse on the opposite side of the road, which is capable of knitting, daily, 216 pairs of socks. Craigs & Rumberger furnished the troops recruited at Camp Orr with a large number of blankets, in the win- ter of 1861-2, for which, on account of some irregu- larity, they have never been paid. Rumberger, Gregg & Co. have since furnished the United States government with large quantities of flannel for the underwear of the troops.

This point began to be called Craigtown in or about 18-, and afterward Craigsville, which name it still retains. The first child was born within its limits March 30, 1809, who is still living.

The present flouringmill, about 13 rods below the woolen factory, on the right bank of the creek, was erected by John Craig, Jr., Joseph T. McCurdy, and Samuel S. Wallace, early in 1849, and they agreed, August 20, that McCurdy and Wallace should pay Craig $166.663 for the 1 acre and 25 perches on which they had erected the mill, a three-story frame structure, and he to execute to each of them a deed for the one-third part, so as to make them, respectively, equal owners. John Craig died suddenly, soon after breakfast one morning, from neuralgia of the heart. His heirs conveyed the undivided two-thirds of the mill- property to McCurdy and the alienee of Wallace's interest, Jos. Minteer, May 14, 1872, for $2,000, with the privilege of taking from the present dam, above the mill, whatever quantity of water may be necessary for the use of the mill and for damming the water back on that decedent's land.

Preliminary to opening a store at Craigsville, John Craig, Samuel S. and John C. Wallace en- tered into an agreement, December 15, 1860, for the sale and purchase of two-thirds of 152 perches of the parcel devised by John Craig, Sr., to John Craig, Jr., for a " store lot," as it is elsewhere called, for which the latter agreed to pay $533.33. It was also agreed by them that neither of them should sell his interest without first giving the other parties the refusal, and, in case of disagree- ment as to the price of it, the matter should be referred to three disinterested men, two of whom should be chosen by the parties, and the third one by the ones thus chosen, whose decision should be final and conclusive, if excepted to by the retiring partner. The store was soon after opened, for John C. Wallace was first assessed as merchant in

1861. It was afterward transferred to Christopher Leard & Sons, the latter being first assessed as merchants in 1872. The present firm name is C. Leard & Sons.

The Craigsville postoffice was established here, November 29, 1869; William F. Rumberger, post- master. The new shoolhouse, in lieu of No. 14 before the division of Franklin township, is situ- ated on the public road on the lower or right-hand side of the creek, about 100 rods below the grist- mill.

The first separate assessment list of Craigsville is for this year, 1876, according to which there are 25 taxables : Physician, 1 ; clerks, 3 ; boss carder, 1; boss weaver, 2; laborer, 1; helper, 1; dyer, 1; engineer, 1; wool-sorter, 1 ; picker, 1; teamsters, 2; spinner, 1; blacksmith, 1; wagonmaker, 1; miller, 1; weaver, 1.

Adjoining that John Craig tract on the west and southwest, and touching the southeast corner of " Samos," the northeastern and southwestern portions of which are traversed by Buffalo creek, and in the former portion is the mouth of Long Run, is a tract, octagonal in shape, whose original boundary, courses and distances are : Beginning at a post, thence along the John Craig tract south 60 degrees east 2333 perches to a white oak ; thence south 4 degrees west 175 perches to a black-jack ; thence south 87 degrees west 159 perches to a corner on the west side of the creek; thence across the creek south 3 degrees east 120 perches to a corner on line of depreciation lot No. 250; thence south 70 degrees west 71 perches to a white-oak ; thence north 20 degrees west 200 perches to a post; thence along vacant land north 243 degrees west 240 perches to a white-oak; thence north along " Samos" 4 degrees west 37 perches to the place of beginning.

" Surveyed on the 20th day of September, 1794, the above described tract of 433 as. & 59 P. & allowance of six pr cent situate on Buffalow creek in Armstrong township, Allegheny county, in District No. 8-the im- provement began in March, 1793. Surveyed at the request of Simon Craig. STEPHEN GAPEN, D. S." " Dan'l Brodhead Esq., surveyor general."

It is noticeable that Gapen was mistaken as to this tract being in Armstrong township, whose western boundary theni was the Allegheny river. This tract was then in Deer township. There was a similar mistake in a description of the tract called "Senior," on the north side of the Kiskimine- tas, either by the surveyor or the scrivener. The patent for this tract was granted to A. McCall and Stephen Sheldon, February 23, 1825. After Shel- don's death, McCall released, August 23, 1827, 160

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WEST FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.

acres of it to William Stevenson and Mary, his wife, she being Sheldon's daughter and sole heir, 110 acres of which she and her husband conveyed to John Craig, December 18, 1833, for $169, 4 acres and 39 perches of which he conveyed to Peter Graff, June 18, 1854, for $1 and other consider- ations.

