USA > Pennsylvania > Venango County > History of Venango County, Pennsylvania : its past and present, including > Part 74
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732
HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
Pleasantville Presbyterian Church .- The first church building erected at Pleasantville was situated upon the ground owned by the Presbyterian church and has been partially incorporated in the lecture room of that body. It was built in 1843-44, largely through the instrumentality of John Brown, and seems to have been originally intended for the use of all evangelical denominations. Reverend Hogg was the first to preach here, and Reverend John R. Slentz filled the pulpit many years. The former was a preacher of the Covenanter church, the latter of the Associate Reformed.
Mount Vernon Presbyterian church was organized June 5, 1860, and worshiped several miles east of Pleasantville. April 8, 1867, the name was changed to its present style, and the building mentioned became the place of worship. The present church edifice was dedicated January 8, 1870, Reverend Cyrus Dickson, D. D., and J. Jones Smyth, officiating. Mr. Smyth served as stated supply from October, 1866, to May, 1873. Rever- end J. McLachlan was pastor from 1873 to 1882; Samuel D. Stevenson, from 1883 to 1888; and S. T. Lewis, from July, 1888, to the present time. Elders have been installed in the following order: Charles Davidson, June 5, 1860; Francis Ashton, Benjamin Corwin, October 5, 1867; E. O. Emer- son, G. W. Underwood, May 15, 1870; Samuel Harsh, August 6, 1871; Samuel Q. Brown, Thomas Chattle, and Joshua Noyes, August 1, 1875; Alfred Lamb, July 30, 1881; and R. M. Davidson was elected September 24, 1882.
Jerusalem United Brethren Church, a mile from Pleasantville, was or- ganized some years ago at a school house. Jonathan Selden was the first class leader. The church building is a frame structure, built on land given by G. W. Spangler.
Pleasantville United Brethren Church. - Reverend P. Butterfield formed the organization at this place. The church edifice, erected mainly through the liberality of Reverend A. Holeman, was dedicated December 6, 1885, by Bishop J. Weaver. Reverends L. L. Hager, D. C. Starkey, N. R. Luse, Anselm Brazee, J. W. Lewis, and O. J. Gage, are among the pastors in charge of Pleasantville circuit within recent years.
SCHOOLS.
The first school house was built in 1823, by Aaron Benedict. It was situated on the eastern confines of Pleasantville, and was for many years the place of worship of the Baptist society. The first school was taught by Austin Merrick, who is represented as an accomplished penman. His immediate successors were principally ladies.
The first school house in Oil Creek township was built in the woods at the head of a ravine called Plumdungeon, midway between the farms of William Poor and Samuel Fleming. The first male teacher was Hamilton Campbell, from Erie county, who taught several terms. Among his early
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OIL CREEK TOWNSHIP.
successors were George Granis and John Sanney. There was an early school house on the plank road a mile and a half from Pleasantville. After the adoption of the public school system two schools were established in Oil Creek-Prospect Hill, which took the place of Plumdungeon, and the school on the plank road just mentioned. Redfield, two and one-half miles from Titusville, was added after a time. During the period of the first oil excitement ten schools were sustained. The present number is six.
The educational interests of Pleasantville received a great impetus in 1846 from the efforts of M. C. Beebe, who arrived in that year from Fabius, , New York, and assumed the management of the schools. The first union school building in the county was erected here, in 1853. The schools were conducted by Mr. Beebe, as principal, and two assistants. A commodious brick building was erected in 1873, and has proven ample for all require- ments. In appearance and adaptiveness it compares favorably with similar structures in the larger towns of the county. The following is a list of principals since its completion: P. H. Stewart, J. T. Morton, George B. - Lord, John L. Mattox, and J. W. Lackey.
PLEASANTVILLE CEMETERY.
Two acres of ground were given by the Holland Company to Aaron Benedict for public use as a burial ground. Although interments are no longer permitted here the inclosure is preserved from desecration and has not been regarded with the indifference unfortunately manifested at other places in the county. The first interment was that of Albert, son of Aaron and Louisa Benedict, who died February 7, 1824, aged fifteen years, ten months, and seven days. The following is a list of the pioneers and older citizens of the community who are buried here:
John Grandin, who died December 22, 1833, aged seventy-six years.
John Tennent, who died March 2, 1840, aged seventy-two years.
Reverend Walter Holmden, who died May 15, 1840, aged sixty years, eleven months, and six days.
James Dustin, born August 26, 1767, died June 2, 1852.
Ebenezer Byles, who died August 13, 1852, aged seventy-two years, one month, and nine days.
Benjamin Tyrrell, who died September 12, 1852, aged sixty-six years, ten months, and one day.
