USA > Pennsylvania > Union County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 11
USA > Pennsylvania > Mifflin County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 11
USA > Pennsylvania > Snyder County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 11
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 11
USA > Pennsylvania > Juniata County > History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys, embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. V. 1, Pt. 2 > Part 11
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The free-school law was passed April 1, 1834. A public meeting of the citizens of Lewistown and Derry township was held to consider this law September 6, 1834, and the court, at the November sessions in the same year, appointed Ephraim Banks and James Dickson as school directors. The directors, on the 10th of March, 1835, published that they would open three schools on the 16th inst., free to all children within the limits of the borough. At this time an election had been held, and the directors serving were Alfred Keiser, George W. Patton, Joseph M. Cogley, Charles Ritz, William Cul- bertson and_1. Blymyer. The school directors' report for the year 1835 says, --
" The Directors have labored under many disad- vantages, owing to the difficulties in procuring com- petent teachers and school-rooms. The additional ex- penses for the 1st six months will be no more than the sum required for the same length of time hereafter. The number of scholars in the schools is 225; their tuition in 6 months is $813.18, which would cost in other schools by subscription, for the same number of months, at an average of $2.50 per quarter, $1125, or $311.82 more than the cost in the free schools, making a saving in the year of $623.64."
The statistics of the report are as follows : " Year ending November 1, 1835.
"Number of Scholars : Male, 114; Female, 111- total, 225. Number of Teachers : Male, 3; Female, 3. Teachers' salaries, with assistants', $565.58. Number of months taught, 6. Branches taught, Reading, Writ- ing, Arithmetic, Geography and Grammar. Rents of
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School-Houses, $59.00; Repairs and other expenses, $197.60 ; Money received for Schools, $822.18. From the State, 886.59; From the County, $100.00; From the Borough, $189.05, -- total, $675.64."'
The three schools that were begno in 1835 were increased from time to time, and in 1850 there were thirteen. On the 18th of Angust, 1849, the School Board advertised for one first- class and two second-class male and six female teachers to take charge of the several public -chools to be opened September 17th. One of the females was to teach a primary school to be established in the north part of the bor- wigh. The teachers who were engaged for this terin were : Male Department, Rev. J. W. Elliot, William Lytle, William Kinsloe, Miss lane E. Sherrard ; Female Department, Miss Buck, Eliza McFarlane, Mrs. Elizabeth Me- Donald, Miss Margaret Shaw, and Mrs. Ca- ruthers.
In September, 1850, the directors advertised that thirteen schools would be opened on Monday (16th) and more thereafter. The teachers in that year were Lytle, MeCord, Barr, Esquire Kulp and seven female teachers.
The old briek school-house, on Third Street, was built under the public-school system and was the leading school in the town. It was used until the completion of the present large and commodions house in 1872. It is the inten- tion to refit the old brick house and use it as a school-house again to meet the demand for more room.
The new school-house was built of brick, sev- enty-five by ninety-one feet, in 1872, on the corner of Third and Wayne Streets. It is three stories in lweight, with basement, and the entire cost, in- cluding the lot, was thirty-four thousand dol- lars. The building is heated by a furnace, anil is under charge of a janitor, who, with his family, resides in the building. Miss Mary McCord was principal of the schools for sev- cral years before the erection of the present house and continued in charge at the new building until the fall of 1880, when she wa- succeeded by John G. Cope, of Chester County, who was the principal until the fall of 1885. George M. Wilner is now the principal. The building contains thirteen separate schools,
under the charge of thirteen teachers. Six hun- dred and fifty pupils are in attendance.
