History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 150

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 150

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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the present United Presbyterian Church. On the building of the turnpike he established the town, and built the brick house in which Mrs. Dr. J. 8. Murry now resides, the first house erected in the place. He kept store all his life. He married Ann Mont- gomery, of Cumberland Valley, by whom were born the following children : Elizabeth, married to Rev. Mungo Dick; Nancy, to John Cowan; Rebecca, to John M. Gilchrist; Sarah, to Dr. Benjamin Burrell ; Jane, to John Carpenter, and James. His wife, Ann, dying Sept. 7, 1819, he subsequently married Mrs. Statira Rippey (nas McNair), by whom he had no children. He died Sept. 8, 1885, aged seventy-six years. His only son, Gen. James Murry, married Priscilla Schaeffer of Greensburg, by whom were born the following children :

1. Susan, married to James Irwin, and still living.

2. Jeremiah, deceased.

8. Ann, married to James Verner, of Pittsburgh Passenger Railroad Company.

4. Dr. John 8., who died in November, 1879.

". Capt. Alexander Murry, of Foster's Crossing, Warren Co., Ohio, on retired list of United States army.

6. Sarah, married to W. F. Mcknight.

7. Nancy, married to Robert A. Weddell, of Pitts- burgh.

8. Mary Jane, married to Johnston McElroy. 9. Andrew Jackson.

Just below the Murry house Dr. Stewart built a brick house in 1882, but before this, and just after the Murry house was put up, Mr. McWilliams erected & brick house, in which he kept tavern a year or so. Gen. James Murry soon after built and opened a brick tavern on the site of the present "King House."

The first resident physician was Dr. Benjamin Bur- rell, father of Judge J. Murry Burrell, who died Dec. 21, 1882, in his forty-first year. After him was Dr. Charles J. Kenly, located several years before his death, June 28, 1828; and the next was Dr. Zacha- riah G. Stewart. Dr. John McConnell, who died June 22, 1881, aged twenty-six, had only practiced & short time.

After Jeremiah Murry the next store-keepers were James Irwin, in the building now kept by A. C. Mc- Cutchen, and John M. Gilchrist, the latter also keep- ing tavern. Capt. Hugh Irwin, of Newlansburg, was captain of the " Blues," a crack company that used to train in the old militia days when musters were held at this point. The residence of Francis L. Stew- art was erected by William Beatty, an eminent ma- chinist, who died in Louisville, Ky.

The commercial centre of the township was Mur- rysville, of which its founder, Jeremiah Murry, mil- ler, merchant, and justice of the peace, was to its neighborhood what Vanderbilt or Astor is to New York City. He was a man of brains, enterprise, and energy, and prospered exceedingly and extended his possessions. He had a saw- and grist-mill, and a

store filled with all kinds of goods, at which every- body could get credit who chose to avail himself of it, and who had a farm or share in one sufficient to secure the debt. It was said that in one direction, towards the northeast from Murrysville, he could travel five miles on his own land, much of it acquired in payment of merchandise sold out of his store. His son, Gen. James Murry, was a man of consider- able talent and fine address. Dr. J. S., son of the latter, was for a long period a noted practitioner Ex- Judge J. Murry Burrell, of Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court, was & grandson of Squire Jer- emiah Murry, and born and raised in this town, and J. M. Carpenter, a prominent attorney of Pittsburgh, is a great-grandson.

TURTLE CREEK ACADEMY

was established in 1861 by Francis Laird Stewart, and the school at first held in the residence of his father, Dr. Zachariah G. Stewart, and then for some four years in a frame building on the Stewart lot near the family mansion. When the new Presbyterian Church was built its basement was fitted up and ar- ranged for the academy, in which it has since been conducted. Mr. Stewart was the first principal, and his successor, Rev. G. M. Spargrove, conducted it until his death, in October, 1880. Since then it has been under the supervision of Rev. J. I. Blackburn, present pastor of the Presbyterian Church. Its trus- tees are Dr. G. C. Sparks, president; F. L. Stewart, secretary ; Rev. A. R. Rankin, treasurer; Dr. W. J. Bugh, William Milliken, James G. Humes, David Tallant, George F. Dible, Charles Wiester, A. C. Mc- Cutcheon, E. V. Kiester.

