USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > History of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, Vol. I > Part 62
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
545
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
installed as pastor in 1851. He was released in January, 1855, and his suc- cessor, J. P. Fullerton, installed in 1857. Rev. William F. Hamilton began to preach there in 1868.
The New Alexandria Presbyterian Church was organized October 4, 1836. It consisted then of about seventy-one members. Rev. Adam Torrance was its first pastor, being installed June 13, 1838. The charge has always had a high standing in Presbyterianism in the county because of the high standing and character of its members.
The Livermore Presbyterian Church was organized in 1851, with Rev. George Morton as its pastor. He was released on April 1,. 1853. During sev- eral succeeding years there were few supplies, and they were seldom min- istered to. In May, 1861, Rev. J. B. Dickey was installed for half of the time. Rev. Dickey was released in June of 1863, and in October, 1865, Rev. David Harbison was called and supplied this church for half the time for eighteen months, after which he moved to New Salem Church. Rev. W. F. Hamilton was his successor, and divided his time between Livermore and Salem. He was installed on September 14, 1868. The first house of worship at Livermore was a frame structure, in which the Baptists had a share. At present it is a comfortable brick house, which was built in 1862.
As has been seen in the general history of the Roman Catholic Church in Westmoreland county, in an early day they had a small site in Derry town- ship. In 1844 Rev. J. J. Stillinger began to minister to the people between Blairsville and St. Vincent's, at a log church called Mt. Carmel. The church in Derry was erected in 1856, with Rev. Alto, of St. Vincent's, as pastor, until 1861, when Rev. T. Kearney, who had the charge at Latrobe, took charge of it at the same time. The line of public works, the first canal, the railroad, etc., running through the township, brought a large number of foreign laborers into it, a large proportion of whom were Catholics, and the erection of churches to accommodate them became a necessity. The number of Catholics who be- came permanent inhabitants of Derry township increased correspondingly. They were supplied regularly from the monastery at St. Vincent's until 1856.
The township of Derry has fifty-one schools, with 2,192 pupils enrolled.
LIVERMORE BOROUGH.
Livermore borough is also within the limits of Derry township, and was formerly a canal town. It was laid out in 1827 by John Livermore, who named it after himself. It has not increased greatly, though it maintains several stores, and three churches-the Methodist, Presbyterian and United Brethren. It was incorporated by the Westmoreland courts on February 13, 1865. The men principally interested in its incorporation were John Hill, Richard Freeland, James Duncan and G. M. Beham. It has one school with thirty-two pupils.
The village of New Derry is one of the old time villages of the county and is much older than Derry, which is near by and in the same township.
35
546
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
DERRY.
Derry is a modern railroad town situated forty-five miles east of Pittsburgh, and at the base of the Chestnut Ridge. It has grown up entirely since the building of the railroad, and mostly since 1870. The Pennsylvania railroad has many sidings there, and it is the end of a "run." Resultant from this ar- rangement a great many railroad men live in the town, and it is essentially a railroad town. It was formerly called Derry Station, and was incorporated under its present name the 22nd of October, 1881. The first election was held on Tuesday, November 8th, following, at schoolhouse No. 28, in Derry town- ship. Henry Neely was appointed judge of the election, and Messrs. Wynn and Sweeney were appointed inspectors. Derry has sixteen schools, with 648 pupils enrolled.
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.
