USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 62
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The oil interests of the township are extensive. Early in the sixties William Lewis and Bonsall Brothers formed the Philadelphia & Boston Petroleum Company, which secured leases for a large territory. The first oil was struck in September, 1865, and commenced at one hundred and fifty barrels per day. This stimulated operations. The Foster island well was next; then Colonel Rogers' well, on the Foster farm. Opposite this oil was struck at a depth of six hundred and twenty-three feet, by Lewis, Bonsall Brothers, and E. Chadwick, in May, 1866, and the well was one of the most productive in the district. In December, 1865, gas was struck at the mouth of Pine Hill run. It caught fire, and in spite of all efforts to extinguish it, burned continuously three years. The grass around was green at all seasons of the year. Picnics were held here, and music 34
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
and dancing, aided by its brilliant light, furnished many an evening's amuse- ment for those who took advantage of the opportunity. Belle island, op- posite Scrubgrass, was developed by the Belle Island Petroleum Company in 1867 and 1868, and is supposed to have yielded half a million dollars' worth of oil. The region adjacent to East Sandy creek was also early devel- oped with varying success. Within recent years the Red Valley district, though comparatively small in extent, has proven a profitable and product- ive field.
VILLAGE GROWTH.
Freedom is situated in the midst of a pleasant and fertile agricultural district. The site was originally owned by Enoch Battin and John Donald- son, and the first person to live here was John Gray, whose house was on the west side of the road at the spring. The first merchant was Joshua Davis, and among his contemporaries were William Woodburn and George Gates & Brother. Andrew Borland kept the first hotel and was also the first blacksmith. John Goodwin had an ashery, where wood ashes were made to yield a variety of valuable products; and E. W. & H. M. Davis were the proprietors of a foundry. The town was laid out by James Woodburn and E. Chadwick in 1865. As a postoffice it is known under the name of Pittsville, conferred in honor of Charles Pitt Ramsdell, the first postmaster. The name of Freedom was adopted at the suggestion of E. Chadwick.
Scrubgrass is situated at Kennerdell station on the Allegheny Valley railroad opposite the mouth of Scrubgrass creek. The first house was a primitive log structure that stood between Cross' store building and the rail- road. It was the residence of Oliver McMillin, from whom the locality de- rived its earliest name, MeMillin's Bend. The place did not assume village pretensions until the discovery of oil, when Mr. McMillin sold his farm to the McMillin Oil Company by which the land is still held. Wilson Cross opened the first store in 1867, at which date there were three houses-that of McMillin, the Mackey hotel on the site of the Williams house, and Cross' store building. There was a rapid growth through the following three years, and again during the Bullion excitement. Several destructive fires have visited the place, the last in 1878. The ferry charter was granted in 1867 to John A. Canan, and passed successively to Richard Kennerdell, Williams & Van Fleet, and Hulings, Simcox & Stowe. From the fall of 1879 to February, 1881, the Allegheny, Kennerdell, and Clintonville railroad bridge afforded a means of crossing the river. In 1882 J. R. Williams, A. Hahn, and others established a second ferry, and from that date the legality of the franchise originally granted to Canan has been involved in litigation. By a recent decision of the supreme court its validity has been favorably passed upon, thus ending a legal struggle in which the entire community has been interested. D. K. Buchanan is the present proprietor of the old ferry.
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ROCKLAND TOWNSHIP.
Davis' Corners. - Jacob Smith originally owned the site of this hamlet. He sold to John S. Mckean, from whom the place derived its first name, McKean's Corners. Charles Shippen established the first store. William Gates succeeded to his business, and then for a time the name was Gates' Corners. The next merchant was H. M. Davis, in whose honor the present name was conferred. This is the seat of Rockland postoffice, to which Daniel Smith was first appointed.
Rockland Lodge, No. 952, I. O. O. F., has a charter bearing date Sep- tember 27, 1877. The first officers were as follows: D. R. Lusher, N. G. ; J. Witherup, V. G .; J. B. Forker, secretary; J. B. Glenn, A. S., and W. B. Gilger, treasurer.
Smith's Corners, at the intersection of the road from Brandon's ferry to Freedom with the road from Falling Springs to East Sandy, is certainly so named with eminent propriety, there being seven families of Smiths living upon the land settled in 1834 by William Smith.
Barr's Corners comprises five families; Milton Barr originally owned the land, but no business has been established until recent years.
Miller's Corners is situated at the intersection of the road from St. George's siding to Davis' Corners with the road from East Sandy to Rock- land station. There is one store, opened by James Miller.
