USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Greensburg > History of Greensburg (Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania) and Greensburg schools > Part 4
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RESIDENCE OF HON. GEORGE F. HUFF. "Cabin Hill."
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Total .. $10,485.73 As will be seen by the illustration of the same, the second Court House was a two-story structure. It was
Peter Lawyer, for nails ..
.40
George Beck, for making stove pipes. . .
William Harris, for brick and hauling
surmounted by a cupola or open belfry. Court House, jail and adjoining office buildings were re- duced and removed, in 1854, to make way for the present edifice. A ground plan of the second Court House and its immediate surroundings, is shown in the diagram which follows:
PROPERTY OF MR. JAMES COCHRANE. East Pittsburg Street.
ALLEY.
14
2
WEST PITTSBURG STREET.
13
15
3
11
12
4
6
7
8
5
9
10
-
1
MAIN STREET.
1. Market house.
2. Jail, two-story stone building, about 30x30 feet.
3. Sheriff's house, one-story stone building, abont 25x25 feet.
4. Coal house, frame.
5. House where town fire engine was kept. 4 and 5 were really one building with a partition between the two parts.
6. Wing of Court House, brick, one-story. For many years it was occupied as a law office by the late Hon. H. D. Foster.
7. Part of same building as No. 6. Occupied as County Com- missioners' office.
8. Court House.
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9, 10. 11, 12. Two-story brick buikling. First floor. 9. Second floor.
Prothonotary's office: 10, Treasurer's office. 11. Recorder's office: 12, vacant room, used for storage, and subsequently as Commissioners' office, while present Court House was being erected.
13. JJail yard, with stone wall 15 feet high on west and north sides. Windows of buildings on east and south sides had iron gratings. Prisoners were sometimes permitted in the yard, but always under guard.
14. Gate.
15. Sidewalk.
Period When Slaves were Sold,
It will impress the average reader of the present generation as being almost incredible that slaves were sometimes sold at auction, on the corner of Main and West Pittsburg Streets (in front of the old market house), in Greensburg. Such. how- ever, is the fact. In verification of the statement an advertisement, published in the Pittsburg Ga- zette. December 13, 1788, is subjoined, with other information on the same subject:
"Was committed to the Greensburgh gaol in December last,"a Negro Man, about 45 years of age, tall and slim made, bas lost some of his fore teeth: he has been adver- tised several times, but no owner has appeared. This is 'to give notice that unless his master comes and pays his fees: he will be sold on the second Thursday of January next. WILLIAM PERRY. Sheriff."
"Greensburgh, December 8, 1758."
In other instances resident owners of slaves, de- siring to dispose of them. posted handbills giving notice of the time when they would expose such property to public sale, at the place above stated.
RESIDENCE OF MR. WILLIAM F. BRINKER. Corner North Maple Avenue and Grant Street.
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Even less than seventy-five years ago transactions of that character occurred within the shadow of the Westmoreland Court House. On October 17, 1817, George Armstrong, Esq., advertised as follows in one of the local papers:
"For Sale-A Black Man, aged 23 years 1st of May last, and to serve until 28. He is stout, active and good natured, well acquainted with
RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH J. JOHNSTON, ESQ. North Main Street.
farming. If not sold previous to Wednesday, 20th instant. he will on that day be sold at public sale in the borough of Greenshurgh. Three months' credit will be given."
Mr. Armstrong was not himself a slave-owner, but was acting in his professional capacity as an attorney. The an- nexed appeared in the columns of the Greensbnrgh Gazette, on June 6, 1817:
"For Sale-The time of a Negro Girl, who is 17 years of age and has 11 years to serve. She is of a good moral char- acter, and would not be sold but that the owner is about to move to the westward. Inquire of the printer."
A citizen of Greensburg, in June, 1816, advertised a runaway slave, offering a reward of $30 for his apprehension. The outfit worn by the negro was evidently of a gorgeous and striking character. A glimpse thereof is furnished by the advertiser, and will, no doubt, be interesting to the reader of today. After describing the physical characteristics of his absent slave, the master added: "His clothing con- sisted of a blue cloth cotee with gilt buttons, a pair of mixt casinet overalls with bullet buttons at the ankles, a black silk vest, a fur hat with a green cover, a muslin shirt with ruffles, and boots with tassels. He also wore an indifferent silver watch, with a va- riety of seals and trinkets, and a large brooch on the bosom of his shirt."
