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 47
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 47
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 47
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 47
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 47
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
the Pern property, he built a mill on it, about 1799. Jolm Patterson came into possession of this property in 1810. In 1812 Patterson re- built the mill, and erected a saw-mill in 1816. The grist-mill was since rebuilt. A post-office was established here in 1850, and the name Peru Mills was given to it, that name having been previously given to the place by Mr. Pat- terson. His son, William H., was postmaster till 1858, and his brother John has held the po- sition ever since. James Lyon was partner of Merchant John, and kept the store as carly as 1816. There has been a store here most of the time since, and continuously since 1846. In 1846 a large tannery was built here, the owners of which were W. IL. Patterson & Co., then Mathers & Patterson, then W. IT. & John Pat- terson, then Patterson & Van Dyke, and then John Patterson. It closed in 1872. When in its most flourishing condition this factory tanned out as many as eleven thousand sides of sole- leather in a year. The extensive works are now decaying, but the grist and saw-mills and a store, a couple of good residences and some of' the old tenant-houses still serve to make Peru Mills a spot of some note in the upper end of this county. William R. Van Dyke, above- named, was killed at the battle of Dranesville, and his son at the battle of Spottsylvania. After a long, weary ride it is a pleasure to stop with the venerable John Patterson, last living son of Merchant John Patterson, and sit at. his feet to hear the " traditions of the elders," of which he knows more than any man now living in the county.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. - Lack township has eleven schools. They are all frame buildings. 1. North Point, stands on lands of Matthew Dougherty. 2. Rick Hill, on lands of Rob- ert Silverthorn. 3. Cross-Keys, near the Lack post-office. These three are in Shade Valley. 4. Liek, on the lands of ex-Sher- iff Walls. 5. Barton's. 6. Rhine's. These three supply the intervening ridges between Shade Valley and the creek. 7. Wallace's, so called from William Wallace, the former owner of the land. 8. McConnell's, so called from John McConnell. 9. Waterloo. There are two public schools in Black Log. The lower
one is called the Lanver school-house, being on David Lanver's farm. The upper one is called Smith's, and is on George Hoffinan's land. They are both frame buildings.
About 1808 there was a school-house of pine poles near the site of Upper Tuscarora Church. It was used for a number of years, when the young men made a raid upon it one night and carried the poles to the Tuscarora Creek and set them afloat. The next house was of logs and gave place to a frame, which in turn was replaced in 1858, by the present house in Waterloo. Some of the teachers were Noah Elder (uncle of Judge Noah), Richard Templeton, David Hutchinson, David S. Ferguson, Thomas Price and Nathan Fish.
In the northern part of the township a house was built of round poles, in which John Keys and David Hutchinson taught. In 1820 a lar- ger house was built near the same site, and Na- than Fish, a one-armed man, taught ; also George Deviney and Matthew Clark. William Kerr kept school in an old house that stood in William Neely's orchard about 1813 ; also Peter Miller, Sr. About 1820 David Hutchinson, David Ferguson and Robert Goshorn taught in a school-house near Matthew Clark's saw-mill David Glenn, Esq., started it. Thomas Roles, about the same period, taught in a house near the residence of William Behel. Another old building near Jacob Shearer's was used as a school-house by Hutchinson, Ferguson and De- viney. In 1818 William Mckinney taught in a house on the Peru farm. The Bartons built a school-house at an early day on their place. On the bank near a good spring on the farm of Robert Pollock, now Vaughn, stood an old house used for a school ; James Gray and Thomas Thornburg were teachers. Joseph Gray was an old teacher and one of the first board of directors. The number of children in Lack attending schools in 1884 was three hundred and sixty-five.
Lack township has produced some men who have gone forth to enlighten other regions. Samuel Barton became prominent in the State Educational Department of Kentucky. Mor- row Campbell, of near Waterloo, became active in the schools of Pittsburgh, and had two sons
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JUNIATA COUNTY.
enter the ministry of the Presbyterian Church. William Van Dyke, when eighteen years of age, was the first to enter the rebel entrenchments at Spottsylvania and was killed in the second ad- vance at a point where the very trees were ent down by the bullets. The MeCutcheons, of Water- loo, went to Illinois and Missouri and became noted in various stations. Robert Wallace had sons who made their mark, one being a profes- sor in the University at Wooster, Ohio.
