History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 120

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 120

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William Salters. His wife was Miss Fanny Meason, daughter of John Meason, a brother of Col. Isaac. Salters appears to have been a jovial and joke-loving man. This story is told of him : While traveling in the West, as Ohio was then called, he halted for the night at a small village inn. Hearing that some strange preacher was to do missionary service in the town school-house, to while away the time he con- cluded to go and hear the preaching. On entering the house, great was his surprise to see in the preacher " Pete" Stillwagon, a noted character of Connells- ville. Though equally surprised to see Salters, "Pete" maintained his position undauntedly, and spoke quite energetically. At the close he announced that " Brother Salters" would now take his hat around for their offerings. "Brother Salters" did as he was desired, and took up the collection. On leaving the house "Pete" begged Salters not to betray him, which, of course, after his part in the matter, Salters did not.

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, a curtain and worked by wires. One of the opera- tors possessed some power of ventriloquism, and delighted the audienee immensely."

Salters (who was sheriff of Fayette County one term) left here and went to the iron regions of Ohio, where he became wealthy, and lived till within a few years. James MeKee, his successor, died in the house. Of the building oeeupying the lot on the corner of Front and Ferry Streets, south of Ferry, it is said that at an early day of the village, Adam Diekey, James Myers, and Richard Weaver were its landlords. The first man of whom there are any personal recollections was John Campbell, an Irishman. IIe was spoken of as a very passionate man. He had an old negro servant, called Pompey, who often felt the effects of his rage in kicks and cuffs. At last Pompey suddenly disappeared, and some believed that he was the victim of his master's violent temper. Some years subsequently the bones of a min were washed out from the sandy shore below the town that were supposed to be his. Campbell was here as early as 1817 ; he must have left about 1821. For a proper understanding of his residence here and also that of Andrew Byers it must be stated that both occupied not only this house, but the house on the opposite eorner, where the post-office is now kept.

Andrew Byers, the next occupant of this house as landlord, was widely known. His son Andrew mar- ried Miss Phillips, of Uniontown. She was the sister of John W. and Howell Phillips, who married the two daughters (Margaret and Eliza) of Zachariah Connell, of Connellsville. His daughter Martha was married to Joseph Miller, a brother of Col. Wm. L. Miller, at one time a prominent business man. The next occupant of the house was David Barnes, who after several years' residence died in the house. He was the father of a large family, most of whom are still living,-Hamilton (a son of his) represented Somer- set County in the State Senate; William is a minis- ter in the Baptist Church ; David is employed in the office of the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad, Con- nellsville; Ellis is in business in Connellsville. The last in this line in this public-house was John Dou- gan. He was married to a daughter of Thomas Gregg, one of the earliest business mien of the county. Dou- gan occupied the house in 1837. On the opposite corner of Front and Ferry Streets, north of Ferry, Caleb Squibb was an early landlord. He was also en- gaged in manufacturing salt on Sewickley Creek, where he owned property. He died about 1820. He had a large family of children. His daughter Ann married Thomas Walker; Jane and Emily married two men of Westmoreland County named Greenawalt ; Martha married S. MeCune, of Allegheny County. One was married to a Whaley, another to John Rogers, nephew of Daniel Rogers. His sons William and Caleb went West. Eliza never married. Andrew Byers and John Campbell, already spoken of, were his early successors in the house. The next and last in this house as a landlord was John Rogers, son-in-

law of Caleb Squibb. He was in the business not more than a year. His danghter Mary married her cousin, Thomas Rogers, and now lives in Morgantown, W. Va.

