USA > Pennsylvania > Clarion County > History of Clarion County, Pennsylvania > Part 68
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The schools are under the direct control of a board of six directors: Messrs. C. Basim, president, H. Corbett, secretary, J. D. Smith, H. L. Young, J. Frazier, and J. F. Green. The building in which the schools are held is a frame structure two stories in height, and fifty by forty feet. There are three
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rooms, two below and one above. The building is surmounted by a belfry. The rooms are furnished with patent furniture, the upper one, known as room No. I, having seating capacity for seventy-two students. It is also plastered, the walls being papered, and hung with pictures. This room has a library. Among the books of the library may be mentioned the complete "Library of Universal Knowledge," fifteen volumes, which is a reprint of Chambers'sency- clopedia, with an addition of eighty thousand American topics, a Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, with patent index, and a large family Bible. In justice to the pupils of this room it must be remembered that through their exertions this room was papered and the walls beautified by pictures ; they also placed in the room the above mentioned books. The citizens of the borough are generally interested in the education of their children. They tax themselves heavily in order to pay good salaries. That they appreciate good work is evidenced by the fact that when they employ a teacher who does good work, they do not turn him off for a new man, but keep him as long as he continues to do well. The courses of instruction are thorough, being the same as those used by all graded schools of the county, viz .: The Primary, the Red Seal, the Yellow Seal, the Blue Seal, the Gold Seal, and the White Seal courses. Since the adoption of these courses, about six years since, several of the young people of the village have received diplomas from the county superintendent, evidencing the fact that they had finished the prescribed course. Among the gentlemen graduates may be mentioned James Jones, who is now a successful merchant ; T. S. Young, who will engage in the med- ical profession ; G. G. Williams, a successful telegrapher ; S. J. Williams, who will enter the profession of law, and J. B. Neil, who is a successful teacher. The lady graduates, two of whom, Miss Ora Gahagan and Miss Jones, are teach- ers.
The surviving soldiers of the late war have, with their surviving comrades who reside in Clarion and Mill Creek townships, organized a Grand Army Post, having a good membership, the roster of which is as follows: Com- mander, George Johnson ; adjutant, U. L. Boyles; quartermaster, J. D. Smith ; chaplain, B. H. Hutley ; officer of the day, H. B. Wilson; junior vice-com- mander, Henry Shrum ; senior vice-commander, John Sherman.
The sons of the veterans of the late war have also an organization of thirty members, known as the " Rankin Guthrie Camp," No. 70, the officers of which organization are as follows: Captain, S. W. Wilson ; first lieutenant, M. M. Strattan ; second lieutenant, S. J. Sherman ; orderly sergeant, S. J. Williams ; chaplain, E. C. McCoy ; quartermaster, J. F. Green ; sergeant of the guard, F. F. Fisher ; principal musician, M. M. Strattan; picket guard, J. F. Sherman ; camp guard, M. E. Showers.
Strattanville has a brass band containing twelve pieces. There is also a martial band which was but recently organized.
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The town is lighted by petroleum, and heated by bituminous coal ; but we believe the day is not far distant when natural gas will take the place of coal and oil. Some of the most influential citizens are at present considering the advisability of purchasing gas, and the supposition is that they will ere long decide so to do.
The village is noted for its healthfulness, the sanitary regulations being good. The supply of water, which is freestone, and the best and coolest of its kind, is supplied from wells, which are sunk into the earth to a depth of from twelve to twenty feet.
CHAPTER LXXIII.
HISTORY OF TOBY TOWNSHIP.1
TOBY township was one of the first townships in what is now Clarion - county. It is extended from the present line of Porter and Monroe town- ships westward to the Allegheny River, and from Mahoning Creek northward to the Clarion River, or, as it was then called, Toby's Creek, from which stream the township derived its name. Some time prior to the erection of Clarion county this territory was divided by an east and west line, making two town- ships, Madison and Toby. Since then the territory of this mother of townships has been from time to time reduced by division, until it has acquired its pres- ent moderate dimensions of some twenty-eight square miles.
