History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 104

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

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The Worthington Academy organized in 1852, and was at first called the "Buffalo Institute." Its first principal was Mr. C. J. Ehrehart, a gradu- ate of Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg. He taught during the winter of 1852-3.

In the fall of 1853, Mr. W. F. Ulery, of the same institution, took charge of it and taught until the next spring. In 1856, Rev. A. C. Ehrenfeld, who had resigned his position as pastor of the Lutheran church at Worthington, taught one term.

From this time until 1868 the academy was prac- tically dead. In the spring of that year, Messrs. S. Knipe and E. S. Heaney, graduates of Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, resuscitated it, and for several years it was in a very prosperous condi- tion. They taught one summer, and were suc- ceeded in the fall by Mr. E. H. Dickenson, of Con- necticut, who taught until the spring of 1870. His successor was Mr. S. Crist, of Washington and Jefferson College, who taught one term in 1871.

Mr. S. H. Culp, of Pennsylvania College, was his successor in the summer of 1873.

He was succeeded by Mr. J. C. R. Ewing, of Washington and Jefferson (now a foreign mission- ary in the Presbyterian church), who taught in 1874.

Mr. M. Cunningham followed him, teaching during that winter and the next summer.

Mr. J. T. Young, of Washington and Jefferson, took charge of the academy in the spring of 1878, and taught during three successive summers. The first year he taught alone ; the second, he was assisted by Mr. A. C. Good, of the same institu- tion (who is also laboring in the foreign missions work, under the care of the Presbyterian Board), and the third year he was assisted by Mr. J. P. Wiley.

Mr. N. Donaldson, of Washington and Jefferson, assisted by Mr. Wiley, taught during the summer of 1881, and he in turn was succeeded, in 1882, by Mr. H. Wallace, of Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.

In the last 15 years one prominent aim of the institution has been to qualify young ladies and gentlemen for teaching, and its success has been marked in this direction. It has also fitted a num- her of young men for the higher classes in college and for professional life; and it numbers among its former students some who are reflecting great credit on the academy in which they were trained.

Worthington postoffice was established Febru- ary 12, 1840, with John McDonald, postmaster.

The vote of Worthington, February 28, 1873, was 4 for and 21 against granting liquor licenses.

The cemetery was laid out on the lot given to the town for that purpose by Joseph M. Jordan.

The assessment list for this borough for 1876 shows the number of taxables to be 62; black- smiths, 2; carder, 1; cabinetmaker, 1 ; carpen- ters, 4 ; clerk, 1 ; farmers, 13 ; gardener, 1 ; mann- facturer, 1; merchants, 4; millwright, 1 ; miner, 1 ; ministers, 3 ; painter, 1 ; peddler, 1; saddler, 1; shoemaker, 1; tailor, 1; tanner, 1; tinner, 1; wagonmaker, 1.

The population of this borough in 1860 was 213. In 1870 it was : native, 202; foreign, 14.

Adjoining "Mount Lorenzo" on the north and east, and "Sugar Tree Grove" on the north, on the Gapen map, is open territory, on which is inscribed the name of "John Titers." On the other map is an octagonal tract, "395ª131"," to which James Barr removed from the Manor soon after 1800, and on which he made an improvement and settlement. He conveyed his interest in it to Thomas Scott, of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, June 1, 1812, for $1,100, when its eastern adjoiners were John Campbell and William Moffit, and Isaac Lennington its northern one. About one-fourth of it is in what is now East Franklin township.

The first occupant of this tract, James Barr, was a prominent citizen of this state from his early

