USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 50
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Early Enterprise .- The first produce was sold in Brookville by the late Samuel Sloan, of Clarion county. Mr. Sloan was engaged in hauling from Bellefonte, " over the pike," which passed through what is now Brookville. One day when he was about starting on one of these trips, his mother asked him to take some butter with him and sell it to some one on his way, as she had more than she knew what to do with. He also put a few hams and some bags of flour in his wagon, and when he came to the present town of Brook- ville, which was being surveyed before the lots were sold, he was hailed by Mr. John Eason, who had put up a little house in the woods and was boarding the surveyors, who had noticed the flour bags, etc., in Mr. Sloan's wagon, and wanted to know whether he had anything eatable to sell. On Mr. Sloan re- plying in the affirmative, a bargain was soon struck and Mr. Eason bought all the flour, hams, and butter, remarking : "Mr. Sloan, you can say that you sold the first produce in Brookville."
Mr. Sloan narrated this incident to two of his nieces, Mrs. G. H. Kennedy and Miss Amelia Clark, of Brookville, a short time before his death, which oc- curred in April, 1887.
The first tannery was built on Jefferson street, about 1831, by David Henry. It occupied the present site of the American House stables. Mr. Henry sold to Heath & Colwell. Mr. Henry removed to Perrysville, where for many years he was engaged in carrying the United States mail. He was one of the early Methodists of Jefferson county. He has been dead for a num- ber of years.
The first gunsmith in Brookville was Isaac Mills, who came in 1831 or 1832. His shop was located near the site of the Baptist church. He re- 52
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moved to Corsica and died many years ago. The first contractors and build- ers were David Elgin and Robert P. Barr. The former, who owned and built the Franklin Hotel, lived in Brookville for a short time ..
All the other early industries have been noted in the sketch given of the early settlers. Of the first buildings erected in Brookville, a portion of the Red Lion Hotel, the old Globe, or Jefferson Hotel, the building erected by William Clark, for a hotel, corner of Main and Mill streets, the house built by Thomas Lucas and now owned by John J. Thompson, on Jefferson street, the house built by D. B. Jenks, and now occupied by Thomas Wesley, on Picker- ing street, and the Craig homestead on Jefferson street, are all the old land- marks remaining.
Of the early citizens who came in the early thirties, only Richard Arthurs, Samuel Truby and wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Craig, Mrs. Ramsey, Mrs. Sarah Eng- lish, Mrs. Matilda Smith, Barton T. Hastings, Mrs. Sarah Means, William Rodgers, and perhaps one or two others, remain in Brookville and its vicinity.
The first piano that made its appearance in Brookville was one purchased by Colonel Jack for his daughter, Mrs. D. B. Jenks, soon after which Mr. Dougherty bought one for his daughter Kate. These instruments were con- sidered great curiosities, and Mrs. S. J. Marlin, who yet has the piano her father purchased for her in her childhood days, says she remembers that peo- ple would come for long distances to see and hear the wonderful instrument, and that one old gentleman called it a " harpsichord." This piano has had quite a remarkable career, for besides giving out the sweet tones that first marked the musical era on Main street, while it stood in the "best room " in the old " Peace and Poverty " hotel, it served, when properly draped, as the first altar upon which the rites of the Catholic Church in Brookville were dispensed.
Since that time great changes have taken place, and the pianos are now counted by the hundred, in Brookville ; while there is scarcely a house in which a musical instrument of some kind is not found, and Brookville has be- come noted for the many fine players and vocalists she has produced. Among the former it is fitting to notice one who had gained unusual prominence,- Miss Mary R. Jenks, the eldest daughter of Hon. William P. Jenks, at a very early age gave promise of becoming a musician of more than common order, and no pains or expense were spared by her parents to develop this talent. After studying under the best teachers this country afforded, she spent two years at the Conservatory of Music at Leipsic, Germany, and one year in Ber- lin, where she studied under the best teachers in the world, and received first honors for proficiency in instrumental music. On her return from Europe she engaged in teaching her beloved art, and soon became famous all over the country on account of her brilliancy and proficiency as a performer; but just in the zenith of her fame she was suddenly stricken by a fatal disease, a sar- coma cancer appearing upon her right arm ; and though all that skill and love
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could do was done to arrest the dread destroyer,-amputation being resorted to -her life could not be saved, and death put an end to her sufferings at the residence of her parents, December 18, 1884. She was equally gifted in other respects besides music ; thoroughly educated, and of a bright, social disposition, she was an ornament to any circle. A sincere Christian, she met death bravely and uncomplainingly, her only solicitude being for the dear ones she was leav- ing behind.
