USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 199
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805
HANOVER TOWNSIIIP.
For many years after he settled on Raccoon all went well with him, but after a time his son Samuel, who was a trader down the Mississippi, having re- turned from a remarkably successful trip by way of New Orleans to Havana, Cuba, where he sold his cargo of flour at $25 per barrel, induced his father to risk property in his hands belonging to minor heirs to fit him out on another trip to the same place in the expectation of making a fortune. The trip was made and the flour sold in Havana as advantageously as before, but in New Orleans, when on his way home, the son fell in company of gamblers, and was by them robbed of the entire proceeds of the voyage. Know- ing that this would be the ruin of his father, Samuel dared not return, and was never again seen in Penn- sylvania. The following in reference to this sad affair is related by Robert A. Sherrard in his "History of Centre Church :"
" John Travis bore up under what he knew would be the loss ultimately of his property, both real and personal. Time rolled on, and the young heirs became of lawful age to receive each their rightful share of the money for which Mr. Travis must now, as their guar- dian, account to them for, and no money on hand to pay either principal or interest. His personal prop- erty was first sold, and then his farm, and he left poor and destitute, and old age advancing upon him, and no help for him. But he bore up under every diffi- culty with Christian courage and fortitude. It was the wonder of many of his old friends and acquaint- ances, who knew of the calamity that had befallen him, by his becoming crazy. He withstood the loss of his property with the greatest of Christian fortitude, for he put his trust in God, and He did not forsake him in the time of his sore trial. For he had full confidence that God would provide for him as long as He pleased to let him stay on His footstool. And it was even so ; for, although he was reduced to the ne- cessity of crossing the Ohio River, and the taking of a lease for a term of years in Columbiana County, Ohio, after the expiration of his lease he returned to the settlement near Briceland Cross-Roads (now Flor- ence), and spent the few days that God was pleased to grant him, where he at length died in peace at an advanced, ripe old age, much missed and much la- mented by all who knew him. He was a man of emi- nent piety, useful as a peacemaker both in church and State, or wherever it pleased God to give him a home."
John Travis had four other sons, all of whom be- came members of the church. Several of his pos- terity are elders in Presbyterian Churches in various parts of the country.
Crawford, Isaac Pierce, and others. In 1782, on the 10th of February, Robert Wallace's cabin was at- tacked and burned by Indians during his absence, and his wife and children taken prisoners by the savages as mentioned in the general history of the county. The story of the fate which befell them is told by Butter- field in his "Crawford's Campaign Against San- dusky" thus: "With their prisoners, consisting of Mrs. Wallace, her little son Robert two and a half years old, another son ten years of age, and an infant daughter, and what plunder they could carry off, the savages made their way toward the Ohio, but finding the mother and her infant somewhat troublesome, they were tomahawked and scalped. The two boys were carried to Sandusky, where the elder died. Robert was then sold to the Wyandots, by whom he was held in captivity about two and a half years. His father hearing of him, sent a man to the Wyandot towns after peace had been declared, giving him a certain mark by which the boy could be recognized, and by that means he was rescued and restored to his friends." Robert Wallace, Jr., who was taken cap- tive by the Indians, as above narrated, married Miss Mary Walker and settled in Robinson township, where they lived and died. Joseph and Robert Wallace, of that township, are his descendants. The tract " Wal- lace's Bower" has been divided, a portion falling to Sarah, wife of Samuel McConnell; the portion be- longing to Robert Wallace has long since passed to others, and is now owned by John B. Burns. Mrs. Culley, of Hanover, is also a descendant of Robert Wallace.
