History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 122

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 122

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Cornplanter, chief of the Senecas, made a speech to the "Fathers of the Quaker State," in which he referred to a treaty made at Fort Stanwix six years before, and also of a talk held between the "Fathers" and the " Thirteen Fires," at Muskingum. After this last treaty Cornplanter was to conduct his people to Fort Pitt. The following is from his speech, and re- fers to the trip made through Catfish (Washington) in 1784, as follows:

" After I had separated from Mr. Nicholson and Morgan, I had under my charge one hundred and seventy persons of my own nation, consist- ing of men, women, and children, to conduct through the wilderness, through heaps of briars, and having lost our way, we with great diffi- culty reached Wheelen. When arrived there, being out of provisions, I requested of a Mr. Zanes to furnish me and my people with bacon and flour to the amount of seventeen dollars, to be paid for out of the goods

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

belonging to me and my people at Fort Pitt. Having obtained my re- quest, I proceeded on my journey for Pittsburg, and about ten miles from Wheelen, my party were fired upon by three white people, and one of my people in the rear of my party received two shots through his blanket.

" Fathers,-It was a constant practice with me throughout the whole journey to take great care of my people, and not suffer them to commit any outrages or drink more than what their necessities required. During the whole of my journey only one accident happened, which was owing to the kindness of the people of the town called Catfish [Washington], in the Quaker State, who, while I was talking with the head meu of the town, gave to my People more liquor than was proper, and some of them got drunk, which obliged me to continue there with my People all night, and in the night my People were robbed of three rifles and one shot-gun ; and though every endeavour was used by the head men of the town upon complaint made to thein to discover the perpetrators of the robbery, they could not be found; and on my Peoples complain- ing to me I told them it was their own faults by getting drunk." It may be of interest to know the advantages the town of Washington had at that time for supplying men with the liquor " their necessities required " The following are the names of those who kept tavern here in that year : James Wilson, John Adams, John Dodd, Charles Dodd, and John Colwell.

On the 7th of November, 1785, David Hoge con- veyed to his sons, John and William Hoge, eight hundred acres of land, including the town of Wash- ington, except the southeast quarter of the town, which he reserved for himself; but subsequently, on, the 10th of March, 1787, he conveyed to them this quarter also. The names of the streets were changed from the plat of 1781 before the date of the deed. Shortly after this sale an addition was made to the town on the east and south sides, consisting of forty lots and several out-lots.

The town of Washington was originally in the township of Strabane, and the first election of the township was held at "the house of David Hoge, at Catfish Camp." The town remained under the juris- diction of Strabane until 1785. On the 25th of Sep- tember, in that year, a petition signed by several of the citizens of the town was presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions, requesting to be formed into a separate election district. The petition was granted ; a certificate was sent to the Supreme Executive Council, and was confirmed by that body on the 6th of February, 1786. A petition for the erection of the town of Washington into a separate township is on file in the records of the court, and is indorsed on the back as follows: "Petition of Inhabitants of the Town of Washington to be made a township. Sep- tember Session. Granted by the Court." The peti- tion was signed by Alexander Addison, D. Bradford, James Ross, John Redick, John Hoge, and Reasin Beall.

This petition is without date, but the action of the court was evidently in September, 1788, as the first assessment-roll of Washington borough township that has been found was made April 20, 1789, and is prob- ably the first one after its erection. The following names appear on the roll :

John Atchison, Robert Atchison, John Adams, Samuel Acklin, David Bradford, Reazon Bell, Samuel Beard, Absalom Beard, Esq., James Chambers, Edward Coulter, Samuel Clark, Alexander Cunningham, John

