History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 138

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 138

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TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND OFFICERS.

Henry Clay township was organized in 1824. It was taken from Wharton, and included at that time the territory now occupied by Henry Clay, a portion of Stewart, and a small portion of Wharton. A por- tion was set off Nov. 17, 1855, to help form Stewart, and a small portion-a strip less than one-quarter of a mile broad-was set off in 1872, along the Whar- ton line, to Wharton. John O'Hegarty and Harvey Morris were appointed commissioners to run the line setting off this portion to Wharton, and they em- ployed Martin Dixon as surveyor. The cause for it was the complaint of Zar Hart and others asking to be set off to Wharton, as Wharton schools were near, and Henry Clay schools at too great a distance from them. Before this new line was run, in 1853, a peti- tion was presented for a view of Clay and Whartou line. John I. Dorsey, John F. Foster, and Robert McDowell were appointed viewers. The report was made, renewed, and reissued, and report made and approved March 27, 1854. The review was granted, and J. N. H. Patrick, James Robinson, and Hugh Graham appointed viewers. Their alteration and changing of lines was approved June, 1854, and con- firmed Oct. 30, 1854.

No township records can be found prior to 1842, and those fouud afford only a partial record of town- ship officers, as follows :

1824 .- Constable, Levi Rush, appointed.

1825 .- Constable, Levi Rush : Overseer of the Poor, John Grif- fin ; Road Supervisors, John Conaway and John R. Burn- worth.

1826 .- Constable, Levi Rush ; Auditors, Jacob Fike, John Grif- fin; Road Supervisors, John Burnworth, Charles Kemp.

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HENRY CLAY TOWNSHIP.

1827 .- Constable, John Cunuway ; Auditors, Levi Rush, Daniel Show, John Bolen, John Burnworth ; Road Supervisor, A. Thomas.

1828 .- Constable, John Connwny ; John Burnworth, deputy. 1829 .- Constable, George Burnworth ; Auditors, S. Tissue, James Gooden ; Clerk, Joseph Adunson.

1830 .- Constable, William Tissue; Auditors, T. Brow, T. Stan- ton, Charles Rush, P. Rush; Rond Supervisors, Charles Kemp, Sebastian Tissne; Clerk, Joseph Adunson.

1831 .- Constable, William Tissue; Auditors, J. Ilinebangh, John Burnworth; Supervisor, Jacob Must; Clerk, Nicho- las Bradley.

1832 .- Constable, William Tissue ; Supervisor, II. Show ; Andi- tors, J. Vansickle, J. Myers, W. Ebert, Daniel Conaway ; Clerk, James Gooden.

1833 .- Constable, William Tissue; Auditors, J. Vansickle, J. Burnworth, John Kemp, Samuel Rush ; Supervisor, S. Tissue; Clerk, Joseph Adanson.

1834 .- Constable, William Tissue ; Auditors, W. Ebert, S. Rush, James Watson, M. Thomas; Supervisors, P. Rush, J. McGlaughlin ; Clerk, - Adanson ; School Inspectors, Daniel Collier, Thomas J. Miller.

1835 .- Constable, W. Tissue; Auditors, L. Rush, J. Vansickle, John Myers; School Inspectors, J. R. Burnworth, John Kemp.

1836 .- Constable, W. Tissue; Supervisor, S. Shipley ; Auditor, N. Bradley ; Clerk, H. Show.

1837 .- Constable, W. Tissue; Supervisors, S. Rush, Stephen Stuck, W. Griffin, Ephraim Vansickle; Auditors, J. Len- hart, L. Rush, James McGlaughlin, Andrew Umbel; Clerk, H. Show ; School Inspectors, Charles Kemp, John Easter, James Gooden.

1838 .- Constable, William Tissue; Auditors, John Buruworth, H. Show ; Supervisors, S. Stuck, S. Tissue, S. Rush ; Clerk, H. Show ; School Directors, John Baker, John Burn- worth, Andrew Umbel, Peter Rush, James Gooden.

1839 .- Constables, W. Tissue, John Vansickle ; Auditors, John Burnworth, HI. Show ; Supervisors, Israel Parnell, A. Glover,

J. Conaway ; School Directors, H. Show, J. R. Burnwurth,

J. Umbel, D. Conaway ; Clerk, H. Show.

1840 .- Constable, Jolin Vansickle; Auditors, John Easter, Sam- uel Rush, Julius Kemp, John R. Burnworth ; School Di- rectors, W. Show, G. Morrison, J. R. Burnworth ; Justices of the Peace, Samuel Shipley, William Tissue.