Peter Walley and Joseph (?) Greenwald came to what is now the Independ- ence school district before the close of the last century. According to the state- ment of some old residents, Greenwald settled on what is now the McClure farm, and in 1797 erected a dwelling-house of logs. About 1831 when Mr. John McGarrah purchased his present home from Mr. Walley, he boarded for a while with the Walley family, who told him that "they had cleared and seeded about three acres in wheat, in the year 1797." Mrs. Walley was a sister to Peter2 Greenwald.
John Miller, an honest old German, better and more familiarly known as " Honnes " (Johannes) Miller, was here at a very early date, at or before the beginning of the century. He first squatted on the tract of land later owned by Rev. Henry Koch, and now by Mr. William Koch, and also was for a while on the "old Thompson farm." He took up in all a tract of seven hundred acres. The upper (southern) half of this he soon sold to William Thompson, retaining the lower end. On this, in 1807 or 1808, he built a grist-mill, long
1 W. W. Deatrick.
2 Is it not Joseph Greenwald ? vide supra.
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
known as " Honnes Miller's" mill, and occupying the site of the present Mill- erstown mill.
William Thompson came in about 1803 or 1804, emigrating from Indiana county. For twenty-two years he served as constable. He was a boatman, and was on the river a large part of his time, running keel-boats up and down stream to quite a distance. The old log house in which he lived is still stand- ing on the " old Thompson farm," as it is called, though now owned by Alex- ander Bole.
The Mooreheads, David and John, were early settlers, or rather squatters, for they remained only a short time.
Peter Wiles, an early settler, lived about half a mile from Millerstown, and must have come in about the same time as Miller and Thompson. His sister was married to " Honnes " Miller. Joseph Whitmore at an early date made improvements on what is now the Elder farm. John Hepler came in probably about 1812 or 1815. In the latter year Jacob Rimer, father of Major David Rimer, moved into the township. He and several of his sons were itinerant tailors.
Captain J. C. Kissinger was here in the year 1819, having moved from Butler county. His first wife (nce Mary Steel) bore him nineteen children. Marrying again, several years after, he had by his second wife (nce Mary Ste- vens), fifteen more children, in all thirty-four. Some time after the birth of the eleventh child, Mr. and Mrs. Kissinger left home on a business trip to But- ler county, leaving one of the children with Mrs. Kissinger's brother, and tak- ing the babe with them. During their absence their house took fire, and not only were their house and barn with their contents consumed, but their nine children also were burned to death in the awful holocaust, their bones being found amid the ashes of their home.
In 1820 Adam Crick, father of the venerable John Crick, moved from Huntingdon, now Blair county, to a piece of land near " Honnes " Miller's mill. Soon afterwards he moved to the William Courson farm, and thence to the Fullmer farm near Mount Airy. From that place he moved to the farm now owned by his son. John Hepler was also one of the early settlers, coming perhaps as early as 1812 or 1815.
Among the first improvements were distilleries, of which there were several in this township. There was one about a mile and a half below Mil- lerstown operated by a man named Byers. Another was on the farm now occupied by G. W. Ramsey. In those days a bushel of rye could be ex- changed for six quarts of whisky, or for thirty cents in cash. The whisky was generally taken. When the harvest was ready to cut, the neighbors would gather in from far and near with their sickles and help their comrade to reap his field. As now-a- days at a vendue, a large supply of provisions and refresh- ments were necessary, and of these at that time an abundant supply of whis-
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ky was regarded as entirely indispensable. The farmer whose field was to be reaped would rise long before daylight, and with a one-horse sled, or a hand- sled (for other vehicles they had none) he would start for the nearest distillery to obtain his supplies. He would take with him a six or eight-gallon cask, and getting it filled would be back before breakfast. A quart was the regular daily rations of each man. Whisky was used in large quantities at log- rollings, at raisings, sales, " hutchings," in fact everywhere and by everybody.
