History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc, Part 80

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902; Whitman, Benjamin, 1940-; Russell, N. W. (Nathaniel Willard); Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Weakley, F. E; Warner, Beers & Co. (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1280

USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc > Part 80

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The public schools of Union City are nine in number, including a high school, and by the last report gave tuition to 423 pupils. The high school and four of the graded schools are in one large building; the remainder are in another on the opposite side of the town. The Principal of the high school acts as Superintendent of all, visiting each at least once a week.

There are two banks at Union City. Cooper's, of which Ezra Cooper is President and W. B. Foster, Cashier, has been in operation for many years. The Farmers' Co-operative Trust Company commenced a banking business in the summer of 1883. Jonathan Canfield is President; W. W. Deem, Cashier. The borough has suffered severely through the recent failure of two banks.

MANUFACTORIES.

Brisk as Union is in other respects, it is as a manufacturing town that it specially excels. The variety and importance of its interests in this direction will be appreciated by an examination of the following list of establishments: Anchor Grist Mill, Cafflish Brothers' steam saw mill, Blanchard & Hanson's furniture factory, Clough's shingle mill, Cooper's planing mill, Church's grist and saw mills, Clark & Son's saw, stave and handle mill, Dunmeyer's Indus- trial Iron Works, Hunter's pump factory and planing mill, Hatch's broom factory, Irwin's carding and grist mill, Jones' cheese factory, Jones' cheese box factory, Jenkins' sash, door and blind factory, Lamphier & Brower's car- riage and wagon factory, Morton's wagon factory, Pratt & Son's saw mill, Terrill's tannery, Thompson's water wheel works, Union City Iron Works, Union City Chair Company (moved from Jamestown, N. Y., about March 1, 1881), Woods & Johnson's barrel factories, Westcott's broom handle factory, Woods' stave factory, Wager's beer brewery, Westcott's dowel pin factory. The largest manufacturing establishment in the borough is the Union City Chair Company, which makes daily about 400 chairs, sold mainly in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and West Virginia. The business was commenced on an extensive scale in the spring of 1881, but the shops were totally destroyed by fire in the following July. Messrs. Heineman & Che- ney, the present proprietors, immediately rebuilt them. The main building is 120x40 feet, two and a half stories high, with an addition 60x30 and other adjoining buildings; all kinds of wood seat chairs are made and constant em- ployment is given in the shops to thirty-five men. The Anchor Mills, Camp, Geiger & Beebe, proprietors, is one of the best and most extensive in the country. doing a business of half a million annually. The mills are fitted out with all the improvements and have a capacity of seventy-five barrels of

693

UNION TOWNSHIP.

flour per day. The Union City Iron Works, where portable and stationary, upright and horizontal engines are manufactured, also deserves special men- tion as a business industry of the place, as does likewise the pump factory of J. W. Hunter. This list does not take in the many small shops that are in- cident to a town like Union. Five of the above-named works-Church's grist and saw mills, Cooper's planing mill, Clark's factory and Blanchard & Han- son's factory-are run by the water of French Creek; two others-Thompson's and Irwin's-by that of Church Run, and the balance by steam. (Since the above was placed in type, Church's Mill has burned down.)

CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS.

Union City contains Presbyterian, Methodist Episcopal, Catholic, Baptist and United Brethren Churches, all of which are creditable edifices, though the first-mentioned is the costliest and finest.

The Presbyterian congregation was organized with nine members, by Rev. John Matthews in 1811. The first church building was erected in 1831, on a lot donated by William Miles, who also contributed $50; and the present one, which cost $12,000, was dedicated February 24, 1874. The sheds were built in 1875, and a fine chapel, the gift of Mrs. Jane Gray, widow of Robert Gray, was added in 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Gray were the only original members who lived to worship in the new church. When the congregation was organized, it consisted of but eight members, besides Matthew Gray, the Elder. Rev. Mr. Matthews supplied the pulpit until 1820, when Rev. Amos Chase took his place, giving to the church one-fourth of his time. The following is a par- tial list of the pastors since: Revs. Absalom McCready, Pierce Chamber- lain, Thomas Anderson, and J. F. Reed; Rev. J. M. Gillette becoming pastor and remaining till 1873. He was followed by Rev. R. B. Dilworth, the present pastor. The present membership of the church is about two hundred.

