History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 64

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

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century > Part 64

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A brick church edifice was erected in 1839. Services were held here until 1858, when a frame meeting house was built. The present pastor is Rev. David Bluebach. The membership is about 43.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

The Centre Presbyterian Church near Thompsonville was organized August 29, 1829. It was called Centre because it was nearly the same distance from Chartiers, Bethel, Bethany and Mingo churches. A brick church was soon built at the cost of $1,200 on land donated by Daniel Bell. In 1851 a $2,000 brick church edifice was erected a short distance south of the former build- ing. The people of Centre completed a parsonage in 1907 at a cost of about $5,000. It was built on a lot of ground donated for the purpose by Rev. W. F. Brown, D. D., who was reared near this church.

Rev. John H. Kennedy was pastor from 1830 to 1840. Some of its pastors have been professors in Jefferson College. M. M. McDivitt has served since 1907. The membership of the church at present is 171.

Finleyville Cemetery owns ten acres in Peters Town- ship. The cemetery is located at Hackett. The com- pany was incorporated in 1887. Land was bought from F. M. Finley in 1888 and from the Pittsburg Coal Com- pany in 1906.

Turkey Foot Grange, No. 1164, was organized about 1897. A. F. Lusher is master and Mrs. J. H. Cheseman, lecturer.

In 1900 the Washington-Lake Erie Gas Coal Com- pany owned 829 acres of land valued at $20,725.

The Pittsburg Coal Company in 1900 owned coal land valued at $43,271 in Peters Township with a tipple and 30 houses.

In 1909 the Pittsburg Coal Company owned 11,553 acres of coal in Peters Township. The coal lands of this company within the bounds of this township are assessed at $1,454,500 for the year 1908.

Twelve houses of the Germania mine of the Pittsburg Coal Company are located in Peters Township. The mine is situated north of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail- road a half mile east of Hackettson, the line between Peters and Union Townships. During the year 1908, 21,945 tons of coal were shipped from this mine. Em- ployment was given to 38 miners. The mine was for- merly owned by Henry Floersheim and was sold to the Pennsylvania Mining (Pittsburg Coal) Company in 1903, by whom it is now owned and operated.

The tipple of the Nottingham mine of the Pittsburg Coal Company is in Peters Township, extending out from Nottingham Township over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad tracks at the village of Hackett. In 1908, 229,064 tons of coal were shipped and 307 men employed at this mine. Henry Floersheim sold this mine to the Pennsylvania Mining Company at the same time he sold the Germania mine in 1903.

The Blanche mine of the Pittsburg Coal Company was located partly in Peters Township a half mile west of Venetia on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. It was operated for several years until purchased by the Pittsburg Coal Company and abandoned about two years ago. The coal section in this mine is 7 feet 3 inches.

The Eclipse mine is located between Anderson and Hackett on the Joshua Wright farm. It was operated for many years, being later purchased by Asborne, Saeger & Co. Some time prior to 1903 the mine was bought by the Pennsylvania Mining (Pittsburg Coal) Company and by it abandoned a couple of years ago.

The Hackett mine was opened up about 25 years ago by Thomas Hackett. The mine was purchased by the Boyle Bros. Coal Company and was abandoned about ten years since, having been worked out. The Pennsyl- vania Mining (Pittsburg Coal) Company bought the mine in 1900. It is located at Hackett and connected with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad by a switch.

In 1881 the Anderson Mine No. 1 was in operation. This mine is two and a half miles west of Finleyville and was formerly owned and operated by Dr. David M. Anderson. It is a drift mine, employing on an average of 20 men. The railroad at present owned by the Balti- more and Ohio Railroad Company, was known as the Pittsburg Southern Railroad (narrow gauge) in early days. Coal from this mine was transported to Wash- ington by this road, reshipped and transported to Wheel- ing by the Baltimore and Ohio (which then operated between Washington and Wheeling) at which latter place it was manufactured into gas.

The Pennsylvania Mining (Pittsburg Coal) Company purchased the Anderson mine in 1901. It had not been operated for several years previous to the sale. The Anderson No. 2 mine is operated south of Peters Creek in Nottingham Township.

ROBINSON TOWNSHIP.

