USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 46
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101
Although George Marborough is among the lat- ost settlers in Adams having come in 1875, he is none the less a valuable citizen. During the civil war. his record is that of a gallant soldier belonging to Company E, Seventy-eighth Regiment Pennsylva-
197
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
nia Volunteers, under the command of Gen. Thomas. Since that time, his solicitude in behalf of public in- struction has been thoroughly appreciated by every- one, because of its practical nature.
Immediately opposite the church known as the Evangelical Association, is the neat little home of Otto Shultz. His farm, if it may be called so, con. sists of four acres of land, which plainly shows the care and cultivation which it has received. Mr. Shultz is a blacksmith by trade, and has his shop on his own farm.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE -- ADAMS TOWNSHIP.
1854, William Rea; 1854, John S. Douthett; 1859, William Rea; 1859, John S. Douthett; 1864, William Rea: 1564, Francis H. Davidson; 1865, Samuel Marshall: 1869. Benjamin Donthett; 1870, Samuel Marshall; 1872, Jacob Hutchman; 1874, James Barr; 1877, Jacob Hutchman; 1879. James Barr; ISS2, Jacob Hutchman.
UNION CHURCH.
With regard to the early history of Umion congre- gation prior to ISOS, nothing definite can be said. It had an existence, however, before that date. In the year above mentioned. Rev. Matthew Williams was ordained and installed over Pine Creek congrega- tion, this place being a branch of that congregation. The place of preaching was at Straight Run, three or four miles north of the place known as Old Union. Joseph and Benjamin Douthett and James Anderson were the only Ruling Elders in this part of the charge. In 1820. the congregation moved their tent (for they had no house of worship during all this time) to the place already designated as Old Union. In 1824, they purchased a lot from Robert MeKinney, and one year later erected a log house for a church the remains of which may be seen at the present time. In the same year, the church building was erected. Rev. Williams became stricken with paraly- sis, and became entirely disabled. He died in 182S, being quite old. A call was presented to Rev. F. C. Guthrie some time in 1826, and was accepted. From the time Rev. Williams ceased his labors as pastor until the second minister was called, the charge was under the care of the General Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America.
An election of Elders took place in 1840, at which time John McGeorge, Samuel Boyd. John Waldron and David Gilliland were elected and ordained Rul- ing Elders. The congregation remained vacant from 1841 until the fall of 1851. In the year 1850, a few families living on the western border of the congrega tion applied for and obtained an organization which materially diminished the congregation. They took
the name of Mount Pleasant for their organization. In the summer of 1851, a united call was made out by Mount Pleasant and Union for Andrew Walker, which was accepted. Rev. Walker was ordained in the fall of 1851, and remained with this charge until 1854. The congregation was without a pastor until 1859.
On the 24 of May, 1855, anotherelection of Elders took place, which resulted in the selection of David Diekey, William Anderson, Joseph Douthett and Jacob Stoop. A number of families on the ex- treme northern part of the district applied for and obtained, in 1859, an organization at Brownsdale, under the care of Butler Presbytery. This served to weaken the former congregation still more, and in June, 1859, the majority of the old congregation de- cided by vote to connect themselves with the United Presbyterian Church of North America. They placed themselves under the care of the Allegheny Presby- tery. On the 2d of January, 1860, an election of Elders was held; Joseph Johnston, Joshua Davidson and Jacob Hutchman were elected, and ordained by Rev. John Steel on the 21st of May of the year be- fore mentioned.
Brownsdale and Union congregations agreed to unite as one pastoral charge, and in the summer of 1861 a call was made ont for R. M. Patterson, and by him accepted. The ordination an l'installation oc- curred on the 11th of November, 1861. In IS64, Pres- bytery allowed Rev. Patterson to devote his whole time to the congregation of Union. Two years later he re- ceived an appointment from the Board of Freedmen's Mission to go to Knoxville to take charge of a school at. that place, under the supervision of the United Pres- byterian Church. He accepted the position, and re- mained there until 1867, when he returned. During the summer, he resigned his charge, and the resigna- tion was accepted by the Presbytery. This left a va- cancy until 1871, when a call was extended to Rev. R G. Young, who was ordained and installed by Butler Presbytery on the 5th day of September, 1871, over the united charges of Union and Brownsdale. He resigned his charges in the winter of 1874 and 1575. In the spring of ISS0, both congregations presented a call for Rev. R. P. McCliester, who accepted the same, and was installed pastor of these congregations on June 15, 1880. This relation still continues at the present time.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
HION. SAMUEL MARSILALL.
