USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > History of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 59
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
The schools of North Huntingdon township eagerly accepted the free school system by an almost unanimous vote. At that time it contained six rude schoolhouses, but now within the same limits are thirty-nine schoolhouses, not including those in the borough of Irwin.
IRWIN BOROUGH.
Irwin borough is located twenty-two miles east of Pittsburgh, on the Penn- sylvania railroad, and is situated in the center of the bituminous coal region of that section. When the railroad was first built, land upon which it now stands was covered with timber, mainly large white oak. In 1844 there was only one house there, which was owned by Thomas Shaw. John Irwin, founder of the town, laid out the first plan of lots in September, 1853. The building-up of the town of Irwin has been brought about by the coal industry. Shortly after the Pennsylvania railroad was built, Thomas A. Scott and William Larimer began to open up coal mines and ship coal on the railroad to distant markets. This business they carried on until 1856, when they sold out to the Westmore- land Coal Company, which had been incorporated in July, 1854. It is now and has been for almost a half a century one of the largest coal mining companies in Pennsylvania. Its chief incorporators were General William Larimer, who was the largest stockholder, Thomas A. Scott and John Covode, all of whom have since become eminent in our history.
The town of Irwin was incorporated on the 14th of November, 1864. The principal leaders in the work of incorporation were John McCorinick, John Mc- Williams, Derwin Taylor, H. F. Ludwick, S. C. Remsburg, Abner Cort, J. J. Hurst, and others. It has steadily increased until it has now ( 1905) a popula- tion of 3,400 exclusive of North Irwin, which is built contiguous to it and has a population of about five hundred. Its principal industries are the Irwin Iron Foundry ; the Crescent Brewery, established by home capital in 1903 : a distil- lery recently built ; a flouring mill, and planing mills ; artificial ice plant, and an extensive milk-can factory. It has also a newspaper of extensive local circula-
518
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
tion, the Republican-Standard. The banks of the borough are the First Na- tional, organized in 1892, with $50,000 capital, and the Citizens' National, or- ganized in 1900 with the same capital. They have a fine school building con- taining fifteen rooms, which cost about $35,000, and was erected in 1890.
The Methodist Episcopal congregation built a frame building in 1861, and in 1880 erected a new building which served them till 1888, at which time the present structure, costing $18,000, was erected. It has in it a large pipe organ donated by Mr. Andrew Carnegie. The German Reformed congregation erected their first church in 1853, and their present building in 1889. The Lutheran congregation built a church in 1877, which served until 1901, when they erected a superior pressed-brick building of octagon shape, costing $17,- 000. To this church Mr. Carnegie gave the one-half of the cost of a pipe organ in 1905.
The Roman Catholic congregation erected their first building in 1865, and in 1870 added thereto, at the same time providing for a pastor's residence. Nearby is a convent building erected in 1876, and in 1902 they erected a fine school building.
The United Presbyterian congregation built a good frame church which has since been remodeled. The Primitive Methodist people erected a frame church in 1890. The Presbyterians are a strong organization in Irwin and have a com- modious church edifice. The Swedish Lutherans built a church in 1877, and in 1898 erected their present two-story church. The Welsh Baptists also have an organization at Irwin, and worship in a frame church.
The farm known as "Brush Hill" was originally patented by Colonel John Irwin. It lies just outside the borough limits of Irwin. The first house built by Colonel Irwin was a log structure, which was burned to the ground. He re- placed it with a frame dwelling, which was struck by lightning and totally de- stroyed. In the years 1792-93 he caused to be erected the present substantial stone building, which remains today practically as he left it. In 1882 George R. Scull remodelled the interior and made a modern house of it, also tearing down the stone outbuilding, which had been the slaves' quarters, and the con- necting open passages or piazza, over which the house servants' rooms had been. Every wall in the house is of stone, and the floor framing is of twelve inch square solid oak, dressed with the broad-axe by hand. It stands well back from the old Pittsburgh and Philadelphia pike, in an ample grove. Old Fort Walthour was quite near Brush Hill, and was frequently a refuge from the Indian attacks in the old days. It has been considered elsewhere and need not be more than mentioned here.
The township has thirty-nine schools, with i401 pupils enrolled.
CHAPTER XXXIX
Rostraver Township .- Nortli Belle Vernon .- Monessen .- Fairfield Township .- Bolivar Borough.
