USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > History of Butler County, Pennsylvania. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 63
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
Mr. Renfrew has devoted himself assiduously to his private business since becoming a resident of Butler, and he is a man who has won the esteem and respect of his associates. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ren- frew are consistent members of the Covananters Church. They have been the parents of children as follows: Samuel, who enlisted in 1862 in Company H, of the old Thirteenth (afterward the One Hundred and Second) Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was killed September 19, 1564, at the battle of Ope- mon Creek; Agnes, now Mrs. S. Millen; Elizabeth, now Mrs. E. Logan; John, a farmer in Penn; Robert, deceased; while David. Hannah A., Kezia. Melissa and Margaret remain at home.
James Kirkpatrick, grandfather of Mrs. Renfrew, was a Revolutionary soldier, and settled in Armstrong County before the removal of the Indians.
A fine view of Mr. Renfrew's residence appears elsewhere.
CHAPTER XXIX.
WINFIELD.
Beautiful Scenery-The Smith Family-Their Whip-saw and Hand- mill-Andrew Cruikshank's Journey-Wild Animals and Suakes -John Kennedy and the Indians-Winfield Furnace-Villages. Stores and Industries.
"THIS township is rich in natural scenery. It
would be difficult to find more picturesque bits of rural landscapes than can be seen along Rough Run. a stream which crosses the northern part of this township and flows eastward into Armstrong County. The valley of this water course is deeply graven. and its rocky banks rise abruptly, culminating in hilltops baek of which streteh traets of level country. Stop at old Winfield furnace and gaze np the valley. The silvery stream, eneompassed by bluffs which seem to attain almost to the dimensions of mountains, threads its winding way around rocky barriers and dashes over its stony bed with musical murmur. or glides noiselessly in smooth shallows. Close to you a wild ravine from the southward comes down and merges itself with the deeper valley of the creek. Here and there elumps of stunted evergreens mingle their sombre
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
tints with the rich verdure of the forest extending along ir west bank of the stream. On the right you see mall groen fields adorning the fertile hillside, and farther away farms and farmhouses reliove the scene of some of its natural wildness. Several small streams, each of which follows a wild and deeply marked channel, enter Rough Run. both from the north and the south, in its way across the township. The entire locality abounds in pleasing features that cannot fail to attract the attention to the lover of natural beauty.
!
Coruplanter Run is another of the small streams of this township which are conspicuous for their rude beauty. I dows eastward in Armstrong County. Not far from its source arises another stream. which puisttes a sontherly course and enters the Little Buf. falo in Buffalo Township. Both of these streams arise a little south of the center of Winfield Town- ship. The Little Buffalo takes its rise in Jefferson, and flows southward along the line of the railroad, its valley growing constantly deoper and its banks higher and more rugged as the stream advances. So many streams render the surface of a large part of the town-hip very uneven. 'Tracts in the central and southeastern parts of Winfield are either smooth or gently rolling. In the vicinity of Leisuresville, there are a number of hills, some isolated with broad, monud like summits: others united, forming ridges.
The soil varies, but clay and clayey loam of aver- oge strength and fertility predominate. In the northern part of the waship some portions are -andy. The elevated land is generally a light. fine -oil, underlaid by slaty shale, which frequently ap proaches very near to the surface. The deep valleys of the water courses are usually thickly strewn with fragments of sandstone. This stone is easily worked. and makes excellent material for bnikling purposes. On Rough Run, limestone and iron ore are found in large quantities. Coal has also been mined lure to some estent. At Winfield Furnace. Donny's Mills and Saxonburg Station are gas wells, found while boring for oil, which are apparently inexhaustible.
Winfield Township contains no villages of impor- tance: Delano and Saxonburg Station. both of which have sprang up since the railroad was built, are the only places which are entitled to the rank of villages.
The township has a small population. which is largely German. In the northeastern corner are a number of families of Irish Catholics, most of whom were among the later settlers. Here, as in most of the southern townships of the county, the early pio- neers were Scotch-Irish Protestants.
Winfield Township was formed from portions of Baffalo and Clearfieldl Townships, Clearfield is ou the north of it: Buffalo, south: Armstrong County. rast, and Jefferson, west.
PIONEER HISTORY.
The beautiful lands lying in the southern and southeastern parts of the township first attracted the attention of settlers and hither came, in the year 1796, a family by the name of Smith. They found all of the higher ground covered with glades, in which stood saplings of a few years' growth.
