USA > Pennsylvania > Mercer County > History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present > Part 67
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The girl was the daughter of Charles Gamble, and if living would be the aunt of Hugh Gamble, at present clerk of the board of county commissioners. She was living at the time with George Bagnall. No trace of her was found, though search was made by the people of the county for weeks. Judge Bredin adjourned court, and joined with others in the effort to recover the lost child. The Mercer Academy was dismissed, and its teachers and students joined in the quest. Thousands of people from all portions of the county cheerfully gave their services to sweep in all directions, but to no purpose.
It is supposed that the child was stolen by wandering gipsies and carried off. Various reports as to her having been seen in Virginia, or Frederick, Md., were circulated, but none of them ever received credence. Her fate, like that of Charley Ross, is involved in insoluble mystery.
DEER CREEK TOWNSHIP.
This township was orginally a portion of old Sandy Creek. On the 18th of December, 1850, a number of petitions praying for a division of that organization into four separate and distinct parts, each to be a township, the purpose of the division being to facilitate the collection of taxes, and to render the polls easier of access to voters, was presented in court. Agreeable to the prayer, the Court appointed a board of commissioners, consisting of Francis Beatty, Joseph Kerr and James A. Leech, to view the territory pro- posed to be quartered, and to lay out a system of boundary lines. On the 7th of April, 1851, a statement of their report was returned, and on the 23d of June, same year, the Court confirmed it. This statement established four townships, named, respectively, Sandy Creek, Deer Creek, New Vernon and Mineral, afterward Perry.
Deer Creek, the northeastern quarter of the old division, has a compara- tively unbroken surface. In places it is really flat. The soil is quite fertile, and is well adapted to agriculture. It is a curious fact that the chief wealth of the township, up to a few years ago, consisted in its forests, from which were extracted much valuable timber. There are not many underlying min- eral deposits. Of course, throughout the whole county are scattered coal veins having more or less value, according to quality and thickness. But Deer Creek Township has never been classed among the distinctively coal townships of the county. Its resources have been chiefly of the agricultural sort. These have proved a source of much prosperity, which the inhabitants enjoy in as marked degree, perhaps, as any of their neighbors. In point of drainage, the township is but fairly supplied with a suitable system of water courses. The only stream of any importance within its limits is Big Sandy Creek, which rises in Sandy Creek Township, flows southeast in an almost undeviating course, through the northeast corner of Sandy Creek. the south- west corner of Deer Creek, and down through New Vernon and Sandy Lake, until it leaves the county. There are several small tributaries to this on the northeastern side, which pierce into the territory along which it flows, furnish- ing a moderately efficient means of conducting off all surplus rain-fall.
The early settlement of the township is connected so intimately with that of the old sub-division of Sandy Creek, that no attempt will be made to divorce the two. In the pages devoted to that township, will be found the story of Deer Creek's early development from forests to homesteads.
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
The history of the industrial development of the township is brief. The most important industry has, of course, been the steam saw-mill business. In the early days a plain, upright saw, run by meagre water power, was the only outfit considered necessary to cope with the lumber problem. But the appli- cation of steam to all motor uses has long since rendered the water power obsolete, while the march of inventive skill has triumphed over the straight vertical saw, and in its place has erected the circular one. A thousand im- provements, too, in the portability of sawing machinery have contributed greatly to the accomplishments of industrial enterprise.
The first steam mill built in the present township was erected in the autumn of 1864, by A, Dunham and Solomon Nunemaker. These gentlemen continued in the ownership two years, at the expiration of which time Nune- maker retired, and was succeeded by George Stallsmith, the business being continued under the firm name of Dunham & Stallsmith. In 1866 Elias Cozad purchased the entire plant. In 1868 Nunemaker and I. W. Stall- smith resolved to embark in the lumber business, and erected a lath and shingle mill a short distance west of the Cozad saw-mill. In the course of a few years this partnership was discontinued, the firm becoming Nunemaker, Boylan & Jones, The business was a profitable one, and met with flattering success. In 1867 John W. Thompson built a steam mill in the northern part of the township, on land belonging to John Turner. In 1872 Mr. Tur- ner became the proprietor. The mill did a flourishing business, and was of much service in its way. In 1872, also, the Streight mill, owned by a A. J. and W. H. Streight, was erected. This did a general sawing business, and was a successful enterprise in every respect. The Applegate nail-keg mill was put up in 1873.
