USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 61
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This family experienced fully all the difficulties and hardships incident to pioneers. For several years, all the grain not ground by the hand-mill had to be carried on paek-horses forty miles, through the woods, to the old Robbins Mill, on the Youghiogheny River to he ground. When a mill was established at Butler it proved a great blessing to the settlers. Mrs. Brown was a lady of remarkable fortitude. ca- pable of withstanding all the trials of her position and rearing properly her large family of children. She died in 1850.
('lark Rathbun moved from New England to Penn- sylvania, and engaged in milling at the forks of the Youghiogheny River, above Elizabethtown. Previous to 1797. ho purchased a tract of land now in the southwestern part of Penn Township, erected a cabin and brought hither two members of his family, his son Thomas and his daughter Ruth, Leaving them upon the place to keep possession, he returned to Al- legheny County to attend to his business of milling at Robbins', Mill, during the winter. Ruth (after- ward Mrs. Robert Brown) was then thirteen years old, and Thomas a year or two older. After a short stay here, Thomas became weary of living in the woods, and desired to return to his father's and at. tend school. The plan was talked over, and Ruth consented to it. Accordingly, he returned to his Former home, and Ruth kept house alone for three months, her only company being a large, faithful dog. The nearest neighbor lived two miles from the eabin. The house was secure against wild beasts, and she had no fear of robbers. But who can fail to wonder at the magnanimons courage and self-sacri- fiee shown by this child? Wolves howled about her dwelling at night and all of her surroundings were of the wildest character conceivable. The following season, the Rathbuns took up their abode on the place, lived and labored here a few years, then near. ly all of the family went to Ohio, where they settled in the vicinity of Columbus. The sons were Thomas, Amos, Clark, John, Joseph and Stephen. The daugh-
J. D. ANDERSON.
MARY A. ANDERSON.
HARVEY OSBORN.
MRS. HARVEY OSBORN,
****
RESIDENCE OF D. A. RENFREW,
PENN, BUTLER CO., PA
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
ters, Ruth, Abigail (Hunt) and Mrs. Jenkins. John became a physician and a Methodist preacher. Ste- phen was also a minister of the same denomination. Joseph was a merchant, and Thomas a wealthy farm- er. Clark and Amos died young.
After the departure of the Rathbun family, George Boyd took up and occupied the farm. He was a farmer and a chair-maker. His brother James, also an early settler, was a blacksmith, and established a shop in the same neighborhood. James. a son of George, died in 1832, in Forward Township.
Another Brown family, but not related to the one above mentioned, settled on the farm north of the Na- than Brown place later. The father was Adam Brown, who became a prominent farmer, He came here from Cumberland County. His sons were John, Adam, Joseph and Thomas Ray. Of these, all except the youngest settled in Butler County, where many of their descendants still live. Thomas R. Brown, still living, settled in Allegheny City, and was a phy- sician and druggist. Joseph, of Forward Township, is still living, being now over eighty years of age. He is the father of A. M. Brown, one of the leading members of the Allegheny County bar. The daugh- ters of Adam Brown were Elizabeth, Matilda and Margaret. A. G. Brown and Joseph, sons of Adam Brown, and grandsons of Adam Brown, Sr., are now residents of Penn Township. The old log house built by their grandfather, in its day considered one of the finest in the country, is still standing, though in a dilapidated condition; also an old English cherry tree, the seed of which was brought from cast of the mountains.
John Rankin. a native of Ireland and a Revolu- fionary soldier, came to this township about 1805, moving from the State of Maryland. He made the first improvements on the place now occupied by his grandsons and lived to a ripe old age. After him his son Simon lived upon the place, and died, in 1879, at the age of eighty-one years. His sons, Il. and S. J. Rankin, are the only survivors of the family.
John Dodds, a native of Ireland, came from Cum- berland County to Butler County about the year 1808, and settled in Penn Township, near the present village of Brownsdale. He moved thence to Whites- town, but returned again to this township, took up and improved the farm on which his son Adam now lives, and there ended his days. He was out three months in the war of 1812. He died in 1862. llis children were James, John, Joseph, Josiah, Jessie B., William and Adam. Jesse B. and Adam are the only survivors. Both reside in Penn Township. Jo- siah Dodds lived upon the place now occupied by his son John B.
