USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 18
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Abraham and Patrick were brought to Johnstown under arrest in charge of Samuel J. Smith, constable. The warrant was issued by Christian Horner, a justice of the peace residing near Geistown, in Conemaugh township, and charged the defend- ants with being fugitive slaves. The warrant was issued Feb- ruary 10, 1837, as follows :
"Whereas, it appears by the oaths of John Compston and Ed- ward Maxwell that "Abraham" & "Patrick," two colored boys, was held to labor service to Col. John Sheard of Morgan coun- ty, in the State of Virginia, and that the said Abraham & Pat- rick, two colored boys, hath escaped from the labor & service of the said Colonel John Sheard. YOU are therefore com- manded to assist and seize the bodies of the said Abraham & Patrick, if they be found in your county and bring them forth- with before a judge of the Court of Common Pleas of your proper county, so that the truth of the matter may be inquired into and the said Abraham & Patrick may be dealt with as the Constitution of the United States and the laws of this Common- wealth directs."
Not long after their arrival in Johnstown the local agents. of the Underground Railroad became interested, as the boys' gunshot wounds were serious, and procured for them the best medical attention and lodging which they could. The officers desired to take them away at once, but the agents insisted that such haste would be inhuman, as careful nursing was necessary for their recovery. Under this plea the fugitives were kept for several days in a building on Clinton street, and in the mean- time arrangements were being made to take them farther north.
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They were supposed to be carefully guarded, but one night they disappeared. No one knew how, nor where they were, at least the officers did not know.
Maxwell and Compston made diligent search, and for some reason Maxwell appeared before Samuel Douglass, a justice of the peace, in Johnstown, on February 13th, and charged two citizens with the shooting thus: "doth say that on Friday, the 10th day of February, a certain acknowledged that he did shoot a Blackman by the name of Abraham, in the knee & and from all information that this deponent hath re- ceived he has just reason to believe that a certain did =X: shoot one other Black man by the name of Patrick, in the back, both being mortally wounded, "being slaves of Dr. John Sheard of the State of Virginia, and that a was also con- cerned in aiding and assisting in the same, etc."
One of these defendants was arrested, and an indictment presented to the grand jury of Cambria county, charging him with shooting Patrick in the back, with a rifle, with the intent to kill. The witnesses before the grand jury were Edward Max- well, C. Horner, Esq., William Sleek or Slick, Justice Varner, and Amelia ITeltzel. The foreman of the jury, M. Leavey, re- turned "not a true bill."
On the 27th of February, Mr. Smith, the constable, made an information before Samuel Douglass, Esq., as follows : "That he held under arrest two black men as slaves belonging to John Sheard of the State of Virginia for eight or ten days past. and the said Black men made their escape from the cus- tody of the said S. J. Smith, constable, on Friday night, the 24th day of February, instant, and that he doth suspect Henry Willis, Esq., William Barnett, John Myers, Esq., Wallace Fortune, Isaac Weatherington. John Cushon, and Frederick Kaylor of aiding and assisting the said Black men away from his cus- tody."
The defendants were brought before Justice Douglass, and a hearing was held on March 3d, when he entered this judg- ment: "No ground for prosecution, Suit dismissed." The truth was, that as soon as the wounded boys were able to travel, their friends had filled the bed of a wagon with hay, on which they were laid and covered with the same light material, and the driver started north through Hinckston's run road. Under these terrible conditions was the freedom for the fugitives acquired.
After the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, which was
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substantially done in the famous compromise of 1850, an inci- dent occurred in Johnstown which discloses strong conviction and decision of character, with a beautiful sentiment expressed by Mrs. James Heslop, who as well as her husband was an Abolitionist. An escaping slave had reached this town and had been secreted in Cushon's coal bank, under Green Hill, by John Cushion and other agents of the Underground Railroad. Soon thereafter, while Mr. and Mrs. Heslop were sitting in their room on the second floor, a knock was heard at the front door. It was about dusk, and Mr. Heslop, going to the door, became en- gaged in conversation with the visitor, which continued for some time. Mrs. Ileslop, being acquainted with the escape, divined the matter to which the conversation related. Going to the top of the stairs she heard the visitor pleading with her husband to tell him where the fugitive was, and offering him twenty-five dollars for the information. Still Mr. Heslop de- nied any knowledge of the affair. Hearing the offer increased to seventy dollars, she descended the stairway, quietly walked to the door and closed it. In referring to it to a friend she mildly said: "I was afraid James might be tempted."
