USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and its centennial celebration, Volume I > Part 33
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The company also owns the stock of the Beaver River Power Company, which was chartered the 13th day of August, 1897.
The plant of the Valley Electric Company consists of one 1000-horse-power compound condensing Corliss engine ; one 375- horse-power Buckeye; four turbine water-wheels; four Bab- cock & Wilcox water-tube boilers; four 120-kilowatt two phase A C dynamos; one 125 enclosed arc machine; one 100 open arc machine, and two 75-arc machines.
The present management consists of Samuel P. White, President; Joseph F. Mitchell, Vice-President; Agnew Hice, Secretary; John J. Hoffman, Treasurer and General Manager; and Samuel P. White, Joseph F. Mitchell, J. F. Miner, T. S. White, and John J. Hoffman, Directors.
BANKING INSTITUTIONS
The banks of Beaver County, prior to the Civil War, were few, and their history is very brief. In fact, no bank to do business exclusively in Beaver County was ever chartered until a special Act of the General Assembly, approved May 5, 1857, provided for the incorporation of the Bank of Beaver County, to be located at New Brighton. That bank was organized on Monday morning, November 23, 1857, and opened for business on Wednesday morning, November 25, 1857.
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History of Beaver County
Its first officers were: Silas Merrick, President; Edward Hoopes, Cashier; and Charles M. Merrick, Teller and book- keeper. The incorporators were John L. Newbold, Edward Hoopes, James B. McCallan, Matthew H. Robertson, Archibald Robertson, Thomas Cunningham, Silas Merrick, William Henry, Thomas J. Power, Harrison Mendenhall, Joseph Dickson, Wil- liam L. Dickinson, William N. Sterling, Matthew T. Kennedy, William Kennedy, Walter Chester, S. H. Darragh, B. B. Cham- berlin, Benj. R. Bradford, and Edward Stowe.
The authorized capital was $150,000. During its existence it did practically all the banking business of the county, and had the utmost confidence of the people. It continued in busi- ness with unimpaired credit, until our present national bank- ing system was created, when it surrendered its charter and was reorganized as the National Bank of New Brighton in 1864.
The first National Bank of Beaver Falls was organized in 1886, since which year others have been organized in Beaver, Rochester, and Freedom; and now, in this year, A.D. 1900, we have two in Beaver, two in Rochester, two in New Brighton, two in Beaver Falls, and one in Freedom-in all, nine national banks.1
1 We give the appended statement showing the condition of the national banks of Beaver County, at the close of business on February 5, 1901, as an interesting compi- lation of valuable information. The statement also includes that of the bank of John T. Reeves & Co., of Beaver Falls.
NAME OF BANK
CAPITAL
SUR- PLUS
UNDI- VIDED PROFITS
INDIVID- UAL DE- POSITS
TIME CERTIFI- CATES
CIR- CULA- TION
LOANS AND DIS- COUNTS
BOOK VALUE OF SHARE
First National Bank of Beaver.
Beaver National Bank ..
50,000 100,000
70,000 25,000
1,608 41 4,607 90
228,727 0I 158,825 22
123,084 15 84,517 91
30,000 25,000
408,945 92 301,936 90
243 22 129 60
First National Bank of Roches- ter.
50,000
50,000
893 56
169,394 44 91,730 47 72,613 45 139,536 60
73,424 031 37,403 40 50,298 82 33,724 35
34,500 12,500 50,000 25,000
102,482 45
103 90
National Bank of New Brighton Union National Bank, New Brighton ...
100,000
25,000
207,561 89
132 13
50,000
10,000
11,562 43
149,046 56
94,865 061
12,500
198,874 75
143 12
First National Bank of Beaver Falls. ..
17,500
7,906 60
172,377 61
111,604 30 190,003 87
37,500 25,000
342, 194 09 398,493 76 202,611 28
116 94
Farmers' Bank, Beaver Falls .. John T. Reeves & Co.
150,000 100,000 50,000
16,000 .....
4,682 30 4,860 96
253,399 30 190,378 66
The above statement includes only the more important items or features of the banks. All the national banks own bonds amply securing their circulation. Besides the capital stock and undivided profits, John T. Reeves & Co., report $16,461.61 cash on hand, and $25,- 815.92 due from other banks. If the other banks in the county, organized under State laws, have made and published reports, they have not been seen by the compiler, of the above statement. These banks are only required to publish their condition every three months. The par value of a national bank share is $100.
120 00
.....
308,264 20 157,097 97
201 79
Rochester National Bank.
