USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > History of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 56
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
used as a tavern in 1797. From 1820 to 1830 it was kept by David Cook, who. had been register and recorder and associate judge of Westmoreland county. East Otterman street was ended by the brewery, which was owned by John and Richard North, who came here from England. This was at a point about half- way between Main street and the end of East Otterman street, at the foot of the hill. At that time the canal, of which we have spoken before, and the state pike from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia and national pike from Wheeling. to Baltimore, had been completed, and the travel through Greensburg was very heavy. Wagons, carriages and horsemen passed daily through the town, and the hotels were well patronized.
As early as 1798 Greensburg had public taverns at which liquors were sold by authority under licenses granted by the court. The first license- granted was to Joseph Thompson, of the town of Greensburg. He was li- censed "to sell all kinds of spirituous liquors by the small measure," this. meaning by the gill. The most important tavern in the early days was "The Simon Drum House," which stood where the "Fisher House" is now located. It was erected about 1791. The "Harbach House" stood on the southeast corner of Main and Pittsburgh streets. Both Harbach and his son Abraham were the proprietors of this hotel. The latter owned an interest in a line of stages, and was also a mail contractor; he succeeded therefore in having: most of the stages put up at his hotel. The site now occupied by the "Null House" and the one occupied by the "Cope House" were famous tavern stands more than a century ago. It was the custom in those days to have large signs erected, upon which were painted pictures of prominent men of the day,. such as Greene, Washington, Jefferson, etc., and these in some way generally indicated the politics of the hotel. The Westmoreland House was kept by Frederick A. Rohrer, and was for many years the Democratic headquarters. of our people. On West Otterman street, at the corner of it and Harrison avenue, was a much frequented tavern kept by a man named Hornish. He' catered to the broad-wheeled wagon trade, and to wagons in general. In Dutch Town there was another kept by a man named Kuhns, who was of German descent. This was the favorite stopping place of the German element, and particularly of those who were Democrats. In Irish Town there was a tavern called "The Federal Springs," kept by Frederick Mechling. The pol- itics of this tavern was the opposite of the Kuhns House, as is indicated by its name, "Federal," but in both houses the language spoken was mostly Penn- sylvania Dutch. Simon Singer kept the "Greensburg and Pittsburgh Hotel." The Dublin Hotel was an Irish house kept by a man named Thompson, and stood on a site then called "Green Lane," now known as Pennsylvania avenue, and was between the Rappe Hotel and the stairway to the Pennsylvania rail- road station. About a mile east of Greensburg, on the turnpike, was the Eicher House. This was also a wagon tavern, kept by Griffith Clark, who died in
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
1829, and who was buried with full Masonic honors. The brethren of the mystic tie attended his funeral in full dress, and at their head marched the venerable Judge John Young. This tavern was afterwards kept by Brintnal Robbins, a Revolutionary soldier, Peter Roe, Joseph Nicewonger and others.
Public amusements were very rare in the early days of Greensburg. Militia parades, Fourth of July demonstrations, circular fox hunts and barn raisings close to town were the leading diversions for the men and boys. Whisky was very cheap, and flowed copiously on all these occasions. Women at- tended and took some part in some of these diversions, but they were almost exclusively for men. Exclusive gatherings for women were very rare, and were almost entirely confined to quiltings. When the turnpike was com- pleted from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh amusements became more varied and numerous. Occasionally there came through on the new pike a traveling the- atrical entertainment or a musical concert, which gave their performances in the upper room of the courthouse. With the pike, too, came the first exhi- bition of wild animals in menageries, generally called "shows." These were new then and were patronized by all classes, some even coming as far as twenty miles, many of them on foot, to see a tent show. The Westmoreland Republican of June 12, 1819, advertises a new wonder, a living male elephant named "Columbus," to be seen in Greensburg on Wednesday, June 16th. The paper announces that the elephant is "the largest and most sagacious animal in the known world," and that the manner in which it takes its food and drink makes it the greatest curiosity ever offered to the public. It also notifies the public that "Columbus" has large tusks, and that though he looks for- midable his docility surpasses that of any other animal ever exhibited in this section. In Philadelphia, it says, "he was allowed to be the best educated animal that ever crossed the Atlantic ocean. His height is eight feet, his ears two feet two inches long, and his weight between four and five thousand pounds." In a note the advertisement says the elephant will be exhibited at Laughlinstown on Monday, the 14th, and at Youngstown on Tuesday, the 15th of June. Admission, 25 cents; children at half price, in specie or par money.
