History of Greene County, Pennsylvania, Part 48

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago : Nelson, Rishforth
Number of Pages: 908

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

at each amounting to little more than was considered necessary for the use of the family, whiskey being regarded as necessary as any article of diet. Until within a very few years large quantities of whiskey were produced in this county, and a high reputation was maintained for making an honest article. But as other sources of wealth from the produce of the farm were multiplied, stills were gradually abandoned, until now there are only three in the entire borders, Gilpin South's, at Bald Hill, with a daily capacity of thirty- three bushels; James R. Gray's at, Gray's Landing, of 130 bushels; and U. E. Lippincott's, at Lippincott, of ninety bushels. Some eight or ten years ago, Will McConnell, a noted temperence lecturer, came into the county and commenced his work. He was received with great favor, and a great revival of the temperance sentiment was the result. Local option was submitted to a vote of the people and was decided in favor of no license, so that now intoxicating liquors are not sold except at drug-stores, and the store-houses of distillers, in quantities, according to law. This action of the people makes Greene County the paradise of the total abstinence reformers.

On several occasions in the history of the county, great waves of religious excitement have swept over this section, like a whirlwind seeming to carry all before it. Several preachers would combine their efforts, and hold special services. Vast congregations would be so swayed, that individuals in all parts would get down upon their knees, in the midst of the preaching, while others would come forward and bow at the altar. Indeed the cradle of Presbyterianism, and Cumber- land Presbyterianism, the Baptist faith, and Methodism, west of the Alleghany mountains, may be said to have been rocked here. The Sut- tons, and the Corblys,the McMillans and the MeClintocks, the Mor- gans and the Millers, the Hopkinses and the Sansoms, have lead in a great religious work. As a consequence of deep religious conviction, as was evinced in the great revivals which occurred at the beginning of the present century, several new sects sprang into existence.

From 1800 to 1807, were years remarkable for the rapid growth of the church in Western Pennsylvania. But as in the days of the primitive church degeneracy and heresy crept in, so now followed delusion and false doctrine. In the northern part of Greene County, and the adjoining portion of Washington County arose a sect called Halconites. Their leader, Sergeant, claimed to have had a revilation from heaven, denying that there was any hell, either as a locality or as a state of existence. He gathered many followers, and his fame reached to neighboring States. He was invited to speak at Wheel- ing, Va., and at Cumberland, Md. While at the latter place, as if to illustrate his creed by his conduct, he committed fogery and was imprisoned. This ended his career as a preacher. A woman, Rhoda Fordyce by name, was his successor. She proclaimed " that if a

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person would abstain from all animal food, live on parched corn and sassafras buds for a given length of time, his body would become so etherial that he would be translated to Heaven without passing through the gates of death." The'experiment was tried by a man named Parker, but instead of being translated, he starved to death. Rhoda would not allow the body to be buried until after the third day, insisting that it would then ascend to heaven, but at the expira- tion of that time the neighbors interposed and buried it. After this

we hear no more of the Rhodianites. But a new sect arose in the same locality called "New Lights," whose ranks were swelled by converts from the Halconites and Rhodianites. They denied the divinity of Christ, believed in immersion as the only mode of baptism, and practiced the rite of " washing one another's feet." These were in turn absorbed by another sect known as Campbellites, founded by Thomas Campbell and Alexander, his son, who came here from Scot- land in 1807. They were originally Presbyterians, but their belief not being in entire accord with that body, they resolved to found a new denomination. They discarded all creeds and confessions as human inventions, and insisted on immersion as the only Christian baptism. Two churches were established in 1811, one at Cross Roads, six miles northwest of Washington, and the other on Brush Run. Alexander Campbell, the son, was a man of brilliant talents, and superior genius, and one of the most eloquent and forcible public speakers of his day. He came at a time when infidelity and fanati- cism were rampant, and they fell before the power of his preaching like grass before the seythe of the mower. In some cases, whole congregations of New Lights adopted the views of Mr. Campbell. Many of his disciples in turn afterward united with orthodox Baptist Churches.

