History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 170

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 170

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Joseph Hutchinson emigrated from Chester County, in this State, to Buffalo township in 1790, settling on the tract of land now owned by his grandson, Joseph Hutchinson. He married Hannah Mccullough, of Chester County, and they had six children,-Martha, Jane, James, Nancy, Hannah, and John. Martha married John Graham, and their children were Rob- ert, Joseph, John, Samuel, James, Thomas, Ebenezer, Martha, Hannah, and Matilda Graham, ten in all.

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Jane Hutchinson married William Knox, and they had five children,-William, Hannah, John, Thomas, and Joseph Knox. Nancy Hutchinson married George Knox, and reared a family of six children,- Hannah, Thomas, James, Margaret, Martha, and Joseph Knox. John Hutchinson married Nancy Hutchinson, undoubtedly a relative, and their chil- dren were Eliza, Joseph, William, Martha, and Mary Ann Hutchinson. James Hutchinson married Mary A. Patterson, and Hannah remained single. James Graham, son of Martha Hutchinson and grandson of old Joseph Hutchinson, married and had a family of nine children. Samuel, the youngest, was a minister in the United Presbyterian Church, and died in Ohio. Joseph Hutchinson, who resides on the old homestead, is the only living descendant in Washington County, the others all having removed to the States of Ohio and Indiana.

John Barr was a native of Ireland, who came to this country in 1793, and stopped first in Cumberland. He then settled in Buffalo township, went East, and purchased a still and engaged in distilling. He died leaving two sons and two daughters. Robert Barr, living on the old homestead, is the only surviving child.

John Fleck was an early emigrant to Buffalo town- ship. His children were William, John, and Mary Fleck. John married a daughter of Rev. Mr. An- derson, and lived and died on the tract of land now owned by his sons, John and Wallace Fleck, which is the old homestead. Mary became the wife of John Clemmens. Being left a widow not long after her marriage, she married Dr. John Steel, who practiced in Taylorstown for several years.

John Woodburn came from Ireland in 1812, bring- ing his family, consisting of a wife and five children. He purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty-six acres of Joseph Pentecost, Nov. 19, 1811, which was a part of a tract patented to Col. David Williamson. He remained on this property until 1840, when he went to reside with his daughter, Mrs. Mary Gay, in Donegal township, and two years later died there aged eighty-three years. The only living children of this pioneer are John Woodburn, of Washington, and Mrs. John Garrett, residing in the same place.

James and Robert Garrett were brothers, of Irish birth, and both lived in Buffalo township. James owned and lived upon a farm on Brush Run, not far distant from Buffalo Creek, which is now the property of Robert Garrett, of Claysville. He married Miss Ross, a relative of James Ross, of Pittsburgh, and they had a family of three sons and six daughters. Of the sons, James died single, Robert married Miss Maloy, and John married Martha Woodburn. Rob- ert Garrett, Sr., the emigrant to this township, was married twice. His last wife was a wealthy lady of Baltimore, where their son, John W. Garrett, the president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, now resides.

Samuel McConoughey settled in Buffalo township and followed farming. He had but three children,- Samuel, James, and Martha. Samuel married Mary McLain, and had for his home a part of his father's farm. James McConoughey married Isabella Kerr, and also settled on the homestead. He had ten chil- dren,-Samuel, Hugh, William, Thompson, James, Margaret, Martha, Elizabeth, Jane, and Isabella Mc- Conoughey. William died in Ohio, Elizabeth lives in Kansas, Martha and James reside in this county, and all the others died in this county. The old Mc- Conoughey homestead is now owned by William Kerr and John Campbell. Margaret Hodgens, Robert, Caroline, and James Johnson, in this township, and James McConoughey, of Independence township, are all descendants of this family.