William Porter, who died October 15, 1853, aged seventy-one years, five months, and thirteen days.
Lyman Watkins, who died June 15, 1854, aged seventy-one years, six months, and thirteen days.
Stephen Loveless, who died January 25, 1855, in the sixty-first year of his age.
John Culbertson, who died September 5, 1856, aged sixty-three years, two months, and ten days.
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HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY. .
- Aaron Benedict, who died March 20, 1860, aged eighty-one years, one month, and three days.
Henry Lockwood, who died August 11, 1861, aged seventy years, five months, and nineteen days.
Amos Hall, who died March 9, 1863, aged seventy-three years and four days.
Abraham Lovell, who died January 13, 1865, aged seventy nine years, seven months, and twenty-two days.
Nathaniel Blaisdell, who died September 16, 1871, aged seventy-three years, one month, and sixteen days.
William Zuver, who died April 2, 1872, aged seventy-nine years.
James Howe, who died September 12, 1875, aged seventy-two years.
- Austin Merrick, who died August 6, 1876, aged seventy-five years.
CHAPTER XLIV.
MINERAL TOWNSHIP.
ORGANIZATION AND TOPOGRAPHY-SETTLEMENT-RAYMILTON-CHURCHES- SCHOOLS.
A petition for the erection of a new township from portions of Sandy Creek and French Creek was presented to the court of quarter ses- sions January 17, 1870, and a commission composed of William Hilands, John Adams, and Samuel Royle, appointed for its consideration, reported favorably to the proposed change May 2, 1870. At an election in June the matter received popular sanction, and the township of Mineral was formally erected October 24, 1870. The first election for township officers occurred on the last Tuesday of November and resulted in the choice of Isaac Perrine as justice of the peace, William Adams as assessor, and James Simcox as treasurer. Much the larger portion of the new township was taken from Sandy Creek. It adjoins Mercer county, extending from Irwin to French Creek, with Victory as the eastern boundary. Sandy creek and South Sandy with numerous smaller tributaries drain the whole of its area. Much of this territory is not adapted to farming purposes, although there are also many fine farms. By the census of 1880, the first after the formation of the township, the population was eight hundred and thirty-one.
SETTLEMENT.
Samuel Gildersleeve was probably the first permanent settler. He was
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-
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MINERAL TOWNSHIP.
from New Jersey, and located where Silas Wike now lives, about 1797. He had a family of four children, but none of the descendants are now living in the township. At the time of his arrival there were but a few families near the mouth of Sandy creek and French creek, while the road from Franklin, to Mercer was little more than a bridle path. The panther and wolf were frequently encountered in the woods, or made their presence known by a night attack upon the domestic animals in the farm yard. The loss of cat- tle and sheep in this manner was frequently experienced.
William Whann was another of the pioneers. He came here from North- umberland county with a large family, there being five sons and five daugh- ters. He settled on South Sandy and the farm is now owned by Julius Henderson. Two sons, Francis and Robert S., married here and lived to be very old, the former dying at the age of eighty-eight and the latter seventy- five. Their father, with the other members of the family, removed to New Athens, Harrison county, Ohio, before this locality had become thickly set- tled. One account states that William Whann came to Mineral township in 1800, but the date was probably several years earlier.
The Henderson family was early represented. Originally from Ireland, Allegheny county at length became their home, and in 1796 five brothers located at Hendersonville in the adjoining township of Worth, Mercer county. One of these, Archibald, came into Mineral within a few years thereafter. He married Sarah Gates in the state of Ohio, a woman of more than ordinary education and intelligence, who was one of the first school teachers and is still remembered as a fine writer. Charles Henderson, another brother, was a native of Ireland and emigrated to Pennsylvania, an unmar- ried man. One of the brothers kept a hotel. The American troops from Pittsburgh en route to Lake Erie in 1812 were entertained there, and if traditional information may be credited, local customers at the house were obliged to do without their accustomed refreshments for a time in conse- quence. Charles Henderson married a Miss Simcox who was the mother of nine children, the oldest of whom, Robert, succeeded to the homestead.
Other early settlers were Shadrach Simcox, Andrew Smith, Daniel Crain, and John Walker. Simcox was from the state of Maryland, and probably arrived in 1800. Smith was from Washington county and prob- ably accompanied the Whanns or arrived a little later. Crain was from New Jersey and settled where Mrs. Nancy Kilgore now lives, whence he re- moved to Wooster, Ohio. Jacob Rice planted one of the first orchards in the township, carrying the trees from Pittsburgh on his back.