The subject of this sketch was the eldest son of James Marshall. He was born in Ireland on the 6th day of April. 1800. his father having settled in
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
Butler County in 1526; he married Mary Gilliland. daughter of Barnet Gilliland of Counoquenessing Township. Shortly after their marriage, the newly married pair removed to a farm in Cranberry Town- ship, now Alims Township, Butler County, where they remainel more than fifty years in a happy home. until death removed the wife. Shortly after. Mr. Marshall removed to Cranberry Township; he actively entered into the direction of local affairs; he soon developed a master mind among his neighbors, and quietly obtained the confidence of the whole com munity where he resided. He was early called into public life: his neighbors elected him a local magis- trate, where he distinguished himself by settling and managing nearly all the litigation that was brought to his forum; generally he manage I to make litigants friends at the cost of the magistrate and his officers. Before the expiration of his term as a local magis- trate, the people of Butler County elected him Asso- ciate Judge. At this time he was known as a radical anti-slavery man and Whig. In this position, he dis- tingnished himself as eminently competent to an in- telligent and firm discharge of the duties of Judge. He proved himself a power on the bouch: he exer- cised his own judgment with firmness and prompti- tudo, sometimes to the surprise if not the pleasure of the President Judge. His fitness, ability and faith- fulness in judicial positions wore uever questioned. Hr was elected and re-elected until he was disabled by disease and old age. His death occurred on the Ist of November, 1880, in the eighty-first year of his age. Nominally a farmer. Mr. Marshall, by his skillful and wise investments, accumulated a comfort- able fortune, and. during his long and useful life. was his own executor. As his children attained ma- turity and settled in life. he was willing and able to place at their use a home, provided with all the nec- essary appliances for comfort and competency.
Mr. Marshall's personal characteristics were very marked. He was of largo physical frame, about six feet in height, wonderfully active and energetic during the first thirty years of his married life. He was almost constantly engaged in business requiring his presence in Butler and Pittsburgh, At all hours and in almost all kinds of weather, he might be found on horseback either bound for Butler or Pittsburgh. Ile was well known to the people of Butler County. and equally well known to the inhabitants of that part of Allegheny County northwest of the Alleghany River. Notable among the events of Mr. Marshall's life may be mentioned his change of political rela- tions. His early training in the home of his parents made him an earnest radical anti slavery man. His parents had instilled these sentiments of hostility to slavery: his home in Cranberry Township was woll
known as a station on the Underground Railroad to Canada. The colored people of Pittsburgh knew his hospitality and courage: there the fatigned always found shelter. sustenance and protection. The slave- holders frequently came in search of their fleeing chattels, but never succeeded in capturing a human soul from beneath the roof of Samnel Marshall. Notwithstanding his enthusiastic love of human free- dom, when the Whig party of 1554 became subordi- nated to the .. Know- Nothing " mania, Mr. Marshall being a foreign-born citizen, esteemed the movement an assault on his manhood, and. in common with his brother, Thomas M. Marshall. of Pittsburgh. he left his party and acted with the Democratic party in the struggle with "Americanism." He indneed his brother to visit Butler County and address the people in vindication of the manhood of a citizen, without regard to the accident of birth. The Democrats quickly appreciating the value of the man. extended the same confidence and trust which his own party had bestowed, and he was twice elected to the bench by the Democratic party. Mr. Marshall had a family of ten children; some of them reside in Butler County; some were called away before the father. Among his children, some are well-known citizens of Butler County-Kennedy Marshall, a member of the bar in Butler: Thomas M. Marshall. a farmer iu Adams Township: Daniel Marshall, farmer. Adams Township: Samuel Marshall. the youngest boy. ro- sides on a part of the old homestead. Some of his children are settled in Illinois. He sleeps in the quiet churchyard at Mount Pleasant Church, beside the dust of his beloved wife. Mary Gilliland. He was a man of large capacity, of high and clear in tegrity, warm in his principles, with certain and im- movable courage to fulfill his own convictions of duty.
CHAPTER XXI.
LANCASTER.
German American, Scotch-Irish and German Settlers-The Beighles, Baumgartners, Stewarts, Morrisons and Scotts -- Mrs. Myers and the Bear-Progress of Improvements-Middle Lancaster- A Negro the First Settler-The Old Stone Church.
