History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 26

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

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9. Gen. Andrew Jackson : The choice of the people of the United States for President.

10. De Witt Clinton and Gen. Jacob Brown : In the civil and military, the one unsurpassed in talents and the other not exceeded in bravery. Their desire to promote the public good deserves that their memory should be cherished by a grateful people.

11. Internal improvement : The sure foundation of the wealth and prosperity of our State-may the citizens of Pennsylvania soon feel the effect of her liberal policy.

12. The Allegheny river : Its waters unequaled by any other stream in the world-a link formed by nature to connect the lakes with the ocean.

13. Our wives and sweethearts: Though not with us, our hearts are with them.

Volunteers .- By the President: Success to the plow and the scythe, the spindle and the loom.

By Jacob Mechling-The intrigues at Washington city-the evil is contagious and evidently spreading. God send us a safe deliverance from it in our eities and little villages.

By Thos. McConnell-The hero who protected and preserved " Beauty and Booty."

By F. Rohrer-Our members of Congress : Having represented their constituents with fidelity and unwea- ried industry, they merit a continuanee of public favor.

By J. E. Brown-The 14th day of October, 1828: A day auspicious to the real friends but fearfully ominous to the enemies of the vested and constitutional rights of the Allegheny country. A day on which Armstrong county will, with unanimity unparalleled, and in language not to be mistaken, show her determination to maintain these rights.

By George W. Smith-Gen. I. D. Barnard : His patri- otie devotion to his country in the field and cabinet, as well as in the senate of the United States at the late ses- sion, in the able and distinguished part he took in favor of the tariff bill, entitle him to the confidence of his fellow-citizens.

By James Thompson (late chief justice)-John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay-a mysterious union of discordant materials : Mav our country arouse from her shimbers

and banish from her council hateful suspicion by remov- ing the objects that justly gave rise to it.

By James Richart-General Andrew Jackson : Un- daunted in war, matehless in his deportment as a gentle- man, the brave and noble defender of beauty, the unde- filed lover of his country.

By S. S. Neale-The military chieftain : Strange that an American statesman should have advanced the sentiment.

By Walter Sloan-May the rotting, tottering, clayey pillars of the present administration be removed from their sandy foundations by the voice of the Union and rebuilt with better materials, founded upon a rock against which the storms of corruption and autocracy may beat but not prevail.

By John Mosgrove-General Jackson : May his talents as a statesman, his courage as a warrior, and his virtues as a citizen make an impression on the minds of all in- dependent Americans.

By J. H. Hepburn-Our country : The asylum of the oppressed, the birthplace of heroes, and the land of patriots ; may she flourish unrivaled among the nations of the earth.

By G. W. Brodhead-Let us, like freemen, fill our goblets and drink a health to Gen. Andrew Jackson, whose name stands sanctioned by the people's will first on the roll of fame.

By Samuel Davidson-Let the friends of Gen. Jack- son be watchful and not suffer the enemy to decoy them from the ranks.

By J. G. Fry-John Quincy Adams : May he be re- moved from offiee, and Gen. Andrew Jackson take his place.

By Peter Frantz-Gen. La Fayette : Until liberty shall have been consigned to the tomb of ages, may his name never cease to be remembered by freemen.

By Frederick Robinson-A porcupine saddle and a rough-trotting horse for the enemies of Jackson to ride upon.

By Samuel Truby-Gen. Andrew Jackson : A patriot, a statesman, a soldier ; may he be a president.

By Joseph Cogley-May Gen. Andrew Jackson receive more votes than he did on a former occasion, and may John Quiney Adams be removed from office and Gen. Jackson take his place.

By Wm. Wiley-Gen. Jackson : His course throughout has been marked by a steady devotion to his country ; a grateful people praise his fidelity and will reward his merits.

By a member-Public men worthy of public confid- ence : If conscious of fidelity, why do they appeal to the people for the course of their publie conduct ?

After the close of the exercises, the assemblage recrossed the river at Brown's ferry without an accident or occurrence to mar the pleasure or wound the feelings of any one present.

The services and the spirit of the respective toasts of these two assemblages show the differ- ent phases of a partisan and a non-partisan observance of our Sabbath day of freedom.