THE GAS-WELL.

Adjoining the town, and only distant a few hun- dred yards, but visible from all its limits, is the cele- brated gas-well. It is situate on the real estate of Henry Remaley, on the bank of Turtle Creek. When boring for oil this gas-well was struck at a depth of fourteen hundred feet. It was at once util- ized by Haymaker Brothers and H. J. Brunot, who erected large lampblack-works and carried on the manufacture of lampblack on a very extensive scale until their works burned down, Sept. 18, 1881. Car- bon black was very easily and cheaply manufactured by this gas-well, one of the greatest wonders of the day and said to be the largest in the world. Its flaming fire issuing forth can be seen at night for eight or ten miles in all directions, while its buzzing sound is heard for a great distance. It is visited by thousands from all parts of the world, and many of the most distinguished scientists of the day have been here to examine into its workings and analyze its gas. A curious fact in connection with the burn- ing well is the numberless dead birds whose tiny car- casses are to be found on all sides of the flames. The wild geese also gather around in the light when lost from the main flock. All around the well the trees

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are burnt and blasted and the vegetation dried up. The beat from the flames is terrible, while the light sped by them is simply grand. It can truly be said of Murrysville, "and there is no night there," for the country for miles around is made light as day.

THE STEWART FAMILY.

Dr. Zachariah G. Stewart was born at Alexandria, Huntingdon Co., in 1805, and was the son of Thomas H, and Anas (Harris) Stewart. He was educated at the academy of his native town, and there read med- icine with Dr. Trimble, a noted practitioner of his day. Afterwards he came to Pittsburgh, was some time in the hospital service, and then began prac- ticing there. Subsequently, in 1828, he located in Murrysville, at the solicitation of Capt. John M. Gil- obrist, in whose company he was on March 11, 1829, when the latter was accidentally killed by the fall of a tree. He was married in 1881 to Jane, daughter of Rev. Francis Laird. He continued his practice

here until 1858 (a period of thirty years), when he removed to Canonsburg, so as to have better facil- ities for educating his .children, where he died Ang. 80, 1868, from over-exertions in the hospitals at Get- tysburg after the battle in the preceding month. His wife died Feb. 28, 1879, in her . seventy-fourth year. He was a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church for a long period. Their children were Francis Laird, residing here in the old family man- sion ; Dr. Thomas H., of Trumbull County, Ohio; .Rev. Robert S., Presbyterian clergyman at Danville, once resident of Colorado, and who made an ex- tended tour in Europe; Anna M., married to Wil- liam McJunkin, of New Texas, Allegheny Co .; Jen- nie, married to John L. Mateer, of Atchinson County, Mo .; Francis L. Stewart, married Miss Maggie H. Stewart, of Barre, Huntingdon Co., and thoroughly prepared himself for a teacher. He taught several years in Missouri and other States, and in 1861 established here the "Turtle Creek Valley Academy."

SALEM TOWNSHIP.

ORGANIZATION, ETC.

THE precise date of the organization of this town- chip is impossible to determine, as a blank occurs in the records of the court by which it was erected. It is. quite certain, however, that it was made between the years 1785 and 1788, as the name does not appear among the list of townships in the former, but it does in the latter year. It has undergone some con- siderable changes in point of area since its formation. Its present boundaries are : north and northeast by Washington, Bell, and Loyalhanna townships; east by Loyalhanns Creek and Derry township; south by parts of Unity and Hempfield townships; and west by Penn and Franklin townships. The sub-strata of the township is a continuous series of coal-veins af an average thickness of seven feet. There are several extensive coal-works within its limits, and an inexhaustible supply of bituminous coal lies buried, only waiting future development. It has also a large quantity of excellent stone. The principal streams are Beaver and White Thorn Runs. This township bears the unmistakable imprees of New England industry, prudence, and thirft.

