USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 11
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 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120
110
HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
in 1778, in Vance's Fort, into which the settlement had been driven by the incursious of savages. "From 1781 to 1787, a most extensive work of grace was experienced in the churches of Cross Creek, Upper Buffalo, Char- tiers, Pigeon Creek, Bethel, Lebanon, Ten Mile, Cross Roads, and Mill Creek, during which more than a thousand persons were brought into the kingdom of Christ." "From 1795 to 1799, another series of gracious vis- itations were enjoyed by the churches generally throughout western Penn- sylvania, extending to the new settlements north of Pittsburgh."
These gracious visitations continued into the beginning of the new century, filling the minds of many with the conviction that the very dawn of the millennium had come. Even in the midst of the labors and watching peculiar to the founding of new settlements, and sometimes without the labors of the stated ministry, this spirit of revival was present, stimulating the hearts of the settlers with hope and courage, and inviting others who were looking for some new place of settlement to cast in their lot with them.
The religious influence of the close of the eighteenth century was most blessed and happy on the new counties that were then forming and filling up. There was in the lower part of Venango a full exhibition of that very remarkable work called "the falling exercise." It was common in Wash- ington and Westmoreland and a part of Allegheny counties and has been fully described by the writers and ministers of that day. In this county it was in Scrubgrass township and church under the ministration of Reverend Robert Johnson, in 1803. Mr. Johnson has given a full account of his Scrubgrass experience in a manuscript volume and in letters, from which the following extracts are made:
While a solemn awe was visible in every face, five or six appeared to he awakened . to a sense of their undone condition, among whom were two of the most unlikely per - sons in the house. One of them was the largest man in the assembly and full of self- importance; the other a file-leader in the devil's camp, who attempted to escape by flight, got entangled in the bushes, and was forced to come back for a light to find his path, and who, the moment he set his foot inside the door, fell prostrate on the floor, under a sense of self-condemnation. The effects of this work on the body were truly wonderful, and so various that no physical cause could he assigned for their produc- tion. I have seen men and women sitting in solemn attitude, pondering the solemn truths that were presented, and in a moment fall from their seats, or off their feet, if they happened to be standing, as helpless as though they had heen shot,, and lie four- teen or fifteen or twenty minutes, and sometimes as long as half an hour, as motionless as a person in a sound sleep. At other times the whole frame would be thrown into a state of agitation so violent as seemingly to endanger the safety of the subject; and yet in a moment this agitation would cease, and the persons arise in the possession of all their bodily powers, and take their seats composed and solemn, without the least sensation of pain or uneasiness.
This state of feeling and action was not encouraged by the ministers. It was something they could not understand, and they took circumstances as they found them. Mr. Johnson states that at the beginning of the revival in his congregation, he cautioned his people against any outcries, or
111
EARLY RELIGIOUS LIFE.
bursts of feeling. This seemed to have had a good effect, for although the work was very powerful, this bodily exercise was no interruption to the meeting. "I have preached," he says, "to a crowded assembly, when more than one-half of the people were lying helpless before me during the greater portion of divine service, without the least noise or disturbance of any kind to divert or interrupt the attention of any individual from the word spoken."
In those days the Methodist circuit riders had a very large field to trav- erse. In 1820 the old Erie circuit embraced part of Mercer, Crawford, Erie, Venango, and Butler counties. It was four hundred miles round and had forty-four appointments to fill in four weeks. Alfred Brunson was on this circuit and tells of his adventures in finding the sheep in the wilderness. The names of Brunson, Tackett, Swayze, Mack, and Ayres are frequently found. Their beat was specially in the upper part of the county. They were faithful men and the fruits of their labors remain to this day. The Presbyterians and the Methodists were the chief religious agencies at this time in Venango county.
Lower Sandy (now Utica) was the first Presbyterian church organized in the county. It was about the year 1800. Its location was near the present town of Utica. The first pastor was Reverend William Wylie, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, July 10, 1776. He re- mained in this county but two years and died in his eighty-second year. He was succeeded by Reverend Cyrus Riggs until 1812, and by Reverend Robert Glenn from 1831 to 1857. Mr. Glenn was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, March 2, 1802, and a graduate of Jefferson College. He preached at Mill Creek twenty-six years and died at his home near Utica, September 6, 1857.
