History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania, Part 52

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 52
USA > Pennsylvania > Fulton County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 52
USA > Pennsylvania > Somerset County > History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania > Part 52

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).

Of other early lot-owners and residents of the town Thomas Vickroy is first mentioned in 1785 ; Baltzer Hess, Thomas McGaughey, John McGaughey, Peter Miller, Terrence Campbell, and Hugh Barclay* in 1787 ; William Beatty, Adam Croyle, Thomas Kennedy, Philip Knight, Martin Reiley, a merchant, Henry Sides, John Scott, Mathew Taylor, William Ward, Felix Mellen and Martin Pfeifer in 1788.

On November 9, 1789, Ilugh Barclay was commissioned postmaster of the town of Bed- ford by Samuel Osgood, of Massachusetts, post- master-general during Washington's first term. Doubtless this was the precise date of the es- tablishment of postal facilities here. The rec- ords state that in July, 1795, Jacob Nagle paid three shillings and nine pence postage on two letters sent from Huntingdon to Philadelphia. Jacob Nagle and Thomas Vickroy, of Bedford county, and David Stewart, of Huntingdon, were the commissioners then engaged in ad- justing and settling the delinquent taxes of Bedford, Somerset and Huntingdon counties.

During the autumn of 1794 the town of Bed- ford was again the scene of stirring events. The " Whisky Insurrection " (see general chapters) was about being crushed by the use of a strong military force. Seven thousand three hundred Pennsylvania and New Jersey troops of all arms, under the command of the governors of their respective states, passed westward and returned homeward through the streets of Bedford. For a time, too, the commander-in-chief of the whole army -Gen. Henry Lee, governor of Virginia,

* During the same year McCashlin sold to the commissioners lot No. 6 for the purpose of erecting a court-house and prison thercon. On January 20, 1773, while going from Bedford to Fort Littleton, he was waylaid by two men on Ray's hill and robbed of twenty-two pounds fifteen shillings, a silver watch valued at six pounds, and his mittens. Although the robbers were dis- guised by having their faces blacked, he suspected who they were.

* Col. Hugh Barclay was here at an earlier date, but wasnot a resident within the town limits as then drawn. He was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, of Scotch parents. During the revolutionary war he served in the Pennsylvania line as quarter- master, and frequently met in friendly intercourse Washington, Knox and other distinguished officers.

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BOROUGH OF BEDFORD.

the "Light-Horse Harry" of revolutionary fame, and father of Gen. Robert E. Lee, the famous confederate commander in the war of 1861-5-designated this point as his headquar- ters. Indeed, it was while Gen. Lee was here, that the "father of his country " made his second and last visit to the town. It appears that President Washington, with Gen. Henry Knox, secretary of war, and Gen. Alexander Hamilton, secretary of the treasury, left Philadelphia on October 1 and proceeded by way of Harris' Ferry (now Harrisburg) to the headquarters of the right wing of the army at Carlisle. From that place on the 11th he went to Chambers- burg, and thence by way of Hagerstown and Williamsport to Fort Cumberland, where he ar- rived on the 14th, and where he reviewed the Maryland and Virginia troops, composing the left wing; after which he proceeded to Gen. Lee's headquarters at Bedford. This point was reached on horseback on the 19th, and here the presidential party remained two or three days, when the homeward journey was resumed via the old military road, and ended at Philadelphia on the 28th. While Gen. Washington was at Bedford he was the guest of Col. David Espy, who then owned and occupied the two-story stone mansion now standing on Pitt street, west side of the alley, and opposite the Bedford house. It is also related that William Hartley, Esq., is now in possession of a backgammon board, with which the first president of the United States and the grandmother of Mr. Hartley played during the eventful month of October, 1794.

