USA > Pennsylvania > Greene County > History of Greene County, Pennsylvania > Part 31
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it was made to veer to the north, passing through Uniontown, and extending to Brownsville or Redstone. To this point the route rec- ommended by the commissioners was officially adopted and pro- claimed by President Jefferson. "From thence," he says, " the course to the Ohio and the point within the legal limits at which it shall strike that river is still to be decided."
But the work on the road was slow. It was 1811 before appro- priations were made, and Congress made one of the pittance of but $50,000. During the term of office of Mr. Jefferson, the road was only located as far as Brownsville. Great strife was manifested by those living along the line of the proposed routes to secure its loca- tion by their own doors. Especially was their solicitude about its terminus on the Ohio River, as it was confidently anticipated that, wherever that terminus should be, a great town would spring up. Albert Gallatin, a man of strong native ability, having taken up a body of land on the right bank of the Monongahela River, about Mt. Moriah or New Geneva, and having been appointed Secretary of the United States Treasury, was supposed to have great influence in locating it. Properly he would have had, by virtue of his office, the right to de- cide the question finally. But it appears by the terms of a letter which he wrote, in reply to importunities that he would use his authority to secure its location in a particular course, that influenced by a fine sense of honor he could take no part in the controversy. He says, "I thought myself an improper person, from the situation of my property, to take the direction which would naturally have been placed in my hands, and requested the President to undertake the general superintendency himself." Had he used his influence to carry it further south, instead of north of the direct line, as was done, then this great highway would have passed through Greene County, and taken the valley of South Ten Mile and Wheeling Creeks. But having passed through Uniontown and Brownsville it was thought to be necessary to pursue a more northern course.
When James Madison became President in 1809, he approved the course of the road adopted by Mr. Jefferson, and the contracts were given for the completion of the road to Brownsville. It was 1815 before these contracts were completed. In the meantime the war of 1812 had been carried to a successful issne. When peace was con- cluded in 1815, President Madison ordered the commissioners to complete the surveys from Brownsville on the Monongahela to Wheeling on the Ohio. They surveyed two routes, one by the way of Washington and West Alexander, and the other through the south- ern portion of the county. In their report they favor the southern ronte as the most direct and most favorable for building a road. But the influence brought to bear from Washington finally prevailed, and it was located through that place. It was mid-winter of 1820 be-
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1
fore the road was completed from Cumberland to Wheeling, and opened for travel. Thus nearly a quarter of a century from the time when Washington began in earnest to advocate its construction was consumed in making this stretch of a little more than a hundred miles. Any good company now would agree to put a railroad around the earth in that time. But the road was a good one, well built, and subserved a great purpose. The following specifications will give an idea of the manner of its construction. " The natural surface of the ground to be cleared of trees, and other wooden growths, and also of logs and brush, the whole width of. sixty-six feet, the bed of the road to be made even thirty-two feet in width, the trees and stumps to be grubbed ont, the graduation not to exceed five degrees in ele- vation and depression, and to be straight from point to point, as laid off and directed by the superintendent of the work. Twenty feet in width of the graduated part to be covered with stone, eighteen inches in depth at the centre, tapering to twelve inches at the edges, which are to be supported by good and solid shoulders of earth or eurb-stone, the upper six inches of stone to be broken, so as to pass through a ring of three inches in diameter, and the lower stratum of stone to be broken so as to pass through a seven ineh ring. The stone part to be well covered with gravel and rolled with an iron-faced roller four feet in length and made to bear three tons weight. The acclivity and deelivity of the banks at the side of the road not to exceed thirty degrees."
