History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 43

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

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The early settlers there were subject to the at- taeks of the Indians. A blockhouse was built on the land then owned by William Clark, but which is now owned by S. E. Jones. There was another house with portholes-not built, perhaps, expressly for a blockhouse, but used as a place of refuge and defense from those attacks-on the road now lead- ing from Elderton to the old Crooked Creek Salt Works, on the farm heretofore known as the Downs' farm. It was attacked one morning by the Indians. George Miller and James Kirkpatrick were then in charge of it. The Indians fired upon them, killed a child in the cradle and wounded an adult person in the building. The women made

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

bullets while the men were defending them and their children. One Indian, while putting a charge of powder in his gun, was shot through the hand and body and was killed, and some of the other Indians were wounded. George Miller escaped from the rear of the building, mounted a horse and started for Clark's blockhouse. In his absence the Indians fled, carrying with them the dead and wounded. Two children, John Sloan and his sister Nancy, were captured about the time of that affair on the farm near the present Lutheran and Re- formed church, formerly in Plum Creek, but now · in South Bend township, and about sixty rods northwest from the present residence of William Heintzelman. They were working in the cornfield at the time. Having been retained by the Indians several years, they were exchanged near Cincinnati or Sandusky, Ohio. They returned home the same year that Samuel Sloan, still living, was born. Their relatives and some other settlers soon after their capture followed the trail of the Indians to the point where they crossed the Allegheny river above Kittanning. The writer's informant, ex- sheriff Joseph Clark, also said he had seen bullet- holes in the door of the above-mentioned house on the Downs' farm, and that his aunt, Mrs. Joseph Clark, had told him that she used to stand, with rifle in hand, and guard her husband while at work on the farm now occupied by William T. Clark in Plum Creek township.

From 1816 till 1821 many tomahawks, darts and flintheads were found on the farm now owned by William Herron, which is about half a mile north- west of the junction of Plum creek with Crooked creek, and on the west side of the former, which then divided the farms of William Clark and David Ralston.

George Miller was the earliest white settler in this township. He located where the Kittanning and Indiana turnpike crosses Plum creek, in 1766. Twenty years later John and Peter Thomas settled about a mile and a half north of that point at " Elder's Vale," elsewhere mentioned, where the latter built a gristmill, afterward owned by Robert Woodward.

Among the earliest emigrants to the southeastern part of Plum Creek township, which was then, 1788, in Armstrong township, was the late Absalom Woodward, Sr., who, with his wife and two chil- dren, came that year from Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, and settled near what is now Idaho. He was a hardy and energetic pioneer, and an enterprising, public-spirited citizen.

The petition of sundry inhabitants of this county, setting forth that a bridge was much wanted across

Crooked creek, in Allegheny township, at or near the place where the road from Absalom Wood- ward's to Sloan's ferry crossed that creek, and praying the appointment of viewers, was presented at December sessions, 1805, the first held in this county. Whereupon the court appointed James Elgin, Christopher Ourey, James Clark, Robert Brown, James Sloan and Michael Mechling, who reported at March sessions, 1806, that a bridge was much wanted there, and that the probable expense, $450, was too much for one or two town- ships to bear. Their report was referred to the grand jury, who were of opinion that, as there had been no settlement between Armstrong and West- moreland counties, it would then be improper to make any allowance out of the treasury to carry into effect the prayer of the petitioners. At Sep- tember sessions, 1806, Absalom Woodward pre- sented his petition, offering to advance the money that might be appropriated for building that bridge. The matter was again referred to the grand jury March 17, 1807, who reported favorably, and the county commissioners, after consulting with the grand jury, also reported favorably-both were of opinion that the erection of that bridge would be too expensive for the township. The application had to pass still another ordeal. The law required the approval of two grand juries. The second grand jury at December sessions, 1807, reported that bridge to be necessary, "yet the probable expense that might accrue would be too weighty a burden for our present situation." A bridge was afterward built there, either at private or public expense. The court records show nothing more concerning it, except that the petition of inhabit- ants of Plum Creek township was presented Sep- tember 24, 1818, setting forth that the bridge at that place had been swept away by the flood in February of that year; that the fording there was impassable and that the desired bridge would cost more than is reasonable for one township to con- tribute; and praying the court to appoint viewers. Whereupon David Johnston, Philip Mechling, James Elgin, Joseph Clark, Isaac Wagle and James Richards were appointed, who reported favorably at the next December sessions. Their report was approved by the grand jury, and after having been held under consideration was finally approved by the court and ordered to be laid before the county commissioners, and there, except an order mentioned below, endeth the record. The writer has thus fully noticed the applications for that bridge because the original one was the first application for a county bridge that was made to the first court held in this county, and drew forth

