History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 72

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

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In the spring of 1877 developments were pushed with energy on these farms, and rapidly extended to the Plumer, Crawford, Newton, and other adjacent tracts. November 19, 1876, there had been three producing wells -Gealy No. 1, producing one hundred and fifty barrels; Phillips No. 3, flowing four hundred barrels; Nesbit, one hundred and fifty. January 14, 1877, the Brownson & Emerson well started at one hundred barrels; on the 26th instant it stopped flowing, and then began again at the rate of twenty- five barrels an hour. January 30th the Nesbit No. 2 flowed five hundred barrels. February 8th the Galloway well began at two hundred and twenty- five barrels, and on the 14th of that month the daily production of the dis- trict was estimated at one thousand barrels. June 7th the McCalmont Oil Company's Newton No. 4 "Big Medicine " began at one thousand barrels, but declined rapidly to four hundred. June 18th Mitchell Lee & Company's "Big Injun" began at the rate of thirty-five hundred barrels, and flowed three thousand barrels the first day. August 2nd the McCalmont No. 31, started at one thousand barrels, and on the 30th of that month Phillips Brothers' No. 7, on the Crawford farm, began at the same rate. These were the most notable wells in the district.

The production from the Gealy well was hauled to Scrubgrass station for the first few days, until connection could be made with the United Pipe Lines. The lines from the Butler field to Raymilton station on the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railroad had been opened in August, 1873, with a pump station a mile west of Clintonville on the Mercer road. This line was abandoned in 1878. A pump station has been established at Ken- nerdell and is in charge of William McKee. The Bullion district has an extreme length of seven miles and the width does not exceed three-eighths of a mile. The number of producing wells is about one hundred and twenty, and the monthly production ranges from eight to nine thousand barrels.

During the time that the excitement was at its height a railroad was constructed from Kennerdell station to Kennerdell, a distance of two miles

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up the valley of Scrubgrass creek, and a bridge was built over the Alle- gheny river. Rolling stock was provided by the Allegheny Valley Rail- road Company. After being in operation about two years the railroad was abandoned, and the bridge was converted into a wagon bridge. It was subsequently destroyed by an ice flood, which thus left Clinton township as far away from railroad communication as it had been before. It is to be regretted that the railroad was not constructed to some point in the She- nango valley, as was originally designed.

BOROUGH OF CLINTONVILLE.

This borough, the business metropolis of the township and of the south- western part of the county, is situated on an elevated location in the midst of a fine agricultural region, nine miles from Emlenton and six miles from Kennerdell, a station on the Allegheny Valley railroad.

The first house was built by John Atwell, a gunsmith, and is still stand- ing on the corner of Emlenton and Butler streets. He was also a black- smith and had a shop on the opposite side of Franklin street. In 1833 William Cross and James Perry opened a store in a frame building on the corner of Franklin and Mercer streets. This was the first store, and the family of James Perry, who had charge and lived in this house, was the second in the village. The third house, in 1835, was the "Lumberman's Eddy," a large log building on Butler street kept as a hotel by Andrew Irwin. At the latter date the corner of Franklin and Emlenton streets was covered with a fine growth of timber. There was considerable travel to and from Pittsburgh, the road through the village being known as the "graded road," in distinction from the pike, and the two converged near Harrisville in Butler county. The former was preferred by lumbermen on their return trips from Pittsburgh. On the journey down, being constantly in the water, their feet became so tender that it was impossible for them to wear shoes; and old residents relate how they would walk into Irwin's hotel, their stockings torn and their feet bleeding. Indians from the Cornplanter reservation occasionally patronized the "Eddy."

