History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 167

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 167

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In early years he showed a proficieney in music. While quite a boy he became the leader of the cele- brated military band which discoursed music for Capt. Geisey's company of Brownsville, and Capts. Trevor and Beeson's companies of Uniontown. This band made the music at the reception of Marquis de La- fayette in Uniontown in 1825, and was urged by him and the celebrated Albert Gallatin to accompany them to the home of the latter on the Monongahela above New Geneva, and partake of the festivities of his visit there, but were obliged to decline the flatter- ing compliment.

clarionet, up to the hour of his last sickness. So noble and gentle was Mr. Craft during his whole life that it is safe to say that no man in the wide region throughout which he was known was ever more missed after death than he, or his loss more sincerely felt.

Thor banfield

James Graph

Leonard Lenhart

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SALT LICK TOWNSHIP.

LEONARD LENHART.

Leonard Lenhart is of German descent. His father, Michael Lenhart, was a native of Carlisle, Pa. He married Martha Kline, and soon after his marriage located in Fayette City, Fayette Co. He was a wagon- maker by trade, and followed his vocation for some time in Fayette City, and then removed to a farm in Washington County, Pa., near Greenfield. He died in 1823. His wife, Martha, died in 1860, aged eighty- three. They had twelve children. There are four of them now living,-Philip, in his eighty-second year ; Mary Ferry, Sarah Kendall, and Leonard.

Leonard Lenhart was born in January, 1809, in Fayette City, Fayette Co., and was educated in the common schools. He was married April 23, 1828, to Hannah Baldwin, of Fayette City. They had eleven children,-Michael, married to Maggie Dodson ; Martha, married to George W. Clarke; James S., un- married ; George, married to Sarah Chatland ; Laura J., married to William Guiker, Esq., who are living ; William B., Maria, John R., Mary F., who was mar- ried to William S. Hatfield ; Catharine, and Philip, are all dead.

Mrs. Hannah Lenhart died Aug. 2, 1858, and on July 24, 1860, Mr. Lenbart married Mrs. Elma Nic- colls, a daughter of William Eberhart, Esq., of Red- stone township, who died Feb. 23, 1882, in the eighty- second year of his age.

And here a few words concerning Mr. Eberhart will not be out of place. He spent the last few years

of his life in the family of Mr. Lenhart, his son-in- law. Mr. Eberhart was a man of great energy and of enterprise as a business man ; was at one time an extensive manufacturer of glass. In the days of his thrift he was open and liberal with his means, ready to assist others. But a reverse came to his good for- tunes at last in the destruction by a devastating fire at Cincinnati of several thousand boxes of glass which belonged to him. From this misfortune he never recovered. but his assistance was sought by other manufacturers, and he was engaged actively in manu- facturing until old age pushed him into retirement. He was kind in spirit, possessed fine colloquial powers, was very social, and, above all, honest in purpose.

Of his latter marriage Mr. Lenhart has three children,-Lizzie Bell, Charles E., and Leonard H. Mr. Lenhart began life as a boat-builder in Fayette City. In 1831 he worked in John S. Pringle's yard in Brownsville. Several years after he went there he was made foreman of the yard. In 1846 he engaged as a partner in the business with Mr. John Cock, and continued with him until 1859. In 1860 he moved to the farm where he now resides, and has been engaged in farming ever since.

He had no pecuniary start. He has made all he has by his own labor. He has held a number of im- portant township offices. He enjoys the respect of his neighbors, has a pleasant home, and is surrounded by more comforts than farmers are usually supplied with.

SALT LICK TOWNSHIP.

OCCUPYING the extreme northeast portion of the county is the township of Salt Lick, which has for its northern boundary Westmoreland Connty, for its eastern Somerset County, from which it is separated by Laurel Hill. On the south is the township of Springfield, and on the west is the Chestnnt Ridge, which cuts it off from Bullskin. The surface is mountainous. Rising above the general level are high bills which constitute a plateau in the western part. Along the streams are deep valleys, in some localities possessing considerable width and noted for fertility. In other parts of the township the soil is thin and only fairly productive. Limestone is abun- dant, and coal of a good quality crops ont along the streams. Iron ore and other minerals abound, but have not yet been developed. Centrally, flowing through the township from northeast to southwest, is the chief stream, Indian Creek, which was known in early times as the Great Salt Lick Creek. Being

fed by numerous springs it has considerable volume, whose constancy, although affected by the summer heat, bears favorable comparison with other water- courses of like size in the western part of the State. The larger tributaries are Back, Poplar, and Cham- pion Runs, each having affluent brooks. The former heads in the Laurel Hill range, and after flowing southwest unites with Indian Creek a mile above the Springfield line. Champion Run rises in the Chest- nut Ridge, near the northwest corner, thence flowing southeast till it loses its waters in the Indian Creek north of the centre of the township. Poplar Run also rises in the Chestnut Ridge, near the southwest corner, which it drains, then flows out of the town- ship into Springfield. On these streams are a number of good water-powers, which have been utilized from the first settlement of the country. Salt Lick was originally heavily timbered, and many parts are yet covered with fine forests, free of undergrowth, adapt-

