History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 103

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor
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USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 103

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The following from the Fayette County records bears upon the first roa suspension bridge over erected :

March 12, 1801 .- The commissioners addressed a letter to the com- londoners of Westmoreland County on the outfeet of a proposed tron bridge Geross Jeeste Creek."

April 2, 1001 .- Letter received from the commissioners of Westmore- laad, requesting a meeting of the two boards, with Col. Lease Messon, ca the beak of Jeeste Creek, on the next following Tuesday, "to con- salt and complete contract relative to Jemes Finley, Reg., tadertaking to creot an Iren Bridge over Jacobs Creek, and it is agreed that John Faltos cad Andrew Oliphant proceed to besince."

April 14, 1001 .- The csoumissioners of Fayette and Westmoreland Counties met and completed contract with James Finley to build a bridge supported with tron at er setir Jesse Meson's, over Jeeste Creek, for the sum of six hundred dollars, one-half to be paid eat of the trece-' ary of Fayette, and one-half out of the treasury of Westmoreland. The bridge to be "a patent trea chain suspension" structure of seventy fest ngen, cad to be completed ready for use on or before Dee. 16, 1801. This bridge over Jeeste Creek, on the tarapike road between Conactie- ville and Mount Pleasant, was the first iron suspension bridge erected in the State of Penneyivanin. The pisa on which it was built was'in- vested and petented by Judge Jemee Finley, of Fayette County. At- other bridge of this kind was built a few years later over Dealey's Gresk at Bridgeport. The plan, however, proved defective and the bridges unsafe, the one last named falling under the weight of a team sod ordleary wegos-lead, after having been in use less then ten years. Correberating car statement is the following anthority : .

JAMES FINLEY, THE INVENTOR OF SUSPENSION BRIDGE-The Amet toen Battery Times contains the following bit of history : " In an old book escura the following sentence : "The invention of suspension bridges by Chr Samedi Brown sprung from the right of a spider's web hanging across the path of the investor, cheerved in a morning walk, wien bts Thisd was occupied with the idea of bridging the Tweed.' The artifice of the web which really guided Bir Samuel Brown was the American engineer. James Finley, of Fayette County, Po. Ho, in the year 1799, bellt the frefregeler seapension bridge across Jacobe Creek, on the turn- pike from Uniestown to Greensburg, in this State. He obtained the frat patent on this object from the government of the United States, and the best, 'Treatise on Bridge Architecture, by Thomas Popo,' published in New York in the year 1811, spread its ingenious invention all over the whole world. Somse English and French authors, and oven Pope, tried to diminish Finley's mertto by attributing this invention to the Chinese and Jadiane, bet these people med cely repes or common chains thetssed to the tree, and the path was directly on the catenary, without pending fleer."

" At the January cussions, 1781, "On metien the Court do hereby erect that part of West'l Co. Included within the following Boundaries tate & Township, that is to my, Beginning at the west side of the Mesengakels Mone, at the mouth of Poters Creek, thence up the said Creek to the Bend therest, hence with a straight line to the Head of Saw-Mill Creek, Dance down Bow-Mill Creek, Rence up the Ohio River to the mouth of Mancegskola, thence up this last River to the Place of beginning, and to berady mesmo the como " Wharton." Jedswick Loudertack appointed

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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

PURCHASE OF 1784.

In October, 1784, after the close of the Revolution- ary war, another great and now a final treaty was held between Pennsylvania and the natives. This was the treaty of Fort Stanwix. The commissioners at this treaty purchased the residue of the Indian lands within the limits of the State. The chief of the Six Nations put their marks to the deed Oct. 28, 1784; the Wyandots and Delawares confirmed the deed early the next year.

The last accession of territory was called the "Now Purchase," a designation used specifically to distin- guish it, although the same designation had very generally been applied until this time to the pur- chase of 1768.

Part of this purchase of 1784 was added to West- moreland, for up unto this time the region north and west of the Allegheny River, and north of a straight line from Kittanning eastward, was never within or of Westmoreland. That part lying beyond those rivers to the north and west was then known, and long after continued to be known, as the "Indian Country." The region now known and included in the counties of Butler, part of Armstrong, Clarion, Jefferson, and half of Clearfield was not open to settlers until the date of this tresty, October, 1784. Therefore the jurisdiction of Westmoreland over those parts is not to be named.

One incident of this treaty was the settlement of the northern part of the boundary line of the former treaty of 1768, which had been in doubt and mistake. These bounds between Northumberland and Westmoreland were ascertained April 8, 1785.

This new region began to be speedily settled, but the settlers were much harassed and lived far away from law.

