History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 111

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1314

USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 111

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).

Rachel Mounts.

George Rogers.

Isaac White.

Joho Varnon.

Charles Bote.

Robert Threw.

Lewis Flemming.

John Meason.

Thomas Davis.

Elnathan Cory.

Isaac Colwell.

Henry Evans.

John Trump.

George Trump. John White.

William Trump.

Robert Bcall.

Isaac Trumbaugh. Conrad Ilaile.

Ilugh Messer. Charles Fahew.

Thomas Flemming.

James Hempfield.

Robert Flemming.

Joseph Jarvis.

Henry Ray.

Wm. Robenoy.

Shadrach Davis.

Martha Warren.

John Christ.

James Warren.

Joseph Sehlater.

Nathan Miller.

Win. Stewart.

James Medole.

Stephen Joser.

Michael Dougherty.

Joseph Iluff haus.

Graft Ghost.

Samnel Lewis.

Samuel llicks.

George floover.

John Wright. Michael Iloughney.

Edward Doyle.

Elizabeth Shannon.

W'm. Black.

Henry Schlater.

Samuel Black.

David Smith.

Thomas Patton.

Anthony Highland.

Elanor Patton.

John Smith.

Casper Etling.

William Mathews.

Cornelius Woodruff.

Thomas Mathews.

William Woodruff.

Moses Smith.

Alexander Cummings.

John Burten.

Casper Senff.

John Piper.

Isaac Jones.

Mary Davis.

Jonathan Cooper.

Charles Coper.

Andrew Wild.

Savy Reagan.

Adam Shaffer.

Christian Perkey.

William Carnes.

Isaac Meason.

Adamı Bungard.

llenry Cleary.

Jacob Lee.

Jacob Suider.

George Batchelor.

John Ilazelton.

Jolin Colpenny.

James Carnehan.

George Truax.

Ilenry Bork.

Providence Mounts.

John Martin, Jr.

Wmn. McKee.

Joseph Douglas.

Wm. Boyd.

Conrad Vantrim.

Thomas Mumford.

Peter Bucher, Sr.

William Threw.

Peter Bucher, Jr.

George Rogers.

John Martin, Sr.

Ralph Cherry.

Abraham Dumbauld.

Christian Lutzog.

Peter Dumhanld.

John Van Dering.

John McLean.

Jonathan Roland.

John Robison.

Thomas Coyle.

Daniel MeKeredif.

Thomas Phillips.

Of these the Cherry, Robertson, Doyle, Smith, Davis, McKee, Stewart, and White families were in the township as early as 1772. Many of the first set- tlers removed at a very early day leaving no descend- ants, and consequently but little can be said of them. Ralph Cherry lived on Jacob's Creek, and owned mills which are yet known as Lobengier's. one of the owners after Cherry. At the mouth of White's Run, and partly in the present township of Connellsville, was the tract of land owned by Providence Mounts, and adjoining him on the west was Wm. McKee. The McCormick place was below, in the present township of Connellsville. Providence Mounts was probably the earliest of these settlers, and the principal stream of the township took its name from him. Just be- low the Bullskin line Mounts had a mill at a very early day, and wool-carding was carried on at the same place. Upon the removal of the Mounts family (who emigrated to Kentucky) the farm became the property of Stewart H. Whitehill, a son-in-law of Wm. Boyd, but in 1826, Alexander John-tone, a Scotch-Irishman, became the owner, and later his son,

Adam Hatfield.

Thomas Shay.

W'm. Good.

488

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

John R. Johnstone, owned both mills and the farm. It is said that the burrs in the original mill were brought from Virginia by a man named Newcomer. The present mill was built by Mr. Johnstone in 1856. It is supplied with two runs of stones, and both it and the saw-mill are kept in successful operation, being now the property of the heirs of J. R. Johnstone, who died in December, 1877. East of the Mounts tract, and in the present township of Bullskin, were the lands belonging to the White family. The prin- cipal part of the White farm has been owned since 1848 by Wm. C. Johnstone, a brother of the forego- ing. The stream of water south of the place took its name from Henry White, whohad mills on its waters. This family also removed to Kentucky about the beginning of the present century.

