USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 67
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The house for religious worship located in the northwest part of the town- ship, and known as the Church of God, or Disciple Christian Church, was built in the year 1870. The original intention was that it should be a union church, to be used in common by members of various denominations, but, owing to some misunderstanding, the plan was not fully carried out. The persons inter -. ested in the building failed to pay for its erection and material used, whereupon it was sold to enforce the lien. It was subsequently purchased by a member of the Disciple Society not a resident of this county. The first service was held here in 1870, when the church was dedicated by Rev. Mr. Plowman. He was succeeded by Rev. Linn. The present pastor in charge is Rev. Thomas Young, who conducts services once in two weeks.
Although Lawrence is one of the pioneer townships of the county, and in all matters of county progress and advancement, she is not entitled to first honor in matters of education so far as the first school erected is concerned, but from the best authority obtainable, the second school-house was built in the township in the year 1806. This was located north and east from Clayville town nearly opposite the mouth of Clearfield Creek. Here the redoubtable Samuel Fulton taught, and was afterward followed by Miss Davis and Miss Goon. An old school was built about twenty rods above the covered bridge at Clearfield town, on the west side of the river within the limits of the present borough of West Clearfield. The exact date of its erection is unknown. Among the early teachers there can be remembered the names of John Camp- bell, Miss Brockway and Benjamin Merrell.
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LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.
One of the first school-houses on the "ridges" was built about 1823 or 1824, about eighty rods from the present Pine Grove school. Daniel Spack- man and George Catlette were among the first teachers there. About two miles above on the farm of Ignatius Thompson, a log school was built in 1826 or 1827. Mr. Thompson and Jonathan R. Ames were the first teachers there. On the lower end of Thompson's place another school was built about 1832. Patrick Hagerty taught there two or three winters. In 1831 the first school was built on the site of the present Pine Grove school building. The first teacher was John Hoover, the second James Cathcart. At the mouth of Wolf stood a log house built for a dwelling, but was used for school purposes.
At the present day there are in Lawrence township fourteen schools located respectively : Driftwood, in the southwest part of the township on the river ; Hazel Green, in south part near Dougherty's; Pine Grove, at the forks of the road above Amos Read's ; Clover Hill, near Clearfield Creek, near the Tate Settlement; Mount Carmel, near Morgan's in the south part of the township on the ridges ; Centre, on the west side of the river below Porter's mill ; Mont- gomery, one mile from Clearfield on road to McPherson's; Mount Zion, in Orr neighborhood in west part of the township; Paradise, on Penfield road ; Pleas- ant Dale, in north part of township; Mount Joy, in north part near cemetery ; Waterford, near railroad bridge over Clearfield Creek, in the east part of the township on the Waterford turnpike ; Wolf Run, so named from the stream on which it is situate ; Hillsdale, at a small hamlet east of Clearfield borough.
Lawrence Grange No. 533 of the Patrons of Husbandry, was organized May 12, 1875, by O. S. Cary, of Punxsutawney, Jefferson county. The char- ter members were J. R. Read, W. P. Read, Miles Read, Alexander Read, Geo. L. Read, W. S. Read, Alexander Read, jr., M. J. Owens, W. T. Spackman, James Spackman, R. S. Spackman, Mary W. Read, Mary M. Read, Ellen A. Read, Sally E. Read, Rebecca M. Read, Mary C. Read, J. Blair Read, Maggie Owens, J. Alice Read, Mary E. Spackman.
From the time of its organization to the present, the following persons have officiated in the capacity of master, the presiding officer of the society : 1876, W. P. Read; 1877, James Spackman ; 1878, J. A. Read ; 1879, W. S. Read ; 1880, Miles Read; 1881, J. B. Read; 1882-83, W. A. Porter; 1884, H. L. Dunlap; 1885, Leander Denning; 1886, J. R. Caldwell. The officers for the year 1887 are as follows : master, W. K. Henderson ; overseer, H. L. Dunlap ; lecturer, Miss L. R. Read; steward, W. P. Read; asst. steward, L. E. Spack- man; chaplain, Miss S. J. Blair ; secretary, Miss S. E. Read; gate-keeper, Miles Read ; lady asst. steward, Miss J. M. Read; Pomona, Mrs. M. W. Read ; Ceres, Mrs. Ellen Read ; Flora, Mrs. M. E. Spackman. Lawrence Grange has at the present time a membership of fifty-three.
