History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 38

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868-
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1323

USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 38

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).

These roads were an improvement on the old country roads. They were made by clearing the ground of the trees and stumps, then cutting ditches on either side and throwing up the earth in the center. The theory was good, but like many a good theory, it did not always work well in practice. In the fall and spring the roads would become very deep and muddy, and many a lawless man after paying his toll, was sorely tempted to tear down the gates. But this was only one of the incidents connected with the settlement of a new country. The road passing through Franklin east and west kept up the gates until a few years ago.

The ferries were the first means of crossing the streams. The ferry across the Allegheny was located about half a mile below the upper bridge. The house still standing on the opposite side of the river was called the ferry house.

French creek had two ferries, one at the end of South Park street and one at the end of West Park street. The upper ferry was probably the point where George Washington crossed the creek on his way to Le Bœuf.

The lower ferry was kept by a stout Dutchman who was just and honest in all his dealings. On one occasion a preacher was crossing with him, and by way of letting him know the nature of his cloth, and probably as a gen- tle hint of generous dealings, inquired, " How much do you charge preach- ers?" The reply was, " Vell, we do not charge 'em any more as we do other fellers. We don't take no advantage of de breacher any more as we do of de farmer." The toll was paid, and the justice of the functionary acknowledged. For years the ferry was the only mode of crossing the streams both in summer and winter.

THE OLD CEMETERY.

We are always reminded of our mortality; wherever the dwelling is erected for the comfort of the living, we prepare also the cemetery, where the departed may slumber in peace. And as the years roll by more atten- tion is paid and more taste displayed in the arrangement of the great cem- etery. We have gotten away from the idea of the churchyard, surrounded

371

CITY OF FRANKLIN.

by the scenes of the living, and choose a place apart from the active duties of life, where flowers may bloom and the sun may shine sweetly and breezes may blow gently upon the tombs of those we love. We do not wish to make the places gloomy or sad or repulsive, but rather cheerful and attractive even to the casual visitor. And we make the place sacred and holy for our friends who sleep, feeling that we too will soon soon be laid to rest near them.

It removes much of the gloom from the idea of death to look upon its surroundings and find them tasteful and pleasant and cheerful. And since "life and immortality are brought to light in the gospel," a beautiful light has fallen amid the flowers, that tells us that there shall be life after death, even the blessed life of Christ in the land that is away beyond the stars; and that at the last day, a day brighter and sweeter and holier than has yet ever dawned upon earth, the trump of the great angel of the Apocalypse will be heard accompanied by the voice of the Lord that shall awake every slumberer in the tomb and every sleeper in the sea, and that then "death shall be swallowed up in victory." These thoughts come to us as we think of the slumberers in the cemetery, and of the resurrection of Him who was the first fruits of them that slept.

When the state authorities laid out the town of Franklin, they reserved a small plot of ground for a cemetery. It was at the upper end of Otter street and above Fifteenth street. It was a very small piece of land but answered the purpose in the early years. Every family selected the place for the graves of friends and there was no order or assignment about it. Names are sculptured upon rude stones with dates that reach back to the very origin of the town. Many names are there that were prominent in its history, and very many graves, unmarked by stones, have sunk down to the common level of the ground and are lost to view. Many, too, have been neglected until the stones have fallen and lie prone on the ground. There is need for some "Old Mortality " to appear and rechisel the tombs of the dead.

When the ground began to be too strait for the purpose, Myron Park presented a strip of land on the southern side of the old reservation. This was a part of outlot No. 45, which was sold by the county treasurer for taxes in December, 1828, and purchased by Mr. Park. In November, 1835, the latter sold said lot to Benjamin Alexander, reserving in the deed a por- tion thereof, fifty feet in width by one hundred and sixty feet in length, running parallel with French creek, "for the use of the inhabitants of the town for a burying ground." It would thus seem that this part of the old ground can be legally used only for cemetery purposes. Mr. Alexander afterward laid out lots on a piece of land adjoining this and extending to Elk street.

These were the arrangements made by the fathers in the early day for

372

HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

the sepulture of the dead. And to this rest the coffined sleeper was borne on the shoulders of men from all parts of the town. No other arrangements were provided until a comparatively late day. The minister and physician walked at the head of the procession, then the bier carried by the pall bear- ers, the mourners, and then friends and neighbors generally. But the times are changed, and we live under a new order of things, much to our comfort and satisfaction.

