USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 158
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140 | Part 141 | Part 142 | Part 143 | Part 144 | Part 145 | Part 146 | Part 147 | Part 148 | Part 149 | Part 150 | Part 151 | Part 152 | Part 153 | Part 154 | Part 155 | Part 156 | Part 157 | Part 158 | Part 159 | Part 160 | Part 161 | Part 162 | Part 163 | Part 164 | Part 165 | Part 166 | Part 167 | Part 168 | Part 169 | Part 170 | Part 171 | Part 172 | Part 173 | Part 174 | Part 175 | Part 176 | Part 177 | Part 178 | Part 179 | Part 180 | Part 181 | Part 182 | Part 183 | Part 184 | Part 185 | Part 186 | Part 187 | Part 188
The first white men who visited the place where The title to lands embracing the site on the river now stands the village of New Geneva were William , being purchased by Mr. Gallatin, as before mentioned, Childers, John Pringle, Samuel Pringle, and Joseph he laid out upon it the town of New Geneva, so named Lindsey, soldiers belonging to the garrison of Fort , by him from Geneva, in his native Switzerland. The "charter" was acknowledged by Mr. Gallatin before Justice Isaac Griffin, Oct. 31, 1797, the town plat bear- ing date the 28th of the same month.
Pitt, who deserted from the post in the year 1761, and traveled up the Monongahela to this place, at the mouth of Georges Creek, but before the stream had ever been known by that name. They remained here bnt a short time, however, and not liking the location moved eastward to the upper waters of the Youghiogheny, where they lived in the " Glades" re- gion for about a year, and then moved southward into Virginia, and lived for some years on the waters of Buckhannon River.
These men, however, could not in any sense be re- garded as even temporary settlers on the Monongahela, the first person who actually settled at or in the vicin- ity of the site of New Geneva being Col. George Wil- son, who, as has already been mentioned, came there about 1765, and gave to the creek his own name,- Georges,-and thus to the township, when it was formed (embracing the south part of what is now Nicholson ), the name of Springhill, from his former home in Virginia. His residence on Georges Creek, however, was not directly at the mouth, but a short distance above it, and his first purchase of land here did not include to the bank of the Monongahela, where (teneva village stands. This was warranted to Col. Wilson's sons, Sept. 15, 1785, eight years after their father's death. The title afterwards passed to' Albert Gallatin.
The first actual and permanent settler within the town limits was Thomas Williams, a native of Dela-
ware, and a tailor by trade. The precise date of his settlement here is not known, but it was not far from the close of the Revolutionary war. On the 19th of February, 1793, he married Joanna Phillips, daughter of Theophilus Phillips, who was one of the earliest settlers in this section, but on the south side of Georges Creek. Thomas Williams became a some- what prominent man, and was one of the most highly respected citizens of the township. He received the appointment of justice of the peace in or about 1797, and served in that office satisfactorily to the people and creditably to himself until his death in 1837, a period of forty years. His son, Joseph G. Williams, son for thirty-five years.
"George Town," applied respectively to the settle- ment on the river margin and to that on the bluff, the two embracing the two names of the early pro- prietor of the neighboring lands, George Wilson.
The building of the old glass-works in the vicinity by Gallatin and his partners, and the establishment of the gun-factory, together with the residence of Mr. Gallatin and some other persons of note in the vicinity, gave to New Geneva (as the post-town of the sur- rounding country) a considerable growth and much prospective importance, which latter, however, has proved to a great extent delusive. In 1797 the im- pending danger of a foreign war and the passage of an act to procure twenty thousand stand of arms for the State, as also similar action in other States and by the general government, led to the establishment of gun-factories in various parts of the country, and among these was the one established by Albert Gal- latin and Melchoir Baker near New Geneva in 1799, for the manufacture of muskets, broadswords, and other arms. It was located in that part of Springbill township which is now Nicholson, on land now or recently owned by Philip Keefover. The establish- ment employed from fifty to one hundred men. In 1800 the State contracted with this establishment for two thousand muskets, and about the same time the firm received an order from the general government for a large number of arms. In 1801, when Mr. Gal- latin was about being called to the head of the Treas- ury Department, he came from Washington to New
701
NICHOLSON TOWNSHIP.