In 1830, Joseph Keepes was in the place that Maj. James Rogers once occupied. He had not been here more than one year when he died. The house then became a private dwelling for a few years. After this John Dougan, already spoken of, occupied the stone part as landlord. His occupancy here was about 1837. For a few years after this, the building was used as a private dwelling by Thomas Foster, propri- etor of the woolen-mill. The next landlord was Wm. R. Turner, a saddler by trade. His father was a sol- dier of the Revolutionary war, and in his later years taught school in Connellsville. He was a man of some culture and a surveyor. He kept his compass and chain, and made plats of land in the neighborhood. Wm. R. Turner lived here about 1846. It is not easy to fix the time or date of occupancy of several per- sons who come in as his successors,-Joseph Cramer for about two years ; David L. Walker, subsequently elected sheriff of Fayette County ; George Fonst, for many years in the same line in Connellsville ; Silas White, a descendant of one of the early settlers and artisans of the town; James H. White, brother of Silas, and largely connected with the bridge enterprises of the place. D. L. Walker came in for a second term, then Joseph Loon, a son of Michael Loon, who lived in Connellsville. For the last twenty years Thomas Giles has owned and occupied the house for the same purpose. He was a stone-mason by trade. Being a man of energy and determination, and har- ing a large family to support, he was never at a loss when one enterprise failed to pay to turn to some other. He has at different periods carried on shoemaking, harness-making, ehair-making, and painting. In the present residence of G. A. Torrance, D. L. Walker kept a hotel here at the time he was elected sheriff. His brother, Noah Walker, took charge of the house for some time after him.

In 1816 there was an abandoned rolling-mill on the river-bank, in which Thomas Gregg had been con- cerned. Gregg lived in New Haven, and first and last was a man of some note and many enterprises, al- though at no time especially fortunate in their prose- cution. Gregg's prevailing weakness was an ambition to invent, and it is said he did invent a good many useful and valuable things, but somehow others than himself ultimately reaped the benefits of his inven- tions. Among other things it is claimed that he was the first to fashion a model upon which Eriesson con- ceived the monitors used in the United States navy during the war of 1861-65, and that he actually pat- ented his invention. If so, however, he made no at- tempt to enforce the claim thus obtained. It is said also that he invented the hot-blast stove now in eom- mon use by iron furnaces, but this, like his monitor invention, never accrued to his benefit.

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

In 1823. Col. William Miller built the present dam and operated a grist-mill on the river. Shortly after that date Thomas Foster put up a woolen factory near Miller's mill, and employed as many as thirty people in the manufacture of cassinettes, jeans, and cloths. In 1835 the woolen-factory and grist-mill were burned. Just below Foster's woolen-mill, Col. Miller built a paper-mill. He made writing-paper by the exceed- ingly slow process of moulding one sheet at a time. He had sometimes as many as twenty-five persons in his employ making paper. Fire destroyed the paper- mill as also the grist-mill. The ruins of the former may yet be seen. A steam grist-mill was built by Joseph Strickler in 1840, but that is now abandoned. There is now at the village a grist-mill driven by water-power ; Kaine & Long are the owners.

In 1836, Thomas Foster replaced his burned woolen- factory with a much larger one, equipped it with valuable machinery, gathered a force of nearly one hundred work-people, and started what was then con- sidered an exceedingly important business enterprise. He made blankets, woolen cloths, ete., and for a time did a large and apparently successful business. The success, however, was but temporary, and the end was disaster for Foster. A Mr. Blucher, who succeeded him, likewise failed, as did a Mr. Hill, who continued the enterprise after Blucher's failure. During the war of 1861-65, Orth Brothers controlled the prop- erty, and with a force of fully one hundred and fifty hands they pushed their business briskly night and day in the manufacture of army cloths. They en- larged the factory; and while their business lasted made of New Haven a bright and bustling village. Like their predecessors, however, they were doomed to disaster. The close of the war found them with an enormous stock of. manufactured cloths on hand, and under the depression in prices they went down. The property lay idle until April, 1871, when J. Y. Smith , short distance above and near the place where the & Co. fitted it with machinery for the manufacture of light locomotives, and called it the National Locomo- tive-Works. For a time they were full of business and worked upwards of a hundred men. They sold to Bailey & Dawson, and they to William H. Bailey. The latter failed to make the venture pay, and gave it up in 1878. It was a most disastrous ending of his en- terprise. For some time previous to his failure he appeared to be thriving to a most extraordinary de- gree. Two hundred employés were constantly at work night and day, and the prosperity visited upon the business interests of the village by this activity was such as seemed to gratify and encourage every one. Confidence was almost unlimited. When the crash came, and disclosed a failure to the amount of On the east side of Front Street, above this, was a row of frame buildings ; in the first were manufactured by hand small headed taeks by the White family, about 8400,000, the village was staggered, and for a little while well-nigh paralyzed, for thousands of dol- lars were due to employés, store-keepers, mechanics, ' who also lived in this row ; also Samuel Sly, a saddler, and Thomas Gregg. The last house was occupied by Col. W. L. Miller, who was married to a daughter of

are quite extensive, having a frontage of fifty feet, and a depth of two hundred and forty. The property is now owned by the National Bank of Commerce of Pittsburglı.