WATER, LIGHT, AND SCENERY.

The water supply at the beginning of the history of the town was sup- posed then to be very good. There was the stream of water running through West park that was copious in its supply. There were several little streams down at the lower end of town that were utilized for household pur- poses. But the main dependence was in wells sunk down to the level of the bottom of the creek and river. About the parks this required a well about forty feet deep. This was done by a shaft sunk in the earth to that depth and walled up with stone. Then a curb was built around the wall, a windlass attached, and to this the bucket by means of a rope or chain. Then a crank was fixed to one end of the windlass. The bucket was let down by the help of a brake and drawn up full of bright, sparkling water. But it was a laborious process, and little water was drawn that was not absolutely necessary.

The light of other days was the light of the early householders-the tallow candle and before this the lard lamp, sometimes a simple wick float- ing in a dish of melted lard. A tallow candle if properly snuffed was sup- posed to be a very good light. For fuel, wood was the only dependence, and all this with coal and oil and gas just waiting to be pressed into service. But they all came at last and were used as a matter of course.

.We know how grand the scenery around Franklin is in modern times and how beautiful the site of the town is, but we can well imagine the sur- roundings of the place were more beautiful three quarters of a century ago than now. These grand hills had not been marred by the hand of man. All the picture was as God made it; from the magnificent outlook up the river to the lower bluffs there was in summer time the beautiful crown of verdure, the rich bloom of flowers, and the smooth outline of hill and ravine, of the rich contrast of deciduous trees and the darker colored ever- green. The beauty of Damascus is in its rich verdure and blooms of fruit and ornamental trees surrounding it on the same level; the beauty and glory of Franklin is in its everlasting hills, planted by the hand of the Almighty and decked by his taste, that surround it and look down upon it with ever- during smiles.

The water scenery around the town was formerly very beautiful. Both river and creek were interspersed with islands that were covered with trees

CITY OF FRANKLIN. 373

and verdure. Some remains of these islands abide to the present, but they are shorn of their beauty and glory. An old map, more than one hundred years old, locates a large island in the Allegheny down at the bend and mid- way between the two bridges. Above the mouth of French creek were large groups of islands extending nearly up to the Two Mile run. Some of these islands contained several hundred acres of land and must have been great resorts for the Indians. But two of these islands now remain, and they are worn and narrowed down and stripped of vegetation until little of their original beauty remains.

On French creek near where the upper bridge is located were clusters of islands that must have been very beautiful as late as the days when George Washington crossed amongst them. Just below the bridge were at least two islands, and above the bridge for the distance of a mile, were numerous islands, some of them of considerable extent, covered with large trees and shrubbery that made a scene of beauty not often seen. In the early history of Franklin, some of these islands were used for picnic pur- poses, the guests passing over in boats or on temporary bridges. On the grassy turf and under the shadows of the large trees many a Fourth of July excursion enjoyed to the full the scenes of the day.

But time, the mighty leveler, has wrought great changes in the water scenery. The trees have many of them been felled and their roots no longer hold the soil, and many of the islands on both river and creek have disap- peared forever. French creek has lost its beauty as the trees have fallen from the islands, and the islands themselves crumbled and washed down with the tide.

Many of the old citizens can recall the beauty of the scenery as it pre- sented itself from the French creek bridge as the sun was approaching its setting, and the eye could wander from island to island, each tree and shrub gilded with its setting rays, and all lighted up with a subdued and sweet reflection.

374

HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXII.

CITY OF FRANKLIN (CONCLUDED).

GENERAL PROGRESS OF THE TOWN-FRANKLIN IN 1823-MUNICIPAL Gov- ERNMENT-THE POSTOFFICE-BRIDGES, RAILROADS. ETC .- MANUFACT- URES-THE OIL INDUSTRY-GENERAL BUSINESS INTERESTS- TELEGRAPH, EXPRESS, AND TELEPHONE FACILITIES- SECRET AND OTHER SOCIETIES - EDUCATION- AL -RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS -TIIE FRANKLIN CEMETERY-RESUME.