For many years prior to 1828, the Fourth of July had been harmoniously celebrated in this

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

place by those belonging to different political par- ties, especially so in 1826, the semi-centennial anniversary of our National Independence. This is one of the toasts on that occasion : " Adams and Jefferson-venerable for their years, glorious for their achievements, let them receive the plaudits of a great nation, as they retire from the theater of life." It so happened in the course of Divine Providence, that both of the illustrious subjects of that toast died, within about five hours of each other, on that day, unbeknown, of course, to the one who gave, and those who listened to, that toast until the news reached them by mail a week or two afterward. Jefferson expired at ten minutes before one, and Adams at six o'clock P.M. The other toasts breathed a grateful spirit to Washington and the fathers of our Republic and its subsequent defenders. The declaration of in- dependence was read by Rev. Moses P. Bennett, and the oration was delivered by Rev. Nathaniel G. Snowden, a copy of which the writer has not seen. The dinner was served on the opposite side of the river by Joseph Brown, which was partaken of by the Armstrong Guards and a large number of citizens. Thomas Blair was president, Samuel Matthews vice-president, and Eben S. Kelly secre- tary. They and nearly all who participated in that proper observance of that semi-centennial of American independence, are numbered with the dead. Other features of that and the other old- time celebrations of the Fourth of July were the raising of Liberty poles and the firing of guns, pistols, and artillery.

The old-time non-partisan celebrations were in vogue after 1828. In 1840, however, the day was observed by the Whig and Democratic parties sep- arately. The former had a large convention of members of that party from all parts of the county. Their log cabin was situated' in the grove on the hill east of the court-house, where Mrs. Col- well now lives. Party spirit ran high. The chief marshal* on that occasion informed the writer that fears were entertained that the cabin would be destroyed by some of the other party, at least it was so intimated. The .Whigs, therefore, placed a strong military guard, with loaded arms, around it, the night before the Fourth. On Friday night, the 4th, it and the grounds were occupied by the Whigs, and brilliantly lighted. Thither marched a large procession, in which were several veterans of the revolutionary and Indian wars, and the war of 1812. By prearrangement the Democrats had a celebration and dinner of their own. The dinner was at the Mansion House on Jefferson street, then

* Thomas McConnell.

kept by Thomas H. Caldwell. The Independent Blues, Capt. Rowlands, and some citizens observed the day in a non-partisan way by a parade and a dinner at Isaac Scott's, and an oration by the late Thomas McIlhenny.

The gradual decadence of the old-time celebra- tions followed. The public dinner, the oration, the raising of liberty poles, and the firing of guns ceased. That day was observed for several years thereafter at the Federal Spring and other shady nooks, when the Declaration of Independence was read and toasts were given, some of which were national and patriotic, some humorously personal, and others indicated that Bacchic merriment was a prominent element. That of 1848 was signalized by the holding of a Democratic county conven- tion. The last one that most nearly approached the old-time celebrations was, probably, in 1854, among the active movers of which were members of the corps of civil engineers, then engaged in surveying and laying out the Allegheny . Val- ley Railroad. Edward S. Golden presided, the Declaration of Independence was read by John V. Painter, and various toasts, usual on such occasions, were given.

At one of the earlier celebrations, a certain German* was called on for a toast, after a great variety of others had been given. He was natur- ally at a loss for a sentiment different from any that had already been heard. In the depth of his perplexity, he justly evoked applause by giving this : "Freuheit und flour genuge !" which, in pure German, is : "Frenheit und viel mehl ! " and in English : "Liberty and plenty of flour ! "

In pursuance of a resolution of the American Sunday School Union, requesting a meeting of superintendents, teachers, scholars, and friends of Sunday Schools in their respective localities, on July 7, 1833, the meeting thus requested was held in this place at the Academy, on the fourth of that month, the exercises of which were prayer, singing, an exhortation by Rev. J. Sommerville, an address by Rev. G. A. Reichert, and a suc- cinct narrative of the rise and progress of the Kittanning Sabbath School, by James E. Brown, its superintendent. That school was organized in 1830 and continued to be a union school for several years. The observance of Fourth of July by Sab- bath School picnics began here in 1835. On that occasion the superintendent, teachers, two hundred scholars, and a goodly number of parents met at the Methodist Episcopal church. The exercises were : 1. Singing. 2. Prayer by Rev. Joseph Painter. 3. Singing. 4. Address by Rev. B. B.

