Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I, Part 82

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers
Number of Pages: 650

USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 82

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

James Gallagher and family arrived in 1825, over the same trail taken by James L. Gillis, a notable pioneer of this township. Enos Gillis and James Gallagher were the pioneers in what is now called Ridgway borough, by having erected there three or four log cabins and a sawmill in 1824. About 1838 J. S. Hyde, father of Hon. W. H. Hyde, reached Ridg- way clothed in overalls, and with all his pos- sessions tied up in a handkerchief. He entered the store of Gillis & Clover and wanted to buy an ax on credit ; on being refused he told the storekeeper to keep his ax, that he would see the day when he could buy the whole store.

Caleb Dill was the "post-boy" in 1828.

The pioneer tannery was started in 1830; Enos Gillis, owner ; James Gallagher, tanner.

In the year 1833 there were seven families in what is now Ridgway, viz. : Reuben Ayles- worth and Caleb Dill west of the river, and Enos Gillis, James W. Gallagher, H. Karns, Thomas Barber and Joab Dobbins on the east side. Up to 1835 Ridgway township included all that portion of Snyder township that is now Brockwayville borough, and even west of Sugar Hill, as well as a good portion of what is now Washington township. Ridgway in 1836 was a small village. At the west end of the town was George Dickinson's Boarding- house, then Henry Gross's home, then Dickin- son's sawmill and barn, Caleb Dill's home, justice office and blacksmith shop, Stephen Weis's home and John Cobb's house, Hon. James L. Gillis's home and store, George Dick- inson's home and store. and on the east side of the Clarion was the "Exchange Hotel," owned by David Thayer, then Edward Derby's old red house. then the "Lone Star Hotel," owned by P. T. Brooks.

When P. T. Brooks, who was quite a wag, very polite and demonstrative, was keeping this hotel in the wilderness, two finely dressed and appearing gentlemen rode up one day in front of his hotel and stopped for dinner. Of course, this was an opportunity for Mr. Brooks to be demonstrative and polite. After seeing that the horses were properly cared for, he approached the gentlemen in this way : "What kind of meat would you gentlemen prefer for

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

dinner?" "Why, Mr. Landlord, we would prefer venison." "I am sorry that we are just out of venison." "Oh, well," said the strangers, "a little good beef or mutton will do." "Well, well," replied Mr. Brooks, "I am sorry to say we are just out of beef and mut- ton." AAt this the strangers were a little non- plussed, but finally said, "We will be satisfied with fish." "Well, well," replied Mr. Brooks, rubbing his hands, "I am sorry to say that we are just out of fish, but we have some very excellent pickled pork."

ROADS AND STREAMS, MILLS, ETC.

The pioneer road was the State road from Kittanning to Olean. There was great excite-

in great abundance; fish abounded in the streams, and rattlesnakes and other reptiles were numerous and dangerous.

The early mills in and around Ridgway were the Elk Creek mill, owned by J. S. Hyde, the Mill Creek mill, owned by Yale & Healey, and the Dickinson mill. This mill was erected by Hughes & Dickinson, and painted red. The boarding-house was also red. In the winter of 1832 L. Wilmarth, Arthur Hughes and George Dickinson erected the red sawmill.

In 1839 James Watterson, of Armstrong county, Pa., settled at the mouth of Spring creek, and he and Job Paine built a sawmill.

The Beech Bottom mill belonged to the

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ment and enthusiasm among the landowners and settlers over this State road. But it all came to naught, for the road has never been used to any extent. It is still known as the Olean road where it is not grown up and abandoned.

The Ceres road was laid out in 1825 and finished in 1828. The Milesburg and Smeth- port Turnpike Company was incorporated in 1825, and the road was finished about 1830. (See Laws.)

In 1834 the first bridge was put across the Clarion river. This was a toll bridge. It was built of twelve- by sixteen-inch stringers rest- ing on cribbing. Before this time teams forded the river, and in high water boats were used. The country was then covered with a thick growth of hemlock trees. Game, such as elk, deer, bears, panthers and wildcats, was found

Portland Lumber Company .. Pine boards of the finest quality sold in Louisville, Ky., at seven and nine dollars per thousand. If the operator cleared twenty-five or fifty cents on a thousand feet he was thankful.

