History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 86

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 86

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April, 1827 .- " Benjamin Wells presented to the Council a fine piece of parchment, and it was ordered that the Clerk have a plan of the Borough made upon it with the present owners' names upon the margin." This old plat has not been found, nor has any knowl- edge of it been obtained.

Dec. 27, 1832 .- The Council resolved that Valen- tine Coughenour be appointed to superintend the business of the Stone Coal Bank, and " that the price of coal at the Bank should be 13 cents per bushel until the expense of opening shall be defrayed." The coal-bank referred to was the one granted by the original charter of the town to the citizens. From it every original property-owner was entitled to dig his own fuel at his own expense. The privilege, how- ever, never proved to be of much real value, for coal could be purchased at all times at but a trifle more than the cost of mining it. The location of the public coal-bank was on Mounts' Creek, on the upper end of the Buttermore farm. The Pittsburgh and Con- nellsville Gas-Coal and Coke Company having pur- chased the coal-lands around it, it was absorbed by that company, no one interested making any ob- jection.

BOROUGH CURRENCY.

On the 11th of June, 1816, "a motion was presented [to the Council] in order to have bills of Curreney struck for the Borough of Connellsville. The Coun- eil appointed Isaae Meares to inquire into the plan and easiest mode of having them struek, and report." On June 21st he reported "that the easiest way of having Bills of Currency struck will be to have them printed." The " matter was brought to a vote, which resulted in five yeas and two nays," and the following is entered on the record immediately after : "So it ap- pears that became an Ordinance by the majority of three votes."

The fact that the proposed borough currency was struck off and put in circulation is made apparent by the following from the record :

" Resolved [April 4, 1817], by the Town Council of the Bor- vugh of Connellsville, that it is thought proper, and they do Re- solve, to sell unto John Lamb all their interests into and of all the Borough Tickets issued and to be issued of such as are now printed to his own proper use ; and the said John Lamb hath agreed with said Council to give to the Borough aforesaid one hundred dollars free and clear of all Expenses, Drawback, or Damages that may hereafter acerne in consequences of the issu ing, distributing, or redeeming the same, and also to keep the borough aforesaid indemnified for or in consequence thereof."

377

CONNELLSVILLE BOROUGH AND TOWNSHIP.

On the 29th of May, 1817, the Council, "after hav- | ing taken into consideration the propriety of taking a bond of indemnity and a bond for the payment of a sum of money of John Lamb, to complete a con- tract respecting the issuing and payment of the bor- ough tickets, agreeable to a resolution passed the 4th day of April last, Resolved, that Isaac Meres, George Mathiot, Esqr., and Caleb Trevor be and are ap- pointed a Committee for the purpose above men- tioned." In July of that year A. Baldwin was added to the committee. This is the last reference to the matter found in the records.

VOCATIONS FOLLOWED IN CONNELLSVILLE IN 1823.

The following list, from the assessment roll of Con- nellsville for the year 1823, shows the vocations then pursued by the persons named. The list includes not only the borough but the entire township, but the names given are principally those of residents of the borough at that time, viz. :

Juhn Fuller, tan-yard. Gebhard & Smith, nail-factory. David Barnes, brick-yard.

Abraham Baldwin, carding-machine manufacturer and cotton- factory.

William Clements, schoolmaster. John Eicher, tanner. T. & J. Gibson (heirs), furnace.

John Gibson, ironmaster, forge, slitting-mill, grist-mill. Samuel Gibson, miller.

William Lytle, postmaster.

William McCormick, potter.

Charles McClane, doctor.

Rubert D. Moore, doctur. Samuel Mitchell, miller.

John Simon, founder. George Mathiot, doctor.

Robert McGuire, silversmith.

Lester L. Norton, fulling-mill and carding-machine. John Reist, oil-mill.

D. & J. Rogers & Walker, paper-mill.

Jubn & Martin Stouffer, grist-mill.

John Slomaker, pottery.

James Shaw, lawyer. William J. Turner, schoolmaster.

Isaac Taylor, tan-yard.

John Trump, saw-mill. Jacob & John Willard, distillery.

Steward H. Whitehill. schoolmaster. Samuel G. Wurts, ironmaster.

"INDEPENDENCE DAY," 1824.

The Fourth of July, 1824, was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the people of Connellsville, and the Mount Pleasant Volunteers and Youghiogheny Blues (the latter under command of Capt. Samuel Trevor) were present to add brilliancy to the occasion.

