History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 81

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 81

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Claysville Lodge, K. of P., was organized in 1886 with thirty-three members. Present membership, sixty-one.

Claysville has another lodge, K. of R. and S.

The Anderson Johns Post, G. A. R., is located here.

COAL CENTER.

Coal Center, as the name implies, derives it support from the coal mines of which it is the center. Coal mining was commenced on a small scale at Coal Center in 1820. This was one of the first commercial mines in the county.

Coal Center is situated on the Monongahela River a half mile northwest of California, twenty-four miles southeast of Washington and forty-nine and three-tenths miles from Pittsburg. On December 16, 1784, the traet of land called "Ararat" was surveyed and conveyed to Robert Jackman by Nathan Lynn, to whom it had originally been granted. This tract was along the Monon- gahela River north of the mouth of Pike Run, where Coal Center now stands. Robert, the son of Robert Jackman, Sr., inherited this land and laid out and named the town Greenfield in 1814. Greenfield was in- corporated a borough by Legislature, April 9, 1834. In 1874 the limits of Greenfield Borough were extended. The name of the borough was changed to Coal Center in January, 1883, and the limits again extended in 1886.

The history of Coal Center antedates somewhat that of California. Side by side, however, the two towns have progressed in the path of prosperity, sharing alike the struggles which they overcame and the endeavors toward material advancement which have been crowned with suc- cess. They are situated similarly, are dependent some- what on the same industries for their physical well being -the success of one town being shared willingly with the other. In a topographical sense Coal Center has been handicapped, and to an extent which has retarded her growth, the enormous hill which rises to the west restricting the erection of new buildings, which have been needed from time to time. The first enterprise in the new village was an institution called the "Farmers' and Mechanics' Commercial Store," organized on a co- operative basis, with the purpose of affording a ready market for the produce of farmers, and sales were made to members and others at a small profit to the company. This concern, however, was short lived.

John Carr then started a general store. He it was who had the honor of erecting the first house. Green- field was at one time the center of a large distilling business and cooperage was extensively carried on.

The Jackmans built many mills in this section and the old Jackman flouring mill at Coal Center is now owned by J. R. and A. J. Gregg. The present building was erected by James Ailey.

The present real estate value of Coal Center Borough is $180,905; personal property, $17,855. There are 165 taxables in the borough. The town is one of the few on the Monongahela River without a saloon.

In 1850 Greenfield had a population of 380, and in 1870, 465. In 1890 Coal Center had 569 inhabitants, in 1900, 742, and in 1905 the population was estimated at 788. The present population is about the same as in 1905. The number of voters in 1850 was 62; in 1904, 178, and in 1908, 127.

The Pittsburg, Virginia and Charleston Railway was built through Coal Center in 1881.

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The Jutte Coal Company (now owned by the Hector Coke Company) has made surveys of a new route from Coal Center, to their immense coal field east of Bealls- ville, in East and West Pike Run Townships.

Several large stone abutments stand on either side of the river at Coal Center, and one formerly stood in the middle of the river but was removed. They were con- structed in 1884 for the railroad bridge of the O. & B. Short Line Railroad, but the bridge was never built. This railroad was planned to connect Washington and Connellsville, and was to connect with the B. & O. at the former place. The survey decreased the distance by rail between Wheeling and Connellsville by ninety miles. The road was projected by the B. & O. Rail- road Company and most of the grading was done, when an agreement was made with the Pennsylvania Railroad whereby the new road was abandoned.

The Coal Center Electric Railway is projected to run from the schoolhouse in Scenery Hill to Coal Center with the greater part of the route along the National Pike.

The Centerville Street Railway is expected soon to connect California, Coal Center and Centerville. Sur- veys have been made for both these electric roads.

The public service corporations of the borough are the American Telegraph, the Bell Telephone, the Union Tele- phone and the Greensboro Gas companies.

The State Bank of Coal Center was organized in 1904. This bank closed its doors at the end of the year 1908 for the examination of the affairs of the institution caused by certain transactions of its cashier and others.

The postoffice at Coal Center is a presidential office, the receipts of 1908 being $2,106.50. The postmaster is J. M. Smith.

