History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 44

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

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It has occasionally happened that land-owners have become permanently divested of their titles by treasurers' sales for non-payment of taxes. A case of this kind is the John Cooper tract, 302.1 acres, below Elderton, on the eastern branch of the run that empties into Crooked creek, a short distance below the mouth of Plum creek. It was sold in 1822, by Samuel Matthews, who was then county treasurer, to Robert Martin, who con- veyed it to David Altman, Michael Rupert and George Smith. They having divided the tract, Altman's part was conveyed to George Rowley, January 14, 1824, who conveyed it to John Ral- ston, November 3, 1835, for $400.

Within the last half century the changes of titles have been very numerous, and the original tracts have been divided, respectively, among several purchasers. Thus, the Thomas Moore tract, northwest of and near to Elderton, became vested in Samuel Sturgeon, who by deed, dated May 7, 1860, conveyed 181 acres of it to James M. Christie for $3,000.

Among the early settlers of this township were also Abraham Frantz, Jacob Allshouse, Matthew Rankin, Philip Rearigh, now the oldest man in the township, being in his eighty-seventh year, Will- iam Bleakney, John Downs, William Johnston, William Todd Clark, Sr., Daniel, Henry and John Frailey, Samuel, John, Robert and James Nolder, John Repine, Robert Sturgeon (1807), William Graham, Sr., Archibald McIntosh, Daniel George, who several years ago celebrated the semi-centen- nial anniversary of his marriage, the Ruperts, too numerous to mention, James Elgin, George Smith, George Smith (Irish), Henry Smith, whose widow and eight children survive him, Samuel and William Sloan, Jacob Klingensmith, A. Dumnire, George Otterman and William Moore. The last-named was a scout in Westmoreland county during the revolutionary and Indian wars. Among the papers which he left, now in the possession of his grand- son, John Moore, are a certificate, appraisement of damages, and a discharge, of which the following are copies :

* See sketch of Cowanshannock townsbip.

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

I certify that William Moore of Westmoreland county hath voluntarily taken the oath of Allegiance and Fidelity as directed by an Act of General Assem- bly of Pennsylvania, passed the 13th day of June, anno Domini, 1777.

Witness my hand and seal the 30th day of May, 1778. [L. s.] CHARLES FOREMAN.

A bill of damage William Moore sustained by the Indians During the time of the late war in Hempfield township, Westmoreland county.

Apraized to £13 by us. A true copy.

HUGH MCKEE. JOIN SHIELDS.

Octr ye 11th, 1784.

(All of Mr. Moore's horses and stock were stolen several times, but he did not apply for an appraisement for damages, except in that in- stance, and he did so then because a favorite horse had been taken. His bill was not presented for payment.)

1 do certify that William Moore did belong to My Company and has proved to me that he is forty-five and is now honorably discharged.

Given under my hand this 19th day of May, 1798. JAMES IRWINE, Capt.

Mr. Moore settled a mile and a quarter south- west of Whitesburgh, about 1816, and died De- cember 7, 1827.

The first metal plow, it is said, was introduced into this township, and into this region, about 1811-12, by James Elgin, who was very chary of it, gloried in it, and would not allow others to use it. Another man, without his consent, took hold of it and started a furrow at a plowing match or frolic. The plow having struck a stone or root, " kicked " and struck a fence, whereby both of its handles were broken. Elgin quickly showed his indigna- tion at the liberty thus taken with his plow. The trespasser made light of it. An altercation of both words and blows ensued, in which the latter was knocked down. That mode of redressing grievances was not uncommon in those days, and yet the court was seldom occupied in disposing of indictments for assault and battery. Elgin had a · chivalric sense of fair play, and in his attempt to maintain it on a certain occasion in an encounter between two other men, he broke one of his own fingers and left a permanent mark of his blow on the lower jaw of one of the combatants.