Culbertson, Thomas Clark, Peyton Cooke, John Dodd, John Douglas, Sam- uel David, John Flaek, William Faulkner, Hardman Horn, John Hoge, Esq., John Hughes, Thomas Jeffries, William Johnston, Daniel Kerr, Wil- liam Kerr, Alexander Little, James Linn, William Meetkirk, John Mc- Quiston, Robert Mckinley, William Marshall, Hugh Means, Kennedy Morton, Daniel Moody, Alexander McCoy, William Marts, William Mc- Calmont, George McCormick, John McMichael, Daniel McGlaughlin, Patrick McNight, James McCoy, Sr., Anthony McConoughy, David Parkinson, John Purviance, David Redick, Esq., John Redick, Widow Roberts, Thomas Stokely, Esq., Samuel Shannon, Thomas Scott, Esq., Adam Sneider, - Sneider, Andrew Swearingen, William Sherrod, Widow Thompson, Charles Valentine, James Wilson, Sr., Hugh Wilson, Matthew Winton, James Workman, Widow Walker, Daniel Welch, Joseph Wherry, Hugh Workman, James Wilson, Jr., Thomas Woodward. Single men : Gabriel Bleakney, John Black, Alexander Beer, Edward Browner, Sandars Darby, George Douglas, Thomas Davis, James Ewing, Thomas Goudy, Joseph Hunt, Daniel Johnston, John Kerns, James Langley, William Linn, James McDermott, Walton Meads, Alexander McCoy, James McCoy, John McCoy, Thomas McQuiston, James Mc- Cluney, Alexander Miller, William Mitchell, Archibald McDonald, James Read, Benjamin Read, James Ross, James Rony, John Stokely, Benjamin Stokely, John Stevenson, Elisha Fulkerson, James Woods.

In 1792 forty-seven inhabitants of Strabane and Canton townships petitioned the court that the town- ship of Washington be enlarged. The petition was presented in March, 1792, and on the 27th of.Septem- ber the same year it was acted upon, and the follow- ing boundaries established : "Beginning at the mouth of Daniel Leets' Run, thence up the said Run to the Head thereof, thence to the most easterly corner of the survey made for James Huston, thence along the easterly boundary of William Huston's survey, thence along the Easterly Boundary of John Dodd's Land to where the great road to Pittsburgh crosses the first Run, thence down the said Run to Chartiers Creek, thence up the said creek to the place of Beginning." Since that time the boundaries have not been materi- ally changed.

Early Settlers of Washington,-David Hoge, of Cumberland County, was sheriff of that county from October, 1768, to Dec. 31, 1770, when he was suc- ceeded by Ephraim Blaine. Soon after this time, as already mentioned, he purchased the Hunter tracts of land in the Chartiers Valley embracing what is now the town of Washington. He laid out the town in 1781, and in 1785 sold the most of it to his sons John and William, who removed to Washington and lived and died there, filling important positions of honor and trust. David Hoge, their father, never made Washington his permanent residence. Of his other children, Jonathan settled near Morgantown, where he lived and died, leaving two children, of whom Bushrod Hoge (well known to the people of Washington) is one. David Hoge, Jr., married Jane the daughter of Thomas Scott, and settled in Wash- ington for a time, and finally removed to Steuben- ville, where he became agent of the Land-Office. He . died there, leaving many descendants. A daughter became the wife of the Rev. Mr. Waugh, a Presbyte- rian clergyman. He died in Cumberland County and left two sons, William and John H., both of whom were admitted as attorneys in Washington County in 1818 and 1820. He also had three daughters, the

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youngest of whom became the wife of Dr. Irwin. Mrs. Daniel Kaine, of Uniontown, is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Irwin. John Hoge, the oldest son of David Hoge, Sr., was born at Hogestown, near Car- lisle, Sept. 12, 1760, entered the Revolutionary army in 1776, when but sixteen years of age, and became a lieutenant. During the war he visited Washington, and in 1782 settled on the land his father had pur- chased. On the 7th October, 1785, his father con- veyed the greater portion of the large tract to him and his brother William. In 1789 he was elected a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention, and from 1790-94 represented this district in the State Senate. He served part of a term in Congress from 1803-5 to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of his brother, William Hoge. He built a frame house on the south side of Maiden Street, opposite the old Presbyterian Church (now Hayes' carriage factory). He also kept tavern a few years about 1800. He mar- ried a daughter of William Quail. Later in life he retired to his farm, lying between Washington and Canonsburg, known as the "Meadow Land" (now owned by Maj. John H. Ewing), where he died Aug. 5, 1824.

William Hoge, a younger brother of John, also set- tled in Washington, and owned a half interest in the property. His farm in the north part of the town is now owned by Harry Shirle. He was elected mem- ber of Congress, and served from 1801 to 1803, but resigned in 1804, and was again elected in 1806 and served from 1807 to 1809. He was also elected asso- ciate judge, and served from 1798 to 1802. He mar- ried Isabella, the daughter of Samuel Lyon, of Cum- berland County. He died in 1813, and his widow became the second wife of Alexander Reed.

