History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 203

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 203

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The pastorate of Dr. Anderson continued for thirty- two years and eight months, the pastoral relation being dissolved on the 18th of June, 1833, at his request, made and urged on account of his declining health. In the fall of 1834 he preached his farewell sermon at a meeting of the Synod held at Steubenville, Ohio, and on the 31st of January, 1835, he died, aged sixty- seven years. His remains were interred in the burial- ground of the church.

After Dr. Anderson's death this congregation was served for a time by supplies. On the 24th of De- cember, 1834, the Rev. John Eagleson, D.D., was or- dained and installed pastor of this church, and served in that capacity just thirty-nine years, during which time six hundred and twenty-three members were added to the church. He died Jan. 23, 1873, at the age of sixty-four years, and while he was yet in all the vigor of his usefulness.

After the death of Dr. Eagleson the congregation was supplied by the Washington Presbytery until 1874. On the 3d of February in that year a call was made to the Rev. James D. Walkinshaw (who had preached his first sermon here on the second Sabbath of the preceding November). The call was accepted on the 29th of April following, and on the 22d of May, 1874, he was installed the fourth pastor of this church, which relation still continues.

The building and occupation of the first and second houses of worship of this congregation have already been mentioned. The second, after being in use for forty-seven years, gave place to the third, which was built and occupied in 1845. It stood on the site oc- cupied by its predecessor, and was dedicated on the Sabbath, Oct. 26, 1845. The dedicatory sermon was preached by the Rev. John Eagleson from 2d Chron- icles vii. 1. The lecture-room was " raised" April 29, 1845, and was occupied (in an unfinished state) on the following 11th of May.

The fourth church building was commenced in 1872. It was in process of erection at the time of Dr. Eagleson's death, in January, 1873, being then

" He himself stated," says the Rev. W. E. Eagleson, " that the first two years of his ministry were not very fruitful, and that in the sum- mer of 1802 about twenty careless persons were awakened to serious , under roof and inclosed. The funeral services over

822

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the remains of the old and beloved pastor were the first ever held within it. The basement was provided with temporary seats, and here the funeral was held; it was the first meeting of pastor and people within its walls, " he in the embrace of death, they to weep over their sore bereavement." The church was dedi- cated May 22, 1874, the day of the installation of the present pastor, Mr. Walkinshaw. The dedication sermon was preached by the Rev. J. T. Fredericks. The church edifice is a good and commodious build- ing of brick, forty by fifty feet in dimensions. In 1875 the congregation built a parsonage, at a cost of twenty-five hundred dollars, completed in August of the year named. The present membership of the church is two hundred and sixty-six. A Sabbath- school has been in operation since about 1815. A library was furnished to it in 1827.

The elders of this church prior to 1834 were Wil- liam Smiley,' John Johnson, William McCullough, William Hughes, John Cowen, James Dinsmore, Robert Lyle, James Brice, William Patterson, John Flack, and David Rannello. At the commencement of Rev. John Eagleson's ministry the elders were John Gilchrist, William Wallace, John Dinsmore, John McWilliams, James McConahey, Robert Cald- well, William Smiley, and David McComb. On the 9th of January, 1840, James Taggart, Parker Reed, Andrew Herron, and Samuel Donahey were ordained to and installed in the office of ruling elders, and on the 25th of September, 1853, Ezekiel Davis, William Donahey, and Robert Sloan were so ordained and in- stalled. On the 7th of January, 1872, William W. Hunter, David C. Ross, and Samuel A. Caldwell were ordained and installed. The elders composing the session at the time of the commencement of Mr. Walkinshaw's pastorate were William Smiley, Wil- liam Donahey, Ezekiel Davis, Robert Sloan, S. A. Caldwell, W. W. Hunter, and D. C. Ross, the first named an elder since the pastorate of Rev. John An- derson, the next three since Sept. 25, 1853, and the last since Jan. 7, 1872.

Buffalo Village, situated in the east part of Hope- well township, on the road leading from Washington borough to West Middletown, is a hamlet of twelve dwellings, a post-office, a store, and having one resi- dent physician, Dr. Henry L. Snodgrass. Here also is located the house of worship of the Upper Buffalo Presbyterian Church. The post-office was first estab- lished at the Wotring farm, with Abraham Wotring as postmaster. After him came John Smith and Samuel Merchant. Under the last named the office was removed to Buffalo village. The present post- master is William McGill, who is also the merchant of the village.

1 The same brave and devoted old man who took the cargo of flour to New Orleans for sale to procure the means to pay the arrearages of the Rev. Joseph Smith's salary, and avert the impending disaster of the loss of his farm and the congregation's pastor when all other means had failed. (See account of Rev. Joseph Smith's settlement in Hopewell.)