The first assessment list of Plum Creek town- ship, while of course its territory was intact, indi- cates that there were in it then, 1811, two grist- mills and sawmills, owned respectively by James and William Clark and Peter Thomas ; seven dis- tilleries, owned respectively by William George, William Johnston (two), William Kirkpatrick,

James Kirkpatrick, Church Smith, George Smith and John Willis ; one hatter, William Fiscus, and one innkeeper, Absalom Woodward ; number of taxables, 120; population, allowing 43 persons to a taxable, 598. The mills owned by Peter Thomas, on the Robert Elder tract, were the only ones then within the present limits of the town- ship. There are at present four gristmills in this township : J. Graham's, on Cherry Run, a little north of west from Elderton ; the Peter Thomas mill, now owned by Prince & McGerry, on Plum creek, nearly a mile in an air line northeast from Elderton ; the Fleming mill, on the north branch of Plum creek, a little more than half a mile above its junction ; and James Johnston's on Plum creek, a few rods west of the Indiana county line. The township map of this year indicates the pres- ent number of sawmills to he three : J. Ralston's, about 165 rods above Crooked creek, on the first run west of Plum creek ; T. A. McKee's, on Cherry Run, about three-fourths of a mile below Gra- ham's gristmill, and J. A Johnston's, on the longest eastern branch of Plum creek, about 100 rods west of the Indiana county line.

CHURCHIES.

Plum Creek Presbyterian church was organized by the " Old Redstone Presbytery " prior to 1830. The congregation, about that year, erected a stone edifice abont two miles northeast of Elderton, be- tween Plum creek and one of its western branches. The facts of its early history are obscure. Rev. E. D. Barrett, a graduate of Williams College, and a classmate of William Cullen Bryant, gave one half his time to that church for one year, i. e., some one year while he was pastor of Glade Run church. He, Bryant, and Charles F. Sedgwick, of Sharon, Connecticut, are the only surviving mem- bers of their class in this centennial year. That church was demitted in 1839 on account of the dilapidated condition of the edifice, its remoteness from Elderton and the organization of another church, so that it seldom afterward had even sup- plies. The Blairsville Presbytery disbanded it in 1845 and attached its members to other churches.

The Cherry Run Presbyterian church was orga- nized by the Blairsville Presbytery in 1844. Its edifice is a neat frame, situated about a hundred rods southeast of Whitesburgh, on the Kittanning and Indiana turnpike. This church was supplied by the late Rev. John Stark until 1858, he having dissolved his connection with the Associate Re- formed and having been ordained as an Evangelist in the Presbyterian church. After his labors ceased Rev. M. M. Shirley was its pastor until

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PLUM CREEK TOWNSHIP.

1866; Rev. G. K. Scott from 1867 to 1869; it has since been supplied. Members, 92; Sabbath-school scholars, 85.

The Methodist Episcopal church edifice, also a neat frame, is situated near the Presbyterian at this point. The church is in the Knox circuit.

St. Thomas is the name of both the Reformed and Lutheran church, at the point of the dis- banded Plum Creek Presbyterian church above- mentioned. There appears to be no record of the time when the Reformed congregation was orga- nized. Rev. Wilhelm Weissel, as is still remem- bered by certain individuals, preached for some time at the house of John Thomas in that vicinity, and continued to be the pastor until about 1851. His successors have been Revs. T. A. Boyer and Frederick Wise. Members, 44; Sabbath-school scholars, 35.

The Lutheran church at this point was organized about 1850, and was occasionally supplied until 1856. For thirteen years thereafter Rev. Michael Sweigert was its pastor. His successor, the present pastor, is Rev: J. Wright. Members, 38; Sabbath-school scholars, 80.

The erection of the present St. Thomas church edifice was commenced in the summer of 1867 -- the cornerstone was laid in the fall, Revs. Michael Sweigert, F. Wise and J. Wright officiating, and the dedication occurred in the following winter. The building committee consisted of Geo. Rearich, John Sell and Luke Bierer. The building is frame, 50×45 feet. The consistory of the Re- formed congregation then consisted of Abraham Jewell and Jacob Thomas, elders, and Herman Rearich and Nicholas Reefer, deacons.