By an act of the state legislature approved March 13, 1795, the town was incorporated as a borough. The following year, 1796, the tax-pay- ing inhabitants of the borough of Bedford, the amount and kind of property owned by each, were enumerated as follows : Thomas Ander- son, 3 horses, 2 cows ; Dr. John Anderson, a single man, 3 horses ; James Beatty, wheel- wright, 1 house, 1 cow ; Hugh Barclay, Esq., 2 houses, 6 horses, 4 cows ; William Beatty, car- penter, 2 houses, 1 cow ; George Beeler, 1 cow ; Simon Claar, 1 lot ; Widow Espy, 1 house, 1 barn, 2 horses, 2 cows; George Funk, shop- keeper, 3 houses, 1 barn, 4 horses, 3 cows ; Mar- tin Holderbaum ; James Heyden, shopkeeper, 3 houses, 1 barn, 2 horses, 4 cows; William Henry, hatter, 1 house, 1 barn, 2 horses, 1 cow ; Widow Henry, 1 house ; Baltzer Hess, shoe-

maker, 1 house, 1 horse, 1 cow ; David Keeffe, tailor, 1 house, 2 cows ; Daniel Liaberger, black- smith, 1 house, 1 cow; Samuel McCashlin, 1 house, 1 horse, 4 cows ; Mary Miller, 1 lot ; Cornelius McCauley, 1 house and lot ; John McCartney, shopkeeper, 1 house, 4 horses, 1 cow ; William McDermit, innkeeper, 1 horse, 3 cows; John Mackey, 1 house ; Anthony Nawgel, 1 house, 1 barn, 3 horses, 4 cows ; Jacob Nagle, lawyer, 2 houses, 2 horses, 1 cow; Thomas Norton, plas- terer, 1 house, 1 cow ; Martin Pfeifer, a single man, shopkeeper, 1 house ; Martin Reiley, shop- keeper, 1 house, 1 horse, 1 cow ; Ilenry Reicher, saddler, 1 horse ; John Reamer, 1 house, 1 barn ; Christopher Reiley, saddler, 2 houses, 1 barn, 1 horse ; Widow Skinner, 1 house ; Robert Spencer, innkeeper, 1 house, 1 barn, 3 horses, 2 cows; Andrew Sheetz, blacksmith, 1 house, 1 barn, 1 cow ; John Scott, shopkeeper, 1 house, 1 horse, 1 cow ; George Smith, shoemaker, 1 horse, 1 cow ; Henry Sides, gunsmith, 1 house, 1 cow ; William Small, innkeeper, 1 house, 1 barn, 1 horse, 2 cows ; James Taylor, innkeeper, 1 house, 1 barn, 3 cows ; Thomas Vickroy, surveyor, 1 house, 1 barn ; William Vickroy, clockmaker, 1 house ; George Woods, Esq., 3 houses, 2 barns, 6 horses, 8 cows; Henry Wertz, 3 houses, + horses, 7 cows ; John Williams, tailor, 1 house, 1 cow.

The single freemen at the same time, 1796, were : John Anderson of James, Jacob Aker ; John Boyce, who owned one horse ; Jacob Bon- nett, who owned a horse ; Charles Croyle, Adam Crim, David Croyle ; Valentine Crow, black- smith ; John Davidson, William Devore, Fred- erick Dibert, David Dibert; Richard Ewalt, tanner ; Adam Fisher, William Graham, Henry Givens, James Hartford ; Jacob Holtz, who owned a house and barn ; George Henry ;

Hunter, a storekeeper at Anderson's mill ;* Frederick Imbrick, Michael Holderbaum, John McCashlin, Samuel McCashlin, William Moore, Robert Noble, William Proctor, Jacob Painter, George Painter, Melchoir Roastgarver, George Ray, John Richards, Thomas Ray, William Ray, James Stafford, John Smith, Henry Skin- ner, William Stein, John Searight, Michael Samuels, Robert Simpson, Henry Scoville, Jacob Saylor, Jr., John Swigert, John Utler, George Williams, Henry Whitstone, John Wallack, Hill Wilson ; Henry Woods, an attorney ; Val- entine Wertz, James Williams, Henry Walter

* The old stone structure, yet standing near the springs.

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HISTORY OF BEDFORD COUNTY.

and Eli Williams. Hon. George Woods was then the largest property-owner in the borough, his possessions being valued at $7,428. The total amount of taxes levied upon the property of residents was $895.25 ; upon non-residents, $143.48.

