History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania, Part 132

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 967

USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 132
USA > Pennsylvania > Fulton County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 132
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 132

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

TRADITIONS.

These are few, and are shrouded in the mists of many decades. Tradition says that after the destruction of the Great Cove in 1755 by In- dians, some soldiers-a captain and seventeen men -sent across the mountain to scout and re- lieve such of the white settlers as might be found in distress, if any, were gathered at the spring on the now Archibald W. Johnston farm,

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preparing breakfast, when they were surprised by Indians and all massacred, and were buried in an orchard on that farm.

Of the many captives taken in the Great Cove by the Indians, or of those slaughtered during the eventful years following the defeat of Braddock, the names of but few have come down to us even through tradition. The wife of John Martin, Mrs. William Alexander and a Miss Knox were among the captives.

The final and complete triumph of Col. Bo- quet over the Indians in 1764 secured the sur- render of all the captives in their hands. Among these was Mrs. Martin, whose husband met her at Fort Pitt after nine years of captivity, and returned to the Great Cove.

Tradition also tells of a battle with the In- dians in early times in the Narrows (near Big Cove tannery), and a mound of stones is pointed fout at the place of burial of the slain. This tradition recites that a band of Indians en- camped in that wild gorge and around a fine spring near by, and from thence made forays into the settlement ; that a company of soldiers sent in pursuit came upon them, front and rear, in this narrow defile and attacked and routed them. This occurred after the destruction of the Great Cove in 1755, and while the Indians temporarily reoccupied the valley, and from this point made incursions into the settlements in the Cumberland valley.

The burying-ground at Big Spring is reputed to be the first regular place for interment in the ¡Great Cove. Tradition recites that after the first general slaughter of white settlers by the Indians, in 1755, a number of the victims were gathered and buried there, and from that time to the present it has been continued as a place of sepulture; and there repose the ashes of many of the old pioneers.

There, too, was built the first schoolhouse in the valley, and was long continued for school purposes, and until it fell into decay. An old lady, now nearly an octogenarian, and of re- markable vitality and memory, says her child- hood recollection of that schoolhouse is that nothing remained then but the ruins of the chimney, and that the schoolroom had then long before been transferred to the "loft of a still- house " in the immediate vicinity. From her ancestors she learned that the school teachers were employed by the year, and that to this "Primitive Aire Township College in the Wil-

derness " pupils came from some distance, "bringing their provisions and bedding, re- maining from Monday to Saturday, and eating and sleeping in the schoolhouse."

EARLY CHURCHES.

Presbyterian .- The first house of worship built in the cove, so far as anything is known on the subject, was erected (about two miles southward of where McConnellsburg now stands) on land then belonging to James Cun ningham, the original owner, but now the prop- erty of Jacob Hykes. All trace of this church building has long since disappeared. What de- nomination built the church is not certainly known. Some claim that it was built by the Covenanters, and others that it was by the Pres- byterians. Nor is the date of its erection known, but that it was built at an early day is self-evi- dent, as those sturdy Scotch and Scotch-Irish who first settled the Great Cove would not long be without a place of worship, whether Cove- nanters or Presbyterians. The very early build- ing of this church is further evidenced by the following petition, a duplicate of which is at hand, but which, unfortunately, is without date. This deficiency, however, is supplied, as to the period of time, by the names appended, run- ning from Edward Head, in the extreme north- erly end of the cove, to Bryan Coyle, in the southerly end, and embracing the names of many, as Scott, Cunningham, Queery and others, who were here certainly prior to 1750. In the case of some of the petitioners, they had dis- posed of their property prior to the revolution and disappeared from the valley. Associating, therefore, this event with the names of the peti- tioners, and taking the era in which they were prominent in this valley (Ayr and Tod town- ships), it is entirely safe to assume that this pe- tition was gotten up, and that that church was built, prior to the revolution, and quite as safe to say that it transpired during the decade. be- tween 1760 and 1770. The following is the petition, verbatim:

To the Revd. Presbitery of Dunigall that is to meet at Rocky Spring the 11th inst. The humble suppli- cation of the Inhabitants of the Great Cove Humbly Sheweth. That we cannot Enough Lament Our De- plorable Condition for the want of the Publick Ordi- nances; we have not had one supply almost these Six Months & we know not what to do; we are well ac- quaint with the Revd. John Black and know that it was not for the Lucre of gain that Caus'd him to take

