History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 97

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

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Adjoining the southern part of that Jacob White tract on the east, in the unsurveyed area on the map of Gapen's surveys, is a tract containing, accord- ing to the Lawson & Orr map, 2063 acres, in the northeastern corner of which is the mouth of Glade run, which was settled by James Sloan in 1816.

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NORTH BUFFALO TOWNSHIP.

It and the island opposite have remained in the possession of Sloan's heirs until they conveyed both to Joseph B. Smith for the latter's herein- after-mentioned mill property.

Adjoining that Sloan tract on the east and north- east is what has been known, since the latter part of the last century, as "the Green settlement," in Gapen's unsurveyed area, extending along the Allegheny river from about 25 rods above the mouth of Glade run to within 15 rods below the mouth of Manor run, and on Glade run and its waters. That " settlement " on the Lawson & Orr map comprises five tracts : John Green's, 224 acres ; James Green's, 226 acres and 130 perches ; Samuel Green's, 220 acres and 30 perches ; Daniel Green's, 210 acres and 150 perches, and Jeremiah and Samuel Green's, 150 acres, each of which probably con- tained more or less of a surplus. Warrants, as mentioned in the records, for the two first-men- tioned tracts were granted to Samuel and William Green, April 21, 1794. They soon after settled on them-William on the lower one, the western part of which is traversed by Glade run, on which tract, on the river hill, between the river and the present public road, he laid out the town of Williamsburgh, in 1802, covering an area of about 15 acres, each lot containing one-fourth of an acre. The price of each lot was to be about $2. It is not known that more than one was sold, the purchaser of which was a man by the name of Hollander, who built a house upon it. It was intended to have the county buildings located here, and it is said that the ground was staked off for them by the first board of county commissioners, who afterward accepted the offer of Gen. Armstrong's heirs, at Kittanning .* In 1804 or 1805 he erected a log gristmill on this stream, about three-quarters of a mile above its mouth, with one run of stone, with which and one horse and two cows, he was first assessed at $150, in 1806, and the sawmill was erected soon after where the present gristmill is. The bolting-chest of the first gristmill was made of the trunk of a large, hollow buttonwood tree, which was divided into two equal parts, one placed above the other, with an interval of about two feet between them. The entire interval on one side was closed by shaved clapboards, and all on the other, except about four feet in the middle, which space was covered by a piece of homemade linen cloth, nailed on the upper, and which dropped on the inside of the lower part of the trunk so as to keep the flour from falling out of the chest. Instead of a leather belt, a rope made of straw was used, which required moistening to make it effective. People brought

their grists to that mill from 10, 15 and 20 miles around. One of its customers was a little Irish- man from Butler county, who fell asleep while waiting for his grist. As he awoke, he saw the large cog-wheel and the trundle-head turning be- tween him and the moonlight which penetrated a crevice in the wall. Being alarmed, he screamed and yelled lustily. On being asked what was the matter, he replied, "I though I was in hell, and the big devil and a little one were after me." William Green continued to be assessed with that mill until 1816. He conveyed his tract, 224 acres, reserv- ing the mill and the house in which he lived, to John Green, July 2, 1816, for $1. The latter was assessed with the grist and saw mills until 1822, when the former was leased to William Boney and to William Kelly. The present one was erected about 40 rods above the site of the first one, in 1828-9-two-story frame, with two runs of stone at first, to which another has since been added. The gristmill was first assessed to Noah Bowser, in 1853. It and the sawmill were first assessed to Barnett, Bonner and Smith, in 1854, and the former continued to be assessed to them until 1857; from then until 1866 to Bonner and Smith, and to Jo- seph B. Smith from then until now. On the right bank of this stream, about 50 rods below the mill, is the North Buffalo postoffice, which was estab- lished February 10, 1870, Miles J. Green, postmas- ter. This hamlet consists of about a dozen dwell- ing-houses and the mill, Green's store and Bricker & Co's blacksmith-shop.

