USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 45
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
About the year 1813 a road was cut across the mountains to Tyrone for the purpose of disposing of, or hauling to market, the first result or benefit from the timber. This was in the shape of long lap-shingles, made by hand, and not put up in bunches as at the present day. Of these, one man would make from twenty-five to forty a day, haul them across the mountain road, through Tyrone to Birmingham, Huntingdon county ; there they were sold at four and five dollars a thousand in store goods. This opened at last some avenue by which to realize benefit from the abundance of timber, and eventually lead to the manufacture of the big joint shingles; and then the square timber, being sold at five and six cents per cubic foot. This was then followed by the old-fashioned and ill-arranged water-mill, where the best pine boards brought but six or seven dollars per thousand. The first mill of this kind was built as a saw-mill and grist-mill by Samuel Turner, on Turner Run. This mill was followed by saw-mills more complete in their arrangement, and located on every desirable creek and run. Although the inhabitants of the township numbered less than seventy-five in 1813, a church was built at Mt. Pleasant or Utahville about the year 1814. It was built by the Baptist people of the township, who procured the services of Dr. John Keaggy. He preached each Sunday in the little log church to a congregation which, at first, numbered but three or four. This same Dr. Keaggy, during the week, devoted himself to the practice of medicine; and still further we find Dr. Keaggy, in 1819, on his way to Huntingdon county for iron to build a mill, and from being thrown from his horse he was killed. This left the church without a pastor for three years.
The year following the building of the Mt. Pleasant Church the first school- house was erected, near where the Williams school-house now stands, built of round logs and with clapboard roof.
In 1810 John Gill made the first opening of bituminous coal that was made in the township. He discovered a vein fourteen inches thick, which he used exclusively for blacksmith purposes. Other veins of like proportions were opened by farmers in all parts of the township, until the first opening made for shipping purposes was made by Samuel Hagarty, at the place where he is now operating. The coal field of Beccaria township is peculiar in its develop-
410
HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
ment, and it is not necessary to go a great distance in any direction to observe striking changes in its composition. As is always the case with nearly hori- zontal beds of coal, there are gentle undulations, amounting, in many cases, to only a few feet, which throw the dip one way in one place and the other way in another, while the steady and main dip is always toward the center of the basin. It may be noted that this coal is frequently termed semi-bituminous coal. It is truly bituminous, having over twenty per cent. of volatile matters on the average. Its formation is indeed peculiar. The bottom conglomerate, shows on the surface in lumps and boulders, and the basin is sharply edged up in that direction. The coking qualities of this coal are unusually perfect. The coke manufactured from it is sought after and desired on account of being least injurious for those furnaces in which it is used. In addition to this, fire-clay is found in this section, but, as a rule, is rather sandy ; the coal, twenty feet above the creek, is only partially opened on the out-crop. Then, again, there is some iron ore about sixty feet above the creek. It is not opened fully, however, but seems to show three layers of carbonate of iron ore, six, three, and four inches respectively, making thirteen inches in all. The ore is carbo- nate, minutely crystalline, and of a dark gray color. The coal and minerals, although abundant, are not the only pursuits to which the citizens are devoted. Many valuable stone quarries are found in the township, and add greatly to the facilities for building. Then again, the country is adapted to raising grain and produce. Many farms have been cleared and brought to a high state of cultivation in different sections ; orchards are planted, sheep, cattle, hogs, chickens, geese, and turkeys are raised in abundance, until we find, in travers- ing the township roads, every indication of increasing prosperity on all sides.
The work of the lumberman is scarcely finished, until, with plow and hoe, shovel and fire-brand, the ground is cleared for farming purposes. The valleys, the side-hills, and indeed the tops of the mountains have been wrested from the grasp of the forest, and now show themselves laden with large crops of wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn, potatoes, hay, and produce. Some have chosen deep valleys, sheltered by high hills on all sides, where they have built their homes, while others climb to the highest points and perch their cosy cottages, from which they constantly view the surrounding country for miles.
Railroads .- Into and along these farms, through forest and across the creeks and streams, railroads have at length brought their busy turmoil into the township. Two roads, tributary to the Pennsylvania Railroad, now traverse the township from south to north. The Bell's Gap Railroad extends from Bell's Mills, or Bellwood, Blair county, Pa., through parts of Blair and Cambria counties into Beccaria township, and on to Irvona, where is its terminus; cov- ering a distance between the termini of twenty-three miles. This road, how- ever, in 1886 and 1887, was taken up and continued by a new company, under the name of the Clearfield and Jefferson Railroad Company, from the terminus
4II
BECCARIA TOWNSHIP.
of the Bell's Gap Railroad, at Irvona, to Punxsutawney, in Jefferson county, a distance of forty miles more. This makes a thoroughfare along which large quantities of coal, coke, and lumber are shipped, and on account of its varied, diversified, and wild scenery, is much resorted to by excursionists during the summer months.
