USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume I > Part 91
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The annual output of oil in the United States is now valued in cash at about one hundred and forty million dollars. The first oil struck in Jefferson county was found about the 22d of October, 1895. The well was located on Lathrop's land, on Callen run, in Ileath township. The well was drilled by the Standard Oil Company 1,600 feet, and a flow- ing well of twenty barrels a day was struck. The well now flows about eight barrels a day.
TAXABLES IN 1848
William Aharrah, two oxen ; Robert Ahar- rah ; Charles Aharrah ; David Andrews ; Henry Aharrah, four oxen ; Jane Aharrah, cow ; Mor- ris Brooks, two horses, two cows, six oxen ; Aaron Bliss; James W. Bennett, cow; John Clark ; Jesse Crispen; William Clyde, cow, ox: James Cochran; Job Carr, cow; George
Crispen, cow, two oxen; Thomas Godder; David Nichols; C. W. Jackson, cow; John Kinning; John Knopsnider; Jesse Kyle, cow, two oxen; Andrew Sowers, two oxen; John Lumbard, cow ; Bennett Lumbard and Smith, two horses, four oxen; Moses McCollums ; Patrick O'Neil, cow; Barnard O'Neil, two oxen ; James Phillis, cow, two oxen; Martin Perrin (sawyer), cow; David Rankin, cow; Henry Raught & Co., cow, four oxen; Jacob Raught ; Samuel Ruysell; Edward Robbins ; David Sheared; Richard Shyhoff; Joseph C. Lens ; George Vasbinder. cow ; John Wynkoop, cow, two oxen ; Abram Winsor, buggy ; Alonzo Winsor ; Charles Wing; William Winlock, two horses, cow, two oxen ; David Winlock; Wil- liam J. Winlock ; F. Hetrick ; Allison Stewart ; WV. M. Daugherty ; Leonard Lockwood; Isaac Nicholas, Jr.
POPULATION
The population in 1850 was 203; 1860, 214; 1870. 247; 1880. 207; 1890. 236; 1900, 325; 1910, 325.
EARLY SETTLERS
The first settlers were James Aharrah, IJenry Raught, Job Carr, William Winlock and James Phillis. Provisions for these early set- tlers were brought up the Clarion river in canoes from where Parker now stands.
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BUSINESS
The first licensed hotel within the present limits of the township was kept in 1840 and 1841, in a one-storied log house, on the bank of the Clarion river, opposite Wynkoop's, by James Aharrah. The building was still stand- ing as late as 1900. The first store in what is now Heath was opened by Brooks & Mor- rison in 1844. Job Carr built the first mill. In the fifties Wright & Pryor and Frazier & Co. were merchants here.
Dunkle, the only post office in this township, was discontinued in 1898.
FIRST OFFICIALS
The first township officers were appointed by the court, as follows: Supervisors, A. Winsor, William Dougherty ; constable, Rob- ert Aharrah ; school directors, Henry Raught, David Rankin. A. Winsor, D. H. Dimmon, Patrick O'Neal, William Dougherty ; audi- tors. Henry Raught, Patrick O'Neal, John Wynkoop; judge of election, David Rankin ; inspectors, D. H. Dimmon, John Canning ; jus- tice of the peace, John Wynkoop.
PRESENT OFFICIALS
J. B. Boyd, W. J. Carroll, George Paine, school directors; Adam Hidinger, supervisor, and Harry Corbet. constable, were elected Nov. 2, 1915.
