Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 2

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers
Number of Pages: 972

USA > Pennsylvania > Jefferson County > Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II > Part 2

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).

Thompson, Col. Robert Means 1444

Henderson, Samuel S .. 57

Hoffman, Leon Hale. . Bet. 456-457

MeLeavy, John 216

Williams, T. R., M. D. 153

Hoffman, Orvis Clyde. Bet. 456-457

Me Murray, John 200

Murray, John H., M. D. 345

OIson, Hans 480

Pantall, J. Ervin. 313

Reed, John 371

Reitz, Gilmore C. 353

Reitz, Dr. Ralph B 357

Reitz, Rufus G. 361

Rinn, Samuel A. 72

Sayers, John C., M. D. 264

Seribner, Samuel A 512

Shaffer, William I 384

Smith, William C .. 545

Smith, William Orlande 417

Darrah, Edward H. 97

Deemer, Alexander 1). 272

Diekey, William 48

Geist, John E. 208

Graffius, Mrs. Mary C 521

Groves, Daniel D. 321

Grube, John E., M. D 304

Haggerty, Thomas 552

Henderson, Joseph B 32

Henderson, Hon. Joseph

MeKnight, Col. Alexander 41

MeKnight, Col. Amor A 65

MeKnight, Jay 392

Vanleer, William N. 409

Wilson, Alonzo M. 560

Hughes, Dr. Samuel J 248

Humphrey, James M. 401

Humphrey, Lee B. 401

Humphrey, Wilbert N 401

Irvin, William 128

Johnson, William E 336

Kennedy, Henry H 488

Keys, John 440

Kreitler, Frank X. 241

Kurtz, Theodore M 81

Leahy, Capt. William J 424

Leason, Rev. Thomas Sharp. 328

Lewis, Stephen 473

Lorenzo, Dr. Frank A 465

Met'lelland, Jolin II 536

McClelland, Seott 288

MeClure, Andrew T 281

MeCurdy, James 172

Washington 4

Strong, Nathan L. 224

Sykes, Jacob Bilger 193

GENEALOGY-BIOGRAPHY

ARNETT, JOSEPH, the patriarch B of Jefferson county, was the son of John and Sarah Barnett, and was born in Dauphin county, Pa., in 1754. He was of Scotch-Irish extraction. His father, a native of Ireland, located in Pennsylvania in the early part of the eighteenth century, and was a farmer. His mother died early, and Joseph was "brought up" by his relatives. He was raised on a farm, and was thus peacefully employed when the Revolution commenced. As the son of a patriotic sire he could not resist taking part in the struggle, and so joined the army and served for some years. The exact duration of his service cannot now be ascertained, but "he was a brave and efficient soldier, and never faltered in the path of duty." He also served in the State militia in the campaign against the Wyoming boys. After the war he settled in Northumberland county, where he owned a large tract of land, but was dispossessed of it by some informalities of the title. Here he was married to Elizabeth Scott, sister of Samuel Scott and daughter of John Scott, July 3, 1794.

Joseph Barnett was assessed in Pinecreek township, Northumberland county, April 28, 1786; in 1788 he was assessed in the same township and county with a sawmill and as a single freeman. This was his sawmill at the mouth of Pine creek, and the mill where he lost his eye. The property is now in Clin- ton county. After losing his mill and land Barnett returned in the nineties to Dauphin county, Pa., and engaged in contracting for and building bridges. In 1799 he was again assessed in Pinecreek township, then in Ly- coming county. Pa., with 225 acres of land. This was his Port Barnett property, whither he migrated with his family in 1800, and here he engaged in the erection of mills and in the lumbering business that eventually made Port Barnett, then in Lycoming county, the cen- ter of business for a large extent of territory.

In a short time a tub gristmill was added to his sawmill, and, with his "Port Barnett flint- stone binns," he made an eatable, if not a very desirable, quality of flour. The Indians ( Sen- ecas ) then in the country were good customers, and what few whites there were for thirty or forty miles around would make his cabin a stopping place for several days at a time. His log cabin became a tavern, the only one in a seventy-five miles' journey, and was fre- quented by all the early settlers. His Indian guests did not eat in the house, but would in winter make a pot of mush over his fire and set it out in the snow to cool; then one fellow would take a dipper and eat his fill of the pudding, sometimes with milk, butter, or mo- lasses; then another would take it and go through the same process until all were satis- fied. The dogs would then help themselves from the same pot, and when they put their heads in the pot in the Indian's way he would give them a slap over the head with the dip- per.