The same year, 1819, came the first horse race. It was held on Thurs- day, October 7, on the farm of David Williams, west of Greensburg. It lasted three days, with a purse of fifty dollars for the first day and forty dollars for the second day. The third day was the sweepstakes day, and was free for all horse flesh in the state.
Wandering theatrical troups of those days had no advance agent, and the announcement of their entertainment was made after their arrival. "Rich- ard the Third" was first played here by Messrs. Lucas, Davis and Smith on May 7th, 1825.
The first schoolhouse was a log building. The date of its construction
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
cannot be determined, but it must have been about 1790, for it was torn down in 1825 or 1826, because it was no longer fit for use. It stood where a later borough, or common schoolhouse stood, and is now marked by the old brick house in the old St. Clair cemetery. The first information we have concern- ing it is in a deed from William Jack to the burgesses and inhabitants of the borough of Greensburg. This instrument is dated April 18, 1803. In de- scribing the lot it says: "Upon which a log schoolhouse was erected by and at the expense of certain inhabitants of said borough and its vicinity." After the custom of that day it was built near a spring, and was a rude log cabin about eighteen by twenty-four feet, one story high, with a shingle roof. The furniture consisted of wooden benches of oak plank, and as long as the house would admit. The writing desks were made of broad inch boards, and were. fastened to the walls around the inside of the building. They extended en- tirely around the room except at the door. In this house were three or four small eight by ten light windows. Among the early teachers were Robert Williams and Robert Morrison. Williams taught a long time, perhaps down to 1816 or '17. The third teacher was probably Robert Montgomery. After him came Gideon H. Tanner, who was a man of considerable attainments and introduced many improvements in the school and in the mode of teaching. Other old school teachers were Samuel Carpenter, Daniel C. Morris and John Armstrong, the former of whom afterwards became the county surveyor, state senator, sheriff and associate judge of the county. They were probably the last to teach in the old log school house in 1823 and 1824. John Arm- strong was admitted to the bar in 1825, and was the father of the late John and James Armstrong, of the Greensburg bar. Later teachers were Edward Stokes and Peter R. Pearsall, who taught school in the one-story frame build- ing on West Pittsburgh street, belonging to John Kuhns, and also in the Academy borough schoolhouse. Mrs. Mary Foster came to Greensburg about 1824, and shortly after that commenced teaching. She was engaged almost constantly after that in teaching public and private schools, and only relinquished teaching a few years before her death, which occurred July 27, 1882.
In 1829, where the Methodist Church now stands, on Main street, there was an old log house owned by Dr. Postlethwaite. In this house, Miss Lydia Biddle kept school for many years. She was a well educated woman, and taught the children of the wealthier and more intelligent people of Greens- burg almost exclusively.
Another old schoolmaster was an Englishman named Somerville. All the schools in the town were then maintained by subscription. Mr. Somer- ville taught the pupils after they had passed through Miss Biddle's school. He was a tall, straight, stern looking man, with a thin sallow face, "over- hanging black brows from under which gleamed two savage eyes." He was a tasty man in his dress, wearing always a long black frock coat, cravat and
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
standing collar. His whole appearance inspired awe and respect. It is said that after the pupils were seated he on one occasion inquired what books they had brought, and found the collection to consist of such works as Dilworth's and Murray's readers, the Old and New Testament, Plutarch's Lives, Aesop's Fables, etc. He, however, very ingeniously arranged the school in classes with these text-books. In order to enforce discipline he always walked to the woods on Saturday afternoon and brought in a goodly-sized bundle of rods. After teaching here for some years he left Greensburg suddenly, and nothing was ever heard of him again. He had the reputation of being a good scholar, and this among the learned men of the town. It was said that he was a grad- uate of a British university. Even at an early period in Greensburg the citi- zens showed a great interest in education. They helped to open schools on Academy Hill and Bunker Hill. The latter was under the charge of Rev. Milligan. The Academy Hill school was taught by Rev. Cannon, a great light in the Presbyterian world. The ordinary schools created a desire for a higher institution of learning, and accordingly an act of legislature was passed in 1810 incorporating an academy in Greensburg. It was built on the hill north ·of town, on the same ground now occupied by the Greensburg high schools. To this the state gave a donation of $2,000. In 1836 or 1837 the state gave another donation, but this was given in common to all the academies and seminaries throughout Pennsylvania, and probably in some degree took the place of the munificent donations now given to the normal schools. This incorporated school was known as the Greensburg Academy, and was held in a plain two-story brick building, with four windows and a door in the first story, and five windows in the second. The rooms below were intended for a family to live in. Of the rooms above, one large one was used for the girls of the school and the other for the boys. There was a general idea in that day that it was the instructor's bounden duty to keep the boys and girls strictly separate. They had not only different rooms, but different playgrounds and different times for intermission.
