USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > History of Clarion County, Pennsylvania > Part 53
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
Clarion Lodge (Blue) of Free and Accepted Masons, No. 277, was char- tered in 1853, with J. P. Brown, worthy master; Wm. B. Brown, senior warden ; James E. Johnson, first junior warden. Its present W. M. is A. H. Sarver.
Clarion Lodge, No. 213, A. O. U. W., was organized by J. E. Fisher, March, 1886, with thirty-one charter members. Past-master workman, J. E. Fisher ; master workman, Joseph H. Partrick. Meetings every Thursday night at G. A. R. Hall.
The Knights of Maccabees have also an organization here. The Sons of Temperance, Artisans' Order of Mutual Protection, and Red Men, secret soci- eties, once existed in Clarion, but are now defunct.
Churches .- Methodist Episcopal .- The Methodist was the first organized denomination in Clarion. In 1840 Mr. John R. Clover formed a society of this church here. Strattanville was the name of the circuit of appointments, and Mr. R. Peck was the preacher. Still it is supposed Dr. James Goe (the first prothonotary) who was a local preacher, first preached for the Methodists of Clarion. Before the jail was finished the house of Mr. Jesse Teats, on Wood street, now occupied by Samuel Pickens, and the Thomas school-house, now A. G. Corbett's Main street residence, were the places of assembly. In July, 1841, the appointment received conference recognition, and H. N. Sterns was appointed pastor. A lot was purchased in 1842 from Jno. N. Purviance, for $300, and in 1844 a brick structure was formally dedicated. The revivals of 1842, 1850, and 1851, were marked periods in the history of this church. The church was incorporated December 5, 1851. The trustees named in the articles of incorporation are James Goe, John Beck, Miles Beatty, Enoch Al- berson, Peter Conver, E. W. Everding, Jno. A. McCloskey, Samuel Whisner, George Dale. Present membership 130 communicants. The old building has become antiquated and a new church which will cost from $12,000 to $16,000 is projected. For this purpose the lot at the corner of Wood street and Sixth avenue has been purchased from L. Guth. The following have been the pastors of this church since its beginning here: H. N. Sterns, J. Graham, J. W. Klock, S. C. Churchill, J. W. Hill, D. H. Jack, J. K. Hallock, R. M. Bear, W. F. Wilson, W. F. Day, E. B. Lane, J. R. Lyon, J. T. Boyle, N. G. Luke, D. S. Steadman, T. P. Warner, J. J. Bently, T. Graham, R. F. Keeler, D. A. Crowell, S. S. Stuntz, W. F. Warren, E. R. Knapp, C. C. Hunt, O. M. Sackett, C. Wilson, M. Miller, H. Henderson, W. H. Mossman, C. M. Darrow, B. F. Delo, present pastor.
Presbyterian .- The Presbyterian Church at Clarion was organized in the upper story of the jail building, May 15, 1841, by Revs. J. Core and D. Polk, the former of Licking church, the latter of Brookville. Sixteen members 52
486
HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
were present ; Hugh A. Thompson, Thomas Sutton, and John Clark were installed as presiding elders. In 1844 the church building was completed. Rev. James Montgomery had been called to this ministry in February, 1842 ; Mr. Montgomery was an exceptionally pious, amiable and scholarly pastor. He continued to officiate till January, 1868, when his failing health com- pelled him to resign. He died August 10, 1871. The present pastor, Rev. James S. Elder, took charge February 28, 1868. Mr. Elder is a native of El- der's Ridge, Indiana county, a graduate of Jefferson College, and previous to his installation here had filled the pastorate of the Greenville and Corsica churches. The present parsonage was secured in 1870. Some valuable im- provements and additions to the church property were made of late years. In 1884 a pipe organ and stained windows were put in, and in the succeeding year a water motor was attached to the organ. The membership is 176. In connection with this church are the Women's Missionary (Foreign and Do- mestic) Society, and the Young Ladies' American Missionary Society, organ- ized in 1873, and 1872; both are in active existence. For the past year the former expended $500 in missionary work.