John Dodds moved his goods to this county by
the then usual method- - had a horse harnessed between two poles, with upright stakes in the ends of them. The lower end of the poles dragged upon the ground. This arrangement was known as the " slide car," and upon it the load was stowed as best it could be and the horse made to drag it through the almost pathiess wild. He brought with him some English cherries, which he planted, and from these seeds the entire neighborhood came to be supplied with the fruit. He was a Justice of the Peace many years -a man of intelligence and fond of reading. The Pittsburgh Guzette-always pronounced "Gazit" by him- was his favorite newspaper.
John Maharg, long a well- known resident of Penn Township, was a native of Ireland and emigrated to this country abont the year 1801. After a few years' residence in Cumberland County, he located on the present John Martin place, in Forward Township, re moving thence to Penn, when its entire territory was little more than a wilderness. He died in 1971, at the remarkable age of one hundred and two years. lle was a man of great strength, both of mind and body, and retained until the very end of this life all his physi - cal and mental faculties. Shortly before his death, while conversing with some of his neighbors upon re- ligious subjects, some allusion was made to the early history of the Presbyterian Church, and thereupon Mr. Maharg related the names of overy minister who had ever preached in that church, giving frequently the texts as well as synopses of various discourses which he had held in memory for scores of years. He was a devoted adherent of the church, and ministers of the Gospel always received a hearty welcome at his house. During his later years, meetings were fre- quently held at his house, that he might listen to the Gospel which he so dearly loved. It is rare that men live to be centennarians, and rarer still that until the close of such a long life they retain full possession of all their faculties as Mr. Maharg did. Ho lived to see men who were born after he arrived at manhood, become old and die, and of most of the gray-haired associates of his later years, he could say he knew them when they were boys. It is frequently a matter of interest to us to study the changes wrought during a century, but how forcibly and vividly must they be impressed upon a mind that has lived through them all! Four of the children of John Maharg are still living, all residents of this county -- John. James, Eliza ( Miller) and Hannah (Kennedy).
It is said that one of the first wagons in Butler County was owned by John Maharg. If it were in existence to day, it would be a fit curiosity for a inu- seum. It was four-wheeled, and the wheels were made, not with spokes, hubs and felloos, but of a much more primitive pattern -they were simply
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
" cuts " sawed off a huge round log. Wooden lynch pins held them in place upon wooden axles; in short. not a particle of iron was used in the construction of the entire vehicle. Instead of grease, soft soap was used as a lubricant for the axles.
The present Erastus Logan farm is an interesting spot historically, as the fifth generation of Logans are now living upon it. Mr. Logan informs us that the farm, which is situated in what was formerly known as the Cunningham District, was purchased from the State in the year 1786. by a man named Edward Burd. who, in the year 1804, sold it to Thomas Logan and his wife, Agnes Logan, natives of Ireland, and the ancestors of the Logan family in this part of the country. In 1807. Thomas Logan soll the farm to his son. Joseph Logan, who. with his wife, Elizabeth, made it their home, and willed it to their son, Joseph. from whom Erastus inherited it. Joseph Logan, the father of Erastus, died in 1865, and his wife, Mar- garet, in 1863.
Among the first settlers of the eastern part of the township was Matthew Cunningham. He had 300 acres of land, which, at his death, was divided equal- ly among his six children. Four of them sold out their interests in the property to Hamilton and James. who settled, lived and died upon the home farm. Hamilton's children were Matthew Hamilton, Mary Jane, Nancy, James, Mitchell, Sarah, Robert and Ra chel. Three are living -Naney, JJames M. and Ra chel (Dunbar), all in this county.
James Cuningham died in 1863, at the age of seventy-nine. His children were as follows: Mat thew, Jefferson Township; Mary (Welsh), Jefferson Township; Jane, Penn Township; Nancy (Seaman). dead: Elizabeth (Hill), lowa: Robert, dead; James, Penu Township: Erastus H. and Robert W., dead: this family experienced fully all the privations and hard- ships of pioneer life.
Sociability and good feeling prevailed. Each settler was willing to take up his ax and help his neighbor or any new-comer whenever he saw the lat ter in need of his services. Let any man stand on a hill-top and shout to his nearest neighbor, "I'm going to have a log-rolling to-morrow come over," and the word would pass from one to another, till at the ap
pointed hour a large force of strong men would be colorted, some of them coming from miles away. Of course. vast amounts of whisky were consumed on these occasions, but we can learn of no serious results in consequence of its use. It was not "fighting whisky."
