History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 85

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 85

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Senate. He died in 1867, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. Mr. Davidson had three sons, -Thomas R., Daniel R., and John,-the last named dying in early youth. Thomas R. Davidson became one of the leading lawyers of Fayette County, and is more fully mentioned elsewhere, in connection with the mem- bers of the Fayette bar. Daniel R. Davidson be- came a farmer, but also took very great interest in the promotion of railroad enterprises in this section. He used his influence and gave a great portion of his time to the building of the Pittsburgh and Connells- ville Railroad; and it is doubted by many whether that road would have been completed to Connells- ville (certainly not at the time when it was com- pleted) but for the energy which he displayed and the influence which he brought to bear in its aid. After- wards he was very influential in securing the right of way for the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad, thus aiding to complete another line of railway eommuni- cation for Connellsville. He now resides at Beaver, Pa. (where he removed in 1868), and is largely in- terested in the manufacture of coke, and in other industries, and is president of the Bank of Com- merce in Pittsburgh.

John Fuller, the father of Dr. Smith Fuller, of Uniontown, eame to Connellsville, and built a house on lot No. 153 of Connell's plat, where he also started a small tannery. Later he purchased lots 75 and 83, on Apple Street I now owned by the Youghiogheny Bank), where he started another tannery. This was on a spot opposite the present freight depot of the Southwest Railroad. From him this tannery passed successively to the ownership of William Goe, Strawn,

Cooper, and others, and was discontinued about 1870.

Alexander Johnston, a native of Ireland, came to America when about nineteen years of age, and not long after his arrival emigrated to Western Pennsyl- vania. He located for a time on Chartiers Creek, in Washington County, and engaged in the business of peddling goods through the farming districts. In this he continued till 1808, when he came to Connells- ville, purchased the property on Spring Street still known as the Johnston homestead (now occupied by J. D. Frisbie and Capt. J. M. Morrow), and com- meneed the business of merchandising. In 1812 he married Margaret Clark, of Dunbar township. He remained in the mercantile business there till 1846, when he was succeeded by his son Joseph, who was there until 1849, when he built the honse now occu- pied by J. D. Frisbie, and lived there and kept a store until 1858, when he went out of business. The other children of Alexander Johnston were William C. Johnston, John R. Johnston (deceased), and three daughters, who became respectively Mrs. Dr. Joseph Rogers, Mrs. James Blackstone, and Mrs. Col. Daniel R. Davidson, of Beaver, Pa.

Herman Gebhart and Asa Smith had a nail-factory where the ticket office of the Pittsburgh and Connells- ville Railroad now stands. It was discontinued when John and Jacob Anderson purchased the property (about 1830) and converted it into a foundry. In 1823, Herman Gebhart erected on Spring Street a briek residence, which has since been transformed into a hotel, and is now known as the Smith Ilouse.

Lester L. Norton, who was of New England origin, came to Connellsville with his mother and brother, Daniel S. Norton. At some time prior to the year 1823 he had built and put in operation a small full- ing-mill on the south side of Baldwin's Run. He was also a farmer. He became prominent in church and school matters and in the affairs of the borough. Near Norton's fulling-mill, in 1823, was the tan-yard of Isaae Taylor. Five years later he was operating a tannery on the north side of the town, about one square from the present site of the Pittsburgh and Connellsville depot. This old tannery was discon- tinued many years ago.

John Adams came to Connellsville from New Jersey, and took up his residence where John Shaw now lives. Later he lived in the house of John Hinebaugh, who carried on the business of wheelwrighting. Adams became constable and deputy sheriff while residing

373

CONNELLSVILLE BOROUGH AND TOWNSHIP.

here. Afterwards he returned to New Jersey, and died there.

John Herbert was another Jerseyman who came to Fayette County, but the date of his coming is not known. The name of Alice Herbert is found on the records of the Baptist Church in 1801, but whether she was of the family of John Herbert is not known. He, on the 24th of July, 1818, bought eleven aeres of land of John Strickler, in Dunbar township. He had two sons, Joseph and Hiram. Joseph was a shoe- maker. On the 5th of April, 1825, he bought of Mary Long, of Tyrone, lot No. 126, in Connellsville,-the same on which Goldsmith's new block has been erected the present summer. This was one of the lots pur- chased Nov. 6, 1802, of Mr. Connell by the Trevors, who sold it in 1814 to Joseph Barnett, who in turn sold it (July 19, 1817) to Mary Long, by whom it was sold, as above stated, to Joseph Herbert, who lived on it until his death, in November, 1880. He was post- master of Connellsville under President Jackson, and held until the administration of Gen. Taylor. His brother, Hiram Herbert, lived in the house still stand- ing south of the market-house. His son, George W. Herbert, is now a resident of Connellsville.

