USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > History of Clarion County, Pennsylvania > Part 55
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
Main street, which was completed in the summer of 1876. Failing to pay the indebtedness contracted in building, they sold to the Presbyterians.
During the summer of 1876 Rev. J. C. Hench preached in Edenburg, and at the meeting of the Clarion Presbytery, held early in 1877, Revs. J. S. Elder and D. W. Casset were appointed a committee to organize a Presbyterian Church in the town. A membership of twenty-eight was secured, and an organization effected by electing A. Culberson, John Craighill, Robert Atwell, and D. B. Wilhelm, ruling elders, and J. B. Painter, Leroy Mitchell, and Harry Craig, trustees. Rev. Mr. Allen was installed pastor September 11, 1877, and the church prospered for a season. But the fires that swept the town scat- tered the flock; Rev. Allen resigned his charge for another field, and the pul- pit of this church has been irregularly filled by supplies until February I, 1887, when Rev. H. F. Earseman was installed as pastor.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was in existence in the vicinity of Eden- burg since 1832. Services were held as early as 1852 in the school-house, and the Edenburg charge was attached to the Shippenville circuit, consisting of eleven appointments, embracing a wide stretch of territory. With the advent of oil, Rev. E. M. Kernick supplied Turkey City, Salem, Edenburg, Mount Joy, and Perry Chapel. On taking charge of the circuit in 1875, Rev. Ker- nick found that a liberal subscription had been raised for the erection of a church and parsonage at Edenburg. The church was dedicated June 16, 1876. Seven months later, January 5, 1877, it was burned. Part of the pews and furniture and the parsonage were saved. The building had been partly insured, and the members proceeded promptly to erect a new church, with basement for Sunday-school rooms, class rooms, and heater. The edifice was completed the following summer, and was the finest church in the county at that time. Dr. Newman presided at the dedicatory services, October 17, 1877, and G. G. Howe, J. J. Bradley, W. W. Wingard, P. F. Kribbs, E. F. Hecter, W. B. Weaver, and M. E. Hess were appointed trustees. The mem- bership numbered 225, and the charge was one of the strongest of the Erie Conference.
The great conflagration of October 13, 1878, swept away this fine church and parsonage. They had cost the society almost $10,000, and were insured for $5,000. A site for a new church was secured, as was thought, remote from danger of fires, and a third church within the space of about three years was built. This church had been occupied less than a year, when, during evening service January, 1879, it was discovered to be on fire, but this time the flames were extinguished after damages to the amount of about one hundred dollars had been sustained.
E. M. Kernick was succeeded by Rev. P. P. Pinney, who served the charge three years, and shared with his flock the vicissitudes of the principal fires, in one of which he lost, among other property, a valuable library. Mr. Pinney
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left Edenburg to serve as presiding elder of the Clarion District, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. William Martin, he by Rev. W. L. Riley. The next was Rev. B. F. Delo, and Rev. J. H. Keely, the present pastor, followed Mr. Delo.
A Catholic Church was erected on the hill east of the town in 1876. James Sheridan, Michael Boyce, Patrick Moran, and Patrick Canning were prominent in its establishment. The next year the present edifice was erected. Father Smith and Father Mullen were the pastors of this congregation.
Fires .- In their frequency and extent the several conflagrations that laid waste this town, stand without parallel ; and in nearly every case the fire has undoubtedly been caused by incendiaries.
The first fire of considerable magnitude occurred January 13, 1877, on the two principal streets, Main and State, which were compactly built with busi- ness blocks at that time. The flames were first discovered at eight o'clock in the evening, bursting from a gambling den on State street, and were soon beyond control. The fire swept the north side of State street from the rail- road track to Main, and north on this street several blocks, and was arrested by razing buildings, among which was the Wilber livery stable, which became noted in subsequent fires. In all, twenty-two buildings were consumed, en- tailing a loss of $50,000. At this time Edenburg was experiencing the rapid growth of a new oil town, and in a few months the great gap that was made by the ravages of the flames was filled with better buildings than before.
