USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 58
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
507
YOUNG TOWNSHIP AND PUNXSUTAWNEY.
cow came home dragging them on the ground.' The hunters listened to the story, and then one of them spoke and said, 'There's the fellow that will take him,' pointing to the dog. At two o'clock the next morning the hunters and the dog were missing. They got on the animal's trail during the day, but returned at night without him. The second day at two o'clock they started out again. They came on his track and followed it for some distance. All of a sudden the dog barked, and the panther leaped on him from a tree and escaped without injury. The hunters became very angry, and returned to the house again. They said, 'We'll have him if he is in the State, for he's killed our dog. They asked the man if their families could stay a few days longer, and of course they received permission. The next morning they started out again at two o'clock, and traveled till noon. They sat down, ate their lunch, and as one was wiping his mouth with his hand, he looked up and saw the panther just in the act of springing on them. He never spoke a word, but drew up his gun, winked at his brother, aimed at the animal, both firing at the same time, and the balls passed each other in the animal's heart. One of them called out, 'Now we've got him ! Now we've got him !' They got out their knives, skinned him, and one of them wrapped the skin about his body, with the head hanging over his shoulder, and the hind parts and tail dragging be- hind. I still waited with anxiety for the panther and my colored man, and went again and again to the road to see if the hunters were coming. I soon saw them coming, one having a long tail dragging behind, and the head hang- ing on his shoulder. My friend and I cried, 'They've got him! They've got him!' That evening -a happy man-I started for home. On meeting my man, he threw his arms around my neck, and said, ' I'm so glad to see you ! I'se had nothing to eat for three days. I knows when you come with the gun you'd soon kill a deer, and we'd have a big feast.' The next morning I killed a deer, and there was a general rejoicing."
On account of some dispute about his title Mr. Carmalt found he was likely to lose his improvement in Indiana county, and he removed to Punxsu- tawney in 1821 and bought a lot, but the following year he purchased the tract of land about a mile from Punxsutawney, in Young township, where he made his home, allowing a beautiful grove of pine trees to remain about his dwelling, and making the Carmalt place one of the most attractive in that section. His farm now belongs to the Rochester and Pittsburgh Mining Com- pany, and Mr. Carmalt a short time ago took up his residence with his son in Philadelphia. He is ninety-three years of age.
In 1822 Miss Hannah P. Gaskill came to Jefferson county to visit her brother. C. C. Gaskill, where she met and made the acquaintance of Isaac P. Carmalt, to whom she was married on the Ist of April, 1823, at the Friends' meeting-house in Philadelphia. Mrs. Carmalt was born in Philadelphia in 1788, her father being a merchant, whose counting house was directly op -.
-
508
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
posite that of Stephen Girard, with whom he was on the most intimate terms. She had received the best education that her native city then afforded, and her mind was of more than ordinary order, but she cast aside all the pleasures of belleship and the attractive and congenial society to be found in the city of Philadelphia, and became the wife of a Jefferson county pioneer, exchanging the gayety of the city for the wilderness, and from that time she was identified with the history of the county.
Some years after her marriage the settlement was visited by an epidemic which made sad inroads among the sparse population. Mrs. Carmalt, who was skilled in the medicaments then in use, and whose home was a dispensary for the sick and afflicted, with Mrs. Heath, wife of Judge Heatlı, and sister of Dr. Jenks, laying aside all fears of contagion, attended daily at the bedsides of the sufferers, and to their care and nursing many of those prostrated by the disease owed their lives. Mrs. Carmalt lived to a good old age, dying a few years ago.
Another of the pioneers of Young township was Obed Morris, who was born in Bucks county December 8, 1792. When he was a year old his family removed to Northampton county, where he remained twenty-four years, and where, in 1814, he married Mary Bowman. In 1820 he removed to Indiana county, settling near the present village of Covode. In 1824 he bought a tract of land within the present limits of Young township. Here he labored early and late, and by the strictest economy was able to pay for his land and add to it from time to time, until he had one of the largest and best cultivated farms in the township. He was a whole souled, public spirited citizen, a man of strong religious convictions, and temperate in all things. His wife died on the 2d of February, 1859. His family consisted of three sons and two daugh- ters-James Madison, Elizabeth Bowman, Theodore, Charles R. B., Mary Barclay, Joseph Bowman and Moses A. Of these Theodore, Joseph and Moses are prominent and influential citizens of Young township. Mr. Morris died several years ago. His son, Theodore, resides on the old homestead.