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so much pains to Qualify himself for the Ministery for he might made more another way; but it was to Serve God and the Souls of Men. Therefore we have Joined Unanimously to Call & invite him for Gods Sake to come & take the Care of Our Souls Upon him for we are in a perishing Condition & almost past Re- covery. We know that this is not a presedented Call or done According to form : but we are sure that it is a Lawfull & an Honest One; & we hope the Revd. Presbitery will look upon it as such - & we hope that Mr. Black will see that he will have a greater Oppor- tunity of Doing Good here than he could any Other place we know of; for he will have an Opportunity to go where he thinks he can do the most good & sow the Seed beside all Waters & on the best Soil where he may Expect a good Crop & a plentifull Harvest. And tho' his income be small yet him that fed five Thousand with five Loaves and two Fishes will Mul- tiply his small stipends so that he will have more to Leave to his Children than some that has Treble his income for he has promised that there is none who forsakes any thing for his sake but he will make it up to them .- We have sent Our Trusty & well Be- loved friend James Galloway to attend the Revd. Presbetery, and Show Our Subscriptions, and act, and do for us as though we were all present - We Cast ourselves on your Care with our Sincere prayers that the Almighty God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ may Direct you for his Glory and the good of his Church.

David Scott, Daniel McConnell, Alexander Queery, James Galloway, John Mckinley, Edward Head, Bryan Coyle, James Cunningham, Francis Patterson, John Cunningham, James Liddle, James Alexander, James Gibson, Wm. Alexander, Richard Stevens.

Twenty-six other names are appended to the call, most of whom, with the above, appear in the early land titles in the Great Cove, but are omitted to save space, while the others are not found of record and are unknown, even by name, to the present generations in the valley. This, so far as ascertainable, is the first record of church organization in the Great Cove among the early pioneers. The Presbyterians have at present no church organization in the valley out- side of McConnellsburg.

Associate Reformed ( Seceders) .- At a very early day, and probably cotemporaneously with the Presbyterians, as above noted, there were in this valley a number of people who were members of other branches of the Presbyterian family of churches. These were Covenanters (Reformed Presbyterians) and Seceders (Asso- ciate Presbyterians), who depended for gospel ministrations on supplies sent them from else- where, and for a time worshiped in houses, barns and in the open woods. At some time - there

is no record preserved, if ever kept here - these two bodies united and formed the Associate Reformed Church, taking part of the name of each, and were successively supplied by Rev. Matthew Linn, Rev. John Young and Rev. John Linn, until about 1821-3, when Rev. Thomas B. Clarkson, a straight Seceder (Associate Presby- terian), made his advent in the Great Cove, preached, organized a Seceder church and gath- ered most, if not all, the Associate Reformed people into the Seceder organization. Rev. Clarkson remained with his people as stated minister until some time in 1827. In 1828, Rev. F. W. McNaughton was installed as pastor of the congregation, which, in the following year (1829), built for itself a substantial house of worship near Webster Mills. For some years prior to this time the Associate Reformed and its successor, the Seceder congregation, wor- shiped, first, in the Presbyterian church in Mc- Connellsburg until debarred there, and then in the Lutheran church, in the same place, until the completion of their own house.

Rev. McNaughton continued as pastor until 1858, at which time the congregation numbered about fifty communicant members. In that year the union of the Associate Reformed and the Associate Presbyterian (Seceder) churches was consummated, taking the name of United Pres- byterian. The majority of this congregation went into the United church, but about sixteen declined going into the union, and maintained the old (Seceder) organization, with Rev. Mo- Naughton as their minister, worshiping alter- nately with the United Presbyterians in the old church until 1879, when they built a place of worship unto themselves. Rev. McNaughton continued to minister for this congregation only about one year. After this the pulpit of the Seceder church was without a stated minister until August, 1877, when Rev. S. B. Houston settled among this people as pastor. His con- gregation at this time numbers about twenty- three communicant members. Their new house is a plain but neat and attractive place, and is a credit to the Christian liberality of the small congregation.

United Presbyterians .- At the time of the union which gave rise to this church, Rev. James Bruce became the pastor of the congre- gation in this valley and remained so for three or four years. He was succeeded by Rev. R. G. Ferguson, who continued about six years, and

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then Rev. James E. Black followed, continuing until the close of 1882. The pulpit at present is vacant, as to a settled pastor, but is filled at stated periods by able "supplies." The present communicant membership of the congregation is about forty-five. A new church edifice, more centrally located, is in contemplation in the near future.