George Marietta was (in the years sneceeding the close of the last war with England) the leading car- penter of the town, and an excellent mechanic he was. "He could," says Mr. David Barnes, "go to the woods and take from the stump every timber needed for a house, hew it out, mortise and tenon every piece, and when hauled to the ground where it was to be erected put it up without a failure in one piece. He erected most of the buildings here in his time."

Thomas Kilpatrick was one of the prominent men of his day in Connellsville. He was a shoemaker, and also a justice of the peace. He was highly and de- servedly respected as a magistrate, causing a majority of the cases brought before him to be settled ami- cably and without the unnecessary and foolish ex- pense of continued litigation.

John Francis, a native of Ireland, was manager of the Jacob's Creek Furnace about the years 1792-93. Thence he went to Meason's Furnace in the same ca- pacity, and remained there until 1800, when he re- moved to Virginia, and died there in 1805. His sons were John, James, Robert W., Isaac, and Thomas. He had one daughter, Margaret. In 1829, Robert W. Francis, in partnership with J. J. Anderson, started a foundry in Connellsville, at the place where the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad depot stands. An- derson's interest was purchased in 1834 by James and Isaac Francis, brothers of Robert W., and the busi- ness was continned until the sale of the property to the railroad company, about 1869. Robert W. Fran- eis died June 8, 1878. Walter E. Francis, of Con- nellsville, is his son.

Through a period of more than half a century, be-

ginning many years before 1800, the building of boats to be floated down the precarious water-way of the Youghiogheny was a very noticeable industry of the little town of Connellsville. It was commenced by westward bound emigrants and traders, who coming across the Alleghenies and over the State road, striking the river at this point, took this means to avail themselves of the cheaper and easier means which it offered for the transportation of their house- hold goods or merchandise, and in the succeeding years it was prosecuted as a regular business by enterpris- ing residents of the town. Of those who prosecuted this industry, and of the way in which they did it, Mr. David Barnes says, " Here were the Millers, the Richeys, and the Whites building flat-bottom boats to carry the pig iron that is stacked on the banks wait- ing a rise in the Yough. What bustle and hurry there is from the time the axe-men go to the woods to cut the large poplar-tree, split it, hew it, and with six oxen, or Billy Russell's six-horse team, haul one of them to the boat-yard. The other was brought, placed npon the block, the saw, axe, chisel, and auger were put to work, and a dozen men with shaving-horses and drawing-knives went to shaving pins that another half-dozen men were riving out from blocks sawed the proper length. Soon the frame was made, the bottom put on and caulked, and then came the tug to turn it, which was done with long levers, and three sampsons were generally enough. The samp- sons were made of heavy pieces about twenty feet long, bored full of holes about four inches apart alternately from side to side, and placed along the boat at each end and in the middle. At each samp- son a man was placed, and as the levers raised the boat each would stick in a pin to sustain the weight until the men would take another hold with the levers. Thus, inch by inch, it went up, till coming nearly perpendicular all would stop, and several men would take pike-poles, distribute them equally along the boat (for now came the critical time in turning), and at a signal given by one man, all listening, -. He, ho, he!'-away she would go, and as she struck, a cloud of dust would rush out in front ; then she was boarded by all hands to see if there were any cracks or breaks. None being discovered, augers and chisels were soon at work again, the studding and siding put on, and she was launched and ready with long oars, one at each end, to start on her voyage 'away down to Pittsburgh.'"

EXTRACTS FROM THE EARLY BOROUGH RECORDS.1

" At a meeting of the Council of the Borough of Connellsville, convened by mutual agreement on the

1 The first volume of borough records, with minutes of the Council (covering the period from 1806 to 1834), was found among the effects of Nathaniel Gibson, deceased, after having been lost for many years. It fell into the hands of David Barnes by purchase at a public sale, and it is from this book that much of the early history of the borough, its schools, and the list of civil officers have been obtained.

374

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

16th day of April, 1806," John B. Trevor was chosen town clerk. The Council then proceeded to business, and passed eighteen ordinances, one of which imposed "a fine of one dollar on any person who gallops a horse within the limits of the Borough." The only instance of violating this ordinance on record is May 22, 1821, Samuel Johnston, a black boy, who was fined, but the fine was remitted. Repealed Oct. 10, 1821.