In 1788, September the 24th, the county of Alle- gheny-in the act spelled Allegany-was erected out of portions of Westmoreland and Washington. The line dividing Allegheny from Westmoreland is this: " Beginning at the mouth of Becket's Mill Run, on the Monongahela River, in a straight line to opposite the mouth of Sewickley Creek, on the Youghiogheny River ; thence from the mouth of Crawford's Run, on

constable and John MoDermot and James Holliday, overseers of the poor for mid township."

At this court was Franklin township (in Fayette County) also organ- ised. The record is as follows: " The Court, considering the large extent of the Township of Tyrone, do hereby erect that part of the mid Town- ship lying south of Yobogania River into a separate Township, hereafter to be called 'Franklin,'" Samuel Sword was nominated constable, and Matthew Wyley and James Patterson, overseers of the poor. July sessions; 1783.

"The Court taking into consideration the extent of Springhill town- ship, and finding it too large and inconvenient, proceeded to divide the mame sad to lay off a New Townebtp, Beginning where Mason & Dixon's Line intersects the top of the Laurel Hill, thence along the summit of maid Hill to Yobogania River, thenes along mid River to the State Line, thence siong maid line to the place of Beginning, and call, and to be known by the name of, Wharton Township.

"Constable of maid Twp., Andrew MoOrary.

"Supervisora " James Dougherty, Moses Hall."

said river, to the mouth of Brush Creek, on Turtle Creek ; thence up Turtle Creek to the main fork thereof; thence by a northerly line until it strikes Puckety Creek."

The commissioners 'to run the boundary lines be- tween the counties of Washington, Allegheny, and Westmoreland were Eli Coulter, Peter Kidd, and Benj. Lodge. The return as above given, signed by Eli Coulter and Benj. Lodge, is of record in the ro- corder's office of the county. It was certified Dec. 24, 1788. From Packety Creek to the Kiskiminetas the Allegheny River divides the counties.

Westmoreland still continued to have territorial jurisdiction over the region north of the Kiskimin- ctas, which is now embraced within the counties of Armstrong and Indiana, until those counties were erected, Armstrong by act of March 12, 1800, and Indiana by act of March 80, 1808. This region was largely colonised and populated by emigrants from Westmoreland. Colonies went out from here after the date of the New Purchase and settled throughout all the northern parts thereof, and particularly along the Allegheny River. By this severance the town- ships of Armstrong and Wheatfield were totally taken from the mother-county. This was not fully con- summated till act of 80th of March, 1808, erecting Indiaas County, when the Kiskiminetas was made the dividing line between those counties to the north and west and to the south.

By this same act Indiana was annexed to West- moreland for.judicial purposes, and the courts of West- moreland were to levy and collect the taxes. By act of 10th of April, 1806, it was declared a part of the Tenth Judicial District.1

This was the last inroad made on the territory of the original Westmoreland. By the loss of these various portions of territory the county lost the whole of the townships of Springhill, Manallin, Tyrone, Wharton, Franklin (in Fayette), Armstrong, Wheat- field, and part of Pitt and Rostraver.

The township of Wheatfield had been erected early in the history of the county. At a court held at Robert Hanna's on the second Tuesday of April, 1776, it was ordered that the line between Fairfield and Donegal should be the Laurel Run, the run next Ligonier, this side Robert Laughlin's plantation, and adjoining the same. The court also ordered that that part of Fairfield township, beginning at Galbraith's Run near his house, being the same house that John Hinkston formerly occupied, to the west side of Squirrel Hill, should be erected into a township and to be called Wheatfield, and the run should be the division line between the same township and Fair- field.

1 The counties forming the district were Somerset, Cambria, Indiana, Armstrong, and Westmoreland.

The boundary line between Westmoreland and Somerset was seoer- tained March 29, 1798, and that between Westmoreland and Fayette was sopurately fixed March 1, 1806.

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CIVIL HISTORY, STATISTICS, AND MISCELLANEOUS.

The townships in the county after Fayette was erected, 1784, were Fairfield, Donegal, Huntingdon, Mount Pleasant, Hempfield, Rostraver, Armstrong, Derry, Wheatfield.