PIONEER TEAMSTERS

Early teamsters from Ridgway to Freeport, Kittanning and Waterson's ferry were Conrad Moyer, Coryell Wilcox, Barney McCune and Charles B. Gillis. The pioneer and early teamsters from St. Mary's to those points were John Walker. Charles Fisher and Joseph Wilhelm. The merchandise carried from Pittsburgh to this region was by canal to Freeport, by keelboat and steamboat to Kit- tanning and Waterson's ferry. The teamsters loaded their wagons with wheat flour, etc., in

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barrels bound with hickory hoops, bacon and salt and whisky in barrels bound with iron hoops. But, strange to say, there was always a soft stave in these whisky-barrels, though which a "rye straw" could be made to reach the whisky for the teamster and his friends while en route home.

A HERMIT

Ralph Hill settled at Portland Mills about 1832. He came from Massachusetts. In 1833 he and a man named Ransom were living in a shanty at Beech Bottom. Hill lived the life of a hermit. Portland becoming too much in civilization, he moved up Spring creek, and lived in Forest county, the companion of wild animals. He killed the last panther in Forest county. He died at a ripe old age. in 1859.

RAILROAD

The pioneer railroad was the Sunbury & Erie. "The Sunbury and Erie, now the Phila- delphia and Eric, a portion of that magnificent system, the Pennsylvania railroad, was char- tered April 3, 1837, but it was not until 1852 that construction was commenced, and the road was not completed until 1864."

To build a railroad through a dense wilder- ness of worthless hemlock. ferocious beasts, gnats, and wintergreen berries required a large purse and great courage. Of course, there was no subject talked about in the cabin homes of that locality so dear to the hearts of the pioneers as this railroad.

In the speculative times of 1836 non-resi- dents of then Jefferson county bought largely of the wild lands in and around Ridgway township, which, of course, when railroad and other bubbles burst, was left on their hands. This land had been advertised to contain val- uable iron ore and bituminous coal, and much of it could have been bought as late as 1841 at from twenty-five to fifty cents an acre. There was not a cabin on the line of this pro- posed road from Shippen to Ridgway, and but one-at Johnsonburg-from Ridgway to the waters of Tionesta.

PIONEER SCHOOLS

"The pioneer school was held in Gallagher's log cabin (near the present Ridgway Central graded school) in 1826, under the control of Hannah Gilbert, and attended by the children of the three families residing there. Subse- quently Ann Berry and Betsey Hyatt taught 28

in an old red schoolhouse, which was situated at the present site of Dillon's meat market. In 1834 a house for common school purposes was erected above the old Dickinson home- stead, on the west side of the race and north side of Main street, by Messrs. Crow, Galla- gher, Thayer, Dickinson, Cobb and Cady, and Betsey (Elizabeth M.) Hyatt installed teacher. She was succeeded by Mr. Barnutz in 1835. A second building was erected in 1838, near where the B. R. & P. depot now stands.

FORMATION OF ELK COUNTY

The pioneer effort to erect what is now the county of Elk was made Tuesday, February 28, 1837, when an act to erect the county of Ridgway was reported in the State Senate.

EARLIEST ELECTION -

The pioneer election for township officers was held in Ridgway township, at the house of James Gallagher, on the 16th of March, 1837. The following persons contested : Constable, Nehemiah Bryant, eight votes : Alanson Viall, seven votes. Supervisors, James Gallagher and Alonzo Brockway, no opposition. Poor overseers, Naphtala G. Barrun and William Maxwell, no opposition. Fence appraisers, Nehemiah Bryant and William Taylor, no op- position. Town clerk, James Gallagher. Of- ficers of election: Inspector, John Stratton ; judges, Nehemiah Bryant, James Brockway, and Alonzo Brockway; clerk, James Galla- gher.

Lyman Wihnarth was township assessor in 1837.

ASSESSMENT LIST, 1827

Aylesworth & Gillis Co., one grist- and saw- mill; James Brockway; Collins Brooks, single man; Naphtalia Burns: Nehemiah Bryant ; Sampson Crooker; Clark Eggleston ; Henry Francis, single man ; Enos Gillis; James Gal- lagher ; Joseph P. King ; George March, single man ; William Maxwell, single man; Harvey B. Moorhouse, single man ; James McDougal ; Lorenzo Preaket, single man; Jacob Shaffer ; John Stratton ; William Taylor ; Jacob Taylor. single man ; Alanson Vial; Henry Walborn.

PIONEERS OF RIDGWAY TOWNSHIP, ELK COUNTY, IN 1843 IN JEFFERSON COUNTY

Names of Tarables .- William Armstrong, Watts Anderson, Thomas Graniff, Pierce T.