The act incorporating the schools required that the dead languages and higher mathematics be taught in the academy, in addition to the rudiments of a common English education. To the course of study was added after- wards the French and German languages. Among the first teachers in the old academy were Jonathan Findley, Charles Lucas and Thomas Will. Find- ley was the brother of William Findley, once governor of Pennsylvania, and an uncle to James Findley, one of the early and able members of the West- moreland and Allegheny county bars. These men were succeeded by James Jones, Samuel Sherwell, Messrs. Farnsworth, Lathrop, Ames, Woodend, and Moore. The academy was kept up until about 1850, when it caught fire and was burned to the ground. Some of the instructors of this academy were men of high intellectual attainments. Thomas Will had been graduated with high honor at St. Andrew's, in Scotland, and James Jones was graduated at
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
St. Omer's, in France. Sherwell was regarded as one of the most accurate English scholars in the United States, and was an author of much note in his day. Lathrop, Farnsworth and Ames were natives of New England, and all were college graduates. Many of the alumni of the old Greens- burg Academy became eminent men. Among them were Henry D. Foster, the noted Greensburg lawyer ; Thomas Williams, of the Pittsburgh bar ; James Reed, Senator Edgar Cowan, Augustus Drum, Judge J. M. Burrell, Governor William F. Johnston, Albert G. Marchand, Captain Alexander Montgomery, J. Herron Foster, Peter C. Shannon, Judge Thomas Mellon, and many others who gained fame and fortune in the pulpit, at the press, at the bar, and in other walks of professional life. After the burning of the academy building there was no special school established in Greensburg until 1862. At that time the school directors made a contract with the trustees of the burned acad- emy for the transfer of the funds and grounds of the institution to them. A new building was erected at once and finished in 1863, and is now known as Pub- lic School Building No. 1. Four departments were opened in it as soon as it was finished. It stands on the site of the old Greensburg Academy, among the better residences of Greensburg, and faces the west. Its builder was Gor- don M. Lyon, of Greensburg.
About 1840 came Miss Boggs, Miss Gillett, Miss Stewart, and Margaret Craig. Miss Mary Isett taught in the basement of the United Brethren Church about 1860. Miss Kilgore, Miss Mitchell, Miss Emily Drumm and Miss Isabel J. Williams all taught select schools in Greensburg. The latter is probably remembered more kindly by those who knew her well than any other woman who has been connected with the schools of Greensburg. After . her came Miss Garner (the late Mrs. Townsend), who taught from 1866 until 1868 or 1869. Miss McGinnis, Mrs. Gohen and Miss McFarren were also regularly employed in the Greensburg schools.
In 1814 a military academy was established in Greensburg by C. D. Hass, but it was not patronized as it should have been and was soon abandoned.
In 1849 the Muhlenberg Collegiate Institute was established by the Lu- theran Synod of Pittsburgh, with Rev. R. W. Ruthrauff as principal, but it unfortunately lasted only two years.
The Greensburg Institute was established in 1851, with W. D. Moore as principal. In 1853 Rev. R. J. White, brother of the late Judge J. W. F. White, of Pittsburgh, took charge of it, but only when it was on the decline, and, though a man of fine education, he was unable to restore it.
About 1860 the Catholics built a small school house south of their church on North Main street, and in 1892 a second school house was built containing four school rooms. In 1904 this was replaced by a large and convenient brick school building.
On November 18, 1895, the school board of Greensburg decided to erect
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
a new and handsome building to be called the "Greensburg High School." large enough to accommodate four hundred pupils. S. W. Fraizer, of Pitts- burgh, was the architect. Bonds were issued to the amount of $74,000, bear- ing interest at five per cent., payable in gold. It was built in 1896, and is now by far the finest and most stately school building in Westmoreland county. The sixtieth anniversary of the public schools in Greensburg was celebrated in this building on June 8, 1897.
