USA > Pennsylvania > Greene County > History of Greene County, Pa. : containing an outline of the state from 1682, until the formation of Washington County in 1781. History during 15 years of union. The Virginia and new state controversy--running of Mason's and Dixon's line--whiskey insurrection--history of churches, families, judges, senators, assembly-men, etc., etc. > Part 22
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is a daughter of John Rees, deceased. Her marriage took place on the 25th of July, 1845; Elizabeth is the wife of Jas. Smith. She was born May 3, 1847; Margaret is the wife of Morgan Ross, and was born April 29, 1849 ; William Spencer married Amanda Cross, and was born Nov. 10, 1851 ; John Rees was born September 29, 1854; Samuel James married Carrie Iams, was born October 16,1856. Thomas Morford was born Oct. 6, 1858; Albert Brownson was born September 17, 1860 ; Charles was born March 8, 1862. Leaving the house of Mrs. Throckmorton, we persued our way up the South Fork, through Rutan, of which I propose to give a more par- ticular account hereafter. We stopped at the house of Acke- son Ross, who was not at home, and consequently, I received no history here. Finally, we arrived at the house of William S. Carter, who is a son of John Carter, a native of Scotland, who immigrated to America some sixty years ago and settled in Washington county, Pa., came to Greene county many years ago. The brothers of John were James and Andrew. Their sisters were Ellen, Margaret and Agness. John married Han- nah Shearer; Margaret married John Allison ; Agness mar- ried David G. Braddock, while James, Andrew and Ellen re- mained single. The sons of John Carter were John Whittim, Andrew, William Shearer and James Henry (young). The daughters were Violet, Mary and Hannah Jane. John Whit- tim, Andrew and Hannah Jane died young. William Shear- er married Louisa J. Porter, daughter of Dr. Porter, dec'd. Mary married M. Crow Braddock. James Henry married Anna Jewel, while Violet still remains single. The children of Margaret Allison were Hugh, Violet, Jolin C., and Andrew. The children of Agness Braddock are Violet C., Byron M. and Jolin C. Byron M. married Adda C. Iams ; John C. married Bell Eugene Alley ; Violet still remains single. William S.'s children are Wm. P .. Mary Fra'in (Rate), J. S., Jas, and Carlie.
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BRADDOCKS .- A short distance below John Carter's, on Crab Apple Run, has long resided David G. Braddock, who was born on the 9th of May, 1807. His first wife was Susan Crow, a neice of those unfortunate girls who were slain by the Indi- ans. The children of this couple were Frank, Nancy, M. Crow. Newton, Anna, David, Margaret, and Jacob. Frank married Mariah J. Porter. Their children are Evaline and Frank. Sherman. Nancy died in the 19th year of her age. Crow married Mary Carter. Their only child was "Jen" V. New- ton married Jane Burns. Their children are Lizzie N. and David G. Anna married W. S. Rickey. Their children were Sadie E. and Dora. David married Lon Henderson. Their child is Joseph Harvey. Margaret died in the 19th year of her age. Jacob married Margaret Cook. Their child is Laura.
DURBINS .- About one and a half miles below David Braddock's for many long years has resided the family of the 4 Durbins. The original settlers consisted of four men, viz: . Stephen, Edward, Thomas and Benjamin. The children of Stephen were Joseph, Andrew and Stephen. Jr .; also two daughters, Mariah and Sarah Jane. Edward married Matilda Finch. Their children were Lucy and Ellen. Thomas married Hannah Hughes. Their children were James, Thomas, Lucy and Hester Jane. Benjamin married Nancy Paruch. Their children were Thomas, Benjamin, Jane, Ruth, Sally, Amy, Polly, Nancy and Betty. Joseph (of Stephen) married Polly Durbin, his cousin. Their children were Lucinda, Nancy Jane. Lindsey, James, Sally and Belle. Andrew (of Stephen) married Martha Banc. Their children were David. Andrew, Frank, and Lib. Stephen (of Stephen) married Nancy Throckmorton. He was killed by a burning tree falling on him. Their chil- dren were Jane and Mary. Mariah remained single. Sarah Jane married Enos Gillett. Lucy (of Edward) remained single, so far as is known. Ellen married Mr. Ashbrook. Benjamin
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(of Thomas) married Polly Dinsmore. Their children were Mary Ann, J. Harvey, Elizabeth Jane, Thomas, William and Ackison. James (of Thomas) married Lucretia Nuce. Their children were George, Oliver, Alonzo, James, Frank, Thomas, Leoline, Jefferson and Willis. Thomas (of Thomas) married Cassy Pettit. Their children were Hughes, Jane, Hannah Ann, et al. Lucy (of Thomas) married George Rail. Their children were Thomas, Samuel, Hannah, Cassy, James, William, Benjamin, David, Mary Jane, George et al. Hester Jane remain single.
