History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 145

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 145

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The accessions to the eldership up to 1874 were John Gallagher, William M. Philerny, Jonathan Kerr, Dr. M. R. Benks, Daniel Uncapher, William McCurdy, Thomas Butterfield, William Irwin, Jo- seph Bricker, George W. Sheerer, John Archibald, Samuel Archibald, and Silas C. Fulton. The last four were installed and ordained Feb. 8, 1874. Of the above Messrs. Gallagher and Bricker have died, and Mr. Irwin removed. Up to 1874 this church had had three stated supplies and three pastors, and had raised and sent forth from its congregation no minis- ter.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT LATROBE

was organized March 1, 1869, with one hundred and ten members, chiefly from Unity, by Revs. G. Hill, N. H. Gillett, and J. R. Hughes, with Jesse Cun- ningham and Samuel Miller. Its first elders were James Douglass, James Nichols, John Thompson, and Dr. D. W. McConaughey. The house of worship had been erected some ten years previous, and it was used as an outpost of Unity Church. Rev. N. H. Gillett, pastor of that church, would frequently preach an extra sermon in Latrobe. Then, by the advice and consent of the session, he had so divided his regu-

lar services as to give this sub-station about one-third of his labors. Here his last days were spent, and here he died. Rev. S. M. Davis was ordained and installed its first pastor June 2, 1869. To the primitive membership of one hundred and ten were added in five years one hundred and sixty-six-just one-half on profession, and the other half by letter. The church is prosperous, and its Sunday-school has steadily increased in numbers and efficiency.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (DERRY)

was erected in 1877, when the congregation was or- ganized, and Rev. D. R. McCaslin was the first pastor. He was born in Armstrong County March 10, 1847, and graduated at Princeton College. He preached nearly two years at Bowling Green, Ky., and then was called to this church and the one at "Salem." The elders were E. P. Pitcairn, J. G. Alex- ander, A. O. Cavin, John Barnett, and the Sunday- school superintendent, J. G. Alexander. The edifice is a neat frame structure.

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES.

Prior to 1844, there was only at St. Vincents & Catholic priest for Westmoreland, Green, Fayette, Washington, Indiana, and Armstrong Counties. In 1844, Rev. J. Stillinger erected Blairsville as a proper station, after he had, in 1840, built a church there. The line between Blairsville and St. Vincents con- gregations was the big road from Brady's mill to Derry, and from Derry down to Millwood. Between Brady's mill and the pike, from Blairsville to New Alexandria, half-way, was an old log church called Mount Carmel, sometimes visited by Father Still- inger. The church in Derry was erected about 1856, by Rev. H. Alto, of St. Vincents, and was attended by priests from St. Vincents until 1861, when Rev. T. Kearney, who had already charge of Latrobe, took charge of Derry until the former required all his time, when the latter got a priest of its own. St. Martin's Church, at New Derry, had for many years as its pastor the Rev. John Martin, under whose ministrations it grew largely in numbers and strength.

The line of public works, first the canal and then the railroads, running through the township, the one along its upper border, the other along its lower border, brought in large numbers of foreign laborers, who in the greater proportion belonged to this com- munion. There was with all this, however, no urgent necessity for erecting churches much earlier than they here were, for these two points were for these people of easy approach.

The number of Catholic people who were perma- nent residents about Derry town increasing, they were regularly supplied by the Monastery at St. Vin- cents until about 1856, when their church was built by the Rev. H. Alto, of the order. It was still at- tended to by the priests of the Monastery, until about 1861, when Rev. T. Kearney, of the secular clergy, who also had charge of the congregation at Latrobe,

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took charge of Derry, till Latrobe grew too much, and it was inexpedient to divide his services, when Derry got a priest of its own. When the churches which had been founded or nurtured by the authori- ties of St. Vincents Abbey got strong enough to sup- port a priest of their own, they were then given up when they got their own pastor.

