History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 62

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1658

USA > Pennsylvania > Butler County > History of Butler County, Pennsylvania > Part 62

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PIONEERS.

The pioneers of this township were Patrick McBride, Arthur, Connell and Dennis O'Donnell, Eleanor Coyle, John Coyle, John Slator, James and Samuel Milligan, Dennis, Andrew and Michael Dugan, James Denny, John McGinley, Hugh Gallagher, Charles and Michael McCue, and Patrick and Marcus Mc- Laughlin. Others came in during the first decade of the century, so that by

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CLEARFIELD TOWNSHIP.

1810 there were 288 persons constituting the pioneer circle. With the exception of the Milligan family, who settled south of the present township, all selected lands within the present limits of Clearfield, and with extraordinary rapidity, reduced the wilderness to fruitful farms and made the region one of happy homes.

Patrick McBride, a native of Donegal county, Ireland, led the way into the forest, in 1798, built his cabin on a 400 acre entry, 100 acres of which was dona- ted to him by Archie McCall, agent for the land owners, in recognition of his first and successful settlement. This pioneer died in 1848, leaving a large family. Arthur O'Donnell, mentioned in the history of Donegal township, came from the same Irish county, in 1798, with his wife and four children. Connel O'Don- nell, who is spoken of in the biographical sketches of Donegal township, arrived from Ireland shortly after, accompanied by his brother Dennis. Connell died in 1813, leaving his widow Mary to carry on the farm and raise a large family. Ilis brother also spent his life in this county, and died in 1852. Dennis Dugan, a native of Donegal county, Ireland, located on 200 acres of land in this township in 1798, upon which he died at an advanced age. He reared a family of several children. The Dugans were one of the first Catholic families to settle in this part of the county. John Slator, a soldier in the French army that assisted the American patriots in winning independence, was one of the first settlers of this township. lle was also one of the pioneer Catholics of the county.

John Coyle, who came to the United States from Ireland in 1791, with his family, located here in 1800, and, thirty years later, founded the village of Coylesville. Coyle's station, in Jefferson, now known as Great Belt, was named by the West Penn Railroad Company in honor of this pioneer. During his long life he was known as a sterling, progressive citizen. Like many of the immigrants from Ireland, he was a linen weaver, and manufactured linen for the local demand, as well as for the exchange trade,-selling the product of the loom in Fayette county and bringing home salt, iron and other staple goods.

James Denny accompanied his parents to the United States in 1794, and in 1799 came with them to this township to carve out a home for himself. He was a good shoemaker, and built up a large custom as well as a small manufacturing trade. He died here February 25, 1872, having survived his wife, Mary (O'Donnell) Denny, almost thirty-seven years. John McGinley and Hugh Gallagher, natives of Ireland, came in between 1500 and 1803; for we find the former assessed in the lat- ter year with 300 acres of land, one cow and a yoke of oxen, while Gallagher is assessed with 400 acres of land.

Many others might be mentioned here who assisted in the early development of Clearfield, such as the Mclaughlins, Doughertys, McFaddens, Duffys, Mc- Gees and Cyphers. In the thirties, and down to the beginning of the Civil war, several new men came to share in the fortunes of the original settlers, such as the Sipes, McDevitts, Fennells, Riellys, Martins, Greens, Thompsons, Sheri- dans, McCreas, McShanes, Logues and Duffs. This fertile township, of good farms and fine homes, tells of family successes, won by persevering toil and honesty.

The population of the original township in 1810, was 288; in 1820,-515:

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

in 1830,-617; in 1840,-1,103 and in 1850,-1,924. After being reduced to its present limits, the population in 1860, was 869; in 1870,-847: in 1880,-999, exclusive of Coylesville's fifty-seven inhabitants, and in 1890,-841, including Coylesville. The assessed value of property, January 1, 1894, was $233,445, on which a county tax of $$33.82 and a State tax of ninety dollars and seventy-six cents were levied.

SCHOOLS AND JUSTICES.

The first school-house in Clearfield township was built near the Winfield line, in 1798 or 1799, by Arthur O'Donnell, Andrew and Michael Dugan, James and John Mclaughlin, Michael McCue and James Denny. Among the first teachers were John Smith, who came in 1807, John Washington and J. Harrison Cook, together with other teachers named in the histories of Buffalo and Clinton townships. The second school building was erected above Coylesville. by Peter Henry, Ilugh Gallagher, William Recher and the O'Donnell family. John Ken- nedy was installed as teacher. The common school system was adopted in 1835, but instead of the pioneer teachers many of their pupils aspired to wield the birch. Among them were Neil McBride and William Dougherty. There were six teachers employed in January, 1894. In June, 1893, there were 103 male and eighty-three female children of school age reported. The total revenue for school purposes was $1,935.13, including a State appropriation of $991.58.