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Brooks, Ephraim Barnes, David . Benninger, longer than the direct road between the points. William S. Brownell, William Crow, James It was too much work in too short a time for one horse to carry a heavy mailbag and a boy. On my first trip I left Brookville at five a. m., James Corbet, the postmaster, placing the bag on the horse for me. I rode direct to Richardsville, where William R. Richards, the pioneer of that section, was postmaster. From Richardsville I went to Warsaw, where Moses B. St. John was postmaster. He lived on the Keys farm near the Warsaw graveyard. From St. John's I rode by way of what is now John Pox's to the Beechwoods, McConnell farm or Alvan post office, Alex. McConnell. post- master. From Alvan I went direct to what is now Brockwayville for dinner. Dr. A. M. Clarke was postmaster, and it was at his house I ate. to my disgust, salt rising bread. Cochran, John G. Clark, Jesse Cady, James Crow, John Cobb. Job Carr, William H. Clyde, Absalom Conrad, Squire Carr. William Daugherty, Henry Dull. Caleb Dill. George Dickinson, Eli Frederick. John Evans, Dan- iel Fuller, Ridgway O. Gillis, Caroline Gillis, James L. Gillis, Silas German, Rufus Galusha, Enos Gillis, William H. Gallegher, James Gal- legher. Esq., Charles Gillis, Richard Gates, Miles German, Arthur Hughes, Peter Hardy. Joseph S. Hyde, Ralph Hill, Charles H. & L. Horton. Frederick Heterick, Chester Hayes, Harvey Hoyt, Hughes & Dickinson. James A. Johnston, Henry Karns. Frederick Kiefer, Benjamin Kiefer. John Knox. Reuben Lyles, Thomas Lynn. Ebenezer Lee, William Mc- Latchey, Erasmus Morey. John McLatchey, Joseph Meffert, William Meade, Horace Olds, Riverus Prindle, Paine & Watterson, Chester Paine. George Phillips. Willoughby Redline, D. S. Ramsey. Amos Sweet. John Snyder, John Sharley, George L. Smith, Samuel Stone- back, Ephraim Shawl, James Shawl, David H. & L. Thayer, Cornelius Van Orsdale, Jamison Veasey. Van Schirk. Elisha Weaver, David Worden, Maria Wilcox. Boston Lumber Com- pany.

EARLY HISTORY OF RIDGWAY, 1852 TO 1856

SOME SKETCHES AND EXTRACTS ABOUT THE TOWN AND VICINITY *

In the fall of 1852 I made my pioneer trip as a mail boy on the "Star route" from Brook- ville to Ridgway, Pa. In 1852 this was still a horseback service of once a week and was to be performed weekly as follows:

Leave Brookville Tuesday at five o'clock a. m. and arrive at Ridgway same day at seven o'clock p. m. Leave Ridgway Wednes- day at five o'clock a. m. and arrive same day at Brookville at seven o'clock p. m.

The proprietor of the route was John G. Wilson, then keeping the "American Hotel" in Brookville. To start the service on schedule time was easy enough, but to reach the des- tined point in the schedule time was almost impossible. The mail was usually from one to three hours late. Indeed, it could not be otherwise, for the route was through a wilder- ness, over horrid roads, and about seven miles

The Doctor and his father lived in a large frame house near where the old gristmill now stands. The old up-and-down sawmill across the creek was then in operation. C. K. Huhn I think lived near it. The old frame school- house stood on a prominence near the junc- tion of the Brookville and Beechwoods roads. Ilenry Dull, one of the pioneer stage drivers in Jefferson county, lived in an old frame building near where D. D. Groves now resides, and John Mclaughlin lived in an old log house down by the Rochester depot.

With these exceptions, all west of the creek in what is now Brockwayville was a wilder- ness. East of the creek the bottom land was cleared and along the road on each side was a log fence. W. D. Murray and the Ingalls family lived near the Pennsylvania depot. There was no other family or store or industry to my recollection in what is now the beanti- ful town of Brockwayville.

About five miles up the Little Toby, and in Elk county, Mrs. Sarah Oyster kept a licensed hotel, and the only licensed tavern in that year outside of, or between, Brookville and Ridg- way. Near this hotel Stephen Oyster lived and had erected a gristmill and sawmill. Oyster was postmaster and the office was named Hellen Mills. Stephen Oyster's house and mills were alongside or on the pioneer road into this region. The road was surveyed and opened about 1812, and over it the pioneers came to Brandy Camp, Kersey and Little Toby.

The history of the road is something like this: Fox, Norris & Co. owned about one hun- dred and forty thousand acres of land in this vicinity, and being desirous to open these lands for settlement, employed and sent a surveyor by the name of Kersey to survey, open a road

* By Dr. W. J. McKnight. Published originally in pamphlet form, in 1897.

