USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 66
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Methodist Episcopal Church .- There are two churches in the township, both Methodist Episcopal. The New Millport M. E. Church was organized, as near as we can learn, about 1845. Meetings were held in the woods, and in Wiley's school-house, and afterwards in the little church on the hill, mentioned in connection with the history of the Lutheran denomination, until 1852, when we find by the records, that on June 29th of that year, David and Christian Erhard deeded to Robert Thompson, sr., Richard Curry, Simon Thompson, George W. Curry and George Galer, trustees, a certain lot in the village of New Millport, for "thirty dollars in specie." Witnesses, W. G. Butler, John Arnold and John Miles, sr., and acknowledged before Isaac Thompson, J. P. Upon this lot a church was built the same year. It was considered a good house at that time, and served its purpose well until the summer of 1884, when it was replaced with the neat and handsome edifice that now adorns the spot, at a cost of twenty-three hundred dollars. The new house was dedicated Sep- tember 21, by E. J. Gray, D. D., president of Williamsport Dickinson Semi- nary, assisted by Rev. E. Shoemaker, the pastor, and Revs. Samuel Miles, of the Baptist Church, and W. F. D. Noble, a former pastor. The records, giv- ing the names of members in the first organization are lost, but of the number were Richard Curry, who was the first class-leader, Robert Thompson, sr., Catharine Thompson, George Galer, Simon Thompson, Samuel Orr, Isaac Thompson and George W. Curry. The following ministers with some others
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
whose names we could not get, have served this church. Revs. Timothy Lee, Linthecum, Gideon H. Day, Joseph Ross, Stauber, Scott, D. Hartman, George Berkstresser, George Guyer, Alem Brittain, J. A. Hunter, Watson, Joseph Lee, Hugh Linn, Gau, H. S. Mendenhall, W. A. Houck, J. W. Buckley, Joseph Gray, J. B. Moore, W. R. Whitney, R. H. Colburn, M. L. Ganoe, W. S. Ham- lin, R. H. Wharton, Furman Adams, Isaiah Edwards, S. Stone, W. F. D. No- ble, E. W. Wonner, H. A. Minnigh and Bruce Hughes. The two last named are the present pastors. When first organized this appointment belonged to New Washington circuit, until after the division of that circuit, when it was a part of Glen Hope circuit. In 1870 Lumber City circuit was formed from a part of Glen Hope circuit, and New Millport was then a part of Lumber City circuit. The latter will soon be divided again, and New Millport circuit formed. The society at present numbers thirty members. William H. Smith, the present class-leader, has filled that position (with a slight intermission), for about twenty-seven years. The present board of trustees are W. H. Smith, T. S. Norris, A. J. Smith, J. M. Strunk and E. E. Fink. A. J. Smith is stew- ard and district-steward. For several years all denominations attended the union Sunday-school until 1860, when the Methodist Episcopal school was or- ganized. The movement was opposed by some of the members who were loath to leave the old school, and thus it did not start out under the most favorable auspices, but it finally overcame these difficulties, and is now doing good work and has seventy-five members. A. J. Smith issuperintendent.
Mount Zion M. E. Church .- In the spring of 1870 Rev. M. L. Ganoe now presiding elder of Danville district was appointed to Lumber City circuit and at once took up an appoinment at Turkey Hill. He gathered the few scattered Methodists together in June of that year and formed a class with H. B. Shu- garts as leader of the following members: H. F. Rowles and wife, Price A. Rowles and wife, Andrew Kline, James L. Mccullough and wife, and Benja- min Bloom and wife and daughters Emeline and Fanny. Meetings were held in the school-house and in the adjoining grove until 1874; during the pastor- ate of Rev. R. H. Wharton the present house of worship was erected at a cost of two thousand dollars, and was dedicated in the fall by Rev. James Curns. The society has prospered and greatly increased its numbers. Pastors were L. M. Ganoe, W. S. Hamlin, R. H. Wharton, Furman Adams, Isaiah Edward, S. Stone, W. F. D. Noble, E. Shoemaker, Emanuel W. Wonner. The present pastors are H. N. Minnigh and Bruce Hughes.
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LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XLV.
HISTORY OF LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.
T HIS township was created upon the petition of divers persons, residents of Chincleclamoose township, averring that they labor under great inconve- nience for want of a new township, and praying the appointment of three com- missioners to make the necessary division. This petition was presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions of Centre county at a term thereof held in the month of April, 1813. Upon the petition the court appointed Roland Curtin, Charles Treziyulney and Joseph Miles, viewers, to determine and make the necessary division.