Mount Joy Grange, No. 584, P. of H. was organized August 10, 1885, with the following charter members : J. B. Shaw, W. B. Owens, Abraham
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
Humphrey, Joseph Owens, R. J. Conklin, M. V. Owens, J. B. Ogden, J. Conk- lin, William Lansberry, L. C. Shaffner, Thompson Read, G. W. Ogden, Mat- thew Ogden, George Shaw, F. Bumgardner, Clara E. Shaw, Sarah A. Shaw, Rachel Shaw, Anna B. Read, Mary Conklin, Anna G. Shaffner, Mary L. Ogden, M. J. Ogden, M. E. Owens, Martha J. Owens. The first officers elected were: J. B. Shaw, master; Matthew Ogden, overseer ; J. B. Ogden, secretary. From the date of organization to the present time the succession of masters has been as follows : M. J. Owens, Matthew Ogden, William Lans- berry, John Shaw, Jackson Conklin, M. V. Owens, Zach Ogden, G. W. Ogden. Mount Joy Grange is one of the substantial and progressive subordinate grange orders in the county. The home of the order is in the north part of Lawrence township, and in its membership is found the best and most thrifty farmers in that locality. From an original number of twenty-five members, there has been such an interest felt in its welfare and such benefits derived from the order, that within two years the membership has increased to ninety. The present officers of Mount Joy Grange are: Master, R. J. Conklin ; overseer, Henry Ogden ; lecturer, J. W. Wallace; steward, W. H. Moore; assistant steward, W. B. Owens; chaplain, Jackson Conklin ; secretary, M. J. Owens ; treasurer, Oliver Conklin ; gate keeper, G. W. Ogden; Ceres, Annie M. Con- klin ; Pomona, M. E. Owens; Flora, Lizzie Butler ; lady assistant steward, Delia Conklin.
The coaling interests and deposits of Lawrence township are as yet unde- veloped, but sufficient quantities are known to exist, and in veins of sufficient depth to warrant mining for the markets. The local demand is readily sup- plied from numerous banks throughout the township, and a company has been formed for extensive operations near Mitchell Station, on Little Clearfield Creek. The company comprises the following well known residents of Clear- field borough : John F. Weaver, William W. Betts, William D. Bigler, A. Bowman Weaver, and James Kerr, the last named, Mr. Kerr, being general manager of the works. The vein of coal, which has proved to be of excellent quality, is four feet in thickness, and topped by an eight inch vein of cannel coal, a superior quality and very valuable. The O'Shanter Coal Company, for such is the name of the company, are preparing for active operations. A branch track, seventy-five hundred feet in length, is being built to connect with the Beech Creek Railroad. This discovery and development will stimu- late further operations by other parties and in other localities, and by so doing add materially to the prosperity and welfare of the township. The coal exists, and its full development is now simply a question of time.
In the west part of the township, near J. L McPherson's, has been found a superior quality of glass-sand, and in quantities sufficient to interest some prominent persons. An analysis has shown it to compare favorably with the best glass-sand found or used in this country. Negotiations are now pending,
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LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.
which, if consummated, will develop an industry hitherto unknown to the county, and of great value to the parties interested.
WEST CLEARFIELD BOROUGH.
At the June Sessions of the year 1883, a petition was presented to the Court, signed by forty-four residents of that part of Lawrence township lying on the west side of the West Branch, opposite the borough of Clearfield, pray- ing that the town be incorporated as a borough. The petition was referred to the grand jury for such action as they deemed proper.
On the 5th of June the grand jury, after a full consideration of the matter, reported favorably, and recommended that the prayer of the petitioners be granted, whereupon the court, on the 24th day of September, 1883, confirmed the judgment and report of the grand jury, and appointed the place for hold- ing elections at the school-house in the borough, and declared West Clear- field borough to be a separate election district.
A petition was subsequently presented requesting that the limits be changed, and the farm and woodlands be excluded, which request was refused. Upon this a rule was granted whereby the burgess and council were required to show cause why the borough limits should not be so amended, and its territory reduced. The question was revived and argued several times, and not yet finally disposed of.
At the first election for borough officers, the following were chosen : Bur- gess, Aaron G. Kramer; councilmen, O. B. Merrell, Samuel I. Burge, J. A. Miller, Reuben Hackman, James H. Dale, and Philip Reece; clerk, O. B. Mer- rell ; justices of the peace, J. C. Barclay and Ashley Thorn ; constable, J. H. Larrimer.