From three houses in 1835 the cross-roads hamlet had grown to the proportions of a modest village in 1843. William Cross had. enlarged the house previously occupied by Perry; it was then fifty-nine feet long and has since been incorporated in the Clinton hotel building. The rear was occu- pied by Cross as a residence, while Charles Lacy Cochran kept hotel at the corner of Franklin and Mercer streets. Adjoining the portion of the house that he occupied Cross had a large general store. Atwell had been succeeded by James Canan, whose business was gunsmithing, tinkering, etc. William Weakley, a hatter by trade, lived in a frame house above Cross' store. On the west side of Butler street where Major R. J. Phipps' brick building stands there was a frame house owned by Robert Campbell and occupied by

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Jackson McMillan, the first physician of the place. Some distance farther down on the same side of the street Robert Cross lived in a frame house. James McKinley had built a small frame house on the north side of Mercer street for his sister, a maiden lady. The Methodist and Presbyterian churches evidenced the religious activities of the community.

In 1866 on Franklin street there were the residences of Thomas McKee, Doctor James Foster, A. F. Hollister, Squire John Hovis, and John Shaffer; S. Thorn's hotel and barn, and a large stable built by William Phipps. Doctor J. B. McMillan lived at the corner of Emlenton and Butler, and on the east side of the latter the only other buildings were the house and shop of John F. Hovis, blacksmith. On the west side at the corner of Mercer street, stood an abandoned storehouse; adjoining this on the south was Judge Robert Cross' store building, the first brick building in the town, and the only residents on this street were Judge Cross and A. D. Williams, shoe- maker. Joseph Kinder, shoemaker, lived in what is now the Methodist par- sonage on Mercer street; the other residents on Mercer were E. P. Newton, George Mckinley, blacksmith, and Samuel Foreman, shoemaker. The three religious denominations at present represented had each a church building, and Jane's Union Academy was in the midst of its usefulness.

The merchants prior to 1850 were William Cross, James Perry, William Russell, Joseph Aiken, and Thomas McKee. Robert Cross, the first post- master, was in business almost continuously nearly forty years, and Thomas McKee is still engaged in merchandising where he began in 1846. At the present time there are two large general stores, a drug store, grocery, etc. A large steam mill is in process of erection. The town has had telegraphic communication with the outside world since 1873. During the Bullion excitement it received some additions in population, but has remained prac- tically stationary since that time. The population in 1880 was three hun- dred and thirty-nine.

The Clinton Bank opened in June, 1877, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars. The original projectors of this institution were R. L. Cochran, C. W. Gilfillan, A. F. Hollister, D. C. McKee, and Thomas McKee. The latter has been sole proprietor since 1883. Joseph H. Kerr was cashier from the organization until 1886. F. P. McKee is the present incumbent of that position.

Clintonville Lodge, No. 774, I. O. O. F., received its charter under the date of May 18, 1873. The first officers were as follows: Joseph Carl, N. G .; W. P. McKee, V. G .; A. D. Williams, secretary; J. T. Hovis, A. S., and William Cross, treasurer.

Horton Lodge, No. 470, Knights and Ladies of Honor, was organized January 20, 1882, with forty-nine members, of whom the following were officers: W. V. Hardman, P. P .; W. P. McKee, P .; Mrs. W. V. Hardman, V. P. ; R. J. Phipps, secretary; J. H. Kerr, F. S. ; Robert Vanderlin, treasurer.

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John M. Phipps Post, No. 427, G. A. R., was mustered April 22, 1884, by a detail from Mays post, Franklin, with the following officers and mem- bers: A. L. Sweetapple, commander; J. A. Porter, S. V. P .; J. B. Greer, J. V. P .; D. W. Ault, adjutant; H. J. McGill, Q. M .; D. A. Stevens, chaplain; J. H. Monjar, Levi Porter, T. B. Hoffman, John Dillinger, Richard M. Hovis, Joseph Blakeley, John B. Shaffer, Eli Hovis, W. C. Phipps, William Smith, A. M. Jones, A. J. Eddinger, Burton Jones, and R. J. Phipps. Past commanders: A. L .. Sweetapple, J. A. Porter, J. B. . Greer, W. C. Phipps, and D. W. Ault.

