Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 93

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 93

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In 1905 and 1906 the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company commenced to make a low- grade freight line through the town, and very much avoidable damage was permitted that does not seem to be remedial. It was unnecessary, and the people of the town were apprised of the impending injury, so that they saw it coming, but owing to a lack of public integrity on the part of some, and on account of a lack of ordinary foresight on the part of others, combined with the lack of ability and courage on the part of a majority, the thing was permitted to occur, and it stands as a monument to those responsible for it. This includes some in authority as to the township roads. One of the worst things permitted was the change made on the Saltsburg road. It should have been kept direct and also have come into the town so as to connect directly with a main and wide street, and the law required that this road should come in as near to the one closed as possible. The portion of the town above the railroad is much isolated by railroad cuts and tracks, as is North Blairsville.

supplied with water from artesian wells. Blairsville College for Women is being re- organized and will soon loom larger than has

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

yet been conceived. We have some fine church gheny Junction to Allegheny City. After the buildings and comfortable school buildings. The United Presbyterian congregation is now building an attractive house of worship on the site of the former one. Its construc- tion is in charge of Homer and A. B. Ham- ilton, of Pittsburg, sons of the late R. W. Hamilton, and W. A. Lear, of Bolivar, is in charge of the brick work. D. M. Kier is chair- man of the church building committee and Claire Kennedy secretary. There is one man in town that has offered to start a sub- scription with $10,000 to build a new hotel as a matter of public benefit to the town. An official of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company said to the writer a few days ago that he thought more money was paid out here now to employees than when this was headquarters for the division.

The Kiskiminetas valley commences at Saltsburg, fourteen miles northwest of Blairs- ville, and the Allegheny valley about sixteen miles northwest of Saltsburg, the latter valley extending on into Pittsburg. The Conemaugh valley commences above Johnstown some thirty miles or more east of here. The river forms on a slope of the Allegheny mountains. The courses of the Conemaugh, Kiskiminetas and Allegheny rivers make the valleys. The Others here who were engaged in construc- West Penn, now the Conemaugh, Division of the Pennsylvania railroad follows

these streams and connects with the main stem of R. L. O'Donnell, now general superinten- the road this side of Johnstown. It is used dent; George W. Creighton, now a general superintendent, who did construction work on the West Penn when the grade was being changed; and C. S. d'Invilliers, who became chief engineer of construction. from Pittsburg here for passenger service as well as freight, and all Fort Wayne and Chicago freights come over this line, the freights coming through here by subway. The length of the line is between eighty and ninety miles. The old West Penn Division was opened for passenger and freight traffic to Saltsburg in July, 1864, and operated by the construction department, Antes Snyder being principal assistant engineer. Mr. Sny- der came from Lycoming county, Pa., where he received his training as an engineer, com- mencing with an uncle distinguished in that line who lived there. Under George B. Rob- erts (afterwards president of the entire sys- tem), as first assistant, he constructed most of the West Penn road, and directed its oper- ation for some time under the superintendent of the Pittsburg Division.

When traffic operations commenced between Blairsville and Allegheny Junction, Antes Snyder continued in charge as operating officer, having also charge of the building of the Pittsburg branch, at that time, from Alle- railroad) ; Robert Bruce, now deceased, who 31

road began to operate through to Allegheny City continuously from Blairsville, Antes Snyder was made assistant superintendent under Robert Pitcairn, superintendent, and had direct charge of operations. He remained in that capacity until succeeded by Robert Neilson, who took charge of the operation of the road, Mr. Snyder being assigned to some engineering duties upon construction and right of way. For a short time he was in the lumber business, returning to the employ of the Pennsylvania R. R. Co. as engineer of right of way of the Western Division, which office he filled most creditably until his death, which occurred several years ago. His wife and daughters live here, as elsewhere noted. Mr. Snyder was an authority on land titles, a local historian and a Christian gentleman, interested always in the best things for the promotion of the community and the State. Joseph B. Hutchinson, his first assistant dur- ing the construction of the West Penn road, has been connected with the Pennsylvania system for half a century, in various capac- ities, now as assistant to the vice president; he had charge as chief engineer of the change of grade on the West Penn Division in 1882.

tion or other work in connection with the railroad were: Samuel Rea, now president;

