History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 187

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 187

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PIONEERS AND EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

In September and November, 1766, the Penns granted patents for tracts of lands in what is now Wharton township to B. Chew and a man by the name of Wilcocks. These tracts were north of Brad- dock's road, and along the Henry Clay line, now owned by Joseph Stark and others. In 1767, Gen. Washington acquired a claim to a tract of two hun- dred and thirty-four acres called " Mount Washing- ton," and situated on Big Meadow Run, including

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WHARTON TOWNSHIP.

Fort Necessity. It was confirmed to him by Penn- sylvania, and surveyed on warrant No. 3383 for Law- rence Harrison, in right of William Brooks, and was patented to Gen. Washington, and devised by his will to be sold by his executors, who sold it to An- drew Parks, of Baltimore, who sold it to Gen. Thomas Meason, whose administrators sold it to Joseph Hu- ston in 1816. Col. Samuel Evans bought it for taxes in 1823, and in 1824 Judge N. Ewing bought it at sheriff's sale as Huston's property, and sold it to James Sampey, whose heirs sold it to Geoffrey Facen- baker in 1856. In 1769, " Prosperity," a tract of land, was taken up, running from the Old Braddock road to the pike. G. W. Hansel owns and resides on it.

About 1778, Jacob Downer and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Starner, or Stiner, was moving from Lancaster County to Kentucky, and winter coming on, they stopped near the Old Orchard and near Braddock's Run, and occupied a log cabin by a spring. They came from Germany to Lancaster County. They stayed here about two years and raised grain. Elizabeth, their oldest daughter, had married a man by name of Brubaker in Philadelphia, and they had their other five children with them,-Katy, Susan, Daniel, John, and Jonathan. Jacob Downer left his family here and went on a flat-boat to Ken- tucky to look out a place, but he was never again heard from. His wife and children then moved to Union- town. Elizabeth Downer lived to be one hundred and five years old. Of her children, Katy married Cornelius Lynch ; Susan married one Harbaugh, and after his death married Squire Jonathan Rowland; Daniel was drowned in trying to cross the Yough at the Ohio Pile Falls; John was a surveyor. He pur- chased land in Uniontown in 1780, on which he built a tannery. He went to Morgantown, W. Va., and finally to Kentucky. Jonathan married Drusilla Springer, and lived in Uniontown from 1785 till 1813, and came back and built his tavern stand. He kept on the Old Braddock, and afterwards moved to the National road and built the Chalk Hill stand. He was born in 1754 and died at seventy-nine years of age, a highly-respected citizeu. His wife died in 1843. They had thirteen children,-Levi, Willian, Ann (who married H. N. Beeson), Jacob (who was in the war of 1812), Elizabeth (who married Jonathan Allen, and is still living), Daniel, David, Drusilla (who married Jonathan West), Hiram (who was in the Mexican war and died on the Ohio River on his way home), Sarah, Rachel, Springer, and Ruth, who is still living at Chalk Hill, an amiahle, pleasant, and intelligent old lady.

The Revolutionary war stopped settlements. At its close emigration pushed westward, and the Old Braddock road was naturally one of its great routes across the mountains, and men adventurous and dar- ing located along the road in the wilderness. Thomas Inks came out and built a tavern-house where Eli Leonard now lives about 1780. He came from Eng-

land. Ilis wife's name was Nancy Leasure. They raised a large family. Thomas, one of his sons, born in 1784, here lived ninety-two years, married Susan Flannegan, from Bedford, raised a family, and lived on the old road as a tavern-keeper. George, another son, married Elizabeth Jonas, and followed tavern-keeping on the old road and on the pike. John, another son, was in the war of 1812. He had five daughters,- Rachel, who married Samuel Spau, and mother of Thomas Spau, near Farmington ; Elizabeth, who mar- ried John Carrol and went West; Nancy, who mar- ried James Hayhurst, a son of Hayhurst, the old tavern-keeper, and went West; Mary, who married James Wares and went West; and Rachel, who married Peter Hager.

In 1780, Daniel MePeck was living near Gibbons' Glades. In 1783 Tom Fossit was on the old road at the junction of Dunlap's road and Braddock's, close to the Great Rock, a few feet west of Fred Hamerer's house. He kept a house for travel. He was a tall, large, grim, savage-looking man. He died in 1818, at one hundred and six years of age. He came from the South Branch, in Hardy County, W. Va. Next came Isaac Cushman, and kept the Cushman stand, one mile south of Fossit's. On the 14th of No- vember, 1787, we find him near Gibbons' Glade, tak- ing out a patent for four hundred and twenty-three acres, where George H. Thomas now lives. He was a great hunter, and one winter when a hard crust froze on the snow and the deer broke through and could not run, Cushman and others killed them nearly all off. Cushman had two sons, Thomas and Isaac.