William Robertson was by birth a Scotchman, and possessed to an unusual degree the tenaciousness of purpose of that race. He removed to Bullskin from the eastern part of the State about 1770, settling on Jacob's Creek, below Cherry's, and with that family had a wearisome litigation respecting certain land titles, which were ended only by the death of Robert- son many years ago. His family then removed to the West. Andrew Robertson, a brother of William, set- tled first in Westmoreland County, but some time about 1800 located at the foot of Chestnut Ridge. Ife was married to Betsey Smart and reared a family of four children,-John, who died in Scotland; Nancy, one of the pioneer teachers, who died a maiden ; An- drew, who settled on the county line, where his family yet resides ; and Elizabeth, who yet lives near Bridge- port, as the wife of Asher Walker.

South of William Robertson much of the lands were claimed by John and Isaac Meason. The latter first lived near the chain-bridge, in Tyrone township, removing to Mount Braddock at an early day. He was the father of Isaac and George Meason, and a daughter, who married Daniel Rogers. John Meason lived on Green Lick Run, on the farm at present owned by Jacob Shank. Upon his death his family removed from the township.

Graft Ghost, or Gost, was a German, who served as a soldier in the French and Indian war in 1755, and later was with the garrison at Fort Ligonier. Having obtained a knowledge of this country from his ex- perience in the army, he came to Westmoreland as a settler, working at his trade,-bell-making. At the instance of Col. Meason he opened a shop near the latter's residence, where he made bells and sharp- edged tools until he had accumulated 82200 in Con- tinental money, which proved worthless just about the time he was ready to invest it in land. This misfortune obliged him to begin life anew, but in time he secured from Meason 126 acres of land in Bullskin, and lived near where is now the home of George Adams. There he died in 1808. His only child became the wife of John Highlands, who died on the Gost homestead in 1826, leaving five daughters.

These married,-Christiana, Jesse Atkinson ; Mary, Robert Fleming, and yet resides near the old home; Catharine is the wife of Christian Shank ; Lavina, of Washington Kelley; and Sarah married George Brown, moving to Ohio.

William Boyd came from Virginia some time about the close of the Revolution, making the journey to his new home on the west border of Bullskin on pack- horses. He brought with him several slaves, and six negro children were registered as being born to these from 1795 to 1809, namely, Andrew, Millie, Ben, Prissie, Samuel, and Alexander, but of their subse- quent history nothing can be here said. Wm. Boyd was a man of considerable education, and served for a number of years as a justice of the peace. He died in 1812, and was interred on his homestead. His family consisted of eight children,-Thomas, John, Robert, James, William, Jeremiah, and daughter, who married Joseph Barnett, of Connellsville, and Stewart H. Whitehill, who resided on the Mounts place many years. After 1812, Thomas Boyd lived on the homestead, where he carried on the distillation of liquor at an early day. He was a popular man among his fellow-citizens. Two of his sons, Wil- liam and Richard Boyd, are yet residents of Bull- skin. Other sons-John, Randolph, Thomas, and Rice-have died or removed. Thomas Boyd, Sr., died in 1855; John Boyd, the second son, died in 1857, at Connellsville; Robert moved to Menallen township; James died in Tyrone; William moved to Ohio; Jeremiah became a physician, and, after living in Louisiana a number of years, moved to Washington.

Christian Reist, a native of Lancaster County, set- tled in the Boyd neighborhood about 1800, and died in 1827. He had three daughters, two of whom married Thomas Boyd and Simon Roughcorn, and the third remained single, all of them long since deceased.

Presley Carr Lane was also a Virginian, who set- tled on the Henry D. Overholt place. He was a man of culture and great gentleness of manner, and, for those times, quite wealthy. He served in the Legis- lature with creditable distinction. The family re- moved to Kentucky before 1830, and the original homestead has been much divided.

IIenry Freed, a native of Bucks County, Pa., after living a short time in Virginia, settled on Mounts' Creek about 1785. He died about 1863, aged eighty- four years, having reared four sons and three daugh- ters. Jacob, the oldest, married Susan Garver, a daughter of Martin Garver, a pioneer of Bullskin, and settled on that part of the homestead now owned by his son Joseph, where he died in August, 1875. Other sons were Henry, Samuel, and Jonathan, the former two living on Green Lick Run. Peter, the second son of Henry Freed, lived and died in Tyrone; John, the third, moved to McLean Connty, III .; Henry, the youngest, lived on the homestead west of the creek until his death, caused by an accident,

489

BULLSKIN TOWNSHIP.

about ten years ago. The land is now the property of the Cleveland Rolling-Mills. One of the daugh- ters married Joseph Beidler, who lived on a farm ad- joining the homestead ; another married Jacob Over- holt ; and the third, Joseph Johnston, of Union town- ship.