During the year 1886 a second railroad was completed, extending from the Pennsylvania Railroad at Cresson, Cambria county, to Irvona, in Beccaria township, and under the charter name of the Cresson, Clearfield County, and New York Short Route Railroad Company, although commonly known as the Cresson and Coalport Railroad. This road was largely due to the untiring energy of Hon. John Dean, president judge of Cambria county, for its con- struction, and opens a rich district of coal, timber, and fire clay. It is already surveyed, located and prospected from Irvona along Clearfield Creek to an intersection with the Beech Creek, Clearfield, and Southwestern Railroad, at a point some ten miles above the mouth of Clearfield Creek. With the march of new settlers into the township, villages and towns sprung up in different sec- tions, the location at first being controlled by the established stage routes or turnpikes, the water facilities, or later on the railroads or prospected railroads.
Towns .- While the first settlement to assume the proportions of a village was the old Mount Pleasant, where the Ricketts boys had moved from Keaggy's Dead Water, and from which has come our present town of Utahville, it was soon followed by the village of Glen Hope, situated near the northern end of the township, on Clearfield Creek. Here at this time is a borough of from 400 to 500 people. Its industries are a shingle and planing-mill. It is on the mail route between Houtzdale, Pa., and Ansonville, Pa. They have three churches and a school-house, a large and commodious three story brick hotel. They are surrounded by good farming country, which supports four or five large general stores, and with the building of the railroad now surveyed through that section, a busy, flourishing town will soon replace the old village of Glen Hope. One of the oldest residents of the township still resides here in the person of Mr. John Wright, a well-to-do farmer, honored and respected by all, and here the late D. C. Caldwell, M. D., resided for many years, and traversed the country in response to the professional calls made upon him. Among other of the present business men are Ed. C. Haley, postmaster ; ex-Deputy Sheriff C. J. Keagy ; J. Esselman, landlord of the Washington House, and Messrs. Hindman and Brattun, esqs., justices of the peace, and Messrs. Cald- well, Rumery, Williamson, Dickey, and Wilson. Old Mount Pleasant, or Utahville, nearer the southern county line, while not a borough, has the dis- tinction of being the first village or town in the township, with Mr. Isaac Rick- etts, sr., still residing on the old farm. The Bell's Gap Railroad added largely to the value of Mr. Ricketts's land. The people of the town are good, substan- tial families, and support a good hotel, a church, and three stores. The hotel
412
HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
is owned and conducted by Mr. Isaac Ricketts, jr. T. C. Flick and the Erhards, with Dr. - , postmaster, have the stores, while Mr. S. McFarland deals in timber and coal, and J. C. Smith is railroad agent.
West of old Mount Pleasant and nearer the Cambria county line on Clear- field Creek, and about one and a half miles from the mouth of Witmer Run, is the site of an old saw- mill, first run by water-power, and built by John Gee. A short distance from the site of this mill stands an old house, now the prop- erty of Francis Moran. These buildings, surrounded by a farm lying between the hills and along the creek, and joining with the land of Samnel Spangle on the north, were sold to William Mays, who on the 2Ist day of October, A. D. 1876, sold to James Haines, esq. Around this old home the town of Coal- port has sprung up, and continued to grow and expand until it has become phenomenal in its growth. At the time when the farm, which is now the loca- tion of the town of Coalport, was bought by Mr. Haines, it was not a prom- ising piece of land, but soon application was made to Mr. Haines to sell lots for building purposes. The narrow gauge road, which extended from Bellwood to Lloydsville in Cambria county, was extended by the Bell's Gap Railroad Company to Coalport and Irvona, and was soon made a broad gauge. The old mill has successively changed hands from Mr. Haines to the Coalport Lumber Company, then to John Elliott & Co., then to Franciscus & Woods, of Tyrone, and finally to P. & A. Flynn, one of the most extensive lumber firms in the State. The natural advantages for a town at Coalport made such a demand upon Mr. Haines and Messrs. S. M. & J. D. Spangle for building lots that these gentlemen concluded to make it a borough. Previous to the year 1882 the post-office had been known as Reilley post-office, but upon the incorporation of the borough in 1883 it was changed to Coalport. The situ- ation is one of the naturally advantageous places for a town, but twenty-three miles from Altoona, railroad connection with the Pennsylvania Railroad at Bellwood and at Cresson, each but twenty-five miles distant, the same distance from Clearfied town and Ebensburg, the county seats of Clearfield and Cam- bria counties, but fourteen miles from Houtzdale, Lumber City, and Burnside, in Clearfield county, immediately adjacent to extensive coal fields, located on Clearfield Creek for lumber and trade and its manufactories. The place made rapid strides until on the north and west it stretched its buildings up to and beyond the borough lines, until Blaine City and Rose Bud, two villages equal to the borough, were soon created. Then the building after a space of little over a mile formed itself into another town called Irvona, from its founder, Colonel E. A. Irvin, of Curwensville, Clearfield county. This place was encouraged and created in fact by the Witmer Land and Coal Company, of which Colonel Irvin was a member. Here is one of the largest tanneries in the State, superintended by Mr. Charles Mckean, of Watsontown, Pa., and owned by Boston, Mass., capitalists. Two large hotels, the general stores of
4
Sammen Fly way
413
BECCARIA TOWNSHIP.
