History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 74

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 74

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).

This township was, of course, named from Mahoning creek, which skirts its southeastern, and, with its deep bends, flows through its southern, part. The meaning of Mahoning, as. elsewhere given,* is a stream flowing from or near a lick.

By the act of assembly, March 21, 1808, this creek was declared to be a public highway for the passage of rafts, boats and other vessels, from its confluence with the Allegheny river to the mouth of Canoe creek in Indiana county. That act authorizes the inhabitants along its banks, and others desirous of using it for navigation, to re-

*See sketch of Wayne township.

*See sketch of Red Bank township.

347

MAHONING TOWNSHIP.

move all natural and artificial obstructions in it, except danis for mills and other waterworks, and to erect slopes at the mill and other dams, which must be so constructed as not to injure the works of such dams. Any person owning or possessing lands along this stream has the liberty to construct dams across it, subject, however, to the restrictions and provisions of the general act authorizing the riparian owners to erect dams for mills on naviga- ble streams. William Travis and Joseph Marshall were appointed to superintend the expenditure of $800 for the improvement of this stream, author- ized by the act of March 24, 1817, to whom an order for their services for $201 was issued by the commissioners of this county December 23, 1818. The erection of the first bridge across it was at a point a short distance above its mouth, on the Olean road, which was granted to John Weld June 19, 1822, at $500. Vestiges of its southern abut- ment are still visible.

By the act of assembly, April 22, 1858, the Ma- honing Navigation Company was incorporated, and Henry Brown, Stacy B. Williams, Isaac C. Jordan, Harrison M. Coon and James E. Mitchell were appointed commissioners-for the last-named three William Bell, Charles Kremer and Irvin Gillespie were substituted by the supplement to that act passed April 10, 1863-who were author- ized to open books for subscription to the capi- tal stock of the company, and keep them open until $5,000 should be subscribed, but no longer. The par value of each share is $10. The char- ter officers are one president and four managers, who are to be elected annually. Each stockholder has one vote for each of his shares not exceeding ten, and one for every five shares exceeding ten. The president and managers have the requi- site power to make such by-laws and regulations not inconsistent with the constitution and laws of the United States and of this state. Besides the usual powers conferred upon such corporations, the special ones conferred upon the president and managers of this company are to clean and clear the Mahoning, Canoe, Big Run Stump, and East branch creeks from all rocks, bars and other ob- structions ; to erect dams and locks, to bracket and regulate and alter the. dams that were then and to be thereafter erected in these streanis, so that no injury be done to the water power of the owners ; to control their waters by bracket or otherwise for the purpose of navigation ; to levy tolls not exceeding one and one-fourth cent for each five miles run upon the Mahoning, and by the supplementary act of April 10, 1863, on the other above-mentioned streams, per thousand feet of

boards or other sawed stuff ; one and one-fourth cent for every fifty feet, lineal measure, of square or other timber ; the same per foot of every boat passing down these creeks, to be collected at their mouths, and at such other points along these streams as may be necessary ; and, besides various other specified things, including the levying of tolls upon logs, viz., twenty-five cents per hundred logs for every five miles they are driven down these streams, generally to do all things necessary for their safe navigation. Any person who runs his rafts, boats, logs and other craft past a collector's office without paying his toll is subject to a fine of five dollars. The tolls are liens upon the property on which they are assessed and levied, into whose- soever hands it may come. Among other provis- ions is this : Whenever the dividends arising from the tolls shall in gross equal the amount of stock actually subscribed, clear of all expenses, and ten per centum per annum, the tolls shall be reduced so as to be only sufficient for the improvement of these streams.

The act of assembly, April 2, 1869, declares the Mahoning creek to be a navigable stream and pub- lic highway for all kinds of crafts that can navigate it, both up and down, from its mouth to the Mahon- ing furnace or iron works. It also authorizes John A. Colwell to make, at his own expense, a towing- path for horses to travel on along this stream be- tween those two points, for the purpose of towing boats laden with metal or merchandise. When thus made, it is to be open for public use, free of expense or toll to him. He bas the right, on the same conditions, to improve the bed of the creek by removing stone and widening the channel. He is to pay the owner of the land for the right of way for the towing-path such an equivalent as may be agreed upon between him and them, but if they cannot agree, the damages are to be assessed by three persons " appointed by the courts," in the same manner as damages are assessed for lands taken for public roads in this county; and in case of a failure to agree, the owners of land along the route of the towing-path shall not delay the making of it, but he is authorized to tender them a bond for the payment of such damages as may be legally assessed, and thereupon he shall proceed to make the towing-path.

