USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 41
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GENERAL BUSINESS INTERESTS.
The merchants of Franklin in 1837 were James Adams, William Ray- mond, Myron Park, Hugh McClelland, Elliott & Henry, R. Hower, B. A. Plumer, and Robert Lamberton. Their number had increased to twenty- two in 1855, when Messrs. Plumer, Lamberton, Raymond, and Park were still in business, the others being as follows: S. L. Ulman, James G. Lam- berton, James Griffin, G. W. Brigham, J. L. McBride, Jacob Mayes, G. C. McClelland, F. Kennedy & Company, James Bleakley, Henry Dubbs, James Bryden, Samuel Bailey, E. S. Durban, Bennett & Cochran, Josiah Adams, S. H. Marshall, Willard Lindsay, and G. Kann & Company. The number of business places in 1862 was thirty-three. The growth of business since that date is sufficiently indicated by reference to the mercantile appraiser's list for 1889, which contains the names of eighty-seven individuals or firms in the various lines of trade. Liberty street from Twelfth to Thirteenth and Thirteenth from Elbow to Chestnut continues to be the principal busi-
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ness thoroughfare, though several stores are located in the Third ward and others on Liberty below Twelfth street.
There were three hotels in the town in 1823. Of these the first was established by George Power on Otter street. Colonel James Kinnear's brick hotel on the site of the Snook block, Liberty and West Park streets, was a favorite resort of the lawyers of that time and the generation follow- ing. It was usually the headquarters of the judge during court week, and numbered among its guests Thompson, Knox, and Gordon, afterward jus- tices of the supreme court. Latterly it was known as the Greene house; its career as a public house terminated December 9, 1865, and the building was removed in 1882. The site of the United States hotel has been so occupied from a very early period in the history of the town. A part of it was erected by Samuel Plumer in 1806. George McClelland was proprietor here in 1823. He was succeeded in 1830 by Edward Pearce and the name at that time was the " Rising Sun." Thomas Hulings ran a hotel in 1823 on the site of Martin & Epley's drug store. John Evans and Arthur Robison were among its landlords. Among its later contemporaries was Jeremiah Clancy's Jackson inn, Thirteenth and Elk streets. The Lamberton house on Liberty street, a leading hostelry in its day, was opened by C. E. Evans in 1851. Luke Turner, Lewis T. Reno, A. W. Raymond, William Cartwright, and M. Henry were also among the hotel men of this period. The Rural house received its present name in 1858; it was previously known as the Venango house. The Madison house changed to the American in 1870 .. The Grant house, erected in the first years of the oil excitement, was par- tially destroyed by fire in 1866 and rebuilt in its present form. The Exchange hotel was originally erected by a company; it was a frame build- ing five stories high, and was burned to the ground April 13, 1870, involv- ing a loss of one hundred thousand dollars. It was immediately rebuilt and opened under the management of S. M. Mills May 29, 1871. This is one of the largest and best hotels in northwestern Pennsylvania.
The Franklin opera house, a brick structure one hundred and fifteen feet by sixty-two feet in dimensions, was built by a stock "company com- posed of leading citizens and opened by the Emma Abbott opera company September 10, 1886. The present manager is J. P. Keene. It is situated on Buffalo street above Thirteenth.
The Lamberton Savings Bank was organized March 25, 1873, by C. W. Gilfillan, president; R. L. Cochran, cashier, and R. G. Lamberton. The business was originally begun in 1860 by Robert Lamberton in connection with a large general store, and this is therefore the oldest banking institu- tion in Venango county. The handsome bank building on Thirteenth street was erected in 1887. The present officers are C. W. Gilfillan, president; Harry Lamberton, cashier.
The Venango Bank, subsequently merged in the Venango National
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
Bank, was opened for business November 3, 1862. Its founder and lead- ing spirit was Charles Vernon Culver, who came here from the east in 1861, and established private banking offices at Franklin, Oil City, Petroleum Center, Titusville, and Meadville, which were afterward converted into corporate banks. Francis D. Kinnear was president of the Venango Bank, and Thomas Hoge, vice president, while its directory embraced some of the most substantial citizens of the county. Culver was, however, the business and financial manager, and the several banking institutions under his con- trol were highly prosperous and popular. He was a man of great energy, and planned and prosecuted many large enterprises, some of which gave big returns on the capital invested. The shrewdest business men of the community had unbounded confidence in his ability and promises, and gladly intrusted him with their surplus money for investment. Everything looked bright and promising, and for a few years Culver was the financial lion of the oil region. Early in 1866 rumors began to be circulated against the feasibility of some of his projects, and also against the financial credit of the banking house of Culver, Penn & Company, of New York, the head of the coterie of banks with which he was connected. These rumors created a run on that institution and it failed March 27, 1866. The banks at Frank- lin, Oil City, Petroleum Center, Titusville, and Meadville immediately fol- lowed suite. Depositors, stockholders, and other creditors lost heavily, and many circumstances connected with the failure of these banks is yet a stench in the nostrils of the people.
