History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 6

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Waterman, Watkins & Co.
Number of Pages: 638

USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 6

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SEC. 2. All the lands lying north and west of the rivers Ohio and Allegheny and Conewango Creek, except such parts

thereof as had been, or thereafter should be, appropriated to any public or charitable use, were offered for sale to " persons who will cultivate, improve and settle the same, or cause the same to be cultivated, improved and settled, at and for the price of €7 10 -. for every one hundred acres thereof, with an allowance of 6 per centum for roads and highways to he lo- cated, surveyed and secured to such purchasers, in the man- ner hereinafter mentioned."

See. 3. Upon the application of any person, who may have settled and improved, or is desirous to settle and im- prove, a plantation within the limits aforesaid, to the Seere- tary of the land office, which application shall contain a par- ticular description of the lands applied for, there shall be granted to him a warrant for any quantity of land within the said limits, not exceeding 400 hundred acres, requring the Surveyor General to cause the same to be surveyed for the use of the grantee, his heirs and assigns forever "and make return thereof to the Surveyor General's office within the term of six months next following, the grantee paying the purchase money, and all the usual fees of the land office.

SEC. 4. The Surveyor General to divide the lands offered for sale into districts, and appoint one deputy for each dis- triet, who shall give bond and security as usual, and reside in or as near as possible to his district, and within sixty days next after his appointment, certify to the Surveyor General the place where he shall keep his office open for the purpose of receiving warrants, that all persons who may apply for lands may be informed thereof. And every Deputy Surveyor who shall receive any such warrant, shall make fair and clear entries thereof in a book to be provided by him for the pur- pose, distinguishing therein the name of the person therein mentioned, the quantity of land, date thereof, and the day on which he received the same, which book shall be kept open at all seasonable hours, to every applicant who shall be entitled to copies of any entries therein, to be certified as such, and signed by the Deputy Surveyor, the party paying 25 cents therefor.

SEC. 5. The Deputy at the reasonable request, and at the cost and charges of the grantees, to proceed and survey the lands in such warrants described, as nearly as may be, acceording to the respective priority of their warrants: but they shall not survey any tract of land that may have been actually settled and improved prior to the date of the entry of such warrant with the Deputy Surveyor of the district, except for the owner of such settlement and improvement. And having perfected such surveys, shall enter the same in a book to be kept by him, and to be called the survey book, which shall remain in his office, liable to be inspected by any person whatsoever, upon payment of eleven pence for every search; and he shall cause copies of any such survey to be made out and delivered to any person, npon the payment of 25 cents for each copy.

SEC. 6. Every survey made by a Deputy out of his proper district, shall be void and of none effect. The Sur- veyor General and Ins deputies are enjoined to survey or canse to be surveyed the full amount of land contained and mentioned in any warrant, in one entire tract, if the same can be found in such manner and form as that soch tract shall not contain or front on any navigable river or lake more than one-half the length or depth of such traet, and to conform the lines of every survey in such manner as to form the figure or plot thereof, as nearly as circumstances will admit. to an oblong, whose length shall not be greater than twice the breadth thereof. Ten per cent surplus to be allowed and paid for pro rata on patenting.

SEC. 7. Every February, the Deputy is to return into the office of the Surveyor General, plats of every survey he

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

shall have made in pursuance of any warrant, connected together in one general draught, so far as they may be con- tiguous to each other, with the courses and distances of cach line, the quantity of land in each survey, and the name of the person for whom the same was surveyed.

SEC. 8. The Deputy Surveyor of the proper district shall, upon the application of any person who Has made an actual settlement and improvement on lands lying north and west of the rivers Ohio and Allegheny and Conewango Creek, and upon such person paying the legal fees, survey and mark out the lines of the tract of land to which such person may, by conforming to the provisions of this act. become entitled by virtue of such settlement and improvement; Provided, that he shall not survey more than 400 acres for such person and shall, in making such survey, conform himself to all the other regula tions by this act prescribed.