1841 .- Constable, John Vansickle; School Directors, John W. Easter, S. Shipley, R. Brown; Clerk, John W. Easter; Auditor, S. Shipley.

1842 .- Auditors, John Easter, Jr., S. Rush, S. Shipley ; Clerk, John Easter; Supervisors, Israel Parnell, llenry Yother. 1843 to 1856 .- No record.

1856 .- Auditors, P. Lenhart, John H. Steele, L. Hall. 1857 .- No record.

1858 .- Auditors, L. Hall, D. Bradley, W. Show ; Clerk, J. W. Lancaster; School Directors, John W. Lancaster, presi- dent, J. Vansickle, secretary, J. J. Easter, Clark Flanigan, J. Reiber.

1859 .- Auditors, same as 1858 ; School Directors, J. Lancaster, John Reiber, John Markley, John Euster, Thomas Brown- field, C. Flanigan.

1860 .- Auditors, L. Hall, J. W. Easter, J. W. Lancuster ; School Directors, A. Boyd, J. Reiber, T. Brownfield, J. Easter.

1861 .- Auditors, same as 1860; school directors, same as 1860, and no schools taught.

1862 .- Auditors, J. Humbertson, J. Enster, R. Umbel; Clerk, J. W. Lancaster; School Directors, Daniel Bradley, presi-

dent, J. Lancaster, secretary, J. Reiber, treasurer, C. Glover, A. Boyd.

1863 .- Auditors, same us 1862; School Directors, Ziba Burn- worth, president, J. Lancaster, secretary, C. Glover.

1864 .- Auditors, M. T. Umbel, P. Clister, D. Bradley ; Clerk,

S. P. Luneaster; School Directors, Z. Burnworth, presi- dent, J. Lancaster, secretary, Gabriel Secse, Charles Glover, J. Lancuster.

1865 .- Auditors, same as 1864; School Directors, John Barnes, president, J. Lancaster, secretary, Z. Burnworth, treasurer, G. Seese, Charles Glover.

1866 .- Auditors, M. T. Umbel, A. Umbel, J. Barnes; Clerk, S. P. Lancaster; School Directors, G. Seese, J. Lancaster, M. Sumey, W. S. Glover, Daniel Umbel, John Barnes.

1867 .- Auditors, same as 1866; School Directors, W. S. Glover, Daniel Umbel, J. Lancaster, A. J. Umbel, M. Sumey.

1868 .- Anditors, no record ; Justice of the Pence, J. W. Lan- easter ; School Directors, D. Umbel, president, L. L. Clary, secretary, A. J. Umbel, treas., J. O'Hegarty, J. J. Easter. 1869 .- Auditors, Daniel Bradley, John Barnes, J. J. Easter; Clerk, S. P. Lancaster ; School Directors, J. J. Easter, president, Dr. Switzer, secretary, A. J. Umbel, treasurer, W. Hinchaugh.

1870 .- Auditors, same as 1869 ; School Directors, M. C. Thomas, president, Dr. Switzer, secretary, J. J. Easter, J. Shipley, J. Easter, A. Glover.

1871 .- Auditors, Andrew Umbel, Daniel Bradley, J. J. Enster, J. Conaway, clerk ; School Directors, G. J. Thomas, presi- dent, Dr. Switzer, secretary, J. J. Easter, W. Hincbaugh, M. C. Thomas.

1872 .- Auditors, same as 1869 ; School Directors, G. J. Thomas, president, Dr. Switzer, secretary, J. J. Easter, John Cona- way, M. C. Thomas, W. Ilincbaugh.

1873 .- Anditors, John Barnes, J. P. Barnes, S. P. Luncuster, clerk ; School Directors, John Conaway, president, J. J. Easter, secretary, G. J. Thomas, treasurer, W. llinebaugh, A. J. Umbel.

1874 .- Auditors, same as 1873; School Directors, W. ITine- baugh, William Uoibel, president, John Conaway, secre- tary, Elisha Leighty, William Reckner.

1875 .- Auditors, no record ; School Directors, W. Umbel, presi- dent, Jobn Conaway, secretary, Joseph Reckner, A. J. Um- bel, E. Leigbty.

1876 .- Auditors, M. R. Thomas, J. P. Barnes, J. J. Euster ; S. P. Lancaster, clerk; School Directors, John O'llegarty, president, John Conaway, secretary, W. Glover, treasurer, H. Silbaugh, W. Umbel, E. Leighty.