Samuel and William Green conveyed the second or 226-acre tract to James Green, July 2, 1816, for $2, who retained the ownership of most of it dur- ing his life. He resided here while he was county commissioner, from 1827-8 to 1830-1, and before and after. When military parades were more in vogue in various parts of the county than they are now, his place was selected for some of them, . especially of the battalion of which the late Andrew Arnold was major. James Green, by his will, dated August 31, 1842, and registered April 30, 1853, devised 80 acres of this tract, except a fourth of an acre which was reserved for school- house lot, to his son Levi, and 120 acres more or less to his son Robert. The latter having died intestate, proceedings were instituted in the proper court for the partition of his real estate. The inquest found that it could not be advantageously divided into purparts, and valued it at $11,696.80. Joseph B. Smith, administrator of his estate, was appointed trustee to sell it. The sale having been confirmed, he conveyed the land, 164 acres and 19 perches, to George B. Sloan, September 8, 1873,

* See general sketch of the county.

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

for $8,401.50. Levi Green, by his will, registered October 24, 1874, devised that part of his land north of Glade run, on which is the public school- house No. 5, to his son Miles J., and the residue to his son James R. Green.

Samuel Green settled on the third of these tracts, 225 acres and 30 perches, in 1795, on which, where his descendant, James Green, now resides, on what is now the river road from Kittanning to Freeport, he built a log house, cleared two acres, which he sowed in wheat, to which he removed his wife and child the next year, James and John Green having settled on the two lower tracts about the same time.

In the southeastern part of this tract, opposite the central part of "Cast Off," is what the Indians called a " medicine spring." Its water has not yet been analyzed, but from what the writer has learned respecting its qualities, he infers it is strongly chalybeate. About fifty rods northwest of it on this tract is an artificial excavation in the rock, and about seventy-five rods northwest of the latter, on the James Green tract, is another, each about six inches in diameter and in depth, in which the Indians pounded, cracked and prepared their corn for making samp.

There was, in the course of three or four years, a sufficient number of children in " the Green set- tlement" and vicinity for a school. So the first schoolhouse within what is now North Buffalo township was erected on the above-mentioned second tract, settled by James Green. It was a log structure, sixteen feet square, and finished and furnished like other primitive temples of knowl- edge described in the general sketch of this county. Benjamin Biggs was the first teacher in that house, who taught spelling, reading, writing and about the first half of arithmetic. The text-books in orthography and reading were Dillworth's spelling book, the Testament and the Bible. Another log schoolhouse, with clapboard doors, was soon after- ward built in place of the first one about ten rods northeast of it.

The Daniel Green tract, 210 acres and 150 perches, adjoined a small parcel of vacant land and parts of the above-mentioned James and John Green tracts on the northwest, on which Daniel Green made an improvement, June 2, 1793, and an actual settlement, April 7, 1796, and which was surveyed to him by George Ross, September 12, 1801, 201 acres and 32 perches of which he con- veyed to Ross, February 4, 1804, for $250, which included a part of 100 acres more or less which William Green conveyed to Daniel the same day, for $10, and which then adjoined lands of John

and William Jack and William MeLaughlin, with which, and two horses and two cows, Ross was assessed in 1805 and 1806 at $212, and where he resided a part of the time while he was deputy surveyor and when he was appointed an associate judge of the courts of this county. He conveyed the same quantity which he had purchased from Green to John Boney, January 8, 1813, for $800.

