History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 67

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 67

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From the road docket we find, among others, petitions filed in 1783 for a road from the Monongahela River op- posite Perry's Mill to Pentecost's Mill; in 1785 from Perry's Ferry to Bausman's Ferry; in 1786 from Perry's Ferry to John Cox's to Nicholas Pees' Mill; in 1792 from the mouth of the Mingo to John Baldwin's Mill; in 1793 from the county line near Long's to Pigeon Creek Meeting House, and in 1794 from Mingo Meeting House to Chartiers Meeting House.

In 1906 Union Township passed the cash road tax to take the place of the work road tax. The millage of road tax for 1908 is five, and the total amount collected, $9,073.28.

In 1903 there were ninety-three miles of public high- way in the township. The county commissioners, acting under the Flinn road law, have built a road from Fin- leyville to Library, three miles and 1,274 feet long, at an estimated cost of $40,332.34.

Library is in Allegheny County close to the county line.

The population of Union Township in 1850 was 1,192, and in 1900 it was 3,109. In 1850 the number of voters in Union Township was 276; in 1903 the registration of voters was 590, and in 1908 it was 578. The number of taxables in 1908 was 622, the real estate value, $1,779,320, personal property value, $17,870.

The first school building in the territory now embraced by Union Township was a small log structure standing in 1800 on the bank of Peters Creek about a half mile above the present borough of Finleyville. A frame school building stood below Finleyville. Several other schools were conducted before the passage of the school law.

In 1850 there were six schools and 320 scholars.

In 1908 Union Township had fourteen schools, fifteen teachers (three males and twelve females). Averge num- ber of months taught, 8; average salary of teachers per month, males $65.67, females $47.81; cost of each pupil per month, $1.67; number of mills on the dollar levied for school purposes, 4; estimated value of schoot prop- erty, $13,300; enrollment, 567.

The following schoolhouses are located in the township and assessed at the values given: Gastonville, $1,000; Boggs School, $700; Hilldale, $2,000; Huston, $2,000; Pleasant View, $700; Mingo, $350; Palack, $350; Coal Bluff, $700; Courtney, $1,000.

This township being situated on the river was settled at an early date. The following are some of the early settlers who held land at the time stated: Gabriel Cox, 1773; John Campbell, 1779; Philip Dailey, 1780; Nathan Dailey, 1769; John Holcroft (prominent in Western Insurrection), prior to 1786; Robert and William James, 1793; Robert Lytle, 1776; Jacob Fegley, 1786; John Happer, 1787; Robert Estep, 1788; John Cox, prior to 1788; John Gaston, 1790; Col. Joseph Barr, 1803; Charles Bradford, prior to 1788; Joseph Bentley, 1788; Paul Froman, prior to 1786; John Wall, 1787; John Hindman, 1796; Thomas McVey, 1799; John Pollock, 1799; William Patton, 1799; Jeremiah Ferree, 1800; Thomas Williams, prior to 1788; Charles Bradford, prior to 1788; James Logan, prior to 1788.

Early physicians-Dr. Johnston began to practice in

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this section in 1815; Dr. Joseph Pollock as early as 1820; Dr. James Miller in 1831; Dr. William B. Lank in 1842; Dr. Thomas Storer in 1871; and Dr. L. B. Welch soon after 1878. Dr. George M. Speck is at present practicing medicine at Coal Bluff, Dr. G. L. Howda at Houston Run, and Dr. C. W. Frantz, at Gas- tonville.

Charles Bradford ran a sawmill on Peters Creek prior to 1788, and continued its operation for many years. In 1807 the mill was leased to Samuel Gaston for a period of ninety-nine years. It was located on the farm of the last Isaac Lytle. Nothing now remains of it.

Joseph Bentley built a stone house on the tract called "Falling Tree Bottom." Soon after he built near the house a distillery which was in operation as late as 1862. The farm is owned at present by John Sumner.

Paul Froman, at an early date, built a grist mill on Froman's Run at the falls just below Happer's Road. He endeavored to build a high dam with an overshot wheel, but it was never completed. Henceforth it was called "Froman's Folly." Near this place, at that time, between the Mingo Church parsonage and the farm lately owned by John Kennedy, Esq., stood a distillery.

In the year 1842, George Bentley began to operate a steam grist and flouring mill known as the "Old White Mill," on the Monongahela River at what is now Shire Oaks. Ten years before, his brother Eli Bentley had built a sawmill at the same place. The Shire Oaks Brewing Company started in the "Old White Mill." The mill property is now owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.

