USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 27
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The Reno Times, a paper established in the interest of that town, was published in 1865 and 1866. It suspended in May of the latter year. Its editorial management evinced considerable ability.
The first newspaper at Pleasantville was the Evening News, a daily es- tablished in January, 1869, by Dodd & Colegrove. Its career was brief and uneventful. The next venture was the Gas Light, also a daily, of which O. H. Jackson was proprietor. He seems to have had a perambulating print- ing outfit, but never stayed at one place long enough to become permanently established. The Gas Light was no exception.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
The Commercial Record, B. Corwin, proprietor, H. C. Mapes, editor and publisher, is a five-column quarto and appears semi-monthly. The first number was issued February 1, 1887. It was originally designed as a local advertising medium and is well supported by the business men of the town. The typographical appearance is creditable, and the local columns are well sustained.
The Rouseville Evening Bulletin, a daily, was started by O. H. Jackson in October, 1870, and continued until December 24, 1871. August 10, 1872, James Tyson issued the first number of the Pennsylvanian, a well edited weekly, which was continued for some time, but finally expired with the wan- ing prestige of the town.
The Cooperstown News was published at that borough in 1879 and 1880 by J. Lloyd Rohr, now of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is described as a fairly readable paper considering the territory to which its circulation was neces- sarily limited.
CHAPTER XVIII.
EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.
VENANGO COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION-THE WAR OF 1812-DEFENSELESS CONDITION OF ERIE-MILITIA ORGANIZATION OF WESTERN PENNSYL- VANIA-GENERAL MEAD CALLS OUT THE MILITIA TO REPEL THREAT- ENED INVASION AT ERIE-THE ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEC- OND REGIMENT AGAIN CALLED OUT IN '1814-ROSTER OF THE REGIMENT-THE OLD MILITIA-ROSTER OF THE VENANGO GUARDS-THE MEXICAN WAR-SKETCHES OF GENERALS ALEXAN- DER HAYS AND JESSE L. RENO.
W HILE the history of a community so circumstanced as Venango county is largely a record of progress and development within it- self, the relation it has sustained to the larger movements of the state and nation is a most important and interesting subject for consideration. These movements are of two kinds, political and military. In the former the activities of the people of a whole state are so blended, that it would be impossible to indicate the part taken by a single county; in the latter, from the nature of a military organization, this can be done with comparative fullness and facility. And it is eminently appropriate that the services of the soldier, whether mustered in the struggle for American independence, or to
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EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.
repel invasion in 1813; whether called to defend the honor of the flag at Vera Cruz and Mexico, or to maintain for that flag a united nation, should be thus recounted and perpetuated.
The American Revolution had been brought to a successful termination before the appearance of a single white settler in the county, and its repre- sentation in that struggle was therefore composed of subsequent immigrants to its territory. After a protracted experience of the hardships of war they came to this western country to subdue the wilds of nature, an under: taking scarcely less difficult and equally honorable to their memories. They were among the very early settlers, and the information that is attainable concerning their individual history is correspondingly meager. The fol. lowing is a list of the Revolutionary veterans who are known to have lived in this county, with such facts of a personal nature as could be collated:
Joseph Breed, from Stonington, Connecticut, settled in Cherry Tree township in 1818. His family gave the name to the locality known as Breedtown. He died January 23, 1839, aged eighty-two years, and is buried in the family graveyard.
William Brown, from the state of New York, came to this county in 1813 and settled in French Creek township, whence he moved to Sugar Creek, and in 1820 to Canal, where he kept a well known hostelry at Han- naville and died in 1846.
Francis Carter, a native of Ireland, was in the military service at Pitts- burgh, Franklin, and Erie. He settled on Sugar creek below Cooperstown in 1797, and removed to the site of Dempseytown in 1803. There he built one of the first houses of the village and died at an advanced age.
William Cooper, the founder of Cooperstown, came to that locality from eastern Pennsylvania in 1797 and built the first mill on Sugar creek. He died February 1, 1813, in his sixty-sixth year, and is buried in the grave- yard of the old Methodist church in that borough.
Aspenwall Cornwell came to Allegheny township from New York city, arriving at his destination in August, 1819, and was a resident of that part of the county the remainder of his life.
David Dunham, from Fabius, Onondaga county, New York, purchased a tract of land in Allegheny township near Pleasantville in 1819, and re- moved thereon in 1821.
Philip Ghost located in Clinton township in 1796. He bore the title of major and had filled that rank in the Continental army. His residence immediately prior to coming here was Westmoreland county. He was a native of Germany.
