History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics, Part 127

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) comp. cn; J.H. Beers & Co., pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1320

USA > Pennsylvania > McKean County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 127
USA > Pennsylvania > Potter County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 127
USA > Pennsylvania > Elk County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 127
USA > Pennsylvania > Cameron County > History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections; including their early settlement and development; a description of the historic and interesting localities; sketches of their cities, towns and villages biographies of representative citizens; outline history of Pennsylvania; statistics > Part 127

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

1002

HISTORY OF POTTER COUNTY.

Whenever the buck would rise to his feet, Eph would wring him down by twisting his neck. Together they rolled down the mountain side through a briar patch and over roots and stones. At times the deer would lie quietly a few moments to rest, and then the fight would begin again. But Eph says that he had the deer so he kept pretty still toward the last. About 5 P. M. the dog came back, and with its assistance the game was slain. Eph was too tired to go back up the mountain after his gun, and sent Jerry Burrel for it.

Speaking of this adventure of Ephraim Bishop, brings up a tale which, for the time, made our hunter famous over all of the county. It happened in the year 1843, and Eph was at that time in his full vigor. In a deal which he made with William Jones, of Coudersport, he had given a note, which stipu- lated that he should liquidate with venison at three cents a pound. As Bishop had been busy at work, some time had elapsed during which he had failed to make a payment on his note. One day he met Jones, who asked him in rather a bluff way, if he ever expected to pay his note. Eph replied, banter- ingly, that if Jones wanted his pay in venison he must take it "on foot." This reply brought about some word sparring, which resulted in a verbal con- tract, by which Jones offered to pay Bishop $25 for a live, unwounded deer, which must be run down and caught by the hunter himself. Eph knew where tive deer were herding upon Steer brook, in Hebron township. At that time the only clearing upon Steer brook was a small opening made by Dr. R. V. Post, in which his house was situated. Bishop stayed at Dr. Post's during the night preceding the day of his supreme effort in catching the deer. The morning of the day which was to give him glory came, and there was a light but deep snow upon the ground. He left his dog at the house, to be let out at a given signal, and passed around a spicewood thicket, in which he discov- ered the deer were staying. When he had selected his position, he gave the signal for his dog to be let loose, and the sport began. Before the deer got ont of the thicket, the dog caught and killed one of them. The other four deer evaded Eph, and were not seen again by him for three hours. During this time, however, he was upon the trail, which enclosed in a circle a section of country at least five miles in circumference, over which path he went three times. When coming toward Steer brook for the third time, he came upon the deer in the old King road, at a place known as Burrel's point. The deer were not more than four rods from him when he saw them; with a yell he and his dog were npon them. In their fright one of the deer jumped into a brush heap and the other three upon it, one of them rolling off upon the opposite of the heap, which was caught and killed by the dog. Two of the deer escaped, whilst Eph sprang upon the one which had sank deepest in the brush. He had hard work to prevent his dog from killing this one also: as it was the deer received some slight wounds in the neck. With some rope, which he had in his pocket, Eph tied the deer's feet and the deer to a tree. Finding that he could not induce his dog to follow him, he stripped the bark from a moose wood bush with which he made a thong to lead his dog. He procured a hand-sled of a settler and brought his game to Harry Lent's barn, from which. in due time, he took it to Condersport, and William Jones paid him his $25 according to contract. There were now but two survivors of the herd on Steer brook. Having had a taste of the victor's meed, Eph became ambitious to achieve more, so he says he determined to make another haul, going this time along the trail of one of the deer which had taken to the water. Following the tracks in the snow, he came at last to Nelson Clark's mill pond, where he came up with his game, a fine doe. The deer, as soon as discovered, sank herself in the water of the pond until nothing of her body but her nose was visible. Eph calmly waited until

1003

HISTORY OF POTTER COUNTY.

she could stand the immersion no longer. The deer, upon coming out, started directly up the stream (the river) toward what are now known as Stern's flats, Eph keeping in the old road which ran nearly parallel with the river at this place. The deer at last sprang into the road, and here Eph had a clear course and "fair sailing," which he improved. After arriving upon the flat, the doe turned up the mountain side on the east side of the valley, Eph by this time close at its heels. Says he: "A hundred times I had that deer by the hind leg and it pulled away, while going up the mountain. I had the mitten of one hand in my teeth, and was going on my feet and one hand-three legged." The mountain side is very steep, and, when within a couple of rods of the sum- mit, the dos suddenly turned and jumped squarely over Bishop's head. Eph turned, and a terrific race took place down that mountain side. Running, fall- ing. rolling and sliding until the flats were again reached. Coming upon the level ground Eph succeeded at last in tiring out the deer, until making feints to spring upon it, the victim did not flinch; then flinging himself upon his victim, Eph bore it to the ground. After a moment's struggle, Bishop says that the doe became as tame as a dog. He tied a string about its neck, and it followed him submissively. A cutter belonging to Rev. Cool, the only vehicle of that description in the country, was brought by two of the Lent boys. Into this Eph mounted and the doe followed him, lying down at his feet. The cutter was drawn to Harry Lent's barn, and the deer was placed in the stable.