Jeremiah Smith was a native of Ireland, who, in the year 1792. emigrated to America from County Down. bringing a family composed mostly of full- growu boys and girls. In 1996, ho established him- self in a cabin on the farm now owned by d. E. Roed, and for the remainder of his days sought to subdue the wilderness and make it fertile. Two years later. other settlers located around him, and the work of making farms went forward without interruption.
Four of Smith's sons, namely, Jeremiah, Arthur, Hugh and Robert, wore nearly, or quite, men grown when the family moved to this county, and soon took up and began improving farms for themselves. His oldest son. James, did not come here. but lived in Philadelphia. Andrew, the youngest, remained at home with his father. He had also two daughters, Naney and Sarah. Nancy married Caleb Jones, and Sarah became the wife of Charles Bonner, who is said to have been the first millwright in this county. Jeremiah, Jr .. settled in the northern part of the township, and. with his brother-in law. Jones, erected the first grist-mill in the township. where Denny's Mill now stands. The other sons settled in the neighborhood of their father. Robert Smith, son of High Smith. still resides bore. His father was a war of IS12 soldier.
The Smiths were good types of the average pio- never settlers. Good- natured, jovial and social, they had in addition the more substantial qualities of hon- osty and industry. They were also ingemous and skillful in the use of tools. High Smith was the first cooper, and for some years the only one in his neighborhood. Others of the family wore carpenters. and their services were of great value to their neigh. bors. The Smiths owned a " whip-saw." and their houses, as well as some of the cabins of their neigh- bors, wore floored with real boards, a Insury which few pioneer dwellings could boast. As the whip-saw is a thing unknown to the present generation, the method of its use deserves explanation. It was merely a long saw, with handles at each end, and in looks not much unlike an old-fashioned cross-ent saw. In order to use it the saw-log had to be placed high enough to allow a man to stand beneath it. This ac- complished. and the log securety placed. one of the men who was to engineer the saw mounted the log, while his assistant stood beneath and worked the other end of the saw. Guided by chatk-marks, made
PATRICK GRAHAM.
MRS. PATRICK GRAHAM.
THOMAS WATSON.
MRS. THOMAS WATSON.
275
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
with a chalk-line both on the upper and under sides of the log. they proceeded with their work, and boards were slowly and laboriously produced.
This family also owned a hand-mill, which was frequently serviceable when dry weather prevented grist-mills from running, or when the settlers were too busy to mount on horseback and take their grist to mill. This hand-mill consisted of an upper and a nether mill-stone, grooved and furrowed like other mill-stones. The upper stone had a hole through it, and was fastened upon an axle attached to the lower stone. It was turned by grasping lovers or arms. one after the other, with the right hand, the operator meanwhile feeding kernels of corn with his left. 15 one would naturally suppose, this mill ground slowly. but not " exceeding fine.'
William Moorhead, born in this township in 1801. now resides in Freeport. His father, David Moor head, of Seotch-Irish descent. settled in Franklin County, whence he emigrated to this county and set- tled in 1797. Names of his children: Mary. Sally. Hannah, Mattie, Ann, David. John. James and Will iam. The father, David Moorhead, brought to this county one of the first big wagons ever used here.
Andrew Cruikshank was one of the next arrivals. He was a Scotch-Irishman. who emigrated to this country previous to the Revolutionary war. He served over seven years in the patriot army under C'apt. Miller, and after the close of the war was one of the soldiers stationed in Westmoreland County to keep down Indian outbreaks. After peace had been secured. he was engaged for several years in teaming, bringing goods from Philadelphia to the new settlements in Westmoreland. In 1795, he came to this township with his sons and creeted a good log house, then re- turned for his family. They journeyed from Greens- burg with a four-horse wagon, and assisted by a few Freeport settlers cut their way through as far as the Big Buffalo. Crossing this stream, they continued their way, the Smiths and others of the few settlers then in this neighborhood helping them to make a road. No one but the most daring wagoner would have ever thought it possible to get a team and a load of goods over the route which they followed. But in due time they arrived in safety, and established them- seives in their new home. The house was without a floor, and a stick and mud chimney stood at the end of it. The family consisted of Mr. Cruikshank and his wife and three children. John. Andrew and Sarah, the youngest being at this time abont eleven years of age. In due time the house was comfortably fitted up (Smith's whip-saw supplying some boards for floor, etc. ), and the family entered upon the work before them with zeal.