Another part of "the Green settlement " con- sisted of a part of a tract adjoining the above- mentioned Samuel Green tract on the north and the Allegheny river on the east, on which Adam Morrow made an early improvement and settle- ment. Three hundred and sixteen acres and thirty perches, "including his actual settlement," were surveyed to him by Deputy Surveyor Ross, Novem- ber 2, 1801. William Parks was then a settler on this land for Alexander, who entered a caveat to the survey, alleging that Kelly had a prior right by an earlier and continued settlement. Hence there was litigation concerning it. Morrow em- ployed William Ayres, then of Pittsburgh, as his attorney, and agreed, in case of his success, and also in consideration of his professional services in trying an ejectment for him in Allegheny county în 1800, to convey to Ayres a portion of this land. In pursuance of that agreement they made an amicable division of the tract, April 12, 1809, when Morrow conveyed to Ayres 1392 acres, which he conveyed to the late Judge Young, March 22, 1811, and which the latter conveyed to James and Samuel Green, June 20, 1818, for $367.50, 70 acres of which James Green devised to his son Samuel Green. The commonwealth, in considera- tion "of the moneys paid by Adam Morrow," to whom a warrant had been issued, April 25, 1814, granted a patent to Jeremiah and Samuel Green, May 9, 1857, who made partition between them- selves, July 11, 1857, by a line beginning at a post 154 perches from the corner end on the Allegheny river, dividing it into equal parts, the eastern being taken by Jeremiah and the western one by Samuel. In the northeastern corner of the former purpart, about thirty rods below the mouth of Morrow's run, the Indians had a furnace for smelting lead, vestiges of which were heretofore visible. Some pieces of lead ore found hereabouts many years since led some persons to think that a vein of it exists in this region, which has not yet been dis- covered.

In the northwestern corner of the western pur- part on Glade run is a mill-seat which Jeremiah Green leased to Jerome S. and Alexis J. Bon- nett, July 27, 1858, at an annual rent of $25 for the term of twenty years, but in case the

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NORTH BUFFALO TOWNSHIP.

mill which they should erect should be burned or swept away and the lessees should "find it necessary to discontinue the sawmill business," the lease was to be thenceforth "null and void in all its parts." The lessees erected a sawmill at that seat immediately after the execution of the lease, which was assessed to Alexis J. Bonnett, and which was soon after "swept away," as noted on the first assessment list after its erection. It was soon rebuilt and was operated by him until his death, and was thereafter for several years assessed to his heirs. He had acceptably filled the position of American consul at Bordeaux, France, during President Pierce's administration.

Adam Morrow conveyed his interest in the north- ern part of the tract retained by him to James Morrow, June 13, 1814, for $800. One hundred and fifteen acres having become vested in Jacob Keim, he devised the same, by his will, dated October 22, 1839, to his sons, to whom a patent was granted, May 8, 1857, and which they conveyed to Jerome S. Bonnett, June 25, and he to James Obey, February 28, 1859, for $3,000.

Adjoining the Morrow tract on the north was one of 354 acres and 91 perches, on which Samuel Kelly, tailor, made an improvement and settle- ment, March 2, 1796, and which was surveyed to him by George Ross, November 3, 1801, a small portion of which was then claimed by Adam Maxwell. Kelly's interest in more than 200 acres of it was conveyed by John Orr, sheriff, to George Armstrong, September 1, 1808, and by Kelly to him, February 24, 1809, and which he conveyed to John Campbell, December 22, 1813, for $500, who by his will, dated 15th and registered October 18, 1827-and required him to resign his right to other land adjoining lands of William Barnett, Joseph Cogley and James Hampton-devised to his son Nathaniel, who conveyed 207 acres to Hugh L. Cooper, April 20, 1838, for $1,200, of which Cooper conveyed 104 acres and 142 perches to John and William Dick-on which the latter still resides and is still assessed with 26 acres-April 20, 1838, for $1,300. Cooper conveyed 107 acres and 145 perches to Robert Adams, August 13, 1842, for $1,250, which, with other 4 acres and 10 perches, he con- veyed to Mrs. Mary J. Heiner, August 30, 1864, for $3,000. William Dick and others conveyed 73 acres and 85 perches to Robert McKee, April 22, 1875, for $2,757.42.

Next north on that Kelly-Campbell tract, on the Lawson & Orr map, are two contiguous tracts, one bearing the name of Henry Jack and the other that of James Hannegan, hoth containing 368 acres and 10 perches, which must have constituted the

tract on which James Cogley, Sr., settled in or before 1797, and with which, or 100 acres of which, ] horse and 4 cattle, he was assessed in 1805 at $94. He died intestate, and his son James con- veyed his interest therein to Robert Brown, July 1, 1820, for $100, and his daughter, Mrs. James Fish, and her husband conveyed their interest therein to Robert Brown, July 10, 1820, for $100. In both of these deeds this land is described as being opposite the mouth of Garrett's run and adjoining lands of Dr. Mccullough and others.