Joseph McDonald and Samuel Richey were brothers-in-law and millwrights. The former was assessed as such and with 80 acres of probably this tract, one horse and three cattle, as early as 1805, at $38, and the latter was assessed that year, with his occupation, one horse and one cow, at $82. They built a two-story log gristmill, with two runs of stone, one for wheat flour and the other for chops, in the early part of 1810, on the creek, above the present bridge across the creek, on the K. & B. turnpike, with which, 20 acres of land, 1 horse and 2 cows, Richey was assessed, that year, at $107. Stevenson and his wife conveyed 50 acres and 9 perches of this tract to McDonald and Richey, January 19, 1829, for $150. The latter conveyed his undivided half to Elijah Horner, Jan- mary 1, 1830, for $50, on which the latter laid out the town of Hornersville, and advertised the sale of lots to take place at 9 o'clock A.M., October 14, 1833. Among the conveniences of his proposed town mentioned in his advertisement were a grist- mill, horsemill and sawmill in its vicinity, but did not make any sales, and conveyed his interest in that parcel of 50 acres and 9 perches to John C. Mckinney, January 1, 1840, for $1 and other con- siderations, which passed by sheriff's sale in Vend. Ex. No. 97, March term, 1845, for $64.

McCall conveyed his purpart of this tract, 271 acres and 150 perches, to Horner, August 30, 1829, for $400, of which the latter conveyed 149 acres and 128 perches to McDonald, March 14, 1840, for $200, and 141 acres and 80 perches to Mckinney, April 1, 1840, for $6,000, and McDonald, the same day, conveyed the quantity which he had purchased from Horner to Mckinney for $2,000. Mckinney conveyed the 50-acre parcel, which he had pur- chased from Horner and McDonald, to John Craig, Jr., December 19, 1843, for $100. McKinney con- veyed the two parcels which he had purchased from Horner and McDonald, and another tract of 273 acres, to Henry D. Rodgers and Roswell L. Colt, as trustees for all the real owners, Decem- ber 22, 1841, for $25,000.

That last conveyance in trust was after the erec- tion of Buffalo Furnace on the southeastern part of this Simon-Craig-McCall-Sheldon tract, which is designated on the Lawson & Orr map as the Joseph McDonald tract, in 1839-40, by Nicholas

Biddle, formerly president of the Bank of the United States; Henry D. Rodgers, the eminent geologist who had charge of the first geolo- gical survey of this state and was subsequently professor of geology in the University of Edin- burgh, Scotland, whose death, several years since, was deeply lamented by the scientific world; John C. Mckinney, one of the corps of geologists in that survey; Roswell L. Colt, and perhaps one or two others, and of which Mckinney was the man- ager. It was a steam cold-blast charcoal furnace, its stack 35 feet high and 8 feet across the bosh. The weekly product of this furnace, for the first few years after it went into blast, was 33 tons, the number of employés being 100. That furnace company became embarrassed. Judgments against it began to be entered in 1841, the number of which increased largely until March term, 1844. The furnace and the land, aggregating 563 acres, passed under the sheriff's hammer ( Vend. Ex. Nos. 83 and 84, September term, 1844) to Reuben Bughman, Peter Graff and Jacob Painter, for $7,200. Its business was conducted from the fall of 1843 under the firm name of P. Graff & Co., who built a new charcoal furnace, with a bet- ter blast, and in which ore of a better quality was used. The two furnaces, from 1846 and on, pro- duced weekly, on an average, when in full blast, 80 tons, the number of employés being 150. The latter company, having been successful, closed their furnaces permanently in 1864. The present gristmill, brick, three-story, with four runs of stone, near the furnace, was erected in 1846.

The Buffalo woolenmill of Edward Firth and Peter Graff, situated on that part of the northeast- ern portion of this tract between the left or south bank of the run and the creek, was built in 1865. Its original dimensions, three stories, 70×35 feet, were increased in 1867 by the addition of 60×35 feet, and the same hight. The other original buildings consist of a ware and wool house, two- story, 50 X 25 feet, a stone dryhouse, 60 × 25 feet. In 1876 a new woolhouse and a new storehouse, each two-story, 40 × 35 feet, were erected. The machinery consists of 8 carding-ma- chines, 2 self-acting mules, with 384 spindles to each, and a spinning-jack, with 180 spindles, used for twisting stocking-yarn, and for doubling and twisting yarn for cassimeres. There are 13 looms, wide and narrow, for weaving jeans, blankets, flan- nels, cassimeres and fine cassimeres. The mules and a considerable part of the other machinery, the latest and best, so far as known, were made in England. There is also all the other machinery required for fulling and finishing those various

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

kinds of goods. The average number of employés is 25. The quantity of wool used annually is 80,000 pounds. The blankets are of good quality. The kinds of cassimeres and flannels, all wool, are fine, medium and common. The chief market for these goods is in the western states.