As has been previously observed, slavery existed in this county in the early days, pioneers from Virginia and Maryland, where slavery was legalized, bringing their slaves and household servants with them, the idea prevailing, as late as 1784, that this was a part of the former State. The records of the register's office of the county during the first dozen or more year contain numerous entries of manumissions like the following:

" Mannmission -- Thomas H. and James Hughes to James Butler:

" Know all men by these presents, Whereas, it has been alleged that Felix Hughes, our late father, was entitled to the service of James Butler, a black man, and whereas the said Felix Hughes did promise and agree that the said James Butler should be free from and after the death of the said Felix Hughes, and whereas the said James Butler has conducted and behaved himself well, and conformed to all his engagements with his said master, yet his said master did with- out giving the said James Butler any written evidence of his said

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manumission, now know ye that we, Thomas H. and James Hughes, sons of the said Felix IInghes, do hereby, so far as we are interested, renounce all claim to said James Butler and to his services. Given under our hands and seals, A. D. 1805."

But in the year 1780, Pennsylvania, the first of all the States, passed an act for the registration of all slaves, and their gradual emancipation, which worked its complete extinction from among us.

The geological structure of Greene and Washington counties has been the subject of Prof. Stevenson's report made by State author- ity. Five folds, or waves cross this territory from northeast to south- west, parallel with the Chestnut Ridge. The Waynesburg antielinal, the second of these folds is abont eight miles wide, and its axis dips to the southwest at the rate of twenty feet per mile. Along the synclinal trough of this fold on the eastern side, known as the Lis- bon Synclinal, flows the Monongahela River. From the summit of this fold to the bottom of this synclinal is an average dip of about seventy feet per mile in an east southest direction. The Pin-hook Anticlinal is the third marked fold, parallel to the Waynesburg, leaving the Waynesburg synclinal to the east of it. The Washing- ton Anticlinal lies next, and the Ninevah Synclinal is included be- tween it and the Pin-hook. Five miles west of this is the Clayville Anticlinal, having the Mansfield Synelinal between it and the Washington fold.

The stratified rocks of this whole region have been subdivided by geologists into lower productive, lower barren, upper productive and upper barren. The lower productive contain several valuable seams of coal, but they lie about six hundred feet below the Pittsburg coal seam. The lower barren, reaching from the Mahoning sandstone to the base of the l'ittsburg coal seam. contains the Morgantown sand- stone, several thin seams of coal. but little limestone. It includes the green crinoidal limestone, 250 feet below Pittsburg coal, is four feet thick and is lightly fossiliferous. At the top of the Morgan- town stone is the little Pittsburg coal sean a foot in thickness, of little valne. Thirty-feet higher is the Pittsburg limestone, from four to six feet thick, useful as a flux in the manufacture of iron. The Pittsburg coal seam lies next, is from nine to ten feet thick, five of which are merchantable coal, and is excellent for fuel and gas pur- poses. The Redstone coal seam is some sixty feet above the Pitts- burg, is four feet in thickness, and also good for fuel. The great limestone strata is about 120 feet above the Pittsburg coal, is eighty feet in thickness, and is largely used in the manufacture of iron, for mortar and for fertilizing. At twenty feet above the great limestone, is the Uniontown coal seam, which is quarried for fuel. Upon this coal seam rests the Uniontown sandstone, forty feet in thickness, which is largely used for building purposes, One hundred feet above

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the Uniontown coal seam rest the Waynesburg coal seam, six feet in thickness, largely used for fuel locally, but too soft for transporta- tion. It will thus be seen that beneath the surface of this county are inexhaustable supplies of valuable minerals, and should the mines lying near the surface ever become exhausted, here would be found a vast magazine of wealth,

Oil has been found in several parts of the county at a depth of less than 1,000 feet. The Tanner well has produced for the last twenty years, at the rate of ten barrels a day, lubricating oil. In 1886 the Mt. Morris district was opened and many paying wells are being found. There are doubtless oil and gas underlying this territory that will gladden the hand of the explorer.