David Redick was a native of Ireland, who emi- grated to this country and settled for several years in Lancaster County. He married the daughter of Jona- than Hoge, brother of David Hoge, Sr. He was a surveyor, and came to the Chartiers Valley with Da- vid Hoge, surveyed his lands, and laid out the town under the direction of Mr. Hoge. He remained here and purchased lot 273, on Main Street, where he built and lived till his death. The place is now owned by Alexander Murdoch. He was admitted to the bar in 1782. In 1786 he was elected a member of the Su- preme Executive Council, and on the 14th of October, 1788, was chosen vice-president in place of Peter Muhlenberg, who resigned. He held the position until the election of George Ross, November 5th, the same year. Benjamin Franklin was president of the Council at the time he was vice-president. In Octo- ber, 1787, he was appointed agent of the State for communicating to the Governor of New York intelli- gence respecting Connecticut claims. In 1791 he was appointed prothonotary of Washington County and clerk of the courts. He was appointed to survey the Ten Islands in the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers, and to divide the several tracts of land opposite Pittsburgh

into building-lots. He was active and energetic in business, prominent in defense of law, order, and the constitution in the time of the Whiskey Insurrection, and was appointed with Mr. Findley to wait upon President Washington to assure him of the submission of those who had been insurgents. He died at Wash- ington on the 28th of September, 1805, and was buried with Masonic honors. He had a son who became an attorney, but died when a young man. Nancy, a daughter of his, became the wife of Dr. James Ste- vens, of Washington. They inherited the Redick homestead, where they both lived and died. The present residence was built by Dr. Stevens. Another daughter of Mr. Redick became the wife of Capt. James Anderson, of the United States Army. They later settled in Louisville, Ky.

The ancestors of the Acheson family of Washing- ton were natives of Scotland, and about 1604 removed to County Armagh, Ireland, when, in 1776, Sir Archi- bald Acheson (one of the descendants) became Baron Gosford, and later a viscount. The descendants of the family who came to this country were of a collateral branch, and settled upon the family estate at Glass Drummond. George, the father of the sons and daughters who came to this country, was born in 1724, and died in July, 1812, aged eighty-eight years. Elizabeth, his wife, was a daughter of David Wier, a Belfast merchant. She was born in 1728, and died July 29, 1808, aged eighty years. They left five sons, -George, John, Thomas, William, and David, and two daughters,-Hannah and Ellen. All the children came to this country except William, who remained on the homestead at Glass Drummond. The first to emigrate to America was John, who about the year 1784 came to Washington, Pa., where he commenced to trade, and soon after established other trading points at Cincinnati and Wheeling. He was also em- ployed by the United States government in furnishing supplies to the army for the Indian wars. His death by apoplexy occurred in 1790, while crossing the Al- legheny Mountains on horseback on his way to Phila- delphia. He left a widow and two daughters in Ire- land. The eldest daughter died young, and Hannah, the youngest daughter, came to this country in 1807 in charge of the Rev. Thomas Campbell. She lived with her uncle David, and died in 1837, aged fifty years.

Thomas Acheson came to this country in 1786, and settled in Washington with his brother John, with whom he became associated in business. After the death of John, in 1791, he entered into partnership with David, his younger brother, and continued the mercantile business as long as he lived. In 1809 he erected the brick building on which the First National Bank building is now (1882) being erected, the old house having been demolished the latter part of May, 1882. In this house Gen. Acheson lived till his death in 1815. He was commissioned commissary- general of the army of the United States in 1812.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

He was a man of pleasing address, and wielded great influence in town and county. He left six children, Elizabeth, George, James C., Hannah, Jane, and Thomas. Elizabeth became the wife of Benjamin Stewart, Esq .; they both died in 1838. George studied law and died in early life. James C. mar- ried and settled in Wheeling, where he died a few years ago, leaving a widow and children. Thomas is the only survivor. Hannah Acheson, a sister of John and Thomas, was married in Ireland to James Shields, and became the mother of four children be- fore she came to the United States in 1800. Of these children William settled in Nashville, Tenn., and died in December, 1837, leaving two children, who were sent to the family of David Acheson, and both died before reaching maturity. Thomas Shields, a son of Hannah, came to Washington about 1820, and became a clerk in the store of his uncle, and re- mained a few years, when his health failed and he went to South America, and later settled in Nash- ville, where he died a few years after his brother William. George Shields, a brother of William and Thomas, settled in Washington County, and had two children, Hannah and Thomas, both of whom are living. Ellen Acheson, the youngest daughter of George Acheson, and sister of John and Thomas, married Joseph Mccullough in Ireland and settled there. They emigrated to this country about 1791, arriving about the time of the death of her brother John. They removed to Kentucky, where they died a few years later, leaving two children, George and Nancy, who were brought to Pennsylvania, George to Cumberland County, where he grew to manhood and died. His daughter, Ellen, became the wife of the Rev. Dr. A. McGill, of Princeton Theological Seminary. Nancy was placed with her uncles, Thomas and David, with whom she lived until her marriage with the Hon. Thomas H. Baird, with whom she lived' many years and left many descendants.