In 1801, while yet Westmoreland extended beyond the Kiskiminetas, by its jurisdiction over Allegheny township, the court erected the township of Cone- maugh, as will be seen by the record at June sessions, 1801, which is as follows :

"On petition for the division of Allegheny town- ship .- On the petition of a number of the inhabitants of Allegheny township, in the county of Armstrong, within the jurisdiction of Westmoreland, praying for a division of said township, as the same in their opinions is too extensive for township officers to do their duty therein, and suggesting the following boundaries for a new township, viz .: Beginning at the Allegheny River, thence up the Kiskiminetas River, being the line of Armstrong County, to the corner of said county line, thence along the east line of Armstrong County to the old purchase line, thence along the old purchase line to the Allegheny River, thence down said river to the place of beginning. Which said petition being read and continued under advisement, September sessions continued, Decem- ber sessions. 1801, the court confirms the aforesaid division, and direct that part adjoining to the Cone- mangh River to be hereafter known by the name of Conemaugh township.

The present townships in Westmoreland which by name were created at the organization of the county are Hempfield, Fairfield, Donegal, Rostraver, Mount Pleasant, and that part of Huntingdon which is now designated as North Huntingdon.

The first township erected within the limits of the . county as it is now-and henceforth in this chapter in speaking of the bounds of the county we have refer- ence to its present bounds unless otherwise noted- the first township erected was Derry, in April, 1775; then follow in order Washington, in July, 1779; Franklin and Salem, some time between 1785 and 1790, the exact date being uncertain ; Unity, in Jan- uary, 1789; South Huntingdon, 1790; Allegheny, June, 1795; East Huntingdon, 1798; Ligonier, 1822; Loyalhanna, 1833; Sewickley, 1885; Burrell, 1852; subdivided into Upper Burrell and Lower Burrell, 1879; Bell, 1858 ; Cook, 1855; Penn, 1855; and St. Clair, 1856.

MISSISSINAWA TOWNSHIP.

There was a township of short existence and of no history created by act of Assembly, which act was repealed within three years thereafter. This township -Mississinawa-was a separate election district in the election of 1847, and polled 175 votes, and by the census of 1850 it contained a population of 862. The following is its legal existence and boundaries : By the act of Assembly, 16th of March, 1847, the limits contained within the following boundaries were erected into a township, to be called MISS ISS INA-

WA, to wit: Beginning at the mouth of Myers' Run, on the Big Sewickley Creek; thence embracing the farms of Adam Vandyke, Henry Dougal, Robert Mc- Guffey, John J. Robertson, Adam Pose (formerly J. Robertson, Jr.), Robert Boyd, Thomas Hannah, Paul Warden, Henry Shapes, Wible farm, George Hough's property, Thomas Williams, Thompson lot, Charles Hewitt's property, Boy & Wallace's, Mc- Key property, Smith's part of the Bennett farm, and Samuel Smith's property, on the Youghiogheny River; thence down said river to the West Newton borough line; thence round said line to the river; and thence down said river to the mouth of the Big Sewickley Creek; and thence up the same to the place of beginning; and the qualified voters therein were thereafter to hold their general and township elections at the house of William Miller, in said township ; that at the election to be held on the third Friday of March, 1847, William Plumer was to act as judge, and William Ross and John Frick as in- spectors. This act was repealed by act of 25th of February, 1850.

ELECTION DISTRICTS.

By act of Assembly of 13th of September, 1785, Westmoreland was divided into the following election districts, and the places of holding the elections were designated :

"The elections for the county of Westmoreland, which for that per- pose is divided into five districta, shall be holden at fiye places, to wit : " The freemen of the sald county who reside on the north side of the Kiskiminetas and Connemauch, being the first district, shall hold their elections at the dwelling-house of Samuel Dizon.

"The freemen of the said county bounded by the Laurel Hill, Conne- mach, the Chestnut-ridge, and Fayette County line, being the second district, shall hold their elections at the house occupied by William Jameson.

" The freemen of the townships of Huntingdon and Rastrover, being the third district, shall hold their elections at the dwelling-house of William Moore, in the township of Bastrover aforesaid.

" The freemen of the township of Fort Pitt, being the fourth district, shall hold their elections at the dwelling-house of Devereux Smith, in the town of Fort Pitt.

" And all the freemen residing in the said county who are not in- cluded in the aforementioned districts shall hold their elections at Hanna's Town."

The act of 19th September, 1786, changed the place of holding the elections from Hanna's Town to Greensburg by the following enactment.

" WHEREAS the commissioners who were appointed to ascertain and fix the proper place for holding the courts of justice, etc., etc., have fixed that the same courts be hereafter holden at Greensburgh, otherwise Newton : Be ut enacted, etc., That Greensburg shall hereafter be the place of election of the Fifth district of Western County, and that at all future elections for the same county the electors residing within the same district shall attend aud vote at the court-house in Greensburg aforesaid; and that the returns to be made of inspectors elect be made at the said court-house in Greensburg, and not at Hanna's Town."

