History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 172

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This happened in 1803, but the graveyard was opened a few years sooner. Some years after this failure, Christopher Yockey, of the Reformed Church, gave a lot of ground, about three miles southwest of the meribah (the place of strife), described above, the site of the present brick church.

The old or first Union Congregational constitution bears date March 9, 1815. The lot of ground was surveyed October 10th of that year, and the deed for the land dated the 5th of the following December. Although the land was not deeded and surveyed until 1815, this church edifice, log structure, was built

about 1808, when the ground was simply marked out.

The first Reformed pastor was Rev. John William Weber, who came not earlier than 1808, nor later than 1812. He labored several years, not later than 1816. His successor was Rev. William Weinel, whose pastorate continued until 1838. The contract for the building of the present brick church, for the sum of twenty-two hundred dollars, was executed April 9, 1838, between Jacob Smeltzer and John Ringle, Lu- theran, and John Whitesell, Reformed, together with others of both congregations. The builders were Matthew Callen and John Paul. Rev. Henry Knep- per, Reformed, preached here about two years, resid- ing at Kittanning, preaching also at Butler. He was here as late as March 13, 1846. Rev. B. D. Ernst visited the congregation some, and preached Oct. 7, 1847. Rev. H. E. F. Voight preached here, probably between the pastorates of Revs. Weinel and Knepper. Rev. Samuel H. Geisy began his labors Nov. 19, 1848, and served the Reformed congregation until July, 1855. The pastorate of Rev. Thomas G. Apple began Jan. 1, 1856, and continued until April 1, 1857, when the Salem and this congregation were separated from Greensburg and Irwin and constituted a charge. His successor was Rev. Richard P. Thomas, from April, 1858, to April 1, 1863. Rev. T. J. Barkley immedi- ately succeeded him, and resigned Jan. 1, 1867. Rev. T. F. Stauffer's pastorate was served from May, 1867, to September, 1871.

On Oct. 30, 1870, the whole number of members was one hundred and twenty-four, of which fifty-nine communed. At this time the congregation fell into confusion and strife, starting in a proposition to sep- arate from the Lutherans, some favoring the project and others opposing, which led to the pastor's resig- nation, who preached his closing sermon May 14, 1871. Rev. J. B. Welty preached his trial sermon Aug. 18, 1872, and was elected pastor, and ordained and installed September 18th following. He resigned Sept. 16, 1873. Rev. John McConnell commenced his pastorate June 2, 1874, and in the next three years baptized twenty, confirmed seven, and added one on certificate.

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COOK TOWNSHIP.

ORGANIZATION.

THERE is a diversity of opinion respecting the causes which brought about a division of Donegal township and the formation of Cook. Many regarded the division of the township, especially for the prac- tical purposes of elections and the keeping up of roads, a necessity long before it was actually accom- plished; and the causes which operated, and the in- fluences which brought it about, had been at work much earlier. Before the township was divided the elections were held at Stahlstown. This was a matter of complaint to those resident beyond the village of Donegal, in the southern portion of the township. But it is a matter of notoriety that while a small portion of the people on both sides of the line were dissatisfied, yet the township was divided before the majority of the people knew it, so do they still pro- fess. The advantages, however, of the division have been, and are now, so apparent that no one should or does cavil. It seems altogether probable that those gentlemen who were very zealous for the popular good and exerted themselves in having the division made early secured the co-operation of the Hon. David Cook, at that time an associate judge. Mr. Cook, by the way, was father of William A. Cook, Esq., a practitioner at the District of Columbia bar, and at present retained in some important cases as counsel for the government. Mr. Cook proved to be the right man in the right place, and his influence, coupled with the active efforts of the friends of the project, were entirely successful. The township was divided, and the new one was called "Cook."

EARLY SETTLERS.