1877 .- Auditors, M. R. Thomas, J. P. Barnes, Lutellus Davis ; Clerk, S. D. Collins ; School Directors, J. O'llegarty, presi- dent, J. P. Barnes, secretary, A. Moser, treasurer, W. Glo- ver, W. Ilinchaughi, John Conaway.

1878 .- Auditors, same as 1877; School Directors, John O'lleg- arty, president, J. P. Barnes, secretary, J. Conaway, M. R. Thomas, W. Hinebaugh, A. Moser.

1879 .- Auditors, A. J. Vinhel, J. P. Barnes, L. Davis; School Directors, John O'llegarty, president, J. P. Barnes, secre- tary, Charles Lytle, M. R. Thomas.

1880 .- Auditors, A. J. Umbel, W. J. Barnes, S. W. ITall ; Clerk, Clark N. Flanigan ; School Directors, John O'llegarty, president, H. Griffith, secretary, W. Ilincbaugh, M. R. Thomas, Israel Parnell, M. MeClintock.

1881 .- Judge of Election, John Thomas; Inspectors, J. M. Seese, W. Conaway ; Assessor, I. Seese ; Road Supervisors, Samuel Wilson, Amos Tissue, constable; Auditors, H. Hinebaugh, W. J. Barnes, S. W. Hall; Clerk, A. B. Brad- ley ; School Directors, Milton Glover, William Barnes.

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

The following persons have served as justices of the peace :

John Potter, John Lenhart, William Tissue, Jacob Easter, W. W. Show, John H. Steele. John Vansickle, John Markley, John K. Tissue, George Graff, John W. Lancaster, Thomas Browufield, and John Markley and John O'Hegarty, present justices.

JOCKEY VALLEY

is located on the National road, about a mile west of the river (in Hall's Run Valley), and consists of nine houses, one flouring-mill, one store, and one black- 1 smith-shop. A tavern stand on the old Braddock road, kept by Flanigan, was the first house. After the National road was made nearly on the Braddock road other houses were built, and Jacob Probasco in a few years erected a flouring-mill. Upon the decline of the National road, Jockey Valley suffered from the loss of travel, and has gained but slowly since. When the National road was completed there was always to be found at the Flanigan tavern stand one or more horse-jockeys to trade or run races. A race- track was also laid out by James Piper, a merchant of Somerfield, and from these circumstances people got to speaking of the place as " Jockey Valley," and the name remained with the village when it was built. The residents of the place are Daniel Bradley, lumberman ; J. C. Dehaven, mail contractor ; George Smith, blacksmith; H. Hinebaugh, miller; John Conaway, farmer; and John A. Patton, clerk. The taverns were the Flanigan and Vansickle stands, noticed under head of Braddock and National road stands. The flouring-mill was built by Jacob Pro- basco, some time between 1820 and 1825. John Baker succeeded him, then Capt. Thomas Endsley, about 1838, who ran it for several years, and was succeeded by Isaac Vansickle, who sold in 1852 to John Rhoms- berg, who sold to Aden Clary, agent of Lloyd Lownes. Marshall Spurgeon is the present owner.

Jacob Probasco kept the first stock of goods in one room of the Flanigan tavern stand. John Baker next kept in the same room. Aaron Wyatt succeeded him, and next came Aden Clary. After Clary, in 1871, Daniel Bradley occupied the room while building a store-room. After Bradley came O. M. Hatfield, who kept till 1879.

When Aaron Wyatt was keeping store Daniel Bradley and Ephraim Vansickle put a stock of goods in a house now torn down. Vansickle soon retired from the firm, and Bradley kept from 1857 to 1871, when he moved his goods and kept in the Flanigan room till he built a new store-room, into which he moved and kept till 1878. In 1880, Mrs. J. C. Dehaven opened a grocery in one room of her dwelling.

The Southern Methodists hold services regularly in the school-house under the Rev. Simons.

MARKLEYSBURG.

Mason and Dixon's line, is situated the pleasant little village of Markleysburg, laid out by Squire John Markley and named after him. The first house was built in 1860. The town has one principal street, named Main Street, and three back streets. The present residents are Hiram Griffith, merchant ; Hiram Umbel, merchant and postmaster; S. K. Thomas, boarding-house keeper; Joseph Reckner, cabinet-maker; Dr. S. Switzer; Jonas W. Seese, car- penter ; Rev. John Myers ; Adam S. Sell, lumberman ; Mrs. Julia Markley; Mrs. Little; James Cassedy, tinner; Mrs. Brown; F. Thomas, farmer; Watson Gnard, shoemaker ; John Howell, blacksmith ; Squire John Markley; I. D. Seese, laborer; J. W. Seese, undertaker ; C. Thomas, farmer; Moses Chrise, shoe- maker ; Silas Myers, farmer ; John Matthews, teacher.