LACK POST-OFFICE .- One mile and a half west of Pern Mills there is a hamlet commonly called " Cross-Keys," which has a post-office kept by Sanmel Markle. It was established in 1863, and given the name Lack. A small store is kept here. The Presbyterian Church, built in 1867, is situated near by-Rev. L. L. Honghawont, present pastor. The land at Lack is on the survey of W. H. Patterson, in right of Patrick Divinney, and called " Col- raine." Near Lack is a church, built in 1850, by the Lutherans, called Willow Grove, but which has been used by the Methodists for ten years past, and served from the Concord Cir- cuit. There is a grave-yard adjoining this church.
AN OLD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- There was at an early day a Presbyterian Church in Lack township, at what is now known as the Me Williams grave-yard, about three miles above Waterford. It was a small log house, and once supplied the place of the Upper and Middle Tuscarora Presbyterian Churches. The grave-yard is still used for burials and is one of the oldest in the county. The history of this church is lost, but it was probably used until the churches were built at Waterloo and Me- Culloch's Mills, which was about 1802.
WATERLOO.
Waterloo is a small town in the extreme southwestern corner of Lack township. A post- office was established abont 1820, and William C. Kelly became the first postmaster. Other postmasters have been William II. Patterson, Josiah MeMeen, George Noss, Robert Robinson, J. Robison, G. W. Campbell. The village has one store, and was formerly noted for the mann- facture of wind-mills. The academy built by
William Campbell, after being used for a few years as a school, was converted into a Pres- byterian parsonage and is still so used. In this town is the Upper Tuscarora Presbyterian Church, the pastor of which serves this point and Pern and Shade Gap. The following- named persons have been pastors of this church : Roy. Alexander Mellwaine, 1799- 1807 ; Rev. Samuel Bell (first pastor at " Little Angh- wick," Shade Gap), 1808; Rev. George Gray, 1825-49; Rev. William S. Morrison, 1853-57 ; Rev. G. W. Van Artsdalen, 1860-64; Rev. J. E. Kearns, 1865-80; Rev. Arthur ; Rev. L. 1. Houghawont, 1883.
William Short, who died in 1884, was a pio- neer in the Waterloo Methodist Episcopal Church. He and a few others worshipped in a little log church five miles north of Waterloo, built at the instance of James Pollock. About 1836, Colo- nel George Noss and wife, joined the church at Mitchell's camp-meeting. For some time they held services in the school-house. Their aggressive spirit met with stormy opposition ; and to render themselves independent, Short, Noss and others determined to build a church. Noss gave the ground for the church and grave- yard. The frame house, thirty by forty feet, was dedicated in 1842, James Brads and Frank- lin Dyson being the preachers in charge at that time. In 1858 the building was much im- proved and reseated. Since 1843 the following have been senior preachers on the Concord Cir- cuit : Elisha Butler, George W. Deems, George Stevenson, Joseph N. Spangler, Robert Beers, Cambridge Graham, Amos Smith, N. S. Buck- ingham, Frederick E. Creaver, Reuben E. Kelly, James M. Clark, Joseph R. King, An- drew E. Taylor, Seth A. Creveling, W. W. Dunmire, William Schriber, George A. Singer, Joseph A. Ross, Edmund White, A. W. Decker, C. T. Dunning, Levi S. Crone.
Christian Cook and his son Elias carried on a fulling-mill and carding-machine in the Con- cord Narrows from 1811 to 1831, when the latter removed to Reed's Gap.
BLACK LOG.
Black Log Valley is a long, narrow depres- sion, scooped out of the erest of an elevation,
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
the rims of which are known as Shade Mon- tain on the east and Black Log Mountain on the west. The casteru prolongation of the reunited antielinal axis is also called Shade Mountain. The denudation in Black Log has eut down to the lower limestone strata, and exposed a strip of good soil. The upper eastern end of this valley is in Juniata County, the other portions in Huntingdon. The Juniata part is inhabited for a distance of eight miles, the upper habita- tion being a little cast of opposite Reed's Gap. There are in it two post-offices, one at Oppel- ville, so called from an educated German far- mer who lives there and keeps the office. The other, called Black Log, is farther up the val- ley, and G. W. Hoffman is postmaster. They were both established in July, 1883. The German Baptists have a meeting-house on Charles Glock's farm, at a grave-yard, said to be the oldest in the valley. There is a Method- ist Episcopal Church at Oppelville, built prin- cipally by Mr. Shindle as a Lutheran Church, and so used while he was running the tannery, near by which there is also a grave-yard. The church at Oppelville was at one time used for a school. The act of April 2, 1852, made Black Log Valley, composed of parts of Lack and Tuscarora townships, a separate election district, and fixed the election polls at Centre school-house.
