History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc, Part 98

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 98

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Being on the top of the hills which have their bases in Washington, Mckean, Fairview, Girard and Elk Creek, numerous small streams take their rise in Franklin, and flow into the creeks of those townships. Those in the north are all tributary to Elk Creek, and those in the south mainly to the Cus- sewago, the dividing ground being about a mile and a half south of the center. Falls Run, the most considerable in the township, starts about a mile east of a cranberry marsh southeast of Franklin Center, and empties into Elk Creek, in Fairview. Below the cascade at Howard's quarry, the stream winds between high, steep and romantic banks to its junction with Elk Creek The West Branch of the Conneauttee heads in the cranberry marsh above mentioned,

853

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.

and, after a short course within the township, crosses the line into Washing- ton. The nearest railroad stations are at Girard and Fairview for the north, at Albion for the west, and at Cambridge for the south and southeast. The chief public thoroughfares are the old State road, extending across the town- ship from Lockport to McLane; the Population road, on the line between Girard, Elk Creek and Franklin; the Crane road, from Cranesville to Edin- boro; the Sterrettania road, from that place to Cussewago, Crawford County, and the Quarry road, from Franklin Center to Fairview.

MILLS AND SCHOOLS.

Franklin is without a grist mill, and most of the grain is taken to Sterrettania to be ground. J. R. Steadman built a cheese factory at the Center, which has been in successful operation since May 7, 1874. It is now owned and operated by F. T. Billings. In the southeastern portion, the milk is taken to the Well- man factory, on the Crane road, three-fourths of a mile over the line in Wash- ington. The saw mills are the Mohawk, on the Crane road in the southwest, built by D. Knight, and operated about fifteen years; Sweet & Alden's, on the State road, near the Washington line, built by J. P. Silverthorn, Daniel Mun- son and Charles Billings in 1854, but suspended about two years ago; Mish- ler's, on the State road, three fourths of a mile east of the center, about ten years. Harvey Mills has a planing mill across the road from Mishler's, estab- lished three or four years ago. Steam is the propelling agent of the above establishments. Lawrence's cooper shop is on the Harrison road, in the south- east.

Franklin Township probably had within its limits none of the primitive subscription schools, for it was yet very thinly settled when the school law went into effect, and many years elasped before the population was sufficient to divide the township into districts. The first schoolhouse at Franklin Center was built about 1840, or perhaps a year or two earlier. It occupied the site of the present schoolhouse. The schools are the Foy, on the Crane road in the southeast; the Eureka, on the same road, near the Eureka Church; the Silverthorn, on the State road, two miles east of Franklin Center; the Frank- lin Center (which is used as the voting place and town house); the Howard, at the stone quarry, and the Goodban, on the Sterrettania road. Besides these, there are two joint schools within the township-the Billings, used by Frank- lin and Washington, and the Francis, by Franklin and Girard. There is also a school in Elk Creek, which is maintained by the independent district, com- posed of portions of that township and Franklin.

CHURCHES AND GRAVEYARDS.

The religious societies are a Methodist Episcopal and Lutheran at Franklin Center, the Eureka Methodist Episcopal on the Crane road, and the Elk Creek Baptist in the western part of the township. At Franklin Center is a Union Church, erected by the people of that locality in 1868, at a cost of $1,500. It is occupied by the Methodist Episcopal and German Lutheran congregations. The former was organized in 1866, with twenty-six members, by Rev. C. L. Barnhart. The membership is now about seventy-five. The church is con- nected with the Lockport, Girard Township, Circuit.

The Lutheran congregation was organized in 1871 by Rev. Schaeffer, with ten members. Rev. Zabn succeeded. The membership is yet small, and at present no regular services are held.

The Eureka Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1867, with twenty-six members, by Rev. George Elliott, the first pastor. The church

854

HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.

was built two years later, at a cost of $1,800. The class is now in good con- dition, and has ever since its organization formed a part of Edinboro Circuit, which includes appointments at Eureka, Edinboro and Sherrod Hill, the latter two in Washington Township.

Elk Creek Regular Baptist Church was erected in 1867 or 1868, at a cost of $1,400. It is located at the intersection of the Population and Crane roads, the former here forming the boundary between Franklin and Elk Creek Townships. The society was organized in 1866, with three members, by Rev. William Develin, the first pastor. His successors have been Elders William Hughes, Hovey, Homer Clark, Thomas and Pierce, the last named now having charge. The membership is about thirty.