Adam and Andrew Poe were emigrants from New England, and came to this county at the same time as did Philip Jackson, Robert Wallace, and others. They located tracts of land for which they were granted Vir- ginia certificates. The tract Adam selected was sur- veyed Jan. 13, 1786, and was named " Poeville." It contained three hundred and seventy-seven acres, ad- joining lands of Matthew Ritchie, Isaac Miller, and John Comly. The tract selected by Andrew was sur- veyed Feb. 15, 1786, was named "Poe Wood," and con- tained three hundred and thirty-three acres. This was adjoining land of Robert Laughlin and William Matthews. They also owned a tract of land prior to this time in Smith township, where they lived at the time of the burning of the Wallace cabin. That tract they sold to Arthur Campbell. Adam and An- drew both sold their farms in this county, and moved to Ohio and West Virginia.
The brothers Andrew and Adam Poe were men remarkable for their personal prowess,-powerfully built, active, and fearless,-and they enjoyed great renown among the borderers as among the bravest and most successful of fighters in the Indian hostili- ties that were carried on along the Ohio River fron-
Robert Wallace was a native of Scotland, who emi- grated to this State and settled first in Indiana County, and later to what is now Hanover township, Wash- ington County, where he took up a tract of land which - was afterwards surveyed as "Wallace's Bower," and tier from 1777 to 1784. Many accounts of their re- contained three hundred and seventy-nine and three- markable adventures in Indian fighting are found in quarter acres, adjoining lands of James Dornan, James , the annals of frontier warfare.
806
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Augustine Moore came to this county about 1790, and settled on a tract of land about one mile north of Florence, part of which tract is now owned by the heirs of John McConnell, whose wife was a daughter of Moore. He lived and died on the farm, leaving children, of whom John emigrated West; William became a pilot on the river, and died at Wellsville, Ohio; Ellen, who became Mrs. McConnell, now ninety-six years of age, lives with her son-in-law, S. D. Lockhart, near Paris; Rebecca married Gilbert Cool, and settled in Robinson township, where they lived and died. Another daughter became the wife of Charles Hoey, and settled in Ashland County, Ohio, where she died. They were cousins of the late Hon. John L. Dawson, of Fayette County, and rela- tives of the Swearingen family.
William McConnell came to this county about the year 1784, and located a tract lying on the waters of Harmon's Run, containing two hundred and forty- three acres. It was named " The Hermitage," and at that time was adjoining lands of John Stone and George Mccullough. On the 24th of February, 1795, he purchased two hundred and fifty-seven acres of Wil- liam Campbell, part of a tract of four hundred acres patented to Campbell April 5, 1787. Later he pur- chased one hundred and five acres of the heirs of William Bay adjoining his other lands. He lived and died on his original farm, later known as the Dinsmore farm. His wife lived many years later, and died at an advanced age at the residence of her son, John McConnell. They had five sons,-John, Wil- liam, Daniel, Samuel, and James. John married Ellen Moore, daughter of Augustine Moore, in 1807, and settled on the McConnell home farm, where he had lived since he was seven years of age, and where they lived together seventy-two years. He died April 9, 1879, aged ninety-five years. William, the second son of William McConnell, entered Washington Col- lege, and died while there. Daniel emigrated to Texas, where he lived and died. He was with Gen. Sam Houston at the battle of San Jacinto. Samuel settled in Columbiana County, Ohio, where he died. James also settled in Ohio. Isabella, a daughter of William McConnell, became the wife of John Pyatt, and settled in what is now West Virginia.
Jonas Potts became a land-owner in Hanover town- ship in. 1787, but it is believed that he had been a resident of the county for a considerable time before that. He was born in Loudoun County, Va., where the family settled in 1746, having gone there from Eastern Pennsylvania. Jonas Potts was the son of Jonas Potts, Sr. The traditions preserved in the family state that Jonas Potts, Sr., came to that sec- tion lying between the present town of Washington and the Ohio River when it was a wilderness. He is said to have died at Georgetown, on the Ohio River, in 1819. He had eight sons. Jonas, Jr., John, and Jonathan settled in Washington County, but the latter two afterwards removed to Ohio. John Potts was the
ancestor of Gen. Benjamin F. Potts, Governor of Montana Territory.
