USA > Pennsylvania > Indiana County > Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I > Part 21
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95
HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
watershed in the northeastern part of the factured a very good quality of salt. Several county divides the waters of the Susquehanna, springs in the county are thought to possess that flow into Chesapeake bay, from the medicinal qualities. The water used for streams emptying into the Conemaugh and domestic purposes in the towns and villages Allegheny rivers flowing southward, finally is obtained from wells at the depth of from fifteen to thirty feet. There are a few wells in Indiana and Blairsville bored to the depth of two thousand feet or more. reaching the Gulf of Mexico. The lowest part of this watershed is 1,300 feet above tide- water. The county is well watered by numer- ous small streams and creeks-the largest of
About five sixths of the county is arable them, Blacklick, Yellow creek, Twolick and land, large portions thereof highly fertile, pro- Blacklegs, emptying into the Conemaugh; ducing grass, Indian corn and all the cereals. The water privileges are extensive and the climate is healthful. Crooked creek, Plum creek, Little Mahoning and Canoe, into the Allegheny; Cushion and Cush creek into the Susequehanna. The streams flowing into the Conemaugh have a COMPARISON OF THE CENSUS OF THE YEARS 1840 and 1910 fall of from twenty to thirty feet to the mile; those flowing into the Allegheny from ten to fifteen feet to the mile; and those into the Susquehanna from thirty-five to forty feet to the mile. Inundations are very rare. Owing to the rolling character of the surface, there is little marsh land. The western division of the Pennsylvania canal, once passing through the Conemaugh valley, is now discontinued. The amount of lockage was about two hun- dred and fifty feet. The area of the county is 775 square miles. The average altitude of the county is 1,300 feet above tide. The sur- face is rolling, cut into small valleys and hills by the numerous small streams. The principal eminences are called "round tops," which rise from 300 to 500 feet above the general surface of the county. Doty's round top, on the line of Grant and Canoe townships, is said to be the highest point in the county. Oak's Point, highest peak of the Chestnut Ridge, is 1,200 feet above the Conemaugh river. In about one fourth of the county (the eastern part) the timber is principally white pine, spruce and hemlock. The balance of the county is covered with white oak, black oak, chestnut oak, red oak, poplar, chestnut, hickory, sugar maple, walnut, cherry, locust, cucumber, birch etc.
The census of 1840 showed the following in Indiana county: Number of horses and mules, 6,524; neat cattle, 18,199; sheep, 35,- 894; swine, 24,377 ; bushels of wheat, 195,254; barley, 297; oats, 356,046; rye, 78,021; buck- wheat, 80,806 ; corn, 171,018; pounds of wool, 51,193; pounds of hops, 605 : pounds of wax, 2,693; bushels of potatoes, 103,807; tons of hay, 25,193; tons of hemp and flax, 334; pounds of sugar made, 12,282; value of the poultry, $8,343; dairy products, $33,739 ; products of the orchard, $5.908 ; homemade or family goods, $30,053. Three commission houses with a capital of $7,500; 69 retail dry goods, grocery and other stores, with a capital of $171.116; value of machinery manufac- tured, $5,650 ; value of bricks and lime, $2,415 ; number of fulling mills, five; number of woolen manufacturers, five; value of manu- factured goods, $2,700. sixteen men employed, and the capital invested, $7,250; value of hats and caps manufactured, $1,990, persons employed, six, and capital invested, $2,405: number of tanneries. twenty-six, sides of sole leather tanned, 1,739, upper leather tanned, 3,472, number of men employed. forty-one. capital invested, $18,905; number of dis- tilleries, seven, gallons produced, 5,750; the number of breweries, one, gallons produced, 1.400, men employed, ten, capital invested, $1,635; value of carriages and wagons manu- factured, $4,708, men employed, twenty, cap- ital invested, $2,952; number of flouring mills, three, barrels of flour manufactured, 2,750; number of grist-mills, fifty-one; sawmills, seventy-four; value of manufactures, $25,- 450, number of men employed, 123, capital
The principal minerals are bituminous coal, salt, iron ore and limestone. Gas is found in the vicinity of Willet, Washington township. The soil in the eastern part of the county is loam and sand as far as the pine timber extends. In the balance of the county, the soil is loam and slate, with clay admixture in spots. The subsoil is clay and slate. The subjacent rock in the lowland is a pecu- liar hard-blue, micaceons sandstone. In the higher tablelands it is variegated, blue and invested, $80,070. The number of wooden red. In the Conemaugh valley there are sev- houses built, seven, men employed, twenty, eral salt wells from which have been manu- the value of constructing or building, $3,050.