The only post-office ever established in the town- ship is kept here. Situated on level lands, the village has room to build up into a large town. The Shoe- maker Church stands in the village, and just on its edge is a very large Dunkard Church.

The first store was kept by Philip Myers and Brown, who were succeeded by George Thomas, when the building burnt. A new building was put up on its site, and Hieks & Markley kept in it. They were succeeded by Joseph Reckner. Daniel Umbel then kept in it a while, and moved to the building now used by Reckner as a cabinet-shop, and kept one year; they dissolved partnership, and Reckner kept six years and closed. Sylvanns Thomas, while Reekner was keeping, moved into the room vacated by Reck- ner & Umbel, and kept four years. Marion Arnett opened a store in 1872 in the house now ocenpied by I. D. Seese, as Reckner & Thomas had quit, and kept till 1874. Then, in 1874, H. Griffith built the present store-house, and kept until 1879, when he was snc- ceeded by Hiram Umbel, the present occupant.

Physicians .- In 1862, Dr. Benjamin Feichtner came from West Virginia and located here. He served in the army, and returning at the end of his time formed a partnership with Dr. S. Switzer, from Maryland, who had just returned from the army. Dr. Feieht- ner soon went to Confluence, where he now practices, and Dr. Switzer remains, the only physician in the township, and himself and Dr. Feichtner the only physicians ever in the township.

About one mile and three-quarters from Markleys- burg southwest, on the State line and Henry Clay line, stands a small stone pillar, marking the spot where Maryland and West Virginia join the Pennsyl- vania line.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.

OLD LIBERTY CHURCH

was built about 1812, as a Union church for all de- nominations. It was a log building, and stood near the site of Fairview Church. It was also used as a

About three miles southwest of Jockey Valley, in the southern part of the township, within two miles of school building. Peter T. Laishley and Henry

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HENRY CLAY TOWNSHIP.

Clay Dean preached here. The Methodist Episcopal Church formed a class here about 1825. John Burn- worth, Catherine MeNear, and Job Clark were mem- bers. In 1830, John R. Burnworth and wife became members, and John White preached. In 1852 the church was burned.

FAIRVIEW METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

was built in 1853, near the site of Old Liberty Church. Rev. Patterson Burnworth, Charles, William, and John K. Tissue, Ziba, Lorenzo, and Christopher Burn- worth, Mrs. Isabella Flanigan, Mrs. Sarah Butler, and Mrs. Rhoda Kemp and many others constituted the class. Ministers in charge : A. J Endsley, two years, Joseph Ray, Joseph Horner, Sawhill, J. Mansel, Ezra Hingely, J. MeIntyre, M. M. Eaton, Meachem D. Jordan, S. T. Mitchell, D. J. Davis, Napthali Luc- cock, J. B. Taylor, and J. Murray, present minister.

LUTHERAN CHURCHI.

The Lutherans, about 1845, used Old Liberty Church, and in 1850 built Mount Zion Church, about a mile from Old Liberty Church. John Reiber and wife, J. W. Lancaster and wife, William and Jonathan Close and their wives, and Charles Troutman and others were members organizing the church. It burned down in 1872. They immediately rebuilt, and have a small frame house. It belongs to Addison charge. Ministers in charge, Revs. Failer, who preached in Old Liberty Church, and then in Mount Zion when fin- ished ; M. Snyder, David Tressler, Beaver, P. Geme, 1870; William Triday, 1874; Singler, David Crozer, A. M. Smith, and Andrew Felton, present minister.

GERMAN BAPTIST.

The Thomases, Myerses, and Fikes constituted the first organization of the church at Markleysburg some thirty years ago. In 1880 they built a large church at Markleysburg, seventy-six by forty feet, with a seating capacity for a thousand people. Their min- isters have been Hinebaugh, S. Hazlett, Beeghley, and John Myers, present minister.

THE BRETHREN IN CHRIST,

or Shoemaker Church, built a house of worship in Markleysburg in 1868. George Shoemaker, the founder of the denomination, and his son Joshna, both. from Westmoreland County, preached here, fol- lowed by Samuel Smith, but at present the church

has gone down, and the building is used by ministers of other denominations.