The following towns are located in Union Township. Elrama, Shire Oaks, Coal Bluffs, Houston, and Courtney on the Monongahela River, on the Monongahela Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and Gastonville in the center of the township on the B. & O. Railroad. Finley- ville was incorporated into a borough from Union Town- ship land, February 19, 1896.

ELRAMA.

Elrama is a railroad town with a floating population, it being inhabited mostly by railroad men. The Penn- sylvania Railroad at this point has extensive yards. There are here about fifty dwellings, the Parry Hotel (moved from Shire Oaks), two stores, one drug store, a schoolhouse, roundhouse and the Sunnyside Distillery. The population in 1900 was 177, and 200 in 1904. It is related that Ella Ramsey lived formerly at this point and the two names were joined and the town called Elrama. Elrama was laid out by Fred W. Edwards in 1900.

The John F. Logan Lodge, No. 697, I. O. O. F. was instituted at Coal Bluff in 1870. The name was changed in 1872 to Advance Lodge, No. 697. Since that time

the lodge has been transferred to Shire Oaks and again to Elrama, where it now meets. The membership is seventy-eight.

SHIRE OAKS.

Shire Oaks was originally a mining town. The Penn- sylvania Railroad transferred its yards from Mononga- hela City to Shire Oaks in December, 1907. As a result 150 men removed to Shire Oaks. Most of the houses have been torn down for railroad improvement. The Banner Mines of the Pittsburg Coal Company are in operation at Shire Oaks. The town is composed of twen- ty-four dwellings, Federal Supply Company Store No. 12, three stores, three hotels, school, the Shire Oaks Brewery and the sawmill of Martin Lytle. Shire Oaks had a population of 177 in 1900, and 500 in 1904.

COAL BLUFF.

The settlement which is now called Coal Bluff was originally included in Limetown. In 1870 Limetown was chiefly composed of miners, there being many large and extensive colleries in the immediate vicinity of the place. The town was considered as extending three miles along the river bank, the houses being built upon lots, on the narrow strip of land between the Mononga- hela River and the abrupt hills. It was often said (and with truth) that Limetown was three miles along the river and as far back into the country as one could see. There were in 1870 about 650 inhabitants and several extensive stores in Limetown.

The town of Coal Bluff derived its name from the fact that its growth was almost entirely due to the de- velopment of its coal. The conditions along the river are favorable for drift mining, as the coal crops out in the bluff in almost all places at the level of the bottom lands. There are good shipping facilities, as the coal can be shipped either by river or rail. A postoffice was established at Coal Bluff in 1850 with Mark Borland as first postmaster. The population of Coal Bluff in 1900 was 526. At present there are about forty houses. The Coal Bluff mines of the Monongahela River Coal and Coke Company are located at Coal Bluff.

Methodist Protestant Church at Coal Bluff - The Methodist Protestant Church at Coal Bluff was organized in the year 1871 by Rev. James Robinson. The same year a frame church was built on land donated by James K. Logan. The present membership is twelve. This church is on the Mt. Zion and Belle Bridge Circuit.

HOUSTON RUN.

Houston Run was the name of the landing at the mouth of Houston Run before the railroad was built. The Diamond Coal and Coke Company have built twenty houses and the Diamond Company store at this place

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during the past year. The resident physician is Dr. tonville in 1900 was 500 and at the present time is G. L. Howda. There is a school house also at Houston about 200. Run.

COURTNEY.

Courtney is a mining town almost three miles below Monongahela City. The Valley Supply Company of the Star Coal Company is located here. The town is com- posed of four stores, one drug store, brick works, twenty- six dwellings, machine shop, school and vacant church and hotel. The Courtney Fire Brick Company manu- facture brick and tile. The machine shop is owned by J. F. Kennedy. The Hotel Courtney is owned by J. S. Watson and ceased running when the license was taken away in the spring of 1909. Courtney had a population of 217 in 1900. John George opened up the Courtney mines in 1878. His wife's maiden name was Courtney, and it is said that the town was named in honor of her.

Courtney Presbyterian Church-A church was organ- ized and built at Courtney about the year 1894. The church was built on land owned by the Anna George estate. The first pastor was Rev. J. F. Patterson. In 1907 the congregation ceased to hold meetings in the church, as they were not permitted to hold the land .any longer. Though greatly reduced, the congregation still holds meetings in the schoolhouse and some of the former members attend the Mingo Creek Church.

GASTONVILLE.