Borough Government .- Clintonville was incorporated January 28, 1878, by decree of court, and its organization ordered to take place on the third Tuesday in April following. At this election J. G. Calvert was appointed to act as judge, Eli Hovis and Eli Vanderlin, inspectors. The following is a list of borough officials to the present time:

1878 .- Burgess, J. H. Kelley; council: W. C. Cross, J. C. Nutt, J. B. McMillan, T. J. Robinson, A. D. Crone, Edwin Heath.

1879 .- Burgess, R. J. Phipps, council: D. C. McKee, K. M. Hoffman, W. V. Hardman, A. F. Hollister, O. B. Cross, John L. Seaton.

1880 .- Burgess, R. J. Phipps; council: D. C. McKee, W. V. Hard- man, A. P. Thorn, J. A. Bonnet. R. Vanderlin, J. H. Kelley.

1881 .- Burgess, J. H. Ker council: A. F. Hollister, K. M. Hoffman, W. V. Hardman, C. P. McKee, W. H. Gilbert, J. B. McMillan.

1882 .- Burgess, W. P. McKee, council: J. H. Seaton, J. B. McMillan, G. W. Brock, George Mckinley, J. M. McKee, J. H. Kelley.

1883 .- Burgess, W. P. McKee, council: D. C. McKee, R. Vanderlin, G. W. Karr, D. V. Eakin, Henry Pick, O. B. Cross.

1884. - Burgess, D. V. Eakin; council: J. A. Breckenridge, J. H. Kerr, J. A. McKee, G. W. Brock, W. N. Thorn, J. M. McKee.

1885 .- Burgess, J. M. McKee; council: J. C. Nutt, C. M. Riddle, J. H. Kerr, G. W. Brock, J. A. Breckenridge, J. McKee.

1886 .- Burgess, J. A. Breckenridge; council: J. H. Kerr, J. A. McKee, C. M. Riddle, J. C. Nutt, P. M. Hollister, W. N. Thorn.

1887 .- Burgess, J. T. Hovis; council: C. M. Riddle, J. C. Nutt, P. M. Hollister, W. N. Thorn, A. F. Hollister, A. D. Williams.

1888 .- Burgess, J. T. Hovis; council: W. N. Thorn, J. H. Seaton, A. F. Hollister, J. W. Hilliard, K. M. Hovis, W. J. Hovis.

1889 .- Burgess, J. T. Hovis; council: K. M. Hoffman, C. N. Black, C. M. Riddle, K. M. Hovis, W. N. Thorn, W. J. Hovis.

VILLAGES OF THE PAST AND PRESENT.

John Anderson built the first furnace in the township in 1824 on Big Scrubgrass creek a mile above Kennerdell. He was from Juniata county and an experienced iron master. Ore was obtained from the surrounding

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

hills and the neighboring forests furnished charcoal. He sold the property to David Phipps in 1835 by whom the furnace was banked in 1847-48. There was a village of a score or more houses here and a large store. From an old file dated 1835 it appears that Phipps & Clapps were associated in the iron business, employing forty operatives; the place was called Phipps' Mills, and David Phipps was postmaster. Not only metal for the Pitts- burgh market, but stoves, pots, pans, kettles, etc., were manufactured by them to meet the necessities of the growing population.

Kennerdell is situated at a romantic spot in the valley of Scrubgrass, two miles from the station of that name on the Allegheny Valley railroad. This has been the scene of milling operations from an early period in the history of the township. In 1812 David Phipps built a grist mill on the south side of the creek where a similar establishment of modern appearance and appli- ances is now in operation. This was a log building; the machinery was rude and imperfect, but it served its purpose and proved a source of convenience to the community and of profit to the proprietor. He also built a saw mill farther down the creek.