FIRST MURDER IN COUNTY
The first murder in'Jefferson county was committed April 30 or May 1, 1843. in Heath township, on the fifty-acre tract of land where Stewart Painter resided in 1902. The murder took place in a cabin that stood just back of the present residence. Daniel Long, father of Daniel Long, of Brookville, was killed therc, and Samuel Knopsnyder was so seriously wounded that he died three days after. The piece of land was a vacant strip, and Long and a man named James Green claimed it by occupancy. In Long's absence James Green and his son Edwin took possession of the cabin. On his return, accompanied by Knop- snyder and a man named James Phillis, Long found the cabin occupied. Phillis had with him a yoke of oxen, a cart and a plow, intending to plow some ground for Long. Long went to the front door of the cabin and Knop- snyder to the rear door, both intending to force an entrance. Long forced himself
partly in through the door, when Edwin Green shot him dead. At the same time Knop- snyder had forced his way in through the door, and had James Green, the father, down on the cabin floor. Green called to his son, who came with an ax. and striking Knopsnyder with it fractured his skull. Phillis heard the struggle in the cabin, and hastened to see what had occurred. Young Green met him with the ax, driving him away after inflicting a severe cut on his arm. He would soon have ended Phillis' life had it not been for the timely arrival of two neighbors, James Crow and William Dougherty, who stopped young Green.
The Greens, father and son, were arrested, placed in jail, and tried for murder, the son at September court following the killing, and the father three months later, at the Decem- ber term of court. Young Green's was the first murder trial in the county, and as a mat- ter of course it created much interest among the people. Hon. Alexander McCalmont, of Franklin, Venango county, was judge of the Jefferson county courts at that time, and pre- sided at both of the trials. George R. Barrett, of Clearfield. was deputy attorney general, and represented the Commonwealth in the trials, occupying the same relation to criminal cases as our district attorney does now. D. B. Jenks, Esq., was attorney for the Greens. The names of the jurors who sat on the Edwin Green case were : Hiram Fuller, George Depp, Elijah Campbell, Samuel Gibson, William Wil- liams, Henry Smith, Lemuel Carey, Levi M. Wharton, Robert Law, John McClelland, An- drew Gibson, D. C. Gillespie.
The jury found young Green guilty of mur- der in the second degree for the killing of Long, and he was sentenced by the court to four years at hard labor in the Western pen- itentiary. He was also tried at the same court and by the same jury for the killing of Samuel Knopsnyder. the result and sentence being the same as in the Long case.
James Green, the fathier, was tried at De- cember term. Jenks defended him, and Bar- rett represented the Commonwealth. The same jury tried both cases for the killing of Long and Knopsnyder. Their names were as follows: George Slaysman, John McClos- key. George IIenderson, Jacob Hoover, Jesse Hannah, Robert Stout, John Sprankle, Thomas Kindel, Benjamin Gilhousen, James Stewart. James Garey, Samuel Fleming. The verdict in both cases was murder in the second de- gree, and the sentence was on each four years separate and solitary confinement at hard labor
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in the penitentiary. This sentence meant to be dressed in convict's garb, placed in a cell, and have his food thrust through a hole in the door-not allowed to see or speak to any- one but his attendant, or to hear from any of his friends or relatives, and when dis- charged to be given back his clothes, as well as a small sum of money with which to reach home.
James Green, the father, served one year of his term, and was then pardoned by the governor. Edwin Green, the son, served his full time, and on being released returned to Jefferson county. Ile remained here only a few days, however, as he felt his life was not safe. He returned to the vicinity of Pitts- burgh, where he settled down and lived a peaceable life.
CHAPTER XXXVIII WINSLOW TOWNSHIP-BOROUGHS OF REYNOLDSVILLE AND SYKESVILLE
ORGANIZATION AND POPULATION-FIRST SETTLERS-PIONEERS IN 1847-BUSINESS AND RE- SOURCES-ELECTIONS AND OFFICIALS-TOW NS-CEMETERIES-REYNOLDSVILLE-WEST REY- VOLDSVILLE-SYKESVILLE
Winslow township was named after James Winslow, an associate judge. It was organ- ized in 1847, being taken from Washington, Pinecreek and Gaskill townships. It is bounded on the north by Washington, on the cast by the Clearfield county line, on the south by MeCalmont and Henderson townships, and on the west by McCalmont and Pinecreek townships. The population in 1850 was 507; 1860, 1,006; 1870, 1,320; 1880, 1.904; 1890, 3.493: 1900, 6.435; 1910, 4,918.