A large tammery was built in the valley in 1846 by Shindle & Stonebreaker, who were succeeded in order by Lease & Me Vitty, Sam- uel Boblits in 1856, Maffett & Shearer in 1863, who closed in 1867. The lumbering business has conducted, and in later years the steam saw-mill has accelerated the devastation of the ancient forests. As the timber disap- pears, the people give more attention to agricul- ture. Nearly all of these Black Log lands were warranted about 1794. Most of the owners were non-residents. Many years ago a family named Biaron moved from the city to the valley and put up the frame of a large house, but never occupied it. John Biaron and D. W. Iluling- had a saw-mill in the valley as early as 1×31.
three hundred and five acres March 12, 1786, surveyed the 18th following, " on the road from Carlisle to the Standing Stone," now called the " Kearney Path." East of this was a survey made at the same time, by William Harris, to Stephen Champaigne. Innis was some years a captain among the Indians, and at the French forts in Canada acquired considerable education. He was fond of the wild life and was quite a rover. Ile served all through the Revolution, and after the closing siege at Yorktown returned with two French companions, Champaigne and Bouderez. They figured in lands in Tuscarora, Black Log and at Shade Gap. Afterwards Champaigne returned to France and left his Black Log lands to his companion, who, in turn, gave the tract to one Kearney, whose house was a landmark on the division line ou the formation of Tuscarora township.
TUSCARORA SLEEPING-PLACE. - Secretary Peters, in 1750, spoke of Sherman's Valley, "through which the present road goes from Harris's Ferry to Alleghany." John Harris, in 1753, passed over this Traders' road. From Andrew Montour's he came nine miles to Tus- carora Hill, then three miles to Thomas Mitch- ell's sleeping-place, then fourteen miles to Tus- carora, then ten miles to Cave (not Cove) Spring, or Trough Spring, above Silverthorn's Mills, and eight miles more to the Shades of Death, now close to Shade Gap. Some of these points have caused much speculation, and have never been successfully located or explained. We are concerned principally in " Tuscarora." There wasa place near themouth of Path Valley,-that is, near Waterloo,-called the " Tuscarora Sleep- ing-Place," as appears by an application for land said to be near it. Harris had just named one " Sleeping-Place," and it is evident that the " Tuscarora " is simply another one of these traders' cabins. We are of the opinion that it was at the mouth of George's Creek. This will practically reconcile the table of distances.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
JOHN PATTERSON.
There are two early surveys which deserve John Patterson is of Irish extraction. Hi notice. Francis Innis, Jr., took up a tract of | paternal great-grandfather emigrated from Ire-
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JUNIATA COUNTY.
land to America about the year 1740, and set- tled in Bucks County, Pa. With him came six sons, cach of whom was given a farm on the banks of the Delaware, this land being part of the original tract purchased by him. Mr. Patterson spent the remainder of his life in Bucks County, which was also the home of his son John, who was nited in marriage to Sarah Wilson. Their children were John, Andrew, James, and two daughters, Mary (Mrs. John
year 1760, and settled in the present Juniata County. His son James married a Miss Martin and engaged in farming pursuits in Mifflin County. Among their children was Isabella, before mentioned, wife of John Patterson, whose son John, the subject of this sketch, was born on the 26th of March, 1809, at Academia, Juniata County, where the carly years of his life were passed. After ordinary opportunities at the public school a year was spent at the
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John Patterson
Means) and Anu (Mrs. Jamison). John, of this umber, was born in October, 1763, in Bucks County, and removing to Juniata County in 1790, settled as a merchant at Academia, in Beale township, where he pursued until his death, in October, 1836, a successful business career. John Patterson and his business partner were the pioneers in the use of arks for the trausportation of merchandise and prodneedown the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. He married Isabella Lyon, whose grandfather, John Lyon, emigrated from Ireland about the
academy at Mifflintown, and an additional year at the New London Cross-Roads Academy, in Chester County, Pa. On the completion of his studies he engaged as manager for his father in his mercantile enterprises, the latter being at that time much absorbed in his varions landed interests and the erection of buildings upon his farms. He remained thus employed until 1836, and then embarked in business as proprietor. In 18-12 he began a brief career as a farmer. In 1816 he superintended the construction of a tammery at Pern Mills, Lack township, which
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
enterprise he afterward managed under the firm- name of William II. Patterson & Co. Subse- quently, having spent two years in Milwaukee, Wis,, he returned in 1851 to Juniata County, and with his brother resumed the business of a tanner. In 1858 his brother-in-law, William Van Dyck, became his partner, and continued so until the begining of the late war. In 1874, having abandoned the tannery, he contimed farming and milling, in which he is still engaged.