The first woolen factory built by David Phipps was furnished with card- ing and spinning machines, looms, and all the necessary appliances for the manufacture of flannels, cloths, blankets, Dawls, carpets, etc., with a full- ing mill, dye house, and oil mill connecte The machinery for this exten- sive plant was brought from Philadelphapat great expense and no little labor, when everything had to be transported in wagons. The operatives were principally from England. A disastrous fire swept the place and in one night destroyed this most important of all the industries ever planted on Scrubgrass. This was a loss financially from which Mr. Phipps never fully recovered.

In 1853 the property was purchased by Richard Kennerdell, a native of Lancashire, England, where he was born March 19, 1817. He came to America at the age of nine years and passed his boyhood in Philadelphia. In 1837 he removed to Pittsburgh, and thence, in the same year, to Arm- strong county, where he remained seven years. In 1844 he located at Agnew's Mills, Richland township, and in 1853 at the village that bears his name. Here he built a large woolen mill, and was actively engaged in business until his death. The mills have not been in operation for several years and it is doubtful whether the old time activity of the place will ever return.

William Cassidy, a native of Westmoreland county, came to Scrubgrass about 1823, and was employed at Phipps' Mills. In 1828 he removed to Clinton township, and built a pottery on the land now owned by S. Simcox. For a number of years red ware for domestic purposes was manufactured here.

The morus nigra, a species of the mulberry tree, native of the soil and

Robert brefs

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abundant in that region, suggested silk culture, and the infant industry was planted by an enterprising gentleman named Waite, not far from the pres- ent home of Alexander Witherup's heirs. An orchard of the morus alba, planted by Mr. Waite, was an object of interest to the citizens for several years, but the owner failed to realize the success he deserved.

John Welton Post, No. 460, G. A. R., of Kennerdell, was mustered in September, 1884, with nineteen members, of whom the following were the principal officers: Edward Heath, commander; Porter Phipps, S. V. P. ; - Lyons, J. V. P .; William Ashton, adjutant; C. R. Coulter, Q. M.

Janestown was so named by William Cross, in honor of his wife, Jane Weakley, daughter of Robert Weakley, of Butler county. William Cross was one of the enterprising, men of the county, and during the prosperous period of the iron industry, one of its wealthy citizens. He removed from Center- ville, Butler county, to Franklin in 1831, and within the next twenty years placed six furnaces in operation in this county, two of which were in this township. He came to Clintonville in 1835. This region was then heavily timbered; there were deposits of ore accessible at comparatively slight expense, while the water power of Scrubgrass creek was scarcely utilized at all. The mill built by Craft Ghost, on its west branch, was still in opera- tion, and this, with several hundred acres of land, was purchased by Mr. Cross. He built a frame mill, with two sets of buhrs, a mile west of Clinton- ville, where the Mercer road crosses Scrubgrass creek, in 1837. A race was built to the dam at Ghost's mill, a mile and a half distant. . It was a marvel of engineering skill; the region through which it passed is wild and rocky, and in many places the channel was constructed at great labor and expense. When completed it provided a fall of fifty feet, sufficient to furnish motive power for a grist mill, saw mill, foundry, carding mill, and blast furnace. The foundry was on the north side of the road. Here hollow-ware, plows, potash kettles, stoves, etc., were made, and sold in the surrounding country. In 1840 a carding mill was built, farther down the creek. There were two carding machines, and here wool was prepared for domestic manufacture. A little later a tannery was built on the east side of the creek; there were also a furniture factory, blacksmith and tailor shops. Patrick Thornbury and William Baird were in charge of the foundry; James and Andrew Russell were cabinet makers; Isaac Miles was the tanner; William Atwell, the blacksmith; and George Jack, the tailor; James Weakley had charge of the carding mill.

