Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 84

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930

USA > Pennsylvania > Indiana County > Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I > Part 84

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The present officers are: Worshipful mas- ter, Harry M. Bell; senior warden, John G. St. Clair; junior warden, Hart B. Daugherty ; Secretary, McClelland C. Gorden; treasurer, Henry Hall.

The Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Indiana is about thirty-five years of age, being organized about 1878. Among the char- ter members of the society were: Mrs. J. J. Davis (now of Apollo), president, Mrs. J. S. The present enrollment is 171. The lodge meets the second Tuesday of each month in the third story of the Deposit Bank building. Russell, Mrs. Agnes Sutton, Mrs. M. L. Birk- man, Mrs. Cordelia Barr, Mrs. Conrad Hoff- man, Mrs. E. R. Hildebrand, Mrs. George W. Palladium Lodge, No. 346, I. O. O. F., In- diana, Pa., was organized February 19, 1849, with J. G. Caldwell, Charles Slaysman, John Hunter, W. B. Clark, David Peelor, William Bodenhammer, Mrs. John W. Sutton, Miss Jennie Mitchell. The purpose of the Union is to protect the home by promoting the tem- perance cause. The organization is active and C. Boyle, Thomas S. Searle, John H. Shry- at present (1913) there are 130 members on ock and Wm. M. Coy as the charter members.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

From the first members the following of- ficers were elected and installed: Noble grand, John H. Shyrock; vice grand, David Peelor; secretary, Thomas Searle, treasurer, William C. Boyle.

The lodge has had a steady and continued growth until to-day it numbers 150 active members. It is the most substantial lodge in the county from a financial standpoint, having a property of its own, valued at nearly $15,000, free of debt, and $1,500 invested in county and school bonds.

It is one of the few lodges in the State that have the distinction of having a member in the possession of what is known as the Veteran's Diamond Jewel, Mr. John Weir, of this place, having been a member of this lodge for over fifty years. This jewel was presented to him by the lodge at a special meeting of the grand lodge in this place about five years ago, when James Montgomery, grand master, was present, and made the pres- entation speech.

The present officers of the lodge are as fol- lows: Noble grand, C. E. Bath; vice grand, Guy G. Morris ; secretary, A. P. Lowry ; treas- urer, T. B. Clark; trustees, John Weir, W. Ed. Smith, James A. Peterman. The meet- ings are held every Monday evening at 8 o'clock.

Una Rebekah Lodge, No. 292, the ladies' auxiliary of the Odd Fellows lodge, was or- ganized January 12, 1905, with over sixty members. The first officers were as follows : Noble grand, Mrs. A. R. Lowry; vice grand, Mrs. G. Wilse Earl; secretary, Miss Mary Braughler ; treasurer, Mrs. W. Ed. Smith.

The present officers are: Noble grand, Jay Braughler ; vice grand, Carrie Lydick; secre- tary, Mary Braughler; treasurer, Laura Lewis. The lodge numbers about sixty, and Ineets the second and fourth Thursday even- ings of each month.

Indiana Lodge, No. 931, B. P. O. Elks, was instituted July 15, 1904, with fifty-eight mem- bers. Exalted rulers: Jason W. Carson, 1904-1905; T. E. A. Dugan, 1905-1906 ; H. W. Thomas, 1906-1907; J. R. Richards, 1907- 1908; S. W. McHenry, 1908-1909; J. A. Cross- man, 1909-1910; Richard W. Watson, 1910- 1911; A. M. Wonder, 1911-1912; Warren'P. Kline, 1912-1913; E. B. Campbell, 1913-1914.

The lodge purchased from James H. Elkin the old residence of Jolin P. Elkin on October 1, 1906. On the 29th of November, 1906, it was destroyed by fire. The present build- ing was erected in 1907 and 1908. The mem- bership at present is 240.

Company F, of Indiana, is the local organ- ization of the Pennsylvania National Guard; three officers, sixty-four men.

CHAPTER XXI

ARMSTRONG TOWNSHIP-SHELOCTA BOROUGH

Armstrong was the second township formed a dwelling and fort, it being strongly con- north of the Conemaugh river, and at one structed and well arranged for defense. Here time embraced nearly half of what is now the family resided for two years. Sharp in the meantime attended to the improvement of his farm during the summer, but generally returned to Walker's in the evening, after the work of the day had been completed. Indiana county, south of the Purchase Line. The township received its name from Colonel (afterwards General) Armstrong, the com- mander of the celebrated expedition against Kittanning. The township was organized about 1784 or 1785, as the earliest assessment list bears the date of 1785.

