USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County : from its first settlement to the present time, first under Virginia as Yohogania, Ohio, or Augusta County until 1781, and subsequently under Pennsylvania > Part 13
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Rev. Alexander B. Brown became stated supply in 1841 and offi- ciated until 1845, when he resigned, and Rev. W. H. Orr, Professor in Jefferson College, was chosen in the same year. He officiated about seven years, and near the close of his pastorate, in 1851, a new brick building was erected, located a few rods south of the old structure, on a more elevated piece of ground. It cost two thousand dollars.
The Rev. J. W. Hamilton became pastor in 1852 and served about two years and six months.
Rev. Alexander B. Brown, D. D., having resigned the Presidency of Jefferson College and removed to the country, in 1856, preached occasionally at Centre church, and at length, in 1858, became pastor. His health failing, Dr. Brown resigned the pastorate December 16, 1862.
Rev. Francis J. Collier, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Phila- delphia, was called in October, 1863, began to labor in November, and was ordained and installed April 27, 1864. He is pastor at the present time.
In connection with the church there is a Sabbath school, having eight teachers and about ninety scholars, which holds its sessions every year during the summer months. The church is in a prosper- ous condition. The number of members is one hundred and sixty ; the number of families about seventy ; the number of elders, seven. The church is neatly painted, papered, and carpeted. It is heated by furnaces. The yard surrounding the building is securely inclosed and tastefully ornamented.
ROBINSON TOWNSHIP
Was the eleventh of the original townships formed by the trustees, July 15th, 1781. It was then bounded by the Ohio River on the north, the Monongahela River on the east, Cecil township on the south, and Smith township on the west; but its large proportions have been considerably decreased, and it is now bounded by Alle- gheny County on the north and east, Cecil and Mount Pleasant on the south, and Hanover and Smith on the west, centrally distant from Washington borough, north twenty-two miles. Its greatest length is ten miles ; breadth three miles.
Population in 1860, eight hundred and forty, of which twenty- three are colored. It is drained on the north by Racoon Creek, on the east by branches of Chartiers' Creek and Montour's Run. The
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pike from Pittsburg to Steubenville runs through this township. On December 22d, 1836, the lines between Robinson, Cecil, Mount Pleasant, and Smith were adjusted and confirmed by the court. It has five stores, five schools, with one male and four female teachers- the former receiving $34, and the latter $30 per month, with 156 scholars (76 males and 80 females), tuition costing $1.20 cents per month ; the tax levied being seven hundred and forty-two dollars and eighty-four cents ; the State appropriation, eighty-eight dol- lars and ninety-two cents ; amount levied for building purposes, ten hundred and fourteen dollars and fourteen cents. The towns are Candor,* MacDonald Station and Midway or Egypt. +
1793, January 19th. John Clark and Jane his wife conveyed to William Rankin, Peter Kidd, William McCandless, Matthew Bailey, John Dunlap, and Alexander Wright, trustees of Racoon congre- gation, in consideration of nine pounds specie, all that lot of ground whereon the congregation has erected their church, under the pas- toral care of Rev. Joseph Patterson, containing seven acres strict measure.
UPPER RACOON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Is located in Robinson township. Rev. Joseph Patterson was in- stalled as the first pastor, November 11th, 1789, and remained as such until October 16th, 1816. He was succeeded by the Rev. Moses Allen the 27th of May, 1817, who officiated until October 16th, 1839. Rev. Clement N. Mckaig was ordained his successor, June 14th, 1841, and served until Rev. John W. Kerr became its pastor in 1862 and resigned in 1865. The pulpit is filled with supplies.
There is a tradition in the northern part of this county in regard to the Rev. Mr. Patterson, verified by the most substantial aged men of our county, which I shall relate. Mr. Patterson was a great and good man-prompt to his word and conscientious in the discharge of his every duty. A subscription was being made up to erect a meeting house, and the day appointed for its payment. The day arrived and he was disappointed in not receiving the promised money which would liquidate his subscription, amounting to six dol- lars. Nevertheless he concluded to attend the mecting at the school- house (the place appointed), and make such a statement as would be satisfactory. He accordingly started with his gun on his shoulder. Wending his way along to the meeting, he arrived at a beautiful grove, where God and nature seemed to invite him to pour out his soul in prayer and by faith to look up for the blessing. In the midst of this devotional exercise, and when his soul was earnestly engaged in prayer, he heard a rustling among the leaves. He opened his eyes, and, behold, a panther was approaching him. He raised his rifle and
* Candor is in the southern part of the township and has forty dwelling houses, with a population of two hundred and ten. Havelock Station is on the railroad, on the property belonging to the estate of Col. McDonald. This road passes through the southern part of the township into Smith.
t Midway is on the Pan Handle Railroad.