The settlement had made considerable progress before any vehicles whatever were in use. Pack- Thomas Bartley, born in Ireland, came to this county from Pittsburgh abont 1807, and settled on saddles were used to convey to market the few articles which the farmer had to sell and to bring back the . the farm where his son Joseph L. now lives. This few groceries he purchased. The routes of travel were but paths through the forest. When roads were first made. they were of little utility, as during a por- tion of the year the mind was hub-deep. They avoid- ed low lands and extended over the highest hills. little care being taken to avoid rough places or rocks. part of the township was then all in a state of nature. Mrs. B., having had no previous experience in pioneer life. was not acquainted with the inhabitants-the natives of these wilds. Had she beon, she would not have tried to induce a hungry-looking dog, which she saw prowling abont the cabin one day. to enter, that she might fame him. She held ont a stick with mush upon it. but the animal could not be coaxed hearer. When her husband returned in the evening. and she tokl him of the dog she had seen. he at once informed her that the dog was a wolf and not suscep -. tible of domestication.
Thomas Bartley died in 1859. at the age of eighty- tive. He roared a family of eight children, of whom all are living but two. viz .. David, deceased; Robert, Indiana County: John, Oakland Township; William, Butler: Thomas, deceased: Annabel, Butler; Abner and Joseph L., Penn Township.
A few years later, Robert Bartley. a brother of Thomas, settled in the southeastern part of Penn Township. Isaiah, of JJefferson Township, is the only one of his sons now living in the neighborhood.
An old settler tells the writer that while Bartley was running his distillery. the boys frequently gave him great annoyance and sometimes aronsed his an- ger. On one occasion. several of them succeeded in giving his family quite a scare. By some means. they had sneceeded in obtaining a live possum, and when the family, with several of the neighbors, who were visiting them, were seated at the supper table. the boys climbed quietly npon the roof of the house and dropped the possum down the chimney, square into the big fire place, where a good fire was blazing. The frightened animal rushed ont into the room and few madly around, his fur blazing and smoking. Consternation ensued: the women and the children screamed. and all were, to say the least, much astou- ishod. The boys were delighted at the success of their mischief and stole away to chuckle over it to their hearts' content.
Many of these Irish families were familiar with the arts of spinning and weaving, having learned them in the old country. Therefore, it was not a difficult matter to supply themselves with clothing, nsing as materials wool and flax. "Deer, " many old residents remark, " were then as plenty as sheep are
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
now." It was easy under these conditions to secure plenty of fresh meat whenever it was desired, and the hides of the deer, tanned, made good leather for shoes or for buckskin breeches. Sheep had to be carefully watched and strongly penned at night, or they would fall a prey to the wolves.
John Potts settled on the present Gibson farm, in the southwestern part of the township. early. and later disposed of the place to his brother James. The latter was quite a noted character and was espe- cially famous for thinking that everything that lim Potts said or did was a little better than anybody else could do. He had a large barn -- more space by far than he could fill with hay or grain; but to keep np appearance, he would build his mows up high at the front and sides, leaving the middle empty, so that a visitor on entering the building would receive the impression that Mr. Potts' harvest had been a rich one.
John Reese was an early settler on land lying be- tween the Dodds and Maharg farms. He had no children. He probably located here as early as 1508. He died in 1524, and his body reposes along with other pioneers in the old graveyard adjacent to the Middlesex Presbyterian Church.
Daniel Harper, about the year 1807, settled about one mile east of the plank road. His son JJoseph died upon the farm in 1873.
In 1816. Thomas Welsh settled in the eastern part of Penn Township. He came from Philadelphia where for years he had followed the trade of baker. He was totally nnacquainted with farming, and prob- ably had never seen a tree cut. But he entered upon the task before him with determined spirit and lived to see his labor rewarded. At the time he came, he purchased fifteen tracts of land, including a total of fifteen hundred acres, for which he paid $1 per acre. This land now is reckoned among the best in the county. It is situated in Penn and Jefferson Town- ships. Mr. Welsh sold several pieces to settlers, among which were the Logan. Harbison, Patrick and Joseph Graham farms and others. Thomas Welsh was the father of twelve children, eight of whom reached mature years. Four are still living, viz .. Thomas, Allegheny County: George, Jefferson Town- ship; Alexander, Penn Township: James, Allegheny City.