In the early part of the year 1798, the in- habitants of the borough and county of Bed- ford, in the exercise of their rights as citizens and freemen, addressed a communication to the President, the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of the United States. The reply of President John Adams, and the letter of trans- mittal from United States Senator William Bingham to Col. Hugh Barclay, of Bedford, were as follows :

To the Inhabitants of the Borough and County of Bed- ford in Pennsylvania :

GENTLEMEN : Youraddress to the President, Senate and House of Representatives of the United States has been presented to me, by one of your Senators in Congress, Mr. Binghamn.

I believe, there never were three men together, if there were two, who did not find some difference of Sentiment to prevail among them on various sub- jects,-unanimity in all things is never to be expected; yet, when the essential happiness of a people, when the Independence of a Nation is at stake, any irrecon- cilable difference of opinion is the infallible proof of a corruption that must produce ruin, - this I will confidently affirm is not the melancholy situation of America. All inferior considerations will be laid aside, and we shall be, and we are united in one opin- ion and sentiment in the great cause of our Country, at least so far as to render all dissentients impotent.

Your Government is your own. If you cannot select persons in whom you can confide, who can ? Where, where will you look ? To foreign Govern- ments, Generals, or Ambassadors? No; let us trust in the direction of the Supreme Being and unite as a Band of Brothers. JOHN ADAMS.

PHILAD, June 21, 1798.

PHILAD' June 22, 1798.

SIR: On the receipt of the address of the Inhabit- ants of the Borough & County of Bedford to the President, Senate, & House of Representatives, I pre- sented in compliance with your request one copy thereof to the President & another to the Senate of the United States.

The Sentiments conveyed therein made a very favorable Impression & I have the Honor of enclos- ing to you the Reply on the Part of the President which I shall take the Liberty of having inserted in the public news Papers.

I am with Regard Sir, Your obed't h'ble serv', WM. BINGHAM.

At the beginning of the century there were,

apparently, not so many residents in the town as during the year 1796. The tax-payers being Dr. John Anderson, John Anderson, Hugh Bar- clay, George Beeler, Simon Claar, John Claar, Widow Jane Espy, George Funk, Sr., John Graham, Martin Holderbaum, William Henry, James Heyden, David Keeffe, Daniel Lybarger, John McCartney. Samuel Means, Anthony Naw- gel, Martin Reiley, Christopher Reiley, Robert Ramsey, John Raymond, William Reynolds, Robert Spencer, Henry Sides, John Scott, Will- iam Drenning, James Taylor, Henry Wertz, Sr., John Williams and Hon. George Woods. As single freemen there were William T. David- son, David Reiley, Matthias Zimmer, John Anderson, Esq., William Reynolds, Esq., John Lyon, Esq., Henry Woods, Esq., Michael White, William Proctor, Jr., Daniel Zimmer, George Henry and Henry Wertz, Jr.

Having shown at some length who the very earliest residents of the town were, subsequent business and professional men up to the year 1860 will be named by decades as follows :

1810 .- John Anderson, physician ; Elijah Adams, Joseph Bailor, John Reiley, William Richards, George Smith, John Sanders, cord- wainers ; Elias Ackert, Thomas Mathewson, butchers ; Jacob Bonnett, Robert Culbertson, Humphrey Dillon, Thomas Moore, James Taylor, innkeepers ; John Claar, Daniel Lyberger, black- smiths; William Creichbanm, Jacob Fletcher, Thomas Hunt, Adam Miller, Henry Scovill, carpenters ; Jacob Diehl, clockmaker ; George Funk, Thomas Heyden, Martin Reiley, John Schell, Robert Shannon, merchants ; John H. Hofius, physician ; George Henry, Andrew Sheetz, hatters; Christian Houcher, clergyman ; David Keeffe, John Keeffe, tailors; William Kohrson, coppersmith ; James Linn, cabinet- maker ; Robert McCormick, schoolmaster ; Charles McDowell, printer, who published the first newspaper in the county - the Bedford Gazette - the first number of which was issued September 21, 1805 ; Hon. David Mann, pro- thonotary ; Anthony Nawgel, farmer; John Rymond, wheelwright; Christopher Reiley, saddler ; Samuel Riddle, Esq., attorney at law ; John Risinger, barber; Jacob Shortz, tinner ; Daniel Shuck, wagonmaker ; Jonathan Walker, Esq., president judge ; Henry Wertz, Jr., post- master ; and William Watson, physician. Among the thirty-five single freemen were Ter- rence Campbell, merchant; Henry Claar, saddler;

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M.D. Sungherty

HON. WILLIAM T. DOUGHERTY.