Of the early settlers within these limits were Rob- ert Campbell, father of "Elder" Robert Campbell, and the progenitor of a numerous offspring, many of whom reside within easy distance of their paternal homestead. He came in with his family before the Revolution. He was murdered by the Indians and left in the fields, where was also left his murdered wife, when the Indians made their descent on that family and carried off the children, all except one. Of this we have spoken in a former chapter. The children taken were Thomas, Polly, Ibly (Isabella), Sarah, and the Robert of whom we spoke. The cap- tives were separated, and part of them taken to Can- ada. Thomas was bought by an English officer and taken to England, and it is not known what became

of him. After a captivity of about four years the girls returned to the valley. Robert returned about the close of the war, having been in captivity about six years. Isabella was afterward married to a man named Galbraith, and was the grandmother of George Campbell, Esq., of Mansville.

The old inhabitants say that about that time, probably subsequent to that, there was a block- house near the Campbell farm, which itself was about a mile westward of Pleasant Grove Church. The location is now on the farm of James Freeman.

Capt. Richard Williams was a very old settler along the Four-Mile Run, and the block-house built on his land was called "Fort Williams." All re- membrance of him or his family appears to be en- tirely dissipated in the upper valley. Thiswas in all reasonable probability the same structure which lat- terly was known as the "Miller block-house," on the farm then owned by George Miller, some of whose descendants still own the place. Miller left a large family, most of whom have children living through Ligonier Valley, Unity and Derry townships. Miller was one of the first Roman Catholics in the valley, and he and his family to attend church had to go to the " Hill Church," now St. Vincents. Thither also they removed the remains of the members of the family when they died.

Others of the early settlers not specially named in the history of the county at large or in the history of the other townships of the valley were the Get- temys, the Pipers, the Thompsons, the Binkeys, the Bests, the Phillippis, the Beistals, the Matthews, the Groves, the Parks,-one of whom, Zebulon Parks, was a Revolutioner with Washington,-the Haugers, Hineses, Hoods, Felgars, Noehls, Stahls, Brants, Ca- vens, Withrows, McDowells, Wellers.

CIVIL OFFICERS.

Among the first justices of the peace of the town- ship after its erection was Seymour Campbell, a very prominent local man, and a great adviser and peace- maker among his neighbors. His name is borne by many namesakes. There also were James McDowell, James McClain, John Campbell, John Berg, James Witherow, Eli K. Caven, J. G. Weaver, Lewis Thomp- son, and Josiah McDowell. The constabulary duties have been divided between a very meagre number, the evident policy being when a man is found fit and competent to exercise the duties of the office to keep

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COOK TOWNSHIP.

him in. The first man on the list (in the recollection of these and without consulting the records) is John Berg, who was succeeded by William Gettemy, he by William Thompson, and he by George Campbell.

EARLY TIMES.

During the times of the Indian troubles, through the Revolution, and down to even a few years after the end of the war, the district of what is now Cook township was the scene of many savage outrages. Of these particular incidents, which we think sufficient to cover the whole grounds, we have mentioned in the general history of the county. The captivity of An- drew Harman, and the troubles about the Williams' block-house on the Four-Mile Run, as also the inci- dents connected with the early life of Robert Camp- bell, belong to the little region of territory bounded by the lines of the township.

In order to understand how it was that the Indian depredations were carried into this remote region, bounded as it was by hills on both sides, and difficult of access from the North and the South, we must re- member that the great Catawba war trail, which ran north and south, ran along the summit and sides of the Chestnut Ridge, thus passing along the whole length of Ligonier Valley. These depredations, as has been said, were mostly committed by the Indians who traversed this path.

At one time, late in the Revolution, there was in this part of the valley no security against the toma- hawk, the scalping-knife, or the torch.

VILLAGES.

The elections for Cook township are held at the school-house at the village and post-office of Mans- ville, which is located in the middle western part of the township, but in a nearly central location with re- gard to the populated portion thereof. It scarcely is entitled, in point of numbers, to be ranked as a vil- lage, but from its situation it has always been a point of interest for the people of the whole township. It is a "veritable village at a cross-roads," and these roads are much traveled. The gentlemen who owned the land there when there was talk of founding a town, some seventy years ago, from the inducements seemingly presenting themselves along one of the old wagon-roads, were James Phinney, Campbell, James McClain, Esq., and James Mckenzie. The first house was built by George G. Campbell. Most all the old settlers were Campbells, and with all propriety it should have been named "Campbell's Town." Shortly after that date a tavern was kept there by a Henry Knox, and since that time William Gettemy was in the tavern business there. From the temperance proclivities of the inhabitants, and their known aversion to intoxicating beverages, it would not justify a person now to take out license. At one time there were two country stores in the village, but at present there is only one store, owned and kept by the Messrs. Keffer, of Ligonier.