Rostraver township was one of the original townships of the county, it being erected on April 6, 1773. The first boundary began at the mouth of Jacob's creek and ran down the Youghiogeny river to where it joins the Mononga- hela ; then by the Monongahela river to the mouth of Red Stone creek, and then by a straight line to the place of beginning. Alexander Mitchell and Samuel Biggard were first elected overseers of the poor of the township, and Eysham Barnes was elected supervisor.
The first settlers in the township were the Findleys, George Wendell and his son Peter : Rev. Samuel Power; the Fullertons. Pinkertons, Housemans, Robertsons, Thompsons, Sheplers, Lowreys, Pattersons, Orrs, McClains, Rob- insons, Caldwells, Steels, Wilsons, Hutchinsons, McClures, and others. The township is bounded now on the north by Forward and Elizabeth townships, Allegheny county ; on the south by Washington township, Fayette county; on the east by the Youghiogheny river, and on the west by the Monongahela river. The principal stream of water in the township after the rivers named, is Saw Mill run. The topography of the township is considerably diversified, there being some high romantic bluffs along the streams, and the country being more or less level in the interior. In the eastern part of the township there is an abundance of coal and limestone. There are fine flag and building stone near Webster, on the Monongahela river.
It is supposed that the first real settler in the township was Joseph Hill, who came from Carroll county, Maryland, in 1754. When he was about eighteen years old he had made considerable improvement on lands which he occupied near where Braddock's army passed through the township in the following sum- mer. His lands were near the present Rehoboth church. He was a son of Joseph Hill, who served six or seven years in the Revolutionary war, and who afterwards settled in Rostraver township, near his son.
Another early settler was George Wendell and his family, who came from Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1758, and settled in the northeastern part of the township. The Rehoboth church has been spoken of in the part of this work
520
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
relative to church history. The first two pastors were Reverends James Power and James Findley. The former was born in 1746, in Chester county. Rev. Findley was born in Ireland, in 1725, and died June 6, 1795, leaving several children whose descendants are still found as citizens of Rostraver township.
From an old list of taxables made during the Revolution, we have copied the following: Robert Jamison, Matthew Jamison, Edward Mitchell, George Shields, William McKnight, Henry Westbay, John Hall, Benjamin Brown, Joseph McClain, John Biggart, John Maxwell, Lewis Pearce, David Findley, John Stewart John Logan, Matthew Mitchell, Edward Jones, Joseph Pearce, Jr., Joseph Pearce, Henry McGlaughlin, John Drenan, John Pearce, William Drenan, James Findly, James Finney, Robert Smith, William Smith, Robert McConnell, Adam McConnell, John McConnell, Adam McConnell, Sr., William Moore, Philip Howel, Andrew Howel, William Finny, Thomas Morton, Will- iam Morton, Isaac Greer, Robert Walker.
A school was established near the center of this township some time between 1790 and 1805. It was a subscription school, and supplied the community for four or five miles in every direction. The teachers were generally incompetent. The house used as a schoolhouse had a thatch or straw roof and greased paper windows. In 1805 they built a second schoolhouse, the first one used having been built for another purpose. The second one had a clapboard roof and glass windows. The first teacher in it was G. H. Lower, who came from New York, and was well educated, being able to teach Latin and Greek. While he re- mained in the township he created considerable interest in education, so that in 1812 two more school houses were built, one in the northern and the other in the southern part of the township. The latter was deeded by a pioneer named Samuel Urns, who in his deed says, "It shall be used for school purposes as long as water runs or grass grows." Among the leading teachers were Lower, Roberts and Darr. These three schools were carried on in the old style which has been described in the chapter on school history, until the common school system was adopted in 1836. Among the first directors were John Power, E. Moore and P. H. Rhyal. Before the adoption of the common law the num- ber of school houses had increased to six, and the first year after the adopt- ion of the common school law two new ones were built. They had at least one teacher in the township who was capable of teaching the higher mathematics and languages. Among the early teachers of Rostraver township of a later period was Edgar Cowan, afterwards a United States senator from Pennsyl- vania.
The Rehoboth Church is indeed one of the pioneer churches of the county, and its history has been considered in the general church history in this volume. In the cemetery near by are buried many old settlers. The following are a few of the inscriptions from their tombstones: Elenor Moore, died January 7. 1819, aged 53 years : James Starrett, died July 8, 1829, aged 78; Robert Galo- way, died June 30, 1818, aged 49; Rev. James Finley, born in County Armagh, 1725, died January 6, 1795. He was 46 years in the ministry. John Steel,
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
527
REHOBOTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BUILT 1836.
died January 10, 1856, aged 81 ; George Crawford, died June II, 1797, aged 52 ; Captain William Elliott, died March 20, 1804, aged 54; Ruth, his wife, died July 2, 1830, aged 76; William Bigham, died December 12, 1844, aged 74 : Col. John Power, elder of Rehoboth Church, died July 29, 1805, aged 48; Margaret, his wife, died March 10, 1836, aged 80; Dr. Bela B. Smith, died October 17, 1841, aged 79 ; Elizabeth, his wife, died May 23, 1844, aged 74.