D ANCISTER TOWNSHIP was formed in 1854, from the old township of Comoquenessing. The development of this part of the county was a slow process. Forty years ago, much of this township was covered with the primitive forests. The population was small. and nearly all of the people lived in log houses. The surface of the country is generally rugged and broken, and on this account land was not so attractive to the pioneer as some other portions of the county. The township is traversed by a number
199
IHISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
of streams, most of which bear deoply marked valleys in which a stony soil, difficult to subdue, predomi natos. At this day, nearly all of the land is improved and excellent erops are secured annually.
Great changes have been wrought during the last ten years; largo barns and comfortable farmhouses have been erected. and a hearty rivalry in the work of improvement has exerted its stimulating influence among the people.
Agriculture is the leading interest, and the farm- ers are a wide awake, industrious class. Only one small village is embraced within the township, and most of its population are dependent upon tillage of the soil for support.
SETTLEMENT.
The pioneers were of three distinct classes Scotch-Irish. German-American and German. The Scotch-Irish and the German Americans began their work here at or near the same time. Few representa- tives of the former class now remain; some died hore. others soll out and moved away, and the places thus made vacant were filled by the Germans, who began settling in large numbers about the year 1835. The German-American families came from Maryland. Virginia and Eastern Pennsylvania. They were generally permanent settlers, and their posterity is still numerous.
The date of the first settlement cannot be definite- ly ascertained. Death has been busy among the old residents of recent years, so that now very few of the children of the pioneers are left to speak of their fathers and their work. Tradition has it that when the first party of surveyors visited this part of the county, a hunter named Scholar was found dwelling in a small cabin near the head-waters of a small stream, which is called Scholar's Run to this day. He had left the settlements and established himself in the wilderness to pursue his chosen work of hunt- ing and trapping Where he came from, where he went and how long he lived here no one can tell.
Henry Beigble in 1796 settled on a farm in the eastern part of the township, and built a cabin near the site of the house in which his son-in law. George Kneiss, now lives. He moved to another part of the same tract after a few years, and died within the present limits of Connoquenessing Township.
Most of the early families removed to Westmore- land County. and resided there for a time before taking up their abodes in Butler County.
George Beighle came from Westmoreland County to Butler County soon after his brothers, Henry and John. The latter are mentioned in the history of Counoquenessing Township. He settled near Middle Lancaster. His son Michael lives on a part of the old farm George Beighle was ont in the war of
1512 a short time. He diel at the age of seventy. Following are the names of his children: Mary (Heis ley), Mercer County: Elizabeth, doppased: Daniel. went West: Rebecca. Christina and Susan are dead; Michael resides near the spot where he was born: Catherine is dead; Lewis resides in Mercer County: John in Kansas and Elias in Franklin, Penn.
When Beighle was commoneing operations upon his farm, he left his work for a short time, and when he returned to resume it. he found an intruder had arrived. and was busily engaged in completing the cabin which he had begun. The man who ent the first timber was rightfully the settler: so, as was cus tomary. Beighle called a committee of three of his neighbors, who were acquainted with the facts in the case. and the claims to the settlement was decided in his favor. After he had his cabin erected. some In- dians who were camping on Camp Run. in Lawrence County. a few miles distant, came in the night and threw it down. Mr. Michael Beighle remembers when there were but three houses between his father's cabin and Harmony, and only one between it and Portersville.
George Beighle was quite a noted hunter. Deer, wolves, bears. wild cats and wild turkeys were abun. dant. The thick woods and dense underbrush afforded excellent coverts for game. both large and small. Beighle was accustomed to get young deer. tame them and keep them for pets. Henry Baumgartner and Samuel Stewart were also great hunters. Stewart used to dress deer hides, from which many a pair of buckskin breeches were made, and worn by the men and boys in early times. There is an old spring on the Scott farm which contains salt. This was a "deer lick," and frequently deer resorted to it in large numbers. The deer were very troublesome, and fre quently invaded the wheat fields, where they oe casioned about as much damage as a flock of sheep.
