History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 159

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 159

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).

In the 14th Cavalry, Capt. Duncan, William Conn, John Wesley Poundstone, Joseph E. Dilliner, John Beatty, William Abram.

In the 16th Cavalry, Capt. Fisher, John Dugan, sub., Adolph A. Eberhart, Isaac P. Eberhart, Henry Blair, Andrew J. Dunham, Albert G. Dougherty, Abraham Dunham.

Other regiments which cannot now be designated contained the following-named soldiers from Nichol- son :

Martin L. Blackford, Josiah Honsaker, Calvin Malaby, John Ross Summers, John Jaco, William Jaco, Henry K. Atchison, Samuel Davis, John Davis, John Whetstone, Asa O. Cooley, William Eberhart, Henry Huhn, Doc Arnold, William Patterson, John Mallory, Miller Dunaway, William Franks, Wesley O'Neil, Benjamin F. Huhn, Isaac P. Huhn, William A. Stewart, Charles Nicholson, James Mallory, Mor- gan Kefover.

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

The Catt's Run Coke-Works are located on Pro- vance Bottoms, nearly two miles south of Catt's Run. They were built by a company of Uniontown capital- ists in 1877, the first coke being made in October of that year. The style of the company was Ewing, Kendall & Co. Having erected sixty ovens, the works were leased to a Pittsburgh firm, Messrs. Charles H. Armstrong & Son. At these works the coal is crushed and thoroughly washed before being placed in the ovens. The entire product of these works is sold to the Ironton Manufacturing Com- pany, of Ironton, Ohio, at three dollars per ton.

The minerals of Nicholson township are the same that are found generally in Fayette County. Iron ore has been mined and shipped to Wheeling from Fred's Run (a tributary of Catt's Run), but the cost

Schro Punditone

Specul

705

NICHOLSON TOWNSHIP.

of transportation is found too great for the profitable working of the mines. Petroleum has been obtained at a depth of five hundred feet on Jacob's Creek in this township.

The manufacture of stone-ware from clay found in Springhill township has become the most important industry of New Geneva. The manufacture consists of | large majority in November, 1878, and performed the duties of his office from Jan. 1, 1879, to Jan. 1, 1882, giving universal satisfaction. It may be added here that he was nominated by his party for that office over more good men, probably, than were ever before beaten as aspirants for the same office at the same time in Fayette County.

milk-pans, jars, jugs, fruit-jars or " jugoos," also chem- ical pots and piping. Two firms are now carrying on this business, viz. : Isaac P. Eberhart & Co. and Alexander Conrad, each producing abont forty-eight thousand gallons of ware per year.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

JOHN POUNDSTONE.

John Poundstone, of Nicholson, is of German de- scent. His grandfather, Philip Poundstone, came from Germany and settled in Nicholson township at an early day. Nicholas Poundstone, father of John, was born in Fayette County, and spent his life here as a farmer. He married Elizabeth Everly, and they had eight children. Their son John was born in Nicholson township, Aug. 30, 1804, and was edu- cated at the public schools, and growing up learned the trade of cabinet-making, and followed it for about four years in Masontown. In 1830 he moved to where he now lives, and has ever since " farmed it."

Aug. 12, 1827, he married Susanna Rider, of Ger- man township, who died in June, 1869. They had ten children, seven of whom are now living. June 4, 1871, Mr. Poundstone took to himself another wife in the person of Barbara A. Hunsaker. Of his children, one, a son, is living in California, another son is a hotel-keeper, and the others are farmers. He has but one daughter living, Louisa, who married a farmer by the name of - Law.

Mr. Poundstone has held important township offices, that of school director, etc., and is a member of the Lutheran Church, in which he has held the office of elder for many years. His possessions consist chiefly of lands. Mr. Poundstone is a gentleman of unas- suming modest manners. His neighbors speak highly of him as an honest, honorable man, whose life is gentle, and whose good deeds, quietly done, are nu- merous.

MICHAEL W. FRANKS.

Michael W. Franks, of Nicholson township, the late popular treasurer of Fayette County, is of Ger- man lineage. His father, Michael Franks, was born and raised in Fayette County, upon the farm whereon he, Mr. Franks, our subject, now resides. He was a farmer, and married Charity Kendall, of Nicholson township, by whom he had seven children. Michael W. (the third, for his grandfather as well as father bore the same Christian name) was born April

29, 1832, and was educated in the common and select schools, learned the business of farming, and since his marriage, in 1864, has resided where he now lives, except for three years, during which time he held public office and resided at Uniontown.