96
HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Total capital invested in manufactories, 1816. Mahoning was formed from that part $119,474.
The census of 1910 shows the following in Indiana county :
Number or quantity
Value
Land area, acres.
530,560
Population, total 1910.
66,210
Farmers, native ..
4,304
Farmers, foreign-born, white.
150
Farmers, negro and other non- white
5
Farms operated by owners ...
3,532
$14,758,286
Farms operated by tenants ...
863
4,260,093
Farms operated by managers.
64
584,610
Total number of farms. Total farm acreage ..
432,977
12,957,939
Average acreage per farm.
97.1
Improved acreage ..
315,480
Woodland acreage.
96,679
Other unimproved land
20,818
Average improved acreage per farm
70.8
Buildings
6,645,050
Implements and machinery
1,168,451
Domestic animals, etc .:
Cattle
22,748
634,580
Horses
10,470
1,351,196
Mules
486
63,936
Swine
20,581
144,874
Sheep
16,069
65,888
Poultry
203,601
116,394
Bees (colonies)
4,067
20,448
Field Crops:
Corn
acres.
25,796
bushels . .
740,879
518,615
Oats
acres.
25,452
236,885
Wheat
acres .
17,045
Buckwheat
aeres ...
20,303
178,315
Rye
acres ....
8,960
Potatoes
acres.
4,116
bushels . .
398,097
218,953
Hay and forage. . acres ...
48,918
tons.
42,882
600,348
FORMATION OF TOWNSHIPS
of the county taken from Lycoming county in 1803. The first assessment is dated in 1807. East Mahoning was formed from Mahoning in 1846, West Mahoning from Mahoning in 1846, North Mahoning from Mahoning in 1846, and South Mahoning from Mahoning in 1846. Montgomery from Mahoning in 1834, Pine from Wheatfield in 1850; Rayne from Wash- ington and Green in 1845; Washington from Armstrong in 1807; East Wheatfield from Wheatfield township in 1859; West Wheat- field from Wheatfield in 1859; White was formed from three miles around the borough of Indiana in 1843; Young from Blacklick and Conemaugh in 1830.
It will thus be seen that from Wheatfield the sixteen townships south of the Purchase Line were formed. That part of Indiana county which lies north of Purchase Line was taken from Lycoming county, and in 1807 was called Mahoning. From Mahoning the eight townships north of the Purchase Line were formed.
BOROUGHS OF INDIANA COUNTY
The boroughs of Indiana county were in- corporated as follows: Armagh, April 10, 1834; Blairsville, March 25, 1825; Cherry- tree, April 30, 1855; Clymer, February 29, 1908; Creekside, June 5, 1905; Glen Camp- bell, Sept. 27, 1894; Homer City, Sept. 26, 1872; Indiana, March 28, 1816; Jacksonville, September 29, 1852; Marion Center, March 28, 1868; Mechanicsburg, January 2, 1857; Plumville, December 6, 1909; Saltsburg, April 16, 1838; Shelocta, April 15, 1851 ; Smicksburg, June 28, 1854.
EARLY ELECTION PLACES
1785 .- "The election for that portion of Westmoreland county north of the Cone- maugh river being the first district shall be held at the dwelling house of Samuel Dickson."
All that part of Westmoreland county north of the Conemaugh river, was called Wheatfield, and the first assesment was made 1792 .- "The freemen of the first district of Westmoreland county shall hold their elec- tion at the house of William Neal." in 1779. Armstrong was formed from Wheat- field in 1785; Banks from Canoe township in 1868; Blacklick from Armstrong township in 1802 .- "The electors residing within Wheatfield and Fairfield townships, West- moreland county, shall hold their general elec- tion at the house of Richard Dimsey, in the town of Armagh." 1807; Brushvalley from Wheatfield in 1835; Buffington from Pine township in 1867; Bur- rell from Blacklick township in 1853; Canoe from Montgomery township in 1847; Center 1807 .- "Armstrong, Washington and Cen- ter townships, in the county of Indiana, be and the same hereby erected into a separate election district and the electors of the town- from Armstrong in 1807; Cherryhill from Green and Brushvalley in 1834; Conemaugh from Armstrong in 1803; Grant from Mont- gomery in 1868; Green from Wheatfield in ship aforesaid shall hold their general elec-
bushels . .
220,951
198,856
bushels . .
356,631
bushels ..
90,621
63,435
bushels. .