As late as the winter of 1859-60, A. A. Barker, of Ebens- burg, assisted a slave to escape who had been brought to him from Bedford via Hollidaysburg. He was kept in the house over night, and before daylight has his "pung" or sled with one seat ready to take him to George Atkinson's, in Clearfield county. The slave was concealed under a buffalo robe. A few miles be- yond Ebensburg, Mr. Barker met one of his own teamsters, who inquired what he had under the robe, and being a friend, he told him a "'colored man." The driver replied "I will take a look at him," and pulled the robe, which so alarmned the slave that he jumped into the underbrush and disappeared. The snow was very deep, and they scon tracked him and convinced him he was among friends, when he returned. He was again bundled in the robes and was safely delivered to Mr. Atkinson, who helped him to Canada.
On another occasion, much earlier, Mr. Barker assisted a family of colored persons to escape, and some time after hc received a very grateful letter from one of the girls, who sent him her picture, which he always cherished, and before his death he gave it to his son. Judge Barker.
About 1852 a number of boys were fishing in the Cone- maugh river near the mouth of Laurel run. This party was
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large; some of them were James M. Duncan, John W. Douglass, David R. Bryan, Walter Magill and James Glass. While they were so engaged they observed William McLain (to them "Mose" MeLain) and "Pade" Carns riding down the towpath as rapidly as their horses could go in company with four colored men, each on horseback. Mr. McLain was the director of the squad, and stopped to inquire the shortest way to Dick Bacon's cabin, a negro who lived on the mountain above where the Laurel run dam is now located. After being informed, Mose said there would likely be some one after them very soon, and wanted to gain time, and advised the boys to hold the "slave hunter" as long as possible, so he could get into the woods. In a few min- utes thereafter the hunters appeared, also on horseback, and the crowd of boys began to stone them, when they turned and went back to Johnstown. The men living in the vicinity of Cambria Furnace were intensely against the fugitive slave law, and with the story told by Mr. McLain they got their guns and every weapon within their reach, and prepared to stop the slave hunters at their place. The latter did not return after the ston- ing, and Mose got his friends to Bacon's, where they were maintained for some time, and then sent on north.
CHAPTER X.
FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
Solomon and Samuel Adams were the first settlers in the county, locating their grist mill on Solomon's Run, now the Seventh ward of Johnstown, prior to 1770. They were soon fol- lowed by Captain Michael McGuire, who in 1789 settled at Lor- etto. Between 1797 and 1808 there were five villages founded, the first being Beula in 1797; Johnstown and Loretto in 1800; Ebensburg in 1807; and Munster in 1808. The people appear to have clustered around these localities, and as late as 1816 there were no other villages. We follow with the details of these respective communities.
JOHNSTOWN IN 1790.
The people of Johnstown, and indeed all those residing in the Conemangh valley and down the river to where the Kiskiminetas empties into the Allegheny river near Freeport, are indebted to Mr. John F. Meginness, of Williamsport, pub- lisher of the notes of the "Journal of Samuel Maclay, while surveying the West Branch of the Snsquehanna, The Sinnema- honing and the Allegheny Rivers, in 1790."
Samuel Maclay was born in Lurgan township, Franklin county, June 17, 1741, subsequently locating in Buffalo valley, in what is now known as Mifflin county. He was a brother of the Hon. William Maclay, who was the first United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Maclay was the ancestor of the late Will- iam Maclay of this city, father of Mrs. R. R. Murphy and Mrs. John Tittle.
Samuel Maclay held various public offices in the Colony of Pennsylvania; he was a member of the Vth Congress, and was Speaker of the State Senate, where in 1803 he presided at the impeachment trial of Judge Addison; he was also elected United States Senator, December 14, 1802. He died October 5, 1811; his grave is within sight of the turnpike, a short distance west of Lewisburg.
On April 9, 1790, Samuel Maclay, Timothy Matlack and John Adlum were commissioned by the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania to examine the headwaters of the
Vol. I-13
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Susquehanna, explore the streams of the then new purchase from the Indians, and to discover if possible a route for a road to connect the waters of the Allegheny with the West Branch of the Susquehanna.
On Monday, April 26. 1790, Mr. Maclay started from home to meet the other commissioners. On May 19th they were at Watsontown, then called Warrior Run. On June 14th they began to survey the west branch of the Sinnemahoning, about ten miles below Driftwood.