William T. Dougherty was born in Bedford borough, August 1, 1811, and died December 8, 1868. His boyhood days were replete with hardships, but he early evidenced the possession of those traits of character that were prominent factors in his future success. He was educated at the Bedford Academy, and began life as a clerk, and for many years was engaged in mer- chandising. In 1843 he received the appoint- ment of associate judge, and was commissioned by Gov. David R. Porter for a period of five years. On the expiration of his term he was again commissioned by Gov. Francis R. Shunk, and so well did he discharge the duties of the office that in 1851 he was elected to the same position, his majority exceeding that of any man upon the ticket. In 1853 he was elected to the representative branch of the legislature and was re-elected to the same position. As a legislator he distinguished himself for his prac- tical common-sense and integrity; he was em- phatically a business member, and it is said that he secured the adoption of more important measures than any of those who filled the public

eye with rhetorical displays. As a legislator, as in other positions of public trust, he dis- charged his duties with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of his constituency, and upon the expiration of his term as representative he was re-elected. In 1857 he was appointed rev- enue commissioner, and after the close of his term began the study of the law. He seems to have read rather for the reason suggested by Blackstone, " That a competent knowledge of the laws of the land in which he lives is the proper accomplishment of every gentleman and scholar." He was admitted to practice in the several courts of the county, but was never actively engaged in the practice of this profession. IIe was em- phatically a progressive man, and to him, more than any other person, the people are indebted for the construction of the Broad Top Mountain railroad, and the consequent development of one of the most valuable coalfields in the state, which prior thereto was but little known and appreciated. In August, 1839, he was married to Miss Elmira, daughter of the Hon. David Mann. Two children were born to them-Will- iam T. and Frank Finley.

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BOROUGH OF BEDFORD.

Zadock Defer, tailor ; Josiah Espy, merchant ; John Edmiston, physician ; Frederick Fletcher, carpenter ; Samuel Funk, hatter ; John Lyon, attorney at law ; James McDonald, merchant ; James M. Russell, attorney at law ; John Tod (who was postmaster in 1805), attorney at law ; Jesse Slick, tailor ; and Hon. Henry Woods, attorney at law. The town then contained sixty- three houses of all classes.

1820. - John Anderson, president of the " Alleghany bank of Pennsylvania," which was established about the year 1815; John Brice, innkeeper ; Jacob Bonnett, innkeeper ; George Burd, attorney at law ; Humphrey Dillon, inn- keeper ; William Drips, merchant ; Thomas R. Gettys, printer; Frederick Gabe, Jr., mer- chant ; John H. Hofius, physician and druggist ; John Harshberger, merchant ; Thomas Heyden, merchant ; Charles McDowell, printer ; Thomas Moore, innkeeper ; Martin Reiley, merchant ; Samuel Riddle, Esq., attorney at law ; James M. Russell, attorney at law ; William Reynolds, merchant ; John Schell, merchant ; Alexander Thomson, attorney at law ; John Tod, attorney at law ; William Watson, physician ; Augustus Coolage, physician ; William D. Smith, attor- ney at law ; William Greer, printer ; Abraham Kerns, merchant ; Nicholas Lyons, merchant, who began business here in 1812. IIe was a native of Ireland, the stepson of Thomas Hey- den, and the father of Capt. Thos. H. Lyons ; William Swift, attorney at law ; John H. West, merchant, and William Van Leer, physician. The borough then contained seventy-nine dwelling houses, and one hundred and fifty taxable in- habitants, of whom ninety were married.