He was elected treasurer of Fayette County by a very

It is generally conceded by his political opponents that Fayette County never had a better treasurer than Mr. Franks, and there are gentlemen of stand- ing in the county who declare it never had so good an one as he. He is popular in all parts of the county, generous, and gentlemanly.

Mr. Franks and the family of Franks are distinc- tively Democratie in politics.

May 17, 1864, Mr. Franks married Martha J. Bell, of Greene County, and has three children,-Emma B., Charles O. B., and Estella R.

DR. WILSON GREENE.

Dr. Wilson Greene, of New Geneva, Nicholson township, was born in Greene County, Dec. 1, 1829, and is of Puritan descent on his paternal side, but on his maternal of German extraction.

His grandfather, William Greene, was born in New England. He migrated to Greene County, Pa., at an early day, and settled on Whitely Creek, near " Wil- low Tree." He married Rebecca La Rue, and their issue were five sons and three danghters.

Henry Sycks, his maternal grandfather, was a native of Virginia, but while quite young removed with his father to Greene County, Pa., and settled on the waters of Dunkard Creek, in Monongahela township. They were among the pioneers that first permanently located west of the Monongahela River. Young Henry par- ticipated in the Indian wars of the period, and endured the privations and hardships incident to border life. He was united in matrimony with Barbary Selser, a daughter of a contemporary settler, and ten children were the fruits of their marriage.

Matthew Greene and Rachel Sycks, the parents of Dr. Greene, were married in 1828, and reared four children, of whom the subject of this notice was the only son, born on the farm his great-grandfather located, where his mother was born, and where she died, and where his father still resides.

Dr. Greene is eminently a self-made man. His advantages for acquiring an education were very lim- ited. Supplementing his scant public school oppor- tunities by several terms of select school, which he was enabled to attend through the summer by teach- ing district school through the winter, he succeeded

706

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

in obtaining a very liberal and thorough English education. In like manner he earned the means that supported him at Cleveland Medical College, Cleve- land, Ohio, where he completed his professional studies.

March 23, 1859, he formed a propitious matrimonial alliance with Pleasant M., second daughter of Evan Evans, who owned an adjoining farm. He was of pure Welsh lineage, both parents having been born in Wales. Mrs. Greene's mother, Nancy Myers, was a granddaughter of the historic Rev. John Corbly, whose wife and several children were massacred while on their way to church, Sunday morning, May 10, 1782, by the Indians, near Garard's Fort.

They began their married life at Bristol, Perry Co., Ohio, where he soon acquired a Incrative practice. Having pursued his profession here for five years, he returned to Pennsylvania and located in New Geneva, where he now resides. Here, too, he soon attained to an extensive practice, which he still retains. Person- ally he is eminently popular, having merited the esteem of his fellows by being instant in good words and works. Professionally he has been signally suc- cessful, and is held in high esteem by the medical fraternity. At present he is vice-president of the Fayette County Medical Association, and holds the appointment as delegate to the National Medical Con- vention, to be held in St. Paul, Minn., in July next.

Dr. Greene is the father of two children,-Isa D. and Willie W. Isa is an accomplished young lady, educated at Monongahela College, and a graduate of Dana's Musical Institute, Warren, Ohio. She possesses a rare talent for instrumental music and enjoys a sweet and delicately-cultured voice. Willie is at present pursuing a course of study at Monongahela College.

The doctor has for a number of years been a promi- nent and influential member of one of the leading Evangelical Churches, of which also his wife and chil- dren are all communicants.

Though not luxuriating in unbounded affluence, he has accumulated much valuable property, which con- sists of houses and lands and moneys at interest, etc. He is one of the solid and useful citizens of the county.

WILLIAM P. GRIFFIN.

Mr. William P. Griffin, of Nicholson township, is of Welsh stock. He is the son of William and Rhoda Griffin, who, coming to Fayette County, settled on Georges Creek, in Springhill township. He was a miller. They had a family of eight children, of whom William P. was the seventh, and is the only one liv- ing, and was born Sept. 2, 1809. He was educated in

the common and select schools, and has been engaged in farming all his business life. He has resided upon the farm which he now occupies for fifty years.

In Angust, 1837, Mr. Griffin married Ann Gans, of Springhill township, by whom he has had thirteen children, eleven of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Griffin were for many years members of the Baptist Church, but about 1868 they united with the Chris- tian Church, of which they are honored and useful members, Mr. Griffin being an elder thereof. He was once a lieutenant in the State militia, and two of his sons, William L. and Charles A., served in the war of the Rebellion, the former of whom is a physi- cian, the latter a general trader. Mr. Griffin's third son, Newton, is a farmer; the fourth son is a grocer ; and all the sons have left the old homestead and the county, living in various parts of the Union.