The Ramsey distillery was subsequently converted into a pottery, and still later it was, for a while, used as a school-house. Of the school-teachers of that early time, many were hard drinkers. The following is told of one of the old masters who wielded the birch in the distillery school-house : He was accustomed to get on a spree about once a week. The next day he would be very cross, and instead of giving the boys their usual recess, he would devote that time to the exercise of discipline, flogging the scholars for misdeeds actual or imagined, and doing it all without respect to person, inasmuch as he would flog a whole seat full at a time. On one occasion he got drunk, and while in the school-room he fell off his seat in a drunken stupor. While he was lying outstretched on the rough puncheon floor, two of the boys in a caper of fun seized him by his heels and dragged him at a lively rate around the room. When it became apparent that this rough usage was restoring him to con- sciousness, the boys abruptly fled, and prudently remained in concealment until their master's wrath had subsided.
The school-houses, even when erected for that purpose, were primitive in style. Over sixty years ago one was built on the Riegel farm. It was of round rough logs. The floor was made of puncheons, and there were pun- cheon desks along the walls supported by pins let into the latter. The fire- place was immense, and the front of the chimney being supported by posts, there being no jambs, logs as long as eight feet were easily admitted into the fire-place. The chimneys were constructed beaver-like, of sticks and mud.
Early in the century the manufacture of salt was carried on by the Robin- sons near Upper Hillville, for many years. From this place the country for many miles around was supplied with salt.
The first good grist-mill in this section was Craig's Mill, on Licking Creek. It was built about 1829; was a frame building erected by Jaines Craig and Christopher Over, practical mill-wrights. It has been remodeled and repaired several times, and now does the grinding for quite a considerable section of country.
The abundant supplies of coal, limestone, and iron ore which underlie this township, are practically untouched. There has been no mining except of coal and limestone for home consumption.
Some prospecting for oil has been done, but so far without profitable re- sults. In 1877 a well was drilled near Rimersburg by Watson and Brosius.
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
Salt water was struck at 500 feet, and the well cased at 540 feet. Gas was struck in what was called the " First sand," at about 800 feet; its quantity was small, not enough being obtained to fire the boiler. The well was drilled to 1,350 feet without finding oil in paying quantities. In May, 1878, a well was drilled along Cherry Run, on the Plyer farm, near the Methodist camping- ground. A large flow of gas was struck and some little oil, but not enough to pay for pumping. Several other wells have been sunk, two in 1886, one on the John Myers farm, near Amos Polliard's, and the other on a farm a mile or two distant. Both ventures were failures.
Churches .- At present there are in the bounds of the township three houses for religious worship. These are the Methodist Episcopal Church, on Cherry Run, built shortly before the war, served by the pastor of the Sligo Circuit,* and the Independence M. E. Church, located in the southwest corner of the township. This latter church was built in 1876. Near the Watterson road, about two and a half miles northeast of Rimersburg, is the United Presbyterian Church of Cherry Run. The following account of this congregation has been furnished by Rev. Boyd Mccullough, at present acting pastor :
"This congregation originated in a division of the Seceder Church of this place (Rimersburg) in 1858. Strange to say, this separation was caused by a union. It was in this year that different small bodies of Presbyterians coalesced to form the United Presbyterian Church of America. These small bodies originated mostly in Great Britain, and their division sprung from the evils of the union of church and state.
" The main body of Presbyterians used to accept the royal bounty in the North of Ireland, and still depend on state support in Scotland. But they . receive it on conditions which interfere with their spiritual liberty. In short, the sovereign is the head of the church, to the dishonor of Christ who has the only right to rule.
" The Reformed Presbyterians for this reason refused to take the oath of allegiance, or to hold office under the king, because they considered this would be acknowledging his claim of supremacy over the church.
" The Associate Presbyterians pursued a middle course. They accepted no royal bounty, but they held office and took the oath of allegiance, at the same time explaining that they acknowledged the king as sovereign of the state, but not of the church.
" But the Associate Church divided again on the Burgess oath in Scotland, which all must take to enjoy all the privileges in a borough. The Anti- Burghers, while they took a general oath of allegiance, would not take this. The Burghers found their way clear to take it.
" Emigrants settling in America generally sent back to the mother country for ministers. The result was that the different persuasions of the Presbyterian family soon had their counterparts in America.