The Methodist Episcopal congregation was organized by Rev. Ira Eddy in 1817, six years after the Presbyterian, and had Rev. John P. Bent as its first pastor. The first church was built in 1847, and the second and present one in 1862, costing $10,000. Since the formation of Corry Circuit, the pastors of the congregation have been S. L. Wilkinson, R. F. Keeler, G. W. Staples, W. Hollister, G. W. Staples, W. Hollister; O. L. Mead, J. Whitely, A. J. Mer- chant, A. Van Camp. W. H. Mossman, F. H. Beek, J. C. Scofield, N. H. Holmes. The membership is about two hundred. In its early history, this charge was a part of Wattsburg Circuit. About a quarter of a century ago, Union City Circuit was formed, which now, besides the church in the borough, includes Asbury Church of Union Township.

St. Teresa Catholic Church was organized about 1857. Catholic families had settled here about 1854, and were attended for several years from Pitts. burgh. Father Emerand, O. S. B., then held services for several years. At the opening of the rebellion, he enlisted as Chaplain of a regiment under Gen. Rosecrans and was killed in service. Rev. T. Lonnergan, of Corry, took charge of the congregation in 1860, and under efforts put forth by him, a church was immediately built. He attended the charge until 1867 and his assistants until a year later. Father P. J. Morrell was then pastor for a year, succeeded by Father John L. Madigan, who remained until 1871. Father Joseph M. Dunn, the present pastor, then commenced his labors here. The school was built in 1866 and enlarged in 1875, and the parochial residence was erected in 1874. The congregation numbers about ninety families. The school is attended by about one hundred and thirty pupils, and is in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

694

HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.

The Baptist Church at Union City was formed with eleven members in Au- gust, 1859, in the Methodist Episcopal Church, by the withdrawal of members residing in Union City and vicinity from the Wattsburg Baptist Church. They were recognized by churches in the Harmony (N. Y.) Association in June, 1860. Elder L. Rathbone preached occasionally to the congregation in the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches, and in 1862 Rev. A. D. Bush accepted a call to the pastorate. Under his persistent labors a meeting-house was erected. In 1865, Rev. A. Tennant commenced a long and successful pastor- ate. Iu 1871, Rev. B. C. Willoughby became pastor, succeeded at the expira- tion of a year by Rev. W. L. Anthony. Rev. William Gilkes followed, re- maining nearly three years. Then Revs. T. J. Knapp, T. A. Edwards and A. D. Bush successively assumed charge, the latter, who is present pas- tor, taking charge in November, 1882. The membership is now about one hundred.

The United Brethren society was organized about 1872, succeeding an old class which formerly met at Kimball's Hill, two miles northwest from the borough. In that year, Rev. W. R. Allen preached on this circuit. The early services were held in the Presbyterian Church until 1876, wher a large frame church was erected at a cost of over $2,000, and the work of its completion is still in progress. Meetings have since been held in the basement of this church. The membership is about fifty. The appointments in this circuit are three-Union City, New Ireland, three miles west, and Valley in Crawford County. The pastors since 1872 have been Revs. H. H. Barber, J. Hill, J. W. Gage, W. Rittenhouse, A. K. Root, W. H. Chiles, D. C. Starkey, W. H. Chiles and W. Rittenhouse.

An Episcopal congregation was organized in 1875, but had no church, and is now defunct.

Evergreen Cemetery, the principal burying place of town and township, is a beautiful piece of high, dry, gravelly ground, on the Concord road, near the southeast edge of the borough. It was originated by David Wilson, who laid out the plat and was the first President of the company. The cemetery was dedicated in September, 1865. The Catholic Cemetery, near the other, was consecrated about 1860, and embraces about an acre and a half. The soldiers' monument in Evergreen Cemetery was dedicated on May 30, 1884.

