History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 229

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 229

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Mary Stevenson, eldest daughter of John Steven- son and Jean McCombs, married first Joseph Nelson, who died, leaving her with two children, James and John. She afterwards married Rev. John McPherrin, many years pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Butler, Pa. The names of their children are not all known to the writer, but some of them are Jane, William, Clark, and Ebenezer. Jane was married to the Hon. Walter Lowrie, for many years secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian . Church, and the Rev. John C. Lowrie, D.D., senior secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, and Rev. Walter M. Lowrie and Rev. Reuben Post Lowrie, both missionaries to China, now deceased, were her sons.

Margaret Stevenson, daughter of John Stevenson and Jean McCombs, married John Cratty, and she had one son-John Stevenson Cratty, of Bellaire, Ohio-and one daughter. Robert Curry, the founder of Curry Institute, Pittsburgh, and at one time assist- ant superintendent of schools in Pennsylvania, was her grandson.

Elizabeth Stevenson, daughter of John Stevenson and Jean McCombs, married John Stevenson, a son of John Stevenson and Mary McCowan, who were the first family of Stevensons to settle in Somerset township. She and her husband lived and died on the farm taken up by his father, and on which Thomas McCorkle now lives. The Rev. James Ed- gar 'Stevenson was her son; her other children are Joseph, Jane, John, Maria, Elizabeth, Mary, Marga- ret, Emily, and Frances. Jane Stevenson, daughter

of John Stevenson and Jean McCombs, married John Graham, of Cross Creek village. Her children were Henry, Robert, John, Mary, Jane, Rev. Ebenezer S., Margery, Elizabeth, Joseph, Thomas Smith, and Anne. Rev. Ebenezer S. Graham, her son, was one of the pastors of Pigeon Creek Presbyterian Church. Her daughter Anne was wife of Dr. Boyd Emery, of Somerset township. Anne Stevenson, daughter of John Stevenson and Jean McCombs, married Col. John Vance, and her children were Jane, David, John, Anne, Joseph, and Julia A. Her son Joseph was a lawyer by profession, and lived at Mount Ver- non, Ohio. In the late war he was colonel of an Ohio regiment in the army of Gen. Banks, and he was killed in battle on Red River, La.

William Jones, whose history is given below, on March 21, 1793, purchased two hundred and fifty- eight acres of land adjoining the farms of John Study, John Graybill, and James Innis. This prop- erty was a portion of the three hundred and eighty- eight acres patented by Robert Morrison, Sept. 14, 1789, under the title of "Toft." Mr. Jones, whose life extended over the period of a century, was closely identified with the early settlement and progress of Somerset township. The sketch of his life given below is from Dr. J. S. Van Voorhis.

"He was born at Ellicott's Mills, in the State of Maryland, May, 1763, and came to the neighborhood of Ginger Hill a few years before the Whiskey In- surrection, and located on the farm now owned by his son William, and on which he died March, 1862, being ninety-nine years and eleven months old. He was a blacksmith by trade. When the United States troops were sent out to disperse the insurgents they halted near his farm, and were ordered to return, as the insurrection was over. While in camp he shod some of the government horses. He was loyal to the government, and took no part in the insurrection. By his first wife he had eleven children, five sons and six daughters, viz .: John, Elijah, Jesse, Samuel, and John, Rebecca, Delilah, Polly, Ruth, Rosa, and Ann.

