History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 64

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 64

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OHURCHES.

Cranberry Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized Monday, October 2, 1837, with the following members: John Parker, Joseph Mc- Bride, George Milner, John Mckinney, William Dixon, John McBride, Alexander Shannon, Peter Smith, William Brandon, Thomas Wilson, John Shannon, John Smith, Samuel Morrison, Rachel Mckinney, Frances Long, Elizabeth Shannon, Elizabeth McBride, M. A. Mccutcheon, Maria Allison,

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

B. A. Shannon, Mary Zeigler, Elizabeth Smith, Mary Smith, Rebecca Rose, M. J. Mckinney, Mary Wilson, Sarah Shannon, Elizabeth Brandon, M. A. Smith, Susannah Zeigler, Agnes McBride, Catharine McBride, James Bran- don, Catharine Parker, Elizabeth Wilson, and Hannah McCaman. John Shannon and Peter Smith were elected elders and installed on the following Sabbath. Ground was given by Hutchinson Borland, and a log church building erected thereon by the joint efforts of Presbyterians and Method- ists. There is no continuous record of church proceedings from 1840 to 1861, when Reverend I. C. T. McClelland, under direction of presbytery, visited Cranberry and reorganized the church with twenty-eight members, of whom J. H. Borland and Andrew Shiner were elected elders. Joseph Chambers, William H. Miller, and A. H. Diven were chosen to that office March 28, 1874; S. J. Downing, J. R. Stroud, and William Moore, in June, 1881. Mr. McClelland was pastor until 1864; Reverend Joseph A. Bow- man, from 1870 to 1884; J. T. Johnson, 1884-85; D. A. Cooper, 1886-89; and Reverend R. N. Grossman assumed charge in 1889. The last sacra- mental service in the old church was held in the winter of 1870. Measures were taken to repair it, resulting in the erection of the present place of wor- ship at Salem City, which was dedicated January 6, 1871, Reverend J. M. Gallagher preaching the dedicatory sermon.

St. Catharine's Roman Catholic Church .- Among the early Catholic families of Cranberry were those of Owen Reed, Patrick Gormley, Matthew Gibbons, John McCormick, Owen Boyle, and John Byrns. At the period when stage coaches were the means of conveyance between Bellefonte, Brookville, and Pittsburgh, in the central and southern parts of the state, and Meadville and Erie in the northwest, priests traveling between these places frequently stopped at the house of Owen Boyle, who settled on the old turn- pike in 1834. Mass was celebrated and the sacraments occasionally admin- istered here. Among the first missionary priests whose names could be ascertained were Fathers Masquelet, O' Rafferty, Mallinger, Gallagher, and Slattery. The stone dwelling house on the south side of the pike where it crosses Hall's run, was dedicated by Bishop Young, and was the first place of worship owned by this denomination in the county. Since the organ- ization of the parishes of Franklin, Oil City, and Emlenton, this congregation has been looked after by the pastors of those towns, and is now a mission in charge of Father McCloskey of Franklin. The present church edifice at Salina was dedicated by Bishop Mullen, September 16, 1888.

Salem Methodist Episcopal Church was organized at some time between 1845 and 1850, by Reverend Richard Carothers at Lee's school house near the pike a mile from Oil City. Mrs. James Lee, Mrs. Harriet Lake, Jane and Mary Long, and James Shaffer (leader), with three or four others, con- stituted the first class. Reverends John Crumm and James Shields were the first preachers after the place of worship had been removed to Salem

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CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP.

City. Years before this, however, Reverend John Abbott had preached at the house of Ephraim Rose on the hill above Horse creek, and for some time the old log church was occupied jointly with the Presbyterians. In 1866 the frame church at Salem was built. The parsonage was erected in 1882. This is the residence of the pastors of Cranberry circuit, which has received the following appointments since its formation: 1879-80, E. R. Knapp; 1881- 82, S. Dimmick; 1883-84, S. P. Douglass; 1885-86, W. E. Frampton: 1877-88, W. S. Gearhart.

Heckathorn Church of the Evangelical Association was organized in 1846, with Henry Heckathorn as first class leader. Among the first mem- bers were George Heckathorn, Jacob Heckathorn and his wife, Mrs. Sarah Coldron, and Mrs. Sarah Haney. Among the first preachers were Reverends Foy, McClain, Dick, Huniger, Rosenberger, Crossman, and Pfifer. The frame church building was erected in 1865. The burial ground adjoining was set apart for that purpose by Henry Heckathorn in 1846. Interments had been made here previous to that date, but the earliest inscription upon a tombstone bears the year 1848.