Robert Latta built the first mill. It was situated on Sandy creek above Raymilton, and traces of the dam are said to be visible to this day. The history of this mill is involved in mystery. One account states that Latta died from exposure while under the influence of liquor, and the mill was burned in a forest fire; according to another story Latta found his establish- 41
738
HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
ment somewhat in advance of the country and left it for a time, and during his absence the machinery was appropriated by some one else. However this may be, the mill was never operated to any extent, and its suspension or disappearance does not appear to have interfered materially with the progress of civilization in this part of the valley of Sandy creek. There were also early mills on South Sandy, built by Abel Thompson and subse- quently owned by James Griffin, and at Raymilton. The pottery of Abra- ham Sampson in the southern part of the township may also be mentioned as a local industry, though of more recent origin.
RAYMILTON.
This village is situated in the valley of Sandy creek on the line of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railroad. The name originated with its founder, A. W. Raymond, whose connection with the business of the place began in 1844. He built a grist mill, an iron furnace, a store build- ing, and various other improvements. The furnace was put in blast Feb- ruary 3, 1845, and continued in operation until some time in the next decade. The ruins are still to be seen and indicate a structure substantially constructed and ranking in size with the larger furnaces of the county. Some distance farther down the creek was Reno furnace, the property of L. T. Reno of Franklin. Maple Grove coal bank is in the near vicinity. This was originally opened by John Soper and Young Brothers in 1861-62. It was successively operated by Captain Mason, C. B. Irwin, the Maple Grove Coal Company, and S. P. McCalmont, but mining has been carried on to a very limited extent for several years past. In 1861 A. W. Raymond bored to the depth of four hundred feet with but slight indications of oil, this being the first effort in that direction. Operations were resumed in 1870 with better success, and from that date there has been a steady increase in pro- duction. From 1873 to 1879 Raymilton was the railroad terminus of the United Pipe Lines' Butler county line, a circumstance which contributed largely to the business activity of the place during that period.
The Globe Refining Company was organized in November, 1878, by S. Simcox, W. M. Glenn, Raymond Brothers, and Robert Eakin, and reorgan- ized in 1887, as the Globe Refining Company, Limited, with S. Simcox, president; J. C. Simcox, secretary and treasurer, and C. D. Gaylord, man- ager. After the reorganization a lubricating plant was added to the distill- ing works previously operated. The former has a capacity of one thousand barrels per month, the latter of one hundred and fifteen barrels per day.
CHURCHES.
Center Methodist Episcopal Church was organized October 6, 1844, with the following members: John Adams, leader; John W. Walker, Margaret Walker, Daniel Reading, Margaret Reading, David Reagle, Samuel Gild-
739
MINERAL TOWNSHIP.
ersleeve, Daniel Herring, Robert Herring, Calvin Ward, Emily Ward, Reuben Ward, David Simcox, Adaline Simcox, Amanda Hill, Hiram Kim- ball, Eliza Kimball, and Eleanor Simcox, many of whom had previously been connected with Sandy Creek church. Services were held in the Adams school house until 1859, when a frame church was built and dedicated by Reverend G. B. Hawkins.
Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church .- The first pastor of this church, Reverend S. J. M. Eaton, was installed February 7, 1849. He was followed successively by Reverends James Coulter, J. W. McCune, John G. Condit, M. M. Shirley, C. H. Bruce, A. W. Verner, and E. A. Nelson. The organ- ization was effected by Reverends J. T. Smith and Cyrus Dickson, under direction of Erie Presbytery, from a membership originally connected with Amity church. The first session records bear date March 30, 1849, at which time A. W. Raymond and Robert S. Whann were elders. James Woods, Samuel Russell, and Matthew L. Whann were installed as elders June 30, 1850; W. M. Glenn, Albert Reagle, and C. H. Raymond consti- tute the present session. The church edifice was dedicated by Reverends Shirley and Kerr, and is situated upon ground given for the purpose by Archibald Henderson.
Mt. Olive Church of the Evangelical Association was organized in March, 1882, by Reverend M. L. Weaver, then of Barkeyville circuit, with twenty-seven members, of whom Emanuel Rice was first class leader. Serv- ices were held at first in the Heister school house. A frame church was built at Raymilton, in 1882, and dedicated February 18, 1883. Reverends Finecy, Vote, Bumgardner, Cramer, Miller, and Strayer have served as pastors of this church.
SCHOOLS.
The first school building was in the woods not far from Center Method- ist church, and the old road leading thereto is still distinguishable. It was built about 1820 or later. Rachel Jones from the state of New York was the first teacher and Elmira Woodworth, of Franklin, was the second. The building was destroyed in a forest fire, and another was built within a few years a half mile distant on the public road. The second building was erected on the Wright farm near South Sandy. An early school was taught in an abandoned dwelling on the Riggs farm, where - Butler and John Elder were among the early teachers.
