History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 238

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 238

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On Feb. 19, 1803, there was organized at the resi- dence of Joseph Hill, Jr., in West Bethlehem town- ship, a Baptist society called the Lebanon Church, but was still better known as the Plum Run Old Side Baptist Church. This society was also of the Dunk- ard faith, and the trustees chosen to arrange for building a house of worship, and other business af- fairs, were Hugh Jennings, Ross Nichols, Joseph Hill, Jr., James Beatty, and James Hill. They purchased of Joseph Hill, Sr., a lot containing one acre of land, the lot being partly from each of the two tracts called

"Hillsborough" and " Absent Brother." Among the organizing members of this church were Joseph and Mary Hill, James Hill, Ross and Margaret Nichols, Daniel and Lucretia Leonards, Rebecca Welsh, James and Margaret Beatty, Thomas and Rachel Hill, David Evans and wife, Mrs. Sarah Barnes, John Welsh, and James Burgan and family. Mr. Burgan and his fam- ily afterwards left the Dunkard, and became members of the Campbellite Church. The house of worship first set up by the Plum Run Baptist Church was built of logs, but that has since been replaced by a substantial brick edifice. The ministers who have had charge of this society were Revs. Henry Speer, Francis Downey, Cephas McClelland, Adah Winnet, and the present incumbent, Rev. Philip McInturff, a native of Eastern Virginia.

. The Ten-Mile Methodist Episcopal Church at Zol- larsville originated in the formation of a class com- posed of Bennett Morton and wife, Samuel Gass and wife, William Bennington and wife, Samuel Garrett and wife, William Garrett and wife, Solomon Wise, Stephen Ulery, and. several others. Their first ser- vices were held about 1840 by John Gregg and Hiramı Winnet, local preachers, in the old log church build- ing of the Lutherans, near the residence of Adam Horn ; but soon afterwards a brick house of worship was erected for the society by Stephen Ulery, located on a bluff of Ten-Mile Creek at Zollarsville. The first trustees of the church were Bennett Morton, Sol- omon Wise, and Stephen Ulery. The first preachers appointed to the charge were John Coyle and - Ruter. The present pastor is the Rev. J. G. Gugley. The church is embraced in a charge with Mills- borough, West Bend, Clarksville, and Valley Chapel.

The Winnet Chapel, in West Bethlehem township, was erected in 1866 to replace the frame building for- merly occupied by the society which worships there, and which was burned in 1864. In the interval be- tween the destruction of the old house and the erec- tion of the new one services were held in the school- house near by. Both edifices were built while Rev. Hiram Winnet, now of Pittsburgh, was the clergy- man in charge. The membership has attained the number of one hundred and eleven, and the present class-leader is John I. Martin.

Fairview Methodist Episcopal Church was organ- ized in this township in 1876, and the church edifice was erected in the same year, the church site being donated by William Sargent. The present pastor is Rev. Charles McCaslin, who has officiated since 1879. Previous to that year, and from the time of the organ- ization of the church, Rev. William Stewart was the preacher. The members of the society number eigh- teen. Adam G. Weaver is the class-leader.

The Town of Hillsborough is located within the territory of West Bethlehem township, about midway

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

between the boroughs of Washington and Browns- ville, about twelve miles from either place. The town lies on both sides of the old National road, and it was one of the principal points at which the coaches of the different stage-lines made a stopping-place in the prosperous days of the great thoroughfare. The site of Hillsborough is a part of the tract called "Springtown," surveyed Feb. 23, 1785, to Isaac Bush, who sold to George Hill, June 18, 1796. On the 13th of February, 1800, George Hill conveyed the tract "Springtown" to his son, Stephen Hill, upon an agreement, from which is quoted the follow- ing : "Conditioned and covenanted by the said Stephen Hill to and with the said George Hill, his father, that he, the said Stephen Hill, doth promise, for himself, his heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, and each and every of them, out of the above- described premises to keep him, the said George Hill, his father, and George Hill, his brother, in good and sufficient meat, drink, washing, lodging, and wearing apparel, in sickness and in health, during their natural lives; and if failures should arise in the fulfillment of the conditions, the same shall yearly and every year be settled by three reputable men." Whether any " failures in the fulfillment of the con- ditions" of this agreement arose or not does not ap- pear. Probably there were none.

Nineteen years after the above-mentioned convey- ance of the "Springtown" property by George Hill to his son, Stephen Hill, the latter, with Thomas McGiffin (to whom he had conveyed an interest in the land), laid out upon it the town bearing the name of the principal proprietor. The survey and plat was made in the early part of the summer of 1819, and an advertisement of the proprietors, dated July 19th of that year, appeared in the Washington Reporter of July 26th, as follows :

"HILLSBOROUGHI.

