USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 119
USA > Pennsylvania > Fulton County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 119
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 119
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Samuel Flickinger, who was born November 11, 1805, when a boy sixteen years of age, came to Sum- mit township. Here he engaged with his brother, Abraham, who had preceded him, to learn the coopers' trade, and followed it for a livelihood until his marriage, December 7, 1832, to Elizabeth Buechley, who was born November 27, 1809. He then pur- chased the farm in Summit township, where the Cumberland & Elk Lick Coal Company's mines are now located. He afterward purchased two more farms, and both were disposed of to above-named coal company, advantageously. In 1864 he purchased the farm in Elk Lick township owned by his son, S. S. He also purchased several other farms and some land in the west. When Mr. Flickinger came to Summit township, all his worldly possessions con- sisted of an ax, and he was very indifferently clothed. He, however, overcame all obstacles to financial suc-
cess, and at the time of his death, May 5, 1873, he had accumulated one hundred thousand dollars, thus showing what industry and economy, coupled with good judgment, can accomplish. His wife survived him only a few months, her death occurring Decem- ber 1, 1873. Both were members of the Brethren church. They were blessed with nine children, viz .: Catharine, William, Mary, Sally, Nancy, Sugan, Sam- uel S., Elizabeth and Eliza. Samuel S. Flickinger was born April 12, 1847, and received a good common- school education. In 1871 he purchased the home farm of two hundred and fifteen acres, and subse- quently added one hundred and seventy-seven acres, so that he now possesses one of the fine farms of this section of the county, a fine view of which can be seen on the opposite page. Its location is admirable. He also possesses one-fourth section of land in Thayer county, Nebraska. Mr. Flickinger is deeply interested in the breeding of fine stock, and has im- ported several carloads of Durham cattle from Ken- tucky, and it is conceded that he has the finest stock in this section. He was instrumental in forming an association for the purpose of importing Percheron- Norman and Clydesdale horses, which is highly creditable to him, and it is to such men that the country is indebted for the measure of progress it has made. January 24, 1869, he was married to Anna M., daughter of John W. Beachy, who was born Febru- ary 13, 1849. They have five children-Milton, Susan, Bertha, Lizzie, Alberta, John and Dillon Parker.
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RESIDENCE OF S.S. FLICKINGER, ELK LICK TP., SOMERSET CO., PA.
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Somerfield Methodist Episcopal Church .- The house of worship belonging to this congre- gation was erected in 1842. It is a frame build- ing and cost one thousand dollars. The first minister was Rev. John L. Irwin ; first trustees : Dr. William Fry, James Black, Zalmon Lud- dington, Joshua Johnson, Joseph S. Hagans, Rev. John Bowlin and John Easter. The pres- ent membership is about eighty ; sabbath-school pupils, about forty.
Newbury Methodist Episcopal Church .- This church was organized in Addison township at an early date. Among the leading members were : Edward and John Kemp, John Heston and John Forshey. A house of worship was erected in 1812, and occupied until 1884, when it was torn down. Among the preachers were : Revs. Robert Hanna, John White, James Wilson, John Everhart, Robert Boyd, Jacob Snyder and others.
Silbaugh Methodist Episcopal Church .- Be- tween 1825 and 1880 a Methodist class was formed by William Silbaugh, James Boardman and others. Worship was held in private houses and schoolhouses . until 1879, when a frame meeting-house was erected, at a cost of about nine hundred dollars. The church was built under the administration of Rev. J. B. Taylor and Rey. F. B. Murray. William Silbaugh, Jonas MoClintock, John Daniels, James Y. Mo- Clintock, Isaiah Silbaugh and Josiah Mcclintock were appointed trustees. The present member- ship is about twenty-four in the church and forty-five in the sabbath school.
Listonburg Methodist Episcopal Church .- Trinity Methodist Episcopal church at Liston- burg was erected in 1878, at a cost of two thousand dollars. The pastors have been Revs. L. W. Hazlep, L. \R. Markwood, W. E. Wolf, C. E. Simmons, William Sbuff and W. B. Dorsey. The first trustees were. Thomas Liston, Hiram Mitchell, Jesse Liston, Alfred Mitchell and George Wass. The first steward and classleader was Jesse Liston. The church now has about fifty members, and the sabbath school about ninety pupils.
