History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 89

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 89

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1857 .- E. B. Griffin, J. McIntire.

1858 .- Same.

1859 .- James Hollingshead, M. MeK. Garrett.

1860 .- Samuel Wakefield, M. MeK. Garrett.

1861 .- Samuel Wakefield, W. K. Marshall.

1862 .- Connellsville was stricken off from the circuit, and with Springfield made a separate charge. J. W. Kessler appointed pastor.

1863 .- Connellsville made a station. J. W. Weaver, pastor.

1864 .- C. W. Smith, pastor.

1865-67 .- J. J. Jones.

1868-70 .- C. W. Scott.

1871 .- S. W. Horner.

1872-74 .- T. H. Wilkinson.

1875-77 .- J. T. Jones.

1878-80 .- J. A. Danks.

1881 .- J. Hollingshead. On Mr. Hollingshead's re- moval to Providence, R. I., in April, 1881, the Rev. M. L. Weekly was placed in charge, and is the present pastor of this church.

The date of the erection of the old stone house of worship on the hill has not been ascertained, beyond the fact that it was prior to the year 1811. It has been said that Zachariah Connell, the founder of the town, and a member of the Methodist Church, donated the lot and building to the society. This state-

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ment may be true, but it is not fully authenticated. The old edifice was used for many years, but finally abandoned as a place of worship, and was sold to John Taylor, who sold it to Gebhart, Freeman & Co. It was afterwards used as a foundry for about ten years. In 1871 it was sold to the Roman Catholics, and by them demolished to make room for their new house of worship.

In 1836 the society purchased by contract for one hundred dollars a part of lot No. 132, situated on Ap- ple Street and Meadow Alley, which property was deeded on the 1st of March, 1837, by William David- son, to the trustees, John Wilson, Philip Snyder, Jacob Conrad, Levi B. Page, and Samuel Marshall. Prior to the execution of the deed, however, the so- ciety had erected on the land a church building, which was the house of worship until February, 1882, when it was demolished to make room for the erection of a new edifiee commensurate with the growing re- quirements of the congregation.

The present membership of the church is about three hundred. There is in connection with the church a Sabbath-school of about one hundred and twenty scholars, under charge of twenty-four teachers and the superintendence of Charles Whitely.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF CONNELLSVILLE.1

"The first notice of Connellsville in the minutes of Presbytery is the record of the presentation of : Johnston and T. W. Watt). A parsonage was erected

a memorial from the inhabitants of Connellsville, praying for leave from Presbytery to obtain occasional supplies. This was laid on the table." ( Min. Pres., vol. iv. p. 52. Saltsburg, Ind. Co., Oct. 5, 1830.)

" At this time there were but few members in Connellsville, among them Alexander Johnston and family, Wm. Little and family, and Isaac Taylor and family. These were members at Tyrone, and Mr. Johnston was an elder. The next mention occurs in the minutes of the meeting of Presbytery at Re- hoboth, Oet. 4, 1831. A memorial from the inhabit- ants of Connellsville was then presented to Pres- bytery, praying to be organized into a congregation, also to obtain supplies, which was granted. The records of this church, which are preserved from the ' beginning, state that application was made by the members of the Presbyterian Church residing in Connellsville and vicinity to the Presbytery of Red- stone, and the application was granted, and all those persons members of the churches at Tyrone and Laurel Hill residing in Connellsville were set off and authorized to organize a church at the latter place. This seems to have been an organization, as no further reference to it is made, and the church of Connellsville appears in the spring of 1832 in a sta- tistical report of Presbytery."

The names of the original members of this church were as follows: Alexander Johnston (elder), Mar-

garet Johnston, Miss N. C. Johnston, William Little and Mary Little, Isaac Taylor and Rachel Taylor, Sarah Turner, Joseph Rogers and Elizabeth Rogers, Elizabeth Carson, Nancy Norton, Louisa Norton, Margaret Francis, Harriet Fuller, Margaret Little, Caroline Trevor, Mary Barnet, Samuel Finley and Mary Finley, Samuel McCormick and Elizabeth McCormick.