At Pennsville, and north of the village, a large tract of land was settled early by Peter Newmeyer. He died in 1836, aged seventy-five years, and was in- terred in the cemetery at the Baptist Church. His sons who attained manhood were named Jacob, David, Samuel, and Jonathan; and his daughters married,-Betsey, Henry Strickler, of Tyrone; Mary, Christian Newcomer, of Tyrone; Ann, David Shal- lenbarger, who lived on the Sherrick place; Rachel, Abraham Shallenbarger, who lived on the adjoining farm ; Susan, Henry Arnold, of Connellsville ; Hattie married Edward Riggs; Jacob Newmeyer married Ann Shallenbarger, and died in Tyrone; David moved to Ohio; Samuel married Elizabeth Stauffer, and re- moved to the West; Jonathan married Mary Strick- ler, and lived on the home-place until his death, May 15, 1879, at the age of eighty years. None of the family remain in the township.

Abraham and David Shallenbarger lived on the fine farms west of Pennsville until their death. The former had sons named Jacob, John, Abraham, and David, all deceased. The sons of David Shallenbar- ger were John, Henry, Abraham, and David. The Shallenbarger farm is now well known as the home of A. H. Sherrick, whose family were pioneers in West- moreland County.

John Shank, a German, after his emigration to America settled at Hagerstown, removing thence to Bullskin. He located on Mounts' Creek, building mills, about the beginning of the century, which oc- cupied the site of Detweiler's mills. He was a Men- nonite, and at his death was buried in the Mennonite graveyard, on the township line between Tyrone. He had sons named John and Jacob; and the daugh- ters married John Stauffer, Martin Myers, who lived near the Shank place, and Christian Seigfried, of Westmoreland. Jacob Shank married Nancy Stauf- fer, and settled a mile north from Pennsville, where he died in 1845. He was the father of John Shank, of Ohio ; Henry, of the same State; and Christian and Jacob Shank, yet living in the township. The latter was for many years a journeyman hatter, having learned that trade of Herman Gebhart, of Connells- ville. The second son, John Shank, remained single, and died in the eastern part of the township. The Shanks have always been sober, steady citizens.

John Stauffer removed to Bullskin from Hagers- town, Md., settling on a farm in the neighborhood of the Baptist Church, on which he died. His only son, John, lived at Mount Pleasant. A grandson, John C. Stauffer, resides at Pennsville. Other families in the township bearing this name had a different origin and made a settlement at a later date.

Farther northeast two brothers, John and Joseph Rice, made pioneer settlements. John Rice lived east of the Mount Pleasant road, and was buried on his homestead. He was the father of Joseph, John, Abraham, Samuel, Jacob, and David Rice, the latter two yet living in the locality. His daughters married into the Kendig family. Joseph Rice lived in the same locality, and after his death the family removed.

Henry Lane, a native of New Jersey, moved from that State to Bullskin about 1796, but removed to Tyrone, where he died in 1821. His sons, James, Silas, and John, removed to the West, while William continues a resident of Bullskin. Near the same time, Asher Walker, also from New Jersey, settled on Mounts' Creek, but emigrated to Ohio, where he died. One of his sons, Jolin, is a resident of Tyrone ; and Asher lives on Jacob's Creek, in Bullskin.

Alexander Kelley was born in Ireland in 1760, but eighty years ago settled in Westmoreland County. Later he made his home north of Pennsville, where he died in 1850. He had sons named Samuel, George, John, James, Paul, Washington, and Campbell, the latter two yet living in the township.

John Troxel, a local preacher of the United Breth- ren Church, moved from Lebanon County, Pa., and settled in Westmoreland County about a mile from Bridgeport. He was the father of Michael and John B. Troxel, and of daughters, who married Abraham Pershing, Isaac Persburg, Moses Worman, and Martin Krider. The latter also came from Lebanon County, and settled on part of the Troxel lands in Bullskin, building the stone house and barn on Green Lick Run. After his death the family removed and the farm became the property of John B. Troxel, whose family yet reside there.

