USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 100
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William L. Lafferty, M.D., was born in Kent County, Del., on the 18th day of May, 1807, and removed to Allegheny County, Pa., when five years of age. He received his literary education in Washington College,
1 By W. S. Duncan, M.D.
439
BROWNSVILLE BOROUGH AND TOWNSHIP.
at Washington, Pa., and served some time as a civil engineer on the Pennsylvania Canal, afterwards study- ing medicine in the office of F. J. Le Moyne, M.D., of Washington, Pa., completing his medical studies in the Medical Department of the University of Penn- sylvania, from which institution he received the de- gree of M.D. in March, 1836. He began the practice of his profession in Brownsville one month after grad- uating, and remained continuously in business for thirty years, returning to his native county in Dela- ware in 1866. The doctor soon acquired an extensive practice, and retained it during the whole time of his residence in Brownsville, in addition to being the owner of the largest drug-store in the place nearly the whole of that time. He was industrious and en- terprising in business, took an active part in educa- tional affairs, being an early and sturdy supporter of the public school system ; was one of the originators and principal stockholders of the Brownsville Gas Company, and interested in all that pertained to the sanitary and general welfare of the community. In politics he was an Old-Line Whig, afterwards a Re- publican, and at one time a candidate for Congress in the latter party. He was a prominent Freemason, and a zealons member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He still resides in Delaware, where he has been engaged in fruit-growing since 1866, though still from force of long habit giving part of his time to the practice of the profession to which the best part of his life has been devoted. In a recent letter he says, " I am now an old man, but still visit the sick when requested so to do, having never learned to re- fuse assistance to a suffering fellow-being."
Isaac Jackson, M.D., was born in Menallen town- ship, Fayette Co., on the 13th day of March, 1821. He was educated at Madison College, Uniontown ; studied medicine under the direction of Dr. Smith Fuller, of Uniontown, attended lectures in Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, receiving the degree. of M.D. from that institution in March, 1847, and located in Brownsville the same year, continuing in active practice up to the present time. He has also been engaged for several years in the drug business, having been at different times a member of the drug firms of W. F. Simpson & Co., Jackson & Armstrong, and J. Jackson. He held for several years the office of examining surgeon for pensions under the United States government. In politics he has always been a Democrat, taking an active part in the affairs of that party, and was once a candidate for the State Legis- lature. He is a member of the order of Freemasons, also a member of the Presbyterian Church and of the Fayette Connty Medical Society. He has been twice married. One of his sons, Duncan C. Jackson, Esq., is a member of the Allegheny County bar; another son, Dr. John Jackson, is practicing medicine in West Virginia.
Benjamin Shoemaker, M.D., was born Aug. 9, 1827, in the city of Philadelphia, and educated at Shade
Gap Academy, Huntingdon Co., Pa. Having quali- fied himself to practice dentistry, he came .to Browns- ville and opened an office for that business in 1856; afterwards studying medicine, he received the degree of M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1869, since which he has been engaged jointly in the two professions. He has been a United States examining surgeon for pensions for twelve years last past, has been a school director and member of the Town Council for the last six years, is a Freemason, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Republican in poli- tics ; he is a member of the Fayette County Medical Society, and of the American Medical Association.
Samuel B. P. Knox, A.M., M.D., son of the late David S. Knox, Esq., for many years cashier of the Monongahela Bank of Brownsville, was born in Brownsville, Feb. 11, 1839, and educated in Allegheny College, at Meadville, Pa., from which institution he graduated in June, 1860. He attended first course of medical lectures in the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania during the winter of 1861-62, and while attending second course, in 1862- 63, was, in January of the latter year, commissioned and mustered into the United States service as assist- ant surgeon of Forty-ninth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. In January, 1865, he was promoted to be surgeon of the same regiment, in which capacity he served until the end of the war, after which he re- turned to the University of Pennsylvania, receiving the degree of M.D. in March, 1866. He began the practice of his profession in Brownsville a few months after graduating, remaining in business here until 1875, when he removed to Santa Barbara, Cal., where he now resides. In 1869 he took an effective part in the reorganization of the Fayette County Medical Society, and was an active member of the society during the remainder of the time he resided here. Before leaving this State he became a member of the State Medical Society and of the American Medical Association. He is a member of the Prot- estant Episcopal Church.