SEC. 9. No warrant or survey to be issued or made in pursuance of this act, for lands laying north and west of the rivers Ohio and Allegheny and Conewango Creek, shall vest any title in or to the lands therein mentioned, unless the grantee has, prior to the date of such warrant, made or caused to be made, or shall, within the space of two years next after the date of the same, make or cause to be made, an actnal settlement thereon, by clearing. fencing and culti- vating at least two acres for every one hundred aeres con- tained in one survey, erecting thereon a messuage for the habitation of man, and residing or causing a family to reside therron for the space of five years next following his first settling of the same, if he or she shall live so long; and that. in default of such actual settlement and residence, it shall and may be lawful to and for this commonwealth to issue new warrants to other actual settlers, for the said lands or any part thereof, reciting the original warrants, and that actual settlements and residence have not been made in pursuance thereof, and so as often as defaults shall be made, for the time and in the manner aforesaid, which new grants shall be under and subject to all and every the regulations contained in this act. PROVIDED ALWAYS, NEVERTHELESS, that if any such actual settler, or any grantee in any such original or suc- ceeding warrant shall, by force of arms of the enemies of the United States, be prevented from making such actual settlement, or be driven therefrom, and shall persist in his endeavors to make such actual settlement as aforesaid, then, in either case, he and his heirs shall be entitled to have und to hold the said lands, in the same manner as if the actual settlement hud been made and continued .*

SEC. 10. The lands actually settled and improved ac- cording to the provisions of this act, to whosesoever pos- session they may descend or come, shall be liable or charge- able for the payment of the consideration or purchase money, at the rate aforesaid, for every hundred acres, and the inter- est thereon accruing from the dates of such improvements: and if such actual settler, not being hindered as aforesaid, by death or the enemies of the United States, shall neglect to apply for a warrant for the space of ten years after the time of passing this act, it shall and may be lawful for this com- monwealth to grant the same lands, or any part thereof to others, by warrants reciting such defaults; and the grantees complying with the regulations of this act shall have, hold and enjoy the same, to them, their heirs and assigns forever; but no warrant shall be issued in pursnance of this act, until the purchase money shall be paid to the Receiver General of the Land Office.

[Section 11, and the subsequent sections of the law we omit, as not being necessary to a general understanding of the subject. ]

Much controversy arose out of this act between the actual settlers and the land speculators or " jobbers." and the population and improvement of the country were much retarded by the uncertainty of the owner. ship of the soil. At the time the act was passed, and until Wayne's treaty in August, 1795, war existed be- tween the whites and the Indians. It was considered unsafe to attempt settlement west of the Allegheny until after peace had been formally declared. Non- compliance with the provisions of the law requiring settlement to be made within two years after its pas- sage, it was claimed upon one side. forfeited the right of ownership. and left the lands open to any persons who obtained warrants for them: upon the other side. it was contended that settlement was impossible prior to 1796, because of the war, and that two years sue- ceeding pacification should be allowed for the mak- ing of the actual settlement and improvement pre- scribed. The wording of Section 9 of the act of 1792 was very obscure, and there was great diversity of opinion upon the bench as to its meaning.

Robert Morris, the Revolutionary patriot, and Washington's Secretary of the Treasury, became a large owner of Butler County lands, and many of the land owners of to-day hold title through this cele- brated but unfortunate personage.

Morris was the holler of a large amount of the depreciated scrip, redeemable in Western Pennsyl- vania lands, and (influenced by James Cunningham, one of the surveyors of the Depreciated Lands, and afterward his agent) located a great number of war- rants in what is now Butler County. This he was able to do by a process which, although undoubtedly contrary to the spirit of the law of 1792, was not in violation of any of its provisions. The warrants (which were merely orders for surveys). were made ont in the year 1794 in the names of sundry citizens of Lancaster County, Penn .. most of them (termans. and then assigned to Morris. The latter paid all moneys demanded, and eventually secured patents to most of the tracts of land, but they bore on the maps of the surveyor the names of the Lancaster County men, obligingly lent for the purpose of assisting the speculator.

Morris located 311 warrants in that part of Cun- ningham's district of Depreciation Lands, lying with- in Butler County, and was the owner of from seventy to ninety thousand acres of land. including the site of Butler borough.

Litigation concerning title was more common within the limits of this immense purchase than else- where in Butler County.

Robert Morris' effects were sold in 1507 at Mar- shal's sale, in Philadelphia, and the warrants for the Butler County lands came into the hands of Stephen

«Smith's Laws of Pennsylvania, Vol. II.

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY

Lowrey, of Maryland. and other speculators. Lowrey became the owner of 107 traets. Upon many of these traets and upon those of other speculators, settlers were located, who had made improvements, but who held no warrants for the lands. Many of them were stuinmarily dispossessed of their squatter homes, and others were compelled to make terms with the spoeu- lators for occupancy. As a rule, the land jobbers were sustained by the law. The feeling against them ran very high. and considering the character of the frontiersmen with whom they had to deal, it is sur- prising that war did not result from the controversy other than that which was carried on in the courts. As it was, much ill feeling was engendered. and on one occasion at least bloodshed ensued .*

PRICES OF LAND AT DIFFERENT PERIODS.