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

manhood until his death. He was born in Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, in 1749, whence he removed to that part of Bedford county afterward included within the limits of Derry township in Westmoreland county ; that is, he removed thither prior to 1773. He evinced his patriotism and de- votion to the cause of the colonists in the begin- ning of the revolutionary struggle by aiding in the organization of what were then called "the associated battalions," or bodies of " Associators," which were raised for the defense both of the western frontier and the whole state and country. His fellow-citizens returned him as a member of the constitutional convention of this state, which met July 15, 1776, and framed the first constitu- tion of the state of Pennsylvania. He was after- ward appointed a justice of the peace. From 1787 until 1790 he was a member of the general assem- bly of the state, and opposed the calling of the convention of 1790 for revising the constitution. After the adoption of the constitution of that year he was appointed one of the associate judges of the courts of Westmoreland county, and a remon- strant against the attempt to impeach Judge Addison, who was then the president judge of the judicial district of which Westmoreland was then a part. The writer has not been able to ascertain when Judge Barr removed from Derry township to Appleby Manor, on the hill part of which he resided when he was appointed a trustee of this county, at or near where Thomas Montgomery now lives, until his removal to this tract, on which he was residing when this county was organized for judicial purposes, when he was appointed one of the three associate judges of the courts of Arni- strong county, which position he held until De- cember term, 1817. He died, as one of his descendants has informed the writer, in August, 1820, on that part of "Monnt Lorenzo " then occu- pied by his son, David Barr.

Patents for different portions of this tract were granted to Thomas Scott, respectively, July 7, 1815, and February 29, 1816. He gave the principal portion of this tract to his children in his lifetime. He conveyed 100 acres of the quantity included in the first patent to his son James, June 22, 1821, for $1-, who having died intestate, his heirs con- veyed to William Hindman, April 1, 1872, for $5,500 ; 95 acres to David Barr, October 17, 1822, for $1, of which James Barr, guardian of the minor children of Titus Barr, conveyed - acres to William Galbraith, March 18, 1875, for $1,040; 128 acres to his son William, February 5, 1828, for " natural love and affection," which having become vested in Henry Drake, his heirs conveyed as con-

taining 135 acres and 10 perches, to Robert Huston, March 5, 1872, for $6,100.

North of the Barr-Scott tract is unsurveyed ter- ritory on the Gapen map bearing the name of "Timothy Lennington," who must have settled on it before Gapen made the surveys of some adjoin- ing tracts. On the other map it is a surveyed tract, nearly square, "4003ª," about one-fourth of which is in what is now East Franklin. It was surveyed to Lennington on a warrant, dated August 6, 1801, to whom the patent was granted March 6, 1802, who soon after conveyed 994 acres of the sonthern or southeastern part to Rev. John Boyd, which was his place of residence while he was pastor of the Slate Lick and Union Presbyterian churches, and which, after his removal from this county, he conveyed to William Stevenson, Septem- ber 30, 1811, for $400. The witnesses present at the execution of the deed by him were Judge Barr, Jacob Garver and George Wright. His acknowl- edgment was made the same day before Judge Barr, and that of Mary his wife before Jacob Gamber, associate judge of the courts of Guernsey county, Ohio, October 14, 1811, and which Steven- son conveyed to his son Alexander, April 17, 1818, for $1, whose sons John and Johnston conveyed a portion to Jas. Stevenson, September 3, 1849.

Timothy Lennington conveyed other parcels of this tract thus: 994 acres to his son Isaac, August 5, 1808, " for and in consideration of the good ser- vices " done by him to his parents, and which the latter conveyed to James Summerville, May 17, 1817, for $455; 201 acres to his son-in-law John Titus, for " divers good considerations" and on condition that the latter should suitably maintain the former and his wife during the rest of their lives, which Titus conveyed to his daughter Jane, April 29, 1840, in consideration of his maintenance during the rest of his life, and to his son-in-law, Francis A. Regis, his daughter Jane's husband, in consideration of his maintenance and the payment of from $1 and $10 to $50 to his sons and other daughters, respectively, aggregating $124, from the payment of which he, by his will, dated February 27, 1849, and registered February 14, 1853, released him; and the heirs of Jonathan Titus also released their interest in this parcel to him, August 3, 1854, " for a full and valuable consideration." Regis and wife conveyed 148 acres to Joseph T. McCady, March 27, 1855, for $1,500.