An unusual streak of luck came to " Uncle" Wat Trowbridge, of Hector, in the panther line. Mr. Trowbridge was one of the early pioneers of the county, and noted as a hunter. Few animals that came into the sights of his rifle escaped the bullet. "Uncle Wat," as he was called far and near, had an iron make-up and a nerve that carried him successfully through adventures where many hearts would have quailed. Rheumatism, however, attacked the brave old man in the later years of his life and rendered him a cripple. The incident we have alluded to took place during one of Uncle Wat's hunts. He found a nest of kitten panthers, three in number. These he killed with his tomahawk, but had just finished the job when he found himself face to face with the mother of the litter; but a cool head and a well-planted ball saved him from a furious onslaught. He had just got his gun loaded when the male panther came bounding toward him. The panther ran up a leaning tree in his path and was in the act of springing upon the intruder in his family affairs when a well- directed shot cut short his existence. As the animal fell, his neck caught in the forks of a tree and held the carcass suspended. The tree had to be cut down with the hatchet with which the kittens were killed before Uncle Wat could skin his game.

The most famous hunter of Potter county died a little more than a year ago, aged about sixty six years-Leroy Lyman, of Roulette, a son of Burrel Lyman, and a grandson of Maj. Isaac Lyman. Leroy Lyman was more than a mere hunter: he was a man of sound judgment and of some education, well read and full of push and perseverance. Being of a speculative turn he had ventured in the mica mining business in New Hampshire, and into gold min- ing into Georgia. and bid fair to accumulate much wealth, when he was gored by a bull belonging to him. After partially recovering from this, he had still another collision with the bull, and from this last attack he never re- covered. The chase was his delight, and he made a business of it in the season, of late years going to Michigan and Wisconsin after deer, and hiring one or two men to accompany him in these hunting expeditions. Mr. Lyman did a good business in sending to the city markets the product of his . rifle and traps, besides much venison bought of the Indians. As soon as

1004

HISTORY OF POTTER COUNTY.

he was old enough to carry a rifle he became a ranger of the forests. Later ou, when his hunts became a business with him, he kept a field book in which he entered a memorandum of all the game killed by him. He also became an expert taxidermist. At the time of his death he was building an addition to his house to be used as a museum, in which he intended to store his specimens, and he intended compiling an autobiography from his diary. The num- ber of deer slain by this mighty nimrod ran up into the thousands; hun- dreds of bear fell before his rifle, as well as wolves, elk and a cloud of smaller game.

VOTE. Among the hunters named in the records of 1-22 were James Ayers, who received 812 for panther certificates: the Indian, Shineboy, who received $24.25; Jonathan Pitcher, 812; Jacob B. Vannat- for. sie: the Indian, Shanks, 825, and the Indian. William Shanks, $2.44. all for panthers killed. The wolf slayers of that year were Nelson Clark, J. B. and Jacob Vannatter; an Indian named John Shanks, who brought in large numbers of wolf puppies; an Indian named Logan, equally celebrated; Cephas Nelson And Thomas II. Summers, Joshua Jackson and Charles Lyman were the fox killers of the period; San- rwa, an Indian, came on the scene in 1823; also one named Thomas Trimsoff. In the fall of 1823 John Lorschbangh brought in panther puppies; Horatio Nelson, fox sealps; Jedediah Smith, wolf scalps: also the Indians, Isaar Hutchins and John. Joshua Moses was a panther hunter ; also' Thomas Hudson and Samuel Freemant. Burrel Lyman, Dave R. Smith, William Furman, John Earl and William Freeman were the prin- cipal wolf killers. John Mohawk and Philip (Indians), Leonard Foster, John Lovell. Seth Taggart, John Jordan, Sylvester Wright. Thomas Bellows, James Ayers, Blue Coat can Indiam. James Carpenter, Sam. Hoover, D. Parks, Henry Nelson, Mahon, John Nelson, Little David and John Spruce (two Indians), the Indian, William Johnston, James Read, Jow (an Indian), Moses ian Indiam. Richard Lewis, Jonathan Edge- comb. David can Indian, Thaddeus Stone and Fred Jranerett were great hunters here prior to 1828, each of them receiving financial reward for their prowess in the chase. Jacob Vannatter, an old Potter county hunter, had a serious battle with a bear in the " twenties." It is related by O. J. Hamlin that bruin tore the clothes off his antagonist, left several life marks, and then drove the hunter to flight .- [EDITOR].