After having viewed the locality, the commissioners determined upon the division and reported to the court the following boundaries for the township of Lawrence. Beginning at a white pine on the west branch of the river Susque- hanna, a corner of Clearfield and Lycoming counties, thence north to the north-east corner of Clearfield county; thence along the line of Clearfield county west to the intersection of the old line formerly known as the line be- tween districts Nos. 3 and 4; thence along the same south until it strikes the Little Clearfield Creek ; thence down the same to the mouth thereof; thence down the Big Clearfield Creek to the mouth ; thence down the West Branch of the Susquehanna to the place of beginning, and to be one township called Lawrence township.
The territory embraced by this township included all the lands of the pres- ent townships of Lawrence, Goshen, Girard, Covington, Karthaus, as well as the lands still further north that were subsequently set off to Elk county, and which still later were made into Cameron county.
The remaining part of old Chincleclamousche township was, at the same time formed into a township called Pike. Here ceases all record of the orig- inal township of Chincleclamousche, a name that had designated this locality since the French and Indian war.
Although the territory embraced by the formation of Lawrence has been curtailed by subsequent township erections, it still remains one of the largest of the county. It is bounded north by Elk county ; east by Goshen, Brad- ford, Boggs, and Knox; south by Bradford and Boggs, and west by Pike, Pine, and Huston.
No more accurate record of its early settlers can be made than by a full statement of the taxable inhabitants made by Samuel Fulton, assessor, under and by virtue of an order of the county commissioners, bearing date the 21st day of February, 1814, and signed by Hugh Jordon, Robert Maxwell and Will liam Tate, commissioners.
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
The names of the taxables appearing on the roll are as follows: Elinor Ardery, John Andrews, Arthur Bell, Henry Buck, Samuel Beers, Arthur Bell, Robert Collins, George Conoway, Hugh Caldwell, Alexander Dunlap, James Dunlap, Hugh Frazier, John Frazier, Thomas Forcey, Samuel Fulton, William Hanna, Jacob Haney, Martin Hoover, Samuel Hoover, George Hunter, Esther Haney, John Hall, John Hoover, Henry Irwin, Hugh Jordon, Samuel Jordon, Thomas Jordon, Thomas Kirk, Thomas Kirk, jr., John Kline, Nicholas Kline, William Leonard, Rudolph Litch, Lebbeus Luther, David Ligget, Richard Mapes, John Moore, Reuben Mayhew, Adam Myers, Moses Norris, Matthew Ogden, Daniel Ogden, John Owens, William Orr, Joseph Patterson, Robert Patterson, Thomas Reynolds, Alexander Reed, Thomas Reed, Archibald Shaw, Elisha Schofield, John Shaw, Richard Shorter, Mary Shirrey, Robert Shaw, Ignatius Thompson, William Tate, Robert Wrigley, George Welch, Herman Young, Peter Young.
The single freemen were : Andrew Allison, Samuel Ardery, Benjamin Beers, Benjamin Carson, jr., Alexander Dunlap, Christian Eveon, Jacob Hoover, Cæsar Potter, John R. Reed, Hugh Reynolds, William Shirrey, Hugh McMullen.
The settlers living in the Sinnamahoning district were enrolled in a sepa- rate list. It will be remembered that the settlement down the river was made into an election district, and the voting place was fixed at the mouth of the Sinnamahoning, at Andrew Overdorf's house. The taxables of this district were : Stephen Barfield, Robert Barr, Daniel Bailey, Jacob Burch, Dwight Cadwell, Thomas Dent, Richard Galat, Joseph Gaugey, Levy Hicks, William T. Hardy, Ralph Johnston, Thew. Johnston, James Jordon, John Jordon, Henry Lorghbaugh, jr., Joseph Mason, Amos Mix, James Mix, William Nanny, John Overdorf, Andrew Overdorf, Andrew Overdorf, jr., Samuel Smith, Charles Swartz, Curran Sweesey, Benjamin Smith, Jacob Miller, Leonard Morey.
The single freemen in the Sinnamahoning district were as follows: James Mix, Joseph Gaugey, James Sweezey, John Ream, John Biss, William Lewis, William Shepherd, George Lorghbaugh, William Calloway, George Derring.
The first reduction of the territorial limits of Lawrence township was made by the formation of Covington and Gibson, in the year 1817, by an order of the Centre County Court of Quarter Sessions.
