USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Volume One > Part 38
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The first settlers seem to have been Joseph Shadduck from Ver- mont who took up a tract in 1794, joined shortly by George and Henry Hurst from New Jersey; but, although they all made their locations, they did not actually settle until 1795. Following these came George Lowry in 1795; his mother, Margaret Lowry with her family in 1796, locating 2,800 acres; Mrs. Lowry's four sons, Robert, Andrew, George and Morrow, married four daughters of James Barr, and Hon. Morrow B. Lowry, of Erie, was her grandson; James and Bailey Donaldson came in 1795, and Henry and Dyer Loomis in 1796; Thomas Robinson, Joseph McCord, James McMahan, William Wilson, James Duncan, Francis Braw- ley, Abraham and Arnold Custard in 1797; Thomas Crawford with his sons, William, James and Robert, Lemuel Brown, Matthew Taylor, William Alison, Henry Burgett, and James, John and Matthew Greer in 1797-98; Robert Hampson, wife and one child, came from Juniata County in the summer of 1800.
The first church organized in the county was in this township in the house of William Dundass, on the north side of Main Street in the bor- houg of North East, immediately east of the stream that crosses the street where the old parsonage used to be, and where, the same day was celebrated the first occasion of the Lord's Supper, under Protestant forms, in this county. The house was later converted into Burgett's tavern. This congregation built its log church in what is now the ceme- tery in 1804, a large frame church in the present park in 1818-22, a brick edifice in 1860 and dedicated in 1861, later burned and at once re- placed by another handsome brick structure.
The first brick house in the county, outside of Erie at least, was built by James Silliman in 1809, about a mile east of the borough. The first grist mill in the township was built by Timothy Tuttle on the Six-
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teen Mile Creek in 1807. The first house built for school purposes was in 1798 "on the north side of the main road near the house belonging to the Brookins farm." The first regular passenger train to pass through the township was January 8, 1852, from State Line to Erie. A paper mill was established by Steele, Judd & Easton in 1833 in "Paper Mill Hollow" on the Sixteen Mile Creek, burned in 1838, rebuilt by John Scoul- ler and Chauncey Easton, burned Aug. 16, 1881, rebuilt by James S. Johnston, acquired by Cochran & Young of Erie, eventually failing and going out of existence.
Springfield Township was also one of the original 16 townships, with an extension of its southern boundary in 1835 to the present boun- dary creek. Its early settlers included Captain Samuel Holliday in 1796, locating 700 acres at the mouth of Crooked Creek where he built a cabin. Following him came John Devore, John Mershon, William McIntyre and Patrick Ager. Captain Holliday married in Franklin County in April, 1797, bringing his bride here to his new cabin that spring. Oliver Cross and Thomas and Oliver Dunn came in 1797, the two latter removing to McKean Township. Nicholas Lebarger in 1798; Matthias Brindle and Mr. Bruce in 1800; Robert McKee and Oliver Smith in 1801. The first white female child was Elizabeth Holliday, born May 14, 1798. The first boy born here was Joseph Brindle March 1, 1800, and the first funeral is said to have been of Mrs. Isaac Miller, whose grave was the first in the old Presbyterian graveyard. The first potatoes planted in this town- ship were brought by Mr. McIntyre, carrying them in a sack on his back all the way from Pittsburg. In 1802 Robert McKee bought a barrel of salt for fifty Spanish dollars.
The Moravian Grant of 2,797 acres was partly in this township. The first mill owner in the township was Captain Holliday who built a saw mill near the mouth of Crooked Creek in 1801 or 1802 and a grist mill in 1803. Andrew Cochran built what later were called the Strong Mills about 1820. In 1832 Scott Keith opened a public house in East Spring- field, which was burned after many years of service; William Doty moved to East Springfield in 1822 from North East, and took over the old Rem- ington Stand, operating it until his death in 1864. Many taverns and public houses were put up and operated here, and all along the old drove road now the Ridge Road, from the Ohio line to the line of New. York, and they all did a thriving business.
The first Methodist services held in this county are said to have
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been in the dwelling of John Mershon in this township, in September, 1800. They put up a building about 1804 about a mile south of West Springfield. A second Methodist society was organized in the east part of the then township in 1815, later known as the Fair Haven Church, but on the erection of Girard Township was taken into that municipality. The Cottage Church a mile west of West Springfield was commenced in 1830, finished in 1836; at West Springfield a building was put up in 1854, and another in East Springfield in 1866.