* Christopher Oury.

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THE BOROUGH OF KITTANNING.

Killikelly. 5. Singing. 6. Prayer by Rev. G. A. Reichert. 7. Singing a hymn, in which the teachers and scholars alternated. The hymns used were printed on small sheets for the occasion. After the conclusion of these exercises, the assem- blage partook of a repast, for the excellence, abundance, and variety of which the ladies who prepared and dispensed it were deservedly entitled to a full share of praise.

The chronicle of that event further states that good order prevailed and all seemed to enjoy them- selves, conscious that they had spent that morning of our glorious anniversary in an innocent, rational and pleasant manner. The procession left the the church about noon and were handsomely re- ceived by Capt. R. E. Brown's company of Inde- pendent Blues in open order and with presented arms, beautifully and impressively emblematic of the true use of the military, the protection of the helpless and innocent.

Some years afterward that school was separated into denominational ones, which, however, con- tinued to unite for several years in celebrating the Fourth of July, in holding their annual picnics in groves, when the weather would permit. The last of the union of more than two schools was in 1850. On that occasion an address was delivered by the late L. S. Cantwell, whose theme was, American independence is the triumph of religious as well as civil liberty. His peroration was in these words:

" Our fathers never paused to ask, will our gen- erosity be requited well or ill? They did their duty; they acted their part faithfully and nobly in the history of the world; they set a rising nation an emulous example of universal benevolence. In God they trusted for their recompense, and they have received it. The world is now resounding their praise. Looking down from a higher sphere of charity, they beheld the principles which they professed and acted ou triumphant through our vast republic and destined yet to triumph through- out the entire world.

" Americans, emulate the glory of your fathers! Men of every creed and country, learn that civil and religious liberty belongs to all mankind! Prac- tice this doctrine, act npon this principle and the sun in his course will visit no land more free, more happy or more united than this-our own country."

The next year the Presbyterian and Episcopal schools unitedly, and the Methodist and other schools separately, celebrated that anniversary. Since then the various schools have had distinct celebrations, except that on two or three occasions the Presbyterian and Episcopal schools united. Within a year or two past the Presbyterian school

has changed the time of its annual pienie until later in the season.

There is still another phase of the observance of the Fourth of July. In pursuance of a call, signed by twelve members of the Washington Total Abstinence Society, viz., Robert Orr, Darwin Phelps, Josiah Copley, Andrew Arnold, Johu Mechling, James Douglass, Edward McBride, W. Reynolds, W. J. Reynolds and George Rodgers, an immense mass temperance convention assembled here July 4, 1842, with which the united Sabbath schools, after their picnic in the morning, joined. A procession was formed at the Presbyterian church and, preceded by the military, marched through the several streets to Reynolds' Grove, where prayer was offered by Rev. Wm. Hilton, a temperance ode was sung, the Declaration of Inde- pendence was read by the late Thomas T. Torney, and the vast assemblage was addressed by temper- rance speakers from abroad. There was a partisan celebration the same day on the opposite side of the river. Another celebration by the temperance element was July 4, 1848, by a picnic in one of the groves near town, when the ladies presented a bible to the Kittanning division of the Sons of Temperance.

OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS.

Washington's centennial birthday, February 22, 1832, was celebrated by the ringing of the court- house bell at early dawn. At 12 M. the Armstrong Guards paraded, and were joined by the citizens at 2 P. M., making a large procession. After par- taking of an excellent dinner prepared by David Reynolds, Robert Orr, Jr., was appointed chair- man and Samuel L. Harrison, secretary. Wash- ington's Farewell Address was read in a distinct and impressive manner by Thomas Blair. The borough was magnificently illuminated from six until nine o'clock in the evening, and the night closed with a ball. Every countenance, it is rela- ted, evinced joy and gratitude beyond those of other public celebrations. Neither accident nor improper conduct occurred to mar the observance of that one hundredth natal day of the "Father of our Country."