Next north of that Kelly-Campbell tract were two contiguous tracts, in the lower one of which, 186} acres, Henry Jack, and in the upper one, 181 acres and 130 perches, James Hannegan, once had inchoate interests, for both of which the late Roh- ert Brown and James Cowan obtained a patent, June 16, 1837, and conveyed the latter to Henry Cowan eleven days afterward, for $325, on or near the northern line of which is public schoolhouse No. 4, or "Bunker Hill," so-called from a fight between two belligerent individuals which occurred there many years ago. James Cowan retained the lower one of these two tracts, and died intestate, October 11, 1867. In pursuance of a writ of par- tition this tract was valued as containing 203 acres and 70 perches, at $5,250, and were taken by the decedent's son, Robert W. Cowan, at the valuation, and was ordered and adjudged to him, March I, 1869, by whom it is still retained.

Adjoining the northeastern part of the tract which Brown and Cowan conveyed to Henry Cowan was the one to which Robert Cogley acquired a title by improvement and settlement, commenced probably as early as, if not carlier than, 1800. He was assessed with 113 acres and 1 cow in 1805, at $73.80, and the next year with an additional cow, at $79.80. He resided on this tract until his death, shortly after which a writ of partition was issued, and the tract, 114 acres,. was appraised at $795.15. No one having appeared, after the usual notice given in such cases, to ac- cept it at the valuation, the court ordered the administrator, the late Robert Brown, who had purchased the interest of Joseph Cogley, the de- cedent's nephew, in his uncle's estate, January 31, 1831, for $100, to sell it, which he did, and con- veyed it to James E. Brown, August 29, 1822, for $130, which the latter conveyed to

November 14, 1836, for $1,000 ; he to Michael Truby, 180 acres, January 5, 1866, for $2,700.73 ; and Truby to Thomas J. Roney, 102 acres, August 28, 1869, for $2,700, and 80 acres to J. E. Brown, September 20, for $300.

The next tract north is depreciation lot No. 299,

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HISTORY OF ARMSTRONG COUNTY.

307T6 acres, called " Greenfield," about one-sixth of which is in East Franklin, for which a patent was granted to John McCulloch, merchant of Philadel- phia, January 2, 1792, which, with his other real estate, he directed by his will, dated October 28, 1797, his executors to sell, and which his surviving executor, John S. McCulloch, of Baltimore, Mary- land, conveyed to James E. Brown, February 25, 1850, for $6,000. The eastern portion of "Green- field" is traversed diagonally by a run whose sources are on depreciation lot No. 303, hereinafter mentioned,* nearly two miles northwesterly from the Kittanning bridge. Along that run in the southern part of "Greenfield " is " Whiskey Hol- low," so called from the distillery some distance above on that rnn, which was operated by John Truby, Jr., from 1817 till 1825, by Isaac Wible from then until 1827, and then by James Blair un- til 1830. Farther up that stream is what was for- merly called " Mutton Hollow," from the number of sheep formerly dispatched in it.

Adjoining "Greenfield " on the west, on the Lawson & Orr map, is a tract of 403 acres, whose eastern and northern lines are straight, but whose southern line is irregular, and forming with the eastern line a right angle at the southeast corner and with the northern line a very acute angle at the northwestern corner, partly in East Franklin, which was surveyed by Ross, depnty surveyor, to William McAnninch, February 11, 1806, and there- after assessed to Matthew Hopkins until 1816.

West of " Greenfield " and south and southwest of the McAnninch-Hopkins tract, on the same map, is another irregularly-shaped tract of 70 acres, for which a patent was granted to Joseph Cogley, January 15, 1822, which, or at least 432 acres of which, he conveyed to Judge Ross, March 11, which the latter conveyed to David Huston, weaver, March 16, for $100, with 36 acres of which the latter was assessed until 1818, being in what is now East Franklin.