Adjoining that Lennington-Titus tract on the west and " Mount Lorenzo " on the north is a hex- agonal tract, " 410 " acres on the Gapen map, which had been surveyed by Gapen to " Samuel Parr," on which James Simmeral made an improvement and

493

WEST FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.

settlement March 5, 1796, which was surveyed to him by Deputy Surveyor Ross, July 6, 1801, which survey was disputed by Hugh Lennington to whom and A. McCall it was resurveyed, "411ª8"," March 14, 1805, by virtue of previous improvement and settlement, with 200 acres of which and four cat- tle James Simmeral was assessed in 1805-6 at $82. Its central part is traversed in a westerly course by Lennington run. It is not apparent from the records whether Hugh Lennington abandoned or sold his claim. The patent for the entire tract was granted to McCall and Simmeral as tenants in common, Octo- ber 29, 1829. They made partition and McCall conveyed to Simmeral 212 acres and 25 perches, June 26, 1832, on which the latter and his family resided until his death. By his will, dated Septem- ber 18, 1841, and his codicil, dated September 9, 1851, and registered August 19, 1854, he directed his executors, John Craig and Thomas Mccullough, to sell 99 acres of the eastern part of the tract and divide the money equally among six of his sons and two of his daughters, which those executors accordingly conveyed to James, John, Joseph and Josiah Summerville, May 22, 1856, for $1,800. The testator devised 100 acres " off the south side of the mansion tract " to his daughters Fanny and Hannah.

The first schoolhouse erected within the present limits of West Franklin, log, about 16×16 feet, was situated about fifty rods south of Lennington run in the forks of the crossroad near William Younkins' house, about 60 rods south westerly from schoolhouse No. 5, as the schoolhouses were num- bered before the division of Franklin township.

McCall conveyed 100 acres of his purpart to Ann M. O'Connor, March 14, 1843, for $800, 26 acres and 133 perches of which she conveyed to Azel Summerville, March 31, 1846, for $707, which the latter conveyed to William Younkins, April 9, 1868, 4 acres of which Younkins conveyed to Rev. J. Y. Burwell, March 31, 1870, and which the latter reconveyed to Younkins, April 5, for $550. She also conveyed 30 acres to Jane Garraway, July 10, 1855, for $1,000. McCall's heirs conveyed 115 acres of this purpart together with parcels of other tracts to P. Graff & Co., April 16, 1845, of which Graff conveyed 115 acres and 78 perches to Leander Henry, November 2, 1855, for $524, and which with another parcel constitutes a part of the 295 acres and 71 perches which Graff conveyed to John T. Ehrenfeld, November 28, 1870, for $3,500.

Adjoining that McCall-Simmeral tract on the northwest is " vacant " land on the Gapen, but on the other map, a heptagonal tract, "241ª 135"," on which William Stevenson made an improvement

in April, 1800, and a settlement April 10, 1802, and which was surveyed to him by Ross, deputy sur- veyor, April 24. This tract must have been aban- doned by Stevenson. A warrant for it was granted to Joseph Shields and others, December 2, 1837, on which it was surveyed to them by Meredith, deputy surveyor, December 14.

Adjoining that last-noticed Stevenson tract on the north is unsurveyed territory on the Gapen, but on the other map two surveyed tracts trav- ersed by Long run, an eastern tributary of Little Buffalo creek. The western one, "192ª 94P" was first settled by James Kerr, Sr., who was assessed with 190 acres, 2 horses and 1 cow, in 1805, at $103.50, and in 1806 at 894.50. He conveyed the interest which he had acquired in it as an actual settler, under the claim of Patrick Hervey, to Samuel Shields, in 1815-16, who conveyed a por- tion of it to James Kerr, Jr., and John Kerr, and they to John Shields 19 acres and 127 perches, No- vember 28, 1823, for $79. The patent for most of it was granted to Joseph Shields in trust for the heirs of Samuel Shields, April 9, 1827, and for an- other portion in trust for those heirs and John Craig, Sr., April 14, 1838, 18 acres 90 perches of which Craig conveyed to Joseph Shields, May 8, 1839, for $92.80, having, on April 27, released 82 acres and 70 perches to Joseph Shields in trust, as aforesaid. Samuel Shields died intestate and his son, Joseph, inherited the residue of this tract, who conveyed 128 acres and 52 perches to John Leard, July 7, 1840, for $1,500, and to whom his widow released her dower or third therein, February 26, 1848, for $1, the same being now in the possession of Christopher Leard.