LAZEARS .- Decending Crabapple run a short distance fur- ther we arrive at the old Leazer farm which was so long occu- pied by Thomas Leazer, Esq., who acted as Justice of the l'eace for quite a number of years, and united in marriage more conples than any other person in this section of the county. His children were Gen. Jesse, of whom I have already written several things and whose history is so well known to the peo- pic of this county that any addition here must needs be regarded as a superfluity. Frank who married Mary Crow-another niece of those murdered girls who were the victims of savage cruelty. Their children were Jesse, Jr., Nancy, Williant, Michael, John McClusky and Mary. Jesse, Jr., married Alice Throckmorton, sister of Dr. William. Their children were Mary, Fanny and William, Nancy married John Throckmor. ton. Their children, when they removed west, were Thomas and Frank ; the names of the remainder are not known. Will- iam married Nancy Jacobs, but had no children. Michael went to Sacramento Valley, Cal .; John McClusky died while single ; Mary married Porter MeNay, and they have several chil- dren, whose names I could not learn. Sally married Matthew Gray. Their children were Hannah, Thomas, Ellis, John, Lib, Leander and Fanny. Hannah married William Laughridge. Thomas married Hannah Barnbart. Ellis died single. John
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went West yet single. Lib married William Phillips. The names of some of their children were Sadie and Mary. Lean- der and Fanny went west while single.
DARK DAY .- On the 27th of October, 1882, it was so dark in some parts of Greene county, from 1 to 4 o'clock, P. M., that lamps were lighted and chickens went to roost. Some persons were alarmed, but it was only those who had not been living right. Such things have previously occurred, viz : on the 21st of October, 1761, October 19th, 1762, and May 19, 1780.
J. S. HERTIG .- While walking the streets in Waynesburg on the morning of November 2, 1882, my attention was attracted by the sign "J. S. Hertig, Dentist." I entered the building and was surprised to find myself recognized and called by name by a man whose ancestors I had known in Fayette coun- ty, near half a century ago. Ifis father, John G. Hertig. was a native of France, and emigrated to America in the year 1823. Free schools had no existence in the State of Pennsylvania at that day, and as Mr. Hertig was a very fine scholar, he was almost immediately engaged as a school teacher in George's township, Fayette county, Pa. (This township derived its name from Col. George Wilson, grand-father of Lawrence Minor, Esq .. of Waynesburg). Here Mr. Hertig became a kind of stereotyped instructor. He was also an ardent poli- tician on the Democratic side. I heard him make severai speeches in 1840 in opposition to "Tipecanoe and Tyler too. His wife was Miss N. S. Showalter, daughter of Joseph Show- alter, from whom the Waynesburg dentist takes his name. J. S. Hertig came to Waynesburg in 1867 where he has been very successful in his profession, with one single drawback on his happiness, namely, that his wife has been an invalid for about fourteen years. This lady is a daughter of William Scott, of Morris' Cross Roads, Fayette county, Pa. This family I was acquainted with thirty years ago.
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COMMISSION DOCKET .- Through the kindness of W. W. Pat- terson, the present Register of Greene county, I was put in possession of the old Commission docket, in which I find the following commissions :
1. To John Boreman and John Minor, authorizing them to administer oaths of allegiance and office. This commission is . granted by Thomas Mifflin, Governor of Pennsylvania, and countersigned by A. J. Dallas, Secretery of the Commonwealth, and dated March 17, 1796.
2. The Bond of John Boreman for sixteen hundred pounds sterling, to which is attached the names of James Carmichael, . William Crawford and Charles Anderson, dated April 23, 1766.
3. A commission from the same source authorizing John Boreman to act as Clerk of the C === = ====== of Court of Quarter Sessions, Oyer and Terminer. Also, Ro- corder of wills and granting letters of administration and recorder of deeds.
4. A Commission to John Minor, from Thomas Mifflin. an- thorizing Minor to act as Associate Judge in the county of Greene. This commission was recorded on the 13th day of July, 1796, at which date Judge Minor was sworn into office by John Boreman, Prothonotary.
5. A commission from the same source to John Flenniken, appointing him Associate Judge, dated at Philadelphia, March 17. 1796. This man was sworn into office on the 13th of July, 1796, by John Boreman, Prothonotary.