Northeast, Daniel Krider improved a farm, and lived there until his death ; thence it became the property of Michael Farmer, and is now owned by his son, Robert C. They were pioneers in Tyrone township.

On the north of Green Lick were the improvements made by Abraliam Pershing. He was born at Derry, Westmoreland Co., where his parents were among the first settlers. Part of the Pershing lands are now in- cluded in Bridgeport, and were first claimed by Thomas Meason. Abraham Pershing was one of the leading men of the township, serving many years as justice of the peace. He died in July, 1880, aged eighty-four years. He had sons named John, yet living on the home place ; Daniel H., living on a farm next east ; Isaac, living in California; and his only daughter, Anna, married Jacob Myers, of Ligonier.

George Brothers, a native of Maryland, and hy trade a cooper, settled on Jacob's Creek in 1805, purchasing a part of the Wm. Robertson tract. Of his family, John died on the homestead; George was killed at the Belle Vernon Furnace; Austin died in the Rebellion; Washington, Andrew, and Lafayette yet live in the township, the latter on the homestead.

490

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

John Shupe, of Bucks County, Pa., settled on Ja- cob's Creek, on the Westmoreland side, in 1790 or earlier. He died in 1832. His son Jacob moved to the Lake Erie country in Ohio; John settled in Bull- skin, on the farm now owned by his son, Daniel F., where he built mills. He died in 1862, aged eighty- two years. Two other sons died at Mount Pleasant, and William Shupe yet resides at Derry, aged ninety- two years. Their sisters married the Rev. Daniel Worman and John Shepard.

Coming a little later than some of the foregoing was Jacob Eshelman, a native of the eastern part of the State. He built oil-mills and other important in- dustries. Of his family, a son, David, yet lives north of Shupe's. Eastward, on the Connellsville road, John Hoke made some substantial improvements on the farm now owned by his son James; and still far- ther east, near the Andrew Robertson place, Samuel Latta was a pioneer. On Green Lick, where now re- sides Henry Freed, Christian Gardner was an early and respected settler. He died there, and his family removed from the township. Peter Stauffer settled first near Mount Pleasant, about 1808. One of his sons, Jacob J., located on the Green Lick, where he died in 1877. Of his family, Peter is a physician at Connellsville, Jonathan resides on a part of the Kul- ler place in Bullskin, Henry S. is a minister of the Evangelical Association, and William B. resides on the homestead. The daughters married Daniel Wor- man, J. W. Kinear, Simon Martz, and Samnel Eshel- man.

In the southern part of the township Thomas At- kinson was among the first settlers. He had sons named Jesse ( who died on the Martin Detweiler place in 1840); James, Thomas, Richard, Charles, John, Robert. and Alexander, all of whom had removed from the township before their death.' The only son of Jesse, George Atkinson, lived east of Pennsville.

Henry Detweiler, a miller, came from Bucks County, settling in Fayette in 1820. In 1826 he became the owner of the Shunk mills on Mounts' Creek, where he died in 1847. His widow then improved the farm above the Gault school-house, and there died in 1856. Their children were Samuel; John S .; Martin, living in the township; Joseph, who died in 1845; Jacob, living in Ohio; Mrs. Henry Fritts ; and Mrs. George Atkinson.

Northeast from Detweiler's Jacob Gault was a pio- neer, but removed to Ohio many years ago. Farther down Mounts' Creek among the early settlers were John Smutz, Martin Garver, and westward John Stockman, the latter being a Dunkard preacher and a very estimable man. This place is now occupied by Jacob J. Stonacker. Near the old State road

Thomas Herbert, a native of New Jersey, settled some time after 1800, but died at Connellsville. He had sons named Richard and James. The latter moved to Ohio, but Richard settled in the southern part of Bullskin, being a workman at the Findley Furnace. He died about 1850. One of his sons, Richard, resides in the Breakneck district, on a farm which was cleared up by Walter Duncan. In this locality the Huey and Long families were among the pioneers.