50,000
4,000
109 33
Freedom National Bank.
50,000
1,250
664 II 748 96 7,133 II
VOL. I .- 18.
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History of Beaver County
MAIL FACILITIES
The improvement in mail facilities is in keeping with the advance in other lines, and is a part of local as well as of gen- eral history. Previous to July 1, 1845, envelopes were not in use, except in social notes conveyed by hand and not by mail, the sheet upon which the message was written being folded so that a space was left for the address, and the fold sealed with wax or a wafer. Under the postal regulations prior to the above date, postage was charged according to distance on a single letter, by which was meant a single sheet of paper, regardless of its size and weight so long as it was under one ounce; if above one ounce the rate was quadrupled. For each enclosure, no matter how small, the same rate was charged. After the change in the regulations by which weight and not the number of pieces determined the rate of postage, the use of envelopes became more frequent. The old single rates were as follows: For thirty miles or under, six and one fourth cents; over thirty and under eighty miles, ten cents; over eighty and under one hun- dred and fifty miles, twelve and one half cents; over one hun- dred and fifty and under four hundred miles, eighteen and three fourths cents; over four hundred miles, twenty-five cents. These rates are those charged before 1845. The use of fractions of cents resulted from the fact that there was current in the country at that time a large amount of Spanish silver coin, one piece of which was called a "fippenny bit" and was worth six and a fourth cents of American money; and another, an "eleven- penny bit," worth twelve and a half cents. By the postal law of 1845 the rates of postage were reduced more than one half, and the charge was made according to weight, three cents for one half ounce or fraction thereof. It remained optional with the sender of a letter (as it had been) to pay in advance or leave payment to his correspondent. The use of postage stamps was adopted in the United States in 1847, prior to which date it was customary to mark the postage "paid," cr, if not paid, the amount to be collected was written in red ink on the letter. In 1854 the registration of letters was introduced into the United States, the free-delivery system was begun in large cities in 1863, and extended in 1837 to all cities with a population of over ten thousand or a postal revenue of $10,000, and a rural free delivery is of very recent date. Beaver County had, in 1903,
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ALE
7
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The Fallston Public School.
The Post Office, New Brighton, Erected by the United States.
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History of Beaver County
forty-four post-offices 1; and in the towns of Beaver Falls and New Brighton there have recently been erected United States Government buildings of great architectural beauty. Beaver Falls, New Brighton, and Rochester now enjoy free delivery.
POPULATION
As indicating the development of the county, we give by decades its population from 1800, as follows:
The population in 1800 was 5776; in 1810, 12,168; in 1820, 15,340; in 1830, 24,183; 1840, 29,368; 1850, 26,689; 1860, 29,140; 1870, 36,148; 1880, 39,605; 1890, 50,077; 1900, 56,432.2
The loss of the county in population, as shown in the de- crease from the census of 1840 to that of 1850, is accounted for by the fact already stated, viz., that a large part of Beaver County went to help form Lawrence County.
1 It may be of present use, as well as of future interest, to give the list of the post-offices in the county. The following, taken from Smull's Legislative Handbook for 1903, has been corrected to June 1, 1904. (Those prefixed with the * are money-order offices; the t in- dicates international money-order offices, and the # indicates those to which the rural free- delivery system has been extended.)
* Agnew (now Conway)
* Hoytdale,
* Aliquippa,
* Industry,
* Baden,
Kimberly,
Bakers Landing,
Knob,
+ BEAVER
t Beaver Falls, Blackhawk,
Lovi,
Browns,
+ Monaca,
* Brushcreek,
t New Brighton,
* Cannelton, Celia,
+ New Galilee,
* Darlington,
t Economy,
* Esther,
* Ethel Landing,
+ Rochester,
* Fallston,
* Shippingport,
+ Freedom,
* Smiths Ferry, Sunflower,
* Frisco,
* Vanport,
** Georgetown,
* Wallrose,
* Homewood,
+ Hookstown, R. F. D. station : Georgetown.
* West Bridgewater, Woodlawn.
2 The courtesy of the Director of the United States Census, Mr. W. R. Merriam, enables us to give here what probably no living Beaver Countian has ever before seen, viz., the population of the county in the first census by townships, as follows:
TOWNSHIPS
POPULATION
First Moon.
527
Hanover.
421
North Beaver.
338
Second Moon.
1,056
Sewickley.
