History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 77

Author:
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1288

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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP.

This township was formed in 1805. It has been diminished but once, by the erection out of it of Findley Township, which took place August 17, 1849. It forms one of the southern tier of townships which lie adjacent to the Law- rence County line. It is bounded on the north by Findley, on the east by Pine and Liberty, and on the west by Wilmington and East Lackawannock Townships. In the eastern portion the surface is what is described by the word billowy, the land rising and falling in gentle undulations, which give a decided pictur- esqueness to the scenery. Along the Neshannock, however, the reverse is true. Sharply formed hills abruptly rise up in small barriers, leaving inter- stices that resemble miniature ravines. The landscape at these points has a rugged, wild appearance, softened here and there by occasional stretches of fertile bottom lands, through which wind in wiry course one or two small streams. In the intermediate territory, where the two characteristics become blended, there is a pleasant perspective of rich agricultural land, well culti- vated and apparently well adapted to farming purposes. The drainage of the township is very ample. Neshannock Creek and two or three tributaries of Wolf Creek furnish the outlets for surface water. The health of the inhabi- tants is particularly good. The climate appears to be equal to any in the northwestern part of the State.

Pioneers .- It is believed that Benjamin Uber located in the township in 1796. If so, he was undoubtedly the first settler. It is known to a certainty

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

that Robert Gilmer entered the northeastern part of the territory embraced in Springfield Township in April, 1797, and located upon a 500-acre tract of land, a portion of which, after many years of arduous struggles, he succeeded in clearing and preparing for cultivation. He erected a cabin and began his career as a pioneer with resolute fortitude.

The Denniston settlement was made in the southwest part of Springfield Township, at the closing of the last and the opening of the present century. There were five brothers, Andrew, James, William, George and Johnson, of one family; and three brothers, Andrew, Alexander and William, and four sisters of another. These sisters were married as follows: One to Thomas McCoy; one to James Denniston, a cousin; one to Andrew Ramsey, and the other to James Collins.

Andrew, the oldest in the first family mentioned, was one of the early com- missioners of the county, and his son Andrew was a commissioner afterward when the railroad bonds were recalled.

Edward Denniston, of Liberty, descended from Alexander of the second family.

George, in a chopping frolic in 1816, cut his leg so severely that amputa- tion was necessary. He was the father of James Denniston, who recently lived west of town, and the grandfather of Major Joseph F. and Lieut. Will- iam H. Denniston, the first of whom has been treasurer both of Allegheny County and of Pittsburgh, and the other manager of a bank in Pittsburgh. The Dennistons came from Washington County. In traveling through the glades of Butler County, the wolves were so threatening in the night (for they camped out) that they sought safety in building a number of fires round their encampment. Even then Alexander succeeded in killing one that came near enough to show the reflection of his eyes. This wolf is said to have measured eight feet from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail.

A step-daughter of Michael Brown, who settled south of the Dennistons, named Nancy Quillen, who afterward married George Denniston, was looking for the cows in a snow-storm when she found that the snow had so filled up her tracks that she could not find her way back. She called for her father, but could get no response. Presently a large Indian came to her, who told her that he knew her father and that he would take her home. He ful- filled his promise, gallantly removing the snow from the logs she had to cross. When home was reached, the young girl filled a basket with turnips, and pre- sented it to him. A day or so afterward he presented her father with a veni- son saddle ; and the result was that as long as that Indian stayed about, re- ciprocal favors were passing between him and the family of Mr. Brown.

James and Betty Orr, natives of Ireland, migrated to Westmoreland County in 1795, and in 1797 came to Mercer County, settling the farm now owned by their great-grandson, William Orr, in Springfield Township, where both died. They left two children, William and Jane; the former served in the War of 1812, and left a numerous family.

Among the others who arrived during the years immediately following, were Daniel Rice, Arthur McCann, Robert and Thomas Simpson, each of whom entered the vicinity some time near 1800, and took up settlers' claims, and James Rice, who came in 1802, and located on a tract of land situated just a short distance southeast of the village of Leesburg, on which William Rice afterward resided. It is claimed that on this place Rice erected the first hewed log house ever built in the township. It was an important edifice in popular estimation at the time, and was visited by several curious observers, who came to admire this new evidence of architectural skill.