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" When the independence of the United States was acknowledged in 1783, a union was effected among these churches here. As was natural, Christians in this country still retained their attachment to and connection with churches in the old country. These did not all approve of the arrangement. The off- spring of this union, known as the Associate Reformed Church, was, in the old country, only acknowledged by the Burgher Church. The Reformed Presby- terians and Associate Presbyterians of the Anti-Burgher school continued to send over ministers to preach to their members who emigrated to America.
. " In 1840, when the old generation had all passed away, a movement was made for union again. They were so particular about the conditions, however, that eighteen years were spent in discussion and negotiation. In 1858, to the great joy of many, the union was effected. Rev. John McCauley, the pas- tor of Cherry Run, was opposed to the course. But forty-two of the members left a pastor whom they loved and respected to follow their presbytery and synod. They asked no division of the church property, but built a house of worship for themselves. Their pastors have been Revs. S. C. Reed, William A. Black, and M. S. Telford. Rev. Boyd Mccullough is at present provisional pastor."
The Reformed people of the township now worship at Rimersburg and Curllsville, but to them must be ascribed the honor of erecting the first church in Toby township. Some fifty-eight or sixty years ago they built a church about three-fourths of a mile north of Mt. Airy, and about forty rods to the west of where Nail's school-house now stands. A school-house was also built at the same place. Rev. Henry Koch was their minister at that time. The church was used, however, for but a short time, for almost before it was en- tirely finished it, with the school-house, was destroyed by fire. There were some dead buried at this place. Now, however, the passer-by would fail to note their resting place. After the loss of their church the most of the people worshiped at Churchville. At last a number uniting with others living about Rimersburg organized a new congregation, which, after holding service for some years in Arner's school-house, finally built the brick church in Rimers- burg, where now the Reformed people of Toby township generally attend.
Prior to 1864 several camp-meetings were held by the Methodists at vari- ous places. It was then determined to establish a permanent camp ground. This has been successfully accomplished and the Cherry Run camp-meeting is a matter of annual interest to the people of the township. Under the name of the Cherry Run Union Camp Ground the association was chartered in 1864. The grounds embrace ten acres. In 1873 they were enclosed by an eight foot board fence. There are in the enclosure one hundred and three lots, a num- ber of private cottages, several boarding-houses, four two-story cottages, and one stable three hundred feet long, owned by the association. The amphi- theatre, eighty by one hundred feet, was erected in the spring of the present
69
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
year (1887). The association is controlled by nine trustees; of these three are are elected from each of the neighboring Methodist congregations, Rimers- burg, Curllsville, and Sligo.
The original election place (about 1812) for Toby township was at Mckib- ben's, now in Perry township. When the first election was held there were not enough voters present to form the board at the opening of the polls. So, as it is related, Mckibben, who was plowing, was called from his work to be- come a member of the board. The next election place was on the farm now owned by the heirs of Michael Reichard. Subsequently elections were held at McElvey's, near the present Gardner Station. Thence they were moved to Daniel Fullmer's, at Mount Airy. Then (about 1855) John Crick's house be- came the place. After some twelve years the polling place was removed to Myers's school-house, where the elections have been held ever since.
Toby township has produced some men who have attained to prominence. Among these may be mentioned Rev. Huey Newell, a Presbyterian minister, now resident in Venango county; Dr. D. L. McAninch, of West Freedom, and Dr. J. T. Rimer, practicing physician at Curllsville ; Dr. Robert N. Huey, at one time principal of the C. C. I. at Rimersburg, but now in the West, and Thomas Stewart, associate judge.
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CHAPTER LXXIV.
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
T HIS township is situated in the northwest corner of Clarion county. It was formed in the year 1843 from ten warrants of Pine Grove, two of Elk and ten of Farmington townships ; afterwards, in 1854, three warrants were taken off when Knox township was formed.
The first settlers were Christian Henlen, George Kapp, and John Siegwarth, in 1815, in the part that was then Pine Grove township. Christian Henlen was born in the northern part of France, September 8, 1787, and when about eighteen years of age emigrated to Lancaster county, Pa. George Kapp was born in Lancaster county in 1784. John Siegwarth was born in Germany in 1787, and in early age emigrated with his parents to Lancaster county, Pa.