On March 20, 1787, Jonas Potts, Jr., bought of William Holmes a certain two-hundred-acre warrant in name of William Holmes, dated Feb. 23, 1786. On Jan. 9, 1788, Jonas Potts was granted a patent for four hundred and four acres, which is recorded in Patent Book No. 12, page 102. He also bought land of Matthew Ritchie and of Samuel Marques. His wife's name was Hannah. She was still living in 1824. He died in 1833 at an advanced age, leaving four sons-David, Jesse, Jonas, and Samuel-and a daughter Anna, the wife of Jonas Sams. William J. Potts, now of Florence, is a son of the last-named Jonas Potts.
John Tucker emigrated with his wife from the New England States in company with the Poes, Potts, Jacksons, and other families. He located a tract of land on the dividing ridge between King's and Har- mon's Creeks. The warrant was dated Jan. 4, 1788. The tract contained four hundred acres, and was 'named "Grace." It was not surveyed until March 17, 1812, and was at that time adjoining lands of Aaron Davis, James Pollock, James Potts, Thomas Haines, George McCormick, and Jonathan Albertross. John Tucker had married in the Eastern States a lady by whom he had one son, who afterwards be- came the Rev. John Tucker. After the death of his first wife he married again, and emigrated to this township. The children by the second wife were Jonathan, Thomas, and David. Jonathan and David now reside on the homestead. The Rev. John Tucker came to this county with his father, but joined a party of emigrants bound for Kentucky, and was killed by Indians while on his way there.
Levi Culley emigrated to this county after 1800, and purchased part of the tract then belonging to John L. Proudfoot, and settled upon it. His sons were Jesse, Joseph, George, Robert, Levi, and John. Jesse settled on an adjoining farm. He married Susan, a daughter of Elder John Duncan. They lived and died there, leaving descendants. Joseph married Martha, the daughter of Benjamin Scott. They settled on part of the Scott farm, now owned by their son Joseph. George married Jane Fulton, and settled on the homestead where he died. His widow still survives. A daughter became the wife of John W. Duncan, who occupies the property. Robert Culley was a cabinet-maker by trade, married Amanda McCloud, settled in Florence, and died Aug. 21, 1848. Levi married Mary Ann Butterfoes, and settled in Cambridge, Ohio. John married Julia, daughter of James Briceland, who kept the Florence Hotel many years. They settled on the James Smith farm, adjoining a farm of his father.
Levi Culley also had four daughters, of whom Eleanor became the wife of Robert G. Smith, of Florence. (Mrs. Catharine Hood, of Burgettstown, and Mrs. Esther Clelland, of Florence, are daugh-
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HANOVER TOWNSHIP.
807
ters of Robert and Eleanor Smith.) Lydia married James Culbertson, and settled in Iowa. Esther became the wife of William Cole, and settled on a farm of David Fulton, a part of the old Thomas Cole tract.
Philip Jackson, a Welshman, or of Welsh de- scent, emigrated to Maryland, where he remained several years, then came west of the mountains, and finally located in Hanover about the time of the erection of the township. He applied for a warrant which was granted Feb. 22, 1786. The tract was named "Satisfaction," and contained three hundred and ninety-six acres. It was adjoining Joseph Jackson, Joseph Holmes, Isaac Pierce, Sam- uel Johnson, and Jonah Potts. He married Miss Rosannah Murphy, by whom he had five sons, Joseph, John, Moses, Mason, Philip, and two daugh- ters, Ann and Elsie. Joseph, the eldest son, took out a warrant for a tract of land adjoining Philip Jack- son (his father), Benjamin Jackson (his uncle), Jonah Potts, and John Tucker. The warrant bears date Sept. 6, 1787, and was surveyed as two hundred and sixty acres, and named "Delay." On this place he lived and died. His children emigrated to the West. Moses settled on the homestead, and the prop- erty is now owned by Marion Jackson, his son, and the grandson of Philip. The sons of Mason were John and Philip. Ann (daughter of Philip, Sr.) became the wife of Robert Murphy, and emigrated to Michigan. Elsie became the wife of William Travis, and also moved West.