Scrubgrass was the next in date of organization. It was organized in 1802 or 1803. The first elders were John Lowrie, father of Walter Lowrie, senior secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions, John Crawford, and another whose name is illegible on the manuscript. The first pastor was Reverend Robert Johnson. He was ordained and installed by the Pres- bytery of Erie, October 19, 1803. His charge was Scrubgrass and Bear Creek. This was a most successful pastorate. A wonderful work of divine grace attended Mr. Johnson's labors. He was released from his pastoral charge January 2, 1811. Sugar Creek was organized in 1813 or 1814. The first pastor was Reverend Ira Condit, who continued as pastor about eleven years, succeeded by Reverend Thomas Anderson from 1826 to 1837. He was succeeded by Reverend Cyrus Dickson, D. D., from 1840 to 1848.
Methodist classes were formed as early as 1810. This was the date of one in Franklin, consisting of five members. The Presbyterians and Methodists were in the majority for many years, and consequently organ- ized the first churches in the county.
112
HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
Among the first settlers, however, were quite a number of Catholic fami- lies, also Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Baptists. These were occasionally visited by missionaries of their own faith, and in due time were organized into congregations. Other denominations came in until at present nearly all the leading churches are represented in the county. And they live together in peace and harmony, apparently provoking one another only to love and good works.
CHAPTER XII.
ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION.
ERECTION AND BOUNDARIES-EARLY CIVIL ADMINISTRATION -INTERNAL SUBDIVISION-PUBLIC BUILDINGS-INAUGURATION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM-CONGRESSIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE REPRE- SENTATION-ROSTER OF COUNTY OFFICERS-EARLY TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
T THE Indian title to northwestern Pennsylvania was formally extin- guished by a treaty with the Six Nations, consummated at Fort Stan- wix, October 22, 1784, and ratified at Fort McIntosh by representatives of the Ohio tribes in January of the following year. The state legislature was prompt in providing facilities of civil administration for this territory, and on the 8th of April, 1785, extended the jurisdiction of Northumberland and Westmoreland counties to those portions of the purchase east and west, re- spectively, of the Allegheny river and Conewango creek. Westmoreland was erected February 26, 1773, from Bedford, which was formed two years earlier and nominally included all the southwestern part of the state, while Northumberland, erected March 21, 1772, sustained a similar relation to the northwest. That part of the purchase of 1784 which was attached to Westmoreland in 1785 became a part of Allegheny upon its erection, Sep- tember 24, 1788, and the adjoining region on the east was placed within the limits of Lycoming, April 13, 1795. This arrangement continued until March 12, 1800, when the legislature passed an act erecting the counties of Beaver, Butler, Mercer, Crawford, Erie, Warren, Venango, and Arm- strong. The seventh section of this act relates to Venango and reads as fol- lows:
That so much of the counties of Allegheny and Lycoming, as shall be included within the following boundaries, viz .: Beginning at the northeast corner of Mercer county; thence on the first line or course of Crawford county, until it shall intersect
113
ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION.
the north line of the sixth donation district, being the same as the first line of the said county of Crawford; thence eastwardly upon the said line of the sixth donation district, along the boundary of the counties of Crawford and Warren and crossing the river Allegheny to the line dividing Wood's and Hamilton's districts, in the county of Lycoming; thence southerly along the said line to Toby's creek; thence down the said creek to the river Allegheny; thence across the said river, and upon the line of Arm- strong county hereiuafter described, to the northeast corner of the county of Butler; thence westwardly by the north line of said county to the corner of Mercer county; thence northerly along the line of Mercer county to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby erected into a separate county, to be henceforth called Venango county; and the place of holding the courts of justice in and for the said county, shall be at the town of Franklin, in the said county. And the governor shall, and he is hereby empowered to appoint three commissioners, any two of which shall run and ascertain and plainly mark the boundary lines of the said county of Venango, and shall receive as a full compensation for their services therein, the sum of two dollars for every mile so run and marked, to be paid out of the moneys which shall be raised for the county uses, within the county of Venango.