The day was ushered in by the usual artillery sa- lute, and the forenoon was passed in displaying the evolutions of the military. " About one o'clock P.M. the Blues, the Volunteers, and the citizens repaired to the bower which had been provided and partook

of a dinner, at which William Davidson presided, as- sisted by Capt. J. B. Trevor, Capt. David Cummings, and Mr. Daniel Rogers, acting vice-presidents. The Declaration of Independence was read by Capt. Sam- uel Trevor. Volunteer toasts were given by Capt. J. B. Trevor, Col. William L. Miller, Maj. Joseph Tor- renee, Stewart H. Whitehill, Capt. Samuel Trevor, Lieut. Hubbs, of the Mount Pleasant Volunteers, Capt. David Cummings, Eli M. Gregg, Abraham Baldwin, Samuel Marshall, Daniel P. Lynch, and Sergt. Smith." The day was in every respect a bril- liant one for Connellsville, and there are many of her citizens who still remember its festivities.

BRIDGES ACROSS THE YOUGIIOGHIENY.1

The first bridge across the Yonghiogheny River from Connellsville to the western side of the stream, in what is now the borough of New Ilaven, was built under authority conferred by an act of the Legisla- ture, passed March 15, 1800, by which it was provided and declared-

"That it shall and may be lawful for Isaac Meason and Zachariah Connell, their heirs and assigns, to erect, build, sup- port, and maintain a good and substantial bridge over and across the Youghiogheny river at Connellsville, near where the great road leading from Philadelphia to Uniontown erosses said river, and that the property of said bridge, when built, shall be and the same is hereby vested in the aforesaid Isaac Meason and Zachariah Connell, their beirs and assigns forever, and that the said Isaac Meason and Zachariah Connell, their heirs and as- sign», may demand and receive tull from travelers and others [here follows a specification of the rates of toll] ; Provided always and nevertheless that nothing in this act contained sball extend to authorize the said Isaac Meason and Zachariah Connell, their heirs and assigns, to erect a bridge in the manner in this act before mentioned on any private property without consent of the owner or owners thereof, or to erect the same in such manner as in any way to interrupt or injure the naviga- tion of said river or the passage over the ford across the same near where the said bridge may be erected." And it was fur- `ther provided by the act " That all poor persons, or those who may be exempted from payment of county rates and levies, shall have liberty to pass and repass over and across said bridge toll free."

The precise time of the opening of the bridge is not known, but it was commenced soon after the pas- sage of the act anthorizing its erection, and completed within the required time, three years. Its location was nearly one hundred feet up stream from the present bridge. It was a wooden-bent structure, rest- ing at the two ends on abutments, each formed of a strong crib-work of logs filled in with stones. The bridge remained for nearly or quite fifteen years, and was carried away by flood some time in the year 1816 or early in 1817, as a memorandum is found showing that in the spring of that year a ferry was in opera- tion, run by Joseph Keepers and George Sloan. The abutment at the Connellsville end remained standing

1 The facts concerning the first three bridges over the Youghiogheny were largely obtained from R. A. M. IIvaine, of New Haven.

378

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

for a number of years after the bridge was gone. The old toll-house which stood in front of the property of Edward Dean, on Water Street, is still well remem- bered, having been demolished at a comparatively recent time by the railroad company.

The second bridge across the river was built in the year 1818. It was, like its predecessor, a wooden- bent structure, supported above by four heavy arches formed of two-inch oak planks bolted together, and it rested between the abutments on three strong bents of heavy timber, having breakers extending from their bases up stream between thirty and forty feet, and >loping at an angle of about forty-five degrees from the bed of the river to the chords of the bridge. The model of this bridge was furnished by Adam Wilson,1 an ingenious Scotchman.

This bridge stood intact until 1827, when the west- ernmost span (next to the New Haven shore) fell, while a heavily laden wagon, drawn by a team of six horses, was upon it; but, strangely enough, though it went down with a crash, yet it fell so squarely that neither the horses, driver, wagon, nor load sustained any serious damage The fallen span was rebuilt the same year, and the wooden arches of the bridge re- placed by a kind of truss-work. During the time of the repairs a ferry was run across the river by Samuel Downey. In February, 1831, hy the breaking up of the ice in the river, all of the bridge was carried away except the new span on the New Haven side.

