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 27
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This nation is now respectable for numbers, and more respectable as an enlightened people. That its future auspices and glory may answer to its present prosperity, is my sincere desire.
Be assured, sir, that I shall always take a deep interest in the prosperity of this institution. It is known at a distance among scientific men. You have chosen for it a name not unknown abroad to science, and which to me is peculiarly interesting. I avail myself of this opportunity of bearing my testimony to the talents, learning, and great public services of that vene- rable statesman and philosopher whose name you have prefixed to your institution.
Accept, gentlemen, my grateful acknowledgments for the kindness with which I have been received, and my sincere wishes for your individual hap- piness and prosperity.
CROSS CREEK TOWNSHIP.
On the 23d day of March, 1790, the Court of Quarter Sessions erected this township out of Hopewell. Its boundaries are Smith and Jefferson on the north, Mount Pleasant and Smith on the east, Independence and Hopewell on the south, and Jefferson on the west. This township is fifteen miles northwest of Washington. The creek, which gives the name to the township, rises on the borders of Hope- well and Mount Pleasant, and runs northwest to the Ohio River. Harman's Creek pursues the same course to the same river. Several grist and saw-mills are located on these waters. Its population in 1860 was 1110, of which 81 are colored. It has three stores, ten schools, with five male and five female teachers, the former receiv- ing $32 and the latter $28.58 per month, having two hundred and ninety-six scholars, of which one hundred and fifty-three are males and one hundred and forty-three females, tuition costing per month $1.28. Amount levied for school purposes, $1916.10, and receiving from the State appropriation $101.40.
Its town is Cross Creek village, having fifty-eight dwelling-houses, a Presbyterian church, a Methodist Episcopal church, a cemetery, an Academy, stores, boot and shoe establishments, harness-maker, &c. &c.
1787, Mr. Park, a brother of Mrs. Marquis, was tomahawked and scalped near his own dwelling-house, near where Cross Creek vil- lage now stands.
1795, September 5, Mary Patterson, of Cross Creek township, directed her executors to pay into the hands of the treasurer of the fund for the education of pious youths for the gospel ministry, the sum of £5, under the direction of the Ohio Presbytery.
1795, November 30, Henry Graham and Mary his wife, conveyed
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to Samuel Fleming, Aaron Lyle, and John Wilkins, trustees of the Cross Creek congregation, in consideration of £6, and now under the care of the Rev. Thomas Marquis, a member of the Ohio Presbytery and Synod of Virginia, both under the care of the General Assem- bly of the Presbyterian church, and to the only use of said congre- gation for ever, the said congregation holding to Calvinistic princi- ples, the lot to contain six and one-fourth acres and thirty-four and a half perches.
This congregation has erected successively five houses of worship, viz : In 1779, of unhewed logs, twenty-six by twenty-two feet ; the second in 1784, of hewed logs, sixty by thirty feet, to this, some years afterwards, was added a gallery; the third in 1803, of stone, fifty-six by fifty-six feet ; the fourth in 1830, of brick, seventy- six by fifty-six feet, with a gallery on three sides, and the fifth in 1864, of brick, eighty-two by forty-two feet. Their first pastor was the Rev. Joseph Smith, who received a call on June 21, 1779, who was succeeded by Rev. Thomas Marquis, whose election bears date October 18, 1793. The third and present pastor is the Rev. John Stockton, D. D., who accepted a call in April, 1827. Thus for ninety years has this church been signally blessed by having but three stated ministers, whose labors were acceptable to the people and blessed by the Lord.
ORIGINAL SETTLERS.
From James Simpson, Esq., I learn that the following persons were the original settlers in Cross Creek township : Samuel John- son, John Tenell, Alexander Wells, William Patterson, Ephraim Hart, Jacob Buxton, Thomas Beatty, William Renolds, David Renolds, Thomas Bay, Henry Graham, James Jackson, William Colvin, Col. James Marshall, George Marquis, David Vance, Thomas Crawford, Col. John Marshall, John Marquis, William McCombs.
FORTS.
Wilson's Fort was at Wells' (now Fullerton's) mill ; it was a regu- lar stockade fort.
There was a blockhouse on the farm now owned by William M. Lee, Esq., called Renolds' Fort, from the owner of the land, Wm. Renolds, Esq. Another blockhouse, called Marshall's Fort (after Col. James Marshall), on the property now owned by Thomas McCorkle, Esq. Col. Marshall was the first sheriff of the county.
CANTON TOWNSHIP.