NEWSPAPERS.

The earliest newspaper in the town was the Union Mills Bulletin, started by William C. Jackson in 1865, and continued by him for one year, when the office was purchased by H. G. Pratt and Fi. Burrington, who changed the name to the Star. These gentlemen held out for about a year and then moved to Corry, where the establishment was merged with the Republican. The town was without a journal until November, 1870, when the Union City Times appeared, with Robert Troup as editor. The Times was printed in the Dis. patch office at Erie for about two years, when Mr. Troup associated J. E. Locke with him, secured material and issued it at home. In August, 1873, H. D. Persons and L. B. Thompson bought the office, taking possession Sep- tember 1; six months afterward, Mr. Thompson retired from the firm, and in March, 1874, W. F. Richards formed a partnership with Mr. Persons, which arrangement terminated in about four months, and Mr. Persons contintied the management until the spring of 1875. By an arrangement with the owners of the Corry Republican, brought about through the agency of S. Todd Perley, the two offices were moved to Erie May 1, 1875, and their material was used in the publication of the Argus, which had a brief but brilliant career. After the failure of the Argus, Mr. Persons took his office back to Union and re-es -

695

UNION TOWNSHIP.

tablished the Times on the 12th of August, 1875. The establishment was pur- chased by Dr. D. P. Robbins in November, 1877, who sold to F. E. McLean in August, 1878, and in November, 1879, Mr. McLean associated with him in partnership W. A. Moore. This latter gentleman, in May, 1880, sold his interest to A. F. Moses, who in turn conveyed it a year later to J. C. Mc- Lean and W. G. Lefevre. It was then published under the name of the Times Publishing Company, until May, 1882, when F. E. & J. C. McLean became sole proprietors, and are now its publishers. In February, 1875, Mr. L. B. Thompson moved the Enterprise from Waterford to Union City, and issued it until June of the same year, when it was bought by Pratt Bros. & Hub- bard. Mr. Hubbard soon retired from the firm, and Pratt Bros. continued the paper at Union until November, 1877, when the office was moved to Corry and the Corry Herald established. The Union City Advertiser was be- gun in the summer of 1874, by Hildreth, Young & Co., to give publicity to their Photocrome business. The work was done in the Waterford Enterprise office, and shortly after the removal of that paper to Union City, as above stated, the Advertiser was discontinued. Early in 1879, M. H. Fenno started an edition of the Corry Herald for Union circulation, calling it by the name of the Record. Its list was purchased by F. E. McLean in November, 1879, and combined with that of the Times.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The assessment for 1883 gave the following results: Value of real estate, $388,870; cows, 123; value, $2,460; oxen, 6; value, $250; horses and mules, 148; value, $6,887; personal property, $9,607; trades and occupations, $49,- 310; money at interest, $41,921.

The first successful school was established about 1820, in a building which stood on High street where Leander Miller lives. The first tavern was opened by David Jones in 1829. The first store was started in 1831 by Fleming & Brewster, of Erie, and was run for them by Julius Hitchcock. The old portion of P. G. Stranahan's residence, which probably antedates any other building now standing in the town, was built by William Miles in 1828.

A tavern was built in 1832, near the old mill, by Asa Walton and Wash- ington Webber. The property was purchased in 1838 by Capt. A. Tourtellot, who rebuilt the house. D. Dunham & Sons started a tannery in 1836, and continued until 1871. The South Branch is crossed within the borough by two iron bridges and one wooden bridge, of eighty feet span each. The iron bridges were put up about 1871, and cost $3,000 apiece. A substantial wood- en bridge enables the Union & Titusville railroad to connect with the Phila- delphia & Erie a short distance east of the depot building of the latter road.