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

One of the most important families that entered the region of Springfield Township during pioneer times was the Black family, which deserves mention. The account which follows corresponds with data in the Garvin collection : "The first member of the Black family who came to the neighborhood was Adam Black, who was born in Adams County, Penn., 31st of January, 1763, and, after removing, in 1803, to Washington County, where he lived one year, he came to Springfield Township, Mercer County, in 1804, and set- tled with his family upon a 200-acre tract of donation land, afterward pur- chasing a second tract of the same size, just north of where London Post-office now stands, and a third tract, also 200 acres, where the village of Blacktown, or Balm Post-office is now located. Adam Black died in 1816. Polly Alle- gan, his wife, was born in Adams County in 1769, and died in Mercer County in 1841. They were married in 1787, and raised a family of nine children, eight of them coming with their parents to Mercer County, the youngest, Peggy, being born in the county in 1805. The oldest child, Betsy, married John Chambers, of Mercer County, in 1805. The Chambers were early set- tlers. The second child, Henry, served as a captain under Gen. Harrison, and was also one of Harrison's presidential electors from his district in Pennsylvania. Joseph Black was also in Harrison's army, and Alexander Black was out twice to Erie as a volunteer. Adam Black belonged to the Mercer Blues, and held the office of justice of the peace for one term, while his brother, Alexander, had the office two terms. Robert Black was a cap- tain of infantry, and afterward a member of the Legislature. He died at Har- risburg, Penn., while acting in the latter capacity. Maria Black, born in 1802, was married to Major Harris, now deceased, who was a member of the Legis- lature from Butler County, and whose father was the founder of the town of Harrisville in that county. Adam Black owned at one time 700 or 800 acres in the neighborhood of the place where he settled. The farm lately owned by

David Gilson is the old homestead."

Among the other prominent pioneers was Abraham Uber, who purchased a farm at a very early day of Andrew Denniston, the consideration being a rifle and a cow. The tract where Uber settled had been previously secured by Denniston, but had not been materially cleared. It was located not a great distance from London village. Charles Painter was another early in- comer, he arriving in the year 1806. There were several who came in later than this. In 1810 David Leyde, from Washington County, entered and settled upon a farm which had been partially cleared by some itinerant squat- ter. A log cabin was standing on the place. This Leyde at once occupied. John Carr was another late arrival, coming about 1813. There were unques- tionably many others who entered the township in ample time to go through the experiences, the hardships, perils and pleasures of pioneer life. They doubtless enjoyed the freedom and want of affectation which characterized their mode of living, and they were probably actuated, as were their associates who entered earlier, by the same fortitude and courageous persistence that stamped themselves on the characters of nearly all pioneers.

Villages .- There are three important villages in the township. The first, Leesburg, is a pleasant little hamlet situated in the southwestern part. The first house in it was built in 1828 by James Palmer. The same man, assisted by his brother John, opened the first store in the place, a general country one, which contained for sale nearly every article that could be thought of. The original hotel was kept by David Bower, and had a whiskey attachment in the form of a bar. There was a blacksmith shop opened at an early day by Joseph Harbaugh, who was the pioneer of that craft in the village. At one time a

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blasting furnace was conducted near the town. It stood at the falls. Ore was very scarce, however, and after producing a few pigs of iron, it succumbed to the stagnation of trade.

London, a post-office once called New London, is situated in the extreme eastern part of the township. It is situated on land formerly owned by Adam Black. The first residence was erected in 1830 by Peter Uber. His brother Simon was the first blacksmith in the village. Alexander Riddle has the honor of establishing the first mercantile enterprise in the village.

The London Creamery occupies a building which was erected in 1885 by W. A. Coulter, W. C. Davis and G. C. McCracken. It is 20x35, and is said to have been the first of the kind in Northwestern Pennsylvania. Its capacity is 1,200 pounds per day. The business, confined wholly to the making of butter, is operated about nine months each year.

The London post-office was named by David Gilson, who was the first post- master. The village was named after the post-office. For dates see list of postmasters in chapter on Internal Affairs.

The London W. C. T. U. was organized August 26, 1887, by Miss Sarah Pew, of Mercer, with twenty-seven members. It now has forty. It meets in the school-house the first Saturday of every month. Its corps of officers embraces the following ladies: President, Mrs. A. M. Carlon; vice-presidents, Miss D. Christy, Mrs. L. J. Black and Miss Mina McCoy; recording secre- tary, Miss L. Hindman; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Mattie E. McCoy. The Union is said to be in good working condition.