526,411
4,459
19,602,989
97
HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
tions at the house now occupied by Peter there were 15,655 acres of unseated land as- Sutton in the town of Indiana or at such other sessed at 371/2 cents per acre. In 1809 the county commissioners placed a rate of one third of a cent on the dollar on the assessed valuation of taxable property in Wheatfield township. house in town as the commissioners of said county shall direct. Blacklick township at the house of Patrick McGee. Conemaugh township at the house of John Marshall. Ma- honing township at the house of James Brady, Sr."
1808 .- "Armstrong township at the house of David Mccullough."
EARLY ASSESSMENTS
In 1805 the assessment book for Wheatfield township showed that land was assessed from 25 cents to $4 per acre; horses, $20; oxen, $12; and cows, $8. All occupations and single freemen were assessed at $10. The title to land was mostly patent or warrant. A dis- tillery owned by James Campbell, a shoe- maker, assessed for $9.50, and a grist-mill owned by William Clark was assessed at $120. At that time few persons owned more than one horse and one cow. Many did not own either. William Boals, a single man, owned four horses and six cows. We find many persons owning large tracts of land. Robert Weir owned one thousand acres assessed at 25 cents per acre. In Wheatfield township,
The following is the list of taxes paid on unseated lands to Joseph McCartney, treas- urer of Indiana county, in 1807: Armstrong township, county tax, $188.34, road tax, $103.88; Wheatfield township county tax $99.70, road tax, $13.59; Conemaugh town- ship, county tax, $11.17, road tax, $8.61; Ma- honing township, county tax, $93.64. road tax, $59.08.
In 1840 Indiana county had a total popu- lation of 20,784. Of this number, twenty-five persons were employed in mining; 4,536 in agriculture : 127 in commerce; 815 in manu- factures and trades ; five in navigation of the ocean ; 104 in navigation of canals, lakes and rivers; ninety in learned professions and as engineers: twenty-eight were drawing pen- sions for Revolutionary or other military services; seven were deaf and dumb, three were blind, twelve insane and idiots, at priv- ate charge, two deaf and dumb colored; three colored insane ..
CHAPTER XIII POLITICAL PARTIES
Party organization in the government of a the theory that the most direct route to great- country exists in proportion to the recogni- ness was by the suppression of political and tion of freedom of thought and action among religious heresy, were the chief occasions for the alarming exodus of some of the best brain and heart of the Old World to the virgin soil of the New. the people of that country. Where this free- dom is denied, political activity has nothing upon which to rest. We are not surprised at the absence of party organization in countries like Russia or Turkey. In fact its growth in modern Europe is a thing of recent times.
The very first amendment to the Federal constitution declared that Congress shall have no power to make any law abridging the free- dom of the press or of speech, or respecting the establishment of any religion, or prevent- ing the people to peacefully assemble to petition the government for the redress of grievances. In this sense the American polit- ical party is unique. This constitutional pro- tection furnished the most fertile soil for party growth. In this soil at one time or other almost every theory that has occupied the mind of a citizen has been planted, and has sprouted, some to grow and others to wither.
Its conception rests upon difference of opinion freely expressed. No matter how great this difference is, it is of no importance without freedom of expression. Only where emancipation of opinion is enjoyed do parties flourish. The sifting of Europe to secure the planting of America came about through the struggle for emancipation. It resulted in the selection of a rare people for the beginning of a great civilization. The restrictions of governmental decrees on the freedom of the intellect, the clipping of the wings of the The observer of the development of political mind by a short-sighted policy, based upon institutions in America will be able to detect 7
98
HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
at least two forms of political theory. The the experience of the past decade proved the one expresses itself in the tendency toward imbecility of a government without such cen- centralization in government; the other to- tral authority, while the latter pointed to the regime under George III, and insisted that it proved that all our woes dated from the exercise of the very powers contended for by the friends of centralization. This contention separated the people into two factions; the one making the Nation the chief repository of strength and welfare of the people, the other making the States that repository. Thus was created party division over the old question which engaged the best thought of the race. ward decentralization. In the government of Greece the pendulum swung to the side of self-government of the free cities, thus deny- ing the needed central authority over them in matters of general concern which de- feated all desires for uniformity in adminis- tration. The government became loose in its parts and was wrecked upon the rocks of anarchy. Rome employed a different policy, which swung the pendulum to the opposite extreme. In the Roman regime there was a Perhaps the real exponent of the central theory of government was Alexander Hamil- ton, of New York, and the leading exponent of the looser theory was Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia. The greatest single performance of Washington as the first president was his inauguration of the two theories as well as of determination. Heredity helped furnish the seed, and environment assisted in prepar- ing the soil. recognition of the principle of local self- government, but there was no affiliation be- tween these local governments and the Imper- ial governments; hence the tendency toward disregard for the local need and rights, which led to usurpation of power and the ultimate rise and fall of the monarchy. England, after the struggle of the centuries for the recogni- tion of the principle of self-government, took the longest step toward the solution of the problem. For centuries the power in that country was in the crown. Then for a less duration it was in the lords. In modern Eng- land the power is in the people, represented in the commons.