John Morrison settled on Yellow Creek about the year 1800. His brother William was also an early settler in the same neighborhood. His family are now all either dead or moved away. The Morrisons were born in Philadelphia of Scottish parents, and came here from Westmoreland County They were here before any mills were erected, and used to pack corn to Beaver. John Morrison was out in the war of 1512 three months. He died about twenty years ago. His family consisted of ton children. and all but two of them were born in this county. Their names were Alexander, Hannah. Mary Jane, John. Sarah Ann. Robert, James, Slemmens, William and Fanny. All reached mature years. Only one son is living, James, on the oll homestead. Four daugh - ters survive Hannah (Myers). Muddy Creek Town ship: Mary Jane (Davis). Mercer County: Sarah
Clara Corneluca Butter , Pa.
200
IHISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
Ann (Cratty), Franklin Township, and Fanny (Eck. ert), Lawrence County.
Henry Baumgartner, a Maryland German, was among the vory earliest settlers, and lived and died on a farm near Middle Lancaster. His decendants are now widely scattered. His son, Jacob, resided here a number of years, then sold his farm and went West.
A man Dame.l Freeman, was one of the pioneers of the southern part of the township.
Samuel Stewart, a fine old gentleman, and a strict Presbyterian, settled very early on the farm where Hartman Bintrim now lives. His sons were Robert, William, John. Samuel, Archibald and Joseph; his daughters, Betsey. Sarah, Margaret, Jane, Ann and Nancy. Sarah (Stewart), Nancy (MeKosh) and Jane (Motherland) are still living. William, and the last of the sons, died in Connoquenessing Township in [879, at the age of seventy-three. His sons are still living in Connoquenessing. The sons of Samuel Stewart settled in Muddy Creek and Lancaster Town- ships. The eldest, Robert, was the father of eight sons and five daughters, of whom seven sons and daughters are yet living. His widow, Elizabeth E., is still living, at the age of seventy- four.
Samnel Stewart was a soldier of 1812, and en- dured great hardships. Ho was a well-known hunter. On one occasion, he was treed by wolves and kept in the tree twenty-four hours, with a howling pack of over two hundred wolves around him. At another time he was attacked by a bear, and would have been killed had not his resolute wife come to his aid and killed the bear.
Peter Beighle was one of the pioneers, and lived near where the old stone church now stands. John, David, Lewis, Gileon, Adam and Absalom were the names of his sons, and Catherine. Sarah and Leah, of his daughters. Absalom. Sarah ( Miller) and Leah (Buck) are still living.
Among the earliest settlers of this township were the Martins. In consequence of the rebellion in Ire- land, the family emigrated in 1801, and settled on Yellow Creek. William Martin and his wife, Eliza- beth, with their children, came together. The ehil- dren were Robert, who removed to Connoquenessing Township in 1809; Jane (Wallace), Polly (Hays) John, William and Betsey Lemmon, John and Will- iam remained, and died on the tract originally settled by the family. John had no family. William reared four children, who are still living. his son William being on the old homestead. The first residence of the original family was a pole and eloth shanty, ocenpied until a cabin could be erected.
The Neelys-Joseph, John, Jacob and Peter-and Thomas and John Ruby, were among the early
Maryland settlers. Some of their descendants still reside here. Thomas Ruby lived on the place where Daniel Schoener afterward settled.
Mr. Schoener was an 1812 soldier. He died in 1879, aged about eighty-four.
Henry Baumgartner, Samuel Myers and John Scott were all in the war of 1812; but all were not residents of this township at that time.
An unusually large number of early comers left their farms after making slight improvements. These lands were sold at Commissioners' sales for non-payment of taxes, in due time, and, of course, they came mostly into the hands of land-jobbers. Titles to four hundred acre lots were thus secured, frequently for $8 or $10. The speculators, while waiting for their lands to become more valuable, fre- quently rented them to tenants for several years, and finally disposed of them to actual settlers at very profitable tigures.
William Beighle, a brother of the Beighles pre- viously mentioned, was one of the early school teach- ers. He came from Westmoreland County to Muddy Creek Township in 1811, and in 1825 settled on the farm where his son, C. S. Beighle, now resides. He made the first improvement upon this place. Mr. Beighle was married after coming to this county, to Magdalena Myers. He moved from his farm to the village of Middle Lancaster, where he was Postmas- ter some years. He died in Adams County, Ohio, in 1868. aged seventy-nine. The names of his children are as follows: Joseph, Sarah, Daniel, Rebecca, Will- iam, Conrad, Jemima, Cornelius, Rosanna, Miriam and Lafayette. Of these, the following survive. Joseph, Venango County; Sarah (Savage), Wisconsin; William, Venango County; Conrad and Jemima (Baumgartner), Adams County, Ohio, and Cornelius, Lancaster Township.