The justices of the peace elected in this township from 1840 to 1894 are as follows : Joseph Henry, 1840 and 1845; John Gallagher, 1840 and 1850; James McCafferty, 1845; James Johnston, 1850; James B. Kennedy, 1853; John Mc- Laughlin, 1854, 1859 and 1861; Arthur O'Donnell, 1855 and 1870; Bernard Sheridan, 1860; John B. Gallagher, 1865 and 1870: W. S. Sipe, 1575 and 1880; Patrick Donohue, 1875; F. P. McBride, 1880. 1885 and 1890 ; Thomas McGucken. 1890, and George McGucken, 1894.

CHURCHES.

St. John's Catholic Church, in its personnel, dates back to 1798, when the first Catholics of the township located in the wilderness. Prior to the build- ing of the present church edifice, in 1853, the people attended St. Patrick's church on Sugar creek, Armstrong county, founded in 1806, St. Peter's at Butler, founded in 1821, or the church of St. Mary's Monastery, in Summit, erected in 1841. There were also missions or stations held here, when mass would be celebrated at stated times in the homes of the people. Mrs. Mary Green, who came here in 1840, relates that mass was often said in the homes of Manus Dugan, John Sheridan, William McGee, Denis Duff, Patrick McBride, Squire Gallagher, and in the houses of two or more of the O'Donnells and Dennys. The old dwelling of John Green, west of Coylesville, was a favorite place with visiting priests, and often a temporary altar would be raised there.

The priests of St. John's parish since 1852 are named as follows : Father Lar- kin, 1852-53; Father William Pollard, 1853-55; Rev. R. C. Christy, February, 1855-1861 ; Rev. Thomas Quinn, 1861-62; Rev. P. M. Doyle, 1862-73. Father Aylward, appears to have been assistant priest, early in 1870, and Rev. John

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Ilickey was a regular visitor, his name often appearing on the baptismal register from 1870 to 1873. Father Patrick Brown was appointed pastor in January, 1878, and remained until his death in July, ISS8. During the last years of hi- administration, Rev. J. B. O'Connor was assistant priest. Rev. Thomas Walsh succeeded to the pastorate in 1858, and in 1889. Rev. Thomas McEnrue came. He had charge of the parish for about two years, when Rev. Henry McEvoy, the present pastor, was appointed. In the cemetery lie the remains of Father John N. Denny, a native of this township, who died at Altoona, Penn- sylvania, May 1. 1858. He was ordained at Rome in 1887, and though a young priest, was one of the noted scholars of this State. Father Patrick Brown is also buried there. Father Pollard, who became a celebrated preacher, died at St. Mary's, Pittsburg, a few years ago.

The church building was erected in 1853, under the administration of Father Larkin. The brick building was then a most pretentious one, being ninety feet long by forty-two wide, furnished with modern pews and good altars. In 1877 the Norman-Gothic tower was erected at a cost of about $4,000. This tower with spire, is 156 feet in height, well proportioned and worthy of a city rather than of a country parish. The main building never did present a proper skyline, so that its removal or remodelling is now proposed.

The location of the cemetery grounds is one of the most beautiful in all Clearfield. The cemetery is surveyed into regular lots and blocks, with an artistic stone cross in the center. Many old headstones and numerous modern monuments are found here, commemorating the names of members of the Mc Bride, Rivers, Green, McCrea. Callahan, Laux, Dugan, O'Donnell, Brady, McLafferty, Nugent, Benson, McDonnell, Gallagher, O'Neill, McFadden and hundreds of other families.

St. Mary's of the Woods is the appropriate name bestowed on the private chapel at the old Hickey homestead, near the northern line of Clearfield town- ship. It is a family place of worship, but when Father Hickey visits his old home, the doors are open and it becomes for all purposes a mission chapel of St. John's parish.