In 1850 Greenfield Borough had one school with 115 scholars. In 1870 it had two schools in one large school- house and 107 scholars. The average cost of each pupil per month was $0.72. Coal Center in 1908 had three schools, male teachers, 1; female teachers, 2; enroll- ment, 145; average number of months taught, 7; aver- age salary of teachers per month, male $60.00, female $50.00; cost of each pupil per month, $1.54; number of mills on the dollar levied for school purposes, 6; es- timated value of school property, $4,000.

The Coal Center Methodist Episcopal Church is one of the oldest church organizations in the upper Monon- gahela Valley. The records show a Methodist class formed as far back as 1822. In that year, Greenfield · Church, as it was called, is credited with the fabulous sum of 811/4 cents on the circuit preacher's salary.

The original deed for the church property now filed with the church records was made on December 1, 1836, by John Springer and wife.

The circuit on which the Coal Center Church then was consisted of Beallsville, Centerville, Hillsboro, Tay- lor's, Frew's, Howe's, Jones Chapel and Greenfield. W. J. Law is the present pastor. The membership is 216.

Presbyterian Church of Coal Center-A Cumberland Presbyterian congregation was organized on March 28, 1836, by Rev. Samuel Sparks. In April of the same year Andrew Gregg, Josiah Wagoner and John Shep- herd were elected and ordained ruling elders. For some time this newly formed congregation worshipped in an old distillery. Money to build the first church was raised by the sale of coal which was donated by Amos Ailes' father, the members digging the coal, building a boat and rafting it down to a southern city, where a benevo- lent gentleman paid them more than the market price for the cargo. The first building was dedicated in October, 1856, by Revs. A. M. Bryan and John Morgan. In 1865 a new and better location was secured and a two- story structure erected, this being in turn remodeled and enlarged in 1888-9, being dedicated May 15, 1889, by Rev. A. B. Miller, D. D., president of Waynesburg Col- lege.

On Sunday morning, March 7, 1897, this building was completely destroyed by fire. The present edifice was finished the following year and was dedicated on June 5, 1898, Rev. D. E. Bushnell, D. D., officiating.

After the fire the congregation was divided, and a new congregation was formed at California. The pres- ent building is one of the most beautiful and commodi- ous to be found in the valley. The auditorium has a seating capacity of 450. The Sunday School assembly room, with the class rooms, will easily accommodate 200. These rooms are all separated by roller partitions, and when occasion requires the whole may be thrown together. From Coal Center have gone out those who have aided largely in establishing new churches in Cali- fornia, Charleroi and Donora.

The membership of the congregation is 180, and pas- tor, Rev. George D. Mullendore.

St. Thomas of Aquainas Roman Catholic Church of Coal Center. The St. Thomas congregation was organized about 1875. For a time they met in a room in a house of one of the members. During these early days, Rev. Fr. A. Devlin, a zealous priest and indefatigable worker in the cause of his church, was ministering to the spirit- ual wants of the little flock. Under his fostering care the church grew in numbers and earnestness of purpose until larger quarters were required. Jackman's hall, which at that time occupied the second story of what is now J. J. Floyd's residence, was secured as a house of worship. For many years the congregation worshipped in this hall, under the spiritual guidance of Father Dev- lin. During these years priest and people worked ener- getically to the end that they might eventually possess a

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building of their own. Two lots were purchased on Spring street, where the present church and parsonage now stand, and plans for a church building were drawn. Before anything was done, however, toward the erection of the cherished building, Rev. Devlin was succeeded by Fr. J. J. McDonald, who remained with the church three years. During his pastorate the present building was begun, and about half completed. It was not until 1890, during the pastorate of Rev. Robt. McDonald, who remained with the church nearly ten years, that the building was finally completed.

Rev. Daniel O'Connel succeeded Father McDonald, remaining with the church about four years. During his pastorate a fine new parsonage was erected adjoining the church. Since that time the church has been served by Revs. Thomas F. Glynn and P. McKenna, present pastor. The membership is near 1,000.

Vesta Lodge, No. 696, I. O. O. F., was instituted at Greenfield in 1870: The membership is sixty-four.

Monongahela Valley Lodge, No. 361, F. A. M., was chartered and constituted at Greenfield in 1870.

Pike Run Lodge, No. 1687, K. of P., was chartered in 1881. The other lodge at Coal Center is the Sr. O. U. A. M., No. 371.

