History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 143

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 143

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" We, the commissioners for adjusting the claims to unpatented lands in the counties of Monongahela, Yohogania, and Ohio, do hereby certify that Joseph Parkinso, assignee of Brady & Brooks, is entitled to three hundred and eighteen acres of land in the county of Yohogania, situate on the Monongahela River, to include his settlement made in the year- 1770.

"Given under our hands at Coxe's Fort, this 11th day of February, 1780, and in the fourth year of the Commonwealth.

(Signed)

" FRANCIS PEYTON,

" PHILIP PENDLETON, " JOSEPH HOLMES."

On the 1st day of January, 1781, viewers were ap- pointed by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Washing- ton County to lay out a road "from Bassett Town [now Washington] to the mouth of Pigeon Creek." This immediate locality, therefore, seems to have been known as "the mouth of Pigeon Creek" and "De- vore's Ferry" until 1782, when, by an act approved April 13th of that year, the landing of the ferry of Parkison and Devore-meaning Joseph Parkison and Jacobus Devore-was established, “ 30 perches below the mouth of Pigeon Creek."

After the close of the Revolutionary war, notwith- standing the anomalous condition of affairs existing in a region where (until August, 1780) the jurisdiction of two different States, under dissimilar laws, enforced by diverse sets of magistrates, had been exercised over the same people, the beautiful and fertile Mo- nongahela valley invited settlements, and the neigh- borhood of which " Parkison's Ferry" was the central point increased in numbers quite rapidly. But, after the passing of so many years, and in consequence of the lack of authentic data, it is now impossible to ascertain the names of but very few of these early residents. Among them, however, was James Rod- gers and family. With his wife and seven children- three sons and four daughters-Mr. Rodgers emi- grated from the north of Ireland and settled at Parki- son's Ferry during the year 1786. Another daughter, who was married in Ireland to a gentleman named Hamilton, came to this country at a subsequent time.

The old people lived but a short time after their settlement here. They were of the " first Irish stock," were freeholders in the old country, and the change from the comforts and the enjoyments of their former lives to the privations of the wilderness was more than they could bear, and they died within a short time of each other. The daughters it appears brought. some of their former ways of living with them. They are said to have been very beautiful and fond of dress, and wore their hair crimped and powdered, and long plumes in their hats, which must have been some-

6 The boundaries of " Wood Park," briefly described, were the Monon- gahela River, Pigeon Creek, and a straight line, which, commencing near the foot of Third Street, ran parallel with that street and beyond until the waters of Pigeon Creek were reached at " a sugar-tree."

567

MONONGAHELA CITY.

thing unusual among the settlers, for the Rev. Mr. McMillan, pastor of the old Pigeon Creek Church, where they attended, once reproved them for their striking appearance, saying they "took the atten- tion of the congregation from him." One of them, Olivia Rodgers, was married to Benjamin Parkison 1 in 1796, and their descendants are well known. Wil- liam, a son resulting from this marriage, married Ma- tilda Rodgers, a daughter of Hon. James Rodgers, of Ohio, thus a second time uniting the Parkison and Rodgers families.

The sons of the James Rodgers who emigrated from Ireland were Moses, Andrew, and Ebenezer. Moses married a Miss Turner, and lived for some years near Mingo Creek, where he owned or operated a grist- mill.2 He became the father of fourteen children, and long before Horace Greeley but re-echoed the sentiment, concluded that it were better to " go West" and grow up with the country. Many of his descend- ants may now be found at or near Madison, Indiana. Andrew married a Miss Duncan. A son of theirs, James Rodgers, removed to Ohio and engaged in the iron business. He built the first iron furnace in that State, was twice elected to Congress, and was presi- · dent of the Iron Bank of Ironton at the time of his death. He was one of the founders of Ironton, and left a large estate. Ebenezer, the third son of James Rodgers, Sr., never married.

Besides the Parkison and Rodgers families there were living at the ferry or in its immediate vicinity in 1790 the Dickeys, Deckers, Fromans, Devores, Daniel Depue, a justice of the peace, Joseph Depue, Nicholas Depue, Samuel Cole (a son-in-law of Daniel Depue), who lived on the premises now owned by Joseph Warne, Adam Wickerham, Daniel McComas, Andrew McFarland,3 Hugh McGuire, and doubtless a considerable number of others. This was a point where many in their journeyings to the westward crossed the rivers. A post-office had been established. Samuel Black4 was the trader. Joseph Parkison was the ferry-master and innkeeper; Adam Wickerham also kept an inn, and it is very probable that the hamlet could at that time boast of a blacksmith, shoe- maker, etc., as well.