The First National Bank was chartered January 8, 1864; the charter was extended February 24, 1883. The organization in 1864 was consti- tuted as follows: President, Arnold Plumer; cashier, James Bleakley; direc- tors: Arnold Plumer, Robert Crawford, A. B. Funk, Samuel Q. Brown, Hamilton Mcclintock, R. S. McCormick, Samuel Plumer, J. K. Kerr, and James P. Hoover. The capital is one hundred thousand dollars; surplus, one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The succession of cashiers is as follows: James Bleakley, R. L. Cochran, A. D. Cotton, and F. W. Officer. The bank has had but two presidents-Arnold Plumer and Samuel Plumer. The officers at present are: Samuel Plumer, president; A. A. Plumer, vice- president; F. W. Officer, cashier; Samuel Plumer, A. A. Plumer, S. P. McCalmont, James Woodburn, J. O. McCalmont, Charles Miller, J. C. Sibley, and S. C. Lewis, directors. The bank took possession of its pres- ent substantial quarters April 4, 1870.
The International Bank was opened for the transaction of business May 25, 1868, with James Bleakley, president, and William J. Bleakley, cashier. This is a private banking institution. The officers at this time are William J. Bleakley, president, and H. Bleakley, cashier, and the daily exchanges are larger than at any time in its previous history.
The Exchange Bank was incorporated June 20, 1888, under the state
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law, with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. The business was es- tablished in January, 1871, with John L. Mitchell, president, and P. Mc- Gough, cashier, in the Exchange hotel building, whence it was removed to the present location in the following year. The surplus, which was ten thousand dollars at the time of the incorporation, has since increased to thirty thousand dollars. John L. Mitchell is president; Thomas Nesbit, vice-president, and Thomas Alexander, cashier. John L. Mitchell, C. Hey- drick, R. H. Woodburn, D. Grimm, J. P. Byers, Thomas Nesbit, H. D. Hulin, J. D. Hancock, and William Gates constitute the present directory.
The Savings Bank of Franklin was incorporated by act of the legisla- ture March 6, 1872, and commenced business May 1st of the following year with a subscribed capital of one hundred thousand dollars, one-half of which was paid in cash. A fair surplus of earnings has been allowed to accumu- late, and regular semi-annual dividends are paid to shareholders. The pres- ent executive officers: Isaac N. Patterson, president; Benjamin W. Bredin, secretary, and E. W. Echols, treasurer, have held their respective offices continuously since the organization, and the policy of the management, while leaning strongly toward safety and conservatism, is fairly liberal to all patrons. The bank occupies the same quarters at the corner of Liberty and Twelfth streets in which business was commenced. The interior has re- cently been remodeled, and compares favorably with other banking institu- tions of Franklin.
The Franklin Gas Company organized May 26, 1869, under legislative enactment of April 4, 1863, with the election of William Brough, president, and a board of directors composed of J. L. Hanna, Samuel Plumer, C. Hey- drick, Thomas McDonough, and J. M. Bonham. C. W. Mackey was secretary and George R. Snowden, treasurer. The city was illuminated with gas Decem- ber 3, 1870, for the first time. The present officers are C. W. Gilfillan, pres- ident and superintendent; James Miller, secretary, and Harry Lamberton, treasurer.
The Venango Water Company-F. W. Mitchell, president; C. Heydrick, O. D. Bleakley, C. W. Gilfillan, J. L. Hanna, and James Woodburn, direc- tors, and R. J. Hanna, general manager, was incorporated by act of the legislature October 22, 1863, and organized May 7, 1864. The first presi- dent was J. L. Hanna; the first directors were E. C. Pechin, Robert Lam- berton, Samuel F. Dale, P. McGough, and C. Heydrick. The works were constructed and placed in operation in the summer of 1865. The original capital was twenty thousand dollars, which has since increased to one hun- dred and seventy-five thousand dollars.