The passenger, carrying, and freight traffie of the road from the start was immense, and ever increasing until the opening of through lines of railway reduced it to a common loeal thoroughfare. When first opened it seemed to be thoroughly and substantially built, and it was believed would last a quarter of a century. But it was soon found that in many parts sandstone had been used in its construction, especially in the part over the mountains. It only required a few passages of heavily loaded teams over this material to reduce it to sand, and heavy rains would soon wash it away into the valleys. But a short time elapsed before the whole eighteen inches of stone was eut through and ground to powder, and was found encumbering the the lowland of the farmers, leaving the gullied road-bed next to im- passible. At the opening of the road, it seemed a perfect structure, and the passage over it was delightful, the vehicles rolling along as on a Belgian pave. The traffic was beyond all expectation. The tallyho coaches for passengers and mails. the broad-wheeled Conestoga wagons with their enormous tonnage, droves of cattle, and sheep, and hogs, from the valleys of the Wabash and the Scioto, passing in almost continuous clouds, and horsemen making more expeditious journeys, gave this great highway the appearance of a city thoroughfare. To feed such a continuous column, going and coming
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at the slow rate of travel, was a subject which taxed the ingenuity and resources of the country. Taverns for the accommodation of man and beast sprang up in almost continuous line along either side of the avenne, with yards for teams and pasturage for droves. " It was frequently the case that twenty-five stages, cach containing its full complement of nine inside, and a number of outside passengers ' pulled out' at the same time from Wheeling, and the same was true of the eastern terminus at Cumberland. As many as sixteen coaches, fully laden with passengers were sometimes seen in close and continuous procession erossing the Monongahela bridge between West Brownsville and Bridgeport. The lines ran daily each way, and it was sometimes the case that thirty stages, all fully loaded with pas- sengers, stopped at one hotel in a single day."
As we have indicated, the necessity of repairs came speedily, and the Government was called upon for appropriations. These were made. But as traffic increased these calls for repairs were louder and ever multiplying. Not ten years had elapsed before it was found that these demands were becoming burdensome even to the general Government. The United States could not lay tolls, and had from the first left the road entirely free. With the State rights doctrines of Gen. Jackson, who came into power in 1829, arose opposition to further appropriations. It was accordingly proposed to cede the road to the States through which it runs, with the understanding that they would build toll houses along its entire length, and thereby realize enough to make the road self-supporting. But the road was terribly out of repair and the State Governments refused to accept unless the United States Government would first put it in perfect condition. Captain Delafield, of the topographical engineers, with Gen. George W. Cass made a thorough inspection of the road and recommended that it be macadamized throughout its entire length with limestone, the only material that would stand the ceaseless grinding of the steel banded wheels. This at first view seemed utterly impracticable, inasmuch as the lime underlies the sand-stone, and was supposed to be nnapproachable except in the deep valleys. But valuable quarries of the best quality of lime were discovered and opened, along the line, which furnished inexhaustable supplies for the road, for building purposes, and as a fertilizer for the soil as well. It was 1833 before the macadamizing was completed, though the aets of the several Legislatures were passed in 1831-2. The toll-gates were, accordingly, erected, and the road finally passed under the control of the several States.
And now the traffic upon the way was greater than ever. In 1835 the Adams Express Company established a line over this road. It was inaugurated by Alvin Adams and Mr. Green, and Maltby and Holt, oyster dealers of Baltimore. It was at first known as the
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"Oyster Line," having been originally established to supply the West with fresh oysters. Light four-horse wagons with relays were employed, and soon other packages besides oysters were carried, un- til finally it grew into the express system of the present day. In 1837 a horse-back express, requiring nine horses at each relay, and three boy riders for carrying short messages, drafts and paper money, was established between St. Louis and Washington. Later an ex- press mail was established, which was provided with light carriages, which held the mail box and seats for three passengers only. From the peculiarity of the wagons it was known along the route as " Monkey Box Line."
In 1852 the Pennsylvania railroad was opened to Pittsburg, and in the same year the Baltimore and Ohio to Wheeling, and the glory of the " Monkey Box " was at an end.