On the 23d of April, 1792, Canton township was formed by a de- cree of the court, bounded on the north by Chartiers, on the east by Chartiers, Washington, and Amwell, on the south by Amwell, and on the west by Hopewell.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
.ts present boundaries are Mount Pleasant and Chartiers on the north, Chartiers, South Strabane, and Washington on the east, Frank- lin and Washington on the south, Hopewell and Buffalo on the west. The National turnpike and Hempfield railroad passes westerly through this township. It is drained by Chartiers' Creek and its tributaries. It adjoins the borough of Washington. The popula- tion, in 1860, was 587, of which 39 were colored. It has five schools employing two male aud three female teachers, the former receiving $30 and the latter $29.29 per month, with 198 scholars, 108 males and 90 females, the tuition costing 71 cents per month. Amount raised for school purposes by taxation $875.20, from the State ap- propriation $63.98. The National pike and Hempfield railroad passes through this township. It contains one fulling mill, one wool- len factory, one flouring mill, one grist-mill, and four saw-mills. Greatest length of this township is 6 miles, breadth 3 miles.
The boundary lines between this and Chartiers changed August term, 1863.
PIKE RUN TOWNSHIP
Was formed by a decree of the court April 23, 1792. Its bounda- ries were Fallowfield and Somerset on the north, the Monongahela River on the east, Bethlehem township on the south and west.
On the 9th day of March, 1839, it was divided into East and West Pike Run. Pike Run and Little Pike Run rise in the township and flow east to the Monongahela River.
1797, December 26, John Samms conveyed to David Grave, Jacob Griffith, John Head, John Almund, Joseph Pennock, and Alexander Peden, trustees on behalf of the people called Quakers, appointed by the Westland monthly meeting for this special purpose, four and one-fourth acres of land, for the purpose of a meeting-house called " Pike Run Meeting." Upon this ground was erected a meeting- house, but subsequently a division was created, one party being called the orthodox and the other Hicksite church. Both churches have been abandoned, and a Methodist Episcopal church erected within one hundred yards in West Pike Run township. This church was built about ten years since, and is called Clover Hill M. E. church, and on the circuit under the charge of Rev. J. B. Yarnall.
· EAST PIKE RUN
Constituted the eastern portion of Pike Run township, but by a de- cree of the court it was divided into two townships, East and West Pike Run. The boundaries of East Pike Run are Fallowfield town- ship on the north, Allen and the Monongahela River on the east, E. Bethlehem and the Monongahela River on the south, W. Pike Run and E. Bethlehem on the west. It is centrally distant from Wash- ington 18 miles southeast. Greatest length 6 miles, breadth 3 miles. The population in 1860 was 1221. It has five schools with three male and two female teachers, the former receiving $45, and the lat-
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ter $40 per month, with 197 scholars, 113 males and 84 females ; cost of tuition per month being $1.47; amount levied for school and building purposes being $1276.54, from the State $83.46.
August 29, 1850, the township lines between East and West Pike Run changed and confirmed by the court. February 1, 1857, the lines between East and West Pike Run and Fallowfield were changed by a decree of the court. Its towns are West Brownsville, Green- field, California, and Granville, the three former of which being boroughs, their respective history will be inserted after that of Gran- ville.
Granville is on the forks of Pike Run. It contains 25 dwelling- houses, a population of 130, and has an extensive pottery and a woollen factory. In the township is one woollen factory, one distil- lery, two grist-mills, and a saw-mill. There are also two excellent shipping coal works in this township.
WEST BROWNSVILLE
Was erected into a borough April 2, 1852.
This town was laid out by Ephraim L. Blaine, Esq., in 1831, but Mr. J. Bowman added the addition to it west of the run. The land originally belonged to Neal Gillespie, deceased. The original town consists of 103 lots, 60 feet front, and ranging from 93 to 270 feet, on account of the abruptness of the river hill. The streets are 60 feet wide ; Water, Middle, and Main streets run parallel with the Monongahela River ; Bridge, Broadway, and Liberty cross these streets at right angles.
In Bowman's addition there are 61 lots, 60 feet in front and 151 feet deep, with two streets, viz., Pennsylvania and Vine streets.
This place is connected with Brownsville, Fayette County, by a bridge over the Monongahela River, 630 feet long, which cost $50,000, and was ereeted in 1832.
