History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations, portraits and sketches of prominent families and individuals, Part 79

Author: Sexton, John L., jr; Munsell, W.W., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: New York, Munsell
Number of Pages: 486

USA > Pennsylvania > Tioga County > History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations, portraits and sketches of prominent families and individuals > Part 79

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Of the foregoing a few were non-residents who had purchased lands within the township. The others were bona fide settlers.

a mile southeast of Roseville; Isaac Benson at the mouth of Painter Run; Bethuel Bentley on Mill Creek; Eben- ezer Bacon on the farm now owned by George T. Long- well; Halsey Burton two miles southeast of Roseville, at a place known as Burton's Corners; Jacob Benson on Pumpkin Hill; Caleb Burrell where Thomas Horton now resides, and Silas Burrell at the same place; Sylvester Benson near Oldroyd's; Constant Bailey on the Samuel Longwell farm; John Benson at the Block House; John- son Brewer three miles northeast of Roseville; Peter Backer at Roseville; W. D. Bacon on the Longwell property; Sylvenus Benson up the creek from Roseville; William M. Corey and Jabez Corey half a mile from Roseville -- both went west years ago; Asa Crippen lived with his father, David Crippin, two miles south of Rose- ville, on Briar Hill; Sidney, Cornelius, Samuel and Jo- seph Clark on the Burton place; Harris Corey on what is now the Oldroyd property, two miles east of Roseville; John Crippen south of Roseville; James Dann and James Dann jr. on Briar Hill; John B. Dann near Roseville; Judah Gifford near Roseville, on Briar Hill; Nathan Gifford where Morris Smith now resides; Nathan Good- win on Mill Creek, at a place known as Patchogue; Gardner Gould on Pumpkin Hill, next to Jonathan and Eli Gray; Justus Garretson near Prutsman's; Hozeal, W. W. and John R. Howland near Roseville; James Husted on the Longwell or the Bacon farm; Nathan Howland, a son of Hozeal Howland, lived with his fa- ther; Seth E. Howland southeast of Roseville; Baldwin Hazwell on Mill Creek, four miles below Roseville; Isaac Hagar afterward went to Sullivan and thence to Ward; David Huntley lived near the Sopers, on what is known as the Huntley property; Calvin W. Handmer on the farm where John Hall now lives; James Job at Job's Corners; Benjamin Lawrence at a place now known as Lawrence Corners; Nathan and Sylvester Newberry on Pumpkin Hill; Lucinda Newberry on the property now owned by Hugh Argetsinger; Elisha Nash near the Mc- Connells; Levi Osgood owned the property where the widow Shepard now lives; Richard Pemberton built saw- mills on Mill Creek about a mile below Roseville, at the place now known as Pemberton's Corners; David Pruts- man lived four miles from Roseville; Erastus Rose in Roseville; Virgil Rose at Burton's Corners; William Rose was the first settler at Roseville, and gave the name to the hamlet, which has since been incorporated as a borough; Levi Rose lived at Roseville; Samuel, D. B. and John Reynolds on the property now owned by Van Ness and Bennet Reynolds; Jesse Smith in Smith Hol- low-one of the very earliest settlers of Rutland; Isaac, Harry and I. S. Smith in Smith Hollow; Cornelius Sharpe on the John Hall property; Andrew Sharpe was the father of Cornelius Sharpe; Jefferson Sherman now lives in Roseville; Robert Searles lived on Pumpkin Hill; John Snyder where Patrick Longwell now lives; Silas Smith near Smith Hollow; John, Tunis and Albert Slingerland near the center of the township; William, John, Henry and Abram Updike north of Roseville on

Stewart Austin resided on the John Argetsinger place, ncar the Van Ness school-house; John Argetsinger lived |Pumpkin Hill; Jonathan and Solomon Wood on Pump-

3.36

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

kin Hill, near the Updikes: Ira Weldon and Daniel Walters on Pumpkin Hill; James Rosell near Job's Corners.

The reader will bear in mind that over half a century has elapsed since the first assessment was made in the township of Rutland as Rutland, and that it has been an extremely difficult task after fifty-three years have gone by to ascertain the residences of the early taxpayers. After searching diligently the records at Wellsboro, and consulting with the sons and daughters of many of the old settlers, we have located them as above.