THE CHURCH OF HOLY TRINITY (LATROBE)

was dedicated Jan. 18, 1857. Its first pastor was Rev. J. Kearney. Previously Latrobe was a part of St. Vincents parish. Its number of souls is about one thousand. The first pastor was Rev. J. Kearney, who remained with his congregation for nearly twenty years, much beloved by all people. Latrobe being but little more than a mile from St. Vincents, it pre- viously had formed part of that parish, until the wants of that part of the congregation necessitated the or- ganization of their own church. Attached to this church is a large and commodious school-house for children of the parish. The resident priest has a tasty and comfortable residence, and there is a grave- yard connected with the church. The edifice itself is commodious, comfortable, and elegantly finished and furnished both inside and outside.

CHRIST BEFORMED CHURCH (LATROBE).

Latrobe is one of the many towns brought into ex- istence through the construction of the Pennsylvania Central Railroad. It is located on this great line of travel and commerce, forty miles east of Pittsburgh. As early as 1855 some Reformed families moved here from various parts of the church. These, together with some members of the Youngstown congregation living in the vicinity, began to desire an organization. On March 4, 1859, Rev. C. C. Russell visited the field, and held the first Reformed services in the place, in the Presbyterian Church, in which they were con- tinued for some time. The Associate Reformed Church was then rented and used a while. An arrangement was then made for the use of the Lutheran Church until a new church edifice could be erected for a more permanent home of the congregation. On Sept. 23, 1860, a petition signed by Elders M. Saxman, Sr., and George Fritz, and Deacons M. Saxman, Jr., and David Hershey, together with a number of other Re- formed members, was presented to the Westmoreland Classis, asking the privilege of organizing a regular Reformed congregation in Latrobe, which was grauted May 1, 1864. Rev. C. C. Russell retired and was fol- lowed in the pastorate by Rev. E. D. Shoemaker, who resigned in 1867. June 1, 1867, Rev. H. F. Keener was called to this congregation, which had been de- tached from the charge and constituted a part of a new missionary field. A lot of ground was now bought on East Main Street for five hundred dollars, and a new edifice began in the spring of 1868, under Benjamin Simpson as contractor. On Sept. 26, 1869, it was dedicated as Christ Reformed Church of La- trobe, its pastor and Rev. G. B. Russell, D.D., offici-

ating. This property, including furniture, cost eight thousand dollars. In the fall of 1869, Latrobe was again placed back to form, with Pleasant Unity, Youngstown, and Ligonier, the present Latrobe charge. On June 1, 1870, Rev. J. I. Swander was called to the pastorate, under whom, in 1877, it num- bered one hundred communicants, and about an equal number of baptized children. The consistory then consisted of Sebastian Bair, S. D. Gress, John Wil- liard, and Frederick Garver, elders; and D. J. Sax- man, John Brindle, Henry Best, and E. H. Fiscus, descons. Peter Saxman left a bequest of one hun- dred and fifty dollars towards the liquidation of the church debt. Mary Mumaw built her monument and wrote her epitaph by bequeathing one hundred dol- lars for a baptismal font. It was designed by the pas- tor, and the work skillfully executed by H. Ousler & Sons. It is executed in fine Italian marble, and is an article of frequent use and a gem of great beauty.

ZION LUTHERAN CONGREGATION, OF NEW DEREY, was organized in 1845. The first pastor was Rev. Augustus Rabb, who served eight years; the next Rev. Somm, who served four years; then Rev. Bose- ner, five years; Rev. J. R. Focht, Rev. Bechtel, Rev. John Beeber, Rev. J. H. Smith, Rev. A. D. Potts.

TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, LATROBE.