The most extensive fire that Union has known broke out in the Stranahan Block about half-past 3 o'clock on the morning of April 24, 1879, and swept down both sides of Main street to the creek, destroying buildings and goods estimated at the time to be worth $75,000, not more than half of which was covered with insurance. A large share of the burnt district has been rebuilt with a better class of structures than before. The next great fire occurred on Monday night, the 24th of July, 1882, and destroyed property to the value of $50,000. It originated in the boiler house of Hineman & Cheney's chair and furniture factory, and burned down eight buildings, besides damaging two others. The insurance was not much more than one-fourth of the loss. Another fire on the evening of Wednesday, May 28, 1884, burned down a row of frame buildings adjoining the Johnson House, occupied by seven business firms. The loss was about $12,000. The most destructive flood known in the history of Union City occurred on the 4th of February, 1882.

696

HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.

CHAPTER IV

LE BŒUF TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH OF MILL VILLAGE.

HIS township received its name from Le Boeuf Creek, which joins French Creek within its limits. It is one of the original townships of the county, and belongs to what is known as " the Southern Tier." It is bounded on the north by Waterford, on the east by Union, on the south by Crawford County, and on the west by Washington. The township lines are all straight except two slight variations in the northern boundary, and a jog or handle about half a mile square at the northeast corner, extending into Waterford. Le Bœuf is six and one-half miles long from east to west, by four and one-half wide from north to south. The population was 505 in 1820, 554 in 1830, 876 in 1840, 990 in 1850, 1,483 in 1860, 1,748 in 1870, and 1,420 in 1880. The only post office is Le Bœuf, on the P. & E. R. R.

The assessment for 1883 gave the following results: Number of acres, 20,481; value of real estate, $524,185; average per acre, $26.06; cows, 907; value, $21,740; average, $24; oxen, 32; value, $2,315; average, $72.31; horses and mules, 352; value, $24,358; average, $69.20; personal property, $48,413; total assessment for county purposes, $572,598; money at interest, $26,027.

EARLY SETTLERS.

The first lands were selected in Le Bœuf Township in 1794, by Capt. Rob- ert King, who took up 400 acres at the present Ford bridge. Returning to his home in Lycoming County, he brought his family along in the spring of 1795. When he reached Le Boeuf, he found William and Thomas Black located on the next tract east, embracing what is now the Hunter place. John R. Black, son of William, was the first white child born in Erie County. This event took place on the 29th of August, 1795. In 1797, the little colony was in- creased by the arrival of Francis Isherwood, with a son and daughter, and of James, Robert and Adam Pollock. William Mallory came in 1801, and John Clemens, James Biggers and Philip Gregory in 1802. Mr. Biggers came from Fayette and Mr. Gregory from Berks County, Penn. Among other early arrivals were James Weston, who became prominent as a politician, David Boyd and Mathias Himebaugh. Of the emigrants who entered the township about the beginning of the century many left, and a new set came in between 1815 and 1820, the descendants of whom generally remain. The bulk of these were from New England and New York. Between 1825 and 1830, a number of Pennsylvania Germans from Lehigh County settled on the banks of French Creek, including the Burgers and others. Capt. King, the pioneer of the township, had been an officer in the Revolutionary war, and rendered the State important service in securing treaties with the Indians. Mr. Isherwood, like Capt. King, came first to locate a tract, accompanied by a son and daughter, and went back the next winter to his old home in Lycoming County for the purpose of bringing his wife, leaving his children to keep the claim good. William Miles, the founder of Union City, built a log storehouse at an early day at the mouth of the South Branch, where he landed provisions and other supplies brought up from Pittsburgh by flat-boats and canoes.

Joseph& Eberle

699

LE BŒUF TOWNSHIP.

STREAMS AND MILLS.