Daniel Graffius was one of the early settlers of Young township, to which he first came about ISIS, and removed with his family from Huntingdon county in 1823. His descendants are among the best citizens of Jefferson county at the present day. His daughter, Mrs. Mary Caldwell, widow of Jo- siah Caldwell, now over eighty years of age, is probably the oldest citizen of the township. She is yet able to attend to her household duties and is in posses- sion of all her mental faculties, and delights to talk of those early days when she found a home in the wilderness of Jefferson county.
The first lumber taken out in Young township was by Jesse Armstrong and William Neel, an account of which has already been given. The first coal was discovered by Obed Morris and John Hutchinson about 1820.
There is but one large saw-mill now in Young township, that owned and
509
YOUNG TOWNSHIP AND PUNXSUTAWNEY.
operated by the Rochester and Pittsburgh Mining Company at Adrian mines ; its capacity is 20,000 per day.
There are two grist-mills in the township, that of James St. Clair, and P. W. Jenks's mill, located on the Mahoning, about three and one-half miles below Punxsutawney. The stores are those of H. P. Brown & Co., and M. L. Smith, at Adrian and Walston. There is no licensed hotel in the township.
Young township is noted for its fine farms and excellent buildings. Among the best improved are those of John North's estate, now owned by his sons- S. T. North, Joseph K. North, Thomas North -William Long, Theodore Mor- ris, Joseph B. Morris, Robert Law, Irwin Simpson.
What has been said in regard to fruit culture in Perry township will apply to Young.
Number of Taxables, Population, and School Statistics .- The number of taxables in Young township in 1828 was 73; in 1829, 70; in 1831, 70 ; in 1835, 146; in 1842, 271 ; in 1849, 399; in 1856, 381 ; in 1863, 177; in 1880, 293 ; in 1886, 590.
The population, according to census of 1840, 1,321; 1850, 1,891; 1860, 776; 1870, 954; 1880, 909.
The number of acres seated in the township, according to the triennial assessment for 1886, 9,600; valuation, $74,300 ; average per acre, $7.74 ; houses and lots 233; valuation $23,990 ; one grist-mill, $800 ; 2,645 acres of mineral land ; valuation $21,703 ; average value per acre, $8.20 ; number of horses, 184; value, $5,167; average value, $28.07; number of cows, 209: value, $2,284; average value, $10.93; occupations, 441; value, $10,975 ; av- erage, $24.89 ; total valuation subject to county tax, $139,219 ; money at interest, $10,657.
The whole number of schools in Young township for the year ending June 30, 1886, was seven ; number of months taught, five; male teachers, six ; female, one; average salary of males, $34; female, $32; scholars, males, 239; females, 219; average attendance, 347 ; per cent. of attendance, 90 ; cost per month, 72 cents; number of mills levied for school purposes, 13; total amount of tax levied, $1,553.50; total expenditures, $1,648.49. There were eight schools during the winter of 1886.
Elections .- The first two elections held for the township of Young, after it was separated from Perry, as the returns appear in the office of the prothon- otary, at Indiana, are as follows :
" Young township return for 1826. Constable, Joseph Long had 32 votes, Jno. Hum, 11 votes. Signed Philip Bowers, judge, etc.
"1827 .- Young township. At an election held at the house of Elijah Heath, in Punxsutawney, on the 16th of March, 1827, the following persons received the number of votes, to wit:
"Constables, Joseph Long had 22 votes, Ohed Morris, 13; supervisors, 61
510
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
Nathaniel Tindal, 29, Benoni Williams, 32; auditors, Andrew H. Bowman, 30, Josiah Caldwell, 27, Matthias Clawson, 24, Philip Bowers, 18; poor overseers, Frederick Rinehart, 15, Christian Rishel, 20; fence appraisers, Adam Long (cooper), 20, John Hum, 9. Signed, Frederick Rinehart, Joseph Long, Jos- iah Caldwell, judges, Mathus Clawson, A. H. Bowman, clerks."
At the election held February 15, 1887, the following township officers were elected :
Young township, north .- Justice of the peace, J. B. Morris; constable, Samuel Williams ; supervisors, D. B. Hinton, Jos. W. Long ; school directors, S. T. North, Morgan Lloyd ; poor overseer, J. C. Smith ; auditor, F. M. Bow- man ; judge of election, H. W. Moore; inspectors, A. J. Haymaker, John Weber ; assessor, J. C. Smith ; collector and treasurer, A. J. Smith ; town clerk, F. M. Bowman. Young, south .- Judge of election, H. E. Clawson ; inspec- tors, B. Zeigler, John Hutchinson.