Mt. Zion Church was built in 1848, by a Lutheran congregation organized March 7, 1846, by Reverend Kyle, a German minister. The Zeigler, Wilhelm, Sleppey, and Rote families constituted the early membership. Lutheran services were continued seventeen years by Reverends Kyle, Welcker, Dun- meyer, Weicksel, Nunner, and others. The Methodist class was organized in 1868, and David Zeigler was the first class leader. The Sunday school, of which James Bowman was first superintendent, has long been a useful adjunct of the church.

Victory Methodist Episcopal Church .- The erection of a church building at this point was begun in 1869, and the dedication occurred December 4, 1870. It was destroyed by fire in the autumn of 1866. The present place of worship was dedicated December 16, 1888. The class was organized in 1858, with the following members: Simon Nicklin and wife, Jacob Wilt and wife, J. K. Dale and wife, James Mccutcheon and wife, Samuel Hughes and wife, J. P. Morrison and wife, Charles Ridgway and wife, and Mary Hughes.

Meadows Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1866 with about forty members, of whom John C. Mckenzie was first class leader. The place of worship was erected in 1874. Prior to the formation of Cran- berry circuit this appointment formed part of President circuit.

The First Baptist Church of Salina originated in a protracted meeting held in April, 1874, by Reverend J. L. Bailey, which resulted in sixty con- versions. The organization occurred June 21, 1874, Reverend R. H. Aus- tin, officiating. Mrs. L. D. Barr, James Aiken, and James Wigton were elected trustees. Mr. Bailey was installed as first pastor July 14, 1874. The frame church building, erected through the efforts of a building com-

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

mittee composed of Mrs. L. D. Barr, James Wigton, and H. J. Sayers, was dedicated in October, 1876. For several years past the church has been without a pastor.

The Bredinsburg Methodist Episcopal Church is an organization of recent origin, the result of revival meetings conducted by Reverend S. P. Douglass. A church building is in course of erection.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

CANAL TOWNSHIP.

ERECTION AND BOUNDARIES - PHYSICAL FEATURES -- TIMBER - WATER- COURSES-EARLY SETTLEMENT-LIST OF PIONEERS-INDUSTRIES- HANNAVILLE-EDUCATIONAL-CEMETERIES-RELIGIOUS.

C ANAL township was created from Sugar Creek November 28, 1833, and received its name from the old French Creek canal, which ran along its southern border parallel with French creek. It occupies the north western part of the county and is bounded by Crawford county on the north, Jackson and Sugar Creek townships on the east, French Creek on the south, and Mercer county on the west. The physical features are agreeably varied, the surface being high and broken along French and Sugar creeks, and gently undulating in the interior, the whole characterized by a soil of sur- prising depth and fertility. Few places in the county afford more pictur- esque and romantic views than can be obtained from the lofty hills and highlands along French creek in the vicinity of Utica, while in striking con- trast are the beautiful valleys in the various parts of the township where scenes of a more quiet and peaceful nature predominate. Originally the surface of the township was covered with a heavy forest growth, the greater part of which has long since disappeared, much having been ruthlessly de- stroyed by the early settlers in clearing and developing their farms. As an agricultural region Canal stands prominent among her sister townships of the county, all the fruits and cereals usually raised in first-class farming countries being of prolific growth and large returns. Stock raising has en- gaged the attention of her people to some extent, while a number of attempts have been made at different times to bring to light the hidden wealth of oil and coal which lies beneath her wooded hills and verdant valleys.

The township is well watered and drained by a number of water courses which traverse the country in various directions, the most important being

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CANAL TOWNSHIP.

French creek, which forms the southern boundary. It affords an outlet for .

numerous smaller streams among which is the west branch of Sugar creek flow- ing through the central part of the township. Other water courses are Spruce run, Sutley's or McCune's run, and smaller creeks designated by no particular names, all of which play an important part in the drainage of the country. Numerous springs of the coolest water are to be seen issuing from the hills in various parts of the township, and the majority of the people obtain their water supply from these sources.

PIONEERS.