The following appointments were made at this meeting: John Page, assessor; Caleb Trevor and Benjamin Evans, assistant assessors; George Mathiot and James Blackstone, street commissioners; Joseph Rogers, treasurer; and David Barnes, inspector of lumber.

The next meeting of the Council was held on the 3d of June, when a time (June 12th) was appointed for a Court of Appeal respecting the valuation of tax- able property.

At a meeting of the same body on the 24th of June, 1806,

" The Council proceeded to fix upon a seite proper for a market-house for the use and convenience of this Borongh, when, after some discussion as to the spot, Mr. Zachariah Con- nell, who was present, generously offered to make a present for the afuresaid purpose of a part of lot No. [94], of the following dimensions, viz. : 40 ft. in length on Church St. and fourteen in breadth on Spring Street, which was thankfully accepted."

A resolution passed the Council on the 27th of Au- gust, 1806, instructing the elerk to " draw a deed for the piece of ground intended as a spot for the erection of a market-house, which was presented by Mr. Con- nell to the Council, vesting the property in the Bur- gess and Town Council and their successors in office forever." On the 5th of September in the same year the Council authorized the purchase of " a seal and screw."

In the month of October next following the Coun- eil took the first action in reference to schools. This will be found noticed on a subsequent page of this history.

An ordinance, passed April 16, 1806,1 provided "That a good foot-path of sand, gravel, brick, or stone, not less than six feet wide, nor more than eight feet, shall be built on Spring Street, as high up as the east corner of the Michael Bryan lot ;" also a similar foot-path on Water Street.

April 11, 1807, the Council instructed A. Banning to draw a plan for a market-house and present it at the next meeting for consideration. The plan so pre- pared was presented by Banning on the 20th of April, and, after debate, rejected.

At a meeting held Feb. 2, 1808, the Council exam- ined and approved the following " List of Taxes for the Borough of Connellsville for the Year ending the first Monday in April, 1808," viz. :

Samuel & C. Trevor .... $12.50

Anthony Banning ...... 8.621

Daniel & Jos. Rogers ... 7.50 Ichabod Thorp 374

Jas. Blackstone. 7.50

Joseph Page 7.50

Michael Bryan

John Lamb.

David Barnes

6,00

Benjamin Wells 4.00

Wilham Mellord 3.25

George Mathiot 3.00

3.00

James Francis 9.75

William Page .. 2,50

Charles Williams 2.00

Isaac Meason, Sr

2.00

Thos. Gibson, Sr. 1.75

Alex. Campbell

1,50

John Gibson, Sr

1.25

Adam Wilson.

John Keepers.

1.25

Jonas Coldstock 1.25

1,124

July Swain

1.00

Isaac Mears

1.00

Cornelius Woodruff. 1.00

Adam Snider 1.00

Jesse Taylor

1.00

Frederick Biddle

Jaines Lafferty

1.00

Alex. MeMaster ..

William Davies

1.00

Gideon Parker

Charles Wells 1 00

Win. McCormick, Jr.

James Robbins

E-tate of C. Wortz

Aaron Robbins.

Ihram Connell

75 John King

Joshua Ilunt

Philip Baker.

Nathaniel Gibson

llenry Buchart.

Richard Mellvain

Richard Harden

John Fell

624

Gasper Etling.

6 6

Samuel Snowden.

David Smith

Julin Fuller.

624

Nathan Rogers

Elisha Clayton

George Matthews

(. Woodruff, Jr.

Ezekiel Clayton

Thomas Stokely

Richel Bailey

50 John Hines

James Leonard

6 Cornelius Clayton

Henry Kerrick

6 John Robbins

Samuel llerbert.

This was the second tax levy made by the borough, and the list contains the names of many whose de- scendants are still citizens of Connellsville.

At a meeting of the Borough Council held April +, 1808, it was resolved by that body " that Andrew Binning, Daniel Rogers, and James Blackstone be a committee to draft a plan for a market-house and lay it before the next meeting." On the 24th of April, 1809, the Council passed "an ordinance re- specting a scite for a market-house ;" but no further action in that matter is found recorded until October 2.1, in the same year, when " A paper was presented to the Council, signed by a number of the inhabitants of the borough, requesting them to lay a tax for the current year sufficient to defray the expenses of the borough, and if money enough cannot be raised by the common rate of taxation to build a market-house, then they, the said freeholders, authorize the Council to raise as much by an extra rate as will compleat it. . . . After some debate as to the tax to be laid on the valuation of taxable property within the borough, it was carried that it should be three-fourths of a cent in the dollar. David Barnes, who was present, was requested to draw a plan for a market-house, to be presente l to the Council at their next meeting." At

William Kirk

Hessen & Barrett .. 50

Martin Jamison

Peter Stillwagon.