West Brownsville has a population of 540; three schools, three teachers, one male and two female, the former at $45 and the latter at $26.50 per month ; 187 scholars, 97 males and 90 females, cost of tuition being 65 ets. per month; amount levied for school pur- poses, $342.00 ; for building purposes, $400.00; received from State appropriation, $60.45. It contains ten stores, two confection- eries, and four distilleries, one stoneware manufactory, two hotels, blacksmith shop, &e., two boat yards, one owned by John S. Prin- gle, Esq., which employs 200 hands, the other by the Messrs. Cocks. From these yards have been launched the best boats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Planing mills and sash factory are in suc- cessful operation by Messrs. Aubrey, Cromlow & Coon.
West Brownsville has a town hall, which is used for a church, although the people generally have pews in the different churches in Brownsville. The national road passes through this place, and it is distant from Washington 23 miles. The town is supplied with
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coal from a vein seven feet in thickness. There are the remains of an old Indian graveyard in West Brownsville, immediately above the Monongahela River.
GREENFIELD.
It was laid out as a town at the confluence of Pike Run with the Monongahela River, in 1819, by Robert Jackman, and was after- wards erected into a borough by the State legislature on the 9th day of April, 1834.
It contains 82 dwelling-houses, eight stores, one confectionery, two churches, the usual number of mechanical branches, with a po- pulation of 465, and is twenty-two miles distant from Washington.
There are two churches in this borough, one under the control of the Methodist Episcopal denomination, and the other, the Cumber- land Presbyterians. The Methodist church was erected in 1838, but in a few years afterwards was enlarged. The pulpit is supplied by Rev. D. A. Pierce.
The Cumberland Presbyterian church is a new edifice, although the first was built about 1839. It has also a large school-house, containing two schools, employing two female teachers, at $30 per month, with 107 scholars, 63 males and 44 females; the price of tuition per month being 72 cents ; amount levied for school pur- poses being $242.45, and received from the State, $46.48.
As a portion of the local history of the town of Greenfield we may state that on the 18th of July, 1814, an association was formed called the Farmers' and Mechanics' Commercial Store of Green- field, for the purpose of raising a fund to establish a store, and con- nect thereby a speedy market for their surplus produce. Capital stock, $20,000, in shares of $10 each, to be under the control of a president and nine directors, who were authorized to erect a store- house, and purchase keel-boats to carry the produce to Pittsburg.
CALIFORNIA,
Situate in East Pike Run township, on the Monongahela River, be- came a borough on the 26th day of November, 1853. It was laid out on the 1st day of May, 1849, when four hundred lots were offer- ed for sale by the proprietors, Job Johnston, Abraham Fry, W. W. Jackman, George W. Hornbeck, John Wood, and Samuel Ashmead, who purchased the farm upon which it is laid out from John Ring- land. This town is 55 miles from Pittsburg, 23 from Washington, and 7 miles from Brownsville. The ground upon which the borough is located is celebrated in the annals of Youghiogheny County his- tory, when Virginia claimed this portion of our State. It was at this point the Indians met in 1767, when the Rev. Dr. Steele, of Car- lisle, was sent out to persuade the white men not to invade the hunting grounds of the Indians. This land was known as belonging to "Indian Peter," who transferred it to Samuel Young. who after-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
wards sold it to Robert Jackman, but in 1784 Mr. Jackman obtained a patent for the same.
The town is beautifully laid out upon the river bank, with streets crossing each other at right angles, 60 feet wide, alleys 20 feet, and lots are 50 by 150 feet, with a resident population of 640. It is separated from the borough of Greenfield by Pike Run, which empties into the Monongahela River.
It contains 88 dwelling houses ; the Southwestern Normal Col- lege of the tenth district, which comprises the counties of Washing- ton, Fayette, Greene, and Somerset ; one large hotel conducted on temperance principles, built in the modern style ; one boat-yard em- ploying about sixty hands, which was established July 4, 1851 ; one steam tannery, one sash and door factory, five stores, one confec- tionery, and one drug store, with the usual number of mechanical branches, two grist-mills, a saw-mill, and two churches.
SOUTHWESTERN NORMAL COLLEGE.
A high school which had been established when the town was laid out, was the nucleus of the Normal College. In its infancy so pros- perous was the high school that in about ten years it became an academy, and the perseverance and zeal which had characterized the professors, trustees, and the citizens in their laudable efforts to pro- mote the educational interests of our State was crowned with tri- umphant success by the academy being changed into the Normal College on the 16th of March, 1865.