REHOBOTH CHURCH, INTERIOR VIEW.
522
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
The Salem Baptist Church, with its cemetery, is located in the northern part of the township. It was organized in 1792, and is the oldest Baptist organiza- tion in the county. The first pastor was Rev. Barkley. They built a brick church in 1842.
Webster is a large town in the township, and is located in the northwest- ern part, on the Monongahela river. It was founded in 1833, by Benjamin Beazell and a man named Ford. Shortly before that, in 1830, Daniel Webster had made his celebrated reply to Robert Y. Hayne, and so they named this town after the great statesman of that age. It very soon became a steamboat manu- facturing town, and it kept this business up pretty constantly for many years. Later they gave more attention to the mining of coal than anything else.
NORTH BELLE VERNON.
North Belle Vernon is a borough, part of which is in Rostraver township, and part in Fayette county. It was incorporated on February 26, 1876.
The Weddell family originally came from Hagerstown, Maryland, and set- tled in Rostraver township in 1758. Coming west they followed the road known then as Braddock's Trail, until they reached the Youghiogheny river, which they descended until they came to an old Indian fort, and there they de- cided to locate land and found a home. They erected a log cabin, and late in the fall their father returned to Maryland, leaving his son and another young man in charge of the cabin and clearing. They were perhaps the only white settlers west of the Allegheny mountains that winter. They had but little food, depending upon the forest for meat, and on the little corn which they had raised, and which they ground by pounding it between stones, and baked it into bread on flat stones. In the spring of 1759 the father, with the remainder of the fam- ily, returned to the cabin. He had five sons, twc of whom went to Kentucky. One of his descendants became very wealthy in Cleveland, Ohio, and built the "Weddell House," a well known hostelry of that city.
In 1837 what was long known as the John Gibson's Son & Co. famous Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania; Distilleries, were established on the bank of the Monongahela river, in the extreme southeastern portion of the county, near the borough of Belle Vernon, a part of which is within Fayette, and the remainder in Westmoreland county. They located the distillery there in 1837 because it was a rich rye producing section, and the Monongahela Valley had, moreover, been renowned for its whisky, even before the Whisky Insur- rection. Their best method of transportation then was by wagons, and by flatboat navigation on the Monongahela river. They now have splendid ship- ping facilities both by rail and by water. In 1883 the name was changed to Moore & Sinnott, and so continued until the death of Mr. Moore; in 1898, when Joseph F. Sinnott became sole proprietor. The general manager of this dis- tillery is T. L. Daly. Beginning on a small scale in 1837, Gibson's Son & Co. completed their extensive works at this point in 1857. In the autumn of 1881
523
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
the distillery and, one large warehouse were totally destroyed by fire, but rebuilt in 1882. It is now the largest single distillery plant in Pennsylvania. Nothing but pure Michigan rye is used from which to produce their celebrated whisky. They now have fourteen bonded and free warehouses. In 1904 they produced 16,000 barrels of whisky. From February 1, 1904, to January 31, 1905, the United States Internal Revenue Department collected from this distillery (at $1.10 per gallon) $555,420.48. From February 1, 1903, to January 31, 1904, the revenue paid the government was $572,229.57. One thousand two hundred and fifty bushels of rye are used daily in this plant.
MONESSEN.
Of the towns and cities that were built the past forty years upon the banks of the Monongahela river, and there are many of theni, the borough of Mones- sen is above all the most remarkable, both for its industrial activity and phe- nomenal growth-a real beehive of industry. Situated on the right bank of the river, its numerous manufactories line the shore for more than a mile. The residence part of the borough, which has now a population of ten thous- and people, is built on three high ridges, with their intervening valleys.
In 1897 the East Side Land Company of Pittsburgh laid out the plot on which this sprightly city stands. Surrounded by every natural advantage- coal in great abundance from the neighboring mines, natural gas and an in- exhaustible supply of pure water-capital flowed in at once. The principal streets are well paved with Belgian block and vitrified brick. There is a complete system of modern waterworks, gas, electric light and sewerage.