Dr. N. W. Truxall was born in Greensburg, West- moreland Co., Pa., in 1822. He received an academic education at the Westmoreland Academy, learned the printing business in the office of the Westmoreland Republican, and during his apprenticeship studied the classics under the tuition of the professors in the academy. He commenced the study of law, but abandoned it and began the study of medicine in 1845. He commenced practice in Pittsburgh in 1848, and since that time has practiced his profession in Masontown, Millsboro', and California, Pa., and since 1870 in Brownsville. Ile went into the army in 1861, and served three years as an officer of the line. He has acquired some reputation as a literary writer, and is now preparing an extensive work, entitled "An Epic on the Battles of America."
C. C. Reichard, M.D., was born Nov. 6, 1844, in Maryland. He studied medicine and received the
440
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
degree of M.D. from Chicago Medical College in the spring of 1870. He practiced medicine in Mitchell- ville, Iowa, and Monongahela City, Pa., and came to Brownsville in 1875, where he has since been engaged in the practice of his profession. He is a Freemason and a Republican.
Dr. Oliver P. Brashear was born in Redstone township, Fayette Co., educated at Dunlap's Creek Academy, attended medical lectures in the University of Pennsylvania, and began practice at East Liberty, Pa., in 1864. He served one year, part of 1874-75, as physician to Pittsburgh City Almshouse, and came to Brownsville in 1876, where he has since been eu- gaged in practice.
U. L. Clemmer, M.D., was born in Allegheny County, Md., Nov. 16, 1816. He commenced the study of medicine with Dr. John J. Steele, at New Geneva, Fayette Co., in 1832, and graduated at the Reformed Medical College, at New York, in 1846, having practiced medicine in Monongalia County, W. Va., for four years previously. He removed to Smithfield, Fayette Co., where he remained eigh- teen years, and then removed to Brownsville in 1859, where he has since remained. During the late war he was employed as assistant surgeon in the hos- pital at Parkersburg, W. Va.
The establishment of a medical school at Browns- ville in 1831 was announced in the Washington Ex- aminer and other newspapers in August of that year by the following advertisement :
"REFORMED MEDICAL COLLEGE.
" Established in Brownsville, Fayette Co., Pa., and will go into full operation on the 1st of November next. This Med- ical Society is to be under the enre of the Refarmed Society of the United States, and to be conducted by the Vice-President and Secretary of that body. The plan of Medical instruction will be the same as adopted in the Botanical Schools of New York and Worthington, embraeing all the branches taught in the Medical Schools, as well as the Reformed or Botanien] System. Nine students have already entered and commenced their studies, and several others are daily expected. A Dispen- sary, Infirmary, Botanical Garden, Library, and Medical Mu- seum will be attached to the College during the ensuing summer. Terms, $150, in advance, and $10 as a graduation fee.
" J. J. STEELE, " President of Worthington College, Ohio."
Nothing beyond this concerning the operations of the " Reformed Medical College of Brownsville" has been ascertained.
BROWNSVILLE SCHOOLS.
On the spot which is now occupied by the rectory of Christ Church there stood, three-fourths of a cen- tury ago, a small frame building, erected by subscrip- tion as early as 1805 (and perhaps a year or two earlier), which was the first house built especially for school purposes in Brownsville, though schools of a few pupils had previously been taught in private dwellings. The earliest teacher now recollected by he oldest citizens of Brownsville was Mr. De Wolf,
whose successor was the Rev. Mr. Wheeler, a Baptist minister. A Mr. Scott was also an early teacher.
