History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 173

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 173

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were all here during the Whiskey Insurrection, and many of them had borne arms during Indian wars and the war of the Revolution.

During years prior to the beginning of this cen- tury, grist-mills were established in the township on Pigeon and Mingo Creeks. Thus, in 1796, we find Joseph Parkison speaking of "several grist- and saw- mills within one and two miles" of his new town of Williamsport. The mill interests at the mouth of the Mingo came into possession of Benjamin Parki- son8 as early as 1800, and were carried on extensively by him for many years. He there had in operation a saw-mill, flouring-mill, fulling-mill, etc. Subse- quently he built a second grist-mill on the right bank of the Monongahela, and called the place Elkhorn. In 1814 greater facilities were offered his patrons, as the following clipping from an early newspaper will show :

" May 23, 1814.

"The subscriber begs leave to announce to his many friends and cus- tomers that he has now in a complete state of readiness six carding- machines, viz .: one for cotton on an improved plan, and New York cards of the first quality, No. 32, which will be occupied for merino in the wool season ; one for picking and one for finishing into rolls common wool in his creek mill on the mouth of Mingo Creek, opposite the old river mill; and three in the river mill, one for picking, oue for break- ing, and one for finishing into rolls."

The old " River Mill" was one of the most widely- known institutions in the western part of the State at one time. The farmers with their good wives came from long distance away to have work done, and sometimes waited two and three days before being en- abled to start on their return with grists and wool- carding complete. At one period Benjamin Parkison had in operation at Mingo and Elkhorn no less than two distilleries, three grist-mills, a woolen-factory, comb-factory, sickle-factory, and a gun-factory.

As before mentioned, a tract of two hundred and twenty-three acres, entitled "Strasburg," was pat- ented to Nicholas Crist April 17, 1769; was surveyed for him July 20, 1769, and his right to the same was confirmed June 23, 1784. On the 25th of April, 1794, Crist sold the premises to Robert Galloway, and the latter transferred his interests in the same to Har- monus Cole, July 21, 1795. Manuel Hoover pur- chased from Cole, July 10, 1797, and on the 13th of March, 1815, "Strasburg" was finally transferred by, Mr. Hoover to Charles De Hass. During the summer of 1814, however, Mr. De Hass had platted a town site, and in September of the same year caused to be published in the newspapers of the day the following announcement :

"NEW TOWN OF PITTSBOROUGH.

" To Merchants and manufacturers.

" The subscriber has lately laid out a town on the elegant farm owned by Mr. Iloover in Horseshoe Bottom, Washington Co., on the west bank of the Monongahela, 25 miles from Pittsburgh, 24 miles from Washing-

1 On the 8th of September, 1810, Abraham Frye and wife granted to Stacy Storer and John Grant, trustees, and their successors, for the use of the " Regular Baptist Society" one acre of land " Whereon the Bap- tist Meeting-house is built, situated in the Horseshoe Bottom and eu- closed by land of grantor."

" Peter Castner came from the vicinity of Philadelphia, and settled near what is now known as the town of Latrobe in 1775. Prior to 1790 he had become a resident of that part of Fallowfield township now known as Carroll, and in 1794 obtained a patent for " Walnut Bottom," n tract of two hundred and eighty-two acres. His father was a native of Germany.

Michael Castner (son of Peter) sold to Josiah Allen one hundred and vig! tren acres of the tract mentioned, more than fifty years ago.

8 A. R. Parkison, of the firm of McGrew & Parkison, City Flouring- Mills, Monongahela City, is a grandson of the Benjamin Parkison here mentioned.

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CARROLL TOWNSHIP.

tou, 24 miles from Uniontown, 24 miles from Greensburg, and 4 miles above Williamsport on a direct course from Washington to Bedford, and on a direct course from Pittsburgh to Uniontown.