The American Revolution, which secured not only the recognition of the principle in question, but entire independence of the Colonies, shifted the struggle of the two political theories from the Old to the New World.
The situation of the Colonies, the partial recognition of local government, the character of the colonists, the wide separation and great variety of interests-all conspired to educate the people in an appreciation of the value of local government. The Revolution and, espe- cially, the chain of courses leading to it, were the occasion for a conflict of theories. The self-governing impulse had flowed out into the great charter of human liberties, the Declaration of Independence, and had de- clared to all the world that the people were endowed with the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The party system was a natural outgrowth f conditions. The very motive which prompted the earliest settlements insured a distinct political system. The oppression from which the fathers fled prompted that freedom of speech and of worship. While religious differences gave life to various de- nominations, and political differences per- mitted separate political parties, the spirit of democracy was sufficient that between demo- cracy and aristocracy the latter had no. footing. The nearest approach was the pre- Revolutionary division, the Tory versus the Whig. While democracy was supreme in the New World, its very suggestion implied variety of method.
The rational basis for party division in this country is the contention between liberty and authority. Leaders have arisen who stood as the exponents of these principles in the American system. Parties have been orga- nized upon these principles as fundamental. In this party contention, each factor has re- vealed both its strength and its weakness, and in obedience to the law of the survival of the fittest the resultant of the struggle is a system which incorporates both elements as co- ordinate. Upon these two fundamental ele- ments. liberty and authority, the structure of the American system has been erected.
The Revolution left the Colonists in undis- puted possession of the right of self-govern- ment. It detached the last vestige of monar- chial government and left the Colonies to create some substitute. The old school of For one hundred and twenty-four years the party system has been maturing. From 1789 to 1801 the Federalist party had control thinkers contended for coercive power in the head; the other jealously guarded the rights of the several parts. The former insisted that of the machinery of the government. During
99
HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
much of this time aggressive opposition was ferent names. Taking the view of parties, the offered by the Anti-federalist, better known as the Republican, party. From 1801 to 1845 the Republican party, later called the Demo-
ยท
one has stood from the beginning for strong central government, the other for local self- government. The one employed the broad or cratic party, held control, with the possible loose construction of the constitution, the single exception of the younger Adams, other the narrow or strict construction. Dur- ing the one hundred and twenty-four years of national existence the Democratic party has conducted the affairs of the nation sixty years, and the Republican party sixty-four years. The Democratic party has been in regarded the most distinguished member. power since March 4, 1913. 1825-29. While he was a Republican Adams differed from his party upon the construction of the constitution. Yet as a Republican he had conducted the foreign relations depart- ment of Monroe's cabinet, of which he was Harrison's inauguration in 1841 was the in- troduction of the Whig party to power, but the death of Harrison on April 4, 1841, and the inauguration of Tyler limited the Whig control to a single month. Tyler broke with his party on the bank question, and returned to his former Democratic allegiance. In 1845 Polk's inauguration permitted the Democrats to continue their policy. In 1849 the election of Taylor gave the country its only Whig administration. Taylor died in office, but his policy was continued with Pierce and Bu- chanan down to 1861. In the latter year Lincoln inaugurated the Republican rule which continued without interruption for twenty-four years. It then gave way to the Democratic party under Cleveland. After four years the Republicans returned to power under the second Harrison, who after four years again gave way to the Democrats under Cleveland. After four years, Cleveland gave way to the Republicans under MeKinley.