CHIAPTER III.

TRANSACTIONS OF THE COMMISSIONERS.

ESTABLISHMENT OF POTTER COUNTY-FIRST PROCEEDINGS OF TIIE COMMISSION- ERS-LAYING OFF OF ROADS-TAX SALES OF LANDS-BUILDING OF COURT- HOUSE-THE NEW JAIL-PROHIBITION IN POTTER-LISTS OF OFFICERS.

TI HE act of March 26, 1804, established Potter county out of a part of Dun- stable township, Lycoming county, to which county it remained attached for judicial purposes for many years after. The name was given in honor of the Revolutionary hero, Gen. Potter, and the name of one of the first town- ships, Eulalia, in honor of a daughter of John Keating, who was the principal owner of lands in all this section. In the notes of the survey of Coudersport. begun September 6, 1807, and continued in 1808, by Surveyor John King, a record of the lots then laid out is made. In April, 1810, Silas McCarty sur- veyed eight lots-the mill lot, T. Lyman's and Daniel Brown's lots being named.

In 1815 the first county commissioners for Potter and McKean were ordered. by act of assembly, to be elected by said counties in conjunction-two com- missioners from McKean and one from Potter at the first election; thereafter, one from Potter and McKean each year, alternately.

In 1824 Potter was detached from MeKean for election purposes, although united to her for judicial purposes. This was accomplished by an act of the assem . bly to take effect after the second Tuesday of September of this year (1824). In that year the Jersey Shore Turnpike Company was incorporated. The April (1816) court, appointed Isaac Lyman, N. B. Palmer, Peter Knickerbocker, Jacob Whit-

Deportable

1007

HISTORY OF POTTER COUNTY.

ney, John Taggart and Calvin Ellis to lay off a road " from a point on the State line through which the Genesee river passes, and in a southern direction to the Jersey Shore road near the 'ten-mile tree" " This is now the road from Genesee Forks to Coudersport, with slight variations. This year the Alle- gheny river was made a highway, Pine creek having been constituted a high- way in 1805; Sinnemahoning. in 1804; Oswayo, in 1807. In 1808 the east and west road was laid through the county. John Bureau laid out the Boone road from Ceres, Mckean county, to Young Woman's creek, in Clinton county. Joseph Williams, from Williamsport, laid out and built the State road, from the Tioga county line on Pine creek to the MeKean line at Burtville. In 1810 a road was granted by the court at Williamsport from Coudersport to Ceres- town. The viewers appointed were John King, Sampson Crawford, Isaac Ly- man, William Ayers, Josiah Freeman and Jolin Lyman.

The first deed book of Potter county was opened February 2, 1808, and closed June 27, 1831 (582 pages), containing all the record work of the twenty- three first years of the county. Strange contrast with the present! The large page volume (Y Record of Deeds) now in use, begun October 6, 1888, was covered by the precise script of A. L. Rennells, the present recorder, to page 442, by May 16, 1889.

In June, 1818, 11,000 acres of the John Barron, Jr., warrant (of which the North American Land Company were original owners) were offered for sale by John Crain. John Taggart, for the use of J. Greenlief bid for each tract of 1,100 acres the sum of $69.873. In 1822 R. Wright and S. Cochran purchased at tax sale lands on the J. B. Smith, H. Wykoff and H. Dunbar warrants, and in November, Paul E. Scull purchased three 990-acre tracts on the Jonathan Rhay warrant for the tax and costs on each tract, $15.17. In 1828-32 Samuel Maxwell, Abner Stoner, Daniel Rooks, Webber & Oviatt, B. Reed, Asa Sartwell, John King, John H. Rose, Robinson Nelson and R. E. Griffith purchased large tracts at tax sales, 1. 100 acres selling for the tax $11, and costs, $3.623. The first order book of Potter county is dated January 8, 1822. David Crow received $90 for building a bridge over the Portage ; John King, $3.75 for stationery; Isaac Lyman, 63 cents for postage; Thomas Hayse, "late prothonotary," $1.62; John Taggart and Isaac Lyman received several small orders for services as commissioner; Tunison Carroll for print- ing; John Lyman and Jacob Streeter, supervisors of roads in Roulette town- ship; Thomas Bellows and John Taggart, supervisors of Eulalia, who replaced Leonard Taggart and Israel Merrick. the supervisors for 1821; Cephas Nelson and Almon Woodcock, for chopping a road from Cold brook to the Cowanesque; P. Murphy and Isaac Merrick, for transporting books; David Smith, for mak- ing road: Reuben Scott, for office rent; Hiram Sizer, Brewster Freeman and Nathan Turner, for making roads in Eulalia township; Lucretia Edgecomb, Sally Bellows, Otis Lyman and Laura Lyman, witnesses in the case of the State rs. Patience Lyman; Nancy Hinkle and James Ayers, witnesses in the case of the State rs. Nancy Ayers. A bridge over Fishing creek was erected in 1823; Peter Knickerbocker viewed a road to the south branch of the Sin- nemahoning, a former road in that direction being opened by Nathan Turner. In December, 1824, R. Taggart and P. Palmer were paid $10 for building a bridge over the Allegheny. In January, 1826, John Peet was allowed 6 cents for supplying the county officers with goose-quills. while Lorenzo D. Strafford, who was sent for said quills, received 123 cents.