A large portion of the lands in Rutland township as well as in Sullivan township originally belonged to the Bingham estate and what are known as the Bishop White lands.

MILITARY RECORD.

Like their neighbors in the township of Sullivan many of the old settlers were Revolutionary soldiers, or sons of patriots who had seen service in the French and Indian war besides the great struggle for independence, and ex- ercised the same indomitable courage in subduing and reclaiming the wilderness that they did in repelling and scattering the red-coated Britons. It was but a few years before these hardy pioneers had made their homes pleasant and their farms productive, and every year has added to the store of wealth and intelligence of the good people of Rutland. The martial spirit has never died out, and when the tocsin of war was sounded in 1861 most gallantly did the descendants of a Revolutionary stock, from the Green Mountains of Vermont and the granite hills of New Hampshire, in their Tioga county homes in the highlands of Rutland respond to the call to arms. A large number enlisted in Bradford county com- panies and regiments, while Captain Elmer Backer com- manded Company A 207th regiment Pa. volunteers, which was recruited in Sullivan and Rutland. The members of this company were as follows.

Officers .- Elmer Backer, captain; Joseph M. Young, first lieutenant; Thomas O. Dond, second lieutenant; Eugene Rich, first sergeant; D. Houselander jr., corpo- ral.

Privates .- A. Andrews, Damon Allen, James A. Ash- craft, Henry AAvery, Jackson Alexander, Stephen An- drews, Philander Ayres, John B. Austin, Benjamin Booth, Alonzo B. Baker, Peter Benjamin, A. J. Blakesly, William Bailey, Royal E Baker, Franklin H. Brink, John C. Baker, James Benjamin, William Beardsley. Lewis Barrett, Henry C. Burgess, Ebenezer Bronson, Charles H. Card, Norman D. Cranmer, William Coleman. Henry B. Clink, George Collins, Simon B. Chesby, Wat- son Cary, James S. Carr, George W. Conly, Orrin E. Campbell, Mahlon S. Cleveland, John Cunningham, David Conable, Daniel Doty, George D. Edgerton, Henry Evans, Orrin P. Farr, Jason T. Fassett, George C. Fell-

B. Howland, John Haines, Wallace Huntley, Jason Har- ris, Henry M. Hall, Orville C. Horton, C. B. Hulslander, Charles 1 .. Hiney, Nathaniel Hurst, Ira Knapp, Charles W. Kelley, George W. Knapp, Dennis G. Keeny, Jacob Kelse, Abner Knapp, Joseph A. Lott, John W. Lott, Charles H. Morgan, John J. Miller, Joseph D. Minturn,

John Mansfield. Lyman McClure, Jonathan Nelson, James W. Northrup, James H. Owens, Asa Osgood, Charles Peterbaugh, Smith Palmer, David H. Phillips, Oscar H. Rounsville, Hiram M. Robyleer, Wesley B. Reynolds, A. C. Sturdevant, Benjamin Sherman, John Sutton, Charles F. Stage, Charles L. Shepard, Nehemiah H. Smith, Zenas B. Smith, Morris G. Smith, William H. Smith, John F. Smith, Daniel Swartwood, David W. Stone, Horace Thorp, Allen J. Tickner, George Van Ness, Alfred Wooster, Eugene Weed, Isaac Woodburn, William Worden, Warren Wood, Isaac J. Young, Reuben Yale.

ROSEVILLE BOROUGH.

Roseville borough was organized February 3d 1876. Its first officers were: Sanford Johns, burgess; council, G. W. Sherman, Myron Mills, L. C. Benson, C. L. Strait, John M. Barden, Daniel Watson. justices of the peace, Daniel Watson, John D. Longwell; constable, Josephus Stout; street commissioner, D. W. Hibbard; treasurer, Myron Mills; assessor, Warren Rose; assistant assessors, D. W. Hibbard, Lyman C. Benson; judge of election, G. W. Soper; inspectors, D. W. Stout, H. M. Reynolds; au- ditors, C. L. Strait, Amos Mansfield, H. H. Soper.