One of the natives his fellow townsmen delight to honor is W. I. Berryman, Esq., who began the practice of law in Washington, but afterward became interested in his profession in Pittsburg, and has been engaged in several of the movements to build up the Mononga- hela Valley, as well as being active in affairs in the smoky city.

DEEMSTON.

On November 12, 1894, Deemston was incorporated a borough from part of East Bethlehem Township. The borough is bounded on the north by Beallsville Borough, on the east by Centerville Borough, on the south by East Bethlehem Township and Greene County, and on the west by West Bethlehem Township. Deemston Borough is drained on the east by Fish Pot Run, on the south by Ten-Mile Run, and on the west by its tributary, Plum Run. The borough includes a very considerable area of farming land, it being as large or larger than several of the townships.

When Deemston and Centerville Boroughs were parts of East Bethlehem Township, the residents from these two districts were obliged to go to Fredericktown to vote. Fredericktown was distant and difficult to reach and required an all day journey for the voter. The people of Deemston realized that East Bethlehem would

not be divided into two townships, owing to the fact that the parts separated had a right to vote on the separation, and they knew that the people of the present township of East Bethlehem would vote against it. When a borough is formed, only the inhabitants of the area to be incorporated are consulted about signing the petition to court. This is the reason Deemston was formed into a borough instead of a township. The petition for the organization of the borough was signed by every voter in Deemston. E. R. Deems, now of Washington, Pa., for whom the borough was named, had it surveyed, carried the petition and was instrumental in its erec- tion. Centerville was afterward organized a borough for the same reason.

The population of Deemston Borough in 1900 was 428. In 1905 it was estimated at 540. The population at present is about the same or a little more than in 1905. In 1904 the registration of voters was 121, and in 1908, 128. The majority of the inhabitants are engaged in agriculture.

There are 147 taxables in Deemston Borough. The valuation of real estate is $1,538,694; personal property, $28,170. The borough tax for 1908 was 3 mills.

It is expected that the Pennsylvania, Monongahela and Southern Railroad will soon build a branch from Blesco up Ten-Mile Creek, through Deemston Borough to the region of Zollarsville. The Wheeling, Waynes- burg and Connellsville Railroad Company has made a survey up Wheeling Creek and down Ten-Mile Creek, through Deemston Borough to Millsboro.

There were thirty-seven miles of public highway in Deemston Borough in 1904.

Deemston Borough is underlaid with a good quality of Pittsburg Coal, the most of which is owned by the Vesta Coal Company and the Ewing, Long and Company. Most of the coal in the borough of Deemston can be mined from shafts which will doubtless be sunk on Plum Run, along which the depth of the coal varies from 190 feet at the mouth of the run to 430 feet near its head. Below Plum Run on Ten-Mile Creek the coal approaches the surface. It is probable that the eastern part of the borough of Deemston can be best developed from the heads of the valleys in the vicinity of Deemston. The depth of shaft necessary in the two valleys west of Deem- ston will be about 350 feet and on Fish Pot Run east of Deemston 250 to 300 feet, according to exact location.

Part of the Zollarsville Gas Field is situated in the borough of Deemston. The wells in this field average 2,700 to 3,100 feet in depth. A large part of the gas of this field came from the Bayard sand at a depth of from 2,337 to 2,479 feet below the Pittsburg coal. The Elizabeth sand is at present the great gas producer of the field, it being found 50 to 150 feet below the top of the Bayard. The Gantz sand produces a few wells.

HUSSEY-BINN SHOVEL WORKS, CHARLEROI

PAGE WOVEN WIRE FENCE MILLS, MONESSEN

FIRST NATIONAL BANK, DONORA

HAMILTON BOTTLE WORKS, CHARLEROI

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The deepest well in the field is that of Mrs. A. L. Haw- kins No. 1 which extends 3,611 feet below the surface.

The Thirty-foot sand in Deemston Borough is found at a depth of 1,810 to 1,865 feet, the Gantz sand at 1,910 to 1,970 feet, the Big Injun sand at 630 to 720 feet, the Fifty-foot sand at 2,057 feet, the Gordon sand at from 2,110 to 2,240 feet and the Fourth sand at from 2,211 to 2,350 feet.

The village of Deemston was formerly a heavily wooded tract of land owned by E. R. Deems. Mr. Deems sold the land to William Booth, who laid out the village in lots. There are in the village at present fifteen houses, a store, a blacksmith shop and a schoolhouse.