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and build a mill on their lands. Kersey and his men started his road on the Susquehanna river near Luthersburg, on the old State road, crossed over Boone's mountain, reached Little Toby at what is now Hellen, went up the creek seven miles over what is called "Hog Back Hill" to a point on Elk creek near where Centreville now is, and then located and built "Kersey mill." Kersey had an outfit and a number of men and erected shanties wherever necessary while at his work. One of these he built on Brandy Camp. Among other neces- saries, Kersey had some choice brandy with him. The men longed for some of this brandy, but Kersey kept it for himself. One day in the absence of Kersey the cabin burned down. On Kersey's return he was chagrined, but the men told him that the Indians in the neighbor- hood had drunk his brandy and burned the shanty. This story had to be accepted, and hence the stream has ever since been called Brandy Camp. "The Travelers' Home Hotel" was on this stream. It was famous for danc- ing parties, blackberry pies and sweet cake, but was closed this year and occupied as a private residence by a man named Brown.

Night came upon me at the farm of Joel Taylor, and through nine miles of wilderness and darkness I rode on a walk. There was a shanty at Boot Jack occupied by a man named McQuone. From Taylor's to Ridgway was a long ride to me. It was a wearisome time. I reached Ridgway, a small village then, about nine o'clock p. m. John Cobb was postmaster and the office was in his store, near where Powell's store is now. My horse knew the route perfectly, and I left all details to her.

Two hotels existed in the village, the "Ex- change," kept by David Thayer near the river, and the "Cobb House," kept by P. T. Brooks, on the ground where Messenger's drug store now is. My horse stopped at the "Cobb." For some reason the house was unusually full that night and after supper I expressed to the land- lord a doubt about a bed. Mr. Brooks patted me on the back and said. "Never mind, my son, I'll take care of you, I'll take care of you." Bless his big heart, he did. Boy-like my eyes and ears were open. I took in the town before leaving it. The only pavement was in front of the Gillis house. I knew of the Judge's reputation as a Morgan killer, and I wanted to see where and how he lived. I had seen him in Brookville many a time before that.

There was a board fence around the public square. Charles Mead was sheriff and lived in the jail. The village had a doctor, one Chambers. The school teacher was W. C.

Niver, afterwards Dr. Niver, of Brockway- ville, Pa. Of the other village inhabitants then I can recall these: E. C. Derby, M. L. Ross, Henry Souther, Caleb Dill, James Love, J. C. Chapin, Lebbeus Luther (a hunter and great marksman), Lafe Brigham, Squire Parsons, E. E. Crandal, Charles McVean, Judge Dick- inson, J. S. Hyde and Jerome Powell (editor of the Advocate).

I have an old issue of the Advocate of that date from which I copy two advertisements, one of the coal industry of the county then, and the other on stage and transportation facilities then :

I lived in Ridgway and worked on the Ad- vocate and afterwards in the Reporter office from August, 1854, to September, 1856. Ridg- way was then but a village, containing three stores: J. S. Hyde's, George Dickinson's and Hall & Whitney's ; two hotels, the "Exchange" and the "Ridgway." nee "Fountain," nee "Oyster." nee "Cobb;" one gristmill and a little sawmill on Elk creek; one shoe shop, Parson & Crandall; one gunsmith, Horace Warner ; one blacksmith, Caleb Dill ; one tailor, M. L. Ross; Lawyers Souther, Willis, Chapin, Mickel and Pattison. The town was too small and healthy for a physician to remain. There was a schoolhouse near the residence of Caleb Dill and the winter term of 1854-55 was taught by C. M. Matson, of Brookville, Pa. There was also a courthouse, and a stone jail. Wil- liam N. Whitney was postmaster. The town and township contained about eighty-one voters.

The county officers were: President judge. R. G. White, of Tioga county: associate judges, George Dickinson, of Ridgway, and I. P. Wilcox, of Jones township ; prothono- tary, etc., Charles Horton ; treasurer, Jerome Powell ; sheriff, Alvan H. Head. The com- missioners I do not remember.

The following lawyers. afterwards distin- guished, then attended the courts: Brown. Curtis and Johnson, of Warren ; Barret, Wal- lace. Mccullough and Larimer, of Clearfield ; Gorden, Jenks, McCahan and Lucas, of Jef- ferson ; and Goodrich and Eldred, of Mckean.

