USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 88
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"Washington, the eleventh township, was organized in 1839, and was taken from Snyder and Pinecreek. The township was named for the Father of our Country. The population in 1840 was three hundred and sixty-seven. The township embraced Prospect Hill, Pres- cottville. Reynoldsville and West Reynolds- ville until Winslow township was formed in 1846, hence the early settlers on the old State road and on the turnpike were originally in Washington.
"The pioneer school was organized in 1832 under the law of 1800, called the 'Pauper Sys- tem.' In that year William Reynolds taught in a little round log schoolhouse, twelve by twelve, on the Waite farm, with an open fire- place and chimney, boards laid on blocks for seats. The earliest record of chimneys being used in houses was about the year 1300. Alex- ander Cochran taught in 1834: William Ken- nedy, in the Waite schoolhouse, in 1835.
"This year ended the pauper system, or sub- scription schools, the common school law be- ing enacted in 1834 and adopted in 1835. At first there was a great deal of hostility to the common school system in the State. Four schools were organized under this system in the fall of 1835 in Pinecreek township. Jeffer- son county, one near where Nathaniel Butler lived, another near the Bowers school, then called the Frederick school, another near Rich- ardsville, and the other in the hewed house near the Beechwoods graveyard, called Waite's. The directors for Pinecreek township were John Lattimer, William Cooper and Andrew Barnett. David Butler. John Lattimer and Andrew Barnett examined the masters at Andrew Barnett's house. William Cooper was the first school director elected for what is now Washington township. In 1834 Penn- sylvania had four thousand log schoolhouses.
"The schools began sometime in Novem- ber and continued three months in the winter, and there was an a-b-e three months' summer term taught every year by a woman. Wil- liam Reynolds taught the Waite school in Beechwoods first under the common school system. He received twelve dollars a month, half cash and half grain, and 'boarded round' with the scholars, cobbling shoes at night for the people. The fuel that winter consisted mostly of chestnut and hemlock bark, which the larger pupils helped the master pull from dead trees in the vicinity. There were about twenty-eight pupils attending the school, with an average daily attendance of eighteen. Judge
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Andrew Barnett. John Lattimer, the Smiths, and William Cooper were the principal cit- izens who took an active part in having these schools started. Money was scarce then in the woods, the principal medium of exchange being 'sugar in the spring and oats after har- vest.
"Other pioneer teachers under the common school system at this place were: Betsy Mc- Curdy, summer term, Thomas Reynolds, win- ter term, 1835; Nancy Jane McClelland, sum- mer term, Oliver McClelland, winter term, 1836; Fanny McConnell, summer term, An- drew Smith, winter term. 1837; Fanny Mc- Connell, stimmer term, Rev. Samuel Dexter Morris, winter term, 1838; Peggy McIntosh, summer term, Finley McCormick, winter term, 1839: Nancy Jane McClelland, summer term, Joseph Sterrett, winter term, 1840: Harry Potts, winter term, 1841; George Sprague, 1843: Hugh Mccullough, 1844-1845; John McCormick, 1846; Ninian Cooper. 1847-1848; Joseph Sterrett, 1849.
"The second school in what is now Wash- ington township was erected and opened on the David Dennison farm near the Millen farm line. It was like all other school houses of that time, built of logs, clapboards and weight poles and very small, viz., fourteen by sixteen ; was heated by a ten-plate stove and lighted by small windows. The door was opened and closed with a buckskin latch. The following masters taught here : Robert Knox, winter term of 1838: James McCurdy, winter term of 1839; Oliver McClelland, 1840; Finley McCormick, 1841: John Dill, 1842; Robert L. McCurdy, Jr., late Dr. McCurdy, of Freeport. 1843: Eleathan Marsh, 1844; and Rev. Ira Bronson. 1845.
"This school cabin was abandoned and one built by contract in 1846 on the farm of Alex- ander Keys, known as the 'Round Top School.' It was the first school cabin built by Washington township. The contractor re- ceived twenty dollars for the house completed. It was built of round logs. puncheon floors, puncheon seats, and heated by a ten-plate stove. The ten-plate was a wood stove, an American invention, invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1745, was made of ten cast-iron plates, and nicknamed by the people the 'Little Devil.' The masters in this building were Eli Newcom, in 1847; John Arner. a tailor. in 1848 (he worked at his trade while boarding round with the scholars) ; and David Long- well, Sr., in 1849. I went to these three mas- ters. Our textbooks were a first reader, a Testament, Cobb's speller, and the Northwest-
ern Calculator, edited by J. Stockton, A. M., and published in Pittsburgh, Pa. On page sec- ond of this book there were some 'aphorisms for the scholar's careful consideration.' I quote here four of them :
" ·Knowledge is the chief distinction between wise men and fools; between the philosopher and the savage.'