The fact that Joseph Parkison attempted to found a town on his lands as early as 1792 is ascertained from the following advertisement, found in the Pitts- burgh Gazette of October in that year, viz. :

" The Subscriber has laid out a part of his farm on the Monongahela River in the County of Washington, State of Pennsylvania, at the mouth of Pigeon Creek, opposite Devore's ferry into Lots for a Town, the sale of which will begin on the premises, on the 15th day of November next. It is needless to say much of a place of such public notoriety, yet it may not be amiss to mention that its situation is equal, if not superior, to any in the county, being on the main road leading from the town of Wash- ington &c to Philadelphia, and a place at present of the most public re- sort and advantageously situated for trade down the river; in the adja- cent settlements are several merchant mills on good streams of water; the neighborhood well settled with opulent farmers, and contiguous to several Meeting Houses, and the spot itself healthy and pleasant. A small ground rent will be reserved, but will be made amends for by the cheapness of the purchase. Other particulars will be made known on the day of sale.

" JOSEPH PERKERSON."

" WASHINGTON COUNTY, Oct. 20, 1792.

The result of this advertised sale of lots is not known, but it is evident that no great success attended the attempt made at that time to create a town at Parkison's Ferry, though the place was one of some local importance, as claimed in the proprietor's ad- vertisement.

During the Whiskey Insurrection of 1791-94, Parki- son's Ferry became celebrated as one of the chief points of rendezvous of the Whiskey Boys. Here, on the 14th day of August, 1794, a mass-meeting5 of the insurrectionists was held, at which the four western counties of Pennsylvania were represented by two hundred delegates, also others from Bedford and Ohio Counties. Col. Edward Cook, founder of Cooks- town (now Fayette City), served as chairman of this meeting, and Albert Gallatin, afterwards Secretary of the Treasury under Jefferson, officiated as secretary.

In 1796 it was decided by those having the matter under advisement6 (regarding the difficulties caused by the issuance of Pennsylvania patents and Virginia certificates for the same tracts of land), that Joseph Parkison was the rightful owner of the tract hereto- fore mentioned as "Southwark," and his title to the same was declared valid. Thereupon Patent No. 3783, issued Aug. 26, 1769, and surveyed for Abraham Decker Oct. 26, 1769, was returned to Mr. Parkison May 11, 1796. He soon after laid out the town of Williamsport7 at Parkison's Ferry, and caused the following to be published in the Washington 'Tele- graphe :

1 The Benjamin Parkison who owned the mills at the mouth of Mingo Creek.

" Probably the old Froman mill before mentioned.

3 In early years Andrew McFarland held the office of justice of the peace of Westmoreland County by virtue of a commission received from John Penn, and because of the exercise of his authority as a justice he was arrested by the Virginia authorities April 9, 1774, and carried as a prisoner to Staunton, Va. However, he was soon after released and allowed to return home.

4 Samuel Black was the principal Indian trader in this region, and by the purchase of furs from the Indians and the sale of them to the French at New Orleans-thus managing to have his boats freighted both in going down the rivers and returning-he amas-ed a considerable fortune. His trading-post was situated at the " ford," or a point about thirty rods above the present grist-mill, which has since been washed away by the river.

Joseph Parkison also kept a small stock of goods, which he sold to the early travelers, pioneers, and Indians.

6 This meeting was held on the hill in rear of the present Episcopal Church, and for many years thereafter the locality was known as " Coun- cil Hill."

( The " Board of Property."

7 The town derived its name from William Parkison, son of Joseph Parkison, the proprietor. We will also add, in this connection, that al- though the name of Williamsport was retained until April 1, 1837, when it was changed to Monongahela City, its post-office name, until the date mentioned, was " Parkison's Ferry." Williamsport, the county-seat of Lycoming County, was during all those years an important town, and to have two post-offices of the same name in the same State at the same time was not practicable.

568

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

" A New Town

Called Williamsport

Is laid out by the subscriber, on the banks of the Monongabela River, below the mouth of Pigeon Creek, in Washington County, well known by the name of Parkison's Ferry. The situation is pleasant and agree- able, being in the heart of one of the richest settlements west of the Alleghany Mountains, with the advantage of several grist- and saw-mills within one and two miles of the spot, and places of Public Worship very convenient, with plenty of Timber, and Mines of stone coal in abun- dance.