LEWISTOWN ACADEMY .- An act was ap- proved incorporating the academy March 11, . 1815, with supplements passed April 10, 1826, April 3, 1852, and April 2, 1853. The title of the act was " An Act for the establishment of an academy for the education of youth in the useful arts, sciences and literature, by the name and style of the Lewistown Academy." The trustees appointed in the act were the Rev. James Johnston, Rev. William Kennedy, Rev. John Hutchinson, Rev. Thomas Smith, Rev. John Coulter, David Reynolds, James Knox, Mathias Taylor, William Lyon, Richard Hope, James Sherrard, Robert McClelland, William P. Maclay, John Oliver and Andrew Banks. The first election of trustees was to be held on the first Monday of AApril, 1816. By the act five poor children were to be admitted to the school free for a term not to exceed two years. William Maclay, as secretary of the board of trustees, advertised for a teacher February 1, 1816. The academy building was not erected until 1828. An act of Assembly passed April 10, 1826, authorized the trustees to build an academy building "in or near Lewistown." The building was completed in 1828, as men- tion is made of it in the Gazette, "with its bright tin roof and belfry." Prof. John H. Hickox and his wife were the only teachers, and contin- ned until after 1833. Since that time the prin- cipals were as follows : --- Leavy 3. Carpen- ter, Rev. D. I. Hughes, Prof. Alfred S. Williams, W. H. Woods, Washington McCartney, A. J. Warner, Azariah Smith, John Laird, Rev. J. B. Strain, - Snyder, N. Foster Brown, W. F. Schuyler, - Myers. The building was thoroughly repaired in 1872 and enlarged by the erection of a boarding-hall. In October, 1883, the property was sold by the trustees to George Miller, J. A. Miller and J. B. Selheim- er, who, on the 18th of Jime, 1884, conveyed the property to Mrs. Elizabeth J. Knotwell, who at once opened it as an academy. The present faculty aud board of trustees are here given,-
Board of Trustees : H. R. Knotwell, President ; T. M. Uatley, Esq., secretary ; Win. Russell, treas- urer; G. W. Elder, Esq., D. W. Woods, Esq., D. E.
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Robeson, Hon, Andrew Reed, F. G. Francisens, II. J. Culbertson, Esq., N. J. Rudisill, John A. McKee, Esq., James H. Mann, William H. Felix, John W. Shaw, Esq.
.
Faculty : Hetty T. Knotwell, English branches ; James W. Cain, A. B., mathematics and languages ; Euphemia C. Knotwell, primary department ; J. Em- ma Knotwell, French and music.
From about 1825 private schools were taught in different buildings in the town. The Rev. J. W. Woods taught a school in a building adjoin- ing the old Presbyterian Church. He was after- wards a teacher in the academy. Mr. Leavy taught a school prior to his taking charge of the academy. Prof. Adams taught a school in the court-house in 1835. Rev. James Van Horne was teacher of a private school and later a tutor in the academy. A Mr. Anderson and a Mr. Walters were also teachers.
LIBRADIE -.- Au effort was made in 1801 to 'resident mini-ter having charge of a congrega establish a Library Company in Lewistown. 1 subscription was opened, and on the 22d of Jan- uary of that year Thomas Memminger adver- tised in the Western Star that " a number of shares have been subscribed for the establish- ment of the Lewistown Library Company, and the subscribers are requested to meet at the house of Edward Williams, tavern-keeper, ou Saturday, the 7th of February next, at three o'clock in the afternoon, to proceed to the or- ganization of the company." Nothing further is definitely known.
The Lewistown Library Association, now in operation, was formed nader a charter granted January 7, 1870. An organization was at once effected, one thousand dollars was sub- seribed, and the money was invested in the pur- chase of books, amounting to over a thousand volumes. Thus was formed the nucleus for the present library, which, by purchases and contributions, now numbers two thousand and fifty volumes. The library-rooms were for the first three years in the Bachman building, since which time the present rooms in the Lewistown House, on Main Street, have been occupied.
George W. Elder was the first and only pres- ident, David Robison the first and only Treasurer ; William R. MeKee was the first librarian, and was succeeded in 1875 by Miss Annie J. Clarke, the present librarian.
The Apprentices' Literary Society was or- ganized on the Ith of July, 1842, in the old court-house, with twelve members. Henry ... Walters was chosen president, and Isaac W. Wiley (late bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church) secretary. The object of the society was the improvement of the young men of the town. Meetings were held for several years in the academy and elsewhere. A lot was por- chased on Third Street, and the present brick Apprentices' Hall was erected, and meetings have since been hekl there. The society is still active, aud has a membership of about forty. Jolin A. McKee is president. The society is represented by its members in all ranks of life, and in its early days was a potent factor for good.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.' --- The first tion in this part of the county was the Rev. Mathew Stephens, who, in 1785, settled in what is now Bratton township, and preached along the river at Waynesburg, Lewistown and in Granville township until 1796. The next minister of whom any information is obtained was the Rev. James Simpson, an ordained min- ister from " the kingdom of Ireland." He was received January 7, 1800, under probation by the Huntingdon Presbytery, in accordance with the standing rule in regard to foreign ministers.
