History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 21

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474

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Society life was kept up by apple parings, frolics, wood choppings, log rollings, cabin building, flax break- ing, quiltings, huskings where the youth who found the red ear expected to kiss immediately the first girl he could catch, and these often followed by dancing-car- ried late into the night or early morning. Music became a desirable thing to relieve the monotony, and a fiddler was sometimes found and was a great acquisition to any neighborhood.

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The familiar diet was corn meal mush, hominy made from the whole corn treated with lye from wood ashes, pork, beans, and on extra occasions rye coffee. At times there was no pork for lack of salt. The clothing was home-made even to the moccasins for the feet, and each family had its awl which was brought into use almost every night to repair the footwear which was made of skins of the deer and were of some use in dry and cold weather, but were of no use to prevent rheumatism by keeping out water. Women most frequently went bare- foot and even until near the middle of the century many persons walked to church and carried their store shoes to put them on their bare feet before entering the sacred building. The families were large, as a rule, and from six to ten children was a common heritage. Many were quite grown up before seeing the inside of a school room. Dr. Joseph Doddridge, when a good-sized boy, was surprised beyond measure, when passing over the mountains, to find a plastered house where he could not see the logs and could not see the beams and rafters overhead. His description of eating at the table at this wayside inn, and of his efforts to drink all of several cups of dark, nauseous liquid, which was set before him and so hot that the tears ran from his eyes, not knowing that it was coffee and not knowing how he could drink all that was served to him or stop the filling of his cup, shows most clearly the primitive life in this far West.

Early religion was of an austere type and plainness of dress was expected. The great revival of 1802-3, kept up the religious fervor and discipline until after the French ideas of infidelity so prevalent during the war with England had been argued away. The study of church doctrines thus made necessary, resulted in fac- tional disputes among churches which seem strange at the present time when a doctrinal sermon is almost a thing unknown, and would not be appreciated even if understood. More time and attention was given to dress and fashion as communities settled more thickly. Among the most stunning fashions were the long poke-bonnets with their curtains, and the hoops and crinolines of the '50s and early '60s. These, and the bustle which attained prominence at that time, would create as much comment now as the extravagant wash bowl hats of today would have received then. The attempt to introduce "bloomers" at the close of the war was a complete failure, although these imitations of trousers were boldly worn by a very few independent young women of the county.

Log houses were very substantial and were the kind most in use until the Civil War. One of the very first brick houses in the county was built by James Parkin- son in 1785 on Pigeon Creek, and is yet known as the Vanvoorhis homestead. Jonathan Winnett, still living, built one of the earliest brick houses in Maple Creek

in 1835, at which time brick houses were considered mansions.

A four-roomed house and kitchen with hewed logs, built by Aaron Lyle, of Cross Creek Township, in 1792- 93, furnished an argument for his political opposers as "indicating a tendency to luxurious living and aristo- cratic habits." At the beginning of the Civil War a wash-bowl and pitcher was an unsual sight among the farmers.

Disease was here, of course, but they had their reme- dies for many of them. Most diseases were from expo- sure, not contagion .- There was no place in the family for the sickly, and their life was to be borne without complaint, and the complaining or delicate were looked upon with disapproval. In connection with these reme- dies and diseases, witchcraft had more or less considera- tion, but the seeds and berries were often considered efficacious. Roots and bunches of dried herbs hung from the cabin beams. The large drinks of bitter boneset and the use of "pennyroyal" furnished a home treat- ment. Oil of rattlesnakes, geese, wolves, bears and pole- cats was well applied. Those desirous of more skill adopted the Thompsonian treatment with roots and herbs, which was introduced by an old doctor through- out this whole region. Blood-letting became a common medical practice.

The country doctor had no easy job. Physicians were very few and settlements scattered at long distances, and at first the traveler ran the risk of being eaten by wolves or other wild beasts. Night trips were often made by the light of a pine knot torch or a perforated tin lantern with a tallow candle. Horseback was the method of travel, and a yard of green baize wrapped around each leg and tied above the knee with red tape, and heavy boots, with sheepskin overshoes or those made of buffalo skin with the wool inside, were protections needed almost continually. Their saddle-bags strapped to the saddle were sure to give forth peculiar odors when their contents were opened in the house. In the begin- ning of the last half of the century the doctors slowly adopted the two-wheeled gig, which in later years was followed by the more comfortable buggy, and still later physicians in the towns used a modern invention.