" The publick are informed that a town has been laid off to be called Hillsborough on the National road, adjoining Hill's Stone tavern, about equal distance from Washington and Brownsville, and that lots will be sold on the premises on Monday the 19th of August at publick auction. Sale to commence at ten o'clock A.M.

" The situation is healthy and pleasant and affords strong encourage- ment to the enterprise of the Merchant, the Mechanic, and Innkeeper. The surrounding country is fortale, well improved, and contains a nu- merous and enterprising population. There is no town or village within from ten to twelve miles distance which can rival it, nor is it presumed that any can be established short of that distance which can have that effect. The plan and termins of sale are liberal.

" STEPHEN HILL, " THOMAS MOGULFIN, " Proprietors.

" July 19, 1819."

The plat of the town, recorded with the records of Washington County, is accompanied by the following remarks, viz. :

" The above is a plan of the town of Hillsborough, situate on the United States Road, nearly equidistant between Brownsville and Wash- ington, Pa. The town contains 106 lots, as numbered on the plan. The streets and alleys are as represented in the plan, The main street is 00 feet wide, except the back street on each side of the town, which is 40 feet wide. Each alley is twenty feet wide. Every lot (Nos.

1, 17, 18, 49, 50, 82, 83, 96, and 97 excepted) is 60 feet wide in front by 200 feet back, and right angles. Lot No. 1 is GO feet front by 120 feet back, lot No. 50 is 53 feet in front, and lot No. 49 is 50 feet in front and wider back so as to form Waynesburgh Street, with a bearing of S. 1814º west, and 60 feet wide. Lots Nos. 17 and 18 are exactly opposite to the last-mentioned street, and lots 49 and 50 tapering back as in the plan, to make the angles of lots Nos. 16 and 19 square. Lots Nos. 96 and 97 are 50 feet each in front, and widening back on the principle of lots Nos. 49 and 50. And lots 82 and 83 are to be exactly opposite to these, and uf such size as to make their adjacent lots square in their angles, and the street between them, S. 2934º west and 60 feet wide.

" STEPHEN HILL, " THOMAS MCGIFFIN, " Proprietors.

" August 16, 1819."

The National road, as before mentioned, runs through the town, forming its main street. By the plan there was laid out, on the northerly side of the street, and near the centre, a plat of ground called " Hill's Reserve." On the same side of the street the lots, commencing at the west side of Hill's Reserve, numbered westwardly from No. 1 to No. 33, inclusive ; then recommencing on the opposite side of the street, numbered back eastwardly from 34 to 89, inclusive. Opposite 89, on the north side of the street, was No. 90, from which the lots numbered westward to 106, which last was laid out adjoining the east side of a re- served plat of ground smaller than " Hill's Reserve," and separated from the latter by a road called on the plan Crooks Street.

Upon the site of Hillsborough a public-house had been kept by Thomas Hill as early as 1794, and it was continued by the Hill family for many years, "Hill's Stone Tavern" being mentioned in the advertisement of Hill and McGiffin's sale of Hillsborough lots in 1819.

The Hillsborough post-office was established im- mediately after the laying out of the town. It is found mentioned in the Washington Reporter of Oct. 3, 1819, that "a post-office has been established at Hillsborough, in Washington County, Pa .; Mr. Samuel Stanley is the postmaster." Mr. Stanley was a car- penter by trade, and settled on the site of Hills- borough ten or twelve years before the laying out of the town. During the period of half a century in which he was a resident of this place he enjoyed the highest esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens. He died in or about 1860, his daughter succeeding him in the charge of the post-office at Hillsborough. It is now designated as "Scenery Hill" post-office.

The first merchant of Hillsborough was Jeremiah Coleman. The first two physicians of the place were Drs. McGougan and Henry Halleck. The present physicians are Drs. T. R. Sterer and C. T. Dodd.

The town now contains two churches (Methodist Episcopal and Lutheran), one school-house, accom- modating two schools, three stores, two blacksmith- shops, one wagon-making establishment, two shoe- shops, one cabinet-maker's shop and undertaking establishment, and fifty dwellings.

Scenery Hill Lodge, No. 770, I. O. O. F., was chartered May 18, 1871, with the following-named charter members : John I. Cleaver, Philip Thornburg,

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977

WEST BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP.