1830 .- John Anderson, banker; Elijah Adams, innkeeper ; George Burd, attorney at law ; John Brice, innkeeper; Francis B. Barclay, physician ; William Bowman, merchant ; Sam- uel Brown, teacher; Thomas Bonnett, inn- keeper ; William Clark, innkeeper ; Humphrey Dillon," innkeeper; George R. H. Davis, merchant ; Philip Fetterly, physician ; Philip Fishburn, teacher ; Henry Gerhart, clergyman ; Thomas Heydon & Lyon, merchants ; John H. Hofius, postmaster, physician and druggist ; Joseph Hammer, merchant ; Abraham Kerns,

merchant; Henry Leader, Thomas Ray, John Riley, William Watts, innkeepers ; F. B. Mur- dock, attorney at law ; Job Mann, prothonotary, etc .; Daniel Mckinley, clergyman ; John Piper, merchant ; Martin Reiley, merchant; James M. Russell, attorney at law ; Peter Schell, merchant and innkeeper; John H. West, merchant ; William Watson, physician ; John Young, confectioner. Among the single free- men were : William Fletcher, merchant ; Will- iam F. Boone, Samuel M. Barclay, Andrew J. Cline, David R. Denny, Alexander King, William Lyon and James Reynolds, attorneys at law. Number of private buildings, includ- ing dwellings, stores, offices, mills, etc., but not barns, one hundred and ten. Number of tax- able inhabitants, one hundred and seventy-eiglit. Total population, eight hundred and seventy- nine, of whom fifty-seven were colored.

1840 .- Espy L. Anderson, Samuel M. Barclay, George Burd, John A. Blodgett, William C. Logan, William Lyon, Job Mann, John Mower, James M. Russell, attorneys at law ; George W. Bowman, Charles McDowell, Jacob Slentz, print- ers ; William II. Watson, Francis B. Barclay, John H. Hofius, physicians ; John Brice, Will- iam Clark, Jr., Humphrey Dillon, Joseph W. Duncan, Joseph May, Samuel Walters, John Whitehead, John Young, innkeepers ; Samuel Brown, Thomas R. Gettys, Thomas Harris, teachers ; John H. Hofius, druggist ; William T. Dougherty, Robert Fyan, George R. IFolsinger, Nicholas Lyons, Thomas B. Miller, John G. Martin, William Ottinger, Edmond Peel, Peter Radabaugh, James Reamer, merchants ; George Espy, Jacob Fletcher, Thomas Heyden, Law- rence Taliaferro, William Tate, gentlemen ; Joseph S. Morrison, associate judge ; Joseph B. Noble, prothonotary ; Robert Stewart, surveyor. Among the single freemen were : George W. Anderson, physician ; H. N. Dillon, Samuel Rippey, Alexander L. Russell, gentlemen ; James M. Gibson, William Hofius, Charles McGlathery, Richard McGlathery, Thomas Sill, merchants ; William Ridenbaugh, printer ; Gco. C. Gettys, teacher ; Rev. Thomas Heyden, Jr., B. Franklin Mann and Samuel L. Russell, attor- neys at law. Bedford then boasted of one hun- dred and thirty-four houses, stores, etc., and two hundred and fifty-four taxable inhabitants, of whom eighty-seven were single freemen.

1850 .- John A. Blodgett, William P. Schell, William M. Hall, Jr., Joseph F. Loy, O. E. Shan-

* On the 25th day of December, 1829, according to the In- quirer of that date, the guests at Humphrey Dillon's hotel were served with strawberries and cream. The berries having been grown on vines "cultivated in the same manner as houseplants." Mr. Dillon occupied the building now known as the " Washing- ton House," and, added the editor, " he is attentive to everything which he thinks will be gratifying and comfortable to bis guests."