" As it is in contemplation to form a new county, and from its being so very central in the contemplated county, and its handsome situation in- duced the subscriber to lay off a town with large lots and wide streets and alleye, with public grounds for a church and burying-ground and also for an academy. The subscriber proposes selling the lots on mod- erate terms, by way of lottery in the following manner, viz. : On receiv- ing a certificate which will entitle them to a lot, they are required to pay five dollars in hand, and twenty-five dollars when the lots are drawn for, and the article of agreement made between the proprietor and the lot holders of such lots as are drawn against the number of their certifi- cates; and twenty dollars annually for three years to commence from the date of the deed. There is an abundance of stone coal within one hundred rods of the town, with which manufacturers can be supplied on moderate terms; and the proprietor agrees to give to each of the lot hulders in said town stone coal for three years from the date of the deed. Those who do not use said coal shall be deducted fifteen dollars from the last payment. . The lots will be drawn for on the premises as soon as all the certificates are disposed of, of which public notice will be given. An indisputable title and possession given the 1st of April next. The subscriber excepts the grain in the ground. Lot No. 84 worth $300, which sum I do agree to give, and lots Nos. 9, 10 worth $200, which sum I do also agree to give.

" CHARLES D'HASS.

" PITTSBOROUGH, Sept. 12, 1814."

On the 12th of November, 1814, Mr. De Hass an- nounced that the name of the town had been changed to that of Columbia, and, after repeating what has just been quoted, added, " Any person who will pur- chase a lot and erect a building on it within one year from the time of sale shall be entitled to stone coal at the coal-mine for four years gratis." On the 15th of February, 1815, the proprietor notified all pur- chasers of lots that their deeds were ready. Soon after, he sold to John Neal a large portion of the plat, and they then became joint proprietors. The mem- bers of the "Columbia Steam-Mill and Manufactur- ing Company" were notified to assemble at Columbia, March 27, 1815, for the purpose of electing seven directors.

Charles De Hass and John Neal, proprietors of the town of Columbia, notified the public Jan. 12, 1816, that a market-square, eighty by one hundred and twenty feet, and a public square composing lot No. 69, both bounded by Market and Third Streets, Scott and Decatur Alleys, had been laid out subject to the following conditions :

" If said square is not occupied by a court-house and other public buildings in fourteen years from the present date, then this square is to revert to John Neal, the proprietor, or his lawful representative. Lots Nos. 89 and 108 are for the purposes of building churches and school-houses. The Ferry rights are retained by the proprietors, ex- cept such as are already conveyed by deed. A lot of ground northeast of Market Street, two hundred feet square, is granted as a place of in- terment for all denominations of Christians."

In all there were two hundred and seventy lots in the original plat. . On the 25th of March, 1816, John Neal, in acquainting the public that a public vendue for the sale of village lots would take place April 11th of that year, added, " There are at present about twenty houses, all built last summer. It is expected that not less than thirty more will go up this season. A steam mill is erecting and expected to be in oper- ation the ensuing fall."

The post-office of West Columbia was established in June, 1819, and Charles De Hass appointed post- master. The history of Columbia has been told, for though it started out sixty-eight years ago with such a brilliant promise for the future, in the mind of its projector, one glance at West Columbia of to-day sufficiently indicates that instead of advancing it has receded from the position attained in 1816, when, as one of its proprietors said, it contained about twenty houses.

In 1833 Williamsport, which until that time had comprised portions of Fallowfield and Nottingham townships, was made a borough. It was adjoined by the former township on the south and east, and by the latter on the south and west. Their anomalous situation seems to have been unsatisfactory to those residents of either township lying without the new borough limits, for, during the January sessions of 1834, various inhabitants of Fallowfield and Not- tingham townships petitioned the Court of Quarter Sessions asking that a new township be erected. Thereupon an order of court was issued and viewers appointed to investigate the matter. They rendered a report in March following, which was set aside. How- ever, on the 14th of April another commission was appointed, which body in June, 1834, reported in favor of a new township to be called Knox. This re- port was approved, and on the 30th of September, 1834, confirmed, when it was further ordered that the new township be known as Carroll.

Although the town of Williamsport was incorpo- rated as a borough in 1833, it was so in name only, and had no independent separate existence aside from the township of Carroll (which embraced it) for a period of some eight or nine years thereafter. Thus we find that early in 1841 various inhabitants of Car- roll township petitioned the Court of Quarter Ses- sions asking for a division of the borough of Monon- gahela City1 and the township mentioned. Viewers were thereupon appointed, whose report was set aside August 20th of that year. The farmers were persist- ent, however, for during the sessions of the court in November, 1841, a second petition numerously signed was presented, the petitioners praying " to be struck off from Monongahela City." In answer, the court issued an order and appointed a second board of com- missioners Jan. 26, 1842. On the 28th of February following these commissioners reported that the sepa- ration prayed for ought to be granted. This report was confirmed May 26, 1842, and from that time all assessment-rolls, census reports, etc., have been made separately.

