History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 96

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

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Rev. John Redick was a son of John and Eliza- beth Sorrell Redick, and was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, about 1787. His father was wounded in the arm and permanently disabled at the time of the burning of Hannastown, and soon after sold his farm, and removed to the northeastern part of Butler county, where he for several years aided his father in his agricultural pursuits, which, perhaps, he would have followed through life, had he not been wounded by the acci- dental discharge of a gun in a canoe while cross- ing the Allegheny, with others, on a hunting ex- cursion. His father then concluded to educate him, and he was soon placed under the instruction of Rev. Robert Johnston, who was then the pastor of the Presbyterian churches at Bear creek and Scrub- grass, where the late Chief Justice Lowrie, Rev. James Wright and Rev. Alexander Crawford were among his schoolmates. Thence he went to the academy at Greensburgh, now Darlington, Beaver county; afterward pursued his theological studies under the instruction of his old preceptor, Rev. Robert Johnston, and was licensed to preach by

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

the Presbytery of Erie, at Meadville, October 20, 1813, having been married the year before to Miss Elizabeth Coulter, a sister of Rev. John Coulter, then of the Presbytery of Allegheny. He con- tinned to be the pastor of Slate Lick and Union churches until the autumn of 1848, when, by reason of the infirmities of age, he sought and obtained a dismission, and the relation between those two churches was then dissolved. He purchased 50 acres of land at Slate Lick, soon after the com- mencement of his pastorate, on which he resided until his death, which occurred July 11, 1850, hav- ing deservedly won the high esteem and affection- ate regards of his co-presbyters and parishioners by his sincere devotion to his chosen work and his earnest endeavors to promote the best interests of the individuals and families in both of his congre- gations, so that he was endearingly called " Father Redick."

Rev. William F. Kean was ordained and installed pastor of the Slate Lick and Freeport churches in the spring of 1849, and was released from the former in June, 1864. There was an extensive re- vival in this congregation during his pastorate, and forty-three new members were added to the list of communicants. At the seventh and last election of elders, in 1861, James Brown, James H. Redick and Samuel Sloan were chosen elders. Redick de- clined to serve, and James Shields was substituted. They were installed October 4, 1861.

Rev. Thomas C. Anderson was installed pastor of Slate Lick church, October 17, 1864, and was released in June, 1868. It was during his pastor- ate alone that this church was not connected with some other.

Rev. John H. Aughey, of "Iron Furnace " mem- ory, was installed May 8, 1869, as pastor of this and the church at Clinton, then belonging to the Presbytery of Allegheny. Rev. J. McPherrin de- livered the charge to the pastor, and Rev. J. M. Jones to the people.

Rev. William M. Kain supplied this church in 1870, and was installed as the pastor of it and the Srader's Grove church, in January, 1871, having been transferred to the Presbytery of Kittanning. Rev. T. D. Ewing preached the sermon, Rev. H. Magill charged the pastor, and Rev. S. H. Holliday the people. His pastorate ended in October, 1872. The basement of the present edifice was completed in 1870, in which services were held, and the edifice itself in the course of a few months. At its dedication, in January, 1871, the sermon was preached by Rev. David Hull, D. D., and the dedica- tory prayer offered by Rev. W. F. Rea.

A call was made to the present pastor, Rev. B.

F. Boyle, April 8, 1873, he having preached here for several months while a student at the theo- logical seminary in Allegheny City, and was or- dained and installed June 23, 1873, when Rev. David J. Irwin presided and offered the ordination prayer, Rev. Alexander Donaldson preached the sermon, Rev. S. H. Hughes charged the pastor, and the presiding officer the people.

This congregation fondly hoped that, after the completion of their present edifice, which is the fourth, including the primitive log one, they could securely worship in it for many years to come. But that bright hope was doomed to be darkened by another cloud of adversity. A storm swept with almost the force of a hurricane over this local- ity, on the first Thursday of May, 1875, and in its course struck and beat in the west end of this edifice, leaving it a ghastly wreck. But the good people of this church and congregation did not sink down in despair. They soon rose above the weight of their new sorrow, and appointed John Graham, William Rea and Samuel Sloan a com- mittee on repairs, who in due time cansed that wreck to be restored to more than its former strength and beauty. It was re-dedicated August 23, on which occasion Rev. John J. Francis, of Freeport, preached the sermon, and Rev. James Boyd offered the dedicatory prayer.

The Sabbath school of this congregation was or- ganized abont 1817, and reorganized under the union system in 1832. Its first superintendents were James Hill and John Rea. Jolin Boyd was another for sixteen years, under whose charge and that of J. S. Brown it is now in a flourishing con- dition. The church membership, in 1876, Was 155; Sabbath-school scholars, 70.