Lutheran Reformed (St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ayr township) .- The organ- ization under this name is of recent origin. In December, 1849, near Big Cove tannery, Rev. William Kopp organized the congregation, the schoolhouse serving as a place of worship until 1871, when a neat church building was erected near the same place. The original members of the newly organized congregation were Henry Unger, Jr., George Eitemiller, John Comerer, Philip Krichbaum, Joseph Pence, William Pence, James Montgomery, James Glenn, John Bechtel, Jacob Pence, Susan Unger, Margaret Eitemiller, Sophia Glenn, Catharine Krichbaum, Susan Pence, Eleanor Pence, Mary Montgomery, Hannah Suffacool. For list of the several pas- tors who ministered to this congregation, the reader is referred to the history of the Lutheran church in McConnellsburg. The present com- municant membership is twenty-six, with Rev. B. F. Kautz, as minister.

The Hebron congregation of the Reformed church was first organized in 1843 by Rev. Jacob Shade. Among the original members were John Besore, Jacob Finafrock, Christian Conrad, Samuel Deem, Christian Hege, David Crouse, Jacob Lane, Sebastian Deem, Daniel Conrad, Joshua Stevens, John N. Irwin, Mrs. Eliza Deem, Esther M. Irwin, Agnes J. Irwin, Mary A. Washabaugh, Mary Ann Conrad, et. al.

They first worshiped in a schoolhouse in that part of the township known as "The Corner," but in 1844 the congregation built a house of worship in the same locality. This congrega- tion, with its sister congregations in the charge, has repeatedly been without a stated pastor, and was, during such intervals, supplied from Marshall College, at Mercersburg ; Rev. H. Harbaugh, D.D., Rev. Bernard C. Wolff, D.D., Rev. Philip Schaff, D.D., Rev. E. E. Higbee, D.D., and others from among the faculty and students of that church school, filling its pulpits on such occasions. The stated pastors of this congregation have, in the order named, been : Revs. Jacob Shade (organizer), Aaron Wanner,

Jeremiah Heller, Henry Wagner, Moses A. Stewart, D. G. Klein, John G. Wolff; Casper Scheel, C. F. Hoffmeier, D. W. Gerhard, J. S. Shade and J. Alvin Reber. The last named removed hence a year or more ago, and since then Rev. W. M. Deatrick, of Mercersburg, has been regular supply to the Hebron congregation. The present communicant membership of He- bron is about forty.

The Methodists (Methodist Episcopal) have no church edifice in this township, but are quite numerous and have regular conference appoint- ments, and worship statedly in schoolhouses. Rev. J. C. Hewitt is the present minister.

A sect of Dunkards (German Baptists) have a membership and a stated preaching in this township, worshiping in schoolhouses and the houses of the brethren.

The old Dunkards, without any prefix or affix to their name, are also represented in Ayr by a few families. This sect eschews church build- ings and worships in houses and barns, some of the brethren being selected from time to time to conduct divine services among them. They are a very devout, conscientious, Christian people.

First Mill .- There is no evidence to fix defi- nitely the site where, or date when, the first mill was built within the present limits of Ayr town- ship, but tradition locates the site at or near the confluence of the Meadow Spring run with the Cove creek, in the immediate vicinity of Dr. Cook's residence, a short distance below Webster Mills, which is probably correct. Later a mill was erected on the site where now is Benjamin Fisher's woolen-factory, and which appears on the assessment in 1773.

IRON ORES AND IRONWORKS.

Iron ores of different varieties, in great pro- fusion and inexhaustible quantities, exist in the Great Cove -Ayr and Tod townships - but are unavailable and valueless on account of the absence of railroad facilities to utilize this dor- mant wealth. With railroad development the iron industry would become a prominent feature in this valley and would add many hundreds of thousands of dollars to its wealth. Until then it must lie idle and worthless.

During the first third of the present century extensive ironworks-extensive for that time- existed in Ayr township at, now, Elysian Mills. These works were known as Hanover. They

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were carried on until 1847, when the business, paralyzed by adverse congressional action of the preceding year, became unremunerative and were abandoned. Since then the iron business has had no place among our industries. John Pott was the last ironmaster at these works. The dismantling process began even the year previous, when the forge was torn away, and on its site he erected Elysian Mills. Nothing now remains of the once busy Hanover Ironworks, except the old, bare furnace stack.

TAXABLES -1773 AND 1883.