The third bridge was built in 1832, by the Meason and Connell heirs. This was a great improvement on the structures which had preceded it. It was built with two spans, resting on stone abutments and a stone pier in the river. The spans were supported by solid wooden arches, and the superstructure was cov- ered to protect it from the weather. This bridge did duty for about twenty-eight years, until April, 1860, when a great and sudden rise in the river carried it away, the pier in the river being undermined. The water rose at that time to within less than three feet of the bridge, and within eigheen inches of the road- way of Front Street, New Haven. During the sum- mer and fall succeeding the destruction of this bridge James H. White made two or three unsuccessful at- tempts to build a bent bridge of short spans some forty or fifty feet up the stream from where the present bridge stands, but each attempt was frustrated by a rise in the river, which carried away his bents, and finally the plan was abandoned.

Inseparable from the history of the old bridges is the memory of " Aunt Jenny" Wallace (sister of Zachariah Connell's second wife), who held the posi-

tion of toll-taker at the bridge for many years. Mr. David Barnes speaks of his recollection of her "with that uninviting face and old black dress; we can see her grab her dress on the right side with her left hand, whilst the right would enter the pocket to make change from the old ' fip.' We remember a little joke that was played upon her. A stranger approached the gate of the bridge and asked the charge for crossing. lie was told one cent. 'Does it make any difference what you carry ?' ' No, it does not.' Giving her the vent, he skipped back and shouldered his comrade and started for the bridge. She tried to stop him, but he went on, and the old lady stood with both hands hanging straight down her sides, body bent forward, face raised, and eyes strained, to see if he would drop his load ; but she saw him pass over with it. then, straightening up, with a long sigh, exclaimed, ' Ile will never do that again.' "

After the destruction of the third bridge, other parties made an arrangement with the owners of the Meason-Connell franchise,2 under which a new bridge company was formed, and was created a corporate body under the name of " The Youghiogheny Bridge Company" by an act-supplemental to that of March 15, 1800-passed April 17, 1861. The capital stock was placed at 820,000, in eight hundred shares at $25 each.

A meeting of the stockholders was held at the office of George J. Ashman, July 20, 1861, when George Nickel was elected president, George J. Ashman, sec- retary and treasurer, and James Wilkie, Samuel. Rus- sell, Provance MeCormick, James H. White, and John K. Brown, managers. The managers appointed James II. White, George Nickel, and Jonathan Hewitt a building committee, and a contract was made with Christian Snider, Aug. 24, 1861.

The present suspension bridge was commenced in that year (1861), and completed in the summer of 1862, at a cost of 819,600. From an entry in the books of the company, dated July 30th in that year, is extracted as follows: ... "Wherefore the presi- dent and managers of the Youghiogheny Bridge Com- pany congratulate themselves and the stockholders upon the completion of their bridge, which for some time past has been open for public use." The first toll-keeper under the company was Adam Byerly, who continued in the position until June 30, 1871, when he was succeeded by the present toll-keeper, Adam Eckles. The present officers of the company are Daniel Kaine. president ; A. C. Knox, secretary and treasurer ; J. T. McCormick, James McKearns, J. K. Brown, H. L. Shepard, Ewing Brownfield, directors.

POST-OFFICE AND POSTMASTERS.

Concerning the date of the establishment of the Connellsville post-office, the most that can be said is

1 This Adam Wilson was a bachelor and a general mechanical genins. Ile built the Mount Braddock mansion for Mr. Meason, doing both the carpenter-work and the stone-cutting, and that at a time when every part of the work had to be done by hand, without the aid of mechanical contrivances. He also built the Measou residence in New Haven, now owned by Mrs. Giles, The model of the Connellsville bridge was sold in 1825 by Wilson's executor.

" Shares of stock in the new company were issued to Mrs. Mary Mea- son, George E. Hogg, and James H. White, for their property and interest in the old charter.

379

CONNELLSVILLE BOROUGH AND TOWNSHIP.

that it was in existence in 1805, when John B. Trevor . pointed a committee "to confer with A. Wilson on the price and power of said engine."

was postmaster. He continued in the office for sev- eral years, and his successors, so far as ascertained, have been as follows : William Lytle (in office under President J. Q. Adams), Joseph Herbert (from Presi- dent Jackson to President Taylor), David Whalley, John Collins, Provance McCormick (appointed 1852),. J. D. Stillwagon, Provance MeCormick, Benjamin F. Frankenberger, Joseph Keepers, A. S. Barnes, Mrs. Moses Collins, Hampton Collins, Henry Porter, present postmaster.

EXTINGUISHMENT OF FIRES.

