USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 68
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1881 .- Burgess, George H. Dimond; council: Walter Siverly, Miles Thompson, J. P. Fisher, James Bannon, James Martin, H. B. Martin.
1882. - Burgess, J. D. Mclaughlin; council: Daniel Mohnkarn, J. N. Martin, J. A. Wilson, Elias Culbertson, W. H. Morgan, S. A. Winger.
1883 .- Burgess, James Bannon; council: Walter Siverly, Daniel Mohn- karn, J. C. Poulson, Henry Quinn, Richard Stokes, C. W. Johnson.
1884 .- Burgess, George H. Dimond; council: Walter Siverly, J. N. Martin, John Farren, James Borland, Edward Simpson, George Shingle- decker.
1885 .- Burgess, Michael Gormley; council: Walter Siverly, J. N. Mar- tin, John Farren (elected for one year), H. B. Martin, Thomas Mccarthy (elected for three years).
1886 .- Burgess, Michael Gormley; council: John Farren, Edward Simpson (elected for one year), Walter Siverly, A. D. Tolles (elected for three years).
1887 .- Burgess, S. A. Winger; council: J. A. Wilson, J. T. Sharp.
1888 .- Burgess, S. A. Winger; council: John Barnhart, H. B. Martin, Michael Gormley.
1889 .- Burgess, A. D. Tolles; council: Walter Siverly, John Hartman.
Siverly Woman's Christian Temperance Union was organized January 31, 1884. The first president was Mrs. E. L. Mohnkarn; first vice-presi- dent, Mrs. S. A. Winger; secretary, Mrs. Alice Helander, and treasurer, Mrs. George McComb. A hall was purchased in April, 1886.
Siverly Division, No. 315, Sons of Temperance, was institued March 29, 1888.
Siverly Union, Equitable Aid Union, was instituted June 3, 1889, with the following officers: Chancellor, W. W. Dimond; advocate, Mrs. S. G. Robbins; president, S. G. Robbins; vice-president, Mrs. S. E. Win- ger; auxiliary, Mrs. M. B. Alexander; secretary, Pearl Thompson; account- ant, J. S. Alexander; treasurer, T. J. Coffman.
SMALLER TOWNS.
Oleapolis was once a town of one thousand inhabitants. The construc-
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tion of a railroad up the valley of Pithole creek naturally resulted in the establishment of a shipping point at its river terminus, below the mouth of that stream; and although the opening of a railroad in the river valley de- flected this business to other points, the town continued to flourish until the exhaustion of the Pithole district. A refinery with a weekly capacity of one thousand barrels was built in 1865, using the double still invented by Adolph Millochan. The place was successively ravaged by destructive fires, one occurrence of this nature June 20, 1866, destroying barges, tanks, and other property to the value of thirty thousand dollars. Scarcely a vestige of the town remains, although it is still known as a station on the Western New York and Pennsylvania railroad.
Kane City is situated on Cherry Tree run several miles west of Oil creek. It was also a town of a thousand inhabitants at one time, and still retains a degree of local importance.
McClintockville perpetuates the name of a pioneer and prominent family; it is located upon the land settled by Hamilton McClintock, and might prop- erly be regarded as a suburb of Oil City.
Columbia Farm was once a village of several hundred population, com- posed principally of employes of the Columbia Oil Company. It has almost entirely disappeared.
Rynd Farm, a village on the Western New York and Pennsylvania rail- road at the crossing of the Warren road over Oil creek, was the site of Rynd postoffice at an early date and during early oil operations on the creek be- came a hamlet of some importance.
Shaw Farm was an "oil town" of several hundred inhabitants on the road from Oil City to Plumer. A Methodist church is the most substantial reminder of its existence.
CHURCHES.