The English Lutheran Society, organized near Fennelton in 1857, shared in the erection of a Union church that year with the Methodists, and continued to worship there until 1861, when the two societies disbanded and lost their church building.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Fennelton was organized in October, 1857, in a building on the Peter Graff farm, erected by the English Lutherans and Methodists that year as a Union church. The members were Peter Fennell, Sr., Peter Fennell, Jr., Margaret Fennell, Lydia Fennell, John Sipe, Sr., John Sipe, Jr., Margaret Sipe, Helena Sipe, Ann Sipe, John Cupp, Joseph Milligan, and their wives, and Elizabeth Reagart. The pastors, in the order of service, were Revs. Venable, Wilkinson, Rhodes, Tibbles, Scott, Hughes, D. Cupps, Z. McKee, Altman and J. P. Douglass, the pastor in 1894. During the Civil war the society dwindled to a few members, and the Union building was sold as private property. In 1880 Peter Fennell erected a building at Fennelton, and in the 32

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

fall of that year a revival meeting resulted in the addition of thirty-five members. In 1881 the church was reorganized by J. W. McKee, of Butler ; the old church site, then on the T. Dissner farm, was purchased, the building reconstructed and dedicated October 9, 1881, and the society placed on a working basis. In all this labor of reorganizing a church, Mr. Fennell was a zealons worker.

The United Presbyterian Church of Carbon Centre was organized July 15, 1878, with llenry Gumpper, James Martin and Louis Kreor elders. It was incorporated March 4, 1881, the petitioners being Thomas Humes, John Moore, Robert Martin, Robert McMillan and Thomas S. Thompson. A frame house of worship was erected, which was used for meetings while the organization existed. In the records of 1891 there is no mention made of it, for some time before it went the way of other institutions of the little oil town.

VILLAGES.

Coylesville, in old Clearfield township. was brought prominently before the public in May, 1830, when John Coyle, Sr., the proprietor, advertised lots for sale as surveyed by David Dougal. The location, on the turnpike, half way between Butler and Kittanning, and the fact that the mail stage passed that way tri-weekly, were set forth as advantages. Good land, fresh and salt water springs, coal banks and limestone outcrops, grist and saw mills and an industrious people in the vicinity were all pictured for the investor. The plat as recorded, July 14, 1838, shows the Butler and Kittanning road intersected by Plum, Cherry, Chestnut, Diamond, Strawberry, Jackson and Crab streets. The first store was opened there in the fifties, by John O'Donnell, in the old building next to the present Gormley store. John Shrum built a log house farther east and carried on a store for some years after O'Donnell retired. Michael Mc Bride erected the present : Gormley building after the war, and after John Nolan built the first blacksmith shop. James Slick succeeded Nolan and, about six years ago, John Kress estab- lished himself here as a blacksmith. There are now seven houses in the village, together with F. P. Gormley & Company's store. The first public celebration of St. Patrick's day in Butler county, was that at Coylesville in 1856, when L. S. Cantwell delivered the oration.

Carbon Centre was the name of an oil village which sprung up, as if by magic, in 1875, when the oil development of that section begun. As early as Angust, 1860, John Gallagher reported the existence of petroleum in Clearfield, but for over fifteen years little or no attention was paid to the discovery. The oil men came at last, and in 1875, Robert Thompson caused two acres to be sur- veyed into town lots, which he named Carbon Centre. Houses were erected in a hurry. William McCrea established a general store and many other busines enterprises were inaugurated. The United Presbyterians erected a church, the Meth- odists held meetings there and the little town was a busy place as long as the sands were producing oil. In April, 1853, the production fell to 150 barrels a day, the Showalter & Hardman well, on the Heck farm, yielding ninety barrels of the total.

Fennelton may be said to date back to 1856, when l'eter Fennell with his

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son Peter, and nephews Daniel and Abram, moved into Clearfield township from Armstrong county. It is a country hamlet, boasting of a Methodist church, the general store of l'. Fennell & Son, and a post-office.

Jeffersonville, near the line of Summit township, was at one time a post- office station, but was long ago discontinued.

CHAPTER XLI.

SUMMIT TOWNSHIP.

ORGANIZATION-EARLY SETTLEMENT-NEYMAN'S MILL-STATISTICS-JUSTICES OF THE PEACE-SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES-ST. MARY'S MONASTERY-CHURCH HISTORY -- VILLAGE GROWTH.

S YUMMIT township was organized in 1854, its territory being taken prin- cipally from Butler and Clearfield townships, but including also portions of Donegal and Centre townships. The names of the first cabin builders within the limits of the township are unknown. Early in 1796, when the Ray family located on what is now known as the Robert Gilliland farm, there were two or three untenanted log cabins, evidencing an earlier occupation on the Allegheny slope, and two or three tenanted ones between that and the Beaver slope. William Ray was undoubtedly here in April or May, 1796. Following an Indian trail which led from the river at Freeport into the wilderness, he selected his lands and built his cabin. When the county was organized, in 1803, he owned 150 acres. William Scott and James Mitchell arrived shortly after. Mitchell was then a young man. Scott, who was a man of family, was accompanied by his son, Robert, who became one of the first settlers in Butler borough. George, another son, cleared a farm for himself in the Mitchell, or Bonny Brook, neighborhood.

