USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 75
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districts being placed under the charge of another priest, Father McGinley was removed to another field.
The Presbyterian society built a neat and commodious place of worship on the corner of South Brisbin street and Centennial Avenue, in 1878. In 1886 they added a church parlor on the rear of their lot. Rev. William Gemmil was the first pastor, followed by the Rev. A. N. Bird. Mr. Gemmil is the clergyman who officiated at Beulah Church, mentioned in the history of Woodward township. The Presbyterian congregation is a large one, made up mostly from the Scotch and Protestant Irish. The church was first organized July 17, 1875, with nineteen members.
The Methodist Protestant denomination built a church on the northeast corner of Brisbin and Sue street, in 1876. This is a small sect and unable to keep a regular pastor. The congregation is made up mostly of English.
In 1884 the Protestant Episcopal congregation erected for themselves, on the northwest corner of Brisbin and Sue streets, a very handsome little church. The style is Gothic, with open roof timbers, and recessed chancel. The altar is beautifully decorated, while two candelabra with seven candles on each, light it at night. The chancel furniture is in keeping, and altogether the Anglican Catholics can congratulate themselves on having a very handsomely arranged church. This communion is made up mostly of English, former members of the Church of England. They are miners with few exceptions, and unable to support a priest alone. The church is under the charge of Rev. A. S. R. Rich- ards, missionary, with the Rev. F. C. Cowper, of Philipsburg, priest in charge of Clearfield county south of the Susquehanna River.
The Swedish Lutherans also erected a very handsome church, across the street from the German Reformed Church, in 1885, Rev. Linholm, missionary in charge. This church is what might be called a High Lutheran Church. The ritual is very elaborate. They hold to the doctrines of the Augsberg Confession, and to those taught direct by Martin Luther.
A frame school building was erected in 1874 on the corner of George and Mary streets. This was soon found to be too small, and in 1881, the school- board proceeded to erect a large brick building, on the lots bounded by Clara and McAteer streets, and Deer and Pine alleys. When nearly finished, it was found that the foundation was too weak to support the building, and it had to be taken down, the foundation strengthened and rebuilt. This, when done, gave Houtzdale as fine a school-building as any in the county, and one large enough to satisfy all wants for years to come. The old frame building was sold to the Roman Catholics in 1883, who had it greatly enlarged, and refitted it with the newest apparatus, opened it with a parochial school, in 1886, under charge of the Sisters of Mercy, four of whom are stationed in the town.
George M. Brisbin was the first railroad agent for the town. When he sold his store and depot building in 1873, to H. S. Frank, he also resigned the
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
agency, and Mr. Frank succeeded him. The last named gentleman did not keep it long; on August 11, 1873, Morris Liveright succeeded him, with R. R. Fleming as assistant. Mr. Liveright resigned July 1, 1885, and J. P. Stroup was then appointed. During the early part of Mr. Fleming's agency the tele- graph was introduced, and the Adams Express Company opened an office.
In the spring of 1877 Father Meagher, priest of St. Lawrence Church, secured from the Houtz heirs two acres of ground, on the southwest line of the borough, which he had carefully cleared and fenced in, and laid out for a ceme- tery, in which the members of his communion could be laid to rest.
A Building and Loan Association was formed May 23, 1871, and named Washington. This association did much towards the building of the town. It helped its members to build homes for themselves and others, and may be said to be the first beneficial society.
The first Houtzdale newspaper published was a little 9 by 12 sheet, issued by L. A. Fraser, in the early part of 1878, and called Houtzdale Squib. In November it was changed to a four-column quarto, its name to the Houtzdale News, and published by W. R. and L. A. Fraser. The News lived until Janu- ary 13, 1880, when it was discontinued.
On the 15th of December, 1881, the first copy of the Houtzdale Observer was issued ; a five-column quarto, and published by the Observer Publishing Company. This last paper was issued until April, 1882, when W. R. Fraser altered it to a six-column quarto, and published it until December of the same year. L. A. Fraser then took charge, and continued its publication until March 15, 1883, when B. W. Hess bought the material, and published it for two weeks. He then sold to B. F. Defibaugh, who published it for a short time, when he sold the concern to White Nixon, who made a Labor paper of it, and continues to do so. The Frasers published the Observer as a temper- ance paper.