Adjoining that Kerr-Shields-Leard tract on the east in the unsurveyed territory on the Gapen map, is on the other an octagonal tract on which Daniel Sloan made an early improvement and settlement, and was assessed with 190 acres, 2 horses and 1 cow, in 1805, at $113.50, and with the same and an additional cow the next year, at $119.50. He was thereafter assessed with 180 acres of the land until 1810, which was for several years thereafter assessed to his son, James, and was in 1817 placed on the unseated list, on which it was continued until 1819. David Sloan's heirs, of Marion county, Indiana, conveyed their interests in it to the present owner, James Claypoole, September 2, 1845, and April 23, 1846, for $60 for each one's one undivided one- seventh of 170 acres and 40 perches.

Adjoining those Sloan-Claypoole and Kerr- Shields tracts on the east, on the Gapen map, is an octagonal tract " 432.30," surveyed by Gapen to "Samuel Wallace," its center traversed westerly

494

HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

by Long run. Wallace's interest probably became vested in Archibald McCall. On the other map is the same shaped tract with "400a" and " Ab'm Lenonton " on it, who improved and settled it while he was a single man, perhaps before 1800. He was assessed with that quantity in 1805-6, at $100. The patent for it, 440 acres, was granted to McCall and Lennington, February 13, 1809. They having made partition, MeCall by his attorney, Collins, released 140 acres and 54 perches of it to Lenning- ton, February 13, and Lennington to McCall 299 acres and 106 perches, September 5, and the same day conveyed his purpart to John Mounts, who had erected his gristmill thereon in 1806, from which a publie road was opened to " Boyd's upper meeting- house," as surveyed by Robert Cogley, in the win- ter of 1808-9, for $500, who conveyed the same to Anthony Gallagher, September 22, for $350, to whom it was assessed until 1858, and thereafter to Joseph Gallagher until 1863, and was conveyed by Jonathan Myers, sheriff, to Ross Mechling, Sep- tember 14, with about 100 acres cleared, log dwelling-house, double log barn, apple and peach orchard. McCall's purpart of this tract, called " Hartford," was included in his assignment to Du Pont, who reconveyed it to him, January 17, 1833, and which his heirs, by their attorney, Chapman Biddle, conveyed 115 acres and 78 perches and 278 acres and 80 perches of another tract to Peter Graff, April 16, 1845, for $4,700, which parcel was included in his conveyance to John T. Ehrenfeld.

The name of this tract is traced to Hartford parish, in the county of Cheshire, England, through which passes in these later times the London & Northwestern Railway. The county and city of Hartford-the latter being one of the capitols of Connecticut-were so called after that township of Hartford, in England. The etymology of IIart- ford is hart, a stag, and ford, the passage of a stream, i. e., a shallow place in a river or other stream where harts cross.

A small portion of another traet,* on which James MeDowell's sawmill was erected in 1846, adjoins " Hartford" on the east. Contiguous to " Hartford " on the north is the minor portion of a tract which will be noticed hereafter, and all of another, surveyed by Gapen to " Samuel Has- let," " 202.8" aeres, whose interest probably be- came vested in MeCall. James Hanna was an early settler on this tract. He was assessed with it and 4 cattle, in 1805, at $112, and in 1806 with the land, 1 horse and 1 eow, at $110. The patent for it, 410 acres and 6 perches, called " Re- serve," was granted to Hanna and McCall, May 16,