The Franklin Natural Gas Company was incorporated June 29, 1885, with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars. The Speechley field is the source of supply. The present officers are J. M. Dickey, president; W. J. Welsh, vice-president; W. H. Forbes, secretary and treasurer; W. J. Welsh, S. C. Lewis, D. Grimm, and F. W. Mitchell, directors.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
The Columbia Gas Light and Fuel Company was organized in October, 1885, with a capital of five hundred thousand dollars, which amount was sub- sequently increased to one million. The first officers were C. W. Mackey, president; C. W. Gilfillan, vice-president; James Miller, secretary, and B. W. Bredin, treasurer. A lease of the Speechley farm, upon which the largest gas well developed at that date was situated, was secured, and other territory aggregating two thousand acres was also leased. Operations were begun with the construction of an eight-inch main to Meadville, a distance of thirty-six miles, this being the first successful effort to pipe natural gas a long distance. An eight-inch main was constructed to Hendersonville, Mercer county, and a ten-inch main from that place to Youngstown, Ohio, a distance of over sixty miles, supplying Mercer, Sharon, and Youngstown. The company was also interested in local gas companies at Meadville and Oil City. It paid no cash dividends and expended the full amount of its capital stock in the construction of its plant and the acquisition of territory. In the magnitude of its operations and of its capitalization it was the larg- est financial undertaking ever organized in Franklin. In October, 1887, it was merged in the Natural Gas Trust, after protracted negotiations affect- ing in some measure county and state politics, and has ceased to be a local institution.
The Franklin Improvement Company was incorporated January 16, 1887, and organized shortly thereafter with the election of Harry Lamberton, president; B. H. Osborn, vice-president; J. P. Keene, secretary; and Ed- ward Bleakley, treasurer. The company subserves the general purposes of a board of trade, and will doubtless prove an efficient agency in promoting the general business and industrial interests of the city.
TELEGRAPH, EXPRESS, AND TELEPHONE FACILITIES.
The first telegram to Franklin was received from Pittsburgh, December 19, 1861, by C. Barry, the local manager of a line since merged in the Western Union. The offices of the latter and of the Postal Telegraph and Cable Company constitute the present facilities in this respect.
The first railroad express office was opened immediately after the com- pletion of the Franklin branch of the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio railroad. The local agent was W. A. Cooper, and the office was at his gro. cery store, on the location of the Snook block. The first agent to give ex- clusive attention to the business was Leroy Kingman, now the editor of a paper at Oswego, New York. This company was the United States, which has been followed successively by the Erie and Wells-Fargo, the latter being at present in control of the express business of the Erie railway sys- tem. The business on the Allegheny Valley and Lake Shore roads was in the hands of the Union Express Company until 1883, when the former passed to the Adams and the latter to the American Express Company.
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CITY OF FRANKLIN.
The Franklin Telephone Exchange was organized in 1881 by J. P. Keene, as a branch of the Central District and Printing Telegraph Com- pany, of Pittsburgh. The present number of subscribers is eighty-five. Mr. Keene has been local manager since the organization.
SECRET AND OTHER SOCIETIES.
Venango Lodge, No. 255, I. O. O. F .- The original charter of this lodge was granted August 2, 1847, and its institution occurred October 26, 1847, when the following officers were installed: W. H. Lamberton, N. G .; F. D. Kinnear, V. G .; W. Henry, S .; B. Alexander, A. S .; N. Cary, T .; J. P. Hoover, W .; N. R. Bushnell, C .; Thomas Shugert, O. G .; I. H. Shannon, I. G. This charter was burned with all the effects of the lodge; the pres- ent charter was granted to Charles Mihleder, N. G .; J. S. Bollman, V. G .; F. D. Sullinger, S. ; H. E. Giddings, A. S .; Elias Borland, T.
Venango Encampment, No. 150, I. O. O. F., was organized November 19, 1866, and the first officers were Thomas A. Martin, C. P. ; David Guthrie, H. P .; William A. Thompson, S. W .; Harry Plance, J. W .; John R. Stan- ford, S .; S. J. McAninch, T .; J. O. Rockwell, G., and John Quinn. After a period of temporary suspension during which the charter was surrendered, it was restored August 28, 1886.
Minnie Lodge, No. 144, I. O. O. F., Rebekah Degree, of which Lucy Ful- ler, N. G .; Fanny C. Thompson, V. G .; J. S. Bollman, S .; Clara Wenzel, A. S .; and N. Borland, T., were the first officers, received its charter Feb- ruary 5, 1886.