So much were the settlers exposed and so continually were they in awe of the hostile Indians, that they seldom ventured to their fields or clearings singly, but assembled to- gether, and went from farm to farm, and planted their corn and potatoes, some stand- ing guard whilst the rest were engaged at work. Yet, notwithstanding all their precau- tions, they were sometimes taken by surprise.

Among the early settlers of Armstrong township was John Robinson, Sr., who came in 1787, to the farm occupied by Walter and John M. Robinson. He purchased a tract of land containing 360 acres, giving 126 acres to his son John, who moved to the farm in 1817. The Curry Run Presbyterian Church is located on this farm. He sold 100 acres to Peter Heffelfinger, and the remainder he gave to R. T. Robinson. Other early settlers were Israel Thomas, John McCright, Jacob An- thony and William Devlin. David Peelor settled in Armstrong about the year 1789, Benjamin Walker in 1788. Anthony Run takes its name from three brothers, William, Levi and David Anthony, who were among the early settlers. James McElhoes, Thomas Lucas and James Boden came to the farm now occupied by Daniel Anderson in 1790.

Adjoining his house, Walker had a rye- field, in which the grain had been cut and put on shock. Mrs. Walker, one day, was look- ing over the field, when she espied an Indian at the farther end, gliding into the woods. On further examination it was ascertained that the Indian had been within three rods of the house, the marks on the ground, where he had lain behind a shock of rye, leaving no doubt on the subject. He had evidently been reconnoitering the premises.

James Clark's mill, at South Bend, the only one then in the neighborhood, afforded an- other place of security, as did also Cunning- ham's house, which was fashioned after the . manner of a blockhouse, with strong doors and portholes. Joseph Clark, a son of James Clark, was acting as a scout, traversing the country far and wide, watching the move- ments of the Indians and making report to the settlers whenever he saw any indications of danger. On one occasion during his absence on this service, his wife got several of the neighbors to plant her potatoes, she tak- ing one of their rifles and acting as sentinel until the men had completed their work.

Andrew Sharp went to Crooked Creek, Armstrong township, close to where the vil- lage of Shelocta now stands, in 1784, where he erected a cabin and commenced clearing the ground, with a view of opening out a farm and making it a permanent home for himself and his family. But few improve- ments had then been made in the vicinity, and in addition to the inconveniences, the people suffered for want of many of the neces- saries and luxuries of life. They were much annoyed by wild beasts and kept in constant fear of the Indians, roving bands of whom, coming from the neighborhood of the lakes, made frequent incursions into this section of It must be remarked, however, that some of the men of the frontier gave themselves but little concern in regard to the Indians; the country. For greater security, Sharp re- moved his family to Benjamin Walker's across the creek, whose house served both as as an illustration of which it is mentioned

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

that at one time, when the whole neighbor- one of them, when the other two composing hood had become alarmed, Joseph Wawson, the party, took to their heels and ran off, at the entreaties of his wife, accompanied her making "fence-corners" as they went, so as to Walker's, he singing and whistling as he walked leisurely along, his arms crossed on his back, while she was in momentary dread of being either seized or fired upon by In- dians. Fortunately the Indians had taken another direction, and the pair passed on to Walker's in safety.

Samuel Sloan lived between Shelocta and the dead one and stuck his head on a tall South Bend. He and two of his children were engaged planting corn, in the spring of 1793, when, being called to the house, he left them at their employment. On his return, soon At first thought such an act may seem atrocious, and if committed at the present day would certainly meet with universal con- demnation ; but allowance must be made for the times in which men then lived and the circumstances by which they were sur- rounded. For more than half a century the Indians had annoyed the advance of inhabi- tants of this State, commencing their depreda- tions on the banks of the Susquehanna and extending them to the waters of the Alle- gheny, as the tide of emigration rolled for- ward, leaving marks everywhere of their ra- pacity and cruelty. Post and Weiser had gone amongst them as missionaries of peace and talked to them on the warpath and in their wigwams, endeavoring by arguments and entreaties to terminate their depredatory incursions and instil into them the principles of humanity. But all their efforts were un- availing, and the Indians continued to plunder and kill, as they had done before, their chief after, the children were missing, and he felt convinced that they had been taken captive by the Indians. The alarm was given through the neighborhood and a consultation had, when it was resolved not to pursue, lest by attacking the Indians they should be prompted to kill the children. This was the most pru- dent course. The children's lives were spared, and at the general pacification in 1798 they were delivered up by their captors. After their return the children stated that when they had been secured in their father's field, the Indians went in the direction of where Lowry was plowing, some distance off; that they got within rifle shot of his cabin; that Mrs. Lowry was sitting at the cabin door, smoking a pipe; and that a consultation was had as to how they should proceed. A hand- spike, which Lowry had set against a tree, and which the Indians believed to be his rifle, probably saved Mrs. Lowry's life, for they turned noiselessly away with their captive delight being in widows' tears. in orphans' children, leaving Lowry and his wife unmo- lested.