The first Lutheran sermon preached in Latrobe was by Rev. I. O. P. Baker, in 1860, who preached here frequently, but not regularly. He was followed by Rev. G. Mechling, in 1862, or early in 1863. The latter was succeeded by Professor Daniel Worley, A.M., who took charge of Ligonier, Latrobe, and Derry in 1865. The Constitution, adopted the evening of April 14, 1865, is the first stated record we have con- cerning the organized congregation. Rev. Prof. Daniel Worley resigned June 28, 1865. He was succeeded by Rev. J. H. Smith, who continued eight years, and he was followed by Rev. A. D. Potts, who served one year.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, LATROBE,

was organized about 1856, in which year its brick edifice was erected. Among its first pastors were Revs. McCarty and Bracken. The congregation be- gan with fifteen members, and before the erection of its house worshiped in the school-house. Since 1871 the pastors have been : 1871-74, J. F. Jones; 1874- 77, J. T. Riley ; 1877-80, A. C. Johnson ; 1880-82, W. F. Conner, present incumbent. The Sunday- school superintendent is I. M. Keepers, and trustees, I. D. Pores, A. Shumaker, A. B. McChesney, D. E. Welch, G. B. Whiteman, J. S. Houck, Joseph Landis, A. S. Hamilton, I. M. Keepers.

The United Brethren in Christ have a neat church edifice in the country, a mile and a half distant.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, DERRY,

edifice was erected in 1876. Its pastors have been J. W. McIntyre, 1876-79; R. J. White, 1879-80; and

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! W. 4. Stuart, 1880-82. The Sunday-school superin- tondent is Uriah A. Giesy, and the trustees are J. F. Ammend, Alexander Winn, William Dook, Joba Fry, J. C. Spear, G. C. Campbell, H. Grippe, Frank Horner. It is a circuit embracing Derry, New Derry, and Hillside.

ST. MARTIN'S CATHOLIC CHURCH, NEW DERRY, is a neat edifice, and has a large congregation.

LATROBE BOROUGH.

It may be said truthfully that a town so modern as Latrobe has no history, and as it is not the purpose of this book to pass for a directory, our remarks may not be so extended as the political importance of the place might seem to suggest. And, as we have avoided the invidious treatment of contemporaneous subjects, and have been sparing of laudatory obser- vations on prominent living personages, we trust our remarks on this subject will be appreciated.

Before the Pennsylvania Railroad was projected, or even commenced, the site of Latrobe was covered with large forest-trees-oak and hickory-and thick undergrowth, such as were common to the bottom lands bordering on the streams of this region. The site of the mill-seat on the southwestern bank of the Loyalhanna, now owned by Mr. J. L. Chambers, was, it is true, occupied as a grist- and saw-mill since early in the present century, but there was only one road leading past it before the railroad. A great part of the land on the northwestern side of the railroad had not yet been reclaimed, and although that por- tion is laid out in streets and pretty generally.built up, yet there are men living who worked in summer time standing in water there, digging up the roots and grubbing away the briers that the plow might be worked therin.

Latrobe is, therefore, a railroad town, and owes its prosperity and its very existence to that corporation. Its citizens to-day are of the most enterprising and energetic character, and probably in business sagacity and business enterprise are not excelled as a commu- nity by any other in the State. Its population by the census of 1880 was eighteen hundred and thirteen, and this does not include the suburbs of Coopertown on the northeast, and West Latrobe on the southwest, nor any of the adjacent and dependent hamlets, vil- lages, or clusters about the coal- and coke-works in the vicinity. Since the last census was taken it has possibly increased more rapidly in population and in business capacity than any other incorporated borough in the county. With the suburbs of the borough proper there are safely estimated from two thou- sand seven hundred to three thousand souls, which might very properly be included in one corporation.

The scenery in the vicinity is very picturesque and inviting, while the Loyalhanna, as it gracefully winds around the town, serves materially to heighten the beauty of the prospect. The country all around is

remarkable for its fertility, and more grain is an- nually raised than in any other district in the county.