We have seen how the National road veered to the north, out of the direct course, in order to pass through Uniontown and Washing- ton, even though the route further south was more favorable for building. Thus Greene County was left to one side, though it was reached indirectly as was all that entire region:
When the surveys came to be made for the Baltimore and Ohio, railroad lines were examined through the southern seetion of Greene County, which were found feasible, and it was the earnest desire of the company to adopt one of them, erossing a long stretch of its ter- ritory. But now, when the prospect that the county would be opened up by one of the great trunk roads running east and west, and bringing the best markets of the continent to the very doors of its people, the strange spectacle is presented of the very people, whom it would most benefit, opposing its location through their ter- ritory. The frivolous exeuses were made that the locomotives would set fire to their haystacks, that the floeks and herds which were driven through by the highways, would be carried in the cars, and thus a great source of revenue would be cut off, and that their live- stock would be killed by the locomotives.
But the real cause of the opposition was probably deeper seated. The Pennsylvania railroad company, as we have seen, was also build- ing a trunk line through the heart of the State, which would be the rival of the Baltimore and Ohio, and it was the policy of this com- pany to retain the entire territory of the State to be reached by its own road and its branches. Consequently, it was for the interest of this company to inspire in the minds of the inhabitants along the line of the proposed location of the rival road, opposition to it, so that there would be argument for the Legislature to refuse a charter to the Baltimore company. The tacties of the Pennsylvania com- pany were successful, and this great thoroughfare, one of the most prosperous and powerful in the country, was crowded beyond the
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limits of the State, the busy traffic circling in almost continuous line around its corner screaming out notes of derision and defiance as it passes.
Greene was, consequently, among the last counties in the State to be penetrated by a railroad, though the stations along the Balti- more road, on the southern and western borders, became convenient avenues for travel and traffic for the inhabitants of that section. But the county seat finally attained to so much importance, as the center and metropolis of a wide farming country, that a railroad had be- come a necessity, and its citizens determined to build a road on their own account. Surveys were accordingly commenced with the design of locating one by the best route from Waynesburg to Wash- ington, where it could connect with roads leading in all directions. The most natural and feasible route for this was found to be by the Chartiers Creek Valley, through Van Buren and Prosperity, substantially on the line of the old plank-road. But, as is now asserted, the men of means living along this line refused to aid in the construction of the road and accordingly the surveyors took to the hills. The ronte finally adopted, by West Union and Hopkin's Mills, is by a series of interminable hills, and while picturesque and beautiful to the last degree, it was proportionately unsuited to a railway by the usual straight line reduction. The only alternative, therefore, was to strike for the summits, and wind by the graceful and endless curves which nature has imposed.
In passing over this road into Greene County for the first time there is a constant cloud of uncertainty hovering over one. He pulls away for a while and seems to be leaving Washington behind him, and he feels sure that in the schedule time he will arrive in Waynes- burg. But he has not gone many miles before the sun, which was full in his face at setting out, is now at his back, and he is haunted with a suspicion that he has taken the wrong train, and is on his way to Pittsburg. But while he casts an admiring glance at the land- scape, changing at every instant and presenting an endless variety of hill, and vale, and winding stream, he suddenly finds himself turned quarter round, and he is making direct for Ohio, and begins to fear that he is on his way to the far West. But that solicitude has searcely had time to get a lodgement before the train, by a mi- raculous transformation, is turned completely about, and is rushing on over the steel banded way directly for the Delaware Water Gap, the gate to New York City. In his perplexity he is just upon the point of calling the conductor and inquiring where he is really go- ing to, when the train pulls around, and seems to be making in the direction of his destination, and he feels ashamed of himself for doubting the integrity of his ticket. So he pulls out a book and settles down to a snatch of romance. But all at once he is brought
Denis JeofE
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up in the middle of a sentence by the train starting off on a perfect masquerade, circling around as though out on a cruise for pond-lil- ies, and when it has made the complete circle and he feels sure that he is about to strike the track on which he came, and go back to Washington, the engine by a dexterous jump veers to the left, and with a scream of laughter at the deception it has practiced, it runs joyfully on its way, and before the traveler is aware of his location the spires of the city and the massive front of Waynesburg College break upon his view. The road is indeed a marvel.
