USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 83
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In 1854 the bridge across Big Toby creek, now called the Clarion river, was destroyed. William Crawford had the contract for that year and built a new one.
IV
Reference has been made in these articles to the "professional hunter." In 1854 Elk county contained quite a number. The profes- sional hunter was created by the law of 1705 under the dynasty of William Penn.
In 1854 the principal part of Elk county was covered with white pine and hemlock. Pine lands could be bought from three to five dollars an acre. Hemlock had no valtie only for farm lands. The bark even was not used for tanning. Pine was about the only timber manufactured. Tall, straight "pine in lofty pride leaned gloomily on every hillside."
The streams were alive with pike, sun, bass, chubs, magnificent trout and other fish. Every fall and spring hunters with dogs and fisher- men from the adjoining counties and from across the line in New York State would flock to these hills, valleys and streams for recrea- tion or profit. The principal owners of all this wild land in 1854 lived in Philadelphia, viz .: Ridgway estate, Jones estate, Parkers estate and Fox & Norris estate.
I said in a former article that 1854 was the beginning of Ridgway's stage era. Prior to that time isolated attempts had been made in the establishment of lines, but all the efforts in that direction with the exception of the Smethport or Townsend Fall's line were fail- ures. I copy an editorial from an Advocate of June 10th, 1854, giving a restime of the stage in operation at that time.
"STAGING-As an evidence of the rapid in- crease of the business of this county, and of its general prosperity, it is not necessary to refer to every branch of business that is con- ducted here ; but a reference to the single item of staging will make it clear to all that we are a rising nation. Two years ago, there was no mode of communication through these in- terminable forests, except that only true re- publican way, a 'foot back.' and wading through the mud up to your knees, at least, into the bargain.
"About that time the pioneer stager of the
county, Townsend Fall, coroner of Elk county, and landlord in Mckean county, commenced running a one-horse mudboat from Bellefonte to Smethport. That was considered a great enterprise, and everybody predicted that Fall must get lost in the mud, and his hazardous undertaking would certainly be the ruination of that visionary man. These predictions would probably have all been verified, had it not been for the fact that Mr. Fall is one of those live Yankees who is always ready to whittle out a wooden nutmeg, while waiting for his horse to gain wind when stuck in the mtid. He added another branch of trade to his staging which served to make up the losses that caused him, and assisted him in keeping body, soul, horse and mudboat together. He procured a quantity of steel traps suitable for bear, wolves and such animals, which he sta- tioned along at intervals, and while waiting for his old horse to browse he could examine them and take care of their contents, without losing any time. The furs, skins and scalps he thus procured, soon enabled him to purchase another horse and put by the side of the old veteran that had long served him so faith- fully. From that day his prosperity and the prosperity of the stage interests of this region has been rapidly onward .- He soon was en- abled to get a wagon with a top to it ; the first trip was a proud day for Elk county. Now Mr. Fall is running a tri-weekly line of splen- did four-horse coaches between Smethport and Ridgway, for particulars of which see advertisement in this paper.
"There is also a weekly line running regu- larly between here and Bellefonte, and a semi- weekly line between here and Brookville in connection, by Murray and Thayer, as will be seen by their advertisement in this paper. And with all these stage facilities, we receive no mails oftener than once a week. Where is Uncle Sam with his daily mails?"
In the stage advertisements of that year, each proprietor advertised "sober drivers," otherwise the passenger would never have dreamed that the driver was in a sober con- dition. The proprietor occasionally drove over the route himself. I do not recall any of the drivers except Jim Clark of the Brookville line.
V
One of the pioneers of Ridgway was David Thayer. He was an all-round business man, hotel-keeper, lumberman and stage man. He was the father of a large family. Henry S.
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Thayer, living in Ridgway, is his son. He was the proprietor of the pioneer line of stages to Warren and Brockwayville, Pa. The follow- ing advertisements published at that time speak for themselves :
ANOTHER STAGE LINE
David Thayer announces to the travelling public, that he has taken the contract for car- rying the mail between Ridgway and Brook- ville. He has put on line of stages and will run regularly between these two points named. Leaving Brookville every Tuesday morning. and leaving Ridgway every Wednesday morn- ing.
Brookville, Jan. 4, 1854.
SEMI-WEEKLY LINE TO BROOKVILLE
The undersigned have commenced running a line of stages between Brookville and Ridg- way. Will leave Brookville Tuesday and Friday mornings, arrive at Ridgway same evenings. Will leave Ridgway Wednesday and Saturday mornings, and arrive at Brook- ville same evenings .--- This is a permanent ar- rangement and may be relied upon. This line connects at Brookville with daily lines cast, south and west; and at Ridgway with semi- weekly and weekly lines north and north-east. Good coaches, fast horses and sober drivers will always be kept on this line.