853
South Beaver
2,581
Total
5,776
* Legionville, Lillyville
* New Sheffield, North Sewickley,
* Ohioville, Park Quarries,
Fombell,
CHAPTER VIII
COUNTY DEVELOPMENT-Continued
Nature's Part-Agricultural Progress-Pioneer Means and Methods of Farming-Modern Conditions-State Aids-Agricultural Societies- Farmers' Associations-Agricultural Statistics-Mineral Resources- Manufacturing-Pioneer Industries-Early Mills and Factories-Era of Speculation-Hindrances and Helps to Growth of Industrial Life -Boat-Building in Beaver County-Iron and Steel Industries- Fire-clay Products-Oil Refining-Manufacturing Statistics.
Nature, a mother kind alike to all, Still grants her bliss at Labor's earnest call: From Art more various are the blessings sent- Wealth, commerce, honor, liberty, content. GOLDSMITH, The Traveller.
NATURE has indeed shown herself a kindly mother in Beaver County. Although not so rich, perhaps, as that of some of the other counties of the State, such as Lancaster, Cumberland, and Washington, her soil is nevertheless generally fertile, especially on the south side of the Ohio, and in parts of the eastern, north- eastern, and northwestern sections of the county. The general character of the soil throughout this region is that of a mixture of limestone, clay, and gravel. The county is also well tim- bered and well watered, and the means of transportation are abundant. With these essentials for his success existing in gen- erous measure, the farmer of Beaver County has played a large part in the industrial development which has marked our hun- dred years of history. In our chapter on the life of the pioneers we did not dwell upon the subject of agriculture, and it may be well to notice here, as showing the progress made, something of the early conditions and methods of farming. What is said
276
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History of Beaver County
may not always apply to the very earliest period, but will be true of some stage of our agricultural development.
Consider the state of this country as the pioneers found it. Every where, as another has said, there was "one vast, continu- ous forest shadowing the fertile soil, covering the land as the grass covers a garden lawn, sweeping over hill and hollow in endless undulation, burying mountains in verdure, and mant- ling brooks and rivers from the light of day." Into this dense forest wilderness the sturdy path-finder penetrated and became the squatter, making his little clearing and planting his meagre crops. As settlements increased, and the country was rid of the savages, the work of reclamation went on, the area con- quered from the wilderness growing ever wider. Timber-cutting frolics then began to be made, when the neighboring farmers would gather with their axes and teams upon the spot to be cleared and vie with each other in the work. Sometimes several acres would be cleared at one such frolic.
How jocund did they drive their team afield! How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!
Then the felled trees would be hauled together and piled in heaps to be burnt, or sometimes they were cut so that they would fall in wind-rows and were left to be burnt the following year. If the farmer worked alone his progress would, of course, be slower, and it might be months or years before he would get his clearing made.
The implements of labor in pioneer times were of the simplest kind. Harness-reins, collar, hames, and back- and belly-bands -was often all made of ropes. Plows were generally made entirely of wood, though in some cases the coulter and the share were of iron, or partly iron and steel. Later, the half patent plow was used, with a metal mould board, and many other varieties preceded the present almost perfect pattern. Harrows were often nothing better than common thorn bushes, cut from the thickets. Then came the triangular frame, with wooden teeth, and other forms, until the modern make with iron teeth was devised. Forks were made from the forked limbs of trees, and shovels fashioned rudely from wood, and later styles were ponderous affairs of iron, requiring brawny arms to wield them.
278
History of Beaver County
Wagons were unknown for many years, sleds being the only means employed for transporting heavy loads. The first ap- pearance of a carriage in the rural districts excited a great deal of curiosity and even of disapprobation.I
In the labors of the harvest, the muscles and power of en- durance of the workers counted more than did anything else, for their tools were of the most primitive sort. Grain was cut with the sickle. Men are living who can remember the time when few farmers had grain cradles. The hay harvest was cut with the scythe, of which the favorite style was called the "Blacksnake." The best mowers could cut as high as one and a half acres of heavy lying grass, or two acres of standing grass in a day. Grain was threshed with the flail or trodden out by horses. Then came the threshing machine. In 1831 John Mar- tin of South Beaver township, this county, announced through the newspapers that he had bought the right to sell Joel Duey's patent threshing machine. The first reaping machine in the county is said to have been that used on the farm of John Wolf in 1850. It was a Hussey machine. Throughout the country there was at first great opposition to the introduction of ma- chines for farming work, on the ground that their use would lower the wages of farm hands, and in some instances the ma- chines were locked up at night to keep them from being destroyed.