740
HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
CHAPTER XLV.
VICTORY TOWNSHIP.
ORGANIZATION-PIONEERS-THE OLD FURNACES-SPRINGVILLE-SCHOOLS- CHURCHES.
T HE erection of Mineral township in 1870 naturally suggested a further division of Sandy Creek, for which a petition was presented to the court of quarter sessions, November 26, 1875. M. W. Sage, W. R. Crawford, and Thomas H. Martin, a commission to whom the matter was referred, reported in its favor January 27, 1876. June 10th following an election was held at which there were but fifteen dissenting votes in a total poll of ninety-seven. The township of Victory was formally erected September 6, 1876, and its organi- zation forthwith ordered.
This is one of the smallest subdivisions of the county. Bounded on the south by Clinton and Irwin, and on the west by Mineral, it is separated from Sandy Creek by the stream of that name, and from Rockland by the Alle- gheny river. The surface is very much broken; in the northern part, about the mouth of South Sandy, there is a wide region of comparatively unin- habited country.
PIONEERS.
Though not so inviting as other parts of the county Victory was settled almost as early as the western frontier of Pennsylvania became a safe place of residence. Prominent among the earliest arrivals was John Dewoody. A native of the North of Ireland, he emigrated to America at the age of twenty- two, and lived for a time at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Thence he drifted westward and at Chartiers creek near Pittsburgh met and married Anis, daughter of Captain Mccullough of the American army, who had raised a company in Dauphin county and after seven years in the war returned with but seven of his men, receiving for his services land scrip to the amount of four hundred acres. He gave his daughter as her dower a horse and a cow. Arriving at the valley of Sandy creek John Dewoody disposed of these animals to Samuel Patterson in settlement of his claim to a tract of four hundred acres. Patterson was a young man; he was unmarried and lived principally by hunting. He had built a cabin, which stood in the orchard on this farm and a large rock which formed the rear wall is still pointed
741
VICTORY TOWNSHIP.
out. Dewoody lived in this cabin for a time, and then built a more preten- tious house which he kept as a hotel thirty-three years. The latter stood on the old Pittsburgh road. The date of this settlement was 1796. Sarah (Dewoody) Ford was born here in 1798, this being the second birth of a white child in the township. It is generally understood that the first birth . was that of a child of Patrick Manson, afterward a pioneer of Sandy Creek township, which occurred at Dewoody's house on his journey thither.
Daniel McMillin was the next permanent settler of whom anything defi- nite is known. He was of Scotch-Irish descent and a native of one of the eastern counties of Pennsylvania. His settlement in Victory was made in 1802 upon a tract of five hundred acres, for which he paid a dollar an acre, and part of which is yet in possession of his son, Daniel McMillin. He was accompanied by his wife and two children, and all their possessions were brought upon one horse. They lived in a tent until a log cabin with clapboard roof and puncheon floor could be constructed. This stood within a few rods of Daniel McMillin's house, and some of the foundation stones are still visible. The old pioneer lived to an advanced age, dying in Rock- land township, where he has numerous descendants.
George McClelland, a native of Ireland, settled near Springville in 1803. In 1806 he removed to Franklin, where he resided until his death in 1834. He married Agnes Seaton, who survived him till 1842. Their children were Mrs. Jane Snowden, Mrs. Margaret Plumer, John, Mrs. Nancy Bredin, Mrs. Eliza Dale, George C., and Joseph. Mr. McClelland is better remembered as a pioneer of Franklin than of this township.
There were a number of early settlers who remained but temporarily, and of whom but little is known. Among these was Robert Heiner, who made an improvement on the farm now owned by Doctor A. G. Egbert, planted an orchard, and then left, presumably for more promising regions. This orchard was bearing in 1831, and at that time is said to have been one of the best in the township, though long neglected. John Lyons settled near the present residence of R. C. Shorts at an early date upon a tract of four hundred acres. John Morrison, who was for a time court crier, lived at the mouth of Sandy creek. Samuel Lindsay came into the township under agreement with Abraham Witherup that the latter should transport his family and effects from Pittsburgh, and when he had secured title to a tract of five hundred acres, receive half as payment for so doing. Lindsay was a veteran of the Revolution, and had served under Wayne. After completing his settlement he removed to the river opposite the mouth of East Sandy. Subsequently he left this locality for Meigs county, Ohio. James Major built a hotel on the Pittsburgh road at Pearl postoffice early in the century which was burned and rebuilt three times. Subsequently it was kept by Joseph Brunton. Isaac Bennett, a squatter, made some slight improve- ments on the property now in possession of William Cather. He was suc-
742
HISTORY OF VENANGO COUNTY.
