USA > Pennsylvania > Cambria County > History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 22
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From the mouth of Wells' creek, the Stonycreek speeds on, receiving the waters of Beaver Dam run-the first of a series of tributaries of the same name in the Stonycreek sys- tem, and passing Stoyestown on the east, about a mile and a half farther on receives the waters of Oven run.
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
At Stovestown Station is located the woolen mill of W. L. Rininger, the grist mill of J. Coleman, the sawmill of Dr. Bur- net, and the Trostle grist mill, the latter being located higher up the stream. At Sprucetown is the grist mill of J. Specht.
Oven run rises in Shade township, and its entire length is somewhere about six miles.
On the north side of the run, not far from its mouth, on land of Daniel Berkeybile, is the site of one of two forts-the other being on the Quemahoning-built by Colonel Bouquet, probably in August, 1758, during the memorable campaign of that year led by General Forbes against Fort Duquesne. Near the run is still to be seen the outline of an oven, in which it is said bread was baked for Forbes' soldiers and from which the run derives its name.
The fort was a breastwork of earth of four ravelins con- nected together, pointing respectively northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest, each ravelin being about seventy-five feet in length and from twenty-five to thirty feet in breadth, surrounded by a ditch. In the southwest ravelin, opening to the northwest, was the sally port, near which several relies have been found. These relies consist of sections of tire of wagon or gun wheels, each piece of tire being about three inches broad, beveled at the ends, with a groove in the middle about three- fourths of an inch wide, in which were sunk the rivets at the joints and broad-headed wrought-iron nails were evidently driven through the felloes and clinched on the inside midway between the rivets; worn horse shoes, etc., have also been picked up.
It is probable that, in addition to these two forts, there was a stockade at the crossing of Stonycreek referred to in Colonial history as "The Stockade at Stoney Creek" and "JJollys." Bouquet was at Loyalhanna on September 7, 1758, but about the middle of October of the same year he was reported to be at Stonycreek with seven hundred men. A letter from him dated at Ray's Dudgeon October 13, 1758, speaks of having gone with eighty men that morning to reconnoiter Laurel Hill. Ray's Dudgeon may have been on the eastern slope of the Alle- gheny, near Breastwork run. From Post's journal, December 27, 1758, we quote: "We encamped by Beaver Dam, under Laurel Hill; 28th-we came to Stoneycreek, where Mr. Quick- sell is stationed."
In notes to Fort Ligonier (76), in "Frontier Forts of Penn-
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sylvania," we read: "Stonycreek was a station on the Forbes Road, where it crossed that stream, now Stoyestown, in Somer- set county. Guards and relays were kept here. There was a kind of stockade erected here when the road was ent by Bouquet and a small garrison stayed there. It was deserted for a time in Pontiac's War, 1763."
Under date of October 13, 1777, in the journal of Fort Preservation of the Revolution, erected at the site of Fort Lig- onier, appears the following:
"At Two o'clock P. M. an Express from Capt. Lochry at Stoney Creek that he had three Brigades and Packhorses with Continental Stores under escorte; that a Man had been kill'd & Scalp'd the day before within half a Mile of that place; that he look'd upon it unsafe to stir them without a further rein- forcement, as he had only fifteen Guns to defend one hundred and forty packhorses with their Drivers. At Day break Capt. Shannon with 24 Men march'd to Stoney Creek to his Relief. The Works lay still for want of men-there being only a Guard for the Town left.
"[Octr.] 14th.
"About 4 o'clock this afternoon the escorte arriv'd safe at Ligonier without any Accident on the Road ;- The Works lay still."
A short distance above the fort in the bed of this run may be seen quite a number of indentations in the stratified sand rocks somewhat resembling the foot-prints of animals of the elephant species, only very much smaller and irregular in shape, doubtless due to the influences of one or more of the forces of Nature.
Below the site of the fort about a quarter of a mile is a fall in the run of about eight feet, below which is a pool of water about three feet deep, in which tradition says that two soldiers, whether of Forbes' army in 1758, or of Colonel Lougli- rey's command during the Revolutionary war, it is difficult to determine, were fishing when they were fired upon and killed by Indians concealed in the bushes. Their graves are pointed out near the fort.
After receiving the waters of Oven run, the Stonycreek enlarged by Foy run, Fallen Timber run and others, winds on its northward course to Hooversville, where Dixie run adds to its volume.