The justices of the peace are Philip D. Wolf, and J. B. Morris. The members of the school board previously elected are, L. S. McQuown, W. C. Williams, D. B. Hintor, and M. L. Smith.
PUNXSUTAWNEY.
Origin of the Name .- We quoted principally from tradition in the prepara- tion of the chapter upon Indian history, and some of the statements therein made concerning the origin of the name of Punxsutawney, are disproved by the origin here given in the journal of Brother Ettewein, the Moravian mis- sionary, who visited the place in 1772.
It has been claimed that the great Moravian missionary, Rev. John Heck- weilder, spent "six weeks in the Indian town of Punxsutawney, where he was detained by some of his band having small-pox," but this Mr. Jordon refutes, and says: "Among his (Heckweilder's) papers, he has prepared a list of the journeys he made, with the number of miles (30,000) between 1762 and 1814, and I nowhere find any reference to his visit to Punxsutawney, directly but indirectly. He may have spent a day or so on the site of the town, where some few Indians yet resided in 1762. In writing his narrative, he refers to his visit in 1772, and states that thirty years before it was almost a deserted spot."
About the year 1765, the Moravian missionary, David Zeisberger, estab- lished the mission of Friedenshnetten, near the present town of Wyalusing, in Bradford county. This town, the name of which signifies "tents of peace," contained " thirteen Indian huts, and upwards of forty frame houses, shingled and provided with chimneys and windows." There was another mission about thirty miles above Friedenshnetten, " Tschechschequanink," or as it was trans- lated, " where a great awakening had taken place." This latter mission was under the charge of Brother Roth. These missions prospered greatly, and
51I
YOUNG TOWNSHIP AND PUNXSUTAWNEY.
much good was done among the Indians, until 1768, when the Six Nations by the treaty made that year, " sold the land from under their feet," and the mis- sionaries encountered so much trouble from both the Indians and whites that, in 1772 the brethren decided to abandon these missions and remove to the new field which had been planted by the indefatigable Zeisberger, on the banks of the Ohio. They therefore started from Wyalusing on the 12th day of June, 1772, in number two hundred and forty-one souls, mostly Indians, of all ages, with their cattle and horses. Their destination was Friedenstadt,1 near the present site of Beaver, Pa. They were under the guidance of Brothers Roth and Ettewein, and their course was from the North Branch across the Alle- gheny Mountains, by way of Bald Eagle to the Ohio River. Brother Roth conducted those who went by water, and Brother Ettewien those who traveled by land. In 1886 the Moravian, published at Bethlehem, gave the journal of Rev. John Ettewein, and we give the extracts from it of the progress of the party through the territory now comprised by southern Jefferson county, with the explanatory foot-notes in the Moravian, translated by Mr. Jordan.
" 1772.
"Tuesday, July 14 .- Reached Clearfield Creek, where the buffalos form- erly cleared large tracts of undergrowth, so as to give them the appearance of cleared fields. Hence, the Indians called the creek 'Clearfield.' Here at night and next morning, to the great joy of the hungry, nine deer were shot. Whoever shoots a deer has for his private portion, the skin and inside ; the meat he must bring into camp and deliver to the distributors. John and Cor- nelius acted in this capacity in our division. It proved advantageous for us not to keep so closely together, as we had at first designed ; for if the number of families in a camp be large, one or two deer, when cut up, afford but a scanty meal to each individual. So it happened that scarce a day passed with- out there being a distribution of venison in the advance, the centre and the rear camp. (On the route there were one hundred and fifty deer and but three bears shot.) In this way our Heavenly Father provided for us; and I often prayed for our hunters, and returned thanks for their success.
" Thursday, July 16, . . . I journeyed on, with a few of the brethren, two miles in a falling rain, to the site of Chinklacamoose, where we found but three huts, and a few patches of Indian corn. The name signifies 'No one tarries here willingly.' It may, perhaps, be traced to the circumstance that some thirty years ago an Indian resided here as a hermit, upon a rock, who was wont to appear to the Indian hunters, in frightful shapes. Some of these, too, he killed, others he robbed of their skins ; and this he did for many years. We moved on four miles, and were obliged to wade the West Branch three
1 " The Annals of Friedenschnetten, on the Susquehanna, with John Ettewein's Journal of the Re" moval of the Mission to Friedenstadt, 1765 and 1772," by John W. Jordan.
512
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
times, which is here like the Lehigh at Bethlehem, between the island and the mountain, rapid and full of ripples.