The oldest record of transactions in possession of Commissioners' Clerk Rennells is dated at Coudersport, November 15, 1824. Harry Lyman was appointed temporary clerk, and Ephraim Fuller, elected a commissioner, under

1005

HISTORY OF POTTER COUNTY.

the acts of March 28, 1824, organizing Potter and Mckean counties, qualified before John Lyman, a justice of the peace, who also signs the record as com- missioner. Leonard Taggart, who was appointed commissioner November 29, 1824, by the judges of quarter sessions of Lycoming county, qualified here De- cember 7, 1824, and took his seat. On the 14th a tax of one-half cent per dollar was authorized, and from this period to April 21, 1828, the records are filled with memoranda of elections and qualifications of county officers. On the date given John King agreed with the commissioners to pay taxes for the following- named owners of lands in Potter county: John Keating & Co., Francis R. Wharton, David Lewis & Son, Samuel Slaymaker, Jesse Waln, L. H. Doubigney, Fred Ravisier, Robert Waln, Jane Humphrey, Stephen I. Guerea, Richard Gernon, John P. Garrische, A. B. Deschappelle, Theo. Gouzaud. Pierre Provenchere.

In 1835 the county was organized for political and judicial purposes. W. H. Warner, Samuel Cushing and Elisha Mix were commissioners. The contract for building the first court-house was sold to Judge Ives and Almon Woodcock, who had their work completed by September, and the first court was held therein that month. Three years later the northern townships were surveyed, although they were established in 1828.

As early as 1810 the establishment of townships was commenced. Eulalia was set off from Dunstable township, Lycoming county, by order of the court of Lycoming, December 5, 1810. embracing all of Potter county . . . . Roulette was set off by the same court from Eulalia January 29, 1816, embracing the territory now composed of Roulette, Clara, Pleasant Valley and Sharon town- ships . ... Harrison was set off February 6, 1823. Benjamin Burt, Reuben Card and Jacob Streeter were appointed, by same court, commissioners to divide Eulalia township, the new township to be called Harrison, running from north- east corner of the county south nine miles and ninety nine perches; west eight miles and twenty-eight perches, embracing Harrison and parts of Hector, Ulysses and Bingham. The southwest part of the county, under the name of Wharton, was erected May 3, 1826, containing within its limits the present townships of Wharton, Sylvania and Portage, and parts of Summit, Homer and Keating.

In 1828 the north half of the county was divided by a decree of the court into townships six miles square, which were surveyed ten years later by L. B. Cole. The survey commenced at the north-west corner of the county, on the State line. The townships were named in the following order: First tier- Sharon, Chester, London, Bingham, Harrison; second -Milton, Hebron, Den - mark. Ulysses, Hector; third-Roulette, Eulalia, Sweden, Jackson, Pike.

Sweden was organized in February, 1828, with Jackson. Pike and Ulysses at- tached thereto ..... Sharon was organized in December, 1828, with Chester and Milton attached. The name of Chester was subsequently changed to Oswayo, the Indian name of a branch of the Allegheny river. which runs through it. The name of Milton was changed to Clara. ... Bingham was organized in 1830. . . Loudon was organized in 1830, and the name changed to Genesee, a river by that name running through it . . . . At the same time Denmark was changed to Allegheny ... Hector was erected in 1830. and the election appointed to be held at Benjamin Wilber's. . . . Pike was organized in January, 1832, with Jack- son attached. . . . Hebron was erected in 1832; election to be held at the house of Asa Coon ... . Ulysses was erected in December, 1832; election to be held at the house of Stephen Brace. Jackson now forms part of this township ... Alle- gheny was erected in September, 1835.