Andrew Rogers owned and lived upon the farm now the property of Robert Knox, in Buffalo town- ship. Andrew was a soldier in the war of 1812. His wife was Miss Jane Cox, and their family was five daughters. Susan Rogers remained single, and died in Washington County ; Martha also remained single; Margaret became the wife of Joseph B. McConoughey, and lived and died in this township ; Mary married John G. Allison, and resides in Canton township ; and Jane, who married a man named Jackson, lived for a few years in West Bethlehem township, but died in Buffalo.

Governor Joseph Ritner was for some years a resi- dent of Buffalo township, and owned a farm here upon which he built a handsome stone dwelling- house. He represented this district in the State Legislature, and was afterwards elected Governor of Pennsylvania. He was an honest and straight- forward old German. Very many amusing anec- dotes are told of him by the older citizens. At one time he was entertaining a clergyman, who congratu- lated him upon having gathered so many of the good things of this world about him. This pleased Mr. Ritner exceedingly, and he called the reverend gen- tleman's attention to a new wagon he had just pur- chased. " Well, Governor Ritner," said the minister, " I see you have everything but grace." "Grace, grease, vy, I does not use him, I use darr." The fol- lowing personal notice of Governor Ritner, after he had laid aside his gubernatorial honors, is taken from the Chambersburg, Pa., Whig, of July 28, 1853 :

" We noticed Governor Ritner in town last week, enjoying excellent health. He is now seventy-three years of age, but still superintends his farm in person, and until this season always drove his own team. He was born in Berks County, represented Washington County six years in the House of Representatives, commencing in 1851, and was twice Speaker of the House. He was the anti-Jackson nominee for Governor in 1826 and 1832, and defeated ; and against Governor Wolf and Henry Muhlenberg in 1835, and elected; and against Governor Porter in 1838, and defeated. Since he retired from the gubernatorial chair he has resided on his farm in Cumberland County."

Taylorstown .- Robert Taylor warranted the tract of land which was surveyed to him as "Beaver," three hundred and thirty-one acres, and patented to

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him March 15, 1788. It was sold by him to his son William in the spring of 1795, the deed bearing date September 9th of that year. Immediately upon the purchase William Taylor laid out a town plat, which was named " New Brunswick," on the 9th of Febru- ary, 1795, David Heaton being the surveyor. The first lot sold in the new town was to David Craig, on the 9th of October, 1795, it being lot No. 3, now owned by Alexander Buchanan; on the same day lot No. 2 to Samuel Taylor. The names of the later purchasers are here given in the order of the date of the deeds:

James Ralston, Oct. 10, 1795, lot No. 37; consideration, $3.

John Heaton, Oct. 10, 1795, lot No. 18; consideration, $3.

John Irwin, Oct. 24, 1795, lot No. 14 ; consideration, $3. Charles and John McRoberts, Dec. 12, 1795, lot No. 44 ; consideration, $3. John Anthony Weyer, April 23, 1796, lot No. 13; consideration, $3. John Fisher, April 27, 1796, lot No. 7; consideration, $3. Robert Russell, Dec. 16, 1796, lots Nos. 39, 40, 41 ; consideration, $21. John Anthony, Jan. 28, 1797, lot No. 54 and outlot ; consideration, $12. Robert Russell, Oct. 23, 1798, lot No. 43; consideration, $3.

John Dillon, Oct. 27, 1798, lots Nos. 55, 56, and outlot No. 5; consider- ation, $300.

William Dimsey, Oct. 30, 1798, lots Nos. 42, 61, 62, 63 ; consideration, $20. William Clemmens, July 6, 1801, lot No. I and outlot; consideration, $300.

Jolin Young, March 2, 1802, lot No. 46 ; consideration, $3.

John Young, March 1, 1803, lot No. 48; consideration, $100. Henry Dillon, March 19, 1803, lots Nos. 52. 53, 54 ; consideration, $24. Thomas Stokely, March 15, 1805, lot No. 8; consideration, $300.

Charles McRoberts, March 18, 1805, lot No. 43; consideration, 80.