The Presbyterians established a preaching point in Springfield in 1804, and a small log church was built the same year on the old portion
M. E. CHURCH, WEST SPRINGFIELD, PA.
of the cemetery grounds. The congregation was organized in 1806, and a larger building erected in 1844. The Christian Church was organized in 1826, its church erected in 1839. The Baptists were organized in 1826, their church put up in 1833, and a later and better one in West Spring- field in 1858. The Universalists organized in West Springfield in 1848, built a house in 1850 which was destroyed by fire Oct. 2, 1889, since when they have been practically disbanded.
The Academy in West Springfield was founded in 1855, burned down in December, 1859, and at once reconstructed with brick. The Academy at East Springfield was built in 1856. Both were excellent schools and enjoyed a wide popularity. In 1866 an academy was established at North Springfield. One of the first schools was built of logs, with chimney of
,
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sticks and stones, on the old Eagley farm. In 1918 an old log school house was still standing in East Springfield. The principal burying ground in the township is the cemetery at East Springfield. It consists of 18 acres on the north side of the village, was originally the Presby- terian Church burial place, and was surveyed and graded in 1864. The first interment was the body of Henry Keith in August, 1864. In the northeast part of the cemetery could still be traced (at least a few years ago) one of a series of four earth works which extended from western Girard Township to the southern part of Springfield Township. Other works of the Mound-builders were, one on the Oney farm a mile south- west of East Springfield, and another on the McKee farm half a mile farther west.
Summit Township is the youngest township in the county, and the smallest of them all. It was erected in 1854 out of the west part of Greene, the east part of Mckean and a slice from Waterford. Its name arises from the dividing ridge of land running through it, which divides the water sheds of the Great Lakes from that of the Ohio River basin.
The first settler was George W. Reed, a son of Colonel Seth Reed, who settled here in 1796, removing shortly after to Waterford where he made his residence until his death. Oliver Dunn followed him, and later, 1800, James and Ebenezer Graham with their families, Eli Webster, and Abijah Hull. In 1801 came Eli Rockwell, and in 1802 Daniel Lee. Fol- lowing these were Thomas Rees, Jr., John Way, P. S. Wooley and James Jackson.
The Hamlin M. E. Church was organized in 1837, its building erected in 1852. The United Presbyterian Church is at Five Points, organized in January 1842, re-established in 1873, its church erected in 1848. St. Matthew's Catholic Church was erected in 1876, and its congregation organized about the same time. Emanuel's Church of the Evangelical Association was organized about 1838, its church put up in 1863.
Union Township was one of the original 16 townships in the county, and embraced much more territory than at present. In 1825 it lost the territory which composes Amity, reducing it nearly a half. Its first settler was Hugh Wilson from the north of Ireland, who arrived in the early part of 1797, followed, the next year by Andrew Thompson with his wife and four children, Matthew Gray with his wife and son Francis B., and Robert Smith. In 1798 came Jacob Sheppard, and then came
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John Wilson, Hugh's father with two adult daughters. John Fagan came in about this time, but removed to Millcreek in 1803. William Miles with his family moved from Concord in 1800, and his brother-in- law, William Cook and his family came in 1801.
John Wilson was the first death in June of 1799. The first birth was of Martha Wilson daughter of Hugh, on Aug. 18, 1800. The first marriage in the township, as well as the first in the southern part of the county, was that of Elizabeth Wilson to William Smith in 1799; while the second was of Thomas King and Sarah Wilson in 1800, these ladies being the daughters of John Wilson. Hugh Wilson was one of the first justices of the peace in the county.
The Methodists organized the Asbury congregation in 1840, and built their church in 1862, which has a graveyard attached to the church. The Wesleyan M. E. church was organized Nov. 18, 1882, and a church at Cottage Hill was built in 1883, and dedicated that November. One of the earliest schools in the township was taught by William Craig dur- ing the war of 1812.
Venango Township was one of the original 16 townships in the county, its name being derived from the name of the river as christened by the French, they striving thus to express the Indian word Innungah, which soon became Weningo, and then Venango. It lies in the Erie Tri- angle, its south line being a part of the old State Line.