We quote from the Journal :
"Thursday, August 19th, 1790 .- Got Ready Early in the morning started up the Kishcaminitas River. Saw two white men on the River in a canoe. Continued to make all the speed we could untill night and then took up our camp on the west side, or rather south-west side of River at the foot of a Rocky hill near the mouth of a small spring.
"Friday .- August 20th .- Continued our Jorney up the River and arrived at the mouth of Lovalhannon at one oclock; and as we had had several days of showery weather and con- tinued moistness in the air, our Cloathes of every kind were Damp and Disagreeable, and as the afternoon was a fine one we agreed to let the men rest and Dry their Cloathe's, and ours. We had this day been attempting to procure some fresh Pro- visions on our way up, from the Inhabitants along the River, and had been unsucksesful; we therefore sent off two of our men in order to procure either Butter or meat of any kind. They Returned with (out) Sneksess."
The Loyalhannon to which he refers is the Loyalhanna, which rises in the Laurelhill, above Fort Ligonier, and flows in a northwesterly direction through Westmoreland county and empties into the Conemaugh river at Saltsburg, and forms the Kiskiminetas river. From Saltsburg to Johnstown the river is properly called the Conemaugh; sometimes it is designated as the Big Conemaugh, to distinguish it from the Little Cone- maugh, which meets the Stonycreek at the point in this city. The distance from Johnstown to Saltsburg by the way of the river is about forty-nine miles, and to Blairville about thirty- three miles. The Journal continues :
"Saturday, August 21st .- As all our attempts yesterday to procure provisions had been fruitless, we were obliged to stay this day in order to get a supply of Both flour and meat ; we were Luckay enough this morning to get the half of a Veal from one Samuel Hoy, who lives a little way below the mouth of Loyalhanning, and sent off a man and horse to Denison's
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mill which is eight miles up Loyalhanning creek, in order to procure some flour; the man is not yet returned.
"A little after Dark the man sent to the mill returned and brought us a small supply of flour and a few pounds of Butter. We have to acknowledge our obligations to Col'o Will'm Perrey, who furnished us with a horse and sent his son to mill for us for the flour. He lived just above the mouth of Lovalhanning.
"Sunday, August 22d .- The morning cloudy but so much time already Elapsed we must make every possable Exertion to get through our Bussness ; we proceeded up the River above 10 miles and encamped for the day."
The place where they camped must have been about where the Black Lick empties into the Conemaugh, near Social Hall, a few miles below Blairsville. The Journal :
"Monday, August 23d .- Proceeded up the River; met with great difficulty; on account of the low water were obliged to drag our canoes over the Ripples and were able to get only about 8 miles. This day Encamped above an old Indian field on the southwest of the River; this field is Remarkable for the Great number of Bones we found in it."
The field referred to is about a mile east of Blairsville.
"Tuesday, August 24. Pursued our Jorney up the River, and with all the Exerscions we could make it was 1 o'clock be- fore we had Got 3 1%, miles, & the men were quite Exhausted with the Labour of Dragging the Canoes up the Ripples. We came on shore to Dine and before we had done, a rain came on which induced us to pitch our tents for the night. We employed the afternoon in trying to procure pack horses to carry our Baggage to Frankstown and happily succeeded.
"Wednesday, August 25th .- This morning we were Busseyley employed in adjusting the Loads for the horses. As soon as this was done we took our packs on our Backs, and started at 11 o'clock and made the Best of our way up the River. We had got but a little when we were overtaken by a smart shower at a place where we had no shelter of any kind. We proceeded up through the narrows where the River Cuts the Chestnut Ridge; these narrows are five miles in Length and the hill(s) come Down close to the water edge, so that we were obliged often to wade the river, and had Exceeding Bad walk- ing as there was scarcely any Beech and the Rocks and Laurel come close to high water mark. We had Likewise several heavy shower(s) so that Between the wading the River and the Rain we were wet Indeed. About sunset we came to a house where one David Ingard lives, and took up our Quarters for the Night having Traveled about eight or nine miles."
The narrow gap was the "Packsaddle" west of Bolivar.
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"Thursday, August 26th .- We set off early in the morn- ing and proceded up the River. Had much better walking this day and a fine clear day. we kept close to it, and arrived at the month of Stony Creek [Johnstown] a little before sunset, and went up the Stoney Creek half a mile to where one Daniel LaVere Lives, who Received us with an oppen Countenance. We this day came through the narrows formed by the Laurel Hill and found it in Gineral Good walking; we this day walked 19 or 20 miles.