The site of Gastonville was settled upon originally by John Cox. He had this tract warranted and patented under the title "Belmont." The tract soon passed into the hands of John Gaston. Later, in 1854, Joseph M. Curry, who at that time owned the land, laid the village out in lots. This town is situatel on the B. & O. Rail- road about half a mile east of Finleyville. The Gaston- ville coal mine is owned by the Pittsburg Company who ceased operations in this mine about 1900.

A sawmill and grist mill was once in operation at Gastonville. Maj. J. M. Gaston operated the mill for some time. He was succeeded by William L. Gaston, who sold it to Thomas McCombs. At this time it was operated by water power. Thomas McCombs tore it down and built a steam roller flouring mill in its place.

This last mill never paid and it was converted into a dwelling, and is still standing. Gastonville at present has a schoolhouse, a postoffice, three grocery stores, one drug store, and one blacksmith shop. The resident physician is Dr. C. W. Frantz. A Methodist Episcopal Church is in the course of erection. The Bethel Tele- phone Company have telephones in Gastonville, and their central at Library, Allegheny County. Gas is supplied by the Monongahela Natural Gas Company. The popu- lation of the town has decreased since the Gastonville mines have ceased operation. The population of Gas-

First Methodist Episcopal Church of Gastonville-At the beginning of the year 1909 a M. E. congregation had been organized and a $3,000 building erected at Gastonville. The membership is small. This church at Gastonville and the James Stone Church are on the Peters Creek Circuit.

The Peters Creek Lodge, No. 248, I. O. O. F., of Gas- tonville, was instituted in the year 1847 in Finleyville. In 1885 this lodge erected a building costing $1,800. The present membership is 107.

Mingo Presbyterian Church-The Mingo Presbyterian congregation was organized in August, 1786. Services at first were held in barns, groves, and in a tent. A. log meeting house was built prior to 1794 on land of John Barr near the present church site, two miles south of Finleyville on a branch of Mingo Creek. This was the meeting place for the Mingo Creek Society at the time of the Whiskey Insurrection in 1794. The land was not purchased by the church until the year 1807. The pres- ent brick church building was built in 1832. Its value at the present time is $1,000. It, together with the burial place, stand close by the trolley road from Fin- leyville to Monongahela. The pulpit of this church is at present supplied by B. D. Luther. The present mem- bership is sixty-five. A prominent member of this con- gregation upon whom much responsibility was laid was elder John Happer, father of A. G. Happer, now of Washington, and brother of Rev. Andrew P. Happer, D. D., a well known missionary, who, for forty-four years, was a leader in the mission work in China.

Peters Creek M. E. Church-This church is often called James' Stone Church. It is located two and one-half miles east of Finleyville. The congregation was or- ganized about a century ago. Meetings were held at first in the house of Robert James. A stone chapel was built in 1817 or '18 on land donated by Robert James with an acre included for a graveyard. Many of its members have gone to the First M. E. Church of Gas- tonville, and the membership is small.

A Methodist Episcopal congregation was organized at an early date by Rev. Charles Cook, who held meetings in schoolhouses, groves, private houses and in a mill on the river bank.

A church building was erected at Limetown in 1840, the congregation being aided greatly by Joseph Bentley. In 1872 a new $3,000 building was erected on land donated by George Bentley. This congregation was dis- banded five or six years ago when the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company bought the property and tore down the church building.

A Seceders' Society was organized and a frame church built on land donated by Col. Joseph Barr about 1832.

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This congregation ceased to hold meetings after Col. Barr's death. The church building stood opposite the Dr. John Lank residence.

The Peters Creek Baptist Church was located at first in Union Township, then removed to Peters Township, and again to Library, Allegheny County, Pa. (See Peters Creek Baptist Church under Peters Township.)

Union Township has a real estate valuation of $1,712,- 655, and a valuation in personal property of $74,505. The number of taxables is 572. It had a population in 1850 of 1,192; in 1860 of 1,452; in 1890 of 3,621; and in 1900 of 3,109.

The number of voters in the township in 1850 was 276; in 1904 was 590; and in 1908 was 578.

WEST BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP.

West Bethlehem Township is one of the largest town- ships of Washington County. It is bounded on the north by Somerset Township, on the east by Somerset Town- ship and Deemston Borough, on the south by Greene County, and on the west by Amwell and South Strabane Townships. It length is ten miles and breadth six miles. The territory embraced by West Bethlehem, together with that of East Bethlehem, was included in the original township of Bethlehem from its formation in 1781 until 1790, when Bethlehem was divided.

