History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 169

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 169

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In 1846 the membership had become strong enough to assume the building of a church edifice, and that year was erected at Davistown the Bethlehem Evan- gelical Church, which is yet used as a place of wor- ship. It is a frame of modest proportions, but the society whose spiritual home it is has been parent to a number of other flourishing classes in Salt Lick and Bullskin. The trustees in 1881 were William Moody, Samuel Eicher, and George W. Kern, and the twenty members constituting the class here were under the leadership of George W. Kern. Jacob M. Davis is the superintendent of a Sunday-school which has about forty attendants.

The Mount Olivet Evangelical Church edifice was built in 1872, in the northern part of the township, on land donated for church and cemetery purposes by Elijah Lyons. The building committee was composed of Jacob Davis and George W. Gloss, and the church was consecrated in the early part of the winter of 1872 by the Rev. William Houpt. The house is a plain but neatly painted frame, thirty by forty feet, George W. Gloss, and D. W. C. Dunibauld. The class which has this house as its place of worship sprung from the Bethlehem Church, and numbers at present about seventy members, who are under the leadership of D. W. C. Dumbanld. The Sunday- school, which is maintained here in the summer sea- son, has an enrollment of seventy-five members, and William Bundorf for superintendent.

nicants, and the following church officers : Elder, A. ; and in 1881 was under the trusteeship of Jacob Davis,

Both the foregoing churches belong to the Indian

On the 13th of December, 1879, the Lutheran con- Creek Circuit of the Somerset District of the Pitts-

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

burgh Conference of the Evangelical Association. The circuit embraces also, as other appointments, the McClellan school-house class ; Poplar Run, in Spring- field ; Mount Pisgah and Stauffer, in Bullskin, the stewards of the several appointments being Jacob M. Davis, George W. Gloss, John Mull, Daniel Stauffer, and Levi M. White. The preacher in charge in 1881 was the Rev. George W. White; Rev. William Moodey was a local preacher.

It is impossible to give a complete list of the min- isters who served what is now Indian Creek Circuit, as no records of such appointments, made very often as frequently as once a year, have been preserved. But among others who were itinerants in Salt Lick were the Revs. Abraham Dreisbach, Henry Niebel, John De Hoff, Moses De Hoff, - Walter, -- Rid- dle, - Wilt, - Barber, - Stambaugh, George Brickley, Daniel Brickley, Samuel Mottinger, Henry Rohland, Henry Bueks, Thomas Buck, Abrabam Baker, M. J. Carothers, J. M. W. Seibert, George Kopp, John Lutz, A. Frey, Uriah Everhart, Levi Everhart, S. W. Mckesson, - Craig, Einsel,

Daniel Long, Samuel Kring, Conrad Kring, Anstein, - Hempie, - Miller, - Strayer, - Poling, - Boyer, - Ross, James Dunlap, L. H. Hettrick, D. K. Levan, William Reininger, and G. W. White. In addition to the foregoing, the now eminent Chicago divine, Dr. Thomas, began his min- isterial career as a youthful preacher in the Evan- gelical Association, serving as an itinerant in Salt Lick. Some of the older members recollect that he even then was remarkable for his profound discourses,-a bent of mind which has given him a national repu- tation as a preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The Hopewell Methodist Protestant Church is a small frame house of worship northwest of Davis- town, which was built about the same time as the Bethlehem Church. One of the chief promoters of the enterprise was Abraham Gallentine, who was also one of the first members. Others associated with him were William Moodey, Joseph Gallentine, Harriet Kesslar, Mary Bundorf, and a few others. For a time the church flourished under the preaching of the Revs. Francis, Betts, Bolton, Stillings, and Scott; but the removal of some of the members so weakened the body that after a time no regular services were maintained, and the remaining members connected themselves with other religious bodies. The last preacher was a man named Colclough. The Baptists and other denominations sometimes preached in the old Hopewell Church, but as far as has been ascer- tained no organization was attempted. The house has been little used lately for religious meetings, and is in a somewhat dilapidated condition.

In the northeastern part of the township is a small chureh, in which Winebrennarian meetings were formerly held, but which is now seldom used for any purpose. The house was built largely through the

efforts of John Foust, one of the leading Winebren- ! narians. Others of that faith in that neighborhood were David A. C. S. Hostetler, Gideon Hostetler, and their families.

