History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 209

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 209

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1788 by Joseph Headley, who erected a mill of logs, which he afterwards replaced by a frame building. Later the mill was rebuilt by Adam Weir. The mill property is now owned by John Clutter, Sr.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

DR. STEPHEN L. BLACHLY.

Dr. Stephen L. Blachly traces his paternal ancestry nearly two and one-half centuries to one Thomas Blachly, who was of Hartford in 1640, New Haven in 1643, and Branford in 1645. He signed the agree- ment with those who migrated from Branford to set- tle in Newark, N. J., but did not go with them, and did not receive a part of the division of lands set off to him. His children were Aaron, Moses, Miriam, and Abigail.

Aaron Blachly married Mary Dodd, of Guilford. They had nine children,-Mary, Thomas, Dr. Eben- ezer, Hannah, Daniel, Joseph, Benjamin, Sarah, and Susanna in uncertain order. He sold his land in Newark, and was of Guilford in 1683.

Dr. Ebenezer Blachly, the first, lived at Dix Hills, Huntington township, L. I. The children were Elizabeth, Dr. Ebenezer, Joseph, Benjamin, and Daniel.

Dr. Ebenezer, the second, was born in 1709, and died at "The Ponds," N. J. He married Hannah · Miller, and had eight children,-Frances, Zophar, Dr. Ebenezer, Miller, Sarah, Cornelius, Mary, and Marcy.

Dr. Ebenezer Blachly, the third, was born in 1735, and died April 19, 1805. He married Mary Wick- ham, and lived and died near Mendham, N. J. He was one of the founders of the New Jersey Medical Society in 1766, and was a surgeon in the Revolution- ary war. He had twelve children in his family,- seven sons and five daughters. Five of his sons, viz., Ebenezer, Henry W., Absalom, William, and Cor- nelius C., were physicians, and his oldest daughter, Mary, married a physician, Dr. Hezekiah Stites Woodruff.

Dr. Ebenezer Blachly, the fourth, was born in 1760, and died Aug. 20, 1812. He entered the American service under age in the Revolution as surgeon's mate to a North Carolina regiment which was en- camped near the old Raritan bridge in the winter of 1778. He also acted as a volunteer assistant surgeon to a regiment in the Pennsylvania line. He was at the battle of White Plains in 1776, in winter-quarters at Valley Forge in 1777, and in the battle of Mon- mouth in 1778. After the war he married Elizabeth, daughter of Col. Oliver Spencer, and settled in Pat- erson, N. J., where he enjoyed an extensive and suc- cessful practice. He had nine children,-Nancy, Dr. Ebenezer S., Dr. Henry Wickham, Mary J., Juliana, Bayard P., a druggist of New York City, Eliza, Jo-

S. L. Buschle )

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MORRIS TOWNSHIP.

seph W., and Oliver, wholesale dry-goods merchants of Cincinnati.

Dr. Henry Wickham Blachly was born April 17, 1786, in Paterson, N. J. He read medicine with his father, and after finishing his medical studies in New York City, practiced there for a short time with Dr. William Budd. He then settled in Washington County, Pa., where he practiced for forty years. He was devoted to his calling, and was very successful. He married Hannah Loveridge, Jan. 9, 1806. They had twelve children,-Ebenezer S., Milton, Eveline, Maria J., Stephen L., Eliza, Oliver B., Joseph Warren, Lucilla Caroline, Harriet Newell, Henry W., and Hannah Louisa, named in the order of their births.

Dr. Ebenezer S. Blachly completed his medical course in Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. He was twice married. His first wife was Martha Hanna, who was the mother of his children, five in number, and after her death he married Elizabeth Alison, who is still living. But one of his children, Bayard Milton Blachly, grew to maturity. He was a physician, and practiced for about thirty years in Waynesburg, Greene Co., Pa., the scene of his father's professional labors.

