History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc, Part 89

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 89


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).


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ROADS AND STREAMS.


The main thoroughfares are the road from Albion, through Wellsburg, to Edinboro; the old road from Girard, through Cranesville and Wellsburg, to Meadville; and the Crane road, from Albion, through Cranesville and Franklin Township, to the Edinboro Plank Road. A hack runs several times a day, each direction, between Wellsburg, Cranesville and Albion Station, carrying pas- sengers and the mails. Elk Creek has no large streams, the most important one being the East Branch of Conneaut Creek, which falls into the latter about half a mile west of Albion. The East Branch rises in Crawford County, just across the line. It is joined by Frazier's Run at Wellsburg, by Crane Run near Cranesville, by Mormon Run at Thornton's dam, near Albion, and by Jackson Run within the latter borough. Mormon Run received its name because used as a place of baptism by that sect, who were once quite numerous in the vicinity. The West Branch of Elk Creek has its source near the center, and ruus north


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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.


into Girard, where it connects with the main stream a little below "The Devil's Backbone." In the southeast are the head-waters of the Cussewago, which pursues a southerly course, and, joining French Creek near Meadville, helps to make the Ohio and Mississippi. Forty years or so ago, there were twelve or fifteen saw mills on the East Branch, as well as several on other streams. The water-power was very fine in the early days, on account of the steady flow of water and the heavy fall in the streams.


CHURCHES.


The churches of Elk Creek are a Free-Will Baptist, Methodist Episcopal and Universalist at Wellsburg, Methodist Episcopal at Cranesville, Free-Will Baptist and Methodist at Pageville, United Brethren on the Meadville road between Cranesville and Lockport, and Union United Brethren.


The Little Brick, or Randall United Brethren Church, holds services about a mile north of Cranesville, in a neat brick structure which was formerly a schoolhouse. The society was organized about 1853 by Rev. Michael Oswald. Rev. C. Z. Dilley is at present pastor in charge. The society contains about thirty members. It is embraced in the Erie Circuit, which besides the Randall appointment includes Branchville in Mckean Township; Bethel, Fairview Township; Foy Schoolhouse, Franklin Township; Miller, Girard Township; and Union, in the south part of Elk Creek Township. The last named ap- pointment is quite and old class, has about twenty members, and meets in a schoolhouse.


There is a considerable Catholic population in the south part of the town- ship, who worship mainly at the church in Cussewago, Crawford County. They are mainly of Irish nativity or descent.


SCHOOLS.


Probably the first school in the township was taught by Maxon Randall, in his log cabin about a mile north of Cranesville, about 1815. About one and a half miles south of Wellsburg, stood a log schoolhouse, wherein Miss Becky Reese, who was afterward Mrs. William Monroe, taught about 1817. Samuel Clark, the son of an early settler of this township, held a school in the same cabin about 1818, and, following him, David Mathews conducted a term. Immediately south of Wellsburg a Mr. Higgins, an old bachelor, taught about 1820. The Sawdy Schoolhouse, in the northwest corner of the town- ship, was built about 1823, and for many years subserved its educational pur- poses. Henry Miller, one of the first settlers, taught here. Betsy Colton, who became Mrs. Hiram Bradley, and Zachariah Tolbit were other early instructors at Sawdy. At Cranesville, on the corner now occupied by the post office, was a diminutive log structure in early days, where Matilda Eldridge and John Braddish were among the first teachers. The following is a list of the present schools: Sawdy, two miles north of Cranesville, on the Lockport road; Wellsburg (graded), Cranesville, Bowens, one mile from Cranesville, on the Crane road; Kingsley, a mile and a half south of Wellsburg, on the Meadville road; Union at Cold Spring, three miles south of Wellsburg, on the Meadville road; Pleasant Valley, two miles east of Wellsburg; Pageville, Miller, six miles east of Wellsburg, and an independent school of Elk Creek and Franklin Townships.


WELLSBURG.