PIONEER SETTLERS.

Some few of its carly settlers were descendants of old Massachusetts ancestry, who emigrated hither late in the last century and remained, here. Most, however, were of Brito-Scotch-Irish descent. Among

the early settlers were James McQuilken, William Wilson, William Hall, Christian Ringer, David Shryock, Michael McClosky, Philip Steinmats, John Cochran, George Hall, William Wilson, George Wilson, and the Laughlins.

In 1803, John Beatty came from Fayette County and moved into a log cabin that stood about one rod to the right of the Freeport road, above the mouth of John Cochran's coal-bank (then George Hall's), two miles north of New Salem. In April, 1806, this fam- ily removed to Butler County. About the beginning of the century the two well-known stone-masons in the township were Ned O'Hara and Michael Rogers. In 1802, William Wiley, an emigrant from Ireland, whose wife was a sister of Jacob Dible, of Murrys- ville, bought one hundred acres of land, now owned by the heirs of Levi Bush, but formerly by Browns- lee and David Crookshanks. About 1817, Moses Cunningham kept an inn at the junction of the Funkstown and Puckety roads. In 1800 an old log school-house stood about one mile north of New Salem, about twenty rods off where the Freeport road is and in John McQuaid's field. Its teacher for sev- eral years was Alexander McMurry.

In 1808, John Kline, an emigrant from Germany, who had married Susanna Hill, of Franklin town- ship, came into Salem to live. He was a cooper by trade. He was now an old man, and built his cabin on what he supposed was Frederick Ament's land,

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who bad told him he could have it rent free during his (Kline's) life; but it turned out in years after to be on Matthew Jack's land, and old man Kline, losing his cabin, was so wrought up in his feelings that he hanged himself with a silk handkerchief tied to an apple-tree.

George Swanger lived in 1810 in a log house just above Isaac Lauffer's brick house, or near Knappen- berger's old saw-mill.

Frederick Ament in 1806 came from York County, and purchased a farm one mile from Salem from Wil- liam Dixon. He died July 14, 1847. In 1818, John Hutton came from Franklin County and located in the township, being a stone-mason, etc.

George Nunamaker was one of the earliest settlers near Congruity. One of his daughters married a Brown, who served in the war of 1812, and was dis- charged at Fort Meigs, April 2, 1818.

Among other early settlers may be mentioned the Laughlins, the Moores, Waltons, Walthours, Klines, Boxmans, Knappenbergers, Kissems, Shields, Shaws, Cooks, Steeles, Potts, Bairs, McQuilkins, Sloans, Klin- gensmitha, Frys, Dushanes, Christys, McConnela, Jones, Pauls, Stewarts, .Wagners, Givens, McGearya, Snyders, Kecks, Raistons, Caldwells, Gordons, Mc- Quaids, Stouts, Adairs, Hornings, Gibsons, Craiga, Keples, Shusters, Kemerers, and Zimmermans, who settled at different periods.

Jobn Hamilton, who served in the war of 1812, was the father of Mrs. Adam Hoffman.

Nancy Christy, widow of David Christy, and before her marriage. Nancy McCall, is still living, having been born in 1792. Her husband died in 1866, aged seventy-four years, and was born in 1792, on the farm now owned by his son, John Christy, one mile from Now Balem. He was the son of James and Mary {McCall) Christy. The mother of Hon. T. J. Bigham, of Pittsburgh, was a sister of David Christy, and Mr. Bigham, after the death of his parents, was raised in the family of his grandfather, James Christy.

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE HON. THOMAS J. BIGHAM.

We have great satisfaction in here giving a very valuable contribution from the pen of the Hon. T. J. Bigham, a gentleman well known for his antiquarian and historical researches, and a native of Westmore- land. The observations he makes are applicable to Northern Westmoreland in an especial manner, but in a general manner to all Westmoreland. Mr. Bigham was born in 1810 in Salem township, near Delmont, where his parents had resided. His maternal grand- father was Capt. James Christy, of the Eighth Penn- sylvania.