These three parties, with their wives and families, started from Lancaster county for the wilds of the western part of the State. They came by Harris- burg, Indiana, and the State road from Brookville, stopping the last night at Alex. McNaughton's (Highland Alex.), now Helen Furnace.
Mr. Henlen bought a yoke of oxen and two cows, and Mr. Kapp two cows
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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
from Mr. McNaughton, and the two oldest children in each of the two families were selected to drive the stock to their destination. Each of the families had a covered wagon. They first encamped within a few rods of where now stands the residence of Seward E. Henlen, a grandson of Christian Henlen, having been four weeks on the way. One year before the War of 1812, the three first settlers had been on the spot and selected their land, so that on coming with their families they immediately went to work. And here I would remark that they would have come sooner but they were drafted into the service from Lancaster county and served through the war. They lived in their wagons while they built log houses. Kapp's house was built first. All the tools they brought with them were axes, hand-saws, and a few augers. They made wooden plows and wooden tooth harrows.
Their first years were the same as are common to most pioneers, but as their land became cleared they prospered. Most of their land was well tim- bered, as were the lowlands generally; the hills and ridges, however, were cov- ered with low brush, being burnt over annually by the Indians to make open woods for hunting. Near to where they camped was what was called Hicks's cabin, built for an hospital for sick and disabled soldiers in the War of 1812. This shanty and about a dozen others within a mile or so on Hemlock Creek were occupied by Indian hunters of the Cornplanter tribe every winter for several years afterwards. The Indians being friendly while kept in good humor were a source of great amusement to the new settlers, as they would often get on a "drunk," go through their war dance, and dangerous looking exercises with knives and tomahawks, but would always have one sober Indian in all of their sprees. They took away large quantities of game, Henlen haul- ing it to the Allegheny River for them, then they would canoe it up the river. The squaws did all the trading with the white settlers. They would have their papooses strapped on a board hung on their back, and would set them down outside until asked to bring them in. They would have venison, or other game, and sometimes wreaths and other trinkets to trade for potatoes, garden truck, or bread.
The Indians would come every fall, fifteen to thirty in number, and remain all winter. They had another camp on Step Creek, in the eastern part of Washington township, which was their last place of resort. Finally they quit coming when the township became more settled.
This colony of settlers brought with them from Lancaster county three good dogs, guns, and ammunition, and being good marksmen, they supplied their tables with plenty of meat, as deer, wild turkeys, and game of all kinds were plenty. The streams also abounded with fish, which made up for other provisions that were difficult to obtain.
Some five miles distant from the location of 'the first settlers on the west, was a large strip of low, marshy land, free from brush, extending two miles in
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HISTORY OF CLARION COUNTY.
a north and south line, and one-fourth of a mile wide, where the first settlers mowed grass to winter their stock for several years, until they had their land in condition to raise hay on their own farms. This land was called the Glades or Big Meadows. It was a source of great benefit to the early settlers, who would each have their certain place to cut as much as they wanted, and noth- ing to pay for the privilege.
The Glades were badly infested with snakes, and when loading hay on the wagons, sometimes the snappers would be forked up with the hay ; however, they rarely suffered any injury from the snakes.
Christian Henlen raised a family of seven children-four boys and three girls. The only one of the sons that made his permanent residence in the town- ship was John Henlen, the third oldest. In his father's declining years he pur- chased the homestead, also owning a large adjoining farm, and by industry and economy succeeded in laying up a competence, besides improving and leaving the two farms in good condition. Christian Henlen died January 25, 1852. Margaret Henlen, his wife, died April 22, 1854. John Henlen, their son, died July 8, 1884, being sixty-eight years old at the time of his death.
In George Kapp's family there were eight children-four when they arrived, and four born to them afterwards. The boys were great hunters, and by their industry became well-to-do farmers, and useful members of the com- munity ; George Kapp in his time, and most of his descendants, being very skillful in the treatment of diseases of human beings, horses, and cattle. In those times bleeding was considered the principal remedy for all the ills that flesh was heir to, and the generosity of George Kapp will be shown further on in this sketch by the number of his country people whom he sheltered and befriended on their arrival in this wild country. George Kapp died in the year 1836, being then fifty-two years of age.
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