The village of Wellsburg, in the narrow valley of the East Branch of Con- neaut Creek, is situated at the crossing of the Girard & Meadville by the


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ELK CREEK TOWNSHIP.


Albion & Edinboro road. Samuel Wells, after whom it was named, settled at this point with his five sons in 1815, and at an early day his son Frank- lin built a grist mill and several saw mills. Samuel drilled a salt well about a mile south of Wellsburg, on the Clark farm, and for a considerable period the neighborhood was supplied by him with a home made article. This con- tinued until the opening of the canal, when cheaper salt was furnished from Onondaga, N. Y., by way of Erie, which caused the abandonment of the well. The village, which was laid out by Otis Wells, did not make much progress until some six or ten years ago, when a brisk competition among the mer- chants led to low prices, a heavy trade from the adjacent country, new manu- factories, and a general and most marked spirit of enterprise. Wellsburg is twenty- five milee from Erie, nine miles south of Girard, one each from Cranes- ville and Albion, and two miles from Albion Station. The mercantile estab- lishments consist of three dry goods stores, one grocery and hardware store and one millinery store. A new schoolhouse was erected about two years ago, at a cost of over $5,000. The Mclellan House is a large new hotel. The man- ufacturing interests of the village are unusually extensive, as will be seen by the following list: Long, Wells & Co's., new steam and flouring mill, the old Spires Grist Mill, Wells & Sons' tannery, Ralph Bowman's steam saw mill, J. R. Snyder's steam furniture and coffin factory, Frank Ziegler's broom factory, the Elk Creek Co-operative Cheese Factory (in operation about eleven years), Emanuel Ziegler's carriage, wagon and blacksmith shop, Purcell Bros'. spring bed factory, one cooper shop and two other blacksmith shops. Its population by the census of 1880 was 256, about half of whom have been added within a few years. Wellsburg has become the principal trading point for most of Elk Creek, a portion of Conneaut, the western portion of Franklin, the south- ern portion of Girard and even a section of Crawford County. Its post office name is Lundy's Lane. The office was established in 1852, when Gen. Scott was running for President, and named in honor of one of his battles during the last war with Great Britain. A telephone line connecting Wellsburg with Albion Station was put up in 1879. In addition to the salt well of Samuel Wells, another was drilled further up on the East Branch, on the farm now owned by S. A. Deriar. It was known as the White Well, but was never put in operation. On the same tract there had long been a strong show of pe- troleum. Boring was done to secure the oil, but only a small quantity was obtained. In 1861, during the height of the oil excitement, two wells were drilled on the farm of Harley Sherman, east of Wellburg. A large yield of gas was secured but not enough oil to pay.


The Free- Will Baptist congregation, the largest in the town, was organized on the 5th of May, 1839, Rev. Willard Stickney, of Washington Township, being the first pastor, and Asa Lichfield, clerk. Its later pastors have been Revs. Frank Wells, David Winton, Chauncey Joslin, E. R. Anderson, Rufus Clark, J. B. Page and Rev. Boynton, the present incumbent. Julius Wells and John W. Prescott were the first and only Deacons. The congrega- tion has a commodious building, surmounted by a steeple and bell tower with a fine bell. A Sabbath school was established over thirty years ago, and has been in continuous operation. The membership of the church is about forty.


The Universalist Church at Wellsburg was organized in June, 1838, with twenty-five members by Rev. Edson Beals, who was the first pastor. The first meetings were held in the academy, which stood in the park on the site of the Universalist Church. The latter was erected in 1855 at a cost of $1, 500, and was thoroughly repaired in 1871. Rev. A. J. Patterson, now of Boston, Mass., was pastor at the time of the church erection. After the pastorate of


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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.


Rev. Beals, the following served as ministers: Revs. Joseph Sargent, Ami Bond, Fowler, A. J. Patterson, Luce and Charles L. Shipman, of Girard. No regular services have been held for two years past. The numerical strength of the church is about sixty.