The Union Church house of worship is in the Miller neighborhood, in the southeast part of the township. It is a log building of fair size, erected by the united efforts of the community soon after 1850. The lot on which it stands was set aside for church and cemetery purposes by Jacob H. and Peter H. Mil- ler. The graveyard is one of the finest in Salt Lick, and is the general place of interment for the people of south- east Salt Lick and northeast Springfield. The title to the property has been vested in the Church of God, the present local controlling committeemen being Jacob H. Miller, Jr., and James H. Miller. Although open for the use of other denominations, the Church of God (Winebrennarian) has been the principal body to occupy the building with any regularity for the purposes of stated worship, and at present their or- ganization numbers about fifty members. Among the early Winebrennarian members were the Pritts, Wor- rick, Gallentine, Ridenour, and a few other families, the first meetings being held at the house of the for- mer by the Rev. John Dobson. Other ministers were the Revs. Hickernell, Plowman, Wurtz, Stevens, Bloyd, Lucas, Gallentine, and the present, George A. Barklebaugh.

The Dunkard meeting-house, in the northern part of Salt Lick, near the Westmoreland County line, was built in 1852, on a lot of land donated for this purpose by John Fleck. It is a large and substantial frame, built after the manner of the plain people who wor- ship in it, and has accommodations for about six hundred people. The Fleck and Hess families were among the first Dunkards in Salt Lick ; but the present large membership is almost entirely from Westmore- land County, and the history of the church conse- quently has but little interest for the people of Fay- ette County.

Schools were taught in the township as early as 1803, John Wibel, a German, being the teacher. It is probable that most of the instruction was in the German language, although it is said that Wibel was also an English teacher. In the winter of 1802-3 he taught a three-months' term near Trapp's Mill, his charges for instruction being ten shillings per pupil. As teachers became more numerous the rate of in- struction was reduced to nine shillings per quarter. Wibel removed from the township some time abont 1808. Some of his schools were taught in a log build- ing erected for school purposes in the spring of 1804 by the Lutheran and German Reformed congrega- tions, and which stood near their meeting-house. Andrew Trapp seems to have had the building in charge, furnishing what lumber and nails were used, the latter being brought from Connellsville by Peter Strayer. George Poe laid the floor, and Jacob Grindle

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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.

made the door, the hinges and bolt for the same having been made by Jacob Barned. These also sent their children to the school, while other pupils came from the Bruner, Wolf, Norrix, Bungard, and Dum- bauld families.

At this period Christian Mensersmith and Henry Rush were also teachers in the township, their schools being taught in houses occupied in part by families. About 1807 another school-house was built on the old Ludwig Miller farm, where Peter Frick taught the first school. Later William Arthur and James Mc- Cloy taught in that house. The latter was an Irish- man, a good teacher, but thoroughly detested the cus- tom of barring out at Christmas, a custom to which the German teachers graciously conformed. This school-house and the one near the "Good Hope" Church were abandoned about the same time, but when cannot be positively determined. On the Jacob Lohr farm George Bucher, Jr., taught an early school, which was attended by Abraham C. Dumbauld, John and Adam Kalp, Mary Tederow, and the Schlaters, of Mount Hope Furnace.

In due time the township accepted the provisions of the common school law, but the records pertaining to the organization of the schools, as well as the records for many subsequent years, have not been preserved, so that no authentic account of them can be given.

In 1881 the township was divided into districts, which bore the names of Kesslar, Washington, Black Creek, Trout Run, Longwood, Franklin, Mcclellan, Centre, Clinton, and Buchanan, in most of which good schools were maintained.

The school directors of Salt Lick since 1840 have been as named below :

1840 .- Daniel White, Peter Dumbauld, William Kesslar. 1841 .- Jacob H. Miller, Robert Workman.

1842 .- Jacob Kern, Robert Bigaw, John Brooks.

1843 .- Sylvester Skinner, Danicl Livingood.

1844 .- Samuel Scrichfield, Samuel Murray, Jacob 11. Miller.

1845 .- Gabriel Cbristner, Josiah C. Moore, Adam Deitz. 1846 .- Jacob 11. Miller, David Rugg, Peter Meater. 1847 .- Peter Meater, Samuel Murray.

1848 .- John B. Miller, Frederick Miller, Jacob Robison.

1849 .- William Stoll, James White, Jacob 11. Miller, Gideon Hostetler.

1850 .- John Ecbard, Abraham Gallentine.

1851 .- D. W. C. DumbaukI, John Shultz.

1852 .- Jacob 11. Miller, Joseph Gallentine.

1853 .- Abram Gallentine, Peter Dumbauld.

1854 .- John Shultz, A. C. Dumbanld.

1855 .- John Lohr, William Robisou. 1856 .- A. Gallentine, Frederick Miller.