At Hooversville Perry Blough's large grist mill is situated. From Hooversville the Stonycreek continuing its way north,
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
bending in and out, is greatly increased in volume by the acces- sion of its largest tributary-the Quemahoning. Its sources are the headwaters of the North Fork of the Quemahoning and the South Fork of the Quemahoning, of which Rhodes' Camp run, the head of the former, is found in Lincoln township and the latter in Somerset township.
From the confluence of Spruce run the direction of the North Branch is about east northeast to the mouth of Beaver Dam run, about two miles distant.
This Beaver Dam run is augmented by the waters of Coal run and Picking's Little Trout run before it unites with the South Fork, and the united waters become the Quemahoning.
The South Fork of the Quemahoning rises in Somerset township, and, receiving Ferguson's run, soon joins the North Branch.
The Quemahoning joined by Picking's run and Carding Machine run flows past Jenner before Roaring run and Gum run pour in their waters.
Past the site of Morgan's woolen mill and Stanton's mills, and receiving Higgins' run and others, the Quemahoning joins its forees with Stonycreek near Holsopple.
Although the drainage area of the Quemahoning is quite large, the volume of the water, except in times of freshets, does not appear to be as great as it formerly was, owing no doubt to the cutting away of the timber from the valleys and slopes along its tributaries.
This system was formerly the home of many sawmills and grist mills, not many of which are now in active use, but, in ad- dition to those already noted, there is situated above Morgan's woolen mill the Rieville grist mill, the Covall sawmill, and the site of the Hoffman grist mill, while one mile below Stanton's Mill is the Bondrager grist mill, and farther down the grist mill of C. Boyer. Near the confluence of the creek with Stonycreek, not far from Holsopple, is situated the grist mill of the Farmers' Milling Company.
On the Reininger farm, on the east side of the stream, be- tween the Bondrager and Boyer mills, is the site of an old fort built during the French and Indian war, near which numbers of arrow heads, some of them of large dimensions, have been found. This fort was somewhat similar in shape to the one found on Oven Run, but somewhat larger, and probably was the scene of
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
the siege of Colonel Loughrey, mention of which has been al- ready made.
Shade Creek is an important branch of the Stonycreek, not only on account of the considerable area of its drainage, but the historie interest that attached to it on account of its early iron industry and latterly of its extensive lumber operations.
The principal branch of Shade creek is Dark Shade creek, the two main forks of which rise in the southwestern part of Shade township on the western slope of the Allegheny mount- ains; then Beaver Dam run, composed of two forks rising on the mountain, soon flows in from the eastward, and a short distance below this confluence is the site of McGregor's dam and sawmill. built nearly forty years ago, and three-quarters of a mile below this dam, the course of the creek being nearly the same, is lo- cated Reitz's sawmill and grist mill.
From Reitz's dam to Mill run, Dark Shade flows on past Mill creek, to where the combined streams become Shade creek.
Clear Shade creek drains the southeastern part of Ogle township by its two upper forks, and is the site of the splash dam of the Johnstown Lumber Company.
On Shade creek is the site of old Shade furnace, which oc- cupies in the early history of the iron industry of Western Pennsylvania so conspicuous a place. Of this furnace James M. Swank, in his first edition of "Iron in All Ages," page 169, says :
"Shade Furnace. on Shade creek, in Somerset county, was built in 1807 or 1808. and was the first iron enterprise in the county. It used bog ore, the discovery of which led to its erec- tion, although the location was otherwise unfavorable. It was built by Gerehart & Reynolds upon land leased from Thomas Vickroy. In November, 1813, Mr. Vickroy advertised the fur- nace for sale, at a great bargain. A sale was effected in 1819 to Mark Richards, Anthony S. Earl, and Benjamin Johns, of New Jersey. constituting the firm of Richards, Earl & Co., which operated the furnace down to about 1830. In 1820, the firm built Shade Forge, below the furnace, which was carried on by William Earl for four or five years, and afterward by John Hammer and others. About 1811 Joseph Vickroy and Conrad Piper built Mary Ann Forge on Stonycreek, about five miles below Shade Furnace and half a mile below the mouth of Shade creek. David Livingston was subsequently the owner of the forge and operated it for several years. Richard Geary, the father of Governor John W. Geary, was the millwright who built the forge for the owners. Pig iron was sometimes packed
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
on horseback to this forge from Bedford county, the horses tak- ing salt from the Conemaugh Salt Works and bar iron as a re- turn load."