In the " new purchase, " as the territory in North- western Pennsylvania released from Indian claim in 174 was called, the price set on lands from the 1st of May, 1755, to the 1st of March. 1789, was £30 ($80) per hundred acres; from the Ist of March, 1789. to the 3d of April, 1792. $20 (853.33}).

Lands in the " new purchase " lying north and west of the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers and Cone- wango Creek, from the 3d of April. 1792, to the 25th of March. 1813, were £7 10s. (§20) per 100 acres. Undrawn Donation Lands from the 1st of October, 1513, until the 25th of February, 1819. were $1.50 per aere, and upon the latter date were reduced to 50 cents per acre.

CHAPTER IV.

ADVENT OF THE WHITE MAN AS A SETTLER.

James Gluver Builds a Cabom in Adams-Other Early Adventureis- Few Settlements made prior to 1796-Pioneers in each of the pres- ent Townships of the County-Some Peculiar Features of the Settlement and Population-Nationalities-Scotch, Seoteh-Irish and Irish-The Later German Settlers-Early Settlement Retarded by Contested Land Title-The Farmers and Land Jobbers-A Shooting Affair of 1>15 and its Effect

BEGINNING OF SETTLEMENT.

THE first white man who is positively known to T have built a habitation within the present limits of Butler County was James Glover.f Ho was a

sturdy character. a blacksmith, and a Revolutionary soldier, who had, after the close of the great struggle for independence. found his way to Pittsburgh, where he had located and followed his trade. Glover was fond of hunting. and he relieved the monotony of la- bor in his little shop by making long expeditions into the wilderness in search of the larger varieties of game and wild animals, such as deer and bear. which at that time abounded. In one of these hunting tours, he outered the region now known as Butler County, then an unbroken forest. and as wild a soli- tude as could be found in Western Pennsylvania. He discovered a deer lick in what is now Adams Township, and. in the fall of 1792. he built a cabin near it. which he continued to occupy, though with some intermissions, until the settlement of the country began, a few years later. His object was almost solely that of hunting. He saw frequently as many as forty deer como at a time to the lick, and no doubt this solitary pioneer sportsman gloried in the acqui- sition of many trophies of his skill as a marksman. He was never molested or annoyed by the Indians, and passed as peaceful and pleasant a life in his lonely quarters as was possible. In 1795, he cleared a little land around his primitive hunting lodge, and, in 1796, entered 400 aeres of land (including the farms now owned by Samuel J. Marshall and the heirs of William H. Gilleland), and built a log cabin. which was more substantial than the first, and in- tended to be a permanent habitation. He was obliged to go fourteen miles toward Pittsburgh to get neigh- bors to assist him in building.

Iu 1790, a party of young men from the vicinity of Greensburg. Westmoreland County. went on a hunting and exploring expedition, which eventually took two of them into what is now Worth Township. Arriving at Logan's Ferry, on the Allegheny, between Pittsburgh and the site of Freeport. they heard ro- ports of Indian depredations in the country to the north ward, which indneed alt but the two to whom we have alluded -- David Studebaker and Abraham Schneider -- to turn back. The reports were of course without foundation. for there were no whites north of the river on whom the Indians could wreak their hatred, even had they been possessed of it. The young men mentioned pushed on through the forest. encamped at night near the site of Butler borough,

. See the succeediog chapter for a further account of the effect on the set- tlement and improvement of the country of this contested ownership of the soil; also for an incident of Butler County's early history, illustrating the intensity of ill-feeling which existed between the settlers and speculators

+ James Glover was of Holland Dutch descent; was born in Essex county> N J, where be lived until the breaking out of the Revolutionary war. At that time, being of suitable age, and patriotically disposed, he enlisted in the colonial army. He served his first term of duty in the New Jersey line, and, on its expiration, enlisted in the Pennsylvania line, the expiration of his former term of service finding him in this State or colony. He served until the close of the war; was at the battle of Princeton, at Germantown, with Washington crossing the Delaware, and was one of the soldiers who passed the memorable and terrible winter at Valley Forge. He was a very skillful blacksmith, and was engaged much of the time as an armorer. His pure patriotism was attested by the fact that he was among those who steadfastly refused to draw pay from the Government for services rendered. After the close of the war, he went with his wife to l'ittsburgh, and there followed his trade. His shop was upon Diamond alley, between Market and Wood streets. After a few years, he purchased a