In addition to the names of those who have been mentioned in other parts of this work the following may be named who served as representatives in the National Congress: Albert Gallatin, William Hoge, John L. Dawson, Jonathan Knight, William Montgomery, Jesse Lazear, George V. Lawrence, J. B. Donley, Morgan R. Wise, Jacob Teemer, Charles E. Boyle. Of the State Senate are the follow- ing: Isaac Weaver, William G. IIawkins, Charles A. Black, John C. Fleniken, Andrew Lantz, A. Patton, M. D .; Morgan R. Wise.

Of the House of Representatives of the State: John Minor, John Fleniken, Maxwell MeCaslin, JJames W. Hays, Rees Ilill, Adam Hays, W. T. Hays, Thomas Burson, W. S. Harvey, Joseph Sedgwick, Thomas Ross, John Phelan, Fletcher Broek, D. W. Gray, M. D .; John Hogan, Thomas Laidley, William Kincaid, Patrick Donley. It is a notable circumstance that Isaac Weaver was speaker of the Senate, at the same time that Rees Hill was speaker of the House, both representing Greene County.

* BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. f

CICHOUN

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ALEPPO TOWNSHIP.

ASBURY ANTILL, farmer and stock-grower, son of John and Isabella (Chenith) Antill, was born in this county March 24, 1836. His mother was born in Ohio. His father, who was a farmer and miller, was born and died in Greene County, Penn. The subject of this sketch was the fourth in a family of nine children, all of whom grew to be men and women. He was reared on the farm and has been an industrious farmer all his life. He is the owner of 243 acres of well-improved land where he resides in Aleppo Township. In 1857 Mr. Antill married Sarah, daughter of Moses and Hannah (Whipkey) King. Mrs. Antill is of Duteh extraction, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their children are -- William, Harvey, Maggie, wife of Benjamin Chambers, Jr., Louis, John and Asbury K. Mr. Antill is a Democrat in polities.

BENJAMIN CHAMBERS, farmer and stock-grower, was born in Marshall County, West Virginia, October 13, 1840, is the son of J. A. and Susan (Kerr) Chambers, natives of .West Virginia, and of German ancestry. His father, who spent all his life as a farmer in his native State, reared a family of seven children, of whom the sub- jeet of this sketch is the oldest son. He was reared on the home farm, attended the district school and has made farming and stock- growing his chief pursuit. He came to this county in 1865 and settled on his present farm in Aleppo Township, consisting of 324 acres of well improved land. In 1866 Mr. Chambers was united in marriage with M. J., daughter of A. J. and Lucinda (Ayers) Hiner- man. Her parents were of German origin. Mr. and Mrs. Chambers' children are C. T., G. A., Ward, Lucinda, John A., Olive Dillie, Leota, Elizabeth and Pearl. Mr. Chambers is a Republican. Mrs. Chambers is a member of the Christian Church.

W. W. CLENDENNING, farmer and stock-grower, was born in Marshall County, West Virginia, October 28, 1838. He is a son of Archibald and Jane (Cooper) Clendenning, who were natives of Ire- land. They came to America and settled in Greene County, where

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Mr. Clendenning was a farmer for many years and died in 1877. Of. a family of four children, the subject of this sketch is the youngest. He was reared on the farm and received a common school education. He has made farming his main oeeupation, and is the owner of 133 aeres of land, all of which he has aceumulated through his own efforts. Mr. Clendenning was united in marriage August 26, 1862, with Miss Sarah, daughter of James and Jane (McCaslin) Kineaid, and sister of Colonel Maxwell MeCaslin. Mr. and Mrs. Clendenning have eight children, viz .: Robert Maxwell, William N., Milton L., Anna F., John, Mary, Nellie Grant and Jessie K. Mr. Clendenning and wife are members of the Church of God.