Thomas Smith came from Allegheny county in the fall of 1796, and located in the township. Seventeen years later Abraham Brinker purchased Smith's 200 acres, and the family removed to Indiana, where the pioneer died in 1835. Adam, his son, returned in 1830 and settled in Centre township. James McCurdy, a native of Cumberland county, came with Smith. The immigrants entered the present county at Freeport and arrived at the site of what is now known as Carbon Black the same night. After a heavy rain storm, the bright moon invited them to travel rather than to sleep, and taking up their packs, the jonrney to some dreamy spot was resumed. An abandoned cabin, near where the Widow Henry resided in modern days, or another, near the Pistorius farm, did not stop their march. When the morning sun peeped into the forest, the travelers were at the cabin of William Ray. That day they decided to locate and, having selected lands, the companions, assisted by Ray, built their cabins in the Bonny

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

Brook country. In 1803 James McCurdy, still a single man, with John McCurdy, were here. Late in that year James married Peggy Thorn, and twenty-seven years after erected a brick house which subsequently became the property of S. P. Young.

Peter Henry, who with his sister, was rescued from the Indians in 1778, by Captain Brady and scouts, as related in a previous chapter, settled in that por- tion of Summit township formerly included in Clearfield, in 1795, and in 1800 brought his family hither. Until the divisions of the townships, elections were held at his house. His wife, Margaret, died in 1832. Ile died in 1852, aged eighty-eight years.

William Neyman and family came here from Westmoreland county in 1799, and erected a grist-mill on the east bank of the Connoquenessing, near the mouth of Bonny Brook. in 1800. In the assessment of 1803 we find him the owner of 500 acres of land, with grist mill, four horses and two cows ; while William Jr., John and Elizabeth Neyman are assessed with 800 acres. Soon after he added a saw mill and a carding and fulling mill, important industries in those days. Neyman's mill was a leading manufacturing center for several years. The grist mill was a log structure, with crude water wheel and buhrs, but it met the requirements of the settlement during pioneer days. The Neymans moved to Oakland at an early date and erected another grist mill, and the old mills passed into the hands of the Collins family, who operated them for a long period. One of the buhrs is still doing duty in the Reiber mill.

Hugh Gibbs, Jacob Sumney, Joseph Gold, John Wonderly, Francis Warm- castle, John Green, James McLaughlin and one or two of the Martins were land owners here before the county was organized. Abraham Brinker, an early set- tler of Butler, moved into the Bonny Brook settlement in 1813, built a carding mill, saw mill and distillery, and in 1814 erected a stone grist mill. Ile placed John Moser in charge, and he was succeeded by John Warmcastle, who carried on the industry until James McLaughlin purchased the property. E. K. Mar- shall and John Burford were successive owners prior to the Civil war. James Stephenson purchased the concern in 1861, and altogether it has been an industry of many owners.

The Bavarians, Alsatians, Brandenburgers, Saxons and people of other nationalities began to flock hither in 1830, and within the succeeding decade the territory now constituting Summit township was well improved, and evi- denced the fact that the men and women who had cast their fortunes with the older settlers were admirably endowed by nature to advance the material and moral growth of the district. In February, 1894, the then oldest resident of the township, Nicholas Bleichner, passed away in the ninety-third year of his age. He was the last of the German pioneers.

In 1860, six years after the township was organized, the population was 939; in 1870, 1,304; in 1880. 1,266, and in [890, 1,287. The wonderful oil develop- ments in the township since June of the latter year have resulted in a material increase of population, the number in April, 1894, being estimated at 1,500.

The revenue of the common schools of the six districts of the township for the year ending April, 1894, was $2,229.55, of which sum $1,071.05 was appro-

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SUMMIT TOWNSHIP.

priated by the State. The assessed valuation January 1, 1894, was $297.155; the county tax, $1,188.62, and the State tax, $213.50.

The names of the justices of the peace elected for the township from 1854 to 1894 are as follows : Francis Riott, 1854; re-elected in 1859, 1864, 1869 and 1874; Andrew W. Johnston, 1856; John Kennedy, 1859; Robert Gilliland, 1861 ; re-elected in 1866, 1872, 1877, 1882, 1887 and 1892, and died in office April 25, 1894; David Leech, 1879; re-elected in 1884, 1889 and 1894.

SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.