The Mount Union Reformed Congregation was organized at the Mccullough schoolhouse by Rev. Frederick Wise, May 28, 1864. The members of the first consistory were Elders Philip Rupert and Aaron Smith, and Deacons Obadiah Rupert and Adam Smith. The congregation soon after pre- pared to build a church edifice, and received assist- ance from individual members of other denomi. nations. During the progress of the building a Lutheran congregation was organized and took a half interest therein. Its site is about two and a half miles southwest of Elderton. The corner- stone was laid June 23, 1869, on which occasion Revs. Frederick Wise, J. J. Pennypacker and J. F. Wiant, of the Reformed, Revs. Jonathan Sarver and J. R. Melhorn, of the Lutheran, and Rev. Byron Porter, of the United Presbyterian church, took part in the exercises. This church, dual in faith and in the election of officers, but one and joint in the ownership of the church property-in

these respects like the St. Thomas church-was dedicated October 23, 1870, and the congregations were incorporated by the proper court December 15, 1871 .* The edifice caught fire, in the midst of communion services, which prevented their com- pletion, on Sabbath, Jannary 9, 1873, and was con- sumed. A new brick edifice-the present one- 50×40 feet, was soon after erected on its site by the joint contributions of the two congregations, and was dedicated June 7, 1874.

The number of members of the Mount Union Lutheran church is 50; Sabbath-school scholars, 40.

St. Paul's Reformed, under the charge of Rev. A. K. Kline, a little more than two miles northeast from Whitesburgh, has over one hundred members, and its Sabbath-school nearly as many. The St. Thomas church, about six miles and seven-eighths north of Elderton, has about fifty members.

The German Baptist or Dunkard church was detached from the Cowanshannock church in or about 1863, and then organized into the Plum Creek church. The edifice is frame and is situated nearly a mile southeast of Elderton, on the John Davidson tract, called in the patent "Chester," on land now owned by Tobias Kimmell. This church has since its organization been under the charge of Rev. Lewis Kimmell, who has also devoted much of his time to teaching public and normal schools in that locality. Church members, 100; Sabbath- school scholars, 50.

One of the five Sabbath-schools in this township is a Union school, i.e. consisting of scholars belong- ing to different denominations.

SCHOOLS.

The first schoolhouse within what are the present limits of Plum Creek township was erected in 1792 on what is now John Sturgeon's farm, in the north- eastern part of the township, a half a mile or more westerly from an old blockhouse just over the Indiana county line. That schoolhouse was such a one of the primitive temples of knowledge as are elsewhere described in this work. It was built by the Hoovers, Johnstons, Repines and Templetons, who were early settlers in that region. Robert Orr Shannon was the first teacher within its walls. Another schoolhouse was built a few years after- ward on land then belonging to Absalom Wood- ward, Sr., about fifty rods east of what is now called Idaho mill, in the southeastern part of the township.

* The charter members of the Lutheran Congregation were- Rev. J. Wright, the pastor. Wm. Davis, Andrew Dunmile. S. A. Knappen- berger, David Landis, A. Linsenbigler, Adam I ong, Alvah, Andrew, David, Edward, James, Philip (of J.) and Samuel Kupert, John Sheafer, Samuel and Joseph Young.

Of the Reformed Congregation- Rev. Frederick Wise, pastor; Samuel - , Josiah Boyer, Adam, E. W .. F. M., G. W., Josiah F., Joseph, Obadiah, Philip, Ralston and Wilson Kupert, J. F. Shoup and A. Smith.