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from Mr. Woodward an offer that must have been quite liberal in those early days.

An order was issued by the county commission- ers September 21, 1814, for $137.33 for repairing the bridge across Crooked creek at Mr. Wood- ward's house.

Another of his commendable acts was the build- ing of a church near South Bend. The edifice was a log one, yet the offering was liberal, considering the means which he had, in common with other early emigrants.

Absalom Woodward, Sr., had thirteen children, eight of whom survived him. His sons were Robert, Sharp, and Absalom. His daughters were Mrs. David Reynolds, Mrs. Leonard Shryock, Mrs. Richard Graham, Mrs. Anthony Montgomery, mother of ex-Sheriff Montgomery, Mrs. William D. Barclay, Mrs. James Todd, Mrs. William Clark, mother of ex-Sheriff Clark, and Mrs. - Johnston. His other children died in early life. He died in 1833. Mrs. Jane Montgomery is the only one of his children still living, who is in her eighty-first year, having thus far survived her husband seven years.

David Ralston, who married Miss Agnes Sharp, the second daughter of Capt. Andrew Sharp before mentioned, and the first white child born in this region, on this side of Crooked creek, was an early settler, having come to Allegheny, afterward Plum Creek, township, in 1800. His death was tragical. It occurred in 1809, at a log tavern, then kept on the farm formerly owned by Robert Woodward, and now by John Ralston. Among the persons stopping therc, at the time, was a man who went out of the house, after dark, for the purpose of waylaying another against whom he had some grudge. Mr. Ralston soon after went out, and, having been taken for the one for whom the other was lying in wait, was struck with a club. The blow, thus inflicted, soon proved to be fatal. He had in his life-time purchased, and resided on, the several tracts of land now occupied by Mrs. D. Ralston, Absalom Montgomery, and James McCracken, in the southeastern part of Plum Creek township. He left three children-David, who died several years since; John, still living at Elderton, and Mary, intermarried with William McCracken. Mrs. Ralston, some time after her husband's tragical death, married James Mitchell, father of James, Sharp, Alexander, and William Mitchell, Eliza, wife of A. W. Montgomery, Sally, wife of Samuel Moorhead, and Rebecca, wife of Robert Lytle.

The other children of Captain Sharp not hereto- fore mentioned were Joseph Sharp, who lived for

many years on Crooked creek, descendants of his still residing in that section, and Ann, wife of Andrew McCreight, and Margaret, wife of John Mccullough.