Deemston Grange, No. 1372, has been organized dur- ing the last year. The society meets in the village of Deemston; L. E. Buckingham is master and Thomas Overholt, lecturer.

Deemston Borough has four schoolhouses, the Spring- hill, the Buckingham, the Thompson and the Deemston schoolhouse. The latter building is valued at $5,000. The Buckingham schoolhouse was built in 1825 and a new one erected on its site in 1854. Among the early teachers of this school were John Reed and Joseph B. Wise.

Deemston Borough had in 1908, schools, 4; teachers, 4 (males 1, females 3) ; enrollment of pupils, 127; aver- age number of months taught, 7; average salary of teach- ers per month, males $50.00, females $50.00; cost of each pupil per month, $2.21; number of mills on the dollar levied for school purposes, 11/2; estimated value of school property, $7,500.

Mount Zion Methodist Protestant Church-In 1853 the Mount Zion M. P. congregation purchased land from Reuben Smith midway between Beallsville and Frederick- town, a mile south of Beallsville, and built a frame church. At the present time the congregation is erect- ing a new brick church. The pastor at present is Rev. O. M. Taylor, and the membership is eighty-three.

Plum Run Baptist Church-The Lebanon congrega- tion of the Dunkard faith was organized in 1803. The name was afterward changed to Plum Run Baptist and the church was also familiarly known as Beatty's church. The first meeting house, a log structure, was built on land purchased from Joseph Hill, Sr., in 1804, on Plum Run at a place now in the northern point of Deemston Borough, but formerly in East Bethlehem Township. This building was replaced with a brick church. The congregation scattered and the church was torn down about thirty years ago.

DONORA.

The youngest of the busy and populous cities of the Monongahela Valley, one that has shown a phenomenal growth and excited the wonder and admiration of the

entire country, is Donora. It was founded by Mr. W. H. Donner, and was named in his honor.

Located on the line of the P. V. & C. Railway, a branch of the Pennsylvania system, about thirty-five miles from Pittsburg, Donora is one of the industrial towns in the valley. She has a population of about 8,000 and was incorporated as a borough in 1901. She has seven miles of finely paved streets, lined with the finest busi- ness blocks and residences to be found in any city of her size in the State, and which are the admiration of every visitor as well as the pride of her citizens.

Donora has an excellent sewer system and her drain- age is perfect. She has an electric light plant, natural gas, water works, ample fire and police protection, a government wisely and economically administered, and her taxes are low.

In her schools Donora is well favored and there is no city in the county that can lay claim to a better managed system, finer school buildings, or a more efficient corps of teachers. She has ten churches, five Protestant, four Roman Catholic and one Greek, all of them occupy- ing handsome structures, having large and prosperous congregations, their pulpits filled with educated Chris- tian men who are a power for good in the community. Donora has three of the finest banks in the State, noted for their solidity, their careful and conservative man- agement and their abundant resources.

In 1908 there were 1,104 voters in Donora. The real estate value of the borough is $3,354,145, personal prop- erty value, $144,110 and total value $3,498,255. The borough tax for 1908 was 12 mills.

In the summer of 1775 Peter Castner settled on the bank of the Monongahela River on the present site of the town of Donora. This tract of bottom land be- came known as "Walnut Bottom." The land passed down through the family to Bert W. Castner, the great grandson of the pioneer Peter Castner.

In May, 1899, the Union Improvement Company of Pittsburg bought from Bert W. Castner, 140 acres from the original Castner farm. Sometime after this first sale the company acquired nearly twelve more acres from Bert W. Castner, seventy acres from the Robert Heslep heirs, 130 acres from Bradford Allen and thirty acres from Alexander & Co. Since these purchases were made, large portions of adjoining tracts have been added.

The town of Donora was laid out by the Union Im- provement Company in the summer of 1900, and in the fall of the same year many hundreds of men were put to work grading the site and at the same time structural work of an immense steel plant was under way, which employed hundreds of men. Excursions were run to this point on the P. V. & C. R. R., taking many purchasers and prospective purchasers to view the lots that were on sale. There was little or no hesitancy on

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the part of those who were in a position to purchase lots, to avail themselves of the opportunity offered, since the good faith of the promoters was never questioned, and the fact that the place was one of the most desirable sites along the Monongahela River for an industrial town with the splendid business conditions prevailing at the time, guaranteed the success of the undertaking. Donora is situated in the "Horseshoe Bend" of the Monon- gahela River, about half way between Charleroi and Monongahela City.