The portion of "Quito " in this township, else- where mentioned as conveyed by Isaac Cruse to George Weinberg, was successively owned by Will- iam Benton, Abraham Mohney, Rev. John G. Young, who conveyed 115 acres, April 26, 1867, to Moses Stahlman for $2,600. Other portions of " Quito" in this township are now owned chiefly

348

HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

.by John A. Colwell, Elias and John Cunselman and William Procions and Blinker & Jones, to the latter of whom and another Craig conveyed 272 acres and 130 perches, June 2, 1874, for $12,500, excepting the half acre on which schoolhouse No. 6 is situated. John McClelland and his family oc- cupied a log house on this parcel in the winter of 1845-6. On one of the severely cold nights of that winter, the house-it was a log one-caught fire in the upper part from, it was supposed, the chimney, which was constructed of wooden slats and daubing of clay. The four children, sound asleep in the loft, were consumed by the flames, which had en- veloped them before they were aware of their peril. The father and mother were not awakened until the devouring element had nearly caught them asleep on the first floor, from which they had barely time to escape with their lives in their night- clothes through a window near their bed. Fred- erick Mohney was the first one who discovered the fire. IIe hastened to it, and found Mrs. McClelland trying to keep from freezing by walking to and fro near the burning cabin, and her husband sitting on a log near by sadly moaning. When asked why he moaned so, he pointed to the flames, and with heart-rending anguish, said: "There is my all-my four boys !" The population in this region was then sparse, but as the painful intelligence of their terrible calamity spread, contributions of clothing, provisions and other necessaries flowed in upon them, and thus they were made as comfortable as that intensely afflictive bereavement would permit. They soon afterward removed to Craigsville, in the western part of this county, where he for several years followed his trade of miller. In 1867, he re- ceived the nomination as republican candidate for county treasurer, but died before the election. Samuel W. Hamilton, of Mahoning township was nominated and elected.

There is a larger area of "Lurgan" than of either "Quito" or No. 2903 in this township. That parcel of it conveyed by Stephen B. Young to Sam- nel S. Harrison and Hugh Campbell was by them conveyed, March 3, 1850, to William Horn, who conveyed 50 acres, May 10, 1856, to Elias Cunsel- man for $800. A considerable portion of the parcel conveyed by Stephen B. Young to Robert Morri- son is now owned by the latter's son, James H., and a portion by another son, Harvey Morrison, besides the 100 acres conveyed by Alexander Cath- cart, April 7, 1863, to D. Slade for $1,000.

The parcel containing 310 acres and 116 perches which Young conveyed to Henry D. Foster, De- cember 1, 1840, for $2,000, the latter conveyed to Mrs. Elizabeth Hewett, September 6, 1843, for

$3,000, who conveyed 100 acres and 50 perches thereof to her son, Robert Ferguson, June 6, 1854, for $1 and the annual payment to her during her life of $20, and the residue she divided between her other son, Samuel Ferguson, and her son-in- law, John Duff, or his wife. The Fergusons settled here 1844, and Duff in 1845. The parcel, 343 acres and 108 perches, purchased by Campbell, was conveyed by him to Alexander Colwell, June 7, 1849, for $1,000, which was devised to and is re- tained by his danghter, Mrs. Harriet H. Calhoun.

Of the parcel contiguous to "Lurgan " on the south, No. 2903, William Hamilton conveyed 117 acres and 19 perches to Alexander Colwell, May 19, 1843, for $110, which he also devised to Mrs. Calhoun. William R. Hamilton conveyed 225 acres and 142 perches to John A. Colwell & Co., February 2, 1854, for $1,000, the other portions remaining as noticed in the sketch of Red Bank township.

Another parcel of it became vested in Thomas McConnell, who conveyed one-half of it to James E. Brown, so that they are its present joint owners. Camp run, formed by tributaries from the north- east and northwest, traverses this tract and empties into the Mahoning creek at the foot of the deep bend northeast from Putneyville. It is so named from an Indian camp that existed on the bottom between the mouth of this run and that of Little Mud Lick, before and for a short time after the beginning of this century. Some of the early white settlers, Robert Cathcart and others, used to state that some of the Indians who occupied that camp were still there after they came here. About 125 rods east of the junction of these tributaries to Camp run is a subterranean burnt district, con- taining about three acres, judging from the red color of the surface above it. The roof of the cavity, caused by the burning of the coal, appears to be two or three feet thick, as it extends under the hill. The roof appears to have been slate, fire- clay and other matter, as appears from cemented portions of it. At least some of the coal is of two kinds - block coal, an analysis of which is else- where given, and bituminous, closely united with- out slate or any other matter between them - the former about eleven and the latter four feet thick. The depth of the ashes on the floor or at the bot- tom of the cavity is from three to four feet. Their color is similar to that of lime. The block coal is very easily ignited, and the subterranean ignition in this instance may have originated from some fire kindled by the Indians who occupied that camp. The trees on the surface appear to have grown up since the extinguishment of the subterranean fire.

Kevin. AD Glenn.

349

MAHONING TOWNSHIP.

One of them, near the opening, is about eighteen inches in diameter.

The earliest permanent white settlers on 2903 were William R. Hamilton and John Kuhn. It is still sparsely inhabited.

Adjoining "Lurgan " on the west was the upper or northeastern portion of a large vacant tract, in the northern part of which, as Lawson & Orr's map of original traets indicates, Jacob Hettrick settled as early as 1808, for he was assessed that year with 50 acres at $37-his kind of title being "improvement." Next south of that parcel was the one occupied under an "improvement " right by Robert Catheart, who must have settled on it in or before 1805, as he was first assessed in 1806 with 330 acres, one horse and three cattle, at $320. His two-story red house, the first frame one in this section, was for many years one among the few for several miles around. The commissioners of this county granted him an order, March 20, 1810, for $16 foi killing two panthers. Before his death - June 4, 1846 -which occurred in the fore part of August, 1847, he had agreed to sell 51 acres and 31 perches of his land to John A. Colwell & Co., which his executors conveyed to them, March 23, 1849, for $255. They also conveyed 15 acres to his son, Alexander Catheart, March 19, 1851, for $225, in pursuance of an agreement made in that decedent's lifetime. The rest of his estate, real, personal and " merchandise," he devised and bequeathed to his children.

Contiguous to the above-mentioned parcels of that vacant land on the west, including the one covered by Alexander Cathcart's warrant, was another one, on which John Moorehead, who came from Franklin county, Pennsylvania, settled, proba- bly in 1807, was first assessed with 100 aeres, "improvement," two horses and two cattle, at $88, in 1808, and was somewhat notable in those early times as a moneyed man. He obtained a warrant, No. 6029, for 438 acres and 47 perches, March 20, 1811, which, mainly, by his will, registered March 19, 1839, he devised to his sons Isaac and Joseph, to be divided by them "according to the division made by Robert Richards," which they did by eon- veyances to each other, February 5, 1848, the patent for the same having been granted to them, Jnne 30, 1844. Isaac took the eastern purpart, contain- ing 194 acres and 117 perches, and Joseph the western, 239 acres and 44 perches. Several town lots were laid out on each side of the Anderson Creek road in the southern part of Joseph's pur- part, surveyed by J. E. Meredith probably in Feb- ruary, 1848. Joseph Moorehead conveyed 176 aeres of the southern portion of his purpart along

the northwestein side of the Anderson Creek road, to William R. Hamilton, March 14, 1854, for $3,000, who laid out a number of lots, surveyed by John Steele, consisting of a part of the town of Texas, now Oakland, within the limits of which there were a very few residents in 1848. The assessment list of Red Bank township for 1850 shows that this town or village then contained eight taxables, including one stonemason and one bricklayer, and a total valuation of real and per- sonal property and occupations amounting to $772. All of the Hamilton lots are on the northwestern side of the Main street, as the Anderson Creek road is here called, between the Brethren in Christ Church and the eastern line of the Lamberson land, about eleven rods east of the road which intersects Main street and extends thence northwesterly across Red Bank ereek, about 350 rods below the point where the Rockport road crosses it. The lots west of that road were laid out on Isaac Lam- berson's land, and those on the southeastern side of that street and east of that road are parcels of the Joseph Moorehead purpart.

For the purpose of showing the general value of these town lots, the following conveyanees are here given, as found in the public records : Wm. R. Hamilton to Jane Hettrich, May 7, 1858, lots Nos. 7 and 8 for $90; to Mary Reese, March +, 1859, lot No. 5, $68.33; to Mahoning school district, same day, lot No. 10, for $40, on which the present frame, painted schoolhouse was erected; to Chris- tian Reesman, April 1, 1861, lot No. 2, $50; to Lewis W. Corbett, December 12, 1864, lots Nos. 6, 7, 10, $145. Lot No. 1 appears to have been pur- chased by Henry Musser, and by sheriff's sale and other transfers became vested in Hamilton, Shoe- maker & Co., who conveyed it to Joseph T. Shoe- maker, June 19, 1863, for $25. On this lot was located the storehouse of the Joint Stock Company of Oakland, or the Oakland Company trading store. The organization of this company was effected in the summer of 1856, and it went into operation under a constitution signed by John Steel, Samuel Ferguson, John Shoemaker and William R. Ham- ilton, September 26 of the last-mentioned year, and was recorded in the recorder's office of this county, March 10, 1858. Forty-seven persons, five of whom were females, became stockholders, their respective number of shares varying from one to six, amounting to $5,200. The constitution con- tained stringent and prudential provisions for starting and managing the business of this com- pany, which was not to be dissolved before 1862. A joint stock store was opened and supervised by three directors, prudent, conscientious men, chosen