Geneva, and closed ont his interest in the factory of his partner, Mr. Baker, because his prospective posi- tion as Secretary of the Treasury would render it im- proper for him to be privately concerned in contracts to which he would of necessity be a party on behalf of the government. Mr. Baker continued the busi- ness for several years and with some success until the government armories at Harper's Ferry and Spring- field, Mass., were established, when he abandoned the gun-works in Fayette County and removed to Clarks- burg, Va.
A memorable event in the history of New Geneva was the visit, in 1825, of the Marquis de Lafayette to Albert Gallatin, at the residence of the latter, at " Friendship Hill," on the south side of Georges Creek, in Springhill township. To reach that place he would pass through the town of New Geneva, and the time of his arrival had been announced a suffi- cient time in advance to give an opportunity to make preparations for a fitting reception.
"The streets were swept perfectly clean, the dwell- ings decorated, and the inhabitants, dressed in their best, patiently awaited the arrival of the distinguished foreigner. For the purpose of escorting the General to Gallatin's they had raised a company of men, who were commanded by Captain Joseph Wood, with James W. Nicholson as first lieutenant. These men escorted the General and his snite through the town, he the while standing uncovered in his carriage, re- sponding to the salutations of the citizens. Having arrived, he was conducted to Gallatin's house, where the speeches of welcome and reply were made. Lunch was served to all upon the ample grounds. After the speech-making and dining, several sur- vivors of the Revolution were called for by the Mar- quis. Frederick Eberhart, who assisted in bearing the wounded General from the disastrous field of Brandywine, was there. The meeting between these old comrades was most affecting; they embraced and wept like children." After the ceremonies and fes- tivities were concluded, Lafayette and suite, ac- companied by Mr. Gallatin, returned to Uniontown, from whence the Marquis proceeded on his way to Pittsburgh.
Manufacturing has always been carried on to some extent in New Geneva, though the high hopes that were indulged in that direction on the establishment of the old glass-works and gun-factory, more than eighty years ago, are long since dead and almost for- gotten. In 1837, Andrew Kramer, Baltzer Kramer, Theophilus P. Kramer, and Philip Reitz established a glass-factory here. The style of the firm was An- drew Kramer & Co. The brand was the same as that of Albert Gallatin and the Kramers, who established the first factory on Georges Creek in 1794, viz., " New Geneva Glass." The last glass made in this factory was by John C. Gabler and Charles Kramer, in 1857. The sheriff had sold the works. Alexander Crow be-
came the owner, and sold to William H. Sheldon, and he to Isaac P. Eberhart. Mr. Eberhart has demol- ished the factory, and the lot is cultivated for garden produce, which pays better than a glass-factory so far from the needful material.
In 1840, William James established a foundry here. After running it for a season, Shealor & Merryman bought it and began making the celebrated cook-stoves known as " Drum Stoves." The patent was granted to J. J. Anderson, Aug. 17, 1843. These stoves had a large sale and were considered perfect. The foundry has not run since the war of the Rebellion. Just on the river-side of town stood the "Old River Mill," of whose erection none can teil. It belonged to a class of mills now only found far up the head-waters of the Monongahela. During dry seasons it did all the grind- ing for miles around. Daniel Hough has the only mill now. The French Mills were located on Georges Creek. They now belong to Warwick Ross' heirs.
The town of New Geneva is located in the extreme sonthwest corner of Nicholson township, having Georges Creek on the south, and the Monongahela River as its west line. Its site embraces the river bottom, the bluff above, and intermediate levels. The streets, except along the river and creek, are in most parts steep and difficult. There are few preten- tious buildings here, either business structures or residences. The town is antiquated, and has little of the modern look, yet a considerable amount of busi- ness is done from this point, chiefly on the river, this being practically the head of slack-water navi- gation on the Monongahela. The fine steamers "Geneva," "Germania," and "James G. Blaine," belonging to the Pittsburgh, Brownsville and New Geneva Packet Company, make daily trips from this town to Pittsburgh, compensating in a great degree for the lack of railroad facilities.