Georgeville, on Pine run in the eastern part of the township, is so named in honor of George S. Myers, who came to this locality in 1833 from Harford county, Maryland, and built a mill in 1835-36 upon the site of the present mill, which was erected in 1879. Less than half a dozen houses, the mill, and a church constitute the village.
CHURCHES.
Rockland Presbyterian Church was organized in 1822 by the Presbytery of Allegheny. Reverend Robert McGarrugh was the first preacher, and the first services were conducted in a log house and in a tent. James Morrow gave the ground for the first church building, which was situated half a mile from the present location. Here a frame building was erected in 1835-36. Joshua Davis gave the lot for the present building at Freedom. The following persons have served as elder since the organization: James Hall, William McClatchey, Matthew McDowell, Stephen Arnold, John S. McKean, William Donaldson, Andrew Bell, Thomas Jolly, Robert Porter, Christopher Cox, J. W. Glenn, and James Jolly. The succession of pastors has been as follows: Reverends John Glenn, William McMichael, Samuel Kinkaid, M. M. Shirley, Andrew Virtue, J. C. Hench, S. P. Dillon, and A. S. Elliott.
Rockland Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first class was organized by Reverend Dorsey of Shippenville circuit with seven members, viz. : David and Mary Smith, Peter and Polly Lovell, Mr. Lovell's aged mother,
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
John and Hannah Prior. The organization was effected at the house of David Smith. In 1830 a very effective revival was held under the ministry of Reverend J. C. Ayers, resulting in thirty conversions. Among the early pastors were Reverends I. C. Sacket, A. A. Callender, J. Johnson, Job Wilson, John Scott, and A. Jackson. Rockland circuit was formed in 1862 and has received the following appointments: C. W. Bear, 1862-63; A. H. Bowers, 1864-65; J. Abbott, 1866-67; R. B. Boyd, 1868-70; McVey Troy, 1871; J. W. Wilson, 1872; E. M. Kemick, 1873-74; W. M. Taylor, 1875-76; W. S. Shepard, 1877-78; J. Garnett, 1879-80; R. M. Felt, 1881-83; W. A. Baker, 1884-85; L. W. Showers, 1886; W. E. Frampton, 1887-88. In 1832-33 the first church edifice was erected. It was replaced by the present building in 1867-68. The ground was given by Jacob Smith. The cemetery under control of the trustees of this church com- prises an acre of ground jointly given by Daniel Smith and Abraham Lusher, since enlarged by purchase.
Pine Hill Church, Church of God, originated in a series of meetings conducted by Reverends Werts and Hickernell in 1842 at Pine Hill school house. Jacob Bolinger was the first elder, and among the first members were Mrs. Sarah Carner, Susan Thomas, Mary Glenn, Mary Stroup, An- drew Carner, and Abram Flowers. Reverends Woods, Richmond, Myers, Logue, and Kline were among the early preachers; Gellantine, Bartle- baugh, Hovis, James, and J. W. Davis have served in this capacity in recent years. The church building was erected in 1859, Peter Stroup, Adam Steffee, and Eli Carner acting as the building committee.
Rockland Cumberland Presbyterian Church, during the period of its ex- istence, had the following pastors: Reverends Hatton, Murphy, Law, Os- borne, Moore, Gallagher, and Bowman. The first elders were John Shan- non, Abraham Witherup, and John Shaw. The church stood on the farm of John Shannon and was probably built in 1842. The congregation dis- banded about ten years ago.
Georgeville Methodist Episcopal Church .- The class at this place was organized by Reverends Scofield and Munks of Shippenville circuit. Peter Prior was the first class leader and several members of the Myers family were active members of the first organization. The church building was erected in 1858 and is a frame structure of attractive appearance. Since the formation of Rockland circuit this congregation has shared in the labors of the pastors of Rockland church.
Rockland Evangelical Chapel was built in the autumn of 1884, and dedicated February 15, 1885. The class was organized in 1885 by Rever- end T. Bach, with twenty members, .of whom William Domer was first leader. The preachers on Venango circuit had been accustomed to preach in the Domer school house many years previously.
Red Lion Chapel was built in 1877 for the use of all denominations.
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PINEGROVE TOWNSHIP.
SCHOOLS.