The children of the pioneers of Summit township attended, in 1813, at a log school-house near Brinker's mill. It was presided over by a teacher named O'Malley or Maley, later by George Greer, who abandoned the Oakland school, and next by George Townley. The last named opened the frame building, which Brinker, the Gillilands and Martins erected, about 1818, and carried the school on until the days of John Watt and Caleb Russell. The common school law was in force here as early as 1835, since which time the pioneer subscription school has been only a memory. The Lutheran school at the center of the town- ship was established in 1876. In May, 1894, a convent and school for the instruction and education of young ladies and the female children of that dis- trict, was founded in the vicinity of Herman.

St. Fidelis' College, a part of St. Mary's Monastery, dates the beginning of its history back to the spring of 1877, when the buildings forming the nucleus of the present Monastery were completed. The changes, architectural and other- wise, which have been effected since then, are noticed in the history of the Monastery. The faculty of St. Fidelis' College comprises Rev. Bonifacius Ros- enberger, director : Rev. Pancratius Dockler, religion, Latin, Greek and short- hand ; Rev. Godhardus Friedman, German, Latin and history ; Rev. Lucas Belke, German, Latin and Greek, with history and phonography ; Rev. Paulus Werr, mathematics, botany, physiology and vocal music; Rev. Chilian Lutz, English and French ; Ambrosius Metz, English language and United States his- tory, and Cassean Hartl, religion and English language. In 1877, the old parochial residence was converted into a school, and a number of young men en- tered as students. In 1878 it was enlarged, and in 1879 a new building was erected. The present college building is 141 feet in length, forty-five in width and forty-nine feet in height, to the eaves.

In 1880 four students came from the Capuchin college in Bavaria to pursue their studies here. They were the first to complete their education and the first graduates to be ordained here as priests of the church. There are now seventy students enrolled. Outside of the Catholic people of the county, mention is sel- dom made of this College, though the chairs are filled by scholars of a very high order, and the curriculum is equal to that presented by the leading colleges of the country.

St. Mary's Monastery .- Few travelers over the Western Pennsylvania rail- road have failed to notice the Monastic-Gothic pile with which the Capuchin fathers have crowned the heights above Herman station. The buildings form the church, monastery and college of St. Mary's. They have been brought into

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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.

existence within the last quarter of a century. The foundation stone of the Monastery was laid July 21, 1876, and the corner stone August 15, of that year, by Father Hyacinth, as the representative of the bishop of Pittsburg. Father Hyacinth outlined the plan, the lay brother, Eleutherius made the drawings, and T. Wolf, of Pittsburg, performed the duties of builder. The original edifice was ninety-one feet in length by thirty-two feet in width, with walls twenty-nine feet in height, above the sub-story. The addition, erected in 1887. is seventy-one by twenty-four feet, with walls twenty-nine feet high. The structure, compris- ing the study and recreation rooms, situated between this addition and the col- lege, is eighty by twenty-four feet and twenty-five feet in height. It was com- menced in 1886 and completed in 1893. The college building shows walls forty- nine feet high. Its length is 141 feet and width forty-five feet. The Monastic- Gothic style was observed in the first buildings and followed subsequently by the architect, Father Anthony Schuerman, who died July 20, 1887, and was buried in the cemetery close by.

Butler county owes the establishment of this Monastery to the Bismarckian persecution of the Catholic orders. The Capuchins were ready to obey the cruel edicts of the new empire and its " Iron Chancellor," and, in 1873, sent Fathers Hyacinth and Matthew Hau, and Brother Eleutherins, draughtsman and architect, to prepare a home for the order in the United States. In 1874 the bishop of Pittsburg placed the two priests in charge of St. Augustine's church in that city, and there, the same year, Fathers Joseph Clasanctius Mayershofer, and Mauri- tius Greck, with Brother Leovigild Brucker, were received on their arrival from Bavaria. In June, 1876, Father Matthew Hau was sent to St. Mary's as prior of the new Monastery, and held that position until January 26, 187%, when he moved to Kansas. He died at Victoria, in that state, June 25, ISTs. Father Mauritius Greck succeeded him, and was prior until September 9. 1SSI, when Father Franciscus Wolff was appointed. From 1884 to 1888. Father Cala- sanctius Mayershofer was superior, followed by Father Joseph Anthony Ziegel- mayer from 1888 to 1891, when Father Felix M. Lex was placed in charge. He was succeeded in August, 1894, by Father Charles Speckert, the present prior.

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History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Part 62

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1658

Author: Brown, Robert C., ed; Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Meagher, John, jt. comp; Meginness, John Franklin, 1827-1899, jt. comp
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1658