He was one of the original settlers in the northern part of the county, and had located on a farm on Beaver Run, Salem township, adjoining Delmont, shortly after the close of Pontiac's war, probably be- tween 1766 and 1768. Mr. Bigham's parents having died in infancy, he was brought up in the family of

his grandfather. Capt. Christy was then, in the words of Mr. Bigham, " verging on threescore and ten, and although a quiet man, yet at that age all men become fond of telling tales of their childhood. I was con- stantly in his company from when I was able to run about.

"Nearly all I know of Westmoreland County of the last century I learned from him and a few other neighbors of that age. He had been a quiet, hard- working farmer; he aided to make history, but had never written a line in his life. When he located on the farm on which he lived until his death at the age of eighty-three he has often told me of trouble he had from visits of the Indians and wolves in the night- time. He had made out to keep on good terms with the Indians, and killed wolves by the dozens.

" Remember his location on that farm antedated the organisation of Westmoreland seven years. No magistrates or police existed there before the Revolu- tionary war of 1776. During that war the Indians were hostile and overran the entire county, and more especially the northern part of it. He has told me a thousand tales of Indian visits and the dangers his neighbors encountered. Whenever old folks met to talk over olden times, all that had happened before the burning of Hannastown was the dividing line between the old and the new, almost as marked as Noah's flood of the old world.

"THE SIMPLE HABITS OF THE EARLY SETTLERS.

"Necessity probably forced simple habits upon the original settlers, but for many years it had become the rule. Even the ladies who are fondest of show and fine dresses had become reconciled to things as they found them. They had no stores with fashionable goods to tempt the vanity of the young. They had no fashionable churches to exhibit their fine dresses. Their food was of the best and most healthful char- acter, and prepared by their own hand. Most of their clothing was the product of their own looms, wool grown on their own sheep; flax was grown upon their own ground, spun and woven on their own wheels and looms. Tea and coffee could only be procured by long pack-horse journeys of one or two hundred miles. Their log cabins, if not elegant, were healthy. They met on a common platform; no class existed; all were masters, none were servants.

"Their buildings were equally simple. When a young couple married they went into the woods to open up a new farm for themselves. A log cabin of probably two rooms satisfied their ambition. As chil- dren multiplied enlarged cabins accommodated them, and finally in my boyhood days nearly all well-to-do farmers had substantial farm-houses, with parlors, dining-rooms, kitchens, and all the appliances of modern civilization. Some had failed and grumbled at their ill luck, generally the result of their own bad management.

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" PACK-HOMES TRANSPORTATION OF BABLY TIM. "For many years nearly all the transportation of that section was carried on by pack-horses. The roads were chiefly bridle-paths through the woods. A wagon-road for Gen. Forbes' army had been opened across the mountains in 1758, but for want of re- pair had become simply a bridle-path. Land-slides and rolling rocks had left it impassable for wagons. No township supervisors existed to keep roads in re- pair. The sparse population must have salt and iron for domestic purposes, some groceries, dry-goods, etc., and the only way to get them was by using their horses in the intervals of farm-work. A single horse could carry three or four hundred pounds, securely fastened upon a pack saddle, and one man could manage half a dosen of them, and in that way trans- port about a ton across the mountains. Money as a currency was almost unknown; everything was bar- ter or exchange of Western products for Eastern goode, so they had a load in both directions. In the best of weather ten days would be employed to cross the mountains and return. Generally two weeks were required for a trip. The neighbors usually formed a small caravan; fifty or one hundred horses in single file along a path would carry probably ten tons, and for many years this was the mode of mountain trans- portation. Ordinary wagon-roads, turnpikes, canals, and railroads have superseded all these primitive modes.

"THE BABLY SETTLERS WERE NOT POLITICIANS.