350

HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

by the stockholders. Its business, however, after a continnance of several years, was not a financial success, and in winding it up there was incipient litigation, which was finally checked.

Plots of the Lamberson lots were made by Jonathan E. Meredith in February, 1848, and March, 1849, and another one by David Putney, March 19, 1868. Some of them were sold thus : To Joseph W. Moorehead, May 17, 1869, 19,200 square feet of lots 13 and 14, for $205, and 5,152 square fect of lot 14, April 26, 1871, for $52; to P. W. Shoemaker, April 28, 1875, the portion added to lot 9, for $158. Lamberson conveyed 2,970 square feet on the south side of Main street and about fifteen rods nearly west from the angle in this street, to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal church of Oakland, September 19, 1874, for $10, on which, in that year, was erected the present church edifice, frame, 30×40 feet, one story, fifteen feet. The writer has not ascertained when this church was organized. It is without regular classleaders, and enjoys preaching, gen. erally, only once in two weeks. The old Oakland schoolhouse, frame, unpainted, was situated north- westerly from this lot, on the opposite side of the Anderson creek road.

The lots on the southeastern side of Main street were surveyed by Jonathan E. Meredith probably in 1848-9, and belonged originally to the Joseph Moorehead purpart (except the one owned by David Jones), which, or a considerable portion of which, appear by recitals in some of the convey- ances to have been purchased of Moorehead by D. and J. Banghman. As a number of those convey- ances are not recorded, so full a statement of the prices for which these lots were sold as is desirable cannot he here given. The one now occupied by Dr. W. S. Hosack, containing about one-quarter of an acre, appears to have been owned by Stephen Norris, which was conveyed by Sheriff Kelly to Wm. R. Hamilton, June 3, 1857, for $30, by whom it was conveyed to Samnel McGary, May 10, 1858, for $92, who, the same day, conveyed it to James A. Truitt for $274.50. Adjoining the road from Mahoning furnace on the east was a parcel containing 2 acres and 55 perches, consisting partly of the George Nulf tract, which, with other contiguous land, became vested in Samuel Copen- haner, who conveyed to John Carson, and he to John and James Murphy. They conveyed these 2 acres and 55 perches to Mary Reece, March 27, 1855, for $275, of which she conveyed 1 acre and 32 perches to Joseph T. Shoemaker, February 2, 1874, for $65. George C. Nulf con- veyed 85 perches to Mrs. Reece March 25, 1857,

for $35. Along both sides of the road from Ma- honing furnace and along the southeastern side of Main street, contiguous in part to the Norris lot, was a parcel containing 12 acres and 138 perches, the northern part of which Moorehead conveyed to Joseph Baughman, and Nulf the southern part to Samuel Copenhauer; the Moorehead and Nulf portions having thus became vested in Copenhauer, he conveyed the entire parcel, February 12, 1848, to John Carson, and he to Joseph W. Powell, March 8; Powell to George C. Nulf, December 8, 1852; Nulf to George Reesman, January 21, 1859 ; Reesman to John McCauley, November 18, and McCanley to James A. Truitt, January 30, 1860, for $420, on which Truitt resides, and where he has had his store and kept the Oakland postoffice for several years, he having been the deputy and the postmaster since about 1848. This office was established in 1841, and was kept elsewhere until about 1846. George Nulf kept a hotel on this parcel from about 1847 until the building thus occupied was burned in 18 -. Truitt started his tannery about 50 rods south of Main street, on the eastern side of the road from Mahoning furnace, on this parcel in 1860. The present church edifice of the Baptist Congregation, frame, 36×56 feet, two stories, the first twelve and the second sixteen feet in the clear, which cost $5,000, was erected on this parcel in 1874, adjacent to which is the par- sonage .* This church was organized April 10, 1837, by Rev. Thomas Wilson, and worshiped elsewhere until the completion of this edifice. It was incorporated by the court of common pleas of this county September 13, 1876, its corporate name being the "Red Bank Baptist Church of Oakland." The number of its members is sixty, and of Sabbath-school scholars seventy-five. A union Sabbath school, with different officers, which most of the scholars of the Baptist school attend, is held, at a different hour, in this edifice, except in the winter. Lot No. I was conveyed by John Heighhold, who purchased it at sheriff's sale, to Mary Reece October 3, 1856, for $75, and the lot now owned by Julia Taylor, contiguous to the church lot, was conveyed to her by Truitt, Novem- ber 23, 1867, for $75.