The banking business is in the hands of three safely managed institu- tions, the oldest bank being the First National, opened February 17, 1900, with a $50,000 capital; S. M. Graham is its president. The People's National Bank was established November 14, 1901, with $50,000 capital; J. Irons is its president. The Monessen Savings and Trust Company, incorporated No- vember I, 1901, with $125,000 capital, commenced business April 1, 1902; E. F. Eggers is president. The private banking house of Roeb, Roth & Com- pany transacts a large business, including its foreign exchange department.
The postoffice at Monessen does a large business, and handles more mail than many cities twice its size. The first postmaster was Colonel C. M. Der- ickson. The present incumbent is E. M. Frye. The office obtained free de- livery service in July, 1904. The newspapers of the place are the following : The pioneer journal is the Monessen News (Republican), established by Charles E. Federman, 1899. He was succeeded in 1902 by C. L. Schuck. This paper is now a semi-weekly. The Monessen Leader was founded in 1902 by John H. Threscher, and is now owned principally by the editor, H. R. Pore. The Daily Independent was established in 1903 by F. Householder.
The religious element is strong in Monessen and is represented as fol- lows: Christ's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized by Rev. C. J.
524
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
Waltner, April 15, 1900. A good edifice was dedicated May 5, 1901. The Sumoi (Finnish) Evangelical Lutheran Church was dedicated June 15, 1902. The Christian Church, a frame building, was dedicated in 1902. A Greek Catholic Church, costing many thousand dollars, stands as a monument to this denomination, on the heights overlooking the beautiful valley. The Roman Catholic Church has a very large basement, built of stone and tem- porarily covered with iron roofing, in which the congregation worship. Plans are being made to build a fine superstructure the coming year. The Meth- odist Episcopal people built a church in 1900, and remodeled it in 1905. This is a substantial frame structure. An English-German Evangelical Lutheran Church was dedicated May 5, 1901. The Presbyterian Church was dedicated June 20, 1901. The United Brethren building was dedicated August II. 1901. The United Presbyterian people still worship in a private building over the Newes office. The other religious organizations are the African Methodist Episcopal .. the Protestant Episcopal, the Baptist, and the Swedish Lutheran.
Much attention is paid to the public schools of the place. Four attractive school buildings accommodate the pupils enrolled.
Monessen is supported almost exclusively by the large pay roll coming as a result of her numerous and very extensive manufacturing plants.
The Monessen Tin Plate Works of the Steel Corporation is one of the largest and most thoroughly equipped tin plate plants in the world. It was established in 1897 by putting in operation an eight-mill establishment. The concern was soon absorbed by the American Tin Plate Company, one of the foremost constituent companies in America. It is now fully three times its original size, and has twenty-five hot mills, forty-five tin-sets, and an annual . capacity of 1,350,000 boxes of tin-plate. In the plant 1,400 workmen find steady employment. Over 1,200 tons of sheet bars are required each week.
The American Steel Hoop Company's works cover an area of fourteen acres. It is a three-mill plant in which 500 men are constantly employed. They handle about twenty tons of steel billets worked into skelp, hinge stock. barrel hoops and cotton ties. each working day. There are two continuous furnaces, and the fuel employed is natural gas. This factory never shuts down, but works day and night shifts, and was founded March, 1898.
The Page Woven Wire Fence Company consists of open-hearth fur- naces, blooming, billet, rod and wire mills, fence weaving and machine shop departments. Seven hundred men are constantly employed. The daily ca- pacity is twenty tons of rods and one hundred and fifty tons of high carbon wire, used for the making of the world-famous electric weld "Page Woven Fence." This brand of woven fencing is used by 700,000 farmers and stock- men, and foreign countries purchase large quantities of it. J. Wallace Page is the president of the company.
The Monessen Foundry and Machine Company was established in 1900.
525
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
They produce iron and brass castings weighing from one-fourth of a pound to twenty tons each. The daily capacity is forty tons, and 125 men are em- ployed regularly in these works.
The Pittsburgh Steel Works is another extensive producing plant of the borough. At first the shops occupied twenty-four acres in the center of a ninety-six-acre tract of land, but they are now very much more extensive. Several buildings are 200 by 1,200 feet, and the wire rod mills of this plant produce annually 125,000 tons of iron rods. The one hundred and seventy- five wire nail machines have a capacity of 1,300,000 kegs of nails per year. In their wire fence department above there are in daily use fifteen electric welding machines and sixty barbing mills producing the celebrated "Pitts- burg Perfect Barbed Wire." It operates its own gas plant, giving both light and fuel to the entire works. Mr. George Nash is the general manager.