He kept a hotel, rafted lumber on Sandy Lick and Red Bank, and at the same time attended to his saw- and gristmills. He was assessed in Pinecreek township in 1800 as a farmer.

The Seneca tribe were friendly and peace- able neighbors, and often extended their ex- cursions into these waters, where they encamped, two or three in a squad, and hunted deer and bears, taking the hams and skins in the spring to Pittsburgh. Their rafts were constructed of dry poles, ttpon which they piled up their meat and skins in the form of a haystack, took them to Pittsburgh, and exchanged them for trinkets, blankets, cali- coes, weapons, etc. They also made sugar. It is said they caught the sap in small troughs, and, after collecting it into a large trough, dipped hot stones into it to boil it down. They were friendly, sociable, and rather fond of making money. During the war of 1812 the settlers were apprehensive that an unfortu- nate turn of the war upon the lakes might

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

bring an irruption of the savages upon the frontier through the Seneca nation.

Samuel Scott resided here until I810, when, having scraped together, by hunting and lum- bering, about two thousand dollars, he went down to the Miami river and bought a section of fine land, which made him rich.

It is' related that Joseph Barnett at one time carried sixty pounds of flour on his back from Pittsburgh. Their supplies of flour, salt and other necessaries were frequently brought in canoes from that place. These sup- plies were purchased with lumber, which he sawed and rafted to that city, and which in those days was sold for twenty-five dollars per thousand. The nearest settlement on Meade's trail eastward of Port Barnett was Paul Clover's, thirty-three miles distant, on the west branch of the Susquehanna, where Curwensville now stands; and westward Fort Venango was forty-five miles distant, which points were the only resting places for the travelers who ventured through this unbroken wilderness.

About the year 1802, Joseph Barnett con- sented to act as banker for the Indians around Port Barnett. The Indians were all "bimetal- lists," and had the "silver craze," for their money was all silver : and bringing their mono- metallism to Mr. Barnett, he received it from them and deposited it in their presence in his private vault- a small board trunk covered with hogskin, tanned with the bristles on. On the lid were the letters "J. B.," made with brass tacks. The trunk was now full; the bank was a solid financial institution. In a short time, however, the red men concluded to withdraw their deposits, and they made a "run" in a body on the bank. Barnett handed over the trunk, each Indian counted out his own pieces, and according to their combined count the bank was insolvent ; there was a shortage, a deficiency of one fifty-cent

nett was no longer a criminal; he was the hero and friend of the Indians.

The following sketch of the first white set- tlement within the county was principally de- rived from Andrew Barnett, Jr., Esq., in 1840: "Mr. Joseph Barnett was the patriarch of Jefferson county. He had done service on the West Branch under General Potter during the Revolution, and also under the State against the Wyoming boys. After the war he settled in Northumberland county, at the mouth of Pine creek, and very probably might have been one of the Fairplay boys; at any rate, he lost his property by the operation of the common law, which superseded the jurisdiction of fair play. Again, in 1797, he penetrated the wil- derness of the Upper Susquehanna by the Chinklacamoose path, and, passing the head- lands between the Susquehanna and the Alle- gheny, arrived on the waters of Red Bank, then called Sandy Lick creek. He had pur- chased lands here of Timothy Pickering & Co. He first erected a sawmill at Port Bar- nett. where Andrew Barnett. Jr., now resides, at the mouth of Mill creek, about two miles east of Brookville. His companions on this expedition were his brother, Andrew Barnett, and his brother-in-law, Samuel Scott. Nine Seneca Indians, of Cornplanter's tribe, assisted him to raise his mill. Leaving his brothers to look after the new structure, he returned to his family in Dauphin county, intending to bring them out. But Scott soon followed him with the melancholy news of the death of his brother Andrew, who was buried by the friendly Indians and Scott in the flat opposite the present tavern. This news discouraged him for a while; but in 1800 he removed his family out, accompanied again by Mr. Scott. They sawed lumber and rafted it down to Pittsburgh, where it brought in those days twenty-five dollars per thousand. The usual adventures and privations of frontier life at- on Black Lick creek, in Indiana county. Mr. Barnett knew nothing of the wilderness south of him, and was obliged to give an Indian four dollars to pilot him to Westmoreland. The nearest house on the eastward was Paul Clo- ver's (grandfather of General Clover), thir- ty-three miles distant on the Susquehanna. where Curwensville now stands: westward Fort Venango was distant forty-five miles."