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

The first teacher there is said to have been a Mr. Donahoo. He taught in that house as late as 1802. Mrs. Jane Montgomery, widow of Anthony Mont- gomery, was then one of his pupils. The barbar- ous custom of barring out teachers was then in vogue, in case they refused to treat their scholars on holidays. Donahoo refused to do so on one of these occasions and was barred out. As he per- sisted in refusing to treat them, Abraham Wood- ward, Sr., as it is related, suggested to the boys that they had better let him enter the schoolroom, and then bar him in. They did so and succeeded in making him comply with their demand. When the teacher's compensation depended, to so great an extent as it did in former times, on the good will of his pupils, it may have been politic for him to have treated them on holidays.

Robert Sturgeon, now one of the oldest inhabit- ants in this region, remembers that there was in 1803 a log schoolhouse about 125 rods west of Cherry Run, and nearly a mile southeast of Whitesburgh, near the road from Kittanning to Elderton, on land now occupied by Peter George; one in the southwestern part of the township, on land now occupied by J. Roley, the teacher in which was Cornelius Roley.

Robert McIntosh remembers an old schoolhouse on the old state road from Indiana to Kittanning, about 200 rods southeast from Whitesburgh, on land formerly owned by Henry Ruffner, but after- ward by William S. St. Clair, in which a teacher by the name of Cook taught in 1810-12; one nearly a mile northeast of Elderton, on the public road leading thence to Plumville, in which Rev. John Kirkpatrick, of Greenville, Indiana county, Penn- sylvania, was the teacher for several terms, from 1812 until 1815.

There was a schoolhouse in the northwestern part of the township, on a western branch of Cherry Run, on land now occupied by J. Boyer, in 1832, one of the teachers in which was Miss Ann Fulton, who, it is said, succeeded admirably as a teacher and a disciplinarian.

Anthony O'Baldain, educated for a Catholic priest, was one of the early teachers. John Stur- geon taught from 1846 till 1874, i. e., twenty-eight consecutive terms. All of these schoolhouses were primitive log ones. The free school system was readily adopted in 1835, and the requisite number of a rather better kind of log houses were erected, at suitable distances, throughout the township, which have since been replaced by comfortable frame ones. In 1860, the number of schools was 14; average number of months taught, 4; male teachers, 11 ; female teachers, 3 ; average salaries

of male, per month, $12; average salaries of female, $12 ; male scholars, 387; female scholars, 325; average number attending school, 396; amount levied for school purposes, $1,100; for building, $300 ; received from state appropriation, $176.61 ; from collectors, $1,057.79 ; cost of · teach- ing each scholar per month, 31 cents; cost of instruction, $672 ; fuel and contingencies, $195 ; building, renting, repairing schoolhouses, $310. In 1876 the number of schools (exclusive of three in that part of South Bend taken from the Plum Creek township) was 14; average number of monthis taught, 5; male teachers, 11; female teachers, 3 ; average salaries, male, per month, $30.45 ; average salaries, female, per month, $27 ; male scholars, 310 ; female scholars, 248 ; average number attending school, 375 ; cost per month, 77 cents ; amount of tax levied for school and build- ing purposes, $3,644.57 ; received from state ap- propriation, $407.34 ; from taxes, etc., $2,827.71 ; cost of schoolhouses, $771.05 ; teachers' salaries, $2,080 ; fuel, contingencies, collectors' fees, etc., $384.

The chief occupation of the people of this town- ship has been agricultural. The assessment list for this year shows the number of clergymen to be 4 ; physicians, 2; laborers, 52 ; blacksmiths, 3; millers, 3 ; wagonmakers, 2 ; peddlers, 2 ; mason, 1 ; saddler, 1; shoemaker, 1; gentleman, 1. Mer- cantile-Number of stores, 5 ; in 12th class, 1 ; in 13th class, 1; in 14th class, 3.

POSTAL.

The mail matter for the people of this township is received at the Atwood, Elderton, South Bend, and Whitesburgh postoffices. The last-named is the only one in this township. It was established May 3, 1861, John A. Blaney being the first and present postmaster.