6. A commission to John Badolet, authorizing him to act as one of the Associate Judges in the county. This commission was examined and approved and Mr. Badolet inducted into the office on the 23d of April, 1796, by John Boreman and John Minor.
7. On the 9th day of March, 1796, a commission is granted to Thomas Sedgwick as Justice of the Peace. This commis-
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sion is signed by Governor Thomas Mifflin on the 21st day of March, 1796; sworn in on the 13th of July, 1796.
9. On the 9th of March, 1796, a commission was granted to William Lee as a Justice of the Peace. This man took the oath of fidelity to support the constitution of the United States and of the State of Pennsylvania, before John Boreman and John Minor, on the 13th of July, 1796.
10. A commission was granted on the 16th of April. 1796, to William Seaton, authorizing hun to act as Justice of the Peace, and he was inducted into office on the 2d day of August of the same year.
The first deed put on record in Greene county is dated July . 25. 1796, and is between John Holton and Lydia his wife, of Cumberland township and Abraham Scott of Greene township. for a tract of land which was patented on the 5th of April 1796, and named "Holton's Pleasant," situated on the waters ' Little Whiteley, containing 3972 acres, with common allow- ance. The consideration money mentioned is two hundred und eighty ounds, Pennsylvania currency. This deed is ac- knowledged before Samuel Hyde, on the 25th day of July, 1796, and is recorded ou the 3d of August of the same year by John Boreman.
The first Mortgage admitted to record in this county is dated .August 13, 1796, and is between James Farney, of Cumber- land township and Alexander Jamison of the same place. It is given to secure the payment of twenty pounds, "good mo- ney." The amount of land covered by the mortgage is five and one-half acres.
Through the kindness of J. C. Garrard, who is at present Clerk of the Court, and who is also a great-grand son of Rev. Corbley, whose family was slaughtered by the Indians in 1782, I was put in possession of the old records of the Orphans Court, in which I find the following, viz :
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
An Orphans' Court was held at the house of Jacob Kline on Muddy creek, in and for the county of Greene, on the 2d day of January, 1797, before Hon. Alexander Addison, Esq. and his Associates. "No proceedings." These associates were John Minor and John Flenniken. Another term of the Or- phans' Court was held at the same place on the 3d day of April, 1797 before the same Judges at which the following bu- siness was transacted, viz : On petition of Betty Carmichael, Administratrix and Samuel Hyde Administrator of the estate of James Carmichael, dec'd, setting forth that the said James Carmichael in his life time, laid out a town on the waters of Muddy creek in Cumberland township, in the county of Greene. A number of the lots in the town have been sold, but many yet remain undisposed of. The petitioners therefore pray the Court to order the sale of the remaining lots, and among other reasons they state that there is not sufficient personal estate to pay all the debts and educate the children of the intestate, &c. The Court ordered the sale. The same Judges presided in all the Courts held at the house of Jacob Kline, and also at the old log Court house in Waynesburg until the sixth day of September, 1802, when Judge Addison seems to have held his last Court.
On the 4th of March, 1803. an Orphans' Court was held which was presided over by John Minor and the other Associates.
On the 6th day of June, 1803, an Orphans' Court was held in Waynesburg, when I find the name of Hon. Samuel Roberts appearing for the first time as the second Law Judge of this Judicial District. Part of the business of this session was hearing the petition of William Thomas, a minor, asking the Court to appoint Martha Vanmeter (his grand-mother) his guardian. This woman was then the widow of Henry Vanmeter, deceased. Part of the business transacted at the session of the Orphans' Court held on the 5th of December, 1803, was
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acting on the petition of William Seaton praying the Court to appoint some proper person as guardian of Margaret E. Car- michael and William S. Carmichael, minor children of James Carmichael, deceased, whereupon the Court appointed William Seaton and Josias Lowrie, said guardians. An Orphans' Court was held on the 27th of January, 1812, which was pre- sided over by Jolin Minor and David Gray. Judge Roberts presided in all the Courts of Greene county, up to the fourth Monday of August, 1818, when agreeably to the record, his last Court here was held, for on the 21st day of December, 1818, the name of Hon. Thomas H. Baird appears for the first time as a law Judge in the records of Greene county. This man I have often seen in Uniontown when I was quite a boy, but his image is yet before the eye of my mind, as well as his quick nervous voice as he delivered his charge to a jury. The old volumn ends with June term, 1832, leaving Judge Baird still on the bench. He was a son of Dr. Absolem Baird. a prominent citizen of the town of Washington m the early part of this century.