piece. Mr. Barnett induced the Indians to , tended their residence. The nearest mill was recount their silver, but the fifty-cent piece was still missing. The Indians then declared Mr. Barnett must die; they surrounded the house and ordered him to the porch to be shot. He obeyed orders, but pleaded with them to count their pieces the third time, and if the fifty-cent piece was still missing, then they could shoot him. This the Indians con- sidered fair, and they counted the silver pieces the third time, and one Indian found he had Mr. Barnett's children were as follows : Sarah and Thomas, twins, born in 1790 in Pinecreek township, Northumberland (now Clinton ) county ; John, born in Linesville. one more piece than his own : he had the miss- ing fifty-cent piece. Then there was joy and rejoicing among the Indians. Banker Bar-

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Dauphin county, June 16, 1795; Andrew, born in Dauphin county, Nov. 22, 1797, where Jos- eph Barnett was engaged in contracting for and building bridges in the nineties; Rebecca, born at Port Barnett, Lycoming county, Aug. 6, 1802 ( she was the first white female child born within the present limits of Jefferson county ) ; J. Potter, born at Port Barnett, Ly- coming county, May 23, 1800; Margaret An- nie, born Oct. 22, 1805, at Port Barnett, Pine- creek township, Jefferson county ; Juliet, born April 12, 1808, at Port Barnett, Pinecreek township, Jefferson county ; and Joseph Scott, the youngest, and the first white male child born in the county, born April 12, 1812, at l'ort Barnett, Pinecreek township, Jefferson county.

The original Pinecreek township was erected in Northumberland county at the Au- gust term of court in 1785. In 1795, when Lycoming was organized, Pinecreek township became a part of that county. In 1804, when Jefferson county was organized, and taken from Lycoming, Pinecreek township was divided, and that part taken from Lycoming was thrown into Jefferson and made into Pine- creek township, and was the whole of Jeffer- son county until the year 1818. The census of 1800 shows that Lycoming had a popula- tion of 5,414. The population of Pinecreek township, Lycoming county, in 1800, when Joseph Barnett migrated and located at Mill creek (now Jefferson county), was: whites, 682; colored, 24; slaves, 5; total. 711.

When Joseph Barnett settled on Mill creek, Pinecreek township, Lycoming county was divided into two election districts,-the third and fourth,-viz .: "3. That part of Lycoming township west of Pine run, and that part of Pinecreek east of Chatham's run, and the township of Nippenose, to form the third dis- trict. Elections to be held at the house of Thomas Ramey, Pinecreek.

"4. All that part of Pinecreek township west of Chatham's run to constitute the fourth dis- trict, and elections to be held at the house of Hugh Andrew, Dunnsburgh." Dunnsburgh, or Dunnstown, as it is now called, is in Clin- ton county, Pa. It was founded in 1768 by William Dunn, and is about a half mile down the river from Lock Haven, on the opposite or east side of the river. This fourth district was the polling or voting place for the Port Barnett settlement.

In 1800 the only road was Meade's Trail. Before the axe of the lumberman had visited these forests, the trees stood tall, lordly, and free from undergrowth, the great trunks

standing straight in the air, with the ground cool and damp in the shade. One could ride a horse almost anywhere through the woods. In 1801 Barnett got out of salt. The nearest place to obtain it was in Westmoreland county. Barnett could not make the trip through- the woods himself, and he bargained for three days with an Indian to guide him. The In- dian wanted just as much more as Barnett felt able to give. At the end of three days the bargain was closed for what the Indian believed to be half price, viz., two dollars. The trip to Westmoreland was then mnade, and after Barnett secured his salt, the Indian coolly remarked, "Me no go back; me no go back." All then that was left for Barnett to do was to give him his original price of four dollars.

Joseph Barnett was rather a homely man in face and features. In stature he was five feet, eight inches, and would weigh about one hundred and eight pounds. His presence was prepossessing, and with his smooth-shaved face, and a countenance open and frank, his appearance was such as to attract the atten- tion of all. He was a practical business man, a strict Presbyterian, a Christian, and had his left eye gouged out in a rough-and-tumble fight at his sawmill. He died as he had lived, a true-hearted man, on the 15th of April, 1838, and was buried in the old graveyard above Church street. His wife passed away four months later, in her sixty-fifth year, and was buried there also.