The construction of Jane furnace was begun in 1840. It was built of stone; the cupola was thirty-five feet high with a bosh diameter of seven feet. It was first put in blast November 7, 1842. Like all furnaces of that day, the cold blast was in use and charcoal was used as fuel. Charcoal burning thereupon became an important industry. Wood choppers received from forty to fifty cents per cord, and colliers from two dollars and a half

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

to two dollars and seventy-five cents per hundred bushels, after deducting the cost of the wood. The metal was hauled to the mouth of Scrubgrass at a cost of one dollar and a half to two dollars per ton, and shipped to Pittsburgh by flat boat, for which one dollar per ton was charged. The cost of ore ranged from two dollars and a half to three dollars and a quar- ter per ton. The best limestone ore was obtained at the Buchanan bank in Butler county, ten miles distant. There were about fifteen houses oc- cupied by the furnace operatives, who received from sixteen to forty dollars per month. Jane furnace blew out in 1859, but before that date the tan- nery, foundry, etc., had successively fallen into disuse. Scarcely anything remains to mark the site of this village, once the scene of prosperous activ- ity. The course of the mill race may still be traced, and the old mill is standing, but Janestown is not even a " Deserted Village;" it has entirely disappeared.

In this connection it may be proper to mention Bullion furnace, built a little earlier than that at Janestown, and about equal to it in size and capa- city. William Cross, the proprietor, owned fourteen hundred acres of land in the vicinity. There was a store, and houses to accommodate thirty oper- atives. This furnace also blew out in 1859. Its location was on Bullion run, a mile and a half from the mouth of Scrubgrass.

Summit City was a flourishing town during the excitement incident to early developments in the Bullion field. It was located on the farm of S. Simcox, three miles from Kennerdell. The first house was built December 8, 1876, and in June of the following year there were one hundred and eighty buildings and a promiscuous population of one thousand. There were banks, hotels, stores of every description, and the usual features of an oil town during the first month of its history. As the excitement subsided the population withdrew to other points, and within a very few years the city was practically deserted. The last inhabitant, Abram Myers, removed in April, 1889.

Berringer City and Dean City, the former on the Berringer, the latter on the McCalmont farm, had a history similar to that of Summit. The former comprises a few houses and maintains a grocery store; the latter has entirely disappeared.

SCHOOLS.

The first school house, a log building, stood on the farm of John Witherup, and John McClaran was the first teacher. Among other early school houses was a frame building on the farm of Craft Ghost, known as Christy's school, which was not finally demolished until 1888. John and James Kimes, Eliza Phipps (afterward Mrs. A. G. Egbert), and Lavinia Hackett taught here. Doctor E. H. Geibner of Sandy Lake, George A. Allen of Erie, Frank W. Adams, J. D. Chadwick of Franklin, Belle Cross, a Quaker gentleman named Ray, and others taught here and in the school

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house afterward erected on the farm of David Phipps in the same district. On the farm of Richard Surrena, now the land of Sylvester Baker, there was a school house fairly well built for that time, which was accidentally burned one night after spelling school. Chauncey Hamilton and Miss Rebecca Devoe taught here between the years 1821 and 1825. The Riddle school was on the main road to Emlenton at the cross-roads near the ceme- tery. It was taught by Jane Riggs, Ann Leason, Joseph Eakin, Matthew Riddle, James Riddle, and others. A commodious building for school and church purposes was erected immediately after the furnace was built by John Anderson, at Scrubgrass, as early perhaps as 1824 or '25. Excellent teachers were employed for this pioneer school. Miss Rebecca Devoe (after- ward Mrs. Eli Phipps), Mr. McGoldrick, Calvin Waite, Reverend David Law, Alexander F. Stevenson, Elizabeth Whann (afterward Mrs. Joseph Phipps), Ann Kilpatrick (afterward Mrs. John Pollock), Mr. Hayden, and others, whose influences for good still permeate the hearts and lives of those upon whom they were thus impressed.

There was also an early school house on the land of S. Simcox, known as the Foster school; and another a mile from the Butler line, known as the Scott school. In 1856 the township was redistricted and the buildings previously in use were abandoned. The number of districts has increased from six at that time to ten at present. Local educational work received an impetus in 1855, in the erection of Jane's Union Academy at Clinton- ville, by Mr. and Mrs. William Cross. McLain Cross, W. H. H. Kennedy, Thomas Seaton, George A. Allen, E. Pollock, J. R. Donnelly, Frank W. Adams, Mrs. A. G. Egbert, and William Cross, were among those who taught here. This building occupied the site of the borough school building.