New Haven as it appeared sixty years ago is thus described by Mr. Mellvaine, its oldest inhabitant. He says, Commencing at the north side of Bridge and east of Front Street, all was an open common on the river-bank except the lot north side and adjoining Trader's Alley, which was inclosed by a high tight fence, and was occupied by the residence of Adam Wilson. Mr. Wilson was very fond of shrubbery, fruit, and flowers, and paid great attention to the cultivation of his garden. To the minds of the young of that time a peep through the fence into his inclosure was like getting a glimpse of the Garden of Eden, but very few ever entered its gate. South of the bridge and east of Front Street, on the river- bank, came first the residence of Isaac Meason. The frame part of this building was used as a store-room. I will here relate a little circumstance showing the kindness of the Meason family. A cart-load of ripe peaches was hauled down from Mount Braddock and emptied nut on a spare floor, and the villagers invited to come and take what they wanted, which they gladly did. The next building south of this was a frame building, being the residence of Jacob Weaver, who was married to a sister of Daniel Rogers. The cor- ner room north was used by Mr. Weaver for mer- chandising. This house was subsequently torn down, and the present building ereeted by G. J. Ashmun in its place. Above this and near the bank of the river was an air furnace, which was in operation when my father came to town, and possibly a few years later. The ruins of the rolling-mill and the shore part of the grist-mill dam built by Thomas Gregg were a

present mill stands. The mill stood until about 1815- ' 16. The large iron rollers, wheels, and frame of the rolling-mill were there till removed by Col. Miller when about to rebuild in 1823 or 1824. Mr. Gregg was a man of considerable enterprise as well as of mechanical ingenuity, being doubtless the original conceiver of the idea of clothing war vessels with iron ; a model of this kind was placed in the Patent Office at an early day. He also had the idea of the hot blast for furnaces, and experimented on its efficiency in a small way. He had a stack erected west of town to test its power, as also a copper-plate engraving of the plan and course of draft. He was one of the par- ties engaged in the Connellsville Bank enterprise.

and others. In short, the village had leaned upon Bailey, and when he fell it brought a general ca- lamity. Since then the works have been idle. They ' Col. Torrance, who lived about three miles west of

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town. Col. Miller was a man of great business enter- prise. He built the present dam about the year 1824, also a grist-mill, saw-mill, and a small establishment for earding and preparing wool for country looms. These were all burned down in the year 1836. Mr. Miller was also variously engaged in the iron busi- ness.

He was elected from Fayette County as one of the delegates to amend the Constitution in 1837-38. In connection with this, the story is told that he went to the negro voters and asked for their support, and stating that it would be the last time he would solicit their patronage ; being elected, he favored the amend- ment that deprived them of a vote. This was vouched for by Enos Mitchel, who afterwards complained of the joke. This same Mitchel was probably the last slave who obtained his freedom in New Haven; he belonged to Isaac Meason, and was freed in 1824 on attaining the twenty-eighth year of his age; he died in 1866; he was the father of Baily Mitchel, the well- known and enterprising knight of the razor.

Crossing to the west side of Front Street, and nearly opposite to the present mill of Kaine & Long, was the first dwelling-house on the southern limits of the town, on the west side of Front Street; this was known as the Salter House. The next house north was the residence of Andrew Dempy, a long one-story structure; the upper end was used as a store-room, and had a projecting window of a circular form, He at several different periods engaged in general mer- chandising ; at one time he occupied in this way the south corner (the frame part) of Mr. Meason's build- ing ; his house was at the point where Second Street runs into Front by a sharp angle, and facing Second Street on its western side, near the late residence of George Nickel. From that house there was no build- ing on the west side until the corner of Ferry and Second Streets. On this corner was a two-story log · house, by whom occupied at that time I do not know. It was subsequently used as a blacksmith- and cooper- shop, and was at last burnt down. Continuing north and across Ferry Street, on Ferry near the eastern corner of Second Street, west side, was a story and a half house, lived in by Henry Beason, a wagon-maker, and Matthew McCoy, a cooper, severally about this time. Below this, on the eastern corner, west of Second Street and Trader's Alley, on the south side, was the residence of Stephen Fairchild, already spoken of; across from this, on the eastern side of Second Street, and corner of Trader's Alley, north, was a two-story frame house, lived in severally by James Collins, the father of Col. John Collins, a well-known and respec- ted citizen of Uniontown. It was also lived in about this time by Capt. David Cummings, a soldier of the war of 1812, and who also represented Fayette County in the Legislature at Harrisburg; and, strange as it may appear at this period of time, and the popular estimation of our common school law, he was defeated at a second election on account of his advocacy of a