In 1845, at a term of court held February 4, Goshen township was erected from Lawrence, Girard, and part of Jay and Gibson townships.
The early history of this township antedates, by many years, its civil organization. Within its boundaries there was located the old Indian town of Chincleclamousche, the remains of which were discovered by Daniel Ogden, the pioneer, at the time of his settlement, in 1797. Still further back than this we find the country overrun and occupied by a fierce tribe of Indians known to the first white adventurers as the Lenni Lenapes, who made their central sta-
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LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.
tion on the river Delaware, and whose descendants occupied this whole region for a hundred years or more. Later on came the Shawnese, a supposed branch of the Algonquins, whose language they spoke. Then again, during the seventeenth century, the confederated nation of Iroquois, or the Five Nations, as they were commonly known, swept over the entire province of Pennsylvania, as well as the country north and south of it, driving out the occupants or completely subjugating them, and making themselves conquerors, and their chiefs and sachms rulers and monarchs of the entire country. During the progress of the French and Indian war this vicinity was occupied by the French with view to erecting a fort, but this scheme seems to have failed. They did, however, assemble at the village of Chincleclamousche and organize an expedition against Fort Augusta, the key to the whole northwestern part of the province.
Here it was that Captain Hambright came with orders to destroy the Indian town, and make battle against the inhabitants, but finding the town deserted returned to the fort with his men. On a subsequent visit the town was found to be destroyed, and the Indians fled to the protection of the French forts on the western frontier.
During the Revolutionary War no record is found concerning specific depredations at this point, but the Indian paths, several of which led through the township, were thoroughfares of travel to and from the points east of the Alleghenies.
Daniel Ogden was the first permanent settler in this township, and made the first improvement therein. The subsequent settlers up and down the river are mentioned in other chapters of this work, which, together with the tax- rolls, will inform the reader as to the pioneers in this section.
The chief industry at that time was farming and clearing land, and as new residents followed, each in succession was compelled to make a clearing for a cabin and farming purposes.
The necessity of lumber and material for building led to the erection of saw-mills at various places, and as the lands became cleared and crops gath- ered, grist-mills became a like necessity.
According to the tax-roll made by Samuel Fulton, assessor for Lawrence and Pike townships, in the year 1814, there were several industries already established in the township of Lawrence, some of which can be located with accuracy.
Samuel Beers was assessed as having a tan-yard. Beers lived on Clearfield Creek, and had a small tannery near his house. This factory was so small that it was assessed as nominal only.
Martin Hoover had a saw-mill and was assessed therefor fifty dollars. This amount would scarcely buy a cheap saw at the present day. Hoover's mill was located on Montgomery Creek, near where J. L. McPherson's steam
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
saw-mill is now built. Hoover's mill was built some years prior to 1814, as a water-power mill on a small scale, and the water of the creek was then suffi- cient to furnish power. The present McPherson mill, having a very much greater capacity, is provided with boiler and engine. This is one of the oldest mill locations in the county.
Esther Haney, widow of Frederick Haney, was assessed this same year for a saw and grist-mill. They were located on Montgomery Creek, near where the Widow Smith now lives. The saw-mill was assessed at fifty dollars, and the grist-mill at thirty dollars.
Thomas Haney, son of Frederick, had a saw-mill on Moose Creek, about where is now situated the hamlet called Paradise. This mill has long since gone to decay.
Reuben Mayhew was the local shoemaker, and his trade assessed at ten dollars.
To Matthew Ogden attaches the credit of having built the first grist-mill in the county, on Moose Creek, about half a mile above its mouth. Some years later he built a saw-mill further down and moved his grist-mill to that point, near the site now occupied by Shaw's mill. In 1821 Ogden built another grist- mill on Clearfield Creek, on lands now owned by John F. Weaver. This was operated for many years, but is now entirely destroyed.
Thomas Reynolds had a tannery in Clearfield town, that was built about the year 1810, but no business of account was done there until some five or six years later. The building was erected near where J. B. McEnally's resi- dence now stands on First street.
Another tannery was built about 1820, just back of the present Boyer residence on Second street, by Jacob Irwin.
There used to stand many years ago, a mill at the mouth of Montgomery Creek, near the site of the Smith place, up the river. It was supposed to be one of the Hanney mills, but by some persons it was supposed to belong to Peter Young. The latter had a mill, but its precise location is uncertain.