Blanche Stone, of Norfolk, Va .; Adelia Forrest, born October 25, 1846 ; Clara, born August 25, 1818, wife of William A. McDowell; Lillie, born August 2, 1851, wife of Thomas P. Carson ; Annie D., born July 21, 1855, who died Sep- tember 29, 1874. Mrs. Patterson's death oc- eurred October 13, 1865. Mr. Patterson has been either a Whig or Republican in politics, but beside holding the office of justice of the peace, in which he is now serving his third
Thomas. Murphy.
John Patterson was, on the 6th of October, 1836, [ term, has not been especially interested in mat- married to Ellen, daughter of William Van ters of a political nature. His religious associ- ations are with the Peru Presbyterian Church, of which he is a member and was a former trustee. Dyck, of Mercersburg, Pa. Their children are Isabella, born July 4, 1837, and married to David D. Stone ; James J., born June 22, 1838, married to Elizabeth Jack ; Ellen, born Novem- ber 27, 1837, wife of James Patton, who died THOMAS MURPHY. August 20, 1873; Mary IL, born January 27, Thomas Murphy is of Irish descent, his grandfather having emigrated from Ireland to America, and settled in Franklin County, Pa. To his wife, Hannah Work, were born children, 1811, who died June 3, 1867 ; William Henry, born Angust 12, 1842, who died November 4, 1817; Robert HI., born March 12, 1811; Charles W., born July 25, 1815, married to | -Patrick, Alexander, Andrew, Hannah, (Mrs.
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JUNIATA COUNTY.
John Akins) and Mrs. James MeMullen. The birth of Andrew occurred in Franklin County, from whenee he removed to Juniata County, where, having purchased a farm, he remained until his death, ou the 17th of November, 1860. Ile married Mary, daughter of Thomas Wherry, of Tuscarora township, Juniata County, who was born Angust 12, 1792, and died November 11, 1883. Their children are Alexander B., born September 8, 1815, who died November 30, 1882; John, born April 10, 1818, who died July 8, 1883; Andrew W., born August 7, 1820, who died July 22, 1851 ; James, born July 14, 1823, who died February 17, 1880; Mary, born December 25, 1826, wife of Wil- liam Kinzer ; Thomas, born May 21, 1830; Joseph 1., born January 9, 1835, who died February 3, 1866. The birth of Thomas Mur- phy occurred on the homestead in JJuniata County, located about three-quarters of a mile from his present home. Here until the age of eighteen his youth was spent in active labor or in the pursuit of his studies at the common schools. Deciding then upon acquiring a trade, he repaired to MeCoyville and began work in the shop of a cabinet-maker and chair-maker, remaining four years thus employed ; he then for two years followed the trade of a carpenter throughont the country, and spent the winter of 1854-55 in Indiana, where he was likewise in- dustriously occupied. Returning home, he con- tinned his vocation, and on the 18th of Novem- ber, 1856, was married to Margaret P., dangh- ter of James Lauther, of the same township, whose birth occurred August 6, 1832. Their children are Alexander W., born October 2, 1857 ; Sylvia Jane, wife of George Thompson, born September 26, 1860 ; James L., born Sep- tember 26, 1863 ; Samuel C., born Angust 11, 1866, who died January 24, 1869; Anna Blanche, born July 13, 1870, and Mary W., born February 16, 1871. Mr. Murphy, one year after his marriage, purchased the farm on which he now resides, in Lack township, and has since been engaged in the employment of an agriculturist. His political sentiments are in accord with the principles of the Democracy. Though frequently pressed to accept office, he . has declined all positions other than those con-
nected with the township, his attention being chiefly devoted to matters connected with his farm. He is an elder in the Pern Presbyterian Church, of which his wife and the two eklest children are also members.
CHAPTER VIII.
TUSCARORA TOWNSHIP.'
This township was erected by the court at Lewistown, and was formed by dividing Lack township. The viewers were Hugh Hart, of Lack, Richard Doyle, of Milford, and Jomm Graham, of Turbett, who reported, at the April term, the following line :
"Beginning at a stone heap at the Perry county line, on the northeast side of the Gap of the Tusca- rora mountain leading into Horse valley ; thence N. 25 W. through lands of Benjamin Wallace, John Wilson, Robert Magill, across said township nine miles to the line of Wayne township, below the resi- dence of Kerney in Black Log valley, in said county."
This report was confirmed at the Angust term, 1825, and the new township called Tus- carora. The title was, of course, taken from the name that had long adhered to the moun- tain and ereck. The first assessment was taken in 1826, and showed over one hundred and fifty resident taxables and forty-two single free- men, leaving in Lack about one hundred and fifteen taxables and twenty-five freemen.