In 1884 Aaron G. Kramer was elected burgess, and school directors as fol- lows : Henry Markle, James H. Kelley, George W. Orr, Aaron G. Kramer, S. P. Shank, and James H. Dale. In 1885 Ashley Thorn was elected burgess, and O. B. Merrell, clerk.
The present officers are : Burgess, J. C. Barclay, appointed in place of A. J. Grier, resigned ; clerk, O. B. Merrell, in place of Aaron G. Kramer, re- signed ; councilmen, O. B. Merrell, S. I. Burge, Philip Reese, Patrick J. Ducet, Charles Wheeler, and James H. Dale ; justices, J. C. Barclay and J. N. McCul- lough ; constable, J. H. Larrimer ; high constable, A. J. Gearhart ; assessor, Reuben Hackman ; treasurer, S. E. Kramer; auditors, C. H. Geulich, Newton Nichols, and W. T. Humphrey ; overseers, J. I. McBride and M. J. Fetzer.
The borough has two schools, the latter built in 1885 and not yet entirely completed. The old school not being large enough to accommodate the schol- ars, the new became a necessity.
The Methodist Episcopal church was organized about fifteen years ago. The society was composed mainly of residents in the vicinity of West Clear-
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
field town, who desired a place of worship nearer their homes than the Clear- field Methodist Episcopal church. The society, although burdened with a considerable debt during the early years of its existence, is now in a prosper- ous condition under the pastoral charge of Rev. G. P. Sarvice.
West Clearfield is a small borough of about four hundred inhabitants. There are no manufacturing industries within its borough limits, but a short distance north stands the red mill and Primpton's foundry and repair shops, both being in Lawrence township.
The grounds of the Clearfield Agricultural Park Association, comprising. about twenty-eight acres of land, lie within the limits of the borough.
Three or four small stores and a blacksmith shop comprise the business. interests of the place.
THE MUNICIPAL DISTRICT CALLED PINE.
The territory embraced within this district was erected into a qualified township under and by virtue of an act of the Legislature, passed and approved the 10th day of April, 1873, for the purposes therein named. It has no his- tory save the act by which it was created. There are but one or two squatter families living in the district. A clearing of a few acres in extent was made on the turnpike road leading to Penfield, and a log house was built thereon and occupied by L. J. Smith. The act referred to is as follows :
" Section 1. Be it enacted &c., That all of the provisions of the act of this. general assembly, approved February 14, 1863, entitled ' An act to lay out and make a state road in the county of Clearfield,' which authorizes the ap- pointment of commissioners to take charge of said road, and appropriate cer- tain taxes on lands therein named, to the improvement of said road, and which give authority to said commissioners to assess taxes on said lands, and collect the same, be and the same are hereby repealed, to take effect forthwith, and in the room and stead thereof, the lands named in the said act are in part erected into a new township, under the control and government of the Court of Quar- ter Sessions of Clearfield county, as hereinafter provided, and all of the said lands not included in the said township shall be and they are hereby restored to the jurisdiction and control of the municipal authorities to which they re- spectively belong, except that tracts numbers 3586, 3595, 3606, and 3586 be and they are hereby annexed to Union township for all purposes.
" Section 2. That all that part of the township of Pike and Huston, in the county of Clearfield, composed in part of the lands named in the act described in the first section of this act, beginning at the southeast corner of the town- ship of Union, thence through tracts numbered 4252, 4251, and by the west lines of tracts numbers 4258, 4257, 4256, and 4254, north to the northwest corner of tract number 4254; thence east by the north line of number 4254, to the west line of tract number 5670; thence by said west line of number
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MORRIS TOWNSHIP.
5670 north to the northwest corner of said tract number 5670 ; thence by the north line of said tract and tract 4265, east to the east line of Lawrence town- ship ; thence south to the southeast corner of tract 5783 ; thence west by the south lines of tracts 5783, 5784, 4253, and 4252, to the southeast corner of Union township, and place of beginning, shall be and is hereby separated from the said townships and created into municipal district, to be called Pine, which, when it shall have twenty qualified resident electors therein, may be, on their petition, or that of a majority of them, declared a township by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Clearfield county without proceedings by view.
"Section 3. That the said unseated district shall be and it is hereby an- nexed to and made a part of the township of Lawrence for all purposes, until erected into a township, except as hereafter provided.
