History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 140

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 140

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There was yet no church-building in his time of ministry. The services were sometimes held in the house and sometimes in the barn of John Menoher, father of the late James Menoher, Esq., and grand- father of Thomas Menoher, one of the present mem-

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bers of session. The place of land on which the first church was built was a little below that on which the present church stands, and when the weather was fa- vorable services were held there in open air. It was near the spring. The pastor stood by a tree which was bent almost to the earth. This was his background, and before him, seated on logs placed in order, gath- ered the waiting congregation. Mr. Cree was a very worthy man and an acceptable preacher, but was "not suffered to continue by reason of death." His work was soon over, and his Master called him, "Come up higher." He was in the midst of pas- toral labor, holding an examination at the house of Hugh Hamill, one of the elders, in April, 1806, when, by a stroke of apoplexy, he was suddenly called to his rest, in the fifty-second year of his age and fourteenth of his ministry.

The little band, without wealth, without a house of worship, and now without a teacher and leader, might well be discouraged; but God was their hope, and they went forward in His strength. On the 1st of July following. they presented to the Presbytery a petition for preaching and the dispensation of the supper. Preaching was regularly supplied. The moderation of a call was requested Oct. 28, 1807, which when made out was for Mr. Robert Bruce, afterwards Rev. Dr. Robert Bruce, of Pittsburgh, a very eminent and honored minister. As other calls were presented at the same time, this one was not accepted. In the latter part of February, 1814, a call was moderated for Mr. Jos. Scroggs, a licentiate, who had ministered to them in December, 1813.

Mr. Scroggs was born in Cumberland County, Pa. When he was in his eighth year his parents removed to Washington County, Pa., from which home he was sent to Jefferson College, at Cannonsburg, Pa., at the age of eleven, where he graduated with honor in 1808 at the age of sixteen. He commenced the study of theology at once under the care of Dr. John An- derson, at Service Creek, Beaver Co., Pa. After four years of study he was licensed at Poland, Ohio, Oc- tober, 1813. After some time spent in travel in the East, where a call was made out for him in Ver- mont, he returned to Pennsylvania and accepted the call from Fairfield and Donegal congregations, and was ordained and installed before a large concourse of people at Fairfield Church, Oct. 14, 1815. The log church which had been built and partially finished during the time when the people were without a pas- tor could not contain the assembled congregation. The services were held at the door of the church, so that the concourse of people, both inside and out, might witness the impressive ceremonies.

Mr. Scroggs was married, in May, 1816, to Miss Mary Hanna, sister of the late Rev. Dr. Hanna, of Washington, Pa. To them were given ten children, most of whom are still living. One son entered the ministry, and is now pastor of the United Presbyterian congregation of Madison, Pa. Mrs. Scroggs' health

failed in the midtime of life, and she passed to her rest July 29, 1848. Mr. Scroggs was again married, in January, 1854, to Mrs. Nancy Hogg, of Canfield, Ohio, who still survives. . Space will not permit any detailed description of the character and life-work of Rev. Scroggs. He was a man of thorough scholar- ship, keen intellect, and masterly use of language. His high moral character placed him above suspicion, and his earnest piety made his life to be a power for good wherever he was known. His steadfast adher- ence to principle, his opposition to all forms of evil, were such as control strong-hearted men in loyalty to the truth of God. While unbending in any case where moral principle was involved, he was every- where known as one of the most kind and tender- hearted of men. His nobility of life and clear, forci- ble, and at the same time earnest and entreating manner of presenting truth made one feel while en- joying his company or waiting upon his ministry "this is indeed a man of God."

. In his early ministry the church was in some of its parts awakening to the enormity of the evil of slavery, and he was in the front rank of the reformers. He dared to lift up his voice on behalf of the lowly when it cost something to do so. He presented a paper to the Associate Presbyterian Synod in answer to a protest against action taken by that body in op- position to slavery by six of its highly respected members, which is claimed by competent judges to be one of the ablest papers ever laid before a church court.

When the union was about to be consummated be- tween the Associate and Associate Reformed Churches he for a time opposed the measure for worthy reasons. Before decisive action was taken, however, he grace- fully accepted the union, which was completed in Pittsburgh, May 26, 1858.