Robinson was the eleventh of the 13 original town- ships to be formed on the 15th of July, 1781, by the trustees appointed for that purpose. It was then bounded by the Ohio River on the north, the Monongahela River on the east, Cecil Township on the south and Smith Township on the west. Later the township was reduced by the erection of Allegheny County in 1788 and by a slight change in 1836. It was further re- duced in 1889 and 1903 by the organization of Mc- Donald and Midway into boroughs. Robinson Town- ship, as it exists at present, is bounded on the northeast by Allegheny County, on the southeast, south and south- west by McDonald Borough, Cecil Township, Mount Pleasant Township, Smith Township and Midway Borough and on the west by Hanover Township. Rac-

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

coon Creek marks the boundary line between Hanover and Robinson Townships. The east branch of Raccoon Creek rises in the center of the township and marks part of the boundary line between Smith and Robinson Townships. Robinson Run marks the boundary line between Robinson, Cecil, Mount Pleasant and part of Smith Townships. Robinson Township is located north of Washington Borough 20 miles. Its greatest length is ten miles; breadth, three miles.

In early days the name of stream and township was sometimes spelled Robison, Reobison or Robertson. About five miles of the old Pittsburg and Steubenville Pike runs through the northern end of this township from east to west.

The villages are Candor, one of the oldest in the county, and Cherry Valley, one of the youngest. Mid- way and McDonald, once villages in this township have been incorporated into boroughs.

NORTH STAR.

North Star was the name of a postoffice and district school formerly located on the Pittsburg and Steuben- ville Turnpike at the crossing of the Clinton and Mt. Pleasant State Road. This State road was laid out by act of Assembly passed April 13, 1844, in which "Hickory" is called Mt. Pleasant. Crawford's Inn then stood at this road crossing on land now owned by Thomas R. Donaldson, Esq., and was a well-known stop- ping place in early coaching days, but the postoffice was superseded by rural delivery and the hotel disap- peared more than half a century ago.

CANDOR.

Candor was located in the center of this township, being a settlement near Beelor's (Bealors or Bielors) Fort and the Raccoon Presbyterian Church. Beelor's Fort was located near the southward from the corner of the cemetery connected with this church. The names Candor, Concord, Amity, Prosperity and other similar names were among those first given to villages in this county and are an index to the state of mind and de- sires of the people.

Candor is one mile north of Bulger and two miles northwest of Midway and saw its best days before the railroad passed it by. Raccoon Church, a store and a dozen or so dwellings remain. A steam saw-mill was located here for many years. An academy was con- ducted at Candor about the year 1860 by Alexander M. Jelley and Samuel G. McFarland.

Candor in 1870 had a population of 210, living in 40 houses. In 1900 its population was 85. Its inhabitants now enjoy the luxury of natural gas.

On the top of the hill half a mile east of Candor was "Green Tree Inn" on the old drove road. Christopher

Smith farmed and kept the drovers who passed toward Pittsburg along the limestone ridge with hundreds of sheep, hogs and cattle. His son, John Smith, was al- ways known as Greentree Smith.

A saw and grist-mill was on the Joseph Dunlap farm half mile east of Midway and a tanyard on Thomas Bigger's farm two miles north of Bavington, but both became silent prior to the Civil War.

In Robinson Township the Pittsburg vein of coal is exposed. Considerable oil and gas underlie the township. Beside the large coal works, many private coal banks are supplying fuel. This township is well watered and fertile, much farming and dairying being carried on. The soil is limestone and clay.

The Pittsburg and Walnut Hill Coal Company-The Pittsburg and Walnut Hill Coal Company's tipple and main entry to the mine were situated at the west end of the present borough of Midway and were connected with the P., C., C. & St. L. R. R. The coal works were started in 1869 by E. A. Wheeler and Rapalye & Gulick. T. B. Robbins and John Arnot in 1873 purchased the entire interest of the company. From 50 to 160 men are employed. They continued to run the works until the tipple burned down and litigation was started about the year 1890, when operations ceased and have never been resumed.

Midway Coal Company-The mines of the Midway Coal Company were situated at the east end of the present borough of Midway on land formerly of Samuel McFarland and were connected with the P., C., C. & St. L. R. R. John and Thomas Taylor opened this mine in 1870. Later the mines were owned by Joseph Craw- ford. About 100 men were employed. The works ceased operation about 15 years ago.

A singular fact was discovered in operating one of these mines in the hill across Robinson's Run from the lower end of Midway. No better coal is fonud than that on the north side of this hill, but a narrow clay vein, not two inches thick in this hill, separates this good coal from a far inferior quality on the south side of the same hill. A great quantity of high quality coal has been shipped from this neighborhood.

The Black Diamond mine was situated one-half mile east of Midway on the Joseph Dunlap farm. This mine was opened about 1890 and ceased to operate in 1896 as the coal was worked out. The mine was owned by Thomas Taylor. About 90 men were employed and about 100 tons a day was dug. This was very excellent coal and sold to M. A. Hanna & Co. at a premium of 10 cents a ton.