Michael Hare, who taught a school in Oakland township in 1807 and lived in that locality for a time, subsequently removed to Erie county and died at Waterford, May 3, 1843, at the remarkable age of one hundred and fifteen years, eight months, and twenty-three days. He was born in Ire- land, June 10, 1727.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
Hugh Hasson removed from New London, Chester county, to Canal township in 1799, where he resided until his death in 1815.
James G. Heron came to Franklin prior to 1800 and was one of the opulent citizens of that village in its early years. He was a member of the first board of county commissioners and one of the first associate judges. He was originally from New Jersey, and upon the formation of Colonel Moses Hazen's regiment, known as Congress' Own, because not attached to the quota of any particular state, he became a lieutenant and was subse- quently promoted to a captaincy. He was taken prisoner August 23, 1777, and exchanged, after which it is probable that he served to the end of the war. His death occurred December 30, 1809.
John Philip Houser, the first settler at the mouth of Sandy creek, was a German by birth, and came here from Lancaster county. Afterward he was ferryman at Franklin.
Seth Jewel first improved the site of the borough of Polk. He settled there about the beginning of the present century.
Philip Kees, a native German, came to Oakland township in 1805. Sub- sequently he removed to a point on the Monongahela river, twenty miles above Pittsburgh, where he died.
Samuel Lindsay was the first settler at the mouth of East Sandy creek in Cranberry township. He afterward crossed the river into Victory, and at a later date removed to Meigs county, Ohio. He was a man of immense physical strength.
Samuel Lovett resided for a time in Cherry Tree at an early date, but removed to Crawford county before his death.
Patrick Manson, a native of Ireland, settled in Sandy Creek township in 1797. He lived to a ripe old age, and was buried with the honors of war by the local militia in the old Franklin cemetery.
John, McCalmont, born in County Armagh, Ireland, January 11, 1750, came to America in 1766 and served through the war. In 1803 he settled in Sugar Creek township. He died August 3, 1832, and is buried in the United Presbyterian graveyard at Plumer.
James McCurdy was an early settler in the vicinity of Sugar Creek Memorial church, Jackson township.
Henry Myers was a pioneer of Richland, and built several of the first mills in that part of the county.
George Power was a commissary in the United States army, if not during the period of hostilities in the east, certainly throughout the military move- ments in the west by which the British posts were occupied by American forces. He served in this capacity at Fort Franklin, Fort Washington (Cin- cinnati), Vincennes, and other points. He is best remembered, however, as the first permanent settler at Franklin. Mr. Power was born in Maryland April 10, 1762, and died April 2, 1845.
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EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.
Samuel Proper, probably the second settler in Plum township, removed to that locality from Schoharie county, New York, in 1801. He was the progenitor of a numerous family, and a German by birth.
Matthew Riddle, a native of Ireland, came to Venango county from Westmoreland as chain bearer to Thomas McKee, surveyor, in 1796, and settled in Clinton township.
David Russell removed from Westmoreland county in 1799 to Scrub- grass township, this county.
Charles Stevenson, a native Scotchman, settled in Oakland township in 1800; he had lived in Mifflin county immediately prior to that date. Sub- sequently he moved into Cherry Tree township. He died in Adams county, Ohio.
John Sullinger purchased land in Rockland in 1805 and settled thereon in 1813. He died about the year 1845 at Warren, Ohio, at the advanced age of ninety-one.
THE WAR OF 1812.
The formal declaration of war with Great Britain occurred on the 18th of June, 1812. Early in the progress of hostilities it became apparent that an invasion of American territory from Canada was highly probable, and such a contingency was matter of vital concern to the people of northwest- ern Pennsylvania. Erie at that time was a mere hamlet, but from its posi- tion midway between the eastern and western extremities of the lake, and the excellence of its harbor, was regarded as one of the most important of the western military posts. There was no village of any size on the east nearer than Buffalo, while the only settlements on the west along the lake were those around the posts at Cleveland, Sandusky, Toledo, and Detroit. The intervening territory in both directions was but sparsely populated. There were no fortifications at Erie other than an old blockhouse erected on the eastern part of the Peninsula in 1795; it was without a garrison, a gun, or a pound of ammunition. On the other hand, the Canadian frontier was defended by a series of military posts from Niagara to Sault Ste. Marie, well equipped and garrisoned, and provided with the valuable adjunct, a provincial navy, which gave them the mastery of the lakes. The population was composed largely of "United Empire tories," who had left the United States as voluntary exiles at the close of the Revolution, and were not averse to the prospect of returning again as invaders. The Indians had been won to British interests and their cooperation was artfully retained throughout the war. Without a regular army or navy and no preparation for defense except a poorly organized militia almost destitute of suitable equipments, the exposed frontier of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio certainly presented a favorable opportunity for invasion.