In the year 1793 Kirkpatrick, living near where the village of Middleton, in Armstrong county, now stands, heard a tap at his door, while be was engaged with his family in wor- ship. Supposing a neighbor to have arrived. he arose and opened the door, when he was met by a stout Indian, who endeavored to spring into the house. Kirkpatrick gave him a push and a scuffle ensued, pending which two balls were fired from without through the open door, killing a child that was lying in the cradle, and wounding Charles Mc- Cright, who happened to be there at the time. With the aid of some of his family, Kirkpat- rick succeeded in closing the door and shut- ting out the Indian. He then seized his rifle and went to a porthole, and on looking out discovered the two Indians who had fired, standing between trees. He fired and killed 28

to dodge the balls, should any more shots be discharged from the house. A boy, twelve years of age, named George Miller, mounted a horse and rode to Clark's mill to give the alarm. In the course of the day a number of men collected at Kirkpatrick's; but as the live Indians had escaped, they decapitated pole, in a conspicuous place, as a warning to any of his comrades that might come that way.

cries and human blood. Few families there were but had to lament the death, by the hands of the Indians, of one or more of their friends. It must therefore not be wondered at that men should have become hardened under repeated sufferings. and that they were prompted thereby to acts of retaliation such as that which we have noticed.

Sharp, growing tired of the troubles by which he was constantly surrounded, and of the conflicts in which he was almost daily compelled to engage, resolved to remove to one of the most densely settled districts in Kentucky, where he would have more ample protection of life and property, and where the prospect of acquiring a competence for his rising family was far more encouraging. To this end he hastily arranged his business and employed his time in building a boat to carry him to what was then regarded as the El Dorado of this continent. When all his

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

arrangements had been completed, he placed inally shipped twenty-two, of whom two, as his family and effects in the boat, and, on the we have noticed, were killed at the first fire, 30th May, 1794, launched it upon the waters and one had escaped, leaving nineteen, two of Blacklick, at Campbell's mill, and bid adieu of them mortally wounded. to his friends and neighbors who had as- sembled to witness his departure. He was joined by Taylor and Connor with their fam- ilies, and Charles McCoy, a single man. They

The Indian shot by Sharp was carried off by his comrades, who continued the pursuit for a distance of twelve miles. Connor's little son, growing weary of the conflict, called to reached a point on the Kiskiminetas near the them at one time to come and take charge mouth of Roaring run before sunset, where they concluded to halt during the night, while some effects belonging to the emigrants were being brought in a canoe from another point a short distance off. The boat was fastened to the shore, and some horses on board were taken out; and while these were being tied to trees by their halters the men were fired upon by a band of Indians, who had been lying in wait within fifteen yards of the landing. Taylor escaped unharmed; but McCoy and Connor's son were killed and Connor and Sharp severely wounded, the latter having received a ball in his left side and another through his body, and had his right eye- brow carried away. Mrs. Sharp made a nar- row escape. At the time the firing com- menced she was sitting in the boat, regaling herself with a smoke, when a ball fired from the shore struck her pipe and shivered it to atoms, without doing any injury to her per- son. One of the yellow rascals had evidently taken aim at her head.

Connor and Sharp, though both badly wounded, succeeding in pushing off the boat and in getting it into the current .- We should here remark that at the moment when the party were first fired upon, Connor was en- gaged in loading the rifles that were on board, so as to have them in readiness for service. This was fortunate; for the Indians, as soon as they saw the boat afloat again, followed on shore, discharging many shots, but with- out any effect. The situation of the emi- grants was now become critical in the ex- treme. Connor was perfectly helpless from his wounds and died the next day. His little son, a lad twelve years of age, assisted Sharp as well as he could in guiding the boat. The latter, on seeing the pursuit, mustered strength sufficient to fire a rifle, and succeeded in killing one of the Indians. But his strength soon began to fail, and Mrs. Sharp was compelled to work the oar in order to keep the boat in the channel.