Myrtle Lodge, No. 316, F. & A. M., was instituted February 22, 1858, with W. C. Evans, W. M .; Ethel Shelmadine, S. W .; G. E. Ridgway, J. W .; Myron Park, T .; Arthur Robinson, S .; S. L. Ulman, S. D .; John Evans, J. D .; Charles W. Mackey, chaplain; F. H. Park, M. C. Past Mas- ters-G. E. Ridgway, M. W. Sage, C. M. Hoover, Joseph Bell, C. W. Mackey, W. M. Epley, H. D. Hulin, J. M. Dewoody, Thomas Algoe, C. D. Elliott, P. R. Gray, G. S. Criswell, F. P. Martin, W. G. Ladds, Isaac St. Clair, M. D., A. Y. Findlay, Charles Cowgill.
Venango H. R. A. Chapter, No. 211, was constituted November 26, 1866. The first officers were M. W. Sage, M. E. H. P .; G. E. Ridgway, K .; C. M. Hoover, S .; Thomas Hoge, T .; W. M. Epley, S .; G. R. Snow- den, C. of H. Past High Priests-C. M. Hoover, C. W. Mackey, Joseph Bell, W. C. Howe, P. R. Gray, C. D. Elliott, Thomas Algoe, W. G. Ladds, J. R. Grant.
Keystone Council, No. 42, R. S. E. & S. M, was constituted August 18, 1871, with the following officers: M. W. Sage, T. I. G. M .; G. E. Ridg- way, D. I. G. M ; C. W. Mackey, P. C. of W .; A. Plumer, T .; J. W. Row- land, S .; G. R. Snowden, C. of G .; J. E. Muse, sentinel. Past T. I. G. Masters-M. W. Sage, C. W. Mackey, W. C. Howe.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
Franklin Commandery, No. 44, K. T., was constituted October 24, 1871. The first officers were as follows: M. W. Sage, E. C .; G. E. Ridg- way, G .; G. R. Snowden, C. G .; A. Plumer, T .; Charles Miller, R .; C. W. Mackey, S. W .; H. A. Miller, J. W .; Charles Bowman, S. B .; G. W. Plumer, S. B .; J. E. Muse, sentinel. Past Eminent Commanders-M. W. Sage, C. W. Mackey, H. D. Hulin, W. C. Howe, D. D. Grant, Thomas Algoe, J. E. Gill, George Maloney.
Franklin Lodge, No. 3, A. O. U. W., was organized June 9, 1870. The original charter having been destroyed by fire, the present instrument was granted February 24, 1886, to W. L. Corrin, P. M. W .; M. Quinn, M. W .; George Sanderson, G. F .; S. W. Smith, O .; J. K. Elliott, R .; A. Kolb, F .; Henry T. James, R .; W. C. Ridgway, G .; J. C. Deemer, J. W .; J. Mc- Elhaney, O. W.
Franklin Legion, No. 25, S. K. of A. O. U. W., was instituted by G. C. Charles Babst March 20, 1886. H. W. Bostwick, Moses Wachtel, and B. S. Black were the first trustees; the officers were W. L. Corrin, S. C .; D. I. Dale, V. C .; M. Quinn, L. C .; B. J. Feldman, R .; Henry T. James, T .; A. Kolb, B. E. Swan, George Maloney, W. C. Ridgway, R. J. Rat- cliffe, D. A. McElhaney, and D. B. Wilhelm.
French Creek Tribe, No. 147, Improved Order of Red Men, received its charter under date of March 22, 1871. The first members were J. H. Mc- Cracken, J. H. Spencer, H. A. Plance, F. D. Sullinger, M. Singer, G. B. Fox, S. B. Myers, Alex Vincent, C. Wacksmuth, Felix Grossman, John Lytle, Edward Rial, N. B. Myers.
St. Patrick's Benevolent Society, a branch of the Irish Catholic Benevo- lent Union, was organized in November, 1875, with R. Hammond, presi- dent; B. Darrah, vice-president; H. J. Strodmeyer, secretary, and John O'Neil, treasurer.
Franklin City Lodge, No. 448, K. of P., was instituted March 13, 1876, with D. L. Potter, P. C .; N. King, C. C .; B. W. Bredin, V. C .; Reverend F. Evans, P .; M. Bridges, M. at A .; R. W. Redfield, K. of R. and S .; Joseph Walker, M. of F .; A. Y. Findlay, M. of Ex .; J. R. Connor, I. G .; Thomas Walker, O. G .; B. F. Frost, R., and fifty-four others as charter members.