It is believed that William Miles and David Watts were the first white men to visit the township, when they came out in 1785 as sur- veyors; and returning in 1795 located 1,400 acres at the junction of the east and west branches of French Creek. Adam Reed came in 1796, who, with his son James, located 400 acres on the east branch, and a little later built the first grist mill in the township. Thomas Smith came the same year to Lowville, followed by Zalmon Tracy and Mr. Bur- rell. John and David Phillips took up 1,100 acres where Phillipsville is now, in 1797, and William Allison in 1798, came with his wife and son James to Lake Pleasant. Samuel Low with his brother-in-law, Dr. Wright, came in 1822 from Genesee County, N. Y. The Norcross and Davison families located west of the lake, later changed to Millcreek, as did John Warren who moved to Erie in 1810.
Robert Allison was the first white child to be born in the township, born in 1799, the son of William Allison. The first death was of Adam Reed in 1805.
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Lake Pleasant lies in the extreme southwestern corner of the town- ship, and is a most beautiful body of water from five to fifty feet in depth. It is about two-thirds of a mile long, and a third of a mile wide, and at one time was urged as the place from which to draw the supply for the City of Erie.
In this township was built the first church building for Protestant worship in the county. It was a mile and a half north of Lowville on the Wattsburg and North East Road, on the top of a sightly hill. The services out of which it grew were held in August of 1801 in the woods on the east branch of French Creek on the Enos Mann farm. On the next Thursday all the able-bodied men and boys met, agreed upon a place which had been offered for a building site by John Warren, a young farmer of the neighborhood, and by night a sturdy log church had been put up, which stood for a time when it was replaced by a larger and bet- ter log structure on the same site. Here grew up a burial ground which remains to this day. About 1828, when the Wattsburg Presbyterian Church had been built, services were discontinued here, most of the mem- bers going to Wattsburg. A replica of this old building was made from its old timbers, and was lately bequeathed to the Erie Public Museum by Laura G. Sanford, where it may be examined. The Lowville M. E. con- gregation was organized in 1875, its house built in 1876. The Phillips- ville M. E. class was organized prior to 1848, and its building erected in 1862 on land presented by Norman Chapin. The Macedonia M. E. congregation built its church in 1890. The United Brethren organized in 1871 and built at the head of the lake in 1872; also another congrega- tion established a church building about 1890 half a mile north of Wick's Corners. The Advents built at Lowville in 1893.
It is of record that John Phillips, of this township, was Paymaster General in the War of 1812 under General Harrison, and received his money at Pittsburg, in silver, with which to pay off the army; and car- ried it through the wilderness to Fort Meigs on pack horses.
Washington Township, as it is now bounded, with other territory, was one of the immortal 16 original townships of this county when the county came into being. Its first name, however, was "Conneauttee," a too similar name to that of "Coniaute" another original one, and in 1834 this name was changed to the present title, to avoid confusion. As it will be suspected, the name is in honor of the first president. In 1844
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a large piece was taken in forming Franklin Township, and later another was taken off and added to Waterford.
Its earlier settlers included Alexander Hamilton and William Cul- bertson, who came in 1796 and selected lands at the site of the present Edinboro and in the spring were joined by Job Reeder, Samuel Gallo- way, John and James Campbell, Mathias Sipps, Simeon Dunn, John Mc- Williams, Phineas McLenathan, Matthew Hamilton, James, John, Andrew and Samuel Culbertson the widow Jane Campbell with two sons and a daughter Hannah. William Culbertson soon took up the tract at the foot of the lake, and built the first house in Edinboro, as well as the first sawmill and the first grist smill on Conneauttee Creek. This earliest dwelling was on the site where later stood the Vunk house in Edinboro.
The first marriage was of Job Reeder and Nancy Campbell, March 1, 1800; the first death that of Mrs. William Culbertson in 1804; the first female born was Jane Culbertson in 1799, and the first male birth that of John Augustus Culbertson in 1800.
The Baptists organized during the winter of 1838-9 and their church erected at McLane in 1866, and dedicated Jan. 23, 1867. The Methodists at McLane were organized in 1863, and the church built in 1867. The Christian Church at McLalleln's Corners was organized in 1828, and a building erected many years ago. The Christian Church at Drake's Mills was organized in January, 1877, and a church built about the same time. The cemetery at Edinboro is the general burial place for the entire township, and is a very pretty piece of parking.
The first school in the township was west of Conneauttee Creek and known as the old Plank Schoolhouse. In 1819 a class was held in Isaac Taylor's cabin a mile and a half southeast of the town.