Among the buildings, institutions, and business of the town are included a post-office (established before the year 1800), signal service station, two school build- ings, six stores, a grocery, warehouse and commission business, three eating-houses, wagon-shop, blacksmith- shop, a merchant tailor's establishment, two physi- cians, two pottery-works, a saw-mill and grist-mill (built by A. B. & M. Eberhart in 1837), three religious organizations,-Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist, -and two hundred and eighty-six inhabitants, ac- cording to the United States census of 1880.
The only places in Nicholson township besides New Geneva which can claim any approach to town or village importance are Anderson and Woodward's Cross-Roads. The former has a post-office, two stores, and a blacksmith-shop, and is the polling-place for the township. Woodward's Cross-Roads has a store and several dwellings.
The township contains a number of saw-mills and grist-mills. Among these are the Gray grist- and saw-mills, Poundstone grist- and saw-mill, and Hon- sacker's saw-mill. Many years ago Peter Johnson
45
702
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
carried on a foundry on Jacob's Creek, which is now abandoned.
LIST OF TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
The names of the persons elected to the principal township offices in Nicholson from the time of its erection to 1881 is given below, viz. :
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1845. Joseph G. Williams.1 John Schnatterly.
1863. James Woolsey.
1864. John Hague.
1846. John Schnatterly.
1865.
Joseph G. Williams.
1866. Joseph G. Williams.
1851. Joseph G. Williams.
1867. David R. Gans.
George Beatty.
1868. George Beatty.
1856. Joseph G. Williams. John Weltner. 1870. Joseph G. Williams.
1857. Francis Fast.
1871.
1858. Jacob Cover.
1872.
1859. Jacob Bowers.
1873. George Beatty.
1860. Epbraim Walters.
1876. Jos. Gordon Williams.
1861. Joseph G. Williams.
1878. George Beatty.
1862. John F. Gans.
1881. John C. Schnatterly.
ASSESSORS.
1846-47. William P. Griffin.
1864. J. B. Jobnson.
1848. John Poundstone.
1865. William P. Bowers.
1849. Andrew Davis.
1866. Ephraim Walters.
1850. Philip Gans.
1867. Joseph Longanecker.
1851. Samuel Franks.
1868. Jacob Easter.
1852 .- Samnel Robinson, William Watkins.
1853 .- David Sutton, Francis Fast.
1854 .- John Ache, John F. Gans.
1855 .- Thomas Campbell, John Summers.
1856 .- Jacob Bowers, Benjamin Dils, Michael Sebnatterly.
1857 .- George M. Woolsey, Lot Coleman.
1858 .- Michael Franks, William Zerly, Eph. Walters, Nicholas Johnson.
1859 .- Henry B. Maleby, J. Harvey Green.
1860 .- Joseph Longanecker, Henry Franks.
1861 .- William Zerly, John F. Gans, John J. Cover.
1862 .- Nicholas B. Johnson, Michael Baker.
1863 .- Alfred B. Eberbart, Joseph High.
1864 .-- William Zerly, Ephraim Walters.
1865 .- John Hayne, Phineas West, Harvey Jaco.
1866 .- A. B. Eberhart, James Hamilton, Jacob Fast.
1867 .- Henry Dils, J. B. Johnson.
1868 .- Jobn Poundstone, Henry Franks.
1869 .- Joseph David, Samnel Dillinger, Jacob Bowers.
1870 .- Henry Franks, John Henry.
1872 .- John Poundstone, Ephraim Walters,
1873 .- G. W. Hager, Joseph Longanecker.
1874 .- Michael W. Franks, Andrew J. Allebangh.
1875 .- Jolin Z. Whetstone, Isaac P. Eberhart.
1876 .- William L. Miller, Jacob J. Johnson. 1877 .- Samnel Robinson, Silas R. Provance. 1878 .- Amadee M. Franks, James Richey.
1879 .- Ross Anderson, D. R. Gans, Michael Baker.
1880 .- James Hartley, David R. Anderson.
1881 .- Amadee Franks, James Richey.
CHURCHES. MOUNT MORIAH CHURCH.
The records of Fayette County show that a Pres- byterian Church was building in Springhill township as early as 1773. The land upon which the church
1 Joseph G. Williams, a grandson of Col. Theophilus Phillips, who served thirty-five years as a justice of the peace. He is a resident of New Geueva.