Thus far, June 20, 1831, these old records have been kept by W. T. Hays, Esq.
PRESIDENT JUDGES .- Hon. Alexander Addison was appoint- ed on the 22d of September, 1791, as law Judge in the district embracing the counties of Washington, Fayette, Westmorland and Allegheny. When Greene county was erected, in 1796, his prerogratives were enlarged, so as to include the Courts of this county, during the first seven years of its existence. On the 2d day of June, 1803, Hon. Samuel Roberts was appointed in the district composed of the counties of Washington, Fayette Greene and Beaver. This position was held by him until the appointment of his sucesssor, Hon. Thomas II. Baird, on the 19th of October, 1818. The lines of the Judicial district were again changed so that Judge Baird presided over the countics
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of Washington. Greene, Fayette and Somerset, until superceded by IIon. Nathaniel Ewing of Uniontown, who was appointed on the 28th of February, 1838, over the district composed of the counties of Washington, Fayette and Greene. All these President Judges, as well as their numerous Associates. held their positions under the Constitution of September 2d, 1790, previous to which time justice had been administered by men not graduated in law who discharged their duties under the provisions of the Constitution of September 28, 1776. Among the presiding Justices I find the names of Hon. Henry Taylor and Hon. Dorsey Penticost. The new Constitution of 1838 provided that one-half of the commissions of those Judges who had held office for ten years previous to its adoption- should expire on the 27th of February, 1839. As Judge Ew- ing had only just entered upon the duties of his office at the time the Constitution came into operation, its provisions did not affect his commission and he held over until February, 1848. These two Judges, Baird and Ewing, I have often seen. The constitution of 1838 affected a radical change in the mode of seating Judges on the bench. Previous to that time the Judiciary had been considered above and independent of the people. But now the offices were taken out of the hands of the Governor, and he was restrained from commissioning any Judge who had not previously been elected by the ballots of the voters of the district over which he was to preside. Under this arrangement, IIon. Samuel A. Gilmore, previously of Butler county, was commissioned on the 28th of February, 1848 ; was reelected on the 11th of October, 1851, and com- missioned for ten years. At the expiration of this time, on the 11th day of October, 1861, Hon. James Lindsey, one of Greenc county's own sons, was elevated to this position the duties of which he discharged to the admiration of not only the citizens of his own native county, but also of those of the
.
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other counties of the district, Fayette and Washington. But although only a young man in the prime of life he suddenly sickened and died after having filled the position a little over three years. On the 9th of January, 1865, Hon. J. Kennedy Ewing, of Uniontown, was commissioned and held a few Courts in the counties of Washington, Greene and Fayette, then composing the Judicial district, from which Washington county was taken off, and in 1866 was connected with Beaver county under the Presidency of their Honors B. B. Chamber- lain, Alex. W. Acheson and George S. Hart. On the 17th of December, 1874, Hon. A. E. Willson, of Fayette county, was constituted President Judge in all the Courts of Greene county, which position he still fills at this writing, near the close of 1882, with dignity and integrity.
ASSOCIATE JUDGES .- Alchough the territory now constitu- ting Greene county, was created as an intregal part of Wash- ington county, in 1781, yet no Associate Judges seem to have been commissioned for about ten years, when as though to make amends for lost time, four were created on the same day, April 16, 1791, when Henry Taylor, James Edgar, James Alli- son and Matthew Ritchie, were appointed to this position, and consequently up to 1796, belonged to this part of the united county as much as the other. John Minor and John Flenni- ken were the two persons who occupied this position, first in the new county. Soon after this the name of John Badolet makes his appearance on the records. In the minutes of the Orphans' Court I find the name of David Gray. Esq., appear- ing for the first time as an Associate Judge, on the 27th of January, 1812. The present AAssociate Judges are Hon. Silas Barnes and IIon. Jesse Phillips.
Among the prominent sons of Greene county who have risen from obscurity to notoriety, under forbid ding circumstances? few were more so than Arthur Inghram Boroman, who was
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born in an old log cabin near the old Court house on the corner of Green street and Whiskey alley in Waynesburg. This man is a son of John Boreman, who was commissioned by Governor Mifflin, in 1796, as Prothonotary, Register and Recorder. This young man studied law and became a leading member of the bar at Parkersburg, West Virginia ; was elected to a seat in the Virginia Legislature previous to the war; was present when the preliminary discussions with regard to secession arose, in which he took an active part. He was President of the convention that consumated the Act of Separation of West Virginia from the old parent State. Of this new State he was elected Governor in 1863. These statements I have from Rev. Young who has for several years past been a resident of that State.