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ing them for grazing. In other sections the ground is covered with fine trees of a second growth, which will be a source of wealth in years to come. The township having been a part of Bullskin for a num- ber of years, the original surveys and list of taxables in 1788, given in the history of that township, em- brace also what pertains to Salt Lick, and omitted here to avoid useless repetition.

The pioneer settlers came from the eastern part of the State and from Maryland about the period of the Revolution, a few possibly coming earlier. Concern- ing some of the pioneers hut little can be said. They removed from the township more than half a century ago, and the bare record of their having lived in Salt | Lick alone remains. To that class belonged Christian Perkey. He made early and noteworthy improve- ments on Indian Creek, near the north line of the township, his lands being partly in Westmoreland County. Near his former residence are now the mills of William Newell & Son. Perkey had sons named Daniel and Christian, and a few other children, but none of their descendants are left in the county. Several miles south, on Back Run, were Peter and George Bucher, both of whom had sons bearing their names. George Bucher was the owner of a slave, commonly called Black Ben, who, whatever virtues he may have had, was possessed of a weakness for strong drink, a liking which did not much promote his per- sonal welfare. Peter Bucher died at his home near the Berg Mills about 1807, but the others bearing that name removed in the course of a dozen years. John Martin lived on a tract of land east of the Buchers, where he died before 1810, but his family remained a score of years longer, when they left for the West.

Benjamin Davis was the pioneer on the present Joseph W. Gallentine place, where he kept a licensed tavern as early as 1795, while northeast, on the same road, George Batchelor kept a public-house the same year. But both families removed from the township more than seventy years ago. Occupying a fine tract of land at an intermediate point between the above was Andrew Trapp, the first justice of the peace. He was by birth a Pennsylvania Dutchman, but possessed shrewd, sound sense, and was, in his day, a person of so much importance in the community that his place was the centre of business, notwithstanding the early elections were held at the house of Benjamin Davis. He had sons named Philip, Andrew, David, and John, and six daughters. He died in 1824, and was buried in the cemetery at the Lutheran Church. Thereafter his business was carried on by his son Andrew a few years, when all of the family removed. The original Trapp farm is now the property of H. L. Sparks.

In the southern part of the township George Poe was one of the first settlers. He was a native of Maryland, and a brother of Adam and Andrew Poe, the celebrated frontiersmen, who sometimes came from their home, near the Ohio River, to visit their brother.

The latter had a son named George, and another named Andrew. His daughters married Henry Adams, Levi Adams, and Christopher White, all of whom lived in Salt Lick. About 1810 the Poes emi- grated to the Ohio country. There is much of interest connected with the name of Poe on account of the exploits of George Poe's brothers, Adam and Andrew Poe, who lived in the western part of Washington County. One adventure in particular, occurring on the Ohio River in 1781, in which Adam Poe killed the famous Wyandot chief "Big Foot," after a long and dubious hand-to-hand struggle with the savage, is related at length in several histories of early border warfare, and is familiar to a majority of readers.

The Poes were all muscular men, none of them being less than six feet in height, and although noted for their heroic achievements, were peaceable, kind- hearted, and greatly esteemed by their neighbors. Henry and Levi Adams, sons-in-law of George Poe, were also natives of Maryland. They came to Salt Liek some time about 1790, and Levi, after liv- ing a time there, went to the West to join the Poe family. Henry Adams settled on Back Run, dying on the farm now owned by David Adams about twenty years ago, at the age of eighty-five years. He had sons named John, Henry, and George, the latter still living in Bullskin at the age of eighty years. His sisters were married to Jacob Pritts, Abraham Dumbauld, and Daniel Witt, all of Salt Lick.