MURRAY & THAYER.
June 7, 1854.
In 1854 Ridgway by stage was "forty miles from anywhere." forty miles from Brookville, forty miles from Warren and forty miles from Smethport. The pioneer coaches were neither rock-aways nor palaces. They were the most ordinary hacks, and the horses could be "seen through" if sick or well withont the aid of any X-ray.
The roads in spring, summer and fall were a succession of mudholes, with an occasional corduroy. Don't mention bad roads now. The male passengers usually walked up the hills.
In the year 1855 a man by the name of Nicholas Collins, from the Centreville region, had a contract to repaint the courthouse. The courthouse was a frame and was painted white. The board fence around the square was white, too. Ile boarded with Mr. Luther, and with true Christian patience he and Wil-
liam Lahey painted on the outside of the build- ing one entire Sunday.
However, the stores were open, the shops, too, and some men were shooting at mark. Our State motto then was Virtue, Liberty and Independence, and evidently the latter part of the motto was lived up to in Ridgway.
Common hands on the river received one dollar per day and board, pilots two dollars and three dollars per day and board. Lebbeus Luther kept the Red Mill boarding-house in 1843-44. Then the "head" sawyer on the Red Mill received twenty-five dollars per month and board, the assistant eighteen dollars a month and board, and common hands fifteen dollars a month and board.
The usual religious exercises on Sunday at the Red Mill in 1844 were wrestling, fishing, pitching quoits, shooting at mark, running foot races, and "jumping by the double rule of three."
Uncle Eben Stevens, an old hunter who came to the Sinnemahoning region about 1812, told me there was an Indian graveyard at the mouth of Mill creek, that he used to go up there and hunt with the Indians, and in the spring they would paint their canoes red with that "iron paint" on the Clarion.
And down the Toby creek,
Where the rocks were gray and the shores were steep,
Where the waters below looked dark and deep ; Where the shades of the forests were heavy and deep the whole day through,
Stevens and the Indians in these red canoes, in the laurel depths, would carry their game, skins and furs to the Pittsburgh market.
The Bear Creek mill was run by Alvan H. Ilead, and the Beech Bottom mill by Cobb & Ruloffson. The logging was conducted with cattle. Cobb & Ruloffson had that year an ad- vertisement in the paper for hands to drive oxen. The diet at these old mills was bread, potatoes, beans, flitch and molasses, brown sugar, old tasted butter, coffee and tea without cream and for dessert dried apple-sauce or pie. Labor was cheap.
All goods and groceries were dear. They had to be hauled from Olean, N. Y., or Wat- erson's ferry on the Allegheny river. Money was scarce, the people social and kind. Whisky and New England rum were three cents a drink. The landlords being generally hard up, were always a little short, but always managed to get a fresh supply of whisky for court week. I suppose for the Judges.
In 1855 the township officers were: As-
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sessor, Horace Warner; assistant assessors, M. L. Ross, D. S. Luther ; school directors, H. A. Pattison and H. Souther for three years each, and Isaiah Cobb for two years; super- visors, P. T. Brooks and Harvey Henry ; audi- tor, H. A. Pattison ; justice of the peace, Mat- thew L. Ross; judge of election, Caleb Dill; inspectors of election, H. A. Parsons, R. Ma- ginnis ; overseers of the poor, Horace J. Thay- er, Charles McVean ; town clerk, M. L. Ross; constable, A. H. Head.
In this year the first Protestant church was commenced in the county. All I know about that is this: One day a large, fine-looking, well-dressed man came into the office and re- quested Mr. Powell to subscribe something for a church. Mr. Powell was poor and demurred. The man persisted, but Mr. Powell further ob- jected, whereupon the stranger became in- dignant and vehemently declared: "It was a G-d damn shame there wasn't a Protestant church in the county and I'll be G-d damned if I stop till there is one." At the end of this Christian exhortation Mr. Powell subscribed five dollars. The scene was so dramatic and ridiculous I enquired who the stranger was, and Mr. Powell told me he was Alfred Pear- sall, from Jay township. I understood after- wards Mr. Pearsall succeeded, and erected his church, called Mount Zion Methodist Church.
VII
The Fourth of July celebration in Ridgway in 1854 was the subject of this section.