A great fire occurred in Greensburg in 1858. On Tuesday, the 21st of September, the fire broke out in the stable of Jeremiah Gilchrist, near Main street, and near the present site of the Masonic Temple. Before it could be controlled it destroyed the whole portion of the square south of the Keenan building and residence of John M. Lohr, in which the postoffice was kept. The loss was estimated at $30,000 at that time, and considering the size of the town, it was indeed the greatest fire financially that Greensburg has ever had. For a time it was doubtful whether the town could be saved, but after three hours' work on the part of the citizens the conflagration was checked. The ground remained vacant for a long time after that, and presented a deso- late appearance. At length the first building was erected in the "burnt dis- trict," and was used as a law office by General Henry D. Foster. It has since been covered with fine buildings, notably the imposing Masonic Temple and the store rooms immediately south. The Robinson corner was burned on the Ioth day of October, 1875. The ground is now covered with the Baugh- man building. Another great fire was the burning of the Naly Opera House, which stood on the corner of Pennsylvania avenue and Second street. The Laird House stood on the corner of Pennsylvania avenue and West Otterman street. It was a fine building, owned by the late Harrison P. Laird, and was consumed by fire in January, 1887. This fire caught from buildings on the op- posite corner known as the Stark building, and both corners were laid in desolation. The loss was greater than in the fire of 1858, but the town was larger and better able to bear the calamity.
In common with most towns in western Pennsylvania, the people of Greens- burg in an early day believed that a market house was indispensable, and had constructed one on the southwestern corner of West Pittsburgh and Main streets, a few years after the town was laid out. In one of the old records of the borough is found an account of Nathan Williams for its construction. It is dated October 30, 1801, and his bill was $240. Another bill is for paving the market house and graveling the ground in front of it. This was done by Nathan Stewart, and for this work he was paid $128.50. For posting the market house, for it stood largely on pillars or posts, the charge was $8. For taking out stumps from the ground upon which it was built the borough paid James McLaughlin $1.50. This market house stood for many years. The lot upon which it stood was owned by the borough and sold to the county for one dollar. It is now the most valuable lot in the county. A second market
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
house was erected on the southwest corner of Pennsylvania avenue and Sec- ond street, which was removed in 1869.
The First Reformed Church of Greensburg was taken from Harrold's Church, about three miles southwest of Greensburg. When the town of Greensburg began to build up a congregation was organized here. They pur- chased a lot of ground from Michael Truby and Peter Miller, on South Main street, for the consideration of four pounds, and farther on down Main street was bought the ground for the German graveyard, for the same amount of money. The first communion held by them in Greensburg was held by Rev. John William Weber, on April 22, 1796. The church was built of logs and was of large dimensions. It was owned in partnership by the German Re- formed and Lutheran churches. The worshippers sat on rude benches. There were no stoves or heaters, or even chimneys or flues, and at first there was not even a pulpit in the church. In cold weather public worship was held in private dwellings or in the old courthouse. Another lot and a half, adjoin- ing the one on which the church stood, was bought on May 15, 1815, from a man named Ehrenfriedt, for $300. On this lot of ground the present brick church was built. A church which preceded the present one was built in the summer of 1819, and the dedication sermon was preached by Rev. Henry Gerhart, of Bedford. The original members were: Simon Drum, John Tur- ney, Jacob Barnhart, Jacob Buergy, William Barnhart, Daniel Turney, Michael Truby, Peter Barnhart, Susanna Drum, Anna Barnhart, Magdalena Huber, Catherine Mechling, Maria Myers, Maria Walter, Catharine Silvis, Susanna Turney, Elizabeth Sourer, Elizabeth Barnhart, all of whom were members for a generation. The church built in 1819 cost about $6,000 and en- tailed a large debt which was not wiped out for many years. Until 1875 the services in this church by the Reformed people were almost exclusively in the German language. Rev. Weber was succeeded by Rev. Henry Harbi- son, who was followed in 1819 by Rev. Dr. Nicholas P. Hacke. Further his- tory of this church will be found in the part of this work devoted to church history in general. The Second Reformed Church was established in 1844. They built an edifice in 1851, which was completed in 1852.