In 1857 the first medical society was organized in Jefferson county, and a meeting was held at the September court. Drs. McKnight, Heichhold and Simons were the committee on speakers for the occasion : Dr. A. J. Johnston being one of the speakers invited to address the society. Drs. James and Hugh Dowling, W. J. McKnight, J. G. Simons were instrumental in organiz- ing this society, but owing to the small number of physicians then residing in the county, and the difficulty in coming together, it soon ceased to exist. Another attempt was made to organize a society of the physicians of Jefferson and Clarion counties at a meeting held at Strattanville, January, 1865, but this failed as far as Jefferson county was concerned ; Clarion county, however, or- ganized a county society.
Thirty-five years ago a sewing-machine was unknown in Brookville, and the women of that day had to wearily stitch, stitch, by hard work, the needed garments for their families. An advertisement in the Jeffersonian of April 30, 1857, reads : "One of the curiosities of the day may be found at the store of J. S. King & Co., in the shape of one of Wheeler & Wilson's sewing-machines. It would pay any person to call and see it."
The first agent for the sale of these machines was, we think, a man named Merrick, who, with his wife, first learned the ladies of Brookville to manipulate this much-prized article of domestic use. Since that time nearly every house- hold has secured one, and the great improvements that have been made has thrown the old "Wheeler & Wilson " entirely into the shade.
In all other respects the change has been as great. In those early days a housewife felt very proud and above her neighbors if she was able to have a nice rag carpet for her "best room." "Winsor chairs " were the best the house afforded. At the eight by ten paned windows hung the bright green paper blind, and the bright patch-work quilt covered smoothly the high feather bed. Now all is changed ; the finest velvet, Wilton, Axminster and body Brussels cover the floors. The " best room" has become a parlor, furnished with the latest style furniture, covered with silk velvets and plushes, elegant oil paint- ings, and fine engravings have taken the place of the cherished print that was pinned to the wall in former days, and fine textured lace curtains drape the windows. All the rude evidences of the pioneer days have vanished. Luxury and beauty have effaced the old rough landmarks, which with the olden time settlers have sunk into the oblivion of the past. Whether the present age is a
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better one in every respect, is a disputed question. True, it is, that there is more show and silly pretense than in those days when no one was afraid of honest toil, nor ashamed to be one of the body of honest toilers. Very few are left to tell of Brookville's early days, and some of the young people of the pres- ent day cannot realize the straits to which their parents and grandparents were put to gain a livelihood, and to build up the homes they now enjoy.
A noble woman of Jefferson county who was raised amid the toils and pri- vations of those early days, was relating some of the struggles and privations endured, and the manner of living when the town was in embryo, when her daughter exclaimed, " Oh, Ma, I would not tell those dreadful things. Why to hear you tell about going in your bare feet, and living in a house with no car- pet, and having no silver spoons or any thing, one would think you had been awfully poor. Don't tell it any more." And the disgusted belle went to drum- ming on the piano, while the mother who bore on her countenance the marks of those days of early toil, gave a sigh at the frivolity of her daughter, as she · remarked, " Well, the girls do hate to hear of those things that they can't un- derstand, but if we were poorer in those days, we were, I think, just as happy. We had our good times, and I think we had more fun, and enjoyed it more heartily than the young people do now."
The history of Brookville has now been followed up from its first location, and those who founded the town, and who have contributed to its prosperity in building up and furthering its business enterprises, have been briefly noticed, and in the further record of the improvements that have been made in the fifty- seven years that have elapsed since the first little house was erected, will show what progress has been made. It will be seen that in the first ten years the town improved but slowly. In 1843 when the academy was built, Jefferson street was yet a wilderness. Tall pines and dense underbrush covered the ground where the academy was erected. The deer, bears, and even the wolf had not yet yielded possession to the white intruder. Indeed, as late as July 20, 1847, a large crane was shot in Brookville, by John Showalter, measuring five feet six inches, from tip to tip of its wings. In September, 1857, a large rattlesnake with nine rattles, was killed at Wann's foundry; and in November of that year a deer was caught alive, while crossing Taylor's mill dam in the borough of Brookville.
In 1853 the only daily mail was from the east to Clarion, passing through Brookville, while the mail from Brookville to Indiana and to Ridgway, was expected to leave on Monday, and arrive on Wednesday, and the mail to Kit- tanning to leave on Thursday and return on Saturday. About the same time John J. Y. Thompson commenced to run a daily hack between Brookville and Kittanning, and the Jefferson Star of March 8, 1856, says : "The stage from Brookville to Kittanning takes passengers to Kittanning in time to take the evening train to Pittsburgh, so that persons leaving here in the morning can be in Pittsburgh in the evening."