A brief explanation may assist in forming an idea of the extent of territory comprehended within these limits. "The line dividing Wood's and Hamil- ton's districts" coincides with that of Jefferson and Clarion counties, and Toby's creek is now known as Clarion river. Warren and Crawford, Crawford and Mercer, and Butler and Armstrong were the adjoining counties on the north, west, and south, respectively, as at present; the line separating Clarion and Jefferson, extended north to the Warren line, constituted the eastern boundary. East of this the adjoining territory formed part of Lycoming until 1804, when Jefferson was erected, and in 1848 Forest was formed from the northern part of Jefferson. From a comparison of the present and former boundaries of the county on the south and east it is no exaggeration to state that Venango has been deprived of nearly half its original area.
The county was named after the Indian town that had long existed at. the mouth of French creek, with such changes of orthography as often occur in the spelling of Indian names. At first it was called Weningo. In Ed- ward Shippen's letter to Governor Hamilton it is called Wenango, then Vinango, and finally, in "Washington's Journal," Venango, as spelled at present. The name has been popular in this part of the state. It is. borne by a town in Crawford county, a township in Erie county, and was given to one of the towns that now constitute Oil City.
"The first line or course of Crawford county " extended north forty-five degrees east from the northeast corner of Mercer county to the north line of the sixth donation district. This was long a source of dissatisfaction to the- inhabitants of both counties, and in 1827 a petition was presented to the legislature representing that they suffered "great inconvenience in their assessments in consequence of the division line of said counties running diagonally from southwest to northeast through the sixth donation district, thence running east dividing a range of warranted lands, thereby dividing the donation and warranted lands so that the number of acres in said sub-
114
HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
divisions cannot be correctly ascertained without considerable expense.' In compliance with this petition an act was passed February 28, 1828, pro- viding for a survey of the line in question, and no further change has since been found necessary.
The line of Jefferson was revised about the same time. A survey made in May, 1827, is preserved among the archives of the county in the com- missioners' office. In September, 1830, under authority of both the counties interested, Richard Irwin prepared a draft of the disputed boundary which received legislative sanction February 7, 1832. +
The first legislation materially effecting the territorial limits of the county was the act of March 11, 1839, erecting Clarion county with the fol- lowing boundaries:
Beginning at the junetion of Redbank ereek with the Allegheny river, thence up said ereek to the line dividing Jefferson and Armstrong counties, thenee along said line to the line dividing Toby and Saratoga townships in Venango county, thenee along said line to the corner of Farmington township in Venango county, thence a straight line to the mouth of Shull's run on the Allegheny river, thence down said river to the place of beginning.
On the 16th of April, 1840, at the following session of the legislature, that part of this act which directs a straight line from the corner of Farm- ington township to the mouth of Shull's run was repealed; it was made obligatory upon the commissioners of Clarion county to have a line sur- veyed with the mouth of Ritchey's run as its terminus at the Allegheny river, and this line is the present southeastern boundary of the county.
Although considerably reduced in area, Venango was still the largest county in the northwestern part of the state, with possibly a single excep- tion. With an extreme length of forty miles from east to west, it is mat- ter of surprise that the eastern part of this extensive territory was not incorporated in the county of Forest upon its erection in 1848. That this was delayed a score of years is perhaps best explained by reference to the fact that the region in question was comparatively uninhabited. As popu- lation increased the advantages of a location nearer the county seat became more apparent, and by an act approved October 31, 1866, the legislature transferred to Forest county the territory east and north of the following described line:
Beginning on the Venango and Warren county line, at the southeast corner of Southwest township, in the county of Warren; thenee by a line southward to a point in Pinegrove township, in Venango county, opposite to the middle northwest eorner of Washington township, Clarion county; thenee in a straight line east to said eorner; thence east along the Clarion county line to a point where said line diverges in a north- erly course; thenee north along said line to the upper northwest corner of the said county of Clarion; thence east along said line to the Forest county line.