At the first election held after the separation from Sandy Creek, on the 5th of May, 1851, the following officers were chosen: Justices of the peace, Stephen Ross, Robert Thompson; constable, Perry Caldwell; judge of elec- tions, R. F. Thompson; treasurer, Stephen Ross; clerk, R. Thompson; supervisors, John Turner, Jacob Free and H. W. Troy; assessor, Jared Ross; inspectors, Joel Smith, Aaron Boylan; auditors, Alva Scott, Russell Vaughn, R. Thompson; overseers, Jacob Burson, Samuel Clark; school directors, John Ross, Joel Smith, John Turner, J. W. Streight, H. W. Troy and C. Montgomery.
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.
This township was one of eight formed in November, 1805. It has suf- fered diminution twice, by the taking away of Jefferson April 4, 1850, and of Hempfield May 24, 1856.
Its surface is unbroken and rolling. The land rises and falls in gentle undulations, while the valleys are filled with fertile soil. There are two streams flowing through its borders, one, the Otter Creek, an inconsiderable rivulet that rises in the township of Otter Creek, and flows in a southeast erly direction, emptying into the Mill Creek at Mercer, and Shenango River, which enters the township near its extreme northwestern point, flows in a marked hook-like course, first in a southeastern direction, and then, after a sharp turn at Big Bend, in a slightly northwestern course, departing at the southwestern corner. In addition to these are smaller streams, which serve to irrigate and drain the soil. The old Beaver & Erie Canal, completed in the year 1844, crossed the southwestern corner of the townshp, very much in line with the Shenango, The Pittsburgh, Shenango & Lake Erie Railroad, completed in 1869, crosses the township in a parallel direction some two or three miles to the northeast.
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
Early Settlers .- John Clark, a native of Lancaster County, Penn., came to Mercer County in the spring of 1800. He settled near what is now Big Bend, Delaware Township, and is the earliest settler we have any information about. He died in 1855.
James K. Marshall, with his wife, Rebecca (Sammons) Marshall, came from Washington County, Penn., to Delaware Township, Mercer County, in the fall of 1800, locating near the Big Swamp. Their first child, Margaret, was born there in 1801, and was doubtless the first birth in the township. James K. Marshall was a native of Ireland, whose parents immigrated to Washington County, Penn., when he was only a year old. He there grew up and married Rebecca Sammons, a native of that county. Her parents subse- quently removed to Brooke County, Va., where both died, the mother living to the remarkable age of one hundred and eight years. Mr. Marshall went to Erie in the the War of 1812. In 1816 he sold his farm in Delaware Town- ship to George Reznor, and with his family returned to Washington County, where both he and wife died. Their only descendants in Mercer County are Thomas J. and William B. Marshall, of Sharon, who are the sons of their daughter, Susan S., who married John H. Marshall, of Washington County, Penn.
John Ralston came about the same time as Marshall, and erected one of the first log cabins in the township. Adam Kamerer built the first hewed log house soon afterward, which was then regarded as quite a fine residence.
Samuel Caldwell, Sr., was a native of Ireland, whose parents immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1787, where he grew to manhood. In 1801 he came to Mercer County, and settled in what is now Sugar Grove Township. In 1802 he married Elizabeth Donaldson, and removed to Delaware Township, where the following children were born: John, William, Samuel, James K., Joseph, Stewart, Elizabeth and Anna A. Only three of these survive, and one, Mrs. Elizabeth Livingston, of Transfer, a resident of this county. In 1816 Samuel Caldwell, Sr., was appointed a justice of the peace, and died in 1830, his widow surviving him until 1870. Their son Samuel, who inherited the old homestead, was born thereon in 1809, and spent his whole life in Delaware Township. In 1834 he married Eliza Jane Livingston, a native of Washing- ton County, Penn., who bore him five children, all of whom are living. The mother died in 1873, and her husband survived her ten years, dying in 1883, both in the faith of the United Presbyterian Church. He was a strong anti- slavery man, and a Republican in politics.