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Who of the old or middle-aged citizens does not remember what that trip was, especially when the roads were in bad condition ? Starting from Brook- ville at 12 M., or one or two o'clock in the morning, and then the long ride of forty miles over the worst of roads, with an upset or two for variety, and the male passengers walking up the hills to rest the horses. Then the Allegheny Valley Railroad was finished to the mouth of the Mahoning, which shortened the stage journey ten miles, and the passengers did not have to leave at quite such an early hour, while the journey, which was helped considerably by a good dinner on the down trip, and supper on the return at Cribb's or Butler's at Mill- ville, was not deemed quite so bad, for was there not always the hope, to which all clung, that " we will soon have a railroad to Brookville ;" but this was not realized until 1873, and in all these years, through the mud of spring and fall, and summer's heat, and winter's cold, the good people of Brookville patron- ized the stage lines run by such jolly sou's as Lightcap and Piper, Cook and Stoke, Gabriel Vasbinder, and A. A. and Raymond Stewart. The raftsmen generally "gigged it back," as they expressed the manner of their return trip after running out their rafts, as there never was enough stage accom- modation for them at rafting times, and then they saved money by walk- ing. It was no wonder that the first whistle of the iron horse was hailed with delight, and that on that bright Sabbath afternoon in June, 1873, there was a large crowd gathered down where the old passenger depot stood, to see the first cars come in. Many of the children, and a considerable number of the adults, too, had never seen a locomotive, or train of cars, and their wonderment gave vent in different forms of expression, as the fiery-headed monster came shrieking into their midst.
The close of the first quarter of a century in Brookville, saw much improve- ment, and the Jefferson Star of August 25, 1855, gives the following record of the business of the town at that time : "There are 17 stores, 4 groceries, 2 drug-stores, 5 blacksmith shops, 3 cabinet-shops, 5 churches, 4 tailor-shops, I chair-shop, I steam foundry, I carding and fulling mill, 2 grist-mills, I steam saw-mill, I huge steam clapboard and shingle-mill, 4 shoe-shops, 6 taverns, (two of which have license, having obtained them before the passage of the new liquor law), 2 printing presses, I academy, and 3 common schools, 7 physi- cians, 13 lawyers, I saddle and harness shop, I water-power saw-mill, I brew- ery, I bookbindery, 5 carpenter-shops, I planing- machine, 4 painters, 1 barber- shop, 2 butcher-shops, 2 tin-shops, 2 wagon-shops, I wind-mill establishment, I civil engineer."
The town of Brookville as first laid out, did not cover a very large area. The northern boundary was Butler alley, north of the old graveyard, and thence to the North Fork on the east, taking in the mills and pond of T. K. Litch. On the west the line was Gordon's alley leaving out the Presbyterian Church, thence down Gordon's alley to Water street, taking in " Hunt's Point,"
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thence along Valley to Pickering, and across the Redbank and out Picker- ing street to lot No. 25, taking in the property of Thomas Mabon, thence to the Sandy Lick. Several additions, viz .: Dowling's, McCreight's, Dougherty's, Mabon's, Taylor's, Litch's and Hastings's have been added from time to time, until the present dimensions of the borough are quite extended, covering an area of two square miles. The town as it has grown larger has improved in like manner, and now with its beautiful residences, and elegant large business blocks, is second to no town of its size in the State. The scenery about the town is grandly beautiful, and the location an eminently healthy one, epidem- ics being almost unknown in the history of the town.
Among the business firms that flourished in Brookville in the first thirty years were : Samuel Truby, Evans & McCall, Gillespie, Wilson & Co., William F. Clark, D. S. Deering, Cummins & Blood, Hastings & Thompson, Gillespie & Wright, John Clements, S. C. Espy & Co., S. G. Fryer, Matson & Pride, Thompson Barr, David Frank, M. Hoffheimer & Co., L. A. Dodd & Co., Pearl Roundy, Winsor & Reynolds, P. B. Morrison & Co., P. McTaffe, Benjamin Hepler, Matson & Moore, I. N. Fuller & Co., T. B. McLain, A. B. McLain, Coryell & Co., M. A. Calvin & Co., merchants. Misses Ann Guffey, Ellen Butler, S. A. McKillep, millinery.
M. C. Thompson, C. C. Miller, S. L. Ellis, N. P. Simpson, B. F. Lerch were among the early manipulators of the historic "goose."
A. R. & W. D. J. Marlin, Hall & Lydick, cabinet and chair makers.
James T. Carroll, David Larry, John E. Carroll, and Thomas Wesley were the veteran shoemakers.
The pioneer clock and watchmakers appear to have been itinerant as William Sirwell came to Brookville at stated intervals to repair clocks and watches. Then James Thompson and C. Paulman located here, followed by S. M. Tinthoff, who for years resided in Brookville, and Robert Hubbard, who also kept a jewelry store in Brookville for over twenty years.
Dr. A. M. Hills and T. M. Van Valsah visited the town in a dental capa- city at an early day. The Chandlers, Thomas and his son William, were the first resident dentists.
Fires .- Brookville has from time to time been heavily visited by the fire fiend. The first " big fire" occurring on the 24th of May, 1856, when some $50,000 worth of property, in the heart of the town, was laid in ashes. This fire commenced in the stables of the Royal Exchange Hotel, which occupied the site of the present Commercial Hotel, and was owned and occupied by John Clements. This hotel and the American House, with the Arcade build- ing, and the stables and outbuildings, Lydick's furniture shop on Main street, Benjamin McCreight's barn and the Methodist Church (occupying the site of the present United Presbyterian Church), the residence of J. J. Y. Thompson (known as the Fogle property), and those of D. Dunkleburg and G. W. An-
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drews on Jefferson street were destroyed; in the Arcade, or business portion of the American House block, the stores of King & Co., and W. W. Corbet, I. G. Gordon's law office (library saved), office of the Jefferson Star, McElhose & Scott, press, type and all the furniture destroyed ; in the Exchange Hotel building, James McCahan's law office, John Clements's store, Kennedy & Dickey's store. Mr. Clements lost two horses. The entire loss was estimated at $50,000. Of this the heaviest loss fell upon Judge Thompson, which is set down at $16,000, John Clements $8,000, and the Methodist congregation $2,- 500. Of these only Mr. Clements's property and the church were partially insured. The fire was supposed to be the work of an incendiary.
On Sunday evening, November 5, 1871, another disastrous fire broke out in the stables of the Clements House, on the identical spot where a little over fifteen years before the first fire that ravaged the town started. It soon com- municated to the hotel, which occupied the site of the old Exchange Hotel, and it was destroyed. The fire swept over the entire square from Gordon alley to Barnet street, burning down every building except the residence of Benjamin McCreight, which again withstood the flames, and was left standing alone, begrimed and blackened, but evidently fire-proof.
The losses were as follows: Clements House, Robert Clements owner, loss $20,000, Barr & Matson lessees of hotel, $5,000; Mcknight & Bro., drug store, $8,000 ; S. Craig & Son, grocers, $2,000; B. McCreight, stable and grain, $1,500 ; John Dougherty & Co., old Peace and Poverty, or Black Horse Hotel property, $7,000; John S. Barr, $2,500; W. R. Depp, $400. The two latter were tenants of Mr. Dougherty. Moore & Co., meat market, $200; G. F. Dodd, meat market, $400; John M. Steck, residence and furniture, $2,500 ; Gabriel Vasbinder, store, $1,500; Glenn & Smith, shoe store, $200; C. M. & J. N. Garrison, dry goods, $1,000 ; M. Rodgers, dry goods, $1,000 ; dam- age to American House, $5,000 ; Best Salt Company, $1,000; Gordon & Bro., law office, $1,000 ; T. L. Brown, dwelling and meat market, $700; J. T. Reed, dry goods, $1,000.
On the above, Craig & Son, M. Rodgers, C. M. & J. N. Garrison, Gordon & Bro., and the American Hotel were covered by insurance. Captain Steck had $1,200 and J. S. Barr, $500. On all the other losses there was no insur- ance. The entire loss by the fire was estimated at $75,000.
On the 20th of November, 1874, another large fire occurred in Brookville. It broke out about 5 o'clock A. M. in the rear of the Oak Hall Hotel, on East Main street, and burned everything on that side of the street from Pickering to Mill street. The old Franklin House on the corner of Pickering street, which was occupied as a hotel and bank by John S. King, was destroyed with nearly all its furniture. The large and elegant building of R. J. Nicholson, in which was Nicholson Hall, the Masonic Hall, and the general store of Nichol- son, Meredith & Co., and the hardware store of Long & Pearsall, the Arthurs
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property, on which was the residence of R. Arthurs, and the store of C. S. Irwin, the Oak Hall Hotel owned and occupied by M. R. Bell, the store and blacksmith shop of Abram and Edwin Snyder, the residence of Mrs. C. E. Clements, shoe shop of J. T. Carroll, the old Templeton House and " Snyder Row" the property of Ira C. Fuller.