Adam Allison, Sept. 20, 1806, lots Nos. 21, 22, 23, 24 ; consideration, $50. James Kerr, Oct. 20. 1807, lots Nos. 9, 10, 16, 48; consideration, $36. Daniel MeKeban, Oct. 20, 1807, lots Nos. 65, 6G, 67; consideration, $12.

Improvements soon commenced. Eleven Wil- liams is said to have erected the first house in town, in which he kept tavern in 1800. The lot on which it stood is now owned by Mr. McHugh. John Dillon built a tannery on his lots Nos. 55, 56, which he car- ried on for some years. The property is now owned by William Streight. Mrs. Alvay, now eighty-three years of age, daughter of Eleven Williams, says the first store was started by Galbraith, and in 1810, Frank Matthews kept a store there. The town, although laid out as New Brunswick, was never extensively known by that name, but received, for its proprietor, the name of Taylorstown, which soon came into gen- eral use.

William Richardson was an early settler in Taylors- town. He was a hatter by trade, and worked in that place seventy years ago. He had two sons, William and Jacob; the former emigrated to Steubenville, the latter was a shoemaker, and married a Miss Hitch- cock, worked here for a time, and moved away. Jacob, a son of William, married Miss Ada M. Hutchinson, and resides near Taylorstown.

Robert Taylor, the father of William Taylor, left two sons and two daughters. William purchased the tracts "Richland" and "Beaver" of his father in 1795. He laid out the lands adjoining the town of Brunswick into outlots and sold them, and on the 21st of October, 1807, he sold two hundred and four- teen acres of land, parts of both tracts, to Thomas

Mckinstry for sixteen hundred dollars. From this time the name of New Brunswick was dropped, and the town became known as Taylorstown. Soon after this time William Taylor removed to Ohio. His sis- ter Sarah married Robert Becket and settled in the Miami Valley. Jane married John McWilliams and settled on the McWilliams tract, where she lived and died.

Taylorstown is situated on the main branch of Buffalo Creek, and is built on both sides of the Wash- ing and West Liberty road, in the valley of the creek. It at present contains twenty-one dwellings, one church (United Presbyterian), school-house, steam grist-mill, two stores, blacksmith-shop, wagon-shop, shoe-shop, and post-office.

The Taylorstown post-office was established June 1, 1831. Oliver Wallace was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by his widow, Christiana Wallace, Alexander Wilson, Alexander McCleer (appointed June 7, 1855), and the Rev. John Morrow, who is the present postmaster.

The tavern-keepers of Taylorstown have been John Galbraith, Eleven Williams, James Brownlee, William Noble, Joseph Heller, Charles Hellems, John Wolf, William Coxen, and Greer Hair.

Physicians .- Dr. John McCabe was a native of Allegheny County, Pa., and came to Taylorstown in 1840, and commenced the practice of medicine, which he continued till 1851, and removed to Allegheny County, and then to West Middletown, returning to Taylorstown in 1860, where he lived till his death, April 25, 1864. He left a widow and family; the former still resides at Taylorstown. A son, David, studied medicine with Dr. J. S. Crawford, and gradu- ated at Cleveland. He practiced for several years at Kansas City, then returned to Cleveland, where he married and died.

Dr. J. S. Crawford, also a native of Allegheny County, is a graduate of Cleveland Medical College. He came to Taylorstown a few months prior to the decease of Dr. McCabe, and commenced a practice which he still continues. He is the only resident physician in the township.

Dr. Huffman about thirty years ago came to Tay- lorstown and opened an office. He remained about ten years, and moved to Washington, and finally to West Virginia.

Other physicians have practiced in the township, but only for a short time.