Mr. Griffin is a substantial, excellent farmer, an honest, hard-working man ; and Mrs. Griffin has con- tributed to their success in life her full share of man- agement and hard work. They command the respect and esteem of their neighbors. Mr. Griffin has held important township offices.

HENRY DILS.

Henry Dils, of Nicholson township, who was born July 3, 1816, in what was then Springhill township, is descended from good old Dutch stock, it is believed. His father, Philip Dils, married in Springhill town- ship Mary Hager, and located in the same township about 1807. They had five children, of whom Henry was the third. Three are yet living,-Henry, Peter, and Mary Core. Mr. Dils' father passed most of his life as a farmer, and was successful, leaving each of his children a good farm.

Mr. Dils received a limited education in the com- mon schools, but is a man of observation and intelli- gence, and has held the position of school director and other offices. He has been a member of the Old Frame Presbyterian Church for many years, and has for several years been an elder in that church. He was first married Dec. 28, 1843, to Martha Vander- vort, of Nicholson township. They had eleven chil- dren, eight of whom are living. His wife being de- ceased, he married again Nov. 10, 1870. Six children were the issue of this latter marriage, four now living. Mr. Dils has resided in his present home thirty-eight years. Here his children have been reared, and he has assisted his grown-up children to a start in life. His sons are all farmers. Mr. Dils is a gentleman of excellent moral character, without reproach as a busi- ness man. His possessions are chiefly lands.

Henry Dils

PERRY TOWNSHIP.

PERRY is one of the northernmost townships of ' John Paty, 330 acres, Crab-Tree Run ; warranted April 3, 1769 ; Fayette County, its northern line being a part of the surveyed Oct. 27, 1769. boundary between this county and Westmoreland. John Bishop, 319 acres, Flatt ; warranted April 3, 1769; sur- NOTE .- The five tracts above were surveyed to the original warrant- holders, Oct. 26 and 27, 1769, but were all patented to George Washing- ton, Feb. 28, 1782. veyer Oct. 28, 1769. On the east the township is bounded hy Lower Ty- rone and Franklin, on the south by Franklin, and on the west by Jefferson and Washington. Perry lies on both sides of the Youghiogheny River, which George Brown, 326 acres; warranted April 3, 1769. flows through the township in a general northwest- James Hunter, 2762 acres ; warranted April 19, 1769. erly course. Its other principal streams are Jacob's Eleanor Hunter, 326 acres; warranted April 19, 1769. Creek, Washington Run, and Virgin Run. The last Hopewell Jewell, 822 acres : warranted April 17, 1794: sur- John Jones, 224 acres. veyed Aug. 25, 1795. named enters the Youghiogheny from the south, and marks the southeastern boundary of Perry against J. Angustine Washington, 3202 acres, Fork ; warranted April 3, 1769; surveyed October 28. the township of Franklin. Washington Run flows northeastwardly through the central part of Perry, Laurence Washington, 3202 acres, Bear Hill ; warranted April 3, 1769 ; surveyed October 28. past its principal town (Perryopolis), and falls into the Youghiogheny. Jacob's Creek enters the Youg- William Wilson, 2052 acres. hiogheny from the eastward, and marks the northeast- Christopher Bealer, 298} acres : warranted Dec. 16, 1788 ; sur- veyer March 11, 1789. ern boundary of Perry against Westmoreland County.

That part of the township which lies east of the Youghiogheny, and between it and Jacob's Creek, is mountainous, rising in some parts quite precipitously from both streams, and having but little bottom-land. In that part of the township which lies on the south- west side of the river the land rises to a considerable height from the Youghiogheny, then slopes back to what are called Washington Bottoms, which are drained by Washington Run. Where the village of Perryopolis is located is a moderate elevation of land, which from there has a gradual descent in all direc- tions. This seetion is excellently adapted for the production of grain and grass, and nearly the whole township, particularly that part southwest of the river, embraces very fine lands for purposes of agri- culture. The Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad -- now generally known as the Baltimore and Ohio, because leased by that company-traverses the town- ship along the right bank of the Youghiogheny River, and has within the boundaries of Perry two stations,-Layton and Banning's. The population of the township by the census of 1880 was fourteen hundred and seventy-six.

NAMES OF ORIGINAL PURCHASERS OF LANDS IN PERRY TOWNSHIP.