The third village, Balm Post-office, or Blacktown as it is more familiarly known, was first populated by Henry Black, who erected a log dwelling and prepared to greet all new-comers. His brother Alexander shortly afterward followed. In 1845 James S. Black opened a small grocery. He was suc- ceeded in this enterprise by William Gilmore, Black & Stewart, Black & Painter, and Alfred Painter, who is now the sole owner. In 1848 Christian Snyder opened the first hotel. Others have since acted as hosts, among them Adam Ketler, Henry Van Horn and James Stevenson. The school system dates its origin back to 1847, when the first educational institution was opened, the building being a small frame. In a list given elsewhere will be found the names of the officers of Springfield Township who held public trust up to 1831. Many familiar ones will be found among the number. The list illustrates who were in the early days sufficiently well versed in the dubious ways of politics to obtain preferment, and who, of those not distinctive politicians, were thought worthy of public honor by their fellow citizens. A list of postmasters is also given, as is a list of early tavern keepers.

Churches .- The history of Nazareth Methodist Episcopal Church would be incomplete without mention of James Burns, one of the pioneer Meth- odists of Northwestern Pennsylvania. He was born in Florence Court, near Inniskillin, Ireland, in 1778. His father was a native of Scotland, and his mother of England. About 1794 or'95 he immigrated to America, and settled in Carlisle, Cumberland Co., Penn. The faith in which he had been reared was the Episcopal, but in Carlisle he connected himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in whose membership he ever after lived. After remaining a few years at Carlisle he removed to Brownsville, Fayette Co., Penn. In 1810 he was married to Mary Morrow, near Bentleyville, Washington County, at which place he purchased a farm. Remaining upon it but two years, he re- moved in the spring of 1812 to Slippery Rock Township, Mercer County, now Plain Grove Township, Lawrence County, and settled on the farm on which he died in 1864. There being no Methodist preaching in reach, Mr.

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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY.

Burns supported and attended the Presbyterian Church at Plain Grove until 1818, when he withdrew from that congregation and, in connection with James McKean, William M. Stephenson and others, formed a class in Mercer. Oc- casional visits were made to his home, however, by itinerant preachers, and each time service and preaching were held. These services were in reality the inception of the present Nazareth Church, although no permanent organi- zation was effected until 1823. Previous to this, however, Mr. Burns was visited by James Watts, Shadrach Rwark, D. D. Davidson, Samuel Adams, Philip Green, R. C. Hatton, James McMahan, Ezra Booth and others, in their passing to and from their appointments in the Shenango Circuit, as this region was then termed. In an old record appear the following names, constituting the members of Burns' class, which place the date of organization about the fall of 1822 : Charles Elliot, P. E., and Henry Knapp, circuit preacher, of Mercer Circuit; James Burns, Mary Burns, Michael Brown, Jane Brown, Sarah Gardner, James Palmer, leader; Isabella Palmer, Anne Nelson, Ed- ward Hanna, Sarah Daniels and John Green. In the following year the Burns class was made a regular appointment, and met in the Burns house until 1840, when, as a more central location, meetings were held in a school-house, near the present location of the Nazareth Church. The class, though, being quite large, was divided several times for prayer meeting and class meeting purposes, one of which divisions met in the house of Henry Guist, of Leesburg. The appointment belonged until 1831 to the Butler Circuit of the Erie District of the Pittsburg Conference, but the Meadville District being formed in that year, and embracing the territory in which this appointment lay, it became a part of the Centreville Circuit. The class having grown quite large, and inconven- ience being experienced in holding revival meetings, it was decided to erect a house of worship, which should be as near as possible to the center of member- ship. The site now occupied was at length selected, Mr. Washington P. Sedwick donating an acre of ground, and the work of building commenced. The location was in a dense tract of timber, through which no roads but blazed paths passed. In the spring of 1840 the members worked steadily, hewing logs and preparing everything for the purpose, and in March the "raising occurred, and the first Methodist Church building for miles about was erected. It was not dedicated until December, 1843, when services were held by Revs. William Carroll and I. Mershon, who gave the new church the title "Nazareth." The first quarterly meeting held in the new structure took place 10th of September, 1848, and was presided over by B. O. Plympton, P. E. of the Meadville District. In 1859, the congregation having grown too large for its accomodation, a new building was erected, the present one standing just in front of where the old log one stood. The south wing of the class at this time withdrew, and built the Mount Pleasant Church, in Plain Grove, Lawrence County, about three miles south of the Nazareth Church.