" Friday, July 17. - Advanced only four miles to a creek that comes down from the northwest.1 Had a narrow and stony spot for our camp.
"Saturday, July 18. - Moved on without awaiting Roth and his division, who on account of the rain had remained in camp. To-day Shebosch lost a colt from the bite of a rattlesnake. Here we left the West Branch three miles to the Northwest, up the creek, crossing it five times. Here, too, the path went precipitately up the mountain, and four or five miles up and up to the summit-to a spring the headwaters of the Ohio.2 Here I lifted up my heart in prayer as I looked westward, that the Son of Grace might rise over the heathen nations that dwell beyond the distant horizon.
"Sunday, July 19. - As yesterday, but two families kept with me, because of the rain, we had a quiet Sunday, but enough to do drying our effects. In the evening all joined me, but we could hold no service as the Ponkis were so excessively annoying that the cattle pressed toward and into our camp, to escape their persecutors in the smoke of the fires. This vermin is a plague to man and beast, both by day and night. But in the swamp through which we are now passing, their name is legion. Hence the Indians call it the Ponksute- nink, i. e., the town of the Ponkis.3 The word is equivalent to living dust and ashes, the vermin being so small as not to be seen, and their bite being hot as sparks of fire, or hot ashes. The brethren here related an Indian myth to- wit: That the aforecited Indian hermit and sorcerer, after having been for so many years a terror to all Indians, had been killed by one who had burned his bones, but the ashes he blew into the swamp, and they became living things, and hence the Ponkis.
" Monday, July 20. - After discoursing on the daily word-' The Lord our God be with us, may he not forsake us'-we traveled on through the swamp, and after five miles crossed the path that leads from Frankstown4 to Goshgo- shink, and two miles from that point encamped at a run. At 5 P. M., came Brethren Peter, Boaz, and Michael, with fourteen unbaptized Indians, fron La- gundontenink, to meet us with four horses, and five bushels of Indian corn, also Nathaniel's wife from Sheninga5 with a letter from Brother Jungmann. I thought had I but milk or meat, I would add rice, and prepare a supper for the new-comers. But two of them went to hunt, and in half an hour Michael brought in a deer to my fire. My eyes moistened with tears. Sister Esther
1 Anderson's Creek, in Clearfield county, which they struck at a point near the present Curwens- ville.
2 " Probably the source of the North Branch of the Mahoning, which rises in Brady township, Clearfield county, and empties into the Allegheny, in Armstrong county, ten miles above Kittanning."
3 Kept down the valley of the Mahoning, into Jefferson county. Punxsutawney is a village in Young township, Jefferson county. The swamp lies in Gaskill and Young townships.
4 Near IIollidaysburg. See Scull's map of 1759, for this path.
5 Sheninga is a township in Lawrence county, just above Friedenstadt.
513
YOUNG TOWNSHIP AND PUNXSUTAWNEY.
hunted up the large camp kettle, and all had their fill of rice and venison, and were much pleased. That night and the following morning there were four deer shot by my company.
" Tuesday, July 21. - The rear division came up, and the destitute, viz., such as had lived solely upon meat and milk, were supplied each with one pint of Indian corn. We proceeded six miles to the first creek. In the evening a number of the brethren came to my fire, and we sat together right cheerful until midnight. Once when asleep I was awakened by the singing of the brethren who had gathered around the fire of the friends from Lagundonten- ink. It refreshed my inmost soul.
" Wednesday, July 22. - We journeyed on four miles, to the first fork1 where a small creek comes down from the mouth.
"Thursday July 23. - Also four miles to the second fork, to the creek, coming in from the south-east.2 As a number of us met here in good time we had a meeting. Cornelius's brother-in-law stated that he was desirous of be- ing the Lord's; therefore he had left his friends so as to live with the breth- ren, and to hear of the Saviour.
" Friday, July 24. - The path soon left the creek, over valleys and heights to a spring. Now we were out of the swamp, and free from the plague of the Ponkis. Also found huckleberries, which were very grateful. Our to-day's station was five miles, and about so far we advanced on.
"Saturday, July 25. - On which day we encamped at a Salt Lick, and kept Sunday some three miles from the large creek, which has so many curves, like a horseshoe, so that if one goes per canoe, when the water is high, four days are consumed in reaching the Ohio, whereas, by land, the point can be reached in one day.3 Our youngsters went to the creek to fish, and others to hunt; and at sunset they came in with two deer, and four strings of fish."