David Acheson, the youngest of the family of brothers and sisters who came to this country, emi- grated in the spring of 1788 to join his brothers. As a certificate of character, he brought with him from the pastor of his father's church the following letter : " The bearer, David Acheson, intending to remove to North America, this therefore is to certify that he is a young man of a sober, good conduct, and son of Mr. George Acheson, an elder of the Seceding Congrega- tion of Market Hill, in the County of Armagh, Ire- land. This is given under my hand this 30th of April, 1788. David Arnott, Minister." He embarked for Philadelphia on the "Friendship," Capt. Rue, from Belfast, May 14, 1788. A safe voyage was made, and he joined his brothers in Washington, and im- mediately became associated with his brother John in the contracts for furnishing supplies to the armies of the United States. These contracts continued until the death of John in 1791. Among the business papers of David Acheson were accounts of mercantile

expeditions from Pittsburgh to New Orleans in 1790 -91 by John and David Acheson, with a document written in the Spanish language given to David Ache- son by the Spanish authorities permitting him to convey his merchandise within their territory. After the death of his brother John he turned his attention to the study of law for a time with James Ross, but soon after abandoned it and became engaged in mer- cantile pursuits with his brother Thomas. In 1795 (when twenty-five years old) he was elected to repre- sent Washington County in the State Legislature, and again in 1797 and 1804. He was married in the spring of 1799 to Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Young, of Philadelphia, who died on the 27th of Feb- ruary, 1800. An infant daughter was left to him, who was placed with her grandmother in Philadelphia, by whom she was brought up. In November, 1802, he visited his parents, and while abroad traveled through Ireland and England, spending about six months. He married as a second wife, Oct. 30, 1805, Mary, daughter of John Wilson, of Washington, and re- moved to Philadelphia, where he remained nine years, and in 1814 returned to Washington. While residing in Philadelphia four children were born to them,-John, Alexander W., Catharine, and David, who died young. Upon his return to Washington, Mr. Acheson erected the mansion-house now owned by the Rev. Dr. James I. Brownson. He entered into business in Washington, but later in life, by the depression in real estate, he became financially em- barrassed and was not again engaged in active pur- suits. In 1840, when seventy years of age, he re- visited Ireland and remained until the spring of 1842, when he returned home and lived an uneventful life the remainder of his days. In 1848 he was stricken with paralysis, and with mind shattered and bodily powers impaired he lived until Dec. 1, 1851, when he died at home surrounded by his family, at the age of eighty-one years. The following is from an obituary notice of him : " He was an accurate and close obser- ver of public and political affairs as connected not only with our own government, but also with the prominent nations of Europe, of the diplomacy of which, as well as of their policy, there were but few private men of his day, retiring and unobtrusive as he was, who better understood or could more accu- rately delineate. His judgment and conclusions, which were always deliberate and well matured by his deep-thinking, strong mind, were valuable and very highly esteemed by those acquainted with him whether in public or private life. Thus during the period of vigorous manhood he enjoyed a most exten- sive popularity and influence in the State of Pennsyl- vania particularly, and with many of her most distin- guished individuals in her political party history and government he was on the closest terms of inti- macy ; hence his opinions and counsels were always much sought after and greatly valued. . . . As .a private friend and in social life Mr. Acheson was a

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man of ardent and sincere attachments, and where personal effort or labor were needed he never faltered or shrunk by reason of apparent difficulty or threat- ened danger, ever ready and willing to serve his friends, at whatever responsibility or personal risk, by day or night, at home or abroad."

Judge Alexander W. Acheson and Mrs. Dr. James I. Brownson, a son and daughter of David Acheson, are both well-known and life-long residents of Wash- ington.