By act of 29th September, 1789, all that part of Rostraver township which remained within the county of Westmoreland was erected into a separate election district, known by the name of the Fourth District, and it was lawful for the freemen of the said district to meet at the house occupied by Samuel Wilson to vote.

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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

By the same act the parts of Huntingdon and Franklin townships remaining within the county after the division line was run between Allegheny and Westmoreland were annexed to the Fifth District, and were to vote at Greensburg.

By act of Assembly of 29th of September, 1779, it was said that, "Whereas the inhabitants of Derry township are subject to great difficulties in crossing waters, and attending the place of their election at so great a distance, and have expressed a desire of being erected into a separate district, therefore be it enacted that the said township of Derry is hereby erected into a separate election district, and that it shall and may be lawful for the freemen of said town- ship to meet at the house now occupied by Moses Donald, and there give in their votes at the general election."

In 1828, fifty years after the organization of the county, there were but seventeen election districts in it, and of these some three had been erected by the act of the Legislature preceding, namely, Youngs- town, Ligonier, and Salem. The election districts were the following : Greensburg, Hempfield, Unity, Mount Pleasant, Mount Pleasant District, Salem, Rostraver, Washington, South Huntingdon, Fairfield, Ligonier, Franklin, North Huntingdon, Donegal, Allegheny, Youngstown, and Derry.

ELECTION DISTRICTS AND PLACES OF VOTING FOR THE FALL ELECTION OF 1881.

For Adamsburg Election District and borough, at the public school-house in Adamsburg.

For Alters District, at the house of the late Jacob Alters, in Derry township.

For Allegheny township, at the house of William Vogle, in Shearersburg.

For Bolivar borough, at the house of D. Coulter, in said borough.

For Burrell township, Lower Burrell District, at school-house No. 5.

For Upper Burrell District, at the house of Jacob H. Byerly.

For Bell township, at the carpenter-shop of Labana Carnahan, in the village of Perrysville.

For Coketon Election District, at Coketon school- house, Derry township.

For Derry Election District, at the house of Fred- erick Wineman, in New Derry.

For Derry Station Election District, at the public school-house at Derry Station.

For Bradenville Election District, at the shoe-shop of David Braden, in St. Clair City.

For Donegal borough and township, at the public school-house in said borough.

For Cook township, at the house of George Camp- bell, in said township.

For Fairfield township, at the house of John Gra- ham, in West Fairfield.

For Franklin township, as follows :

In District No. 1, or "Sardis District," being all that part of Franklin township lying within the fol- lowing boundaries, to wit : Commencing at the Alle- gheny County line on land of Peter Dice, near the tenant-house now occupied by John Beighley, Jr .; thence by lands of said Peter Dice, Samuel Watt, Armstrong Wilson, Reuben Walp, William Morgan, John Remaley, Jr., and Jacob Dible, southeast course to bridge on lands of said Jacob Dible; thence east through lands of William Morgan, Anthony Remaley, John W. Elwood, and David Steele to line of Wash- ington township, on lands of James C. Christy; thence by line of Washington township to Allegheny County Itne at Hamilton's mill ; thence south by line of Alle- gheny County to place of beginning. The place for voting will be at Sardis public school-house.

In District No. 2, or "Murrysville District," being that part of Franklin township embraced within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning on the Alle- gheny County line on lands of Peter Dice, near the tenant-house now occupied by John Beighley, Jr .; thence southeast by lands of said Peter Dice, Samuel Watt, Armstrong Wilson, Reuben Walp, William Morgan, John Remaley, Jr., and Jacob Dible to bridge on Murrysville and Poke Run road; thence south through lands of said Jacob Dible, Jacob Hall, Anderson's heirs to a post near barn of said Ander- son's heirs; thence southwest through lands of said Anderson's heirs, Josiah Glunt, George Hobaugh, Michael Haymaker, heirs of George Haymaker, Rich- ard Coulter, David Keister, and Jackson Keister to the line of Franklin and Penn townships; thence by said line and Lyon's Run to the mouth of Lyon's Run; thence north by the line of Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties to the place of beginning. The place for voting will be the Murrysville school- house.

In District No. 3, or Manor Dale District, being all of Franklin township not included in the above- described districts, the place of voting will be at Re- maley's mill.

For Greensburg borough, at the court-house.

For Hempfield Election District, at the court-house in Greensburg.

For Huntingdon East (which has been divided into the east and west election districts by the line of the Southwest Pennsylvania Railway), at the public school-house (No. 7) at Stonerville.

For Huntingdon North (First District), at the school-house in the village of Jacksonville.