MOSES KNAPP. In the spring of 1797 Joseph Barnett, of Linesville, Dauphin Co., Pa., Samuel Scott and Moses Knapp, of Lycon- ing county, Pa., left the mouth of Pine creek, on the west branch of the Susquehanna, in Lycoming county, and came by Meade's trail to the confluence of Mill creek with Sandy Lick, now Port Barnett, for the pur- pose of starting a settlement. Port Barnett was then in Pinecreek township, Lycoming county. Upon their arrival they commenced the erection of a sawmill. "Samuel Scott was a millwright by trade, and was assisted in his work by Moses Knapp, who was an adopted son, then about nineteen years of age. They first built a sawmill on Mill creek, about where the present mill dam of Mr. Humphrey stands. This mill was the property of Mr. Scott. Young Knapp exhibited a good deal of me- chanical ingenuity in this work, and the next year built a mill for himself on the North Fork, on a site about the head of' A. Wayne

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Cook's millpond. Leaving his mill in the fall, young Knapp went to Indiana to attend a term of school. While there he became acquainted with Miss Susan Matson, a daugh- ter of Uriah Matson, of that place. The acquaintance thus made soon ripened into an engagement, and Moses Knapp and Susan Matson were united in matrimony, and when all this was accomplished she returned with him to Port Barnett. He then built a camp or residence at his sawmill on the North Fork, and there they commenced keeping house, a beginning which resulted in the pro- duction of a family of eleven children. Here, in 1801, was born Polly, and afterwards Isa- bel and Samuel.

"Knapp sold out his mill and 'betterments' at the head of Cook's pond to Samuel and William Lucas, and then began housekeeping in a new place, at the mouth of the North Fork, now Brookville. After he had got his family in living shape there, he built another sawmill on what was known as Knapp's run. The name of this stream has since been changed to Five Mile run. This mill Knapp sold to Thomas Lucas, Esq. He then built a log gristmill on the North Fork, near his resi- dence, only a few rods from the Red Bank creek. This mill had one run of rockstones. The water was gathered by a wing dam of brush and stones, that extended nearly up to where the road now crosses below Cook's dam, and was thus brought into a chute, that passed it under a large undershot water wheel. A 'facegear' wheel upon the water wheel shaft 'meshed' into a 'trundlehead' upon the 'spindle' which carried the revolving stone, comprised the propelling machinery. This mill was often taxed to its utmost capacity. People would come here to get their grain ground from distances of twenty or thirty miles, through the woods on horseback and on barefoot, carrying the grain on their backs. A big day's grind was from six to ten bushels of grain."

While the Knapps were residing at this place, in what is now Brookville, John Knapp was born in 1807, and afterwards Amy, Joshua, Moses, Clarissa and Joseph, the last in 1818.

During the time of Knapp's residence at the head of what is now Cook's pond, and many years thereafter, the cheapest and most expeditious method of obtaining such supplies as could not be produced on the ground was to go to Pittsburgh for them. Rafts of sawed lumber were run to Pittsburgh in the spring of the year. A canoe was taken along. and

when the raft was sold most of the avails would be invested in whisky, pork, sugar, dry goods, etc. These goods were then loaded into the canoe, and the same men that brought the raft through to market would "pole" or "push" the loaded canoe up the river and up the creek to Port Barnett. This was a voyage that all men of full strength were very desirous of making, and was the subject of conversation for the remaining part of the year.

These canoes were hewed out of large pine trees, large enough to receive a barrel of flour crosswise. A homemade rope of flax was attached to the front end of the canoe, to be used in pulling the canoe up and over ripples. The men with these canoes had to camp in the woods wherever night overtook them, and their greatest terror and fear was rattlesnakes, for the creek bottoms were alive with them.

In 1821 Moses Knapp "articled" with the Holland Land Company for a quantity of land in what is now Clover township. The land was taken from warrants numbered 3.082 and 3,200, which included the land upon which Dowlingville is situated, and also that upon which the Baxter property and mills now are. AAfter building a cabin and moving his family into it, he commenced the building of a dam pretty much on the site of the present dam, and a sawmill on the site of the present mill. He took a partner in the business and vigor- ously prosecuted the work. In cutting timber for the mill he in some way got his foot crushed so badly that it became necessary to have the leg amputated above the knee. The mill was completed, and the business of manu- facturing lumber, etc., was carried on for a few years by Knapp & Ball. He had two children born here, Isaac M. and Eliza. He was elected constable while here in 1821, the year he was hurt. He died near Dowlingville in 1853, and is buried with his wife in the graveyard of the Jefferson United Presby- terian Church in Pinecreek township. Mr. Knapp was a Seceder in belief, and was a leading member of the Jefferson Church. ( See also Chapter XXI, Borough of Brook- ville, and Chapter XXII, Pinecreek Town- ship.)