public school system. It was related of him that up to the time of his death in 1846 he carried a bullet in his shoulder received in the service of his country. He was the father of a large family. His son, Dr. James Cummings, was a successful prac- titioner in Connellsville for years up to the time of his death ; his son David was one of the victims of the Mexican massacre at the Alamo; his two sons, Jonathan and John Andrew, served in the Texan war of independence. John Andrew also served in the war between the United States and Mexico. Gen. Galoway, of Connellsville, married one of his daugli- ters.

Below this house, on Second Street, there was but one more house. It faced Second Street east, and was occupied by John Wining, a boat-builder and miller, and also, near this period, by Daniel Butler. The trestle-work of the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad now crosses where the house stood, which was re- moved to give room for it. All below this, to the river and Third Street, was an open common. I should have mentioned in the proper place that west of Second Street, on Trader's Alley, north side, there was a frame house, lived in by Patrick Fox. The house is now owned by Mrs. Eva Johnston.

Returning to Front Street, on a line running east with the last house was the home of my father, a frame house. From this to Trader's Alley was open ground, save a small building between Front and Second Streets, on the north side of the alley, where Oliver Sprowl taught school a few years later. On the northwest corner of Front Street and Trader's Alley, facing east, lived Henry Nash. On the ad- joining lot south lived Dr. R. D. Moore, and the next lot was the property of Caleb Squibb, the corner building being used as a hotel by Andrew Byers. Crossing Ferry Street, on the corner of Ferry and Front Streets, was also a hotel and silversmith-shop. The shop was occupied by Matthew Kilpatrick, and the hotel by John Campbell. Above this was the store-room of Phineas Rogers. Another small house on the triangle completed the town. Below, and now outside the borough limits, was a tannery, but not in operation. The tannery was operated by John Fell, a local Methodist preacher. Ilis wife was the sister of Isaac and George Meason. This open common north of the town served in a large measure to pas- ture the town cows, and was frequently made the ·place for the annual training of the organized military companies of the county, as well as the militia of one- half of the county. These annual trainings were great gala days at that time, the country people for miles all around attending, men, women, and children, who were not slow to feast on the gingerbread and small beer that was amply supplied at the various stalls.

I will conclude by some observations on the general business relations of the town. At this period the building of flat-boats, as they were called, was an im- portant item in the business of the place. The men

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

most generally engaged in this enterprise were Col. William L. Miller, Joseph Miller, his brother, John Wining, who was married to Sallie- Morrison, a step- sister of the Millers, Uriah Springer, Jr., and his brother, Crawford, Christopher Taylor, and some other casual assistants. The mode of preparing the "gun- nels" was rather primitive as well as laborious, After the fallen tree was squared by hewing with a broad- axe, it was hauled to the bank of the river and placed, near one end, over a pit dug some eight or nine feet deep, then with a whip-saw, one man standing above on the gunnel, and another below in this pit, this gunnel was sawed the entire length in equal halves, moving the log as the sawing progressed. After framing and putting on the bottom two long skids or logs of wood extended from the bank to the water's edge, and on these the boat was launched into the river, where it was sided up. I should have previ- ously stated that the boat was turned by means of upright timbers, with holes and iron pins to secure the raising advantage by means of levers.

These boats were used for freighting down the river large piles of pig-metal that was accumulated on the bank during the low stage of the river ; whisky, flour, and hollow iron-ware were sometimes sent off in this way. Sometimes a keel-hoat was pushed, by means of pike-poles, from Pittsburgh up, laden with merchan- dise.