In anticipation of the conflict Governor Snyder had organized the state
a
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
militia into two divisions, one for the east and one for the west. The west- ern division was commanded by Major General Adamson Tannehill, of Pitts- burgh. Subsequently the state was divided into military divisions. The sixteenth division included the counties of Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Erie, Mercer, Venango and Warren, and was commanded by Major General David Mead. The First brigade of this division embraced the One Hundred and Thirty-Second regiment, from Venango county, and commanded by Colonel Samuel Dale; John Kelso was brigadier general and William Clark brigade inspector. Meadville was made the rendezvous for the division, and a con- siderable force was collected there in the autumn of 1812 for the contem- plated invasion of Canada, but it does not appear that the One Hundred and Thirty-Second regiment had any part in the movements of that year.
The necessity of a fleet on Lake Erie, large enough to cope successfully with the British squadron in those waters, was brought to the attention of the war department in the summer of 1812 by Captain James Dobbins, who had been sent to Washington by General Mead as the bearer of important dispatches conveying the intelligence of the loss of Detroit and Mackinaw. Dobbins was immediately tendered a sailing master's commission and instructed to begin the construction of gunboats at Erie, which he did in October of that year. Lieutenant Oliver Hazard Perry was assigned to the command on Lake Erie, and arrived at Erie on the 27th of March, 1813. It is difficult to conceive of the difficulties that Dobbins and Perry encount- ered in their work. There were very few ship carpenters in the country and the work had to be done by house carpenters and mechanics. Timber was obtained at the forests that lined the lake shore. Iron was procured with difficulty, and naval stores could only be obtained after a long delay from the east. A considerable quantity of metal and stores was transported from Pittsburgh by flat-boat, and passed up the Allegheny river and French creek through this county. Among the local river men who assisted in this work were several members of the Hulings family-Marcus, Samuel, Jonathan, James, and Thomas; John Hastings, Jonathan Whitman, Peter Myers, John Roberts, and William Hood. It is worthy of mention that the river and creek continued at a good boating stage until August, an unusual occurrence; had the water become low at the ordinary time, it would have been impos- sible to rig the fleet in season to meet the enemy under favorable circum- stances. Even under these conditions transportation was exceedingly slow, laborious, and difficult.
To add to the embarassment under which Perry's operations were con- ducted, Erie was constantly menaced by an attack from the British fleet. The latter anchored in the roadstead several times and would have entered the bay but for the shallow water on the bar. There was imminent danger of an attack on the town, however, as the enemy were believed to have troops on board, and a messenger was dispatched to Meadville urgently soliciting
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EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.
from General Mead a re-enforcement of militia for its defense. The follow- ing stirring appeal was at once issued:
CITIZENS, TO ARMS !
Your state is invaded. The enemy has arrived at Erie, threatening to destroy our navy and the town. His course, hitherto marked with rapine and fire wherever he touched our shore, must be arrested. The cries of infants and women, of the aged and infirm, the devoted victims of the enemy and his savage allies, call on you for defense and protection. Your honor, your property, your all, require you to march imme- diately to the scene of action. Arms and ammunition will be furnished to those who have none at the place of rendezvous near to Erie, and every exertion will be made for your subsistence and accommodation. Your service, to be useful, must be rendered immediately. The delay of an hour may be fatal to your country, in securing the enemy in his plunder and favoring his escape.
DAVID MEAD, Major General Sixteenth D. P. M.
There was an almost unanimous response to this appeal from every town- ship in northwestern Pennsylvania. Colonel Dale, who had but recently re- turned from a session of the. legislature at Lancaster, set out with the One Hundred and Thirty-Second regiment on the 27th of July and joined his brigade at Meadville, whence they proceeded at once to Erie. Before leaving he had received a visit from Cornplanter, who, after the cause of the war had been explained to him, insisted on accompanying the regiment with two hundred of his braves. He was finally induced to remain with the assur- ance that he would be called upon if his services became really necessary. The vessels were about completed and on the 4th of the following month the Lawrence was successfully floated over the bar. Within a few days the entire American fleet was safely anchored in the roadstead and the British squadron having sailed westward, thus relieving the immediate danger of in- vasion, the presence of the militia was no longer necessary. Colonel Dale's regiment was discharged on the 9th of August. The farmers had been in the midst of harvest when the summons came, but responded with a unani- mity and alacrity indicative of the highest order of patriotism. Although not called into active service, this was not, as the sequel shows, without re- sults. The issue of the great naval battle of September 10th was thus stated in the modest and memorable letter from Perry to General Harrison: "We have met the enemy and they are ours: two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one sloop." And in the following month he addressed the subjoined communication to General Mead:
Erie, October 22, 1813.