Zion's Evangelical Lutheran congregation was practically founded by Rev. Michael John Steck, in 1847, when he made arrangements for regular Eng- lish services to be held for the time being in the German church. Rev. John Rugan was the English Lutheran minister who took charge of this branch of the congregation. The German Lutheran people closed their houses to these English speaking people, some of whom were their own children, and for a short time the use of the Episcopal church was obtained. When that could be no longer had they used the courthouse. They moved from the court- house to the old Presbyterian church, which they leased and used until the fall of 1851, when their own building was finished and dedicated. The lot of ground was secured from John Kuhns, on the corner of Pennsylvania ave- 32
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
nue and Second street, upon which there has since been built a new and commanding edifice. The church built in 1851 cost $2,800. Rev. Michael Eyster was the pastor and continued with great success until August, 1853, when his work was suddenly ended by death. Rev. Milton Valentine fol- lowed him, and he was followed by Rev. A. H. Waters, who in 1855 gave way to Rev. W. F. Ulery. Rev. Ulery ministered to them but a short time and was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Garver, of Canton, Ohio, who began his work in October, 1863. He was followed in January, 1866, by Rev. J. K. Plitt, who remained until July, 1873. On the 6th of May, 1874, Rev. A. H. Bartholomew became their pastor, and after his resignation Rev. W. F. Ulery again ministered to them. On March 8, 1877, the church was burned to the ground and a movement was inaugurated at once to erect a new one. The
COVENANTER CHURCH, Oldest Church in Greensburg. Built in 1820.
building committee were: Lewis Trauger, George F. Huff, C. H. Stark, Joseph Bowman, Z. P. Bierer, John Kooser and Lewis Walthour. It was dedicated on the first day of August, 1879, Rev. Joseph A. Seiss, D. D., of Philadelphia, preaching the dedicatory sermon.
The Greensburg Presbyterian Church asked Presbytery for supplies on the 15th of April, 1788, and was organized as a congregation in May, 1789. On October 23, 1800, Rev. John Black was assigned to them, and remained until his death in 1802. Their next minister was Rev. William Speer, who came in 1803 and ministered to them until 1829, when he was released on account of declining health. He died April 26, 1829. Rev. Robert Henry followed him. Rev. Henry was married to a sister of James Buchanan, aft- erwards President of the United States, and during his residence here was frequently visited by Mr. Buchanan. He served them until his death in 1838.
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
The church was then filled by supplies for two years, when Rev. J. I. Brown- son was installed in 1841. He remained with them seven years, when he be- came president of Washington College and pastor of the church at Washing- ton, Pennsylvania. He was succeeded by Rev. William D. Moore in 1849, who remained until June, 1853. Rev. Moore afterwards read law, abandoned the ministry and became a criminal lawyer of great prominence in Pittsburgh. In 1854 and 1855 they were ministered to by Rev. David Kennedy, who was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Smith, who resigned in 1865 on account of age. Rev. W. H. Gill followed him, and was installed in 1867. In 1870 he re- signed and moved to Missouri. His successor was Rev W. W. Moorhead, who was installed May 13, 1871, and remained with them until his death in 1897. He was succeeded by Rev. W. W. Wallace, the present pastor. In 1883, under the pastorate of Rev. Dr. Moorhead, they built a very commodious church edifice which is yet in use and is one of the handsomest church build- ings in Greensburg. Dr. Moorhead is perhaps remembered more kindly for his many good acts and able preaching than any other pastor of Greensburg in the last forty years. The ground upon which the Presbyterian Church stands was donated by Judge William Jack in 1803.
The first organization of an Episcopal church, now Christ's Church, which held services was in 1818, when they were supplied by a rector named Taylor, from Pittsburgh. At that time they used the old court house as a place of worship. The congregation was properly organized in 1821 and was incor- porated the same year. In 1823 a brick church was erected on what is now Maple avenue. This served them for more than a score of years, when Judge William Jack donated a lot to them on North Main street, and upon this a brick church was built. The corner stone of this church was laid by the now renowned Bishop Potter, who was then a young man serving as rector of the Greensburg congregation. He laid the corner stone on September 1, 1852, and the church was finished in May, 1854. The rectors of this church have been as follows: From 1830 to 1840, Lanson K. Brunot, J. L. Harrison, S. C. Freeman, and J. J. Kerr. Joseph Adderly ; 1842 to 1848, Bruce Batcheller ; 1850 to 1855, W. H. Paddock; 1855 to 1857, Fayette Derlin; 1857 to 1861, Henry C. Potter ; 1861 to 1866, A. F. Steele; 1866 to 1876, George Slattery, C. C. Parker and George C. Rafter; 1876 to 1877, - O'Connell ; 1877 to 1880, J. W. Protheroe ; 1881, J. B. Jennings.
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