Milton Blachly died when sixteen years of age. Eveline Blachly married Dr. William B. Porter, of Fayette County, Pa. They died leaving three chil- dren,-Maria, who married Francis Braddock ; Lou- isa, who married William Carter; John Henry, who married Hannah McAfee. He was a physician, and died soon after completing his medical studies.

Maria J. Blachly married Dr. Lutellus Lindley, of Connellsville, Fayette Co., Pa. She died leaving one son, Dr. Henry B. Lindley, of Perrysville, Allegheny Co., Pa.

Eliza Blachly married John Milton Lindley. He died leaving three children,-Bayard, Colin, and Sarah.

Oliver B. Blachly married for his first wife Ellen Cracraft, by whom he had five children,-Byron, Henry, Oliver, Mary, and Howard. His second wife was Ella Hunt.

Joseph Warren Blachly was a physician who prac- ticed successfully in his native county for a number of years. He married Eliza Minton, by whom he had four children,-Maria; Ella, who is dead ; Joseph Warren, who is dead ; and Frank, who married Han- nah Post. He is a physician, and practices at Good Intent, Washington County, Pa.

Lucilla Caroline Blachly married I. N. Day, a farmer of Morris township, Washington County, Pa. Their living children are Henry B., married to Alice Vail ; Homer, married to Nettie Donahey, is a physi- cian practicing in Smyrna, Ohio ; Cora L.

Harriet Newell Blachly married Harvey Lindley. Their children are Henry B., who married Sarah Van- kir's, and died at the age of thirty-three years ; Ann Eliza, married to Samuel Cozad; Oscar, Howard, and Abraham Lincoln.

Henry W. Blachly is a physician practicing in Cavette, Ohio. He married Caroline Cracraft, and has two children,-Mary, married to Dr. Emrick, of Dowds' Station, Iowa; and Henry W., who is a lawyer in Van Wert, Ohio.

Hannah Louisa Blachly, the youngest of the family, never married.

Dr. Stephen L. Blachly, of this family, so remark- able for its medical proclivities, was born in Sparta, Washington Co., Pa., Dec. 11, 1815, and has spent all of his professional -life in the locality where his father so long wore the wreath of medical honor. Having completed his preparatory education at Washington College, in his native county, he read medicine under the direction of his father, and after- ward entered Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, from which institution he received his degree. He was associated with his father in the practice of his profession until the death of the latter in 1849, prac- ticed alone until 1877, and since that date has asso- ciated with him his son, Dr. Oliver L. Blachly. While engaging in a general practice, he has given special attention to surgery, and for a number of years has attended all of the surgical cases in his vicinity, performing amputations, etc., sometimes using in his operations a case of surgical instruments now in his possession, and once owned by his great- grandfather, Dr. Ebenezer Blachly the third, and used by him during his service as a surgeon in the Revolutionary war.

Dr. S. L. Blachly is one of the oldest practitioners in the county, and one of the oldest members of the Washington County Medical Society, of which he has been president at various times. He is a member of the State Medical Society of Pennsylvania, of which he was elected first vice-president in 1873, and by which he was appointed censor for the Eighth District in 1874, which position he has held by annual ap- pointment ever since. He is also a member of the American Medical Association and of the Alumni Association of Jefferson Medical College. His prac- tice, extending over a large district, has involved much hard labor, and has been fairly remunerative. Dur- ing the late war he served as a volunteer surgeon after the second battle of Bull Run, and after the battle of the Wilderness. He has been a diligent student of medical journals, and occasionally a contributor to the same. His intelligent discharge of his profes- sional duties and his careful observance of the rules of medical ethics have secured for him the confidence of his neighbors and the good will of his professional brethren. He is likewise esteemed as a man and citi- zen. He has been a member of Upper Ten-Mile Presbyterian Church for over forty years, and an "elder in the same for twenty-five years. He was married Jan. 9, 1840, to Sarah, daughter of Benjamin Lindley, who was a descendent of Francis Lindley, who came to this country with his Puritan brethren from Holland in the " Mayflower." By this marriage

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

there were five children, two of whom died in infancy. Those living are Mary Minerva, married to Stephen J. Day, a merchant in Sparta; Henry Spencer, a druggist of Waynesburg, Greene Co., Pa .; and Dr. Oliver L., married to Anna Sherrard, daughter of

Rev. John Sherrard. They have one son, Stephen Lindley Blachly. Sarah (Lindley) Blachly died Nov. 25, 1857, and the doctor was married July 28, 1859, to his present wife, Maria Wade, daughter of James and Margaret Wade, of Fayette County, Pa.

MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.

ALL the territory now embraced in Mount Pleasant township was originally comprehended in the town- ships of Smith, Cecil, Hopewell, and Canton. The erection of Chartiers from Cecil on the 12th of March, 1790, and of Cross Creek from Hopewell in the same year brought a part of this territory in those .town- ships. In January, 1806, a petition of citizens of this section was presented to the grand jury of the Court of Quarter Sessions, praying for the erection of a new township. This body passed upon it favorably, and the matter was brought to the notice of the court at the May term, and on the 12th of that month the action of the grand jury was confirmed, and decree ordered for the erection of a township to be called Mount Pleasant. A slight addition was made to the township from Chartiers in 1831.

The territory comprehended in this township has been at different times in the early years included in election districts Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6. It was erected into a separate election district March 28, 1808, but for some reason did not so remain, and continued to be included in districts with other territory till 1838, when it became independent. The names of justices having jurisdiction here prior to that time will be found in the lists of Smith, Cecil, Peters, Chartiers, and Cross Creek townships. Those elected for Mount Pleasant since that time are here given, viz. :

James Hughes, April 14. 1840. John Reed, April 14, 1840. John Reed, April 15, 1845. Jaines Hughes, April 15, 1845. James Hughes, April 9, 1850. A. B. Mckeever, April 9, 1850. James McCloskey, April 13, 1853. James Hughes, April 10, 1853. John Reed, May 10, 1858. Thomas McCarroll, April 10, 1860. ;

James Hughes, May 5, 1863. John Reed, Sept. 25, 1863.

James B. Buchanan, Nov. 24, 1869. John M. Miller, April 15, 1873. James B. Buchanan, Jan. 17, 1874. Johu M. Miller, Jan. 31, 1874. James B. Buchanan, March 7, 1875. Jolın M. Miller, March 27, 1879. James B. Buchanan, March 30, 1880.

Early Settlements .- Daniel McGugin, a native of Ireland, came to this county in 1770, and in 1775 his son David was born. He took up and afterwards set- tled on the farm adjoining the one to which he first moved. The land was not warranted until Dec. 4, 1816, and then to David, the son of Daniel McGugin. The following note is attached to the survey : "The above described land has been improved since the

year 1770, and a continued resident settlement kept up ever since." In 1791 the land was assessed to Ann McGugin (widow of Daniel), in Cross Creek township, and in 1817 in Mount Pleasant. David lived on the homestead till his death in 1861. He was an early advocate of abolition principles, and lived only to see the fight for the downfall of sla- very commenced. Daniel removed to West Mid- dletown, where he kept a hotel many years, and died in 1852. James went to New Orleans in a flat-boat, and on his return to New York by sea died of fever on shipboard. A daughter married John Cloud, an elder in Raccoon Church ; their son, John Cloud, Jr., was a missionary to Africa, and died in 1834. The homestead of Daniel McGugin is now in possession of Alexander McGugin, a grandson. On this farm an experimental oil well has been sunk. A depth of eighteen hundred feet was reached when there com- menced a very strong flow of gas which accidentally took fire, and has not yet (July 1, 1882) been extin- guished. The light from it can be seen at night a distance of twenty miles.

John McCarty emigrated to what is now Washing- ton County about the year 1773. He located on a tract of land at the head of Cherry Run Valley. The farm is now owned by Robert Farrar. He was an energetic, hard-working pioneer, and in the course of a few years had made an extensive improvement. It was not until Feb. 13, 1786, that Mr. McCarty took out a warrant for his land, which was surveyed to him the 10th of June the same year under the name of " Rhodes," and contained three hundred acres. The first cabin was built a little cast of where the dwell- ing-house of Mr. Farrar now stands. He lived here all his days and died here. He had five sons,-Tim- othy, John, James, Samuel, and Robert, and a daugh- ter Cassia, who married William Elder, and settled on the west part of Midway village. He died, and the property was sold to J. M. Clark, Esq. She is now living at Butler, Pa.

Timothy, the eldest son of John McCarty, Sr., was born on the homestead in 1775, and when he arrived at maturity his father gave him one hundred and seven acres, part of the home tract. He married a

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MOUNT PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.

daughter of Thomas McConnell, of Robinson town- ship, and lived on the place till his death. John, his only son, inherited the place. John, the second son of John McCarty, settled on one hundred acres of the home tract also given him by his father. He sold it to John, the son of Timothy, in 1835, and removed to Ohio. James, the third son, never married, but lived with his father and brothers, and died there. Samuel lived on the homestead, and later sold to Robert Farrar, who still owns it. Robert, the youngest son, died in 1819.

A military warrant of thirteen hundred and seven acres lying on the waters of Chartiers Creek was granted to Barton Lucas for military services. A patent from Virginia, dated July 28, 1780, was issued to Matthew Ritchie and William Bruce, as assignees of Lucas. On the 17th of October, 1797, Ritchie and Bruce conveyed one hundred and nine acres of the tract to John Hammond, who occupied it and lived there till his death, when it was sold to Nicho- las White. Mr. Hammond left nine children, who all went West except Martha, who married James Thompson, and Jane, who married Samuel Wilson and lived on a farm adjoining her father. McClure White now owns the property.

Robert Guthrie was one of the pioneers of the county, and settled on a tract of land in the town- ship which was patented to him Sept. 25, 1788. It lay about three miles from Hickory, on the road to Canonsburg. On the 15th of June, 1793, he con- veyed seventy-nine acres to James Guthrie. Other portions were sold to Andrew and Robert Wilson. Andrew devised his portion to his brother Robert and two nieces, one of whom married Alexander Gaston, the other Thomas Struthers. Robert Thompson mar- ried Joseph Guthrie's daughter, and they own a por- tion of the original tract.

William Campbell came from York County in 1772, and settled on the farm now owned by his grand- son, Napoleon B. Campbell. He was driven away by the Indians, returned about 1778, and became a man of influence in that section of country. He was a commissioner of the county in 1799. He purchased large tracts of land in this and Hanover township. He lived many years and died on the homestead, leaving six sons and one daughter. They all emi- grated but two, James and Jesse. The former lived on the homestead, where he died in 1837, leaving the property to his son, Napoleon B. Campbell. Jesse died in 1858.

Charles Campbell came to this township before 1780, and settled on the farm where Moses Lyle now lives on Raccoon Creek. He married Abigail Rankin, who died in 1804. He died in 1819. His children, except one, went to the West. John remained on the home- ; thirty-eight acres of land of John Ritchie, executor stead, a part of which is now owned by his grandson, John Campbell.

Pleasant from Lancaster County in 1806, and bought the Zachariah Rankin farm. Later he bought the Tannehill farm, formerly the David Acheson tract. Here he lived till his death in 1860, aged seventy- eight years. His son John also remained on the farm till April, 1872, when he purchased the Samuel Cowen farm, where he now resides. James, the oldest son of . John, is living in Robinson township. Alexander is living on the original Zachariah Rankin farm. A daughter, Polly, married John Henderson, a grandson of the Rev. Matthew Henderson, and settled where John Carter now lives. Eliza married Samuel Moore.

Joshua Pyles emigrated from east of the mountains, and settled on a tract of land which was surveyed to him as " Albemarle," for which a patent was granted Aug. 15, 1787. He was a carpenter, as was his son James, who now lives in the township.

John Henderson, a son of the Rev. Matthew Hen- derson, then living in Ohio County, Va., purchased a tract of ninety acres from William McGarrah, and settled on it. It was left by him to his son John, who married Polly McCalmont, daughter of John McCal- mont, of Mount Pleasant township. John Hender- son, Jr., left the property by will to his brother Rob- ert, a physician, who lived in the West. It is now owned by John Carter.

Robert Montgomery took out a warrant for a tract of land Oct. 7, 1786, which was surveyed for one hun- dred and ninety-two acres, and named "Greenville." He sold forty-eight acres to Sarah Chapman, March 4, 1809. Richard Chapman, the husband of Sarah, built a log tavern in the fields near this property in 1796. Custom was good, and they were soon enabled to move up to the road, where they built a better house. James Miller and Robert Thompson each had stills, and they each gave him ten gallons of whiskey to start with. The tavern was first called "Blue Ball," and later "Cross Keys." Richard died on the place, and his wife Sarah at Pittsburgh. They accu- mulated considerable property, and remained there till about 1815. Alexander, a son, and Joel Lambum, a son-in-law, removed to Claysville. Robert, the oldest son, went to Burgettstown, and opened a tavern, but soon failed. Andrew prospered, purchased a farm in Buffalo township, and married a sister of Alexander Campbell.

Lodowyck McCarroll, of Bladensburg, Md., mar- ried Martha, daughter of John Leman, of Canton township, and on the 6th of November, 1797, purchased one hundred and five acres of land of Arthur and John Patterson, sons of Thomas Patterson. It was situated in the southern part of Mount Pleasant township, and was a part of a tract termed "Complaint." On the 31st of August, 1803, he purchased two hundred and

of the estate of Matthew Ritchie, and David Bruce, attorney for William Bruce. This was part of the Virginia patent of thirteen hundred and seven acres

John McCammant, whose father had settled pre- viously in Cross Creek township, came to Mount . granted by Lord Dunmore to Barton Lucas. On this

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

last purchase Mr. McCarroll lived and died, leaving four sons-John, Thomas, Leman, Andrew-and two daughters. John removed to Beaver County and died there. Thomas lived on part of the homestead. He was elected an associate judge of Washington County, June 3, 1862. He had six sons, of whom three became physicians,-Dr. John McCarroll, now of Wellsville, Ohio, Dr. James McCarroll, of Alle- gheny City, Pa., and Dr. David McCarroll, of Hickory. Leman McCarroll settled on the homestead, and still resides there. Lodowyck McCarroll is a lawyer, resid- ing in Washington. Rev. Alexander McCarroll is pas- tor of a church at Stewart's Station, Westmoreland Co. Of the two daughters, Margaret became the wife of Joseph Cowden, of Cecil township, and Martha re- sides on the homestead with her brother Leman.

Andrew McCarroll, son of Lodowyck, is now living, at the age of seventy years, on a part of the homestead. Leman, brother of Andrew, was a tanner, and settled at Canonsburg, where he lived and died. Of the daughters of Lodowyck, Elizabeth became the wife of John Cockins; the other daughter married Judge Isaac Hodgins.

James Ridgeway came to this country when the ter- ritory on which he took up land was in Hopewell township. A warrant was taken out Aug. 28, 1789. The tract he purchased was named " Forest." James Ridgway married Mary, daughter of John Leman, and widow of one Stewart, by whom she had a daugh- ter Mary. In the will of John Leman, dated June 28, 1794, Mary Ridgeway is mentioned, and on the 15th of September, 1796, James and Mary Ridgeway signed a release with the other heirs of John Leman to Mary, the wife of John Leman, and Aug. 19, 1796, James Ridgeway and Mary, his wife, conveyed to Joseph Irons thirty-seven acres of land adjoining the land of the heirs of Thomas Patterson. From the above facts it is evident that Mary Leman was the widow not only of Stewart, but of Thomas Patterson also, and as Thomas Patterson died soon after, it is quite possible she was his wife for a short time. Mr. Ridgeway in 1792 was assessed in Canton township on two hundred and twenty acres of land, and in 1807 in Mount Pleasant township on one hundred and seventy acres. The place on which he lived in 1796 was then in Cross Creek township, now Mount Pleas- ant. The Washington Telegraphe and Western Ad- vertiser of Sept. 6, 1796, gives the following account of a tragedy which occurred at his house :

" MURDER OF MARY STEWART.

"On the evening of Sunday, Sept. 4, 1796, Mary Stewart, a little girl of nine or ten years old, was found murdered in the house of her stepfather, James Ridgeway, on Cross Creek, in this county. It seems the deceased was left in charge of the house while the rest of the family were at meeting, and in their absence some person committed the above horrid murder by dashing the child's brains with an axe, and afterwards robbed the house of a sum of money, amounting to near one hundred dollars, to- gether with several other articles. A man calling himself sometimes James Stewart, and at other times Brown, who was seen loitering abont the neighborhood a few days before, is strongly suspected. Several per-

sons are in pursuit of him, and it is hoped he will be shortly appre- hended, and, if guilty, meet that punishment which the perpetrator of so horrid a crime richly deserves."

The verdict of the coroner's jury (one of whom was David McGugan, father of A. V. McGugan, Esq.) was "that she came to her death by the hand of some one to the jury unknown."

"Suspicion did indeed rest1 on a young man named S-, the son of a pious father, but himself not above the suspicion. But there was no proof, not even circumstantial evidence sufficient to justify his arrest. But the eye of suspicion was closely upon him, and he soon disappeared from the community. Years after, John Brownlee, Sr., the cousin who was with the Ridgeways the Sabbath evening of the murder, while ful- lowing his vocation as a 'New Orleans trader,' met with this man in a bar-room on the bank of the Ohio River. They were only so far ac- quainted as to enable them to recognize each other. In the course of a brief interview the matter of the murder of Isabel S. came up. The two were alone in the room, when S. proposed to B. the question, 'Did you ever hear my name connected with the guilt of that murder?' Feeling that it was an occasion for plain dealing, after a pause B. responded, ' Yes, I have so heard;' and, looking him straight in the eye, he added, 'I believe that you were the murderer of my cousin, Isabel S.' The man S., without a word in response, arose, and. passing from the room, was seen no more. The name of Mr. Ridgeway, the step-father of Isabel, was also connected, in the judgment of some, with the guilt of the murder. The reasons for the suspicion were, first, the matter of his return for his tobacco after all had started to the church ; 2 second, the fact that the life of Isabel was all that stood in the way of his joint owu- ership with his wife of the farm on which they lived. But while these circumstances furnished a seeming basis for these suspicions entertained by some, the whole make-up of the man was such as, in the judgment of those who knew him best, and in the judgment of the extensive circle of the relationship of the murdered Isabel, entirely precluded the thought of his guilt. He died at an advanced age in West Middletown about the year 1834. The afflicted mother survived her bereavement a number of years, bearing all the while near to her heart the great sorrow of her life. It was almost literally true in her experience that 'she never smiled again.'"

Matthew Atcheson's name appears first on record in a bill of sale made by David Rankin to him on the 10th of April, 1778, in which Rankin sells “unto Matthew Atcheson, of said county, a tract of land situate on the head-waters of Raccoon Creek, adjoin- ing lands of William Rankin, Thomas Cherry, and John Reed." Matthew Atcheson was a native of Ireland, who emigrated to this country with his wife and four sons, David, Matthew, Humphrey, and Robert. Matthew Atcheson, Sr., died about 1814, leaving sons, David, Matthew R., Humphrey, John, and a daughter, Jean (Mrs. Moses Cherry). The original farm is now owned by Robert and Matthew Atcheson and John Henderson.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 209

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