Among the early merchants may be mentioned Phineas Rogers, Isaac Meason, Andrew Dempsey, Jacob Weaver, and Samnel G. Wurts. At a period suc- ceeding these we find Robert Wilkinson, Robert Alexander, and John Bolton. Succeeding these were Thomas Rogers, George J. Ashmun, Thomas Foster, Anthony Hill & Co., Blucher & Co., R. MeQuesten, Overholt & Co., McCallum & Co., G. A. & T. R. Tor- rance, C. Smutz, G. A. Torrance, Mrs. Whitely, These all dealt more or less in general merchandise. More especially in grains we have had John Wrigley, Noah Walker, John Somers, Silas White, and S. G. Smutz. In the drug line no effort of much consequence was made until 1833, when I entered the business, and continued for nearly twenty-five years; at one time I associated groceries with the drugs. I sold out to Daniel Chisholm, who was succeeded by G. H. Ma- thiott, the present proprietor at the post-office corner.

The paper-mill, built about the year 1829, at one : time did a considerable business in the old slow pro- cess of moulding a single sheet of paper by hand at a. time. The building was subsequently used as a car- penter-shop, and was in use as a cooper-shop at the time it was burnt down, in 1874. The present grist- mill was built in 1848, the steam-mill on Second Street about ten years previously, and which was abandoned on completing the river mill. The mill, woolen-factory, etc., built by Col. Miller was burnt down in May, 1836. The woolen-mnill, subsequently converted into the locomotive-works, was built by Thomas Foster in 1836.

NEW HAVEN'S PHYSICIANS.1

In 1815, Dr. Robert Wright was living in the town, but it does not appear that he engaged in regular practice, and he was found mentioned as a school- master before 1820. He was married to Elizabeth Byers, a daughter of Andrew Byers, one of the early landlords. Dr. Wright was here as late as 1833, when he left. Contemporaneous with him from 1815 to about 1828 was Stephen Fairchild, who claimed to be an Indian doctor. He made the cure of cancers a specialty. He was sometimes absent for several days, being called away for the treatment of cancer. He carried on the business of shoemaking at the same time. He lived in the house now remodeled and oc- cupied by Hugh Cameron on Second Street.

About 1818, Dr. Robert D. Moore lived on Front Street, across from the machine-shop. He remained probably not more than one year, when he moved to Connellsville, on Water Street, and lived in a house on the lot now occupied by the Byerly family. He was considered a good physician, and was social in his habits. His wife belonged to the Gibson family. She was an enthusiastic Methodist in religion, and sometimes gave vent to her feelings in shouts of Di- vine praise. Dr. Moore died in 1829.

The next resident physician in New Haven was Dr. Joseph Rogers, in the year 1825. He was the son of James Rogers, a brother of Daniel Rogers, well known to many. He continued here for about three years, when he married Miss Betsey Johnson, a daughter of Alexander Johnson, of Connellsville, and engaged in the iron business for some time. He finally settled on a farm in Springfield township, where he engaged in other enterprises and practiced at his profession until near his death. He was very easy and mild in his address, and much esteemed as a physician. His office in New Haven was a small building at the north end of the larger buildings on what was known as the Russell property, now owned by D. Kaine, Esq.

Dr. Joseph Trevor started in practice in 1829. He belonged to an English family who were ohl residents of Connellsville. He lived in the stone part of what is now the Giles House. About this time he also en- gaged in the manufacture of woolen goods in part- nership with Thomas Foster. He married a Miss Breading, of Brownsville. As a practitioner he was respectable in his profession. He moved to Pitts- burgh, where he resided for some years, and then migrated to New York City.

In 1835, Dr. Rufus Davenport came to New Haven and commenced practice. He continued here some two years, bought the lot of ground now lived on by Baily Mitchel, dug a cellar on Front Street, walled it up, and then suspended further work. He was con- sidered a good and reliable physician. Dr. Joshua Gibson Rogers commenced practice about 1839. He was the son of Joseph Rogers, a brother of Daniel and

1 By R A. M. Ilvalue.

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DUNBAR TOWNSHIP.

James, already referred to. He continued here at intervals up to 1864. He was considered a well- read, intelligent, and successful physician. He went from here to Dunbar, and lived in the family of Jo- seph Paull, who was married to his sister. A few years after this he went to Florida to engage in the raising of oranges, where he soon died. He was social in his habits and lived a bachelor.

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History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 120

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