In all those branches of farm labor which belonged to the men, and in those of the women, such as sewing, quilting, the scutching and pulling of flax and apple-butter making, the help- ing hand was lent by neighbor to neighbor, and frequent "frol- ics" promoted their social life. Modern methods of farming, and modern machinery have rendered the farmer less dependent upon the help of his neighbors; but there has been also a loss
1 The author of Old Redstone relates this incident in connection with his sketch of the pioneer minister, Doctor John McMillan :
"The Doctor was no patron or friend of the more ambitious improvements of modern times. When Gen. Morgan removed from Princeton, N. J., into the bounds of Chartier's congregation (Washington County), at an early period, a part of his large and fashionable family were conveyed to church in a fine carriage. Such a thing was quite an exciting event among these plain people. The Doctor was annoyed, perhaps more by the diverted attention of the people than by the appearance of the carriage itself, and did not omit in the course of his sermon to intimate that people might travel on the broad road in fine carriages, as well as on foot or on horseback. He was unfortunate in giving offense to the party concerned, and lost his influence with this highly respectable family.
"When the first umbrella made its appearance at Chartiers, it was in the hands of a lady, who passed near where the Doctor was standing, conversing with others. He inquired, ' What woman was that with a petticoat wrapped round a stick?' It is believed that he was among the last who adopted the use of that modern convenience."
The times change, but we do not change with them-always. We have recently heard the use of the bicycle severely criticised.
279
History of Beaver County
involved in the lessening of the friendliness and social inter- course which these old-time "bees" and "frolics" furthered.
Many changes in the agriculture of the county in other re- spects are to be noted. For some time after 1830 Beaver County shared with Washington County distinction on account of the quantity and quality of her wool, but has now, with her neigh- bor on the south, lost all eminence in this branch of agricultural industry. The cause of this is to be found, according to some, in the placing of wool on the free-list, while others would attrib- ute it mainly to the growth of the great sheep ranches of the West and Southwest. Nor is there so large a cultivation of wheat and other cereals in the county as formerly, the vast wheat- lands of the West, where a single farm will sometimes contain ten thousand acres and produce more than the whole crop of Beaver County, making competition impossible. Our farmers, as a consequence, are now giving more attention to the raising of live stock and to general farming, producing fruit, poultry, but- ter, and eggs. Much stock-raising and general farming are carried on on the south side, dairying in the northern and western divi- sions of the county, and gardening along the Ohio River valley.
The State takes a generous interest in the welfare of her farming population. There is a Department of Agriculture, with a Secretary, Deputy Secretary, an Economic Zoologist, a Dairy and Food Commissioner, and a State Veterinarian, all of whom are appointed by the Governor and hold office for a term of four years. The object of this Department is to promote the development of agriculture. The Deputy Secretary is in charge of the Farmers' Institutes, for which a special appropriation is granted the Department, and of which 195 were held in 1900. Lecturers are selected for these Institutes, who present matters of interest to farmers. Beaver County is entitled to four days of Institute work each year.
There is also a State Board of Agriculture, consisting of the Governor and other State officials, members elected by the agricultural societies of the State, and one member appointed by the Pennsylvania State Poultry Association. The manage- ment of the local Institute is in the hands of the member of the State Board of Agriculture from the county in which the Institute is held. These Institutes are the instrument of much good in Beaver County, and are increasing in interest every
280
History of Beaver County
year. They are held at different points in the county, as Dar- lington, New Sheffield, Hookstown, Frankfort Springs, and New Galilee.
Sixteen agricultural journals and magazines are published weekly or monthly in Pennsylvania.
Prominent as a factor in the education of the people in the arts of husbandry have been the county argicultural societies. The first of such societies in the United States-The Philadel- phia Agricultural Society-was established July 4, 1785, in Philadelphia; the second was established in Massachusetts in 1792, and the third in South Carolina in 1795. By 1826 the number had increased to sixteen, of which the Washington County, Pa., Society, was one, and by 1876 there were over fif- teen hundred in the Union. At this rate of increase there are now probably over two thousand. Beaver County has two such societies, viz., the Beaver County Agricultural Society and the Mill Creek Valley Agricultural Association, Limited.
The first-named society was organized as the result of an agitation extending over a period of ten years. Meetings were held in the court-house in Beaver as early as 1844 in favor of the creation of such an organization. A preliminary gathering of the farmers of the county and of others interested was held, at which the name as given above was agreed upon, and a con- stitution was submitted by a committee of which Col. Adam Bausman was chairman. This constitution was adopted at the same meeting. There is no record of further action until 1845, when the following announcement was made in the county papers :
AGRICULTURAL MEETING.