THE SOUTHERN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI organized a branch at Jockey Valley several years ago. Ministers : Markwood, Hazlett, Wolf, and Si- mons.

BURIAL-GROUNDS.

The Leonard graveyard, on the river, is the oldest burial-ground in the township. The Sloan graveyard is supposed to be next in order of age. It is close to Sloan's Ford, and some three miles down the river from the Leonard graveyard. The carly Sloans are buried here, while the old Leonards and Job Clark and the Flanigans are buried at the Leonard grave- yard.

Old Liberty Cemetery is now Fairview Cemetery. It is about sixty years old. Zion Cemetery was laid out in 1850, and the Markleysburg cemetery about 1860, being formerly an old graveyard. There is also an old graveyard near the Flanigan tavern and wagon stand, in Jockey Valley, where John Cona- way, his wife, and others are buried.

SCHOOLS.

The first schools in the township were what was known as pay schools, taught by the quarter, and the teacher boarding around among his patrons. The free schools succeeded them, and have been well sus- tained by the citizens, they taxing themselves from five to seven mills on the dollar to keep their schools running.

The condition of the public schools of Henry Clay, as shown by the county superintendent's annual re- port, made June 7, 1880, is as follows :

Number of districts.

Number of scholars. 279

Average number attending.

157

Average percentage of attendance.

Cost per month of each scholar.

$0.64

Number of mills for school purposes

Total amount of school tax 8976.58

$230.91

Number of school-houses, all frame ..

Number of teachers ( male 4, female 3) ... 7

Amount paid teachers (5 months) .. $770.00

State appropriation.

The following persons have ranked as the leading teachers of the township since 1840: Rev. Patterson Burnworth, Julius Kemp, William Thomas, John Harah, and J. P. Barnes. R. V. Ritenhour and A. C. Holbert, candidates for the county superintendency in 1877, taught their first terms in Henry Clay.

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.

JEFFERSON, one of the richest agricultural town- ships in Fayette County, lies on the Monongahela River, which flows along the western border at the base of an abrupt hilly range, whose value lies in vast deposits of coal, found, indeed, not only along the river but in every part of the township, except per- haps under a small area in the southeast. Jefferson had in June, 1881, a population of 1613, and in Jann- ary, 1881, an assessed valuation of $745,903. The town- ship boundaries are Washington township on the north, Redstone Creek on the south (separating Jefferson from Redstone and Brownsville townships), Perry and Franklin on the east, and the Monongahela on the west, at that point the dividing line between Fayette and Washington Counties. Along the river the sur- face of the country is rough and precipitous, but gen- erally the land is rolling and easy of cultivation. Handsome and well-kept farms, like well-built and tastefully appointed farm homes, are common sights in Jefferson, and as features in a generally attractive landscape invite the pleased attention of the beholder. The interests of Jefferson, except on the river, where coal is mined extensively, are at present purely agri- cultural, although the interest of coal-mining must one day become a general one when railways push their way into the township, as they inevitably must. The Redstone Extension Railroad, now approach- ing completion, follows the course of the Redstone in Jefferson, and will straightway open the rich coal region lying upon and adjacent to its course. Other railway lines are yet to come. The township is watered by numerous small streams, of which the most important is the Little Redstone Creek, that rises in Jefferson and empties into the Monongahela near Fayette City.

There were, doubtless, in the territory now occupied by Jefferson township settlements along and near the river-front as early as 1761; but they were interrupted by Indian incursions that drove the settlers back, and, in a majority of cases, frightened them away permanently. A few returned, however, to their lands, and among these William Jacobs appears to be about the only one of whom there is present knowledge. His land lay at the mouth of the Redstone Creek, but that he took a very active part in improving the country is not clear, since in 1769 he sold the property to Prior Theobald and Lawrence Harrison. In 1777 the same tract came into the possession of Samuel Jackson, and

was his home until his death. Just when Andrew Linn came to the creek is not known, but it was not long after 1761. He tomahawked a claim to lands on both sides of the creek near the mouth, and put in a patch of corn on the Jefferson side, where he also pnt np a cabin. Presently he concluded the Indians were getting altogether too threatening, and, fearing harm might come to him and his family, he hastily fled to the country east of the Alleghenies. He came back in the fall, rightly conjecturing that the danger signs were past, and quite luckily found his corn crop intact and ready for gathering. In April, 1769, he applied to have his land surveyed, and Angust 22d of that year the survey was made. That was the first survey made under the law of 1769 within the pres- ent limits of Fayette Connty. Mr. Linn did not re- ceive the patent for his land until 1787. In view of the fact that this was the first land surveyed in the county, a copy of the patent is given as follows :