Besides these there were four communicants set off at the same time who resided at Indian Creek, who continued in connection till 1842 or 1843, when the church at Indian Creek was organized.

The services of this church were first held in the Baptist house of worship, and communions in the old Methodist Church on the hill,-the site of the present Catholic Church. In the church record bearing date Jan. 6, 1839, occurs this passage : "Ou this day the church erected for the use of the Presbyterian Church of Connellsville was opened for the occupancy of the congregation. The occasion was marked with appro- priate religious services."

This building continued in use till March 29, 1863, when it was destroyed by fire. The church record of that date says, "Our church was destroyed this morn- ing by fire." The walls of the building remained stand- ing, and the church was soon rebuilt as at present. In the summer of 1871 two lots were donated on Peach Street (one by John Taylor, the other by J. R. at a cost of §3116.

The first meeting for the election of elders was held in the Baptist Church Aug. 2, 1832, at which time and place William Lytle, Isaac Taylor, Joseph Paull, Jo- seph Rogers, and Samuel Russell were elected to that office. On the 7th of March, 1844, Robert Trevor, Noble C. McCormick, and Joseph H. Cunningham were elected ; in March, 1850, Mr. McCrea and John Taylor ; Sept. 27, 1851, Samuel A. Russell was elected an elder, he having then recently been received from the Laurel Hill Church. On the 26th of March, 1866, Robert Beatty was elected elder; James Allen was elected Feb. 24, 1868 ; John R. Johnston and James L. Paull were elected Jan. 19, 1873; Henry C. Mc- Cormick and A. B. Hosack, in February, 1874; Wil- liam Barnett and Adam Armstrong elected June 6, 1875, and ordained November 28th same year. Charles N. Boyd and Jacob May were elected Feb. 1, 1878; ordained April 28th same year. Mr. Boyd was dis- missed to Somerset (where he is now ruling elder) May 18, 1879. James Calhoun and Hugh M. Kerr were elected May 18, 1879, and ordained December 7th same year. The present bench of elders consists of James Allen, H. C. McCormick, William Barnett, A. Arm- strong, Jacob May, James Calhoun, and H. M. Kerr.

On the 28th of April, 1874, the Presbyterian Church of Dunbar was set off from this church by the Presbytery. and Joseph Paull, John Taylor, James L. Paull, and Thomas W. Watt were trans- ferred as ruling elders.

1 From a historical sermon hy Rev. J. M. Barnett.

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CONNELLSVILLE BOROUGH AND TOWNSHIP.

The first religious services regularly held by Pres- byterians in Connellsville were conducted by the Rev. T. M. Chestnut,1 who was sent here by the Board of Missions. This was before the organization of the church had been effected. When the application for organization was granted by the Presbytery, as be- fore mentioned, the Rev. Robert Johnston and the Rev. A. O. Patterson were appointed as supplies to Connellsville. The church minutes (Dec. 15, 1831) state that the Rev. J. L. Hawkins, of the Presbytery of Washington, having been invited by the members of the church, entered upon this field of labor as a missionary, under direction of the General Assem- bly's Board of Missions, laboring alternately at Con- nellsville and Indian Creek. He remained in this field till 1837. The church of Connellsville obtained leave to present a call for him before the Presbytery of Washington. On the 20th of June, 1837, he was received into the Presbytery of Redstone on certifi- cate. A call from this church was presented to him and accepted. He was installed as pastor. The Rev. ! N. H. Gillett preached the sermon, and Rev. Mr. Johnston delivered the charge. This pastorate con- tinued until April, 1843, when it was closed at Mr. Hawkins' request. The church was supplied until April, 1845, by the Revs. James Davis, N. H. Gillett, W. W. McLane, J. B. McKee, A. G. Fairchild, - Findley, - Eaton, - Wilson, - Guthrie. In 1845, Mr. R. Stevenson became a stated supply here. He was a licentiate under the care of an Ohio Pres- bytery, and in April, 1845, he was called by the con- gregation of this church to take its pastoral charge. On the 13th of June, 1845, Presbytery met at Con- nellsville, on which occasion Mr. Stevenson was or- dained to the work of the ministry, and was installed as pastor of this church. This relation continued until October, 1852, when, after a period of seven years, he requested and was granted a dismissal.