A Methodist Episcopal society was organized at Wellsburg in very early times. About 1835, it erected a frame meeting house on the summit of the hill between Wellsburg and Cranesville, the lot being the donation of Lyman Jackson. Formerly services had been held in an old blacksmith shop, con- verted into a schoolhouse and church. The church building became old and unfit for services. In 1875, or shortly before the society divided, a portion going to Cranesville and a portion to Wellsburg, the latter held services for a short time in the schoolhouse; then the Pleasant Valley Church building, several miles south of Wellsburg, was removed to the latter village, and is now used as the house of worship. Pleasant Valley was an old society organ . ized in 1833, by Rev. William Todd. Its church edifice was erected in 1854, at an expense of $1,300. Wellsburg Church is small, containing about twenty members. It formerly was a part of Springfield Circuit, but when Albion Circuit was formed, became and has since remained a part of it.


The Wellsburg Cemetery, an inclosure of about ten acres, on a knoll in the north part of the village, is the principal burying ground of the township. The Shermans have a family burial place of about two acres.


CRANESVILLE.


Cranesville was founded by Fowler Crane, son of Elihu Crane, the first settler on the site, who laid out the village, and put up a hotel, store and ash- ery. In lies in the valley of the East Branch of Conneaut Creek, a mile north of Wellsburg, and a mile northeast of Albion, at the crossing of the Crane road by the Girard & Meadville road, and almost on the Conneaut line. The valley at Cranesville widens out more than at Wellsburg, and the village stands chiefly on the upland overlooking the stream, in rather a pleasant loca- tion. The old Erie Canal passed through the village, and is watered by Crane Run. It entered Elk Creek Township a little south of Lockport, and about half a mile east of the Conneaut Township line, and continued to Cranesville, where it diverged into Conneaut, having had a course of about two and one-half miles in the township. The culvert between Albion and Cranesville, by which the canal crossed the East Branch-an excellent pile of masonry-is now used for a township roadway. After Wellsburg got its start and the canal had been abandoned, Cranesville rather declined, but of late it has commenced to improve. The village embraces a Methodist Episcopal Church, one general store, one grocery, Robert Wait's planing mill, two blacksmith shops, paint shop, schoolhouse, about thirty-five dwellings and perhaps 150 people. The church building was erected at a cost of $2,000, in 1874, Rev. Mr. Williame being the first pastor. About the same time the old church that stood on the hill between Cranesville and Wellsburg was removed to Springfield. Cranes- ville society was detached from Wellsburg about 1874, and belongs to Albion Circuit. The old hotel was torn down in the summer of 1878, more attractive houses at Wellsburg and Albion having robbed it of its custom. A sandstone quarry was formerly worked between Cranesville and Lockport, near the Pop- ulation road, from which material was taken for the locks of the canal. The post office name of Cranesville is Elk Creek. Its nearest railroad station ie Albion.


PAGEVILLE.


Four miles southeast of Wellsburg, at the forks of the Crossingville road,


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MCKEAN TOWNSHIP.


is the village of Pageville, consisting of a Free-Will Baptist Church, a school- house, a saw mill, and a few scattered dwellings. This remote place was once the scene of extensive manufacturing operations. Being on the edge of a vast forest of ash and oak, E. Page selected it as the site of his oar factory, one of the most extensive in the country .. The factory gave employment to some twenty- five men and its wares were sent to all parts of America and Europe. On its suspension the workmen found other homes, and the place declined to an ordinary cross roads collection of houses. The Baptist congregation was organized by Rev. Willard Stickney, the first pastor, in 1839, the same year as the one at Wellsburg. Rev. Carey Rogers preached here for many years, and Rev. Boynton is the present pastor. Services were held in the schoolhouse until 1875, when a church was erected at a cost of about $1,200. Rogers' steam saw mill occupies the site of the old oar factory. A Methodist Episcopal society worships in the Baptist Church. It is small, but quite old, and is at- tached to Albion Circuit.


CHAPTER XII.


McKEAN TOWNSHIP AND BOROUGH OF MIDDLEBORO.