In 1773, two years after this territory had been erected into Bedford county, and when Ayr township yet covered all of its original area, except that taken off by the erection of Dublin in 1767, and still including the Little Cove and parts of Peters and. Metal townships in, now, Franklin county, the number of taxa- bles, according to the assessors' return for that year, numbered one hundred and sixty-one, and the aggregate amount of tax levied for that year was sixty-five pounds, sixteen shillings, six- pence. William Hart was collector, and James Pollock, . William Parker, James Smith and Richard Wells were assessors. Of these one hundred and sixty-one taxables, forty can be identified, certainly, as then being within the present limits of Ayr township, as follows : Jacob Alexander, William Alexander, James Alexander, Thomas Armstrong, "Dr." Allison, William Beatty, Mary Brackenridge, James Cunningham, John Cunningham, Bryan Coyle, John Fitzpatrick, James Galloway, William Gaff, James Gibson, Robert Hamble, Jacob Hendershot, John Kendall, Conrad Kastner, Abraham Lowry, James Liddle, John McClel- land, John Hook McClelland, John McClelland, Jr., Adam McConnell, William McConnell, Esq., Daniel McConnell, Alexander Nesbit, Widow Owens, Francis Patterson, Richard Pittman (one sawmill), Richard Pittman, Jr., Daniel Ryer [Royer] (one gristmill), Richard Stevens, William Smith, William Sloan, David Scott, Benjamin Stevens and Thomas Stevens. In the list is Moses Reed, one sawmill and one' grist- mill, the location for which has not, so far, been ascertained.

Either a number of the taxables were missed in this assessment, or they had died or emi- grated, and others whose names are not inden- tified with the early settlement had taken their

places. It is pertinent here to note, in further proof of the deductions of the writer, as to the period of that dateless petition to the Donegal presbytery, that in this year (1773) a number of the names of the early landowners in the Cove, to that petition, do not appear on the assessment ; that they had either died or emi- grated, and that they had signed that petition at some time prior to 1773. A few among the number of the prominent men in the Cove, whose names are attached to that quaint peti- tion, but non est in the assessment of 1773, are Robert Gibson, Benjamin MoClelland, John Mckinley, Adam Linn, John Coleman, Alex- ander Queery and Edward Head.

At this time, one hundred and ten years from the time of that assessment, Ayr township's area is reduced, to about forty-six square miles, as against over three hundred then, including the Little Cove, etc. In 1882 her taxables num- bered three hundred and fifty-three within her present bounds, and her aggregate state and county tax amounted to one thousand four hundred dollars, in round numbers, while of the county tax she alone pays very nearly the one-fifth.

WHO NAMED THE COUNTY.

At the time of the passage of the act creat- ing Fulton, Bedford county was represented in the lower house by John Cessna and Samuel Robinson, the latter a citizen of Ayr township. Mr. Cessna antagonized the measure, while Mr. Robinson earnestly favored it and by his untir- ing zeal and personal efforts secured the passage of the measure through the house of repre- sentatives. The proposed name of the new county was Liberty. When the bill, as passed by the house, came to the senate, it was found that that body was inimical to the erection of any more counties in the state, and that the measure would not pass through that branch. There were two senators, William F. Packer, of Lycoming county, and Charles Frailey, of Schuylkill county, who were old, life-long and personal friends of John Pott, a citizen of Ayr township, but formerly of Schuylkill county. These senators antagonized the bill. Mr. Pott, who was enthusiastic for the new county, went to Harrisburg and made a personal appeal to his friends, who consented to support the bill, but Senator Packer requested the privilege of naming the county, which was readily ac- corded him.

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When the bill came up for consideration in the senate, Messrs. Packer and Frailey moved "to amend the bill by striking out the word 'Liberty,' wherever it occurred throughout the same and inserting in lieu thereof the word 'Fulton,'" which was agreed to, and, thus amended, the bill passed the senate by the favor of Senators Packer and Frailey.

In this effort Mr. Pott was earnestly seconded by Representative Robinson, to whose efforts the passage through the house is wholly due.

This statement makes no invidious discrim- ination against other citizens who were active and zealous in their efforts for the new county, and free with their means to secure the public buildings at McConnellsburg. It was a mere concurrence of events that placed Mr. Pott in the position that enabled him to render this service to his fellow-citizens. He never bla- zoned this service in behalf of the new county, but now that he is no longer among the living actors, and having been a citizen of Ayr town- ship, his part in the creation of Fulton may properly be told in this sketch.