SCHOOLS.
Before the passage of the common-school law of Pennsylvania, schools in this section, as elsewhere, were supported by subscription, but they were few and of low grade, and were generally taught but a few weeks in the year. In 1811 a school was taught here by the Rev. James Dunlap, a Presbyterian cler- gyman, who had among his scholars at that time James Nicholson, Thomas Nicholson, Jr., David Bradford, Jr., and Samuel Evans, who is now living, an octogenarian, on his fine estate near Uniontown. Under the free-school system, inaugurated by the law of 1834, the following-named school-houses have been built, viz., two in New Geneva, and one in each of the following-named districts : " Woolsey's," "Grif- fin's," "Robinson's," "Dogwood," "Pleasant Hill," and " Valley." Following is a list of school directors elected in Nicholson from the erection of the town- ship to 1881 :
1846 .- John Robinson, William P. Griffin, John Moore, Rev. James Qninter, James Hamilton, Samuel Ache.
1847 .- Peter Johnson, Bonaparte Hardin.
1848 .- Samuel Ache, Alexander Crow.
1849 .- Joseph Baker, Jacob Bowers.
1850 .- Peter Johnson, Thomas Campbell.
1851 .- John Poundstone, Alexander Crow.
1852. John Gans.
1869. William Deffenbaugh. 1870. Henry L. Shauk.
1853. Henry B. Maleby.
1854. Andrew J. Walters.
1872. Peter Johnson.
1855. James Vanderslice.
1873. James R. Dils.
1856. Francis Fast.
.1857. John T. Blackford.
1875. Jacob Bowers.
1858. Michael Schnatterly.
1876. Andrew J. Walters.
1859. Joseph Longanecker.
1877. Alfred O'Neil.
1860. Samnel Franks.
1878. James L. Crow.
1861. John Jaco.
1879. George W. Hager.
1862. James Woolsey.
1880. Joseph Heath.
1863. Andrew J. Walters.
1881. John A. Walters.
AUDITORS.
1846. Thomas W. Nicholson.
1866. John F. Gans.
1847. James Davenport.
1867. Jacob Cover.
1848. John Moore.
1868. Michael W. Franks.
1849. Isaac Franks.
1869. William Parshall.
1870. David R. Gans.
1850. Squire Green. 1851. James Davenport.
1871.
1872. L. W. Schnatterly.
1853. Peter Johnson.
1873. A. B. Johnson.
1854. Samuel Robinson.
1874. Michael Baker. Henry L. Shank.
1856. Michael Franks.
Harvey F. Jaco.
1857. Isaac R. Franks.
1875. Henry L. Shank. A. B. Crow.
1859-60. Meredith Mallory.
1876. Jacob Cover.
186]. Ilarvey Jaco.
1877. Peter H. Franks.
1862. Andrew J. Walters.
1878. Samuel Johnson.
1863. John F. Gans.
1879. John F. Gans.
1864. Jacob Cover.
1880. D. R. Anderson.
1865. Michael Schnatterly.
1881. Lorenzo D. Ramsey.
1852. John Cunningham.
1855. John Weltver.
1858, Henry L. Shank.
1874. Joseph Meredith.
1869.
703
NICHOLSON TOWNSHIP.