An Act was passed by the Legislature on March 1. 1780, for the gradual abolition of slavery in Penn- sylvania. By this statute children born to those in slavery were to remain in servitude until twenty-
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2
FIRST REFORMED CHURCH. Kast Third Street. First Building, Log, 1795: 2d, 1815; 3d. 1882.
eight years of age. Slaves brought into Pennsylvania from other states under covenant were not to be held after they attained the age of twenty-eight, but could be held until that time. Owners of slaves were required to register them by November 1. 1780. If they refused or neglected to do so, the slave or servant was not to be deemed a slave or servant for the prescribed period. By an Act of April 13, 1782. inhabitants of Westmoreland and Washington counties, who were doubtful, before the boundry between Pennsylvania and Virginia was settled, as to which state they belonged, were allowed until January 1, 1783, to register such slaves or servants as they held on September 23, 1780. The provisions of this law were still further extended by a measure enacted September 23, 1784,
Under these several Acts, between September 25, 1780, and January 1, 1783, there were 695 male and female slaves registered in Westmore- land county, which, at that time, of course, included all the original territory of Westmoreland, except that cut off and embraced in Wash- ington county. In 1798 there were twelve slaves in Hempfield town- ship, which then still comprehended Greensburg. Three years later, 1801, the number of slaves in the entire county was one hundred and thirty-six: in 1810, twenty-one; and, in 1820, seven. One slave, a female, was reported in 1840. being the last in Westmoreland county.
Some of the white bond-servants, of early days, were likewise sold in Greensburg. They were known as redemptioners, as they had the right of redeeming themselves. Most of them sought passage from European countries to America, to escape persecution, and, not having means, agreed with the owner of a vessel to be sold for a term of years, on their arrival, to pay for their passage. It was such persons. who are referred to in the appended sample advertisement, which ap-
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peared in a Greensburg paper, of the date given (the name of the advertiser being omitted):
"German Redemptioners for Sale-The time of a man, aged 40, the wife, aged 45, and a son aged 15 years, who have two years and a half to serve. Enquire of
"Greensburgh, March 5, 1819."
Town Site in Court,
Messrs. William Jack and Christopher Truby, on the 14th of March, 1800, presented a petition to the Court of Com- mon Pleas regarding the site of Greensburg. President Judge Alexander Addison and the Associate Judges of that court were on the bench. The petitioners stated that they had "lately discovered that a certain writing purporting to be articles of agreement be- tween them of the one part and Benjamin Davis, Michael Rugh and Hugh Martin, Trustees for the county of Westmoreland," had been entered on the county records, "whereby the said William Jack and Christopher Truby are bound to make a clear patent, free from all incumbrances to the said Benjamin Davis, Michael Rugh and Hugh Martin, Trustees, or their successors, and promis- ed to lay out a certain quantity of land for the use of a county town, containing sixty acres, as there- in described, and to allow the inhabitants of said town free incourse and recourse to the North branch and West branch of Sewickley, at certain places, as the Trustees should think proper, not to be an injury to the bottom on said waters, and to sell the said lots of ground at the rate of forty- five shillings per acre."
The petitioners averred that they had never entered into or executed such articles of agree-
RESIDENCE OF MR. ADAM FISHER.
Corner North Main and Tunnel Streets.
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KECK'S
-
BUSINESS BUILDING OF MESSRS. L. KECK & CO. Main Street.
ment. "The only contract which was ever made and confirmed in that respect related to the making over by your petitioners to the Trustees appointed by the said Act (Sept. 13, 1785) a lot of two aeres or there- abouts for erecting public buildings, &c., in the centre of the said town, and selling the lots originally laid out to the first adventurers by lottery, who complied with the terms thereof, at six dollars for each lot, which contract has always been complied with on their part." The peti- tioners further declared that they had recently learned that the paper; entered on the county records as genuine but which in reality is not, was in the possession of Joseph Cook, of Greensburg (then Chief Bur- gess). Accordingly, the petitioners added, that they had brought the alleged articles of agreement "into court for the examination of your honors, and also pray an order for taking the depositions of witnesses touching the premises in perpetuam rei memoriam, that your said peti- tioners may be enabled to have the benefit of such testimony in opposi- tion to any claim or demand of right, title or interest which might or could be desired by virtue of the said pretended articles of agreement, provided the same were genuine, against said William Jack and Chris- topher Truby, their heirs or assigns."