of the boat; but they were afraid, saying there were some men concealed among the effects, who wished to draw them into a snare. After rowing all night and the next day till eleven o'clock, Mrs. Sharp had the satisfac- tion of hearing that white men were seen on the shore. Signals of distress were made, when four men approached, who tendered their services to the distressed party. Enter- ing the boat, a lamentable scene met their eyes. Sharp was writhing with pain from his wounds. Connor was dying, and the women and children filled the air with their cries and lamentations. Mrs. Sharp, whose nerves had been excited to their utmost capacity by the trying and terrible scenes through which she had passed, now relaxed into a quiet and solemn calm as she surrendered the boat's helm to one of the men: and all poured out their soul's homage to Him who hearkens to the cries of the distressed, and who mercifully "tempers the storm to the newly shorn lamb."

The boat, now well manned, moved along rapidly on the waters of the Allegheny. Ar- rived at Pittsburg, the whole party were landed and quartered as comfortably as the circumstances would admit of. Drs. Bedford and Mowry attended on Sharp, dressed his wounds, and gave him every attention in their power. For a time they had hopes of his recovery. His wounds were healing and his strength improving; but the discharge of a cannon at the fort on the morning of the 4th day of July, in honor of the day, startled him and started the principal wound in his body to bleed afresh. Every effort to save him proved abortive, and he gradually sank until death put an end to his sufferings, hav- ing lived thirty-nine days after being wounded.

Mrs. Sharp and her children continued at Pittsburg some time, when Alexander Sharp, brother to Andrew, took them to Cumberland county, where they all remained together the ensuing three years. Their real estate in Indiana not having been disposed of, at the end of that term Mrs. Sharp, accompanied

Besides the three women-Mrs. Sharp, Mrs. Connor and Mrs. Taylor-there were in the boat fifteen children, of various ages, making the whole number of persons orig- by several of her children, returned to it

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

and prosecuted the work which had been be- the best farms in the county are in this town- gun under the auspices of her lamented hus- ship. The farmers are industrious and are recognized as independent thinkers. band. The ensuing year the rest of her chil- dren joined her; and, uniting their efforts, they soon fitted up a comfortable home and in a few years found themselves in easy cir- cumstances, surrounded by kind and friendly neighbors and in the enjoyment of peace and plenty.

At the period to which the foregoing narra- tive refers, the country lying between the Sus- quehanna, Allegheny and Kiskiminetas was but sparsely settled; the Indian and the wild beast roamed through the forest at will; the Laughlin, Wallace & Fulton, and Carnahan hills were covered with tall timber and the Bros., the present firm. valleys with a rank growth of grass and The first blacksmith was James Ray, in 1848-49. The first shoemaker was Thomas MeGaughney, the first and only cooper Wil- liam Gray, 1852-56. The first wheelwright was Charles Kerr, 1850-51. The first carpen- ter was James Anderson, 1876. The first teacher was Mr. McClain, who taught in a log house on Indiana street. The post office was established in 1870. William Calhoun was the first postmaster. weeds; the cowpath served as a road, dircet- ing the traveler from house to house; of churches and schoolhouses there were none, and of mills and workshops but a few; and yet there subsisted among the settlers a com- munity of feeling which rendered life not only tolerable, but pleasurable. But the hand of time. and the spirit of improvement have changed the scene-and the reader knows the rest.

In 1804 an Act was passed by the Legis- lature of Pennsylvania, establishing an elec- tion district, and stating that elections should be held at the house of Jacob Haas, of said district. In 1807 the townships of Armstrong, Washington and Center were erected in to a separate election district and the electors of the township were authorized to hold their general elections at the house of Peter Sut- ton, in the town of Indiana, or at such other house in said town as the commissioners of Indiana county shall direct. The election was held at the house of Peter Sutton.

On March 20, 1807, the first election of Armstrong township was held in the house of Jacob Anthony, when the following were elected: Constable, Jacob Anthony ; super- visors, Joseph McNutt and William Calhoun ; overseers of the poor, John Pattison and Nathan Douthitt ; fence appraisers, Benjamin Walker and Thomas Benson. Robert Robison and James McNutt were the judges of the election. Thirty-five was the highest vote cast for any candidate. In 1808, an act was passed authorizing the elections to be held at the house of David McCullough, said town- ship.