Whitesburgh is a small village, named after the late Major James White, who about 1828 surveyed and laid out its lots. It contains several dwelling- houses, a store, blacksmith-shop, carpenter-shop, hotel, and an office or offices of two physicians, Drs. Parke and Kelly. A short distance west of this village and elsewhere in its vicinity are grand, extensive, and picturesque views of the surrounding country.

SOME MENTIONABLE EVENTS.

A military company, bearing the name of Crooked Creek Rangers, was organized many years since. It consisted of about fifty or sixty men residing along Crooked Creek and its vicinity, from across the Indiana county line down toward its mouth.

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PLUM CREEK TOWNSHIP.

The uniform consisted of a homemade linen hunt- ing shirt, dyed in a color like that of tan-bark juice, buckskin breeches, and a cap surmounted with a coon's, fox's or deer's tail, and each member of the company, at least each private, was armed with a rifle. When that company was organized and disbanded, and who were its officers, the writer has not been able to ascertain.

On Friday, March 28, 1828, occurred a circular fox hunt. The circle began at the house of Capt. Joseph Sharp; thence to Robert Walker's, on Crooked Creek; thence to where the state road crossed near Israel Thomas'; thence to James Speddy's; thence to Robert Woodward's mill ("Elder's Vale"); thence to Plum Creek bridge; and thence to the place of beginning. It was arranged that all the sections should move at the blowing of the horns, precisely at 9:30 o'clock A. M.

A few days before July 12, 1837, occurred a heavy rain which raised the waters of Plum creek several feet higher than they had ever before been known to have been by the oldest inhabitants. The principal portion of the fences, grain, timothy, clover and other crops along the valley were de- stroyed. A large number of hogs were drowned. One farmer lost more than a dozen in one pen. A new bridge on the Kittanning and Indiana turn- pike, and a less valuable one higher up the creek, were swept away. No lives were lost.

On Thursday night, December 29, 1838, the steam gristmill on Plum creek, formerly owned by Peter Thomas, but then by Robert Woodward, was destroyed by fire, together with two carding ina- chines, belonging to James C. Fleming, and 1,800 bushels of grain, which the people of the surround- ing country had deposited there. Hence, that fire was not only a private, but a public calamity.

The Plum Creek Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company was incorporated by the proper court, December 7, 1874. Its object is the compensation of its members for losses occasioned by fire.

There have been a goodly number of staunch friends of the temperance cause in this township, notwithstanding the vote for granting license to sell liquor was 161, and that against it 86.

ELDERTON

laid out 143 acres thereof into 41 town lots, front- ing on Turnpike and Saline streets, which cross each other at right angles. Their width is sixty feet, and that of the various alleys is from twelve to sixteen feet. These lots were surveyed by James White. They are all, except three, 66×165 feet. The course of Turnpike street is north 22 degrees west; of Saline street, south 78 degrees west; and that of the southeasterly line of the town plot is north 89 degrees west. The original shape of the town was nearly that of a cross.

Mr. Elder, when he laid it out, named it New Middletown, and it is so designated in some of the early court records and assessment lists. The first house erected in it was a small log one, which was kept as a tavern by William Elgin, whose sign was about 18×8 inches, nailed to a stick stuck in a stump with this inscription on it: "Oats and whiskey for sale." Mr. Elder then lived in a house afterward occupied by John R. Adams, on a farm now owned by Matthew Pettigrew.