The Nazareth Church possesses an interesting history. In early times, when services were held in the Burns house, itinerant revivalists were accustomed to hold prolonged exercises, two of whom, Revs. Thomas Thompson and John Somerville, in June, 1832, continued a meeting for two days. On the 8th of May, 1834, took place a debate which was famous at its occurrence for the depth of theological learning it displayed. The disputants were Rev. John Munson, of Presbyterian belief, and Rev. Alfred Brunson, presiding elder of the Meadville district of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the question at issue was: "Is the Doctrine of Predestination, Election and Reprobation, as held in the Confession of Faith in the Presbyterian Church, Scriptural or not ?'' The discussion was held in the Plain Grove Church, and

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upward of 2,000 people assembled to hear it. As usual, each claimed the victory, and departed considerably firmer in his belief than before. Follow- ing is a list of the preachers who have ministered to the congregation since the organization of the class in 1823: 1824, Revs. Charles Thorn and Job Wilson; 1825, Rev. Job Wilson; 1826, Rev. John Chandler; 1827, Revs. J. W. Hill, L. D. Proser; 1828, Revs. J. P. Kent, J. Babcock; 1829, Revs. J. Somerville, A. McCamon, William Leeper; 1830, Revs. Isaac Winans, Will- iam Butt, John J. Steadman, supplied; 1831, Revs. Thomas Thompson, J. Somerville; 1832, Revs. John Scott, John Robinson; 1833, Revs. D. Richey, S. H. Ingraham; 1834, Revs. William Carroll, J. W. Davis, supplied; 1835, Revs. J. W. Davis, Ahab Keller; 1836, Revs. R. Peck, W. B. Lloyd; 1837, Revs. Charles C. Best, H. Hitchcock; 1838, Revs. J. A. Hallack, Isaac Schofield; 1839, Revs. Rufus Parker, D. W. Vorse; 1840, Revs. Rufus Parker, J. P. Blenn; 1841, Rev. J. P. Blenn; 1842, Revs. Joseph Leslie, E. B. Lane; 1843-44, Rev. I. Mershon; 1845, Revs. George F. Reeser, J. Wriggleswith; 1846, Revs. A. Himebaugh, William M. Bear; 1847-48, Rev. Thomas Benn; 1849, Revs. George Stocking, D. B. Himebaugh, supplied; 1850, Revs. R. Norton, W. P. Bignell, supplied; 1851, Revs. J. W. Wilson, J. McComb, supplied; 1852, Revs. J. W. Wilson, J. S. Lytle; 1853, Rev. J. S. Lytle; 1854, Rev. I. Schofield; 1855, Revs. I. Schofield, F. Vernon; 1856, Rev. T. G. McCreary; 1857, Revs. J. T. Boyle, S. K. Paden; 1858, Rev. R. B. Boyd; 1859, Rev. W. R. Johnston; 1860, Rev. S. A. Milroy; 1861-62, Rev. John Abbott; 1863-64, Rev. B. Marsteller; 1865-66-67, Rev. R. Beatty; 1868, Rev. J. M. Groves; 1869-70, Rev. E. Bennett; 1871-72, Rev. Nathaniel Morris; 1873-74, Rev. J. L. Stratton; 1875-76-77, Rev. J. M. Crouch; 1878-79, Rev. J. M. Foster; 1880-81, Rev. N. Morris; 1882, Rev. W. S. Shepard; 1883, Rev. S. E. Winger; 1884-85, Rev. John Eckels; 1886-87, Rev. R. M. Bear. The following are a few of the class leaders: 1823, James Palmer; 1826, Daniel Williams; 1828, N. D. Hall; 1829, William Albin; 1834, W. P. Sedwick; 1836, J. Ray; and since, H. Guist, Alexander Leslie, W. H. . Morrow, James Guist, Jacob Winger. The present stewards, who have been in office for many years, are Mark Campbell and Jacob Baker.

The Presbyterian Church of Leesburg was the first church organized at the village, that event taking place in 1853, with thirteen members, all of whom are dead. The first elders were Robert Stevenson and William Rice. Rev. David Waggoner served the congregation as a supply for three or four years. In fact, the organization had no ministers except supplies until 1864, when its first pastor, Rev. S. A. Hughes, was called, and he divided his time between this and a church at Rich Hill, Lawrence County. He resigned his pastorate of the Leesburg congregation in 1866, and was followed by Rev. A. W. Boyd in 1867, and he by Rev. Cooper in 1869. In 1877 the present pastor, Rev. R. M. Davis, was called, ordained and installed. Rev. A. W. Boyd is the only one of the pastors, who has served this church, who is dead. The fol- lowing have been ruling elders since the terms of Rice and Stevenson: J. M. Orr, Osben Grandy, Samuel Drake, B. F. Gordon, W. A. Munnell and G. S. Elliott. Of these Grandy and Elliott are dead, as also Rice and Stevenson. The present membership is 225, and the church is in a prosperous condition.