1807. Hanna conveyed his interest therein and 2 horses, 1 cow, 4 sheep, 7 hogs, 1 loom and tack- ling, and his household furniture, to Andrew Mc- Kee, June 24, 1807, for $300, who probably con- veyed his interest in the land to Andrew Mes- senheimer, for McCall released 150 acres and 92 perches of his purpart of " Reserve " to the latter, July 2, 1841, for $1. Messenheimer conveyed the same to Presley Irwin, August 12, for $800, 58 acres and 20 perches of which he conveyed to Ja- cob Hepler, November 6, 1849, for $406.87. J. E. Merdith, Irwin's administrator, conveyed 51 acres and 73 perches to Peter Graff, April 7, 1854, which he conveyed to John Koller, December 2, 1859, for $600. McCall's purpart of "Reserve" was in- cluded in his assignment to Du Pont, in the recon- veyance from Du Pont to him, and in the convey- ance from McCall's heirs to William F. Johnston, 100 acres of which the latter conveyed to John Buzzard, March 28, 1857, for $800; and 100 acres to Peter Graff, September 13, 1859, for $800, of which Graff conveyed 90 acres to Grace B. Dick- son, September 29, 1868, for $500, and, same day, 12 acres and 121 perches to John Koller for $165.83.

Adjoining the northern part of " Hartford " and the southern part of "Reserve" on the west, unsur- veyed on the Gapen, but surveyed on the other, is a hexagonal tract, almost a rectangular parallelo- gram, " 442ª 30"," on which Joseph Shields made an improvement in February, 1793, a settlement in April, 1797, and to whom it was surveyed by Ross, deputy surveyor, April 24, 1802. The patent for it was granted to him December 20, 1813. He conveyed 174 acres to Christian Kenson, October 23, 1827, for $ -. By his will, dated June 17, 1852, and registered May 16, 1857, he devised 50 acres of his " mansion traet " to his son David; to his daughter, Mary Adams, 10 acres, on which she then lived; 20 acres to his daughter Elizabeth; di- rected 100 acres to be sold by his executors, and the proceeds to be equally divided between his six daughters and his son Joseph; and devised the rest of the "mansion traet," supposed to contain 226 acres, to his son, Robert Shields, who con- veyed 2 acres and 129 perches thereof to Godfreed Guiser, January 12, 1867, for $300.

Schoolhouse No. 6 is situated in the forks of a northeastern tributary of Little Buffalo creek, at the crossroads, on this Shields tract.

Adjoining that tract on the north is a hexagonal one, nearly a rectangular parallelogram, "420" acres, surveyed by Gapen to " Nicholas Day." On the other map is the same shaped tract, with the same quantity of land, and on its face the names

* Vide East Franklin,

495

WEST FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.

of "Philip Templeton and A. McCall." The patent for the entire tract was granted to McCall, November 22, 1837, was included in the convey- ance from his heirs to Johnston as containing 413 acres and 25 perches, of which he conveyed 100 acres and 127 perches to Peter Graff, October 5, 1857, for $1,200.50 ; and 200 acres and 89 perches to Francis A. Regis and Joseph B. Shields, March 17, 1858, for $1,604.

West and northwest of that Templeton-McCall tract is unsurveyed territory on both maps, in- cluded, perhaps, in " Joseph Irwin's claim," partly in what is now Sugar Creek township, the central part of which is traversed about due south by the Little Buffalo, with 100 acres of which Nathaniel Patterson was first assessed in 1820, to whom J. E. Meredith, deputy surveyor, surveyed 193 acres and 90 [70] perches, December 12, 1837, being a very irregularly shaped tract, with twelve sides, which became vested in Philip Templeton (of Philip), and was returned on warrant, dated December 14, 1865, and surveyed December 26, and to whom the patent was subsequently granted.

Geological .- Within the limits of West Frank- lin township the section extends upward from the Pottsville conglomerate into the lower barren group, thus embracing all the lower productives. The area of the lower barrens is confined to the southeast and northwest corners of the township. The area of the Pottsville conglomerate stretches from McKee's schoolhouse (No. 6) on Little Buf- falo creek southward to the milldam above the Buffalo mills, and thence westward up the Big Buffalo past Craigsville to A. Hindman's. In all this area it is closely confined to the region of the creek, being in fact only just lifted above the water's edge. The lower productives have there- fore a wide outspread in this township. The out- crop of the upper Freeport coal skirts the edge of the lower barren area, passing just above Worth-

ington into East Franklin. So far as investigated, it has little thickness here, and its limestone is not of much consequence. The same is true of the area of this coal found in the northwest corner of the township. But the lower Kittanning coal is persist- ent as a workable bed, usually about 33 feet thick. The ferriferous limestone is in good condition and has the buhrstone ore on its top. Both were used in the Buffalo Furnace, which also used some ore from the Freeport deposit, found in the hills west of the stack.

