USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 67
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PIONEER NOTES
The place was laid out in 1830 as the county seat. In 1831 a traveler speaks of it as a "shanty town," and doubts that the popula- tion might amount to fifty.
Under date of 1830 we find the following : "Brookville :- The spot selected by the com- missioners as the seat of justice for Jefferson county, and confirmed by act of Assembly, etc., has lately been laid out in town lots and out lots bearing this name. At the sale which took place last week, town lots were sold from thirty dollars to three hundred dollars each ; the last day's sale averaged above fifty dollars, without including a mill seat ( Barr's) sold for one thousand dollars. Proceeds of sale will no doubt be sufficient to build a courthouse. This may be considered high rate for lots most of which still remain in a state of nature, but the advantages and prospects of this new county town attracted a crowd of strangers. Persons were known to be present from twelve neigh- boring counties. The location of Brookville is a good one, and it has been judiciously laid out by Mr. Sloan, the artist. It is situated on the Susquehanna and Waterford turnpike, forty-four miles east of Franklin, and im- mediately at the head of Red Bank, which is formed by the confluence of the three branches of the Sandy Lick at this point. Red Bank
35:
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
has in general a sufficiency of water for steam- boats on the Blanchard plan. The Allegheny steamboats could visit Brookville were it Mot for the obstructions created by a few mill- dams. Brookville must become the place of deposit for the iron manufactured in the coun- ties of Centre and Clearfield, designed for the Pittsburgh market. The lands of Jefferson county are of much better quality than is gen- erally supposed by those who have formed an
up in August, 1830. There are now here about forty dwellings, a brick courthouse and offices, four stores and four taverns."
"Brookville, the county seat, is situated on the Waterford and Susquehanna turnpike. forty-four miles east of Franklin, and imme- (liately at the head of Red Bank creek, which is here formed by the confluence of three branches .* The town was laid out by the county commissioners in 1830: the lots were
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estimate by merely passing through them. Large bodies are exceedingly well adapted to the culture of small grains. Should this vil- lage spring up as rapidly as it bids fair to do, it may be considered an acquisition to the in- terests of the Northern turnpike road."
Purchasers stopped with James Parks, near where Christ's brewery was later located, and with David Butler, on the east side of the North Fork, at the head of what is now A. Wayne Cook's dam. A number also stopped with John Eason, in his shanty on Main street. We quote two other carly chroniclers :
"Brookville p. t. and st. of jus, of Jeffer- son county, situated on the Susquehanna and Waterford turnpike road, 44 ms. S. E. from Franklin, 238 N. W. from W. C. (Washing- ton city ), and 165 miles from Harrisburg (northwest ). ... The first building was put
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A PLOT OF THE TOWN OF BROOKVILLE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY SURVEYED JUNE A.D. 1830. BY JOHN SLOAN SC
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sold in June of that year at from thirty dollars lo three hundred dollars per lot, and the erec- tion of houses commenced soon after. The
*All these writers speak of the three branches of Sandy Lick. This is erroneous, as Mill creek does not extend to Brookville, but empties into Sandy Lick at Port Barnett, and the Five Mile run, which must be the third branch referred to, empties into Sandy Lick in Rose township, so that it was only Sandy Lick and the North Fork, or Little Brier, that formed Red Bank. In all the old histories and maps of Jefferson county, Red Bank is not found in Jeffer- son county ; until it flows into Armstrong it is called Sandy Lick. Mr. Jordan says: "I have again looked over Heckewelder's Indian notes, and I fail to find that he has recorded any 'Redbank,' in any part of the States of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland or Virginia, as well as that of our own, and such being the case 1 must incline to the opinion that he only knew of the 'Sandy Lick,' or crossed it in his travels. In the Delaware tongue, Sandy was or is Legantei, a lick mahoni, also Sandy-Leganwi, creek hanne- these for Sandy Lick and Sandy Creek."
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
place now contains about fifty or sixty dwell- ings and stores, a large brick courthouse and public offices, and a Presbyterian church. The town is watered by hydrants, supplied by a copious spring in the hill on the north. . . . Population in 1840, two hundred and seventy- six.'
The first person who located in what is now Brookville, as far as can be ascertained, was Moses Knapp, who has already been noticed as one of the first settlers in the county. He built a log house about the year 1801, at the mouth of the North Fork, and afterwards built a log gristmill at the same place. At this place six of his eleven children. John, Amy, Josiah, Moses, Clarissa and Joseph, were born, the first in 1807 and the latter in 1818. In 1821 he purchased a quantity of land from the Hol- land Land Company in what is now Clover township, upon warrants numbered 3,082 and 3.200, which included the ground upon which the present village of Dowlingville is built.