T THE community described in the preceding chapter, although assisted by the fostering attention of the state, and founded upon a soil rich in historie associations, expanded but slowly and without any of the incidents of rapid growth. The population was two hundred and fifty in 1825; in 1850, at the end of another period of twenty-five years from the beginning of the century, it had increased to nine hundred and thirty-three. With the discovery of petroleum a new era began-an era of business activity, of increasing population, and local improvement. The gradual transition that had long been in progress received a quickened impulse, and within a few years the country town became an ambitious aspirant of metropolitan honors. This was accompanied by what may be termed the development of special activities-religious, social, and commercial. The union Sun- day school and prayer meeting were relinquished in favor of special denom- inational work, and the school building used in common by all as a place of worship was relegated to its original educational function as the different churches were successively erected; the people no longer turn out en masse in the interest of street improvement, but delegate the important consider- ations of public comfort and safety to an organized local government; the large general store with its heterogeneous assortment of merchandise has been succeeded by a half dozen different establishments each devoted to some special branch of business; the small shops have been replaced by nu- merous factories; while a number of banking institutions aid in facilitating commercial transactions. It is with organized interests of this nature that this chapter is principally concerned.

FRANKLIN IN 1823.

The number of residences, stores, and shops at Franklin in 1823 was

C. AP Mackey

377

CITY OF FRANKLIN.

between sixty and seventy; the following with regard to their location and appearance is given as the reminiscences of Alexander Cochran:

Buffalo Street was open from Eighth to Thirteenth. Samuel Hays lived in a two-story frame house still standing on the south* side above Twelfth, and William Connely, justice of the peace, was his neighbor on the corner above Twelfth. Between the two there was a small two-story frame building owned by Hays and occupied by John Service as a saddler shop. John Broadfoot's carpenter shop and office as justice of the peace was opposite Hay's house and above the alley, and in the same vicinity was a frame building owned by Alexander McCalmont, afterward occupied by Myron Park. The academy building was on the south side between Elev- enth and Twelfth. John Atkinson's old tannery and house stood on the same side below Ninth, where the location of the vats is still discernible. Alexander Cochran now owns and occupies this property.

FRANKLIN IN 1840.

Liberty Street was the business thoroughfare of the town. John Lu- pher's blacksmith shop and William Bennett's hotel were on the site of the Exchange hotel. Continuing on the same side of the street the improve- ments were as follows: A two-story log house on the same ground as the Exchange Bank, owned by Alexander McCalmont and occupied by Will- iam Black; a frame house one and one-half stories high on an adjoining lot, partly incorporated in a building on the same site; a two-story frame house, owned by George McClelland and occupied by Thomas Seaton, saddler; a two-story frame house, the residence of John Galbraith; a two-story log house, occupied by Charles Holeman and afterward sold to William Ray- mond; the store room of Samuel Hays, a frame building one and one-half stories high; a frame house and store building owned by John McDonald and occupied by William Moore, late prothonotary; George McClelland's public house, a frame building erected by Samuel Plumer in 1806 and suc-

*As the street does not trend due east and west, this is not geographically exact, but is understood to mean the side of the street farthest from the creek or river.

378

HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

cessively enlarged but never removed, now known as the United States hotel; Arnold Plumer's store and residence, the latter occupied by Arthur Robison; a one-story frame building at the corner above Twelfth, the office of the Venango Herald, John Evans, editor and publisher; a two- story frame house on the opposite corner, where Samuel Bailey, carpenter, lived; a one-story log house at the site of the Baptist church, owned by William Kinnear; a log house built by Martin Gregor and occupied by his widow, just below the Catholic church; John Ridgway's two-story log house on the corner below Ninth, since weather-boarded and still a substan- tial residence, one of the oldest in the city.

On the north side of Liberty street on the corner above Thirteenth lived George Brigham, carpenter, in a two-story frame house. The site of the Lamberton block was occupied by a two-story frame structure owned by James Adams of Utica, in which Frederick Crary lived and conducted a large general store. Thomas Huling's frame hotel building stood at the present location of Martin & Epley's drug store. James Kinnear's hotel, a log building, stood at the corner of West Park street. The court house was in West park at the corner of Twelfth, and the jail stood in South park in the rear of the present court house. Robert Kinnear was jailor and his daughter, Mrs. Dominick McCormick and family, lived with him.

Elk Street. - On the south side at the corner above Fourteenth was the frame house of Thomas Seaton, one of the substantial residences of that date. A log building owned by James Adams stood on the site of Hanna's block. About midway between Thirteenth and West Park Thomas Minnis, who remained but a short time, lived in a two-story frame house. Andrew Bowman's tannery adjoined his residence, a log building at the corner of West Park soon afterward replaced by a frame house which was for some years one of the most pretentious in the town. At Hulin's lumber yard, corner of Eleventh, there stood a dismantled hotel previously kept by Welden Adams. David Irvine, lawyer and clerk to the county commissioners, lived at the corner of Tenth in a two-story log house owned by Charles Ridgway.