Structure .- An important anticlinal axis trav- erses the township from northeast to southwest, crosses the Big Buffalo near Craigsville and ex- tends across the Little Buffalo below the mouth of Long Run. It is the axis which crosses the Alle- gheny near the month of Red Bank .- Platt.

The upper Freeport coal on the hillside, over the turnpike, near Buffalo Furnace, on the west bank of Buffalo creek, is 18 inches thick. The Kittan- ning coalbed is there below it, which used to yield 3} feet of pure non-pyritous coal. The ferriferous limestone is there 15 feet thick, blue and solid, above which is an orebed, accompanied by very little buhrstone. The Tionesta sandstone appears there in the bed of the stream with the ferrif- erous shales and workable Clarion coal above .- Rodgers.

The population of West Franklin, in 1870, was, native, 1,205; foreign, 109; colored, 0.

Number of schools in 1876, 8; average number of months taught, 5; male teachers, 2; female teach- ers, 6; average monthly salaries of both male and female, $30; male scholars, 263; female scholars, 160; average number attending school, 249; cost of teaching each per month, 73 cents; tax levied for school and building purposes, $2,355.60; received from state appropriation, $243.66; from taxes and other sources, $2,690.50; cost of schoolhouses, $25 paid teachers' wages, $1,200; fuel, etc., $401.58.

CHAPTER XXIII.

EAST FRANKLIN.

First Township Election -The Early Settlers as Shown by Land Titles-Tribulations of Thomas Barr as Teacher - An Oil Company Organized in 1870-West Glade Run Presbyterian Church - A Notable Law Suit- Allegheny Furnace Lands- Roads-Coal Mining and Oil Manufacturing Company Organized in 1859- Montgomeryville - Cowansville -Middlesex - Union Presbyterian Church Organized in 1801 - Schools - Rich Hill U. P. Church -Population and other Statistics-Geological Features - The Town- ship named after Benjamin Franklin.

T !! THE first township election in East Franklin, · held in the spring of 1868, resulted thus: J. C. Claypoole was elected justice of the peace; Hugh Hooks, constable; Solomon Ilooks, school director for three years; D. C. Quigley and Abraham Zille- frow, for two years; Henry Blair and John Mont- gomery, supervisors; a tie between Franklin Am- brose and Jonathan Geary, for assessor; John Moore and John Summerville, overseers of the poor; Henry Dougherty, township auditor for three, Thomas Armstrong for two years, and J. D. Carr for one year; J. H. Dickey, judge of election; W. G. Cowan and Sharon Mateer, inspectors of elec- tion.

The readers may now in imagination place the Gapen map and the Lawson & Orr map of surveys before them and follow the writer as he traverses this township alternately from west to east, and from east to west, beginning at its southwest cor- ner, in which is depreciation lot No. 271, a square, the patent for which, called "Strabane," was granted to Joshua Elder, May 9, 1791, which he conveyed to McCall and McDowell, March 27, 1795, and in the partition between them was one of the tracts allotted to McCall, who conveyed it to George C. McCall, June 23, 1817, and the latter re- conveyed it. One hundred and ten and two-thirds acres of it were conveyed by A. McCall to John Bowser, June 16, 1830, for $330, and the same quan- tity to Daniel Shaeffer, the same day, for the same price. Bowser conveyed 293 acres to Susannah and Charles McClatchey, which they conveyed to Frederick Bowser, April 3, 1849, for $300, and 37 acres and 100 perches to Frederick Bowser, August 26, 1842, for $230, who conveyed the same to David C. Bowser. The parcel purchased by Shaeffer is still retained by him. A. McCall conveyed 50 acres of the southeast end to John Summerell, June 12, 1834, for $175.

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History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 104

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