History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 215

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 215

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About the year 1827, Alexander McConnell, of Cecil township, purchased two hundred and seventy acres of land, a part of the Morganza tract, in North Stra- bane township. His sons were John, who lives on the home place; Alexander has resided at McCon- nell's Mills (Locust Hill), in Chartiers township ; Anderson lives at Burgettstown, and James at Hous- tonville.

Thomas McNary emigrated from York County, Pa., in 1782, and on the 30th of December in that year purchased of James Allison two hundred and fifty acres of land "situate on the forks of Shirtee Creek, on Sugar Tree Run, bounded by lands of Dorce Pen- ticost, and to a line of said tract run by Hendry Taler [Henry Taylor], and lands of John McDoll [Mc- Dowell]." For this tract he received a warrant dated Oct. 29, 1784, and on the 21st of February, 1785, it was surveyed to him as "Sugar Tree," and contained two hundred and nineteen acres. He was the son of James McNary, of York County, who settled in Han- over township in 1787. He was elected an elder in Chartiers Church prior to 1799, and remained in that capacity till his death in 1820. His children were Samuel, James, David, Joseph, and Matthew. Sam- uel settled in Jefferson County, Ohio; James in Munntown, in Nottingham township, where he was an elder in the Pigeon Creek United Presbyterian

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Church; David in North Strabane, where his sons Samuel and James now reside. Joseph settled in Ce- cil township, near Canonsburg, where his son-in-law, Andrew Griffin, now resides. He was elected an elder in Chartiers United Presbyterian Church May 10, 1832. Matthew settled on the old homestead, and later sold it to John Struthers. It is now owned by William Donaldson and James Farris. Matthew was elected an elder in Chartiers United Presbyterian. Church May 21, 1825.

John McNary, a son of James, who settled in Han- over township, settled some years after his father re- moved to this county. On the 21st of December, 1801, he purchased one hundred and eighty acres of land of Samuel Smith. After the purchase he returned home, and died early the next year. On the 4th of May in that year (1802) the family removed to the new home, and John, his son, purchased the farm of his father's estate and settled upon it. In 1816 he was elected an elder in the Chartiers Presbyterian Church. His children were John, who lived on the homestead and died there; James G., who now owns the farm ; Esther, who married Samuel Pollock; and Jane, who now resides on the homestead with her brother.

John Murdoch and his wife (both natives of Scot- land) removed from near Carlisle, Pa., to Washington County in 1778. Soon after his arrival in this county he purchased from Nathaniel Blackmore a tract of land containing three hundred and fifty acres on Char- tiers Creek (or, as it is written in the deed, Shirtee Creek), in Strabane, now North Strabane township, paying therefor £349 108.

The journey was made over the mountains and through the wilderness on horseback. They occu- pied this farm with their children until the death of Mr. Murdoch. The farm was devised to Alexander Murdoch, the youngest son. In 1804 he sold the land to John Bebout for the sum of £1572 15s.

John Murdoch left four children,-three sons and one daughter,-all of whom were born near Carlisle, Pa. John Murdoch, Jr., the eldest son, left home at an early period, went South, studied the Spanish lan- guage, and was for several years employed as a Span- ish interpreter. He finally settled down upon his plantation near Bayou Sara, La., and there died in 1822. He never married.

Nicholas Pees, a German, came here prior to 1780, bringing his wife, his oldest son, Andrew, his daugh- ter Molly, and his son George, four years old. He built a cabin on Chartiers just above the present mill of John Berry. Afterwards he built a log mill and a distillery. His daughter Mollie married John Mc- Glumpey, and settled on land which James Roney now owns. George Pees bought of his father one hundred and two acres, a part of " Amsterdam." He lived in the homestead, and there his son Zachariah was born in 1798, who is now living at the age of eighty-four years.

Andrew Pees purchased from his father one hun- dred and eighty-seven acres and lived on it till his death, leaving eight children, who are all dead or re- moved. John, James, and Nicholas Pees, of Finley township, are sons of John Pees, son of Andrew.

James Linn came from Carlisle, Pa., and settled in what is now North Strabane township, on a tract (two hundred and eighty acres) called "Cranberry." He married Eleanor, daughter of Robert Young. They had five sons, Robert, Moses, William, James, Matthew, and two daughters, Sarah and Mary. The farm was di- vided between the sons. Robert settled on the farm ; his descendants moved to the West. Moses settled on his portion and died there. Elizabeth, a daughter, be- came the wife of - Boyle, and settled in the north part of the township. William settled in West New- ton, and died there. James settled on his part of the farm, and late in life sold out and settled near Wash- ington, on the farm where Linntown now stands, that settlement deriving its name from the proprietor. His daughters were Eleanor (Mrs. James Pollock), of North Strabane; Elizabeth (Mrs. Thomas Miller) ; Sarah J. (Mrs. Alexander McCoy), both of Canons- burg ; Margaret (Mrs. Teasdell), of Batavia, Ohio. The sons were John Linn, of Washington, Pa .; Mat- thew Linn, of Linntown, and Robert Linn.