The high-wheeled bicycle was first introduced into Washington in 1882 by Dr. J. M. Maurer and the jeweler, A. A. Poole, but they were used for recreation only. These soon gave way to the bicycle with wheels of equal dimensions. The roads were not well calculated for this, and associations were formed throughout the United States for road improvement and to outline good roads and stopping places for members of the association all over the country. These aided largely in producing laws favorable to improved roads. At the beginning of the present century automobiles gradually came into use. Their high value and wealthy owners added a great

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power to the influence for better roads. Much legis- lation and the enthusiasm for good roads have been the result. The quiet farmer is contributing to the improved roads and bridges, but as yet neither he nor his horse is favorably inclined toward the automobile. The auto- mobile, however, holds the right of way, usually, on the road, although the horse is taxed and the automobile is not.

There were many superstitions and "signs." Shoot- ing hair-balls into cattle to kill them was considered to be the work of witches, and when any cattle were killed and such a hair-ball found within, it aroused the superstition of the backwoodsman, who knew of nothing which could produce such an object, and of necessity blamed the witches.

The Asiatic cholera, introduced from the South into the river town of Wheeling, resulted in 186 cases and 87 deaths there between May 16 and June 6, 1833. Peter Wolf, the coffin maker at Washington, was called upon to make a coffin and take back to Wheeling the body of a lady who had journeyed as far as Washington and panied the remains to Wheeling, but before his return died from this dread disease on May 30. He accom- was stricken down. He had a narrow escape, but lived many years, afterwards engaged in his business of chair making. A few deaths from this disease occurred in Washington, but nearly all were colored folk. John M. Rankin, the innkeeper of Rankintown (now eighth ward), was carried off with this disease. The date given upon his tombstone in Washington cemetery is August 1, 1835, and his age fifty-five years. This was possibly the worst fright Washington ever experienced, but there has been some later instances of epidemics from smallpox. Not many deaths, however, have occurred from this dreaded disease. John Marshel was the secretary of the Board of Health in 1833, which was the first instance we have of the organization of such an association in the county.

Prior to the Civil War, handling the gun was the favorite occupation of the men when not laboring. Mili- tary life and evolutions were kept up by annual musters. These were called "cornstalk parades" prior to the more serious legislation of 1858 to 1864. In those earlier days uniforms were not worn except by the epauletted officers on horseback, and the men, often in their shirt- sleeves and many with sticks instead of guns, and with little knowledge of or respect for the drill, would make a ludicrous sight at the present day. At these earlier musters advantage was taken of any previous disputes, and a few drinks at the village inn brought about a rough-and-tumble fight, which generally was permitted to end with "the best man on top." Wrestling, running and jumping were ordinary pastimes.

Skill in marksmanship became a great pride, espe- cially with the plainer folk or farm laborers. Then as now, but much more frequent and much more com-

monly indulged in, was the marksmanship for prizes or turkeys, or sometimes a purse. So also with fox hunts, which were carried out with much previous arrangement, and brought into the final circle hundreds of excited horsemen and hounds. It was the custom of Edward Cherry, of Cherry Valley, born in 1776, to bestride his old white horse once or twice a year and ride down into Beaver County, always bringing back the hind quarters of a fat deer brought down by his faithful old long rifle.