In 1809 Henry Hollenbank took up land and built his cabin in the forest of Delaware. He took sick and died soon after completing his settlement. Among the other early pioneers, mention might be given of John Hommer, who removed from Greenville, where his father and brothers settled in 1809, and purchased land and a hut owned by James Woods, the land having been subsequently occupied by his sons. In 1816 the Marshall tract of improved land was bought by George Reznor, a native of Union County, Penn. Samuel Williamson settled in 1820 near the present site of New Hamburgh, and Thomas Dumars, the pioneer of the northern portion of the township, who entered and located upon land afterward owned by Peter Wasser. There were probably others who entered the township during the years mentioned.
It has always been a source of pleasure to the old to relate to attentive audiences the reminiscences of their early years. These in a county so uni- form as Mercer, are nearly all alike. The aged pioneers, or sons of pioneers, have each the same story to relate concerning primitive customs, hardships, dangers and amusements. The region of Delaware Township, according to
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
semi-authenticated legends, was at one time the possessor of a real Indian village. The wigwams, squaws and warriors were all there, and a liberal inter- mixture of war paint, tomahawks, captives, tortures and other concomitants of the noble red man will readily occur to the imagination, to give the whole story an air of reality and vividness. Flints, arrow-heads, stone pipes and other relics of the departed race have been found in great variety.
Another remarkable feature of the early times was the wonderful abun- dance of game. Bears and wolves were found in great numbers, and deer were so common as to excite little interest. The late Samuel Caldwell relates that on one occasion, while he was going a short distance through the woods, he saw twenty-five of these agile creatures assembled in a herd. He captured a half- grown fawn upon another occasion.
Early Mills .- The first grist-mill erected in the township was built in 1832 by John Donaldson, which was still standing a few years ago on the farm of Donaldson's descendants. It played an important part in the drama of pioneer life, and was of much practical utility to the early settlers. Some years later a man named Comstock erected a second mill, on the farm of Robert Fruit, and operated it until the business ceased to be profitable. A. third was erected on the Shenango, by John F. Wheeler, in 1869. Samuel Williamson was the proprietor of the first saw-mill erected in the township. He built it in 1823, upon the bank of a little creek that flows through the village of New Hamburgh. Its machinery consisted of a single upright saw, which did yeo- man service in fashioning the rough timber into marketable lumber. In 1838 a second one was constructed, and the two proved amply sufficient to meet the demands of the residents of the township.
Besides these simple mechanical establishments there were at various times in operation several distilleries and a furnace, whose history is given else- where. The distilleries did a thriving business in early days, but the growth of the temperance sentiment in the county rendered their maintenance unprof- itable.
Villages .- New Hamburgh, on the left bank of the Shenango, west of the center of Delaware Township, is the metropolis of the township. It was laid out in 1838 by Peter Beil, on lands settled by Samuel Williamson as early as 1820. The growth of the place did not begin until 1840, when Peter Beil, George Kamerer and Eli George started the first store. The first tin-shop was started by Mr. George in 1838, on the first village lot sold. Daniel Hecker was the pioneer justice of the peace. The first shop and the first cabinet-shop were started in 1840, by Charles Cotterman and James Neihart, respectively. Not until 1842 did the first hotel make its appearance. New Hamburg has the usual line of stores and other business interests. For an inland village it has considerable business activity.
Delaware Grove, located in the southeast part of the township, and north- east of Big Bend, was at one time quite a prosperous village. The first store was opened in the place by James T. Black in 1834. In 1840 a post-office was established at this point, with Mr. Black as postmaster, who filled the position until 1847. This office existed up to February 5, 1886, when it was discontinued by the department. Several shops of different kinds were built and operated, and a large hotel erected. The abandonment of the canal in 1871, and the growth of newer villages along the railroad, sapped the busi- ness of Delaware Grove, and it is now only a reminiscence of its former prosperity.
Churches. - St. John's congregation was organized by Revs. Michael Kuchler and Philip Zeiser in 1837. The Lutheran and Reformed families living in
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
that vicinity had previously worshiped at Good Hope Church, in West Salem Township, but in 1837 they erected a log building, 24x30, on the Mercer road, about one mile northeast of New Hamburgh, which was dedicated the same year, under the name of St. John's. In 1846 the present two-storied frame edifice succeeded the old log structure. The cemetery was commenced at the time the congregation was organized. The pastors of St. John's have been usually those supplying Good Hope. Rev. Kuchler's successors have been Revs. Becker, T. H. Hengist, Krantz, Michael Kuchler, Jeremiah Fishburn, C. A. Fetzer and William Rehrig, the present pastor, who is also professor of German in Thiel College. The Reformed pastors of St. John's have been as follows: Revs. Philip Zeiser, Benjamin Boyer, H. F. Hartman, Frederick Pilgram and J. M. Shick, the last mentioned being the pastor now in charge.