To prove farther that Punxsutawney was one of the Delaware towns, we quote from the narrative of Marie Le Roy and Barbara Leininger :+ " Marie Le Roy was born at Brondrut, in Switzerland. About five years ago she ar- rived with her parents in this country. They settled fifteen miles from Fort Schamockin. Half a mile from their plantation lived Barbara Leininger, with her parents, who came from Reuttingen about ten years ago.
" Early in the morning of the 16th of October, 1755, while Le Roy's hired man went out to fetch the cows, he heard the Indians shooting six times. Soon after eight of them came to the house and killed Marie Le Roy's father
1 A branch of the Mahoning.
2 Query - The creek that comes in and up below Punxsutawney.
3 " The Mahoning, formed by the junction of the East and South Branch, which meets at Nichols- burg, in Indiana county. This roule to the Allegheny was the same path taken by Post in 1758, when returning from his second visit to the Ohio Indians, in that year, and between Chinklacamoose and the Allegheny, over the same path traveled by Barbara Leininger, in 1755, when Chinklacamoose and Puncksatawney were villages."-Jordan.
4 Vol. 7, Pennsylvania Archives.
514
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
with tomahawks. Her brother defended himself powerfully for a time, but was, at last, overpowered. The Indians did not kill him, but took him pris- oner, together with Marie Le Roy and a little girl who was staying with the family. Thereupon they plundered the homestead and set it on fire. Into this fire they put the body of the murdered father, feet foremost, until it was half consumed. The upper half was left lying on the ground with the two tomahawks with which they had killed him sticking in his head. Then they kindled another fire not far from the house. While sitting around it, a neigh- bor of Le Roy, named Bastian, happened to pass on horseback. He was im- mediately shot down and scalped.
"Two of the Indians now went to the house of Barbara Leininger, where they found her father, her brother, and her sister Regina. Her mother had gone to the mill. They demanded rum, but there was none in the house. Then they called for tobacco, which was given them. Having smoked a pipe. they said : " We are Allegheny Indians, and your enemies. You must all die.' Thereupon they shot her father, tomahawked her brother, who was twenty years of age, took Barbara and her sister Regina prisoners, and conveyed them into the forest for about a mile. They there were soon joined by the other Indians, with Marie Le Roy and the little girl.
" Not long after the rest of the savages returned with six fresh scalps which they threw at the feet of the poor captives, saying that they had a good hunt that day.
" The next morning we were taken about two miles further into the forest, while the most of the Indians again went out to kill and plunder. Toward evening they returned with nine scalps and five prisoners.
" On the third day the whole band came together and divided the spoils. In addition to large quantities of provisions, they had taken fourteen horses and ten prisoners, namely, one man, one woman, five girls and three boys. We two girls, as also two of the horses, fell to the share of an Indian named Galasko.
" We traveled with our new master for two days. He was tolerably kind, and allowed us to ride all the way, while he and the rest of the Indians walked. Of this circumstance Barbara Leininger took advantage, and tried to escape. But she was almost immediately recaptured and condemned to be burned alive. The savages gave her a French Bible, which they had taken from Le Roy's house, in order that she might prepare for death, and when she told them she could not understand it, they gave her a German Bible. Thereupon they made a large pile of wood, and set it on fire, intending to put her in the midst of it; but a young Indian begged so earnestly for her life that she was pardoned, after having promised not to attempt to escape again and stop her crying.
"The next day the whole troop was divided into two bands; the one march-
515
YOUNG TOWNSHIP AND PUNXSUTAWNEY.
ing in the direction of the Ohio, the other, in which we were with Galasko, to Jenkiklamuhs,1 a Delaware town on the West Branch of the Susquehanna. There we staid ten days, and then proceeded to Puncksotownay,? or Eschen- town. Marie Le Roy's brother was forced to remain at Jenkiklamuhs.
"After having rested at Puncksotownay, we took our way to Kittanny. As this was to be the place of our permanent abode, we received our welcome according to Indian custom ; it consisted of three blows each on the back. They were, however, administered with great mercy. Indeed we concluded that we were beaten merely in order to keep up an ancient usage, and not with the intention of injuring us. The month of December was the time of our arrival, and we remained at Kittanny until the month of September, 1756.
" The Indians gave us enough to do. We had to tan leather, make shoes, moccasins, to clear land, to plant corn, to cut down trees, and build huts, to wash and cook. The want of provisions caused us, however, the greatest suf- fering. During all the time we were at Kittanny we had neither lard nor salt, and sometimes we were forced to live on acorns, roots, grass and bark. There was nothing in the world to make this new sort of food palatable except hun- ger itself."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.