The soil is a sandy loam and well adapted to farming. Coal is found in abundance. The only borough in the township is Sheloeta, sit- uated on Crooked creek. The principal oc- cupation of the people is farming. Some of

Stewartsville (Parkwood P. O.) .- Parkwood was laid out by Thomas McCrea on New Year's Day, 1848, for William Anderson, Sr. It was named Stewartsville in honor of Archi- bald Stewart. The first house was erected for a dwelling by Samuel Anderson on the corner of Indiana and Clarion streets. The first store was established in 1851 by Thomp- son McCrea and Robert Smith. Their suc- cessors were Pattersou McAdoo, Joseph M.

Tannery Village .- Samuel Mccullough started a tannery on the site of the village in 1839. In 1860 he engaged in the shook business and also had a small store. About this time the place began to have some im- portance as a trading post. The post office was established in 1854, with Mr. Mccullough as postmaster. In 1870 the office was removed to James A. Laney's, about two miles dis- tant from the village. Mr. McCullough was succeeded in 1866 by John W. Henderson.

The majority of the citizens have been in- terested in education. Forty years ago there were twelve school districts in the township, and the same number today. The following were pupils in the Parkwood school: Rev. J. N. Norris, a Presbyterian minister ; Rev. J. A. Keener, United Presbyterian minister on the Pacific Coast; Rev. W. T. Anderson, a United Presbyterian minister who is serv- ing his third appointment as a missionary in India; W. A. Cochran, who was superin- tendent of the schools of Indiana county, now a merchant in Johnstown, Pa .; Dr. W. B. Ray, a physician at Glenshaw, Pa .; H. E. Anderson, an attorney ; J. B. Keener, an at- torney on the Pacific coast; Logan Anderson, an attorney.

The following were pupils in the Hilltop school : Rev. A. W. Mccullough, a United Presbyterian and Lutheran minister, de- ceased; Rev. Harvey Robinson, a Presbyter- ian minister.

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The following were pupils of the Anthony who were married in 1843, lived together school: Dr. Kennedy MeCurdy, who died for fifty-one years; they are the parents of when ready to practice; Dr. J. Martin Mc- Thomas Anderson, of Parkwood, Pa. James Curdy, a physician at Dravoesburg, Pa .; R. E. Anderson and Margaret Dean were married Harbison, a teacher and dentist, practiced in 1842, and lived together fifty-seven and at Reynoldsville, Pa., deceased; J. Elder Pee- lor, a teacher and at present a successful at- torney at Indiana, Pennsylvania.

The following attended the Walker school: Revs. John and Clark Wiggins, United Pres- byterian ministers, John now deceased and Clark in the ministry in Kansas; Dr. Hind- man Armstrong, who at one time practiced at Cookport, Pa .; Dr. A. W. Calhoun, a physi- cian in Denver, Colorado.

Rev. N. S. Fiscus, a Presbyterian minister, and D. I. Johnston, an attorney in Oklahoma, were pupils in the John Fleming school.

The following were pupils in the Peelor school : Thomas McElhoes, an attorney ; Earl Miller, a successful attorney at Indiana, Pa .; Jesse E. Fleming (son of R. M. Flem- ing), went to Denver, Colo., engaged in the lumber business, and has recently been ap- pointed as chairman of the committee to de- vise ways and means for tunneling the Rocky mountains so as to gain a shorter route be- tween the Atlantic and Pacific. He and his brother Calvin, also a pupil of the school, have become very prosperous citizens in that great western city of Denver.

Margaret Dean Anderson, of this town- ship, has been a United Presbyterian mis- sionary for thirty years.

Some of the largest and most successful select schools of the county have been con- ducted at Shelocta, Parkwood and Hilltop. Rev. A. N. McCulloughi conducted the first select school in the township at Hilltop. The school was afterwards taught by Mr. Harvey Stewart. Mr. J. Elder Peelor conducted a very large and successful school at Parkwood.

one-half years; Margaret Dean Anderson, the missionary, is their daughter. Mary Anderson and Augustus Reed lacked twenty-two days of living together fifty years. Daniel Ander- son and Mary B. McCollam were married in 1853, and celebrated their sixtieth anniver- sary. Margaret Anderson and Thomas Cald- well were married in 1853 and lived together fifty-five years, nine months. Nancy Ander- son and James Ray were married in 1851 and lived together forty-six years. Martha Anderson and John Forsythe were married March 10, 1863, and celebrated their fiftieth anniversary this year.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 84

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Stewart, Joshua Thompson, 1862- comp
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, J. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 930