Plumer United Presbyterian Church was known as the Associate Re- formed congregation of Cherry run at the earliest period of its history. The organization was effected by Reverend Daniel McClain and numbered among its original membership Hamilton McClintock and wife, Robert McFate and wife, Henry McCalmont and wife, and -- Lamb and wife. There is a tradition that the first preaching was by a Reverend Baggs in a log school house. Henry McCalmont gave two acres of ground for church and school purposes, and a log building was erected thereon in 1828. The dimensions were about eighteen by twenty-eight feet. There were some six or seven of the old fashioned high backed pews, with footstools and other appliances of comfort, but the seating facilities in the main consisted of slab seats or stools of the same material, and every church goer had the privilege of bringing whatever kind of seat he pleased. The present frame church edi- fice was built in 1862-63, and Reverend John R. Slentz was the first to preach therein.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
The first regular pastor was Reverend Matthew Snodgrass, whose rela- tions with the church were severed in 1832, and from that date until 1852 the pulpit was filled by supplies from presbytery. Reverend John R. Slentz became pastor of a charge embracing Kerr Hill, Allegheny, and this church in 1853, and was duly installed July 4th of that year, continuing in this capacity four years. He again assumed charge in 1861, and resigned in 1865. The removal of many of the members resulted in a virtual dis- banding of the congregation at this date, and during the following five years the few remaining members were dependent upon the United Presbyterian Board of Supplies for occasional preaching. A reorganization was effected in 1870 by Reverend J. L. Robertson with twenty-four members, of whom Thomas Kennedy, E. S. Beatty, and Robert Hervey were elected elders. Mr. Robertson resigned in 1874, and was succeeded in 1876 by Reverend John Clark, the last regular pastor. Among the elders at an early date were Joseph McFate, William Story, Robert McFate, William McCray, Thomas Anderson, and Hamilton McClintock.
Rouseville Methodist Episcopal Church is the oldest organization of that denomination in the township. It is probable the preachers at Oil creek preached here prior to 1860, but in the absence of any records this cannot be positively stated. The erection of a building was begun in 1863 under the pastorate of Reverend Milton Smith, and in January, 1864, a frame structure thirty-two by forty-two feet in dimensions was dedicated. The ground was deeded to John McClintock, William Ashbaugh, Noah Metz, William Orr, Sr., and J. P. Benn, trustees, in December, 1864, by the Halderman Oil Company at a nominal consideration. This building was enlarged and a parsonage built in 1869. The former was struck by light- ning and burned to the ground on Sunday, May 19, 1889. The corner- stone of the present church edifice was laid September 4, 1889, by Rever- end M. Smith, P. E., and S. A. Dean, the pastor, assisted by Reverends Bashline, Wenk, and Pinney. The extreme dimensions are fifty-seven and fifty-six feet. C. H. Brown, T. W. Dunn, F. L. Fry, and Thomas John- son constitute the building committee. This church constituted a charge with Oil City and Petroleum Center until 1865. It then became a station and so continued until 1882, when Petroleum Center was attached, for which Siverly was substituted in 1884. The pastoral succession since 1865 has been as follows: 1865, W. H. Mossman; 1866-68, G. W. Staples; 1869-70, J. F. Stocker; 1871, N. Norton; 1872-74, P. P. Pinney; 1875-76, J. W. Wright; 1877-78, A. J. Lindsay; 1879-80, W. P. Graham; 1881, supplied; 1882, W. H. Bunce; 1883-84, Z. W. Shadduck; 1885-87, S. E. Ryan; 1888-89, S. A. Dean.
Petroleum Center Methodist Episcopal Church was the first religious society formed at that place. Reverend R. Beatty was stationed here in 1863-64; E. A. Squier, in 1865-66; R. W. Hawkins, in 1866; J. W. Wil-
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son, in 1867; C. M. Heard, in 1868-69; P. W. Scofield, in 1870-71; G. W. Moore, in 1872; T. Graham, in 1873-75. During Mr. Squiers' min- istry a church and parsonage were built at a cost of nine thousand dollars. In 1880 the materials of the church were removed to Galloway and the par- sonage was sold.
