History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 35

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

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CHURCHES.

The first church organized in this township is the Crooked Creek Presbyterian, designated in the

last township map, "Union Church," located be- tween the second and fifth bends in Crooked Creek above its moutlı-a little more than half way from the neck of the second to the fifth-on the road leading from the southern part of Manor township across that creek, at a ford therein to the mill formerly owned by Robert Walker (of A.), but now by Held & Kough. Just when it was organ- ized is uncertain, but probably by the old Redstone Presbytery, prior to 1825. "I first visited the church of Crooked Creek," wrote the late Rev. Dr. Painter, "in the summer of 1834. The people had ceased to attend church among themselves, and though they had commenced, some years be- fore, to erect a church,* they had not finished it. They had cut and hewed and put up logs for a large church, and had it under roof ; the places for the doors were cut out, but the house never had a floor, or doors, or windows, and the wide places between the logs had never been closed. When I first saw it, I noticed some sheep reposing on the ground within the log enclosure; in fact, the building appeared to be the resort of all kinds of cattle that grazed through the woods ; they had free ingress into it, and egress out of it." That edifice was made tenantable, and for a few years Dr. Painter gave that church one-sixth of his time. It soon revived and began to prosper. It was statedly supplied for awhile by John Kerr, a liceu- tiate of the Washington Presbytery, and since 1841 it has been under the pastoral charge of Revs. Levi M. Graves, William Colledge, G. K. Scott, and Perin Baker, the present pastor. It was in- corporated by the court of common pleas of this county, June 21, 1843, and the trustees named in the charter were James C. Kerr, William McKee, Hamilton Kelly, Audrew Jack, and Robert Walker (of A.), who were to continue until the election, on the first Monday of the then next June. Its present membership is 84 ; Sabbath-school scholars, 40. A neat, new frame edifice was erected, partly on the site of the second log house, in 1869, and is designated "Union Church." It is 45×40 feet, and neatly furnished.

The other three churches in this township are Lutheran. Zion's is situated in the forks, near a branch of Elder run, the fourth from its mouth, as indicated on Pomeroy & Co.'s map of the township. The church was incorporated by the proper court December 19, 1849. The officers named in the charter were Henry Isensee, pastor, John Torney and Henry Wanamaker, elders, Griffith Baker and Jonathan Moyer, deacons, John Allshouse and

* Alog edifice, built by Alexander Walker, in 1820; another Ing edifice was built in 1840-1, about fifteen rods from the first one.

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

Henry Klingensmith, trustees, and the last named, treasurer. The present number of members, 150; Sabbath-school scholars, 100. The edifice is frame.

St. Paul's is in the southeastern part of the town- ship, near the main eastern branch of Carnahan's, formerly Old Town, run. Members, 75; Sabbath- school scholars, 70.

Bethel, situated near the head of a small branch of Taylor's run, on the Amelia Grover tract, about two and a half miles in an air line southeast from the mouth of the latter, or Kelly's station. It is a neat-looking frame structure, which was erected in or about 1848. Church members, 128; Sabbath-school scholars, 100. This church was incorporated by the proper court June 24, 1848. The trustees named in the charter-Rev. David Earhart, Samuel Mansfield, Joseph Snyder, Peter Wareham and Jacob Kieffer, to continue until the last Saturday in March, 1849.

Prior to 1826 preaching was in barns and under shade-trees, and sometimes in private houses.

SCHOOLS.

About 1812-14 a log schoolhouse was erected west of the present Kittanning and Leechburgh road, opposite the mouth of a short branch of Elder run, and about one hundred rods from the present schoolhouse, near Abraham Klingensmith's residence. Among its first teachers, if not its first, was James Stitt. About the same time another similar house was erected on the east side of a branch of Carnahan's run, being the first desig- nated on the above-mentioned township map, one hundred and twenty rods above its junction, and the same distance northwest of the graded schools. The first teachers were John Criswell and Samuel Taggart. Mrs. Alexander Gordon, of Leechburgh, is one of its surviving pupils. Another school- house was erected, perhaps a little later, about seventy-five rods east of St. Paul's Lutheran church, in the forks between an eastern branch of Carnahan's run and a little spring run. Townsend Adams was the first teacher. The next school was taught in a log schoolhouse, which was erected in 1820-1, on land then belonging to Robert Orr, Jr., and afterward owned by Andrew Stitt, one and a half miles from Kelly's station, or mouth of Taylor's run, on the road leading therefrom to the Bethel church. Its first teacher was Henry Girt. There was a log schoolhouse near the Presbyterian church in 1830-1, in which Robert Walker and Samuel Simoneral taught. The only other school before 1835, when the free-school system was adopted, as the writer is informed, was kept in a schoolhouse about two miles north of Jacksonville,

or Bagdad, in or near the forks of the run that empties into the Allegheny, a little below the head of the island, near Donnelly's station. The branches taught were generally those mentioned in the general sketch of the county.