The Catholics in the southwest attend church at Cussewago, Crawford County.

A graveyard is kept up at the old Christian Church, and some private burial grounds are scattered over the township. The people in the southeast mostly bury at Edinboro, in the southwest at Cussewago, and in the north at Sterret- tania and Fairview.

VILLAGE AND QUARRY.

Franklin Center, or Franklin Corners, as it is called in the post office directory, is on the State road, eight miles each from Girard, Fairview and Mckean, five from Sterrettania, and seventeen from Erie. The village was founded by Oren G. Wood, who started a store, and induced others to settle around him. John Tuckey, O. G. Wood and John Loyer were the original owners of the land. Franklin Center consists of two stores, a church, school- house, cheese factory, two blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, two shoe shops, about fifteen houses and probably seventy-five people. The village is the vot- ing and meeting place of the township. A mail is received twice a week by gig from Fairview. A grange was started in 1876, but disbanded after an existence of some two years.

So little stone is found in our county that any section better favored than its neighbors in that regard is actually to be envied. LeBœuf, Franklin and Waterford enjoy the distinction of being the only townships that possess im- portant quarries of building material. The Howard Quarry, in Franklin, near the Fairview line, has been worked for thirty years. and furnished the stone for the Court House in Erie. This was for a long period the only quarry in the township, but in recent years others of equal merit have been opened. Oil has been running out of the rocks at Howard's quarry from the earliest settlement, and in former times was gathered to be sold for medicine. Three wells were put down along Falls Run, in confidence that a large deposit of the greasy fluid would be found, but only a trifling amount was got, and the pro- jects were abandoned.

855

SUMMIT TOWNSHIP.

CHAPTER XXII.

SUMMIT TOWNSHIP.

UMMIT is the smallest township in the county, and was the last one organ- S ized. It was formed in 1854, out of the western part of Greene, the eastern part of Mckean, and a small portion of Waterford. The name of Summit was given to it because it contains the dividing ridge, between the waters of Le Bœuf and Walnut Creeks, the former flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, by way of the Allegheny, Ohio and Mississippi, and the latter into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, by way of the lower lakes and the St. Lawrence River. It has an area of 13, 143 acres, and had a population in 1860 of 1,038; in 1870, of 1,047, and in 1880, of 1,047. The township is bounded on the north by Mill Creek, on the east by Greene, on the south by Waterford and on the west by Mckean. The north line dividing it from Mill Creek is the only straight one, and has a length of five and a half miles; the east line, including its numerous angles, is over six miles long; the south line three and a half, and the west line about five miles. By the assessment of 1883, the valuation of the town- ship was as follows: Real estate, $397,011; number of cows, 564; of oxen, 26; of horses and mules, 331; value of the same, $37,684; value of trades and occupations, $3,700; money at interest, $1,825.

THE PIONEERS.

The first settler in the township was George W. Reed, a son of Col. Seth Reed, who located about 1796, but in a few years changed to Waterford, where he died in 1847. A tract of land was taken up in the Walnut Creek Valley by Thomas Rees in 1797, but he uever resided in the township. Oliver Dunn located in the western portion of the township the same year, but after- ward removed to the valley of Elk Creek, within the present bounds of Mckean Township. In 1800, James and Ebenezer Graham, with their families, came from Centre County and settled what has since been known as the Graham neighborhood. They were soon followed in the same vicinity by Eli Webster and Abijah Hull. Eli Rockwell went in in 1801, and Daniel Lee in 1802. Among other early residents were Thomas Rees, Jr., and John Way. P. S. Woolley made his location about 1823, and James Jackson in 1825. The latter, who was originally from Herkimer County, N. Y., settled in Erie in 1818, / and went from there to Summit. The original settlers were mostly Americans, of the Protestant faith. Within the last twenty years, a large influx of Irish and German Catholics has taken place, and that denomination now numbers fully a fourth of the population. William Dunn, the first child born in the town- ship, in 1798, died on the 14th of April, 1880.

RAILROADS AND COMMON ROADS.

The Philadelphia & Erie Railroad, opened to business between Erie and Warren in 1859, and through to Sunbury in the summer of 1864, runs through the west side of the township almost its entire length from north to south, entering from Mill Creek Township and leaving through Waterford. To reach the township it crosses the summit between Mill Creek and Walnut

856

HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.