" Section 4. There shall be annually appointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Clearfield county, three commissioners to take charge of the roads within the said district, who shall have all the power and be subject to all the liabilities imposed upon and possessed by supervisors of highways in the assessment and collection of road taxes on the lands and property in said dis- trict, and in the repair of all roads now in existence therein ; and the said commissioners shall have power to assess school taxes on all property in said district, not exceeding the rates now allowed by law, and may collect the same by return thereof as unseated taxes to the commissioners of said county, and by their warrant ; and the said taxes shall be by them paid into the treasury of the county of Clearfield, to the credit of said unseated district of Pine.
"Section 5. The said commissioners shall be appointed annually at the January term of court of said county, and for the remainder of this year the said court may appoint them at the June term ; and the said court may fix the amount of surety and approve the security, and shall have control of and gen- eral authority to compel obedience to their duties by any process of said courts ; and the county auditors of said county shall annually settle the ac- counts of said commissioners at the regular county settlement."
CHAPTER XLVI.
HISTORY OF MORRIS TOWNSHIP.
T HE territory that was, in the year 1836, erected into a new township called "Morris," has, since that formation, been reduced by the erection of Gra- ham and Cooper townships ; the first reduction having been made in the year 1856, by the erection of Graham. This proceeding took place over thirty
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
years ago, and as that number of years has passed the township has acquired considerable history, and may be readily separated from the mother townships of Morris and Bradford, out of which it was taken. Cooper township, how- ever, being of such recent erection, has its history to make in future, except regarding its growth and development since January, 1884, at which time it was separated from Morris; therefore so far as its early history and settlement is concerned, the mention made thereof comes properly under this head, and will be treated as a part of Morris. The township of Cooper is made the sub- ject of a separate chapter, and devoting to that chapter its growth since for- mation and the development of its vast mineral interests, together with business interests as at present represented.
The proceedings by which Morris township was brought into existence were commenced in the year 1835, in the same manner in which the other townships of the county were formed, viz., the presentation of a petition on the part of divers inhabitants of Bradford township setting forth that they labor under great inconvenience for want of a new township, and praying the court to appoint three commissioners to view and lay out the new township. This request was presented to the May term of the Quarter Sessions Court, and by the court Alexander B. Reed, James Ferguson and John Irvin were appointed to make the necessary division, provided the same was deemed prudent. By their report, which bears date the 7th day of July, 1835, they say :
"We the subscribers, appointed by the court to divide and lay off the township of Bradford into a new township, or townships, at the May Sessions, 1835, do report the draft or plot (annexed to report), to be agreeable to the prayer of the petitioners and the order of the said court."
At the September term of the court the report was confirmed ni si, and, on the 3d day of February, 1836, it was confirmed absolutely and regularly declared to be a separate township of the county. On the draft made by the viewers, in the handwriting of the court there appears these words : "This township named ' Morris ' in honor of the Honorable Robert Morris, a distin- guished patriot of the Revolutionary War."
The township, as laid out by the viewers was perhaps as irregular in confor- mation as any in the county, and at the same time it was numbered among the larger in superficial area. It extended from a point opposite and west of Phil- ipsburg on the south, to the West Branch on the north, a mean distance of some- thing like thirteen miles, and while it has no parallel sides, its average width was about six or seven miles. This, of course, is an estimate of its area before any of its territory was taken for the formation of other townships. The West Branch River formed the north, and the Moshannon the east boundary. Hav- ing such extensive water boundary, of course Morris township was well cut by smaller streams tributary to the larger ones named above. Among these tributary to the Susquehanna were Big Run, Wilhelm Run, Alder Run, Roll
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MORRIS TOWNSHIP.
ing Stone Run, and Basin Run. Those that discharged their waters into the Moshannon were Crawford Run, Weber Run, Moravian and Little Moravian Runs (neither, however, being the stream that is correctly so named), Grass Flat Run, Brown's Run, Big Run, Hawk Run, and Emigh Run. It will be seen that some of these are duplicate names, corresponding with names of other streams in other townships. The truth is, that many of these names were not applied until recently, and then by persons not thoroughly acquainted with the county or its numerous small rivulets, hence the fact.
This township, inclusive of Cooper, is bounded north by the Susquehanna River and Graham township; east by the Moshannon, which stream forms the division line between Clearfield and Centre counties ; south by the Moshan- non and Decatur township, and west by Decatur, Boggs and Graham town- ships.