Anchew Crnikshank raised the first barn of any size
in the neighborhood. It was of hewed logs, about aby 30 feet, with a clapboard roof. The work of raising it occupied three days. Settlers from nine miles around were present and assisted. The raising was conducted in the usual manner-skids were laid, and men with ropes drew the logs upon the structure, while others stood below and lifted with forked poles. For want of sufficient help. one end of a log was first drawn into position and fastened, then the crew pro ceeded to the other end and continued their work.
Andrew Crnikshank died during the war of IS12. on the very day when his son Andrew was to enter the service, having been drafted. In consequence of this affliction, and because his father had served his country so long. the son was not compelled to join the army. Of the children of this pioneer. John set- tled in Armstrong County. Sarah married Charles Foreman and settled first in Westmoreland County. then in Armstrong County. Andrew remained and died on the old homestead. He reared ten children. of whom six are still living, viz., William. the oldest resident of Winfield Township, born in 1510. and living on the old farm: Doreas ( Bruner), Armstrong County; John, Winfield; David, Missouri; Martha ( Bruner), Armstrong County, and Samuel. Middlesex.
Thomas Horton settled near the Little Buffalo, in the eastern part of the township. about the year ES00. His son William was well-known as a miller and a local Methodist preacher.
Michael and Jolm Fair lived on the J. P. Bricker farm early, but moved away.
William Hazlett and his sons William. John. Reuben and David were among the first settlers, and lived on the Henry Fox farm. John kept the old homestead. Renben learned blacksmithing and worked at it many years. David went to Ohio. Will- iam settled on Rough Run. and owned the land on which the Winfield Furnace is situated. He was a noted hunter and captured many a deer and bear. It is related of him that he once treed a bear, then dispor ered he had no more bullets. In this emergency. he clapped his ramrod into his rifle-barrel. fired and brought down his prey.
It was customary with deer hunters to creet a scaffold in a tree, then select a suitable spot of ground. sprinkle some salt over it. then climb into the tree and await the appearance of door, which came to liek up the salt. This method was generally very effectual. When a sufficient member of deer had found their way to the salt. the hunter from his hiding-place began picking them off with his ritle. The numerous glades were much in the hunter's favor.
Jacob Harshman, a German, was an early settler on the farm now owned by Peter Kennedy. He died unite early and left no sons. He hal several daugh
276
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
ters, who married and settled in this vieinity. None of them are now living.
Matthias Cypher, another German, settled in the northwestern part of this township. His son William passed his life upon the place.
John Kennedy, an Irishman, and a well known schoolmaster in early days, emigrated from this coun- ty to Virginia, and was among the first settlers. He was wounded in the Revolutionary war. His son James B. settled and died in this township. James was in the war of 1812, and four of his sons were in the late war. Ilis son Peter li, es in the neighbor- hood of the place where the grandfather settled.
Harshman and Kennedy were annoyed by stroll- ing Indians, who attempted to steal their sheep and cattle. One night Kennedy suspected the Indians were about, and, looking carefully around, finally espied some dusky forms crouching on the roof of his stable, where they were doubtless awaiting a favor- able opportunity for stealing sheep. He was rash enough to take his gun and fire at them. The Indians ran away and fortunately no trouble resulted.
Samuel Cooper came to this county when a young man, and lived with his step-father, Robert Johnson. At the age of twenty-eight, he married and settled in Winfield He raised a family of four sons and four daughters, all of whom are now living, located as fol- lows: John and Robert, Winfield Township; William, Armstrong County; Jane (Sosse), Wintield; Anne (Ellet), Tarentum; Elizabeth and Margaret (Plantz), Winfield, and Samuel, Armstrong County.
Arthur Hill, an Irishman, came to America in 1812, taught school at MeKeesport three years, then came to this county and settled in the eastern part of Winfield Township. He moved to Freeport and died there, aged ninety-two.