On Saturday afternoon, June 19, 1878, the dreaded cry of fire again startled the people of Edenburg. This time Pennsylvania avenue was the scene of the conflagration. Here many of the successful operators had built comfortable homes. A determined effort was made to fight the flames, but to no purpose. The wind drove the fire across the street, and pulling down houses was again resorted to. By this means the east end of the avenue was saved from de- struction. Fifteen residences were consumed this time, valued at about $20,000. Following this fire, the only arrest was made in connection with all the fires. The daughter of the proprietress of the boarding-house where the fire originated was the person suspected, but nothing could be proven against her, and she was released.
Early in October of the same year it became evident that some miscreants purposed again to burn the town. Two or three attempts had been made to set fire to buildings, but the flames were discovered in time to be extinguished. The citizens became alarmed, however, and for protection organized a volun- teer watch of one hundred and forty young men, who took turns in guarding the town, about six going on duty at a time. Notwithstanding this precau- tion, on the night of October 13, 1878, at 3 o'clock A. M., scarcely four months having elapsed since the last fire, the third and most destructive fire occurred. The flames started in the rear of Wilber's livery stable on Main street. Petro- leum had probably been used to start the fire ; the flames spread rapidly, swept
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
down State street and northward on Main, enveloping both sides, together with Railroad and Ohio streets, and sweeping both sides of the railroad. Little could be done towards removing household and other goods. The hillside west of the town was strewn with property of all descriptions rescued from the flames. Many people barely escaped with their lives. Thirty acres of the heart of the town was laid in ashes. Every hotel except one, banks, stores, post-office, M. E. Church and parsonage, depot, thirteen oil wells, went up together in flames. One hundred and seventy buildings, approximating a loss of $400,000, were consumed. So speedily was the first building enveloped that it was impossible to get out the horses, and ten were roasted to death. The agonizing screams of the poor brutes added to the terrors of the horror. The beautiful Sabbath morning disclosed a scene which can never be effaced from the minds of any who experienced that hour of distress. Soon the black- ened streets and smoldering ruins were thronged with visitors. Men, women, and children, victims of the fire, that cold, gray, October morning stood shiv- ering, and tearfully contemplating the devastation of their homes. Despair was depicted on every countenance, but ere the electric flash had reached the outside world, the sister towns of Elk City, Shippenville and St. Petersburg opened their stores and with lavish hand, sent in needed supplies. When the intelligence reached Oil City, Franklin, and Parker, the hand of charity was widely opened in behalf of the stricken town. The first flash of substantial sympathy came from E. Hopkins, General Manager of the United Pipe Lines, and was addressed to Mayor J. B. Maitland, as follows: "From United Lines $500 for immediate relief." W. P. Finley, a member of the Oil City Oil Ex- change and a resident of Clarion county, added $500, the contribution of the Oil Exchange. Parker Oil Exchange sent $175, and many individual contri- butions coming in swelled the cash donations to $1,700. A large amount of groceries and provisions was brought in with teams. This stream of sympa- thy and aid gave encouragement to the sinking hearts. All were amply pro- vided for, and soon the town began to assume an air of life and acitivity.
The waste places were again filled with business blocks, when on Friday, April 19, 1879, only six months after the great conflagration, the incendiaries for the fourth time applied the torch. This time a portion of the town that escaped before was chosen for the sacrifice. Crude oil was poured over the floor of a vacant building on the east side of South Main street. This blaze burned ten buildings.
On May 22, 1880, a little more than a year after the last fire, at 9 o'clock, P. M., in the United States Hotel near the depot, a light was observed in an upper room. The hotel had been vacant for some time, and all the furniture had been removed. Soon the whole building was in flames. Many of the townspeople were attending the circus then exhibiting on the hillside. The flames were soon discovered through the canvass, which was soon torn or
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ripped to shreds by the excited crowd in their haste to get out This fire swept away seventy buildings, including banks, offices, stores, post-office and stores.
Owing to the depressed state of business at this time, many gave up in despair and removed from the town, but gradually buildings were erected over the burnt district, until it was nearly covered, some of which were barely occu- pied when, on the 23d day of August of the same year, the livery stable which had figured in other fires, now owned by Wheelock and Moore, was again dis- covered to be on fire. Two boys sleeping in the front end of the stable barely escaped with their lives, and seven horses perished in the flames. One by some means effected his escape. A number of the newly erected buildings were burned. This had a discouraging effect upon the people in this part of the town, and the space made by the fire was slow in being rebuilt. The citi- zens now raised a subscription amounting to $1,200, to which the town coun- cil added $300, and with this fund water works have been erected that not only reflect credit upon the town, but establish renewed confidence in its future prosperity.