J. T. ELBIN, Associate Judge of Greene County, and one of the earliest settlers of Aleppo Township, now living, was born in Alle- gheny County, Maryland, March 18, 1824. Ile was left an orphan when a small child and was reared by his grandfather, John Elbin, who was a prominent farmer of Greene County, and died intestate in 1845. Judge Elbin was thrown out in the world without a dollar, but was ambitious to be independent and worked as a farm hand by the day and month until he succeeded in accumulating enough to invest in land. He has been engaged in farming and stoek-growing in this county sinee 1848, and has been very successful in all his business ventures. In 1847 he was united in marriage with, Hannah, danghter of John and IIannah (Sidwell) McVay, and they are the parents of six children, viz .: Lucinda, wife of L. Sammons; Rachel, wife of George Grim; Henry, who is an undertaker; John W., a farmer; Belle, wife of George Ullom, and Mary Ann, deceased. Mrs. Elbin belongs to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and the Judge is a member of the Church of God, in which he takes an active interest, and has served as superintendent of the Sabbath-sehool. He is a Democrat, and was elected Associate Judge in 1884. Hle is a member of the I. O. O. F., and has served as Justice of the Peace for a period of twenty years; elected in 1860, and held the office until 1880.

AZARIAH EVANS, farmer and stock-grower, was born in Washington County, Penn., August 29, 1828, and is a son of Caleb and Anna (Smalley) Evans. His father was a native of Fayette County, and his mother was born in Washington County. They were of Welsh extraetion. His father, a farmer by occupation, eame to Greene County in 1839, and in 1841 he settled in Aleppo Town- ship, where he died in 1860. He reared a family of fourteen children, twelve of whom grew to be men and women, and eight of the family are still alive and in active life. The subject of this sketeh is next to the oldest of those now living and was reared on the home farm, receiving a common school education. Mr. Evans has spent his life as a farmer, having lived in Greene County sinee

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he was thirteen years of age. Ile has been very successful, and owns at present a fine farm of 274 acres. He was united in marriage September 3, 1848, with Miss Mary, daughter of William and Eliza- beth (Courtwright) Griffith, who were of Irish origin. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have two children living-Elizabeth A., wife of William B. King, and Samuel L., a farmer and stock-grower, who married Lucinda, daughter of James and Julianna (Chess) Parson. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have met with well deserved success. Both have been very hard workers and noted for their liberality. Mr. Evans' name often appears on the church subscription papers, and he has given liberally to both the church and the Sabbath school. Though not a member of any church, he is ever anxious for the success of any church or moral enterprise. His wife is a member of the Church of God. Mr. Evans is a Republican. In 1862 he enlisted in Com- pany A, Eighteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, and served until the close of the war, being discharged by general order. Among the engagements in which he took part was the famous battle of Gettys- burg. Ile was at one time an active member of the Patrons of Husbandry.

CHRISTIAN GRIM, farmer and stock-grower, son of Jacob and Keziah (Courtwright) Grim, was born in Greene County, Penn., April 12, 1859. His parents were also natives of this county, and of German origin. His father was a farmer during his lifetime. Christian Grim is the eldest of three children, and was reared on the home farm, receiving his education in the common schools. He is a successful farmer, and has the management of his own and Mrs. Grim's farm, amounting in all to 250 acres. His wife was the widow of the late Madison, son of Peter Ullom, a native of Aleppo Township. Mr. and Mrs. Ullom were the parents of five children, viz .- Eliza, wife of Isaac McCracken; Isaac B., a student of Delaware College, Ohio; Clara, Lantz H. and Thomas H. Mrs. Grim's maiden name was Melissa Hupp. She is a daughter of Isaac Hupp, and of German and English lineage. Mr. and Mrs. Grim were married September 7, 1881. They are members of the Church of God. They have three children-Flora, John C. and Ella. Mr. Grim is a deacon in the church. In politics he is a Democrat.