Petroleum Center Catholic Church was built during the prosperous period of the history of that town. Father Snyder was the first priest sta- tioned here. The erection of the church was begun by him and finished by his successor, Father Vannukin, who was followed by Father Sheridan. Reverend James Smith was next, and under his administration a parish house and school building were erected. He remained longer than any of his predecessors. Reverends Donnelly, McPhilamy, and Clarke were the last resident priests. The church is now attached to Titusville.
Petroleum Center Presbyterian Church was organized September 24, 1865. The church edifice erected by this organization is now the place of meeting of a flourishing Sunday school. Services are occasionally held by pastors of the neighboring Presbyterian, United Presbyterian, and Method- ist churches, but none of these denominations have regular organizations.
Plumer Methodist Episcopal Church .- The church building at this place was erected in 1865 by an organization formed in that year. The ground was given by Thomas Duncan and George C. Prather. The church was built during the ministry of Reverend D. S. Steadman, who was followed by Reverends Clark, Shields, and Merritt. The following clergymen have been stationed here at the respective dates: 1878, J. Clyde; 1879-81, S. B. Torrey; 1882, Z. W. Shadduck; 1883-84, William Rice; 1885-86, W. M. Canfield; 1887-88, B. P. Linn.
Pithole City Catholic Church was dedicated Sunday, January 21, 1866, by Bishop Young of the Diocese of Erie. The pastor was Reverend James L. Finucane. Solemn high mass was intoned by Very Reverend John D. Coady, vicar general of the diocese, assisted by Reverends Mignault and Snyder. This church is no longer in existence.
Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church at Siverly was organized in 1866 by Reverend J. W. Whiteley at Oak Grove school house. The church building was dedicated on Thanksgiving day, 1879, by Reverends Craft and Harren.
Pithole City Presbyterian Church, organized in 1866 probably, was one of the most substantial buildings in that city, but no data regarding its his- tory are attainable.
Pithole City Methodist Episcopal Church is the only public building of that remarkable city that has not been removed or destroyed. This is largely due to the munificence of Thomas Duncan, by whom a legacy amply suffi- cient to keep the building in repair was given. The Methodist society was formed in 1865, but no longer sustains an active existence. The building is situated on an eminence overlooking what was once the site of a populous city.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
Shaw Farm Methodist Episcopal Church .- Reverends S. E. Winger and William Vanosdale conducted a series of meetings here in 1870, resulting in the organization of a class numbering sixty members. An acre of ground was given by Forster W. Mitchell and the present frame church edifice erected thereon in 1872. The society forms part of Plumer circuit.
Rouseville Presbyterian Church was dedicated May 29, 1870, but with the removal of the membership to other points the organization became weakened and finally disbanded. The church was sold and removed.
St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church, Rouseville .- The corner-stone of this church was laid August 26, 1870, by Reverends M. Byllesby, Henry Purdon, and M. A. Tolman. The dedication occurred January 22, 1871. The building was removed to Bradford after the membership at this place had become so reduced as to render it no longer necessary.
Rouseville Baptist Church was constituted March 26, 1871, and recog- nized April 18th of the same year. The church edifice was dedicated De- cember 24, 1871, and the first immersion occurred May 5, 1872. Reverends M. B. Sloan and J. P. Stephenson were the only resident pastors. The build- ing is now owned by the Masonic order.
Rouseville Catholic Church. - The first mass at this place was celebrated in the opera house by Father Kelly in May, 1872. The church edifice was built in 1872-73 and dedicated by Bishop Mullen of the Diocese of Erie. Fathers Brady, Donnelly, Gallagen, Clarke, Cauley, McCloskey, Nau, and McGinley have successively ministered to this parish.
Kane City Methodist Episcopal Church .- A class was formed at this place July 15, 1877, by Reverend J. Clyde with a membership of four. This is also among the religious organizations of the township that have ceased to exist.