Robert Galbreath, of Scottish deseent, was one of the earliest settlers of the southeastern corner of this township. He was a Justice of the Peace in early times. It is stated that when he arrived in this town- ship with his family. it was winter time, and. putting up a rude shelter of poles and bark, the family lived in that until a log house could be built. The sons of Robert Galbreath were Samuel, William, Robert and Joseph, all of whom are dead; his daughters were Mary, Margaret, Rebecca. Jane and Elizabeth (Me- Kean). Freeportis the only survivor. William and Joseph lived on the homestead after their father. Mrs. Joseph Galbreath and three of her nine surviv- ing children still reside in Winfield. Joseph died in 1878, aged seventy years. There were ten children in his family. The three who reside in this township are James H .. Samuel W. and Mary J. (Todd).
About 1815, William Hetsilgeser moved from Westmoreland County and settled the farm where his
son Robert now lives. He was the father of ten chil- dren, of whom six survive-John G., Robert and William, Winfield Township: Nancy (Bricker), Buf- falo: Sarah (Keener), Armstrong County, and Eliza- beth (Bricker), Iowa.
Before the farm was settled by the Hetsilgeser family, a man by the name of Clugston and his two sons had occupied it. Mrs. Clugston had the reputa- tion of possessing a very warlike temperament, and the old man, in consequence of domestie infelicity, left for parts unknown, and was never heard of after- ward.
David Moorhead was a pioneer of the eastern part of the township. His sons James and John lived on the farm a number of years.
Thomas Biekett, one of the few pioneers who are still living, came from Ireland to Butler County in 1823, and. after working in various parts of this State, settled upon his present farm in 1828. He bought his land, 200 aeres, in 1824 or 1825, at a Commissioner's sale. The land was sold because of non-payment of taxes, and Mr. Biekett bid it in for $30. His first year's tax upon the property was 99 cents. After coming here, Mr. Bickett married Nancy Hill. Two children by this marriage still reside in Winfield-William, on the homestead, and Mrs. Mar- garet Young.
Mr. Biekett says this was a wretched-looking re- gion when he first saw it. The little elearings of the few settlers then in the township were formed after the most primitive methods. Plows were in use, manufactured by the farmer himself, from wood, with the addition of a little iron obtained from some neighboring blacksmith. Such a plow would make a scratch in the earth, but as for turning a furrow, that was impossible. Forks, that were almost as much as a man could lift without any load upon them, were used in handling manure and hay. Soon after he had set about making a home in this uninviting wild, Mr. Bickett was bitten by a rattlesnake one evening as he was crossing Cornplanter Run on his way from his farm to the eabin where his wife was staying. The snake bit through his thick pants of tow-eloth and through a thick wool en sock deep into the tlesh above his ankle. On reaching home, he drank a large quantity of new milk, which prevented injurious re- suits, but he endured exerneiating pain for some time.
Black and yellow rattlesnakes, eopper-heads, black racers and other kind of snakes were very abundant among the rocks along Cornplanter Run, and. in fact, on the lowlands in all parts of the township. While mowing, the settlers frequently wrapped quan- tities of hay around their legs to prevent being bitten.
Mr. Bickett raised his house in the spring of 1828. It is still standing, though no longer used as
THOMAS BICKETT.
Thomas Bickett. one of the few surviving pio- neers of Butler County, was born in County Antrim. Ireland. in the year 1801, and is the son of Matthew and Jane Bickett, who had nine children-Mary. Hle- Jena, Jane, Henrietta. Thomas, Eliza, Matthew. Marga- ret and William, who is the third child from the eklest. Three members of this family survive-Thomas (the subject of this sketch), Matthew (a farmer in Clinton Township). and Margaret. a widow. now residing in Illi- nois). Mary and Jane died in Ireland, but the other members of this family came to this country. Mrs. Jane Bickett died in Ireland in 1809, and her husband died in Butler County in 18H at the age of eighty-four years. Thomas Bickett came to America in 1823. accompanied by his father, his brother and two sisters. and the same year visited Butler County. On his trip to this county he walked in company with his brother- in-law from a place ten miles cast of Greensburg, West moreland County, one Sunday, to the home of his sister in Butler County. a distance of fifty miles. Throughout this journey they were without food, having asked for it only at Greensburg and New Salem. the people refus- ing to give them anything to eat because they were traveling on the Sabbath ! When he arrived here, Mr. Bickett thought a very short residence in this county would satisfy him, as the whole country appeared wild and desolate. But he found that the people. though poor. were not without religious privileges. There was then a Presbyterian Church at Slate Lick, of which Rev. John Redick was pastor for many years. Hle dis. covered other pleasant features in pioneer life and con cluded that this region was far preferable to Ireland as a home for poor people. He found employment on the canal and in the trade of stone-masonry until the fall of