The members of Slate Lick church who have become ministers of the Gospel are : Rev. David Hall, D. D., Indiana, Pennsylvania; Rev. James Boyd, Kirkville, Missouri; Rev. David H. Sloan, Leechburgh; Rev. R. B. McCaslin, Plain Grove; Rev. Fulton Boyd, Pleasant Unity, and Rev. D. R. McCaslin, Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The Slate Lick United Presbyterian church was organized about the year 1812. The preaching on that occasion and for some time afterward was in a tent where the present church stands, though occa- sionally the meetings were held in the woods at other points. Rev. McClintick, of Bear creek, was the first preacher of this denomination who labored here, coming as a supply as early as 1808, and preaching in the log cabins of the settlers. The first church was a log structure, thirty-three feet square, built by Abram Smith and William Minteer in 1815. The men of the congregation

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SOUTH BUFFALO TOWNSHIP.

felled the timber for this house, and it is remem- bered that the wall plate was hauled up the hill by a big yoke of oxen, owned by Joseph Miller. Rev. John Dickey, the first settled pastor, came here about 1812 and remained thirty-five years. He was succeeded by Revs. Galbraith and Robert- son, and then came the present pastor, Rev. L. McCampbell. The congregation now has a frame structure about forty feet square.

The Srader Grove Presbyterian church was or- ganized the 1st day of May, A. D. 1871, by a com- mittee of the Presbytery of Kittanning, consisting of Rev. John M. Jones, Rev. Alex. S. Thompson and Elder James Quigley. A sermon was preached by Rev. John M. Jones, after which an expres- sion was given by the members present of their desire to be organized into a Presbyterian church. Thereupon said committee proceeded with the organization. The following persons presented cer- tificates of membership from other churches : From the church of Slate Lick -James Shields and Re- becca Shields, John G. Weaver and Margaret Wea- ver, Joseph and Jacob Weaver, Andrew C. Srader, Jr., Eleanor Srader, Andrew Srader, Sr., Elizabeth Srader, Robert J. Hill, Mary Hill, William Hill, Elizabeth Hill, Rachel B. Hill, Elizabeth Hill, Jr., M. Hillis Boyd, Elizabeth F. Boyd, William Sloan, Mary Sloan; and from the church of Freeport, John G. Bowser and Eliza Bowser. Four persons were elected ruling elders of said church, viz .: James Shields, R. J. Hill, John G. Weaver and M. Hillis Boyd. Mr. R. J. Hill would not accept the office of ruling elder to which he had been elected. Messrs. John G. Weaver and M. Hillis Boyd were ordained May 26, 1871, Mr. Shields having been ordained when elected elder while a member of Freeport Presbyterian church. Mr. William Hill, Andrew C. Srader and William Sloan were elected deacons and trustees of said church, and on May 28, 1871, were installed as deacons of said church. On May 18, 1872, Mr. W. B. Srader and wife were received on certificate from Union church. Mr. W. B. Srader, having been a ruling elder in the church of Union, was elected and installed a ruling elder in the church of Srader Grove. This church was organized with 22 members, and now numbers 53 members, as reported to presbytery in 1882. The Sabbath-school membership, 65, kept up the whole year. This church has had three pastors: Rev: J. H. Aughey, Rev. Wm. M. Kain and Rev. B. F. Boyle. The latter was relieved by presby- tery of Kittanning, April 25, 1882, at his own re- quest.

St. Matthew's Lutheran church at its original organization was German. In connection with a

Reformed congregation, for many years almost ex- tinct, it formed the "Blue Slate" congregation. There is no record of the separate organization. The earliest English pastor was the Rev. D. Ear- hart, who took charge in 1844. In 1852; Rev. L. M. Kuhns became pastor, and since that time the church has been a part of the Freeport charge. A house of worship was built in 1845-6, near George Isaman's residence, which was superseded by a better one in a more convenient location in 1876. The contractors for the first building were John Myers and Jacob Hawk. In 1846 the church was incorporated by the legislature. The church was greatly weakened, in 1868, by the withdrawal of many of its members to form a congregation, which has since been consolidated with the General Synod church in Freeport. It now has about 75 members.

The Slate Lick postoffice was established April 1, 1837, George F. Keener, postmaster.

The first resident physician here was Dr. Ellis Simpkins, first assessed in 1846. Dr. John Ken- nedy settled here in 1860-1, Dr. Robert C. Mc- Clelland about the same time, and Dr. A. D. John- ston in 1868.