Evangelical Association .- The church of the Evangelical Association, at Harnedsville, was built in 1876, at a cost of about six hundred dollars. The first minister was Rev. Mr. White. Noah Bird is the principal church officer, The congregation is small,
CHAPTER LXXIL
NORTHAMPTON.
Organization of the Township-Slow Progress of Improvement- Few Early Settlements-Glencoe Johnsburg -- First Events- First Stores, Hotels, Etc .- First Mills in the Township.
N ORTHAMPTON, formed from a portion of Southampton township, was organized ir 1852. It is a rugged and mountainous region, small both in population and in territory. A few families made their homes within the pres- ent boundaries of the township at an early date. Many came here and made small improvements, became discouraged, and left to seek a more promising field of labor. The progress of im- provement has been very slow, and the pioneer's work, clearing land and fitting it for cultivation, is still going on. The building of the railroad somewhat enhanced the value of the land in this township, and gave an impetus to the work of improvement. The present inhabitants are mainly the descendants of the pioneers of the earlier settled portions of Somerset county.
Philip Poorbaugh, one of the earliest pioneers, emigrated from Germany to York county, Penn- sylvania, prior to the revolutionary war. After the war he moved to the present township of Northampton. During the first years of his residence here, he was obliged to go to Cham- bersburg for salt and other supplies. The set- tlers found it difficult to obtain even the neces- saries of life. Salt was high and difficult to be procured at almost any price. Mills and stores were far distant, and the settlers, as far as possi- ble, lived upon the scanty products of their own toil. In 1793 Philip Poorbaugh obtained a warrant for seven hundred and ten acres of land, upon part of which some of his descend- ants still live. His children were Henry, Philip, John and George. John, the third son, was born in 1795, and lived near his birthplace, working at farming, until his death, in 1862. Henry removed to Indiana in 1848. The other sons all lived and died in Northampton town- ship. John married Elizabeth Gerry, and was the father of .Jacob, Samuel, John, Matthias, Gideon, Herman and Ellen. Herman and Ellen, are dead. Jacob, who lives on a part of the old homestead, has served two terms as justice of the peace. Samuel is living in Glencoe. He is the father of S. P. Poorbaugh, the merchant at
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Glencoe. Gideon enlisted in Illinois, and served three years in the late war.
Daniel Bauman made the first clearing in the southern part of the township. Mr. Bauman moved from Brother's Valley to this township in 1824, and bought three hundred acres of un- improved land from Simon Hay. He built a sawmill in 1824, which he operated until 1855, when he died at the age of seventy-four years. Mr. Bauman was a soldier in the war of 1812, for nearly a year. He married Catharine Poor- baugh, and was the father of twelve children : Jacob (deceased), Gideon, Henry, John (de- ceased), William, Jehu, Matthias, Joel, Simon, Elizabeth (deceased), Dinah and Catharine. Joel and Simon served in the late war three years, and both were wounded in the service. Jehu and Matthias served for six months. William Poor- baugh is living on a part of the farm formerly owned by his father. He is a carpenter by. trade, but is at present engaged in the manufacture of lumber. Excepting Dinah (Depew) and Catharine (Fritz), who are in the west, all the surviving members of the family are residents of Somerset county.
Joseph Coughenour, one of the early pioneers of Somerset county, was of Swiss descent. He came to the county about 1789, and settled in Allegheny township, where he died in 1835. IIe was the father of six children : Mary, Joseph, Samuel, John and Isaac, deceased, and .David, living. John Coughenour settled in North- ampton township in 1852 and died in 1862. His son Herman, a cabinetmaker by trade, but at present engaged in farming, settled in this township in 1849.
The first gristmill within the limits of North- ampton township was the Southampton mill, built by Henry T. Wilt in 1845. He also erected a sawmill about the same time. Mr. Wilt is a native of England, who came to this country about 1830. He is the owner of more than twelve thousand acres of land. The first store in the township was kept by David Hay, in 1848. The first election was held at the house of John Poorbaugh. . The oldest citizen of the township is John Kessler, aged eighty years.
The following is the assessor's list of owners of real property in Northampton township, in the year 1852 : Henry Albright, Sam. Burkhard, Jona. Bitner, Sam. Boyer, Geo. Brideham, Val. Bridcham, John Brideham, Jona. Burcket, Jos.