The two last named, as well as other citi- zens of Blairsville, were on the ill-fated Col- lins expedition to Brazil, in 1878, to build a railroad around the falls and upper rapids of the upper Madeira river, the idea being to run steamboats above and below these ob- structions and thus connect with the ocean steamers to New York. The two contracting firms were P. & F. Collins and Mackie, Scott & Co. The government failing to make good caused the abandonment of the project. Among the Blairsville men connected there- with were: Charles Bird, who was engineer in charge of the construction of the Isabella Coke Ovens at Coketown, near here, in 1872; Joseph Byers (the Byers family, father and three or four sons, lived here, and all were civil engineers of note; Charles Byers was for a time resident engineer of the Reading

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

was in the Union army during the Civil war, 1906-07; and George W. Creighton, referred and who continued work at his profession (in to elsewhere. which he was proficient) in Pittsburg; The State has an armory here, and there is Thomas and James Maher; Robert Evans; a company of the National Guard of Pennsyl- G. D. Wilkinson; Freeman Wilkinson; C. S. vania, L Company, 10th Regiment, Infantry, d'Invilliers, eminent as an engineer and a three officers, sixty-four men. Among the man highly respected, who was in charge of well-known military men of the town at pres- the work when the extensive change of grade ent are Lieut. Col. George Crede and Capt. was made on the Conemaugh Division in George MeCune.

CHAPTER XXVIII

CANOE TOWNSHIP

Canoe township was formed from Mont- ten years. Prior to 1900 there were but few gomery township in 1847, the date of the survey being July 3d of that year. It re- ceived its name from the creek which was called the Canoe, from the fact that its mouth on the Mahoning was generally the head of canoe navigation.

The first settlers were Daniel Brewer and his sons, the Clawsons, the Hendricks (or Hendrixes), George Saltsgiver, the States, John White, the Bradys, Leasures, and others.

In 1827, when Adam D. Tigers arrived, his neighbors were John N. North; John White; James Black, on the Mrs. Porter Black prop- erty ; Daniel Brewer, on the George S. Hen- nigh farm; Egman, on the William Martin property ; John Brady, on the Tobias Braugh- ler place; and the Hendricks, on the George Smith tract.

The first school taught, supported by sub- scription, was in the White neighborhood as early as 1820 or 1821. The name of the first teacher is unknown, but the building is re- membered as a very rude round log cabin.

The stories of the past in regard to hunt- ing indicate the forests as inhabited by nu- merous bears, deer, wolves, etc. Old men speak of Henry Brewster's killing eleven bears in a single afternoon, within a mile of the residence of C. R. White.

Prior to 1900 lumbering and farming were the principal occupation of the inhabitants. The Little Mahoning afforded convenient transportation for marketing the lumber. There was little change in the population from 1870 to 1900, there being an increase from 998 to 1,290, but in 1910 the population was 3,809. This great difference was due to the mining industries.

teachers in the township, but today they can boast of having among their number some of the leading teachers in the county. There are nineteen schools and 869 pupils. The following are the churches: The United Presbyterian, Presbyterian and Baptist at Rochester Mills; the Fairview

the Union near Rossiter, the Evangelical at Smyerstown, the United Brethren at Canoe, the United Evangelical at Juneau, the Cum- berland Presbyterian and the St. Francis Roman Catholic at Rossiter, and the Evangeli- cal, east of Locust Lane.

Richmond, Rochester Mills P. O .- The first settlers on the site of the village were David Simpson and John Tozier, who owned the land which included the village. A hemlock tree stands near the bridge and marks the bound- ary line beteen the two tracts. The village is situated in Canoe and Grant townships. The first lot was sold by David Simpson to Isaac Bell. Mr. Simpson disposed of the second lot to Daniel Bell. The first house was erected by David Simpson for a dwelling. The see- ond building was the mill of David Simpson. The place was known as Simpson's Mill till 1862, when it was called Richmond, ou ac- count of the excitement of the war against the "Confederate Richmond."

The post office of Rochester Mills was es -. tablished in 1867. J. C. Rochester was the first postmaster. The first merchant was J. C. Rochester, 1866, succeeded in 1869 by Duffie & Rochester.