" It is situated on the Main Road leading from Philadelphia to Wash- ington, West Liberty, Wheeling, and Charles Town on the Ohio River. It is twenty miles from the town of Washington, about fifteen miles from the town of Greensburgh (the county Town of Westmoreland County), and about fifteen miles from Redstone Old Fort. The lots will be sold at Public Vendue, on the premises, on Friday, the 26th day of August, next; one-half of the purchase-money of each Lot to be paid at the time of the sale, and the other half at the time of executing the deed, which will be in a short time after the sale, as the Proprietor has an indisputable title for the premises. A plan of the town may be seen with the Proprietor, and further particulars made known by application to him.

" July 25, 1796.

" JOSEPH PARKISON."

This announcement was followed by the following paper, which explains itself :

" PROCLAMATION.

" Whereas the Subscriber has layed out lotts for a Town on his Plau- tation near the mouth of Pigeon Creek on the 26th of August Instant, Notice is hereby given to all those who incline to become purchaser or purchasers of said lott or lotts of this Special Condition, that every of said purchaser or purchasers of said lott or lotts are to be prevented from erecting or causing to be erected any Craft, Boat or Canoe for the Conveying of Passengers across the Monongahalah River, but the same be and is hereby reserved to the Subscriber or his heirs, assigns, so fare as the claim of the subscriber extends. The hiest bidder for each lott or lotts to be the buyer ; any person or persons purchasing any lott or Jotts are to pay one-third of the purchase money by the 3d day of Sep- tember next, one-third part by the 26th of November next, and the remaining third part to be paid on or before the 26th of February next, when the purchasers will receive a sufficient title for each lott or lotts, Subject to the payment of one dollar per annum on each lott, to be payable the 1st of October each year, first year due October, 1797. Any person or persons inclining to have their deeds or deed before the above described time, may, on payment of the purchase money, immediately receive them. Notes and security will be required for the first payment, and failer of making the second payment the first will be forefeited to the Proprietor, and on failer of the third payment the first and second to be forefeited, and the lotts to revert to the owner. Each lott is 60 feet in front, and 200 feet deep. The streets, 60 feet wide, and the alleys extending from the river to the hill, 15 feet wide, the cross alleys from 15 to 25 feet wide, according to the situation of the ground. Aug. 26, 1796.

" JOSEPH PARKISON.

" A lott of ground is reserved for a Market-house in the centre of the Town, and a lott for a Meeting-house and Choll-house.

" WASHINGTON COUNTY, 88. To whom it may concern ; these are to cer. tify that the within Town is laid out and a considerable number of lotts sold, and some built upon.

"A's witness my hand and Seal, Jan. 11, 1797.

" DANIEL DUPEE.

" Recorded in Recorder's Office, Jan. 12, 1797.

"SAM'L CLARKE, Recorder." -

The town1 of Williamsport as originally laid out

1 Among the additions to the original plot have been the following, the dates indicating the time of survey :

James Mitchell, "East end of Williamsport," including twenty-two lots, December, 1812.

Joseph Parkison, one hundred and six lots, Feb. 3, 1815.

Although Adam Wickerham's plot, called " Georgetown," was laid ont as early as 1807, it appears that he did not have it made a matter of record until some eight or ten years thereafter, nor do the records show , just when that event transpired, i.e., the time of survey. However, re- . ber, 1881.

by Mr. Parkison contained one hundred and four lots, and at the first sale of them, which took place on Friday, Aug. 26, 1796, twenty-four were sold at prices ranging from $239 down to $22, the aggregate proceeds

searches have shown us that on the 3d of April, 1807, in consideration of sixty dollars, Adam Wickerham sold to John Shouse " All that lot or parcel of land, with the appurtenances, lying and being in the town of George Town, adjoining the town of Williamsport, on the Monongahela River, . . . being situated on Cole Hill Street, No. 15." This lot was fifty feet front, one hundred feet deep, and part of a tract granted to Paul Froman, May 24, 1785, and conveyed by him to Adam Wickerham, March 13, 1792. The quit-rents upon this lot were one dollar yearly. On the 24th of February, 1810, Shouse purchased of Wickerham lot No. 13, also situated upon Coal Hill Street.

Henry Teeters purchased of Wickerham lot No. 48, on Water Street, March 26, 1808.

Samuel Hughes, of Washington, Pa., on the 24th of February, 1809, bought of Wickerham lot No. 1, twenty-four by two hundred feet, which adjoined lots owned by John Wright and Joseph Parkison.

On the 13th of October, 1810, Andrew Pierce bought of Wickerham lot No. 140, on Ferry Street, which was sold by the heirs of Andrew Pierce to Elizabeth Pierce, May 6, 1811.

Thomas Gordon, on the 2d of July, 1813, purchased of Wickerham lot No. 143, which adjoined Margeret Patterson, and March 7, 1815, Wick- erham sold to Matthew McClenahan lot No. 14, on Ferry and Race Streets. These are all the sales that were made a matter of record prior to the recording of plot in February, 1816.