Branch No. 2, Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, was instituted Jan- uary 24, 1878; the first officers were J. S. McGarry, president; P. Quin- livan, first vice-president; G. W. Sutley, treasurer; H. J. Strodmeyer, sec- retary; D. McCarthy, marshal; J. E. Maher, guard; Reverend J. Q. Adams, spiritual adviser; J. Sheehan, P. Gormley, L. J. Heffernan, J. S. McGarry, and P. Quinlivan, directors.
Crawford Lodge, No. 3, Knights and Ladies of Honor, was instituted September 15, 1879, with thirty-six charter members.
Venango Council No. 33, Royal Templars of Temperance, was insti-
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tuted March 21, 1879. The original charter was burned and the present instrument granted March 16, 1886, to D. W. Morgan, S. C .; C. W. Smith, V. C .; J. N. Fradenburgh, P. C .; D. Wilhelm, chaplain; I. E. Howard, R. D. Tipple, secretaries, and E. P. Howard, treasurer, the officers at that date.
Lockard Lodge, No. 1534. Knights of Honor, was chartered September 30, 1879. There were forty members at that time, among whom were C. M. Hoover, R. G. Lamberton, G. S. Criswell, W. W. Peters, P. Engels- kirger, W. A. Horton, and H. B. Plumer.
Franklin Loyal Orange Lodge, No. 76, was organized by George W. White December 8, 1880.
Franklin Union, No. 51, Equitable Aid Union, was constituted March 11, 1881, with Mrs. Frank E. Whann, chancellor; H. H. Ware, advocate; J. M. Dickey, president; Mrs. W. A. Horton, vice-president; Mrs. Fran- ces Evans, auxiliary; Mrs. Anna G. Adams, treasurer; Mrs. A. C. Giddings, secretary.
Nursery Union, No. 183, Equitable Aid Union, was organized in 1885 with the following officers: Samuel Huntsberger, chancellor; J. R. Bor- land, advocate; George Maloney, president; Mary L. Mallory, vice-presi- dent; J. R. Watson, treasurer; A. Kolb, secretary.
Major William B. Mays Post, No. 220, G. A. R., was mustered July 25, 1881, by Edward O. Farrelly with the following comrades and officers: Isaac St. Clair, commander; William Rickards, officer of the day; John King, adjutant; P. R. Gray, C. S. Mark, J. W. Clark, F. P. Saylor, G. W. Boyles, P. Engleskirger, J. A. King, Jacques Buscha, C. W. Mackey, D. P. Brown, C. E. Taylor, M. J. Colman, J. M. Gardener, F. I. Nolan, Al- fred Elmont, L. H. Fassett, G. O. Ellis, W. C. Howe, Samuel Lindsey, John Huston, G. D. Applegarth, Casper Frank, J. S. May, Moore Bridges, J. P. Barr, J. R. Snow, J. H. Cain, J. W. Grant, John Henninger, R. H. Woodburn, Ephraim Black, J. R. Watson, C. R. Levier, L. G. Sibley, M. Kirkland, G. W. Hemphill, J. H. Whitaker, W. A. Horton, W. S. Welsh, George Pohl, James Dunlap, J. W. Welsh, B. W. Bredin, Isa' Black, R. Hilans, W. Beuchler, B. E. Swan, and O. W. Hanson. Past Commanders: Isaac St. Clair, William Rickards, J. S. May, C. W. Howe, L. H. Fassett, C. W. Mackey, James Dunlap, G. D. Applegarth, N. P. Kinsley, and M. R. Paden.
The Woman's Relief Corps auxiliary to this post received its charter bearing date June 22, 1888, when the officers were Mrs. Mary Snowden, president; Mrs. Lauretta Mackey, S. V. P. ; Mrs. Mary Wiley, J. V. P; Mrs. Alma A. Shephard, secretary, and Mrs. Anna Rheem, treasurer.
Union Council, No. 96, Order of United Friends, was constituted Sep- tember 27, 1883, with thirty-six members, among whom were Louis Marks, Wesley E. Fuller, R. A. Bigley, Joseph Leadenham, S. DeArman, and James Johnson.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
Michael Angelo Council, No. 850, Royal Arcanum, was instituted June 8, 1885, with the following members: Fred Evans, D. C. Galbraith, J. S. Ballman, H. K. Mattern, F. Stratton, G. S. Criswell, R. B. Mattern, Edward D. Allen, W. W. Baker, A. Jackson, Henry F. James, C. W. Gilfillan, James W. Lee, E. W. Echols, Henry H. Ware, Robert McCalmont, M. C. Flower, William Shaffer, Thomas Alexander, Henry G. Sheasley, Jacob Sheasley, B. W. Bredin, N. P. Tobin, T. B. Sheasley, J. W. Reamer, George Pohl, W. W. Duffield, James Smith, E. G. Crawford, W. J. Lamberton.