"'He who is ignorant of this science must often be the dupe of knaves and pay for his ignorance.'
"'As much as possible do everything your- self ; one thing found out by your own study will be of more real use than twenty told you by your teacher.'
"'The wise shall inherit honor, but shame shall be the portion of fools.'
"The female teachers at these schools not named above were Sarah Ann Lithgow, Sarah McCormick and Abbie McCurdy.
"The pioneer frame school building in Washington township was built on Dennison's hill, near the present building, in the summer of 1850. I was a pioneer scholar there in 1850-51, the first winter term. Rev. John Wray was master. All masters and teachers of the Dennison school up to 1851 are now dead.
"Dennison school No. I furnished a scholar who was the pioneer soldier from Jefferson county to serve his country, to wit, Robert McCurdy, in the war with Mexico. He en- listed about June, 1846, and served under General Taylor in all his battles uninjured until the battle of Buena Vista, Taylor's last battle, which occurred Feb. 23, 1847. In this terrible battle of two days, his regiment must have been in the thickest of the fight, for the colonel, lieutenant colonel, his captain and him- self were all killed. The American loss was sixty-three officers and seven hundred privates killed. General Taylor had but five thousand men to attack General Santa Anna, who had an army of twenty thousand-an unequal strug- gle, buit our side was victorious. And no won- der! With such brave boys as Robert Mc- Curdy to protect our flag, it has always been and always will be successful on land and sea. McCurdy's pay was seven dollars a month. I remember him well. He was No. 2 in the Brookville Guards, a volunteer com- pany of that day.
"The third schoolhouse was the old Smith log schoolhouse. Margery Sterrett was the pioneer teacher in this neighborhood. She taught in 1841 a summer term in Jacob Zeck's house. What is now known as the Smith schoolhouse was erected in 1842, and of hewed
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logs, on the farm now owned and occupied by Matthew Henry Smith. The pioneer mas- ter was Joseph Sterrett, who taught there in 1842, although the first term was taught by Nancy Bond. Nancy Bovard also taught in 1842; Joseph Harvey, in 1843; William Pat- ton. 1844: Boyd Mccullough, 1845. Other instructors in that house were Ninian Cooper, Jane Anne Davenport, Abbie MeCurdy, Mar- tha llunter, Ephraim Harris, Hilpa Clarke, in 1851, Eliza Smith and Mrs. Boyd McCul- lough. In the early fifties a frame house was erected near where the Methodist church now stands, and the following persons taught there : Alexander Boyard. Penelope G. Clarke (now my wife), 1857, Eli G. Rogers, Martha Den- nison (now Mrs. Calhoun). Ellen Hanford Gordon, W. C. Smith, and John R. Groves. These instructors were all before 1860.
"Of the scholars who went to David Long- well, Sr., with me in 1849 and are alive to- day. I recall John Ross, Joseph Millen, Mar- tha Dennison (now Mrs. Calhoun), Thomas Hutchison, Annie Smith (now Mrs. Samuel Temple), Robert and John Smith, William and Margaret Shaw, and Susan Keys (now Mrs. Smith), eleven of us in all. Those who are beyond the ever and the never are David and James Dennison, William Keys, Mc- Curdy. James and Mary Jane Millen, Elizabeth and Charles Melain, Andrew Calhoun, Ben- jamin Shaw, Sarah and Nancy Ross, Phoebe Horner, thirteen-twenty-four in all. Den- nison school sent ten soldiers to the war for the Union. Two were killed in battle, viz .. James Millen and Andrew Calhoun, the other eight returned more or less physically wrecked. "In conclusion, great our schools, great the State, fair her women and brave her sons."
CRIME IN THE TOWNSIHIP
The second murder committed in the county took place in Washington township in 1845 at a logging frolic. Thomas Brown struck James Smith on the head with a handspike. The parties were all drunk. Brown was con- victed of manslaughter and sent to the pen- itentiary, but was pardoned in two or three years and released.
On the morning of Feb. 19th, 1866, tidings spread throughout Washington township that Mrs. Betty McDonald, an aged and highly re- spected lady residing alone in that community. had been foully murdered in her home during the previous night. Robbery was assigned as the cause of the deed.