Clara township, as it became considerably settled, was found in its physical

1009

HISTORY OF POTTER COUNTY.

geography to be very inconvenient. Sartwell creek ran nearly through the west half, and Fishing creek through the east half, each joining the Oswayo waters at the summit. The mountain was very high between the two sections, roads being impracticable, elections and public municipal business could I ot be, so the township was divided, in 1847, the western half on Sartwell creek, to be called Pleasant Valley, and a pleasant valley it is indeed .... Abbot was erected in 1851. ... Homer, Stewardson, West Branch and Summit were erected in 1853. ... Oleona (or East Fork) is still a part of Eulalia township for judi- cial and other purposes. . .. Keating and Sylvania were erected in 1856.

In the erection of Cameron county, in 1860, the inhabited portion of Por- tage township was set off to that county; it was re-organized in 1871, a part of Sylvania being attached to it.

In 1835 the first court-house was erected and opened in September of that year. The present court-house was finished in 1853. William Bell was the contractor, and his estimate, made in 1852, was $11,000. This house may be said to have been rebuilt in 1889, at a cost of about $25,000, after plans by H. Hall. G. A. Wilber, Charles H. Cole and Bryan McGinnis were commis- sioners. The interior is all modern, but the exterior retains much of the sim- plicity of forty years ago. The first services held in it were the funeral cere- monies of Mrs. N. L. Dyke, in October of same year, the Methodist Episcopal Church not being built as yet, but in process of construction. The bell of the court house had just been placed in the tower, and was rung for the first time on this occasion. The first court held in the new court-house was in Decem- ber of that year.

In 1869 the legislature authorized Potter county to levy a tax and issue bonds for the purpose of raising funds to build a new jail. It was at first proposed to build a jail that should cost in the neighborhood of $30,000; but when the building was finished the price had reached to about $50,000. L. R. Decker was the contractor and builder. Hon. Isaac Benson advanced the funds and took the bonds, thus becoming the principal creditor of the county. The building is square, built of sandstone, most of which was obtained from the farm of Dr. O. T. Ellison, within the borough limits. It is two stories high, and contains twelve cells, together with rooms for the family of the sheriff. The building is nearly enclosed on three sides by a ligh stone wall. It is provided with water by the Coudersport Water Com- pany. In 1886 three of the cells were lined with boiler iron, to be used for dangerous prisoners. Several prisoners have escaped from this jail by various means, still it may be regarded as a first-class county prison. During the time the new jail was being built the prisoners of Potter county were confined in the Cameron county jail; and in 1875 the prisoners of Mckean county were placed for safe keeping in the jail at Coudersport. while the McKean county jail was being rebuilt. In 1871 Potter county was attached to the Western Penitentiary District with prison at Pittsburgh, prior to which the prisoners convicted were required to spend their time in the Philadelphia prison.

The sale of liquor was prohibited in Potter county by special act of as- sembly, in 1860. Hon. S. B. Elliot represented this assembly district in the legislature. But this special law was brought about. it is said, by the influ- ence of Hon. John S. Mann. It is occasionally spoken of as the " Mann Law." This law has remained in force to the present time. Potter county is noted as the only county in the State that has a special law prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors, except for medicinal or mechanical purposes, and this only on the prescription of a regularly practicing physician. Prior to the pas- sage of this law, the sale of liquors was for years attempted to be controlled

1010

HISTORY OF POTTER COUNTY.

by the election of anti-license associate judges. The anti-license party carried the day for some years before the passage of the above-mentioned bill; but as liquor was sold in spite of the measures attempted to suppress it, the special law was brought into effect. The W. C. T. U. are working with praiseworthy perseverance, and have been instrumental in keeping the law in active force, in a large measure, for the past few years. A number of attempts have been made to kill this special prohibition law, but, by means of remon- strances and other methods used to defend it, it is still in full force. Potter county gave a majority of twenty-nine votes for the prohibition amendment out of 3,121 votes cast, June 18, 1889. Germania's one voting place gave one for and 156 against the amendment.

Following is a list of the State representatives from Potter county; also lists of several of the county officers to the present date. A record of the other county officers will be found in the succeeding chapter.

REPRESENTATIVES FROM POTTER COUNTY IN THE ASSEMBLY.

1839, L. B. Cole. *

1862-64, A. G. Olmsted. 1880, R. L. White.

1844, Lewis Mann.

1865-70. John S. Mann. 1882, T. W. Burt.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) comp. cn; J.H. Beers & Co., pub Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1320

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) comp. cn; J.H. Beers & Co., pub
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1320