In 1808-9, Robert Ayres taught a private school in a house that stood where Joseph Sanforth now lives, at the upper end of Church Street. As late as 1819 Ayres' name appears on the assessment roll as a teacher.
A flourishing school was taught by James Johnston for some years prior to 1819. Pupils from a distance came to attend his school, and boarded in his family. His school-room was in a house where Hayden W. Robinson's drug-store now is. He was succeeded in 1819 by a Mr. McConnell, who continued the school but a short time.
From about 1817 to 1820, Edward Byrne, an Irish- man, taught a subscription school of a few scholars at the upper end of Market Street, in the house now oc- cupied by Henry J. Rigden. Many small private schools and subscription schools were taught in the borough from that time until the passage of the public school act of 1834. Under the operation of that law the court, at the January term of 1835, ap- pointed James L. Bowman and Israel Miller school directors of Brownsville. They made report to the county treasurer August 13th in the same year. The apportionment of State money to the borough for that year was 883.07; amount from county tax, 8166.14; total, 8249.21 for 1835.
The first school-house erected for the use of the public schools established under the law of 1834 was built in 1836. Its location was on Church Street, near the present Union school building. Another was built in 1838, on the Public Ground on Front Street, opposite the residence of N. B. Bowman. These were the only public school-houses of the borough (though other rooms were rented from time to time to accommodate the overflow of scholars) nntil the erection of the present Union school building. .Among the teachers who had charge of the schools in these old houses were Dr. Samuel Chalfant, Joshua Gibbons, William Y. Roberts, and many others who are yet well remembered.
On the 20th of May, 1842 (as appears in the bor- ough records), the school directors made application to the Council for the use of the Town Hall for a school-room, which was granted at two dollars per month. Dec. 28, 1843, Miss Crawford applied for the use of the hall for the same purpose, and it was granted on the same terms for the time of the vacation of the public school.
April 26, 1850, the Council rented the Town Hall to the school directors for the use of the High School at four dollars per month. In the records covering the succeeding ten years various entries are found, showing that the hall was rented from time to time for the use of the schools until the building of the present school-house rendered it unnecessary.
The question of the erection of a new school-house of sufficient capacity to accommodate all the schools
441
BROWNSVILLE BOROUGH AND TOWNSHIP.
having been for some time informally discussed, the following official action in the matter was taken by the school directors at a meeting held on the 7th of May, 1859, viz. :
" WHEREAS, We believe the time has now come in the history of the common schools of Brownsville that an effort should be made by the directors to build a Union school-house, therefore
" Resolved, That we, the said direetors, proceed as soon as time for proper deliberation and consultation will admit of to adopt a proper plan of said house, and make a contract for making the hrick, and make such other arrangement for the erection of said school-house as may be necessary, se as at least to have the stone-work completed, ready to commence laying the brick, early in the spring ef 1860, so as to have the same completed in time to hold the session of 1860-61 in the said house. On motion, it was resolved that Mr. Joseph C. Graff he requested to make an estimate of the cost of erecting said house, sny sixty by seventy feet, three stories, four rooms on a floor, a ten-feet entry to run through the centre, so as to make the school-room square."
Lots Nos. 115 and 180, on Redstone and Church Streets, were purchased of J. B. McKennan & Brother. This purchase embraced the present school grounds of the borough, on which the Union school-house stands. On the 6th of July, 1859, a contract was made with Roger Chew for the manufacture of 350,000 bricks for the new building, at $4.25 per thousand. Feb. 4, 1860, James Grist contracted to lay the brick in the building at $3.00 per thousand. The carpenter- work was let to John Lilly (May 9, 1860), for $3285, not to include the portico.
Joseph C. Graff was appointed by the directors (in 1859, and reappointed Jan. 14, 1860) to superintend the stone-, brick-, and carpenter-work in the erection of the new building. The brick-work was completed Oct. 11, 1860. On the 8th of December following the plaster-work was let by contract to Alvah Allen.