P. Boyer, Benj. Boyer; Josiah Boyd, blacksmith; Jesse Boyer, blacksmith ; Wm. F. Bittner, Sam. M. Bowman, Jesse Baughman, Geo. Beck, Cath- arine Bidinger, Dan. Bowman, John Bowman, Gid. Bowman, Eph. Broadwater ; William R. Benard, miller; Fred. Bidner, Rudolph Boos, Levi Cochenour, Dan. Caton, Josiah Coch- enour, Benjamin Coneby, Adam Cook, Henry Craft, Herman Cochenour, Solomon Cook, Jac. Caler, Roland Caton, Martin Caton, Geo. Com- mara, John D. Caton, Jonas Caton, John Coch- enour, John Crosby, Jac. Clitz, Wm. H. Crosby, Elias Caton, Isaac Crosby, Wm. Crichfield, John J. Crichfield, Wm. Dively, John Deofler ; John Deets, blacksmith ; Pat. Dorsey, John Di- denbark, Jos. Emrick, Emanuel Extine, Sam Elrick, Jos. Ebert, Jac. Ernst, John Ellet, Dr. Geo. Flichtinger, Hezekiah Fair, Mich. Flickin- ger, Dr. Daniel Fichtner, Adam Fichtner, Ficht- ner & Dively ; John Fichtner, tavernkeeper ; Henry Fink, Conrad Felger, Jos. Farver, Geo. A. Flickinger, Mich. Fink ; Sam. P. Geiger, tavern- keeper ; John Geiger, Sr., Josiah Geiger, Rich. Geiger, Henry Geiger, John Geiger, Jr., S. Gis- ler, Geo. Geiger, Sr., Geo. Geiger, Jr., Dan. G. Geiger, Jac. M. Hutzel, John P. Hutzel; Adam Hammer, blacksmith ; Jona. Hensel, David Hay, Eli Kendle, - Knepp, John Korns, John Kesler, Philip Hay, Edward Hardy, Annanias Heffley, John Leonard, Jona. Long, Levi Long, Joseph Lybarger, Jona. Lazer, Dan. Lepley, Henry Miller, Dan. Martz, John Mull, Andrew Mull, Reu. Moyer, Wm. Martz, Wm. May ; Dan. Morris, millwright; Conrad Miller, Israel Miller, Lorans Morris, Reuben Moser, John MoCusker; John McCleary, fuller ; Aug. Mees ; Wm. Null, blacksmith ; Adam Poorbaugh, Geo. Poorbaugh, Uriah Poorbaugh, Ph. Poorbaugh, Jac. Poor- baugh, Sam. Poorbaugh, John Poorbaugh, Sr., John P. Poorbaugh, Sam. Philson, Wm. Reas- man, John Rupel, Jos. Ranker, Abr. Rhoads, Andrew Poorbaugh, Jac. Sweitzer, Adam Spuky, Hugh Schrock, Geo. P. Sweitzer, Geo. Sweitzer, Dan. Sweitzer, Cornelius Sweitzer, Geo. Shu- maker, Sam. Shaffer, Jos. Smith, Eli. Shockey, Jere. Shockey, Jona. Shafer ; Dan. Shafer, black- smith ; George Fressler, Levi Fressler, John Fresler, Wm. Tumbleston, Dav. Weisel, And. Wagaman, Peter Walker, Hiram Will, John Weimer, Josiah Witt, Paul Wertz.
GLENCOE.
Glencoe, a small village, is a railroad station on the Baltimore & Ohio road. The first settler
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on the tract of which Glencoe now occupies the center was Benjamin Critchfield, who came from Maryland prior to 1793. At the latter date he obtained a warrant for one hundred and nineteen and one-half acres of land. Critch- field's son, Absalom, became owner of the place in 1820, and, some years later, sold it to Alexan- der Philson. Thomas Liese was the next owner, succeeded in 1834 by Daniel Boyer.
Asa village, Glencoe dates from the building of the railroad. The first store was kept by Augustus Dom, in 1869. Chauncy F. Stoner started the first blacksmith-shop, and is still in business. David Ilay built the first hotel, in 1874. Samuel Wilt was the first landlord. The present proprietor of the hotel is Joseph Sheets. Glencoe postoffice was established in 1881.