Brush Run Post-Office was established in 1846, largely through the instrumentality of James Clark, who was made postmaster. His successor was Sam- uel Merchant, under whom this office and that at Wotring's were consolidated and the new office estab- lished at Buffalo village, about midway between the original sites of the two old offices. Merchant was .. the postmaster in charge in 1866-67. His successor was William McGill, as above mentioned.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

PARKER REED.

Parker Reed, farmer, was born in Hopewell town- ship, Washington Co., Pa., March 11, 1811, and died there March 27, 1871. He was the son of James Reed, a native of Scotland, a carpenter by trade, who built the first court-house erected in Washington, Pa. Parker Reed was tutored at home and in the country

D.7

PARKER REED.

schools, and reared upon the farm which he subse- quently inherited. He was an elder in the Upper Buf- falo Presbyterian Church for thirty-three years, and superintendent of the Sunday-schools for seventeen years, and was efficient and zealous. His record as a man and citizen is unassailable. He was married June 13, 1838, to Jane Ann Brice, by whom he had six children,-John B., a Presbyterian minister of Sisterville, W. Va., married to Isabella Shields; Lina Catharine, who died when eight years of age; James P., a grocer of Larned, Kan., married to Georgia Walker; Rebecca J., the wife of Samuel P. Wilson,

823

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP.

a farmer of Hopewell township, Washington Co., Pa .; Henry H., a flour and grain merchant of Larned, Kan., married to Anna Dumont; L. C., a concrete maker of Garden City, Kan., married to Nancy J. Matthews.

Mrs. Jane Ann Reed, who survives her husband, is · the daughter of Rev. John Brice, who died Aug. 26, 1811, aged fifty-one years, and in the twenty-second year of his ministry. He was a self-made man in the best sense of the word, having pursued his studies when a boy under the discouraging restraints of pov- erty, and having advanced upon his merits. Aug. 16, 1786, he appeared before the Presbytery of Redstone, and asked to be taken on trial in order to his being licensed to preach. April 16, 1788, “ Presbytery hav- ing received sufficient testimonials in favor of his having gone through a regular course in literature, of his good moral character, and of his being in the communion of the church, etc., having given satis- faction as to his accomplishments and experimental acquaintance with religion, and as to his proficiency, etc., in divinity, did license him to preach as a pro- bationer for the holy ministry wherever he might be orderly called." April 22, 1789, a call was received by him from the united congregations of Three Ridges and Forks of Wheeling, and at the meeting of Presbytery May 25, 1789, he declared his accept- ance of the same. He was ordained at Three Ridges in April, 1790. After leaving this charge he removed to his farm in Virginia, where he spent his remaining years. While there he organized the church at Unity, Greene Co., Pa. His first wife, Rebecca Carr, a woman noted for her piety, died in 1794, leaving two children, -James, and Jane, who married John McCoy.

By his second wife, Jane Stockton, he had nine children,-Mary, who married Dixon Coulter ; John, who married Nancy Byers; Rebecca, who married Samuel Frazier; Margaret S., unmarried ; Sarah, who married Isaac Oldham ; Elizabeth, who married Ed- ward Supler; Alice, who married William Craig ; Fannie S., who married Joseph Blaney; and Jane Ann, the wife of Parker Reed, and the only one of the family now living.

GEORGE T. WORK.

George Work and his wife, Martha Dunlap, were natives of Londonderry, Ireland, where they were married, and whence they emigrated to America in 1789, landing in Wilmington, Del., July 24th of that year. They resided in Eastern Pennsylvania for three years, and then settled in Hopewell township, Wash- ington County, upon a farm now owned by their grandson, S. C. Work. Their children were as fol- lows: Alexander, born Feb. 11, 1781; Jane, born May 9, 1783; Mary, born Nov. 8, 1790; James, born Sept. 12, 1792; John D., born Dec. 14, 1794.

married Andrew Gilmore, July 3, 1810. Their home was in Highland County, Ohio. Mary married Rob- ert Tweed, Oct. 10, 1821. They lived and died in Hopewell township, Washington County, Pa. John D. married Miss Brown. They died in Jasper County, Ind.