To the Federalist party the country owes the organization of the government and the inauguration of the government's politics. Under Washington and Hamilton the finances were provided, a high credit was established, neutrality was announced which has been consistently followed to this day, a strong and vigorous foreign policy was outlined. To the old Republican party the country is in- debted for much of its liherties, for freedom of speech, of the press, of worship and the right of petition. To it also the States owe the largest recognition of local self-govern- ment, and also the first step of marvelous expansion which the country has experienced in the one hundred and twenty-four years of national existence. To the National Republi- can party the country owes the fostering of the constructive policy in the establishment of internal improvements, the defense of a system of national banks, and the adoption of the policy of protection of American in- dustries. To the Whig party it owes a con- tinued fostering of these principles. To the Democratic party is due the continued de- fense of the cardinal principles of the old Republican party. The work of expansion begun by that party in the purchase of Louisiana and Florida was continued by it in the annexation of Texas, the occupation of Oregon, the prosecution of the Mexican war with the consequent accession of the vast Southwest. One of its fundamental principles is the protection of the many against the few. It therefore declaims against special privileges and abuses of corporate wealth. Its platform is the welfare of the many and special priv- ilege to none. To the Republican party the country owes the abolition of slavery and the
The Federalist party controlled the govern- ment twelve years, the old Republican party twenty-four years, the National Republican party under John Q. Adams four years, the Democratic party, including the Tyler regime, thirty-six years, the Whig four years, the Republican party forty-four years, ending with Taft in 1913. During this period of one hundred and twenty-four years the gov- ernment has been administered, at one time or another, by six different parties, if the parties are distinguished by name; if by political theory, only two have been in con- trol. The old Republican and the modern Democratic party held the same theory of government, and should be identified in name as well as in principle. The Federalist, the National Republican, the Whig and the Re- citizenship of the negro. To it, mainly is dne publican all advocated similar principles, and the prosecution of the war and the preserva- should be regarded the same party with dif- tion of the Union. It was during the period
100
HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
of its incumbency that new applications of policy and doctrines of the new party; and electricity were made, various products of the the American became an Anti-masonic for- mine were improved, such as steel, and a warder. As early as 1827 the Anti-mason vast impulse in transportation was exper- party was organized in Indiana county. Soon ienced, as well as a commercial awakening such as the world never saw before.
the Whig, then published by John McCrea, also unfurled the Anti-masonic banner. In Of the third parties which have existed at about 1826, John McCrea, who had served his one time or another in the life of the nation apprenticeship in the office of the Whig, pur- not one lived to pass from the stage of the chased the establishment, and continued the third party to that of first, or even second, in national affairs.
In this county a majority of the promi- nent men were Federalists, but the Anti-Fed- eralists (Democrats) had a slight preponder- ance, notwithstanding the fact that the Fed- eralists had the advantage of a newspaper, The American, the publication of which was commenced in 1814 by James McCahan. In
1815 the printing office was located on the party of the State and everywhere became A. N. Taylor lot. It was destroyed by fire, merged in the Whig party, which hitherto, in
the first fire which occurred in Indiana. The paper was soon established on better footing than before, for all the people, in accord with the spirit of the times, subscribed for the paper and gave it their patronage. The pub- lication of the first Democratic paper in the county was commenced in 1821, by Alexander Taylor and C. H. Wheelock, under the name of the Indiana and Jefferson Whig.
In 1826 the American establishment was purchased by A. T. Moorhead, Sr., and his father, James Moorhead, was installed as edi- tor and publisher. The printing office at that time was located on Water street, in the build- ing afterwards occupied by Michael Job. In the year 1826 the alleged abduction of Wil- liam Morgan by the Masonic fraternity oc- curred at Batavia, N. Y., in consequence of which the most intense excitement was preva- lent throughout the western parts of New York and Pennsylvania, and eastern Ohio; and a new political party sprung into ex- istence under the name of Anti-masons, which embraced within its folds such prominent In 1840 the Liberal party, better known perhaps as the Abolition party, had its rise. That a portion of mankind should be held in fetters by another portion of the human fam- ily was repugnant to the feelings of philan- thropie people everywhere, and now that the issue was brought forward in the politics of the country James Moorhead, the old Anti- mason warrior, again stepped forward in the interest of human rights and begau the pub- men of the day as John Q. Adams, of Massa- chusetts, Thurlow Weed, William H. Seward. Francis Granger, and Horace Greeley, of New York ; Thaddeus Stevens, Nevil B. Craig, and Charles Ogle, of Pennsylvania. The new party became powerful in a number of the States. In 1832 the Anti-masons carried the electoral votes of Vermont. The warfare was exceedingly bitter. The doors of the lodges were closed and their meetings sus- lication of the Clarion of Freedom in 1840. pended. James Moorhead at once gave ad- Most earnestly, in season and out of season, hesion to this party, and with all his energy did Mr. Moorhead combat the doctrine of as man and publisher sought to advance the slavery, until in 1854 when the Know-nothing
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