James Dalrymple, Jacob Gayman, Andrew Horn, Mahlon Linton, Eli U. Myers, Norton M. Myers, Walter S. Myers, William Oller, John A. Paul, Joseph W. Ross, Jacob W. Shedler, Taylor Smith, Solomon WVansetter, John A. Yerty. Officers : L. M. Cleaver, N. G .; A. A. Hill, V. G .; George M. Baker, Sec .; B. F. Wise, Asst. Sec .; J. W. Ross, Treas. The lodge now numbers seventy-eight members.

Zollarsville, a little hamlet within the limits of West Bethlehem township, was founded by Jacob Zollar, and named for him. He was of German de- scent, and built the first house in the place. The house was afterwards used by Elijah Hawkins as a store-room. Daniel Zollar located on Ten-Mile Creek, owning a large farm there, and had a family of five sons and two daughters. Mrs. Stephen Ulery, of Zollarsville, and Demas Zollar, of Westmoreland County, are grandchildren of Daniel Zollar.

Zollarsville is located on Ten-Mile Creek, which stream makes a remarkable bend at this point and is here forty yards in width. It is spanned by a fine bridge at this place. The village of Zollarsville con- tains twelve dwelling-houses and the various places of business, which are quite widely separated from each other.

In 1835 a large grist-mill was built here by Jacob Ulery, which was run by water-power, and for years did a considerable business. Since it passed into the possession of Stephen Ulery, steam has been applied with successful results. The " White Pine" hotel is kept by W. H. Ulery, the store and post-office are kept by Messrs. Baker & Lewis. Jacob Nickerson is the wagon-maker, James Porter the blacksmith, and John A. Patterson the resident physician of the place. Dr. James Braden, born in Greene County, educated at Canonsburg, and graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, settled in Zollarsville as the first resident physician of the village, and practiced here from 1850 until the later years of the war of the Rebellion, when he removed to Indianapolis, Ind., where he is still in practice.

Schools .- The earliest school-teachers of whom any account is found in West Bethlehem were Walter Thomson, John Donahoo, and Peter R. Hopkins. The name of the first mentioned is found marked as "schoolmaster" on the assessment-roll of the town- ship for 1800, and the two others were teaching primi- tive schools here at about the same time. Among the teachers of a little later date were Robert Jones, Jonathan Warner, and Peter Nonnasmith. The Donahoo above mentioned was also teaching in 1807. The oldest school-house that is remembered was a log building that stood near the site of the Lutheran and Presbyterian church, on land of the Simon family. In this old building German schools were taught in 1805, and prior to that time. Mr. Samuel Oller recollects it in the year named, and he does not think there was any other school-house in the township at that time. It had a clapboard roof,

and windows made of greased paper. English schools began to be taught in the township about 1809. Prior to that time they were taught in German. Among the first teachers in English was Walter Thomson, who had previously taught in German. Scholars came from a distance of four miles to attend his school. In 1823, in the east part of the township, there was a log school-house standing on Joseph Grable's farm, others on the David Coonrod and Spindler lands. Another, a log building with a cabin roof, was on John Friend's farm. In this last named schools were taught by William McCleary and a teacher named Gordon. Jacob Ragan taught a school in a vacant I log building on Jonathan Garben's farm. Later, Wil- liam McCleary taught a school in a log building on Amos Walton's farm. One of the ancient log school- houses of this township was used until 1863, and was said to have been the last of its kind used for school purposes in Washington County.

Upon the passage of the free school law of 1834 a meeting was held at Washington borough, at which each township in the county was represented, the ob- ject being to take action in reference to the acceptance of the provisions of the law. At this meeting West Bethlehem was one of the five townships of the county that voted for non-acceptance. In 1835, however, the township had accepted the law, conformed to its requirements, and elected as school directors Messrs. J. Eagy and J. Mikesell, and was reported in that year as having assessed and collected $336.19 for school purposes. At that time the number of per- sons liable to school tax in the township was four hundred and eight.

The school report for the year ending June 2, 1863, shows the following school statistics for West Bethle- hem : Number of schools in township, 14; number of teachers, 15 ; number of pupils enrolled, 659; receipts for school purposes for the year, $1397. The report for 1873 showed: Number of schools, 15; number of teachers, 16; number of pupils enrolled, 534; re- ceipts for school purposes, $4205. In 1880 the school report for the township showed : Number of schools, 16; number of teachers, 18; number of pupils en- rolled, 600; receipts for school purposes, $3743.89; expenditures for same, $2533.82.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE OF WEST BETHLEHEM.1

Robert Quail, April 14, 1840. Andrew Cox, April 14, 1840. Abraham Young, April 15, 1845. Stephen Hill, April 10, 1849. Andrew Alexander, April 10, 1849. Abraham Young, April 9, 1850. Atkinson Nichols, April 19, 1852. Andrew Cox, April 13, 1833. George Taylor, April 13, 1853. William Hledge, May 18, 1858. Samuel Barnett, May 18, 1858.