SCHOOLS.
The first school house in the township was built in the woods near the road leading from Plumer to Petroleum Center. It is probable that the first teacher was David Tyrrell; his school was attended by the families of Ricketts, McCalmont, McFate, Lamb, and others. The second school house stood upon the site of Plumer United Presbyterian church. Mrs. Letitia Culbertson, Moses Ward, Ellen Bruce, James Neill, and Luther Woods were early teachers there. There was also an early school house at the mouth of Oil creek. Three buildings were erected in 1839; one at Petro- leum Center, another on the Ricketts farm, and a third at Humboldt. Alfred Taylor was the first teacher at Rickett's. The school house at Petroleum Center was popularly known as McCray's. Alexander Hays was probably the first teacher at Humboldt. The educational interests of the present day are well sustained.
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SANDY CREEK TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
SANDY CREEK TOWNSHIP.
ERECTION AND POPULATION-PIONEERS-TAXABLE INHABITANTS OF 1836- SCHOOLS-CHURCHES.
T' THE report of the commission appointed at March sessions, 1806, to divide the county into townships provided for the erection of Sandy Creek, with the stream of that name as its northern boundary and the line of Irwin (now Irwin and Clinton) as the southern limit of its territory, which extended from Mercer county on the west to the Allegheny river on the east, and was provisionally attached to French Creek for administrative pur- poses. It was not until 1834 that what is now Sandy Creek township re- ceived its present name. At April sessions in that year Alexander McCal- mont, John W. Howe, and Andrew Bowman were appointed by the court to consider the advisability of dividing French Creek township as petitioned for by a number of its inhabitants. In the following August they reported favorably to division by a line "Beginning at the line of the borough of Franklin where the state road from Franklin to Mercer intersects the same, thence by said state road to the south end of the bridge over Big Sandy creek, thence by the south bank of Big Sandy creek to the line dividing the counties of Mercer and Venango," which received final confirmation by the court November 29, 1834. The eastern part of this line was revised in 1856. The erection of Mineral, October 24, 1870, and of Victory, Septem- ber 6, 1876, has reduced Sandy Creek to its present area. It is one of the smallest townships in the county. In 1850 the population was nine hun- dred and fifty-seven; in 1870, one thousand three hundred and ninety-one; in 1880, eight hundred and four.
The only stream of any importance within the limits of the township is Nicholson's run, a tributary of Big Sandy creek, which forms the south- western boundary. A great bend in the Allegheny river partially incloses the region known as Bully Hill, an agricultural district of comparative fer- tility, drained by Siefer's and Brown's runs and numerous smaller streams.
PIONEERS.
The Pittsburgh road was opened at an early date, and being the only public highway at that time, the first settlement was naturally made along
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
this route. One Ramsey is said to have been the first, but this is problem- atical. James Martin, a native of Maryland, made the first improvements on the Kephart farm perhaps as early as 1796. Here he planted one of the first orchards in the county, carrying the trees from Pittsburgh on his back if tradition may be credited. He was a candidate for county commis- sioner at the first election of county officers and first clerk to that board at its organization. He seems to have been a man of more than ordinary intelligence for that day. Late in life he removed to the state of Indiana, where he died. One of his sons, Professor Artemus Martin, of Erie, achieved more than a local reputation as a mathematician.
Thomas Brandon, from Big Spring, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, made an improvement on the Pittsburgh road in 1796. He afterward re- moved to Cranberry township.