The first assessment list of New Middletown ap- pears to have been in 1824, thus : Thomas Arm- strong, lot No. 10, valued at $1 ; William D. Bar- clay, lots Nos. 17, 20, 21, 2 houses, $8 ; William Coulter, lot No. 3, 1 house, $2.50; Daniel Elgin, lots Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, 38, 1 house, $5.68 ; Samuel George, lot No. 13, $1; John George, lot No. 12, $1 ; Dr. Leonce Hoover, lots Nos. 19, 34, 1 house, 1 horse, 1 head cattle, $3.50 ; John Kees, blacksmith, 1 house, 2 lots, $25 ; William McLanghlin, 1 house, 3 lots, $25 ; Moses Miller, lot No. 31, $1.12 ; Samuel Stur- geon, lots Nos. 41, 15, $3.50 ; Robert Woodward, lots Nos. 27, 28, 29, $3.50. The respective valua- tions of 20 unseated lots varied from 29 cents to $5.

Among the earliest citizens of this town were Thomas Armstrong, tailor, afterward justice of the peace; Zack Kerr, chairmaker; Hamlet Totten, shoemaker ; Joseph Klingenberger, saddler ; Will- iam Lytle and William D. Barclay, merchants ; Daniel Elgin and William Coulter, innkeepers, the latter of whom was justice of the peace for nineteen years ; John and William Elgin, Robert Richey, George Shryock, A. W. Clark, George Smith, James Clark, now of Indiana, Pennsylvania, who established the tannery now owned by Charles Rosborough. John Ralston traded a horse with the late Robert Woodward for the lot on which he still lives, which he grubbed with his own hands. He and William Lytle entered into partnership in the mercantile business in 1831, which they carried on in the room now occupied by Dr. J. M. St. Clair.

Is on the tract called "Wheatfield," which was originally surveyed on a warrant, dated August 18, 1786, to Sarah Elder, to whom a patent therefor was issued, April 14, 1799. By her last will and testament she devised that tract to Joshua Elder, | who by deed of gift, dated June 19, 1818, conveyed Among the later settlers were, as the writer is it to Robert J. Elder, who, November 20, 1822, | informed, Andrew Kimmel, Drs. Meeker, Kelly

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

and Allison. The last-named was a surgeon in the army during the war of the rebellion, and for several years past, he and his son, a native of Elderton, have practiced in Kittanning. It was in Elderton that Dr. David Alter first experi- mented in telegraphing, respecting which he says in a recent letter to the present writer :

"In 1836, while engaged in experimenting in electro-magnetism, in Elderton, I received the idea that the galvanic current could be made available for telegraphing by causing the deflec- tion of magnetic needles, and in accordance made a plan for pointing out the letters of the alphabet by deflection, and was successful at the distance of 120 feet. Bnt having no time nor means to pursue the subject then, I neglected it and did not apply for a patent."

There was presented December 8, 1858, to the proper court of this county, a petition of citizens of the town of Elderton, then in Plum creek town- ship, setting forth that they labored under many disadvantages and inconveniencies for want of corporate privileges, and praying to be incorporated under the act of April 3, 1851. That petition was referred to the grand jury, who returned to the court that it was expedient to grant the prayer of the petitioners. On the next day, March 9, the court made the requisite decree incorporating that town into the borough of Elderton. It is pro- vided by that decree that the electors of the borough of Elderton and the township of Plum creek might join in electing a judge and two in- spectors of election, before whom the elections of the township and the borough might thereafter be held-the ballots to be deposited in separate bal- lot boxes, except those cast for judge and in- spectors.

The boundaries of the borough were : " Begin- ning at a post on lands of William Bleakney; thence south 713 degrees west 120 perches to a post in land of John Ralston; thence north 182 . degrees west 183 perches to a stump on land of John R. Adams; thence north 713 degrees, east 120 perches to a post in land of Robert M. Gibson; thence south 183 degrees east 183 perches to the place of beginning," containing 1374 acres.

The first borough election was directed to be hield at the house of Henry Smith, on the first Friday of April, 1859, of which Robert Martin was appointed judge and Robert T. Robinson and William S. Cummins, inspectors. Notice of that election was to be given by the constable of Plum creek township. Subsequent borough elections were to be held at the time of holding elections of township officers, which was on Friday next pre-

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History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 44

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