The Hamilton and Van Voorhis Familes .- The following items regarding the Hamilton and Van Voorhis families, written by Rev. W. F. Hamilton, of Washington, Pa., and Dr. J. S. Van Voorhis, of

1 The name of the town had been changed to that of Monongahela City in 1837.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Belle Vernon, Pa., respectively, are given a place here, for the reason that while members of these families have ever been prominent in the township and county; the statements here inserted contain much interesting contemporaneous history.

Hon. John Hamilton, prominent in the earlier his- tory of the county, was of Scotch-Irish lineage, being a son of John Hamilton, who immigrated to this coun- try about the middle of the last century. He was born in 1754, most probably in Adams (then York) County, Pa., where the family resided for a time. Soon after reaching manhood he came to Washing- ton County and settled on a tract of land lying on the south side of Mingo Creek, three miles from its mouth, of which tract he retained possession until his death. He became high sheriff of the county in 1793, being the first chosen under the constitution of 1790. During the time he held this office the troub- lous scenes of the insurrection transpired. While sharing in the general sentiment of opposition to the excise laws as unjust and oppressive, he used his in- fluence, personal and official, to prevent this oppo- sition from running into lawlessness and violence. Notwithstanding this he was regarded with suspicion and subjected to an oppressive prosecution. His ex- cellence of character and the cruel injustice done him are fully attested in the historical records of those times. H. M. Brackenridge, in his "History of the Insurrection," remarks, "The case of Sheriff Hamilton, one of the most estimable men in the western counties, was much more aggravated." " It cannot but excite the liveliest indignation to read the details of this case."

Hon. William Findley writes as follows: "John Hamilton, of Washington, is high sheriff of that county and colonel of a regiment of militia in the Mingo Creek settlement; though a number of this regiment were known to have had an active hand in the attack on Neville's house, and were in fact con- sidered the greatest promoters of the insurrection, yet he not only kept himself from those outrages, but en- deavored, as soon as he heard of the design, to pre- vent the rendezvous at Braddock's Field. When he could not prevent this he put himself at the head of his regiment, and was very instrumental in prevent- ing further outrages from being committed. .. . He attended all the meetings for restoring order, and living when he did he merited higher approbation than if he had resided in Boston. Col. Hamilton was informed by a friend of the designs against him time enough to make his escape, but, conscious of his inno- cence, he preferred traveling alone thirty miles to where the judiciary then was, and presenting himself to Judge Peters, informed him that he had heard there was a charge against him, and requested to have it examined." After giving a detailed account of the subsequent events up to the time of his triumphant vindication, Mr. Finley adds: "Thus a man who was at the time sheriff of the.county and a colonel of the

militia, and who was in a part of the country and in circumstances where temporizing might have been excusable, was not only clear of any charge but had merit, was illegally taken from the exercise of an office at that time of importance to the peace of the county, and without examination dragged down to Philadelphia in the winter by a military guard, pa- raded in a barbarous manner through the streets, thrown for some time into the cells, compelled to wear the word insurgent in his hat, and then cast' into prison, and after a long confinement admitted to bail. After this he was again required to cross the moun- tains to meet his trial, at which nothing was alleged against him."

That the popular sentiment fully approved Col. Hamilton's character and conduct appears from the civil honors which were immediately thereafter con- ferred upon him. In 1796 he represented the coun- ties of Washington and Allegheny in the State Senate. In 1800 he represented in the same body the counties of Washington, Allegheny, and Greene. In 1802 he was commissioned an associate judge of the county, which office he continued to hold until his death, a period longer than that of any other incumbent.

About the beginning of the century he was married to Miss Mary Patterson, of Westmoreland County, Pa. Of their family but two daughters survived the parents. Harriet intermarried with David Hamilton, Jr., and Margaret intermarried first with a Mr. Par- ker, and after his death with a Mr. Purviance. These two daughters inherited the paternal estate. A grand- son, Thompson Purviance, gave his life to the coun- try in the war of the Rebellion. Another grandson by marriage was Col. H. A. Purviance, of the Eighty- fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers, who also fell in battle, and whose remains are in the Washington Cemetery.

In his personal appearance Judge Hamilton, or, as he was often called, Gen. Hamilton, was of medium stature, heavy build, inclining to corpulence, benign expression of countenance, and scrupulously neat in dress, never appearing in public without the snow- white ruffles and ivory-mounted cane which were so generally affected in those days by elderly men in official positions.