In conformity with the prayer of the petitioners the court appointed Messrs. John Irwin. William Todd and George Smith to take the de- positions of the Trustees for the location of the seat of justice and erec- tion of public buildings, under the Act of Sept. 13, 1785. In due time the sworn statements of the Trustees were secured and returned to the court. As the depositions embody the Trustees' own story of some of the circumstances attending the selection of Greensburg as the county- seat of Westmoreland, they possess greater interest to the present gen- eration as a matter of local history, than in a legal sense. Some ex-
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tracts, therefore, with the historic feature in view, will be quoted from the statements.
TRUSTEES' DEPOSITIONS.
Michael Rugh, who had removed from Hempfield to Frank- lin township, in the interval, testified that the articles of
BUFFALO BILL'S WILD
PLANING MILL OF MR. J. COVODE REED. East Otterman Street. [ 43 ]
agreement, referred to in the complainants' petition, had never been executed. He stated "that the Trustees at first agreed to purchase of them (Jack and Truby) sixty acres at four dollars an acre, but no articles were drawn, but he and the other two Trustees, immediately after, concluded that this measure would give them too much trouble, and relinquished the agreement and agreed to take a grant of two acres for the use of the public buildings, and the said William and Christopher were to sell and convey the town lots as they might think proper. That articles of agreement were afterwards entered into for that purpose and a conveyance made for the two acres by the proprietors of the ground."
In the course of his evidence Benjamin Davis like- wise declared that the purported articles of agreement had not been confirmed, and, that the paper in ques- tion, he did not recollect of ever having seen, until recently. Mr. Davis added: "There was an article made between the said William (Jack) and Christo- pher Truby, of the one part, and the Trustees of the other part, by which the said Trustees agreed to pur- chase of the said William and Christopher a certain quantity of land for the use of a county town, which the deponent believes was sixty acres, or thereabouts, which article was disannulled the second day after it was wrote, by the consent of all parties, and a new contract entered into by which the said William and Christopher agreed to give and grant to the Trustees
for the purpose of erecting public buildings the quantity of two acres in the centre of the town of Greensburgh. That to the best of this deponent's knowledge and belief this last mentioned agreement was the only one which was ever con- firmed between the said William and Christopher and the
RESIDENCE OF MR. LUCIEN CLAWSON. Corner North Maple Avenue and Park Street.
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said Trustees: and. in pursuance thereof, a deed was made and executed by the said Christopher and Isabel, his wife. Ludwig Otterman and Francesca, his wife, and Margaret Jack and John Moore, Esq., attorney for William Jack. Esq .. (who was ahsent) to the said Trustees for the aforesaid two acres. bearing date the 6th of May. 1789. This deponent on further recollection believes that Ludwig Otterman was a party to the first agree- ment before mentioned for the purchase of sixty acres. That by that agreement the Trustees were to lay off the town lots and sell the same for the use and benefit of the county. That the survey of the sixty aeres was never completed on account of the disannulling of the bargain. This deponent further said that the sum agreed to be paid for the sixty acres was to have been thirty shillings per acre, of which no part was ever paid to his knowledge by reason of the disannulling before mentioned."
Hugh Martin, after carefully reading and ex- amining the paper in dispute, also disclaimed that it had ever been signed and executed. Following the appointment of the Trustees, by the Act of Assembly, to fix upon a location for the seat of justice for Westmoreland county, he deposed, they met for that purpose on the ground where Greens- burg now stands. "A proposition was made," Mr. Martin further testified, "by William Jack, Chris-
topher Truby and Ludwig Otterman to sell the Trustees sixty acres or sixty-four acres of land at four dollars per acre. A majority of the Trustees, to-wit: Benjamin Davis, Michael Rugh and this deponent, having concluded to fix
the seat at Greensburgh, thought of agreeing to the said pro- position, and this deponent then returned to his house, leav- ing the other two Trustees on the ground. That some time after this deponent met with Benjamin Davis who mentioned some difficulties about selling different lots that he had begun to survey, the quantity to be sold, and had gone part of the way in running the lines, but it had come to his mind that the Trustees were not authorized to purchase more ground than was necessary for the public buildings, and that, more especially, as two of the Trustees dissented, it would be better to take only as much ground as would be necessary for that purpose, which, he believes, was two acres. That this deponent and the other two Trustees, to-wit: B. Davis and M. Rugh agreed upon this plan. This deponent doth not recollect to have signed any articles upon the subject of the proposition for the sixty or sixty-four acres, but if there was any such articles they were disannulled by the consent of all parties. That an agreement was made with William Jack and Christophor Truby, and, this deponent believes, with Ludwig Otterman, to lay out the county town at Greensburgh and to receive two acres for erecting public buildings, which agreement was executed."