J. L. Snyder, a native of Huntingdon county, came to Glencoe in 1872. For one year he acted as night operator, and since that time he has been station agent at Glencoe.
S. P. Poorbaugh has been in the mercantile business at Glencoe since 1879. He has a good store, and is conducting a successful business. Mr. Poorbaugh served as township constable in 1878, and was appointed postmaster in 1881.
JOHNSBURG.
The first house in Johnsburg was the church, erected in 1866. The land on which the village is built was owned by Henry Miller. J. M. Stief erected the first house, and began keeping the first store in 1868. He continued in the mer- cantile business until 1876, when he was sue- ceeded by the present merchant, J. H. Miller. Johnsburg postoffice was established in 1871.
CHAPTER LXXIII.
SOUTHAMPTON.
Organization of the Township- Its Coal and Mineral Deposits - Valuable Resources-Early Industries- Borough of Wellers- burg- An Account of its Origin and Growth - The Iron Industry- Its Decline and the Consequences-Churches of the Township and Borough.
YOUTHAMPTON township was formed in S 1801. It then included the present town- ships of Allegheny, Greenville, Northampton and Larimer.
The township contains considerable good farming land, and is rich in mineral deposits.
Mr. Henry R. Strong, of Philadelphia, made a geological examination of the coal lands of this township, in 1855, his observations being con- fined to an area of seven hundred and thirty-five acres, situated southwest from Wellersburg. The coal veins are general, extending through- out the township.
"In the proved state," says Mr. Strong, " it will be seen that there is, in this locality, a thick- ness of coal measure of more than six hundred feet, including more than twenty-four feet of coal. Besides, there are several seams known to exist which have not been fully proved, and the thickness of which could not be ascer- tained." Jacob Witt, William Troutman, George Weller and Isaac Harden worked the first coal mines in this township.
In addition to coal, there are valuable deposits of iron and limestone. The limestone is found in two strata, of six and three feet depth respect- ively. One of the limestone beds contains stone of a superior quality for smelting purposes. Thus all the materials for the manufacture of iron, are found together. The coal of this locality is of excellent quality, and has been pronounced by experts the equal of any in the state.
William Troutman, Sr., Frederick Reichard, Henry Close, Jacob Uhl, Adam Lepley, John Baker and Jacob Reiber were among the earliest settlers in Southampton township.
The following is a list of the taxable inhabit- ants of Southampton township in 1805, copied from the tax duplicate for that year in the county commissioners' office at Somerset : Sam- uel Arnold (still), Christian Albright, Jac. An- derson, Luke Asher, Nielous (?) Bill, David Baughman, Widow Blewbaugh, Conrad Bell, Jos. Bayer, Benj. Bayer, Christian Baughman, Stofel Brechner, Jonathan Bayer, Lepleys Bayer, Henry Baker, Ludwick Bare, John Bartley (mills), Jac. Barkhard, Sr. (weaver), Jac. Bark- hard, Jr., Jas. Barey, John Barkhard, Philip Bell, Nathan Crichfield, Wm. Crichfield, Jos. Crichfield, Carter H. Horn, Isaac Crichfield, Ph. Candle, John Crist (miller), Benj. Crich- field, Wm. Dorey, Wm. Dibton, John Ditner, Dorey, Blake & Pew, Cornelius Deware, Andrew Emrich, Jac. Flickinger, Jac. Geiger, Henry Glose, John Geiger, Dan. Gaumer, Jac. Gaumer, Peter Gestner, - Graford, Ludwick Grisinger, Jac. Givler, Christian Gensler, Christian Heiman, Ph. Heiman, Geo. Harden, Thos. Harden, Seth Harden, John Hahn,