George Taylor, April 21, 1862.

William Hedge, April 14, 1863. Samuel Garrett, April 17, 1866. Samuel Garrett, Nov. 30, 1870.

George Taylor, April 12, 1872. George Taylor, Jan. 21, 1874. Samuel Garrett, Jan. 27, 1874. Samuel Garrett, March 16, 1876. Jacob Gayman, March 21, 1-77. - George Taylor, March 27, 1879. J. B. Wise, April 9, 1881.

1 Until 1838 East Bethlehem and West Bethlehem formed one district, and the justices for both townships for that period are given in East Bethlehem township.

978

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

SAMUEL BARNARD.

Samuel Barnard was born in West Bethlehem town- ship, Washington County, Dec. 1, 1796, and died Jan. 26, 1881. After receiving such instruction as the dis- trict school afforded, he commenced the life of a far- mer upon the old homestead, which he subsequently inherited. He cultivated his lands skillfully and profitably, uniting with this business that of gen- eral stock raising. He was a substantial citizen, and lived a quiet, unostentatious life, doing his duty as he understood it. He was married April 6, 1828, to Eleanor Barnes, who died Feb. 23, 1839, aged forty years. Their children were six in number,-John, their first-born, died in infancy ; their second, Demas, was a member of the Washington Cavalry, Capt. A. J. Greenfield commanding, in the late war, having gone of his own accord to Grafton, Va., a few weeks after the organization of the company, and there had his name placed upon the muster-roll. He was wounded by guerrillas while serving in Virginia, and died Feb. 12, 1863. His remains were interred in the Lutheran Cemetery near his home. His comrades bear testi- mony to his bravery and efficiency as a soldier, and his moral worth as a man. When informed by his physician that he had but a very short time to live, he said to Capt. Greenfield, who was by his side, "Captain, they say I must die! I would like to live a while longer to kill more traitors." The next two of Samuel Barnard's children, and the only ones now living, are twins, -Elizabeth and Samuel B. Eliza- beth is the wife of George Gayman, a farmer of East Bethlehem township, and has two children,-Samuel and Emma. Samuel B. is a prosperous farmer, and resides at the old home. He was a soldier in the late war, enlisting in Capt. A. J. Barr's company Oct. 14, 1862, and serving until he was discharged, July 19, 1865.

The fifth child died in infancy, and the youngest, Eleanor, married Isaac H. Kinder, and died in 1868, aged twenty-nine years. March 12, 1843, Samuel Barnard married Elizabeth Drake, who died Aug. 10, 1860, aged sixty-four years. Mr. Barnard's father, Ignatius Barnard, was born in what is now West Bethlehem township, Oct. 25, 1762. He was a sol- dier, and married Elizabeth Lewis, of Virginia. Their children were Mary, who married William Buckingham; James, who married Julia Bricker; Samuel, before mentioned; Ignatius, who died in infancy ; Parmelia, who married Joseph Wise; Eliz- abeth, who married, Joseph Ross; Catharine, un- married; and Nathan, who married Hannah Zol-

lars. Samuel Barnard's grandfather was a native of Scotland, from which country he emigrated and settled in Washington County, Pa.

GEORGE CRUMRINE.

George Crumrine, of West Bethlehem township, was born Oct. 28, 1813, in the township where he now resides, and was one of sixteen children (all of whom arrived at maturity) of John Crumrine and his wife Barbara, who was a Fohrman. John Crumrine was born on Jan. 22, 1779, in what is now Carroll County, Md., near the present village of Melrose, and there married. His father was Abraham, who was the son of George L., who immigrated from the Palatinate, in Germany, in 1748. Three sons came from Maryland early in the century. George settled in East Bethle- hem township, Peter went on into Knox County, Ohio, and John, the above named, who came later, about 1811, and settled and lived till his death, on Jan. 13, 1857, upon the farm near the mouth of Daniel's Run, now owned by one of his daughters, Mrs. Julia Ann Theakston. His children were Elizabeth, wife of David Horn ; Mary, wife of John Tinkey ; Susan, wife of James Sargent; Margaret, wife of G. W. Crabb ; George; John; William; Julia A., wife of Thomas Theakston; Abraham; Judith, wife of D. W. Longdon ; Sarah; Barbara; Lucinda, wife of John Blackford; Valentine; David; Maria, wife of Dennis Drake.