It is impossible from the court house records to determine the date of the organization of Franklin township. It was some time between 1785 and 1788. for in 1785 it is not mentioned in the list of townships, but in 1788 it and Salem are both mentioned as having constables in attendance at court. The early settlers were William Meanor, Robert Hays, Michael Rugh, Finley, Stitt, John Hill, Matthew Gordan, and others. William Meanor is said to have bought a piece of land from an Indian for a keg of tobacco and a rifle, and upon this land he built the first house in the township. This was about 1759. On April 3, 1769, immediately upon the opening of the land office, Robert Hays applied for a piece of land in this township, the price of which was forty five pounds, two shillings and six pence. He was granted a tract of 3391/2 acres. Soon after this he built a house upon it, close to a house afterwards built and lately occupied by David Steel. They were both built of logs, with puncheon floors and wooden chimneys. The wooden chimney was made of small ends of logs with plastering between them, and the plastering was made thick enough to overlap and thoroughly cover the inside of the logs or sticks composing the chimney, so that the smoke and sparks would in no way touch the logs. The furniture consisted of rude wooden tables, split logs for benches, deer-horn rifle racks, etc. The first settlers came from the counties east of the Alleghany mountains. They were prosperous, and others followed rapidly, so that the wilderness was transformed into fertile fields even before the Revolutionary war. They had great troubles with the Indians, because their northern boundary lay near the Indian country across the Kiskiminetas, then the central part of Westmoreland county. In 1788 Michael Rugh and his wife, son and daughter, were captured by the Indians and taken to their camp in the northern part of the state. They were kept there in captivity during the winter of 1778 and 1779, and from there in the spring of 1779 they were taken to Canada and held there for three years, after which, at the close of the Revolution, they were sent to New York city, from which place they made their
5.47
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
way back to their home, which has since descended to John Haymaker, the present owner. Michael Rugh resided on his home until his death in 1820. During their captivity their son died, but his wife survived all these hardships, and died in 1809. His daughter, who was also taken a captive, survived, and was married to Jacob Haymaker, in 1794. Michael Rugh was elected to the house of representatives after the state government was formed. Robert Hays and son were also early settlers, and were captured by the Indians, and held by them for three years, during which time the son acquired a taste for the wild life of the Indians, and was with difficulty persuaded to leave them. Even after lie returned to Westmoreland, it is said that he spent nearly all of his time in fishing and hunting. When his father was released he returned to his farm, and at a later raid of the Indians, when he was assisting in the defense of his home, he was killed in his own doorway.
The first constable elected in Franklin township was Samuel Sword, and the first schools we have any information concerning were established in 1800. In tliese reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic were the only branches taught. An early grist-mill was built at Murrysville, and a saw-mill of William Mc- Williams was built near by, at which the timber for the surrounding meeting house was sawed. About 1776 Jonathan Hill, father of Jacob Hill, took up a tract of land near the township line. The land is now owned by the Geigers, Slocum, Silvis, Steel and others. In the spring he set out to procure apple trees to plant on his land. On his return he was waylaid on the hill near Jo- seph Lauffer's house, and scalped by the Indians and killed. He was buried on the site where Drum's Church is erected. His son, Jacob Hill, inherited his property and erected an old fashioned distillery on it. Among the early settlers in the county were the Wilsons, Borlands, Humes, Bethumes, Riddles, Wallaces, Beemers, Remaleys, Andersons, Walps, Hamiltons, Lairds, Longs, Elwoods, Fergusons, Hays, Pattersons, McCutcheons, Haymakers, Berlins, McCalls, Rughs, Kings, Chambers, Snyders, Kuhns, Oglees, McAlisters, Tal- lants, Dibles, Wigles, Beacons, Parks and Taylors. In 1794 one of the soldiers who came from eastern Pennsylvania to put down the Whisky Insurrection was Jacob Berlin. Prior to that an uncle of his, Jacob Berlin, had removed to that part of Franklin township now included in Penn township. The young soldier was released from military service in Pittsburgh and came to visit his uncle. He liked the country so well that a year later he returned with a young wife and made his home in Franklin township. The maiden name of his wife was Eve Carbaugh. Later he settled on the Fink and Lauffer farms. Many of the early citizens of this township walked to Brush creek, fifteen miles away, regularly on Sunday to attend church, because there was no nearer house of worship. There their children were baptized by Rev. John William Weber. Near Emanuel Church, as it is now known, formerly stood a log dwelling where Rev. Weber frequently preached prior to his death, which oc- curred in 1816. In 1828 the Lutherans in connection with the Reformed Church built a church which was called Union Church. The site for it was
548
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