FIRST SETTLERS
The first person to settle in what is now Winslow township was John Fuller, who came here with his wife Rebecca in 1822. Andrew McCreight came with his family in 1832-33. and erected a small log cabin, making his home in what has since been called the Paradise Set- tlement. After clearing a small potato patch and building a small log house, Mr. MeCreight brought his family from his former home in Indiana county in the winter of 1832-33 to this paradise in the wilderness.
The Fuller schoolhouse, a little log build- ing where Thomas Reynolds taught the first school under the common school system, was built in 1836 on the hill above the present flour mill at Prescottville.
MIONFERS IN WINSLOW TOWNSHIP AS PER AS- SESSMENT IN 1847
Alexander Ludwick, two horses, two cows, oxen ; John Brown, one horse, one cow : Alex-
ander Bolinger, two cows; Michael Best, two horses, three cows; James Broadhead, two cows; John Clayton, three cows; Benjamin Caton, three cows; John Clark: Margaret Cathers, horse, cow; John Clendemun ; Rob- ert Cathers; George Craig; John Deemer, two horses, three cows; Jonathan Dickey, two horses, one cow ; Robert Douthett, horse, five cows; Peter Demer, two horses: William Demer, three cows; John Darling, three cows; Francis Dobson, four cows ; David Enterline ; John Faltz, two horses, two cows; John Ful- ler, two horses, eight cows; William Feely, four cows; Francis Groder, cow; Frederick Houpt, horse, cow; William Johnson, cow ; Abrhm Ludwick, two horses, cow; George linsenbigler, cow; Clark Lyons, three cows; John Kline; Andrew McCreight, two horses, two cows; Sharp McCreight, four cows ; Joseph MeCreight, horse, two cows ; John Wil- liam, cow; John Phillips, horse, two cows ; Elizabeth Phillips, two horses, two cows ; Sam- nel Pershing, cow; George Rhoades, cow; Samuel Ray, four cows; Samuel Reynolds, cow; William Reynolds, two horses, four cows, money at interest $1,800; George C. Plyler; Woodward Reynolds, two horses, two cows; Thomas Reynolds, three horses, seven cows, landlord, interest $500; Joshua Wray, horse, two cows; Tilton Reynokis, three horses, three cows, $1,200 at interest ; David Sheesley, two horses : Jacob Smith, horse, two cows; Joseph Sefrit, horse, cow : John Strouse, cow ; Martin Staley, cow; Jacob Shaffer, shoe- maker by trade, horse, cow ; John Smith, four cows; George Sprake, cow; John Sheesley,
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cow; Oliver Welsh, horse, cow; David Wolf, cow; Joseph Thompson, horse, three cows; Samuel Yohe, three cows; Adam Yohe, horse, four cows; Henry Thomas, three cows; Wil- liam Cathcart ; Owen Feeley, horse, two cows ; Peter Sharp, two cows.
BUSINESS AND RESOURCES
The pioneer store was kept by Thomas Rey- nolds in 1844 in his residence. It was con- ducted by William and Tilton Reynolds even as late as 1864.
Oliver Welch kept a licensed hotel at Pros- pect Hill in 1853.
The Freeport lower coal is so exceedingly excellent a bed throughout the Reynoldsville region that it has given great value to all the land it overlies. The work of development has been vigorously conducted for several years, but still there is a vast expanse of coal untouched. This coal is found six feet thick. and is of so good a quality that it is in great demand for gas and steam purposes. A num- ber of collieries have been opened upon it in the Reynoldsville basin, which are now all controlled by the Buffalo, Rochester & Pitts- burgh Railroad Company, who are vigorously developing their mines.
There was cork pine here up until 1860, one hundred and twenty-five feet high and six feet across the stump.
The West Penn Tannery at Ohiotown (now a part of Reynoldsville) ranks next to the coal mines in importance. It was built in 1881 by P. K. Grim & Son, from the eastern part of the State. They sold the concern to Messrs. Hall & Vaughn, of New York, in October, 1882. When they assumed control of it they were working one hundred and seventy-five sides per day, while they are now turning out every day as many as six hundred. Their plant is situated along the Low Grade division of the Allegheny Valley railroad, on twenty- five acres of land, on which they have bark , mills and sheds with switch tracks running into them. They have room under roof for twelve thousand tons of bark, and they con- sume annually about twenty thousand tons of this material.