The real estate valuation of West Bethlehem Town- ship is $4,113,453; personal property valuation, $130,- 107; number of taxables is 628.

The population in 1850 was 2,114 with 362 voters. In 1890 there were 1,890 inhabitants and in 1900, 1,794. The registration of voters for 1904 was 558, and for 1908, 638. The population has increased very consider- ably during the last ten years on account of the opening up of the coal mines.

The Ellsworth Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad system was extended from Cokeburg, above Ellsworth, to the mines at Zollarsville in 1906-7, and the first train reaching Zollarsville June 10, 1908, and Marianna scarce- ly more than a month later.

There can be found no better illustration of the rapid- ity and thoroughness with which modern engineering methods effect changes in the face of the country, than the work lately carried on by the Pennsylvania Railroad on the extension of their lines from Ellsworth to West Zollarsville. Beginning about one mile north of the National Pike, a series of cuts, fills and embankments -some of them notable examples of the railroad build- ers' skill-extend for four or five miles south, along one of the tributary creeks to Big Daniel's Run, down to the waters of Ten-Mile.

The line had been projected for some years past, but the impetus to actual construction was given by the

locating near Zollarsville of the three new coal shafts of the Pittsburg-Buffalo Coal Company.

With the usual disregard of expense of a great rail- road in carrying forward its enterprises, the Pennsyl- vania, finding that Ten-Mile Creek, above Zollarsville, could be straightened out with advantage, immediately set about changing the channel, so that the visitor at this point will find the stream flowing in a course as straight as an arrow for a quarter of a mile or more. In addition, near here, a dump more than half a mile in length has been constructed, and above the big cutting there have been erected four fine concrete abutments, two for the channel of the creek and two for the purpose of giving a roadway through the dump.

Unlike the cut at Scenery Hill, which was opened to give passage through a ridge, the cut at Zollarsville was driven across the point of a hill, which juts out directly in the path of the new road. The inner face of the West Zollarsville excavation is ninety feet in depth. Owing to the fact that the earth along the route has nowhere been of such a character as would permit tun- neling, these great cuttings have been made necessary, though involving a greatly increased expenditure.

In order to further develop the coal in the southern half of West Bethlehem Township other roads will be built into the valley of Ten-Mile Creek. The Penn- sylvania, Monongahela and Southern Railroad operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company has been built in the last few years from West Brownsville to Rices' Landing in Greene County, and a branch has been run up Ten-Mile Creek one and one-half miles to the Besse- mer Coal and Coke Company's works at Besco in East Bethlehem Township. A branch road will likely be run from Besco on up the Ten-Mile Creek to the region of Zollarsville. Other surveys have been made for rail- roads and trolley lines to cut through this large township. Surveys have been made as mentioned elsewhere to con- nect Marianna and Zollarsville with Washington by go- ing up Little Daniels Run and by way of Lone Pine.

The earliest road petitions in this township were for a road from Thomas Hill's to Washington Road, in 1790; from Valentine Kinder's Mill to Wise's Landing, in 1791; from William Wallace's Mill to John Heaton's Mill, in 1793; and from Iam's Mill to Gantz's Mill, in 1802.

The old National Pike runs through the northern part of West Bethlehem Township. This road was built from Washington, D. C., to Wheeling and finished in 1820. The heavy traffic over it ceased about 1852.

The township of West Bethlehem, one of the largest in the county, has 120 miles of public highway. The township passed the cash road tax in 1906. The road tax for 1908 was 31/2 mills, and $13,387.93 was collected. The Flinn road from Zollarsville to Lone Pine was

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built by the county in 1904 and '05. The construction was done by N. C. Hunter, contractor. This road is 15,840 feet long, nine feet in width of stone and nine- teen feet in width of grading. The engineering cost was $1,668.26, and construction cost, $33,165.10. Since the road was built $8,476.55 has been spent for repairs.

West Bethlehem Township is drained in the south by Ten-Mile Creek. The North Branch of Ten-Mile Creek flows along the western boundary, and the central part of the township is drained by the Little Daniels Run and Big Daniels Run, the former lying east of the latter and the two joining and flowing into Ten-Mile Creek.

The land of the township is hilly, but excellent for agriculture and grazing. It is underlaid with a rich grade of Pittsburg Coal. Oil has been struck in a few wells. The Zollarsville gas field is the largest producing gas field in this part of the county.