The earliest mention found in the borough records of any proposition to procure apparatus to aid in the extinguishment of fires in Connellsville is the follow- ing :

" At a meeting of the Council, Feb. 16, 1811, A Resolution was past that there should be procured for the use uf the Bor- ough two ladders of 28 feet long. 20 inches wide in the clear, with good, sufficient, Iron Sockets at the bottom 9 inches long, and two other Ladders 18 feet long, 12 ioches wide in the clear, with good sufficient hooks at the end of each to hold on the cor- nice of any house, the rounds as above-mentioned, the whole to be made of good locust and the sides of good poplar, all of which must be painted with two good coats of brown. And that John Lamb be appointed to procure the same on as reason- able terios as he can."

The next reference to the subject is as follows : May 29, 1817, "Resolved, that it is necessary to appoint some fit person to take charge of the ladders belong- ing to the borough, and it is enjoined on him to keep them locked and not let any person have them or any of them except in case of fire or some other extraor- dinary emergency. Elijah Crossland is appointed to take charge as aforesaid for the present year." In the next year (May 5th) James Francis, Esq., was' ap- pointed to take care of the town ladders, and charge six and a quarter cents for each time they were unlocked and locked. He was "authorized to loan all or any of them to the citizens within the borough, who shall make a return of such loan every evening and pay six and a quarter cents for each ladder so borrowed, and in case of neglect to return them as aforesaid shall pay twenty-five cents for each ladder for every evening they shall neglect to return them, and when so returned shall be placed in the same position in which they were so taken away or loaned, and pay damages if any done to such ladders."

April 26, 1820, Adam Snider was appointed to take charge of ladders. May 5, 1820, the Council resolved "that a fire-engine be procured," and a committee was appointed to hold consultation with Adam Wil- son on the matter and report, but it appears that nothing was done at that time, for the subject was again brought before the Council May 2, 1822, when certain inhabitants petitioned that body to hold con- sultation and take action as to the propriety of ob- taining a fire-engine." Thereupon the Council ap-

Neither from the records of the Council (which are extremely obscure and imperfect) nor from the recol- lections of old citizens can it be now ascertained whether a fire-engine was purchased for the borough at that time or not. A few years ago there was a re- newed agitation on the question of increasing the facilities for preventing and extinguishing fires in the borough, and the appropriation of certain money for that purpose. The money was duly appropriated, but "after due consideration" it was applied, not to the procuring of fire apparatus, but to the purchas- ing and erection of hay-scales for the borough. At a celebration of some kind held soon after, there appeared in the procession a set of platform scales, mounted on a wagon and bearing the inscription " Fire Department of Connellsville."

The borough fire apparatus of fifty years ago is still in existence, but it is a lamentable fact that to-day Connellsville can hardly be said to be better defended against conflagration than it was then.

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

The first banking business in Connellsville was done by the "Connellsville Navigation Company," which was formed under articles of association dated Oct. 8, 1816, as follows :

"We, the subscribers, believing that an association for the purpose of raising a food to aid in the improvement of the navigation of the Yonghiogheny River, and in erecting a Bridge across said river, is a measure of public utility, and will especially advance the interests of this section of the common- wealth, have formed a company or limited partnership, and do hereby associate and agree with each other to conduct business in the manner hereinafter specified and described by and under the name and title of the President and Directors of the Con- nellsville Navigation Company, and we do hereby mutually covenant, declare, and agree that the following are and shall be the fundamental articles of this our association and agreement with each other, by which we and all persons who at any time may transact business with the said company shall be bound and concluded."

Article 1 declares that "The capital stock of said company shall consist of one hundred thousand dollars in money of the United States, but may be increased hereafter at the discretion of the directors to any amount not exceeding three hundred thousand dollars, and shall be divided into shares of one huo- dred dollars each. . . . "

Article 2 constituted the following-named persons a board of directors, to hold as such until the first Monday in April, 1817, viz. : Isaac Meason, Jr., Sam- uel Trevor, Daniel Rogers, Joseph Torrence, James Blackiston, Jolin Strickler, Abraham Baldwin, Dan- iel S. Norton, Jacob Stewart, Andrew Dempsey, John Lamb, Jacob Weaver, Stewart H. Whitehill, James Rogers, and James Paull, Jr. Article 14 declares that " the association shall continue until the first day of April, 1825." The names of subscribers and num- ber of shares set to each was as follows :

380

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Shares.

Abrabam Baldwin

Thomas Atkinson. .... 5

Samuel Trevor .. 30

1 Samuel Neel. 15

James Rogers .. 220

Philo HIall. 5

laune Meason, Jr .. 50 Thomas & Joseph Gibson. 10

I). & I. Rogers .. 50

Jobo Lamh. 20

Andrew Dempsey 10

Jnenb Weaver. 20. Stewart II. Whitebill.