Upon the adoption of the free-school system the township was divided into sub-districts, in each of which a hewed log schoolhouse, with glass windows, was erected. The distance from one schoolhouse to another was about two miles. At a later period, before 1856, those log houses gave place to frame ones, except one which was brick, near Klingensmith's mill. The first graded school in a rural district, in this county, was established in 1858 by the directors of the Allegheny school district. The number of scholars in the school in the southeastern part of the township, near Stitt's, now Marshall's, mill, on Carnahan's run, about a mile and a half northeast of its mouth, became too large for one school, or at least for one room. The directors were petitioned to establish another school in another part of that portion of the township. Instead of doing that they graded the school-two grades-and erected a new build- ing adjoining the old one. That experiment proved to be successful. The county superinten- dent in his annual report, dated June 20, 1859, referred to it thus: "From information derived from the directors, teachers and some of the citi- zens in its locality, and from my own observation, I conclude that the pupils in both departments were more diligent in their studies, more ambi- tions to excel, and derived more benefit from the instructions of their teachers, last term, than they ever had before the school was graded." Yet the directors had the pleasure of being brought before the court, on an application of a few citizens to have them removed, for trying that successful experiment. The court very properly dismissed that application at the costs of those who made it.

In 1860 the number of schools was 15; average number months taught, 4; teachers all male; average salaries, $22; number male scholars, 442; female, 319; average number scholars attending school, 437; cost of teaching each scholar per month, 48 cents; amount tax levied for school purposes, $1,826.70; amount tax levied for building purposes, $304.45; total amount levied, $1,826.70; received from state appropriation, $155.04; received from collectors of school tax, $1,730.46; cost of instruc- tion, i. e. whole amount of teachers' wages, $1,320; fuel and contingencies, $135.07; cost of school- houses, purchasing, building, renting, repairing, etc., $428.92.

In 1876 the number of schools was 16; average

John Hill.

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ALLEGHENY TOWNSHIP.

number months taught, 5; male teachers, 5; female, 11; average salaries of males per month, $34.80; of females, $34.40; number of male scholars, 400; of female, 314; average number attending school, 344; cost per mouth, 86 cents; total amount of tax levied for school and building purposes, $4,039.80; state appropriation, $567.13; total receipts, $4,687.92; paid for teachers' wages, $2,914.50; fuel, collectors, contingencies, etc., $1,041.53. Total expenditures, $3,956.03.

MILLS.

Alexander Walker built a grist and sawmill, before 1805, near the second bend above the mouth of Crooked creek, about three-quarters of a mile southeast from the bridge across that creek on the Kittanning and Leechburgh road. He was not assessed with them after 1824. His death occurred in 1826. John Walker was assessed with a grist- mill, probably that one, in 1830-1. As that was the only gristmill in early times, in that region, that could be operated all the year round, it was resorted to by people from a great distance in times of low water in other streams. Michael Mechling and others used to take their grists there in canoes from Kittanning, and found it difficult to row up the creek on account of its rapid descent. Grists were also taken by the same means to Hill's mill on the south side of the Kiskiminetas. In 1836-7 Robert Walker (of A.) erected a grist-mill about a mile and a half east of the other, in the lower part of the most easterly bend or loop of the creek, with which he was first assessed in 1838, it being then rated at $500. The mill-seat is rock and was prepared by blasting, which was done by Jacob Waltenbaugh, who is now upward of ninety years of age. A tunnel for a head-race, 160 feet long, 4 feet wide and 4} feet from base to top, was about the same time excavated by blasting through sand-rock and slate from one side to the other of the lower part of that bend, or peninsula, by two Englishmen by the names of Allison and Porter, who happened along there at that time, for the sum of $1,600. The time spent upon that work was six or seven months. That mill is still in operation, being now owned by Held & Kough.

From 1812 till 1822 Michael Barrickman had a sawmill on Elder or Klingensmith's run, on a tract of land found to be vacant after the other warrants had been issued, and for which he obtained a war- rant dated April 19, 1793, and seated the tract himself.