As early as 1820 the Methodists built a house of worship on the farm of George Reznor, who deeded the site. The building was open to all religious denominations, but the Methodists seem to have had the control, Rev. Mr. Graham preaching the dedicatory sermon. The house was abandoned many years ago.
The Presbyterians built a church in New Hamburgh in 1853, Casper Kamerer being the contractor. It was opened for services the year - following as a free church. It was not fully completed until 1868. The property was finally sold to the Reformed Church. The organization is now known as the New Hamburg Reformed Church, and is in a prosperous condition.
The Methodist Episcopal is the second church in the same village. Its house of worship was erected in 1873, under the efforts of Rev. A. H. Kinney, its first pastor. The foregoing organizations supply the spiritual wants of the township.
EAST LACKAWANNOCK TOWNSHIP.
This township was formed from the eastern part of Lackawannock Town- ship, as its name implies, August 17, 1849. Its name is of French and Indian derivation. The French word for lake, lac, was combined with the name of an Indian chief, Wannock, who resided by the banks of a small lake lying within the limits of the present township of East Lackawannock.
The surface of this township is perhaps more broken than that of any other in the county. The ground is rocky and rough, and alternates between steep hills and sharp, precipitous valleys. The hills are veined with abundant beds of coal. Bog-iron ore has also been found concealed in the grasp of earth, but the work of smelting it has never been carried on successfully. Besides
these treasures, there is much good building stone to be found in the rocky hill-sides, and although this has not been opened for shipping purposes, yet it supplies a good local demand. There are no streams of any consequence within the borders of the township. Lackawannock Creek finds its head here, but it is an insignificant rivulet, that flows in a northerly direction, and discharges its waters, when it has any, into the Shenango at Big Bend. Nu- merous little tributaries to the Neshannock penetrate the eastern portion of the township, while on the west Little Neshannock, heading chiefly in Jefferson Township, and flowing in a direct southern course to the Neshannock, forms the western boundary.
One of the principal physical features of the township is Hell's Hollow, a narrow gulch-like ravine, about one mile and a half west of Mercer, on the road leading from that place to where the Middlesex and Sharon roads diverge. There is nothing particularly striking about this place of itself, but it is inter- esting chiefly for the singular tradition that attaches to it. This was, that in the early times an Indian was killed by his pale-face brother, and that ever
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
since the shade of the former, troubled and restive, has been unable to find peace in its happy hunting grounds, but returns each night to the scene of its taking off, where, in storm and tempest, its deep groans and wailing lamen- tations sound loud above the echo of the howling winds.
Pioneers. - The early history of this township is so nearly identified with that of its parent, Lackawannock, that no successful attempt can be made to divorce the two. For a more particular history of the early settlement, there- fore, the reader is referred to the latter. But there are a few names of early pioneers which belong distinctively to this place.
Thomas Gordon entered the township in 1800, and settled on land afterward owned and cultivated by William Edwards. Contemporary with him was Christian Miller, a German, whose vocabulary in English was exceedingly limited. The latter located on the farm on which his son, Money Miller, resided for a long series of years. Among the other early residents we find by a patent granted by the commonwealth to John Lynch October 18, 1786, that the latter conveyed hisright of land now owned by Seth Hoagland to one Will- iam Smith, who in turn conveyed his title to Thomas and Bevan Pearson, January 12. 1807, the latter thus becoming the first real settler of the land mentioned in the warrant. On the 8th of July, 1816, the two Pearsons dis- posed of the tract to James Thompson and Silas Cossitt. The latter settled on donation lot 528, comprising 200 acres, in 1809, His residence, or hut, was situated near a saw-mill at present standing on the Hoagland place. It is related of him that he became impressed with the truth of an old legend belonging to the land, to the effect that during the French and Indian War several jars of gold had been buried on his property by the French to avoid capture by the British, and forthwith Cossitt began exhuming all the old stones and chunks of wood he could find, in hope of recovering the buried treasure. It is almost unnecessary to say that he did not find it.