"Even in my boyhood days I never heard half a dosen discussions on partisan politics. The county omcers were then appointed by the Governor. No county conventions were then held to nominate a ticket. Whoever aspired to an election announced him- self as a candidate in the newspapers. The public would have five or ten candidates for most public offices, and every voter selected for himself. I never heard of a public meeting to discuss pending issues before the election as is now common. The old October elec- tions were held at Greensburg, and one-third of the voters did not usually attend. A governor's election would bring out a much fuller vote. I accompanied my relations to the election between Gregg and Schultz, and was amazed to find the streets of Greensburg crowded with people; never had seen so many people assembled together. Prior to that time the Legislature had, I believe, appointed Presidential olectors. I remember my grandfather was quite an- noyed when an election by the people was announced for President. The machinery of an electoral ticket was not understood by the masses. Gen. Jackson and the battle of New Orleans they had all heard of, but to vote for thirty-two persons, none of whom they had ever heard of, puzzled them amazingly. 'Why all this change ?' said they. 'The legislators probably understand all this. They elected Washington and Jefferson, etc., and we were all satisfied. But here are

thirty-two names of which we know not one, or only one or two of them, and why should we leave our farms and lose a day on this nonsense ?' Since the voters have got to understand this complicated machinery, and have spent a month attending party conventions and listening to party discussions they look upon things very differently. My grandfather was a quiet Democrat, and my guardian a still quieter member of the opposition, but neither of them ever spent five minutes in talking to me of party politics or how I ought to vote. In my boyhood days I heard ten dis- cussions on religious subjects for one on politics. I am not certain but things have now gotten too much on the other extreme, too much politics and too little on religion."

ANDERSON'S CAVE.

About 1840 one Anderson, originally from Greens- burg, was taken to the Western Penitentiary of this State, convicted of highway robbery. He had been a schoolmaster, but he took to the woods, and soon became notorious as a daring highwayman and thief. He was said to be as agile as a cat, and would leap to the boot of a stage-coach in those days and in a twinkling of an eye become the possessor of some articles of value. Stealing was a mania with him. He would purloin and carry away and preserve with great care things of the most trifling value. When found he had concealed about his person an old are not worth over six cents. When received in prison he became stubborn and unmanageable, refused to eat, and when placed in his cell stopped up all the holes, turned on the hydrant, and when rescued was immersed in eighteen inches of water. Abso- lutely refusing all food or nourishment, he lingered fifty days and died. His cave was at the right of New Salem, where he secreted all his plunder and kept hid from the officers of the law. He was cap- tured away from it, and strange to say, notwithstand- ing all the valuables and treasures it is said to have contained, it has never to this day been explored or its contents fathomed. Between the years 1837 and 1840 this highwayman was in his zenith, and tradition says this noted freebooter stopped at no crime to compass his designs for stealing. Probably no greater example of kleptomania ever lived in the State, and his end was miserable in the extreme.

CONGRUITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND CEME- TERY.

Congruity first asked for supplies July 31, 1789, two months after the organization of the General As- sembly. On Sept. 22, 1790, Samuel Porter, at the same time with John McPherrin, was, ordained at a tent on "James McKee's farm" and installed as pastor of Congruity with Poke Run.

This church has raised a larger family of ministerial sons than any other in the Presbytery,-Revs. Samuel Porter, Jr., W. K. Marshall, D.D., Edward R. Geary, D.D., A. Craig McClelland, William Edgar, John

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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Steele, William F. Kean, Lazarus B. Shryock, Sam- uel P. Bollman, John Molton Jones, David L. Dickey, eleven, and has had four pastors with one stated sup- ply. Rev. Samuel Porter, the first pastor, was born in Ireland, June 11, 1760, of parents belonging to the Reformed Presbyterian Church, commonly called Covenanters. He arrived in this country in 1788, and spent his first winter in the vicinity of Mercers- burg, Franklin Co., this State. In the following spring he removed to Washington County, where through the kind ofces of Alexander Wright he procured a school to teach, and was led to attend the ministra- tions of Rev, Joseph Smith, then pastor of the United Presbyterian Churches of Upper Buffalo and Cross Creek. He also embraced opportunities of hearing Dr. McMillan. Through these and other clergymen he was induced to enter upon a course of preparation for the gospel ministry. His studies were prosecuted with James Hughes, John Brice, and Joseph Patter- son, partly under the direction of Rev. Joseph Smith, and partly under that of H. McMillan, with whom he studied theology. Having spent three years in the prosecution of his academical and theological studies, he was licensed by the Redstone Presbytery Nov. 12, 1789. Hence, at a meeting of April 12, 1790, a call was put into his hands from the united congregations of Poke Bun and Congruity, one from the congregations of George's Creek and Dunlap's Creek, and one from Long Run and Sewickley.