The town is situated, as we said, on the Pennsylva- nia Railroad, where it .crosses the Loyalhanna, in Derry township, distant from Pittsburgh forty miles. At an early day it was seen to be a desirable location for a town, and Oliver J. Barnes, an engineer in the employ of the Pennsylvania Company, secured the ground upon which the town is now built.1 He laid out a plan with much foresight and discernment. The plan was recorded on May 28, 1851, in the re- corder's office of the county. The place was named after Benjamin F. Latrobe, a prominent civil engi- neer, closely identified with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and subsequently mayor of the city of Bal- timore. The place was laid out with great regular- ity like the squares on a checker-board, the streets crossing each other at right angles. It is situated on a flat piece of land in a bend of the creek.

RAILROAD BUILDINGS.

Mr. Barnes, the proprietor of the place, donated (ostensibly) the railroad three acres of land in the very centre of the town. Upon this the company erected a very large and commodious depot and water-station, which, built in the Roman style of architecture, looks more pretentious than the later and more ordinary water-plugs. They also erected a hotel building of brick, three stories in height, with all the modern conveniences. In this building the company has its ticket-office, and it serves for the station-house. The rest of the ground is used for lumber- and cattle-yard.

The viaduct over the Loyalhanna River, on the south of the town, is a model of engineering design and skill, and is regarded as one of the finest and most substantial of all the river-crossings belonging to the road.

When the construction of the railroad was com- mencing there was but a single house and barn on the site of so much wealth and so much labor. Within four years the place contained a population of between five and six hundred. At the time the borough was incorporated, the hotel of which we spoke was in the occupancy of John M. Marshall; the other hotel, known afterwards by various names, was in the occupancy of Maj. David Williams, who is still a resident of the town, and who was a con- tractor on the road when it was building. These buildings were both at that time in course of erection.

INCORPORATION.

The borough of Latrobe was incorporated by the court, according to the prayer of the petitioners, by decree of 24th of May, 1854.

1 He purchased of Mr. Kirk at a mere song, and realized over eighty thousand dollars for his lots. Mr. Kirk, who on the sale of the land went to Pittsburgh, afterwards returned to Latrobe, and paid nearly as much for the site of his residence (a very handsome house) as he had received for his entire farm.

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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

The corporate officers were directed to be a chief burgess, one burgess, and three assistant burgesses, and a town clerk. It was also declared to be a separ- ate election and school district. The first election was to be held at the house of Maj. David Williams, at that time a public-house, and at present time known as the " Parker House." This election was to be held on the 10th day of June, 1854. John Parker was to give due notice of the same; Robert W. Bald- ridge was appointed judge, and Samuel Geary and James Kuhn inspectors. Subsequently, and before the election was held, the appointment of James Kuhn as inspector was vacated, and Jacob Bierer was appointed in his stead.

CIVIL LIST.

The following is a list of corporation officers from the time of the organization of the borough until the present :

1864 .- Chief Burgess, David L. McCulloch; Burgess, John W. Coulter; Assistant Burgesses, William Pintts, Josoph Bowart, R. Brinker; Secretary, R. M. Baldridge; High Constable. W. H. Williams.

The following have been chief burgesses since then :

1855-60. David L. McCulloch. 1860. J. J. Bierer.

1861. M. Bowsart.

1862. David L. McCulloch, with John Brinker, barges, act- ing as chief burgess part of year.

1870. John Maber.

1871. John Bennett, burgess, act- ing as chief bargees.

1872. William Head.

1873. A. H. Young.

1868. John Moore.

1874-76. Reuben Baker. 1876. William Beatty. 1877-79. Reuben Baker. 1879. Uriah Hescox.

1864-66. George Kubn. 1866. J. J, Blerer.

1880. Reuben Baker.

1867-09. George Kuhn.

1881 .. Thomas McCabe.

1809. John Ackerman.

The borough officials in 1882 are :

Chief Burgess, J. J. Bierer; Assistant Burgesses, W. M. Best, 8. P. Koyes, A. Y. Douglas; High Constable, W. C. Campbell; Secre- tary, John McIntyre, who has held this position since May 19, 1873.