West Bethlehem Township is underlaid with an ex- ceptionally fine vein of the Pittsburg coal. It lies in a territory which has been opened up within the last few years. In the northern part of the township the Ellsworth Coal Company has two shafts, Nos. 3 and 4, at Cokeburg, near Scenery Hill, which have given an impetus to business there, and the Pittsburg-Buffalo Company have started extensive operations in the southern part. It is estimated that 12,000 acres of coal lands passed from the hands of the farmers to the own- ership of coal companies or their representatives at an average price of $150 per acre, during 1905. Thus, $1,800,000 came into the hands of the people of this township.

In the valley of Ten-Mile Creek and its tributaries many favorable points for shafts have been found for mining coal. The axis of the Wanesburg syncline crosses Daniels Run one and one-half miles from its mouth, and Ten-Mile Creek three-fourths of a mile below Bissell. Shafts at these points ought to reach the coal at about 380 and 470 feet, respectively. The Pittsburg vein of coal in this township is of uniform thickness and slightly over seven feet, and is high in steam and gas producing qualities. The Little Washington and Sewickley veins are found in West Bethlehem, the latter being from ten to twenty-two inches in thickness along Ten-Mile Creek. The Washington Coal in West Bethlehem Town- ship, one and one-half miles above Zollarsville, measures three feet three inches, but eleven inches of this is clay. The Jollytown and Ten-Mile coal have also been noted in West Bethlehem Township.

A coal vein was found in this township below the Pittsburg vein 384 feet in the Luse well, near Bealls- ville, 410 feet in the Joseph B. Wise well No. 1, and 445 feet in the Isaac Horn No. 1 well. This find in- dicates this vein as from 139 to 200 feet above the Upper Freeport coal vein (sometimes called Connellsville),

which is so frequently located through this county.

The Zollarsville gas field is a name given to a line of wells which cross the Washington and Greene County line near the village of that name. The Pittsburg coal is about 550 feet above sea level in these wells or 150 feet lower than at Clarksville which lies just over in Greene County. This field is on the flank of the Belle- vernon anticline. A great many wells near Zollarsville penetrate the Bayard sand 50 to 150 feet below the top of the Fifth sand. This sand is below the Pittsburg coal an average of 2,404 feet. Many wells near here draw gas from the Elizabeth sand some 2,500 feet below the coal vein.

PITTSBURG-BUFFALO COAL COMPANY.

One of the largest and most important industrial en- terprises of late in Washington County is undoubtedly the opening by the Pittsburg-Buffalo Coal Company of a 13,000 acre block in what is called the Ten-Mile field. Included in the holdings of this company at that place are 900 acres of surface land, located at the most ad- vantageous points for their purposes.

The Pittsburg-Buffalo Company is the largest inde- pendent coal producing company in the Pittsburg dis- trict, and is unquestionably controlled by some of the most skilled and successful men in the industry. The Ten-Mile field is accessible to the Pittsburg & Lake Erie and the Monongahela division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and is also to be connected with the Ellsworth branch of the latter road, which affords eight locations for operating the holdings of the Pittsburg-Buffalo Company.

The company has planned to sink eight mines in the Ten-Mile field. Of these three have been opened up. On the 7th of May, 1906, the Pittsburg-Buffalo Coal Com- pany let contracts for the sinking of two shafts on the Shidler and Fulton farms south of the present town of Marianna. In 1908 the Marianna Mine was opened up north of the other two mines and a short distance south of Zollarsville. This is said to be the most modern mine in the world and has a capacity of 1,000,000 tons of coal per year.

These shafts are twenty-two feet by thirty-two feet in dimension, and have attained a depth of over 500 feet. The mines are equipped with the most modern machinery-steel tipples, double hoisting cages, etc., while the power-houses are built of brick and hollow blocks made at the company's Johnetta works, where the cars, switches, tracks and other materials are also turned out. These mines are expected to have a combination product of many hundred tons of coal a day. This company is assessed with 6,506 acres of coal in West Bethlehem Township in 1908, valued at $716,800.

Westmoreland Coal Company-The Westmoreland Coal

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

Company acquired a large acreage of West Bethlehem coal during the year 1905, and contemplate its develop- ment. The quality of coal in this part of Washington County is said to be fine coking coal, and coke ovens will in the near futuer be built where the mines are opened. Many predict that this entire section of Wash- ington County will, within a very few years, be an im- portant coke field destined to out-rival in years to come the Connellsville coking field, which is rapidly being ex- hausted.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 67

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