About 1783 the Moores came from Ireland and set- tled west of McPeck's. Robert was at Jacob Prin- key's, and pateuted land in 1786. Thomas Moore, an- other brother, was on Sandy Creek, on the State line, at the old James place, now owned by D. Thornton. John, another brother, was where Squire Isaac Arm- strong resides. Hle had five sons,-Col. Andrew, Robert, Archibald, Thomas, and William, who went West; and one daughter, Sarah, who died in the township.

John Moore built a one and a half story log house near where the log tenant house of I. Armstrong stands, and there kept tavern. He died and his widow kept it a while, but went West in 1812. Col. Andrew Moore served in the war of 1812. He kept tavern and a small stock of goods in one room of the house. He married Nancy Williams, and the late Samuel Moore was one of their sons.

In January, 1786, John Cross patented three hun- dred acres on Mill Run near R. Kingham's, and after- wards huilt a tub-mill near it. In 1787, Henry Fern patented land by name of Cherry Valley, where Alex- ander Rush now lives.

In 1788, John Inks received a patent for a tract of land where J. H. Wiggins lives, and sold it to a man by name of Newbern. David Young came

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

about this time, and built two cabins and a house a mile or so back from William Smith. The two cabins were burned. Also about this time came Alexander McDowell into Wharton near Tom Fossit's ; he was an old Indian-hunter, and was captured once after being shot through, and sold to British traders for a gallon of rum and a silver half-dollar. He got well and came to Wharton, where he was a great hunter. He came from Ireland, and was the ancestor of the McDowells in Wharton ; he was a large, muscular, fearless man, kind and generous. His sons used to get out millstones near Meadow Run and take them to Brownsville, where they were shipped to Ken- tucky.

Capt. Levi Griffith came to this county soon after the Revolution, took up a tract of mountain land of about four hundred acres in Wharton township, where he lived till his death. He was a lieutenant in Wayne's Indian expedition, but acted as captain. He was the only man in this county who was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati,1 a society of Revolutionary officers. He held the badge and star. He received a pension from the government, and every six months went to Uniontown for his pension. Then he would invite his old friends to dinner, generally at Dr. McClure's tavern ; among these were Col. James Panll, Maj. Uriah Springer, Col. Thomas Collins, and William McClelland.

About 1788 the Deans came to Wharton. Thomas Dean started, but died on the way with smallpox. He was from Germany, and had served through the Revo- lutionary war. Samuel, his son, had served two years in that war. He and his mother kept on into Whar- ton, settling close to William Smith's. Samuel F. married a New Jersey lady of the name of Camp, and raised a large family. Thomas and Edward, his sons, were on the pike. Thomas is still living, nearly eighty years old, and a lively, pleasant old gentle- man, with a good recollection of events of sixty years ago. Samuel's mother went to Ohio, and died there at over one hundred years of age. Charles, another son, lives near Elliottsville. Samuel died at an old age. He was the ancestor of the Deans in Wharton.

About 1789, James Hayhurst was at Braddock's Run keeping tavern. Abraham Stewart was in Wharton in 1790, and kept tavern afterwards. He raised Peter Hagar, who married Rachel Inks and settled the Hagar farms, now owned by his descend- ants.

In 1790, Daniel and William Carrol came from Ireland. William settled on Old Braddock road, on the bank of Braddock's Run, and kept tavern. Daniel Carrol, when twenty-five years old, settled the glade named after him. He married a widow, Barbara

Cogswell, and by her had four sons and one daughter, -Daniel, who married a sister of James Sampey and went West; James, who went West; William, who married a Miss Conaway and went West ; Joseph, who married Nancy Scott, and remains, an old and intelligent man, in possession of the glade; and Mar- garet, who married a man named Casteel and went West.

In 1797, James Hayhurst came from Braddock's road and settled near Potter's school-house, and bought from William McClelland, who had patented under name of " Bellevne" and "Land of Cakes."

In 1800, David Flaugh settled near Elliottsville, and Enos and Eber West, half-brothers, came from Mary- land and settled near the junction of Mill Run and Sandy Creek, on the Rowland tract, patented in 1785.

Eber West kept a tavern on the Moore road for many years near the month of Mill Run, and then moved up the hill and built a tavern stand where A. Crutchman now lives. He raised a large family, and they all went to Ohio.