VIII
I here reproduce an editorial of Jerome Powell on the old-time rafting in 1854:
"That Flood .- The flood is here. During the past week all has been bustle and hurry. Our lumbermen have had an excellent time to start their lumber to market, and now the great body of the lumber manufactured on the Clarion and its tributaries during the past year is floating downstream. The waters have been very accommodating for a few days past- neither too high nor too low. Pilots are in their glory-each one was the first to discover that stray snag which had hid itself beneath the foaming waters in some critical spot, and although some of them happened to run pretty close to it, yet all knew it was there, and would have missed it-if they could; and some of them did miss it by dint of cracking her up be- hind with all their power.
"The rafting season on these waters is a
season of life and activity, bustle and confu- sion, wet limbs and red wamuses. It gives to our town an important and business-like ap- pearance. The landing of steamers and other craft in a great commercial mart may be some, but the landing of rafts in 'Dick's Pond' and 'the Eddy' is considerable more. The skill, nerve and muscle here exhibited-to say noth- ing of an occasional big word that accidentally falls from some excited pilot or proprietor- can find its equal nowhere only on some lum- bering stream during a rafting freshet. There is something fascinating about this rafting business, notwithstanding its incessant hard labor. As they proceed downward-floating majestically over the virgin bosom of the mighty waters-the scene changes with them, the fare changes, the atmosphere changes, the waters change. Here the hungry raftmen recruit their drooping energies with 'the best the country can afford,' and such as are so disposed (and we are happy to say there are but few of this class) can wet their whistles with pure, unadulterated 'rot gut' with which 'our bar' is always bountifully supplied. On their course they soon find beef and potatoes and hot cakes more scarce, but are cheered up by a change from this fare to 'a great many molasses,' lots of flitch, and mouldy bread that has been kept over from last rafting for their especial benefit, with common corn whisky. But anything for a change. No matter if you do flop out of the frying pan into the fire. Peradventure our hardy fellow citizens, with rough exterior but large generous souls glow- ing within them, arrive at towns below, where they are greeted with 'Olean hoosiers' from every long nine with a smutty-faced urchin attached to it, they meet. But no matter. -They have 'better clothes' at home and more rhino in their pockets than any score of these foppish nobodies. They command respect wherever they land, whether it be in a skiff at some little settlement to get a small stock of provisions, or in the populous cities where they find a market. Their frank, open counte- nances, their independent swagger, and their muscular appearance, is enough to secure them from molestation. They see all the curiosities of the city, visit the theater, take a peep into the 'punch-room'-just to see what is there. They get a view of all the fashionable resorts of the city-but we are not going to speak of all the places they frequent! They do not care for expenses. They go down the river for fun, not for profit, and as they did not have much going down-tugging away at an oar, in rain, hail and snowstorms-they are
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bent on making up for lost time. Finally, after they have become sick and tired of smoke and confusion, they turn their steps home- ward, and in due time they arrive at their mountain home and are ready to go to work- when they get rested."
IX
In 1854 there lived in Ridgway one Maj. Robert Maginnis. Hle was full of military enthusiasm, and through his exertions a mil- itary company was organized in August, the Elk County Guards. Captain, R. Maginnis ; first lieutenant, llarvey Henry ; second lieu- tenant, William N. Whitney ; ensign, J. F. Dill. I think its life was a short duration, if it ever mustered. Maginnis, failing in war, bought a few medical books from Dr. Farwell, and left town in the spring of 1855 to practice the heal- ing or killing art somewhere in the West.
The result of the second Tuesday in Octo- ber election of 1854 resulted in the choice of the following county officers: Prothonotary, Charles MeVean ; commissioner, William A. Bly ; auditor, W. N. Whitney.
In the winter of 1854-55.
There was snow, snow everywhere On the ground and in the air, On the streets and in the tane, On the roof and window pane.
It snowed every day for thirty days. The supervisors had to shovel turnouts along the public roads so that teams could pass.
X
In November the following named physician located in Ridgway as per his card :
DR. S. S. FARWELL,
Having changed his residence from Second Fork to Ridgway, tenders his professional services to the citizens of the town and vicinity. Office in the Oyster House, where he can be found at all times, unless profes- sionally absent.
Nov. 13, 1854. 33.
The Doctor was a good-looking little man ; he stuttered and stammered, and received no encouragement from the people. Ile had a good medical library, there were but few people sick, and nearly everybody emploved either Dr. Earley, Dr. A. M. Clarke or Dr. W. C. Niver.