William Dixon settled on the farm now occupied by his oldest son, James, in 1819. He died in 1864. His family consisted of nine children. Three sons and four daughters are still living, but widely seat- tered. Dixon had been educated for the ministry of the Episcopal Church before he left Ireland, and after coming here he taught school, gave instruction in the catechism. ete. He acted as Justice of the
Peace several years. Mrs. Dixon was a model house- wife, faithful and industrious. When going to the store, she always carried her kuitting work. and walked and knit diligently all the way. It is stated . but not as a fact -- that she once dropped her ball of yarn, and never noticed her loss until she had un - raveled three miles of the thread. so busy was she with her work.
The first of the Suttons-a name now quite com mon in this part of the county --- was Jesse Sutton, a native of New Jersey, who settled on the present Cooper farm about 1820. A son, Jacob. lived on a part of the old homestead and died a few years ago, aged eighty-four. Isaac, another son, died on the old homestead, at the age of eighty-one. He was much respected as a citizen. He devoted much atten tion to bee-raising and fruit culture. The orchard, which he planted. is now the best in the township. He had no children. but continued to the day of his death planting trees for the benefit of those who live after him.
Edward W. Hays moved from Allegheny County and settled on the farm where he now lives as early as 1831. He reared four sons and six daughters, all of whom reached mature years. The sons and two of the danghters are still living. Alexander M. Hays, the only one of these children now living in Butler County that resided in Jefferson Township since 1868. Mr. Hays, in company with Arthur Me- Gill. once owned a stage ronte and carried the mail from Pittsburgh to Erie many years.
Adam Weber and his wife Verona (Vocht)-the latter still living -- were among the earliest German settlers in this township, having located here in 1831. Five of their sons are now living in the county. viz .. Samuel, in Forward Township; Peter, in the southern part of Butler; George and Adam, in Butler County, and John, upon the old farm where his father settied; George. in Clearfield County.
Thomas Robinson, Sr .. was of Scotch-Irish de. scent. He emigrated to this country in 1832, and after spending three years in Allegheny County, came to this county and purchased the eastern part of a tract of land known as the Dickson tract. The farm had about twenty acres cleared. Mr. Robinson spent his winters in clearing and his summers in cultivat ing. until he had a well-improved farm. He was a man of decided opinions. a Whig in politics, and in religion a Methodist. He died in 1563 at the age of eighty-two. His wife died in 1861. Their children were Abraham, Sarah (Runyan), Mary Ann and Thomas. Only Sarah and Thomas survive. The for- mer and her children -- nine in number-reside in Ne. braska. Thomas and his family are well known citi zens of Butler Borongh.
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
William Fisher moved from Berks County in 1831, and settled on the farm where his son Richard Fisher now lives. The place was then but slightly improved. Mr. Fisher was the father of nine children. Three are now living. viz., William, in Iowa; Franklin, Centre Township; Richard, Penn Township.
William C. Wallace came from Washington Coun- ty to Butler County and lived near Glade Mills about nine years, engaged in keeping hotel. In 1847, he located upon the farm in P'enn Township, where he now lives with his son William. His sons Moses and Thomas are practicing physicians in Pittsburgh.
Robert Stewart, now a resident of Penn Town- ship, came to this county when sixteen years of age, and has since resided in the county. He is now sev- enty-seven years of age, has never used tobacco or strong drinks and never rode on a railroad train. In 1850, he settled upon his present farm, in Penn Town- ship. For this land he paid $10 per acre. His son, R. W. Stewart, occupies the adjoining farm. John Stewart, father of Robert, was an early settler of Worth Township.
Robert Phillips came from Washington County to this county in 1845, and settled on the farm now occupied by his son, E. T. Phillips. He died in 1869. He was the father of fourteen children, of whom eight are living.
Harvey Osborn, one of the successful farmers of Penn Township, came from New Jersey to Allegheny County; thenee, in ISIS, to Butler County. He first located in Middlesex Township, and in 1867 on his present farm in the southern part of Penn Township.
Philip Miller and his son, H. C. Miller, moved from Allegheny County to Butler County, and settled in Penn Township, where H. C. Miller now resides, in 1855.
STOLEN SWEETS.