In September, 1864, Westmoreland Presbytery met at Fairfield Church to celebrate the fiftieth anniver- sary of his pastorate. The exercises were most in- teresting and profitable. Addresses were delivered by Rev. Dr. Joseph Cooper, of Philadelphia, Rev. Dr. A. G. Wallace, and Rev. Dr. Alexander Donald- son, and a history was read by Rev. James P. Lytle, D.D., of Sago, Ohio, one of the sons of the congre- gation. He continued his labors as pastor from fathers to children and children's children to four generations, until, as the infirmities of age were creep- ing fast upon him, at a meeting of Westmoreland Presbytery at Turtle Creek, Sept. 2, 1872, he ten- dered his resignation, on the acceptance of which the Presbytery adopted very expressive and appro- priate resolutions. He continued to preach for the people occasionally through the following winter, and attended the spring meeting of Presbytery at Latrobe only a few days previous to his death. While attending to some domestic duties one evening he became thoroughly chilled, which prostrated him with a severe cold. His sickness was unto death.

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After lingering a few days, conscious of his wasting condition, on the 21st of April, 1878, he passed into his everlasting rest in the eighty-first year of his age, the sixtieth of his ministry, and the fifty-eighth of his pastorate. The congregation which had so long en- joyed his labors, and who were his spiritual children, erected the year following a beautiful monument, which stands in the churchyard as a tribute of their esteem and love.

Let us glance briefly at the places of worship to which the people have in all these years been gather- ing. ' As we have already seen, no church building was erected until after the death of Rev. Cree. The arrangements for building had probably been made in part at least before his death, and, as near as can be ascertained, the first building was erected in 1807. It stood below the burying-ground ; the place can easily be pointed out even now. Before the erection of the church a small log house, about twenty feet square, was constructed near by, which sometimes was called the "study-house," the "session-house," or "school- house," according to the several purposes for which it was used. Its principal use was for school purposes. The fireplace was built in one side, with logs for jambs, lined with stones, built up in the form of mason- work. It took a back-log ten feet long. The window was made by cutting out a section of a log, and sticks reaching from the log above to the one below formed the sash. The stained glass used in the window was made by saturating paper in grease and fastening it over the opening. This preparation fitted it both for transmitting light and withstanding moisture. The seats were of logs hewed on one side and supported by legs. The desks were built against the wall, and the benches when drawn up to them turned the faces of all the pupils to the wall. The master, standing in the midst of the room, had easy access to unruly scholars when the rod was to be used. This house was in use in days when the philosophy that "lickin' and larnin' must go together," and the application of birch was very frequent. It was considered in place to administer something corrective at any convenient time, for if the victim did not need it then he soon would, and it was not best to let a good chance slip.

Among the books in use there was, first of all, the Bible (this was the reading-book for young and old), the United States Spelling-Book, Goff's Arithmetic, and the Shorter Catechism. The first teacher was William Luther; after him were William and Joseph Elder, father and son.

The church building had on each side three lengths of logs, the middle section being set a few feet farther out than the other portion of the wall, leaving a kind of recess on the inside, in which the pulpit was placed. The doors were made at each end of the building. The first services were held when there was nothing The call was presented to Presbytery in December, 1873, and at the next meeting, April, 1874, the call was accepted and the charge of the congregation at but the earth for a floor and logs for seats. All the first churches through the county were without chim- neys. To have fires made the place almost unendur- I once assumed. The ordination and installation took

able because of the smoke. Many of them remedied this by making fires on the outside, to which the people might go out and warm up. A floor, seats, and a pulpit were afterwards put in by a builder named Groovner. The seats had very high backs, as was the fashion in those days, or, as a young lady once humorously said, to keep the people from looking on vanity. The pulpit was very high, and reached by a long tier of steps. About half as high as the pulpit was a secondary one, into which "the clark" ascended and in due time rose up to lead the singing. There in an inclosure round about the pulpit sat the session, gathered near the minister. This brings us down step by step from minister to people. From all sections of the country between the Loyalhanna and the Cone- maugh they gathered here for worship. A very few had wagons. Many more came on horseback, at the rate of one, two, and three, and some say four, to a horse. Many more came on foot. Go to church they would. If they could not ride, they watched a chance and walked. Not wishing to appear in church bare- footed, they would hang their shoes upon their arm until they came near the church, and then clothe their feet before entering the sanctuary.