Rockingham Furnace was situated two miles above Shade Furnace on Shade creek. It was built in 1844 by John Foust. and was subsequently operated by Custer & Little.
About half a mile below the mouth of this run, the course of the stream being northwestward, Roaring Fork, a stream some six or seven miles in length, the two principal forks of which rise near Ashtola, flows in a southerly direction almost its entire course.
A curve in the Shade creek is the site of the Johnstown Lumber Company's dam, half a mile above where it unites with the Stonyereek.
ยท The "Willomink." as the Indians named it .. or what is now Paint creek. another tributary of the Stonycreek, rises in what was formerly Paint township, now Ogle township, Somerset county, and flows in a direction-generally west to Scalp Level, on the line between Richland township in Cambria and Paint in Somerset county.
The Big Paint creek at Scalp Level is augmented by the waters of Little Paint creek, which is formed near Elton, in Adams township, Cambria county, by the union of two runs that flow down from the southeast.
Beginning at Scalp Level Paint creek flows almost due west, with short curves. to Stonycreek, about three miles distant, and from the confluence the Stonycreek flows northwest. the next runs of importance being the run flowing in from the vicinity of Davidsville, and nearer the bend Benscreek, which flows in from the westward.
Benscreek has quite a large drainage area. It is composed of two large branches and many smaller tributaries.
The South Fork of Benscreek rises in the Laurel Hill region in the northwestern part of Jenner township and flows southeast through Forwardstown. The North Branch of Benscreek rises in the northwestern part of Conemaugh township, Somerset county. From the junction of its forks. the course of Benscreek is toward the Cambria-Somerset county line, Millereek, on which are situated two dams of the Johnstown Water Company, flows in a southeasterly direction from the western part of Upper Yoder township, and, bending to the eastward. Benscreek a short distance below merges with Stonycreek, as already men-
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tioned. on the horseshoe curve, which is succeeded by another short curve around Ferndale; thence turning to a direct course north northwest for about a mile, past the Seventh ward, in Johnstown, it makes another staple bend to the eastward, on the right leg of which Sam's run flows in from Richland, through Stonycreek township and the Seventh ward, and almost op- posite on the bend at the upper end of Dale borough, Solomon's run, which half a mile above receives Shingle run, flows in from the east; on the opposite bank, about five hundred and fifty yards further down, Cheney run flows in from the direction of Whisky Springs.
At and below Cheney run the river curves slowly to a north- by-west course for about three hundred yards, and then swerves north by east eight hundred yards to the head of Baumer street. From this point the direction of the stream is about north north- west to a point opposite the upper end of Vine street.
On this last stretch of the creek a run flows in from the di- rection of Daisytown. This is the last accession of note the Stonvereek receives in its vast area of drainage, embracing about four hundred and fifty square miles.
Near the head of Vine street, Mr. James M. Swank, in his "Iron in All Ages." says was built in 1809 the first forge in Cambria county, which marked the beginning of the great iron industry that has since made Johnstown an important and ever- increasing city. The forge was probably built by John Holli- day, of Hollidaysburg, John Buckwalter being its first foreman. The dam for this forge was swept away by a flood in 1811, and subsequently the forge was removed to the Conemaugh river, where the schoolhouse now stands on Iron street. It was used to hammer bar iron out of Juniata pig iron, and was operated down to 1822, Rahm and Bean, of Pittsburg, being the lessees at that time. In 1817 Thomas Burrell offered wood-choppers fifty cents per cord for chopping one thousand cords of wood at Cambria Forge, Johnstown. About two hundred pounds of nails, valued at $30, were made at Johnstown in the census year of 1810. About this time Robert Pierson established an enter- prise by which nails were cut by a machine worked with a treadle, the heads being afterward added by hand.
From the head of Vine street the direction of the Stony- creek is northwestward for three hundred yards to the Kern- ville bridge, where it bends to the westward for about three hundred and fifty yards, and from this point northwestward
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
five hundred yards to the Westmont Incline Plane, and thence, bending gradually to a north-by-east course about five hundred and fifty yards in length, to The Point. Its waters are there blended with the smaller volume of the Little Conemangh, and the rushing Conemaugh river is the result.