The merchants hauled their goods from Waterson's ferry, on the Allegheny river, or Olean, N. Y. Minor Wilcox drove on the road with Charles B. Gillis, Ben McClelland and others. In 1855-56 there was one colored teamster in Ridgway, Charles Matthews, who drove for Sheriff Healy. He had a wife. . \1-

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though the town water was as pure as the snow on the mountain, yet it did not agree with Charles' stomach. Like other teamsters, he had to take "something a little warmer and stronger."

There was no church edifice of any kind in the town and but few church members. Sher- iff Mead tried to run a Sunday school, with a few scholars. The circuit riders of the Meth- odist Church that year were Revs. Shaffer and Colburn. They preached in the courthouse and service was held once in two or four weeks. I cannot recall which. The elder's name was Poisdell. All of these gentlemen were appointed by the Baltimore Conference.

Rev. John Wray was the pastor of the Beechwoods Church in Jefferson county and came to Ridgway as a missionary. His advent was made about 1851.

J. S. Hyde was then a young, active busi- less man. He came to Ridgway "as poor as a church mouse" and died, at a ripe old age. a millionaire. He was ambitious, an untiring worker, and an honorable citizen. In 1855 he twice solicited me to enter his service; I was flattered, but refused and told him "that a doctor I would be." Mr. Hyde had great force and a habit of carrying his hands in front of him with the "thumbs up," especially if he was in earnest or excited. Whenever his thumbs were up in the presence of any- one, there was sure to be something happen- an explosion of Christian imagination.

Elk county then was one vast wilderness. and was so called on account of the great herds of elk that once roamed through those wilds. There were no elks killed during my residence. but "Grandpap" Luther told me that in 1852 a drove of twelve or fifteen was found by two hunters near the village and seven were killed of that drove. Elks are gregarious. Where Portland now is, was a great rendezvous for the elk. It was a great wintering place for them. All other wild animals were numerous. Erasmus Morey told me that in March, 1853. he and Peter Smith killed in one week six full-grown panthers. The total bounty paid by the county in 1854 for killing wolves and panthers in 1853 was $225.50.

There lived on the Smethport pike between Ridgway and Montmorenci two hunters with their families. Bill Easton and Nelse Gardner, the latter the father of James K. Gardner, who now resides in Ridgway. These men were pro- fessionals. Chasing the wild deer was their daily life and delight. They both possessed in a high degree the agile, catlike step, the keen eye, the cool nerve and the woodcraft of

the "still hunter." I knew them well, but was not intimate enough to learn the story of their encounters and adventures. The buffalo that once roamed in great numbers, the beavers that built their dams, and the stately elks that once traversed the forests of Elk, are now extinct, and I believe the screaming panther and the prowling wolf can now, too, be so classed.

The pioneers to settle where Ridgway now is were James Gallagher and Enos Gillis. About 1824 they built two log houses and a sawmill. Gallagher was the pioneer tanner and built a tannery there in the early thirties. James L. Gillis christened the village Ridgway. I came to Ridgway in 1854, by invitation of Jerome Powell. Esq., to work for him on the Advocate. I received eight dollars per month and board- ing. I made my home with Lebbeus Luther. His wife was a most excellent cook, tidy, kind, and as neat in her housework as a pink. About the first of August, 1854, I left Brockwayville for Ridgway. This was the stage era for Ridgway and I took passage in Murray & Thayer's stage. My fare was one dollar.

III

The Advocate was a five columns to the page paper, each column about eighteen inches long. the press an old Franklin. We made our own rollers out of glue and molasses. The work on the paper was all done by Mr. Powell, Ben Dill and myself. The composing. presswork and sanctum were all in one room. The paper was in its fifth volume. Mr. Powell was the pioneer publisher, editor and father of the craft in Elk county.

Some of the happiest days of my life I spent in this old courthouse office. True, I was poor and ragged, but I had the confidence of my employer, I was free from cares, and there in that old office, in winter's snows and summer's heat, "Happy hearts, happy hearts, with mine have laughed in glee, the charms of which Time can never efface." Mr. Powell was à polite, affable, genial employer, and Ben Dill was a pleasant associate.

In August, 1854, the supervisors let a job to take the great stumps out of and straighten Main street.

Elk county then had in the navy of the United States a passed midshipman, J. Hauk Gillis, who by his bravery and long service is now a commodore in Uncle Sam's "navee."

James L. Gillis, who lived in Ridgway, was a man of State celebrity. I used to go over to his house, when he was at home, to be enter-

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tained in an evening. In 1830 he moved to where Ridgway now is. He was elected to several offices, including congress. He moved to Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where he died in 1881, aged eighty-nine years. (See Chapter XVIII, "Masonry.")

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I, Part 82

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers Number of Pages: 650

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers
Number of Pages: 650