JOSEPH WASHINGTON HENDER- SON was born Aug. 27, 1814, on the home- stead of 220 acres located in Mahoning town- ship. Indiana Co., Pa., on the Big Mahoning, about four miles west of Punxsutawney, Pa., on which his father John Henderson located in 1805. There were few settlers in the lo-

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ASTOR, LENOX

JEFFERSON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

cality at this time, their nearest neighbor liv- ing three miles away. The early settlers had many hardships and privations to endure. On one occasion Mrs. Henderson was left alone with three small children overnight. Mr. Hen- derson having gone to Black Lick expecting to return the following day. Late in the even- ing Mrs. Henderson discovered that the fire had gone ont, and as it was bitterly cold, and she did not have any flint or dry punk with which to start a fire, she was afraid that she and the children would perish with the cold during the night. Putting the two older chil- dren into bed, she took the baby in her arms and started to walk to the nearest neighbor, a distance of three miles through the timber, to secure fire. In wrapping up the fire there was some discussion between Mrs. Henderson and her neighbor about how it should be done. The neighbor insisted upon wrapping the fire for her and she started back home. By this time it had become dark. On arriving home, almost exhausted from carrying her babe six miles, she unwrapped the fire and discovered that it was out. There was nothing left for her to do but procure all of the bed clothing and get in bed with the three children to keep from freezing. The next day when Mr. Henderson arrived in the middle of the forenoon he found his little family almost perished, but he soon had fire started and made them again com- fortable.

Mr. Henderson remained with his father until he was seventeen years of age, attending school in the winters, and aiding his father on the farm and at the sawmill which his father operated on Big Mahoning. At the age of seventeen, in 1831, he engaged in the mercan- tile business with William Campbell, of Punx- sutawney, Pa., as clerk, remaining with him until 1836, when he was elected sheriff of Jefferson county, being the second sheriff chosen by election for the county. During his three years' term as sheriff he had many thrilling experiences. On one occasion it was necessary for him to go to Warren, the county seat of Warren county, for a prisoner. Be- tween Brookville and Warren it was almost an unbroken wilderness. For a distance of twenty odd miles there were no roads nor beaten paths, only a blazed trail. To ride the forty-four miles during the day it was neces- sary for him to get through the blazed trail before dark, or he would have to spend the night in the timber. Late in the afternoon, about half way through the trail, he came to a large tree fallen across the path that his horse was unable to jump. He turned off into the

timber to ride around the tree, and in wander- ing around through the underbrush on his horse became lost. Tying his horse to a tree and continuing his search on foot, he finally found the fallen tree and path. Being de- layed by this mishap, and fearing that he would not get through before dark, he hurried to resume his journey. To his dismay he was unable to find his horse and in desperation he called loudly. Before the echo of his voice had died away the horse whinnied. He said he never heard a more welcome sound, and at once was able to find his horse and lead it back to the trail. Riding along as rapidly as he could, he succeeded in getting through the blazed trail before dark, when he came to a road through the wilderness leading to War- ren. After he had gone some distance on this road it became quite dark, and going down into a deep ravine, through which a small creek flowed, he was unable to see. His horse be- came frightened and refused to go farther. However, with much urging he succeeded in getting him down into the stream, when, on looking up to the horizon. he saw an Indian standing. on the bank of the little creek. ITe was terrified at seeing the Indian, as he had no thought of any danger for himself, thinking his horse had taken alarm at some animal, possibly a bear. He spoke to the Indian, ask- ing him how far it was to Warren. The Indian told him it was quite a distance and asked him if he would not have something to eat. pointing to a small wagon filled with venison. He declined the meal, saying that he was in a hurry to get through to Warren. Bidding him good evening he rode on, and when he got over the brow of the hill ran his horse for quite a distance. On reaching War- ren he told the sheriff his experience with the Indian and how frightened he had been. The sheriff said the Indians there were peaceable and he was perfectly safe in their hands. The next morning he met the Indians in Warren. where they had disposed of their venison, and they assisted him with his prisoner as far back as their home on the little creek.

At the termination of his term as sheriff Mr. Henderson was appointed marshal, and took the census of 1840. In 1843 he was elected treasurer of Jefferson county and in 1856 he was elected associate judge, serving in this capacity until 1860, when he resigned to run for prothonotary. register and recorder and clerk of the courts, to which office he was elected. In 1864 he was elected delegate to represent the Nineteenth Congressional dis- trict in the National Union convention held in

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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania : her pioneers and people, 1800-1915, Volume II, Part 2

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918 Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers Number of Pages: 972

Author: McKnight, W. J. (William James), 1836-1918
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago : J.H. Beers
Number of Pages: 972