Roman Catholic .-- St. Mary's Immaculate Conception Church. In 1842 there was a mere handful of Catholics in the town, and their spiritual wants were first ministered to by Rev. Joseph Cody of Sugar Creek, Armstrong county, who came once every two or three months, and held divine service in the private houses of various members of the church. Subsequently this mis- sion was successively supplied by Rev. Fathers Kleineidam, Brown, Gallagher, Skopez ; and finally in 1846, P. Hoy was sent out as the first resident pastor. Clarion, however, was only the central of a number of outlying missions which he attended. Father Hoy becoming enfeebled, his place was taken by Rev. Jos. F. Deane, June, 1847. In the early part of 1850 Rev. James Slattery succeeded Mr. Deane as pastor here and at the "Wilderness," in Farmington township. During this pastorate the church was erected on a lot donated by the proprietors of the land at the instance of General Levi G. Clover, and con- veyed by the commissioners, January 8, 1841, to Bishop Kenrick, of the See of Philadelphia, in trust for the future congregation. The church property was afterwards enlarged by the gift of an adjoining lot by J. C. Reid. Ex- clusive of furniture, the cost of the church was $2,500. On Sunday, June the 15th, 1856, the structure was dedicated by Right Rev. Josue M. Young, of Erie. Father Slattery having gone to the West, the church was attended for three or four years by priests from other points, among whom were Revs. Ledwith, A. Skopez and Mollinger. The latter was relieved of Clarion in August, 1860, by Rev. John Koch, as permanent pastor and visitor for the Wilderness, Voglebachers, Sligo and other points. Under Fr. Koch's admin- istration the church, previously almost bare, was pretty thoroughly furnished with pews, organ, bells, etc. Rev. H. A. Deckenbrock, a native of Westphalia,
487
CLARION BOROUGH.
Prussia, arrived here September 1, 1876. No outside congregation was in- cluded in his charge. Under his direction the parsonage was built, the church extended, stained glass windows put in, and an elegant new altar purchased. An imposing front extension is to be executed in 1888. The congregation numbers about five hundred souls.
Baptist .- The Reidsburg Church, of which Rev. Thomas E. Thomas was minister, was the nearest place of worship for the few Baptists of the early town. About thirty years ago there was an attempt at Baptist organization here, but it proved only partially successful. Amos Myers, Samuel Frampton, C. E. Be- man, and Nicholas Shanafelt were its promoters. There was occasional preach- ing in the upper story of the bank building by Rev. - Wolf, and other for- eign clergymen. A Sunday-school was formed which met in the same room. In the course of a few years, on the death and departure of some of the leading spirits, the movement died out. In 1875 a reorganization was effected, and in 1876 a new edifice erected at the cost of $9,000, on a lot donated by Rev. Amos Myers. For some years the place could only support a pastor at half time. The resident pastors have been Revs. Swigart, Snyder, Shoemaker, and A. J. King. The membership is one hundred.
Schools .- Education received early attention in the infant burgh. The first common school-a free one-was opened in the autumn of 1841, in the house of its teacher, B. H. Thomas, which stood on the lot now occupied by A. G. Corbett's residence on Main street. School was held only during the winter term ; the balance of the year the house was used as the temporary academy. In 1845 a small one-room structure, the " White School House," was built on lot No. 21, fronting on South street. It stood near the upper end of the lot, and was approached from Fifth avenue. The building is now used as a dwell- ing. School was held here till 1867, and then transferred to the academy.
The academy became dilapidated, unsightly, as well as too small, and after a great deal of agitation, the citizens of the town, by popular vote, decided to erect a new school-house. On September 6, 1885, the contract for a three- storied brick building was awarded to S. S. Wilson, at $15,000. School was opened in the winter of 1886, with Prof. Yingling, principal, and all the pupils from school No. 2, the engine-house, transferred to the new building. The structure is a very creditable one, and the architecture on the whole is pleas- ing. It contains ten rooms.
In 1865 the first Catholic school was held in the sacristy of the church ; Miss Allebach was its teacher. The front of the school-house was erected in 1869, and the rear in 1878. Lay instructors were employed till 1876, when the Benedictine Sisters took charge of the school, and have remained ever since.
Clarion Academy was incorporated by an act of Assembly June 12, 1840, with Amos Williams, Hugh Maguire, Lindsay C. Pritner, Robert Potter, Geo. B. Hamilton, Peter Clover, sr., John H. Groce, William B. Fetzer, and Charles
488
HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
Evans, trustees. The treasurer, Judge Evans, received $2,000 as a State ap- propriation. Lots Nos. 45 and 46 were purchased from the first regular com- missioners for $202.50. Early in 1841 Lyon and Thompson received the build- ing contract for $1,800. The building was not completed ready for use till January, 1843 ; in the mean time the sessions were held in B. H. Thomas's frame school-house. Beside the ordinary branches, Latin and some of the higher mathematics were embraced in the school's curriculum. Rev. Robert W. Orr was the first principal ; he was succeeded by James V. Reid in 1845. In that year the annual State appropriations were discontinued, and the acad- emy, unable to support itself, ceased to exist. The building was utilized for various purposes ; select-school, lodge-rooms, etc., till 1867, when it was con- verted to the use of the common schools.