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HISTORY OF BEDFORD COUNTY.

non, attorneys at law ; Samuel Carn, William Compher, George Espy, John Ottinger, James M. Reynolds, gentlemen ; Daniel Crouse, Valen- tine Steckman, Charles Williamson, innkeepers ; Thomas R. Gettys, Thomas J. Harris, teachers ; F. M. Hohman, W. H. Kelly, Henry Nicodemus, A. B. Cramer, John Dugdale, John M. Gilmore, Samuel Shuck, merchants ; Edwin Neff, jeweler ; John P. Reed, prothonotary ; Robert Stewart, surveyor ; F. C. Reamer, Samuel D. Scott, John Compher, physicians ; A. J. Snively, sheriff ; L. Saupp, brewer ; David Over, printer ; Thomas Heyden, P. A. Waters, clergymen. The town then contained one hundred and forty-four seated lots, and three hundred taxable inhabit- ants, of whom sixty-five were single freemen.

Property owners in 1860 .- John P. Arnold, Espy L. Anderson, Capt. John Arnold, Daniel Border, John Brice, John Boor, George Bly- myer, William Bowles, Samuel .Bagley, Jacob Bollinger, Samuel Brown, S. M. Barclay's heirs, Martin Boor, F. D. Beegle, Mary Burns, Camilla Barclay, George W. Bowman, Jonathan Bright- bill, John Claar's heirs, George Claar's heirs, Daniel Cromwell's heirs, James Callan, John Claar, Jr., Sophia Claar, John Cessna, Esq., Simon Cook, W. T. Chapman, Wood's heirs, Samuel Carn, Joseph Crawley, John Crawley, Rachel Claar, Henry Crawford, William T. Dougherty, Henry Duffey's heirs, Alexander Defi- baugh, Defibaugh & Mardorff, Henry Dorsey, Elizabeth Dishong, Catharine Earnest, Robert Fyan, Elias Fisher, Sarah Fulford, Funk's heirs, John Fidler, Elizabeth Fetterly, Benj. W. Garretson, James Gibson's heirs, George Grey, B. F. Harry, Rev. Thomas Heyden, Will- iam Hartley, Mary Hunt, Elwood Harmer's heirs, Jonathan Horton, Lawrence Jamison, Francis Jordan, Esq., John R. Jordan, Alex- ander King, Esq., William Kiser, Abraham Kern's heirs, Jane Kane, Mary Lentz, Colin Loyer, Nicholas Lyons, John Lutz's heirs, John L. Lessig, Thomas Lynch, William Lyon, Esq., John Love, John Mower, Esq., Henry Mower, Joshua Mower, A. Wayne Mower, James McMul- lin, John G. Minich, Job Mann, Esq., Charles Merwine, Thomas Merwine, William Milburn, Isaac Mengel, Sr., Sophia Morrison, Metzger heirs, Widow McCausland, Henry Nicodemus, Edward Norris, Jacob Over, Catherine Over, Eben Pennel, Catharine Powell, Christopher Reily, Dr. F. C. Reamer, Henry Reymond, John P. Reed, James M. Russell, Esq., Samuel L.

Russell, Esq., Alonzo Robbins, Solomon Rey- mond, John H. Rush, Samuel Radebaugh, Eli Rouse, Peter H. Shires, Daniel J. Shuck, Will- iam Stahl, Anthony Stiffler, Wm. P. Schell, Esq., William Schafer, Jacob Smith, Peter Smith, O. E. Shannon, Esq., William Spidel, Daniel Shuck's heirs, James Steckman, Sarah Sellers, Harriet Sansom, Andrew Saupp's heirs, Samuel H. Tate, Esq., Taylor & Mowry, Lawrence Taliaferro, Samuel Vondersmith, Dr. William H. Watson, Dr. William Watson's heirs, Mrs. Eliza Watson, Philip Weisel's heirs.

At the present time, 1883, the town contains six hundred and sixty-six taxable inhabitants, of whom three hundred and twenty-two are freeholders, two hundred and twenty-two are tenants, and one hundred and twenty-two are single men. Its six hundred and thirteen town lots are valued at 8547,115 ; its one hundred and nine horses and eighty head of cattle at 89,433 ; the emoluments of all trades, offices, professions, etc., at $105,000, while two hundred and eighty-two men are subject to military duty.