According to reasonably well founded supposition the Johnston family appear to have been the first white people to settle permanently within the present limits of Canal township. While this is questioned by some who claim priority of settlement it is a well established fact that Hugh Johnston and several sons, all men grown, came to the county as early as the year 1797 and located homes in the vicinity of Utica, the former making his first improvements about one mile east of the site of that borough on what is known as the Service place; while a son, Alexander, opened a farm one- half mile up the creek. If settlements were made.in the township prior to the above date such fact is not definitely known. Hugh Johnston was a native of Ireland, but came to Venango from Huntingdon county, Pennsyl- vania, which part of the state furnished many of the early settlers of Canal and adjoining townships. He is remembered as a man of much force of char- acter, an intelligent and reliable citizen, and one of the leading men of the community in which he resided. He died early in the present century and was laid to rest in the old Johnston graveyard, the first place consecrated to the burial of the dead in the township.

Of his sons the best known was Alexander, who early became one of the leading spirits in the settlement and development of the country. Alex- ander Johnston was an active business man, accumulated a valuable tract of real estate, and reared a large family, his sons, Hugh, Jr., Anthony, Alex- ander, Robert, and James afterward becoming well known and substantial citizens of Canal. Robert Johnson, a brother of Alexander, Sr., settled on what is now the old Hasson homestead about two miles east of Utica, and James Johnston, another brother, lived with his father Hugh until the lat- ter's death, when he became owner of the home farm. Several descendants of this old family still live in Canal township and are justly ranked among its most substantial citizens. -

It is impossible to name the early settlers in the order of their arrival, as the years from 1798 to 1808 witnessed the influx of quite a number of pio- neers of whom but meager facts and data are remembered. John and James Foster were among the early permanent residents in the northeastern part of the township, settling near Sugar creek valley, where descendants of the

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

former still live. James was an early major of militia, a title by which he was known for years, and is remembered as a man of excellent reputation. Archibald, John, and William were sons of John Foster, the last named still living on the home farm.

Jacob Whitman settled about one and a half miles northwest of Canal Center in an early day and had several sons, namely: John, who subsequently moved to Sugar Creek township; William, a self-educated physician of the olden time, and Jonathan, who a number of years ago emigrated to Illinois. Among the early settlers in the vicinity of Utica was Thomas Logue, who with his sons: John, Alexander, Hugh, and George located on what is known as the Elwinger place about one-half mile east of the town. Logue was a typical backwoodsman and belonged to that easy-going, careless class of people which usually lead the van of civilization into all new countries.

A settlement was made on French creek about one and a half miles below Utica early in the present century by Thomas Smiley, or " Uncle Tom," as he was more familiarly known. He subsequently disposed of his place and moved to Franklin. His sons: Armstrong, James, John H., and Philip, the last named still living at the county seat, were well-known citizens of Ve- nango county.

Among the first settlers in the central part of the township was William Brown who located at Canal Center, where he developed a farm and opened a tavern for the accommodation of such travelers as saw fit to accept and pay for his hospitalities. He came to this county from New York state and boasted of having served in the army of Washington throughout the war for American independence. His house was for years a well-known stop- ping place on the old stage route and within its hospitable walls many scenes of good cheer and conviviality are said to have taken place. Henry, Amos, Royal, Horace, and Oliver Brown were sons of William, and can be classed with the early settlers of the township.

Luther Thomas, a local minister of the Methodist church, settled three miles northeast of Utica on the Black farm, and about the same time Christopher and Michael Sutley made improvements in the township, the former improving a farm two and a half miles east of Utica and the latter settling near Canal Center. John Coxson came to the township in quite an early day and settled three miles from Utica; he had two sons, William and John, the latter an artist and successful lawyer in the western part of the state.

James McCune came to the township prior to the year 1805, and settled on French creek opposite the Heydrick farm, improving the place where his grandson, James, Jr., now lives. He moved here from the eastern part of the state and died on the home farm in 1840. His son William, born in the township in the year 1806, was a resident of the same until his death in May, 1889.

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CANAL TOWNSHIP.

Prominent among the pioneers in the vicinity of Canal Center was Joseph Deets, who settled a short distance southwest of the village, adjoining the place where Alexander Johnston now lives. A man of energy and rare business tact Mr. Deets succeeded in accumulating the valuable property upon which his son Samuel now resides.