A job printing office was opened in what is now the Telephone Exchange, by Capt. Amos Row, of the Raftsman's Journal, Clearfield, 1878. This office Mr. Row kept open until June, 1879, when he retired from the field, and sold his material to L A. Fraser & Bro.
Kinsloe & Kinsloe started a weekly paper in April, 1886, which they called the Clearfield Region Mining Record, with Donald St. George Fraser editor. This paper, after two months, they altered to a semi-weekly, and is now pub- lished in Osceola Mills as a Labor organ.
At present Houtzdale depends altogether for its business on the mining industry. The timber is all cut in and around the town, therefore the saw- mills are abandoned. The old mill on the eastern side of the borough, near the Eureka No. I Colliery, and which was built by E. N. Conn & Co., in 1868, afterwards sold to Frank, Liveright & Co., and which cut the major portion of the timber on Dr. Houtz's land, was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1876.
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The site of the mill pond is now covered by stately residences, the Presbyte- rian Church, the railroad depot and business places. It would be hard to find the marks of that old pond, or where it was except that the Beaver Run is still meandering along its old way. The trestle work of the Harrison Coal Com- pany is built in front of where the breast of the dam stood.
There are a number of good hotels in Houtzdale. Mention has already been made of the Persing Hotel. In 1871 Wm. Parker built the " Blue House," on the corner of George and Eliza streets, while James Haley built the " Houtzdale," on Brisbin street. In the year 1871, William Parker built the " Central,".now leased by George H. Woodin, while E. C. Howe built the " St. Cloud." In 1877 Fred Wrese built the " Arlington," and during these early times Patrick Donelly built the "St. Charles," Patrick Shields the " Union Hotel," William Curran the " St. Elmo," Richard Mardigan the " Washington," Frank, Liveright & Co. the " Mansion," Lewis Lashance the "New York House," and James Kelly the "Clearfield House." This is enough to show that Houtzdale had sufficient hotel accommodations for man and beast.
The Houtzdale Bank, Charles R. Houtz, cashier, was opened January Ist, 1881, in the office of the Houtz heirs, corner of South Brisbin street and the railroad. In 1882 the Houtz heirs commenced the erection of the stone building on Hannah street, and which the bank occupied for the first time in November, 1882. Mr. Houtz, the cashier, is one of the best known men in the region, having been raised in and around the town.
Houtzdale can boast of some fine business houses. The largest is the brick store, corner of Brisbin and Hannah streets, and which is owned by the Eureka Supply Company, limited. The next largest is the frame store, on the corner of Good and Hannah streets, and which is owned and occupied by G. W. Dickey & Co. Next is the large brick store owned and occupied by Lang, Feldman & Co .; the brick building of Dr. Rhodes, druggist, and Hag- gerty's brick building ; Gleason's frame building on the corner of Brisbin and Eliza streets ; the large frame on the northwest corner of Good and Hannah streets, and occupied by Frederick Dando, green-grocer and J W. Moore, as a meat market; next there are Andy Ashton and S. J. Fries, merchant, while R. R. Fleming and Galer & Bro. own large hardware stores. W. C. Langsford, clothing, and Langsford & Co., tobacco, barber shop and book store.
Houtzdale has many societies, that is to say, secret societies. Moshannon Tribe No. 233, I. O. of R. M., was instituted on the 30th Sunflower Moon, G. S. D. 385, or conimon era, May 30th, 1876, and still meets regularly on the sleep of the Friday's sun.
Pacific Lodge, No. 450, K. of P., was instituted June 30th, 1876, and meet on each Thursday night.
Houtzdale Lodge, No. 990, I. O. O. F., was instituted Thursday, October 26, 1882. They occupy the hall over the store of D. C. Conrad, and meet on Thursday evenings. 85
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
William H. Kincaid Post, No. 293, G. A. R., was organized on Tuesday, November 20, 1882, by members of Jno. W. Geary Post, and meet on Monday evenings in Parker's Hall.
Edward L. Miller Post, No. 13, Sons of Veterans, was organized Novem- ber 16, 1883, but it has been discontinued.
There are also two Catholic societies that are not secret, the St. Joseph Total Abstinence and the Emerald societies.
The Knights of Labor have large lodges in the town, which embrace both male and female members, but as they do not desire publication, the dates of their organization cannot be ascertained.