The Dumbauld family was the first to make a per- manent settlement and retain it to the present time. The progenitor of the family was Abraham Dumbauld ( formerly Duimbauld), a native of the canton of Berne, Switzerland, who emigrated to America when he was nineteen years of age. He settled at Hagers- town, where in time he married a daughter of the founder of that town, and subsequently came with a number of other immigrants to the Ligonier Valley. Ile laid claim by tomahawk right to large tracts of land on Four-Mile Run, west of the Chestnut Ridge, and on Champion and Indian Creeks, in Salt Lick. This was before the Indian troubles were settled, and after being in the country a short time, the Dum- baulds with others songht safety by going back to Hagerstown. About 1769 they returned to the Li- gonier Valley and erected a block-honse on Four- Mile Run, to which they might flee in case of Indian incursions or when they apprehended an attack by the savages. Abraham Dumbauld had two sons and several daughters; the former were named Peter and Abraham. The latter left the home of his father and brother, in Westmoreland County, and about 1777 settled on the Dumbauld claim on Indian Creek, near where Judge Dumbauld now lives. Even at that time they did not live secure from the Indians, and on several occasions Abraham Dumbauld took his family from Salt Lick to the block-house on the Henry farm in the Ligonier Valley, burying such of

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SALT LICK TOWNSHIP.

their valuables as they could not carry with them. On one occasion a lot of dishes were thus hidden in the hurry of their departure, and when they re- turned the most diligent search failed to reveal the spot, the dishes being finally given up as lost. A sister of Abraham Dumbauld, who came with him to Salt Lick, was the first person to die in the township. Her coffin was a trough-shaped box, hewed out of a chestnut log, and the place of burial was on the Dum- bauld traet, where they made a family graveyard. This tract of land embraced three hundred and sixty- seven acres, the warrant therefor being dated 1785, and extended on both sides of the Indian Creek north of Champion Run. Abraham Dumbauld died about 1828, upwards of seventy years of age, and his wife, whose maiden name was Catharine Boyer, sur- vived him, dying at the age of eighty years. Their children were all born in Salt Liek, as follows ; Fred- erick, Feb. 6, 1778; Mary, July 6, 1780; Philip, June 10, 1783; David, June 18, 1785; Peter, Dec. 20, 1787 ; Christiana, March 3, 1790; Barbara, Sept. 16, 1792; Dolly, March 24, 1795; Elizabeth, Sept. 8, 1797.

Frederick Dumbauld was the first white child born in the township. He lived on the homestead until about 1832, when he moved to Ohio. Philip, the second son, lived on an adjoining farm, and after his death, some time about 1830, the family also emi- grated to Ohio. David settled on Back Run, where he died after 1860. He was the father of Hugh and Samuel Dumbauld, who removed to Indiana. Peter married Sally Cable, and lived on the homestead until his death in April, 1875. For many years he was a justice of the peace. He was the father of Abraham C. Dumbauld, living in the western part of the town- ship; Jonathan, living in Somerset County ; Samuel, living in Illinois ; Peter and Solomon, who removed to Indiana ; and David W. C., the youngest son, yet living on the homestead, which has been occupied by the family more than a century. He has held many offices of public trust, and is better known as Judge Dumbauld. The only daughter, Elizabeth, became the wife of Samuel Pile, of Licking County, Ohio. The daughters of Abraham Dumbauld married : Mary, John Lohr, and died on the homestead ; Chris- tiana, Samuel Fulton, of Somerset County ; Barbara and Dolly, Joshua Davis and Jacob Miller, both of Salt Lick; and Elizabeth, Henry Phillips, of Somer- set County.

in Westmoreland; Benjamin and William, who re- moved to Defiance, Ohio; John, Jehu, and Solo- mon died in Salt Lick. The daughters of Abra- ham 'Davis married William Stull, Samuel Eicher, David Stull, Jacob Snyder, Eli Gallentine, and Dan- iel Bruner. Joshua Davis lived in the northwestern part of the township until his removal to Jefferson County, about 1838.

Adam Bungard, a German, settled on the tract of land which is yet in part owned by the Bungard family, where he died in 1833 at the age of eighty- seven years. He reared sons named Adam, George, John, Christian, Daniel, Jacob, and Michael. His daughters married Jacob Miller, Samuel Berg, and Samuel Hahn. Of the sons, Jacob and Michael yet live in the southern part of the township. On " Plen- tiful Hill" John Grindle was a pioneer. He was the father of John, David, and Christian Grindle, who after living in Salt Liek a number of years moved to the West.