Enos West, half-brother of Eber, settled where Jacob Snmey lives. His wife was the Widow Black, previously a Rowland. He raised a large family. One daughter, Mrs. Rachel Fields, is still living near Smithfield. Jonathan, one of his sons, went to Uniontown, and his son, Enos West, came back to Wharton in 1835, and built a saw-mill near Whar- ton Furnace, where he now lives. Old Enos West emigrated to the Western country, came back on a visit and died, and was buried at Smithfield. His ' wife had one danghter, Sarah Black, who married the Rev. William Brownfield.

About 1800, John Slack was on the Braddock road, and in 1810, Benjamin Elliott, from Greene County, bought out David Flaugh, who lived near Brown's Church. He raised a family of four daughters and two sons,-Solomon, who emigrated, and S. D. Elli- ott, the present owner of his farm. He built a saw- mill and the flouring-mill at Elliottsville in 1817 and 1818. Benjamin Elliott was born in 1781, and died in 1863.

In 1814, John Tuttle came from German township to Wharton, where his son, Eli Tuttle, now lives. Squire Benjamin Price and James Snyder came about 1815. After the pike was built James Mc- Cartney, from Maryland, lived in a log honse just back of the Presbyterian Church at Farmington. He married John Marker's widow, whose daughter, Sarah Marker, married Charles Rush. James Mc- Cartney's son Nicholas was well known as a tavern- keeper, a good talker, and a leading Democrat. His daughter Mary Ann married Squire Burke; another daughter was Mrs. Ellen Brown; and Diana, an- other daughter, married Atwell Holland, who was killed by a negro. She is now Mrs. Thomas, living in Greene County.

Col. John McCullough came shortly after McCart- ney. His sons Nicholas and James are well known

" " A little while before the disbanding of the Continental army the officers formed an association for mutual friendship and assistance which they called the 'Society of the Cincinnati." They adopted an order or badge of gold and enamel, which with membership was to descend to the nearest male representative for all time."-Lossing.

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WHARTON TOWNSHIP.

along the road. Squire James Bryant, or, as some called him, Bryan, also Sebastian, John, Charles, and Levi Rush, Jr., sons of Levi Rush, of Henry Clay, came and located in Wharton. John, Charles, Sam- uel, and Sebastian Rush (called " Boss" Rush) were on the road as tavern-keepers. Charles Rush was on the pike at Searight's in 1856. Samuel Rush keeps the Rush House, opposite the Union Depot, Pitts-

burgh. Sebastian Rush married Margaret, a daughter Next was a road from Snyder's, on the pike, past El- of James Beard. Thomas, one of his sons, is a mer- liott's Mill to West Virginia, and then a road from Farmington to Falls City. The Handy Creek road was afterwards known as the Moore or Cumberland road. chant at Farmington, and C. H. Rush, another, is a merchant at Uniontown. Sebastian Rush for years was the leading Republican of Wharton township, while Col. John Mccullough and Nick McCartney were the leading Democrats.

In 1822 Col. Cuthbert Wiggins came to Wharton from Uniontown. His son, Joseph H. Wiggins, has the finest house in Wharton, one-half mile from Chalk Hill, and it is called by sportsmen the " fox-hunter's paradise."

The Moyers about 1820 were clearing farms in the western part of the township. Their ancestors, Sam- uel and Jacob, came from Hagerstown. Philip Moyer, who lives near Elliottsville, and Barbara, widow of Samuel Moore, are children of Jacob Moyer, whose wife was Catherine Manst. Nancy, one of his daugh- ters, married Samuel Morton, of West Virginia, who built a saw-mill at Gibbons' Glade.

Peter Kime came to Potter's place in Wharton The Burnt Cabin stand, just west of the Henry Clay line, was a cabin, where about 1790 a man by name of Clark lived. The cabin was afterward burnt, hence the name. David Young kept tavern in MeCarion's farm. about 1825. In 1833 G. W. Hansel came from Mary- land, and the Crutchmans came to West place. In 1836 Jacob Workman and his brother came from Maryland and settled near Peter Hager. In 1840 | it in 1796. A few old apple-trees mark its site on Amos Potter came from Henry Clay, and bought the Kime property, and still resides on it. He is over seventy years old, a kind, affable, intelligent old man, who has held many offices in the township, and for years has been one of its leading and most useful citizens.

About 1840, Isaac Armstrong came from West Vir- ginia, and bought the old Moore property, on which he now resides. He has been justice of the peace heretofore, and holds this office at the present time. In the western part of the township we find, about 1850. Jonas Haines and John Wirsing, from Somer- set County, Pa., and John Myers, from West Vir- ginia.

ROADS AND TAVERNS.