The ancient map of this county indicates the following tracts to have been originally surveyed within the present limits of this township, if the writer has correctly run its present boundary lines thereon: Jane Elliott, 306 acres; William Cowden, 290 acres, seated by Absalom Woodward; Benja- min Lesher, 304 acres; Joseph Dunlap, 2332 acres; Peter Deshong, 340 acres, seated by Benjamin Lowry; John Magot, 3714 acres, seated by Andrew Dormoyer; William Sausom, 406.8 acres, seated by Church Smith; Samuel Dilworth, 408 acres; Hugh Wason, 420.9 acres, "on the waters of the east branch of Cherry Run, abont two miles west of the Kittanning Path," seated by William Nolder; John Young, 326 acres, seated by Jac. Rowley; John Alison, 382.56 acres, seated (140 acres) by Absalom Dornmoyer; Wm. Hurton, 307 acres; Joseph Burden, 362.4 acres, seated by Peter Alt- man; Robert Cooper, 302.1 acres, seated by John Willis; A. Woodward, 157.5 acres, seated by George Smith; Christopher McMichael and James Clark, 4873 acres; George Campbell, 302.122 acres, subsequently owned by Absalom Woodward; John Findley, 237 acres, scated by widow Ralston; John Biddle, collector of taxes in Berks county, Penn- sylvania, prior to 1780, 343 acres, seated by James Kean; John Smith, 175 acres; John Davidson, 425.2 acres, seated by Geo. Smith; John Cooper, 302.1 acres, seated by Michael Rupert; Michael Campbell and J. Guthrie, 359.9 acres, seated (100 acres) by R. Sloan; R. Mckinley and R. Sloan, 100 acres, seated by Hugh Elgin; William Wason, 3104 acres; John Nolder, 1882 acres, seated by J. Nolder; Isaac Anderson, 363.5 acres, seated by James Elgin, who, May 5, 1796, bought a part of it from Anderson, for £50 lawful money of this state; Sarah Elder, 3923 acres, seated by R. J. Elder; Jas. Blakeney, 1292 acres; John Levyzy, 324 acres, seated by McCain & Jordon; Abigail McAllister, 2973 acres, mostly*in Indiana county; Bartholomew Mather, 329 acres, seated by Samuel McCray; Nicholas Rittenhouse, 3062 acres, seated by Moses McClean; Thos. Shields, two tracts, 803} acres, partly in Indiana county; Arthur Chambers, 228.6 acres; John Eakey, 1793 acres, seated by himself; Samuel Dixon, 193 acres, seated by Moses McClean; Thomas Taylor, 253.4 acres; Aun Parks, 3273 acres, partly in Indiana county; Jacob Amos, 426.6 acres, partly in Cowanshannock township and Indiana county; Mary Semple, 438 acres: James Semple, 4114 acres; John Semple, 408}

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

acres. A patent for this tract was granted to Walter Finney, of Chester county, Pennsylvania, March 7, 1815, who and his wife conveyed 100} acres of it to Walter Templeton, January 1, 1816, "for the furtherance of the said Walter Temple- ton in his business of life, and also for the consid- eration of 50 cents to them in hand paid." Robert Semple, Sr., 365} acres, partly in Cowanshannock township, seated by Samuel Sloan; John Cummins Jr., 983 acres, seated by John Willis; John Cum- mins, 1712 acres; Thomas Cummins, 1692 acres; John Paul, 361 acres, seated by Willis & Lowery; Charles Leeper, 99} acres, seated by J. Guthrie; Joseph Mather, 2823 acres; John Fitzer, 364} acres, partly in Cowanshannock township; Israel Morris, 3223 acres; Samuel Morris,* 2913 acres; Thos. Morris, 3293 acres (the last three tracts partly in Cowanshannock township): Larken Dorsey, 312.7 acres; Thomas Hutchinson, 300.8 acres, partly in Kittanning township; Robert Smith, 400} acres, seated by Thos. Beer; George Meade, 3373 acres, seated by Absalom Hershberger; William Ewing, 3793 acres; Andrew Milligan, 435.8 acres, seated by Philip Rearigh (300 acres), and Alexander Nelson; Abigail Sargeant, 363.8 acres, seated by Geo. Boyer; Joseph Ogden, 334.9 acres; Robert Cogley, 435.8 acres; William Smith, 305.8 acres, seated by A. Craft; Christopher Miller, 305.8 acres; Thomas Hyde, 305.8 acres; Robert Tow- ers, 3393 acres; Stephen Lowrey, 353.3 acres, seated by Robert Sturgeon; William King, 392 acres, seated by Robert Sturgeon; Andrew Craft, 2563 acres, seated by Roley Coe; Elijah Brown, 330.+ acres, seated by Jacob Ruffner; Widow Elizabeth Keal- er's improvement, about 240 acres; Tobias Long, 328 acres, seated by Archibald McIntosh; Nathan Burns, 256.6 acres; Jacob Stine, 319} acres, seated by Pat. Robb; James Burnsides, 321.6 acres, seated by Daniel Ruffner; Geo. Stine, 443 acres; Henry Stine, 4043 acres, seated by John Robb; Jeremiah Stine, 401 acres, seated by Wm. Moore; John Gar- ret, 462.3 acres, surveyed to him, November 10, 1784, "on the path leading from Ligonier to Fort Armstrong, about six or seven miles from the fort." - War, July 1, 1784. James Elder, 3432 acres, "on the Kittanning Path," seated by Sturgeon & McIntire; Charles Moore, 3063 acres; Thomas Moore, 319 acres; Samuel Preston Moore, 305.6 acres; Henry Hill, 315 acres, seated by Geo. Shick; John Carney, 2942 acres; Robert Elder, 3383 acres, seated by Robert Woodward; Jacob Evermonde, 346 acres, partly in South Bend, seated by Samuel George and W. Smith.