M cKEAN was organized as one of the original townships. Its limits were much larger when the township was established, but were reduced by the taking off of a slice for Franklin in 1844, and another for Summit in 1854. These curtailments of its territory account for the odd and irregular shape of the township. McKean is bounded on the north by Fairview, Mill Creek and Summit, on the east by Summit and Waterford, on the south by Waterford, Washington and Franklin, and on the west by the latter township and Fair- view. It has a breadth in the widest part of about eight miles from east to west, and about seven from north to south. The old State line, before the purchase of the Triangle, ran a little north of the center, and cuts the borough limits of Middleboro into two almost exact halves. It also forms the north and south lines of many of the farms, and its location is as familiar to many of the residents as their own homes or the course of the public roads. The township was named in honor of Gen. Thomas Mckean, one of Pennsyl- vania's most distinguished soldiers in the Revolution, and second Governor of the State, after Independence, serving three terms, from 1796 to 1808. The township has given Erie a number of its best known citizens, among whom may be mentioned Hon. Joseph M. Sterrett, the four Crouch brothers, the four Minnig brothers, and the Stancliff brothers. By the United States census, McKean had a population of 440 in 1820, of 984 in 1830, of 1,714 in 1840, of 1,921 in 1850, of 1.600 in 1860, of 1,426 in 1870 and of 1,394 in 1880. The assessment of 1883 gave the following results: Number of acres, 21,517; value of real state, $632,065; number of cows, 932; of oxen, 10; of horses and mules, 526; value of the same, $52,788; value of trades and occupa- tions, $9,480; money at interest, $78,696.


STREAMS AND LANDS.


Mckean is wholly watered by Elk Creek and its branches, with the excep- tion of a small district in the south containing the head- waters of Big and Lit- tle Conneauttee Creek, which empty into French Creek below Edinboro. Elk


776


HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.


Creek rises in Tamarack Swamp, in the western portion of Waterford Town- ship, and flowing nearly though the center of Mckean, across the southern portion of Fairview and the northeastern portion of Girard, falls into the lake a short distance north of Miles Grove, having a length of between thirty and thirty-five miles. Its general course is westerly till it reaches the Girard Township line, where it turns to the northwest. A branch of Le Bœuf Creek has its origin in Waterford Township, near the head of Elk Creek, the two streams running in opposite directions, the one to the Gulf of Mexico, the other to the Atlantic Ocean. The South Branch of Elk Creek rises in Wash- ington Township, near the line of McKean, and flowing directly north, unites with the main stream at Middleboro. At one time there were within the town- ship eight saw mills and two grist mills on the chief stream, and two saw mills and one grist mill on the South Branch: now, all that are left are four saw mills and one grist mill on the former and a single grist mill on the latter. Its valley is generally narrow, but it begins to spread out just above Middleboro, near the crossing of the Edinboro road, reaching a breadth of about two miles. Below that it is from a quarter of a mile to half a mile in width.


Mckean is one of the elevated townships of the county, and its surface is hilly, with numerous deep` gulfs along the streams. The valley lands are first-class, and grain is easily raised. Off of the streams the country is natur- ally cold and clayey, but cultivation makes it fairly productive. In the south- east portion is a ridge known as South Hill, which is said to attain an altitude of 800 feet above the lake. The township contains two quarries of good stone, one on the place of David Dunn, in the north east section, the other on that of Albert Lampson, in the south part. Land ranges in value from $25 to $75 per acre.


MILLS AND SCHOOLB.