Improvements had been made on the north side of Elk street in the fol- lowing order: On the corner of Thirteenth, a large two-story frame house afterward known as Jeremiah Clancy's hotel-Clancy at that time carried on shoe making in an adjoining room; about the middle of the block between Thirteenth and West Park, a two-story log house recently burned, then the residence of John Singleton, brick maker; on the corner above Eleventh, the house and shop of Jonathan Sage; on the opposite corner, the house of William Kinnear, farmer and justice of the peace, who also owned two other houses on Eleventh street, one of which was occupied by Joseph Ridgway; midway between Tenth and Eleventh, the large two-story frame house, with stone addition, of Mrs. Sarah McDowell, widow of Colonel Alexander McDowell, one of the residences pointed out to admiring strangers;

379

CITY OF FRANKLIN.

between Elk and the river and south of Eighth, James Hollis' small log house; near the river bank between Third and Fourth, a small log house, the property of James Brown, riverman, while David Smith owned and op- erated the ferry still farther down the river.

Otter Street .- There were but four houses on the north side of Otter: Andrew Dewoody's hotel at the corner above Thirteenth; the large stone residence of George Power, on the corner below Elbow; a two-story frame house, yet standing on the corner of West Park, owned by Henry Hurst of Meadville and occupied by the mother of Alex Cochran, and a two-story log house between West Park and Twelfth where James Hulings lived. On the south side nearly opposite Power lived Nimrod Grace, carpenter, by whom some of the early houses were built. A two-story frame dwelling at the corner above Twelfth was the residence of James Martin, school teacher, and John Martin lived between South Park and Eleventh. Levi Dodd's two- story frame residence was on the corner above Eleventh. Farther down near Tenth street Aaron McKissick lived in a rented house. The "Old Garrison " was on the bank of French creek between Ninth and Tenth, and in this vicinity Peter Houser, waterman, lived on the bank of the river.

Elbow Street. - There were three houses on this street, a frame building between Thirteenth and Fourteenth, owned by General Samuel Hays, and the hatter shop and residence of George Dewoody, who lived with his mother. Thomas Smiley, riverman, lived on the bank of the creek in a log house owned by John Irwin, and below the lower bridge there was a dilapidated building used at a previous date as a warehouse.

The Third Ward was then part of Sugar Creek township. There were four houses here and their respective occupants were David King, tailor; Abram Clark, millwright (son-in-law of Mrs. Ridgway); Jonathan Whitman, and Matthias Stockbarger. Abraham Selders, stone-mason, lived just out- side the limits of this ward in Sugar Creek township.

John Kelly, school teacher, and family dwelt in one of the buildings spoken of; while John J. Pearson, attorney, Doctor George R. Espy, Will- iam Raymond, and several others, unmarried men, boarded at the taverns or with friends in the village.

The foregoing may serve as a brief summary of the settlement and im- provement narrated in detail in the preceding chapter, and an appropriate introduction to this. The original town plat proved ample for subsequent growth and the additions are comparatively recent and unimportant, the principal being Plumer's and Benjamin Alexander's additions in the Second ward, Myer's and Sprogle's in the First. The Third was laid out by R. S. McCormick, J. L. Hanna, and Howard & Smith. It will be observed that in 1823 there were scarcely any improvements below Ninth street; and in fact the cross streets in the lower part of the town had not been opened at that time. There was a gradual extension of the village in this direction,

380

HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

and in 1828 the size and population were thought sufficient to warrant its incorporation as a borough.

MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.

The borough of Franklin was erected by act of the legislature April 14, 1828, and originally comprised all that part of the town plot south and west of French creek and the Allegheny river. By the provisions of this act taxation was limited to five mills on the dollar of assessed valuations; the borough was to constitute a separate election district; and the first election was to occur at the court house on the second Tuesday in May be- tween the hours of twelve M. and six P. M., when a burgess and council of five members were to be elected. In January, 1832, the town was created a township, thus adding justices of the peace, constables, etc., to the num- ber of local officers.