Dear Sir: It may be some satisfaction to you and your deserving corps to be in- formed that you did not leave your harvest fields in August last for the defense of this place without cause. Since the capture of General Proctor's baggage by General Har- rison it is ascertained beyond doubt that an attack was at that time meditated on Erie; and the design was frustrated by the failure of General Vincent to furnish the number of troops promised and deemed necessary. I have the houor to be, dear sir, your obedient servant, O. H. PERRY.
Major General David Mead, Meadville.
15
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
On the 30th day of December, 1813, intelligence was received at Erie that an army of British and Indians had landed at Black Rock, burned Buffalo and the shipping in the harbor at that place, and were advancing in the direction of Erie. The numbers of the enemy were placed at three thousand, while the troops stationed there for its defense numbered but two thousand. The first brigade of General Mead's division was ordered into service and mustered hurriedly, increasing the American force to four thou- sand men. Colonel Dale received marching orders on the 6th of January, and his regiment was not discharged until the 10th of the following month. The alarm proved delusive, however, and as in the previous instance the local militia returned home without experiencing anything more serious than the "pomp and pageantry of war" and the discomforts of a brief campaign in the dead of winter. There was fortunately no necessity for their service during the subsequent progress of the war. A treaty of peace was signed at Ghent, Belgium, December 24, 1814, and the news reached this locality in February of the following year. Detachments of troops had passed through the county by the old Pittsburgh and Erie road at various times and their return in the spring was a welcome assurance that hostilities had indeed terminated.
The following roster of the One Hundred and Thirty-Second regiment, Pennsylvania militia, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Dale, was obtained from the secretary of the United States treasury by Lewis F. Watson of Warren, Pennsylvania, member of congress from this district. All our previous efforts to get this roster had proven fruitless, and we had almost given up hope of being able to obtain the names of these patriotic pioneers of Venango county who responded to their country's call in the hour of danger. Benjamin W. Bredin of Franklin finally became inter- ested and wrote Mr. Watson on the subject. That gentleman readily promised his assistance, and the result is that we are enabled to present to our readers this valuable record of the soldiers who served for a short period under Colonel Dale at Erie in 1813 and 1814 during the war of 1812. In this roster, however, will be found the names of some who did not live in Venango county, but it would be unwise to leave them out, and therefore we give the complete roster of each company as it appears in the government records, believing they will prove a valuable addition to the history of the county:
Field and Staff Officers .- Lieutenant colonel, Samuel Dale.
First major, James Foster.
Quartermaster, Andrew Bowman.
Sergeant majors: Elial Farr, John Wilson.
Quartermaster sergeant, George Sutley.
First Company .- Captain, Henry Neely. Lieutenant, James Thompson.
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EARLY MILITARY HISTORY.
Ensign, Jacob Small.
Sergeants: Gideon Richardson, Nicholas Neely, Jacob Hale.
Privates: Robert Armstrong, Andrew Ashbaugh, Michael Best, William Crow, George Delo, James Downing, Samuel Fry, Joseph Goucher, Jacob Herrold, Henry Hummel, George Keefer, Jacob Keefer, James Mays, John Mays, Barnhart Martin, Robert Philips, Nathan Phipps, John Potts, Adam Shearer, Jacob Sweitzer, John Sweitzer, John Thummen.
Second Company .- Captain, Andrew Porter.
Lieutenant, James Ritchey.
Sergeants: Joseph Porter, Alexander Ritchey.
Corporal, John Jolly.
Privates: Daniel Ashbaugh, William Crist, William Davis, Jacob Keely, Thomas Kennedy, Adam Kerns, William Kerns, Thomas Kerr, Washington Mays, John McDonald, James McGinnis, Robert McMillin, James Platt, John Platt, Thomas Platt, Alexander Porter, Matthew Porter, Ross Porter, John Shoup, John Snyder, Jacob Wensel, John Wensel.
Third Company .- Captain, Daniel McCombs.
Lieutenant, Richard Ross.
Ensign, Edward Fleming.