Adjoining the last-mentioned tract on the north- west and " Samos " on the south is unsurveyed land on the Gapen map, but on the other a vacant tract, with boundary lines, with four sides, which, if the southern line of "Samos " were protracted a few rods westward, would change it into the shape of two isosceles triangles, one quite large, and the other, in the northwestern part, very small. Its land history is brief. The patent for it was granted to Samnel Clark, March 25, 1839, who con- veyed 77 acres and 19 perches to Job P. Paine, April 28, for $525, which he conveyed to Peter Graff, April 3, 1849, for $600.

South of Patrick McBride tract, and southwest of " Samos," the Clark and McCall-Sheldon tracts, was a large scope of territory of about 900 acres, unsurveyed on the Gapen map, on which improve- ments and settlements were made, probably before 1800, by James Gallagher, Jr., and William Gal- lagher, in behalf of James Gallagher, Sr., of Derry township, Westmoreland county, which was subse- quently divided into two tracts, containing, re- spectively, 435 and 400 acres. The northern one, as it appears on the Lawson & Orr map, is in shape nearly that of a carpenter's square, the northeast- ern corner of which touches the southwestern part of "Samos," the longer part or blade bordering on the southwestern line of the Clark and McCall- Sheldon tracts, and the shorter part or blade ad- joining the McBride tract on the north and the Smith tract on the west. This tract was conveyed by John Orr, sheriff, as containing 434 acres, and described as adjoining John Simons and others, to Samuel Massey, November 1, 1808, having pre- viously sold it to him for $80, as the property of James and William Gallagher on a judgment in favor of Alexander McConnell against them for $9.28 debt and 40 cents costs. Massey and Samuel S. Harrison were joint purchasers, and Massey con- veyed his half part to Harrison, June 1, 1815, for $100, William Minteer occupying the land for them from 1809 until 1813. James Gallagher continued to assert his claim to this tract, which he conveyed to Philip Gallagher, July 27, 1826, for $100. The patent, however, was granted to Harrison, Septem- ber 8, 1834, who conveyed 136 acres and 69 perches of the part adjoining the Smith tract on the west, to James Hindman, November 21, 1835, for $545.56, on which is the public schoolhouse No. 2, and 273

acres and 118 perches to John C. Mckinney, March 2, 1840, for $2,463.18, which became part of the Buffalo Furnace property, that passed by sheriff's sale to P. Graff & Co., who conveyed 148 acres and 130 perches of it to Archibald Mccullough, Febru- ary 2, 1846, for $830.

South and southwest of that Harrison-Massey tract is vacant territory on the Gapen map. The other map shows the name of Isaac Bole in the southeastern part of it, who made an improvement and settlement there, and was first assessed with 100 acres of it, 2 horses and 2 cows, in 1815, at $131. Near the northwestern border is the name of "William Minteer, 150a.," with which he was first assessed in 1813. Philip Gallagher conveyed the entire tract, 400 acres, to James Gallagher, April 27, 1826, for $100. The parcel on which Bole settled, after various transfers, became vested in Daniel O'Neal, who conveyed it to John P. O'Neal, May 9, 1868, in consideration of the main- tenance of himself and wife during the rest of their lives and the payment of $300 to Hugh F. O'Neal. A patent for more than 200 acres of the western part of this tract was granted to William Minteer, Sr., March 30, 1836, 100 acres and 15 perches of which he conveyed to William Minteer, Jr., July 21, for $200, and 101 acres and 145 perches to John Minteer, April 15, 1857, for the proper maintenance of himself and wife during the rest of their lives.

West of that Minteer tract, in the unsurveyed territory on the Gapen map, is the inscription "Improved Land." On the other map is a trape- zoidal tract "Samnel Clark, 1512a," which and probably other 100 acres were first improved by William Gallagher, who conveyed 100 acres to Abraham Smith, June 1, 1806, for $100. The rest of Gallagher's improvement was conveyed by John Orr, sheriff, to Thomas Lawson, December 9, 1807, who conveyed it to David Lawson and John Orr, March 23, 1812. Orr conveyed an undivided half part to Samuel Clark, October 13, 1814, which Clark conveyed to William Spencer, July 1, 1837, to whom a warrant was granted August 3, 1839, and a patent for 65 acres, August 7, 1849, 65 acres of which he conveyed to William Minteer, October 1, 1866, for $1,050. It is not apparent from the record to whom Lawson conveyed his interest in this tract.