For the Second District, called the Larimer's Dis- trict, at the store-house of J. S. Thompson, at Lari- mer's station.

For the Third District, called Shafton District, at the school-house at Shafton Station.

For Huntingdon South, at school-house No. 10. For South Huntingdon township, Wayne District, at public school-house No. 2, in said township.

For Irwin borough, at the public school-house.

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CIVIL HISTORY, STATISTICS, AND MISCELLANEOUS.

For Kuhn's Election District, at the house of Ma- thias Bridge.

For Latrobe borough, at the public school-house in said borough.

For Ligonier borough and township, at the public school-house in said borough.

For Youngstown Election District and borough, at the public school-house in said borough.

POPULATION OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY.

The following table exhibits the total population of each township and borough in Westmoreland County according to the census of 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850:

TOWNSHIPS AND BOROUGHS.

1810

1820

1890

1840

1850

Adameburg Borough.

1388

2058

2642

8329

Allegheny.

2380

2301

8890

3722

5567

Derry ...

2147

2564

2062

2261

2687

Franklin

1542

1757

2168

2320

2600

Turfield ..

1973

9085

2422

2085

3352

Greensburg Borough

885

770

810

800

1051

Hempfield ....

3444

3885

4565

4772

5985

Huntingdon East.

1267

1388

1516

1776

1873

Huntingdon North.

2345

2217

3170

1878

2670

Huntingdon South.

1656

2004

2204

2793

1470

Ligonier Borough.

Ligonier ..

Loyalhanna ....

554

534

Mount Pleasant ....

1780

2060

2981

2123

2576

Rostraver ....

1786

1679

1721

1880

2087

Balem Borough

....

TABLE OF POPULATION IN 1800 AND 1870, As the enumeration districts were different at these censuses this table is given separate from the others :

1860.

1870.

Allegheny Township.

1888

1710

178 dec.

Barrel Township

1779

1819

40 inc.

Bell Township ...

901

810

91 inc.

Cook Township ....

1043

878

163 dec.

Donegal Township.

1880

155

Derry Township ...

4703

1 306

Franklin Township.

1760

`1797

87 inc.

Bolivar Borough.

2014

1697

119 inc.

Fairfield Township.

1388

1642

252 inc.

Hempfield Township

5686

1 229 }

Huntingdon East.

1915

2184

182 ino.

Huntingdon South.

2284

2210

54 dec.

Irwin Borough .....

2798

3493

1528 inc.

North Huntingdon.

758

1127

369 ino.

Ligonier Township ....

2730

19494 ) 317

21 inc.

Ligonier Borough.

165

211

46 inc.

Loyalhanna ...

967

814

43 dec.

Ludwick Borough

299

533

234 inc.

Mount Pleasant Borough ..

2600

2549

S 2424

1145 inc.

Rostraver.

2450

2786

336 inc.

Salem Borough ..

2551

2124

St. Clair Township

966

333

Sewickley

1936

2372

436 inc.

Unity Township.

§ 3624 ]

165 inc.

Youngstown Borough

301 J

Washington ...

1389

1416

27 inc.

West Newton Borough

949

819

42 inc.

Total.

53,304

68,699 5,396

....

........

....

For Mount Pleasant North Election District, at the Ridgeview school-house in said district.

For Mount Pleasant South Election District, at the Texas public school-house.

For New Stanton Election District, at the public school-house at New Stanton.

For New Alexandria borough, at the public school- house.

For New Florence borough, at the public school- house in said borough.

Salem ...

1518

1965

2294

1892

2065

Unity.

8174

2438

2990

9003

4152

Washington ..

1696

1478

2153

2004

2076

West Newton Borough.

7713

Miselesi Da wa. ...

862

New Alexandria Borough

427

For Penn township, at the public school-house in Harrison City.

For Parnassus borough, at the public school-house. For Rostraver township, as follows :

In District No. 1, or " Cross-Roads District," at the public school-house at " Cross-Roads."

In District No. 2, or "Concord District," at the " Concord" public school-house.

In District No. 3, or " Webster District," at the "North Webster" public school-house.

Donegal Borough.

4969

561 inc.

In District No. 4, or "Lagrange District," at the " Lagrange" school-house.

For Salem Election District, at the house of Robert Job, at Harvey's Five Points.

£ 5500 }

134 inc.

Adamsberg Borough

For Salem borough, district, and balance of town- ship, at the building owned by said borough, and known as the weighmaster's house in said borough.

For Sewickley township as follows :

The First District (called Sewickley), at the tenant- house belonging to the United Presbyterian Church. The Second District (called Youghiogheny), at school-house No. 1 in said district.

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 103

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: