USA > Pennsylvania > Warren County > History of Warren County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 56
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101
Robert Donaldson, also named in this list, did not become a resident until about 1830. He was born in Ireland in 1780, and settled not far from 1820 near Wrightsville, in this county, and soon after moved to Pittsfield. He was largely engaged in the farming and lumbering interests, was a man of great
470
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
sagacity and energy, and was furthermore honest and fair in all his dealings. He was an unwavering Democrat. He owned about 900 acres of land, embrac- ing the entire site of the present village of Spring Creek, having purchased the property in about 1830 from Thomas C. Rockhill, jr., of Philadelphia. He died in October, 1868, a short time after he had divided his property among his four sons, Daniel, Irvin, David and Wilson-all but the last of whom are yet living. Robert Donaldson also had two daughters-Eleanor and Cordelia, both of whom are now living; the former the wife of William H. Deming, the latter Mrs. Levi Leonard. Daniel Donaldson, now a resident of Spring Creek village, was born on what is known as the James Cotton farm, near Wrightsville, on the 2d of October, 1824, and came to Spring Creek with his father.
John Jobes was a resident of Spring Creek at an early day and worked in saw-mills. After a number of years he procured a farm about half a mile east of Irvine's Four Corners, where he passed the rest of his life, dying at the ad- vanced age of about ninety years, in 1885. One son, Samuel, and one daugh- ter, Mary, wife of William Patchen, survive him. Harris Lasure was a respect- able factotum of his town, and resided for a time on the western part of the farm occupied at the same time by James Benson. He left town before 1840, and died at Jamestown. His father-in-law, Abner Sherwin, owned a grist- mill on the western part of the William Miles farm at a very early date. Will- iam Miles was never, properly speaking, a resident of Spring Creek, though he was an extensive land owner here. The farms occupied by James Benson, Lu- ther Chase, and his nearest neighbors were all leased of William Miles, who also operated a large saw-mill in town. Eleazer Ogden resided for a short time on the William Miles farm, but left town as early as 1830. James Tubbs married the eldest sister of William M. Jackson ; lived here many years, and died near the center of the town on the 15th of May, 1859. Thomas WV. Tubbs, who married another daughter of Elijah Jackson, was a resident of Spring Creek before the formation of the township. After a long residence here he removed to Crawford county, where he died on the 16th of December, 1881. Marcus Turner was an early settler in the northern part of the town, and was a farmer and lumberman. After a residence here of but a few years he removed in the direction of Fredonia, N. Y., where he died. Alexander Watt, a brother of Mrs. Elijah Jackson, was an carly settler on the place next east of Elijah Jackson, where he died on the 2d of February, 1866. One daughter, Mrs. Hannah Mallery, now lives in town. Converse B. White, an eccentric man, engaged in farming and lumbering about one and a half miles east of West Spring Creek. His family are all gone. He emigrated south under peculiar circumstances and there met his death. Joshua Whitney, already mentioned, worked for some time in saw-mills, and left town not far from the year 1835. He afterward married and died in Crawford county. This ends the list of set- lers previous to 1822.
471
SPRING CREEK TOWNSHIP.
One or two of the most worthy of the early settlers of Spring Creek remain to be mentioned, however. George Yager was a man so invaluable to his town that a chapter would indeed be incomplete that did not give some of the incidents of his life and character. In the year 1825, when he was about twenty-nine years of age, he, with his wife Clarissa, née Armitage, and only daughter, Sarah, moved from Otsego county in the State of New York to this township, and settled on the place now belonging to the estate of Michael C. Smith. At that time the country was still an almost unbroken wilderness, and luxuries or even conveniences were hardly attainable. His early training had made him conversant with the labors of husbandry, and being a man of tireless industry and perseverance, these were not to him insurmountable obstacles. Both early and late he toiled, his energy seeming to increase by what it fed on. His farm is one of the most fertile tracts in this section of the State. He was the first postmaster in the town. He was a man of rare virtue and moral worth, intelligent, high-minded, patriotic, firm but tolerant in his opinions, honest, devoted to his church and party. He died in 1881, at the age of eighty- five years. His wife survives him and is now living with her daughter, Mrs. Cummings, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years, in the enjoyment of good health.
N. P. Cummings, who married Sarah, daughter of George Yager, in 1837, was born in Bristol county, Mass., in 1813. He came to Spring Creek in 1835. Four children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Cummings, two of whom, George D. and Mary A., are yet living. George D. Cummings was born in Spring Creek on the 17th of August, 1842. He married Sue Woodbury, of Pittsfield township, in September, 1868, and is now a respected resident of West Spring Creek. N. P. Cummings left the old homestead (now belonging to the estate of Michael C. Smith, as before stated) and came to West Spring Creek in 1869, where he has for a good part of the time since operated the grist-mill.
Another prominent factor in the development of the town was Josiah Dem- ing, who was born in Amsterdam, N. Y., on the 17th of November, 1791, and died in Spring Creek on the 8th of January, 1871. He came to Spring Creek from Unadilla, N. Y., in February, 1838, and purchased the farm of Aaron Rose, embracing the present site of West Spring Creek and the farm now owned and occupied by his son, J. O. Deming. This piece of land contained 149 acres, and at that time there had been but one village lot measured and sold off-the one now occupied by Curtis Johnson. Mr. Deming divided his land into village lots and deliberately started the construction of a village. He was a gunsmith by trade, and he at once opened a gun-shop, a saw-mill, and a grist-mill. This is the same grist-mill now owned and operated by Mr. Cummings. Mr. Deming "also built the first hotel in town at that place, and was a most liberal contributor toward the building of the Union Church edifice,
472
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
now owned by the Congregationalists. In 1866 he resigned his business into the hands of his children. His wife was Asenath Mudge. They had five sons and five daughters, of whom four sons and four daughter are now living. E. L. Deming, the eldest, was born August 1, 1813, and died in February, 1885 ; Julia A., now Mrs. Presho, of Yankton, Dak., was born May 10, 1815; Will- iam H. was born January 1, 1817, and now resides at Erie ; Salgy Amelia, now Mrs. J. P. Mather, of Council Grove, Kan., was born December 24, 1820; Sally Mailla, born March 3, 1819, died April 1, 1819 ; Euphemia J., born March 20, 1823, married Abijah Morrison, of Warren, and died about fifteen years ago; Loton Lamont, born April 17, 1825, is in Charleston, Ark .; Josiah Ogden, born December 10, 1827, now lives on the old homestead in West Spring Creek ; Frances Jane, born May 4, 1830, is now Mrs. Harvey Thomp- son, of Charleston, Ark .; Mary Amanda, born December 3, 1831, is now the wife of Daniel Donaldson, at Spring Creek village ; and Andrew Jackson, born December 25, 1834, now lives at West Spring Creek. The mother of these children, whose maiden name was Mudge, was descended from an English family who emigrated to this country in Puritan times, the first of the name on the American continent being Joseph Mudge, one of the first and most pow- erful Methodist preachers in the country.
At the time that Josiah Deming came to West Spring Creek there was practically no village there. The only buildings on the ground now occupied by the village were a blacksmith shop and three dwelling houses, occupied re- spectively by Charles McGlashen, Eleazer Aken, and Josiah Deming. 'The village of Spring Creek was still later in birth, no sign of such a place being detectable in 1830, and for years thereafter Robert Donaldson being the only inhabitant of its site. The village did not assume the appearance of its pres- ent thrift until the railroad was opened. The first family to move in after that event was that of Baldwin Willis, who was division boss on this division of the road. His house stood on the site of the present residence of A. W. Jackson. The first station agent here was David Donaldson. The first store in the vil- lage was the grocery of Irvin Donaldson, where the drug store now is. Next was the store of Willis & Jackson, then of David Slasher, now of Erie, and next the store of William G. Garcelon. The first postmaster in Spring Creek village was David Donaldson, who was appointed by President Buchanan. Previous to that time William Garcelon had been postmaster at the mouth of Spring Creek, and when he came to this village, during Lincoln's administra- tion he succeeded Donaldson. At his death in 1876 P. M. Garcelon received the appointment. The present incumbent is Dr. W. O. Gilson.
The first tavern in Spring Creek village was opened by James Johnson about 1860, who after some five or six years sold the property to its present owner, Warren Fuller. It is now a private house.
Present Business Interests .- The oldest saw-mill now in operation in town
473
SPRING CREEK TOWNSHIP.
is that of Curtis Johnson, which is operated by steam. E. B. Hyde also owns a water power mill, which has been busy for more than twenty years. Davis, Jones & White operate a steam saw-mill, which has been in their possession a number of years. It was originally built by William H. Deming on another site, and removed to its present site. Wesley Nichols is the proprietor ofza steam shingle-mill, a business with which he has been connected for some fif- teen years. Bates & Phillis started a steam saw-mill about five years ago, which is now owned and operated by the junior partner of the former firm, James Phillis.
The tannery, now so successfully operated by Fred Beck, was built by him some fifteen years ago. The site of the present tannery of J. G. Tyler, at West Spring Creek, was first occupied by a tannery shortly previous to 1870, owned by Yennie & Manzer. It burned in December, 1871, and about twelve years ago the present building was erected by N. P. Cummings and F. A. Butterfield, under the firm name of Cummings & Butterfield. They were suc- ceeded in the ownership of this property by McConnell & Hermens, by Tyler & McConnell, and the last-mentioned firm by the present owner.
The first store at West Spring Creek was opened by Charles McGlashen in 1836. There is now but one store in this village. It was started by George Cummings in January, 1877. In February, 1884, Mr. Cummings sold out to Myers & Stanley. M. A. Myers himself now owns the property and conducts the business.
The first postmaster in the township was George Yager, who received the appointment in 1828, the office then having the name of Spring Creek. While he was postmaster the mail was distributed at his house. At that time the mail was carried on horseback, one of the routes being from Titusville, through Columbus, and another from Meadville to Jamestown. Previous to the year 1837 the office was removed to the bridge on the State road (which road was opened 1818-19), and it appears that George F. Eldred was appointed post- master. From there Mr. Garcelon carried the office to the village of Spring Creek, as before stated. The first postmaster at West Spring Creek was Nathaniel Wood, a native of Vermont, who was appointed by President Pierce about 1854 or 1855. In the mean time the store and mill property which had in 1837 belonged to Charles McGlashen had, about 1842, been sold to Abra- ham Woodin. The present owner of the property, Curtis Johnson, obtained his title about 1862. William H. Deming succeeded Wood as postmaster under Buchanan, and during the first term of President Lincoln gave place to his father, Josiah Deming. The office was kept in their store while it was in their family, the store having been first opened about 1850. This store is now occupied as a dwelling house by N. P. Cummings, who bought it in 1869, the same year in which he acquired title to the grist-mill. From the date of his appointment to that of his death, Josiah Deming remained postmaster at
474
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
West Spring Creek, when he was succeeded by the present official, W. H. Babcock.
There is now no hotel at West Spring Creek, and but one at Spring Creek village, called the Cottage Hotel. It was opened six or seven years ago by Caroline Donaldson, widow of Wilson Donaldson, and was continued by her son, Frederick R. Donaldson, the present proprietor, after the spring of 1884.
Of the stores now open in Spring Creek village, that of P. M. Garcelon & Co. (the Co. being J. H. Donaldson) is the oldest. It was started in 1868 by W. G. Garcelon, brother of the senior member of the present firm. From 1871 to 1876 W. G. and P. M. Garcelon were partners in the business. From that year until the fall of 1885 P. M. Garcelon was sole proprietor of the trade, the growing demands of the trade, however, then compelling him to take into his business confidence Mr. Donaldson. They carry a general stock valued at about six thousand dollars.
William Baker began to deal in general merchandise at West Spring Creek about fifteen years ago. In 1878 he removed to Spring Creek village, and in the fall of 1881 erected his present commodious store building.
The trade in drugs and medicines now controlled by Dr. W. O. Gilson and C. D. Baker, under the firm style of Gilson & Baker, was established by H. P. Hamilton. After a brief period of trade, Hamilton sold out to Dr. S. C. Diefendorf about 1883. In 1884 J. D. Shannon became proprietor of the business, and in the fall of 1885 sold his interests to the present firm.
Physicians, Past and Present .- The first physician to exercise the myster- ies of Esculapius in Spring Creek was Dr. Fitch, of Columbus, who was soon assisted without his own consent by Dr. Eaton, of Concord, Pa. One Dr. Cornell was the first resident physician in the township, and dwelt at West Spring Creek for two or three years previous to 1840. About that time Dr. Southard Wood came to West Spring Creek from Crawford county, and after a residence and practice there of many years he removed to Spartansburg, Pa., where he died. His remains, however, were buried in this township, where was, before, the last of earth of his first wife. Dr. Samuel Rogers also re- moved at a comparatively early day from Sugar Grove to West Spring Creek and remained several years. The first physician to reside at the railroad sta- tion was Dr. Elias Baker, who came from Concord, Pa., about 1874, and after a stay of two years returned to Concord. Dr. Diefendorf then sojourned here for a brief time, and was succeeded by the present physician of the place. Dr. W. O. Gilson was born at Titusville, Pa., on the 8th of January, 1858. There he received his education, and he studied medicine there under the guidance of Dr. W. A. Baker. He then attended lectures at the Western Reserve University, of Cleveland, O., and in February, 1883, received his pro- fessional diploma from the medical department of that institution. He came at once to Spring Creek and began to practice. In the fall of 1885 he was
475
KINZUA TOWNSHIP.
appointed postmaster at Spring Creek, and at that time began his career as a druggist. He married in June, 1885, Jessie, daughter of William Baker. The only other physician in town is Dr. W. L. Harvey, who practices at East Branch.
Schools and Churches .- The first school in this township was taught by Daniel Jones in 1804 and 1805, in a log house at the mouth of Spring Creek. The next was taught by Daniel Horn in 1809 and 1810. All the schools were supported by subscription until 1834. There are now fourteen schools in the township, those at the two villages each having two departments. The average attendance for the whole township is about 400.
The first church organized in town was the Congregational, which was formed at West Spring Creek in 1847, and the church edifice, the first in town, was then erected. The Methodist Episcopal Church edifice at that place was dedicated in 1875. At Spring Creek village a Congregational house of wor- ship was erected about five years ago, the services therein now being con- ducted by Rev. A. B. Sherk, the pastor at West Spring Creek. The Methodist denomination also erected a house of worship at Spring Creek in 1886, the site being donated by D. H. Donaldson. The pastor of this church is Rev. A. S. M. Hopkins.
CHAPTER XXXIX
HISTORY OF KINZUA TOWNSHIP.
K INZUA township lies on the eastern border of Warren county, and is bounded north by Allegheny River, separating it from the townships of Glade and Elk, east by Corydon and McKcan county, south by Sheffield, and west by Mead. It is a good farming town, the soil being composed of a sandy loam along the streams and on Kinzua Flat. The fruits and cereals are raised here in goodly quantities, while a prosperous dairying interest has sprung up in the last few years, which adds much to the agricultural growth of the town- ship. Kinzua was one of the seven towns in Warren county, the organization of which was effected on the 8th of March, 1821, and was first called " Num- ber Eight." Its name, it is said, is of Indian origin, the word meaning fish. This section of the country was in early times one of the favorite resorts of the Indians during the fishing seasons, who bestowed upon it the peculiar title which has been adopted by their civilized successors.
Early Settlements .- The original industry here was identical with that of all the towns in Western Pennsylvania, which could find water channels to the 31
476
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
great lumber markets of early days-viz., lumbering. About the year 1800 a number of energetic and enterprising men procured the right to strip these lands of their timber for the purpose of rafting it south to Pittsburgh, Cincin- nati, and the other markets on the great rivers that pour their waters into the Gulf of Mexico. Among these men (who came then or later) were John Dick- son, who lived on the west side of Kinzua Creek, a little south of the present residence of William English, our informant. Dickson, though mentioned first, could not have attained prominence until some years after 1800, as he lived in town until within five or six years. He was also a great hunter and fisherman, and cultivated a farm.
The first permanent settler in Kinzua, however, was James Morrison, who settled on Morrison's Island in 1801. He was soon followed by Benjamin Marsh, Seaman, Fisher, and others.
Jeremiah Morrison, who is mentioned in the list of taxables of Warren county for 1806, lived for a time in Kinzua, removed to Cincinnati, and came again to this town. His was a locomotive disposition. He died a number of years ago in a canoe, on the way to Tidioute from Kinzua.
Abijah Maddock came here from Cincinnati at a very early day, and began lumbering on the Indian reservation with John English. Although he was thus identified, in a manner, with the town, he can hardly be deemed a resident. He was always going and coming after and with rafts of lumber for the south. One of his sisters was married to James Morrison. Galen Maddock was a brother of Abijah, and was connected with this town in the same business. He died in McKean about thirty years ago.
Between the date of the opening of the country during the first ten years of the present century, and the setting off and formation of this township in 1821, a considerable immigration had poured into this part of the country, and affairs looked favorable for the establishment of a prosperous community. Among those whose names appear in the list of 1822 are the following :
George Blacksnake owned property here in some manner, though he was an Indian chief of the Seneca tribe, and resided on the reservation at Cold Spring.