1857 .- Jacob L. Snyder, John Fonst.

1858 .- Henry I. Bitner, William Senff.

1859 .- Jacob II. Miller, Daniel Kesslar.

1860 .- Jacob Bungard, D. W. S. Cavenaugb.

1861 .- D. W. C. Dumbauld, D. M. Foust.

1862 .- Jacob H. Miller, George Kalp.

1863-Daniel Kramer, John Davis.

1864 .- Philip Fleck, Jesse L. Beal, D. W. C. Dumbauld.

1865 .- H. L. Sparks, G. W. Kern. 1866 .- Jacob H. Miller, James White.

1867 .- D. W. C. Dumbauld, Solomon Kennell, Jeremiah Miller.

1868 .- Henry Adams, Samuel Kesslar.

1869 .- Fred. 11. Medler, George L. Snyder, Henry Pletcher, John Echard, Jacob Lohr. 1870 .- David Ayres, A. C. Dumbauld.

1872 .- David K. Cramer, William L. Beal.

1873 .- John B. Lyons, Adam M. Bungard.

1874 .- Isaac White, D. A. C. Hostetler.

1876 .- John B. Lyons, George M. Yothers, William Newill.

1877 .- Jacob Kennell, G. M. Yothers.

1878 .- David Ayres, Isaac White.

1879 .- E. Matthews, William Nickel, Joseph Berg.

1880 .- Jacob Kennell, George M. Yothers, Daniel Pleteber. 1881 .- P. H. Miller, M. Berger.

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.

ALONG the Somerset County line, between the town- ships of Salt Lick on the north and Stewart on the south, is Springfield township. From the former it was set off in 1847, and to constitute the latter it con- tributed of its territory in 1855. The Youghiogheny River forms the southwestern bounds, and on the west are the townships of Connellsville and Bullskin. Springfield is traversed by the Chestnut Ridge and the Laurel Hills, which give its surface an elevated and mountainous appearance, and cause a large por- tion of it to be unfit for cultivation.

In many places along the streams the hills are almost precipitous, while in other localities they slope

gently to the water's side. Originally they were covered with fine forest growths, of the hard woods chiefly. On the tops of the smaller hills the lands appear level, and have generally been reduced to cul- tivation. The hills themselves are the depositories of great mineral wealth, coal and iron being most abundant, although fire-clay and limestone have been profitably developed in several localities. The drain- age of the township is good, there being numerous springs, brooks, and creeks. Indian Creek, the prin- cipal stream, flows almost centrally through the town- ship from the northeast, emptying into the Youghio- gheny about a mile above the Connellsville line. Its

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

northern and western affluents are Poplar, Stony, and Resler's Runs. The opposite tributaries are the North Fork, Buck and Mill Runs, the latter in point of size being the second stream in the township. It is some- times called Skinner's Mill Run, after one of the early settlers on its waters. Above its mouth, along the Indian Creek, were natural meadows of consider- able size, where were the celebrated " Bullock Pens," which have caused a historical interest to attach to that locality.

These pens were used by Capt. Harris to confine a herd of cattle which were destined for the troops under Gen. Forbes. It is said that Capt. Harris with a small detachment of men left Fort Cumberland with a herd of cattle in 1758, intending to reach the line of march of Gen. Forbes by Braddock's road. At Turkey Foot he was met by Oliver Drake and other frontiersmen, who warned him of the Indians lying in ambush on the Laurel Hills, and offered to conduct him to a place of safety until he could com- municate with the commanding officer of the British forces. Their services being accepted, Drake and Rush led the way over the Laurel Hills, east of the Youghiogheny, down the waters of Mill Run to the above meadows, where the cattle might be pastured and the soldiers enjoy the desired seclusion. In the daytime the cattle were allowed to graze, but at night they were confined in pens made of rails, which re- mained until the township was settled, when the pioneers applied the name of " Bullock Pens" to the locality, and when the land was surveyed the name was employed to designate that tract, thus perpetu- ating it. After remaining at the "Pens" about a month, Capt. Harris was ordered to drive the cattle up Indian Creek to Fort Ligonier, where Gen. Forbes' forces were stationed.

On their march up the stream they passed through a deserted Indian village, and saw so many evidences to indicate that the red men frequented the waters of this stream for the purpose of hunting and fishing that they called it the Indians' Creek, from which the name was derived. In early times the presence of many salt licks was noted along this stream, which l'ed to operations for discovering the source of these saline supplies.