" An application was immediately made by Lewis- town and Waynesburg (Mc Veytown) congregations to have Mr. Simpson appointed their supply for one year. This request was substantially granted by Presbytery giving Mr. Simpson only two other ap- pointments, and allowing him to supply Lewistown and Waynesburg at discretion.
"At a meeting of : e Presbytery, held October 6, 1801, Mr. Simpson was admitted a member of the Presbytery, his papers having passed the review of the General Assembly previously, and the period of his probation being thus ended and nothing appear- ing injurious to his character up to that time. But the next day a ' supplication ' was presented from the united congregations of Lewistown, Wayne and Der- ry, on the Juniata, for Mr. Simpson for stated sup- ply for one year, in which they promised to pay him a salary of one hundred and sixty pounds ; and at the same time a remonstrance signed by a number of
" Compiled from the " History of Huntingdon Presbytery " by Key. William J. Gibson, D. D.
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MIFFLIN COUNTY.
the inhabitants of Lewistown, opposing the settle- ment of Mr. Simpson among them for any term of time whatever ; also a remoustrauce front Derry and Wayne, against his settlement among them. The following action was taken by Presbytery in view of these remonstrances: 'Whereas, insinuations have been made by remoustrances handed into Presbytery by a commissioner from the congregations of Derry and Wayne, injurious to Mr. Simpson's moral character, the Rev. Messrs. John JJohnston, John Coulter and William Stewart, with Messrs. David Riddle and David Caldwell, elders, were appointed a committee to meet at the house of Mr. Casper Dull, in Waynes- burg [McVeytown] on the 15th day of this month [October], and inquire into the foundation of these insinuations and the truth of the reports said to be in circulation; and to send for those persons who have, either in writing or otherwise, circulated them, And if, after inquiry being made, it appears that they are withont foundation or cannot be supported, the stated clerk is ordered to furnish Mr. Simpson with proper credentials, he being about to travel out of on bounds.'
" At an adjourned meeting of the Presbytery, held in November following, the Committee reported that laving examined witnesses on oath, brought before them by Mr. Simpson's accusers, they found nothing sulficient to condemn him or deprive him of his ere- dentials' The minutes of the committee were sub- mitted to the Presbytery, read, and their proceed- ings approved. However, at the stated meeting of the Presbytery, April 2, 1802, a paper was presented to Presbytery, signed by three respectable church members, pledging themselves to prove some aggra- vated charges, as to moral delinquency, against Mr. Simpson. Upon which, Presbytery appointed an ad- journed meeting to be held at Lewistown the third The-day in June following, and cited Mr. Simpson to appear and answer to the charges exhibited against him by these persons. At the time appointed the Presbytery met to try the charges brought against Mr. Simpson, heard the witnesses on the part of his accusers and on the part of Mr. Simpson (it appears that there was no church building then in Lewistown, ", they met in the court-house). The Presbytery considered that the charges were fully substantiated atol suspended him from the ministry.
" As this may appear inconsistent with the report of the committee sent to inquire into the reports in- jurious to Mr. Simpson's character a short time be- fore, and the approval of their proceedings in the case, the following action was immediately had by the Presbytery at the conclusion of Mr. Simpson's case, viz. : ' Whereas it has been intimated to Pres- bytery at our last Spring meeting, and there now ap- pears some reason to suspect that the committee ap- pointed to meet at Waynesburg in October last, to in- quire into the truth and grounds of the insinnations that had been made injurions to the character of Mr.
Simpson, did not transact that business altogether consistently with the instructions of Presbytery. Resolved, that citations be issued to those persons who were members of that committee, and also to Judge Oliver and Gen. John Bratton to attend our next fall meeting at East Kishacoquillas' At the fall meeting, as cited, the committee being present amt being heard in explanation of their proceedings, the following minute was made : * Upon hearing the com- mittee appointed on Mr. Simpson's case, the Presby- tery are of opinion that any impropriety that took place in that transaction proceeded from inadverten- cy and not from design.' At the same meeting Mr. Simpson applied to Presbytery to be restored to his former ministerial standing, professing sorrow for the crime of intemperance and other irregularities, but denying the most aggravated charge brought against him and asking Presbytery to be permitted to bring forward some evidence which had been obtained since the last meeting, which he supposed would invalidate the testimony then given as to that part of the charge. Presbytery consented to hear said wit- nesses, but after hearing, did not see cause to modify their verdict or restore Mr. Simpson.