Jacob Osborn, a native of Washington County, Penn., came to Mercer County and located near Mercer about the close of the last century. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and served under Capt. Junkin, of Mercer. He was the father of three children, and died within the county.
George Wright and Alexander McCollough were also early settlers of this township. The former lived one mile west of Mercer, and was the father of five children.
James Thompson, a genuine "blue Yankee" from New England, who secured his farm from Pearson, settled upon it in 1816. At the same time Jacob White entered the township. During the few years following occurred the advent of John Wilson, William Lafferty, John Hutchinson, James Wil- son, Malcom McComb and John Thompson. To each of these may be given the credit of being one of the very early settlers of what is now East Lacka- wannock Township.
FAIRVIEW TOWNSHIP.
This township was formed by a separation of Cool Spring September 21, 1850, the original township of Cool Spring at that time being divided as nearly as possible into four equal parts, named, respectively, Cool Spring, Jackson, Lake and Fairview, by the commissioners appointed by the court for that pur- pose, David Findley, J. P. Garrett and W. J. Hunter.
The name is suggestive of its derivation. A fair view is precisely what a traveler beholds as he passes through the township in the summer time, when the fields are carpeted with rich foliage, and the forests are alive with birds. But it is not known who was the first to apply it to its present use. There
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.
are no striking natural phenomena in the township. The surface is pretty well broken, and at places is quite rough. There, are two streams of con- sequence within the limits of Fairview. One of these, Otter Creek, rises in Otter Creek Township, flows in a southerly direction through the southwest cor- ner of the township, and effects a junction with Mill Creek at Mercer. The other, Cool Spring Creek, heads in Fairview, flows almost due south, and empties its waters into Mill Creek.
Early Settlers .- In the summer of 1798 the first settler of the township, Thomas Coulson, removed from his home in Fayette County, penetrated the northern wilderness to what is now Fairview, and settled upon land subse- quently owned by Henry Knapp. He erected a little cabin of unhewed logs, and prepared to encounter the perils and hardships of pioneer life. The name of Coulson is intimately associated with the early history of Fairview Township, so much so that no apology is made for relating an anecdote con- cerning him. Seventeen years after the birth of the present century, as the township became more alive with residents the inhabitants, being somewhat secure from their early dangers, began to turn their attention to matters of education. Coulson was the first to take active measures. With that quick, practical decision of character which characterized him, he left to others the pleasure of discussion, and pushed forward toward effective action. He erected a school-house of logs upon his own land, supplied it at his own expense with what few equipments it possessed, and, finding that no other teacher was available, himself commenced discharging the duties of pedagogue. The school was built originally for his own children, but with true generosity he threw its privileges open to his neighbors' children. Coulson continued this laudable work until the arrival of other masters in the art of instruction ren- dered his labors superfluous. It is said of his career as the "school-master," that he was remarkably successful in teaching the youth under his charge the mysteries of "rule of three," writing and grammar. Previous to this, how- ever, in 1812, there had been no tavern in the vicinity. Coulson, perceiving the necessity of a good house of entertainment, opened his own home to strang- ers and embarked on the sea of landlordism. There are records still existing of his feeding soldiers who tarried at his house while on their way to the scene of conflict. An incident of this is yet related. It appears that among a party of sol- diers who thus tarried at Coulson's tavern was a huge sergeant by the name of Durm, six feet in height, possessed of almost herculean strength and endurance, and remarkably active and pugnacious. He was, moreover, of a quick, irascible temperament, and when under the influence of liquor was exceedingly irri- table. For some reason the host was opposed to the continuance of the war. During the stay of the doughty sergeant the landlord chanced to express his convictions in opposition to the war, and by so doing aroused the hostility of Dorm. The latter approached Coulson, and in an insolent tone demanded an apology. This the latter refused to give. Thereupon the big sergeant struck the host a powerful blow, which the latter parried and prepared to return. Coulson was much his antagonist's inferior in point of physical strength, but this deficiency was more than compensated by his superior agility and endur- ance. The two now began to fight with zest. By an accident the sergeant missed his balance, and being considerably intoxicated, fell to the floor. Coulson, quick as a cat, pounced upon him and began belaboring him with good, lusty blows. Thus they struggled for a long time, until at length Coul- son's superior endurance gave him the victory, and the boasting Dorm was compelled to acknowledge that he had at last found an equal.
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