Robbins Block Coal Company-This mine was opened up in 1874 and the greater part of the coal dug in Mount Pleasant Township. The delivery station was in Robinson Township, however, about a mile east of

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Midway close to the present town of Primrose in Mount Pleasant Township. It was knicknamed the "Gum Boot" mine. The coal was worked out and the Car- negie Coal Company purchased the works opening and coal back of it. At present this mine is operated by the Carnegie Coal Company. During the year 1908 the output was 174,812 tons and 246 men were employed.

The Shaw mine of the Pittsburg Coal Company- The Shaw mine commenced operations about the year 1900. It is located two miles north of Midway on the Mathew Provines farm and is connected with the main lines of the P., C., C. & St. L. R. R. east of Midway by a switch. The coal is of the finest quality. During 1908, 186,769 tons of coal were mined and 237 men employed. This coal is found very near the surface and crops out in many places.

The McDonald oil district was one of the first dis- tricts to be developed in this county. It is situated in one of the richest sections of the great mineral belt of Western Pennsylvania. This district was opened by the John J. and N. K. McDonald well No. 1 in August, 1890. This is the largest white sand oil field in the world.

Gas is found near Candor in center of the township in shallow sand and some gas and light oil wells have been discovered near Raccoon Creek near Bavington and Murdocksville. The "Raccoon Branch" survey of the Panhandle Railroad extends along the northwestern side of this township. The coal crops out in that region and some of it has been sold at $100 per acre with the intention of taking it out by way of Imperial in Alle- gheny County or down Raccoon Creek toward Beaver.

Robinson Township voted upon and adopted the cash road tax in 1906. The road tax for 1908 was 4 mills and the amount collected $5,010.20. In 1905 the State constructed 9,740 feet of Sprouls Road on the Midway Road north. The construction cost was $18,329.80; width of stone, 14-16 feet; width of grading, 22-24 feet ; cost of engineering, $836.48.

In 1904-5, 5,280 feet of county Flinn road was built between McDonald and Primrose at the construction cost of $18,887.58; width of stone, 10 feet; width of grading, 23 feet; engineering cost, $1,029.90. Since then repairs on this road have cost $2,291.34 in the first two years after its construction.

The valuation of real estate in Robinson Township amounts to $1,203,763. The personal property amounts to $89,535. There are 523 taxables.

The population of Robinson Township in 1850 num- bered 843; in 1860, 840; in 1890, 1,820, and in 1900, 2,087.

The number of voters in the township in 1850 was 196; in 1904, 354, and in 1908, 488.

John Elliott taught the first school in Robinson Township. The schoolhouse was constructed of logs about the year 1800 on the land owned by Richard Donaldson. Later other schools were started. When the school law was enacted in 1834 this township was divided into five districts. In 1908 there were in Robin- son Township: Schools, 12; teachers, 12; average num- ber of months taught, 8; average salary of teachers per month, male $58, females $50; cost of each pupil per month, $1.75; number of mills on the dollar levied for school purposes, 41/2; estimated value of school prop- erty, $12,000.

Number of scholars enrolled, 283. Population of the township in 1860 was 840, of whom 23 were colored. In 1908 it was 2,087. Registration of voters, 488.

Capt. Samuel Beelor settled near the present village of Candor in 1774 and built a two-story log fort in which he and his son, Samuel, lived. This fort was frequently used as a refuge during Indian attacks. The following are the names of some of the early settlers and the approximate dates of their settlement in this township :

James Clark, 1789; Robert Shearer, Sr., Hugh Shearer, 1780; William McCandless, 1784; Mathew Bailey, 1784; Thomas Biggert (Bigger), 1778; Josiah Scott, 1784; William Aten, 1800; Samuel Pollock, 1786; John Donaldson, 1781; Peter, Alexander and William Kidd, 1781; John Witherspoon, James McBride, Alex- ander Bailey, 1778; Christopher Smith, James Mc- Birney, John McDonald, 1776. The early permanent settlers were mostly of Scotch-Irish descent. A long list of them is given in Miss Sturgeon's History of Raccoon Graveyard, page 9-11.

There are two churches in Robinson Township, the Raccoon Presbyterian Church and the Robinson United Presbyterian Church.