The chief streams of the township are French Creek proper, the South Branch and LeBœuf Creek. The South Branch comes in from Union at the south line of the Wilson Moore farm, having a course of but little more than a mile within the township. French Creek proper enters from Waterford on the Moravian grant, in the northeast corner of the township. The two unite on the farm of James Stranahan, a few rods below the Philadelphia & Erie railroad bridge. From there the united stream meanders to the west, across the northern portion of the township, until the junction with LeBœuf Creek, when it makes an abrupt turn and flows in a general southerly course to Craw- ford County. Le Boeuf Creek comes in from Waterford on the Monroe Moore farm, and joins French Creek at the David Boyd place. The Indian name of French Creek was Toranadakon or Innungah, the latter of which was cor- rupted by the French into Venango or Weenango. The tributaries of the main stream are Trout Brook, Colt Run and Mill Run, on the south side, and Moravian Run, Gill Brook and Mallory's Run on the north. Mill Run is the one that passes through the borough of Mill Village.

The water mills are the Wilson Moore Saw Mill, on the South Branch, the old Burger Grist Mill on the main stream, and Waterhouse's Saw and Cider Mill on a small run putting into French Creek. The Moore Mill has been operated over forty years. The Burger Mill, now owned by John May, was built by a Mr. McLenehan, fully seventy years ago, and rebuilt in 1879. It was long owned and operated by that honest old Pennsylvania German, George Burger, who made it one of the most successful in the county. A number of mills once propelled by water have gone down. The steam saw mills are the one at Willey's Corners, operated by D. Troup; C. M. Wheeler's, near the junction of Moravian Run with French Creek; Fogle's, on the turnpike, at the foot of Mc Lean hill, and Dunlap's, near the stone quarry, about a mile from Le Bœuf Station. Large quantities of timber land are connected with these mills, but Mr. Wheeler has all the pine in the township that is worthy of mention. Great tracts of this timber once covered the hills. The bridges over French Creek are the Stranalian, on the Waterford & Union road; the Philadelpha & Erie Railroad bridge, near the latter; the Quarry bridge at the stone quarry; the Ford bridge, on the Waterford and Mill Village road, and Pollock's, lead- ing from the turnpike to Mill Village. The Town Line bridge crosses Little French Creek at the Union boundary, and the Moore bridge, Le Boeuf Creek, near the residence of the late C. J. Moore. All of these are substantial wooden structures.

VALLEYS AND RIDGES.

The flats along French Creek are from half a mile to more than a mile in width, and the soil is not exceeded for fertility in any part of the county. That it is mostly made land is apparent from the fact that stumps of large trees are frequently met with at a depth of two or three feet below the surface. The balance of the township is hilly, but there is very little if any portion but what is tillable. Two ridges are encountered at the Arter place, and west of the Le Bœuf flats, which attain a height of almost two hundred feet above the valley, the loftiest elevation in the township. Wheat can be raised in every

part of the township, and its cultivation is increasing. The valley land pro- duces big crops of oats, which grow so rank that they are harvested with diffi- culty. The great business of the township, however, is dairving, and large amounts of butter are made and thousands of cattle raised. Land ranges in value from $45 to $70 on the flats, and from $20 to $50 on the hills.

700

HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.

HOLLAND LAND COMPANY.

