History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 167

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 167

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A grist- and saw-mill is located up the creek, owned by Walton Swart. Two miles below the village on the creek is a grist- and saw-mill and store owned by Martin & Sons. The post-office is kept at this place. The postmasters of Ten-Mile have been J. F. Hath- away, John Cary, Philip Axtell, Benjamin Bradbury, A. B. Scott, Joseph A. Little, Hiram Tharp, John T. Reynolds, and T. C. Gessford, who is the present post- master.

The following-named physicians have practiced at Ten-Mile, viz. : Drs. George Reed, John Cary, - Wilson, George Lewis, Thomas Morton, J. C. Milli- ken, Joseph Moore, L. W. Braden.

Lone Pine .- This little village, located on the north fork of Ten-Mile Creek, is variously known as Lone Pine, Pleasant Valley, and "Pin Hook." The tract of land on which it is situated was obtained by Thomas Hill on a Virginia certificate granted Jan. 20, 1780, and surveyed as "Bottom Lick," containing four hundred acres. It passed through several hands, and while in possession of David Frazee the town was laid out. John Harrison erected the first house, which is still standing, and now the property of Jacob Max- well. Joseph Ross erected the next one, now the property of James D. Huston. In his dwelling he opened the first store in the village. James D. Hus- ton was the first postmaster, and the only one. The name of Lone Pine was given to the post-office. A distillery was erected near the village by A. J. Caton about 1865, and carried on by him till his death. It was then sold (Sept. 15, 1869) to Samuel L. Hughes

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and Peter Garrett. The former sold his interest to Garrett, by whom it was run for a time and was dis- continued. The building is now used as a dwelling- house.

In the fall of 1878 the friends of education in the village formed a stock company for the purpose of establishing an academy to be called the " Lone Pine Academy." School was opened soon after the or- ganization in Huston's Hall. During the next year a building was erected, and the upper room was and is used for this purpose, and the lower room for the public school of the village. The officers of the academy are James D. Huston, president; James A. Monniger, secretary ; John A. Frazee, Robert C. Van- degrift, and Frederick Rossel, directors. J. H. Hen- derson was chosen principal at the opening of the academy, and is still in charge.

The village at present contains forty dwellings, the school building, Disciple Church, steam grist- and saw-mill, two stores, three blacksmith- and wagon- shops, an Odd-Fellows' Lodge, and one physician.

The only society in the village is Lone Pine Lodge, No. 693, I. O. O. F. It was chartered in March, 1870, with the following officers and charter members : James D. Huston, Noble Grand ; Isaac H. Horn, Vice-Grand; Samuel Walton, Secretary ; John Sib- bet, Treasurer; William W. Paul, John Closser, Wil- liam Briggs, James M. Sibbet, Samuel Sharp, George Huffman, Henry Hanrond, Isaac Husk, Thomas Reed, and A. J. Riggle. The lodge has at present twelve members.

Pleasant Valley Christian Church.1-When the house of worship of the Ridge Baptist Church was built, John Frederick Shrontz, Sr., a faithful disciple of Christ, proposed to give fifty dollars to the build- ing-fund, on condition that he should have the privi- lege of using the house occasionally for preaching when the Baptists were not using it. This condition was agreed to in a church meeting, and the fifty dol- lars was paid. In the exercise of the right thus granted to him, John T. Smith, a Disciple preacher of good ability and of genuine piety, who lived at that time on Pigeon Creek, was employed to preach once a month. The gospel proclaimed by him was " like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal." "The word of God, which effectually works in them that believe," worked in the hearts of his hearers, and prepared them for the advent of two preachers from the State of Ohio, who came in November, 1840. They were the saintly Marcus Bosworth and the youthful and zealous Ly- man P. Streator. They preached in the Ridge Bap- tist Church, and after holding several meetings in Washington and adjacent counties, Marcus Bosworth returned to Ohio, and left the young L. P. Streator to Jabor in the neighborhood into which he had been thus introduced.

By agreement, he was to preach in the Ridge meeting-house once a month for a year for fifty dol- lars. In the following spring and summer crowds attended the ministrations of the young evangelist, and under his labors several persons "confessed the good confession before many witnesses." Some of the good Baptist brethren united with these immersed believers, who were known by the humble name of Disciples of Christ in their weekly commemoration of the death of their common Saviour.

This communion of saints regardless of party tenets aroused the jealous fears of some of the stricter Baptists, who resolved to turn the Disciples out of the house. Accordingly, in October, 1841, when the youthful preacher came to fill his appointment, he found the congregation assembled outside of the house, the door was locked, and a guard was standing between the waiting assembly and the empty sanctu- ary.