South and west of "Greenfield " and south of the last-noticed tract was another Joseph Cogley tract, hexagonal, whose area was much larger than that of his other one, on which he settled about 1805, and was assessed with 50 acres in 1806, on which he had previously erected his blacksmith- shop, which, before 1808, was the one most con- vement to Kittanning, and to which its inhabitants resorted, the patent for which was granted to him and his wife, May 8, 1829. He ceased to follow his trade after 1821. He and his wife conveyed 67 acres of the former, and 69 acres and 20 perches of the latter tract to Robert G. Porterfield, Septem-

ber 6, 1836, for $1,150, which, aggregating on a more accurate survey 143 acres and 78 perches, Porterfield conveyed to Dr. Thomas H. Allison, September 7, 1868, for $5,000.

Adjoining those two Cogley tracts on the west was depreciation lot No. 287, 23576 acres, called "Liberty Hall." It was one of the ten tracts in what are now Armstrong, Allegheny and Butler coun- ties, which were purchased from the common- wealth by Simon Fishbaugh, which Robert Rals- ton, of Philadelphia, his assignee in bankruptcy, conveyed to Walter Stewart, March 20, 1792, and which, with numerous other tracts in various sur- veyor districts, became vested in Robert Morris, Jr., all of which he conveyed to Wilson Hunt, May 21; 1796, for " five shillings and other valua- ble considerations."

"Liberty Hall" was sold by Adam Elliott, county treasurer, for taxes, who conveyed it to George Armstrong, December 16, 1810, for $30, and the latter to Hunt, August 25, 1813, for $10 ; which, among other tracts, the latter assigned for the benefit of his creditors to Lewis Clapier and Edward W. Robinson August 4, 1826, who by their attorney-in-fact, William Foster, of Mead- ville, conveyed it to Joseph Barnett, September 21, 1833, for $475, 50 acres and 20 perches of which the latter conveyed to William Barnett, December 5, 1836, for $125, and 10 acres and 64 perches to Joshua C. Bowser, July 21, 1849, for-, "and building a barn." The rest of "Liberty Hall," 196 acres, was conveyed by David J. Reed, sheriff, to Dr. Thomas H. Allison, September 7, 1868, for $5,000, which, with what he purchased from Porterfield, constitutes his noted stock farm,* which he began stocking with the Jersey cattle in 1868. He purchased 12 head of thoroughbred registered stock of this species in Philadelphia, in 1876, and he has sold a considerable number of calves, the rearing of which he has found pleasant and profitable, at from $60 to $100 each. His further purchases, this year, were: 7 head of young Shorthorns, for $1,000 ; 6 head of Holstein cattle, which he finds not adapted to the climate of this region; 28 pure-bred Merino sheep of the Al- wood family, of the United States Merino Sheep Register, of Spanish descent.

Adjoining "Liberty Hall" on the south was depreciation lot No. 286, 235/6 acres, which Benja- min Holland purchased from the commonwealth at public auction, probably at the Coffee-House, in

# East Franklin.

* Dr. Allison has since increased the area of his farm by the pur. chase of 60 acres from - Quigley, and 100 acres from Samuel Crook- shanks. In 1877, he bought 3 head of Ayrshires, and now has Softhis species, which farten easily and quickly, and are good wilkers. In 1880, he has IS head of Jersey or Alderney cattle, thoroughbred and registered ; 16 head of shorthorns ; sold a few calves at an average price of $65 each, and 8 head of Ayrshires.

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NORTH BUFFALO TOWNSHIP.

Philadelphia, September 23, 1786, which is de- scribed in the patent as situated on Beaver creek, as Glade run was then called. His only lineal heir was his son Samuel, to whom the patent was granted, September 27, 1828, for $15.66, who conveyed the entire tract to William Barnett, November 8, 1828, for $240, on which he appears to have made an improvement and settlement in 1825, which he retained till his death, and which by his will, dated July 10, and registered September 13, 1838, he devised to his wife during her life, and after her death to his son John. He bequeathed lega- cies to his other children, and directed that if any difficulty should arise among his legatees respect- ing their legacies, "no suits at law should be brought, but the same should be referred to the order and determination of his loving friends, James Green, Sr., and Hugh L. Cooper," and what they should "order, direct, and determine therein shall be binding and conclusive."