JOHN HENRY, farmer and stock-grower, was born in Somer- set County, Penn., July 25, 1827. He is a son of John and Eliza- beth (Imell) Henry, who were, respectively, natives of Pennsylvania and Maryland, and of German origin. His father was a farmer all his life. He also learned the blacksmith's trade, and was well known in Somerset County for many years as a hotel-keeper. Of his ten children the subject of this sketch is the ninth. He was reared on the farm in Turkey Foot Township, where he attended the district school. Mr. Henry has been a successful farmer, and

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owns 165 acres of well improved land. He was married in Somer- set County, February 11, 1847, to Hannah (Garey) Miller, danghter of Peter Garey and widow of Michael Miller. Mrs. Henry is of Dutch descent. Their children are-Amanda, wife of Samnel Pletcher; Mary, wife of J. Matheny; Rebecca, wife of H. Jacobs; Christiana, wife of W. Showalter; William H., Elizabeth, wife of J. MeCracken; Peter, Susannah, wife of N. Miller, and Nancy, wife of J. Elbin. Mr. and Mrs. Henry are members of the German Baptist church. Mr. Henry is a Republican. In 1862 he enlisted in the One Hundred and Fortieth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was in several engagements, and was wounded at the battle of Spottsylvania. On account of this wound he is now receiving a small pension. Mr. Henry's grandfather was in the Revolutionary war, and his uncle, Peter Henry, was in the war of 1812 under General Harrison.

ANDERSON HINERMAN, farmer and stock-grower, was born May 10, 1832, in Aleppo Township, this county, on the farm where Christian Grim now resides. He is a son of Jesse and Sarah (Shutterly) Hinerman. His mother was born in the State of Dela- ware, and his father in Millsboro, Washington County, Penn. Both his grandfathers came from Germany, and his grandmothers were of American origin. Mr. Hinerman, the third in a family of ten children, received his early education in the subscription school. Having been reared as a farmer, he has made this occupation his life work, and has met with success, being the owner of a fine farm of 170 aeres well stocked and improved. On November 4, 1856, Mr. Hinerman was united in marriage with a daughter of Silas and Jane (Rickey) Ayers, who were of American ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. Hinerman's children are Solomon, Stanton, Tillie M., Clara Dell, Blanche A., Walter F., Rosa Balton and Sarah J. (deceased). Mr. Hinerman is a Republican and a member of the I. O. O. F. Hle and wife are members of the Church of God, in which Mr. Hinerman is superintendent of the Sabbath-school and has been elder for eighteen years.

J. S. HINERMAN, farmer and stock-grower, was born in Alep- po Township, October 21, 1845. His parents were Jesse and Sarah (Shutterly) Hinerman, the former born in Washington County, Penn., and the latter in Wilmington, Del. They were of German origin, Mr. Hinerman's father, who was a farmer through life, died April 3, 1877. His family consisted of ten children, of whom the subject of our sketch is the youngest. He was reared on the home farm and acquired a common school education. From his youth he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits and has been quite successful. Ile is the owner of a fine residence and eighty-seven aeres of well cultivated land. Mr. Hinerman was married in 1866 to Rebecca,

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daughter of Leonard Straight. IIer parents were natives of Penn- sylvania, and of Dutch extraction. "Mr. and Mrs. Hinerman are the parents of the following named children- Ida, Alta, Sarah E., Luther W., Mary J., Curtis, Clida, Charles B. and John. Mr. Ilin- erman, who is a Republican, was elected justice of the peace in 1880 and re-elected in 1885. He and his wife are members of the Church of God.