A COLLECTION OF OLD MEN .- I find it stated in a late num. ber of the Waynesburg Messenger, over the signature of A. Pat- ton (who I suppose is the State Senator clect), that on the 9th of November, 1882, Abraham Burson celebrated his eighty- vighth birth day on the same farm on which he was born, be- ing the same locality on which his father Edward Burson set- tleed over one hundred years ago, and where he raised a fam- ily of eleven children, all of whom are dead except Abraham. On the above named day twelve old men, several of whon: were octogenarions, were present, their names and ages being as follows : Abraham Burson, 88; Benjamin Craft, 86 ; Dau- iel Turner, 82 ; Perry Bayard, 81 : Ruben Teagarden, 76; Jas. Shannon Kerr, 74; Jas. C. Hawkins, 74; Jacob Shape, 74 : Thomas Ross, 72: Samuel Barr, 79; Cephas Cary, 70, and Edward Burson, 69. How many things connected with such an assemblage of old men may be considered both painful and pleasing. How pleasing to think that twelve men, who have lived neighbors for four-score years, are permitted once more to meet amidst such pleasant surroundings. What comparisons
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would those old veterans institute between the sumptuous din- ner to which they sat down on this occasion and the plain homely meals to which they were accustomed 70 years ago. But how painful on the contrary to reflect that in all probabil- ity this was their last earthly meeting ; and how painful and lonely the feeling, that of the companions of their youth nearly all are gone-they might well have engaged in singing as a parting hymn,
"We a little longer wait, But how little none can know.
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS .- Albert Galatin seems to have been the first man who represented Greene county in the National Legislature, to which position he was elected in 1798; the dis- trict being then composed of the counties of Allegheny, Wash- ington and Greene. In 1801 Wm. Hoge was elected to repre- sent Greene, Allegheny, Washington and Crawford counties. The district was then altered and Washington and Greene coun- ties were separated until 1852, when John L. Dawson was clected as Representative for Fayette, Greene and Washing- ton. In 1854 Jonathan Knight represented the same district in Congress. In 1856 William Montgomery was sent to the cap- ital as the Representative from the same district composed of Washington, Greene and Fayette counties. In 1860 Jesse Lazear, one of Greene county's own sons, became her Repre- sentative in the halls of Congress. He also represented Fay- ette and Washington counties. The district was again changed so as to embrace Washington, Greene, Beaver and Lawrence counties. George V. Lawrence was elected in 1864 to repre- sent this new district. In 1868 J. B. Donley, another of Greene county's sons, was selected as the representative of the same counties. Morgan R. Wise represented this district in Congress in the sessions of 1875-6. This man "was born in Greene county, June 7, 1830; graduated at Waynesburg College in 1856, is at present engaged in farming and general
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business." Jacob Turner represented the twenty-first district. in the 45th Congress in the years 1877-8. Charles E. Boyle was elected Nov. 7, 1882.
SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE .-- Greene county is at present (1882) part of the fourteenth Judicial district, composed of Fayette and Greene. She is also a part of the fortieth Senatorial district, composed of the same coun- ties. She is also a part of the twenty-first Congressional dis- trict, composed of Westmorland, Greene and Fayette counties. Some of the men who have represented her in the State Leg- islature are as follows : John Flenniken and John Minor were among the very first men who represented this county after its erection, the latter had, as a representative of the united county, taken a very active part in securing the separation of this from the western portion of the original county of Waslı- ington. Maxwell McCaslin was a member of the State Sen- ate about the middle of the nineteenth century. I have often soen this man, and as he was one of those poor boys who rose up from obscurity, I will furnish a sketch of his history near the close of this volumn. James W. Hays was a member of The Senate at a later day. He was born in Waynesburg on the 21st day of December, 1817; educated in the common Schools; learned the profession of editor; was collector of tolls on the Pennsylvania canal in 1850; and is at present en - gaged in merchandising at Graysville, Pa. Among the men !- bers of the House of Representatives in 1878, I find the name of Morgan R. Wise, who was at a later day a member of Con- gress. On the 7th of November, 1882, Dr. A. Patton was clected to the State Sanate, and Andrew Lantz as representa- tive in the lower house of the Legislature.
OLD MESSENGERS .- In connection with the history of news- papers I wish to insert, at least a synopsis, of the news con- tained in two copies of this venerable journal ; one is dated
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