In accordance with a public notice given in the newspapers, a meeting of the Beaver County Agricultural Society was held at the court-house in Beaver, on Tuesday evening, March 18th, for the purpose of electing officers for the society, pro tem., until the annual meeting on the first Wednesday in November next.
The meeting was organized by appointing William Morton president and Adam Bausman, secretary.
On motion of D. Minis, the society proceeded to the election of officers, whereupon John Wolf was unanimously elected president; A. Bausman, recording secretary; Robert McFerren, Esq., corresponding secretary; David Minis, treasurer.
The following gentlemen were duly elected vice-presidents of the
281
History of Beaver County
society, and together with the above named officers will compose the executive committee :
Hugh Anderson, Borough township; James Sterling, James Harper, Hanover; Ovid Pinney, Joseph Irvin, Rochester; John Sutherland, Brighton; Hon. John Nesbit, John Clarke, North Beaver; James T. Robinson, Samuel Jackson, Little Beaver; William Morton, Joseph Mor- ton, Perry; Jon. L. Leet, Evan Townsend, Culbertson Clow, North Sewickley; Thomas Cairns, Shenango; Thomas Thorniley, Fallston; A. W. Townsend, New Brighton; R. L. Baker, John Neely, Esq., Econ- omy; Philip Vicary, David Shaner, Henry Wolf and B. R. Bradford, New Sewickley; David Scott, Jr., Hopewell; D. Minesinger, Greene; Hon. John Carothers, Patterson; William Elliott, Esq., Moon; Samp. Kerr, Raccoon; George Dawson, James Scott, Thomas Moore, Samuel Duncan, Ohio; John McMillen, Matthew Elder, South Beaver; Azariah Inman, Joseph Niblock, Chippewa; Thomas Alford, Slipperyrock; Robert Wallace, John Imbrie, Big Beaver; Joseph Phillis, Marion; Benjamin Cunningham, Wayne.
On motion, Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be pub- lished in the newspapers of the county.
WILLIAM MORTON, President.
A. BAUSMAN, Secretary.
But notwithstanding this apparently effective action, the whole matter seems to have been delayed, and at last to have been dropped entirely. Occasional allusions to the project ap- peared in the public prints from time to time, however, and finally a meeting was held in the court-house on Wednesday, January 26, 1853, at which an organization in permanent form was effected. At this meeting Hon. Joseph Irvin was chosen President; Thomas McKee and Thomas Mckinley, Vice-Presi- dents; and William Henry, Secretary. A constitution, previously prepared by a committee, was adopted, which set forth the ob- ject of the organization as being "to encourage and foster among the population of Beaver County the spirit of improvement in agriculture, horticulture, and the mechanic arts." The name of the Beaver County Agricultural Society was retained. The first agricultural fair was held by the society, September 20 and 21, 1853, under the management of Hugh Anderson, President, and William K. Boden, Secretary. Annual fairs or exhibitions were held each year thereafter up to 1899, except in 1862, when the excitement of the war interfered with the meeting for that year.
September 8, 1856, on motion of James G. Bliss, Esq., a charter was granted to this society by the court.
Among the men who have served in the various offices of this
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History of Beaver County
society from year to year, have been many prominent in the history of the county. The success of the annual exhibition was always largely dependent upon the activity of the secretary. For many years after the war the fair was locally known as "Billy Barclay's Fair," after the energetic secretary of that period. Mr. Barclay was a brother-in-law of United States Senator M. S. Quay. Many of the prominent members of Beaver County's bar have held the post of secretary of the society. The races, which were one of the attractions of the annual fair, have been generally good. The track record is 2.16}, made by "Jack the Ripper," a Canadian horse, in 1897.
The grounds of the society have been often used as a place of public assembly, and for great picnics, such as that of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers. In Sep- tember, 1900, these grounds were sold at auction to R. A. White- sides of Beaver Falls, real estate dealer, for $41,046.50. The proceeds of the sale were used to pay the debts of the society, leaving a balance in the treasury of about $8000.
For two years the society remained inactive, and then, in the year 1902, the board leased from George E. Smith of Beaver Falls twenty acres of ground in College Hill borough for a term of five years, with the privilege of five years more, for a new fair grounds. For these grounds they pay $900 a year rent, and they have spent in making a race-track, erecting grand stand, stables, exhibition buildings, etc., about $10,000. The first annual fair on the new site was held in the fall of 1902.
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