"By appointment our Pack horses were to meet us at the mouth of Stoney Creek, but we found they had been unable to Reach the place; we therfor took up our Quarters with Daniel LaVere for the night. As we were in a part of the country were none of us had ever Been we were obliged to hire a man and send off for one Clark to conduct us the nearest and best way from the Mouth of Stoney Creek to the mouth of Poplar run on the Frankstown Branch, through the Alegina mountain. We did in the evening after we had taken up our Quarters. As this messenger has to walk 18 miles to where Clark Lives, we can hardly Expect him to Return before the 28.
"Friday, August 27th .- Gersham Hicks came to us this morning and in informed us that the horses and Baggage were comming; that they had been unable to Reach the fork Last night, the Road had been so Bad. After some time the horses came but on the way had Lost one of our Tents, for this tent two of our people were sent back who are not yet Returned. In the afternoon they Returned but could not find the tent altho they went back as far as the place they had Lodged the night Before; but they heard that a man and a Boy from the Jer- seys had passed along the road between the time that our people returned to seek the tent, and as those people were in want of Cloathes as its said, no dout they played us a Jersey Trick.
"Saturday, August 28th .- We continued in our camp wait- ing the Return of young Levoy whom we had sent for Clark. He returned after sunset and with him a Daniel Clark, the man who had been Recomended was gon a hunting, and this man was the only person he could get to come who had any knowledge of the country through which we had to pass. This day we spent in Baking Bread and preparing for Crossing the Alegina, mendin Mokossins &c.
"Sunday, August 29th (1790) .- Agreeable to the Resolu- tion of the Last night we prepared this morning to survey the Conemaugh, as Mr. D. Clark had refused to conduct us over the Mountains without we would Engage to pay him 10 shillings for every day that we would be from home. This we all agreed was unreasonable as he himself confessed that he was not fully acquainted with the country through which we must pass. We therefor paid for the day he had spent in comming and for
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another to go home in, 10 shillings, and prepared to go up through the narrows, and survey the creek, and sent our Bag- gage Round by a Better way with order to mett us Monday Night at the forks of Connemaugh; and as it was Expected they would be able to gain the forks much sooner than us, we set out first and proceeded up the creek as far as we could that day. Had bad walking and at night could scarcely find a spot to encamp on, for the Land which came to the waters edge for some miles together. We at length found a spot in the Laurel Large enough for us to lie on and took up our quarters. Not long after Night rain came on and we were unprovided with any kind of shelter. This not only kept me uneasy for the moment but in pain in consequence as I was but verry imper- fectly Recovered from my former attack of the Rheumatism, brought on in the same manner; and there I was in a country unsettled, without either canoe or horse.
"Monday, August 30th. (1790). Dryed my Cloathes with all the care I could, and took my Bundle on my Back, and so did my companions and we proceeded up the Creek with our survey and Gained the first forks of the Cr By 16 past 1 O'clock; there eat our Dinner and proceeded on untill night and encamped on the upper end of a Rock Bottom about two miles below the forks where the pack horses were to meet us. As we had given order to the pack horse men in case that we Did not Reach the forks on Monday night that Hicks should be dispatched down the Creek on Tuesday morning to meet us with Provisions, as we had taken only two Day (s) Provisions, we in order that they might know we were comming fired a Gun Twist after dark, but had no answer.
"Tuesday, August 31st. (1790). After Breakfast we went on with our survey and Reached the forks 1% after 10 oclock but found our people had not reached the place. We then en- quired into the state of our provisions, and found that the whole we then had with us was not more than one scanty meal. We then judged it advisable to make the best speed we could to Frankstown and not wait Longer for the paekhorses as we were certain either some mistake or misfortune had happened, or they would have been there before us. We accordingly set off at a N. E. course and surveyed 8 miles before Dark, but to our surprise we had not yet reached the State Road. The evening was Cloudy and we encamped by the side of a . Laurel Thicket near a small Branch of the Connemangh.
"Wednesday, September 1st, (1790) The evening before we had divided our Provisions into Equal Shares, and though we had walked the whole day, yet each man's portion when we had it was so small ; and not knowing how far we must travel be- fore we could meet with any supply, none of us ventured to cat any supper. This morning every man cooked his own Choco- late with the utmost care and attention, and in General eat with
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the Chocolate about one-half of our Bread ; and so we set out and in about 116 hours we came to the State Road about Eight miles N. W. of Blair's mill.