Assembly No. 7281, Knights of Labor, was organized September, 10, 1886.
Father Adams Council, No. 229, Catholic Benevolent Legion, was insti- tuted July 8, 1888. The first officers were J. S. McGarry, president; M. W. Kinney, vice-president; L. J. Heffernan, orator; F. P. Lynch, secretary; Jacob L. Smith, collector; E. Jeunet, treasurer; Sebastian Wilson, marshal; W. H. Wilson, guard; John M. Riesenman, S. J. Wilson, and James P. Mc- Closkey, trustees.
Carpenter's Union, No. 401, Carpenters and Joiners of America, was organized November 1, 1888.
Franklin Circle, No. 20, Protected Home Circle, was instituted with C. W. Gilfillan, P. P .; S. P. Haslet, G .; E. Borland, president; S. Smith, vice-president; C. C. Ramsdale, secretary; H. A. Myers, treasurer; H. G. Reading, accountant; Mrs. M. Bridges, chaplain.
Franklin Lodge, No. 110, B. P. O. E., was instituted March 21, 1889, by District Deputy W. H. Wallace. The following officers were installed: Thomas McGough, E. R. ; A. Kolb, E. L. K .; James B. Borland, E. L. K., J. P. Keene, E. L. K .; H. G. Reading, secretary; E. Bleakley, treasurer; A. G. Galbrath, tyler; F. N. Raymond, Perry De Woody, and E. W. Smith, trustees.
Union No. 13, Bricklayers' and Masons' International Union of Amer- ica, was organized August 19, 1889, with James McElhinney, president; B. A. Grim, recording secretary; L. D. Hunsberger, corresponding secretary; Henry Thomas, treasurer, and Thomas Seaton, doorkeeper.
EDUCATIONAL.
The earliest educational effort in the county was the erection of a school house in West park nearly opposite the United States hotel, in 1801. It was built of unhewn logs, with clapboard floor; an enlarged space between the logs served to admit light, and below this elongated aperture a board placed in a slanting position served as a desk. James Mason was the first teacher.
In 1809 Alexander McCalmont taught a school. From the subscription paper still extant it appears that the course of instruction included only the traditional "three R's," reading, writing, and arithmetic. The length of term was three months. The patrons furnished the room and firewood, in
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addition to which the cost of tuition was two dollars. Thirty-five pupils were promised, of whom George Power, John McDonald, and Alexander McDowell each subscribed for three; Abraham Selders, Philip Houser, William Connely, James Martin, and Catharine Armstrong, each two; William Moore, Dennis Pursel, Nathaniel Hays, Samuel Monjar, William Gibson, Marcus Hulings, Robert Armstrong, Hugh Picknoll, John Atkin- son, Robert Austin, Jacob Weaver, Charles Ridgway, John Broadfoot, Samuel Plumer, Robert Dewoody, and John Ridgway, one each. As Mr. McCalmont was the only teacher in the village at that time, the above may fairly be supposed to indicate the distribution of the juvenile school population.
The Venango Academy, in its checkered career of more than fifty years, represents a system of educational work long since relegated to the past. At the laying out of the town a number of outlots were set apart for school purposes, and a similar disposition had previously been made of five hun- dred acres in the reservation proper. At that time it was the policy of the state to supplement local effort in the different counties by annnal appro- priations for school purposes. Each county had its academy, to which state aid was directed, and which thus formed part of a general plan of higher instruction. As part of this system the Venango Academy was incorporated January 28, 1813; William Moore, Alexander McDowell, John McDonald, William Connely, George Power, and Alexander McCalmont were named as the first board of trustees. Annually thereafter two members of this board were elected by the county for a term of three years. A grant of two thousand dollars was made; one thousand to be applied to the erec- tion and equipment of a suitable building, and one thousand to be invested in productive securities. No part of this, however, was available until five hundred dollars had been secured from local sources and the work of building begun. Four poor children were to receive tuition free of charge each year. It was provided that the annual income of the academy should not exceed four thousand dollars, but this restriction, it seems unnecessary to add, was never called into exercise.
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