A few of the early settlers kept.bees, and among this few was William Logan. One summer day a young swarm left his hive, and instead of quietly alighting and allowing itself to be supplied with a hive, flew into the woods. The bees were followed, and it was found that they had taken up their abode in a tree on John Welsh's farm. As Welsh owned the tree and Logan the bees, the two agreed to al- low the svarm to pass the summer in their chosen re- treat, and in the fall they would share the honey equally. Of course all the boys in the two families knew the secret of the bee-tree, and the joint owners, fearing some mischief from this source, made many threats of summary vengeance npon any one who should be so rash as to meddle with the bees.
Welsh and Frank Bartley met by preconcerted ar- rangement, and determined to brave the wrath of the bee owners and fell the tree. They proceeded to the woods, and soon the silence of the night was broken by the sound of an ax wielded by skillful hands; then the tree fell with a crash almost suficient to waken the dead. The boys expected the proprietors of the bee colony to appear upon the scene immediate- ly, and were preparing to hasten away. But, waiting a few minutes and hearing no sounds of pursuit, they decided to secure the honey, of which there was a fine lot. flere they were in a quandary, for they had taken no tub or pails along. Meantime the honey was running to waste; what was to be done? "Wait," said George Welsh, "I'll get a tub," and he darted off through the woods, went to the house of his brother John, and speedily returned with a tub which he had borrowed without going through the formality of asking for it. In this vessel the honey was soon deposited, and then arose another question-where should it be hidden? At length it was decided that the Welsh boys should take it home and cover it up in the hay mow. This was done, and the plunderers went to their beds and slept quietly.
Soon after, it was discovered by George that his father's bees had filled their hives, and were build- ing comb and honey beneath them on the outside. Removing this deposit and adding some of the stolen treasure to it, he continued to supply the family with honey until all had been used. His father remarked that that honey seemed to hold out remarkably well, but he suspected nothing. Meantime, John Welsh and Logan were puzzling over the question as to what had become of their bees. Logan charged John with having cut down the tree and appropriating the honey. John was indignant at this unjust accusa- tion, for not only had bis treo been ent, but his tub had been taken, and could not be found. Charges and counter charges were made, until finally the two families ceased to be on speaking terms.
After the tub had been emptied it was carried back and loft near John's house. His wife found it and brought it in one day when George happened to be sitting there. His face was sharply scrutinized, but he told no tales, and was not suspected of having been concerned in the mischief. After the Logans learned that the Welshes had got their tub back again, they were more than ever convinced that it had not been stolen at all, and consequently the bitter feeling increased. Some time afterward, Mrs. John Welsh and Mrs. Logan chaneed to meet in Pittsburgh one day, greeted each other with kisses and friendly words, and from that time onward the families were
Time passed on, and the bee-tree became well- filled with honey. One night, George Welsh, Thomas ; on good terms. But the question, Who stole the
SIMEON NIXON.
John Nixon and family came from New Jersey to Butler County in 1812, and settled in Jackson Town- ship, on the farm now owned by Jacob Nixon. The children of John Nixon were Evans, William Elizabeth, Jehu, Jane, Daniel. Charles and Jesse. Evans Nixon remained in New Jersey. Jehu Nixon was well known as a great hunter and a faithful and jovial friend. He died a few years ago. Daniel and Jesse moved to Knox County, Ohio. The latter is still living. William Nixon, the second son of John Nixon, was born in Morristown, N. J .. March 4, 1797 ; came to this county with his parents and resided here until his death. March 24. 1881. His wife. Eunice, was born in New Jersey March 5, 1793, and died in Butler County, Penn., September 6, 1866. Simeon, the youngest of eight children of William and Eunice Nixon, was born in Butler County December 11, 1836. Two of his sis- ters are living- Nancy Nixon and Sarah Ann (Brown). Mr. Nixon received his education in the old log school- house of his district and at the Witherspoon Institute and Butler Academy. He spent his summers in farm- ing and his winters in teaching until Fort Sumter was fired upon when he left the position he then held as teacher in the town of Fairview and helped to raise a company of Butler County volunteers-Company HI, old Thirteenth-and served with it until the end of the term. He afterward enlisted soldiers for other regi- ments, and himself' enlisted for three years in Company G, Sixth United States Cavalry, in which he served as a non-eommissioned officer until the close of his term of enlistment.
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