Robertsville derives its name from Robert Roberts, who was the proprietor of three thousand acres of land in the vicinity. He erected a sawmill and endeavored to found

Canoe township has made great strides in a village, which today contains a single education and religious work during the last house. In 1841 there were two dwellings, a

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

cabin and a two-story frame house of eight four-room building having been burned in rooms. In the latter building there resided 1911. (in that year, for a time) Ezra Horton and Frances .- This town was started in 1907 wife; John Williams and wife Mary, who by the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg died in her one hundredth year, in 1879; Coal & Iron Company, and named for Frances Blaisdell, daughter of W. S. Blais- dell, the chief stockholder of the coal com- pany. The mines at this place have an out- put of one thousand tons daily. Thomas Smith and wife Mary; James Graham and wife Eliza; James Herbison and Nancy; Samuel Becket, his mother Sarah, and his sister Sarah; George Mitchell and wife; Thomas Bishop, wife and four children ; Smyerstown .- This town is a suburb and was started at the same time as Rossiter. A number of people desirous of owning their own homes located at this place. The town, which has a population of almost one thou- sand inhabitants, took its name from its first settler, Benjamin Smyers. At this place there is a new four-room school building. William Bishop, and William Wingam. These were generally Irish and English emi- grants, who had come to these wilds to seek a fortune. One was a London tailor, an- other a city painter, another a city shoemaker, etc. They soon were disgusted with frontier life and returned to eastern cities.

Locust Lane is located on a tract of land purchased by William G. Lewis, who erected his residence in 1860, and commenced mer- chandising in 1863. In the latter year the post office of Locust Lane was established with Mr. Lewis as postmaster. The second merchant was Henry Miller. The black- smiths have been Daniel Bee, Philip Palmer, George A. Gamble and Dennis Gamble. The

The first election in Canoe township was steam sawmill commenced operations in the held Friday, February 11, 1848, at the house fall of 1872. It had a circular saw and a twenty-horsepower engine, and could produce eight thousand feet of lumber per day.

Rossiter .- This town is situated in the center of one of the largest coal fields in Indiana county, having a daily output of three thousand tons. The town was started in 1901 by the Clearfield Bituminous Coal Cor- poration and named for William Rossiter, one of the chief stockholders of the company. Messrs. R. A. Shillingford and W. J. Broad- meadow were the original promoters of the town for the coal company. The following are the leading stores: A. F. Kelly Supply, J. A. Pierce, J. Freas Jones, Frank Fera and Barnett Levinson. There are two hotels, "The Brandon," with M. S. Murray as proprietor, and "The Rossiter," with W. J. Daugherty as proprietor. The present postmaster is R. T. Mogle. In 1907, a rural route was estab- lished from this place, with A. J. McFarland as carrier. When the town of Rossiter was started there was but one schoolhouse, the Smith, which stood near the dwelling of Mr. Jacob Smith. At present there are two mod- ern four-room school buildings. The one in North Rossiter was built in 1912, the former

Juneau .- This is a small town on the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg railroad located in a beautiful valley at the junction of the Buffalo & Susquehanna railroad, lead- ing from this place to Plumville and Wallops- burg. At this place there is a two-room school building. Mrs. Emery Shields is post- mistress.

of George Smith, when the following officers were elected. Justice of the peace, William Martin Irish, who had thirty-five votes; supervisors. Adam Tiger and George Pearce; constable, Charles R. White; assessor, Sam- uel P. White; school directors, William Mar- tin, Robert Mitchell, Job Pearce; judge, Wil- liam Block; auditor, Daniel Hopkins; in- spectors, Tobias Braughler and George Piper; poor overseers, Adam Tiger and George Pearce; township clerk, Simon Henry; elec- tion officers-judge, John Miller; inspectors, James Gallaher (who made his "mark") and John Pollock.

The following are the oldest citizens in the township: Isaac Tiger, Jacob Tiger, Amos Miller, Jacob Smith, James Timblin, Charles White, N. S. North, Joseph Baun, George Braughler, Adam Shields and Samuel Calder- wood.

The assessor's book for 1913 shows the fol- lowing: Number and value of horses as- sessed, 256-$11,134; number and value of cows assessed, 276-$3,690; taxables, 1,183; taxable real estate, $349,554; money at in- terest, $73,288.23; number of acres of cleared land, 10,712 ; number of acres of timber land, 6,919; cost of assessment, $82.75.