ELECTIONS AND OFFICIALS
The first constable for the township was Oliver Welch, appointed by the court in 1816. The first election in Winslow township was held on the first Monday of April, 1847, at the home of Woodward Reynolds, when the
following township officers were chosen: Con- stable, Joseph McCreight; school directors, Thomas Reynolds, Andrew McCreight, John Philippi ; poor overseers, Woodward Reynolds, Thomas Reynolds ; judge of election, Andrew McCreight; inspectors, John Barr, Jonathan Strouse.
Winslow township was divided into two election districts by a decree of court Sept. 17, 1887, the citizens of East Winslow voting at Prescottville, and the election for West Win- slow being held at the "Moore House" in Ohiotown (now a part of Reynoldsville).
At the election of Nov. 2, 1915, Frank R. Murray was chosen school director for six years; Thomas Wood, supervisor for six years ; Smith McKee, constable for four years.
TOWNS
Prescottville was settled in 1853. Popula- tion in 1900, 215.
Sandy L'alley is a little hamlet situated on the Low Grade road. In 1880 it had a popu- lation of 77 : in 1900, 123. It has a post office.
Rathmel is another small hamlet, and has the terminus of the Soldiers' Run railroad. It is a mining town. In 1894 it had seven hun- dred people and two churches. There is a post office there.
Soldier, Wishaw, Sherwood and Pancoast are also villages in this township, the two first named having post offices.
There are two boroughs situated in this township, Reynoldsville and Sykesville (see separate accounts). Ohiotown, now a part of Reynoldsville, is that portion of the borough situated on the west side of Sandy Lick.
Bowersville and Pardus are also post offices in this township.
CEMETERIES
The pioneer cemetery was at the old school- house in Cold Spring Hollow; other cem- eteries, the McCreight cemetery on the old homestead farm; Prospect graveyard; Par- adise graveyard; Beulahland, started in 1876 by Thomas Reynolds; the Baptist cemetery, started in 1883.
The pioneer religious service was held in 1832 by the Protestant Methodists.
REYNOLDSVILLE
The first house in what is now Reynoldsville was on the bank of Sandy Lick creek, on the
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spot where the "Ross House" now stands, and was built to accommodate the workmen em- ployed on the Susquehanna and Waterford turnpike.
What is now Reynoldsville borough was originally an Indian village, and was such when Andrew Barnett located in the county. The last Indians -to tarry there were the Johns family, who were still around in 1824. In 1832 the land on which Reynoldsville now stands was a hemlock swamp, and the present Main street was a long "corduroy" bridge. As a white man's town it was laid out in September, 1873. The plotting was done and the lots were sold by David and Albert Reynolds. The first name of the town was Olney. Prescottville, the eastern section, was not included in the original borough. The post office name be- came Reynoldsville (originally Prospect Hill), Feb. 23. 1850.
The first white person born within the pres- ent limits of Reynoldsville was David Rey- nolds, son of Woodward Reynolds. He died in 1916.
The pioneer bridge built across Sandy Lick was at Reynoldsville, in 1822. In 1843 the first timber raft was run out of Sandy Lick to Pittsburgh. The first circus exhibited in Reynoldsville in 1845. Between 1850 and 1860 the greatest amount of rafting was done on Sandy Lick creek.
Early religious services were held in a house that stood near the present site of the "Burns Hotel" building, and was occupied by Milton Coleman. During a service in 1852 the floor of this house gave way, the stove was upset, and the congregation was precipitated to the basement. Five persons were so seriously in- jured by the accident that they died.
The first burying ground was located near the schoolhouse which stood in Cold Spring Hollow.
BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT
Thomas Reynolds kept the first store in what is now Reynoldsville. The early mer- chants there were Daniel Dunham and Fred- erick Farmer ( who kept in an old black house six doors cast of where King & Co.'s store was later established), Washington Rhodes, Henry Gordon and his son, Charles H. Gor- don. Previous to 1860 Charles HI. Prescott also kept store in Reynoldsville.