Philip Jackson, Sr., was one of the original mem- bers of the Cross-Roads Church, and signed the call in 1799 for the Rev. Elisha McCurdy to become the pastor of that church. Benjamin Jackson was a brother of Philip, and owned an adjoining tract.
Samuel Merchant, who was an Irishman, emigrated to this country in 1765 and settled in Maryland, where he remained until the year 1778, when he came to this county and settled on the farm for which he later received a warrant and patent. In February of that year he located a tomahawk improvement and built a cabin. The Indians were very troublesome, and his family, consisting of his wife and child, were sent to Beeler's Fort for protection. About that time In- dian raids in that section were numerous, and he re- moved to Westmoreland County, where he remained till the spring of 1779, when he returned to his farm in Hanover, which was a tract of 301 acres, named " Atlas." On this tract he lived till his death. His son John inherited a portion of the homestead, and on the 28th of January, 1811, sold to Joseph Scott and emigrated to Ohio, where he died. Margaret, a daughter of Samuel Merchant, became the wife of James Proudfoot, and lived and died near Florence. Prudence never married, and lived at the homestead, and died at an advanced age. Ann, the youngest daughter, married Matthew McConnell. They set- tled on the " Atlas" tract, where she lived to the age of
eighty-one years. Their sons now living are Samuel and Matthew F. The family of McConnells came from Scotland in 1781, and settled in Cecil township.
Among the early settlers in the township, but of whom but little is known, are the following : James Simpson received a warrant for a tract of land lying on the waters of King Creek, dated Feb. 18, 1785, surveyed as " Middle Brook" Jan. 18, 1786, adjoining Samuel Moore, Hugh Miller, and John Lee Webster. Samuel Clark owned four hundred acres where his descendants still reside. John Comley owned one hundred acres, and had a horse-mill where Thomas Hunter now lives on Harmon's Creek. He left sev- eral children. The mill was in use as late as 1820, and the site is now occupied by a steam grist-mill. Hugh Miller, in 1786, owned a large tract of land adjoining the lands of James Simpson. Later his son John owned two hundred acres. John Kirby had a warrant for a tract of land dated Jan. 15, 1785, surveyed December 14th the same year as "Slave Gallant," and contained four hundred and thirty-one acres.
Florence .- The tract of land on which this town is located was granted to Samuel Johnston on a Vir- ginia certificate, Feb. 25, 1780, and was surveyed to him on the 25th of July, 1785, as "Guadeloupe," and patented on the 28th of February, 1786. One hundred acres of the tract was sold by Johnston on the 24th of August, 1787, to Job Stout, who sold it on the 8th of December of the same year to James Proudfoot. On this place a town was platted in 1814, called "Mount Bethel." By this name it was known as late as 1823, and is found so mentioned in a deed from James Proudfoot to Daniel McLoud, dated June 20th of that year, by which is conveyed lot No. 1 "in the town of Mount Bethel." On the 15th of May, 1834, the same lot is sold by McLoud to James Briceland, and is there mentioned as being in the town of Florence. Other lot-owners in 1823, whose lots were adjoining McLoud, were William Criswell, Joseph Stewart, and - Ritchie. The town was in Smith township until 1830, when it be- came a part of Hanover.
The one hundred acres purchased from " Guade- loupe" was adjoining the tract "Satisfaction," owned by Philip Jackson, and the tract "Contention," owned by Samuel Marques. The Rev. Elisha Mc- Curdy had purchased of Philip Jackson, Feb. 11, 1803, ten acres, and on the 9th of September, 1816, sold it to James Briceland. Samuel Marques, who patented " Contention" in April, 1799, sold to Jacob Specht, June 12, 1806, eighty-eight acres. Specht sold to James Briceland on the 1st of May, 1816. These two parcels of land were owned by James Briceland and adjoining the town of "Mount Bethel." Additions were made by Briceland and lots sold by him. He kept tavern many years from 1813 at the Briceland Cross-Roads, as it was called before it was laid out as a town.
