History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 48

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Armstrong County > History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania > Part 48

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

225

WAYNE TOWNSHIP.

frame, 40×35 feet. It was erected in 1874, on an acre lot, conveyed to the trustees by Jacob Kamer- dinier, August 7, 1870, being a part of the Nichol- son tract No. 4579.

SCHOOLS.

The educational interests were cherished by the early settlers of this township. Abont 1815-it may have been somewhat later or earlier-accord- ing to information which has been orally trans- mitted to these later times, the first school within its present limits was opened in a building, per- haps not at first designed for a schoolhouse, on land of Benjamin Irwin, near the Indiana county line, which was taught by the William Marshall, distinguished from others of that name by the sobriquet of of "Crooked," not, it is presumed, that he was so morally. Perhaps, whatever crook- edness there was in his physique may have been induced by the virtue of extraordinary industry. Some of his pupils traveled three and others four miles daily to acquire the rudiments of education within the walls of that log temple of knowledge in the forest. Robert Marshall, of Dayton, is the only pupil known to be now living. Another school was taught in a primitive schoolhouse, built somewhat later, near the present site of the Glade Run Presbyterian church, one of the teachers of which was Bezai Irwin. - Later and before the passage of the common school law, there must have been at least one organization for the mainte- nance of a public school, for John Lias conveyed for $1, March 14, 1829, one-fourth of an acre on the west side of the Red Bank road, to Benjamin Irwin, Robert Martin, George McCombs and Jacob Pontius, trustees of the Glade rnn school district.

In 1830 there were seven children whose parents were too poor to pay for their schooling ; in 1831, ten, and in 1832, eight.

In 1832, David Lewis and David Scott were assessed as schoolmasters.

Whether there were any other secular schools before the common school law of 1834-5 went into operation, is not apparent. The first schoolhouses built under that law appear to have been distrib- uted in accordance with the wants of the then most thickly settled portions of the township. One was located in the Calhoun settlement, in the northwestern part; another in the Beck settle- ment, in the southwestern part ; another nearly two miles north of Dayton ; and another about the same distance southwest of that borough, on the Wallace tract, No. 4163.

The common school system was adopted, though not unanimously, by the voters of this township, as is manifest from these incidents : One morn-

ing, while the people of each township had the right to accept or reject it by their votes, John Buchanon, who then lived on the farm now owned by John Steele, was firmly resolved to go to the election ground that day and vote for its re- jection. But his grandson, Joseph Steele, about six years old, approached him as he was starting from the barn on horseback, with this earnest ap- peal, "Grandpa, don't vote to take the school away from me !" The old gentleman proceeded to the election with those touching words ringing in his ears, which had the effect of changing his purpose, for he voted for accepting the school system, of which he continued to be a firm friend until his death. That was au instance of families being divided on this question. He that morning de- termined to ride to the polling place to vote for rejecting, while his son-in-law, John Steele, was as fully determined to walk thither to vote for ac- cepting that system. At another occasion, while this township extended southward to the purchase line of 1768, when a considerable number of the citizens were assembled, it was determined to test their sense on the school question, by those in favor of retaining the school system ranging themselves on one side of a small run in Alexander Campbell's meadow, and those opposed on the other side. After the school men and the anti-school men had thus ranged themselves, Martin Schre- cengost, then one of the latter, having surveyed the two opposing lines, declared there was not a decent looking man in his line, and immediately passed over to the other side. A certain anti-school man, who had several children that needed to be edu- cated, was bitterly opposed to the school law, because he deemed the tax required to sustain the school oppressive. It may have been so on him, for he paid of that tax the vast sum of eleven cents.

In 1860 the number of schools was 10 ; average months taught, 4 ; male teachers, 7; female teach- ers, 3; average salaries of male, per month, $20; of female, per month, $18.47 ; male scholars, 221; female scholars, 178 ; average number attending school, 278 ; cost of teaching each scholar per months, 48 cents ; amount levied for school pur- poses, $1,058.18 ; received from state appropria- tion, $94.25; from collectors, $800; cost of in- struction, $704; fuel and contingencies, $74.80 ; cost of schoolhouses, $25.30.

In 1876 the number of schools was 10; average number of months taught, 5; male teachers, 6; female teachers, 4 ; average salaries of male, per month, $32 ; average salaries of female, per month, $32; male scholars, 190; female scholars, 151;

226

HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

average number attending school, 251; cost per month, $1.20 ; tax levied for school and building purposes, $1,970.84 ; received from state appro- priation, $309.69 ; received from taxes and other sources, $1,991.12 ; cost of schoolhouses, repairing, etc., $223.50 ; paid for teachers' wages, $1,600; collectors' fees, fuel, etc., $234.23.