donated by Philip Drum and Peter Hill, both members of the Reformed Church. Philip Drum was a Revolutionary soldier, and lived in this com- munity until he was ninety-six years old. The members of this church hewed logs on their own farms and hauled them to the place where the church was built, and when they had a sufficient number on the ground they called in their neighbors and erected the church. The women of the country met on the same day and provided a good dinner. The principal men who took part in this church building were Philip Drum, John Kemerer, Philip Cline, Michael Cline, John Cline, Peter Hill, John Lauffer of the Reformed Church, and George Hobaugh of the Lutheran Church. The church was seated with rough boards or trestles. In 1845 this church was enlarged by cutting out the one end and adding to it a frame structure of fourteen feet. The whole building was at the same time weather-boarded, and a high pulpit, known as the "Wine Glass Pulpit," was constructed. Rev. Weinel ministered to these people until 1852 and 1853, when there were seventy-three communicants. After him came Nicholas P. Hacke, who held services there over four years, preaching one-half of the time in German and one-half the time in English. In 1856 a building committee was appointed, and they erected a new building of brick, sixty-five by forty-four feet, and twenty-eight feet to the square. It was of Gothic structure and cost a little less than $3,000.00. It was dedicated on Easter Sunday, in April, 1858. Dr. Hacke was its pastor until 1867. His successor was J. F. Snyder. In 1873 this charge was united with that of the Olive charge, and in 1876 a parsonage was erected on a lot donated by Peter Pifer. The first Lutheran pastor who preached at this church was Michael John Steck, who was succeeded by Jonas Mechling, Zimmerman Myers, A. Yetter, S. J. Fink and others. The Olive Reformed Church was built by old settlers, who were called together by Rev. Weinel in 1816. A congregation was organized, but the date is not exactly known. Two lots were offered to them, and two log houses were built in 1817. One was known as the Beemer Church, and the other was known as the Hankey Church, taking their names from the man who had donated the lots upon which they were built. Mr. Weinel preached to both these people until 1837. He was followed by Rev. Voight in 1840, who continued to preach to them for sixteen years, when age compelled him to retire, in 1858. Rev. R. P. Thomas then supplied the Han- key Church, and the Beemer Church was so dilapidated and out of repair by this time that it was abandoned. In the meantime both congregations had been almost entirely absorbed by the Lutheran Church, because neither places had had regular services. At a meeting of the Westmoreland Classis in 1867 the Beemer-Hankey Church matter was brought up, and Rev. T. F. Stauffer was appointed to preach to them and unite the congregations. Hankey's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in 1856, though preaching had been held in the old log structure known as Hankey's Union Church since 1817. The corner stone of the new edifice was laid in 1859. The first pastor was Rev. L. M. Kuhns, and the membership at that time was quite large.
549
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
The Murrysville Presbyterian Church was organized in 1830 by Rev. Francis Laird, and services were at first held in the house of the founder of Murrysville, Jeremiah Murry. He ministered to them until 1850, and died April 6, 1851, aged eighty-one years, and in the fifty-fourth year of his min- istry. He was followed by Rev. L. L. Conrad, who also preached at this church and at Cross Roads, and who was followed in 1854 by Rev. William Edgar. In 1866 Rev. G. M. Spargrove began preaching there. In 1869, how- ever, a brick house in which the members had worshipped from 1840 become too small, and in its stead a two-story brick structure was erected. A year or two later a tornado carried off a large part of the roof and greatly damaged the house. Mr. Spargrove continued pastor of this church until his death, October 30, 1880.
The old town of Murrysville has in the past twenty-five years become greatly noted because of a gas well which was struck there in 1878. The town was laid out by Jeremiah Murry. He had been born in Ireland, and we believe his name was McMurry, he having dropped the "Mc". before coming to America. The town was on the northern turnpike, and was built about 1820. Murry came to this country in 1781, in his twenty-second year, living first in the Cumberland valley, where he stayed but a few months. He then crossed the Alleghany mountains on foot, as a peddler, with his pack on his back. His first stop in this county was at Anderson's blockhouse. After selling his goods he invested in land upon which he located his farm and selected a mill site, which was clearly observable to his keen eye, but had not been noticed by pricr settlers. He and a man named Cole, the latter a hunter whose cabin was de- stroyed by the Indians, were the first settlers in this section. The old Forbes road crossed Turtle creek near where the town of Murrysville is now located. The old Franktown road crosses the stream at nearly the same place. Both are marked by a sulphur spring. Murry built a cabin and kept a little store on the bank of the creek near where the Presbyterian church is erected. When the turnpike was made he established the town and built a brick residence which was the first house of any pretension in the town. He was a storekeeper all his life. He had married Ann Montgomery in Cumberland valley. One of his daughters, Sarah, was married to Dr. Benjamin Burrell, who was the father of Judge Jeremiah Murry Burrell, of the Westmoreland courts. Dr. Burrell died December 21, 1832, aged nearly forty-one years.