In the year next succeeding that in which Morris township was erected (1837), James Allport made an enumeration of the taxable inhabitants, and be- fore relating the facts of early settlement, it is well to show who were residents there at the time of the erection. Many of these early settlers will be found mentioned in the sketch of the township provided by one of the respected resi- dents of Kylertown, and will appear in this chapter further on. The enume- ration or assessment roll contained the following names : James Allport, Rob- ert Ardery, Henry Beams, Abraham Brown, John Brown, David Cooper, John Coonrod, William Dillon, George R. Dillon, Joseph Denney, Samuel Davison, David Dale, William Everhart, Martin Flegal, Valentine Flegal, David Flegal, Samuel C. Hall, George Hoover, Thomas Hancock, Vincent Holt, Nicholas Heister, John Hoover, William M. Hunter, John W. Irvin, Leonard Kyler, Ja- cob Wise, William Shimmel, George Shimmel, sr., Philip Shimmel, Jacob F. Runk, John Ready, Christian Roubly, John Roubly, John Beams, Jacob Beams, Jonas Bumbarger, Henry Bumbarger, Jacob Gearhart, Valentine Gearhart, Da- vid Gearhart, Peter Gearhart, John L. Gearhart, David Gray, Peter Gray, Jere- miah Hoover, Samuel Hoover, Evans Hunter, Reuben Hunter, Abraham Ky- ler, John B. Kyler, Henry Lorain, John Merryman, Joseph Morrison, Jacob Pierce, William Ricord, Joseph Senser, Frederick Senser, Moses Thompson, Samuel C. Thompson, Samuel Warring. The total amount of the assessment for the year 1837, as shown by the roll made by Mr. Allport, was $14,318.
In the year 1861, nearly twenty-five years after the above enrollment was made, John Rayhorn became the assessor of the township, and as such made a list of the persons residents of the township, who were subject to militia duty. His list is copied here, and by an examination thereof, it will be seen that a large proportion of the names are new and not to be found in the first list of taxables made by James Allport. It also serves to show how rapid must have been the growth of this locality, notwithstanding the fact that but a few years before Graham was formed, thus taking a large tract from Morris in its forma- tion. 77
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
The militiamen of the township as reported by John Rayhorn, assessor, were as follows: John Will, George Kehner, Michael Leibatt, Daniel Beams, Joseph Fulmer, Christian Hartle, Robert Rosenhoover, John Miller, John Wea- ver, Adam Knobb, John Stipple, William McKee, David Wagoner, G. L. Clap- land, George Steincarichner, John Wait, Jacob May, John Steer, John Keen, Vincent Flegal, Miles Pelton, W. E. Williams, George Wise, John Troy, Will- iam Rothrock, David Shimmel, Harry Gleason, Elwood Dehaven, Reuben Wait, Peter Munce, C. P. Wilder, Leonard Kyler, David Kyler, Zachariah Jones, Da- vid Cramer, Jesse Beams, George D. Hess, Daniel Zones, John Hoover.
It is observed from the foregoing roll that there was a strong element of German settlers that came to the vicinity subsequent to the erection and prior to the year 1861. This locality was, before this growth, largely populated with Germans, or descendants from German parents. They were, and always have been a thrifty, energetic and progressive class of people, and make admirable citizens.
The early settlement and history of Morris, and the territory now included by Cooper township, as well, is told by the following sketch which was written by one of the highly respected residents of Kylertown; a man occupying a prominent position in that locality, and whose authority is undoubted. It is thought desirable to relate the facts as furnished, making only such changes in form and style as are absolutely necessary. The history of the various locali- ties is included in this sketch, and it will be noticed that the ground is well cov- ered, and the fact fully stated, although in form and style it is hardly that usu- ally employed.
Morris township is located on the eastern border of Clearfield county, Pa., and is noted for its great bodies of pine, oak and hemlock timber ; also a great portion is well adapted for farming purposes; it is also underlaid with fine and large" veins of bituminous coal, which are beginning to be largely developed. Amongst its first settlers was Captain Jacob Wise, who located in the southern end of the township, cleared up a farm, and also carried on blacksmithing. He raised a large family of children, some of whom are still living in the vicinity where they were born. The " Captain," as he was always called, was endowed with quite a military spirit, and figured conspicuously in military gatherings in his day, and many a good joke that came from him was enjoyed by his many friends. He lived to a good old age and his death was much lamented by his many friends and neighbors.
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