"At the meeting of the Presbytery in April, 1803, Mr. Simpson applied again to be restored, profe-sing the deepest penitence and humiliation for his past conduct, partienlarly for those irregularities which were the cause of his suspension ; at the same time expressing his acquiescence in the proceedings of Presbytery in his case, and acknowledging the justice of thesentence passed on him, which he admitted to be unavoidable from the evidence which appeared, al- though his conscience (he said) would not permit him to acknowledge real guilt, in regard to the more ag- gravated charge. Ile also expressed deep sorrow for his diforderly conduct since, particularly for continu- ing to preach, in open contempt of the authority of l'resbytery, and on these professions asked to be re- stored to the exercise of his ministry. Presbytery ap- proved of Mr. Simpson's professions of penitence, but could not see the way clear to restore him until a correspondent reformation evinced the sincerity of that repentance, which he himself acknowledged to be very recent. On the refusal of the Presbytery to remove his suspension, Mi Simpson ' snatched' the paper containing his confession from the clerk's desk, treated the authority of Presbytery with marked con- tempt and gave to every member present ocular evi- dence that the whole of his solemn professions were fallacious and hypocritical. Whereupon it was re- solved (in view of the whole ca-e-his conduct in times past, and what occurred immediately before the Presbytery) that Mr. Simpson be deposed from the ministry ; and he was accordingly deposed.
" Mr. Simpson gave notice of appeal from the judy- ment of the Presbytery, and the clerk was ordered to furnish him with a copy of the proceedings in his case. Whether this appeal was ever presented before
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
the higher courts, the writer has no present means of a pertaining. One thing is certain : the sentence of deposition was never reversed, the minutes of that year being reviewed by the Synod, and no exception taken, but to a few verbal inaccuracies, Of Mr. Simpson no future mention is made in the procced- ings of the Presbytery. What became of him after- wards, there may be those living who could give some account, but it is not important. From all that is re- corded of him, it may be reasonably inferred that he was a man of good edueation, classical and otherwise, possessing considerable popular talent as a preacher and plausible address ; for as soon as he had any con- nection with the Presbytery, applications were made from important congregations for his services and the Presbytery, at his reception as a probationer from a foreign land, expressed entire satisfaction with his examination,"
The congregation was withont a pastor for several years. In March, 1805, a call was ex- tended to the Rev. John Hutchison, which was not accepted, as he hecame pastor of the Lost C'reck and Mifflinburg congregations. In 1810 the Rev. William Kennedy was called and accepted, at a salary of four hundred and eighty dollars per annum, two-thirds of his time to be given to the church at Lewistown and one-third ta the West Kishacoquillas Church. He was ordained and installed at a stated meeting of the Presbytery held at Lewistown. He served the congregations until the year 1822. The follow- ing is from the minutes of the Presbytery :
"About the close of the year 1821 reports injurious to the character and usefulness of the Rev. William Kennedy, pastor of the church at Lewistown, were brought to the notice of the Presbytery. In particular and specially he was charged with the intemperate ise of ardent spirits. Temperance had not in that day attained the point or status of total abstinence. 1 committee was appointed, to meet at Lewistown on a designated day, to investigate the ground for these reports and to take testimony. At the stated meeting of Presbytery, April, 1822, the committee reported. An adjourned meeting was held in May following, with a view to the formal issning of this case. . At that meeting, after hearing all the witnesses that could be made to appear, Presbytery passed unanimously the following minute, viz .: 'Although the testimony received against the Key. William Kennedy is not of such a clear and specific nature as to subject him to the high censure of suspension, yet, in the opinion of Presbytery, bis conduct has not always been so vir- cum-peet, in the case in which he is charged, as it ought to have been, and he is hereby want to be more watchtal in Entire, so as to prevent and ground
of suspicion, and that he guard against every appear- ance of evil.'
"In the mean time Mr. Kennedy had resigned the pastoral charge of the congregation at Lewistown, and at the conclusion of his trial requested leave to travel out of the bounds of Presbytery till the next meet- ing.
" Mr. Kennedy's troubles, as well as those of some other of his brethren, resulted from the common and universal use of intoxicating liquors in that day. . . . At the time of the investigation Mr. Kennedy denied the charge in mild and Immunble terms,-'I am not con- scious of having acted improperly.' His contem- poraries believed him to be a good and godly man, and his subsequent lengthened ministry in a neighbor- ing Presbytery was without reproach or suspicion. October 1, 1822, Mr. Kennedy was, at his own request, dismissed to the Presbytery of Eric, but ultimately settled in the bounds of the Presbytery of Clarion, where he continued to labor until his death."