The first school house in the township stood on the farm of John Hetz- ler, and the second was built on the same farm near the Jolly school house. Jane Porter and James Donaldson were the first teachers. Another early school house was built on land then owned by David Smith, now by Abra- ham Lusher, and William Parker was one of the first teachers here. The site of the Shannon school house has been used for educational purposes from an early date and was originally given by Andrew Maitland. Sylves- ter Randall, William and Robert Walker were early teachers here. Pine Hill school house was built on vacant ground owned by the Bingham estate,. and, among the early pedagogues here were Rebecca Layton, Nancy Will- iams, and Calvin Johnson. John Graham gave the ground for Red Lion school house. In the eastern part of the township no school house was erected until after the adoption of the public school system, when the Shearer school house was built. The report of the state superintendent of public instruction for 1877 gives the following as the respective dates at which the school houses of that time were built: The Jolly school house, 1854; the Collingwood, 1856; the Weaver, 1859; the Shannon, 1861; the Red Lion, 1864; the Western, 1868; the Domer, 1867; the Scrubgrass, 1868; the Pine Oak, 1869.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
PINEGROVE TOWNSHIP.
ORGANIZATION-EARLY LAND OWNERSHIP-SETTLEMENT-MILLS-VILLAGES -COAL, OIL, AND GAS-CHURCHES-SCHOOLS.
P INEGROVE occupies the southeastern portion of the county, adjoin- ing President on the north and Cranberry on the west. The adja- cent townships of Clarion county on the south and east are Ashland, Elk, and Washington; Tionesta township, Forest county, forms part of the north- eastern boundary. The surface is much diversified. Porcupine creek and Reis run, branches of Hemlock, drain the northeastern part; Sandy creek flows through the township a distance of three miles, and with its two affluents, Glade and Prairie runs, waters the southern portion; Horse creek receives a few unimportant tributaries from the western section.
Organization. - Upon petition of a number of citizens of Pinegrove and Farmington townships at August sessions, 1823, it was ordered at February
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
sessions, 1824, that the former should be organized and that Farmington and Toby's Creek should be provisionally attached thereto. The bound- aries of Pinegrove at this time were as follows: "Beginning at the north corner of Fairfield township on the Allegheny river, thence up the same to the west boundary of tract No. 2844 granted to William Willink and others, thence south to the southwest corner thereof, thence east to the northeast corner of tract No. 2826, granted to William Willink and others, thence south to the southeast corner of tract No. 2801, granted to William Willink and others, thence west to the east boundary of tract No. 2539, granted as above, thence south to the corner thereof, thence west to the southeast corner of Fairfield township, thence by the same north to the place of beginning." Farmington was separately organized in 1828, and in 1866 upon the annexation of part of Venango to Forest county, Pinegrove was reduced to its present limits. It is one of the smallest subdivisions of the county.
PIONEERS.
In 1786-87, ten years before this region was regularly opened for sur- vey and settlement, Dickinson College at Carlisle received a grant of land from the state, of which three thousand acres were located in Pinegrove and surveyed in nine tracts of about three hundred acres each. In consid- eration of an appropiation in money, this was allowed to revert to the state. In 1823 it was resurveyed in eighteen tracts. These lands occupy the cen- tral and southern portions of the township. A still larger holding was that of the Lancaster Land Company, successor to part of the interests of a much larger association known as the Holland Land Company. Among the mem- bers of the former were Henry Shippen and Samuel Miller. Upon the dis- A solution of the company and the division of its lands by lot, they came into possession of large areas in this township. This region was surveyed in tracts of nine hundred and ninety acres, one mile wide, five hundred twenty- three and three-tenths rods long. Tracts numbered 2541, 2566, 2634, 2678 upon the survey were allotted to Miller; Marvin Perry bought Nos. 2531 and 2535 from the county commissioners; Shippen's various holdings aggre- gated about five thousand acres. It was with difficulty that settlers could be induced to take these lands at two dollars per acre.
What is known as the state road was originally opened in 1812, to trans- port military and naval stores from the east to Lake Erie. The Hemlock road was also opened at an early date. King's highway is said to have de- rived its name from the local sobriquet of a resident along its course, whose efforts to "run" the township in matter of politics gained for him the name of "King David."
John Hicks, Sr., a hunter, built a cabin on the state road and was living here when the first permanent settlers appeared. His name is among the taxables of 1805, assessed .at forty-one dollars. The cabin was afterward
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PINEGROVE TOWNSHIP.
occupied by Ebenezer Kingsley, also of migratory habits, who was assessed for eleven dollars worth of property in 1805. As the bounty on old wolves was ten dollars, and on young ones five, hunting was not an unprofitable calling while game was plenty. Two wolf dens are still pointed out, one in the hills of Sandy creek, the other in the northern part of the township. The timber was burned over every year, and afforded excellent pasturage.