Mrs. MeDonald, or "Aunt Betty," as she
was called, was a well known personage in the Beechwoods settlement. Her husband, a Scotch Highlander, was dead. and the aged lady occupied a hewed log cabin eighteen by twenty-four, a story and a half high, with two rooms, one up and one downstairs, and a gar- ret above, nestling among some apple trees. She was greatly beloved in that community. Being childless and widowed, the entire neigh- borhood regarded her with the utmost respect and affection, and in turn all were made heartily welcome at Aunt Betty's home.
Although Aunt Betty lived alone, she was not dependent upon her neighbors for sup- port. She possessed money sufficient to be considered a comfortable fortune in those days. She regarded banks and investments, how- ever, with suspicion, and kept her little hoard of money in her home. Her money, consist- ing of gold, silver and banknotes, was kept in a small tin box. This was put in a stout wooden box which was padlocked and kept in a douglitrey downstairs. Despite the warnings of her neighbors the old lady insisted upon keeping from one thousand to fifteen hun- dred dollars in the house with her.
When the news spread of the tragedy that had occurred, the neighbors, one and all, feel- ing it to be a personal bereavement, hastened to the home of the old lady to ascertain the truth of the rumor. The rumor was found to be, indeed, true. During the forenoon of
February 19th a neighbor. "Jimmie" Hutchi- son, went to the house of Aunt Betty MeDon- ald to chop some wood for her. A death-like stillness reigned about the house. No smoke issued from the chimney, and no life seemed to be stirring from within. Hutchison lifted the latch, and as he entered a shocking spec- tacle met his gaze. Aunt Betty lay on the floor dead, while a stream of blood had flowed from a wound in her head and run clear across the room. In the center of the room stood a wooden box open, with the room in confusion. Her Bible lay on the floor where it had evidently fallen from her hands during a struggle, and a small maul which belonged to the house was found in the room. Threads of the wool cap that Aunt Betty wore were found clinging to the maul, and it was sup- posed that this club or maul was the weapon which had been used by the murderer.
Immediately after the discovery an alarm was given and suspicion at once centered upon two men, strangers in that community, as the murderers. These were Charles Chase and Dean Graves, who in the fall before had come to the Beechwoods in search of work.
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These men had the appearance of being rather questionable characters, and had been and were looked upon by the neighborhood with more or less suspicion. Roderick MeDonald, a nephew of Aunt Betty's husband, resided on the farm near the old lady's cabin, and was engaged in the manufacture of shingles. To him Chase and Graves applied and received employment in his shingle house. Chase and Graves had not been in McDonald's employ very long, however, before Roderick began to have suspicions that the men had evil de- signs, and he feared that their sojourn boded ill for that community. Several neighbors had caught Chase and Graves prowling around their houses after night looking in windows, and acting in a most suspicious manner when detected. Mr. MeDonald determined to dis- charge these men as soon as he could give a reasonable excuse, but they were such law- less characters he feared their enmity. Rod- erick did not know that they were even then hiding for crimes committed. Chase and Graves came to Beechwoods from their home near Titusville, Pa., and the two men were cousins.
On the day previous to the murder Roderick McDonald had occasion to leave home. He did not return until late at night and then, for the first time in many years, he failed to go to his barn before retiring to see if the horses were all right. The next morning, as MeDonald was going to the barn, he met Chase coming out, having evidently slept in the barn. The fact seemed peculiar. and MeDonald be- came appprehensive of trouble. On arriving at the barn he found that one of his horses was missing. He immediately made inquiries at the house, and found that Graves had not been seen that morning and that Chase, too, had slipped away. Roderick McDonald then mounted another horse and started after the fugitives. JJe had been gone but a short time when the shocking discovery by neighbors of the murder of Aunt Betty was made. Rod- erick failing to find a trace of his employes, one of whom he suspected of taking his horse, he returned home to be overcome with grief and horror over the murder of his aunt. This only strengthened his suspicions that Chase and Graves were responsible for the murder, and had fled the country. As it was in the winter it was easy to trace the fugitives' foot- steps in the snow for quite a distance, show- ing which direction they had taken when leav- ing the McDonald barn. Immediately the en- tire male population of the township volun- teered to go in pursuit. Warrants were issued
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for the arrest of Chase and Graves, and a search was at once instituted for their cap- ture.