At a meeting of the Presbytery held at Lewis- town, November 24, 1819, James S. Woods, a licentiate of the Presbytery of New Bruns- wiek, appeared with proper testimonials and was received under care of the Presbytery. He re- ceived a call from the Waynesburg congregation for one-half his time, which was accepted. In April, 1823, soon after the resignation of the Rev. Mr. Kennedy, the Rev. James S. Woods was appointed stated supply of the Lewistown congregation for one year, and April 28, 1824, was installed as pastor for one-half his time. Ho remained in this connection nutil 1837, when, upon a call from the congregation of Lewistown for all his time, he resigned the charge of the Waynesburg congregation and continued as pastar of the Lewistown con- gregation until his death, in 1862.
REV. JAMES STERRETT WOODS, D.D., was barn in Dickinson Township, Cumberland County, Pa., April 13, 1793. He received his literary and collegiate education at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa. After graduating at Dickinson College he entered the Thealogical Seminary at Princeton, New Jersey. He was licensed to preach the gospel by the Presbytery af New Brunswick, N. J., in October, ISES, and was received as a licentiate by the Pre-diy- tery of Huntingdon, Pa., November 21, 1819, having accepted a call from the Congregation of Waynesburg (now Me Veytown) for one-half of his time, at a salary of four hundred dollars a
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MIFFLIN COUNTY.
year. Ile was ordained and installed as pastor April 5, 1820. In April, 1823, he was ap- pointed stated supply of the congregation at Lewistown and was installed as pastor for one- half his time AApril 28, 1821, at a salary of three hundred dollars a year. He served both those congregations until 1837, when both gave him a call for all his time. He accepted the cill from the Lewistown congregation, at a salary of six hundred dollars per annum. Ile continued the pastor of this church up to the day of his death, which took place suddenly June 29, 1862. In 1850 he was honored with the title of Doctor of Divinity by the College of New Jersey, at Princeton. He was married to Marianne, youngest daughter of Rev. Dr. John Witherspoon, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, by whom he had nine children-six sons and three daughters. The eldest son, John Witherspoon Woods, died January 7, 1839. James S. Woods, his fourth son, was a lieutenant in the regular army, and was killed in the war with Mexico, at the battle of Monterey, September 21, 1846. Three of his sous-Sammel S. Woods, David W. Woods and William 11. Woods-studied law and were ad- mitted to practice. Samnel S. Woods was elected, in 1860, president judge of the judicial district composed of the counties of Mifflin, Union and Snyder. He died February 5, 1873. The youngest son, Alexander M. Woods, studied theology and became a minister of the gospel in the Presbyterian Church, and is now pastor of the church in Mahanoy City, Schuylkill County. His daughters were Frances, Marianne, Ann E. and Margaret JJ. Woods. Dr. Woods was a sound, clear and practical preacher. His ministry was a successful one, and he was in- strumental in building up a strong church in Lewistown. He was an exemplary pastor and greatly interested in the young people, not only of his own church, but of the whole community. Hle was very fond of and popular with the children, and took great pains in their religious training. He was hospitable to an unusual de- gree, liberal and generous to a fault, and his memory to this day remains fresh, green and precions with all who knew him.
the death of the Rev. James S. Woods, in 1862, the Rev. O. O. McClean was received by certifi- cate from Cedar Rapids, lowa, and a call from the Lewistown congregation, placed in his hands, which he accepted. A committee from Presbytery was appointed, and he was installed as pastor of the congregation, and contimed umtil October, 1881, having served twenty-two years. The congregation was without a pastor for one year, and on the 1st of October, 1885, the Rev. Johm Gourley, formerly of Indiana County, Pa., assumed the duties of the position and is now officiating. The church reports a membership of three Iumdred and fifty.
A lot was purchased by the society abont 1820, on the corner of Third and Brown Streets, and a stone church edifice was erected thereon, and used until the erection of the present church building.
The old stone Presbyterian Church of Lewis- town was taken down, and the new brick church now standing on the same lot was erected during the summer and fall of 1855. The building stands on the southwest corner of Third and Brown Streets, fronting fifty-six feet on Third Street and ninety feet on Brown Street.
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