was erected (about four acres) was purchased of Jo- seph Caldwell.1 The following is taken from the records of the church :
" The congregation was organized as a church by Rev. James Power, of New Castle Presbytery, in 1774. The elders were Robert MeLain, James Pol- lock, Theophilus Phillips, Thomas Ramsey, William Hill, Abram Crow. Rev. James Power in 1776 set- tled with his family on Georges Creek, where he continued to reside for some years. In 1778, Rev. James Dunlap preached for the congregation. Many important changes took place about this time, the most notable being the organization of the Red- stone Presbytery. The Georges Creek or Mount Moriah Church divided in 1781, the members north of Georges Creek organizing the ' Old Frame,' thus becoming the principal church and assuming control of the mother or Mount Moriah Church, the whole congregation being known as the 'Mount Moriah Church.' Rev. James Findley preached the regular sermon, and Henry Robinson, Joseph Caldwell, Rob- ert Richey, Robert McLain, David Frame, and Wil- liam Hill were ordained elders. This was in 1788. The church was without a regular pastor. The supplies were Revs. Thaddeus Dod, James Hughes, Joseph Patton, James Dunlap, Samuel Porter, and others. In 1789 they purchased of Richard Brown a log house twenty by twenty, which answered their pur- pose. It was used as a church in winter, but during the summer the congregation worshiped in an adjoin- ing grove. Robert Findley preached as supply in 1790-91, the church adding to their ground by a pur- chase made of Isaac Phillips, Esq. By alterations the house (now a frame) was enlarged to forty-eight by thirty-six, and to Robert Findley were added as supplies Revs. William Swan, George Hill, George Mercer (president judge of Washington County, Pa.), Jacob Jennings, and David Smith. In 1793 the church united with Union or Tent, and in September, 1794, Rev. David Smith was regularly installed pas- tor (the first of this congregation). He continued in charge a little over three years.
1 The following, having reference to the purchase of the church land from Joseph Caldwell and the erection of the church building npon it, is found in the recorder's office at Uniontown :
" Know all men by these presente that whereas the members of the Congregation of Mount Moriah have fixed with my free will & consent on a spot of the land I claim to erect a prisbaterian church upon that I do hereby bind myself my Hairs Ext. & Adm. & every of them firuily by these presents to John Swearingen & George Wilsoo Trustees & to their successors for ye standing use of that congregation to give grant and bequeath & a good legal title to make to 4 acres of land & the benefit of ye spring joyning the same whero ye meeting house is now a building for ever as svou as it shall Be in my power to make it To the just per- formance Here of For and in consideration of One Shilling to me in hand paid by ye said Trustees for ye Congregation the Receipt Whereof I hereby acknowledge 1 bind me my Heirs Ex. Adol. & every of us aud them in the just sum of one hundred pounds as Witness my hand & Seal July ye 1st 1773. "JOSEPH CALDWELL.
& in Presence of " THE", PHILIPS.
" JOHN FORSHEY."
In 1798, Georges Creek, Muddy Creek, and Union or Tent united, with the Rev. James Adams in charge, he being the second regularly installed, Oct. 16, 1799. He resigned in 1808. The members having nearly all emigrated West, the church was suffered to fall into decay. An occasional sermon was preached by the Rev. James Dunlap to the remnant. He was at this time teaching school in New Geneva. This state of things continued for some years. In 1816 the house was thoroughly repaired, and in the follow- ing year Ashbel Green Fairchild, a licentiate of New Jersey, preached for the members. This he continued to do in 1818, and in July, 1819, was or- dained and installed as pastor. The membership at this time was ten, with Henry Jennings as elder. In a few months the membership was increased to ninety persons. In 1822 he was in charge of Georges Creek, Morgantown, and Greensboro', Greene Co., Pa., con- gregations, with a salary of $333. In April, 1827, he resigned the charge of Morgantown and Greensboro' congregations and took Union or Tent Church. The Old Frame was under his care until 1854, a period of thirty-six years. This justly celebrated divine con- tinued in charge of the Tent Church until his death, June 30, 1864.
The great addition to membership was made from 1829 to 1832, when it reached one hundred and eighty. Eighty joined during the year 1829.
In July, 1854, the " Mount Moriah Church" called H. O. Rosborough, who on June 5, 1855, was ordained and installed the fourth regular pastor of this church. Ilis salary has been increased several times. Georges Church agreed to pay him $600 alone in September, 1872, the remaining portion of his time, one-third, being in the service of Mount Washington, twenty- four miles distant. The property of Ashbel G. Fair- child was purchased of L. S. Hough, executor of his estate, March 31, 1866, for the sum of $2188, con- sisting of seventeen acres and buildings. This is now attached to Mount Moriah, Old Frame, or Georges Creek Church, as a parsonage. Rev. H. O. Rosborough, the minister in charge, resides here, a short distance south of Smithfield.
The parsonage property was paid for and freed of incumbrance in less than two years.