.The region embraced by the two congregations first named, especially by Poke Run, was'at that time a frontier settlement. Many of the people were wild and uncultivated, and needed much the moulding influence of the gospel and the restraints of religious instruction and discipline. As evidence of this it is said that on one occasion, while Mr. Porter was preaching in the woods, two young men withdrew from the crowd and ran a foot-race in full view of the preacher and congregation. Mr. Porter having no high aspirations for himself and judging himself best adapted to a field like this, preferred it to the others, which in some respects were more inviting. Under his faithful ministrations the congregation in- creased to such an extent in eight years that they felt themselves able alone to support a pastor, and as the labors of the united charge were too great for Mr. Por- ter, he felt it to be bis duty to relinquish Poke Run. Accordingly the pastoral relation between him and that congregation was dissolved April 11, 1798, very much against the wishes of the people, who remon- strated against the proceedings. The congregation of Congruity, within the bounds of which he re- sided, agreed to take the whole of his time, prom- ising him "£120 per annum, one-half in merchant- able wheat at five shillings per bushel, and the re- mainder in cash." To this arrangement Mr. Porter acceded, and continued in the pastoral charge of the congregation to the time of his death, Sept. 23, 1825, a period of thirty-five years. While pastor there a new

stone tavern had been built on the turnpike, scarcely. a mile from the church, and was just opened by the owner, a very clever man. The young folks of the neighborhood, many of them the children of church- members, and even baptized members themselves, had agreed to have what was generally known as a house-warming by holding a ball there. The ar- rangements were all made, the tickets distributed, and the guests invited. On the Sabbath previous to the intended ball Mr. Porter, after preaching an elo- quent sermon sitting in his old split-bottomed arm- chair (for he was too feeble to preach standing, and for many a long day sat and preached in that old arm-chair, elevated in the pulpit for his accommo- dation), and before dismissing the congregation, gave out the usual notices for the ensuing week and Sab- bath. After stating that Presbytery would meet the next Tuesday in Greensburg, and making his usual appointments, he then gave notice that on the next Thursday evening, at early candle-lighting, a ball was to be held about three-fourths of a mile from that place. He said it was to be hoped that all the polite young ladies and gentlemen would attend, as it was said to be a place where politeness and man- pers could be learned and cultivated, and that many other things could be said in favor of attending such places which it was not necessary for him to mention at that time. However, he said it was to be hoped. that as many as could would attend at the time named, "next Thursday evening, at early candle-lighting." He remarked that, for his part, if he did not attend, the young folks would excuse him, as it was likely he might be detained at Presbytery; yet should Presbytery adjourn in time and nothing else prevent he expected to attend, and, should he be present, he would open the exercises of the night by reading a text of Scripture, singing a psalm, and be dis- missed. Then with a full and solemn voice and in the most impressive manner he read the ninth verse of the eleventh chapter of Ecclesiastes. Then he an- nounced and read the Seventy-third Psalm. After this was sung he offered up a fervent and affecting prayer, praying earnestly for the thoughtless and gay, and for the power of God's Spirit to guard them from those vices and amusements which might lead the youthful mind to fritter away precious time and neglect the one thing needful, and then, with his sol- emn benediction, the congregation was dismissed. The evening set for the ball arrived and passed away, but the ball was never held, the whole community having been loudly awakened by the venerable pas- tor's course.

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 150

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

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