One of the first to locate in Brookville after it became the county seat, was John Eason. father of Rev. David Eason. Mr. Eason had removed from Lycoming county to the Cherry Tree. in Indiana county, but not liking that location, when the town of Brookville was laid ont he attended the first sale of lots and pur- chased the lot at the corner of Main street and Spring alley, where he erected one of the first houses, if not the very first, in the place, in August, 1830, and opened it as a hotel as soon as it was completed. Mr. Eason died in 1835. and his widow, nee Catharine Darr, after- wards married John Smith, who came from Carlisle in 1831, and kept a small store located on Jefferson street, on the U. P. Church lot.
James Corbet, who was appointed, in 1830, by Governor Wolf, the first prothonotary. register and recorder, and clerk of courts for Jefferson county, moved from his mill in Rose township to Brookville in the spring of 1831. and built a log house on Main street, on the site now occupied by the property of IIon. C. R. Vasbinder. Soon after he moved to Brook- ville he engaged in storekeeping, and the firm of Corbet & Barr sold goods in a little tenement that stood on the lot now embraced in the "American House" block. Mr. Corbet was prominently connected with the official affairs of Jefferson county, and for many years a respected .citizen of Brookville. In 1850 he was appointed postmaster, and also held the office of justice of the peace. He was the son of William and Sarah Corbet, and was born in Mifflin county March 19, 1794. His father moved into Armstrong county ( now Clarion ). 23
in the spring of 1814. Mr. Corbet came to Jefferson county in 1824. He was a resident of Brookville for the first thirty-five years of its existence. His death occurred October 24, 1866.
The first produce was sold in Brookville in June, 1830, by the late Samuel Sloan, of Clar- ion ( Armstrong) county. Sloan was engaged in hauling to and from Bellefonte, "over the pike," which passed through what is now Brookville. One day when he was about start- ing on one of these trips, his mother asked him to take some butter with him and sell it to some one on his way. He also put a few hams and some bags of flour in his wagon, and when he came to the present town of Brookville, which was being surveyed, he was hailed by Mr. John Eason, who had put up a little house in the woods and was boarding the surveyors of the town plot. and who wanted to know whether he had anything eatable to sell. On Mr. Sloan replying in the affirmative, a bargain was soon struck, and Mr. Eason bought all the flour, hams and but- ter, remarking: "Mr. Sloan, you can say that you sold the first produce in Brookville."
In 1831 William Robinson lived in a little log house on the corner of Mill (now Franklin avenue ) and Water streets. This log house as well as a log stable had been built by Moses Knapp in 1806. The next person to locate was perhaps Thomas Hall. Benjamin McCreight was an early settler. 1830. Mr. McCreight was a tailor and carried on the business. He was an honorable and useful man, and held many responsible posi- tions during his life here. John Dougherty attended the sale of lots, bought several, and in 1831 moved to Brookville. Thomas M. Barr came here in 1830. He was a stone-mason and bricklayer, and assisted to build up the town by taking contracts. The pioneer black- smith was Jacob Riddleberger, in 1832-33. William Clark, Sr., came to Brookville in 1830, and erected a tavern on the northwest corner of Pickering and Jefferson streets. In the fall of 1830 Jared B. Evans moved his store from Port Barnett to Brookville, and was appointed the pioneer postmaster for Brook- ville post office. His was the pioneer store. and the second store was opened three days later by Maj. William Rodgers. Major Rodg- ers was the first merchant to sell drugs and medicines in Brookville, in 1831. 1-Ie sold Dover's powder. Hooper's pills, mercurial ointment, wine, brandy, whisky, quinine, etc. Thomas Hastings located in 1831, and built the "Jefferson Tavern." Robert P. Barr came in
354
JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
1830. lle was a useful and public-spirited man. He built the sawmill and flouring-mill on the North Fork. Joseph Sharpe was the first shoemaker and the first constable; he lived on the lot now occupied by the National Bank of Brookville. William Jack came to Brookville in 1831, and was sent to Congress from this district. Richard Arthurs, Esq., located here in 1831 or thereabouts; Cyrus Butler in 1830-31; James Corbet in 1830. Alexander McKnight located in Brookville in 1832. Ile taught the first term of school in the first school building, was the first school director elected for the new borough, held the office of justice of the peace, lieutenant colo- nel in the militia, had served a year as private in the regular army of the United States, and was county treasurer when he died, in 1837, aged twenty-seven years.