James Work was twice married,-first, Feb. 7, 1822, to Grizzilla Tweed, who was a daughter of Rob- ert Tweed by his first wife, Elizabeth Wylie, sister of Adam Wylie, M.D., and Andrew Wylie, D.D., and after whose death he (Robert) married Mary, Work. The children of James and Grizzilla (Tweed) Work were Grizzilla Elizabeth, born Dec. 20, 1822, who was the wife of Robert Denny, and died in 1859 in Mor- row County, Ohio; and George T., born April 7, 1825. Grizzilla (Tweed) Work died Jan. 27, 1827, and James married his second wife, Margaret Caldwell, June 3, 1828. By this marriage there were nine children,- Martha L., born June 1, 1829, died Aug. 19, 1832; Agnes A., born Nov. 17, 1831, is the wife of Robert S. Caldwell; Sarah J., born Oct. 14, 1832, is the wife of William Denny, of Harvey County, Kan .; Mary B., born May 8, 1834, died Aug. 14, 1834; Clarissa E., born Nov. 8, 1835, died Aug. 29, 1840 ; Samuel C., born July 16, 1838, married Anna Donahey ; Maria I., born Aug. 11, 1840; Margaret E., born Oct. 26, 1842, is the wife of Joseph H. Rankin ; Sophia M. A., born March 6, 1846, is the wife of William Smiley ; James Work died Sept. 26, 1868. His second wife is still living.

George T. Work received a good practical English education, the principal part of which he obtained in the common schools, and assisted his father in the business of farming until twenty-six years of age. He then engaged in the lumber business, to which he has given attention ever since, except during the war of the Rebellion. He was married Sept. 19, 1850, to Catharine Denny, daughter of Robert Denny, of Chartiers township, Washington County, Pa. Their children were seven in number, - Lydia J., was drowned June 29, 1857, in her fourth year ; John D., died Jan. 30, 1858, aged nineteen years, five months, and thirteen days. Those living are James A., mar- ried to Laura B. Logan ; Margaret E .; Grizzilla, the wife of William Patterson ; Emma C .; and George R.

George T. Work enlisted as a private in Captain W. W. McNulty's cavalry company in May, 1861. On their way to camp (Camp Wilkins) he was ap- pointed orderly sergeant. In August, 1861, their company was ordered to Washington, D. C. Soon after its arrival there it was disbanded by order of Gen. Stoneman, who, at the request of Mr. Work, who was then a second lieutenant, assigned his com- pany to the First Pennsylvania Cavalry, in which it became Company I. In a short time thereafter Mr. Work was first lieutenant, and in November follow- ing captain, and while holding that position he took part in the battle of Dranesville, where he com-

Alexander Work married Jane Taggart, Jan. 10, 1809. They died in Harrison County, Ohio. Jane | manded a squadron, and was also a participant in

824

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

minor engagements. He was under McDowell on the Rappahannock during the Peninsular campaign in 1862. He remained there until his regiment was ordered to join Fremont in the Shenandoah Valley, and was with his column in advance at Mount Jackson, having participated in all the marches and skirmishes in which his regiment had been engaged up to that time. Suffering from malarial fever, he was sent from Mount Jackson to Douglas Hospital, Washing- ton, D. C., from which he was discharged because of disability in July, 1862.

On his way to his home, which he reached in August, he was authorized by Governor Curtin to re- cruit two cavalry companies. The Governor laughed at the idea of recruiting, as he then had recruiting officers in nearly every county in the State, who were getting very few volunteers. In less than sixty days Capt. Work had recruited two full companies, and joining his efforts with those of Capt. John Keys, of Beallsville, they were able to take into service in West Virginia six companies of cavalry, which were known as the Ringgold Battalion until March, 1864, when, together with the Washington Cavalry and five new companies, it was organized as the Twenty-second Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry. In this organiza- tion Capt. Work was chosen major, and served in that capacity until the close of the war. He was twice wounded at the battle of Port Republic, Sept. 27, 1864. He was discharged in August, 1865.

Immediately after his return home he engaged in the oil business in West Virginia, where he remained for two years. He then engaged in farming and mill- ing, which he followed in his native county until 1876, when he was elected as the Republican candi- date for sheriff of Washington County. He filled the office for three years, when he returned to - his farm in Hopewell township, where he lives quietly,

enjoying good health, a comfortable home, and the esteem of a large acquaintance. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, as were also his father and grandfather.

JOHN MAXWELL.

John Maxwell was born in Hopewell township, Washington County, Sept. 5, 1809. He is of Scotch lineage, the son of Robert and Hannah (Graham). Maxwell. He learned the cabinet-maker trade in West Middletown, Washington Co., and worked for a while as a journeyman, a part of the time in Cincin- nati, Ohio. About the year 1834 he purchased the farm where he now resides, and has since been engaged in farming and stock-raising. He has been twice married,-first to Elizabeth Dinsmore, and after her death to Mary E. Caldwell, who died Nov. 24, 1873. But one of his first wife's children, Robert G., grew to manhood and married. He died April 12, 1881, having been twice married. His first wife was Bell S. McCarrell, who died, leaving two children, Edna D. and William W. His second wife, Jennie Cald- well, survives him, and has two children, John Ralph and Robert Graham. John Maxwell by his second marriage had three children, all living,-Samuel, a farmer of Hopewell township, married to Anna Hemp- hill; John, a farmer, of Hopewell township, unmar- ried; and Jennie, the wife of James Mc Bride Taggart, a farmer, of Buffalo township. Mr. Maxwell was in early life a member of the United Presbyterian Church, but afterwards united with the Presbyterian Church, of which he is now a communicant. He has followed his business steadily and very successfully, gathering together much valuable property. Among the self-made men of the county he occupies a most worthy and honorable place.

INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP.

INDEPENDENCE is one of the townships lying on the western border of Washington County. Its north- ern boundary is the stream Cross Creek, which sepa- rates it from the townships of Cross Creek and Jeffer- son. On.the east it is bounded by Hopewell township; on the south by Donegal, from which it is separated by Buffalo Creek. Its western boundary is the State of West Virginia. The two creeks above mentioned (Cross and Buffalo), forming respectively the north and south boundaries of Independence, are the only streams of any size or importance belonging to the township.

Independence was originally a part of Hopewell, as mentioned and explained in the history of the latter township. The two remained together as one township for almost seventy-five years from the forma- tion of Hopewell in 1781. At the November term of the Court of Quarter Sessions in 1854 there was pre- sented to the court " A Petition of Divers inhabitants of Hopewell Township for a division of said town- ship, Commencing at the mouth of Brush Run in Buffalo Creek, running up said Run, the line between Nos. 7, 8, School Districts, to the line of Middletown district; thence the line between Middletown and No.

825

INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP.

8; thence between No. 2 and the Middletown district to the mouth of a run emptying into Crisswell's Mill- Dam on Cross Creek." The court appointed as viewers Lysander Patterson, John Cole, Esq., and William Gillespie. The matter was continued from term to term until February sessions of 1856, when · the court ordered the division and the erection of "a new township, to be called Independence, elections to be held at the house of William White, in the vil- lage of Independence."

Early Settlements .- The first authentic record found of a permanent settlement in the present terri- tory of Independence township is of that made by John Doddridge, who came here from Bedford County, Pa., in 1773. Upon a Virginia certificate he took up four hundred and thirty-seven acres of land, which was surveyed to him April 6, 1786, under the title of "Extravagance." This tract was adjoining the one soon after warranted to Samuel Teeter, and upon it was built the "Doddridge Fort," of which Samuel Teeter, a relative of the Doddridge family, had com- mand during the times of trouble with the Indians. Mrs. Doddridge was a niece of Alexander Wells, an extensive landholder in Independence, Jefferson, and Cross Creek townships. She died, and Mr. Doddridge married Elizabeth Reeves, who survived him. He died in February, 1791. The children of the first wife were Joseph, Philip, Ann, and Ruth. Those of the second union were Josias, Benjamin, Enoch, John, and Eleanor. The daughter Ann became Mrs. Na- than Reeves, Ruth became Mrs. Carson, and Eleanor married Mr. Gautt. The greater portion of the land owned by John Doddridge is now the property of David Huston.

Samuel Teeter was a relative of the family of John Doddridge, and soon followed them into what is now Independence township. He located a tract of land that contained three hundred and eighty acres, which was surveyed to him May 1, 1780, and twice resur- veyed by an order of the board of property, Sept. 15, 1784, and March 7, 1785. Upon the tract "Plenty" Samuel and Mary Teeter, with their sons Samuel and George, resided in a two-story log house, which stood near the house now occupied by Col. Asa Manchester. Northwest of the house and adjoining it was a fort known as "Teeter's Fort," which was not far from the "Doddridge Fort," and is well remembered by Col. Manchester. Around the house and fort Mr. Teeter had built a stockade, which inclosed about one-eighth of an acre of ground. This stockade was built high above the house, and was constructed of logs sixteen feet long, which were split and set in the ground, with another tier placed over the interstices. Some of the logs which composed the house and fort of Samuel Teeter are still in use in the woodshed of Col. Manchester, who now owns and lives on the Teeter homestead. The property descended to him from Isaac Manchester, to whom Mr. Teeter sold it in 1797, when he removed to the State of Kentucky.

Benjamin Wells settled on a tract of land on or very near the State line in this township. A few years after his settlement he died, leaving the farm to his widow and son Charles, the latter eventually own- ing the whole of it. He died, leaving a widow and two children. The property was left to the widow for her sole use while she remained unmarried. She, however, married a man named James, who had nine children, and the estate left her then passed to her children. The son, Charles Wells, Jr., went to Wells- burg, Va., learned the tanner's trade, married, and came back to the Wells homestead in 1817, building a tannery, which he carried on until 1824, becoming quite wealthy. He died from an accident which oc- curred while he was attempting to repair the roof of his house. His wife survived him but one week. Eliza Wells, daughter of Charles and sister of Charles Wells, Jr., married Mr. James, a son of her step- father. The old Wells place is now owned by David Buchanan, but the house and tannery have disap- peared.

The tract "Pembroke," in the territory of Inde- pendence township, was owned by Thomas Maguire, and contained nearly four hundred and forty-four acres. Francis Maguire, a brother of Thomas Ma- guire, lived in Virginia, on a farm adjoining the "Flower Garden" tract. Thomas Maguire had three sons,-Hugh, John, and Thomas, Jr.,-who inherited his property. John sold his portion, which extended nearly to the village of Independence, to Richard Carter, who in turn sold it to Arnold Lee. It was disposed of by Lee to Bazil Bell, and is now in the hands of his son, Cornelius Bell. Hugh sold his in- heritance in 1840 to Dr. Parkinson, who still possesses it.

Samuel Buchanan, with his wife and son John, came from Lancaster County, Pa., to Hopewell (now Independence) township in 1783, and purchased the property of Joseph Worley, who received the tract on a Virginia certificate granted Jan. 28, 1780, which recites that it is situated "in the county of Ohio, on the waters of Buffalo Creek, to include his settlement made in the year 1773." It was assigned by Mr. Worley to Samuel Buchanan, and surveyed to him as "Comfort," containing three hundred acres, on the 19th of April, 1785. The creek on which it was situ- ated was known as Worley's Run. Joseph Worley returned to his home in the East, and died there within a year.

After coming to this township three sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan,-William, Samuel, and David. They, with the son John, inherited the prop- erty at the death of the parents, and all settled in this township. John Buchanan, as assignee of Henry Nelson, took up the tract of land called " Dundee," adjoining the lands of Henry Levens and John and Philip Doddridge, which was surveyed March 27, 1786, as containing two hundred and twenty-five acres. John Buchanan died in this township. Sam-

826

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

uel, who lived upon his father's farm, died there in 1804 or 1805. William removed to Zanesville, Ohio, where he lived and died. David Buchanan married a daughter of Robert Cummins, and also settled upon a portion of the homestead, where he built a tannery in 1810, but a son of his being drowned in the vat in 1817, he soon after discontinued the business. His son, David Buchanan, Jr., now lives in Independence township, and owns the old Buchanan farm, which is occupied by John McAllister, and his son George came into possession of "Dundee," which he sold to his cousin, Robert Buchanan, in 1840, when he re- moved to Indiana. About six years ago the property passed into the hands of William Craig, who still owns the greater portion of it.

Samuel, Arthur, and Josiah Scott were natives of Lancaster County, Pa., who made early settlements in Washington County. Samuel and Arthur Scott settled in the eastern part of the county just after the close of the Revolution, and lived near Ginger Hill, on the waters of Pigeon Creek. In 1786 they came into this section, and purchased one hundred and seventy-five acres of unpatented land of a German who had settled upon it. This tract of land was in that portion of Hopewell township which has since been set off as Independence. Arthur Scott married Ann Hamilton, and the two families resided here together. Not long after their settlement Samuel Scott was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun in the hands of James Law, who was out with him on a hunting expedition. He left one child and a widow, who afterwards became the wife.of Mr. Hutchinson. John Scott, son of Samuel, married Miss Ferguson, a daughter of one of the pioneers of Hopewell town- ship, and continued to live on his father's property from his marriage in 1808 till 1831, when it was purchased by Joseph Scott, son of Arthur.

The property adjoining that of the Scott brothers (Samuel and Arthur) on the north was the four-hun- dred-acre tract belonging to Col. David Williamson. Of this Arthur Scott purchased one hundred and thirty-five acres, which, with his early purchase, made his estate nearly two hundred and twenty-five acres. He lived upon this place until 1843, the year of his death. The only children of his family now living are David Scott, of Portsmouth, Ohio, Mrs. Hugh Miller, of Knox County, Ohio, and Col. Joseph Scott, who resides on the homestead. He was born on the old farm in May, 1808, and his present residence oc- cupies the site of the old log house.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 203

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