United Presbyterian Church .- On the 15th day of August, 1872, the people of this vicinity who were in accord with the views of the above denomination met at this place and organized a church by the elec- tion of the following elders: Nathaniel Nealy, Ed- ward Grimes, and Dr. J. S. Crawford. Services were held in the public school building until the erection of a church edifice. A lot was purchased on the north side of the street at a cost of six hundred dollars. A neat and commodious building was erected, and

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dedicated Aug. 15, 1874. The names of the minis- ters who served here were Revs. J. S. Dice, J. Dilsons, B. J. Forester, W. H. McCleary, J. R. May, W. J. Cooper, M. B. Brownlee, W. T. McConnel, Thomas McCartney, R. M. Patterson, B. D. Bruce, A. D. Mc- Carroll, Samuel Collins, and John Morrow, the pres- ent pastor. On the 10th of April, 1873, a call was extended to the Rev. John Morrow, which was ac- cepted. He assumed charge June 1, 1873, and on the 30th of September the same year was ordained and regularly installed. The present session is composed of Dr. J. S. Crawford, Edward Grimes, R. W. Cruthers, and James Wilson. The church has a membership of one hundred and eleven.

North Buffalo United Presbyterian Church.1 - The first pastor of this congregation, the Rev. Matthew Henderson, first preached in this neighborhood to the few settlers who were living in the vicinity in the year 1775. The place where he first held services was in a grove not far from the present house of worship, and in that grove in 1778, a congregation was organ- ized, under the name of Buffalo, by the election of John Brownlee, James Brownlee, - Smiley, and Andrew Scott as elders. There the people gathered for worship, and they carried their trusty guns with them to defend themselves even while they worshiped, their creed and watchword "Trust in God and keep your powder dry." Buffalo and Chartiers were united in one charge and made a call for a pastor. The first call made by the congregations of Chartiers and Buf- falo was in the Chartiers congregation. The meeting was held in the open air. The following is an ex- tract from the minutes : " At Chartiers, October 18th, 1779, which day and place the Sessions of Chartiers and Buffalo being met in the presence of the congre- gation, and constituted with prayer by the moderator, Rev. John Murray ; members sederunt, James Scott, John White, Nicholas Little, David Reed, belonging to Chartiers, and. John Brownlee, James Brownlee, and Andrew Scott, belonging to Buffalo," etc. Two nominations were made, Mr. Henderson, of Oxford, and Mr. Smith, of Octorara. Mr. Henderson was de-' clared elected, and it was agreed to give him a salary of one hundred pounds in hard money, or four hun- dred bushels of wheat. He accepted the call, left his family at Conecocheague, because of Indian hostili- ties, and came to his congregation to begin his labors in November, 1781, according to the "church regis- ter." His name does not appear on the roll of Pres- bytery at its next meeting, on the 10th of April, 1782, from which it appears he did not wait to supply at Conecocheague. He was installed pastor of his new charge in 1782. He was then about forty-seven years of age. About a year after his arrival his family fol- lowed him. They lived in a log cabin eight or nine miles from Buffalo meeting-house, and about four

miles from Chartiers. The place of worship was changed at the beginning of his pastorate from the place where the congregation was first organized to the site of its present house of worship, because it was more convenient for the people and for the pas- tor. A log house was erected for the accommodation of the worshipers, into which the congregation was crowded in very inclement weather; when the weather permitted they worshiped out of doors, a sort of coop of a pulpit having been erected east of the present house. Mr. Henderson continued his labors until Oct. 2, 1795, when he was killed by the fall of a tree ; a limb striking him killed him almost instantly, "and he escaped a prolonged struggle with almost the only enemy he ever feared."