In 1814-15, the Elder mills were built on Little Clearfield Creek by James I. Thorn,¿ who came to the county for that purpose. The building consisted of a saw-mill, a fulling or woolen-mill, and a tavern. The woolen-mill was the first of its kind in the county, and the tavern among the first. Elder never resided in the county, but was largely interested in lands at that place. He is remembered as exceedingly kind and generous. He had many cattle at his place, and frequently loaned unbroken cattle to farmers, and allowed them to break and use them for their keeping.
The record given above concerning the old mills and other industries of the township has been confined to that portion of the settlement comprising the county about the county seat, those who first held their elections at the house of Benjamin Jordan and afterward at William Bloom's. The whole election district in this locality still retained the name of Chincleclamousche.
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LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.
In the Sinnamahoning district we have a record of the taxables made in the year 1815, showing a total of forty-one. The roll also mentions two saw- mills, one assessed to Thomas Dent and the other to John Jordan.
In 1813, a year after commissioners for the county were authorized to be elected therein, the population had increased sufficiently that a post-office for the county was found necessary, and this was established at the house of Al- exander Read, better known as " Red Alex." The neighborhood on the ridge where the Reads were numerous, was known as Readsboro, and the office was designated by that name. It was continued there until about the year 1819. The old State road passed through the place, and it was then the most central point, notwithstanding the fact that the site for the county seat had already been established at the old Indian town some two or three miles dis- tant. Before this office was established all mail matter came from Philipsburg, on the extreme east line of the county, once each week.
At the time the county seat was fixed there was no improvement on the lands of Abraham Witmer, except such as had many years before been made by the Indians. The old cleared fields remained grown up with weeds and buffalo grass. It is said that Daniel Ogden cut this grass and used the lands. This may be so, but Ogden did not own any part of the lands, nor claim to own them. His settlement was nearly a half mile further south, up the river.
When Lawrence was made a township there were but few residents at the county seat proper, that is, Clearfield town. The first conveyances of town lots were made to Matthew Ogden, Robert Collins, and William Tate, in the year 1807. The donation of lands for county building and other purposes was made at the time the county seat was fixed, but the deed was not executed until 1813.
Improvement and settlement in the town were naturally slow. The whole tract embraced by it was plotted and lots were held at prices greater than the average pioneer could afford to pay. At the time the assessment was made in 1814, there appears less than a dozen lots sold, and of these William Tate had three and Thomas Reynolds two.
The court-house was erected by Robert Collins about this time, and pur- chases became more frequent, the roll of 1816 showing in taxables and erec- tions throughout the entire township.
The township of Lawrence was declared, by an act of the Legislature passed April 2, 1821, to be a seperate election district, and the freemen were directed to hold their elections at the court-house in Clearfield town. This place is yet used for election purposes, although the borough is now, and for about forty years, has been a separate election district, and elects its own officers. Hav- ing from this time a distinct and complete organization, settlement became more rapid, and consequent upon such settlement and growth and the devel- opment of its resources, this has become one of the leading townships of the
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
county. The surrender of lands for the formation of Covington and other townships, while it reduced its area and population, made it more compact and more readily improved.
From the time that lumbering was first commenced on the river and its tributaries, Lawrence has occupied a position of prominence in the county. The seat of justice, located in the southern central part of the township, be- came the natural trading and distributing center for the country roundabout. While up to this time coal mining for shipment has not been carried on to any considerable extent, yet there is an abundant supply for that purpose and the local demand as well.
The chief pursuit followed by the people of the township, outside their regular occupation as farmers, was lumbering, and although many of the mills constructed for the manufacture of this commodity have been destroyed or removed, yet some remained and were among the established industries of the township. In making a record of such as are prominently recalled, those of the present borough of Clearfield are omitted from this chapter and included in that relating to the borough, although they may have been established be- fore the borough organization was completed. The same relation may be maintained regarding the several grist-mills of the township, and with the saw- mills may be treated upon under a common head.
Among the early mill erections was that built by Hopkins Boone, John and Maxwell Long and William Porter, on Clearfield Creek, about a quarter of a mile above the old Clearfield bridge, in or about the year 1833. The propri- etors were considerably involved and the property was sold to Lewis Passmore about ten or twelve years after its erection. The latter sold to John W. Mil- ler, who removed the building and machinery for the erection of a saw and grist-mill on the creek opposite the old Elder mills, and were known as the Miller mills. They went to decay many years ago.