The grist mills of Mckean Township are Sterrett & Barron's, on Elk Creek, at Sterrettania, and Wiswell & Hilliker's, at Branchville, on the South Branch. The first named, which is one of the largest in the county, was built by David S. Sterrett, in 1839, and has always done a flourishing business. A mill was built on the site of Hilliker's some thirty-five years ago. It burned down, was twice re-built and each time was destroyed by fire. The last fire occurred early in the morning of October 19, 1882, causing a loss of about $5,000, on which there was no insurance. The miller's house burned down at the same time. The first saw mill in the township was built in the summer of 1812 on Elk Creek, by Oliver Dunn, near where his son, James Dunu, now resides. The mill was operated about twenty years before it was aban- doned. The second mill was built by Eber and Lemuel Stancliff on the South Branch of Elk Creek, about a mile south of Middleboro, about 1827; it was operated about twenty-five years, during which time it changed name and ownership repeatedly. The saw mills propelled by water are owned by Edmund Wood, Charles Osborn, August Decker and Sterrett & Barron. There is a steam saw and cider mill near the Plank road, a mile or so north of Mid- dleboro, owned by A. T. Leland's heirs. W. W. Reed, of Erie, owns a cheese factory in the western portion, established about nine years ago, and another owned by William A. Bean, just outside of Middleboro, was started in 1872. There are three tanneries in the township -- the Sterrettania, erected by Will- iam Potter about 1843: Chisholm's, a mile east of Sterrettania, established in 1864.in a building formerly used as a woolen factory, and Charles Rappold's, at Sterrettania, built in 1858. The township contains five cider mills, owned respectively by A. T. Leland's heirs, Henry Hauck, Henry Smith, William Wiswell and John P. Wagner. Several of these make apple jelly in large quantities.


Jahre Fincaide


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MCKEAN TOWNSHIP.


The first school in Mckean Township was taught during the winter of 1811-12 by Seth Spencer, who hailed from Fredonia, N. Y., and returned thither soon after completing this primal school. Among his pupils were Seth Stancliff, still living at Erie at the age of ninety years, Joseph Weldon, who lives at West Springfield, this county, and who was the first male white child born in McKean Township; Anna Stanclift, living in California, at the age of eighty-eight years; Levi Grant, Eunice Joiner and others. Betsy and Sally Aldrich, eisters, from near Boston, Mass., were two of the earliest teach- ere. For several years, from about 1820 to 1825, they taught schools in the vicinity of Middleboro. They afterward married and settled in Spring- field Township. Hiram Bumphrey taught for five terms at Sterrettania, com- mencing about 1828. He afterward became editor and proprietor of the Roch- ester (N. Y.) Democrat and was a prominent man. Ansel and Ludim Crouch, who hailed from Peru, N. Y., were early noted pedagogues in the region about Middleboro. Polly Chambers taught at Sterrettania about 1830. Other com- paratively early instructors of the township's youth were Frank Lampson, Orrin Reed and David Stancliff. The township schools are thirteen in number, as follows: The Union, in the Marsh neighborhood (used jointly by McKean and Waterford); the Aubrey, in the Grant settlement; the Dunn, in the Dunn neighborhood; the Glazier, on the plank road; the South Hill, on South Hill; the Marsh, in the Stancliff settlement; the Branchville, at the hamlet of the same name; the Harrison, in the Harrison district; the Barron, in the Barron neighborhood; the Sterrettania, in the village of that name; the Roher, in the north part of the township, and the Wagner, on the farm of Alex Wagner.


CHURCHES, CEMETERIES AND ROADS.


There are three church buildings in the township, viz .: United Breth- ren at Branchville, and Methodist Episcopal at Sterrettania aud on South Hill. The South Hill Church was dedicated on December 9, 1880, and cost $1,400. The land on which it stands was donated by O. Reed. Previous to the erec- tion of the church building, the congregation held services in the schoolhouse. It forms a part of the Mckean Circuit.


The Sterrettania Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1842. The society was organized years before, and worshiped in the schoolhouse. Among its earliest ministers were Revs. Aurora and Nathaniel Callender, and Rev. J. Chandler. This charge was attached to the Mckean Circuit, until 1880, when it was made a part of Fairview Circuit, which embraces be- sides this appointment Fairview and Fair Plain. The church building was erected in part by a Presbyterian congregation, which had met previously in the schoolhouse. Soon after the church was built, it became a Congregational society, and a few years later passed out of existence.