John Brown's store, at the forks of the public roads near the Presbyterian church, was opened in 1858-he having then been first assessed as a mer- chant, and James Brown from and after 1868.

In 1857-8 the people of Slate Lick and vicinity became so deeply interested in the establishment of a normal school here that they subscribed a considerable amount for that purpose, but did accomplish it. The Slate Lick academy was opened in 1864 in a building erected for educa- tional purposes. D. S. Tappan was the first principal.

The second schoolhouse erected within what is now this township, before the adoption of the free school system, was situated about 275 rods in an airline northeasterly from the first one heretofore mentioned; the third one about 250 rods north- westerly from the first; the fourth one in Stony Hollow, about a mile north of Freeport; and the fifth one about 250 rods from the mouth of and a few rods south of Daugherty's run. One of the teachers in the last two was William W. Gibson. Following are school statistics : 1860-Schools, 10; average number months taught, 4; male teachers, 6; female, 4; average monthly salaries of male teachers, $19.38; average monthly salaries of fe- male teachers, $16.88; male scholars, 273; female scholars, 263; average number attending school, 293; cost of teaching each scholar per month, 40 cents; amount levied for school purposes, $871.86;

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

received from state appropriation, $116.82; from collectors, $830; cost of instruction, $735.20; fuel, etc., $120.81; cost of schoolhonses, repairing, etc., $6. 1876-Schools, 11; average number months taught, 5; male teachers, 8; female teachers, 3; average monthly salaries of male and female teachers, $33; male scholars, 250; female scholars, 258; average number attending school, 337; cost per month, 78 cents; tax levied for school and building purposes, $2,581.45; received from state appropriation, $343.17; from taxes, etc., $2,272.77; paid for teachers' wages, $1,815; paid for fuel, etc., $207.80.

The mercantile appraiser's list for 1876 shows the number of merchants in this township to be 6, but the assessment list 2, all of whom are in the 14th class. According to the last-mentioned list the occupations, exclusive of farmers, are : Ministers, 2; school teachers, 3; music teacher, 1; physician, 1; laborers, 81; blacksmiths, 4; carpen- ters, 7; stonemasons, 2; agents, 2; painters, 2; insurance agent, 1; plasterers, 2; harnessmaker, 1; miller, 1; wagonmaker, 1; cripple, 1; old man, 1; operator, 1; peddler, 1.

The present occupants of this part of old Buffalo township would be very impatient if they were obliged to wait for the news of important events as long as did their pioneer predecessors. John Craig used to relate that he and his neighbors did not get an account of Jackson's victory at New Orleans until June, or five months after it was achieved.

The people of this region caught the mania for fox hunting that once prevailed in this county. A meeting, of which John Drum was president and B. S. Chadwick secretary, was held in March, per- haps about the middle, which arranged a grand fox hunt for Tuesday, the 25th. The circle ex- tended from Freeport to the mouth of Glade run; thence up it to David Reed's; thence across to Beatty's mill on Buffalo creek; thence down it to Freeport, with the closing ground on the farm of Isaac Frantz, which was probably that part of " Mount Pleasant" which he purchased from Enos McBride.

The vote on the question of granting license to sell intoxicating liquor in this township stood 145 against to 24 for. There had been for many years a strong temperance element in this section of the county. The first annual report of the Buffalo Township Temperance Society is dated January 10, 1831, which was subsequently published in the Gazette and Columbian. The writer addressed one or two of the series of temperance meetings held at Slate in 1850. The 4th of July, 1851, was

observed by a large number of the people of North and South Buffalo and Franklin townships. The sky, cloudy early in the morning, became clear before noon. About 1,500 people of these town- ships - fathers and mothers and young men and maidens and children - including several Sabbath schools and temperance organizations, assembled in a beautiful grove near Slate Lick. Peter Graff was called to preside. After a bountiful repast the writer was called upon to read the Declaration of Independence, and to deliver the oration, which was devoted to a consideration of the costly sacrifices of our revolutionary fathers in achieving our national independence, the wisdom, patriotism and philanthropy of the framers of our system of free popular government, and the imminent perils to our government and people from the use of intoxicating beverages.

The first census of this township after it was re- duced to its present limits was in 1850, when its population was : White, 1,266; colored, 0. In 1860, white, 1,570; colored, 1. In 1870, native, 1,522; foreign, 111; colored, 4. In 1876, no tax- ables.