The Press .- J. M. Gifford started the first paper in Edenburg in 1876, un- der the title of The Edenburg Daily Herald. This was the first daily pub- lished in Clarion county. On the occasion of the fire of January 5, 1877, his press-room was hurriedly torn down to prevent the spread of the flames. The act proved successful as to stopping the fire, but was disastrous to the printing establishment. His office was burned out twice after this event, and in 1880 Mr. Gifford died of consumption.
In 1877 Campbell Brothers started a daily called the Oil Times, but closed their establishment after running two or three years.
After the suspension of the Edenburg Herald, Leslie started the Evening News, which he subsequently changed to a morning publication under the title of Edenburg Spirit, which was a diminutive sheet and had a short career. Thomas Whittaker and Samuel Tipton issued one edition of 3,000 copies of a paper under the suggestive title Gatling Gun, when they were summoned to appear before the United States Court in Pittsburgh, on the charge of pub- lishing an unlawful sheet. These proceedings spiked the Gatling Gun for all time.
Henry Price for years kept a job office, and published a paper under various names. At first a daily and later a weekly. Now under the name of The Clarion County Observer.
West and Son published the Clarion County National, a weekly paper de- voted to the principles of the National Greenback Labor party.
Casualties .- The bursting of a bull-wheel on the J. D. Wolf oil well, on Main street, resulted in the death of young Heckerthorn, the driller.
In 1875 a boiler burst on the J. I. Best farm, killing Augustus Wilson and Alonzo Goss, two citizens of Edenburg.
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
O. P. Hopper, a young attorney, while cleaning his revolver on June 18, 1877, in a room by himself, accidentally shot himself, dying almost instantly.
Peter Spargo, postmaster of Edinburg, met with a similar fatal catastrophe in the post-office, on March 16, 1885.
William Groves was burned in a fire which occurred February 21, 1886, on Main Street.
CHAPTER LII.
HISTORY OF ELK TOWNSHIP.1
E LK township, taking its name from Elk Creek (now Deer Creek), a stream flowing through its midst, was originally organized, in March, 1806, by Samuel Dale, John Andrews, and Thomas Beard, commissioners, who about that time surveyed and organized all the townships in Venango county. Elk then embraced a much larger area than it does now, including a large part of Washington, and all but the northwestern corner of Ashland, townships formed afterwards, the former in 1843 and the latter in 1856. Its southern boundary line, however, was farther north than at present, being the southern line of warrants 2738 and 2739 to western boundary of 2324, thence north to the northern boundary of that warrant, and west along it and its successive war- rants to the eastern limits of Richland township.
Settlements .- Mr. Growe, with his family, settled in what is now Elk town- ship, where Jacob W. Kahle lives now, in 1808. Mr. Hartman and family came at the same time and settled on an adjoining farm. These were the first settlers in the township. They cleared some land, but never obtained posses- sion of it. Mr. Growe remained here several years, sometimes preaching for his neighbors on Sunday, and then went to Pittsburgh, where he afterwards committed suicide. None of the descendants of either family are living in the township at present.
Gideon Richardson came from the State of New York to Elk township in 1812, settling near Elk City (now) with his family, including then and after- wards Richard, Charlotte (Hesley), Elizabeth (Jerrard), Caroline (Allen), Thomas and Henry. When he first came here he acted as land agent for Hui- dekoper and Judge Shippen, but subsequently bought land and improved it. He was a member of the first board of commissioners of Clarion county. Sev- eral families of his descendants are still living in the township.
Frederick Black with his family, including William, Jacob, John, Lena
1 By C. F. McNutt.
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ELK TOWNSHIP.
(Shippen), and Adam came from Maryland and settled at Canoe Riffle in the edge of Beaver township in 1815. While here he was killed almost instantly when cutting down a tree. In 1820 Mrs. Black and part of the family came to the place where Jacob Black lives now, and here built a dwelling, grist-mill, and saw-mill all of logs. Some of the boys, then married, were left at Canoe Riffle to attend to the carding-machine and saw-mill, which they had built there in the mean time. Mrs. Black in a few years moved to where Paint Creek crosses the pike, and in company with her son, Jacob, built Mary Ann Furnace, so named in honor of the lady who built it. William Chambers had built a saw-mill here in 1820. Jacob Black has been especially active in the development of Elk township, having had a controlling interest in two of the furnaces, a grist-mill, the turnpike, and two or three saw-mills. He has also been a heavy dealer in real estate, and was interested in the oil business during the excitement. Adam Black served one term as commissioner of Clarion county. Several of the descendants of Frederick Black are living in the township at present, and have been closely connected with most of her improvements.