In the spring of 1853 the Rev. James Black ac- cepted a call, and was installed as pastor in April of that year. lle remained until April, 1860, when he was called to a professorship in Washington College, and resigned his charge in Connellsville. The church was then varicusly supplied until March 29, 1863, when a call was extended to Mr. N. H. G. Fife, which he accepted, and on the 29th of April, 1863, was or- dained and installed. He requested a dismissal Nov. 29, 1867, which was granted him, after a service of four and a half years. The Rev. Mr. Fields preached as an acceptable supply during the winter of 1867-68, and was called to the pastorate Jan. 22, 1868, and was installed on the second Tuesday of February, the Rev. J. M. Barnett presiding. This relation was dissolved June 1, 1869. In August or September of nett, which he accepted in April, 1870, and was in-

stalled on the third Monday in May of that year, the Rev. N. H. G. Fife preaching the sermon, the Rev. W. W. Ralston delivering the charge to the pastor, and the Rev. D. W. Townsend the charge to the people. Mr. Barnett still remains as pastor of the church.

The original membership of this church (1831) was twenty-two. A report of membership in 1843 showed one hundred and eleven in communion (including members at Indian Creek); in 1853 the membership was one hundred and nine, in 1863 one hundred and thirty-one, in 1873 two hundred and thirty-seven, and at present it is two hundred and sixty-seven. Connected with this church is a Sabbath-school of two hundred and fifty scholars, of which James Cal- houn is superintendent.

METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCHI.

According to the best information that can be ob- tained, this church was organized in the Baptist house of worship in Connellsville in November or Decem- ber, 1830, by the Rev. George Brown; John Wesley Phillips being class-leader.

Moses Scott, who was a weaver in the New Haven factories, and a local preacher, labored long at this place and through the neighboring section of country, and succeeded in organizing several societies. His labors resulted in the formation of the Union Circuit, which was connected with the Ohio Conference. By that Conference Moses Scott was ordained deacon in 1831, and appointed to this circuit, which at that time was extensive, containing twelve appointments. In 1832 he was appointed elder and sent to Georgetown Circuit. William Marshall became an assistant to Scott, and left this circuit in 1832.

The Methodist Protestant church edifice on Apple Street in Connellsville was erected in 1832, largely through the earnest and indefatigable labors of J. W. Phillips. The preachers here at that time were Wil- liam College and James Porter. The first sermon preached in the church building was by John B. Lucas, from the text, "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ?"

In 1833 the trustees of the church were Asher Smith, John W. Phillips, Isaac W. Francis, Thomas Kirkpatrick, Samuel Freeman, John Stillwagon, and John Semple.

The following-named preachers have labored on this circuit during the past fifty years :

1831 .- Moses Scott, William H. Marshall.

1832 .- William College, James Porter.

1833 .- William College, Thomas Stynchcomb.

that year a call was extended to the Rev. J. M. Bar- ' 1836 .- John Huntsman, Moses N. Warren.

1834 .- Daniel Gibbons, F. Mc Williams.

1835 .- John Huntsman, - Miller.

1837 .- Cornelius Woodruff, Fielding A. Davis.

1838 .- James M. Piper, Gabriel Lanham.

1839 .- James Robinson, John B. Shearer.

1840 .- James Robinson, F. A. Davis,

1 Rev. Mr. Wylie, of Uniontown, had perhaps preached a few times before Mr. Chestnut came.

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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

1841 .- James Robinson, Joseph Burns.

1842 .- James Hopwood, Joseph Burns.

1843 .- James Hopwood, John Scott.