Samuel Craig located in Brookville in 1832, Hugh Brady, Esq., in 1832, and John Ram- sey, the pioneer wagonmaker, in 1834. John Showalter located here in 1843; he lived in Snyder's row, was a gunsmith, and had a confectionery shop. The pioneer gunsmith was Isaac Mills. James R. Fullerton located in Brookville in 1833. The pioneer doctor was Alvah Evans, who came in September, 1831. Hle was a young, handsome, portly man. He remained four or five months and left. Where he came from or where he went to nobody knows. The second doctor was C. G. M. Prime. He came in the spring of 1832. Dr. Prime amputated the arm of Henry ( Hance) Vastbinder. During his residence here he married a Miss Wagley. He was a hard drinker. He left here April 3. 1835, for Miss- issippi, where he was shot and killed at a card table. He became a lawyer while here. and delivered political speeches and Fourth of July orations.
. The pioneer saddle and harness manufac- tory in Brookville was opened by John Brown- lee, on May 8, 1834.
A Mr. McDonald started the pioneer cabinet and furniture factory in 1831-32.
The pioneer foundry was started by a man named Coleman, in 18.11. It was located where the Fetzer building now is.
The pioneer gristmill was built by Moses Knapp.
The pioneer sawmill was built by Moses Knapp.
John J. Y. Thompson settled in Brookville in 1831, Andrew Craig in 1838. Robert Darrah in 1837, Arad Pearsall in 1833, Samuel C. Espy in 18.12, Hon. Philip Tavlor in 1841, John Gallagher in the early thirties. The pioneer
silversmith and watch and clockmaker was Andrew Straub, in 1833-34. Watches were then assessed as property.
In 1832 Peter Sutton built and kept a tavern on the corner of Taylor street, across the North Fork, now Litchtown. In 1832 or 1833 there was a frame tavern adjoining the "Franklin Tavern." It was kept for a num- ber of years by a man named Craig, Mrs. Wag- ley, and others.
The pioneer tannery was built in 1831 by David Henry, on the lot now occupied by the United Presbyterian church. As late as 1843 a great gully crossed Main street, carrying the water from this institution over and through the lot now occupied by that model institu- tion of the town, the National Bank of Brook- ville.
Miss Julia Clark opened the pioneer millin- ery and mantuamaking business in Brookville. Prices : Bonnets, leghorn, five dollars ; silk, two dollars and fifty cents; gimp, one dollar and fifty cents; straw, one dollar. In her ad- vertisement she says, "She can be seen, at her residence, four doors cast of E. Heath's store. on Main Street. Persons, so wishing, can be supplied by her with ladies' leghorn hats, flats and crown, from No. 32 to 42 ; ladies' Tuscan and French gimp; Italian braid hats; Leghorn braid, Tuscan and Italian edge, Misses' gimp hats, Tuscan ; French gimp by the piece. She hopes, by giving her undivided attention to the above business, to merit a share of public pat- ronage. Brookville, July 13th, 1834."
The pioneer tinner was Samuel Truby. He came from Indiana, Pennsylvania, arriving here on January 1, 1834. The last thirteen miles of the journey was through a dense forest, without house or clearing. They stopped at John Eason's tavern, and as soon as possible he commenced to cut down the trees on and clear his lot, corner of Jeffer- son and Pickering streets, preparatory to building a house, a contract for the building of which was taken by the late R. Arthurs, he agreeing to furnish all the material and finish it as specified by April ist for the sum of forty dollars, which was paid in silver quarters. The house was sixteen feet square and one and a half stories high.
Hon. Thomas Hastings came in May, 1831. "Nearly all of what is now the principal part of the town-Main street and Jefferson street -was then a forest. Only three houses had vet been built, the 'Red Lion Hotel', the hotel now occupied by P. J. Allgeier, and another hotel, which stood where Clif Deemer's dwell- ing now stands. Besides these houses just
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built, a little log house stood down by the North Fork creek. Such was Brookville in May, 1831. There was not a street opened. and the turnpike ran in a straight line from Allgeier's hotel to Pine street."