The Schlater family were among the first settlers in the Ligonier Valley, where they had many ad- ventures with the Indians. One of the Schlater daughters was sealped and left for dead, but re- covered and became the mother of a large family. In the possession of Isaac Schlater is the door of one of the pioneer cabins in which the family lived, which shows numerous bullet-marks and gashes made by the tomahawks of the Indians in one of their attacks. Some of the family lived near the Salt Lick line, and Isaac Schlater was for a number of years the owner of the Mount Hope Furnace in that locality. Henry Schlater for a number of years lived in Salt Lick, re- moving from the township to Ohio. In the extreme northwest of Salt Lick lived the Kesslar family, some of the members residing in Westmoreland. William Kesslar improved the farm now owned by James Coff- man, and George Kesslar the Martin Wrinkler place.

Ludwig Miller was born in Somerset County, but in 1800 moved to the present Christner farm, in the southern part of Salt Lick, where he died in 1845. His son, Jacob H., was just a year old when his parents settled in the township. He yet resides in the eastern part of Salt Lick, one of the oldest and most hale men in the county. For twenty-five years he was a justice of the peace, and in that period of time joined two hundred and forty couples in matri- mony,-a very large number considering the sparsely- settled condition of the country. The other sons of Ludwig Miller were Ludwig H., who moved to Ohio ; George H., who died near Sparks' Mill ; Henry H., whose death was caused by falling from a horse ; Abraham H., who died in Springfield ; Frederick H., who fell from a cherry-tree and was killed ; John H., removed to Ohio; and Isaac H., the youngest, died in the township. The daughters married Christian Bungard, Ludwig Hart, Jacob Bungard, George Sleas-

Shadrach Davis, by birth an Englishman, came to Salt Lick about the same time as the Dumbaulds. He was the father of Abraham and Joshua Davis, who were prominent in the history of the township. The former first lived on Champion Run, on the farm now owned by Amos Miller, but died at the hamlet of Davistown, where he owned and operated mills. He reared sons named Samuel, who moved to Spring- field in 1830, settling on the farm now owned by his ; man, and Henry Cassell. There were thirteen chil- son Solomon, where he died in 1873 ; Jacob, yet living dren in all, and when Mrs. Ludwig Miller died, at

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the age of eighty-six years, she had one hundred and fifty grandchildren and two hundred great-grandehil- dren, some of her children being parent to eighteen and twenty children. Nearly all the Millers in Salt Lick originated from this family, and have displayed remarkable unanimity in their political predilections. At the late Presidential election the family cast twenty .votes for Gen. Hancock. John Harbangh, who re- sided for many years on the head-waters of Poplar Run, was the grandson of the Millers. He received from Gen. Jackson a hickory cane, which passed from him to the Millers, and is cherished by them as a memorial of the stern old hero of New Orleans. township of Bullskin, praying for a division of said township, and that the top of Chestnut Ridge may be the line of separation. It is considered by the court that the prayer of the petitioners be granted, and that the eastern division be called Salt Lick township." Although thns officially named, it was for several years known by the name of Young township, not only locally but in official transactions. In the sec- ond volume of "Com. Records," page 38, under date of Jan. 13, 1798, the name of Reuben Skinner appears as the assessor of Young township. Again, March 1, 1798, " the house of Benjamin Davis, of Young town- ship," is designated as the place where appeals from At the head of Laurel Run, Charles Worrick, a Revo- lutionary soldier, was a pioneer who came in about the close of the war. He died in Springfield town- ship at an advanced age. Of his sons, William died at Connellsville, and John was burned to death while attempting to rescue his family from his burning honse. This sad event occurred about 1852. assessments might be heard. The name of John Roh- ison appears as the collector of taxes, July 7, 1798, for the township of Young, and the tax-roll for that township is closed Feb. 16, 1799, over the signatures of John Robison and George Batchelor, his assistant. Other accounts were opened about this time with Young township, and continned later as the accounts On Champion Run, John Robison was one of the first settlers. The land passed from his to the hands of his son John, and from him to his son Jacob. The farm at present belongs to the latter's son, Wm. L. Robison, a member of the fourth generation. The present Lyons farm was first settled and improved by John Crist, and sold by him to Henry Yedeson about 1812, when Crist removed to the West. He was the father of Frederick Crist. On the Peterson place Wm. Hess was a pioneer, and after the death of Hess the farm was occupied by his son-in-law, Samnel Lohr. with Salt Lick ; but there is nothing on record to show that the name of Young was ever authorized. It was probably unwittingly used in a local sense, and thns received semi-official sanction until the error was corrected. The term Salt Lick was derived from the licks of salt along Indian Creek, the principal stream in the northeastern part of the county, and the name was for many years applied to all that part of the country lying east of the Chestnut Ridge and north of the Youghiogheny River. A petition for the di- vision of this large township was presented to the George Sleasman, a native of New Jersey, came abont 1800 and settled in the southeastern part of the township, near Worrick's and Anthony Miller's, the latter living on the present Yinkey place. He died in 1812, and his son Peter was then bound out to Andrew Trapp. He is still a resident of the town- man last lived on the George Batchelor farm after the latter had removed. David Berg, a native of Lancas- ter Connty, became a settler of Salt Lick a little later, locating on the farm which is now occupied by Elijah Cramer. Of his sons, Benjamin, David, and Joseph are yet residents of the township. Other sons were John, Frederick, Samnel, Jacob, George, and Eman- uel. John Yinkel was one of the pioneers on Laurel Hill, where he lived until the death of his wife, when he removed to Ohio, but returning to Salt Lick after many years, died at the house of his son-in-law, David Berg, at the age of ninety-eight years. In the western part of the township, Christian Echard, the father of John, David, Jacob H., George, Christian, Peter, and Levi Eichard, settled some time after 1800, and some of the above yet remain in the township. court at its June session in 1831, and William David- son, William Andrews, and Samuel Rogers were ap- pointed viewers, with orders bearing date Nov. 1, 1831, continned Jan. 13, 1832, and March 8th of the same year. At the following session of court, June, 1832, they reported that they had " met to view ship at the age of seventy-two years. George Sleas- . the contemplated division line as set forth by the order, and are of the opinion that it is inexpedient to grant the prayers of the petitioners." The conrt approved the report, and for several years the subject was allowed to rest. But at the June session in 1839 the conrt was again petitioned for a division, and commissioners were appointed, who reported nnfavor- ably Sept. 5, 1839, their report being approved by the court. After the lapse of eight years a petition again went to the court praying for a division of the township of Salt Lick, and Thomas R. Davidson, Alexander M. Hill, and Joseph Torrance were ap- pointed viewers. These reported Sept. 18, 1847, and on the 11th of December of the same year their re- port was confirmed as follows: "The court approve the division of said township by the clay turnpike ; the south side of said road to be the line from the Con- TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION AND LIST OF OFFICERS. nellsville and Bullskin township line to Indian Creek, and from thence to the Somerset line, the northern The township was created at the December, 1797, side of said road to be the line. The northern town- term of Court of Quarter Sessions, " on the petition of sundry inhabitants of the Salt Lick settlement, in the ship to retain the name of Salt Lick, and the southern township to be called Youghiogheny township."