Philip Klingensmith's sawmill was erected in 1817 and his gristmill in 1828, both on the last- mentioned run, on the high ground north of the Kis- kiminetas, which were continued in operation until

1852-3. They were on the George Ingram tract, the warrant for which is dated December 17, 1784, 3293 acres of which Klingensmith purchased from Joshua Elder, to whom a patent therefor was issued April 28, 1789, by deed dated November 7, 1802, for £350. There must be a mistake in the description in the patent, for which reason it is here specifically and somewhat at length referred to. The patent describes this land as a " tract called 'senior,' on the waters of the Kiskiminetas, in Pittsburgh township, Westmoreland county." Now, Armstrong township was organized April 6, 1773, as heretofore stated, and a part of its southern boundary was from the mouth of the Loyal Hannon down the Kiskiminetas to the Allegheny, thence up the Allegheny to the Kittanning, thence with a straight line easterly, etc., so that this Ingram tract must have been in Armstrong instead of Pittsburgh-or rather Pitt- township in 1784, when the warrant was issued, and in 1789, when the patent is dated. By deed dated March 22, 1822, Philip Klingensmith, Sr., and Catheine his wife conveyed 232 acres and 67 perches of that tract to Philip Klingensmith, Jr., for $700.

John Stitt's gristmill was erected in or about 1819 on Carnahan's run, a mile and three-fifthis northeast, in an air line from its mouth, and his sawmill in the same locality in 1826, which con- tinned to be operated by him, his widow, and one of his heirs until 1866, and since then by Thomas M. Marshall. "Just as good as wheat at Stitt's mill " used to be a common saying in that region. John Hill's sawmill was erected about 1819-20 and was continued in operation several years, probably on one of the runs about midway between Leech- burgh and Donnelly's station. Jacob Riggle's sawmill was erected in 1839-40, somewhere in the forks of the Allegheny and Kiskiminetas, and appears to have been operated until about 1858. Levi Klingensmith's sawmill-now a steam mill- has been operated since 1855-6, near the mouth of the first run above Donnelly's station, and Hill, Seaman & Co.'s steam sawmill for several years at White Rock. Of late years a portable steam saw- mill has been used in different parts of the town- ship. Beatty's sawmill went into operation in 1855-6 at Center Valley, on Taylor's run, about a mile and a half from its mouth. Both it and a gristmill are in operation there now.

OTHER INDUSTRIES.

In 1835 there were ten salt wells in operation from the mouth of Carnahan's run, along the Kis- kiminetas to a few miles below Leechburgh. The next year there were two less. In 1837 there were

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

two new ones. The number was considerably diminished in the course of a few years. There were about three on the Kiskiminetas in 1854, and for several years after, and one on the Allegheny in 1853 was continued a few years thereafter.

The North American Oil Works were established by a joint stock company in 1856 and were located on the right bank of the Kiskiminetas, about 200 rods above its mouth. Oil for illuminating pur- poses was manufactured from cannel coal, which abounds in pots rather than regular strata in that region. The coal was placed in revolving retorts, which were heated by external coal fires. Thus the coal in the retorts was roasted and its oleagi- nous matter expelled in the form of gas, which was conducted into a number of iron pipes several inches in diameter, which were placed horizontally and side by side in reservoirs of cold water, where it was condensed into the form of crude oil, which was conducted into large tanks, from which it was drawn off, refined, and prepared for burning by the use of chemical agencies and suitable apparatus. The capacity of these works was from 1,500 to 2,000 barrels a month. The subsequent discovery and abundant supply of petroleum in Venango county and elsewhere proved a death-blow to the manufacture of oil from coal, which resulted in the stoppage of those works, which was severely felt both by their owners, who had invested in them a large amount of capital, and by a large number of employés, who were thus thrown out of employ- ment.

The Penn Oil Works were established on the Allegheny, about one hundred and twenty-five rods above the mouth of the Kiskiminetas, in 1865. Their capacity for refining crude petroleum is about 5,000 barrels per month.

The chief industry is of course agricultural. The number of mechanics needed in such a popu- lation, though by no means large, has been ade- quate to their wants. A carding machine was established by Joshua Cooper in 1824, at what is now Donnelly's Station. It is notable that Isaac David was assessed in 1807 as a bookbinder, but where his place of business was is not known to the writer.