By an act of Assembly passed April 2, 1830, it was provided that front and after the Ist day of October, thereafter, the inhabitants of Jefferson county should "enjoy all and singular the jurisdiction, powers, rights, liberties, and privileges whatsoever within the same which the inhabitants of other counties of this State do, may, or ought to enjoy, by the law and Constitution of this Commonwealth."
"An Act (April 9, 1834) to erect Brook- ville, Armagh, Shrewsbury, and Greenfield into Boroughs, and to alter the Act incorporating the Borough of Meadville.
"SECTION I. Be it enacted, etc., That the town of Brookville. in the county of Jeffer- son, shall be, and the same is hereby, erected into a borough, which shall be called 'the borough of Brookville, in the county of Jef- ferson,' bounded and limited as follows,- viz .: Beginning at the southwest corner of lot number twenty-two in said town, near or adjoining Hunt's Point; thence due north along the marked line of said town to a post on the north side of Butler's alley; thence along the north side of said alley to its ex- tremity ; thence by a continued cast line to the northeast corner of the mill lot ; thence south three degrees, east eighty-four perches, to a red oak; thence south eighteen perches to a post ; thence south ten degrees, west seven- teen perches, to a white pine; thence south twenty-four degrees, west fifty-nine perches, to a post ; thence west twenty perches to the west side of Sandy Lick creek at high-water mark : thence up said creek, following the sev- eral courses thereof, to a point east of and opposite the mouth of the south end of Rose alley, being the extremity of the outlots : thence east to a maple opposite the south end of Pickering street ; thence north to the north- east corner of Water and Pickering streets ; thence along the south side of Water street to the northeast corner of lot number twenty- two aforesaid; thence around the lines of said lot to the place of beginning.
"SECTION 2. It shall and may be lawful for all persons entitled to vote for members of the Legislature, who have resided in said bor- ough twelve months immediately previous to such election, to meet at the courthouse in said borough (or at such other place as may hereafter be appointed) on the second Mon- day in May in every year, and then and there
elect by ballot, between the hours of twelve and six o'clock of the same day, one reputable citi- zen residing in said borough, who shall be styled the burgess of said borough, and five reputable citizens residing in said borough, who shall be a town council, and shall also elect one reputable citizen as town constable ; but previous to such election the inhabitants shall elect two reputable citizens as judges, one in- spector, and two clerks of said election, which shall be regulated and conducted according to the general election laws of this Common- wealth, so far as relates to receiving and count- ing votes, and who shall be subject to the same penalties for malpractices as by the said laws : are imposed. And the said judges, inspector, and clerks respectively, before they enter upon the duties of their respective offices, shall take an oath or affirmation before any justice of the peace of said county to perform the same with fidelity ; and after the said election shall be closed shall declare the persons having the greatest number of votes to be duly elected : and in case any two or more candidates shall have an equal number of votes, the preference shall be determined by lot, to be drawn by the judges and inspector ; whereupon duplicate re- turns thereof shall be signed by the said judges, one of which shall be transmitted to each of the persons elected, and the other filed among the records of the corporation. And in case of death, resignation, removal, or refusal to accept. or neglect or refusal to act after acceptance, of any of the said officers, the burgess, or in case of his death, absence, or inability to act, or when he neglects or refuses to act, the first named of the town council shall issue his precept, directed to the high con- stable, or when there is no high constable, or when he refuses or neglects to act, then any of the members of the town council shall ad- vertise and hold an election in manner afore- said to supply such vacancy, giving at least ten days' notice thereof by advertisements set up at four of the most public places in the said borough.
"SECTION 3. From and after the passage of this act the burgess and town council, duly elected as aforesaid, and their successors, shall be one body politic and corporate, in law, by the name and style of 'The Burgess and Town Council of the Borough of Brookville. in the County of Jefferson,' and shall have per- petual succession ; and the said burgess and town council aforesaid, and their successors. shall be capable in law to receive, hold, and possess goods and chattels. lands and tene- ments, rents, liberties, jurisdictions, franchises,
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
and hereditaments, to them and their succes- sors, in fee-simple, or otherwise, not exceed- mg the yearly value of five thousand dollars, and also to give, grant, sell, let, and assign the same lands, tenements, hereditaments, and rents : and by the name and style aforesaid they shall be capable in law to sue and be sued. plead and be impleaded, in any of the courts of law in this Commonwealth or elsewhere. in all manner of actions whatsoever, and to have and use one common seal, and the same from time to time at their will to change and alter."