As early as the year 1809, John Hastings was living two miles east of Utica, where his son William now resides, and about the same time William Hood settled the Harrison farm two miles northwest of the village. William, John, Moses, Samuel, James, Blair, and Thomas Hood, sons of William, were well-known residents of the township. Samuel and Lewis Burson were early settlers in the Whitman neighborhood, and John Wilson, one of the first justices of the peace, made improvements many years ago on the Fra- zier farm near the Sugar Creek line. John Duffield moved from French Creek township in an early day and developed a farm one and a half miles from Utica. He had three sons: John, William, and Philip, all well-known residents of the county. Samuel Ray was an early settler, as were also John and Alexander Ray, the last named having made his first improvements on the Singleton farm east of Utica. John Ray purchased the Hood farm east of the village, but it is not known where Samuel Ray made his settle- ment. Thomas Singleton subsequently purchased the Alexander Ray prop- erty, and can be appropriately named with the early settlers of the township.

Samuel Black, an early township official, and an active business man, settled about two miles above Utica, and his neighbor in an early day was John Daily, who afterward removed to another part of the township. Jacob Lupher was a prominent settler near Canal Center, and is remembered as a public-spirited citizen and a warm friend and patron of churches and schools. He had the following sons, namely: John, Andrew, Barnett, Wesley, Hiram, Sylvester M., and Jacob P., two of whom, Barnett and S. M., are still resi- dents of Canal. Henry Hart was an early settler near the Mercer county line, where two sons, Abraham and Samuel Hart, still live, and in the Lu- pher neighborhood there settled a number of years ago Thomas Lupher, a brother of Jacob, and the Hill brothers, namely: William, James, John, and Andrew, all of whom made improvements in the vicinity of Canal Center. William Harrison became a resident of the township prior to the year 1820, and four years later John L. Hasson, one of the earliest settlers in French Creek township, moved to Canal and settled where his son, John C., lives about one and a half miles from Utica. Mr. Hasson was an honored resi- dent of the township until his death, in 1885, and of his family the following are still living in the vicinity of the old homestead: William, Hugh, John C., James S., Mrs. Angeline Boughner, and Samuel D.

Additional to the foregoing list of pioneers the following persons came to Canal at an early date and settled in different parts of the township: John Cooper in the Hasson neighborhood; William and David Gilmore near

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

the present site of Utica; Jacob Siner in the vicinity of Canal Center; W. P. Clough in the same locality; William and John Boughner not far from Hannaville, and John Mawhinney, two and a half miles east of Utica. The following may also be classed among the early residents: Samuel Bean, William Wright, Abiel Sweet, Chancy Hart, Mr. Rifenberg, John Douglas, George Douglas, Adam Peters, Mr. Marsh, Thomas Hefferman, Thomas Will- iams, M. H. Clough, William Smith, Isaac Hanna, John Graham and sons James and John, David Taylor, William Hays, Thomas Beightol, John Mead, John McQuaid, Jonathan Boyer, John Andre, Thomas Aten, David Crouch, Silas Crouch, William Cooly, John Paden, John White, John Menter, Joshua Woods, Samuel Anderson, and William Groves.

The population in 1880 was one thousand and thirty.

INDUSTRIES.

Canal township is essentially an agricultural region and as such ranks among the best farming districts of the county. But little attention has been given by her citizens to manufacturing enterprises of any kind, the only efforts in that direction having been a few lumbering mills and a flour- ing mill, nearly all of which ceased operations a number of years ago. The first mill in the township was a small affair for the manufacture of lumber, built by Royal Brown on Spruce run, the water of which furnished the motive power. This mill was in operation but a few years, and did a small but fairly lucrative business. A flouring mill was erected by John Hastings in the eastern part of the township, when the country was new, and did a good business for a mill of its capacity. The building was a good sized frame structure, supplied with fair machinery, and received its motive power from the waters of Spruce run. The building is still standing but the hum of its machinery has not been heard since about the year 1845. Jacob Siner built a saw mill on the same creek, about two and a half miles above the grist mill in an early day, and after operating it a few years sold out to John Lupher, who rebuilt the mill and supplied it with new and improved ma- chinery. It was operated with fair success for some time, but is now stand- ing idle, the dam having been broken down many years ago. William McClure built a saw mill on Black's run in the northwest part of the town- ship at an early day, and subsequently sold to James McCune, by whom it was last operated. A part of the old building is still standing, but the machinery has disappeared long since. The Lubold saw mill in the north- central part of the township, erected by Martin Lubold, is still in operation.