On the side hill facing the Kiskiminetas, a short distance above Leechburgh, are two vineyards, one containing about 200 and the other about 300 vines, from which several barrels of wine have an- nually - that is, in some years- been produced. Farther up the river, near the first bend above Leechburgh, is a noted point called "Lover's Leap," whence, it is said, a loving but disap- pointed maiden precipitated herself, the cause of

her rashness being different from that of the beau- tiful Indian girl, the daughter of an Indian chief, who, to avoid marrying against her will, threw herself from another "Lover's Leap," a projecting rock six or seven hundred feet high on the east side of Lake Pepin, some fifty years ago, in the presence of her tribe.

The assessment list for 1876 shows as follows : laborers, 160 (one of whom is assessed with a piano) ; coal-miners, 19; carpenters, 6; black- smiths, 5 ; millers, 3 ; shoemakers, 2 ; coopers, 3 ; teachers, 3; singing teacher, 1; book-agent, 1; railroad agent, 1; dispatcher, 1; clerk, 1 ; plas- terer, 1 ; mason, 1; sawyer, 1; tailoress, 1 ; team- ster, 1 ; wagonmaker, 1 ; disabled persons, 3 ; old man, 1. The rest of the taxables are engaged in agricultural and mercantile pursuits.

The mercantile appraiser assessed twelve as merchants of the fourteenth class, one of whom was exonerated from paying license because not engaged in the business, and one in the thirteenth class. Total in both classes, 12.

GREAT FOX-HUNT OF 1828.

In accordance with previous arrangements, a fox-hunt occurred on Friday, March 11, 1828. The circle commenced at Long run, in Kiskimin- etas township; thence up that run to Jno. Shirley's; thence to Jacob George's; thence in a straight line down Crooked creek to its mouth; thence down the Allegheny river to the mouth of the Kiskiminetas, and thence up the same to the mouth of Long run. The closing inner circles were closed by strewing straw lightly around at or near Robert Criswell's, on Carnahan's run. The distance from the center to the inner circle was one-fourth of a mile, and to the outer circle one-half a mile, both having been marked by straw or blazing the trees. Seventeen or eighteen red foxes were taken in the course of that hunt.

EARLY FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION.

The anniversary of our national independence used to be observed in a proper manner by more or less of the citizens. The chronicle of the celebra- tion of July 4, 1838, has casually come to the writer's notice. On that occasion the Armstrong Light Dragoons and a large number of citizens as- sembled at "Farmer's Delight," the residence of the late Robert Parks, along the first bend in the Kiskiminetas above Leechburgh. David Kuhns was appointed chairman, and Alexander Gordon secretary. After various evolutions by the dra- goons, they partook of an excellent dinner. The Declaration of Independence was read, and thir-

R.P.Hunter In Q

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ALLEGHENY TOWNSHIP.

teen sensible and patriotic toasts were submitted and unanimously approved. There were only two volunteer toasts, one of which was complimentary to Mr. and Mrs. Parks and expressive of the thanks and gratitude of the assemblage to them, as host and hostess, for their liberality and bounti- ful repast, and the other complimentary to the Armstrong Light Dragoons for their correct and gentlemanly deportment, reflecting upon them honor and the admiration of their fellow-citizens.

THE CANAL.

The southern border of Allegheny township was skirted by the Pennsylvania canal, the construction of which, from 1826 till 1829, and its subsequent operation gave a vigorous impulse to agricultural and other interests of the people of and cansed a more extensive and rapid emigration to this town- ship than had previously been the case. The facilities for transportation of passengers and freight which it afforded are now offered by the West Pennsylvania division of the Pennsylvania railroad, on the opposite or Westmoreland side of the Kiskiminetas.

RAILROAD STATIONS.

Schenley, named after Mrs. Capt. Schenley, who owns, or did once own, the land around it, is a short distance above the month of Kiskimine- tas. It is on a tract of land which, it is said, was surveyed to Montgomery and Stewart March 25, 1769. It is on the tract designated on the ancient county map as the John Elder tract. Aladdin is nine-tenths of a mile above Schenley, on the John Collier tract. Donnelly's is a little over a mile and a half above Aladdin, on the John Barrickman tract. White Rock is three miles and four-tenths above Aladdin, on the Martha Maris tract. Kelly's is a mile and two-tenths above White Rock, at the mouth of Taylor's Run, on the James Glenn tract. Logansport is two miles and two-tenths above Kelly's, on the Alexander Craig tract.

TOWNS.