STAHLSTOWN VILLAGE

is situated on the " Old .Felgar road," running from Somerset to Greensburg, and became a village in the days of the road-wagons. It lies in the middle southern part of the township, and within the line which divides Cook from Donegal. The road from Donegal down the Valley to Ligonier crosses through the place, and it is distant from Donegal four miles, and from Ligonier ten miles.

Most of the ground upon which the buildings of the village have been built was owned by Leonard Stahl. Enos King built the first house ; it is a stone house, and is now owned by John Roadman.

When the matter of opening out a village was first talked upon, it became a subject for discussion what the name of the place and post-office should be. Being then in Donegal township, many were for naming it Centreville. To this some objected, and especially did the Post-office Department object to the name on the ground that there was a Centreville post-office in Somerset County, Pa., and this but a few miles away. It was finally called Stahlstown, because the name of the original proprietor, as has been said, was Stahl.

Many years ago a tavern-house was kept in Stahls- town by George Campbell; William Rickart figured in the same business afterwards. These, as was the custom of nearly all public-houses of that day, sold whiskey. But now two public-houses for the enter- tainment of passengers are kept in the village, but at neither are liquors sold. There is not a licensed house in Cook township.

In the census report the village of Stahlstown is not tabulated, but its population is included in that of the township. It has, however, two good stores, a resident physician, a Methodist Protestant and a Methodist Episcopal Church, which, although a part and parcel of the village, are really located within the limits of Donegal township, the parsonage for the former, a school-house, taunery, and the various shops common and needful in country villages.

PLEASANT GROVE.

A very alluring by-way resting-place is Pleasant Grove, the name given to the cluster of buildings about Pleasant Grove Church. This is on the right hand side of the Valley road, going from Stahlstown to Ligonier. The two churches, the Old Done- gal, or "Pleasant Grove," and the Methodist Epis- copal Church (organized in 1847), the one of stone, the other of brick, lie in close distance of each other, embowered among the monster trees of the old for- ests, and around them in the quiet country are spread the quieter graves of the dead. It is a spot to attract a loiterer who wanders by when the weather is warm and dry, and the harvesters are out in the "happy harvest-fields." Few churches in the valley have a more interesting history than the "Old Donegal," which we give herewith.

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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

DONEGAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, NOW KNOWN AS "PLEASANT GROVE,"

the last of the five primitive churches which belonged to the Old Redstone Presbytery, but which now belongs to that of Blairsville, obtained, April 25, 1785, Rev. James Power to supply one day. With Fairfield and Wheatfield, April 21, 1787, it called, unsuccessfully, Rev. James Hughes. Rev. George Hill, as stated in the case of Fairfield, became its first pastor, April 17, 1792, giving it for six years one-fourth of his time, and then one-third, till Oct. 22, 1817. At this time, without authority from Presbytery, he ceased his labors there. Of this the church complained to Presbytery, which declared emphatically that he ought not to have done so. He then tendered his resigna- tion, and was released, giving afterwards to Ligonier the portion of time thus disengaged. For over six years Donegal had occasional supplies, until June 17, 1824, as already stated, it obtained Rev. Swan, than whom no other man ever held so high a place in their con- fidence, esteem, and tender love. Oct. 5, 1841, he re- signed. From this time, with Ligonier, it became a separate charge, and received as pastor Mr. A. B. Clark, who was there ordained and installed, Jan. 26, 1842. Rev. George Hill preached, A. Donaldson charged the pastor, and P. Hassinger the people. This acceptable pastor was released Oct. 22, 1851. May 81, 1858, his successor, Rev. D. Harbison, was installed, Rev. George Hill again preached, S. Swan charged the pastor, and R. Lewis the people. He, too, was acceptable and useful, but resigned Oct. 3, 1855. June 8, 1856, his successor, Mr. John Allen Brown, was ordained and installed. Rev. S. H. Shep- ley preached, N. H. Gillett charged the pastor, and R. Stevenson the people. Acceptable as his predeces- sors, he resigned Oct. 21, 1859. June 8, 1860, he was succeeded by Rev. R. Stevenson. At the installation Rev. S. H. Shepley again preached, Dr. Smith charged the pastor, and J. W. Walker the people. Donegal township being divided, and this church being in the new organization, changed its name, by leave of Presbytery, to Pleasant Grove in this pas- torate. Mr. Stevenson resigned the charge Oct. 18, 1871. Oct. 29, 1872, the present pastor, Mr. E. G. Mckinley, was ordained and installed at Ligonier. Rev. D. W. Townsend preached, W. Cunningham charged the pastor, and T. R. Ewing the people. This church has had no stated supply, seven pastors, but never produced a minister. Among all its elders, one noble, old, godly man, Father Robert Campbell, was greatly pre-eminent.