The Belknap independent district resulted from a conflict between certain portions of the people of this township respecting the location of a schoolhouse, which began in 1848-9. One portion insisted that it should be in one, and the other in another, place. The school directors could not satisfy both parties, locate it where they would. The aggrieved party applied to the court for re- dress, and a rule was granted on the directors, December 13, 1850, to appear on the 21st and show canse why their seats should not be vacated. The complaint against them was dismissed by the court March 6, 1851. Nevertheless, the conflict grew more determined and serions. A bill of in- dictment for misdemeanor in office was found against them at June sessions, 1852. William Marshall was the ostensible prosecutor, and Will- iam Mellhinney, John Lias, Jr., Joshua Foster, James R. Calhoun, Joseph T. Irwin and William W. Marshall were the defendants. The case was tried at the next September sessions. The verdict was guilty, and they were sentenced to pay a fine of $1 each, and the costs. The case was taken up to the supreme court, where the judgment was reversed and they were discharged without day. Another indictment for a similar offense was pre- ferred against them at December sessions, 1853, which was quashed by the court. On the petition of divers citizens of the township, a rule was granted on them to appear at the June sessions and show cause why they should not be removed, which was finally withdrawn. Still the efforts of those opposed to the location of that schoolhouse in Fox Hollow, though foiled in court, did not cease. After the passage of the school law of 1854, they applied to the proper court for the formation of an independent district. Their application was resisted. Its opponents alleged that there was not enough property within the proposed limits of the district to enable the directors to raise an adequate amount of tax for maintaining a school. But when those applicants showed the amount of their freehold property and offered to become individually liable for the expense of keep- ing open the school four months in the year, the remonstrants changed their base of opposition, alleging that there was too much property in the proposed district, and that an undue amount of

the tax then raised for defraying the expenses of all the schools in the township would be devoted to that one school. The court, however, at De- cember sessions, 1855, appointed Robert McIntosh, John Hotham and William McCutchin, now residents of Wayne, as commissioners, to ex- amine the grounds of that application and to report as to whether it should be granted. Their report in favor of granting it was read by the court December 12, 1855, and confirmed April 15, 1856. William Lytle, Chambers Orr and Robert Martin, non-residents of this township, having been appointed commissioners by the court, reported, June 7, that they had examined and proportioned the schoolhouses in Wayne township and Belknap district, and awarded to the latter $152, to be paid in three semi-annual installments. A compliance with the terms of that report was enforced under a rule granted by the court. The Belknap direct- ors used $100 of that sum, the balance left after paying for legal services rendered, in building a frame schoolhouse of suitable size. Although Judge Buffington was very adverse to the forma- tion of independent districts, he deemed it best that this one should be established for the purpose of ending that protracted conflict. Thus ceased to be tossed to and fro an apple of discord, which for nearly a decade had caused intense bitterness of feeling among the people and a heavy drain upon the school fund of the township. The school board thereafter purchased of David Olinger two lots in the village of Belknap on which to erect a schoolhouse, namely, Nos. 3 and 4, the former 60×80 and the latter 60×75} feet, both fronting on the Kittanning road, for $19.25. They are part of the Wallace tract, No. 4127, and part of the quantity which Gen. Orr sold to Geo. Ellenberger.

In 1876 the report of this school was : Months taught, 5; male teacher, 1; salary per month, $35 ; male scholars, 36 ; female scholars, 19 ; aver- age number attending school, 41 ; cost per month, 68 cents ; tax levied for school and building pur- poses, $151.27 ; received from state appropriation, $37.20 ; from taxes, etc., $184.98 ; paid for teachers' wages, $175.08 ; for fuel, etc., $69.37.

GLADE RUN ACADEMY.

This institution emanated from the Glade Run Presbyterian church, and was established for the purpose of affording facilities for the more exten- sive education of the youth of this region than those enjoyed in the common schools. After dis- cussing the expediency of establishing a school of a higher grade by members of the congregation, the session of that church, May 27, 1851, resolved

227

WAYNE TOWNSHIP.