Waterford Township was also one of the original 16, and was prob- ably named in deference to the wishes of some of the settlers who came from Waterford in Ireland. Here at the outlet of the lake was a consid- erable Indian settlement, with its plum orchards and burial places. Here came the French in 1753 and built Fort LeBoeuf, naming it and the lake and the stream for the herds of "Boeuffs" or beeves they saw in this locality, no doubt buffaloes, which are said to have roamed freely in that vicinity in those days. To this township also came George Washington on Dec. 11, 1753, to protest the French invasion of English territory. Here came Pontiac's braves and destroyed the fort in 1763. Here visited General Lafayette in 1825 and staid the night in the hotel of Mr. Reed.
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The early settlers were essentially those who settled the borough. They included Lieutenant Charles Martin, commander of the post, James Naylor, one of the Commissioners of Sales, Captain Martin Strong, Amos Judson, prior to 1796. John Lytle in 1796, also Robert Brotherton, John Lennox and Thomas Skinner; John Vincent, Wilson Smith in 1797; Aaron Himrod and the Lattimores in 1798; Captain John Tracy, William Boyd, David Boyd, John and James Boyd with their three sisters and James Anderson in 1801-2; James and William Benson in 1804 or 5; Eliachim Cook in 1809. George W. Reed had come in by 1799, and Levi Strong and John Henry in 1812; the Mckays in 1813; and following these many of the antecedents of our foremost families.
A Freewill Baptist congregation was organized at Newman's Bridge about 1832-3, reorganized in 1853, and erected a church in 1860. An- other of the same denomination built a church in 1877 in the north- eastern part of the township. At Sharp's Corners the M. E. congrega- tion was organized in 1838 or 1839, and its church built in 1868. The Christian Congregation at Oak Hill was organized in 1854, and its church built in 1861. The Roman Catholics organized and built a church at the station in 1878.
Wayne Township is the north portion of the original "Brokenstraw" Township, which was the original name until changed in 1821 to Con- cord, which continued until 1826 when Wayne was set off by itself, and named for the famous Indian fighter, General Anthony Wayne, who died at Erie. In 1863 Corry was taken from it as a borough, and in 1866 additional lands when Corry became a city. Its early settlers included William Smith, from the North of Ireland, and Michael Hare, Rihue and Call; Mr. Prosser in 1797; Joseph Hall at Beaver Dam, William Carson and John Kincaide, William Gray, Joseph Grant, Daniel Yeager, Zac- cheus Greeley, Benjamin and Leonard Greeley, John Heath, and others. It was here that the father, mother and brother and sister of Horace Greeley established their home tree. Horace visited them twice, walk- ing most of the way from Vermont, and in 1830, finding employment in Jamestown remained, coming later to Erie.
On the Elgin Road is situated the Western Fish Hatchery of the State of Pennsylvania, started as a private enterprise in the fall of 1873 by Seth Weeks, and bought by the State Commissioners in 1876. It is one of the most successful, and most interesting institutions of its kind in the state.
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A little northwest of the hatchery, on a slight rise of ground, could formerly be seen a pre-historic embankment; and about half a mile west another consisting of a trench and circular embankment enclosing about three acres, about a third larger than the first one above.
The M. E. Church was organized in 1838 and a church erected in 1839, at Beaver Dam, and at the same place the United Presbyterians organized in 1859 and built in 1872. An Associate Reformed congrega- tion was organized here about 1820, soon becoming a Presbyterian con- gregation which built in 1830 on the cemetery site, and a larger and bet- ter building was erected in 1867. This building was removed to Elgin, and used by the Methodists. Just north of Beaver Dam the United Brethren organized in 1830, and built the same year. Beaver Dam used to be a most active "Station" on the Abolitionist's "Underground Rail- way," many slaves having found comfort and abetting here.
CHAPTER XXXI
OUR WARS.
NOT IN THE REVOLUTION, WHY-WAR OF ISI2-MEXICAN WAR-CIVIL WAR AND LIST OF OUR OFFICERS-SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR-THE WORLD WAR.
It is with regret that we are compelled to afford so small space to the part of our county has played in the struggles which the country has engaged in from time to time. But we are proud to be in possession of the precious heritage of loyalty, of patriotism, and of devotion to the principles of honest liberty and of conscientious freedom, which has marked our people when our ideals have been threatened, and the safety and life of the country has been in danger, from viciousness, and unscru- pulous avarice, and desire for dominion. No portion of our country has responded with greater alacrity, or in greater proportion, to the call for help from our beloved country, than has our own county. Perhaps no section has poured out of its wealth of blood and treasure in defense of our country's homes and people more freely and more abundantly than has Erie County.