As time rolled on the family monotony was relieved two or three times a year by visits of the pack-peddler, with his two tin boxes swung on a strap over his shoul- der. The wondrous sight of needles and pins, pearl buttons, "fine buttons," combs, and the other mysteries that lay hidden below each tin tray, were a revelation to the mouth-open youngsters, who must frequently be commanded to keep away. Another sight still more wonderful was that man, of evident foreign birth, who carried in a long crate on top of his head plaster images of women, dogs, cats and other objects not resembling anything which the human mind could name. These were very tempting ornaments and were almost certain to bring forth at least a part of the carefully hoarded pittance saved from the last sale of butter and eggs at the store at 10 cents a pound or 61/2, cents a dozen. Sad was the householder at such a time who had taken all the egg money in trade from the storekeeper, which usually was the case. Skimping was the farm life in outlays. The moderate diet of today would be con- sidered high life before the Civil War. Each article of furniture, each chair, had its particular place in the house; and the houses, nearly all of which were logs, some weather-boarded with clap-boards or splits, were well furnished if they had more than one room carpeted.

Another event of interest was the occasional visit of the book peddler, James Smith, the bachelor brother of William Smith, of Washington. With his one-horse wagon, and afterwards his two-horse wagon, he visited house to house to sell Bibles, Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," "Emblems and Allegories,"' and other books, every one good and enticing. To the ambitious young- sters with little in the house to read except the almanac, the Bible and its commentary, and a few sermons, here was a mine of treasures of which they could get little beyond a sight of the attractive backs.

The church organizations were always an element in the social life of the community, and the singing, and later the literary societies at the public school buildings, and an occasional dance, supplied the social gatherings in the country. The excitement in the town of Washing- ton and along the National Turnpike was constant for almost forty years at sight of the fast mail, the slow coaches, conestogas and all varieties of wagons and car- riages. Droves of hogs, horses, cattle and sheep avoided the pike when possible, and created much more excite-

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ment as they passed along the less traveled country roads and carried along with them, for some distance at least, the farmer's stock, which in every neighborhood grazed along the public road.

Along that National pike came Presidents, Congress- men, foreign ministers, illustrious political candidates, Indian chiefs and warriors. The hero, Andrew Jackson, "Old Hickory," and America's friend i in need, Lafayette, of France, both held receptions in Washing- ton in 1825. All these people delighted to honor, and many were the advance delegations going out to escort them and many patriotic parades worked up the enthu- siasm and patriotism of old and young. Such lessons in patriotism are lost to the school children and men of today. At the Whig meeting in 1840, the Harrison and Tyler campaign, people came for fifty miles, until the attendance was estimated at 6,000. The political methods of earlier days have given away to the still hunt, and public sentiment is molded by the newspapers which visit daily almost every household in the county. The last person to be honored by a public open demonstration in the county seat was the Hon. James G. Blaine, of Maine, graduate of Washington and Jefferson College, who had been a high state official, a congressman and a candidate for president of the United States. His friendly visit was made and his last speech to his friends in this region on October 23, 1886, from a plat- form on the college campus, where multitudes without regard to previous political opinions, quietly gathered to hear one of the most illustrious sons of the college and of the county. Other statesmen of note have come in on the trains since then, but their approach has been unheralded and they are seldom heard or seen except by those who are sufficiently interested to pay handsomely for being entertained.

AGRICULTURE, ETC.

Agriculture and farming pursuits were the first occu- pations of the white settlers of this locality. The first crops were raisel from lands little more than garden patches. The products were corn, cabbage, and pota- toes, but there was often difficulty in getting seed. In some instances these crops were raised with no other implements than the mattock and hoe, as neither plow nor team could be had. Weeds were not so trouble- some then as now, for many new weeds have sprung up since the railroads reached the prairies. Clearing more land by cutting and burning trees and grubbing under- brush occupied most of the time even during the coldest days of winter. Sometimes ten, fifteen or more acres would be made to fall in windrows for a fire to be kindled a year or so later, and by cutting a line of trees half way through and using the last one to crash against