William Athel, 331417 acres, Spring Run ; warranted April 3, 1769 ; surveyed Oct. 27, 1769.

George Washington, 329 acres, Meadows; warranted April 3. 1769 ; surveyed Oct. 25, 1769.

Thomas Jones, 332 acres, Deer Range; warranted April 3. 1769 ; surveyed Oct. 26, 1769.

Mary Iliggs, Springfield ; patented April 6, 1791.

John G. Zizing, 68} X 158 acres; warranted March 10, 1819, and Feh. 25, 1822.

William Espey, 149 acres ; warranted May 27, 1785 ; surveyed Oct. 31, 1811.

Hugh Espey, 1134 acres, June 27, 1809.

Robert Espey, 66 acres, 1815.

William Turnbull, 301 acres, Rocksbury ; patented July 13, 1789.

William Turnbull, 219 acres, Springsbury ; patented July 13, 1789.

Jacob Lawrie, 223 acres, Luton ; patented Jan. 9, 1789.

Valentine Secrist, 1082 acres ; warranted Sept. 29, 1791 ; sur- veyed Oct. 26th.

EARLY LAND PURCHASES AND SETTLEMENTS.

The earliest as well as the most extensive pur- chaser of lands in what is now Perry township was Gen. (then Col.) George Washington, who received a warrant for lands here on the first day of the land- office of the proprietaries for the sale of traets west of the mountains, April 3, 1769. Nearly two years prior to this, however, Washington had begun to en- tertain the idea of purchasing large tracts in this region, as is shown by the tenor of a letter written by him to Capt. William Crawford, of Stewart's Cross- ings (now New Haven ), as follows :

" MOUNT VERNON, Sept. 21, 1767.

" DEAR SIR,-From a sudden hint of your brother's I I wrote to you a few days ago in a hurry. Having since had more

1 The brother of William Crawford here referred ae having given Washington his first hint concerning the obtaining of a tract of land

707

708

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

time for reflection, I now write deliberately and with greater precision on the subject of my last letter. I then desired the favor of you (as I understood rights might now be had for the lands which have fallen within the Pennsylvania line)1 to look me out n tract of about fifteen hundred, two thousand, or more aeres somewhere in your neighborhood, meaning only by this that it may be as contiguous to your own settlement as such a body of good land can be found. It will be easy for you to conceive that ordinary or even middling lands would never answer my purpose or expectation, so far from navigation and nnder such a load of expenses as these lands are incumbered with. No : a tract to pleaso me must be rich (of which no per- son can be a better judge than yourself) and, if possible, level. Could such a piece of land be found you would do me a singular favor in falling upon some method of securing it immediately from the attempts of others, as nothing is more certain than that the lands cannot remain long ungranted when once it is known that rights are to be had.

". . . It is possible, but I do not know that it really is the case, that the custom in Pennsylvania will not admit so large a quantity of land as I require to be entered together; if so, this may perhaps be arranged by making several entries to the same amount, if the expenses of doing it is not too heavy. If the land can only be secured from others it is all I want at present. The surveying I would choose to postpone, at least till the spring, when, if you can give me any satisfactory account of this matter, and of what I am next going to propose. I expect to pay yon a visit about the last of April."

No information is found as to the preliminary steps taken by Capt. Crawford to select and secure these lands on behalf of Washington, but it is certain that on the opening of the land-office at the time above mentioned warrants were issued for lands in the present township of Perry, amounting to more than sixteen hundred acres, all of which came into possession of the general. The only tract in this township warranted to George Washington was one named "Meadows." The warrant bore date April 3, 1769, and the survey October 27th of the same year. There was, however, at the same time one tract called " Forks," warranted to John Augusta [Augustine ?] Washington ; one called " Bear Hills," to Lawrence Washington ; one called "Spring Run," to William Athel; one called "Flatts," to John Bishop ; one called "Crab-Tree Run," to John Paty ; and one called " Deer Range," to Thomas Jones. The surveys, made with large allowance, gave the area of these several tracts as follows: "Meadows," 329 acres ; "Forks," 320 acres ; " Bear Hills," 320 acres ; "Spring Run, " 331 acres ; " Flatts," 319 acres ; " Crab- Tree Run," 330 acres ; and " Deer Range," 332 acres. There is nothing found tending to show that either John A. Washington's " Forks" or Laurence Wash- ington's " Bear Hills" tract ever came into the hands of George Washington ; but that he did purchase

or otherwise acquire all the other tracts above enu- merated, amounting in the aggregate to 1641 acres, and that they were patented to him Feb. 28, 1782, is made certain by a recital to that effect in deeds given in the year 1802 by his executors. None of the names of the warrantees of the tracts above named as having been patented to Gen. Washington are found in con- nection with any later settlement or transfer, and therefore it is probable that they took up the lands in his interest; and it is certain that the warrants taken by them passed to him before the issuance of the patents.