Creek, by a very heavy grade, passing into the valley of the latter stream at Langdon's Station. From there it follows the Walnut Creek Valley to the main summit at Jackson's, where it enters the valley of Le Bœuf Creek, which it follows to Waterford. The summit of the road at Jackson's is a little over 650 feet above the level of the lake. The distance by railroad to Langdon's is nine, and to Jackson's thirteen miles from the old freight depot at Erie Harbor. These were the only stations in the township in 1882. The main public roads of Summit are the Waterford Turnpike, running over the hill s almost through the center of the township; the Waterford Plank Road, on the west side, following the valleys of Walnut and Le Boeuf Creeks, and the Edinboro Plank Road, which passes through its northwestern corner. The old road, by which the French transported goods from Presque Isle to Waterford, and over which the army passed that defeated Braddock near Pittsburgh, in 1755, crossed the township from north to south, and most of it is still used as a public thoroughfare. Summit Township has no villages, and but one post office. A post office was kept at Jackson's Station some years after the open- ing of the railroad, which was moved to Whiteford's Corners. After a linger- ing existence, it was abandoned about eight years ago, and again revived under the name of Godard in 1882. Another was maintained for a time a the White Church, on the Edinboro Plank Road, in the northwestern section of the township, but it, too, proved a failure.

STREAMS AND VALLEYS.

The only streams of the township are Walnut Creek and the West Branch of Le Bœuf Creek, with their numerous small tributaries. Walnut Creek rises on the western edge of Greene, a little northeast of Whiteford's Corners, runs diagonally across Summit in a general northwestern direction, and cross- ing the southwestern portion of Mill Creek, flows through Fairview into the lake at Manchester, after a course of about twenty miles. The West Branch of Le Bœuf Creek has its source on the farm of W. A. Bean, but a few feet from a tributary of Walnut Creek, and, flowing through the township in a general southeastern course, unites with the East Branch in Waterford Township, a little north of Waterford Station. Le Boeuf Creek, measuring from its usually reputed head, on the edge of Greene and Venango, to its mouth at French Creek, has a length of eighteen or twenty miles. The Walnut Creek lands are the cream of the township. The valley has an average width of about three fourths of a mile, and produces everything that can be raised on the lake shore. The Le Boeuf Valley is about a mile and a half wide, and the culti- vable land is perhaps equally good with that of the Walnut Creek Valley, but there are numerous swamps. On the hills, the land of the township is best for grazing, and large quantities of butter are produced. The whole town- ship is a good fruit country. The price of land runs from $25 to $60 an acre.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES.

The church buildings of Summit are one Methodist Episcopal, one Cath- olic, one United Presbyterian, and one of the Evangelical Association. The Hamlin Methodist Episcopal Church, on the road from Whiteford's Corners to W. A. Bean's, was organized in 1837, and the building was erected in 1852. This charge has always been on Mckean Circuit.

The United Presbyterian Church at Five Points was organized in January, 1842, with some twenty-five members. The Ruling Elders were Oliver Dunn, Robert Dunn, Thomas Dunn, John Reid and Alexander Russell. At this time the congregation was designated the Elk Creek Church, and later as McKean.

John Eagley

859

SUMMIT TOWNSHIP.

The Rev. John J. Findley began stated labors with this church and the con- gregation at Waterford the 1st of January,, 1842, preaching at the latter place three-quarters of the time. He was ordained and installed pastor of these congregations May 12, 1842. He remained pastor of the two congregations until November 22, 1853. His successor was Rev. Thomas Love, who was ordained and installed November 15, 1854, his time being divided, as was that

of, his predecessor. He remained in this connection with the two congregations nutil May 3, 1864. Subsequent to this period the two appointments were no longer together. This charge grew quite weak and was for a period without a pastor. The congregation was re-established in 1873, and Rev. G. C. Brown installed as pastor. Mr. Brown's death occurred in April, 1874, and the Rev. S. M. Black became his successor. Rev. A. S. Abby the present stated supply commenced his labors with the congregation in 1878. The church building was erected in 1848. United Presbyterian services are also held in the school- house at Whiteford's Corners, every two weeks. The congregation was organ- ized in 1876.

Emanuel's Church of the Evangelical Association had its, origin in a manner similar to Salem Church of Fairview Township, but at a little later period (1838). It was originally on Erie Circuit, but is now an appointment on Fairview Circuit. The church building was erected in}1863.