The first and only tannery in the place, until the mammoth one was erected in Ohio- town, was started in 1842, on Jackson street, cast of Tenth, by Thomas Reynolds, Sr. Near this was his sawmill.
The first large sawmill erected near Rey- noldsville was known as the Smith mill. It was built in 1856, on Sandy Lick creek, a mile and a half below the town. Latterly it was known as the Hopkins mill. In 1860 the town had one tavern, kept by Woodward Reynolds ; one store, kept by George Rhodes; one prac- ticing physician, Dr. Crawford; one tannery and sawmill, owned and operated by Thomas Reynolds.
Among the present industries of Reynolds- ville are the following: Two brick and tile works, a silk mill, macaroni factory, window glass plant, iron works, burial case factory, machine shops, grist- and planing-mills, car- riage factory, two woolen mills, two bottling works and a distillery, asbestos plant, besides a number of smaller concerns. There are many fine stores, representing all branches of mer- cantile enterprise, several first-class hotels, two well-equipped livery stables, three national banks and one foreign bank.
The Diamond Coal Company shipped from Reynoldsville over the Low Grade railroad the first coal marketed from Jefferson county. The mines furnish the principal industry of the town. and William Sharpe, the pioneer of this coal region, deserves the praise for the first development of the now famous bituminous coal region of Reynoldsville.
Latchstrings went out of general use in dwellings in about 1860. One end was tied to the latch on the inside and the other end passed through the door to the outside. to be pulled when one wished to enter. "The latchstring is always out" is an expression which arose from this contrivance and means welcome.
The first newspaper was printed there in 1871 by John Doyle.
Oil was first used for illuminating purposes in 1860. It sold for one dollar a gallon. The first piano came to Reynoldsville in 1873.
The first telegraph message to Reynoldsville came in 1873.
The first locomotive arrived in the cut be- low Reynoldsville near enough to be seen in town Aug. 5. 1873, at three-fifteen p. m.
The first passenger train came into Rey- noldsville Nov. 5. 1873. It had on board a band and crowd of people from Brookville.
Transportation facilities are supplied by the Reynoldsville & Falls Creek road, connecting with the Buffalo. Rochester & Pittsburgh ; the Red Bank & Driftwood division of the Penn- sylvania system, and the Jefferson Traction Company, operating an electric line.
The first permanent photograph gallery was opened in Reynoldsville in 1875.
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The first telephone was put into service in Reynoldsville in 1882. The Bell Telephone exchange then was established Feb. 15, 1892.
Gas was first piped to Reynoldsville on April 8, 1890.
Main street in Reynoldsville was paved in the summer of 1893.
Reynoldsville public school building was opened Sept. 4, 1896. West Reynoldsville public school building was opened Oct. II, 1909.
The first automobile was owned by a Rey- noldsville citizen in 1902.
Reynoldsville has'excellent trolley service, viz., to Punxsutawney. Big Run. Sykesville and DuBois, including intermediate mining towns.
In 1916 the organization of the Reynolds- ville Chamber of Commerce was perfected, the membership including representative busi- ness and professional men of the town from many different lines of enterprise. The of- ficers and directors, chosen in November, 1916, are as follows: President, John Reed; vice president, Clyde Murray : corporation secre- tary, G. M. McDonald ; treasurer, C. R. Hall; directors, F. P. Alexander. A. T. McClure, J. F. Joyce, G. H. Roberts, G. H. Patterson, G. W. Stoke, S. M. McCreight, C. M. Dinger, J. K. Johnston, J. W. Hunter, F. K. Alex- ander. E. H. Albertson, who organized the DuBois Chamber of Commerce, is organiza- tion secretary pro tem.
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SOCIETIES
The local body of the Improved Order of Red Men was organized on July 27, 1893. It was named Mazonia Tribe, No. 341, and had a charter membership of thirty-five.
Reynoldsville Tent, No. 168, K. O. T. M., was organized May 1. 1893. with nineteen charter members.