The present church building was erected in 1849. The building committee were Thomas Smith, David Hutchinson, Andrew Graham, Jr., John Pollock, and Col. John McFarland. Nathaniel McKelvey was the: contractor, building the church for twelve hundred dollars. The brick were made and laid by David Brown. The building has been repaired and re- modeled several times since. The congregation has given of her sons to the ministry as follows: Rev. R. H. Pollock, D.D., long a pastor in Wooster, Ohio; Rev. J. P. Lytle, whose life-work has been bestowed upon a congregation in Muskingum County, Ohio; Rev. Andrew Graham, of Indianola, Iowa; Rev. Joseph McKelvey, of Beloit, Kan .; Rev. Joseph A. Scroggs, of Madison, Pa., and Rev. James D. Little of Elgin, N. Y.

After the death of Rev. Dr. Scroggs the congrega -. tion received supplies by appointment from Presby- tery. In August, 1873, Rev. W. H. Vincent, a licen- tiate, was sent to preach for them a few Sabbaths. On the 21st of October following the congregation had a call for a pastor moderated, which resulted in the choice of Mr. Vincent. He is the son of Rev. Dr. G. C. Vincent, president of Franklin College, Ohio; was educated at Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pa., from which he graduated in 1869. His theologi- cal studies were pursued at Newburg, N. Y., and Al- legheny City, with a post-graduate course at Edin- burgh, Scotland. He was licensed by the First Presbytery of New York, in New York City, April 17, 1872.

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place at Fairfield Church, June 16, 1874, before a large assembly.

The membership reported at the time the call was accepted was 112. Additions have since been made to the number of 110. The deaths and removals have been 62, leaving a net membership (April, 1882) of 160, third in size in the Presbytery.

When the present pastor accepted the call it was with the understanding that a preaching station should be established at Ligonier. Services were for a time held every third Sabbath in the Presbyterian Church, afterwards at times in the Lutheran and Methodist Churches, and finally in the upper room of the school building. In 1876 the erection of a church building was begun. The funds, amounting to $4200, were raised in all parts of the congregation, and many liberal gifts were bestowed by persons of other de- nominations. The church was built under the super- intendence of a building committee consisting of Thomas C. Pollock, Myers C. Clifford, Hugh H. Lytle, James McElroy, Thomas J. Smith, and Frank L. Brown. Samuel Murdock, of Ligonier, was the con- tractor. The building was completed and formally and appropriately opened for divine worship in August, 1877. Rev. Dr. R. B. Ewing, of East Liberty, preached in the morning, and Rev. Dr. D. W. Collins, of Blairsville, in the evening. During about eight months in the year service is held every Sabbath afternoon at three o'clock. A prosperous Sabbath- school of ten officers and teachers and sixty scholars meets every Sabbath afternoon at two, services in old Fairfield Church being held every Sabbath morn- ing. In the winter season two-thirds of the time is given to Fairfield Church, and one-third to Ligonier Church. The present members of session are William T. Smith, Thomas C. Pollock, James McElroy, Wil- liam Little, Thomas Mensher, and Myers C. Clifford.1

BOLIVAR BOROUGH.

At the May sessions of the Court of Quarter Ses- sions for the year 1868 the petition of the " citizens of the town of Bolivar, Fairfield township," was pre- sented, in which it was set forth that they labored under great inconvenience by reason of not being an incorporated borough. In the said petition the. boundaries of the proposed borough were marked out and designated, and the petition ended with the prayer to be incorporated. On the 13th of May, 1868, the petition was approved, and the application held over till the next term, under the act of As- sembly.