On the 23d of April, 1862, the school directors re- solved that the new school-house should be occupied by the schools on the first Monday in June following, The work on the building had been delayed by the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, so that it was not completed ready for occupancy until the spring of that year. On the 20th of May the secretary was di- rected to advertise for sale the Church Street lot and old school-houses.
The cost of the new building (the present Union school-house) was about $10,000, and it was occupied by the schools under G. L. Osborne, principal, at the time designated in the above-mentioned resolution of the directors.
The teachers appointed by the board in May, 1859 (while the schools were still taught in the old houses), were William B. McCormick, principal; Julia Bra- shear, for school No. 1; Kate Allison, No. 2; Belle Graham, No. 3; Sally Druit, No. 4; Mary Campbell, No. 5; Mrs. Ellen E. Wishart, No. 6 ; the principal to be in immediate charge of No. 7. On the 27th of April, 1861, Hamilton C. Homer was appointed principal. He was succeeded by G. L. Osborne, appointed May
17, 1862; A. C. Nutt, Aug. 25, 1862; J. V. Gibbons, May 23, 1863 ; O. R. Griffith, May 31, 1864; G. L. Osborne, June 17, 1865; R. H. Fulton, Sept. 28, 1868 ; J. S. Hughes, Sept. 30, 1869 ; J. V. Gibbons, March 3, 1870; H. S. Phillips, Aug. 25, 1870; Van B. Baker, June 13, 1871; H. S. Phillips, June 26, 1872; Thomas S. Axtell, Ang. 5, 1873; T. B. John- ston, July 1, 1876; George W. May, June, 1879; E. W. Dolby, June 28, 1881.
In July, 1871, the board of directors took action to the effect that " Whereas the colored school has for some years past been held in the Town Hall, but that the board has been notified that it would not again be granted for that purpose, and whereas the Town Council have voted to lease the School Board a site on what is called the 'Old Common' for a School- House for the colored school, it was therefore unani- mously Resolved, that the School Board proceed forthwith to erect a suitable school-house for the colored school on said ground, and that the Board meet to-morrow morning at eight o'clock to lay off the building." The site selected was that on which the old school-house stood on the Public Ground, and on that site a brick honse was erected which is yet standing, and has been used for the colored school until 1880.
The number of pupils reported enrolled in Browns- ville in July, 1860, was three hundred and ninety- one. In July, 1870, the number reported enrolled was four hundred and forty-seven. By the report for the school year of 1880-81 the schools of Brownsville were under charge of eight teachers, and attended by two hundred and eighty-two scholars. Total receipts, $3564.56; total expenditures, $2632.57; valuation of school buildings, $15,000. The present (1881) board of school directors is composed of Dr. Benjamin Shoemaker (president), James Hutchinson, Jason Baker, Samuel Steele, William B. McCormick, and J. K. Shupe.
Following is a list (approximately correct and com- plete) of the school directors elected in the borough since the reorganization in 1850, viz .:
1850. William T. Coplan. Wesley Frost. J. W. Jeffries.
: J860. William L. Wilkinson.
1851. William Coplan. 1861. J. N. Snowdon.
J. C. Price. William Parkbill.
1852. James Martin. llenry Barkman. W. L. Lafferty.
1853. John Wallace. William L. Wilkinson.
1855, John Johnston.
Eli Abrams.
Thomas C. Furman.
1856. D. Knox. William L Wilkinson.
1857. William M. Ledwith. John B. Krepps.
1858. Joseph C. Price. James A. Swearer.
1859. Wesley Frest.
William L. Lafferty.
1863. Isaac Jackson. William M. Ledwith.
1864. William Parkbill. John R. Dutton.
John Johnston.
1866. William M. Ledwith.
Samuel H. Smith.