"that measures be adopted for opening a parochial school as soon as possible." On the 20th of Sep- tember next thereafter "the subject of a select paro- chial school was further discussed, but no plan adopted." The school, however, was opened in the latter part of the next month, with Rev. John M. Jones as principal, the members of the session having assumed the responsibility of paying his first year's salary. His services as principal con- tinued to be acceptably rendered, and continu- ously, except for a few months, from that time until 1854. He was succeeded by Rev. G. W. Mechlin, D. D., from April, 1855, until December, 1861, when the former resumed the position and continued to fill it for nearly seven years, when he resigned and was succeeded by the present incum- bent, his former successor. Both of those princi- pals have been aided during the last quarter of a century in their educational work by various com- petent and efficient male and female assistants, most of the former of whom are now Presbyterian clergymen in this and several other states. Nearly 1,100 students, of both sexes, have received in- struction in this institution, to which the people have deservedly given the name of academy. Be- tween forty and fifty of those students are min- isters of the Gospel. One of them is a professor in one of the oldest theological seminaries in our country. Some are foreign missionaries. One is a president judge. Some are prominent lawyers, some are successful physicians, and a goodly number are laboring efficiently in the useful and honorable vocation of teaching. The buildings appurtenant to this institution are the academy edifice, frame, and of adequate size; a boarding- house for the female students, which was recently given to the trustees by the Glade Run congrega- tion-the grant to continne as long as it shall be used for academy purposes; and two boarding- houses for the male students, one of which being the gift of George W. Goheen, and the other being the product of contributions made chiefly by the people of Kittanning and members of the congre- gation of Concord Presbyterian church in this township and of those from other sources. A liberal and perpetual charter was granted to this academy by the proper court of this county June 6, 1866.

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

The occupation of the people within the present limits of this township appears to have been en- tirely agricultural until about 1820. From that year on occupations became somewhat more diver- sified. In that year Peter Thomas was first assessed with a sawmill, which must have been on the

Wallis tract, covered by warrant No. 4163. The next one was assessed to Jacob Beck in 1822, which must have been on the Holland Company tract, covered by warrant No. 3046. Other sawmills were first assessed: To Abel Findley, on the Hiltzimer tract, covered by warrant No. 5147, in 1826; to Alvah Payne, probably on the Hamil- ton tract, in 1829, which was afterward transferred to Samuel Brink. The present number of sawmills is three-one on Glade Run, about 300 rods in an air line above its mouth, one at the mouth of Camp Run, and the other about 160 rods southeast of Echo, on Pine creek.

The first gristmill in this township was built by Joseph Marshall, Sr., in 1822, on Glade Run, about half a mile above its mouth, on the Wallace tract, covered by warrant No. 4127, which was succes- sively owned by James Kirkpatrick, John Hender- son, Archibald Glenn, John Segar and Andrew J. Lowman. The next gristmill was built, in 1830, by George Beck, Sr., on Pine creek, in the south- western part of the township, at or near which there was afterward a carding machine. The third one was built by Enoch Hastings, in 1835, about 150 rods above the first-mentioned one on Glade Run, on the Pickering & Co. tract, covered by war- rant No. 391, which was subsequently owned by Daniel Schrecongost, John Segar, Alexander Getty and Andrew J. Lowman, and Alex. Haines. The fourth one was built probably by Andrew J. Low- man, in 1863, on a branch of Pine creek and on the old Anderson Creek road, in the southern part of the township, now owned by Jacob Segar. The Ellenberger & Coleman, formerly Guthrie's, saw and grist mill, on the south side of Mahoning creek, in the northeastern part of the township, just below the deep bend in that stream, was built in 1827 by Alvah Paine and Thomas Travis. All of these gristmills are now in operation, and are the only ones in the township.

The first fulling-mill in this township was started by David Lewis near the first of the above-men- tioned gristmills, in 1828, which was subsequently operated by Archibald McSperran, Archibald Glenn and James G. Morrison. The last-named was also assessed with a carding machine for the first time, in 1839.

Distilleries were assessed: To Robert Marshall for the years 1823-4-5-6-7-8; to Alexander White from 1828 until 1831; to Adam Beck from 1831 until 1833; to Henry Clever from 1837 until 1839.

Mechanics were assessed for the first time in this township thus: John Marshall, hatter, in 1829; William Marshall, tanner, in 1831, and William B. Marlin and Joseph Stewart, in 1832; George

228

HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

McCombs and James McQuown, with tanyards, in 1836; Enoch Hastings, John Lias, Peter Lias, James Russell and John Rutherford, blacksmiths, in 1832; and, in that year, Abel Findlay, William Kinnan, carpenters; Hugh Rutherford, tailor; Jesse Cable, shoemaker, John Gould, stone and brick mason, and in 1833, Robert Borland, Jr., chair- maker.