ceeded by George McClelland, who likewise remained but a short time. In 1831 every vestige of these improvements had disappeared, having been obliterated, it is supposed, by a forest fire. At that date John Cather, from Cecil county, Maryland, later of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, where he taught school and was engaged in some capacity at different iron fur- naces, settled upon the property, and it has since remained in possession of . his family. William Shorts, from Trumbull county, Ohio, a son-in-law of John Witherup, first sheriff of Venango county, came to Victory township in 1833, and located upon what is still known as the old Shorts farm. In 1831 there were but three families on the Pittsburgh road-Dewoody's at Sandy creek, Major's at the opposite extremity of the township, and Cather's at Springville; and although much of the land then regarded as incapable of cultivation has since been subdued, the population is still sparse. In 1880, the year after its organization, the number of inhabitants was three hundred and seventy-seven, and has not materially increased.
THE OLD FURNACES.
Sandy Furnace, known at a later period of its history as Castle Rock furnace, was erected in 1835 by William Cross and Thomas Hoge. It was successively operated by Heaton & McConnell, McKee & Harris, Jordan, Bingham & Company, C. E. Lytle & Company, J. Painter & Company, and Painter, Graff & Company, the various resident managers being William McKee, Isaac Heaton, -- Jordan, and Everhart Lytle. At first the capacity was two tons per day, but in 1848 the dam and race were enlarged and the daily production increased to three tons. Business was finally sus- pended in 1860 with a considerable amount of stock on hand. This furnace was in the extreme western part of the township.
Victory Furnace was built by Andrew Boner about 1843. Archibald and Josiah Boner, Alexander Hays, and George Crawford were successively interested in the property, Crawford being the last owner. This furnace blew out in 1851. R. C. Shorts is the present owner of the property, but the stack has fallen into decay and only its ruins remain as the reminder of a once prosperous industry.
SPRINGVILLE.
This village, known as a postoffice under the name of Balliet, comprises a hotel, store, and half a dozen houses. Sixty years ago the place consisted of a double log house with clapboard roof and weight poles built by Samuel Irvine and occupied as a hotel. At a later date Reuben Dout built a hewed- log house a story and a half high, and somewhat later still David Ruch erected the present hotel. Abraham Balliet, now of Honeywell, Missouri, kept the first store. The village is seven miles from Franklin and near the center of the township.
743
VICTORY TOWNSHIP.
SCHOOLS.
The first school was taught in a log building erected by the joint efforts of the community near the summit of Sandy hill on land of Samuel Irvine. Colonel William Shorts secured the first teacher, Stewart Galloway, who "boarded 'round." Among his early successors was William Brutus Gorman, a native of Ireland who had been imprisoned in Canada for complicity in the Van Renssaellaer insurrection. Upon his release he started out for Pitts- burgh and stopped for the night, ragged and shoeless, at the house of Colonel Shorts. The latter soon discovered that he was a man of erudition and offered to secure him the district school, which he gladly accepted. He remained but one term; old residents still speak in warm terms of his ability as a teacher and disciplinarian. David Moore and Ethan Stout were the next teachers of note. The second school house was built on the Lyons tract a few years later. There was also an early school house on the Mc- Millin farm and Tamar Williams was the first teacher there. At present there are three schools in the township.
CHURCHES.
Hebron Church of the Evangelical Association is successor to the site formerly occupied by one of the oldest Cumberland Presbyterian churches in this part of the Allegheny valley, of which an account is given in the his- tory of Scrubgrass township. Reverend George W. Brown, then of Demp- seytown circuit, held the first services in the winter of 1868, at the school house near Springville. A revival meeting was conducted, resulting in the formation of a class with nineteen members. Clark Ferry was the first leader, John C. Dewoody was exhorter, and of the original members, J. R. Dodds, Thomas Dewoody, Mrs. Elizabeth Dewoody, and Mrs. J. R. Dodds are also still in connection with the church. The frame church building on the Pittsburgh road was erected in the autumn and winter of 1870-71. The ground is occupied under lease from Richard Major and Andrew Shiner, trustees of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Reverends Crossman, Woodhull, Myers, and Scobert were the first preachers. The pastoral suc- cession to date is as follows: J. W. Arkless and J. W. Plotts, J. J. Car- . many, John Garner, John Domer, G. W. Dunlap, M. L. Weaver, G. W. Finecy, A. C. Miller, F. J. Strayer, D. M. Baumgardner, and Charles Cra- mer. M. L. Welton was the first Sunday school superintendent.
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