The following is a newspaper report of the vote for borough officers in ISS2: Burgess-Alanson Rose, 46. Councilmen-J. H. Robb, 33; H. H. Van Nocken, 32; James Argetsinger, 29; Daniel Watson, 26; William Darling, 24; John Stout, 24; E. Billings, 18; C. W. Kelley, 13; C. B. Hanyen, 12. School directors-James Argetsinger, 40; H. H. Soper, 29; E. Billings, 18; C. B. Hanyen, 12. Constable-Oliver Burlew, 31; Warren Rose, 26. High constable-Ben Benson, 41. Assessor -Ed. Sweet, 44; J. Stout, II. Assistant assessors-J. D. Vedder, 34; T. S. Gillett, 41; C. B. Hanyen, 11; O. F. James, 7. Judge of election-L. D. Vedder, 31; D. W. Stout, 25. Inspectors of election-S. F. Wilson, 25; Henry Oldroyd, 21. Auditor-T. S. Gillett, 35; A. Mansfield, 32; A. Wood, 15. Treasurer-Hugh Arget- singer, 47. Poundmaster-Alex. Perry, 21; Samuel Gott, 12; C. B. Hanyen, 9.

Roseville is situated nearly in the center of the town- ship, on Mill Creek, a tributary of the Tioga River, and contains two hotels, two churches ( Methodist Episcopal and Baptist), two stores, two blacksmith shops, a carriage shop, a graded school building, a steam and water power grist-mill and saw-mill and about fifty dwellings.

The first settler at Roseville was William ' Rose, who located at the point where at present stands the store of C. B. Hanyen. Mr. Rose was a native of Rutland county, Vt., and settled in Rutland in 1806. His chil- dren were: Erastus, Levi, Elmer, William jr., Orinda deceased, wife of Josephus Clark), Lovisa | deceased, wife of Peter Backer) and Celestia (wife of Dr. Abel Hum-

bush, John A. Gustin, William Gordon, James Gordon, phrey, of Tioga. When Mr. Rose settled in Roseville John Gordon, Samuel Gott, Benjamin S. Godshalk, Amos the townships of Rutland, Jackson and Sullivan, and the

country east to Troy and Elmira were almost an unbroken wilderness. Ilis eldest son, Erastus, was born in Ben- nington, Vt., December 22nd 1802, and accompanied his parents to this township. He subsequently became a prominent citizen of Roseville, and among other official

337

PHYSICAL FEATURES OF OSCEOLA.

positions he held that of justice of the peace twenty plenty. Such has been the history of many of the citi- years. He died November 3d 1875. He had contin- uously resided in Rutland or Roseville sixty-nine years. He had literally grown up with the country, and wit- nessed its transformation from a wilderness to a land of

zens of Roseville and Rutland. No other generation of men and women in this section of the country will see such a change as has been wrought since the commence- ment of the 19th century.

OSCEOLA TOWNSHIP.

BY CHARLES TUBBS.

SCEOLA was formed from the now extinct township of Elkland, in January 1857. In

1878 it acquired a large accession of territory from Deerfield. As at present constituted it is bounded north by the State of New York and Elkland borough, east by Elkland borough and Farmington, south by Farmington and Deer- field, and west by Deerfield. It has an area of 7,800 acres. The height above tide is 1, 166 feet at the Cow- anesque bridge. The drainage is to the eastward, through the Cowanesque River and its tributaries, chief among which are the Island Stream, Holden Brook and Camp Brook from the north, and Windfall Brook from the south. The lesser streams are Bulkley Brook and Red House Hollow Creek, which flow into Holden, and Brier Hill Creek, which flows into the Windfall Brook. The surface of the township is diversified. It consists of the extended plain of the alluvial bottom lands of the Cowanesque, and the high ridges which form divides between the tributary streams upon both sides of the valley. These ridges converge toward the village of Osceola, and terminate in abrupt elevated knobs, which stand like posted sentinels about it. They are known as Norway Ridge, Mutton Hill, Barker's Hill, Brier Hill and the North Hill, which lies between the valley of the Cowanesque and Holden Brook. Imme- diately east of the village is a swamp which originally covered about one hundred acres, but its area has been much reduced by ditching into Camp Brook and by cut- ting out the alder, black ash and other trees, thereby permitting the sun's rays to penetrate its damp recesses.