The little company of Disciples quietly gave up their rights under the agreement that was made when the house was built, and formally planted the Chris- tian Church at Pleasant Valley by subscribing to a church covenant at a meeting held for the purpose on the 16th day of October, 1841, at the house of John Frederick Shrontz, Sr. The names subscribed are Simeon Hathaway, J. Frederick Shrontz, Sr., Sarah Shrontz, Jacob Egy, David Egy, Mary Egy, Albert Gordon, Anna Young, Christiana Cooper, Sarah Hat- field.

On the next day David Smith and Elizabeth Smith were received by the unanimous consent of the con- gregation.

In order to remove an erroneous impression it is well here to remark that the expression " the Scrip- tures of divine truth" means, with the Disciples, the " old family Bible," or, more specifically, relating to the Christian dispensation, the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ. While they accept the aid of the best scholarship in ascertaining the mind of Christ, and rejoice in the electric light of the highest criti- cism, and have always been the friends of pure ver- sions, they have used the commonly received version in their public ministrations.

At first the meetings on Lord's Day were held at the private residences of J. Frederick Shrontz, Sr., Zebu- lon Ferrel, and Jacob Egy. Very soon, however, the young church began to prepare for housekeeping, and in the fall of 1843 a comfortable frame meeting-house was built on land then owned by David Slusher.

On March 30, 1844, Mr. Slusher made a deed of "eighty-nine and eight-tenths perches, strict meas- ure," of land to Col. David Frazee and Zebulon Ferrel, trustees of the Disciples' meeting-house there- on erected, "to have and to hold the same for the use and benefit of said Disciples' Church, excepting the third week in each month, for the proper use of other persons who may have contributed to the building of said meeting-house."

1 By Rev. W. L. Hayden.

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AMWELL TOWNSHIP.

The earliest record of organization is on Jan. 27, 1844, when there was a meeting for the purpose of choosing officers in the church. J. F. Shrontz, Sr., and Zebulon Ferrel were chosen deacons, and set apart to that office by the imposition of hands. Henry Bennett was chosen as a teacher, both in the congregation and wherever he may have an oppor- tunity or be called to preach the word, and was set apart in like manner, L. P. Streator officiating on the occasion.

The earliest record of elders is Dec. 15, 1850, when Col. David Frazee and G. B. Shidler were appointed to that office.

. On April 8, 1857, David Frazee, Sr., and David Slusher gave a deed " to the Christian Church, com- posed of the Disciples of Christ meeting at Pleasant Valley, in Amwell township, Washington County, for and in consideration of one dollar, of three acres, strict measure," of land, to be held sacred to the con- struction of a cemetery and the erection of a meeting- house, and for no other purpose.

The trustees of the church, viz. : David Frazee, Sr., David Slusher, and Samuel L. Hughes, on Feb. 22, 1859, filed a petition for incorporation agreeably to the provisions of the act of Assembly of the 13th of October, 1840, and after due notice thereof was given the final decree of court was issued May 17, 1859, incorporating the members of this church into one body politic by the name and title of the "Disciples' Church of Pleasant Valley."

For more than twenty-five years, "upon the first day of the week," "the disciples came together to break bread" in their first house of worship in. this valley. But the growing congregations became too large for the small house, and in pursuance of duly authorized call, a meeting of church-members and citizens was held on March 7, 1868, when it was unan- imously voted to build a new meeting-house on the lot opposite the cemetery, the present site, which was then owned by David Frazee, Sr. He immedi- ately pledged himself, his heirs, executors, etc., to make a good title to said lot as soon as the house was finished. Accordingly the deed was given to the Dis- ciples' Church of Pleasant Valley on Oct. 13, A.D. 1869, for and in consideration of the sum of ten dol- lars.

A committee of five of the subscribers to the build- ing fund was chosen by ballot to determine the size, form, and style of the building, and was constituted a building committee, with instructions to begin the erection of the house when five thousand dollars were subscribed. David Slusher, L. P. Streator, A. J. Closser, J. M. Ross, and Samuel L. Hughes were said committee. By order of this meeting the old house was disposed of at public sale.

Christianity develops and elevates the highest fac- ulties of human nature, and consecrates them to the service of God, that the man of God may be "thor-

oughly furnished unto all good works," hence schools are the legitimate fruit of the gospel. The members of the Pleasant Valley Christian Church wished to provide proper educational advantages in their own vicinity for their children and their neighbors' chil- dren. The church led the way, and the citizens of the place heartily united in the enterprise.