The early settlers used oxen in the farm work, and later the Germans followed their example. All ar- ticles used in the family, whether of food or clothing, were made from home products. Pack-horses and saddles were the only methods of conveyance. The Pittsburgh & Mercer road was the first public high way through the township. Wagons were almost un- known. Some who were born here lived to attain their majority before they ever saw one.
A considerable tract of land lying in southern part of the township was the property of the Eeono- mites of Harmony, until 1815, and was then pur- chased by Abraham Ziegler, who disposed of it to set- tlers. John Boyer. from Bucks County, Penn., set- tled a mile north of Harmony in 1814. John, Sr., purchased about twelve hundred acres from Ziegler, and divided the most of it among his sons-John, Jacob, George and Henry. All, however, sold out
I.M. Kennedy
Itis J. M. Kennedy.
Among the early settlers of Adams Township was 233 acres of choice land under a high state of cultiva- Thomas Kennedy. the father of T. W. He married tion. |On another page. we present a view of Mr. Ken- nedy's home.] Mrs. Kennedy is also a native of Adams Township, and was born February 22. 1837. They have three children-Annette J .. now Mrs. John C. Camp- bell. she was born May 5, 1857 . Rachel Melzena was born May 14. 1859, and died December 10. and T. W. Darwin was born August 31, 1869. Mrs. Campbell is the mother of three children- Lida Olive, Ella Blanche and R. W. Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy is a prominent member of the United Presbyterian Church, and a stanch Republican in politics. His life has been com- paratively uneventful. He has devoted himself solely to his business. and has not been unmindful of his rela- tions to his family and the county. His reputation is unspotted. and his career worthy of emulation. Miss Ann Purvis, and raised a family of six children. five boys and one girl. T. W. being the fourth son. The elder Kennedy was an industrious, thrifty farmer, and not only amassed a comfortable competency. but left an untarnished reputation. T W. was born July 31. 1832, and resided under the parental roof until he was twenty-four years of age. when he was united in mar- riage with Miss Naney G. Gilleland. daughter of William II. and Rachel Gilleland. Mr. Gilleland was the son of Burnett Gilleland, who may with propriety be called one of the founders of the county. having been one of the first settlers, and identified prominently with many of the initial events in its history. After their marriage. removed to the farm he now occupies, which consists of
RESIDENCE OF T. W. KENNEDY.
201
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
and moved away excepting John, who died here in 1860, at the age of seventy four. His surviving chil dron are: Lydia (Lutz), Isaac L., Lancaster Town ship; Susan, Jackson Township: Henry, Allegheny City: Daniel, Indiana, and Jacob. Lawrence County.
Isaac L. Boyer. a native of this county, and a son of Jacob Boyer, Jr .. settled on his present farm in 1841. The land was then heavily wooded with chestnut and oak. He first purchased a piece of land from Abraham Ziegler at $15 per acre, and in 1848 made an additional purchase from Andge Braden and Charles Sullivan, paying for the same $5 per acre.
Henry Kneiss, a native of Maryland, came to Arm- strong County when a young man. and in ISIl moved to Harmony, where he worked at farming for Mr. Ziegler. Mr. George Kneiss, a son of Heury. now in the seventy-fifth year of his age. recalls that at the time his father came to Harmony. arms were being sent ont from Erie to Gen. Jackson at New Orleans, and that a man with a load of muskets stopped one night at his father's honse. Henry Kneiss was in the service a short time before he came to this connty. Mrs. Kneiss died in 1515. and her husband removed to Ohio, where he died. George Kneiss is the only member of the family now left in the coun ty. Ile has resided in the same neighborhood over sixty years. He lived nine years with John Beighle. then settled on the farm now owned by Joseph Pow- ell, where he made the first improvements. He next traded for a part of his father-in law's property, and has resided upon his present farm since about the year 1842. Mr. Kneiss married Magdalena Beighle. daughter of Henry Beighle. They have roared eight children, of whom four are now living-Catherine (Myers), Kansas; Elizabeth and Heury (deceased): Jacob. on a part of the oldl homestead: George W. (deceased); Lewis died in the army: David lives on part of the old farm. and William resides with his father.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.