Isaac Jackson.
1870. James H. Smith.
1873. Samuel Stulz.
J. B. Mckennon.
1862. Wesley Frost.
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
1875. A. F. Gabler.
James A. Swearer. William II. Johnston. A. J. Smith.
1876. E. D. Abrams. H. B. McCormick.
1877. James H. Blair. George Amson.
1878. Jacob Sawyer.
1878. Erasmus Kaiser. 1879. Dr. Benjamin Shoe-
maker. Jason Baker. James Hutchinson.
1880. James Hutchinson.
Samuel Steele.
18SI. William B. McCormick. J. K. Shape.
A young ladies' seminary or boarding-school was commenced in 1866 by Mrs. Charlotte Smyth. It was taught in the old stone house formerly occupied by George Boyd. The period of its continuance was about five years.
Within the limits of the township of Brownsville, outside the borough, there is one school and school- house, located on the National road. The list which is given below is of persons who have been elected to the office of school director for the borough and town- ship of Brownsville from 1840 to 1849, inclusive, and for the township of Brownsville since the last-named year. It is not claimed for it, however, that it is either complete or entirely correct, but it is as nearly so as it is possible to make it from the obscure and badly-kept records which are the only data of infor- mation. The list is as follows :
1840. Israel Miller. 1855. H. J. Rittenhour. G. W. Bowman. 1856. Martin Claybangh. Jesse H. Duncan. Christopher Stitzel.
John Johnson.
1857. Samuel Smnonse. Solomon Burd.
1841. Isane Miller.
1842. Jonathan Binns.
185S. Daniel Brubaker.
J. L. Bowman (tie vote).
John Daniels.
1843. Samnel J. Krepps. Edward Hughes.
1844. Joseph C. Graff.
1845. James L. Bowman. Edward L. Lines. Edward Moorhouse. William Sloan. 1846. C. P. Gummert. James S. Miller.
1847. Joseph C. Price. James N. Coulter.
1848. William L. Lafferty. Jesse II. Duncan.
1849. William II. Johnstoo. William Sloao.
1850. William F. Coplan. II. J. Rigden. R. T. Christy. 1851-52. William B. Coats.
1853. William Sloan. Martin Clay baugh.
1868. Martin Claybaugh. Solomon Burd.
1869. Jacob Graser. Charles Boucher.
1870. Martin Claybangh. Solomon Burd.
1873. Ewing Todd. Martin Massey.
1874. Martin Clay bangh.
1874. Solomon Bord.
1875. Jacob Graser. Thomas Cline.
1876. Ewing Todd. Charles Boucher.
1877. S. Steele. O. K. Taylor. George Campbell. 187S. William Stitzel.
1878. William Gaskell. 1879. Ewing Todd. Charles Boncher. Solomon Burd. ISSO. Jacob Graser. Solomon Burd.
188]. B. F. Durbin. S. W. Claybangh.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF BROWNSVILLE.
No person at the present day knows the date of tbe formation of the first Methodist class at Browns- ville. A small society was in existence there (being within the Redstone Circuit) at about the commence- ment of the present century, and a meeting-house for its use was built in 1804, on land of Chads Chal fant, a local exhorter and citizen of Brownsville. Afterwards ( March 24, 1806) he conveyed the land (one-half acre, comprising lots Nos. 7 and 8, on the north side of Church Street) to Alexander MeCracken, Abraham Miley, Stephen Randolph, Richard Ran- dolph, and Pratt Collins, " in trust for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church," the consideration named being one hundred dollars.
The church erected on this land in 1804 was a stone edifice, thirty-six by thirty feet in dimensions. In 1821 the building was enlarged to double its original size, making it thirty-six by sixty feet. This remained as the society's house of worship for nearly forty years, but finally, having become much dilap- idated, and wholly inadequate to the wants of the congregation, the erection of a new church building was decided on, and the demolition of the old one was commenced on Thursday, April 26, 1859. The present brick church, which was then erected at a cost of about seven thousand dollars, is forty-five.by eighty feet in size, has an audience-room twenty-two feet high, with a basement containing a Sabbath- school room and two class-rooms. It was dedicated Juue 16, 1861.