Though Houtzdale is essentially a wooden town, yet there has been but two destructive fires in the borough limits, the first being the burning of the Barney Kinney house and up as far as the Exchange hotel, in 1877 ; and the second, the burning of the block at the corner of Good and Hannah streets, in May, 1881. True there have been numerous single buildings burned, but the fire did not spread to contiguous property.
There are not many costly residences within the borough, but numerous tasty and cheerful homes dot the streets here and there. The residence built by Theodore Van Dusen, must not be passed over. This house is built in the style of Queen Anne, and cost, with the spacious grounds, about $7,000. The residence of Lindsay, the Jeweler, is a quaint building, and of a peculiar style in architecture.
Houtzdale supports a first class brass band, a fife and drum corps, a string band, choral society, and a local dramatic troupe.
In 1866, a company of the citizens projected and commenced an opera house. This building is one-hundred feet wide, one-hundred and twenty-five feet deep and thirty-five feet high. It has a large balcony, dress circle and parquet, and has a seating capacity of about fourteen-hundred. The house is lighted with gas manufactured in the building. Its stage is very large and the scenery magnificent. All its doors open outwardly, and two large doors are placed on each side, for the escape of the audience in case of fire.
Telephonic communication with all mines, business places, and surrounding towns is had, and some of the streets are filled with a net-work of wires. Taken altogether, Houtzdale is a busy and energetic borough, and from all known facts is likely to remain so for a great number of years to come.
James Wiseman, an old resident of the town, and one of the pioneers of Madera, can lay just claim to being the first person who explored for coal near the town, as he was at work for Charles Pusey, agent of the Madera Improve- ment Company, in January, 1866.
W. C. Langsford & Co. opened a mine on Bed F, near the Eureka No. 10 colliery, in 1883. This bed proves to be a good coal, and the persons who opened it coke the slack, and sell both it and "lump " to the citizens for household use. The mine is on the lands of the Houtz heirs.
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BRISBIN.
This borough was named in honor of George M. Brisbin, esq., of Osceola Mills. Mr. Brisbin was the first settler on the lands now comprised in the town, he having erected a log camp on or near the present residence of J. B. Douglass, in 1854, when a primeval forest stretched for miles all around. His nearest neighbor on the one side was Isaac Goss, who lived where Samuel Henderson's farm was cultivated afterwards, and James Parsons near the pres- ent hamlet of Parsonville.
As mentioned elsewhere in this chapter, Dr. Daniel Houtz owned the lands upon which Brisbin is now built, and Mr. Brisbin took up his residence here for the purpose of advancing Dr. Houtz's interests.
Looking toward that end, a firm styled Houtz, Reed & Co. built a saw- mill in September, 1854, in front of what is now George Rhodes's "Seven Stars Hotel," which mill was run successfully until the spring of 1869, when, the timber having been cut off, the mill was moved to the site of Houtzdale. The village which sprang up around the mill was called "Houtzville," and the name continued to be used as long as the mill remained there.
Mr. Brisbin being thus shut in by thick woods, having no amusements (and being a printer, amusement was necessary to him), used to stroll through the forest communing with nature, and hunting the game so plentiful at that time. About half a mile above the mill, near the present colliery of Loraine, he hap- pened to see what he thought was the signs of coal (and being a Pittsburg lad none knew the signs better than himself), he returned to camp, and getting a pick and shovel, returned, accompanied by " Red Bill" and a man named Hahn. He set them to work, and in a short time uncovered a vein nearly six feet thick. This was important, so Mr. Brisbin explored further, for he be- lieved in the doctrine that the pick and shovel would discover more geology than could theory, and in a few months he discovered that all the lands of Dr. Houtz were underlaid with a bed of the best quality of semi-bituminous coal. After years proved that the first report was not exagerated, for eight large col- lieries were opened upon these lands, and four are still working. These veins were all on Bed E, the other beds not having been touched as yet.
In 1870, as the mines were being opened around the village, the land owners laid out a town and prepared to sell lots, and numerous houses were erected. The place was then called North Houtzdale. When the railroad reached the place, in 1874, an impetus was given to it that looked as if it would rival its neighbor over the hill. In 1880 Hoover, Hughes & Co. bought the timber on the Haggerty estate from Wallace, Redding & Richey, for about $65,000, and erected a large mill in the northern part of the town. This mill was burnt May 27, 1881, but the proprietors immediately rebuilt, and in August of the same year the mill was re-started.