LINDSEY HINERMAN, farmer and stock-grower, was born June 16, 1828, on the farm he now owns in Aleppo Township, Greene County, Penn. He is a son of George and Mary (McCon- nell) Hinerman, who were of German and Irish ancestry. Ilis grandfather, George Hinerman, was a British soldier, but remained in this country. He was. like many other members of the family, a farmer. Mr. Hinerman's father came from Millsborough, Washing- · ton County, Penn., to Greene County in 1823, where he spent his life as a farmer and died in 1876. Lindsey is the fifth in a family of eight children. He was reared on the farm and attended the sul- scription schools. He has made farming his main pursuit and owns 467 acres of valuable land, well stocked and improved. Our subject was employed on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad from 1848 to 1853. In May, 1853, Mr. Hinerman married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Mary (Whipkey) Slonaker. Their children are M. S., Martha J., wife of John Tasker; Sarah, wife of II. Wise; Emeline, wife of Sherman W. S. McCracken; David, Mary, J. W. H. and Ellsworth. Mr. Hinerman is a Republican.

WILLIAM HOUSTON, deceased, who was a farmer and stock- grower by occupation, was born in Ireland in 1791. When twelve years of age he came to America and settled in Washington County, Penn., where he learned the shoemaker's trade and followed it as a business until he came to Greene County in 1836, and bought the farm in Aleppo Township which is still in possession of the family. Here he died in 1854. In 1820 Mr. Houston married Esther, daughter of Captain James Dickey, of Washington County, Penn. Their family consisted of seven children, three of whom are living. They are W. D., a carpenter and contractor; Samuel, a carpenter and farmer; and Joseph. The last two mentioned were soldiers of the late war, in Company H, Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry. The family are highly respected in the community in which they live.

HIRAM P. MOSS, farmer and stock-grower, son of Jacob and Eleanor (Winnett) Moss, was born in Richhill Township, this county, March 22, 1844. His parents were of English and Irish lineage. His mother was a native of Washington County, Penn. His father, who was a cabinet-maker and carpenter during his lifetime, was born in Fayette County, and died in 1878 in Greene County. His

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family numbered eight children, Hiram Porter being the youngest. In 1868 the subject of our sketch was united in marriage with Miss Emma Jane Courtwright. Their children are Maggie, Clara, Mettie, May, Mary Addie, Arthur and Emmett Earl. Mr. Moss learned cabinet-making and the carpenter's trade with his father, but has devoted his time chiefly to farming and the raising of stock, and is the owner of ninety-three acres of valuable land. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.

REV. JACOB M. MURRAY, minister and school teacher, was born in Fayette County, Penn., May 25, 1857. He is a son of James A. and Mary (Miller) Murray, who were natives of Fayette County and of German and Irish lineage. His father, who is a minister in The Brethren Church, also engages in farming to some extent and now resides in Aleppo Township, where he settled in 1860. Of his family of nine children six are still living. The subject of this sketch is the eighth in the family and was reared on his father's farm in Aleppo Township. He acquired his education in common and select schools and in Monongahela College at Jeffer- son, Penn. He began teaching when only seventeen years of age and is now considered one of the most prominent educators in Greene County. At the age of twenty he united with the Church of The Brethren, and was ordained as a minister of that denomina- tion when he was twenty-six. Since 1887 he has had charge of a congregation at Aleppo, Penn. Mr. Murray is a frequent contribu- tor to the religious journals. IIe is held in high esteem by all who know him. He was united in marriage, March 17, 1877, with Miss Julia A., daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Evans) Riggle, who were of German origin. Mr. and Mrs. Murray have four children, three of whom are living-Ilarry Y., Oscar C. and Vernie. Mr. Murray is a Democrat. His wife is a member of The Brethren Church and is held in the highest esteem by all who know her.

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History of Greene County, Pennsylvania, Part 48

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Chicago : Nelson, Rishforth Number of Pages: 908

Author: Bates, Samuel P. (Samuel Penniman), 1827-1902
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago : Nelson, Rishforth
Number of Pages: 908