FIRES
The rapid growth of Reynoldsville until 1875 was astonishing. It put on the airs of a little city, but the big fire of 1875, followed by another the ensuing year, almost crushed the life out of the place and business lan- guished, and it was not until the building of the Soldiers' Run railroad, and the opening of the mines, that the town got "on its feet" again.
There have been several scathing fires in Reynoldsville, the greatest conflagration oc- curring on the 25th of August, 1875, when
twenty-one buildings in the heart of the town were destroyed, involving a loss estimated at almost one hundred thousand dollars, on which there was only forty-two thousand dollars' in- surance. It began at about two o'clock a. m. and raged for several hours. The principal losers were: D. C. Oyster & Co., bankers; Burgess & Alexander ; Reilley's Arcade block; C. H. Butler; E. L. Brown; F. M. Cole; A. M. Cotton; C. H. Gordon ; Thompson & Deg- nan; L. P. Seeley ; M. Winslow ; Brandon & Reynolds, Herald; A. Bogner & Co .; D. Rey- nolds; H. M. Iseman ; Thompson & Reynolds ; John A. Doyle; S. B. Ake; A. Bogner, and a number of others whose losses ranged from fifty dollars to eight hundred dollars.
Another disastrous fire occurred in 1876, by which all the dwellings on the north side of Main street, between Centennial Hall and the residence of Mrs. Amelia Reynolds, were destroyed. In the fall of the same year the planing mill and sash and door factory of E. Campbell, and the machine shop of Barclay & Crowell, with several dwelling houses be- tween First and Second streets, were de- stroyed. The following year the "St. Charles" hotel was burned down, and the sawmill of H. S. Belknap, the large tenant house of Dr. R. M. Boyles. on Third street; the residence of W. H. Kneeland, on South, and above Grant; the shoe store and residence of Isaac Winters, on Main street; the "Warmick House" in Ohiotown, the large flouring mill of T. & S. McCreight. of Prescottville, have fallen victims to the devouring element. In the decade ending in 1870 some fifty of the best buildings on Main street were destroyed.
POPULATION, ETC.
When the town was incorporated it had about two hundred people.
Population in 1880, 1,410; 1890. 2,789 ; 1900, 3,435; 1910, 3,189; 1917, 3.140.
The first burgess was M. M. Miner, who served only a few months. The first burgess elected was Dr. J. W. Foust, in March of 1874.
WEST REYNOLDSVILLE
West Reynoldsville, which prior to its in- corporation as such was called Ohiotown, is that part of Reynoldsville situated on the west side of Sandy Lick, where the depot and of- fices of the Low Grade division of the Alle- gheny Valley railroad are situated. It has sprung into life since the building of the rail-
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road, and since the buikling of the West Penn Tannery has been quite a busy place. In 1880 the census gave the population of Ohiotown as 242, but it has been largely increased since then, having been 774 in 1900 and 933 in 1910. There are two graded schools in this section, and the Ross and Moore hotels are also located there.
William Burge, dealer in groceries and gen- eral merchandise, became established in 1878; M. Sloppy, grocery store; William Gibson, grocery, established in 1886.
The "Ross House" was built in 1878 by W. S. Ross, owner and proprietor; in 1883 an- other story was added, making it a three-story building, and in 1885 it was again enlarged. refitted and refurnished.
The "Moore House," James Moore, owner and proprietor, was built by Dr. R. M. Boyles in 1878; he sold it to Frank Best, who opened it as the "Best House." It was then purchased by A. U. Moore, who changed it to the "Moore House."
The Reynoldsville Machine Shop was built in 1884; McClain's Manufactory of Miners' Tools, in 1879; the West Penn Tannery, in 1881-a large industry and next to the coal mines in importance.
West Reynoldsville was made a borough in 1893 (at which time it had about six hundred inhabitants ). Samuel Sutter being the first bur- gess elected.
In 1914 West Reynoldsville was consolidated with Reynoldsville borough, of which it forms the Third ward.
The tornado passed over the present loca- tion of the town, blowing down and destroy- ing two houses.
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