Merchants assessed for the first time: John Bor- land, in 1832; Jacob Brown, in 1838. There was, it is said, a store, eight or ten years later, at the mill, built by Joseph Marshall, on Glade Run. In 1876, there are three assessed-one in thirteenth, and two in fourteenth, class.

Olney furnace was built by John McCrea and James Galbraith in 1846, and went into blast the next year. It was situated on the southerly side of the Mahoning creek, a little over two miles in an air line from the mouth of Glade Run, and was a hot and cold blast charcoal furnace, which for a few years made about 23 tons of pig-metal a week; and then after the enlargement of its bosh to 9 feet across by 32 feet high, 568 tons in 23 weeks, from the ferriferous and hard limestone ore, taken from the beds in the coal measures three miles around it. The number of employés varied from about sixty to eighty. Galbraith retired from it in 1850, and McCrea continued to operate it until 1855. The iron was transported via the Mahoning creek and Allegheny river to Pittsburgh.

An iron foundry was established by John Hen- derson and Archibald Glenn, probably in 1847- they were first assessed with it in 1848-which was attached to the new gristmill on the site of the old one, called the lower Glade mills. It appears to have been operated by the latter until 1851, when it was transferred to John Segar, to whom it ceased to be assessed after 1852.

The first resident clergymen were Rev. Elisha D. Barrett, who was first assessed with portions of the Hiltzimer tracts in 1829, and Rev. John Hind- man, who was first assessed with a portion of the Blaine tract, covered by warrant No. 558, in 1834.

The first resident physician was Dr. William N. Simms, who was first assessed with a portion of the Pickering & Co. tract, covered by Warrant No. 262, in 1834.

The temperance element in this township has been quite strong for many years. The vote on the question of granting licenses to sell liquor, February 28, 1873, was 194 against and 56 for.

The Glade Run postoffice was established De- cember 17, 1828, at Joseph Marshall's on the then new post-route from Kittanning to the month of Anderson's creek. Reuben Lewis was its first

postmaster, whose successors were Rev. E. D. Bar rett from 1831 till 1835; John Borland until 1853; William Findley until 1855, when the office re- moved to the village of Dayton.

The postoffice at Belknap was established Sep- tember 21, 1855, and its first postmaster was Charles W. Ellenberger, whose successors have been John Steele, Porter Marshall, Joseph McCor- kle, Jacob Maurer and Daniel Knappenberger.

The name of this office was suggested by John McCrea and was readily adopted by those interested in its establishment, as well as by the postmaster- general. Hence, the name of the hamlet at that point, and of the independent school district. That locality is on the Wallace tract covered by warrant No. 4127.

The Echo postoffice was established July 14, 1857, and its first postmaster was Joseph Knox, merchant; the present one is Moses McElwain. The name of this office and of the point where it is located was suggested by the re-percussion of sound caused by the hills in its vicinity.

The first lodge of Grangers, or Patrons of Hus- bandry, in this county was organized in this town- ship, its first president being John Steele.

In the Centennial year the great mass of the people of this township were still engaged in agri- cultural pursuits, the assessment list showing those in other occupations to be : Ministers, 2; teacher, 1 ; surveyor, 1 ; physician, 1 ; merchants, 3 ; black- smiths, 2 ; carpenters, 3 ; gunsmiths, 1; laborers, 23 ; millers, 3; miners, 4; shoemaker, 1; team- ster, 1 ; tanner, 1; and 48 single men, valued at $50 each.

BOROUGH OF DAYTON.

The town or village of Dayton was laid out in 1850 on a part of the Pickering & Co. tract, cov- ered by warrant No. 262, then owned by Robert Marshall, and on a part of the Alexander McClel- land tract, then owned by John Lias. The lots vary considerably in their areas. Marshall sold at least one of his in 1850, one in 1853, one in 1854, but most of the others from 1860 until 1871, at prices varying according to their respective areas and location. For instance, he conveyed 1 acre and 16 perches, in 1850, to Michael Guyer for $52.50; 44 perches, the next year, to J. B. Guyer for $15; the same quantity, the next year, to Samuel Rearich, Sr., for $20; 1 lot to Thomas Ormond, June 8, 1861, for $136.67; lot No. 10, the same day, to Jacob R. McAfoos for $30; and lots Nos. 4 and 5 to Joseph T. Hosack for $950; 2 acres, February 2, 1863, to Sam'l McCartney for $120 ; 1 lot, April 1, 1864, to Dan'l W. Wamples for $425 ; 1 lot to John Campbell, August 9, 1867,

JOHN CALHOUN.