the others was considered a speedy method of carrying on the destruction. Horses and oxen were scarce, and the harness of that day now would be considered a joke. The plow was a clumsy affair made entirely of wood, and the man was lucky who could get some iron attach- ments which were considered very helpful. A warrant for 200 acres in Independence Township was at one time traded for a cow, a set of plow irons and a wool hat. There was nothing for a farm horse to do except to plow or carry burdens, most work being done by oxen. The ground, however, was scratched and the seed fre- quently harrowed over with a thorn bush, which was soon superseded by a harrow of square timbers framed into the shape of the letter A, into which wooden teeth were driven. The thorn bush or brush from the brush pile was sometimes used as late as 1850. The pack saddle and sleds gave place, but slowly, to wagons. The first wagon is said to have been drawn across the mountains in 1789 by oxen. They were not thought safe among the hills. The only lock or brake was a chain, and these were scarce. To break them on a steep hill meant de- struction. The lighter farm implements, as now used, were unknown. Heavy wooden scoop shovels, and forks with prongs an inch thick, were considered necessary. In due time wheat was produced sufficient to satisfy the families, and a little later laws were passed to pre- vent the manufacture of wheat into whisky, as it was needed for the support of the people and the soldiers. Rye was almost as much used as wheat, and buckwheat was introduced to some extent, but both rye and buck- wheat gave place to corn, wheat and oats in Washington County. Barley and rye were produced more abundantly about the time of the Civil War than ever before or since. Barley was worth 4s 6d per bushel in 1808 "at the sign of the Indian Queen" in Washington. Rye was used instead of coffee in war times, because coffee could not be had or was too high.

Grain was originally cut with a sickle. Grain cradles were made by some who had unusual skill, before the close of the 18th century. Grass was cut with the scythe, and the stooping required in both reaping and mowing would be unbearable to the laborer of today. Three-fingered cradles succeeded the sickle, but soon gave place to the four-fingered cradle, and this again to the reaper with dropping attachment and finally to the reaper and binder.

The long sword-like scythe attached to its snathe gave place to the mowing-machine in 1847, but the machine did not come into common use until almost ten years later. The method of farming has entirely changed and the young man of today knows nothing of the labors of 50 years ago. The threshing-at that time- was often done with the flail, and frequently where there was a barn floor, the sheaves were laid down in a circle

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and horses used to tramp out the grain. A good Irish- man-with a flail on a cold day-could beat out from 12 to 18 bushels per day of wheat. The small boy was in much demand to ride the horses around the barn floor and any other job would have been more acceptable. In the middle of the century, what was known as the Bunty horse-power machine, in which a cylinder was used to thresh out the grain, was introduced. The power was furnished by horses walking in a circle attached to arms or sweeps. This required the assistance of neighbors and a big dinner at the house. The old Middletown machine, manufactured in this country, was introduced before the war and this had been followed by many improvements. The traction engine, which hauls the cleaner from place to place, was not known as late as 1876, although there was a machine on exhibition at the Philadelphia Centennial which could move itself forward and backward by its own machinery propelled by steam, but it was of English manufacture and too heavy for use. From this idea has grown the traction engine which is common today, and which has been the opening for the automobile. After the use of the Bunty machine came the separating of the chaff from the wheat -by a fanning-mill. This had been done in earlier years by sheets used to toss the grain and allow the wind to carry the chaff away. With the fanning-mill the small boy was always in demand to scrape away the golden grain, and he scarcely had a moment when he could be spared.

The Hon. John McDowell, in 1881, remarked, "Those who have travelled over the state find by observation that Washington County, for the quantity, quality, even- ness, and richness of its pastures, its annual heavy crops of grain, corn and hay, can say it is safe to rank it in progress and fertility with any county in the state."

Washington County is one of the banner counties of the United States, as viewed by the agriculturist. It was among the six first counties in the state for several years. The oil and gas, and later, the great coal de- velopment, has decreased its standing but it is yet a great producer and will so continue. Systematic farm- ing and gardening as a science has scarcely been com- menced in this county.

By the census of 1900, over four-fifths of the county was improved land. The average size of the farms was 111.1 acres. Twice as many were operated by their owners as by tenants and croppers. Wheat, on 40,752 acres, produced almost 500,000 bushels. Corn occupied almost as many acres and yielded over three times as many bushels. Oats, on 28,044 acres, produced 978,090 bushels. Hay, clover, potatoes, apples, peaches and other crops were also a good yield. Without much atten- tion the orchard crop was $120,478. Spraying fruit trees is not customary, but when each land owner uses his own

sprayer and lime-sulphur wash as faithfully as he throws away his wheat and covers it, the fruit will increase fourfold.