Alexander Reed came to this country from Done- gal, Ireland, in 1794. His brother Thomas and his mother's brother, Alexander Cunningham, had settled in the town of Washington some time before. His father, Robert Reed, graduated in Edinburgh, and was a minister of high standing in Scotland, but was called to Ireland to preach against the Arian heresy, then creeping into the Presbyterian Church. Unita- rian theology is almost the same as that of Arius. All the books upon its doctrines are said to be lost. The church Robert Reed established at Manor Cun- ningham (Donegal County, Ireland) had at one time, it is said, a thousand communicants, and his children and granchildren have been the sole occupants of the pulpit for one hundred and fifty years. It is yet one of the most important churches in that county. Under the training of such a father the son imbibed those principles of morality and religion which formed his character and influenced his conduct through life. The death of his brother occurring soon after his arrival, he became sole proprietor of the store now occupied by his son Colin, and grand- sons, Alexander and Colin. He became much inter- ested in developing the agricultural resources of the county, and purchased largely of real estate. In 1821 he bought a flock of imported Spanish merino sheep of Alexander Wilson, of Philadelphia, and began the business of fine-wool. growing. He was the first to send wool to the Eastern market. He was also among the first to introduce best English horses and cattle. His father-in-law, Rev. Colin McFarquher, used to say while here on visits to his daughter that her children would see these hills white with sheep. Alexander Reed himself lived to see this prophecy literally fulfilled when Washington County had a million of sheep and was the finest wool-growing county in the United States. In 1826 he sent silk- worm eggs to George Rapp, the founder of the society at Economy, who gave them to his granddaughter, Gertrude Rapp, as the seeds of an industry likely to furnish pleasant employment for women. It was not long before both Mr. Rapp and his granddaughter made their appearance here one fair day arrayed in snits of handsome black silk, the result of that gift of silk-worm eggs. This was the beginning of their silk factory, in operation thirty years. It has been idle since 1856. With the existing tariff it was never profitable. They exhibited their silks, satins, velvets, and brocades at fairs in New York and Boston, and

Miss Rapp (who is yet a vigorous woman) still shows medals awarded her there. They demonstrated the practicability of silk-making in this country, and an- ticipated by more than half a century the work of the ladies who recently presented Mrs. Garfield with a silk dress-pattern, thinking it the first silk ever made in this country.

Mr. Reed was one of the original trustees in the charter of Washington College, as well as of the female seminary. He was president of the Frank- lin Bank from its foundation, and treasurer of the Presbyterian Church from its organization till his death. In all projects and enterprises to advance the interests of town or country, in all the institu- tions for promoting the cause of education, morals, or religion, he was prominent, active, and efficient. His regard for truth and honesty was the foundation of that universal confidence reposed in him. In all the varied and multiplied transactions of nearly fifty years his truth and integrity were never impeached, and he was never engaged in a lawsuit.

In 1799 he married Janette, daughter of Rev. Colin McFarquher, of Inverness, Scotland, who came to this country during the Revolutionary war. He preached thirty years in Donegal, Lancaster Co., Pa., in an old church which is yet standing. The chil- dren of Alexander Reed were George, Eliza, Colin, Robert R., Alexander, and Sarah. The last two died in infancy. George died at twenty-eight; many cherished hopes for a brilliant future were buried with him. Eliza died while on a visit to Philadelphia, just in bloom of womanhood. Colin is the only one now living, at the age of seventy-seven. In 1835 he mar- ried the widow of Lieut. Ritner, United States army, who died at the end of one year, leaving a daughter (Mary), who is now the wife of Henry Laughlin, of Pittsburgh, of the firm of Jones & Laughlin. In 1842 he married Sarah E. Chapman, of Massachu- setts, sister of Maj. William Chapman. The chil- dren of this marriage were Isabella, Laura, Helen, Alexander, Colin, Robert, Ethelind, and Alice. Isa- bella married William Copeland, of Pittsburgh, both of whom have been dead many years. Laura is the wife of James R. Clark, and is living now in the old home built by her grandfather Reed. Colin married Miss Ada Brownlee, and is in business with his father and brother Alexander in the same location where, nearly one hundred years ago, it was first established by Alexander Reed. Alexander, Ethelind, and Alice are unmarried. Robert and Helen died in early childhood.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 122

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216