"The Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

" To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting : Know ye that in consideration of the sum of thirty-nice pounds, ten shillings and sixpence in lawful money paid by Andrew Lian into the Receiver General's office of this Commonwealth, there is granted hy this Commonwealth unto the said Andrew Linn a certain traet of land called Crab-tree Bottom, situated on the east side of the Monongabela River, on the Great Redstone creek, in Fayette County, beginning at a corner sugar tree of Samuel McCulloch's land; thence by the same and a vacant hill south thirty-five degrees, east sixty-eight and a balf perches, crossing said creek to a buttonwood tree ; thence by said creek south eleven degrees, east one hundred and nine perches and eight-tenths to a buttonwood, south fifty-five degrees, east twenty-nine perches to a small buttonwood; thence across said creek and by vacant hilly land south eighty-seven degrees, east one hundred and sixteen perches to a post ; thence by va- cant hilly land north sixty-five degrees, east sixty-six perches to a sugar tree a corner of Nathan Linn's land ; thence by the same north one degree, west 477% perches, and north 48 de- grees, east 33fg perches to a box-elder tree; thence by vacant land north 53 degrees, west 116 perches to an elm; north twelve degrees, west twenty-four perches to a Spanish oak; thence by vacant land or land of William Jacobs north seventy degrees, west 14912% perches to a box-elder tree, and south 382 degrees, west 707g perches to the place of beginning, contain- ing 2442 acres and allowances of six per cent. for roads, etc., with appurtenances (which said tract was surveyed in pur- suance of an application, No. 2051, entered April 5, 1769, by said Andrew Linn, for whom a warrant of acceptance issued on March 27th last). To bave and to hold the said tract or parcel

614

615

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP.

of land with the appurteoances unto the said Andrew Lynn aod his heirs, to the use of him the said Andrew Lynn, his heirs and assigns forever, free and clear of all restrictions and reservations as to mine royalties, quit-rents, or otherwise, ex- cepting and reserving only the fifth part of all gold and silver ore for the use of this commonwealth, to be delivered at the pit's mouth clear of all charges. In witoess whereof His Ex- cellency Benjamin Franklin, Esq., President of the Supreme Executive Council, hath hereto set his hand and caused the State Seal to be hereto affixed in Council, June 16, 1787, and of the Commonwealth the eleventh.

" B. FRANKLIN.

"Attest, JAMES TRIMBLE, " For J. ARMSTRONG, JR., Secy."

This tract has been in the possession of the Linn family since it was surveyed for Andrew Linn in 1769, and contains to-day valnable deposits of coal and iron ores that add to it a wealth of which An- drew Linn never dreamed.

Andrew Linn entered the Continental service during the Revolution as wagonmaster, and upon the close of the war resumed his rural life on the Redstone. Abont 1790 he moved across the creek, and lived near the present home of J. M. Linn until his death in 1794. After his death his widow enlarged the Linn landed possessions by the purchase of adjacent hilly tracts, and in 1796 built npon the Redstone a grist- mill, where Andrew Linn had some years before erected a saw-mill. The Widow Linn would donbt- less have deferred the building of the grist-mill, but Basil Brown, with an eye upon the property, com- pelled the erection of the mill under the law provid- ing that every owner of a mill-site should put up a mill thereon or abandon the same to the State. Mrs. Linn's son Isaac was for many years the miller. Be- sides Isaac, the sons of Andrew Linn were Andrew, Jr., William, Ayers, and John. There was but one danghter, Mary. She married John Corbly, a Bap- tist minister of Greene County, who while on his way to church one Sabbath with his children was at- tacked by Indians. One of his daughters was scalped and killed, while he and his other children made good their escape by flight. John Linn went ont to the Ohio frontier to fight the Indians and was killed. Andrew, Jr., moved to near Fayette City (or Cooks- town). William, Ayers, and Isaac lived and died in Redstone. Isaac occupied the old homestead and carried on the mill. He went out as captain of a company of Pennsylvania militia in Col. Rees Hill's regiment in 1813, and served six months. J. M. Linn, son of Capt. Isaac, recollects seeing the com- pany leave Brownsville for the field, and recalls the circumstance that the men crossed the river on the mill-dam, the stream being then quite low. The last survivor of Capt. Isaac Linn's company, Sergt. John Reed, died at the house of S. W. Reed, in Jef- ferson township, in the summer of 1880, at the age of ninety-fonr.

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History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 138

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