Soon after the settlement of the township John Miner located east of Mounts' Creek, and after a number of years of residence in that place was found dead on the hills near his farm, where he had gone for chestunts. When discovered he was sitting up- right against a tree. His only child was John Miner, born Nov. 30, 1798, and who lived on the farm until his death, May 14, 1877. He was one of the old-time justices of the peace, and a connecting link between the past and the present. Farther south the Kell farm was improved by Henry Zimmerman, from whom it passed to Gustavus Kell. Still farther south on the township line a family by the name of Butter- more made some of the early improvements, some of which are in Connellsville township, but none of that name remain in that locality. Numerous changes in the ownership of lands have taken place, and many of those who bore the brunt of opening homes in the wilds of the semi-mountainous country sought new homes in the great West, where they had to repeat the experiences of their pioneer lives. In 1823, after

John Washabaugh came from Somerset County to the final division of the township (Connellsville Bullskin about 1815, settling at the base of Chestnut having been set off the year before), there were living in Bullskin the following property-owners, with occu- pations as indicated opposite their names : Ridge. He had sons named Joseph, Henry, Thomas, David, William, and Washington, the latter yet being a resident of the Green Lick Valley. Patrick Adair, tailor. Philip Ba-h, farmer.

Thomas Atkinson, farmer.

Jesse Atkinson, old man.

John Allender, stone-mason.

William Austram, blacksmith. William Andrews, farmer.

Ilenry Crossman, cabinet- maker.

Frederick Blueher,

Jacob Batler,

John Culler, farmer.

Joseph Brooks,

Adam Culler, laborer.

Abraham Baldwin, owner of saw - mill.

John Craig, farmer. Thomas Collins, laborer.

George Biddle, gunsmith.

Ilugh Bodle, laborer.

Robert Cunningham, laborer.

Johu Clair, farmer.

Win. Craig, masou.

Walter Doncan, agent.

James Delpha, carpenter.

Adam Denin, blacksmith.

John B. Droxel, saw-mill.

IIenry Etling, farmer.

Abraham Echard, shoemaker.

Casper Etling, laborer.

Jacob Eshelman, carding-ma- chine aud oil-mill.

Frank Etling, laborer.

Abraham Freed, farmer. Henry Freed,

Robert Bash, farmer.

Thomas Boyd, coal-bank and saw-mill.

Walter Brown, laborer.

John Coughenour, laborer.

Wm. Cunningham, "

Israel Bigelow, "

Thomas Brooks, farmer.

Jacob Butler, Jr., "

George Bauders,

Joseph Butler, Jaborer. Israel Bigelow, Jr., laborer. Samuel Bauders, William Burnham,

Jacob Barclay,

Daniel Bryan, weaver. George Brothers, cooper. David Bechtold, laborer.

William Butler, 4

491

BULLSKIN TOWNSHIP.

Thomas Flemming, farmer. Jacob Frecd,

John Flack, Sr.,

John Flack, Jr., saw-mill.

John Freed, farmer.

Peter Freed, saw-mill. Jacob Funk, farmer. Martin Garver, "

George Garver, shoemaker.

William Gibbons, teacher.

William Gault, weaver.

James Gray, laborer. Juhn Huey, millwright. John Harstone, farmer.

Abra'm Harstone, shoemaker. John Harstone, Sr., old man. John Hutchinson, farmer.

J. Highlands, cabinet-maker. II. Harbaugh, basket-maker. Abram Harbaugh, laborer. Richard ITerbert, farmer. John Hargraves, laborer. Charles Ilill, blacksmith. Robert Iluey, constable. John IIney, farmer. Robert Huey, " James Haney, laborer. William Jarvis, teacher. Arthur Jarvis, miner. David Jenner, collier. David King, wagon-maker. John Kielwell, collier.

Joseph Kitbeart, grist-mill. William Kerr, laborer. Martin Krider, farmer. Joseph Kenear,

Joseph Long, miller. Jacub Long, farmer. John Lane, Daniel Laughery, laborer. Joseph Laughery,

William Laughery, "

David Lindsey, teacher. John Lobengier, grist-mill. Samuel Latta, farmer. Abraham Leatherman, farmer. Presley Carr Lane, "

Richard W. Lane, Martin Myers,

John Miner, distillery.

John Miner, Jr., blacksmith. Isaac Meason, furnace and grist-mill.

William L. Miller, iron-master. Jacob Miller, carpenter.

Cornelius Miller, "

John McLenen, wagoner. John Martin, farmer. Henry Martin, shoemaker. Thomas Meason, laborer.