Daniel Rex.

Davil Thompson

Daniel Mathias

Benjamin Evans

Thomas Hartley

Thomas Gibbs

Caleb Squib ..

Joshua Gibson, Sr.

Jacob Jonas

John Page

Ephraim Robbins.

Abraham Baldwin.

Davil Stewart

Baltzer Snider.

P. Cunningham

Solomun King

Christian Ballsley. John Rex

25 25 25 124 124 184 124 12+ 124 12} 124 124 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

llenry Fux.

Joseph Kitehart

50 Ilugh Corothers

6 6

1 Repealed April 24, 1881

$0.50

374 30 30

25 25 23 25 25 25

Connell & Banning. 374

Zachariah Connell 6.25

John Barnhart ..

Samuel Page ..

1,00

Jonathan Moody ..

375

CONNELLSVILLE BOROUGH AND TOWNSHIP.

the next meeting, on the 5th of October, 1809, " David Barnes presented his plan for a market-house, which was duly considered and agreed to, and or- dered that the town clerk give public notice by ad- vertisements that he will receive proposals for build- ing the market-house until Wednesday morning, the 11th of October inst., when the Council will again convene for the purpose of considering any proposals that may be laid in."

At a meeting of the Council Oct. 11, 1809, " David Barnes laid in a proposal for erecting the market- house, agreeably to the plan and conditions laid down, for ninety dollars, which proposal was considered and accepted, and a bond taken from him for the faithful performance." Greensbury Jones appeared before the Council on the 12th day of February, 1810, and "agreed to sell to the Council for the use of the bor- ough an additional part of lot No. 94 for the purpose of erecting the market-house, and it was agreed that he should receive eight dollars and fifty-one and a half cents for the same. An order was then drawn on the treasurer for the amount, and a deed drawn by the town clerk for the premises."

On the 5th of March, 1810, two orders (one for eighty dollars, one for twenty dollars) were drawn on the treasurer in favor of David Barnes for part pay- ment of erecting the market-house. "David Barnes then agreed to make two sufficient double gates for the market-house and hang the same, inclose the house with lath in such a manner as to prevent sheep from entering the same,1 and erect sufficient steps on the front end of the same, for which he is to receive the sum of eight dollars when the same is completed. He is also to put a curb of timber along the whole front of the ground appropriated, which is twenty- four feet, and also put in three sufficient posts along said curb, for which he is to receive a further sum of one dollar." An ordinance was passed March 12, 1810, providing and fixing rules for the market.

On the 2d of April, 1810, an order was drawn on the treasurer in favor of David Barnes for two dollars and twenty-five cents, part pay for erecting the mar- ket-house, "after which the Council took into con- sideration the manner in which the work of the market-house was executed, and were of the opinion that the floor of the same was not executed in the manner prescribed, and resolved that the undertaker should amend the same so as to make it compleat, or that he should be docked five dollars out of the spec- ified price of erecting the house."

May 10, 1810, an order was given David Barnes for the balance due him on the market-house. Otho G. Williams was placed in charge of the house, but re- signed the 26th of May, and Elijah Crossland was appointed clerk of the house. They also rented to him a stall in the northwest corner for the sum of four dollars and thirty-three cents per year, and pro-

vided that no stall should be rented for less time than a year. At this meeting an ordinance was passed that " Any person or persons selling beef, porke, veal, or mutton in the market-house by less pieces than the quarter shall pay a fine of two dollars for each and every offense in less they rent a stall."

Stated market-days were established by resolution of the Council, viz. : Wednesdays and Saturdays. The hours established were " from dawn of day until nine o'clock" for the season beginning on the Ist of April and ending on the 31st of August, and for the season from September 1st to March 31st, inclusive, the hours were extended from nine until eleven o'clock. By the same ordinance it was provided that any person exposing any commodity for sale out of the market during the market hours should be liable to a fine equal to the value of the commodity and cost of suit. The list of commodities to be sold in the market em- braced "Fresh meat of all kinds, bacon, dried beef, hog's lard, sausages, poultry, butter, eggs, cheese, candles, tallow, beeswax, country sugar, vegetables of every sort, fresh fish, fruit, grain, flour and meal of every sort and kind." Any person buying a com- modity and selling it again on the same day at an advanced price was made liable to a fine of one dol- lar. But this ordinance was not to affect " store- keepers."