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808
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
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The following advertisement was published in the Washington Reporter of Aug. 15, 1814, and has ref- erence to the town which afterwards became Florence :
" NEW TOWN .- The Subscribers respectfully inform the public that they have laid out a town at the Cross-Roads in Smith's Township, Washington County, Pa., where the roads from Pittsburgh to Steuben- ville and from Washington to Georgetown crosses. Various circum- stances conspire to make this an eligible situation for a town or village. The site of the town is handsome, the situation healthy, the land rich, the water good, and abundance of stone coal within 100 perches; the adjacent country is fertile, and in a forward state of cultivation. The roads passing through the village are much occupied at present, and must annually increase, it being on the direct route by land from Pitts- burgh, the focus of the Western country, down the river-the distance from Pittsburgh 26, from Steubenville 12 miles. The lots will be sold by vendue on Tuesday, the 6th of Sept. next. The sale to commence at 11 o'clk. An indisputable title will be given, and the terms of sale made known by
" JAMES BRICELAND and " MOSES PROUDFIT.
" Aug. 15, 1814."
The first store in the town was kept by a Mr. Anderson. A tannery was soon after established by James Allison. Benjamin Kindrich opened a silver- plating e-tablishment. William Mercer also kept a store here many years ago. In 1825 Dr. Day was a practicing physician in Florence. He was succeeded by Drs. Scott, Sutherland, Smith, Makakey, Cunning- ham, McDowell, Bradley, Anderson, McCoy, Carroll, Graham, and McCarroll. The first post-office in this section was a white-oak tree a short distance below Florence, on which was nailed a clapboard box, in which letters and papers were placed by the postman, who passed through the town from Washington to Georgetown. About 1818 a post-office was estab- lished in the town, and Moses Bradford was the first postmaster. He was succeeded by John Mitchell in 1822. William L. Robb was in office in 1833; John K. Norton from 1835 to 1837; Charles Calhoun in 1838. The succeeding postmasters have been William L. Robb, O. P. Walker, William Criswell, Samuel Livingston, Joseph Bell, W. J. Cool, and Dr. G. S. Graham, who is the present incumbent.
The residence and tavern stand of James Briceland is still standing, now owned by John Dennis. In the year 1845 a small newspaper was established called the Florence Enterprise. It lasted but a short time. An agricultural society was established in 1858, and a fair held that year. This was continued for several years. It was known as the " Florence Agricultural Association." The third annual exhibition was held at Florence on the 27th and 28th of September, 1860. The officers were William Livingston, president ; John McCullough, James H. McNall, Marshall Short, Thomas P. Vance, and John Ferguson, vice- presidents ; M. Anderson, treasurer ; S. L. M. Henry, secretary. The society lived a few years, then lan- guished, and was discontinued.
A Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in the town in the year 1833 by the Rev. Wesley Smith. A lot of ground was donated by James Proudfoot, on which was erected a large frame building. This was
blown down by a violent storm, and the present building was erected. A parsonage was also built. The society belongs to the same charge with the Tucker Church, and the pastors who have ministered to that church have also had the care of this. The membership at present is very small, and but little care is given to the church property.
Cross-Roads Presbyterian Church .- The mother- church from which this society and that of the Three Springs Church sprang was known as "King's Creek Presbyterian Church." The ordinance of the Lord's Supper was administered first in August of the year 1788. Philip Jackson, Miles Wilson, and John Mc- Millan were then elders. Ten years later it was thought best by a large majority of the congregation to remove the place of worship from King's Creek to the "Cross-Roads," now Florence.