CHAPTER XXIX

CENTER TOWNSHIP-HOMER CITY BOROUGH

Center township was formed from Arm- strong townships it was organized into a sep- strong township in 1807 and in 1870 had a arate election district, and their first voting population of 1,555 and in 1910 of 3,124. place was in the house of Peter Sutton in the The soil is generally adapted to raising grain town of Indiana. and growing stock. There is a sufficient quan- tity of coal to make the opening and work- ing of mines profitable. A great part of the east half of the township is occupied by coal companies who are carrying on successful operations. There were in the township in olden times several blockhouses to which its people were in the habit of congregating for mutual protection from the ravages of the Indians. One was on the Peter Fair farm. The logs with marks of portholes still remain. Among the early settlers of the county who fled to the blockhouse, were Samuel Wilkin, Daniel Mckesson, James Mitchell, G. Doty, Thomas McCrea, Samuel Todd. Thomas Wil- kins carried apple trees on his back from Franklin and planted them on a farm owned by Robert McGee. The family were forced to flee, and while they were away the Indians came and pulled up all the trees except three, which are still standing. The family re- turned seven years afterwards. Thomas Burns settled on the farm afterwards owned by William and Thomas Burns in the year 1791. He brought apple trees from Cham- bersburg and planted them on the farm.

The oldest organized church in Indiana county is the Center township. It bears the name of Bethel. The Psalm book used by Rev. J. W. Henderson is still in existence. Mr. Henderson was the first Presbyterian minister in the county and was pastor of the Bethel church at the time of its organiza- tion.

The association called the "Whiskey Boys" had its headquarters at the house owned after- wards by Robert Hamill. John Allison built the first gristmill in Center township, the site of which was located on the land afterwards owned by John H. Devers.

The first schoolhouse was on the farm of W. H. McMullen and was erected in 1798. This was a rude log building, 20 by 25 feet in dimensions, and for the first few years had no floor. The windows were of greased paper and a huge chimney occupied one end of the house. Its round log, chinked, mud daubed sides and clapboard roof made it a curiosity even in the days of cabins. The first teacher was John Mark, from 1798 to 1801. The next was James M. Kelly (afterwards the noted lawyer), in 1802, and three other early teachers were William Fulton, William Flem- ing and Thomas McClanahan. The old set- tlers were: James Smith, born on the John Clawson farm in 1787; Hon. Joseph Camp- bell, born in Center township in 1799, who worked with Rev. Joseph Henderson on the Henderson farm (the mother and daughter took in weaving), was an associate judge for five years, and was among the earliest anti- slavery reformers and champions of the tem- perance cause in the county; Robert MeKis- son, who located in Center township in 1796; Mrs. Susan Stewart, born on the Nicholas Baroon farm in 1799; Thomas Burns, who purchased the Burns homestead in 1790 (he served four years under the noted Paul Jones and other American commanders) ; Adam Johnston, who came to the farm afterwards occupied by George W. Johnston in 1812, where he erected a cabin and blacksmith shop ; James W. Laughlin, born on the Laughlin farm in 1809, and Andrew Allison, who set- tled on the bank of Twolick on the site of an old Indian town opposite the present village of Homer City. Here Allison built a cabin and cleared some ground for agricultural purposes. A hole in one side of the cabin served as a place of ingress and egress. One

The township was named from its position. night, while reposing on his rudely con- In the same year with Washington and Arm- structed couch in one corner, he heard a noise

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

or stir at the hole, and, looking up, saw a large panther standing with his head inside and his paws on the lower leg or sill, looking wistfully up at some venison that was sus- pended from a joist in the cabin. Andrew reached for his rifle. but before he had time to take aim the panther backed out and dis- appeared. In 1790 Allison penetrated far- ther into. the forest and opened up a farm now owned by Charles Nichol, of White town- ship. Here he was the frontier settler, with nothing between him and the Susquehanna river but the howling wilderness abounding with wild beasts and traversed by hostile savages.