William Rupert, who had come to Canoe Riffle with Blacks, bought the farms now owned by John R. Black and Charles Fisher, from Huidekoper, in April, 1815. The property was afterwards transferred to William Black, who cleared part of it and made some improvements.
In 1817 Peter Kiser came from Westmoreland county and settled in pres- ent locality of Elk City. His sons, Daniel and Joseph, own fine farms, and are living near there yet. John Kiser, his brother, who had come with him but remained only a short time, settled permanently on a farm, in 1820, in the val- ley south of Shippenville. His children, Henry, John F., George B., Peggy, and Amos, were all born here. Henry, George B., and their father-hearty and strong at the age of ninety-two-are living here and near by at present. Both Peter and John Kiser followed farming. Some of their descendants are farmers, and some have been engaged in the oil business a'nd also in the mer- cantile business.
William Meade came from Crawford county and settled near Shippenville in 1821, but soon became tired of pioneer life, sold his place, and left.
John Shippen, who had come from Lancaster county, built the first store in Shippenville, in 1822, near the present site of the Union Hotel. Richard Ship- pen, brother of John, became a partner in the store, and in company with Ja- cob Black afterwards built Shippenville Furnace. The post-office was estab- lished in Shippenville in 1825, and John Shippen was appointed postmaster. In 1827 Henry Shippen, then president judge of Crawford and Venango dis- trict, built a frame hotel where the Union House now stands.
David Robinson came from Huntingdon county and settled where Captain Phipps now lives, in 1822. He was a potter by trade. Nathaniel Lang and Jerry Johnston were early carpenters in the township, and Harry Jenkins was a millwright and carpenter. Their families have all left the township.
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
Jacob Kahle came from Huntingdon county with his family and settled, in 1826, on the Fryburg road, about two miles north of Shippenville. His sons, Jacob W., and Thomas, are farmers, living in the township at present. A sketch of the life of John W., another son, is given in connection with his por- trait in another place in this history. In 1857, Jacob Kahle, sr., was elected associate judge for one term in Clarion county.
Jos. Berlin, with his family, came to the western side of Elk township, on the pike, in 1825. He has been a thrifty farmer, and is living at the same place at present. He is over ninety years of age. Valley post-office was established at his place in 1870. G. N. Berlin is the present postmaster. James McDowell, a farmer, settled near by about the same time. Henry and Francis Swartsfager settled in same locality in 1832. They were farmers. Francis and several families of the descendants are living here at present.
Jesse Berlin came from Ashland (now) to Elk township in 1836, and settled on the farm now owned by Paul Black. He lived there and farmed until 1877, when he moved to Clarion.
Balthasar Hack, a tailor, came from Franklin county to Shippenville in 1838. Henry Sloan worked at the tailor trade in Shippenville before Hack came.
William Johnston came from Centre county to Edenburg in 1844, and the same summer moved to Elk City, where he lived for seven years. He then moved to a farm one mile north of Elk City. His sons operated here for oil during the excitement. John Zellers settled in the vicinity of Pitch Pine at an early date.
Among other early settlers that should be mentioned are the Whitehills, David and Jacob Mong, Dales, living near Elk City, Hyskell, Thompsons and Spades, settling in 1832, Lewis Near, who built the first carding-machine in the township, Jos. Eiseman, Snyders, and others.
Oil Developments .- In 1875 Bradly & Company drilled a well on the John- ston farm northwest of Elk City, and about the same time another well was drilled on the Jos. Kiser farm. The former produced about fifty barrels per day ; the latter was also a good well. At the price of oil at that time, this was sufficient to encourage extensive preparations for operating. Work was com- menced much in the same manner here as at Edenburg, Turkey City, St. Pe- tersburg, and other points along the belt between Elk City and Foxburg, and fully described in the local history of those places.