The first permanent settler was H. G. Spofford, who bought a large tract from Shippen with the intention of selling out at a profit to smaller purchasers. He located here in 1817 and made some slight improvements on the farm now owned by George Powell, but never paid anything on his purchase and left in 1819. He afterward established Spofford's Magazine in one of the eastern cities, and seems to have been something of a literary character. A Swiss family, Amsler by name, moved into the house vacated by Spofford. They remained but a few years. Samuel Powell became a settler July 19, 1818. He was from Concord, New Hampshire, and had been a soldier in the war of 1812, after which he engaged in the shoe business at Albany, New York, where Shippen was then advertising his lands. He started for the west with a two-horse team; at Olean he trans- ferred the household effects to a "family boat," by which they were safely carried down the river. The horses were to have followed by a bridle-path, but were lost through the rascality of the guide to whom they were in- trusted. The first birth of a white child in the township was that of George W. Powell, and occurred February 5, 1819. Jeremiah Johnson, also from Concord, New Hampshire, located on land now owned by Thomas McLough- lin. He worked for Spofford a year and a half with the promise of land in payment, but lost all when the latter became insolvent. In the spring of 1819 A. G. Siverly moved into Powell's house. He made improvements in the vicinity of Unionville, and his family afterward gave the name to Siverly.
Among the first settlers in the neighborhood of Centerville was John Stover, who was followed by two brothers, Peter and Matthias. This fam- ily was originally from Maryland. They had lived in Rockland township previous to locating here, to which they were induced by the comparative smoothness of the land. John Stover cut a road from Sandy creek, four miles, over which he drove the first wagon into this part of the township. In 1830 George Blosser, with a large family, settled near Stover. He was from the Nittany valley. Marvin Perry, a county commissioner at an early date, located on tract No. 2531 in the southwestern part of the town- ship. May 16, 1834, John McCalmont settled on what is known as the Deshner farm. North of Unionville there was a settlement of Massachusetts people, among whom the names of Gilson, Hale, Whitney, and Dimond appear. Two brothers Gayetty, also from Massachusetts, were residents as early as 1828; Charles Gayetty drilled a well by hand at the mouth of Horse creek, which produced salt water in paying quantities, but was never de-
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
veloped. William Walker, an early school teacher, and Alexander Craig, an old man when he came here, were among the first to make improvements in the central part of the township. Henry Schwab, Sr., bought part of the Dickinson tract. Jacob Byers, born in Fayette county in 1798, was an early resident near Lineville. Among the first deaths was that of Ebenezer Kingsley's little son, who died from the bite of a rattlesnake in 1816. His sister died the following year and their graves were marked by a rude inclos- ure of rough logs in a secluded spot on the state road.
For some years milling was done at Best's mill on Pine creek, a branch of Clarion river, fifteen miles distant; and at a mill on Deer creek, a mile from Shippenville. Afterward Elliott's mill at the mouth of Hemlock and Myer's mill on East Sandy at the crossing of the old Susquehanna turn- pike became more convenient. The first mill in the township was built in 1834 on East Sandy by J. F. Rickenbrode; it is still standing, but has not been in use for years. Ephraim Kulp built the first saw mill on Prairie run. There is no stream in the township of sufficient volume to furnish the required power for a mill, and steam has not yet been used for that purpose.
VILLAGES.
Centerville was laid out in 1859 by Jacob Dietrich. The site was pre- viously owned by Andrew Campbell and David Derkson. The first house was built by Dietrich, who was from eastern Pennsylvania, settled in Beaver township, Clarion county, and removed to Pinegrove prior to 1840. This house was near that still occupied by his family. J. H. Stuck built the first hotel, put up a sign, and thought of calling the town Lorrahville, that being the name of a small village near St. Petersburg, Clarion county. James Anderson suggested Centerville, as the place was situated half way between Fryburg and East Sandy, President and Kossuth. The propriety of this was at once apparent, and the name still retains popular significance, although the postoffice designation is Fertig. There are two churches in the town, two stores, a hotel, and perhaps a dozen houses.
Coal Hill can hardly be regarded as a village, but is the mail distrib- uting point of a thickly settled locality. The only telegraph office in the township is in the vicinity.
Lineville is partly in Clarion county, at the intersection of five roads. It was laid out by A. W. Owen and Samuel F. Plumer in 1854; each had eighteen lots and the selling price was twenty-five dollars per lot. At that time the country east of the county line was all woods. There was but one house, now the residence of J. W. Kahl, who opened the first store in 1860. In 1867 Mr. Owen opened a hotel. There are now two general stores, blacksmith, harness, and wagon shops, twenty-two houses, and a population of one hundred. The Lineville Anti-Horsethief Com- pany numbers more than a hundred members with the following officers:
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PINEGROVE TOWNSHIP.