The college grounds contain ten acres. The building has a cha- pel, lecture-rooms, recitation-rooms, society hall, dining-room, dormi- tories. The object of this Normal College is to prepare teachers for the promotion and dissemination of the great cause of education, and thereby elevating the profession to that high standard of moral and mental culture which the interests of our State demand.
The faculty consists of-
J. C. GILCHRIST, Principal and Professor of Didactics, Mental and Moral Science, and Languages.
J. G. Good. Professor of Higher Mathematics and Natural Science.
G. G. Hertzog, Professor of Arithmetic and Book-Keeping.
Mrs. H. C. Gilchrist, Professor of English Grammar and Literature and History.
Miss Annie M. Hurfort, Professor of the English Branches, Elocution, and Penmanship.
Mrs. S. C. Hays and Miss H. N. Riggs, teachers of Model School.
Miss Minnie Beacom, teacher of Instrumental Music.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Of this borough is under the care of Rev. D. A. Pierce. It is a large fine brick edifice, and erected near the centre of the town.
The Disciples also have a church organization.
There are literary societies connected with the college, while the town sustains Lodge 491 of Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
the Temple of Honor No. 11, and the Social Temple No. 22, these two latter being temperance organizations.
Bituminous coal abounds throughout the whole region of country.
California has four schools employing one male and three female teachers, the former receiving $60 and the latter $33 per month, with 202 scholars, 108 males and 94 females, tuition costing per month 71 cents ; amount levied for school purposes $427.15, received from the State appropriation $70.98.
WEST PIKE RUN
Was formed into a separate township on the 9th day of March, 1839. Its boundaries are Fallowfield township on the north ; E. Pike Run on the east ; E. Bethlehem on the south ; Somerset and W. Bethlehem on the west. Greatest length six miles, breadth four miles. This township is centrally distant from the borough of Washington 14 miles. Its population in 1860, was 869, of which 73 are colored.
It has three stores, seven schools, with three male and four female teachers employed, the former at $31.19, the latter at $30, with 322 scholars, 167 males, 155 females, tuition costing per month 85 cents ; tax levied for school purposes $1044.32, appropriation from the State $90.00.
At the February term, 1858, the township lines between West Pike Run and Fallowfield were altered and confirmed by the court.
Centreville and Beallsville are on the National pike, which di- vides East Bethlehem and West Pike Run, as also the two towns. We have placed Centreville in this township, but Beallsville being a borough, its history will be given at its appropriate place.
On the farm of Mr. West stands an Episcopal church called St. Thomas', which was erected in 1777, when this territory belonged to Youghiogheny County, Virginia. Its first minister was Rev. Mr. Ayres ; his successors Rev. Mr. Davis, Rev. Mr. Peiffer, Rev. Mr. Boston, Rev. Mr. Freeman, Rev. Mr. Temple, Rev. Mr. Tenbrooke, and others. It is on the Brownsville and Pittsburg road, 7 miles from Brownsville, 26 miles from Pittsburg, 3} miles from Greenfield. It is built of logs, and weather-boarded, 30 feet square, two stories, with a gallery around it. It is the oldest church in the county.
At the time of the whiskey insurrection, and during the ministry of Rev. Mr. Ayres, and while the insurgents were marching towards Parkinson's Ferry, they stopped at this church, in which Rev. Mr. Ayres was then preaching, and for his supposed disloyal sentiments, he advocating the duty of the citizen towards the government, these insurgents took him from the pulpit, determined to shoot him, but by a Providental interference the wrath of man was restrained, and he returned to the church and finished his sermon.
Among the papers of Rev. Joseph Dodridge, I find the following memorandum :-
"At a convention held at St. Thomas' Church, in Washington County, Pa., September 25, 1803, present, Rev. Robert Ayres, Rev. Joseph Dod
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
ridge, Rev. Francis Reno, and Rev. Mr. Seaton. After divine service Rev. R. Ayres was appointed chairman, and Stephen John Francis secretary, when the following resolution was adopted :-
Resolved, That application for supplies shall be made to the convention in writing, with the names annexed of those who wish the supply, and that they shall become responsible to the minister for a sum not less than four dollars.
This convention passed another resolution that an adjourned meeting thereof should be held in six months, at the church near Gen. Neville's old place, on Chartiers' Creek ; Rev. R. Ayres to preach the opening sermon."
In 1810, a meeting of the Protestant Episcopal clergymen was held in Washington, when it was resolved that the Rev. Jos. Dod- ridge open a correspondence with the Rt. Rev. Bishop White, for the purpose of obtaining, through him, permission from the General Convention to form a diocese in the western country embracing the western counties of Pennsylvania, Western Virginia, and the State of Ohio, and to elect a bishop.