On the 17th of April, 1791, the State of Pennsylvania granted to " The Society of the United Brethren for Propagating the Gospel among the Heathen," com- monly known as the Moravians, two tracts of land of 2,500 acres each, with allow- ance, to be located respectively on "the River Connought, near the northwestern corner of the State, " and " on the head of French Creek." This association had long maintained missionaries at its own expense among the Indians, and the above generous gift was intended by the State as a remuneration in part for the service it had rendered in behalf of peace and good will. In locating its lands, the society chose 2,875 acres within the limits of LeBœuf Township, and 2,797 in Springfield and Conneaut, paying for the excess in money. The French Creek tract was given the name of " Good Luck," and that on Conneaut Creek the title of " Hospitality." The agent of the society for many years was William Miles, who was succeeded on the failure of his health by his son, James Miles, as Manager of the "Hospitality," and by John Wood, of the "Good Luck " tract. The land was occupied on lease till about 1850, when it was bought by James Miles and N. Blickensderfer, cut up into farms, and sold in the main to the present owners or their predecessors. The Moravian grant extended from the Wilson Moore farm to within about a mile of LeBœuf Creek, and lay principally upon the north side of French Creek. P. G. and John D. Stranahan made the first purchase of Moravian lands in 1849, the latter moving from Concord the same year, and his brother in 1854, both locating at what is now LeBoeuf Station. The Academy grant, at the mouth of LeBœuf Creek, embraced 500 acres of the richest soil in the county, donated by the State for the support of Waterford Academy. The lands were sold off about 1840, having been previously occupied on lease. North of this grant was a large body of land known as the Reserve tract, from the fact that the State reserved or withheld it from settlement under the general law to encourage emigration. Of the Reserve tract, 400 acres extended into LeBœuf, the bulk being in Waterford. An act was passed in 1799, throwing the land into mar- ket, and most of it was bid off at low prices about the commencement of the century. The Holland Land Company held some 400 acres west of Mill Vil- lage, which were sold off between 1802 and 1810. It was their purpose to have taken up an extensive tract within the township, and they sent surveyors out to that end in 1796. George Fisher, of Dauphin County, took up twenty- seven 400-acre tracts at au early period, lying within the limits of LeBœuf, Waterford and Washington Townships. This property he divided with Col. McNair iu 1824, and the same year the portion belonging to the latter was disposed of at Sheriff's sale. The remainder fell to Mr. Fisher's children in 1845, who sold it off at intervals ending in 1873.

The beautiful grove on the Flats road between Waterford and Mill Village, opposite the residence of William Hunter, deceased, was a favorite place for religious meetings for many years. Tradition says this was a choice camping place for the Indians, and it is certain that numerous Indian graves and relics have been found. On the Hunter place was once a circular mound, six- teen to twenty feet in diameter, with banks four to six feet high, on which trees were growing of a size indicating an age of 150 or 200 years. The remains of one of these pre-historic circles are also to be seen near the home of C. M. Wheeler.

COMMON ROADS.

The principal thoroughfares of LeBoeuf Township are the old Waterford & Susquehanna Turnpike, once the great highway between Lake Erie and Eastern Pennsylvania, which follows the valley of LeBœuf and French Creeks,

701

LE BŒUF TOWNSHIP.

to Pollock's bridge, where it cuts across the hills to Cambridge; the Erie & Warren road, which passes through the township by two routes that unite near the Stranahan bridge; the Flats road, from Mill Village to Waterford; the road from Mill Village to Union; and the road from Mill Village to Pollock's bridge, connecting with the turnpike. Most of these are in a fair condition. The township has the benefit of two railroads-the Philadelphia & Erie, ex- tending across the northeastern part, for about three miles, and the Atlantic & Great Western, following French Creek nearly to the center, where it deviates to hit Mill Village, and then returning to the valley further south. LeBœuf Station, on the Philadelphia & Erie, consists of some tenement houses for the railroad men, a number of farm houses, and a long platform for hand- ling lumber and stone, of which great quantities are shipped from the quar- ries near by. LeBœuf possesses the largest and best quarries of building stone in Erie County. The bluff from which the stone is taken extends along French Creek from near Dunlap's mill to opposite the residence of A. L. Tilden, a distance of about a mile, and averaging about thirty feet in height. The material is a blue sandstone of fine quality, more durable than the far- famed Berea stone, but saturated with oil, which spoils it for the highest class of work. Three quarries have been opened, known respectively as Senger's, Henderson & Canty's, and the Atlantic & Great Western.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc, Part 80

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902; Whitman, Benjamin, 1940-; Russell, N. W. (Nathaniel Willard); Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Weakley, F. E; Warner, Beers & Co. (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1280

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902; Whitman, Benjamin, 1940-; Russell, N. W. (Nathaniel Willard); Brown, R. C. (Robert C.); Weakley, F. E; Warner, Beers & Co. (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1280