" John was the founder of Jonestown, and lived there, keeping store nearly all his life. He died in 1874 at a very advanced age. His peculiar sign ' En- tertanement' will be remembered by many. Elijah lived in the brick house on the hill above Jonestown, where he died some fifteen years ago. Among his children were Isaac Jones, who built the McGrigor Row on Main Street, and now a successful wool-buyer in Washington, Pa., and James Jones, deceased, who married Caroline Van Voorhis, daughter of the late Abram Van Voorhis. Jesse is still living on part of the old homestead in a brick house near his brother William, who owns and lives in the old homestead. Samuel Jones, the remaining son, was born at the Jones homestead in 1800. He went to the Forks in 1824, and located on the farm purchased by his father for him from Peter Shepler. Samuel resided on this

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

farm until his death in June, 1867. He was killed by the rolling of a log over him. In 1826 he was married to Jane Fell, daughter of Benjamin Fell, in Rostraver township, Westmoreland County. The wedding took place at the Fell mansion, which con- sisted of a log cabin of primitive style. Mr. Fell was very positive that at this cabin was organized the first Methodist class west of the mountains. Through his influence was erected the old log church which formerly stood where the present stone church, known as Fell's Church, is situated, about two miles from Webster.

"Samuel Jones had by his first wife four children. Mary married Dr. J. P. Watson, and has been dead some years. William on the 6th of February, 1850, married Sarah, daughter of the well-known Capt. Joseph Shepler, by whom he has three children. His father gave William the old Fell farm, which was purchased at Orphans' Court sale. On this farm he lived until he removed to Belle Vernon, where he is at this time as a member of the banking-house of S. F. Jones & Co. His brother, S. F. Jones, in 1861 married Miss Sallie Thomas. His father gave him the farm near Belle Vernon, in Rostraver township, known as the farm on which Rev. David Smith lived while pastor of the Rehoboth Church, and died in 1803. The old house has given place to a fine brick, erected by S. F. Jones. Jones sold this farm to Michael F. Cook, grandson of Col. Edward Cook, and removed to Belle Vernon, where he is a member of the banking-house of S. F. Jones & Co., formed in 1872. James, the remaining son of Samuel Jones, married Miss Ann Finley, daughter of the late Wil- liam Finley, and granddaughter of the Rev. James Finley, first pastor of Rehoboth, having come to the Forks in 1768. James, like his brother, S. F. Jones, has no children. He served through the late war, and now lives in retirement in Monongahela City. Mr. Sam- uel Jones' second wife was Miss Mary, daughter of the late Benjamin Thomas, of the vicinity of Webster. Her mother was a sister of the late Joseph Alexander. By her he had eight children,-Elizabeth, married to J. M. Bake, deceased, and now to Thomas Hagerty ; Malissa married Lowry Venable and is living in Kansas; Rettie married Jonathan Rhodes, she died a few years ago in Ohio ; Amanda, married to T. C. Douglass, and living on part of the homestead ; Homer, married to Jennie McAlpin, and residing in Kansas ; Luther, married to Sally Venable, and living near Belle Vernon ; John and Celia are single, and living with their mother on the homestead. Samuel Jones was a large landholder, and the distribution of his estate gave each of his children a fair patrimony. He was a man of warm feeling and ardent sym- pathies. Energetic in his business, he was no less so in his church. He was long a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and held his membership at Fell's, in the graveyard of which church his remains were buried. He gave largely of his means and labor

in erecting the church in Webster. William Jones' (the elder) daughter Rosa married Hudson Wil- liams, who lived for many years in the neighborhood of the Dutch meeting-house. They are both dead. Rebecca married Andrew Mills; both are deceased. Ann married John Hess, who lived and died near what is now called Edwards' Chapel, on the turnpike above Ginger Hill. Ruth was never married, is now eighty-five years old, and resides with her brother William on the homestead. Delilah married James Mills, brother of the above-mentioned Andrew Mills. James Mills was a well-known local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church and a business man generally. He lived in the town of Williamsport as early as 1828; in Washington, Pa., on a farm near lock No. 4, where Joseph Ryan now lives, and on which he laid out a town called Lockport, which town was a failure. For years before his death he carried on business in Pittsburgh, where he died a few years since. He was a man of more than ordi- nary mind ; his sermons were scriptural, and delivered in a plain though fervent manner. He attended church for many years on the bank of the river, where he often preached. His wife still lives in Pitts- burgh.

" Mary, the remaining daughter, married Joseph Alexander, a sketch of whose life will be given. She died Aug. 15, 1856.

" Mr. William Jones was one of the committee on the part of the Methodist Episcopal Church who purchased the dwelling-house (converted into a church) on the river-bank in 1826. The house was built by a man named Simon Hailman. It was originally three stories high, the lower one being brick. Mr. Hailman sold it to Mr. Bentley ; he dying shortly afterwards, Dr. Pollock was appointed ad- ministrator of his estate. He sold it at Orphans' Court sale, the committee-consisting of William Jones, Æneas Graham, Robert Bebee, and others-be- coming the purchasers for the Methodist Episcopal Church. The house was lowered one story by insert- ing heavy timbers beneath the framework and so holding it up that the brick story could be taken away. It was thus reduced to a two-story frame church, to which in after-years were added two wings, one of which, I think, still remains.

" What reflections are suggested to the mind when contemplating the time covered by so long a life as Mr. Jones passed ! He was born six years before the great Napoleon, yet he survived him over forty years. He was born six years before the Duke of Wellington, who died at a very advanced age, yet Father Jones survived him eleven years. He was thirteen years old when independence was declared, thirty years old at the time of the Whiskey Insurrection, fifty years old during the last war with Great Britain, and ninety-eight years old at the commencement of the great Rebellion. He was strictly temperate in all things, of a quiet disposition, calm in judgment,

937

SOMERSET TOWNSHIP.

never in a hurry, firm in principle, inflexible in the performance of all his duties to God and to man as it was given him to see right. He was beloved by his children and children's children, and respected by all who knew him. He was buried in the family burying-ground, on the farm on which he had lived seventy years. His second wife was Mrs. Phillips, the mother of David and John Phillips (deceased), of Robert (still living), of Mrs. Nancy Wickerham (de- ceased), and the mother of Mrs. Jane Van Voorhis, wife of the late Abraham Van Voorhis."

Michael Moyers, or Myers, took up a tract of land which was surveyed to him as " The Hill," containing three hundred and ninety-eight acres. It was patented in 1788. He was a resident on the land probably be- fore 1780. His death occurred about 1784, as in that year the land was devised by him to his son George, who, on the 18th of May, 1803, sold it to his son, George Myers, Jr. George Myers, son of Michael, took up land on a Virginia certificate, dated Feb. 21, 1780, which was surveyed Sept. 10, 1786, called "The Morass." This land was adjoining his father's and Benjamin Parkinson and George Miller. It is now owned by David Myers, a descendant. Another tract, containing two hundred and seventy-five acres, was patented to Michael Myers (a son of George), Dec. 30, 1808, adjoining Benjamin Parkinson and George Myers. This was sold to George Miller, April 27, 1810, who, June 20th the same year, sold to Robert Moore. George Myers, the son of Michael, died in 1803, and left two hundred and ninety acres, the home place, to his son Jacob, and one hundred acres to his son Mi- chael (on which he formerly lived), and to his son Christopher one hundred acres adjoining Martin Swickard. He also had a daughter Caty and a daughter who married a Mr. Mushrush. The descend- ants of this family are numerous, and reside in the township. The lands of the Myers were in both Somerset and Nottingham townships.

Robert McCombs received a warrant for land on the 1st of November, 1787, and was surveyed to him as three hundred and eighty-two acres. He sold the tract to William McCombs, of Canton township, of whom he bought it April 12, 1792. He lived and died on the farm, leaving one daughter, Mary, who married John Stephenson, Jr., and settled on the Stephenson tract, now owned by the heirs of Peter Whitely. There were also four sons,-Thomas, Malcolm, Wil- liam, and John. Thomas was actively engaged in the Whiskey Insurrection, and fled to Cincinnati, where he lived a number of years, and returned to his brother William, and stayed a few days, and while going to his mother's on the old homestead in Somerset township was taken sick on the road, and stopped at the house of Hugh Cotton (now John Vance), where he died. Malcolm went to Mercer County, Pa., and William settled in Canton township, where his descendants are still living.

Greer McIlvaine and his brother George came to

this county from the eastern part of the State. Greer took out a warrant for a tract of land (which was later divided between him and his brother) May 20, 1788, which was surveyed to him Feb. 11, 1789, as "Caly- don," containing four hundred and seven acres. On this farm he lived and died. He had a family of fourteen children. Greer, the eldest, is still living in the township at the age of eighty-eight years. John lived and died at Canonsburg. Guion settled in Hickory, and died there. George remained at home, where he died. William settled on a farm adjoining the homestead, where he still lives. J. Addison Mc- Ilvaine, an attorney of Washington, Pa., is a son of William. Andrew settled on the home farm. Mar- garet (Mrs. William Denniston) settled in Mercer County, Pa. Mary (Mrs. James Greenlee) settled in Greene County, Pa. Ruth (Mrs. Joseph Moreton) lo- cated in Virginia. Catharine (Mrs. Samuel Smith) settled in Bentleysville. Elizabeth (Mrs. William Campbell) settled in Mercer County, Pa. Esther (Mrs. Thomas Carson) settled on Pike Run. Ann (Mrs. Joseph Scott) lived for a time in the West, and upon the death of her husband returned home. Elea- nor (Mrs. David Scott) settled on Pigeon Creek.

George McIlvaine, a brother of Greer, and who came to this country with him, settled upon a portion of the tract "Calydon." It was not until June 21, 1815, that he received a deed for the property. On this he settled and raised a large family. He died in 1842 or 1843. His will bears date July 2, 1842. His son John emigrated to Ohio. George settled on a farm adjoining his father's and died there, leaving a family that are now scattered. Robert settled on the home farm, where he died. Judge George McIlvaine, of Ohio, and Mrs. William Drury, of Washington, are children of Robert. Greer, also a son of George, removed to Ohio. There were also five daughters, of whom were Catharine (Mrs. Ramsey), Ruth (Mrs. Stringer), Eleanor (Mrs. Kerr), two daughters mar- ried respectively John and William Crouch, and both died before their father. The farm was sold to David McDonough, and is now owned by his son, Thomas McDonough.

Bentleysville .- Sheshbazzar Bentley (son of Shesh- bazzar, who first purchased lands in what is now Somerset township in 1777) conceived the plan of laying out a town, and inserted the following notice in the Washington Reporter of date March 4, 1816 :

" Bentleysville

" The subscriber informs the public that he has laid out a town on the waters of Pigeon Creek, Somerset township, Washington County, 25 miles from Pittsburgh, 9 from Williamsport, 10 from Brownsville, 9 from Fredericktown, and 15 from Washington, on the Cross Roads leading from the above towns, and in a beautiful situation, and surrounded by rich country. There is three wool machines, one grist-mill, one saw- mill adjacent thereto. Also, great abundance of building-stone, lime- stone, and stone coal, which will be given gratis for the use of building for five years. Also, four springs of good water running through this town. The lots will be sold at public sale on Saturday, the 16th of March, 1816. The sale to begin at 9 o'clk on said day, and the conditions made known by the proprietor.

" March 4, 1816.

SHESUI. BENTLEY."

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

A number of sales of lots were made on the day above mentioned, and on the 31st of August, 1816, deeds were given to the following persons :

Price.

Daniel Mitchell, lot 15 $35.00

John Mitchell, lots 26, 50 ... GO 26

Benedict Reynolds, lots 2, 3, 44. 55,50

William Thompson, lot 1 55.25

Joseph Morton, lot 40 57.00

David Mitchell, lots 52, 53. 93.00

84.25 David Lash, lots 10, 11, 12.

At the time of the laying out of the plat there was standing on the premises the old Bentley mansion, where now Robert L. Jones resides, around which (soon after the sale of lots began) dwellings and places of business began to cluster. A meeting of the citizens was held in June, 1817, to provide for a place of public worship. The following is the agree- ment then drawn up :

"We, the subscribers appointed Trustees for the purpose of Building a House for Public Worship in the Town of Bentleysville, Do unanimously agree and resolve to conduct the same in the following manner, agree- able to an Article and Subscription taken for that purpose and to prevent any disputes which might arise hereafter respecting the same, To wit: 1st, We do Resolve that before we proceed to building we obtain a clear deed for the lot of ground to be made to the Trustees, or a majority of them, and to their successors forever for the use of the Presbyterians, Baptist, Methodist Societys; 2d, That the said three Societies shall have equal privelidge to make their apointments, perticularly on the three first Sandays in each Month, but not knowingly to make two apoint- ments in one day, but should it so happen, then they are to Devide the day so as to give each an opertunity of Preaching, and the fourth or fifth Sundays for the use of any other regular society, with the aprobation and consent of at least one of the then acting trustees; 3d, when the Said house is at any time ocupied for the use of a scool, those who occupy it for that purpose shall be obligated to repair any damage which may be ocasioned by the scool; 4th, the number of the trustees to be five, to be chosen by the joint vote of the then acting trustees, those to succeed the present trustees to be chosen in the month of Aprile next . . . and every two years afterwards any vacancies which may happen at any time to be supply'd by the then existing Trustees upon their being duly notified of time and place to meet for that purpose ; 5th, if any dissatisfaction should at any time arise by any Irregular preachers being admitted on the fourth or fifth Sundays before mentioned, the then acting Trustees shall endeav- our to settle and have power to regulate the same; Gth, any one of the Trustees may call a meeting of the whole, provided they notify the whole and a majority so met shall transact any necessary business; 7th, Re- solved, that the foregoing resolutions and agreements be put on record, Together with the deed for the said lott, in the Recorder's Office in and for the County of Washington, given under our hands this 21st day of June, 1817.

"H. W. DONOGH. " W'M. THOMPSON.

"SHESH. BENTLEY.

"ABNER LEONARD.

" JOHN HIPPLE.

" Acknowledged December 24th, 1817.

" Recorded 25th December, 1817."

Under this agreement a church was built and occu- pied as a place of public worship till its destruction by fire in 1828.

It has not been thought of sufficient importance by those connected with the churches of Bentleysville Circuit to furnish any information concerning their early history, and but little has been gleaned con- cerning them. Much will be learned from an article written by Mr. Rothwell, to be found in the history of the borough of Greenfield, on the rise and progress of Methodism in the eastern part of the county. This congregation was formed prior to 1852, and ser-

vices were held in the school-house. On the 28th of December of that year the trustees-Robert N. West, S. Richardson, Harrison Richardson, and John Hol- land-purchased a half-acre of land of Sheshbazzar Bentley and erected a brick edifice, forty by fifty feet, at a cost of twelve hundred and fifty dollars. It was dedicated by the Rev. James Sansom and Samuel Wakefield. Among the pastors who have served this church and circuit are John Spencer, James Sansom, Samuel Wakefield, David Cross, James B. Yarnall.

The Bentleysville Circuit embraces four churches,- Davidson's Chapel, seven miles from Washington, on the National road ; Scenery Hill, at Hillsborough ; Bentleysville, and Clover Hill Church, at Garwood Post-Office, in Fallowfield township. There are in the charge 349 members. The value of the church property is estimated at $6800. There are also four Sunday-schools, having 272 pupils. The Rev. Rei- mund C. Wolfe is the present pastor. A camp-meet- ing ground containing about twenty acres was leased of John W. Stephens about 1866, for the use of the circuit. About forty cottages are erected on the grounds.