On the 6th of February, 1814, Adam Wickerham certified that part of his property adjoining the town of Williamsport " has been surveyed and laid out into Town lotts, and has formerly went by the name of George Town, under which title all former deeds and conveyances have been made, but as the Plot of said Town has never been recorded, and as the Plot of said town is in conjunction with the Town of Williamsport, it is my will and request that you, the Register of said County, will record the Plot that is presented to you under the title of Williamsport, and that from this time forward all deeds, conveyances, &c., shall be made under the title of Williamsport, formerly called George Town. We the holders of property in George Town, adjoining to Williamsport, do jointly and severally agree and require Adam Wickerham, Proprietor of said Town, to have it recorded Williamsport, as witness our hands this sixth day of February, 1814. William Fenton, John Cooper, George Schwartz, Pat- rick Burk Henry Smith, John R. Shugart, Joseph Butler, Margaret Patterson, Margaret Biles, Robert Dunlap, William P. Biles, D. Hick- man, Abram Hickman, Jonathan Hickman, Samuel S. Cramer, John Shouse, Peter Shouse, Michael Miller, James Manown, Joseph Hamilton, Thomas Gordon.

" ADAM WICKERHAM."

In February, 1816, Mr. Wickerham attached his signature to the fol- lowing certificate, when the plot formerly called George Town seems to have been regularly recorded :

" I, Adam Wickerliam, do certify that this Plot is made agreeable to my directions and that I do acknowledge it as a part of Williamsport, formerly cawled George Town. As witness my hand and seal this 23d day of February, 1816.

" ADAM WICKERHAM."

This plot contained one hundred and forty-nine lots. From the river back inland were Water Street, Mulberry Alley (now Union Street), Market Street (now Main), Spring Alley, and Coal Hill Street.

Joseph Parkison, one hundred and forty-one lots, March 3, 1825.

Andrew B. Chess (a son-in-law of Adam Wickerbam), one hundred and forty-nine lots, Aug. 15, 1832.

Sheshbazzar Bentley, lots bounded by Coal, Union, and Ferry Streets and West Alley, Dec. 10, 1834.

Morton Black, " Belle Wood," ninety-one lots on the west side of the Pittsburgh, Virginia and Charleston Railroad, and a tier of out-lots lying between the railroad and Monongahela River, containing from two to four acres each ; surveyed in August and September, 1873.

I. Shelby Crall, sixty-six lots, bounded by First Avenue, Pike and Decker Streets, Nov. 17, 1873.

T. J. Allen, nine lots, bounded by the Monongahela River, Railroad Street, Third and Fourth Streets, Oct. 15, 1879.

James H. Hopkins, plot known as " West Monongahela City," Septem-

569

MONONGAHELA CITY.

being $1385. On the 24th of September, 1798, An- I drew McFarland purchased of Joseph Parkison lot No. 41, west side of Washington Street. The former sold the same to George Trout Jan. 6, 1802. Hugh ! McGuire became the owner of lot No. 17 May 1, 1804, and March 1, 1805, Adam Hailman (an early post- master) purchased of Trout the lot known in the original plot as No. 41. John Shouse, James Wilson, Henry Teeters, and Michael Miller also became owners of lots in the village at about the time last mentioned, the two latter purchasing from Adam Wickerham.

Prior to the beginning of the century, however, . Maj. James Warne,1 a native of Allegheny County, settled in Williamsport, and with William Parkison (son of Joseph) engaged in the sale of merchandise. Subsequently he married a daughter of Joseph Park- ison, and after the war of 1812 became extensively engaged in the manufacture of glass, and boat-build- ing. Meanwhile other enterprising tradesmen, me- chanics, and professional men had located here, and that these early citizens of the town were the posses- sors of a large amount of push and ambition is indi- cated by the following article, which was published (in 1806) in the sixth edition of a book entitled " The Navigator :"

"WILLIAMSPORT.

"Situated on the left bank of the river, just below Pigeon Creek, is a growing village, in Washington County, Pa., 20 miles east of Washing- ton, and about 23 above Pittsburgh .. The inhabitants have been peti- tioning the Legislature for the privilege of forming it into a new 2

1 About the year 1800, Maj. Warne married Mary, a daughter of Joseph Parkison. To them were born ten children, and of those who reached years of maturity were Amuzet Ives, Margaret, Joseph P., James, Hiram, and Eliza Jane. The first named married Mary Jacobs in 1831, and died in 1879; Margaret became the wife of Samuel Devore, and now resides in West Virginia; Joseph P., born in the year 1810, married Eliza J. Irwin, and is now living in Monongahela City ; James resides in Fal- | lowfield township: Hiram, near Washington, Pa .; and Eliza J., who married John Watkins, is a present resident of Ray County, Mo.