But besides being a courteous gentleman and a pub- lic-spirited citizen, he was also a devout Christian. He lived and died in the communion of the Presby- terian Church. His death occurred Aug. 22, 1837, in his eighty-third year. His wife survived him but a few years. Their remains lie interred in the old Mingo graveyard.

Joseph Hamilton, son of William, was born Sept. 1, 1784, near Gettysburg, Adams Co., Pa. Two strong ties attached him towards Washington County. David Hamilton, Esq., his brother-in-law, and Gen. John Hamilton, his uncle, were both residents of this county. Soon after coming West he was married, Jan. 7, 1813, to Margaret, daughter of William Fer- guson, of Pigeon Creek. For more than a quarter-

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CARROLL TOWNSHIP.

century following he resided in Williamsport, now Monongahela City, where he wrought at his trade as carpenter and house-builder, carried on a cabinet and undertaker's shop, and also kept an inn. In 1841, having bought the Ginger Hill farm from Daniel Hamilton, Esq., he removed there, and lived on it until his death, Nov. 9, 1849. His widow died at the same place June 10, 1865. They were both life-long members of the Presbyterian Church. He was for many years director and treasurer of the Williams- port Turnpike Company, and director of the Wil- liamsport Bridge Company. He did much in the way of settling up decedents' estates. Seven chil- dren survive the parents. Sarah, intermarried with H. Wilson, and Harriet, intermarried with T. R. Hazzard, Esq., survive their husbands and live in Monongahela City. May Jane, intermarried with N. A. Gregg, died in Iowa. Martha B. and her husband, M. P. Patton, live in Iowa. W. F. is a Presbyterian minister, and lives in Washington, Pa. John lives on the paternal farm at Ginger Hill, which he owns. David R. lives there also. Four grandsons fought through the war of the Rebellion, viz. : Joseph H. and Robert F. Wilson and Capts. C. W. and J. D. V. Hazzard. About fifty descendants, including children, grandchildren, and great-grand- children, survive.

Mr. Isaac Van Voorhis was born on the farm now owned by John Van Voorhis on the 15th day of March, 1794. His great-grandfather immigrated to this country about 1670, and settled on Long Island, where Daniel Van Voorhis, the grandfather of the deceased, was born, Dec. 17, 1701. He married Miss Femmyte Bennett, Nov. 27, 1724. The issue of this marriage were Abraham, Jerome, Ange, John, Corne- lius, Elizabeth, Femmyte, and Daniel (the father of Isaac). Daniel was born July 7, 1728, and was in the prime of life during the days of the Revolution. He was an accomplished scholar, and especially versed in the science of navigation, as his books now at the old homestead fully show. He followed the sea as captain of a merchant vessel for many years, and during the Revolution was taken prisoner three times by the British, twice having lost his vessel and cargo. At one time, being hard chased by a man-of-war, he raised the signal of surrender, but before it was rec- ognized by the enemy a cannonball carried away the post against which he was leaning. At one time he with several other prisoners were banished to an island, from which they escaped, only to be retaken, though shortly afterwards released. He was married three times. His first wife was a Van Voorhis, and they had two children,-Samuel, who was for a long time a successful merchant of New York City, about the beginning of this century came to this county, and lived for a short time in a cabin near where the Black Diamond Coal Works are now situated, and afterwards removed to Bucyrus, Ohio, where he died

a few years ago at an advanced age. His sister Sarah lived and died near Goshen, N. Y .; she married a John Van Voorhis, and died Nov. 17, 1857, in her eighty-second year. The children of Capt. Daniel Van Voorhis by his second wife were John, who died June 28, 1874, in Muskingum County, Ohio, aged ninety-three years ; Daniel, who died in 1852, aged sixty-eight years, on the farm given him by his father ; and Abraham, who died in 1871. To his third wife were born Elizabeth, now Mrs. Frye, living with her daughter, Mrs. Redd ; and Isaac Van Voorhis, who was born, as before mentioned, in 1794, in what is now Carroll township. His father, tired of seafaring life, came to this region in 1785, as near as we can ascer- tain, and purchased from a man named Decker sixty acres of land, now owned by John Van Voorhis and James Sampson. It was then a wilderness, but now the garden-spot of Carrol township. Here his two wives and three sons, with many others of their descendants, sleep in the beautiful burying-ground overlooking Pigeon Creek, a spot of ground selected by him long ago for his remains and that of his kin- dred. Four generations of the name are in that cemetery, incorporated and made perpetual by the laws of the land.