Below is a copy of the paper, referred to in
--
RESIDENCE OF MRS. J. A. MARCHAND. Corner North Main and Park Streets.
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the depositions as either having never been executed or dis- annulled:
THE DISAVOWED AGREEMENT.
Articles of agreement made and concluded on between Christopher Truby and Win. Jack of the one part and Benjamin Davis, Michael
Rugh and Hugh Martin, trustees for the county of Westmoreland. Witnesseth, that the said Christopher Truby and Wm. Jack doth here- by grant, bargain and sell unto the said Benj. Davis, Mich'l Rugh and Hugh Martin, Trustees, a certain piece of land situate and being in Hempfield township, on the North Branch of the Sewicklee, contain- ing two acres. for the use of Errecting a Court House and prison. for the consideration of six pence lawful money of the state of Pennsyl- vania to us in hand paid, the receipt we do hereby confess and acknow- ledge ourselves fully satisfied, and the said Chris- topher Truby and William Jack doth hereby bind themselves. their heirs, executors. administrators and assigns to make a clear Patton free from all incum- brances to the said Benjn Davis, Michael Rugh and Hugh Martin, Trustees or their successors, and the said Christopher Truby and William Jack doth hereby promise to the said trustees to lay out a certain quanti- ty of land for the use of a county town containing Sixty acres, viz: Running thence south twenty east 160 perches. south 43' east 80 perches, north 75 east 40 perches and north 4} west 135 perches to a post, south 75 west to the place of beginning, and to allow the Inhabitants of said Town free incourse and recourse to the North Branch and West Branch at certain places as the said trustees sball think proper, not to be an injury to the bottom on said Watters, and the said Christopher Truby and Wm. Jack doth hereby promise to sell the said lots of ground at the rates of Forty-five shillings per lot. and we do hereby bind ourselves in the penalty of Two thousand pounds for the true performance of the above agree- ment. as witness our hands and seals the 10th day of December. 1785. CHRIS TRUBY. WILLIAM JACK.
Sealed and delivered in the prence of WM. MCGHEE. Recorded 12th day of July, 1787, - , page 282. [ Book B. page 287].
The duly signed, acknowledged and recorded
CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Corner North Main and Tunnel Streets. First Building, 1821: 2d. 1851; 3d. 1889.
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instrument for the transfer of the two acres, adverted to in the Trustees' depositions, is subjoined:
DEED FOR THE PUBLIC SQUARE.
This indenture made this 6th day of May, 1789, by and between Christopher Truby, Esq., and Isabella, his wife, Ludwig Otterman, and Francisca, his wife, and Margaret Jack and John Moore. Esq .. trne and lawful attorneys for William Jack, Esq., of the one part. and Benjamin Davis, Mich. Rugh and Hugh Martin, Esq., Trustees for the
RESIDENCE OF JAMES S. MOORHEAD, ESQ. West Pittsburg Street.
county of Westmoreland and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, of the other part, Witnesseth, that whereas the Commonwealth of Peansyl- vania by their patents duly executed. with the State seal unto them affixed, did grant unto said Chr. Trnby a certain tract of land. called seat of justices, the 26th day of Angust. 1788. and enrolled in the office at Philadelphia, in Patent Book No. 12, page 329; likewise to the said Ludwig Otterman one other certain tract of land. by patent bearing date the 10th of November, 1784, and enrolled as aforesaid. in Book No. 3, page 130; likewise to the said William Jack one other certain tract of land, by patent bearing date the 2d day of April, in the year of our Lord 1788, and enrolled as aforesaid in Book No. - , page -, re- ference to the said Books respectively being had will more fully and at large appear. Now this indenture witnesseth that the said Christo- pher Truby, Esq .. and Isabella, his wife, Ludwig Otterman. and Fran- cisca, his wife, and Margaret Jack and John Moore, true and lawful attorneys for William Jack, as will appear by letters of attorney duly executed, bearing date the 6th November, in the year 1788, and duly recorded in the office for recording of deeds in and for the county of Westmoreland. in Book D, page 91, reference to the said will more fully and at large appear. Now know ye that the before recited parties as well as for the laudable inclination they have to further the publick buildings agreeable to an obligation by them given, as for and in con- sideration of the sum of five shillings. good and lawful money of Pennsylvania, to them in hand well and truly paid, the receipt and payment whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted, bargained and sold. and by these presents do grant. bargain, sell, release, assign and confirm unto the said Benj. Davis. Mich. Rngh and Hugh Martin, Trustees for the county of Westmoreland. to them and their heirs and assigns or successors. in trust for the county of Westmoreland, a cer- tain lot or piece of ground