Raccoon Presbyterian Church-Miss Margaret Stur- geon in her history of Raccoon graveyard says that a Presbyterian congregation was in existence in Robinson Township as early as 1778. Four different church buildings have been erected. The first house of worship built of unhewn logs and was completed in 1781, the year Washington County was erected. It was situated on Raccoon Creek near Beilor's (Beelor's) Fort and the name which was given to the church at that time is still used. The building was of hewn logs and cost $400, a large sum of money for that day. This church contained two recesses of considerable size, one being used as the pulpit and the other being appropriated for

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the use of a few colored slaves then owned in the neigh- borhood. Many members came for eight or ten miles on foot or horseback and remained for two long ser- mons even in the coldest weather. At first the church was not heated and the more conservative members manifested their displeasure when a stove was placed within those sacred walls, as they considered it a very unnecessary innovation. The ground upon which the church now stands was not bought until the year 1798. In 1830 a large, substantial brick church, almost square, with a seating capacity for 600, was erected on the same ground upon which the log church stood. In the spring of 1872 this church was taken down that a new edifice might stand upon the same sacred grounds oc- cupied by its three predecessors. The new church was built of brick 81x60 feet, two stories, with a seating capacity for 500 in the audience room which occupies the second floor and a commodious Sunday School room on the first. The total cost was near to $16,000. In 1888 a manse was built at a cost of $2,500 and in 1895 the church was renovated, recarpeted and refrescoed at an expense of about $1,200.

On April 21, 1789, this church, then called Upper Raccoon, to distinguish it from one further down the stream, called also Montour, now in Allegheny County, made a joint call for Rev. Joseph Patterson. He ac- cepted and his yearly salary was 120 pounds. April 16, 1799, Rev. Mr. Patterson resigned the charge of Mon- tour, devoting all his time to Raccoon, both churches having become sufficiently strong to require the ex- clusive services of a pastor. In 1800, during the pas- torate of Rev. Mr. Patterson, the church experienced a wonderful revival. A tent with logs for seats was used when the church building would not hold the multitude. After Mr. Patterson the church was served by Rev. Moses Allen, 1817-1838; Rev. Clement V. McKaig, 1841- 1865, and Rev. Greer McIlvaine Kerr, 1871-to present time.

Few congregations have had such peace and so few changes in pastors. The present membership is 190.

Robinson United Presbyterian Church-In the year 1830 a number of families residing in the southwest part of the associate congregations of Montour's Run (Clinton) and northeast of Burgettstown congregation, taking into consideration the inconvenience of attending church at these remote points, held a meeting on the present site of Robinson Church and decided to build a church at that point. They applied to Chartiers Presbytery for leave to organize a congregation. Their petition was not granted until August 27, 1833. In the meantime they proceeded to erect a substantial brick church on land donated by Samuel Wallace, Mathew Bigger, (Biggert) Sr., and Alexander McBride. The first pastor was the Rev. William Wilson, who also

served the Montour's Run (Clinton) congregation. Rev. Thomas Atchison Gibson, the sixth pastor, has served the church since 1901.

A new church building was erected in 1875 at a cost of about $16,000. At present there are 180 communi- cants.

Raccoon Graveyard-The oldest burial ground in this township is at Candor. The first person buried there as reported by Miss Margaret Sturgeon in her history of Raccoon Church (1899) was Mrs. Martha Bigger, who died May 20, 1780. Near her grave were soon after- ward buried one or two of the sons of William Mc- Candlass and two Shearer brothers, who were scalped by the Indians during harvest. Another Shearer, (Sherrer or Sherrard) a son of Hugh Sherrard, was shot down and scalped several years before this date while clearing ground between where now stands Raccoon Church and Florence.

Hugh Sherrard, a sturdy old Scotchman, had settled between Miller's Run and Catfish as early as 1772. This son married in the spring of 1773, bought the right to a tract on the waters of Raccoon and when killed was clearing ground before which to settle with his young wife.

Two deaths by fire under peculiar circumstances came to two men of the same family in this township.

One evening soon after the close of the Civil War John Reed, a young unmarried man, was driving the horses while threshing grain on a farm in northern part of the township. He saw the flames burst out near the cylinder of the thresher in the barn, caused by a match in the straw or by overheating. He sprang through the circle of traveling horses, passed the feeder, and undertaking to go upon the machine, his feet both slipped into the teeth of the cylinder and within two minutes his friends were driven off by the flames, so quick was the destroyer that it was with difficulty the horses nearby were unhitched and saved. His ashes were buried at Raccoon.