Samuel Mcintyre, "

William MeKelvey, " John McNalty,

Jonathan Newmeyer, farmer.

David Newmeyer, «

Samuel Newmeyer,

Peter Newmeyer, farmer. Abraham Newmeyer, farmer. Martin Newmeyer, tailor. John Peppitt, Sr., farmer. Joba Peppitt, Jr., wagoner. Allen Peppitt, farmer. Robert Reed, laborer. Aaron Reed, .

Christian Reist, farmer. Rufus Ruffeoth, laborer.

Daniel Rogers, "

James Rogers, ironmaster. Edward Reeder, clerk.

John Reed, carpenter. John Rist, farmer. Andrew Robertson, farmer. John Robertson, William Robertson, James Robertson,

John Robison,

Simon Roughcorn, laborer.

John Rice, farmer.

Joseph Rice, "

Beaj. Shallenharger, farmer. David Shallenbarger, "

Abra'm Sballenbarger, "

Henry Shallenbarger, cabinet- maker.

Jacob Shallenbarger, tan-yard Martin Stephenson, gentle- man. John Shank, farmer. John Stauffer, “

Barbara Stauffer, widow.

Nathan Shaw, sawyer.

David Shallenbarger, gun- smith.

Eleanor Swink, widow. David Swink, laborer.

Elias Swink,

John Stonecker, Sr., mill- wright.

John Smutz, farmer.

Jacob Smutz, gunsmith.

Joseph Smutz, laborer.

John Stonecker, Jr., miller.

Adam Stonecker, grist- and saw-mill.

Jacob Swink, farmer. Jacob Strickler, "

George Sechman, saw-mill.

Jacob Shank, farmer. Peter Shafer,

George Swink, sboemaker. Juha Shape, saw-mill.

William Spears, farmer.

William Sowers, "

David Sowers, Joseph Sterne,

Joho Stonecker, potter. John Shallenharger, farmer. Jesse Taylor, stone-mason. Andrew Trapp, farmer.

Nathan Thomas,

Alexander Thomas, farmer. Jacob Tinsman, grist mill.

John Taylor, farmer.

Aaron Thorpe, “ George Ullrey, blacksmith.

John Van Orden, farmer. Benjamin Whaley, " Stewart H. Whitehill, farmer. Henry White, Sr., saw- and grist mill.

David White, farmer.

John Washington, farmer.

George Washington, «

William Yates, "

Francis Walker, 66

Charles Walker, wagoner.

Jacob Wieland, farmer. Benjamin Wieland, wagoner. Thomas Walker, stone-innson. Abraham Wolfe, laborer. James Woods, farmer. Nathan Wright, fulling-mill. Asher Walker, farmer. Abraham Whitmore, farmer. Jacob Welchouse, miller. John Yates, laborer.

John Yates, Jr., laborer. Heory Zimmerman, farmer.

In 1830 the population was 1231 ; fifty years later, in 1880, the population had increased to 2731.

CIVIL ORGANIZATION.

As originally organized by the Court of Quarter Sessions at the March term, 1784, Bullskin embraced within its limits the present townships of Salt Lick, Connellsville, Springfield, and a part of Stewart. The order defining its bounds was as follows :

" A township beginning at the Broad Ford on the Youghiogheny River ; thence by the line of Tyrone township to the crossing of Jacob's Creek ; thence up Jacob's Creek to Cherry's mill ; thence by the road to Jones' mill to the line of Bedford County ;1 thence by the same to the Youghiogheny River; thence down the same to the place of beginning. To be known by the name of Bullskin township."

Until this time the territory was, for civil purposes, a part of Donegal township, now wholly in West- moreland County. It does not appear that a good reason exists why the name Bullskin was bestowed upon the new township, but there is a tradition that some of the early settlers from Virginia selected it to commemorate the place of their nativity in that State. Another account says that one of the pioneers north of the Youghiogheny killed an animal of the bovine species of such extraordinary size that its skin, he claimed, in a spirit of braggadocio, would have cov- ered the entire country. From this circumstance the name was applied to that neighborhood, and later to the new township. Attempts have been made to change the appellation, but without noteworthy suc- cess, and the term, though not greatly in favor with the people, will probably ever be retained to designate this divison of the county.

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 Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 111

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885 Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1314

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1314