The survey in this case was made under the direction of C. Fulkerson of Venango county, James A. Leach of Mercer county, and Jacob Zeigler of
*
115
ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION.
Butler county. Four entire townships-Harmony, Hickory, Kingsley, and Tionesta, and parts of three others-Allegheny, President, and Pinegrove, were attached to Forest. The boundaries of the county have remained undisturbed since that date. The present area is six hundred and fifty- eight square miles or four hundred and twenty-one thousand, one hundred and twenty acres.
EARLY CIVIL ADMINISTRATION.
The act of March 12, 1800, erecting the northwestern counties of the state, contained certain administrative features strangely incompatible with its executive provisions, at least in phraseology. Armstrong was provisionally attached to Westmoreland; Butler and Beaver were placed under the juris- diction of Allegheny; and the counties of Crawford, Mercer, Venango, Warren, and Erie were to form " one county " under the name of Crawford county. It thus appears that the county sustained a merely nominal exist- ence until such time as the population had sufficently increased to warrant separate organization. In the meantime three trustees, George Fowler, Alexander McDowell, and James McClaran, were vested "with full authority for them or a majority of them to purchase or take and receive by grant, bar- gain, or otherwise and such assurances for the payment of money and grants of land or other property that may be offered to them or the survivors or survivor of them in trust for the use and benefits of said county; and to sell and convey such part thereof, either in town lots or otherwise, as to them or a majority of them shall appear advantageous and proper; and to vest one moiety of the net proceeds thereof in some productive property, to be a fund for the support of an academy or public school at the county town in the said county, and to apply the other moiety thereof in aid of the county rates and levies for the purpose of erecting the public buildings." It does not appear that their duties were onerous, and the only record of their pro- ceedings that has been preserved is a lease of a part of the public square of Franklin to Edward Hale for the sum of one dollar a year.
On the 1st of April, 1805, the legislature passed an act conferring upon the inhabitants of Venango county "all and singular the jurisdictions, pow- ers, and privileges " enjoyed by the people of other counties, from and after the first day of September following. The county was made a part of the sixth judicial district; the second Tuesday in October was fixed as the date of the first election, in which the electors of Warren were also to participate, the latter county having been provisionally annexed. This election resulted in the choice of Ninian Irwin, Caleb Crane, and James G. Heron as commis- sioners; John Witherup, sheriff; William Moore, prothonotary, and Marcus Hulings, coroner. A dedimus potestatem was issued July 15, 1805, to John Irwin and William Moore, who administered the oath to the respective in- cumbents of the several offices.
116
HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
The county commissioners held their first meeting October 23, 1805, at the house of Edward Hale. The minutes of this and the two following meetings read as follows:
This day the commissioners of Venango county met and formed a board, -Irwin, Crane, and Heron. Appointed James Martin clerk, at one dollar, thirty cents; Alex- ander McDowell, treasurer. Irwin going home. Wrote three advertisements for wood for county use. James G. Heron and Caleb Crane appointed to settle the account with Crawford county. Adjourned until Monday, the fourth day of November (ensuing the date above).
Met according to adjournment on Monday, the fourth day of November, at twelve o'clock, and determined that the county commissioners' and prothonotary's office shall be held at the house of Samuel Hays. Made an agreement to supply the court house- and gaol. Adjourned until tomorrow morning at nine o'clock.
November 5th .- Met according to adjournment. Received of James Hamilton his certificate of the oath of office as assessor for Sugar Creek township, also the bond of the treasurer with his sureties for the true performance of his duties as treasurer. Adjourned until tomorrow at nine o'clock.