Donegal, now Pleasant Grove, is regarded as exem- plifying a sentiment and illustrating a theory of bi- ologists. They maintain that affectionate, tender, frequent, and prolonged intercourse between different persons tends to induce a similarity of appearance, attitude, movement, face, and features among them. Thus a husband and wife, who at first have no notice-

able resemblance to each other, after years of happy wedded life grow gradually like each other, and seem as if they had been kindred born. The philosophy is this: Frequent free flow of feeling in a social, lively way, as a great chemical life-power, predis- poses the respective capacity of our nature to take impressions. Just then the sunlight of the happy faces of fellow-beings beaming brightly upon us leaves on our features in photograph, more or less noticeably, the impress and imprint of theirs, while they in turn, by reciprocal emotion, carry away the "image and superscription" of ourselves. Thus whole communi- ties, in some cases, are assimilated, and may be readily recognized by their common likeness. Donegal in " the olden time" was eminently, notoriously charac- terized by the freest kind of frequent social intercourse. It was so indulged as to bring their whole being into a very giow of warmth and life. Beyond controversy they did wondrously assimilate to a commonness, a oneness of feature and expression which no observer could fail to notice. To such a degree did this occur that in surrounding localities it was a common thing to bear the remark, "I cannot tell who he is, but I know he is a Donegalian." Even at the distance of a day's journey from their native, social homes have they been recognized as Donegalians, from their manifest peculiarity of face, features, and style of speech.

In the upper part of Ligonier Valley are still pro- served many anecdotes of this eccentric man, and in nearly every religious work having reference to the carly history of the Old Redstone Presbytery there is something said about "Father" or "Elder" Robert Campbell. If his character was not vouched for by some good authorities we might be led to think that the designation was more of a nickname than a well- earned cognomen. For of nicknames it may be ob- served that they very often describe, and are intended to describe, the character better than any other de- scription whatever; for this use came they into the world; but we have noticed that they are to be taken contrariwise when a churchly word is applied by a worldly people. There is, for instance, a one-story log church, with bench seats, standing on the top of the Chestnut Ridge, which having been built on land donated by Mr. Solomon Blank, has been for half a generation known as "Solomon's Temple," and we know a man who from his pious manner and worldly ways is known to every one as the " Apostle James." Campbell was a man of wonderful placidity of temper, and his mind taking a religious turn he excelled in organizing pious devotional exercises and system- atizing the efforts of the pastors, just as he would have excelled an executive officer had he devoted himself to politics or civil affairs with the expecta- tion of advancement. He was a representative of a class of men, hardy in body and mind, who were bred in Western Pennsylvania. . A few observations on his 'character will readily illustrate what we say.

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Lewis Thompson

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COOK TOWNSHIP.

The Rev. Adam Torrance, speaking of him, says that he enjoyed but limited advantages of religious instruction in his early youth, yet being of an inquir- ing turn of mind he gave considerable attention to the doctrines of the Bible, and tried to understand them as they were generally believed and taught. But looking at the doctrines by reason and experience only he could not understand some of them, and es- pecially the doctrine of the resurrection of the body, which appeared to him utterly incredible. During his captivity among the Indians a circumstance oc- curred which served to strengthen his unbelief in that doctrine.