The fifth named of this family, George Crumrine, had but little start in the way of pecuniary aid, but by means of industry and economy has succeeded in ac- quiring a competency, and is now a representative farmer of his township. In his youth he learned the carpenter's trade, and on Oct. 25, 1840, was married to Mahala, oldest daughter of James and Julia Ann (Bricker) Barnard, neighbors of his father. In 1847 he abandoned his trade and removed to the farm which he now occupies and owns near Hillsborough, the post-office at that place being called Scenery Hill. His children are James B., born April 27, 1842 (mar- ried first, Jennie Collins; second, Gusta Harris), a physician at Pennsboro', W. Va., where he has been practicing for the last fourteen years. Taking an ac- tive interest in politics, he has been a Democratic member of the West Virginia Legislature during its last two sessions. His other children are Elizabeth A., born Dec. 26, 1847, wife of Jacob Gayman, a sur- veyor, residing at Hillsborough; Julia Ann, born June 2, 1849, is unmarried; Cordelia, born May 13, 1851, wife of Robert Hornbake, miller, Frederick- town; Emma Lucinda, born June 13, 1853, wife of Cephas Horn, of Hillsborough; George Leroy, born Sept. 4, 1855, and John Elwood, born Aug. 22, 1865, are unmarried, and reside with their parents.

Samuel Barnand

WEST FINLEY TOWNSHIP.

THIS is the extreme southwestern township of Washington County, it being bounded on the west by the State of West Virginia, and on the south by Greene County. East Finley joins it on the east, and its northern boundary is formed by the township of Donegal. The principal streams of West Finley are Hunter's Fork (of Wheeling Creek), which marks the southern boundary of the township, separating it from Greene County; Robinson's Fork, which flows diagonally through the township from its northeastern to its southwestern corner; Templeton Run, which flows southwestwardly across the south- eastern corner of the township; and the head and main streams of Middle Wheeling Creek, which flows in a westerly course through the north part of the township into West Virginia.

The territory of West Finley, together with that of East Finley township, was for a period of forty years preceding their separate organization included in the old township of Finley, which had itself formed a part of and was taken from the original township of Donegal. In the history of East Finley township will be found an account of the erection of old Finley township in May, 1788, and of subsequent changes in its boundaries and area down to and in- cluding the final division of its territory, and the formation from it of the townships of East Finley and West Finley, which were erected by order of the Court of Quarter Sessions Dec. 24, 1828, with bound- aries which have not been materially changed from that time to the present.

Settlement of West Finley .- Henry Holmes, an Irishman by birth, came into this section and first located in what is now Donegal township, near the site of West Alexander. Afterwards he was granted a Virginia certificate, dated Feb. 24, 1780, for a tract of land called "Burnt Fields," situated on a branch of Robinson's Run, in this township, which was sur- veyed to him Jan. 21, 1785. William, a son of Henry Holmes, married Elizabeth Davidson, and afterwards died upon the homestead, which is now owned by his grandson, Robert Holmes. Mrs. Martin and Mrs. On this land he settled, and had a large piece of land Davidson were daughters of William Holmes.

James Beham settled early in West Finley township, but the date of his settlement is not positively known. Enough, however, has been learned to place him among the first who came here. He lived on a farm, a part of which is now the property of Thomas

Barnes. Among the children of Mr. Beham were two sons then old enough to be of great assistance to their father. According to the custom of the time, Mr. Beham put bells upon all of his stock, horses in- cluded, and turned them out with those of his neigh- bors to graze. One day Mr. Beham sent his two sons for his horses. The Indians had taken the bells off, and by ringing them led the boys far away from their homes, when they seized, tomahawked, and scalped them, and left them, as they supposed, dead. The eldest, however, was not dead, and after a time re- vived and went home, where he related the facts after his recovery. The event occurred upon the bank of a little stream which was called Beham's Run. The school-house near by and the site of the family home have always been called " Beham's school-house" and "Beham's Knob." About the time of the Beham tragedy another occurred in the family of Mr. Ben- nett, who lived not far away. Becoming frightened at the Indians, the whole Bennett family fled and left a bedridden old lady (a relative) alone. When they returned they found the lifeless body of the old lady in the bed. She was buried in the woods, her last resting-place marked by some rude stonés set up near the place of her death. And the thicket which in- closes the place has always been called " Bennett's Thicket."

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 238

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