A report having reached him one evening that the Indians were in the vicinity, he took his family, consisting of his wife and one child, and fled to his nearest neighbor, Irwin Adams, who lived on the G. A. McClain farm. Mrs. Adams was sick in bed. . During the night the Indians kept them in constant ter- ror, one whistling on his rifle charger on one side of the cabin, and another answering .in like manner on the other side. The inmates were on their feet all night, the men having their rifles in their hands, ready to repel an attack, and the others being engaged in stop- ping up the cracks between the logs to pre- vent the assailants from taking aim at any one inside. Dreading a warm reception, the Indians kept at a respectful distance, and finally withdrew. In the morning Allison and Adams yoked the oxen and placed Mrs. Adams and her infant daughter (afterwards Mrs. George McCartney, mother of Mr. Sam- uel McCartney, of Indiana) on a sled and proceeded with their families to the Moorhead fort, on the farm now owned by E. B. Camp- bell. After remaining there several days, Allison went to look after his farm and got some articles that had been left, but the cabin with all its contents had been burnt, the Indians having fired it during his absence. He then returned to his father's on Twolick, where another fort was being ereeted. There he remained until some time in 1793, when he removed to the forks of Twolick and Yellow creek on an improvement made by John Henry at an earlier date, but who on account of the dangers that surrounded him had re- turned to his former home in Virginia. At this place Allison remained until 1795, when he purchased an improvement made in 1772 by John Hopkins, about three miles south of Indiana, Hopkins and his family having fled on account of the Indian troubles. After Allison had settled on the Hopkins farm the

Indians made sneaking visits to the settle- ments, but were less hostile than before. Here again, he was on the frontier, with neither house nor publie road, bridge, church or schoolhouse within ten miles. It was truly a secluded spot: the silence of the forest was seldom broken except by the howling wolves, the yelling panther or the crack of the hunt- er's rifle.

Among the first settlers of what is now Center township was William Smith, whose grandson became sheriff of this county. In 1772 he located on a tract of land owned at this time by John Clawson, and resided there a number of years. When the Indians began their depredations in the vieinity he took his wife and one child to Wallace's Fort. After being there some days he returned, ac- companied by Mr. Evans, to get his plow irons and other farming implements, and was at his cabin the very day on which Laughlin, Campbell and others were taken captives a mile and half off. After that he took back his family to his improvement, but was driven away again by the appearance of hostile Indians in the neighborhood. This time he went to Donehue's, above Blairsville. Being continually subjected to danger. he at length took his family and returned to Concocheague, in Franklin county, his original home, and afterwards took part in the Revolutionary struggle, serving as a private in the Penn- sylvania line. After the war he came to Indiana county and improved his lands, his eabin not having been disturbed during the seven years he was away. Here he resided, surrounded by his family, until the day of his death, which occurred in 1822.

The following incident is illustrative of the scenes of those times, showing how John B. Allison, son of Andrew Allison, when only nine years old was the actual slayer of eight wolves in one day. About the first of July, 1805. an old man by the name of John Falk- instine, who had traps set on Yellow creek and had eaught an old mother wolf, came to Allison's and stated that he had found a den of wolves in a hollow log about a mile off. He asked for an axe and some assistance. Allison, being otherwise engaged, sent his two sons, Robert and John, with the old trapper. IIaving arrived at the place, they found one old wolf lying at the butt of the log with a lot of young ones. She made an attack on the party. The old trapper attempted to shoot her. but his gun missed fire and she escaped. The young wolves, eight in number, then retreated into the hollow log. A hole was

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HISTORY OF INDIANA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ent into the side of the log where Robert in- ton No. 2 plant was built, together with the serted a pole, driving the whelps back to the town of Graceton and everything necessary mouth where the old man grabbed them one by one by the hind legs and held them until John killed them with a club as fast as they were drawn out. There appeared to have been . two sets, one fat and sleek, and the other lean and rough. Being at last permanently located and no longer annoyed by the Indians, Allison succeeded in opening a fine farm and erecting comfortable buildings. He died on this farm in 1815, at the age of 58. for an up-to-date coke plant. Harry Me- Creary was in charge of these operations from the time the purchase was made until he bought the property from the other partners and sold it to the present owners, the Youngs- town Steel Company, of Youngstown, Ohio. At Mr. MeCreary's suggestion the new owners placed Mr. H. S. Overly in charge of the plant. After his resignation, about a year later, Mr. Everhard Bierer was made superintendent, and in the course of several years was succeeded by the present incum- bent, Mr. C. M. Lingle. The produet of this plant is sold to foundries who require the highest grade of coke manufactured. Large sums have been spent by the present owners in providing machinery of greater capacity. soundest logs and used them in building his building additional houses and store.

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Indiana County, Pennsylvania, her people, past and present, Volume I, Part 93

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