South and west of the Holland-Barnett was the Adam Maxwell tract, 386 acres and 70 perches, skirted on the east by the above-mentioned Kelly- Campbell tract, on the southeast by the Morrow- Green tract, on the sonth by vacant land, and on the west by the Daniel Green-Ross-Boney and the hereinafter-mentioned William Jack tract. Adam Maxwell, as he states in his affidavit respecting the two routes for a public road from Freeport to Kit- tanning, " was appointed a spy by the state in the last Indian wars," and his "route was from the mouth of Buffelow to the mouth of Limestone on the Allegheny river," and that since he had come to live in this part of the country he had been three or four times supervisor. He probably made an improvement and settlement on his tract about 1796, at all events before 1805, for in that year he was assessed with the land, two horses and three cattle, at $318, and the next year at $258. He was one of the earliest elders of the Slate Lick Presbyterian church, of whom Rev. B. F. Boyle, in his historical sketch of that church says, he " was a godly man; he was spared to rule many years."

The next schoolhouse after that on the James Green tract was a log one, with clapboard roof, was built on this tract about 1812, in which John Harris was the first teacher. Schools bad been taught in private houses before its erection.

The warrant for this tract was issued to him De- cember 10, 1813. He directed by his will, dated November 11, 1820, and registered September 26, 1837, that 80 or 100 acres be sold off the northeast end of the tract on which he then lived for the payment of his debts, but if it could not be sold to

advantage that they be paid out of his personal property, and that quantity of land be equally di- vided between his sons Adam, David, James, John and William, and one-third of the rest of his land to James, and the residue to his other sons equally, to be laid off in such manner as they might think proper. James and the other heirs released their respective interests to John and William, August 21, October 11 and 27, and November 10, 1852, who conveyed 95 acres to Robert Dinsmore, August 23, 1852, for $950.

Northwest of "Liberty Hall" lay depreciation lot No. 284, 22016 acres, called "Center Hill," a part of whose area is in what is now East Franklin township, the patent for which was granted to William Findley, November 30, 1786, who agreed, June 21, 1815, to sell it to Joseph Bowser for $220, to be paid within four years with interest, but did not execute a deed before his death. Bowser having proved this contract before Frederick Rohrer, pro- thonotary of the court of common pleas of this county, December 22, 1825, as provided by the act of June 31, 1792, the court ordered Findley's exec- utors to convey it to Bowser. He had agreed to sell one-half to Thomas Jack, and the other half to Matthew Cole for the purpose of realizing the pur- chase money which he had not paid to Findley or his executors. Jack having paid to the latter $275, the principal and interest, they conveyed to him 110 acres, November 28, 1836. Bowser was Cole's administrator, and by virtue of an order of the orphans' court of this county, sold his intestate's interest, and after confirmation of sale, conveyed 105 acres to William Toy, October 5, 1837, for $60, which the latter conveyed to Bowser for $1 and other considerations, which the latter conveyed to Alexander McNickle, April 10, 1838, for $250, which Chambers Orr, sheriff, conveyed to Robert Buchanan, of Cincinnati, Ohio, March 17, 1841, for $170, which the latter conveyed to William Shaffer June 6, 1855, for $535.80, and 71 acres of which he conveyed to James F. Crookshanks, of Butler county, March 29, 1862, for $600; he to Hugh C. Black, November 11, 1863, for $820, and he to Joseph Bowser, March 31, 1866, for $1,200, which is now assessed to Jacob M. Bowser. At the cross- roads on this tract is the hamlet of Center Hill, containing about a dozen buildings, in which are the Dunkard church and cemetery. This church was organized about 1820. Services were at first held in private houses. Rev. George Hoke was the first pastor. Adam, David and Joseph Bowser and their wives and Elizabeth Swighart were some of the original twelve members. The present church edifice, frame, one-story, 40×48 feet, was

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History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Part 97

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