Sergeants: John Hamilton, William McCombs, Benjamin August,
Charles Ingram.
Corporals: James Hamilton, Columbus Halyday, James Cary, Alexan- der Cerreb.
Privates: Samuel Beers, John Carter, Miles Coover, David Dempsey, Daniel Fleming, Jr., Barney Griffin, John Hamilton, John Hays, Henry Kinnear, James Kinnear, Neal McFadden, Henry Prather, Andrew Proper, Barnard Proper, Samuel Proper, William Reed, James Reynolds, Joshua Reynolds, John Rynd, William Rynd, Samuel Small, John Sodorus, Will- iam Story, Elijah Stewart, John Tarr, Matthias Tarr.
Fourth Company .- Captain, John Fetterman.
Lieutenant, William Thompson.
Ensign, Joseph Bowman.
Sergeants: John Brown, John McFadden, Francis Carter, John Mason. Corporals: Jonathan Whitman, John Brookmire, Charles Gordon.
Privates: James Alexander, Robert Beatty, Henry Bowman, Samuel Cooper, William Cooper, George Crain, John Deets, Joseph Deets, Daniel Herrington, Alexander Holeman, John Kelly, Darius Mead, Elijah McFad- den, James McFadden, John McFate, William McMasters, John Roberts, James Shaw, Thomas Smiley, Henry Sutley, Michael Sutley, Luther Thomas, John Whitman.
Fifth Company .- Captain, Hugh McManigal.
Lieutenant, William Patterson.
Ensign, John Boner.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
Sergeants: James Allen, John Craig, Thomas Dinsmore.
Corporals: John Scott, William Baker.
Drummer, Ernest Hovis.
Privates: Thomas Baird, Charles Bigley, Patrick Davidson, William Davidson, James Donaldson, William Graham, John Hoffman, John Hovis, John Love, John Lyons, James Martin, Robert Mitchell, William McCon- nell, Hugh McDowell, John McManigal, Daniel McMillin, Archibald Mc- Sparren, Joseph Porter, George Shunk, Daniel Smith, Samuel Van, Will- iam Van, John Walters, Francis Whann, Robert S. Whann, Eli Williams.
Sixth Company .- Lieutenant, John Martin.
Ensign, Armstrong Duffield.
Sergeants: James Martin, William Dewoody, John Ford.
Corporals: Patrick Manson, John Hays.
Privates: Samuel Adams, Samuel Atkinson, William Carter, Samuel Cousins, John Clyde, Robert Dewoody, Robert Dewoody (substitute for Andrew Dewoody), John Duffield, William Felton, John Foster, John Gil- more, Samuel Graham, William Greenlee, John L. Hasson, John Hays, James Hulings, Marcus Hulings, Thomas Hulings, Francis Irwin, Jared Lee, Jr., James Martin, John Martin, Thomas Martin, William Martin, William McElhaney, John McQuaid, John McQuaid (substitute for William Duffield), John Ramsey, David Runninger, Jacob Runninger, Gustavus Shaw, George Shoemaker, Alexander Siggins, Samuel Simmons, William Stoops, Robert Temple.
Seventh Company .- Captain, Abraham Witherup.
Lieutenant, Robert Crawford.
Sergeants: Levi Williams, Joseph Ross, Robert Riddle, James Calvert.
Privates: David Boyd, William Campbell, Isaac Carter, James Craig, James Fearis, Martin Fritz, James Hall, Michael Hoffman, Philip Hoffman, John Jolly, William Jolly, Morgan Jones, Stephen Jones, Thomas Jones, Thomas Kerr, Joseph Layton, Patrick Layton, Thomas Lyons, Thomas Mil- ford, James McDowell, Abner McMahon, Alexander McQuiston, Joseph Parks, William Perry, William Russell, Robert Selders, John Shannon, John Stover, Samuel Stover, John Tracy, Francis Vogus, Jacob Wise.
Eighth Company .- Lieutenant, Isaac Connely.
Sergeant, William Siggins.
Privates: James Allender, William Broadfoot, James Dawson, John Dawson, Thomas Dawson, Ezekiel Fleming, John Hamilton, Samuel Hen- derson, Joseph Huff, Andrew Hunter, David Hunter, Ebenezer Kingsley, Jesse Miller (substitute), Samuel McGee, George Peebles, Thomas H. Prather, John Siggins, James Shreve, Alexander Thompson, Francis Tut- hill, Robert Watson, Samuel Wilson.
Besides the foregoing there were also quite a number of others whose names do not appear in this roster, and whose descendants claim they went
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