The next day Chase was overtaken by his pursuers at HIellen Mills, Elk county, about twelve miles from Beechwoods, where he had journeyed through the wilderness on foot. Footsore and weary almost to prostration, half starved and half frozen, Chase was in a de- plorable condition when captured. He was so nearly exhausted that he made no effort to escape, and was taken in a sleigh and driven to Brookville, where he was lodged in jail. While in confinement in the county jail and awaiting trial, Chase confessed his part in the crime, that of holding the old lady's arms, while he accused Graves of committing the actual murder by striking Betty McDonald with the maul. Having heard so many stories of the money Aunt Betty was accustomed to keep in her house, he and Graves had planned to rob her. This would undoubtedly have been an easy matter, as the old lady was almost helpless and lived entirely alone. But watch- ing for an opportunity to commit their crime, they chose an evening when McDonald was away from home, and all vigilance removed. To fortify themselves for the task they had procured a jug of whisky. In their endeavor to thus give themselves courage they rather overdid the thing. By drinking too much whisky they lost their wits, and brutally as- saulted the helpless old woman upstairs with the maul or club picked up at the door, and beat her life out before securing the strong box, which was downstairs.
After the murder Chase and Graves divided the money they had obtained. They then went to Roderick McDonald's barn, intending to each take a horse and leave the country. Here again their plans went awry on account of their over-indulgence in whisky, and they fell into a deep sleep. Graves awoke early and made good his escape, but Chase slept until daylight. Then it was too late for him to take a horse, the owner of the farm having re- turned, and having already arisen. He knew that detection and arrest were sure to follow in short order, so he started to tramp to Ridg- way, the nearest railroad station. Had Mc- Donald gone to the barn at bedtime, as was his usual custom, he would have undoubtedly met with the same fate as did his old aunt.
At the May term of court. 1867, Chase was tried for the murder of Betty MeDonald. llon. James Campbell presided at the trial, and Hon. I. G. Gordon and A. L. Gordon and Maj. John McMurray, with the district at-
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torney, A. L. Grunder, represented the Com- monwealth, while the prisoner was ably de- fended by Messrs. Phineas W., William P. and George A. Jenks. The jury was composed of the following persons: Charles Jacox, Fulton Shoffner, Silas Brooks, Abel Fuller, Andrew Hawk, William Williams, W. A. Hadden, William Altman, Thomas North, Darius Blose, William Morris, James Buzzard. The trial was the most sensational that had then ever taken place in the Jefferson County court. A large number of witnesses for the Common- wealth and defense were subpoenaed, and a hot legal contest was waged. Chase and his at- torneys sought to establish in his defense that Graves committed the murder, while a large number of the neighbors of that community testified to the finding of the body of the mur- dered woman. Dr. J. W. Hoey, of Brockway- ville, had made the first post-mortem examina- tion of the body, and a second one was or- dered and made later by Drs. B. Sweeney and W. J. McKnight, of Brookville. At the time of the trial Dr. Hoey made a visit to Delaware and refused to answer the subpoena. Joseph Lucas, one of the county commissioners, was deputized to go to Delaware and subpoena him, and on finding the Doctor offered him if he would return one hundred dollars and his expenses while in Brookville. This Hoey re- fused, and could not be persuaded to come back and give his testimony. Drs. Sweeney and McKnight, who had made the second post- mortem examination, were present at the trial and gave testimony.
.A verdict of first-degree murder was found against Chase, and he was sentenced by the judge to be hanged August 28, 1867. His was the first capital punishment ever ordered on any person in Jefferson county. During his incarceration in jail Chase was visited by Rev. J. Coke, of the Catholic Church of Clarion, Pa .. and almost daily by Miss Devine, a young lady of the same faith, of Philadelphia, Pa., and was prepared for death under the spiritual guidance of these two. John E. Barr, a well- known veteran of the Civil war, was ap- pointed death watch for Chase's cell. To him Chase was at times very communicative, and told him his experience while in the Beech- woods. From various tales recounted Mr. Barr gleaned that both Chase and Graves were desperate characters, and were fugitives from justice when they came to Washington township. In his conversation with Mr. Barr Chase always declared himself innocent of the murder of Aunt Betty McDonald as, accord- ing to his story, he held her wrists on the
night of the tragedy. while Graves struck the blows that caused the aged woman's death.
"Jim" Onslow, a printer and reporter of the Pittsburgh Gasette, wrote Chase's confession for him, which was published in pamphlet form after the execution. In writing this con- fession "Jim," of course, wrote only between drinks.
Nathan Carrier was sheriff of Jefferson county at that time, and was the executioner who sent the soul of Charles Chase, the mur- derer, into eternity. The fact of an execution for murder being performed in Brookville on August 28, 1867, brought a large concourse of people on that day to the town from all over the county. The law required a few specially invited witnesses to be present at the execution. Capt. W. S. Barr deployed a police force, numbering about fifty men, about the jail, in order that no disturbance should reign among the multitudes of curious persons on the streets. Captain Barr was assisted in this labor by Harry Miller, a professional pugilist, who at that time had a class in Brookville. teaching them "boxing," or the "manly art of self-defense."