Geologists state that "there is no good reason for doubting that the whole of the Coal Measures once cov- ered this country, but the erosion of the surface through the agencies of frost and rain has been actively carried on through all the ages since the Coal Era. Most of this great formation has been gradually carried away into the Atlantic Ocean "-all of it that once covered the territory of Osceola. The rocks that remain, with a few exceptions, belong to the Chemung and Catskill forma- tions of the Devonian Age. The State geologist thus de- scribes the distribution of these rocks and the excep- tions: "Chemung rocks form the surface of the valley of Holden Brook and the valley of the Cowanesque, and nearly all of Osceola. Where the Chemung rocks appear

in the valley of the Cowanesque River the red Catskill rocks form the hill on its southern side. Along the cen- tral belt the Lower Red Catskill is covered with the Vespertine gray rocks, much reduced in thickness and perhaps nowhere retaining on them a residue of the Umbral red shale, Seral Conglomerate or Coal Measures which undoubtedly once covered the country." "In fact Norway Ridge, which lies between Camp Brook and Holden Brook, is the last of the high barren hills whose summits are capped with Vespertine gray rocks, and I believe it is the only locality west of the Catskill Mountains where rocks of this upper Catskill age exist."

It is apparent to the most casual observer that in the more recent geologic ages the valley of the Cowanesque has been a lake, having its outlet about one mile west of the village of Nelson. There are plainly to be seen the well defined precipitous banks which have held in check the abundant waters that have submerged the plain that stretches to the westward, covering in part the township which is the subject of this history.

The population of Osceola at each decennial census since its formation has been as follows: 1860, 450; 1870, 523; 1880, 790.

LOCAL GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES.

An abundance of elk in the forest no doubt suggested the name of Elkland to the commissioners who divided the county in 1814 and applied that name to the town- ship covering the territory of Osceola.

In 1840 Robert H. Tubbs published some poetic ef- fusions in the Lawrence Sentinel, edited by John C. Knox. He dated them at "Pindarville." The name thus playfully given was used in common speech among the people to designate this locality from that time until the post-office was named in 1851. When application was made to establish a post-office the name it should bear was warmly discussed. Some of those who had be- come familiar with the name " Pindarville " from more than ten years' usage favored that. Nathaniel Seely proposed the name " Bridgeport," and Enos Slosson sug- gested " Osceola," as a compliment to the bravery of the Seminole chief whose fate at that time was fresh in the public mind. A public meeting was called and the latter name was chosen. Six years later, when the town-

338

HISTORY OF TIOGA COUNTY.

ship was erected out of the ruins of Elkland, it took the name of the post-office without opposition.

The name Cowanesque was given the river by the Seneca Indians, and tradition asserts that in their lan- guage it signifies " beautiful squaw." Holden Brook de- rived its name from William Holden, the first settler at its mouth. The Island Stream received that designation because the main body of the water of the Cowanesque came down the valley by its course from near the woolen factory at the time of the Strawbridge survey, in 1786, as appears by the map: thus making a large island of a great portion of the flats in Deerfield and Osceola.

INDIANS.

The Indians have left many evidences of their occu- pation of this territory. Arrow heads, spear heads and axes of flint have been found in abundance. Knives for skinning deer and stone implements for reducing the skins to softness after tanning have been occasionally picked up. The Indians used a small round stone hol- lowed out in the center as a mortar, in which corn was ground a single kernel at a time. Such an abundance of these have been found as to indicate that an Indian village must have been located near the mouth of Holden Brook.

In 1818 Samuel Tubbs, who then owned and occupied the premises where the cooper shop is located, near the west end of Holden Brook bridge, in working his garden discovered what was evidently the shop of an Indian arrow-maker. There were bushels of chips and bits of flint and broken arrow heads. Not a single perfect arrow head was found in the heap. The quality of the flint was entirely unlike any stone known to exist in the surrounding country, which leads to the conclusion that they were brought here for the purpose of being manu- factured.