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John Hentz, Wm. Hardy, Isaac Harden (still), Hay & Countryman, Henry Imhoff (sawmill), Nich. Kolman, Jac. Korn (mill and sawmill), Michael Korn, Fred. Kles, John Kentle, - Kline, John Komp (still), Jos. Kochanour, Geo. Kook (sawmill), Peter Kendle, Jos. Lidig, Wm. & Geo. Lidig (still), Jac. Lidig, Geo. Long (still), Adam Lepley (still), Jac. Lepley, Geo. Lidig, Jac. Mertz, Widow Mertz, Mc- Norris Morris (blacksmith), John Myer, Moses Maginey, John Makern, Augustine Miller, Henry Moll, John Moll, John Moser, Nathan Major, Jac. Neihard, Sr., Ph. Purbaugh, Sam. Riddle, Adam Sterner, Christian Shokey, Val. Shokey, Widow Shortz, John Stoner, Christian Startz, Jr., Mich. Shever, Adam Shyry, Jac. Shwartz (still), Geo. Shultz, Conrad Shalus, Ph. Shreiver, Peter Sweitzer, Jac. Springer, Springer & Moll, John Shever, Val. Shyry (weaver), Christian Starts, Sr., Adam Starts (sawmill), Barnard Stoner, Jac. Shultz, Peter Shumaker, Wm. Troutman, Peter Troutman, Jac. Uhl, Martin Winebrugh, Jac. Witt, Paul Welker, John Welker, James Watson, Benj. Williams, Jac. Weiand, Fred. Zufall, Peter Wingard, Peter Wilhelm. Single freemen : Danl. Korn, Dav. Moll, Henry Hayman, Jos. Hardy, Sam. Arnold, Jos. Arnold, Geo. Schurtz, Henry Schurtz, Benj. Troutman, Ph. Shryer, John Sut- ter, Yost Brechner, J. Rich'd Gaumer, Wm. Lidig, Geo. Fleckinger, Henry Shultz.
Jost Leidig came from Berks county soon after the revolution, and settled on the farm now owned by William Emrick. William Mart, also from Berks county, a millwright by trade, was among the first settlers. He built a mill on Gladden's run, at an early date. Valen- tine Shiery, a blacksmith, was another pioneer.
David Baughman improved the farm now owned by John D. Roddy & Co. A man named Sheckley improved the farm now owned by Jonathan Boyer. Joseph Boyer settled on the " Red Barn " property. He was from Berks county. Jacob Blum, a blacksmith ; Christian Sturtz, a German ; Andrew Emrick, a German, and Caspar Albright were early settlers.
Jacob Rhoads improved part of the Jonathan Emrick farm, and Jacob Hahn, from Berks county, a part of the Dennis Comp farm. John Comp, from Berks county, Asher, Davis, Linn, Martin Kartner : Yargle Keller, a stonemason ; Peter Troutman, George Geller and Frederick Seiver were all among the first settlers.
William Troutman was born in 1792, on the farm of his father, William Troutman, who was one of the early settlers of Southampton town- ship. William, Jr., was a soldier of 1812. He followed farming, and died in 1881. His wife was Christina Korns, and their children were : Michael, William, Enoch and Mary (Reiber), living ; Charles, John, Hiram, Susannah (Cook), Catharine (Hoyman), Delilah (Reiber) and Elizabeth (Wilhelm), dead.
On the farm owned by William Troutman, Jr., four hundred or five hundred yards from the house, there are a number of Indian graves. The surrounding land, a space of ten acres, was an old clearing, as far back as the memory of the oldest resident extends, and is supposed to mark the site of an Indian village or camping- ground.
John Baker was born in Reading, Pennsyl- vania, in 1784. Very early in life, he came to this county and settled where Wellersburg now is, before a single hut marked the site of the town. He afterward bought and cleared the farm on which his son Benjamin now lives. He followed farming and blacksmithing. Mr. Baker married Polly Albright, and was the father of seventeen children. He died in 1853. The surviving members of his family are: Ben jamin, Jonathan, Solomon, Jesse, David, Michael, Joseph, Maria (Lepley), Kate (Getty) and Susan (Knepp). Benjamin Baker, now an old resident, is living on the old homestead where he was born. He purchased the farm from his father in 1851.
The Lepleys were among the earliest set- tlers. Valentine Lepley, born in 1803, is still living, and is among the oldest residents in the township.
The first gristmill in Southampton township was built by Jacob Korns, where Wellersburg now is, about the year 1809. In the same build- ing the first carding-mill in the township was placed, and put in operation, by William S. and Daniel De Haven, in 1830. The entire structure, then owned by George Weller, was destroyed by fire, in 1837, and has never been rebuilt.