The best producing wells in Elk territory yielded three hundred barrels per day for a short time. Jerusalem No. I, and Johnson_No. 2, drilled by Bradly & Company, and taking their names from the farms on which they were located, and a well drilled by Patterson & Leedom, on the Jos. Kiser farm, were the best producing wells in this field. Farms owned by Paul Black, A. R. Black, Hughlings, Dale, Whitehill, Daniel and Jos. Kiser, Philip Gloss and
GoBerlin
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others, were good oil farms. Miller & Aikens, Bradly & Company, and Pat- terson & Leedom were extensive operators in this territory. Most of the drill- ing was done in 1875-76-77.
In 1885 it was discovered that a little belt running across the pike through Shippenville had not been fully developed. Soon afterwards about thirty wells were drilled here, some of which yielded five barrels, others forty and fifty bar- rels and one or two gave one hundred barrels per day. In all there have been over one thousand wells drilled in Elk township.
Elk City, named from the township, has been strictly an oil town. It lite- rally grew and dwindled away with the excitement. It was built on farms owned by Daniel Kiser and Paul Black, nearly all on leased lots. The village was commenced in 1875 and reached the zenith of its glory in the winter of 1876-77, when it had a population of over 3,000. The buildings were of a very temporary kind, set on posts, no wall foundations under any of them. The Elk City post-office was established here in 1875, and soon rose to the rank of presidential appointment, with a salary of $2,000. The postmasters in order from the first are J. U. Heiniger, T. B. Galbraith, W. H. Kiser and Will- iam Hull, the present incumbent, with a salary of less than $140 a year. In 1877 there were ten or more hotels, numerous boarding-houses, saloons, and stores of all kinds. There was a police force established in Elk City in 1876, but this measure seemed to be quite insufficient for the demands, and consequently much lawlessness prevailed on the streets, in saloons and other places. At present there are here about two dozen houses and a population of less than one hundred. The oil excitement left very little wealth in this town.
Shippenville was named in honor of Judge Henry Shippen, who owned the land on which it was built. Most of the early settlers of this village have already been mentioned in connection with the early settlers of the township, and need not be repeated in this topic. This town has been a business cen- ter in the township from the time the first settlements were made until the present. The two main roads in the township, the pike, and the road from Fryburg to Edenburg cross at this place, thus making Shippenville the favor- able location for a central town, though it is near the eastern side of the town- ship.
John King, the first blacksmith in the township, came from Huntingdon county, and built a shop near the present site of Woodburn's store in Shippen- ville in 1823. Frederick Kahle built the first hotel in the village in 1824, having come here two years before with his father-in-law, George Hyskell. Judge Henry Shippen built a frame hotel on present site of the Union House in 1827. It was at first kept by Dr. Patton. John and Adam Black bought the property in 1835 and conducted the hotel in partnership. John became sole owner afterwards. At his death it fell to his widow, who still owns it. Mr. Dahle is the present landlord. John and Adam Black also kept store in 55
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
town for several years. The second store here was built by Robert and John Patton in 1828. Richard Richardson also had a store here at an early date. Other stores of a later date that should be mentioned are J. Shull's furniture store, W. N. Wilson's hardware store and harness shop, Kiser's, Woodburn's, and William R. Shippen's general store, Jones's and Ehler's grocery, and Dr. Isaac Meas's drug store.
David Hosterman built a tannery in the east end of the town in 1829, and Robert Ray built one near by a year or two afterwards. James Hassen, the first sheriff of Clarion county, built a grist-mill just west of Shippenville. It afterwards became the property of Mr. Baker, who owns it at present, and has kept it in running order.
James Wilkins built a hotel, known at that time as the American House, in 1851, and afterwards sold it to Hugh Carson. In 1863 Jacob Shaffer bought it, and changed the name to Shaffer House. In 1884 Shaffer sold it to Captain V. Phipps, the present owner and landlord. Shippenville, at present, has a population of over 300.
Organized Societies .- I. O. O. F. of Elk City Lodge, No. 948, was organ- ized in Elk City April 11, 1877, where meetings were held every Saturday evening until October 2, 1883. Since then lodge meets every Saturday even- ing in A. O. U. W. Hall, on Main street, Shippenville. The following are the names of the first officers : F. George Smith, noble grand; S. M. Smith, V. G .; W. M. Rogers, secretary ; Michael Mayer, assistant secretary ; and I. D. McDowell, treasurer.
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