"It wriggles in and wriggles out, And leaves the matter still in doubt, Whether the snake that made the track, Was going out or coming back."
CHAPTER XXIV.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH-THIE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH-THE BAPTIST CHURCH-THIE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI- THE WAYNESBURG CATHOLIC CHURCHI.
WAYNESBURG METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.
INHIS church first appears on the records in 1803 as a part of a mis- sion circuit called Deerfield, with Shadras Bostune as missionary. Its first place of worship was erected about this time in what is now" known as the "Old Methodist Graveyard," just east of the present borough limits. In 1843 the society built a large brick edifice near the center of the town and removed thereto. The church was rebuilt in 1876 on the site of the old building, and dedicated the same year by Bishop Peck and Dr. I. C. Pershing. The Legislature of Penn- sylvania, by special act passed in 1845, incorporated the church under the name and style of "The Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Waynesburg," and under this charter the church and par- sonage property is held. From 1803 to 1846 the Waynesburg ap- pointment was a part of a circuit embracing about all of the central and southern part of the county, together with several appointments · in the State of Virginia. In 1846 the Mt. Morris circuit of seven ap- pointments was taken off the "lower end" of the Waynesburg circuit. For a number of years after this Waynesburg was still a part of a
18
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large circuit, but for several years past its position has varied front station to circuit and the reverse. At present it is a station with 155 members and Rev. Nelson Davis is pastor.
The Sabbath School, organized in 1845, has continued in success- ful operation down to the present time. It has an enrollment of 130 members. W. W. Evans is its present superintendent, and Nellie Donley, secretary. From 1804 to 1846 Waynesburg circuit had for presiding elders: Thortin Fleming, James Hunter, Jacob Gruber, Christopher Frey, Asa Shinn, James Painter, George Brown, Will- iam Stevens, David Sharp, Robert Hopkins, James G. Sansom, T. M. Hudson, Samuel Wakefield, William Hunter, John Spencer and S. E. Babcock; and for preachers: Thomas Dougherty, Thomas Church, and William G. Lowman, John West, Asa Shinn and James Wil- son, James Riley, John Meek and Wesley Webster, Thortin Flen- ing and Allen Green, William Monroe, Jacob Dowell and Joshua Monroe, James Laws and John Connelly, John Watson, Asby Pool · and Jacob Snider, George Irwin, Henry Baker and Nathaniel Mills, Amos Barnes and Thomas Beeks, Thomas Jamison and Elias Brewin, David Stevens, T. M. Hudson, P. G. Buckingham and R. Armstrong, John Tacksberry, Henry Furlong and John Moffitt, Simon Lauck, John White, S. E. Babcock and Samuel Worthington and Wesley Smith, George McCaskey and James L. Reed, William Tipton, J. K. Miller, John Summerville and F. II. Reed, Jeremiah Phillips and Walter Chaffant, John L. Williams and Hosea McCall, Heaton Hill, Isaac N. McAbee and M. A. Ruter, B. F. Sedgwick, Henry Ambler and Thomas McCleary, S. Cheney, J. W. Reger, G. A. Lowman, John Gregg, M. L. Weakely and Dyos Neil.
From 1842 to 1846 the circuit was in the Ohio district, Pittsburg conference; prior thereto it was in the Wheeling district. In 1847 it was in the Uniontown district, with J. J. Sweagee as presiding elder, and Thomas Jamison and N. C. Worthington as preachers. In 1848 it was in the Morgantown district, Simon Elliott, presiding elder, and P. F. Jones and J. F. Dorsey, preachers.
From 1849 to 1857 it was again in the Wheeling district with C. D. Battell, T. M. Hudson, Edward Burkett and C. A. Holmes as presiding elders; Louis Janny and A. Deaves, Joseph Woodruff, J. L. Irwin, C. E. Jones, John White and J. D. Turner, L. R. Beacom, Robert Laughlin, James Kenny and E. H. Green, and Daniel Rhodes as preachers.