Dr. Fuller, a root and herb doctor, lived in Jones township, and in 1855 came to Ridgway, boarded at the hotel and practiced medicine. Itis panacea for every ill was lobelia and cap- sicum. He was there I think when I left in 1856. He "called" for the cotillion parties and was himself a fiddler. Jim Harm and Frank Dill composed the orchestra for all dancing parties. Dr. Fuller was a genial, pleasant old gentleman, and if his remedies were not compounded with the highest skill or prescribed accurately, his intentions were good.
Like a great many men of that time, he never permitted himself to get too dry. I have only kind words for him.
YI
In January, 1855, I carried the mail one trip on horseback to Warren from Ridgway. A man by the name of Lewis was the proprietor and he boarded at Luther's. I performed this service free, as I was anxious to see Warren. I had to start from Ridgway a Friday night at nine p. m., ride to Montmorenci and stop all night. A family by the name of Burrows lived there. I stopped on Saturday in High- land for dinner with Townley's. There were living in that township then Wells, Ellithorpe, Campbell and Townley. I arrived in Warren Saturday after dark and stayed over night at from Warren to Ridgway and the weather be- ing intensely cold "I paid too dear for my the "Carver house." I returned on Sunday whistle."
In 1855-56 Ben McClelland. then a young man, was driving team for Sheriff Healey. In the winter he was sent to Warren with two horses and a sled. On his way home he expected to stop over night at Highland. Be- fore Ben reached "Panther Hollow." a few miles north of Townley's. it became quite dark. At the Hollow Ben's horses snorted, frightened, and ran. In the dark Ben quickly recognized the form of a panther after him. The horses had the beaten track, the panther the deep snow alongside, and afraid to attack the heels of the horses on account of the sled. the horses crazy and furious. It was a neck- to-neck race for Highland. The panther never gave the race up until the cleared land was reached. Ben was a hunter, but he was in- armed, and almost dead from fright. When Townley's farm was reached the horses were all in a lather of sweat and nearly exhausted. A posse of hunters started in the early morn- ing and found the big brute near the hollow
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and killed him. This was Ben's ride, not Sheridan's ; had Ben been on a horse he would never have seen Highland.
Lebbeus Luther, with whom I boarded, was a great old joker. He was president of the school board in 1854. I spent many an hour hearing his reminiscences. He migrated in 1820 to Clearfield county from Massachu- setts and settled in what is now Luthersburg. Luthersburg took its name from him. In what year he moved to Ridgway I cannot exactly recall. He was appointed postmaster in 1855 and lived where P. T. Brooks now resides. Luther kept a hotel while in Luthersburg and was an active proprietor. In addition to his jovial good qualities he was a great marks- man. Bill Long, the king hunter of Jefferson county, visited this hotel frequently for pure air, and when he had a dryness in his throat. On these occasions he used to try his hand with Grandpap Luther shooting at target. Luther's coolness always counted.
There was a family of Cornplanter Indians living in that vicinity of six brothers, hunters and marksmen. The Indians were called Big John, Little John, Black John, Saucy John, John John, and John Sites. In 1823 Long coaxed these Indians to go with him to Luther's Tavern to shoot at mark with Leb- bets Luther. Luther made on purpose several careless shots, when the Indians were greatly elated at their victory, but then, to their amaze- ment and fear, all at once he pierced the center every time. The Indians were then afraid, and casting superstitious glances at Luther said, "We are not safe, Luver is a bad medicine man. Let us go." This was great fun for Long. Long told me this story in 1862 in Hickory Kingdom.
D. S. Luther, a son, and Jim Harm, a grand- son of Squire Luther, were hunters, killing wolves and a great many deer. Jim lived with his grandparents and used to furnish us ven- ison.
XII
In 1854 William B. Gillis was elected county superintendent. IIe was the pioneer. The appropriation from the State to the township in that year was forty-two dallars and eighty- four cents.
WV. C. Niver taught the summer and winter terms of 1850-51-52-53; Miss Statira Brown, now Chapin, a summer term in 1853: a Mr. Buckley from New York State, a winter term in 1853-54; C. M. Matson from Brookville, a winter term in 1854-55 : S. J. Willis, from New
York State, summer and winter terms in 1855- 56. I give below a roll of the scholars who at- tended the summer term of the Ridgway school, commencing May 6th, 1850, W. C. Niver, teacher.
Males-James Harm, Barrett Cobb, Roland Cobb, John Ross, George F. Dickinson, Ben- czette Dill, Robert Gillis, Ezra Dickinson, George W. Connor, Patrick Cline, Calvin Luther, Claudius Gillis, Joseph Fost, Franklin Dill, Bosanquet Gillis.