The Braddock road is the oldest road in the town- ship. The Sandy Creek road is the next, and was the second or third road laid out in Fayette County, in 1783, running from Ten-Mile Creek past Haydentown to Sandy Creek settlement, past Daniel McPeck's, who lived near Gibbons' Glade. It is not known whether it came by Gibbons' Glade from Haydentown, or by the Bear Wallow to Brncetown, W. Va .; it is supposed to have come by Three-Mile Spring from Haydentown past to Gibbons' Glade. The next road was from Selbysport to the Moore settlement, and

branching to Braddock's road. The next was the Tur- key Foot road, coming past where Robert Dalzell (the father of Private Dalzell, of political fame) lives, and intersecting Braddock's road at Dunbar's Camp. Next was the National road. Next, in 1823, was a road from Downer's tavern (Chalk Hill) to Jonathan's Run (near Stewart), and Samuel Little, Col. Andrew Moore, John Griffin, and Jacob Downard, viewers.

The Old Braddock road entered Wharton from Henry Clay, on the farm now owned by McCarion, then by Eli Leonard's to the Widow Dean's, back of Farmington, then to Dennis Holland's, then by Fort Necessity through the Facenbaker farm, crossing the National road at Braddock's Run, near the house of James Dickson's heirs, then along a ridge back of Chalk Hill, through the Johnson farm to the top of the mountain, to Frederick Hamerer's place, then by Washington's Spring through the Kenedy farm, and two miles beyond crossing the township line to Dun- bar's Camp. On this old road there were a number of tavern stands within the boundaries of Wharton township, and a brief mention is here made of them.

The old Inks tavern was about one mile west of the Burnt Cabin, where Eli Leonard now lives. Thomas Inks built the first part of the house now standing, and in 1783 kept tavern in it. George Inks, his son, followed him in keeping the house till the road was shut up. Near is Dead Man's Run, so named from two brothers-in-law quarreling at Inks', and having left together, young Thomas Inks soon after started to mill, and driving across the run found one of them lying dead in the run.

Old Graveyard tavern, a large log house, stood two miles west of Inks', on the Widow Dean's place, just back of Farmington. It was supposed to have been built about 1783 for a tavern. Afterward Henry Beall and Plummer kept it, then Abraham Stewart, father of Hon. Andrew Stewart, next Clemmens. It was so called from a graveyard but a few yards away. The house has long been gone. The old trees and graveyard remain.

The Rue England tavern was about one mile we-t of the Old Graveyard tavern, where Dennis Holland now lives, on land owned by G. W. Hansel. It was a log house, supposed to have been built about 1796, and was kept awhile by young Thomas Inks.

The Freeman tavern stood a short distance west of

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the Rue England. It was a log tavern, built about 1800, and kept by Benjamin Freeland and young Thomas Inks. Jackson Facenbaker lives at the place. Benjamin Freeland had five children, -Mahala, Phobe, John, Isaac, and Mary. The father died in Uniontown. John and Phoebe went to New Orleans, where she taught school, married, and died.

The Old Orchard tavern, near where the Braddock's road crosses the National road, was a log house kept by Hayhurst in the Old Orchard. It was supposed to have been built about 1786, and was kept by Wil- liam Carrol after 1790.

The Downer tavern was about one mile back of Chalk Hill, and was kept by Jonathan Downer, who came to it in 1813. Thomas Inks, Jr., kept here at one time.

The Cushman tavern stood one mile north of Downer's. It was a log tavern, kept about 1784 by Cushman. About 1787, Tom Fossit (the old soldier who, as some said, killed Gen. Braddock) kept here. The house has long been gone. The Johnsons now own the property.

About half a mile north from Cushman's is a ledge of rocks where a peddler was said to have been killed in early days for his money and wagon-load of goods. The place is called " Peddler's Rocks."

Slack's tavern was one mile north of Cushman's.

Tom Fossit built a log house and kept tavern in 1783 on the top of the mountain at the Great Rock, close to the junction of the Burd and Braddock roads. Fossit soon left, and Jolin Slack built a large log house ; it was called Slack's tavern. The old Slack tavern is gone, but about ten feet from it stands the house of Fred Hamerer, who owns the place. The Great Rock is about twenty-five feet from his house, but a quarry being worked in it some years ago has greatly changed its appearance. About two hundred and fifty yards from it, just below the Old Braddock road, on the Kennedy farm, where Allen Humphreys lives, is Washington's Spring, at which he once made his night camp. North of the Great Rock fifty rods is a high, projecting point on a hillside where the Half- King had his camp.