Nov. 25, 1863, the court ordered that the judgment of the grand jury at May session, 1863, be confirmed, and ordered and decreed that, in conformity with the prayer of the petitioners, that portion of the town- ship of Fairfield including the town of Bolivar should be incorporated into a borough, under the

laws of Pennsylvania, under the name and style of the borough of Bolivar, which was declared to be a separate school district. It was further ordered that the first election for the several officers designated by law should be held at the office of D. Coulter, in said borough, on the 16th of December, 1863; that Ed- ward Coulter be appointed to give notice of said elec- tion, and that R. J. Glover should be judge, and A. P. Dushane and G. D. Berlin should be inspectors. The first elections were held at the office of David Coulter until the fall of 1870, when the court on petition directed them to be held at the school-house in the borough.

The population of Bolivar in 1880 was three hun- dred and seventy-eight. It is situated on the Penn- sylvania Railroad, and is a railroad town,-that is, a town which owes its existence and its business pros- perity to the railroad. It was, however, a village in the times of the flat-boat navigation of the Cone- maugh, and in the time of the canal.

The town is laid out like all such modern towns are, in the checker-board fashion, the streets crossing each other at right angles.

The chief business interest in the place is the pro- duction and manufacture of fire-brick from deposits of fire-clay which lie next the Conemaugh River. There are at present four companies engaged in the manufacture of the clay. The chief market for this production was created by the necessities of the coke business, as the fire-clay brick are the only ones which can be used in the ovens in which the coke is charred, or in the furnaces in which iron ore is smelted. These establishments are now run at their full capacity. More than a hundred men are engaged in the work. Above twenty thousand tons of clay are worked up here annually, and some two thousand tons shipped. Coal also exists in great quantities, but has not yet been sufficiently developed in this locality to add to the business interests of the place.

There is a grist-mill and permanent saw-mill on Tub-Mill Creek, a stream which flows into the Cone- maugh on the western side of the town. This stream took its name from the fact that in very early times a tub-mill was erected on its banks, which remarkable occurrence gave name to the stream for all time. There are also some four or five retail stores within the limits of the borough, and a church owned by the Methodist Episcopals. The burying-ground is on the western boundary line of the borough. There are also two hotels, and a public hall attached to another building, which the public make use of on needful occasions.

WEST FAIRFIELD VILLAGE.

The village of West Fairfield is situated on the eastern side of the township, on the Johnstown road from Ligonier, and at the distance of about four miles from Bolivar Station. It is a small village, containing a population of one hundred and nineteen. Although I the first settlers there clustered together about the

1 With thanks to the pastor, Rev. W. H. Vincent.

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Geo. He Coovode

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churches which had been first erected there, then in the country, and about a store which had been estab- lished later, and that without any'regard to regularity of arrangement or convenience of access, yet now the several streets and alleys have been opened, and the lots arranged in such order that it is evident the aspirations of the inhabitants are fixed boroughward. The United Brethren, the Methodists, and the Pres- byterians have each a church here; and there are two tastefully kept graveyards, in one of which are many old graves. It has a school-house, two stores, and two physicians reside here.

Lockport village is a station on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The population is one hundred and five. It was a village in the days of the old canal, and at this point the western division of the canal crossed the Conemaugh (whence the name of Lockport), on a beautiful cut-stone aqueduct, plainly seen from the railroad, standing as a monument to the enterprise of the past, the canal itself being abandoned. Works are in operation for the manufacture of fire-brick and gas retorts, employing some fifty hands. Coal is mined in the vicinity, but only for home consumption, as no competing market has been opened for the trade of that mineral. The village is regularly laid out in streets and lots, which are named and numbered. It is situated in a bend of the Conemaugh, which touches the boundaries of the village on the north and on the south. As in all the small station towns along the railroad, quite a number of railroad employés make their homes here, and reside in houses which they themselves own.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

COL. GEORGE H. COVODE.

Prominent among the gallant sons of old West- moreland is the name of Col. George Hay Covode. He was born at Covodesville, Pa., on the 19th of August, 1835, being the oldest son of Hon. John Covode, whose character and attainments are fully given elsewhere. From his youth he was noted for his size and strength, and when only seventeen years old weighed two hundred and twenty-five pounds. Being tall and well proportioned, raised on a farm, and accustomed to out-door exercise, he was pecu- liarly fitted for the hardships of military life. At fifteen years of age he left home and entered Ligonier Academy, where he remained some time, and thence entered the graded school at "Elder's Ridge," then under the supervision of the eminent scholar, Rev. Dr. Donaldson. Obtaining thus a thorough education he was well fitted for the active duties in the important . life he was destined to lead.