Females-Esther J. Thayer. Augusta Gillis, Clarissa D. Thayer. Mary E. Thayer, Mary Weaver, Sarah Ann Thayer, Albina E. Thayer, Ellen C. Gillis, Lovina Harm, Angeline Wil- cox. Clementine Harm, Phoebe M. Wilcox, Anna E. Connor, Sarah Weaver, Alzinah Weaver, Semiramis Brown, Louisa V. Brooks, Mary M. Meddock, Ann Eliza Goff, Ardissa Wilcox. Elizabeth Luce. Martha Dill, Amanda Mead, Elizabeth Winslow, Laura Cook, Emily Cook.
The winter term commenced Oct. 14, 1850, under W. C. Niver, teacher, and had on the roll, in addition to the above enumerated scholars. the names of :
Males-George Ellithorpe, Henry Thayer, WV. P. Luce, Edward Derby. Melville Gard- iner, J. P. Pearce, J. W. Pearce.
Females-Malonia Ely, Statira Brown, Christiana Gray, Eliza A\. Hyde, Caroline Pearsall, Rosamund Jackson, Margaret Mohen, Emily Clark, Elizabeth Wescott, Maria Cobb, Emaline King.
Mr. Gillis resigned the superintendency in the winter of 1855. His salary was three hun- dred dollars. Dr. C. R. Earley, of Kersey, was appointed to the position. Ilis salary was four hundred dollars a year. The doctor made an efficient superintendent. He held the pioneer county institute in the courthouse in June, 1856.
XIII
The courthouse was built in the summer of the year 1845, and the contractors were Gen. Levi G. Clover and Edward H. Derby. The supplies for the men were furnished through the store of James L. Gillis. S. M. Burson was the first lawyer to locate in Ridgway. In 1854 the court crier was M. L. Ross. On pub- lic occasions he wore a blue broadeloth swal- low-tailed coat, with brass buttons in front. "This coat had pocket holes behind for thirty years or more." The commissioners were E. C. Schultze, C. F. Luce, L. Luther.
John C. McAllister, Esq., of Brandy Camp,
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JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
was clerk to the commissioners in 1855. He would walk over and back home and take his meals while in Ridgway with Mr. Luther. In looking over the records of Jefferson county I find that Enos Gillis, of Ridgway township, was assessed first in 1830 with one gristmill and one tannery, and James Gallagher was as- sessed with an occupation tax of tanner. His tannery was on Elk creek, nearly opposite Powell's store. I clip from a Jeffersonian, of Brookville, published in 1834, this advertise- ment :
WANTED IMMEDIATELY
Two apprentices, to the tanning business. Two boys, about 17 or 18 years of age, who can come well recommended, will find a good place. All pains will be taken to acquaint them with the business.
JAMES GALLAGHER. Ridgway township, March 13, 1834.
Gallagher tanned with both hemlock and oak bark, and made a difference in price of six cents per pound between cash and trade. He ground barks on a large scale in a mill like an old-fashioned coffee-mill.
Gallagher kept the pioneer hotel. He never had a license. His wife would not permit him to have liquor about the house. Whisky or its odor always made Mr. Gallagher very sleepy.
Powell sold the Advocate to J. L. Brown, of Jones township, I think about September, 1855. Mr. Brown was a promising poor young man, but knew nothing about the "art preservative." He changed the name of the paper to Reporter and continued the terms about as they had been. He and I ran the paper; he was the editor, of course. During the ten or eleven months that Mr. Brown published the Re- porter he lived in a little frame house, on the rear of a lot, along an alley near the residence of W. C. Ilealy. The house was set on blocks. It was well ventilated, for it was neither painted, weatherboarded, lined or plastered. Mr. Brown had been newly married and com- menced housekeeping here. I boarded with him. Notwithstanding the little deficiencies mentioned, we enjoyed ourselves. It was home, and "if it is ever so homely, there's no place like home."
Mr. Brown had two brothers, W. W. and I. B. Brown. W. W. lived in Ridgway that year awhile and clerked in a store. 1. B. used to come down on a visit, and then the three Browns and myself would all be seated to a "sumptuous repast" within those "palace
walls." Who owned the shanty I do not know. Strange to say these three Browns and myself were in public life together. We met in Har- risburg in 1881, W. W. as a Congressman, J. L. as Elk's representative, I. B. as Erie's rep- resentative, and myself as State senator. The three Brown boys deserve great credit. They had a superior mother.
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