The Allegheny Valley railroad was opened to Ki:tanning for business January 29, 1856, on which occasion there was a free excursion, which was enjoyed by a considerable number of the friends of the road, to whom the freedom of the borough had been tendered. Among the sports of the day those guests and others participated in a brisk game of snow-balling. For about nine years the station was at the head of Walnut street, whence it was removed to the corner of Vine street and

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

Grant and Reynolds avenues, where a commodious building was soon after erected for a passenger and freight depot on a tract of two acres and thirty square feet, purchased by the late president of the railroad company from Absalom Reynolds. There is on the same tract, a few rods north of the depot, a neat two-story frame building, erected by the company for the use of the passenger and freight agent.

Wednesday, April 19, 1865, the day on which occurred the funeral services of the lamented President Lincoln, was duly observed here. Busi- ness was suspended; the sable emblems of mourn- ing were visible in every part of the borough; the bells were tolled; and unfeigned regret and sad- ness and indignation pervaded this community. Suitable religious exercises were held in several of the churches-in the Methodist Episcopal church in the morning, when a discourse was delivered by Rev. T. D. Ewing; in the Presbyterian church in the evening, when an address was delivered by the late Rev. A. H. Thomas. Revs. B. B. Killikelly, J. N. Dick, M. Sweigert and J. A. Earnest also officiated. The addresses and other exercises were solemn, touching and appropriate.

During the forenoon of Friday, September 15, 1871, a telegraphic dispatch was received stating that a special train from Oil City, bearing Presi- dent Grant and family, would arrive here at 12:40. A hasty effort was made by the mayor to have the people form in procession in front of the town hall and move thence to the depot for the purpose of receiving and welcoming his excellency in an orderly manner. But, fearful that they might miss seeing him, they heeded not the request to move in procession. The court, then in session, adjourned before the usual time. A large multitude of people from town and country, among whom were some who had fought under Gen. Grant at Vicksburg and in the Wilderness, were assembled to greet him. The train arrived at 12:42, two minutes late, so that the very short time alloted for stopping here was somewhat abridged. The president appeared upon the rear platform of the car when all who could, in the brief space of three or four minutes, rushed thither and grasped his hand and evinced their esteem for and gratitude to one of our country's most illustrious benefactors.

A public meeting was held at the court-house Monday evening, October 10, 1871, in reference to taking measures for contributing aid to the suffer- ers by the great Chicago fire. A committee of twenty was appointed to canvass the borough and vicinity, which in a few days thereafter reported that the sum of $1,300 had been raised and for-

warded, which was increased by an additional sum of probably $150 or $200.

Another public meeting was held at the court house Thursday evening, November 9, 1871, for the purpose of consulting in reference to taking pre- cautionary measures to prevent the spread of small- pox, which was then fearfully prevalent in Pitts- burgh and various other places, and which it was feared would sooner or later be brought here. After an interchange of views a committee of fifteen, consisting of five physicians of this borongh and ten citizens, was appointed, to which was intrusted the adoption of such sanitary measures as it might deem best. This "Board of Health " held its first meeting Friday evening, November 10, and appointed two sub-committees-one of physi- cians to see that vaccination be made as general and preventive as possible ; the other of five citi- zens, as a finance committee, to raise funds to defray the necessary expenses of vaccinating all who were unable to pay and to provide, if neces- sary, for erecting and furnishing a small-pox hos- pital. This was a voluntary movement on the part of the people for self-defense against the ravages of that contagious disease-necessarily voluntary in the absence of any borough ordinance providing for such an apprehended emergency. The town council had and it still has ample power under section 13 of the act of April 4, 1866, to pass such ordinances as may be needed in relation to the sani- tary condition of the borough, which it has not yet exercised. That committee of physicians and citi- zens did their work thoroughly. Nearly every one who required vaccination was vaccinated, whether he or she was able to pay for it or not. It was probably owing to those precautionary measures that this borough was thereafter so singularly exempt from small-pox and that a hospital or pest- house was not necessary.

TORNADOES, FLOODS, ICE-GORGES.