On the 20th of November, 1799, a call was ex- tended to the Rev. Elisha McCurdy by the united congregations of Three Springs and Cross-Roads to become their pastor. This call was signed by Philip Jackson, James Proudfoot, Samuel Merchant, Wil- liam Jackson, John Goodman Young, William Lee, John Coulter, John Wylie, William Ledlie, and John Orr. The call was accepted, and the Rev. Mr. McCurdy was ordained and installed pastor of the united congregations in June, 1800.
The following are the names of the persons who were chosen as elders from the organization of the society till 1807, while the society worshiped in the old log church, viz. : 1786, Philip Jackson, Miles Wilson, John McMillan; 1799, John Orr, John Goodman Young, William Lee, and John Wylie; 1800, John Travis, John Riddle; 1803, Samuel Fulton, James Proudfoot, John Duncan, Sr .; 1804, John Withrow ; 1807, Joseph Jackson, James Allison.
The ministers who have served the church as pas- tors were and have been as follows: Rev. Elisha Mc- Curdy, June, 1800-35. Rev. Daniel Dewrelle, sup- ply in 1836. Rev. William Burton, 1838; resigned February, 1839. Rev. J. W. McKennan, November, 1839; resigned 1841. Rev. Joel Stoneroad, 1842; resigned 1850. Rev. J. S. Wylie, 1850; resigned 1851. Rev. Oliphant M. Todd, November, 1852; re- signed 1858. Rev. John P. Caldwell, 1860; resigned 1864. Rev. A. W. Boyd, 1864; resigned 1865; Rev. I. M. Miller, 1867; resigned 1871. Rev. Samuel Forbes, resigned 1876. Rev. Ross Stephenson, July, 1877, to the present time.
The society first worshiped in a tent, which was soon after replaced by a hewed log house, which stood on the site of Alexander Scott's shop. It was built in the form of a cross, about forty by eighty feet in size. This was sold to John Proudfoot, who built a barn of the logs. A neat two-story brick church was then erected, which was destroyed by fire on the 23d of September, 1845. The present church edifice was erected in the fall of the same year.
Presbyterian Graveyard .- In this old ground,
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HANOVER TOWNSHIP.
located at Florence, many of the old settlers in this section of country were buried, among them the fol- lowing: David Jackson, died Feb. 13, 1802, in the 53d year of his age; Mary McFarren, died Nov. 29, 1817, in the 61st year of her age; Sarah McCurdy, wife of the Rev. Elisha McCurdy, died Oct. 26, 1818, in her 48th year ; Jane McFarren, died Sept. 25, 1820, aged 68 years; Daniel McLoud, died Jan. 29, 1829, in the 82d year of his age; John Barton, died Feb. 22, 1838, aged 82 years ; Daniel McConnell, died Jan. 31, 1843, aged 70 years; John McConnell, Sr., died April 11, 1879, in his 95th year ; Benjamin Scott, died Sept. 20, 1877, aged 85 years. The Rev. Robert Ful- ton, who founded the Florence Academy in 1832, died Aug. 20, 1842, in Wellsburg, Va., in the 38th year of his age, and was buried here.
The Rev. Elisha McCurdy was buried here, and the following is inscribed upon his tombstone :
" In memory of the Rev. Elisha McCurdy, Late Pastor of the Congre- gation of Cross Roads. Born October 15th, 1763. Licensed June 24th, 1799. Ordained and Installed Pastor June, 1800. A Pastor 35 years and minister of the Gospel 46 years. Died July 22d, 1845. He took an active part in the great revival of 1802, and was distinguished for his zealous labors in the cause of Indian Missions."
Florence Academy .- This institution was founded by Robert Fulton in 1832, and first located in a house now the residence of Alexander Scott. Soon after- wards a brick building was erected for its use on the lot of ground belonging to the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Fulton's proprietorship continued till the year 1839. A more extended account of this academy will be found on pages 452, 453 of this work, in the edu- cational chapter contributed by the Rev. James I. Brownson, D.D.
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