The Brethren in Christ congregation have a church edifice at the northeastern extremity of this village, on Peter Shoemaker's land, frame, 31×41 feet, one story. It formerly belonged to the Methi- odist congregation, and was erected in 1844 on that part of the Bryan lands conveyed to William Smul- lin, and was purchased by Peter Shoemaker in 1872,

* This lot, 12,480 square feet, was conveyed by James A. Truitt to this church, August 1, 1877, for $1.

351

MAHONING TOWNSHIP.

taken down, removed to its present site, and recon- structed just as it was before its removal. This church was organized prior to 1846, and worshiped elsewhere until the present edifice was provided. It has been so carefully fostered by Peter Shoe- maker and some of his kindred that it has frequently been called "Shoemaker's church." Its member_ ship is 67, but is at present without a resident minister.

The educational facilities of this village have been thus far those afforded by the public school .*

Dr. W. S. Hosack is the first resident physician of Oakland. He settled here in 1874. The sec- ond one is Dr. P. W. Shoemaker, who settled here in 1875.

The separate assessment list of Oakland for 1876 shows its number of taxables to be 55; laborers, 26; carpenters, 7; single men, 3; merchants, 2; physicians, 2 ; shoemaker, 1 ; plasterer, 1 ; school- teacher, 1; farmer, 1; artist, 1 ; pauper, 1 ; land- lord, 1. Before the completion of the Allegheny Valley and Low Grade railroads, when the travel and hauling of freight along this route were con- siderable, there were two hotels, which were reason- ably well patronized.

Adjoining the Isaac Moorehead purpart of the John Moorehead tract on the east was another part of the vacant land which was covered by the war- rant to Alexander Cathcart, dated February 22, to whom the patent was granted May 29, 1836. No important transfers of any of this tract occurred until January 15, 1870, when Cathcart's two parcels (including the one conveyed to him by his father's executors), aggregating 399 acres and 96 perches (exclusive of the "Gumbert lot," which had been previously conveyed to James E. Brown), to James H. Mayo for $14,095. On the same day Jacob An- thony conveyed to Mayo 50 acres and 32} perches, part of the Isaac Moorehead purpart, and 50 acres conveyed to him by Philip Shoemaker, guardian of the minor children of Jos. Shoemaker, for $3,000 ; and Philip Shoemaker to same 50 acres and 32 perches, which he had purchased from Alexander Colwell, and 35 acres, which he had purchased at sheriff's sale for $3,400. Mayo purchased these lands for theR ed Bank Cannel Coal & Iron Com- pany, of which he was a member. This company commenced operations in six or seven weeks after those purchases were made, but little was done, ex- cept to prepare for shipping their coal, when rail-

road facilities should be afforded. It was incor- porated in accordance with the general act of assembly, passed April 21, 1854, to enable joint owners, tenants in common, and adjoining owners of mineral lands to manage and develop the min- eral resources in their lands. The charter members were Chester Snow, of Harwick; Jonathan Higgins, Orleans; J. K. Butler, Dennisport; Francis Childs, Charlestown; Charles B. Lane, Boston; George W. Lobdell, Mettapoisett, Massachusetts ; and James H. Mayo, Ridgeway, Pennsylvania. Their cer- tificate or application for a charter set forth, among other things, the objects of the company to be, the developing of their lands, and the mining, prepar- ing for and the carrying to market of the coal, iron, fire-clay and other minerals and mineral products which might be found in and under their lands; to construct roads, railroads on their lands ; to erect dwelling-houses and other necessary build- ings ; to introduce all necessary machinery for raising, preparing their minerals for and removing them to market, and to make all other improve- ments preparatory to leasing their lands; that their land was divided into 5,000 shares, the par value of each $100; and that each of the above-mentioned members owned 625 shares. F. Carroll Brewster, then the attorney-general of this state, having ex- amined and considered their certificate or applica- tion, certified, January 24, 1871, that it was properly drawn and signed, and the same was duly recorded, February 14, in Deed Book No. 39, page 221, in the recorder's office of this county.

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 74

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