At ten o'clock on the morning of the execu- tion, the Rev. Father Coke visited the cell of the condemned man and held religious serv- ices, the prisoner exhibiting a sincere and con- trite heart, eagerly receiving the words of counsel and advice from his spiritual adviser. At twelve-fifty Chase took an affecting leave of his father and three brothers. At one-eight his solenm profession left the cell of the con- demned man in the following order: The counsel, G. A. Jenks, W. F. Stewart, Capt. W. S. and John E. Barr, Chase and his spir- itual adviser, the sheriff, reporters and wit- nesses. On reaching the scaffold, and before the black cap was adjusted, Chase made the following address to the assembled witnesses :
"Gentlemen: I have a few words to say to you. I am uneducated, and I wish to cor- rect a wrong impression that is existing in the minds of some people of this place. They say the religion I have now was forced upon me, but it was not. The young lady who came to my cell has saved me from hell, and if it had not been for her I would have been lost. I am innocent of the crime which it is alleged I committed, and I die an innocent man. If I am not, I hope to be damned. The next time a stranger comes to your town give him a chance for his life and do not seek after his life. I had good instruction until I was about fourteen years of age. You think, gentlemen, that this is hard, but look at what our poor
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soldiers endured. I die forgiving all against whom I have any enmity with, and have prayed for them. Gentlemen, I want your prayers on my behalf, and I hope to meet you all in Heaven. Again, gentlemen, I say I am innocent of the murder for which I am about to suffer."
When the rope was adjusted and the trap sprung, a revolting incident occurred, which, in the minds of many people at that time, served as a further judgment upon the man who had assisted in ruthlessly taking an inno- cent life. When the trap was sprung and the body of the condemned man shot downward, the spectators were horrified to see the rope break and Chase fall heavily to the ground. He was assisted to his feet by the sheriff and his assistants and was discovered to be unhurt. "This is hard," the miserable man remarked, as he was again led up on the scaffold and the rope readjusted about his neck. This time jus- tice was meted out without further accident, and the murder of one of the most harmless and pious old women ever known in Wash- ington township was avenged. After being suspended for thirty minutes Chase was pro- nounced dead by the attending surgeons, who were Drs. Brown, of Troy, Hunt, Sweeney, McKnight, Heichhold and Bennett, of Brook- ville. The jury at the execution were Irvin McFarland, David Haney, Stephen Oaks, N. Carrier, Sr., James Taylor, David McGarey, William Bell, J. T. Dickey, E. H. Darrah, Dr. John M. Thompson, Dr. C. M. Matson, Dr. Hugh Dowling.
Dean Graves, Chase's accomplice in the crime, having succeeded in eluding the officers of justice, made good his escape and was un- heard of for a number of months. The com- missioners of Jefferson county offered a re- ward of five hundred dollars for his appre- hension. On the 20th day of October fol- lowing Chase's execution, Graves was arrested after a desperate resistance by Sheriff Walker, of Newaygo county, Mich., assisted by De- tective William H. Hall, of that place. Sheriff Carrier, accompanied by Col. W. W. Corbet, armed with a requisition from the governor of Pennsylvania, went to Michigan and brought Graves to Brookville, where he was tried at the December term of court, 1867.
In the trial the Commonwealth was repre- sented by District Attorney A. C. White and the Messrs. Gordon, and the defense by the Messrs. W. P. and G. A. Jenks, who then ar- gued that Chase had committed the murder. The jurors at the trial were Ephraim E. John- son, James F. Hawthorne, James L. Whitman,
William Best, Jr., Israel Graffius, Peter Galusha, John Coon, Miller Harding, George S. Campbell, James McMorris, Charles B. Mc- Cain, Rev. John Frampton. Hon. I. G. Gor- don made a brilliant argument for the Com- monwealth, but owing to the opposition of some of the jurors to capital punishment a verdict of murder in the second degree was rendered, and Graves was sentenced to soli- tary confinement in the Western penitentiary for eleven years and eight months. By ex- emplary conduct while serving this sentence Graves got his time of imprisonment short- ened. Warden Wright of the Western peni- tentiary stated that while Graves was an in- mate of that institution he was a model pris- oner, but had made the remark that when he was free he was going to Michigan to live, as capital punishment was not a law of that State. As soon as he was at liberty Graves went to Michigan, where in six months he murdered a family of six. For this atrocious crime he was sentenced to the penitentiary for life.
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