After the death of Mr. Henderson, the congrega- tion soon secured the services of a second pastor, the Rev. Robert Laing. He was born in the south of Scotland in 1750, ordained in Dunse, in the same country, in 1785; came to America in 1795; began his labors in Buffalo in 1796, and was installed in 1797. And although he had been in the ministry only about half as long as Mr. Henderson when he came to Buffalo, he was about the same age, in his forty-seventh year, being thirty-five years of age when ordained. He was a man of great dignity of manner, and had a sort of stiffness that lessened his accepta- bility to the people, and consequently injured his usefulness. The custom in his day was to set out the bottle of whiskey when visitors came to the house. One. was thought inhospitable if he neglected this courtesy, and if right and hospitable towards the peo- ple, why not toward the minister ? he was not made an exception. The result was that disaffection arose in the congregation towards their pastor. It increased to such an extent that all the members of session re- signed their offices and a new election was ordered. This only increased the difficulty. At a meeting of the Associate Synod of North America, which was held in Philadelphia, Nov. 24, 1805, this body having been organized in 1800, and composed of four Pres- byteries, Mr. Laing was by a unanimous vote trans- ported to Argyle, N. Y., and Rev. John Anderson appointed to declare his pulpit vacant.

After the removal of Mr. Laing the congregation was vacant until the year 1811. The Rev. David French was the next pastor of Buffalo. He was born in Vermont, Aug. 23, 1783, and removed to Wash- ington County, N. Y., at an early age, and was raised in that county. He was educated at Union College, Schenectady, and studied theology at the First West- ern Theological Seminary, in Beaver County, Pa., under Dr. John Anderson ; was ordained by the As- sociate Presbytery of Chartiers by order of the Asso- ciate Synod, that he might be the better qualified for missionary work in the Presbytery of Kentucky. A new congregation was organized about this time and called South Buffalo. To distinguish these two, Buf- falo was named North Buffalo. These two united in

1 Taken principally front an address delivered by the Rev. W. H. French, D.D., of Cincinnati, Ohio, Nov. 4, 1575.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

a call for his labors. The call was dated May 12, 1811, and accepted on the 21st of the same month. He was installed July 2d following. At this time there was erected a new house of worship. It was built of hewn logs and weatherboarded, and was neat and comfortable in contrast with the old. The re- mains of the old house stood until 1845, when they were taken away. The second house stood until 1848, when the present brick one was erected beside it and the old one removed.

Mr. French's pastorate was the longest that has 'been in the congregation, he having been pastor for forty-one years of the united charge, and forty-two years in this congregation. In the forty years of his pastorate he never disappointed his people on a Sabbath-day because of sickness. Once he was pre- vented from reaching South Buffalo by high water, and once or twice by death in the family. In 1853 a paralytic stroke disabled him, and his speech was impaired. He resigned the charge of South Buffalo in 1852, and in 1853 North Buffalo. He died March 30, 1855, and his remains were laid in the graveyard by the North Buffalo Church, by the side of those of his first wife, two sons, and five daughters, two being daughters of his second wife.

The congregation remained vacant, after the resig- nation of Mr. French, for about two years. It had in- creased in numbers, wealth, and liberality ; had erected the brick edifice in which it still worships in the summer of 1845, and desired a pastor's full time. The South Buffalo congregation also felt itself able to support a minister, hence the connection between them was dissolved. South Buffalo gave a call to Rev. J. G. Carson, and North Buffalo made out a call, in the summer of 1855, for Rev. William M. Gibson, a native of Washington County, Pa., raised under the pastorate of the Rev. Bankhead Boyd ; graduated at Washington College and at Canonsburg Theological Seminary, and on the 29th of November in the same year he was ordained and installed. Thus began the fourth pastorate. He continued in this charge until the 12th of November, 1861, when his resignation was accepted by the Presbytery, and the pastoral relation dissolved.

After being vacant for about five years and six months, the congregation secured the pastoral labors of Rev. Robert Welch, a graduate of Jefferson College and of the theological seminary at Allegheny. He had served in the war of the great Rebellion as a lieu- tenant of Company C of the Twenty-second Pennsyl- vania Cavalry, and having laid down these carnal weapons when victory was achieved, he went forth with the sword of the Spirit, but soon to achieve his victory. He was called to the pastorate of this con- gregation, and, having accepted the call, began his stated labors April 1, 1867, and was ordained and in- stalled the 14th of May of the same year. He labored with great acceptability, beloved by his people, until the 22d of December, 1868, when he died.