Jacul Stewart 20

William Lytle .. 5

Jawies Blackiston 50

James Framiss. 4

John Boyd. 5

Josepb Torrence ... 10

James MeKuun. 3

Martin Stephenson 5

Samuel G. Wirts 20 John Shaup 1

George Kemp. 2 Samuel G. Wurts 30

Phineas Rogers

Jaeob Davis.

Robert Philson

James Paul, Jr .. 50

J. nathan Page. 5

Jacub Warsing. 5

E. Sallyards 10

Joseph Strickler. 5

Abrabaio Stauffer.

Nathaniel Gibson

Luther Stephens 5

John B. Trevor.

Moses Mercer. 3 Aadrew Byers 5

James MeMillan 5

Ben. Kindrick 40

William Davis.

George Mathiot 2

John M. Burdett. 5

W'm. B. Foster. 15

Caspar King 4

John Jackson 50

Robt. Iluey.

Robt. Hutchinson. 2

Geo. Mathiot.

Martin Glassburner .. 1

Cyrus 1. Gibson,

Samuel Candan

William Patterson 5

George Rearo. 5

Jobn Hinebaugh 5 James llertzell. 20

Roht. Smith ... 10

Philip Sullivan .. 20

John Strickler. 10

William Paull. 20

Moses Vance.

John Miner.

It does not appear to have been any part of the object of the company to improve the navigation of the Youghiogheny River, as indicated by its title and hinted at in the articles of association ; but its plan seems to have been copied from the scheme of the Manhattan Company of New York, originated some years earlier by Aaron Burr, ostensibly for the pur- pose of furnishing that city with water, but having for its real object the obtaining of a charter (which could not otherwise be secured at that time) under which it could transact a banking business, an object i which was successfully accomplished. The Connells- ville Navigation Company attempted nothing, except in the way of banking, and to that business it pro- ceeded at once after organization.

On the 3d of November, 1816, a meeting of the board of directors was held at the house of Andrew Byers. Some business was transacted, and the board adjourned to the 5th of December. The meeting was held according to adjournment at Andrew Byers', on Thursday, December 5th. Col. Joseph Torrance was in the chair, and Stewart H. Whitehill, secretary of the meeting. The board then proceeded to elect Isaac Meason, Jr., president, and John B. Trevor, cashier

of the company. The store-room of Samuel Trevor (on Spring Street, opposite the present Yough House) was rented for an office, at one hundred and fifty dol- lars per annum. Afterwards it was removed farther up the street to the building now occupied by Dr. George Johnson.

Business was commenced in the office or banking- room above mentioned, and on the 21st of January, 1817, the company issued its notes to the amount of $24,400, in bills of $10, 85, 83, and §1 denomination. Other issues were made soon after, as follows: Feb- ruary 7th, $800; February 10th, 8800; March 5th, $8100; April 1st, $12,500; making a total issue of 846,600.

Of this issue, it appears from the books of the company1 that $36,197 was retired on the 21st of No- vember, 1818, at which time the board of directors voted "that Caleb Trevor, Jr., act as cashier until April 1st next, at the rate of $400 per year, and he to furnish room for books and desk after January 1st." And under date of April 19, 1819, is found the fol- lowing entry :

" Received of Caleb Trevor, Jr., late cashier of the Connells- ville Navigation Company, the buoks and papers of the eom- pany, and $640,50 in bunk-notes, as per murgin, being the balanee of the cash acevunt.

Perryopolis. $117.50

Saline (Va.) 121.00

Stewart's

111.00

New Salem

286.00

New Ohio ... 5.00

Total

$640.50

" JOHN BOYD, Cashier."

On the 18th of August, 1820, a new board of fifteen directors was elected, of whom Isaac Meason was made president. John Boyd continued to be cashier of the company until it went out of existence in 1831. Of the balance of 810,403 of the company's notes which remained in circulation after the retirement of $36,197 in November, 1818, before mentioned, $8891 was redeemed and cancelled at various times down to

1 By the following entry :

"OFFICE OF THE CONNELLSVILLE NAVIGATION COMPANY,

" Nov. 21, 1818.

" We, the undersigned, appointed u committee to examine the affairs of the Connellsville Navigation Company, to count the money, and ascer- tain the balance in the hands of the cashier, do find that the balance of the cash account is thirty-seven thousand three hundred and four dollars and fifty cents, which amonut J. B. Trevor has this day paid over to the committee, consisting of thirty-six thousand one hundred and ninety. seven dollars in our own notes, and eleven hundred aud seven dollars and fifty cents in foreign notes. $37,304.50.

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History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 86

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