Matthew, a son of James Linn, Sr., settled on part of the homestead, and died there. He was a justice of the peace. Samuel, a son, lives on the old Hughes tract. Harriet, a daughter, married a Mr. Pitman, and lives on the homestead.

Richard Johnston (now spelled Johnson) emigrated with his father's family from County Down, Ireland, when nine years of age, to Lancaster County, Pa., and came to this county about 1800 and purchased a tract of land where R. V. Johnson, his grandson, now resides. He was elected an elder in the Chartiers Presbyterian Church, and served many years. He died in Novem- ber, 1836, aged seventy-four years, leaving seven sons and three daughters. James and Richard, the first and fourth sons, died when about nineteen years of age. Mary became the wife of Thomas Allison, of Chartiers township, where she now resides at eighty- two years of age. William studied medicine with Dr. John Wishart, and graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, commenced practice at Cadiz, Ohio, and continued there till his death. John settled on the home farm and lived many years, and about 1871 removed to Canonsburg, where he now resides. His son, R. V. Johnson, resides on the homestead, at Johnson's Station. J. B. Johnson, another son, lives on Chartiers Creek, opposite his brother. Elizabeth became the wife of George Gladden, and after his death married the Rev. John Stockton, of Cross Creek, who died May 5, 1882, leaving her a second time a widow. She still resides at Cross Creek. David settled on a farm near Steubenville, Ohio, and now lives there. Thomas graduated at Jefferson College, studied medicine, became a physician, and settled first

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NORTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP.

at Bloomfield, and later at Steubenville, where he died. George graduated at Jefferson College, studied law with J. Marshall, of Steubenville, was admitted to the bar, but did not enter into active practice. He was elected president of the Bank of Portsmouth, Ohio, where he resided, and died there about 1875. Jane, a twin sister of Thomas, became the wife of Guion Morrison, of Chartiers township. They settled for some years in Stillwater, Harrison Co., Ohio, and returned to the old Morrison farm, where he died. She now resides near Philadelphia.

Alexander McClure purchased of William Wier one hundred and eight acres in this township in 1800. He lived and died on it, leaving two daughters, one of whom became the wife of Samuel Clokey. Eliza- beth married Andrew Borland, who settled on the farm where he still lives. Of their children, Mary married Thomas McClelland; Sarah became Mrs. John Watson, of Nottingham; Elizabeth married James McClure, of Houstonville; Robert Henry married, and lives on the old Henry farm. Alexan- der, a son, lives near Speers' Church.

James Martin came from York County, Pa., to this county in 1804. He married Margaret McNary, a daughter of John McNary, who, in 1801, purchased land in the township, and died soon after, and whose son John took the farm where James S. McNary now lives. He settled on the farm, and resided there till his death, and left three daughters and one son, Sam- uel, who was born in 1790. He inherited the farm, and lived there many years, till declining health ren- dered him unable for active duties, and he moved to Canonsburg, and died March 16, 1878. He was an active member of the Chartiers United Presbyterian Church. He married in 1812, and had three son's,- William, James, and Isaac. William now owns the homestead, and James and Isaac are in the West. Of the three daughters of James Martin, Isabel mar- ried John C. Hanna, of Hopewell. The Rev. Thomas Hanna, of Illinois, is their son. Esther became the wife of Joseph McNary, of Cecil township, and Mar- garet married David Templeton, of North Strabane, where they settled.

James Grier came to this township from Cumber- land County about 1810 with his wife and one son, Samuel S., who later removed to Columbiana County, Ohio. James Grier died about 1833, leaving five sons and one daughter,-Samuel S., Thomas, James, Jane, Guion, and David.

Thomas graduated at Jefferson College and at Princeton Seminary. He then entered the ministry of the Presbyterian Church, and settled as pastor over a church at Sidney, Shelby Co., Ohio, where he died. James settled on the home farm, where he still resides.

James Clokey purchased on the 5th of May, 1813, a tract of land situated on both sides of Chartiers Creek, and containing three hundred and eighty acres. He had but one son, Samuel, who resided on

the home farm till his death. A tavern was opened at this place soon after the pike was opened, which was kept by one Applegate. The place was named Clokeyville, after Samuel, who at that time was pro- prietor of the lands. Joseph Clokey, a son of Samuel, now lives on the homestead. A post-office was opened at the place, and Samuel Clokey was appointed post- master. He was succeeded by his son Joseph. The office is now held by John Paxton, who keeps a store at the town, which is a station of the Pittsburgh Southern Railroad.