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killed the wild animal. He took the scalp and skin with him to the meeting as a trophy of his victory. He sold them for six dollars, and was thereby enabled to redeem his subscription.
There is a United Presbyterian church not far from the Allegheny County line under the care of Rev. J. C. Rankin.
ROBINSON U. P. CHURCH
Was organized in 1833. The Rev. William Wilson officiated from 1833 to 1842. Rev. Jolin Scott, D. D., from September 19th, 1843, to June, 1845. Rev. James G. Rankin, from September, 1849, to November, 1868. The Rev. W. R. McKee has accepted a call and commenced his pastorate in 1869. It has a membership of one hundred and thirty-seven.
STRABANE TOWNSHIP
Was the twelfth of the original thirteen townships. It was bounded by Cecil on the north, Nottingham and Fallowfield on the east, Beth- lehem on the south, and Cecil on the west. On the 22d of Sep- tember, 1785, the Court of Quarter Sessions of this county received a petition from the citizens of the town of Washington, praying that it might be set apart as a separate district from this township. The court recommended the petition to the Supreme Executive Coun- cil, and in February, 1786, the request was confirmed. On Octo- ber 7, 1830, the township was again divided into North and South Strabane townships. It is drained by Chartiers' and Little Chartiers' creeks. The town of Washington was originally in this township.
An alteration of the boundary lines was confirmed by the court between this and Amwell township, at the October term in 1830, the line running from the house of Thomas Hastings to the mouth of the lane at or near Peter Dager's.
CHARTIERS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
June 20, 1798, Josiah Haines conveyed two and a fourth acres of land to the Presbyterian congregation, holding the principles of the Presbyterian church as adopted in 1788, and on the 26th of June following, Craig Ritchie, Esq., attorney of Samuel Gilpin, of Cecil County, Maryland, conveyed to the trustees of the same church seven acres and three-fourths (the remaining two and a fourth acres) of the ten acres being exchanged by the said trustees for other land more convenient.
The trustees were enabled to hold land as a body politic in law, an act of incorporation having been procured February 15, 1798. The first trustees were Robert Hill, William Kerr, James McCreedy, William Hays, John Mercer, James Morrison, George Craighead, James Bradford, and John Cotton. The following members of the congregation (February 15, 1798) petitioned for the charter : John McMillen, John McDowell, Craig Ritchie, Moses Coe, Robert
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Hill, William Cochran, George Craighead, William Kerr, Robert Hughes, James Foster, James Allison, John Johnston, William Welch, James Officer, Hans McClean, Abraham De Haven, Robert Welch, Robert Bowland, William Hays, John Macahey, Wm. Hartapee, Nicholas Smith, Daniel Kirkpatrick, James Wishart, John Donnell, William Gault, Alexander Frazer, John Lindsey, Thomas Brysland, Samuel Logan, Thomas Bracker, John McClain, James Gaston, John Crawford, George McCook.
This church is now, by a division of the township, in North Stra- bane. It is one mile south of Canonsburg, on the road leading to Monongahela City.
It is supposed that this church was organized by Dr. John McMil- lan, soon after his ordination, in 1776, as he received a call from both this and Pigeon Creek church. He continued its pastor until April 21, 1830. His successor was Rev. F. Leake, who was installed July 12, 1831, and served until June 21, 1843. He was succeeded by Rev. Alexander B. Brown (son of Rev. Matthew Brown), Sep- tember 3, 1844, and continued to officiate until January 11, 1848. Rev. Robert White was installed September 6, 1848, and died December 14, 1848. The Rev. Joseph R. Wilson became the pas- tor on the 20th of June, 1849, and resigned his pastoral care January 15, 1851. Their present pastor, Rev. William Ewing, was installed January 14, 1852. This church is one of the oldest west of the Allegheny Mountains.