Messrs. Herman, Houpt & Thompson, and McManigal. The shingle-mill of R. J. Walker, of Osceola, Pa., and the town is located at the mouth of Witmer Run, on Clearfield Creek. The other principal business men are those con- nected with the tannery, J. H. Bamfield, M. D., Messrs. McNeil, Michaels, Lightner, McEwen, Williams, etc. Here also are located the headquarters of the Baker, Whiteby Coal and Coke Company, who have opened extensive mines and built many coke ovens.
With the present increase in population the towns of Irvona and Coalport will soon be so nearly united as to form one place. The borough proper of Coalport has now from 1,200 to 1,500 inhabitants, but in connection with Blaine City and Rose Bud numbers 3,000 people. The buildings are substantial and commodious ; the progress and improvement of the town is remarkable. It includes five churches, the Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, the United Brethren, Roman Catholic and Evangelical Association. The pastors are : Revs. C. A. Biddle, M. A. Wolf, B. J. Hummel, J. C. McEntee and R. D. Leibhardt. There are three commodious public schools, located, one in the borough, one in Blaine City, and one in Rose Bud. The Irvona Coal and Coke Company have erected ninety coke ovens, which are kept burning. There are five hotels, with Messrs. M. Carroll, W. J. Smith, Jos. Rhody, Jos. F. Dur- bin and Jos. A. Adams, as landlords ; five coal mines shipping coal ; two planing-mills, owned by Berger & McGarvey and Hannah & Klohe & Co .; the extensive saw-mill of P. & A. Flynn, and in connection with their lumber mill. The Hon. James Flynn, ex-State senator from this district, resides here with his family, having moved from Janesville, Geulich township, some two years past. The general merchandise stores are those of Samuel Hegarty, P. and A. Flynn, Thompson & McManigal, J. B. Wilber & Co., J. B. Lydick, A. J. Harber, J. S. Stiner, I. W. & P. C. Gates, C. A. Lamborn & Co. Coalport has also a good bank, which owes its existence to the business energy and en- terprise of the Hon. John Patton, present member of Congress of Curwensville, Clearfield county, Pa. Samuel Hegarty is president, and F. G. Patton, esq., cashier of this institution. Mr. Samuel Hegarty, a descendant from one of the oldest families in the township, is one of the leading business men and coal operators of the county ; he operates a mine at Coalport, carries on an exten- sive business in general merchandise and furniture, and has contributed largely to the building of the town. D. C. Flynn is postmaster. The burgesses of the borough have been James Haines, esq., two terms ; J. D. Spangle, esq., P. C. Gates, esq., two terms, and the present burgess, Capt. John Elliott. James Haines and V. Stevens are justices of the peace. The physicians are J. Herbert Hogue, M. D .; C. B. Elliott, M. D., and Drs. C. D. Woods and J. E. Bolinger. Dentists, W. H. Craft and T. H. Sexton. Attorneys at law, Alonzo P. Madeon and G. M. Bigler. R. R. agents, Hon. Jno. C. Gates, ex-member of Legislature from Cambria county, and W. H. Ott. Hardware men, R. A. 53
414
HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
Holden and the firm of A. C. Buck & Co., whose business is conducted by J. E. Scanlan, esq., one of the firm. Druggists, W. C. McCartney and C. H. Statler. Dry goods and clothing, W. F. Wagner, J. E. Kolbenschlag, and Sol. Wartelsky. Butchers, Swan & White, F. V. Perry, W. P. McNaul, Miles Anthony. Millinery and fancy goods, M. Daugherty & Co., Mrs. J. E. Kol- benschlag, B. Weld. Contractors and builders are J. M. Beers, T. G. Light- ner, S. E. Bartholomew, J. D. Weld, William Bratton, M. McMullin. P. G. Neibauer, owner of the Coalport brewery, and other business men are, T. M. Lambert, J. W. Weakland, Captain F. M. Flannigan, E. S. Lindsey, D. Rosen- berg, J. W. Hollis, J. W. Gill, J. I. Miller, J. K. Charles, Jos. W. Hull, S. M. Spangle, Jas. Spangle, treasurer of Beccaria township, William Walton, etc. Mr. C. P. Pannebaker, editor and proprietor of the Coalport Standard, suc- cessfully carries on that paper as a weekly journal, devoted to the interest of Coalport borough and vicinity. The present borough council : Captain John Elliott, burgess, with W. J. McManigal, W. C. McCartney, I. W. Gates, Dan- iel Kline, Charles Kibler and John Lamborn, councilmen.