Contiguous to that Gallagher improvement on the west is vacant territory on the Gapen, but on the other map, a tract of 414 acres, about three-fourths of it being in Butler county, which seems to have been surveyed to A. McCall and Jacob McGinley. A patent appears to have been

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WEST FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.

granted for the 85 acres of it in this county to James Offutt, April 19, 1839, which he conveyed to James Sample, June 3, and which Sample con- veyed to Joseph Williams, January 28, 1840, for $685. It is not apparent from the records to whom he conveyed the major part of this parcel before his death. His daughter Elizabeth conveyed the undi- vided one eighth of 12 acres of it to William Min- teer, May 22, 1858, for $23. Peter Graff and Edward Manso, guardians of the minor children, conveyed one-half of 11 acres to David Goldinger, February 25, 1858, for $95, and 4 acres to Minteer, for $95.40. Graff, having purchased three-eighths of 9 acres from some of the heirs who were of age, conveyed the same to Goldinger, May 22, for $71, to whom Elizabeth conveyed her one-eighth, the same day, for $23.75.

Adjoining the two last-mentioned Gallagher and the McCall-McGinley's tracts, on the south there is one on the Gapen map, designated thus, "Joseph Brown, 484.110," but on the other, " A. McCall and James Sheridan, 394.114." About 80 acres of its northwestern part is in Butler county. The patent for this tract, called " Union," was granted to Mc- Call and Sheridan, February 13, 1809. The latter settled on it probably before 1800. He was assessed with 400 acres, 2 horses and. 1 cow, in 1805, at $156-the next year with the land, I horse and 2 cows, at $132. John Sheridan was first assessed in 1818, and James Sheridan in 1824, with a distillery on this tract. McCall's undivided share of " Union " was included in his assignment to Du Pont, and in the latter's reassignment to McCall. McCall's heirs conveyed 74 acres 80 perches to James and Matthew Millen, June 30, 1846, for $896, whose interests subsequently became vested in William Millen, and 148 acres of it in the sale from Mc- Call's heirs to Brown, Gilpin and Johnston, 86 acres and 121 perches of which the latter conveyed to William Minteer, Jr., July 5, 1849, for $690.50 ; 37 acres and 80 perches to John and Rody Rogers, February 27, 1862, for $281.25, and 12 acres and 80 perches, same day, to Margaret Dugan, in trust, for $93.75. James Sheridan left about 53 acres of his purpart to his grandsons, Bernard and William Sheridan, who made an amicable partition, August 26, 1858. William conveyed 26} acres of his purpart to Cornelius McFadden, January 17, 1859, for $500.

James Sheridan devised 200 acres to his son John during his life, who conveyed his life estate therein to Mark McLaughlin, March 28, 1837, for $30, and released his interest in 100 acres, more or less, to Hugh D. Sheridan, December 11, 1863, for $1. The only one of the Sheridan family now as- sessed with any part of " Union " is Hugh.

Adjoining "Union " on the east on the Gapen map is unsurveyed territory inscribed with "James Gallagher," on which Joseph Millen settled about, perhaps before, 1800. He was assessed as a settler with 257 acres of it, 1 horse and 3 cattle, in 1805, at $112. The warrant was granted to him, November 13, surveyed December 12, 1801, and the patent for 359 acres and 52 perches was granted to him, De- cember 22, 1806. He conveyed 99 acres and 62 perches of it to his son James, March 21, 1828, for $200, which the latter devised by his will, dated March 13, 1844, and registered February 26, 1851, to his sons Matthew and William, to be equally divided by a line through the center from east to west, which they still occupy.

Adjoining that Millen tract and " Union " on the south, on both of the above-mentioned maps, are three contiguous depreciation lots included in the purchases by McCall and McDowell from Joshua Elder, and which, in.the partition between those vendees, were allotted to McCall. The east- ernmost one, No. 249, is a square containing 20176 acres, the western part being traversed south- westerly by Buffalo creek, which Archibald con- veyed to George C. McCall, June 23, 1817, and which the latter conveyed to John Way, of Alle- gheny town, January 26, 1819, for $1,400.90, and which his executors, James C. and Nicholas Way, conveyed to Alexander and Thomas Mccullough, December 30, 1837, for $1,000.

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History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 101

Author: Smith, Robert Walter Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins Number of Pages: 790

Author: Smith, Robert Walter
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Waterman, Watkins
Number of Pages: 790