The geological features of Freeport and this township : The uplands consist entirely of the lower barrens, the areas of the lower productives being confined to the valleys of the Buffalo creek and Allegheny river. Only a portion of the lower productive group is above water level, the section extending only down to the lower Kittanning coal, the ferriferous limestone not being above water level. The lower Kittanning is 3 feet thick, but obtainable above water level only in the region opposite Logansport. The upper Freeport coal is, however, in a favorable position for mining, 3} feet yielding tolerably good coal. This bed sup- plies Freeport with fuel, and in fact the whole township. Its geographical name was derived from Freeport, where it is abont 125 feet above the river level. The lower Freeport coal is 35 feet below it, and in the vicinity of Freeport partakes of the cannel nature, and was once mined and dis- tilled for oil. It ranges from a few inches to 7 feet thick, but little dependence can be placed on it, the bed thinning out and often disappearing at short intervals. The Freeport sandstone is massive and makes a line of cliffs above the borough. It shows some sudden and curious changes in shale round about there. The same rock shows similar changes in the long eut near the rolling mill at Kittanning, where the change is beautifully displayed. The upper Kittanning coal is present at Freeport, but worthless. The Ma- honing sandstone in the vicinity of Freeport is a

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SOUTH BUFFALO TOWNSHIP.

very compact and massive deposit, yielding good stone for building purposes. Opposite the borough on the Westmoreland side it makes a line of bold cliffs 50 feet high. Above, in South Buffalo town- ship, soft, argillaceous shales come in, making easy slopes along the little valleys by which the town- ship back from the river is diversified. This is the smooth glade land stretching north from Freeport to Slate Lick, famous for good pasture lands and fair yield of crops when properly tilled. Near Slate Lick on this upland, the green fossiliferons limestone may be seen on the William Rea farm near the hilltop. No coalbeds of remarkable di- mensions may be sought for in this vicinity, but along Buffalo creek and Pine run the upper Free- port coal is above water-level as already described.

. Structure .- An anticlinal axis which crosses the Allegheny river near the mouth of Mahoning, and crosses Limestone run near Montgomeryville, has weakened to such an extent before reaching this township that it exerts but little influence here. It is on this account that the lower barren rocks occupy so much of the surface of this town- ship. Had this axis the same force here as there, we should find the same conditions repeated about Freeport that we find about the mouth of Ma- honing, or nearly so. But the axis, though weak- ened, is yet recognizable in the gentle southeast dips which prevail just west of Freeport. Other- wise the rocks are nearly horizontal.

The record of the gas well at the planing-mill, Freeport, shows from the surface downward : Soft shale, 60 feet; hard sand, 40 feet; slate, 25 feet; limestone, 12 feet; slate, 20 feet; hard sand, a lit- tle oil at the bottom, 65 feet; slate and shell, 10 feet; sandstone, 25 feet; slate, 15 feet; limestone and slate, 20 feet; very hard sandstone, 6 feet; fireclay, 5 feet; hard sandstone, 100 feet; black slate, 75 feet; hard sandstone, 20 feet; slate and shell, 20 feet; sandrock, 80 feet; sandstone, prin- cipally, and a large vein of salt water strong enough to bear up an egg, 115 feet; slate, good drilling, 135 feet; sandstone, 10 feet; slate and sandstone, 54 feet; slate and sandstone, 18 feet; gas used as fuel for planing mill; hard shell, slate and sandstone, 80 feet; hard shell, slate, sandstone and pebble, 125 feet; slate, sand and pebble, 35 feet; white and gray sandstone, with strong salt

water at the bottom, 50 feet; soft slate, 21 feet; slate, shell and red rock, 97 feet; very red rock, 12 feet; very hard gray sandstone, 10 feet; reddish slate, 15 feet; slate, shell and red rock, 70 feet; hard sandstone (10 feet), slate and shell, 55 feet; slate, easy drilling, 340 feet. Depth of well, 1,904 feet. Gas vein at 1,075 feet. Quit drilling at 12 M. October 16, 1874.

Prior to 1859 the members of the Methodist denomination in the middle eastern portion of this township numbered but two individuals, viz .: Rob- ert Rodgers and George Venables; but they had been accustomed, for several years, to holding re- ligious services in their houses. At this date, con- siderable interest being evinced in the religious services of this particular denomination, they de- cided to erect a house of worship. Accordingly a modest, unpretentious church building was erected on the farm of S. A. Forrester, who donated the land for this purpose. The church was completed in 1861, and a church organization effected with the following officers : Robert Rodgers, George Venables and S. A. Forrester. The church was dedicated this same year, the dedicatory sermon being preached by I. C. Pershing. Rev. D. Rhodes first officiated as pastor, and during the first year the church obtained a membership of about 40, which result demonstrated the wisdom of its founders.