His brother, Martin Reed, was accused of poisoning Alexander Chappel by whiskey and arsenic during the Burgettstown Fair in 1893. He escaped from the old jail by cutting a hole in the wall in the rear and letting himself down about 20 feet. He ran down West Beau street about dusk and disappeared. He was afterward seen by W. B. McBride, the present deputy sheriff, and revolver shots were exchanged in a large woods near the line between Robinson Township and the Allegheny County. Some weeks afterward the report came to Sheriff W. P. Cherry that Reed was hiding at Nobles- town in a large abandoned slaughter-house or ice-house.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Deputy Sheriff Huey Coyle went inside to call upon the occupant of that building to surrender, but a bullet from the semi darkness of the room caused the almost instant death of the officer and showed the markmanship and desperation of the fugitive. The body of the officer was drawn out and the crowd became a mob. Flames were seen starting up from the outside of the building and the crowd waited with weapons drawn for the breaking forth of the prisoner. No one ever came out. Shots were heard in the inside amid the crackling of the burn- ing building. A revolver and some charred bones were afterward found, but no one knows whether the occu-

pant of the building died by his own hand or by the hand of others.

There is an Indian mound, of which little is known, a mile or more north of McDonald on the farm of the late Richard Crooks, inherited from his father, Henry Crooks. Henry would not permit it to be opened. Andrew Crooks, his grandson, writes that he has seen it many times not far from the farm line of Joseph Robb and Vance's heirs-now Samuel McAdams heirs. There were three or four of these mounds according to his recollection, but he never saw anything said to have been taken from them except a tomahawk.

CHAPTER XXXI.

History of Smith, Somerset, South Franklin, South Strabane, Union, West Bethlehem, West Finley and West Pike Run Townships.

SMITH TOWNSHIP.

Smith Township is the thirteenth or last of the town- ships organized July 15, 1781, at the organization of Washington County, and was named for the Rev. Joseph Smith by James Edgar. The original boundaries were the Ohio River on the north; Robinson and Cecil Town- ships on the east; Hopewell on the south, and Virginia (now West Virginia) on the west.

Hanover Township was erected from Smith, March 11, 1786. On March 10, 1830, the land between Brush Run and the present northern boundary of Smith Town- ship was taken from Smith and added to Hanover Town- ship by order of the Court. In 1856 the boundary lines between Cross Creek and Smith were changed and con- firmed. Its present boundaries are Hanover and Robin- son Townships on the north; Robinson and Mount Pleasant Townships on the east; Cross Creek and Mount Pleasant Townships on the south, and Jefferson, Hanover and Cross Creek Townships on the west. Its greatest length is eight miles; breadth, six miles. It is centrally situated northwest from Washington Borough 16 miles. It is drained by Raccoon Creek and its tributaries.

The P., C., C. & St. L. R. R. passes through Smith Township from east to west.

Smith Township is bountifully underlaid with coal, oil and gas. Farming, dairying and coal mining are carried on extensively. Oil is produced in considerable quantities. Its population in 1860 was 1,417, of whom 24 were colored. In 1908, the registration of voters for the township is 667 and the total population 3,000, not including the boroughs of Burgettstown and Midway, which were not incorporated in 1860.

The towns are Burgettstown (borough), Bulger, Bav- ington, Dinsmore, Midway, (borough) Raccoon and Cherry Valley. All of which, with the exception of Bavington, are situated on the P., C., C. & St. L. R. R.

BAVINGTON.

Bavington lies on the northern boundary line of Smith Township between Smith and Hanover. John Baving- ton received a warrant for 404 acres of land on Feb-

ruary 22, 1786. It was called Mill Run on the survey made December 3, 1787. On this land on Raccoon Creek he built a saw and grist-mill. This mill passed through the hands of several owners and became the property of Edward Hindman, who put in the patent process of mak- ing flour. It was burned down about 25 years and never rebuilt. William Moody was the first postmaster about the year 1820. Bavington had a population of 75 in the year 1900. It never recovered from the loss of travel on the Steubenville Turnpike.

DINSMORE.

Dinsmore was named and made a railroad station on the old Pittsburg and Steubenville Railroad, now the P., C., C. & St. L. R. R., when it was run through the township in 1865. John Dinsmore owned a farm near by at that time. The first postmaster was John Pry, but the postoffice was discontinued when rural delivery was introduced. At the present time quantities of milk from the surrounding country is shipped to Pittsburg from this station. The population in 1900 was 75. John Dinsmore spent his latter days in Pittsburg and was survived by a widow and one daughter. Ella, his daughter married Rev. John M. Stockton and died, leav- ing surviving, her husband and two sons, John and William.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 64

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