The United Presbyterian congregation was organized in Leesburg in 1859, the session being composed of John Van Eman, Enoch Clark, Thomas Palmer and George Huttenbaugh. There were forty-two original members, some of whom afterward left the congregation. Robert Egleson, H. B. Munnell and Michael Huttenbaugh were elected members of the session. During this term some left the bounds of the church and others died. A. S. Black, John Egle-

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son and D. M. Edeburn composed the next session, and Enoch Clark, A. S. Black, John Egleson and G. W. Palmer constitute the present session. The congregation had no regular pastor before 1874, the pulpit being occupied by supplies. J. L. Robertson became pastor in 1874, and in 1877 Rev. J. C. Bigham, the present pastor, was installed, and administers to the spiritual wants of the 100 members composing this congregation.

SUGAR GROVE TOWNSHIP.

On the 11th of March, 1856, petitions were handed in at court from citi- zens of Salem and Greene Townships, praying that a new township be erected out of parts of the two mentioned, the reason for the desired change being to secure more convenient places of voting, and to facilitate the collection of taxes. Agreeable to the prayer, John Cairns, James F. Brown and David Findley were appointed commissioners to fix the boundaries. They reported a series of bounds, and accompanied these with a statement to the effect that, the plan was a feasible one. Therefore, on the 22d of November, 1856, the court confirmed their report, and directed elections to be held in the new sub- division for township officers. The name "Sugar Grove" was derived from the presence of a small clump of maple trees standing near Kennard. Sugar Grove Township forms one of the extreme northern tier of townships, which jut out to the Crawford County line. It is bounded on the east by Salem and a por- tion of Otter Creek, on the south by Hempfield, and on the west by Greene and a portion of West Salem. Its area is nearly twelve square miles. Its surface, like all its neighbor townships, is somewhat diversified. There are portions of it where the soil is quite low and even marsh-like. Then again the land becomes elevated and even hilly. The soil itself is quite fertile. Agriculture is the chief occupation of its inhabitants. The drainage is good. The system comprises, as the two principal streams, the Little Shenango, which crosses the township from east to west, and a tributary called Crooked Creek. In addition to these are numerous small branches, each of which trav- erses and drains a considerable portion of territory.

Pioneers. - The early settlement of Sugar Grove is necessarily interwoven with that of the townships from which it was formed. The reader is therefore di- rected for more minute particulars to the pages relating to them. William Lind- sey, however, was the first settler in what is now Sugar Grove Township. In 1796 he took up a tract of 200 acres on the Little Shenango, and erected a 10x12 log cabin thereon. All the territory now embraced in Sugar Grove, Salem, Otter Creek and Hempfield was originally Salem Township, and the descend- ants of pioneers, in telling of the early settlers of this portion of Mercer County, usually speak of them as first settling in Salem. Lindsey sold his improvement to James Walker in the fall of 1797, who immediately took pos- session, and spent the remaining years of his life on that tract, dying February 20, 1834. Marvin Loomis, of Greenville, is the son-in-law of Walker. A daughter, Martha, was born to Mr. Walker April 27, 1798. She is believed to have been the first white child born in that part of the county.

To return to Lindsey; he married Agnes, a sister of Bishop Roberts, and after selling out to Walker he settled another tract farther up the Little Shenango. He was a brother-in-law of John McGranahan, the famous hunter of that region, who was accustomed to take a sled load of skins to Pittsburgh to sell them. One of Lindsey's sons, Lewis, born May 1, 1808, is still living near Leech's Corners. Lewis bought the old Bishop Roberts farm of 400 acres. It is now owned by his son-in-law, Henry D. Johnson.

John Riley was one of the pioneers of Sugar Grove Township, coming

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in 1798 from Westmoreland County. He was a local Methodist preacher. His children were Cornelius, Catherine, Margaret, James T., John W., Abigail, Jane, Elizabeth and Hannah. Of these John W., Abigail, Jane and Hannah are still living.

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History of Mercer County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, Part 77

Author: Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1288

Author:
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1288