Near the house built by Murry, Dr. Stewart built a brick house in 1832, and a man named McWilliams also erected a brick tavern which was for many years kept as a public house in that place. Dr. Burrell was the first physician in Murrysville, and at his death came Dr. Charles J. Kenley and Dr. Z. G. Stew- art. Dr. Zachariah G. Stewart was born in Huntingdon county, in 1805, and was the son of Thomas H. and Anna Harris Stewart. He read medicine in the east and located in Pittsburgh. After practicing there a short time he removed to Murrysville in 1828. There he was married to Jane, a daughter of Rev. Francis Laird. He remained in the practice of medicine in Murrysville until
550
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
1858, when he removed to Canonsburg that he might better educate his chil- dren. He died in Canonsburg in 1863 from overexertion on the Gettysburg battlefield, where he had hastened with many other physicians when the news of the great battle in Pennsylvania called for medical aid from all sections of the state. His wife died February 23, 1879. She was the sister of Harrison P. and John M. Laird, late of Greensburg. Jeremiah Murry was for many years the leading business man, merchant, justice of the peace, etc., of the neighborhood. He was a man of much native intellect, energy, and enterprise, and was very wealthy for that age. It is said that in one direction to the north- east of Murrysville, he could travel five miles on his own land, much of which had been purchased with merchandise sold from his store. He had a son, General James Murry, who was a man of considerable talent and fine address. Dr. J. S. Murry, a son of James Murry, was a noted physician. J. M. Car- penter, a prominent attorney of the Pittsburgh bar at the present time, is a great-grandson of the original Jeremiah Murry.
An old academy of note at this place was the Turtle Creek Academy, which was founded in 1861 by Francis Laird Stewart, a son of Dr. Z. G. Stewart. For some years it was held in a frame building belonging to the Doctor. When the new Presbyterian Church was built it was held in the basement of the church. Mr. Stewart was succeeded as principal by Rev. G. M. Spargrove, who conducted it until his death, in October, 1880, and was succeeded by Rev. J. I. Blackburn.
The celebrated Murrysville gas well was the most noted feature of the old town. It was found on real estate owned by Henry Remaley, on the bank of the Turtle creek. They were boring for oil when they struck an immense gas well at a depth of fourteen hundren feet. It was the first gas well in this county, and its equal in output has never since been struck. For some years it was allowed to blow, and all its power went to waste. In 1880 it was utilized for the first time by Haymaker Brothers and H. J. Brunot, who erected a lampblack works there and carried on the manufacture of lampblack from the escaping gas on an extensive scale until September 18, 1881, when the works caught fire and burned to the ground. It was a very cheap method of manu- facturing carbon, and was one of the wonders of the age. The well was said to be the largest in the world. Its flaming fire issuing from the earth could be seen at night a distance of eight or ten miles, and its roaring sound was dis- tinctly heard for five or six miles. It was visited by hundreds of people who came from all parts of the world. Among them were many distinguished scientists of that day who wished to examine into its working and to analyze its gas. Later the gas of this well was piped to Pittsburgh, and other wells were bored in the same community, which doubtless struck the same vein and produced the same quality of gas, though of less quantity. Gas lines were laid from this region to Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Greensburg, and various other sur- rounding localities, and for some years gave a great impetus to the industries of western Pennsylvania. The reckless manner in which the gas was wasted
55 I
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
soon brought about a diminution in the output, the popular opinion being at first that the supply was inexhaustible. To-day the Murrysville field produces but little gas, and the supply for these places has been searched for and found in other localities.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
Washington township was organized in 1789 on the petition of certain in- habitants of Salem township, which set forth that the division of Salem and the formation of a new township would greatly benefit the citizens in the way of attending elections and conducting the business of the township in general. The court, considering the large territory in Salem, ordered that part of Salem beginning at a line between Salem and Franklin townships, thence by an east- ern course to the head of a branch of Beaver run; thence down the said branch to where it empties into the main branch ; and thence eastwardly where the land strikes the Kiskiminetas or Loyalhanna, should be called Washington town- ship. The principal stream in Washington township is Beaver run, which was more famous in the early history than it has been since. In the central and southern part of the township there are extensive veins of coal, which is being mined. Outside of the coal industry the principal occupation of its citizens is agriculture.