The town of Crosbysburgh was laid out on the James Crosby tract, which adjoins the John Mont- gomery tract, called "Farmers' Delight," on the south, in or perhaps before 1816, for, on the 27th of June, of that year, Alexander Duncan paid James Crosby thirteen dollars as the consideration for two lots, Nos. 7 and 8, each 66 by 65 feet, front- ing on the main street, and adjoining land of Rob- ert Parks on the north. The patent to Crosby for this tract, containing seven and one-half acres, is dated July 28, 1817, and the deed for those two lots June 13, 1818.

The town of Jacksonville, known for many years by the name of Bagdad, but which is now called New Jacksonville, was laid out about 1828, on the Michael Barrickman tract, which originally con- sisted of 2183 acres, which Barrickman conveyed by deed from the commonwealth to John Hill, ex- cept the mill-seat and six acres and 150 perches, February 17, 1814, of which Hill conveyed ninety- six acres to Michael Shoop, November 28, 1814, which Shoop conveyed to John Hill for use of Michael Kiestler, August 1, 1815, which the latter conveyed to Samuel Kiestler December 1, 1843. This town is on each side of Elder or Klingen- smith's run, near its mouth, along the right bank of the Kiskiminetas, two and a half miles above its mouth. The first assessment of seated prop- erty in Jacksonville was made in 1832, viz .: Cath- erine Byers, one lot, $15; John Klingensmith, Jr., one house and lot and one head of cattle, $33; John Stoll, one house and lot, one head of cattle, $108 ; John Shoop, two cattle, $41; George Walter, one house, four lots, one head of cat- tle, $58; Philip Walter, single man, $50; Peter Yingst, shoemaker, one honse and lot, two cattle, $266; Samuel Yingst, shoemaker, single man, $75; total, $596. The first list of unseated lots was in 1835, when two such lots were each assessed at $10. This town was in its most flourishing con- dition while the salt works there and in its vicinity and the canal were in operation.

Kelly's Station, established June 14, 1860; Ham- ilton Kelly, first postmaster. Schenley Station, established May 30, 1862 ; Peter Eakman, first postmaster.

By act of March 29, 1813, the elections were di- rected to be held at the house of Eliab Eakman. Sometime after the organization of Kiskiminetas township, the place for holding them was changed to the schoolhouse in the central part of the town- ship, near Abraham Klingensmith's, where it now is, on the Charles Vanderen tract, called " Charles- burgh."

LEECHBURGH.

This town was formerly a part of Allegheny township, in a deep bend of the Kiskiminetas, on its right bank, a little more than five miles above its mouth, is situated on the southern part of the John Vanderen tract, the warrant for which is dated February 10, 1773. White Matlock obtained a patent for 192} acres in the southern part of that tract, dated August 12, 1783, which had been sur- veyed to James Walker October 13, 1773. Its . subsequent owners were William P. Brady, Jacob Mechling, a brother of Michael Mechling, one of the first settlers in Kittanning, Frederick Sleiff, Joseph

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

Hunter, Matthew Shields and David Leech. It was, it is said, once called " Friendship." In sev- eral of the deeds by which it was afterward con- veyed from one to another, it is called "White Plains." It had been occupied by but very few persons before the construction of the Pennsylva- nia canal. A log cabin was erected some, perhaps ten or fifteen, years before the completion of the canal, near a spring of good water on the east side of the tract, and a small patch was cleared about the same time. Michael Moorhead and Joseph Hunter, the latter a drover, were among the ear- liest, if not the earliest, of its settlers. The deed from Matthew Shields and wife to David Leech for one hundred and seventy-two acres of that tract is dated October 16, 1827, which Joseph Hunter had previously agreed to sell to Leech & Trux, but being unable to make a good title, Trux became wearied with the delay and insisted on seeing the article of agreement, which, when he got hold of it, he destroyed by putting it in the stove, where- upon there was a dissolution of the partnership between Leech and him. They had entered into a contract with the canal commissioners for build- ing a canal-lock which the engineers had located on that land, and for building a dam five hundred and seventy-four feet long and thirty-six feet high across the Kiskiminetas, adjoining that lock, which was at first called the "Big Dam," but afterward the Leechburgh dam, and dam No. 1. By reason of that dissolution Mr. Leech acquired, through the interposition of Matthew Shields, a title to that tract of land, on which, in 1828 or thereabouts, he laid out the town of Leechburgh. He was a native of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, whence he came to Sharpsburgh, Allegheny county, where he had another contract on the canal, and thence to " White Plains." The route of the canal was sur- veyed in 1826, and in 1828-9 boats commenced running on it from Pittsburgh to Blairsville.

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History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 35

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