It then crossed Main street from Nicholson Hall and destroyed the old Evans block in which were the stores of K. L. Blood and John Mills, the Re- publican office, Dr. Sweeny's office, the Armory, the undertaking rooms of O. II. Brown, and the Odd Fellows Hall, and the large brick block owned and occupied by S. G. Fryer as a store and residence.
This was the most disastrous fire that has ever visited Brookville, as far as loss of property was concerned, and area burned over. The loss was esti- mated at $150,000.
The last in the list of " big fires," which have visited Brookville, occurred on the night of April 25, 1876. This fire broke out about 9 o'clock in the cellar of T. B. McLain's store, opposite the Clements House, and was clearly the work of an incendiary as there was no fire anywhere near where the flames broke out. All the buildings on this side of the street, from Diamond Alley to Barnett street, except the storeroom of Judge Henderson, were destroyed. The buildings were owned by Joseph Henderson, the Bishop heirs, Edmund English, C. M. & J. N. Garrison, and M. Rodgers, and were occupied by Jo- seph Henderson as a residence; Edmund English, residence; Mrs. McFarland, residence; J. S. King, T. B. McLain, store; Mrs. A. F. Henderson, millinery store; Mrs. G. J. Snyder, millinery; Miss L. Gordon, dressmaking; E. C. Hall, photograph gallery; W. A. Thompson, tailor shop; B. F. Keck, harness shop; Dr. R. S. Hunt, Dr. M. B. Lowry, Dr. C. W. Stebbins, offices; A. Spangen- burg, meat market. The loss was estimated at $30,000, on which there was only $5,000 insurance.
The Brookville Schools .- The Brookville schools are nine in number, and are divided into primary, four ; medium, or intermediate, three, and grammar, two. For the term ending February 21, 1887, the average attendance was 413,-male scholars 197, females 216; per cent. of attendance 91. The larg- est number enrolled during the term was 478. The schools are graded from No. I, up, beginning with the primary department ; and the teachers em- ployed for the school year commencing September, 1887, are: T. B. Gal- braith, principal, $85 per month ; W. S. Trainer, No. 9, $65 ; WV. A. Henry, No. 8, $55 ; Miss Belle Keyes, No. 7, $40; Mrs. M. P. DeHaven, No. 6, $36; Miss Celia Ramsey, No. 5, $36; Miss Lizzie Hastings, No. 4, $36; Miss Margery Thompson, No. 3, $36; Miss Essie Calvin, No. 2, $36; Miss Martha McCreight, No. 1, $36. The school term was fixed at eight months.
The oldest teacher in the force is Miss Martha McCreight, who has been teaching almost continuously in the primary department for the past thirty-
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five years. In 1853 the selection of teachers for the Brookville schools are re- ported as A. L. Gordon and Misses Freeman and McCreight. Nearly all the youth of the town have learned their A, B, C at her hands, and many of those who are now middle-aged have been her pupils. She is especially fitted for the position she has so long filled. The other teachers have taught from one to fifteen years in Brookville. T. B. Galbraith has been principal since 1884, having succeeded Professor J. H. Hughes on the election of the latter to the county superintendency. The principal, in addition to the general supervision of the school, teaches the higher branches: physiology, book-keeping, physical geography, rhetoric, geometry and Latin.
The Brookville schools have only graduated two classes. In the class of 1886 Margery Thompson graduated in the advanced course, and Carrie Mc- Dowell and Ella Hastings in the intermediate. In the class of 1887 Estella Galbraith graduated in the advanced, and Mary Paddock, John Ewing and Grant Lucas in the intermediate course.
In 1878 the present school building was erected, the amount of contract being $16,222. The builder was Daniel English, and the contractors D. Eng- lish and Reid D. Taylor. The architect was D. K. Dean, of Erie, who re- ceived two per cent. on the contract price of the building. The heating appa- ratus cost $1,855.72, and the school furniture $1,039.90 ; water pipe, cisterns, etc., $681.74, making the entire cost of the building, furniture, etc., $20,574. 10. The material of the old academy, which was torn down, was given to D. Eng- lish, for extra work.
This fine building, which contains ten large, well-lighted and well-fitted school-rooms, is situated on the corner of Barnett and Church streets, and is surrounded by grounds covering four acres.
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