Vanceville, a small village, located near the centre of Somerset township, is upon land owned by the Vance family, and from them it received its name. Isaac and John Vance were two brothers who made early settlements in this section. Isaac received a Virginia certificate dated Dec. 3, 1779, entitling him to two hundred and thirteen acres of land situate on a fork of Pigeon Creek. This land adjoined the lands of Patrick McCullough and Joshua Davis, and was surveyed to him March 10, 1786, under the title of " Edge Hill." John Vance also received a Virginia certificate, granting him three hundred and forty- three acres of land, which was located on Pigeon Creek, and surveyed to him March 9, 1786, as " Edge Comb." When the death of John Vance occurred, some years later, he left by will the undivided half of "Edge Comb" to his brother Isaac. As stated, Vanceville is situated near the centre of this town- ship, while the surrounding country is well adapted to farming. The soil is made up of clay and sand, and considerable limestone is found in the vicinity. The Middle Branch of Pigeon Creek, flowing through the hamlet, affords the necessary water privileges conducive to business advancement. The village has one store, one blacksmith-shop, a steam saw-mill, a school building, and two churches, of the Baptist and Disciple persuasion. Thirteen dwellings afford resi- dences for the inhabitants, and a post-office was es- tablished here some years ago. It is now under the charge of Dr. Henry McDonough, present postmaster. The Disciple Church is a frame building, thirty-eight by forty-six feet in size, and was erected on land pur- chased from or donated by Joseph McDonough,

The religious society known as the Pigeon Creek Baptist congregation was organized on Saturday, Aug. 27, 1803, in Somerset township, by Brethren David

SOMERSET TOWNSHIP.

939

Phillips, Benjamin Stone, Henry Speers, and Thomas McDonough. A church meeting was held at the resi- dence of Henry McDonough on the Saturday before the fourth Lord's day in October. According to ad- journment, the church met on Oct. 22, 1803, and after public worship proceeded to arrange the business necessary to the completion of the organization. After the appointment of Henry MeDonough as elder, other persons were chosen to the offices of moderator and clerk. Benjamin Lyon and Jonathan Williams were chosen deacons, and a resolution was adopted to hold the future meetings at the house of Henry McDonough the Saturday before the fourth Lord's day in each month if necessary. The first observance of the ordinance of baptism by this society occurred in 1805, at which time Henry McDonough and wife, James Wherry and wife, and Miss Wallace, a daughter of Nathaniel Wallace, were baptized by immersion. The ceremony took place on the property of Nathaniel Wallace, near where the preaching was held, upon a platform erected for that purpose. At the close of the sermon the minister, candidates for baptism, and the audience repaired to the water, not far away, During the rite of immersion a severe thunder-storm arose, and a tree sheltering the plat- form mentioned was struck by lightning and two horses near by were killed during the storm. For many years after the formation of the Pigeon Creek Baptist Church its members worshiped in a tent pitched upon the farm of Henry McDonough. On March 27, 1830, Joseph Huffman, David McDonough, and John Pangborn, trustees of the church, received a portion of the Rudolph Huffman tract, donated by Solomon Huffman, upon which the present house, a brick building thirty-seven by forty-seven feet in size, was erected. Revs. Estep, Speers, Luce, Higbee, Kendall, and Charles Wheeler are the names of some of the ministers who have officiated in this church. In 1828, during the administration of Rev. Charles Wheeler, the members were David McDonough, Daniel Burgan, Cassandra Burgan, Elizabeth Huff- man, Susanna Clouse, John and Mary Pangborn, Solomon Huffman, Samuel Black and wife, Henry Underwood, Margaret Patton, Martha Brown, Mar- garet Berk, John Burgan, Dr. Sharp, Lydia Clouse, Ann Huffman, Cynthia Nichols, James Burgan, Jesse Underwood, Arthur Devore, John Wherry and wife, Sidney and Margaret Ames, Noah Clouse, Isaiah Burgan, Elizabeth Ames, Lydia Devore, Michael Huffman, Nancy Underwood, Nancy Nichols, Jabez Ames, Susanna Huffman, Matilda Paden, Julia Un- derwood, Elizabeth Nichols, Hannah Underwood, William Underwood, Margaret Reed, and Bershen Nichols. The present pastor of the Pigeon Creek Baptist congregation is Rev. Robert Miller.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 229

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