An early industry of the township was an ashery for the manufacture of potash, constructed about 1847 by Jesse Shields, who abandoned the busi- ness a couple of years later. It stood about a mile and a half northeast of Utica, and is well remembered by the older citizens of the community.

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CANAL TOWNSHIP.

HANNAVILLE.

The only village in Canal is situated near the geographical center of the township, and from its location was for many years known by the name of Canal Center. The first improvement in the place was made by William Brown, who as early as the year 1819 opened a house for the accommoda- tion of the traveling public on the old stage line or Waterford and Susque- hanna turnpike. This was known in the early days of the county as "the Brown or Long Porch House," and was afterward kept by Isaac Hanna, who gave the present name to the village. J. L. Foster and . others suc- ceeded Hanna in looking after the comfort and accommodation of travelers, .and about the year 1846 or 1847 a stock of goods was brought to the place by L. M. Hanna and Erastus Hart. After continuing as partners a few years Hanna became sole owner of the store and for some time carried on a fairly successful business when he was succeeded by his brother, W. H. H. Hanna, who subsequently effected a co-partnership with a Mr. McKissick. Additional to the foregoing the following were identified with the commer. cial interests of the place from time to time: Lupher & Boughner, Bean & Lupher, Clough & Taylor, and a Mr. Sherrett. E. M. Brown began busi- ness in 1863, and is still in the place. About the year 1842 John Lupher engaged in the manufacture of threshing machines at Canal Center, in which he met with encouraging success. After carrying on the business a number of years he discontinued the manufacture of threshers, and turned his atten- tion to wagon-making, in which branch of trade he also met with good pat- ronage. His son was afterward associated with him, and the firm thus formed continued until 1883, when the business was abandoned.

EDUCATIONAL.

. That the pioneers of Canal township set a proper value upon educational training is evident from the fact that schools were established in nearly every neighborhood as soon as a sufficient number of children could be got- ten together for the purpose. One of the earliest schools was taught by Jacob Norcross in a small cabin on the Wentworth farm, opposite the Hey- drick farm, in the fall and winter of 1808-9. It was patronized by the fam- ilies of Samuel Evans, Samuel Bunnell, John Coxson, James McCune, Will- iam Hood, Alexander Johnston, Thomas Russell, James Martin, John Daily, John Smith, Robert Robb, and Hugh Moore, the majority of whom were residents of Mercer county. The school lasted four months, and had an average attendance of twenty-nine pupils.

One of the first school houses in the township was built in what is known as the Fairview district, one and a half miles north of Utica, as early as the year 1826. It was a small, round-log building, with neither floor nor win- dow, and was first used by Miss Barbara Brookmyer, who taught a term in the winter of 1826-27. The patrons of the school were the Hasson, John-

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

ston, Ray, Duffield, Cooper, and other families, and among the pupils still living are William and Hugh Hasson. The building was used several years and among the early teachers are remembered Solomon Jennings, Mr. Dodd, Samuel McGaw, William Gordon, William Mead, and Susan Oliver.

A hewed-log building about half a mile from the old Fairview house on the David Gilmore farm was erected a little later and answered the pur- pose for which it was intended many years. The following is a partial list of teachers who "wielded the birch " in the building: William Hutchinson, Samuel Wood, Alexander McGaw, Ethan Stone, William McQuaid, Michael Henry, Alexander Cochran, Kindell Muse, Robert Defrance, Mary Sage, Charlotte Crouch, Minnie Crouch, and Lucy Hale. The McCune school house in the northwest part of the township was built as early as 1830 by William Groves. Solomon Jennings, William Myers, and Allen McCracken taught in this building in an early day, as did a number of others whose names have long since been forgotten. Some time in the forties a hewed-log build- ing was erected in the Lupher neighborhood not far from the Sugar Creek township line. The early teachers were James Daily, Thomas Goff, and Reverend J. A. Hallock. This is said to have been the first school house in the township erected by public money. The second was the Gibbons school house, and the third Fairview, the latter built to replace the old log house on the Gilmore place about one mile from Utica. The second building was a large plank structure in which at one time two teachers were employed, and over one hundred pupils received instruction. The district, the largest in the township, was subsequently divided, the building remodeled, and its dimensions greatly reduced.

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History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 64

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