About a mile and a half east of the Great Rock are the Three Springs, within a circle of two hundred yards, on Trout Run, a head of Great Meadow Run. On the right of the run is the Sand Spring, twenty- five feet in diameter, water boiling up from clear white sand. A rail twelve feet long has been pushed down and no bottom reached. Next, a few yards lower on the same side, is Blue Spring, about twenty- five feet in diameter and ten feet deep, with a beanti- ful rock bottom. Then on the left, higher up, and really the head of the run, is Trout Spring, about twenty-five feet in diameter and about four feet deep, the water clear and cold and containing trout.

grave was included in a contract from David Shriver, superintendent of the eastern division, to Ramsey & McGravey, one section ; John Boyle, one section ; Daniel McGravey and Bradley, one section ; and Charles Mckinney, one section ; and in May of the same year it was let to the Wharton line, and from Braddock's grave to Uniontown. Hagan & McCann and Mordecai Cochran were contractors on the road to the summit of Laurel Hill, the township line. They had many sub-contractors under them. From Chalk Hill the road was to follow the Old Braddock road to the top of Laurel Hill and then to Union- town, but the superintendent changed it to the pres- ent ronte.

The first tavern stand on the National road was near Fielding Montague's. This stand is a matter of dispute. Old Thomas Dean has no recollection of Leonard Clark having three cabins here that were burnt, and thinks, as Leonard Clark kept at the Burnt Cabin, on the old Braddock road, and David Young had two cabins burnt back of William Smith's, on the road, hence this mistake of making them Clark's, and locating them on the road as the Bush tavern. All old people agree in making this first stand to have been the Noe's Glade stand, a story and a half log house, west of Fielding Montague's some three hun- dred yards, kept by Flannigan and John Collier and George Bryant. Some of these parties were not li- censed. James Beard afterwards bought the house and lived in it a while, and it was then torn down.

McCnllough stand, a two-story stone building and a stage-house, was built and kept by - Bryant, somewhere about 1823, and Bryant's post-office was kept here abont 1824. Next Henry Vanpelt, a son- in-law of Bryant, kept the house. After him came John Risler, James Sampey, Adam Yeast, William Shaw, Alexander Holmes, and Nicholas McCartney in 1845, then Col. John McCullough bought the property and kept till his death in 1855. His widow then kept a while and married Squire I. N. Burk, who now occupies the property. Col. John McCollough was a stock-drover from Ohio, and liking the country as a business place, settled here. He was a man of stal- wart proportions, a good talker, and a great champion of Democracy. At this house, when Nick McCartney kept, Atwell Holland was killed on the 4th of July, 1845, by a negro escaping from slavery. The negro. passing over the road was stopped by McCartney as a runaway at the suggestion of some wagoners. Mc- Cartuey took the negro to the house, gave him some- thing to eat, and leaving the house for a time left the negro under the care of Atwell Holland, who had married his sister Diana a month previously. The negro watching a favorable opportunity, sprang out the open door and ran. Several of the wagoners and Holland, against the entreaties of his wife, pursued him. The negro soon distanced them all, but Holland, who was a very fleet runner, overtook him. The ne-

The National road was built through Wharton township in 1817-18. In February, 1817, the part of the road from the Henry Clay line to Braddock's gro turned and stabbed him three times and then con-

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WHARTON TOWNSHIP.

tinued his flight. The knife was a long dirk. Hol- The Farmington stand was a log house, built here by Squire James Bryant. It was kept by Bryant, Connor, Tantlinger, and his widow until 1837, when Judge Nathaniel Ewing bought the property and land fell, and his companions came up and bore him back to the house. The impulsive and eccentric Lewis Mitchel, a preacher, knelt by his side, and while stanching his wounds with grape-leaves offered . built the present large and commodious stone and a prayer for the dying man. He expired in a few brick structure. A man by the name of Amos first moments in the arms of his young wife. It was said that when Holland breathed his last a party formed, went to the Turkey's Nest, and laying in wait that night, intercepted the negro on his way to Union- town and shot him and concealed the body.

The third stand on the road was a two-story frame house, about a quarter of a mile east of Mccullough's, and built by Bryant, who lived in it after keeping at Mccullough's. Col. John McCullough built an addi- tion to it, and kept it. He was succeeded by Morris Mauler, William Shaw, and Adam Yeast. A few years ago Nicholas Mccullough repaired the build- ings, and kept a year. The property is now occupied by a Mr. Glover.

The Rush stand was a large two-story frame house, built by Bryant for his son. Charles Rush bought it in 1838, and building to it, opened a house for the traveling public. He kept till his death in 1846. He was a genial and generous landlord, be- stowing many a free meal on hungry and penniless applicants. His widow kept for a time, and after- wards married William Smith. Mr. Smith kept Adams & Green's express line wagons and other travel until the road went down, and he still occupies the property.

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History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 187

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