CHURCHES.

The building erected at the Anderson furnace was one of the earliest places of religious worship in the township. Episcopalian service was con- ducted by Reverend Hilton, a worthy clergyman who came from Butler at stated intervals to minister to the spiritual wants of the villagers and residents near. When David Phipps purchased the furnace in 1835, the Cumberland Presbyterian doctrine was dispensed by Reverends Joseph Gardner, David Law, and Carl Moore, and by Jacob Wall in later years. Reverend Cyrus Riggs, Presbyterian; Reverend Pollock, Seceder; occasion- ally a Methodist brother, and once a Mormon, were permitted to occupy that sacred pulpit.

The Methodist Church of Clintonville was organized in 1828. One ac- count states that James Hughes was the first class leader, while another gives that honor to Jacob Hovis. The first church edifice was erected in 1828, and the present place of worship in 1852. C. W. Ghost, S. B. Hoffman, W. J. Hovis, R. Vanderlin, J. T. Hovis, C. W. Hovis, and J. B.

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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.

McMillan, are the present trustees. The following pastors have been ap- pointed to Clintonville circuit since its organization: 1841, S. Leach; 1842, I. Mershon, A. M. Reed; 1843, A. L. Miller, J. K. Coxson; 1844, S. W. Ingraham, J. Van Horn; 1845, J. Van Horn, I. Hildebrand; 1846, G. F. Reeser, D. King; 1847, G. F. Reeser, W. M. McCormick; 1848, E. Hull, H. M. Chamberlain; 1849, S. Baird, E. Hull; 1850, J. Wrigglesworth, J. Stocking; 1851, D. M. Stever, J. S. Lytle; 1852, J. G. Thompson; 1854, J. Howe; 1856, H. Luce; 1857, J. McComb, S. S. Nye; 1858, J. Mc- Comb; 1859, C. W. Bear; 1860, W. R. Johnson, C. W. Bear; 1861, R. B. Boyd, S. K. Paden; 1862, R. B. Boyd; 1864, G. Moore, S. Hubbard; 1865-66, A. H. Domer; 1867, C. Wilson; 1868, D. W. Wampler; 1869-70, J. W. Groves; 1871-72, E. Bennett; 1873-74, C. Peters; 1875-77, J. L. Strattan; 1878-80, J. Lusher; 1881-82, A. O. Stone; 1883-85, W. Bran- field; 1886-88, J. A. Hume.

The Presbyterian Church of Clintonville is one of a number of organiza- tions formed within the original bounds of Scrubgrass church. October 6, 1840, a petition was presented to Butler Presbytery for the organization of a church at Clintonville. After various delays Reverends Robert B. Walker and John R. Agnew were appointed to this service and directed to meet at Clintonville on the second Tuesday of February, 1841. Although there is no record of the committee's report this was doubtless the date of organiza- tion. There were about twelve members, of whom Thomas McKee, Sr., and William Christy were elders. The present session is constituted as follows: Thomas McKee, D. C. McKee, A. F. Hollister, Porter Phipps, John Kimes, and James Scott. James Baird, Robert Cross, Joseph Cummings, John Kilpatrick, and R. J. Phipps have also served as elders.

Music was always esteemed an important part of the sacred service in this old church; accordingly William Christy and William P. McKee were selected as most capable to lead the congregation in singing, the former pos- sessing a remarkably fine bass voice, and the latter well able to sustain his part in either soprano or tenor as the melody required. Standing in front of the tall pulpit, giving emphasis with an up and down beat of their riding whip or a rod cut from one of the forest trees then standing near the church, they led the people triumphantly to "Jordan's stormy banks," " o'er Pis- gahs lofty heights," until some solemn occasion demanded "Hark! from the tombs."

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History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including, Part 72

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