President, T. E. Baker; treasurer, Simon Korb; secretary, A. L. Byers. The membership has doubled in the past ten years. The annual meeting is held on the last Saturday in May.
Unionville was laid out in 1865 by Israel Anderson, and was so named by G. W. Miller. It is also known as Sawtown. One store and three houses constitute the village proper.
COAL, OIL, AND GAS.
Coal was first mined in 1852 by William S. Karnes, on his farm at Coal Hill. There are three veins, three feet, eighteen inches, and four feet thick, respectively. The second vein is comparatively free from sulphur, and has been hauled as far as Titusville and Tidioute, for use in forges. The de- posits have not been exhausted, but owing to the discovery of gas, mining operations have been indefinitely suspended.
The principal oil developments have been made within the past year, upon what is known as the Deshner farm. A number of wells have been drilled here with the most gratifying results. During the first oil excite- ment in the southwestern part of the township Gas City enjoyed an ephem- eral existence.
In April, 1885, what is known as the Speechley gas sand was discovered at the depth of two thousand feet, the deepest drilling in the county up to this time. This discovery was made on the farm of Samuel Speechley. The first well supplied Franklin, Oil City, and Titusville with fuel several months. It blew off four months with a pressure estimated at four thou- sand pounds per square inch. This territory was originally leased by the Columbia Gas Company, since consolidated with the Natural Gas Trust.
CHURCHES.
The Methodist Church of Centreville was organized in 1836, with six members, of whom Samuel Stover was leader. They worshiped for a time at the house of John Stover. The present church edifice, a frame structure, was dedicated August 18, 1872.
The Free Methodist Church, near Coal Hill, was built in 1886.
The Lutheran Church, of Centreville, was built in 1864, but the congre- gation has disbanded.
Immanuel Church of the Evangelical Association, at Lineville, was organized in 1860. A log building was at once erected, then a frame structure in 1864, and the present attractive edifice in 1882.
The Methodist Church, of Lineville, was built in 1849, upon land jointly given by Moore & Seymour, William C. Hollis, and A. W. Owen, and re- placed in 1885 by the present place of worship.
SCHOOLS.
The first school house was built in 1835, on the President road, and the
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
first teacher here was John B. McCalmont. The Pennsylvania school report for 1877 gives the following regarding subsequent teachers: "G. S. Cris- well, John McKissick, and C. Heydrick, of the Venango county bar; John Fertig, who has been twice mayor of Titusville and a member of the legis- lature; John Gilger, a lawyer in Iowa; G. W. Beatty and William Domer, both of whom are ministers; F. D. Sullinger, John McCrea, and George McCray, are among the number who have been teachers in Pinegrove."
CHAPTER XXXV.
CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP.
BOUNDARIES-POPULATION-ORGANIZATION-PIONEERS - INDUSTRIES OF THE PAST AND PRESENT-VILLAGE GROWTH-SCHOOLS-CHURCHES.
C' YRANBERRY township is the largest subdivision of the county. Bor- dering upon the Allegheny river a distance of twenty miles, its bound- aries include a populous and diversified territory. The principal streams are Horse creek, Sage run, Lower Two Mile run, and Hall's run, a branch of East Sandy creek.
In 1870 the population was two thousand three hundred and thirty- seven, and in 1880, two thousand four hundred and thirty-four.
February 4, 1830, "Upon the petition of divers inhabitants of Cran- berry township, east of the Allegheny river and now attached to French Creek township " for separate organization, the court appointed Barnhart Martin, Benjamin Junkin, and John Jolly commissioners to inquire into the necessity and propriety of the proposed change. At April sessions they re- ported favorably to the separate organization of Cranberry with the follow- ing boundaries: "Beginning at the mouth of the Six Mile run on the Alle- gheny river, keeping up the main branches of the said Six Mile run until it crosses the east line of a tract of land warranted in the name of William Willink and marked on the draught of the county No. 2528; from thence a north course along the east line of the following tracts of land warranted in the name of William Willink and marked on the above mentioned county draught by the numbers 2529, 2549, 2552, 2661, 2670, 2683, and 2687; and from thence continuing a straight line until it reaches the Allegheny river at a point where Pinegrove township reaches the said river, and from thence down the said river to the place of beginning." This differs slightly from the language used in defining the township in 1806, when originally laid
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