When the day for the opening sale of lots came- August 30, 1900-there was a great rush of people to buy, which almost rivaled the great land race in Okla- homa. One can better comprehend the wonderful growth of the town, when he learns that on the day of this sale there were only four houses, with twelve persons residing there. In 1903, three years afterwards, there were more than 1,000 buildings, with a resident popula- tion of 6,000.

J. N. Mullin was general sales agent for the Union Improvement Company, and it has been said that their success in founding the town was in great measure due to his ability and enterprise. He was elected the first burgess, receiving the entire vote of the borough. The first postmaster was L. T. Claybaugh.

The borough of Donora was incorporated February 11, 1901, only a few months after the town plot was laid out.

West Columbia, a small village, was incorporated a part of Donora in May, 1903. A tract of land called "Strasburg," one of the earliest locations along the river, embracing the ground now occupied by West. Co- lumbia was warranted to Nicholas Crist, April 17, 1769. Manuel Hoover then became its owner and transferred it to Charles DeHass in 1815. A Year previous to the sale Charles DeHass platted out the town with large lots and wide streets and named it Pittsborough. The name was changed, however, to Columbia the same year.

About the time of the sale John Neal, a banker at Washington, became joint proprietor. The town had a very encouraging prospect as there was an intention to form a new county, and as the town was in the center of the contemplated county, it was expected that it would be the county seat. Accordingly a public square was laid off in 1816 with the condition that if said square were not occupied by a court house and other public buildings within fourteen years from that date it was to revert to the proprietor, John Neal, or his law- ful representative.

A postoffice was established in 1819 called West Columbia, and Charles DeHass was appointed post- master.

For many years prior to 1901 West Columbia was known along the river as "No Man's Land." A num-

ber of lots were sold in 1815 and 1816, just after the land was plotted and much trading in lots and small portions of the DeHass land was engaged in until John Neal became insolvent, about the year 1825, and a large number of scattered lots were sold by the sheriff as the property of Neal. DeHass, a surveyor, moved to Wash- ington and thence to West Alexander, and became in- terested in laying out the Hempfield Railroad. He went to New York and apparently forgot all about his ambition to found a town and county seat until in 1874 he was called as a witness to assist in legally closing one of the streets of the ancient plot which then lay inside of the Allen farm lines.

He then had public notice "posted on the door of the yellow schoolhouse" that all persons occupying lots for which they had not obtained title from him were tres- passers and were ordered to remove.

For a number of years after that Rev. Frank S. De- Hass, his son, paid annual taxes upon a large number of these lots, and many people occupying lots as late as 1883 and some even in 1897 were openly admitting that they held such lots as they had enclosed only by "fence rights," and were ready to give them up as soon as any one would show a better title.

The streets were not all opened out nor marked on the ground, and many lots were not enclosed. In no place in the county were titles so uncertain and completely mystifying.

When Donora was laid out to become a manufacturing town West Columbia squatters received good prices for their possessions.

The P. V. & C. Railroad Company bought its right of way through the town plot, and also some Columbia lots and parts of lots to the amount of three acres, from the heirs of Charles DeHass in 1882; and in 1900 the Union Improvement Company entered into an agree- ment to purchase from some or all of the heirs of Charles DeHass their titles to land in this ancient town plot.

In 1902, when the ground covered by the West Colum- bia plot was about to be taken into Donora Borough, the residents on the old plot objected and alleged it would increase their taxes and was intended only to bene- fit the mills and railroads nearby. Three grand juries of Washington County decided that such annexation was "not expedient."

The State Legislature, intentionally or unintentionally, gave aid to the Donora side by act, April 22, 1903, per- mitting a borough to force in the unwilling ones without permitting any appeal to the grand jury. An ordi- nance of annexation was passed by the borough July 13, 1903, from which an appeal was taken to the Quar- ter Sessions Court and again from its decision to the Superior Court of the State. This appellate court made

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its decree October 28, 1904, finally deciding that Old Columbia or West Columbia should be known by that name no more.

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History of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens 20th century, Part 81

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