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
Towards the latter part of 1876 the Welch Baptist congregation erected a neat little church on the hill near the Stirling No. 2 colliery, and, in the fol- lowing year the Welsh Congregationalists erected another place of worship, a little lower down the hill, but close to the Baptists.
In the fall of 1881 the English Baptists built a church near the saw- mill, while members of the Church of God (Evangelical Methodists), worshiped in the school-houses, of which there were three. So, altogether, both the reli- gious and educational privileges of the people were well looked after.
Hotels innumerable also sprang up, and North Houtzdale only wanted a passenger train and a post-office to complete its municipal arrangement.
There was an Odd Fellows Lodge started here in 1876, which, from the first, was a success; it was named Goss Run Lodge No. 919. In November, 1877, this lodge secured from the Houtz heirs the free gift of a tract of land for burial purposes. This piece of land is situated on the knoll between the Goss Run and a run on the south not named. The ground slopes to the east. The lodge prepared at once to clear and fence in this tract, and open it for the purpose intended. This they did, and to-day it is a beautiful spot, the only cemetery, except the Roman Catholic, for miles around. In the year 1886 the lodge was compelled to purchase a large tract adjoining so as to enlarge their grounds, and meet the wants of the public who desired to lay their friends there for their last long rest.
On the 20th day of February, 1883, Garfield Encampment No. 260, I. O. O. F., was organized, with a membership of one hundred and ninety. This is a higher branch of Odd Fellowship, conferring three more degrees on the members of the subordinate lodge. The success of this encampment and lodge, and therefore the cemetery, was due to the untiring efforts of D. St. George Fraser. Mr. Fraser was a civil engineer by profession ; came to the region in 1871. He surveyed nearly all the country around, while every mine in the region at that time, and later, bore his imprint on their walls.
January 8, 1883, North Houtzdale was no more, for the courts of the county decreed that thereafter the place should be known as the borough of Brisbin. On June 20, the same year, a post-office was granted the borough and John E. Vaughn was commissioned postmaster. The mail was made up in the office at Houtzdale and carried over the hill. The distance from the center of Hannah street, Houtzdale, to the center of Irvin street, Brisbin (both the streets named being about the center of the respective towns), is less than a mile. The southern line of Brisbin and the northern line of Houtzdale touch, a hill about four hundred feet high being between. This hill disap- pears a mile east, so that the railroad running through Brisbin joins the Houtz- dale branch a mile from the town.
On the 2d day of May, 1884, Brisbin was totally destroyed by fire. Like the day when Osceola Mills was destroyed, a heavy wind was blowing. A
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fire in the woods, towards the west, that had been burning for some days, was helped along rapidly by the high wind, until at noon, on the day mentioned, the fire reached and kindled Hoover, Hughes & Co.'s mill, and from there it was only a short time until the place was entirely destroyed. So rapid was the spread of the fire that the inhabitants could not save anything, and were forced to flee for their lives. Only one life was lost, however, an aged lady, who had reached a place of safety, went back to look after her cow, and was smothered by the smoke and gases arising from the burning buildings.
The people did not rest content however, and though the greater portion of the houses were owned by the mining population, some of whom came home from the "bank " only to find that all the goods they possessed in the world was destroyed, yet they went bravely to work to restore their loss, and built another home. The Brisbin of to-day shows how well they succeeded. The town is about as large as formerly, with a number of fine buisness places and large hotels.
In 1883 the Brisbin Opera House Company had erected a very large and commodious opera house. This house was fitted up with the best scenery, opera chairs, and all the conveniences necessary for the production of plays, operas, and other amusements. This hall was destroyed with the rest in the fire of 1884. The company, however, rebuilt their house larger than at first.
In the fall of 1885 the Pennsylvania Railroad Company caused the pas- senger trains of the Moshannon Branch to run into Brisbin. This they do by running in one mile from the main stem and then backing out. The Adams Express Company at the same time opened an office in the town.
Maurice Barron had succeeded Mr. Vaughn as postmaster by this time, as the government had been changed in 1884 by the election of Mr. Cleveland, and the first incumbent was not of the dominant party. In the spring of 1886 the government granted a bag to this office and the mails were dispatched direct.
In the fall of 1886 the English Baptist Church was burned, but the con- gregation rebuilt the edifice in the spring of 1887, larger than before.