The first erection in the vicinity of that now known as Porter's mill, was made about 1836, by Philip Antes and George Leech, with an interest owned by Christopher Kratzer. The saw-mill on the east side of the river was first built. The property went to James T. Leonard on forced sale, but was after- ward deeded to the Antes boys, and by them to William Porter and Philip C. Heisy. Porter bought the Heisy interest. The first grist-mill on the place was erected by William Porter in 1877, at a cost of nearly ten thousand dollars. It burned in 1882. Another mill was immediately erected in its place, larger and of greater capacity, at a cost of about seventeen thousand dollars. Re- cently the roller process machinery has been introduced into this mill. It has lately been purchased by ex-Sheriff W. R. McPherson.
On the site of the present Ferguson mills in the year 1842, George B. Lo- gan and Thomas Read, built a saw-mill on the south side of the river, and about 1850, built a grist-mill on the north bank. A division of the property was
RICHARD SHAW.
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LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.
made by which Logan took the grist-mill, and Reed the saw-mill, but subse- quently Logan became the owner of the whole property. About 1860 he sold to the Farmers' Company, but that was not a successful organization and the property came back to Logan again. A few years ago it was sold to George E. Ferguson, the present owner and proprietor. The dam across the West Branch was constructed at the time the first mill was built.
On the site formerly occupied by Matthew Ogden's pioneer mill on Moose Creek, there was built by Alexander Irvin, in the year 1830, a substantial grist- mill. Irvin sold to Richard Shaw, who operated it until his death, when it went to Richard Shaw, jr., and has since been owned by him. This mill is com- monly known as the "Red Mill."
About the year 1842, William Bigler and William Powell built a saw mill in the south part of the township, and afterward christened it the "Doniphan Mill," in honor of Colonel Doniphan of Mexican War fame. After Mr. Big- ler's election to the office of governor of the State, the property went to the firm of G. L. Reed & Co. It has also been owned by Weaver and Betts, Will- iam Brown, Daniel Mitchell and again by Weaver and Betts, whose property it now remains.
The Ringgold Mill, so named for a distinguished officer of the Mexican War, was built by George R. Barrett and Christopher Kratzer, in the year 1847. It was erected on Clearfield Creek about half a mile from the railroad bridge, the cost thereof being about seven thousand dollars. During the ex- tremely high water on the creek that year, the mill was carried down stream to the river, and thence down to Karthaus bridge, where all trace of it was lost, no part ever being recovered. A new mill was immediately erected on the site of the former structure. Both of these were among the very best in the lum- ber country, the first being an unsually fine mill. It was a double mill, having two saws, and manufactured a large amount of lumber for that time. The dam built by the owners was very objectionable to raftsmen on account of its height, and many were the rafts and arks that went to pieces in attempting its passage. The property was afterward sold to Wilson Hoover, and burned while he owned it.
The first erection on the site now occupied by the Diamond Mill, was made by Richard Shaw in 1847, who built a saw-mill at that place. He gave the property to Archie Shaw, who built the Diamond grist-mill near the saw-mill. The property is now owned by the widow of Richard Shaw.
Israel Nichols built a saw-mill on Moose Creek not far from where the water company's dam is built, about the year 1847. He owned and operated it up to about 1868, when it was sold to G. L. Reed and A. L. Ogden, the present owners.
Martin Nichols had a saw-mill near the site now occupied by George Orr's blacksmith shop. It was built about fifty years ago, but was torn down many years ago. 76
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
Lawrence township can to-day boast of but two church edifices. The bor- ough of Clearfield being centrally located in the township, the convenience of the people is as well suited to attend church there, as to have edifices erected through the various localities of the township. The " Center Church," so called, of the Methodist Episcopal Society, was built about the year 1827, on lands donated by Philip Antes, about three miles south and west from Clearfield town. Among the early members of the society there can be recalled the families of Philip Antes, Moses Boggs, Elisha Scofield, Isaiah Goodfellow, Al- exander Caldwell, Mrs. John Fullerton, Moses Norris and others. Services were conducted there about the time of the erection of the building by Rev. Allen Britton and Rev. John Anderson, and other ministers as the conference provided. Regular services were held once each month, provided the ministers in charge could reach the place in time. The circuit points which they were compelled to visit on their regular trips were Karthaus, Girard, Centre and other posts along the river, and frequently they would be delayed. In 1860 the old church was torn down, and on the site was built a more substantial edifice, having an audience- room with a basement below; built plainly, yet in a substantial manner. Services are held twice each month, by the pastor in charge of the M. E. Church at West Clearfield borough.
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