The Court of Common Pleas of Washington County, Pa., on Nov. 26, 1853, granted the application for a charter and issued decree and declared David Frazee, Sr., Philo Paul, Samuel L. Hughes, David Bane, David Slusher, David McElhinny, David McDon- ough, Lyman P. Streator, Edward Riggs, and such other persons as may be associated with them a body corporate and politic by the name and title of " Pleasant Valley Academy."

A deed was given by Col. David Frazee, dated May 20, 1854, to the directors of the academy, for and in consideration of one hundred and thirteen dollars and seventy-five cents, of "one acre and twenty-one perches, strict measure," of land for the only and proper use of said company.

A suitable building was erected, and the grounds were improved at an aggregate cost of two thousand and fifty-one dollars and seventy-five cents,-no small sum to be raised at that time in a rural district. The first trustees elected under the charter, June 27, 1855, were the following: For three years, Col. David Frazee, Philo Paul, and Samuel L. Hughes; for two years, David Frazee, Sr., Thomas J. Rees, and David Bane; for one year, L. P. Streator, Joseph Moore, and Asher Vankirk. L. P. Streator was elected prin- cipal of the academy at the beginning, and for five years he had charge of the institution. By his untir- ing efforts as a teacher and a member of the board of trustees he raised the academy to a high degree of efficiency, and made it self-supporting. It became an intellectual power and a centre of a large circle of influence. He was succeeded in the principalship by the lamented Philip Galley, William S. Spear, and J. L. Darsie, under whose successive administra- tions the school was well sustained. But owing to some unfavorable changes in its surroundings, the academy was closed in January, 1871, and the build- ing was sold.

The spirit of education survived the academy, and in 1875 the school was in some measure revived by J. H. Hendron, who won his way to public favor by his efficient labors, and continues to hold the confi- dence of the community as a successful educator and a godly man.

The fact has already been stated that L. P. Streator was preaching for this church at its formation. He was not only first in order of time, but he is the first in the aggregate length of time and in amount of preach- ing done. He was highly esteemed by the church and community. After him there have been regularly employed by the church J. B. Piatt, Hamilton Van- kirk, Robert Milligan, Henry Langly, Henry Bennett,

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

R. Baily Chaplin, James Darsie, Philip Galley, Fin- ley Oakes, S. B. Teagarden, J. L. Darsie, F. M. Haw- kins, A. F. Reynolds, William S. Spear, S. F. Fowler, R. Gardner, Campbell Jobes, P. M. Woods, J. H. Hendron, and J. W. Satterfield. Twenty preachers in forty years, an average time of two years for each engagement, is painfully suggestive of instability on the part of the church or the preachers, or of un- scriptural notions with regard to the regular support of an approved ministry.

Beside these the following named have labored here in meetings of days, some of whom have been called twice or thrice for such special work, viz. : William F. Pool, J. H. Jones, Richard Williams, John Lind- sey, F. B. Lobingier, J. D. Benedict, D. G. Mitchell, George Lucy, John Whitaker, T. C. Mckeever, A. Wilcox, J. B. Crane, Benjamin Franklin, O. G. Hert- zog, T. A. Crenshaw, M. L. Streator, D. L. Kincaid, J. F. Rowe, and H. B. Cox. On occasions of general meetings this church has been favored with the pres- ence and the preaching of A. Campbell, Wesley Lanphear, W. K. Pendleton, and perhaps others less noted.

It is worthy of special mention that, under the auspices of this church, M. L. Streator did good ser- vice for evangelical truth in an able defense of the Bible against materialism. In a debate with a Mr. Niles, a representative of materialistic philosophy, he set forth the spiritual teaching of the word of God with great clearness and force, and won such a signal victory that the cause of his opponent has never ral- lied from the defeat.

While this church gratefully cherishes the fragrant memory of the many pure and able men of God who have spoken to them the word of the Lord, historical truth demands the humiliating confession that the cause of Christ here, as in some other places in the county, has suffered much from the evil example of some preachers who have proven unworthy of their holy calling, some of whom thrust themselves upon an unsuspecting brotherhood without authority to preach or any just claim to public confidence. Never- theless this church has steadily held on its course, and received into its fellowship up to this date six hun- dred and fifty-two members, but, to quote from the records of the congregation, "many persons whose names are recorded have departed, some to that coun- try whence no traveler returns, some to distant parts of the land, and some to the weak and beggarly ele- ments of the world." Hence the roll has been re- peatedly revised, and the present membership is about two hundred and sixty.