Among the early settlers of the township were the Walters, Sloans, Mc- Kowns, Kearns, Branthcovers, McKillips, Chambers, Hills, Rughs, Calhouns, Steels, Georges, Bairs, Yockeys, Thompsons, McQuilkins, McQuaides, Mc- Cutcheons, etc. The first school in the township was organized in 1808 in a small building on the land of David Hilty. Its first teacher was Timothy Col- lins. The house was a typical pioneer schoolhouse, built of logs and lighted by strips of greased paper pasted on crevices between the logs, and heated by an old-fashioned fireplace. About the same time a man named Charles Foster taught school in an old deserted log building. Joseph Muffley also taught sev- eral sessions in the same township, and raised the grade of instruction consid- erably. The township adopted the free school system in 1836, after a sharply contested election. Among the first school directors were Alexander Thomp- son, John Reed, Adam Bowman. The first teachers were John McCormick, John Duff, Samuel McCormick and others. These were usually examined by John Craig, who himself had been a teacher in the early days.
One of the oldest churches is known as Poke Run Presbyterian Church, and was founded in 1783 or 1784 by Joseph Thorn, William Hill, John Hamilton, John Paul, David Carnahan and others. They applied to the Presbytery to have preaching by supplies at an old house on the banks of Poke Run, and from this it took its name. The house was used as a dwelling house and also as a preaching place. In 1789 the Poke Run congregation erected a log house there seventy feet by thirty, for by this time the membership had increased considerably. Rev. Samuel Porter was the first pastor in 1790. It was then
552
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.
on the front settlement and exposed to the Indians. Not infrequently did the people assemble there on Sunday morning for worship, each one bringing with him his rifle, powder-horn and bullet-pouch, for they knew not how soon a hostile band of Indians might pounce down on the congregation. When Rev. Porter first came to the community with his family he encamped by a large fallen tree, against which he leaned two forks or small saplings ten or twelve feet long, laid a pole across the forks, and on this laid others to serve as rafters, and stripped bark enough from trees to cover these rafters, and under this rudely constructed shed he and his family slept, and he prepared his sermons until their regular house could be built. Their meals were cooked on a fire made by the side of a log in the woods. Rev. Porter resigned in 1798 and took exclusive charge of the Congruity congregation. After him came Rev. Francis Laird, the progenitor of the Laird family of Greensburg, and the son- in-law of Judge John Moore. Rev. Laird had come from the east of the mountains, and at first preached to the Poke Run and Plum Creek congrega- tions unitedly. He was installed on June 22, 1800. He served these people with great ability for twenty-nine years and a half, and then removed to Mur- rysville. Revs. Alexander and Martin followed him at Poke Run. Martin turned out to be an impostor, and was soon dismissed. In 1833 James Camp- bell was pastor, and he was followed in 1834 by Rev. David Kirkpatrick, who preached to them as a supply until 1838, when he was installed their regular pastor. He preached in the old log church until the brick church was built, which was in 1836. By this time they had grown enough to require his entire time as pastor, and they raised his salary to six hundred dollars a year. He was the father of the late Judge John M. Kirkpatrick, of Pittsburgh. Rev. Kirkpatrick continued to be pastor of this church until his death, January 5, 1869, a period of thirty years. He died at his residence near Oakland. He was one of the leading pastors in the Presbyterian Church, and was known far and wide as a scholar and a theologian. He was born in Ireland, and was a graduate of the University of Belfast. On his arrival in America he was engaged as principal of an academy at Milton, Pennsylvania, and while there had some students who became eminent in life. Among others were Governor Andrew G. Curtin. All his life he was more or less of a teacher, having under his pupilage young men who wanted to enter the ministry or other vo- cations in life, and he instructed them under the most rigid discipline. He won the highest respect of his neighbors, and all the community in general. Rev. Henry Bain succeeded Rev. Kirkpatrick in 1869. He came from Ohio and ministered to them with great intelligence and zeal. Through his efforts largely a new brick church, the present one, was built on the site of the old log church, and was dedicated in 1881. Rev. Bain came directly to them from the Theological Seminary. He had been bred a United Presbyterian, but joined the Presbyterian Church in Haysville, Ohio. He entirely remodeled and greatly improved the style of worship at Poke Run. When he came they used
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.