Besides the tornado already mentioned, several others have at different times done more or less damage. Many years ago, probably in the summer of 1811, a furious one crossed the river from the west, about seventy-five yards in width, which prostrated numerous trees in its course, unroofed the log building on lot No. 245, in which had been James McClurg's store, and carried before it the unfinished frame building (it had been weather- boarded) which was being erected by Philip Essex on lot No. 241, on Water street, where the poor- house now is, in an easterly direction across the run to the hill near the present residence of Eph- raim Buffington, a distance of nearly sixty rods.

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THE BOROUGH OF KITTANNING.

That the portion of this borough between the river and Mckean street or a little beyond it was subject to inundations when this region was in- habited by the Indians, is, perhaps, inferable from the fact that they located their town, at least the heart of it, on what was then the third, but what is now the second bench, between Mckean street and Grant avenue. The first well-known inunda- tion-the writer is informed there was a high flood in 1803-after the settlement here by the whites, was February 10, 1832, which caused such of the people living on the then second bench as could to remove to higher ground until the subsi- dence of the waters. The hight of the water at the northwest corner of Arch and Water streets was four feet one and a half inches above the present pavement ; at the northwest corner of Water and Mulberry streets, two and a half feet. On Wednes- day, October 21, 1835, the river rose twenty-five feet above low-water mark, which was within a few feet of being as high as it was in 1832.

In the latter part of the second week in March, 1837, the heavy bodies of ice that had accumulated through the winter on the upper Allegheny, French creek and their tributaries broke up, which, or at least large portions thereof, gorged between Kittanning and the mouth of Red Bank. On Sunday and Monday, 12th and 13th, that gorge moved about forty feet and then stopped. Between 1 and 2 o'clock A. M., Tuesday, 14th, the alarm was given that the ice had begun to move. It soon stopped again. The people of Kittanning, thus awakened, were much alarmed, and the approach of daylight was indeed welcome to them. Im- mense gorges of ice accumulated from one side of the river to the other, so high as to intercept the view of buildings on the other side to those on this side of the river. There were vast piles of ice along the river above Kittanning from thirty to forty feet high. About 4 o'clock p. M. the river overflowed, both above and below town. Huge cakes of ice, four, five and six feet thick, were furiously borne into McKean street from both above and below. The whole town was covered with ice. There was a continuous bed of ice in Water street from fifteen to twenty feet thick, and nearly the same on Jefferson street. The turnpike at the lower part of the town was blocked up, as were the landings on both sides of the river. The bridge across Truby's run, on Water street, was forced back to Jefferson street. The swollen river raged and foamed as if it would free itself from its unwonted burden. All the people that could fled to the hills. Many that had not time to reach them betook themselves to the upper stories of

their dwellings until after the fall of the water, which overflowed the river banks about 4 o'clock P.M., bearing ice, trees, fences, hogs and cattle from north and south into Mckean street, and destroy- ing the bridge in the lower part of the town. There were, of course, hours of intense anxiety during the continuance of the fearful prospect of an ice-floe as well as a flood. But, fortunately, just after that overflow, when the alarm of the people was most intense, the lower part of the gorge broke, and the rest of it soon moved down stream. No person's life was lost and not much other damage was done except what was caused by the high water, which was four feet higher than in the flood of 1832. Large cakes of ice were left on some of the streets, which were not entirely melted until May or June. In the confusion of fleeing to the hill, some mistakes were made. A singular, if not ludicrous, one was that of an old lady taking her cat and leaving her babe behind. When asked why she had saved her cat instead of her child, she is said to have replied : "Oh, she is such a rouser for the mice." The hight of the water above the pavement at the corner of Arch and Water streets was five and one-quarter feet; at the corner of Water and Mulberry, six and one-half feet.

The highest water flood was March 17, 1865, when the water reached five and one-quarter feet above the pavement at the corner of Arch and Water streets ; two feet nine and one-half inches, corner of Water and Jacob streets ; and six and one-half feet, corner of Water and Mulberry streets. The water reached to within three inches of the door-sill on Market, a few feet above MeKean street, and filled every cellar between the latter street and the river, except Gen. Orr's, on lot No. 76.

The flood December 13, 1873, raised the water at the corner of Arch and Water streets three feet above the pavement ; corner of Water and Jacob streets, one foot nine and one-half inches ; and at the corner of Water and Mulberry streets, four feet.

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History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 26

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