The railroads passing through Monessen are the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie (steam) and the Pittsburgh Electric, both finely equipped steel highways. They have also the benefit of slack water navigation on the Monongahela river all the year except in the extremes of winter. It has twenty schools with 1087 pupils enrolled.
FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Fairfield township was the name of a division in this county while we were yet a part of Bedford county. When Westmoreland was organized Fairfield was made one of its townships by a court held at Hannastown, March 6, 1773. It then embraced the greater part of Ligonier Valley, and had within its limits Fort Ligonier. Out of its original limits have been taken most of the township of Ligonier and the whole of the township of St. Clair. It is situated in the northern part of Ligonier Valley, and is bounded on the east by Laurel Hill, on the west by Chestnut Ridge, on the north by the Conemaugh river and St. Clair township, and on the south by Ligonier town- ship. On either side of the township, as you pass north toward the Cone- maugh river, the land is hilly; and next to the mountain it is rather poor and rocky, but in the central part of the valley there are some fine streams and fertile farms, and a large part of it is underlaid with the Pittsburgh seam of coal. The better part of the land is well adapted to farming, and that has been the occupation of its inhabitants since its first settlement. There is only one incorporated borough within its limits, that of Bolivar. Some of its vil- lages are: Lockport, on the Pennsylvania railroad; West Fairfield, in the central part of the township, and Covodeville, a much smaller place near by.
One of the first school teachers in the township was William Luther, known to the old people as "Master Luther." He was a man who used the rod un- sparingly. In that early day they did not have schoolhouses, but the teachers kept school in vacant houses or lofts, or other small rooms which might be used for that purpose. There was but one regular schoolhouse in the town-
526
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
ship when the common school law went into operation. It was built in 1820, and was thereafter used exclusively for school purposes. Notwithstanding this they voted to adopt a school law in 1835 almost unanimously. Shortly after that they had seven schools in the township, but this included St. Clair township as well, for it was not stricken from Fairfield until 1856.
Fort Palmer was a very important Revolutionary fort located in the cen- tral part of the township. The date of its construction can only be approx- imated. Robert Knox, on March II, 177I, conveyed the land on which the fort was built to John Palmer. On January 24, 1776, Palmer conveyed the same land to Charles Griffin by deed acknowledged before Robert Hanna, judge, etc. The tract was patented to Griffin on February 10, 1787, and in the patent it was called "Fort Palmer." The fort was therefore built while Palmer owned it, between 1771 and 1776, for otherwise it would not have taken his name. It was a stockade fort and was used during the Revolution and during the troubles with the Indians in those years. When the second fort was being con- structed at Fort Ligonier, a journal was kept which refers many times to Fort Palmer. It is also often mentioned in old letters. In a letter from Colonel Archibald Lochry, ( see Pa. Ach. vol. 5, p. 741) it is stated that the settlers are kept so closely in the fort (Palmer) that they can gain no subsistence from their farmis. He also reports that eleven others were killed and scalped near the fort, one of whom was Ensign Woods. The journal notes on October 22, two children were killed by the Indians within two hundred yards of the fort. It was situated on land now owned by Culbertson Ramsey, about seven miles north of Ligonier.
One of the oldest churches in Ligonier Valley is the Fairfield Presby- terian Church. It dates back at least to October 7, 1786. In April 21, 1787, there was a joint call for a minister at Donegal and Wheatfield (which is now in Indiana county) and at Fairfield. Rev. James Hughes was sent to minister to them. There was no church edifice in the community, but a "tent" was used in place of a building. As early as 1790 or 1791 the Presbyterians erected a house of hewed logs. A tall pulpit seven steps high was at one side of the house. This old church remained standing until 1867. Most of the seats in an early day were such as the communicants of the church saw fit to furnish for themselves, many of them made of hewed logs. The church had no regular pastor until Rev. George Hill was sent there in 1792 as its first pastor. He was then a young man, having preached but a few months prior to that, and was ordained November 13. 1792. Rev. Samuel Porter preached the sermon, and Rev. James Power gave the charge. At the time he took charge of this church his district was about thirty-five miles long and about eight or ten miles wide. The Fairfield church received about half of the pastor's time, the Donegal church about a third of it, and the remainder was given to the Wheatfield congregation in Indiana county, which was lo- cated between Nineveh and Armagh. About 1798 Wheatfield was given up, and was not after that connected with the Fairfield congragation. Donegal
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.