The Clarion Female Seminary began in 1843, in an humble frame structure on Fifth avenue, previously a tailor shop, now the kitchen of the old B. J. Reid homestead. Miss Stebbins, a sister-in-law of attorney John B. Butler, was its first teacher ; Thomas M. Jolly was president of the board of trustees. The institution failed to realize the expectations of its projectors, and after a couple of terms the Clarion Female Seminary became a thing of the past.
Carrier Seminary and the Normal School. 1866 being the centennial year of American Methodism, the Erie Conference determined to commemorate it by the inauguration of two educational institutions under the patronage of the church ; one at Randolph, N. Y., and the other at Clarion, Pa. Rev. R. M. Bear was appointed financial agent to solicit donations. The first board of trustees was elected by the contributors March 18, 1867, and were George W. Arnold, Samuel Wilson, Jacob Black, John Keatly, James Ross, M. D., Hiram Carrier, Nathan Carrier, jr., David Lawson, William Young, James B. Knox, Hutchman Torrence, John D. Coax, Nathan Myers, Martin Kearney, John R. Strattan. The corner-stone was laid June 16, 1868, and the building, a mas- sive three-storied brick structure, sixty feet wide by one hundred and ten in length, completed in the fall of 1871. The grounds comprised ten acres. The total cost, inclusive of furniture, was about $75.000. In the mean time the school had been organized in the old academy building. The name Carrier Seminary was adopted in honor of the Carrier family, who agreed to donate $6,000 for the building. The first term of Carrier Seminary was opened Sep- tember 10, 1867, with Rev. J. G. Townsend as principal, who remained one year. He was succeeded by Rev. S. Stuntz, who remained at the head of the school two years; in the fall of 1870 Miss E. J. Haldeman became principal, remaining one year. The fall term of 1871 opened in the new building, Prof. J. J. Steadman, principal. The institution started out prosperously, but after a few years a decline set in, from which it never revived.
In 1874 some of the leading citizens of the borough - stockholders, en- deavored to change the Carrier Seminary into a State Normal school, and suc-
489
CLARION BOROUGH.
ceeded in having the thirteenth district set apart for Clarion ; but the M. E. Conference, on discovering that in the event of the change, the institution would pass out of its control, opposed the project, and it consquently fell through.
In the summer of 1886 several teachers succeeded in getting the substan- tial citizens of Clarion interested in the design of establishing a Normal School. The scheme soon took practical shape; $40,000 were subscribed, and at the session of the Methodist Episcopal Conference, beginning September 15, 1886, the transfer of the seminary from that body to the provisional trustees of the Clarion State Normal School Association was effected for the consideration of $25,000. Ground was immediately broken for the erection of two large dor- mitories adjoining the main building; the work was rapidly pushed, and the State committee, having examined the structures February 15, 1887, formally recommended them the same day, thus perfecting the establishment of the school as a State institution. The interior of the seminary building was re- modeled and renovated throughout; the partitions of the third story were taken out and the whole converted into a magnificent hall. The ladies' dormi- tory consists of two wings, each forty by one hundred and twenty feet, and three stories high ; the lower story contains the dining-room, thirty-eight by ninety-six feet, and capable of seating 250. The main wing of the boys' build- ing, likewise three stories in height, and with seventy rooms, measures forty by one hundred and two feet; the annex forty by sixty-four feet. All the build- ings are fitted with water, steam, and gas, and in interior arrangements and facilities are unsurpassed in the State. About $60,000 has already been ex- pended in improvements ; the total cost will exceed $90,000. School opened April 12, 1887 with 140 students. Prof. A. J. Davis, the principal, is assisted by a select faculty of eleven. While of course the art of teaching is made a special feature, the school instructs in all the branches of a liberal education ; classic, scientific, commercial, the modern languages, music, painting and civil engineering. The general management is vested in the principal, subject to the State regulations and the supervision of the State superintendent. The principal is assisted in maintaining discipline by the teachers and commissary. The trustees have an indirect control of the institution, each department being entrusted to one of the three committees, viz .: on instruction, on finance, on supplies.