The United Brethren Church at Branchville is a neat and modest frame structure, which was built about 1865. The society existed for a number of years previous and met for worship in the schoolhouse. It is now greatly reduced in membership, scarcely a half dozen remaining, but regular services are still maintained. Rev. Lewis is the present pastor, 1882-83.


A cemetery, used by the township in common, has long been established on the Waterford & Girard road, a short distance east of Middleboro; another on the plank road, about a mile south of the same village; one at Sterrettania; one attached to the old Catholic Church north of Middleboro, and a small one on South Hill. The Wiswells, Dunns and others have private burying grounds.


The main roads of Mckean are the Erie & Edinboro plank, running through nearly the whole width of the township from north to south, and the


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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.


Waterford & Girard road, which crosses the township from east to west, fol- lowing the valley of Elk Creek. The township has a post office at Sterrettania and formerly had one at Branchville. A mail route was established between Erie and Edinboro in the winter of 1835-36, Ansel Crouch being the con- tractor.


VILLAGES.


The villages of Mckean are Sterrettania and Branchville. Sterrettania is on Elk Creek, near the Fairview line, in the extreme western portion of the township, twelve miles from Erie. It received its name from the numerous Sterrett family living in the village and vicinity. Robert Sterrett, the pioneer of the flock, came from Cumberland County and located there in 1804, remain- ing three years, when he sold out to his brother James. Of the seven sons and two daughters of James, all are dead except Hon. Joseph M. Sterrett, of Erie. The village contains a Methodist Episcopal Church, a schoolhouse, a large grist mill, a saw mill, two tanneries, one cider and jelly factory, one wagon shop, one store, one blacksmith shop, one shoe shop and one tailor shop. The private residences number fifteen or twenty, and the population is about eighty. Thomas Sterrett, a resident of Sterrettania, is one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the county. The Sterrettania School was taught at various times by Hon. George H. Cutler and William Benson, afterward two of the leading members of the Erie County bar.


Branchville is a small collection of houses along the plank road, in the south part of the township. It embraces a United Brethren Church, a school - house, a grist mill, a blacksmith shop and about a dozen residences. The South Branch of Elk Creek runs through the hamlet, giving it its name and furnishing water-power to the mill.


EARLY SETTLERS.


The first settler within the present limits of Mckean was James Talmadge, who came from Genesee County, N. Y., in 1795, and located in the Dunn neighborhood, near the east line, in the valley of Elk Creek. During the season of 1795, Mr. Talmadge ran a sail boat between Buffalo and Erie, which carried passengers and freight; among others, he brought in Col. Seth Reed and family, and Amos Judson, of Waterford. On settling in Mckean, his wife and father accompanied him. Mr. Talmadge brought in the first bushel of wheat sown in Erie County. Thomas and Oliver Dunn, who had gone first to Springfield, moved into Mckean in the fall of 1797, having been preceded by Stephen Oliver; Lemuel Stancliff, a New Englander, settled a mile south of Middleboro in 1799; Benjamin Grubb, a Lancaster County man, on the John Peffer farm, in 1800; Benjamin Grant, from Connecticut, in what is still known as the Grant neighborhood, in March of the same year; Robert Sterrett, at Sterrettania, in 1804, and James Aubrey about 1806. Eliachim Cook, who accompanied Mr. Grant, located in what is now Summit Township, but re- moved to Waterford in 1809. In 1807, after Mr. Sterrett sold his Mckean property to his brother James, he removed to the bank of the lake, five miles west of Erie. John Evans, father of Robert and Thomas, came from Mary- land in 1802, and first took up land on the present Mill Creek and Summit line, but removed to Mill Creek in 1811, to the farm now owned by his son Robert. Among other early settlers were Russell Stancliff, Rufus Trask, Ben- jamin Collum, David Weldon, Joseph S. Bush and the Dunlaps. The Staffords, a New England family, settled around Middleboro about 1815, and with the Stancliffs laid the foundations of the Methodist society in that village. Ansel Crouch went in from New York, in 1817. He was a soldier in the war of




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