A fellow-prisoner who twice attempted to escape was pursued and recaptured both times. By attempt- ing to escape a second time he had forfeited his life, and was accordingly bound to a sapling at the head of a ravine, and with a pile of wood built around him and fired he was burned to ashes. All the white captives in possession of the Indians of that place, Robert Campbell being one of them, were obliged to witness the scene, as a warning against attempts to cecape. The night following there was a very heavy fall of rain, and soon afterwards Campbell visited the scene of the burning and found the ashes and re- maining brands and everything else on and about the spot completely swept away by the land-flood. Where, he asked himself, are the particles of which that body was composed ? Some of them evaporated and diffused through the air, others mingled with ashes and various forms of rubbish and swept into the stream below ; and how can they ever be collected and reunited so as to form a living body ? Such were bis silent reflections on the subject, and more than ever was his unbelief in the doctrine of the res- urrection confirmed.

After his return to the Valley he occasionally heard sermons, but being preached by uneducated preachers he received no light on the subject of his doubts, but hearing of a certain minister going to preach at a particular place he went to hear him, when it chanced that the doctrine of the resurrection was a branch of the principal subject of the discourse. The min- ister's last answer to the objectors was given in the words of the Saviour to the Sadducees : " Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God." From that date Campbell dated his spiritual regener- ation.

The following remarks as to the religious tempera- ment and zeal of the worthy man are from Rev. Aaron Williams' article, "The Religious History," in the | schooling as the school system of the day afforded. Centenary Memorial :

"Still another of these elders, 'who through faith obtained a good report,' was 'Father' Robert Campbell, of the church of Donegal, now, in the Presbytery of Blairsville. He loved communion seasons, and be- aldes attending those of his own church, with all the accompanying ex- ercises of four or five days, he was found at the communions of neighbor- ing churches, even when, as he once said, 'In order to do so he had to fight the devil and a buck wheat-field ready to be harvested, and at last only gained the victory by running away from both.' Before the pastor's

arrival on such occasions he would not allow the people either inside or outside of the house to be unemployed. He would sing or pray, or call ou some one eles to do so, generally dropping a weighty thought, pun- gent remark, or brief exhortation. He seldom spoke Ave sentences at a time. His very soul would sing. He had no stereotyped prayer, but talked familierly, though reverently, to God, as a child pleading with a father. Rarely could be afford to lodge with Christians if Godless fam- flies lived near. These he went to visit, and with them read the Bible, talk, and pray."

The first church building was a rude log cabin, in which the congregation worshiped for many years. In 1882 a substantial and for the day a very neat stone building was erected. John Lane did the mason-work, and Seymour Moses the carpenter-work.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

LEWIS THOMPSON.

John Thompson, the father of George Thompson, and grandfather of Lewis Thompson, the subject of this brief memoir, migrated from Cecil County, Md., to Greene County, Pa., in the early part of the present century. From there, after a residence of one year, he removed into Westmoreland, and settled within the bounds of Cook township, then Donegal, where he remained until his death in 1874. He was of Scotch-Irish nativity. His wife, Alice Nelson, of English extraction, he married in Maryland. Of his children, George, the second son, was born in 1811 in Maryland, before the removal of his father. He was married to Rachel Felgar, a resident of that part of Donegal township which is now Cook. He was a farmer by occupation. Beginning without any means of his own, like many of the best bone and blood, he by frugality, economy, and energy secured a farm of his own, and raised and educated a family of three sons and three daughters, three of his children out of a family of nine dying young. His children were the following: John (died young); Lewis, whose portrait appears in connection with this sketch; Mar- tha Jane (died in youth); Harriet, married to Seymour Brant; George W .; Eveline, married to William Fisher; Mary, married to William Parke; James, now a partner with Lewis Thompson in the mercantile business ; and Elizabeth, who died in childhood.

Lewis Thompson was born Oct. 20, 1836. He passed his first years at home upon his father's farm, and in due time secured all the benefits of such a common

Being soon recognized as a scholarly boy, he had no difficulty in securing a school at the early age of sev- enteen. Devoting himself to his books, he in the mean time pursued his studies under private tutors, in special classes, and in the graded schools which were instituted for training teachers in their profes- sion. He devoted himself to the profession of teach- ing, which he followed for eighteen years. He held

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 172

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

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