The Press .- Clarion's first periodical was the Republican, established by William T. Alexander and Robert Barber, on the ruins of a sheet of the same name, published at Strattanville for a few months by J. T. McCracken. The first number of the Clarion paper, in size 14 x 21 inches ; a four-column double- sheet, was issued in May, 1840. We will let the editor, Colonel Alexander, describe its auspices in his own words: "When it was determined to issue the first number of the paper, the building intended for the printing-office, 18 x 20
490
HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
feet, was still uncompleted and was minus a roof and a floor. It stood upon the site now occupied by Schott's meat market, and the old Ramage press, which was either the one used by Ben Franklin, or its fac simile, was brought from Strattanville and placed upon the ground within the walls of the building. The old, worn-out type from Strattanville, with a font of new ones, were laid in cases, and the racks stood upon the then open ground, now occupied by Klahe's hardware store, with a leafless oak tree and the blue sky for a roof, and all 'out of doors' for elbow room. There was set the first type for the first paper printed in Clarion, and the first number was issued from the press in the roofless and floorless building above referred to. It required from three to five hours each week to tighten its props, retie the platen, renew the leather used for springs, and make other necessary repairs about this Ramage press ; but for years it served all purposes in working off the paper, and doing all the job work turned out by the office. The subscription list of the paper gradually increased from two hundred to five hundred, and its publishers were content with the assurance that the country produce taken in exchange would pay for boarding, while the cash payments would keep up the stock of paper."
The Republican (Democratic in politics) found a formidable, but transitory rival in the Visitor, imported from Butler by a faction of the Democratic party, to support their ticket, which was opposed by the Republican. It was pub- lished by Charles McLaughlin, ably edited by one Lindsay, and was a com- paratively handsome sheet. After the defeat of all its ticket except the sheriff, the Visitor remained long enough to print his official blanks and then de- camped.
The Iron County Democrat was started in September, 1842, by B. J. Reid and Samuel Duff, and first saw light on the 27th of that month. It was cre- ated by a demand for a non-bolting Democratic organ. The Iron County Democrat in size was considerably larger than the Republican; at its head was displayed the legend, " All kinds of marketable produce taken in exchange." Reid & Duff were succeeded by B. J. and J. C. Reid, and in February, 1844, the conflicting wings having buried the hatchet, the Republican and Iron County Democrat were consolidated under the name of the Clarion Democrat, B. J. Reid and William T. Alexander, proprietors and editors; Captain Barber hav- ing in the mean while retired. The old material of the Republican was disposed of to start the Emlenton Gasette, and torture the eyes of the Emlentonians.
In August, 1845, differences arose between the editors concerning the choice of two tickets presented by a disrupted county convention. Neither yielding, a deadlock was the result, and the paper suspended publication. The difficulty was at length solved by Mr. Reid selling his interest to Alexander, and after a break of six weeks the Democrat again appeared, October 11, 1845. In a few months Colonel Alexander took in Geo. W. Weaver, of Bellefonte, and the firm so continued for about seven years ; for a succeeding period of
491
CLARION BOROUGH.
ten years Alexander remained sole proprietor. July 10, 1858, the Democrat was enlarged from a five to a seven-column sheet, and other typographical changes made. Early in June, 1862, James T. Burns, esq., became a partner in the paper, but in the following December his interest was purchased by R. B. Brown, of Brownsville, Fayette county. In 1864 Mr. Brown became sole proprietor, Colonel Alexander retiring after an editorship of twenty-four con- secutive years. Mr. Brown introduced the first steam press in the county, for the office of the Democrat, in January, 1872. In November, 1877, George F. Kribbs became owner and editor of the Democrat, and in September, 1885, Mr. W. I. Reed, formerly of Beaver, Pa., was taken into partnership. Under the present management the circulation of the Democrat has been much in- creased, extensive reforms made in its typographical appearance, and it is now one of the most substantial and prosperous country weeklies in Western Penn- sylvania. In January, 1887, the old press was replaced by an improved Cot- trell & Babcock, with a capacity of 1,500 copies an hour.
The Democrat Register, the Whig organ, was inaugurated by D. W. Fos- ter, esq., and issued its first number April 26, 1843. It was inferior both in matter and make-up to the opposition journals. Foster, in 1845, resigned the editorial chair to Parker C. Purviance, an attorney from Butler, and later it was conducted by his brother-in-law, A. J. Gibson.
The Register was purchased in 1852 by Colonel Samuel Young, who in- fused some life into its columns. In 1856 the sheet was enlarged and its name changed to the Independent Banner. In 1869 C. W. Gilfillan, the Republican nominee for Congress in this district, was opposed by Young in the Banner. To get rid of this enemy and have the Republican press unanimous in his favor, Gilfillan bought out Young in the fall of 1869, changed the paper's name to the Republican, and sent J. T. McCoy, of Franklin, to edit it. Mc- Coy, after a few months was succeeded by George O. Morgan, of Meadville.