Clover was introduced from England shortly before and was brought into Washington County soon after its organization. It was sown in small parcels in gardens. Before it was introduced, cattle and all other kinds of imported stock deteriorated and became a mongrel breed. Clover is high in oxygen and has recently been used by plowing under to enrich the ground. In the early part of the century in some parts of the county it was thought necessary to ditch and irrigate for grass to make a crop of hay and this could only be done on flat land. The general introduction of timothy and clover dispelled that idea and tons of hay are produced as read- ily on the hill top as along the creek bottom. The farming communities have not yet awakened to the fact that their children are being educated for anything else except for farm life, and that the study of chemistry and geology, as applied to agriculture and fruit raising, would interest and develop the youth and make his life a joy rather than a drudgery.

SHEEP.

Sheep had no natural place in this county infested with wolves, bears and panthers. They were introduced from Europe at different times and were badly treated. They became long legged, narrow chested and unshape- ly, producing wool and hair which was made into the linsey-woolsey of the settlements. After the furs and skins of animals grew scarce, each family tried to guard a half dozen or so of sheep to supply the family cloth- ing. The women did the shearing and the sheep looked sorry afterwards.

The Saxony sheep was among the earliest breeds to reach the county. William Davis was a good husband- man of these light weight, fancy, fine wooled sheep when he moved into South Strabane Township in 1847, and at times kept as high as 1,000 on his five hundred acre farm. He received fancy prices for his wool clip. The Berry family has always been known, at least since 1847, as breeders of Merino sheep. Matthew Berry of "Peach Garden" farm near Canonsburg and his de- scendants have been closely identified with an associa- tion originating in this county for the improvement of that breed and they have improved both the fleece and the mutton qualities. William Berry of near the site of the ancient Clokeyville made a specialty of the Black- Top Merino sheep and became an authority on this class. Hon. John M. Berry of North Strabane has a first class flock of these sheep. Ten years after the date last men- tioned Spanish sheep were imported from Vermont and this heavy, greasy wool with black exterior led to the

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perpetration of frauds in this county by those who would oil the wool and blacken the outer ends so as to deceive the unwary purchaser. Covering and shedding from sun and rain was necessary to get the best results and prices for the Spanish breed. The Southdown, Cots- wold and several other long wooled sheep soon followed. The latest introduction was in 1891 when Murray A. Cooper of South Franklin Township imported from Eng- land the Dorset-Horn sheep. He organized and is still secretary of the Dorset-Horn Sheep Breeders' Associa- tion, which had for its first president T. S. Cooper of Coopersburg, Pa. James S. Wylie of Canton Township has been a director of this association continuously since its organization in 1891. This breed sprung into prom- inence and another organization was formed in the coun- ty of which James B. Henderson of Smith Township is the president. Washington County has furnished breed- ing sheep to almost all the wool producing states east of the Rocky Mountains. Large flocks were driven to Iowa and Illinois immediately after the Civil War, and many were shipped to Kansas and Texas.

Washington County is noted all over the United States and much of Europe, as shown by the circulars and letters received by our breeders and wool growers from foreigners. It is noted for the number of its sheep, for the fineness, the quantity, density and weight of fleece, and as having among the best stud flocks in the United States. The highest and best awards on sheep and wool were given to exhibitors from our county at the International Sheep and Wool Show held in Philadelphia, and also first premiums and medals for sheep exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876.

The price of wool has fluctuated greatly during the past forty or fifty years. During the Civil War times the price of wool was $1.00 or more per pound. It went down to 75c, 621/2c, and in '81 was around the mark between 40c and 45c. The price went as low as 16c and 20c near the close of the last century and wool growing in Washington County became unprofitable. The farmers sold their sheep and gave their farms over to the raising of other livestock or to agricultural pursuits. The drouth in 1893, especially in the southern part of the county, forced many to sell their sheep for the price of pelts.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 21

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1474

Author: McFarland, Joseph Fulton; Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1474