1844 .- Peter T. Laishley.

1845 .- James Robinson. Connellsville Circuit set off. 1846 .- Henry Palmer, Thomas G. I. Sherwood.

1847 .- Henry Palmer.

1848 .- George Brown. Connellsville made a station. 1849 .- George Brown. Made again a part of Union Circuit.

1850 .- James Hopwood. 1851 .- William M. Betts.

1852 .- William M. Betts.

1853-54 .- Unsupplied.

1855 .- D. D. Hughes. 1856 .- J. R. Tygard. 1857 .- J. M. Mason.

1858 .- Henry Lucas, I. W. Francis. 1859 .- Henry Lucas.

1860 .- William Wragg, A. Hutton.

1861 .- James B. Lucas, A. Hntton.

1862 .- James B. Lucas.

1863-64 .- Henry Palmer. 1865-66 .- Henry Lucas. 1867 .- Zachariah Ragan. 1868 .- Peter T. Conway.

1869 .- C. P. Jordan. Connellsville again made a sta- tion.

1870 .- William Reeves. 1871-73 .- William Collier. 1874-76 .- John Gregory.

1877-81 .- A. D. Brown.

The church has at present a membership of one hundred and eighty

DISCIPLES' CHURCH.

This church was organized in Connellsville about the year 1830, under the leadership of Lester L. Norton, Abram Shellenberger, Joseph Herbert, and others, its nucleus being formed by a few persons previously Baptists, but who had become dissenters from the doctrines of that church and adopted the views and teachings of Alexander Campbell, who often preached in Connellsville. Services were first held in private houses, with preaching by James Dor- sey, J. B. Pratt, - Young, and others. A stone church building was erected about 1840, on a lot on South Alley donated by Joseph Herbert. It was sold to the Lutherans in 1874, and the present church edi- fice of the Disciples was built on Pittsburgh (or Church ) Street, at a cost of 810,000. The dedication sermon was preached by Prof. Charles L. Luce, of Bethany College. The church was for several years under the care of Elders Norton, Shellenberger, and Davidson.

and connected with it is a Sabbath-school of sixty-five scholars, under the superintendency of M. L. Baer.

LUTHERAN CHURCH.

The organization of this church was effected in 1874, by John Hertzel, John Wilhelm, Jacob Siller, Jacob Wenzler, and Christian Snyder. For a time their services were held in Odd-Fellows' Hall, after which the society purchased the building of the Church of the Disciples, on South Alley, which has since been its place of worship. This church, being under the same charge as the church in West New- ton, was first served by the Rev. H. J. H. Lempeke, who remained its minister until the summer of 1876, and was then succeeded by the Rev. P. Doerr, the present pastor. The church is composed of Germans and English. Preaching in the German language is had in the morning services of alternate Sabbaths. The membership is now one hundred and fifty. A Sabbath-school of fifty scholars is under charge of Jacob Wenzler, superintendent.

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

On the 30th of October, 1876, the Rev. T. P. Pat- terson, of Laurel Hill, Rev. A. E. Linn, of Freeport, and Elders Wymer, of West Newton, and Walter T. Brown, of Scottdale, organized the United Presbyte- rian Church in Connellsville, with eight constituent members. Services were first held in Armory Hall, Odd-Fellows' Building. In the fall of 1876 two lots of ground on Pittsburgh Street were purchased of Mrs. Dr. Joseph Rogers and Mrs. Henry Blackstone for one thousand dollars, and on these a church edifice of brick has been erected at a cost of about five thousand dollars.

In the spring of 1877 the Rev. A. R. Rankin be- came pastor, and remained until April, 1878, since which time the church has been without a pastor. It is now ministered to by the Rev. J. A. Brandon as stated supply. The present number of members is thirty-five.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH (ROMAN CATHOLIC).