We have already noticed the part we have played in the War of 1812. The Mexican War did not assume the proportions of a great need, and but few of our men participated in it; but our proportion was no doubt equal to our call.
Various military organizations had been the nuclei of the patriotic fervor of our citizenry. By the act of 1804, every able-bodied man be- tween the ages of eighteen and forty-five was enrolled and compelled to perform two days' military duty each year, or pay a fine. This resulted in a militia which was divided into brigades, regiments, battalions and companies, with its own self-elected officers. At first these were serious
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public functions, and the "military trainings" as they were called, were seriously taken. But, in course of time, the discipline grew more and more slack, any old stick was permitted to answer for a gun, uniforms were not used nor insisted upon; most of the officers, however, continued to dress in uniform, and the contrast between the brilliant uniforms of the officers and the home-spun and home-made dress of the men, equipped with broom sticks, canes, corn stalks, even pieces of fence rails, was indescribably ridiculous. "Training Day", however, for a long time continued to hold the public interest as circus day might do now. The law was repealed in 1847-48.
Many volunteer companies came into existence, even in the earliest days. Captain Elisha Marvin was the officer of the first one of these, the "Greenfield Company," organized in Greenfield Township in 1801, with about 80 members. Captain Thomas Forster organized the "Erie Light Infantry" in 1806. This company took part in the War of 1812. "The Erie Greens" were organized in 1821; "The Washington Artillery" in 1824; the "Erie Guards" in 1824; an artillery company in 1831; a cavalry company in 1836; the "German Guards" and the "Washington Guards" in 1841; the "Wayne Grays" in 1842; the "Franklin Pierce Rifle Company" in 1858; the "Wayne Guard" in 1859 (John W. McLane was the captain of this latter company) ; the "Perry Artillery Company" with Gustav Jarecki as captain in 1859. The "Wayne Guard" was in full swing at the outbreak of the Civil War and formed the rallying point for all of the military organizations that left the county in that war.
There were also at North East the "Burgettstown Blues" in 1822; the "Invincibles" at Waterford in 1824; at Fairview, a company in 1824; another at Fairview called the "Fairview Guards;" at Girard the "Guards" in 1860. These all served to keep the patriotic sentiments of the county up to a keen state, and educated our people to a good, healthy appreciation of their relations to the common government, and helped to knit all of the people into a more compact and efficient whole.
The firing upon Fort Sumter, April 12, 1861, was the clarion call to our county, as well as to the country, to submerge any and all party differences, and to unite and vie with each other in plans for the defense of the country, and for the people's firesides.
The first Civil War meeting in this county was held on April 26, 1861, in Wayne Hall, Erie, presided over by William A. Galbraith, and especially well attended. The sum of $7,000 was immediately raised,
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which shortly after was swelled to $17,000, forming a fund for the sup- port of the families of the volunteers. Meetings of this character be- came common over the entire county. The first company to tender its services to the country from this county was the "Perry Artillery Com- pany," C. F. Mueller, Captain; W. F. Lutje, first lieutenant; and they were promptly accepted. The Wayne Guards, Captain John W. McLane, and the Girard Guards, Captain D. W. Hutchinson, generally enlisted, many of the members becoming officers in subsequent regiments.
The "Three Month's Regiment" was formed of volunteers in re- sponse to President Lincoln's call for volunteers. A camp and drill ground was established on the southeast corner of Sixth and Parade streets in Erie, to which volunteers resorted in great numbers from all over the county, and elsewhere. More offered than could be taken. On May 1, 1861, at 2 p. m., they left Erie for Pittsburg, their term expiring, how- ever, before they got into battle, they returned home on July 20, with the loss of but one man by death during their stay.
The "Eighty-third Regiment" was formed in response to President Lincoln's call for 300,000 men for the war. Captain McLane was author- ized to raise a regiment, the old fair grounds between Erie and Wesley- ville north of the Buffalo Road, now known as Fairville, was selected for the camp. This regiment left for Harrisburg on Sept. 16, 1861, the state presented it with a flag on December 21, and it became officially known as the "Eighty-third Regiment." Recruiting for the navy also went for- ward briskly; the "Ladies' Aid Society" was formed to afford relief to the sick and wounded soldiers in the field, having branches in most of the towns and villages throughout the county.
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