The Dewoody family has been represented from a very early date. William Dewoody was one of four brothers-John, Andrew, and George being the other three, all natives of Ireland, who immigrated to this county in 1796. He married Mary Lyon, of Victory township, and they were the parents of five sons: George, William, Thomas, Andrew, and John; and five daughters: Jane, Margaret, Martha, Nancy, and Eliza, who married, respectively, William Hill, James Griffin, John Black, David Kinnear, and Alexander McGarvey. William Dewoody, Sr., owned a tract of land ex- tending from the Pittsburgh road beyond the "twin churches" and embrac- ing half a dozen farms at the present day. The survey was made December 15, 1799. The house was located at a spring on the farm owned by the heirs of William E. Smith, deceased. Of the large family of William De- woody, Sr., but two, George and William, lived in this county until death. The former died in Franklin, the latter in this township, where his family still reside.
In 1797 Patrick Manson, a native of Ireland, emigrated to Venango county and settled in what is now Sandy Creek township. On their jour- ney thither the family stopped over night at the cabin of John Dewoody, where Mrs. Manson gave birth to a child-the first born in what is now Victory township, and one of the first, if not the first white child, born in Venango county. 'As early as 1812 Manson was living on the Hoover farm, three miles below Franklin, on the bank of the Allegheny river. He was a veteran of the Revolution, and was buried, with military honors, in the old Franklin cemetery. Manson is remembered as a man of iron constitution and lived to a ripe old age.
John Stevens came about 1798, and settled on Big Sandy, where the Pittsburgh and Franklin road crosses that stream. He erected here a grist mill, the first in this vicinity, which he operated until his death by small- pox several years afterward. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Lowrie, who bore him two children: Nancy, who married John L. Porter,
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SANDY CREEK TOWNSHIP.
of Richland township, and John L., who died unmarried many years ago. The widow married Robert S. Whann, a pioneer of Mineral township, by whom she reared six children.
The Grahams of this township are descended from Robert Graham, who emigrated from Centre county in 1802, and located at the mouth of Sandy creek, bringing all his household goods on a single sled. His son Robert, born in Centre county on Christmas day in 1797, first improved the farm upon which the Graham graveyard is located and lived there until his death. He was the father of a numerous family.
In 1812 there were only a few families in the township. James Cannon lived in the valley of Sandy creek a mile from Waterloo on a farm that in- cluded the old graveyard of that vicinity. He was an Irishman of blunt manners but a good Methodist withal and reared a family of six daughters. He was the father-in-law of Alfred and Isaac Bunnell. In the same year John Foster removed from Sugar Creek township to a tract of uncleared land nearly opposite the mouth of East Sandy creek and thenceforth was ac- tively identified with local religious and educational matters. Samuel Hays of Franklin owned several farms in the township at that time. One of these on the Pittsburgh road was partially cleared by John Gurney, who was to receive two hundred acres, one-half of it, for reducing thirty acres of the other half to cultivation and building a house thereon. Failing to accom- plish his part of the agreement he went to Franklin and afterward built what was known as Gurney's row, a succession of irregular buildings on Thirteenth and Buffalo streets.
Alexander McElhaney settled at Pithole in 1796 and after a brief resi- dence of several months returned to Centre county, Indian troubles having become alarmingly probable. Several years later he came back but in a short time removed to the vicinity of Waterloo. In 1819 he purchased four hundred acres of land from Jonathan Pratt and part of this is now the farm of his son, James McElhaney. He married Mary Ann Dawson, who was connected with one of the oldest family of Allegheny township, and they reared a large family.
Samuel Bunnell was from Virginia originally, but came into this county from Crawford and into this township from Sugar Creek. Samuel Gor- don, from Centre county, settled first in Rockland, but in 1826 removed to Sandy Creek. Essington Kephart took up his residence here in the year 1827. Robert Stephenson came from Pittsburgh in 1826, and improved a farm near East Grove church.
Aaron McKissick built a hotel on the Pittsburgh road early in the twenties and officiated as "mine host " to the traveling public on that im- portant thoroughfare nearly a score of years. He was from Maine and had been a ship carpenter in his native state. It was he who gave the name of Bully Hill to this part of the township, a designation transferred
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
to the locality opposite the mouth of East Sandy during the first oil excite- ment in that neighborhood. He afterward removed to Waterloo and be- came the founder of that borough.