Before the beginning of the war of 1812-15, James Warne, as captain, ; Conestoga wagons, a two-horse carriage and two led horses, carrying the

was in command of a body of militia known as the " Williamsport Rangers." On the breaking out of hostilities the "Rangers" volun- teered for service, and under command of Capt. Warne marched forward to the Canadian frontier. At Meadville, while en route, Capt. Warne be- came major of the regiment to which his company was attached, and was ever after known as Maj. Warne.

Soon after the close of the war, he, in partnership with his brother-in- law, William Parkison, and the Butler brothers, built and operated an extensive window-glass manufactory, which was situated on the west side of Chess Street, on lots now owned by James Brown, J. P. Sheplar, and Elijah Harrison. These works were among the first of the kind erected west of the Alleghenies, and certainly the first in the town of Williamsport. The enterprise did not prove to be a successful one, how- ever, and transferring his interests to other parties, Maj. Warne engaged in boat-building, etc. He died at the age of seventy-six years. Benja- min Parkison, Samuel Black, William Ihmsen, Alexander Williams, and others at various times controlled the glass-works here mentioned, Subsequently William Ihmsen established a vial-factory on the island.

2 The question referred to, whether a new county should be formed from parts of Allegheny, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland, with Williamsport as its county-seat, first took shape during the year 1799. Thus, on the 14th day of September of that year, a considerable number of people, representing the counties mentioned, assembled at Williams- port, with the view of taking the necessary steps towards the formation of a new county. Thereupon, after Joseph Beckett, Esq., had been

county, by taking off a part of Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette, and Allegheny Counties, all of which corner near that place. It is said that 4000 dollars have been already subscribed to meet part of the expenses of county buildings," etc.

On the evening of Oct. 7, 1805, the Butler family,3 of whom Capt. Ira R. Butler, born Nov. 15, 1792,

chosen chairman, and John Hoge secretary, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:

"1. That it is the opinion of this meeting that a new county ought to be established by the following lines, viz .: Beginning on the Mononga- hela River, at the mouth of Peters Creek ; thence up the said creek to that branch thereof which runs from the Rev. David Phillipe' farm; thence by a direct line to include the place on which George Myers, Sr., now lives: thence to Bentley's upper mill on Pigeon Creek ; thence to the Monongahela River opposite to the mouth of Little Redstone Creek ; thence by a direct line to the mouth of Washington's Run, on the Youghiogheny River; thence down the Fatne to F. Moses' place; and thence by a direct line to the place of beginning.

"2. That in the opinion of this meeting the seat of justice for the new county should be established at Parkison's Ferry, on the Monongahela River.

"3. That John Hoge, Major Devore, and Captain Royall be appointed a committee to draft a petition to the next Legislature praying for the establishment of a new county."

This measure was defeated through the efforts of those opposed to it The same question was successively renewed in 1820, 1822, 1835, 1837, and in 1838, when it was proposed to make the new county twenty miles square, but all endeavors have thus far proved futile.

3 Noble Butler, a Quaker, a native of Bristol, England, came to Amer- ica as one of Penn's colonists in the year 1716, and settled in Uwchland, Chester Co., Pa., where he purchased one thousand acres of land. He was the father of twelve children, of whom Benjamin (the father of Ira R.) was the youngest. Benjamin married in Chester County, and in dne course of time he too became the father of twelve children, of whom nine-viz., Jonathan, Abner, Noble, Eunice, Isaac, Benjamin, Joel, Jo- seph, and Ira-had in 1805 arrived at years of discretion. The family was well to do. Eunice had become the wife of David Woodward, and the sons, except the youngest, were mechanics, thus Jonathan was a wagon- and plow-maker, Abner was a cabinet-maker, while Noble, Isaac, Benjamin, Joel, and Joseph were carpenters.

It was determined, however, that a removal to the western country should be made, and Jonathan, after traveling over various portions of Ohio, had selected and purchased lands situated about ten miles above the mouth of the Big Miami. Early in the autumn of 1805, therefore, Benjamin Butler, accompanied by his wife and the nine children before mentioned, one son-in-law (David Woodward), one daughter-in-law (Abner's wife), and three grandchildren (Abner's), started forth on the journey, a small wagon-train, consisting of two six-horse teams and baggage, household furniture, etc., the females and younger members of the party.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 143

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