Jacob Uhl erected the second gristmill in the township, about 1810, on land now owned by Eli Shaffer. This mill is now run by Hertman Reitz.
Kennell's gristmill, four miles northeast of Wellersburg, was built by George Leydig, about
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1818. It was rebuilt in 1853, by Jonathan Ken- nell, who still owns it.
The old gristmill on the Dennis Comp farm, was converted into a woolenmill in 1873, and is the only one in the township.
William Troutman erected the first distillery in the township. It is the only one now in operation. Distilleries were very common in the days of the early settlers, almost every farmer having one.
WELLERSBURG.
Wellersburg was laid ont in 1830, and incor- porated as a borough in 1857. The town is now in a dilapidated state, having been steadily de- clining since the abandonment of the iron indus- try in 1866. It contains a population of about two hundred and fifty, and has one hotel, three stores, one blacksmith-shop, one wagonmaker's shop, one tannery, one slaughter-house. There are two churches in the borough, and a school- house (formerly a church building) with a seat- ing capacity of two hundred. George Weller was the founder of the town. He purchased the land on which itis built, from Jacob Korns. The first house in the place was erected by Jere- miah Wingert, in 1833. He also started a tan- nery in 1834. A Mr. Barnes built the first store. His successor in the mercantile business was John R. Brinham. Brinham erected the first brick house in the place, and still occupies it. It is the only brick structure in the township. Jacob Cook built the first tavern, and Gideon Shaffer the first blacksmith-shop.
The town grew slowly, like most country vil- lages, until the building of the furnace brought a sudden influx of population.
The Wellersburg furnace was built in 1855. The Union Coal and Iron Company, its projector and first owner, was organized in 1854. The furnace, when in active operation, produced about three hundred tons of iron per month, and the industry, in all its departments, afforded employment to about two hundred men. The furnace continued in operation at different times, until 1866, when it was abandoned. The collapse of this industry was the death-blow of the growth and prosperity of Wellersburg.
Gideon Shaffer was born in 1799, in South- ampton township, where his parents were early settlers. He followed blacksmithing until his death, in 1862. Barbara Kennell was the maiden name of his wife. Their children were : Levi (deceased), John (deceased), Eli, William, Solo-
mon (deceased), Rebecca (Witt), Elizabeth (Kennell), Anna (Clossew), Susan (Beale), de- ceased, Lucinda (deceased) and Harriet (John son). Mrs. Gideon Shaffer is still living in Wellersburg, at the age of eighty. She has been a member of the Reformed church over sixty years. Eli Shaffer, the oldest living son, follows blacksmithing in Wellersburg, in the shop built by his father. He has held the offices of constable and school director.
Jeremiah Wingert was born in Brother's Val- ley township, in 1790. He moved to Alleghany county, Maryland, when young, and there died in 1823. He was a farmer and distiller. He married Catharine Frank, and was the father of six children. His oldest son, Jeremiah, born in Alleghany county, Maryland, and now seventy-one years of age, moved to Wellersburg in 1833, and purchased a lot from George Weller. In 1834 he erected a tannery, which he still operates - the first and only one in South- ampton township. Mr. Wingert manufactures about five hundred hides into leather each year, besides about three hundred sheep and calf skins.
John Moser, a native of Germany, came to America in 1833, and settled in Franklin county. In 1856 he removed to Southampton township, where he died in 1861. Henry Moser, his son, came to America in 1833, and to Somer- set county in 1855. He is now engaged in the mercantile business. Mr. Moser purchased his store from Isaac Augustine. The latter bought from Jacob Cook, who erected it.
Michael Long, Esq., of Wellersburg, is a na- tive of Milford township. A sketch of his parentage will be found in the history of that township. Mr. Long resides in the borough, and is engaged in farming, He was first elected justice of the peace in 1862, and has since held the office continuously.
CHURCHES.
Wellersburg Reformed and Lutheran church was organized by Rev. Henry Giesy, about the year 1803. There is no account of the building of the first church. The principal early mem- bers were from the Uhl, Hoyman, Witt, Korns, Wilhelm and Reichert families ; later, the Win- gert and Gaumer families were added. The present church edifice cost about twenty-one hundred dollars. It was dedicated June 5, 1857.
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