St. Matthew's Catholic Church building, near the Hamlin Methodist Episcopal Church, was erected in 1867, on land deeded to the society by George Reynolds. The congregation was formed at this time, since which i has been connected with the congregation at Beech Woods.

SCHOOL HISTORY.

In the early period of this country's history, vacated cabin houses and barns or stables frequently constituted the temples of learning. We have illustrations of this in Summit Township. Some two miles east of the present dwelling of Squire Webster stood one of these houses, which had been occu- cupied by Abijah Hall and by him vacated, in which was taught a school in 1819 by a Mr. Huff. William Graham probably taught in the same building in 1818. Eli Webster was a resident of the same neighborhood, and his house was located on a cross road which intersected the French road. This dwelling was vacated and school held in it in the winter of 1820-21 by Moses D. Morey. The following summer, school was taught in the same building by Almira Drown. As yet there had been no regular schoolhouse built in what is now Summit Township. The next winter, Eli Webster kept a school in a house formerly occupied by John Highland, which stood 'on the present site of Hull's Corners. The summer following, Miss Almira Drown taught on Graham Hill in the same neighborhood. In 1822, the neighbor- hood built a substantial schoolhouse, probably within 100 rods of the former places, which was planked and weather-boarded, and in this house Squire Webster taught in 1833. In the winter of 1841-42, and the following winter school was taught about one mile east of the Webster farm by the venerable Squire before alluded to. The old planked and weather-boarded schoolhouse was attended by scholars probably from a radius of three miles, and for years constituted the schoolhouse for the territory now embraced within the bound- aries of Summit Township. The township schoolhouses are at present the Hill, near A. O. Hill's; the Whiteford, at Whiteford's Corners; the Way, in the Way neighborhood; the Stone, near the Catholic and Methodist Churches; the Hamilton, on Walnut Creek; the Robinson, on the turnpike, at the inter- section of the cross road from the Lake Pleasant road; the Murphy, on the

860

HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.

turnpike, near the Waterford line; the Five Points, in the southwest; and the Hershey, near N. Hershey's-nine in all.

MILLS, QUARRY, ETC.

Summit Township had at one period as many as four saw mills on Walnut Creek, all of which have been abandoned. There are now two saw mills in the township, one near W. A. Bean's, owned by Joseph Topper & Son, and one near Jackson's Station, owned by Mr. Haibach. At Whiteford's Corners there is a grocery, schoolhouse and a neat collection of buildings. Close by is a favorite picnic grove, on the line of the railroad. The township contains two cheese factories, the Excelsior, near the railroad, on the public road from the Lake Pleasant road to the Waterford Plank Road, and Bean's, near the residence of William A. Bean. Both have been in operation about nine years, and do a fine business. The nearest stone quarry to the city of Erie of much account is the one known as Reynold's quarry, near the Catholic Church, now owned by Thompson Lininger. It has been in operation many years, has furnished large quantities of good stone, and an abundance is still left. Many years ago, Col. Norris gathered considerable oil as it exuded from the rocks at the quarry and sold it for medicine. This circumstance led to the drilling of a well on the premises, but, although plenty of gas poured out, oil was never found in pay- ing quantity. In addition to the Reynolds Quarry, William Liddell has a small one near the turnpike. A small brewery has long been run in the north part of the township, near the Mill Creek line.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Summit has furnisbed but two county officers-both County Auditors-viz .: Eli Webster from 1829 to 1832, and John L. Way from 1849 to 1852, and from 1859 to 1862.

In 1821, James McKee was convicted of murdering a mariner near the brew- ery, and was sentenced to seven years' solitary confinement in the Philadelphia Penitentiary, but died after a few months' imprisonment. John A. Hans, also at one time a resident of the township, but who removed to Erie, was convicted of causing the death of his wife, at the corner of State and Second streets, in that city. He was sentenced to the Allegheny Penitentiary, served out his term, returned to Erie and died soon after.

PART V.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ERIE AND CORRY.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES,

CITY OF ERIE.

JOHN ABELL, meat market, 431 State St., Erie, was born in Columbia Co., N. Y. in 1839; when eleven years old, he came here with his people, who settled in Erie City. He began his present occupation with his father when fifteen, and when twenty-four, estab- lished himself in his present business, with which he has since been successfully identified. He was united in marriage, in Harbor Creek Township, in 1861, with Josephine, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Appleby, pioneers of Erie County. Mr. and Mrs. Abell have 1 daughter living-Nellie Laura, a literary aud elassieal graduate; and a son and daughter de- eeased (John Webb and Zillah), who are buried in the Erie Cemetery. Our subjeet has been a member of the Masonie fraternity for 16 years, and a Knight Templar for 13 years. He and his wife are earnest members of the Presbyterian Church.