The Catholic Church in Connellsville numbered in 1871 one hundred communicants, under the Rev. Robert Waters, who is still the pastor. In that year the Catholics purchased the old Methodist meeting- honse (which had been for some years used as a foundry ), demolished it, and built on its foundation a new church, which was consecrated by Bishop Dominick in July, 1873. The church has now about eight hundred communicants.

BURIAL-GROUNDS.

The first written mention of a cemetery ground in Connellsville (except that embodied in the charter when Zachariah Connell donated one acre of land for a publie graveyard is found in the minutes of the Town Council, where it is recorded that on the 17th

Among the preachers who have ministered for the church have been Alexander Campbell, G. D. Benedict, and others. The present minister is the Rev. Mr. Hyatt. The church now has fifty members, of April, 1812, it was by that body " Resolved, That

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CONNELLSVILLE BOROUGH AND TOWNSHIP.

the Grave-Yard be run out, and sufficiently mark'd out ;" and on the 10th of July following, the Council made settlement with James Shaw, and issued an order on the treasurer in his favor for $72 "for fencing the Grave-Yard," which shows that the work had been done before that time. Interments 'had been made there, however, several years before; and it is recollected by Provance McCormick, Esq., that as early as 1806 the old ground contained quite a number of graves, some having headstones, and others unmarked save by the mounds.

May 29, 1817, the Council " Resolved to appoint a sexton (there having been none previously appointed) for this borough, whose duty it shall be to take charge of the graveyard, keep it in good order, and keep the gate locked, and in case of deceases to dig graves and inter all dead bodies, except those who have been hanged or have committed suicide; such are not to be buried in the graveyard." . .. And Peter Still- wagon, Sr., was appointed sexton.

The location of the old graveyard is between Church Street and Mountain Alley, and adjoining the south side of the public school grounds. Within it are interred the remains of members of most of the old Connellsville families, but it is now neglected and overgrown with brushwood, and seldom used for burials.

The Old Quaker graveyard, embracing about one- fourth of an acre of ground, substantially inclosed by a stone wall, is located on the high bank of the river, in the northwest corner of the borough. It was do- nated by the Gibson family, Quakers, for the use of that sect. Burials were commenced in it before the year 1800, and nearly as early as those in the ground donated by Mr. Connell. Members of the Gibson, Rogers, and otber early Quaker families have been interred within its inclosure. The last burial in this ground was Joseph Paull, son of Col. James Paull.

The Connellsville Hill Grove Cemetery was char- tered Dec. 8, 1868, the charter members being John K. Brown, John Johnston, William Cooley, William C. Johnston, Stephen Robbins, John Taylor, Thomas R. Davidson, James C. Cummings, Joseph Johnston, and Thomas W. Watt. The following were elected officers of the association : John K. Brown, president ; John Taylor, treasurer; John Johnston, secretary. The cemetery grounds, comprising seventeen acres, were purchased of John Taylor, at $150 per acre. The location is outside the borough limits, on the north side of the Springfield road leading from Con- nellsville. The ground was inclosed and laid out in the summer of 1869. It has since been beautified and embellished, and many handsome monuments have been erected in it.

The present (1881) managers of the cemetery are Stephen Robbins, president ; John K. Brown, treas- urer ; Joseph Johnston, secretary ; William C. John- ston, P. S. Newmyer, Thomas W. Watt.

The Chestnut Hill Cemetery Association was formed in 1868. On the 9th of October in that year a number of persons, subscribers to the project, met at Odd-Fel- lows' Hall, when the sum of 81225 was reported as having been subscribed, and a committee was ap- pointed to examine lands for the cemetery. Two · weeks later this committee reported, recommending a lot of fourteen acres lying beyond Rogers' Run, be- longing to Mr. S. Freeman, which could be had at $100 per acre. This they were directed to purchase.