REMINISCENCES.

Although a modern town in every sense, yet some memories of Latrobe connect it, if not with the old times, at least with old manners.

Before the civil war some old customs which yet obtained, but which the war dissipated, were yet dear to the people; and these "rites and ceremonies," as they may, with a stretch of privilege, be termed, were being transferred reluctantly from the old-time places to the more modern places. The Fourth of July fol- lowing the incorporation of the borough was cele- brated in Latrobe after the olden fashion. On that day a large number of the foremost men of Greens- burg, Youngstown, Derry, Saltsburg, Blairsville, and of the whole country round, assembled in the dining- room of the railroad hotel, and after having the Dec- laration of Independence read, and a speech made, they gave their toasts. These may be found in the files of the old county papers. Ah, the wit, wisdom, patriotism, and hilarity of these sentiments and those that perpetrated them ! for there were among them

many (some of whom are still living) of those still known,-the Keenans, the Johnstons, the Cantwells, the Coulters.

BANKS.

Latrobe has two banking-houses :

The Citizen's Banking Company of Latrobe (which rose out of the ruins of the banking-house of Lloyd, Huff & Watt, who were compelled, by the failure of their correspondent in New York, to go into bank- ruptcy for their creditors after the panic of 1873) was organized Nov. 1, 1873, and began business in De- eember following. The first stockholders were David Williams, James Toner, John L. Chambers, William Anderson, D. L. Chambers, Reuben Baker, Jesse Chambers, Eli Chambers, I. D. Pores, S. H. Baker, Wesley Wilson, E. H. Wilson, A. Y. Douglass. It was a copartnership limited to five years, and when dissolved it was reorganized by its present proprie- tors, S. H. Baker, Reuben Baker, D. L. Chambers, and I. D. Pores. It is a private bank with individ- ual liability. The first president was Wesley Wilson, succeeded by the present one, I. D. Pores. W. H. Watt was cashier until July 1, 1880, when the present incumbent, Joseph Killgore, who had been assistant cashier, succeeded him. They occupy their own building, which was originally built by the firm of Lloyd, Huff & Watt.

The Banking-House of W. S. Head & Son, as now known, was organized and opened in the spring of 1878. It is a private bank with individual liability. It was established under the firm-name of W. S. Head & Bro., the latter being Joseph A. Head. The first year its rooms were at the corner of Depot and Ligonier Streets, but thence were removed to its present site. William S. Head is one of the foremost, as he has been one of the most successful, business men in the town. He is a native of Frederick Co., Md. He early removed to Latrobe from Youngstown, where he had been engaged in the mercantile business, and in the same calling grew up with the place. He erected (in 1851-52) the first private house within the limits of the borough, on the site now covered by the im- posing block which he has since erected, the ground- floors of which are occupied as store-rooms, and one of them as bank. Mr. Head was also the first railroad and express agent in Latrobe.

STORES, TRADE, ETC.

Latrobe has a local reputation for the excellence of its stores. These are divided in the line of goods into specialties, and this was one of the first towns in our part that successfully carried through this innovation. The pioneer in this matter was I. D. Pores, the head of I. D. Pores & Co., hardware merchants, who has built up for his firm a splendid reputation, and made for himself a handsome fortune. In this arrange- ment he was followed by W. S. Head & Co., who carry exclusively dry-goods and fancy goods, by Hoke & Co., and by Michael Bossart & Son, who follow in the

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same departments. So all the branches of the mer- cantile business are separated, and all flourish. Boots and shoes, hats and caps, with furnishing goods for men, tinware, druge, notions, millinery and trim- mings, grocery, queensware, jewelry are all exposed in different establishments. Besides this, there is a ready market at Latrobe for all the product of the fields, woods, barns, or hands. The wheat market has been ably represented by the Messrs. Chambers, who, although brothers, and both engaged in the same business, are not so as business partners. These gen- tlemen, Leasure Chambers and John Chambers, have, as a general remark, controlled the wheat trade cen- tering here, within a radius of some five to eight miles, for a number of years past.

CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, ETo.

There are eight churches. These are the property of the following denominations severally : Presby- terian, United Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Re- formed, Lutheran, Baptist, and United Brethren.1 Other denominations from time to time worship in some of these buildings by sufferance, such, for in- stance, as the Protestant Methodist and the Covenant- ers. Its school-house is a tolerably good brick build- ing, of two stories, but not so good or airy as it might be, considering the number of scholars in attendance. It is graded into three departments, and it is note- worthy that the authorities have uniformly had very excellent teachers. Besides the public schools, the Catholic parish supports its own school.'

There are two public halls for the accommodation of the strolling minstrels and the wandering lecturer, and the accommodation would appear to be equal to the demand. There are four licensed hotels.

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

The Pennsylvania Car-Works were established in 1852 by Oliver J. Barnes, who operated them some six or eight years. They then remained idle until 1862, when their present proprietors, S. H. Baker and Reuben Baker, purchased them. The latter gentlemen, both from Chester County, have since conducted them with great profit to themselves, and largely to the material growth of the town. When they took charge there was only the brick shop and the foundry, to which they have added several buildings. Their shops cover an area of three hundred by two hundred and twenty feet on Railroad Street, with six other lots on Thomson Street. They work one hundred and thirty men, and manufacture freight and second- class passenger-cars, making all their soft castings save the large wheels.' They turn out from three to four cars daily, and aggregate about a thousand a year. They build them from the ground, and manu-

facture everything except the big wheels. They have extensive planing-mills, and get their lumber from their own saw-mills, of which they have three in In- diana County, two in Westmoreland, and two in West Virginia. The two latter turn out seventy-five thou- sand railroad ties a month. They buy lumber all along the Ohio River, but principally at Parkersburg. The Baker Brothers were the organizers of the Loyal- hanna Coal and Coke Company, and still own some eight thousand acres of coal and timber land in this county, and three thousand acres of lumber lands in West Virginia. They are agents for the Pennsylvania Railroad in furnishing supplies, and besides their car manufacturing do a large business in work and cast- ings for outside parties. Their business annually ex- ceeds a million of dollars in these works.

THE LOYALHANNA PAPER-MILLS

were established in 1865 by Bierer, Watt & Co., who erected the main building. They subsequently sold to G. S. Christy & Co., who, in the fall of 1871, sold out to Metzgar Brothers & Co., who, in 1870, were merged into the firm of James Peters & Co., the pres- ent owners. The firm consists of James Peters, M. J. and Edward Metzgar. The mill burned in Oc- tober, 1879, and in January following the new one was erected. The former was a frame and the latter a brick structure. The main building is one hundred and sixteen and one-half by thirty feet, the next building fifty-five by thirty (the pulp-room), and the finishing-room sixty-five by thirty-two. Some forty hands are employed. It makes roofing, manilla, and wrapping papers. Its markets are principally Balti- more, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Chicago, and with a house in the latter it has for 1882 a contract for two million three hundred thousand pounds of paper. It makes daily fourteen thousand pounds of paper, and runs three hundred days in the year. Four-fifths of its material used are rags, and the balance straw and rope. It uses daily sixteen thou- sand pounds of rags, purchased from Harrisburg, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia chiefly. It takes three hundred and fifty bushels of coal daily to run the mills. It has a large paper stock and ware- house in Pittsburgh, and are now erecting one near their mills here, ninety by fifty feet. It has in its mills two hundred and fifty thousand pounds of ma- chinery, four boilers twenty-eight feet long and forty inches in diameter. Their works cover two and three-fourths acres, with five thousand square feet of ground just opposite, and are located on Ligonier, between Spruce and Oak Streets.

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 145

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

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