A public newspaper of this county, of May 12, 1796, says, a meet- ing of Dr. Millan's church was held. and after the religious service of Thursday was over, Dr. Millan intimated that business of a public nature and of great importance required the consideration of the meeting. He was chosen Chairman, and Craig Ritchie, Esq., Sec- retary. The Chairman then stated the present critical state of the country and the danger of an Indian and perhaps a British war, when, after discussion, the following resolutions were adopted :-
Resolved, unanimously, That, in the opinion of this meeting, the interests of this county require that the British treaty should be carried into execution with good faith.
Resolved, unanimously, That a petition be circulated and signed, and sent to the House of Representatives to this effect.
Resolved, unanimously, That the following petition be adopted.
To the Honorable the House of Representatives of the United States :-
The petition of sundry inhabitants of the western counties of Pennsylvania, humbly showeth : Having lately, with great cordiality and good intentions, very generally united in a petition, that the House of Representatives would concur in the execution of the British treaty, we had believed that no further expression of our wishes would be necessary. But it having been suggested that the Spanish treaty was the main object of our petition, and that we were
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
indifferent as to the British treaty, and seeing our apprehensions that the British treaty might be defeated were but too well grounded, and are not yet removed, we feel ourselves constrained by a regard both to safety and duty, again to address your honorable House.
We consider the British treaty as peculiarly advantageous to us and essential to our enjoying the blessings of liberty and peace. Its ratification made it a solemn national act, according to the terms of the Constitution, binding the people and every branch of government, and we consider its execution necessary for public faith which we regard, interest which we pursue, and peace which we cherish. We therefore pray that the House of Representatives will concur with the other branches of government in a full and faithful execution of the treaty between the United States and Great Britain.
This petition being signed by all present, the meeting also passed the following :-
Resolved, That the Chairman be requested to write to his breth- ren, the ministers, on this side of the mountains, requesting them to call their congregations together as soon as possible, on some week day, and take their sentiments on this interesting subject.
In connection with the history of this church we will mention a providential incident. The Rev. Dr. John McMillan, in 1802, and who was pastor of this church, met with a severe trial, both of his faith and patience, as well as his Christianity. His biographer gives the following account of this domestic affliction : Two young minis- ters of great promise had married two of his daughters. The Rev. John Watson, the first President of Jefferson College, under the charter, had married his second daughter, Margaret. The Rev. William Moorehead had married his eldest daughter, Jane. For a time the prospect for enlarged domestic and social enjoyment shone brightly on the doctor and his family, but by the Allwise, yet deeply mysterious providence of God, these two ministers, who had been married to two sisters, by their father, on the same day, took sick on the same day, died on the same day, and were buried in the same grave at the Chartiers Presbyterian church. The two funeral processions, one coming from the house of Dr. McMillan, the other' from the village of Canonsburg, met at the same point where the. roads united, a few hundred yards from the graveyard.
NORTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP.
By a decision of the Court of Quarter Sessions on the 2d day of May, 1831, Strabane township was divided into North and South: Strabane. This township is bounded on the north by Cecil, Peters,. and Chartiers ; on the east by Peters and Nottingham ; on the south by Somerset and South Strabane ; and on the west by Chartiers and South Strabane. Its greatest length is 6 miles ; breadth 6} miles. In 1860, the population was 1213, of which 48 are colored.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
Munntown is the only town in the limits of the township with a population of sixty.
The township has two stores, six schools, with two male and four female teachers, each receiving per month $30, with 285 scholars, of whom 130 are males and 155 are females ; cost of tuition per month 77 cents. Amount levied for school purposes, $1463.06 ; received from the State appropriation $119.34.
COL. GEO. MORGAN
Lived and died at the " Morganza" farm, two miles below Canons- burg, in this township. He was appointed Indian agent as early as 1776, and held the appointment until 1779, when he resigned. Dur- ing the time he held the office, he made Pittsburg his head-quarters. History represents him as a man of unwearied activity, great per- severance, and familiar with Indian manners and habits. He won their confidence by his frank manner, soldierly bearing, generosity, and strict honesty. After an eventful military life, being an officer in the United States army, he retired to his Morganza farm, and devoted himself to agricultural pursuits, and the high honor belongs to North Strabane township of one of her sons (Col. Morgan), on the 7th of February, 1786, receiving a gold medal from the Philadelphia So- ciety for Promoting Agriculture, for furnishing the best Essay on a Farmyard. Hon. Timothy Pickering, in the letter forwarding the medal, says : "It is the first premium ever given in America in agri- culture." The medal is in the possession of David T. Morgan, Esq., of Washington, Pa. It is of gold, one and three-fourths inches in diameter ; on the obverse side, a farm-house with a man ploughing with two oxen ; on the reverse, the motto, " Venerate the Plough."
SOUTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP.
This township was formed May 3, 1831, by a division of Strabane township, and is bounded on the north by North Strabane and Char- tiers ; on the east by Somerset and W. Bethlehem ; on the south by Franklin and Amwell, and on the west by Washington, Canton, and Franklin. Its greatest length is 9 miles ; breadth 4} miles. In 1860, the population was 1063, of which 53 are colored. It contains seven schools with seven female teachers, who receive thirty dol- lars per month, having 232 scholars (126 males and 106 females) ; tuition costing $1.46 per month. Amount levied for school purposes $1189.12 ; received from the State appropriation $103 35.
The towns are Cloakeyville and Williamsburg, although sometimes called Martinsburg. The former is situated on the Williamsport and Washington turnpike, six miles from Washington, and the latter on the national road two miles east of the borough of Washington. On the 28th of February, 1863, the lines between Canton and South Strabane were confirmed by the court.
November 8th, 1857, the township lines between Canton, Chartiers,
1
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
and South Strabane were confirmed by the court, the question having been referred to a vote of the people.
SMITH TOWNSHIP.
This was the thirteenth, or last township organized July 15, 1781, at the organization of Washington County.
The original boundaries were the Ohio River on the north ; Rob- inson and Cecil townships on the east; Hopewell on the south, and Virginia on the west.
On the 5th day of January, 1786, an application was made to the court for a division, which being sanctioned, a certificate was sent to the Supreme Executive Council who, on the 11th of March, 1786, confirmed the decree of the court, and Hanover township was there- by erected. October 7, 1830, part of the division line between Hano- ver and Smith townships was confirmed by the court.
At the May session of the court, held in 1856, the boundary lines between Cross Creek and Smith were changed and confirmed.
Its present boundaries are Hanover and Robinson townships on the north; Robinson and Mount Pleasant on the east; Cross Creek and Mount Pleasant on the south; Jefferson, Hanover, and Cross Creek on the west. Its greatest length eight miles; breadth six miles. It is centrally situated northwest from Washington borough sixteen miles.
It is drained northwest by Racoon Creek and its branches. Popu- lation in 1860, 1417, of whom twenty-four were colored.
It contains fourteen stores, ten schools, with five male and five fe- male teachers, the former receiving $43.33 per month and the latter $33; having 394 scholars, of whom 203 are males and 191 females; tuition costing per month, $1.33. Amount of tax levied for school purposes, $2730; received from the State appropriation $131.04.
The Pittsburg and Steubenville Railroad passes through the town- ship.
The towns are Burgettstown, Bulger, Bavington, and Whitetown coal works.
On February 28, 1795, George Burgett laid out Burgettstown on the south fork of Racoon Creek, one mile north of the centre of the township. Then it was called West Boston, but the neighbors dc- siring to honor the founder of their village called it Burgettstown.
It is seventeen miles northwest of Washington, and on account of its locality, being on the Pittsburg and Steubenville Railroad, has become one of the most important towns of our county. The Rev. J. T. Fredericks laid out an addition to the town in 1865, whereon is the railroad station. The lots are selling rapidly and the town increasing by the erection of good and substantial buildings, and an energetic and thriving community.
Bulger is a small village near Bulger station, about three miles east of Burgettstown.
Bavington is in the northeast corner of the township, and White-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
town coal works is on the railroad, and laid out on Mr. Simpson's farm.
On the 10th of June, 1810, Captain John Bavington of this town- ship attempted to cross the Ohio River at Kelley's Ferry on a flat- boat (the mouth of Harman's Creek) with a wagon loaded with whiskey and flour and four horses. When half way across, by the stamping of the horses, one of the boards became loosened, the boat filled with water, the load sank, and Capt. Bavington and the ferry- man were drowned. When the bodies were found Capt. B had his whip firmly grasped in his hand. The depth of the Ohio River did not cover the bows of his wagon. He was buried at the cross roads near Florence.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
In the year 1845, a petition was sent to the Presbytery of Wash- ington, for the organization of a church at Burgettstown, which prayer was denied, and an appeal taken to the Synod of Wheeling, who granted the request and directed the Presbytery to organize the church. This was effected October 18, 1849, and Reverend Joel Stoneroad was elected the pastor. In October, 1850, he was suc- ceeded by the Rev. James P. Fulton, and remained its pastor until 1857; and in the spring of 1858 the Rev. James T. Frederick, the present pastor, was called, and ordained in October following.