In July, 1853, he entered the mercantile establish- ment of Covode & Graham at Lockport, Pa. In the spring of 1856 the junior member of the firm, R. M.

Graham, Esq., retired, and . the firm was then known as Covode & Son. The congressional duties of his father required him to spend the greater part of his time in Washington, and the business of the firm was carried on almost entirely by the son. This business, together with that of being postmaster and agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad, occupied his time up to the breaking out of the Rebellion.

In 1858 he was married to Miss Annie Earl, of Somerset County, who lived but a few months. In the spring of 1861, when the dark clouds of war were gatbering over this country, he shaped his business at home so that he might be able to enlist in the ser- vice of his country. Just as he was ready to enter the army he was married in Harrisburg to Bettie St. Clair Robb, a granddaughter of Gen. Arthur St. Clair. It might be supposed that the prominence his father had acquired in the civil affairs of the nation would insure for him an advanced position in the army; but this was not the case : for one of Hon. John Covode's leading characteristics while in Congress was that he refused to push any of his relatives for political or military preferment. Accordingly, with the assist- ance of Dr. George S. Kemble, Company D of the Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry was raised in Ligo- nier Valley, and the young merchant entered as a private. Out of respect to Hon. John Covode the new company was called the Covode Cavalry, but when they joined the regiment they were compelled to adopt the name, Company D of the Fourth Penn- sylvania Cavalry. At the election of officers for the company, without being a candidate, the unassuming private, Covode, was unanimously chosen as first lieu- tenant.

The company with many others was stationed at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, but was shortly trans- ferred to a camp near the Soldiers' Home at Wash- ington City, which afterwards was named .Camp Campbell in honor of David Campbell, their colonel. Through a vacancy occasioned by the promotion of Capt. Kemble, Lieut. Covode was promoted to the captaincy. While at Washington this regiment did patrol duty. On the 12th of March, 1862, for gallant services Capt. Covode was promoted to major. They were very rapidly removed to the front. On the 31st of June the regiment took a very prominent part in the battle of Malvern Hill, and because of his brave and daring action Maj. Covode received very flatter- ing recommendations from Gens. McClellan and Por- ter. From this they marched via Williamsburg to Yorktown, and then on towards Washington, taking part in the Second Bull Run battle.

After reaching Maryland the Fourth was under Gen. McClellan, in whose celebrated march Maj. Co- vode was stationed in front until they reached Fred- erick City, where his regiment was assigned to Gen. Averill's brigade. During the early part of the fall of 1862 the Fourth was encamped upon the north bank of the Potomac, near Hancock, Md., this being

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about the only season of quiet known in the military life of Maj. Covode. But he was not long allowed to rest. In the bloody battle of Kelly's Ford, in which it will be remembered that Gen. Averill gained over Gen. Fitzhugh Lee the first cavalry victory of the late war, the Fourth, under Maj. Covode, was the only regiment of Gen. Hooker's command which partici- pated. It is scarcely possible to form an idea of the battles in which a regiment of cavalry in a short time would engage, since it is well known in military circles that they are subjected to almost constant skirmishes. It was so with the Fourth. Under their gallant major they won a reputation at Kelly's Ford as one of the bravest of regiments, and were always called upon when a close combat was at hand.

On his promotion his company presented him with a very fine and costly brace of silver-mounted pistols, one of which he lost in a charge in 1863, while the other is yet in the possession of the Covode family. After the presentation speech the major made the following reply : " My brave soldiers, I accept with real pleasure this testimonial of your kind regard for me. I shall always treasure these as tokens of your appreciation of my efforts to do my duty towards you as an officer and as a man. I can truly say that the feelings which prompted you to make this present are fully reciprocated. The knowledge of your regard shall sustain me in more strenuously endeavoring to increase your comfort and efficiency as soldiers. And when the time shall come that these pistols may have to be used, I hope we may be able to do our part in such a way that it will be a credit to old Westmore- land, and make her proud of Company D, Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry. I know that wherever I am called to go with these you will bravely follow."

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 140

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

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