Robert and James McClelland were brothers, of Scotch-Irish descent. Robert, at one time sheriff of Washington County, married Anna, daughter of Robert Officer. He purchased in 1823 at sheriff's sale a portion of the large Pentecost tract, now owned by John Gamble, Esq. He had no sons, but four daughters,-Anna, Manilla, Eliza, and one who be- came the wife of Dr. Adams, of Canonsburg. Anna married John Johnson, Manilla married Samuel Hughes ; both resided in Washington County. Eliza married the Rev. James P. Smart, a minister of the United Presbyterian Church, and settled at Xenia, Ohio.

James McClelland, the brother of Robert, raised a large family of daughters and one son, James, who now resides in Birmingham. Of the daughters, Mar- garet married Levi Griffith, Jane married Thomas Jackson, Julia became the wife of Robert McCoy, Sarah married Samuel McCloy, Emi married John McNary. They all resided in or near Canonsburg. Nancy J. married John Simpson, and Elizabeth mar- ried James Smith, of Mount Pleasant township.

Ebenezer McClelland purchased two hundred and seventy acres of land of Dudley Woodbridge on the 15th of November, 1831. This tract was part of the Paul Fooks' tract, "Shrewsbury," and part of the Morganza plantation. Mr. McClelland built upon it a cabin twenty feet square, and it became the home of the family. Mrs. McClelland is still living at the homestead and now in her eighty-first year. Here grew up to maturity five sons and two daughters. Three sons, William, Ebenezer, and James, known as the McClelland brothers, reside upon the farm, which has been increased from time to time until at present it embraces an area of eight hundred and twenty- seven acres. Each of the brothers have a specialty : William, the management of sheep, of which they have a flock of about eighteen hundred; Ebenezer, the care of the cattle, of which twenty-eight are thoroughbred Shorthorns with a registered pedigree ; James has the care of the horses and hogs, which are also thoroughbreds. The large farm is divided up into suitable fields for pasturage for the different stock. The farm is well provided with large, commo- dious, and suitable buildings necessary for the protec- tion of stock.

William Berry, a son of John Berry, of Mount Pleasant (who settled on the Washington lands), after

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

many years' residence near Venice, in Cecil township, came to this township and purchased three hundred acres of land June 23, 1835, of Dr. Jonathan Lether- man and John Ritchie, executors of Craig Ritchie. The tract was originally taken up on a Virginia cer- tificate, and surveyed to Nathaniel Brown as "Peach Garden," and contained three hundred and twenty- four acres. The land had been rented over forty years when purchased by Mr. Berry. He moved his family to the farm on the 1st of March, 1836, and lived upon it till about 1850, when he moved to Canonsburg, and resided till his death, which occurred about 1865, in his eighty-fifth year. His son John settled on part of the old Nicholas Pees tract in this township. Mary became the wife of William McGlaughlin, and settled in Ohio. Jane married John Thorne, of Canonsburg. William married Elizabeth Collahan, and emigrated to Iowa. Prudence married Mr. Carson, and now re- sides in Canonsburg. Matthew settled on the farm his father purchased in 1835, and where he still re- sides. He and his sons are prominently engaged in the breeding of the "Black Top" merino sheep. James resides in Pittsburgh. The sons of John also are prominently engaged in sheep-breeding.

Linden .- On the site of the "lost town" of "Louis- burgh" now stands the town of Linden. The first store at this place was opened by James Hamilton, who was also the first postmaster. The mill site here is that of the old Pentecost mill. It passed from the Pentecost estate to the ownership of John Hair, and is now owned by Thomas Hixson. The town at present con- tains two stores, post-office, mill, blacksmith-shop, and a few dwellings.

Chartiers Presbyterian Church.1-It is not known in what year the congregation of Chartiers was organ- ized. It is probable there was no regular organization until Rev. John McMillan came. On his first, visit to this region, in 1775, he preached at the house of John McDowell, on Chartiers Creek, on the fourth Sabbath of August. This is the earliest record of service at Chartiers, but there can be no doubt that the set- tlers had previously met many times for divine worship. In an obituary notice of the Rev. Reid Bracken, published in the Presbyterian Advocate in August, 1849, it is stated that he was born in Sep- tember, 1778, that his father removed from York County to Washington County, Pa., when he was an infant six weeks old, and that he was the first child baptized by Mr. McMillan in Chartiers Church. We know that Mr. McMillan preached and baptized at Chartiers three years before the Bracken family came, for he put it on record. We may reconcile the newspaper statement with historical facts by sup-

posing that a house of worship was built by Chartiers congregation soon after Mr. McMillan was settled as pastor, and that Reid Bracken was the first infant baptized in the new church. The word " church" used in the obituary refers, as we understand it, to the sacred edifice, and not to the congregation,

A charter was procured by the congregation of Chartiers in February, 1798. More than thirty of the male members signed the petition for the charter. The following is a list of the signers: John McMillan, John McDowell, Craig Ritchie, Moses Coe, Robert Hill, William Cochran, George Craighead, William Kerr, Robert Hughes, James Foster, James Allison, John Johnson, William Welch, James Officer, Hans McClean, Abraham DeHaven, Robert Welch, Robert Bowland, William Hayes, John McCahey, William Hartapee, Nicholas Smith, Daniel Kirkpatrick, James Wishart, John Donnell, William Gault, Alexander Frazer, John Lindsay, Thomas Briceland, Samuel Logan, Thomas Bracken, John McClain, James Gas- ton, John Crawford, George MeCook. The charter was signed Feb. 15, 1798, and approved by the Gov- ernor March 28, 1798.

The first trustees were Robert Hill, William Kerr, James McCreedy, William Hays, John Mercer, James Morrison, George Craighead, James Bradford, and John Cotton. After the church was . incorporated Josiah Haines conveyed to the trustees, in June, 1798, two and one-fourth acres of land. A year after, Samuel Gilpin, of Cecil County, Md., conveyed seven acres and three-fourths to the board of trustees. The church thus became possessed of ten acres of land. A part of this tract the trustees afterwards exchanged for other land more conveniently located.

The first pastor of Chartiers was the Rev. John McMillan. His parents emigrated from County An- trim, in the north of Ireland, in the year 1742, and settled at Fagg's Manor, in Chester County, Pa. There he was born on the 11th of November, 1752. In his infancy he was dedicated to the Lord by his pious parents, and their earnest prayer was that God would spare his life and make him a minister of the gospel. They first gave their son an English educa- tion, then, when he was prepared, they sent him to the Rev. John Blair's classical school at Fagg's Manor, and subsequently to the Rev. Robert Smith's classical school at Pequea, Lancaster Co., Pa. He entered Princeton College in 1770, and in two years gradu- ated, at the age of twenty.

Having finished his course at Princeton, he went back to Pequea to study theology under the direction of Rev. Robert Smith, D.D. At this period, as we learn from his famous manuscript, he was in an un- certain and perplexed state of mind about undertaking the work of the ministry. He determined to leave the matter wholly with God. If the way was opened he would go on ; if it was shut, he would be satisfied. When in the twenty-second year of his age he was licensed to preach the gospel by the Presbytery of

This history of the Chartiers Church is taken largely from " An His- torical Address by the Rev. Francis J. Collier, delivered at the McMillan Centennial Celebration held at the Chartiers Presbyterian Church, near Canonsburg, Washington Co., Pa., Aug. 25, 1875," supplemented by in- formation as to its later history furnished by the present pastor, the Rev. Matthew H. Bradley.

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NORTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP.

New Castle. This occurred on the 26th of October, 1774, at East Nottingham, Chester Co., Pa. The winter following he preached in the vacant congrega- tions of New Castle and Donegal Presbyteries.

Young as he was, and difficult and hazardous as was the undertaking, he set out in the summer of 1775, under instructions from his Presbytery, to visit the settlements in Virginia and Western Pennsylvania. His course was in part determined by a desire to see some of his friends and kindred who had settled in this region of country. Starting from Chester County, Pa., he made his way westward and southward through the Cumberland and Shenandoah valleys. In July he crossed the Allegheny Mountains near Staunton, Va., and, it is probable, came down the valley of the Monongahela. As he traveled from place to place he preached the gospel. On the fourth Sabbath of August he preached at John McDowell's, on Chartiers Creek, and on the Tuesday following at Pigeon Creek. He then journeyed eastward, and in the month of October reached his father's house at Fagg's Manor. But he did not remain long at home. He returned to this region in the winter, by the same circuitous route through Staunton, Va., and preached at Pigeon Creek and Chartiers from January until nearly the end of March, 1776, when he received a call from these churches to become their pastor. He was not as yet ordained, but preached as a licentiate. He went East, and at a meeting of the Presbytery of New Castle, held in April, accepted the call. He was thereupon dismissed to the Presbytery of Donegal, and on the 19th of June was ordained at Chambers- burg, Pa.

Before going to his field he married, on the 6th of August, 1776, Catharine Brown, a pious young woman, whose father, William Brown, was a member of "The Forks of Brandywine Presbyterian Church," or, as it is now more commonly called, " Brandywine Manor Church," in Chester County, Pa. It was the period of the Revolution, and the country was in such a dis- turbed condition that he judged it imprudent to take his wife to the frontier. He went himself and took charge of the churches, preached, ordained elders, and administered the sacraments, but at times returned to the East.

The account of Dr. McMillan's settlement in the wilderness of Washington County, his establishment of the log cabin school, and other matters not strictly pertaining to his pastorship of this church will be found in the chapters on the religious and educational interests of the county, and in that part of the history of this township referring to its early settlements and settlers.

Dr. McMillan was not more distinguished as an instructor than as a preacher and pastor. He ex- plained the Scriptures with great clearness, ability, and skill. The inspiring theme of his discourse was " Jesus Christ and him crucified." He did not hesi- tate to preach the terrors of the law, and at the same

time he proclaimed the sweet promises and encour- aging invitations of the gospel. Death and the judg- ment, heaven and hell were realities to him, and he urged men to flee from the wrath to come. He alarmed the careless, encouraged the timid, consoled the afflicted, instructed the ignorant, confuted the skeptical, and reproved the proud and presumptuous, the hypocritical and contentious, the wicked and worldly-minded.

Sometimes his manner was austere. He ridiculed the man who first appeared at church carrying an umbrella, and the family who first rode to church in a carriage.1 As two young women arose to leave during service he cried out, "Sit down, girls, sit down, for we have all seen your high combs." Meet- ing a man who had just recovered from an attack of sickness he said, " It is better that you are here than in hell." For his harsh expressions we offer no apology. They were the faults of a good man.

Dr. McMillan's costume would not accord with present fashions. He wore buckskin knee-breeches, blue stockings and buckled shoes, a coat and a vest of a peculiar style, and a hat with a broad brim.

He preached with marked effect upon sacramental occasions and at camp-meetings. With his powerful voice he could be distinctly heard by a great multi- tude. He expressed regret before his death that he could not leave his lungs as a legacy to some weak- voiced minister, for he thought they were strong enough to last for another generation.

For many years his salary did not amount to more than one hundred pounds in Pennsylvania currency, a sum equivalent to two hundred and sixty-six dol- lars. Some paid their subscriptions in cash, others in merchandise. In a small paper book in the writer's possession, dated 1782, Mr. McMillan gives one per- son credit for six pounds and a half of tallow, another receives credit for a quire of paper valued at two shillings and sixpence, others are credited for corn and wheat. The salary seems meagre and insufficient, but we must remember that provisions were cheap, the style of living was very plain, and the pastor was the possessor of a large farm, which he purchased when land was worth but three or four dollars an acre. Small as was his salary, Dr. McMillan was able by strict economy to save a portion, which he used for charitable purposes.

Dr. McMillan served the united congregations of Chartiers and Pigeon Creek for a period of nineteen years, and afterwards devoted his pastoral labors ex- clusively to Chartiers.

During his ministry it was Dr. McMillan's good fortune to have around him a noble band of elders, men of intelligence, energy, prudence, courage, and piety. Such men were John McDowell, James Al- lison, Moses Coe, George Craighead, James Foster, Samuel Logan, Jacob Bell, Thomas Briceland, Rich-

1 Col. George Morgan's family.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ard Johnstone, John Phillips, John Colmery, Samuel Miller, Jacob Howey, John Hare, John Neil, and others at Chartiers, and James Wherry, Patrick Mc- Cullough, Hugh Scott, John Hawkins, William Mc- Combs, Patrick Scott, and others at Pigeon Creek.

In the year 1822, Dr. Matthew Brown, the emi- nent instructor and divine, whose praise is in all the churches, removed from Washington, Pa., to Canons- burg, being called to the presidency of Jefferson Col- lege. Dr. Brown preached each Sabbath at Chartiers, in conjunction with Dr. McMillan, for a period of eight years, or until the College Church was organized in 1830, when Dr. Brown became its pastor. In his his- torical sketch of the Jefferson class of 1828, the Rev. Loyal Young, D.D., said, "Our usual place of wor- ship was old Chartiers Church. Dr. McMillan was still vigorous but aged. His voice when he became animated was stentorian. In the days of summer, Dr. McMillan preached the sermon in the morning and Dr. Brown in the afternoon. Our religious exercises were solemn, and at the prayer-meetings on Wednes- day evening, in Franklin Hall, Dr. Brown exhibited a warmth and an unction in his address that often melted the listeners to tears."

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 215

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