CHAPTER XXIV.
HISTORY OF BELL TOWNSHIP.
T HE township of Bell was organized at the same time, under the same pro- cedure, and by the same commissioners that laid out and erected the other townships of Burnside and Penn, to the formation of which several dis- tinct bodies, the older townships of Pike and Chest surrendered their territory, the latter yielding to the new erections a major part of her lands, and the for- mer somewhat less.
As near as can be determined at this time (the Quarter Sessions records being so defective as to give no light on the matter), the first petition was presented to the court at a term thereof in December, 1834, which petition, with the names of signers thereto, was as follows :
" To the Honorable Thomas Burnside, Esquire, and his associates, Judges of the
court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions of the Peace of Clearfield county, now holding court for the same, December term 1834.
" The petition of the undersigned, citizens of Pike and Chest townships, most respectfully sheweth, That they, with many others, labor under many disadvantages, as well as the public in general, by the said townships being so large, many of us being from twelve to fourteen miles from the place of hold- ing the elections, and the supervisors having to go all over them. In many
415
BELL TOWNSHIP.
cases parts of the roads are nearly neglected, to the great injury of the public ; and in truth, the loss of money by them, having to travel so far that half the day is spent before they get on the ground to work. We therefore pray your honors, to appoint suitable citizens to lay off part of said townships, in a separate township, if they shall deem it meet, and your petitioners will ever pray." Signed, " William Haslet, George Walters, James Elder, John McCracken, jr., Greenwood Bell, Jacob Walters, Henry Ross, Moses C. Evans, Thomas Lo- gan, Thomas Campbell, I. W. Campbell, William McCracken, jr., John Henry, James B. Graham, Matthew Irvin, Samuel McCewen, John J. McCracken, George Ross, David McCracken, David Ferguson, James Reed, Arthur Bell, John Weaver, Peter Smith, John Smith, jr., John D. Sunderland, Timothy Lee, James Mahaffey, sen., John Mahaffey, Thomas Mahaffey, James Mahaffey, jr., Michael Sunderland, Milton Cooke, Benjamin Hartshorn, and Peter Owens." Nearly all of these were residents of that part of Pike and Chest that was formed into Bell township.
Upon the presentation of this petition, the court made an order appointing Alexander B. Reed, David Ferguson, and James Allport, viewers, to examine into the matter and make report to the next Quarter Sessions Court.
This was followed by no less than three supplemental petitions, numerously signed by inhabitants of that part of the townships proposed to be divided, and who were more or less directly interested in the matter; and the fact appears that nearly every resident of the locality took part in the proceedings, either as petitioners or remonstrators, although no record other than the view- ers' report shows a remonstrance.
In their report made in February, following, the commissioners say : " The undersigned, commissioners, appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions, to lay out new townships from parts of Pike and Chest, which shall be more convenient for the inhabitants of said townships, after having examined the petitions and remonstrances referred to them by the court, and consulting with the people, do report the (annexed) diagram to be agreeable to the prayer of the petition- ers, and for the general benefit of the inhabitants of the same. As witness our hands this 4th day of February, 1834. Signed, A. B. Reed, James Allport, David Ferguson."