In 1836, Christian Painter began boring for salt near Rogers' Mills, and after attaining a depth of three hundred feet the drill stuck fast, causing the abandonment of the enterprise. But while there was a failure to find a stream of salt water, he struck a heavy vein of water strongly charged with sulphur, which overflowed the well and rose several feet above the surface, forming a large and superior sulphur spring. An analysis of the water shows the presence of many medicinal qualities, which place this spring upon the same plane as some of the most noted sul- phur springs of the country. Mineral springs are found in other parts of Springfield, making the selec- tion of that name for the township very appropriate.

Since Springfield has been so recently organized, its pioneer history is to a large extent inseparable from the histories of Bullskin and Salt Lick, in which lists of surveys and settlements covering what is now Springfield are given. In a general sense this township was not settled near as early as other parts of Fayette County, very probably not until the close of the Revolution, although a few may have lived here prior to that event; but as they removed so many years ago, the traditionary accounts pertaining thereto are vague and conflicting.

Reuben Skinner, a native of New Jersey, after living in the Turkey Foot settlement a few years, located on Mill Run, on the Elijah Kooser place, where he built mills and made other substantial im- provements. After his death, about 1821, his family emigrated farther west, the mills becoming the prop- erty of Jacob Ketchum, and subsequently of the Kooser family. It was from Reuben Skinner that Mill Run took its additional name.

Several other Skinners were pioneers in Springfield. James B. Leonard's place was the former home of James Skinner, a Baptist clergyman, who removed to Perry County, Ohio. Willits Skinner came at a later day and remained until his death, living on the farm now occupied by his son, A. Skinner. The latter, now an aged man, has resided there since he was six years of age. The farm was first occupied by men named Packer, Williams, and Rush, although the land was warranted to Isaac Meason. Richard Skin- ner, of another family, settled on the Silas Prinkey farm, where he reared a large family, which removed from the township half a century ago. Moses Collins was the pioneer on the Jacob Saylor place. After his death his son Henry owned the farm, and after- wards the latter's son Henry, who was the last re- maining member of the family, which has become ex- tinet in Springfield.

Another well-known pioneer was Alexander Cum- mings, a Scotchman, who lived on the George Kern farm, on the old Turkey Foot road. His settlement was one of the first in the township. Cummings was a man of considerable ability, and possessed many fine traits of character, which gave him prominence among the early settlers. He died about 1842, and was interred on his old farm. The Collins family also were all interred in a burial-plat on their old farm. Another of that class of settlers was the MeCune family. James McCune (in early times Mckeown), the grandfather of the James McCune yet a resident of the township, was the first of that name in Springfield. He was the father of Samuel MeCune, who lost his life in a coal-bank about thirty- five years ago.

Maj. Abraham Workman came to the township about the same period. He rendered military service under Col. Morgan, who owned several tracts of land in the township, three hundred acres of which became the property of Maj. Workman. This he improved,

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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.

and lived upon the farm until his death, about 1836. His wife and son Smith moved to Perry County, Ohio, several years later, the former dying in that county at the age of one hundred and two years. The homestead passed into the hands of Robert Workman, who was born on it in 1799, and lived there until his death in 1878, since when his son, Robert W., is the occupant of the farm, which is on the river hills in the southwestern part of the township.

Henry Trump came from Germany and settled in what is now Springfield township, on Indian Creek, near its mouth, about 1780. He patented a tract of about four hundred acres, now owned by the heirs of Henry Walters. He erected a saw-mill some distance up the creek, and the lumber sawed in it he, with the aid of his sons, John and Michael, floated down the Youghiogheny to the Pittsburgh market. The saw- mill was said to be the first erected in that part of the county. He had also a small grist-mill on the creek, propelled by a "tub" water-wheel. Henry Trump, however, was less famous as a sawyer and mill-owner than as a hunter. For many years his chief employment was hunting deer and bears, and he derived considerable profit from the sale of the skins of these animals and bear's oil. At his home on Indian Creek he had several deer and bears which he tamed and kept as pets. He lived to a great age, said to be over one hundred years. His son John settled in what is now Connellsville township, near the line of Springfield. Michael Trump, son of Henry, settled in Connellsville borough.

Daniel Resler, a native of Berks County, Pa., set- tled on the stream of water which bears his name about 1787, and died in that locality before 1817. He had three sons and three daughters, the latter becoming the wives of Solomon Kern, Christian Senff, and John Murphy. Daniel and David Resler, two of the sons, moved to Ohio many years ago. John, the other son, married a daughter of Peter Bruner, and lived on Resler's Run until his death in 1856. His widow yet lives in the township at the age of eighty-four years. She was born in' Stewart, but since she has been three years of age has been a resi- dent of Springfield. The children of John Resler were Daniel, deceased ; David and Jacob, removed to the West; Mary, the wife of David Barned; Eliza- beth, of John Brooks; and Susan, of Samuel Scott.