" At the doorway of his wigwam Sat the ancient arrow-maker, Making arrow heads of jasper, Arrow heads of chalcedony."

The Indians who frequented Osceola after the settle- ment of the country by white people belonged to the tribes of the Seneca nation of the Iroquois league. One of the ancient Indian trails by which Iroquois runners kept open their communications, and sent messages from the great council at Canandaigua to the Monseys and other subject tribes of the Lenni-Lenape in southern and central Pennsylvania, passed through Osceola. It

came from Painted Post up the Canisteo River to Tus- carora Creek, up the same to Elk Run, up Elk Run, from thence across the ridge, and descended into the Cowanesque Valley by Camp Brook. It crossed the Cowanesque River near the village of Osceola, passed up the Windfall Brook, and from thence on southward out of Tioga county by way of Babb's Creek. Over this route passed Shikelimy, the Cayuga chief, on his way to Fort Augusta Sunbury , where he resided many years.

The hunting parties of the Senecas often came here after the advent of the whites. One of their encamp-

ments was upon the Island Stream, on G. N. Bulkley's farm. Some seasons they remained all summer, and raised corn in open places and upon sandy bars along the river. The field north of the pond of the H. & J. Tubbs mills was one of their girdlings, and was occu- pied and planted by them. They were very friendly in their intercourse with the whites. Reuben Cook when a boy often exchanged visits with the young bucks of an Indian cabin built a few rods from his father's house. They fished together and often ate with each other. These Indians were from Squawkey Hill, and upon the approach of winter joined the great body of the tribe upon the Genesee. This was their invariable cus- tom. They used this valley as a hunting ground, and when ganie got scarce they ceased to come, and about 1825 their visits were discontinued altogether.

" And they are gone, With their old forests wide and deep, . And we have built our homes upon Fields where their generations sleep."

LAND OWNERSHIP.

The people of Osceola hold their lands by virtue of- I. The charter of Charles II. king of Great Britain granting the province of Pennsylvania to William Penn, under date of March 4th 1681. In 1718 William Penn died, leaving his vast landed estate in America (with slight exception) to his children by his second wife.

2. In them the title remained until November 27th 1779, when the State of Pennsylvania confiscated their estate for the nominal reimbursement of £130,000.

3. The Indian title to this part of Pennsylvania was purchased by the State, of the chiefs of the Six Nations or Iroquois, at Fort McIntosh (Beaver), in October 1784 -103 years after the grant to Penn.

These results, which appear so self-evident to men of the present generation, were not accomplished without difficulty, fierce conflicts and even bloodshed.

May ist 1785 the State opened a land office for the sale of these lands, and under date of May 17th 1785 John Strawbridge obtained five warrants, which were located in Osceola, in whole or in part, as below set forth. To each tract he gave a distinguishing name, after the English fashion. They were the first English names applied to our territory. They are given below:

NO. OF

WARRANT.

NAME.

No.

OF ACRES.

WHEN SURVEYED.

WHERE LOCATED.

551 Chatham ...

326

June 22nd 1786 In Cowanesque Valley, from Elk- land line to mouth of Holden Brook, 226 rods deep.

373 Huntingdon

289

About the mouth and in valley of Holden Brook, and on south side of river.

416 Coventry . ..

320

June 23d 1786 In Cowanesque Valley. from C. L. Hoyt's east line to Charles Bulk- ley's cast line.

529 Cornwall ..

32414

In Cowanesque Valley. from Chas. Bulkley's to west line of estate of A. H. Bacon. deceased.

355 Colchester ..

30114 Sept. 2nd 1786 From Hulden Brook north to State line, ineluding farm of Allen Seely and vicinity.

John Strawbridge paid the State for the above lands at the rate of $80 per 100 acres, which was the price

339

LAND TITLES IN OSCEOLA.

fixed by statute. April 2nd 1792 the price was reduced to $13.33 1/3 per 100 acres, and the warrants laid in whole or in part on the remaining territory of Osceola were purchased at that price. The names of the Strawbridge tracts are given below, with location and some facts about the others:

WHERE LOCATED.