From 1858 to 1861 the circuit was in the Washington district, Pittsburg Conference; C. A. Holines and D. L. Dempsey as presid- ing elders, and J. J. Hays, J. J. Jackson, J. N. Pierce and J. F. Jones as preachers. From 1862 to 1867 it was part of the Union- town district with C. A. Holmes and A. J. Endsley as presiding elders, and II. H. Fairall, M. B. Pugh, and John McIntire as minis-
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ters. It was in the South Pittsburg district from 1868 to 1875; L. R. Beacon and Hiram Miller as presiding elders; Samuel Wakefield, J. L. Stiffey, D. A. Pierce, J. H. Henry and R. J. White, pastors; and for part of 1876 in the West Pittsburg district with J. A. Miller as presiding elder and R. B. Mansell as preacher; from 1876 to 1888 it has been in the Washington district with S. H. Nesbit, J. W. Baker, James Mechem and J. F. Jones as presiding elders, and M. M. Sweeney, W. D. Slease, G. H. Huffman, E. S. White, L. H. Eaton, N. P. Kerr and Nelson Davis as pastors.
PRESENT OFFICIAL BOARD.
Local Preacher-Rev. Charles A. Martin.
Class Leaders-L. W. Jones, Z. W. Phelan, M. H. Hunnill, W. W. Evans.
Board of Stewards-W. W. Evans, R. Calvert, Mrs. M. A. Cal- vert, Mrs. R. T. Guiher, Z. W. Phelan, M. H. Hunnill, John Ander- son, J. B. Donley, S. W. Scott, A. M. Kline, W. S. Pipes.
Board of Trustees-J. B. Donley, president; I. H. Knox, secre- tary; S. W. Scott, treasurer; Z. W. Phelan, W. W. Evans, F. II. Horner, A. M. Kline, S. R. Sanders, R. Calvert.
THE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN GREENE COUNTY.
The first Cumberland Presbyterian church established in Greene County was organized at Jefferson, in the year 1831, with forty members. In November of the same year, at the instance of the Rev. Mr. Loughran, a Presbyterian minister, who subsequently be- came a Cumberland Presbyterian, a small Cumberland Presbyterian church was organized in Waynesburg, consisting of twenty mem- bers. The Revs. Jolin Morgan and A. M. Bryan conducted the services and effected the organization. The occasion of the visit of these truly great and good men was a personal invitation extended to them by Mrs. Mary Campbell, of Waynesburg, who had heard them preach at a camp-meeting in Washington County in the neighborhood of the present village and Church of Old Concord. Messrs. Bryan and Morgan are tenderly and lovingly remembered by many of the old citizens as among the most eloquent and godly ministers who have ever labored in Western Pennsylvania. Mr. Bryan, who afterward settled in Pittsburg, where he organized, and for many years was pastor of the First Cumberland Presbyterian church, was a man of great popularity. He was a man of the finest presence, and gifted with a voice of marvelous sweetness. His or- atory was of a high order of merit and popular with the masses. The church in Pittsburg was very prosperous under Mr. Bryan's
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ministry. He fell in the pulpit at the Bethel church in Washington County. Mr. Morgan was a man of different type. He was of great bodily stature and of most commanding ability. His power with men was remarkable. He died in his thirty-sixth year, while pastor of the church at Uniontown, which flourished under his flaming ministry.
The Church of Carmichaels was organized August 20, 1832, by the Rev. Leroy Woods, who had been sent by the general assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian church to supply the Greene Coun- ty churches. Mr. Woods had arrived in the county from the south on July 7, 1832, having made the entire journey on horseback. He died at Waynesburg in the autumn of 1879 while serving the church as pastor for the second time. There are now Cumberland Presby- terian churches in Greene County as follows: Jefferson, Waynesburg, Carmichaels, Clarksville, Muddy Creek, Jacksonville, Nineveh, Ten- Mile, West Union, Clay Lick and Hewitts. With one or two excep- tions these churches are prospering. Several of them have elegant houses of worship.