Unfortunately for this history the borough records have been lost or destroyed, thus rendering it impossible to give any particulars as to the offi- cial acts of the early town fathers. A single instance may, however, serve as an illustration. May 31, 1849, an ordinance was passed prohibiting the lading or discharge of freight from boats on Sunday; also prohibiting horses and hogs from running at large on the diamond. How the latter was first enforced is thus described in the Spectator of June 13, 1849:

Nine unfortunate individuals of the genus porker, either from inability to read or a total disregard of the act in their case "made and provided," were pursuing the ordinary avocations of pigs upon the diamond. About the hour that poets have assigned for the falling of " twilight dews" and " vesper breezes," the proper officers, armed with the authority of the commonwealth, made a descent upon the swinish multitude. After sundry evolutions, which seemed like a mixture of light-horse and . infantry tactics, they succeeded in forming a line of march for the " pound." When the drove had accomplished half the distance to the place of durance, symptoms of a refractory nature made their appearance among the prisoners. A few dogs, doubtless with the best of intentions, rushed to the assistance of the authorities. The pigs became desperate and the scene highly exciting. Some half dozen of swine made their escape and three, better calculated for bacon than a foot race, went to the pound.

In the absence of any records no complete list of borough officers could be compiled; the following fragmentary data have been obtained from vari- ous sources :

1828 .- Burgess, John Broadfoot; constable, Robert Kinnear; council: John Singleton, J. R. Sage, Alexander McCalmont, John Galbraith, Myron Park, William Bennett.

1829 .- Burgess, George McClelland; second burgess, Myron Park; con- stable, Robert Kinnear; council: John Galbraith, Alexander McCalmont, J. W. Wood, William Raymond, John Singleton, J. R. Sage, Arnold Plumer. 1849 .- Burgess, F. W. Hunter; clerk, James K. Kerr.

1852. - Burgess, A. P. Whitaker; council: Luke Turner, Miles W. Sage, Thomas H. Martin, George W. Brigham, Leonard Bunce.

381

CITY OF FRANKLIN.

1853 .- Burgess, A. P. Whitaker; council: Luke Turner, Miles W. Sage, Thomas H. Martin, George W. Brigham, Leonard Bunce.

1855 .- Burgess, A. Plumer; council: S. H. Marshall, J. Bleakley, J. Mayes, J. Bryden, T. H. Martin.

1856 .- Burgess, Samuel Hays; council: J. Bleakley, R. A. Brashear, Thomas Moore, Simeon H. Marshall, Myron Park.

1857. - Burgess, W. P. Walker; council: W. C. Evans, C. M. Hoover, T. H. Martin, David Smith.

1860 .- Burgess, James Bleakley; council: T. Hoge, M. W. Sage, D. C. Plumer, W. P. Walker, F. D. Kinnear.

1861 .- Burgess, S. T. Kennedy; council: Hugh Hunter, Harvey Evans, C. M. Hoover, S. F. Bailey, C. H. Raymond.

1862 .- Burgess, G. E. Ridgway; council: R. S. McCormick, William Campbell, Charles Bowman, D. G. Dewoody, G. W. Brigham.

1867 .- Burgess, P. W. Raymond; council: Henry Dubbs, G. W. Brig- ham, F. W. Mitchell, R. S. McCormick, G. E. Ridgway.

An act incorporating the city of Franklin passed the house March 24, 1868, and received executive sanction April 4th following. The act was prepared by R. S. McCormick and presented by the representative from this district. The three wards of the city were established with their present boundaries; the First and Second wards comprise that part of the city south of French creek, with Twelfth (High) street as a mutual boundary, the former to the east and the latter to the west of that street, while the terri- tory north of French creek forms the Third ward. This had been annexed to the borough with portions of French Creek and Sandy Creek townships in 1860. The executive powers of the city were vested in a mayor, whose term of office is one year; the city council was to consist of three members respectively from the First and Second wards, and two from the Third, but by an amendment to the charter in 1872 each ward became entitled to one additional member. For election purposes the city is divided into two dis- tricts. The annual election occurs on the first Tuesday in May. In 1888, under the operation of a general act classifying the cities of the state, two councils, common and select, were elected. Before the close of the year this was declared unconstitutional; but the councils so elected constituted a de facto government until the next election, when the old order of things was resumed.

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.

History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 38

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868- Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co. Number of Pages: 1323

Author: Bell, Herbert C. (Herbert Charles), 1868-
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Brown, Runk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1323