There is a Methodist Episcopal church in Centreville; also two miles from this place is a brick church called Taylor's M. E. church, both under the care of Rev. J. C. McIntire.
The township contains two grist-mills, four steam saw-mills, two sorghum manufactories, one vineyard, which manufactures about 600 gallons of wine annually, and one distillery.
Centreville is three miles east of Beallsville on the National pike, and was laid out by Samuel Rogers in 1819. It derives its name from being midway between Hillsboro and Brownsville. It contains fifty dwellings, four stores, and the usual number of the mechanical professions, with a population of 263. It is distant from Washing- ton eighteen miles. There is an Odd Fellows' Lodge in this place.
BEALLSVILLE
Was erected into a borough February 16, 1852. This town was laid out by Zephaniah Bealle, George Jackson, Christian Kreider, and S. W. Blake, on the 23d of August, 1819, on the National pike. The lots (60 by 180 feet) were sold on the 12th of September follow- ing. It is eight miles from Brownsville, and fifteen from Washing- ton, on the boundary line between Pike Run and E. Bethlehem, containing seventy-eight dwelling houses, two hotels, four stores, two groceries, two tailors, saddle and harness maker, blacksmith, wagon-maker, a marble manufactory, shoe makers, &c. &c., a Metho- dist Episcopal church, a Masonic hall, and one school-house, with a population of 410.
The Presbyterian denomination some time since had an organiza- tion and a brick church, but it has been sold to the Free Masons.
It has two schools with two teachers, one male at $55 and one fe- male at $30 per month, having 95 scholars, 48 males, 47 females ; cost of tuition per month 98 cents; amount of tax levied, $219.68 ; received from the State appropriation $39.78.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
Main Street, on the National road, is the principal street, although Gay Street crosses it nearly at right angles. This street is on the State road leading from Pittsburg to Morgantown. The lots are 60 by 180 feet.
There is a Baptist church west of Beallsville, near the township line of West Bethlehem, and a Methodist Protestant church near J. Baker, Esq., in the centre of the township.
RICH HILL TOWNSHIP.
The Supreme Executive Council, on March 13, 1793, upon the application of the court of Washington County, established this township, assigning as its boundaries Finley township on the north, Franklin and Greene on the east, Mason and Dixon's line on the south, and Virginia on the west. By the act of the legislature of February 9, 1796, this township, with Franklin, Greene, Morgan, and Cumberland townships, comprised Grecne County.
BUFFALO TOWNSHIP
Was organized by a decree of the Court of Quarter Sessions, on 8th May, 1799. It was bounded on the north by Hopewell, on the east by Canton, on the south by Morris and Finley, and on the west by Donegal.
Its present boundaries are Hopewell and Independence townships on the north, Canton and Franklin on the east, East Finley and Franklin on the south, and Donegal on the west. Greatest length eight miles, breadth seven miles. It is centrally distant from Washington borough, seven miles. It is drained by Buffalo Creek and its branches, which flow northwest into the Ohio River. Upon this creek are many grist and saw-mills. In 1860 its population was 1578, of which 2 were colored. At the February term of the court, 1866, the lines between Buffalo and Franklin townships were con- firmed.
It has two stores, one distillery, and eight schools, employing three male and five female teachers, the former at $36.66, the latter at $35, with three hundred and twenty scholars, one hundred and ninety males, one hundred and forty females ; cost of tuition, $1.51 per month; amount of taxes for school purposes, $1484.63, and building purposes, $1487.63 ; State appropriation, $127.92.
Its towns are Taylorstown and Buffalo village. Originally Tay- lorstown was called New Brunswick, and in 1808 elections were held at this place by law. Afterwards it became changed to its present name. It is situate on Buffalo Creek, eight miles west of Washington, containing forty-two dwelling houses and a population of two hundred and sixty-five.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Is situated in this township, on the head-waters of the east fork of Buffalo Creek, one-half mile south of the National road.
This church was built about 1830, and has had the ministerial labors of Rev. W. P. Alrich until 1864, when he resigned. His immediate successor was Rev. Mr. Alexander, who has since died. The present incumbent is the Rev. R. W. Morton. There is a Sab- bath school connected with this church.
There are also the following churches in this township, viz : A M. E. church, near Roney's Point, in the northern part, a Baptist church, southwest of the Railroad depot, near Mr. Caldwell's, and two United Presbyterian churches.
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