F.F. ADAMS, of the firm of The F. F. Adams Co., manufacturers of wringers, step-lad - ders ete., eor. of 15th and Cherry Sts., Erie, was born August 6, 1830, in Amherst, N. H., son of Levi and Luey ( Farrar) Adams; the former, who was a farmer and merehant, was a native of N. H., the latter of Vt. The father died when our subject was three years of age, lived with his mother till nine years old, and then in the State of Vt .; he was reared on a farm till he was twelve years old, and at eighteen built a steam saw mill in Waterford. For 4 years he was engaged in mereantile business, in Waterford, and this he sold out and moved to Erie in 1860, where he carried on a wholesale grocery coneern for 1 year, in company with Johnson & Bro .; was also in bakery business for several years. In 1871, he established the manufacture of wooden artieles. His first contraet was for 60,000 washing machines. In Dee., 1880, the factory was consumed by fire, but in a short time was replaced by a more substantial structure, and the business became known as the F. F. Adams Co. The productious of the establishment are the Keystone wringers and washing machines, step and extension ladders, and all kinds of household articles; 200 hands are employed. Mr. Adams was married in 1854 to Martha A., daughter of William Lowell, a native of Jamestown, N. Y. To this union have been born three children: C. F., one-fifth partner in the firm of The F. F. Adams Co. and Jennie F., at home attending the high school; Frankie, who died when six months old.

DR. CHAS. AICHNER. 1620 Sassafras St., Erie, was born in Switzerland in 1829. After absolving the Gymnasium, he took up medieine when twenty years old, in the University of Basle, graduated in the year 1856, and praetieed his profession in his native land until 1860. when he located at Erie, Penn., and has since been very reputably connected with the practice of his profession. He married in Erie, in 1860, Louisa Blass, a native of Bavaria, who has horne him four sons and five daughters-Caroline, Charles, Olga, Emma. Oscar, Eda, Otto, Elma and Gustave.

GEORGE A. ALLEN, attorney at law, Erie, Penn., was born Dec. 31, 1839, near Pu- laski, Mercer (now .Lawrence) Co., Penn. He is the sole surviving child of Maj. Wm. and Mary (Steel) Allen, the former of whom died June 6, 1881, the latter May 28, 1856. Mr. Allen is of Seotch-Irish lineage, his ancestors settling near Carlisle. Penn., from Ire- land in the year 1787. Shortly afterward they removed to Mahoning Co., Ohio, where his father, Maj. Wmn. Allen, was born Aug. 21, 1803. After his marriage, in 1828, he moved to Pulaski, Lawrenee Co., where he lived about 17 years. In 1843, he sold his farm in Mer- eer Co., purchasing what was then known as the MeGarvey Mills, in the village of Water- loo, Venango Co., Penn., where he lived until the elose of his life, excepting a period of about 6 years, during which he lived near Meadville, Penn. George A. Allen's early edu- eational advantages were only sueh as the common schools of that time and place afforded. In the course of time, however, he spent 2 years at the Clintonville Academy and 1 year at the State Normal School at Edinboro, Penn. He still continued to pursue his classic, and mathematies, under the private tutorship of Prof. Wm. Burgwin, a graduate of Alle- gheny College, and a teacher of rare skill and experience. Having studied law with W.

864

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

R. Bole. Esq., of Meadville, Penn., he was admitted to the Crawford Co. bar in June, 1868. Shortly afterward he came to Erie, where he has since practiced his profession. In 1870, he was the Democratic candidate for the office of State's Attorney, and in 1872 he was sent as a delegate to the State Convention held at Reading, which nominated Charles R. Buckalew for Governor. In this year he was likewise appointed City Solicitor; he was again a delegate to the Democratic State Convention held in Erie in 1875. In 1878, he was the Democratic candidate for Congress from the Twenty-seventh Congressional Dis- trict. In 1880, he represented his district as delegate to the Democratic National Conven - tion at Cincinnati, when Gen. Hancock was nominated for the Presidency. Mr. Allen was married, July 18, 1865, to Miss Phebe A. Burlingham, of Edinboro, Penn. She died April 1, 1881, leaving her husband with 4 children to mourn her irreparable loss.

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History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc, Part 98

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