Mr. Isaac Van Voorhis was the oldest resident in Carroll township, within the bounds of which he al- ways resided. Contemporary with him in the early history of this neighborhood were the Colvins, the Powers, the McCombs, Hairs, Randolphs, the older Fryes, Depews, McGrews, Parkisons, Irwins. He was married to Mary Hair by Rev. Dr. Ralston on the 13th of May, 1819. His wife and sister (Mrs. Frye) are the only living persons who as adults were at the wedding. They lived together a little over fifty-six years. Dr. S. M. King and wife are the only persons now living in Monongahela City who were residents at that time. He always took a deep interest in the town. He, with his brothers, built the first keel-boats, which were built at the mouth of the creek just at the close of the war of 1812. He built the first coal-boat loaded with coal at the wharf, which was then at the old red house on the bank of the river, at the mouth of the street below Rabe's residence. The boat was twelve feet wide and forty feet long. It was filled with coal by the late Edward Kearney, by hauling it with a one-horse cart from the old coal bank in Katzburg. It was sold to a returned horse drover for cash re- ceived from the sale of horses, and after his departure he was never heard from. In those days it was neces- sary to have such crafts, in order to get produce of the farm to market, and even then the price of grain scarcely justified transportation. He was one of the projectors of the Washington and Williamsport turn- pike, and for many years he served as one of the man- agers, with Joseph Hamilton, Samuel Black, Samuel Hill, James Manown, Col. Barr, and others. He was a great friend of education, and was a member of the first school board in the township after the adoption

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

of the present school system. He was in early times a Federalist, in the days of Ritner a strong anti- Mason, afterwards a Whig, and finally a Republican. He and Robert McFarland were the only persons in Fallowfield (now divided into several townships) who voted for John Q. Adams at the time he was elected President. He was a subscriber to the Weekly Gazette for over sixty years, and was said to be the oldest con- tinuous subscriber the Gazette ever had. He was a Presbyterian by birth and profession for over fifty years, and was a ruling elder for forty years. Or- dained in 1836, he served in the session with Jesse Martin, James McGrew, James Gordon, Aaron Kerr, James Dickey, Henry Fulton, Joseph Kiddoo, all of whom died before him.

He first attended Presbyterian Church at the old Horseshoe building, situate on the farm owned by John Wilson, and in that old churchyard are still to be seen evidences of the resting-place of nearly all the first settlers of this country for many miles around. On the removal of the place of preaching to Monon- gahela City, he worshiped with his father-in-law, Elder James Hair, and a few others in the old log school-house near the old Presbyterian Church. He contributed liberally towards the erection of the old brick church on the hill, also for the church building at the foot of the hill, and more recently aided in building the present beautiful church. Thus in his life he gave of his substance for three church buildings of the same congregation,-not a common affair in one lifetime. He lived forty years on the farm on which he was born, and forty-one years on the farm where he died. He left behind his wife, seven children, twenty-five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. All his children survive him, except Daniel, who died in 1848. We need not say that he died a Christian : the world knew he was a Christian, for it was as an humble follower of Christ his character shone the brightest. As the end drew nigh his faith and trust in a crucified Redeemer grew stronger, and after a period of intense pain, which he suffered without a murmur, he died, serene and happy, on the 4th of June, 1875.

Abraham Van Voorhis, who was born near Ran- cocas Creek, on the Delaware River, in New Jersey, on the 28th day of December, 1785, died Dec. 4, 1871. His father, Capt. Daniel Van Voorhis, was born at Oyster Bay, L. I., the 8th day of July, 1738, and died Feb. 21, 1819, on the old Van Voorhis homestead, where his grandson, John Van Voorhis, now resides, but in the old hewed log house which stood almost on the site of the present brick house. The captain first lived in the old round log house, which stood a short distance below the hewed log house. It was for many years used as a cooper-shop. The grandfather of Abra- ham was named Daniel also, and was born at Oyster Bay on the 17th day of December, 1701; was married to Femmyte Bennet on 28th day of November, 1724, who was born April 24, 1706. They had eight chil-

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 173

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