In 1871 the Republican was purchased by Jos. H. Patrick and William S. Alexander, who edited it jointly for a few years, when Patrick retired. This management, in 1873, procured a steam press. William Alexander continued to act as editor till 1876, when a handsome new office was erected, and the concern passed into the control of the Republican Printing Company, com- posed of William S. Alexander, George W. Arnold, Theo. S. Wilson ; Mr. Alexander, business manager, and W. R. Johns, editor. In 1879 Johns left to start the Foxburg Gazette, owned by William L. Fox, and his place was filled by A. A. Carlisle, till the consolidation of the Republican and Gazette, Sep- tember 9, 1880. Mr. Johns remained editor for three years, and on Septem- ber 9, 1883, John B. Patrick, esq., having bought Theo. S. Wilson's interest, and leased the others, assumed editorial charge.
The Independent Democrat, started in 1854, by John S. Maxwell, was a short-lived sheet, expiring in about six months.
492
HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
A. Cameron Foster, assisted financially by J. B. Watson, esq., in 1872, established the Clarion Jacksonian in 1872.
After some years it was leased by West & Ray; T. West, editor. Being shortly sold at sheriff sale, the paper was purchased by West & Ray, and in January, 1881, sold to A. A. Carlisle, who soon after brought it out in a new, and much more attractive garb.
Banks .- Clarion's first financial institution, the First National Bank, was chartered January 18, 1865, with a capital of $100,000. William L. Corbett was first president, G. W. Arnold, cashier ; the latter has retained that posi- tion ever since. The First National occupied the old building now leased by Ed. L. Fox, till 1882, when their present elegant fire-proof structure was com- pleted.
The Discount and Deposit Bank was established in 1871, with James Campbell, president, and T. B. Barber, casliier, succeeded by N. Myers. Cap- ital $100,000. In 1880 the institution was reorganized as the Discount and Deposit Bank, limited, and the office was removed to Kribbs's block. Sep- tember, 1883, it became the Second National Bank of Clarion.
Military .- Back in the '50's several ineffectual attempts were made in Clarion to raise a volunteer militia company. A number of the Perry Infantry in 1876 were recruited from Clarion and vicinity, but no home organization was reached till November 15, 1878. The Perry township company, first com- manded by A. J. Davis, later by O. E. Nail, having disbanded, both those gentlemen, on coming here to fill their respective offices, canvassed the forma- tion of a military company and brought about the existence of Company G, Sixteenth Regiment, N. G. P .; A. H. Beck, first captain ; William S. Alexan- der, lieutenant. Captain Beck was succeeded by O. E. Nail ; he by J. J. Fra- zier, and on the latter's promotion, M. A. K. Weidner, was elected to the command. On Weidner's resignation May 8, 1887, A. J. Davis was chosen captain. In 1881 the company was transferred to the Second Brigade, Fif- teenth Regiment, and became Company D. It took possession of the present armory in the winter of 1878. The strength of the company is fifty-eight.
The town grew very slowly between 1845 and 1875; in fact the advance- ment was scarcely perceptible. The population of the village in 1860 did not exceed that of 1850, while the census of 1870 showed a falling off of fifteen from that of 1850. For the space of twenty-five years, improvements, too, were almost at a stand-still. Among the few notable additions in those years was the Myers mansion erected by Thomas Sutton about 1845; the Catholic Church in 1854; E. Alberson's residence (now J. L. Shallenberger's), about the same time; G. W. Arnold's residence and block in 1856; the latter was the first three-story residence in the town.
Five companies mustered at the county seat and marched thence away to war-Lemon's, Knox's, Reid's, Loomis's, and Mackey's, leaving in the order
yunus Imly El. Unitde
493
CLARION BOROUGH.
given. In those trying times Main street, the public squares, and the fair grounds resounded to the drum, the " spirit-stirring fife," and the martial tread of the volunteers in drill and tactics. The panting recruits swept along the chief thoroughfare of the village from end to end, marching, counter-marching, charging, and toilsomely but heroically performing all the evolutions of the drill. Sometimes they were armed with old muskets, oftener with sticks and canes. The Fair Ground was used for practice and as a camp. Captain Knox's and Reid's companies underwent a three days' drill encampment there, bi- vouacking in the sheds. The companies on their departure would assemble in front of the court-house, listen to a patriotic address and receive the benedic- tion of one of the ministers of the town. Then amid tears and cheers, they wheeled down Fifth avenue, and the declivity of the road shut them out from view ; some, forever.
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.