Below the confluence of the Stonycreek and the Little Cone- mangh, the Conemaugh river runs in a northerly direction for a thousand yards, and then bends toward the northwest for two hundred and fifty yards, where Hinckston's run, which empties below the Cambria Works, brings down a considerable volume of water from JJackson township, in the northeastern part of which it rises, and flows in a south southwest direction for about nine miles of its course through East Taylor, receiving a large number of branches from either side of the stream; then, bend- ing to the southward for half a mile, it deflects to a course nearly west by south to its mouth, a mile and a quarter distant.
Hinckston's run derives its name from a tragedy that oc- curred at its month in May, 1774, in which John (or Joseph) Wipey, an inoffensive Indian-the last of the Delawares-was shot to death while fishing from his canoe in the Conemangh by two renegade white men named John Hinekston (according to his own signature to a deed "Hinkson") and James Cooper.
When the Delawares left Frankstown, Wipey remained be- hind and built a cabin in East Wheatfield township, Indiana county, and lived by hunting and fishing. He was an inoffensive Indian, and was regarded as the friend of the whites, being on intimate terms with the Adamses, the first white settlers within the borders of Cambria county.
From Hinekston's run the course of the Conemangh river is northwestward for about thirteen hundred yards to Elk run, which flows in from the southwest from Upper Yoder township, through Lower Yoder township.
Below Elk run, Mill run, sometimes called St. Clair's run, flows in between the Eighteenth and Nineteenth wards of Johns- stown, and receives near its junction Strayer run from the north- west. From this point to Sheridan Station, seven hundred yards distant, the direction of the stream is nearly northward, from which point, for six hundred yards, the direction is north by east to a point below the Twenty-first ward. At two right curves, six hundred yards across, bring us to Laurel run, which, rising in Jackson township, flows in through West Taylor in a south- westerly direction.
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
On this run, which is the last stream of note to enter the Conemaugh in Cambria county, the Johnstown Water Com- pany has a dam; it also has one on Mill run, on the other side of the river.
After a short curve to the westward the course of the Cone- maugh is nearly north northwest for about three miles, when it leaves Cambria connty and forms the boundary between Indi- ana county on the north and Westmoreland on the south, as far as the junction of the Loyalhanna, from which point to the junction with the Allegheny at Freeport the name of the noble stream is Kiskiminetas, an Indian name, the signification of which is "Cut Spirit," doubtless from the change in the char- acter of the stream after the influx of the waters of the Loyal- hanna, denominated by the noble red man "La-el-hanne," mean- ing "Middle Stream."
Even before the great disaster of eighteen years ago, which made its name familiar to the civilized world, the Conemangh had a wide celebrity. for after the introduction of the iron in- dustry in 1807, as heretofore noted, its waters, which appear to have been too rough for the frail canoe of the Indian, bore many a flatboat loaded with iron to Pittsburg, and the town of Conemangh sprang up at the head of navigation and con- tinned to grow under that historie name until 1834, when the name was changed to Johnstown, after the flatboat had passed away and the packet proudly navigated the western division of the Pennsylvania canal.
Mr. John McCormick of Wilmore, a careful and industrious student of historical events, is the author of these graphic ,
verses :
TO THE CONEMAUGH.
O! Conemaugh, rapid and turbulent stream, Thy name is historic; thy water's bright gleam Reflects the warm sunbeam, the moon's silver light, In glory of noonday or dead of the night.
Thy waters of old bore the dug-out canoe, Where later the flatboat came often in view; The packet succeeded; in time passed away- Man's greatest achievements are doomed to decay.
Next rushed 'long thy valley the swift iron steed, Surpassing all things save lightning in speed, Or the swift-twirling bullet that sped through the air And pierced the wild panther that sprang from his lair,
To feast on the lambkins that fed in thy vale,
Whose people's proud spirit did never say "Fail "; Not e'n when thy waters in torrents came down, O'erwhelming the dwellers in city and town:
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
But rose from the ruins of that one dire day To clear the last trace of its wreckage away, To build a great city all over its track- Its victims, alas! they can never bring back.
Then flow on, swift river, between those high hills, Indented so deeply with cold, sparkling rills; And be in the future what thou long hast been- A safe route for commerce our great States between While Time shall endure and our Nation shall be The home of the brave and the land of the free.
CHAPTER XII.
THE CITY OF JOHNSTOWN.