In 1821 John Campbell lived on the west side of Allegheny River, but soon after removed to Kinzua and settled on the west side of Kinzua Creek, in the southeast part of the town. He was a farmer, lumberman, etc., and was fond of hunting. He died some ten or twelve years ago. His widow, it is said, still lives at the ripe old age of one hundred years, with her son, in Lud- low, Mckean county.
Jacob Hook was one of the most influential men of his day. He resided on the strip of land which was part of Kinzua until Mead was formed, when it became a part of that township. Hook was very wealthy, engaging largely in the lumber business, and erecting a number of extensive saw-mills. He died in Pittsburgh while there on business.
477
KINZUA TOWNSHIP.
Jacob Hamlin, a farmer, occupied at this time the site of the present village of Kinzua, his house standing near the center. He was an uncle of William English. He removed from here to Chautauqua county, in the State of New York, and after several other removals settled in Michigan, the place of his death.
Andrew Marsh, a single man, owned and occupied a good farm in the northeast part of the town, on Kinzua Flat. He was not, like so many other farmers of this county at that day, interested in the lumbering trade, but attended strictly to his agricultural occupation, and was successful. He died there.
Benjamin Marsh, a half-brother of Andrew, lived very early on Kinzua Flat, and kept the first store, perhaps, in that part of the country. He after- ward became a resident of Elk township. He was drowned between the mouth of Kinzua Creek and Warren. He was a farmer and lumberman.
James Morrison, the first settler on what is still known as Morrison's Island, at the mouth of Kinzua Creek, owned the entire island, and on it cultivated an extensive farm. He died there as early, probably, as 1840. Among his. sons were Abel, Elijah, and William. Jeremiah, who was mentioned in the. first paragraphs of this chapter, was a nephew of James. Samuel Morrison was an early lumberman, and lived in McKean county, at the head of Kinzua Flat. At a later time he settled on about the site of the railroad station in Kinzua, where he died about thirty years ago. Several of his children are- here at the present time.
James Sherley lived for a number of years with Benjamin Marsh, after which he removed to Glade township. There he reared a large family, and there he died.
These are only a few of the names of settlers mentioned in 1822, but they are the most prominent of those who owned property here at that time, and who remained in town long enough to be remembered by the older inhabitants of the present day. There were others who afterward achieved prominence, who at this time resided in town, but had not risen to the position of property- holders. Of these one of the most prominent was Smith Labree, who was born at Brintwood, Exeter county, N. H., on the 24th of June, 1797, came to Kinzua when he was eighteen years of age, and began to work for Jacob Hook. In one year he returned to New Hampshire, and acted in the service of his father one year. Again he came to Kinzua, and engaged in lumbering with John English. Soon after this he purchased of Archibald Tanner a large tract of land, which embraced nearly the entire site of the present village of Kinzua. His first house stood on the lot now occupied by that of Emory Lyle. In addition to his own lumber interests he acted as pilot for others and made frequent trips down the Allegheny River, once going as far as Natchez, Miss. The habit in those days was to take down on the raft a large canoe,
478
HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
and bring it back well filled with provisions. This he did on about every trip. On the 31st of October, 1822, he married Susannah, daughter of Comfort Hamlin. Following are the names of his children, together with the dates of their birth, and of the deaths of those who have died :
Sally, born December 27, 1824, died July 28, 1825 ; Adaline, born Decem- ber 22, 1829, died August 4, 1833 ; Rosina, born March 26, 1832, died July 7, 1863 ; Rosetta, born June 19, 1834, now the wife of J. O. McManus, of Kinzua; Loren, born April 20, 1837, died July 27, 1839; Loren, born No- vember 28, 1840, married Mary H. Nett, of Fayetteville, Pa., December 11, 1865, and now resides in Kinzua ; Archibald, born September 17, 1846, died April 9, 1871. Smith Labree died on the 27th of November, 1860, and was followed by his widow on the 29th of March, 1867. His son Loren, who now owns a part of the old estate, has passed his life thus far in his native place, excepting a period of two years and nine months, which he passed in the service of the Union cause during the Rebellion. He served under Captain D. W. C. James, of Warren, in the last company of volunteer infantry raised in the State, and was also in the last volunteer battery raised in the State, under Captain William Barrows. His civil occupation has always been that of a successful farmer. In politics he has been a consistent member of the Republican party, until the principles of the Prohibition party absorbed his political faith.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.