Among the preachers who have served this church since 1826 have been the following: James G. San- som, Thomas Jamison, Robert Boyd, John Water- man, Edward B. Bascom, Andrew B. Coleman,1 Sam- uel Babcock, John J. Swazey, J. N. Mochabee, Ham- ilton Creigh, Thomas Baker, Christopher Hodgson, Josiah Adams, A. J. Ensley, Moses P. Jamison, Jo- seph Homer, Sheridan Baker, Hiram Miller, Ezra B. Hingsley, J. Minor, L. R. Beacon, James Deems, S. Lauk, William Stewart, Josiah Mansell, R. B. Man- sell, and S. T. Mitchell, the present pastor.
The present membership of the church is one hun- dred and fifty. In connection with it is a Sabbath- school of one hundred and fifty scholars, under James R. Swearer, superintendent.
1 While Mr. Coleman was in charge (in 1833) Brownsville became a statiou.
1854. Madison Daniels. Martin Claybaugh. Solomon Bird. Edward Todd. Christopher Stitzel. Jacob Redler.
1855. Isaac Lynn. James Duon.
1859. Martin Claybangh. W. S. J. Hatfield. Ewing Todd. Solomon Burd. N. A. Williams.
1860. Ewing Todd. W. A. Williams. 1862. Solomon Burd. Martin Claybaugh.
1863. W. S. J. Hatfeld. Ewing Todd. 1864. Martin Massey. Frederick Stitzel.
1865. Charles Boncher.
Solomon Burd. Martin Clay baugh. 1866. Charles Boucher. Jacob Graser. 1867. Martin Massey. Ewing Todd.
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BROWNSVILLE BOROUGH AND TOWNSHIP.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BROWNSVILLE.
In the minutes of the Redstone Presbytery, under date Oct. 15, 1811, is the earliest mention which has been found of Presbyterian worship at Brownsville. At that time the Rev. Boyd Mercer, of the Presbytery of Ohio, applied for permission to preach to the peo- ple at Uniontown and Brownsville. On the next day, October 16th, the Presbytery declined to sanetion the existing engagements between the Rev. Boyd Mercer and the people of Uniontown and Brownsville, be- cause not made agreeably to the regulations of the Presbytery.
On the 20th of April, 1813, the Rev. William John- ston, a licentiate under the care of the Presbytery of Ohio, applied to the Redstone Presbytery for admis- siou. He was admitted on the 21st, and on the same day received a call from the congregation of Browns- ville and Dunlap's Creek. On the 20th of October in the same year he was installed as pastor over the united congregations. In reference to his assumption of the charge, the Rev. Samuel Wilson says,1 " The next pastor was the Rev. William Johnston, whose charge embraced also (besides Dunlap's Creek Church) the Presbyterian Church of Brownsville. He was of portly presence, an able preacher and defender of the faith ; as a friend and companion, highly esteemed for intelligence and urbanity. His pastorate continued (at Dunlap's Creek ) till Dec. 3, 1839,2 and at Browns- ville and Little Redstone till his death, Dec. 31, 1841." His successor was the Rev. Thomas Mather, whose pastorate continued till 1848. He was succeeded by the Rev. Robert M. Wallace, who remained until 1860, and was followed in 1864 by the Rev. Joseph H. Stevenson as pastor of the churches at Browns- ville and Little Redstone. On the 24th of April, 1866, Mr. Stevenson presented to the Presbytery a re- quest from those two churches to be recognized as separate and distinet organizations. The Presbytery acceded to the request, and constituted the elders re- siding in the bounds of Brownsville, together with the pastor, as the session of the Brownsville Church.
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