The charter original for Johnstown, was not issued by virtue of government authority, as municipal corporations are now created, and such as was granted by Governor Beaver when it became a city of the third class, bearing date of De- cember 18, 1889, but it was given by a solemn pledge in writing by Joseph Johns, the founder. The dedication thus given was as follows :
" To All People to Whom These Presents Shall Come:
"Joseph Johns, of Quemahoning Township, in the County of Somerset, in the' Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, yeoman, sends greeting.
"Whereas, The said Joseph Johns hath laid out a town on the tract of land whereon he now lives, situate in the forks of, and at the confluence of, Stonycreek and Little Conemaugh rivers, known by the name of Conemaugh Old Town. in the township and county aforesaid, which said town contains at present 141 lots, ten streets, six alleys and one Market Square, as by the plan thereof will more fully and at large appear :
"Now, know ve, that the said Joseph Johns hath laid out the said town on the principles and conditions following, viz : "First. The said town shall be called and hereafter known by the name of Conemangh,
"Second, The purchaser or purchasers of each lot in the said town. upon the payment of the purchase money agreed upon, shall receive from the said Joseph Johns, his heirs or assigns. a deed regularly executed for the same lot. free and clear of all incumbrances, except the payment of a ground rent on each lot so sold of one dollar in specie on the first of October annually forever.
"Third, The said Joseph Johns hereby declares the said Market Square, streets and alleys, public highways, and guarantees to the future inhabitants of the said town of Cone- mangh a free and undisturbed use of them henceforth forever.
"Fourth, The said Joseph Johns hereby gives and grants to the said future inhabitants two certain lots of ground situate on Market street and Chestnut street, in the said town, marked in the general plan thereof No. 133 and No. 134, for the purpose of erecting school-houses and houses of public worship, free and clear of all incumbrances whatsoever.
"Fifth, The said Joseph Johns hereby further gives and
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grants to the inhabitants aforesaid. free and clear of all in- cumbrances whatsoever, a convenient spot of ground at the up- per end of the said tract of land, not less than one acre, for a burying ground for the inhabitants of said town and neighbor- hood, which said spot of ground shall be mutually determined on, surveyed, and laid off by the said Joseph Johns and the several purchasers of lots in the said town, or such of them as may there be present on the first day of May next.
"Sixth. The said Joseph Johns reserves the square on Main street. containing the lots Nos. 49, 50, 51 and 52, for a county courthouse and other public buildings, and he hereby engages, as soon as the said town becomes a seat of justice, to convey the same to the county for that purpose, free and clear of all inenmbrances whatsoever.
"Seventh, The said Joseph Johns hereby further declares that all that piece of ground called the Point, lying between the said town and the junction of the two rivers or creeks afore- said, shall be reserved for common and public amusements for the use of the said town and its future inhabitants forever.
"In testimony whereof, the said Joseph Johns hath here- unto set his hand and seal the third day of November, one thou- sand eight hundred.
"JOSEPH JOHNS (L. S.) "Sealed and delivered in the presence of
"ABRAHAM MORRISON, "JOHN BERKEY, and "JOSIAH ESPY.
"Somerset county, ss.
"On the third day of November, one thousand eight hun- dred, personally came before me, the subscriber, one of the Jus- tices of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid, the above- named JJoseph Johns, and acknowledged the above instrument in writing to be his act and deed.
"Witness my hand and seal.
"JOHN WELLS. ( L. S.)
"Recorded Nov. 4, 1800."
The one hundred and forty-one lots, each four rods wide and sixteen rods in length, were west of Franklin street.
The land within the city of Johnstown remained in Cone- mangh township until January 12, 1831, when Governor George Wolf approved a special act of the General Assembly incorpor- ating "the town of Conemangh, in Cambria County, into a bor- ough."
The limits of that borongh began at the corner of Franklin and Washington streets, thence down the north side of Wash- ington street to the north corner of Walnut street, thence to
Vol. 1-16
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HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
Union street, thence to the north corner of Conemangh street, thence to Stonycreek street, thence along the south side of Stonycreek street to Chestnut (now Carr), thence sonth 22 de- grees east 16 perches, thence north to Market street, thence to the south corner of Franklin, thence to the Bedford road, thence
ORIGINAL PLAN OF CONEMAUGH OLD TOWN AS FILED BY JOSEPH JOHN'S At Somerset November 44 1800
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