In 1860 the church was enlarged and refitted.
There are two United Presbyterian churches in this township, the former in Burgettstown. It was organized about 1809, the Rev. W. C. Brownlee, D. D., was pastor from May 3, 1809, to September 1, 1812; Rev. Alexander Donnan, from July 6, 1819, to May 12, 1840; Rev. R. J. Hammond from 1845 to April 15, 1856; Reverend S. H. Graham is the present pastor.
It has a membership of 160.
Centre U. P. Church was organized in 1859. Rev. D. S. Kennedy has been its pastor from September 4, 1862, until the present time, with a membership of 150.
There was, many years since, on the farm of James Leech, Esq., on the road leading from Hickory to Burgettstown, abont half way. a United Presbyterian church called Mount Vernon, but the organi- zation does not now exist.
POETS.
Smith township has the honor of contributing more poetry to the intellectual world than any township or borough in the county.
Mr. David Bruce, a native of Scotland, emigrated to America in 1784, and in the year 1794 he settled in Burgettstown as a merchant.
In his leisure moments he devoted his time to composing poems, written in the Scottish dialect, under the signature of the Scots Irishman, which were first published in the Western Telegraph, pub- lished in Washington by John Colerick, who afterwards embodied
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them into a valuable work on account of their merit. In these poems Mr. Bruce displays a vivid imagination, and both wit and satire are at his command, while patriotism flows in gentle and harmonious strains.
The dedication of the work is to the Hon. Alexander Addison, President of the Court of Common Pleas of the 5th district. The concluding verse reads thus :-
An' when your enemies hae gaen To that black hole was made by sin, May ye your honorable seat maintain, Right to dispense, Wi' mind discriminating, keen, An' manly sense.
In writing of Washington retiring from public life, he says :-
His parting precepts ever dear, A father's love, a father's care On every heart impress ; Illum'd by Wisdom's purest ray, Their light directs the surest way To peace and happiness.
On earth will future bards rehearse His deeds in never-dying verse, And when all mortal things shall cease, And time has run his span ; In regions of eternal spring, The blest their heavenly harps will string, And to seraphic airs will sing The friend of peace and man.
In the year 1800 Mrs. Sally Hastings removed from Donegal township, Lancaster County, to this county, and composed many fugitive pieces of poetry, which she afterwards collected into a volume, together with her diary, and published in the year 1808. Her family commenced their journey on Oct. 7, 1800, in the mode then used-a wagon-to travel two hundred and eighty miles, and, after twenty-three days' journey, arrived in Washington County, of which she says, "The inhabitants appear to be a sober, rational, and even courteous people, who prefer convenience to parade, and par- take those blessings which bounteous Providence allots them, with- out ambition, envy, or stupidity." On October 31 the family left Canonsburg for their new home in Smith township, and having arrived on the land, she thus writes, "I shall take a seat on the trunk of a tree, while the men are cutting a road to the house, and endeavor to describe the spot of which I am now to consider myself an inhabitant."
Great Nature, in her loose arrray, Derives from art no foreign aid ; The lofty oak, the spreading bay, With shade still deepening into shade.
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The moss, the ivy, and the vine Increase the awful gloom profound, Whilst hills and lonely wilds combine To shed fantastic terrors round.
Time would fail me were I to undertake to make extracts from this volume of poems written by Sally Hastings-one must suffice to demonstrate that nature forms the poet, and breathes into the mind beautiful ideas, magnificent conceptions, and eternal thoughts.
That hand that wheels the spheres, upon the tree
Was nail'd, and torn and crucified for me !
Here let eternal wonders ceaseless rise !
The creature lives-the Great Creator dies !! And dies for whom ?- Oh, wonder ever new !-
My guilty soul, your Maker dies for you ! ! !
The Lord of Life, who breath and being gave, And immortality to all that live,
He dies-how can He die ?- 'tis wonder new-
Yet in His hand He holds death's fatal keys-
Heaven, earth, and hell his sov'reign will obeys.
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