Tuscarora is bounded north by Black Log Mountain and Mifflin County ; west, by Lack ; east, by Spruce Hill, Beale and Milford ; south, by the two Tuscarora Mountains. The Tusea- rora Creek and its tributaries drain the town- ship. The surface is hilly ; long ridges traverse it from cast to west, between which are small, fertile valleys.
As Tuscarora constituted a part of Lack prior to 1826, the reader is referred to that town- ship for a list of first assessments, the names of early settlers and for list of taxable industries up to 1831.
EARLY SETTLERS,-Commencing in Tusca- rora on the mountain road and going westward,
1 By A. L. Guns.
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JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS IN PENNSYLVANIA.
we notice : Robert MeKce took ont a warrant for two hundred aeres in 1755. In 1762 Wil- lien West, merchant, of Philadelphia, for one Inidred and fifty acres. MeKce, a neighbor, entered a caveat against West, and the Governor decided in favor of MeKce, as his warrant was .of the earliest date. The Land-Office having refunded him his money, West assigned his survey to McKee. Another draft gives Robert MeKce, in the right of John Gray, two hundred and thirty acres, in 1767, with Jolm Gray on the cast. The property passed to Peter Beale, Sr., in 1811, and to William Okeson in 1826. It now belongs to Rev. Christian Myers, a minister of the Brethren or Dunker persuasion. A meeting- house of that denomination was built on this tract abont 1874. Okeson built a saw-mill there in 1829, and a man named Boozle built a grist-mill at the same place. It was aban- doned about sixteen years ago, soon after the present owner came in possession of it. The mill is now in ruins.
It is probable that it was in an old house near the mill that Rev. Charles Beatty preached on Wednesday, August 20, 1766, which, so far as is known, was the first sermon ever preached in Tuscarora Valley.
Sammel Bigham, warrant 1755, had three returns,-1st, two hundred and nine acres, May 10, 1763; 2d, two hundred and thirty- six acres, 17744 ; and 3d, two hundred and forty- nine aeres, same date. On the last two surveys the traet is named " Biggam's Fort." Patented to Francis West, in 1774, two hm- dred and fifty-two acres, in right of Samuel Bigham. It is now owned by John and Abraham Reed and R. H. Patterson. This and the tract adjoining southward, two hundred and twenty-three acres, taken up by West, made four hundred and seventy-three acres, and were sold to Amos Hoopes, of Chester County, who sold it to John Reed, from whom it passed to Robert Road and then to the present owners.
Widow Jane Swan, one hundred and three aeres, in 1762. In 1786 Robert and William Swan sold this tract to Thomas Kerr. The re- port of Colonel John Armstrong shows that Thomas Swan was among the " missing " at the \ " Honey Grove," and it was so ordered.
time of his attack on Kittanning. The tract i- where Hervey Neely now lives.
Thomas Kerr, one hundred and eighty-two acres, 1767. Ile also took one hundred and ninety-six acres in 1774, and another piece in 1791, nest the mountain. These lands passed to his sons, together with the Swan survey. John Neely and James McCulloch now reside on the first-named Kerr tract. One of Kerr's tracts (ninety-nine acres) lay south of Widow Swan's and was held as an improvement.
William Beale, of Chester County, purchased the lands at Academia in 1760. He was pro- viding homes for his sons in the new border settle- ments. He never moved to the land, but his sons did. Tu 1768 he took up one hundred and eighty-four acres at the place since known as Bealetown, or Honey Grove. On this tract David Beale built a grist-mill and a saw-mill at a very early date, as it was assessed in 1775. He wa- a man of energy and prominence, and he ownel and ran the mills till his death, in 1828. Con- tignons to the above tract David Beale took up three tracts of fifty acres each, and James Beale added one hundred and seventy-eight acres more in 1786. These lands are now owned by James Beale, McConnell Beale, William Van Swearingen and the Bealetown lot-owners. Wil. Beale warranted one Indred and eighty-four aeres, now owned by Hon. Abraham Rohrer.
BEALETOWN is situated on the Laurel Run. It has two stores and several shops. The first grist-mill was of logs ; the second was frame, built by David Beale. The present mill was built by Jesse Beale about 1845. About 1848 the mills passed to William Van Swearingen. The post-office was established in 1839,-Jesse Beale, postmaster. He was succeeded in 1818 by Francis Snyder, then by Joshua Beale, Francis Snyder, William Van Swearingen for four years, Francis Snyder for fourteen years and William Van Swearingen since March 1, 1885. While Francis Snyder was postmaster the name was " Beale's Mills," and he objected to it becauseof its similarity to " Bell's Mills," and writing to the Postmaster-General about a swarm of bees locating in a honse belonging to William Van Swearingen, suggested the change of the name to
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