There is an evident clerical error in the report, wherein it is dated in the year 1834, as the petitions were not referred to the commissioners until the month of December, 1834. The date should read as February 4, 1835.
The commissioners also suggest names for the townships, as the following note will show, which note is a part of their proceeding :
" The undersigned, without presuming to dictate to the honorable court, most respectfully suggest the names affixed to the numbers (below), as appro- priate ones for the respective townships: No. I, Cherry Tree, ' Burnside ;' No. 2, Bells, 'Bell;' No. 3, Grampian Hills, ' Penn ;' No. 4, Chest Creek, ' Chest.'"
416
HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
The numbers and the names immediately following them are used for the pur- pose of designating the several localities by which they were formerly known. The face of the plan or draft of Bell township annexed to the report of the commissioners, bears, in the handwriting of the court, these words: "This township named ' Bell,' for the late A. Bell, esq., who was an early settler, and his son, Greenwood Bell, esq., who resides therein. By the Court. T. B."
The laying out and division made under these proceedings was confirmed on the 4th day of May, 1835, by Hon. Thomas Burnside, president judge.
As laid out by these proceedings, Bell township had an extreme length, north and south, of eight miles, and a general width of six miles, with a large tract in addition, that embraced lands on both sides of the river Susquehanna, and extending in a direction east by northeast for a distance of something over five and one-half miles. This irregularly shaped addition was attached to the territory included by the township, with the evident intent of retaining as much as possible of the lands bordering on the river. By a subsequent town- ship erection, however, a part of these lands have been surrendered to the for- mation of Greenwood, by which Bell, as now constituted, is of comparatively regular form, and contains an area of about fifty-five square miles. It is bounded north by Brady ; east by Penn, Greenwood, and a small portion of Chest ; south by Chest and Burnside townships, and west by Indiana and Jef- ferson counties.
In the northern part of the township the land is very high, the crest of the divide between the waters of the Susquehanna River and Mahoning Creek, often reaching a height of two thousand two hundred feet and over above tide water. This high land marks the uplift of the second or Chestnut ridge anti- clinal axis, and is capped by the so-called Mahoning sandstone.
From this ridge southwardly and southeasterly towards the West Branch, the measures dip rapidly, so that at the place known as Mitchell's Camp, the land is about three hundred and fifty feet above the river, while near McGee's it is scarcely two hundred feet.
The high country north several miles from the river is, as yet, but thinly settled, by far the greater part being heavy timber lands, but the lumbermen are rapidly devastating these lands, and a few years hence the agricultural pro- ducts will replace the native forests. Along the ridge road running from the Irish Settlement to Punxsutawney, and north of the road, many good farms have been cleared up. In the matter of streams, that powerful auxiliary to the lumbering business, the township is exceedingly fortunate. The river Susque- hanna enters from Burnside on the south, and flows a generally southeast course, winding and turning around many hilly and rocky bends, as far as old Chest post-office, and for a short distance below it. Here is a second bend to the southeast, which direction it follows to the town of Mahaffey, where it receives the waters of Chest Creek, the main tributary to the river in the
417
BELL TOWNSHIP.
southwest portion of the county. After passing Mahaffey, the course of the river is generally east by northeast until it leaves this township and enters Greenwood on the east.
Chest Creek, a stream of considerable size, enters this township from old Chest, on the southeast, and flows a generally northwest course, much less devious and winding than the river, and discharges its waters at or near the hamlet of Mahaffey, on the south or southeast side of the river. The other tributaries to the river which discharge their waters therein from the south are North Run and Deer Run. Snyder Run is a rivulet in the southeast part of the township, a tributary of Chest Creek.
On the north of the river the streams that discharge therein are Bear Run, Whisky Run, Miller's Run, and Laurel Run, neither of which are of any con- siderable size. The northern part of the township is drained by the head- waters of the east branches of the Mahoning, which flow westward into Jeffer- son county. Curry's Run has its source in the northeast part of the township, near the locality of Mitchell's Camp.
As Bell township is situate somewhat remote from the county seat, and, as the tide of pioneer settlement came from the country down the river, and to the east and northeast, and none from the western counties, civilization, or at least settlement in this locality, was deferred until the lands lower down had been taken up and improvements commenced. There was, however, no part of the West Branch valley in the whole county that offered greater natural attrac- tions and inducements to the pioneer than the vicinity of the mouth of Chest Creek, near the site of the present active hamlet of Mahaffey.
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.