Peter Bruner settled in what is now Stewart town- ship some time during the Revolution, but in 1798 settled on the Rogers farm, on Indian Creek. His son Daniel moved from the township. At that time Indians yet roved along the stream, but did not dis- turb the family.

Conrad Senff, a German, was one of the earliest settlers in Eastern Fayette, living in what is now the township of Salt Lick, on the Shaeffer farm. After the marriage of his son Christian the latter became a resident of Springfield. He lived on the old Rester farm a number of years, then moved to Ohio. One

of his sons, eighty-one years of age, yet resides in the eastern part of Springfield. He was the only son who remained in the county. His sons are Jacob, yet living in Springfield; Henry, in Westmoreland County ; Wesley and Daniel, in Illinois.

Melchior Entling was a pioneer in the northwestern part of the township, on the old State road, where he kept a public-house as early as 1796. The farm at present belongs to John Ifurt. Joseph Brooks was a member of Entling's family, coming with them from the East. After attaining manhood he married a daughter of Michael Beasinger, a pioneer on the present Daniel Brooks farm. All the members of the Beasinger family moved to the West, except Jacob, who died in Springfield ahout 1865. Joseph Brooks died about 1863. He had reared a large family, his sons being John, Henry, Jacob, William, George, Erwin, and Daniel, whose descendants are very nu- merous in Springfield.

On the Fulton farm Jacob Minerd settled about 1791. He was a native of Washington County, Md. Twenty years after his settlement he died, and was buried in what is now the Baptist graveyard at Mill Run. Of his twelve children, nearly all removed from the township, Jacob settling in Somerset County, and Henry in Dunbar township. One of the daughters married Leonard Harbaugh, father of the Leouard Harbaugh at present living in Springfield. The former became a resident of the township about 1825, but before his death returned to Somerset County. Another of Minerd's daughters married John Ream, the founder of Ursina village, in the latter county. Among Minerd's early neighbors were William Jones, living on the Dickey farm, and a man named Clipliner, on the Imel farm. Where Henry Imel now lives, at the age of eighty-five years, first lived his father, Henry. The former is yet hale and able to do manual labor on the farm. In the harvest of 1880 he and his son John, a man sixty- four years of age, cradled, bound, and shocked up forty dozen bundles of heavy rye in a single day, working from sunrise to sunset, a heavy job even for men in the prime of life.

On the Elm farm, now the site of Springfield vil- lage, Daniel Eicher, a native of Lancaster County, settled about 1790. Josepli Eicher, his last remaining son, died Aug. 4, 1876, aged ninety-two years. Other sons were Peter, Henry, and Daniel. His daughters married Jacob Long, John Harbaugh, and Jolin Rowan. The sons of Joseph Eicher were Samuel, William, John, Daniel, Joseph, Henry, Abraham, and Isaac. His daughters married Thomas McCloy, Wil- liam Justice, and Leonard Harbaugh. The descend- ants of this family have become very numerous in the eastern part of the county.

The Kern family emigrated from Holland to Eastern Pennsylvania about 1700. From thence some of the family moved to Westmoreland County, settling in the neighborhood of Jones' Mills. There one of the

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

family was killed by the Indians, while returning home from a visit to a neighbor, several of those who had accompanied him escaping. Among the sons of the above family were Michael, William, George, and Peter. The latter died in Westmoreland County, George becoming a resident of Washington County. William Kern served in the Revolution, and after the war married Catherine Hoover. He moved to Spring- field, buying out the claim of a man who held a toma- hawk right to a tract of land in the present Murray district. On this land he died about 1837, at the age of ninety-one years. He reared sons named Solomon, Abraham, William, Jacob, Jonathan, and Joshua, and daughters who married Joseph Eicher and George Nicholson.

Solomon Kern was born in the township, and died in 1862, at the age of eighty-one years, his father being probably one of the very first settlers, and he one of the first born in Springfield. Solomon Kern was a carpenter by trade, and made many of the early carding-machines. He also had in operation wood- carding machinery in different parts of the State. For a time he was engaged in the Baldwin machine-shops a: Connellsville, but finally settled on a farm west of Springfield village, which is at present the home of his son, Judge John Kern. Other sons were Josiah, Solomon, and Simon. His daughters married Samuel Davis, Henry Gebhart, Henry Griffin, and Aaron Hart.

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History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 169

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