Mr. Rodgers gave liberally for the support of this church, and upon his death left $500 as a per- manent fund for the church, the proceeds only to be used. A cemetery, known as the Union cemetery, was also established on the farm of Mr. Forrester.

Since its organization the church, although hav- ing but few wealthy adherents, has enjoyed great prosperity, its present membership being abont 80. It also has a flourishing Sunday school. In Sep- tember of 1882 it was decided to erect a new build- ing to accommodate the largely increased congre- gation, and accordingly an elegant frame church edifice, 32×55 feet, graced with an elegant spire, has been erected at an expense of about $2,500 and dedicated to the service of God. Rev. R. Cart- wright now officiates as pastor. The present church officers are : Trustees-S. A. Forrester, J. Bush, A. G. Mahaffey, C. Saltmer ; Stewards - S. A. Forrester and C. Saltmer.

CHAPTER XXI.

NORTH BUFFALO.

Erection of the Township in 1847-First Election-White's Claim-" The Green Settlement "-First Mill-Other Tracts of Land and Their Transfers-Baptist Church-Population Statistics-School Statistics, 1860 and 1876-Industrial-Topography-Rock Structure.

N ORTH BUFFALO township was organized by dividing what remained of Buffalo after the organization of Franklin township in North and South Buffalo townships. That division was authorized by act of assembly of March 15, 1847, which prescribes that dividing line thus : Begin- ning on the Butler county line at the northwest corner of the then sub-schooldistrict No. 3 of Buffalo township ; thence along the north line of that sub-schooldistrict to its termination on the land of John Rea; thence by a direct line to the southwest corner of a tract of land patented to Jacob White, then occupied by John Woodward, on the bank of the Allegheny river, for running which the county commissioners were to appoint a suitable person who was to return to them a draft of it, and the expenses to be paid out of the county treasury. The first election in North Buffalo town- ship was directed to be held at the house of John Boney, Sr., conducted by James McCullough, judge, and David Beatty and John B. Smith, inspectors. The first election in South Buffalo township was prescribed by the same act to be held at the house of Andrew Srader, conducted by John Haman, judge, and William Hughes and James Tracy, in- spectors. The people were to determine by their votes at those elections where the elections in each of these two townships should be thereafter held. The places thus designated were the Claypoole schoolhouse (No. 6) in North and the Sloan school- house (No. 5) in South Buffalo township. The then collector of taxes of Buffalo was to be the one for North, and the county commissioners were to appoint one for South Buffalo township.

At the first township election in North Buffalo, held in March, 1848, John Boney was elected justice of the peace ; James Claypoole, judge, and James Kiskadden and Edward Manso, inspectors of elec- tion ; Robert Galbraith, constable ; John Barnett and David Beatty, supervisors ; James Maxwell and Reuben Stonapher, school directors ; Joseph Bullman and John Smith, Jr., township auditors ; Jacob Arb and John Boney, overseers of the poor ; and William Colwell, assessor.

There is a considerable area of territory along the river between the southwestern and northeast- ern corners of what is now this township, and ex- tending back about two miles from the river in the southwestern and about three and a half miles in the northeastern part, which appears to be vacant on the map of Stephen Gapen's surveys. In the southwestern part is an unsurveyed area noted as " White's claim," on which Jacob White made an improvement in June, 1793, and an actual settle ment in March, 1796, and 396 acres and 84 perches- of which were surveyed to him by George Ross, September 16, 1801, the patent for which to him is dated February 1, 1820, the southwestern corner of which, at White's eddy, is the southwest corner of this township. This tract, as it appears on the Lawson & Orr map, is very nearly a rectangular parallelogram, extending northwesterly from the river, and including or interfering with the south- eastern part of the McCall and Claypoole tract. White transferred or agreed to sell this tract to James Clemens, of Blockley township, Philadelphia county, in 1817, and conveyed it to him, May 2, 1820, for $2,553.51}. Clemens devised it to his wife during her life or widowhood, and in the event of her death or marriage, to William and Kezia Henry. Mrs. Clemens having married, John and William Henry conveyed 100 acres and 132 perches to Jehu and Kezia Woodward, October 22, 1846, for $1, etc. Woodward was first assessed with a distillery, 400 acres and one horse, at $735, in 1832. William Henry conveyed 100 acres and 130 perches to James H. Claypoole, October 31, 1863, for $1,500, and the residue of the tract, May 19, 1865, 80 acres and 34 perches to Robert S. Con- nor for $1,604; 64 acres and 63 perches to Samuel B. Bruner for $680; and 101 acres and 126 perches to Andrew J. Bruner for $687.

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History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 96

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