Brisbin is surrounded by numerous other towns that are not incorporated ; on the east is the town of Stirling. The town was named by John F. Blandy, from Stirling Castle, or the town of Stirling, in Scotland; on the west is "Irish- town ;" on the north is Dogtown, Spruceville, and Blairsville ; on the north- east is Parsonville, while, as already stated, on the south is Houtzdale.
The population of the town is about eleven hundred. The only manufac- turing industries within the limits of Brisbin borough, or in its immediate vicinity, are the mills of Hoover, Hughes & Co., and a lager beer brewery. The chief occupation of the town and neighborhood is its extensive mining operations. The first coal mined from Bed E was taken from this region, and that only for the purpose of supplying fuel for the mills.
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
CHAPTER LII.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
TRVIN, COL. E. A. The subject of this sketch, Edward Anderson Irvin, was born on the 13th of January, 1838. He was the third child and the oldest son of William and Jane (Sutton) Irvin. His father was an enterprising merchant at Curwensville, and desired for his sons the benefit of a business education. Edward attended the school at Curwensville for some time, and at the age of sixteen entered the academy at Mount Holly, N. J., where he remained two years. He then entered the Edghill school at Princeton, N. J., and continued there one year. In 1857 he returned home and became associated with his father in the mercantile and lumber business. Three years later, 1860, he succeeded to the business, and successfully conducted it until the breaking out of the war.
When the war began in 1861 he was at Marietta with a large amount of lumber of various kinds on hand to sell. Leaving it there, he returned home to Curwensville, gave over to his father the care and management of his business interests, and pro- ceeded at once to recruit a company. Though but twenty-three years of age, he was full of push and enterprise, and with these enjoyed the confidence of the people, and in a short time he had one hundred and twenty brave and determined men enlisted and ready for the service. When officers were elected, Mr. Irvin was made captain. After two weeks of drill the company went to Tyrone, and was there reduced to one hundred men. Shortly after its place of rendezvous was at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg. Captain Irwin was commissioned as such on May 29, 1861. The company was attached to the Forty-second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, otherwise known as the "First Pennsylvania Rifles," and afterwards, by order of the War Department, were called " Kane Rifles." This regiment, of which Captain Irvin commanded Company K, achieved such a reputation for gallantry during the service that the name " Bucktail " became famous in both armies.
On the first day of McClellan's seven days' operations on the Peninsula, at Mechan- icsville, Captain Irvin was taken prisoner and confined in Libby prison for two months, when he was exchanged, and joined his regiment on the Rappahannock, again taking command of his company, and participating in the campaign of General Pope, known as the Second Bull Run, and also in the Maryland campaign. By a commission dated September 10, 1862, Captain Irwin was promoted to the position of lieutenant-colonel of the regiment ; but shortly after, on September 14, he was badly wounded while com- manding a skirmish line on the advance at the battle of Boonesboro, or South Mountain, by being struck in the head with a " minnie " ball. He was carried to the field hospital and made as comfortable as the situation would permit. The surgeons believed the wound would prove fatal, and the parents of the brave young officer soon came to him. A mother's comforting presence and care soon turned the scale in his favor, and by slow journeying, Colonel Irvin was brought to his home in Curwensville. Gradually he regained his health and strength, under the careful attention of parents, sisters, and other kind friends.
On the 30th of October of the same year, 1862, Colonel Irvin was married to Emma
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COL. E. A. IRVIN. - ISAAC CROSBY MCCLOSKY.
A. Graham, a most excellent lady, daughter of Hon. James B. Graham, of Clearfield Soon after this event he rejoined his regiment, but on the 14th of December, 1862, at the battle of Fredericksburg, he was again severely wounded, having an arm broken by a rifle-ball, and was again incapacitated for duty. In May of the next year, 1863, believing himself fit for duty, he went before the surgeon-general, who made an exam- ination and refused him a certificate allowing him to engage in further active service in the field. Rather than become a member of an invalid corps, Colonel Irvin was granted and accepted a discharge for wounds received in action. He entered the army among the first. His ardent sympathy with the cause and his strong conviction of duty were dominant traits and made him a soldier of the truest and best type. Among those who were loyal to every trust, and at all times unflinching in courage, he held no second place. There were few who suffered more, or saw and felt more of the shock and deso- lation of battle than he. He was closely identified with the " Bucktail " regiment up to the time of his discharge, and with all the vicissitudes of its eventful history, taking part in all the battles in which it engaged during that time.
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