The responsible office of elder has been held by Col. David Frazee, G. B. Shidler, J. F. Shrontz, Sr., Alfred Grim, Jacob Stone, Samuel Loyd, J. F. Ferrel, David Frazee, Sr., P. M. Woods, and F. T. Shrontz, of whom the last three named constitute the present eldership. In addition to the primary deacons al- ready mentioned, David Slusher, Alfred Grim, Jacob

Egy, O. F. Lyon, O. Moninger, Theo. Vankirk, John Lynn, and J. H. Hendron have served as deacons, the last four of whom constitute the present deacon- ate.

From this church at least seven preachers have gone forth into the evangelical field, viz. : Thomas Sutton (deceased), R. Gardner, M. L. , and J. M. Streator, P. M. Woods, H. B. Cox, and Herbert Horn, while the sainted Philip Galley and L. S. Brown were in part the product of the Pleasant Valley Academy. At first the Sunday-school work met with some opposition, which was exhibited by sending anonymous letters to David Frazee, Sr., the first su- perintendent. But this church has since manifested a lively interest in the Sunday-school cause, and brought out an unusual number of workers in that department of church activity. Thirteen members of this congregation have been called at different times to the superintendency. Their names are David Frazee, Sr., T. H. Vankirk, S. T. Dodd, Workman Hughes, Jr., Hamilton Riggle, P. M. Woods, John Shipe, O. F. Lyon, D. H. Lewis, W. W. Paul, Her- bert Horn, D. M. Frazee, and O. Moninger. The last named is at present assisted by eight teachers, who have under their religious instruction, more or less of the year, near one hundred and sixty pupils.

The church has recently enjoyed a powerful awakening in religious interest, during which over sixty persons were received into fellowship.

It has a firm hold on the people in that locality, and the practical recognition of the apostolic princi- ples of Christian oneness,-" endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,"-and the provision for itself of pastoral oversight and instruc- tion commensurate with its means and the necessities of the present age, will insure for it a high degree of prosperity and increasing usefulness for many years to come.

Bane Town .- This hamlet contains seven dwell- ings, a store, post-office, wagon-shop, two blacksmith- shops, and a station of the Washington and Waynes- burg Railroad. It was originally the property of the Banes, and the old Bane fulling-mill and grist-mill were located here. The last vestiges of their founda- tions were removed two years ago. A fulling-mill and horse grist-mill were erected under the same roof about 1790, by Nathan Bane, on the little creek called Bane's Fork of Ten-Mile Creek. On the 22d of Sep- tember, 1796, Gordon Douglass advertised in the Western Telegraphe, published at Washington, " That he means to carry on the fulling business in all its various branches at Nathan Bane's fulling-mill, on the Middle Fork of Ten-Mile Creek." It was in op- eration for many years. The property on which the mill was located is now owned by Nathaniel Bane and Cyrus Maloy.

North Ten-Mile Baptist Church .- The families of the Banes and others settled on the waters of Ten- Mile Creek in 1768 were Baptists from Virginia and

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AMWELL TOWNSHIP.

descendants of such. The families of Sutton and others settled a little later in what is now Fayette County. Several of the Suttons were Baptist min- isters, and a church called Great Bethel was organized by them at what is now Uniontown in 1770. Two years later (1772) a church was constituted in the Bane settlement, in Amwell township, at the house of Enoch Enochs, where Charles Rossel now lives. The minutes of the early years are still in existence, and from them are taken the quotations given below. The record of the first meeting is illegible and can- not be made out. It proceeds :

" December 1st, 1773. The church met on business the first time at Enoch Enochs', and after Solemn Prayer Proceeded. Made choice of Samuel Parkhurst, Clerk.

" Feb'y 4th, 1774. The church met on business at Brother David Fnochs', and after Solemn Prayer Proceeded : Ist, chose Brother Issachar Huntington Deacon; 2d, chose Alexander Keith to supply the place of a Clerk to Raise the Psalm Tune ; 30, chose Brother James Sutton, and Received him as our Ministor; 4th, appointed the Friday before the first Sabbath in next March to be a meeting of Church business, and the Saturday following to be a day of Fasting, the Sabbath to be a Com- munion with us.

" Before our next appointed Communion the Church being acatered on Account of the Indians, so that we could not attend in any Church order untill the next full, Brother Sutton moved over the mountains, and Returned to us the next October.