DATE OF

SURVEY.

DATE OF ISSUE.

No. ACRES.

John Straw bridge ..

NAME.

3,697 Confidence ......

5.179 Pleasant Valley James Strawbridge 1,099

5,180 Spring Garden

5,182 Saint James ....

1,064|

1,3346

9,030

2,0335

2,039

A part of the subsequent history of the lands of the Strawbridge tract is told in the recitals of a deed ex- ecuted in 1807:

" Whereas John Strawbridge, late of he city of Phila- delphia, being seized in fee of sundry tracts of land sit- uated on the Cowanesque in the now county of Tioga, by virtue of several patents under the great seal of the commonwealth, did by his last will and testament, bearing date the thirteenth day of September in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety- three, direct and order all his real property to be sold, and appointed James Strawbridge, James Read and Israel Morris his executors, and the said James Straw- bridge being since deceased, and the said Israel Morris and James Read being discharged from the further ex- ecution of the said will administration with the will an- nexed, I). B. N. was granted to George Strawbridge by the register for the probate of wills, granting letters of administration in and for the city of Philadelphia on the 20th day of August A. D. 1806.

"And whereas Jamies Strawbridge, late of the city of Philadelphia, being seized in fee of certain other lands adjoining above mentioned lands of John Strawbridge,

executed a mortgage in fee to Jonathan Smith and others as trustees for the widow and heirs of John Straw- bridge deceased, and judgment being had thereon at the May term A. D. 1807, in the county of Lycoming, and execution was issued thereon, and the said lands being exposed to sale were purchased by George Strawbridge; all which proceedings will more fully appear on reference to the aforesaid record and the sheriff's deed, bearing date the 30th day of November A. D. 1807."

George Strawbridge, who was a son of John Straw- bridge and brother of James, came thus into control of the tract as administrator and owner. In December of the same year he came in person upon the lands, and ef- fected sales to many persons who were already in pos- session of them. The village of Osceola is situated at the mouth of Holden Brook, and covers part of the two tracts named " Chatham " and " Huntingdon." Straw- bridge deeded this land December 31st 1807 to Nathan- iel White, for $1.50 per acre. The same day he deeded the Charles L. Hoyt farm to James Whitney, at the rate of $2.50 per acre. The same day he also deeded Ebene- zer Taylor the farm owned at present by John Tubbs, at the price of $3.30 per acre.

John Strawbridge died in 1793, leaving five children, one of whom was James. James died previous to 1806, unmarried, without issue and intestate. In 1815 three children of John Strawbridge survived, who owned the title to the estate of which George Strawbridge was ad- ministrator,* to wit George, John jr. and Jane. Parti- tion was had in 1815 of the lands of the estate unsold, in which proceeding the land upon the Cowanesque fell to George and Jane. Jane married Jonathan D. Ledyard. George Strawbridge sold his interest in the estate on the Cowanesque January 24th 1822 to Ledyard, "for $100 and other considerations." Jonathan D. Ledyard and Jane (Strawbridge) his wife sold the same land March 6th 1822, consisting of 7,000 acres or thereabout, for $2,000, to Silas Billings.

Silas Billings and his heirs have sold these lands to actual settlers upon the soil.

The warrantee rights of William Lloyd, Thomas Will- ing, T. M. Willing and Robert Blackwell were acquired by William Bingham the elder, and to him or to the trustees named in his will the patents were issued. These lands then became a part of the Bingham estate, and from the trustees named in the will of William Bingham and their successors deeds have been issued to purchasers who are residents upon the land.

SETTLEMENT.

Of the original pioneers of Osceola but little is known. It is a remarkable fact concerning them that none of their descendants in a single instance remain upon the soil. They possessed the genuine pioneer spirit, and while the forests were yet thick around them removed to the westward.

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations, portraits and sketches of prominent families and individuals, Part 79

Author: Sexton, John L., jr; Munsell, W.W., & co., New York, pub Publication date: 1883 Publisher: New York, Munsell Number of Pages: 486

Author: Sexton, John L., jr; Munsell, W.W., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: New York, Munsell
Number of Pages: 486