The ministers in charge since the organization by Rev. James Power in 1774 have been the following : Rev. James Power, 1776 ; Rev. David Smith, August, 1794; Rev. James Adams, 16th October, 1799; Rev. Ashbel G. Fairchild, called 1817, regular from July, 1819, to April, 1854; Rev. H. O. Rosborough, called July, 1854, and remained from 1855 to the present time (1881).
Membership of the church in 1788, 50. Member- ship in 1819, 10; in 1832, 180; in 1881, 160.
GERMAN BAPTIST (FAIRVIEW, CHURCH.
The German Baptists in this section worshiped in school-houses and barns in early times. The first
704
HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
church edifice built by this denomination in this part of Fayette County was " Fair View," in the year 1835. Ephraim Walters donated the lot upon which the church stands. John Debolt sawed the lumber, and Joseph Mosier was one of the contractors to build the house. The trustees of the church were Ephraim Walters, Samuel Aughey (now written Ache). The ministers or bishops were Rev. James Kelso, James Fouch, Letherman Sphon, Rev. James Quinter, Jacob Mack, succeeded by Elder Joseph I. Cover, the bishop having it in charge at present. Its membership at present is about two hundred.
The Baptist Congregation in Geneva is a branch of the Greensboro' Church, and cannot be considered as belonging to Nicholson.
METHODIST CHURCH AT NEW GENEVA.
The history of Methodist worship at this place and vicinity prior to 1852, and the various efforts for the establishment of a church of this denomination, be- long to the religious history of Springhill township. In the year named a congregation was gathered here, and a frame building erected as a house of worship, mainly through the efforts of the Rev. I. C. Pershing. The church building stands on land formerly belong- ing to the estate of Miller Denny, and sold by his executor, Jonathan Monroe, Esq., to the church. Trustees, Isaac Crow, Frederick Eberhart, David Franks, Alexander Conrad, and Joseph Provance.
The present membership of the church is thirty- five. Pastor, Rev. S. W. McCurdy.
BURIAL-GROUNDS.
There are in Nicholson the following-named burial- grounds, most of them being the last resting-places of old settlers in the township, viz. : One at the stone school-house, New Geneva; one at McLain's, Pro- vance Bottoms ; one at Provance's, Provance Bottoms ; one at Fair View (German Baptist ) ; one at Young's ; the Deholt ground at Rise's; the Cover and Anghey ground at Woolsey and Cover's; and the old Frame Church burial-ground. The last named, as also the Fair View and the burial-place at Young's, are well kept and cared for. The same can hardly be said of the others.
NICHOLSON SOLDIERS.
In the Mexican war of 1846-48 a number of men from Nicholson entered the United States service, among whom were Albert (+. Nicholson and William Fairchild Nicholson, the latter of whom died of cholera on his way home from Mexico.
In the war of the Rebellion, 1861-65, Capt. William West enlisted many men in this part of Fayette County, and had them mustered into the service as West Virginia troops. Capts. Thompson and Leas- ure, of Morgantown, also did the same. The lengthi of time elapsed since the war has caused the names of many to be forgotten. The following persons were among the number who enlisted in Virginia regi-
1 ments : Joseph G. Provance, Jesse Poundstone, Har- rison Mack, John Knife, Martin Stoneking, James Wood. In Capt. George W. Gilmore's company, which was mustered to the credit of West Virginia, were the following-named men from Nicholson : Joseph Provance, John Debolt, John Gilmore, James W. Nicholson, Albert G. Sandusky, Johnson J. Mal- lory, Abijah Farmer. Following is a partial list of Nicholson men who served in Pennsylvania regiments in the war of the Rebellion :
In the 85th Regt., Capt. I. M. Abrams, John Mc- Donald, William Pratt, Ashbel Pratt, Isaac Pratt, James Gray, Alfred O'Neil, Hugh O'Neil, Henry O'Neil, James H. Core, James Sturgis.
In the 168th Regt., Capt. Joseph Stacy, Henry Miller, William Harrison, Peter Bricker, Robert Armstrong, John Hill.
In the 112th Regt., Capt. Amzi S. Fuller, A. Turner Dougherty, David L. Provance, Harmar Denny, Hugh T. Davenport, Nicholas Honsaker, Warwick H. Ross, John Campbell, sub.
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.