Of its present professional and business men, we mention : John Mower, Samuel L. Russell, John Cessna, John P. Reed, John W. Lingen- felter, John Lutz, Moses A. Points, Jonathan B. Cessna, Edward F. Kerr, Jacob H. Longe- necker, Hayes Irvine, Alexander King, John M. Reynolds, Humphrey D. Tate, William C. Smith, John H. Jordan, James C. Russell, Frank Fletcher, Thomas M. Armstrong, Robert C. McNamara, Nicholas L. McGirr, J. Frank Minnich, Howard F. Mowry, Rufus C. Hader- man, Joseph S. Stayer and J. Alsip, attorneys ; J. L. Marbourg, Simon H. Gump, William T. Hughes, John A. Clark, C. P. Calhoun, George C. Barton and Americus Enfield, physicians ; Kerr & McNamara, of the Gazette, Mullin & Jordan, of the Inquirer, and Lutz & Smith, of the Republican, newspaper publishers ; John E. Shires, James Cleaver, T. Speer Gilchrist, D. G. Herring, A. E. Fyan, J. Harry Gilchrist, S. C. Burns, W. Lysinger, Capt. S. S. Metzger and S. A. Middleton, merchants ; John A. Corle, of the Washington House, Valentine Steckman, of the Union House, and H. Clay Lashley, of the Bedford House, hotelkeepers; Adam B. Carn, dealer in tobacco and cigars, who owns and occupies the oldest substantial building in the town, Hartley (John G.) & Bowers (Jobn S.), bankers ; F. Benedict, insurance agent; E.

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William Hartley

WILLIAM HARTLEY.

Mount Dallas farm, embracing the fertile bottomlands skirting both the north and south banks of the Juniata immediately west of the gap of Tussey's mountain, cut by its crystal waters in Snake Spring township, is full of historical interest. The soll, underlaid with dolomite or magnesian limestone, is wonderfully rich in all that nature supplies for plant growth. The variety and remarkable picturesqueness of the scenery from every point in this locality can hardly be surpassed. The first settlers found Queen Alliquippa and her tribe peacefully located in their town at the foot of Tussey's mountain on the south side of the river. Alliquippa's town on the south and the land lying nearest the gap on the north side of the river was purchased from Thomas Urie, one of the first sheriffs of Bedford county, by Robert Morris, of Philadelphia, the financier of the revolutionary war, in the year 1779. On the western part of the farm on a rocky bluff, immediately opposite Alliquippa's village, near the beautiful springs which unceasingly flow from the rocks into the " Blue Juniata, " stood the cabin of that strong-minded frontiers- woman, Elizabeth Tussey, from whom the mountain was named, as well as the crystal brook which drains Snake Spring valley, known as Tussey's run. Her "improvement" included one hundred acres. On the south side of the Juniata some of the large stone piles marking the burial spots of Alliquippa's tribe, may yet be seen along the base of the mountain. In 1790 William Hartley bought from Robert Morris his part of the farm, and subsequently from the grantees of Elisabeth Tussey her " improvement." " William Hartley, the grandfather of William Hartley, of Bedford, though a native of England, came to America with his wife, Susan, from France in 1783. in the Hyder Ali, the ship which conveyed the final treaty of peace between England and the colonies. Having formed the acquaintance of the commissioners representing the colonies at the Treaty of Paris, they persuaded him to visit America, and soon after the arrival of the Hyder All. William Hartley, whose portrait is herein presented, was born in Philadelphia. In 1785 William Hartley bought the lands below the narrows east of Bedford. and erected thereon mills and a tannery, but in 1790 took up his residence at Mount Dallas. Here he lived until his death in 1798, and was buried on the farm. In 1794, during the whisky insurrection. Washington quartered his army on this farm and himself remained over night in the old mansion, whiling away the gloomy October evening in games of backgammon with Mrs. Hartley on a board made from beautifully inlaid wood and bone. which she had brought with her on the Hyder Ali. This unique checker and backgammon board is still in possession of her grandson, William Hartley, of Bedford.

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History of Bedford, Somerset, Fulton counties Pennsylvania, Part 52

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

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