745

SALT LICK TOWNSHIP.

It appears that the above division did not prove satisfactory to the citizens of the newly-constituted township, and at the September term of court, 1848, that body was petitioned for a new township, to em- brace parts of both Salt Lick and Youghiogheny. Abraham Pershing, Levi Bradford, and Provance McCormick were appointed commissioners to inves- tigate the matter, and a report was made by them Dec. 4, 1848, and ordered filed in favor of a new township. This report was confirmed on the 10th of March, 1849, as follows: "The new township is established according to the within report, and the conrt direct that the said township shall be called 'Springfield.'" By this order Salt Lick was limited to its present bounds, and those of Springfield were enlarged in November, 1855, by the addition of that part of Youghiogheny township which had not been absorbed by the formation of Stewart township.

Before Salt Lick was erected Andrew Trapp beld a commission as a justice of the peace in and for the township of Bullskin, his name appearing in that connection as early as 1796. He was also the first justice of Salt Lick. He served as a justice a number of years, but in 1810 appears the name of Richard Skinner as a justice, and later, and before 1837, Frederick Dumbauld, William Kessler, Peter Dun- bauld, and Peter Kooser.

Among other early officers of Salt Lick were the following : 1798, John Cleary and George Poe, con- stables; Abraham Dumbanld and William Kern, su- pervisors of highways ; Christian Perkey and William Smith, overseers of the poor. 1798, John Schlater and Alexander Cummings, supervisors of highways ; Henry Rush and Christian Senff, overseers of the poor. 1800, Richard Truax and Jacob Norrix, over- seers of the poor. 1801, Richard Truax and Conrad Bates, supervisors of highways; Alexander Com- mings and William Spear, overseers of the poor. 1802, Michael Beasinger and George Bungard, super- visors of roads; William Kern, Nathaniel Skinner, John Robinson, and Joseph Hoff hance, auditors. 1803, John Robinson and Richard Trnax, supervisors of highways ; William Kern and Abraham Dum- bauld, auditors. 1804, John Robison and Smith Godwin, supervisors of highways. 1805, Benjamin Truax and George Wolf, supervisors of highways. 1806, John Murray and George Batchelor, auditors.

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History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 167

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