The congregation remained, after the death of Mr. Welch, for about three years without a pastor. On the 10th of April, 1871, a call was made out for the Rev. Josias Stevenson, a native of Ireland, a graduate of Franklin College, Ohio, and of the theological seminary at Xenia. He was installed in North Buf- falo the 13th of June, 1871, after having been in the ministry about thirteen years, eleven of which were spent in efficient labors in the congregation of West Alexander. He was succeeded in the pastorate of this church by the Rev. Samuel J. Kyle, the present pastor.

The elders first chosen were John and James Brownlee, Andrew Scott, and Samuel Johnson. These were ordained and installed in 1778, and were cotem- porary with Mr. Henderson and Mr. Laing. John Brownlee died in 1802, and James in 1822. Of the other two, the date of their death is not given in the register of the congregation. In 1793, Messrs. Hugh Allison, Thomas Hanna, James Smiley, and John Buchanan were ordained and installed. Mr. Allison continued in his office until 1853. On the 3d day of September of that year he was called to his reward. Mr. Thomas Hanna left Buffalo in the spring of 1835, and died April 9, 1839.

In 1802 there was an election of elders, the session then ruling refusing to act because of the difficulty be- tween the pastor and themselves. It resulted in the choice of Messrs. Alexander Patterson, Robert Wylie, David Clark, Jacob Donaldson, and Thomas Irvine, and they were ordained and installed. Alexander Pat- terson died in 1840, Robert Wylie in 1830, David Clark in 1821, Jacob Donaldson Aug. 2, 1850, and Thomas Irvine in 1829. How long these continued in the eldership in the congregation does not appear. In 1811, the year that Mr. French took charge, the session was strengthened by the choice and ordina- tion to and installation in the eldership of Samuel Graham and James Patterson, the former continuing till his death on March 23, 1850. Mr. Patterson con- tinued in office till his death, Jan. 4, 1869.

May 13, 1820, John Brownlee and John C. Hanna were ordained and installed. Mr. Brownlee died May 29, 1854. He was a member of the Washing- ton congregation at the time of his death. Mr. Hanna continued in his office in the congregation until his death, Sept. 13, 1865. In February, 1837, Samuel Neely and Archibald Brownlee were ordained to the office of the eldership and installed in it in the congregation. Mr. Neely continued in his office until his death, which occurred on the 16th of July, 1865. Oct. 20, 1859, John Stewart and A. E. McClees were ordained and installed. Samuel E. Brownlee was installed at the same time, he having been or- dained to the office in the Associate Reformed con- gregation of West Middletown, and uniting with this congregation after the consummation of the union of the Associate Reformed and Associate Churches. He died June 8, 1872. He was a man of great worth,

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and his death was very much lamented. Jan. 7, 1867, Dr. J. S. Crawford was installed, and J. H. Brownlee ordained and installed. It may not be uninteresting to observe that of these elders Andrew Scott's burial-place is not known; Samuel Johnson lies in the old Knox graveyard, and eighteen are buried in the North Buffalo graveyard. Of the nine- teen whose ages are known, five died between the ages of sixty and seventy, six from seventy to eighty, six from eighty to ninety, and two from ninety to ninety- four years.

This congregation is still vigorous and flourishing. Many have gone to other places, to add strength to congregations or form nuclei around which to gather, and the outskirts have been trimmed to strengthen other organizations. Still there remains a member- ship of one hundred and four, and the whole com- munity has been leavened with its influence. From this congregation not less ten have gone into the min- istry, viz. : John M. French, D. W. French, James Sawhill, W. H. French, D. H. French, T. H. Hanna, Samuel J. McKee, William Donaldson, and John M. French, second. S. M. Hutchison, raised in this con- gregation, was received into and licensed and ordained in the Associate Reformed Church, and died in the ministry of the United Presbyterian Church in 1874.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 170

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