AYR IN THE LATE WAR.

The citizens of Ayr township have extraor- dinary reasons for remembering the great rebellion of 1861. The township did not lag behind other places in sending volunteers and filling up its quotas on the several calls for soldiers for the Union armies. There were but few families in the township in which there were arms-bearing men that were not repre- sented by one or more in the patriot armies. So closely was the community drained of its able-bodied men, that our industries (the chief being agriculture) suffered largely for want of laborers. In several instances, entire families were in the service, notably, Glenn's ; every male member of the family, James, John, Jacob B., Andrew and George W., all brothers, and the husbands of two of their sisters - David Mont- gomery and Henry Washabaugh - were all in the Union army. Jonathan Hess' only son, Frank W., entered the service on the first call for troops, as captain of infantry ; after expira- tion of three months' term, he entered the cavalry as second lieutenant, rose to the rank of major, and is now captain in the regular army. All the arms-bearing men of the Fox family, John, Jacob and Abram, were "out." Other instances of wholesale soldiering, in Ayr,

equally worthy of mention, exist, but want of space forbids enumerating all.

While the township was thus depleted, with its strong men at the front, it offered a tempting field to the rebel freebooters who made frequent forays across the unprotected border and visited this people with oft-repeated and severe spoliations. Houses were sacked, barns, stores and mills plundered and individuals robbed. Farmers saw their own horses hitched to their own wagons and loaded with their produce and driven away, in long cavalcades, across the un- protected border, to rebeldom; their cattle, sheep and swine driven off in like manner ; their lighter vehicles, carriages, etc., loaded with household goods, as bedding, wearing apparel and luxuries-involuntary "aid and comfort" to the enemy. Neither age, nor youth nor sex was respected by the ruthless plunder- ers ; men were compelled, helpless and defense- less, at the muzzle of the pistol, to deliver their purses and valuables, and some were dis- robed on the public highway ; women were despoiled of their jewelry and many little cherished mementos, more prized than money ; and even children were robbed of their pennies. These things occurred not once or twice, but repeatedly. First came Jenkins, in June, 1863. For several days wild rumors of "rebels coming" prevailed, and farmers had moved their stock to places of security. A scout was sent out to ascertain the foundation for the rumors. He returned and reported "not a rebel this side of the Potomac." Farmers, thus reassured, re- turned with their stock and felt secure. At early dawn next morning, Jenkins' hordes swooped down from the mountain into McCon- nellsburg, and soon his freebooters were scat- tered everywhere, up and down the valley, gathering in the booty from the farmers who had been lulled into repose by the report of the scout. The marauding column was spread out from mountain to mountain, and swept down through Ayr township like a cyclone, cleaning up things generally, and passed on to and across the Potomac, carrying with it, out of the Great Cove, about three hundred horses and a large quantity of other stock. This was just at the approach of harvest. Considerable grain was destroyed, but Jenkins' main object in this raid was stock. Having secured this, with many wagons which he had loaded with grain, etc., he passed on, leaving the farmers crippled,

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and harvest at hand, resulting in heavy loss. Well pleased with his success, Jenkins' troops paid the valley a second visit, but with not quite so much success. Besides Jenkins, the valley was raided by Mosby, Imboden, O'Brien and McCausland ; the last, governed by less principle and honor than any of his predecessors. Besides the forays by the freebooters, the valley was also visited by a brigade of Lee's invading army, just before the battle of Gettysburg, remaining two nights and one day. All these visits and the resultant spoliations seriously and disastrously affected the industries of the community, and in some cases brought utter ruin to individuals. These oft-repeated forays and captures of the farmers' horses and other stock largely curtailed farm operations and, in the same degrec, affected all other business. In brief, everything was paralyzed ; a feeling of uncertainty and insecurity prevailed during these eventful years and all was discouragement to active industrial efforts. The husbandman could " sow," but with reasonable certainty that the marauders would come and "reap " the result of his labor. Yet, with all these spolia- tions, hindrances and discouragements which an unprotected people on an undefended border suffered, while their brethren more remote from this scene of danger and unrest, and secure, were reaping a rich harvest, they never wavered in their loyalty and patriotism, as is attested by the number of soldiers sent to the Union armies, and by the prompt responses, in full measure, given to every demand made on them, out of their depleted stores and ex- chequers.

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History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania, Part 132

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co. Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Number of Pages: 967

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co.
Publication date: 1884
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 967