Capt. Crawford, who selected these lands for Wash- ington, acted also as his agent in locating many other tracts in what is now Washington County, Pa., in Ohio, and along the Ohio River Valley in Virginia. In 1770, the year next following the location and survey of these lands, Washington made a tour through this section, and down the Ohio to the Great Kanawha, and kept a journal of the trip. A part of that journal is given below, commencing on the date of his departure from Mount Vernon, viz. :

" October 5th .- Began a journey to the Ohio in company with Dr. Craik, his servant and two of mine, with a led horse and baggage. Dined at Towiston's, and lodged at Leesburg, distant from Mount Vernon about forty-five miles. Here my port- manteau horse failed. [Here follows the journal of six days' journey by way of Old Town, Md., and Fort Cumberland to . Killman's,' east of Castleman's River.]

" 12th .- We left Killman's early in the morning, breakfasted at the Little Meadows, ten miles off, and lodged at the Great Crossing (of the Youghiogheny at Somerfield), twenty miles far- ther, which we found a tolerably good day's work. . ..

"13th .- Set out about sunrise, breakfasted at the Great Meadows [Fayette Co.], thirteen miles, and reached Captain Crawford's about five o'clock. The land from Gist's [Mount Braddock] to Crawford's is very broken, though not mountain- ous, in spots exceedingly rich, and in general free from stone ; Crawford's is very fine land, lying on the Yonghiogheny, at a place commonly called Stewart's Crossing.

" 14th .- At Captain Crawford's all day. Went to see a coal- mine not far from his house on the banks of the river. The coal seemed of the very best kind, burning freely, and ahun- dance of it.

"15th .- Went to view some land which Captain Crawford located for me near the Youghiogheny,2 distant abont twelve miles. This tract, which contains about one thousand six hun- dred acres, includes some as fine land as I ever saw, and a great deal of rich meadow ; it is well watered and has a valuable mill- seat, except that the stream is rather too slight, and, it is said, not constant more than seven or eight months in the year; but, on account of the fall and other conveniences, no place can ex- ceed it. In going to this land I passed through two other tracts which Captain Crawford had taken up for my brothers Samuel and John. I intended to have visited the land which Crawford had proenred for Lund 3 Washington this day also, but, time falling short, I was obliged to postpone it. Night came on before I got back to Crawford's, where I found Colonel Ste-

under Pennsylvania " rights" in the trans-Allegheny country was Val- entine Crawford, who located upon Jacob's Creek, Westmoreland Co., Pa.

1 By the Pennsylvania line Washingtou meant the boundary line be. tween Pennsylvania and Virginia, which at that date was being run beyond the Allegheny Mountains. His understanding as to rights was erroneous, as will hereafter be seen.

" Referring to the tracts above mentioned, lying in the present towu- ship of Perry.

3 Menning Laurence Washington, who was not a relative, or if he was, a very distant one, and who is mentioned in the general's will as an "acquaintance and friend of my juvenile years."

709

PERRY TOWNSHIP.

phen. The lands which I passed over to-day were generally hilly, and the growth chiefly white oak, but very good notwith- standing : and, what is extraordinary and contrary to the prop- erty of all other lands I ever saw before, the hills are the richest land, the soil upon the sides and summits of them being as hlaek as eoal, and the growth walnut and cherry. The flats are not se rich, and a good deal more mixed with stone.

" 16th. At Captain Crawford's till evening, when I went to Mr. John Stephenson's, on my way to Pittsburg. . . . 17th. Dr. Craik and myself, with Capt. Crawford and others, arrived at Fort Pitt; distance from the Crossing forty-three and a half measured miles. . ..

On the 20th, Washington, with Dr. Craik, Capt. Crawford, William Harrison, Robert Beall, and others, with some Indians, proceeded down the Ohio in a large canoe, having sent their servants back to Craw- ford's with orders to meet the party there on the 14th of November, but they did not reach there until ten days after the time appointed. The journal then proceeds,-

" Nov. 24th. When we came to Stewart's Crossing at Craw- ford's the river was too high to ford, and his eanoe gone adrift. However, after waiting there two or three hours, a canoe was got, in which we erossed, and swum our horses. The remain- der of this day I spent at Capt. Crawford's, it either raining or snowing hard all day.

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 159

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