THE WAYNESBURG BAPTIST CHURCH.
The Waynesburg Baptist church was organized, as shown by the church records, in the following manner: "For the purpose of ex- tending the visible kingdom of our Lord and. Saviour, Jesus Christ, and securing to ourselves and families the privileges of the gospel, and at the same time bearing our testimony to the truth in our own vicinity, and in the county town, from which an influence for good or evil goes out in every direction, we whose names are annexed to the following proceedings met agreeably to appointment at Hills' school- house near Waynesburg on the 30th day of June, A. D. 1843. 1. After sermon by brother James Woods, he was appointed moderator. 2. Resolved, That we be constituted into a regular Baptist church of Waynesburg, on the 10th day of July next. 3. Resolved, That we invite brother Samuel Williams, of Pittsburg, and Francis Downey, to assist brother Woods in the services. 4. Resolved, That we invite the Smith's Creek, Muddy Creek, Union, Jefferson, Bates' Fork, and South Ten Mile churches, to send one or more delegates to sit in council with us. Signed by the constituents: Anna Moore, Cynthia Ann Stayhorne, Jane McCormick, Rebecca Carpenter, Nancy Hos- kinson, Mary Jennings, Sarah Jennings, Ann Dolison, Eliza Zollers, Neal Zollers, Carl Moore, Charles Carpenter, Thomas Hoskinson, J. S. Jennings, Alfred Chawler.
" Waynesburg, July 10th, 1843, after sermon by Elder Samuel Williams, the Waynesburg Baptist church was organized in the usual manner by Elder Williams and James Woods, with the advice and assistance of brethren from sister churches attending by invitation.
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Brother James Woods was invited to take charge of the church and preach as often as his other duties would permit. A declaration of faith and church covenant was adopted by the church." And thus was it brought into existence and sent upon its course to bear some part in the current of human events. The pastors who have presided over it are as follows: Rev. James Woods, supply; S. Seigfried, four years; Rev. S. H. Rnple, one year; Rev. S. Seigfried, one year; Rev. W. Whitehead, one and a half years; Rev. Samuel Morehead, half year; Rev. R. M. Fish, supply; Rev. A. J. Colliers, two years; Rev. Francis Downey, supply; William. Wood, one year; Rev. Charles Tilton, two years; Rev. S. Kendal, three years; Rev. H. K. Craig, seven and a half years; James Miller, three quarters of a year; Rev. W. W. Hickman, two years; Rev. W. M. Ryan, the present pastor, eight years. The following are the names of the deacons who have served the church: Carl Moore, Thomas Hoskinson and Neal Zol- lers, chosen December 23, 1843. Those subsequently elected were the the following: Jesse Hill, Isaac Hooper, A. A. Purman, George Hoskinson and J. M. Hoge. The following brethren have served as church clerks: J. S. Jennings, S. Seigfried, Jr., J. Y. Brown, Jesse HIill, J. J. Purman, L. K. Evans, J. Yoders, J. M. Hoge, W. E. Hill. The members of the church organized were largely from the country. The membership in 1881 was seventy-two. There have been added during the eight years of Mr. Ryan's ministry seventy- three. In that time sixteen have died; sixteen have been given letters to other churches, and nine have been excluded, leaving the present membership one hundred and four. The house of worship, which formerly was a frame structure, in the progress of a hurricane which swept through the valley was seriously wrecked, having been taken up bodily and twisted from its base. It was accordingly decided to tear down and build anew. A neat and commodious brick structure in the gothic style of architecture, with stained-glass win- dows was erected to take its place. The cost of the new church was $6,565.91, all of which was raised and paid, so that the church is wanting in that very common appendage, a church debt.
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