The first assessment list of this township, made in 1811, shows that the valuation of the occupied lands varied from 25 cents to $1 per acre. One small tract of thirty acres was assessed to William Dotty at 123 cents an acre. The valuation of the unseated lands varied generally from 50 to 75 cents per acre, a few tracts at a dollar, and those of Timothy Pickering & Co., in what are now Wayne and Cowanshannock townships, at $2 an acre. There are not any unseated lands returned this year. The present valuation of the occupied lands ranges, generally, from $5 to $8, $10, $15, $20 and $37 an acre. E. K. Bloas' single acre is assessed at $150.

The order for the survey of the Jane Elliott - tract is dated April 3, 1769, and that for the William Cowden tract May 16 next ensuing.

The dates of a number of the other original warrants are as early as 1773. On the 7th and 24th of January and the 7th of March, 1774, sev- eral of those tracts were sold by the warrantees to Richard Welles for five shillings per tract, each being described as containing 300 acres, viz. : the William Smith tract, "adjoining Jean McAllister, three or four miles from Tohoga's cabbins " ( at the junction of Plum and Crooked creeks, on the west side of the former), " on the westerly branch of a large run that empties into Plumb creek ; " the Charles Moore, Thomas Hyde, William Craig, Joseph Ogden, Samuel Israel and Thomas Morris tracts. Those and other tracts were sold one hun- dred and two years ago (counting from 1876) at the rate of five shillings for three hundred acres, as expressed in the deeds.

Names were given to some, if not all, of these . tracts. For instance : the Mary Semple tract was called " Norway ; " the Nathan Burns tract, "Oran More," 156 acres 153 perches, conveyed by Burns to John McMullen October 16, 1807, for £156 15s .; the George Stine tract, " Wheatfield ; " the Isaac Anderson tract, "White-Oak Bottom ; " the Jacob Stine tract, "Monmouth ; " the Abigail Sargeant tract, "Wolf-harborer ; " the Robert Elder tract, " above the trading path from Ligonier to Kittan- ning," 191 acres of which became vested in Peter Thomas, then in Absalom Woodward, and then in Robert Woodward, "Elder's Vale ; " the William King tract, "Palace ; " the Stephen Lowry tract, " Green Park," on a part of which this centennial anniversary of our national independence was ob- served by a large concourse of people of this sec- tion of the country .* Its various transfers are,

* Samuel Morris, Sr., was an original member of the Board of War, appointed by the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, March 12, 1777.

# The question whether the Centennial anniversary of American independence should he suitably commemorated began to be agita- ted by the patriotic people of Plum Creek township and Elderton in the fore part of March, 1876. A committee of arrangements was ap- pointed at a public meeting held soon after, consisting of J. A.

ROBERT MARSHALL.

In the year 1803, William and Catharine Marshall came to Wayne township, Armstrong county, and settled upon Glade run, near the present town of Dayton, being the first settlers upon the stream named, and having no neighbors nearer than five miles. They had a family of six sons and three daughters, of whom Robert, the sub- ject of this sketch, was next to the youngest. The names of the sons were Joseph, William, John, James, Robert and Samuel; and the daughters were Elizabeth (McClelland), Mary (Findley), and Margaret (Irwin).

Robert Marshall was born in what is now Indiana county (in the vicinity of Clarksburg), then Westmoreland, upon the 19th of Au- gust, 1799, and was consequently about four years of age when his parents became pioneers in Armstrong county, The family was unable to secure a title to the land on which they first located, and in 1813 moved to the spot where the home of William Marshall now is, where they built a house and lived the remainder of their allotted years. Robert Marshall passed his youth at this place, working upon the farm and taking advantage of the limited opportunies offered for obtaining an education. Upon the 4th of December, 1821, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Huidman, who was born June 6, 1801, and reared in the same locality in which her husband was born. After their marriage this young couple moved on to Glade run, about a mile and a half from the site of Dayton, where they lived until Mr. Marshall bought the old homestead where his son William now lives. Upon this farm, as upon the one on which he formerly lived, he successfully carried on farming. In 1850 he took his sons into partnership in the management of his largely increased real estate, and they also opened a general store in Dayton, which was prosperously carried on. He sold his real estate to his sons in 1868, but retained his interest in the store until his death.

Mr. and Mrs. Marshall were the parents of a large [family of chil- dren, of whom the following grew to maturity and survived them, viz. : William, Thomas H., Catharine (wife of J. W. Marshall), Caro- line (Sloan), Emmeline, Mary (Lawson), and Rebecca K. (Reid). Cath- arine has dicd since the demise of her parents.

MRS. ROBERT MARSHALL.

Mr. Marshall's first wife, and the mother of these children, died December 29, 1869. Upon the 25th of July, 1871, Mr. Marshall mar- ried his second wife, who survives him. Her name was Mary Jane Armstrong, and she was born September 14, 1834. After his second marriage, Mr. Marshall resided in the village of Dayton until his death, which occurred October 1, 1881, at the advanced age of eighty- two years.

Robert Marshall was a strong, active man, well fitted to bear his part in the brunt of the great struggle which the first residents of this county made against the wilderness. Through his long life he was a conscientious and useful citizen, and esteemed by all who knew him. He took an active part in organizing the Dayton Union Academy, and was one of the originators of the Dayton Soldiers' Orphans' School, and its heaviest stockholder. He lent assistance, both in influence and money, to almost every local project for the public good, and earnestly sought to advance the interests of the community in which he dwelt. He was a member of the Associate or Seceders' church, and, after its formation, of the United Presbyte- rian church. Of the Associate congregation of Glade run he was one of the founders, and its house of worship was built and a bury- ing-ground for the congregation set apart upon land donated by him for those purposes. Politically he was a Whig, and subsequently a Republican.

William Marshall, the oldest son of Robert, who lives upon the old homestead farm, was born September 24, 1822. In politics and church affiliation, he has followed in his father's footsteps, as also in general character and public usefulness. His occupation is farming, but he has some other business interests, among which are the store in Dayton, and the Enterprise Lumber Company. He is also a stockholder in the Dayton Soldiers' Orphans' School, and one of the supporters of the Dayton Union Academy. Mr. Marshall was mar- ried April 19, 1860, to Mary Ann Blair, who was born two miles from Dayton, May 7, 1835. Their children are Laura D., C. R., Rebecca, Jemima, Caroline, Blair, and Tirzah.

FMG.

RES. OF WILLIAM MARSHALL, DAYTON, PA.