As already mentioned, a mill was built by John Stevens on Sandy creek, at the crossing of the Pittsburgh road, prior to 1810. Subsequently it came into possession of George McClelland. In 1813 this stream had been de- clared a public highway from its confluence with the Allegheny river to the crossing of the Mercer and Meadville state road. In 1832 McClelland was charged with having erected a dam and causeway, interfering with navigation and with the passage of fish. The court appointed Andrew Bowman, James Gilliland, and James Adams to investigate, and their report sustained the allegation. The obstructions were forthwith removed. McClelland also built and operated Franklin furnace, one of the oldest in the county.
The Taxable Inhabitants of Sandy Creek, which then included Victory and a large part of Mineral, at the triennial assessment of 1836, the first after its separate organization, were as follows: John Adams, James Adams, Francis Alexander, William Adams, Alfred Bunnell, Isaac Bunnell, Will- iam Bennett, Robert Brandon, Charles Bailey, James Cannon, William Cross, John Cather, L. F. Boals, Robert Brady, William Dewoody, George Dewoody, Andrew Dewoody, John Dewoody, Robert Dewoody, Benjamin Dewoody, Hugh Durning, Harriet Elliott, John Elder, John Foster, James Foster, Aquila Grace, Samuel Graham, Robert Graham, Samuel Gordon, John Gordon, William Gordon, Isaac Griffin, Edward Gardner, Samuel Gildersleeve, William Hill, Samuel Hall, Charles Henderson, Archibald Henderson, Andrew Irwin, Samuel Irwin, Eliakim Jewel, Essington Kep- hart, Hiram Kimble, John Carmichael, Samuel Lindsay, Jacob Lyon, Matthew Lowrie, Elijah Morrison, Patrick Manson, James Major, Alexan- der McChimy, William McClaran, Aaron McKissick, John Morrison, Daniel McMillin, John and James McElphatrick, Hugh Marshall, John Mullhall, John McClelland, Robert Martin, Mary Pratt, John Perry, Samuel Ridg- way, Henry Strickler, Andrew Shiner, William Shorts, Robert Stephenson, Shadrach Simcox, John Stewart, Stephen Sutton, David Smith, Howell Thomas, Abel Thompson, Robert Temple, Warner Taylor, John Vincent, John Walker, Robert Witherup, Daniel Williams, and Samuel Young.
SCHOOLS.
The first school house in the township was built in 1819, on the land of Alexander McElhaney, near the Pittsburgh road, by the united efforts of the community. Isaac Bunnell was the first teacher here. John Foster employed teachers at his own expense and appropriated a room in his own house for the education of his own and his neighbors' children. Alexan- der Hays was so employed in 1825-26. In 1834 a hewn-log house was built at the Graham cemetery, and in 1836 a building similar in construc-
.
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SANDY CREEK TOWNSHIP.
tion was erected near the present residence of James Foster. Prominent among the teachers of the township were John Elder, Lowrie Gildersleeve, Ethan Strong, Henry Clulow, W. C. Howe, William Clement, C. P. Rams- dell, Robert Martin, David Moore, Isaac Evans, Robert Shorts, Reverends R. S. and E. C. Borland.
CHURCHES.
Sandy Creek Methodist Church was one of the oldest organizations of that denomination in the county. Reverend Ira Eddy organized the class at the house of James Cannon, and among its first members were Alexander McElhaney, leader, Welden Adams, Saulsburg Vincent, Jonathan Pratt, and Aaron McKissick. The burial ground was given by Cannon and the first interment was that of an infant child of James Adams. The church, a frame building thirty by forty feet in dimensions, was built in 1827-28 by Aaron McKissick. It has since been abandoned and removed. Five classes have been formed on the territory and from the membership that once worshiped here: Reynolds, Polk, Nicklin, Pleasant Grove, and East Grove.
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