The first order on the treasurer was drawn in favor of Andrew Allison, November 2, 1805, and the amount was eight dollars, the bounty prescribed for the killing of a wolf. On the same day Caleb Crane, as collector of Irwin township, paid sixty dollars and five cents into the treasury, this being the first taxes received by the county. The second order issued was in favor of George Fowler, for services rendered at the general election; the amount was one dollar and fifty cents. The first assessors of the county after its formation were: Caleb Crane, Irwin township; James Hamilton, Sugar Creek; David Kinnear, Allegheny, and Hugh Marsh, Brokenstraw. Their first precepts were issued Tuesday, December 3, 1805. The duplicates for 1805, upon which the first county tax was collected, were transcribed from the records at Meadville by Samuel Dale, for which he was paid twelve dol- lars by the commissioners. It was customary at this period for the com- missioners and assessors to meet together immediately after the organization of the board and arrange a uniform system of taxation. The triennial as- sessment of 1817, the fourth in the county, is the earliest of which partic- ulars of this nature are extant. The assessed valuation of improved lands ranged from twelve and one-half cents to six dollars; of unseated inlots in the town of Franklin, from five to one hundred and fifty dollars; of houses and lots, from one hundred to twenty-five hundred dollars; of improved out- lots, from fifty to two thousand dollars; of saw mills, from one hundred to . three thousand dollars; of fulling mills, from one hundred to twenty-five hundred dollars; of carding machines, from three hundred to eight hundred dollars; of grist mills, from one hundred to fifteen hundred dollars; of dis- tilleries, from fifty to two hundred dollars; of tan yards, from fifty to one . thousand dollars; of horses, from five to one hundred dollars; of oxen, from twenty-five to one hundred dollars. The various occupations were assessed. as follows: Associate judge, seventy-five dollars; prothonotary and treas -.
117
ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION.
urer, three hundred dollars; commissioners and clerk, two hundred dollars; sheriff, seventy-five dollars; attorneys, two hundred dollars. Tavern keep- ers and merchants were assessed in three classes, ranging, respectively, from fifty to one thousand dollars, and from one hundred to fifteen hundred dol- lars. Upon this basis the duplicate of Allegheny township aggregated one hundred and sixty-four dollars, thirty-three cents; of Cherry Tree, one hundred and thirty-three dollars, twenty-one cents; of French Creek, three hundred and thirty dollars, twenty-three cents; of Irwin, one hundred and eleven dollars, seventy cents; of Richland, two hundred and twenty-seven dollars, twenty-five cents; of Scrubgrass, one hundred and eighty-four dol- lars, fifty-six cents; of Sugar Creek, two hundred and forty-nine dollars, one cent.
Section fifth of the act of April 1, 1805, conferring separate political autonomy upon Venango county, authorized the commissioners "to call on the commissioners of Crawford county for the purpose of examining, liquid- ating, and reserving such balances as may be due to Venango county." March 30, 1806, according to the minutes of the board, "James G. Heron and Samuel Hays set off to Meadville in order to bring about a settlement with Crawford county, but through backwardness of the commissioners of Crawford county, could only transcribe from their books the accounts of Venango and Warren counties from the year 1800 to the end of the year 1805. No paper to be purchased in Meadville, or would have taken off the amounts of Mercer, Erie, and Crawford counties. Returned on Saturday, the 5th of April. N. Irwin was to have attended at Meadville, but was prevented by indisposition." The adjustment of the account did not prove so easy as was at first anticipated. Failing to effect an amicable settlement, the Venango commissioners took legal measures to secure the amount of their claim, and for many years the litigation on this subject was a source of expense to the county.
Similar difficulties were experienced in adjusting the accounts of War- ren county upon its separate organization in 1819, but in this case Venango was the defendant instead of the plaintiff. The matter in dispute was re- ferred to the courts for adjudication and ultimately became a subject of legislative interposition. April 11, 1827, an act was passed directing the judges of the court of quarter sessions to appoint three commissioners from either of the counties of Crawford, Mercer, Butler, or Armstrong, who should have full power to investigate and determine all matters in dispute, and whose decision should be final. One-third of the amount awarded was made payable February 1, 1828, and the remainder in two equal annual installments. The amount of the award was two thousand, two hundred and seventy-four dollars and forty-five cents, of which the last installment was paid March 10, 1830.
118
HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
INTERNAL SUBDIVISION.
All that part of Venango county included in Allegheny prior to 1800 was embraced in Irwin township, which comprised an extensive territory with indefinite limits on the north and west. The county was divided into three townships during the period that it was attached to Crawford-Alle- gheny, Sugar Creek, and Irwin, formally erected October 6, 1800, with the following boundaries:
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.