farmi on the north side of the Allegheny River, and took up his residence upon it. This farmu is now in the heart of Allegheny City, And some of the finest bnikdl- ings of the busy town stand upon the ground where Glover followed agricultural pursuits. He lived to see the city built up, but realized very little from it pech- niarily. Shortly after the close of the war of 1812, he leased the firm in per- petuity for $75 per year, and that amount is now received annually by some of his heirs, ono city lot paying the rental. Thi, lease of Glover's, and one or two others, operated to bring about prohibitory legislation in the State of Penn- sylvanin, so that leasing in perpetuity is now an impossibility. Mr. Glover died on the place where he settled, in Adams Township, in September, 1x44, agod ninety-one years. His family consisted of two daughters-Mary and Nancy. Mary married the Rev Daniel McLean, for many years a resident of Crawford County ; and Nancy married Barnet Gilleland in 1802, who, with his father, set- tled in Butler County, at the locality now known as Buhl's Mill, in 1796.

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

and the next day, traveled as far north as Worth Township, and met a band of Indians, who acted very friendly toward them, and conducted them to their camping-place, about a mile and a half north of the site of Mechaniesburg. They soon after returned to their homes in Westmoreland, but subsequently re- turned, built a cabin where George Armstrong now lives, and occupied it from September to Christmas, 1793, a sister of David Studebaker's coming with them to keep house .*

Peter MeKinney, who had been a Revolutionary soldier, and afterward became quite a noted hunter, has always been claimed by his family to have located in Butler County in 1792. The seene of his " squat- ter" improvement was in that part of Old Conno- quenessing now inelnded in the limits of Forward. t One of his children is said to have been born there in 1792. MeKinney became the founder of Petersville-

A number of other hunters, explorers, land-seek- ers and " squatters" were in the county during the years from 1790 to 1796.

There are, however, few well-authenticated in- stances of settlement in the county prior to 1796, in which year those who desired to take up lands north- east of the Allegheny first had perfeet assurance of safety from Indian molestation. We think, however, that, by the elose of 1796, or at least the end of the following year, settlers were to be found within the areas included in every one of the present townships of the county. The settlement was certainly quite rapid. The definite dates of the arrival of the first pioneers in each of the present subdivisions of the county have not all been preserved, but, in the list which we here present, they are stated in all cases of whieli we feel a reasonable certainty of their correct- ness. Where they do not occur. it may safely be in- ferred that the date was prior to 1800. The list pre- sents only a general view of the settlement of the county, and reference should be had to the supplement- ary chapters upon the townships for extended accounts.

FIRST SETTLERS IN THE SEVERAL TOWNSHIPS.

Buffalo - George Bell, Robert Elliott, 1796; Ben- jamin Sarver, Joseph Simmers, John Harbison. Rob- ert Carson, Thomas Fleming.

Clinton-Patrick Harvey was the first settler here, as well as the pioneer of Old Buffalo. He selected his land in 1793. cleared a small portion in 1794, and brought his family to the location in 1795. George Stineheomb and George Plants settled in 1796. Thomas Watson, Revolutionry soldier. settled in 1797.

Middlesex-George Hays, 1793: James Harbison, James Hall, William Hultz. " squatters" of 1793;

Matthew Wigfield, 1796; James Parks, Joseph Flick, James Fulton, Samuel Rippy, Joseph and Thomas Logan.

Adams -James GHover, James Irvine, 1796; Adam Johnston, Robert MeCandless, William Criswell, Timothy Ward, Moses Meeker, Joshua Stoolfier, Will. iam Rosebrough.

Cranberry-Benjamin Johnson, Samuel Duncan, Alex Ramsey, 1796 : Matthew Graham, Benjamin Garvin, 1797.

Winfield-Jeremiah Smith, 1796; Andrew Cruik- shank, 1798; Thomas Harter, William Hazlett, JJacob Harshman,

Jefferson -- Patrick Graham, 1796: Andrew Stra- wig, Benjamin Thomas, William Wright.

Penn-Clark Rathbun, 1796; Robert Brown, 1797; John Rankin, 1805; John Maharry. Thomas Logan, 1804; Thomas Bartley.

Forward -Peter Mckinney, 1792; Barnett Gille- land. Joseph Ash, John McCollum, Adam Brown.

Jackson -- James Magee, 1797: William and Micha- el Martin, Thomas Wilson; Detmar Basse, founderof Zelionople, 1502; George Rapp, 1804, founded Har. mony in 1805.

Clearfield-Patrick McBride, James Denny.

Summit-James McCurdy, James Mitchell, Will- iam Scott and his sons, Robert. David and George.

Butler James McKee, John Pierce, William Kearns and his sister, Jane Kearns, 1796 or 1797; Abraham Fryor, John Morrow.