In March, 1817, the price fixed for front stalls in the market-house was ten dollars; for middle and back stalls, seven dollars per year. On the 5th of May, 1818, the Council " Resolved, That the market- house be locked for the purpose of keeping out sheep, etc .; that the renters of the market-stalls provide locks for that purpose immediately, and charge the expense of the locks to the borough, and at the expi- ration of their lease deliver said locks in good order to the treasurer." After this time, except the ap- pointment of clerks and the renting of stalls, very little in reference to the old market-house is found in the minutes of the Council.

At the same meeting ( May 5th) the Council took the following action, viz. :

" WHEREAS, There has of late heen several riots and san- guinary affrays committed within this borough, to the great an- noyanee of the citizens and the encouragement of vice and im- morality, it is therefore hecome absolutely necessary for the preservation of good order that a society be formed for the better guarding against disorderly behaviour and preventing such riots within the borough in the future. Therefore re- solved that such society be ealled . THE MORALIZING SOCIETY.'

"The citizens of the borough and its vieinity are invited to assemble themselves for the purpose of establishing such society by such rules as shall be determined on at the next meeting of the Town Council, to be held at the dwelling-house of James Francis, Esq., on Tuesday, the 12th day of this instant, May, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon."

The Council met on the day appointed, and Isaac Meares and John B. Trevor were chosen " to draft an address to the citizens of Connellsville and the vicin- 1

1 At that time every family kept two or three sheep.

376

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ity at large respecting the necessity of forming a Council held against E. Crossland." Nearly two society for the more prompt and vigorous guarding years later the bark-mill was sold to H. Gebhart for the publie peace." Nothing further has been found | $12.25. in reference to the formation of the " Moralizing So- ciety" of Connellsville in 1818.

June 27, 1817, John B. Trevor petitioned the Coun- cil for permission to erect a warehouse on the Publie , Ground, but withdrew it on the 30th. On the 22d of September in the same year, "The Council agree that it shall be incumbent on the street commissioner, under the direction of the burgess, to notify John B. Trevor immediately to desist in the prosecution of building a warehouse on the public ground, and all others who may build or attempt to erect any build- ing on said publie grounds other than the Council shall allow."

On the 30th of June, 1817, permission was granted by the Council to Joseph Keepers and George Sloan "to build a small building for a ferry-house on the publie ground at or near the ferry."

In April, 1818, Elisha Clayton, borough treasurer, presented his account for the preceding year to the Council as follows :

" Amount of ensh and notes rec'd from the 9th day of May, 1817, up to the 3d day of April, ISIS. 8204.94}

Cash paid Sundry persons for orders. 41.354

Bal. in the Treasury 3d of April, 1818 $163.59"

Nov. 11, 1818, the Council "Resolved that the Water Course on the south side of Main St. be con- veyed by the dwelling-house of Mr. David Rogers, in a Strait Line, across Water St. into the River by a Sewer to be dug for that purpose, and lined through- out with Flag Stone, and of a sufficient depth across Water St. to allow of its being cleaned out from time to time."

The following from the minutes is found under date of the 22d of May, 1821 : " Mr. Benj. Wells laid before the Council a subscription-paper signed by a number of the inhabitants who resided here in the year 1796, obligating themselves to pay Mr. C. Trevor and the said B. Wells for taking measures to get the charter of the town recorded. Mr. Wells wished the Council to take measures to enforce the fulfillment of the said obligation by the subscribers, he having ful- filled the trust reposed in him. The Council con- cluded to take time for holding said request."

"June 1, 1821, Couneil considered application of Mr. Wells and coneluded they had nothing to do with it."

Oct. 7, 1822 .- The Council resolved "that the bur- gess be authorized to give license to Mr. Todd to exhibit his traveling museum, ete., as published in his advertisement, until Thursday next, inclusive, in this borongh on paying five dollars for the use of the borough and the usual fee."

April 1, 1823 .- Council " agreed to take a Bark-Mill at $44.", and transfer of Judgment vs. George Mari- etta for $14.00, and an order on William L. Miller for two hundred pounds castings, in lieu of judgment

April 14, 1824 .- The Council granted a license for the sum of five dollars " for the exhibition of a Lion, Leopard, Cougar, and five other Animals" in the borough.

Feb. 18, 1826 .- Couneil received a petition to build a publie hall as a second story to the market-house. This, however, was never accomplished.

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History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 85

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