The first complete set of borough officers was elected in 1835 under this law and the act of the 23d of February, 1835.
After the lots were sold in Brookville. it being then in Rose township, its citizens voted with the township until 1848, when it was set apart as a distinct polling place by act of the Legislature No. 285. regulating election dis- triets, and for other purposes. approved the 7th day of April, .A. D. 1848.
( See also Pioneer County Laws, Brookville Borough, in Chapter XI, County Formation and Government. )
Jefferson Blues
Pioncer Uniformed Military Company
Is near as I can learn, the pioneer military volunteer company in the county was the Jef- ferson Blues. This body of men was organ- ized at Brookville some time in 1836. and was a "Volunteer Rifle Association.' The pioneer officers were: Captain. John Wilson : lieutenants. William Kelso and Henry Vast- binder: orderly sergeant. Sammel Chitister. Band: Samuel Lneas, fifer: Oliver George. spare drummer : Evans R. Brady, bass drum- mer. Roll. July 1. 1836: John Wilson, Henry Vastbinder, Thomas Dixon. William Dixon, John Dixon, James Dixon. Daniel Long, Wil- liam Long, Michael Long. John Knapp. Joshua Knapp. Samuel Knapp. Paul Vandevort, David Vandevort, Joshua Vandevort, J. B. Graham, William Kelso, Samuel Chitister, David Chitis- ter, Daniel Chitister, Joseph Chitister, James Murphy. David Mason, William Mason, Jacob Mason. Benjamin Mason, James S. McCul- lough. William Mccullough. Moses Knapp. Jr .. David Moore, John Heterick. These Blues had an existence of seven years.
In the first ten years the town improved, but slowly. In 1843, when the academy was built. Jefferson street was yet a wilderness.
Tall pines and dense underbrush covered the ground where the academy was erected. The deer, bears, and even the wolf, had not yet yieldled possession to the white intruder.
In 1835 Brookville contained about one hundred and thirty-five people. The village had six mercantile establishments, those of Evans & Clover, William Rodgers, James Corbet, Jared B. Evans, Jack & Wise, and Steadman & Watson. Each storekeeper had a large dry pine block, called "upping block," in front of his store room, to assist men and women to mount or alight from their horses. The stores were lighted with candles and warmed with wood fires. Wood fires in stoves and chimneys were very dangerous, on ac- count of the accumulation of wood soot in the chimney: for when this soot gathered in quantity it always ignited, burned out, and en- dangered the shingle roof. Towns and cities then had men and boys, called professional "chimney sweeps." These "sweeps" entered the chimney from the fireplace, climbing up and out at the top by the aid of hooks, an- nouncing their exit in a song and looking as black as an African negro. In 1835 some of the legal privileges of the town were: "That no citizen of the town shall be permitted to keep on Main street, at one time, more than ten cords of wood, not more than enough brick to build a chimney, or before his door more lumber than will build a springhouse ; not more than two wagons and a half-sled : a few barrels of salt, five thousand shingles, or twenty head of horned cattle." Of course. there was no legal restriction as to the number of "chickens in the garden" or geese and hogs on the street. On dark nights the people then carried lanterns made of tin, with holes punched in them, and the light produced by a candle. The lantern had a side door to open, to light, blow out and replace the candle.
Mail Arrivals and Departures in 1835
The mail arrived from Philadelphia by way of Harrisburg, Lewistown . and Bellefonte every Monday evening. Wednesday evening and Friday evening in a four-horse coach.
From Erie, by way of Meadville, Franklin. etc., every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, returning the same day, in a four- horse stage.
From Washington City, by way of Cham- bersburg, Indiana, etc., every Friday, and re- turning same day-carried on a horse.
From Pittsburgh by way of Kittanning every Friday, and returning on Tuesday-car- ried on a horse.
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
Arrived at Brookville every Tuesday, from Smethport, MeKean county, by way of Gillis post office, and returning on Friday-carried on a horse.
Early Schools-Directors and Masters
The act of the Legislature No. 109, ap- proved April 4, 1837, authorized the election of school directors. Sections 7 and 8 read as follows :
"SECTION 7 .- That the citizens of the bor- ough of Brookville, in the county of Jeffer- son, be and are hereby authorized to meet at the usual place of holding borough elections, on the first Monday of January, in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven, and afterwards annually, at the time of hold- ing their borough elections, and elect six school directors, in the manner provided for the elec- tion of school directors by law.
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