229

WAYNE TOWNSHIP.

for $100 ; and 1 lot, April 5, 1871, to Joseph W. Sharp for $40. John Lias' heirs conveyed, Febru- ary 5, 1853, 25 perches to James Coleman for $40.66 ; 5476 perches to Robert N. McComb for $27.35 ; and 105fs perches to Eliza A. Goodhart for $33.

The growth of this town in business and popu- lation has been gradual and healthful. It was, of course, a part of Wayne township until its incor- poration into a borough.

The Methodist Episcopal church was organized here, it is said, as early as 1821, probably by Rev. Thomas Hudson during his itinerant labors in this region, there being then about 12 members. Its number of communicants in 1876 is 90 ; Sabbath- school scholars about 100. There are two other churches in the Dayton circuit, whose aggregate number of members is 200, and of Sabbath-school scholars about 240. The first church edifice of the Dayton congregation was erected in 1837.

The Associate Presbyterian congregation of Glade Run was organized in the vicinity of Day- ton by Rev. John Hindman in 1831, with eight members.

John H. Marshall and William Kinnan were its first ruling elders. The pastorate of Rev. John Hindman continued until April 28, 1852. Rev. David K. Duff, the present pastor, first preached to this congregation in February, 1854, and was ordained and installed October 18, 1856. Although he was absent three years rendering military ser- vice as captain of Company K in the 14th regt. Pa. Cav., in the War of the Rebellion, his pas- toral relation, at the request of his congrega- tion, was not dissolved during any portion of his absence. The Sabbath-school was organized April 18, 1859. The membership of the church in 1876 is 110, and the number of Sabbath-school scholars 59. When the union between the Associate and Associate Reformed churches was effected in 1858, the name was changed to that of the United Pres- byterian congregation of Glade Run, and in 1850 to the Dayton United Presbyterian congregation. Its contributions to the various boards during the last twenty years amount to $9,980, and during the year ending in 1876 $1,170.08. Its first church edifice was frame, 30 × 35 feet, situated nearly two miles in an air line between south and south- east from Dayton, on a small branch of Glade Run, adjoining the cemetery noted on the township map, in the Borland neighborhood. It was en- larged in 1841. Its location was changed to Day- ton in 1860. The present edifice, frame, about 40 × 60 feet, between the Methodist Episcopal church and the academy, on the north side of

Church street, was completed in 1863. The lot on which it is located was conveyed by Robert Marshall to Smith Neal, Robert L. Marshall and Wm. J. Stuchell, trustees, and their successors, March 27, 1869, for $10.

The Dayton Union Academy was established in 1852, and it has ever since been under the control of a board of trustees chosen by the contributors to its support, irrespective of their sectarian tenets. It sprung from the united efforts of at least two (the United Presbyterian and Methodist Episco- pal) denominations. Hence it is called a union academy. Its first principal was Rev. John A. Campbell, whose successors have been Rev. David K. Duff and David Love, A. M., who have from time to time had the co-operation of zealous and competent assistants.

The first county superintendent of the common schools of this county was Rev. Jno. A. Campbell in 1854, then principal of this academy.

One of the noble monuments of the gratitude of the people of Pennsylvania to the dead soldiers of the republic and their tender regard for the wel- fare of the children bereft of fathers by the war for our cherished Union adorns this municipality. It having been suggested in the summer of 1866 that there was need of a soldiers' orphans' school either in this or one of the adjoining counties, Dayton was readily admitted to be an eligible loea- tion for it. Meetings of some of its citizens were held; the subject was generally discussed, and it was finally determined to establish the needed school here. Rev. David K. Duff was authorized to confer with Thomas H. Burrowes, who was then the state superintendent of the Soldiers' Orphans' Schools, who, after having been informed of this benign movement, came hither, made a parol agreement with some of the citizens, who had become enlisted in the project, for consummating it, and selected the present site for the buildings. A joint stock company was soon organized with a capital of $15,000. Its original members were Rev. David K. Duff, Rev. T. M. Elder, Dr. William Hosack, Dr. J. R. Crouch, Robert Marshall, Wesley Pontius, William R. Hamilton, William Marshall, Thomas P. Ormond, Thomas H. Mar- shall, Samuel Good, Smith Neal, John H. Rupp, William Morrow, William J. Burns, J. W. Mar- shall, William Hindman, John Beck, Jacob Beek, John Craig, David Lawson and David Byers. The school opened in rented buildings on the Ist of November in that year, with fifty-one pupils. This company was incorporated December 1, 1873. Its charter name is the "Dayton Soldiers' Orphans' School Association." It purchased in the fall of

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 48

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