Connoquenessing-John Ekin, 1796: Scoteh set- tlers of 1796 -- five or six families of Grahams, the MeLeods. MeDonalds and others ; early German- American settlers-the Beighle and Muhleisen fami- lies.

Lancaster - -. Scholar; Henry Beighle, 1796; John Morrison. Henry Baumgartner, Samuel Stew- art: the Martin family, 1801.

Donegal-James Hemphill. followed by several families of the same name; Charles Duffy, Jolin Gil- espie, Moses Hanten. 1796; Daniel Slator. Peter Me Keever. 1798.

Oakland-John Neyman, 1797: Franeis Whitmire, Cornell O'Donnell

Center-This township was quite fully settled in 1796. A large number of young men came in from Allegheny. Westmoreland and Juniata Counties. among the earliest being William and David Me- Junkfu. John. Robert. George. James and two Will iam MeCandlesses, Anthony. James and Moses Thompson, and also Matthew, James and John Thompson, of another family.

Franklin-Stephen Crawford. Jesse Nash, Elia. kim Anderson, William Dodds, Charles Sullivan and John Thompson, all about 1796.

See chapter on Worth Township for a more detailed statement. t see chapter on Connoquenessing Township.

HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Muddy Creek -- Robert Stewart, 1796 ; Thomas Brandon: Thomas Humphrey. 1798.

Fairview-Samuel Wallace, 1795: Joseph Smith. 1796: also John Craig. William Wilson, Paul Mc. Dermott, and six families of Barnharts, about the same time.

Concord-Edward Graham, George Meals, 1796; Samuel Meals (father of George) and other members of the family. Robert Campbell. James Cumberland, William and Andrew Christy, 1797; Hugh Conway. 1798: David Harper, 1800,

Clay-James Russell, 1797; John Adams, Chris- topher MeMichael, James MeJunkin, Judge Samuel Findley, Hugh and William Wasson, 1795: Joseph, John. James, William and Samuel Glenn, about 1799.

Brady -- Luke Covert, James Campbell, Bartol Loffer, Daniel MeDavitt, James I. Hoge, 1797; John MeClymonds, Edward Douglass, 1798.

Worth-David Studebaker, Benjamin Jack. James, John and William McNees. brothers; Thomas Hum- phrey. Charles Martin, Charles Coulter, William El- liott. David Armstrong, Jacob and John Pisor, Henry Stinetorf, William McConnell, Jonathan Kelley, all probably prior to 1797.

Parker -- John Parker, John Martin. George and Phillip Danbenspeck. Archibald Kelley. 1796; Hugh Gibson. 1797.

Washington -John Shira, spring of 1798; Jacob Hilliard, about 179S: John Christy and William Wilson, 1798; John Christy, uncle of the above, 1799.

Cherry- - Benediet Grossman, Robert Black, Rob- ert McCallen, 1797; Andrew Stewart, Michael Ste- venson, 1795; Samuel, David, James, John and Caleb Russell, about 1800.

Slippery Rock Adam Funk. James Shields, 1798; Zebulon and Nathaniel Cooper, Philip Snyder, Henry Woolford.

Allegheny-Jolm Lowrie, 1796; John Crawford. 1797: John Redick. James Anderson, Levi Gibson, John Rosenberry.

Venango- Samuel Sloan, Thomas Jolly, Peter J. Coulter, Robert Cunningham, about 1796; Hugh Murrin, Michael Kelley.

Marion Samnel MeMurry. John Black. Robert Atwell. Robert Waddle, Robert Seaton, all about 1800.

Mercer -- Robert Reed, John Welsh. Ebenezer Beatty and Ebenezer Brown, all about 1797.

NATIONALITIES OF THE PEOPLE.

There are some peculiar features in the settlement and population of Butler County, which may be briefly noted.

immigrants from the counties of Southwestern Penn- sylvania or " from beyond the mountains." Some, of course, came from other States, and some directly from Europe. The settlers of the mingled bloods we have mentioned distributed themselves quite evenly throughout the county, but there were a few localities in which one of the nationalities prevailed during the early days to the almost entire exclusion of the others. Thus Donegal, as the name would suggest, was purely an Irish community, while Con - noquenessing was the scene of a settlement made up so exclusively of Scotch settlers as to receive the name- not formally bestowed, but still universally used-of " Scotland." This pure Scotch settlement, made in 1796, occupied the lands between the Big and Little Connoquenessing Creeks, and extended southward into what is now Forward Township.

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History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 6

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, Waterman, Watkins & Co. Number of Pages: 638

Author: Waterman, Watkins & Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Waterman, Watkins & Co.
Number of Pages: 638