1829. when he settled on the farm of 200 acres, where he still resides. This land Mr. Biekett had previously bought at Commissioners' sale for 830. He at once entered upon the difficult task of clearing his land and bringing it under cultivation. By hard and persistent toil and rigid economy, he succeeded in this undertaking. and the land which he obtained so cheaply is now worth $50 per acre. The farin is highly improved. the build- ings are good, and Mr. Bickett. in the fullness of years. has the satisfaction of knowing that this beautiful and pleasant home has been carned by the work of his own hands. Mr. Bickett is a man who has hosts of friends His agreeable social qualities and interesting conversa tional powers are so well known as to require Ho com- ment. He has been a member of the Presbyterian Church for many years having joined it soon after n came to this county, and he now holds the office of Elder. April 17. 1525, he married Nancy Hill. danghi ter of Esquire James and Maria Hill, of Armstrong County The fruit of this union was five children. of whom two are living Margaret and William. The former is the wife of John Young of Winfield Town ship. William married Mary M. daughter of Andrew and Dorothea MeCaslin of Armstrong Coun'y ant resides upon the old homestead He was in the service during the war for ume mon he as & volunteer of Cell pany D One Hundred and Thir's seventh Pommes vania Regiment. and participated in seven engagements among them the battles of Bull Run and Antietam Mr. Bickett's first wife died in 1-37 at the age of thirty six. In Is3s, he married Miss Satia Tremble, who bore him three children Matthew. Nancy and Mary. Mat thew died in infancy. Nancy. Mary and their mother all died within the short period of one week.
277
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
a dwelling. As he recalls the names of many who were present at the raising, it may be of interest to some of our readers to mention them in this connec- tion. Among others were John and Mac Moorhead, James Ralston, Robert Graham, Arthur Hill, William and David Ralston, Andrew Cruikshank and James Smith.
In 1827, Abraham Leasure, a Revolutionary sol- dier, settled in the southeastern part of this township, and made the first improvement on the farm where his son William now lives. He died in the ninety first year of his age. Abraham, his oldest son, lives in Buffalo Township near the old homestead.
Very few families had settled in this township previous to 1830. The ten years following that date brought a large number of Germans, and their dili- gent industry speedily wrought a great change, de- veloping the agricultural resources of the township and carrying forward the work of improvement until many fine farms now occupy what was formerly waste land. The Germans introduced a peculiar fashion of making houses, which are something about half way between a log house and a frame building. Upright posts are set two or three feet apart; a groove is made on the inside of each post, and into it is fitted a stick of sufficient length to extend from one post to the other. Then clay mortar is placed in a layer upon it; another stick is laid, and another layer of mortar, and so on until the walls are completed. The mortar is then smoothed, and when dried the walls become quite substantial. There are a number of houses of this description in this township. Probably the first was that built by Henry Sasse, on the Fruhling place, about 1834.
Augustus Acre settled in Winfield Township in 1836, with his father, Joseph Acre, who died in 1837. Augustus bought the farm he now occupies in 1849, paying for it $5.50 per acre.
Casper Fruhling came from Germany to Arm- strong County in 1846, and a year later settled in Winfield. He has lived on the farm he now occupies since 1861.
John P. Bricker came to this connty in 1852, from Armstrong County, and, in 1854, settled on the farm where he now lives. Mr. Bricker is serving his fourth term as Justice of the Peace.
F. W. Witte settled in this township in 1856, with his father, William Witte, and, in 1868, on his present farm.
Francis Jackman and his wife Elizabeth emigrated from France to Pennsylvania in 1832, and settled near Delano Station, where Mr. Jackman still resides. Mrs. Jackman died in 1880. Their four children who came with them from France are now located as follows: Susan; Christopher, Minnesota; Augustus, ;
Summit Township; Rosa (Cassilly), Louisville, Ky.
Casper Harding and his wife Catharine, newly ar. rived from Germany, settled here in 1844. Mr. Har- ding died just thirty years later. His son, John Harding, now lives in Butler Township; a daughter, Elizabeth (Clark), is in Allegheny County, and an- other, Catharine (Weckerly), in Virginia. Adam Har- ding, the father of Casper, was also a settler in this township.
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.