in the town of Greensburgh, known by the name of the Publick Square. in the general plan of said town, Begin- ning at post in First street, thence along said street sonth 75 degrees west 15 perches to a post in the corner of Back street, thence along said street north 15 degrees west 21 perches and four-tenths to a post in Otterman street; thence along said street north 75 degrees east to a post in Main street: tbence along said street south 15 degrees east 21 perches to the place of beginning, containing two acres, with the ap- partenances, improvements. buildings, gardenings, ways, waters, water courses. rights. liberties. privileges and hereditaments whatso- ever thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining, to the only proper use and hehoof of the said Benj. Davis, Mich. Rugh and Hugh Martin, Trustees as aforesaid, for and in trust and for the use afore-
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said to them and their heirs and assigns or successors forever, and the said Chr. Truby and Isabella, his wife, and Ludwig Otterman, and Francisca, his wife, and for themselves and their heirs, and the said Margaret Jack and John Moore, by virtue of the before recited powers dofurther covenent and promise that they the aforesaid lot of two acres, with its appurtenances (it being part of the before recited tracts) unto the said Benjamin Davis, Mich, Rugh and Hugh Martin, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns or successors in trust and for the
use aforesaid, shall and will warrant and forever defend by these pre- sents in fee subject nevertheless to such restrictions and reservations as is reserved by the Commonwealth.
In testimony whereof the said Cbr. Truby and Isabella, his wife, and Ludwig Otterman and Francisca, his wife, Margaret Jack and John Moore have herennto set their hands and seals the day and year first written Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of us.
WILLIAM MAGHEE, J. HAMILTON.
CHR. TRUBY, her ISABELLA X TRUBY, mark LUDWIG OTTERMAN, her FRANCISCA X OTTERMAN, mark JOHN MOORE, MARGARET JACK.
Westmoreland County, ss.
Be it remembered that on the 6th day, of May, A. D. 1789, came before me, James Hamilton, Esq., one of the Common- wealth's Justices of the Peace, also of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county, came Chr. Truby, Esq., and Isa- bella. his wife, and Ludwig Otterman, and Francisca, his wife, and Margaret Jack and John Moore, Esq .. the grantors above named, and acknowledged the above indenture or conveyance to be their act and deed and desires the same to be recorded accord- ing to law, the said parties being by me examined in due form of law and voluntarily consenting, the contents unto them first being made known.
JAMES HAMILTON.
Recorded May 7, 1789, Book D, page 115.
Although the Burgesses and Inhabitants of the Bor- ough of Greensburg, together with the late Trustees of the county, were made the defendants in the action of the petitioners or complainants, the former offered no opposition. Indeed, there is reason to believe that the Burgesses had urged the proceedings, in order to adju- dicate the matter during the lifetime of the Trustees,
POLLINS' GRAND DEPOT
STORES.
POLLINE KECK . POLI.A
HI SUE C WEITZEL
BUSINESS BUILDING OF MESSRS POLLINS.
Main Street.
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and avoid any controversy or litigation in the future. The petition, depositions and other formal actions, incident to filing the same in perpetuam rei memoriam, were read in open court on December 18, 1800, and, there being no objec- tion, the rule was made absolute.
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RESIDENCE OF MR. ELI SELL. Corner South Main and West. Fourth Streets.
Packers and Movers.
Greensburg, like all settlements in the western country, prior to 1800. and even for some years thereafter, was com- pelled to depend almost entirely on post-riders and pack- horses in its communication with the outside world. Vehicles of any kind were few, because of the scant means of the settlers, and the limited number and impassable condition of the roads, dur- ing the greater part of the year. With the exception of the Forbes' road, through Hannastown, and the more direct road, through Greensburg, from the eastward to Pittsburg, there were no other roads in this locality, previous to 1790, worthy of the name. The lateral and cross ways were merely in the nature of bridle-paths and timber trails. Dur- ing the spring and autumn even the Forbes' and Greensburg roads, because of storm-felled timber, boggy bottoms and bridgeless streams, could only be traversed with peril and difficulty.
Greensburg was a popular sojourning place with the packers and movers (owners or drivers of pack-horse trains) in their trips eastward and westward. There were four or more taverns in the limits or vicinity of the town, in 1786, with special provisions for catering to the packers. Two prime requisites were a large open shed, with an enclosed loft, and a commodious barroom. In
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