" November 31st, 1774. The Church met at Joseph Bane's to Consult the wellfare of Zion, and after Solemn Prayer conclude to appoint the last Lord's day in next April to attend the Communion of the Supper at Euoch Enoch's, The Saturday before preparatory."

The record shows that on the 13th of October, 1775, Robert Bennet was received by letter, also John Buckingham on the 16th of February, 1776, and Cheniah Covalt and Cimfer A. Bennet on the 15th of February, 1777. The next entry found is as follows :

" At our meeting June 16, 1781, gave our Ministering Brother, John Corbley, an juvitation to attend with us statedly in the administration of the word and the ordinances of the Gospel.

" About the first of May, 1783, our ministering Brother, David Sutton, made us a visit from the Jersey's, and the church gave him an invita- tion to come and settle amongst us which he accepted, and the next fall he moved out here with his family. [Mr. Sutton remained As pastor till his death in 1812. At that time he resided in West Bethlehem ]

" March 18, 1786. At our meeting of Business agreed that the meet- ing-house be finished by a levi on .each Ratable Estate, Brother John Buckingham and David Enoch to have the oversight thereof."

The first meeting-house was built in 1786. It was 1 of logs, and was used until 1794. On the 10th of May in that year Samuel Parkhurst, a trustee of the society, purchased twenty-one acres and twenty perches of land for £2 5s. of Daniel McFarland. It was situated on the waters of Ten-Mile, on the tract of land called in the survey "Big Rocks." On this land the society built a hewed log house, which was occupied many years. The society about 1840 built the present brick meeting-house, and on the 1st of July, 1842, Philip Axtell, John Bane, Lewis Ketchum, acting deacons, purchased one acre and one hundred and thirty-one perches of land, in consideration of twelve and a half cents, of Jacob Bane. The deed bears date July 1, 1842, and says "on which now stands the new brick meeting-house." The land on which it stands was warranted to Nathan Bane in

1786, and is a part of a tract of three hundred and four acres known as " Bane's Fancy."

The pastors from the first, connected with the church as far as can be ascertained, have been as follows: James Sutton, Feb. 4, 1774-80; John Cor- bly, June 16, 1781-83; David Sutton, May 1, 1783, till his death in 1812. From this time till 1836 the records are lost, and nothing positive can be ascer- tained. In that year the Rev. A. B. Bowman be- came the pastor, and served until 1839, when he resigned, and Levi Griffith was called, accepted, and ministered to them till 1842, when F. Downey suc- ceeded him, and served four years. His successors were William Whitehead, S. Kendall, - Lenning, T. C. Gunford, Winfield Scott. B. P. Ferguson, J. Boyd, W. B. Skinner, C. W. Tilton, and J. Miller, who is the present pastor.

This church was the first one of any denomination organized in Washington County. It became in 1776 one of the constituent members of the Redstone As- sociation. The minutes of that body for the early years were never published, and as they were found in this section it is thought proper in the history of this first church to give quotations from them. Sev- eral of the churches here mentioned are not now in existence, and little knowledge of them has been obtained :

" Book A .- Minutes of the Annual Association of the Baptist Churches west of the Laurel Hill, called the Redstone Association.

" Met in Annual Association' at Goshen, west of the Laurel Hill, Oct. 7, 1776, the following messengers from the several churches, viz. :

"]. Great Bethel.1-Isaac Sutton, Jumes McCoy, and Elijah Barclay. 2. Goshen .- John Corbly, John Gerrard, and Jacob Vanmetre. 3. Ten- Mile .- James Sutton, David Enoch, and Robert Bennett. 4. Turkey Foot .- Isaac Morris. 5. Pike Run .- William Wood and David Ruble. 6. Yough .- Samuel Luallen and John McFurland.

"Ist. The introductory sermon was preached by Mr. James Sutton from these words, 'The Angel of the Church,' Rev. ii. 1, wherein the duty of messenger was clearly exhibited. 2d. Proceeded to business. Brother John Corbly was chosen moderator, and William Wood clerk. 3d. . . . 4th. A request from Cross Creek for the constitution of a church granted, and Brothers John Corbly and William Wood appointed to of- ficiate in constituting the said church. Query. In what state did Adam stand in Paradise, whether he partook of the Divine nature in his crea- tion or not.

" Answer. Adam was created in an upright State, but that he partook of the divine nature as the essence of God, we cannot suppose only that he received so much of the divine naturo as was sufficient to actuate his righteous soul thereby."

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 167

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