"After traveling about 4 miles on this Road we eat the Remainder of our Provisions and Reached Mr Blair's mill a Lit- tle after 12 oclock, where we were Rece'd with Great kindness by Mr Blair's family, who gave us our dinner, as neither Mr Blair nor his wife were at home. In the Evening Mrs Blair came home; and to my surprise Soon informed me that she knew something of me and my connections. Upon enquiring she is the daughter of a Mr Sims, who was a friend and acquaintance of Mr R. Plunketts in Ireland, and came to this country the same year that Mr Plunket came to the country; and is a verry decent, well Breed woman, and was very oblidging and attentive to us. In the Evening we sent one of our men over to Patrick Cassidy's with a Note, Requesting him to come to us in the morn- ing."
In Dr. Eagle's "History of Pennsylvania" he refers to John Blair, Jr., the person above mentioned, and for whom Blair county was named, and states that his home was some four miles west of Hollidaysburg, on the Huntingdon, Cambria and Indiana turnpike, formerly known as the "Northern Pike." This would be a short distance above Duncansville.
"Thursday, September 2d. (1790) After Breakfast Mr Cassidy came and informed us that he was unacquainted with the Ground between this and Connemaugh further than the head of the Poplar Run, but he was of the opinion that the Poplar Run Gap was a much Better Gap than the one in which the Road is now made; and informed us that if we pleased he would Go with and Likewise procure some other person who knew the country all the way, to go with him and us in order to view the Poplar Run as far as the forks of Connemaugh. He likewise promised to assist us in getting horses to carrey our Baggage down as far as Water Street, and his assistance in Procuring us some fresh Provisions,
"Friday, September 3d. (1790) After Breakfast we Rec'd a note from Mr Cassidy that he had the promise of two horses and two sheep for one of which we sent one of our people. Not until 4 oclock this day did we hear anything from our Pack horses. Then they came in. They had mistaken the forks of Connemaugh where they were to wait for us and stopped at the first, insted of going on to the second, and by that mistake have Lost us 2 days. Some time after night our man Returned with a Mutton.
"Saturday, September 4th. (1790) This morning we sent off a part of our Baggage to Mr Cassidy's by a son of McCunes who brought us the mutton. Mr Adlum was this morning Im-
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ployed in protracting our works from the mouth of Stoney creek. After Breakfast and after I had finished coppying my note(s) I took 2 hands, and Began at the 50 mile Tree above Mr Blair's and surveyed the Road to Patrick Cassidys, and from thence to the mouth of Poplar Run, which Bussness was some time Delayed By the Rain, which fell this Day. Mr Adlum finished his work and Joined us in the afternoon. We Likewise Got a horse fom Mr Cassidy and Got another Load of our Bag- gage brought over this day from our camp at Mr Blair's, but Gersham Hicks with the Remainder was still Behind at the Camp.
"Sunday, September 5th. (1790). We Dispatched Seymor with a horse this morning to Mr Blair's to bring forward Hicks and the Remainder of our Baggage; and took the necessary measures in order to Explore the Ground up through the Pop- lar Gap, and thence to the forks of Connemaugh. The man we sent is not vet Returned. In the mean time we had verrey dif- ferant accounts of the Ground through the Poplar Gap. Pat- rick Cassidy told us that he had been at the head of the Poplar run and five miles further towards the forks of Connemaugh; that so far it was Excelent Ground for a Road; much Better than the road through the other Gap, and insinuated that undue means had been exercised or the State Road would have been taken through the Poplar Gap. This representation was Corob- erated by one William Pringle who undertook to show us an Exceeding Good way for a road up through the Poplar Gap. To this a young man, a hunter, of the name of Shirley Replyd, that he knew the Poplar Gap weil; that he had a hunting camp on it near the head; that there was no place there that would admit of a Road; that if Pringle could find a Road there, then he Shirley would Give them his head for a foot ball. But he informed us that there might be a Road had to Conemaugh by Beginning at the East end of a Ridge that is south of the Pop- lar run and keeping that Ridge up to the Blue Knob a mountain so called in those parts, and from thence by keeping the divid- ing Ridge, but this way was objected to by Cassidy and others as Going quite too far out of the way. Shirley further informed us that Pringle, who was to be our Guide, had some time before undertaken to conduct a Company over to Conemaugh & had Lost himself and with Difficulty found the way home. From all these circumstances, and acet taken together we were Deter- mined to see the Ground and set out with our party and sur- veved about 21/, miles up the Poplar run through Low swampy Ground Inclined to be stoney.
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