Organization was effected Oct. 30, 1868, by the elec- tion of Alfred Witter, president; J. T. McCormick, secretary ; Aaron Bishop, treasurer ; and a board of directors consisting of A. Witter, L. Lindley, J. Wil- helm, H. L. Shepherd, Thomas M. Fee, J. D. Still- wagon, and Peter Demult. At the same time the name of "The Connellsville Cemetery Company" was adopted, but a few weeks later it was changed to " The Chestnut Hill Cemetery." The association was char- tered by the court March 1, 1869. From the land por- chased by the association a lot of two and a half acres has since been sold to the Catholics for a cemetery, and a larger lot to Mr. John T. Hogg. The grounds devoted to the purposes of the cemetery have been handsomely laid out and beautified in the modern style, and con- tain many beautiful and costly memorial stones. The present officers (1881) of the Chestnut Hill Cemetery are J. D. Stillwagon, president ; Aaron Bishop, treas- urer; J. T. Greenland, secretary ; J. D. Stillwagon, J. T. McCormick, Aaron Bishop, J. T. Greenland, Henry Shaw, J. R. Balsley, A. B. Morton, directors.

RAILROADS.

The Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad was chartered in 1837, but so many delays and obstacles were encountered by the company in its construction that it was not until the year 1855 that the line was opened for travel from West Newton to Connellsville. The Fayette County Railroad, connecting with the Pittsburgh and Connellsville, and extending from this borough to Uniontown, was opened for travel be- tween these two points Jan. 1, 1860. The latter road was afterwards leased to the Pittsburgh and Connells- ville Company, and by them to the Baltimore and Ohio, as is more fully mentioned in the general his- tory of the county.

The borough of Connellsville voted the sum of $100,000 in aid of the Pittsburgh and Connellsville Road, and bonds to that amount were accordingly issued and delivered. Afterwards the railroad com- pany made a proposition that the borough should pay $15,000 in lieu of the bonds (which had been hy- pothecated for that amount), and receive back the en- tire issue for cancellation. Upon this proposition a number of the wealthy citizens of Connellsville fur- nished the money, which was paid to the corporation, and the bonds were thereupon returned and cancelled, the citizens who had furnished the money being in due time reimbursed by the borough.

394

HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

On the 14th of July, 1857, permission was granted by the borough to the railroad company to occupy twelve and one-half feet in width of Water Street next the river, and "to occupy so much of the Pub- lie Ground between said Water Street and the river as may be necessary for the laying of additional tracks, and for their convenience in the general con- duct of their business as a railroad company." The railroad southeast of Connellsville was opened through to Cumberland in 1871. The Pittsburgh and Con- nellsville and Fayette County Railroads were leased in December, 1875, to the Baltimore and Ohio Com- pany, by whom they are now run and operated. The Connellsville depot of the Baltimore and Ohio line is on the river front, nearly opposite the foot of North Alley.

OPERATIONS OF THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAILROAD AT CONNELLSVILLE.

Connellsville is the headquarters of repairs for the Pittsburgh Division of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- road, and all supplies for that division are kept at this point. The repair- and ear-shops (located just north of the passenger depot) were built and put in opera- tion by the Pittsburgh and Connellsville Company before the lease of that road to the Baltimore and Ohio, and these have been continued by the latter company since the leasing. Passenger- and freight- cars are built here, and locomotives are repaired and rebuilt. Engine No. 1 of the Pittsburgh and Con- nellsville Road is still in service on the Pittsburgh Division, being now numbered 702 of the Baltimore and Ohio. The passenger-car shop is 75 by 120 feet in dimensions, admitting the building of two cars at the same time. The round-house has a capacity for twenty-four locomotives.

About one-fourth of a mile lower down the river and track is the freight-car shop, located on ground donated for the purpose by the Connellsville Mutual Building and Loan Association. The main shop is about 50 by 250 feet in size, with a wing 50 by 125 feet. In this establishment there is in operation a machine for boring joint-blocks, which was invented here, and is the only one of the kind in use in any of the rail- road shops of the country. In the yard at this place the company has appliances for manufacturing all the coke required in its operations on the Pittsburgh Di- vision of the road. The number of men employed here is something more than three hundred.

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History of Fayette County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 89

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