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PLUM CREEK TOWNSHIP.

therefore, fully given : Warrant to Stephen Lowry dated July, 1784, who by deed dated December 11, 1786, conveyed his interest therein to Isaac Franks, to whom the commonwealth issued a patent therefor dated February 17, 1800, who by deed dated January 10, 1807, conveyed to Samnel D. Franks, of Berks county, Pennsylvania, for " six hundred dollars specie in hand paid," who by deed dated January 1, 1814, conveyed the same to Robert Sturgeon for $600, who by deed dated Au- gust 23, 1819, conveyed 162 acres and 26 perches to Thomas Sturgeon for $500, who died intestate in October, 1870. Proceedings in partition were instituted to No. 26 March term, 1871, in the orphans' court of this county. The inquest found that this farm of Thos. Sturgeon could not be parted and divided to and among all his children without prejudice and spoiling the whole, and ap- praised the 191 acres and 84 perches which it was found to contain at $42 per acre, aggregating $8,044.05. Robert McIntosh, the administrator of the estate, was directed by the court to sell it, which he did by public outcry at Elderton Febru- ary 28, 1873, to John A. Blaney for $5,937.27. Exceptions to that sale were filed, but overruled.

The Bartholomew Mather tract was called "Matherton ;" the Nicholas Rittenhouse tract, "Rittenhousen ;" the Joseph Mather tract, "Jo- sephton ; " the Thomas Moore tract, "West Cor- ner ; " the Richard Wells tract, "Hope ; " the An- drew Croft tract, "Contentment ; " the John Da- vidson tract, "Chester; " the James Elder tract, " Eldridge Farm."

The warrants for the Joseph Ogden, Thomas

Blaney, chairman : D. B. Coulter, secretary : John Ralston, Robert Melntosb, L. C. Gibson, J. M. Hunter, D. S. Fraily, T. A. McKee, N. S. McMillen, Wm. Cessna and N. Reifer, Sr., who discharged their duties effectively and acceptably. A desire to partake in this cele- bration seized many patriotic people of the adjoining townships, so that early this morning large numbers started in carriages, wagons, on horseback and afoot from all directions for this point, this grove where a platform has been erected and other suitable arrangements made for the proper celebration of this Fourth of July, 1876. The number assembled here is estimated to have been nearly 3,000. Pre- visely at 10 o'clock A.M. Robert McIntosh, the chairman, announced that President Grant's proclamation suggesting and recommending the proper observance of this day would be read.

The order of exercises arranged for this occasion was partly carried out, thus :

Reading of the President's proclamation by the chairman. An eloquent and patriotic prayer hy Rev. Byron Porter. Whittier's Centennial Hymn, well rendered by a chorus of a hundred voices, accompanied by a part of the Elderton cornet band. Reading the Declaration of Independence by James M. Patton. Rendering the national hymn "America " by the chorus, accompanied by the band. Offering by the chairman the sentiment, "Tbe Day We Celebrate." which elicited an eloquent and patriotic response from Rev. A. Cameron. Recess for dinner, which was bountifully spread from numerous baskets on white cloths upon the ground, and keenly relished by the multitude who partook of the choice edibles which good housewives and fair maidens had neatly and carefully pre- pared. The recalling of the assemblage to the platform by a spirit- stirring piece, well rendered by the Kittanning cornet band. And, finally, the delivery of a portion of this historical sketch of Arm- strong county, wben, before the portion intended for this occasion was half completed, the vast audience was suddenly dispersed by the unexpected approach of a violent storm of rain, thunder and lightning, and thus the remaining exercises that had been arranged for the remainder of the day were, by a stern necessity, omitted.

Moore, George Snyder and Richard Wells tracts, elsewhere mentioned, are respectively dated June 20, 1774. They aggregated 1,267 acres, and became vested in Thomas Cadwallader, of Philadelphia, Pa., who by deed, dated February 18, 1808, conveyed them, with several other tracts," to John Young, the then president judge of the courts of this county.

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History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 43

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